A Character Thread for Qin'ai da Wangzi.

Normal Rules Apply.

Name: Qin'ai da Wangzi (Chee High dah Wang Sea)
Concept: Guile Hero [Silk from the Belgariad]
http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/GuileHero
Caste: Eclipse Caste
Anima:
============================================================================
============================================================================
Dawn                      Zenith                     Twilight
(F) Brawl+        -  1    (F) Integrity      - 3       ( ) Craft
(-) Martial Arts  -  5    (F) Performance    - 2         _____________ -
( ) Melee          -       (C) Presence     - 4           _____________ -
( ) Thrown         -       ( ) Resistance    -            _____________ -
( ) War            -       (R) Survival    - 1            _____________ -

Night                      Eclipse
( ) Athletics     -         (C) Bureaucracy   -  1
(R) Awareness     - 2     (C) Linguistics   -  2      ( ) Investigation -
(F) Dodge         - 1     ( ) Ride          -         ( ) Lore          -
(F) Larceny       - 2      ( ) Sail          -         ( ) Medicine      -
( ) Stealth       -         (C) Socialize     -  5      (C) Occult        - 4

Specialties
   Martial Arts__ (Black Claw Style)   -   _____________ (_____________) -
   Martial Arts__ (Humiliate Opponent) -   _____________ (_____________) -
   Dodge_________ (Black Claw Style)   -   _____________ (_____________) -
    _____________ (_____________)      -   _____________ (_____________) -
    _____________ (_____________)      -   _____________ (_____________) -

Languages
    _____________            _____________            _____________
============================================================================
Merits
    Martial arts-4          Manse-3                   Demense-2
    Heartstone-2            Artifact-heartstone-2     Mentor-3
    Resources-2             Familar-1                 Rakasha Paramour-2
    _____________ -          _____________ -          _____________ -
    _____________ -          _____________ -          _____________ -
============================================================================

Willpower        - 5/5
============================================================================
Social Combat
   Motivation:to fullfill my destiny

   Intimacies:

   Dodge MDV: #

   Presence:      Spd 4, HonAtt #, DecAtt #, Rate 2, HonPMDV #, DecPMDV #
   Performance:   Spd 6, HonAtt #, DecAtt #, Rate 1, HonPMDV #, DecPMDV #
   Investigation: Spd 5, HonAtt #, DecAtt #, Rate 2, HonPMDV #, DecPMDV #
============================================================================
Combat
   Soak: Armor #B/#L/#A (#B/#L/#A unarmored)
   Dodge DV: #

   Melee Attack:   Spd #, Acc +#(#), Dmg +#X(#X), Parry DV +#(#), Rate #
                   Tags X
   Melee Attack:   Spd #, Acc +#(#), Dmg +#X(#X), Parry DV +#(#), Rate #
                   Tags X
   Ranged Attack:  Spd #, Acc +#(#), Dmg +#X(#X), Range #, Rate #
                   Tags X
   Ranged Attack:  Spd #, Acc +#(#), Dmg +#X(#X), Range #, Rate #
                   Tags X

Health Levels: [-0][-1][-1][-2][-2][-4][Incap]
               [  ][  ][  ][  ][  ][  ][  ]
============================================================================
Essence
   Essence: 1
   Anima Banner:
   Personal Motes:    13/13
      Committed:        #
   Peripheral Motes:  21/33
      Committed:        12
   Other Motes Pools: #/#

Charms
   Name                   Type      Duration    Cost    Effect
   Open Palm Caress__   Suppl ___   Instant_   4m____   ___________________
   Torn Lotus defense   Reflex___   Instant_   5m____   ___________________
   Flex the emerald cl  Supple___   ________   5m____   ___________________
   Black Claw form_     Simple __   1 scene    6m ___   ___________________
   Mist of eventide__   _________   3rd_____   ______   ___________________
   Silent word of ...   ritual      1 dream    1wp
   wood dragon claw     alter       until dis  1wp
   Harmonious Prese     reflex      1 scene    5/7m
   Majestic radiant                 1 scene    6m
   Master of small      relex       1 scene    5m
   Motive Discern       Supple      instant    3m
   Shadow over day      reflexive   instant    1/2 m
   Humble servant       reflex      instant    1m
   Intent tracing       relexive    instant    1m
   __________________   _________   ________   ______   ___________________
   __________________   _________   ________   ______   ___________________
   __________________   _________   ________   ______   ___________________
   __________________   _________   ________   ______   ___________________
   __________________   _________   ________   ______   ___________________
============================================================================
This message was last edited by the player at 05:42, Tue 29 Dec 2015.

