Auspicious Lion
AuspiciousLion.pngAuspiciousLionMortal.png
Name: Auspicious Lion
Player: Obsidian Overlord
Caste: Dawn
Concept: Wandering Hero
Motivation: Become a hero so great as to gain the attention of the Unconquered Sun.
Anima: Red-and-Gold Lion

ATTRIBUTES

PHYSICAL
Strength: 4
Dexterity: 4
Stamina: 3

SOCIAL
Charisma: 3
Manipulation: 1
Appearance: 3

MENTAL
Perception: 3
Intelligence: 2
Wits: 4


ABILITIES

DAWN
*Archery:
*Martial Arts: 3
*Melee: 4(Swords +2)
*Thrown:
*War: 2

ZENITH
*Integrity: 4
Performance: 3
*Presence: 3
*Resistance: 2
Survival: 1

TWILIGHT
Craft:
Investigation:
Lore: 1
Medicine:
Occult:

NIGHT
*Athletics: 2
*Awareness: 3
Dodge: 1
Larceny:
Stealth:

ECLIPSE
Bureaucracy:
Linguistics: 2(Riverspeak; Forest-tongue, Old Realm)
Ride: 1
Sail:
Socialize:


ADVANTAGES

BACKGROUNDS
Artifact 3(Varan's Triumph)
Artifact 2(Orichalcum Lamellar)
Artifact 2(Orichalcum Thunderbolt Shield)
Artifact 2(Orichalcum Skin-Mount Amulet)
Artifact 1(Hearthstone Compass)
Manse 5(Gem of Perfect Mobility)
Resources 2

CHARMS
First Melee Excellency
Third Melee Excellency
Hungry Tiger Technique
One Weapon, Two Blows
Dipping Swallow Defense
Bulwark Stance
Third Integrity Excellency
Temptation-Resisting Stance
Phoenix Renewal Tactic
Second Performance Excellency
Second Presence Excellency
Monkey Leap Technique
Ox-Body Technique

COMBOS
Triumphant Assault: First Melee Excellency + Hungry Tiger Technique + Dipping Swallow Defense(1+m, 1w)

VIRTUES
Compassion: 2/2
Conviction: 3/3
Temperance: 2/2
Valor: 4/4

VIRTUE FLAW: Foolhardy Contempt
LIMIT: 0/10
WILLPOWER: 7/7
INTIMACIES: Freedom(protect), Justice(uphold)

ESSENCE: 3
Personal: 16/16
Peripheral: 25/25(38)
Committed: 13
Skin-Mount: 10/10

WEAPONS
Varan's Triumph(w/Gem of Perfect Mobility)
Speed 3(5), Accuracy 15(+5), Damage 12L(+8L), Parry DV 7(14; +4), Rate 4(4), turns dice from channeling Valor to aid actions using it into successes

Fine Straight Sword
Speed 4(3), Accuracy 13, Damage 7L, Parry DV 6(11), Rate 2

DODGE DV: 4/3(8/7/6)
MENTAL DODGE DV: 7(14)

SOAK
11L/14B(Orichalcum Lamellar, 10L/11B; -1 mobility penalty; and Orichalcum Thunderbolt Shield, +3 to DV)

or

6L/6B(Fine Breastplate, 5L/3B; -1 mobility penalty; fatigue penalty 1; and target shield, +1 to DV; -1 mobility penalty)

HEALTH
-0/-1/-1/-1/-2/-2/-2/-2/-4/Inc

MERITS & FLAWS
Merits: Past Lives 1
Flaws: Known Anathema 7

EXPERIENCE
Banked: 0
Spent: 27
Total: 27

PURCHASES

War: 1>2 = 1
Survival: 1>2 = 2
Total: 3

Third Melee Excellency = 8
Temptation-Resisting Stance = 8
Total: 16

Triumphant Assault Combo( First Melee Excellency + Hungry Tiger Technique + Dipping Swallow Defense) = 5
Total: 5

Temperance: 1>2 = 3
Total 3

TOTAL: 27

MANSES
Level 5 Solar Manse; Hearthstone: Gem of Perfect Mobility; Powers: Magical Conveniences(1), Greater Veil of Shadows(4), Alternate Locations(5; North: A mountain valley between Gethamane and Whitewall; East: Island on the Yellow River near Great Forks; South: Oasis south of Chiaroscuro; West: Island between Wavecrest and the Neck; Center: Cavern in the Imperial Mountain)

Appearance: Auspicious Lion is a tall, good-looking young man with medium-length blonde hair and bright blue eyes. He's dressed in a sleeveless white shirt and baggy red pants tucked into sturdy leather boots, and a wide red headband covering his forehead. Over his clothes he wears brilliant orichalcum armor made of overlapping plates, and a tattered red cape is draped over his shoulders. On his back is a double-edged orichalcum daiklave, and on his right shoulder is a diamond-shaped orichalcum shield in the form of an oversized pauldron that extends down to his elbow. The back of his left hand holds an orichalcum socket in the shape of an eight-pointed sunburst, with a square, faceted red gem set into it on a diagonal angle.

