[Recruitment/Interest Check] Exalted 2.5: Return of the Mighty

[Zaer Darkwail]

It was me.  Usually people don't go for the big artifacts to start, especially with new STs.  I'm obviously in the minority, though, so I apologize for worrying people.

True, going big nasty artifacts can make job hard on new ST, depending on case. My char case his strongest item is amulet of shadow walking (other artifact is just razor claws with ability shoot one the razors up to 15 yard and use them like spiderman fashion or like Scorpion to drag people to him). Amulet is strong; gives stealth bonuses, allows be dematerialized state for scene and allows teleport to 1 mile and bring buddy with you (most this stuff works in shadows/darkness though and costs lots motes to use).

Ah whatever. Doesn't matter much anyway. Anyone got a problem with a one armed twilight scavenger?

Not me at least :). My char has some crippling flaws (mute and sun-seared).

[Laughing Hyena]

Hmm... any good artifacts for a scavenger with just one arm?

[Dracorion]

Whew. Finally done with the house rules. They've been added to the third post of the thread for everyone to see.

Actually, since this is my first time trying this and all, I'd like to know what everyone thinks about the house rules. Did I make something too powerful? Does it not fit thematically? I'd like to hear what you all think.

Hyena: I'm sorry, but if you look at the first post in the thread I've already accepted one more player than I originally intended and I'm not taking any more. If anyone drops the game for any reason, you're welcome to step up then.

[Laughing Hyena]

I dont mind making another character just in case but it's cool as Im already aware of that fact

[Dracorion]

Alright, I just wanted to make sure you knew.   ^-^

[Thorn14]

Can I be on the waiting list too?

[Dracorion]

Well, uh, I've got you as one of the players who already has a spot in the game. Are you saying you want to give up that spot and go to the bottom of the waiting list?

[Dracorion]

Right then, AndyZ has just withdrawn to give the people on the waiting list a chance to play, so Hyena, you're up!  ^-^

[Thorn14]

Oh, you have me listed? Alright well, I'll have to think of some character ideas then!

[Dracorion]

Yep. The list as it stands with AndyZ dropped out is:

1. Muse ~ Dawn Caste Solar
2. RSGAlex ~ Eclipse or Wood Aspect
3. Luna ~ Dawn Caste Solar
4. Zaer Darkwail ~ Day Caste Abyssal martial artist
5. Thorn14
6. Marie Reynolds
7. Laughing Hyena ~ One-armed Twilight?

[Muse]

Name:      Whispers on the Night Wind
Player:      Tenshi
Type:          Solar
Caste:         Dawn

Age:         18
Apparent Age:   17
Birthday:      19th of Ascending Wood
Height:      5’
Weight:      100 lbs
Measures:      34C, 22, 32
Skin:         Copper
Hair:         Raven wing with white feather bangles. 
Eyes:         Pools of darkness with golden flecks.
Style:         Minimal clothing when at ease, form fitted orcihaclum lamellar at other times, bare midrifed with hints of flesh between the plates.   

Motivation:   Purge the unrighteous! 

Intimacies: 
--Haltans (Hatred)
--Her henchgirls.  (Love, lust, and loyalty.) 
--Owls
--Her unit’s strix. 
--Linowans (Pride)
--Obsidian Fury (Love, Lust, and Loyalty.) 
--The Free People of Rowandale (Loyalty)

Strength         2
Dexterity         5
Stamina         4

Charisma         3
Manipulation      2
Appearance         4

Perception         3
Intelligence         1
Wits            3

Dawn: 
*Archery         0
*Martial Arts      0
*Melee         4   Dual Wielding X2
*Thrown         4   Hatchets X2
*War            4   Arial Cavalry X2

Zenith
Integrity         1
Performance      0
Presence         1
*Resistance         3
*Survival         4

Twilight
Craft:             2   Cook, Leatherworker
--Water, Wood
Investigation      0
Lore            0
Medicine         1
Occult         0

Night
*Athletics         1
*Awareness         1
Dodge         0
Larceny         0
Stealth         1


Bureaucracy         0
Linguistics         2
Sail            1   Canoe
*Ride            4   Birds
Socialize         0

Compassion         4
Conviction         3
Temperance         2
Valor            4

Virtue Flaw:  Red Rage of Compassion
Limit            10/0

Willpower         8

Essence         2
--Personal Motes      14/14
--Peripheral Motes      41/32
--Committed Motes   9

Charms: 
Melee: 
--Second Melee Excellency: Essence Triumphant
--Dipping swallow defense
--Solar counter attack. 

