[hider=Salomé "Xiuyáng" Solari][center][h2][u] Salomé "Xiuyáng" Solari [/u][/h2] [img]https://i.imgur.com/Qt5SBkM.png[/img][/center] [b][center][color=steelblue]"I don't see a law against profiting from doing good. What I do see are a lot of excuses from very wealthy failures standing in my way."[/color][/center][/b] [hr][hr] [center][h3][url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uvU_RbOo3E8]♫ Nightless City Guara Bobelo ♫[/url] [b] Age 19 | F | Revidian | Merchant | RAS 8.41[color=lime]+0.25[/color] | 181[color=lime]+32[/color] Manas [/b] [/h3][/center] [h3][u]P E R S O N A L I T Y [/u][/h3] [indent]❖ Inscrutably Motivated ❖ Implacably Shrewd ❖ Caustically Contrarian ❖ Dubiously Witty ❖ The Nightlife ❖[/indent] [h3][u]T H E R U M O R M I L L [/u][/h3] [color=steelblue][b]"I don't spread rumors about myself. That's just a rumor."[/b][/color] Rumor has it that if you wander the streets of Mudville at night, inquiring about a certain "Five-Tailed Fox," the locals will point you in a general direction—and if you're lucky, a woman of indistinguishable ethnicity will appear to give you aid for whatever you require, for the right price. Make no mistake, though—you do not find the Five-Tailed Fox. The Five-Tailed Fox finds [i]you[/i]. Of course, that's just a rumor. There is no Five-Tailed Fox. The locals are playing a prank. If one were to grow frustrated in their search and inquire about a "Six-Tailed Fox," however—well then, they might get somewhere. Meet Xiuyáng. She's a bit of an oddball, or as the sailors say, a fish out of water. Though it could accurately be said that her complex family history leaves her with no place to fully belong, that suits a habitual traveler like her just fine; in fact, someone like her can go just about anywhere—and though her odd appearance may raise many questions, none of them would be too serious or inconvenient—merely curious. This is her strength. Her vaguely ethnic face blends into almost any crowd you'd find at any port in the Ensollian Sea. Nothing to see here—just another traveling merchant, on a very normal business venture. Pleased to make your acquaintance. Though she comes from a wealthy family, she hides it well, dressing and acting more like her merchant father than her noble mother. Though she is, in theory, a magician with markedly high potential, she doesn't flaunt it; some even say she once paid the Little RAScals a modest fee to spread a rumor that she'd been invited to join them. Though she is young, she gives off an air of being wise beyond her years, her face seemingly tailored by Oraff himself to perfectly wear a knowing wink and smirk. Her devil-may-care attitude belies a quiet, deadly strength. She knows when to play up her shady, cutthroat merchant act, implying that her services will require a dire price to be paid—to reserve her hidden kindness and generosity for those who truly deserve and need it. In all, she keeps everything close to her chest, her cards always hidden from prying eyes. Everything one thinks they know about Xiuyáng is equally likely to be either the truth or a misdirection. Xiuyáng associates with very few and trusts even fewer. It's only recently that the wider student body has even become broadly aware of her existence. [h3][u]B U S I N E S S A N D P L E A S U R E [/u][/h3] [color=steelblue][b]"Sure, I'll lend you some hats—as many as you can balance on your head. No, I [i]am[/i] talking about the currency. Now hold still, I need to concentrate."[/b][/color] Like her father, Xiuyáng is a shrewd businesswoman, always on the lookout for opportunities not seen by the untrained eye, listening in on a variety of conversations for any juicy gossip she may encounter. She frequents the streets of the markets, the alleys of port towns, and the parties of the upper class in equal measure. She keeps a low profile, but those in the know will take note of her presence—and more importantly, her absence. If she's absent at an event that everyone else in her circle is swarming to, there may yet be something even more interesting going on elsewhere, behind the scenes. Either she's scheming something big, or she's at an even wilder, secret party, likely getting drunk with some yasoi friends. Some say she doesn't truly get drunk, merely absorbing the alcohol by drawing from it and using it for some subtle, deceptive magic that'll get [i]others[/i] talking—but that's a rumor. While she's smart with money, Xiuyáng isn't what one would call a miser. She'll gladly pay full price for quality goods and services, and leave the bargain bins and flash sales for those who need such things to make ends meet. It's simply an aspect of her dedication to the ways of the gods. While she is an open but innocuous critic of the church, she is profoundly spiritual. Broadly speaking, she mostly adheres to the Quentic faith, but draws some inspiration from the Angic Way, believing that balance in life and self is important to both religions. After all, the most coveted fate one can be assigned after death is reserved for those who pleased all five gods equally. Her interest in the beliefs of the yasoi's Chosen Creed—and the sixth—is just a rumor. Don't believe those kids. [h3][u]A T R O U B L E D S O U L ? [/u][/h3] [color=steelblue][b]"If I told you that you owed me a favor because I gave you a Gift, you'd look at me funny. It's not a Gift if you owe me. Why, then, do we apply different standards to the gods?"[/b][/color] That's how some of the more "religious" practitioners of the Quentic Faith would describe Xiuyáng, anyway. She's a good-natured and well-meaning child of the faith who's just a hair or two off the straight and narrow road; a little patient, gentle correction will set her right. Most others see her as an innocuous religious progressive with the vapid opinions typical of youth. She's in a rebellious, edgy phase, and she'll grow out of it and wise up eventually. In reality, Xiuyáng does seriously consider other worldviews, and has nothing but disdain for the secrecy of the church, and the academy. They keep so many secrets—openly and arrogantly—that it begs the question of just how many secrets are kept in absolute secrecy. So far, though, she hasn't made any bold attempts to unveil those secrets—at least none that anyone knows about, or that came to any sort of fruition. She also definitely has no involvement in any high-profile protests that never officially happened, and whose instigators were never seen again. That's not even a rumor at this point, it's just straight up slander. [h3][u]S O P H O M O R I C W I T [/u][/h3] [color=steelblue][b]"To catch fish, cast a net. To teach music to a crab, castanets."[/b][/color] [i]Sophomore: from Thalak 'sophos' (clever or wise) and 'moros' (foolish). A wise fool.[/i] Intelligent and philosophical—but young and yet inexperienced—Xiuyáng spouts both profoundly wise proverbs and a unique brand of abject nonsense in equal measure. Some say this is just yet more misdirection, and she's secretly a genius. That's just a rumor, though. In reality, she still has quite a lot of growing left to do. While she's quite "knowledgeable" in history, politics and religion, and is always expanding her repertoire of cultural experiences—ultimately, this so-called wisdom is highly derivative of the (albeit diligent) studies of a child of the upper crust of society, with little experience to back her confidence—which is, perhaps, the sharpest edge of her mind: the charm and wordsmithing skills to convince [i]others[/i] that she knows what she's talking about. To some degree, she still lacks the "bullshit filter" of the truly wise; one may want to find a polite excuse to leave the room when she starts going on and on about something she heard while "accidentally" eavesdropping on the Truth-Seekers Society. Of course, she's not actually a member—nor does she periodically disguise herself as a variety of first-year students who only visit the club once and never return. Xiuyáng is much too busy for something silly like that. [h3][u]U N F I L T E R E D F U N [/u][/h3] [color=steelblue][b]"Don't try to butter me up—unless we're making sandwiches—in which case, you butter me [i]right[/i] the fuck up—[i]capito[/i]?"