General Exalted Discussion Thread VII: Playground Eternal Essence

[Lord Raziere]

New artifact idea:

The Homeless Wanderer's Resplendent Guide to Glorious Creation
Artifact 5 or N/A
The Homeless Wanderer's Resplendent Guide to Glorious Creation or as its more commonly known among the unExalted who cannot bother to remember such a simple title devised by the best Twilight Solars during the First Age: The Wanderer's Guide to Creation, is wholly remarkable tome of untold informational splendors.
It is enchanted to hold vast amounts of information beyond any normal tome can hold, it has been compiled, recompiled, torn to shreds, reconstructed, deconstructed, blasted into Oblivion, brought back from Oblivion, juggled by a Jester God, thrown into the Wyld then spat back out by Wyld three times and eventually, rebuilt again all by the same four Twilight Exaltations that despite their numerous reincarnations, apparently have nothing better to do with their lives other than updating a magical book.
It merits though, are quite amazing, first of all, more Exalts have relied on it than the Encyclopedia Solaria, nine out of ten Dragon-Blooded prefer it over the Broken Winged Crane and has been more sought after than the Tomes of Three Circles.
Its introduction begins like this:
The Wyld. It is big. really big. You just won't believe how vastly, hugely, mind-boggingly, sanity-shattering, chaotically paradoxically big it is. I mean you may think its a long way down the road to the Thaumaturge but thats just peanuts to the Wyld. or peas. or peacocks. or ants. or whatever else, the Wyld is weird like that. Listen….
After a while it gets around to more important stuff like charms named Using Your Towel Method or Thirty-Thousand Paths of Begging the Exalt Not to Kill You Technique. It has this to say on Exalts:
Mostly Harmless
The real information, of course got cut out during the editing process due to the Great Curse making them believe the Exalts to be so and so did not bother putting down anything else, and went off to beat up a god while singing a complicated song on how to build flying bikes, just for the sheer challenge for it. The pattern spiders of course found this awesome and it was declared a three-die stunt.
And so it rambles on and on, its mechanical benefits to the hypothetical roleplaying game designed to help weird people in basements play i tout better, unclear as to what it does, but it filled with a lot of information, but that information might be inaccurate or apocryphal, but it might have information even on the Great Curse, which totally does not exist.

[TheCountAlucard]

Now we just need some artifact towels.

[Lord Raziere]

Towel of Traveling (Artifact 2)
The Resplendent Towel of Wandering is made of a special Moonsilver-Jade alloy that gives it fabric like qualities while still allowing it to wielded as a weapon. It was invented by one of the first Lunars of the First Age, who often helped contribute to the The Wanderer's Guide to Creation.

-This artifact can wielded as a Manthresher
- The Towel of Wandering is a truly versatile tool. It can be used as a cape to impressively make one look more dashing, it can serve as a sail for a raft, keep you warm in the North, keep you in the shade in the South and if you fall from a great height, it can be used as a parachute. It can also be a bag, a bandana that actually protects your head and much more.
The Towel grants 1 extra dice to actions it is used in.

-Artifact 3 (Resplendent Towel of Wandering) and 4 (Excellent Towel of Journeys) versions are larger and can serve an even greater variety of uses, granting plus two dice and plus three dice to all actions they are used in respectively, but both such versions are instead wielded as a Dire Chain instead.

-when worn as a bandana, all three versions give you 3B/3L soak in addition to other pieces of armor.

They all cost four motes to attune however.

someone else could probably do better though…..

[Talkkno]

Anyone have any theories on why Nar-o wants to meet an Eclipse caste Solar exalt every Calibration?

[Xefas]

Anyone have any theories on why Nar-o wants to meet an Eclipse caste Solar exalt every Calibration?

Very specific fetish.

[ShadowFighter15]

For the climax of a campaign; what would be the easiest/best way to handle killing the Ebon Dragon? Or to put it another way; how can I make a running battle across the Ebon Dragon's back where the players have to fend off a horde of demons, as well as more that the Ebon Dragon is spawning from his flesh as fast as possible, seem like a good idea?

I mean a good idea beyond the awesome factor - that's what sold me on the idea I just need an excuse for it now.

[Story Time]

Before anyone steps in to shoot down this idea with charms, mechanics, or references, I will simply say that if it is your game you can do what you want.

