Rathessian Crystal Weapon

While Chiaroscuro Glass Weapons are the wonder of the south, the Dragon King’s mastery over crystals are a wonder of the First Age.  It is but Child’s play for Dragon Kings to product a better material. 

Unfortunately due to the lack of Dragon King’s its production are very limited.

Currently only few hundred weapons are made and they are used almost exclusively for Adeptus Astartes and Solar House Guards.

Rathessian Crystal can be made into any Slashing or Piercing weapon.  They have the same statistics as their mundane counterparts, except the Crystal Blades gains Piercing Tag if it does not already possess it and +1L of damage.   The crystal however are incredibly dense and is as heavy as the metal it replaces but nigh indestructible.

Cost: Not available for sale.  Should a weapon be smuggled out, it will cost +•• more than normal to a minimum of ••••

Note: The Adeptus Astarte weapons are all finished within the Altelier-Manse and Blessed by the Mice of the Sun.  Thus they are all Perfect Quality Weapons.  Those used by Solar House Guards are of the mundane quality.

Rathessian War Bow

Rathessian War Bow is of an ancient design and harvested from engineered plants that grown half a dozen every Season.  Incredibly rare only the Adeptus Astartes are using them currently.

The wood is scented and naturally forms a resilient composite with its natural resin.  It is light to pull yet stores an incredibly amount of energy.  It is no less effective than the mundane Wheelbow currently the guarded secret of Lookshy.

Speed: 5
Accuracy: +1
Damage: +1L
Rate: 3
Range: 275
Max Strength: ••••••
Cost: Worth •••• if available at all
Tags: 2, B

 

Rathessian Smite

All the trees currently grown in the Temple-Monastery of the Adeptus Astartes are ancient seeds preserved along with the Legacy.  As such they product Perfect Quality Rathessian War Bows.  These bows are known as Rathessian Smite and has became the Standard Sidearm of the Adeptus Astartes.

Speed: 5
Accuracy: +2
Damage: +3L
Rate: 3
Range: 325
Max Strength: ••••••
Cost: Worth at least ••••• if available at all
Tags: 2, B

Chiaroscuran Glass Blades

The ruins of Chiaroscuro constitute an enormous supply of hard yet resilient glass… but only a small fraction of the glass comes in shards large enough to grind into swords. Glass, however, can hold a sharper
edge than steel.  Blades of Chiaroscuran glass have the same statistics as their metal counterparts, except the glass blades gain the Piercing tag.  Glass weapons also have Strength Minimums one dot lower than a metal weapon, since glass is lighter than steel or bronze.

Cost: +• in Charoscuro, +•• elsewhere in Creation

गरुड (Garuda or Devourer)

Garuda is a primordial creation similar to the Juggernaut and the usual vehicle of the Primordial Jheel-Khan, who eventually became the Neverborn “Whose Laughter Turns the Skies to Blood”.

Originally just a oddity of Creation that was turned into a beast of burden it was modified into a war chariot by The Dragon's Shadow, the Ultimate Darkness (who would fall and become the Ebony Dragon) against the Usurpers.

Garuda was widely regarded as the deadliest weapon against the Exalted and was destroyed at great cost.

Mass Combat

From “Exalted 2nd Edition,” Page 160

Although it is theoretically possible to run a combat with dozens or even hundreds of active participants, such battles last
interminably and quickly stop being fun. As a result, Exalted uses the following rules to abstract mass combat into the existing
system by making battle a clash of units rather than individual characters. Units do not fight in the standard one‐tick increments of
individual battle. Instead, they track time with long ticks that last approximately one minute each. Storytellers should keep in mind
that these rules aren’t appropriate to every engagement, particularly if the clash of armies only serves as a dramatic backdrop to
smaller‐scale personal combat. Once protagonists become involved in the direction of mass combat or the Storyteller wishes to
leave a battle’s outcome to dice rolls and strategy rather than a plot device, use these rules. Moreover, mass combat in Exalted
assumes that unit Commanders fight at the vanguard, leading from the front rather than the safety of the rear. Those who wish to
direct a battle from the rear are not unit Commanders. Instead, they take the role of generals, using relays and standard bearers to
communicate orders to the unit Commanders under their command. Therefore, a distant general can direct an entire force but
cannot personally rally troops to victory through her own prowess.

“YOU WEAR THEM”

The metaphor of the rules that the military apparatus of mass combat is merely an enhancement to the commander. Troops
comprise a bonus for their Commander, adding to his traits. In addition, troops marching in formation possess the ability to force
their context on individual they engage. Characters who come into contact with aggressive units of troops will be forced to fight
them as solo stacks in mass combat, not as heroes facing a large number of individuals in normal combat. This is a part of the nature
of Creation, and Storytellers shouldn’t let characters fight individual members of units once the unit is gathered together in the field.

It’s worth noting that units in mass combat are rarely destroyed through sheer damage unless they are set upon by a truly ferocious
supernatural power. More often, units are rendered ineffective by exhaustion and gradual loss of Magnitude by failed morale
checks, until their commanders stand alone and unaccompanied on the battlefield.