[/b][/color] While Xiuyáng is viewed in much the same light as a comically useless rebel without a cause, it is widely known that she is a wild party animal and a drunkard to boot, and this is generally more concerning to others with an eye for the well-being of the students. It can't be helped, some say, knowing she essentially spent all of her teenage years surrounded by sailors, and even longer shadowing her father's business deals at extravagant drinking parties. What can she say, she's a fun little thing with a taste for the fun juice, and she'll drink you under the table. She also knows how that sounds, and is totally here for it. Xiuyáng actively seeks out people and places to relax, chill and vibe. Her quiet disdain for the pompous manners and ceremony required in the presence of nobles is nonetheless quite strong, and a sailor's mouth is what to expect when she lets her hair down, especially if she's genuinely drunk. In her mind, it's all part of her spiritual philosophy. Study hard, party hard—and as it happens, her preferred crowd to hang with is the yasoi. She finds their hunger for new life experiences endearing, and their culture fascinating to a fault. Perhaps she even feels some measure of belonging with them, as an eternal traveler in both a physical and spiritual sense—but that's just a rumor. Really, the [i]Yasoi'riimel[/i] are just fun to be around. [h3][u]L A N G U A G E S [/u][/h3] [color=steelblue][b]"Go ahead, call me a dumb bitch in a language I [i]don't[/i] understand. I'll wait."[/b][/color] Xiuyáng is well-traveled, as is her heritage and her birthright. As such, she's fluent in not just Avincian and Revidian, but Torragonese and Rettanese—and by extension, can read and write a good amount of Nikanese as well. She's also quite competent with Virangish and Perrench, able to navigate various forms of negotiation just fine. Her Inipori and Belzaggic are barely passable at best, and her Eskandish is, how do you say... [i]mjög slæmt[/i]? No, that's not the one. Anyway, you get it. She's trying to learn the yasoi language as well, but it's proven difficult for her. Learning languages was much easier when she was younger. [h3][u]C H A R A C T E R A P P E A R A N C E [/u][/h3] [center][img]https://i.imgur.com/5KjUUSJ.png[/img] [color=steelblue][b]"We both know I'm nothing worth looking at, so... why are you staring? Idiot."[/b][/color][/center] Xiuyáng is not your traditional pretty girl or classy lady. She keeps her hair short and most of her body covered, despite her ostensibly open personality. Some even say that her true appearance has never been seen, but that's just a rumor. Other rumors include that she's secretly a Bloodchild, or a yasoi with dwarfism, or that she has some horrific disfiguration or skin disease, or that she's a Sanguinaire protecting herself from the sun, or that she has Blackrot and covers herself to protect others from being drained to death. Still others, especially the girls, say that it's a simple case of low confidence or breast envy. Rumor has it she's been seen hanging with the Corpse Flowers once or twice. Honestly, nobody knows why she's so shy or secretive about her figure, but one thing is certain: in both appearance and spirit, she's "one of the boys." Her manner of dress is a cultural hodgepodge. It's quite an eye-catching conversation piece—which, given her mercantile tendencies, is probably the primary function, rather than being fashionable abroad—though it is a nice side effect. She keeps everything but her hands and the upper half of her face—she's proud of her mother's eyes, if nothing else—covered at all times. She's also rarely seen without a medicine box strapped to her right hip (as is tradition, so that one makes the sign of Oraff when administering first aid, for good luck). As one of the more skilled students in binding magic, she sees it as something of a responsibility to always be quietly available to assist in any medical incidents, leading many to question where she suddenly appeared from. It violates her rule of staying low profile, but what can you do. When her fellow students are up to no good and somebody starts bleeding, it's her moment to shine. [h3][u]T H E G I F T [/u][/h3] [color=steelblue][b]"With just a bit of magic, and a lot of creativity, you can outshine the reverse."[/b][/color] [table=bordered][row][cell][colour=white]Base RAS[/colour][/cell][cell][colour=white]Augmented RAS[/colour][/cell][cell][colour=white]HP[/colour][/cell][cell][colour=white]Blood Types[/colour][/cell][cell][colour=white]Items[/colour][/cell][/row][row][cell]8.41[/cell][cell]8.66[/cell][cell]45[/cell][cell][color=#E4C99A]Facemimic[/color] [color=#636775]Devourer[/color] Photonite [color=crimson]Red Symbiosis[/color][/cell][cell]4 Item Slots[/cell][/row][/table][table=bordered][row][cell][colour=white]School[/colour][/cell][cell][colour=white]Speciality[/colour][/cell][cell][colour=white]Tier[/colour][/cell][cell][colour=white]Base[/colour][/cell][cell][colour=white]Offensive[/colour][/cell][cell][colour=white]Defensive[/colour][/cell][/row][row][cell][colour=FFD700]Magnetic[/colour][/cell][cell][i]{Speciality}[/i][/cell][cell]0. Neophyte[/cell][cell]{BASE d#}[/cell][cell]{AugRas#d# + Offense Mods}[/cell][cell]{AugRas#d# + Defense Mods}[/cell][/row][row][cell][colour=FF8C00]Arcane[/colour][/cell][cell][i]Pyromancy, Illusory, Luminescent[/i][/cell][cell]VI. Expert[/cell][cell]d17+6[/cell][cell]d17+7[/cell][cell]d17+7[/cell][/row][row][cell][colour=FF0000]Binding[/colour][/cell][cell][i]Healing: Corporeal, Material: Creation, Material: Destruction[/i][/cell][cell]VI. Expert[/cell][cell]d17+6[/cell][cell]d17+6[/cell][cell]d17+6[/cell][/row][row][cell][colour=BA55D3]Chemical[/colour][/cell][cell][i]{Speciality}[/i][/cell][cell]III. Apprentice[/cell][cell]d17+3[/cell][cell]d17+3[/cell][cell]d17+3[/cell][/row][row][cell][colour=1E90FF]Kinetic[/colour][/cell][cell][i]{Speciality}[/i][/cell][cell]I. Novice[/cell][cell]d17+1[/cell][cell]d17+1[/cell][cell]d17+1[/cell][/row][row][cell][colour=00FF00]Atomic[/colour][/cell][cell][i]{Speciality}[/i][/cell][cell]0. Neophyte[/cell][cell]{BASE d#}[/cell][cell]{AugRas#d# + Offense Mods}[/cell][cell]{AugRas#d# + Defense Mods}[/cell][/row][row][cell][colour=800000]Blood[/colour][/cell][cell][i]Generation, Fleshcraft[/i][/cell][cell]VII. Master[/cell][cell]d17+7[/cell][cell]d17+7[/cell][cell]d17+7[/cell][/row][row][cell][colour=FFFFF0]Temporal[/colour][/cell][cell][i]{Speciality}[/i][/cell][cell]II. Tyro[/cell][cell]d17+2[/cell][cell]d17+2+Adv[/cell][cell]d17+2+Adv[/cell][/row][row][cell][colour=000000]Dark[/colour][/cell][cell][i]{Speciality}[/i][/cell][cell]0. Neophyte[/cell][cell]{BASE d#}[/cell][cell]{AugRas#d# + Offense Mods}[/cell][cell]{AugRas#d# + Defense Mods}[/cell][/row][row][cell][colour=808080]Command[/colour][/cell][cell][i]{Speciality}[/i][/cell][cell]0. Neophyte[/cell][cell]{BASE d#}[/cell][cell]{AugRas#d# + Offense Mods}[/cell][cell]{AugRas#d# + Defense Mods}[/cell][/row][row][cell][colour=a0410d]Primordial[/colour][/cell][cell][i]{Speciality}[/i][/cell][cell]0. Neophyte[/cell][cell]{BASE d#}[/cell][cell]{AugRas#d# + Offense Mods}[/cell][cell]{AugRas#d# + Defense Mods}[/cell][/row][/table][table=bordered][row][cell][colour=white]Extra[/colour][/cell][cell][colour=white]Description[/colour][/cell][/row][row][cell][colour=white]Fruit:[/colour][/cell][cell][i][u]Wild Cherry[/u]:[/i] Twice per cycle/encounter, the bearer of this fruit may completely negate any bonuses, effects, or advantages that are not naturally a part of her opponent and their abilities and come from items, potions, or other external sources. [i][u]Candied Cherry[/u]:[/i] Three times per cycle/encounter, the bearer may roll with advantage and +3, so long as she is making use of any items, potions, or other external factors that apply bonuses, effects, or advantages that are not naturally a part of her. [i][u]Loon's Call[/u]:[/i] Thrice per scenario, prevent combo defenses and negate all related positive effects. [i][u]The Flame[/u]:[/i] The Hearthkeeper's Signet, her fiery mark engraved in Torch Emerald. If in a location they can reasonably consider a 'home': Allows its bearer to act with the same range as a tethered for two actions per scenario. Their [FLEE] can be converted into a [NEGATE] and once per scenario an enemy's [NEGATE] can be turned into a [FLEE]. User and allies within the 'home' gain advantage on defensive, healing, perception and stealth rolls. Wherever they call home, whether temporary or time immemorial, they will feel safe. It will be harder to track them and break through their barricades. All those within will feel invigorated by the hospitality and warmth. [i][u]Eelpout (Pure)[/u]:[/i] For each action you take