thebystanderman

[thebystanderman]

Oh Right

Also, hello! I am Larkguy. Nice to meet you all.

[thebystanderman]

Check Out Lark’s Character Sheet!

[thebystanderman]

Exalted Challenge Redux 2

[An excerpt from Fists and Legends: A Collection of Martial Arts Tales, by Foi Nazan, Serenity Caste]

Tiger and Crane Fists This is the legend of the Tiger and Crane Fists, who were said to have invented both Tiger and Crane Styles. Twins born under an auspicious sign to an impoverished family, they were separated in their infancy when bandits attacked their family on the road. The mother, cradling young Lǎo Hǔ, fled into the woods before succumbing to her wounds, while the father, with Hè in his arms, ran towards the lake before an arrow struck him down.

Lǎo Hǔ was found by a cruel old woodsman, who took her back to his home and raised her as his daughter. The woodsman was feared by the local bandits because of the many tigers he kept as pets, and once Lǎo Hǔ was old enough to walk, it became her task to feed the fierce animals. Though they were ferocious, the tigers saw something in Lǎo Hǔ's eyes; before long, the beasts became her true family, and cared for her far more than the woodsman ever did. The tasks Lǎo Hǔ was assigned by the woodsman were harsh and painful: he would send her out to gather wood in his stead, and when his old axe broke, he forced her to claw at the wood with her bare hands as punishment. When she would bring the tigers their food, her hands bloody from the cruel punishment, the terrifying beasts would gently lick the blood from her hands, and teach her in their own way. She learned from the tigers how to hide, to use the foliage to her advantage to blend into the forest. She learned how to run faster, jump farther. The tigers would even give her some of their food. Her time with them was the closest she had to happiness in her younger years. In contrast, young Hè was found be an elderly hermit, who lived in solitude by the lake. He took Hè into his home as a young apprentice and servant, caring for her in her youth, that she might care for him on his deathbed. Hers was a life of quiet servitude: she would serve him tea, and attend to him as he went about his daily routine. The hermit spent most of his time in contemplation, reflecting upon the truths of the world by the lakefront. There, surrounded by the cranes that called the lake home, he would sit, motionless, from dawn until dusk, and Hè was expected to remain with him the entire time. She, too, learned to reflect, though her interest was in the cranes: she would watch them go about their lives, and learned from their lessons. Though they were peaceful, they would not hesitate to snatch up a morsel of food that drifted in their path: from this, she learned responsiveness. They were alert, reacting swiftly to danger: from this, she learned awareness. They would move upon their spindly legs through the shallows, yet not make even the slightest wave: from this, she learned grace. And so, she would spend her days, watching the cranes and learning to move as they do. Life changed for both twins as they approached adulthood. The woodsman's mistreatment of Lǎo Hǔ and his tigers proved to be his downfall: when he struck the young woman for making a snide comment about him, she lost her temper, and lashed out at him. Her hands, having hardened like claws from striking trees so often, tore through his flesh like paper, and he stumbled backwards into the tiger pit, where the beasts devoured him. No longer the woodman's captive, she helped release the tigers from their captivity, and ran off into the woods to live among them. She honed her body and her skills, until she was a match for any of her feline family. She would hunt without being seen, leaping across great distances to pounce on her prey. She even continued to strike trees and even rocks with her hands, to better harden them into deadlier weapons; in time, her claws were so swift and sharp that they could fell a tree in a single swipe. Hè, on the other hand, found that the hermit did not stir from his meditations one day: he passed so suddenly and so peacefully that he did not move from his meditative pose.  Though she no longer had any obligation to the hermit, Hè remained by the lake regardless, now fully immersed in her own meditation. She took aspects of the crane into her clothing, giving herself grand sleeves that might catch the wind like wings. She learned to balance perfectly on any surface, from the tip to a reed to the surface of the water. Though she was often still as a placid lake, she nevertheless learned how to move with utmost speed and precision, such that she could pluck a raindrop from the air before it could fall upon her. And one day, when the wind was particularly lively, she spread her arms so that her sleeves might catch the breeze, and took to the air, gracefully gliding about the lake. The two lived in this state of freedom for several years, and may have continued this separate lifestyle forever, were it not for a chance encounter. Lǎo Hǔ, hunting alone one day, spotted a peculiar yellow sparrow. She paid it no mind at first, but the curious bird began taunting her, swooping at her only fly away at the last moment. Enraged, Lǎo Hǔ chased the sparrow relentlessly, until it led her to the lake, where Hè was meditating with her crane companions. Seeing this stranger, with her obvious affinity for birds, made Lǎo Hǔ think she was the one who sent the troublesome sparrow; in response, she crept up on Hè, leaping out from the shadows at her prey. Hè was not fooled, however, and blocked Lǎo Hǔ's attack with crossed arms. The two fought through the night, but neither could deal any lasting damage: Lǎo Hǔ's powerful strikes could not get through Hè's flawless defenses, but neither could Hè's graceful flight escape Lǎo Hǔ's powerful leaps. Finally, the two collapsed, exhausted. Too fatigued to move, neither was able to react when the sparrow returned to harass the two with a mocking song. Defeated, the two laughed well into the night. Their conflict ended, it was not long before the two came to realize their shared history, and so the two swore to never be split apart again.

