Fans of the Sweet Courtier, The (Artifact ••••)

This is a pair of beautifully painted silk folding fans with orichalcum bones. The painting on the fan is the famous “Hundred Mile of Flowering River.” It depicts the year long festival of a thousand flowering ships that takes place every hundred years on the rivers of the east during the High First Age. This particular pair of painting is considered one of the master pieces of Creation and the perfect example of the “Sight within Sight” Art Movement of the First Age. It is a perfect composition of light, color, perspective and imagination that seems alive in its vividness. In fact the painting is part of the function of the fans. While not designed as weapons its artifact nature makes it a passable artifact weapon, when attuned, should the user be inclined to do so. It’s previous owner Pleasant Cloud is a master of the Celestial Butterfly Courtesan Style, and in her hands these priceless works of art have graced grand balls and tournaments alike and won acclaim in both Arenas.

     Speed: 4
     Accuracy: +2
     Damage: +3L
     Defense: +1
     Rate: 3
     Minimums: Strength •, Dexterity ••••
     Commitment Cost: 5 motes
     Tags: Returns Instantly, Martial Arts Weapon, Thrown

• The weapon cannot be used as a real weapon when unattuned. It functions as a pair of sturdy folding fans and nothing more deadly than that. However it is considered of orichalcum construction when attuned and grants the material bonus of +1 to Accuracy, Rate and Defense and now inflicts lethal damage.
• The weapon can be considered Martial Arts weapon and is compatible with any martial arts that allows Fans, Knives, Claws, or Thrown Weapons. When used in such manner with a Form Charm the fans add +1 to the wielder’s parry DV as they magically create a subtle current of essence flow that guides attacks away from the wielder.
• The fans can be thrown to a range of wielder’s Essence x20 yards without penalty and that is the maximum rage. The fans will then fly beautiful back to the wielder and arrive in her hands at the end of her thrown attack action (e.g. cannot flurry the throw more than 2 attacks, 1 per fan).
• The fans when used as a pair allow the wielder to make an additional attack with the off-hand fan at no penalty. Negating both the off-hand penalty and that of multiple action. This is considered a bonus action but is not compatible with Extra-action effects and/or Flurries. Use of either negates this bonus. It however is compatible with Principle of Motion since each of those is a full action and not a magical flurry.
• The most potent ability of this weapon is that it lowers all Martial Arts, Performance and Social Charms by 2 motes to a minimum of 1 mote.
• Outside of social combat the fans negate botches for performance actions when it involves the use of these fans, such as dances or ceremonies performed with them.
• Outside of social combat the fans negate botches for performance actions when it involves the use of these fans, such as dances or ceremonies performed with Fans.
• When used with appropriate Prayer Ceremonies the use of these Fans effectively rise the resource value any sacrifice by 1 dot. Since this is a performance action with the fans, it also negates any botches.

Metasorcerous Phylactery (Artifact ••••)

Note: This item is an item of the First Age. The knowledge of its construction is fairly lost during the 2^nd Age.

These talismans usually take the form of large jewelry items such as elaborate bracers, torcs and crowns, although some Chosen prefer staves or wands. Combing Creation’s four magical materials with Malfeas brass in elaborately complex designs, the composite wonder can be attuned (or built) only by sorcerers. Each requires combination of an inset level 3+ hearthstone and a 10 mote commitment to function. (Variants of this artifact using soulsteel and Underworld materials similarly boost necromancy.

Whenever a sorcerer casts a sorcery spell while attuned to exactly one metasorcerous phylactery, he may channel dots from the item’s inset hearthstone to augment the casting, temporarily reducing the stone’s power output (and rating). Until a drained hearthstone returns to full charge, it has no powers. Furthermore, an arcane link remains between the depleted stone and phylactery, preventing any other power source from fueling it during this time. Channeled dots return at the rate of one per hour and may improve a spell in any of the following ways, allocated as desired.

Cost: The Spell costs three fewer motes per dot spent (minimum 10 motes). Alternatively, the spell’s Willpower point cost decreases by one per three dots spent (minimum one Willpower point).

