A brief preview of Gleaming Gneiss, Ambitious Sorcerer, one of the characters in last week’s Adversaries of the Righteous: The Prince Resplendent and Gleaming Gneiss for Exalted 3rd Edition. Every month we release new Exalted characters from Adversaries of the Righteous, and/or monsters from Hundred Devils Night Parade.

Background: Young Gleaming Gneiss dreamed of ancient wonders far beneath her snowy home in the city-state of Eaves. For years, the dreams taunted her; what felt so real as she slept dissolved on waking. Feathersteel mine tunnels resembled those of her dreamscapes, but never led to the ruins she was certain hid within. Finally, when yet another search failed after years of frustrated exploration, Gneiss gave in to her rage and despair. Stone crumbled as she struck the walls in thoughtless fury; the power of Pasiap burst from her like a landslide. When the dust cleared, the wreckage revealed a timeworn passageway.

At tunnel’s end lay a forgotten settlement’s ruins, just as they’d appeared in her dreams. She found Glacier’s Edge — a machine made in humanity’s image and brought to life by sorcerous power — partially buried in the rubble. To Gneiss’ shock, it whirred to life and spoke, offering her a deal: It would teach her sorcery, and she’d repair it and set it free.

Upon returning home, Gneiss dreamed herself claiming a seat among Eaves’ ruling Ministers as first among not-quite-equals. Since then, she’s set her sights on making it come true. Her proposed plans outstrip the current ministers’ in urban progress and expanding mining into ruins farther afield, garnering her a small but devoted following among Eaves’ treasure hunters and merchants — and enemies among its politicians.