Resistance
--Ox Body Technique
--Whirlwind Armor Donning Parana

Ride: 
--Master Horseman’s Technique: Harmony of Spirit’s Style, Horse Summoning Whistle

Survival
--Hardship Surviving Mendicant Spirit
--Friendship with Animals Approach
--Spirit Tied Pet

Thrown: 
--First Thrown Excellency: Essence Overwhelming
--Triple Distance Attack Technique

Backgrounds: 
Artifact      3   Lightning Torment Hatchets
Artifact      2   Orichalcum Lamellar
Artifact      3   Skin Mount Amulet (First Age Variant, no repair rating.) 
Cult         1   Shining Hero of Caer Rowandale
Henchgirls      3   
Influence      1   Caer Rowandale
Manse      3   Caer Rowandale/Gem of Resilient Bamboo
Resources      3


Flaws:
--Bad Luck I

--Enemy III:  On a 1-3, Darian Valaro makes a move.   
   Darian Valaro is Whipser’s lunar bond—and slightly more experienced than she.  Unfortunately, he is also a Haltan.  The long standing war between their peoples cannot banish the love and lust between them, but is more than capable of twisting it.  Darian has decided since they’re first encounter that—since he cannot get her out of his dreams—he will ravish her ‘til he’s had his fill.  (When this doesn’t work, he’ll try something more extreme, like taking up residence in one of his manse’s  outside of Haltan territory and taking her as a captive war bride.) 

--Enemy I:  On a 1, Aseena Katakan makes a move. 
   Aseena Katakana is not usualy the jealous sort.  She and Darian Valaro have shared lovers more than once.  They’ve taken others into their bed when apart, and come back together happily. 
   Darian never cried out one of their names in her arms before!  (And she’s a Linowan!) 
   Aseena seethes with jealousy over this, “Night Wind.”  When she finds the girl, she’s going to make her suffer… 
   Aseena won’t kill her, of course, Darian would never forgiver her if she did, but she can make her suffer, right? 

--Vice III: Easily Seduced/Ravished

--Ward II:  On a 1-4 on the dice, one of her henchgirl’s gets into trouble and needs to be rescued. 

Merits:
--Enchanting Features II

Dodge DV      4
Dodge MDV      6

Attacks
--Lighting Torment Hand to Hand
Speed         5
ACC (+2)       13
Damage (+5L)   7L
Defense      12
Parry DV      6
Rate          2
--Lightning Torment Thrown
Speed         5
ACC         12
Damage      7L
Rate         2
Range         20

Soak (Unarmored) 
Bashing      15(4)/6
Lethal         14(4)/6
Aggravated      10(0)/6

Health: 
OK      ( )
-1      ( )( )( )
-2      ( )( )( )( )
-4      ( )
I       ( )
D      ( )( )( )( )

   Whisper’s on the Night Wind is a Linowen.  She was a bit of a tom boy growing up.  Despite being petite, she wrestled with the boys and did as well as the best of them in trials of arms. 

   At nights, she liked to daydream under the stars and try and catch sight of owls.  They were supposed to be harbingers of death, but she loved them anyway.  This was how she got her name. 

   The city state of Raim was a small realm satrapy.  In recent years, the taxes grew heavier and the realm support shrank.  They built an increasingly slave based economy, including raiding neighbors not loyal to the realm. 

   Raim attacked Whisper’s band when she was just 16.  She grabbed for her weapons to fight with the men, but her mother caught her to take some other young women—including her cousin Moonshadow and their friend Gentle Words. 

   When the soldiers came at the shrine, Whispers stood in the door to block them.  Rather than fight her, they pushed down the wooden walls.  The girls all cried out as the small building came down on them.  The floor by the door went out form under Whispers and she fell into an ancient tomb. 

   Something hissed at her in the darkness.  Whispers had no time to make light, she closed her eyes and defended herself with her tomahawks.  One bit into the mighty ghost even as its claws scored her shoulder. 

   How will you change the world? The words were but an inquisitive whisper, but they went right to her soul and gently resonate their still. 

   Then there was light! 

