Exalted: The Northern Lights (Exalted 3E Recruitment Thread!)

[Cessali]

I've done a fair amount of Evocations for this game and otherwise.  What's your design intention for the artifact and what strokes (broad or specific) would you like it to do?

[HairyHeretic]

The central theme will be justice. I'm thinking a melee weapon of some kind, maybe a sword, maybe an axe.

For the base invocations I was thinking the weilder would gain something like 'Watchamn's Infallable Eye' for free, but draws the attention of those who are in need of someone to champion their just cause, or puts the wielder in situations where they will encounter such people. Maybe it's a Loom of Fate kinda thing, moving either people or scenes to where they need to be, if that makes sense. In addition,  'Judge's Ear Technique' while they have sworn to champion someone's cause, but only against those Fate decides are involved.

In terms of the more powerful powers, I would like to use elements of Righteous Devil Form and Caress of 1,000 Hells.

"Creation itself seems to hold its breath as the stylist cloaks herself in the majestic and terrible stillness of the Righteous Devil Form. An inescapable gravity seems to exude from her confident, unwavering posture, sending the innocent scurrying away to safety and calling the unjust to reap the whirlwind of judgment they’ve sown. The first time the Righteous Devil enters this form in a fight, she may roll to intimidate all enemies or inspire them with an emotion of shame, guilt, or remorse as appropriate to their sins."



"There is no sin beyond redemption in the fres stoked by the Righteous Devil. The Caress of 1,000 Hells sets an enemy ablaze with the fres of judgment, engulfing him in a swirling vortex of cobalt and gold flames. Within this hellish pyre, disembodied voices recount his sins and misdeeds, and offer him a single choice—repent, or burn."

This second one is the ultimate level power, one final chance to turn themselves around, and take the path of righteousness.

I've one or two other bits floating around, but that's the crux of it.

[Cessali]

Would take some jiggering around, but is broadly feasible -- the weapon sounds like starmetal-orichalcum, for the truthseeking and darknesspunishing elements.  Inspire those who need a champion to seek you out, attract the darkness to you for reckoning, possible options for expiation for those who might wish to turn from their ways.

The Judge's Ear-alike may be a bit much to add to the repetoire -- I'd want the determination of Truth to remain within the wheelhouse of the PC's capacities, rather than within a weapon's -- but when we're all settled here, I'll poke out some Evocations in free time.

[HairyHeretic]

If you look at Panthers story in canon, you have a strong theme of redemption, a life full of mistakes. A Zenith can provide that option of redemption, a chance for a new beginning for anyone who genuinely seeks it. I think that would be an element within the orichalcum.

[Cessali]

Absolutely!  Defend the weak, spare the penitent, punish the wicked, and draw those who need aid to you -- or you to those who need aid -- all of that seems legit.  The only thing in particular I'm not sure there's thematic space for in this weapon is the Judge's Ear truth-measuring Charm, and that mostly because we're emphasizing the Shining Wandering Defender over the Mysterious Justice-Dispatching Wanderer.  If you want to be sure that you only attract people who -need- protection from, we could bake that into the initial effects -- something perhaps about sharing Principles, or only attracting those whose Principles are not in stark opposition to your own.

Granted, this could readily change if Arms of the Chosen opens things much more in 3E, but until then!

EDIT: And, if I'm going to be honest, I don't think the ability to measure deliberate lies from truths is good design space for a weapon that isn't -specifically- about playing with the definition of true and false, fact or fiction.  Definitely in line with Solar Charms, though.

[HairyHeretic]

I can pick that up as a charm instead then. I was trying to find elements that seemed to fit the theme of it.

[AndyZ]

Just to check: Zaer, would you object if there's another assassin?  I would imagine that Jarick could easily give us jobs big enough for both of us to work together...

[Cessali]

I figured as much on the testing the waters, yeah.  Better to air things out beforehand and all that so expectations are all on the level.

If there's anyone else who's been thinking about putting a character up but hasn't, please say so!  I'll be closing new entries on 11:59 PM CST on December 12th, as it looks like we have a decent new batch of folks.  From there, we'll get to the nitty gritty of putting characters together.

[Arsene]

Everyone's characters are really cool so far! I think there's especially neat potential for Isbjorn and Smiling Grave to have cool interactions, given Grave's Dreamseer position.

[HairyHeretic]

The icewalkers do have a healthy respect for the shaman types, yes :)

[Crash]

Jarick - Are you still accepting?

[Cessali]

I am, but I've only got about five slots to add to the game.  For anyone who I end up having say no to, though, I am very much open to having people on an alternates/waiting list for the oft-inevitable case of player attrition, and it's not like I'm asking people to build full characters of yet.

[Crash]

No worries.

