General Exalted Discussion Thread VII: Playground Eternal Essence

[Lord Raziere]

hm. good point.

Obligatory Destructive Death Beam
Drawback (1-5)
A drawback included in some Abyssal crafting to make it destructive, whenever the user gains a point of Resonance or Limit, it fires a death beam at a random object or life form, destroying it. at its lowest levels it merely blasts some bugs or a small plant, at the highest it fires multiple beams at people, walls, structures and trees, being a threat to the environment and people around it.
For this drawback, the drawback level has to be equal to the artifact level, as an Abyssal needs to incorporate the principle of destruction equally throughout the artifacts construction, or the death beam won't work and won't count as a destructive artifact.

or if you want something you can *willfully* destroy things with:

Necrotic Essence Cannon Upgrade:
Artifact +1 (raises the artifacts rating by one when being crafted into the design)
This upgrade allows the Abyssal to construct any artifact as long as it incorporates this into its design and still count as being destructive. It allows any artifact crafted to fire a beam of necrotic energy at the users command
It has the traits of the very small essence cannon, except that it only deals
5L damage.

but I have a good idea for armor:

Thousand Spikes Aura Armor
Artifact 2
Commitment: 6m
Activation: 3m
This Soulsteel Breastplate once attuned can be activated to emit an aura of necrotic pain around the Abyssal for one scene, when someone gets within 5 yards of the wearer, black lightning springs from the armor to punish the person for getting so close. The armor effectively makes an attack equal to the wearers (Stamina+Melee) and dealing 1L damage at whoever intrudes so close.

also, I'm thinking of a mote-draining variant, a white jade aura variant that increases soak to all allies around you, an orichalcum aura variant that does makes the Solar that does something social, basically a ton of armor that emit these auras to everything around the wearer, has lots of potential.

also, thinking of armor that enhances ones anima banner to do things.

[aetherialDawn]

Can't talk, bunnies will get me.

They can hide in teacups now, just like Sidereals.
How long until they get Resplendent Destinies and you stop being able to trust anyone?
They already have. (Loom-Snarling Deception)

The Luck-Poles of Armigen

1-dot Chancel. Wonder what's inside?

Well.
Now I need to actually go get Graceful Wicked Masques and whatnot, because I am not sure how this worked. And this is a story too good not to understand.

As a preliminary theory... Raksha with Assumption of the Living Kingdom, imposing penalties on the land that affect primarily sheep and goats, spread throughout the South. but I don't understand how the Chancel protects/helps the Cattle, yet...

- - - - -

On destroying the Absence of things: Abyssals tend to discourage rules-lawyering (unlike Infernals) to get around their powers. I would, however, completely accept this if it carried some sort of Resonance cost. That is, after all, the way that the Neverborn discourage rules-lawyering. The system for handling such things is thus already in place.

That Soulsteel breastplate is very, very nice. But why not make it add some sort of Terrestrial-esque anima effect to one's own anima banner, dealing damage through rotting and the cold of Oblivion instead of one of the elements?

[DeadManSleeping]

"I emptied your fridge..."Don't feel bad if you don't get this. It's kind of obscure.

[Lord Raziere]

Ten Thousand Spikes Aura Armor
Artifact 3
This is a 3-dot version of Thousand Spikes Aura Armor.
In addition to its normal effects, it allows the Abyssals anima banner to function similar to a Terrestrial's anima flux.

also: Lunar tattoo artifacts!

Lashing Vine Tattoo
Artifact 2
Commitment: 5
Dexterity +2
This tattoo extends the range of the Lunars unarmed attacks by 15 yards, allowing their limbs and neck to extend like vines to punch, kick, bite, whatever, from a distance.

Fire Elemental Body Tattoo
Artifact 2
Commitment: 5m
Activation: 4m
This Moonsilver-red jade alloy tattoo allows the Lunar to set fire to their own body for a scene without any harmful effect to themselves…..but to anyone who touches her, they suffer 4 dice of lethal damage, and this tattoo enhances the Lunars unarmed attacks by +4L dice.

[Cyborg Mage]

... allowing their limbs and neck to extend like vines...

... allows the Lunar to set fire to their own body for a scene without any harmful effect to themselves…

Oh good, now we're making the Fantastic Four into magic tattoos.

[Lord Raziere]

great I'm gonna have to do more.

will have to come later though. got something else to do….

[Turalisj]

Oh good, now we're making the Fantastic Four into magic tattoos.

