Epithets

 

Amongst Men, Lu Bu 「人中吕布，马中赤兔」

[Lu Bu]

Lu Bu’s Unique Epithet

“君，驍勇無敵，善戰無前，然勇而少計，暴而少仁。恐眾叛旦夕之間。”

“Your Excellency’s Martial Prowess are without Equal, and no one in history can match you.  While your might is unstoppable - you lack insight, while dauntlessness - you lack mercy, I fear it would not be long before everything turns against you”

Lu Bu’s combat skills are phenomenal.  He is without doubt the finest warrior in History.  His combat awareness is profound and his stances perfect.  As such he never suffers onslaught penalties, including any penalties from charms and effects that are categorized as Onslaught.
          His defense is so well formed that he is able to protect himself from all assailants without leaving any opening.  Thus he is exempted from the rule of one enemy gaining unsuspected attack when maximum number of opponents in any combat space is reached.  This combined with his blazing speed and terrifying aggression allows him to ignore coordinated attacks against him as long as he attacks.
          His nearly impenetrable defense is so robust that his Wound Penalties do not modify his DVs - though it still lowers his dice pools normally.
          Perhaps most potent of them all, Lu Bu adds his Essence Score (this includes the Might Rating of his troops in Mass Combat) as automatic successes to all Combat Related Actions of Physical Prowess and Awareness (including Join Battle Rolls).  This adding of successes also modifies relevant Static Values by the same amount.  These bonus successes are not considered bonus from Charms and does not make his attacks “charm infused.”  Like Second Excellency, this ability does not allow him to pursuit impossible attacks – such as multiple action penalties in excess of his dice pool.
          Lu Bu is also Fearless and perfectly defends against all fear effects.  This overwhelming confidence is such that as long as he is active his complementary unit is considered to have perfect morale as they are strengthened by the knowledge their commander is undefeatable.
          Regardless of his Intimacies, Motivations, Charms, and Any effects he is subjected to (Perfect or Otherwise), Lu Bu cannot be prevented from choosing to betray those around him for a sufficiently attractive prize.  This is not a mechanical effect, but should be handled in story narratives.

 

Bull of the North

[Yurgen Kaneko]

Decimate the Tepet Legions

Just a title - granted to the person who turned the current world order upside down.

 

Catalyst

[Aata]

Attune the Artifact “Clockwork Heart”

Face Celestial Justice

 

Confessor

[Flawless Oak]

Cause an NPC to commit suicide because of Guilty Conscience

Free specialty “Presence: Interrogation +1”  This does not count towards the max of 3 specialties, but it does count towards the +3 cap for total bonus dice from specialties.

 

Deliberator

[None Currently]

Become one of the 5 Solar Deliberators

Gains 1 Willpower point every Sunrise.  Regain 4 extra motes of Essence per hour.  +5 to Personal Essence Pool and +10 to Peripheral Essence Pool.

 

Devourer, The

[None Currently]

Be declared “The devourer”

No [Game] Mechanical Bonus

 

Famous Archer General

[Yurgen Kaneko]

Achieve 5 consecutive victories against mass combat units that have a minimum of magnitude 6, higher troop quality and higher magnitude than the character’s own range unit.  These victories can be spread over multiple battle/wars, but the character must not suffer defeat in between.

When commanding Mass Combat Archery Unit, the complementary unit gains +1 to Morale (max 6)

 

Famous Calvary General

[Renath of Diamond Hearth]

Achieve 5 consecutive victories against mass combat units that have a minimum of magnitude 6, higher troop quality and higher magnitude than the character’s own Calvary unit.  These victories can be spread over multiple battle/wars, but the character must not suffer defeat in between.

When commanding Mass Combat Calvary Unit, the complementary unit gains +1 to Morale (max 6)

 

Famous Infantry General

[No One Currently]

Achieve 5 consecutive victories against mass combat units that have a minimum of magnitude 6, higher troop quality and higher magnitude than the character’s own Infantry unit.  These victories can be spread over multiple battle/wars, but the character must not suffer defeat in between.

When commanding Mass Combat Infantry Unit, the complementary unit gains +1 to Morale (max 6)

 

Heavenly Spear (天槍)

[Rhianna of Marukan Alliance]

Rhianna’s unique Epithet

Combat Abilities is effectively 2 dots higher when applied to the use of any Piercing Polearm (Spears, Lances, Javelins, etc.).  Essence Score is also effectively 1 dot higher under such conditions.  This enhanced Essence score cannot be used to meet the Essence requirement to learn charms.