[Tavar]

Very true, but I'm not really certain that that's the best/most accurate representation of the Ebon Dragon. Both because of mechanics, but because of themes (though, for yozi, the two are closely linked).

[Story Time]

A direction which I do admit seems to exist. Any entity which approaches a quasi-Primordial nature appears to have aspects which reflect themes or motifs of that entity rather than strictly useful functions. The...disappointing issue about the Exalted material is that once a player, or group of players, has a set way of thinking about how an aspect of Exalted should be run or carried, then it becomes very difficult for the GameMaster to be creative, spontaneous, and pleasantly surprising.

Which...really is a shame.

[Drascin]

A direction which I do admit seems to exist. Any entity which approaches a quasi-Primordial nature appears to have aspects which reflect themes or motifs of that entity rather than strictly useful functions. The...disappointing issue about the Exalted material is that once a player, or group of players, has a set way of thinking about how an aspect of Exalted should be run or carried, then it becomes very difficult for the GameMaster to be creative, spontaneous, and pleasantly surprising.

Which...really is a shame.

True. I've mentioned it before, the whole one-true-way thinking of a lot of Exalted fans coupled with the obsession with canon is a part of why I'm rather scared of Exalted fans, on the whole. People seem to expect stuff to conform to canon - and not only just the base, multiple-interpretation canon, but what they interpret as canon. Perhaps it's because I am still at heart a D&D player, but people calling a DM/ST bad because he changed stuff in the setting is something that never fails to make me go "wuh? ", and Exalted seems to suffer from a bit of that. Or at least that part of the fanbase is really loud, which could also be.

[Xefas]

Perhaps it's because I am still at heart a D&D player, but people calling a DM/ST bad because he changed stuff in the setting is something that never fails to make me go "wuh? "...

That's not a 'D&D thing'. That's an 'Every Other RPG Fandom But Exalted' (possibly White Wolf in general) thing.

Although, I don't so much see the sentiment that "You're bad if you don't adhere to the canon". I more see "I have an intense desire to let you know that what you're doing isn't canon, and I will continue to repeat this even after you've told me that you're aware, and I will do this instead of giving you actual critique or advice, until my pages of neckbeard scare away anyone who might legitimately help you."

[Story Time]

There just aren't words for how deeply I agree with your sentiments, Drascin.

Every time I see an Exalted thread debate heated disagreement argument it reminds me of a story I heard once. Out in the country a lady baked a pie, but for some reason she couldn't serve it. So she tossed it out onto the trash heap while it was still warm. A bunch of dogs under the porch sniffed it out and a fight broke out over who was going to get it. Those dogs turned ferocious and really hurt each other...all over this one pie that had just started sitting in trash and mixing its scent with the stink of the heap.

Who-knows-what could have been under that pie, and touching that pie, maybe going into that pie, but yet they still fought over it.


The story is a bit of an over-simplification compared to most any part of the Exalted material. I don't mean any kind of offense against the people that put the manuals together. But the gigantic questions of, "Why," and, "Over this," really pop out to me in both instances.

That's not a 'D&D thing'.

Xefas is a bunny ninja at the moment.

[Rockphed]

Indeed, I mostly only read these threads for Meschlum Madness and the occasional post of awesome(like the engine of extinction as the ultimate baddie). The arguments about whether Sol Invictus has blue, grey, green or purple eyes just get tedious.

[Yuki Akuma]

His eyes are gold, darnit.

[Story Time]

I really should apologize to the entire thread...and especially Yuki who gave me the idea for this...but one day, I want to run a game with a Sol that farts sun-beams.

Golden sun-beams, just so he's coordinated.

Indeed, I mostly only read these threads for Meschlum Madness[...]

Yes, Meschlum Madness is worth watching.

[Xefas]

I ...but one day, I want to run a game with a Sol that farts sun-beams.

You mean the sun would be primarily composed of gas? That's terribly unrealistic.

[DeadManSleeping]

You mean the sun would be primarily composed of gas? That's terribly unrealistic.

Indeed

[Yuki Akuma]

I really should apologize to the entire thread...and especially Yuki who gave me the idea for this...but one day, I want to run a game with a Sol that farts sun-beams.

What is this I don't even

[Xefas]

I just had a pretty rockin' social combat in my weekly fatexalted game. The party's Abyssal had to convince my Slayer that he was indiscriminately killing way too many people.

That's how you know you're playing a Slayer right.

