Scarlet Suns - Solars of the Blessed Isle

[wonderandawe]

One of the promises of Ex3 is the feasibility of playing Solars on the Blessed Isle. I could wait for the Blessed Isle book to come out or I could just start creating characters. Though these five Solars characters, I plan on exploring how a Solar could survive and thrive on the Blessed Isle.

Twilight (Lore) - Fielding Questions
Inquisitive farm boy turned traveling occultist

Dawn (Melee) - Peleps Nadia
Failed Dynast turned Pirate...for now...

Night (Awareness) - Shiri "Haunting Jade"
Legion Scout turned Bandit

Zenith (Athletics) - Sorrowful Fig
Former Immaculate Monk

Eclipse (Bureaucracy) - Nellens Ryo
Bored Bureaucrat with a new purpose

I am also using this to practice creating Ex3 character. Feel free to comment on the characters and offer any advice on charms, merits, artifacts, etc.

[wonderandawe]

Fielding Questions - Supernal Lore Twilight

Character Sheet

I wanted to create a Twilight who was self-taught and did not have much of a formal education. I almost made Fielding Questions Supernal Occult, but acquisition of knowledge was the focus of his backstory. For his Lore charms, I split them between knowledge acquisition and empowering other people. At higher essence levels, I can see Fielding become more teacher than student.

Fielding Questions gained his name though the endless questions he asked as a child. The young peasant boy was inquisitive about everything. He wanted to know where the sun went at night and what the field gods were. After wearing his mother out with his curiosity, she would send him to the local monk. The peasant boy found the elderly monk a patient teacher. Fielding devoured the few books in the monk’s library. The old monk hoped Fielding would eventually join the Order. However, when the old monk died, no one replaced her. The small Pangu community had to be content with a seasonal visit from a traveling monk.

Fielding missed his old friend. No one else in the community was curious about the world around them as the monk. While his mother would patiently listen to him, her mind was more on the next rice harvest. Fielding would save up his money to buy books from passing traders. He stuck up a friendship with the visiting monk, who would let him borrow books from the temple.

Yet, Fielding still wanted more. The trickle of knowledge flowing into his small farming village was not enough for him. Yet, he could not leave to seek his fortunes elsewhere. His father died when Fielding was ten. His mother had no one else to help her on the farm.

The Aquifer was the entire reason why Fielding’s village existed. The Aquifer – its true name lost to history- was a relic from a lost age. It pumped water from the sea and turned it into fresh water. Without it, the village could not farm rice. One day, the Aquifer stopped producing water. A message was sent to the Pangu City and a Dragonblooded from House Cynis was dispatched. The villages watched with hope as the Dynast swept into the manse. After a day of clanking and swearing, the Dynast gave up. He could not restart the Aquifer. The crowd dispersed to their homes and the Dynast to the teahouse to drown his failure with drink. Soon only Fielding remained.

Fielding pushed open the door. His call echoed though the empty manse. He saw the remains of the cracked Hearthstone and ran a calloused finger of the faded runes. Fielding picked up one of the Dynast’s discarded tools and got to work.

Later, his mother entered the Aquifer, searching for Fielding. What she found was her son, glowing Twilight caste mark on his brow and hard at work. A devote Immaculate, Fielding’s mother found her conviction would not extend to exposing her son to the Wyld Hunt. After the Aquifer was up and running, she lead Fielding back to their farm. She sent him with supplies and his father’s old rickety wagon. Fielding was lucky. The Dynast did not investigate how it was restored. He took credit for repair, attuned to the manse, and returned to Pangu City.

Fielding quickly grew accustomed to his newfound freedom. He repaired and painted his old wagon and traveled around the farming communities of the Blessed Isle. At first, he performed magic shows to send Jade home to his mother. Then he realized that the mortal Immaculate Monks were in trouble. With Civil War brewing, politics occupied the Dragonblooded monks more than their spiritual duties. Thus, Fielding began picking up their slack. With tips from his Immaculate contacts, Fielding would visit villages with supernatural plights. A few of the older monks suspect Fielding is not the simple Thaumaturgist he claims to be. They will keep their suspicions quiet as long as Fielding does not stir any trouble.

