[Exalted 2e] Chosen of the Second Age

[Delemental]

(Updated August 25, 2010)

It was a village, much like any other. Wooden houses with thatched roofs scattered alongside a simple dirt path that was barely a road, deep ruts running its length as a reminder of the occasional wagon caravan that passed this way, hoping to avoid the crowded main roads. People and livestock commingled in the village and the surrounding farmland, living much as they had for generations. A flock of young children, no more than a dozen, gathered in the street and began running, the sounds of their laughter echoing in the still air. They raced toward a small house at the edge of the village, somewhat apart from the others.

“Grandfather! Grandmother!” the children shouted as they gathered around the front door.

The door swung open to reveal a wizened old woman, leaning heavily on a cane. She grinned at them, showing crooked teeth.

“Well, young ones, come to climb into my cooking pot?”

The children laughed. The old woman, who was ‘Grandmother’ to them all even though none shared her blood, was known to be a witch. The adults of the village came to her for medicines, or to consult the spirits about the harvest or the birth of a child, but other than that they tended to avoid the little hut and its two occupants. But children are not as foolish as adults in such matters.

“We want a story!” one of the younglings cried out. “Where is Grandfather?”

“Oh, it’s a story you want, is it?” she grinned. “No time for old Grandmother… not unless the smell of sticky buns is coming from her window.”

“And then you get to be the popular one, Grandmother,” said a grizzled voice behind her. Grandfather walked out into the sunlight, blinking as the light made his hair appear like a white halo. He stood straighter than Grandmother, but his hands were twisted, knobby things. It was said that he had once been an Imperial Historian, but none could say why he and his wife had come here instead of retiring in a city. Neither had any practical skills for a farming community, other than Grandmother’s knowledge of hedge magic and Grandfather’s willingness to entertain the young children and educate them.

“A story! A story!” the children chanted.

“All right then,” he said, settling himself into a well-worn wooden chair as the gaggle of children quickly gathered around in the dirt. “What story shall I tell today? Li Peng and the Perfect Peach?”

“No!” shouted the children emphatically.

“Princess Perfect and the Yu Shan Ball?”

“No!”

“The Four Friends Against the Bandit King?”

“No!”

“We want a real story!” one boy piped up.

“A story about things that really happened!” said another girl.

Grandmother and Grandfather exchanged a look. Were their audience older, and more worldly, they might have read much in that look, and perhaps felt some measure of alarm. But the look passed without comment.

“I may have just the thing,” Grandfather said. He stood up, and shuffled back into the house. Sounds of searching could be heard inside, but they took a long time to cease; longer than would be expected, for the house was not that large, and though age had slowed his body it had not slowed Grandfather’s mind. Eventually he emerged, and in his hand was held a scroll case made of a lacquered wood, embossed with jade and silver. The value of the case alone was likely more than the village produced in a year, though this was not known to the children arrayed around him, who only stared wide-eyed in wonder.

“This scroll,” he began, “and many others like it were entrusted to my grandfather many years ago. They contain the stories of a group of people who set out to change the world. Some called them villains, others called them heroes. My grandfather passed them to my father, and my father passed them to me. I was told the same thing that they were told; keep these scrolls safe, until the day comes when Creation is ready to hear the tales they contain.” He held up the scroll case. “Do you think you are ready?”

The children nodded enthusiastically.

“But before I begin, a warning,” he said, his tone serious. “These stories are for you only. They are not for your fathers or mothers, your uncles and aunts, or your older siblings. There is magic in these stories, true magic that seeks the right eyes to read them, and the right ears to hear them. I will only tell them to you, and if anyone else learns of them, then I will tell no more, and you will forget all that you have already heard. Do you understand?”

Again, heads bobbed up and down eagerly.

“Very well.” With a flourish, Grandfather snapped open the seal on the first scroll. “We begin long ago, when the world was very different from the way it is now, but in many ways not so different at all…”

 

[Delemental]

This Story Hour is Indexed.

And so begins my second Story Hour here at ENWorld, Chosen of the Second Age, based on our new Exalted campaign. I suppose that posting a Story Hour about a non-d20 game here might seem a little strange, but the truth is that I don't frequent the White Wolf-oriented boards; I like you guys better.

As with my previous Story Hour, the posts will mostly represent our regular game play sessions, with the occasional bit of prose written by myself or another player thrown in to add depth. For example, pretty much all of the stuff I will be posting for the first little while was not played out at the table, but is based on character origin stories that each player wrote, and then my efforts to narrate how they all met (we decided to go with this approach rather than something of the "You're all in a tavern when..." variety).

For those unfamiliar with Exalted, it's a high-fantasy style game from White Wolf which draws inspiration from non-Tolkien sources, in particular things like anime, Tanith Lee, and Michael Moorcock. You can pretty much learn all you need to know about the game world if you go a Googlin'.

