<div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">Karal Embers</div><div class="spoiler_body"><div class="floatright">(https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/--M7E6vSsk-c/UMjE2JarGSI/AAAAAAAAACs/wqDwLInp6a4/s640/24667_Nariko_Fire_Aspect_122_184lo.jpg)</div>Name: Karal Embers<br/>Type: Terrestrial<br/>Aspect: Fire<br/>Gens: Karal<br/>Anima: A large coiling serpentine dragon made of flames.  Burning red eyes trail flames.  it'smouth set in a snarling growl exposing its teethas its prepaired to strike. <br/>Concept: A Fighting commander  <br/>Motivation: Find Gaia and restore her to Creation.  <br/>Intimacies:   <br/>--Her squad(Brothers and sisters in arms)<br/>--Reflections of Serenity(Lover)<br/>--Her Children(Love and cherish always)<br/>--Daeva(Burn them all!)<br/>--Primordials(Burn them to ash!)<br/>--Gia(a lost mother desperatly missed)<br/><br/>Age: 72<br/>Apparent Age: 22<br/>Birthday: Aniversary of Reflections of Serenity's Exaltation<br/>Height: 5’10”<br/>Weight: 170<br/>Measures: Average frame, B cup.  <br/>Skin:  Burning coal red<br/>Hair:  Bright flame red, down to her knees, usually in a single pony tail.  <br/>Eyes:  Bright Flame Orange<br/>Style:         <br/><br/><br/>Strength 5   Charisma 3      Perception 3<br/>Dexterity 5  Manipulation 3  Intelligence 4<br/>Stamina 5    Apearance 5     Wits 5<br/><br/><br/>Linguistics 3  <strong>Awareness</strong> 5   <strong>Athletics</strong> 5<br/>Lore 4          Craft Fire 1        <strong>Dodge</strong> 5<br/>Occult 3       <strong>Integrity</strong> 5       <strong>Melee</strong> 5<br/>Stealth 2      <strong>Resistance</strong> 5    <strong>Presence</strong> 5<br/>Thrown 3      <strong>War</strong> 5              <strong>Socialize</strong> 5<br/><br/><br/>Bureaucracy 2     Archery 3<br/>Investigation 2    Medicine 3<br/>Larceny 1            Performance 3<br/><strong>Martial Arts</strong> 5     Ride 3<br/>Sail 2                  Survival 2<br/><br/><br/>Specialties<br/>Melee: Daikliaves                +3<br/>Athletics: Elemental Attack  +2<br/>Dodge: Unarmored             +3<br/>Ride: Swift Runner             +1<br/>Presense: Persuasion          +2<br/><br/><br/>Backgrounds: <br/>Artifact,   Defensive 5<br/>Artifact:   Offensive 2<br/>Artifact,   Utility 1<br/>Backing 5 Liege- Reflections of Serenity<br/>Breeding    Legendary<br/>Class 5<br/>Command 2   Delibeartive Army Gunzosha Unit<br/>Connection 5 Gens Karal<br/>Cult 2<br/><br/><br/>Virtues<br/><br/>Compassion 3<br/>Conviction 5<br/>Temperance 3<br/>Valor      5<br/><br/><br/>Languages<br/>---<br/>---<br/>---<br/><br/><br/>Defense Values<br/>(Dodge): <br/>Physical: 9 Mental: 10<br/>(Parry):<br/>Physical: 6 Mental: 5<br/><br/>Soak:<br/>5/10B/2/7L/5A<br/><br/>Health Levels:<br/>-0<br/>-1x7<br/>-2x7<br/>-4<br/>Incap<br/>Dead<br/><br/><br/>Willpower: 10<br/><br/><br/><br/>Essence: 5<br/><br/><br/>Personal Pool:   21<br/>Peripheral Pool: 51/29<br/>(22 Commited)<br/><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">Charms</div><div class="spoiler_body"><br/>Athletics:  <br/>--First Athletics Excellency: Essence Overwhelming<br/><br/>Awareness:<br/>--First Awareness Excellency: Essence Overwhelming<br/><br/>Dodge:<br/>--Dodge Exellency (2nd), <br/>--Safety Among Enemies, <br/>--Elemental Defense Technique (Fire), <br/>--Threshold Warding Stance, <br/>--Hopping Firecracker Evasion, <br/>--Virtuous Negation Defense, <br/>--Smoldering Karma Strike, <br/>--Unassailable Body of Fire Defense<br/><br/>Linguistics<br/>--Wind Carried Words<br/><br/>Lore:  <br/>--Elemental Bolt Attack<br/>--Elemental Burst Technique<br/><br/>Melee:  <br/>--First Melee Excellency: Essence Overwhelming<br/>--Terrestrial Melee Reinforcement<br/>--Dragon Graced Weapon<br/>--Ghost Fire Blade<br/>--Melee Essense Resurgent<br/>--Portentous Comet Deflecting Method, <br/>--Conflagration of Warding, <br/>--Blinding Spark Distraction, <br/>--Refining the Inner Blade, <br/>--Threshing Floor Technique, <br/>--Ringing Anvil Assault, <br/>--Dragon-Blade Benevolence<br/><br/>Presence:<br/>--Presence Excellency(2nd)<br/>--Glowing coal Radiance<br/>--Aura of Invulnerability<br/><br/>Resistance:  <br/>--Ox Body Technique X5<br/><br/>Socialize:<br/>--Socialize Exellency(2nd)<br/>--Warm-faced Seduction Style<br/><br/>War<br/>--First War Excellency: Essence Overwhelming<br/>--Terrestrial War Reinforcement<br/>--Enfolded in the Dragon’s Wings <br/></div></div><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">Panopoly</div><div class="spoiler_body">Artifacts: Defensive <br/>(5) Infinite Resplendence amulet (4 Materials)  <br/>(1) Darkvision Enhancment Widget(This Rank 1 Elemental core replicates the Gem of Nightvision.  