Here's a list of the recent additions to the Dramatis Personae:
In the wall of his office, among décor of exotic weaponry, is a carefully preserved, framed personal letter from the Empress sent many years ago. That speaks volumes of Cathak Bertram. He is a brilliant tactician and military leader, known to go all out in battle (as evidenced by a missing arm) and enjoy leading his men to victory, though he is never wasteful of his troops. Off the field, however, he’s not the best at politicking and has little patience for the schemes of his peers, but his reputation keeps him in the highest circles. This Wood aspect is not one many care to anger…especially since he has a nearly full legion behind him (the Eleventh). There was, some years ago, some nastiness involving his first wife, Tepet Tulia, who’s regarded by even her own house as a greedy, ambitious, but stupid cow. No one is certain of the extent of her 'crimes', but Bertram managed to come out smelling like a rose after her untimely death. He was, of course, no where near the location at the time… He is now pleasantly married to the much younger Ledaal Layli, who seems to be a very good match for him. They have one child, Dailan, a precocious toddler. With the disappearance of the Empress, Bertram’s love for the Empire has not waned, and he hates what it is becoming. He thinks that unless something is done about the Abyssals and other Anathema, there will soon be nothing left.
He is a handsome man of average height, lean muscled like a young sapling. Black hair is twinged with green and eyes are brown as tree bark. Bertram tends to dress simply, but finely, and rarely takes any pains to hide the stump of his right arm (which, if anyone looks closely enough, seems to sport growth rings like a cut tree limb). It’s said his first wife forced him to wear a gaudy fake arm of silver and jade in public, and he hated it. It is, to him, a badge of the sacrifices he’s made for the Empire.
He’s known to have soft spots for his children, his children’s children, mistreated slaves, valiant but overlooked soldiers, and the handicapped.
See also: In the Shadows of Dragons
Those that enter the Heptagram never leave the same, and its secrets are kept within all its graduates. It took young Ledaal Layli and spun her into a woman of velvet and steel wrapped in mystery with a veneer of enigma. At least that’s the face she presents to the world. An Air aspect of great refinement and practiced grace, she is known to be a frightfully competent sorceress and a subtle but strong in politicking, making her an excellent match for her husband. She happens to agree strongly with Bertram about what needs to be done.
She is best described as a chill beauty, not because of her attitude, but because her being calls to mind icy winds. Her skin is a snowy alabaster and hair a pale blue. Her eyes are stormy gray and lips blue twinged, often fixed together in a look that says she knows something you don’t. Most often, she is dressed in understated elegance in shades of blue. It is curious then that she’s almost always seen wearing a bracelet of red jade that clashes with her usual clothing, and she never really explains its significance.
Though she doesn’t reveal much, she does appear to be genuinely fond of her husband and their household (though she finds that her child, Dailan, is not yet old enough to be interesting). However, those with long memories and love of gossip will say that Bertram is not her real love in that household, but his mortal son, Nishal. They were lovers in primary school and known to have kept in touch, and some suggest that she pressed for the match with Bertram in order to be with Nishal for the rest of his life. The cruelest gossip from enemies suggests that Dailan is not a product of the proper marriage, but most do not take that seriously. She’s considered far too discreet for that.
In surprise to some, she left Bertram’s household mostly intact when she entered the marriage, only making cosmetic changes and some staff. The only person she brought with her is the odd advisor, Piodyan Nuwar.
See also: In the Shadows of Dragons
A short, almost stocky bald man, Nuwar is not much to look at. He tends to dress black and gray and would not be notable except for the fact that even the strongest of Dragon Blooded have found his presence and dark gaze somehow discomfiting. Luckily it passes as soon as the man does. After all, he’s nothing but an advisor to the lady Layli, right?
…didn’t her grandmother have an advisor at one point in time? Couldn’t be the same person…nah.
Nellens Larian, unlike most Dynasts, knows he was a child born of a great love affair. By all accounts, many were baffled by the paring of the devastatingly beautiful and passionate Dragon Blooded Nellens Selaya and the obstinately temperate, monkish, slave born mortal soldier Cathak Kotari (son of Bertram). Perhaps because of that, and the regret that Selaya has openly expressed that her last words to her husband were in anger, Larian has what most deem an unhealthy obsession and regard for the father that died when the boy was an infant. As of yet, no one has managed to get him to grow out of it.
And as such, Larian wanted to be a soldier too. As much as he regards his mother with great respect, he decided very early on that her job of administrating fisheries was not for him. Though he barely knows his father’s family, their presence has been undeniable in his choice of profession. His grandfather Bertram gave the nudges that got Larian into the best primary schools, got the best soldier tutors, and though Larian would’ve been accepted to the House of Bells on his own merits, Bertram’s backing certainly didn’t hurt. But Larian has met the double edge of this, too, as accusations flew at school that he was nothing but a low born Nellens upstart riding Cathak coattails (though he had equal numbers of friends, including Terra’s Tepet Illystra). He also got into some trouble with instructors by being a strong advocate of learning cavalry tactics first hand (he is an accomplished rider himself), even if Exalts cannot ride into battle themselves. And now that he’s graduated, he’s decided to pay his grandfather back by joining the Eleventh. Not only that, but Larian was given position in the same section that his father made famous in some parts of Creation, the Stone Horse.
He is taller than average in the Isle, a bit broad in the shoulder (indicators of the 'barbarian blood' from his slave grandmother, his enemies say), but otherwise has his mother’s fiery beauty. As a lateish bloomer, Larian is not strongly showing his Fire aspect yet, save for the orange glints in his long auburn hair. His eyes are an emerald green. Though he is as passionate as any Fire, it tends to be more focused. He is slow to anger and tends more toward a laid back mischievous air…until one hits on the right topics. He tries to stay detached from most political maneuvering, having discovered very early on that he will be finding no great marriage offers anytime soon…or any lesser favors either, and his breeding keeps him out of high circles. Most women view him as 'good to bed, but poison to wed', which has soured him on the party scene. It’s no fun to try to figure if someone is being sincerely interested.
He owns a spectacular set of red jade fighting armor with an opal inset of the raring horse, a gift from his mother, and has recently come into an equally spectacular daiklaive that appears to have living flame in it’s hilt. He carries with him a set of beat up old journals and worn, very simple 'dress armor' that might have been in fashion forty years ago.
He is known to be fond of the memory of his father, his mother, and his six Southern Teradhi bred horses.
Just for handiness, since it goes here as well as it does anywhere, I'm also including this link to the Exalted name generator