   Whispers glowed brilliant golden as she cut down the massive hungry ghost.  When it fell, it broke open the sarcophagus revealing powerful artifacts that seemed sure to fit her. 

   By the time Whispers climbed out of the tomb with the new armor, her village had been carried away by the men of Raim.  Still new to her power, she hesitated to follow them.  Amongst the artifacts was an emerald set into a sunburst.  She had yet to discern its use.  After many prayers, she found herself walking south for many days.  In a remote wooded valley east and south of Sijan, she found a castle in amongst a great stand of Rowan’s.  She opened it, defeated a number of traps and guardians.  At the center of the palace, she prayed beneath a pillar of green jade.  In time, she came to feel her heart beat in the stone.  Trusting the subtle whispers of the artifact’s least god, she placed it over her naval.  There was a sharp pain as the artifact attached itself too her, but it was gone as quickly as it came. 

   Whisper’s spent some weeks there learning her new gifts before starting towards Raim.  On the way, she caught the track of a Haltan war party.  Determined to test herself against her ancient enemies, she stalked them and stuck down several from surprise. 

   Then the young man who led them met her eyes… 

   He was so beautiful.  Everything in her world turned upside down, inside out, and wrong… 

   They battled, gold and silver essence mingling and embracing as they tried to kill one another.  Men and ha beasts fled for their lives.  They paused, exchanged taunts, learned each other’s names, pledged to destroy one another and then dueled again.  Darain Valaro tasted the torment of her hatchets, but did not yield to the pain.  He caught Whipser’s in a choke hold but—rather than destroy her, his free hadn wandered her body. 

   Whispers gave a needy moan to feel his hand against her flesh.  He unbound her top and freed her breasts.  His shaking hand had it’s way with her glorious copper mounds.  Whispers moaned and licked her lips.  She turned, ready to surrender, and offering her lips to her conqueror… 

   Who then fled in horror for he had profaned his hand with the touch of a Linowen. 

   Whisper’s got a hold of herself, though her enemy haunted her dreams for many nights to come.  She slipped into Raim and lead a slave revolt, dealing with the dragon blooded presence personally.  The city was plunged into chaos by the sight of an anima banner in the night and Whispers lead the city-state’s slaves to freedom. 

   She took them to the grounds of her manse.  They all swore fealty to her, but she asked them to settle there as free people, honor her, and pay a reasonable tax into her coffers. 

   Reunited with Moonshadow and Gentle Words, she recruited them and four others—a redhead--Gentle Beam--a dark skinned girl—Savanah Moon—and twins of the blessed isle—Hitomi and Kaiimi.  They were all petite like her, but idealistic, loyal and spirited.  She trained them in the arts of war and of survival.  As an initiation, they each climbed to the nest of a strix and stole an egg.  As it hatched, they reared it and trained it to be a mount. 


Bonus Points: 
+10   Flaws
6   Abilities
9   Backgrounds
2   Merit: Enchanting features. 
3   Specialties
1   Horse Summoning Whistle
4   Virtues
3   Willpower

Gentle Beam (the redhead) and Savannah Moon (the black girl.) 

--Moonshadow (Linowan)
--Gentle Words (Linowan)
--Gentle Beam (Eastern Redhead)
--Savanah Moon (Southern)
--Hitomi (Blessed Isle)
--Kaiimi (Blessed Isle)

Type:            Mortal
Profession:         Owl Cavalry
Professional Abilities:     Thrown, Ride, War

Motivation:  Help their captain (Whispers) change the world. 

General Intimacies: 
Obsidian Fury (Love and Lust)
The Free People of Rowandale
Their Strix (Affection and Loyalty.) 
Whispers on the Night Wind (Love, Lust, and Loyalty)

Personal Intimacies: 
Moonshadow: Haltans (Hatred), Linowans (Patriotisim) 
Savannah Moon: Babies (Protective Affection), Haltans (Suspicion), Linowans (Pride)

Strength      2
Dexterity      4
Stamina      3

Charisma      2
Manipulation   2
Appearance      4

Perception      3
Intelligence      2
Wits         3

Favored Ability: 
*Melee         4   Weapon and Shield X2
*Occult         1

Personal Abilities: 
--Moonshadow:   Sail      2   Canoe
--Gentle Words:     Medicine   2   Midwife
--Gentle Beam:    Bureaucracy   2   Secretary
--Savannah Moon:   Perform   2   Dance
--Hitomi      Craft   3 (Fire, Water, Wood)   Cook
         Perform   1
--Kaiimi:      Larceny   2   Open Locks