Some Examples are War Ability when leading Lancers, Spearmen, Javelineers.  Martial Arts when using a style that uses Spears.  Thrown when tossing a Javelin.

 

Isolation Specialist

[Flawless Oak]

Fail the Elemental Court of Wood’s Test

No [game] mechanical bonuses nor penalties

 

General of Legend

[Tepet Arada]

Gain Famous Archery General, Famous Infantry General, and Famous Calvary General, without suffering any defeat in-between.

Loses the epithet Famous Infantry General, Famous Calvary General, Famous Archery General.

The general’s complementary unit gains +1 to Morale (no max) and +1 to Drill (no max)

Opposing Mass Combat Units lose 1 dot of Morale – unless protected by Charm vs. Natural/Unnatural Mental Influences

 

Ghost Buster

[Alabaster hand of the Heaven]

Be the first to use ghost eating technique to permanently kill a ghost

Converts one attack dice to automatic success when using Ghost Eating Technique against a Ghost.  Character loses one success on any attempt to establish positive relationships with Ghosts.

 

Golden Beacon of Hope, The

[Clytemnestra]

Be the Leader of the Gold Faction Solars

Gains the “Born to Rule” merit.  Gold Faction Solars are automatically considered to be his/her “lessers”.

 

Golden Custodian of North and East

[Yurgen Kaneko]

Gain the title of the Golden Custodian of North and East

+/-1 automatic success to all social rolls depending on whether the title is a positive benefit or negative

 

Golden Custodian of South and West

[Balan, Dagnir]

Gain the title The Golden Custodian of South and West

+/-1 automatic success to all social rolls depending on whether the title is a positive benefit or negative

 

Matchless Salesman

[Alabaster Hand of the Heaven]

Alabaster’s Unique Epithet

NPCs Natural Dodge MDV is halved against Alabaster’s attempts to gain their trust.  This halving is before modifiers are applied.

 

Militia Leader

[Flawless Oak]

Suffering no losses when leading a unit with Drill 1 to victory against a superior foes in all other statistics

The character can put his complementary unit into regular formation regardless of their Drill rating.

 

Miracle Worker

[Hastha-sth]

Become the High Priest of the Unconquered Sun

Can Invoke the Miracles of any God under the governance of the Unconquered Sun – which means pretty much every Celestial and Terrestial God.  Only Malfea and Underworld gods are not under the Unconquered Sun’s governance.

Successfully invoked Miracles function at double potency. Failures on “Invoke Miracle” actions are treated as successful invocation with 0 threshold.  Botches are considered simple failures.

 

Partaker of the Forbidden Fruit

[Flawless Oak]

Survive the experiences of the The Menagerie of Fathomless Freedom

Character is forever reshaped by the inevitable corruption of such an expedition.  His Temperance Virtue is effectively 2 dots less when confronted with Temptation of the Demonic Flesh.  He also gains a token of remembrance – The Dema Sutra.  His jaded tastes however gains him superior performance in just such a situation.  Effectively gaining 3 dice to his “performance” rolls.

 

Slayer

[Nalla Bloodaxe, The]

Personally kill over a thousand sentient beings in one battle.

Opponents/Units who are under fear effects of the character cannot use coordinated attack against her.  Fearful effects are things such as successful intimidation attempt that was not resisted or fear inducing charms and effect such as Dawn’s anima.

 

Sleepless

[Currently No One]

Enter into more than 5 Eclipse Oaths concurrently.

Add 1 dot to Conviction, Temperance or Valor (Pick one, to a max of  5 dots).  Willpower Gain Rolls are penalized by one success (to a minimum of 0 successes).

 

Trainer of Heroes

[Dace]

Train more than 10,000 people with Tiger Warrior Training Technique

Gain +1 dot bonus to the Magnitude that can be trained by Tiger Warrior Training Technique

 

Training Wheels

[Dusk Princess of the Obsidian Heart]

Be chosen by the Neverborne as a Death Lord replacement candidate

+1 dot to Whisper Background with no maximum ceiling.

 

Unsavory Attraction

[Alabaster Hand of the Heaven]

Alabaster’s Unique Epithet

Alabaster is cursed (Unnatural Mental Influence) to be unable to join any religion he believes to be “Good.”  The cause can be anywhere from not be interested to actively self-sabotage his own enrollment.

 

War? What is it Good For?

[Balan]

Mire one corner of Creation into constant War for the foreseeable future

Gain the intimacy “Warmongering.”  This intimacy cannot be eroded for as long as the character possesses the Epithet.

