Campaign:Enfolding Ice/Inexhaustible Vermilion Forerunner
Basics
Name: Inexhaustible Vermilion Forerunner
Concept: Advance Scout/Protector of the People
Caste: Jade
Motivation: Defend the downtrodden, protect the common worker.
Anima: Contrails of neon sparks that wail like essence-driven guitars.
Anima Powers: 5m, One Scene, Instant: Adds Essence to natural soak. 3m per die, lasts [Essence] Actions, Reflex: Add 1 die to Caste or Favored Attribute. (Dex costs 2m per die.)
Intimacies: Defending mortals, Feats of daring-do, Pummeling oppression or restrictive governing bodies.
Experience: 0/35
Background
Created in desperation for manpower during the highest point of the Elemental War and the Magic Materials drought shortly thereafter, Inexhaustible Vermilion Forerunner was the one of five test models for Yugash's aborted series of budget-conscious Alchemicals. Thankfully the drifting of the cities brought hostilities to an end, and the operation was scrapped shortly afterwards. Not as thankfully, this conclusion brought with it a crippling lack of assignments, and one Assembly too many to fill them, leaving Forerunner's Assembly hopping from minor operation to minor operation as a permanent third-string. That is, until the Head of the Theomachracy in Yugash green-lighted what would become known as Project Gateway. Wracked with boredom and looking to prove her capabilities, Forerunner immediately signed on despite the protests of her standing crew, knowing full well that she was walking into possibly the most dangerously stupid plan the city had yet thought of. Opening a portal to the Void beyond Autochthon, and sending an explorer on a one-way trip.
It wasn't made public how many previous attempts were made, but Forerunner's launch went off without a hitch, sending her entropy-warded craft deep into the Lack-Of-Anything. She drifted for unknowably-dull millennia cramped into minutes of high-speed, uncontrolled spin in the sightless aether. Several hours passed in this way, until she fell asleep and promptly hit something. Debarking from the craft, she found it half-embedded in a construct unlike any she had ever seen before, made from materials she couldn't recognize from Autochthonian records. The collision had caused the construct to violently smash open, leaving her ship now suspended and dead in the non-water. Taking a chance, she squeezed inside along one of the major cracks, and found it to be a primitive (though posh) living quarters. A manse, as she would later learn, lavishly decorated with all kinds of strange carvings in the walls, some even depicting Charmless Exalts battling stranger creatures with blunt tools and blades. Risking a couple more minutes of entropy-exposure, Forerunner thoroughly explored the Manse collecting all the most interesting things she found floating in the aether, thinking it best to store them back in her craft for further analyzation. Eventually she found what appeared to be the front door, but without air to speak and the nature of all the other "hinge-doors" so far, she decided it wouldn't answer voice command anyway and kicked it with all her strength.
That was the last thing the ancient enchantments needed. The tenuous bands of sorcery snapped and the rewrote itself on the fly, dropping the broken Manse, her ship and Forerunner with an armful of treasures straight into Creation, directly over an encampment of very surprised beastmen.
The explanation and ensuing brawl took the better part of a week.
Appearance
Despite the normally solid construction of her Caste, Forerunner's frame is lanky, modular and somewhat gawky even for her less-than-average height. Built with an economy of material in mind, she is almost bare of synthetic flesh up to the jawline, with steel-brass body armor and prosthetics filling out her figure. What little Magical Material has been worked into her armor plating and Charms come from alloys with so little red jade it appears in shades of dark pink and orange, giving her a slightly weathered look she is secretly self-conscious about.
In addition to the Material cost-budget, several funding cuts also lead to new money-saving developments in Alchemical design, starting with her Assembly run. Most noticeable of these is her Conduction-Spine, which defines her waist and lower back as an invisible gap that one could pass a hand through, allowing her to twist and adjust herself in an alarmingly unnatural fashion. Forerunner's vestigial lungs have also been rerouted outside of her body the form of Respiration Baffles. They now sit sprouting from under her dull gray-gold hair like a pair of bizarre jade ear-fins, fluttering and puffing steam from the side-vents when she is particularly agitated.