UNITS

Each unit on a battlefield falls into one of two broad categories. First, there are solo units, who are individual characters that are not
part of any group. However, most units are complementary units, made up of a commander and all those who directly follow her
orders. Statistically, a complementary unit is its commander, with trait bonuses awarded according to the numbers, equipment and
training of her troops. These special traits of complementary units include:

Magnitude: The size of a unit
Drill: The trained discipline of a unit
Endurance: The physical reserves of a unit’s member. Solo units also have this trait
Might: The overall mystical power of a unit, factoring in magical equipment
Close Combat/Ranged Attack Rating: The skill of unit members at attacking.
Close Combat/Ranged Attack Damage: The lethality of unit members when attacking.
Armor: The average protection provided by unit members’ armor
Morale: The overall bravery of a unit.
Special Characters: A non‐numerical listing of important characters within a unit’s ranks.
Formation: A non‐numerical trait that describes a unit’s current tactical arrangement.

Magnitude

When a unit attacks another, the larger unit applies the difference in magnitude as bonus successes to its attacks or subtracts the
difference from the successes of attacks by the smaller unit. This bonus/external penalty cannot exceed +/‐3.

My Modification: Keep track two Magnitude values.
“Actual”: Calculated based on raw number of troops in the unit. This will be used for maneuvers and rally rolls. This eliminates the penalty for a 100 Solar Exalted army being as clumsy and hard to manage as 700 men army.
“Effective”: This is the actual value used for attacks and such. So a 100 Solar Exalted fight just as well as a 700 men army.

Might

This value is added as number of successes to the Commander’s attack.  It is also added to the Commander’s Essence value to determine resistance and qualification against charms and spells

Close Combat/Ranged Combat Attack Rating

This value is added as successes to the Commander’s attack
This value is capped by Commander’s War Rating
This value is doubled for Close Formation
Half this Value is added to the Commander’s Parry DV

Close Combat/Ranged Combat Damage Rating

This is added to the Raw damage of the Unit’s Commander

My Modification: Unit does not use the weapon damage of the Commander.  Instead it only use the Skill of the Commander and Stats.  It is assumed the commander is “wielding” the Unit’s Abstracted Weapon.  So if everyone in the Unit is using a Reaver Daiklave, it is assume the commander is using the same.  If everyone gets the material bonus, it is assumed the commander does so as well.

Armor

This value is added to the Commander’s natural soak to determine the Unit Soak.

Morale

The lower of the “average valor of the unit” or the “Commander’s.”

Special Characters

• Maximum special characters in any unit is Magnitude x 2
• When attacking the special character uses the higher of the Heroes’ Close Combat (Attribute + Ability) or the Commanders, limited by Commander’s War ability.
• When attacking the special character uses the higher of the Sorcerer’s Range Combat (Attribute + Ability) or the Commanders, limited by Commander’s War ability.
• Units with Magnitude of 3+ must have at least one relay for every dot of magnitude, or suffer communication failure.

Hero: These characters are sub‐officers who are capable of assuming command if their unit commander dies. Furthermore, heroes may attack other units in close combat as if they were solo units, effectively giving their unit additional (but weaker) attacks.  Finally heroes can break away entirely and take part of a unit with them, transforming the breakaway group into a new unit under their own command. A hero can lead her Close Combat Rating to her unit, using her trait rather than the unit
Commander’s but the trait is limited as normal by the commander’s War.

Sorcerer: These characters might be actual sorcerers, skilled archers or neutral observers embedded deeply in the ranks for their own protection, but First Age tactical manuals such as “The Thousand Correct Actions of the Upright Soldier” use the designation “sorcerer” for all such individuals. Sorcerers can lead the unit in missile fire, lending their rating in the place of the unit’s. This is limited by the commander’s War rating, as normal. In addition, sorcerers have the capability to make ranged attacks independently of their unit, but they cannot assume command or lead troops to break away into new units as heroes can.

Relay: Possibly the most important special characters to organize military units, relay are the assorted drummers, buglers, standard bearers and signalmen who carry the commander’s orders through the ranks. Units with Magnitude of 3+ must have at least one relay for every dot of magnitude, or else, they suffer communication failure. This means the unit can only assume the unordered information and it suffers a penalty of ‐2 to its effective Drill. Besides passively maintaining order and communication, relays can stand in for the commander when the unit hesitates and tests for rout, and in other situations when commands are vital.

Formation

Unordered: Undisciplined Mob, add 2 to the difficult of hesitation rolls.

Skirmish: 2x shield/cover bonus against all attacks, additional +3 DV against ranged attacks. Enemy units attacking with close combat attacks 2x their Magnitude for purpose of calculating attack bonuses. If the attacker is in Close Formation, then 3x attacker Magnitude. Unit in skirmish formation add 2 to the difficulty of hesitation rolls.

Relaxed: Standard formation, no advantage of disadvantages. Double shield and cover bonuses against ranged attacks.

Close: vulnerable to AOEs. 2x unit’s Close Combat Rating, 2x their DV bonuses from shields/cover against Close Combat Attacks.
Enemies attacking with ranged attack bonuses 2x their magnitude. Subtract 2 from all hesitation rolls.

