Keychain of Creation 3: Not-a-Keyblade Understanding & Falafel-is-Awesome Prana Combo

[kamikasei]

You are completely missing my point, im saying that the real name of the jade key proberly is the sword of vitality

But there's no reason to think that. Your argument in support of that was based on errors.

There were four keys forged from four weapons (or five, if the Orichalcum Key was forged from both of Misho's twin blades). The Dragonblooded's weapon was forged in to the Jade Key. Now it seems that the Lion is also interested in "Thrice-Radiant Misho's other great sword". There is no reason to think this is the Jade Key, which doesn't appear to have ever been Misho's. It's either the other of the pair that he wielded in the fight against the God of Locks, or it's an entirely different weapon. The only connection is that they're apparently both on the Blessed Isle; if they're the same thing, the Lion is being really weirdly circumspect in the way he talks about them.

edit: Hey, what? Is lord_khaine a Sidereal or something?

[lord_khaine]

Well, the Sword of Vitality did sound like a likely name for the Jade key, and it hardly made sense for the Lion to send Abyssals after anything but the keys, but i didnt remember the wording of his orders korrectly.

[Jerthanis]

Well, the Sword of Vitality did sound like a likely name for the Jade key, and it hardly made sense for the Lion to send Abyssals after anything but the keys, but i didnt remember the wording of his orders korrectly.

While a possible name for the key, the way the Lion is phrasing this is like, "Regardless their attempt to find the Jade Key, I want you to go to the Realm for a secondary reason; that of finding the Sword of Vitality. Conveniently enough you can follow up on their progress in finding the key afterward since they will also be nearby."

[Arcanoi]

Well, I guess that is parlor trick compared to his real powers... I wonder how good he is in combat. Good enough surely to best any of his underlings, but good enough to best them all at same time?

The Lion has, among other things, a charm that invalidates all non-perfect defenses, a Grand Daiklave that drains ten motes from anyone it hits, and a scene-long perfect defense against non-magical damage. He's also Essence 8, with all that that entails. I see the combat lasting about twenty actions as the Lion flurries them into dust with his 25 Attack dice and 30L damage while laughing maniacally as they struggle in vain to get through his 30 soak and 20 Hardness.

[Jokasti]

Well, the Sword of Vitality did sound like a likely name for the Jade key, and it hardly made sense for the Lion to send Abyssals after anything but the keys, but i didnt remember the wording of his orders korrectly.

I don't think the SoV is the Jade Key- the Orichalcum Key is named Radiant Dawn, so they all probably have names related to their Exalt type. Ie Lunar Blade would be like Argent Crescent. So the Jade Key would be something like not Sword of Vitality. It's definitely Mishos other sword.

[lord_khaine]

While a possible name for the key, the way the Lion is phrasing this is like, "Regardless their attempt to find the Jade Key, I want you to go to the Realm for a secondary reason; that of finding the Sword of Vitality. Conveniently enough you can follow up on their progress in finding the key afterward since they will also be nearby."

Yes, thats why you can see i said "did sound" and mention that i didnt remember the wording of his order korrectly.

[Tackyhillbillu]

My question is... are the going to give the Jade Key to Ten Winds? That seems like an inference that could be drawn, but one that might remain unsupported.

[The Rose Dragon]

My question is... are the going to give the Jade Key to Ten Winds? That seems like an inference that could be drawn, but one that might remain unsupported.

What use does he have for a Key? He seems to practice Air Dragon Style exclusively, which doesn't allow the use of swords of any kind.

[Tackyhillbillu]

A valid point, but what else are they going to do with it? I guess they could have Marena stick it in Elsewhere.

[Drascin]

(Out of curiosity, is there anything to indicate that an Abyssal's lowered appearance would involve loss of function in any organ? I would have assumed that that would need to be represented separately via flaws or charms, with the corollary that it doesn't happen by default.)

Sorry for the small aside, but... I keep hearing about Merits and Flaws, which sound wonderful for letting my players give their characters that little extra customization bit, but I don't even know where they're from. Mind pointing me a bit?

[ZeroNumerous]

Sorry for the small aside, but... I keep hearing about Merits and Flaws, which sound wonderful for letting my players give their characters that little extra customization bit, but I don't even know where they're from. Mind pointing me a bit?

Scroll of Heroes. Not really something I suggest, but it's there.

[Tackyhillbillu]

Scroll of Heroes. Not really something I suggest, but it's there.

I rather like some of the stuff in the Scroll of Heroes. Just not the Merits and Flaws.

[Kyeudo]

If you use Flaws, you are twinking.

I like twinking.

[Weimann]

Some of the stuff in there is actually good ideas for character hooks, though, whether you get bp for them or not.

[Jokasti]

A valid point, but what else are they going to do with it? I guess they could have Marena stick it in Elsewhere.

Well we all know Misho can dual wield rather effectively. What I'm getting at is
QUADRUPLE KEYSWORD KEY WIELDING!!!!1!!!

[Jerthanis]

Yes, thats why you can see i said "did sound" and mention that i didnt remember the wording of his order korrectly.

Oh, I'm sorry, I thought you were saying it did sound like the Sword of Vitality was the jade key, but that the Lion's dialogue was ambiguous. Nevermind.