Professional Abilities: 
Ride         4   Birds
Thrown      4
War         3

Others: 
--Athletics      1
--Awareness      1
--Craft:       2   (Wood) Leather, (Fire) Maintenance
--Craft: Fire, Wood
--Dodge      1
--Linguistics      2
--Lore         1
--Martial Arts   1
--Integrity      1
--Presence      1
--Resistance      1
--Stealth      1
--Survival      1

Compassion      3
Conviction      3
Temperance      2
Valor         4

Willpower      6

Essence      1
Motes      10

Thaumaturgy: 
--Art of Enchanting: Initiate (+1)
--Art of Warding and Exorcism (+1)

Backgrounds: 
--Familiar      3   Her Strix
--Patron      1   Whispers on the Night Wind
--Resources      2   Her Wage

Flaws:   
(3)   Bad Luck (3/Story)
(2)   Dark Secret: Escaped Slaves (If outed they gain the Wanted flaw.)
(3)   Vice:  Easily Ravished

(4)   Enlightened Essence
(2)   Extra Favored Ability: Occult
(1)   Linguistic Genius 1

Languages:
--Old Realm
--River Tongue
--Sky Tongue
Savannah Moon and Gentle Beam: Flame Tongue
Hitomi and Kaimi: Low Realm
Gentle Words and Moonshadow:  Wood Tongue


Attacks: 
“Lance of Deftness” (ACC +0, STR 2)
Speed         6
--Acc (+0)      10
--Damage (+5/+10)   7L/12L
--Defense (-1)   5
--Rate         1

“Nimble Targe”
Speed         6
--ACC (+0)      10
--Damage      3 B
--Defense (+5)   8
--Rate         1
--Tags         M, Sh0

“Shards of the Wind” (Javelin +1 ACC, +10 Range) X6
Speed         5
ACC (+2)      12
Damage (+2L)   4L
Defense      5
Rate         2
Range (+10)      ?
Tags         T, Th

Dodge DV      3
Dodge MDV      4

Exceptional Lamellar:  (7L/9B Mobility -1, Fatigue 1)

Soak: 
Bashing   12
Lethal      7
Aggravated   7

Health: 
OK   ( )
-1   ( )( )
-2   ( )( )
-4   ( )
I   ( )
D   ( )( )( )



Bonus Points:
(+8)   Flaws
(8)   Appearance +2
(4)   Perception +1
(4)   Enlightened Essence
(2)   Extra Favored Ability: Occult
(1)   Familiar +1
(1)   Linguistic Genius I
(3)   Melee +3
(1)   Melee Specialty +2
(1)   Thaumaturgy: 1 degrees
(2)   Virtues +3
(2)   Willpower +1



Mass Combat Stats: 
Drill            3
Fatigue         6
Magnitude         2
Might            2
Morale         4
Armor Rating      3
Defense         +4
Melee Combat Value   +5
Melee Combat Damage   +4
Ranged Combat Value   +6
Ranged combat Damage   +2
--Volleys 2

[Thorn14]

Sounds like you guys need a Lunar!

[Teo Torriatte]

Sounds like you guys need a Lunar!

If you make a Lunar... would you perhaps be interested in our characters being Bonded?

[Zaer Darkwail]

If you make a Lunar... would you perhaps be interested in our characters being Bonded?

Same question from me also :).

Whew. Finally done with the house rules. They've been added to the third post of the thread for everyone to see.

Actually, since this is my first time trying this and all, I'd like to know what everyone thinks about the house rules. Did I make something too powerful? Does it not fit thematically? I'd like to hear what you all think.

I personally think humans should not have their own self-made charms. Being enligthened should just mean they can at best practice terrestrial MA's and perhaps learn some spirit/elemental charms which qualifications they meet. Altough there is ghost-blooded, god-blooded etc who also get this same deal already.

Perfect from Paragon is renowned enligthened human who has mastered one terrestrial MA and he uses artifacts and trinkets to achieve his goals. Normal humans having charms feel simply.....weird. Not against the idea that enligthened humans are common.

Anyways I like the dragon king artifacts expect the Crystal of Protection feels to be quite strong for 3 dot artifact. 4 dots would sound more correct for hostile essence barrier which blocks/protects from weather condittions.