Raksha

As a young man Qinai sat upon a hill studying when he glance up he saw the most beautiful woman in all creation. His first thought was that she was a goddess come down from heaven to view her realm in creation.



The old man  Mei'ren his mother herbalist and social adviser had been secretly training the young Prince in the skills and abilities he would needed to rule wisely. Qin'ai was wise enough to recognized a creature that appear to be something more then human.  The young woman had the grace and appearance of a minor deity. As it was always wise to err on the side of caution when dealing with the unknown so he address her as he been trained to address a goddess.



Luo'lei Lai corrected the young prince on his misconception. She was simply a fair maiden, which was of course a lie. She was not a goddess but she was a Raksha Princess doing her father's bidding. She had come to train him in the Black Claw style Martial arts.  Her motive to give him such training was to tie him to her and through her tie tie him to her father the King of the wyld kingdom of Xia'nadu.



And thus began the young Prince training in the Black Claw martial arts and his initiation in Terrestrial Circle Sorcery.


This message was last edited by the player at 02:25, Tue 12 Apr 2016.

Most of the noble born were still sleeping off the previous night festivities as Qin'ai  disengaged himself from the pile of mostly naked bodies that were sprawled across the bed. A young noblewoman awoke enough to plead with Qin’ai to stay.  He gently caressed her face and place a kiss on her forehead.

“Go back to sleep,Princess I will only be gone a moment.”

Qin’ai left the bed chamber wearing only a light silk robe. Most of Qin’ai acquaintance probably believed that he was still asleep. It was well known that Qin’ai was a late riser.  It fit the bored spoiled lordling persona he was currently wearing. His reputation of being a man who was only interested in his own pleasure was partial true. Pleasure comes first was an intimacy that tied the way he learned magic.  Each time his  White Lady visited him she tied him to the intimacy even tighter.  While it was only a minor tie it provided a good cover to hide behind. No one took him seriously and that in itself was both a blessing and a curse.

Qin'ai  had a tie that was even stronger than his desire to give in to pleasure.  It touch him to his very soul and tore his soul apart with the sharp claws of grief and regret.  Qin’ai’s  love to two women, his future queen Nu’wang and a Rakasha, Luo Lei Lai. The Rakasha who gave him his greatest gift and brought about his greatest grief.   One called to all the noblest virtues of love, the other to the more base animalistic tendency the emotion could hold. One was light and goodness the other evil and dark.  It was because of the Lorelei that he was initiated into the first Circle of Sorcery.  Sorcery a power that would greatly insure that he was strong enough to fulfill his destiny.

It was also the reason why he was not with his beloved when Qin'ai's enemies came to take her away. The reason he was not in time to save her. It was the reason why he had only a moment to grief over her dead body before  Gei’ai, her brother, arrived and took her away.  It was the reason that Gei’ai blamed Qin’ai for her death. A reason that Qin’ai could not fault him on after all, he also blamed himself for her death. Qin’ai did not give up the body of his beloved easily and in the struggle he gained the only treasures he had to remember her by, a lock of hair, a torn piece of her garment and a small pin she wore in her hair.

Among his most treasured possession was a small box that contain these treasures.  The box was the type that a priest would use as a traveling alter it had a place for two small candles and a indent where a priest would place his holy symbol. A small miror filled the indent where a holy symbol would normally be.  Qin’ai lights the two candles letting their light reflect back from the mirror and then picking a hair from the lock Qin’ai held it as he searched for the soul of the woman he loved. Normally he did not feel anything and as the single piece of hair was destroyed in the working Qin’ai would give into a grief so great it would overwhelm him.  Qin’ai knew a simple trick to pull himself out of the despair he was feeling.  It was the smallest of desires the intimacy that told him pleasure came first, that giving into pleasure would numb the pain that held him bound. It did not make the pain go away but it masked it under the rush of lust that giving into bodily pleasure afforded him.  The fact it also gave him the power to fuel his sorcery, the very working that would find his beloved reborn was the icing on the cake.

Today as the hair dissolved into the magic that should have brought a dream of the soul of his beloved reborn, the black beast of grief awake as nothing came to Qin’ai.  His chest was tightening with a pain that made breathing almost impossible.  As tears began to form as Qin’ai felt himself being drag into the void, an insistent voice broke through the pain.  A servant was frantically trying to get his attention.

“Milord please, please Milord I know you do not wish to be disturbed when you are meditating but Lady Nessa was most persistent in speaking with you.   I am so sorry Milord but I could not stop her.  She is here right outside this room. Please forgive me Milord but I do not wish to die,” the servant cried as he prostrated himself on the ground.