 

Zealous for Justice

[Aata]

Rather choose death for his crimes rather than accept mercy

Set the precedence in the Third Age that Solars are subjugated to Celestial Jurisdiction.

Mask of Winter’s Abyssal Sparks

 

1)   Dawn (Dusk) 03

Silver Empress of the Frozen Rose
Prince Resplendent in the Ruin of Ages, Crumbling Pillar

2)   Dawn (Dusk) 05

Maiden of the Mirthless Smile

3)   Dawn (Dusk) 11

Irreproachable and Flawless Golden Tyrant

4)   Dawn (Dusk) 52

Adamant Sadness

5)   Midnight (Zenith) 22

Sorrowful Hill Master
Lady of Darkness in Bloodstained Robes

6)   Midnight (Zenith) 44

Apostate in Tatters (The Harp Guy)

7)   Daybreak (Twilight) 42

Ebon Whisper of the Weeping Mountains
Icy Monsoon of Bloody Maiden Tears

8)   Daybreak (Twilight) 49

Sagacious Bodhissatva of Crows and Murder
Illuminant Guardian of the Final Dust

9)   Day (Night) 11

Typhon – Thorn’s Ambassador to the Scavenger Lands

10)   Moonshadow (Eclipse) 27

Mistress of Pact Sealed in Blood

 

Associated Abyssals

Dusk Princess of the Obsidian Heart - Moonshadow (Eclipse) 24

Maiden of the Mirthless Smile

A Loyal Abyssal of Mask of Winters

Favorite Skills: Archery, Martial Arts, Melee, Thrown, War, Resistance, Integrity, Presence, Performance, and Social

An alabaster master piece made flesh is what comes to most people’s minds when they first gaze upon Maiden of the Mirthless Smile. Her smooth face forever molded into an enigmatic smile that does not touch her eyes. It is a badge gained for a failure no one save her and her master knows. Since that soul numbing day in the flesh forges of Mask of Winter’s laboratory Maiden of the Mirthless Smile has never failed again.

• Oldest Death Knight under the Command of the Mask of Winters
• A Death Knight marked by The Green Lady as worthy – a true Solar Quality Recipient.
• Commander in Chief of Mask of Winter’s Armies and strangely enough has her master’s full confidence
• Led the Vanguard against the force of Thorn and personally executed all the Supernatural Defenders and the City God
• She fought Dace when she invaded a city-state in the Scavenger Lands. Dace only managed to pin her unit, and Mask of Winter recalled her before she can show the fledging Solars a Death Knight’s true might. All this almost came to naught with Golden Tyrant’s rebellion but thankfully only the War Captain’s Circle realize their true damager. All encounter the other Solar had with the Death Knights showed them as formidable but hardly on the same level. This is mainly because so few Abyssals are the stuff of legends. Instead many are whatever tickles the Death Lord’s fancy.
• Only her, Adamant Sadness and Blind Pain Soulful Timbre remain as Death Knights. The other 6 Death Knights were all killed by Solars when they invaded the Underworld in search of the kidnapped Gladrien Vanja.
  • Though 2 of those 6 are newly exalted after Golden Tyrant slaughtered their predecessors.
• Uses an Abyssal Daiklave Style “New Shadow School (新阴流),” more commonly known as “One who strike strong enough, need not strike again.”
  • Focuses on Speed and Damage
• Has the Combo “Wolf Catching the Snake’s Tail”
• Has 7 Hearthstone Socketed that combined with her equipment and arsenal at her disposal makes her an adversary not to be taken lightly. 3 from Sword, 2 from Armor, 1 from Hearthstone Bracer, 1 from Hearthstone Amulet

 

The Maiden’s Panoply

Ironic Jest
(Soulsteel Grand Daiklave, Artifact•••••)

Like all Soulsteel weapons this Grand Daiklave is Jet Black with tormented souls that fade and reappears as if it’s a trick of the light. When drawn a constant swirling aura of Red and Black surrounds it.