[Zaer Darkwail]

Just to check: Zaer, would you object if there's another assassin?  I would imagine that Jarick could easily give us jobs big enough for both of us to work together...

I am not against for another assassin but if your char is from Nexus then it's quaranteed that they know about each other (if reputation alone as my char alias was Nightowl but it's possible they have met even while both were wearing masks on job and such).

[HairyHeretic]

;D

[Zaer Darkwail]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dc1XyDsZuDU

[Jefepato]

Name: Virtuous Promise
Caste: Twilight
Supernal: Investigation.
Why are they in Crystal? Crystal has better libraries than her hometown.  Yes, even though it's a mining town.  Her hometown sucks.
If this game was a movie, what would your character's cool scene or witty exchange be in the trailer?

Virtue frowned at the two men brought before her.  "What's this supposed to be about, then?"

"This ruffian attacked me!" the finely-dressed man proclaimed.  "I demand that he repay my damages -- no, triple damages --"

"Quiet."  She cut him off bluntly.  "What's your end of the story?"

"I was just asking for spare silvers," the other man, obviously poorer (dressed in rags, no less), insisted.  "He hit me first!  I never meant to fight him!"

"Okay.  And your 'damages?'" she asked, glancing to the other.

"He bruised me, here, when he assaulted me," he replied, pointing to his cheek.  It was a little discolored, if she squinted at it.

"Yeah, I get it.  He's lying," she pointed with her staff to the well-dressed man.  "The beggar told the truth.  Show this foreigner how we handle justice in Perrin's Crossing.  Virtue paused as the older men caught hold of the liar by both arms and began to drag him.  "No broken bones!  Well, maybe a rib or two, but nothing serious.  Minor offenses aren't a death penalty under my watch, and the weather's harsh out there tonight."

They quailed slightly under her glare, but nodded back sullenly, and hauled the screaming man away.

"You can't do this!  You can't do this to me!"

Virtue smirked at him.  "Sit back, and you'll see exactly what we can do to you here.  It'll all be over soon.  And stop whining, you're only embarrassing yourself."

His cries faded away into the distance, and she sighed.  She loved Perrin's Crossing, but she seriously needed to get away from this small-town crap.

They always thought she was young and naive, just because she was -- well, young, yes -- and kinda pretty.  Well, she'd teach them better, as many times as she needed to.

What's your favorite part of Exalted? I like the look of the new combat system, although I haven't played it yet.
What's your least favorite part of Exalted? I haven't played it yet either, but I really hate the new crafting system (already stated why upthread).

[Re Z L]

Name:  Dusk-Heralding Witch

Caste:  Twilight

Supernal:  Craft

Why are they in Crystal? 
Jibei's national treasures includes both the weaponsmiths at their disposal and the rare metals that they plunder from the underwater mines within their control.  The Witch stole away both such things from under the nose of Sword Prince Gensuji--after all she used to be one of those famed weaponsmiths.  Escaping north and east she left as much confusion in her wake as she could--giving the Hundred Kingdoms (frequent victims of Jibei raids) some information about the city's plans, as well as leaving subtle defects in the eastern defense-line that kept out raiding barbarians from the thick jungles of the east.  Making for the north, and the city of Chanta, she hid within the tree-city for a time until she was able to procure two things:  the assistance of a wood elemental and a small supply of Ironwood.  While obtained legitimately many thought she had somehow stolen it--and enslaved a servant of the forest--and so she was forced to cut her stay short and escape even farther to the north.  Having heard the stories of the famed Feathersteel she decided that she needed to acquire some for herself.  Rather than deal with the Haslanti directly it seemed more prudent to find some for herself and the small city of Crystal made itself an obvious choice.

If this game was a movie, what would your character's cool scene or witty exchange be in the trailer?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2cv2ueYnKjg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_g85U_MjrZY

What's your favorite part of Exalted?
The surprising diversity of the themes available to play and the high-magic and adventure that it presents.  Few other games give you the opportunity to fight gargantuan behemoths of world-ending potential in the way that Exalted allows.

What's your least favorite part of Exalted?
The crunch of the game can sometimes be cumbersome.  The third edition seems to have greatly improved upon this by flat-out removing a number of concepts/rules from the former edition, but still a number of the rules can make certain concepts more difficult than others.

[Cessali]

Looks good -- thanks!  Adding Dusk to the list of submissions.

[Cessali]

We've got a solid number of interested people, so this is a reminder that we will close applications at 11:59 PM today Wednesday the 14th.  From there, I expect a few days of work and decision and Christmassing, but I'll hope to start getting back to people before the weekend is fully over.

[AndyZ]

Seems like we have a large group set up.  It may be best for me to just bow and let others take the spots.

[Cessali]

Recruitment officially closed.  Thanks to everyone who's stopped by and/or submitted a character; I'll be in touch by PMs soon to get this party started.