Roht Mirage
10-26-14, 10:39 AM
Jumping from five (http://www.althanas.com/world/showthread.php?26277) to seven. I also streamlined it a bit. Updates in red.
Full name: Astarelle Set'Roh
Age: 26
Gender: Female
Race: Human (Farohtian)
Hair color: Dark brown
Eye color: Metallic gray
Skin color: Light brown
Height: 5'8”
Weight: 135lbs
Occupation: Knight, Adventurer, Deceiver
Languages: Tradespeak, Fallien, Farohtian, Alerian
Recent History
An excerpt from a Radasantian Reader companion piece to their Eiskalt war coverage
... yet another suspicious oddity among the many inconsistent reports from the field.
One can hardly escape the name Astarelle Set'Roh, alias Roht Mirage, these days. You know her as the champion of the Cell, runner-up of the Magus, and an Ixian Knight whose duties have never been publicly stated. However, there appears to be a different side to her that is revealed when she does not expect prying eyes.
Eye-witness reports both from Eiskalt and at home paint a picture of a woman with poor judgement, dangerous allegiances, and a penchant for inhuman lust. We have little choice but to acknowledge that the Roht Mirage we know is as transient and deceptive as her title implies, but not impervious to scrutiny.
Let us examine these faces, these masks, of the Roht Mirage, and you can decide for yourself if this is a woman you want representing Corone afar or even shifting through our own streets...
Petrid Prinn
Unused statement from the research of Petrid Prinn
I saw Jensen Ambrose carrying an injured Astarelle Set'Roh into the forward outpost in Eiskalt. It looked like they had been fighting for their lives. The only conversation I heard was shortly after, when Aislinn Orlouge had taken the unconscious woman and returned to him with quill and parchment in hand.
A: “The way you look at her... What happened?”
J: “Astarelle lied. She lied so horribly and so shamelessly to me. She said things like she knew my past, things just to cover her own well-toned ass. She insulted the memory of someone I love, very dearly, and talks to Crozius like its a lady.” He looked at his war maul. “Ugliest lady I have ever seen, but hey, she’s the crazy one. But...damn how I know this. Call it instinct, or maybe even wishful thinking. Despite all those lies she spat just to save herself, it never once in any of her words felt like she lied to hurt me.”
A: “When one is skillful with a needle, it can cause little pain. The same is true of words.”
J: “Not like that. She didn’t make it sound like she was only protecting herself. I can read people, and I assure you I have trouble reading her. But back there...I could read her like a book. And she lied to me, to...to save me. Fuck if I know why. But...I’m grateful. That’s why I carried her here, that’s why I’m going back out there. Protect her, Aislinn. I don’t want her on my conscience. Oh and, uh...give her this. It’s important.
Aislinn said something too soft to overhear.
J: “No it’s not a love letter! The hell is wrong with you?”
Anonymous
(Notations from Petrid Prinn: Too conflicted. Ruins the message. The source couldn't even get a look at the note (http://www.althanas.com/world/showthread.php?27384-Eiksalt-War-Round-2-Enigmatic-Immortal-and-Roht-Mirage-Vs-Requiem-of-Insanity&p=229915&viewfull=1#post229915). Perhaps I'll sell this drivel to Tome.)
Past History
The Traveller's Way in Faroh
For Akee
“A little blasphemy keeps us sane.”
Foreword
This is a book for no one. Faroh receives no travellers. If you do find yourself there, by some twist of fate, I doubt that knowing the language or culture would help you very much. In that situation, I wish you luck and offer my condolences to your next of kin.
To those who have never heard of Faroh and never been there, this will seem a fairy tale. I would not begrudge you for taking it as such. After all, this book is about a city that moves with the sand and wind, never seen by the eyes of any Fallien people. Its emissaries are few, and they are experts at never getting a second glance. If you live in Irrakam, I may see you someday. But, you will not see me. You will see a plain soldier, a washerwoman, or maybe even a messenger of the Jya.
So, whether you believe or not, I invite you to read this book. You will learn of a vastly different culture whose people, at their core, are not unlike yourselves. You will learn of magics that can move the endless desert and a religion that can chain the wildest spirit. Forever.
Dear reader, I write this book because it is a small way.... the only way... that I can truly join you on the other side.
Astarelle Set'Roh
About the Author
Astarelle Set'Roh is a treasure. A young woman with the fire to burn amid the strongest storm, and a lovely little slip of a girl as well. She's also so modest that she would call all that a sand blasted lie. I'm only writing this once, though. Take it or leave it, my dear. Anyway, onto the matter at hand...
Astarelle Set'Roh was born in the city of Faroh, bearing the Roht mark on her forehead. She was raised in the temple as a Child of Roh until her sixteenth year. At that time, she was raised to Hand of Roh (you might call her a priestess) and she began her training among the Farohtian people. Her first teacher was Marra, one of our most skilled dancers and a damn rude harpy in my experience. Astarelle was a natural. I dare say she might have become as skilled as Marra, if not for her embellished style and wonderfully inappropriate way of speaking (by Roht standards). Marra is quite famous for the line, “If this is a test of my faith in Roh, I submit. I surrender to her mercy. Her daughter, given to my care and tutelage, can receive no more training from me without tempting me to blaspheme against her Roht honor.”
Astarelle came to me, then, to learn the ways of the gatherer. The name “gatherer” is purposefully demeaning, as is the attitude of the Farohtian people toward us. We are the only ones to leave the city and trade with the other peoples of Fallien. It is a task that requires skill and subtly. Ask them, however, and they will tell you that we bumble among the savages to pick up scattered sticks. Astarelle, bless the girl, never believed that. And I don't believe for a second that she is a proper Roht daughter. The first time I said, “There's nothing Roht about you!” I expected the Kar'Roh to rise from the desert to punish me. But she just smiled.... That was five years ago. It's been a very good five years.
Please think deeply on this book. Try to know her as I do. And if you see an old trader or merchant or fisherman alongside that soldier/washerwoman/messenger somewhere in the streets of Irrakam, think of me as well.
Akashere
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
An excerpt from the Radasantian Reader cover story on the recently completed Cell tournament
... and it was in that curio shop, as the Cell Champion dodged away from her adoring crowd, that I was able to catch her attention and bring you this exclusive interview.
D: Miss Mirage! Derdum Tome, reporter for the Radasanthian Reader. Do you have time to answer a few questions?
M: Not right- Did you really just call me Miss Mirage?
D: Do you prefer the full Roht Mirage? Astarelle Set'Roh, maybe? That name has been making the rounds as well. Perhaps one of the nicknames your many fans have for you. The Dancer? The Scorpion?
M: Bury me. Please stop. Miss Mirage is fine. Just don't call me Roht.
D: Is Roht incorrect?
M: Well, the 't' is possessive, so it's proper translation is Roh's, and using the word alone is just... Never mind. You had questions?
D: Of course. First question: You only came to Corone recently. Was participating in the Cell the reason you came?
M: No! The Cell was an accident. I was trying very hard to stay away from all this Corone madness.
D: What do you mean by Corone madness?
M: The battles to the death... for sport! An Ai'Brone under every lantern post. I wonder if death even means anything to you people.
I apologize dear reader, for at this point I began to lose my temper. Though I aspire, as all journalists do, to act with his legendary composure, I am no Peabody Polk.
D: Miss Mirage. With all due respect, the people of Corone just suffered a civil war. I assure you that we understand death. For some of us, it is intimate and recent. Many view our 'sport' as a way to confront that fact of life. I dare say, if we were only interested in blood and destruction, you would not-
M: I would not have won. You're right. I just didn't think... I'm sorry, Mister Tome. I shouldn't have said that.