[Tavar]

Partially, it has to do with the fact that whenever there's an established setting, changes to that setting seem to make people...upset. I've seen arguments about Forgotten Realms, Dragonlance, or Eberron. The thing is, Exalted's system is tied much closer to the setting than some other systems.

Also, there's the fact that sometimes, the changes don't really seem to be made with a point in mind. Or with a great need. Making the Ebon Dragon into a villian who you could have a battle like that essentially requires changing everything about him. That battle is much better served by using some sort of behemoth.

[ShadowFighter15]

Just to clarify - I wasn't asking for pure mechanics or even references to books or anything like that; I just need a way to justify why the players would want to run on the Ebon Dragon's back hacking off anything that looks important on the way up.

Idea was to have the Ebon Dragon be betrayed by his fetich soul, which I talked about several pages ago and seemed to have been lost in another discussion entirely, and pinned to the ground by his tail. Said fetich soul would be Five Days Darkness - yes, I know FDD was made well after the Dragon's Shadow would've had a fetich soul, but the suggestion in RotSE about making the Scarlet Empress his fetich suggested that he could transfer that power from his current fetich into a new person/being.

It'd certainly fit the Dragon's personality to, instead of saving his fetich soul, simply yank the power out of it just before it's killed and stick the power into someone else pre-prepared for it. He keeps his current definition and betrayed someone in the process, double-win as far as he's concerned.

[Xefas]

Just to clarify - I wasn't asking for pure mechanics or even references to books or anything like that; I just need a way to justify why the players would want to run on the Ebon Dragon's back hacking off anything that looks important on the way up.

How about he's speared in place, and another group of NPC patsies distracts him while you run up his back to sneak attack his glowing red weak point, situated on the base of his head, for massive damage. Very significant amounts of massive damage.

[Rockphed]

So, you have already decided on where the battle will take place, you just need a why?

TED, SoaT, has taken a child captive and by eating her innocence he will be able to restart his gambit to conquer the world.

Or he is attempting to swallow the sun so he can rule the world in the eternal darkness of his heart, and the heroes must climb him and rip his engine of eating out by the mouth.

[ShadowFighter15]

This is going to be in the Endgame chapter of RotSE, where the Unconquered Sun is already dead. His replacement gets promoted just as the PCs confront TED (which is also why Five Days Darkness doesn't fade away immediately - new guy's power hasn't settled into the role yet so the light's basically on a different metaphysical frequency).

Basically, I just need a more sound reason for them to go clambering all over TED's body beyond "We need to stab him, but all his important bits are in the stratosphere."

[Xefas]

"...because, as you notice, I brought this tin of chocolate chip cookies. I will disclose the location of the key to its padlock once you have all groped the absolute hell out of the Ebon Dragon's back region.

This railroad is paved with baked goods, suckas."

[Story Time]

You mean the sun would be primarily composed of gas? That's terribly unrealistic.

Of course it wouldn't be gas. It would Essence...and possibly other foods.

Some of this boils back to theories that I once had about the Celestial Incarnae. Being constructs, of a sort, I thought it would be neat if they were programmed not to transcend their borders and barriers. So then...what would they do with all the experience that they gained after they reached their designed parameters? It could not be used if they were programmed to remain only on one layer.

So then the flatulence is a humorous attempt to answer that theory.

What is this I don't even

Remember, he wears a skirt, not pants. UCS could now stand for the UnContinent Sun, or Sol Incontinence. Sol Incontinencia!

Partially, it has to do with the fact that whenever there's an established setting, changes to that setting seem to make people...upset.

I have noticed this. I can even sympathize with it to some extent. But then what begins as a disagreement of opinion becomes something else in those arguments. It really is a shame. I suppose one helpful thing to do might be for a person to learn where that line is and to not cross it. That's something that I'd like to try to do, anyway.

Just to clarify - I wasn't asking for pure mechanics or even references to books or anything like that; I just need a way to justify why the players would want to run on the Ebon Dragon's back hacking off anything that looks important on the way up.

The Ebon Dragon is going somewhere for some reason. The player characters have no form of transportation to follow. The answer is: Jump on and ride.

Mix with the other suggestions to your taste.

Also, keep in mind that in Exalted if a player does not want their character to do something then a way will be found around it. The if that supposes that the characters have no form of transportation is a big one and is not too difficult to remedy by other charms. So while you do plan, be flexible to let your players choose their character's path.

