Exalted: About the Characters

[JanetT]

I still need to repost the EXALTED episodes that were on 13Doll -- fortunately I still have the file! But it's been a while, so I thought having a character list would be helpful for future references....


V'Neef Citan, the Perfect Blossom
Dragon-blooded Wood Aspect, Age 28.
(played by: Jordan Mikkelssen — Obitsu slim male, face-up by me)

From his childhood, Citan always dreamed of becoming a healer, a physician capable of saving lives from injury and illness. However, his parents have far more ambitious plans for their Exalted son, and saw to his education in one of the best primary schools. As a boy, Citan forged strong friendships with fellow classmates Zihan, Taran, Tchiat and Genshaku. His relationship with the Gateway prodigy Nellens Genshaku was particularly close, and the two of them became lovers before being forced to separate for the next phase of their education.

Citan graduated at the to of his class from the House of Bells, the premier Imperial military academy, but unlike most of his classmates, was not allowed to actually serve in the Legions. Instead, he acts as an administrative aide and courtier-on-demand for his mother, a Senator in the Deliberative (the governing body of the Imperial dynasty), while both his parents dangle him as bait before the families of prospective brides with an eye to his further advancement in a political career he does not want or feel suited for.

The only thing that makes this half-life existence at court bearable is his association with the secretive conspiracy known as the Shadow Road, which rescues abused slaves and smuggles them out of the Realm to freedom. As what he does is highly illegal (even for one of the privileged Dragon-blooded) and dangerous, Citan hides his true identity from all his contacts in the Shadow Road save his servant Ren through the use of a powerful Essence-imbued mask artifact.

Still, his parents are intent on advancing their own political agendas with him as their pawn, and the marriage negotiations they are pursuing for him leave him only with a sick sense of dread... and not because of the brides themselves, but who else they might be related to. For there is someone else who considers Citan his personal pawn as well, whose memory still wakes Citan up in the middle of the night trembling in a cold sweat of terror—and who is not inclined to take no for an answer. Citan himself still thinks of Genshaku—his childhood friend and first lover—though he has not yet mustered the courage to confront his old friend and discover why his friend has turned so thoroughly against him.



Nellens Genshaku, the Rebel Prodigy
Dragon-blooded Air Aspect, age 28.
(played by: Hajime Morimoto — Obitsu slim male, face-up by vanillashine)

A Gateway prodigy from early childhood, Genshaku has always been moody, calculating, rebellious, a thrill-seeker, highly competitive, and in general too smart for his own good. Trained to see all other children as potential competitors, he was less than adept at social interactions, and very nearly was expelled from his primary school, until he was placed with Mnemon Zihan, V'neef Citan and the Sesus twins Taran and Tchiat. The foursome managed to win his trust and taught him some valuable lessons about friendship that he has never forgotten, no matter what his current behavior may imply.

Genshaku now leads a dangerous double-life—his public persona is a wastrel degenerate, a total waste of his family's investment in his education and the Dragons' blessing, a gambler and hedonist who survives on bribes collected in his bureaucratic day-job, and by playing Gateway and other games for money (and the occasional wheedling letter to his relatives). His barbed wit and utter disregard for rank or propriety makes him popular at Dynasty parties, for he always knows just how far to provoke for the amusement of his audience, and whom to flatter or seduce to keep himself from any retribution.

But Genshaku is also an investigative agent for the All-Seeing Eye, the spies and undercover ops branch of the Imperial Bureaucracy, a job that he relishes for the intellectual challenge and very real risks—and despises for the personal betrayals his superiors demand he commit along the way in order to prove his true loyalty to the Eye. It is to protect his friends that he shuns them, especially Citan, who still holds his heart—and he knows he cannot ever confess to it. Now under pressure from his family to marry (especially since Dragon-blooded in House Nellens are less common than in other Dynastic Houses), he sees no escape from his duty—only the risk his double life will carry for his future wife and children. As an experienced gambler, Genshaku knows that some day, his almost fabled streak of luck is bound to run out....



