Dice Shadows of the Setting Sun (OOC)

[Rykon]

Well, if any of you Solars start to get out of line, Toun and I can lay down some 'education' on your thick heads.

If any splat had a charm for conveying knowledge through a bonk on the head it should be Lunars with Sidereals as an honorable mention.

 

[D. Rex]

Bull or Deathlords! Both sound like good fun.

Though if we are going to be fighting ghosts, I'm going to need to beeline it to getting some ghost hitting charms. And fighting ghosts will give just such reason to train it up.


The shadowlands certainly seem the most agreeable choice by far.


Though! Woe be it for us if everything comes down on our heads at once and we have a war Royale between solars, fey, deathlords, bull, and everything else at once. And by woe I mean frigging sweet.

 

[Rykon]

Though! Woe be it for us if everything comes down on our heads at once and we have a war Royale between solars, fey, deathlords, bull, and everything else at once. And by woe I mean frigging sweet.

I was about to say, don't threaten us with a good time!

 

[Random Word]

Sigrdrífa needs friends! Who does she know? She's on her coming of age go-off-and-do-something-to-earn-adulthood trip and taking it way too far, but I should find a reason she really cares about at least a few PCs to explain why she's anywhere near Whitewall, a place that typically murders her people on sight - and not without good reason.

Toun is an obvious choice, because they could have met at a conclave on holy ground or he could have defeated her at some point and though the universal law of Defeat=Friendship and/or Love she's now following him around pestering him for rematches she keeps losing. Tyree and Sigrdrífa would likely get on like a house on fire if they could look passed the whole 'our people murder each other on a regular basis' bit - Icewalkers have a pretty deep cultural respect for Lunars, so Sigrdrífa would overlook the fact she was born in a city - if she could even tell. Aeliana, again, houses and fire, but they're from basically opposite ends of the world so I have no idea why they would ever meet. Afureru is a harder call - obviously Sigrdrífa is going to be impressed with her martial prowess, but if she's moping around all the time about all those people she killed back in the day Sigrdrífa is going to have approximately zero sympathy and think Afureru is weak. She might drive Kettu crazy with her unsubtle approach to problem solving, depending on his temperament, but that could be a funny foil as she learns what this 'con' thing is and why don't you just take it if you want it? Zoya and Sigrdrífa could maybe bond over a mutual hatred of the unquiet dead, but as a law abiding citizen of Whitewall there are probably a lot of barriers there.

 

[D. Rex]

Sigrdrífa needs friends! Who does she know? She's on her coming of age go-off-and-do-something-to-earn-adulthood trip and taking it way too far, but I should find a reason she really cares about at least a few PCs to explain why she's anywhere near Whitewall, a place that typically murders her people on sight - and not without good reason.

Toun is an obvious choice, because they could have met at a conclave on holy ground or he could have defeated her at some point and though the universal law of Defeat=Friendship and/or Love she's now following him around pestering him for rematches she keeps losing. Tyree and Sigrdrífa would likely get on like a house on fire if they could look passed the whole 'our people murder each other on a regular basis' bit - Icewalkers have a pretty deep cultural respect for Lunars, so Sigrdrífa would overlook the fact she was born in a city - if she could even tell. Aeliana, again, houses and fire, but they're from basically opposite ends of the world so I have zero idea why they would ever meet. Afureru is a harder call - obviously Sigrdrífa is going to be impressed with her martial prowess, but if she's moping around all the time about all those people she killed back in the day Sigrdrífa is going to have approximately zero sympathy and think Afureru is weak. She might drive Kettu crazy with her unsubtle approach to problem solving, depending on his temperament, but that could be a funny foil as she learns what this 'con' thing is and why don't you just take it if you want it? Zoya and Sigrdrífa could maybe bond over a mutual hatred of the unquiet dead, but as a law abiding citizen of Whitewall there are probably a lot of barriers there.

Lol don't worry. Afureru isn't the mopey type. What is done is done. Nor is she going to be a sad sack about it. It is her job now to be different, to fix herself goingnforward and stop those who are like how she used to be.

 

[D. Rex]

Random Word
If you are going the strength and athletic route and brawl and grappling. I bet you could do very well with a razor harness! I haven't seen anybody use one yet.

 

[Rykon]

Sigrdrífa needs friends! Who does she know? She's on her coming of age go-off-and-do-something-to-earn-adulthood trip and taking it way too far, but I should find a reason she really cares about at least a few PCs to explain why she's anywhere near Whitewall, a place that typically murders her people on sight - and not without good reason.