Power: If the spell references the sorcerer’s Essence rating, he is considered to have a rating one dot higher for every three dots spent.

Mastery: If the spell requires a dice roll, each dot spent adds one success to the roll.

Range: If the spell has a range measured in actual distance, each dot spent improves it by a factor of one (x2 with one level, x3 with two, etc.)

Duration: If the spell has a fixed Duration, every two dots spent increases this time by a factor of one (x2 with two levels, x3 with 3 four, etc.)

Trigger: For a cost of one dot, the spell does not have any apparent effect on its target (no rolls are made, if applicable). Instead, the effect happens when a specific event the sorcerer names at the time of casting takes place in the presence of the target. (The effect can be anything from a time delay to someone performing a specific action, etc.) In the interim, the spell remains visible to Essence sight and may be dispelled with countermagic. Once the spell goes off, it does so as if the target were adjacent to the sorcerer and the sorcerer’s player then makes any necessary rolls (using the traits his character had when he cast the spell). Suspended spells can remain dormant indefinitely if their trigger conditions never occur.

Manifestation: For a cost of one dot, the sorcerer may change the way a spell achieves its normal function, substituting a Storyteller-approved effect more appropriate to the sorcerer’s anima and mood. For example, a magma kraken might be changed to tendrils of electricity, but it would still inflict the same damage and would be the same spell. Other than providing a host of stunt possibilities, changing the effect decreases the likelihood that others will recognize the spell (+2 difficulty) and may circumvent narrowly defined defense (such as immunity to fire, which avails nothing against acid).

Rod of Cleansing the Body (Artifact ••)

Made from a mixture of all the magical materials save soulsteel, this artifact is a rod the thickness of a grown man’s thumb and nine inches long. To use this wonder, the user must first commit two motes of Essence to it. She can then touch this rod to the bare skin of someone suffering from a disease or infection and attempt to cure him.

Operating this item requires the user to spend one mote of Essence and her player to make a successful (Perception + Medicine) roll for the character to determine to precise locations she must touch to correctly rebalance the patient’s Essence flows. The difficulty of the roll to treat a disease or infection is equal to the disease’s normal difficulty to treat – serious illnesses can be extremely difficult to cure. Fortunately, the user can expend additional motes to reduce the difficulty of this roll. Each additional mote the user spends reduces the difficulty of the roll by one. The user cannot drop the difficulty of this roll below 1, however.

Treating a disease or infection requires the user to spend a number of minutes equal to the difficulty to treat the disease examining the patient and locating the correct Essence points on his body. If the patient suffers from multiple diseases or a disease and an infection, the physician must treaty each one individually. The user can also automatically stop all bleeding simply by touching the patient and spending one mote of Essence. She can even do so as an action in combat (5 ticks/-2 DV), and her player does not need to make a Medicine roll for her to do so. This device can be used to treat any living being, including humans, animals, Exalts, beastmen, God-Bloods or Wyld mutants. Gods, demons and raksha do not suffer from mortal maladies, so this artifact cannot treat them.

Translation Crystal (Artifact ••)

This clear, flat, rectangular crystal is the size of a large man’s hand and an eighth of an inch thick, and it is set within a narrow frame of blue jade and orichalcum. To activate this item for a scene, the wearer need only spend three motes of Essence. Whenever this artifact is placed over any piece of text thereafter, whether that text is in the tongue of the Riverlands, a rare demonic tongue spoken only in Malfeas or the most complex of the All-Seeing Eye’s many codes, anyone looking at the crystal sees this text perfectly translated into Old Realm. When this item is placed against the text and activated, the item literally reads the text and translates the meanings into Old Realm. This translation is then displayed upon the artifact’s upper surface. The use of orichalcum in this item allows it to partake of a tiny fraction of the Unconquered Sun’s limitless brilliance, so the translation is accomplished in less than a second. In addition to simply translating the language, comparing a text to the translation this artifact provides allows the character to learn the written version of any language as well as if she had a skilled tutor. (She could also use it thus to learn Old Realm if she already knows the written language the artifact is translating.) This artifact can be used to translate spells and other esoteric arcane texts as well as simply allowing the user to read texts such as a treaty between a demon lord and a raksha noble.

