Exalted – Leon Belpheros the Wonder-Bringer, Social Lion and Patron of the Arts

The power flared like a river of lightning, snaking across the sky of some superjovian world – a blazing radiance sufficient to illuminate a thousand earths. Filaments of that power spun out to answer calls, grounding itself into reality across unthinkable distances in magical eruptions. The surging tide advanced on dozen fronts, eroding, bypassing, or incorporating every obstacle in its path. In that ceaseless onslaught, amidst one of the tidal eddies of Chaos swirling in the heart of Creation’s fire, there rose a thought…

How about a little time off?

And a whimsical desire that there be more time to relax gathered a portion of that power-river around itself, manifested via Dreaming Narrative Conquest – and wandered off to take a break.

Leon is touring the world on a perpetual vacation – relaxing, supporting the arts, attending the finest events and parties, going on “spring break”, gambling (although, given his power, he does make some very strange bets), granting the occasional wish (in his own eccentric fashion), and recruiting servants; young women to transform into cat-girls and add to his harem and young men to add to his entourage. Occasionally he’ll intervene in some nasty situation, but he doesn’t really go looking for them. Eventually his scores of half-raksha offspring will eventually start livening things up – but, at the moment, all of them are very young.

Leon usually takes a rather subtle anthropomorphic form. His unruly yellow-gold hair includes a massive moustache, bushy sideburns and a bristling beard sufficient to impersonate a mane and to neatly conceal his slight muzzle and modest fangs. His sandy yellow eyes may have slit pupils, but this is rarely obvious in normal lighting or behind his glasses. His ears are almost lost within his hair and beneath the brim of his stylish hat. His tawny pelt is easily mistaken for tanned skin, his claws are retractable, and his rather impressive physique is subtly downplayed by his elegant suits. While his tufted tail is a bit more obviously inhuman, it’s simple enough to keep it tucked away inside a splendid suit. Throw in a glittering diamond-tipped cane to complete the ensemble.

If you need a mental image… combine one of the mature versions of King Arthur with Lionel and throw in a touch of scholar seasoned with modern dress. Leon, representing as he does many of Charles’s repressed aspects, is far more classically “Solar” than Charles is. He is a shining, golden, god-king – genial, sensual, dominant, and very much inclined to take charge if he feels that it is needed. While he is generally benign, he is more than willing to be ruthless about what needs to be done and tends to regard people (and nations) as his personal property.

Fortunately, most of the people he bumps into simply assume that he’s a cosplayer if they notice anything exotic about him at all.

As an emanation of Charles, many of his abilities are based on Charles’s – and thus are things that he does not have to pay for. Of course, since Charles’s ratings after better than 160 sessions, utilizing a couple of ways to make things cheaper, and building most of his abilities into manses and hearthstones instead of buying charms are very very high – making him an aspirant Ishvara, rather than a common Raksha.

• Essence: 8 (Charles 6 + 2 when calculating the effects of Twilight charms) (12 with artifact). Pool; 120 Motes + 20 (Bottomless Dream Gullet).
• Virtues: all 7 (Charles 5 +2 for his Honorable Diamond Gem. Sadly, this won’t stack with itself, so Leon gains no benefit from having his own). Valor 8 due to Behemoth Cloak. His Valor Lure is finding human communities which are being very, VERY, badly managed by a “superior” being, he tends to try to take over; channeling his Valor as needed.
• Will 12 (Charles’s 10, +2 with Hearthstone. Sadly, this once again won’t stack with itself, so his own version doesn’t help).
• Graces 9 (Virtue Rating + 2), Sword 10, Heart Grace 4 (Bought up from three with XP)

The Voices of Stilled Tongues

Leon’s Graces, like those of every Raksha, have forms. Unlike most such, they are an obvious set – and, like so many so many things in the wyld, where abstract things have physical form, have a dual nature. His are all both tomes of ancient lore and vocal qualities – and, given his In The Style Of The Renaissance Masters charm they are all tools offering +(2 + Ess) bonus dice when used with a particular ability.

