The Best Laid Plans of Gods and Men [Sidereals - Exalted 3e]

[Sherwood]

Instead of a parent figure, I could be more of an aide to the Sidereal players, not quite a servant, but second rank to the 'main' characters of the other Exalts.

 

[Epiphany]

I've yet to see an instance of someone playing a subordinate DB role that didn't end up with frustration somewhere. It's a tricky balancing element.

Relative to most players, I'm particularly fond of IC relationships between PCs (as most of the folks who've gamed with me know). Some 'obvious' concept suggestions include:
1. Make the DB literally the dad/mom of one of the PCs. Which would call for some comedy.
2. Sibling might work too but is generally trickier to do.
3. Have the DB be dating/married to one of the Sidereal PCs. The DB offers some setting legitimacy for the Sidereals when needed, and they're positively motivated to keep working with the Sidereal Fellowship not just because of duty or obligation but out of love.

To varying degrees, these concepts could also work for playing a Lunar working with Sidereals (2 and 3 anyway) and would also be a decent sidestep for why they would.

 

[Random Word]

Maybe it's just a side effect of this massive cold I'm currently down with, or maybe I'm missing something, but I'm not too sure how I feel about a Dragon-blooded being the team parent for our Sidereal fellowship.

Agreed. A team parent has a big impact on the flow of the game, and I'm not thrilled by the idea.

Alright, then that idea's out! Thanks for speaking up.

 

[Random Word]

Instead of a parent figure, I could be more of an aide to the Sidereal players, not quite a servant, but second rank to the 'main' characters of the other Exalts.

I've yet to see an instance of someone playing a subordinate DB role that didn't end up with frustration somewhere. It's a tricky balancing element.

Relative to most players, I'm particularly fond of IC relationships between PCs (as most of the folks who've gamed with me know). Some 'obvious' concept suggestions include:
1. Make the DB literally the dad/mom of one of the PCs. Which would call for some comedy.
2. Sibling might work too but is generally trickier to do.
3. Have the DB be dating/married to one of the Sidereal PCs. The DB offers some setting legitimacy for the Sidereals when needed, and they're positively motivated to keep working with the Sidereal Fellowship not just because of duty or obligation but out of love.

To varying degrees, these concepts could also work for playing a Lunar working with Sidereals (2 and 3 anyway) and would also be a decent sidestep for why they would.

I'm fine with all of this. Sherwood If you can come up with a plot justification that all the other players are excited about for why your <Insert Exalt Type That Isn't A Sidereal Here> is involved with the fellowship, then we'll go with it. Otherwise, your name is down if anyone can't play.

 

[Sherwood]

Thanks for the feedback, Epiphany. So this now raises the question of, is there anyone that would like to be related to or otherwise involved in a relationship with either a DB, Lunar, or a Solar? If there are no takers, I guess I will be forced to bow out of this one.

Epiphany Esbilon jaydude Rykon Empyreal1

 

[Esbilon]

Random Word Are you thinking this should be a perfect circle of Sidereals or is it fine to have multiples of one caste?

I'm currently thinking of a Chosen of Endings whose community has suffered a lot at the hands of the Lintha and who has fought back as a guerrilla fighter/counter-pirate.

 

[Random Word]

I will not mandate there be a perfect circle, but I will say whoever locks in a caste first can veto a second choice of that caste if they feel the second character overlaps too heavily with their own and that makes them unhappy. If you do end up doubling up on castes regardless, then I see no reason Sherwood can't play a sixth Sidereal if there are no objections.

 

[Epiphany]

I've got a prospective planning doc that folks are welcome to use or not. It's something I've done in past games purely for planning purposes, mostly so folks can see who's doing what (and if there are obvious niches to fill).

Link is:

Also, 4 of us share the same Discord server and have been talking there. If anyone here has Discord and would like an invite, hit me up and I'll PM you an invite (assuming RPN still has a ban on Discord links in Interest Checks).