Combat Summary

• In mass combat, use the lower of the relevant combat ability or the commander’s War ability.
• When on horse, use the lower of the relevant combat ability or the rider’s Ride ability.
• The commander adds her unit’s Close Combat Rating and her Unit’s Range Combat Rating as bonus successes to close and
  ranged attacks.
• The Bonus successes added cannot exceed the commander’s War Rating, before applying modifications from formation.
• Add an additional number of successes equal to the unit’s Might value.
  • So a crack unit of young Dragon‐Blooded archers with Range Combat 5 and Might 2 commanded by a character with War 4 would add 4+2=6 successes to range attack rolls.
• If a unit attacks another and those units have different Magnitudes, the larger unit applies the difference as bonuses successes
  to its attack or subtracts the difference from the successes of attacks by the smallest unit. This difference cannot exceed +/‐ 3.
• Besides Improving Attacks, Might also adds to the commander’s Essence Rating to determine if particular effects can target the
  unit and/or to help him defend against the effects of hostile Charms.
• One half a unit’s Close Combat Rating adds to the Commander’s Parry DV. This is not modified by formation.
• A Unit’s Close Combat/Range Combat Damage adds to the raw damage of the commander with his weapon, respectively.
• A Unit’s range and its range increment are based on the range of the Unit’s weapon, not the Commanders.
• A Unit’s Minimum damage is not equal to the commander’s Essence or the Minimum damge of the weapon. It is equal to the
  Magnitude of the Unit, including Formation Modifiers.
• A Unit’s Armor adds to its Commander’s natural bashing, lethal and aggravated soak.
• A Unit’s number of health level is equal to the Commander’s full health levels.
• A Unit does not suffer wound penalties.

Common Outlaws

Just to give you guys a rough idea of what you can expect from the Bandit Opposition.  These do not represent army deserters turned banditry.  These are the commoners who have no future and thus turned to banditry out of lack of conviction or weakness of moral character.

Attributes
Strength 2, Dexterity 2, Stamina 2
Charisma 2, Manipulation 2, Appearance 1
Perception 2, Intelligence 2, Wits 3

Virtues
Compassion 2, Conviction 2, Temperance 2, Valor 2

Abilities
Athletics 1, Awareness 1, Craft (Water) 1, Dodge 2, Integrity 1, Larceny 1, Martial Arts 1, Melee 1, Resistance 1, Stealth 2, Socialize 1, Survival 1, War 2

Join Battle: 3 (4 for Outlaws)

Attacks:
Punch: Speed 5, Accuracy 4, Damage 2B, Defense 5, Rate 3
Kick: Speed 5, Accuracy 3, Damage 5B, Defense 1, Rate 2
Clinch: Speed 6, Accuracy 3, Damage 2B Defense –, Rate 1
Knife: Speed 5, Accuracy 4, Damage 4L, Defense 3, Rate 3
Short Sword: Speed 4, Accuracy 5, Damage 5L, Defense 4,
Rate 2
Spear: Speed 5, Accuracy 4, Damage 6L/7L, Defense 5, Rate
2

Soak: 3L/6B (Buff jacket, 3L/4B, -1 mobility penalty)
Health Levels: -0/-1/-1/-2/-2/-4/Incap
Dodge DV: 3/2
Willpower: 4
Essence: 1
Other Notes: Often extras.

Mass Combat Stats

Overall Quality: Barely Disciplined
Magnitude: 3
Drill: 1
Close Combat Attack: 2
Close Combat Damage: 2
Ranged Attack: 1
Ranged Damage: 1
Endurance: 3
Might: 0
Armor: 1
Valor: 2
Formation: 100-200 Bandits in Skirmish or Relaxed formation

Some Members of the Second Cohort of Rathess

Each Cohort consists of around 500 units.  Currently the 100 Adeptus Astartes are split into 25 Unity (Groups of 4).  Each of the 5 Rathess Cohorts consists of about 1000 Triones lead by 5 Unity of Legionarii.

• First and Third Cohort is already engaged in the War of the North. 
• Of the Second Cohort 1 Unity is tasked with Escorting Supplies to the North and subsequently stayed in Angland awaiting reinforcements when they detoured to deliver Flawless Oak’s Message.  3 Unity with ~200 troops went with reinforcement troops to Angland.  The Last Unity moved on with the Next Northern Supply Escort.
• The Fourth and Fifth Cohort are still at Rathess.

 

These Astartes carry the standard equipment.

• Herenthid Gunshosa Commando Armor: Soak +11L/11B, Hardness 6L/6B, Mobility -1, Fatigue (N/A), Attunement 6 (4 with Talisman)
  • First Age Organic Symbiotic Gunshosa Armor of Exceptional Quality
  • Sensory Augmentation: +2 to Awareness, Negates all penalties from darkness less than pitch black
  • Enhanced Combat Reflexes; +2 bonus to all attacks; +1 Parry DV
  • Exomuscular Fibers: Double wearer’s ground speed; +2 to Strength.
  • Skin of the Chameleon: +4 bonus to Stealth
  • Blessed Regeneration: Wearer regenerates either 1 level of bash damage with every action taken during combat or all bashing levels per minute outside of combat. 
  • Endurance of the Forest: While the wearer feels physical strain and discomfort he automatically succeed all fatigue checks.  +2 to other Resistance checks.
  • Artifact •••••
• Adapteus Astartes Robe
• 5 have Jade Steel Daiklave with Matching Thunderbolt Shield
• Custodia and Rafael have Short Power Bow
• Custodia and Rafael have Reaver Daiklaves
• 3 others have Reaver Daiklaves
• All have the normal Triones Weapons if lacking Essence powered equivalent.
• All have Healing Orchid
• All have Breather Plant
• All have Green Eyes
• All have Rathessian Theater Badge
• Tiger Warrior Training Trained by Dace
• Further trained by the Dragon King Legacy
• Morale 5
• Drill 5
• Valor 4-5
• 4 Dots in Strength, Dexterity, Endurance
• 5 Dots in Melee, Archery, Thrown, Dodge, Integrity
• 3 Dots in Resistance
• 3 Dots in Survival with for Jungles Specialty at +3
• 3 Dots in War with +2 Specialty in Supernatural Combat
• 3 Dots in Lore and Occult
• Knows Old Realm, Holy Cant, and their normal languages
  

Mass Combat Stats

Overall Quality: Elite
Magnitude: Effectively 3 (2)
Drill: 5
Close Combat Attack: 7
Close Combat Damage: 4
Ranged Attack: 6
Ranged Damage: 4
Endurance: Does not tire
Might: 4
Armor: 4 (Hardness 6)
Valor: 4
Formation: 12 Adeptus Astartes in Close Combat Formation.