Toun is an obvious choice, because they could have met at a conclave on holy ground or he could have defeated her at some point and though the universal law of Defeat=Friendship and/or Love she's now following him around pestering him for rematches she keeps losing. Tyree and Sigrdrífa would likely get on like a house on fire if they could look passed the whole 'our people murder each other on a regular basis' bit - Icewalkers have a pretty deep cultural respect for Lunars, so Sigrdrífa would overlook the fact she was born in a city - if she could even tell. Aeliana, again, houses and fire, but they're from basically opposite ends of the world so I have zero idea why they would ever meet. Afureru is a harder call - obviously Sigrdrífa is going to be impressed with her martial prowess, but if she's moping around all the time about all those people she killed back in the day Sigrdrífa is going to have approximately zero sympathy and think Afureru is weak. She might drive Kettu crazy with her unsubtle approach to problem solving, depending on his temperament, but that could be a funny foil as she learns what this 'con' thing is and why don't you just take it if you want it? Zoya and Sigrdrífa could maybe bond over a mutual hatred of the unquiet dead, but as a law abiding citizen of Whitewall there are probably a lot of barriers there.

The love-rivalry sounds hilarious and fun. It'd also give Toun a lingering connection to his life growing up as a mortal. I'm still working on his backstory write-up to fill out what Toun's old tribe was like and more directly address Wlf's criteria. I'll go ahead and make a note to add a reference to meetings with other tribes.

 

[Teh Frixz]

Aeliana, again, houses and fire, but they're from basically opposite ends of the world so I have no idea why they would ever meet.

That brings up a great point, Aeliana isn’t from ‘round here. She’s traveling North to spread her cult and conquer arenas, wild animals, and local bawdy houses. Even if she’s not a fairly recent arrival in Whitewall, it’ll likely be an oddity, her being there.

Toun would be seen as what he is, a Tribal warrior. She’s killed plenty in the Arena but him being more, a Wargod, would have her way more interested as he’s arguably in what she’s been perceiving as a Pantheon. Probably going to be curious towards him, likely following around asking questions to get a sense of how the people’s of this area venerate their Gods.

With Tyree she’s got the whole stubborn, unbroken wild beast, tough spirit slave thing going on that that Aeliana can bond with heavily, even more so as she’s a Whitewall native and will know the place well enough. Maybe we’ll enough to help the Evervictor get a foothold. If not, she’d be excellent for fighting and training with.

Afureru is like the antithesis of Aeliana, master v no master, fame v infamy, efficiency with purpose v playing around and dying for no true reason. It’s an interesting dynamic and I’m worried they’ll clash.

Sigrdrifa is new but the concept of a force of nature is just the kind of thing Aeliana likes to toy with, push and press, the Evervictor isn’t an immovable object to slam against but a lasso around the neck of a wild beast.

Zoya is a big concern to Aeliana, she’s gonna see her, as with most people trying to organize things, as A master of Games. Someone with motive beyond Glory in the arena that’s seeking to take from the benefit of victory butttt she’s also a Solar and will likely have some kinship there.

There’s a lot of different yet converging goals going on. Not quite sure where Aeliana is gonna fit with all of them and I worry she’s going to end up causing more harm than good.

 

[Rykon]

There’s a lot of different yet converging goals going on. Not quite sure where Aeliana is gonna fit with all of them and I worry she’s going to end up causing more harm than good.

I can see what you mean. As it stands I think there's plenty of things to work with that can evolve as the story develops. If you don't mind, I have a handful of questions that might help us see how Aeliana can make a place for herself that the whole circle can appreciate.

For starters, what sort of goals do you have for Aeliana as the player?

What does the character feel is her purpose for taking decisive action? How would you see her growing or changing as a consequence of her new allies and adventures?

Does the character feel any sense of duty or obligation to anyone? Her cult? Her circle? Her home? A cause or ideal?

As a Zenith and high priest of the Sun, what sort of vision did he reveal to Aeliana? Did this change her perspective? Assign her a mission?

Are there any major powers on the world stage, other than the Wyld Hunt, that Aeliana has strong opinions on or interacts with regularly? Perhaps the Guild?

 

[Random Word]

If you are going the strength and athletic route and brawl and grappling. I bet you could do very well with a razor harness! I haven't seen anybody use one yet.

