To a World of Darkness (Exalted/WoD)

[Cessali]

Sleepless nights make for character sheets!  I give you Wang Xiaoxing, a Chinese computer science student turned Zenith Caste anti-Communist hacktivist.

Background

BEFORE, Wang Xiaoxing was a smart girl from a family in the rural Sezhuan province of China, one of the girls not smothered by the One Child policy because of the allowances made for her Party-member grandfather.  She was never allowed to forget this when she was growing up, and to a measure she even thrived beneath the pressure.  When it was discovered just how smart she was, her family's connections ensured she got out of her place and into a decent school; Xiaoxing excelled there, even into University, and was expected to be a credit to her family and a prize for her family's continued fortune.  Even she expected a worthwhile life in service, and thought little more than that; it was for honor and esteem, and to thank the generations that had given her such gifts, that she would devote herself.

BUT THEN, in the midst of wealth and prosperity, she saw something she was not meant to see.  It was easy to blind herself to what life was for the people on the other side of the Party's autocracy; she was a product of its successes, not its infinitely-recursing compromises.  Wishing to fully understand the world she lived in, she began dabbling in things that were not wise for an up-and-coming young student to look into-- and her computer science degree began informing her of the cruelties and the terrible human rights violations visited upon her fellow Chinese on an all-too-frequent basis.  The traditional schooling she'd had growing up could not justify these things.  Thus, she quietly began working in connection with dissidents-- too closely, ultimately, for she involved herself in a protest monitored by the Party.

THINGS WERE AT THEIR DARKEST when the bag was pulled off of her head.  Xiaoxing didn't remember being arrested very clearly-- there was tear gas, and clubs, and she was not prepared-- but she knew her interrogators knew who she was and enough to incriminate her on whatever charges they pleased.  But it was not her own fate that bothered her, or the humiliation of her family that would surely follow her release: it was her disgust with her country and her people.  They were wrong.  Deeply wrong.  Her interrogators could do with her what they liked, but they would at least be made aware of their wrongdoing and repent for the future.

AND THEN something happened that she did not expect: her jailors listened.  They heard her, truly.  They wept to realize their sins against their fellow human beings, and they released her and all the others they had captured in that raid.  She wondered why, for a long time, until they made it outside the compound and she realized the strange golden light about her was not a trick of her interrogators.  SHE was that light.

NOW, Xiaoxing continues what she began in that prison cell.  She knows better than to confront the Party directly; the best she can do is sabotage their networks and undermine the faith that the public has in their ability to control (and enforce their control) the lives of the many.  Her hacking comes to her faster and more brilliantly than ever before, and she knows how to wring guilt, adoration, fear, or anger out of anything but the coldest of hearts.  She has become aware that the Party is not the only authority in China, and is distantly aware that there are things outside of the government that worry what she might do, but for now she keeps her revolution working.  The Wall wasn't built in a day, after all.

Image + Motifs

APPEARANCE
Xiaoxing is physically unassuming-- a young Chinese woman of slim build, five-foot-two, with long, straight coal-black hair that she tends to wear down.  First impressions lie, in her case; anyone who speaks with her at length is almost inevitably struck by a natural smoothness, capable of conversing engagingly on anything from state-of-the-art computer  technology to the Confucian classics.  When speaking outside of her native Mandarin, the only remnant of her accent is a hint of sing-song quality to her speech.

INSTINCTS
Always carry a device on me.
Meditate, at least once a day.
Honor the ordained.

BELIEFS
I must undermine the corrupt government of China by searching for and exposing its secrets.
Humans should treat one another well; I must help those who cannot help themselves with my skills.
I cannot be a singular phenomenon, so I must discover what I am and if there are others like me.

Character Sheet

NAME: Wang Xiaoxing
MOTIVATION:  Depose the cruel autocracy ruling Mainland China.
CASTE: Zenith
ANIMA: A dark-haired goddess in white robes with three faces and a thousand arms, moving in ritual dance.


Str 2      Cha 3      Per 3
Dex 5   Man 5      Int 4
Sta 2   App 2      Wit 3


Firearms 1, *Martial Arts 5, Melee 2, Thrown, War 1
*Integrity 3, *Performance 5, *Presence 3, *Resistance 3, *Survival 1
Craft 1, Investigation 3, *Lore 5, Medicine 1, Occult 1
Athletics 1, *Awareness 5, Dodge 3, *Larceny 5, Stealth 3
Bureaucracy 1, Linguistics 5, Drive, Sail, *Socialize 5

Crafts: Air
Language Groups: Chinese (Mandarin/Cantonese), Anglo-Frisian (English, Scots, Frisian), Japonic (Japanese, Ryukan), Korean, Western Iberian (Spanish Portuguese), East Slavic (Russian, Belorussian, Ukranian)

