Tiffa/TheShadow

History

If you really must know, I was born in that gigantic heap of trash called 'Nexus'. If you cannot already -guess- from that simple phrase, I am not fond of that city. My... parents... as they claimed to be, were little more that the scum of the city, which in turn made me scum as well. I don't suppose anybody really cared to notice a girl dressed in rags beyond a possible way to use her once she was a few years older.

This time of my life was filled with little more than misery, living in trash and surrounded by trash. I was lost between all this trash, and I desperately wished to get out. I was only a child, perhaps, but I was more than aware that if I remained there, I would only ever be scum. I thought that I was destined to be something more, I could -see- that I was already smarter than most people living in the city put toguether, why wouldn't I be?

Do I -sound- bitter? Perhaps that is because I can only name one person that was ever kind to me in that place. She was a girl, none older than me, who didn't even have parents to call her own, and belonged in one of the many kid gangs in the city. And yet, when she found me while I Was alone with my thoughts, hungry, as I constantly was, she did something that I remember to this day.

She offered me one of the two apples she was carrying, and smiled.

It's a simple action, is it not? And yet, of all the memories I hold of that wretched city, the time I spent with her that day, talking and eating that apple are the only ones I remember fondly. I still wonder how she managed to smile like that.

The next time I saw her, her little gang of friends was carrying her away from some sort of disturbance in a little market. For what I could see, she had been beaten to death. It is then that I truly realized how much I despised this city.

Exaltation

Let's skip ahead, shall we? I was older, and still living in trash. I was constantly hungry, because I had too much pride to beg or whore myself, and I never picked up a habit of stealing. Yet, being simply what I was, I was murdered.

A group of drunken thugs got offended at my appearance, dirty and covered in rags, and took out their frustations of the day in me. It was... brutal. After what seemed to be hours, they decided to get rid of any evidence by throwing me into the river. I could barely move, let alone talk or scream for help, so I was discarded into those muddy waters.

It was... surprisingly peaceful. I was going to die, but I felt no panic, being half dead as I was. Still, I was... so angry, I thought I could have been more if given a chance.

Then... I suddenly felt as if I was no longer surrounded by those waters, and just enveloped in the dark. It was cold, and yet, strangely comforting. And I heard the most beautiful voice... 'So much wasted potential' she said, 'You know this as well. How dare they kill you before you can achive your dreams? To be killed by such lowly creatures... it's so disgusting.'

It was. I knew it.

'But I can make it all better... I can give you your life back, help you achieve your revenge on these creatures, on that city. Do you want that?'

Yes.

'What would you give up in order to achieve your goals?'

There was no doubt in my mind. Anything.

And so, The Lover Clad in Rainment's Tears gave me my life back, and took me to her masters. Such beings... I couldn't possibly describe them. And then they Exalted me.

When I finished my training so many years later, my name was gone... and I no longer found a use for it either. I was, forever, something much more. I am the Shadow of the Glorious Dead, and I will see that this world is consumed, as is the will of our masters.

And I so, so wish to begin with Nexus.

Personality

The Shadow of the Glorious Dead is a cold, calculating woman. There is no place left in her heart for compassion, as it was beat out of her long ago before she was even Exalted. Nobody ever showed any for her, so why should she? She's not necesarily cruel... although she can certainly be so. Overall, she prefers things to be done as effectively as possible. She hates to waste time on needless things, when she could be making plans or even making more War Machines.

These War Machines have become something of an obsession for her. Zombies and skeletons are fine, sure, but they cannot match the sheer power than a well made War Machine has. Showing her a newly created machine like that is a quick way to gain her interest and break her otherwise cold disposition towards people. The Shadow is notably jealous of the Mask of Winters and his Juggernaut, and can't help but wonder where the hell it came from.

As it can easily be guessed, the Shadow also hates Nexus with a passion, and would love nothing more than to see the city crushed and its inhabitants dead, which would surely give way to a new shadowland. Of course, she's well aware this won't be easy, not with all the mercenaries around the city and all the spirits that dwell on it, and certainly not with Lookshy so close (sure, Nexus and Lookshy may not get along too well, but it's doubtful that the latter would tolerate having a known rival being replaced with a serious danger). So, she waits, and makes plans, and eagerly waits for the day where her Liege will order her deathknights to get rid of Nexus.

Finally, although she herself won't admit it, the Shadow has a weak spot against people that help others honestly and without wanting anything in return. She doesn't understand how such people can exist, and often cannot find it within herself to hurt them. The memory of that girl that once helped her is still in her mind.

Appearance

The Shadow has always been fairly pretty, but this was not always evident when she was a mortal, living in trash as she was. She has long jet black her and narrow eyes of the same color. Her skin used to have a dark tone while she was living, and she has yet to attain the level of paleness that other Abyssals have.

The Shadow is eminently practical, and she doesn't bother wearing elaborate, complex, flowing clothes. She has developed a taste for the elegant however, and so her clothes while practical and fairly simple, are always nice and expensive looking. She doesn't believe in showing too much skin either, so they cover as much as possible and she usually wears gloves too. All her clothes are black and she only rarely bothers wearing anything else.

