Ash Leopard
From Unofficial Handbook of the Virtue Universe
She was supposed to have a normal life. Filled with dance recitals and pool parties and first dates and best friends. Her father had been a doctor. Her mother had been a lawyer. Family connections and ivy league educations had practically guaranteed that the Scavellis would raise their only child in wealth and privilege. They weren't supposed to die. She wasn't supposed to be taken from her quiet home in an affluent neighborhood in Boston. Her aunt wasn't supposed to send her off to a boarding school in northern Vermont.
But "supposed to" didn't have much meaning by the time the young girl arrived at Belmont Academy. Within the walls of that old, prestigious school, the Scavellis' daughter found something to replace the "supposed to" that she had lost. Her instructors became surrogate parents. Her classmates became her best friends. With ample amounts of support and attention, she outgrew the timid disposition of her early years and excelled in both academics and athletics. When her senior year finally arrived, everyone agreed she was back on track to having that normal life...
...At least until she disappeared the day after her high school graduation.
From a letter dated January 1, 2005
To the Worthy Traveler, If you are reading these words, then you have passed your final test and made your way to the sacred Hall. The trial you began so many years ago was not an easy one, nor was it meant to be. We guard our secrets jealously, allowing only those we deem the most worthy to even attempt the Decoding. I am quite certain you have a multitude of questions, but you must continue to be patient. As long and difficult as this journey has been, the distance you have covered so far is only the beginning. You are about to enter a world unlike any you have known - a world that is full of mystery, power, and privilege. We will expect you to sacrifice much, including your family, friends, and all of your possessions. We will expect you to dedicate your mind, body, and spirit to mastering the skills that will make you a champion. Nothing less than absolute commitment is acceptable, but I can promise you the rewards will far exceed the efforts.
Every year I write a new letter for the candidates to find at the end of their Decoding, but there are times not one single person reaches this point. In fact, we have not had a candidate complete the trial in three years. Your pride at holding this paper between your fingers is well justified. I have spoken to you at some length over the last months but always through letters. I can finally reveal my identity to you, and I do so with great joy. The League trusts me implicitly to find worthy candidates, and I am passing that same trust to you. I will now keep your secrets, just as you will keep mine.
We will meet soon to discuss the formal application process. Until then, may you continue to fight for what you want but never become that which you fight against.
Your future brother in the I.L.C.,
From a letter dated May 12, 2005
Dear Miss Scavelli, We are pleased to inform you that your application to the I.L.C. has been formally approved. We have been watching you since your first days at Belmont, and the Council voted unanimously to accept you into our illustrious organization. Membership in our ranks is not granted easily, so we encourage you to enjoy this accomplishment for several more weeks. We have already enrolled you in our next training session, which will begin on June 12, 2005 (Calendar Year: M.W. - O.S.|G2V SS| Planet Earth). If you pass the six month course, you will enter our circuits as a Cosmic Leopard. Advancement from this designation depends on further training as well as successful match-ups in our competitions. Also note that your classification into the Leopard Group may be changed once you complete your introductory training session.
Once more, congratulations on your acceptance. We look forward to having you as member of the League. May you continue to fight for what you want but never become that which you fight against.
Sincerely,
From a letter dated December 22, 2005
Dear Miss Scavelli, Congratulations on the successful completion of your introductory training session. The Apex Council is quite pleased with your performance over the last six months, and we have carefully studied your progress to determine where to place you. As you know, the League has two houses that encompass the entirety of our membership. The House of Fortune oversees our fighting circuits and their respective Acquisition duties. The House of Providence maintains our records and leads the instruction of our membership. Both houses play important roles in the League and admission to either should be considered a great honor.
Given your skill level in the various styles of Martial Arts we teach and your rapid mastery of elemental fire, we have decided to maintain your placement in the House of Fortune. Further, your final scores were impressive enough that we are excited to tell you the Ash Leopards have offered you a spot in their Division. They have a long history of being prominent members on the Apex Council, as well as one of our premier circuits. Your acceptance of this offer is voluntary, but we feel our recommendation is best suited for your needs. Should you have any questions, feel free to speak with your Council representative at any time via the Stellar Link. May you continue to fight for what you want but never become that which you fight against.
