Thursday, May 26, 2011

Wonders of the World

Wonders

These are amazing Creations that are repairable/recreatable but are otherwise Singular Existences.  Usually less powerful than World Wonders but not always. 

  • Eye of Autocathon, The
    • Plot Device
  • Gem of Immortality, The
    • Grants Immortality
  • Gem of Incomparable Wellness, The
    • Regenerates from Ash, Immortal
  • Rathess
  • Victory over Primordials Mandra, The
    • Grants the right to bind Demons into service

 

World Wonders

These are truly unique things in Creation that are singular creations that cannot be remade

Great Curse, The (World Wonder)

 

Unique Faction Power: The Member of the Faction is now subject to limit breaks and will ultimately destroy themselves as reparation for their unspeaking Crime against the Primordials/Neverborns.

Imperial Manse, The (World Wonder)

The Imperial Manse is one of the most powerful weapon of Mass Destruction accessible to the Exalted. 

It is a World Wonder

Unique Power: Allow the targeting and use of the Sword of Creation Defense Network

Unique Factional Power: Grants automatic success on any intimidation attempts when used, sincerely, as a threat against anyone who is familiar with the legend of the Imperial Manse.

Solar Deliberative, The (World Wonder)

The Solar Deliberative is one of the Wonders of the World

Unique Power: All who are within the deliberative can resist mental influence with no loss of Willpower.  This affects even mental influences (natural or otherwise) that normally does not allow resistance.

This means that no one can affect you mentally unless you personally agree with it.

Thursday, February 24, 2011

Epithets

 

Amongst Men, Lu Bu 「人中吕布,马中赤兔」

[Lu Bu]

Lu Bu’s Unique Epithet

“君,驍勇無敵,善戰無前,然勇而少計,暴而少仁。恐眾叛旦夕之間。”

“Your Excellency’s Martial Prowess are without Equal, and no one in history can match you.  While your might is unstoppable - you lack insight, while dauntlessness - you lack mercy, I fear it would not be long before everything turns against you”

Lu Bu’s combat skills are phenomenal.  He is without doubt the finest warrior in History.  His combat awareness is profound and his stances perfect.  As such he never suffers onslaught penalties, including any penalties from charms and effects that are categorized as Onslaught.
          His defense is so well formed that he is able to protect himself from all assailants without leaving any opening.  Thus he is exempted from the rule of one enemy gaining unsuspected attack when maximum number of opponents in any combat space is reached.  This combined with his blazing speed and terrifying aggression allows him to ignore coordinated attacks against him as long as he attacks.
          His nearly impenetrable defense is so robust that his Wound Penalties do not modify his DVs - though it still lowers his dice pools normally.
          Perhaps most potent of them all, Lu Bu adds his Essence Score (this includes the Might Rating of his troops in Mass Combat) as automatic successes to all Combat Related Actions of Physical Prowess and Awareness (including Join Battle Rolls).  This adding of successes also modifies relevant Static Values by the same amount.  These bonus successes are not considered bonus from Charms and does not make his attacks “charm infused.”  Like Second Excellency, this ability does not allow him to pursuit impossible attacks – such as multiple action penalties in excess of his dice pool.
          Lu Bu is also Fearless and perfectly defends against all fear effects.  This overwhelming confidence is such that as long as he is active his complementary unit is considered to have perfect morale as they are strengthened by the knowledge their commander is undefeatable.
          Regardless of his Intimacies, Motivations, Charms, and Any effects he is subjected to (Perfect or Otherwise), Lu Bu cannot be prevented from choosing to betray those around him for a sufficiently attractive prize.  This is not a mechanical effect, but should be handled in story narratives.

 

Bull of the North

[Yurgen Kaneko]

Decimate the Tepet Legions

Just a title - granted to the person who turned the current world order upside down.

 

Catalyst

[Aata]

Attune the Artifact “Clockwork Heart”

Face Celestial Justice

 

Confessor

[Flawless Oak]

Cause an NPC to commit suicide because of Guilty Conscience

Free specialty “Presence: Interrogation +1”  This does not count towards the max of 3 specialties, but it does count towards the +3 cap for total bonus dice from specialties.

 

Deliberator

[None Currently]

Become one of the 5 Solar Deliberators

Gains 1 Willpower point every Sunrise.  Regain 4 extra motes of Essence per hour.  +5 to Personal Essence Pool and +10 to Peripheral Essence Pool.

 

Devourer, The

[None Currently]

Be declared “The devourer”

No [Game] Mechanical Bonus

 

Famous Archer General

[Yurgen Kaneko]

Achieve 5 consecutive victories against mass combat units that have a minimum of magnitude 6, higher troop quality and higher magnitude than the character’s own range unit.  These victories can be spread over multiple battle/wars, but the character must not suffer defeat in between.

When commanding Mass Combat Archery Unit, the complementary unit gains +1 to Morale (max 6)

 

Famous Calvary General

[Renath of Diamond Hearth]

Achieve 5 consecutive victories against mass combat units that have a minimum of magnitude 6, higher troop quality and higher magnitude than the character’s own Calvary unit.  These victories can be spread over multiple battle/wars, but the character must not suffer defeat in between.

When commanding Mass Combat Calvary Unit, the complementary unit gains +1 to Morale (max 6)

 

Famous Infantry General

[No One Currently]

Achieve 5 consecutive victories against mass combat units that have a minimum of magnitude 6, higher troop quality and higher magnitude than the character’s own Infantry unit.  These victories can be spread over multiple battle/wars, but the character must not suffer defeat in between.

When commanding Mass Combat Infantry Unit, the complementary unit gains +1 to Morale (max 6)

 

Heavenly Spear (天槍)

[Rhianna of Marukan Alliance]

Rhianna’s unique Epithet

Combat Abilities is effectively 2 dots higher when applied to the use of any Piercing Polearm (Spears, Lances, Javelins, etc.).  Essence Score is also effectively 1 dot higher under such conditions.  This enhanced Essence score cannot be used to meet the Essence requirement to learn charms.

Some Examples are War Ability when leading Lancers, Spearmen, Javelineers.  Martial Arts when using a style that uses Spears.  Thrown when tossing a Javelin.

 

Isolation Specialist

[Flawless Oak]

Fail the Elemental Court of Wood’s Test

No [game] mechanical bonuses nor penalties

 

General of Legend

[Tepet Arada]

Gain Famous Archery General, Famous Infantry General, and Famous Calvary General, without suffering any defeat in-between.

Loses the epithet Famous Infantry General, Famous Calvary General, Famous Archery General.

The general’s complementary unit gains +1 to Morale (no max) and +1 to Drill (no max)

Opposing Mass Combat Units lose 1 dot of Morale – unless protected by Charm vs. Natural/Unnatural Mental Influences

 

Ghost Buster

[Alabaster hand of the Heaven]

Be the first to use ghost eating technique to permanently kill a ghost

Converts one attack dice to automatic success when using Ghost Eating Technique against a Ghost.  Character loses one success on any attempt to establish positive relationships with Ghosts.

 

Golden Beacon of Hope, The

[Clytemnestra]

Be the Leader of the Gold Faction Solars

Gains the “Born to Rule” merit.  Gold Faction Solars are automatically considered to be his/her “lessers”.