during a battle, one point of the largest (dX) you roll is converted to a flat bonus instead of rolled for. This stacks until the end of a scenario. Favors Binding and Atomic Magics with +5 points of foresight to be distributed as she sees fit over the course of each scenario. [i][u]Level Two (26-50%)[/u]:[/i] severe headache, irritability, and tinnitus for a day; bloodshot eyes, mild headache, irritability for up to a week, effectiveness or # of uses of sacred fruits halved, one stack of [ADDICTION][/cell][/row][row][cell][colour=white]Other:[/colour][/cell][cell][b]Used Scenario Reroll:[/b] No [b]Used Cycle Reroll:[/b] No [b]Used Arc Reroll:[/b] No [b]Used Negate:[/b] No [b]Crown of the Burning Monkey King:[/b] Passive +1 Skill Modifier Tier to non-Cryogenic Arcane Spells. [b]Shielding Dance of the Monkey King:[/b] Negate up to 6 damage twice per scenario. [b]Vampiric Rancor:[/b] Curses the opponent to take the same tier of damage repeatedly each turn until they heal. [b]Clean Breathing:[/b] Immunity to inhaled substances. [b]Water Breathing:[/b] Immunity to drowning while submerged in water. [b]Voice Alteration:[/b] Passive use of Sonic Break and Sonic Bend when speaking. The voice synthesizer is malfunctioning. [b]Weggosi Relaxation:[/b] Passive immunity to sense and mood-altering effects. [b]Extrasensory Perception:[/b] Ability to see through solid barriers and hear through sonic barriers. [b]Temporal Clairvoyance:[/b] Allows the user to cancel an undesirable roll and choose a different action, 3 times per cycle. [b]Third Eye:[/b] Automatically pass any perception roll, twice per scenario. [b]Second Chance:[/b] Store power, up to 10, each time a dice threshold is not met. A second chance at fate. [b]First Founder's Advantage:[/b] X advantages for each level of difference in magic schools. Advantage against illusions. [b]First Founder's Perception:[/b] Steal up to 5 points from anyone involved in a collective perception roll, friend or foe. [b]First Founder's Omniscience:[/b] Ingesting anything from a living being will provide complete knowledge of their physical traits. [b]Toasty Inferno:[/b] Double advantage and +2 against cryomancy. Single advantage against stasis. Wearer will always be warm. [b]Blue Sky Witch's Foresight:[/b] When drawing for Blood magic, store up to 5 points. Use within 2 rounds. Burning Dash effect. [b]Blue Sky Witch's Advantage:[/b] Offensive blood magic used with an illusion will roll advantage on both hit and damage modifiers. [b]Blue Sky Witch's Regeneration:[/b] For each blood magic defense, a free dX heal, with X equal to the user's skill in Binding. [b]Better Half:[/b] Exchange places with Ciro Volta, provided he's been informed through the mirror and agreed and prepared to swap. [b]Death Pact Soup:[/b] Tie the user's life force to others. They may die only when she dies. One time use. [b]Ipte's Eyeshadow:[/b] Grants Rosebud effects. Advantage on social rolls. [b]Minerva's Sweater:[/b] Grants her rider d4 healing each time they assist. [b]Ghost Pepper:[/b] d4 offensive actions in a row once per cycle. If a 1 is rolled, reroll or check notes. [b]Refreshment:[/b] Repair any item, restore its effects, refill any container, or heal a person. [b]Second Wind:[/b] Once downed, you get back up with 1 hp. One time use. [b]Gurkenpunsch:[/b] Punches through shields and applies ⅓ of the damage dealt, rounded up as DoT for d5 turns. [b]Antimagic Cuffs:[/b] Disrupts the manas of the wearer. Use on a subdued opponent. [b]The Negotiator:[/b] +2 on insight checks and negotiation checks. Ransom Demand bonus. [b]The More the Merrier:[/b] Attack (4/5d8) to steal 16+d32 manas from a target. Chug to acquire manas. 4 separate targets, 96 max. [b]Chug chug chug:[/b] Drinking provides a random buff or debuff (d6) 4 times per scenario:[list] [*]Advantage on next action [*]+6 on any action this turn [*]Double action on your turn [*]8 HP instant heal [*]Double Disadvantage [*]-6 on your next action[/list][/cell][/row][row][cell]Mana Types:[/cell][cell][i][b]Facemimic:[/b][/i] [b]Description:[/b] A mana type that is able to latch onto foreign manas and convert the surrounding cells to transform into a copy of the other manas' host. The targets must have an at least somewhat similar DNA make-up. Makes for near instant identification of mages: RAS, manatypes. Transformation is slow and often painful, if too many foreign manas are consumed, the transformation runs the risk of becoming permanent. [b]Mechanical effects:[/b] When using Facemimickry, adopt the opponent's mana types and RAS as your own. Costs an action in combat. Cannot be used to transform into other races or species. While transformed, the user's skill levels in all magics remain the same, but all skill modifier tiers are effectively reduced by one. [i][b]Devourer:[/b][/i] [b]Description:[/b] Most often in West Severa, 6/1000 - Devourers are notable for having generally high capacities (over 7.6) but being slow at drawing. Their manas are highly aggressive toward foreign or invasive substances, relentlessly attacking them. This is a double-edged sword, as it sometimes leads to severe and unwarranted allergic reactions. At its best, however, it renders Devourers virtually immune to all forms of poison and most forms of illness and disease. [b]Mechanical effects:[/b] Any effects, positive or negative, associated with toxins or maladies are negated, unless they are purpose-built to attack Devourer manas. Viral mana types not inherited at birth are strongly resisted. Internal Chemical attacks have their skill modifier reduced by 2 tiers. When drinking multiple mana brews or shots, thresholds only increase by 2 instead of 4. Devourers suffer disadvantage when rolling for initiative, and predictability penalties are doubled. This blood type is considered blessed by the Quentic church for its ability to ward off Sanguinaires; Sanguinaires who drink Devourer blood suffer effects ranging from instant death for New Sanguinaires and up to a week of intense pain and vomiting for High Sanguinaires. The taste is also said to be vile. [i][b]Photonite:[/b][/i] [b]Description:[/b] An aberrative mana type that grants the host direct control over light itself, allowing them to manipulate the particles that create light in ways that defy the known laws of nature. At a base level, the host’s luminescent spells are doubled in strength and effectiveness compared to ordinary mages. More importantly, the host gains the ability to force photons to interact in a linear medium, allowing them to create solid light constructs in any sufficiently well-lit environment. The size and endurance of these constructs is directly proportional to the host’s magic capacity. [i][b]RED SYMBIOSIS:[/b][/i] [b]Description:[/b] A chance interaction between the Omniphage Coils and aggressive Devourer manas have led to an initially unstable coexistence between the two mana colonies. Now part of the Xiuyang’s anatomy, she can command and generate these ribbon-like fabrics with her own flesh. [b]Mechanical Effects:[/b] [b][SUPERIOR ANATOMY][/b] - Passive regeneration (4 HP per turn), advantage +d4 to any physical endeavour and +3 to perception/perception adjacent rolls. Narratively, she senses and physical prowess match Sanguinaires and lower Wildbloods. [b][RED GUARDIAN][/b] - Tendrils sprouting from her body can react to threats in spite of Xiuyang’s lack of awareness of them. Stealth bonuses do not work if targeting her. Multi-hit attacks are defended with advantage. Narratively, the tendrils can defend her without needing to take her focus. If Xiuyang is rendered unconscious or dead, the Omniphage Coils on her body will dictate her movements and keep her fighting, or allow her to escape. [b][RED HUNGER][/b] - Omniphage Coils can devour organic material (alive/fresh) to guarantee a near perfect heal. The size and gravity of the wound will dictate the caloric requirement. Can only be used on oneself. If overhealed, regains a +4 to actions for d4 actions + +2 to any Blood-related upcast. [b][RED FRENZY][/b] - Upon landing a hit (and feeding) on a living foe, this will activate. Blood upcast is halved, but only blood spells may be utilized. They will have a +5 but will affect predictability. Narratively, Xiuyang becomes more aggressive and her blood spells are far more destructive. She cannot make extremely advanced creations in this state. Lasts for d5 actions, but can be cancelled earlier. [b][RED FEAST][/b] - Feeding flesh or blood to the Omniphage Coils will enable Xiuyang to emulate an enemy’s ability - often weaker or with reduced effects. It cannot replicate forbidden schools, but can copy signature moves. Narratively, they steal ‘memories’ from their nutrients, allowing for temporary muscle memory acquisition. The ability can be used d2 times per scenario. [b][THE SAVONT'S SITE][/b] - An ability stolen permanently from the Grand Demon of Stupidity, Ashanaz. Her tendrils now allow her a grand total of five points of foresight per scenario.