Tiffa/BrokenChains

History

A good story starts at the beginning, so this is where I shall start mine.

I was born around 20 years ago, in a small village in the river province. I cannot say I remember much of my life there, other that it was rather short. Father, I believe, was a farmer, and I am not sure what mother did. Me and my twin sister spent most days running around and playing.

But, as I said, it was short. Our home was attacked by slavers... if I had to guess, probably from the Guild. Mother took my sister and ran, while father took me. Alas... he did not get far, as he was shot down by the slavers, who then took me. I did not see mother or sister among the captured, and I assumed they had died.

Ah, it doesn't sound like something a child would thing, does it? But if I may say so, I was always a clever child... I learned fast. For example, I soon learned to keep quiet and do whatever the slavers wanted me to do... in this way, I avoided the punishments many others did. Oh, don't confuse this with me being broken... my thoughts never diverted from escaping and freedom, but I knew doing this wrong would end with my death... besides, where would I go?

As I was... ah... 'malleable'... I was to be sold fairly fast. My fate, it appears, would have been to be either a servant or a pleasure slave... or both, why not? I learned, I listened, I kept quiet, and then I learned more than they wanted me to learn. I taught myself to read for the most part... this took a while.

I was... given... to some family which resided in the Hundred Kingdoms, and who had close connections to the Guild and other merchants. This... this was my lucky break, believe it or not. Instead of being sold to a dragon-blood or to some pleasure-house somewhere, I was given as part of a deal to the master of the family. He had no interest in me as a pleasure slave... I was much too young for his tastes, so he gave me to the care of the other slaves in the house to do chores and such things.

Again, I kept quiet, listened, and learned. Here, as I grew up, I learned about the way merchants worked, how they kept their books, even some of the codes they used when they thought nobody was paying any attention or wouldn't understand anyway. The master of the house... was not as good a business man as he saw himself. I learned to find errors in the deals he made, usually to the advantage of the other party.

I decided that here... here it would be where I would make my move and be free once more. I would not run away... no, I would make the master find my worth as something more than a slave. I was not disliked... I did what I was told and was, in the eyes of everybody else, a hard worker. So, one day, while I was cleaning the master's office while he was looking over some papers for some deal, I made an... innocent... comment about said papers. To put it in not so soft words, I told him that the other party was obviously trying to trick him (I wondered if the man ever read said papers, honestly). He was surprised, of course, and actually took a moment to check the papers again to find what was wrong (he saw it this time), before demanding to know how I could have possibly known that.

I made up a little story of having overheard his business partners whispering among themselves whether he would find the trick or not, and that they said he was not clever enough to find out... of course, I also asked him if he was unwell, for in his obvious wisdom he would not have passed that over. He, of course, admitted he was tired from a long day or work. Heh.

After the... trouble... that sprang from the broken deal calmed down, he thought of asking me if I actually knew what the numbers meant. I... ah... confessed that I had been taught to read and handle numbers long before I was under his service. Lies, of course, but he believed it readily enough. He then tested me with some money and number problems he though... I solved them easily enough (as I said, I learned -fast-), and was careful to show surprise at his statement that they were all correct, as well as saying that I had no idea those numbers were so important for master's business.

... then, he took off some of my duties so I could handle those numbers for him... it was, after all, free work for him, and more time to dedicate to other things. Oh, I bugged him about some things I claimed I did not know (and a few of those I actually didn't) in order to convince him I was not an expert in said matters but just a... prodigy... with the numbers.

As I learned and worked, I made it a point in bothering him less and less, only asking him about the work when there were things I truly didn't know. This reached the point where he answered any question I asked of him rather offhandedly, without really thinking about why I had asked such questions. I gained more and more access to his work, and was able to change things around, and put in my own little concealed tricks. I was very careful with these, for if they were found out, he could just as easily have me executed for my "mistake".

The result... whether you believe it or not, was that I made his business bloom. He was in an extremely good mood those days, so I finally dared to ask him... how much was I worth to him, and what was the price of my freedom? He was fairly surprised... but still, he named a price. Such money is, of course, usually more than unattainable for a normal slave, but...