Sesus Taran, The Brightly Burning Flame
Dragon-blooded Fire Aspect, Age 28.
(played by: Leon Talbot — Volks Neo-Goh with Obitsu slim male head, face-up by essiekl)

Taran, older than his sister by only a few minutes, is the epitome of the noble Dragon-blooded warrior. Athletically gifted, with natural talents for leadership and a strong and deeply-rooted sense of honor, he is also surprisingly easy-going and for a Fire-aspect, very slow to anger. Not a deep thinker, but not thick-headed either, Taran has always known his future was in the Legions, as part of the House's tradition, and as the son of a General. A bold and courageous warrior, skilled with sword and bow, he has already risen to the position of Talonlord, leader of a small squadron, in his first five years of service. His devotion to his duty and the soldiers under his command is matched only by his deep devotion to his sister, whom he calls the other half of his soul.

Taran is a traditionalist, who knows and holds the Thousand Correct Actions of the Upright Soldier close to his heart—but he is not a blind follower, and is often troubled greatly by the growing corruption and faltering leadership he sees in the Sesus legions, and in the Empire and Dynasty overall. Honorable and honest himself, he does not know quite how to deal with it, other than striving to be the best officer and scion of the Dynasty he can be, and hope his good example inspires others to do the same. Taran is also a hopeless idealist that way....

Taran's desires are simple; to fulfill his duty to family, the Empire and the legion to the best of his ability—and in that cause, he looks forward to their leave at home, for he knows it will most likely include a wedding and the start of his own family, something he wants very much, though he hasn't given much thought at all as to who his bride might be. (In truth, he doesn’t much care—he has had numerous lovers and assumes he can love one woman as well as the next—and as a soldier who will rarely be at home, does not tend to see marriage as a close partnership. But then, Taran has never truly been in love....) Fortunately, Tchiat plans to supplement the family's own matchmaking with some screening of her own, for she loves her brother and will not settle for anything less than a bride who will love him as he deserves.



Sesus Tchiat, The Steadfast Dragon Warrior
Dragon-blooded Earth Aspect, age 28.
(played by: Caitlyn Monroe — Obitsu girl, face-up by me)

Born only a few minutes after her brother Taran, Tchiat has been following him in almost everything ever since. The twins have shared a special closeness since infancy, and have only rarely been parted for long. They attended the same primary school, lived in the same residence house, and although she slept in the dorm with the girls her own age, she spent most of her time with Taran and his friends: Citan, Zihan and Genshaku. In particular, Zihan became very dear to her, and they had even talked of marriage, if their families would agree. But in the end, she Exalted and he did not, and his own family forced him into the Immaculate Order instead.

Very much her father's daughter and a tomboy at heart, Tchiat always knew she was destined for the military life. She attended the military academy, the House of Bells, with Citan and Taran, though she was assigned to another unit and saw them only on liberty weekends. She hated the separation at the time, although she admitted later it was good for her, for it allowed her to find more of her own path and identity. She admires her brother's ideals, but is at heart more down-to-earth and pragmatic. Passionate, outspoken, and honest to a fault, her manner tends to be blunt and straightforward. She has with little patience for the games of court (or courtship), feeling far more at home among the soldiers in her talon than her cousins and peers in the Dynasty.

She now is an experienced scout in the Sesus Legion, serving under her brother's command, and enjoys the military life. Now home on leave for the first time in six years, she is more concerned with making sure her brother is matched with a suitable bride, and tries not to remember that the mandate for marriage applies to her as well.

Tchiat has an artistic side—she has long loved carving and shaping stone, and enjoys creating small animal figures out of fine stone. While she was in school, she crafted unique necklaces for each of her friends (and herself), using appropriately colored pieces of jade representing their elemental Aspects. When it came time to do Zihan's necklace, however, she realized that jade would not be proper, and settled on using gold instead.... never realizing how prophetic her choice of materials and color would be.