PG 91 of Odenol’s Codex.)  <br/>(6)Regalia of the Perfected Flame, Collar of Dawn's Cleansing Light<br/>(4)Chaomorphic Symbiote<br/>Void Adaptation [6] <br/>Chameleon  [2]<br/>(need to be naked to benefit from the Chameleon effect, but it's easy to do with someone who has IRA and can create or dissolve clothing as desired)<br/>Chakra Eye [2] <br/>(Allowing her to see Spirits)<br/>Inexhaustible [2]:<br/>(allowing her to keep going for hours without rest if need be.) <br/>(note, activating any of these abilities requires twice their rating in motes, committed while active, but not committed when inactive)<br/><br/>Artifacts:  Offensive<br/>(4) Red Jade Daikliave with integrated Elemental Lenses<br/>(1) Perfected Boots (Wonders of a Lost Age Pg 52)<br/>(1) lvl1 Elemental Core(Jewl of the flying heart, +1DV +1Melee)<br/><br/>Artifacts: Utility<br/>(3) phoenix Pinions<br/></div></div><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">Background</div><div class="spoiler_body"><br/><em>Karel Embers was born 72 years ago, healthy and strong to a pair of Dragon-Blooded whose blood purity was clear as day, her Fire Aspect mother was able to trace here linage back to the very first fire aspect of their house, Lady Karel herself, with not a single mortal to be found in their family tree.  Her Water Aspect father was as pure, able to trace his linage back to the Lady Terasu, the first water aspect of his house.  The day of her birth was a special one to the family, for it was the anniversary of their Liege's, the Eclipse caste, Reflections of Serenity, exaltation so very long ago.  <br/><br/>By agreement between the two gen's, the young girl was given the name, Ember Rain, she would be raised jointly, with her brothers and sisters, in both gen's until the day of her exaltation, at which point she would be placed in the gen's that matched her aspect, and which time she would take on that house name, and the part of her name that matched her element as her exalted name.  <br/><br/>She had exceptional athletic and physical talent, and that prompted her parents to start weapons and martial art's training much earlier then usual, she held her first sword by the time she was three, and was competent with it by the time she was five.  Periodically as she got older her Liege would visit, and she would find herself in her lap, snuggling close and listening intently to the wonderful stories Reflections would tell, enhanced by solar magic's, she made the stories come alive for the girl and her siblings, more then once she would fall asleep and wake up to find herself still cradled in the Reflection of Serenity's arms.<br/><br/>Determined and talented, at age seven she had been declared a prodigy, even for a child of the Dragon-Blooded, and she was moving through her training rapidly.  On her seventh birthday, once more on the anniversary of her liege's exaltation, several of the children in the gens put on a tournament for their liege (and hero), and Ember chose to participate against some of children a few years older than her, wanting to prove herself to her Reflections, who was watching, and she managed to barely make it to the final round, though grit and determination, but winning seemed impossible, almost hopeless in fact.<br/><br/>Facing her opponent, he was stronger and faster then her and just when it seemed that she would lose, she threw herself forward, taking a blow on the shoulder, and almost knocked off her feet, her eyes suddenly blazed with flame, her soulstone blazing red like a contained flame, she struck with renewed speed and skill, defeating her opponent within seconds.  Battered, bruised and deliriously happy, she stumbled over to her Solar Liege, and swore "Now I can help you find Gaea and Luna"  then passed out cold in her liege's arms. <br/><br/>Karel Embers awoke a few moments later to the sight of Reflections using solar magic to heal her bruises.  Both her parents and Reflections were proud of her exaltation though her father was dissapointed she wasn't a water aspect.  That night she sat with the Karel's for the first time at the feast honnoring their Liege and she was happy.  With her exaltation finaly out of the way Ember moved on to the next step of her plan to be with her Reflections, It took her a month of research and planning before she requested an audience.  She stood before Reflections of Serenity in her best dress and jewlry and promptly kneelt and prostrated herself before her solar Liege on her knees and her nose to the floor.  