Saibok Donshi [Dragon's Blood & Golden Sands]

[Coyotekin]

Spoiler

Name: Saibok Donshi


Aspect: Wood Aspect


Concept: Cultivated gardener made to bloom


Motivation: Strengthen ties between his family and the Solar Deliberative


Anima Banner: Cherry blossom tree with blossom falling like rain


Intimacies: Patron (Loyalty), MA Students (Camaraderie), Ancestor (Awed Respect), Solar Deliberative (Devoted Fealty), Martial Arts (Contented Adoration)


Ht: 6"


Wt: 200lbs


Hair: Long, deep green


Eyes: Amber (like sap; solid orb)


Birthright Features: Skin similar to smooth bark and just as dense. Smells lightly of a many plants from an elegant garden.


Warstrider: Willow and Oak Harmony; Seemingly carved from Green Jade and Ironwood. A Green Jade Bo Staff primary weapon.


Attributes


Physical


Strength **


Dexterity *****


Stamina ****


Social


Charisma **


Manipulation **


Appearance ***


Mental


Perception ***


Intelligence ***


Wits ***


Abilities


Aspect


Archery **


Medicine ***


Performance *


Ride *


Survival ***


Favored


Martial Arts ***** (In Armor +2)


Lore ***


Resistance *****


Other


Athletics **


Awareness ***


Bureaucracy **


Dodge ****


Integrity **


Linguistics ** (Native: Old Realm, Forest-tongue, Holy High Speech)


Melee *


Occult ***


Presence *


Socialize *


Stealth *


War **


Virtues


Compassion **


Conviction ***


Temperance ***


Valor **


Qualities


Join Battle: 6


Dodge DV: 6


Dodge MDV:


Parry DV: 5 (Without weapons)


Parry MDV:


Mobility: -1 (Dragon Armor)


Essence: 3


Personal Essence: 16


Peripheral Essence: 29 (7 Committed)


Soak: 18L/18B


Base: 2L/4B


Armor: 16L/14B (Dragon Armor)


Hardness: 8L/7B


Willpower: 7


Weapon:


Health


[] -0


[][][] -1


[][][] -2


[] -4


[] Incapacitated


Charms


1st Dodge Exc.


1st Lore Exc.


1st MA Exc.


1st Medicine Exc.


1st Resistance Exc.


Ox-Body Technique x1


Al-Encompassing Earth Sense


Effortlessly Rising Flame


Elemental Concentration Tech.


Infection-Banishing Prana


Strength-of-Stone Tech.


MA Charms: Ill Lily


False-Shell Emollient Atack


Veins of Wood


Attractive Floor-Greasing Posture


Stem, Branch, and Log Approach


Ill Lily Form


Backgrounds


Artifact ***** (Armor of the Immaculate Dragons: Wood)


Breeding ******


Command * (His Warstrider Crew)


Cult * (Martial Arts students)


Cult * (For Warstrider)


Face **


Manse ***


Retainers ** (Personal Staff)


Patron () *****


-Arsenal ***


-Connections * (Solar Deliberative)


-Resources ***


-Manse ***


-Panoply ***


-Sifu **


BP Log


3: Virtue +1


1: WP +1


3: Legendary Breeding


4: Artifact 4th, 5th dot


6: 6x favored ability dots


1: 2x Favored Speciality





Overlooked for many years given his wanderings through the gardens wherever his family might take him very few realized his true heritage. Perhaps it was that bloodline that brought a love for the plants, finding serenity in their presence. All the same , even at the age of 6, he came to enjoy wandering the various gardens time and again whenever the chance was allowed. And it was often that he would point out, in only the way a child could, why something was wrong with a garden. How certain techniques were not being used, or how some insects were wise to have, or how the harmony was off-set by placement of certain plants and/or art. And it was this honesty, this awareness of the harmony of things and how they worked together, that caught the eye of his Solar patron. Arrangements were made, his family benefiting greatly from this apprenticeship, and the young boy came to live with his Patron.


At first young Donshi worked with his fellow gardeners, soon outshining the mortals in understanding and connection with things. It was a Wood-Aspect Terrestrial that soon took him under his wing. He was educated on many things, mainly how to use his gifts to understand how to tend a garden that might rival, someday, the great Ma-Ha-Suchi's garden. Such a goal was a worthwhile goal as he was treated well by his Patron and the household staff, for even though he was directly honest he was also very respectful and not prone to talking much otherwise.


