Post by Bal on Jan 21, 2013 23:51:15 GMT
Name: Alard Holte
High Concept: Cerulean Star Soul-Rifted Celestial Huntsman
Trouble: A House Divided
Starting Refresh 1
Physical Stress 3
Mental Stress 4
Social Stress 4
Magical Stress 4
Background: Good Family Name
The Church of the Watcher has always been seen as heretical by some, mad by others, or even simply as a doomsday cult; sometimes even by members of its own congregation. Today the name means all but nothing, but 500 years ago no man, woman or child could look out their window at night without thinking, at least in the back of their minds, about this clandestine religious order. The guardians against the monsters, the things that went bump in the night... but that is ancient history.
The Order still exists in some form today, though its size has dwindled since an ancient conflict that saw what many would think as the last of the world's monsters and their masters brought to the knee and struck down. Now the Church seeks to find its place in a world that seems to have no need of its guidance. All but the Pact of the Cerulean Star, the militant, secular organisation of monster hunters and scholars who were the public face of the Church to non-believers. Their sages still seek the astrological charts for the birth of individuals, marked by divine will as individuals destined to undergo the Ritual of Rifting. Individuals such as Alard Holte.
Holte was an unassuming young man, raised the son of a merchant in a village perhaps a weeks ride from Duplikest, given the best education and training in things both physical and cerebral, as befits the eldest son of a successful merchant, and mayor of the small settlement. As such, in his childhood years his way was paid through some of the best academies in Duplikest, where he studied alongisde his siblings, of whom there were four. At the age of thirteen Alard was confronted on a trip through town by a man dressed in the tell-tale blue robes of an organisation he had been reading about in ancient historical texts. A man who would open his eyes to the truth of the world, and show him that the star-shaped birthmark on his forehead was more than a simply happenstance of skin colouration...
Rising Conflict: No More Heroes
The man that Alard encountered that fateful day went by the name of Maester Conbehrt, a ranking member in the Cerulean Star who had been sent by his superiors to seek out the man who bore the order's mark, showing Alard an almost identical marking on the back of his right hand, though his was more distinct and obviously lined and shot through with glowing blue arcs of magical energy.
Alard, naturally a questioning and speculative man had many questions, which Conbehrt was happy to answer over a flagon of ale or two. It became very obvious that, while many people did not seem to care much for the mark on the Maester's hand, a few of the more studied professors from the academies steered clear of him muttering under their breath of heresy and madness.
The Order to which Conbehrt belonged had, for many centuries been considered, at best, unnecessary and, at worst, dangerous by those both within and outside the structure of the Church which they served. Monsters, demons, soul-rifting... it was all rather far-fetched as far as Alard was concerned and he bid this rather obviously insane man a swift farewell as the stories he told grew ever more... worrisome.
However, that day had marked him and while travelling home that night he found himself alone in the streets of Duplikest, which seemed less familiar than they always had before, until he was assaulted by a creature that seemed, for all intents and purposes, to be a stone gargoyle come alive. The young man had no hope of survival, he could not fight and call as loud as he might no-one came to his aid.
No-one except Maester Conbehrt who called forth... something, some creature from within himself which glowed with what could only be considered a divine power. The creature and Alard's assailant did battle while Conbehrt dragged the injured young man out of the conflict to tend his wounds. At that moment... Alard realised there were no more heroes in this world... none save the Cerulean Star, and that their warnings were true.
The Story: Unchained and Unflinching
Exhausted and battered, Alard had slipped into a somewhat restless sleep after his traumatic exposure to the dangers that still lurked in the darkness of even the most civilised city in his part of the world. When he awoke he found himself in what could best be described a monastery, being tended to by a young nun who informed him that when he felt well enough to stand, Maester Conbehrt wanted to see him.
Conbehrt explained that, if he was willing, Alard had been chosen to undergo the Rite that gave the warrior-priests of the Cerulean Star their divine powers, and their constant companions, 'eidolons' forged from a pact between their soul and the Divine power of the Watcher. Apprehensive, but fully realising that if only certain individuals who were pre-destined could take up arms in this role, Alard agreed, despite his reservations. But Conbehrt was fine, what reason would he have not to be?
The ritual of soul-rifting is different for every person, but the Order aids its participants on the journey into their own soul, and communion with the Watcher and his servants by administering an alchemical and herbal mixture of relaxants and hallucinogens to encourage a dream-like state whereby the participants mind is opened to the visions of the Soul, and of the Watcher.
For many, the experience of the ritual is a life-changing, somewhat traumatic experience, but those who return with their minds intact are blessed with great power, as well as great responsibility. Alard's trip into the depths of his soul showed him the truth of the man that he was, but no-one ever likes what they see.