Varan's Triumph(Artifact •••)
Auspicious Lion recovered this blade from an ancient ruin, led to it by his memories from the First Age. This daiklave's double-edged blade is perfectly straight up until the final foot or so, where it meets the diamond-shaped end of the blade. The cross-guard and pommel have a similar diamond-ended design, with a hearthstone socket set in the center of the crossguard. Lion's past life memories confirm that this daiklave was originally crafted for and wielded by Varan Pen, but while it is a superior weapon compared to a standard daiklave, its power seems minor compared to some of the ancient weapons wielded by other Exalted from the First Age. Whether it was a weaker daiklave that Varan Pen used in his earlier days or Lion simply has been unable to uncover its full power has yet to be determined. When the wielder of this daiklave channels Valor to aid an action that uses Varan's Triumph(attacking or defending with it, or other actions involving the direct use of the weapon), it converts the bonus dice normally recieved from channeling a Virtue into automatic successes.

Speed 5, Accuracy +5, Damage +8L, Defense +4, Rate 4, Minimums: Strength 2, Attunement 5

Background: Auspicious Lion was born in a small farming village in the southern portions of the Hundred Kingdoms. He was named after the circumstances of his birth, when his crying was answered and calmed by a lion's roar, heard off in the distance. Despite his conspicuous beginnings, he may have remained in his village, tilling the soil for his whole life, were it not for his brother.

Older by six years, his brother, Red Falcon, Exalted as a Fire Aspected Dragon-Blooded at the age of sixteen, surprising everyone in the village. It didn't take him long to leave the village, driven by his fiery passions to seek adventure. He returned often, though, and engaged the people of his home with stories of amazing sights and incredible exploits. Auspicious Lion was inspired by his brother's tales more than anyone, and dreams of greatness occupied his thoughts, despite his unExalted status.

Auspicious Lion's eighteenth year came and went, and although he had grown into a strong young man, any expectations of a second Prince of the Earth being reborn in his family quickly waned as he came into his twenties. This didn't dampen Auspicious Lion's spirits, however, and he remained as resolute as ever, learning swordsmanship from lessons taught by his brother whenever Red Falcon returned home. But Auspicious Lion did not appear to have the opportunity his brother had to leave and go adventuring, as the necessities of mortal life weighed down on him. Until the Fair Folk came.

One night, when Red Falcon was away from the village, a Fair Folk noble and his retinue of hobgoblins raided the village, stealing children and slaying anyone who resisted. At least, until Auspicious Lion stepped up. He was a skilled swordsman by this time, but still only mortal, and when the noble decided he might prove something of a challenge, it seemed he was doomed. But then the sun began to rise, and as Unconquered Sun's gaze fell upon him, he was Exalted. And so, burning with the righteous fury of the sun, he struck down the Fair Folk noble, and rallied the villagers to cut down the hobgoblins and save their children.

Once the heat of battle had gone, his mind was flooded with images of lives long past. Great victories against unspeakable horrors, wondrous journeys to every corner of Creation and beyond, and terrible betrayals of the worst kind, not the betrayal of the Dragon-Blooded, but his own Solar brethren's betrayal of the Unconquered Sun. He knew now what his passion for greatness should be turned towards. He would redeem himself and all of the Chosen of the Sun in the eyes of the world, and with that regain the favor of the Unconquered Sun and turn his gaze towards Creation once more.

PLOT HOOKS

1. Auspicious Lion's last First Age incarnation was Varan Pen, a Solar hero of the First Age who resisted the madness and decadence that claimed his peers more than most. His afterlife was no less virtuous, as he became a hero in the Underworld, fighting the forces of Oblivion until the First and Forsaken Lion captured him and forged him into his soulsteel grand daiklave. Auspicious Lion remembers the heroism and integrity of Varan Pen, and it has inspired him to take up his First Age self's quest to be able to face the Unconquered Sun without shame. The First and Forsaken Lion might not be so happy to see Varan's heroism endure despite the efforts he took to do away with the one who reminded him what it once meant to be one of the Chosen. Auspicious Lion would be no less upset to find out about the horrible fate of his Exaltation's previous holder, and would likely hold a vendetta against the Lion for it, especially if his memories of the First Age revealed the Lion's living identity to him.

2. Auspicious Lion's brother, Red Falcon, is somewhere out in the Scavenger Lands. Whether he knows of Lion's Exaltation or his exploits isn't sure, and neither is how is brother will react to Lion becoming one of the Anathema and likely outstripping his brother because of it, despite Red Falcon's greater experience. Lion hasn't run into his brother yet, due to spending much time in other portions of Creation, but he hopes to see him again one day, because he was the one who inspired him. Lion doesn't want to follow in his brother's footsteps, though, but forge his own path, driven by his individualism and the memories of Varan Pen.

SOUNDTRACK
Bonnie Tyler - Holding Out For A Hero
Judas Priest - One Shot at Glory
HammerFall - Hearts on Fire
Skillet - Hero

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