Not sure what mind I should be about lunar (bond) charms, altough I agree at moment solar bond is weak background for lunars and those charms/knacks look interesting.

[Laughing Hyena]

I like the Lunar Bond charms. They give more flavor and give the background more merit and motive to take it. I can easily tell you a LOT of lunars in the past games I was in do not take any dots in that background even if they act like they should have.

PS - Anyone have any decent merits that befit a scavenger besides these? Im eyeballing the essence sight but that seems a redundant idea that I cannot justify. Common Sense/Danger Sense and so forth however make more sense to me.

[RSGAlex]

Name:	Beacon
Type:	Solar
Caste:	Eclipse
Motivation:	Usher the new form of the Scavenger Lands into being.
Intimacies:	It's Collapsable His Family (Regret) His Empire (Longing) The Confederation of Rivers (Hope) Puzzles, even those about to kill him (Enjoyment) Diseases (Hate) Lookshy (Paranoid distrust) The Circle (wary trust)- Str 0
Anima:	A great golden figure with snakes curling 'round the limbs
Anima Power:	10m, 1 WP sanctify oath. Diplomatic Immunity when on business.
Age:	50-something?
Birthday:	Somewhen before Calibration
Height:	5'4"
Weight:	122 lbs
Skin:	Dark-ish, although the hands are bleached white
Hair:	Turned white. Used to be red.
Eyes:	Brown
Style:	Crane. More seriously, he's started towards wearing clothes like he used to during his Scavenger days; long boots, trousers, and an open jacket. Occasionally he wears a dull purple shirt with long sleeves, a gift from his teacher.

Charsheet

Strength	2		Charisma	3		Perception	3
Dexterity	3		Manipulation	4		Intelligence	3
Stamina	2		Appearance	4		Wits	3

Archery	0	Integrity	3	Craft	1
Martial Arts	5	Performance	1	Investigation	1
Melee	0	Presence	3	Lore	2
Thrown	0	Resistance	2	Medicine	3
War	0	Survival	1	Occult	1

Athletics	1	Bureaucracy	2
Awareness	2	Linguistics	5
Dodge	2	Ride	1
Larceny	0	Sail	0
Stealth	0	Socialize	3

Craft Invested dots
Air	0
Earth	0
Fire	0
Water	1
Wood	0

Specialties
Martial Arts:Defend Other	2
Medicine: Emergency Treatment	1
Awareness:Spotting Traps	2
Linguistics: Decryption	3

Languages:

Riverspeak (Native), Forest-Tongue, Old Realm, High Realm, Skytongue, Flametongue

Charms

Crane to the Form, Letter-Within-A-Letter Technique, Sagacious Reading of Intent, Flawless Diagnosis Technique, First Excellency for Martial Arts and Presence, Second Excellency for Medicine and Linguistics, Ox-Body (1x-1, 2x-2)x1

For making it pretty later

XXX

xxxx, xm+xwp

Thaumaturgic Arts&Degrees

None

Sorcery

None

Backgrounds

Artifact: The Hand of Writing	2 (See Later Spoiler)
Mentor	2 (Calls himself/herself 'The Blinding Prism')
Influence	1 (As his post-exaltation self)
Artifact: Unnamed Hook Daiklaves	2 (6m, Orichalcum.)

Merits

None

Flaws

None

Virtues

Compassion	3	Conviction	3
Temperance	2	Valor	2

Virtue Flaw:

Red Rage of Compassion aka Focused Berserk Anger: The character sees innocents suffering and is unable to effectively intervene. Beat the tormentor, smash the scenery after that. For partial control, I can do things like draw weapons, drop held objects, and don't have to go after the scenery or people that try and stop me. Just any seen opressors. But I also suffer wound penalties in Partial Control.