Sesus Ayame, The Unbroken Wave
Dragon-blooded Water Aspect, age 42
(played by: Richard Llewellyn — Volks Neo-Goh, face-up by forever_virginia)

Originally born into House Ledaal, and named for his late grandfather, Ayame was destined from his carefully-scheduled conception to be the perfect sorcerer— every planet and aspect of his horoscope scrutinized and weighed, every facet of his entire life planned out in full detail by his parents' political and social ambitions.

However, not even the most comprehensive of plans can thoroughly stifle the mind and imagination of a precociously talented and intellectually curious child. Inspired by the tale of the grandfather's heroic death, Ayame committed the extreme sin of expressing an interest in a military career like his grandfather's, rather than that of an academy-trained sorcerer as his parents had planned. The incident resulted in the first of his two facial scars and his being sent to the Dragon-blooded equivalent of a harsh reform school, to teach him the folly of his defiance. His feelings of hurt and betrayal turning to true rebellion, he stubbornly refused to give the groveling apology and total submission his parents demanded for reinstatement in their good graces.

Upon his graduation, he turned his back on his family forever, and competed for and earned admission into the Realm's premier military Academy, the House of Bells. There he was able to meet and study under General Sesus Heshiko, the man that his grandfather had given his life to protect, and prove himself not only a competent military officer, but also a tremendously talented battle sorcerer as well.

Ayame has now served as an officer in the Legions for nearly twenty years, and has the scars to prove it, surviving terrible injuries and facing all manner of foes. Twice he has very nearly duplicated his grandfather's heroic sacrifice, standing up to impossible odds in fulfillment of his duty, in one case surviving due only to supernatural intervention from a yet-unknown source that he prefers not to even contemplate.

A few years ago, he finally accepted General Heshiko's offer of formal adoption, taking the Sesus name as his own, and now regards the aging and disabled general as his father, and Heshiko's children, the twins Taran and Tchiat, as his younger siblings. And while those he calls his friends are still few, those he has are relationships he holds close to his heart—including one young mortal cousin, Tsubaru—who he very much hopes he will one day see again.


General Sesus Heshiko
Dragon-blooded Earth Aspect, age 200+
(played by: Robert Walter Pierce — Dragon Models figure, default face-up)

Father of Taran and Tchiat, and adoptive father for Ayame. A life-long military man, he retired from active duty due to disability (he lost a leg in battle somewhere), he now spends most of his time as a teacher of military strategy and history at the House of Bells. A proud and honorable man, with strong principles and a shrewd political acumen, he does not like the direction he sees the Empire (not to mention House Sesus) going at present, but also recognizes his limitations in being able to stop it. He focuses instead on preparing the next generation of Dragon-blooded warriors, which include his children, to hold fast to their traditional values and sense of honor, but he is also still in contact with others in the Realm who are likewise concerned with the Empire and its fate, which currently looks to be a bloody civil war unless the rival Houses can find some means of agreement on who should inherit the empty throne. He is very fond (and indulgent) of his children, particularly Taran and Tchiat, who remind him so much of their late mother—whom he still mourns.



Tansotu Ren, the faithful servant
Mortal
(played by: Edward Cook — Dragon Models figure, default face-up)

Shrewd, intelligent, resourceful and highly capable, whether knowing exactly what length of sleeve and style of obi are appropriate for a spring luncheon with someone whose political favor you would like to encourage but aren't willing to sell your soul for... or the precise mixture of herbs, oils, resinous wood chips and rice vinegar to produce a soothing balm for bruising... or which compounds in the Jade Palace have the most decrepit slave quarters and what kinds of locks the family uses to secure them... Ren is the master of many skills, both domestic and extra-curricular. He cares deeply about only two things—his personal quest to rescue and free as many slaves from the hands of brutal overlords as possible in his lifetime, and his utter loyalty and devotion to his master, Lord Citan, who joins him whole-heartedly on his quest whenever possible.