D: It's quite alright. I know this must be strange for you. But, please understand that you have become an inspiration to many. You were victorious without fabled skills or expensive equipment; some have noted even without clothes.
M: Are you one of the people who noted that?
D: Erm... well, my job is to note everything.
Again, I apologize for a lack of professionalism, but I am only human. Miss Mirage placed a hand on my shoulder and looked into my eyes. At the risk of waxing poetic, I must say that I have never seen steel-gray look so warm. I was admittedly flustered and dropped my pen. What follows is transcribed from memory.
M: You are a very caring and accepting people. Outside of the arenas, I have seen almost nothing but kindness. I thank Corone for her hospitality and the honor she's given me... and I hope I helped sooth her heartache.
I found myself temporarily speechless, so I reached down to retrieve my pen. At that moment, Miss Mirage slipped past me and out the door. I tried to follow, but she had disappeared much like her namesake.
However, I was left with the impression that even without her allies, even without Crozius, Roht Mirage might have still emerged victorious on the strength of her smile alone.
Derdum Tome
Timelines
Liquid time... not even once.
Priestess
~ Astarelle tries to savor what she can of her free life in Fallien. Her time as Set'Roh is drawing ever shorter, and the high seat of Mar'Roh awaits. She is positive that she is unfit for it.
Impulse (http://www.althanas.com/world/showthread.php?25445-Ties-That-Bind) – As a daughter of Roh, she tends to her duties... in her own way. (unfinished)
Excavation – The work of a gatherer can get very complicated very quickly. (planned)
Evaluation – The final test of a gatherer is normally a proud occasion. For this daughter of Roh, it is a sign of the approaching end. (planned)
Exodus (http://www.althanas.com/world/showthread.php?25921-Roht-Exodus) – As the throne of Mar'Roh looms, Astarelle is willing to do anything to forestall the inevitable. (unfinished)
Regrets – One does not leave Faroh without consequences. (planned)
Fugitive
~ Astarelle flees to Corone. She suspects that the Kar'Roh, Roh's hunters, still stalk her.
Coincidence (http://www.althanas.com/world/showthread.php?25496-Relt-Peltfelter-Rides-Again) – She is welcomed by Relt Peltfelter. Two Relt Peltfelters, to be precise. (unfinished)
Humility (http://www.althanas.com/world/showthread.php?25521-Falling-To-Rise-(Open)) – Astarelle experiences the Citadel and the peculiar psychology of Corone.
Champion
~ Astarelle's presence is exposed, and her unwanted fame begins.
Ella (http://www.althanas.com/world/showthread.php?25985-The-Ella-Chamber) – The fugitive awakens as a participant in the Cell. A night of barely-remembered debauchery lies behind her.
Aislinn (http://www.althanas.com/world/showthread.php?26046-The-Aislinn-Chamber) – Unlikely allies come to her aid, and the guardians of Fallien's secrets reveal themselves.
Armonia (http://www.althanas.com/world/showthread.php?26177-The-Armonia-Chamber) – Astarelle wins the Cell, somehow. But the true enemy, a product of Fallien's hostility, is still at large.
Censor
~ With the reveal of Astarelle's true identity, a whole mess of Fallien secrets come to the fore, and must be silenced.
Cellebration (http://www.althanas.com/world/showthread.php?26269-The-Flesh-Failures-Cellebration) – A victory party in the place where the whole debacle began gives her a moment of pleasure before...
Redaction (http://www.althanas.com/world/showthread.php?26891-Roht-Redaction) – Astarelle does what is necessary to keep safe the secrets of the very homeland she fled from. (unfinished)
Outcast
~ Astarelle travels back to Fallien to check on loved ones and investigate why the Kar'Roh pursuit is not what she expected.
Voyage (http://www.althanas.com/world/showthread.php?25789-Lifted-By-Levity-(Closed)) – Despite her best efforts and a noble companion at her side, the journey home does not go as planned. (unfinished)
Tournament Dog
~ The Magus weighs on her with heavy expectations, and delivers to her a friend.
Leoric (http://www.althanas.com/world/showthread.php?26592-Round-1-Veteran-Roht-Mirage-Vs-Leoric) – Astarelle demands a high price for her participation. Her entrance is less than impressive, because karma.
Missing Monster (http://www.althanas.com/world/showthread.php?26771-Round-2-Veteran-Monster-Vs-Roht-Mirage) – She finds herself in an empty arena and makes it home.
Leopold (http://www.althanas.com/world/showthread.php?26933-Round-3-Veteran-Roht-Mirage-Vs-Leopold) – A reluctant messenger of the Ixians enters her faux-Fallien to show her her place. His message is punctuated with a bullet.
Cellar (http://www.althanas.com/world/showthread.php?27401-Oldbie-Bracket-Roht-Mirage-Vs-Taste-of-Treason) – An ill-conceived plan to acquire a gun leads to her almost killing the most sincere girl she has ever met. She saves her instead, but moralities remain gray.
Zack (http://www.althanas.com/world/showthread.php?27532-Redemption-Bracket-Finals-Zack-Blaze-Vs-Roht-Mirage) – Back in the Magus, a real assassination attempt brings her behind the Ai'Brone curtain.
Cellar Again (http://www.althanas.com/world/showthread.php?27665-Olbie-Bracket-(Semi-)-Finals-Roht-Mirage-Vs-Taste-of-Treason) – Astarelle introduces Cellar to the children that she fights for, and she shares her true intentions regarding the Ixian Knights.
Cellar Again Again (http://www.althanas.com/world/showthread.php?28112-What-if) – Because words are cheap, especially her's, Astarelle thanks Cellar by sharing Ai'Brone secrets. Should have just given her a puppy.
False Hero
~ The war in Eiskalt proves that one can only get by with pretend strength for so long.
Rescue (http://www.althanas.com/world/showthread.php?27134-Round-One-Part-A-2v2) – With the help of a magical custard dog, Astarelle almost keeps the citizenry safe.
Fateful Dance (http://www.althanas.com/world/showthread.php?27384-Eiksalt-War-Round-2-Enigmatic-Immortal-and-Roht-Mirage-Vs-Requiem-of-Insanity) – Astarelle shares a powerful dance with Jensen Ambrose and Catherine Remi. They both leave a lasting impression on her, in drastically different ways.
Heroic Rise (http://www.althanas.com/world/showthread.php?27632-Multi-Battle-Round-3-Church-Rooftops) – Astarelle tries to save the day...
And Fall (http://www.althanas.com/world/showthread.php?27633-Multi-Battle-Round-3-Church-Interior) – But @#$!s a faun instead. Astarelle and Philomel declare a sexy truce, for now. (explicit!)
Morning After (http://www.althanas.com/world/showthread.php?27883-An-Eiskalt-Morning-After) – Astarelle tries to save the few that remain while tensions between Jensen and Philomel complicate the matter.
Leaving Eiskalt (http://www.althanas.com/world/showthread.php?27775-Leaving-Eiskalt-The-Assassin-The-Immortal-The-Angel-The-Plaugelord-sail-off) – The horrors of war prove too much, leaving Astarelle with nothing to do but seek comfort from the faun that never loves.
Drunken Debriefing (http://www.althanas.com/world/showthread.php?28013-Drinking-Ale-in-Bars-with-Ixians-(Closed)) – Astarelle and Jensen drink away their troubles while creating a whole new even-more-confusing set of them.
Elf-land Tourist
~ To escape shame and scandal, Astarelle accompanies Jensen on a wildly stupid adventure through Alerar and Raiaera. Sorry, elves. It's too late to revoke their passports.
Train Heist – Astarelle meets some old faces in a robbery gone catastrophically, fantastically wrong. Preluded by 'Conference of Criminals (http://www.althanas.com/world/showthread.php?27982-Conference-of-Criminals)'.