So.... They fight against an Air Aspected Akuma who was welded into his armor?

[Rikandur Azebol]

Doom is no Akuma of anyone, Turalisj ! Everyone is Akuma of Doom.

[Cyborg Mage]

Doom is no Akuma of anyone, Turalisj ! Everyone is Akuma of Doom.

Oh quit your villain worship. Don't make me break out the Breath Draining Prana. You know I'll do it.

[Lix Lorn]

Well Reed Richards IS a jerk.

[Mr.Bookworm]

Well.
Now I need to actually go get Graceful Wicked Masques and whatnot, because I am not sure how this worked. And this is a story too good not to understand.

Just pick up the Scroll of Errata for the Charms. It more-or-less rewrote the entire Charm set (the raksha are still kind of broken, mind you, but they're usable).

You do still need to get the book for the other raksha stuff.

[Gensh]

Right, because he gained his power from his own hard work and diligence. Reed Richards was just an evil bastard who stole everything.

Am I summing up your view?

First of all, there's no reason for a personal attack, especially since that statement was given in jest.

Anyway, there's a reason why Reed Richards is often brought up as being one of the most controversial heroes in Marvel, namely in that he has the capacity to help a whole lot of people, but seems to spend most of his time developing flying cars in his penthouse apartment. On the other hand, Doom struggled to even survive childhood. His well-noted "arrogance" is a defense mechanism - if he wasn't so daring, he would have died. While Doom's powers may vary by continuity, he did gain his power from nothing but hard work. He built his suit, his entire robot army, took over the corrupt government of Latveria, restored the Latverian economy, and searched through hell to find his mother single-handedly in the span of time between dropping out of college and middle age.

For reference, here is an example of how the traditional Richards/Doom dynamic plays out. You'll see that while Doom is certainly crazy and overly theatrical, Richards is generally a jerk to everyone.

So yeah. Doom is a Defiler of Malfeas, same as me.

[aetherialDawn]

also: Lunar tattoo artifacts!

Do want. This is a good idea.
I assume these Tattoos function like Lunar Tattoo Artifacts that are already canonical - they have to cover the area they effect with appropriate imagery?

Does the Lashing Vine Tattoo actually give +2 Dexterity? If not, then it's fine (perhaps a little high on commitment cost?) If so, it's harder to say. Tattoo artifacts are allowed to be a little stronger than normal, given that they can't be removed or easily hidden.

Fire Body Tattoo: Stop it with the new rules! We have terrestrials charms for this! Good idea, though. How is this particularly Lunar-themed, however? If it's not, perhaps it is in need of a flavor upgrade to make it so.

I would recommend some smaller tattoos - these seem to both be full body, and that's much more annoying. Perhaps a lesser Flaming Hand Tattoo, for the damage bonus to unarmed attacks but no more.

[Turalisj]

First of all, there's no reason for a personal attack, especially since that statement was given in jest.

Anyway, there's a reason why Reed Richards is often brought up as being one of the most controversial heroes in Marvel, namely in that he has the capacity to help a whole lot of people, but seems to spend most of his time developing flying cars in his penthouse apartment. On the other hand, Doom struggled to even survive childhood. His well-noted "arrogance" is a defense mechanism - if he wasn't so daring, he would have died. While Doom's powers may vary by continuity, he did gain his power from nothing but hard work. He built his suit, his entire robot army, took over the corrupt government of Latveria, restored the Latverian economy, and searched through hell to find his mother single-handedly in the span of time between dropping out of college and middle age.

For reference, here is an example of how the traditional Richards/Doom dynamic plays out. You'll see that while Doom is certainly crazy and overly theatrical, Richards is generally a jerk to everyone.

So yeah. Doom is a Defiler of Malfeas, same as me.

I removed the post then if people think I was making a personal attack. There's a reason I try and stay out of arguments.

[Rikandur Azebol]

Turalisj, I think that You drank too much Liquid Sarcasm.
But on the other hand, some people are mite oversensitive. And could go cry in the corner for all I care.

Oh quit your villain worship. Don't make me break out the Breath Draining Prana. You know I'll do it.

Since when Meschlum is a villain ?
And I only let glamorous girls to steal my breath !

[Turalisj]

Rikandur, those weren't girls. That was Ma-ha-suchi.

Yes, all of them.

[Rikandur Azebol]

You had to Order-Reafirming Blow my Fantasy, hadn't You ?

How ?! He learned Harem-no-Jutsu ?
My dreams are crushed forever ...

