Alternate Locations for the empress.

[Samiel]

Because I like the 1st Ed corebook idea of "celestial exaltation can't be past on through bloodlines; it's too big".  This whole "half caste" thing is just to cover up for poorly explained gods/mortal breeding...

Actually I believe the Half-caste had appeared as cameos for quite a long time before the Players Guide. And Beastmen were always there.


The phrase "Celestial Exaltations cannot be passed through the blood" is quite right and has never been undermined by the Half-caste or otherwise: the half-caste are mortals with a touch of essence in them because of their parents' overwhelming power, and as a result they can learn some basic charms if they work hard to unlock their potential.


In effect, half-caste are like talented mortal thaumaturges: thaumaturges can learn terrestrial MA charms (does anyone know where the cost for these is though?), and can master control of their essence to power artifacts and to use hearthstones as if exalted. Half-caste can do the same, albiet easier, and they can learn charms of their parent's type.


If you ask me, they are the most interesting character type in the game, and given the prevelance of supernatural beings in creation I see them as quite common as well. Their diversity and their half-humanity are an excellent combination for interesting NPCs as well as interesting players.

 

[Jack1]

Samiel said:

Some stuff

I agree with what Samiel is saying. The Realm is built on the backs of the Half Castes, without them, the Dynasty wouldnt be nearly as powerful as it is, or the IO as successful were it not for the efforts of the dragon-touched. Dozens of Threshold kingdoms also, are built around dynasties of the semi-divine.


IMO Half-castes are an essential and colourful part of the setting.

 

[Zaramis]

Heh. Personally I find the Half-Casted one of the worst ideas that goes against the very concept of what differs DB's from celestial exalted, the idea that they can pass on their power through blood while celestials can't.


I'm fine with Lunars being able to do it, mainly cause it was always a part of their setting ( and I dont care much about them ) but the others.. just.. no.


And half-DB's? Eh? You mean people with good terrestrial breeding? They aren't half-castes..

 

[Cthulhu_Wakes]

Meh, some people like, some don't. Put it in your game or not! Woo hoo.

 

[Jack1]

Dragon-touced form a large part of the cogs and wheels of the realm. Just like a celestial, an DB with essence 4 or greater produces half-caste kids, irrelevant of breeding. These kids may later exalt as DBs due to breeding.

 

[Samiel]

Indeed: A powerful Dragonblood (essence 4+) will have Dragon-touched children, who operate as half-caste until the day they exalt (If they exalt at all), when they keep their charms and such and carry on as exalts.


I see no problem with it: The Celestials cannot create other celestials or even exalts through breeding, just very powerful mortals. Sure, the children of the Solars can rival weak Dragonbloods, as can the children of the gods, but the Dragonbloods will always outgrow them, and outlive them. And for the half-caste to reach their scale of power would take them half their lives in the first place almost.


I love them. I'd love to play or run one of those games, due to the sheer diversity of character types; god-bloods, wyld-touched and all manner of half-caste. Of course, the issue of combining them is another matter entirely...

 

[Sherwood]

in my game I'm running, it is over the Locust War and how the players are trying to recalibrate the locks and save the day.  To keep the game running, I came up with this plot line.  The gateway to Creation in the Font of Mourning is not the first point of contact.  Another one opened in the Empire, and the political wheels started turning.  The Empress was snatched, and Farok was put in power as the Regent.  This weakened the defenses of the Realm as troops are pulled back to the blessed isle.  The regent fed intelligence info to the invading troops to easily sweep over Creation, kill off his rivals, and make the state of emergency that allowed him to announce his taking the throne as Emperor, secretly backed by factions from the Machine God.  This puts the players in the position of deciding if they want to try to put the Empress back in power, or leave Farok as Emperor.

 

[Flagg]

Fokuf?


-S

 

[Ker'ion]

Fukof?

 

[Cthulhu_Wakes]

Har har.

 

[orionstark1482]

a non cannon idea that i had for where the empress went was she found a scroll that talked about autocthon. (i always imagined that he was all but forgotten in creation) she read the part about him being the designer of exaltation and went to talk to him to try and get him to build a new kind of dragon blooded exaltation that rivaled solars in power. (it did say somewhere that the empress has long searched for a way to gain access to solar circle sorcery) in the quest for the source chapter it suggests the idea of the exalted that are beholden to no gods. maybe that is what she wants to become.

 

[Sherwood]

Interesting idea.  That could lead to a party of loyal Dragon Blooded officers out to find their Empress.  If they do find her, they would be held in high esteem for not losing faith like the rest of the Empire, and if she does find some way of increasing the power level of the DB Exalts, they would be good first candidates to use it on as a reward.....


Orion, I like the way you think.

 

[orionstark1482]

where ever you decide to put the empress keep 1 thing in mind.


where ever she is she is beyond the site and control of the bronze faction and their are few beings that would want to see a mad Kejak

 

[orionstark1482]

Interesting idea.  That could lead to a party of loyal Dragon Blooded officers out to find their Empress.  If they do find her, they would be held in high esteem for not losing faith like the rest of the Empire, and if she does find some way of increasing the power level of the DB Exalts, they would be good first candidates to use it on as a reward.....
Orion, I like the way you think.

thank you...


i've always been looking for an excuse to make super DBs that can go one on one with a celestial.


mainly i want a guy with the power of a celestial but can move in realm circles

 

[Flagg]

mainly i want a guy with the power of a celestial but can move in realm circles

They're called "Sidereals".


