First Age ahoy! [interest]

Cthulhu_Wakes

Black Sun in a White World
I am an impatient fool, so here's the interest thread for a First Age game. I have some players interested already, so here we go.


The game: First Age Exalted.


The scope: Nothing less than a world-shaking event threatening the safety of Creation entire.


The players: Two or three Established Exalts and few younglings a year into their Exaltations to give the game a more natural feel. Any Exalt goes, generally. Those applying for the Established Exalts, blow my mind. I won't pick just anyone for the spots and don't claim them off the bat. Make interesting Exalts for them. One player is already in strong running for one of the spots.


A few things:


-Elders exist, will be around, and my God, will they have something to say to you. Be aware.


-Need fairly frequent posters, please. I'll try and keep this thing rolling daily.


-The Dawn Fix, whenever it comes, WILL be implemented, so I won't be starting up until after its out. Bear that in mind for those nixing the Dawn Caste right out.


-Woe to ye who trashcan your Guide to Meru. :P


-Dragon-Blooded are more than welcome. Seriously.


-The game will start in Meru right after the Calibration feast.


And I'd like you all to have a passing familiarity with one another. Which isn't hard because it's a big old family of backstabbing brothers and sisters, our Exalted Host. I'll post more points of interest and plot inklings as the day drags on.


So! Any takers?


EDIT: Don't forget the Dreams errata, folks!
 
I'm interested! I just need to find my DoTFA books (Guidebook to Meru I have). My friend may have accidently took them with him to Seattle.


I'm thinking about playing either an Eclipse, Half Moon or Chosen of Serenity. Still deciding.
 
I'm so interested! I'll try for the Established line, but likely I'll falter to the Starting line xD Still once I determine a few things I'll see how difficult that is. Anyway I'll be conceptualizing a Sidereal of Secrets/Serenity ^^


And my first question... Calibration Feast. Is that THE Calibration Feast that kicks all the Solars in the groin? Or just one of the few before that one. ^^
 
Oooh, I'm interested but I'm all out of cool concepts. :? We'll see in the coming days if I can. :)
 
You know I have my Established Eclipse up and ready to go, though of course if someone better comes along feel free to take them on instead. Depending on the Dawn Fix, I may go with a Dawn, either Established or newbie depending.
 
Myllinnia said:
I'm so interested! I'll try for the Established line, but likely I'll falter to the Starting line xD Still once I determine a few things I'll see how difficult that is. Anyway I'll be conceptualizing a Sidereal of Secrets/Serenity ^^
And my first question... Calibration Feast. Is that THE Calibration Feast that kicks all the Solars in the groin? Or just one of the few before that one. ^^
Well before THAT particular feast! The Usurpation is a ways off. All is mostly well in Creation.
 
Chaka said:
You know I have my Established Eclipse up and ready to go, though of course if someone better comes along feel free to take them on instead. Depending on the Dawn Fix, I may go with a Dawn, either Established or newbie depending.
You know you've always got a spot to play, sir!
 
Interesting. A few questions, friend:


1. Do you want just Solars for the established exalts or are Lunars cool too?


2. If Lunars are cool, are we going with standard character creation or the usual alternative?
 
An experienced Dragon-Blood could be all sorts of fun. Outgunned by Solars being all "oh look at me I'm so powerful", sure, but DB powers are just so... So handy. Especially when commanding armies. Hmm. Perhaps a general (or whatever rank a DB can get in that time) for one of the others?


I'll see what I can come up with.
 
Depending on the era and what not (most likely closer to the Age of Dreams than any) DB general would be doable. The first in centuries. You may not have heard of him, but he's kind of a big deal. That sort of thing.
 
Sarky said:
An experienced Dragon-Blood could be all sorts of fun. Outgunned by Solars being all "oh look at me I'm so powerful", sure, but DB powers are just so... So handy. Especially when commanding armies. Hmm. Perhaps a general (or whatever rank a DB can get in that time) for one of the others?
I'll see what I can come up with.
Don't forget the errata in Thousand Correct!
 
Since I do NOT want to run for an 'Experienced' slot should I just start statting up a character?
 
I would be interested as well. Three ideas, ranked in order of my preference. Two of them are heavily dependent on another PC being interested in one form or another, so we'll see.


Crimson Dove: Dragon-Blooded courtier/courtesan. A predominantly social creature, Crimson Dove is extremely of, as she puts it, "swimming in the company of sharks". While highly valued as a companion for her beauty and grace, she's also a skilled administrator and business woman- an asset to the entourage of any Celestial exalt.


Essentially, the ideal of the character is as a professional Dragon Blooded courtesan, a favored companion of one of the Solar (or Lunar) Exalts - perhaps one in the party, or if not, a high-dot NPC patron. Probably built around Social charms, with a dash of Terrestrial sorcery and martial arts. Most of the narrative appeal comes from her relationship with one or more PCs, and the fact that she's on very thin ice and boxing above her weight class. Yes, she got invited to a party as some Solar's bit of arm candy. Of course, if he kills her later that night, who will make much of a fuss?


Thousand Tongued Viper: A young Lunar Exalt, Thousand Tongued Viper has a talent for aerial combat, and currently serves the Deliberative Navy in that capacity. Daring, passionate and clever, she is just coming into her power.