In spite of her borderline inhuman form, Forerunner is a remarkably human and upbeat individual. Like an obliging older sister, she cares greatly for mortals and their livelihood, and there is nothing she hates more than powerful people abusing those below them.
Attributes
Strength 3 Charisma 4 Perception 3 Dexterity 6 Manipulation 2 Intelligence 2 Stamina 4 Appearance 3 Wits 5
(Sustained Augmentations for Dexterity, Stamina.)
Abilities
Archery 2 Craft(Water) 1 Bureaucracy 0 Athletics 3 Larceny 0 Investigation 0 Awareness 2 Linguistics 1 Lore 2 Dodge 3 Performance 1 Medicine 0 Integrity 2 Presence 0 Occult 1 Martial Arts 3 Ride 1 Melee 0 Sail 0 Resistance 2 Socialize 0 Thrown 0 Stealth 0 War 0 Survival 0
Specialties
Athletics (Unnatural Jumping and Gymnastics +2)
Dodge (Objects Much Larger Than She Is +3)
Martial Arts 3 (Frothing Anger +3)
Languages
Native: Autochthonic (Old Realm)
Others: Skytongue
Backgrounds
Artifact: 3
Class: 3
Resources: 3
Manse: 2
Vats: 3
Charms
Dexterity
(General) Transitory Augmentation of Dexterity: (1m per die, Instant, Reflex) Adds up to Attribute. Lowers Anima power cost. [1m commit]
(General) Accelerated Response System (Dodge): (2m, Instant, Reflex) Full Dodge DV towards a single attack. [1m commit]
(General) Dynamic Reaction Enhancement System: (1m per 2 dice, Instant, Reflex) Adds to Join Battle/War roll, up to Dexterity x2. [1m commit]
(General) Celerity Enabling Module: (5m 1wp, Instant/Scene, Extra Action/Reflex) Allows for [Essence] Independent Physical actions, or full DV towards single opponent for a Scene. [1m commit]
(Dedicated) Sustained Augmentation of Dexterity: [Permanent] Adds +1 to Natural Dexterity. [1m commit]
(Dedicated) Multi-Limb Frame (Arm Prosthetics): [Permanent] Adds +1 Damage to attacks using arms, -1 from multiple action penalties in a Flurry. [1m commit]
Stamina
(Dedicated) Sustained Augmentation of Stamina: [Permanent] Adds +1 to Natural Stamina. [1m commit]
(Dedicated) Strain Resistant Chassis Modification: [Permanent] (-2 x3) [1m commit]
(Dedicated) Exoskeletal Armor Plating: [Permanent] +3L/+4B soak. Counts as armor. [1m commit]
- Panoply
(Stamina) Lightning-Inured Frame: (5m, One Day, Simple [Speed 6, DV -1]) Negates fire, lightning, raw energy or heat damage. Creates a stable bubble of reality out to 2 yards within the Wyld. [1m commit]
(Stamina) Toxicity Filtration Subsystems: (2m, One Hour, Reflex) Adds Essence in auto-successes to Stamina rolls and natural soak against toxins. If more than twice the required successes is rolled, the toxin has no effect. This Charm auto-activates. [1m commit]
(Appearance) Integrated Artifact Transmogrifier: (1m [Each]/ 5m [All], Indefinite, Reflex) May suppress Charms, or appear human for 1wp per day. Suppressed Charms are invisible to Essence Sight/Charms unless the viewer has Essence 2+ dots higher then her. [1m commit]
A-A-A-Arrays
Name of combo 1
First move of combo - Second move of combo
Description of Combo right here.
Essence
Essence: 3
Regeneration: 8 motes per hour, 12 while at rest.
