Dice [Exalted] O Brave New World (OOC)

[Sherwood]

I personally love the 'moonsiver/starmetal' combo, giving a bit of defense along with a massive amount of cargo carrying ability.

 

[Random Word]

Oh wow that's very 2e and some of those effects are way too strong for passive effects in 3e. We're going to have to rework some of these effects into active Evocations, but the general idea of the artifact is great.

 

[D. Rex]

Oh wow that's very 2e and some of those effects are way too strong for passive effects in 3e. We're going to have to rework some of these effects into active Evocations, but the general idea of the artifact is great.

I'd be happy with just a bit of cargo space. With Hazels essence having been disrupted and downgraded to essence 1, she is no longer able to pull her gun dramatically out of her hat anymore. Or anything out of her hat.

 

[D. Rex]

Ant get the cool elsewhere and picket magic until she returns to essence 2.

 

[D. Rex]

Spoiler: Stuff about Erembour

I'd like to point out a few things about demons. First off: As far as I'm concerned Demons don't hate Creation. They love it. It's theirs, they built it from nothing, and they didn't fuck up and accidentally build something they hated. They want it back. There are a few problems for the mortals living in Creation, though.

Firstly, they want revenge on the traitorous Gods and their Exalted servants and they're not particularly concerned with whether they destroy Creation in the process of getting said revenge, because they can just build it again if they have to, but better this time, with more blackjack and hookers.

Secondly, they don't tend to run free in Creation all at the same time, and Creation was only really held in balance by all of them exerting their natures upon it simultaneously plus the Gods patching up all the things they broke. One powerful demon free in Creation can't help but give free reign to their urges and impose their nature upon everything they can. Usually this is the part where things go seriously wrong for humans.

It is Erembour's nature to be the life of the party, but it's a really rowdy punk rock party because the darkness welcomes everyone, especially those rejected by 'civilized' society. It's a party for monsters and outcasts and iconoclasts, and someone is definitely getting stabbed to death in the mosh pit, someone will steal your wallet, someone will pull you into a powerful occult ritual and you'll have a profound spiritual experience, you'll uncover dark and terrible secrets about things you thought sacred, you'll have the most mind blowing sex you've ever had with someone you just met and might never see again, but above all you definitely won't leave the party unchanged, especially if you weren't already an outcast. She is Rage Against the Machine and she revels in the collapse of society and she wants you to revel in it too and because she wills it you'll have the best time of your life as it all burns down around you. Then the next night (or the final night, since there will be only one long night wherever she goes if she's free) she wants you to do it all again, and she gives no fucks about your hangover or your injuries. You'll pick yourself up, dust off the ashes, and find somewhere new to party so hard there's nothing but ashes left by the end.

You can see why she's a bit problematic when left to her own devices completely unchecked. She's not evil any more than any Demon is really evil, but she is extreme and alien and probably not someone you want to leave unsupervised. If Ligier is here to ensure she can't bring endless night (and how she hates him for it), and the emanantions of Cecelyne and She Who Lives in Her Name and even Kimbery are here to rigidly, brutally, lovingly, tenderly hold society together against the ravages of her celebratory destruction, then things start to balance out just a little bit. There are still local extremes where one of them focuses their attention and the others are busy elsewhere (and thus the many messes the Gods had to clean up), but on the whole the system functions.

Spoiler: Stuff about Demons in general

Another point worth making: Demonology is a much more obscure subject in 3e than it was in 2e. The name 'Yozis' as a classification, even the idea that demons are emanations of their souls, is the sort of information reserved for those with 5 dots of Occult or a specialty in Demonology. Everyone knows Demons exist, but for your average person 'Demon' is just the word for any spirit that does something that harms them, or appears frightening. The distinction between the different kinds of Spirits is mostly:

Does it do something useful for me when I pray to it? Then it must be a God. Be respectful and make offerings.
Is it inscrutable but generally ignores me and mine and goes about its odd business without harming me? Spirit, or if very well educated and seems to have elemental themes, Elemental. Avoid it like the plague, and maybe try making offerings to make sure it stays away.
Out to get me, or looks frightening? Demon. Run screaming, and definitely make offerings to try to make it stay away if you survive.
Clearly dead? Dead. If it's your ancestor, you might treat them like a God, or help them let go and reincarnate. If it isn't, it probably wants to eat you, so treat it like a Demon.