[/cell][/row][/table] With her high RAS score and family wealth and connections, her admittance into Ersand'Enise was essentially a guarantee. However, her almost singular focus on the binding school of magic was cause for concern. After rigorous testing, though, she was—somehow—able to convince the relevant authority figures that she is someone of upstanding moral character. Imagine thinking that Xiuyáng is actually a goody two-shoes underneath all the misdirection, and that her shady persona is a façade—mostly. That's [i]definitely[/i] just a rumor. Anyway, with a bit of pressure, she selected arcane as her second school of magic, which has worked out pretty well for her, though she is still mostly interested in binding. Her skill in it as a second year student is quite remarkable, but one must wonder what she'll do once she's mastered it. Certainly, her parents will pressure her to pursue other schools more seriously so that she can graduate Summa cum Laude and become the Arch-Zeno she's [i]clearly[/i] meant to be, but others worry that she might start to crave darker, unmentionable pursuits. While it would be an exaggeration to call the Facemimic mana type a "Solari family secret," there are remarkably few people in all of Sipenta who are aware that they possess it, and that list is carefully managed by the Solaris themselves, as well as their powerful allies. Xiuyáng keeps this secret as well, knowing the dire consequences if it ever slipped to any of her friends. She keeps her Devourer mana type close to her chest as well, pretending to be drunk or sick when appropriate. In combat, she uses stealth techniques to buy her time in the heat of battle to offset her slower drawing speed. She'll sometimes play at being a Truecaster, a type which also has its origin in Torragon, to lower her opponent's guard for a vicious combo attack. In truth, there is a bit of her own personal bias in that as well. She believes it's only fitting that, when borrowing (drawing) from one god's domain of magic, it's just good manners to deposit back into the same account, so to speak. She doesn't keep a ledger or anything like that though. Another method that she's devised to work around the limited drawing speed is a technique she calls "Casting the Net." Essentially, while she's mostly outgrown the need for focus words, she can use them as a crutch to ease multitasking, allowing her to cast a spell while drawing at the same time, giving her actions in battle just a little more efficiency. Naturally, it requires a near-meditative state of concentration to maintain both full strength of her spells and full drawing speed, and unless an ally is covering for her or her enemy is cowering in fear, one or both will have to be compromised to maintain it. It [i]is[/i] undeniably cool to watch when she's using both hands to work her magic, but many rightfully argue that it's more trouble than it's worth. One unique trick her obsession with binding magic has resulted in is the art of drawing from physical matter, basically storing the drawn object inside her manas, and reconstituting the exact same object later. What began effectively as little more than a party trick became seriously useful when she realized she could use it to pickpocket with a degree of plausible deniability. Of course, she's not interested in stealing some poor kid's lunch money. No, she's much more concerned with the keys that various faculty and Lamplighters carry on their person. It's said that she has quite the collection of duplicate keys she's made out of reconstituted metal, but that's just a rumor. She often practices this trick in secret, attempting to store and reproduce a functioning pocket watch. Thus far, though, it's always come out broken, alas. [h3][u]B A C K G R O U N D [/u][/h3] [color=steelblue][b]"I could probably teach my family history for an entire semester. You're getting the redacted version."[/b][/color] Roughly three generations ago, various families of Rettanese nobility loyal to the Jiang Dynasty fled the pursuing Ten Dynasty, all the way across the Asperic Ocean to Virang, marrying into their noble houses, changing their names. Others who were unable to do so drifted to neighboring countries, including Torragon, where they did much the same. This is a very brief summary of her mother's side of the family. A young Sofia Yihan Xiang Esparza would inherit the Esparza Crown Jewellery Company here, and later marry Cosimo Solari, the successful owner of the Sant'Agata Albignese Trading Company, who would take the jewelry business to the next level in exchange for marrying into the Torragonese nobility. The arrangement proved profitable, affording the man nearly everything he wanted to achieve while supporting Prospero Malatesta's rise to power in Revidia. Cosimo had been an idealist, and wound up jaded by the whole affair, as in the end, merchants were still not afforded the same rights as the nobility—namely, the ability to be appointed Doge. He retains a cordial relationship with [i]l'Anguilla[/i], as he is not fool enough to tangle with the Eel. The marriage proved fruitful as well, resulting in three daughters, of which Xiuyáng is the youngest. The others would marry off into other noble families, quietly expanding Cosimo's influence. However, Xiuyáng's raw magic potential was too great to ignore, and so it was decided that Ersand'Enise would be her future home. The news came to her as a mixed bag. Having the Gift made her special, but also, it meant that her adventurous life of traveling with her father was probably coming to an end. Being a clever and sneaky little girl, she would—in an unspoken bid to delay the inevitable—choose the binding school of magic, adding various trials and tribulations to the whole enrollment process. Much of her time in the following years would be spent shadowing various binding mages as they treated injuries and cured the sailors of her father's trading company of their illnesses. After a while, she'd become unironically interested in it, and took to the subject with notable enthusiasm. However, they wouldn't let her attempt any binding magic immediately, instead encouraging her to feel the wind of the Ensollian Sea, and use it for some small kinetic feats, in which she proved herself capable of picking up new skills quite quickly. She was brilliant, and had great potential—later to her chagrin. At the same time, she was continuing to shadow her father as he conducted his business. As she grew older and more confident, she began fraternizing with various peoples: namely sailors, captains, and merchants, who'd have the most influence on her future temperament. While her father pushed her to be as productive as she could manage, her binding mage mentors were more relaxed, encouraging her to play and take breaks. They'd never imagine that she'd spend them watching the sailors brawl below decks, betting on the outcomes. This sparked her interest in martial arts, prompting her to pick up a few skills from her family's personal bodyguards. With her ability to out-drink even the drunkest of sailors, it wasn't long before she was considered "one of the boys," welcomed to drink with them and join the locker room talk. Her father would have hated this, of course, but he never found out about it. It was the best-kept secret of the fleet that Xiuyáng let loose whenever she was on a separate ship from her father. He did pick up on her new social skills, however, and began inviting her along to important meetings to listen to the nobles discuss business and politics. Once she'd finally begun attending the academy, she started doing what she does best—making connections. She's in the maximum number of student clubs, and eavesdrops on a few others, namely the Truth-Seekers Society, Faithkeepers, and Egalite Fraternite. She also keeps tabs on the Faceless—or so she thinks—but is never directly involved in their activities—as far as she knows. Unbeknownst to her, they may be scouting her. Notably, she's absent from [i]both[/i] the Carnation Accord [i]and[/i] the Malturra Society, despite her obvious interest in binding magic, and alleged dabbling in blood magic. Some say she's a secret member of the Malturra Society, but given she's in the Magicians' Guild, that's impossible. It's possible that she's attending in secret, somehow, but that's just a rumor. She's too busy drinking and partying with yasoi friends to be of any real threat. Then again, her spotty attendance in most of these clubs speaks volumes... [h3][u]M O T I V A T I O N [/u][/h3] [color=steelblue][b]"If the best doctors in the world can't handle it, I'll become better than the best."