Dice Exalted Essence: The Young Exalts and the Sea OOC

[Random Word]

Do the Immaculates and Sidereals know about the Alchemicals? Most Assurant being a construct of "demon gold" aside, she might be able to get away with claiming she inhaled Sin's toxins any other origin story for her abilities if this is the case. That is, provided I don't decide to have someone try and take her apart to find out how she works.

I expect the Sidereals only know a handful of Alchemicals were constructed by Authochton and left behind, deactivated, in workshops when it left into the Wyld. Every thousand years or so one wakes up and causes mischief. They're only recorded in obscure texts. There may be scattered references to weird machine-like exigents in the memoirs of a few ancient monks sitting in a dusty room of an archive somewhere in the Realm.

Yeah, I'm leaning towards this option myself.

I thought we were going to kill it, and then it would reveal its next, more powerful form . Or maybe that this was just one of its many bodies, and another dozen were over the horizon. Or it would die, but regenerate over the next day and return stronger. Making it run away is still a huge win, though, I agree.

I just wish that I had Excellent Strike for Garret so I could join in the damage rolls against that behemoth.

I also share her feeling in that Most Assurant is under gunned compared to the others, but she is doing well taking down the little monsters so I'm not going to complain.

Worth noting that while Excellent Strike is clearly one of the best combat Charms in the game by a sizable margin, Aigaions Soak was really the only thing preventing Garret and Most Assurant from seriously hurting it, and anyone can Reveal Weakness to take that 8 Soak down to a much more reasonable 4, and it can be stacked again to reduce it to 2. Tulak can even Reveal Weakness with a regular attack. Once its soak was reduced, Garret and Most Assurant could hurt it just fine.

 

[jaydude]

I thought we were going to kill it, and then it would reveal its next, more powerful form . Or maybe that this was just one of its many bodies, and another dozen were over the horizon. Or it would die, but regenerate over the next day and return stronger. Making it run away is still a huge win, though, I agree.

Funnily enough, that was somewhat a plan of mine a while ago; you'd use some First Age superweapon you spent the Chronicle searching for to shoot it down, then it would emerge in a smaller and weaker form (i.e. one more manageable), and that would be the final boss.

There is a quality - Unstoppable - that allows Antagonists to regenerate half their health levels once they hit Incapacitated. But that still leaves them suffering the effects of wound penalties.

Right now, I'm inclined towards saying that Aigaion had either atrophied/weakened due to the Imperial Manse putting it to sleep centuries ago, or it possesses the capacity to quickly evolve following battles with significant threats. Either way, it'll be a good bit stronger next time around.

 

[Rykon]

Spoiler: Potentially spoilery spitballing

I like the idea that Aigaion could just be a shell or vehicle for the real boss in its core. The whale itself is a defense mechanism to protect the core from harm and despite being a fabricated construct, it would still have the inherent biological advantage of self-repair and healing with rest. Assuming it's wrought with wyld shaping or sorcery as they will always remain the most convenient and accessible tool for the aspiring Genesis crafter, they could have even hidden a whole country-sized reality bubble in its gullet.

Either or both aspects could drive the immortality/unkillable aspect to Aigaion and why just nuking it with the SoC isn't good enough on its own.

Regardless of how you'd like to play it given this is supposed to be a mega boss, I don't think anyone will begrudge using Unstoppable's flavor for a form shift without wound penalties. Unless it goes from a 30-health level pool to a fully healed 50. We only have a 5 mote pool for now after all.

Worth noting that while Excellent Strike is clearly one of the best combat Charms in the game by a sizable margin, Aigaions Soak was really the only thing preventing Garret and Most Assurant from seriously hurting it, and anyone can Reveal Weakness to take that 8 Soak down to a much more reasonable 4, and it can be stacked again to reduce it to 2. Tulak can even Reveal Weakness with a regular attack. Once its soak was reduced, Garret and Most Assurant could hurt it just fine.

On the note of combat charms, I'll concur with Excellent Strike (or the rebranded Hungry Tiger Technique) and add Swift Counterattack to that list. Though I'll say for various reasons I think I've more athletics charms I'm excited for at that moment than close combat.

 

[jaydude]

Seeing as Ijara and Garret are both looking to get people treated for their injuries, I'm thinking of having them both end up picking the same building, in order to facilitate a regrouping of our PC cast.

Sherwood , should I assume that Most Assurant wants to head over to where Sojiro, Garret and Lirone are gathered? I don't believe she knows that Ijara's an Exalt yet.

 

[Sherwood]

Seeing as Ijara and Garret are both looking to get people treated for their injuries, I'm thinking of having them both end up picking the same building, in order to facilitate a regrouping of our PC cast.

Sherwood , should I assume that Most Assurant wants to head over to where Sojiro, Garret and Lirone are gathered? I don't believe she knows that Ijara's an Exalt yet.

Sure. That works for me.

 

[jaydude]

EbonChevalier Psychie Random Word Rykon Sherwood
Also, I'm going to go ahead and award the first minor milestone of the game, for the encounter with Aigaion and the managing to drive it off. I'm also going to award Sojiro ( Rykon ) an exalt milestone, since I feel that his actions in the battle with Aigaion would count as "an action toward furthering a long-term goal" of restoring the fortunes of House Tepet.