[Lord Raziere]

Do want. This is a good idea.
I assume these Tattoos function like Lunar Tattoo Artifacts that are already canonical - they have to cover the area they effect with appropriate imagery?

Does the Lashing Vine Tattoo actually give +2 Dexterity? If not, then it's fine (perhaps a little high on commitment cost?) If so, it's harder to say. Tattoo artifacts are allowed to be a little stronger than normal, given that they can't be removed or easily hidden.

Fire Body Tattoo: Stop it with the new rules! We have terrestrials charms for this! Good idea, though. How is this particularly Lunar-themed, however? If it's not, perhaps it is in need of a flavor upgrade to make it so.

I would recommend some smaller tattoos - these seem to both be full body, and that's much more annoying. Perhaps a lesser Flaming Hand Tattoo, for the damage bonus to unarmed attacks but no more.

Lashing Vine Tattoo: Yes, it does grant +2 Dexterity. Should I depower it to +1?

how about the fire looks like the Lunar's spirit shape?

Flaming Gorilla Fist Tattoo
Artifact 2
This tattoo functions similarly to the Fire-Aspected Dragon-Graced Weapon, except it costs 3m to activate and only works on the Lunar's fists using unarmed attacks.
Tattoos that only cover one hand is Artifact 1

Gazelle Hoof Leg Tattoo
Artifact 2
Attunement: 5m
Activation: 3m
When this tattoo is activated it transforms the Lunars legs into gazelle hoofs, increasing the Lunars speed to 50 yards per tick.

Kitsune Face Tattoo
Artifact 3
This tattoo functions similarly to The Mask artifact, but with an additional power:
The Lunar can disguise one willing person as well, as long as they are somehow related to the Lunar's form taken by the original mask effect

Example: the Full Moon Lunar disguises himself as a blacksmith, and uses the second effect to disguise the No Moon as his apprentice.

Ethereal Bones Chest Tattoo
Artifact 3
This tattoo allows the Lunar to switch between being a normal Creation-Born and being a Creature of Death, the switch costing 5m each time. When the Lunar is a creature of death, they regain essence as if they were a ghost, this tattoo being designed for Lunars infiltrating the Underworld.

[masterjoda99]

Doom is a Defiler of Malfeas

This must be statted out. For the good of everyone and everything, ever.

[aetherialDawn]

Lashing Vine Tattoo: Yes, it does grant +2 Dexterity. Should I depower it to +1?

I don't know. Assuming it's (Two dice added by charms to all dexterity actions) then that's not too bad. If it's actually +2 Dexterity, that becomes a headache, especially given that these artifacts are integrated into the Lunar, and Lunars have attribute based charms.

how about the fire looks like the Lunar's spirit shape?

[nitpick]More appropriate wording would be 'Manifests the Lunar's spirit shape as an aura of fire' or some variation[/nitpick] but yes, that's probably enough.

Flaming Gorilla Fist Tattoo

Curiosity: Why gorilla fists? Otherwise seems appropriate, although it lacks a commitment cost. Shouldn't really be too high. It is always a worry that improving a Lunar's unarmed attacks is actually one of the few things they don't usually need.

Gazelle Hoof Leg Tattoo

This is fast. Gazelle legs isn't enough to cover that; these will need to be overtly supernatural to justify a speed of 50. Especially given that it's a plain movement speed of 50, when normal movement speeds are closer to 5 and most charms that give massive speed are somehow restricted for combat function. This negates a large number of flurry-breakers, at least for the first use or two of them.

Kitsune Face Tattoo

The additional power doesn't really justify an extra dot in cost, given that it is a Tattoo Artifact and, well, Lunars do need some love.
Also, I looked at the Mask artifact and realized: The Changing moon anima power is basically a somewhat improved version of this that costs ten motes to use, and is broken by anima flare.

I'd say make this mask replicate the Changing Moon anima power, but costing 5m. Changing Moons are allowed to extend the benefit to a second target for an additional 5m. Yes? (Also, how does one determine a related appearance? I mean, I can disguise myself as X, declare that Y is my adopted child, and then there is a relation... But I don't have to tell other people that, the illusion never lapses, and the appearances don't have to have any similarities visible to others.
Note that this version might be 3 dots (while yours I'd say is somewhere between 2 and 3, thanks to the vagueness of the dot system) but covers scent, voice, and whatnot.