• His Staff Grace takes the form of The Tome Of The Shadowed Moon – a book filled with secrets of the Occult and the unforgotten words which still echo within time-not, beyond the Shinma. Those who research within it’s pages will find that awesome power echoing within their incantations, lending them a terrible, wyld, potency.
• His Cup Grace – The Complete Works and Quotations – is a tool of Performance, filled with tales, plays, and other works in infinite profusion, and lends it’s music and the songs of the wyld to it’s user’s voice, even as it fills his or her mind with all the performances of history since time began.
• His Sword Grace – The Percepts Of The Twilight Prince – offers the advice and support of leaders throughout the ages, lending their Presence to the user and filling his or her voice with the the power of the seven thunders and the phrases which echo across the ages of creation, shaping it’s history for better or for worse.
• His Ring Grace manifests as “Zen-Mu And Back Again“, a book in which long buried Lore and secrets are laid plan to those who dare to look within, filling their voices with the subtle whispers of the past – a tempting sussuration of ancient wisdom.
• His Heart Grace is the Codex Of Silence And Shattered Time – a tome which offers insight into what is yet to be and the silence of the heart which hears the melody of the world. It is a tool of Awareness, and fills the user’s voice with gaps – places where the other forces of creation shine through.

Leon generally keeps his graces elsewhere for safety – but he does have a charm to evoke aspects of them into normal reality. 

Attributes: 

• Physical Attributes: Strength 4 (14), Dexterity 7 (17), Stamina 4 (16)
• Social Attributes (10): Charisma 6 (11), Manipulation 7 (12), Appearance 6 (11)
• Mental Attributes (7): Perception 5 (10), Intelligence 6 (16), Wits 5 (10)

Caste: Imperial Raksha

Abilities:

• Caste: Occult 5 (29, TN 3), Socialize 5 (9), Melee 5, Presence 5 (23), and War 5.
• Favored: Athletics 5 (7 due to tail), Investigation 5 (9), and Performance 5 (23).
• Other: Archery 2, Awareness 2 (20), Bureaucracy 2 (6), Computer (4), Craft (4), Dodge 5 (9), Drive 2, Firearms 2, Integrity 2 (6), Larceny 2, Linguistics 2 (6), Lore 1 (19), Medicine 3 (7), Resistance 2 (6), Sail (2), Stealth 1, Survival 2 (6), Technology (4), and Thrown 3.
• Specialities (3): Seduction, Spellcasting, Public Speaking.

Merits and Flaws:

• Driving Passion (3) – Bring the Wonder and Power of the Wyld to Creation (+2d when working towards that goal).
• Signature Style (2) – Warping Reality (+1 Wyld Stunts)
• Enemy (-2): Wings of Decay, the Death of Wonder.
• Obligation (-2): Noblesse Oblige – gets sucked into all kinds of things via requests.
• Moderate Oath (-3) Support Mortal Artists, act as a patron of the arts, avoid ravaging those who are contributing wonder to the world.

Backgrounds; Birth 5, Artifact 5 (15 artifact dots), Influence 5, Followers 5, Cult 3 (6), Style 5 (doubled; 54 dice, recovers 18/scene, 18 Wyld Stunts/Game Session), Gossamer 5 (Comes with Charm + Essence). Hearthstone temporary bonuses: Henchmen 5, Allies 5 (unspent +2).