Members

Legionarii Amado (M)

The one that was sent to guide the Northern Supplies to Kaneko.  he was also asked Alabaster Hand of the Heavens and Flawless Oak to scout the Kingdom of Angland – their home kingdom.

He somehow managed to sent Word from the Far East informing the Solars that their Kingdom are in ruins and the Capital under siege by deserters from the various Wars of the East.

1. Legionarii Ramirez (M)

1. Jade Steel Daiklave

2. Matching Thunderbolt Shield

2. Legionarii Custodia (F)

1. Short Power Bow

2. Reaver Daiklaves

3. Legionarii Rafael (M)

1. Short Power Bow

2. Reaver Daiklaves

4. Legionarii Fernanda (F)

1. Jade Steel Daiklave

2. Matching Thunderbolt Shield

1. Legionarii Rodrigo (M)

1. Reaver Daiklaves

2. Legionarii Avinash (M)

1. Reaver Daiklaves

3. Legionarii Manu (M) 

   1. Jade Steel Daiklave

   2. Matching Thunderbolt Shield

4. Legionarii Lupe (F)

1. Reaver Daiklaves

1. Legionarii Robertina (F)

1. Jade Steel Daiklave

2. Matching Thunderbolt Shield

1. Legionarii Nieves (F)

   1. Jade Steel Daiklave

   2. Matching Thunderbolt Shield

2. Legionarii Pravin (M)

3. Legionarii Dara (F)

 

Adeptus Astartes Triones

Lead by the 12 Astartes are 192 Triones, organized into Unity of 4 – as per tradition.

While still labeled as “Triones” these are just as well trained as their elevated brothers.  The only difference is that they have not yet receive the blessing of the Unconquered Sun (Essence Enlightenment).  They are just as devoted and fanatical however and represents one of the most lethal fighting force in the East.

• Rathessian Adeptus Astartes Lamellar Armor (Quality, Mobility -2, Fatigue -1, +2 L/B Soak). Soak 8L/10B, Mobility 0, Fatigue 0, Cost •••••
• Adapteus Astartes Robe
• Wrath of Rathess (Standard Triones Secondary Weapon, Perfect Quality Rathessian Crystal Chopping Sword, +2 to Accuracy, +1 to Defense, +1 to Damage): Speed 4, Accuracy +3, Damage +6L/2, Defense 0, Rate 2, Str ••, Cost N/A, Tags O, P
• Spear of Rathess (Standard Triones Spear, Perfect Quality Short Spear of Ironwood tipped with Rathessian Crystal Spearhead, +2 Defense, +1 Accuracy, +1 Damage) Speed 5, Accuracy +3, Damage +5L, Defense +3, Rate 2, Str•, Cost •••, Tag P, R
• Aegis of Rathess (Standard Triones Shield, Perfect Quality Target Shield, Mobility -1, DV vs Melee +1, DV vs Range +1): Raise DV vs Hand to hand or ranged attack by 2.  Does not incur any mobility penalty.
• Rathessian Smite (Perfect Quality Rathessian War Bow): Speed 5, Accuracy +2, Damage +3L, Rate 3, Range 325, Max Strength ••••••, Cost N/A, Tags 2, B
• 60 Target Arrows (+0L Damage, Piercing)
• All have Healing Orchid
• All have Breather Plant
• All have Green Eyes
• All have Rathessian Theater Badge
• Tiger Warrior Training Trained by Dace
• Further trained by the Dragon King Legacy
• Morale 5
• Drill 5
• Valor 4-5
• 4 Dots in Strength, Dexterity, Endurance
• 5 Dots in Melee, Archery, Thrown, Dodge, Integrity
• 3 Dots in Resistance
• 3 Dots in Survival with for Jungles Specialty at +3
• 3 Dots in War with +2 Specialty in Supernatural Combat
• 3 Dots in Lore and Occult
• Knows Old Realm, Holy Cant, and their normal languages
  

Mass Combat Stats

Leader: Usually an Adeptus Astartes Legionarii
Overall Quality: Elite
Magnitude: Effectively 3 (2) when split into 64 each lead by a Single Unity (4) of Legionarii, or 5 (4) when fighting as a single unit.
Drill: 5
Close Combat Attack: 6
Close Combat Damage: 5
Ranged Attack: 6
Ranged Damage: 3
Endurance: 9
Might: 1
Armor: 3
Valor: 4
Formation: 64 to 192 Adeptus Astartes Triones in Close Combat Formation.