Also, much like in my previous Story Hour, I should point out that I am not the GM/Storyteller for this campaign, but a humble player.

And so, with the stage set, allow me to introduce the Dramatis Personae (including our totally cheesy, totally chibi avatar-portraits!):

Ayama, the Divine Gift to End Suffering

Female Zenith Caste healer from a small village in the East.

Kaliel, the Auric Lion

Male Dawn Caste mercenary captain from the North.

Resplendent Ghost of Midnight

Male Night Caste thief from Greyfalls, a city in the East. Also, yours truly.

Zanka Odokari, the Beguiling Flower of the Dancing Lights

Female Eclipse Caste storyteller from the North.

 

[Ruined]

Very nice! I'm a big fan of the setting material, but I've not had the chance to run or play more than a single session.

 

[Delemental]

Second Sons

As has already been touched on, this entry (and the next several beyond this) are basically the backgrounds of the characters, written as fiction and are not based on any type of game play.

Also my last Story Hour had a tendency to have rather long posts. I'm trying to keep things shorter this time around.

------------------------------------------------

“Let me see,” Grandfather said, as he unrolled the ancient scroll. “Ah, yes. This tale is about several people, and the things they did together, but before we hear about what they did, I have to tell you who they are. After all, all of you know who Li Peng is, or Princess Perfect, or the Four Friends, but the men and women in these scrolls have been in no stories or plays yet written. And I don’t think it’s a coincidence that I opened this scroll first – I think that he made sure that his story was at the top of the pile.”

“Who, Grandfather?” asked a bright-eyed boy. “Who made sure?”

“Why, the first hero of our story, of course,” Grandfather replied.

☼ ☼ ☼​

The story begins in the city of Greyfalls, in the East of Creation, one of the few cities of the Scavenger Lands still in the control of the Scarlet Empress. The boy’s parents were natives of the Nuri tribe, but were serving in the household of the local satrap, Nellens Rombulac, as Imperial subjects. This is not that strange, because most of the Nuri had bent their knee to the Empire long before. His mother, Willow, worked as a seamstress, while his father, Callum the Dutiful, was a middling bureaucrat who helped oversee the satrap’s household. Callum was the sort of man who should have been much more prominent in his profession, but alas, he was cursed with honesty and burdened by a lack of anything Satrap Rombulac valued, which meant that he was trapped in his duties. Callum and Willow had three children; two sons and a daughter, but they didn’t have their own names; the Nuri never named their children, but let them choose their own names when they turned fifteen. But of course, they had to be called something until that day came, and so, following tradition, they were given titles as names in the native Nuri tongue. Translated, their names would have been ‘Callum’s First Son’, ‘Callum’s Second Son’, and ‘Willow’s First Daughter’.

Callum and Willow followed the Immaculate Philosophy, a set of rules that tell you how to act and how to think. They wanted their children to live by the Philosophy as well, and the Philosophy told them that their children should take their place when they passed on. So they already knew that First Son would succeed his father in the satrap’s service, and First Daughter would become a seamstress like her mother. But what about Second Son? The Philosophy said only that they should guide him on a path complementary to his father’s career. Thus Second Son was educated in the ways of the Empire, and given schooling befitting one destined for a life of public service.

However, it turned out that Second Son found his education stifling, and yearned for more. He began skipping his lessons, running and hiding within the vast corridors of the satrap’s palace in Garrison Heights. Indeed, the young boy developed a particular talent for not being found. So good was Second Son at hiding, in fact, that sometimes he would end up in places that he was not meant to be, and he would see and hear things that he was not meant to know. Things that some of the adults in the satrap’s palace held secret– some were even the satrap’s own secrets. Second Son didn’t much like what he heard, because it told him that there were bad people in the world who took advantage of others and became wealthy while those who served them stayed poor. People like his father. Second Son tried to explain this to Callum, but his father knew from the Philosophy that he should not question his place, and so forbade any further discussion.

Instead, young Second Son turned to the only adult he trusted, an itinerant courtesan known as Pearlescent Lotus Whispers. Now, Lotus was not from the East, but from the South, from the great city of Chiaroscuro, where everything is made of glass. But Lotus had traveled to many places before settling in the Scavenger Lands, and knew many things. She told young Second Son that the evils he saw in the palace were known in many lands. She encouraged him to continue to practice hiding and listening, so that he would know of the world when he came of age. To cover his frequent absences from his tutors, she also taught him the basics of etiquette and polite society. Ironically, he learned far more readily under the courtesan’s hand than he did with the Imperial tutors – perhaps because she did not insist on strict adherence to the Philosophy.