[Keichiokami]

This is a wonderful character!
I am awaiting The Realm sourcebook myself before I run my Solars on the Blessed Isle Chronicle, but this character is very inspiring and beautifully written.

[Jairain]

Love the ideas man. I can't wait for more books either.

[Mal'akh]

There have been three signature characters since 1e that have been based on the Blessed Isle; Senebau, Lyta, and Mistress Emerald, Of the three the best back story was Mistress Emerald's and actually parallel's your concept.

[wonderandawe]

There have been three signature characters since 1e that have been based on the Blessed Isle; Senebau, Lyta, and Mistress Emerald, Of the three the best back story was Mistress Emerald's and actually parallel's your concept.

Shit, really? Blah. What book is she in?

[The Wizard of Oz]

Caste Book: Twilight, I think. I think there was also a Solar who lived on the Blessed Isle in Caste Book: Eclipse

Senebau (and Lyta of course) were both in Caste Book: Dawn.

[wonderandawe]

Peleps Nadia - Supernal Melee Dawn

Character Sheet

Can’t have a Blessed Isle Solar circle without at least one Dynast who failed to Exalt as Dragonblooded. I originally made Nadia a Supernal War, but Melee fit her character concept better.

I’ve had the scene where a Dragonblooded dies to a Lunar’s blade and her niece exalts as the Lunar’s Solar mate in my head for quite a while. While Nadia will forgive the Gull for being Anathema, she will never forgive him for killing her aunt. I put the Lunar on Nadia’s character sheet as a five point mentor. I imagine Nadia not succeeding with her ruse and eventually stealing his ship instead. Thus her five point mentor becomes a five point artifact.


Peleps Nadia was a failure. Never mind she graduated at the top of her class in the House of Bells. Nor the fact she could best any one of her siblings in combat prior to their exaltations. All that was meaningless because Nadia failed to exalt. She had hoped she was a late bloomer. Peleps Lin, her favorite aunt, managed to delay the house leader’s marriage plans. Some scion of House Cathak needed both a wife and a ship’s captain. But twenty-four years old, no one- not even Nadia herself – held out any hope for the Dragon’s blessing. Now she was on her way to some backwater coastal outpost.

Aunt Lin herself decided to escort her niece to where Nadia’s groom resided. Nadia did not appreciate the favor. Nadia felt betrayed by her Aunt’s role in ensuring her future marriage. Aunt and niece had exchanged some strong words and the two avoided each other on the small ship. Nadia spent most of the voyage in her cabin, fuming at the cruel lot the fates dealt her. The sounds of battle roused Nadia from her fugue. She buckled on her sword belt and burst out of the cabin.

Pirates! Nadia could see a small merchant ship, smoke bellowing from its hull. The pirates set a trap to lure the ship in. At the far end of the ship, Nadia spotted her aunt, blue anima flaring, dueling a blonde haired man. The mark of a Moon Anathema burned on his brow. This was the Gull. For generation, the Anathema pirate has been menacing the coasts of the Blessed Isle. With a cry of courage, Nadia joined the fray, fighting her way towards her aunt. Dueling blades sang a duet with cries of pain. Gore covered the salt encrusted decks. Nadia slit the throat of one pirate, blood spraying over her face. She turned towards her aunt…

…just in time to see the Anathema impale his blade into her side. Aunt Lin fell to her knees. Her sword drops from her hand and skids across the deck to Nadia. Peleps Lin crumbles to the deck and her anima goes dark.

“Nooo!” Nadia screams with anguish. Her brow burns with rage. She picks up her Aunt’s daiklaive with one hand. She bellows in fury and she assaults her aunt’s murderer. With both her and her aunt’s sword, Nadia swings at the Silver Moon Anathema again and again. Time lost all meaning for Nadia. Nadia’s focus narrows to one thing. Killing this Anathema. If the Wyld Hunt could not dispose of this Lunar, she will.

Finally, the Lunar gave up and as a gull, flew up to the mast of the ship. He became human again and asked, “Did you have enough?”

He was mocking her. “I will not rest until I see you dead. I will call the Wyld Hunt….”

“You aren’t calling the Wyld Hunt, love.” The Lunar chuckles. “Look at yourself!”

