Sounding for Exalted!

Cthulhu_Wakes

Cthulhu_Wakes

Black Sun in a White World
First off, yes, I will run this if I get enough interest/players. No colossal screwups like my last game announcement.


Second, any interest in a nice game of Exalted?


Based in the nation of Port Calin. That little Shogunate of irrelevance.


We're going to have high adventure, Fae-hijinks, romance (maybe), immortal gods, and some of the weirder thoughts moving through my head currently. Story will heavily involve court politics and Fae being Fae. Possible shades of undead involvement. Please don't hit me for the pun.


Standard Exalted character creation. Solars, Lunars. Dragon-Bloods will travel.


Anyone interested? More plot details can be had if needed.
 
First!


Totally am interested. I'll Solar, but happy to wait until we have more players before I start claiming caste, or even concept...
 
You know, people are so used to vanilla sometimes, that they don't notice the subtleties. But not me. I love vanilla. So much.


So, yeah, I'll come up with something. We'll see.
 
I'd love to play a Solar. Possibly something on the 'last honest man' theme, a court figure who actually really does think he's helping people and making the world a better place. Mechanically I'd like to play with some sorcery, but otherwise wide open.


Edit: This guy. Not using the new chargen rules.

Strength: 2


Dex: 3


Stamina: 2


Charisma: 3


Manipulation: 4


Appearance: 2


Perception: 3


Intelligence: 5


Wits: 3


Dawn


Martial Arts ***


Zenith


Integrity 2


Performance 3


Presence 2


Resistance 1


Twilight


Lore ***


Occult *****


Night


Athletics **


Awareness **


Dodge ***


Stealth *


Eclipse


Bureaucracy *


Linguistics **


Socialize *


Compassion **


Temperance *


Conviction ***


Valor ****


Essence 3


Willpower 8


Pools 17/39


Backing - the merchant house Erign 2


Contacts - Court 1


Resources 3


Influence 1


Intimacies


Sorcery


(Negative)Slavery


Charms


2nd Performance Ex


2nd Presence Ex


Frugal Merchant Method


Integrity Protecting Prana


Phantom Conjuring Performance


Respect Commanding Attitude


Terrestrial Circle Sorcery


Spirit Detecting Glance


Spells


Summon Elemental


Fugue of Truth





Krana wasn't raised in Caitlin itself. His mother was a esteemed daughter of the house Erign, and his father was a vagrant. When it became clear his mother had born a child unsuitable to inheritance she was quietly sequestered away from court for the duration of the pregnancy and Krana's birth. After a suitable time insuring the boy would live, he was handed off to nurses and she returned to the life of nobility. Krana was raised in the Library of Durn, a monolithic structure at a confluence of rivers and mountains. In times past it had been a regal retreat. Now it was not, lacking books on the important things like making money or winning wars.


Raised by servants and scholars Krana read a great deal. Most of the lore he ingested was horribly outdated though, and contributed little to the current state of affairs. Simple voracity gave him a wide understanding of the current world, founded mostly on it's history and prefixed on his extrapolation into the modern age. Being somewhat high born the boy was a mild celebrity in the library, or at least as much as he could be surrounded by stodgy old men who though little of the current crop of the ruling elite.


Things really got interesting when the boy was inducted into the secrets of the place. The library was exactly that, but the denizens were an insular society comprised almost entirely of the members of a peculiar blood line. They were the direct descendants of one of the Books of Living Malachite. By knowing where to look the boy learned magic from the underplay of veins beneath the skin and the pattern of hair in a beard.


To give him an excuse to read their flesh they taught him martial arts. They couldn't just run around naked, after all. So Krana picked up the basics while his true lessons were the musculature of his teachers. In them he learned the Fugue of Truth and rudimentary summoning.