As Second Son approached his twelfth year of age, the reports of petty thefts within the satrap’s household began to rise, as did incidents at the Scintillating River Palace, a grand building that was supposed to be the Empress’s court when she was in Greyfalls, but as the Empress never visited, it was used mostly for grand parties by the nobles. It seemed that visiting nobles and merchants were the frequent targets, many of whom had suspicious dealings with the satrap. Second Son, of course, was behind these thefts. Now, as you have been taught, it is wrong to steal, and that is still true; but so angry was Second Son at the evils he had heard that he decided he must act in some way to show these people that there was a price to their greed and corruption. Though many of the things he stole were valuable, he did not steal just to acquire wealth; he chose things that had personal value to his victims, or would cause them embarrassment if the theft were known. He also did not steal from those who could not afford it, or who were truly honest men and women. Second Son was now spending less time in Garrison Heights and more in the city of Greyfalls, where he made the acquaintance – thanks to Lotus - of Rhulad of the Ten Thousand Talents, a local fence with a reputation for both vast wealth and vast knowledge. It was Rhulad who took the treasures Second Son brought him. Some of the money that Rhulad paid was given to the poor, and some Second Son kept, or spent on food, wine, and pleasurable company for himself and his friends in the city, for it pleased him to think that those luxuries had been bought with the wealth of the corrupt.

Of course, Callum and Willow could not help but notice that their son was frequently missing for days at a time. They tried to steer him back on the correct path, but Second Son refused, and then just before his fifteenth birthday, he never came home again. Callum and Willow grieved the loss of their son, but as dictated by the Philosophy, they turned their back on their wayward child, and focused their attention on their more obedient progeny. Meanwhile, Second Son celebrated his adulthood by choosing a new name; Resplendent Ghost of Midnight, or simply ‘Ghost’ to those who knew him well.

Ghost continued to ply his trade as a thief, though now his territory had expanded beyond the palace walls. As the years passed, many corrupt nobles and officials would come to curse his name. There was even talk of bringing in a Dragon-Blood to hunt this thief down, though such never came to pass, as the Blessed Isle was very far away, both geographically and politically, and the commander of the Twenty-Third Legion, General Kathak Kitono, couldn’t be bothered to send valuable men to hunt down a pickpocket. Rhulad considered him among the best in the city, and eventually revealed to him a secret; he was not just a fence, but was a agent of the Guild, who had been sent to Greyfalls to keep an eye on the Scarlet Empire and Satrap Rombulac. He offered to sponsor Ghost into the Guild, but the young thief declined – he knew that in many ways the Guild was as rife with corruption as the Empire. And young Ghost was beginning to take a great sense of pride in his work, knowing that he could pull off the most daring robberies and not get caught. It was this sense of pride that led to the most astounding moment of his life.

 

[Delemental]

As he approached the age of twenty-five, rumors began to circulate that Resplendent Ghost of Midnight was no longer the best thief in the city. Rivals, jealous of his skill, hoped to goad him into attempting a daring theft which would result in his capture and arrest. His pride wounded by the taunts, Ghost vowed to commit the boldest theft of all – to steal the satrap’s Writ of Authority, the documents that were signed by the Scarlet Empress herself granting Nellens Rombulac authority over the Imperial holdings in the East. Losing the Writ would not mean that the Empire had no power in the land, of course; such things are granted by swords, not words. But it would be a devastating blow to the satrap’s honor to have the Writ stolen, and the subsequent investigation might well reveal some of his more unscrupulous dealings, or at least give one of the Great Houses sufficient cause to replace Rombulac with one of their own family members.

It was no great challenge for Ghost to enter Garrison Heights; he had been coming in and out unseen since he was a boy. The passages through the walls were in the same places, and the guard patrolled the courtyard in the same way. He came to the satrap’s treasury and slipped inside. Surrounding him were vast treasures, the wealth of entire towns in silver and jade. But Ghost had long ago ceased coveting wealth – he only cared for the symbolism of his act, and his own reputation. He found the Writ sealed in a wooden chest, and soon it was in his possession. But when he emerged from the treasury, Ghost found himself surrounded by many guards, with their weapons drawn and pointed straight at him. The Writ dropped from startled fingers.

“Your plans were known to us, thief,” said a very familiar voice. Stepping from behind a pillar came Callum the Dutiful. The father did not recognize his son; Ghost wore a mask on his face, and Callum had no reason to suspect that his missing son was in fact Greyfalls’ most infamous thief. “We were informed of your plans,” Callum continued. “Thus ends the career of Resplendent Ghost of Midnight.” Callum ordered the guards to bind the thief and remove his mask. At that very moment, something extraordinary happened.

It seemed to Ghost that the room suddenly filled with light. At first, he thought that perhaps he had tarried in the treasury longer than he’d thought, and that dawn’s light was now entering the palace. But then he realized that although the golden light was as bright as the sun, it came from within the palace, surrounding everyone. Then he began to hear a calm but strong voice, whose words held no meaning for him but were reassuring nonetheless. Ghost felt strange as though he was both moving and remaining motionless at the same time. Soon, the light faded, but did not diminish entirely, and when Ghost looked around he saw that all of the guards were dead, slain with their own blades. Only Callum remained standing, unharmed. The bureaucrat backed against a wall, a look of terror on his face. Ghost realized that somehow his mask had torn free, but still his father seemed not to recognize him.

