Ari of Burning Silver

Name: Ari of Burning Silver
Concept: Maligned Forgemaster

Motivation: To prove one of his creation's supremacy against a being of immense power and skill

Intimacies (7/10): Craftsmanship (Pride), The Duelist's First Lesson (Ownership), Silverheart Duelling Society (Contempt), Lord Arqus (Hate), Lady Salish (Pity), his Family (Love)

Exalt: Solar

Caste: Dawn

Anima: A shower of sparks and blades erupting from fire

Background

Appearance: A tall, tanned man with a surprisingly wiry build and reddish beard. Beard bishounen, deal with it.

Bio: The City of Ralfassar, located in the south of Creation, is noted for its prevalence of duelling societies and culture among the nobility, mortal and Dragonblood. Swordsmanship is considered the mark of high breeding and competence. Duels with light, slashing blades are common, often used to settle disputes, trial by combat, and as entertainment and spectacle. Part gentlemen's club, part fenching school, the societies integrated with the greatest of families, and gained tremendous power as a result. One of the larger cadre, the Silverheart Duelist's Society, has since lost favour, due to a rather embarrassing incident that not only shamed one of its members, but brought the Wyld Hunt knocking at its door.

Lord Arqus joined the society at a young age, the scion of a wealthy family famed for its famous duelists. As was customary, he contributed assets to further to society: his family weaponsmith, Ari, who took employ in the organization one of its smiths. The duelists were impressed with this donation – Ari was dedicated to his craft, and understood weapons in a way that suggested the hand of some diety. He properly blessed the little gods of his newly created weaponry, honed his weapons to perfection, before testing them out himself with some of the trainers. His skill with a blade was great, for a blacksmith, and he could often demonstrate its qualities himself, rather than relying on an instructor.

His Lord, however, was a different story. The man was a poor duelist, not for a weakness of body or a dullness of mind, but out of intemperence. He was too aggressive, neglecting defence and favoring more power and speed over finesse and defense. He would repeatedly attack, ignoring changing tactics, and fail. He failed to live up to the high expectations that were placed upon him, and became something of a joke among his peers.

Arqus often come to Ari when he lost, along with his instructors. He felt the weakness in his technique lay not in his style, but in the weapon he wielded. He requested better and better blades for duels, critically assessing its speed and grace in combat. But in his own hands, its design was misused. Over time, Argus became more and more convinced that Ari's weapons were unsuited for him, and that he required a blade perfectly designed for him to allow him to unlock his inner potential. He waved away Ari's suggestions of how to best use his weapons, as a blacksmith would know nothing of the high art of duelling. Instructors were wary to criticize him too harshly, lest the family withdraw their support (and Ari). He began to speak ill of Ari's weapons, and even openly slandered him in the clubs.

Ari, though loyal to the family that sponsored him, grew irate with his charge's inability to see his own flaws. Finally, he decided that, if the boy would not learn by word, he would learn by blade.

The opportunity came at a high-profile duel, between Lord Arqus and his rival, Lady Sarish. Sarish, a long-haired, dark-skinned woman of slim build, was physically the match of Arqus, but had a far more cool, cynical demeanor tempered by her family's wealth and vice connections. She approached life with boredom, and her lack of interest in the theatrics of duelling left her lacking in traditional rivals or suitors – only Argus, enraged by her dry, unimpressed gaze and emasculating comments with hatred and rage. The duel has a special rule, that each duelist be presented with their sword at the start of the fight, and no earlier, to better show general skill. It was to Arqus' detriment, but Ari's gain.

Sarish received a long, silvered sword, forged by one of the blacksmiths with little decoration, to emphasise her to-the-point attitude. As Ari brought his own blade up, a hush went over the crowd – the silken drape was extremely long and wide, rolled in on a wheeled platform, far larger than most weapons. Arqus, merely thinking that it was a more elaborate case to show off, pulled it aside without thought.