Remember those little tricks I mentioned? They were always for my own use. A few silver coins and a couple of jade pieces that went missing between all the paperwork. Those... were now mine. Taking just the smallest amount possible for each deal, I had amassed a small fortune throughout the years. 5 years passed between when I first started doing that, and when I finally asked that question... and now, I had more than enough.

So when I dropped the bag of silver coins and jade chips in his office, he was understandably surprised. Of course, he demanded to know where I had gotten such an amount of money... he was understandably suspicious, and I expected no less. I explained it to him this way: "While learning from your incredible wisdom and business sense, I also learned how to take just a little more from those we dealt with... in other words, that money came from their pockets, and they'll never know any better."

He laughed, and I won my freedom, with the one condition that I would continue working for him... with him paying me this time, of course.

Hmm? Does this story sound improbable to you? And why am I so vague in the details of it all?

Think about it. How many stories have you heard of brave slaves who won their freedom thanks to their strength and might? Is it so strange to believe that somebody would instead use their intelligence and guile? ... Yes, I thought so.

As for the other question... it is simple. I am vague because things such as the names of those people or what they did are now unimportant to me. With a single exception, I will never see any of these people again, because they are all dead. As for that exception... I will get to that person later.

Because now comes the story of how my life changed once more.

Exaltation

Let this be a lesson to you: No matter how strong, clever, or witty you are, there will be somebody out there that might just be better than you. I learned this the hard way, and it nearly costed me my life.

I continued working for my former master, and carefully managed the money that I now had the right to claim as mine. I was more hopeful for the future now, I could have things to call my own, a house, a horse, and anything I wanted to. My former master had never married, and he was not a young man anymore... I actually had hopes for inheriting his work, and I went to far measures indeed to make sure of this. I was no longer a child, after all... now, he began to notice me as a woman. In short words... I began to seduce him.

No, I never slept with him, although I probably would have in the long run, thank you for asking.

I began playing this game while I continued to do his work. In time, he told me of an important deal he wanted to make... and that he wanted to take as much as possible from it. I understood his message. He also mentioned that, if this came through, I would have the... heh... honor... of being his wife. I cared nothing for the man, but I knew full well what this meant: when he died (and I gave it less than 5 years), his business would be mine.

I worked hard on said deal; I checked and rechecked the paperwork and the contract, to make sure everything seemed in order. I was proud of myself... I was certain that, as it was, the contract would fool any man. And I don't say this out of hubris, because I would still call that the best work I had made.

You see, the problem was, my former master had neglected to mention one thing... the other party was not a man. The other party was a god. And, as he was not a man, he noticed everything that was wrong in the contract, and... he took offense to it. For a mortal... such wrath is more than deadly.

Oh, he didn't reveal that anything was wrong then. He set for an appointment in a nearby city, to finish the deal. I was the one to go, and I was thrilled. My former master sent me with a small escort and fast horses... we weren't expecting much trouble.

Trouble which came in the form of an ambush by a band of mercenaries paid by the god. That time... that time I was scared as I never had been scared before. I assumed they were bandits at first, but they gave no quarter, there were no requests of giving away our possessions, they just... began killing. My escort did not last long. I panicked, and ran away. Even to this day, I am thankful of my horse, for it was fast and strong and sturdy and I would not be here if it had been otherwise.

I ran, and some of them chased me. Arrows flew about me... one hit me in the arm, and the shock nearly made me fall from my horse. But I held on fast. How long did the chase last...? I... want to say hours, but I know I would have bled to death first. I did not want to die there... there was so much I still wished to do. I did not wish for all my efforts so far to have meant nothing, so I held on.

My mount finally collapsed from exhaustion just in front of a forest, a few meters away from the trees. I collapsed there, and I was so weak from blood-loss I was sure I was going to die then. I was even delusional... I thought I was seeing things when a woman stepped out from behind a tree and beckoned me to follow. My view cleared a bit, and I saw the woman more clearly... I forgot about the chase and the danger and the pain then, and I stood up and chased after the woman as she ran away.

It was almost like a dream, as I stepped into the woods. It's hazy, and I was moving fast but I'm not sure I would have been able to do it in my state, and I thought I lost sight of the woman a couple of times but then she showed up again, and I continued chasing after her. And finally... finally I saw her, kneeling besides a great white tiger. I approached carefully, and looked down upon it, and saw that it was hurt and dying, much like I was, and then... she spoke.

