<div class="floatleft">(https://s6.postimg.org/k6y1ste9t/Earth_Sky_Sword_Purp.png)</div><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 12pt;"><span class="bbc_u"><strong>Faustina</strong></span></span><br/>Lady of Earth and Sky<br/>The Caryatid Killer<br/><strong>Facts</strong><br/>Faustina was born to a family of Vissian bakers in the port city of Savona.<br/>She was taken from her family by the Razors and trained as an assassin.<br/>During her bloody career, she became a master of the Lesser Strife of the Bitter Rival.<br/>After awakening to her power, she felt an irresistible urge. Following this urge led her to unearth the Horizon's Edge, a blade of terrible power.<br/>After leaving the Razors, she traveled to the Raktine Confederacy, where she gained great renown as a monster slayer<br/>More recently, Faustina has kept the company of a travelling healer. She learned as she protected, and is now an Archmagus of the Merciful Hand.<br/><tt class="bbc_tt"><strong>Attributes</strong><br/>Str: 18 +3 (3)<br/>Dex: 18 +3 (3)<br/>Con: 17 +2 (4)<br/>Int: 13 +1 (8)<br/>Wis: 14 +1 (7)<br/>Cha: 12 +0 (9)<br/><br/><strong>Saves</strong><br/>Hardiness:  9<br/>Evasion:    9<br/>Spirit:    11<br/><br/><strong>Other Stats</strong><br/>HP: 25<br/>AC:  0<br/>Fray: 1d8 <br/>Effort:    6<br/>Influence: 5<br/>Wealth:    4</tt><br/><span class="bbc_u"><strong>Words &amp; Gifts</strong></span><br/><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">Sky</div><div class="spoiler_body">Heroes with the Sky Word are never harmed by falling, need not breathe, and have an invincible defense against electricity, cold and injurious sounds.<br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">Excellence of Sky (Dexterity)</div><div class="spoiler_body">Constant - Increase Dexterity to 18.</div></div><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">Sapphire Wings</div><div class="spoiler_body">On Turn - Commit Effort. The hero can fly at twice their usual movement rate. If undistracted and able to fly in a straight line, they can reach speeds of up to 100 miles an hour.</div></div><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">Windsinger</div><div class="spoiler_body">Action - Commit Effort. Control weather within a mile, from still air to rainstorms strong enough to knock down fragile structures and make mundane archery impossible, Weather changes occur instantly on use of this gift and last as long as Effort remains committed. When released, the weather rapidly returns to its normal condition.</div></div></div></div><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">Sword</div><div class="spoiler_body">Heroes with the Sword Word treat all their weapon or unarmed attacks as magical, cannot be disarmed, and can summon any melee weapon they’ve ever used immediately to hand as an Instant action.<br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">Effort of the Sword</div><div class="spoiler_body">Constant - Your maximum Effort increases by one point.</div></div><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">Shattering Hand</div><div class="spoiler_body">On Turn - Commit Effort. Your melee damage rolls and Fray dice are always the maximum possible. You can destroy barriers as thick as five feet of stonework in front of you in one round’s action, smashing them with a blow or as part of your movement action. Magical substances may resist this power.</div></div></div></div><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">Earth</div><div class="spoiler_body">Increase Strength from 16 to 18.<br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">Obduracy of Stone</div><div class="spoiler_body">Constant - Your natural armor class is 3, and you have an invincible defense against harm by stone, earth, or burial. You need not eat, drink, or breathe. Armor and shields do not improve this base armor class.</div></div><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">Stonespeaker</div><div class="spoiler_body">On Turn - Commit Effort. You can communicate with earth or stone, seeing and perceiving everything it has witnessed at a certain time of your choice. Stones have no thought as humans recognize it, but they can perfectly relay all the sounds and sights that took place in their presence. You must specify a particular time to focus on, however.</div></div></div></div><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">The Strife of the Bitter Rival</div><div class="spoiler_body"><strong>Initiate</strong> - When fighting a solitary opponent in single combat, the initiate can roll hit rolls twice and take the better result. <br/><strong>Disciple</strong> - When fighting a single opponent, the disciple may automatically succeed at a saving throw against a power their enemy uses once per scene, if a save is allowed.<br/><strong>Master</strong> - When fighting a single opponent, the master gains one bonus attack each round as long as no other allies have yet engaged the opponent or aided the master.<br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">Name Their Doom</div><div class="spoiler_body">On Turn - Commit Effort. Choose a single individual within sight as a rival. Until the rival is defeated, flees, or the scene ends, a new rival cannot be chosen, nor can the technique be ended. All hit rolls the adept makes against the rival may be rolled twice, and the better taken. All hit rolls the adept makes against anyone else are rolled twice, and the worst taken. Mobs cannot be selected as rivals.