 

[Epiphany]

For an example of how others have done this kind of sheet in the past:

 

[Rykon]

I'll probably change up the martial arts styles since Scarlet Patterned Battlefield isn't around to do silly things with Citrine Poxes of Contagion style this time around, but yeah it's looking like I'll end up in House of Battles.

As for Sherwood, I wouldn't mind having a comrade of a sort I've enlisted as a partner in crime. Last time I ran Tien he was Bronze Faction, but don't let that forc your decision Sherwood This is a new game after all.

 

[Sherwood]

I'll probably change up the martial arts styles since Scarlet Patterned Battlefield isn't around to do silly things with Citrine Poxes of Contagion style this time around, but yeah it's looking like I'll end up in House of Battles.

As for Sherwood, I wouldn't mind having a comrade of a sort I've enlisted as a partner in crime. Last time I ran Tien he was Bronze Faction, but don't let that forc your decision Sherwood This is a new game after all.

A partner in crime? I can go with that. I'm flexible as to what kind of Exalt I play here, so the question falls back to you for what would you like to hang out with? If you are looking for a literal crime partner, I can see a Solar or Lunar fitting in well in that role.

 

[Sherwood]

What starting Essence are we going with? Is it the standard E1, or are we going to be advanced with E2?

 

[Random Word]

You would need a really compelling story for how a Solar is welcome in Yu-Shan, or the entire fellowship will have to work overtime keeping the Solar out of their reports and the reports of every god you interact with if they don't want to get audited. I won't say you can't pull it off, but I know Esbilon in particular is sensitive to internal consistency, so you'll need to persuade me and everyone else to sign off on something like that, and it's not even unlikely some other PCs might be opposed to a Solar's continued existence. DB is easy to integrate, Exigent is easy, Lunar is difficult, Solar is narrative hard mode. A Celestial could live in the Coral Archipelago, and Tien is picking them up for the ride on the way through, but that doesn't solve the having to hide you problem, and if the fellowship goes back to Yu-Shan and then through a different gate, you're left behind unless they smuggle you through.

 

[Sherwood]

Ok, good point. I'll work on some ideas and see what I can come up with. It may be easier to just go with a DB.

 

[Epiphany]

Solar would be challenging for sure. A Lunar feels conceptually doable, though. Perhaps one who is an operative of the Bureau of Nature in Yu-Shan, giving them legal pretext for walking in Heaven (assuming that hasn't been changed). A married Sidereal/Lunar pair, especially if joined by a Lover's Oath, would be a potent team and one the Bureau of Destiny would have at least some tolerance for, given the irreplaceable capabilities of Luna's Chosen as long as loyalty isn't too much of a concern.

If you want a spouse, Sherwood, I'm game! If you'd rather go partners in crime with Rykon, that's fine too!

...If you'd like to do *both*, hey, why not?

I still have only the inklings of a character concept still or I'd have a more formal pitch for you.

On an unrelated topic, anyone planning to do Sorcery? Jaydude?

 

[Rykon]

In my case, I wasn't intending to dabble in literal crime, but I'll have to see where the cards fall on character building. If it helps with brainstorming, Tien is a Battles division Sidereal, so perhaps a warrior or espionage type would make the most sense.

At the moment I'm leaning SPSitV style as a baseline, but I've got a lot of information to comb through to see what will work well together.

 

[Sherwood]

Solar would be challenging for sure. A Lunar feels conceptually doable, though. Perhaps one who is an operative of the Bureau of Nature in Yu-Shan, giving them legal pretext for walking in Heaven (assuming that hasn't been changed). A married Sidereal/Lunar pair, especially if joined by a Lover's Oath, would be a potent team and one the Bureau of Destiny would have at least some tolerance for, given the irreplaceable capabilities of Luna's Chosen as long as loyalty isn't too much of a concern.

If you want a spouse, Sherwood, I'm game! If you'd rather go partners in crime with Rykon, that's fine too!

...If you'd like to do *both*, hey, why not?

I still have only the inklings of a character concept still or I'd have a more formal pitch for you.

On an unrelated topic, anyone planning to do Sorcery? Jaydude?