"Kill him." She said. "Kill him, and his strength shall be yours. Kill him, and both of your suffering shall be at an end. Kill him and you shall live, and he shall live through you. This is my gift to you, for I have chosen you to serve me."

And then she was gone.

I understood what I had to do. I took out a knife, a weapon I did not know how to use but had been advised to carry anyway, and then I buried it in the tiger's chest. The beast died quickly. Then... I did something I never thought I would do, I opened his chest, took his heart, and drank its blood.

And then, I was Exalted.

Such strength I had never had, not such power... I was more alive than I had never been.

... and those that had chased me and wounded me would pay. I was no longer myself; I was an angry tiger, hunting for prey. I ran back to the place where my horse had fallen, in four feet. From between the woods, I saw the men and their beasts, discussing whether they should go in after me or if I could be given up for dead... a trail of blood clearly marking my path.

They didn't finish their discussion. I killed them, with claw and tooth. Their horses ran... and finally, I approached my own. The poor beast was nearly dead... so, I did as I had done with the tiger, and killed him to end his suffering. Once again, I consumed an animal's heart, and...

... and then I was a horse, running across the plains, back towards the place that had been my home. I arrived there, and... it had been destroyed. I walked among the wreck as a woman again, and found the dead body of the man that had been my master. In his body was a note of warning, for those that would seek to trick that god again.

... I was not sad, not really. I was angry, partly at myself, partly at the god. But I was still confused, not sure what to do, so... the first thing I did was bury the bodies of those I found in the house. I would seek the god later and have him answer for what he had done.

The Silver Pact

It was while I was burying the bodies that I was found by other Lunars. There was the sound of a huge flying animal, and a shadow that covered me. I glanced up, and saw an incredibly large bird... but, when it landed, it was a man.

He called out to me, and said his name was Chance in the Wind (a Changing Moon, as I found out later). He offered me the chance to understand what had happened to me... and how to harness it. I was still confused on what had happened to me, but I could not trust somebody so easily... I asked him if he worked for the god that had been responsible for this act. He replied that he served only one god, Luna, and that she had chosen me.

Then he told me... the abilities that were now mine would be enough to deal with the small god that had caused this destruction... if I would learn to harness it. Otherwise, he claimed, I would die, hunted down by the Wyld Hunt, or become a beast of pure chaos.

So I accepted. With such choices, there was really no point in arguing otherwise. He changed once more into a gigantic bird, and then he carried me away.

When he landed, many, many miles away, in a small village half concealed in the wilderness. Barbarians, if you must know. They were deeply respectful of my companion, and some even seemed worshipful. But he was not the only Lunar there... at least five more awaited my arrival, and among them was who would become my mentor, Whispering Sky, an Owl totem No Moon.

They explained what I had become, in not so short words. What followed were my own tests, to decide on my caste... now, I will confess... I have never been very fit, nor very strong, and this was shown... with perhaps embarrassing clarity. I did well in those that tested my intelligence or wits, but those others... were an embarrassment. I was basically informed in no small terms that I had done the worst some of them had ever seen in combat. One of the Lunars, a Full Moon called Crimson Talon, pretty much mocked me.

... Now, understand this. Slave or not, I was always proud. My pride had to be hidden under layers of obedience all the time when I was a slave, but afterwards I had no reason to. I was... offended and angry... both at him and at myself, because I knew that he was right... but I would not let it die like that.

I begged Whispering Sky to teach me how to fight, in any way possible. Combat was not her specialty either, but I believe she understood... so, for the next month, she trained me hard. It was ruthless, or for me it was, at least, but I learned. I refused to let myself be humiliated again, and... well, such drive can be a powerful thing.

Now, why only a month? ... well, it would have been longer, but I ran into Crimson Talon after said month. He insulted me... and I snapped and challenged him to a fight, if he believed he was so damned tough. He was surprised, but, of course, he accepted.

I didn't win, of course. I cannot beat a Full Moon in straight combat with my skill. I did -not-, however, get humiliated. What I lack in strength I have in wits, after all. The weapon I chose, a polearm, proved to be good enough for my skill. It's my greatest success in that fight to have given Crimson Talon a cut on his face after he got cocky.