Third-Arm Glaive (Artifact •••••)

A five-foot staff topped with a thick, two-foot blade, carved from a golden wood and laced with orichalcum, this weapon is perfect in its balance, weight and razor’s edge. As if that were not enough to set it apart, a wide and thin sash hangs from the point where the metal of the blade meets the haft, permanently fastened to the weapon. Over 10 feet in length, the sash is made from tiny links of orichalcum, dyed during the forging to display beautiful gold to golden-reds, and flows smoothly through the air. This weapon was crafted by Forgotten Eyes, Albion’s previous Exaltation. The Third-Arm Glaive has many powers.

In war, the sash is the perfect banner for friends and foes alike. While its bearer lives, the sash undulates to better reflect whatever light available – the rays of the sun, the shine of the moon or the animas of nearby Exalted. The light is visible to the entire battlefield. Troops friendly to the bearer of the weapon gain a one-die bonus to their Valor checks, and enemy units are penalized by one.

In personal combat, the sash has additional uses. Once its bearer has struck – inevitably a long, smooth motion that causes the sash to flow out behind the blade – the sash begins to act on its own, twisting and swirling through the air about him. When someone or something comes too close to the sash’s master, the metallic sash raps the object or being to keep it away. This effect adds the user’s Essence to her Parry DV for an entire battle after she has taken an offensive action. If the sash aids in the successful parry of an unarmed attack, the attacker suffers one die of bashing damage.

The wielder of the Glaive can choose to forego this benefit for a greater one. Taking a Speed 3, DV -1 action to commit an additional 3 motes to the Glaive, the user may demonstrate the source of the weapon’s name. From that point on, the sash acts entirely independently from the weapon’s wielder in battle. Though the Glaive’s first action is simultaneous with the committal of Essence, the sash’s future actions depend solely on the speed of its attacks. The weapon either makes an unarmed attack or a clinch, at the wielder’s option. The Glaive can attack and clinch out to nine yards. The wielder may uncommit the 3 motes reflexively, at any time.

Third-Arm Glaive has two hearthstone settings, one on either side of its blade. Attuning costs 5 motes.

Third-Arm Glaive
     Speed: 4
     Accuracy: +4
     Damage: +8L
     Defense: +4
     Rate: 2
     Attunement Cost: 5
     Minimum Attribute: Strength ••
     Tags: Reach

Sash – Unarmed Attack
     Speed: 4
     Accuracy: 10
     Damage: Wielder’s Essence +5L
     Defense: -
     Rate: 3
     Tags: Reach

Sash – Clinch
     Speed: 6
     Accuracy: 10
     Damage: Wielder’s Essence +5B
     Defense: -
     Rate: 3
     Tags: Reach, Piercing, Clinch

Albio’s Armor (Artifact •••••)

A suit of super heavy plate made entirely from Starmetal. Every link, stud, decorations, and plates are all made from the rarest of all magical materials. Untraditionally this armor bears the emblems of the Unconquered Sun instead of the usual iconology of the the Five Maidens common to Starmetal items. The armor is extravagantly decorative and done the style of a culture that has long since become extinct, though elements of it styling are similar to those found in various cultures of the South. Cities such as Chiaroscuro, Varangian City-States and Paragon all have some of the armor’s design themes in their culture. The name of the maker of this suit of armor has faded with history but quite possibly it was done by Albio’s own hands as was the fashion during the time of his living. The armor has one socket for a Hearthstone on the center of the breastplate and was found with it cracked and destroyed.