I would personally prefer God-Kicking Boots or Smashfists if I were going to bother with an artifact weapon. Razor Harnesses are like some kind of exotic Southern or Eastern gladiator weapon, not an Icewalker weapon. Maybe Icewalkers in Lover brand fetish wear.

The love rivalry sounds hilarious and fun. It'd also give Toun a lingering connection to his life growing up as a mortal. I'm still working on his backstory write-up to fill out what Toun's old tribe was like and more directly address Wlf's criteria.

Done. So we know Sigrdrífa is going to Whitewall because Toun is going to Whitewall, but why is Toun going to Whitewall?

Sigrdrifa is new but the concept of a force of nature is just the kind of thing Aeliana likes to toy with, push and press, the Evervictor isn’t an immovable object to slam against but a lasso around the neck of a wild beast.

I have no idea what that's going to involve but I'm already entertained.

 

[Teh Frixz]

For starters, what sort of goals do you have for Aeliana as the player?

Being fairly new to Exalted, ignorant to most of it outside the Fair Folk (I’ve played a few Raksha) I’m not used to the massive scope that encompasses our goals. I’d say for Aeliana, I’d like her to one day grow beyond her origins and let go of her pursuit of narrowly defined victory. I’d also like her to develop a family outside of the very toxic cult-family she has.

What does the character feel is their purpose for taking decisive action? How would you see her growing or changing as a consequence of her new allies and adventures?

Aeliana really really needs to break out of her life is a game cycle and really come to terms with being Exalted. She’s part of something greater than being a golden idol and living a life of hedonism but she’s fighting that realization. She doesn’t want to be a tool for the Sun, she wants to be in command of her own purpose and destin

Does the character feel any sense of duty or obligation to anyone? Her cult? Her circle? Her home? A cause or ideal?

Her cult, quite literally she’s practically indebted to them. She’s been raised by them, protected by them and held aloft by them. She’s living currently for the cult and not for the Sun, or even by extension, herself without even realizing it.

As a Zenith and high priest of the Sun, what sort of vision did he reveal to Aeliana? Did this change her perspective? Assign her a mission?

I’m not sure, I’m curious about that one. Is there a punishment for fleeing your intended mission? Does the Sun look down on the Exalts with mirth and take pleasure in watching them wiggle

Are there any major powers on the world stage, other than the Wyld Hunt, that Aeliana has strong opinions on or interacts with regularly? Perhaps the Guild?

I almost want to do a love hate thing with the Guild. They supply bodies and puppets for the show, maybe Aeliana knows but doesn’t want to know. She’s probably killed her fair share of slaves and condemned in the Arena, for the show and in spectacular ways.

 

[Random Word]

As a Zenith and high priest of the Sun, what sort of vision did he reveal to Aeliana? Did this change her perspective? Assign her a mission?

I’m not sure, I’m curious about that one. Is there a punishment for fleeing your intended mission? Does the Sun look down on the Exalts with mirth and take pleasure in watching them wiggle

There's a lot of Storyteller interpretation here, but I can give you my personal take. The Unconquered Sun was created to be perfect, and he's close. He's Unconquered because he's never failed at anything before. He created us, the Solars, and we are his first, only, and greatest failure. So great was his shame at seeing how far we fell, he turned his face away from Creation and lost himself completely in the Games of Divinity. I like to think we could feel the difference in that moment. That once the light of the sun felt loving, and now it just feels warm. He let us be sealed in the Jade Prison for millenia, and now that we're back there's this tiny spark of hope inside him that somehow we'll be better this time, but he can't get his hopes up because he can't take the pain of our failure all over again.

Luna meets with each of her Chosen personally when she Exalts them. Of us, only you, the Zeniths, are guaranteed to meet the Unconquered Sun, and even then it's maybe a 60 second monologue where he tells you what he wants you to do and then turns away again. You might get a question in edgewise if you're lucky. The tasks often sound absurd in their ambition. "Eradicate slavery from Creation." "Ensure the North follows my law and uphold my justice." "Cast down tyrants and unjust rulers wherever you find them until you can find no more." There's no punishment for failure because he expects us to fail. Again. The only punishment is his disappointment, and proving his worst fears well founded, but we will probably never meet him to feel that disappointment in person, and you could go your entire life without ever seeing any tangible sign you had failed him.

He does not look down and watch us struggle, because he can't bear to look down upon us at all for fear of what he might see.

 

[Rykon]

Done. So we know Sigrdrífa is going to Whitewall because Toun is going to Whitewall, but why is Toun going to Whitewall?