“Anathema!” Callum screamed.

Here I must pause in the telling of this tale. Those who hear my words have no doubt guessed what has happened to young Ghost, though he himself would not understand it for some time. And perhaps you may wonder at my purpose in telling the tale of such a being, when so many would call it blasphemy at best. But I say to you now, there are lessons to be learned in the telling of this tale, and the others like it, but the tale entire must be heard.

As I have already said, Resplendent Ghost of Midnight’s heart was filled with fear and confusion. Surely he could not be one of the Anathema! He sought to speak words of comfort and reassurance to his father. Instead, he spoke words that he had not intended to say, but were his words nonetheless.

“Your beliefs are flawed, and your masters corrupt. Those who lay claim to stolen power shall soon know that there is nothing in all Creation that cannot be stolen back.”

Callum the Dutiful fainted, and Resplendent Ghost of Midnight ran. The light followed him.

It is the sad truth that in the life of a criminal, even a noble one, he can name many companions but few true friends. Ghost was no doubt being pursued by the satrap’s soldiers, and on top of that he had been accused of being Anathema. He thought of turning to Rhulad, but knew that the Guildsman would likely turn him away to protect his own interests. Thus, he could think of only one place to go.

He arrived at the apartments that had been rented out by Pearlescent Lotus Whispers, sneaking into her bedchamber. Desperately, he tore a strip of cloth from his garment, to tie around his head and cover up the light which seemed to emanate from his forehead.

“You cannot block out the sun, young one,” said Lotus. He turned to see the courtesan, dressed and kneeling before a tea service set for two. “The light will fade when you are calm. Please, be seated. It is most discourteous to keep your host waiting.”

The night became day, and then became night again. Lotus explained much to Ghost in that time. She explained that yes, he was one of the Chosen of the Unconquered Sun, and no, that did not make him a demon. She stated that she had knowledge of such things, though she did not say where such knowledge had come from.

“I had a feeling from the first day we met that you might be chosen,” she told him. “That is why I guided you toward the path you now walk. That is also why I informed your father of your plan to steal the satrap’s Writ.”

“You!” he gasped. “But why?”

“You needed a push,” was her only reply.

The courtesan left Greyfalls the next day, her entourage having grown by one. Resplendent Ghost of Midnight traveled with Lotus for six months, and in that time he learned about the powers granted him by the Unconquered Sun, and how to use them. He learned to balance on a blade of grass and to leap high walls, to disappear from sight and how to avoid the swiftest attacks. He learned the use of the boomerang and the blade. But most importantly, he discovered his purpose. He knew that the common people were capable of throwing off the chains of oppression placed on them by the powerful and greedy. He knew that all they needed was an example of one of their number rising up from obscurity to greatness. Thus he resolved to become the greatest thief in all Creation; he would be known as the thief who stole the corruption of a Deathlord, who stole a playing piece from the Games of Divinity, perhaps even the one who stole the Scarlet Throne from the Dragon-Blooded.

When he was ready to make his own way in the world, Pearlescent Lotus Whispers presented him with three gifts. The first was a jade pendant, which he recognized as the first thing he had ever stolen. It had once belonged to a noblewoman who had been carrying on an affair with the satrap, and then using her influence to extort higher taxes from the lands she controlled. The pendant had been a gift from the satrap, and its loss was never investigated, as it would have led to too many questions.

“The pendant carries magic that will repel dirt and filth,” Lotus explained, “so that you will always be presentable, at least.”

The second gift was a suit of chain armor, made of an opalescent grey metal that was light as a feather. “This is Hidden Strength,” she said. “For you cannot always remain unseen.”

The final gift was a pair of war boomerangs, crafted from amber-colored Chiaroscuro glass. “They will not break, and will not lose their edge. Use them well, use them wisely.”

Resplendent Ghost of Midnight bowed. “Thank you for all you have done for me.”

“We shall meet again, Nightbringer,” Lotus said. “Farewell.”

With that, Resplendent Ghost of Midnight left, and sought to make his own fortune in Creation.

But there is a final note to this story. For back in Greyfalls, Callum the Dutiful, who successfully protected the satrap’s Writ of Authority from one of the Anathema, was finally recognized for his years of loyal service, and promoted to the head of his department, as well as receiving a sizable reward. Thus he lives on, enjoying his newfound prosperity and reputation, not knowing that he had been guided there by the actions of his Second Son.