It was all pointless, abritrary knowledge until he left the library to 'make something useful of himself' in the families caravans. He went into the deep east and was gone for three years. He returned Exalted, but having learned well the lessons of secrecy, told no one. Then Krana could make something of himself indeed. He didn't have the business savvy to dominate the world on his own, but with a couple of strategic partnerships and the ability to see pure truth, Krana could insure that his partners always made fortunes. That bought him quite a bit of kind will in the family. It also brought enough money for his return to Caitlin.


People have a tendency to think he's high all the time due to the odd influences of the Fugue. Still, if it works it works, so no one has raised an issue of it. Krana reinforced this error by actually being high all the time, what he refers to as his most pleasant subterfuge. Most of a drug dealer's business isn't with those whose motivations are as idle as his though, and bring a great exposure to both the inhumanity of the slave trade and people in general. That strikes him entirely wrong, going against the lofty if naive ideals of his youth, and the boy has dedicated himself to stopping such things. Next to magic for magic's sake, it is his deepest conviction.


A_Familiar_Boo_by_ShardGlass.jpg
 
Making a Solar for this.


Just some stats.... typing up the character tomorrow. Going to be a Solar who has her origins in Whitewall in the north.

Sun-Punching Whisper [/b]


Solar Eclipse Caste


Concept: Negotiator


Motivation: Bring good face to The Unconquered Sun.


Physical (6)


Strength ***


Dexterity ****


Stamina **


Social (8)


Charisma ****


Manipulation ***


Appearance ****


Mental (4)


Perception **


Intelligence **


Wits ***


Abilities:


Archery


Martial Arts *** (FAVORED)


Melee


Thrown


War


Integrity


Performance **** (FAVORED)


Presence **** (FAVORED)


Resistance *


Survival


Craft


Investigation *(FAVORED)


Lore


Medicine


Occult


Athletics ***


Awareness **


Dodge **** (FAVORED)


Larceny


Stealth *


(All Favored: Caste)


Bureaucracy ***


-Specialty: Legal Debate


Linguistics **


Ride *


Sail **


Socialize ****


Backgrounds (7)


Artifact * (God Kicking Boots: SPD: 5 ACC: +1 DMG +8B DEF: -1 RT: 2 )


Artifact * (Collar of Dawn's Cleansing Light)


Artifact * (Smash Fists: SPD: 5 ACC: +0 DMG: +7B DEF: +2 RT: 2)


Artifact ** (Lammellar: Soak: +8L/9B Hard: 5L/5B Mobility: -1 Fatigue: 0)


Charms (10)


First Excellency: Martial Arts, Presence, Socialize, Bureaucracy, Dodge, Resistance (6 Charms)


Ox-Body Technique (one -1 box, 2 -2 box)


Fists of Iron Technique (+1 ACC, +2 DMG, Lethal Hand-to-Hand, Block Lethal)


Heart Compelling Method (Invoke emotion in crowd for a scene)


Majestic Radiant Presence (Intimidation test, 1 valor, 2 will)


Virtues (5)


Compassion ***


Conviction **


Temperence **


Valor **


Conviction Flaw: Red Rage of Compassion


Willpower 6


Essence 3


Essence Pool 15


PerEss Pool 42


Health Levels


0: [ ]


-1: [ ][ ][ ]


-2: [ ][ ][ ][ ]


-4: [ ]


Incapacitated: [ ]


Bonus Points


Essence 3 7


Dodge 4 1


Presence 4 1


Performance 4 1


Stealth 1 2


Resistance 1 1


Spec: Legal Debate 1


Socialize 4 2
 
I do always love solar games. I'm interested, but need to think more on concepts. I'll edit something in in a bit.
 
Now that I think about it, I like the thought of playing a Lunar (or Dragon-Blooded, still not sure which) master of thieves, kind of like Creation's very own Danny Ocean. I'll probably have something up tomorrow.
 
Interested. I'm thinking a con artist, probably Lunar, maybe Solar. I'll try making both and run with whichever one feels right.


EDIT: May I assume that you are using both the errata and the Schaefer rules? I'll build without them and change it if I'm wrong, but I would like to know.