United in a single purpose, they became known throughout the land as the Tiger and Crane Fists, scourge of bandits. They roamed the land, hunting their parent’s murderers. It was said they were unbeatable in combat: Hè's impervious defense defended both warriors, allowing Lǎo Hǔ's devastating strikes to cripple their opponents. Though they were very different people, and often fought over the smallest of offenses, Hè and Lǎo Hǔ were loyal to each other until their end.

[Translator’s Notes: This tale has a long history, and as a result has gone through a number of different iterations: versions of this tale appear in sources predating the Primordial War, suggesting that both Tiger and Crane Styles predate the creation of the Exalted. This particular version is the earliest known complete version of the tale, and dates to the earliest days of the First Age. Notable about this version is that the two protagonists are not stated to be Exalted, a significant departure from later versions of the tale: most First Age versions state Hè and Lǎo Hǔ to be Solar and Lunar mates, while post-Usurpation versions have been heavily altered, often equating the two with the Immaculate Dragons. There is even a version of the tale in Yu Shan’s archives which claim the twins to be among the original Sidereals. Other differences between versions exist: in some versions, the twins are known by different names, such as Shield Wing and Grass Stripes, while in other versions, the two are stated to be twin brothers, or brother and sister. Oddly, only the presence of the mocking sparrow seems to have remained mostly untouched over the centuries, leaving scholars to ponder its significance. Given the age of the tale, it’s nearly impossible to tell if the twins actually existed or not; however, since the tale was generally used as a parable, usually meant to teach cooperation between different-minded students, the historical truth of these two individuals is generally considered to be of little importance by practitioners of the martial arts. Ironically, while the tale suggests that Tiger and Crane Style are complementary styles, meant to be used together, the two schools are rarely combined, and there have been a number of famous rivalries between both individual practitioners and entire schools which practice these styles.]

[thebystanderman]

Flawless Reminder of Duty

Activated in the middle of a crisis, surrounded by dead craftsmen, and with the proximity alarms blaring, Flawless Reminder of Duty's job began the moment she awoke.

Rem was created to suppress an outbreak of void-tainted invaders that were frequently attacking critical installations, and she takes her mission very seriously. Even when she isn't possessed by the harsh logic of Autochthon's clarity, Rem is serious and mission-minded. She rarely interacts with anyone save her technicians, preferring solo missions over group efforts; the sole exception being her fellow Alchemical Efficient Paths Engineer, who often accompanies her on especially deadly or important excursions.

As she was built specifically for anti-gremlin operations, Rem has little time for more urban matters: attempts to shift her into a law-enforcement role during period of relative calm are often met with insubordination, and those in charge of her mission assignment have been sending her further afield as a result. She doesn't get assignments that involve the citizenry, as her appearance and demeanor rarely inspire anything but fear. Were it not for Engineer, she'd practically never interact with anything she isn't killing: thankfully for her partner, she finds him funny and helpful, making Engineer about the only person on her good side.

Rem's typical Charm loadout transforms her into a living tank: heavy exoskeletal armor makes her difficult to damage, while her specially designed essence cannon (capable of firing blasts of each Autochthonian element) gives her ranged dominance. Her favorite charm is likely Toroidal Shockwave Catalyst, which she has heavily upgraded for both offense and defense: battles with Rem usually involve multiple waves of force battering environment and foes alike, giving further reason for her superiors to deploy her away from urban centers.

When I made Rem originally, I wanted her to be a very Dawn-like Zenith, dedicated to the sun and the mission he gave her upon Exaltation ("be my light, and drive back the shadows at the edges of Creation" or something akin to that). This was very easy to bring over to an Alchemical. The big difference here is that Alchemical Rem is part of an organization, and not just a lone crusader. I wanted to point out how much of a bad idea this was, as Rem doesn't tend to follow orders unless they align with her view of the mission, no matter what kind of Exalt she might be.

(art generously provided by Path)