Martial Arts (Using Solar Hero Form) +3
Performance (Rabble-rousing) +3
Lore (l33t Hax) +1
Awareness (Sixth Sense) +1
Larceny (Forgery) +1


Cult 1 - Across the country, persons afraid or simply unable to take up her cause offer prayers for her.  Those who have had loved ones freed by her work pray to her.  She wouldn't be terribly happy if she found out about it; she's a Chan Buddhist and doesn't like the idea of worship, much less being worshipped.
Contacts 3 - In hacking circles across the world, and even sympathetic Party officials.
Followers 1 - A handful of the Jasmine Revolution organizers have gathered around Xiaomei's revolutionary stance, and she organizes sporadic results through them.
Influence 3 - Famous throughout mainland China and hacker circles worldwide as the Faithful Student of Quanyin, (the Buddhist bodhisattva famous for her endless compassion).  While the Faithful Student is not quite a revolutionary, she is very much pro-faith and anti-Party.
Mentor N/A - Why does she know these things?  Why is she so dreadfully familiar with a power she does not understand?  Xiaomei doesn't know, though she wants to very much...
Resources 2 - Xiaomei lives off of sluice funds corralled from incautious and/or shady Chinese businesses that profit by governmental collusion.  She thinks it just and proper to relieve thieves of ill-gotten gains.

China (Deserves Freedom [Righteous Lion Defense])
Buddhism (Adherent of the Middle Way)
The People's Party (Cold disdain)
Wang Xiaoxing (What am I, really?)
My Family (I'm sorry I failed you)

*Compassion 4
Conviction 2
Temperance 2
Valor 2

Limit Break: Heart of Tears
Limit: 0/10
Limit Condition: Unable to ameliorate the suffering of innocents.

Essence 3
Willpower 8/8
Personal 17
Peripheral 39
Committed 0
Overdrive 0/10

Charms

First Martial Arts Excellency (Reflexive, 1m/die, OK)
Infinite Martial Arts Mastery (Simple Xm1wp: [1/2]x mote discount on Martial Arts Excellencies, X=<3)

Fists of Iron (Ref action 1m:, unarmed attacks are +1/3acc +2/3dam (+1rate), Enhanced OK)
Dragon Coil Technique (Ref 3m: enhance clinches, not as Charm-added, OK Enhanced)
Sledgehammer Fist Punch (Supp 1m: double raw damage and ignore soak of inanimate objects, OK M-R Obvious)
Solar Hero Style (Simple 6m: Step7 1m: count sux twice for damage; +MA bashing/lethal soak, may parry lethal and ranged without stunt, Form-Type Obvious)
Heaven Thunder Hammer (Supp 3m: bounce enemies 3yd/raw damage, OK)

Dipping Swallow Defense (2m: Negate Parry DV penalty, OK Martial [MA])

Third Integrity Excellency (Ref 4m: add 1/2 Integrity to static value)
Righteous Lion Defense (Perm: Social attacks against target Intimacy become Unacceptable Orders)

Second Performance Excellency (Ref 2m/sux, OK)
Respect-Commanding Attitude (Simple Spd4 5m: UMI: 1wp or onlookers stay silent pay attention throughout performance, OK Compul)
Heart-Compelling Method (Supp 6m: instills generic Emotion effect, OK Emotion Social)

Second Presence Excellency (Ref 2m/sux, OK)

Essence-Gathering Temper (Perm Overdrive10: motes gained when damage taken)
Invincible Essence Reinforcement (Perm: Natural soak is now (Stam)+3 B/L)

Second Lore Excellency (Ref: 2m/die, OK)
God-Mind Algorithms (Perm: always online/charged, equip/stunt bonuses autosux)
Firewall-Defying Method (Supp 3m1wp: +(Essence) sux on remote hacking, autosux if present, E4 upgrade, OK)
Solar Parser Efficacy (Perm: Never penalties from unfamiliarity with server/software/type of machine)

Third Awareness Excellency (Ref 4m: reroll Awareness, OK)
Panoptic Fusion Discipline (Ref 4m scenelong: all attacks Aimed, DVs +1, may Aim to autosux Aim dice, OK)

Second Larceny Excellency (Ref 2m/sux, OK)
Flawlessly Impenetrable Disguise (Simple Spd6Long 7m: Superior Disguising Powers, OK)

Mastery of Small Manners (Ref 1m: +1app, -1Mag, others likely to help, OK)

DEFENSES
DDV: 6
PDV: 6
MDDV: 7
MPDV: 5

SOAK
Natural: 5L/5B
+Solar Hero Form: +5L/+5B
+Bulletproof Vest: +2L/+2B (+5L/+5B v. bullets)

HEALTH
0
1 1
2 2
4
I
D D

[RSGAlex]

Looking over the sheet, the main thing to correct is Languages.

