Table of Contents
Countess Thilisa Maleken
SPOILER WARNING: Thilisa has not appeared in the game yet. If you are reading the game logs and don't want any secrets revealed before their time - or are a player - then don't read any further!
Thilisa Maleken (b. 693) is the oldest daughter of Earl Declaen Caldeth of Pagostra. Thilisa was raised in her father’s holding in Minarsas, but was sent to be educated in an Abbey near Cherafir in Melderyn (705-714), where she became an adherent of the Melderyni Synedros. It was during her time at the Abbey that she became a lay member of the Order of Sappiran and mastered the “Path of the Chariot” – in her case the convocation of Trancendtal Mind. She returned to Kaldor to marry Earl Sedris Maleken in 714, becoming the Countess of Qualdris. In late 717 her husband left to pursue the murderer of his cousin Allar Maleken, and has not yet returned. She has served as Countess in his absence and gained an admirable reputation as an administrator and lord. Many believe Earl Maleken is dead, and a few have made advances, but she has remained loyal to her husband in his absence. Her attempts to locate him, both through her arts and influence, have been fruitless.
Thilisa is a highly intelligent and strong minded (some have said obstinate) woman. She has an acute sense of interpersonal and intrapersonal relations, as well as a potent natural magnetism that has led the Maleken Clan to leave her in her role as Countess. Thilisa is a very devoted and loving woman – a trait she shares with her father – as well as a woman of strong emotions and passions. She came to admire her husband immensely as a man of honor, and honors those who exhibit this quality. She considers a person’s word inviolate, and holds the truth in very high esteem. She is unlikely for forgive or forget an oath-breaker or a deceiver. Her travels and education, as well as her religious outlook, have given Thilisa a broader minded perspective than most of her peers in Kaldor, whom she considers parochial and closed minded. As a result, she has only developed meaningful relationships with a small circle of confidents, though she makes an effort to be charming to all she meets, and is noted for being a gracious hostess.
Thilisa is very close to her father, Earl Caldeth, but the two often collide over his parochial mindset, and his dogmatic dislike for her art. Thilisa prefers to keep her membership in the Order of Sappiran secret and, aside from the handful of members of the Order of Sappiran in Kaldor, only her father and husband, and her husband’s nephew, Corlann, know of her abilities. Though she was quite sociable before her husband’s disappearance, Thilisia has made few political travels during her husband’s absence, leaving this in the hands of Corlann Maleken, but has begun to look at the coming succession with keen interest and accepts that clans Maleken and Caldeth are likely to become embroiled in whatever intrigue results. She wants a strong and just man on the throne and is deeply opposed to a weak candidate. Were her father to declare his independence because a weak candidate was appointed, she might well join him.
Thilisa has a rare talent for Theurgy, especially the arts of consciousness and mind, and is extremely powerful for her age and short experience. Already an accomplished Shenava, a petition has already begun circulating, without her knowledge, to elevate her to the rank of Virana. She adheres closely to the Tenets of Sappiran (Code of the Shek-Pvar) and prefers to use her abilities in low-key, non-invasive ways – especially her ability to join with someone in a psychic gestalt, which she considers intimate and, in some cases, unsettling or dangerous. An open display of her full power would be both impressive and destructive – but would only occur in desperate, life-and-death situations. Her telekinetic powers are taxing, while her “mind meld” and touch telepathy powers require a high degree of concentration.
A tall, statuesque bombshell with milky skin, smoke-grey eyes, and lustrous auburn hair, Thilisa is regarded as the rare beauty of her generation. She carries herself with regnant poise and moves with a graceful economy of motion. A charming woman and an uncommon beauty, it is often Thilisa’s deeply ingrained sense of personal dignity that congeals the idea of her in most people’s minds. She dresses in fine clothes befitting her station and has an affinity for Melderyni fashions.
Secrets
As a member of the Order of Sappiran, which has narrowly avoided being excommunicated in Melderyn due to its frequent political dissidence in terms of the machinations of the Council of Eleven, she is aware that Dame Erila Kaphin is an agent of the Council of Eleven, and that her son, Sheriff Tulath Kaphin, is the Council’s (now) long-shot candidate for the throne. The Order has taken no active steps to oppose his ascension, but Thilisa has had her agents keeping an eye on both of them for some time.
Post Generation Notes
None.
