Now I wonder if there's a possibility if Purple Haze merely delayed her year of birth, if her manipulations are revealed and in the process, it eventually leads to the redemption and psychological healing of Railgun and the slow, subtle rekindling of her romance with Blue Bolt. The end result being a younger, psychopathy-free version of Violet Irving.
[Mutants & Masterminds] A World Less Magical But No Less Fantastic
- Thread starter Davies
- Start date
Davies
Legend
Too many variables. It's worth it to note that her timeline's version of Railgun still went through a period where she was a paranoid supervillain, but it only lasted about four years.
Davies
Legend
Tempus
While considered middle-aged among the Ascendants of the Sphere of Matter, having Ascended roughly ten thousand years ago, Tempus has only become the undisputed Patron of War in the last two centuries. He holds that status through the same way that he earned it, making it clear to all rivals that if they want the title, they will have to demonstrate the ability to defeat him in battle. This does not make him popular or well-regarded, but it does make him an important member of the Council of Tauri, a group charged with handling matters relating to that continent -- particularly, in recent years, the matter of Galantri.
In mortal life, Tempus was one of twin sons born to a chief of a human culture who lived on the then-fertile plains of what would one day be Al'Aram. Where his brother was a mighty hunter acclaimed by the people for the bounty he brought back for them, Tempus was more drawn to the relatively young art of cultivating plants for their food value. His true talent, though, was in organizing the work needed for this, which gradually turned into organizing the people in other matters, as well, especially preparing them to protect the fields. This caused him to develop a rivalry with his brother, who had become a leader among the hunters, fighting in a much more irregular manner.
When a large group of sleeth attacked their settlement, the farmers and the hunters were forced to fight alongside each other, and drove them off thanks to Tempus' preparations. But what should have been a triumph was spoiled by the death of his brother, and the accusation that it had been Tempus himself who killed him! Despite his protestations of innocence, there were those who swore that they'd seen it done. Tempus was cursed by his father and driven into exile, accepting it bitterly. He would later hear that his brother's son had become the next chief of the people and ruled them very cruelly, but by that point he had other things to worry about.
His journeys took him westward into lands claimed by the Alvadine people, who were just beginning to call themselves 'elves' and ruled over many different human groups. He learned much from them and practiced many different trades -- craftmanship, sorcery, even crime. But his true calling was that of soldiering, both as a fighter himself and a trainer and commander of other soldiers. Learning all he could from the captains of the Alvadine, he improved on much of it, and fought many battles in their name, and eventually in his own.
After winning one particularly brutal war against the gargun, the aged Tempus fell asleep for what he expected to be the last time, and awoke to found himself Ascended for his deeds, under the patronage of Usires Twiceborn, who claimed to have invented agriculture and to have been watching Tempus' activities since his youth on the plains. (It would later be revealed that Usires had arranged for the death of Tempus' brother to spur him to greater things.) Tempus adapted to the change in his condition fairly well, and became involved in the struggles within the Sphere of Matter, between that Sphere and the other three, and against the forces of Entropy. As time passed and he grew in power and authority, he became regarded as one of the greatest war-leaders of the Ascended ... but not yet the Patron of War itself.
A bit more than two hundred years ago, the Hierarchs finally decided that they should formally grant that title to one of the Ascended. Tempus naturally sought it for himself, believing himself to be the best qualified. This began a decade-long struggle between himself and the other would-be Patrons, fought on many different planes. Tempus demonstrated keen strategic brilliance throughout the conflict, and was also able to sway many of his opponents to support him through diplomacy, turning former enemies into allies. Other opponents had to be forced to yield and quit the competition, until Tempus was the last one standing.
Or rather, the last save for one other. Tempus found the participation of the Ascendant called Pax, another Eternal of the Sphere of Matter known for his philosophical musings on pacficism, to be the most bewildering part of this affair. He did not understand Pax's motives, did not understand the other's strategies, and could not ever quite defeat him. But when they were the last two combatants, Tempus naturally expected that Pax would take the opportunity to surrender and accept an honorable defeat. Pax spurned the offer and kept right on fighting, which seemed hypocritical and frankly deranged. He had to know that he couldn't win, so what was he trying to accomplish?
After the contest, which had been intended to last only a decade, stretched out for another five years, the Hierarchs finally intervened. Tempus had defeated almost all other contenders, and it was not possible for Pax to achieve victory with the forces that remained to him, and so Tempus had won. Magnanimous in victory, Tempus offered his congratulations for a difficult challenge to Pax ... who refused them as he had hoped that there would be no winner, and that the futility of warfare would be demonstrated once and for all. "There should be no Patron of War. You are a monster, and I despise you and what you have made me do." With that, he turned and walked away into the wasteland they had made.
Utterly bewildered by this, Tempus has nonetheless tried to live up to what he considers to be his responsibility to ensure that wars are fought in a proper manner, minimizing the suffering when possible but acknowledging it as inevitable. Wars for defense are preferable, but aggression is in the nature of all life, and denying this only leads to greater pain and frustration. As a leader, he believes in keeping his soldiers alive until such time as he needs them to die in order to accomplish an objective, and then sacrificing them without hesitation. Needless to say, he believes that a military response to the madness in Galantri is the best one, but is slowly coming around to his colleagues' idea that the force in question might be a small group rather than the armies of neighboring Tohrukin.
Tempus' closest ally outside of the council is probably Vanya, Patron of Strife, who was also the first of his competitors to ally with him. Their partnership provides each of them what the other lacks: enthusiasm for Tempus and restraint for Vanya. His foremost rival is, naturally enough, Pax, who opposes every war that Tempus would try to start without regard for the justifications for any of them. How can this be called wisdom, when it's simple refusal to consider any options save those which one prefers? Unfortunately, Pax seems to enjoy the support of their Hierarch, where Tempus has a contentious relationship with Djea at best. She has not forgotten that he is the former client of Usires, who challenged her for the Hierarchy and fell to Entropy when he failed, and so watches Tempus carefully to see if he will likewise fall.
Tempus -- PL 15
Abilities:
STR 14 | STA 14 | AGL 5 | DEX 3 | FGT 16 | INT 6 | AWE 10 | PRE 6
Powers:
Arsenal of the Ages: Variable 2 (weapon) on Strength Damage - 2 points
Ascendant: Immortality 5 (one day), Only When On Home Plane; Immunity 1 (aging); Movement 1 (dimensional travel to home plane), Reaction (death); Movement 2 (dimensional travel to planes of the Sphere of Matter), Standard Action - 10 points
Chariot of the Gods: Flight 7 (250 MPH), Platform; Movement 3 (dimensional travel to all planes); Removable (-2 points) - 11 points
Divine Body: Immunity 10 (life support); Impervious Toughness 12 - 22 points
Divine Mind: Comprehend Languages 4; Impervious Will 12, Limited to Mental Effects; Senses 7 (vision counters all concealment, vision counters illusions) - 25 points
Sense Immortal: Senses 2 (ranged detect immortal) - 2 points
Spear of Eternity: Ranged Damage 13, Accurate 6, Affects Insubstantial 2, Extended Range 2 - 36 points
Advantages:
Accurate Attack, All-out Attack, Assessment, Benefit (every trick in the book), Chokehold, Daze (Intimidation), Defensive Attack, Equipment 5, Fearless 2, Improved Aim, Improved Defense, Improved Disarm, Improved Sunder, Inspire 4, Jack-of-all-Trades, Move-by Action, Power Attack, Precise Attack (Close, Concealment), Ritualist, Weapon Bind, Weapon Break, Well-informed.
Equipment:
Home Plane: Size Gargantuan; Toughness 16; Features Combat Simulator, Communications, Dimensional Portal (Pandiomon), Effect (Affects Others Immortality 5), Concealed, Defense System, Grounds, Gym, Hangar, Isolated, Library, Living Space, Power System, Personnel, Security System, Workshop - 25 points.
Skills:
Athletics 5 (+19), Deception 11 (+17), Expertise: Magic 8 (+14), Expertise: Smithing 9 (+15), Expertise: Military 12 (+18), Insight 5 (+15), Intimidation 14 (+20), Perception 4 (+14), Persuasion 10 (+16), Treatment 8 (+14), Vehicles 12 (+15).
Offense:
Initiative +5
Arsenal of the Ages +16 (Close Damage 14)
Spear of Eternity +15 (Ranged Damage 13)
Defense:
Dodge 14, Parry 16, Fortitude 18, Toughness 14, Will 12.