-S

 

[Ker'ion]

Interesting idea.  That could lead to a party of loyal Dragon Blooded officers out to find their Empress.  If they do find her, they would be held in high esteem for not losing faith like the rest of the Empire, and if she does find some way of increasing the power level of the DB Exalts, they would be good first candidates to use it on as a reward.....
Orion, I like the way you think.

thank you...


i've always been looking for an excuse to make super DBs that can go one on one with a celestial.


mainly i want a guy with the power of a celestial but can move in realm circles

Multi-Caste Exalt


Though it ought to be "Multi-Aspect Exalt"

 

[orionstark1482]

mainly i want a guy with the power of a celestial but can move in realm circles

They're called "Sidereals".


-S

siderials don't move through them they sneak around them.


if a siderial showed up to a gala they would be turned away as a mortal. they move silently manipulating but they are outside the system

 

[Cthulhu_Wakes]

Clearly you know nothing about them then. They wouldn't show as themselves. They'd be wearing the identity of an important Realm statesman or legion commander. Which one? Oh you know...the one related three cousins down and to my sister's ex-husband. That sort of deal. They would not be 'turned away' friend. Shit they'd have called the gala. They're not shitkickers. They run the goddamn Realm in some respects.

 

[orionstark1482]

Clearly you know nothing about them then. They wouldn't show as themselves. They'd be wearing the identity of an important Realm statesman or legion commander. Which one? Oh you know...the one related three cousins down and to my sister's ex-husband. That sort of deal. They would not be 'turned away' friend. Shit they'd have called the gala. They're not shitkickers. They run the goddamn Realm in some respects.

they run it from the shadows. they run the realm from outside of it. they are not members of it. do siderials join the legions? take seats in the deliberative, via for dominance in the political arena? no, they control things outside the view of society. Kejak is the secratary for the mouth of Peace. everyone thinks the mouth of peace runs the order but it is Kejak who runs things. i don't want secret agents of heaven. i want noblemen, aristicrats and men of society. i just want them to be overpowered as well. its a curse. i like over powering.

 

[Flagg]

Kejak is a senior monk in the Immacuate Order. What would stop other Sidereals from getting themselves into important positions in other Realm institutions?


Answer: Nothing.


-S

 

[Ker'ion]

they run it from the shadows. they run the realm from outside of it. they are not members of it. do siderials join the legions? take seats in the deliberative, via for dominance in the political arena? no, they control things outside the view of society. Kejak is the secratary for the mouth of Peace. everyone thinks the mouth of peace runs the order but it is Kejak who runs things. i don't want secret agents of heaven. i want noblemen, aristicrats and men of society. i just want them to be overpowered as well. its a curse. i like over powering.

Do Sidereals join the legions?


I can see a Maiden of Battles or Endings doing so.


Do they take seats in the deliberative or vie for dominance in the political arena?


Again, I can see a Maiden of Secrets doing this out of boredom, if for no other reason.


All it would take is a DB resplendant personality to pull it off.  What Sidereal woth their salt couldn't pick up an Artifact to fake their Anima or just get Fire Dragon Style.

 

[orionstark1482]

they run it from the shadows. they run the realm from outside of it. they are not members of it. do siderials join the legions? take seats in the deliberative, via for dominance in the political arena? no, they control things outside the view of society. Kejak is the secratary for the mouth of Peace. everyone thinks the mouth of peace runs the order but it is Kejak who runs things. i don't want secret agents of heaven. i want noblemen, aristicrats and men of society. i just want them to be overpowered as well. its a curse. i like over powering.

Do Sidereals join the legions?


I can see a Maiden of Battles or Endings doing so.


Do they take seats in the deliberative or vie for dominance in the political arena?


Again, I can see a Maiden of Secrets doing this out of boredom, if for no other reason.


All it would take is a DB resplendant personality to pull it off.  What Sidereal woth their salt couldn't pick up an Artifact to fake their Anima or just get Fire Dragon Style.

let me rephrase this then. they CAN infiltrate realm society. but DO they? the answer is they have important work to do for fate. to the siderials manipulating Realm politics is what they do as part of their larger job of protecting creation and keeping the loom of fate running. but are their any siderial canidates for the scarlet throne? besides if a siderial tried to FULLY join realm society eventually someone would realize that they can't do any DB charms. they can hold small positions outside the public eye. but lets see what happens if a siderial tried to take the title of Emperor\Empress.

 

[Flagg]

You said you wanted someone with the "power of a Celestial" who could "move through Realm circles". Sidereals fit this description. What's your beef?


-S

 

[Ker'ion]

orionstark1482-


Yes, they do.  And quite often.


Stillborn-


I prefer a Sirloin, medium rare, please.  About 12 ounces should do, covered with fresh sauteed mushrooms, onions, and garlic.

 

[Flagg]

You're fired. Clear out your desk by 5pm.


-S