Nadia looks down to see the sunlit glow of her anima. “This is a trick.”

“It’s no trick, love.” The Lunar smiles. “You are as Anathema as I am.”

Nadia screams in rage and throw her aunt’s diaklaive at the Lunar. He drops down and the sword impales itself in to the mast.

He lands on the deck and looks up at the impaled diaklaive. “You should be more careful with that. “

Nadia tackles him, but he steps aside and neatly grapples her. “Power without finesse will get you nowhere.” Nadia scratches at the lunar, who simply sighs. “You are going to be difficult, aren’t you?” Nadia remembers nothing but darkness after that.

She wakes up in chains in the hold of her aunt’s ship. She tests the chains, but the hold her fast. She rolls to a sitting position. The Gull is there. He slides a plate of food to her. Nadia makes no move towards the plate.

“Look, I’m sorry about the Dragonblooded. If I knew she was important to you, I’d would have only wounded her.” He scratches his head. “If it is any consolation, she’s killed plenty of people I liked and do you see me holding a grudge?”

“You murdered her.” You point out.

“Ah, you talks. Good. Communication is the foundation of a good relationship.”

Relationship? “What the fuck are you talking about?”

“Shit. Where to begin? I could give you a bunch of metaphysical mumble jumbo, but I don’t really want to scare you off.” He crawls closer. “You see, I’ve been waiting a very long time for you to return to me. I can’t tell you how many nights I’ve dreamed of our reunion. If I had known you were on that ship, I would have never killed your…”

“Aunt.”

“Aunt…” The Lunar repeats. “I know we got off on the wrong foot, but I hope that you have memories- good memories – of our time together. After centuries together, you must remember something. Anything? Please, Serina?”

Nadia opened her mouth to correct him, but stops herself. She tests her chains. Nadia could not best an Anathema with centuries of experience. She would have to study her enemy. Learn his weaknesses.

You will be this Serina person for him. And when he has taught you everything you need to know, you will kill him.

[NewK]

That is beautiful.

[wonderandawe]

Shiri "Haunting Jade" - Supernal Awareness Night Caste

Character Sheet

Shiri was a difficult character to pick a Supernal Ability for. Survival seems like a good option, but not available to a Night caste. The concept could fit Zenith, but her methods matched Night caste better. Either way, I ended up not taking any non-Essence 1 charms at character creation.

Shiri stood before her father’s grave and considered what she was going to do with her life. She opened her hands and scattered wildflower seeds on the freshly dug earth. For as long as she could remember, her father honored her mother this way. And now her father laid next to her mother and Shiri was alone. When she got back to the cabin, she pack supplies on Bay, her father’s… no her horse. The stallion followed solemnly as Shiri lead the horse down the mountain and to the nearest legion outpost. There she took the coin and became a member of her Empress’ legions.

Shiri designated a scout. She used everything her father taught her about poaching, silence, and the wilderness to guide the Dynasts of her legion though untamed areas of the Blessed Isle. Her record was spotless except for one incident where a Wood Aspect took a liking to Bay. The Dynast offered jade to buy her horse and wouldn’t take no for an answer. Shiri dropped the Dynast before he knew what hit him. Bay was the last of her family and you don’t sell family.

Her legion was assigned to hunt down some rebellious slaves in the Dragonwrath plains. Shiri searched though the swamps for the rebels. She found them in the base of a large cypress tree. These people reminded her not of hardened criminals, but of the mountain villagers she grew up with – weary, starving, and doing what they could to survive. Shiri went back to her legion and lead them away from those hiding in the cypress forest. And her deception would have succeeded, if her actions hadn’t attracted the attention of the Unconquered Sun.

Glowing like the sun with the mark of Night on her brow, Shiri whistled for Bay and fled the legions. She saved the rebels only because her former legionnaires had new prey to hunt – Shiri herself. Soon Shiri became known as Haunting Jade. She lived on the edge of civilization, taking what she needed from the villages and slipping away into the night like a ghost. At first, she only had Bay as a companion, but soon she began to attract followers. Desperate men and woman who were willing to throw their lot with a taciturn Anathema in the face of coming war. Haunting Jade raids legion supply trains for what she needs to support her people and considers a future where inhabitants of the Blessed Isle can living without the interference of the Dragonblooded.