Ren was in his youth a soldier in the Legions. While he may well have been one of the original operatives of the secretive conspiracy known as the Shadow Road, that carries out the mission dearest to his heart, one carefully chosen slave at a time, he is far from young. He now leaves the more dangerous and athletic roles to Citan, and concentrates on the information-gathering and support side of things, as well as his more public role as Citan's personal servant, cook, and schedule-keeper. His loyalty is absolute, and he would willingly die to protect his master, though he realizes that he may well be called upon to protect his contacts and fellow conspirators in the Shadow Road in the same fashion, should their operation ever be discovered by Imperial authorities.


To be continued....

[TheShadow]

Wow! What an awesome read! I don't think I saw this on 13Doll, but I'm glad you still have the file saved on your computer. I will be looking forward to reading this in the photostory section!

[leopardessmoon]

facinateing....cant wait for the stories to be posted!

[JanetT]

Character descriptions, continued... (may contain spoilers or at least hints, does anyone care?)


Sesus Tsubaru, The Dutiful Savant
age 26
(Played by: Akio Tanaka — Volks head, Obitsu slim male body, face-up by kydolls)

Tsubaru is the eldest son of the Satrap of Port Inayashe, a House Sesus holding in the Threshold, on the borders of the Empire. Though his father lacked the political connections and financial resources to send him to school on the Blessed Isle, Tsubaru made the most of the education he did receive, and did well—save in the one area that probably mattered most for his father's ambitions. Tsubaru did not receive the Dragons' blessings. By age sixteen, he was a slender and comely young man, with a keen thirst for books and learning, and a gift for understanding others—but he was mortal, and as such, could never hope to inherit his father's position as Satrap.

Feeling the weight of his father's disappointment, both for his failure to Exalt and for the disastrous results of his short foray into the politics of the Imperial court, Tsubaru struggled to find a way to prove himself useful again, and by chance found himself assigned to tend to the needs of a severely wounded officer from the House Sesus Legion. The sorcerer Ayame proved to be the most intelligent and fascinating person Tsubaru had ever met, and to his surprise, treated him with courtesy and respect he would never have expected from one of the Dragon-blooded. After only a few weeks, it was with true regret that he bade this cousin, who had become the dearest of friends, farewell when the sorcerer returned to the Blessed Isle. But their brief time together had done much to rebuild his shattered self-confidence and re-kindle his mind. Stepping in to help his father's aging seneschal, he swiftly learned the administration of the family's estate and business interests, and when the old man died two years later, Tsubaru persuaded his father to allow him to take it on.

He enjoyed the challenges of his new position, and even discovered a talent for it, putting to good use even the harsh political lessons he had learned in the Imperial Court. But just as he finally felt as though he had found his true place in the world, destiny stepped in to throw everything awry again. Now life has now become even more complicated than he could ever have imagined. Yet part of him still fondly recalls a tall, scarred sorcerer who was the first to treat him as an equal despite the differences in their social ranks — and whose advice he would really love to solicit in his current dilemma — if only he dared.....



Mnemon Tsukasa, the Family Assassin
Dragon-blooded Wood Aspect, age 30
(Played by: Alexander Huang — Obitsu slim male head/Volks NeoGoh body, face-up by yamamuratatsuya)

Tsukasa was taken from his parents at a very young age and given to his great-uncle Tatsumi to raise. Tatsumi had served as the Lady Mnemon's personal spymaster and assassin since his own childhood, but feeling age begin to creep into his bones, wanted an heir he could train to take over his duties and mold to his own image. With Tsukasa, he succeeded beyond his wildest imagination, creating a young man who is even more twisted and fanatically dedicated to supporting his family matriarch's ruthless political ambitions and preserving his family's ancient honor and purity of lineage than his uncle. Raised and educated for the most part in isolation from other family members or his peers, he is much less a man than a living weapon—leaving his soul emotionally crippled and prone to unhealthy obsession.