What lay beneath it was no fine rapier or katana. Nearly six feet long, the weapon's crested blade was thick, almost a light crescent, its blade extended down across the grip to the pommel, partially eclipsing a crossguard that was a mockery of a rapier swallowed by a grandiose blade. It was a golden-gilded, terrible monstrosity, Flametongue words etched in silver along its length, which Ari translated.

“Great masters learn this, the Duelist's First Lesson: aim to hit your opponent.”

Laughter filled the room, longer than many would admit. Even Sarish chuckled at the display. Arqus was far less amused, and tried to strike down Ari with his own creation – and unsurprisingly failed to even budge the great golden blade. The laughter quickly died, however, as the insult sank in.

Arqus railed at Ari, declaring he should be put to death for insulting the school with such a weapon, which amused the blacksmith up until Sarish echoed the sentiment. She declared the weapon an insult to the dueling society, and the entire tradition – a barbarian's weapon, it declared a mockery of their style and beliefs, and their reputations. As others began to echo them, what should have been fear in Ari became anger.

All became silent as he grasped his creation, and lifted it to fore with little effort. His forehead erupted in golden light, as he brandished the blade, yelling that, if they wouldn't learn the lesson, he would teach them himself.

Arqus gaped, and would have been smashed aside with the flat of the blade if Sarish hadn't shoved him aside. She declared Ari anathema, and rushed to kill him; the blacksmith caught her blade with his crossguard and broke it with enough force to knock her to her knees. Her arm broken from the force and bleeding from the cut, Ari moved out of the compound, slashing aside the duelists who attempted to surround him with glowing contrails of light. Most retreated, wounded or with broken weapons – they were not used to being harmed. Ari exited with a few cuts from their rapiers and left the best of the Silverhearts with their pride bleeding.

He left the city soon after that, taking his mother and father and brother and sister from the city using money he'd saved from his weaponsmithing. As he travelled, he came to terms with his new power – the Solar Exaltation. With it, he found that his swordsmanship was supernaturally potent, able to swing with impeccable accuracy. He also found that his craftsmanship was taken to phenomenal levels – he was able to force weapons of peerless design. Better, he found his dabbling in other crafts became easier – jewellcutting, woodcraft, and even calligraphy came easily to him. He quickly became greatly proficient in all crafts, but preferred weapons and armour to anything else.

On his journeys to find a home for his family and to find new weapons, he travelled from place to place, taking jobs as a craftsman for travel money and to support them. When he couldn't do that, he took mercenary work. He carried some choice weapons alongside him, but he preferred his ornate Lesson for true battles – the weapon became a legend along with him as he taught tenants of battle to his foes and watchers. He came to worship as a legendary craftsman, taking the name “Ari of Burning Silver', for the silver filigree on his signature weapon. He eventually grew in power from the prayers, as did his weapon – his dedication to it had changed it, partially transmuting it into strange gold that hummed with power.

After months of searching and growing depression, he came across a castle sitting in the desert, surrounded by quicksand. Not dissuaded by the quicksand moat, he used one of his wagons as a jumping point to get across and climb up before the mud consumed him. Making his way inside, he confronted the current inhabitant – an erymanthoi tasked with guarding the hearthstone dais. His attempt to evict Ari led to him impaled on the First Lesson, to contemplate it as he was shoved off the golden blade and into the quicksand below.

After claiming the gem, and raising the drawbridge to allow his family to enter, Ari took stock of his new home. The fortress contained a great forge, equipped to crafting weaponry and armour for armies. Using the tools present there, he forged many things, but two exquisite works – An orichcalcum hammer, and a coat of brown leather fitted with enchanted golden plates. He also found sufficient gardens and land in the castle grounds for subsistence, and nearby towns.