• Syldian, the Hammer of the Wyld (Treasure ***, 1 Mote to Attune). Mounts an Essence Armoring Carbuncle (Hearthstone ****): The bearers essence pool and his or her ability to use it becomes unassailable. Effects which would involuntarily drain essence from the user’s pool, or which would increase the mote cost of various powers, automatically fail. As a side effect, any item mounting this stone cannot be forcibly de-attuned from the user.
• The Heart Of The Kingdom (Inward-Facing Oneiromancy *, 3 Motes to Attune).
• Tale of Heroism (Inward-Facing Oneiromancy *, 3 Motes to Attune).
• The Shamanic Path (Inward-Facing Oneiromancy *, 3 Motes to Attune).
• Cloud Of Awe (Inward-Facing Oneiromancy *, 3 Motes to Attune).
• A Chancel-* and a Chancel-*** (12 motes to attune in total). Both have links to his Freehold.
• The Phoenix Oath (Abjuration *, 1 Mote to Attune).
• Oriflamme of Conquest (Outward-Facing Oneiromancy ***, 9 Motes to Attune).
• He’s also sworn to the full five-mote suite of Warrior-Abjurations. Fortunately, while this costs 40 motes in total to attune (plus thirty for his virtual artifacts reflecting Charles’s) he has 80 available in his hearthstone-driven attunement pool, leaving then motes that he can commit to charms and things without depleting his personal pool. Thanks to this mess, he has the Assumptions of Beasts, all Five Elements, and Dreams and Passion (Enthusiasm) running at all times.

Shaping Weapons: Given that Leon can readily afford to buy all of these that he wants, can have them made, and can create them on the spot on a temporary basis, only favorite upgrades will be noted – on the next entry; this is long enough already.

Combat Values: Dodge DV 21, Parry DV 14, MDV, Dodge MDV 15, Parry MDV 18. Usual Melee Attack: Syldian, Acc 25, 26B/3, Rate 4, O, P. Ranged is usually thrown – at Acc 23, otherwise the same. This does NOT include his narrative bonuses or other charms.

Birth-Charms:

• Assumption of Bestial Visage: Leonine Form (Ess) points worth of mutations. Normally Fur (1, +1d Survival, +1B/+1L Soak), Tail (1, +2d Athletics), Claws/Fangs (1, can do lethal damage unarmed), Enhanced Scent (1, +2d), Large (1, +1 Str, +1 Sta, +1 -0 Health Level), Night Vision (1), Wolfs Pace (1, +2 Dex for Movement, +2 Str for Jumping, +1d for running, 20 MPH), Inexhaustible (2, Never fatigues, +2 Stamina), and Enchanting Features (4, +4d on social rolls if not oriented strictly female, limit on bonus for high App increases by three).
• Ravishing the Created Form: Drains a consenting target. Roll (Grace), each success drains 1 Will or 1 from relevant virtue to gain 10M. If full, 5M = 1W and 10M = 1G
• Banquet of Crumbs: Gathers motes from old emotions. Roll Feeding Grace 1/Scene.
• Essence-Forging Art: Instant crafting of mundane items.
• Awakened Dream Manufacture: Creates minor living things.
• Forging (The Grace) (All Five): Creates Graces.
• Gaping Virtue Mouth: Opens a feeding grace.
• Ecstatic Reproduction Style: Creates other Raksha.

Dreaming Narrative Conquest Charms:

• Heaven Rains Wisdom: May use Hearthstones, no more Occult/Lore Penalties.
• Hiding the Wyld’s Touch: Seem human, gain +2 autosuccesses on mundane social rolls against the creation-born.
• Harvest of the Winds: Respire and gain Glamour daily. As per Gossamer 5.

Basic Charm Allotment:

• Bastion of the Self (Heart): Immune to damage that doesn’t involve magic or stunts. If damaged by magic/stunts add Essence to relevant DV or to the resistance check.
• Continuum of Dreams (New): Enter mortal dream nexi.
• Dreaming Thunder Guardian (New): Weave Perfect Defenses.
• Forge of Dreams (New): Enhance Wyld Stunts.
• Hatching The Geomantic Egg (New): Each Grace may mount (Ess/2) Hearthstones, either to work normally or to provide (Level x 2) Committed Motes.
• Oneiromantic Conjuration: Gain Gossamer from Dreams. 1/Sleeper/Scene
• Reflections Upon The Waters (New): Use graces as tools without risk.
• Style-Improving Spirit: Raise Style to Five.
• Subversion and Transformation Artifice: 1G, produce a cup or staff shaping weapon or bestow up to (Cup x 3) points of mutations on mundane animals.
• Unassailable Tower of Glamour: 1G to turn stunt dice to automatic successes.