No one has summoned a Third Circle Demon into Creation since Bagrash Kol was fucking around with the Eye of Autochthon like 500 years ago. The name Erembour - let alone the Ebon Dragon - is lost to the libraries of Heaven, Hell, the Underworld, the memories of immortal beings like Gods and Fae, and the secret collections of the most powerful Sorcerers and Savants in Creation. Dynasts, as a general rule, don't travel to Malfeas very often, but they can at least summon First Circle Demons and ask them questions, so they have some limited understanding of the nature of Malfeas and its denizens in addition to the texts that survive in their best libraries and the things the Sidereals bother to teach them. They understand Malfeas in the same way you might understand the inner workings of a government if you could summon a random unimportant citizen and ask them questions. Sorcerers have a bad habit of hoarding knowledge, so even most well educated people in Creation know next to nothing about Demons except perhaps how to kill or ward off/placate some of those most frequently found in Creation. To learn the true name of a new Demon is a big deal because that opens up the possibility of summoning it, so that kind of information is jealously guarded.

Correction! (Explaining so I dont look as stupid as i actually am on all the Lore. As stupid, because regardless I'm still pretty stupid on it.) I meant that they hate not having creation. And have referred to that aspect of them in a few occasions, such as with Bard and the imps.

And all of that is really handy information! And does help out a lot. Definitely helps clarify things im still wrapping my head around.


Now! For some explanation of what Hazel knows of Erembour, she got lucky with a few rolls and Storyteller allowance in that whom she had mentored under had imparted some knowledge of what a third circle demon is for he was a wise old lunar. And even then, what she spoke of was what she knew regarding ancient legends of a horror that sung the shadows alive in peoples hearts and enslaved them.


Eventually she had a brief and intense tutelage under Raksi specifically about demons, which likely had some to do with the demon at hand as well.

She has a 5 in occult and an occult specialty in demonology. I had her recieve a specialty in Erembour but I have yet to add that here as I'm still managing points and specialties. So by now I'm sure she knows something, but the extent of which I will leave to our illustrious storyteller here.




I should also mention, that Hazel retrieved the horn of Erembour, and left it to her master to hide away or destroy. Perhaps some information that could be of use to you. Hazel doesn't know where it is and hope's no one does, for she could not risk knowing its location if Erembour was inside her.

Secondly! There was an artifact that would let her summon or banish a third circle demon. Hazel was hoping to destroy it after the demons and super demon staff was dealt with accordingly. However she would definitely not have it now, and not just because its a Relic I should never touch unsupervised even if some idiot did allow me to think about having access to it.

I was thinking of having Hazel having it sealed away for this adventure. She had a great manse hidden in a mountain. Sense I will not be using that or its Hearthstone (heirophants eye) since I'm well out of its range, I figured I'd rid my self of them narratively.

With the last of the power she had, she sealed the artifact in her manse, locked with the power of Heirophants Eye and guarded by an assortment of demons and elementals. As well as in the highly protected territory of a powerful Lunar.

Sealed away because if she were to die or lose it in this new adventure, bad things would happen. Plus her fae fighting circle may need it as they hunt the other sealed demons.

Thus Hazel leaves her village relatively empty handed and at square one. With the only thing of note she has taken with her is her prized, black flame shooting, dragon sigh wand, Nocturne.

 

[D. Rex]

Random Word

Lastly for now! I do need to discuss Nocturne.

I really could use some help thinking of a base evocations or ability for it. Mostly given that I don't really see many examples of artifact dragon sigh wands.

I was thinking something related to sorcery. Like being able to use Sorcerous Motes to fuel it. Like I can use a shape sorcery action to load it with motes, and it uses 1 sorc mote every shot, thusly removing the slow tag until it is time to reload and cast another shape sorcery action.


I can understand that possible being a bit op for an early evocation and needs built up to.

So I had a backup plan in the mean time.

Is it possible to have summoned a little shadow imp that hides in her cloak and comes out to load the rifle after its fire to save me time and action?









Also also! I thought of something that might be pretty cool.

Shadow hands evocation. Is a charm that lets Hazels shadow cast a shape sorcery action while Hazel does a non combat action (which in this case was usually reloading her gun by hand)

I figured with Hazels shadow being all demonic and wonky, maybe Erembour can be incorporated into the charm. Maybe it's her doing the shaping for Hazel. Maybe it gives it a boost. Or maybe it's just for flavor. Just something I thought I'd bring up.

 

[Rykon]

Rykon Aww, John is drinking from a cup with Hazels face on it!

I know, when I saw it I knew I had a winner. That and the facial expression shows he might be anticipating something to be thrown at him for drinking out of Hazel's favorite teacup.