Here is a deeper example:

Spoiler

Show

Once, I submitted an application to a game that had SandBox in the title. It was supposed to be a sand-box game where the characters could do what they wanted. This is not too far from the approach Exalted is supposed to take. However, in the game that I applied to only one vehicle was provided to a group of four characters. This was the GameMaster's idea of sand-box...forcing three other characters to ride along to where-ever the driver wanted to go. The reason for this was because the driver was selected, obviously, based on their better ability to drive.

I doubt your players will appreciate you if you make any similar decisions.

Also, reading again what Tavar posted reminds me that there is a good idea there. If you want your players to ride the Ebon Dragon then there should be a plot related reason to do so. Make it so that the characters want to ride the dragon, rather than forcing them to.

[Lix Lorn]

Also, reading again what Tavar posted reminds me that there is a good idea there. If you want your players to ride the Ebon Dragon then there should be a plot related reason to do so. Make it so that the characters want to ride the dragon, rather than forcing them to.

The thing that separates Exalted from other systems is that in any other system, if you railroad the players, they get annoyed. In Exalted, they derail the train. In ten. Seconds. Flat.

[ShadowFighter15]

"...because, as you notice, I brought this tin of chocolate chip cookies. I will disclose the location of the key to its padlock once you have all groped the absolute hell out of the Ebon Dragon's back region.

This railroad is paved with baked goods, suckas."

The Ebon Dragon is going somewhere for some reason. The player characters have no form of transportation to follow. The answer is: Jump on and ride.

Mix with the other suggestions to your taste.

Also, keep in mind that in Exalted if a player does not want their character to do something then a way will be found around it. The if that supposes that the characters have no form of transportation is a big one and is not too difficult to remedy by other charms. So while you do plan, be flexible to let your players choose their character's path.

Here is a deeper example:

Spoiler

Show

Once, I submitted an application to a game that had SandBox in the title. It was supposed to be a sand-box game where the characters could do what they wanted. This is not too far from the approach Exalted is supposed to take. However, in the game that I applied to only one vehicle was provided to a group of four characters. This was the GameMaster's idea of sand-box...forcing three other characters to ride along to where-ever the driver wanted to go. The reason for this was because the driver was selected, obviously, based on their better ability to drive.

I doubt your players will appreciate you if you make any similar decisions.

Also, reading again what Tavar posted reminds me that there is a good idea there. If you want your players to ride the Ebon Dragon then there should be a plot related reason to do so. Make it so that the characters want to ride the dragon, rather than forcing them to.

Well the main problem was that the only sure thing is that they will be fighting the Ebon Dragon. This is the Endgame of RotSE - the Elemental Pole of Earth has been blown up and replaced with some framework thing that probably won't last another month, Mount Meru has erupted blotting out the sun (and weakening the UCS enough to be reliably assassinated by Infernal Exalted), the rest of Creation's all gone to hell and the Ebon Dragon himself is physically in Creation lording it up. At this stage it's either beat the snot out of the Ebon Dragon or hijack one of the Directional Titans and escape into the Wyld.

The main problem is that I want the actual fight with the Ebon Dragon to be a bit more impressive. Obviously, if they've managed to get their hands on a bunch of warstriders or First Age aerial combat vehicles it'll be a different story, but if they assault Mt Meru with just daiklaves and maybe a power bow or two, it's gonna feel a little too MMO-ish to just have them hacking at the guy's ankles for an hour before he keels over. And having ED change into a more manageable form feels too much like a cop-out. If you're going to kill a world-creating being older than time then it should feel like it, damnit!

Actually - didn't someone say a few pages back that the Ebon Dragon only had the one body, apart from his demons? No humaniform jouten or world-body just the big serpent? Because if so, maybe his dragon body could also be his world-body and we're just seeing the outside. Although now I realise that I can't think of what his internal geometry would be like. How do you make a world that embodies the Ebon Dragon's principles? Other than having it populated by countless clones of Snidely Whiplash.

[Lord Raziere]

The thing that separates Exalted from other systems is that in any other system, if you railroad the players, they get annoyed. In Exalted, they derail the train. In ten. Seconds. Flat.

I'm pretty sure that is setting canon. or at least intentional in the systems design.

[Yuki Akuma]

He has a single jouten that can shapeshift into any form he damn well pleases.

It just defaults to a dragon because he is a dragon.