I like the spouse idea, and I am pondering a No Moon Loremaster/Sorcerer. That would make for a potent team-up.

 

[Epiphany]

You would need a really compelling story for how a Solar is welcome in Yu-Shan, or the entire fellowship will have to work overtime keeping the Solar out of their reports and the reports of every god you interact with if they don't want to get audited.

Sidereal #1: Damn, that was a hell of a party.
Sidereal #2: Whoa, what are you doing in my office? Wait, what am I doing in my office?
Sidereal #3: Why are you all wearing matching...what is that?
Solar: Looks like Chayan fashion, actually. Where'd you get it?
Sidereal #2: Sweet Sextes Jylis, what are *you* doing in my office?
Solar: Is that where I am?
Sidereal #1: ...you're a Solar?
Solar: Uh, why would you say that?
Sidereal #3: Um...
Sidereal #1: Someone drew a Solar Caste Mark. On your forehead. In crayon.
Solar: ...
Sidereal #1: With a happy face.
Solar : Seriously?
Sidereal #3: Were you at the Carnival of Meeting last night?
Solar: Was that last night?
Celestial Lion: HO THERE, VIZIERS.
Solar: Pasiap's Thighs, what the hell is that?
Sidereal #2: Celestial Lion. Which is weird, they don't usually come into-
Celestial Lion: YOU HAVE AN ASSIGNMENT IN THE WEST. HERE ARE YOUR ORDERS.
Sidereal #2: ...why do they say we're supposed to take the Solar with us?
Solar: How wasted were we last night?
Celestial Lion: BECAUSE OF WHAT YOU DID.
Sidereal #1: ...Wait, what did we do?
Sidereal #2: Pretty wasted from the sounds of it...
Celestial Lion: I HOPE YOU'RE PROUD OF YOURSELVES.
Sidereal #1: ...
Sidereal #2:...
Solar: ...Was he crying?
Sidereal #3: Wait, *how* wasted were we last night? These orders have an Eclipse Caste oath binding indicator checked.
Sidereal #2: How? Eclipses haven't been part of Yu-Shan Bureaucracy in-
Sidereal #1: And that's ever been a reason for anyone to update the paperwork?
Sidereal #2: Shut up.
Solar: What's going on?
Sidereal #3: Hey, have you guys looked out the window?
Sidereal #1: ...
Solar: ...What am I looking at?
Sidereal #2: Isn't the Auspicious Icons Asunder Manse supposed to be right over there?
Sidereal #3: Yes.
Sidereal #1: ...Isn't that your Manse?
Sidereal #3: YES.
Solar: Dude, who took your Manse?
Sidereal #3: HOW WASTED WERE WE LAST NIGHT?

etc. etc. etc.

 

[Random Word]

That was a thing of beauty, thank you.

 

[Sherwood]

So, are we going to go with Essence 1 or 2?

 

[Random Word]

E1 remains the default. If there is a unanimous vote in favour of a higher Essence, we will play with a higher Essence. Given Empyreal is learning Exalted mechanics for the first time, keep in mind increasing the starting Essence may make their task more challenging, but that doesn't mean it's forbidden.

 

[Sherwood]

Understood.

 

[Epiphany]

Yeah, we might as well plan to go E1. It's been ages since I played a genuinely newbie Sidereal anyway and my 3e-fu is very weak relative to my 2e or 1e-fu.

I see Auspicious Prospects has been reworked in tihs edition (thankfully, no one's ever really known how to adjudicate it in past editions). I'm still not particularly clear when using it would be relevant, though. Anyone have an example or two of how, say, Auspicious Prospects of Journeys would be worth spending a mote on in play?

 

[Random Word]

Auspicious Prospects of Journeys would be worth spending a mote on in play?

They seem quite strong now. They're basically the, "Hey ST, give me a fun hoop to jump through to reset my powerful Charms, gain a WP, and lose a point of Limit," button, if I recall correctly.

 

[Sherwood]

How do you feel about summoning elementals and/or demons? I'm debating on what spells to pick.