I've picked Infallible Messenger as a control spell for the awareness expansion. Also did a brief history write up that led me to taking a Dragon-Blooded retainer to run the store in his absence. Not 100% sure I'll keep the retainer. I don’t tend to enjoy playing my own ally npcs. If our ST is willing to accept the burden I’m up to keep her on the merits section.

Oh wow that's very 2e and some of those effects are way too strong for passive effects in 3e. We're going to have to rework some of these effects into active Evocations, but the general idea of the artifact is great.

I agree completely. I’ve been planning to write up an adaptation for the first age war strider game. My plan was to have each material effect as an evocation and the artifact itself as a silk armor artifact with a free evocation that enables the outfit shifting. Subsequent evocations channel a specific material.

 

[Random Word]

Retainers, Allies, etc are indeed full NPCs I will play. You can give me a few Aspects for their personality, and/or the nature of the relationship you'd like to have with them and I'll try to colour inside the lines.

 

[D. Rex]

I know, when I saw it I knew I had a winner. That and the facial expression shows he might be anticipating something to be thrown at him for drinking out of Hazel's favorite teacup.

I've picked Infallible Messenger as a control spell for the awareness expansion. Also did a brief history write up that led me to taking a Dragon-Blooded retainer to run the store in his absence. Not 100% sure I'll keep the retainer. I don’t tend to enjoy playing my own ally npcs. If our ST is willing to accept the burden I’m up to keep her on the merits section.



I agree completely. I’ve been planning to write up an adaptation for the first age war strider game. My plan was to have each material effect as an evocation and the artifact itself as a silk armor artifact with a free evocation that enables the outfit shifting. Subsequent evocations channel a specific material.

You better be careful she just might. Without being able to pull am unlimited supply of teacups from her hat, she will be very protective of what she does have lol. But I can't help but find the picture utterly adorable.



Which reminds me! We do need to discuss our Lunar/Solar bond! And how we want it to influence their relationship.

I personally find the 3e version of the bond a bit... weaksauce compared to 2e. A bit loose and vague.

But as it stands, Hazel herself would feel a great duty to falling the bond as best as she can. Given it was task set by Luna. How we will translate that, im not sure yet.

Have any ideas in what you would like to see? I'm open to anything.

 

[Sherwood]

Some of the effects of the Solar Bond can be played out with Intimacies; just select the level of devotion your Lunar has for the Solar and when you are channeling your bond link for something involving your Solar, you get the extra dice for it.

 

[D. Rex]

And one more one more thing! As I would be foolish to not explore the thought of upping the ante, as it would be basically the next step up of what she already has.


Random Word

What do you think of the possibility of Hazel's limit break being that when she has filled her limit and is at her wits end, that it leaves her her just vulnerable enough that Erembour can affect her with her infamous song. Turning Hazel into a rabid, loony, degenerative, destructive, over the top party animal, or however it would be. As compared how she normally does turning into a rabid, looney, desperate, degenerate that just wants to be accepted at any cost.

 

[D. Rex]

Some of the effects of the Solar Bond can be played out with Intimacies; just select the level of devotion your Lunar has for the Solar and when you are channeling your bond link for something involving your Solar, you get the extra dice for it.

It can be. But with 2e it felt like there was a negative that came with good. A sort of trade off that made things feel a bit more substantial and dramatic.

In 3e it seems there isn't really any negative that. Though, like you pointed out, that can be remedied by intimacies and planning between players.

Though I wasn't really aware about the whole channeling intimacies thing. I thought intamacies were mostly reserved for resolve.

 

[Sherwood]

If I am not mistaken, you can use a Willpower point to channel a Intimacy just like in 2e, and depending on the strength of the Tie it gives you extra dice to support your Intimacy. I'll have to double check that to make sure.

 

[Sherwood]

Hmm. A quick glance at the book doesn't show that you can do the 'willpower for the extra dice' thing. I was wrong.

 

[D. Rex]

I was a confused on the matter to reading into them. While intamacies do have valuable purpose, in directing your play and keep you mentally defended, they do seem to have been nerfed.




Oh! Legendary Social Goals. I was trying to find information on this. Even going as far as to word search the book. But I can't find any explanation as to what they are.

Completing one supposedly let's you reduce a point of limit. But it doesn't explain what legendary social goals are.

 

[Rykon]

Retainers, Allies, etc are indeed full NPCs I will play. You can give me a few Aspects for their personality, and/or the nature of the relationship you'd like to have with them and I'll try to colour inside the lines.