Within the depths of his soul, a conflicted place where logic and education stir alongisde the realisations that had been levied upon him, Alard found a great white beast, saddled and chained and tormented. This beast was the shard of his soul that was to become his Eidolon his sense of freedom, chained and tormented by hordes of ghostly figures. It was a fitting image, considering that all his life the man had felt trapped by his birth, born to wealth and influence, and thus always shepherded down the course that life had dictated, the eldest son set to inherit his father's empire. Fitting then that in order to begin his new life he must rescue his freedom, embrace it and ride out into the unknown. However, such things are rarely easy, and Alard became locked in 'combat' with the aspects of his life and his own personality that stifled his ability to be free, to make his own choices in life. The faces of his father, his tutors, even a dark version of himself taunted and challenged his resolve. And ever on the edge of his sight, he saw that monstrous creature that had almost laid him low, mocking his meagre attempts. However, with an unwavering resolve he beat back the darkness of the encroaching doubts and with each mental riposte, each spiritual strike, the chains binding the great creature shattered and grew weaker.
Alard was in his soul-rifting trance for almost six hours, and many feared he would be locked within his own soul forever, but whether by skill or simple stubbornness, the young man prevailed, the last chain of binding being broken upon the creature, who spoke to him.
"Mortal. My name is Rielach. I am servant of He Who Watches... you have proven your worth, and opened your soul. I will join with you, and we shall become as one..."
And with that, Alard awoke in a cold sweat... and his initiation into the Cerulean Star was complete.
Guest Starring:No aspect yet
Will be generated by an in-game story
Guest Starring Redux:No aspect yet
Will be generated by an in-game story
Skills:
Great (+4): Conviction, Lore
Good (+3): Discipline, Investigation, Moshu
Fair (+2): Alertness, Athletics, Endurance, Weapons
Average (+1): Contacts, Presence, Rapport, Resources, Scholarship
Stunts:
Person of Conviction (Conviction): Your social presence is tightly rooted in your identity as a person of deep faith. You may use Conviction instead of Presence to determine your social stress capacity.
Finely Tuned Third Eye (Moshu): Your “sixth sense” that can perceive the presence of a supernatural presence is unusually sensitive for a mortal. Gain +2 to your Moshu whenever using it as an Alertness substitute to pick up on the presence of the supernatural.
Powers:
Soul-Rifted [-3]
Marked By Power [-1]
Guide My Hand [-1]
Inspirational Art:
Linked from source to give credit to the artists
Alard: yamao.deviantart.com/art/Toneldren-193319877
Rielach: cghub.com/files/Image/249001-250000/249308/886_max.jpg
High Concept: Cerulean Star Soul-Rifted Celestial Huntsman
Trouble: A House Divided
Starting Refresh 1
Physical Stress 3
Mental Stress 4
Social Stress 4
Magical Stress 4
Background: Good Family Name
The Church of the Watcher has always been seen as heretical by some, mad by others, or even simply as a doomsday cult; sometimes even by members of its own congregation. Today the name means all but nothing, but 500 years ago no man, woman or child could look out their window at night without thinking, at least in the back of their minds, about this clandestine religious order. The guardians against the monsters, the things that went bump in the night... but that is ancient history.
The Order still exists in some form today, though its size has dwindled since an ancient conflict that saw what many would think as the last of the world's monsters and their masters brought to the knee and struck down. Now the Church seeks to find its place in a world that seems to have no need of its guidance. All but the Pact of the Cerulean Star, the militant, secular organisation of monster hunters and scholars who were the public face of the Church to non-believers. Their sages still seek the astrological charts for the birth of individuals, marked by divine will as individuals destined to undergo the Ritual of Rifting. Individuals such as Alard Holte.
Holte was an unassuming young man, raised the son of a merchant in a village perhaps a weeks ride from Duplikest, given the best education and training in things both physical and cerebral, as befits the eldest son of a successful merchant, and mayor of the small settlement. As such, in his childhood years his way was paid through some of the best academies in Duplikest, where he studied alongisde his siblings, of whom there were four. At the age of thirteen Alard was confronted on a trip through town by a man dressed in the tell-tale blue robes of an organisation he had been reading about in ancient historical texts. A man who would open his eyes to the truth of the world, and show him that the star-shaped birthmark on his forehead was more than a simply happenstance of skin colouration...
Rising Conflict: No More Heroes
The man that Alard encountered that fateful day went by the name of Maester Conbehrt, a ranking member in the Cerulean Star who had been sent by his superiors to seek out the man who bore the order's mark, showing Alard an almost identical marking on the back of his right hand, though his was more distinct and obviously lined and shot through with glowing blue arcs of magical energy.
Alard, naturally a questioning and speculative man had many questions, which Conbehrt was happy to answer over a flagon of ale or two. It became very obvious that, while many people did not seem to care much for the mark on the Maester's hand, a few of the more studied professors from the academies steered clear of him muttering under their breath of heresy and madness.
