Dice [Exalted] O Brave New World (OOC)

[Psychie]

I did, but thank you for clarifying that. Lol.

 

[D. Rex]

Nope. Luna tricked the Unconquered Sun all those years ago when he proclaimed that the Solars would be the greatest of the Exalts, and required Luna to have her Children submit to them. She agreed that the Solar that the particular Lunar was bound to would hold sway over the pair, but the rest of the Solars could go screw themselves, making the bond a one-on-one thing, and not a plethora of people.

Wasn't it also limited to like 300? Like there are only 300 hundred pairs of solar lunar bonds.

And while I do recall reading of that particular trick of Luna. I think I also read that it is possible for bonds to end. If thats the case, can new bonds be created?

 

[Sherwood]

Wasn't it also limited to like 300? Like there are only 300 hundred pairs of solar lunar bonds.

And while I do recall reading of that particular trick of Luna. I think I also read that it is possible for bonds to end. If thats the case, can new bonds be created?

Yes, one Lunar for each of the 300 Solars, so now there are Lunars bound to Abyssals and Infernal Exalts, since the bond was not severed when the Solar Shards were corrupted.

I am not aware of any way for the bonds to end, but I am not the end all, be all of Exalted lore.

 

[D. Rex]

Yes, one Lunar for each of the 300 Solars, so now there are Lunars bound to Abyssals and Infernal Exalts, since the bond was not severed when the Solar Shards were corrupted.

I am not aware of any way for the bonds to end, but I am not the end all, be all of Exalted lore.

Now that would certainly make for some fun drama to explore. A bond with an Abyssal or Infernal.




But that bears another question!

When shards were stolen to make the Abyssals and Infernals, were only Solar souls taken?


And if Terrestrial exaltation seem to be based on lineage and luck rather than reincarnation of souls, is it possible for a Terrestrial to be awaken as a Solar or Lunar?


And are Exigents and Limeals just words to explain homebrew exalts?

 

[Sherwood]

In 2e, only the Solar Shards were locked up in the Jade Prison, and the plan of the Malfians was to break them out and steal them, but they were only able to capture 50, and the Deathlords got 100.

 

[Rykon]

Finally back to a real keyboard after a night of cards. Let's see what we have here...

When shards were stolen to make the Abyssals and Infernals, were only Solar souls taken?

Yes, only Solar shards were able to be contained in the Jade prison after all.

And if Terrestrial exaltation seem to be based on lineage and luck rather than reincarnation of souls, is it possible for a Terrestrial to be awaken as a Solar or Lunar?

In 2E an explicit no, in 3E it's an implied no (as far as I'm aware). Nothing stopping STs and various tables going their own way though.

And are Exigents and Limeals just words to explain homebrew exalts?

Exigents yes, but Liminals and Getimians are specific things. Liminals are like Frankenstein's monster, created when someone attempts a resurrection. True revival is a no-no for Exalted after all. Getimians are still a bit mysterious, created by a rogue Sidereal in a process that involves pattern spiders in some way. Both of those subsplats may end up as footnotes in the Exigents book though, not sure. I haven't followed OPP too closely the last couple years.

 

[Random Word]

Desus is something absolutely no one is sad to see gone from 3e canon. You can absolutely have that sort of horror story in your campaign, but only after having a serious chat with all your players about whether everyone is comfortable with that.

In 3e the story about Luna being deceived by the UCS is out, and the Lunar/Solar bond is more like a reincarnation-spanning Sworn Hearth of Terrestrials. It's like a ritual, something both sides signed up for at some point, and it can be broken or altered - some bonds inspire hatred, camaraderie, or something else entirely. Not all Lunars or Solars ever formed such a bond, and there's even a Dragonblooded Charm to form a Lunar+Terrestrial bond, which I found adorable and in theme given Luna's epic romance with Gaia. Abyssal/Infernal bonds are absolutely a thing, and great fun.

I don't know if 3e has given hard numbers for the number of Solars or Lunars. We're just sort of rolling with the 300 of each numbers from 2e, but they could be whatever your campaign demands. The setting would probably make more sense with a much larger number, given how immense Creation was in the First Age.

Getimians are created when the Loom of Fate is altered to unweave an epic destiny that was to be. The person holding that epic destiny has their entire world unwound, so everyone they ever knew and even their entire nation never came to be, and the rebel Sidereal Rakan Thulio fishes them out of nonexistence and gives them the weapons to seek revenge against Heaven for destroying their world and everyone they loved. They're going to be published in the Sidereals book, probably in 2030 or so.