Chinese works because the language is eponymous to its family. Although that's deeper into linguistics than I normally go. English has a few options, one of the more recent of which would be Anglo-Frisian, which would have Scots, English, and Frisian. Japanse belongs to the Japonic group, which has Japanese and Ryukan.

... Korean is also its own language family, but unlike Chinese, there's not a bunch under that family. Spanish we'll put to Western Iberian, whose big luminaries are Spanish and Portuguese.  Russian would become East Slavic, which holds Russian, Belorussian, and Ukranian.

These are all just suggestions, made for being a bit broad, but not overly broad. They might be changed as suggestions if we have some language choices by others that make me jump around a bit for width.

[AndyZ]

May I suggest that we all get Old Realm for free as taught by our mentors ?  It's vital to have a common language and it makes sense

[Cessali]

So thaaaat's what you meant by language families.  Modified as suggested.

[Lockepick]

Any chance I can get a list of which Castes have been accounted for?

[Cessali]

The only hard accountings are my Zenith (sheet above) and Jefepato otherwise-indeterminate Twilight.  AndyZ's currently leaning towards either a Dawn or a Night.

[AndyZ]

Avorae has requested Night from me, so I'll be focusing on Dawn.

Willpower defaults to 5 before XP, right?

[RSGAlex]

Yes, WP is five before you spend any of your exp.

[AndyZ]

Name: Valerie "The Valkyrie" Kyleson
Caste: Dawn
Anima: A massive pair of wings folded into the shape of a heart.
Motivation: Make the world a safe place for everyone who wants to live in peace

Intimacies

Respita - Home
Oppression - Hatred
Weapons - Necessary tools of protection
The Heartwings - Respect and appreciation
Peace - A long sought but seemingly near-impossible dream
Other Solar Exalts - Hope and respect
Friendship - Adoration
Lies - Disgust

Strength 3		Charisma 4		Perception 3
Dexterity 5		Manipulation 2		Intelligence 3
Stamina 2		Appearance 4		Wits 3

Athletics 1 - Awareness 5 (Initiative +3) - Bureaucracy 1 - Dodge 5 (Zero Mobility Penalty +3) - Firearms 5 (Shellcasters +3) - Integrity 3 - Investigation 2 - Lore 1 - Martial Arts 3 (Kicks +3) - Melee 1 - Occult 1 - Performance 1 - Presence 4 - Resistance 3 - Socialize 3 - Thrown 1 - War 5   
            
   Compassion 3 - Conviction 2 - Temperance 2 - Valor 5   -   Essence 3 - Willpower 8      
            
   Cache Egg 2 - One cubic yard
   Cult 2 - People who actually believe she's some sort of angel or valkyrie, many of whom pray to the rising sun at dawn

Followers 3 - The Heartwings

Heavy Machine Gun, Heavy Pistol, Tactical Vest, Bluetooth Earpiece
Dex 4 Firearms 4 Accuracy +2 = Ranged Combat 5
Damage 7L - Ranged Damage 3
Exceptional Tactical Vest - +4B/+4L - Mob -0 - Fatigue 0 - Armor 2 (3 against solid projectiles)
Drill 5 - Endurance 8 - Might 0 - Morale 4

Policy:
Motivation: Make the world a safe place for everyone who wants to live in peace.
Intimacies: Oppression - Hatred, Valerie Kyleson - Respect tinged with friendship, Respita - Home Base

Structure: Although Valerie is technically the head of the group, there are four lieutenants that split the group into scale units of twenty-five.  If need be, each scale unit can be divided into fang units of five each, with four sergeants along with the lieutenant each working as fang unit leader.

Assets:
Size: 3
Competence: 5
Influence: 2
Wealth: 3
Reach: 3

Capital: 16

The Heartwings do not wear uniforms (they'd be way too hot on the island) but the tactical vests they wear have gold-painted depictions of the Heartwing anima symbol on the back.

   Influence 3 - A growing reputation as Valkyrie, a powerful warrior who accepts the surrender of her opponents
   Orichalcum Chain Shirt 1   
   Orichalcum God-Kicking Boots 1      
   Orichalcum Grand Shellcaster (with laser sight) 3   
   Orichalcum Hearthstone Bracers 2   
   Orichalcum Wings of the Raptor 4   (No cape - the wings manifest of gold-white Essence)   
   Resources 5 - A combination of her inheritance and the island's revenue

                  
Firearms         

Heaven's Eye Marksmanship

Cost: 3m; Mins: Firearms 2, Essence 2;
Type: Supplemental
Keywords: Combo-OK, Mirror (Bloodthirsty Killing Style)
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: None
The Solar gunslinger’s eye is infallible as it gauges the distance and sets its mark. Heaven’s Eye Marksmanship adds 150 yards to the Range of the supplemented attack.
As a peerless marksman, the Solar also adds an additional 50 yards for each die added to the attack from Aiming, and adds all Aim dice to raw damage as well as the attack roll.

