Ahmed Latif
Twilight Spark #18
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A street rat who fought to bring his siblings out of Chiarscuro. He reverted to thievery after the occupation of Chiarscuro. When character:aata freed the 20,000 Delzhan prisoners Ahmed Latif went with them.

Using what skills he picked up on the streets he tried his best to provide for those suffering around him and to locate his siblings but the war has wiped all traces of them. For all he know they are dead under some dune somewhere.

By the time the refugees arrived in Paragon Ahmed Latif has already earned the right to a horse - not stolen for once. His scouting skills are so well known that he is included in one of the most dangerous missions - with the promise that the Generals will search for his family in the south. It was shock to Ahmed Latif one night he came across the Emira taking bath in the oasis while patrolling. Not knowing who she is, and being the rogue, he freely enjoying the view then promptly arrested her for trespassing - at least he had the decency to let her finish washing as payment for the show. It wasn't until he was dressed down by the commander did he realize this was a suicide mission. Nonetheless he agreed to the bargain and he is going to keep his word.

A month down the Grand Caravan Route a massive Dune People attack occured. While covering the Emira's retreat Ahmed Latif was impaled by an javelin and pinned to his horse. The horse ran wild from pain and Ahmed Latif went unconscious from the pain and blood loss.

He awoke outside a sand worn ruin, wearing only his tattered armor. His horse and gear are no where to be found and he is without memory of how he got here or where this place even is. Strong winds whips the sand around him, yet his radiance gently pushed them away. Amazed, he checked himself and found no wounds. Even the scourge scars he earned as a child from a run-ins with the Delzhan nobles are gone.

Needing provisions for the trip ahead Ahmed Latif decided to explore the ruins. Taking a single step onto the sand worn structure seems to trigger something, and an staircase descended into the depths. Within he found an richly decorated tomb - elegant in its plainness.

On the walls is written in a language he never seen before but yet can now read

I am Ali Akbar Davar, a Lawgiver of Fire, within me are the infinity authority of our father and I am the tool by which he forges the world into Order from Chaos.

"Well he won't need this anymore" thought Ahmed Latif as he blow the dust of the perfectly functional armor and weapons resting on top of the dais. Both of which he seems to know how to use instinctively.

After a futile search of the tomb for other provisions he set off on foot to track down the group that killed his horse.

  • Tier 2 Solar
  • Essence 4
  • Irreverent and Uneducated
  • Learned to be selfish by a hard life but ultimately has a Noble Heart
  • Dex 6 (Legendary Dexterity)
  • Dare Devil (IIRC +1 to Stunts of difficulty 3 or higher)
  • Has the Armor and Sword of his previous incarnation

Notable Charms

Exaltation Charms

These charms are gained at the moment of Exaltation. Being 2nd Tier Ahmed Latif only gains half his normal charms as Exaltation Charms, the rest are gained via triggered/instinct in the weeks and months after Exaltation.

Exaltation Charms are those charms the Spark shows the most affinity to. They are almost always connected to the previous incarnation and often passes from generation to generation

  • 1st Excellency: Athletics
  • 2nd Excellency: Performance
  • Graceful Crane
  • Monkey-Leap Technique
  • Lightning Speed

Post Exaltation Charms

Post Exaltation Charms are unique to 2nd Tiers (1st Tiers only have Exaltation Charms and 3rd Tier starts with no Charms at all). These are actually more reflective of the personalities of the Exalted Mortal than the Exaltation Spark itself. Where 1st Tiers are dominated by the inherent tendencies of the Sparks (both in charms and in personality), and Third Tiers are nearly completely devoid of it (full personality but no charms), the 2nd Tiers have a balance of the two. Making them the best of both worlds.

  • 1st Excellency: Ride
  • Worthy Mount Technique: Can use Reflex Charms on Mount (including Graceful Crane, Monkey Leap, Lighting Speed, etc)
  • Reflexive Side-step Technique: Anti-Surprise Dodge Charm
  • Intergrity Protecting Prana: Anti-Shaping Integrity Charm

Learned Charms

  • Shadow Over Water (Learned during the emira rescue)
  • Seven Shadow Evasion (Compassion Flaw) (Learned during the emira rescue)

Future Charms

  • 1st Melee Excellency

Notable Equipment

Armor: Triumphal Wind Of Virtue (5 Dot Magitech Hauberk)

5 Dot Artifact

Ali Akbar Davar was famous for his love of dancing and his frequent attempts of acrobatic insanity. His genius has always been overlooked by his sheer gracefulness and absolute mastery of athletic. Naturally the armor he forged for himself is designed to complement his natural proclivities.

Soak: +9L/10B
Hardness: 5L/5B
Mobility: -0
Fatigue: 0
Attune: Special (See Below)