 

[Delemental]

Resplendent Ghost of Midnight

I decided that the best place to post character stats was immediately after each origin story (I have trouble justifying an entire Rogue's Gallery thread for four characters!). I'll update these as time goes on. Bear in mind that the stats I'm posting now are after we've played for a few months, so they have a little more than a typical starting character would.

-------------------------------------------------------

Character Name: Resplendent Ghost of Midnight
Caste: Night
Anima: A grey-white spider monkey with violet eyes, cavorting in midair
Motivation: To become known as the greatest thief in all Creation by committing ‘impossible’ thefts
Intimacies: Confederation of Rivers, Improving Reputation

ATTRIBUTES
Strength ● ● ●
Dexterity ● ● ● ● ●
Stamina ● ● ●
Charisma ● ● ●
Manipulation ● ● ●
Appearance ● ● ●
Perception ● ●
Intelligence ● ●
Wits ● ● ●

ABILITIES (Favored and Caste in red)
Archery
Martial Arts
Melee ●
Thrown ● ● ● ●
War
Integrity
Performance
Presence ● ●
Resistance ● ●
Survival
Craft
Investigation
Lore ● ●
Medicine
Occult
Athletics ● ● ● ●
Awareness ● ● ● ●
Dodge ● ● ● ●
Larceny ● ● ●
Stealth ● ● ● ●
Bureaucracy ●
Linguistics ● ●
Ride
Sail
Socialize ● ●

SPECIALTIES
Seduction +1 (Presence)
Contortionist +1 (Athletics)

BACKGROUNDS
Artifact ● (Hidden Strength – starmetal chain shirt)
Artifact ● (Collar of Dawn’s Cleansing Light)
Contacts ● (Rhulad of the Ten Thousand Talents – local fence/Guild factor)
Mentor ● (Pearlescent Lotus Whispers – itinerant courtesan)
Resources ● ● ● (the profit of ill-gotten gains)
Allies ● (Lady Rinalta)

VIRTUES
Compassion ● ● Conviction ● ● ● Temperance ● Valor ● ● ●
Virtue Flaw: Indiscriminate Larceny (Conviction)

CHARMS
Second Thrown Excellency
First Dodge Excellency
Second Larceny Excellency
Second Stealth Excellency
First Awareness Excellency
Graceful Crane Stance
Monkey Leap Technique
Ox-Body Technique (one 0-level)
Shadow Over Water
Reflex Sidestep Technique
Easily Overlooked Presence Method
Returning Weapon Concentration
Mastery of Small Manners

COMBAT
Join Battle/Debate: 7
Dodge DV: 6
Soak: 6B/6L/5A (Hidden Strength 3B/5L, Hardness 3B/3L, Mobility -0, Fatigue 0)
Health Levels -0/-0/-1/-1/-2/-2/-4/Inc

Attacks
Exceptional Glass Boomerangs (2): Speed 5, Accuracy 10, Damage 7L (Piercing), Rate 3, Range 20
War Boomerangs (4): Speed 5, Accuracy 9, Damage 6L, Rate 2, Range 20
Knife: Speed 5, Accuracy 7, Damage 5L, Defense 3, Rate 3
Punch: Speed 5, Accuracy 6, Damage 3B, Defense 4, Rate 3
Kick: Speed 5, Accuracy 5, Damage 6B, Defense2, Rate 2
Clinch: Speed 6, Accuracy 5, Damage 3B, Defense -, Rate 1

Dodge MDV: 4

Social Attacks (# before slash is based on Charisma, after slash is Manipulation)
Investigation: Speed 5, Accuracy 3/3, Parry MDV 2/2, Rate 2
Performance: Speed 6, Accuracy 3/3, Parry MDV 2/2, Rate 1
Presence: Speed 4, Accuracy 5/5, Parry MDV 3/3, Rate 2

Willpower ● ● ● ● ● ●
Essence ● ● ●
Personal Essence: 15
Peripheral Essence: 36
Committed Essence: 5 (4 armor, 1 collar)

Total Experience: 31
Banked Experience: 1

Equipment
Fine Clothing
Exceptional Lockpicks (+1D)
Provisions

Other Notes
Indiscriminate Larceny (Virtue Flaw) – Confronted by the injustice of the world, the Solar is filled with an uncontrollable urge to deprive the undeserving of their excess. For one full day, the Solar will actively work to steal from anyone he perceives as being “wealthy”, which can mean anyone who obviously has more money than the poorest of beggars. These thefts will occur regardless of circumstances, and with little to no planning or forethought. Any valuables acquired will be given to the poor. With partial control, the Solar can exercise some restraint in their choice of targets (going after the truly wealthy instead of anyone with more than two yen to rub together), and can utilize some caution when executing these thefts (not just grabbing someone’s jewelry in broad daylight, for example). This Flaw is triggered whenever the Solar witnesses an excessive display of wealth.