Defense Values (dodge):

Physical:4, Mental:7

Soak:

B 2/L 1/A0 (unarmored B 2/L1)

Health Levels:

-0, -1, -1, -1, -2, -2, -2, -2, -4, incapacitated, x3 death

Attacks:

Punch	Acc 9	2B	5 DV	Rate 3
Kick	Acc 8	5B	3 DV	Rate 2
Clinch	Acc 8	2B	4 DV	Rate 1
Hook Daiklaves	Acc 12	6L	6/7 DV	Rate 4

Willpower:

9/9

Essence:

2

Personal Pool:

15/15

Peripheral Pool:

27/27

Other Pools:

00

Committed:

6

Bonus Points 0/18

Extra Specialty dots	(2 pts):	16/18
Extra Willpower dots	(4 pts):	12/18
Extra Virtue Dot	(1 pt):	11/18
Extra Ability Dots	(11 pts):	0/18

The Hand of Writing

The Hand of Writing actually refers to several quite different variations on the same artifact. Beacon possesses the most simple type, which is essentially a more useful Silver Brush. It has a 0 mote commitment cost, and when activated by spending a mote of essence or dot of willpower (neither one is committed) produces ink of any color for a scene. The main advantage of this form of the artifact over, say, an Audient Brush, is that it can also fairly seamlessly revise and alter the ink it has lain down. It may do this while active, even to old dry ink.

The difficulty to spot the changes varies depending on how soon it was done. If it was in the same scene, and you didn't see the changes being made, the difficulty would probably be about 7. Within the same day it would be 5, the same week 2, and after that 1.

Although there are specialized versions made for each of the Exalted, Beacon knows little of them. He, in fact, only suspects their existence!

But if they do exist, then the Hand of Sextes Jylis is one such artifact, known for making not only ink but also papyrus from nothing more than essence. Ten thousand scrolls were said to have been made by method of the Hand of Sextes Jylis.

More Definite Info, if you want it

Although the exact evolution of the artifact from the original design is unclear, but the vast majority of designs are likely no older than the Shogunate.
There are exceptions, The Hand of Mela for example, which could produce inks and oils suitable for several sorcerous rituals and countless types of thaumaturgy besides, could arguably have been designed earlier by a Celestial Exalt than in the Shogunate by a transcendent Dragon Blooded designer.
And the various Hands of Writing that have inlaid bits of magical metals that require full resonance for the artifact to work are almost certainly relics of earlier ages, when reading was far more common and the enhancements they provided to the user's charms were worth even more than today.

Background

The great and mighty Beacon was born in the middle of Resplendent Fire to priests of a forgotten god, trained by a god of defensive battle, the Blinding Prism. Under his tutelage, the half-spirit has grown strong, showing mastery of arts beyond the ken of mere mortals, and will defend the Confederation of Rivers!

This is, of course, a lie. One made by the Blinding Prism, and thankfully not one that has spread too far, despite the efforts of the spirit. Beacon sees how it could be useful, so he doesn't argue too much.

The truth is that he was once a mortal named Azil of Weeping Woods, and he was the head of a medicinal empire, The Nine Silver Wrens Medical League. True, it was small compared to the Guild, or even other, true nations, but it was strong enough to be spoken of as if an actual nation, with him as the head, his children the lords, and their children and a few important worthies as the petty nobility.
The Unconquered Sun had given Azil his blessing when, despite the odds, despite that his old friends were dead or ruined, despite his lack of martial skill, he tried to unite several nations in aid of fallen Thorns.

It was partially successful. He managed to get them together, but several attacks by different things pulled what little unity he was able to manage, apart.

Many would see the gift of Exaltation as a great boon, Azil grew afraid. Of betrayal as his old friends had been. Of Lookshy, who would surely see an Anathema (or a reasonable facsimile) at the head of such a powerful enterprise. Of many, many things.  So, he had to die.

Only his singular, most trusted of allies knew the truth, and helped fake the death of Azil. It was a cavalcade of redundancy, with Azil 'dying' in an Anathema tomb, the 'retainers' killed by 'bandits,' and both camps burnt and then given in offering to the Dogs of the Unbroken Earth. The pair figured that anyone able to uncover that much duplicity was obviously supernatural, and beyond the abilities of either to effectively counter.

Then, while wandering, he met the supernatural being that called itself The Blinding Prism (Beacon, then still Azil, somewhat doubted the thing's explanation of being a god of defensive warfare, but there wasn't really anywhere to go, and it seemed honest enough) and began learning from it.

In a way, that too is a lie, as it says nothing of how Azil of Weeping Woods was once a slave to a Scavenger Lord, gained freedom and money because of his skills with words, and became a rich man. Or how he was betrayed and imprisoned. Or how he escaped with a fellow inmate and regained his money and even greater status! Or....