 

Golden Custodian of North and East

[Yurgen Kaneko]

Gain the title of the Golden Custodian of North and East

+/-1 automatic success to all social rolls depending on whether the title is a positive benefit or negative

 

Golden Custodian of South and West

[Balan, Dagnir]

Gain the title The Golden Custodian of South and West

+/-1 automatic success to all social rolls depending on whether the title is a positive benefit or negative

 

Matchless Salesman

[Alabaster Hand of the Heaven]

Alabaster’s Unique Epithet

NPCs Natural Dodge MDV is halved against Alabaster’s attempts to gain their trust.  This halving is before modifiers are applied.

 

Militia Leader

[Flawless Oak]

Suffering no losses when leading a unit with Drill 1 to victory against a superior foes in all other statistics

The character can put his complementary unit into regular formation regardless of their Drill rating.

 

Miracle Worker

[Hastha-sth]

Become the High Priest of the Unconquered Sun

Can Invoke the Miracles of any God under the governance of the Unconquered Sun – which means pretty much every Celestial and Terrestial God.  Only Malfea and Underworld gods are not under the Unconquered Sun’s governance.

Successfully invoked Miracles function at double potency. Failures on “Invoke Miracle” actions are treated as successful invocation with 0 threshold.  Botches are considered simple failures.

 

Partaker of the Forbidden Fruit

[Flawless Oak]

Survive the experiences of the The Menagerie of Fathomless Freedom

Character is forever reshaped by the inevitable corruption of such an expedition.  His Temperance Virtue is effectively 2 dots less when confronted with Temptation of the Demonic Flesh.  He also gains a token of remembrance – The Dema Sutra.  His jaded tastes however gains him superior performance in just such a situation.  Effectively gaining 3 dice to his “performance” rolls.

 

Slayer

[Nalla Bloodaxe, The]

Personally kill over a thousand sentient beings in one battle.

Opponents/Units who are under fear effects of the character cannot use coordinated attack against her.  Fearful effects are things such as successful intimidation attempt that was not resisted or fear inducing charms and effect such as Dawn’s anima.

 

Sleepless

[Currently No One]

Enter into more than 5 Eclipse Oaths concurrently.

Add 1 dot to Conviction, Temperance or Valor (Pick one, to a max of  5 dots).  Willpower Gain Rolls are penalized by one success (to a minimum of 0 successes).

 

Trainer of Heroes

[Dace]

Train more than 10,000 people with Tiger Warrior Training Technique

Gain +1 dot bonus to the Magnitude that can be trained by Tiger Warrior Training Technique

 

Training Wheels

[Dusk Princess of the Obsidian Heart]

Be chosen by the Neverborne as a Death Lord replacement candidate

+1 dot to Whisper Background with no maximum ceiling.

 

Unsavory Attraction

[Alabaster Hand of the Heaven]

Alabaster’s Unique Epithet

Alabaster is cursed (Unnatural Mental Influence) to be unable to join any religion he believes to be “Good.”  The cause can be anywhere from not be interested to actively self-sabotage his own enrollment.

 

War? What is it Good For?

[Balan]

Mire one corner of Creation into constant War for the foreseeable future

Gain the intimacy “Warmongering.”  This intimacy cannot be eroded for as long as the character possesses the Epithet.

 

Zealous for Justice

[Aata]

Rather choose death for his crimes rather than accept mercy

Set the precedence in the Third Age that Solars are subjugated to Celestial Jurisdiction.

Sunday, February 20, 2011

Ghost Stats Correction

I think there is a mess up in Exalted 2nd Edition’s Core Rules.

In the book the physically most potent ghost is actually Hungry Ghosts.  War Ghosts are the weakest of the batch.  Nemissaries are second, and Nephwracks are the greatest.

While this might be intentional it makes little sense with me.

So I am switching them out a bit

Average Hungry Ghosts
Strength 4, Dexterity 2, Stamina 3, Charisma 1, Manipulation 1, Appearance 1, Perception 3, Intelligence 1, Wits 3

Average War Ghosts
Strength 4, Dexterity 4, Stamina 3, Charisma 2, Manipulation 2, Appearance 2, Perception 2, Intelligence 2, Wits 2

Average Nemissaries
Strength 6, Dexterity 4, Stamina 4, Charisma 2, Manipulation 3, Appearance 2, Perception 3, Intelligence 2, Wits 3

Average Nephwracks
Strength 6, Dexterity 6, Stamina 6, Charisma 2, Manipulation 4, Appearance 1, Perception 5, Intelligence 4, Wits 6

These stats will replace the ones in the book

Saturday, February 19, 2011

Simplification of Beam-Weapons

The Beam-Weapon rules in Manual of Exalted Power – Alchemicals, page 213 is too complicated and clumsily adopted from 1st Edition rules.

So here is the modified rules Regarding Beam-Weapons

  • They still cost 2 dots more than normal artifacts
  • Cost 3 mote to attune
    • 4 for Warstrider Versions
  • Can reflexively spent 5 motes for it to function for a scene
  • Weapon still gains Magical Material Bonus
  • Sets flammable items on fire upon touch
  • Cannot be parried by non-magical materials
    • Ignore Parry DV
    • Destroy parried item
  • Cannot be soaked by non-magical materials
    • Ignore Soak.
      • This includes natural (e.g. stamina) soak from non-magical beings.
      • Soak gained via magical effects (such as sorcery or charms) are not ignored
    • Localized Damage does not “destroy” the armor upon hitting like parried item, but it leaves holes and slashes upon non-magical armor
      • Alternatively, You can subtract the final health level damage from Soak of the armor as permanent damage.  If soak is reduced to 0 armor is destroyed.  This might be too much book keeping

This makes the weapon incredibly potent on non-magical materials (most castles, walls, structures, and people) thus makes the 2 dot cost increase worthwhile.

Thursday, February 17, 2011

Mass Combat: Issue of “Might”

As it stands right now Might’s only function is to add number of success to the attacker’s roll.

It less effective than a higher Combat Rating, which adds half its value to DV.

Yet it is all encompassing of all the Charms and Supernatural Powers of the complementary troops, including such things as Soak charms, Perfect Defenses, and does not in any way modify defense.

So I am going to change Might to a more useful trait.

It still retains its normal bonus

  • add as number of successes to the Commander’s attack
  • added to the Commander’s Essence value to determine resistance and qualification against charms and spells

It will now add to other traits as well

  • It will add to DV on a 1 to 1 basis.  So a Might rating of 3 will add +3 to the DV.  Since right now an army of gods with charms (and might rating) has the same inherent DV bonus as an army of mortals.
  • It will add to Soak on a 1 to 1 basis.  So an army of mortals wearing super-heavy plate, will have less final soak than an army of essence 10 war gods wearing super-heavy plate.  Since right now Soak is only determined by armor and the leader’s stamina.
  • It adds number of dice equal to rating to the Unit’s Valor/Hesitation checks.  So a mortal army with nothing but steel backing them up is more likely to hesitate and route than an army armed with good luck charms, walk-away, warding, and other thaumaturgy enough to grant them a might rating of 1.
  • To reflect the more useful nature of Might, it’s rating will be strictly enforced.  The official books seems to exaggerate the Might Ratings of most units.  Such as the Lookshy Gunshoa Armor having rating of 4 when it suppose to be max 3 by Core Book Rules.  It will be fixed as these things come up.
    • Astartes is now Might 2, not 4.  In time as they actually learn some Spirit Charms they will become Might 3

Sunday, February 13, 2011

Rebalanced Charm: Arrow Storm Technique

The reason Arrow Storm Technique exist as a charm is it allows one to use just 1 set of Reflexive for all the attack it makes at no additional cost – unlike Extra Action Charms.

