General Exalted Discussion Thread X: Playground Cosmic Principle

[Tavar]

golentan, that's probably okay, though if you're using the normal clinch rules it's a bit OP: strength can be used for accursed for those.

[Lix Lorn]

So, if you're from monterey county and you think you might be in my game, please stay out of the spoilers. Everyone else please put your responses, if any, in spoilers. Thanks.

Spoiler

Show

I've come up with an encounter for my players, as their first "boss fight." They're chasing a really powerful abyssal, and I've had him create a hekatonkhire as a weapons test. I want to know if (in your opinion) it's a fair fight for a group of celestials. I've tried to make it so that if they can keep it from eating the villagers in the town they're in the fight will go their way, but if they grow too callous about bystanders things can turn sour fast. I've also left a vulnerability in it to holy charms. Finally, I've made it so that if they are driven enough they can permanently destroy it despite none of them having spirit killing charms, but if they're flippant with it it may be a recurring foe. I'm a bit worried that Withering Breath is too powerful. And I'm worried that dice pools may be wrong (I tried to put them on the threshhold where they will hit my entirely combat-focused characters (yes, they're all combat junkies) about half the time barring defensive charms/stunting: enough to keep them on their toes but not so much as to completely overwhelm them. Similarly, I keyed the damage to the average soak (about 7-10B, meaning 5-8 dice of damage, meaning 2-4 levels on average).

Anyway, enough ranting. Have a Hekatonkhire.

Thousand Soul Stranglevine
A mass of writhing vines rise from the ground, dozens of them moving in concert like a strange octopus with too many limbs. From the center rises a thick stalk 40 feet tall, topped with a many petaled white flower in which a hungry maw works. Dozens of smaller mawflowers line the vines, gnashing their teeth. The whole plant glows with a sickly green radiance which seems to fade to transparency and resolidify in odd, almost random ways. The Thousand Soul Stranglevine was created by a spell which conglomerated it from the dead spirits of hundreds of animals and dozens of ghosts succored on the wood aspected demesne within a forest, and designed by the necromancy of the Master of Shattered Bones. It is possibly the first hekatonkhire deliberately created by one of the abyssal exalted, intended as a weapons test for the potential destruction of Sijan. The nightmare flower is neither material nor immaterial, but some strange ectoplasmic hybrid which affects both.

Motivation: Devour the souls of the living and the dead.
Attributes: Strength 15, Dexterity 4, Stamina 15, Charisma 1, Manipulation 1, Appearance 6, Perception 3, Intelligence 1, Wits 2
Virtues: Compassion 1, Conviction 4, Temperance 2, Valor 4
Abilities: Athletics 7, Awareness 2 (movement sense +4), Craft (wood) 7, Dodge 3 (partial dematerializing +7) Integrity 8, Martial Arts 7 (Vines +2), Presence 2 (terrifying +8), Resistance 8, Thrown 6
Special Abilities:

Ectoplasmic rending: The ectoplasmic vines of the stranglevine touch the immaterial more easily than the material, allowing it to always assault immaterial creatures. A living creature slain by the creature's vines does not die to physical wounds, but rather has its soul torn bodily from it before being devoured screaming by the hekatonkhire's mawflowers, the body falling limply to the ground and the spirit permanently destroyed. This feeding process is terrifying to behold, requiring a valor check (difficulty 2) to avoid fleeing from the creature. Spending 2 wp overcomes this unnatural emotion effect, and a character who passes the valor check or spends the willpower is immune to the fear engendered for the remainder of the scene. In addition, the digestion of the spirit's corpus reinvigorates the Stranglevine, giving it 5m for every dot of essence possessed by the victim. This is the only means by which the stranglevine may regain motes. This is a shaping effect.