Mechanical Notes
Stats: STR: 8 (11-); DEX: 12 (11-); CON: 11 (11-); BDY: 10 (11-); INT: 17 (12-); EGO: 28 (15-); PRE: 17 (12-); COM: 30 (15-); PD: 2; ED: 2; SP: 4; RC: 4; EN: 22; ST: 20
Movement: Run: 6“ Swim: 2” Leap: 1“ Combat Block: ECV: 9 Phases: 3, 6, 9, 12
Skills: Analyze: Convocational Theurgy 12-; Conversation 12-; Gambling (Chess) 13-; High Society 12-; Jack of All Trades; PS: Dance 11-; PS: Countess 11-; PS: Scribe 11-; PS: Sing 11-; PS: Theurge 11-; Native Language (Harnic; literate); Persuasion 12-; High Theurgy: Theurgic Trance 15-; Art: Amplify Prejudices or Emotions 15-; Art: Cloud Mind 15-; Art: Conceal Text 15-; Art: Control Sensation 15-; Art: Create Memory Well 15-; Art: Create Rune Staff 15-; Art: Decipher Text 15-; Art: Diminish Prejudices or Emotions 15-; Art: Distraction 15-; Art: Divest Principle 15-; Art: Hyperintuitivity 15-; Art: Indominatable Will 15-; Art: Induce Aural Shock 15-; Art: Invest Principle 15-; Art: Memory Trance 15-; Art: Mind Meld 15-; Art: Mind Trick 15-; Art: Obscure Text 15-; Art: Precognitive Anticipation 15-; Art: Psychic Projection 15-; Art: Reveal Text 15-; Art: Rumor Mill 15-; Art: See Principle 15-; Art: Soothing Speech 15-; Art: The Mind Within 15-; Art: Thought Touch 15-; Riding 11-; Scholar; KS: Angelology/Demonology 11-; KS: Geography 11-; KS: History 11-; KS: Melderyni Monism 11-; KS: Occultism 11-; KS: Order of Sappiran 11-; KS: Pvaric Philosophy 11-; KS: Her Convocation 13-; Scientist; SS: Astronomy 11-; SS: Mathematics 11-; SS: Mnemonics 11-; SS: Practical Theurgy 13-; Seduction 12-; Traveler; AK: Kaldor 11-; AK: Melderyn 11-; AK: Tashal 11-; CK: Cherafir 11-; CuK: Kaldoric Culture 11-; CuK: Melderynyi Culture 11-; WS: Knives 11-; MA: Dodge 11-
Perks: Contact: Earl Caldeth (Major Institutions, Extremely Useful, Significant Contacts, Very Good Relationship (Father)) 8-; Contact: Viran Kiduri (Extremely Useful, Great Distance) 8-; Tributes and Lands: Money (Wealthy/10); Social Rank: Countess of Ossel; Order Rank: Shenava
Talents: Mastery of the Chariot (+3 with Mind Meld)
Powers: None
Disadvantages: Distinctive Features: Regnant Poise (Easily, Noticed); Distinctive Features: The Beauty of a Generation (Easily, Always, Major Reaction); Distinctive Features: Theurgic Signature (Not Concealable, Only in Special Circumstances); Hunted: Order of Sappiran 8- (More, NCI, Watching); Psychological: A Woman of Strong Passions and Opinions (Common, Strong); Psychological: Honors Her Vows (Common, Strong); Psychological: Places Immense Value on Truth and Honor (Common, Strong); Social Limitation: Code of Sappiran (Frequently, Minor); Social: Secret: Pvaric Master (Frequently, Minor); Social: Woman in a Man's World (Frequently, Minor)
Cost: Characteristics: 84; Skills: 147; Perks: 33; Talents: 6; Powers: 0\\Breakdown: Base: 100; Disadvantages: 105; Major-Mover Bonus: 65
Total Character Cost: 270
Thilisa's spells can be found here: Thilisa Maleken's Spells
Design Notes
Thilisa is a “Mary Sue.” She is intelligent, beautiful, of high-station, and powerful. Even her flaws are of a noble nature. At the same time those flaws can be put to great use in a game, and can truly be disadvantageous. She is designed to be one of the most powerful spell-casters likely to appear in the game, though she is far from the most powerful spellcaster in the game world. She is a potential romantic interest, ally, or foil for the players depending on how play develops.
To facilitate speed of play in the PBEM medium the Chronicles of Counter-Harn does not use the the Speed Chart, Combat Values, Combat Levels, and Weapon Familiarities. Instead, combat is handled on a “turn by turn” basis and uses opposed skill rolls to determine hits (e.g., Sword vs. Sword, Sword vs. Shield, Sword vs. Dodge, etc). Speed is handled abstractly in the narrative.
— David Queenann 2006/02/23 10:21