Exalted 3rd ed. [Interest Check]

[hellrazoromega]

Children of the Sun

I am looking for interest 3e game which involves a group of newly Exalted Solars who have been dreaming about a location in the jungles of the southeast. Said location being the hidden tomb of a Circle slain shortly after the Usurpation. Said Solars were buried in the tomb they had prepared for their eventual demise so as not to anger their ghosts. However, during the beginning of the Usurpation this Circle, who was not at the great convocation, was able to make some last minute tweaks to their tomb knowing their ends were drawing near.

Fate and circumstance would lead the newly minted Solars to arrive at the aforementioned location and almost exactly the same time---because without coincidence most epic fantasy would just never be. From that point I would expect the characters to act based on their backgrounds and intimacies. I neither want nor expect the characters to become instant friends but I also don't want everyone to be at each others throats simply because it inverts the Friends With a Stranger trope. I will say that all of the characters will be familiar with each other in the same way a person might vaguely recall an relative they have not seen since they were children. The familiarity may be more with some of the characters if we work that out in back story. Upon arrival the resonance of this exact set of Solar Essenses will be the "key" needed to unlock the tomb revealing some goodies and secrets for the Solars to ferret out and from there said adventure would ensue.

And no, said Circle need not be a "Perfect" Circle.

Map of Creation with the approximate staring location marked with the red arrow.

Map

1. The game is open to any and all.
2.Since this is 3rd ed and no other official rule sets exist only Solars will be allowed. All characters will be as is from the book for a starting character. I want to try the rules but if we get into this thing and decide tweaks are warranted then we can cross that bridge.
3. I want to work with players to have fun and interesting Evocations for their artifacts. I am usually open and easygoing but be forewarned if you ask for something extreme or unreasonable in my judgement, I will likely allow it but the enemies will just get nastier (I urge everyone not to do that to your fellow players). Yes, I will warn you should I think you are being unreasonable but as I said I am pretty easygoing.
4. I am a very open, free-form GM, while there are lots of things going on in the world I prefer for things to be player driven. That means that while I will offer up plots for the players I am more than OK if all of that is ignored and the characters go off on their own adventures. In other words just because the PCs hear about an evil despot oppressing a village nearby, they should not feel compelled to do anything about it. (Other than the fact that they are supposed to be heroes and all).
5. I would prefer the characters are the flawed heroes Solars are supposed to be so I will be disinclined to allow any "evil" characters. Messed up, broken, tormented, and other such things are expected and welcome so long as they are not disruptive to the fun of the game.
6. I would like some solid backgrounds explaining intimacies as these are going to be used to shape the opportunities presented in the game, whether or not these opportunities are acted on is up to the players. But leaving some undealt with could be dangerous in the long term.
7. I am open 6 or 7 players whom I will chose based on back story. I would like a well-rounded party, expect intrigue, social interactions, combat, political maneuvering, skulduggery, and more in on particular order of precedence.
8. Nothing above or below is set in stone I am open to suggestions, changes, and the like. Outside of the rules of the site I have only two hard rules and those are--- 1. Understand before seeking to be understood and, 2. We can agree to disagree, so long as we do so agreeably.
9. The amount of naughtiness is open to negotiation. However, the game will contain adult themes and events.

Some other images which evoke the feel I am going for.

Image one

Image two

Image three

Thanks for reading and, with luck, game on!!

[AndyZ]

[Pumpkin Seeds]

Ooooooohhh..pretty picture.

[HairyHeretic]

Interested :) First choice would be my Eclipse, but I also have a couple of other ideas I could flesh out.

[Re Z L]

Definitely interested, and would probably go Night given the opportunity

Is there a particular direction you plan on taking the story in terms of theme?  It looks like we're starting out in some kind of dungeon exploration...  Is this high adventure or are we thinking of starting or settling into a city/region?  It sounds like you're pretty open in terms of where things go after the beginning of the game so maybe better to discuss with the other players/interested people.  :D

[AndyZ]

I think I'll go for a Dawn, if that's okay by everyone.

[Empyrean]

Noting my interest. I need practice with 3rd ed, and I'm thinking of making a Twilight. Possibly crafter. Or sorcerer. Or Sorcerer-crafter! :P

[Pumpkin Seeds]

Not sure what I'd want.  Might just go for a Zenith martial artist.

[hellrazoromega]

Definitely interested, and would probably go Night given the opportunity

Is there a particular direction you plan on taking the story in terms of theme?  It looks like we're starting out in some kind of dungeon exploration...  Is this high adventure or are we thinking of starting or settling into a city/region?  It sounds like you're pretty open in terms of where things go after the beginning of the game so maybe better to discuss with the other players/interested people.  :D

I have a few ideas but nothing set in stone. As you say, I kinda of want to test the water and see what the final roster of players would like. I really like when players have long term goals, or story hooks built into their background so I can queue off of those.

Noting my interest. I need practice with 3rd ed, and I'm thinking of making a Twilight. Possibly crafter. Or sorcerer. Or Sorcerer-crafter! :P

Ditto on the practice. I think I have a pretty good grasp on things but as the book is quite a beast, hopefully everyone will bear with me.  ;)


Those who have expressed interest so far are free to start working up backstory ideas. Questions, if there are any, are welcome.