• Cost 10 Motes to Attune
• 3 Hearthstone Sockets (one on each side of the blade where the guard joins the hilt, and 1 at the tip of the blade)
• The weapon releases a desolating and soul numbing chuckle when its attacks fail to do damage. All living things within hearing range (except those with the Whisper Background), be they friend or foe, regardless if they can physically hear sounds or not – since it is a supernatural effect and not actual sound waves, who’s MDV is lower than the Essence of the Wielder +3 will be at -4 internal penalty for the rest of the scene as the chuckle wreck their souls and send their bodies into random spasms. This is an unnatural mental influence and requires 2 Willpower point to resist for the rest of the scene.
• The blade is no better when its attack succeeds however. When an attack manages to do damage, it screams a desperate laughter of suffering as if hot lead is pour into their eye sockets but they can only laugh. The ghosts whose soul was used to make the material for the blade all rush to its surface, distorting it as blood trickles out of their orifices and drips down the blade. This is not all for show. The blade is literally drinking the life essences of the target and venting it out as blood. It adds levels of lethal damage equal to the wielder’s Essence (after damage is rolled) to the attack but only to living targets.
• All this is in addition to the intrinsic essence draining property of Soulsteel.

Speed 5
Accuracy +3 (+5 attuned)
Damage +14L/4
Defense +0
Rate 3
Min Str••
Attune 10
Tags: 2, O, P, R

 

 

Pale Pain’s Mirror
(Super Heavy Artifact Plate???, Unique Artifact)

This set of Abyssal Battle Armor is completely made of Soulsteel forged from the Ghosts of Violated Maidens. It is said that Maiden of the Mirthless Smile was made to gather these Ghosts personally and in the depth of the Mask of Winter’s Labyrinth Laboratory forged them into the armor accompanied by Mask of Winters. Whether this is true or not, no one save Mask of Winters and Maiden of Mirthless Smile know. The armor is rarely used however, and is stored in Elsewhere via Charms.

This all that is half-truths however, since the actual Pale Pain’s Mirror is a part of Maiden’s Life Essence. In its making her soul was no less violated than the final violation she was forced to commit on the armor’s material ghosts. The necromancy Mask of Winters wielded forged all their suffering into a crystalized monument to innocence lost to tyranny – a perfect face of suffering contorted into a forced smile, the very face of Maiden of the Mirthless Smile.

What people believe is the “Armor” is actually nothing more than a memento. True the actual armor grants fantastic protection but no more than any quality suit of same caliber. The true horror, the truly powerful artifact, is hers for all time – an escapable and inviolate proof of her broken spirit.

Power: In this artifact the Mask of Winter had outdone himself. A simple act of “diabolique” turned out to be more successful than even he realizes. The Pale Pain’s Mirror Increase the Maiden of the Mirthless Smile Permanent Essence by 1, and connects her to the corruption of the Labyrinth and cements her to the causes of Oblivion. Her caste mark is no longer a bleeding brand but of solid darkness that dims her surrounding in opposition magnitude of Solar animas.

This connection effectively negates the her need to spent Willpower points to activate Charms with “Spectre” keywords, for she is ever choking in the taint of the Underworld. It also means she regains Essence always as if she is in the Labyrinth.

Unknown to even the Neverborns , whilst she “wears” this artifact she can never be redeemed. The potent link to the Neverborns (hence the +1 to Essence) will forever unmake any progress towards that goal. As a side effect, her Dissonance Discharges are at double potency. This doubles radius and targets and such, it does not mean her 2 dot discharge has the same sweeping scale as a 4 dot discharge.

The Byproduct Soulsteel Superheavy Plate (Artifact •••••)

Soak: +15L/15B, Attuned: +17L/17B
Hardness 10L/10B, Attuned: 11L/11B
2 Hearthstone Sockets (Collar, Waist)

 

 

Tears of Incomparable Misery
(Soulsteel Punishment Implant, Artifact •••••)

This is a cape of interwoven strands of soulsteel that trails a murky vapor as fire does smoke. Each strand is finer than spider silk and is stronger than anchor chains. The cape is regal and fit for a queen, with gold trimmings and a high collar. Its opulent appearance however disguises its ruthless nature. The strands do not merely form a tapestry of darkness. It reaches deep within her and integrates into every organ and every bone. The crude necrosurgery leaves an ever open wound between the shoulder blades where it enters the body. The wound is horrifying to look at but otherwise produces no pain or penalties upon Maiden of the Mirthless Smiles.

It is because of this that the Maiden of the Mirthless Smile is never seen without it. Nor does she allow any but her honor guards to attend her when she is undressed.

For all its apparent horrors the cape is far far worse.