[/b][/color] If one were to use magic to force Xiuyáng to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, she would tell you that she wants what she can't have—a simple life on the high seas, traveling with no higher purpose in mind. She's convinced that this is impossible, though, and so she's settling for what, in her mind, is the next best option: to become truly, unfathomably, unreasonably skilled at exactly one thing, and ensure that her skills are needed worldwide. In her case, that would be the use of the Gift to preserve and improve the lives of others. She believes that service to the gods should be entirely voluntary, and in her case, she's chosen Oraff—not to the exclusion of others, mind you, but it's simply not plausible for a mortal to be in five places at once—not that she hasn't considered the Temporal route. However, she rather values her sanity, in spite of her flagrant alcoholism. Look, she's working on it. She fears disappointing her family, or being badgered, pressured, or even forced to pursue something more than her personal interests encompass. Her parents will probably give her no small amount of trouble if she won't broaden her horizons to other schools of magic so she can graduate with the highest honors. In particular, her father drills into her the importance of maintaining wealth, status, power and influence. Hoard money openly, and spend in secret, he says, that none may know your intentions. Fraternize with the nobility whenever possible, that you might someday marry up into a reputable and wealthy family. Carry the biggest sword, and do not reveal the full extent of its reach to your enemies. Bring all others to heel with a gentle hand. She's taken some of this to heart, but rejected most of it. She loves the mercantile life that her father cynically left behind, and dreads the day that his newly acquired noble title will come back around to thrust its tired, predictable expectations upon her colorful, fun life. [h3][u]I N V E N T O R Y [/u][/h3] [color=steelblue][b]"Of course I've got the goods. I'm a Solari. Now, what're ya buyin'?"[/b][/color] Xiuyáng carries a large but nonetheless portable medicine box, not just for her personal use during any medical incidents she may be present for, but also to sell and trade with. Within the right circles, she's known to deal in borderline illegal, recreational substances, if given the right code phrases. Her medicine box also contains a few small tools useful for gathering more ingredients. Generally, she uses her manas to store much of the same stuff within her own body, able to create more medicine in the unlikely event that she runs out. She'll have to give that stuff up if she finds herself in combat, but that's a pretty rare occasion. Of course, she always has money on her—and lots of it. Occasionally, she'll open up a tent in the market and sell some Torragonese jewelry from her mother's company at a nominal student discount. The brand is quite a hit with the ladies, and rings are very popular. She's often seen with a smoking pipe in her hand, but she doesn't touch the stuff, instead drawing the chemical energy directly. Amusingly, she'll use it as an impromptu wand, if she's suddenly attacked. It also gives her an air of shrewd maturity that she finds quite advantageous when making business deals—a trick she learned from her mother. Another trick she learned from her is that a full sack of coin makes for an effective impromptu bludgeon. Aside from that, Xiuyáng doesn't carry any weapons aside from her cherry wood wand, unless she's forced to. On such occasions, she prefers claw-like weapons such as the Nikanese tekkō-kagi or a pair of the Sawandi equivalent, the baghnakh. [hider=Mask of the Relentless Pursuit][b]Name:[/b] Broken Mask of the Relentless Pursuit [b]Item Description:[/b] A fearsome mask made of dark steel and padding to provide comfort and protection. This mask is tailor-made for hunting threshers, but can also comfortably be worn on land. It purifies toxins the user would breathe, allows the user to breathe underwater, and also allows them to alter their voice to speak clearly underwater with their teammates (or conceal their identity, for illegal poaching activities). This mask is made with an interlocking plate design that will shift with changes in the user's facial structure and changing levels of pressure, maintaining a proper seal regardless of whatever challenges the wearer may face. The voice synthesizer is broken, and can only project a distorted version of the user's own voice. [img]https://cdn01.pinkoi.com/product/nCEmcwQV/0/1/640x530.jpg[/img] [b]Special:[/b] [b]Clean Breathing:[/b] With Maladyshield, manas within the mask allow the user to breath in air that may be poisonous or caustic. Anytime the user is to breath in a toxin, poison, illness, or disease, they are immune to the aerosolized substance. [b]Self repair:[/b] The mask is enchanted to take energy from the surrounding area to repair itself. Such as heat from the sun, the kinetic energy of the wind or even the mask moving. It leaves no abusable openings. [b]Water breathing:[/b] The mask is enchanted so while underwater, it will undergo the constant chemical process to break down the molecular structure of water to create breathable air for the user. [b]Voice Alteration:[/b] The mask is able to alter the sound and loudness of the users voice, the pitch, the frequency, and many other things to recreate a voice the user can think of. Allows the user to use a voice other than their own, or even project it in certain ways to distract or disorientate. [b]Additive Effect:[/b] 6 manas [b]Mana Type:[/b] Maladyshield (Devourer) [b]Longevity:[/b] Gold [b]Efficiency:[/b] Platinum [b]Density:[/b] Gold [b]Capacity:[/b] Platinum [b]Attunement:[/b] Platinum 2 [b]Final Grade:[/b] Platinum[/hider] Use: As someone who often finds themselves on the water, never having to worry about drowning is a big plus. Disguising her voice is its primary purpose however. The interlocking-plate design comfortably accommodates her changing facial structure when using Facemimicry. Clean breathing is rarely useful, but redundant layers of protection are always welcomed when dealing with sketchy types. It offers a degree of plausible deniability when and if her immunity to toxins gets noticed. It's obviously the mask. She's not a Devourer; that's just a rumor. [hider=The Gourd of Joyous Springs and Ash Blossoms]A regular looking gourd that naturally refills itself with any alcoholic beverage according to the owner's desires and tastes. This enchanted container has often been disregarded as a below average refill bottle that has gotten into fashion during the last decade, however Mountain Spring has kept the particularities of the gourd a secret for the most part. He left it with Xiuyáng after the battle with Marhazannet in the Forbidden Quarter of ReTan (Metropolis) as a parting gift after swearing an oath of sobriety to himself and the gods. The two had gotten along quite well in such a short amount of time, and Xiuyáng had said she needed a drink, only to be given a lifetime supply. Ask and ye shall receive! [b]The More the Merrier:[/b] Anything properly smacked by the gourd (d2 for 4d8 or 5d8) will have up to 48 manas taken from them (roll a d32 with a minimum of 16 guaranteed). Anyone that drinks from the gourd next (and they must appropriately chug) will assimilate those manas. This will wear off after a while. This can only be done once per target, four times per combat scenario, and the total number of manas stolen from all targets combined may never exceed 96 (the max potency of a prime shot). [b]Chug chug chug:[/b] Drinking from the gourd can provide a random buff or debuff: (Roll a d6, use up to 4 times per scenario)[list] [*]Advantage on next action [*]+6 on any action this turn [*]Double action on your turn [*]8 HP instant heal [*]Double Disadvantage [*]-6 on your next action[/list] [img]https://i.imgur.com/01bXrL5.png[/img][/hider] Use: Xiuyang doesn't quite know what the gourd does, yet. She hasn't tried smacking anyone with it, but she has chugged from it many times, and received a positive energizing effect each time. She'll experiment with it more soon, but for now it seems like a very promising item to her. [hider=Staff of the Burning Monkey King]On top of providing 24 manas, this bo staff will bump all arcane spells except for cryogenic ones up by one skill modifier tier. If twirled rapidly, it will create a blazing shield of heat capable of absorbing up to 6 damage twice per scenario.