Then he beat me into the ground. He did not try to claim a debt from me, though... that had not been the point of the fight. I wanted to prove I could be as tough as any of them if I set my mind to it, and I believe I proved that nicely, having lost or not.

I was marked as a No Moon later that week. I took the name of Broken Chains, in memory of being raised as a slave and winning my freedom.

On Barbarians, Civilization, and the Lunar Society

I don't deal well with barbarians and their ways. I am not somebody that possibly could. They have some half-founded concepts on civilization, and it colors their perception of the world so much it's painful for me. I will deal with a civilized man before I deal with a barbarian.

Barbarians have their strengths, I suppose. A high sense of honor, for example, but it seems to be limited only to them. Some have such a disregard to civilization it’s almost frightening. I have... done my best to curve that way of thought, but I can only do so much.

If there is one thing I will give barbarians over civilized people, is that they are always direct, straight to the point. If they don't like you, or something you do, they might just as well come forward and tell it in your face and challenge you to a duel. A civilized man will probably not say anything, but might just turn to subterfuge and subtle deals and traps to get rid of you... take the god that started the entire mess back then, for example.

So, I did something I learned from the barbarians, and combined it with my own wishes. Not long ago, I dropped by the god's manor and broke in, and met him on his chamber. Then I told him that I wished compensation for having destroyed my home and trying to kill me. He could choose to pay me what I believe was a reasonable amount of money and goods, or we could try to kill each other right then. The latter would result not only in one of our deaths, but also in the likely destruction of much of the mansion and the death of many of its servants, which would amount to a much higher sum that I was asking for.

Later that day, I returned home with money, jade, and tools and food for the people of the village. See? A nice civilized affair.

... now! Lunar Society... I said I don't like barbarians, so I tend to have a hard time relating to other Lunars. Plenty of them are rather feral as well... if not to say downright beastlike. To think some of them willingly consume human mean... I shudder.

Now, I understand why Lunars reside like this, or at least why they had to in the first place... namely, the Realm and the Wyld Hunt. However... I wonder how many chances there could have been to set history -right. Lunars cannot continue to live like this. Those that would seek to topple civilization completely would make a dire mistake in doing so, not that I believe they would succeed at all. Some just wish to topple the Realm itself... but as nice as that sounds... what then? No, thinks need to be thought carefully... but they must also be thought quickly. The time for action is now, more than ever.

On Family

My family is dead. This is the thing I told myself for years. I had seen father shot down with arrows as he ran with me in his arms. I did not see mother or sister anywhere, but there were so many dead... no, I did not believe they had made it. The thought made me cry at first, no matter what strong fort I wanted to put out, I wanted to deny it, I was still a child, but...

... but I accepted it, in the end. It made things... easier, in the long run. I had no time to cry for them, they were dead, I was not, and I had to be free. Later, I told myself, when I am free, I will try to find the place where I was born... and then, I would properly honor them.

So, one day, I had finished the meditation and breathing exercises that Whispering Sky has taught me for regaining my Essence, when my Mentor came into the building. A couple of Lunars were coming, and I should come with her to learn the proper way to handle visits in one's territory. I was fairly annoyed, but accepted... it wouldn't do me good to anger my Mentor, after all.

So, we went out to meet them. Soon, we saw them approaching, I vaguely recognized a tall figure and a much shorter one (oddly like the one I pictured we were making... Whispering Sky is rather tall in human form, and... I'm not). When we were but a few meters for another, however, I believe we all noticed the same thing, which made us pause.

They were an older man and a young girl, and the girl... looked almost exactly like me. I could feel both of the older Lunars fall on both me and her, but my eyes were focused solely on her, much like hers were on mine.

She looked absolutely perplexed, and even asked out loud how was she doing over where I was standing. Heh.

I took a step forward, and said the first thing that came to mind.

"Ruby?"

She started, and looked at me with wide eyes, before asking how I knew her name. (I guess she forgot about the entire "what am I doing there" thing. Sigh.)

I probably broke just about every rule Whispering Sky wanted to teach me that say when I stepped forward quickly and grabbed her by the shoulders. I couldn't believe it, no matter how much I looked at her, but... it was like looking in a mirror. Tattoos and muscle mass aside, she had my same hair, red in color and usually impossible to keep down without careful grooming. The same skin tone, the same eye color... and... the same feeling.