Lightspeed Trigger Technique

Cost: 3m; Mins: Firearms 4, Essence 2;
Type: Supplemental
Keywords: Combo-OK, Mirror (Devouring Time Technique)
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Heaven’s Eye Marksmanship
Essence and martial perfection come together in an instant of unsurpassed speed as the Solar fires too fast for his enemies to defend. His hand is a blur, drawing and firing faster than a heartbeat. Such is the speed of the Solar’s gunslinging that any DV applied against the supplemented attack is halved. If necessary, he can reflexively ready a Firearms weapon before making the attack.
With Essence 4+, the Solar’s reflexes heighten in response to the thrill of danger. As long as he is within the engagement range of his target, he can pay an additional two motes to make the attack undodgeable.

Steel Sunbeam Radiance

Cost: 7m, 1wp; Mins: Firearms 5, Essence 3;
Type: Extra Action
Keywords: Combo-OK, Mirror (Minutes to Midnight Attitude), Obvious
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Lightspeed Trigger Technique
Gathering Essence and honing his will, the Solar seizes a single perfect moment, unleashing countless bullets with superhuman speed and graceful elegance. Steel Sunbeam Radiance creates a magical flurry of up to (Dexterity + 1) Firearms attacks at the Solar’s full dice pool, ignoring Rate.  It has a total DV penalty and Speed equal to the highest of any individual attack. If the Solar took an Aim action before using this Charm, then any dice it accrued are added to each attack in the flurry.

Lightning Hands Reload

Cost: — (1m); Mins: Firearms 2, Essence 2;
Type: Permanent
Keywords: Mirror (Instant Murder Instinct)
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: None
Once each action, the Solar can reflexively reload a readied Firearms weapon at no cost, trusting his lightning reflexes and well-honed muscle memory. With a stunt, he can reflexively reload even without a free hand. Should he ever run out of ammunition, he can pay one mote to make an attack without using ammo, shaping his Essence into a golden shell engraved with his caste mark. Created rounds dissipate back into Essence once the attack has been made.
With Essence 3+, a Solar can pay one mote and a point of Willpower to create all ammunition needed for a single flurry, with no additional mote cost.

Elsewhere Draw Mastery

Cost: 1m; Mins: Firearms 3, Essence 2;
Type: Simple (Speed 3)
Keywords: Combo-OK, Merged, Mirror (Glinting Steel Shadows)
Duration: Indefinite
Prerequisite Charms: Lightning Hands Reload
The Lawgiver’s weapons are as their glory—sometimes unseen, but always present. This Charm is identical to Summoning the Loyal Bow (see Exalted, p. 189), except that it is compatible only with Firearms weapons. The Solar can also use it to banish ammunition to Elsewhere; such activations cost zero motes.
Merged: Summoning the Loyal Bow (Archery), Summoning the Loyal Steel (Melee).

Martial Arts         

Fists of Iron Technique

Cost: 1m; Mins: Martial Arts 2, Essence 1; Type: Reflexive
Keywords: Combo-OK, Enhanced
Duration: One action
Prerequisite Charms: None
The Solar infuses her hands with the strength of her Essence and strikes like the Unconquered Sun. This Charm enhances an unarmed Martial Arts attack, improving its Accuracy by one and its Damage by two and making its damage lethal. The Solar can parry lethal hand-to-hand attacks without a stunt until his next action.
Enhancement: This Charm adds the magical material benefits of orichalcum to the Solar’s natural attacks while Solar Hero Form is active.

Thunderclap Rush Attack

Cost: 1m; Mins: Martial Arts 3, Essence 2; Type: Supplemental
Keywords: Combo-OK, Martial-ready
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Fists of Iron Technique
This Charm drops a supplemented attack’s Speed to 3.
Martial-ready: Archery, Melee, Thrown.

Spoken in Kindness

Cost: 1m; Mins: Martial Arts 3, Compassion 2, Essence 1;
Type: Reflexive (Step 2)
Keywords: Combo-OK
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: None
The arguments of Compassion lend themselves to the defense of others’ arguments, and sifus encourage such acts. This practice can often win friends. Sometimes, it makes enemies.
This Charm allows the martial artist to redirect an attack aimed at someone else to himself. For all purposes, including determining onslaught penalty, the attack becomes an attack on the Exalt. The character defends against the redirected attack as normal.
To help someone, the attack’s original target must be within the martial artist’s melee range, though he may take his normal Move action for the tick to reach someone.