She then proceeded to beg for Reflections to sponser her for early admission to the Upright soldier military academy.<br/><br/>Reflection's requirements were three, she had to prove her drive and commitment to her goal, she had to study and prove her knowledge on several subjects, and she had to learn more about tactics and leadership.  Having met her first go,  Karel Embers was delighted, granted she had to prove herself and show she was ready for early admittance, but she got permission.  Ember spent the next two years meeting the goals and conditions set by Reflections and sometimes surpassing them.  Until final at nine years old she was allowed early admittance to her academy of choice with full support of her family and Liege. <br/><br/>Ember's time at the academy was unremarkable save for the fact she managed an accelerated learning program and graduated early.  She had no real time for socialization her time was spend studying, training and learning.  It was her goal to advance as quickly as possible so she could be with her Reflections of Serenity, so she pushed herself to her limits and beyond.<br/><br/>It was a proud day for the Karel family when at age thirteen Karel Embers graduated top of her class.  She had been hardworking, dedicated, and a bit of a prodigy.  As she stood at the podium and gave her graduation speech she once again felt happy and proud, another milestone in her goal had been reached.  She hoped Reflections was watching and was proud of her.<br/><br/>Even though she graduated early there was nothing she could do to enter the military early.  She had no choice but to wait till at least sixteen.  Thankfully though she had managed to indeed make Reflections of Serenity proud and the solar took Ember under her tutalege while also setting her up for the junior corps so she would be prepared when she reached sixteen.  For the next three years she served Reflections of serenity faithfully and paid attention to her lessons while also advancing through the junior corps.  For those three years, Reflections taught her to master the art of the blade, drilled her on strategy and tactics, and taught her to interact well with others, teaching her more of social interactions then she had learned in the academies.  She also made sure that the young dragon-blooded took time off to relax, telling the young woman stories, playing games and showing her ways to have fun and still follow her drive to succeed.<br/><br/>Finally her sixteenth birthday had arrived she could enlist.<br/><br/>Karel Embers entered boot camp with practically every possible advantage, talent, skill, backing, that would have been good enough for almost anyone to get by, but Embers didn't just get by, she excelled and exceeded expectations.  With the training from her solar liege, she found that Reflections of Serenity had prepared her very well for everything she needed to know and learn.  During this six month period, she realized that she loved and desired Reflections of Serenity, not just as her liege and teacher, but as an individual, and that she wanted to please her and to make her proud.  With that realization, she pushed herself even further, to a whole new level, finishing not simply at the top her class, but the best of her class, and setting a dozen new records.. which pushed later classes harder to try and beat them, but while a few were beating, many of them are still unbroken.<br/><br/>Her first tour of duty had her assigned to Estasia by her family, as Gens Karal preferred to do in order to give their scions time to adjust to military life.  While there, she serve under her aunt, her mother's sister, Major Karal Crimson Blade.  During that time she learned much of her Gens tradition serving with the military and though it was a training post, she still served with distinction, never asking or accepting the easy route due to ability, heritage or patron.  During this period, she would write to Reflections of Serenity first, at least once a month, and usually including a few personal words to  Rhyme, Reflections Lunar Mate, she would also write her parents at least once every three months.  The first few times she took leave, taking a couple days to a week, she would visit the various nations of the Realm, exploring the world within Autochthon and taking in some of the wonders within the mighty primordial that was home to so many.  