You better be careful she just might. Without being able to pull am unlimited supply of teacups from her hat, she will be very protective of what she does have lol. But I can't help but find the picture utterly adorable.



Which reminds me! We do need to discuss our Lunar/Solar bond! And how we want it to influence their relationship.

I personally find the 3e version of the bond a bit... weaksauce compared to 2e. A bit loose and vague.

But as it stands, Hazel herself would feel a great duty to falling the bond as best as she can. Given it was task set by Luna. How we will translate that, im not sure yet.

Have any ideas in what you would like to see? I'm open to anything.

I find that I enjoy going with the flow of the game naturally as things unfold.

For the retainer, take any liberties you like. I'll throw in a couple aspects when I have a little more time.

As for the bond, I intend to play John as friendly and playful in general. Probably a bit of a clumsy flirt as well since he has very average social scores outside of appearance. I do see him willing to help Hazel in most endeavors, but not willingly collaborate with yozi spawn projects.

 

[Random Word]

With the last of the power she had, she sealed the artifact in her manse, locked with the power of Heirophants Eye and guarded by an assortment of demons and elementals. As well as in the highly protected territory of a powerful Lunar.

I like it.

Shadow hands evocation. Is a charm that lets Hazels shadow cast a shape sorcery action while Hazel does a non combat action (which in this case was usually reloading her gun by hand)

An Evocation that lets you spend a few motes to flurry a Shape Sorcery action with a Miscellaneous Reload without flurry penalties sounds great to me. If you want to have Erembour-Empowered Charms/Evocations I would probably implement them with a Favour mechanic where they either can only be used or get a significant bonus when the enhanced action has Erembour's Favour.

having the one Charm be an Evocation instead.

I edited the post to make it clearer, but Summoning the Loyal Steel could be a Beloved Adorei Evocation as well if it were re-fluffed as Adorei transforming to be small and easily concealed. That's not quite as powerful as being Elsewhere, so it could also make her magically more difficult to notice/pay attention to. Two bonus successes on a Dex/Int+Larceny roll to conceal her while transformed or something.

I personally find the 3e version of the bond a bit... weaksauce compared to 2e. A bit loose and vague.

The 3e Bond is a strict superset of the 2e bond and a whole bunch of other bonds beyond 'mandatory submissive can't-say-no Lunar' which was, to put it lightly, problematic. It's really not a theme that mechanics should be enforcing unless a player enthusiastically consents. As Sherwood said there's no reason you can't have a 2e style bond in 3e, you just get the choice to A: Just not have one if you don't want it, B: Have a bond with a completely different context and intensity. The 3e Lunar/Solar Charms that play off the bond can recreate a lot of the 2e mechanical effects associated with a 5 dot Bond merit.

Speaking of not having Lunar Bonds, jaydude does your Solar have a Lunar bondmate? If they do, will they play any role in this story? and if so, what's the context of your bond? The safe answer to these questions is, "Absolutely not. I know what Golden Widow Method is and I don't have enough points for another 5 dot Ally."

What do you think of the possibility of Hazel's limit break being that when she has filled her limit and is at her wits end, that it leaves her her just vulnerable enough that Erembour can affect her with her infamous song.

That certainly works as a Limit Break. Which reminds me, Sherwood and Psychie one of the few things missing from your characters is a Limit Trigger.

Legendary Social Goals

They're one of the many amusing things that were clearly in 3e at some point but were cut during development, yet is still referenced. We can infer what it meant, though. A Legendary (Social, Martial, Intellectual, etc) Goal is a setting-changing story defining achievement in that arena. So for Social: Brokering a treaty between two empires that have been at war for a thousand years, convincing the Mask of Winters to take his toys and go home to the Underworld, convincing Prince Balor to take up basket weaving as his personal hobby instead of unmaking Creation, convincing the Unconquered Sun to turn his face back to Creation, etc. They don't actually have to be quite that Legendary, but you get the idea. I would say that satisfying a particularly impressive Flag might count as achieving a Legendary <thing> Goal.

 

[Sherwood]

That certainly works as a Limit Break. Which reminds me, Sherwood Sherwood and Psychie Psychie one of the few things missing from your characters is a Limit Trigger.

I knew I forgot something. I'll add it in.

 

[D. Rex]

I like it.



An Evocation that lets you spend a few motes to flurry a Shape Sorcery action with a Miscellaneous Reload without flurry penalties sounds great to me. If you want to have Erembour-Empowered Charms/Evocations I would probably implement them with a Favour mechanic where they either can only be used or get a significant bonus when the enhanced action has Erembour's Favour.