Totals:
Abilities 148 + Powers 108 + Advantages 30 + Skills 49 + Defenses 15 = 350 points
Offensive PL: 15
Defensive PL: 15
Resistance PL: 15
Skill PL: 15
Complications:
Responsibility--Motivation. Callous. Cannot Refuse A Challenge. Nemesis (Pax.) Obviously Superhuman.
Note: Should Tempus ever travel to the World Less Magical, all his abilities drop by 2 ranks each, and he suffers Power Loss on his Ascendant powers; he will also be Disabled on Expertise: Magic checks. He becomes PL 13.
While considered middle-aged among the Ascendants of the Sphere of Matter, having Ascended roughly ten thousand years ago, Tempus has only become the undisputed Patron of War in the last two centuries. He holds that status through the same way that he earned it, making it clear to all rivals that if they want the title, they will have to demonstrate the ability to defeat him in battle. This does not make him popular or well-regarded, but it does make him an important member of the Council of Tauri, a group charged with handling matters relating to that continent -- particularly, in recent years, the matter of Galantri.
In mortal life, Tempus was one of twin sons born to a chief of a human culture who lived on the then-fertile plains of what would one day be Al'Aram. Where his brother was a mighty hunter acclaimed by the people for the bounty he brought back for them, Tempus was more drawn to the relatively young art of cultivating plants for their food value. His true talent, though, was in organizing the work needed for this, which gradually turned into organizing the people in other matters, as well, especially preparing them to protect the fields. This caused him to develop a rivalry with his brother, who had become a leader among the hunters, fighting in a much more irregular manner.
When a large group of sleeth attacked their settlement, the farmers and the hunters were forced to fight alongside each other, and drove them off thanks to Tempus' preparations. But what should have been a triumph was spoiled by the death of his brother, and the accusation that it had been Tempus himself who killed him! Despite his protestations of innocence, there were those who swore that they'd seen it done. Tempus was cursed by his father and driven into exile, accepting it bitterly. He would later hear that his brother's son had become the next chief of the people and ruled them very cruelly, but by that point he had other things to worry about.
His journeys took him westward into lands claimed by the Alvadine people, who were just beginning to call themselves 'elves' and ruled over many different human groups. He learned much from them and practiced many different trades -- craftmanship, sorcery, even crime. But his true calling was that of soldiering, both as a fighter himself and a trainer and commander of other soldiers. Learning all he could from the captains of the Alvadine, he improved on much of it, and fought many battles in their name, and eventually in his own.
After winning one particularly brutal war against the gargun, the aged Tempus fell asleep for what he expected to be the last time, and awoke to found himself Ascended for his deeds, under the patronage of Usires Twiceborn, who claimed to have invented agriculture and to have been watching Tempus' activities since his youth on the plains. (It would later be revealed that Usires had arranged for the death of Tempus' brother to spur him to greater things.) Tempus adapted to the change in his condition fairly well, and became involved in the struggles within the Sphere of Matter, between that Sphere and the other three, and against the forces of Entropy. As time passed and he grew in power and authority, he became regarded as one of the greatest war-leaders of the Ascended ... but not yet the Patron of War itself.
A bit more than two hundred years ago, the Hierarchs finally decided that they should formally grant that title to one of the Ascended. Tempus naturally sought it for himself, believing himself to be the best qualified. This began a decade-long struggle between himself and the other would-be Patrons, fought on many different planes. Tempus demonstrated keen strategic brilliance throughout the conflict, and was also able to sway many of his opponents to support him through diplomacy, turning former enemies into allies. Other opponents had to be forced to yield and quit the competition, until Tempus was the last one standing.
Or rather, the last save for one other. Tempus found the participation of the Ascendant called Pax, another Eternal of the Sphere of Matter known for his philosophical musings on pacficism, to be the most bewildering part of this affair. He did not understand Pax's motives, did not understand the other's strategies, and could not ever quite defeat him. But when they were the last two combatants, Tempus naturally expected that Pax would take the opportunity to surrender and accept an honorable defeat. Pax spurned the offer and kept right on fighting, which seemed hypocritical and frankly deranged. He had to know that he couldn't win, so what was he trying to accomplish?
After the contest, which had been intended to last only a decade, stretched out for another five years, the Hierarchs finally intervened. Tempus had defeated almost all other contenders, and it was not possible for Pax to achieve victory with the forces that remained to him, and so Tempus had won. Magnanimous in victory, Tempus offered his congratulations for a difficult challenge to Pax ... who refused them as he had hoped that there would be no winner, and that the futility of warfare would be demonstrated once and for all. "There should be no Patron of War. You are a monster, and I despise you and what you have made me do." With that, he turned and walked away into the wasteland they had made.
Utterly bewildered by this, Tempus has nonetheless tried to live up to what he considers to be his responsibility to ensure that wars are fought in a proper manner, minimizing the suffering when possible but acknowledging it as inevitable. Wars for defense are preferable, but aggression is in the nature of all life, and denying this only leads to greater pain and frustration. As a leader, he believes in keeping his soldiers alive until such time as he needs them to die in order to accomplish an objective, and then sacrificing them without hesitation. Needless to say, he believes that a military response to the madness in Galantri is the best one, but is slowly coming around to his colleagues' idea that the force in question might be a small group rather than the armies of neighboring Tohrukin.
Tempus' closest ally outside of the council is probably Vanya, Patron of Strife, who was also the first of his competitors to ally with him. Their partnership provides each of them what the other lacks: enthusiasm for Tempus and restraint for Vanya. His foremost rival is, naturally enough, Pax, who opposes every war that Tempus would try to start without regard for the justifications for any of them. How can this be called wisdom, when it's simple refusal to consider any options save those which one prefers? Unfortunately, Pax seems to enjoy the support of their Hierarch, where Tempus has a contentious relationship with Djea at best. She has not forgotten that he is the former client of Usires, who challenged her for the Hierarchy and fell to Entropy when he failed, and so watches Tempus carefully to see if he will likewise fall.
Tempus -- PL 15
Abilities:
STR 14 | STA 14 | AGL 5 | DEX 3 | FGT 16 | INT 6 | AWE 10 | PRE 6
Powers:
Arsenal of the Ages: Variable 2 (weapon) on Strength Damage - 2 points
Ascendant: Immortality 5 (one day), Only When On Home Plane; Immunity 1 (aging); Movement 1 (dimensional travel to home plane), Reaction (death); Movement 2 (dimensional travel to planes of the Sphere of Matter), Standard Action - 10 points
Chariot of the Gods: Flight 7 (250 MPH), Platform; Movement 3 (dimensional travel to all planes); Removable (-2 points) - 11 points
Divine Body: Immunity 10 (life support); Impervious Toughness 12 - 22 points
Divine Mind: Comprehend Languages 4; Impervious Will 12, Limited to Mental Effects; Senses 7 (vision counters all concealment, vision counters illusions) - 25 points
Sense Immortal: Senses 2 (ranged detect immortal) - 2 points
Spear of Eternity: Ranged Damage 13, Accurate 6, Affects Insubstantial 2, Extended Range 2 - 36 points
Advantages:
Accurate Attack, All-out Attack, Assessment, Benefit (every trick in the book), Chokehold, Daze (Intimidation), Defensive Attack, Equipment 5, Fearless 2, Improved Aim, Improved Defense, Improved Disarm, Improved Sunder, Inspire 4, Jack-of-all-Trades, Move-by Action, Power Attack, Precise Attack (Close, Concealment), Ritualist, Weapon Bind, Weapon Break, Well-informed.
Equipment:
Home Plane: Size Gargantuan; Toughness 16; Features Combat Simulator, Communications, Dimensional Portal (Pandiomon), Effect (Affects Others Immortality 5), Concealed, Defense System, Grounds, Gym, Hangar, Isolated, Library, Living Space, Power System, Personnel, Security System, Workshop - 25 points.
Skills:
Athletics 5 (+19), Deception 11 (+17), Expertise: Magic 8 (+14), Expertise: Smithing 9 (+15), Expertise: Military 12 (+18), Insight 5 (+15), Intimidation 14 (+20), Perception 4 (+14), Persuasion 10 (+16), Treatment 8 (+14), Vehicles 12 (+15).
Offense:
Initiative +5
Arsenal of the Ages +16 (Close Damage 14)
Spear of Eternity +15 (Ranged Damage 13)
Defense:
Dodge 14, Parry 16, Fortitude 18, Toughness 14, Will 12.