Item Index

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

Albio’s Armor (Artifact •••••)

Aata’s (Artifact ••)

Belt of Aerial Mobility (Artifact •••)

Celestial Cocaine (Resources •••••)

Celestial Wine (Resources •••••)

Chiaroscuran Glass Blades (Resources +•/+••)

Cup of Flowing Blood (Artifact •••)

Dactylothecoe, The (Legendary Artifact)

Daiklave of Conquest, Dance’s (Artifact •••••)

Domnica's Mantle (Legendary Artifact)

Dragon Tear Tiara (Artifact ••)

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

Heart, The (Unknown Artifact)

Ironic Jest (Soulsteel Grand Daiklave, Artifact•••••)

Mask (Artifact ••)

Mecca (Legendary Artifact)

Metasorcerous Phylactery (Artifact ••••)

Nadir of Inauspicious Fortune, The (Artifact ••••)

Pale Pain’s Mirror (Unique Artifact)

Peach of Immortality (N/A)

Perfection of the Ascending Sun (Legendary Artifact)

Rathessian Crystal Weapon (Resource +••, no less than ••••)

Rathessian Smite (N/A)

Rathessian Theater Badge, The (Artifact •) 

Rathessian War Bow (N/A, Resources ••••)

Rod of Cleansing the Body (Artifact ••)

Scepter of Peace and Order, The (Legendary Artifact)

Seven Bounties Paste (Resource •••)

Songbirds of Atlantis (Artifact •••)

Sweet Cordial (Resource ••••)

Tears of Incomparable Misery (Artifact •••••)

Third-Arm Glaive (Artifact •••••)

Translation Crystal (Artifact ••)

Yasal Crystal (Artifact • or ••)

 

War Strider

Battlelusting Lightless Shadow (Noble, Artifact ••••)

 

Others

Nemissary Honor Guards: Maiden of the Mirthless Smile

 

Legacy of of Auspicious Plume

Herenthid Find, The (Military Science)

Hidden Library of Chikmayiz, The (Medicine)

Hidden Workshop of Methexis, The (Metallurgy)

GM’s mistake on Adaptus Astartes

GM made the mistake remembering more suits than there are.  After checking the list only 141 Suits were recovered.  49 is used already (at that point).

Once growth is accounted for here is the break down of current suit distribution

The suit The Twilight used was returned to Rathess.

The 100 Astartes of the Rathess Chapter are completely equipped – so that is 100 Suits.  About 60 went to the War of the East, and 40 remain in Rathess as Elite Shock Troopers.

Dagnir’s Adepta Sororitas is another 20 Suits.  That is 120 Suits accounted for.

The Kirighast Chapter is another 20 Suits, that is 140 suits Total.

With 1 for Kai, that is the entirety of 141 suits.

This means Alabaster and Flawless Oak have at most only a handful of Adaptus Astartes with them.  Including the 1 sent to scout Angland, that means they probably have total of 10 Astartes leading maybe 15x that number in Triones  (Tiger Warriors yet unblessed with full rank).

It also means the travel times are significantly slower, and that the players will not be given Gunshosa Commando Armors.

Dactylothecoe, The (Legendary Artifact)

The Dactylothecoe is also known as the Ring of Victory or more commonly as “The Trophy.”  It is made from the core of the freshly murdered Primordial “Ramethus;” who escaped the initial primordial wars into the Wyld and eventually returned after reinventing himself purely for combat.

That Battle was long and bloody and claimed the life of such Solar luminaries such as Brigid, Unconquered Shield and Righteous Guide.

Like the War before, it was Guiding Hand that Smite who landed the killing blow and Mecca who sealed the victory.  Guiding Hand that Smite, already manipulated by Mecca, deeply under the influence of the Great Curse refuse to yield the carcass of the Primordial for seal into Malfeas and claimed it as his spoil of war.  Thus another Neverborn was created.

The Deliberative tried to force him to yield by passing a motion, but Guiding Hand that Smite simply left the proceeding in mid-session and refused to return till the Deliberative swore to declare the carcass as his rightful gain.  This contest effectively disbanded the Solar Deliberative for more than a Century – for no session can be recognized without the Proctor present.  While irked the callous Solars did not see this as anything more than minor inconvenience to their governance of Creation.  However, as time grew the increasing dissenting Solars grew irked.

In secrecy that would shame Sidereal in Perfection, the 5 Deliberators unanimously voted to remove Guiding Hand that Smite as Proctor and install the more agreeable and equally respected Aofe as his temporary replacement.

The same playbook for Merela’s “removal” was used and after his “peaceful and natural” death Guiding Hand that Smite was given a funeral deserving of a Hero of the First Age.

Mecca then passed on to Aofe conditioned upon his temporary post as Proctor.  During this time he gained the epithet “The Golden Blade” on his many campaign into the Wyld and expanded the Reach of Creation greatly. 

The Ring passed on to the next incarnation of Guiding Hand that Smite.

Aofe’s temporary assignment lasted till the Usurpation since none of Guiding Hand that Smite’s incarnation ever lived long enough to gain enough recognition to assume his rightful position.  “Misfortune” seems to follow the ring bearer yet none of them can resist the power it grants and all wore it to their untimely deaths.

 

Power

Forged from very essence of a Primordial’s Essence as he straddled between his unkillable self and transformation into a Neverborn.  This ring grants the Wearer the certainty of existence that is the basis of Creation.   It affirms and protects its wearer’s identity and nature.  Only things of Creation proper can affect the character – the Dead, Fair Folk, Demons, Gods and the Wyld cannot even target the character with their magic.  They may use physical and social attacks, but none of their exo-creation properties can touch the bearer.  Any such actions enhanced by Charms/Special Effects will have the effects nullified.

Elementals and Gods, however, are of Creation, and thus are unaffected by this protection.  Charms that belong to Creation, such as Solars, Lunars, Dragon-Blooded, Spirit Charms of Gods, and Sorceries, are all native to Creation and thus will take effect – even if they are used by beings not-of Creation.

Similarly while Abyssal Charms are corruption of Solar Charms they are none the less still Solar Charms and thus are also outside the ring’s protection.

