Equusheart
One Thousand Club
Weird random question, what... (tries to word this right) is behind the Exalted? Like, in the case of Dragon Blooded, are there deities that decide who gets chosen to be Exalted?
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Dice [OOC] - To Stand Against the Crimson Tide
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Random Word
Three Thousand Club
I object! That question is neither weird, nor random!
Exaltations were created by the gods to win a war they decided to wage against the titans who built the world. The titans, being clever on occasion, engineered the gods such that they were incapable of harming their creators. Mortals, on the other hand, were considered too weak to ever pose a threat, and no such clause was included in their contract. The gods built a weapon to empower mortals to the point they could threaten and even kill the titans. This was a war, and so the weapon was designed accordingly. Exaltations are basically autonomous neigh-indestructible munitions. They're designed to seek out some mortal that matches specific parameters, notify their patron, and bind to the soul of the target, granting them incredible power and the urge to use it. When they die, the Exaltation separates, is cleaned of the memories of its previous wielder (mostly, Lytek might be leaving some attached on purpose), and finds a new target. The Exalted were expected to die a lot during the war, but so long as at least some mortals survived somewhere, they would keep coming back until the war was won. The Exaltations were designed to be autonomous in case the titans managed to kill the gods during the war.
Gaia, one of the titans who joined the revolution against their peers, was a special snowflake and created the Dragonblooded Exaltation differently. Gaia made their exaltation like the life they created. The DB Exaltation is a bloodline trait, inherited from parents. It triggers under unknown circumstances, but it's almost always a period of crisis, stress, or danger. Attempts to force the blood to quicken by inducing stress or artificial crisis have so far only generally increased the fatality rates among students with no measurable increase in Exaltation rates, but that hasn't stopped desperate DB families from trying. There are a few general rules, like don't have children more than once every 20 years if you want to maximize the chances of them Exalting, and make sure both parents have strong bloodlines with good histories of producing Exalted children if you can.
So to answer your question: Your blood kind of decides on its own if it's going to kindle into a surge of elemental power. Your ultimate source of power is Gaia, one of the the titans who built the world, responsible for much of its life and elemental balance, but they aren't even aware of you, let alone made a decision to Exalt you. They just made your Exaltation millenia ago and set it loose to do its thing. You're a fragment of an autonomous self-replicating superweapon that's been left to its own devices for millenia, abandoned by its maker, having already defeated the threat you were made to kill tens of thousands of years before you were born.
Your character knows none of that. What exactly your character knows about the Exalted, let alone their metaphysics, is a complex question that probably boils down to: Not a lot.
Exaltations were created by the gods to win a war they decided to wage against the titans who built the world. The titans, being clever on occasion, engineered the gods such that they were incapable of harming their creators. Mortals, on the other hand, were considered too weak to ever pose a threat, and no such clause was included in their contract. The gods built a weapon to empower mortals to the point they could threaten and even kill the titans. This was a war, and so the weapon was designed accordingly. Exaltations are basically autonomous neigh-indestructible munitions. They're designed to seek out some mortal that matches specific parameters, notify their patron, and bind to the soul of the target, granting them incredible power and the urge to use it. When they die, the Exaltation separates, is cleaned of the memories of its previous wielder (mostly, Lytek might be leaving some attached on purpose), and finds a new target. The Exalted were expected to die a lot during the war, but so long as at least some mortals survived somewhere, they would keep coming back until the war was won. The Exaltations were designed to be autonomous in case the titans managed to kill the gods during the war.
Gaia, one of the titans who joined the revolution against their peers, was a special snowflake and created the Dragonblooded Exaltation differently. Gaia made their exaltation like the life they created. The DB Exaltation is a bloodline trait, inherited from parents. It triggers under unknown circumstances, but it's almost always a period of crisis, stress, or danger. Attempts to force the blood to quicken by inducing stress or artificial crisis have so far only generally increased the fatality rates among students with no measurable increase in Exaltation rates, but that hasn't stopped desperate DB families from trying. There are a few general rules, like don't have children more than once every 20 years if you want to maximize the chances of them Exalting, and make sure both parents have strong bloodlines with good histories of producing Exalted children if you can.
So to answer your question: Your blood kind of decides on its own if it's going to kindle into a surge of elemental power. Your ultimate source of power is Gaia, one of the the titans who built the world, responsible for much of its life and elemental balance, but they aren't even aware of you, let alone made a decision to Exalt you. They just made your Exaltation millenia ago and set it loose to do its thing. You're a fragment of an autonomous self-replicating superweapon that's been left to its own devices for millenia, abandoned by its maker, having already defeated the threat you were made to kill tens of thousands of years before you were born.