Totals:
Abilities 148 + Powers 108 + Advantages 30 + Skills 49 + Defenses 15 = 350 points
Offensive PL: 15
Defensive PL: 15
Resistance PL: 15
Skill PL: 15
Complications:
Responsibility--Motivation. Callous. Cannot Refuse A Challenge. Nemesis (Pax.) Obviously Superhuman.
Note: Should Tempus ever travel to the World Less Magical, all his abilities drop by 2 ranks each, and he suffers Power Loss on his Ascendant powers; he will also be Disabled on Expertise: Magic checks. He becomes PL 13.
Last edited:
Davies
Legend
Valerias
The eldest Ascendant of the Council of Tauri, Valerias is the Patron of Love, though she often prefers to be known as the Queen of Passion instead. Tempestuous and impulsive, she is known for doing exactly what she wants, a rebel bird who has never known any law. Some among her colleagues are surprised that she has never challenged Solarion, the Hierarch of Power, for his position, even when their long-standing friendship and romance is considered. Others, who understand her better, realize that means she has simply never wanted to do so, perhaps having seen what that role has done to him.
It is nearly impossible for even the mightiest intellects among the Ascendants to recall all the events of an existence that might have spanned tens of thousands of years. It is completely impossible for Valerias, not numbered among those intellects, to recall the events of her own existence, which has spanned hundreds of thousands of years. Her mortal life is almost completely forgotten, but she believes that she was one of the first Alvadine born on this planet, that her childhood was utterly brief, and that she was sent to war against the Xothi, the Ograh and the Maung, alongside her peoples' Gargun allies. And she fought, and she fought, and she fought, for centuries after centuries.
And there came a day, or perhaps a night, when she realized that she alone survived among those who had fought at her side from the first, and wept for the first time. Was this what existence was, just a long march towards the final death? Why had she ever been born, then? As she asked these things, someone -- and one of her greatest regrets is that she cannot remember anything about that person -- wrapped her in an embrace and told her that no, there was more to life than this. "All power can't be seen," that person said. Keeping that memory close to her heart, she returned to war, and she fought, and she fought, and she fought, for centuries more after centuries more. Eventually, the war ended.
In the aftermath, she became the creator of the elven bardic tradition, and for this and everything that had gone before it, she was rewarded with Ascension. Despite that, she was a relatively minor light among Solarion's court for a long time, until she achieved Celestial status and declared herself the Patron of Love. This was bewildering to the rest of Pandiomon, for the emotions were generally considered the purview of the Sphere of Mind rather than Power, and doubly so for the fact that 'love' seemed a rather weak thing to them.
Valerias set out to prove them wrong. Lives have been horribly ruined and lives been incredibly enriched by her efforts, but by now the rest of the Ascendants have definitely come to see that anything that motivates so many actions must be considered an example of Power, rather than a simple product of Mind. She has also continued to act as one of the finest scouts and snipers on battlefields throughout the planes, which has become her primary role as a member of the Council. Ascendants are not supposed to fight mortals' battles for them, but Valerias has no compunctions about descending to Galantri and quietly weakening, harming or even slaying the lesser servants of Entropy who have attached themselves to the Shadow Dragon. She does what she wants, and what she thinks needs doing.
Valerias' closest friend outside of the council is probably Silenus, an Eternal of the Sphere of Matter who came up around the same time she did, but under very different circumstances. They share a love for music and dance, though his true love is and will always be wine. She has a long-standing rivalry with Tarastia the Justiciar, a jumped up Eternal of Mind who resents Valerias for her free-spirited ways and tries to undermine her at every opportunity. (Or so Valerias' point of view would have it.) She has also frequently had confrontations with Kagyar the Maker, over their differing artistic perspectives as well as other matters of politics, which makes the way that some mortals think "Auberon" and "Titania" (their frequent aliases) are married rather amusing. Within her own sphere, as already mentioned, she has the trust and fond regard of its Hierarch ... most of the time. Both of them are easily distracted and tempermental, after all.
Valerias -- PL 15
Abilities:
STR 10 | STA 14 | AGL 5 | DEX 7 | FGT 4 | INT 5 | AWE 6 | PRE 12
Powers:
Arrows of Outrageous Fortune: Array (26 points); Removable (-5 points)
Divine Body: Immunity 10 (life support); Impervious Toughness 10 - 20 points
Divine Mind: Comprehend Languages 4; Impervious Will 10, Limited to Mental Effects; Senses 7 (vision counters all concealment, vision counters illusions) - 25 points
"Love Lights the Way": Environment 3 (light) - 3 points
Many Faces: Morph 4 (any form) - 20 points
Power of the Heart: Cumulative Mind Reading 14 - 42 points
Sense Immortal: Senses 2 (ranged detect immortal) - 2 points
Swift Stride: Movement 1 (trackless); Speed 5 (60 MPH) - 7 points
Advantages:
Attractive 2, Daze (Deception), Equipment 5, Fascinate (Persuasion), Hide in Plain Sight, Improved Defense, Improved Initiative, Jack-of-all-Trades, Taunt, Tracking, Uncanny Dodge.
Equipment:
Home Plane: Size Gargantuan; Toughness 16; Features Communications, Dimensional Portal (Pandiomon), Concealed, Defense System, Grounds, Gym, Isolated, Library, Living Space, Power System, Personnel, Security System (DC 30) - 22 points.
Skills:
Deception 8 (+20), Expertise: Performance 4 (+16), Insight 13 (+19), Perception 12 (+18), Persuasion 8 (+20), Ranged Combat: Bow 10 (+17), Sleight of Hand 9 (+16), Stealth 10 (+15).
Offense:
Initiative +9
Unarmed +4 (Close Damage 10)
Arrow of Pain +17 (Ranged Damage 12)
Defense:
Dodge 12, Parry 10, Fortitude 15, Toughness 14, Will 12.
Totals:
Abilities 126 + Powers 151 + Advantages 16 + Skills 37 + Defenses 20 = 350 points
Offensive PL: 15
Defensive PL: 13
Resistance PL: 14
Skill PL: 15
Complications:
Responsibility ... Well, Sort Of--Motivation. Easily Distracted. Manipulative. Temper.
Note: Should Valerias ever travel to the World Less Magical, all her abilities drop by 2 ranks each, she suffers Power Loss on her Ascendant powers, her Power of the Heart drops to 12 ranks, and her Arrows of Outrageous Fortune array drops to 22 points (with most effects dropping to 11 ranks and Ranged Damage dropping to 10); she will also be Disabled on Expertise: Magic checks made with Jack-of-all-Trades. She becomes PL 13.
The eldest Ascendant of the Council of Tauri, Valerias is the Patron of Love, though she often prefers to be known as the Queen of Passion instead. Tempestuous and impulsive, she is known for doing exactly what she wants, a rebel bird who has never known any law. Some among her colleagues are surprised that she has never challenged Solarion, the Hierarch of Power, for his position, even when their long-standing friendship and romance is considered. Others, who understand her better, realize that means she has simply never wanted to do so, perhaps having seen what that role has done to him.
It is nearly impossible for even the mightiest intellects among the Ascendants to recall all the events of an existence that might have spanned tens of thousands of years. It is completely impossible for Valerias, not numbered among those intellects, to recall the events of her own existence, which has spanned hundreds of thousands of years. Her mortal life is almost completely forgotten, but she believes that she was one of the first Alvadine born on this planet, that her childhood was utterly brief, and that she was sent to war against the Xothi, the Ograh and the Maung, alongside her peoples' Gargun allies. And she fought, and she fought, and she fought, for centuries after centuries.
And there came a day, or perhaps a night, when she realized that she alone survived among those who had fought at her side from the first, and wept for the first time. Was this what existence was, just a long march towards the final death? Why had she ever been born, then? As she asked these things, someone -- and one of her greatest regrets is that she cannot remember anything about that person -- wrapped her in an embrace and told her that no, there was more to life than this. "All power can't be seen," that person said. Keeping that memory close to her heart, she returned to war, and she fought, and she fought, and she fought, for centuries more after centuries more. Eventually, the war ended.
In the aftermath, she became the creator of the elven bardic tradition, and for this and everything that had gone before it, she was rewarded with Ascension. Despite that, she was a relatively minor light among Solarion's court for a long time, until she achieved Celestial status and declared herself the Patron of Love. This was bewildering to the rest of Pandiomon, for the emotions were generally considered the purview of the Sphere of Mind rather than Power, and doubly so for the fact that 'love' seemed a rather weak thing to them.