Green Sun Princes' charms however are Charms of the Yozi, thus cannot affect the wearer of the ring.

The Ring has 3 Hearthstone settings and functions as a Hearthstone bracer.  However, the Ring cost 15 motes to attune and is considered native material for all Magical Beings of Creation.  Though this is rather moot since only very specific people can attune to this awesome artifact.

While the Ring looks like it is made of Common Gold it is not.  It is the very essence of Will and Existence.  Thus those who attuned gains all 5 of the material bonus for Hearthstone Bracers.

• Orichalcum: All of the character’s attack gains +2 dice.
• Moonsilver: Increase the character’s lethal soak by 2 dice.
• Jade: Gain a -1 bonus to their Speed ratings for H2H or ranged attacks.
• Starmetal: Add one to the character’s weapons’ Accuracy and Defense rating.
• Soulsteel: Decrease the target’s lethal and bashing
  soaks by two against the character’s attacks. This effect cannot reduce a target’s soak below 0.

It is commonly assumed that the Ring will only function for Guiding Hand that Smite’s incarnations, but this is not entirely true.  The Ring will also function for whoever attuned Mecca – for she has tainted it with her corruption even during its creation.

Eclipse Oath and Objective Truth

The way we are handling Eclipse Oath is too broad.  The ability to swear Eclipse Oaths on Objective Truth opens too many ways for it to be abused.

E.g. Have an Extra swear an Eclipse Oath that “Plan A” is the best plan to destroy Death Lords.  If the oath fails then you know “Plan A” is not the best.  Then you move on to the next Extra who swears “Plan B” is the best course of action.

Thus from now on the Eclipse Oath is no longer able to be used for Objective Truth.  In the above example the Oath would become that the Extra absolutely believes that Plan A is the best course of Action – thus making it a Subjective Truth.

The rest of how we handle Eclipse Oath should not need any modification.

Secret Achievements and Epithets

There will be secret achievements in my game.  Successfully achieving the objective will Grant the character an Epithets.  Some Epithets will have no bonuses, but some will have significant bonuses.

Some NPCs will also have Epithets.  Some can be gained by PCs, others are Unique to the specific NPC.

[List of Epithets]

Rhianna of Marukan Alliance

Here is the image I picked for Rhianna of the Marukan Alliance.

Rhianna has the Unique Merit “Heavenly Spear.”  It is a modification of the Prodigy Merit.  Her merit, instead of adding +1 to Melee, adds +2 to Spears.  Like Prodigy Merit, this Merit also raise her Charm Dicepool Cap.  It’s most potent ability is that this Unique Merit also allows her to consider her Essence to be 1 point higher when using a Spear.  Thus even before she Exalted she would use Enlightened Being’s dice pool when wielding a spear, since her Essence would be 2 while doing so.  Now she would be Essence 6 when it comes to Charms regarding Spear Use.  It however, does not allow her to learn Charms she does not meet the pre-req for, it only improves the functions of the Charms she already know.

She is Solar Night Caste Essence #40.  Originally in 1st Edition she is Eclipse Caste, but I think that makes her too powerful.  So I changed her to Night Caste.

The image is Balsa from Seirito Moribito, and yes Rhianna was the finest mortal Spear User in Creation before her Exaltation.

I was debating between Balsa or Rider, but Rider is just too sexy for someone as serious as Rhianna.  Plus Balsa has this picture.

As a side note Rhianna is the one that gave Dagnir his horse.  The Marukan Steed was a foal from Rhianna’s own steed – Balsa.

Half-Castes and Exaltation

The Scroll of Heroes book stated that the Blood/Essence of the Half-Caste already committed their existence to the service of their patron god.

This fly flat in the face of the Impersonal Nature of Exaltation and their Relationship to their Patron Gods.

So either the Celestial Incarna can block someone form Exaltation or they cannot.  You cannot have it both ways.

Thus Half-Castes can Exalt as something other than their parents.  The Essence in their being is meaningless.

This also means a Solar Enlightened Mortal can still Exalt as another Exalted Type.  So you cannot forever eliminate Sidereals by simply enlightening the world by using Solar Essence powered processes.

Half-Lunar Shape-changers

Lunars God-Blooded, be they Beastmen or Half-Castes, will allowed access to Knacks (as their Essence allows).  This however should be a uncommon event, but I am going to allow it.

They however, can only purchase Knacks during Character Creation, and the cost the same as parental Charm.  This would mean only the truly powerful Half-Lunars (those with high Inheritance) will have any real chance of getting powerful knacks.

They can also only pick up knacks their lunar sire possesses.  Thus a Lunar who cannot take the shape of a Horse cannot spawn a Child who can turn into a Horse.  This limitation applies to their Spirit shapes as well.  They can only pick Spirit Shapes of their Lunar Sires.

They also have the same Lunar Tell as their Lunar Sire – perhaps with very minor variation.  Should there be two Lunar sires, they possess the tell of the Lunar from whom they inherited their Spirit Shape.

Once past the character creation stage the Half-Lunar can no longer acquire new knacks or even new Hart-Blood.  Their shape changing capability are forever locked at birth and is not something that can be improved upon.

As a further clarification

The “human” form of a Half-Lunar with knacks is their normal form.  So Half-Lunar Castes are simply their human form, and Beastmen’s are their Beastmen form.  Thus the “human” form of Simian Beastmen of Raksi’s is their Beastmen form.

Solar Seniority

Here is a rundown of the Seniority of the Various Solars, based on number of years they lived as Exalted – as of Session 11.