Unfortunately with my addition of Patterning Arrow Storm Technique lost some of its usefulness when combo-ed with Reflexive Charms (it is Combo-Basic).  So I am going to rebalance it in a very simple manner:  Placing this charm in a Combo will remove the 1wp surcharge for combo activation.

For example, Since the Charm has Bull of the North as the illustration image in the core book, I will give him the Combo.  Let say he activates the Combo consisting of this Charm and Second Excellency.

Normally it would cost him 1wp for the Combo, 1wp 8m for Arrow Storm, and 2 motes for each success (max of 6 successes).

With the adjustment it will cost him 0wp to activate the combo, 1wp 8m for Arrow Storm, and 12 motes for 6 successes. 

For a total of 1wp, 20 motes, for 15 archery attacks against 15 man-sized objects, or 15 times against a military unit or large object, or Combinations there of.

Each attack will be adding 6 successes.

He can quite possibly reduce a Magnitude 10 Extra army to just the commander in 1 shot.

However, if he uses the Charm by itself he will still pay 1wp and 8m to activate it.  Since the discount only applies to combos.

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

Exalted Types and Their General Charms

All maxes, unless specifically noted are for starting out characters – in other words Essence 1-5.

Dragon-Blooded

  • Dice Cap are (Ability + Applicable Specialty), Max 8
  • Can use Reflexive Charms without need to Combo them
  • First Excellency adds 2 dice per 1 mote spent
  • Second Excellency adds 1 success per 1 motes
  • Terrestrial (Ability) Reinforcement: raise other's ability for the rest of the scene
  • Has Cooperative Effects, Dragon-Blooded using charms in conjunction with each other gain greater effects.
  • Sorcery Access: Terrestrial Circle
  • Necromancy Access: Shadowland Circle
  • One of a thousand or so Dragon-Blooded have oddity of blood, probably result of mixing bloodlines with Ghost-Blooded, and these can learn Shadowland Necromancy but not Terrestrial Sorcery.  The reverse is true as well.  Normal Dragon-Blooded cannot learn Necromancy at all.

Sidereal

  • Dice Cap is Essence, Max 5
  • Their Excellencies can keep buy off penalties without counting towards the cap.  E.g. they can add 5 dice to their dice pool, or 8 dice if the dice pool is suffering a –3 penalty.
  • First and Second Excellency is same bonuses and cost as Solar Version
  • Third Excellency is 3 motes
  • Fateful (Ability) Excellency - Essence Auspicious: Lower Difficulty values for the roll.  For 4m 1wp turn every dice in the dice pool into automatic success (if defending double DV)
  • Propitious(Ability) Alignment: Same as Infinite Mastery, but can only have 1 active at any time.  Each dot in the astrological college of the alignment lowers the cost by 1.  Min of 1
  • Can use Astrological College
  • Sorcery Access: Celestial Circle
  • Necromancy Access: Shadowland Circle

 

Lunar

  • Dice Cap is Attributes and not Abilities, Max 6 (With Legendary Attribute Merit)
    • [My Modifications] With the Modification that all applicable Specialties now raise Caps, the Max cap for Lunars, with the correct Attribute Specialty, are now 9
  • A few Charms specifically allow Attribute + Essence (maximum 11)
    • [My Modifications] With the Modification that all applicable Specialties now raise Caps, the Max cap for Lunars, with the correct Attribute Specialty, are now 14
  • First and Second Excellency is same bonuses and cost as Solar Version
  • 3rd Excellency is 4 motes
  • Instinctive (Attribute) Unity: Same effect as Solar’s Infinite Mastery
  • Flawless (Attribute) Focus: Allow the purchasing of Attribute Specialties for that attribute.  Similarly since Attributes are much broader than Abilities, so does their specialty.  Attribute Specialties share the same cap as ability specialties, any combination there of cannot exceed +3.
  • Can use Shape-shifting Knacks
  • Sorcery Access: Celestial Circle
  • Necromancy Access: Shadowland Circle

 

Solar

  • Dice Cap is Attribute + Ability, Max is 12 (with House Ruled Prodigy and Legendary Attribute Merits)
    • [My Modifications] With the Modification that all applicable Specialties now raise Caps, the Max cap for Solars, with the correct Specialty, are now 15
  • Cheapest Perfect and readily available prefect charms
  • Infinite (Ability) Mastery: lower the cost of invoking 1st, 2nd and 3rd Excellencies by 1 mote for every 2 motes committed.  Min cost is 0.
  • (Ability) Essence Flow: allow invoking of 1st, 2nd and 3rd Excellencies as natural abilities, thus no need to combo, but their costs cannot be discounted either.
  • Sorcery Access: Solar Circle
  • Necromancy Access: Labyrinth Circle

 

    Abyssal

    • Dice Cap is Attribute + Ability, Max is 12 (with House Ruled Prodigy and Legendary Attribute Merits)
      • [My Modifications] With the Modification that all applicable Specialties now raise Caps, the Max cap for Abyssals, with the correct Attribute Specialty, are now 15
    • Masters of Killing
    • Treat mirror charms’ "mortals" as including deceased (ghosts, etc.)
    • Abyssal Charms that mentally or socially affect "living mortals" also affects ghosts.  Charms that affect "animals" also affect Ghost Animals and Plasmic Entities.  Need specialized charms to affect undeads with no minds.
    • Mostly mirrors of Solar Charms.  The potent ones are generally cheaper, but has the surcharge of 1wp when used outside of Shadowlands or the Underworld.
    • Excellencies are generally the same
    • Ravening Mouth of (Ability) - Reflexive: One version for Archery, Melee, Thrown, Martial Arts.  regains 1 mote for every level of damage dealt to sentient being (Subjected to cannot gain more than 20m per action rule).  Including indirect damage (such as health level paid by the target to activate defensive charms) but not ongoing damage such as poison.
    • Sorcery Access: Celestial Circle
    • Necromancy Access: Void Circle

     

      Infernal

      • Looks too complicated, didn’t bother trying to understand it enough to summarize
      • Pretty sure their dice cap is the same as Solars
        • See “Solar” section for actual numbers
      • Sorcery Access: Solar Circle  (Speculation)
      • Necromancy Access: Labyrinth Circle (Speculation)

       

