Exalted: War Manse 13 (Exalted, all welcome, seeking GM/Players)

[HairyHeretic]

I've been poking this around for a few days, and the idea does appeal.

I'll probably set up a proper players wanted thread in the next couple of days, but I wanted to outline my initial ideas here.

First up, game format .. freeform or 2nd ed. It sounds like 2nd ed is fairly popular, and most people seem to have access to the books. For those that don't, I'm sure Muse will be only too happy to help get characters established :)

Characters .. two groups to choose from.
On one side, the original inhabitants of the Manse. Outcaste dragonbloods, god blooded, sea folk or heroic mortals. I like the idea of having a pool of henchmen around. People could play these as secondary characters or add them to missions as NPCs. That way you could, if you so wanted, have two or even more characters off running different missions in different teams at the one time.

The outsiders. Solars and maybe a single Lunar. Possibly a Sidereal NPC who will be helping to steer these two groups together to start with and pulling the occasional string of Fate to keep them all hidden as long as possible.

Theme of the game. The Manse will be the focus of the game, and the home base. The PCs will have a variety of different missions they can take on to help rebuild this bastion of civilisation and form a base to eventually spread their influence further. There will be threats to face, challenges to overcome and rewards to be gained.

But the players will have to drive the story. You want to get the factory cathedral back up and running? Yeah, that's a great idea. How are you going to go about it? Bargain with spirits for First Age knowledge. Luck across a shipwrecked sailor who tells you of the savant capture by the pirates nearby. Now you have the brains, what about the material? Old stories tell of the other manses in the chain. No one has heard anything of them in centuries. They might be stripped bare .. or they might not. You'll never know til you go and look.

I'll set up a variety of plot ideas and hooks, but I will expect the players to drive the direction of the game.

How does that sound?

[Idej]

I like this and I can get Cynthia adapted to this and present an idea for approval. :)

I'll start getting her worked on again.

[Pumpkin Seeds]

So we are making an insider and outsider?

[HairyHeretic]

That's up to yourself. Some people might want to play only a single character, others might want half a dozen :) I would say 1 Exalt, of whatever type you want. Secondary characters of maybe lesser power.

[AndyZ]

What's our starting level?  Default character creation?

[HairyHeretic]

I'd want to refresh myself on 2ND ed character generation first. I'm open to suggestions though.

[Lustful Bride]

I don't know much about the system so people might have to be patient with me as we play. :P

[HairyHeretic]

That shouldn't be a problem :)

[Idej]

Are we allowing merits and flaws from Scroll of Heroes?

[HairyHeretic]

Very likely. I'll want to check with Muse about the rules he was suggesting and I'll confirm specific stuff once the thread proper goes up.

[Chajesdad]

I have a few potential Dragonblooded ideas if this is still open. Nixing the Immaculate faith, how are we running sorcery here below the sea? Have we a number of lost spells? All of these questions are pending whether or not this is still an open concept for new characters.

[Muse]

  This is very exciting! 

  I hope you decide to go with my idea of using Lookshy Character creation for the dragon blooded, with maybe a bit of experience. 

  How may I help, Hairy?  :)

[HairyHeretic]

Yeah, we couldn't use standard DB character gen for this, but I'd want to refresh my memory on the Lookshy rules before deciding on specific changes. Sorcery is another thing I'll need to think on.

If you're good to help with optimising characters and general rules stuff, at least to get started, that would be a big help. I know you're fairly well versed on the revised 2nd ed stuff.

[Muse]

Will be a pleasure. 

Not sure where to start short of fieling questions for all and sundry.  :)

[AndyZ]

I'll see what all we have for chargen options, but I can very easily see Infinite Sky working for this game.  (Muse knows who that is.)

[Idej]

I have a Solar almost done.  Would like to have a Sidereal mentor for some guidance and help lol

[Chajesdad]

Have we accepted the chargen for Lookshy for the Manse DBs?

[Muse]

Hairy still needs to look at it last I heard. 

[HairyHeretic]

Yeah, looking at it now.