He lived there for some time, making weapons with his now-further-enhanced skills, ensuring sufficient income for his family to live. However, his understanding of weaponry was not enough – he longed to do more, to find great weapons and to prove his own creations greater in combat. And so he left, leaving his family well provided for, and headed onward to seek further artifacts. Further, he seeks a means to forge even greater or more fantastical weapons; one option he's since learned in his travels is the secrets of Gossamer crafts, the Fair Folk secret of forging thoughts and dreams into real things in the Wyld. He hopes to put this to use to create some greater thing.

Artifacts: First among his artifacts is The Duelist's First Lesson, the weapon created as part of his Exaltation. The weapon has actually grown since then, transformed my his essence and deeds into something far greater – a giant, grandiose weapon that embodies both the insult it was created as, and the skill of its craftsman to having it as a functional greatsword. The grand daiklaive is his weapon of choice when facing truly powerful foes - for no small reason that it remembers those it fights, showing reflections of their skill and training in its surface.

For lesser enemies, he tends to use immaculately designed mundane weapons. For serious fights, he uses his goremaul, Knowledge Hammered Into Form, a large, golden hammer gilded with bands of steel and ruby insets on the pommel. Thought too ostentatious to be a true blacksmith's hammer, it is a symbol of his craft, and enhances it; he maintains it and uses it as a prelude to greater things.

His preferred armour is the reinforced buff jacket he found in the manse, which he dubbed the simply the Craftsman's Coat. It's made from deep brown leather, with golden plating and a similar steel outline to the hammer. It's enchantment ensures all of his tools and effects in its pockets are within reach, and easily attainable.

Cult: Ari has spread his creed through the weapons he's created. He's produced swords for heroes seeking to protect their homes or defeat bandits, and other weapons as well; he ensures every weapon is identifiable as his own. Further, he often teaches swordsmanship and craftsmanship, along with lessons on duelling and the philosophy of weaponry. His skill has earned him some small measure of worship, and many revere him as a patron of craft, self-perfection, and pride. The energies from this has contributed to his power.

Manse: The Craftmaster's Arsenal is an Earth-aspected manse, located in a rocky portion of desert along the south. This fortified hold of reddish sandy stone lies in the center of a quicksand lake, a square hold on a rock island. Stone bridges can rise from the sand to allow entry, before sinking to make traversing difficult.

The manse was designed as both an outpost and as a resupply for arms. With several mining towns nearby, it can survive quite well. Ari's family currently live within, and trade with the surrounding settlements or work there.

Resources: Ari's money is made through the creation of weaponry, but through whatever other crafts he can get jobs for. He's most known for his swords, and tends to command a high price for them. He carries several impeccable-quality weapons of varying types with him, stored in Elsewhere.

Stats

Core Power

Essence: ***

Personal: 17/17

Peripheral: 27/39

Attuned 12

Willpower: ***** *** (36)

Virtues (28)

Compassion ** (5)

Conviction *** (9)

Temperance ** (5)

Valour *** (9)

Virtue Flaw: Heart of Flint (Conviction)

Armaments

The Duelist's First Lesson (Grand Daiklaive) Speed 5, Accuracy +3 (12), Damage +12 (16/5 L), Defense +1 (5), Rate 2,Tags 2,O,P, R

Power:Stores images of sword styles its fought against in reflections in the blade (Reduces combat style and Charm training times against those he's fought against)

Knowledge Hammered Into Form (Goremaul) Speed 5, Accuracy +2 (11), Damage +14 (18/5 B), Defense +2 (5), Rate 2,Tags 2,O,P

Power:Functions as a Perfect smithing tool for Craft (Fire) (+3)

Soak

Total 15/10/9, Hardness 9/9, Mobility -1, Fatigue 0

Natural 3/1

Craftmaster's Coat (Reinforced Buff Jacket) 12/9/9, Hardness 6/6, Mobility -1, Fatigue 0

Power:Can retrieve any item stored in its pockets instantly regardless of location or clutter

Melee DV 5 Dodge DV 4

MDV 7

Manse

The Craftsmaster's Arsenal

Jewel of the Master's Hand (+4 Craft Earth, +2 other Mundane Crafts, +1 esoteric Crafts)