Picnic in the Red Forest – Don't ask.
No Longer Me (http://www.althanas.com/world/showthread.php?28022-No-Longer-Me-Featured) – She finds even more old faces, including Philomel, on the back of a @#$!ing dragon! Somewhere, the gods are laughing.
Crownmother – From the Coralian giant Sorish, Astarelle learns the consequences of what she had assumed was the least harmful of her past mistakes.
Fallen Ash (http://www.althanas.com/world/showthread.php?28079-After-the-Ash-Had-Fallen) – Philomel makes a break for freedom, and Astarelle tries to atone for the Eiskalt wrongs that seem to have followed her.
Equipment
Lataro staff (6' or 3'x2)
~ Lataro is a porous bamboo-like wood with the same strength and flexibility as yew. Farohtians force sand into the pores to make it stronger. With her current abilities, Astarelle's staff is as strong as steel when all of its sand is held within. It can be disconnected into two equal parts. This break does not compromise the full-staff form's strength so long as there is sand within it.
Lataro weaves
~ Intricately woven bands at wrists and shins that can be concealed under clothing. These boost Astarelle's sand manipulation abilities, compensating for the many areas where her skill is deficient.
Cell armor, purchased here (http://www.althanas.com/world/showthread.php?25955-Bad-Girl-at-the-Bazaar)
~ Includes iron bracers, leather corset with hidden iron mail layer, iron-plated shoes, and hair ribbon with hidden barbed wire.
Sapphire pendant (http://i00.i.aliimg.com/wsphoto/v3/900682914_1/Ladies-Summer-Sexy-font-b-Sapphire-b-font-Floating-font-b-Locket-b-font-Semi-Precious.jpg), awarded here (http://www.althanas.com/world/showthread.php?25930-The-Cell-OOC-Discussion&p=218153&viewfull=1#post218153)
~ A thumb-sized sapphire in an intricate silver setting and hanging from a silver chain. The nooks and crannies of the setting normally contain the powdered remains of what was once an identical sapphire. See “Jump” in Other Abilities.
Adenhya, awarded here (http://www.althanas.com/world/showthread.php?24607-The-Vault&p=228475&viewfull=1#post228475)
~ A simple oak handle that belongs to a warhammer that long ago lost its head. Whenever the wielder of this weapon is in a desperate situation, the handle automatically trades places with the warhammer Crozius. Its name is normally written in Fallien script on the side. (Renamed by Astarelle. See Dehlar Lady of War in Other Abilities.)
Items
Woven lataro tube, capped with a sand stopper
~ The tube's walls are sealed with sand to make it waterproof. It is used to carry multiple sheets of paper as well as dry ink and seal wax in various colors. Anyone who lacks the skill to control the ink (see Farohtian Scribe in Abilities) will get a face full of ink powder should they manage to open it.
Farohtian fire striker, purchased here (http://www.althanas.com/world/showthread.php?26144-Sand-Scout-Motto-Be-prepared-to-die)
~ A palm-sized brass housing that contains flint, steel, and enough empty space for sand to be forced inside. As long as Astarelle is no farther than twenty meters away, she can stir the sand to make sparks arc out of the small opening in the striker's face.
Dragonbone (2 pieces), awarded here (http://www.althanas.com/world/showthread.php?28022-No-Longer-Me-Featured&p=236873&viewfull=1#post236873)
Good Will of Alerar, awarded here (http://www.althanas.com/world/showthread.php?28022-No-Longer-Me-Featured&p=236873&viewfull=1#post236873)
~ Enables one purchase from the bazaar of a high technological level with a 10% discount. Worth dependent on purchase. (Can't be used with other discounts.)
Skills
Skills and abilities are scaled as Novice, Apprentice, Adept, Expert, Master.
Dancing (Expert)
Styles:
Farohtian – Rapid movement with a focus on hip twists, spins, and leaps.
Delirious – While in an altered mental state (ie: poor health or poison) her dance takes on a smooth yet unpredictable flow.
Mirror – By analyzing an opponents' movement, she can mimic their style of combat to more easily counter them.
Undead – The motions of the shambling undead are a special case in terms of predictability. Unlike other opponents, she can take on multiple simple-minded undead with ease.
Staff / Half-Staff Fighting (Adept)
Styles:
Bludgeon – Momentum is built with body movement rather than staff handling.
Rebound – The recalling of the staff is used to strike an opponent.
Stick – In smaller sections, the staff/sticks are used for quick strikes that can disarm or stun.
Beast Handling (Adept to Expert)
Preferences:
Horse – Can calm and control most tame horses.
Giant Scorpion – Difficult to train. Once tame, one may act as both familiar and mount.
Deception (Expert)
She can make excellent use of alternate personas with fleshed out histories and distinct personality traits, though deviating too far from her own personality will break her focus. See “Layers” in Other Abilities.
Abilities
Sand Manipulation:
“Rizak”. The skill that defines my people. Everyday life is built around it, and the pride of every Farohtian is linked to their own use of it. One of Akashere's phrases of wisdom applies here. “If you love your craft, give it a name. If you really love your craft, give it a thousand names. But for the love of Roh, don't expect me to remember them all.” That last part is not heeded by most of my people... though I have grown quite sick of remembering it all. What follows has been edited to simple, logical Tradespeak.
A sand “pool” is a distinct section of her total familiar sand. It designates a difference in properties, and can consist of varying amounts, measured in “drifts”.
A sand “drift” is approximately ten heaping handfuls, uncompressed.
Sand Pools:
Name – quantity in drifts – color – passive location
Thirsty and Drowning – two – gold and brown, burnt gold when mixed – staff
~ One drift comes from her travels over the expanse of Fallien. The other was accidentally given to her by the Mystics while they were magically drying her sand from the flooded ruins of the Ella chamber.
Mask – one – all natural skin colors – tattoos or any disguise that has been held for over an hour
~ Gathered with the help of Akashere many years ago. It has enough Fallien skin tones to do a full body disguise, and enough Corone and Salvar color to do head-and-hands disguises for three people.
Victory – one – granite gray – tattoos or under clothes
~ Gathered from the rubble of the Armonia chamber as her sand was, once again, returned to her.
Failure – two – black – under clothes
~ The crushed remains of Eiskalt's unique architecture, collected from the ruins of Unum. It is slightly stronger than her other sand (half-tier boost).
Jump – miniscule – sapphire pendant
~ The powdered remains of one half of a teleportation crystal duo.
~ ~ ~
Form Aspects:
Quantity – (Adept) Up to three drifts can be used continuously (ie: removed from their passive location). Four can be used for a few minutes before exhausting one's rizak abilities.
Fatigue – (Apprentice) When rizak abilities are exhausted, only a maximum of two drifts can be used, and their formation/motion is at half the normal speed.
Familiarity – (Novice) Only sand that has been near the user for a number of days can be manipulated. Farohtians of this weak level often carry familiar sand with them.
Compression – (Expert) Sand is stored at one-fifth its natural volume. It will not escape containers or lataro unless willed to and is water resistant while in its passive state.
Resistance – (Apprentice) Up to two drifts can be kept completely dry even when exposed and submerged. It requires concentration to maintain. Sand in lataro vessels is completely waterproof.
Dehydration – (Novice) Water can be forced out of one saturated drift per post.
It requires one drift to sustain one form at an appropriate level. One form drawing from many drifts will be more effective. Astarelle requires her lataro weaves to use the more sturdy, combat-oriented forms, plus her staff to move sand with maximum force.
~ ~ ~
Schools:
-- Utility --
Farohtian Scribe – Manipulation of ink and wax.
~ (Adept) Create or alter any document not protected by magical means. Ink and wax seals must be dry. Physical contact with the paper is required. Alterations can take anywhere from a few seconds to a few minutes based on complexity. The presence of ink can be sensed, even when invisible or otherwise hidden, as long as the page is in hand.