Character would be a Warbird/Warstrider equipped Full Moon Lunar. Would love to be the mate of an established Solar PC, could be all kinds of fun. Generally I play with fairly high dots in Solar Bond, but the exact nature of said bond would of course be something the two of us come up with. Some narrative ideas: Her being more than willing to do her mate's "dirty work" when it comes to violence and the like, things he/she considers beneath their dignity. Their mate's ability to "fast track" her career with her desire to be judged on her own, and not be seen entirely as their "pet". And of course all the sundry Lunar/Solar drama of the First Age.


Echo of Mourning: Established (possibly) Sidereal strategies. Echo of Mourning is a Chosen of Battles, known for his acute sense of duty. His inability (or refusal) to play Sidereal politics at the level he probably should would have long ago side-tracked his career, if he wasn't the favored (and oft requested) advisor of several members of the Deliberative when they go to war, or engage in field exercises. He's shown a knack for resolving what might have been protracted battles with subtle actions and manipulation.
 
I'm interested' date=' yes. Of course there goes Sarky making playing a DB sound awesome (again).[/quote']
I'm a jerk like that. ^_^


So, two ideas for a DB commander, depending on whether you're willing to give an "Established Exalt" slot to a DB:


Starting DB:


Promising Terrestrial in command a squad or two of, shall we say, "specialists". Infiltration, surgical strikes, "getting the job done", that sort of thing. Sort of a Solar's A-Team, for when direct intervention would be... Embarrassing. So, high War, Melee/Martial Arts and Stealth (and the Charms to pass such things onto his underlings if they're not DBs too!), the Backing and Resources/Arsenal to equip a few teams appropriately, and the authority to wield them in service to his Solar lord. As long as they don't make a mess.


Established DB (Influential or Legendary):


An elder Dragon-Blood commander actually serving his newly-reincarnated lord could be all sorts of fun, balancing service to his patron with experience that his boss doesn't yet have. ("Yes, my lord, of course I live to obey, but if I might offer a suggestion flavoured by the experience gained from fighting battles for ten times longer than your current incarnation has been alive... Yes sir, I called it crazy too when your previous incarnation taught it to me... Thank you, sir, I'll get it done immediately."). This guy would have a touch more social and administrative skills, to cope with higher rank, managing large forces, and moving in polite society as, as you put it, "kind of a big deal". :)


Backstory-wise, I was messing around with the idea he'd actually saved the life of a kid who later Exalted as a Solar, who had him transferred from whichever Solar/Lunar currently owned him (probably some favour from a past life thing there). The promotion would of course win brownie from his family and make him a bit of a rising star, perhaps something of a trophy for whoever could buy his contract. Of course, his best men would have to come with him. It's all about the team with Dragon-Bloods, don't you know. Hell, he could have saved the life of one of the players with a starting Solar if they like.
 
Concept I'm thinking about:


The Transcendent Solar (Note: Not his name), Established Solar:


A Zenith/Twilight monk who believes there is a great untapped power in Solar Exaltations that none of the existing elders have found because they're too distracted by their own petty concerns. His theory states that the power a Solar can achieve with enough time is limitless and focus, but this power is diluted when Solars focus on learning charms which are separate, or at best divergent, from the core themes of Solar exaltation. To this Zenith/Twilight the Deliberative, where Solars are forced to become squabbling bureaucrats and politicians when they were born to be great heroes, is the biggest symbol of the corruption of the Solar ideal.


As such he eschews all distractions such as rulership and politics, which he instead entrusts to his Lunar Mate/Dragonblooded Lieutenants (Which could be another PC), and focuses his attention inwards on trying to find the utmost limit to the power his exaltation gives him. He doesn't even own a single artefact or hearthstone, considering them crutches.


But he doesn't spend all his time in a cave meditating, learning new charms and trying to become a pure soldier. He is perhaps the Solar most often found wandering Creation and battling the greatest threats to the world. Solars are by their nature meant to be the heroes which save Creation from the deadliest of threats, meaning he intervenes whenever he's aware of some great danger so that he can live up to this ideal.


He has also created several advances in charm technology which he believes are the start of this path to ultimate power, such as Shedding Infinite Radiance, and he often visits Meru for the purpose of sharing these charms and trying to encourage other Solars to give up on worldly pursuits and focus on becoming true heroes of Creation.
 
So many ideas! Here is my short list:


Mina, Waning Moon


My initial idea was a Waning Moon whose mate is somewhat like the write up for Gold-Shadowed Arrow from GotFA. I could see it working around other solar concepts as well, but either as an experienced exalt who is more capable at actually pulling off some more advanced deceptions or as a new exalt struggling to work her agenda amonst the powerful elders, she sees her solar mate as a chance to save creation from the excess and flaws of the corrupt others (leaving this somewhat deliberately open for flexibility, but the example of Gold-Shadowed Arrow hopefully helps explain what I am getting at). She works behind the scenes to enable and perhaps encourage the actions of her mate against corruption in a manner that she thinks will help ensure creation's survival. Things like catching the manipulations of others that might try to use her mate or smoothing over the obstacles of bureaucrats. A wily and slipery courtier/spy. Most capable as an experienced exalt, but I almost think it would be more compelling to have to work at it undergunned (though not getting herself assassinated might be harder :-P).


Lasser Bright-talon, Half Moon


My other idea is a newly exalted Half Moon. Not nearly as fleshed out, but definitely an aspiring tactician who is overly concerned about everything.. perhaps a bit paranoid, but I assure you it could be a real threat! Still learning his place in his new role, Lasser is full of the passion from his exaltation and is prone to setting the weight of the world on his shoulders. I think it would be a lot of fun to play this opposite something like Sarky's DB concept or other experienced mentor sort of person.
 

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