EDIT EDIT: Do you have any houserules for the Familiar background? It's weak enough that even with Nature-Reinforcing Allocation, I would probably never take it without houserules.
 
Since someone's already claimed an Eclipse, and it sounds like someone else wants to do Occult (does that mean Twilight?) I'm going to edit my Eclipse into a Night caste. Or a Twilight. Once you know who and how many are playing, I'll start moving dots around for the character.


General idea is a peaceable prankster who tries to make conflicts seem ridiculous instead of mortally-serious. 95% sure its a child-exalt. Happy to edit the snot out of his background in order to make him fit in your little corner of creation, please contact me to do so.
 
Why, nobody's put up a Dawn yet.


DIBS! INFINITY DIBS! I'll get to work presently.


I assume we're allowed to use Ink Monkeys' Dawn Fix?
 
One caveat, Bardlebee, I dunno about the armor. I don't want you guys decked out in gold with gold on top and gold in your orichalcum grills. I know you all need weapons, but as for plain armor and stuff...mm, not sure. I'm looking for a rare amount of grit in this game.
 
*laughs* Man, I go 'I'mma gunna play a sneak-thief' and then it's already up here! Both Lunar/DB and Lunar/Solar. Eeenteriesting.


If people are still leaning that-a-way, then I can go Full-Moon hit 'em. Haven't played a big fighter type yet...


On a related note, any of the Solars looking to have a pc for their Lunar mate?
 
Holiday travel got the best of me, I'll fill in as time permits (Curse you holidays, distracting me from fun exalted stuff!)


Concept: The Iron Monger


Caste: Twilight


A (occasionally unscrupulous) purveyor and innovator of weaponry. Always happy to work cheaply for the right cause, or expensively for the wrong one. If you need a weapon, whether mundane or magical, he's your guy.


Friendly and sociable, and equally at home in a negotiation, workshop, or a gunfight. Not afraid to get his hands dirty when the situation calls for it, but much happier to be making deals and alliances in a court.


I'll edit in a backstory and character sheet as I am able to find time to sneak away from holiday responsibilities. >.>


Edit: backstory! Sorry, it got a bit long. I got bored and kept writing. >.> I blame the holidays visiting family.

“Nice to meet you, friend. Name’s Artorian. Nope, just one name. Used to be Karal Takeo, but that was a long time ago. You want to hear the story? Oh, fine, I guess.


In case you couldn’t guess it from the name, I was born and raised in Lookshy. Yup, me, a member of the high-falutin’ Gentes. Now, my parents weren’t terrestrial. They were members of the gentes though, so they had the blood of the Dragons in their line; granddad on mom’s side was an Exalt. Anyway, my story. As a kid, I got sent to one of the academies, same as any other member of the gentes. I learned how to behave, how to pour tea just so, but mostly I took the courses on how to build stuff.


They sent me to the sorcerer-engineers when I was 12, and it became obvious pretty quickly I wasn’t chosen by the Dragons. I wasn’t very good at the ‘sorcerer’ part, but I was great at tinkering. I kept taking apart and rebuilding bits of the essence weapons. Now, Gens Karal doesn’t have a lot of sorcerer-engineers; let me tell you, there’s a reason for that. I got kicked out and shipped off to the military right quick after I took apart the essence cannon on the left arm of some general’s warstrider.


Since I liked playing with the big essence guns so much, they stuck me in an artillery battery as a maintenance tech. Nitei of the 5th Artillery Fang, 4th field force of the Seventh Legion. When I say ‘maintenance tech’, I really mean ‘guy who carries the water bucket around and generally does the menial work while the Dragonblooded actually repair and fire the gun’. Comfortable enough existence for a military job; us artillery folk always had plenty to eat, got to ride around on horses or carts with the guns, and generally had to do a lot less ‘real work’ than the normal rank and file.