• The Cape essentially makes Maiden of the Mirthless Smiles a puppet on strings. Regardless of the distance can, should he wish it, play with her as a puppeteer does a marionette. He if he so choses can see what she sees, hear what she hears, smell what she smells, but fortunately he does not know what she thinks. The arcane link only links the physical and does not extend to the mind. He can also communicate with her (as if he is whispering to her ear) over the same arcane link.
• While she would never have chosen it herself, the cape can reweave itself into a dozen razor sharp cords 30 feet long. These cords functions the same as 4 permanent Charm of Withering Blood Chain Technique (see below). Like the Maiden of the Mirthless Smiles herself, these malignant appendages’ controls are shared between the Maiden and her master.
• All these control are merely Damocles Sword. For the Mask of Winter never used it. He does not even use the communication function. Instead he resorts to Necromancy or more mundane ways. The Maiden of Mirthless Smile knows they exist however, since Mask of Winter told her personally when the surgery was performed.
• While the artifact have similar function as the Permanent Charm, but it is not actually the permanent version of the Charm. Thus it does not count against the permanent Charm’s normal limit. Should she ever wish to do so, she can purchase the normal limit for the permanent version of the charm.
• Being Razor Sharp Soulsteel, the attacks of these cords have the same Essence draining properties as Soul Steel and inflict Lethal Damage.
• In addition the darkness that extrudes from the cape (and the deadly cords it forms) are poisonous to all living things and takes effect when anything it coats inflicts lethal damage. It goes without saying the source of the corruption (the cords) are always thus coated, but one can sweep their weapon through the murkiness and it will gain enough coating for 1 attack. The Maiden buff her Daiklave with the cape before every battle and its poisonous property last the whole scene.
  • The poison is magical corruption and cannot be prevented by mundane means. Though magical effects that stops poison and crippling effects does work.
  • The Poison drops Extras to the ground in terrifying screams as their mind is overwhelmed. Mercy is granted to them at the end of the scene as their hearts finally gives out.
  • Mortals fair slightly better, since they at least get a save of Stamina + Resistance over difficulty equal to the controller’s Essence. Should they make it, they suffer the same effect as Enlightened Beings, otherwise they perish just the same as Extras.
  • Enlightened Beings are sturdy enough to resist the poison’s deadlier effects. It however is still deliberating and causes mild hallucinations accompanied by high fever. It imposes a –1 Wound Penalty for a number of days equal to the controller’s Essence score. A successful poison RR vs. the controller’s Essence halves that duration.
  • While Maiden of the Mirthless Smile has inundated by her constant exposure the poison readily works on abyssal as it does other Exalts. Of course it does not function on beings who has no wound penalties – such as the dead or constructs.
• The last function is that the cape can be used to whisk the Maiden back to Her Abyssal Manse in an explosion of blood and gore. If one didn’t already know, it would only be natural to assume it was her that exploded. This is a means of last ditch effort to escape, though Mask of Winter can also use it as a form of Recall. The active use of this power is a reflexive action that takes 12 motes. However, it is set to automatically activate should the Maiden reach incapacitated or below.

 

 

Battlelusting Lightless Shadow
(Soulsteel Noble Warstrider, Artifact ••••)

Mask of Winter does not wish to provoke the Warstrider Legion of Lookshy and thus far have kept all his true Warstriders in the Underworld. He made a great show of “field testing a prototype trying to even out the playing field against Lookshy.” This prototype is of course the too large construct made of bone that Adamant Sadness ended up running off with.

Power: A Standard Soulsteel Noble Warstrider built for her at the Command of the Mask of Winters. The only addition is the prehensile tail.

 

 

Nemissary Honor Guards

Like Adamant Sadness, Maiden of the Mirthless Smiles is always escorted by her personal nemissary guards.

These guards are all experienced veterans of the Stygian Wars with centuries of Arcanoi experience hand chosen by Mask of Winters to carry the honor of his chosen. Each of these ancients are granted a construct bodies that is the peak of necro-tech perfection and are both frightening in power and form and molded to emulate the icy beauty of their charge.

Commanding Officer: Maiden of the Mirthless Smiles
Armor Color: Black and Silver, tinged with iridescent Blue
Motto: “Accept this blessing [death] from your betters”
General Makeup: 50 Ancient Nemissary, in Soulsteel Super-Heavy Plate, wielding Soulsteel Grand Grimscythe
Overall Quality: Ultra-Elite
Magnitude: 2 (4)
Drill: 5
Morale: Perfect (Undead and Her are both effectively fearless)
Close Combat Attack: 8
Close Combat Damage: 7 (P)
Shield: Wings (+2 DV)
Ranged Attack: –
Ranged Damage: –
Endurance: N/A
Might: 5
Armor: 8, Hardness 11 (-2 mobility)
Formation: Nemissaries of this caliber are never extras. The five warriors move between formations as needed, and support each other in battle. They often coordinate attacks or move to surround an individual foe.