Qin’ai sighed as through the half open door he could see the look of distaste Nessia wore as she took in the aftermath of previous night’s unrestrained revelry. Qin’ai groaned as the pain, despair and grief was so close to the surface so overwhelming he did not know from where he could draw the energy he needed to deal with her.

Qin’ai was telling the servant to arrange for Nessa to be taken to the library to wait on his pleasure.  The servant moaned he knew how long a wait it was to be and knew what  his lord’s assassin would feel about being treated in such a dismissive manner.  As the servant  moved to get to his feet Qin’ai felt as if a finger stroke his arm.  It was a butterfly touch on his arm in a pattern that was quite well known to him.  It was two letters written in River speech on his arm, 女王 which where the symbol of his beloved’s name. The touch on his arm changed what was about to happen and maybe saved his servant from soiling himself in fear.

“ Oh, never mind that. Send her in. I will see her here,” Qin’ai said as he dismissed the servant with a wave of his hand.

Qin’ai knew what Nessa thought of him. How she spoke about him when she thought he could not hear. Qin’ai knew she only saw the mask the spoiled bored Princeling who only thought is about his next pleasure.  It pained him that she had not looked deeper to see who he was behind his mask. Qin’ai believed that she had the ability to do so if she only tried.

As Nessa was informed that the exiled Prince would see her a thought came to Qin’ai that he see only her mask as well. That when he looked at her all he saw was the quiet assassin, the tool that he used to accomplish his deadly deeds.  At times when he looked at her he saw all the blood he did not wish to acknowledge staining her soft white dainty hands.  How could he call himself a man and place such a responsibility on her.

---

OoC Tag Nessa
This message was last edited by the player at 03:39, Tue 15 Mar 2016.

Glancing around at the remains of the previous night’s drunken revelry, Nessa suppressed a sigh of irritation. Qin’ai never seemed to be as prone to excess in private as he was in public. Nessa supposed it was merely a part of the role he played in order to gather information. I can understand having to go to unusual lengths for the needs of the mission, she thought. I just wish he didn’t seem to enjoy it so much. She kicked aside a soiled pair of panties and didn’t bother to hide her look of disdain.

It was only a few moments more before the properly terrorized servant scurried out of the room. Nessa gave a small smirk at that. She’d probably gone a bit overboard with him, but she’d been irritated after another long night. Besides, there was a certain fun in spreading a little random terror here and there. If her time in Root had taught her anything, it was that.

But she was getting distracted. Nessa steeled her face into a look of stoic professionalism. Mission time.

“Good morning Master,” Nessa said easily as she stepped into the room and swung the door closed. “I’ve come to discuss what rumors need to be spread about the immaculate monks. And to provide the daily update, of course.”

---

OoC Tag Qin’ai

Note: We’ve decided to work together for a while, so the next few posts will be co-written. We are writing the posts in pairs as we go. More to come later.

Qin’ai gave the servant a nod of dismissal paired with an approving smile. He knew that the man would return to the work that he had already been assigned to do. As the servant took his leave, Qin’ai turned so that his back was to the door. He needed a few moments to prepare. Silently he concentrated on his aura. Usually his aura projected a sense of vulnerability around him. One does  not attack an innocent bystander when there are more threatening fighters about.  It was a deliberate effect that enhanced both his social and physical combat. In this case it wouldn’t do, so he began to shape it into something more appropriate for the situation. With that done, he concentrated on the deep well of sorrow that was always near his heart. The guilt that was constantly threatened to engulf his soul. He gathered his will and used it and push deep down the grief until it was a hard stone in the pit of his stomach.He was weary and tired but he was as prepared as he was going to be to talk to Nessa. His last thought was a butterfly touch of a hand upon his arm and whisper of a memory from days long past.  Give my patience, my dear, he thought.

The door clicked, and he opened his eyes. His face had once again resumed the familiar look of the indulgent noble. Assassins weren’t the only kind to wear masks, after all.

“Yes, of course,” he drawled easily. “What do you have for me?”

Nessa began describing the latest bit of havoc she’d wrecked upon the city of Root. He put his mind hard at work trying to incorporate her somewhat senseless tale of slaughter into something they could use for political gain. Typically it wasn’t that difficult, especially since most of Nessa’s nightly ‘missions’ were by his order. But ever since their circle had arrived in the city of Root Nessa had become more and more independent. In some ways he didn’t mind this, but if it led to an unfocused killing spree then he’d have to start reigning her in.

“Nessa,” he began in a delicate tone. “May I ask why, exactly, you are focused to such a degree on killing slavers?”

