Anyone care to help me out?

[Saremu]

Okay. I wasn't sure what to call this or where to put it, so if any staff feels that it belongs elsewhere, go ahead and move it.


So I'm a complete NEWB. I've never had the privilege of ever playing exalted and I only own these books: Exalted1stED, DB1stED, Scavenger Sons, Aspect Book Air, and the 5 Solar Caste Books. I've read them a few times. The rules and character creation are still tricky for me though. I have no dice and haven't tried a dice roller. I would probably need tutelage setting it up right, and then learning to read it properly.


I have a character concept that I can't quite seem to fit all together to make her seem possible. I'm not sure of her caste either. I also have a campaign idea and I'd love some opinions on it. I'm not one for huge twists and enemies above, below, all around, and from within. At least not all at once until me and my character are ready.


Okay so story idea first. Well I love the southeast, but not necessarily how it exists on the map. Whatever works best. I like making up cultures and I like the way people from this part of Creation look and live. I love the variation in environment that the region allows. I imagine incredibly lush jungle, swamps, grassland, rivers, lakes, and I think a few mountains. My inspirations for Exalted besides Exalted would be Naruto, Spriggan, Princess Mononoke, Star Wars, D&D, Blood The Last Vampire, Vampire Hunter D Bloodlust, Escaflowne, countless artists on Deviantart, tons more movies, anime, manga, and books.


I would want to build a new civilization, and build a city. It would be a haven for "barbarians", spirits, god-bloods, friendly DBs, Beastmen, Lunars, and Solars. There would be more than that of course, but I have a hard time categorizing. Now just to get to this fragile situation could take centuries, another few to make it the Las Vegas or Amsterdam of Creation.


Greatforks mixed with Nexus I guess. I'd be happy to play situated near those cities as well. I just made that city because it would be the start of a new order and a project to create a larger number of powerful allies. Breeding incredible creatures, encouraging everyone to have children with the person or people that will result in the most highly evolved offspring. The culture would be a complete mixture of all the inhabitants. Building it around a Manse would of course be ideal.


Some sketches of mine. They are not originally for exalted, but I think they could help set a mood. So this would be the diversity of the place. The pictures are huge because I didn't feel like resizing them or rotating them. I don't have photoshop anyways. Yes I drew those, I have the originals. Picture them as the different beings in Exalted.





My character concept is a little hard to describe in words. Here are some words that come to my mind when I picture her and appealing possibilities: sex slave, tribal hunter, ninja like assassin, demon summoner, spirit collaborator, weapon maker, sorceress. I'm not sure on caste, but I'm sure that Zenith is a no. Here are pictures that may give a feel. I hope the nakedness won't offend too many people. I'm pretty adamant on eventually making the giant shuriken work somehow.





I guess I could drop the shuriken if it is too complicated for me. I just have these images or a whirlwind of those things being launched at an enemy and tearing it to pieces. The twins is a failed costume design. It would work on Abyssals, but not for this concept. They are basically my girl's apprentices/slaves. I'd want them to be at least god-blooded.


So if anyone could help me flesh out this character I'd be really happy. I'd be satisfied with doing it just to practice character creation. The setting thing. If any story tellers find it interesting and are willing to work with me I'd love to play that game. It would have to be play by post and not a rush to post kind of deal. I have a friend who has been playing an L5R game like that for 2 years now. Too bad he doesn't know Exalted.


Oh. My favorite artists in the books for Exalted inspiration would be: MelUran, Mooncalfe, Kiyo, PaleLonginus, Sam Liu. Some of those are Deviantart usernames.

 

[cyl]

Well, first things first, if you want to try chargen... don't start with such a complex concept, I mean, it's very interesting, but if you are not familiar with character development, I would suggest you start by making simple concept, to work out the mechanism, see how your ideas come into dots and ratings, then look for a deeper character.


I picture your new civilisation just like Great Forks is described in the book, a haven for magical being, and so very very decadent, drugs, whores, parties everyday, slavery, various cults... if you're looking for some fun, then head for Great Forks, no need for getting Nexus in it, Nexus is only about business.


What I don't clearly understand is wether you want to create this universe for the game you will st soon, or to create a real deep background for your character...


If it's about the latter, then dude, don't blow a gasket... you only get 25 dots in abilities at chargen (in first ed) and there are a lot of mixes in your concept.