        Alchemical

        • Dice Pool are equal to Attribute, Max  6 (With Legendary Merit) but can go as high as 9 with 3 installation of Fourth (Attribute) Augmentation Charm
        • Charms are Equipment, and each Alchemical have General and Dedicated Slots.
          • General Slots hold any charm, Starts with 4
          • Dedicated Slots hold only Caste and Favorite Attribute Charms, Starts with 4
        • Being Equipment Charms can be modified with "Submodules" which are like Permanent Charms that alter other Charms but without requiring a slot of their own – since they are modifications to existing charms.
        • Combos are charms combined into new gear called Arrays
        • Has the broadest ability to combine charms into combos - as long as they have the right keyword (combo-basic, simple, etc.), follow Combo Rules (Simple only goes with reflexive, etc.), and can supplement the action.  They are not strictly segregated by Ability or Attribute like other Exalts.
        • Their Combo Arrays provides access to any and all legal combos of the combination of Charms in the Array
        • Cheaper to Add Charms to existing Combos
        • Some of their Duration Charms have no commitment costs
        • Excellencies are called Augmentation for Alchemicals
        • First and Second Augmentation is the same cost and effect as Solar Versions
        • Third Excellency is 3m in Healthy Autochthonia, 5m everywhere else.
        • Fourth (Attribute) Augmentation - Essence Integrated: 1m commitment (for 1st Charm, it is a permanent charm)  Can install up to Essence/2 Rounded up times per attribute.  Each time adds 1 to that attribute, considered natural additions - including raising the cap for charms.  Always Obvious.
        • Fifth (Attribute) Augmentation - Scene long Attribute adder.  3m, gain a +1 bonus to that attribute for the scene, count as bonus dice from charms.  1 wp surcharge the first time it is activated in a scene.
          • Submodule: Unbound Essence Booster (Essence 5, 1xp) changes it to 3m/+1.
        • Sixth (Attribute) Augmentation - Permanent (1m), Purchased for a particular Attribute+Ability Rating.  Ability (outside of the purpose for valid actions) are considered at its maximum rating.  E.g. If purchased for Strength + Martial Arts, Martial Arts will be considered 5.  If his Essence is raised to 7 (and thus his max natural rating is now 7) MA will be treated as 7.  Valid actions are things like minimum requirement to learn a charm, etc.
        • Transpuissant (Attribute) Upgrade - Purchased for an Attribute.  When activated it turns any specialty bonus into automatic successes.  if used for attack, it also convert post soak dice of equal amount into automatic successes against creatures of the void.  If it is used for mental influences it provides double the normal bonus (+3 becomes +6) as a bonus Axiomatic effect.
          • Submodule: Machine Logic Subroutine (Essence 4):  When performing an action in relations to high-Clarity (their "Great Curse") stunt dice are converted to successes as well.  Gain 1 point of Clarity.
        • Clockwork (Attribute) Perfection Nodes - forgo a roll to simply get the total dice pool/2 rounded up as successes for the action.  Can still roll if he wants, and just use the higher of 2 results.  Apply this effect after all modifiers to dice pool are applied.
          • Submodule: Metaconductive Circuitry (Essence 4): Spend 5m 1wp, add Essence as automatic successes to the converted result.  Cannot raise successes higher than the total dice pool.
        • Sorcery Access: Celestial Circle
        • Necromancy Access: Labyrinth Circle
        • Can use Man-Machine Protocol (Sort of Sorcery more powerful than Terrestrial Spells but less powerful than Celestial Spells)

         

          Monday, February 7, 2011

          Overlapping Specialties

          I am not sure if you guys are aware of that more than one specialty can apply at any given situation.

          Remember that “Bow +3” is actually 3 Bow +1 and because they are the same when one is active then they are all active.  Specialties are not all or nothing things. 

          If you have "Melee: Against Multiple Opponents +1, Fierce Blows +1, Jumping Attacks +1 (4)” it means you have a total of +3 bonus when you are fighting multiple opponents and performing a leaping fierce blow.

          Just wanted to clarify if you guys were under a different impression.

          Virtue Records

          Virtues measure a character’s drive to act in certain ways.  This commitment to certain behaviors means that the character gains significant benefits when he invests Willpower in a Virtue-related task.

          Once per story for every dot in a particular Virtue, the player may have his character channel a point of temporary Willpower through the Virtue, allowing him to add a number of dice equaling the Virtue rating to his normal dice pool.  A point of Willpower expended in this fashion doesn’t grant the character the regular automatic success, only the bonus dice.  Using a Virtue like this is generally only cost effective with three or more dots in the Virtue.

          Story 06 – Edge of Dawn

          Updated to Session – 28

          Alabaster Hand of the Heaven

          • Compassion: 1/1
          • Temperance: 2/3
          • Conviction: 1/3
          • Valor: 2/3

          Flawless Oak

          • Compassion: 1/3
          • Temperance: 3/3
          • Conviction: 2/3
          • Valor: 2/2

           

          Story 05 – A New Beginning

          Updated to Session – 25

          Alabaster Hand of the Heaven

          • Compassion: 1/1
          • Temperance: 3/3
          • Conviction: 3/3
          • Valor: 3/3

          Flawless Oak

          • Compassion: ?/?
          • Temperance: ?/?
          • Conviction: ?/?
          • Valor: ?/?

           

          Story 04 – Fire of the South

          Balan

          • Compassion: 3/3
          • Temperance: 2/2
          • Conviction: 3/3
          • Valor: 4/4

          Aata

          • Compassion: 3/3
          • Temperance: 3/3
          • Conviction: 3/3
          • Valor: 2/2

          Nejimaru

          • Compassion: 2/2
          • Temperance: 4/4
          • Conviction: 2/2
          • Valor: 2/2

           

          Story 03 – The Odyssey

          Updated to Session – 17

          Balan

          • Compassion: 2/2
          • Temperance: 2/2
          • Conviction: 2/3
          • Valor: 3/4

          Aata

          • Compassion: 2/2
          • Temperance: 3/3
          • Conviction: 2/3
          • Valor: 2/2

          Nejimaru

          • Compassion: 2/2
          • Temperance: 4/4
          • Conviction: 2/2
          • Valor: 2/2

          Sunday, February 6, 2011

          Exp Record: Story 06 - “Edge of Dawn”

          Previous Story | Index | Next Story

          Player Characters

           

          Alabaster

          Flawless

          Total

          108

          113

          Story 01

          0

          0

          Story 02

          0

          0

          Story 03

          0

          0

          Story 04

          0

          0

          Story 05

          29

          29

          Session 28

          12

          12

          Session 29

          7

          7

          Session 30

          4

          9

          Session 31

          5

          5

          Session 32

          15

          15

          Session 33

          9

          9

          Session 34

          6

          6

          Session 34.5

          5

          5

          Session 35

          6

          6

          Session 36

          10

          10

           
          Session 28

          • The Session is actually bit longer than normal.  Since we started around 4 and finished around 6, making it around 12 hours.  Exp Reward of 7 is awarded.
          • Story Reward of 5 exp for finishing “A New Beginning” is awarded

          Alabaster Hand of the Heaven 

          • 8/8 (2) Charm: Graceful Crane Stance
          • 3/3 (3) High Holy Chant (3 Weeks with Teacher, 6 without)
          • 3/3 (3) Old Realm (3 Weeks with Teacher, 6 without)
          • 4/4 (4) Occult from 2 to 3 (2 weeks with Teacher, 4 without)

          Flawless Oak

          • 5/5 (2) Integrity from 3 to 4 (3 days)
          • 8/8 (8) Charm: Essence Triumphant: Socialize (2 Days)
          • Banked 2 Exp 

           

          Session 29

          • The Session is actually very short for me.  Only lasted from 8-ish to 1am.  So an Exp Reward of 4.
          • Achieved Story Award of joining Alabaster’s Circle of Friends, 3 Exp Points

          Alabaster Hand of the Heaven 

          • 6/6 (6) Occult from 3-4 (Learned from Master of Ceremonies in Rathess)
          • 1/10 (1) Charm: Ghost Eating Technique

          Flawless Oak

          • 8/8 (8) Reistance Charm: Adamant Skin Technique 
          • 1/3 (1) Performance Specialty: Prayer

           

          Session 30

          • The Session is a pretty short session.  Only lasted about 5 hours.  So an Exp Reward of 4.
          • Brendo gains 1 exp for 3 die stunt at David’s insistence
          • Brendo gets 4 Long Term Exp Reward for 6 month of down time.