Total Solars: 24

Dawn	Zenith	Twilight	Night	Eclipse
7	6	4	3	4

 

170 Years ago

• Filial Wisdom (Dawn Caste #56)

18 Years Ago

• Matsu Tsuko (Nejimaru’s Essence’s Last Exaltation) (Twilight Caste #44)  killed by the Wyld hunt spearheaded by the Triumvirate Mnemon Scions.

14 Years ago

• Samea (Zenith Caste #47)

10 Years Ago

• Yurgen Kaneko (Dawn Caste #15)

7 Years ago

• Scarlet Whisper (Eclipse Caste #20)

6 Years Ago

• Rosoku (later known as Fear Eater of the Icewalker Tribes) (Twilight Caste #14)
• Nejimaru (Twlight Caste #44)

5 Years ago [The Return of the Solar and Creation of Abyssal]

• Horakinis (Twilight #27)
• Moray Darktide (Later joined The Deathlord, “Silver Prince”) (Dawn Caste #55)
• Jalith (Haltan Solar) (Dawn Caste #33)
• Clytemnestra (Eclipse 17)

4 Years ago

• Dace (Dawn Caste #44)
• Harmonious Jade (Night Caste #06)
• Arianna (Twilight Caste #30)
• Crimson Antler (Eclipse Caste #54)

3 Years ago

• Ocean Pearl (Zenith Caste #49)
• Swan only 2 month after Arianna’s Exaltation, saved her from Wyld Hunt (Eclipse Caste #45)
• Panther (Zenith Caste #20)
• Rhianna (Marukan Alliance Solar) (Night Caste #40)

2 Years Ago

• Aata/Balan (Eclipse/Dawn #59)
• Nalla Bloodaxe of the Icewalker Tribe (Dawn Caste #24)
• Celestial Anger (Zenith #8)

1 Year ago

• Raneth of Diamond Hearth (Night Caste #45 – Ai’s Essence)
• Gladrien Vanja (Zenith #30)
• Karal Fire Orchid (Zenith #27)
• Exaltant Sunrise Spirit (Twilight 48)

Current Year

• Lyta (Dawn #39)
• Dagnir (Night #32)

1 Year after (While the War Captain was returning from Rescuing Lyta)

• Ovalisque of the Invincible Starfall (Dawn 26)
• Child of the Violet Star (Eclipse 03)
• Death and Metal Maiden (Night #23)

1 Years After (War Captain was in South then to Underworld)

• Prince Maximillian (Dawn 36)
• Alabaster Hand of Heaven (Night 28)
• Flawless Oak (Eclipse 26)

2 Years After (After War Captain’s Death)

• Ahmed Latif (Twilight 18)
• Faku Kun (The Panda People Exalted) (Night 08)

Alabaster and Intimacies

Just so we have it on record

• Alabaster only have 2 Default Intimacies:  “His Father” and “Murder”.  With his Exaltation to Solar-dom he gains the Intimacy to Lunar Mate (it is considered an Perfect Effect because it is an Intimacy that cannot be eroded by any means).
• Alabaster cannot by any means, short of a perfect effect, develop additional intimacies.
• Even intimacies created by Perfect Effect will lapse at the end of the story in which the Perfect Effect Ends.
  • Righteous Lion Defense is a Perfect Effect that is more or less Constant, thus his Intimacy for “How his father wanted him to act” will last as long as it does.
• Similarly he cannot lose his default Intimacies unless through a Perfect Effect, and it will return in similar fashion after the Perfect Effect Ends.
• The very nature of Intimacies however means he can erode them himself.  If such is the case he will simply develop his Psychosis to a new Intimacy that is appropriate.  While mechanically simple, I want to emphasis that this is an impossibility – if the character is role-played correctly.
• He is also incapable of learning Charms that depends on Intimacy.  This means he cannot pick Another Righteous Lion Defense nor can he learn the perfect mental defense of Elusive Dream Defense.  The one he starts with is the only one he has.
  • Should Alabaster ever lose the Intimacy the Righteous Lion Defense is based on, he loses the charm entirely.  He will get a refund of 1 Charm – which he can use to buy Solar of Abyssal Charm.

Circle of Everlasting and Perfect Illuminated Harmony, The

The Circle of Everlasting and Perfect Illuminated Harmony as their name suggest is a Perfect Circle formed and trained by the Cult of the Illuminated – and by extension, their Sidereal masters, the Gold Faction Sidereals.

Unfortunately due to the obstinance of Lytek, even the Gold Faction did not learn of the Sun-King’s return to Creation until well after the fact. Feeling cautious the Sidereals decided not to approach the Solars who are already well established.

Cautiously the Gold Faction gathered those who are more pliable, the not yet established lone Solars who are confused and scared, and formed the School of the Illuminated. In these hidden monastery fortresses they secretly began to mold the returning God-Kings into tools that can guarantee the future.

Already more than a dozen Solars have been gathered and the Gold Faction even went out of their way to gather their Lunar Mates when convenient. The members of the Circle of Everlasting and Perfect Illuminated Harmony are just the most senior of the Solar trainees.

 

 

Ovalisque of the Invincible Starfall, The Dawn

Motivation: To fight for equal rights of womankind, so that no longer will they be exploited and oppressed.

Origin: Ovalisque of a Sultan in the Hundred Kingdoms. She was exalted when she bravely, but futilely, tried to stop a Cynis Scion from violating her Mistress on the Great Caravan Road. She exalted when her mistress killed herself instead of risking the indignity.