Everything went great, until that battle against the hawk riders. So, metagalpan hawk riders are guys that ride around on the backs of these giant hawks. Yeah, you knew that from the name. Anyway, they also have hawk beastmen that fight alongside them. So this huge battalion of the bleeders attacks us when we’re out in the field on maneuvers. Apparently we got too close to their territory. Damn blighters.


Anyway, this huge battle ensues. The infantry couldn’t keep them pinned down, since the hawk beastmen kept flying away. Things were going okay, our guns were knocking the damn birds out of the sky, even if the infantry were taking a bit of a drubbing. Still, they must have had some sort of smarts, because about an hour into things, the hawk men start attacking the batteries. We got hit first; Amilar Izo, the gunner on our cannon, never saw the spear that hit him until it was sticking two thirds of the way out of his chest.


The rest of the gun crew ran; the hawkman took out a Dragonblood, what were us mortals going to do? Well, I was young and dumb, so I jumped on the cannon controls, slewed it around, and pulled the trigger. Mr. Hawkman got a big face full of concussive essence! Surprised him good. I think the only person more surprised than the damned hawkman was me; the cannons weren’t supposed to fire for mortals - they needed essence to power them. I took out five more hawkmen that attacked our position, and cleared things up a bit for the next cannon down the line while I was at it. Course, in all the confusion, I didn’t notice the golden aura. My buddy Kobe pointed it out to me as the battle was winding down.


Now, I knew what the Immaculates said about Anathema, and I figured out quick that if I didn’t want to end up like Mr. Hawkman, it was time to resign my military commission. I slipped away in the chaos after the battle. I headed for Nexus and dropped the old name. Got my start there, building and selling weapons. Turns out I actually learned a thing or two back at that ol’ academy. I’ve sold weapons to a lot of interesting people, for causes noble and sometimes not quite so noble. Ended up here in Calin by way of the trade roads; always gotta travel to find interesting projects, and sometimes gotta travel to stay ahead of people that don’t take kindly to folk like me.


Anyway, you gonna buy something or not? This here flamepiece is really a good deal…


Edit 2:


So, I was thinking of all of this in terms of the L5R references made, and I was amused by the similarity of what I wrote previously and the gaijin trade + gaijin-powder thematics from that game. Anyway, a reflavoring of the above, if it works better (I like both, so whichever fits the game better):


Concept 1b: Returned son, bearing new ideas on weaponry...


Type: Solar - Twilight (Could work as a Zenith with some minor modifications)


Name: Akodo Takeo





Concept:


Returned Son, bearing new ideas on weaponry


He is humble, friendly, and sociable. Unfortunatly, he is a bit naive, and very progressive in his thinking, and so while of Caliniti noble birth, he does not hew well to the traditions of warfare practiced therein.


He is a crafter, and weaponsmith by trade. His aspiration is to see House Akodo returned to military prominance, riding upon the wave of technology, much in the model of Lookshy's succesful armies.


He would contribute to the group in making new gear, investigating odd phenomenons, and 'trouble-shooting', which is to say, shooting trouble. He could probably play back-up as a social character, or primary if the group is weak socially (easy to tune the crafting vs combat vs social dial).


Backstory:


Takeo was a minor scion of a military noble house in decline. A 3rd child to a small vassal family of the actual house, he was no one of import at birth, and took up the blacksmith's hammer to outfit and support what remained of House Akodo's armies. Once he reached adulthood, it became apparent to him that under the current model, House Akodo was only barely still grasping at prominance. House Jnan had already overtaken them as the de-facto military leaders, and would overtake them within a generation in the courts and polite society by virtue of their station. House Akodo was on the decline, and Takeo would not stand for that.


Takeo left Calin, seeking his answers elsewhere. He travelled to Nexus, and there threw his lot in with an exiled Sorceror-engineer from Lookshy named Eizo. He wasn't the post talented crafted of magitech, and was never quite able to master sorcery, though the Dragonblood attempted to teach him. However, he was a capable assistant and metalworker. Takeo learned much from the Exile, even if he himself couldn't pratice most of it.