Displace – Detect if sand is moved by another force or body.
~ (Apprentice) Only personal sand can be sensed. Reaction time is slower than that of the physical senses, and much slower if the sand is a great distance away (up to forty meters).
-- Disguise --
Skin – Sand worn as a disguise. Personal sand of various hues is often used.
~ (Adept) Skin color can be changed completely. Facial features can be molded to a large degree. Changes to body shape are believable only with clothing over top. A single drift can be applied to the entirety of one's own body. Limiting the disguise to face and hands will not use an entire drift, allowing for weakened forms with the remaining sand.
Voice – Swallow sand and manipulate it against the vocal chords to change one's voice.
~ (Adept) The manipulator can change their voice to any pitch that is within the normal human range. It is uncomfortable (though bearable) with extended use and cannot be sustained for more than one day.
-- Movement & Control --
Puppeteer – Form and manipulate non-solid shapes.
~ (Apprentice) A game played during any typical Farohtian childhood. The puppets must be human-sized or smaller to retain control, but can be sent up to 20 meters away. They have very little physical mass and little direct application in combat.
Paw & Wing – Use sand as a medium for precise movement.
~ (Apprentice) When a layer of sand separates the body from the ground, it can be shaped to either increase or decrease friction. It has little affect on smooth surfaces (metal) and cannot be used to defy gravity. While the manipulator is airborne, sand can be forced below the body to cushion a fall. It takes one drift per ten meters fallen to remain uninjured, albeit with some bruising.
Veil & Storm – Spread sand into a cloud around the manipulator, then grant it movement.
~ (Adept) The cloud has a radius of two meters per drift. It barely affects vision unless it catches other material up in it. Others entering it will feel skin, eye, and throat irritation. When in motion, the cloud moves in response to the caster's movement. A thrust of the body will elongate it in one direction. A spin will set it swirling enough to abrade bare flesh and damage sensitive areas. A long piece of lataro (such as the staff) is required to get the storm up to full speed, which can push opponents, moderately damage unprotected flesh, and obscure the caster to a single patch of darkness at the center. The storm can only last as long as the caster's body or lataro pieces remain in motion. If allies are in the range of the storm, it will divert around them, minimizing damage.
Burst & Capture – Strike or grapple an out-of-reach opponent with sand.
~ (Novice) With body motions, the manipulator throws forward a dense, spherical mass of sand (one-quarter meter in diameter for every drift used) that can, at its strongest, knock a grown man off his feet. For full power, the sand must coalesce near her striking limb for a few seconds before release. It will begin to dissipate after striking something or travelling four meters. Before dissipating fully, it can be willed to seize tight, coating one or more sections of the body and affixing them to either other body parts or objects nearby. The target can struggle free with some effort. To try to stall this, the manipulator must remain almost completely still and focus on holding the form.
Recall – Exert a pull on distant objects either made of lataro or woven with it. A miniscule amount of sand must remain in the object.
~ (Expert) Pull a familiar tool to oneself from up to thirty meters away. The tool can break from heavy resistance such as a strong grip and will return with force equal to two times what the user could impart with their own strength. In extreme desperation, the force and range will be stronger. The arc of a returning object can be altered by up to 70 degrees.
Current items that can be recalled: staff, bracelets/anklets
Collect – Draw all personal sand back to its passive locations.
~ (Adept) Complete collection at a moderate pace, either at will or upon falling unconscious. Sand being collected can travel along the ground or through the air. It must be physically captured to prevent this effect.
Note: Saturated sand, while useless for forms, will return at a slow pace.
-- Hardening --
Buffer – Creates an unstable airborne shield close to the manipulator.
~ (Apprentice) When formed to shield a whole body, the sand can block a grenade blast for every two drifts used. Reducing the width increases the thickness, enhancing the affect at the cost of coverage. The sand is designed to absorb and scatter the force, often resulting in it being flung out of range for immediate use. Blunt weapons will be slowed in contact with the buffer. Bladed weapons will cut right through with minimal resistance. If struck by less solid forces (such as elemental spells) the majority of the spell can be diverted up to 30 degrees from its intended trajectory. This quickly breaks down the buffer.
Carapace – Sand forms into protective plates on the body.
~ (Expert) One body part gains two tiers of protection per drift. (Up to the strength of delyn, tier 4.) Solidifying the sand over joints will greatly decrease flexibility. (Note that wearing the sand as a tattoo provides a small amount of protection, but only if it is willed to harden in time.) This protection can be applied to nearby allies and will remain solid up to thirty meters away from the manipulator.
Claw – Form sharp extensions on weapons or body.
~ (Adept) Create medium (2.5') weapons as strong as one tier per drift, or stronger if forming a smaller blade. (Up to the strength of dehlar, tier 3.) Blades can remain on weapons away from the hand as long as they are willed to, but cannot be altered aside from returning to their passive form. The form can be adjusted to grant either slightly-above-tier penetration or a serrated edge that heavily damages flesh.
Other Abilities:
Layers - Deception to keep telepaths at bay.
~While deep in a persona, her mind is layered with the persona at the surface and her true self buried underneath. A telepath of moderate skill attempting to read her mind will have to determine that the persona is false before delving deeper. Stronger telepaths will power right through the deception if they try to go deeper.
Polyglotism - Voices of the world.
~ Astarellle can learn new languages with incredible speed, including distinct dialects as she comes across them.
~ If she knows she is travelling to a foreign land and has time to prepare, it can be assumed that she will arrive with the ability to converse with the locals.
Dehlar Lady of War – A duet upon the battlefield.
~ When Astarelle wields Crozius, she it able to make full use of its power. This amplifies both strengh and, to a lesser degree, endurance.
~ Her magically enhanced strength is disproportionate to her mass, allowing for seemingly physics-breaking moves.
~ She also talks to it... No combat benefit other than making her look rather creepy.
From the profile of Jensen Ambrose
Crozius: A Dehlar Master crafted maul that is the length of an average human arm, with a red leather grip and a bronzed Heraldric Cross at the tip inscribed with passages from the Tome of War. The weapon is enchanted to increase the Strength of the user by 5X their normal capacity. Usually in the care of Jensen's friend Adolph Gretzle, the weapon has been known to be used by Jensen himself.
Technically Not Abilities:
Because Althanas
Jump - Teleportation magic requiring the sapphire pendant.
~ The pendant contains two sapphires, one whole and fixed, the other powdered and at the whim of Astarelle's manipulations. Within thirty meters, it can be controlled with an even greater precision than her sand and, with concentration, reformed into a solid object, at which point it will function as originally intended...
~ The bearer of one sapphire can teleport to the location of the other sapphire (bringing their own with them), or teleport something touching the other sapphire to their location (again, moving the sapphire to make it a one-way trip). The maximum load is three normal humans, or an equal mass of inanimate objects. All matter to be transported must be in contact with one sapphire or another object being transported.
~ A long range jump would require that Astarelle leave the pendant in the target location and bring the powdered sapphire with her.
~ After extended use, the sapphire pendant will grow cold and inactive. Current limitations are three short jumps or one long jump per day.
Familiars
Kar'Rohki
~Priestess timeline only~
Giant black scorpion missing one pincer. He is named after the Kar'Roh, the boogeymen of Faroh bedtime stories. While not exactly affectionate, he is very protective of Astarelle, who has been training him for the last four years. (Because of this, Akashere tripled his emergency supplies of anti-venom.) Kar'Rohki will fight with pincer and stinger, which can deliver a toxin capable of paralysing a limb. Loss of the limb is possible if not attended to within a few days.