Character Sheet

Name: Shadow of the Glorious Dead
Concept: Necromancer
Nature: Critic
Caste: Daybreak
Anima: A huge, cloaked figure.

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ATTRIBUTES

PHYSICAL
Strength: 2
Dexterity: 3
Stamina: 2

SOCIAL
Charisma: 2
Manipulation: 4
Appearance: 3

MENTAL
Perception: 3
Intelligence: 5
Wits: 3

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ABILITIES

DUSK
(x)Martial Arts: 4

MIDNIGHT
Endurance: 1
(x)Presence: 3

DAYBREAK
(x)Craft: 4
(x)Lore: 3
(x)Medicine: 1
(x)Occult: 4

DAY
(x)Athletics: 3
(x)Dodge: 4
(x)Stealth: 3

MOONSHADOW
Linguistics: 2
Socialize: 1

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ADVANTAGES

BACKGROUNDS
Abyssal Command: 1
Artifact: 3
Followers: 1
Liege: 3
Necromancy: 3
Resources: 3
Spies: 2
Underworld Manse: 3
Whispers: 3

CHARMS
Name | Cost (Ability)
1. Essence Discerning Glance | 6 motes (MA)
2. Shrouded Claw Attack | 3 motes (MA)
3. Hungry Ghost Form | 5 motes (MA)
4. Elegant Tyrant's Majesty | 6 motes (Presence)
5. Command the Dead | 5/10 motes, 1 WP +1/3 motes per aditional target (Presence)
6. Fault-Finding Scrutiny | 4 motes (Craft)
7. Decay Resistance Preparation | 10m, 1 WP (Craft)
8. Crypt Bolt | 1 mote per 2L damage (Lore)
9. Shadowlands Circle Necromancy | 1 WP (Occult)
- Iron Countermagic - 10 or 20 motes
- Raise the Skeletal Horde - 3/5 motes per zombie
- Walking War Machine - 5 motes per sux needed
10. Flitting Shadow Form | 1 mote/2 die (Dodge)

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WILLPOWER: 6

VIRTUES
Compassion: 1
Temperance: 3
Conviction: 3
Valor: 2

ESSENCE: 3
Personal: 15
Peripheral: 36

ANIMA
5 motes, roll Essence, substract one level of damage the enemy would have done

HEALTH
-0x1, -1x2, -2x2, -4x1, I

SOAK (BTiffa/TheShadow/A): 2/1/0 ---

Languages: Riverspeak (native), High Realm, Old Realm

Craft: Necrosurgery

Flaws: Permanent Caste Mark (2)

Expanded Backgrounds

Abyssal Command: 1 </b>

The Shadow of the Glorious Dead keeps a small retinue of 15 common zombies to serve her, usually by keeping her house tidy. She doesn't really care for them otherwise, and doesn't believe they would even make good canon fodder.

<b> Artifact: 3 </b>

<b>Accursed Kraken's Machine (Arti 4)

The Accursed kraken's machine, when inactive, appears as an odd yet fairly simple pack of soulsteel that can be slid on a character's back. Incredibly heavy to the unnatuned, but light to the point of being weightless to those attuned to it (which requires at least 5 motes for one of the soulsteel arms).

When the pack is activated, it begins to unfold and grow arms. Two of these arms are permanent, and are made of soulsteel as well. Any others can be attached or removed via necrosurgery or artifact making, but none of these may be of Soulsteel. Viable choices include Cold Iron (1 pair), bone (2 pairs), flesh (3 pairs), and shadow (as many as the character's Permanent Essence).

The Machine was crafted in order to help the Abyssal that wields it work better and faster on necrosurgery, especially in the field, where time might be of essence. However, the Machine has many uses, including combat and many other phisical actions.

Each pair of arms included (except the shadow ones) give her extra-actions. She may not split her die-pool on the same turn where she uses these extra actions, and all of them must be physical actions. Every pair of arms but the shadow ones gives the character 2 more die on necrosurgery attempts.

The Soulsteel arms are fairly robust and surprisingly nimble. They are slightly longer than the character's own limbs, although this doesn't offer too much of an advantage in combat. They are, however, rather strong. The arms act with the character's strength +1. On a clinch, the arms drain a number of motes equal to the character's permanent Essence each turn.

Soulsteel Arms: Speed: +0, Acc: +1, Dam: +2L, Def: +0 Attune: 5 (per arm)
PC: Speed: +0, Acc +2, Dam: +2L, Def -1, Rate: Special

The Cold Iron arms aren't too special, other than dealing Aggravated damage to the Fair Folk. As they aren't Made of the Magical Materials, they can be destroyed by anything that destroys normal things. If attacked directly, they have a soak of 4B/6L, and they have a hardness of 2 and 4 health levels.

Cold Iron Arms: Speed: +0, Acc: +0, Dam: +2L, Def: +0, Attune: 4 (per arm)
PC: Speed: +0, Acc +1, Dam: +2L, Def -1, Rate: Special
All damage is Aggravated against Fair Folk.