A sex slave can't be a assassin or a tribal hunter, she is a slave... although it can be her cover for assassination... try to define more precisely what she does, why, for who and the rest will flow.


Great sketches by the way

 

[Persell]

Concept sounds like a night caste or twilight caste to me... Solars have enough flexibility that either would work (so now it's mostly about which anima ability you want).  


As for the city/kingdom/culture.  Cyl was right about Great Forks being a good inspiration but if you like the south then create something.  I would think a city like that would be a lunar thousand stream experiment and should defiantly have some fae involvement for the added wackiness they bring.


oh, and the pics are cool

 

[Persell]

I suggest you following this link http://exalted.xi.co.nz/wiki/wiki.pl?ExaltedLinks to the exalted wiki and get one of the character generators. With those you can safely and easily play around for a bit to see if there is some combination you like.


Usually it is a good idea to state 2-3 areas of competence at the beginning, because exalted as a game favours those who specialize over those who generalize their choices.

 

[Saremu]

Thanks everyone. I appreciate the input.


cyl


I've only ever played one D&D session so I'm not even a real gamer. The experience I have is mostly with Naruto forums, but I needed to find something that was a little more open. I could never ST a game outright and I have nobody to play with anyhow. I need stuff like you guys have given me. Ways of narrowing my focus and telling me where I go overboard.


Now that list of specialties or whatever was just a list of stuff I find interesting and would work with the feel I was looking for. I think I'll go with Night Caste.


Hero


I also liked the idea of making her a Lunar, but I don't have the resources to make that work. Fair Folk would be a fun addition to the situation. Thousand stream experiment? I don't know if that is a term for something incredibly specific, but I like what it implies and yeah. A complete mix of essence users with a common goal. Powers would mutate with the generations to create unheard of beings.


Safim


Thanks for the link. I think I'm going to try and write the sheet out. Downloads make my computer very unreliable these days. I think I have an idea for her strengths. Now I've got to put the numbers together, give her a background and make my mind up on a character design. No way she is nude, throughout the entire story.


People


I wrote this little story while I was at my friend's cribb. It was meant to just be a very short outline, but I elaborate slightly. None of this is set in stone. I'd like to make it better organized, more detailed, longer, and more realistic. I'm gonna do this as close to how I hand wrote it as possible, because after I'm done typing I'm getting off.


Name: Kichani


Concept: Assassin


Caste: Night


Age@Exaltation: 19 or 22?


Gender: Female


Appearance: A mix between some designs I've had for her as well as other beautiful killer concepts of my own.


History: Either born a slave or sold/taken very young. Taken or sold again to a clan of assassins. Trained to kill, seduce, hunt, spy, steal, remain undetected, lie, and to seduce when necessary. She becomes cold and ruthless, due to her violent past. She takes missions and contracts for her masters, sometimes going undercover. At 16, 17 or a little older, she is sent into deep cover, as a sex slave to a decadent household of dynasts. She can endure the services demanded of her and avoid most abuses accompanied with her bondage. She has only one target, but it is a high priced one and the time is necessary to get close enough. She must kill some Dragon Blooded noble(:shock, poisoning his pipe, wine, or her own skin to kill him silently, and discreetly. If those don't work for some reason then wait for him to pass out, slit his throat and get out of there as soon as possible. So her target shows up at this exclusive orgy. The happennings there could be used to bring men of great power to their knees if the information was ever in the wrong hands. So she happens to be exactly what her mark has in mind, and he takes her to a comfortable to be doted on. The spot is somewhat hidden, with transparent sashes, and conveniently placed pillars to hide them better, even in full, yet distracted room. So he passes out after being entertained, and she makes her move to slit his throat. He opens his eyes and his Anima flares right as the blade cuts his neck, making the wound less fatal than it would have been. He is spewing blood and his Anima splatters it on his assailant as he pins her to his own body, his Anima slowly cutting her is hundreds of places, and his strength twisting her into and extremely painful hold. She had, had him! It was going to be over! Suddenly her own blue, silver, and gold anima collides with he captor. He falters and she breaks free, finishing the job with an invisible strike that nearly removes his head. People drawn to the commotion a moment ago gasp and scream with renewed horror. Guests are tossed aside as the Exalts advance. The inevitable cry of "Anathema!" had come earlier. The rooma explodes into panick as Kichani dissappears, only to send one of the Dragons charging her into another. Then she is gone again. The guards at the exit nearst her are down and she is nowhere to be found. She gets away. Somehow. Even naked and covered in blood as she is.