However, due to his training, he is hesitant to fight. He normally acts more as a mount than a protector and is prone to retreating at inappropriate times. Also, he would rather bury himself than get anywhere close to a human settlement.
Full name: Astarelle Set'Roh
Age: 26
Gender: Female
Race: Human (Farohtian)
Hair color: Dark brown
Eye color: Metallic gray
Skin color: Light brown
Height: 5'8”
Weight: 135lbs
Occupation: Knight, Adventurer, Deceiver
Languages: Tradespeak, Fallien, Farohtian, Alerian
Recent History
An excerpt from a Radasantian Reader companion piece to their Eiskalt war coverage
... yet another suspicious oddity among the many inconsistent reports from the field.
One can hardly escape the name Astarelle Set'Roh, alias Roht Mirage, these days. You know her as the champion of the Cell, runner-up of the Magus, and an Ixian Knight whose duties have never been publicly stated. However, there appears to be a different side to her that is revealed when she does not expect prying eyes.
Eye-witness reports both from Eiskalt and at home paint a picture of a woman with poor judgement, dangerous allegiances, and a penchant for inhuman lust. We have little choice but to acknowledge that the Roht Mirage we know is as transient and deceptive as her title implies, but not impervious to scrutiny.
Let us examine these faces, these masks, of the Roht Mirage, and you can decide for yourself if this is a woman you want representing Corone afar or even shifting through our own streets...
Petrid Prinn
Unused statement from the research of Petrid Prinn
I saw Jensen Ambrose carrying an injured Astarelle Set'Roh into the forward outpost in Eiskalt. It looked like they had been fighting for their lives. The only conversation I heard was shortly after, when Aislinn Orlouge had taken the unconscious woman and returned to him with quill and parchment in hand.
A: “The way you look at her... What happened?”
J: “Astarelle lied. She lied so horribly and so shamelessly to me. She said things like she knew my past, things just to cover her own well-toned ass. She insulted the memory of someone I love, very dearly, and talks to Crozius like its a lady.” He looked at his war maul. “Ugliest lady I have ever seen, but hey, she’s the crazy one. But...damn how I know this. Call it instinct, or maybe even wishful thinking. Despite all those lies she spat just to save herself, it never once in any of her words felt like she lied to hurt me.”
A: “When one is skillful with a needle, it can cause little pain. The same is true of words.”
J: “Not like that. She didn’t make it sound like she was only protecting herself. I can read people, and I assure you I have trouble reading her. But back there...I could read her like a book. And she lied to me, to...to save me. Fuck if I know why. But...I’m grateful. That’s why I carried her here, that’s why I’m going back out there. Protect her, Aislinn. I don’t want her on my conscience. Oh and, uh...give her this. It’s important.
Aislinn said something too soft to overhear.
J: “No it’s not a love letter! The hell is wrong with you?”
Anonymous
(Notations from Petrid Prinn: Too conflicted. Ruins the message. The source couldn't even get a look at the note (http://www.althanas.com/world/showthread.php?27384-Eiksalt-War-Round-2-Enigmatic-Immortal-and-Roht-Mirage-Vs-Requiem-of-Insanity&p=229915&viewfull=1#post229915). Perhaps I'll sell this drivel to Tome.)
Past History
The Traveller's Way in Faroh
For Akee
“A little blasphemy keeps us sane.”
Foreword
This is a book for no one. Faroh receives no travellers. If you do find yourself there, by some twist of fate, I doubt that knowing the language or culture would help you very much. In that situation, I wish you luck and offer my condolences to your next of kin.
To those who have never heard of Faroh and never been there, this will seem a fairy tale. I would not begrudge you for taking it as such. After all, this book is about a city that moves with the sand and wind, never seen by the eyes of any Fallien people. Its emissaries are few, and they are experts at never getting a second glance. If you live in Irrakam, I may see you someday. But, you will not see me. You will see a plain soldier, a washerwoman, or maybe even a messenger of the Jya.
So, whether you believe or not, I invite you to read this book. You will learn of a vastly different culture whose people, at their core, are not unlike yourselves. You will learn of magics that can move the endless desert and a religion that can chain the wildest spirit. Forever.
Dear reader, I write this book because it is a small way.... the only way... that I can truly join you on the other side.
Astarelle Set'Roh
About the Author
Astarelle Set'Roh is a treasure. A young woman with the fire to burn amid the strongest storm, and a lovely little slip of a girl as well. She's also so modest that she would call all that a sand blasted lie. I'm only writing this once, though. Take it or leave it, my dear. Anyway, onto the matter at hand...
Astarelle Set'Roh was born in the city of Faroh, bearing the Roht mark on her forehead. She was raised in the temple as a Child of Roh until her sixteenth year. At that time, she was raised to Hand of Roh (you might call her a priestess) and she began her training among the Farohtian people. Her first teacher was Marra, one of our most skilled dancers and a damn rude harpy in my experience. Astarelle was a natural. I dare say she might have become as skilled as Marra, if not for her embellished style and wonderfully inappropriate way of speaking (by Roht standards). Marra is quite famous for the line, “If this is a test of my faith in Roh, I submit. I surrender to her mercy. Her daughter, given to my care and tutelage, can receive no more training from me without tempting me to blaspheme against her Roht honor.”
Astarelle came to me, then, to learn the ways of the gatherer. The name “gatherer” is purposefully demeaning, as is the attitude of the Farohtian people toward us. We are the only ones to leave the city and trade with the other peoples of Fallien. It is a task that requires skill and subtly. Ask them, however, and they will tell you that we bumble among the savages to pick up scattered sticks. Astarelle, bless the girl, never believed that. And I don't believe for a second that she is a proper Roht daughter. The first time I said, “There's nothing Roht about you!” I expected the Kar'Roh to rise from the desert to punish me. But she just smiled.... That was five years ago. It's been a very good five years.
Please think deeply on this book. Try to know her as I do. And if you see an old trader or merchant or fisherman alongside that soldier/washerwoman/messenger somewhere in the streets of Irrakam, think of me as well.
Akashere
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
An excerpt from the Radasantian Reader cover story on the recently completed Cell tournament
... and it was in that curio shop, as the Cell Champion dodged away from her adoring crowd, that I was able to catch her attention and bring you this exclusive interview.
D: Miss Mirage! Derdum Tome, reporter for the Radasanthian Reader. Do you have time to answer a few questions?
M: Not right- Did you really just call me Miss Mirage?
D: Do you prefer the full Roht Mirage? Astarelle Set'Roh, maybe? That name has been making the rounds as well. Perhaps one of the nicknames your many fans have for you. The Dancer? The Scorpion?
M: Bury me. Please stop. Miss Mirage is fine. Just don't call me Roht.
D: Is Roht incorrect?
M: Well, the 't' is possessive, so it's proper translation is Roh's, and using the word alone is just... Never mind. You had questions?
D: Of course. First question: You only came to Corone recently. Was participating in the Cell the reason you came?
M: No! The Cell was an accident. I was trying very hard to stay away from all this Corone madness.
D: What do you mean by Corone madness?
M: The battles to the death... for sport! An Ai'Brone under every lantern post. I wonder if death even means anything to you people.
I apologize dear reader, for at this point I began to lose my temper. Though I aspire, as all journalists do, to act with his legendary composure, I am no Peabody Polk.
D: Miss Mirage. With all due respect, the people of Corone just suffered a civil war. I assure you that we understand death. For some of us, it is intimate and recent. Many view our 'sport' as a way to confront that fact of life. I dare say, if we were only interested in blood and destruction, you would not-
M: I would not have won. You're right. I just didn't think... I'm sorry, Mister Tome. I shouldn't have said that.
D: It's quite alright. I know this must be strange for you. But, please understand that you have become an inspiration to many. You were victorious without fabled skills or expensive equipment; some have noted even without clothes.