Note: These Nemissaries have 12 Heath Levels per Magnitude
Note: Soulsteel Wings are not flight capable, but are for defensive purposes. They can be used as shield against incoming attacks adding +2 to DV.
Note: Due to Mask of Winter hiding his true might, these nemissaries often just possess recently killed soldiers’ bodies. Thus they are not using the above stats. These stats are them functioning at their full might.

 

 

 

WRITHING BLOOD CHAIN TECHNIQUE

Cost: 8m, 1wp (12xp)
Mins: Martial Arts 5
Essence 3
Type: Simple
Keywords: Combo-Basic, Obvious, Stackable, Taint
Duration: One scene
Prerequisite Charms: Five Knife Fist

Blood gushes from the Abyssal’s back and arms and hardens into rust-colored chains tipped with barbed claws. The Abyssal may grow as many as 13 chains, but there is no mechanical benefit to having more or less.

While this Charm is active, the blood chains give the character an extra action on each tick when she acts. A character can buy this Charm more than once, up to (Essence - 2) purchases, gaining another extra action with each purchase. The chains use the Abyssal’s full traits and go limp while the character is inactive for any reason. Actions taken by the chains may be enhanced with Charms as if any normal limb performed them, but they occur independently of any singular actions or flurries their creator takes and do not suffer normal multiple-action penalties. Use of Writhing Blood Chain Technique prevents the use of any other extra-action Charms, though.

The chains cannot wield other weapons, but they can lash opponents up to (Essence) yards away. As weapons, the chains have the tags D, N, R. They have Accuracy, Damage and Defense bonuses equal to their creator’s Essence, inflicting lethal damage. The chains cannot make clinch attacks on their own, but each of their actions may be used to impose a -1 external penalty to an opponent’s roll to control a grapple if used to entangle rather than strike. The weapons are not considered unarmed attacks for the purposes of Martial Arts Charms unless that style wields fighting chains or whips as form weapons. When the scene ends, the chains dissolve in a splash of gore.

Blood chains are vaguely self-aware and restlessly malevolent. If the Abyssal has no Willpower points remaining, the chains lash out at whatever targets the Storyteller chooses, tearing up the environment from boredom if they have no animate targets to maim or kill. It is not possible to voluntarily terminate the Charm before its duration while the chains act freely, though regaining a single Willpower point reasserts control. The Taint drawback of this Charm is that permanent chains present far more opportunities to lose control and cause unwanted collateral damage. Making the Charm permanent costs six bonus points or 12 experience points.

Adamant Sadness

Abyssal, Dusk Caste (Dawn Caste Essence 52)

Intimacies: Hate Mask of Winters, Getting Ahead, Despise Failure

The Right Hand of the Maiden of the Mirthless Smile and Commander of Thorn’s 8^th Legion of Shock Troopers.

Favorite Skills: Archery, Awareness, Bureaucracy, Investigation, Linguistics, Martial Arts, Melee, Presence, Thrown, War

Adamant Sadness has the face of a melancholy angel moved by the sufferings of the world. Her smiles are enigmatic and rare and her voice seems to radiate innocent. This is often works to her advantage as her beautiful shell hides the heartless inner core that is fully dedicated to the cause of Oblivion. Adamant Sadness chaffs under the leadership of Mask of Winters. The Scavenger Lands are ripe for the taking and plans for their destruction drawn up decades in advance. Every day the legions of the dead swells with new recruits and the smithy in the Underworld ring with ghostly screams. Yet her master seems content playing his political games and shield these ants from the enlightening embrace of Oblivion.

When The Irreproachable and Golden Tyrant were punished, it didn’t lose its meaning to Adamant Sadness. In him she saw her own future. To protect herself against Mask of Winter’s piercing attention she uses one excuse or another to keep her troops constantly away from the city on maneuvers. Even as this prevented her return to the political death trap that is Thorns, it managed to hone her Legion into Super Elite Status. When the news of The Irreproachable and Golden Tyrant’s defeat reached her via the spy network she wept tears of blood. Not because the lost of an equal but for the lost of dignity and reputation to all Dusk Castes. How can a chosen of oblivion be stupid enough to suffer such humiliating defeat against the weaker Solars! By next morning all torture pits are filled and all tents packed away, the army was on the move due east – Rathess after all was not part of the Scavenger Lands and its razing would not be against Mask of Winter’s explicit orders.

Just when she was about to cross the Gray River she received a summon she could not ignore…