Dawn Caste #26

Essence: 4

Ovalisque of the Invincible Starfall is the women in red on the left side of the picture.

 

 

Celestial Anger, The Zenith

Motivation: To repair the damages to Creation accumulated over the ages and make restitution on behalf of all Sun-Kings.

Origin: A young Immaculate Order monk risen by the Archimandrite of his Monastery as a baby.  When he was only 10 he was told that he is the reincarnated of a great hero of the past – returning finally on behaves of his holy father the Unconquered Sun to set world aright. He was exalted while leading mass in the Cult of the Illuminated.

Zenith Caste #8

Essence: 3

He is the Man in the Red armor with the Grand Daiklave in the picture.

 

 

Exaltant Sunrise Spirit, The Twilight

Motivation: To establish a fundamental respect for knowledge and the love of virtue in the heart of mankind

Origin: A Scholar in the Academies of the Blessed Isle. He was sent by his teacher into the Scavenger Lands to excavate a rare document shortly after the Empresses’ disappearance. He was exalted few years ago while in ecstasy recording the murals in the ancient tomb.

Twilight Caste #48

Essence: 3

Exaltant Sunrise Spirit is the man in the gray plate armor behind Celestial Anger.

 

 

Death and Metal Maiden, The Night

Motivation: To ease the abundance of suffering in the world.

Origin: A merchant’s wife whose husband died to one of the many plagues in the Southeast jungles. She used what little money she has left to tend to the other sick and contracted the plague also. She exalted on her deathbed and was almost burnt by her village as the cause of the disease. A passing by Monk (Sidreal in respendent destiny) “saved” her and enlightened her to her great responsibility.

Night Caste #23

Essence: 3

She is not in the picture.

 

 

Child of the Violet Star, The Eclipse

Motivation: To inflict soul numbing justice onto those who are above the law

Origin: A carnival freak who was borned a Wylt tainted monster and has knew nothing but abuse since then. Her only friend and caretaker was killed when her circus caravan was waylaid by a local king seeking to fatten his purse she managed to slay 4 of the King’s knights before her escape. She stalked the King’s men for weeks slowly inflicting terror and fear into their hearts. She exalted when the king committed suicide rather than risk having the horrible thing she been doing to his men inflicted upon him.

Eclipse Caste #3

Essence: 4

Child of the Violet Star is the Woman in the background with the bow on the right.

Capped by Ability

Since David had asked about Ability Caps I will go through a short clarification

There are only 2 Ability Cap built into the game system.  That is Ride capping combat abilities when riding and War capping combat abilities in mass combat.

Through House Rules I have added Sailing Capping combat abilities when in naval combat, but a GM can also put cap on anything he sees fit.

He can, for example, use Lore as a Cap for someone’s linguistic roll if they want to write a beautifully written history.

Ability caps are each separate since they have direct applications that usually does not limit each other.

For Example

Raneth of Diamond Hearth is the best non-god Calvary general in the game currently. 

• He has War at 4 and has +3 Specialty “Calvary.”  With him as the commander anyone under his command will have their ability that is capped at 7 – whether they can reach the cap is another issue entirely.
• He also have Ride at 4 and +3 Specialty in “Mounted Combat” means on horse his own combat abilities are capped at 7.
• He also have 3 in Melee with +3 Specialty in Polearms.  So he does not even use up his own cap on horseback and/or in Mass Combat.
• He has no Sail, so when on Water, he caps everyone under his command at 4 (War of 4) but he himself performs combat actions at 0 (Sail of 0).

This means when he is leading Calvary he caps everyone’s combat ability at 7 dice, and he himself performs at 6 dice with the Third-Arm Glaive. 

Let me introduce Rhianna of Marukan Alliance, the best non-god spear-women in the world. 

• She has Melee at 4, +3 Spear Specialty, with Prodigy: Spear (I limited to only spear, thus giving her 2 bonus dice, instead of 1).  This means with a Spear her dice pool is 4+5 = 9.
• Her Ride is 5 and +3 Specialty for Horse.  Her steed “Balsa” is a True Marukan Steed, and has been passed down her family for 6 generations.  Being a True Marukan Steed Balsa raise the rider’s riding ability by 2 natural dot.  This makes Rhianna’s combat cap 10 when on Balsa.
• She is not a general however, with War of 1 and +2 Specialty in “Raids”.  This means her combat skill is capped at 3 when leading a raid herself.  That cap is further lowered to 1 when she is forced into a direct confrontation on the battlefield.

Unfortunately Rhianna is so good with the spear that there currently no non-god general that can take full advantage of her combat skills.  Even under Raneth she is capped at 7.

Hope this clears up the question David have.

 

To address his question directly.

Let say Tyr has Martial Arts at 3, and +2 in Unarmed.  That makes his dice pool at 5. 

He is then capped at his applicable War dice pool in mass combat.  Be it War 3 +2 “vs. Space Marines” or War 5, or War 2 +3 “Against Larger Armies”, etc.

DropBox

http://www.dropbox.com/

With David leaving his Thumb Drive here and unable to do much for his game I decided to look for a solution.

DropBox.com is a Cloud Storage Solution.  Unlike Office WorkSpace it intergrates flawlessly with your normal folders.

It creates a folder on your computer and automatical syncs its contents with the data stored in the Cloud.  This works across multiple computers and is a easy and seemless solution for David lugging his thumb drives around.

It should be useful for you too Brendo.  Since you bring your computer on Saturdays but you don’t do so between home and work.

I already signed David up and sent Brendo the invite via Hotmail address.