A few times she would seek out her liege, or discover that Reflections had come to her, and they would discuss Ember's military life, how she was handling it, and spend a few days with her, moments that were treasure to the young Dragon Blooded.<br/><br/>Finally, around 17, after a year of active duty, she decided to take a long month of leave, she sent Reflections a letter asking her to meet with her privately, which had Reflections inviting her to personal estate then within the Vault of Woven Dreams, just the two of them.  There she bared her heart to Reflections, explaining how much she loved her and wanted her to teach her about lovemaking, to be her first, with a word and a kiss Reflections accepted, much to Ember's delight.  Taking a leave of absence from her own duties, Reflections then spent much of the time with Embers in bed as  and Embers was a fast learner here as well as everything else she'd applied herself too, and in time Rhyme was involved in that teaching as well.  From that day she was welcome in Reflections bed as lover as well as friend, and spent more of her leave time at Reflections estate when she could.<br/><br/>At 19 years of age, she began to get a bit of minor pressure from her Gens about having children to prefer her line and inheritance, pressure that produced a more unusual reaction from the young Dragon Blooded, she sought out Reflections once again, with a more unusual request.  The first part of the request, taking her as a concubine produced a more careful reaction from Reflections, as she explained to the young woman that for her that wasn't just a special title, but she would have a personal and deeper relationship with her liege, Reflection of Serenity didn't take concubine's causally as some solar's might.  If she became one of Reflection's concubine, she would occationally need to carry out certain direct duties given to her by her liege.  Ember's response was to the effect of that was why she wanted it, and that she wanted something more, she wanted her first child to be by her liege.  This produced a pause from Serenity, then thoughtfully, she told Ember to give her a day to consider the matter and talk it over with Rhyme, leaving Embers a bit uncertain for the day but quite happy when she returned with a yes.  As for Gen's Karal they were very surprised for non of them had expected this result, but also pleased, a deeper relationship between themselves and their solar liege was to be encouraged.<br/><br/>Embers learned that she would have to take a leave of absence from the military, but between Gens Karal and Reflections of Serenity she was posted as a personal administrator under Reflections during the year she was pregnant, spending time carrying out specific duties for her liege, and learning more of the societal directing and harmonizing that Reflections found so important to the health of the Realm as a whole.  Under Rhyme and Reflection's guidance she kept in shape for the entire period, and the last few months of her pregnancy she spent one of Reflection's estates with both Reflections of Serenity and Rhyme, until the children, a pair of twins were born.  At Ember's request, Rhyme and Reflections chose their names, and Flamesong and Heartflame were her first children.<br/><br/>The next several decades passed by easily.  She had her share of combat, but it was mostly light duty, every few years she would take a break from service to do her duty to Gens Karal and have a child with a fire aspect they chose for her, during this period she would also serve under Reflections in a social setting, with greater and greater responsbility, and though she had children every every ten or so years after, she had no more twins.  She also advanced up the ranks quickly as well and was able to spend more time with Reflections and Rhyme and they became a true trio, and about 8 years ago, she had a second set of twins by Reflections, who only just exalted this last year.<br/><br/>Then it was about five years ago she was going to lead a Unit of Gunzosha out for maneuvers outside of the city of Kamak.  However as they were leaving the city a veriable horde of Daeva had slipped through the defensive line and were advancing on the city.  With only Fifty Gunzosha at her back Karal Embers stepped out of the gates and had them sealed behind her, then Embers and her unit fought to hold the gate untill reinforcements could arive and push back the assault.  Karal Embers and her Unit held their ground for five bloody minutes, and sent word to the military forces, but knowing that a response with a good ways away.  <br/><br/>Karel's held the position for five minutes, but it was a hard five minute, especially when an Infernal Scourge showed up in the battle, she ended up standing against the gate, with a broken leg, three broken ribs, nearly eviscerated, holding herself together with her left hand while fighting with her Diaklaive in her right, but holding the deva and their leader back, a an astonishing thing for a dragon blooded to manage, but she she couldn't do it forever, and she whispered a prayer to Reflections of Serenity as she wasn't sure she was going to be able to hold, and she knew Reflections would hear the prayer, she felt a last word of her love was what she wanted to say.<br/><br/>Ember fought not just to protect the gate, but also to guard and enhance her entire unit, using dodge and melee charms to best effect, a blazing bonfire with a rising serpent declaring to everyone able to see what was going on, and the city itself made use of alchemical charms to assist, letting her last much longer then she might have, but it was incredibly draining, finally, just she spent her last mote, and was barely able to move, down to the last of her health, just as the Scourge caste was about to finish her, Reflections was there blocking the blow with her daiklave a blur in the air to match the speed of the scourge's attack.  <br/><br/>It was near thing, but at that moment, Serenity herself appeared, having drawn on certain spirit charms to respond in time, but the distance had been quite a bit so it had taken her several minutes because of the distance between Hadal and Kamak.  It was clear Reflections had come instantly too, for she was stark naked, having only just drawn her daikliave directly from elsewhere upon arrival.  Words of love and pride in Embers, were all the words that Reflections said even as several tears dripped down her cheek, both of pride and a hint fear for one she loved, as she had almost been too late.<br/><br/>The fight from there went to a whole new level as Reflections unveiled the full measure of her power, in the last century she hadn't really entered a fight save to train folks, most of her focus having been on internal social matters.  In training others, she had been restraining herself, this day and hour, Reflections demonstrated that even stark naked, she was a superior warrior then the entire enemy force combined.  And while the battle went on for another 20 minutes,  it was clear that due to Ember's action, with the rest of the city's forces committed elsewhere, millions would have died save for her heroic stand, perhaps the city itself might have fallen.  <br/><br/>Rhyme at last arrived, about a half hour from that point, breathless, for she had run though the city of Hadal to the Gate of Auspicous Passage and alerting the realm as she went, to get here as soon as she had.  As she arrived a number of other forces, everyone slide to a stop and watched in awe for several seconds, at what they saw, Reflections had been fighting non-stop, commanding those of the Gunosha who were still able to stand, the glory of her anima rose around her, golden and glorious, massed hordes of Deva had joined the battle, adding greater forces to the battle, but the Scourge laid dead at the city gates.  The battle stretched on for several more days, Rhyme carried Ember to a solar healer, who healed Ember soon enough to all the Dragon Blooded return the battle at the side of Reflections and Rhyme, and the foes fell before the three of them like wheat before a scythe. <br/><br/>In the aftermath of the battle, Embers was called before the Solar Deliberative itself for the award ceremony, something very few Dragon-Blooded had ever managed, making her publically one of the heroes of the realm.  As a result, Gens Karal made her an official Matriarch of their ruling council, but more to her pleasure, Rhyme and Reflections both decided to take a new step and took Ember as their Consort, declaring their trust and faith in the Dragon Blooded publicly.  She was pulled from active duty transferred entirely to Reflection of Serenity's personal command, and somewhat less calmer duty for the next few years.  This change of pace allowed Embers to concentrate on other duties even as she helped Rhyme and Reflections with their duties in the city of Loran, sometimes fighting off dangerous forces near the edges of the Pole of Oil and learning the depth of trust in her that her new status as Consort meant.<br/><br/>With the search for Kage on, she wonders what's to come next as things seem to be picking up.<br/><br/></em><br/><br/></div></div></div></div>