Atlas

Basic Information

Name: Atlas
Type: Dragon-Blooded Exalt
Player: NPC
Age: Unknown. The oldest member of The Grass Spiders at the time of his death.
Aspect: Earth
Concept: Member of the Hallowed Order of the Grass Spiders
Motivation: Prepare the Order of the Grass Spiders for the sweeping tide of change and ensure it last through The Time of Tumult.
Political Affiliation: The Hallowed Order of the Grass Spiders
Anima: The essence that surrounds Atlas is exceedingly strong, so strong in fact that when the corona of essence surrounds him it nearly blocks out his form. The essence clings tightly to him creating what appears to be a white hot golem of essence, as his anima builds to a totemic level the essence changes shape, size, and color. The more essence he spends the essence making his anima fades from brilliant white to a deep red. (Some said this was a reflection of his moderately low breeding.) As the anima changes from brilliant white to deep red it begins to take the shape of a mighty red panda, but continues to nearly completely block out the human under his essence. As a result people unfamiliar with his anima often mistook his anmia for a great beast, rather than the anima of a Dragon-Blood.
Likes: Change, Smoking from his pipe, Ringo (Familiar), Gateway, Working with Clay, Geomancy.
Dislikes: Idleness, Anything that dulls the mind, Bladed weaponry, Puppets.

Familiar: Ringo (Red Panda)

Background

Atlas was the longest tenured member of The Grass Spiders at the time of his death, he was also a Grass Spider for longer than any other member had ever been. Excluding The Three Fiends of course. Atlas joined The Grass Spiders more than 500 years ago, her served them for more than half of their considerable existence. His age was unknown to any within the organization, though it was known that he spent almost his entire life as a made member within the organization. Throughout the half millennium he spent in the organization he saw many changes in the Creation that they operated in as well as the organization he was apart of, his own will to change often a large part of why the organization barely resembles the one he joined 500 years ago.

Atlas was as close to being one of The Three Elite Fiends as any member of The Grass Spiders has ever become, quite possibly ever will become. Atlas ran the day to day operations within the organization as completely as he wanted, and through him The Harvestmen gathered the respect and trust to take over the more mundane aspects of running the organization. Something that became increasingly important as the organization grew in size. Atlas was beyond a typical Harvestman though, he set policies within The Order and changed its make-up and structure. All of this was assumed to be approved by The Three Fiends, they certainly would have interfered if they had thought he affected their organization negatively. Many of the defining parts of the organization didn't exist before Atlas pushed for their creation, and he is responsible for a significant number of things Grass Spiders today take for granted. Five hundred years ago the Order was half the size that it is now, and included barely enough associates to fill a boarding house. Atlas pushed for more recruitment and leaves the organization with twice the made members it had when he arrived; furthermore the small network of associates as grown into a full grown village of people linked to The Grass Spiders. While expanding recruitment he pushed for those recruits to fit more of his ideas for change.

Atlas started the movement to create more rigid circle for The Grass Spiders to operate, previously the 10 to 15 members worked together in whatever means they felt like at the time. Atlas wanted to breed more cooperation among members and thought that clearly defined circles would create a team atmosphere, the first circles formed 250 years ago and weren't quite what they are today. The Three Fiends came up with the idea to use Sworn Brotherhoods shortly after the circles formed which created tight knit groups. Atlas noticed however that not all circles thrived as well as others, something he blamed on their imperfect nature. So as members died and were replaced, or when circles were added to the organization he made sure that the circles were moved towards perfect circles, a member of each aspect. This particular movement was completed with his death, when Tiamat replaced him within The Harvestmen the circle became perfect as Atlas' final act.

Among Atlas' new recruits were younger and more social assassins who were cable of adapting to any situation and were unbothered by missions that went against the plan. Improvisation became more important and prominent within the organization, Atlas insisted that this was the future of assassination in The Time of Tumult. Following his line of thought The Circle with No Name is often thought to have been created by The Thee Elite Fiends in tribute to Atlas, an ultimate honor for his half a millennium of service to The Hallowed Order. Then again, the Fiends were rarely emotional or sentimental beings, perhaps it is mere coincidence. It is tough to imagine Atlas, a man who hated to be idle, recruiting a band of borderline misfits who spent more time at The Training Grounds then they did training.

While Atlas was alive he never lost his love for the art and still enjoyed the thrill of undertaking missions, though he was among the least active members of the organization in the number of missions completed yearly. Atlas preferred to spend his later years within the organization improving the arts of assassination by improving the organization that pioneered innovative assassinations rather than performing them himself. When Atlas was drawn into combat he wielded a massive white jade tetsubo or fought with his rock like fists, a master of both the Earth Dragon Style and The Grass Spider's very own martial art.