[/hider] Use: Xiuyang hasn't used it yet. She can feel the increase in manas. She'll test it out soon enough. [hider=Beanie of Weggosi Relaxation][b]Beanie of Weggosi Relaxation:[/b] This multicoloured beanie allows its wearer to open their third eye, allowing them to see backward and forward up to ten seconds temporally in great detail, to see through solid barriers and hear through sonic barriers. It will allow its wearer to preview their own dice rolls within a turn cycle and act or react accordingly; at any time that rerolling is considered a valid action, the user may instead cancel their action that turn and try something else: a different magic school, or a different action altogether. This can be done 3 times per cycle, but only once per turn cycle in a combat scenario, and cannot be used to cancel an action that has already had rerolls spent on it. Additionally, twice per cycle, the wearer may automatically pass any perception roll. While wearing this hat, they will be immune to sense and mood-influencing effects. Provides 24 manas. [img]https://i.imgur.com/2yD9UhR.png[/img][/hider] Use: Xiuyang, the all-seer. Be very afraid. She seems to be regularly using the Temporal Clairvoyance for something, but she won't tell anyone what it is. [hider=Sanguine Bayonet of Endless Bloodhunger][b]Sanguine Bayonet of Endless Bloodhunger:[/b] Sucks the blood from whatever it stabs or slices, self-repairing. Upon dealing any damage, will continue to deal that same tier of damage every turn until the effect is dispelled. Provides 14 manas. For every round that its effect is active, it gains 4 more manas, up to a maximum of 30. [img]https://i.imgur.com/gYhRA7h.png[/img][/hider] Use: Xiuyang's first truly lethal weapon. War approaches; perhaps it's time to get serious. [hider=Ahn-Dami's Second Chancers][b]Ahn-Dami's Second Chancers:[/b] A pair of cutting-edge flintlock pistols. Every point that any of their bearer’s rolls fail by is stored, up to a total of 5 per gun, to be unleashed when their bearer sees fit. A single pistol can be used in tandem with a magic school, or both can be fired simultaneously. Provide 12 manas each. [img]https://i.imgur.com/l1OsRii.png[/img][/hider] Use: Another lethal sidearm. After the Trials, Xiuyang is arming herself to the teeth. What could she be thinking? [hider=Paired Mirrors of Swift Exchange][b]Paired Mirrors of Swift Exchange:[/b] If two people stand in front of these mirrors and speak the words “[i]Commuto cum socium alibi[/i]” (I exchange with my partner elsewhere), they and any items on their person will immediately switch places. This action may not be blocked or canceled through the intervention of Knowers. [img]https://i.imgur.com/ewe904y.png[/img][/hider] Use: Xiuyang has given the other mirror to Ciro Volta as a gift. She seems to have grand plans for this item. [hider=Inferno Blanket][b]Inferno Blanket:[/b] Keeps you warm, no matter what. +2 and advantage against cryomancy.[/hider] Use: It's warm and cozy. Xiuyang likes to wear it like a shawl. [hider=The Pillow of Sweetest Dreams:][b]The Pillow of Sweetest Dreams:[/b] made from the feathers of an unknown entity, this pillow will bring immediate sleep if pressed to a person’s head for three or more seconds. It is able to transfer the content of dreams and sleep thoughts from the previous person who used it to the next.[/hider] Use: Xiuyang badgered Ciro to buy this for her so she could sleep easier. Knowing her, she will use it to get more work done, rather than sleep more. [hider=Gaze of the First Founder][b]Gaze of the First Founder:[/b] An ebony ball mask made from the scales and eye of a near-Divine being. The left eye is obscured by a black filter made from an iris. Prolonged wearing will lead to mild headaches and a growing impulse to seek out certain specific items. One will also hear the echoes of an intelligible voice, initially unpleasant but progressively providing a sense of company and safety. Ingesting anything from a living being, from flesh to mere sweat, will enable one to perceive all their physical traits: Magic schools, RAS, vague notion of their experiences, spells they favour, and potential tactics they prefer. If the user wields a magic school better than their opponent, they use up to x amount of advantages when using that magic school with x being the difference. If any perception roll is done collectively, the wielder can steal up to 5 points from anyone involved, enemy or foe, but they must be actively participating in it. It also gains advantage against illusions. The longer this mask is used in the fight, the harder it will be to remove it by the end. The user will be unusually hostile to anyone touching if they have worn it a few times already. Use: Xiuyang is slightly suspicious of this item, but she's successfully used it to restore a woman's lost eyesight, and it's grown on her. What could go wrong? [img]https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/1316145394408882187/1373017625793138819/forceandfury_A_black_renaissance-style_masquerade_ball_mask_tha_27d5f5e2-7a3e-4de1-99e2-63a4e7932265.png?ex=687a9ecf&is=68794d4f&hm=405c9c65438a2999e4cee0457540c5719de2489e126e5559580d0313af0cbc95&=&format=webp&quality=lossless&width=962&height=962[/img][/hider] [hider=Toasty Toes Stockings][b]Toasty Toes Stockings:[/b] These warm woolen Eskandish stockings actually make use of limited amounts of tomte får wool for the purposes of imbuement. Their wearer will roll with advantage against cryomancy and stasis and will never be cold. They are also very snuggly. With an applied thought, they can puff up like a pillow. Eskandish Uglyprint: This particular color and pattern are infamous for being able to clash with almost anything you wear. It is a secret passed down within families of weavers for generations.[/hider] Use: Her coziness has reached the next level. [hider=Blue Sky Witch's Raiment]Robes of Writhing Ribbons Cloudless Bindings Sandals of the Chosen Path The Six Sisters Hands of Sleight and Fate Teardrop Bandolier When drawing with blood magic, the wearer of this set may store up to five points from her next spell to be redistributed for any purpose within the next two rounds. During this time, she will emanate heat with a similar effect to Burning Dash. All offensive blood magic spells used in conjunction with an illusion will roll advantage on both hit and damage modifiers. Each time that blood magic is used defensively, a free dX heal will be earned, with X equal to the user's skill in Binding.[/hider] Use: Her main armor set. [hider=Cold Soup's Spoon][b]Cold Soup's Spoon:[/b] A salvaged piece of silverware once owned by the Black Guard member, Cold Soup. Imbued with strange magic, Xiuyang used it in Lindenholdt to defeat a Soup Demon. [b]Death Pact Soup:[/b] Whosoever uses this spoon to eat soup will enter an accord with anyone else eating soup at the same table, under the same roof. They will be bound in life, and in death, to the others. So long as they live, the others may not die. When they die, the others shall breathe their last. This effect may be used only once.[/hider] Use: ??? [hider=Ipte's Eyeshadow][b]Ipte's Eyeshadow:[/b] A pinkish gold powder made from the evening petals of Ipte's mirror. Its use is for eye shadow but a clever hand can use it for other purposes. When worn on the eyes, the allure of the person is brought to its height, giving themselves a Rosebud like effect for as long as it is worn.[/hider] Use: Charm can be taught, but there's no replacement for Rosebud. [hider=Mr. Snickers' Ugly Sweater Vest][b]Mr. Snickers' Ugly Sweater Vest:[/b] A vest for a dragon that allows it to heal its master for d4 each time that the pet assists him or her.