Your character knows none of that. What exactly your character knows about the Exalted, let alone their metaphysics, is a complex question that probably boils down to: Not a lot.
Random Word
Three Thousand Club
Oops, that was a lie - I have a weird mix of 2e and 3e lore in my head, and I forgot that 3e changed it so the Dragonblooded were created by the Five Elemental Dragons, not Gaia (In 2e the most popular DB religion, the Immaculate Faith, taught that they were created by the Elemental Dragons, but that was a lie). Basically everything I said stays the same, just remove Gaia and substitute the Elemental Dragons instead.
Equusheart
One Thousand Club
So basically Sakura's bloodline goes back to some primordial Wood Dragon
Equusheart
One Thousand Club
Also, just remembered this is the Chinese New Year of the Wood Dragon.... I swear this is unintentional!
Random Word
Three Thousand Club
Yes, but your bloodline actually goes back to all five elemental dragons. Your parents both being wood aspects increases your chances of being a wood aspect if you exalt, but you can still become any element. Some families lean towards certain elements, but they'll generally have some of all elements.
Random Word
Three Thousand Club
Eonivar
Looking for Hope and Inspiration
I am going to have to step out of this one. I have some RL long term stress happening, and while I am looking to write to relieve some of that stress, I am not sure I can handle running with anything as complicated as another Exalted game. Love the world, but the system is a bit overdone. I am already running in one exalted RP, and I am finding two is a bit too much for me at the moment.
You have a fantastic set up with some fantastic players here. If Esme does not show up it does not affect the story much at this point.
Thank you for giving me a chance here. Take care all.
You have a fantastic set up with some fantastic players here. If Esme does not show up it does not affect the story much at this point.
Thank you for giving me a chance here. Take care all.
Crocodile
Mister Zero
Sorry, work chaos. I’ll see about posting this evening.
Equusheart
One Thousand Club
I'll be posting a character sample here soon. Sayuri has gone through some adjusting lol.
Equusheart
One Thousand Club
This what I've got so far, I plan on expanding on it as I go.
Sayuri of House Akechi
Age: 24 years
Appearance: Slim and elegant. Long ink black hair that has small white and pink flowers and tea or bamboo leaves, seemingly, braided throughout it. Her light brown almond shape eyes have a touch of green to them. Dresses in various shades of greens, cream, brown, and yellow to reflect her connection to the Wood element.
Personality: Gentle, nurturing, and compassionate, but knows when to be firm and push back when need be. She doesn't allow others to take advantage over her calm and passive nature. Protective over her family and friends. Becomes angered by rudeness and senseless acts of violence and cruelty. Sayuri rarely loses control of her temper, but when it happens even the trees shiver.
Father: Hinges
Mother: Kazumi
Siblings: Ryu - brother - 28 years
Kenji - brother - 26 years
Pranee - sister - 18 years
Mitsuo - brother - 16 years
Amba - sister - 14 years
Tai - brother - 10 years
Other family: Sanda - grandmother (through her mother)
Dragon Blooded: Wood
Skills: Traditions: Being the daughter of a noble House, Sayuri learned the different dances and tea ceremonies. As well as the etiquettes of noble society.
Archery: It had started as a child's curiosity as she would watch her older brother's practice their archery and fighting skills. After many hours of ceaseless begging, Ryu and Kenji finally agreed to teach her. Over time, Sayuri was able to almost rival her older brothers in skill.
Medicine: Both Sayuri's mother and grandmother had been skilled in the art of healing so it was only natural that Sayuri would follow in their footsteps. And she seemed to have an inherited knack for it.
Mean Kitchen Skills: As well as growing and working with healing herbs, Sayuri seemed skilled with culinary herbs as well. Many say she could make the best herb roasted chicken.
- Born in the rural highland village of Selfora, known best for it's tea plantation.
- Born to House Akechi, a lesser of the Houses, but an old bloodline stretching back to the Five Elemental dragons, falling under the banner of the Wood dragon.
- As old as the House Akechi is, a Chosen Exalted has not been born to them in multiple generations. Sayuri is the first.
Exaltation: Sayuri was 15 years of age when her Exaltion happened. While helping to look after and care for her younger siblings, Sayuri had noticed that her brother, Mitsuo, had wandered off. After a few minutes of looking, Pranee had raced up to her, crying and screaming that Mitsuo had climbed one of the fruit trees to reach the fruit from the top branches and was now dangling from a limb after losing his footing. By the time Sayuri had gotten there with Pranee in tow, the branch Mitsuo had been dangling from snapped, sending Mitsuo plummeting to the ground.