          Alabaster Hand of the Heaven 

          • 3/10 (2) Charm: Ghost Eating Technique
          • 1/1 (1) Thaumaturgy Procedure:  Alchemical Weapon Fuel (1 Week)
          • 1/1 (1) Charm Enhancement: Essence Arrow: Dazzling Arrow (1 Day)

          Flawless Oak

          • 3/3 (2) Performance Specialty: Prayer
          • 7/16 (7) Dragon King Charm, Growing Wood Path: Verdan Undertanding

           

          Session 31

          • The Session was of a reasonable duration.  Take into consideration time used for character maintenance, food, etc., the actual game probably lasted only 6 hours.  Thus a reward of 5 Exp.
          • There have been sufficient freebies to Brendo’s character that I believe any exp discrepancy as a result of character creation is already balanced out.  So no more freebies will be given beyond this point.

          Alabaster Hand of the Heaven 

          • 8/10 (5) Charm: Ghost Eating Technique
          • 10/10 (-2) Charm: Ghost Eating Technique (7 Days)

          Flawless Oak

          • 12/16 (5)  Dragon King Charm, Growing Wood Path: Verdant Understanding
          • 16/16 (-4) Dragon King Charm, Growing Wood Path: Verdant Understanding (1 Week)

           

          Session 32

          • The Session was a long session, started about 2-ish and ended at around 12-ish, making it 10 hours for a reward of 6 Exp. 
          • We have reached the point in the story that further events will be completely un-described by [nonsensical] Cannon information.  Thus the Achievement Reward of “Prepare for the Future,” 8 Exp is Granted.
          • Brendo role-played his character’s compassion really well, granting 1 Exp bonus for role-playing.
          • David adhered to the code admirably, and considering his character concept and natural inclinations, also accrued 1 Exp bonus for role-playing.
          • From this point forward all Exp Rewards for 3-Die Stunts are considered team bonuses, since we help each other with stunts regularly, and this makes it less an issue of personality bonus.

          Alabaster Hand of the Heaven 

          • 2/2 (2) Finished paying Exp Debt
          • 3/3 (3) Performance from 1 to 2
          • 3/3 (3) Performance Specialty: Entertaining Children 
          • 3/3 (3) Investigation Specialty: Reading Like/Dislike (3 Weeks)
          • 1/1 (1) Medicine from 1 to 2
          • 1/1 (1) Investigation from 1 to 2
          • 2/2 (2) War from 1 to 2 (1 Week)

          Flawless Oak

          • 6/6 (6) Finished paying Exp Debt
          • 2/2 (2) Performance from 1 to 2
          • 3/3 (3) War from 0 to 1
          • 3/3 (3) Ride from 0 to 1
          • (Free) Craft(Wood) from 1 to 2
          • 1 Exp Banked (1 total)

           

          Session 33

          • The Session was a long session, started about 2-ish and ended at around 2-ish, making it 12 hours for a reward of 7 Exp. 
          • Exp Reward or 2 Exp is given for the characters holding off being ostracized for their lack of loyalty and affinity to other Solars.
          • Training from this Session will be Training Debt, so anything purchased can be used in the Battle in Session 34.   Just remember to fulfill the training time after.

          Alabaster Hand of the Heaven 

          • 7/7 (7)  Raise Archery from 4 to 5 (8-16 Days)
          • 2/8 (2)  Archery Charm: Inexhaustible Bolts of Solar Fire
          • 8/8 (-6) Archery Charm: Inexhaustible Bolts of Solar Fire (5-10 Days)
          • Exp Debt Total: 6
          • Banked Exp Total: 0

          Flawless Oak

          • (Free) Thrown Charm: Returning Weapon Concentration (10 Days)
          • 10/10 (10) Thrown Charm: (Magic Flurry Throw Charm) (24 Days)
          • 16/16 (-16) Lunar 2nd Excellency: Perception (16/16) (14 Days)
          • Exp Debt Total: 16
          • Banked Exp Total: 0

           

          Session 34

          • The Session was a long session, started about 3-ish and ended at around 2-ish, making it 10 hours, when eating and goofing off time were accounted for, for a reward of 6 Exp. 
          • All abilities that were untrained are no longer active, for the immediate need of them have expired.  Actual training time would be required for their continual use.
          • We totally messed up on Training Time.  Except for Favorite Abilities, all training time is doubled for lack of teacher.  But none of us seems to remember this.  All Training time, that were started from Session 32 and still remain unfinished will be updated to the proper value.

          Alabaster Hand of the Heaven 

          • 3/6 (3) Paid Exp Debt
          • Exp Debt Total: 3
          • Banked Exp Total: 0
          • 3/9 (3) Raise Temperance from 3 to 4

          Flawless Oak

          • 3/16 (3) Paid Exp Debt
          • 3/4 (3) Raise War from 1 to 2
          • Exp Debt Total: 13
          • Banked Exp Total: 0

           

          Session 34.5

          • The Session was a very short mini Session.  Started at around 10-ish and ended around 12.  Exp reward of 2 is rewarded.
          • Story Reward of “Specter Hunt” of 3 exp is rewarded

          Alabaster Hand of the Heaven 

          • 6/6 (3)   Paid Exp Debt 
          • Exp Debt Total: 0
          • Banked Exp Total: 0
          • 5/9 (2) Raise Temperance from 3 to 4

          Flawless Oak

          • 7/16 (5) Paid Exp Debt
          • 4/4 (1) Raise War from 1 to 2 (7 Days)
          • Exp Debt Total: 9
          • Banked Exp Total: 0

           

          Session 35

          • The Session was a a normal length session for me. Exp reward of 6 is awarded.

          Alabaster Hand of the Heaven 

          • Exp Debt Total: 0
          • Banked Exp Total: 0
          • 9/9 (4) Raise Temperance from 3 to 4
          • 2/3 (2) Raise Investigation from 2 to 3

          Flawless Oak

          • 10/16 (3) Paid Exp Debt
          • (+2) Epithet: The Partaker of the Forbidden Fruit
          • 15/16 (5) Paid Exp Debt
          • (-8) Occult: Terrestrial Sorcery Charm
          • (-8) Summon First Circle Demon
          • Exp Debt Total: 17
          • Banked Exp Total: 0

             

            Session 36

            • The Session was slightly shorter than my normal sessions.  Exp reward of 5 is awarded.
            • A Story Reward of “Welcome back to Nexus”, 3 Exp
            • A Mother’s Day bonus of 2 Exp

            Alabaster Hand of the Heaven 

            • Exp Debt Total: 0
            • Banked Exp Total: 0
            • 3/3 (1) Investigation from 2 to 3 (2 Days)
            • -4 (-3) Brain Damage: Reduce Wits from 2 to 1
            • 4/4 (1) Merit: Taints Warning (Special)
            • 4/4 (5) Raise Wits from 1 to 2 (1 Month with Teacher)
            • 1/8 (6) Thunder Attack Prana: "The Kill Shot" [Athletic Excellency Requirement Waived]
            • 4/4 (10) Raise Lore from 2 to 3 (2 Weeks, must have Teacher)

            Flawless Oak

            • 16/16 (1) Paid Exp Debt for Second Lunar Excellency: Perception 
            • 4/8 (4) Exp Debt: Occult: Terrestrial Sorcery Charm
            • 0/8 (0) Exp Debt: Summon First Circle Demon
            • Exp Debt Total: 12
            • Banked Exp Total: 0

              Friday, February 4, 2011

              Which Ability for Artillery?