Necromantic Spores: For a cost of 1m, the Stranglevine may spit forth a spore from any maw. On striking a living creature, it extends barbed tendrils and burrows into the creature's flesh and soul as a ranged clinch which takes no effort to maintain. If the target should win the clinch, they may pry the spore away and cast it aside, where it lies twitching for a few seconds before subsuming On slaying a victim or striking a corpse, the tendrils sink deep into the flesh and begin it moving in twisted puppetry, causing the body to arise as a zombie 6 ticks later.

Twisted Semblance of Life: With sufficient volumes of dead wood and flesh the Stranglevine may spend 10m and make a successful Craft (wood) roll difficulty 4 as simple action taking one long tick to create a necromantic war machine. These shambling wooden monstrosities survive for only a week before decaying away to nothing, consumed by unnatural and hideously toxic mushrooms and disturbing plant life.

Cursed Resilience: By spending 5m per bashing health level or 10m per level, the Stranglevine may instantly heal from any damage it has the motes to recover. This cannot heal aggravated damage.

Withering Breath: When all else fails, the Stranglevine may forego its desire to feed in order to slay its enemy. By spending 20m, the Stranglevine opens all its maws and vomits forth a toxic cloud of death essence as a simple action. This cloud spreads in all directions out to a distance of 200 yards, advancing at a rate of 20 yards/tick until it has reached its full range. All living things within it are exposed to a poison with the statistics of Yozi Venom for each action they remain within the cloud. The cloud lingers for up to an hour before congealing into a shadowland. Living things slain by the cloud waste away and crumble to dust before the eyes of spectators. This mode of death leaves no ghosts behind for the Stranglevine to feed upon

Deathless Seed: When reduced to dying health levels by an attack which does not permanently destroy spirits, the Stranglevine convulses for several minutes before decaying into nothing, collapsing into the underworld as it dies and losing all motes. All that is left behind is a single seed, the size of a coconut, at the center of the decaying ectoplasmic vines outside creation. This seed is bone white and freezing to the touch. It sends out a lure, drawing all ghosts and plasmic entities within 13 miles to it as a social attack affecting non-heroic ghosts with MDV less than 7, costing 1 wp to resist for a scene. Any ghost foolish enough to touch it is consumed instantly as per Ectoplasmic Rending. When the seed has consumed enough ghosts to completely refill its mote pool, it puts out tendrils and rebirths itself as a full stranglevine over the course of a month. This seed may be destroyed by any living thing courageous enough to brave the underworld and destroy it, without fear of being consumed. It has soak and hardness 5, and 7 health levels.

Join Battle: 4 (8 if foe is moving)
Attacks: Vines: Speed 5, Accuracy 13, Damage 15B, Rate 5, Parry 7 (cannot parry lethal)
Clinch: Speed 6, Accuracy 13, Damage 15B, Rate 5, Parry -
Necromantic Spore: Speed 5, Accuracy 10, Damage Special, Rate 3, Parry -
Withering Breath: Special
Soak: 15B/7L/7A
Corpus Levels: -0x5/-1x10/-2x10/-4x3/Incap
Dodge DV: 7 (4 vs. Strike Immaterial)
Willpower: 10
Essence: 5
Essence Pool: 100/100

Apologies for poor writing.

Spoiler

Show

Well it looks awesome, for a start. I'm not really familiar with poison rules, so sadly I can't help with the withering breath part... I do want to ask what happens to the ghosts it doesn't make. Are they just permaslain? Does the seed fall into the underworld proper, or does it make a shadowland?

Anyway, I got a better idea for Space Opera Exalted- character (Dawn Caste, probably) based off this picture.

Probably a Spec. Ops tactical commander/general.

Meru Militia Recruitment Office:
Requirements: Combat ability at 3+, App 4+

[golentan]

Spoiler

Show

Well it looks awesome, for a start. I'm not really familiar with poison rules, so sadly I can't help with the withering breath part... I do want to ask what happens to the ghosts it doesn't make. Are they just permaslain? Does the seed fall into the underworld proper, or does it make a shadowland?