You know, if Zaer made a Sid, I could make a joke about forgetting who to thank for the sheet setup that. But since you didn't, thanks Zaer Darkwail.

[Teo Torriatte]

Added Sapphire's background. All the characters in here look really nice so far.  :D

[Zaer Darkwail]

You know, if Zaer made a Sid, I could make a joke about forgetting who to thank for the sheet setup that. But since you didn't, thanks Zaer Darkwail.

Your welcome, I copied this from other player and it is very neatly build and coded sheet :). Also I have never played sidereal, they are strange water where I had never dipped into (I have played all other exalt types though, expect alchemicals).

[RSGAlex]

Sids, with the right mindset, are incredibly fun to play. You don't have the straightforward power that being a Solar or Lunar gives you, but there's a great amount of lateral room to think with.

Like the charm that gives bonus successes to make people think that you're lying. It's not as good as using an Excellency to convince somebody of a plan, but if you know something's going to happen, use it, then after they see that you were telling the truth, they're probably going to listen to you afterwards.

And they don't even need to realize that you can be a supernaturally persuasive person.

[Zaer Darkwail]

So far I have heard sids do also reality hacking; like grasp onto a quill and throw it and quill somehow transforms into deadly projectile (they can do same with archery; turn anything long as their forearm and no heavier than their own fist into projectile). In Shards sidereals can shoot with nothing (point finger and shout 'bang' and kill people). Or pickpocket dreams from minds of people and such. Kind of subtle powers and such to do sneaky stuff behind the screens. Plus somereason they have topmost martial artists in Exalted setting altough I fail to see why their Violet Bier of Sorrows is exactly OP compared to celestial counterparts. Not to mention becoming sidereal I get instantly assigned desk job in Heaven along with duties which ask me (and I must) move a lot in Creation.

[RSGAlex]

Well, Violet Bier just suffered from being badly copy-pasted from 1e, like most of the Sid Charmset that wasn't badly converted from 1e did. It's just that it's one of the copy-past jobs that gained a whole lot in power because of how the systems worked differently.

In 1e it was strong, but it didn't give or help out your persistent defenses, and an equally skilled or better opponent could make you haemmorage 10 motes (before stunt) at will if you weren't able to get the drop on them. Hell, they could be worse and make you spend the ten if they got the drop on you.

The actual Sidereal Marital Arts suffered from the 1e ones not getting the clarification or changes that they needed, and all but one of the ones made for 2e being absolutely horrible in at least one way.

Although, for being an out and about Sid, there's always being a Ronin.

[Thorn14]

I'll think about the bond.

I'm thinking maybe a No Moons Snake Sorcerer, I notice we have no sorcerer either.

[Zaer Darkwail]

Yeah, altough sorcery is kinda broken in combat wise but it provides other amazing stuff onto field (and summons are great and so is dispelling).

[Laughing Hyena]

Question. Are Ink Monkey Charms permitted , must be created or banned?

[Dracorion]

I personally think humans should not have their own self-made charms. Being enligthened should just mean they can at best practice terrestrial MA's and perhaps learn some spirit/elemental charms which qualifications they meet. Altough there is ghost-blooded, god-blooded etc who also get this same deal already.

Perfect from Paragon is renowned enligthened human who has mastered one terrestrial MA and he uses artifacts and trinkets to achieve his goals. Normal humans having charms feel simply.....weird. Not against the idea that enligthened humans are common.

Well, my thinking is that Exaltation is supposed to represent the potential for greatness that mortals have, and yet most mortals in Creation are only sightly more dangerous than a puppy.

So, I figured mortals could benefit from having charms that gave them a slight boost, but still not enough to really compete with any supernatural creature. Only a large number of enlightened mortals working together could possibly pose a threat to an Exalt. Even if a mortal learns TMA charms or sorcery, these only cover a few limited fields. They'd still have no way of getting any boost in social combat or at intellectual tasks. For the most part, Thaumaturgy covers Occult pursuits, but what about anything related to Investigation, or Socialize, or Performance? If you can have mortals that are renowned for their skill at kicking someone's head in, why can't they also be renowned for composing symphonies that soften the hearts of kings?

As for humans learning spirit charms, that never made much sense to me. I mean, unless you're a spirit or a spirit-blooded, you'd think spirit charms would only be available to Eclipses. I suspect the mention of characters being able to learn was referring to God-blooded.