[wonderandawe]

Sorrowful Fig - Supernal Athletics Zenith

Character Sheet

Sorrowful Fig is the character I would play if I was in a Ex3 game (though I’d probably end her background at her Exaltation and have her mentor not be in jail). It feels great to finally get her character down on paper. Supernal Athletics because it is such a fun ability. A specialty in Gymnastics is the closest I could come to "Crazy Wire-Fu tricks"

Sorrowful Fig was four when her mother abandoned her at the Immaculate Monastery. She does not remember much about her mother except that the woman’s presence flustered the abbot at the monastery. Fig was taken to the dormitory filled with sleeping children. Her hair was shone short and travel-stained clothes were taken away. She was given a clean white nightshirt made of soft cotton. Fig curled up in the strange bed and cried. She wanted to go home. Fig felt a hand on her head.

“This will be your home now.” A voice said. “I will watch over you.” The man retreated from Fig’s side before she could turn to see who it was. Fig watched the door, willing the man to return. Finally, she drifted into a dreamless sleep. Thus passed Sorrowful Fig’s first night as an orphan in the Immaculate Temple.

In a short time, the Immaculate Temple became Fig’s home. Besides those few fragments of her first night in the temple, she forgot she lived anywhere else. Fig was an eager student. She memorized the Immaculate Text by nine and was soon teaching the younger children how to defend themselves with the staff, Fig’s favorite Weapon. The abbot was always available when Fig had questions or needed advice. When Sorrowful Fig took her vows at nineteen, the abbot stood by and watched unable to hide his pride.

When Fig was older, she heard rumors of her mentor’s past. The abbot was sent to this distant temple because he was not the most temperate of men. Women were his weakness, the other monks whispered. Sorrowful Fig confronted the monks. She has worked closely with the Abbot since she was a child. He has never once showed improper behavior to her. The monks scattered and Fig turned to find her mentor behind her. Fig smiled at her mentor, proud she was able to defend him. Her smile faltered when the abbot would not meet her eyes. She followed him into his office. There she learned the truth of their past.

Before he became abbot of this monastery, the old monk was assigned a circuit on the Jade Coast. There he brought the wisdom of the Dragons from village to village. It was a lonely time for him and to his everlasting shame, he found comfort in the woman of these villages. Fig’s mother’s family owned a fig plantation. He would meet her mother at night among the fig trees.

“I should have told you the truth earlier. I was a coward. Afraid the others would find out. And later, afraid you would think less of me.”

Sorrowful Fig said nothing at first. He lied to her. She grew up believing she was an orphan, when her father was right there in the temple her whole life.

“Fig,” her mentor…her father took a step forward. “Say something.”

Sorrowful Fig closes her eyes. She could not comprehend how the man standing in front of her, the monk she always looked up to, could have acted so shamefully. She defended him when her entire existence, her very name, was evidence of his shame.

“I wish to travel.” She said after a long awkward silence. “Assign me to a peasant diocese.”

“Fig…”

“Assign me to a peasant diocese.” Fig repeated. “Please.” Her voice cracks on the last word.

The abbot nodded. “If that is what you wish.” He bustled around his desk and with shaking hands unfolded a map.

Fig left the monastery of her youth and spent the next year traveling. Immediately, she realized her mistake. Travel gave Fig too much time to think. Her father gave her a small bag before she left. She was tempted to throw it back in his face, but instead she packed it along with the rest of her belongings. Fig often thought of her father’s present, yet she never opened it.

As Fig visited each village, she soon had other things to think other than her father. War was brewing between the Dynast Houses. Power plays and skirmishes left some villages without necessary supplies. Even the Dragonblooded monks were distracted by the upcoming conflict and were not able to take care of the spiritual maladies of the peasants. Fig felt powerless in the face of the obstacles she and the mortals of the Blessed Isle faced. Many nights she wept and prayed, sometimes outside of the prescribed calendar, for help.

Fig came to the village early in the day and she found it empty. After some searching, she came across the villagers frolicking in the nearby lake. The serenade of the Fair Folk made Fig sway on her feet.