That tendency towards unhealthy obsession was triggered when a 18-year-old Tsukasa was sent for a time to study at the House of Bells, the Realm's premier military academy. He was befriended then by a sympathetic V'neef Citan, who meant it merely as kindness to a fellow cadet—but to Tsukasa, the emotional impact struck through to his very heart. He saw not a friend or classmate, but the very love of his life, the person destined to be the other half of his soul and share his life forever.

However, attempts to explain his feelings and win Citan's heart in return did not go well at all. Citan's gentle refusal frustrated him to no end, for he knew deep in his heart they were meant to be together. And so Tsukasa—who from his earliest childhood had been taught that so long as your ultimate goal was righteous, how you achieved that goal was irrelevant—resorted to other means, where Citan's lack of understanding of their relationship (or indeed, his willingness at all) would no longer be an issue. Citan never spoke of those drug-hazed nights together, but he did begin to go to great lengths to avoid Tsukasa's company, particularly being alone with him, whenever possible—even sneaking out to spend some of their precious leave weekends with his former Sesus classmates.

Tsukasa's brief time of study at Bells was over far too soon for his liking; he was recalled by his uncle before he had managed to convince Citan of the inevitability of their future together. But he never forgotten him.... nor has he given up his certainty that some day, Citan will be his, wholly his, forever.

Tsukasa still serves his uncle and his many times great-grandmother as their personal spy and when necessary, assassin, though to conceal his true calling, he current holds a position as an aide to one of the senior Senators in House Mnemon, which gives him a reason to spend some of his time at the Imperial Court. He spies on Citan whenever opportunity arises; he knows that Citan and Genshaku were lovers once but are now estranged; and he has begun to sense that Citan is hiding something fairly significant from his family and indeed from the entire court, but has not yet uncovered what that is. Currently his hopes lie with his cousin, the Lady Zhenlong, who is now on the short list of potential brides for Citan, which would bring him under the Mnemon house roof.... and within Tsukasa's reach once more.

No, Tsukasa is not a very nice person. Not at all. Every story needs a villain, after all....



Striking Thunder, the Underworld Entrepreneur
Mortal, age 43
(played by Vasily Sokolov — Dragon Models figure, default face-up)

A mortal man, associated with the Shadow Road. Basically an information broker and "fixer," he has extensive contacts in the underworld and among merchants and ship captains in the Imperial City, and often arranges for the safe "export" of freed slaves. Citan trusts him, but only so far—Striking Thunder is not involved out of the kindness of his heart, but because his "contracts" with the conspiracy also give him sources of information he can use in other business dealings. For the most part, his success (and indeed, survival) depend on his various contacts being able to trust him to keep the secrets he's paid to keep, and trade only the information that does not put his associates at risk. However, Citan is not willing to gamble his life on it.


V'neef Cassiadora and Tepet Iason, the Ambitious Parents
Wood-aspected and Air-Aspected Dragon-blooded, respectively
(Lady Cassiadora played by Gwendolyn Morris -- Mattel Galadriel, face-up by...er, I don't remember... I got her on eBay a few years ago )
Lord Iason played by Victor de Vries — Dragon Models figure, default face-up)

Tepet Iason and V'neef Cassiadora—Citan's parents, both highly ambitious people who see their son primarily through the lens of their own ambitions. Cassiadora is a Senator, who hopes to influence the political future of the Realm, and is more than willing to use Citan's marriage to forge alliances towards that end (preferably with the powerful House Mnemon), regardless of his feelings on the matter. Iason is a businessman, who manages some of the House's multiple business concerns; his greatest interest in Citan's marriage is to forge a stronger economic relationship with House Cynis—whose primary business is the importation and leasing of slaves (You can imagine how Citan feels about marrying into that family...). Citan is not their only child, but he is the only one so far to have Exalted, so he has become the primary vehicle for their future hopes of social and political advancement. It's all "for his own good" of course, but asking his opinion or desires on the matter has never crossed their minds...