War         

Heroism-Encouraging Presence

Cost: 5m or 5m, 1wp; Mins: War 4, Essence 2; Type: Reflexive
Prerequisite Charms: None
This Charm costs five motes when used in combat or social combat, or five motes, one Willpower when used in mass combat.  It renders allies fearless within a range of (Essence x 20) yards, not (Essence x 5).
At Essence 3+, in addition to the listed effects, whenever the Solar or an ally under the effects of Heroism-Encouraging Presence channels Valor to enhance an action, they add successes rather than dice to the action at a rate of one success for every die that would have been added. If the action succeeds, the character is automatically refunded the Willpower spent to channel Valor.

Tiger Warrior Training Technique

Cost: 10m, 2wp; Mins: War 4, Essence 3; Type: Simple (Dramatic Action)
Keywords: Obvious, Touch, Training
Duration: One week
Prerequisite Charms: Heroism-Encouraging Presence
Under the banner of the Solar Exalted, even bandits and peasants become deadly warriors. This Charm involves training a military unit. This Charm requires five or more hours of effort in any given week to bear fruit. This Charm increases the Drill of a unit by one for each week of training, to a maximum of Drill 5. In each week of training, the trainer picks one trait to train: Valor, Strength, Dexterity, Stamina, Archery, Dodge, Martial Arts or Melee. This Charm increases that trait for each member of the unit by one dot, to a maximum of 4. The Solar can train with the unit or as a solo unit, increasing her own traits. She cannot increase others’ traits past her own.

Immanent Solar Glory

Cost: —; Mins: War 5, Essence 3; Type: Permanent
Keywords: Mirror (Essence Engorgement Technique), Native, Obvious
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: None
The Solar draws strength from the harmonious governance of Creation. The greater the social structure he commands, the more Essence he may wield. This Charm allows the Solar to recover motes by tending to the affairs of a kingdom, organization or social or military unit he leads. Each hour spent inspiring the people or performing administrative tasks allows the Solar to recover motes equal to the unit’s Magnitude.
In addition, each purchase of this Charm increases the character’s Peripheral Essence pool by 10 motes. This Essence cannot be committed to an artifact. The character cannot recover this Essence normally—he can refill this pool only through the technique above and with Essence-recovery Charms. The player may purchase this Charm a total number of times equal to the Exalt’s Essence.

Integrity
   Integrity Triumphant

Presence         
   Presence Triumphant      

Irresistible Salesman Technique

Cost: 3m; Mins: Presence 4, Essence 2; Type: Supplemental
Keywords: Combo-Basic, Social
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Any Presence Excellency
The glamour of the Lawgivers inspires others to dream of glorious things. This makes the Solars the ultimate salesmen and recruiters. Irresistible Salesman Spirit enhances a Presence-based roll to exert mental influence and make a favorable bargain or encourage a specific action. This Charm doubles the Solar’s successes on the roll before comparing them to the target’s MDV.

Resistance                     

Durability of Oak Meditation

Cost: 2m; Mins: Resistance 2, Essence 1; Type: Reflexive (Step 7)
Keywords: Combo-OK, Dawn
Duration: Instant
A boy cannot cut down an oak tree with a kitchen knife. No more can a mere mortal slay the Solar Exalted with petty blows of mundane steel. The Solar adds (Essence + Resistance) to his bashing and lethal soak against a single attack.

Invincible Essence Reinforcement

Cost: —; Mins: Resistance 3, Essence 2; Type: Permanent
Keywords: Stackable
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: None
Undertaking a grueling regimen of endurance training, the Solar folds Essence into his body until his skin becomes hard enough to turn aside blades. The Lawgiver’s natural lethal and bashing soak calculations become (Stamina + 3). This Charm may be purchased up to a total of (Resistance) times; each purchase after the first adds 3 to the character’s natural lethal and bashing soak.
With Essence 4+, the Solar also gains natural lethal and bashing hardness equal to the number of times he has purchased this Charm.

Soul Fire Resurgence

Cost: - (1wp); Mins: Resistance 2, Essence 2; Type: Permanent
Keywords: Dawn, Native
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: None
Sealed for fifteen centuries in a cage of jade, the Lawgiver reborn has known death and darkness. Never again shall she yield. The player of a character with this Charm may pay one Willpower to roll (Valor) dice, healing a number of health levels equal to the successes on the roll.
Moreover, the resilience of the Solar Exalted is only equaled by their courage; a Lawgiver using this Charm reverses even the most grievous of wounds, canceling them out by denying their existence through force of will. Characters who wish to substitute another Virtue for the purposes of this Charm may do so if dramatically appropriate. This Charm may not be used to heal damage from self-inflicted wounds, including damage incurred as part of the activation cost of a Charm. A character may not use Soul Fire Resurgence more than once per action. This Charm's Virtue roll may not be enhanced by other Charms or magic; Virtues enhanced by Epic Zeal of (Virtue) are never applicable for this Charm's effects.