[/hider] Use: Her coldfire wyvern, Minerva, is now fashionable for the holidays. [hider=Magic-Dampening Handcuffs][b]Magic-Dampening Handcuffs:[/b] These enchanted handcuffs resonate at a frequency that disrupts the wearers' manas through contact.[/hider] Use: Perhaps, if she finds a friend on the battlefield, she can spare them. [hider=The Hot Pepper][b]The Hot Pepper:[/b] A pepperbox pistol that allows its user to take d4 offensive actions in a row once per cycle. If a 1 is rolled, the gun destroys itself and deals d8 damage to its user.[/hider] Use: For a truly desperate situation. [hider=Bag of Refreshment][b]Bag of Refreshment:[/b] Any item placed in it will be repaired or refilled, a person would be healed.[/hider] Use: To replenish her medicine box (and her ammo box). Keep your powder dry! [hider=Second Wind Necklace][b]Second Wind Necklace:[/b] A sea shell necklace with runic engravings. Once downed, you get back up with 1 hp. One time use.[/hider] Use: A second chance. [hider=Gurkenpunsch Rounds][b]Gurkenpunsch Rounds:[/b] A corrosive round that punches through shields and applies a DoT effect for (d5) turns that is equal to ⅓ of the damage dealt, rounded up. The box holds twenty.[/hider] Use: With Xiuyang's firearms, particularly the Second Chancers. [hider=Stale Caldores Cookies][b]Stale Caldores Cookies:[/b] These cookies will always taste stale, but they will never spoil. Each may be used exactly once. There are five in total: [list][*]The Tannenbomb - When eaten by their owner, this incredibly spicy cookie will boost all of its bearer's explosive spells by +5 for d5 turns. If not eaten after one year, will become a powerful and very sensitive explosive. [*]The Wreath - When hung upon a wall, will bless all who stand beneath it and defend it with a shield of d5 every turn. [*]The Missiletoe - One free use of the atomic spell cataclysm after kissing a loved one. [*]The Gift - Will temporarily boost a magic school by 2 points for d5 actions. [*]The Silver Bells - Can alert any ally, friend, or partner to danger and provide them with an instant teleport to safety.[/list][/hider] [hider=Other][list][*][b]Hui Mei:[/b] a female, albino land octopus. Always full of mischief. Known to steal shiny objects. [*][i]Daemonium Albusignium:[/i] Coldfire Wyvern, female, near-alpha, blackfire coloration. The largest wyvern species, rideable, breathes coldfire. This dragon is a battle companion or rideable for smaller individuals. This was a gift from Ciro Volta. [*]An Albino Virangish Pointer, an anxious little pup. [*]A doting Dragonhound with brown and white hair. [*]Ceremonial ReTanese [url=https://i.etsystatic.com/24212268/r/il/89cbb4/3606920728/il_1588xN.3606920728_m0mc.jpg]Qipao[/url]. A "gift" from the Twin Emperors. [*]Collector's Edition Evil Eye Action Figure [*]Collector's Edition Mountain Spring Action Figure [*]Mammoth Tusk. Purpose unknown. [*]A spell book with a secret spell, Mark of the Thresher. [*]Tusk Bandage: Provides 4 health and a +1 to next action or movement. [*]Sacred Plum: Grants +2 healing every round when eaten. If healing is not needed, grants a buff instead. [*]2x Seagoat Cheese: Creamy and exotic, imported from Meatu, will boost your RAS by 17-32 manas. [*]Canned Peaches: Contains 3 servings. Eating one when healthy will raise your max health by +4. Cannot be stacked multiple times. If injured, it allows for double advantage for the next heal on you. This applies only for the scenario. [*]A keychain that when shown gets her one free drink at Zenobucks everyday until the end of the Ipte Cycle (about 5 years) [*]Hero's Commendation: Made of Trivalum, this golden, hourglass shaped medal is a reminder of Xiuyang's life saving work in Nipton. [*]Contents of 3 Constantian Foodstuffs Crates, including: [*]1x Roquefort Fauvais (Regular) [*]3x Stanton Greene (Regular) [*]2x Rodtegelost Bricks (Special) [*]2x Rodtegelost (Regular) [*]1x Mozzarella Orlani (Special) [*]3x 1x Mozzarella Orlani (Regular) [*]1x Spratz [*]7x Whole Rosy Threshers [*]5x Kaempe Ko Steaks [*]20x Brandaebles [*]29x Kerreman Lila Banane [*]9x Snepebbers [*]13x Carotte Fourchee [*]15x Purple Crown Tomatoes [*]11x Mandrake Onions [*]10x Jars of Seagoat Milk [*]I have no money! HAHAHAHA![/list] [b]Hidden Spells:[/b] [list][*]Sign of the Jellyfish [*]Divine Armor [*]Quantum Funnel[/list] [b]Fruits of Nature and Construct:[/b] [i][u]Nature[/u]:[/i] Twice per cycle/encounter, the bearer of this fruit may completely negate any bonuses, effects, or advantages that are not naturally a part of her opponent and their abilities and come from items, potions, or other external sources. [i][u]Construction[/u]:[/i] Three times per cycle/encounter, the bearer may roll with advantage and +3, so long as she is making use of any items, potions, or other external factors that apply bonuses, effects, or advantages that are not naturally a part of her.[/hider] [h3][u]S T R E N G T H S & S K I L L S [/u][/h3] [indent]❖ Sneaky Combat Medic ❖ Master of Disguise ❖ Duchess of the Ensollian Sea ❖ Escape Artist ❖ Surprisingly Tough ❖[/indent] [color=steelblue][b]"Oraff keep you, but at the same time... I never forget a face. Fuck around and find out, yeah?"[/b][/color] Surprising no-one, Xiuyáng's specialization is in stealth and subterfuge. Truly, she can go almost anywhere just by being herself, but when that's not enough, being a Facemimic is the icing on the cake. Xiuyáng usually avoids combat through arcane light-bending and kinetic sound-dampening, remaining undetected on the battlefield while gathering up useful resources and tending to the injured. It may seem unnecessary to some, but having studied Tan Keoulean and Nikanese history, Xiuyáng laughs at the notion of "rules of war." Blindly trusting her enemies to spare her life because she's a medic, or because she's a woman—or whatever other vapid, comforting notions others may rely on—is the privilege of children and of the naïve. Xiuyáng is quite well-connected within the bounds of the Ensollian Sea, having spent her teenage years on various ships in her father's fleet, shooting the breeze with sailors, captains, merchants, and nobles. Really, it's her father's name that pulls the weight when she decides to make use of these connections, but she's not above it. Because of these past experiences, she also knows a great deal about how to run a ship, as well. One might think she'd be a valuable hostage—and one would be right—but anyone looking to kidnap her has their work cut out for them. Not only does her raw magic potential and strength of binding technique make her nigh impossible to contain—and her arcane and kinetic skills nearly impossible to catch besides—she's also pretty tough. You kind of have to be tough to impress sailors who are a foot taller than you. She picked up a unique style of physical combat from her family's personal bodyguards called [i]Liu-Tian[/i], which borrows techniques from both [i]Machorro[/i] and [i]Seun-chi-go[/i]. Many hapless street thugs are caught unaware by just how willing this seemingly pacifistic girl is to enter into a brawl, and just how favorable her chances are when she has the element of complete surprise. [h3][u]W E A K N E S S E S & F L A W S [/u][/h3] [indent]❖ Trust Issues ❖ Vague Identity ❖ Tunnel Vision ❖ Spoiled Pacifist ❖ Emotional Alcoholic ❖[/indent] [color=steelblue][b]"I'm a binder with blinders, on a lifelong bender!"