Personal Essence Pool: 0/16
Peripheral Essence Pool: 44/44
Committed Essence: 9 to Charms, 7 to equipment.
Willpower
Willpower: ●●●●●●●
Temporary: □□□□□□□
Virtues
Virtues:
- Compassion 3
- Conviction 2
- Temperance 1
- Valor 4
Clarity: □□□□□□□□□□
Inventory
Retractable Steel Armor-plate. (as Perfect Breastplate)
Soak 6L/4B, Mobility -0, Fatigue 0.
"Irreconcilable Difference" Plasma Tongue Repeater, Artifact 2:
Speed 5/ Accuracy +2/ Damage 10L/ Rate 1/ Range 20/ Ammo 5.
Forerunner's favored side arm, recovered from a previous incarnation with the Regulators. Additional ammo cartridges are Res 3.
"Stand" and "Deliver" Red Jade Articulated Gauntlets, Artifact 1:
Speed 4/ Accuracy +0/ Damage +8B (Piercing)/ Defense +2/ Rate 2. Commit: 6.
Iron-plated Knee-Highs: (as Perfect Iron Boots)
Speed 5/ Accuracy +2/ Damage +7B/ Defense -3/ Rate 3.
Metal-studded footwear was the highlight of fashion during the Years 4862-4876 DA. Forerunner will have words for those who don't think they still look smashing.
Swift Rider "Stage Left", Artifact 3: (Requires 5m commit, and a set hearthstone to function)
This oblong land-rocket was mostly part of the engine-section of Forerunner's transport through Elsewhere, and for this reason it was shielded with large curved plates, etched with millions of runes and wards against entropy. Thankfully it was not significantly damaged by the crash, and now glides over land and water as easily as frictionless vacuum. May spend 1 mote to control its skimming height, including across chasms and jumps. Carries two with saddlebags or one person and 200 pounds, and can be folded up neatly for storage. Socketed with a Monkey Stone.
Speed: 80mph. Maneuverability: -1 (Uses Ride). Soak 10L/10B. Health Levels: Ux10/Mx5/Cx4/I/D.
Essence-Scrying Visor, Artifact 1.
Built into her cranial armor as a wide band of metal hidden under her hair, a button press deploys a large wraparound lens which removes all penalties for low light for 1 mote, or grants Essence Sight for 3 motes, each lasting for a scene. Essence Sight adds +3 to Awareness rolls for finding unmanifested spirits and things not magically hidden or disguised. Cannot be used within Manses/Demesnes or other extremely Essence-dense locations.
Omnimodal Wardrobe Unit, Artifact 1. Commit: 1.
Self-altering clothing made with traces of Moonsilver, regularly kept in the form of a tasteful sleeved vest, scarf and skirt of typical Yugashan fashion. Repairs damage and stains with 1 mote and may assume an unfamiliar shape previously seen with a successful Wits + Awareness roll, difficulty 2, or be created on the spot with Wits + Craft (Water). Adds an additional +1L soak.
Indispensably-Pleasing Orchestral Device, Artifact 1.
This small and unassuming white jade box is one of the most popular (and so drastically overpriced) magitech "toys" distributed to the Populat to ease the tedium of successive work shifts. Orchestral Devices use a tiny design weaver and an internal network of Starmetal nodes capable of storing several days worth of prerecorded crunches, clanks, electrical snaps and chants that passes for music in Autochthonia. A flip-open jade touch-screen on the front allows sorting, deleting and other useful functions. The listening buds on the top are mounted with Moonsilver wire, automatically stretching and contracting to prevent hang-ups and tangling. Additionally, the Device may flawlessly record ongoing music or sound into its memory bank for 1 mote, a feature that Forerunner habitually uses to record her best Anima "performances."