              Going to separate all artillery into Archery and Thrown.  No more Lore for any form or Artillery, high-tech or low tech.

              However, Lore is still needed to operate exotic siege weapons, just not to attack.

              All direct fire Artillery will use “Archery.”  Weapons such as Steam Cannons, Ballistae, Prayer Cannons, Steam Mortars, etc.

              All Sling type Artillery will use “Thrown.”  Weapons such as Catapult, Trebuchet, etc..

              Tuesday, February 1, 2011

              Andraste

              This summary is not available. Please click here to view the post.

              Minimum Attack Speed

              I do not believe Exalted Standard Rules ever set a floor for attack speed.  But the entire game mechanic breaks down when Attack Speed is reduced too low.  Thus I am setting a floor value.

              The Minimum Attack Speed of any attack is going to be 3, no combination of effects, however Legendary or Unique, can reduce attack speed to lower than this.

              There are effects that can fit more attacks into this time frame.  Such as Extra Action Charms, or Ridill (Reaper Daiklave that attacks twice for every attack the wielder makes with it).  But the basic speed of the attack action, and thus DV refreshes, Charm Activations, etc., cannot be lower than 3.

              Monday, January 31, 2011

              Principle of Motion and Extra Attack Charms

              Just incase there are any confusion.

              Principle of Motion is considered an Extra Attack Charm, even though it stores “actions” and not attacks – it is still a Magical Flurry.

              Thus it falls under the same restrictions as Extra Attack Charms

              • You cannot combo it with other Extra Attack Charms
              • You cannot invoke an Extra Attack Charm within the Magical Flurry it Provides (e.g. using the Actions provided by Principle of Motion to Invoke more Principle of Motion, or something like Iron Peony Blossom)
              • You cannot invoke it as part of an Counter Attack

              Zenith Anima Power Fix

              My view that Zenith Anima lacks power is obvious.  So here is their New Anima Power

              Anima Effects: The Zenith Caste is empowered by the light of the Unconquered Sun himself.  With but a touch, the Golden Bulls can burn the bodies of the fallen for one mote of Essence per body, sending the smoke (and soul) to Heaven and preventing the body from rising after death as a zombie or and the lower soul from rising as a hungry ghost. They are protected from and can strike down demons, the undead and other creatures of darkness. As his action, a Zenith Exalt can channel 10 motes of Essence through his anima. He then glows with the holy fire of the Unconquered Sun and illuminates the area around him as brightly as if it were noon. This illumination extends for (Permanent Essence x 10) yards.  For the remainder of the scene (or until he chooses to let the effect dissipate), he imposes an External Penalty equal to his Essence to non-reflexive actions of all Creatures of Darkness within this area of effect.  This effect comes into play automatically once the Solar spends 11-15 motes of Peripheral Essence.

              Thursday, January 27, 2011

              [Exalted Past] Rule Changes

              Character Specific Rulings

              Additions

              Changes

              Clarification

              Reprints and Summaries

              Clearification of Graceful Crane and Feather-Foot

              GRACEFUL CRANE STANCE
              The Solar Exalted are as graceful as sunlight on water. This Charm lets the Exalt automatically succeed on any valid Athletics action to keep his balance. Moreover, this Charm allows the Exalt to keep his footing on any surface at least as strong and wide as a human hair. He treats it as a three-footwide ledge capable of supporting a thousand pounds of weight when determining what movement and Athletics actions he can take and what penalties to them might apply.

              FEATHER-FOOT STYLE
              Prerequisite Charms: Graceful Crane Stance
              The Lawgivers tread lightly when they choose. This Charm allows the Solar to run or walk on unstable surfaces (using the Move and Dash actions) as if she weighed no more than a feather. This makes surfaces such as rice paper, water, lava and writhing maggots effectively solid beneath her feet—though not necessarily harmless. To stop and stand on such a surface requires a successful reflexive difficulty 2 (Dexterity + Athletics) roll for each action in which the character wishes to maintain balance.

              • The main difference between the 2 charm is weight.  Graceful Crane does nothing to reduce the weight of the Exalted.  It only allows her to perform Movement and Athletic Actions on that surface as if it can support 1000 pounds and is a 3 foot-wide ledge.  While she can run vertically by stepping off leaves, she cannot at any moment stop on top of a leaf without it dropping like a rock.  Graceful crane only allows movement actions from the surface. 
              • Feather-Foot style actually reduce the weight of the Exalted (and everything she carries) as no more than a feather.  She can walk across pressure sensors and only register as if a feather landed on it.  Something Graceful crane cannot do.  She can also stop and stand on surfaces, which graceful crane cannot do.
              • Graceful Crane actually have a surface requirement.  It has to be as strong and wide as a human hair – meaning water does not qualify, only things floating on top of water.  Feather-Food Style is under no such limitations.  As long as the surface can support a feather (which human hair can).
              • Also the two charms can be combined.  If a person uses feather foot and graceful crane together he can stand and stop on surfaces without needing to make any rolls.  Since Graceful Crane automatically succeeds in any rolls to maintain balance. 
              • They are both scene long charms, so you can just use 2 actions, as opposed to putting them in a combo (Both are Combo-Ok, Reflexive)

              Four Flaws of Invulnerability, The

              Standard perfect defenses against physical attacks are a
              cheap way to entirely ignore attacks, but each has one of four
              flaws.  A given Solar may learn any number of these perfect
              defense Charms (including buying the same Charm twice),
              but he can only choose a maximum of two different flaws
              among all the standard perfect defenses.

              For instance, he can choose Adamant Skin Technique with the Conviction Flaw, Heavenly Guardian Defense with the Conviction Flaw and Seven Shadow Evasion with the Temperance Flaw.

              Valor Flaw

              The Exalt must move toward the opponent he considers most dangerous, on every tick where this is possible without magic, until his DV refreshes twice.

              Compassion Flaw

              The Exalt can only use this Charm when in the presence of someone or something he cares about.

              Temperance Flaw

              The Exalt cannot take movement actions such as move, dash, flight, teleportation or jumping until his DV refreshes twice.

              Conviction Flaw

              Charms carrying this Flaw do not function when the character has taken some action during the scene that is contrary to her Motivation.  If, during the scene, she has acted against any Intimacy, or a Virtue she has rated at 3+, then Charms with this Flaw add a +3m surcharge to their activation cost. 

              Old Conviction Flaw that was Errata-ed
              This Charm does not function when a Solar’s actions are contrary to his Motivation. The Storyteller should assume that a Solar’s actions qualify unless an enemy deliberately arranges for terms of conflict that dispirit and shake the purpose of the Exalt. The player can interpret it more strictly if desired.