---

This message was last edited by the player at 20:14, Tue 05 Apr 2016.

Nessa blinked at the question. “It’s not so much that they’re slavers. It’s that they’re supporting the local government. By eliminating them we are weakening the satrap’s grip on his city.”

“No, Nessa, we’re not.” Qin’ai responded. Nessa glanced at her master and for the first time noticed just how… irritated he looked. The man sounded tired. Nessa suppressed a snort at the thought. After all, she’d just spent most of her night on a mission. He’d spent most of his night sleeping. What did he have to be irritated about?

Nessa shook her head. She was tired, and it was making her easily distracted. Focus on the discussion at hand, girl. She schooled her face into placidness before donning a polite but curious look. “Oh? Why not?”

---

Qin’ai rubbed the bridge of his nose between his eyes. Was he really going to have to spell it all out to her.  He was just too drained to want to have to do this but it looked as if he had no choice.


“You can’t just kill random members of the government hierarchy and expect the satrap’s power to wilt simply because he’s losing supporters,” Qin’ai said. “Power is like water it always flows to maintain it level. Like a hydra cut off one head and two will spring to take it place. You have to know who to hit and where and how hard. That’s one of the reasons we usually talk about this beforehand. Random killing sprees just focus attention on us without actually helping.”

Nessa frowned. “You know everything I do is in your best interest. I…”

Suddenly the whole situation stuck Qin’ai as funny.  Qin’ai laughed, “My best interest? My best interest… and how, dear Nessa, are you able to judge what is in my best interest and what isn’t? You only see what I appear to be, you have never experienced who I really am. You do not know me at all. Girl, you do not know half of what you need to know to be able to answer that question. ”

“What?!” Nessa sputtered in outrage. “Do you think me a fool? I may not have the political interest of a noble but do not question my competence!”

This message was last edited by the player at 19:25, Wed 06 Apr 2016.

“A fool?” Qin’ai hissed. Nessa took a step back in surprise. “No, I am not the one who thinks the other is a fool. And I’ve had just about enough of it as well. Did it ever occur to you, girl, that some of the things you see me do might be for reasons you could never understand? Have you passed the trials to gain the first circle of terrestrial sorcery? What would you know of the responsibilities it place upon one? What demands and intimacies it requires of me? I would never question your competence as a ninja, but you question mine on a daily basis.”

Qin’ai was speaking in a harsh whisper now, his words almost sibilant. He began to slowly approach Nessa, and in that moment his slightly crouched posture looked like a coiled snake just before it was about to strike.  Nessa held her breath in nervous anticipation.

“Wasn’t it your mother who said that a ninja must be adept at looking ‘underneath the underneath?’ Do you truly think that your clan would have worried itself over a matter of honor… would have offered your contract in recompense… if I were merely some flesh addled catamite? Do you think so little of the judgement of your clan?”

A blue mist of arcane symbols and words swirled around Qin’ai’s body as a mark of the eclipsed sun burned upon his brow.  Flaring his anima Qin’ai stood turning to face Nessa, gone was the drunken lush, and the social butterfly who only interest was his own pleasure. What stood before her was a man who held deadly power in his hands and was fully capable to wield it.

For the first time in all the time she knew him Qin’ai dropped the mask of who he appeared to be and let Nessa experienced who he really was. The sight left Nessa speechless. Dimly she began to understand that her master’s claim to magics might actually grant him a power stronger than that of her blade. She took another step back and found herself pressed against the doorway. Qin’ai had stopped mere inches away from her. His eyes seemed to pin her against the door with the force of his passion.
This message was last edited by the player at 01:34, Sat 09 Apr 2016.

“Every power has its price,” Qin’ai breathed. “For every spell or knowledge gained there is a tie of intimacy to my Sifi that becomes stronger. That… is the price which my magic demands. You see me throw myself into drunken revelries. You see me play my ‘noble games’ but you don’t understand them. You do not understand the cost of sorcery. You do not know my past or the burdens I carry. The sacrifices I have made and the pain they brought me. Sometimes one must throw themselves into pleasure simply to gain some respite from the pain."

Qin’ai stepped back, deliberately easing up on his aura. “No, my faithful retainer. You do not understand at all.” He turned his back and walked to the other side of the room. Now that his face was out of Nessa’s view, Qin’ai closed his eyes again and took solace in the memory of his departed lover’s touch.


“The murder of the slave masters are pointless,” he said firmly. His body has straightened in the familiar pose of command. “You waste your energies. Focus instead on getting me the information I need to do my job. The satrap is too well protected for you to bring down alone. If you want to complete this mission successfully then you had better start working with the rest of our circle. I expect a full report on your preparations for the arena fights to be given to all concerned parties by noon. Go and begin preparing for it.”