Class and Resources
Back home Forerunner has a comfortable but aggressively unkempt apartment that she shares with her Assembly, who are no doubt boxing up her stuff as we speak. Notables include a well-worn punching bag, a reversible propaganda poster of Ceaseless March of the Proletariat (Sexiest Orichalcum Man of the Year, 53rd year running) with an advert for beer on the back, and several overflowing crates of "souvenirs" Forerunner has collected over the years, most of which is random junk and scrap she felt like hanging onto for whatever reason.
Most of Forerunner's material goods in Creation come from various chunks of Magical Materials and First Age artwork she has either peeled or snapped off the walls of the Manse and sold through local markets under assumed names. Currently she's playing it safe, sitting on most of her findings and only selling in small amounts, so she does not exercise the full extent of her wealth.
Manses and Hearthstones
Epicenter of a Presumably Deafening Shockwave, Vat Complex 3/ Wood-aspect, Rating 2:
Set up inside the former Hearthstone chamber of the broken Manse, Forerunner's Vat comes primarily from newly developed Tote-A-Vat technology. Designed for advance Alchemical teams working in the Far Reaches of Autochthonia, it's mostly a rather confusing jumble of collapsible pipes and geomantic Essence conductors, with several bags of dehydrated chemical broth heaped around the solid glass tube at it's center. Too bad not all the bugs in the self-automation sequences have been worked out, so it's largely been up to Forerunner to keep it running, something she's not entirely sure how to do. At this point it's a quite ramshackle affair, held together with a patchwork of bolted metal, artifact parts and tar to stem the endless dripping. Even getting the Vat to prime without igniting the Demesne below is an ordeal, and it's prone to making funny noises and sputtering off without a few well-placed kicks to the right conduits.
When plugged in: Regain [Essence x5] motes every hour and multiply healing by Essence Rating. Awakening before all Health Levels and Essence are recharged costs 1 Willpower and deals 1 unsoakable Bashing damage. Requires 2 hours warm up.
Minor refits (Charms and Attributes) require four days to warm up and Res 3 in materials, lasting for two weeks for Charm Slots/Charm Swapping (no matter how many there are). If it ever became capable of such a task, major upgrades would need four weeks warm-up and Res 4 (Ess 4-5) to 5 (Ess 6+) in Magic Materials, and require a number of months equal to her current Essence x2 for each upgrade.
The tunnels beneath the Complex hold a separate Demesne made of hollow roots, which was uncovered as the large building smashed through the snow above it. Using chunks of the old structure, it has finally yielded a hearthstone, which Forerunner uses to power her slightly busted land-bike.
Monkey Stone (Wood Manse Level 2) Trigger: Constant. When socketed in an Artifact, reduces difficulty on Athletics rolls by 2, to a minimum of one. Also doubles jumping and climbing distances.
Combat
Dodge DV: 6(8)
Dodge MDV: 6
Soak: B:12 L:12 A:9
Hardness: B:0 L:0 A:0
Attacks
Jade Fist (Speed 4, Accuracy 9(12), Damage 12B, Parry DV 6(7), Rate 2, Tags M, P)
Jade Clinch (Speed 5, Accuracy 9(12), Damage 12B, Parry DV -, Rate 1, Tags C, M, P)
Iron Kick (Speed 5, Accuracy 11(14), Damage 10B, Parry DV 3(5), Rate 3, Tags M)
Plasma Repeater (Speed 5, Accuracy 10, Damage 10L, Rate 1, Range 10, Tags F)
Health
□ -0
□ -1
□ -1
□ -2
□ -2
□ -2
□ -2
□ -2
□ -2
□ -2
□ -2
□ -4
□ Incapacitated
Advancement
Dexterity 5 - 3 bps
Athletics Specialty (Unnatural Jumping and Gymnastics +2) - 2 bps
Dodge Specialty (Objects Much Larger Than She Is +3) - 3 bps
Martial Arts Specialty (Frothing Anger +3) - 3 bps
Valor 4 - 3 bps
Manse 2 - 1 bp
Essence 3 - 18xp
Dedicated Charm Slot - 10xp
Perception 3 - 7xp