     Soak: 15L/15B
     Hardness: 11L/11B
     Mobility Penalty: –2 (See Below)
     Fatigue Penalty: –2 (See Below)
     Attunment Cost: Armored Scout’s Invigoration (6 motes)

• The armor is made from Starmetal and especially designed to be harmonious with Solar Anima. Thus Solars can attune to the armor as if it were made from Orichalcum but still gain the Starmetal magical material bonus. The material and construction of this armor when attuned subtracts 1 success from all damage rolls done to the wearer. If this lowers the number of successes to 0 or lower, the attack is treated as if the attack was miraculously avoided - e.g. considered a Miss with all its ramifications.
• The armor is designed to attune by those with the “Armored Scout’s Invigoration” Charm. To attune armor they must commit enough Essence to the Charm to lower its mobility and fatigue penalty to 0, meaning 6 motes. The Armor will remain attuned for as long as the Charm is active. Should the wearer cancel the Charm the armor instantly loses attunement. The cost of the Charm/commitment is lowered by 1 mote for every dot of the Hearthstone socketed to a minimum of 1. This does not reduce the effect of the hearthstone in question as it only absorbs ambient energy to enhance its harmonious resonance with the wearer’s charm and anima.
• When attuned and worn the armor grants the wearer’s strikes the surety of the Unconquered Sun and the inevitability of the Maidens. His swings are emboldened by golden trails of energy and showers of star colored sparks burst forth from each impact. All the character’s attacks have their damage and accuracy increased by 2 dice. The armor also grants the Wearer +3 dice to his Dodge and Parry attempts. These bonuses are not stackable with any Hearthstone bracers however, since they come from the greaves of the armor itself.
• The armor itself is designed to be imperishable to Fire/Heat and Cold. When attuned and worn it extends this blessing to the Wearer and all his personal equipment. This definition of personal equipment includes even Warstrider he is piloting and mounts/chariots he is controlling – but not ships he is commanding, etc. This immunity is considered a constant Perfect Soak, and is applicable even to aggravated damage. This power came as shock to the Dragon Blooded Legion of Fire arrayed against Rathess. Fatally wounded by the Spear “Eye of the Fire Dragon,” Albion still managed to penetrate the formation of the Legion of Fire to its very heart and challenged their commander to single combat for the lives of the people of Rathess. The commander Shou Yu was later executed by Taichi-Kun the god of Exalted Combat and Sunipa the Goddess of Military Accords for betraying the terms of the dual after Albio died with smile on his face believing he saved the people of Rathess from slaughter with his victory.

Belt of Aerial Mobility (Artifact •••)

This artifact almost always consists of a belt formed of links of blue jade, and in First Age versions of this artifact, these links are usually inlaid with small amounts of orichalcum. When the wearer commits three motes of Essence to the belt, it sizes to fit and can thereafter be comfortably worn with any garment. Anytime the wearer reflexively spends three motes of Essence to empower the artifact, she rises an inch or so into the air and can walk on air for the rest of the scene. During this scene, the wearer can walk safely over water, quicksand, pools of acid or rivers of molten lava. Alternatively, she can will herself to rise up into the air in a form of movement that resembles walking on air as much as it does true flight. The character can walk or run normally, and in combat, she can use both the move or dash maneuvers at her normal movement rate (which she can enhance with Charms normally). The character can use this item to move in any direction, including up or down. Moving using this belt requires no more concentration or effort than normal walking or running. This belt’s buckle contains a setting for a single hearthstone.

During the First Age, many Exalts wished to move swiftly and easily through the towers of Chiaroscuro and to the vast floating palaces that floated above the largest cities. Others used this item to enter and leave skyships with ease. In addition to being a convenient form of movement, there were also entire talons of Dragon-Blooded warriors who used these artifacts to allow them to serve as troops on board skyships. They could rapidly deploy from the ship to the ground as well as easily attack and board other flying vehicles as part of vast aerial battles. Today, these items are difficult but possible to create, and many dozens survive from the First Age and the Shogunate.

Mask (Artifact ••)

These seemingly plain ivory face masks have played an important part in Exalted political and emotional intrigues since the First Age. A mask can allow an Exalt to alter her appearance to look like anyone she wishes and to completely control the emotions that her face shows. This has the effect of adding four dice to her (Intelligence + Larceny) pool for any attempt at disguise. However, the artifact must be attuned to take advantage of its powers, and doing so costs five motes. When attuned, the mask also grants an extra four dice to any attempt to misdirect another as regards to the wearer’s true motives, such as during social combat.