APPEARANCE
Age: 26 - born RY 742
Exaltation: RY 767
Sex: Male
Ethnicity: Eastern (Nuri)
Eyes: Violet
Hair: Red
Skin: Chestnut tone, several tattoos on body
Clothing: Well-made, tending toward black and silver/gray
Height: 6’ 4”
Weight: 217 lb
Build: Athletic
Birthplace: Greyfalls
Languages: Forest-tongue (native), High Realm, Riverspeak; literate

 

[Kosh]

Great stuff. I've been looking for Exalted Stoy Hours, but yours is the first I've seen. Is your other story hour based on Exalted, too? (I can't get the link in your sig to work).

Where'd you get the chibi avatars?

Keep up the good work! I like your writing style; I think you capture a lot of the flavor of the setting in your prose. I hope the rest of your circle have such interesting backstories!

 

[Delemental]

Great stuff. I've been looking for Exalted Stoy Hours, but yours is the first I've seen. Is your other story hour based on Exalted, too? (I can't get the link in your sig to work).

Ah, that would be because I was using the wrong URL, from before we moved to ENWorld 2. I've fixed the link in my sig, but the old story's at:

http://www.enworld.org/forum/story-hour/95303-tales-legacy-concluded.html

It's not Exalted, but D&D 3.5, in a homebrew world. We played it for about five years (and no, we didn't stop because of 4e; the timing was just a coincidence. Though none of us have bought 4e yet).

Where'd you get the chibi avatars?

Gaia Dream Avatar.

Keep up the good work! I like your writing style; I think you capture a lot of the flavor of the setting in your prose. I hope the rest of your circle have such interesting backstories!

Thanks. I'm making something of a conscious effort to impart the game's style in my writing, whereas my previous Story Hour was more straightforward prose.

 

[Delemental]

The Healer's Heart

A storm had rolled in during the night, and had turned the little village’s simple dirt-track road into a muddy morass by the next morning. Rain still pattered on the straw rooftop of Grandmother and Grandfather’s home, with the occasional drop falling into an iron pot in the corner. Children sat huddled on the floor, crowded into the tiny dwelling, some with streaks of mud still drying on their faces. They sat quietly, each sucking on pieces of rice candy that Grandmother had somehow produced from a simple clay jar on the high shelf, as Grandfather settled into his favorite chair, another scroll case in his weathered hand.

Grandfather broke open the case, the dry wax seal snapping with a report that sounded much too loud in the small room. He carefully unrolled the parchment, and perused it with his sharp, bright eyes.

“Ah,” he said at last. “Now I understand.”

“Understand what, Grandfather?” a young girl asked.

“Why the gods of the sky choose to weep this day. They must have foreseen whose tale I would tell this day.”

“Is it a sad story, Grandfather?” the girl asked, her eyes wide.

“It is, at first,” he said in answer, “but in stories, as in life, we cannot always choose to make the beginning to our liking, but only choose what to do with what is given to us.”

☼ ☼ ☼​

Far to the East, where the endless forests grow so deep and thick that the sun never touches the earth, there is a village known as Petgrana, which lies to the south of the Yellow River. The villagers of Petgrana make their living as most other villages in this land do, by felling the great trees that lived deep in the forest and selling them to the Guild, and by buying slaves from the barbarians who also lived deep in the forest, and selling them to the Guild as well. The villagers made their offerings to the little gods of the forest, and life was peaceful and orderly for them.

One of the people who called Petgrana their home was a young girl named Ayama. At an early age, she had been apprenticed to Kaila, the village wise woman, to learn the secrets of the land and of the spirits that resided there. She learned her lessons well, even though some suspected she lacked the intellect to master the profession, due to her tendency to speak very little. But none could deny her caring heart, or her tenacity. She soon caught the eye of another resident of Petgrana.

V’neef Odaask had come to Petgrana some years ago, and was now the town’s healer and surgeon. Though he did not rule the village, he held great influence, thanks in large part to his status as a Dragon-Blood from one of the Empire’s Great Houses. There were whispers that he had come to Petgrana because he feared to return home to the Blessed Isle; that he had been with the Imperial Army at the Battle of Mishaka, and that something that had happened in that battle had caused him to leave in disgrace. But none spoke openly of this. For his part, Odaask tried to instruct the villager in the ways of the Immaculate Philosophy, discouraging their worship of the little gods of the land, only permitting those spirits to deal through him. As his interest in young Ayama grew, he began to insist that the wise woman allow her apprentice to learn under his own tutelage – in this he had the right, as he was Kaila’s superior in the healing arts. At first, it must be said, V’neef Odaask’s fascination with the girl was simply a recognition of great potential. Though he found her stubborn and at times irrational, he admired her devotion, and as the girl became a woman this admiration turned to attraction, though he did not make his desires known. He knew that he was past his prime, and a poor husband for the young woman.

