Dice Exalted Essence - To Kill A Primordial - OOC Thread

[Sherwood]

I found the same one. I haven't found any others so far.

Any thoughts on the viability of the style?

 

[jaydude]

I found the same one. I haven't found any others so far.

Any thoughts on the viability of the style?

The one in the link, or the style in general?

 

[Random Word]

that looks broken AF. That quite possibly puts the already extremely strong 3e Single Point to shame. The only weakness is it's so mote hungry you can't go more than a few rounds of combat at full power, but I doubt you'd need to. Some of these Charms will require rulings on exactly how they work, as it's ambiguous exactly how insanely strong they are depending on interpretation.

Edit: Except oh Neverborn you're an Abyssal and Cruel Banquet goes to once a round in combat. You're probably the only splat in the game that could fuel this terrifying beast forever so long as you had significant enemies to maim.

 

[Psychie]

I already know the answer to this, but I have to ask. What are the thoughts on starting at Essence 3? I'm sure that everyone would want to go for it if given the chance.

 

[jaydude]

I've no serious objections.

 

[Eonivar]

With Essence 3 I would probably go with a Liminal Character of some sort, so I am good.

 

[Psychie]

Sherwood let's avoid the custom martial arts write-up and stick to the book stuff.

 

[Sherwood]

I like the idea of being even more of a badass than I am now. And I will go ahead and skip the martial arts stuff.

 

[Random Word]

Do keep in mind that every point of Essence makes character creation that much longer .

 

[Psychie]

Ok, we'll do Essence 3. I'll just have to make your upcoming encounters that much nastier to keep you challenged.

 

[Eonivar]

I have been doing a lot of research on Liminals and the more I research the more I do not think a Liminal would participate in this endeavor for abyssals. They are inwardly drawn to contain underworld threats that attack Creation., and I do not think they would participate in an endeavor to spread the underworld in other planes. They would work really well in a group of solars or lunars I think. Although I am not certain of their power level if they are more Celestial Exalted or Terrestrial Exalted.

So I am going to go back to working on an idea for an abyssal sorcerer, probably Daybreak Caste, I should have them all together this weekend. I am tempted to take Brigid’s mantle as their Primary merit.

 

[Random Word]

That's true, but the Neverborn are nothing if not a corrupting influence. The Dark Mother would not be happy, but I see no reason why you can't play a Liminal corrupted by the cult of Oblivion or the apocalyptic teachings of the Neverborn couldn't be seeking to destroy all life rather than prevent the incursion of the underworld. If the Neverborn can make an Abyssal out of a Solar, they can certainly twist a Liminal.

A Daybreak is great, too, just don't feel lore is standing in the way of you if you're inspired by a cool Liminal concept. You only need to include in your story how you turned away from the Dark Mother and towards the forces of Oblivion. Maybe you felt like the Dark Mother betrayed or failed you somehow, or your creator tried to flee you by descending into the Underworld (amateur move), and you pursued them all the way into the Labyrinth where eventually the whispers and sermons of Nephwracks drove you mad.

Well, if we're E3 I'd best go big because we're big baddies now. I think I'll take a Secondary Ally as my Lunar bondmate, and a Primary custom artifact to represent the paired and matching set of soulsteel and moonsilver tattoos we share. Maybe the Deliverer made them (if she's sorcerously inclined or crafty) and tattooed us together as a ceremony to consecrate our bond to the Neverborn. My character would have found her Lunar, by fate or chance, shortly after exaltation before any Silver Pact members arrived on the scene, and inducted them into the cult of oblivion before those deluded by the lie of life could get their claws into them. The tattoos will allow them to share the benefits of intimacies of fear towards them, and share each other's intimacies of hatred. It will have evocations to extend a mandala of liquid shadow spelling out prayers to the Neverborn and their psalms and koans, and enemies within the mandala will be weakened by ties of fear and allies bolstered by hatred. I'll think of what else it might do. Does that sound good, Psychie?

If the Deliverer has a full circle of very powerful Abyssals, but a small dominion, is that because she chooses not to let us conquer the Underworld in her name? What would the Deliverer have requested her Midnight do for the long and illustrious career up to E3? Did she just let us do whatever we felt like so long as it furthered the cause, or is she more hands on?