Hmm... that's a very good question. Just reviewing what I can tell at the moment, outside Icewalker lands, the pair are largely ignorant of the world with Sigrdrifa being illiterate at time of writing and Toun only recently literate. Whitewall is a place elders may direct him where they can grow in knowledge and mastery in relative safety while doing genuine good in the world.

With that recommendation, he'd take the trip for the opportunities it provides, such as...

1. Acquire maps to better develop or conquer a new home of their very own, preferably at a powerful manse.
2. Find weapons that might suit Sigrdrifa or other trinkets that could be useful.
3. Learn of other powerful beings like them that they could befriend or need to avoid for now. (We've established that Toun should at least know of Tyree and possibly jaydude 's or Epiphany 's characters).
4. Start building a cult / reputation by killing countless Fae and Ghosts (and inadvertently empowering Toun's panoply).

For starters, what sort of goals do you have for Aeliana as the player?

Being fairly new to Exalted, ignorant to most of it outside the Fair Folk (I’ve played a few Raksha) I’m not used to the massive scope that encompasses our goals. I’d say for Aeliana, I’d like her to one day grow beyond her origins and let go of her pursuit of narrowly defined victory. I’d also like her to develop a family outside of the very toxic cult-family she has.

Based on this answer alone, it sounds like develop a family would entail becoming involved in the lives of her circle mates. As she learns more of the other Exalts she works with she's free to chose which goals she wants to pursue, whether she resolves to act to make a name for her self or because she begins to crave more of this weird friendship thing might not be immediately important as either can lead her down the path you'd like to see her walk as you (and the rest of us) learn more about this crazy world our characters find themselves in.

What does the character feel is their purpose for taking decisive action? How would you see her growing or changing as a consequence of her new allies and adventures?

Aeliana really really needs to break out of her life is a game cycle and really come to terms with being Exalted. She’s part of something greater than being a golden idol and living a life of hedonism but she’s fighting that realization. She doesn’t want to be a tool for the Sun, she wants to be in command of her own purpose and destin

Since all of our characters are recently Exalted there's going to be some growing pains in moving from life as a mortal to life as the rightful divine authority of Creation. I think this struggle meshes just fine with the circle as it is.

Does the character feel any sense of duty or obligation to anyone? Her cult? Her circle? Her home? A cause or ideal?

Her cult, quite literally she’s practically indebted to them. She’s been raised by them, protected by them and held aloft by them. She’s living currently for the cult and not for the Sun, or even by extension, herself without even realizing it.

That's an interesting situation. If the cult running the arena circuit is providing her support, perhaps a backing might reflect the dependency. Alternatively, if it's mostly a hindrance to the character perhaps WlfSamurai could discuss a possible temporary flaw with you and it provide a source of Solar XP when it makes life troublesome.

As a Zenith and high priest of the Sun, what sort of vision did he reveal to Aeliana? Did this change her perspective? Assign her a mission?

I’m not sure, I’m curious about that one. Is there a punishment for fleeing your intended mission? Does the Sun look down on the Exalts with mirth and take pleasure in watching them wiggle

I don't believe so unless the player and storyteller think a punishment would advance the plot in a productive way that they both enjoy. My default assumption would be that if she recoils from her assignment in the vision perhaps the Sun merely said what she needed to hear and that when the time is right the experience she will have gone through will empower her to be the person Creation desperately needs.

EDIT: I wrote this before I saw Random Word's response which did a much better job of addressing the reality of the setting instead of from the perspective of the game from the outside perspective.

Are there any major powers on the world stage, other than the Wyld Hunt, that Aeliana has strong opinions on or interacts with regularly? Perhaps the Guild?

I almost want to do a love hate thing with the Guild. They supply bodies and puppets for the show, maybe Aeliana knows but doesn’t want to know. She’s probably killed her fair share of slaves and condemned in the Arena, for the show and in spectacular ways.

Many of the characters in the group would share a disdain for the guild. This kind of conflict wouldn't hurt the game at all in my opinion.

On the whole, I think there's a lot Aeliana can bring to the group narratively and I see a lot more promising opportunities than I do risks of hurting the game. I hope that exercise helped. Let us know if you have any questions of your own that could help you out!

 

[WlfSamurai]

OMG, this has been some of the most entertaining discussion. I love all this.

 

[Esbilon]

Though if we are going to be fighting ghosts, I'm going to need to beeline it to getting some ghost hitting charms. And fighting ghosts will give just such reason to train it up.