As can be expected, once Ayama became a young woman she was betrothed to the wise woman’s nephew, Kayin, and after they were married she bore him two children, a son Rutendo and a daughter Dakarai. Ayama and Kayin loved each other deeply, and both cherished their children. Ayama continued her work as a healer, while Kayin would go deep into the forest in search of rare trees to cut down.

One day, when the children were still young, a strange and terrible storm struck Petgrana, and several of the villagers went missing, including Kayin. Ayama joined the search parties over the protests of the elders, arguing that the missing villagers might require healing when found. After two days, the missing villagers were found, having been trapped on a ridge by a mudslide. But as they returned to Petgrana, they were attacked by wild barbarians. Many of them were killed, those who surrendered were taken captive. Only three survived; Ayama, Kayin, and one other. Though terribly injured, Ayama managed to bind her own wounds and fashion a litter, and dragged the two other survivors back to Petgrana, an ordeal that lasted four days. She almost died for her efforts, but the other two men were saved. It was a full year before Ayama recovered her strength fully, even with the efforts of V’neef Odaask to heal her.

More years passed, and Rutendo and Dakarai grew older and began their own apprenticeships. Life was peaceful and content for Ayama. But one day a tribe of grim-faced barbarians came to Petgrana, leading a band of slaves that looked more dead than alive. The barbarians had come to bargain with the Guild for the slaves, which was not an uncommon sight. The barbarian chief and the Guild factor argued over the price, but surprisingly the chief relented and agreed to a price far less than they had asked. The factor kept the slaves in Petgrana, allowing them to rest and recuperate their strength before returning to Nexus to sell them. But soon the slaves began to show signs of sickness, and the town’s healers were called in. Despite their efforts, the plague killed the slaves quickly, and then spread. Within weeks, half the village had either died or was too weak with plague to support themselves. Ayama watched as her mentor, Kaila, fell ill and died, and she grieved as she lost Dakarai, and then her beloved Kayin.

At last, though Ayama’s tireless efforts, a cure to the disease was found, just as V’neef Odaask fell victim to exhaustion. Ignoring the early signs that told her that she had been infected, Ayama spread the cure to others, saving her village, but by the time she stopped to administer the medicine to herself, the plague had already taken hold. As she lay on her deathbed, listening to the wails of her son Rutendo, she found herself the recipient of a strange vision.

She felt her spirit floating away from her body, but then suddenly it snapped back. Opening her eyes, she saw all around her a vast field of the injured and dying, as far as the eye could see. Even as she watched, some succumbed to their wounds or to their illness, and died before her. Looking around, Ayama felt a presence behind her, and when she turned she saw the radiant form of the Unconquered Sun, looking at her expectantly. She knew in her heart that it was her duty to heal, but the magnitude of the task was overwhelming. The Unconquered Sun seemed to flicker and flare for a moment, and when she looked on him again she saw that arrayed at his feet were all manner of strange and wondrous tools of the healer’s art. Deep in her soul, Ayama knew her purpose. She reached for the tools offered by the Unconquered Sun, and awoke as she did so. She sat up, bathed in a radiant glow, her illness gone. Rutendo was the only witness to this miraculous event; V’neef Odaask was still recovering and had not yet awoken. Her life had been spared, but she had lost a daughter and a husband. She wondered what kind of life she could have now, and what her strange vision had meant, though she spoke of it to no one.

Slowly, Petgrana recovered, but they had lost many. Barbarians came from the forest to trade slaves, but soon saw that the village was weak and ripe for conquest. Fearing for their lives, the villagers began to petition the little gods of the forest for protection. Odaask protested, insisting that the spirits should only deal with him as one of the Dragon-Bloooded, but the spirits ignored him. It was clear to them that the villagers were willing to give so much more than what Odaask offered.

One of these spirits, a little god named Sunlight Pierces the Canopy, appeared to Ayama directly. Ayama knew this spirit well; he had often tried to cajole her as a youth into becoming a priestess for him. She had never been particularly awed by the spirit before, which only served to intrigue him. But Sunlight Pierces the Canopy now knew of Ayama’s Exaltation, and hoped to use it to garner greater favor and worship from the villagers. He told her that if the villagers were to open a hole in the canopy of trees over Petgrana and let in the sunlight, he would be able to create a glamer around the village that would confuse the barbarian raiders.

Ayama informed the villagers of Sunlight Pierces the Canopy’s offer. V’neef Odaask stood, and forbade the villagers from accepting, as the forest-spirit was attempting to circumvent the established order. Rather than argue with the elder Dragon-Blood, Ayama simply set about accomplishing the task herself. But Odaask caught her, and had her beaten severely as punishment. But the next morning she was once again in the treetops, showing no signs of her injuries. Inspired by her example, the other villagers made their way into the trees, saws and axes in hand. Odaask, infuriated, once again demanded that Ayama stop, but this time threatened to beat her son to death. Ayama climbed down and faced her old tutor. Though age had weakened his body, and his past disgraces had stripped him of whatever arms and armor that he might have once borne, he was still a Dragon-Blood, possessed of the power of the Elemental Dragons. His anima flared with whipping tendrils of thorny vines as he went after Rutendo with a simple whip. Ayama interposed herself between Odaask and her son, taking the vicious blows he landed even as leaves and branches rained down from above.