              Tuesday, January 25, 2011

              Mask of Winter’s Abyssal Sparks

               

              1)   Dawn (Dusk) 03

              Silver Empress of the Frozen Rose
              Prince Resplendent in the Ruin of Ages, Crumbling Pillar
              Portrait, Abyssal - Prince Resplendent in the Ruin of Ages, Crumbling Pillar

              2)   Dawn (Dusk) 05

              Maiden of the Mirthless Smile

              3)   Dawn (Dusk) 11

              Irreproachable and Flawless Golden Tyrant
              Portrait, Abyssal - Irreproachable and Flawless Golden Tyrant, The 02 (Deceased)

              4)   Dawn (Dusk) 52

              Adamant Sadness

              5)   Midnight (Zenith) 22

              Sorrowful Hill Master
              Lady of Darkness in Bloodstained Robes
              Portrait, Abyssal - Lady of Darkness in Bloodstained Robes

              6)   Midnight (Zenith) 44

              Apostate in Tatters (The Harp Guy)
              Portrait, Abyssal - Apostate in Tatters

              7)   Daybreak (Twilight) 42

              Ebon Whisper of the Weeping Mountains
              Icy Monsoon of Bloody Maiden Tears
              Portrait, Abyssal - Icy Monsoon of Bloody Maiden Tears

              8)   Daybreak (Twilight) 49

              Sagacious Bodhissatva of Crows and Murder
              Illuminant Guardian of the Final Dust
              Portrait, Abyssal - Illuminant Guardian of the Final Dust

              9)   Day (Night) 11

              Typhon – Thorn’s Ambassador to the Scavenger Lands
              Portrait, Abyssal - Typhon

              10)   Moonshadow (Eclipse) 27

              Mistress of Pact Sealed in Blood
              Portrait, Abyssal - Mistress of Pact Sealed in Blood, The

               

              Associated Abyssals

              Dusk Princess of the Obsidian Heart - Moonshadow (Eclipse) 24

              Portrait, Abyssal - Dusk Princess of the Obsidian Heart

              Solars by Categories

              Related Entry: Solar Seniority

              Obviously Abyssals are not bound by these rules.  These classifications only apply to Solars.

              • Tier 1 - ~30 :  These are the ones who exalted first due to the gravity of their destinies.  These foci of fate attracts the Sparks like Flames to a Moth and thus were the first to be joined.  The Entire Group of Tier 1s exalted within 5 years of each other (Not counting those Spark not trapped by the Jade Prison).  

              It would be another year or so after the last of them that Tier 2 started Exalting – Such is the greatness of their ordained destinies.

               

              • Tier 2 – ~ 50 : These are the beings whose Spark had to travel aimlessly down the infinite pathway in the loom of fate.  Guide as they are by the eddies in a ocean of light.  Tier 2 and Tier 3 exalts around the same time.  But generally Tier 2 as a group is slightly earlier than Tier 3.

               

              • Tier 3 – ~ 70 : These are the weakest of all the Solar Exaltations.  They owe their unguided Exaltation as much to chance as they are to their own destinies.  Granted they have greatness ordained, but their destinies are barely noticeable in the loom – overshadowed as they are by the Suns that are the Tier 1s and the Stars that are the Tier 2s.  These Exaltations happen mostly due to sheer luck – as the individual just happens to need the power of their Exaltation right when the spark is spiritually near. 

              There are few exception in this Tier of Solars.  Like all Gods, Lytek did not survive the eons without owing a little favor.  Being the God of Exaltation he had to make a few … adjustments as debt of honor.  A few of the Tier 3 Sparks are “coerced” onto their hosts by Lytek.  Namely Rune the Solar of White Wall (paid for by the Syndics) and Fatimah bint Muhammad (paid for by an unknown party)

               

              Unbound Solars

              These are Solars who were never trapped by the Jade Prison.

              • Dawn 15 - Yurgen Kaneko, “Bull of the North”
              • Dawn 56 – Filial Wisdom
              • Zenith 47 – Samea
              • Twilight 14 – Fear Eater
              • Twilight 44 – The Twilight (Mnemon Nejimaru) 
              • Eclipse 20 - Scarlet Whisper

               

              Solar Essence with no vision of Rathess and War Captain

              These are Solar Essence that either were not in Creation during the Unconquered Sun’s broadcast of the Vision of Rathess, or they are those who perished subsequently and is returned to Lytek for Cleaning – and thus lost the vision as well.

              • Dawn 56  (Was Filial Wisdom)
              • Dawn 59  (Was War Captain)
              • Zenith 09 (Was Dimas, the Teenager that was killed by 30 Blood Apes, Flawless Oak and Alabaster Hand of the Heaven is too far to save him)
              • Eclipse 59 (Was Aata)

               

              Tier 1

              These are Solar Essence who were bonded with extraordinary individuals whose souls and destinies were grand that they are able to fully incorporate their Exaltation in the instant of infinity during the 2nd Breath.

              These Solars all have uncanny connection to their Essence has has far more instinctual knowledge of the Supernatural World and, often, knowledge of the First Age.

              They can raise in Essence with normal speed and has full charm pool upon Character Creation.

              These Solars due to their more intimate knowledge of the First Age are trapped by it.  Their motivations, actions, and world view are inevitably colored by the past.

              These Solars are so powerful that their Exaltation sends ripple through the fabrics of fate and without error each of them find Sidereal Agents waiting for them – most in the form of the Wyld Hunt.  Unfortunately for the Wyld Hunts, these Solars are also the best equipped to deal with any Hostilities.

              • Dawn 15 - Yurgen Kaneko, “Bull of the North”
              • Dawn 24 – Nalla the Blood Axe
              • Dawn 26 – Ovalisque of the Invincible Starfall
              • Dawn 33 – Jalith (Haltan)
              • Dawn 39 – Lyta
              • Dawn 44 – Dace
              • Dawn 55 – Moray Darktide
              • Dawn 59 – Balan
              • Zenith 08 – Celestial Anger
              • Zenith 20 – Panther
              • Zenith 30 – Gladrien Vanja
              • Zenith 43 – Karal Fire Orchid
              • Zenith 47 – Samea
              • Zenith 49 – Ocean Pearl
              • Twilight 14 – Fear Eater of the Icewalker Tribes
              • Twilight 27 – Horakinis
              • Twilight 30 – Arianna
              • Twilight 44 – Mnemon Nejimaru, “The Twilight
              • Twilight 48 – Exaltant Sunrise Spirit
              • Night 06 – Harmonious Jade
              • Night 23 - Death and Metal Maiden
              • Night 32 – Dagnir
              • Night 40 – Rhianna
              • Night 45 - Raneth of Diamond Hearth
              • Eclipse 03 – Child of the Violet Star
              • Eclipse 17 – Clytemnestra
              • Eclipse 20 – Scarlet Whisper
              • Eclipse 45 – Swan
              • Eclipse 54 – Crimson Antler
              • Eclipse 59 - Aata

              There are no more Tier 1 Solars (unless GM forgot to add an Official one who is Tier 1).  From this point in the game, all new Solars are at the maximum Tier 2s.

               

              Tier 2

              Tier 2 Solars are Solar Essence whose bond with their Mortal Host is incomplete.  In time they will achieve the harmony already possessed by Tier 1 Solars.

              They have little to no knowledge of the past and by extension their capabilities.  They only start with instinctual knowledge of their own powers and knows next to nothing regarding the powers of other Solar Castes or Exalts.

              They also only starts with half their charms upon Exaltation, and the other half are quickly gained as they familiarize themselves with their new found power.

              Amongst these ranks are often the Tyrant and Despots.  Gifted with power rival that of most gods and having next to no knowledge of their place in the Order of things, these beings are those often found abusing their powers and setting up little petty kingdoms in Creation. 

              The Solars of this Tier are both Free and Powerful.  Their achievements are only limited by their mortal mind and completely unhindered by the Original Sins of the First Age but also unassisted by the Perspective taken by granted by the Solars of the First Tier.

              Solars of Tier 2 are significantly delayed in their Mastery over the very energy of Creation due to their dissonance between their Exaltation and their Mortal Coil.  They cannot achieve Essence 5 until this dissonance is reconciled (usually via achieving their motivation, some great achievement, or simply by time normally taking ~50 years or so at the latest).