</div></div><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">Excel Their Strokes</div><div class="spoiler_body">On Turn - Commit Effort. While committed, if the rival misses an attack roll in a turn against any target, the adept’s next hit roll against them is automatically successful. Attack rolls that are blocked or negated by a gift don’t count as misses, nor do resisted supernatural powers.</div></div><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">While They Live</div><div class="spoiler_body">Instant - If the adept is reduced to zero hit points while the rival is still active, the adept may Commit Effort for the day and instantly regain two hit points per level, or a quarter of their hit dice for creatures without levels. This technique can be used only once per scene.</div></div><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">Shed Their Snares</div><div class="spoiler_body">Constant - When the adept Commits Effort to auto-save against a rival's power to defensively dispel one of their supernatural attacks, it may be reclaimed at the end of the scene, rather than the end of the day.</div></div><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">When They Hide</div><div class="spoiler_body">Constant - The adept is always aware of their rival’s exact location and general activities while the scene is still underway, and may fight them without penalty even while unable to see or detect the rival otherwise.</div></div><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">Fill Their Grave</div><div class="spoiler_body">On Turn - Commit Effort for the day. The adept’s weapon or unarmed attack attempts against the rival gain one bonus attack per round until a round when none of their attacks or hostile powers hit the rival. Attacks blocked by magic, gifts, or successful saving throws still count as a hit for purposes of this technique. If the technique is ended, the adept may trigger the technique again on the next round by committing more Effort for the day. While this art is in effect, they are unable to target attacks, hostile effects, or Fray dice against anyone but their rival, albeit other foes might be caught in area effects.</div></div></div></div><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">The Merciful Hand</div><div class="spoiler_body">Prepare up to 8 spells or cast as ritual<br/><strong>Apprentice</strong> - 15 minutes<br/>The apprentice engages in study of the healing arts and beneficial herbs, with no true magic learned at this level yet. This skill does apply as a useful Fact when performing medical services, however.<br/><strong>Adept</strong> - 1 hour<br/>The adept knows charms to stabilize the gravely wounded, cure non-lethal diseases, numb pain, alleviate non-crippling symptoms, and magically identify even very esoteric diseases.<br/><strong>Master</strong> - 4 hours<br/>The charms of the master cure 1d6 points of physical damage to hit points or hit dice, cure even lethal diseases, bring gravely-wounded sorts back onto their feet and functional so long as they’re not further harmed, correct lamed limbs and damaged but essentially-intact organs, and grant blessings to protect infection by mundane diseases.<br/><strong>Archmage</strong> - All day<br/>The mighty spells of the archmage can cure 2d6 physical damage, cure even magical diseases, regrow missing limbs and body parts, and provide blessings to protect against infection by magical diseases. Even so, there are some dire sicknesses that cannot be cured even by an archmage of the Merciful Hand, particularly those magical biological weapons unleashed by some of the more merciless  civilizations that fought in the Last War.<br/></div></div><br/><span class="bbc_u"><strong>Weapons</strong></span><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">The Horizon's Edge - +7 to hit, 1d10+3 damage</div><div class="spoiler_body">The origin of this enormous curved blade has been completely lost to time, though it's purpose seems readily apparent: To cut. It is shockingly light and well balanced for it's size, belying it's unusual nature. Those capable of unleashing it's true power find it to be terrifyingly potent, capable of cuts so deep as to sever the soul.<br/><em>Effort: 4      Creation Cost: 20 Dominion</em><br/><strong>Divider(Greater Gift):</strong> As an Instant action when successfully damaging a target with this weapon, you may commit Effort for the day to instantly slay the target. Lesser foes drop dead with no save, but worthy foes are allowed a Hardiness saving throw, merely taking additional damage equal to the wielder's level on a success.<br/><strong>Emperor of Blades(Greater Gift):</strong> The wielder holds mastery over that which cuts. They may redirect any melee attacks made with edged weapons in their presence, with their attack roll applied against the new target. Worthy foes may only have their attacks redirected if they are attacking the wielder. Attacks can be redirected at any within reach, though a single victim can be targeted by no more than one attack per round this way. Subjects who have bound the Sword word are immune to this power, as are other divinities affiliated with the sword</div></div><br/>