Earth-Aspected

Creation Points: 6

Fortress (2) (Three Hazard 3 defenses – blade traps, quicksand moat, pit traps)

Workshop Manse (Fire) (3)

Magical Conveniences (Maintains weapons) (1)

Attributes

Physical (Secondary, 0/52)

Strength ****

Dexterity ****

Stamina ***

Social (Tertiary, 0/40)

Charisma ***

Manipulation **

Appearance ****

Mental (Primary, 0/80+12)

Perception ***

Intelligence *****

Wits *****

Abilities

0/114

Dawn (Caste)

Archery * (3)

Martial Arts * (3)

Melee ***** (19) Single Combat +1 (3)

Thrown * (3)

War ***** (19)

Zenith

Integrity *** (Favoured) (7)

Presence * (3)

Resistance **** (Favoured) (12)

Twilight

Craft ***** (Favoured) (Fire, Air, Earth, Wood, Water, Gossamer) (19) Weaponry (Fire) +*** (9)

Craft (Earth) +**** (Hearthstone)

Craft (Fire) +** (Hearthstone), +*** (Artifact), +2 autosux (Charm), specialty as listed above

Craft (Air, Wood, Water) +** (Hearthstone)

Craft (Gossamer, other esoteric) +* (Hearthstone)

Lore *** (7) (Favoured)

Occult *** (7) (Favoured)

Night

Athletics ** (5)

Awareness * (3)

Dodge * (1+2)

Eclipse

Linguistics * (Low Realm, Flametongue) (3)

Ride * (0+3)

Backgrounds

Total: 0/21

Artifact (Grand Daiklaive) *** (9)

Artifact (Goremaul) ** (6)

Artifact (Reinforced Buff Jacket) ** (6)

Cult ** (0+6)

Manse (Jewel of the Master's Hand) *** (0+9)

Resources *** (0+9)

Charms

Total: 0/100

Melee

First Melee Excellency (1m per) (8)

Second Melee Excellency (2m per sux) (8)

One Weapon, Two Blows (3m) (8)

Peony Blossom Attack (3m) (8)

Call the Blade (Permanent – 1m) (8)

Summoning the Loyal Steel (1m) (8)

Thousand Arms Prana (1m) (0+8)

Dipping Swallow Defense (2m) (8)

Bulwark Defense (5m) (8)

Heavenly Guardian Defense (8m) (6+2)

Final Sunset Stance (1m) (0+8)

Perfected Battle Array (Permanent) (0+8)

War

Third War Excellency (3m) (0+8)

Elegant Dance of Bow and Blade (Permanent) (8)

Dawn King's Strife (Permanent) (0+8)

Supreme Martial Instinct (Permanent, 1wp) (0+8)

Resistance

Whirlwind Armour-donning Prana (1m) (8)

Craft

First Craft Excellency (1m per) (8)

Object-Strengthening Touch (5m) (8)

Durability-Enhancing Technique (3) (8)

Craftsman Needs no Tools (7m, 1wp) (0+8)

Peerless Paragon of Fire (Permanent) (0+8)

Starting XP

Total: 160

Wits to 5 (12+reserve 4)

Dodge to 1 (2+reserve 1)

Resources to 3 (9)

Cult to 2 (6)

Heavenly Guardian Defense (2+reserve 6)

Manse to 3 (9)

Essence to 3 (16)

Willpower to 8 (36)

Dawn King's Strife (8)

Supreme Martial Instinct (8)

Perfected Battle Array (8)

Thousand Arms Prana (8)

Third War Excellency (8)

Craftsman Needs no Tools (8)

Peerless Paragon of Fire (8)

Final Sunset Stance (8)

Ride to 1 (3)

XP Gained

Session 1: 4 xp

Session 2: 4 xp + 3xp

Earned: 11

Spent:0

Reserve: 11