M: Are you one of the people who noted that?
D: Erm... well, my job is to note everything.
Again, I apologize for a lack of professionalism, but I am only human. Miss Mirage placed a hand on my shoulder and looked into my eyes. At the risk of waxing poetic, I must say that I have never seen steel-gray look so warm. I was admittedly flustered and dropped my pen. What follows is transcribed from memory.
M: You are a very caring and accepting people. Outside of the arenas, I have seen almost nothing but kindness. I thank Corone for her hospitality and the honor she's given me... and I hope I helped sooth her heartache.
I found myself temporarily speechless, so I reached down to retrieve my pen. At that moment, Miss Mirage slipped past me and out the door. I tried to follow, but she had disappeared much like her namesake.
However, I was left with the impression that even without her allies, even without Crozius, Roht Mirage might have still emerged victorious on the strength of her smile alone.
Derdum Tome
Timelines
Liquid time... not even once.
Priestess
~ Astarelle tries to savor what she can of her free life in Fallien. Her time as Set'Roh is drawing ever shorter, and the high seat of Mar'Roh awaits. She is positive that she is unfit for it.
Impulse (http://www.althanas.com/world/showthread.php?25445-Ties-That-Bind) – As a daughter of Roh, she tends to her duties... in her own way. (unfinished)
Excavation – The work of a gatherer can get very complicated very quickly. (planned)
Evaluation – The final test of a gatherer is normally a proud occasion. For this daughter of Roh, it is a sign of the approaching end. (planned)
Exodus (http://www.althanas.com/world/showthread.php?25921-Roht-Exodus) – As the throne of Mar'Roh looms, Astarelle is willing to do anything to forestall the inevitable. (unfinished)
Regrets – One does not leave Faroh without consequences. (planned)
Fugitive
~ Astarelle flees to Corone. She suspects that the Kar'Roh, Roh's hunters, still stalk her.
Coincidence (http://www.althanas.com/world/showthread.php?25496-Relt-Peltfelter-Rides-Again) – She is welcomed by Relt Peltfelter. Two Relt Peltfelters, to be precise. (unfinished)
Humility (http://www.althanas.com/world/showthread.php?25521-Falling-To-Rise-(Open)) – Astarelle experiences the Citadel and the peculiar psychology of Corone.
Champion
~ Astarelle's presence is exposed, and her unwanted fame begins.
Ella (http://www.althanas.com/world/showthread.php?25985-The-Ella-Chamber) – The fugitive awakens as a participant in the Cell. A night of barely-remembered debauchery lies behind her.
Aislinn (http://www.althanas.com/world/showthread.php?26046-The-Aislinn-Chamber) – Unlikely allies come to her aid, and the guardians of Fallien's secrets reveal themselves.
Armonia (http://www.althanas.com/world/showthread.php?26177-The-Armonia-Chamber) – Astarelle wins the Cell, somehow. But the true enemy, a product of Fallien's hostility, is still at large.
Censor
~ With the reveal of Astarelle's true identity, a whole mess of Fallien secrets come to the fore, and must be silenced.
Cellebration (http://www.althanas.com/world/showthread.php?26269-The-Flesh-Failures-Cellebration) – A victory party in the place where the whole debacle began gives her a moment of pleasure before...
Redaction (http://www.althanas.com/world/showthread.php?26891-Roht-Redaction) – Astarelle does what is necessary to keep safe the secrets of the very homeland she fled from. (unfinished)
Outcast
~ Astarelle travels back to Fallien to check on loved ones and investigate why the Kar'Roh pursuit is not what she expected.
Voyage (http://www.althanas.com/world/showthread.php?25789-Lifted-By-Levity-(Closed)) – Despite her best efforts and a noble companion at her side, the journey home does not go as planned. (unfinished)
Tournament Dog
~ The Magus weighs on her with heavy expectations, and delivers to her a friend.
Leoric (http://www.althanas.com/world/showthread.php?26592-Round-1-Veteran-Roht-Mirage-Vs-Leoric) – Astarelle demands a high price for her participation. Her entrance is less than impressive, because karma.
Missing Monster (http://www.althanas.com/world/showthread.php?26771-Round-2-Veteran-Monster-Vs-Roht-Mirage) – She finds herself in an empty arena and makes it home.
Leopold (http://www.althanas.com/world/showthread.php?26933-Round-3-Veteran-Roht-Mirage-Vs-Leopold) – A reluctant messenger of the Ixians enters her faux-Fallien to show her her place. His message is punctuated with a bullet.
Cellar (http://www.althanas.com/world/showthread.php?27401-Oldbie-Bracket-Roht-Mirage-Vs-Taste-of-Treason) – An ill-conceived plan to acquire a gun leads to her almost killing the most sincere girl she has ever met. She saves her instead, but moralities remain gray.
Zack (http://www.althanas.com/world/showthread.php?27532-Redemption-Bracket-Finals-Zack-Blaze-Vs-Roht-Mirage) – Back in the Magus, a real assassination attempt brings her behind the Ai'Brone curtain.
Cellar Again (http://www.althanas.com/world/showthread.php?27665-Olbie-Bracket-(Semi-)-Finals-Roht-Mirage-Vs-Taste-of-Treason) – Astarelle introduces Cellar to the children that she fights for, and she shares her true intentions regarding the Ixian Knights.
Cellar Again Again (http://www.althanas.com/world/showthread.php?28112-What-if) – Because words are cheap, especially her's, Astarelle thanks Cellar by sharing Ai'Brone secrets. Should have just given her a puppy.
False Hero
~ The war in Eiskalt proves that one can only get by with pretend strength for so long.
Rescue (http://www.althanas.com/world/showthread.php?27134-Round-One-Part-A-2v2) – With the help of a magical custard dog, Astarelle almost keeps the citizenry safe.
Fateful Dance (http://www.althanas.com/world/showthread.php?27384-Eiksalt-War-Round-2-Enigmatic-Immortal-and-Roht-Mirage-Vs-Requiem-of-Insanity) – Astarelle shares a powerful dance with Jensen Ambrose and Catherine Remi. They both leave a lasting impression on her, in drastically different ways.
Heroic Rise (http://www.althanas.com/world/showthread.php?27632-Multi-Battle-Round-3-Church-Rooftops) – Astarelle tries to save the day...
And Fall (http://www.althanas.com/world/showthread.php?27633-Multi-Battle-Round-3-Church-Interior) – But @#$!s a faun instead. Astarelle and Philomel declare a sexy truce, for now. (explicit!)
Morning After (http://www.althanas.com/world/showthread.php?27883-An-Eiskalt-Morning-After) – Astarelle tries to save the few that remain while tensions between Jensen and Philomel complicate the matter.
Leaving Eiskalt (http://www.althanas.com/world/showthread.php?27775-Leaving-Eiskalt-The-Assassin-The-Immortal-The-Angel-The-Plaugelord-sail-off) – The horrors of war prove too much, leaving Astarelle with nothing to do but seek comfort from the faun that never loves.
Drunken Debriefing (http://www.althanas.com/world/showthread.php?28013-Drinking-Ale-in-Bars-with-Ixians-(Closed)) – Astarelle and Jensen drink away their troubles while creating a whole new even-more-confusing set of them.
Elf-land Tourist
~ To escape shame and scandal, Astarelle accompanies Jensen on a wildly stupid adventure through Alerar and Raiaera. Sorry, elves. It's too late to revoke their passports.
Train Heist – Astarelle meets some old faces in a robbery gone catastrophically, fantastically wrong. Preluded by 'Conference of Criminals (http://www.althanas.com/world/showthread.php?27982-Conference-of-Criminals)'.
Picnic in the Red Forest – Don't ask.