The Ethereal Bones Chest Tattoo you added after I started typing seems rather specialized to be an artifact which is incorporated into the original tattoos and can never be removed. Hm.

[Lord Raziere]

Lashing Vines: then maybe change it to a skill?

Flaming Gorilla Fists: just a poetic name.

Gazelle Hoof Tattoo: bring it down to say, 30 yards per tick?

Kitsune Face: sounds good.

Ethereal Bones: your right hm. maybe it would be better off as a normal artifact? like some sort of belt or bracer?

yet another one:

False Bribe Hand Tattoo
Artifact 2
Attunement: 5m
Activation: 1m per threshold difficulty
This Tattoo allows the Lunar to create the illusion of a bribe in their hand and give it to someone. The person who receives the illusionary bribe must make a (Perception+Awareness) roll to figure out that its an illusion, with a difficulty equal to how many motes the Lunar spent making the bribe "real".

[Mr.Bookworm]

Lashing Vine Tattoo
Artifact 2
Commitment: 5
Dexterity +2
This tattoo extends the range of the Lunars unarmed attacks by 15 yards, allowing their limbs and neck to extend like vines to punch, kick, bite, whatever, from a distance.

Never give added dots of traits. Neeeeever. Ever (okay, sometimes, but this is one of those things that needs to be very carefully handled).

The actual benefit also needs to be cut back some. I'd make it (Essence) yards (which is already duplicating a CMA Charm, but that Charm's a little meh, so whatever). That should probably be fine as an Artifact 2.

Fire Elemental Body Tattoo
Artifact 2
Commitment: 5m
Activation: 4m
This Moonsilver-red jade alloy tattoo allows the Lunar to set fire to their own body for a scene without any harmful effect to themselves…..but to anyone who touches her, they suffer 4 dice of lethal damage, and this tattoo enhances the Lunars unarmed attacks by +4L dice.

I would cut the added damage in half, to +2L.

Flaming Gorilla Fist Tattoo
Artifact 2
This tattoo functions similarly to the Fire-Aspected Dragon-Graced Weapon, except it costs 3m to activate and only works on the Lunar's fists using unarmed attacks.
Tattoos that only cover one hand is Artifact 1

This sort of thing is almost never enough to lower the cost. Stunting means that you can use your fists in a fight while holding a stack of plates in each hand. So just cut this entirely.

Gazelle Hoof Leg Tattoo
Artifact 2
Attunement: 5m
Activation: 3m
When this tattoo is activated it transforms the Lunars legs into gazelle hoofs, increasing the Lunars speed to 50 yards per tick.

Um. Been playing D&D? Base movement is your Dexterity. Dashing adds 6 to that. So, uh, yeah, a bit much.

Also needs a duration. If it's one tick and/or action, you can make it a little bigger, if it's scene-long it needs to be not-huge.

Kitsune Face Tattoo
Artifact 3
This tattoo functions similarly to The Mask artifact, but with an additional power:
The Lunar can disguise one willing person as well, as long as they are somehow related to the Lunar's form taken by the original mask effect

Example: the Full Moon Lunar disguises himself as a blacksmith, and uses the second effect to disguise the No Moon as his apprentice.

Wait, how exactly does this work? You need some more clarification.

Ethereal Bones Chest Tattoo
Artifact 3
This tattoo allows the Lunar to switch between being a normal Creation-Born and being a Creature of Death, the switch costing 5m each time. When the Lunar is a creature of death, they regain essence as if they were a ghost, this tattoo being designed for Lunars infiltrating the Underworld.

Uh. I am inclined to say "no".

Switching states is a huuuuuuuuuge deal.

Look at the Essence 4 Ebby Charm that does something similar. Using it more or less kills you, and Ebby only gets that kind of Charm because he pretty explicitly cheats to do it.

[Lord Raziere]

1. essence? no.

2. nah.

3. kay

4. okay…..adds 8. that good?

5. it works how it works, like The Mask works,except you activate it a second time to disguise someone else.

6. Lunar much more flexible.

[Mr.Bookworm]

1. essence? no.

Either that, or up the cost.

2. nah.

Yeeeeees. Lunars already have one of the best unarmed raw damage outputs in the game, and this Artifact is doing three things already.

4. okay…..adds 8. that good?

Nope. Compare to similar Charms. This is an Artifact 2. It's not a game-changer.

I would add, say, 3 for scene-long, 9 for tick-long.

5. it works how it works, like The Mask works,except you activate it a second time to disguise someone else.