I'm gonna say Terrestrials cannot exalt as Celestials, not even Abyssals when they die. Once you're Exalted your soul is off limits to future Exaltations until you go through Lethe.

 

[Random Word]

Attunement cost: 8

A silvery scarf like shawl made of moonsilver and soulsteel fabric. Grant's the wearer the ability banish and summon Demons of all Three Circles regardless of current circle. Also allows the summoning of Elementals.

This is a copy paste thing, right? There's no chance I'm letting you have this. You are not adding Ligier to your menagerie of Third Circle Demons. Besides, if you tried to stick both Erembour and Ligier in your head at the same time you would explode from concentrated hate.

 

[Random Word]

John took the second breath in the back kitchen of Barker's Alley. It was a food war, a competition of pride between two professional cooks.

So the moment you Exalted half the city would of course be alerted by the iconic anima banner. You haven't abandoned your restaurant, so I think what had to have happened is a pair of Sorcerer-Princes from the Ministry of Integrity swept down minutes later Men in Black style and either bound anyone who personally witnessed you suddenly being surrounded in a burning nimbus of golden light to secrecy using Corrupted Words or engaged in some good old fashioned memory manipulation with Mists of Eventide and some dream manipulation techniques. At this point everyone knows what neighbourhood the new Solar exalted in, but not who it was. If they evacuate the neighbourhood they can later plausibly claim the Solar escaped before they could apprehend them when one of Neith's students comes knocking, and that they don't know who they are.

After damage control I imagine the agents sat down, let you finish cooking, enjoyed a superb meal, then invited you up into the tower for a chat about not what your government could do for you, but what you could do for your government, while politely alluding in roundabout manner to the consequences of not engaging enthusiastically with your civic duty.

Maybe they lean on Corrupted Words after the fact and politely allow the competition to finish first, so as not to mar your triumph?

 

[Rykon]

So the moment you Exalted half the city would of course be alerted by the iconic anima banner. You haven't abandoned your restaurant, so I think what had to have happened is a pair of Sorcerer-Princes from the Ministry of Integrity swept down minutes later Men in Black style and either bound anyone who personally witnessed you suddenly being surrounded in a burning nimbus of golden light to secrecy using Corrupted Words or engaged in some good old fashioned memory manipulation with Mists of Eventide and some dream manipulation techniques. At this point everyone knows what neighbourhood the new Solar exalted in, but not who it was. If they evacuate the neighbourhood they can later plausibly claim the Solar escaped before they could apprehend them when one of Neith's students comes knocking, and that they don't know who they are.

After damage control I imagine the agents sat down, let you finish cooking, enjoyed a superb meal, then invited you up into the tower for a chat about not what your government could do for you, but what you could do for your government, while politely alluding in roundabout manner to the consequences of not engaging enthusiastically with your civic duty.

Maybe they lean on Corrupted Words after the fact and politely allow the competition to finish first, so as not to mar your triumph?

Ah. Right. Duh. I'll revise that. Thanks for reminding me.

I think I've got the rest smoothed out though. Any feedback on character connections D. Rex jaydude Sherwood Psychie ? I have some tentative intimacies noted, let me know what you all think.

 

[jaydude]

Hmm. Should I assume that being a Solar Exalted is frowned upon within the Principate?

 

[Rykon]

Alright. A hasty change to an already hastily written backstory. Sorry for that, but it's way past late here on the east coast of the states. I hope that's enough of an improvement, but if not I'll have to try again after getting some sleep.

Hmm. Should I assume that being a Solar Exalted is frowned upon within the Principate?

I think to our ST's point, not only are the powers that be within the valley desperate for any weapon or tool they can use, I was downplaying the spectacle of Exaltation too much. I tend to avoid getting my characters to flare out of old habit, so it's no surprise to me to goof on that.

 

[D. Rex]

This is a copy paste thing, right? There's no chance I'm letting you have this. You are not adding Ligier to your menagerie of Third Circle Demons. Besides, if you tried to stick both Erembour and Ligier in your head at the same time you would explode from concentrated hate.

That is correct. That was the relic i mentioned Hazel had sealed away in her old manse. Just did some cleaning up on my cs to remove some old stuff.




I think ill be going without armor for now, while the Quincux is very tempting, I feel if its ever available it would serve John much better than Hazel.

Besides! Hazel is a squish. She will avoid combat if she can.



Some more questions!

1. Would Influence 2 or 3 be more appropriate given the circumstances?

2. How would the region view Hazels inhuman appearance? Such as their thoughts on beastmen and wyld mutants. Hazel will be bundled up regardless, to try and hide most of her features. Big floppy hat, high collared cloak, and scarf.