Meru Militia Recruitment Office:
Requirements: Combat ability at 3+, App 4+

Spoiler

Show

I was thinking the spirits either were sent directly to oblivion, or, if they passed a willpower roll, entered lethe. The seed falls into the underworld proper, unless you're already in a shadowland.

[Hiro Protagonest]

Meru Militia Recruitment Office:
Requirements: Combat ability at 3+, App 4+

Everyone is better with App 4+.

But yes, that picture does make me want to use diplomacy and trading with Horngeek's nation, rather than fighting her. As a Slayer, I am driven by three things. My anger, my ambition, and my lust. Oh, and sometimes genuine compassion.

And I found a song for either heroic mortals or Dragon-Blooded (depending on era/preference).

[Lix Lorn]

Spoiler

Show

I was thinking the spirits either were sent directly to oblivion, or, if they passed a willpower roll, entered lethe. The seed falls into the underworld proper, unless you're already in a shadowland.

Spoiler

Show

Seems fair, but... well, I would say you should specify, but you're the one who needs to read it. xD

Everyone is better with App 4+.

But yes, that picture does make me want to use diplomacy and trading with Horngeek's nation, rather than fighting her. As a Slayer, I am driven by three things. My anger, my ambition, and my lust. Oh, and sometimes genuine compassion.

And I found a song for either heroic mortals or Dragon-Blooded (depending on era/preference).

I'm not so much complaining as pointing out.

I'd suggest Long Forgotten Sons, Rise Against.

[Hiro Protagonest]

Hm... I might deviate from my tradition of playing martial artists, in favor of a swordsman. And since Infernal Monster Style doesn't have swords as favored weapons, I'm probably going to be Dawn Caste. With a trenchcoat and scarf!

And despite his sorta-name, the Lone Warrior is a leader. He led the rebellion.

...I'll probably save that concept for another game. Stick with my Slayer for the Creation-Ruling Mandate IN SPACE! Unless in the Space Opera Shard, Solars don't go insane. In which case I'm switching to Dawn with a speed measured in lightyears, even if I don't use the picture.

[horngeek]

Everyone is better with App 4+.

But yes, that picture does make me want to use diplomacy and trading with Horngeek's nation, rather than fighting her. As a Slayer, I am driven by three things. My anger, my ambition, and my lust. Oh, and sometimes genuine compassion.

And I found a song for either heroic mortals or Dragon-Blooded (depending on era/preference).

"Urgh. At least you're being influenced in a trade direction by said lust. I've had at least one idiot play the 'be with me or face war!' card.

I'm a Dawn Caste."

Also, just to screw with potential suitors, she probably only swings for one side. Yes, an Exalted who isn't Bi.

[Lix Lorn]

It amuses me that in Exalted, NOT being bi is the outside weird thing to do.

[horngeek]

That said, which side she swings for will probably be decided in-game.

*eagerly awaits the release of Shards*

[Turalisj]

I've taken to randomly rolling for the gender of my characters.... And they seem to be coming up female more often than not >.>'


If Sanguine still has room, I'd be interested in his game.

[golentan]

That said, which side she swings for will probably be decided in-game.

*eagerly awaits the release of Shards*

It doesn't really matter anyway. IIRC gender preference is only +1 or +2 MDV vs being seduced. 4 extra motes on the roll and...

[Hiro Protagonest]

"Urgh. At least you're being influenced in a trade direction by said lust. I've had at least one idiot play the 'be with me or face war!' card.

I'm a Dawn Caste."

Also, just to screw with potential suitors, she probably only swings for one side. Yes, an Exalted who isn't Bi.

"So... can I punch you without losing the alliance? Because I'm bored right now and I'm guessing you won't like the other option. My troops are still recovering, and I'm not THAT dumb."

It amuses me that in Exalted, NOT being bi is the outside weird thing to do.

Meh, I always go with straight. Unless my character finds a way to change their gender, in which case I just rule that the hormones get to them (bear in mind I know next to nothing about biology). But the bi thing seems especially true for Lunars, for understandable reasons.