You have to understand one thing... Ruby and I are twins. We were born but a few minutes apart, on the same day in the same year from the same mother. As such... as such, there is a bond that twins share that siblings usually don't. When I thought her dead... it was her that hurt me the most, more than father or mother, I felt empty inside whenever I thought about her. I... am... of the belief that twins are one soul split in two bodies, if that makes sense.

... Ruby... Ruby didn't recognize me. Her memory of that time is much hazier than my own. Her eyes lit up in recognition when I told her my name, but she didn't understand... both our Mentors and her were very perplexed when I broke down crying, saying that I couldn't believe that my sister was still alive after all. It... it was a much needed release, and I defend that thought. I don't see anything that says Lunars can't cry.

After I... calmed down, considerably, I related my story to the, and Ruby was finally able to fill in the gaps of what had happened to her and mother. She didn't remember it herself, but it was things that her master, who had rescued her then, had told her. Mother... was also dead, but she made it farther than father did. The master that Ruby speaks of with so much devotion saved her from a live of slavery. If I hadn't heard of all the hardships she suffered while on the road (even if she speaks of them in an awfully good mood), I'd be jealous.

Ruby is my sister. She was delighted when the stories tied up together, and promptly gave me a hug that would have shattered a bear's ribs (and I thought she had shattered mine). She's... strong, energetic, fast, and she doesn't seem to have a care in the world but of becoming stronger by fighting. A Full Moon through and through.

We are very different, she and I. She obviously has all the strength I don't have, and I... well, she has admitted that I'm a lot smarter than her, so let’s leave it at that. She doesn't understand many things, and she usually doesn't even try to... she has a very direct approach at life that would rival that of a barbarian. Give her simple instructions and she'll follow them to the letter with almost incredible speed and energy, complicate the matters and she'll just stare at you in confusion. It’s frustrating.

And she's -terrifying- in combat, especially with that artifact she claimed recently. She could honestly grow to become one of the strongest Full Moons around if she wasn't so extremely reckless. I swear I want to strangle her sometimes.

... But, make no mistake. She's my sister... my -twin- sister. I would die for her, and I know she'd do the same for me. For all her simple mind, she has a charm about her... she's easy to be around with, she makes me happy... a kind of happiness I haven't felt in years. She's like a big kid when she's not in battle, curious and asking a lot of questions, even when the answers go well over her head... it makes me feel as if I was the older sister of the two. I joked about it once, and she has since taken to call me older sister, I swear...

But I love her. I will never deny this. I will not lose my family again if I can at all help her. And if anybody doesn't like that, they can jump off a cliff.

Personality

Jade, also known as Broken Chains, appears to the world as a smart, and often deadly serious woman. She rarely smiles, and when she does speak, it’s often to make a point... unless she's relating a story, in which case she can be quite long winded. Jade is often quiet when in the presence of those wiser than her, and always seeks to learn more.

She can be -very- manipulative, when she so wishes. She knows the right words to say and the right time to say them, and so she can often make people do things they otherwise wouldn't have done. She's just as likely to use her natural charisma as she is to use her manipulation skills... it usually depends on whether she likes the person she's speaking to or not.

Jade is also extremely proud of herself, and also tends to be fairly headstrong. Those are her major weaknesses, but if somebody comes to her about a plan she made, and downright states what is wrong with said plan in a way she cannot refute, she will swallow her pride and try to make it better... if only to rub it on the other person's face later. This is not to say she does not appreciate wisdom (for this is how she learns more), but she gets very annoyed at herself when she's proved wrong at something.

About the only time Jade's demeanor changes are when her sister, Ruby (also known as One Thousand Weapons) is around. Then, Jade will smile and laugh and maybe even try to joke. Of course, Jade might just as well be chasing Ruby around the place because her sister has the incredible ability to tick her off without meaning to. Yes, they fight, like any siblings do, but when it comes down to it, the two are fiercely loyal to each other.

Appearance

Physically, Jade is not very impressive. She's fairly short, standing only 5'5 tall, and fairly thin as well. Her hair is red in color, very long, and with the tendency of being very, very messy if not groomed carefully. Her eyes, green in color, are slit like a cat's... this is her Tell (along with somewhat overtly sharp canines). A tattoos form beneath her left eye and goes down her cheek like a wide scar. Both her forearms are also covered with tattoos, as well as around her neck (much like a necklace).

