Cathak Basq

Basics

Name: Cathak Basq/Larval Maelstrom
Concept: Veteran safeguarding Creation
Caste/Aspect: Fire
Motivation: Keep Creation safe, by any means necessary
Intimacies: Chivalry, Oppression(N)
Anima Banner/Totem: Roiling, oil-black smoke and guttering, red flames
Anima Effect/Tell: Corona of fire
Experience: 44/55

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 - committing 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, mostly on account of house Cathak's thuggish ruthlessness with money; he feels disillusioned with the military way of life. He has always seen the role of the military as used to protect others, but after one-too many missions motivated entirely by greed or petty vengeance, Basq can no longer reconcile his being in the army with his moral nature.

Throughout his life, Basq has had to tolerate the mistreatment of mortals- his wife badgered to suicide by disgusted family, his friends in school limited to whom those who had exalted, or intimidating sataparies for a few slivers of jade. This has left him extremely sympathetic towards mortals in particular and civilians in general: he sees the role of the military as being made to protect the innocent, and he will do anything to uphold this ideal (as he knows almost no-one else in the Dynasts have any reason at all). Cold as a tactician, Basq carefully analyzes projected casualties and is a little overconfident with the strength inherent in any group he leads, often leading to casualties.

Appearance

Medium-height, around five-foot nine, but as well built as most military men. Thick, wiry muscles as tough as car tires, built up from relentless and untiring hard labor. Dull, gray eyes, like burned paper, and smoky-black hair. Ruddy skin with a gray-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 under 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 mustache. His black hair is greased back, and lacks shine, hanging low and a little lifelessly. Facially, he's handsome, with high cheeks and a big grin; his features are expressive - sometimes a little cartoonish - and he generally looks benign.

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 - Claws ●●●
Archery - Claws ●●●
Languages learned: High Realm, Low Realm, Riverspeak

Backgrounds

Breeding    ●●●●●
Artifact    ●●●●
Resources   ●● 
Reputation  ●● 
Manse       ●●●●
Arsenal     *
* = free dot

Charms

Glowing Coal Radiance
Threshold Warding Stance
Hopping Firecracker Evasion
Virtuous Negation Defense
First Melee Excellency
Dragon-Graced Weapon
Threshing Floor Technique
Ringing Anvil Onslaught

Essence

Essence: ●●●
Regeneration: = 20-24 (or 12-16?).
= 4/hour; +4/resting; +2(Hearthstone1)/hour; +2(Hearthstone2?)/hour.
Personal Essence Pool: 17
Peripheral Essence Pool: 33
Committed Essence: 16

Willpower

Willpower: ●●●●●●
Temporary: □□□□□□

Virtues

Virtues:

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

Flawed Virtue: Valor
Limit Break: □□□□□□□□□□
Limit Break: I Am Awesome
I'm strong, and I'm unafraid of failure. I can't fail. No matter what I do! Why not show off in everything?
For the next scene, I'll spend motes like they were nothing, take risks just for fun, and show off at every opportunity, sensible or not. Nothing is obviously superior to me in any way I have any talent in (I talk and act like I have twice as many dots in everything), subterfuge is at an all-time low, and nothing is impossible for me or anyone I have any respect for, who I treat with the same overconfidence.
Of course, a sound thrashing or other humiliating, crushing defeat will quickly snap me out of this, but it's got to be pretty crushing... those sort of things normally end a scene, anyway. Having to flee battle on account of 6 health levels gone is a good example.
What triggers this? Mostly having to stop a plan because it's "too risky" or things along those lines. That always pisses me off. It's not too risky for us!

Inventory

Black Jade Gauntlets of Distant Claws, Swathecutter (Artifact ●●●)
These fingerless gauntlets of a dark alloy do not restrict manual dexterity in the slightest. There are three depressions on the metal of the back of the hand. The gauntlets always come in pairs and require four motes each to attune. Although the gauntlets do not look like weapons, a character wearing them may reflexively extrude three sharp steel claws from the depressions in the back of one gauntlet or both. These make fearsome weapons, add two dice to climbing rolls and may be retracted reflexively.
Alternately, the character may fire the central claw of either gauntlet as a projectile, which remains connected to the gauntlet by a thin, nearly unbreakable chain. These claws can serve as weapons or grappling hooks, striking with enough force to pierce armor or embed themselves in walls and ceilings. Retracting a fired claw is a reflexive action and occurs with great force. The character can cause the claw to release its grip and return; otherwise, either the object attached to the claw flies to the character or the character flies to the claw as the chain winds up, depending on which is better secured. Using this method to move rapidly counts as the character’s move action in a tick.

	Speed 	Accuracy Damage Defense Rate 	Minimums 	Attune 	Tags
Melee 	5(4)	+2 	 +5L 	+4 	3 	Str ●, Dex ●●● 	8* 	M
Range 	5(4)	+2	 9L 	1 	15 	— 		8* 	F**, P

Jade Hearthstone Bracers (Artifact ●●) +3 to dodge, -1 to weapon speeds. Attune: 4.

Jade Reinforced Breastplate (Artifact ●●●)

Soak 		Hardness Mobility Fatigue Attune Tags
+10L/9B         8L/8B 	 -1	  0	  4

Bolster of Restful Vigilance (Arsenal ●) - While sleeping upon the pillow, the user suffers no penalty to non-sight Awareness rolls.

Candent Carbuncle (Manse ●●●●)- One of the older Manses owned by Basq's family, it may have been built by Basq's ancestors. It is a wide building that goes underground rather than up in the air, and has an inn built onto its roof.
Stone of Airwalking(Manse ●●●●)- An old Manse that has changed owners - and families - throughout the years, the Tower of Dawn's Greeting is old and grand. It's been with the Cathak family as long as Basq, and was a gift from the Peleps. It is likely going to be considered Basq's one, one day; it is currently only attended by a handful of dragon-blooded, and acts in part as a warehouse.

Combat

Dodge DV: 7.5

> (Dexterity 5 + Dodge 5 + Essence 3 + Dodge bonus 3 + Mobility -1)/2 

Parry DV: 7.0

> (Dexterity 5 + Melee 5 + Accuracy 4)/2 

Soak: 12/12
Hardness: 8/8

Attacks

Black Jade Gauntlets of Distant Claws

	Speed 	Accuracy Damage Defense Rate 
Melee 	4	+17* 	 +12L† 	+4 	3 
Range 	4	+13**	 +13L††	1 	15

* Dexterity 5 + Melee 5 + Accuracy +4 + Claw Specialty +3
** Dexterity 5 + Archery 3 + Accuracy +2 + Claw Specialty +3
† 5L + Strength 3 + Candent Carbuncle (+4L)
†† 9L + Candent Carbuncle (+4L)

Health

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

Advancement

3 xp on Archery Specialty- Claw 1
3 xp on Melee Specialty- Claw 3
8 xp on Stamina 3
20 xp on Essence 3
10 xp on Ringing Anvil Onslaught