TheSevenUnspeakableRonin/TheBlade

Background and Information

The Blade was once a talented but undisciplined swordsman of the Haslanti League who became involved in a love triangle with a merchant-prince of the Guild and his best friend, a great swordsman in his own right. The merchant-prince loving both, could not make a choice, and instead slew himself by drinking the poison of a devil-cobra from the jungles of the East. The Blade and his competitor, coming upon the body, accused each other of murder, and the Blade slew his friend. Then, realizing what he had done, he drank of the devil-cobra poison.

As he lay lolling in the throes of the venom, he heard the whispering voice of the mysterious Deathlord who is the master of the Seven Unspeakable Ronin, and arose in the Underworld to find himself renewed, an Abyssal, a Deathknight.

The Blade, in all actuality, despises the other Ronin, even the Mirror, his erstwhile lover. The only reason that he puts up with them is his sardonic sense of humor, honed over years of bitter sadness during his mortal lifetime. The Blade also is unsure if he truly wishes the world to be consumed by Oblivion, but he believes that the artistry of his blade would fail should he leave the side of his companions.

Description

The Blade is a man, tall, thin, and shaven-headed, and wears a woman's white porcelain funeral mask over his face. His skin is nearly the same color as the porcelain, though less shiny and more corpselike and rubbery.

His entire body up to his neck is encased in a suit of black, slick leather, worked with spiralling designs which confuse the eye. In addition, he wears gloves and gauntlets of black-lacquered steel.

Overall, in white mask, smooth, hairless, pale skin, and slick black leather armor, he cuts a figure that could almost be described as dashing, quick, or dynamic. Yet when he moves, it is with oily, sliding motions that seem almost to ooze along the ground like slop being poured from a bucket, and his head lols and rolls heavily upon his shoulders, as if dead. In battle, however, the Blade's movements become entirely a different thing- lightning fast and nigh unavoidable, with head held high.

His voice is high and melodious (despite being slightly muffled through the mask), almost womanly, and when he speaks, there is a trace of a vague accent which none can place. He is gregarious and long in his speech, and almost always has a sardonic tone. When he is especially excited, he rubs his hands together in an unpleasant, sycophantic manner.

He wears his long, straight daiklave, Imleyan, across his hips, wrapped in a huge snake-skin.

Stats

The Blade

• Concept: One of the Seven Unspeakable Ronin
• Nature: Hedonist
• Caste: Dusk

• Attributes: Strength 3, Dexterity 5, Stamina 4, Charisma 3, Manipulation 3, Appearance 2, Perception 3, Intelligence 3, Wits 2

• Virtues: Compassion 1, Conviction 3, Temperance 2, Valor 4

• Abilities: Melee 4 (Daiklaves +1), Martial Arts 3, Thrown 2, Athletics 3, Awareness 1, Dodge 3, Stealth 2, Endurance 2, Resistance 4, Survival 2, Linguistics (Native: Riverspeak; High Realm, Firetongue, Forest-Tongue, Eastern barbarian dialects) 4

• Backgrounds: Artifact 4 (as per "Artifact" as described for Abyssals)

• Charms: The Blade possesses only a small number of Charms (Abyssal ones, of course), mostly Melee Charms related to swordplay, as well as Charms to boost his Dexterity and his ability strike quickly.

• Base Initiative: 7

• Attack:
• Soulsteel Daiklave (Imleyan): Speed 3, Accuracy 3, Damage 5L, Defense 2
• Throwing Knives: Damage 2L, Rate 3, Range 15
• Fearsome Warrior's Advance {Special Attack}: Speed *, Accuracy *, Damage 7L- Fearsome Warrior's Advance is a rapid series of attacks (the stats above reflect the entire attack altogether). Escaping from the Fearsome Warrior's Advance is a Difficulty 2 Dexterity-Dodge roll.

• Willpower: 7
• Health Levels: -0/ -1/ -2/ -2/ -4/ Incap
• Dodge Pool: 8
• Soak: 6 Lethal, 9 Bashing (Leather bodysuit +4L/+5B)

• Essence: 3
• Personal: 16
• Peripheral: 33 (38 - 8 {committed})
• Committed: 5

• Artifact:
  

Worshipful Dolls: Artifact: 3, Rarity: Unique
These little dolls were found by the Blade at the bottom of an ancient and crumbling well, hidden within an orichalchum strongbox locked with a mystical lock. Within the strongbox he discovered the Worshipful Dolls, little figurines of wax and clay surrounding tiny chips of jade.
The Worshipful Dolls are potently magical creations of the late First Age, made by an unknown person. These dolls, imbued with friendly Essence, worship their owner, and wish within their jade-chip hearts to be exactly like him. When properly compelled with activation-gifts of Essence (2 motes per doll), the dolls are incited by pride to emulate their worshipped master.
Thereafter, the Worshipful Dolls become mirror images of their owner, with mirror-image Attributes. However, the Dolls possess only Abilities which the owner possesses 3 or more dots in, no Essence, no Soak, and only one Health Level. They are basically mindless, and possess only enough Virtue to provide a basic and rudimentary sketch of their idol's personality.
Worshipful Dolls will do anything for their master, even following orders which could destroy them. Having only one Health Level and no Soak (even if they appear to have the same armor as their master), the Worshipful Dolls are destroyed extremely easily; if they are broken in doll-form, they melt, and their jade-chip heart illumines into a tiny spark of burning Essence. In mirror-form, when "slain", the image of their master fades away, and their doll-form drops to the ground, exploding in a cloud of dust. When a Worshipful Doll is destroyed, it can never be used again.
The Blade has rationed his use of Worshipful Dolls. He possesses a supply of only 12 (many have been used in previous battles), but if in significant-enough danger, he would not be averse to using as many as 6. Used in such a way, the Dolls would inevitably act as fellow-Blades, fighting alongside him to confuse foes, so that they cannot tell which is the real Blade.