It was his 10th birthday that threw everyone off, well, almost everyone. For he Exalted as a Wood-Aspect Terrestrial one day while practicing his basic martial arts unde the falling blossoms of a willow tree he tended to more often than others. His teacher understood, and His Patron was proud. Even his Sidereal adviser noted it a possible omen for greatness. His Patron wasted no time tracing the child's bloodline and found although many steps removed he was indeed the descendant of the oldest, living Terrestrial Saibok Gauto. Nobody had realized this, but it soon brought him much, unwanted, attention from people left and right.


His Patron soon recognized a gift when he saw it for the child took to the martial arts with ease, evidenced by his teacher and his reports. And seeing how the child tended to note interplays between life quite well his Patron soon realized where he could best use the boy's talents. So secretly, over the next decade, Donshi was trained further in the skills of combat, and eventually how to pilot a Warstrider. Donshi learned to use his skills well and began to best each of his Patron's other Wastrider pilots in close combat and arena-combat. With one exception, his instructor. His instructor would not let hubris grip the boy and would further instruct him a time went by.


Saibok Donshi, when not directly in his role as a gardener, wears the Artifact armor gifted to him by his ancestor, (privately it might be added), with his Patron insisting it so as to protect his identity further given that nobody is aware of the connection. While in his guise as the gardener he has taken to continuing his teacher's tradition by teaching the younger generation Terrestrials how to fight and how to keep their calm in the world.

 

[Cryoseraph]

Interesting idea so far. Does he share an appreciation for gardening and pruning that his ancestor does? And dare I ask who sponsors Donshi?

 

[Coyotekin]

LOL. He does share a love of horticulture, perhaps to not the same level as his Ancestor, but a love all the same. He also focuses on healthier living, something his patron mandates anyway, but easier to do given his inspiration. As for his patron, I was actually going to go with a powerful Solar.

 

[Cryoseraph]

SO, the other two PCs are pretty much set, got any questions that need answering regarding your guy?

 

[Coyotekin]

Need to flesh out the Patron a lot more. And I think I get more Background Points because of it.


Also, do I need to put points down for the Warstrider? And would it be ok to get one with an AI?

 

[Cryoseraph]

Patron works more like the 2nd Edition Liege background. It does not give extra background points, but it effectively counts as Mentor, Sifu, Backing from the person, equal to the score of the Patron. It also allows for individual Artifacts or Hearthstones (Patron level at highest) to be loaned out if reason is seen for it.


The Patron covers the Warstrider, the crew supporting it, the cost of maintaining it, and any extra weapons the Warstrider uses. You don't spend points on any of these normally, but the difference is that you are just the pilot, and all that stuff is your boss's stuff. You are the race-car driver, but you don't get to drive the stock-car home or fire the guy fixing the tires. This is all covered by Patron 2. Higher levels of Patron can assure faster repairs, actually getting that guy you don't like fired, and living in the lap of luxury. The tradeoff is that your Patron expects that much more out of you to be worthwhile, and will either punish failure harshly, or takes steps to avoid it beforehand, regardless of how it affects the character.


With Patron 5 as listed, you are the Solar's pet project. Enjoy the attention at your peril.


For extra bits, see the later posts in the Character Creation thread.


Having an AI in a regular Warstrider is uncommon, and would be an unfiar advantage over non-AIed Striders. I'd suggest something more along the lines of an Elemental Familiar or Ally that could be involved in such functions instead. If you were willing to be up for creativeness, I could even rip an idea from Infernals and give you the subsumed demon Background (can't remember the name of it right now) as an Elemental tied to your being instead. Could be a side-effect of the Breeding programs trying to recreate another Saibok Gauto.


As for notes on the character, a cursory glance looks decent. I think you need to pick more charms is the big positive spot. For Backgrounds, Cult is a no-go. Any cult the Strider would develop is directed into the Strider or Patron instead of the pilot, as the identities of the pilots are kept secret for just that reason. No self-respecting (and power-mad?) Solar wants a Dragon-Blood to get more famous than he himself is. On similar note, Arsenal is capped at 2, since you don't provide the Strider itself, and Arsenal 3+ costs Resources 5+ to upkeep. So that's 3 or 4 points freed up right there. A Sifu beyond the Patron is do-able, but would need to be less than Celestial status for the Solar ego to allow. Likely an experienced Terrestrial, Dragon King, or the like. If you drop those in favor of your Patron being your Sifu (or bringing one in of his choice), then the sky is the limit.


Lastly, I'm using the errata'd bonus point costs, so Virtues only cost 1 BP to raise, but have no effect on starting Willpower. So for your scores to match now it would be two dots in Will via BP, one in Virtues, so 3 BP instead of 4 cost there. Character Creation thread has all the fine details. I'll work on the assumption of a 5 dot Patron for Patron Generation though, should be fun having a Legendary level Solar poking around at you.