Resplendence/ReverentCrane

Reverent Crane

Background

Born to a rich, influential couple working in the mortal bureacracy ruling Great Forks under the three great spirit rulers, small gods, immortals and non-humans were a natural part of Crane's life since early childhood. He grew up protected, even spoiled, but recieved first class education and training to follow in his parents' footsteps as a link between gods and mortals. As Crane grew close to manhood, he discovered the pleasures Great Forks had to offer, but his parents ended his foray into hedonism with hard discipline and threats of disownment and expulsion. Crane accepted the lesson and grudgingly adopted a lifestyle more fitting of a distinguised, educated noble, but in secret he kept a few of his favorite pasttimes.

These secret pleasures lead Crane to a meeting with Nine Lustrous Stars, a Noble Fey visitor to Great Forks, shortly after his 20th birthday. Enchanted with her otherwordly beauty and charm, he tried his best to court her. Bemused by Crane's youthful innocence, Nine Lustrous Stars took him as her lover. Impressed with his skills as a speaker and negotiator, she made him leave with her and leave his family and duties, as she returned to her home, a small Fey court at the edge of the Hundred Kingdoms.

As a guest in the Fey court, Crane soon learned that rival Fair Folk had turned the mortals of the once friendly nearby kingdom against them. Fearing that their rivals would strike against both them and the mortals when they were weakened by war, Nine Lustrous Stars wanted Crane as a go-between in a last attempt to resolve things peacefully. Crane took residence in the kingdom, and with Nine Lustrous Stars' help, he slowly established himself as a trusted scholar and negotiator. Over a year, working tirelessly to please his Fey lover and protect the people of the kingdom, Crane upheld a shaky truce. Deep inside, Crane always knew that Fair Folk were treacherous, so he struck deals with local spirits to provide some protection for the kingdom. As it turned out, his fears were well founded - the Fair Folks' rivals turned out to be themselves, a guise under which they could capture mortal slaves and play wicked games without starting an actual war. The time of peace had allowed them to breed an army of hobgoblins, and the war Crane had worked hard to prevent began. Soon the Fey army had pushed the people back to their capital, where they were besieged.

Devastated over Nine Lustrous Stars' betrayal, Crane went alone to face her outside the city. Her Fey Lord intervened, disarmed him with laughing ease, and commanded her to ravish him and make him her mindless thrall. As she took him away, Crane saw a glimmer of doubt in her beautiful eyes, and pleaded with her to spare the people. At that moment, the Unconquered Sun appeared in the sky, exalted Crane, and gave him hope and confidence again, stronger than ever before. His voice, suddenly irresistably clear and honest, found a splinter of true love in Nine Lustrous Stars's alien heart, and she turned to slay her Lord. Seeing the confusion in the Fair Folk ranks, the generals of the kingdom ordered the remaining troops to make a last desperate charge. Despite heavy losses, this daring maneuver succeeded in breaking the Fair Folk army. During the chaos of the battle, Nine Lustrous Stars disappeared.

Crane left the kingdom, knowing he was partly to blame for their misery. Seeking out an old martial arts master living in seclusion in the deep woods of the Northeast, he trained hard for two years to be able to deal with situations where his diplomatic skills would fail him. Crane then returned home to Great Forks for the first time in over three years. His family was delighted to see him alive, and offered him work in the city bureacracy. Feeling out of place and fearing the reaction if anyone learned of his new fate, Crane sought work away from his home. Having witnessed the suffering and chaos in the world, he wished to correct it and establish order, but he realized he couldn't do it alone. He travels the Scavanger lands, carefully using his new powers to broker peace and understanding between mortals and the small gods, while looking for other Solar Exalted who share his cause.

Image

http://www.miketilly.com/art/MTilly2004-Reverent_Crane.jpg

A tall and slim young man, graceful and handsome, but looking somewhat physically weak and pale. Crane has deep blue, intense eyes that occassionally seem to gaze dreamily into unseen worlds. His hair is jet black and reaches to his shoulders. There is a hint of boyishness in his features. He has a pleasant, melodic voice and respectful, charming ways, but below this there is a hard edge of confidence, conviction and experience. Wide, fasionable clothes in dark colors, suitable for formal occassions as well as travel, along with fine gloves and boots, are his usual choice of garb. He is unarmed but often wields an ornate pipe with exotic tobacco.

Stats

Caste: Eclipse\\ Nature: Judge

Attributes:\\ Strength 2, Dexterity 3, Stamina 3\\ Charisma 4, Manipulation 4, Appearance 3\\ Perception 2, Intelligence 3, Wits 4

Abilities:\\ Athletics 1, Awareness 2, Bureaucracy 2, Dodge 2, Linguistics 3 (Poetry +1), Lore 4, Martial Arts 5, Medicine 1, Occult 4 (Spirits & Elementals +1), Performance 2, Presence 4, Ride 2, Sail 1, Socialize 4 (Fair folk +2, Spirits & Elementals +2)

Languages: High Realm, Riverspeak, Forest-tongue, Old Realm

Backgrounds: Allies 2 (spirit companion), Artifact 2, Contacts 2 (Spirit courts, Great Forks, various minor contacts around the Scavenger Lands), Manse 3 (Solar Manse, near Great Forks), Resources 3 (Support from rich family)

Virtues:\\ Compassion 2, Conviction 3, Temperance 3, Valor 2\\ Virtue Flaw: Overindulgence (Temperance)

Willpower: 7\\ Essence: 3\\ Essence pool: 16/38

Experience: 27 (history of 119)

Charms:

• Martial Arts\\

Leaping Mantis Technique\\ Iron-Arm Block\\ Mantis Form\\ Flying Mantis Kick

• Socialize\\

Mastery of Small Manners\\ Motive-Discerning Technique\\ Graceful Courtier Attitude

• Presence\\

Harmonious Presence Meditation\\ Listener-Swaying Argument

• Occult\\

Spirit-Detecting Glance\\ Spirit-Cutting Attack

• Lore\\

Integrity-Protecting Prana

• Linguistics\\

Swift Sage's Eye

Combos:

• Leaping Mantis Technique + Flying Mantis Kick

Combat:\\ Health: -0,-1,-1,-2,-2,-4,Incap\\ Base initiative: 7\\ Soak: 3B/1L/0A (unarmored)\\ Dodge: 4\\ Attacks:\\ Kick (Speed 4, Acc 7, Dam 4B, Def 7)\\ Fist (Speed 7, Acc 8, Dam 2B, Def 8)

Equipment:\\ Fine horse, pipe, various fine tobacco sorts

Artifacts, Hearthstones:\\ Gem of Grace (level 3 Solar, Bo3C 116, +3 dice to Cha & Man rolls)\\ Script Spider (level 1)\\ Collar of Dawn's Cleansing Light (Orichalcum) (level 1)

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