Keychain #291-295

[Kyeudo]

They do have some serious advantages for actually going into the Underworld and prodding buttock- a Solar can't respire down there, but an Abyssal can. Abyssal Charms that work on mortals are also explicitly stated to work on ghosts. Solars can't do either of those things.

Don't forget that their version of Wyld Shaping Technique can be used anywhere in the Underworld and that they get access to Void Circle Necromancy.

It's not actually Ink Monkeys that discusses all this, it's the new Scroll of Errata. In it, it basically explains why the Neverborn, at least, don't worry about renegade Abyssals. Because of how they altered the essence shards, they've built the perfect control. So yes, an Abyssal can say "Screw you" to fate, but in doing so, will be causing destruction. They can say "Screw you" to the Neverborn, but in doing so, will be causing destruction. Even if they confine themselves to helping out in the underworld, the very existence of the underworld is causing a constant, steady trickle of living essence from creation to drain away into the void, like an imperfect plug in the bottom of a pool. It might take near forever to drain away, but it will, eventually, and the Neverborn are willing to be patient, if that's what it takes. No matter what an Abyssal does, their very nature as an Abyssal will contribute to that drain. Hence why Redemption is an option. An Abyssal can reject their destroyer nature, but they can't do it as an Abyssal: they must be a Solar.

Translation: Blah, this is how the setting works, blah blah.


Guess what? The setting gets changed in everyone's game. How many games have solved the Great Curse, freed the Yozis, untethered the Neverborn, conquered the Realm, forged the Deathlords into soulsteel, dragged Creation into the Mouth of the Void, or blown up Nexus? Creation exists, not to stay in some static stasis bubble, but for you and your players to reach out and take command of. If they decide to stick with canon, alright, but if they decide they want to change something fundamental you have on your hands the making of an epic story.


Exaltations are not immutable. The Lunars discovered that the hard way, and they are some of the best equipped to deal with the Wyld. That whole "I must be a walking blight upon the living" piece was shoved in by the Neverborn and there is a way to pull it out that doesn't involve redemption. Maybe you'd need to wake Autochthon, recall Gaia, or some other suitably epic task, but it can happen.

 

[Tsuranis]

That whole "I must be a walking blight upon the living" piece was shoved in by the Neverborn and there is a way to pull it out that doesn't involve redemption. Maybe you'd need to wake Autochthon, recall Gaia, or some other suitably epic task, but it can happen.

That thinking is a little flawed: said piece WAS the abyssalisation. Pull it out and they aren't an abyssal any more.

 

[MorkaisChosen]

Don't pull it out. Twist it, like the Lunars got twisted. Maybe do something CRAZY and make it bring stasis and entropy to the Wyld- so it balances out and they basically become a walking lump of Creation in the Wyld.


'Course, that'd piss off the Unshaped, and there goes the next plot hook!

 

[Persell]

... make it bring stasis and entropy to the Wyld.

Wait....that's not possible. Even int he Wyld, that's not possible. They are mutually exclusive. Though that does make me realize that entropy in Creation is good as it is not a closed system (they can get infinite energy from the Wyld) and therefore can't lead to heat death. Physics? In my Exalted?! Yup, now stick that in your pipe and smoke it.

 

[Kyeudo]

That thinking is a little flawed: said piece WAS the abyssalisation. Pull it out and they aren't an abyssal any more.

Are you so sure? Ghosts and Ghost-Blooded can use necrotic Essence without bleeding for no reason, getting possessed by dead gods, or causing nearby plant life to die, so such effects can't stem from just switching a Solar Exaltation to run on black instead of gold.


Wild Theory: perhaps the problem with Abyssals is that there still is the spark of Solar Essence buried inside them. Abyssals accrue Resonance only when they act like Solars: Fighting against the Neverborn and their servants, saving the living, creating new things, etc. Whenever that spark gets fanned by the Abyssal's actions, that sudden surge of life Essence inside his dead Essence causes the painful reaction that is Resonance. Removing that last trace of Solarness could produce a Resonanceless Abyssal.


Of course, the above theory relies on Exalted Metaphysics have some sort of logic to it, which it usually doesn't.

 

[Arrghus]

That thinking is a little flawed: said piece WAS the abyssalisation. Pull it out and they aren't an abyssal any more.

Are you so sure? Ghosts and Ghost-Blooded can use necrotic Essence without bleeding for no reason, getting possessed by dead gods, or causing nearby plant life to die, so such effects can't stem from just switching a Solar Exaltation to run on black instead of gold.