Investigation         
   Investigation Overwhelming      

Judge's Ear Technique

Cost: 3m; Mins: Investigation 2, Essence 1; Type: Reflexive (Step 1)
Keywords: Combo-OK
Duration: One scene
Prerequisite Charms: Any Investigation Excellency
The Lawgivers are the guardians of truth.  This Charm allows the character to recognize as lies all deliberate lies presented to her. The character can also recognize the deliberate use of half-truths, though doing so does not tell her which part of the statement is true. If another Charm contests these effects (see p. 179), add the character’s Essence in automatic successes to the (Perception + Investigation) roll to oppose the other Charm.

Awareness         
   Awareness Triumphant      

Panoptic Fusion Discipline

Cost: 4m; Mins: Awareness 4, Essence 2; Type: Reflexive
Keywords: Combo-OK
Duration: One scene
Prerequisite Charms: Any Awareness Excellency
The Solar's supernal senses expand and his mind speeds up to process a thousand myriad details in a split second. Opponents attempting to strike a Lawgiver using this Charm appear to be moving in slow motion. All of the character's attacks are enhanced as though he had just spent three ticks accumulating dice with an Aim action (as a result, the character may not normally benefit from a true Aim action while this Charm is active), and his DVs are raised by 1 against all physical attacks of which he is aware. None of these bonuses count as dice added by a Charm.
With Essence 3+, each tick the lawgiver spends Aiming while Panoptic Fusion Discipline is active converts one die provided by this Charm into an automatic success; his opponents seem to slow even more, until their anticipated actions are outlined in golden contrails before the eyes of the Lawgiver.

Dodge         
   Dodge Resurgent      

Equipment:
Magazines of ordinary, rubber and Armor-Piercing bullets for her Grand Shellcaster (all kept in Elsewhere)
Bluetooth headset linked to smartphone (in waterproof case)
Lots of spare guns and ammo (kept in the cache egg, along with the old journals and such)
Good Luck Charm
Walkaway
Lots of gold (kept at the island)
Exceptional Megaphone
Sleep Grenades (with 3 currently being kept in Elsewhere, 10 at the hotel, and a bunch in the cache egg)
Ballistic Shield (Stats of Tower Shield, kept in Elsewhere)

Respita

Respita is a Pacific island of about 150 square miles several hundred miles west and slightly south of Panama.  The original hotel was made in 1802 as a place to get completely away from the worries of the world for a while.  The center of the island is marked with a massive volcano, and though the occasional tour runs for people to climb through and see the flowing rivers of magma, it has been judged scientifically to never erupt again.  Mango trees dot the landscape, but little vegetation otherwise exists.

The Wavecrest Deluxe Hotel stands at the southwest corner of the island just near the beach, a massive tower to give a tremendous view of both the sunrise and sunset to the higher floors.  With the exception of the such necessities as the airport and docks, and a few roads, however, little has been added in order to maintain the pristine beauty of the tropical island.

A large beach area takes up most of the western side of the island, with the northernmost areas marked off as clothing-optional.  Visiting families usually stick to the eastern beach, a smaller section but with calmer waves.

To the southeast is a single-runway airport and docks where supplies come in.

((Avorae will be using this island as well, so he can add stuff if he wants.))

History and Background

Valerie was born into the prestige of a family that owns a hotel on the tropical island of Respita.  Although she never had much talent for business, the affluence allowed her a chance to develop socially, accumulating friends and living the good life.  She's well-educated and would have finished college if not for the sudden interruption of her holiday vacation.

At the time, she thought that the group was some sort of elite group of pirates, bringing automatic weapons to target the wealthy with robbery and kidnapping in a sudden strike.  They say that the first truly traumatic experience of your life can change you forever, and all the pacifistic teachings that Valerie had grown up with no longer made any sense when she saw people either surrender or get shot down.

On the few occasions when she's told the story, she couldn't help but explain how much it just felt like a dream, as if she was watching a movie or playing a video game.  Certainly, if she had to be the self that she'd always known, she couldn't possibly have dived for the sidearm dropped by one of the island's few security guards.  Time slowed down to let her dodge bullets and focus her return fire, weapons practically seemed to reload themselves, her body felt light as a feather for jumping and even running across a patio umbrella, and so much more that she couldn't even really take it in.