However you did mention her shadow taking a strange and horrifying shape. So how would that affect her as well?

 

[Sherwood]

A quick Charm note for Rykon . Thunderbolt Attack Prana has Increasing Strength Exercise as a prerequisite, too, along with Monkey Leap Technique.

 

[Rykon]

A quick Charm note for Rykon . Thunderbolt Attack Prana has Increasing Strength Exercise as a prerequisite, too, along with Monkey Leap Technique.

My mistake. I swapped Frugal Merchant Method for Increasing Strength Exercise.

EDIT: Let me know if I missed anything else. I think I've got most everything in order. Feedback is always welcome.

 

[Random Word]

Hmm. Should I assume that being a Solar Exalted is frowned upon within the Principate?

Being a Solar is quite illegal, with the penalty being exile, but it's one of those really old laws that no one living has had to dust off in centuries, if ever given how rare Solars have been up to this point.
The legends say the Exigence of the Sun is like the Tetrachy's Exigence, but where their Exigence burns too brightly and consumes the bearer, the Sun's Exigence, like the sun itself, is so full of radiant glory it consumes everything its light touches. It cannot help but conquer everything it sees, and anything that won't submit will be reduced to ashes. The best solution is to hold a big feast to celebrate their ascension and then bribe them to go be someone else's problem. The average Sassarin citizen thinks of Sun-Chosen as an exciting or fascinating curiosity to be ogled and gossiped about before handing them off to a Sorcerer-Prince who can properly treat with them. Like any dangerous god or spirit, the goal is to find a way to convince them to leave you alone without angering them. They're really a human-shaped often very charming natural disaster.

With the re-emergence of the Solars, and news of Solars doing dramatic things all over Creation trickling in, the authorities in the know have dusted off the old crisis management plans for Solars and updated them. The question now is whether to disregard the old legends as mere superstition or trust them. To conceal a new Solar and try to control them, or exile them to avoid the serious risk they can't be controlled and reprisals from the Lady of the Forest should their deceit be revealed.

Your average citizen has by now heard stories about Solar conquerors like the Bull in the North and his barbarian hordes and the revolutionaries in Jiara, and these fit the legends they've always been taught.

Religious tolerance means there are a handful of Immaculate temples, but they're very much a minority faith, and the Realm is forbidden from sending Dragonblooded monks to staff them. The Immaculate missionaries have had the most success amongst the helots with both their charity work and the message that through living a virtuous life they can reincarnate to a better future.

2. How would the region view Hazels inhuman appearance? Such as their thoughts on beastmen and wyld mutants. Hazel will be bundled up regardless, to try and hide most of her features. Big floppy hat, high collared cloak, and scarf.

There are communities of Sobeki (Crocodile-people) and Wadjeti (Snake-people) who are well respected. Lion-people are most closely associated with the Raksha who stalk the dunes. They're a persistent deadly threat, but Hazel looks more like a housecat than a lion, so I think it's a bit of a tossup how people will react to her appearance. The more traumatic exposure they've had to Raksha the more likely they are to react negatively.

However you did mention her shadow taking a strange and horrifying shape. So how would that affect her as well?

Yes, Erembour will make your shadow monstrous when it's cast by the light of the Sun or Ligier, which will prompt most anyone who sees you to think you're either a spirit of some kind or a sorcerer. Sorcerers often have weird phenomena like that follow them around. I don't know how you intend to enter Achaea, but if you just walk up to the gates of a Sassarin city on foot and request entry they'll send a Sorcerer-Prince out to assess exactly what you are and what you want. If you walk up to an Ea-Abzean city they'll send a Vessel out to do the same. Handling your visa application is clearly above the pay grade of your average gate captain. Sorcerers will be received positively in Sassarin, and with some suspicion in Ea-Abzu.

If you travel by palanquin, wagon, howdah, etc then you can stay out of the light of the sun and so conceal your shadow.

Do you want to already have entered a city and established a life? Or perhaps you skipped the cities entirely and just travel through the wilderness? Once you decide where you're going and why we can either have your first scene be your arrival if it's going to be an interesting moment like applying to enter a city, or we can just skip to your destination if you'd prefer.

 

[Rykon]

I didn't see much about Ea-Abzu in my notes I assume that's the region under control of the Ur-Pharoah. I'll have to add that to my personal notes.

Are there any other beastmen that might be associated with the Lady of the Forest from past projects? I know elevating plant life is her thing now, whether we are aware of that or not is a different matter.