[/b][/color] With the lion's share of an entire continent as her oyster, one may wonder what Xiuyáng [i]can't[/i] do. Truthfully, she wonders the same. One answer might be that a big oyster is pretty empty with nobody to share it with. She trusts very few, and struggles to make genuine connections or trust others completely. While she's not so much of a lone wolf that she can't follow simple orders, asking her to do anything that might put her in a compromised position where she must rely on others to bail her out of said position will earn you a scoff and a polite counteroffer to fuck right off. Her teamwork leaves much to be desired. Another answer to the whole oyster dilemma might be that she's stretched too thin, filling it with junk. She is ever in the information gathering phase of various projects, but somehow—according to her—always lacking that special little piece of critical information that would cause her to act. She suffers from a loosely defined identity, too many options to choose from, and, to put it quite plainly, a lack of ambition. An excess of ambition, she will remind you, is portrayed as a critical character flaw in Thalak tragedy, and—as she'll rant on and on about, in the right setting—she hates how wealth, power, status and influence have become the nobility's [i]raison d'être[/i]. With the introduction of the middle class into the structure of society, they—including her father and mother—have lost their way, and will incur Dami's wrath in the afterlife for exerting their will on the populace. On the other hand, it could also be said that Xiuyáng suffers from tunnel vision. She rigorously studies the binding magic arts, to the exclusion of almost everything else. Her interest in other schools of magic only truly manifests to the degree that said school might make her a more effective medic. Arcane and kinetic help her to keep a low profile, while chemical lets her spread some of that happy brain juice that she desperately craves around to others. Some say that her true interest lies in blood magic, but that's just a rumor. True, she skirts the line, often snidely remarking to her critics that "blood magic is not used for defense," and "binding magic isn't real." However, no-one can mount any evidence against her that her interest in blood magic is anything more than an extension of her focus on medical applications, or even just idle curiosity. Because of her myopic view of the schools of magic, though, she generally makes for a pretty poor combatant. Her spiritual nature makes her a bit of a pacifist; though she will throw hands to protect herself and others when necessary, she will scarcely take a life except in the service of preserving it. Her dedication to Oraff is in no small part responsible for why her less scrupulous activities are largely tolerated. This tolerance, though, has left Xiuyáng a bit spoiled. While her recreational activities on the water keep her in reasonable physical shape, she scoffs at the notion of doing any hard labor herself. She tries to couch it by saying that it's her role in creation to pay skilled workers a livable wage for such things, but anyone with any sense knows that's a flimsy excuse to spend less time working and more time drinking. The girl loves her alcohol—and loves to blame the stuff for her occasional outbursts of emotion. A silver tongue becomes a double-edged sword when wielded in anger, and words that cut deep with surgical precision can't easily be taken back. [h3][u]M I S C E L L A N E O U S [/u][/h3] [color=steelblue][b]"Shune won't kill you if you learn too much, but curiosity killed a cat or two."[/b][/color] [b]Points History for Salty Rat Bois:[/b] Starting Points: 1 Binding, 2 Arcane, 1 Chemical, 1 Kinetic First Semester: Took Binding and Arcane. 2 Binding, 3 Arcane, 1 Chemical, 1 Kinetic Second Semester: Took Binding, Chemical, and Blood. 3 Binding, 3 Arcane, 2 Chemical, 1 Kinetic, 2 Blood Also gained that year: 1 Arcane (daily stealth practice) Year One Final Tally: 3 Binding, 4 Arcane, 2 Chemical, 1 Kinetic, 2 Blood Points During Metropolis: 3 Binding, 4 Arcane, 2 Chemical, 1 Kinetic, 2 Blood 2nd Year First Semester: Took Binding, Chemical, and Blood. 4 Binding, 4 Arcane, 3 Chemical, 1 Kinetic, 3 Blood [b]Proficiencies[/b] 1. Analytical (AL): 6 2. Emotional (EM): 3 3. Communication (CM): 3 4. Technical (TC): 4 5. Sensory (SN): 2 6. Leadership (LS): 4 7. Survival (SL): 2 8. Ecological (EL): 1 9. Cultural (CL): 7 10. Artistic (AR): 1 11. Physical (PL): 3 12. Combat (CB): 0 13. Spiritual (SP): 3 [b]Classes, Year 1, 1st Semester:[/b] [list][*]MR101A-J: Sensing & Drawing [*]GR101A-J: Mathematics [*]MF102A-E: Foundations in the Arcane School of Magic [*]MF103E-G: Foundations in the Binding School of Magic [*]MR102K-T: Conversion [*]GR102K-T: Avincian [*]Free [*]AC104B: Fundaments of History and its Lessons for the Practice of Magic [*]MR103A-J: Casting [*]GR103K-T: Theology [*]Free [*]SK101B: Etiquette, Decorum & Forms of Address in Polite Society [*]AC106B: Fundaments of Statecraft and Leadership in Magical Practice [*]SK106B: Business, Negotiation & Money Management[/list] [b]Classes, Year 1, 2nd Semester:[/b] [list][*]MR101A-J: Sensing & Drawing [*]GR101A-J: Mathematics [*]MF104A-D: Foundations in the Chemical School of Magic [*]MF103E-G: Foundations in the Binding School of Magic [*]MR102K-T: Conversion [*]GR102K-T: Avincian [*]SK104B: Athletics, Agility, Physical Fitness & Sporting Activities [*]Free [*]MR103A-J: Casting [*]GR103K-T: Theology [*]Free [*]SK102A: Making Camp, Foraging, Hunting and Travel in Remote Areas [*]MF107A-B: Blood Magic [*]AC101: Fundaments of Philosophy and its Relation to the Magical Arts[/list] [b]Classes, Year 2, 1st Semester:[/b] [list][*]MR201A-J: Containment & Efficiency [*]GR201A-J: Mathematics [*]MF204A-D: Chemical Magic [*]MF203E-H: Binding Magic [*]MR202K-T: Freecasting [*]GR202K-T: Written Avincian [*]AC201A: Philosophy in the Ancient World - Zaqhoria to Avince [*]SK201B: The Art of Persuasion by All and Any Means [*]MR203A-J: Preservation [*]GR203K-T: Theology [*]AC203A: Cartographical Practice and Measurement [*]SK204C: Advanced Gardening & the Myriad Uses of Plants [*]Free [*]AR206B-C: Tailoring & Fashion [*]MF208B: Blood Magic [*]SI10: Angic Philosophy, Practice, and Meditation[/list] [b]Classes, Year 2, 2nd Semester:[/b] [list][*]MR204A-J: Focus Words & Triggers [*]GR204A-J: History [*]MF204I-L: Chemical Magic [*]MF207D: Temporal Magic [*]MR205K-T: Multiplicative Effects [*]GR205K-T: Logic [*]SK208A: Glassmaking [*]AC207B-C: Philosophy in the Modern Era [*]GR206A-J: Avincian Rhetoric [*]MR206K-T: Defense Against Magical Threats [*]SK210A-C: A Merchant's Guide to Finance & Accounting [*]Free [*]SK212A-C: An Introduction to Martial Arts & Combat Sports [*]AC212C-D: An Introduction to Chemistry [*]SI02: Recognizing and Resisting Dangerous and Radical Philosophies [*]SI06: Living with a Disability[/list] [b]Magicians' Guild[/b] - Officially a member, and a pretty active one—expected, given her heritage. She's always eager to do business, and others are always eager to meet her parents by way of her referral—a win-win for everyone involved. Will leverage the available discounts for others outside the Guild if they ask nicely. [b]Steamchurners[/b] - Got in before anyone realized that she comes from a noble family. They were so cool with her that they voted to just let her stay without a test. She appreciates their unpretentious and humanist vibe. Philosophy and drinking is her way of being—preferably both at the same time. She picked up a few neat arcane tricks here, too. [b]Innovators' Exchange[/b] - [i]The[/i] place to be when looking for business opportunities, though it's usually the members of the club who are seeking out Xiuyáng for her interest in various projects of theirs. Xiuyáng herself is interested in where technology is going, and whether or not it may someday restructure society entirely, in some kind of technological revolution. [b]Society of the Grapes[/b] - A place where nobles parody themselves while throwing incredible parties? Xiuyáng was born for this. She's right at home with the other masked attendees, and well respected for her high magical power, unique insight, and—somewhat paradoxically—her willingness to be casually and flagrantly incorrect. [b]Waveriders[/b] - Xiuyáng very much enjoys their activities. Access to their equipment is generally useful to her too, if not for nefarious purposes. Anyone hoping to catch a glimpse of her body by signing up is sure to be disappointed, though, as she covers herself even while surfing. Seriously, in this climate? Torragonese genes are something else. [b]Brotherhood of Brew Appreciators[/b] - Naturally, Xiuyáng will try just about any brew, and can drink pretty much the entire club under the table one after another, despite being a woman of average proportions. Nobody knows her Devourer secret, as she mostly only pretends to be drunk, using the beer for chemical energy to give her the high using a Blessing of Joy. It takes an unreasonable amount of alcohol to actually inebriate her. [b]Yasoi'riimel[/b] - Most outsiders and even a few insiders assume Xiuyáng is only there to learn all about the secrets of the academy. However, she's unironically interested in yasoi culture and religion as well, and at least one or two of the members genuinely know it, while most others just agree she's harmlessly fun and generally tolerant of strangeness. These guys are her home away from home—don't fuck with 'em.[/hider]