Dragon Tear Tiara (Artifact ••)

Another common decorative item during the First Age, these tiaras and circlets were forged from the magical material favored by their intended wearer and incorporate the same motifs used in hearthstone amulets. Regardless of the material from which they’re crafted, all dragon tear tiaras provide the same benefits.

Each has a setting for a hearthstone located directly over the character’s caste mark. Dragon tear tiaras require the commitment of two motes of Essence to activate the hearthstone and the tiara’s own magical powers. When attuned, the tiara adds one die to the character’s Perception pool. The character instead gains a bonus of three dice when she is attempting to perform geomancy, to use astrology, to detect spirits or to otherwise perform tasks that require occult sensitivity. This does not include rolls for sorcery.

Yasal Crystal (Artifact • or ••)

This extraordinarily valuable yellow gemstone can trap minor spirits and newly made ghosts. To imprison a spirit, the user must touch the spirit and spend a point of temporary Willpower. The spirit cannot typically have an Essence greater than 2, though some very large and rare stones can imprison spirits of up to Essence 3 (these larger stones count as Artifact 2). Each stone can hold only a single spirit at a time, and anyone holding the stone can free the spirit at will.

Once imprisoned in yasal crystal, spirits can communicate with anyone who touches the stone, but they cannot escape on their own or use any of their Charms. Instead, whoever touches the stone can use a captive spirit’s powers as if they were his own, if the holder of the stone has the spirit’s permission.

To obtain this permission, the holder must usually bargain with the spirit, typically requesting the free use of its powers for a set number of times. After exhausting all the uses, or after a set time period (rarely more than a month), the holder agrees to free the spirit. While the holder is under no obligation to keep this promise, those who break it end up with uncooperative spirits inside useless rocks. Also, spirits who break free from such an oathbreaker will undoubtedly attempt to take dire vengeance on him and might have the help of friends and allies.

Celestial Wine (Resources •••••)

This wine comes from Yu-Shan, the city of the gods, and even there, it is reserved for the Celestial Incarnae and the highest gods. If it should be found in Creation, then it has been stolen, which carries a commensurate price. Each bottle of this Heavenly wine holds three glasses worth of liquid. A single glass of celestial wine will heal a number of health levels equal to the character’s Essence trait. Alternatively, a glass will cure any poison or disease from which the character is suffering, including the Great Contagion. Drinking three glasses in one day will return a character to full health levels, and the drinker will be immune to all poisons and to all diseases weaker than the Great Contagion for a year and a day afterward.

Sweet Cordial (Resource ••••)

Brewed from orchids found only in the Southeast jungles, tubes from the slopes of the Imperial Mountain and the glands of certain deep-sea fish found only near the Elemental Pole of Water, this cordial’s overwhelming sweetness is matched only by its astronomical price. Yet, despite that price, this thick purple potion is constantly on demand.

Immediately upon imbibing this elixir, the character falls into a narcotic haze for the next 12 hours. Her player may make a (Stamina + Resistance) roll at difficulty 1, without wound penalties, for the character to recover from the effect of any wound-related infections. She also automatically heals one health level while under the cordial’s effects. Once the cordial has been drunk, it remains in the character’s system for a full 28 days. If the potion is taken again before it passes naturally from the characters system, it acts as a hallucinatory poison. The character suffers 12 hours of horrifying narcotic hallucinations and her player must succeed in a (Stamina + Resistance) roll or the character takes four health level of lethal damage.

Seven Bounties Paste (Resource •••)

Seven bounties paste is, as its name suggests, made from the roots of seven rare plants. When mixed with alcohol, it makes an extremely hot-tasting, bitter, red paste normally mixed with rice and broth to render it palatable. The seven bounties paste can cure almost any illness, save leprosy and the Great Contagion. The player of a character imbibing the paste can make an immediate difficulty 1 (Stamina + Resistance) roll, without any penalties, for the character to overcome any ailment from which she suffers, be it a sickness or an infected wound. Each of the seven bounties affects the character once – roll once for each successive day for seven days for the character to overcome the effects of the illness. Seven bounties paste is rare to begin with – in times of plague, its price can rise to astronomical levels.