[JanetT]

Mei—Traveler on the Shadow Road
Mortal, age 19
(Played by Kelsey O'Donnell– Obitsu soft-bust, with pre-painted head)

Mei was born in the Coral Archipelago, a chain of islands in the far western seas, the daughter of a merchant captain who was often far from home. Unfortunately for her family, their father was on one of his long sea voyages when the Wyld Hunt came to their village. She learned later that the Dragon-blooded monks and soldiers from House Peleps were hunting her father—why, Mei still does not know—but upon discovering he was away, they killed her mother and little brother, plus any villager who resisted their demands, and burned the village to the ground. Mei survived, along with her friend Bela, only because they were away picking blackberries in the woods that day, and were too scared to come out of hiding when they saw the slaughter and their homes set ablaze.

When the Wyld Hunt departed, she and Bela sought help from a nearby village—but upon hearing their story, the local headman (doubtless fearing Dragon-blooded reprisals if he aided them in any way) locked them up and sold them to the next slaver ship that came along. It was only by chance that Mei and Bela remained together when they were later sold to an agent of House Cynis and trained for the sex trade – that being one of House Cynis' most notorious specialties. Being a strong-willed but intelligent girl, Mei managed to survive, and not let her inner rebellion show, even as she was forced to do the things her masters demanded of her—but secretly she and Bela both conspired to escape. Their plans were discovered, and Bela was severely beaten. The only thing that saved them was a surprise visit to their holding cell by a man who at first appeared to be their master... but was later revealed to be the mysterious figure known as Silverthorn.

Silverthorn helped them to escape their captivity and even healed Bela's injuries enough for him to travel. Mei hopes to be able to repay him for his kindness one day. Now she and Bela are traveling the Shadow Road, on their way out of the Realm and eventually back to Coral. Mei still holds out hope she will find her father alive, and perhaps then discover why the Dragon-blooded were so determined to find and destroy him....



"Eyes of the Dragon"—the Enigmatic Master of Spies
Age and nature unknown
(played by Devlin Shaw, Volks Neo-Goh with M01 Obitsu head, face-up by SavageLucy42)

No one, not even his most favored agents, knows his true name or what he looks like under the mask and robes he always wears. It is presumed he is Dragon-blooded, but even that is unconfirmed, and there is nothing about his anima or the powers some agents have seen him wield that hints at which of the Elemental Dragons might have Exalted him. He is known only the Eyes of the Dragon, and is the undisputed master of the All-Seeing Eye, the Empress' personal secret intelligence and espionage forces. He reports directly to the Scarlet Empress (or did, before her mysterious disappearance two years ago....), and in her absence, continues to perform his duties and oversee the far-flung agents of the Eye with the same cool competency and intense dedication as he always has.

Under his leadership, the Eye maintains a vast network of agents and informants scattered throughout all facets of Dragon-blooded society, monitoring the growing rivalry between the ambitious elder scions of the great Houses as the throne continues to sit empty in the Empress' great audience hall, watching for rebellion or subversion of Immaculate Order orthodoxy, or posing any threat to the absolute authority of the Empress' rule. He demands utter loyalty of his agents--ahead of any House partisanship or secondary allegiances-and does not hesitate to demand they prove their loyalty if any appearance of conflict occurs. Only then can the interests of the Empress and the Realm-in his mind, the two are inseparable-be properly served.

It is no secret that any who wish to claim the Scarlet Throne must have the All-Seeing Eye on their side-but so far, attempts by such would-be claimants have not been successful in even meeting with the Eyes of the Dragon, much less gaining any guarantee of his (and his formidable network of spies) support.



