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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Davies" data-source="post: 8235931" data-attributes="member: 30538">Gebure<img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/My-First-Gallery/i-jq9JkLB/0/c3b3a67d/S/Chandra-548x374-S.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " data-size="" style="" />In her youth in Al'Aram, Nehi Maschif was told, by her old grandfather, that she was the last of a family whose roots stretched back to the time when the land had been ruled from the lost city of Umbar, and indeed been ruled by the founders of her family. She generally considered that this was the least likely of the claims that the old pervert made when he was in his cups, since everyone knew that the people of Umbar had had horns and hooves, as their descendants did, and were not to be trusted. Still, she strove to carry herself as the heir to something great, even though her family was only slightly less desperate than most within the Emirates, barely holding onto their lands.As she grew older, Nehi found herself increasingly aware that the Emir and his court were increasingly squeezing not only the poor and the merchant classes, but also the lower orders of the aristocracy, such as her family, for all they were worth. If they had been using that wealth to spread the word of the Way of the Desert Rose, that dream of gardens in the desert sand, that would have been one thing, but they were largely expending it on their own luxuries. Angered at this, and remembering the legends her grandfather had told her, she determined that she had a duty to do something about it.So she became a bandit, under the name Gebure ("severity") and soon found herself commanding a band of desperate folk. They robbed from the rich to feed the poor -- themselves among them -- and thwarted the schemes of those who sought personal advantage within the Emir's court. She obtained the enchanted scimitars which were and are her trademark during this time, and sought to master them. All the while, she feared that her small army were nothing more than a nuisance to the Emir.Perhaps that's why, when a grand melee was proclaimed, where fighters from across the Emirates would come to compete to determine the finest among them, with the victor to be granted their heart's desire, Gebure decided to enter. Ostensibly, there was a truce on so that anyone, even a bandit, might take part in this competition, but she chose not to fall into that rather blatant trap. Instead, she disguised her scimitars and entered under her real name.Pushing her skills to the utmost, Nehi found herself surviving encounter after encounter, but also found herself feeling weaker and weaker with each moment that the fight lasted. When it was over and she found herself the last woman standing, she was honestly stunned, then horrified as she realized that the healing that had been promised to those who took part was nowhere to be seen. Instead, those who had fought had been left to die of their wounds, their life essences stolen by the woman who had organized this atrocity, now revealed as some sort of serpent woman who was using them to empower a weird circle of fire.There was no time for thought, no time for clever plans. Nehi flung herself into the circle of fire, using her scimitars to smash the ruby red gem within it, fully expecting to die but hoping that her life might save at least one of the others who'd fought in that battle. There was a roar of flame and the scream of the serpent woman ... and then Gebure found herself somewhere else, in the presence of a mighty figure who was looking down on her with a skeptical eye. He congratulated her on her victory, pyrrhic though it was, and on her Ascension as an Initiate of the Sphere of Matter, under the patronage of Tempus, Patron of Battle. "That's me," he added.Dizzy at the notion that the deaths of all those people had been arranged so that one of them might possibly survive, thwart the scheme, and earn Ascension, Gebure nevertheless accepted her new situation. Being immortal was not the greatest change that she'd endured, for the flames had twisted her so that she was no longer a Helasian woman but rather of the Flamen people of the Dragon Empire, and blessed with their fiery sorcery.  She has striven to master this talent, though she prefers to fight hand-to-hand whenever possible.As an experienced war-leader, Gebure was disturbed and angered to be placed under the command of an untried and untested figurehead like Lady Fuujin. She was not shy about expressing this dissatisfaction, and finally the other Ascendant offered to give Gebure the chance to demonstrate that she could, in fact, do the job better. The result was almost a disaster -- while Gebure was a talented commander of soldiers, only one of the other Princesses had ever been a soldier, and their obedience to her commands was hesitant and often half-hearted. Further, she didn't know their capabilities as well as she thought she did, and found herself asking things that they weren't able to do. Lady Fuujin saved the operation by taking over and demonstrating a better understanding of their logistical and strategic situation than Gebure expected, but the mission was only a marginal success.Since that time, Gebure has confined herself to muttering about the situation and making smart aleck comments, but only when they're not actually engaged in battle. In that situation, she uses her talents to conduct activities with complete deference to Lady Fuujin. There may come a day when she is ready to challenge her for leadership once again, but for now she's going to just wait and watch. She definitely doesn't like the other Ascendant. Not even a little bit. Anyone who thinks that is crazy. She definitely doesn't watch her at all times, especially not when she doesn't think the other woman is looking at her. Nope.Regardless, she recently learned that the serpent woman who was involved in her ascension, despite failing on that occasion,recently managed to ascend as part of the Sphere of Entropy, and definitely wants revenge. As Gebure has a fairly strong desire to hold her old foe accountable for all those deaths (even if they were apparently part of her own patron's scheme, something she doesn't like to think about) having a nemesis is just fine by her ...Gebure -- PL 10Abilities:STR 2 | STA 2 | AGL 4 | DEX 4 | FGT 6 | INT 2 | AWE 2 | PRE 1Powers:Ascendant: Immortality 5 (one day); 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 - 15 pointsEnchanted Scimitars: Strength-based Damage 3, Accurate, Affects Insubstantial, Split Attack; Easily Removed (-2 points) - 4 pointsFire Magic: Array (18 points) <ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"> Flame Arrow: Ranged Damage 9 - 18 points</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"> Flame Breath: Cone Area Damage 9 - 1 point</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"> Flame Shapes: Ranged Shapeable Area Fire Damage 3, Concentration Duration, Selective - 1 point</li> </ul>Heat of the Moment: Enivronment 2 (intense heat, light) - 2 pointsSense Immortal: Senses 2 (ranged detect immortal) - 2 pointsTouched by No Lesser Flame: Immunity 11 (cold, fire effects) - 11 pointsWings of the Phoenix: Enhanced Defenses 4 (Dodge 2, Parry 2); Flight 6 (125 MPH) - 16 pointsAdvantages:Agile Feint, All-out Attack, Assessment, Benefit (ambidexterity), Defensive Attack, Defensive Roll 2, Diehard, Equipment 4, Improved Critical (scimitar), Inspire, Language 2 (Atelane, Koine, others [Helasian is native]), Leadership, Skill Mastery (Intimidation).Equipment:Home Plane: Size Huge; Toughness 12; Features Combat Simulator, Communications, Concealed, Defense System, Grounds, Gym, Isolated, Living Space, Power System, Personnel, Security System - 18 points.Skills:Acrobatics 5 (+9), Athletics 5 (+7), Close Combat: Sword 4 (+10), Expertise: Military 6 (+8), Expertise: Streetwise 6 (+8), Ranged Combat: Fire Magic 7 (+11), Insight 6 (+8), Intimidation 8 (+9), Persuasion 5 (+6), Stealth 6 (+10)Offense:Initiative +4Unarmed +6 (Close Damage 2)Scimitars +12 (Close Damage 5)Flame Arrow +11 (Ranged Damage 9)Flame Breath -- (Cone Area Damage 9)Defense:Dodge 10/8, Parry 12/10, Fortitude 4, Toughness 7/2, Will 8Totals:Abilities 46 + Powers 70 + Advantages 18 + Skills 29 + Defenses 16 = 179 pointsComplications:Justice--Motivation. Nemesis (Lady Hiuchus.) Not-Relationship (she does not care about Lady Fuujin, got it?) Patron (Tempus.) Secret (immortality). Temper.</blockquote>

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