Oh, one other note in the event anyone withdraws interest (hopefully not) and there is anything I could have done differently I welcome constrictive feedback, just PM me. ;D. I know there are many reasons people drop but I hate when the drop without at least the barest of explanations, I can't help but feel I could have made a change. I don't expect details I just want to be sure it is not something I did (or did not) do.

Also during the summer months Saturday is my meat space tabletop night, so my communication may be spotty in the afternoon and evening on that day.

[Muse]

Good evening everyone! 

I'd love to play. 

I'm particularly interested in someone along the line of a warrior-scholar: AKA, an educated person with some melee skill who has learned Sorcery under the tutelage of an ifrit, 

[hellrazoromega]

Sweet, I am interested to see what people come up with for backstories.

[Pumpkin Seeds]

I still need to do some more reading on the current setting in 3rd edition.  Leaning toward doing something with a former monk of the Realm, if they still have the whole monastery tradition, that Exalted while on a pilgrimage through the Scavenger Lands. 

[hellrazoromega]

I still need to do some more reading on the current setting in 3rd edition.  Leaning toward doing something with a former monk of the Realm, if they still have the whole monastery tradition, that Exalted while on a pilgrimage through the Scavenger Lands. 

Yes that works the base setting has not changed a great deal. Some of the details but the overall setting is the same. I might house rule some setting tweaks but if I do I'll be as up front as I can about them.The Immaculates, the vanished Empress, brewing civil war, the default setting is rather close to the setting of 2nd ed. However, I think I will advance things a bit to place things further along, perhaps with the first salvos of the Civil War being fired. This would mean Dragon-Blooded interference will be highly unlikely so far East as they have bigger fish to fry unless a certain group of someone draws a great deal of attention by ther actions. This is not to say there won't be any Dragon-Bloods after you just not a concentrated effort at first.


Love the pic BTW.

[Pumpkin Seeds]

Thinking maybe she was part of a religious procession that was guarding a relic of some sort.  Perhaps a weapon or something that belonged to one of her previous lives (after she Exalts). 

[Zaer Darkwail]

I voice interest as well! Not sure of caste yet, but idea is based on below pic (sword which he holds is a jade daiklave);

Solar

Overall idea so far is a person who was born to one great houses at Realm, but did not exalt but graduated from House of Bells and he was in patrol in Threshold when shit hit the fan hard on unit he was leading (and dragon-blood commander got croaked), so he saved his unit's life against a angry monster/fair folk, but upon exaltation he just left his unit and because of bonds with him and also for him saving their and commander's ass they did not fight him but he is definately wanted and known anathema in the Realm (and his house placed bounty on him). So thus he uses sort half-mask over his face to conceal his features so is not that easily recognized.

[AndyZ]

Rules clarification request: short daiklaives come in pairs, so does the attunement cost likewise come as a pair, or do you have to attune each one for the usual cost?

[Pumpkin Seeds]

We should Exalt together Zaer!  Not sure if that's done.

[AndyZ]

We should Exalt together Zaer!  Not sure if that's done.

Heh, would actually be amusing and cool if both of you go Zenith but fit in completely different concepts.

[Zaer Darkwail]

We should Exalt together Zaer!  Not sure if that's done.

I am up for it ;). So you planned also for play a unexalted dynast then? I am leaning to martial inclined Zenith or to a Dawn caste (or Eclipse). I am okay with any great houses which you had in mind to have connection to. Or did you think your char is from Realm but not part of dynast household?

[AndyZ]

I was planning on taking the Dawn, if that's cool with you, Zaer.

[Pumpkin Seeds]

Probably not from a House.  Just a simple monk from the Immaculate Order.

[Zaer Darkwail]

I was planning on taking the Dawn, if that's cool with you, Zaer.

I am cool with it, albeit Hell did mention the circle does not need be perfect :P. There are various kind warriors after all. Just still debate on the caste.

Probably not from a House.  Just a simple monk from the Immaculate Order.

Ok, so how you think your char got involved with my char and did we both exalt in same battlefield? Perhaps my char was part of regiment send to retrieve the relic which your char had been guarding as a monk?

[Pumpkin Seeds]

I was thinking that.  Maybe he was assigned to help the monks guard the artifact or maybe he had learned the monks were ambushed and went out to help.  Be interesting if she was the "monster" that had him Exalt but doubt she was that powerful at the time.  Oh...

What if she was with the group that was guarding the artifact and the bandits attacked.  She Exalted defending the artifact, perhaps gaining a glimpse of the Sun's majesty as she grasped the item to take it away from the bandits.  He was called out to search for the lost artifact and when they arrived another creature of might had arrived in response to her Exalting.  They fight the beast, your character Exalts and mine emerges after surviving in some nearby caves.


Also to be fair if there can be two Zeniths there can be two Dawn.

[Zaer Darkwail]

Also to be fair if there can be two Zeniths there can be two Dawn.

*nods*

Your idea is good, I think you exalted first with bandits trying take sacred relic and succeed fend off bandits. My char arrives because of distress message about bandits but when he arrives a bigger monster (perhaps demon, ogre, etc) had appeared to strike you when you were weakened and drained from essence and monster sought slaugther innocent monks. So my char and company interfered and fight was going sour for them until he exalted, then they both depart from the scene (and take relic away as it's perhaps solar artifact).

[AndyZ]

Also to be fair if there can be two Zeniths there can be two Dawn.

Zeniths have a lot more stuff that they handle besides combat.  It's kinda like how you can have two Twilights handle crafting and sorcery and not tread on each other.