The Order to which Conbehrt belonged had, for many centuries been considered, at best, unnecessary and, at worst, dangerous by those both within and outside the structure of the Church which they served. Monsters, demons, soul-rifting... it was all rather far-fetched as far as Alard was concerned and he bid this rather obviously insane man a swift farewell as the stories he told grew ever more... worrisome.
However, that day had marked him and while travelling home that night he found himself alone in the streets of Duplikest, which seemed less familiar than they always had before, until he was assaulted by a creature that seemed, for all intents and purposes, to be a stone gargoyle come alive. The young man had no hope of survival, he could not fight and call as loud as he might no-one came to his aid.
No-one except Maester Conbehrt who called forth... something, some creature from within himself which glowed with what could only be considered a divine power. The creature and Alard's assailant did battle while Conbehrt dragged the injured young man out of the conflict to tend his wounds. At that moment... Alard realised there were no more heroes in this world... none save the Cerulean Star, and that their warnings were true.
The Story: Unchained and Unflinching
Exhausted and battered, Alard had slipped into a somewhat restless sleep after his traumatic exposure to the dangers that still lurked in the darkness of even the most civilised city in his part of the world. When he awoke he found himself in what could best be described a monastery, being tended to by a young nun who informed him that when he felt well enough to stand, Maester Conbehrt wanted to see him.
Conbehrt explained that, if he was willing, Alard had been chosen to undergo the Rite that gave the warrior-priests of the Cerulean Star their divine powers, and their constant companions, 'eidolons' forged from a pact between their soul and the Divine power of the Watcher. Apprehensive, but fully realising that if only certain individuals who were pre-destined could take up arms in this role, Alard agreed, despite his reservations. But Conbehrt was fine, what reason would he have not to be?
The ritual of soul-rifting is different for every person, but the Order aids its participants on the journey into their own soul, and communion with the Watcher and his servants by administering an alchemical and herbal mixture of relaxants and hallucinogens to encourage a dream-like state whereby the participants mind is opened to the visions of the Soul, and of the Watcher.
For many, the experience of the ritual is a life-changing, somewhat traumatic experience, but those who return with their minds intact are blessed with great power, as well as great responsibility. Alard's trip into the depths of his soul showed him the truth of the man that he was, but no-one ever likes what they see.
Within the depths of his soul, a conflicted place where logic and education stir alongisde the realisations that had been levied upon him, Alard found a great white beast, saddled and chained and tormented. This beast was the shard of his soul that was to become his Eidolon his sense of freedom, chained and tormented by hordes of ghostly figures. It was a fitting image, considering that all his life the man had felt trapped by his birth, born to wealth and influence, and thus always shepherded down the course that life had dictated, the eldest son set to inherit his father's empire. Fitting then that in order to begin his new life he must rescue his freedom, embrace it and ride out into the unknown. However, such things are rarely easy, and Alard became locked in 'combat' with the aspects of his life and his own personality that stifled his ability to be free, to make his own choices in life. The faces of his father, his tutors, even a dark version of himself taunted and challenged his resolve. And ever on the edge of his sight, he saw that monstrous creature that had almost laid him low, mocking his meagre attempts. However, with an unwavering resolve he beat back the darkness of the encroaching doubts and with each mental riposte, each spiritual strike, the chains binding the great creature shattered and grew weaker.
Alard was in his soul-rifting trance for almost six hours, and many feared he would be locked within his own soul forever, but whether by skill or simple stubbornness, the young man prevailed, the last chain of binding being broken upon the creature, who spoke to him.
"Mortal. My name is Rielach. I am servant of He Who Watches... you have proven your worth, and opened your soul. I will join with you, and we shall become as one..."
And with that, Alard awoke in a cold sweat... and his initiation into the Cerulean Star was complete.
Guest Starring:No aspect yet
Will be generated by an in-game story
Guest Starring Redux:No aspect yet
Will be generated by an in-game story
Skills:
Great (+4): Conviction, Lore
Good (+3): Discipline, Investigation, Moshu
Fair (+2): Alertness, Athletics, Endurance, Weapons
Average (+1): Contacts, Presence, Rapport, Resources, Scholarship
Stunts:
Person of Conviction (Conviction): Your social presence is tightly rooted in your identity as a person of deep faith. You may use Conviction instead of Presence to determine your social stress capacity.
Finely Tuned Third Eye (Moshu): Your “sixth sense” that can perceive the presence of a supernatural presence is unusually sensitive for a mortal. Gain +2 to your Moshu whenever using it as an Alertness substitute to pick up on the presence of the supernatural.
Powers:
Soul-Rifted [-3]
Marked By Power [-1]
Guide My Hand [-1]
Inspirational Art:
Linked from source to give credit to the artists
Alard: yamao.deviantart.com/art/Toneldren-193319877
Rielach: cghub.com/files/Image/249001-250000/249308/886_max.jpg