She'd never been able to surf with any significant degree of talent before, but the first time she tried after her Exaltation, it was even easier than walking had ever been before.  In some ways, it's like having someone always next to you, helping you to do everything you've never been able to do before.  In others, it's like unlocking a door to let you do everything you've always wanted to do, be everything you always knew you could be but never knew how.

The transformation horrified her parents and many of her friends.  She knew that they wanted her to leave, but were too frightened of her to ever actually say anything.  Even so, she sees the looks, and she could gladly walk away were it not for the knowledge of what might happen were they ever left undefended.  She doesn't want anyone to be afraid of her, but she can't help but be who she is.

Everything changed even more when her dreams led her to the memories of an egg deep in another dimension, which was called back to her with no more difficulty than a long-forgotten childhood memory.  Aside from books and journals written in a language which she somehow understood, various items of a strong golden metal were waiting for her.  Of the many amazing devices, her favorite can't help but be the strange necklace that allows her to fly.

The wings as much as everything else soon got her the nickname of Valkyrie, a title she hated and has only slowly accepted as people have shown it to mean respect instead of fear.  People have come to her asking to be trained, and she's done everything she can, but she watches to make sure that they don't abuse their power.

Her power has been pretty consolidated, everyone seems pretty safe, and she has herself a small army to help out whenever it's needed.  However, her Wings of the Raptor is starting to malfunction.  She's been doing what she can to try to fix it up and keep it going, but she really needs someone talented in the strange kind of magitech that it's made of.  Now she just has to get in touch with more people like her.

Grand Shellcaster: Speed 6 - Accuracy 16 - Damage 12L/3 - Rate 4 - Range 200 - Ammo 100 - Tags 2, O, St

God-Kicking Boots: Speed 5 - Accuracy 14 - Damage 11B/2 - PDV 6 - Rate 3 - Tags M, O

Dodge DV:  8 (11)          Mental DV: 7

Soak: Bashing 10 - Lethal 12 - Aggravated 7 - Hardness 3

-0:	[ ]
-1:	[ ] [ ]
-2:	[ ] [ ]
-4:	[ ]
Inc:	[ ]

Personal Essence:	17/17
Peripheral Essence:	17/17  41 total
Immanent Solar Glory:	10/10
Anima:	0

Willpower: O O O O O O O O

Compassion: [ ] [ ] [ ]
Valor: [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ]

Limit: Compassionate Martyrdom - The character witnesses innocents suffering through no fault of their own.
[ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ]

XP Spent: 667

[Jefepato]

Yes, WP is five before you spend any of your exp.

Okay, just to double check: is there a link or a book with a solid description on what starts at what before you spend?  I need to make sure I'm not messing up.

AndyZ: I hope Valerie wants a cooler hat because the local Twilight may not have much to add to that list of artifacts otherwise.

[AndyZ]

Somebody needs to help with the Wings of the Raptor repair.

I just hope you can find some use for the volcano.

[RSGAlex]

Okay, just to double check: is there a link or a book with a solid description on what starts at what before you spend?  I need to make sure I'm not messing up.

AndyZ: I hope Valerie wants a cooler hat because the local Twilight may not have much to add to that list of artifacts otherwise.

The list would be Attributes at 1 (because with the exception of Appearance, any of those at 0 makes you varying degrees of unplayable), Virtues at 1 (see above), WP at 5, and Essence at whatever's appropriate for your type.

[AndyZ]

Can I make up a fictional island or should I just go with a place like Hawaii?

Also: are we good with having just English and Old Realm for Linguistics 0?

[Jefepato]

Somebody needs to help with the Wings of the Raptor repair.

I just hope you can find some use for the volcano.

Don't worry, I've played Dwarf Fortress.  If you can't find uses for a volcano you aren't trying all that hard.

[AndyZ]

Well, specifically I expect you'll get the Procedure to be able to make orichalcum...

[avorae]

picture

sheet

Name: Nakamura Mikako
Nickname: Mika
Player: Avorae
Calling: Gang Leader
Cast: Night 
Motivation: To turn a criminal empire into a force for good
Intimacies:
Height: 160 cm [5'3”]
Weight: 50 kg [110 lbs]
Eyes: Grey
Hair: Black
Skin tone: Asian
Date of birth: 5/12
Age: 21
Apparent Age: 18