Valerias set out to prove them wrong. Lives have been horribly ruined and lives been incredibly enriched by her efforts, but by now the rest of the Ascendants have definitely come to see that anything that motivates so many actions must be considered an example of Power, rather than a simple product of Mind. She has also continued to act as one of the finest scouts and snipers on battlefields throughout the planes, which has become her primary role as a member of the Council. Ascendants are not supposed to fight mortals' battles for them, but Valerias has no compunctions about descending to Galantri and quietly weakening, harming or even slaying the lesser servants of Entropy who have attached themselves to the Shadow Dragon. She does what she wants, and what she thinks needs doing.
Valerias' closest friend outside of the council is probably Silenus, an Eternal of the Sphere of Matter who came up around the same time she did, but under very different circumstances. They share a love for music and dance, though his true love is and will always be wine. She has a long-standing rivalry with Tarastia the Justiciar, a jumped up Eternal of Mind who resents Valerias for her free-spirited ways and tries to undermine her at every opportunity. (Or so Valerias' point of view would have it.) She has also frequently had confrontations with Kagyar the Maker, over their differing artistic perspectives as well as other matters of politics, which makes the way that some mortals think "Auberon" and "Titania" (their frequent aliases) are married rather amusing. Within her own sphere, as already mentioned, she has the trust and fond regard of its Hierarch ... most of the time. Both of them are easily distracted and tempermental, after all.
Valerias -- PL 15
Abilities:
STR 10 | STA 14 | AGL 5 | DEX 7 | FGT 4 | INT 5 | AWE 6 | PRE 12
Powers:
Arrows of Outrageous Fortune: Array (26 points); Removable (-5 points)
- Arrow of Binding: Ranged Affliction 13 (Resisted by Dodge, Overcome by Damage; Hindered and Vulnerable, Defenseless and Immobile), Extra Condition, Limited to Two Degrees - 26 points
- Arrow of Brilliance: Ranged Burst Area Affliction 13 (Resisted and Overcome by Fortitude; Visually Impaired, Visually Disabled, Visually Unaware), Limited to One Sense - 1 point
- Arrow of Infatuation: Ranged Affliction 13 (Resisted by Will; Dazed, Stunned, Transformed [to be in love with the first entity seen]) - 26 points
- Arrow of Pain: Ranged Damage 12, Extended Range 2 - 26 points
Divine Body: Immunity 10 (life support); Impervious Toughness 10 - 20 points
Divine Mind: Comprehend Languages 4; Impervious Will 10, Limited to Mental Effects; Senses 7 (vision counters all concealment, vision counters illusions) - 25 points
"Love Lights the Way": Environment 3 (light) - 3 points
Many Faces: Morph 4 (any form) - 20 points
Power of the Heart: Cumulative Mind Reading 14 - 42 points
Sense Immortal: Senses 2 (ranged detect immortal) - 2 points
Swift Stride: Movement 1 (trackless); Speed 5 (60 MPH) - 7 points
Advantages:
Attractive 2, Daze (Deception), Equipment 5, Fascinate (Persuasion), Hide in Plain Sight, Improved Defense, Improved Initiative, Jack-of-all-Trades, Taunt, Tracking, Uncanny Dodge.
Equipment:
Home Plane: Size Gargantuan; Toughness 16; Features Communications, Dimensional Portal (Pandiomon), Concealed, Defense System, Grounds, Gym, Isolated, Library, Living Space, Power System, Personnel, Security System (DC 30) - 22 points.
Skills:
Deception 8 (+20), Expertise: Performance 4 (+16), Insight 13 (+19), Perception 12 (+18), Persuasion 8 (+20), Ranged Combat: Bow 10 (+17), Sleight of Hand 9 (+16), Stealth 10 (+15).
Offense:
Initiative +9
Unarmed +4 (Close Damage 10)
Arrow of Pain +17 (Ranged Damage 12)
Defense:
Dodge 12, Parry 10, Fortitude 15, Toughness 14, Will 12.
Totals:
Abilities 126 + Powers 151 + Advantages 16 + Skills 37 + Defenses 20 = 350 points
Offensive PL: 15
Defensive PL: 13
Resistance PL: 14
Skill PL: 15
Complications:
Responsibility ... Well, Sort Of--Motivation. Easily Distracted. Manipulative. Temper.
Note: Should Valerias ever travel to the World Less Magical, all her abilities drop by 2 ranks each, she suffers Power Loss on her Ascendant powers, her Power of the Heart drops to 12 ranks, and her Arrows of Outrageous Fortune array drops to 22 points (with most effects dropping to 11 ranks and Ranged Damage dropping to 10); she will also be Disabled on Expertise: Magic checks made with Jack-of-all-Trades. She becomes PL 13.
Davies
Legend
Ithas
Ithas is a traitor. This is one of the first things any Initiate learns when they arrive in Pandiomon -- Ithas cannot ever be trusted and will inevitably betray anyone foolish enough to think he can be. Eventually, most of the ones who survive learn the horrific truth, that Ithas cannot even be trusted to always be a traitor; sometimes, he will decide to keep his word as a way of betraying someone's preconceptions about him. It is also true that he has never aided the forces of Entropy in any way that didn't ultimately cause them more harm in the end, and for that reason, and the fact that he is almost certainly the best spy in Pandiomon, he has become his sphere's representative on the Council of Tauri.
Aged among their ranks, Ithas claims to have lived roughly one hundred thousand years ago, among a cave-dwelling human group who had just recently discovered fire, and were not good at making it. Through stealthy observation, he learned that the sleeth who lived higher up on the mountain were much better at making fire, and decided to steal their secrets from them. He found himself captured and enslaved fairly quickly, but his wits were recognized by his captors, who arrogantly allowed him to learn their secrets -- magic. Eventually, he learned enough to escape their capture and returned home to pass on what he had learned to his own people, having stolen the fire from heaven.
After many other tricks played on various peoples of that age, Ithas was granted Ascendance and quickly rose in the Sphere of Mind, becoming the Patron of Trickery. Necessarily, this meant a lot of manipulation of his fellows, and necessarily that meant some of his schemes would fail and be exposed. That doesn't really bother him. For every scheme that fails, more succeed and are never discovered; for every successful scheme exposed, more are too embarrassing for those who do discover them to ever be revealed. And for every pious denunciation of his followers by those who loudly assert their probity, many prayers are offered up in his name whenever those same pious frauds need to do something on the far side of ethical.
Ithas has spent more time among Gallantri's people than any other member of the Council, and is actually disturbed by what he's discovered. He supports the idea of a small band of heroes being found and guided to do something about this matter, and will likely be sent to appraise the candidates when the time comes. He hasn't yet worked out how he's going to betray his fellows, whether by action or inaction, and is waiting for what will be the perfect moment to decide. That need for the perfect moment is something even he recognizes as his greatest weakness, for sometimes the right moment just slips past. Nobody's perfect.
Ithas has no real friends outside of the Council, having burned his bridges with most potential allies through incessant treachery. The only peer with whom he has any sort of working relationship is Bori, an Eternal of the Sphere of Matter, who only considers him a useful scapegoat for some of his own schemes. While widely disliked, Ithas' most severe mutual emnity is that which he shares with Mardwyn, Patron of Wizardry, an Eternal of the Sphere of Power, whose coldly structured attitude towards spellcrafting clashes with Ithas' improvisational approach. While Mardwyn has won most of their conflicts in recent centuries, Ithas has often been able to compromise those successes in ways that end up making Mardwyn look ridiculous. Meanwhile, Ithas has an extremely uncomfortable relationship with his original sponsor, the reigning Hierarch of Mind, whom he neither understands nor has ever succeeded in tricking or fooling in any way. It is fair to say that Ithas fears the Watcher on the Threshold more than any other entity.
Ithas -- PL 15
Abilities:
STR 12 | STA 12 | AGL 8 | DEX 6 | FGT 10 | INT 11 | AWE 9 | PRE 4
Powers:
Ascendant: Immortality 5 (one day), Only When On Home Plane; Immunity 1 (aging); Movement 1 (dimensional travel to home plane), Reaction (death); Movement 2 (dimensional travel to planes of the Sphere of Thought), Standard Action - 10 points
Dagger of the Mind: Alternate Resistance (Will) on Strength Damage 12; Strength-based Damage 1, Alternate Resistance (Will), Accurate 2, Affects Insubstantial 2; Easily Removable (-6 points) - 12 points
Divine Body: Immunity 10 (life support); Impervious Toughness 10 - 20 points
Divine Mind: Comprehend Languages 4; Impervious Will 12, Limited to Mental Effects; Senses 7 (vision counters all concealment, vision counters illusions) - 25 points
Sense Immortal: Senses 2 (ranged detect immortal) - 2 points
Tricks: Array (75 points)
Assessment, Contacts, Daze (Deception), Equipment 4, Fascinate (Persuasion), Jack-of-all-Trades, Seize Initiative, Skill Mastery (Deception), Taunt, Well-informed.