What happened next Sayuri couldn't really say. The last thing she remembered was she was reaching out as if to catch Mitsuo when there was a sudden loud crashing and creaking as branches and vines erupted from the ground. Sayuri had been knocked to the ground, hitting her head on something before blacking out. She awoke a day or two later with a spranged wrist and a rather ugly gash on her forehead. The story relayed from Pranee was there had been a strange green light that flashed in Sayuri's eyes the moment Mitsuo fell. A cluster of trees and bamboo sprouted up violently from the ground. A wayward branch had slapped into Sayuri, sending her tumbling to the ground. Pranee had been knocked away as well, but thankfully only received a few scratches and bruises. And Mitsuo, now having a small grove of branches and leaves to help cushion his fall, managed to only receive a broken arm.
There had been some confusion at first, but grandmother Sanda recognized the signs of the ancient tales. The Wood dragon had seen fit to bless the Akechi House at last with an Exalted, choosing Sayuri.
The sigil of House Akechi
Sayuri of House Akechi
Age: 24 years
Appearance: Slim and elegant. Long ink black hair that has small white and pink flowers and tea or bamboo leaves, seemingly, braided throughout it. Her light brown almond shape eyes have a touch of green to them. Dresses in various shades of greens, cream, brown, and yellow to reflect her connection to the Wood element.
Personality: Gentle, nurturing, and compassionate, but knows when to be firm and push back when need be. She doesn't allow others to take advantage over her calm and passive nature. Protective over her family and friends. Becomes angered by rudeness and senseless acts of violence and cruelty. Sayuri rarely loses control of her temper, but when it happens even the trees shiver.
Father: Hinges
Mother: Kazumi
Siblings: Ryu - brother - 28 years
Kenji - brother - 26 years
Pranee - sister - 18 years
Mitsuo - brother - 16 years
Amba - sister - 14 years
Tai - brother - 10 years
Other family: Sanda - grandmother (through her mother)
Dragon Blooded: Wood
Skills: Traditions: Being the daughter of a noble House, Sayuri learned the different dances and tea ceremonies. As well as the etiquettes of noble society.
Archery: It had started as a child's curiosity as she would watch her older brother's practice their archery and fighting skills. After many hours of ceaseless begging, Ryu and Kenji finally agreed to teach her. Over time, Sayuri was able to almost rival her older brothers in skill.
Medicine: Both Sayuri's mother and grandmother had been skilled in the art of healing so it was only natural that Sayuri would follow in their footsteps. And she seemed to have an inherited knack for it.
Mean Kitchen Skills: As well as growing and working with healing herbs, Sayuri seemed skilled with culinary herbs as well. Many say she could make the best herb roasted chicken.
- Born in the rural highland village of Selfora, known best for it's tea plantation.
- Born to House Akechi, a lesser of the Houses, but an old bloodline stretching back to the Five Elemental dragons, falling under the banner of the Wood dragon.
- As old as the House Akechi is, a Chosen Exalted has not been born to them in multiple generations. Sayuri is the first.
Exaltation: Sayuri was 15 years of age when her Exaltion happened. While helping to look after and care for her younger siblings, Sayuri had noticed that her brother, Mitsuo, had wandered off. After a few minutes of looking, Pranee had raced up to her, crying and screaming that Mitsuo had climbed one of the fruit trees to reach the fruit from the top branches and was now dangling from a limb after losing his footing. By the time Sayuri had gotten there with Pranee in tow, the branch Mitsuo had been dangling from snapped, sending Mitsuo plummeting to the ground.
What happened next Sayuri couldn't really say. The last thing she remembered was she was reaching out as if to catch Mitsuo when there was a sudden loud crashing and creaking as branches and vines erupted from the ground. Sayuri had been knocked to the ground, hitting her head on something before blacking out. She awoke a day or two later with a spranged wrist and a rather ugly gash on her forehead. The story relayed from Pranee was there had been a strange green light that flashed in Sayuri's eyes the moment Mitsuo fell. A cluster of trees and bamboo sprouted up violently from the ground. A wayward branch had slapped into Sayuri, sending her tumbling to the ground. Pranee had been knocked away as well, but thankfully only received a few scratches and bruises. And Mitsuo, now having a small grove of branches and leaves to help cushion his fall, managed to only receive a broken arm.
There had been some confusion at first, but grandmother Sanda recognized the signs of the ancient tales. The Wood dragon had seen fit to bless the Akechi House at last with an Exalted, choosing Sayuri.
The sigil of House Akechi
Last edited:
Sherwood
Luna's Concubine
Nice pic. I like it!
Red Shadow Claws
Six Thousand Club
I posted a pic of Droplets, but it's still a work in progress.