Okay I changed a little. Still not done yet though. Let me know what you think.

 

[Persell]

Make her a lesbian and you could all cliches covered  :lol:


Anyway, the story seems to put her firmly on the night side of being a solar.

 

[Persell]

Clarify my earlier comments.


Was thinking mostly about the city concept as you seem to have a good grasp of what you want for your character (besides if you make a cool city I could use it mwa ha ha ha)


So thousand stream experiments describe kingdoms that are run from the shadows by lunars.  In a nutshell the lunars that survived after the great contagion got together and decided they couldn't destroy the realm on their own so they started making kingdoms around the edge of creation.  This is the start of all the lunar beast men hordes that bother creation.  Each lunar as a slightly different view on what's need to bring down the realm. Some example of successful canon thousand stream experiments are Halta, Haslanti league, and Chiaroscuro.  


So depending on the lunar that created the experiment a trading city with the fae mixed with beastmen, godblooded, and other random beings could be just the place for spying on the fae and building power.

 

[Persell]

So thousand stream experiments describe kingdoms that are run from the shadows by lunars.  In a nutshell the lunars that survived after the great contagion got together and decided they couldn't destroy the realm on their own so they started making kingdoms around the edge of creation.

The Thousand Streams River projects aren't so much about seeing what it would take to topple the realm so much as it is Lunars deciding to see if they can create a society that will weather any hardship that comes their way.  TSR is first and foremost about the survival of the human race.  The Realm is rather secondary to that.


/nitpick

 

[Saremu]

Thanks for the info you two. I could also see Kichani as a Lunar, but I'm giving up on her for now. I'm going with a new concept. Hopefully he will be easier.


He is southern or southeastern. A runaway slave who dissappears into the underworld of... Greatforks I guess. I need to read what I have on that city again to refresh my memory. He is initiated into a rising gang and pretty much treated like a slave, until he cripples somebody for trying to beat him. He had learned that cruelty can be a great tool when your average opponent is nearly twice your size.


Sadly there are still some people in this society that feel he is unworthy. Even as he goes through trials to prove his loyalty and worth. Those that were stupid enough to assault him were dealt with harshly. Broken bones, dislocated joints, concussions, and temporary paralysis is what awaited those he was reluctant to kill.


He had killed before and was long since numb to it's effects. He had killed to secure his freedom. Killed to serve his surrogate family, and killed to make a point. His skills grew in this harsh environment and the gang's leader made him the executioner. He killed those that tried to get in the way of their dealings. He killed policeman, drug dealers, pimps, rival gang members and their leaders, and a small number of people that just ended up in the wrong place at the wrong time.


If he wasn't on an assignment, he was pretty laid back. He had another job within the organization, besides his main one, which already took him many places and forced him to work in different ways. It was more of something to pass the time between kills than his speciality, but it brought in good money, so his boss allowed it.


I'm stuck now. It didn't go the direction I wanted. Please tell me if this lifestyle even works for Greatforks. What would I write under "Concept:" for this guy? He is still young, like 24 or 25. He comes up with severe tactics to end fights as quickly as possible. He'd rather a fight not even start before his target is killed, but it doesn't always work like that.


He is wirey, and around 5'8". His skin is brown, and his hair is black. His eyes are dark, grey, blue. He usually hides his face in the shadows of a hood or by wrapping his face and head in cloth. Based on his body type and what I want him to fight like I'd have Thrown and Martial arts be pretty developed. He needs to be fast and nigh invisible, so he won't be a slouch with his Caste abilities. I have a hard time disributing ability dots and choosing favored abilities.


I'm picky about names, so I need to come up with the perfect one. I'll need to wrewrite that bio and make it more detailed and longer of course. I'm going to try and puzzle out his stats sooner or later. I might need some guidance though.


Oh yeah. And for his nature I was figuring either Judge or Architect, but the thing is... If you are interfering too much and refusing offers of negotiation, he would gladly kill you and your willing followers, then let your kingdom or whatever rebuild from scratch. So basically he'll rub you off the map. I think his Virtue Flaw will be deliberate cruelty. So. Judge or Architect? He likes rebuilding together is everyone plays nice.


Oh. And what goes under "Anima:" for a Night Caste? The affect will be the same for all of them, so should I just write the colors?