Manse-Based Charms:

• Compelling Presence: Addicted mortals must spend willpower to attack you.
• Fearsome Mein: Penalize those whom you’ve fed on who try to oppose you.
• Furious Maelstrom Craft (5M, 1W, Shaping Attack up to 2xEssence opponents with a single roll, launch up to (Cup) social attacks).
• Quixotic Knight Style (Terrestrial Martial Art): Heroic Tempering, Resurgent Spirit, Desperate Guard, The Chivalric Ideal.
• Root of the Perfected Lotus. Can learn Terrestrial Martial Arts
• Shiftless Untamed Beauty: Addict mortals to your presence.
• Unsightly Rigor Approach (Boost Virtues or Graces).

Learned Charms:

• Assumption of Dreams and Passion (Usually Enthusiasm; +1 autosuccess where enthusiasm is useful)
• Bestial Evocation: Bring a possession into reality with an animal theme.
• Bestial Transformation: Take animal form and add (Ess+3) points of mutations. (Normally Immortal Flesh, Regeneration
• Bottomless Dream Gullet x4: Feeding-filled mote pool, +5 per purchase, up to (Heart) times.
• Calling The Dance Of Blades (New): Upgrade Transient Works of Flesh and Bone, Create Monsters and better units.
• Champion of the Wyld x2 (New): Quadruple the effects of Glorious Hero Form.
• Evolutionary Sovereign (New): Essence/2 (rounded up) bonus dice from King of Beasts Method become passive through the scene, augmenting any appropriate checks.
• Fall of Night Shadows The Truth: Obscure Events you’re involved in.
• Font of Grace: You may easily perform geomantic engineering and raise freeholds.
• Glorious Hero Form x5 (Everything): +1 to each Attribute
• Gossamer Winged Flight (allows the user to fly).
• Heart Cutting Style (Alters Motivations)
• Host Summoning Glory of Command: Call up items/instant draw.
• In The Style Of The Renaissance Masters (New): All chattels become perfect or gain minor mutations while he’s using them.
• Into The Maelstrom (New): Wyld Stunts are per Session rather than per Story.
• Inviolable Presence: Doubles Soak Bonuses from Opalescent Gossamer Raiment and Blade-Turning Skin
• King of Beasts Method: +1M/Die, if appropriate to animal template (or to Enthusiasm). Self or Others, (Ess) Max
• Knife-Hand Dream: 1 Reflexive Mote to be Armed
• Lord Of Chaos Subversion Artifice (New): Ignore Charm Trees.
• Morphogenic Mastery (New): You may produce any shaping weapon or may mutate non-mundane animals and sapient beings.
• Mythic Traits (New): May draw on the mythical or reputed traits of your animal when using the King of Beasts Method.
• Narrative Cloak of the Aspirant Ishvara (New): Gain (Ess-6) bonus dice when following your narrative, inflict (Ess-6, 4 max) external penalties on those who do not within many miles.
• Opalescent Gossamer Raiment: Add (Ess+Heart) to natural soak values. +2 Shaping Soak
• Pincer of Transient Time And Space: Three-attack flurry.
• Radiance of the Invincible Warrior: Short-range teleport when about to be hurt.
• Soul-Consuming Hunger: Drain someone 1/Tale, regain virtue channels, will, or gossamer, or boost attributes for a time.
• The Second Breath: Respire in Creation, generate Pennants and Cysts as a Freehold, always treated as carrying a Pennant.
• The Shattered Mirror (New): Evoke Grace-Copies as temporary Grace Magics.
• The Alloyed Flesh: Iron and Chaos-Banishing Charms no longer have any effect on you.
• The Iron Forge: May change (+1M) or remove (+2M) the shaping keyword from lower-end charms and abilities.
• Transient Work of Flesh and Bone: Produce Army or Behemoth
• Veil of Glamour: Create short-term wonders.
• Ward Of The Complex Form (New): Add additional health tracks.
• Writhing Ego Invasion: Boost Soak vrs Shaping/Divert Damage to Will and Intimacies.
• Wyld Mirror Dance (New): Create copies of yourself.
• Wyld Prince Reality Subversion (New): Reduce mote costs.