Wild Theory: perhaps the problem with Abyssals is that there still is the spark of Solar Essence buried inside them. Abyssals accrue Resonance only when they act like Solars: Fighting against the Neverborn and their servants, saving the living, creating new things, etc. Whenever that spark gets fanned by the Abyssal's actions, that sudden surge of life Essence inside his dead Essence causes the painful reaction that is Resonance. Removing that last trace of Solarness could produce a Resonanceless Abyssal.


Of course, the above theory relies on Exalted Metaphysics have some sort of logic to it, which it usually doesn't.

Exalted metaphysics totally have a logic to them. It's just not the same logic everywhere.


Let us assume that your ideas hold true. Then, from a thematic point of view, would you refer to the Solar light seeping from the core of an Abyssal's heart as "guilt" or "hope"? Further, how would one go about removing this final, guttering shard of Life.


I apologize if the question does not make a lot of sense. Sometimes my thought patterns seem almost Primordial in their alienness, even to me.

 

[MorkaisChosen]

... make it bring stasis and entropy to the Wyld.

Wait....that's not possible. Even int he Wyld, that's not possible. They are mutually exclusive. Though that does make me realize that entropy in Creation is good as it is not a closed system (they can get infinite energy from the Wyld) and therefore can't lead to heat death. Physics? In my Exalted?! Yup, now stick that in your pipe and smoke it.

I'm talking relative stasis and entropy, compared to normal Wyld- and there are already several effects that do that, like Chaos-Repelling Pattern.

 

[Fabricati]

Of course, there's a third line, where you like being able to do what you want, and really wish, if just for a while, that the Neverborn would just GO SCREW THEMSELVES.


Less emo, more punk.

 

[Kyeudo]

Exalted metaphysics totally have a logic to them. It's just not the same logic everywhere.
Let us assume that your ideas hold true. Then, from a thematic point of view, would you refer to the Solar light seeping from the core of an Abyssal's heart as "guilt" or "hope"? Further, how would one go about removing this final, guttering shard of Life.


I apologize if the question does not make a lot of sense. Sometimes my thought patterns seem almost Primordial in their alienness, even to me.

Well, to continue my wild theory, I'd actually call it "rejection." When an Abyssal tries to be a Solar, first his own Essence, his necrotic Essence, reacts with "No, you aren't a Solar, you're an Abyssal" until it has to painfully reassert itself and when that happens, Creation itself reacts with the same rejection of the Abyssal.


How to get rid of it? Well, a Loyalist Abyssal wouldn't care to, so it has to be a method that a renegade would try, but that renegade must be one who would choose the Underworld over Creation. I would suggest seeking out the eldest ghost in the Underworld, not a Heckatonkire, one older than the Deathlords and untainted by the Whispers of Oblivion or the Neverborn. I would then distill that ghost down to its Essence, perhaps using puriefied Vitriol to render the ghost into a form similar to Chalcath and then concentrate that further, and use a modified form of the Void Circle spell that turns Solars into Abyssals to exchange the ghost's Essence for the last trace of the Unconquered Sun's power.


Of course, such a transformation is almost assured to have unexpected side effects if it works. An Abyssal's Charms work the way they do often because they are just Solar Charms fed Void Essence, so losing that last bit of the sun's light would probably cause all such Charms to either be lost or to transform into something stranger, drawing on ghost-like effects instead of pure excellence applied to destruction.

 

[0m3g413]

:shock: Dayum... suddenly badass.


"Are you going to give it a try?"


Where the Hell did THAT come from?

 

[Weimann]

PAST LIVES 5! Eat the glory of the Thrice-Radiant!

 

[krrackknut]

See, it's moments like this that make me believe in this comic and enforce the fact that Misho is dangerous. It's not the fact that Misho is a Solar, a mighty sorcerer, or a brilliant swordsman; it's the fact that when it comes down to it, He is a hero. His will is stronger.


Also, what's this about a volcano?

 

[Jukashi]

Also, what's this about a volcano?

Icelandic volcano. Spewing a big cloud of gas and ash, being blown down across western europe. Flights in and out of Ireland, where I live, have been sort of on-off the last few weeks.

 

[MorkaisChosen]

I'm still wondering precisely why they call him Thrice-Radiant...