A column of sunlight broke through the trees, illuminating Petgrana in golden light. Suddenly light began to radiate from Ayama as well, flaring up into arcs of azure and amber forming the sigil of the Unconquered Sun, two blue winged serpents intertwined across its face. The slashes left by the whip vanished as Ayama stood before V’neef Odaask defiantly. Behind her, Sunlight Pierces the Canopy manifested himself in support of the newborn Solar. Odaask, knowing that he could not withstand both an Anathema and a disobedient god, turned and fled, never to be seen again.

The village of Petgrana exists to this day, though it is not the same place it once was. It is now a place of healing, and nearly legendary among the residents of the East. Sunlight Pierces the Canopy acts as the village’s patron god, and hides its presence from all, except those who are truly in need or who are deemed worthy. The little god now has the priestesses he craved, though he still attempts to tempt Ayama into his service by dangling his knowledge of the forgotten lore of the First Age in front of her. The villagers of Petgrana, who now comprise mostly healers and their charges, look upon Ayama as their savior, and have taken to revering the Unconquered Sun. The barbarians in the forest surrounding Petgrana have declared the place taboo, and only approach if they themselves are in need of healing. Peace has come at last to the village.

But there is not peace in Ayama’s heart. She still recalls the vision granted her by the Unconquered Sun, and is plagued by thoughts that there is an even greater purpose waiting for her. And she also knows that somewhere in Creation, V’neef Odaask still lives, burning with hatred from his betrayal and humiliation. She knows that he might well try to regain favor with the Empire by sending the Wild Hunt to her village, to destroy her and all she has created.

 

[Delemental]

Character Name: Ayama, the Divine Gift to End Suffering
Caste: Zenith
Anima: Two entwined winged snakes in front of the symbol of the Unconquered Sun in shades of brilliant blue turning to gold at the edges.
Motivation: To cure the diseases of creation and heal its peoples.
Intimacies: Petgrana, Rutendo (son), Healing Arts

Attributes
Strength ● ●
Dexterity ● ●
Stamina ● ● ●
Charisma ● ● ●
Manipulation ● ●
Appearance ● ● ● ●
Perception ● ● ● ●
Intelligence ● ● ● ● ●
Wits ● ●

Abilities (Favored and Caste Abilities in blue)
Archery
Martial Arts ● ● ● ●
Melee
Thrown
War
Athletics ● ●
Awareness
Dodge ● ●
Larceny
Stealth
Integrity ● ● ●
Performance
Presence ● ●
Resistance ● ● ●
Survival ● ● ●
Bureaucracy
Linguistics ● ●
Ride
Sail
Socialize ●
Crafts (Water) ●
Investigation ●
Lore
Medicine ● ● ●
Occult ● ●

Specialties:
None

Backgrounds:
Cult ● ●
Resources ● ●
Allies (Petgrana) ● ●
Allies (Lagan) ●
Followers ●

Virtues:
Compassion ● ● ●
Conviction ● ● ●
Temperance ●
Valor ● ●
Virtue Flaw: Compassionate Martyrdom (Compassion)

Charms:
Resistance Excellency (1st, 2nd, or 3rd?)
Melee Excellency (1st, 2nd, or 3rd?)
Integrity Protecting Prana
Presence Excellency
Durability of Oak Meditation
Spirit Strengthens the Skin
Friendship with Animals Technique
Spirit Detecting Glance
Medicine Excellency (1st, 2nd, or 3rd?)
Touch of Blissful Release
Contagion Curing Touch
Flawless Diagnosis Technique
Ox-Body Technique (1 -1, 2 -2)

Combat:
Join Battle/Debate: 2
Dodge DV: 4
Soak: 3 B/1 L (no charms or armor)
Health Levels: -0, -1, -1, -1, -2, -2, -2, -2, -4, Inc.

Attacks:
No weapons, see kick/punch/clinch

MDV: 6
Parry MDV: Varies by Ability

Willpower: ● ● ● ● ● ●

Essence: ● ● ●
Personal Essence: 15
Peripheral Essence: 37
Committed Essence: 0

Notes:
Languages - Old Tongue, Riverspeak, (missing native language or 1 learned language)

Total XP Earned: 27
Spent XP: 15
Unspent XP: 12

Appearance
Skin: medium brown (non-metallic bronze)
Hair: dark brown with golden highlights
Eyes: light brown/hazel with flecks of gold
Height: 6 feet tall
Build: sturdy