No Longer Me (http://www.althanas.com/world/showthread.php?28022-No-Longer-Me-Featured) – She finds even more old faces, including Philomel, on the back of a @#$!ing dragon! Somewhere, the gods are laughing.
Crownmother – From the Coralian giant Sorish, Astarelle learns the consequences of what she had assumed was the least harmful of her past mistakes.
Fallen Ash (http://www.althanas.com/world/showthread.php?28079-After-the-Ash-Had-Fallen) – Philomel makes a break for freedom, and Astarelle tries to atone for the Eiskalt wrongs that seem to have followed her.
Equipment
Lataro staff (6' or 3'x2)
~ Lataro is a porous bamboo-like wood with the same strength and flexibility as yew. Farohtians force sand into the pores to make it stronger. With her current abilities, Astarelle's staff is as strong as steel when all of its sand is held within. It can be disconnected into two equal parts. This break does not compromise the full-staff form's strength so long as there is sand within it.
Lataro weaves
~ Intricately woven bands at wrists and shins that can be concealed under clothing. These boost Astarelle's sand manipulation abilities, compensating for the many areas where her skill is deficient.
Cell armor, purchased here (http://www.althanas.com/world/showthread.php?25955-Bad-Girl-at-the-Bazaar)
~ Includes iron bracers, leather corset with hidden iron mail layer, iron-plated shoes, and hair ribbon with hidden barbed wire.
Sapphire pendant (http://i00.i.aliimg.com/wsphoto/v3/900682914_1/Ladies-Summer-Sexy-font-b-Sapphire-b-font-Floating-font-b-Locket-b-font-Semi-Precious.jpg), awarded here (http://www.althanas.com/world/showthread.php?25930-The-Cell-OOC-Discussion&p=218153&viewfull=1#post218153)
~ A thumb-sized sapphire in an intricate silver setting and hanging from a silver chain. The nooks and crannies of the setting normally contain the powdered remains of what was once an identical sapphire. See “Jump” in Other Abilities.
Adenhya, awarded here (http://www.althanas.com/world/showthread.php?24607-The-Vault&p=228475&viewfull=1#post228475)
~ A simple oak handle that belongs to a warhammer that long ago lost its head. Whenever the wielder of this weapon is in a desperate situation, the handle automatically trades places with the warhammer Crozius. Its name is normally written in Fallien script on the side. (Renamed by Astarelle. See Dehlar Lady of War in Other Abilities.)
Items
Woven lataro tube, capped with a sand stopper
~ The tube's walls are sealed with sand to make it waterproof. It is used to carry multiple sheets of paper as well as dry ink and seal wax in various colors. Anyone who lacks the skill to control the ink (see Farohtian Scribe in Abilities) will get a face full of ink powder should they manage to open it.
Farohtian fire striker, purchased here (http://www.althanas.com/world/showthread.php?26144-Sand-Scout-Motto-Be-prepared-to-die)
~ A palm-sized brass housing that contains flint, steel, and enough empty space for sand to be forced inside. As long as Astarelle is no farther than twenty meters away, she can stir the sand to make sparks arc out of the small opening in the striker's face.
Dragonbone (2 pieces), awarded here (http://www.althanas.com/world/showthread.php?28022-No-Longer-Me-Featured&p=236873&viewfull=1#post236873)
Good Will of Alerar, awarded here (http://www.althanas.com/world/showthread.php?28022-No-Longer-Me-Featured&p=236873&viewfull=1#post236873)
~ Enables one purchase from the bazaar of a high technological level with a 10% discount. Worth dependent on purchase. (Can't be used with other discounts.)
Skills
Skills and abilities are scaled as Novice, Apprentice, Adept, Expert, Master.
Dancing (Expert)
Styles:
Farohtian – Rapid movement with a focus on hip twists, spins, and leaps.
Delirious – While in an altered mental state (ie: poor health or poison) her dance takes on a smooth yet unpredictable flow.
Mirror – By analyzing an opponents' movement, she can mimic their style of combat to more easily counter them.
Undead – The motions of the shambling undead are a special case in terms of predictability. Unlike other opponents, she can take on multiple simple-minded undead with ease.
Staff / Half-Staff Fighting (Adept)
Styles:
Bludgeon – Momentum is built with body movement rather than staff handling.
Rebound – The recalling of the staff is used to strike an opponent.
Stick – In smaller sections, the staff/sticks are used for quick strikes that can disarm or stun.
Beast Handling (Adept to Expert)
Preferences:
Horse – Can calm and control most tame horses.
Giant Scorpion – Difficult to train. Once tame, one may act as both familiar and mount.
Deception (Expert)
She can make excellent use of alternate personas with fleshed out histories and distinct personality traits, though deviating too far from her own personality will break her focus. See “Layers” in Other Abilities.
Abilities
Sand Manipulation:
“Rizak”. The skill that defines my people. Everyday life is built around it, and the pride of every Farohtian is linked to their own use of it. One of Akashere's phrases of wisdom applies here. “If you love your craft, give it a name. If you really love your craft, give it a thousand names. But for the love of Roh, don't expect me to remember them all.” That last part is not heeded by most of my people... though I have grown quite sick of remembering it all. What follows has been edited to simple, logical Tradespeak.
A sand “pool” is a distinct section of her total familiar sand. It designates a difference in properties, and can consist of varying amounts, measured in “drifts”.
A sand “drift” is approximately ten heaping handfuls, uncompressed.
Sand Pools:
Name – quantity in drifts – color – passive location
Thirsty and Drowning – two – gold and brown, burnt gold when mixed – staff
~ One drift comes from her travels over the expanse of Fallien. The other was accidentally given to her by the Mystics while they were magically drying her sand from the flooded ruins of the Ella chamber.
Mask – one – all natural skin colors – tattoos or any disguise that has been held for over an hour
~ Gathered with the help of Akashere many years ago. It has enough Fallien skin tones to do a full body disguise, and enough Corone and Salvar color to do head-and-hands disguises for three people.
Victory – one – granite gray – tattoos or under clothes
~ Gathered from the rubble of the Armonia chamber as her sand was, once again, returned to her.
Failure – two – black – under clothes
~ The crushed remains of Eiskalt's unique architecture, collected from the ruins of Unum. It is slightly stronger than her other sand (half-tier boost).
Jump – miniscule – sapphire pendant
~ The powdered remains of one half of a teleportation crystal duo.
~ ~ ~
Form Aspects:
Quantity – (Adept) Up to three drifts can be used continuously (ie: removed from their passive location). Four can be used for a few minutes before exhausting one's rizak abilities.
Fatigue – (Apprentice) When rizak abilities are exhausted, only a maximum of two drifts can be used, and their formation/motion is at half the normal speed.
Familiarity – (Novice) Only sand that has been near the user for a number of days can be manipulated. Farohtians of this weak level often carry familiar sand with them.
Compression – (Expert) Sand is stored at one-fifth its natural volume. It will not escape containers or lataro unless willed to and is water resistant while in its passive state.
Resistance – (Apprentice) Up to two drifts can be kept completely dry even when exposed and submerged. It requires concentration to maintain. Sand in lataro vessels is completely waterproof.
Dehydration – (Novice) Water can be forced out of one saturated drift per post.
It requires one drift to sustain one form at an appropriate level. One form drawing from many drifts will be more effective. Astarelle requires her lataro weaves to use the more sturdy, combat-oriented forms, plus her staff to move sand with maximum force.
~ ~ ~
Schools:
-- Utility --
Farohtian Scribe – Manipulation of ink and wax.
~ (Adept) Create or alter any document not protected by magical means. Ink and wax seals must be dry. Physical contact with the paper is required. Alterations can take anywhere from a few seconds to a few minutes based on complexity. The presence of ink can be sensed, even when invisible or otherwise hidden, as long as the page is in hand.
