Alea, the Amber Serpent
Kuanlai, Lady of Adamant; Mehoura, Mountain Carver
"Alea! She of shining scales;
Friend of all mortals!
Her burden is as feathers
her strength, as adamant"
One of the first known mortals to be blessed by the Great Wolves, the Amber Serpent is also perhaps the most well-known of the Exalted. She is venerated across the southern continent from which she hails, a symbol of strength and resilience in the face of catastrophe. From her flowed countless boons, from the invaluable okai to the protection of nascent cities... but she has long disappeared, in a much more sinister manner than her brethren.
Aspect of Stability: Gemstones
"All things must ultimately be shattered, yet be not dismayed - for we may choose the facets to be hewn away."
It is said that Alea once lived in the prosperous southern empire, as an old widow who led her people to greatness. Some long-forgotten disaster left her heart broken, and her village scattered. She gathered her people and led them to a new home, but without the strength of weapons or wyr to battle the desert's titanic beasts, they were sure to be destroyed. Knowing this, Alea searched the earth for many long, weary nights, looking for some way to protect her people - until she came across a deep cave filled with an undiscovered crystal. This cave was the resting place of none other than the Steadfast Earthrise Wolf , who looked upon her unyielding resilience and saw... more. Alea emerged from that cave not only with a weapon for her people, but a new, immortal form.
Crystallised Might
"The deconstruction of all things; that which arises from the earth and returns to it; the transmutation of black coal to glittering gems... She once held dominion over all such things."
Though crystals are often seen as delicate rarities, the Amber Serpent was revered not only for her mercy but for her strength. She stood against countless calamities which threatened to devour the desert peoples, and did not waver even when the heavens were inverted and the world nearly fell into shadow.
Our Lady could turn her gemstones into deadly weapons, but her powers extended far beyond the crystals she shed like scales. She could cause her favourite gem, okai, to resonate with her 'will', triggering quakes and manipulating the flow of nearby magic. She understood the weakest points of every enemy, and how to strike along those facets. Most incredibly, she was privy to the art of 'deconstruction' , and could sever 'aspects' from the greater whole - just as an expert jeweler may cut away at a gem to unveil its true glory.
Beyond All Mortality
"Even 'they' must dream of slumber..."
All of the Exalted have had storied histories, but the Lady of Adamant lies the closest to mortal hearts. Ever since her ascension to glory, she has never wavered in her determination to protect those she once walked among, and in exchange she was given a power equal to what the Wolves granted her - the adoration of the people. Resilience is a quality that all mortals must aspire to or perish, and so the Amber Serpent became almost as widely revered as her patron Wolf.
She subdued the great 'demon', Izhen Earthbreaker, forming the perilous Bian Mountains in the process. She and her sister, the Grey Spider, aided in the construction of Khiloa Woln - a great nation-state that became the new crown of the southern continent. Her legends are almost too numerous to count, as befits one who has weathered the long march of time. And yet, it would be remiss not to give mention to the least well-known event of her life.
When the disaster of the empire occurred and the desert was plunged into even deeper chaos, the Lady of Adamant flew to aid the survivors, all too aware of the great beasts that would soon plague the refugees of old Ara. And deep within the desert's heart, she nearly joined the growing ranks of fallen Exalted. Lapis Himself was forced to find and rescue her, purging her of the evil she had witnessed.
Perhaps that darkness grew again, for she has not been seen for over a millennium.
If your right hand draws you to bow to the shadowed prince, sever it with your own blade. Deny the endless disasters, and our Lady's adamantine scales shall be your shield.
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