Filial Wisdom as an Akuma

[AngelWick]

For those of you who have read Return of the Scarlet Empress , you may have noticed that the Reclamation is interested in Filial Wisdom, the Solar Exalt figure-head for Han-Tha's death cult of Dragon King stalkers in Rathess. The description goes on to mention that the Yozis want to make him into an akuma. That's all fine and dandy. I think Filial Wisdom would make a fine Solar Akuma. But there's a wrench that I want to throw into the mix here.


You know how Han-Tha likes to use his Ride Charm on Filial? Well, what if Han-Tha managed to complete a full merge with Filial Wisdom prior to him being taken to Malfeas to be "akumatized?" Would Filial Wisdom and Han-Tha still share a single body with two separate consciousnesses? Or would the transformation take the two merged souls and meld them into a single new entity?


The reason I ask is for mechanics really. The rules for Ride state that X number of traits take the higher rating of the two. The rest are averaged. Well, my first question with that is, what about traits where only one of the two beings had a rating above zero? Is the higher rating averaged with zero and thus effectively reduced by half? Or are the traits that are held by only one being in the merge kept at that higher rating regardless of the first part of this rule? I'm guessing that the higher trait will average with zero due to the other entity's lack of knowledge otherwise. But that's my thought.


My second question about this concept pertains to Virtues. According to the Ride rules, the new merged entity retains both sets of Virtues. This would mean that the merged character would have to fail two concurrent Virtue rolls in order to defy that Virtue. But what about after such a character became an akuma? Would the merged and "akumatized" character still retain two sets of Virtues? Or would the transformation process into an akuma melt away the unwanted double-Virtues away into additional XP points for further modifications? OR, would the second set of Virtues only be able to be reduced to a minimum of one dot, thus still requiring two Virtue rolls in order to see if the character can defy a Virtue?


I'm honestly on the fence with the Virtues. I'm thinking it would be interesting any which way, to see an "Olchilike" Akuma...

 

[Thorn Darkblade]

Well, that assumes that a Yozi would be so blind as to not notice the extra spirit riding within his body and pluck Han-Tha out. Although, Han-Tha, as a forbidden god, may be offered a pardon in the coming reclamation if he were to aid the Yozis...

 

[AngelWick]

Well, I would assume that the Yozis of the Reclamation would be a bit more astute than not to notice that the Solar who's soul they are rending from the inside out has been fully and permanently merged with a forbidden god. If my interpretation of Ride's permanent option is correct, once this merge is complete, the two beings become one completely new being, aside from the double Virtues. I guess my overall questions for this scenario are:


1) Would the merged being retain both sets of Virtues, or would one set of Virtues be striped down to provide additional EXP for modification otherwise?


2) Would the two sets of Virtues be considered a hindrance or an advantage for an akuma serving the Reclamation?


3) Can the second set of Virtues be striped all the way down to nothing, or must they remain at one while the "main" Virtues are set at whatever the Yozi wants?


3a) If the Virtues CAN be striped all the way down, then what would the EXP value be for the first dot of each?