Sincerely,
From a letter dated January 3, 2008
Dear Miss Scavelli, This letter is your formal notification that your status as a Cosmic Leopard has been officially upgraded to Ash Leopard, Level 1. We have seen you grow and mature as a champion over the last two years, and we are excited to extend this promotion to you. While your training and education is far from over, you will now be able to participate in the League's fighting circuits for Merits. There will be a series of contests in the coming weeks to determine your Quadrant placement, and we will assign an A.L., Level 10, to you. He or she will help you prepare for these trials, as your performance will reflect on the Ash Leopard Division. In fact, from now on, you should remember that everything you do or don't do affects the reputation of you fellow Ash Leopards. Even though you will not enter into the Ranking system until your Quadrant is determined, we encourage you to embrace the scoring methods from this day forward. One of the things that separates the Ash Leopards from all other Divisions is our refusal to accept anything less than victory.
We will contact you soon via the Stellar Link to inform you of your A.L., Level 10, adviser. May you continue to fight for what you want but never become that which you fight against.
Sincerely,
Moving On Up
From a letter dated March 14, 2010
Dear Miss Scavelli, As required by the I.L.C. Rules of Governance, the Apex Council must validate or dispute each Division's annual evaluations of their respective members. After careful study of your review, we have agreed to affirm the Ash Leopard Directorate's assessment of your performance. You will note that this decision supports all of the marks you received in each category. Your fighting skills and mastery of elemental fire were your strongest areas of performance, while your telepathic defenses and general arcane knowledge were the weakest. This means your upcoming training sessions will need to focus on the areas in which your scores were the lowest.
We are proud of your accomplishments, but we caution you to maintain the high level of dedication you have displayed thus far. The I.L.C. does not retain members who fail to advance in a timely manner, and we remind you that you are always subject to Recall or Disavowal. Our statement of this fact is issued with great care, as we are upgrading your Level based on the A.L.D.'s recommendations. Beginning April 2010 (Calendar Year: M.W. - O.S.|G2V SS| Planet Earth), you will enter our Battles as an Ash Leopard, Level 3. This promotion not only provides you the opportunity to qualify for a new Quadrant, it means you will now be expected to fulfill the League's Acquisition Requirements. Your APCO representative will be in touch in a few days to further explain what the promotion will entail. May you continue to fight for what you want but never become that which you fight against.
Sincerely,
Failure Is Not An Option
From a letter dated October 18, 2010
Dear Miss Scavelli, After careful deliberation and consultation with the Apex Council, the Ash Leopard Directorate has decided to uphold our ruling regarding the events that took place at the most recent tournament. This means your Recall status will go into effect immediately, and you are not eligible to participate in any event sanctioned by the I.L.C. You will still be responsible for fulfilling your Acquisition duties and contributions to the Source throughout the Recall. Your Ranking and Merit credits will be frozen at their current levels and remain so until the Recall period ends. A Directorate representative will be in touch via the Stellar Link in the next several days to inform you of the details, as we have not yet determined where you will be sent during your Recall.
Though you have maintained a curious silence about your punishment, we feel it is important we explain our reasoning for placing you and some of your fellow Ash Leopards into Recall. The general consensus among the Directorate and the Apex Council is that the Starbound Order was cheating throughout the course of the tournament. Other conference members have voiced similar concerns about Starbound's violation of tournament rules, but there exists little direct evidence to support our claims. Despite that, a special emergency session has been called for the conference to address these issues. We will strongly advocate that the Starbound Order faces appropriate consequences for bringing such dishonorable behavior to our matches.
While the Starbound fighters might have acted in the most disreputable manner, the fact remains that the twelve matches lost by Ash Leopards caused our Ranking to suffer. For the first time in nearly five decades, this Division saw its standing downgraded and that is absolutely unacceptable. We have made it very clear to you and every other Ash Leopard that you do whatever it takes to ensure our Division maintains its integrity and superiority. Cheating was not an option during your match, but calling for a True Fight was. Not one of you did that, and that is truly shameful. You and your fellow Ash Leopards put yourselves above this Division, and as such, we cannot allow you to represent us until you have sufficiently demonstrated you are dedicated to upholding our values. This Recall is your one chance to do that. Should you survive the trial, you will be allowed to return to a Quadrant where the I.L.C. is active and rejoin your fellow Ash Leopards. We very much hope that you are as worthy as we first believed you to be.
May you continue to fight for what you want but never become that which you fight against.
Sincerely,
Fun Facts About This Ash Leopard
Understanding An Ash Leopard
Ash uses a variety of terms in casual conversation, but she generally doesn't explain what they mean unless someone asks. The following is a guide to understanding just what in the world she's talking about sometimes.
|
|---|