Uh. That needs clarification. Do you have to activate it a second time with another action, paying the same cost? Who can it target? What's the range?

6. Lunar much more flexible.

Alright, Solars are perfect, they get Zeal.

Themes are not a justification for breakage. You design within the themes to get something that is balanced.

[TheCountAlucard]

A thought occurs...

What's to stop a Solar, Sidereal, Infernal, et cetera, from getting tattoo artifacts?

[meschlum]

Lashing Vine Tattoo: Yes, it does grant +2 Dexterity. Should I depower it to +1?

Long Arm Technique. Not compatible with Grace Magic, but it's Tier 1, Sword 1. Adds 2 * Essence to how far you can attack (for 1 gossamer), automatically gives you the Reach modifier.

Add a 1-dot Adjuration, grants +1 Dex (as dice from a Charm) (1 mote)

how about the fire looks like the Lunar's spirit shape?

3-dot Adjuration (or two 1-dots, which is cheaper), with Knife hand Dream (Tier 1, Ring charm) gives +5 damage to unarmed attacks at Essence 3+, plus Endless Yawning Void to inflict fire damage as an environmental effect around you. Only 2B, though. Mix in Assumption of Fire Form (raising one of the 1-dot Adjurations to 2 dots) for flame themes. (2-3 motes)

Flaming Gorilla Fist Tattoo
Artifact 2
This tattoo functions similarly to the Fire-Aspected Dragon-Graced Weapon, except it costs 3m to activate and only works on the Lunar's fists using unarmed attacks.
Tattoos that only cover one hand is Artifact 1

1-dot Adjuration, Knife Hand Dream. Or Armament of Flesh, if you must (only gives Essence in bonuses, but can be spread out more freely). (1 mote)

Gazelle Hoof Leg Tattoo
Artifact 2
Attunement: 5m
Activation: 3m
When this tattoo is activated it transforms the Lunars legs into gazelle hoofs, increasing the Lunars speed to 50 yards per tick.

1-dot Adjuration, 2 times Racing Dragon Speed. Adds 10 to your speed. Requires Sword 2 to work, or Sword 1 and shenanigans. Serious investment in speed can give you 'always on' speed of +25, shenanigans can boost that to +100 or more. (1 mote for +10, more for more)

Kitsune Face Tattoo
Artifact 3
This tattoo functions similarly to The Mask artifact, but with an additional power:
The Lunar can disguise one willing person as well, as long as they are somehow related to the Lunar's form taken by the original mask effect

Example: the Full Moon Lunar disguises himself as a blacksmith, and uses the second effect to disguise the No Moon as his apprentice.

1-dot Adjuration with Assumption of Dreams and Passion? Give your associate a Grace, let them commit a mote (requires they be an Essence user, which is easy), and done. (1 mote)

Ethereal Bones Chest Tattoo
Artifact 3
This tattoo allows the Lunar to switch between being a normal Creation-Born and being a Creature of Death, the switch costing 5m each time. When the Lunar is a creature of death, they regain essence as if they were a ghost, this tattoo being designed for Lunars infiltrating the Underworld.

1-dot Adjuration with Assumption of Cerements and Bone explicitly does this. And you have a free mutation point to spend on something else, like Surpassing Excellence. (1 mote).

All of these are feasible for any Exalt, though access to Long Arm Technique requires a bit more effort on the part of non-Lunars.

Ahem. Yes, yes, Fair Folk are Broken and their being dependent on Fair Folk goodwill and the odd promises they made is in no way a weakness. Can we get back to ranting about Sol's Xbox addiction?


On the Luck-Poles, there are actually lots of ways to perform the story. Perhaps the waypoints beyond the Poles look just like the landscape around them, so anyone going beneath them seems to go on as usual? Once inside the Chancel, creating more cattle is easy and fast, giving them permanent mutations is Subversion and Transformation Artifice away, producing money by the cartload is simple.

Then throw in a Curse of Definition on the god of your choice (requires a 3-dot Oneiromancy, lasting a whole year, coincidentally) to ensure their portfolio has trouble. Mix in all the Raksha Charms for making people lose money and friends, drop a Raksha under Assumption of the Living Kingdom (via Oneiromancy) with a few Ordinary Object Conjurations, Endless Yawning Voids, and so on to create unpleasant environments, Evoke weather hazards into Creation...

Simple, really.

That said, Chancels are not in GWM, so you really don't need to buy it if that's all you're after. As I've said, the point to these is the fluff.