[Tavar]

Wow, I never thought I'd see it, but someone is literally arguing that the original Second Edition Sidereal Charmset wasn't completely borked.

Also, any opinions on the new clinch rules I posted here?

[horngeek]

"So... can I punch you without losing the alliance? Because I'm bored right now and I'm guessing you won't like the other option. My troops are still recovering, and I'm not THAT dumb."

"You want to spar? Sure, I guess."

Meh, I always go with straight. Unless my character finds a way to change their gender, in which case I just rule that the hormones get to them (bear in mind I know next to nothing about biology). But the bi thing seems especially true for Lunars, for understandable reasons.

Heh. I tend to go for 'whatever works'.

Anyway, don't White Wolf normally release on Monday or sometime like that?

[Exthalion]

Fun fact:

Once, White Wolf always set its release dates for Mondays. However, what really happened on Monday was that they shipped out all their books on the preceding Saturday; and so books would begin arriving on doorsteps and in stores on Monday, but some places farther away from the distribution centers wouldn't have books show up until mid-week. This led to people showing up in their gaming stores on Monday like WHARS MY NEW BOOK and there was new book and angry happened.

So White Wolf started setting its release dates for Wednesdays. Some people got books earlier, but they seemed not to get pissed off about finding an early release the way they did about having to wait two days. And for a long time, digital books got released on Wednesdays too, because that was just how it worked.

But they stopped doing that earlier this year because honestly, why wait for your money?. Now, the day it's ready, it goes up! Which is to say, Shards might come out on any day of the week.

From the White Wolf forums.

[horngeek]

Ah.

*starts hoping fervently it's today*

By which I mean, Friday in America. So... Saturday here in Aus. Which is tomorrow.

So I can play a game using my Dawn Caste General/Spec. Ops commander.

[Arrghus]

Ah.

*starts hoping fervently it's today*

By which I mean, Friday in America. So... Saturday here in Aus. Which is tomorrow.

In that same thread, Holden predicted it'd be the third week or something (very loose prediction). Given Holden's track record, this suggests fourth week at the earliest.

[Hiro Protagonest]

"You want to spar? Sure, I guess."

"Well, it depends... what's your definition of 'exalted sparring'?"

For a Slayer, there tends to be no such thing as sparring. My guy can bring in the reins a bit, but to him it still means "just do whatever as long as nobody dies". And since he tends to avoid death in the first place by using Smashfists...

We should save this stuff for the actual game, though. When you've decided which way she swings, and I've decided not to straight up tell you "marry me or face another enemy". Which wouldn't be my intention anyway, at least not until we've defeated all the OTHER enemies. I do have a sketchy idea in my mind, if we ever finish the game...

Although regarding alliances, I think it would be best if all the PCs were all in the same group (or at least all staunch allies by the start of the game).

[Drascin]

It amuses me that in Exalted, NOT being bi is the outside weird thing to do.

Yep.

You have no idea the kind of weird looks I get when I point out I'm playing a nearly asexual Serenity Caste. I've actually had a couple people tell me i'm doing it wrong and everything .

[Tavar]

You have no idea the kind of weird looks I get when I point out I'm playing a nearly asexual Serenity Caste. I've actually had a couple people tell me i'm doing it wrong and everything .

Yeah, quite a bit of that is the result of severe flanderization. Hell, even the bi thing seems that way. How many of the canonical characters are actually bi?

[Hiro Protagonest]

Yeah, quite a bit of that is the result of severe flanderization. Hell, even the bi thing seems that way. How many of the canonical characters are actually bi?

Well, I think the two Lunars who founded Halta are. Might've been a different two, though. And then that one Lunar who switches gender every 20 years (who gets amused when his/her best friend refuses to try homosexuality). And maybe the male Lunar who was with Silverclaws (he's reluctant to try and go hunt down the woman in Thorns who now calls herself Silverclaws, but taken in context, that seems to be more of a fear of women in general, rather than any particular disinterest). I don't know anything about Sidereal, Abyssal, Dragon-Blooded, or Alchemical characters.