              • Dawn 36 – Prince Maximillian
              • Zenith 09 – Dimas
              • Twilight 18 – Ahmed Latif
              • Night 08 - Faku Kun (The Panda People Exalted)
              • Night 28 – Alabaster Hand of Heaven
              • Eclipse 26 – Flawless Oak

               

              Tier 3

              These are the Solars who is completely unable to shake their mortal existence and ascend into rank of the Exalts.  Their mortal identity and belief is so strong that they are simply unable to ascend.  Their limited purview blocks their ability to achieve the truly supernatural. 

              Not only are they unable to acknowledge their new divinity they also cannot comprehend the limit power inherent in their being.  Until their Souls can come to terms of their own being, they are blocked. 

              These Solars typically starts with 1-2 Essence and cannot achieve Essence higher than 3 without coming to terms with their new destinies.  However, even the most difficult cases usually resolve itself – one can only deny reality for so long (Max ~70 Years).  Those who active tries to accept their new state in life take significantly shorter.

              These Solars gains no Charms during Exaltation – for they are completely ignorant of their own powers and abilities.  It is through difficult trial and error do they discover their Starting Charms.  Lucky are the Tier 3s who finds a more established Solar as mentor.

              Consequently these Solars are so weak they hardly show on the Loom of Fate and thus are only hunted by the Wyld Hunt on sheer [bad] luck.

              • Currently there are no Tier 3 Solars, and I hope there won’t be any anytime soon.  Because next time you guys die, next characters you guys make will start as Tier 3.

               

              Solar Circles

              (Perfect) Circle of Friends
              • Dace, Dawn Caste Duelist-General
              • Panther, the Awe Inspiring Personae of the Zenith Caste
              • Arianna, The Twilight Savant with an Unquenchable Thirst for Knowledge
              • Harmonious Jade, the Merciless Night Caste Seeking her Mission
              • Swan, The Easy Going Eclipse Caste Comedian Diplomat
              (Perfect) Circle of Everlasting and Perfect Illuminated Harmony
              • Ovalisque of the Invincible Starfall (Dawn Caste)
              • Celestial Anger (Zenith Caste)
              • Exaltant Sunrise Spirit (Twilight Caste)
              • Death and Metal Maiden (Night Caste)
              • Child of the Violet Star (Eclipse Caste)
              Circle of the Bull, The
              • Yurgen Kaneko, The Bull of the North (Dawn Caste)
              • Nalla “Blood Axe” (Dawn Caste)
              • Samea of the Blackwater Mammoth Tribe (Zenith Caste)
              • Fear Eater of the Ice Walker Tribes (Twilight Caste)
              • Raneth of Diamond Hearth (Night Caste)
              • Crimson Antler, Cherek Revolutionary (Eclipse Caste)
              Circle of Rathess, The
              • Lyta (Dawn Caste)
              • Gladrien Vanja (Zenith Caste)
              • Clytemnestra (Eclipse Caste)
              Circle of the War Captain
              • Balan the War Captain of Rathess (Dawn Caste)
              • The Twilight (Twilight Caste)
              • Dagnir (Night Caste)
              • Aata the Thunder God (Eclipse Caste)

              Monday, January 24, 2011

              Horakinis

              Senior Deacon of the Exaltant Twenty Garden

              Portrait, Solar - Horakinis‏, Twilight Essence 27

              • She is the Sorceress shown in the Core Rule Book on the page describing “Death of the Obsidian Butterflies”
              • Secretive Sorceress and well known in the Occult Circle, though not as a Solar
              • Terrestrial Circle Sorcerer who is on the cusp of Achieving Celestial Circle Sorcery
              • Senior Deacon in the Exultant Twenty Garden Secret Society, a Secret Society of Sorcerers spread across Creation
              • Thaumaturgy: Master of Alchemy, Astrology and Adapt of Geomancy
              • The Last Tier 1 Solar, Essence 4

              “Only through knowledge can we be saved, and only through the wisdom of the Solars who died long ago can we hope to find an answer to our present problems.”
              - Horakinis


              Horakinis has an air of ostentatious asceticism, with lustrous crimson hair that falls in glowing ringlets to her waist making a striking contrast with her pale skin.  She favors dark colors and is usually wearing hooded robes of expensive silk.  Tall and lithesome she moves with briskly pace and focused purpose.   Naturally confident she has a majestic aura and her presence is often enough to draw attention from everyone in the room.  This combined with her hair and accent has, on several occasions, caused major stirs in the Threshold – as overly eager officials mistaking her as the Empress incognito.  She has long since taken on the habit of muffling herself in cloaks and veils thought that causes an entirely different set of problems – especially for a Anathema who is trying not to draw overt attention.  She always wears her Salt-Gem of the Spirit’s Eye in an orichalcum choker (Hearthstone amulet), though she conceals this jewelry with a scarf if she is uncertain of her company.

              Horakinis is an impatient, tactless researcher and find it hard to believe that anybody is better fitted to research or hold the great wisdom of the ancient Solars than her.  Nobody ever worked faster enough to suit her, and she has no qualms about pushing human colleagues to their limits:  It is for a greater good.  She does not mind sharing new discoveries (aside from the very powerful ones) with allies or other Solars, but she do expect some gesture of thanks in return.

              Born to a very rich family in Arjuf, on the Southern Coast of the Blessed Realm, and she was raised amongst wealth and privilege.  But none of this spared her or her family when disease struck the port: She barely survived, and her father and two of her brother died.  As the eldest remaining child, she was, technically, the family heir.  She signed over her interest in warehouses and trading fleets to her only living brother and took her inheritance in money and resources that would let her travel and search for the lore that she are still sure would have saved their lives.  While she was seeking an ancient library underground, her Exaltation came upon her.

              The Unconquered Sun descended upon her in a burning wave of ecstasy and power, bringing memories of her life long before and showing her what she needed to do to bring back the age of gold.  Through the knowledge of the ancient Solars, She will save the world.

              Since then, she have spent much of her time concealed in her newly discovered library – a minor Manse – researching the documents there and sharing her information with other sorcerers across the land.  From time to time, she leaves the place in order to investigate new libraries or to assist other Solars in return for knowledge.  Many of the books and scrolls are merely histories or accounts, and others are in languages that she does not know:  She has had to bring translators and clerks, some by blackmail or force, to get the information she needs.  However, she has also made many useful contacts, fellow researchers who appreciate her dedication and objectives.  Together, she hopes to find the ancient truths that will help rebuild the world.

              Thursday, January 6, 2011

              Dual-Wield

              Since we were watching Tron and it follows the trend of Dual-Wield = pwnage, I am clarifying the rules of Dual Wield in Exalted.

              • Using an weapon in the off-hand is a –1 internal penalty. 
              • You use the accuracy rating of whatever weapon you are attacking with
              • You use the defense rating of whatever weapon you are defending with (so logically you will use the higher of the 2, but keep in mind the –1 penalty for Off-hand Weapon)
              • Rates are independent of the weapon.  So if you have a rate 3 weapon and a rate 2 weapon, you can have a flurry of 5 attacks, with one weapon making 3 attacks, while the other making 2, in any order/combination.

              That is pretty much dual-wield in a nut shell.  Though technically legal, it is a bit odd to say I have 2 fists so I can make 2 rate 3 attacks.  Natural weapon should already have factored in the fact there are 2 of them into the calculated Rate.