Swan (Exalted)

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Swan from the front cover of the novel A Shadow Over Heaven's Eye written by Tim Waggoner and published by White Wolf Publishing.

Exalted is a role-playing game published by White Wolf Publishing. The game is classified as high fantasy. It is strongly influenced by Japanese anime and manga, the cultures of China and Rome, and a number of literary sources such as the writings of Michael Moorcock. Swan is one of the signature characters of Exalted, a representative of the Solar Exalted Eclipse Caste.

[edit] Biography

[edit] Pre-Exaltation

Swan was trained to be a diplomat for the Coral Archipelago, far to the West. It was there that he learned the rites and ceremonies flawlessly, but also to defend himself, his superiors and dignitaries in his charge, all without forgetting the essentials of proper decorum under the tutelage of Master Garnet Shoal. He was one of the younger sons of his family and was expected to bring his family honor through his service to the ministry. Swan, however, was less concerned with family honor and more with doing well in his studies, because being a diplomat meant opportunities to travel and see the world. Even as a boy, he longed to leave the islands of the archipelago, sail across the sea and visit the lands of Creation.

Swan can still recall his father's stern pride when he graduated to the role of junior diplomat and was given his first posting and his mother's tears before leaving the docks of his island and traveling out into the world. The grand adventures that he had expected were quickly replaced by trade negotiations, administrative duties, receptions and state dinners and all the many duties of a junior diplomat.

[edit] Exaltation

After only a few short years as a junior diplomat, Swan was entrusted to handle certain matters on his own. Even though some of the assignments were dull and dry, he loved them because they allowed him to be himself, traveling from place to place. He would often be on his own for weeks or months at a time, and this allowed him to experience the beauty of Creation and made him appreciate the pleasures of civilization all the more when he returned to them.

He was on his way through the North on a minor trading mission when his Exaltation happened. He was traveling through the first snows and as the weather turned worse, he forced himself to travel on, lest his mission become delayed for weeks, or possibly even the entire winter. As he traveled, he noticed a glimmer of light that he thought was a trick of the sun, but as he watched it, it grew brighter and stronger, and he could see that it was moving quickly toward him. It was a horse unlike any that he had ever seen, and sitting astride it was a slim figure swathed in dark robes. Behind the steed came a thundering collection of hooves bearing a half dozen warriors armed and armored for battle. He could see, even at a distance, the ornate style of their armor and the gleam of the different colors of jade from the weapons they carried and knew immediately that these were Dragon-Blooded warriors pursuing the slim figure as was the duty of the Wyld Hunt. They were arrogant and cruel, howling for the blood of the one they chased across the land.

Swan was sure that they would all thunder past him, but one of the Dynasts lowered his spear as if in a charge. Fire blossomed around its head, then a bolt of flames lanced out and struck the dark rider's horse. The horse screamed in pain and the rider was thrown from the horse from the force of the blast. He was already running toward the scene and he reached the rider just as a long braid of white hair tumbled from a loosened scarf and eyes as pale blue as the winter sky looked up into his. Her skin gleamed like bronze in the dying light and a fresh cut across her face still oozed blood, which stained the scarf crimson. As she rose on shaking legs, he stepped between her and the onrushing hunters.

The woman stepped in front of him and released a swarm of black, buzzing shapes like a storm of obsidian knives that lashed out at the oncoming Dragon-Blooded. They barely had time to rein in their mounts before the spell struck and their horses were cut to ribbons. The hunters were not slain and as they came on, bloody and torn, Swan stepped forward to meet their charge. He dropped into a wary stance that Creation had not seen for a thousand years and felt power flow through him. His hands wove patterns through the air, leaving faintly glowing traceries of Essence in their passing. As the Dynasts attacked, he batted aside spears and swords, grabbing arms and snapping them with ease. Weapons skidded across his skin, but it was hard as scales and the weapons left nothing more than scratches. He struck like a serpent, fast and deadly. Attacks and defenses came to him that he'd never seen before, much less practiced. Then suddenly, it was over. Dynasts lay scattered and moaning about him, but Swan stood, bleeding but alive and filled with energy. It was then that he knew who and what he was.

Turning to find the woman that he had aided sprawled alongside the road, her skin having lost its bronze tone and having become pale and fine as milk, he lifted her gently and carried her off into the deepening darkness of the forest.

[edit] Since his Exaltation

Swan has continued with his duties as a diplomat to various kingdoms and empires in the Threshold, but he has also expanded his duties and occasionally serves as a diplomat to various spirit and Raksha courts. He has also been cultivating a romantic relationship with Arianna, a Twilight Caste Solar and sorceress.

Swan is a member of a Solar circle with Dace, Panther, Arianna, and Harmonious Jade. Swan feels that they must cut the cancer out of the Realm before they tackle any other problems. In this, he is in agreement with Panther, but disagreement with Dace who feels that they can grab a large piece of the Threshold and starve the Realm out of their tribute now that the Scarlet Empress is gone.

[edit] Stories involving Swan

• In Jess Hartley's In Northern Twilight, Swan's Exaltation and meeting with Arianna is detailed as they both escape from the Wyld Hunt and take refuge with Yurgen Kaneko, the Bull of the North. Swan must complete his diplomatic mission and leaves Arianna with the Bull of the North, but vows to return to her. During a clashing of forces between the Realm and the Bull of the North, Swan and Arianna must avert disaster and repay a debt to a forest spirit as one of the Bull's allies, an Exalted sorceress named Samea, unleashes a magma kraken in the forest to destroy their enemies, but the fires it generates are soon out of control and threaten to consume the entire forest.
• In A Shadow Over Heaven's Eye, Swan returns to the city of Yane on a diplomatic mission and is enlisted by an old friend of his to unravel the mysteries and intrigue surrounding his daughter, Maylea, whose destiny may be greater than anyone ever suspected.

[edit] Other notes on Swan

• He is a young diplomat and a visionary by nature.
• He is proficient in the Snake Style of Celestial Martial Arts.
• He is developing a deepening romantic relationship with Arianna.
• His virtue flaw is the Heart of Flint.
• In a past Exaltation, Lilith was his wife.

[edit] References

• Exalted (2001) - ISBN 1-56504-623-4, WW8800.
• Caste Book Eclipse (2005) - ISBN 1-58846-664-7, WW8831.
• In Northern Twilight (2004) - ISBN 1-58846-861-5, WW10067.
• A Shadow Over Heaven's Eye (2005) - ISBN 1-58846-871-2, WW10069.
• Exalted: Second Edition (2006) - ISBN 1-58846-684-1, WW80000.

[edit] External Links

• JessHartley.com - Official site for Jess Hartley, author of In Northern Twilight