Celestial Cocaine (Resources •••••)

Cocaine extracted from coca trees grown in Yu-Shan possesses a greater and more dangerous power than the mortal drug. A person who snorts the glittering, luminous white powder gains one dot each of Dexterity, Stamina and Intelligence for at least five hours and can perceive Essence flows as if he were using All-Encompassing Sorcerer’s Sight (see Exalted, p. 222). The celestial drug is nonetheless a poison with these traits: Damage 5A/hour, Toxicity 2 (4 for mortals), Tolerance – / – , Penalty -0, or -3 for the rest of the day after the high fades. Multiple doses extend both the benefits and the length of time the user takes damage. (See Exalted, p. 130, for complete rules about poisons.)

While she is high on celestial cocaine, a person can try to activate her latent Essence. Doing so requires a simple success on a (Stamina + Awareness) roll, difficulty 2. The user’s player also has to succeed at a Willpower roll for the character to avoid addiction, at +1 difficulty for every other dose of celestial cocaine taken in the last year. If this roll fails, the character is addicted to both celestial cocaine and its mundane counterpart, though he will prefer the celestial variety.

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The Talented Mr. Kai

In a month or so the news of Kai will have reached Rathess to Nejimaru. Evidently the habits Kai have picked up in his year of living with Lady Purple Blossom have had some interesting effects.

Left to his own devices Kai decided what he has given was not sufficient to shock and awe the people of the North. Plus another valuable lesson he has learned is that what good is money if you do not use it.

He escorted Siesta [Assuming Aata did not decide to have Nejimaru enlighten Siesta and take her to Rathess or Nubia] to the city limits of Great Nexus and waited outside as per the limits of his banishment.

Siesta and Tia, acting as his agents have arranged everything he asked for.

• A great golden banner of Rathess. He has no idea what it suppose to look like so he just copied the iconology Nejimaru mentioned during story time. The logo of a Great Pyramid underneath all the celestial signs with the Sun highest in the Hierarchy now adore a great yellow silk banner. Fortunately for him it actually is the logo of Rathess, first witnessed by the PCs on the gates of the Central Hearth.
• A golden scepter of office for himself and a made up title. Being member of the Adaptus Astartes by trial of pain and his connection to the saviors of Rathess he decided to give himself the title of “Prime”. But Tia thought that title is not long enough to be impressive, so they decided to add letters to the title. So Kai is formally introduced in his splendid code of arms and entourages to the nations he pass through as “Primarch Kai of the Adaptus Astartes, Rathess Emissary to the North Quadrant of Creation.”
• A military unit to ensure the success of the trip. With Rathess under attack Kai know the city can spare no one, so he decided to hire time tested Mercenaries to fill his ranks. He asked Mistress Nandi to be his intermediary and hired the only mercenary unit he has ever heard Aata and Balan speak with respect (or at all), “The Fayor Fortune Corps.”
• A group of learned Scholars to brief him on everything they know about the people of the North. Topics such as the North's political situation, ethnic groups and their customs. He also has similar group of scholars to teach him about Rathess. Unfortunately the latter is rather poor in quality and it is very likely the Northern Solars would have very very odd notions about Rathessians. Unfortunately for Kai book learning is tedious for him and it takes Tia's “rewards” for him to sit through the hours of lectures and scroll reading.
• An entire entourage befitting an Emissary of a powerful nation. Including palatial wagons, followers, servants, foods, wines, musicians, players, cooks, and everything else in-between. Kai has literally formed a small Guild like caravan even including the Ritual of Safe Journeys. Except this one is not made for profit but for noticibility.
• Several units of scouts have been sent far ahead of him to gather latest information regarding the situation in the North. Since Kai was not told where he suppose to meet these “Solars.” He has to find them first. At least he knows the starting point, the northern boarders of Linowan territories. Unfortunately he cannot just announce to the world “I am seeking Anathemas!” Thus he hopes that his ludicredous actions as the emissary of Rathess will draw every scout and spy from every power on his way up north and that the Solars being competent would be amongst them. After all they are the few who actually would know what an Emissary of Rathess means.