The Closet of Terror

Mortal children are alike across Creation. Noisy, unruly, pushing at their parent's patience and consuming their sleep. And so, across Creation, the response of their elders is alike - "Go to bed or the monster in the closet will get you!". The Raksha were extremely disappointed when their first diplomatic envoys to the Monster was rebuffed, for the boring reason that it didn't exist.

Since the Fair Folk are creative, they soon solved the problem, and thus the [i]Monster[i] was formed. It travels through Creation, seeking the homes of tempting girls and boys, and lurks. Children often notice there is something off about their rooms, but grown-ups are oblivious, swearing away the life of their offspring for the mildest disobedience.

And so the Closet feeds, partaking only of what is given openly, sometimes spitting out weird copies of the lost children to take the place of the ones it claimed. What it does to its prey is not known - none have escaped until now - but their nightmares must be delicious. Still, there is some hope, for the Monster is rather literal minded. If you can convince your parents to relent, by being very good and quiet, it will slink away, disappointed, and the Closet door will shut.

Or, if you're brave and clever... you can't beat the Monster, but it will take anyone given to it. Noisy, nosy siblings are good, but parents are best!

"On the count of three, you'd better behave, or else..."

1-dot Chancel. Works perfectly.

[Lord Raziere]

Lunars don't want to give it to them? and are the only ones who know about them, that and I'm guessing no one really wants a bunch of silver tattoos on them unless they like the aesthetic or really need them, but Solars already have a defense against shaping effects while Sidereals……the Lunars aren't on good terms with Sidereals.

that and, who would want a bunch of tattoos giving them away for the Wyld hunt to go "oh hey a Lunar anathema, attack." without the Lunar's special "hide the Silver tattoos" charm.

[Dragnar]

A thought occurs...

What's to stop a Solar, Sidereal, Infernal, et cetera, from getting tattoo artifacts?

Absolutely nothing. They are artifacts, like any other. It's just that only the pact knows how to make them. (How long will this remain true? Until a few days after a Twilight decides he wants them)

Which means it's likely a bad idea to base them too much off lunar themes. If it is a lunar ability, it is a charm of knack. Tattoos are just generic abilities that lunar happen to have easier access to.

[Lord Raziere]

Either that, or up the cost.



Yeeeeees. Lunars already have one of the best unarmed raw damage outputs in the game, and this Artifact is doing three things already.



Nope. Compare to similar Charms. This is an Artifact 2. It's not a game-changer.

I would add, say, 3 for scene-long, 9 for tick-long.



Uh. That needs clarification. Do you have to activate it a second time with another action, paying the same cost? Who can it target? What's the range?



Alright, Solars are perfect, they get Zeal.

Themes are not a justification for breakage. You design within the themes to get something that is balanced.

1. No, it seems fine to me, its nowhere near the range of actual ranged weapons.

2. Kay…..I don't care. I just want a Lunar who sets himself on fire with a tattoo.

3. My artifact. 5 for scene, 10 for tick.

4. *Rolls eyes* yes, another action, paying same cost, anyone you can see within 30 yards.

5. How is adapting to the Underworld broken? it seems to be a minor thing to me, just changing what essence your eating and not eating, it seems pretty much the same to me. Lunars are meant to adapt to places outside Creation, this helps them do that.

[TheCountAlucard]

and are the only ones who know about them

That, I believe, stretches credulity a bit - you're telling me that in the thousands of years since the Usurpation, in which Sidereals, Terrestrials, and the rare handful of Solars that popped up from time to time each had their own separate interaction with Lunars, none of them ever made the observation, "Hey, these Lunar guys suddenly have glowing metal tattoos - could they possibly have some sort of beneficial effect attached to them?"

that and I'm guessing no one really wants a bunch of silver tattoos on them...

Who said they'd have to be silver?

but Solars already have a defense against shaping effects while Sidereals……the Lunars aren't on good terms with Sidereals.

All the more reason for the Sidereals to steal the technology and put it to use.

that and, who would want a bunch of tattoos giving them away for the Wyld hunt to go "oh hey a Lunar anathema, attack." without the Lunar's special "hide the Silver tattoos" charm.

For Solaroids or Terrestrials, the solution is easy - make your own "hide the tattoos" Charm.

For Sidereals, well, that would literally never come up if yours was the sort to spend all his time in Yu-Shan.

It's just that only the pact knows how to make them. (How long will this remain true? Until a few days after a Twilight decides he wants them)

That's what I thought.