The flesh arms and the bone arms are merely there to help with surgery. They are easily broken but easily replaced. Flesh arms have a soak of 1L/1B and 3 health levels, while bone arms have a soak of 2L/0B and have 3 health levels. The actions taken by the Bone arms have a 2 die penalty, while the flesh arms have a 1 die penalty (bone is tougher than flesh, but flesh is more flexible), except in necrosurgery rolls.

Bone Arms: Speed: +0, Acc: +0, Dam: +1L, Def: +0, Attune 2 (per arm)
PC: PC: Speed: +0, Acc +0, Dam: +0L, Def -2, Rate: Special

Flesh Arms: Speed: +0, Acc: +0, Dam: +0L, Def: +0, Attune: 2 (per arm)
PC: Speed: +0, Acc +0, Dam: +0L, Def -2, Rate: Special

Shadow arms cannot aid with necrosurgery nor have any offensive capability whatsoever. However, they are fairly creepy and can work pretty well in intimidation. Each pair of these arms gives +1 die to all intimidation rolls. In addition, the arms can be incredibly distracting. Those fighting the character lose 1 die from all attack rolls for EACH ARM, and 1 die in defense rolls for each pair. This penalty cannot reduce the die pool beneath the opponent's Essence. The shadow arms have no soak and only have a single Health level each, but they are recreated within the hour. Each arms costs a mote to attune.

Attuning to each arm has its cost. Thus, a character with Essence 6 and all the arms possible would have to attune 50 motes (10 for Soulsteel, 8 for Cold Iron, 20 for Flesh and Bone, 12 for Shadow), but while this is very costly, the character also has 7 extra actions and removes 12 die from an attacker and 6 die from a defender, as well as giving the character 6 die in intimidation rolls and 14 die to Necrosurgery rolls.

The arms cannot multitask. They must be set on a specific physical action (combat, necrosurgery, or what have you.)

Finally, the Accursed Kraken's Machine has settings for 2 hearthstones, one on each Soulsteel arm.

Collar of Death's Unchanging Grace (1)

The Shadow keeps herself fastidiously clean, and this collar only helps with said appearance, keeping her clean at all times. The collar also adds +2 die to Resistance rolls against disease of poison. Finally, the collar can make her more terrible to behold, adding +1 die to Intimidation rolls. It costs 3 motes to attune.

Skin Mount Amulet (2)

The Shadow has one of these soulsteel rings implanted in the middle of her collarbone, set in such a way to be right between the two edges of her Collar of Death's Unchanging Grace. She tends to set The Death-Speech Gemstone in it.

Followers: 1< /b>

The Shadow has a single follower, a young ghost-blooded by the name of Ambika. The girl is detached but very clever, and has learned a bit about necrosurgery -and- martial arts in the time she's been with her. The Shadow likes her, for some reason she still cannot quite comprehend, and has issued a fairly simple warning: anybody harming her student will find themselves killed and added to one of her warmachines, and not precisely in that order. And that's only if she's feeling merciful.

<b> Liege: 3 </b>

The Shadow could almost be said to be in love with her liege, The Lover Clad in Rainment's Tears, and she's very, -very- loyal to her. She is now more than she ever was thanks to her, and thus she dutifully serves her mistress... she will, quite frankly, do anything she's asked to do with little to no hesitation.

<b> Necromancy: 3 </b>

The Shadow was surprisingly smart, even as a mortal. When she Exalted, she learned many things under her liege's training... including three Necromancy spells. Iron Countermagic, Raise the Skeletal Horde, and Walking War Machine.

<b> Resources: 3 </b>

The Shadow is... somewhat greedy. She had nothing for years after all, and now she has more wealth than she has ever held in all her life put toguether. She tends to hoard a bit, but she enjoys owning -things- more than money.

<b> Spies: 2 </b>

The Shadow has a small spy force of 25 men, which she keeps in the area of Nexus. They inform her of what is going on in the city and in the immediate area around it. Their main duty is informing her of any important events, especially relating to anything indicating the presence of any other Abyssals in the city... and Solars, if they can be found at all.

<b> Underworld Manse: 3 </b>

<b>The Death-Speech Gemstone (3)
Trigger: Concentration
This Hearthstone is cobalt blue and perfectly egg-shaped. The bearer may hold a conversation with any corpse, so long as there is still some flesh left on the cones. The corpse will have no knowledge that it didn't already have when it died.

Gem of Shadows (2)
Trigger: Touch and Concentration
This Hearhstone is a dark blue crystal the size of a large man's finger. +2 to the difficulty of following her, but she can be tracked normally in the wilderness.

Road of Hatred Stone (1)
Trigger: None, constant
This stone is a smooth, swirling black and grey. +1 die in Willpower rolls to aid her in the pursuit of the subject of her hatred. Regain one temporary WP when she achieves a goal related to her driving hatred.

Whispers: 3 </b>

The Shadow of the Glorious Dead is deeply connected to the Malfeans... and she wouldn't have it any other way.

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