 

[Random Word]

I didn't see much about Ea-Abzu in my notes I assume that's the region under control of the Ur-Pharoah

Oh sorry, yes, that's the name of the dominion of the Ur-Pharoah, the dead legions, and the Pharaonic Vessels.

Are there any other beastmen that might be associated with the Lady of the Forest from past projects?

There absolutely can be if you need some! The Wadjeti certainly have her favour, and were once renowned for producing very skilled necromancers. These days they tend to follow more respectable professions like medicine, talismongering, exorcism, and the priesthood of Merecheas.

 

[jaydude]

Hmm. So I can't be open about being a Solar with my clan?

 

[Random Word]

It's worth noting your clan is Faqari, a significantly different culture from the Askari of the river valley who make up the majority of the urban populations of Sassarin and Ea-Abzu. Your people don't identify as Sassarin, and while they pay the outrageous excise taxes the Sorcerer-Princes charge for food and water, they have little love for the peoples of the river. How your culture views Solars, and specifically how your clan views Solars, I leave largely up to you. They've heard the same legends, of course, but sometimes an all-conquering glory-suffused radiant god-champion is exactly who you want in your corner of the ring. If they already ruled you you're hardly at risk of being conquered by them, after all.

I suspect most clans would only hand a Solar over to the Sorcerer-Princes if they didn't like the person and they thought they would get a reward for it. That doesn't mean a greedy or disaffected clan member couldn't rat you out to the Sorcerer-Princes for a reward during shore leave somewhere. Loose lips can still sink ships, so there's a tradeoff to letting everyone know your nature, but to be honest hiding it would be tricky. If you exalted on your township there's little chance everyone aboard (about 5 000 people) wouldn't immediately know who it was. If you exalted on one of your clan's smaller sandships, then it would be even harder to conceal but you'd have fewer people to keep quiet.

 

[D. Rex]

Random Word
Hopefully with Hazel being bundled up she draws less eyes. Amd given she really doesn't have any money or resources, she wouldn't be dressed all that finely since she doesn't have her Infinite Resplendence Amulet. A wide straw hat for the shade, a dusty well traveled cloak to keep the sun off her black fur, and an ordinary sand scarf. If not for the shadow she might not look like nothing more than a commoner.

Like Erembour, she is not too fond of the sun either. Especially a desert one. Its hot. Not to mention since exaltation she has always felt more comfortable in the dark. Nocturnal spirit shape, no moon caste, all that jazz. She most certainly isn't going to go basking in it unless she is taking a nap.


How she enters the city will depend on how much trouble it is, or if she thinks she will be bothered. As well as what she was foretold that led her here.


We know she is seeking the Atusa. But we haven't decided on the details of how. Or how much she knows. If all she knows is a general area, then yeah she'd go to the big city and ask around. But if she had a more accurate vision she would beeline it straight to her.

I can think of a few ways to enter the city. If she wanted to make an entrance, she'd ride in on a cirrus skiff. If it was possible to enter at night, when her shadow isn't a bother, she'd just walk in the main gates at night. I dont think she would have the money to hire a vehicle to take her inside.


However! She is a lunar! She has plenty of animal shapes to get in. A raiton to fly over the walls, a rat to sneak in anywhere, or a an eighttailed mole hound and just burrow underground to the inside.


But that does beg a question. Will her monstrous shadow give her away when she is in animal form?






Are the others want us to be pre established or just meeting?

 

[Sherwood]

I am wondering if Renna and her mercenary company being there already, or if we are arriving on location in the opening scene.

 

[Psychie]

How well known in the Silver Pact is Hazel? Would Morrolan know her (or she know him) at least in passing from his time getting his tattoos applied by some loremaster?

 

[D. Rex]

How well known in the Silver Pact is Hazel? Would Morrolan know her (or she know him) at least in passing from his time getting his tattoos applied by some loremaster?

Hmm. That's a good question. I think Hazel has been a Lunar for a couple years. But her only real exploits having happened relatively recently, maybe a month or so depending on how long it took her to travel from the far south to this region.

I think it would few factors.

1. How long ago was Morrolan Tattooed?

2. Would you like Morrolan to have heard of her?


Given what the circle was up to, it was possible that they made a few waves once rumors got out about their task and what they were up to. And beauties like Gwen and powerhouses like Toun certainly would have got some attention.

 

[Psychie]

I would think that he would have been found by some other Lunar and marked up only a short time ago, since Morrolan Exalted during the battle that he met Renna. So I suppose he may have heard of you, but it is less likely that you've heard of him.