I have a strong aversion to game subsystems which grant mechanical rewards for defects. I believe that such systems invariably seduce some percentage of otherwise good players into playing characters overshadowed by their flaws... flaws that the player in question would have never chosen otherwise.

[Tackyhillbillu]

Well we all know Misho can dual wield rather effectively. What I'm getting at is
QUADRUPLE KEYSWORD KEY WIELDING!!!!1!!!

Well, he does have enough Motes to get around the heightened attunement cost.

[Jokasti]

Well, he does have enough Motes to get around the heightened attunement cost.

Yep Essence 12 rules.

[Drascin]

Scroll of Heroes. Not really something I suggest, but it's there.

I rather like some of the stuff in the Scroll of Heroes. Just not the Merits and Flaws.

So, they're badly written/uninteresting? Aw. Well, I already had a too big queue of Exalted books to buy anyway. I just liked the sound of it. I generally am not one for flaws and stuff when I'm a player, but I find reading those kinds of stuff helps juice my players' imaginations a lot, instead of them making standard, perfectly logical and rational characters with perhaps a minor quirk or two but nothing really defining. And since Exalted seems to be a lot about flawed heroes, it seemed a good idea.

Ah well. I'll look into getting one or two of the Books of Sorcery instead, then.

[Tackyhillbillu]

Books of Sorcery > Scroll of Heroes. Especially the one on Artificats and Manses.

Scroll of Heroes is most interested for the God-Blooded, in my opinion. They are fun to play around with, and fill a niche in Exalted that is otherwise troublesome to occupy.

[Tavar]

Well, I think both merits and flaws can be interesting, and it really isn't a problem to add merits to a game. The problem is with flaws, mainly for the same reason that flaws are a problem in DnD.

[Ganurath]

Misho will entrust the Orichalcum Key to Karen after the 4v5 fight, as she's a better fighter, he'll have his sword the Abyssal's took, and if she's ever captured she'd be unable to reveal the sword's location and her death would scatter it somewhere in the world.

The Moonsilver Key would be held by Marena, until we get to the final arc and she leaves it with Racer while the party goes to attack the Lion in his stronghold.

Ten Winds will use the Jade Key, as its power unlocks the weapon restrictions on his fighting style. And it will be awesome enough that they could afford to risk taking it to help with the fighting in the final arc. He'll be the one directly combatting the Lion and holding his own while the others fight minions.

Anemone, after learning her efforts to break up the party failed, will decide the best way to secure the safety of Creation is to make sure the Abyss doesn't hold any of the keys, and will help with the fighting during the final arc. She'll refuse to take the key within the fortress itself, however.

After stealing the soulsteel key from the Lion himself, Secret will use it in two instances. First, immediately after acquiring the key she will unlock the binds of loyalty tying Black Heron to the Lion in order to get her (at least temporary) aid in getting out alive. Then, after they escape, she'll use it to unlock her own connection to the Neverborn and become a Night Caste Solar. After some lengthy discussion, they decide the best guardian for the soulsteel key in the long term would be the King of Uncloaked Steel.

My thoughts.

[ZeroNumerous]

And since Exalted seems to be a lot about flawed heroes, it seemed a good idea.

Well, the problem with Flaws is that they grant BP. Even for roleplaying-centric flaws(say, your character is sexist/racist/religion-ist/whatever, he gets a BP). And the flaws themselves are fairly easily overcome(the above example only grants a -2 die penalty per BP, if I recall correctly).

[Drascin]

Well, I think both merits and flaws can be interesting, and it really isn't a problem to add merits to a game. The problem is with flaws, mainly for the same reason that flaws are a problem in DnD.

So they're extremely overpowered? Mmmmmm... Well, in this case, I'm the only one learning all the rules and explaining them to them as they make their characters (more or less as usual), so the chances they make an overpowered character seem rather low.

Besides, I'm going to be brutally blunt here - I can optimize circles around my players. And they know it perfectly well. So they generally don't try to overpower themselves too much - they know I'll catch them, that I'm a thinly reformed powergamer, and that I will either ask them to tone it down or take it as a challenge .

But eh, as said, I will just get other books anyway.

[Tavar]

More like it's easy to take flaws that don't really penalize you, but do give you more bonus points. Of course, if you're careful, and you trust your players, it won't happen.

[Arcanoi]

The problem I have with flaws is that you're rewarded for things you should be doing anyway. Your character is sexist? You should roleplay him as such. You shouldn't get BP as an incentive to make an interesting character. You already get plenty of bonuses from RP in the form of stunts.

[Weimann]

However, it can be hard to come up with the idea. For example, there's a flaw in Scroll of Heroes that involves dragging your child or some other ward around, as well as a Marrige benefit. Those are hard to come up with.

[The Rose Dragon]

However, it can be hard to come up with the idea. For example, there's a flaw in Scroll of Heroes that involves dragging your child or some other ward around, as well as a Marrige benefit. Those are hard to come up with.

It's not Marriage, it's True Love.

[Tavar]

Also, bonus points are actually pretty difficult to come by. Not all of the flaws are bad, in fact, others are okay as is. For instance, the sacred oath. You make an oath, can't do certain things, and get BP for it. But if you ever break the oath, you loose whatever you spend the bonus points on. Some concepts really need mechanics like that to work.

[Jokasti]

It's not Marriage, it's Blove, True Blove.

Fixed it for you.