Displace – Detect if sand is moved by another force or body.
~ (Apprentice) Only personal sand can be sensed. Reaction time is slower than that of the physical senses, and much slower if the sand is a great distance away (up to forty meters).
-- Disguise --
Skin – Sand worn as a disguise. Personal sand of various hues is often used.
~ (Adept) Skin color can be changed completely. Facial features can be molded to a large degree. Changes to body shape are believable only with clothing over top. A single drift can be applied to the entirety of one's own body. Limiting the disguise to face and hands will not use an entire drift, allowing for weakened forms with the remaining sand.
Voice – Swallow sand and manipulate it against the vocal chords to change one's voice.
~ (Adept) The manipulator can change their voice to any pitch that is within the normal human range. It is uncomfortable (though bearable) with extended use and cannot be sustained for more than one day.
-- Movement & Control --
Puppeteer – Form and manipulate non-solid shapes.
~ (Apprentice) A game played during any typical Farohtian childhood. The puppets must be human-sized or smaller to retain control, but can be sent up to 20 meters away. They have very little physical mass and little direct application in combat.
Paw & Wing – Use sand as a medium for precise movement.
~ (Apprentice) When a layer of sand separates the body from the ground, it can be shaped to either increase or decrease friction. It has little affect on smooth surfaces (metal) and cannot be used to defy gravity. While the manipulator is airborne, sand can be forced below the body to cushion a fall. It takes one drift per ten meters fallen to remain uninjured, albeit with some bruising.
Veil & Storm – Spread sand into a cloud around the manipulator, then grant it movement.
~ (Adept) The cloud has a radius of two meters per drift. It barely affects vision unless it catches other material up in it. Others entering it will feel skin, eye, and throat irritation. When in motion, the cloud moves in response to the caster's movement. A thrust of the body will elongate it in one direction. A spin will set it swirling enough to abrade bare flesh and damage sensitive areas. A long piece of lataro (such as the staff) is required to get the storm up to full speed, which can push opponents, moderately damage unprotected flesh, and obscure the caster to a single patch of darkness at the center. The storm can only last as long as the caster's body or lataro pieces remain in motion. If allies are in the range of the storm, it will divert around them, minimizing damage.
Burst & Capture – Strike or grapple an out-of-reach opponent with sand.
~ (Novice) With body motions, the manipulator throws forward a dense, spherical mass of sand (one-quarter meter in diameter for every drift used) that can, at its strongest, knock a grown man off his feet. For full power, the sand must coalesce near her striking limb for a few seconds before release. It will begin to dissipate after striking something or travelling four meters. Before dissipating fully, it can be willed to seize tight, coating one or more sections of the body and affixing them to either other body parts or objects nearby. The target can struggle free with some effort. To try to stall this, the manipulator must remain almost completely still and focus on holding the form.
Recall – Exert a pull on distant objects either made of lataro or woven with it. A miniscule amount of sand must remain in the object.
~ (Expert) Pull a familiar tool to oneself from up to thirty meters away. The tool can break from heavy resistance such as a strong grip and will return with force equal to two times what the user could impart with their own strength. In extreme desperation, the force and range will be stronger. The arc of a returning object can be altered by up to 70 degrees.
Current items that can be recalled: staff, bracelets/anklets
Collect – Draw all personal sand back to its passive locations.
~ (Adept) Complete collection at a moderate pace, either at will or upon falling unconscious. Sand being collected can travel along the ground or through the air. It must be physically captured to prevent this effect.
Note: Saturated sand, while useless for forms, will return at a slow pace.
-- Hardening --
Buffer – Creates an unstable airborne shield close to the manipulator.
~ (Apprentice) When formed to shield a whole body, the sand can block a grenade blast for every two drifts used. Reducing the width increases the thickness, enhancing the affect at the cost of coverage. The sand is designed to absorb and scatter the force, often resulting in it being flung out of range for immediate use. Blunt weapons will be slowed in contact with the buffer. Bladed weapons will cut right through with minimal resistance. If struck by less solid forces (such as elemental spells) the majority of the spell can be diverted up to 30 degrees from its intended trajectory. This quickly breaks down the buffer.
Carapace – Sand forms into protective plates on the body.
~ (Expert) One body part gains two tiers of protection per drift. (Up to the strength of delyn, tier 4.) Solidifying the sand over joints will greatly decrease flexibility. (Note that wearing the sand as a tattoo provides a small amount of protection, but only if it is willed to harden in time.) This protection can be applied to nearby allies and will remain solid up to thirty meters away from the manipulator.
Claw – Form sharp extensions on weapons or body.
~ (Adept) Create medium (2.5') weapons as strong as one tier per drift, or stronger if forming a smaller blade. (Up to the strength of dehlar, tier 3.) Blades can remain on weapons away from the hand as long as they are willed to, but cannot be altered aside from returning to their passive form. The form can be adjusted to grant either slightly-above-tier penetration or a serrated edge that heavily damages flesh.
Other Abilities:
Layers - Deception to keep telepaths at bay.
~While deep in a persona, her mind is layered with the persona at the surface and her true self buried underneath. A telepath of moderate skill attempting to read her mind will have to determine that the persona is false before delving deeper. Stronger telepaths will power right through the deception if they try to go deeper.
Polyglotism - Voices of the world.
~ Astarellle can learn new languages with incredible speed, including distinct dialects as she comes across them.
~ If she knows she is travelling to a foreign land and has time to prepare, it can be assumed that she will arrive with the ability to converse with the locals.
Dehlar Lady of War – A duet upon the battlefield.
~ When Astarelle wields Crozius, she it able to make full use of its power. This amplifies both strengh and, to a lesser degree, endurance.
~ Her magically enhanced strength is disproportionate to her mass, allowing for seemingly physics-breaking moves.
~ She also talks to it... No combat benefit other than making her look rather creepy.
From the profile of Jensen Ambrose
Crozius: A Dehlar Master crafted maul that is the length of an average human arm, with a red leather grip and a bronzed Heraldric Cross at the tip inscribed with passages from the Tome of War. The weapon is enchanted to increase the Strength of the user by 5X their normal capacity. Usually in the care of Jensen's friend Adolph Gretzle, the weapon has been known to be used by Jensen himself.
Technically Not Abilities:
Because Althanas
Jump - Teleportation magic requiring the sapphire pendant.
~ The pendant contains two sapphires, one whole and fixed, the other powdered and at the whim of Astarelle's manipulations. Within thirty meters, it can be controlled with an even greater precision than her sand and, with concentration, reformed into a solid object, at which point it will function as originally intended...
~ The bearer of one sapphire can teleport to the location of the other sapphire (bringing their own with them), or teleport something touching the other sapphire to their location (again, moving the sapphire to make it a one-way trip). The maximum load is three normal humans, or an equal mass of inanimate objects. All matter to be transported must be in contact with one sapphire or another object being transported.
~ A long range jump would require that Astarelle leave the pendant in the target location and bring the powdered sapphire with her.
~ After extended use, the sapphire pendant will grow cold and inactive. Current limitations are three short jumps or one long jump per day.
Familiars
Kar'Rohki
~Priestess timeline only~
Giant black scorpion missing one pincer. He is named after the Kar'Roh, the boogeymen of Faroh bedtime stories. While not exactly affectionate, he is very protective of Astarelle, who has been training him for the last four years. (Because of this, Akashere tripled his emergency supplies of anti-venom.) Kar'Rohki will fight with pincer and stinger, which can deliver a toxin capable of paralysing a limb. Loss of the limb is possible if not attended to within a few days.
However, due to his training, he is hesitant to fight. He normally acts more as a mount than a protector and is prone to retreating at inappropriate times. Also, he would rather bury himself than get anywhere close to a human settlement.