 

[Weimann]

I'm not entirely sure if it's official or if it's just speculation, but as I've heard it explained he gained his name because his radiance in the First Age was threefold. Swordsplay, Sorcery and Charisma were areas he excelled in. What that means further, though, I can't say.

 

[veekie]

I personally wonder what happens if a majority of Deathknights wind up plowing vast stretches of the Wyld into Oblivion. Can infinite energy fill an infinite void? Maybe if you create a direct conduit between the two...

I'm still wondering precisely why they call him Thrice-Radiant...

Three Circles of Sorcery, I assumed(and maybe two circles of Necromancy to go with it). It'd make sense for the Solar of the old band to have the one Solar-unique ability.

 

[Glacialis]

Another excellent comic.


Did anyone notice the different mantle around Misho's neck? Blue gem plus different pattern. Subtle, but maybe meant to be obvious since it took me a while to notice and I'm tired.

 

[MorkaisChosen]

I'm still wondering precisely why they call him Thrice-Radiant...

Three Circles of Sorcery, I assumed(and maybe two circles of Necromancy to go with it). It'd make sense for the Solar of the old band to have the one Solar-unique ability.

I dunno, that seems a bit simple. I'm pretty sure he does have all three Circles, it just makes sense with the character, but so did quite a few others. The Sword, Sorcery (+Necromancy, apparently) and Charisma thing makes sense, though.


I do wonder, though, if it might not be something more impressive than that; maybe once Radiant for his Exaltation, twice Radiant for particular heroics (even for a Solar)- maybe in the Primordial War? - and the third time Radiant for EPIC AWESOME OF AWESOME EPICNESS.


Do we know if he fought in the War?

Another excellent comic.
Did anyone notice the different mantle around Misho's neck? Blue gem plus different pattern. Subtle, but maybe meant to be obvious since it took me a while to notice and I'm tired.

I saw that, yeah. I thought it was just a representation of the more ostentatious nature of the First Age, but I could be wrong.

 

[Persell]

...Misho is starting to scare me.


In a good way, mind you. But still.

 

[0m3g413]

Did anyone notice the different mantle around Misho's neck? Blue gem plus different pattern. Subtle, but maybe meant to be obvious since it took me a while to notice and I'm tired.

I saw that, yeah. I thought it was just a representation of the more ostentatious nature of the First Age, but I could be wrong.

I assumed it was a hearthstone.

Do we know if he fought in the War?

Yes.

 

[MorkaisChosen]

Ah, excellent. So his second Radiance could be particularly epic Priomordial Warrage (Any Dark-looking Primordials apart from the Dragon's Shadow? Maybe he killed one...), and the third could be something in the First Age.

 

[ShadowDragon8685]

Wow...


This is a new side of Misho we haven't seen before.


Asshole Misho scares me.

 

[Aasharu]

He doesn't really come off as an asshole to me. He seems more in... teacher mode. Sort of, "You're my friends, and I love you both, but I'm not going to coddle you, because that would only hurt you, not help you. And while I'm teaching you, I'm not your friend, I'm your teacher." He did give them ample warning that this entire ordeal would be unpleasant.

 

[FluffySquirrel]

He doesn't?. I practically haven't been able to stand him for most of this current arc, he's being a major asshole.


But then I'm of the opinion that sorcery frankly ain't all that, compared to high end celestial charms, and that he's being -way- over the top, and damn cruel about it at that, for terrestrial initiation.


There's a fine line between teaching valuable lessons, being firm but fair, then there's doing it while being a cruel bastard.. and I think he crossed that line a few updates back frankly.


Would you expect a 'fair' teacher to threaten to slaughter your father if you didn't agree with his particular methods? (And that's pretty much what it would be, as that guy is clearly not willing to go into lethe himself)

 

[ShadowDragon8685]

Would you expect a 'fair' teacher to threaten to slaughter your father if you didn't agree with his particular methods? (And that's pretty much what it would be, as that guy is clearly not willing to go into lethe himself)

Yeah, that's the sticking point for me. This is like, Compassion Fail.


This is Misho with Compassion below Conviction. He's gotta be eating Limit for this.


He's known for having complete and total breakdowns at the thought of people dying a long time ago when he couldn't possibly have helped them, yet now he's coming out and being an outright shithead and declaring that Secret's dad will be going to Lethe whether or not he wants it?


I almost wish the old man had contested the summoning and like, rolled God of Willpower on the opposed roll.


But yeah. This is Asshole Misho.