Difference between revisions of "Balaustine"
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Latest revision as of 23:29, 27 November 2008
Chosen of Endings. One of the two Bronze Faction Sidereals who destroyed the city of Fallen Lapis during the first Realm war against the Bull of the North. Because the Chosen of Endings only narrowly escaped Yurgen's vengeful counterattack, which killed his partner while they rested in apparent safety in Greyfalls, Balaustine regards the Bull with both fear and hatred. Technically, the Bronze Faction is supposed to be backing off the conflict with the Bull, due to the death of one of their own and the increasing prospect of direct faction conflict. In the Hundred Kingdoms and Far Shores chronicles, however, Crimson Banner Executioner is actively supporting the Bull of the North's efforts. Simultaneously, the endeavors of the Solar player characters from the Hundred Kingdoms chronicle are supported by the Gold Faction Sidereal Five Hearts. As such, Balaustine feels compelled to thwart their designs.
Balaustine is an accomplished Celestial sorcerer, as evidenced by his use of Cantata of Empty Voices in the destruction of Fallen Lapis. As is common with most Sidereals, he is also no slouch in the martial arts. In Descending Earth of 769 RY, he fought directly against Five Hearts in the streets of Greyfalls, when she moved to prevent him from successfully rallying the city's defenders against the Hundred Kingdoms circle of Solars and the oncoming army of the Bull. Whether he could have won against Five Hearts was left unanswered, as Balaustine retreated to avoid facing the victorious Solars as they sacked the city.
In the Far Shores chronicle, Balaustine is the secret patron of the Dragon-Blooded player characters. The sole time that the players have spotted him - though their characters remain unaware of who he is - occurred in the primary Ledaal Manse in Arjuf during the funeral of Ledaal Nalest. There, disguised as a grizzled House guard, Balaustine pointed out an escaping Anathema assassin (Lamb's Wolf), thereby setting the young Chosen of the Dragons against her. Sadly, she still escaped, but not without "coincidentally" leaving evidence behind, due to Balaustine's Charms.
Balaustine is not a canonical character. He is a recurrent backstory element and toolbox-oriented Storyteller character for the Far Shores and Hundred Kingdoms series. His name is pronounced (buh-LAWS-tin).
Update
Canon states that the "other Sidereal" from the Fallen Lapis incident was executed by Heaven for his abuse of power. I don't want to increase the number of Sidereals involved in the incident, but I also enjoy incorporating canon in my games (and then wrecking it). My thought is that the Bronze Faction faked his execution somehow. Potentially he was just reassigned undercover after using the Stealth Charm that dumps you from Fate and puts you in a new identity chosen by the Bureau of Destiny.