Mnemon Caras Anitake, The Green Lady of Jingsu
Dragon-blooded Wood Aspect, age 125
(played by Sabrina Howell; Obitsu med-bust, face-up by yamamuratatsuya)

Sometimes known as the Green Lady of Jingsu, Anitake was a sorceress specializing in healing arts, with a deep passion for the wilderness and deep forests over cultivated and "tame" gardens. While she appeared to fulfill all the requirements of an obedient and loyal daughter of her very orthodox and ambitious House, Anitake was from her childhood a secret rebel, awaiting only the opportunity for her spirit to break free and pursue its own course. As a sorceress trained in the exclusive Heptogram school, she pursued the healing arts and the lore of growing things, knowing that a mastery of sorcery would give her a greater degree of independence. She chose to marry a man she would never love, in order to take advantage of his political ambitions, dutifully providing him with children at appropriate intervals, while spending most of her time on her distant estate of Jingsu, a remote and rugged hunting preserve (in which hunting was actively discouraged). Here she was able to freely pursue her herbal and healing research, acting as healer for the local people who saw her as practically a goddess in her own right, and walking in the deep green forest, speaking to spirits and local gods without interference.

It was at Jingsu that Zihan, her fourth child, was born, and for reasons of her own, she kept him there, raising him herself rather than handing him over to wetnurses and nannies of House Mnemon's extended family holdings in the capital city. Only when her husband demanded it (he was somewhat shocked to find his son was permitted to run around as he liked and play with peasant children, even sharing his lessons with them, as if they were his equals!), did she permit Zihan, then eight years old, to be brought to the Imperial City for "proper" training in what it meant to be a scion of the Dragons and great-grandson of the Lady Mnemon (and great-great grandson of the Scarlet Empress herself). Even so, she kept in touch with her son via letters, and even was able to have him visit on summer vacations (along with whatever friends he wished to bring along—she was particularly fond of Citan, and let him read any books on herblore and healing he wished).

But when Zihan was about fourteen, still not Exalted, Lady Anitake did what no one would ever have expected—she left her beloved Jingsu and volunteered to travel with the House Mnemon Legions to the Threshold, in support of the Realm's attempt to expand their territory further inland. The Legions, always in need of sorcerers and healers, were happy to get her services. And then, there was Mishaka—the siege that went terribly, horribly wrong when the Realm forces found themselves trapped between the walls of the city and the battle-tested veteran warriors of the traitorous Seventh Legion of Lookshy. Many Mnemon and Sesus forces died in that battle; even the healing tents, supposedly protected from direct assault, were hit by powerful Essence artillery.

Lady Anitake's body was never found, though the tent where she was known to be working was utterly destroyed. Her son Zihan was devastated to hear of mother's death—six months after the fact—when he wrote to ask why she had not written him recently.



Mnemon Ronsu—Middle-weight Mnemon Politician
Dragon-blooded Earth Aspect, Age 134
(Played by Hideo Sato, Dragon Models figure, default face-up)

Zihan's father, the man Anitake married but never loved. Born into a minor branch of the Mnemon clan, he still had great hopes for a political career. His chances of success were greatly enhanced when, against all odds, a much higher-born young woman of House Mnemon agreed to his marriage proposal. Her acceptance came with conditions, but he was all too willing to accept them, for the chance to claim the Mnemon name and political legacy. He has kept his side of the bargain, and done well for himself, rising to the rank of Senator in the deliberative. Ronsu is basically a benchwarmer in the Senate, but enjoys the status and respect his title provides. He knows the rank is meaningless if he does not vote and act as the family elders instruct him, and does his best to further the interests of the House and its matriarch, the mercurial sorceress Lady Mnemon herself.

He never had a particularly close relationship with his wife or their children, though he did regret Lady Anitake's death in the infamous Battle of Mishaka some 13 years ago. Now that a suitable mourning period has passed, he has his eyes and ears open now for another equally advantageous match.

Of course, given his wife's pedigree and the appropriately exceptional careers of their other children, he had high hopes for his youngest son, only to see them dashed when Zihan failed to Exalt. He was actually rather relieved when Zihan chose to pledge to the Immaculate Order, and until a letter came informing him of his son's death, had probably not given him a thought in years.

To be continued.... eventually....