“Come play with us, monk.” One translucent Fair Folk stoked a man's back though his soaked clothes. “Come and forget your worries. “

Fig lifted a foot. The Fair Folk licked his lips and drifted closer.

“No.” Fig set her foot down. “Be gone from this place. Let these people go.”

“Why?” The Fair Folk rose naked from the lake waters and approached Fig. Fig’s cheeks burned. This was a scene straight out of the Immaculate texts. But Fig knew what the Fair Folk lusted for was not her body, but her soul itself. “Come with me and rejoice in your mortality. “ The Fair Folk tempted

“No. Be gone from this place!” Fig raised her staff.

He smiled and, with a caress of his fingers, raised a staff of his own. “I do not fear you. You are not blessed by the Dragons.”

“No, but you have been blessed by me.” A voice called from the sky.

Power flooded Sorrowful Fig. She slammed her staff into the ground. “Be gone from this place. Thrice I have ordered and so it shall be done!” Golden Anima flowed out of Sorrowful Fig and flooded the fields and lake waters. The Fair Folk shrieked and ran from the flood of sunlight.

When she was sure they were gone, Fig fell to her knees. Only her staff kept her upright.

“Child, you have wept for these people as I have wept. Go forth in the name of the Unconquered Sun and bring my blessing once again to this Ilse.” His presence left and Fig felt bereft. She was reminded of her first night long ago when her father left her in the orphan dormitory. Yet, her father never truly left her, Fig realized. He raised her the best he could and gave her the knowledge to help the people of the Blessed Isle.

Sorrowful Fig stood up and faced the villagers she saved. They looked back at her, eyes wide with fear. She could hear them whisper one word – Anathema.


When he Wyld Hunt showed up at the monastery, their investigation was through. They left with the abbot in chains. They locked him away until it was time for his trial. While Fig’s father waited, he had a crisis of faith of his own. Did his sins stain his daughter’s soul and thus made her susceptible to Anathema procession? Yet each time the Wyld Hunt came to question him, doubt grew in his mind. Inquisition trials were speedy. The old monk could see no reason why to delay his trial, unless somehow his daughter was still alive. The Wyld Hunt would not need him if his daughter if her soul was consumed by demons. As the old disgraced monk watched the sunlight from the slit window travel across the wall, hope grew in his heart. Perhaps Sorrowful Fig was still alive. And perhaps she could find it in her heart to forgive him.


Outside the temple prison, a figure waits. Immaculate Robes long gone, Sorrowful Fig raises her hood over the stubble of her growing hair. She winds the Jade Prayer Beads, the parting gift from her father, tighter around her wrist. She is sure this is a trap. Yet, Fig will not leave her father in danger if she could save him.

[wonderandawe]

Nellens Ryo – Supernal Bureaucracy Eclipse

Character Sheet

((Ryo started out as an idea to create an Eclipse with Stealth instead of Presence. I’ve tried to create this character many times in games, but failed. It’s hard to find a Solar game set on the Blessed Isle and this concept needs to be set there. So I started my own Blessed Isle game.))


Life was good for Nellens Ryo. He had a comfortable position in the Thousand Scales. He managed to come to an understanding in his arranged marriage. He had a Guild merchant lover who would visit enough to keep his satisfied, but not so often to annoy his wife. He had a beautiful daughter with a good chance of Exaltation. He went to temple every high holy day and was an Immaculate of good standing. Ryo had everything a mortal man could desire.

Except Ryo was bored. He graduated at the top of his class at the Spiral Academy. Only a few Dragonblooded were ahead of him. He always took pride in his accomplishments. Yet once he left school, Ryo found his well-paid position in the Thousand Scale to be dull and his Dragonblooded supervisors, stupid. In hindsight, Ryo wondered if his dissatisfaction with life lead him to his current predicament.

As Ryo sat in another worthless meeting, he plotted on how he could find a more interesting job. His father-in-law taught at the Spiral. Maybe he could help Ryo find a teaching position there? Ryo’s name was spoken and he focused on the meeting. His supervisor assigned him to reorganize the evidence. Ryo hid his frustration. It would take hours to go through the files and he would have to work late again.