Equipment:
Home Plane: Size Huge; Toughness 12; Features Communications, Dimensional Portal (Pandiomon), Concealed, Grounds, Isolated, Library, Living Space, Power System, Personnel, Security System (DC 30), Workshop - 19 points.
Skills:
Close Combat: Dagger 3 (+13), Deception 12 (+16), Expertise: Magic 11 (+15), Insight 6 (+15), Investigation 2 (+13), Perception 5 (+14), Persuasion 8 (+12), Sleight of Hand 6 (+12), Stealth 7 (+15).
Offense:
Initiative +8
Unarmed +10 (Close Damage 12)
Dagger of the Mind +17 (Close Damage 13, Resisted by Will)
Defense:
Dodge 14, Parry 12, Fortitude 12, Toughness 12, Will 15
Totals:
Abilities 144 + Powers 143 + Advantages 14 + Skills 30 + Defenses 19 = 350 points
Offensive PL: 15
Defensive PL: 13
Resistance PL: 14
Skill PL: 11
Complications:
Thrills--Motivation. Callous. Delusion (I am much smarter and more charming than anyone else.) Values Excitement Over Safety.
Note: Should Ithas ever travel to the World Less Magical, all his abilities drop by 2 ranks each, he suffers Power Loss on his Ascendant powers, and his Tricks array drops to 69 points (with the Illusion and Mind Reading effects dropping to 13 ranks and the Variable dropping to 5); he will also be Disabled on Expertise: Magic checks. He becomes PL 13.
They are doomed to disaster, though they think they are invulnerable. I’m almost ashamed to have anything to do with them. Changing back to flickering flame is a tempting prospect indeed. Consuming those who tamed me instead of stupidly sharing their fate, however divine they may be. That might be the wisest course. I’ll think it over. Who knows what I’ll do?
Ithas is a traitor. This is one of the first things any Initiate learns when they arrive in Pandiomon -- Ithas cannot ever be trusted and will inevitably betray anyone foolish enough to think he can be. Eventually, most of the ones who survive learn the horrific truth, that Ithas cannot even be trusted to always be a traitor; sometimes, he will decide to keep his word as a way of betraying someone's preconceptions about him. It is also true that he has never aided the forces of Entropy in any way that didn't ultimately cause them more harm in the end, and for that reason, and the fact that he is almost certainly the best spy in Pandiomon, he has become his sphere's representative on the Council of Tauri.
Aged among their ranks, Ithas claims to have lived roughly one hundred thousand years ago, among a cave-dwelling human group who had just recently discovered fire, and were not good at making it. Through stealthy observation, he learned that the sleeth who lived higher up on the mountain were much better at making fire, and decided to steal their secrets from them. He found himself captured and enslaved fairly quickly, but his wits were recognized by his captors, who arrogantly allowed him to learn their secrets -- magic. Eventually, he learned enough to escape their capture and returned home to pass on what he had learned to his own people, having stolen the fire from heaven.
After many other tricks played on various peoples of that age, Ithas was granted Ascendance and quickly rose in the Sphere of Mind, becoming the Patron of Trickery. Necessarily, this meant a lot of manipulation of his fellows, and necessarily that meant some of his schemes would fail and be exposed. That doesn't really bother him. For every scheme that fails, more succeed and are never discovered; for every successful scheme exposed, more are too embarrassing for those who do discover them to ever be revealed. And for every pious denunciation of his followers by those who loudly assert their probity, many prayers are offered up in his name whenever those same pious frauds need to do something on the far side of ethical.
Ithas has spent more time among Gallantri's people than any other member of the Council, and is actually disturbed by what he's discovered. He supports the idea of a small band of heroes being found and guided to do something about this matter, and will likely be sent to appraise the candidates when the time comes. He hasn't yet worked out how he's going to betray his fellows, whether by action or inaction, and is waiting for what will be the perfect moment to decide. That need for the perfect moment is something even he recognizes as his greatest weakness, for sometimes the right moment just slips past. Nobody's perfect.
Ithas has no real friends outside of the Council, having burned his bridges with most potential allies through incessant treachery. The only peer with whom he has any sort of working relationship is Bori, an Eternal of the Sphere of Matter, who only considers him a useful scapegoat for some of his own schemes. While widely disliked, Ithas' most severe mutual emnity is that which he shares with Mardwyn, Patron of Wizardry, an Eternal of the Sphere of Power, whose coldly structured attitude towards spellcrafting clashes with Ithas' improvisational approach. While Mardwyn has won most of their conflicts in recent centuries, Ithas has often been able to compromise those successes in ways that end up making Mardwyn look ridiculous. Meanwhile, Ithas has an extremely uncomfortable relationship with his original sponsor, the reigning Hierarch of Mind, whom he neither understands nor has ever succeeded in tricking or fooling in any way. It is fair to say that Ithas fears the Watcher on the Threshold more than any other entity.
Ithas -- PL 15
Abilities:
STR 12 | STA 12 | AGL 8 | DEX 6 | FGT 10 | INT 11 | AWE 9 | PRE 4
Powers:
Ascendant: Immortality 5 (one day), Only When On Home Plane; Immunity 1 (aging); Movement 1 (dimensional travel to home plane), Reaction (death); Movement 2 (dimensional travel to planes of the Sphere of Thought), Standard Action - 10 points
Dagger of the Mind: Alternate Resistance (Will) on Strength Damage 12; Strength-based Damage 1, Alternate Resistance (Will), Accurate 2, Affects Insubstantial 2; Easily Removable (-6 points) - 12 points
Divine Body: Immunity 10 (life support); Impervious Toughness 10 - 20 points
Divine Mind: Comprehend Languages 4; Impervious Will 12, Limited to Mental Effects; Senses 7 (vision counters all concealment, vision counters illusions) - 25 points
Sense Immortal: Senses 2 (ranged detect immortal) - 2 points
Tricks: Array (75 points)
- Illusionist: Illusion 15 (all senses) - 75 points
- Seer: Cumulative Mind Reading 15; Remote Sensing 9 (visual, mental), Dimensional 3 - 1 point
- Shapeshifter: Linked Morph 4 (anything); Linked Variable 6 (traits associated with shape), Free Action - 1 point
Assessment, Contacts, Daze (Deception), Equipment 4, Fascinate (Persuasion), Jack-of-all-Trades, Seize Initiative, Skill Mastery (Deception), Taunt, Well-informed.
Equipment:
Home Plane: Size Huge; Toughness 12; Features Communications, Dimensional Portal (Pandiomon), Concealed, Grounds, Isolated, Library, Living Space, Power System, Personnel, Security System (DC 30), Workshop - 19 points.
Skills:
Close Combat: Dagger 3 (+13), Deception 12 (+16), Expertise: Magic 11 (+15), Insight 6 (+15), Investigation 2 (+13), Perception 5 (+14), Persuasion 8 (+12), Sleight of Hand 6 (+12), Stealth 7 (+15).
Offense:
Initiative +8
Unarmed +10 (Close Damage 12)
Dagger of the Mind +17 (Close Damage 13, Resisted by Will)
Defense:
Dodge 14, Parry 12, Fortitude 12, Toughness 12, Will 15
Totals:
Abilities 144 + Powers 143 + Advantages 14 + Skills 30 + Defenses 19 = 350 points
Offensive PL: 15
Defensive PL: 13
Resistance PL: 14
Skill PL: 11
Complications:
Thrills--Motivation. Callous. Delusion (I am much smarter and more charming than anyone else.) Values Excitement Over Safety.
Note: Should Ithas ever travel to the World Less Magical, all his abilities drop by 2 ranks each, he suffers Power Loss on his Ascendant powers, and his Tricks array drops to 69 points (with the Illusion and Mind Reading effects dropping to 13 ranks and the Variable dropping to 5); he will also be Disabled on Expertise: Magic checks. He becomes PL 13.
They are doomed to disaster, though they think they are invulnerable. I’m almost ashamed to have anything to do with them. Changing back to flickering flame is a tempting prospect indeed. Consuming those who tamed me instead of stupidly sharing their fate, however divine they may be. That might be the wisest course. I’ll think it over. Who knows what I’ll do?