“Yes, my lord,” Nessa said. It was a term she’d never used with him in private before. “By your leave.”

“Oh, and Nessa?” Qin’ai said with his back still turned. “The next time I give orders to not be disturbed… do not disregard them. I do not give such orders capriciously. Had I been in the midst of a working, you’d have likely cost us our lives. As it is you have ‘merely’ risked our mission. Your disrespect sends a signal to the nobility that I am of weak standing within my own house. In addition to the social setback, I tire of the insult. Don’t do it again. You are dismissed.”

All was silent except the gentle click of a closing door. Several long moments passed before the room’s sole occupant relaxed his shoulders with a sigh. Qin’ai walked toward his shrine and picked up the trinkets of his beloved. He held one softly to his cheek and inhaled. The memory of her scent was so vivid that it seemed real. “Where are you, my beloved,” he whispered. “Why do you hide from me?”

To that, the silent room had no answer.

---

End of joint post

Qin’ai was in the middle of his morning bath when once again Thomas approach him with another interruption. Qin’ai had strict instructions that ‘no one’ was to disturb his morning rituals.  Of course the seneschal took great pleasure in announcing that Mei’ren, whose name literally means no one, wished to speak with Qin’ai as soon as possible. Qin’ai sighed as he realized it was going to be one of those mornings.  Qin’ai waved his hand,”Please see to the matter , Thomas. I must complete my morning preparations.”

 Thomas the seneschal  knew what to do. There was a balancing act one had to approach when dealing with a god. One always had to appear at one’s best but one did not wish to keep a god waiting too long. The seneschal knew where to bring the old man, what refreshments to bring him and which servant to send to distract him with pleasantries while his master made himself ready. The seneschal also knew which other servants to send to Qin’ai to expedite the morning preparations.

Within the appropriate amount of time Prince Qin’ai da Wangzi walked into the study giving the correct bow to Mei’ren the Eastern God of Kings and Succession.  The old man was standing in front of a window watching the sun rise over the city of Root with his back turned towards Qin’ai. Qin’ai recognized what tactic the old man was trying to pull. Did he not just use them himself on Nessa. After a few moments Mei’ren acknowledge Qin’ai with a wave of his hand toward a couple of chair in the center of the room.

“Try some of the Orange Blossom tea it is excellent,” said the God.

Qin’ai nodded as he signaled to Thomas to serve the tea.  The god’s voice was as soft as silk a sign Qin’ai knew that meant he was in trouble.  The words he spoke were very familiar for they were the very same arguments Qin’ai had just had with Nessa.

“First the murders do serve a purpose for it was these very actions that brought the goddess of murders attention to us. A fact that provided us with important information to help us achieve our goals. I trust Nessa instinct in this case they have proven useful. It felt to me as if her instincts were being guided by an unseen hand. I had first thought yours but it seems that is not ... so?  Maybe it was fate or even the goddess of murder herself.”

“Well you were certainly stern with her.”

Qin'ai smiled "Of course I was. I was bringing her in line. She didn't need to know how much faith I had in her. That type of talk can be saved for later... when she needs to hear it. It's all part of the fine manipulation one has to employ with valuable assets."

Mei’ren place the cup of tea down, “Speaking of valuable assets I do hope you have someone in mind to replace Lord Nukoze after you remove him.”


“Of course I do.”

“Good that is all I needed to know,” the God replied as he vanished from the room.

It was a land of magic, mystery, and mayhem.  A land where anything was possible if you had the imagination to think of it and the will to create it. A land of magical beasts that formed and vanished out of the surrounding chaos. Crystalline birds flitted about, encompassed by dancers composed entirely of the music given form. Creatures of myth and magic played freely with nightmares.

A door that hadn’t existed moments ago burst open and a man walked in. It was not often that a god made his appearance in the Wyld. When one did trouble would surely walk in his shadow. The music stopped and every soul in the place held their collective breaths before winking out of existence.

Only two souls remained. Her skirt was made of green grass silk, her mantle the gossamer wings of butterflies. Upon a throne of glittering clouds, like a queen of heaven sat the princess of the fae lands. A man in his late teens lay with his head resting in her lap. The woman had been gently running her hand through his hair but now she’d moved it to hold him possessively.

“No, he is mine. You can’t have him. You gave him to me!”

“That is not the agreement we had, lorelei.”
This message was last edited by the player at 19:44, Tue 12 Apr 2016.