Unfortunately without Nejimaru’s ok, Dominick is not going to forward Kai such princely sum - especially with him already in so much debt. Thus the only resources he has access to are those belong to Calindra 99. Without shame or guilt, Kai has made yet another noticeable dent in her accounts (a resource 4 purchase). Fortunately it is not enough to bankrupt her or is it enough to lower her standard of living.

When Calindra 99 is informed of this fact, her expression would be quite comical. It would be a mixture of almost physical pain mingled with incredulity and vain attempt to suppress a series of laughter at Kai’s audacity.

Nejimaru on the otherhand would seem to have no reaction at all. While Kai's actions are not what Nejimaru would have done in his place, they seems to be worthwhile tactics. Though Rathess might not be ready to be known by the world it is too late to stop Kai now. He trusts Lady Purple Blossom's ability to impart to Kai the nuances of diplomacy and power in the year they spent together.

How you guys react will be how ever you want to react, just thought to give you guys a heads up so you can think of it ahead of time.

Character Index

Here is a index of the various entries about the characters of [Exalted Past]

Adeptus Astartes

• Adeptus Astartes

Kai

• The Talented Mr. Kai

Arianna

• Correction/Clarification regarding the Signature Circle
• What the Signature Circle’s been Doing
• Finished Harmonious Jade’s Charms

Celestial Anger

• Circle of Everlasting and Perfect Illuminated Harmony, The

Child of the Violet Star

• Circle of Everlasting and Perfect Illuminated Harmony, The

Dace

• Correction/Clarification regarding the Signature Circle
• What the Signature Circle’s been Doing
• Finished Harmonious Jade’s Charms

Death and Metal Maiden

• Circle of Everlasting and Perfect Illuminated Harmony, The

Exaltant Sunrise Spirit

• Circle of Everlasting and Perfect Illuminated Harmony, The

Harmonious Jade

• Correction/Clarification regarding the Signature Circle
• What the Signature Circle’s been Doing
• Finished Harmonious Jade’s Charms

Ocean Pearl

• Ocean Pearl

Ovalisque of the Invincible Starfall

• Circle of Everlasting and Perfect Illuminated Harmony, The

Panther

• Correction/Clarification regarding the Signature Circle
• What the Signature Circle’s been Doing
• Finished Harmonious Jade’s Charms

Rhianna

• Rhianna of Marukan Alliance

Swan

• Correction/Clarification regarding the Signature Circle
• What the Signature Circle’s been Doing
• Finished Harmonious Jade’s Charms

Updated Prospect Images for [Exalted Past]

Moved the few pictures David (I assume) uploaded onto the Exalted Past Album into the Prospect Images sub-album.

Also added few more images I found online.  No major updates can be done till I finish house sitting for my brother, since I don't have all my files here at his house.

Finished Harmonious Jade’s Charms

Finished adding Harmonious Jade’s Charms and the Signature Circle’s Great Curses.

• Dace’s Great Curse is “Foolhardy Contempt”
• Panther’s Great Curse is “Red Rage of Compassion”
• Arianna’s Great Curse is“Deliberate Cruelty”
• Harmonious Jade’s Great Curse is“Heart of Flint”
• Swan’s Great Curse is “Heart of Flint”

Update is to the “[Exalted Past] Circle of Friends” document in the workspace. The link to the Document webspace is on the right bar.

What the Signature Circle’s been doing

Dace met Yurgen about 3 years ago.  He was hired to escort a Guild Convoy of valuable medicines through the Icewalker territories and Yurgen came to raid rare find.  The two Dawn Castes squared off against each other and it wasn’t long before they realized each other’s true nature.  Hostilities immediately ceased as the two brothers embraced each other. 

Yurgen granted Dace’s company his banner allowing them safe passage anywhere in his lands, and Dace made note to not take any contracts that would put him at odds against the Icewalker tribes of the North ever again.

When the vision of Balan confronting Han-Tha was broadcasted across Creation Arianna and Swan were currently up North at the Icewalker tribes on behalf of Dace to discuss the rumors of military build up by the tribes of the North.