The office emptied out and Ryo was left alone. He lit a candle and placed it in a glass lamp. Then he began the long job of reorganizing the files. As Ryo sorted through the files, he saw a pattern forming. He glanced up at the map of probable smuggling routes. It was wrong. He pulled a pin and moved it to a new location.

Hours later, Ryo understood the entirety of the smuggling operation. To his chagrin, he even played a minor role in it, as his guild merchant lover was involved. Her arrest was going to be an awkward conversation. Satisfied with a job well done, Ryo reached over to snuff out the lamp.

But the lamp was already out.

Ryo’s heart stopped when he realized Ryo himself was illuminating the room. His hand glowed with golden sunlight. In a panic, Ryo backed away and knocked over the files he just painstakingly organized. He slid down into the corner, when he realized he could not run from himself.

He was Anathema.

After a moment of pure panic, Ryo got himself under control. His anima faded and he was able to think. He could not think any immoral actions that would make him susceptible to demonic procession. Yes, he was not perfect, but everyone thought the occasional uncharitable thought about Dragonblooded. That couldn't cause this. Otherwise, the entire mortal population of the Threshold would be Anathema. Neither he nor his wife kept their marriage vows, but taking lovers was to be expected in an arranged marriage.

Ryo considered his options. Escape to the Threshold wouldn’t work. He couldn’t abandon family and responsibilities here. Ryo could fix this. Obviously, he was still in control of his own mind. The demon had not taken fully hold yet. Ryo would become the perfect Immaculate. For an hour each morning, Ryo would mediate. He would go to all the services. He would be deferential to his Dragonblooded masters. No animal flesh would pass his lips. Ryo would even sign up for those silly Martial Arts classes the monk keeps harassing him about.

While Ryo never did sign up for those Martial Arts classes, for the next year, he was a model Immaculate. He arranged for his Dragonblooded supervisor to take the credit for busting the smuggling ring. He meditated. He ate cleanly. He even gave up sex, not this his wife noticed. Yet the Anathema never went away. Ryo tried to keep his head down and not attract attention at work. Despite his best efforts, Ryo experienced moments of brilliance. His supervisors noticed but instead of suspecting him of heresy, they promoted him.

Ryo acquired a copy of the Immaculate Texts and began to study them on his own time. That was when he realized there were contradictions. Seems like the monks could not decide if all the Dragonblooded were slaves of the Anathema or too holy to bend to their will. Ryo never heard the monks preach on this contradictions.

Perhaps the Immaculate Texts were wrong.

Perhaps Ryo was not on the verge of demonic possession.

Was Ryo another type of Exalt? If so, then this whole Wyld Hunt was detrimental to the Realm. With the Empress gone, the Scarlet Empire needed every Exalt it could get. Imagine how much Ryo could do for the Empire if he did not have to hide his abilities. Ryo looked back and realized how shallow his life was before his Exaltation. Teaching position at the Spiral. Bah. Ryo had bigger plans now.

Ryo got to work. He grew his network of contacts until he knew the moment a Solar exalted. Those who were ill-suited to his task, he sent to the Wyld Hunt. Others who were shining examples of what Solars could do for the Realm, he hid for now. With their help, Ryo could achieve his goal of changing the way the Realm viewed Anathema.

[wonderandawe]

All done! I got a full circle of Solars and a better handle on the charms.

I did a bit of analysis on these characters to see if I could find any trends.

Three characters are physical primary. One Mental Primary. One Social Primary. (I don't get to play Physical Primary often. I'm usually the player willing to switch concepts to fill a niche. )
No character has Thrown favored.
Four out of five characters have Ride favored. Only one character has a ride charm.
Three characters have Athletics, Awareness, Dodge, Larceny, Lore, Melee, and Survival favored.
No Archery, Investigation, Larceny, Medicine, Presence, Thrown, or War charms were bought. (I probably should focus on those abilities if I make another set of characters.)

The Night Caste concept needs the most work. After looking over her character again, Shiri should be Supernal Awareness. I probably should drop brawl, buy Archery charms for her. I suspect I didn't go this route as my last long term Exalted character was a high awareness archer.

As a Circle, Peleps Nadia is the hardest to integrate into the circle. All the other characters are land based. With three of the characters having strong ties to the Immaculate Order, it seems the Circle's best bet would be to cause a social change within the Order itself.