Random Word
Three Thousand Club
Equusheart
This is great!A few small points: The 'Great Houses' in Exalted is sort of a reserved name for the Dynastic Houses of the Realm, a massive empire far to the north of our setting. That's not to say plenty of places in Creation don't call their Houses 'Great', just that to avoid confusing long time Exalted players we'll probably want a different name for our Houses. In my mind there are four great Merchant Houses of the city. House Akechi could be one of them, focused on their extensive plantation holdings and the trade of produce and medicines, or perhaps there are Merchant Houses and Landed Houses or something similar, where Merchant Houses are primarily urban and focused on far ranging trade expeditions and Landed Houses are primarily rural and focused on the traditional role of nobility: Owning lots of productive land and making peasants work it. Then House Akechi might be a Landed House. Is House Akechi doing well, or are they a shadow of their former glory? Perhaps they have a noble and storied bloodline, but are cash poor, and hide their embarassment and bitterness at how much wealthier the Merchant Houses (or even other Landed Houses) are by armouring themselves in tradition and contempt for the new. Or perhaps their plantations are juciciously managed and very successful, the envy of other Landed Houses and the targets of hostile takeover attempts from scheming Merchant Houses.
As a small point of doctrine, DB anima flux (when your anima damages things around you) never hurts you, but if you really want it to have knocked you out that's totally fine.
Good use of AI art! That behind the back arrow trick shot looks a bit intense
but other than that it's a lovely picture.Crucially, and the piece currently missing from your concept, we want to know your characters' relationships with the other characters. Your character nicely ties in local politics, since Sayuri is intimately familiar with local squabbles amongst the nobility. You may even bring some tension if Pandemos is a natural ally of the urban merchants and Sayuri's inclination is to defend the interests of the rural landed gentry.
Let me know if you'd like me to suggest stats or Charms appropriate to your concept.
Equusheart
One Thousand Club
It's not one of the Great Houses. I think I even put that it's a lesser House.
A few small points: The 'Great Houses' in Exalted is sort of a reserved name for the Dynastic Houses of the Realm, a massive empire far to the north of our setting. That's not to say plenty of places in Creation don't call their Houses 'Great', just that to avoid confusing long time Exalted players we'll probably want a different name for our Houses. In my mind there are four great Merchant Houses of the city. House Akechi could be one of them, focused on their extensive plantation holdings and the trade of produce and medicines, or perhaps there are Merchant Houses and Landed Houses or something similar, where Merchant Houses are primarily urban and focused on far ranging trade expeditions and Landed Houses are primarily rural and focused on the traditional role of nobility: Owning lots of productive land and making peasants work it. Then House Akechi might be a Landed House. Is House Akechi doing well, or are they a shadow of their former glory? Perhaps they have a noble and storied bloodline, but are cash poor, and hide their embarassment and bitterness at how much wealthier the Merchant Houses (or even other Landed Houses) are by armouring themselves in tradition and contempt for the new. Or perhaps their plantations are juciciously managed and very successful, the envy of other Landed Houses and the targets of hostile takeover attempts from scheming Merchant Houses.
Yeah, I didn't put that because I'm still waiting back to hear from people in regards to their characters. The only person I heard from was Red Shadow Claw with Droplets.
Equusheart
One Thousand Club
You told me to post a sample to see what people thought and that's what I did.
Equusheart
One Thousand Club
Yeah, I went back and edited the House. I essentially copied and pasted from my notepad and forgot a couple details.
Equusheart
One Thousand Club
Yeah, I didn't notice that at first. It took me a long while trying to figure out what was wrong with the image lolGood use of AI art! That behind the back arrow trick shot looks a bit intense
Random Word
Three Thousand Club
Then let's poke everyone to help you out.
Red Shadow Claws
Sherwood
Psychie
Crocodile
if you have any fun ideas for how your character could be linked to Sayuri, let Equusheart know.
Equusheart
One Thousand Club
Also waiting for the Dragon-Blooded book from Sherwood so I can read up on what the Charms do.
Sherwood
Luna's Concubine
Huh. I thought I had sent it to you in Dropbox. Do I need to try again?
Equusheart
One Thousand Club
I thought that was an email. Is the Dropbox on the site?
Sherwood
Luna's Concubine
I'm not sure how it will look on your end, but I tagged a bunch of pdfs for you that you should be able to download.
Equusheart
One Thousand Club
Also, for what it's worth, I can see Sayuri being sort of the mother hen of the group. Making sure they're well fed and healing their wounds after a battle or something.
Random Word
Three Thousand Club
Do you feel like you have time for this game, Crocodile? If not, no shame in joining later when life is less chaotic.