Dace was in Nexus recovering from the humiliating defeat at the hands of Ma-Ha-Suchi.  He was only allowed to live because of a debt of honor owed by Ma-Ha-Suchi to his previous Solar Exaltation.  Training with renewed effort he asked Arianna and Swan to go ahead of him to inquire why Yurgen is planning an major military push, and that if he required assistance from Dace and his Circle.

Dace at the time was traveling through the Hundred Kingdoms spreading the word of the Unconquered Sun and confronting the propaganda of the Immaculate Faiths.

Harmonious Jade was on board her own ship returning from Yanes after her assassination of Azula’s body double.

It did not take long for Arianna and Swan to realize the magnitude of the event that just took place.  Especially when all 8 Solars had the same vision at the same time.  It is further confirmed by her communication with her own Circle – via the Tattoos she made on their bodies.

Immediately Yurgen sent word to gather his banners and moved his planned assault on Linowan ahead of schedule to counter the inevitable political fallout of a new Solar power rising out of the obscurity of the First Age.  He plans to strike fast and strike hard against the Scavenger Lands.  He would put his name on every lip from Haltan to Wavecrest.  He would loom so threateningly that no one would have time to concern themselves with Rathess.  He will buy the Solars of Rathess some reprieve from the inevitable crushing by the Legions of the Realm.  The Unconquered Sun’s chosen beacon of hope cannot be allowed to die stillborn – Rathess must rise and prosper.

Preparations however took longer than expected and Arianna took the time to investigate the newly formed Shadowland of the North and seeking the Library of Quin-Rin.  It is there she met the Lover Clad in Raiment of Tears – another Deathlord has creeped into Creation.  Arianna escaped by using her Tattoo and teleporting to Swan.  Even then the power unleashed by the Deathlord still took their tow on her body and it took weeks for of careful tending by Samea to heal her wounds.  That is nothing in comparison to the creepy certain Arianna now holds regarding the Deathlord’s intention towards her.  She is certain the haunting beautiful being has marked her for “collection”.

In the mean time Swan has been busy as envoy of Icewalkers to Haltan.  He has arranged for the Haltan’s support against Linowan and half a million troops have been promised by the forest nation as aid to Yurgen’s push south.

Dace has already picked up Dace and marched half way to Rathess when Arianna finally recovered enough to travel.  She and Swan met them half way.  Together Dace, Panther, Arianna and Swan traveled to Rathess on the Azure Chariot Spell and the troops with supplies are to march to the city on their own.

They arrived about 4 days after the Player’s Circle left for the Solar Deliberative and has since then been aiding in the defense of Rathess.

Dace has been using his Tiger Warrior Training Technique on the Adapteus Astartes making them already a force matching the Brides of Arhlat in Valor and Discipline.

Arianna has been aiding in the constructions of the various parts of the city, specifically the manse of Leeayta.  While the Mice of the Sun’s automatons are powerful they lack skill and refinement and she has already summoned several magnitude of construction demons to aid in the task.  The construction of Rathess is greatly enhanced by her efforts.

Panther has been pouring through the various holy text of the Dragon Kings and has become an disciple of Hastha-sth learning all he can of the old Dragon King’s wisdom.  This education is not one way however as his natural facility with Religion often surprise Hanstha-seth with insights and understanding and even opened her to some newer appreciation of their Patron God.

Swan has been busy smoothing over things with the Freeholds of Rakshas.  The death of three renegade Fair Folk Nobles were no small manner and it took Swan’s convincing and Panther’s threat of further divine punishment from the gathering Solar Host to force them into an non-aggression treaty.  It is Panther’s absolute certainty that swayed the Raksha to accept the deal.  As long as Rathess does not seek to push back the Wyld nor to invade it the Freehold will not venture into Creation under military banner.  The deal however is temporary with a time set for 10 mortal years.  It is without doubt the Fair Folk would be gathering their host as well for the inevitable push by the Solars when the time is up.

Harmonious Jade did not arrive till a month later, only days before the Player’s own return to Rathess.  She however, has not been doing much.  Mainly assisting Gothalla on scouting missions to locate the supposedly “anathema threat.”