 

[Psychie]

Considering that we're going with the higher Essence will naturally affect the Deliverer's own power level. She is still flying under the radar of those in Creation and keeping a low profile, but her domain in the Underworld will be larger. She is still far from the most powerful of the Deathlords, but has her place firmly established in the hierarchy. On the other hand, the Twisted Toymaker still is one of the weaker Deathlords, using his skills to help bolster the Dark Lady, his ally and patron. He much prefers to be able to make his necrotech monstrosities instead of dealing with the political intrigue of his ghostly peers.

 

[Sherwood]

Ok, so we are keeping ourselves under the radar of those in Creation but are not the bottom of the barrel in the Underworld. Good to know.

 

[Sherwood]

Speaking of Merits, what of the old Merit of Whispers? Would that one be available for the taking?

 

[Psychie]

Speaking of Merits, what of the old Merit of Whispers? Would that one be available for the taking?

I don't see any existing Merits that would be similar to Whispers, so yes, I will say you can take it. It would be at the 1-3-5 level of purchase when converting to Essence.

 

[Sherwood]

I'll probably pick that up for my character, then. Thank you.

 

[Psychie]

You are welcome.

 

[Random Word]

What will it do? Is it like Contacts [Neverborn] ?

 

[Sherwood]

As a Background, an Abyssal’s Whispers rating represents
her attunement to the dreams of the Neverborn. Characters
can consciously tap into this connection once per scene by
reflexively spending one Willpower point. Invoking this
connection has several possible effects:
• For one roll, the player can substitute her character’s
Whispers rating for an Ability rating.
• The Neverborn sustain the Underworld through
their Essence. They perceive everything that happens in the
Underworld and know everything known by mortal souls
who sojourn there as ghosts or pass to Oblivion. (They do
not acquire knowledge from souls that pass immediately to
Lethe when they die.) A character can glean clues and other
information from the dreams of the Neverborn if her player
succeeds at a (Perception + Whispers) roll. More successes
yield clearer and more extensive information. The effective
number of successes may not exceed the character’s Whispers
rating (excess successes are wasted). Failure results in
distorted or false information that leads the character astray.
Storytellers should strongly consider making the rolls in secret
so players can’t ever completely trust the results. Queries
outside the purview of Whispers results in automatic failure.
Open-ended questions such as, “What is my purpose?” are
a perfectly reasonable way to trigger a Storyteller-directed
vision. Inquiries into the future can reveal only what the
Neverborn want or plot to happen, not what will definitely
come to pass. Glimpses of these plots can provide valuable
insight to anyone attempting to further or thwart these
ambitions, though.
• A character’s presence at significant events that further
the agenda of the Neverborn may trigger a reflexive activation
of Whispers to understand the event, but these undirected
visions are Storyteller-controlled plot devices and do not cost
Willpower. In particular, the first meaningful interaction
between two characters with Whispers often causes them to
experience visions of each other as their shared connection
to the hive-mind nightmares of the Labyrinth experiences
momentary psychic feedback.
• A character can use Whispers as a guide to where the
Neverborn believe her actions could further their goals. She
attunes herself to the whispers, and lets them lead her where
they will. Usually, the whispers lead Abyssals to places and
times where a single death could devastate a community or
thwart important plans for Creation’s health and defense.
Alternatively, they might lead to a village ripe for recruitment
into an ancestor cult or as other possible minions. Long-lost
and well-guarded artifacts are another option. (Really, this
use of Whispers is an invitation to the Storyteller to provide
a short side-adventure.)

 

[Random Word]

Oh! Yes, I know what the original Whispers did in 2e (broadly). I more meant what would it do in Essence.

Are we waiting on me? If so, my apologies. My character is mostly complete, I just need an appropriate and sufficiently flowery title, and maybe might tweak the Charms a bit once I get a free moment to write up my Artifact.

 

[Psychie]

Sweet. I'm looking forward to giving Exalted Essence a try as Storyteller. Hopefully I don't botch this.

 

[jaydude]

Sweet. I'm looking forward to giving Exalted Essence a try as Storyteller. Hopefully I don't botch this.

I'm sure you'll do great.

 

[Psychie]

jaydude Sherwood Random Word Eonivar

I am hoping to get the story going soon. I am excited about the game and I don't want to lose that feeling. Can we say that this weekend we get rolling?

 

[Psychie]

And a question for Random Word . Do you have any details planned for your Lunar Ally, or are you leaving that for me to determine?