Davies
Legend
Petra
Art by Larry Elmore.
No other Ascendant, of any of the Spheres, has ever risen to the ranks of the Eternals as fast as Petra, the youngest of the Council at less than fifteen centuries. This has made quite a few of her peers suspicious of her, especially given her reputation as an inflexible moralist; most of her critics suspect that she is actually even more cynical and pragmatic than those she chooses to oppose, a sanctimonious hypocrite. She is aware of these whispers, but chooses to ignore them, having learned hard lessons about correcting her own faults before she seeks to correct those of others.
As a mortal, Petra was an adventuring warrior who enjoyed what she viewed as blessings from various gods, though she would later come to understand them as a type of sorcery. Joining forces with several other would-be heroes, she wound up involved in a series of deadly conflicts with the beastfolk who were invading her homeland. While she and her allies stood victorious at the end of their wars, their nation had suffered terrible losses. Each of the survivors of their group lead one group of refugees in the hopes of finding a new home elsewhere.
Petra led her exodus to the east, into a fading Republic, where the people were accepted as new citizens. Having accomplished her task, she now looked for a new challenge, and found herself drawn to an unexpected struggle unlike anything she'd ever known. At that time, the philosopher and religious reformer Damonnius of Celenike was engaged in a protracted struggle with the religious leaders of the Republic, who regarded him as a dangerous firebrand. Initially agreeing with that, Petra first approached Damonnius as a potential enemy who was bending minds to his will, but soon realized that he employed no magic save that of rhetorical argument. She was won over by his criticisms of the religious practices of the day, which he felt neither glorified whatsoever powers might exist, nor served the people who were in need of succor, but only enriched the already wealthy.
Ultimately, Damonnius would die a martyr's death long before he could accomplish the transformation he envisioned, but Petra took up the struggle in his place, and his enemies found her a much more difficult opponent to vanquish. The struggle was a long one, consuming decades, but in her old age the new faith she had created had eclipsed the old ways and been embraced throughout the Troatian lands. She died content, and then awakened from her final sleep to learn that she had joined the Ascendants.
Having done so, she naturally became the patron of her own faith, guiding it to become an army of salvation that would, she hoped, redeem the world entire. She devoted all her efforts to this, and managed to overcome many obstacles that other Ascendants, of many Spheres and particularly the forces of Entropy, attempted to put in her way. Yet after a thousand years of this, Petra found herself with a nagging sense of wrongness, and she took a long hard look at her creation. To her horror, she realized that the faith had become just like that which it had been born in opposition to, with leaders who at best cared more about obscure points of philosophy than the people they were supposed to guide, and at worst cared only for their own power and glory!
Some sort of reform was clearly needed, and yet her sense of prophecy told her that if she led it personally, this would all just happen again in another thousand years. So Petra chose a different path, working with those outside of the faith instead of only raising up those within it, seeking different perspectives that could change that fate. This is having mixed results, but she accentuates the positive changes that have come from it. This has also led to her participation in the Council as the representative of the Sphere of Time. Her prophecies have helped them to work out their plans, and the logistics of their operations are supported by the faith.
Outside of her fellow councillors, Petra has two close friends in Balam and Zagros, Empyreals of Matter and Power respectively, who were her adventuring companions in life. Their interests in are somewhat more narrowly focused than her own -- one specific family and one paricular forest, respectively -- but she will always assist them with their projects when they ask ... or if they don't ask and she thinks they need help regardless. She also enjoys a steady alliance with Asterius, Patron of Wealth. Their association is a bit bewildering to many, since he seems to represent ideals opposed to her own, but Petra knows that Asterius has respectable ethics rather than caring only about acquiring wealth by any means. Her greatest rival is Vanya, the Patron of Strife, formerly an ally during the faith's early days who regards its and her turn towards a more peaceful approach with contempt. Although the Hierarch of her Sphere was her original patron, she is not particularly close to Khoronous anymore, and was bewildered by his decision to take Lady Fuurin into his own charge rather than placing the anomaly in her care. But she trusts that he sees something she does not, and won't complain.
Petra -- PL 15
Abilities:
STR 13 | STA 13 | AGL 3 | DEX 2 | FGT 11 | INT 5 | AWE 9 | PRE 7
Powers:
Blessed Armor: Impervious Protection 5; Removable (-2 points) - 8 points
Ascendant: Immortality 5 (one day), Only When On Home Plane; Immunity 1 (aging); Movement 1 (dimensional travel to home plane), Reaction (death); Movement 2 (dimensional travel to planes of the Sphere of Time), Standard Action - 10 points
Communion: Mental Communication 4; Cumulative Mind Reading 6, Communication Dependent - 34 points
Divine Body: Immunity 10 (life support); Impervious Toughness 10 - 20 points
Divine Mind: Comprehend Languages 4; Impervious Will 12, Limited to Mental Effects; Senses 7 (vision counters all concealment, vision counters illusions) - 25 points
Holy Touch: Healing 15, Energizing, Persistent, Restorative - 61 points
Mace of Disruption: Linked Strength-based Damage 3, Affects Insubstantial 2; Linked Close Nullify Magic 16, Broad, Simultaneous; Easily Removable (-14 points) - 21 points
Prophecy: Senses 4 (Precognition) - 4 points
Advantages:
Attractive, Defensive Attack, Equipment 4, Fascinate (Persuasion), Favored Foe (undead), Improved Defense, Leadership, Power Attack, Ritualist, Takedown, Ultimate Effort (Toughness checks).
Equipment:
Home Plane: Size Gargantuan; Toughness 16; Features Combat Simulator, Communications, Dimensional Portal (Pandiomon), Effect (Affects Others Immortality 5), Concealed, Defense System, Grounds, Gym, Holding Cells, Isolated, Library, Living Space, Power System, Personnel, Security System, Workshop - 25 points.
Skills:
Close Combat: Mace 3 (+14), Expertise: Magic 9 (+16), Expertise: Religion 11 (+16), Insight 5 (+14), Intimidation 8 (+15), Perception 6 (+15), Persuasion 8 (+15), Treatment 8 (+13).
Offense:
Initiative +3
Unarmed +11 (Close Damage 11)
Mace of Disruption +14 (Close Damage 16 and Nullify Magic 16)
Defense:
Dodge 9, Parry 11, Fortitude 15, Toughness 18/13, Will 15.
Totals:
Abilities 126 + Powers 139 + Advantages 14 + Skills 29 + Defenses 14 = 350 points
Offensive PL: 15
Defensive PL: 15
Resistance PL: 15
Skill PL: 11
Complications:
Responsibility--Motivation. Honest to a Fault. Reputation (sanctimonious know-it-all.) Strives for Peaceful Solutions.
Note: Should Petra ever travel to the World Less Magical, all her abilities drop by 2 ranks each, she suffers Power Loss on her Ascendant powers, and her Mace's Nullify Magic effect drops to 14 ranks; she is also Disabled on Expertise: Magic checks. She becomes PL 13.
Art by Larry Elmore.
No other Ascendant, of any of the Spheres, has ever risen to the ranks of the Eternals as fast as Petra, the youngest of the Council at less than fifteen centuries. This has made quite a few of her peers suspicious of her, especially given her reputation as an inflexible moralist; most of her critics suspect that she is actually even more cynical and pragmatic than those she chooses to oppose, a sanctimonious hypocrite. She is aware of these whispers, but chooses to ignore them, having learned hard lessons about correcting her own faults before she seeks to correct those of others.
As a mortal, Petra was an adventuring warrior who enjoyed what she viewed as blessings from various gods, though she would later come to understand them as a type of sorcery. Joining forces with several other would-be heroes, she wound up involved in a series of deadly conflicts with the beastfolk who were invading her homeland. While she and her allies stood victorious at the end of their wars, their nation had suffered terrible losses. Each of the survivors of their group lead one group of refugees in the hopes of finding a new home elsewhere.
Petra led her exodus to the east, into a fading Republic, where the people were accepted as new citizens. Having accomplished her task, she now looked for a new challenge, and found herself drawn to an unexpected struggle unlike anything she'd ever known. At that time, the philosopher and religious reformer Damonnius of Celenike was engaged in a protracted struggle with the religious leaders of the Republic, who regarded him as a dangerous firebrand. Initially agreeing with that, Petra first approached Damonnius as a potential enemy who was bending minds to his will, but soon realized that he employed no magic save that of rhetorical argument. She was won over by his criticisms of the religious practices of the day, which he felt neither glorified whatsoever powers might exist, nor served the people who were in need of succor, but only enriched the already wealthy.