Her beastman form is another matter entirely. Jade takes the form of a huge, white tigerman, showing the same tattoos she does. The form is impressive, and Jade will take it if forced to fight or if she -really- feels the need to intimidate somebody (it tends to work pretty well on everybody but other Lunars).

---

Name: Jade, Broken Chains
Concept: Former, clever slave.
Nature: Leader
Caste: No Moon
Face / Rank: 1
Totem: White Tiger
Renown: 25

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PHYSICAL
Strength: 2
Dexterity: 3
Stamina: 3

SOCIAL
Charisma: 3
Manipulation: 4
Appearance: 3

MENTAL
Perception: 3
Intelligence: 5
Wits: 4

---

WAR
Athletics: 1
Awareness: 1
Melee: 2

LIFE
(x)Larceny: 2
Linguistics: 2
Performance: 2
(x)Presence: 3
Ride: 1
Stealth: 1
(x)Survival: 2

WISDOM
Bureaucracy: 1
Investigation: 1
(x)Lore: 3
(x)Occult: 3

---

BACKGROUNDS
Artifact: 1
Heart's Blood: 1
Influence: 2
Manse: 1
Mentor: 3
Renown: 1
Resources: 3

CHARMS

Name | Cost (page)
1. Finding the Spirit's Shape | 1 mote (pg 124)
2. Deadly Beastman Transformation | 5 motes (pg 124)
3. Hide of the Cunning Hunter | 1 mote (pg 123)
4. Sense-Sharpening Chance | 1 mote/die (pg 174)
5. Spirit-Scenting Technique | 2 motes (pg 191)
6. Form-Fixing Method | 5 motes, 1 WP, 3 experience points (pg 193)
7. Terrestrial Circle Sorcery | 1 WP (pg 192)
8. - Emerald Countermagic
9. - Death of Obsidian Butterflies

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Willpower: 5

Compassion: 2 (Succor 3)
Temperance: 3 (Cunning 10)
Conviction: 2 (Mettle 7)
Valor: 2 (Glory 5)

Virtue Flaw: The Curse of the Drunken Monkey

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Anima: May spend 1 mote to lower the Essence cost of all spells cast for the rest of the scene

Essence: 3
Personal Essence: 13|13
Peripheral Essence: 34|34

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Linguistics: Riverspeak, Old Realm, 5 different barbarian tribal dialects

Deadly Beastman Transformation: Strength 5, Dexterity 3, Stamina 5. Gifts: Fearsome Appearance, Resilience of Nature, Soak (BTiffa/BrokenChains/L): 5/2

Expanded Backgrounds

Artifact: 1
Jade owns a single artifact, a moonsilver hearthstone amulet. A gift from Whispering Sky.

Heart's Blood: 1
Jade has consumed the Heart's Blood of a single creature, as she finds it fairly distasteful (if eventually useful). The blood is that of a horse, the same creature she used before she Exalted and that was nearly dying from exhaustion afterwards.

Influence: 2
Being a Lunar, and thus a god in the eyes of most barbarians, Jade carries some nice influence in the village that she resides in. If no older Lunars, like her Mentor, are around, they will often listen to her words. Jade enjoys that feeling of authority.

Manse: 1
Due to hard work, Whispering Sky has seen fit to let Jade be attuned to one of her lesser Manses and own a hearthstone. Jade has a Gem of Night Vision in her power.

Mentor: 3
Whispering Sky is an Owl-Totem No Moon of some prestige. She's often moving around her territory, but often finds some time to spend with Jade and teach her new things. She doesn't mind as Jade is a dutiful and clever student.

Renown: 1
When Jade first took her tests, she did rather badly in the physical ones, especially those in combat. A month later, however, she had already improved greatly, even managing to cut the cheek of a Full Moon in combat. She did not win, but it did give her some prestige...

Resources: 3
From her deal with the god that destroyed her former god, Jade got enough goods to life comfortably. She hasn't put this money to much use so far, if only because she doesn't exactly wish to live in the small village...

Among Jade's possessions is a spear, which is the weapon she has been training the most to use. She's not great with it, but Ruby has been helping her to train lately.

Spear: Speed +3, Accuracy +1, Damage +3L, Defense +0