As for the Perfect of Paragon, most of his specialness is because of the overpowered Scepter he's got. I mean, he had to raise his Essence and learn TMAs and Sorcery on his own, but he's had 600 years to do it with an artifact that renders him immortal and immune to social attacks.

And still, a dedicated group of Exalts could fight their way through his guard and wrestle the Perfect down long enough to take away his staff, and probably outright kill him even if he is holding the scepter.

Anyways I like the dragon king artifacts expect the Crystal of Protection feels to be quite strong for 3 dot artifact. 4 dots would sound more correct for hostile essence barrier which blocks/protects from weather condittions.

Hm, I suppose that's fair. In battle it doesn't seem to impair the person inside from moving out of it or using ranged attacks from inside at all.

Still, I'd like to know if anyone disagrees with the change before I make it a 4 dot artifact.

I like the Lunar Bond charms. They give more flavor and give the background more merit and motive to take it. I can easily tell you a LOT of lunars in the past games I was in do not take any dots in that background even if they act like they should have.

PS - Anyone have any decent merits that befit a scavenger besides these? Im eyeballing the essence sight but that seems a redundant idea that I cannot justify. Common Sense/Danger Sense and so forth however make more sense to me.

Aside from the ones you listed? My suggestions would be Prodigy, Luck or Signature Style.

Incidentally, Zaer's questions reminded me of a house rule I forgot to add: The Root of the Perfected Lotus merit requires Essence 2 instead of Essence 3. I've added it to the third post of this thread now.

Finally! There's a Lunar charm that I found that I'm considering adding to the game, but I worry already that I'm giving Lunars too many nice things and not enough to everyone else, so I'd like to know everyone's opinions on:

Hot damn it IS collapsable!

New Lunar Charm: Silver Nectar Release
Cost: 5m
Minimums: Stamina 5, Essence 4
Type: Reflexive
Keywords: Combo-OK, Poison
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Scorpion and Toad Assumption

During the First Age the Lawgivers ruled by way of their overwhelming superiority, but some Stewards found ways to leash in their more powerful Solar mates through dependency. Their creation was this charm, also known in the First Age as the "Solar-Taming Leash". Subtly manipulating the Essence running through her body, the Lunar transforms her sexual fluids to an ambrosial and redolent nectar that is worthy of the gods and as addictive as it is rapturous. Letting a target taste her sacrosanct fluids, the Lunar instills a craving in her target that only she can sate.

For the Lunar to spend the motes to activate Silver Nectar Release, her target must be in a position to taste her sexual fluids as they are released from her body. Any being whose Essence is lower than the Lunar, is instantly addicted to the fluids. Beings whose Essence are equal to or higher than the Lunar's must roll (Stamina + Resistance) against a difficulty equal to the Lunar's Essence. On a success, the target suffers no ill effects. If the roll fails, the target submits to addiction.

Once addicted to the taste of Lunar's sexual fluids, the target will start to suffer withdrawal if he is denied it. Every day that he goes without tasting the Lunar's sexual fluids the target suffers a cumulative -1 penalty on all actions (the penalty caps at -5). The target can resist the effects of withdrawal for one scene by paying a point of Willpower.

The target kicks the addiction once he has spent a total of (Lunar's Essence x 5) points of Willpower to resist the effects of withdrawal.

Now, onto people's characters:

Muse & Luna: Luna's sheet looks mostly fine to me, except I'm mostly curious about why her Daiklave has separate, different Defense and Parry DV values. Also, you didn't list your virtue flaw.

I have a quibble with Muse's sheet that I'm discussing with him privately, so what I need know from both of you is a description of how Sapphire and Whispers became friends. Are they traveling together when the game starts? You don't have to write a whole big story, but a short summary would be nice.

Zaer: After reading up on the Walker in Darkness and Resonance, your characters is fine. Though I just want to make sure you realize that the Walker might be a little pissed at Crow.

RSGAlex: I'd like more information about your virtue flaw. I assume the effect is "Beat the tormentor, smash the scenery" and the limit break condition is "The character sees innocents suffering and is unable to effectively intervene", but what about duration and partial control? Finally, I'd prefer to know the name of his old nation and how exactly his death was faked.

To all of you, all I have to say is: y'all afraid of armor or something?  :P

Hyena: Ink Monkey's charms are certainly allowed.