Ultimately, Damonnius would die a martyr's death long before he could accomplish the transformation he envisioned, but Petra took up the struggle in his place, and his enemies found her a much more difficult opponent to vanquish. The struggle was a long one, consuming decades, but in her old age the new faith she had created had eclipsed the old ways and been embraced throughout the Troatian lands. She died content, and then awakened from her final sleep to learn that she had joined the Ascendants.
Having done so, she naturally became the patron of her own faith, guiding it to become an army of salvation that would, she hoped, redeem the world entire. She devoted all her efforts to this, and managed to overcome many obstacles that other Ascendants, of many Spheres and particularly the forces of Entropy, attempted to put in her way. Yet after a thousand years of this, Petra found herself with a nagging sense of wrongness, and she took a long hard look at her creation. To her horror, she realized that the faith had become just like that which it had been born in opposition to, with leaders who at best cared more about obscure points of philosophy than the people they were supposed to guide, and at worst cared only for their own power and glory!
Some sort of reform was clearly needed, and yet her sense of prophecy told her that if she led it personally, this would all just happen again in another thousand years. So Petra chose a different path, working with those outside of the faith instead of only raising up those within it, seeking different perspectives that could change that fate. This is having mixed results, but she accentuates the positive changes that have come from it. This has also led to her participation in the Council as the representative of the Sphere of Time. Her prophecies have helped them to work out their plans, and the logistics of their operations are supported by the faith.
Outside of her fellow councillors, Petra has two close friends in Balam and Zagros, Empyreals of Matter and Power respectively, who were her adventuring companions in life. Their interests in are somewhat more narrowly focused than her own -- one specific family and one paricular forest, respectively -- but she will always assist them with their projects when they ask ... or if they don't ask and she thinks they need help regardless. She also enjoys a steady alliance with Asterius, Patron of Wealth. Their association is a bit bewildering to many, since he seems to represent ideals opposed to her own, but Petra knows that Asterius has respectable ethics rather than caring only about acquiring wealth by any means. Her greatest rival is Vanya, the Patron of Strife, formerly an ally during the faith's early days who regards its and her turn towards a more peaceful approach with contempt. Although the Hierarch of her Sphere was her original patron, she is not particularly close to Khoronous anymore, and was bewildered by his decision to take Lady Fuurin into his own charge rather than placing the anomaly in her care. But she trusts that he sees something she does not, and won't complain.
Petra -- PL 15
Abilities:
STR 13 | STA 13 | AGL 3 | DEX 2 | FGT 11 | INT 5 | AWE 9 | PRE 7
Powers:
Blessed Armor: Impervious Protection 5; Removable (-2 points) - 8 points
Ascendant: Immortality 5 (one day), Only When On Home Plane; Immunity 1 (aging); Movement 1 (dimensional travel to home plane), Reaction (death); Movement 2 (dimensional travel to planes of the Sphere of Time), Standard Action - 10 points
Communion: Mental Communication 4; Cumulative Mind Reading 6, Communication Dependent - 34 points
Divine Body: Immunity 10 (life support); Impervious Toughness 10 - 20 points
Divine Mind: Comprehend Languages 4; Impervious Will 12, Limited to Mental Effects; Senses 7 (vision counters all concealment, vision counters illusions) - 25 points
Holy Touch: Healing 15, Energizing, Persistent, Restorative - 61 points
Mace of Disruption: Linked Strength-based Damage 3, Affects Insubstantial 2; Linked Close Nullify Magic 16, Broad, Simultaneous; Easily Removable (-14 points) - 21 points
Prophecy: Senses 4 (Precognition) - 4 points
Advantages:
Attractive, Defensive Attack, Equipment 4, Fascinate (Persuasion), Favored Foe (undead), Improved Defense, Leadership, Power Attack, Ritualist, Takedown, Ultimate Effort (Toughness checks).
Equipment:
Home Plane: Size Gargantuan; Toughness 16; Features Combat Simulator, Communications, Dimensional Portal (Pandiomon), Effect (Affects Others Immortality 5), Concealed, Defense System, Grounds, Gym, Holding Cells, Isolated, Library, Living Space, Power System, Personnel, Security System, Workshop - 25 points.
Skills:
Close Combat: Mace 3 (+14), Expertise: Magic 9 (+16), Expertise: Religion 11 (+16), Insight 5 (+14), Intimidation 8 (+15), Perception 6 (+15), Persuasion 8 (+15), Treatment 8 (+13).
Offense:
Initiative +3
Unarmed +11 (Close Damage 11)
Mace of Disruption +14 (Close Damage 16 and Nullify Magic 16)
Defense:
Dodge 9, Parry 11, Fortitude 15, Toughness 18/13, Will 15.
Totals:
Abilities 126 + Powers 139 + Advantages 14 + Skills 29 + Defenses 14 = 350 points
Offensive PL: 15
Defensive PL: 15
Resistance PL: 15
Skill PL: 11
Complications:
Responsibility--Motivation. Honest to a Fault. Reputation (sanctimonious know-it-all.) Strives for Peaceful Solutions.
Note: Should Petra ever travel to the World Less Magical, all her abilities drop by 2 ranks each, she suffers Power Loss on her Ascendant powers, and her Mace's Nullify Magic effect drops to 14 ranks; she is also Disabled on Expertise: Magic checks. She becomes PL 13.
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Davies
Legend
The Shadow Dragon
Humanoid form
Dragon form
By and large, the Entropics do not hate the lives that they are expected to destroy or corrupt. Doing so is simply their role in the unfolding of the cosmos, and it is considered immature to develop feelings of resentment for their opponents even if they do manage to triumph. There will always be other contests, and on those future days things might go very differently. Better, then, to act with patience and emotional detachment, for these make it easier to learn from one's mistakes, and the mistakes of one's opponents as well.
The Entropic known as the Shadow Dragon is an exception to this generality, taking matters much more personally and regarding those of her supposed peers who subscribe to that philosophy with nothing but contempt. Having achieved status within her sphere equivalent to that of the Eternals of the four spheres of despised Creation, she finds herself in a position where she might be able to overthrow the Dread Hierarch, Nyx, last of the Old Ones, and claim his throne for herself. That countless before her have believed that they might do so does not trouble her; she is greater than any of them ever were, and she has a plan.
The Shadow Dragon has set aside any memories of a mortal life. She vaguely remembers being small and weak and pathetic, and as she is no longer any of these things, there is no sense of dwelling what was once but will never be again. She demonstrated her talents many times in her rise within the ranks of Entropy, and took pride in never having been thwarted. Her victories were rarely as complete as she wished, for others sometimes managed to gain by them as well, despite her wish that her victories cause everyone else to lose.
And then, four centuries gone, she found herself vanquished. Humbled, even. And not even by one of the Ascendants, but by a pathetic mortal, some sorcerer-paladin called Alessandra Von Gallantri who managed to thwart her plans and leave her with nothing to show for them. That the mortal died in the doing meant nothing, it just ensured that she was forever beyond the Shadow Dragon's revenge. So the only thing to do was to take that revenge on those who honored her foe's memory, the nation named for her foe.
Her schemes have worked marvelously. An aristocrat, descended from Alessandra's kin, driven to madness. A child of enormous potential, turned to darkness and ruin. A dragon, bound to human service. A would-be heroine dead before she could do anything. Countless lives wrecked and shattered. And it's only just begun. So much wonderful entropy, all for her purposes -- all to open a doorway to the impossibly distant plane where the treasure of the Old Ones was hidden away, so that she can journey there, steal its might for her own, and with it claim Nyx's throne. Then she will lead Entropy as it should be lead, with none of this 'patience' and 'emotional detachment', but fury.
Nothing can possibly go wrong ...