 

[Random Word]

A significant combatant heeded their counsel or wisdom, or their advice or preparation turned the tides of a significant conflict or lead to an acceptable loss.

I was robbed! Tulak was about to heed Ijara's counsel, and it would have turned the tide of a significant conflict. And Tulak would have been adapting to changing circumstances, too.

 

[jaydude]

I was robbed! Tulak was about to heed Ijara's counsel, and it would have turned the tide of a significant conflict. And Tulak would have been adapting to changing circumstances, too.

Nah, when you put it that way, I can go ahead and count that as fulfilling both of your respective criteria. I can be generous at times.

 

[jaydude]

Gonna end this scene here. Each of you decrease your anima by either one or two points. Next scene will most likely start with Ijara and Tuyak arriving at the building/treatment area picked out by Garret.

Edit: Psychie , should I assume you'd want to start the next scene not in your hybrid form? I don't recall you shifting out of it following the end of the battle.

 

[Psychie]

Gonna end this scene here. Each of you decrease your anima by either one or two points. Next scene will most likely start with Ijara and Tuyak arriving at the building/treatment area picked out by Garret.

Edit: Psychie , should I assume you'd want to start the next scene not in your hybrid form? I don't recall you shifting out of it following the end of the battle.

Yes, I'll have Garret return to human. I'll post IC to that effect soon.

 

[jaydude]

Just giving you all a moment to talk IC, should you wish for such.

 

[EbonChevalier]

I’m tempted to have Tulak blow a raspberry at the monks

 

[EbonChevalier]

“My mom quit your dumb philosophy so she could get some dick.”

 

[Psychie]

“My mom quit your dumb philosophy so she could get some dick.”

That couldn't possibly end up badly. I wholly endorse this idea.

 

[jaydude]

I’m tempted to have Tulak blow a raspberry at the monks

“My mom quit your dumb philosophy so she could get some dick.”

I like to think I've just offered up some appropriate provocation to Tuyak.

 

[Rykon]

jaydude is Lirone actually bald? I figured he was a normal soldier or cavalry officer of some sort rather than an ascetic monk.

 

[jaydude]

jaydude is Lirone actually bald? I figured he was a normal soldier or cavalry officer of some sort rather than an ascetic monk.

He isn't bald; I specified him as having black hair in his introductory post. And he is an officer, though not specifically a cavalry one; he just had a pet Simhata, and thus was assigned to lead a group of riders to the palace and see what happened/rescue the satrap as quickly as possible.

 

[jaydude]

"If you enjoy travel food this much, you'd really like fresh food then. Shame it'll be awhile til most folks around here get proper meals." Sojiro replied with a brief sigh. Looking over toward Tulak and Lirone he sensed what might lead to a de-escalation of hostilities and this was entirely unacceptable. How can one celebrate rightly with a meal on a field of victory without proper entertainment?

"I see I see. I've run across a lot of folks like that in my travels. I believe out in the sticks they call it preacher's daughter syndrome. Young woman buckles under the weight of expectation and duty and breaks into wanton shameless rebellion. As if the mere thought of restraint was anathe-..." The shikari cleared his throat. "...antithetical to the very nature of the self-absorbed hedonist." Sojiro paused for effect for a few seconds before he continued to pump the bellows of bad ideas from the depths of Lirone's sweltering furnace of self-righteous ego and unquestionable moral authority before the ranks of his troops. Should he tilt one to violence or at least an emotional exit before the dust settled he'd end the day on a strong two for two.

"We have words for such things back home too, but I'd like to think the Tepets don't raise no quitters," Sojiro ended with a theatrically embellished accent while stoically picking through his box of fish for another bite. "How bout you Lirone? The Cathaks have a term for that or is it by the book on that one too?"

So just to confirm; is Sojiro trying to cause drama/fighting as a way of allowing everyone to let off steam?

 

[Rykon]

He isn't bald; I specified him as having black hair in his introductory post. And he is an officer, though not specifically a cavalry one; he just had a pet Simhata, and thus was assigned to lead a group of riders to the palace and see what happened/rescue the satrap as quickly as possible.

I see it now, I must've missed it when I read through it before.

So just to confirm; is Sojiro trying to cause drama/fighting as a way of allowing everyone to let off steam?

There are a few motives at play here, but essentially yes.

 

[Psychie]

Finally have some time to work on Garret to spend my Minor Milestone. Upgrading my Hybrid Body Transformation to the full DBT one.

 

[Rykon]

Reminds me I should start chipping away at the wishlist. I'll go for Monkey Leap Technique and Graceful Crane Stance as a start for mobility goals. More specifically, running on water and completely ignoring fall damage.

 

[EbonChevalier]

Rykon Sorry I assumed there was food for everyone I can edit the scene i didn’t mean to piss of Sojiro

 

[Rykon]

Rykon Sorry I assumed there was food for everyone I can edit the scene i didn’t mean to piss of Sojiro

It's all good, I find the banter amusing.

 

[Random Word]

Sojiro had already been outside letting his near iconic anima run its course after crossing paths with Lirone.

Errr, oops. I clearly lost track of the scene

 

[Rykon]

For what it's worth I was a little disoriented too. So it's no big deal.