Characters originating in Lookshy begin with 35 points in Abilities, 13 of which must be distributed among Aspect and Favored Abilities. Again, no Ability may exceed three dots without spending bonus points to do so. Characters born in Lookshy must have a minimum of Archery 2, Linguistics 3, Lore 2, Martial Arts 2, Melee 2, Performance 1, Presence 1, Ride 1, Stealth 1 and War 2.

I'm okay with the abilities, but I'll want to change the required skills around to better reflect their home and how they were raised. This is my provisional thoughts but I'm willing to discuss adding, removing or changing them.

Presence 1 - The DBs are seen as the natural leaders of the Manse
Survival 1 -
Craft 2 - Keeping all the old tech going is everyone's duty, and those best able to do it are expected to shoulder their share, or more if they can.
Lore 2 - Same as the above
Linguistics 1 - Old Realm
Sail - 1

Other changes
Backing - Initially not, as they're isolated. There's no one for them to have the backing of.
Command - Limited to 2.
Resources - 2 . Effectively the place is being run as a military outpost still, so actual wealth is fairly much unused, expect on rare occasions that you might somehow be trading with the outside.

Muse, any suggestions?

I'm still thinking about how best to handle spells. I'm open to ideas if anyone wants to use them though, explaining how they've been able to learn them.

[Lustful Bride]

I am thinking of playing an Air aspect DB or a Twilight Solar. Possibly working in the Manse's oxygen system/med center.

[Chajesdad]

     The Linguistics 3 requirement was due to the requirement for Wind-Carried Words Charm. Though making the Old Realm a requirement makes sense.

[Idej]

Since this based off of the fact that the manse is isolated and stuck in Old Realm ways, learning via the Deliberative ways for Sorcery would be appropriate.  You should find that stuff in the White Treatise.

For those Solar Exalted, that is a tad complicated but basically do what you normally would in a normal game.

Spells, I would say the War Manse has more accessibility in spell knowledge, unless per say you are a Sidereal and the such lol.

I want to be an Eclipse Caste Solar who has a Sidereal mentor, and has the Past Lives Merit of Kendik Arkadi, the Grand Admiral of the Deliberative Navy.

[HairyHeretic]

I am thinking of playing an Air aspect DB or a Twilight Solar. Possibly working in the Manse's oxygen system/med center.

I was initially toying with the idea of no native Solars in the manse to start with. It gives Solars from the outside a bit more prestige with the Manse inhabitants that way.

     The Linguistics 3 requirement was due to the requirement for Wind-Carried Words Charm. Though making the Old Realm a requirement makes sense.

I'll check if I want to make that charm a requirement later.

Since this based off of the fact that the manse is isolated and stuck in Old Realm ways, learning via the Deliberative ways for Sorcery would be appropriate.  You should find that stuff in the White Treatise.

Cheers, I'll look that over later. I have to head out to run some errands soon.

For those Solar Exalted, that is a tad complicated but basically do what you normally would in a normal game.

Yeah, that's what I'm thinking.

Spells, I would say the War Manse has more accessibility in spell knowledge, unless per say you are a Sidereal and the such lol.

Possibly :) Still kicking that one around.

I want to be an Eclipse Caste Solar who has a Sidereal mentor, and has the Past Lives Merit of Kendik Arkadi, the Grand Admiral of the Deliberative Navy.

Sidereal mentor might be tricky ... or might also be a good hook to bring the solars to the Manse in the first place. Let me think on it.

[Idej]

This would also allow such things as the Cult of the Illuminated which was a Gold Faction Sidereal group meant to train Solars into good stewards.  Even if you don't necessarily want to use the Cult of the Illuminated, a Gold Faction Sidereal involved would help in the Yu-Shan aspect of things.  Prevents the Manse from being noticed from Bronze Faction supporters or at least a hopeful.

And like you said, might be helpful to get the Solars there :)

[Chajesdad]

      As a war manse that survived the usurpation relatively intact, it may be 'outside of fate'. There is a quality that allows the manse to not be affected by Fate shaping effects as well as not be noticed by the Loom of Fate.