Note that in Exalted, most ghosts spend a good deal of their time materialized, so you don't necessarily need to go deep on the specific anti-ghost charms at the get go.

Zoya and Sigrdrífa could maybe bond over a mutual hatred of the unquiet dead, but as a law abiding citizen of Whitewall there are probably a lot of barriers there.

I was being a little facetious when I said Zoya was a cop. The Syndics like recruiting powerful people into the Guardians which serve as both the permanent army and the police corps. That's not really the kind of thing Zoya is most interested in, though depending on how long has passed since her Exaltation, she probably would accept some kind of mostly-honorary position. At the outset, she'd mostly be interested in the fact that you're a lunar in her city and go from there. Whitewall is a city that every year offers 12 people for grizzly death at the hands of the dead and another 12 for the faeries. And that's not counting the people who just get Winter Exiled and generally die from the experience. She'd understand accomodating a force of nature like Sigrdrifa to stay on good terms with her.

Zoya is a big concern to Aeliana, she’s gonna see her, as with most people trying to organize things, as A master of Games. Someone with motive beyond Glory in the arena that’s seeking to take from the benefit of victory butttt she’s also a Solar and will likely have some kinship there.

Like with Sigrdrifa, Zoya's be pretty big on making allies out of exalts in the area. When it comes to forming a kind of family, I think she'd do a decent job of playing a mom-type character.

Of us, only you, the Zeniths, are guaranteed to meet the Unconquered Sun, and even then it's maybe a 60 second monologue where he tells you what he wants you to do and then turns away again.

I seem to recall that a lot of the messages from the Unconquered Sun to his Zeniths are actually pre-recorded and the Exaltation just picks one from the library that fits the Chosen in question. It's certainly my headcanon that this is what happens some of the time.

Teh Frixz You probably want to give some thought to how your character has managed to be an Exalt for 10 years without attracting the attention of the Wyld Hunt and anyone else with more nefarious purposes than "see a lot of awesome blood sports in the arena."

 

[Epiphany]

Draft sheet for Mournful Chalice is up. Still have a lot of work to do but the bones are there.

 

[Esbilon]

WlfSamurai I just wanted to know how you feel about the Crafting system in Ex3. There is this rewrite: Craft Rewrite - Exalted 3e which does away with the whole crafting xp system and the sheer number of dots you need to drop into different Craft Abilities in order to do different things.

 

[WlfSamurai]

WlfSamurai I just wanted to know how you feel about the Crafting system in Ex3. There is this rewrite: Craft Rewrite - Exalted 3e which does away with the whole crafting xp system and the sheer number of dots you need to drop into different Craft Abilities in order to do different things.

Yeah, after you mentioned it before I started reading up. I’m not happy with what’s in the book. I don’t know what is with “them” and Crafting rules. I was going to ask for homebrew suggestions, so thank you for that. I’ll look it over.

 

[WlfSamurai]

Draft sheet for Mournful Chalice is up. Still have a lot of work to do but the bones are there.

Super excited! Can’t wait to look her over.

 

[Sherwood]

I was going to say that she breaks the pattern of our ladies having a 5 for Appearance, but that only applies to the Solars.

 

[WlfSamurai]

All these beautiful women characters and then Toun.

Title of the show:

The Women of the North!
And Toun​

 

[jaydude]

Hey. I'm also planning to make a guy here.

 

[Rykon]

I noticed the pattern as well haha.

Hey. I'm also planning to make a guy here.

Speaking of, I'm considering a slight shift to Appearance 4 instead of Charisma 4 to start with Appearance being the lead from the front attribute in warfare over the lead from the back or center and bark orders.

Are you or any one else (say maybe D. Rex as our Dawn) considering the option of troop training Charms? (Charisma for Lunars)

I realize it's something you already do with a current character of yours so I'm fine picking it up later in Toun's progression as the earliest Lunars and non-Supernal Solars could learn them would be E2 anyway.

 

[jaydude]

Are you or any one else (say maybe D. Rex as our Dawn) considering the option of troop training Charms? (Charisma for Lunars)

I realize it's something you already do with a current character of yours so I'm fine picking it up later in Toun's progression as the earliest Lunars and non-Supernal Solars could learn them would be E2 anyway.

Hmm. It's not exactly in keeping with my character's concept, I'm afraid.

 

[Rykon]

Hmm. It's not exactly in keeping with my character's concept, I'm afraid.

Not a problem, it's a niche I'm happy to fill later on if no one wants. Just thought I'd mention it.