But yeah, other than four canonical Lunars... not really.

[Sanguine]

Well, I think the two Lunars who founded Halta are. Might've been a different two, though. And then that one Lunar who switches gender every 20 years (who gets amused when his/her best friend refuses to try homosexuality).

These are the same two Lunars both times. Only one of them is Bi as you yourself note.

And maybe the male Lunar who was with Silverclaws (he's reluctant to try and go hunt down the woman in Thorns who now calls herself Silverclaws, but taken in context, that seems to be more of a fear of women in general, rather than any particular disinterest).

No, he is explicitly Homosexual not Bi.

[The_Snark]

Well, there's the Empress. It's supposed to be pretty common in Dynastic society, too.

And maybe the male Lunar who was with Silverclaws (he's reluctant to try and go hunt down the woman in Thorns who now calls herself Silverclaws, but taken in context, that seems to be more of a fear of women in general, rather than any particular disinterest).

He seems pretty firmly homosexual to me; his issues with women actually stem from a sexually aggressive, female Solar mate in the First Age.

[Rikandur Azebol]

Reverse gender Lilith & Desus ?

And as far as I know and DB book seem to mention it, Dynasts seem to have attiude towards sex like ... dunno, characters from porn comixes ? Especially Cynis seem to explore all kinds of debauchery.

One wonders why it isn't the biggest DB house then. Since Exalts are naturally much more resistant to other indulgences that can hamper one's sexual health.

[Sanguine]

Reverse gender Lilith & Desus ?

And as far as I know and DB book seem to mention it, Dynasts seem to have attiude towards sex like ... dunno, characters from porn comixes ? Especially Cynis seem to explore all kinds of debauchery.

One wonders why it isn't the biggest DB house then. Since Exalts are naturally much more resistant to other indulgences that can hamper one's sexual health.

Because genealogy is very important in Dynastic society and when you conceive a child during an orgy it's kind of difficult to say who the father is. So it makes sense that the women would take Maiden's Tea before hand.

[golentan]

Also, the whole "No more than one child every 5 years or your health goes straight to hell" thing. Dragonbloods tend to be very careful about contraception.

Despite which, they should still have a few hundred thousand of them based on everything we've seen. /pet peeve

[Hiro Protagonest]

Despite which, they should still have a few hundred thousand of them based on everything we've seen. /pet peeve

Yeah. There are only so many workaholic women like Ejava. If half the women had a child every ten years for about a hundred years, which is very conservative, than the numbers should still be increasing exponentially, especially since the two main causes of death in older times (disease and hunger) are virtually non-existent to them.

[golentan]

Yeah... I've worked out the demographics a couple of ways and even the lowest estimate I've come up with based on post Contagion figures ought to have resulted in 150k in the modern era. Highest figure gives up to 2 or 3 million (based on the canonical "spontaneous" exaltation rate in second age creation and a rough estimate of creation's population).

[The_Snark]

I don't think the Realm's infrastructure would be able to support an exponentially growing aristocracy for very long. (They already have to import thousands of slaves from the Threshold each year just to keep the Isle from going to pieces). Given that Immaculate doctrine depends on keeping the Dragon-Blooded above and apart from the general populace, it's possible that someone (Sidereals? the Empress?) has intentionally been keeping the population down.

Is there actually a canonical number of Dragon-Blooded somewhere?

[golentan]

Just over 30,000 in all creation.

As for infrastructure... The realm has about 15-20k dragonbloods. It has a population of... 70 million IIRC? And exalts, when they put their mind to it, can really put together infrastructure. With exalts capable of putting together Hands of the Mountain (among others) as laborers and geomantic designs to speed agriculture? I think they'd easily overcome whatever social problems grew from having a larger concentration of exalts.