Exp: 667
spent: 667

ATTRIBUTES
Strength •••   
Dexterity •••••   
Stamina ••• 

Charisma •••   
Manipulation ••• 
Appearance •••••   

Perception ••• 
Intelligence ••• 
Wits •••   

ABILITIES
DAWN
Archery
Firearms •
Martial Arts •••••
Melee
Thrown
War ••
ZENITH
Integrity •••
Performance ••
Presence •••
Resistance ••
Survival ••
TWILIGHT
Craft ••••
-Fire
-Air
-Wood
-Magitech
Investigation ••
Lore •••••
Medicine ••
Occult •••
NIGHT
Athletics •••
Awareness  •••
Dodge ••••[•••]
Larceny •••••
Stealth •••••
ECLIPSE
Bureaucracy
Drive •••••
Linguistics ••
-Anglo-Frisian (English, Scots, Frisian)
-Japonic (Japanese, Ryukyuan)
Ride
Sail
Socialize ••
SPECIALTIES
Solar Hero Style +3 [Martial arts]
Muscle Cars +3 [Drive]

BACKGROUNDS
Resources •••••   
Cache Egg •••
Artifact [Transformative Armor] ••
Artifact [Hearthstone bracers] ••
Artifact [Pair of Black-widow Razors] •••• 
Contacts [Underworld] ••
Followers [**The Queens**] •••
Influence •••
Cult •
Node ••


CHARMS
Solar Hero Style
Fist of Iron Technique
Sledgehammer Fist Punch
Dragon Coil Technique
Solar Hero Form
Heaven Thunder Hammer
Crashing Wave Throw
Ox-Stunning Blow
Hammer on Iron Technique
Shockwave Technique
Resistance
Invincible Essence Reinforcement
Larceny
Essence Triumphant
Flawless Pickpocket
Stealing From Plain Sight
Lock Opening Touch
Flawless Impenetrable Disguise
Perfect Mirror
Dodge
Shadow over Water
Reflex Sidestep Technique
Seven Shadow Evasion
Stealth
Easily Overlooked Presence Method
Mental Invisibility Technique
Drive
Daredevil Driving Technique
Martial Arts
Knockout Blow
Thunderclap Rush Attack

VIRTUES
Compassion •••
[  ][  ][  ]
Conviction •••
[  ][  ][  ]
Temperance •••
[  ][  ][  ]
Valor ••••
[  ][  ][  ][  ]

Essence ••• 
Personal : 14/14
Peripheral: 25/25
Committed: 14
Anima: 0

WILLPOWER •••••   
Willpower Pool [  ][  ][  ][  ][  ]
COMBAT
Join Battle: 6
Dodge DV: 8
Dodge MDV: 5

SOAK
Bashing:10 [15 with Solar hero form active]
Lethal:12 [17 with Solar hero form active]
Aggravated:6

HARDENESS
Bashing:2
Lethal:2

WOUNDS
-0 [  ]
-1 [  ][  ]
-2 [  ][  ]
-4 [  ]
Inc [  ]
Dying [  ][  ][  ]

WEAPONS
WEAPON:Clinch
SPD:6
ACC:10
DAM:3B
DEF:N/A
RNG:N/A
Rate:1
Tags:C,N,P

WEAPON:Punch
SPD:5
ACC:11
DAM:3B
DEF:9
RNG:N/A
Rate:3
Tags:N

WEAPON:Kick
SPD:5
ACC:10
DAM:6B
DEF:7
RNG:N/A
Rate:3
Tags:N

WEAPON:Black-widow Razors
SPD:5
ACC:16
DAM:8L
DEF:7
RNG:N/A
Rate:4
Tags:M

[AndyZ]

Do we have anybody set for Eclipse or should I try to help recruit?

Note: I forgot that Immanent Solar Glory is War 5 so I adjusted some stuff to make it fit.  That leaves me with 3xp that I may or may not figure out how to spend before game begins.  All XP spent, and should be done other than Anima, Intimacies and equipment.

[Cessali]

I'm fairly certain we just have the four that have posted thus far.  If you can rustle up an Eclipse, that could be pretty hoss.

[AndyZ]

Not too much luck finding someone on my end.  I can keep trying but if anyone else has someone, feel free.  Otherwise we may just go with 4 or something.

[Muse]

  Hi folks, still looking for an Eclipse? 

[avorae]

yes we are actually

[Muse]

Hm...   Let's see if I can come up with a concept that *gasp!* doesn't have dexterity 5!!! 

Let's see, looks like everyone uses solar hero form and/or marksmasnhip? 

Where do I find this EXP buy system?  Does it closely follow the normal book? 

[RSGAlex]

First, sorry about being out for so long. I don't know what I got, but it kicked my ass something fierce.

For the EXP buy, start with the absolute minimums (1 in all Attributes and Virtues, 5 in WP, appropriate number for Essence), and then use the EXP table in the book to buy things.

[AndyZ]

Welcome back.  I have various questions for you scattered about the thread, but I can repost them if need be.

[RSGAlex]

Repost them. Although, the bullets look fine. (Rubber I'm thinking do bashing, and the AP... are Piercing.)