The Shadow Dragon -- PL 16
Abilities:
STR 18/12 | STA 18/12 | AGL 6 | DEX 0 | FGT 12 | INT 8 | AWE 7 | PRE 10
Powers:
Ascendant: Immortality 5 (one day), Only When On Home Plane; Immunity 1 (aging); Movement 1 (dimensional travel to home plane), Reaction (death); Movement 2 (dimensional travel to planes of the Sphere of Entropy), Standard Action - 10 points
Divine Body: Immunity 10 (life support); Impervious Toughness 12 - 22 points
Divine Mind: Comprehend Languages 4; Impervious Will 14, Limited to Mental Effects; Senses 7 (vision counters all concealment, vision counters illusions) - 26 points
Human Form: Morph 1 (humanoid form), Quirk (only at minimum size) - 4 points
Sense Immortal: Senses 2 (ranged detect immortal) - 2 points
Umbral Flames: Cone Area 2 Damage 16 - 48 points
Umbral Flight: Flight 8 (500 MPH) - 16 points
Umbral Form: Growth 6 (15 feet; Strength +6, Stamina +6, Dodge -3, Parry -3, Intimidation +3, Stealth -6); Enhanced Growth 8 (90 feet; Dodge -4, Parry -4, Intimidation +4, Stealth -8, Speed +1), No Strength or Stamina; Protection 8, Quirk (1 rank per rank of Enhanced Growth active) - 33 points
Advantages:
All-out Attack, Daze (Intimidation), Defensive Attack, Fascinate (Deception), Equipment 5, Fearless 2, Improved Critical 2 (Unarmed), Move-by Attack, Power Attack, Ritualist, Skill Mastery (Expertise: Magic), Startle, Takedown 2.
Equipment:
Home Plane: Size Gargantuan; Toughness 16; Features Combat Simulator, Communications, Concealed, Defense System, Grounds, Holding Cells, Isolated, Library, Living Space, Power System, Personnel, Security System (DC 35), Workshop - 24 points.
Skills:
Acrobatics 8 (+14), Deception 6 (+16), Expertise: Magic 6 (+16), Insight 8 (+15), Intimidation 6 (+16), Perception 8 (+15), Persuasion 4 (+14), Stealth 10 (+16/+10/+2).
Offense:
Initiative +0
Unarmed +12 (Close Damage 18/12, Crit 18-20)
Umbral Flames -- (Cone Area Damage 16)
Defense:
Dodge 5/9/12, Parry 5/9/12, Fortitude 18/12, Toughness 26/18/12, Will 14.
Totals:
Abilities 138 + Powers 145 + Advantages 21 + Skills 28 + Defenses 13 = 345 points
Offensive PL: 16
Defensive PL: 16
Resistance PL: 16
Skill PL: 11
Complications:
Destruction and Corruption--Motivation. Power Loss (all Umbral powers, in direct sunlight). Power Loss (Umbral Form, must feed regularly.) Sadism.
Note: The Shadow Dragon, like any Entropic, cannot under any circumstances travel to the World Less Magical, and will be immediately and irrevocably destroyed if she does. She does not know this.
Humanoid form
Dragon form
By and large, the Entropics do not hate the lives that they are expected to destroy or corrupt. Doing so is simply their role in the unfolding of the cosmos, and it is considered immature to develop feelings of resentment for their opponents even if they do manage to triumph. There will always be other contests, and on those future days things might go very differently. Better, then, to act with patience and emotional detachment, for these make it easier to learn from one's mistakes, and the mistakes of one's opponents as well.
The Entropic known as the Shadow Dragon is an exception to this generality, taking matters much more personally and regarding those of her supposed peers who subscribe to that philosophy with nothing but contempt. Having achieved status within her sphere equivalent to that of the Eternals of the four spheres of despised Creation, she finds herself in a position where she might be able to overthrow the Dread Hierarch, Nyx, last of the Old Ones, and claim his throne for herself. That countless before her have believed that they might do so does not trouble her; she is greater than any of them ever were, and she has a plan.
The Shadow Dragon has set aside any memories of a mortal life. She vaguely remembers being small and weak and pathetic, and as she is no longer any of these things, there is no sense of dwelling what was once but will never be again. She demonstrated her talents many times in her rise within the ranks of Entropy, and took pride in never having been thwarted. Her victories were rarely as complete as she wished, for others sometimes managed to gain by them as well, despite her wish that her victories cause everyone else to lose.
And then, four centuries gone, she found herself vanquished. Humbled, even. And not even by one of the Ascendants, but by a pathetic mortal, some sorcerer-paladin called Alessandra Von Gallantri who managed to thwart her plans and leave her with nothing to show for them. That the mortal died in the doing meant nothing, it just ensured that she was forever beyond the Shadow Dragon's revenge. So the only thing to do was to take that revenge on those who honored her foe's memory, the nation named for her foe.
Her schemes have worked marvelously. An aristocrat, descended from Alessandra's kin, driven to madness. A child of enormous potential, turned to darkness and ruin. A dragon, bound to human service. A would-be heroine dead before she could do anything. Countless lives wrecked and shattered. And it's only just begun. So much wonderful entropy, all for her purposes -- all to open a doorway to the impossibly distant plane where the treasure of the Old Ones was hidden away, so that she can journey there, steal its might for her own, and with it claim Nyx's throne. Then she will lead Entropy as it should be lead, with none of this 'patience' and 'emotional detachment', but fury.
Nothing can possibly go wrong ...
The Shadow Dragon -- PL 16
Abilities:
STR 18/12 | STA 18/12 | AGL 6 | DEX 0 | FGT 12 | INT 8 | AWE 7 | PRE 10
Powers:
Ascendant: Immortality 5 (one day), Only When On Home Plane; Immunity 1 (aging); Movement 1 (dimensional travel to home plane), Reaction (death); Movement 2 (dimensional travel to planes of the Sphere of Entropy), Standard Action - 10 points
Divine Body: Immunity 10 (life support); Impervious Toughness 12 - 22 points
Divine Mind: Comprehend Languages 4; Impervious Will 14, Limited to Mental Effects; Senses 7 (vision counters all concealment, vision counters illusions) - 26 points
Human Form: Morph 1 (humanoid form), Quirk (only at minimum size) - 4 points
Sense Immortal: Senses 2 (ranged detect immortal) - 2 points
Umbral Flames: Cone Area 2 Damage 16 - 48 points
Umbral Flight: Flight 8 (500 MPH) - 16 points
Umbral Form: Growth 6 (15 feet; Strength +6, Stamina +6, Dodge -3, Parry -3, Intimidation +3, Stealth -6); Enhanced Growth 8 (90 feet; Dodge -4, Parry -4, Intimidation +4, Stealth -8, Speed +1), No Strength or Stamina; Protection 8, Quirk (1 rank per rank of Enhanced Growth active) - 33 points
Advantages:
All-out Attack, Daze (Intimidation), Defensive Attack, Fascinate (Deception), Equipment 5, Fearless 2, Improved Critical 2 (Unarmed), Move-by Attack, Power Attack, Ritualist, Skill Mastery (Expertise: Magic), Startle, Takedown 2.
Equipment:
Home Plane: Size Gargantuan; Toughness 16; Features Combat Simulator, Communications, Concealed, Defense System, Grounds, Holding Cells, Isolated, Library, Living Space, Power System, Personnel, Security System (DC 35), Workshop - 24 points.
Skills:
Acrobatics 8 (+14), Deception 6 (+16), Expertise: Magic 6 (+16), Insight 8 (+15), Intimidation 6 (+16), Perception 8 (+15), Persuasion 4 (+14), Stealth 10 (+16/+10/+2).
Offense:
Initiative +0
Unarmed +12 (Close Damage 18/12, Crit 18-20)
Umbral Flames -- (Cone Area Damage 16)
Defense:
Dodge 5/9/12, Parry 5/9/12, Fortitude 18/12, Toughness 26/18/12, Will 14.
Totals:
Abilities 138 + Powers 145 + Advantages 21 + Skills 28 + Defenses 13 = 345 points
Offensive PL: 16
Defensive PL: 16
Resistance PL: 16
Skill PL: 11
Complications:
Destruction and Corruption--Motivation. Power Loss (all Umbral powers, in direct sunlight). Power Loss (Umbral Form, must feed regularly.) Sadism.
Note: The Shadow Dragon, like any Entropic, cannot under any circumstances travel to the World Less Magical, and will be immediately and irrevocably destroyed if she does. She does not know this.
Good.
Puts a smile on my face.
Stills leaves the question to what her connection to Ananke is and how she heard about her in the first place.
Davies
Legend
In her mind, Ananke is just the name of a treasure that the Old Ones hid away; she has people worship an entity by that name as a joke, as well as a way of destroying their actual faiths.
As to how she learned about this treasure ... well. Nyx didn't survive to become the last of the Old Ones by not recognizing unhealthy ambitions when he saw them.
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I totally expect her to reveal this to her pawns and foes just before she leaves as a way of twisting the knife.
Which would be further spoiled by her being obliterated in the process of attempting to reach A World Less Magical.
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