General Exalted Discussion VI: Ascendancy Mantle of the Playground

[Rockphed]

You'd have to do a lot of explaining to small gods.

Eh, turing complete only requires either nor, nand, or xor gates. You then just need to get the small gods to line up properly and connect to the outputs you want. It can't be that hard...

[Tavar]

Question came up in my game: would crafting modern electronics fall under preexisting areas?

One issue; Exalted doesn't work under our laws of physics. Magitech does much of the same things, though.

You'd have to do a lot of explaining to small gods.

I can only hear this as Ricky Ricardo talking to Lucy....

[Callista]

Just imagine trying to negotiate with the god of a computer to get it to stop blue-screening...

[Turalisj]

One issue; Exalted doesn't work under our laws of physics. Magitech does much of the same things, though.

This is for my modern game, which for the most part does work under modern physics. Its only when someone with enough essence (at least 2) tells them to shut up and sit down does crazy **** happen.

[Callista]

Whenever I complain about physics, I invariably get the response, "Hey. The world is flat."

[Edge]

All right, so I have a Devil-Tiger in production and after some serious mental block I've finally managed to get some of his non-General Charms hammered out. I've posted him up on the White Wolf forum and gotten some feedback, but not much. If I posted him here on GiTP, would people be willing/interested in giving some critique?

[Turalisj]

At the very least, we wouldn't be using vitriol laced weapons when we examine it.

[Edge]

You say that, but the responses I got on WW were entirely civil. Anyway, here's The Bronze-Tarnished Hawk, for anyone who feels like taking a look and offering any assistance they can.

[Xefas]

Proper nouns are the most important part of Exalted, and three of your Devil-Tiger's epithets begin with "He", with two of them being "He of the". I suggest some diversification. For example, instead of "He of the Sanguine Art", why not "The Sanguine Artist", or "The Artist Working In Sanguine Strokes" or something like that.

[Edge]

Proper nouns are the most important part of Exalted, and three of your Devil-Tiger's epithets begin with "He", with two of them being "He of the". I suggest some diversification. For example, instead of "He of the Sanguine Art", why not "The Sanguine Artist", or "The Artist Working In Sanguine Strokes" or something like that.

Eh, he's not an artist. It's a reference to The Art, i.e. magic, though thinking about it, I don't know if sorcery is ever actually referred to as such in Exalted. That title was originally the Sorcerer Sanguine, but I went and changed it He of the Sanguine Art.

Point taken, but I do kind of like how those titles sound when rattled off together. Might add some more titles to him, possibly including his human name.

[DeadManSleeping]

The Bronze-Tarnished Hawk, The Fire in the Blood, Crimson Talon, He of the Sanguine Art
...
Steve

I suppose it depends on what his mortal name was, really.

[Rockphed]

Eh, he's not an artist. It's a reference to The Art, i.e. magic, though thinking about it, I don't know if sorcery is ever actually referred to as such in Exalted. That title was originally the Sorcerer Sanguine, but I went and changed it He of the Sanguine Art.

Point taken, but I do kind of like how those titles sound when rattled off together. Might add some more titles to him, possibly including his human name.

If he practices an art, he is an artist. I don't know what to call someone who creates an art.

On the other hand, if you changed it from "He of the Bloody Talon" to "The Bloody Taloned One", that would reduce your use of "He" as a start to names.

[Qaera]

The Bronze-Tarnished Hawk, The Fire in the Blood, Crimson Talon, He of the Sanguine Art
...
Steve

I suppose it depends on what his mortal name was, really.

From Accounting!?!?!?!

Oh, not that Steve.

~ ♅

[Turalisj]

Has anyone seen my stapler? It's red.

[Yuki Akuma]

So, that other thread over there just reminded me of something...

Raksha can learn supernatural martial arts, provided they have a tutor, up to the Celestial level. Okay, makes sense that they'd need a tutor - supernatural martial arts kinda hinges on Creation and its principles.

Mountain Folk, who are Raksha who have been calcified but brought back to life by Autochthon (basically), cannot learn supernatural martial arts at all - mortals are better at it than they are. Huh?

[Turalisj]

They are dwarves and don't need no kung fu. Dey gots dem dere cannons.

[Xefas]

Mountain Folk, who are Raksha who have been calcified but brought back to life by Autochthon (basically), cannot learn supernatural martial arts at all - mortals are better at it than they are. Huh?

I don't know much about Mountain Folk, but it seems possible that Autochthon may have intentionally hobbled them. 'cause, y'know, Autochthon.

[Recaiden]

Might that be part of the Geas? In which case we can blame the first age solars. Or perhaps the calcifying/revivifying messed up the supernatural arts part, especially given that it was Autocthon. After all, Alchemicals can't learn them at all without a charm.

[Agrippa]

Having downloaded the Exalted second edition core rules on free RPG day over a year I haven't really taken much time to read through it very much. Mostly the the caste and charm descriptions. I generally find the Storyteller system hard to follow. Also, from what I gather the fragility of player characters and utter neccesity of perfect defenses tend to slow down combat and make less interesting than it should be.

