Cathak Basq

Basics

Name: Cathak Basq/Larval Maelstrom
Concept: Veteran safeguarding Creation
Caste/Aspect: Fire
Motivation: Live well and protect creation
Intimacies: Civilians, mortals
Anima Banner/Totem: Roiling, oil-black smoke and guttering, red flames
Anima Effect/Tell: The taste of ash and a faintly increasing warmth
Experience: 38/40

Background

A rising star of House Cathak, Basq has already somewhat attained a reputation as a sound tactician and respectable swordsman. Born at just the right time, Basq was engaged early on to a young woman of House Peleps named Early Winter, cementing a corsair-mercenary deal between the two. Indeed, both children were exceptionally well-bred, and the marriage looked to be prosperous and excellent for both families. Exalting near the beginning of his primary school, Basq was one of the youngest Exalts in his school, proof of his excellent breeding, something his family were extremely happy about. Growing into a fine, young man, he married Winter soon after graduation; the two failed to have a child, leading to Winter-- who never exalted-- commiting suicide at 25. Upset by the loss, Basq set himself firmly into military training, graduating from the House of Bells and going on to a prestigious wing of the military; serving in a number of campaigns, Basq moved around creation, fighting wherever it served House Cathak; he faced off against Guild operatives in the south, savages in pitched battles to the north, Western pirates and everything that served house Cathak. His tour of duty took him vast distances, and he's seen an awful lot. Basq has recently retired from active service for personal reasons.

Appearance

Medium-height, around five-foot nine, but as well built as most military men. Thick, wiry muscles as tough as car tyres, built up from relentless and untiring hard labour. Dull, grey eyes, like burned paper, and smoky-black hair. Ruddy skin with a grey-ish tinge, mainly due to being covered with a fine layer of ash: washing removes this for about a quarter of an hour, before it naturally reforms. His clothing also often smells of smoke. Greying teeth and thin lips over a fairly large, roman nose. One of his eyebrows is slightly higher than the other, and his forehead is more wrinkled than his age would suggest. He grows a beard, but can't seem to manage a moustache.

Attributes

Strength  ●●●●      Charisma     ●●●       Perception   ●●●●
Dexterity ●●●●●     Manipulation ●         Intelligence ●●●
Stamina   ●●●       Appearance   ●●●       Wits         ●●

Abilities

Linguistics ●●    Awareness ●●●    Athletics ●●●   Bureaucracy         Archery   ●
Lore  ●●●         Craft            Dodge  ●●●●●    Investigation ●●    Medicine  ●    
Occult            Integrity        Melee  ●●●●●    Larceny             Performance ●
Stealth           Resistance ●●●   Presence  ●●●   Martial Arts ●      Ride     ●   
Thrown            War  ●●●         Socialize ●●    Sail                Survival    

Specialties

Melee - Multiple Opponents ●
Melee - Sword ●
Dodge - Multiple Opponents ●
Dodge - Finding Cover ●

Backgrounds

Breeding ●●●●●
Artifact ●●●●
Resources ●●
Connections ●●●
Reputation ●●●

Charms

Dragon-Graced Weapon
First Melee Excellency
Threshing Floor Technique
First Dodge Excellency
Safety Among Enemies
Ringing Anvil Onslaught
Glowing Coal Radiance
Virtuous Negation Defence

Essence

Essence: ●●●
Regeneration: 8 resting
Personal Essence Pool: 14
Peripheral Essence Pool: 33
Committed Essence: 17

Willpower

Willpower: ●●●●●●
Temporary: □□□□□□

Virtues

Virtues:

• Compassion ●●
  
• Conviction ●●●
  
• Temperance ●
  
• Valor ●●●
  

Flawed Virtue: Conviction
Limit Break: □□□□□□□□□□

Inventory

Jade Reinforced Breastplate 3
The Arsenal of Ineluctible Devastation 5

Special Items

The Arsenal of Ineluctible Devastation (3 each, or 5 for the pair.)
The Arsenal of Ineluctible Devastation is a much cherished relic of the Bereshith family of House Basq. A twinned pair of jade Reaper Daiklaives, the Arsenal was forged by the great ancestor, General Cathak MaGost, to alow him to more effectively apply his own skills as a swordsman to the battlefield. Since their forging, the design has been copied a handful of times, but the design is still rare.
The Arsenal's two weapons, the Veil of Ragged Ribbons and Towerbutcher, both have a minor ability individually, but allow a distinct advantage when weilded together. Both weapons are formed of jade, inset into silver and gold hafts.
The Arsenal's more offensively-based weapon is Towerbutcher, a fearsome weapon with as much in common with a reaver daiklaive as a reaper daiklaive. Long and wickedly curved, the weapon's black jade blade is that of a machete, sweeping and flowing into the silver and gold of the handle. Towerbutcher ignores the target's hardness on a strike, including- and especially- those of buildings.
The Veil of Ragged Ribbons is longer and thinner than the Arsenal, and is much less ferocious-looking; indeed, the blue-jade Veil is the offhand weapon, made to turn aside incoming blows as much as to kill. The Veil applies a +1 bonus to the weilder's DVs while wielded, including as an offhand weapon. It is incompatible with any form of shield.
Combined, the weapons work together, working to overcome the hazards of the battlefield and keep the weilder safe. Both weapons protect the weilder from attacks, cutting down arrows and knocking aside blows even as they lunge forward: the wielder takes no penalty to DV for attack actions. Finally, the weapons can also be used to launch a weak elemental bolt for one mote. This deals only one point of lethal damage if it hits, but it travels quickly and brightly, acting as an effective flare. This counts as a miscellaneous action.

				Speed	Accuracy Damage	Defence Rate	Min.	Attune	Cost

Towerbutcher			4	+4	 +5	+1	5	Str 2	8*	3*

The Veil of Ragged Ribbons 	4	+4	 +5	+3**	3	Str 2	8*	3*

*-1 as a pair

**+1 additional DV

Combat

Dodge DV: 6.5
Parry DV: 7.5
Soak:
Hardness:

Health

□ -0
□ -1
□ -1
□ -2
□ -2
□ -4
□ Incapacitated

Advancement

8 xp on Stamina 3 20 xp on Essence 3
10 xp on Ringing Anvil Onslaught