  • The armor is attuned by using The following 3 scene long charms. The armor then extends the duration of these 3 charms to "Indefinite". For as long as the essence for these 3 charms (9m total) are committed the armor is attuned.
    • Graceful Crane: 3m, This Charm lets the Exalt automatically succeed on any valid Athletics action to keep his balance. Moreover, this Charm allows the Exalt to keep his footing on any surface at least as strong and wide as a human hair. He treats it as a three-footwide ledge capable of supporting a thousand pounds of weight when determining what movement and Athletics actions he can take and what penalties to them might apply.
    • Monkey Leap Technique: 3m, The character can jump with a movement action instead of a miscellaneous action, and she doubles the length of all jumps.
    • Lightning Sped:3m, This Charm increases the distance she can cover with a Move or Dash action by her Athletics score in yards. This bonus does not count towards dice cap for excellencies, e.g. you can still add Dexterity+Athletic number of dice even with this charm in effect.
  • The armor is considered magitech and thus has no material bonus from attunment
    • Whatever bonus innate to its construction have already been added to the above stat
    • Being a First Age magitech creation of the highest quality it is self-maintaining and requires no outside intervention on any event short of destruction
  • The armor's unique Prayer-Percongnitive Reflex Invocation System translates the strength of the wearer's virtues into bend the weaving of fate towards success. He adds his highest Virtue Score to his Parry and Dodge DV, and as bonus dice to all Dexterity based actions.
    • The armor is an battle suit and the internal mesh of Starmetal lattice must be in contact with the wearer's skin.
      • This lattice is designed to redirect the wearer's essence flow and translates the subtle nudges of fate into unparalleled, even precognitive, control over his actions
      • The pattern spiders have been bribed long ago to look favoribily upon the actions of this armor and to weave its thread just every so slightly thicker than it deserves
    • Behind the lattice is a network of auspicious pathways that constantly circulates tiny orichalcum prayer beads suspended in moonsilver. These geomantic pattern combined with the wearer's motions makes every action a humble prayer to the Unconquered Sun and bequeths the resulting success to the Glory of the Most High.
    • The armor has Essence vents, let us call them Maneuvering Thrusters, of various sizes that are strategically placed. These vents constantly adjusts and fires tiny bursts of golden essence to enhance the strength, speed, and precision of his actions. The constant light show and disturbances adds 4 automatic success to all those trying to detect the wearer.

Weapon: Durendal (4 Dot Artifact Reaper Daiklave)

4 Dot Artifact

An unusual solar weapon. This saber is forged in the southern style with an edge of Orichalcum and a core of Moonsilver. While Ali Akbar Davar never gave the blade a name, others called it "Durendal" or "To Endure" for it is said that nothing can break the blade.

The weapon is completely indestructible and is considered one of the wonders of the First Age. It is widely known as the first artifact by Solar hands that are indestrucible1. Ali's allies praised his genius, while the skeptical whispered that he stole the secrets from the Jade Born. His enemies however claim that he consorted with the Yozis. Ali went to his grave without ever setting the record straight and his reincarnations have no memories of it.

Speed: 3
Accuracy: +4 (+6 with Material Bonus)
Damage: +6L/2
Defense: +1 (+4 with Material Bonus)
Rate: 3 (+2 with Material Bonus)
Minimums: Str ••, Dex ••••
Attunement Cost: 8 for Solars and Lunars
Tags: P, O

  • The blade is incredibly Sharp and is considered Piercing (as reflected in the Tags)
  • The blade is also incredibly balanced and fast, with an speed rating of 3
  • For all intent and purpose the blade is indestructible. While it technically can be broken, its existence is tied in with that of Creation by a accident. Thus as long as Creation endures so will the artifact.
    • This has no set mechanical effect and is more a storytelling one.
  • While the fame of its durability overshadows all its other abilities, the blade is incredibly deadly. It is incredibly quick and actually becomes almost liquid like in its ability to twist, bend, extend and shrink with a will of its own - complementing the attack perfectly
    • This ability to bend and twist in improbable manner means the first attack against unsuspecting foe is considered Suprise attack
    • On subsequent attacks the opponent suffers -2 External penalty to his Parry and Dodge DV

Mount: Artax, Previously Sulumor's Salamander Mount

Wyld tainted Claw Strider, first mount to Sulumor then stolen by Ahmed Latif
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Claw Striders are one of the deadiest beasts of the south. They are robust creatures that hunt in packs. The average Claw Strider stands about 6 feet tall and up to 20 feet long from snout tip to tail end. The pack hunt by running down and savaging anything that crosses their paths, and they are capable of taking down creatures such as yeddim and even tyrant lizards. Claw striders prefer open plains and savannas. Intelligent enough to be trained, these surly beasts are used by some barbarians as mounts.

Artax was hatched near the end of the flaming desert and was imbued with the element of fire. He is immune to fire and heat. His breath are steamy and hot. The faint glow of embers shine through his belly and the tip of his dorsal scales. And he can breath tiny sprouts of fire - not enough to be used as weapon, but sufficient to set flammable on fire.

While he is on par with the size of a normal claw strider, his hind legs are deformed and too weak weak to run independently. Thus he must gallop on all 4s.

Physical (S/D/Stamina): 8/3/8
Mental (P/I/W/W): 3/1/4 (Willpower 7)
Health: -0(2), -1(2), -2(2), -4(x3), I
Attack: Bite (+2L/2, +0 Acc, +0 Def, Rate 2)
Attack: Claw (+0L, +0 Acc, +0 Def, Rate 2)
Dodge DV: 2
Soak: 6L/11B ( +2L/3B Natural Armor)
Abilities: Athletics 2 (Sprinting +2), Awareness 3 (Sharp Sight +3), Dodge 2, Integrity 2, Investigation 2, Martial Arts 3 (Bite +1, Claw +1), Presence 2 (Intimidation +2), Resistance 2, Stealth 3 (Ambush +3), Survival 3

Artax was originally Sulumor's mount, she was captured from a circus caravan and made into her personal mount. Sulumor was not any kinder to the animal than she is to anyone else and kept Artax in control with barbs and lashing.

Thus it was no difficulty when Ahmed Latif snuck into Sulumor's domain and absconded with Emira Hadassah Ruya I'timad, whom Sulumor was planning to sacrifice to her mistress during the next Calibration.

Ahmed Latif treated Artax much better and while the constant bickering between Ahmed Latif and Emira Hadassah was grating Artax was still happy. Technically claimed by Emira Hadassah as her personal protector, Artax sees more use by Ahmed Latif on a daily basis - and Artax has grown addicted to "Lightning Speed" and "Mokey Leap Technique".

  • Artax is not blind, his eyes are protected by bony plates that can close up to protect it
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