So I'm not going to use the actual system but instead take certain elements as something of an Exalted hack. Basically the Exalt types/castes, the magical metals, maybe hearthstones but definitely the Manses and Demenses. What I'd like help with are the descriptions of each Solar caste in this Exalted hack. I have blurbs for two out of the five but I think they're rather lacking and I'm drawing blanks for both the Eclipse, Twilight and Zenith castes. These are the, in my opinion, lackluster flavor texts I produced for the Dawn, Twilight and Night castes.


Dawn
As the rising sun brings an end to the dark of night, so does a warrior of the Dawn caste put down fear and wickedness. Whether he perfers to fight with swords, axes, bows or even firearms doesn't matter, he is a warrior of the Sun and all foes shall tremble before him. With super-human might and agility the Dawn warrior crushes his foes and leaves them scattered before him.

Night
Night as much as day should be a safe and peaceful time. Alas as night falls all matter of depraved individuals crawl out of hiding, preying upon the weak and powerless. For ths very reason the forces of justice retain their own agents, thieves and assassins dedicated to striking at the corrupt. Whatever their background all Night castes are masters of subterfuge and deception, most often aimed against the wicked. Members of the Night caste are also called Hidden Suns, Concealing Shadows, Nightbringers, Iron Wolves or Daggers of Heaven

[Tavar]

Mountain Folk, who are Raksha who have been calcified but brought back to life by Autochthon (basically), cannot learn supernatural martial arts at all - mortals are better at it than they are. Huh?

I'm pretty sure that's a function of the Geas, as before they were said to have fought brilliantly, but each in their own style.

[Dragnar]

Actually, that bit isn't the Geas.(Pretty sure the Artisan caste is just as powerful as they ever were. It's the rest who are not.) It's explained as being for the same reason Alchemicals can't usu martial arts without a charm: their essence is the complete opposite of the wyld creatures they were made from. They are too rigidly organized to understand the less structured charms martial arts represent. On a side note: That same extreme rigidity of their essence is why eclipses cannot learn their higher essence charms.

[golentan]

Wait, the non-artisan jadeborn were more powerful at one point?

And speaking of degenerate (as in: literally power has degenerated) primordial races, does anyone anywhere have stats for a true pureblooded lintha? I know they were in many ways the inspiration for exalted design, and I was curious to know if they did ever get a writeup.

[Tavar]

Wait, the non-artisan jadeborn were more powerful at one point?

Pre-geas the jadeborn didn't have castes. Now, given Dragnar post I'm not sure which is true, but they were either all artisans, or they were even greater. I think it's the latter due to what was written, but I'm mainly basing it off 1ed writings.

And speaking of degenerate (as in: literally power has degenerated) primordial races, does anyone anywhere have stats for a true pureblooded lintha? I know they were in many ways the inspiration for exalted design, and I was curious to know if they did ever get a writeup.

Nope. Largely due to the writers being occupied with other things.

[Turalisj]

Hmm... Anyone know if there's a way to undo the Great Geass on the Jadeborn? I might have a motivation for a Scourge caste....

[Tavar]

I believe Autochthon could do it easily. Likewise, Solar-level exalts could probably do it as well, though in order to do so they would need to do quite a bit of study on the Jadeborn, and likely the Clay Man as well.

[golentan]

Nope. Largely due to the writers being occupied with other things.

Durn. Too many things lack a writeup. Don't these White Wolf writers realize that their sleep and sanity is less important than pleasing the fans of one of their less popular product lines?

[Dragnar]

Pre-geas the jadeborn didn't have castes. Now, given Dragnar post I'm not sure which is true, but they were either all artisans, or they were even greater. I think it's the latter due to what was written, but I'm mainly basing it off 1ed writings.

Yeah, it's not very clear. Artisans are at the very least CLOSER to what they all used to be. But it doesn't really say if they are actually equal. Still, pre-geas? Every last jadeborn was at the LEAST as powerful as an artisan is in the second age. Which is a rather scary thought really, given that a jadeborn is a lot tougher than most starting exalts. (though they are rapidly surpassed as xp is gained)

[Lord Raziere]

Hey, should I get Compass stuff? I got the Manuals for Exalts, The Treatises, Wonders of the Lost Age and Broken Wing Crane,( and obviously the corebook) do I really need the Compass stuff? or is that optional?

[Rikandur Azebol]

Wait, the non-artisan jadeborn were more powerful at one point ?

Artisan level. And if You look at what JB are capable of crafting ... They could easily wipe the Exalts off the face of Creation.

And speaking of degenerate (as in: literally power has degenerated) primordial races, does anyone anywhere have stats for a true pureblooded lintha? I know they were in many ways the inspiration for exalted design, and I was curious to know if they did ever get a writeup.

If I remember clearly there was writeup in Dreams of First Age boxed set. Basically they made them Jadeborn-equivalents, power wise, with Solar charms up to 2 Essence and perfects banned. Errata seems to suggest that this writeup, as "ye, ye have it and stop whinning" it is, is obsolete now.

[Xefas]

Hey, should I get Compass stuff? I got... Broken Wing Crane...

All you need, bro.

(The core book is a nice addition, but ultimately superfluous.)