I edited the post to make it clearer, but Summoning the Loyal Steel could be a Beloved Adorei Evocation as well if it were re-fluffed as Adorei transforming to be small and easily concealed. That's not quite as powerful as being Elsewhere, so it could also make her magically more difficult to notice/pay attention to. Two bonus successes on a Dex/Int+Larceny roll to conceal her while transformed or something.



The 3e Bond is a strict superset of the 2e bond and a whole bunch of other bonds beyond 'mandatory submissive can't-say-no Lunar' which was, to put it lightly, problematic. It's really not a theme that mechanics should be enforcing unless a player enthusiastically consents. As Sherwood said there's no reason you can't have a 2e style bond in 3e, you just get the choice to A: Just not have one if you don't want it, B: Have a bond with a completely different context and intensity. The 3e Lunar/Solar Charms that play off the bond can recreate a lot of the 2e mechanical effects associated with a 5 dot Bond merit.

Speaking of not having Lunar Bonds, jaydude does your Solar have a Lunar bondmate? If they do, will they play any role in this story? and if so, what's the context of your bond? The safe answer to these questions is, "Absolutely not. I know what Golden Widow Method is and I don't have enough points for another 5 dot Ally."



That certainly works as a Limit Break. Which reminds me, Sherwood and Psychie one of the few things missing from your characters is a Limit Trigger.



They're one of the many amusing things that were clearly in 3e at some point but were cut during development, yet is still referenced. We can infer what it meant, though. A Legendary (Social, Martial, Intellectual, etc) Goal is a setting-changing story defining achievement in that arena. So for Social: Brokering a treaty between two empires that have been at war for a thousand years, convincing the Mask of Winters to take his toys and go home to the Underworld, convincing Prince Balor to take up basket weaving as his personal hobby instead of unmaking Creation, convincing the Unconquered Sun to turn his face back to Creation, etc. They don't actually have to be quite that Legendary, but you get the idea. I would say that satisfying a particularly impressive Flag might count as achieving a Legendary <thing> Goal.

Shadow Hands Evocation is, despite its name, a charm that exists in the lunar book. Hazel used it quite frequently when she was essence 2, so that she wasn't as awkwardly useless when she was shoving fistfuls of firedust into her gun.

Hence why I thought of the idea of seeing if it was possible to use a demon as a powder monkey to a similar but much narrower effect.

As well as ideas to upgrade reloads and the like through actual Evocatioms of the artifact.

But I do like the idea of trying gain favor from Erembour. As it brings a satisfying payoff to effort and play.











And that is kind of what I thought the social goals were. A shame they took them out thought. However I really like this Flag system you implemented. I think its a great addition, and let's other players know things you want to see so that we can all help each other make the most out of the game. Like, when we notice a character is sort of a third wheel in a situation, we can throw a Compel or incorporate a suitable flag of theirs to help keep them having fun.

For example, I feel I am making Psychie feel pretty bored dragging Spider along on a social trip. And if I knew some flag. I could help make it better for her.


Maybe a legendary social goal could be a Flag that takes multiple smaller flags to complete? Like for John's workshop or Hazels Wizard tower, it would take multiple flags to fulfill their requirements that ultimately add up to something impressive.

 

[Psychie]

Limit Break and that stuff coming up.

 

[D. Rex]

Oh! I understood the need of changing the bond mechanics to adapt to a more sensitive social climate. And more options are almost always a plus, as well as more creative freedom. I just liked the tradeoff nature of it that made you think of whether it was worth it to enter a serious commitment.


Like with Weird Flame! Lol I love that artifact so much, but I can't bring myself to make the sacrifice required to really run with it.


That said I still love the Solar Lunar bond. And always thought it was something fun to explore the depths of it.


Speaking of bonds. I was always curious, can Solar or Lunars have multiple bond mates?

 

[Sherwood]

Speaking of bonds. I was always curious, can Solar or Lunars have multiple bond mates?

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.

 

[Psychie]

In the 2e books, there were many stories of a famous Solar/Lunar pair: Desus and Lilith. Desus was a horrible guy, and would frequently beat the living tar out of Lilith, to the point where she lost at least one baby of his due to the beatings. But as bad as he was to her, she was still drawn to him and kept coming back for more. But if any other Solar tried that with her, she could cut them down.

 

[Sherwood]

Yep. A real winner, that guy Desus. He had mastered the Wife Beating Prana at an early age. Jerk-face.

 

[Sherwood]

That Jerk-face reference was aimed at Desus, not you, Psy. Just wanted to make sure you knew that.