One day, all that changed. A customer came in, Lookshyan by the cut of him. Picked up an order Eizo had been working on for weeks; an essence cannon. Eizo was proud of the thing. Only problem, it was faulty. Lookshyan fired it once at a target dummy in the back of the shop, and it misfired. Blew two fingers off his hand. The dragonblooded cursed, pulled a flamepiece from his hip holster, and gunned Eizo down right then and there. The man turned to walk out of the store, ignoring Takeo. Takeo however, had other plans. He grabbed the fallen weapon and threw it at the back of the mans head. Brained him good. What? Shoot him with it? It was faulty, remember? It had just blown two fingers off the first guy to fire it. Takeo wasn't dumb. Takeo grabbed a flamepiece he had been putting together from the back of the shop as the man turned around, and Takeo lit him up. Lookshyan was a dragonblood, and apparently a fire one at that, because that fire didn't bother him one jot.


Takeo was pretty sure he was done for at that point. Then the second breath happened, and Takeo managed to beat that Lookshyan down with the various implements lying about the store. It was a very strange fight.


Takeo took what he could from the store, and fled that day. He managed to fix up some of the things his old friend Eizo had been working on, and all that mumbo jumbo about magitech started making a lot more sense. Takeo headed back for home in Calin. Magitech and flame weapons might be just the kind of edge that would make House Akodo great again, if only Takeo could convince them to modernize...


Edit 3:


Ultra-last-minute-submission prana!


Concept 2: The out of work actor


Type: Solar-Zenith


Name: Eizo





Summary


The actor is a friendly fellow. Capable of fitting in with any group, from nobles to drunkards. He's a social chameleon and skilled liar. He's best at impersonating others, and blending in to social situations, probably where he doesn't belong. Unfortunately, his tendency for drink and sharing his opinions gets the best of him at times.


If you need a front-man for a cause, or just a distraction, he's your fellow. He'll be the mouth piece of a good cause for free, or sometimes a bad cause for enough money, at least until his patience wears out and he finds enough alcohol. He's quick enough with a blade, but prefers to talk his way out of problems.


Backstory and such:


An actor, born in to the menial caste of Calin, that left home for the River Provinces and Nexus, to seek fame and fortune. Unfortunately, he didn't make it big. He got by, acting in two-bit shows. He wasted most of his money on drinking and gambling. The longer he spent in Nexus, the more he hated it. One day, he got fed up with the injustice of it all, and instead of delivering his comedic monologue, went on an anti-slavery tirade mid-show. While he convinced some that day thanks to his new-found Zenith powers, he also had to leave Nexus in a really big hurry. Turns out that telling an audience of Guildsmen that the Guild was a corrupt organization is a bad plan.


He fled back home to Calin, hoping to avoid further attention from the Guild, and maybe make a difference in his home nation. Or perhaps just get a new job as an actor, if he's lucky. Which he isn't.


This grew out of my thinking on a 'Zenith that's bad at nation building'. He gets bored and doesn't take seriously his responsibilities as a 'god-king', but loves the stage.
 
One caveat' date=' Bardlebee, I dunno about the armor. I don't want you guys decked out in gold with gold on top and gold in your orichalcum grills. I know you all need weapons, but as for plain armor and stuff...mm, not sure. I'm looking for a rare amount of grit in this game.[/quote']
Oh sorry, this was a character that was created for like a very battle heavy game.... I just never used her. I will make changes, you have an excellent point. By goodness she doesn't even have resources or anything! How foolish :D


EDIT: I am doing the write up about her tonight, hopefully been engrossed in reading lately.


EDIT EDIT: Going to keep my artifact that keeps me squeaky clean though. Us Whitewallers need to bathe.
Click to expand...
 
*laughs* Man, I go 'I'mma gunna play a sneak-thief' and then it's already up here! Both Lunar/DB and Lunar/Solar. Eeenteriesting.
If people are still leaning that-a-way, then I can go Full-Moon hit 'em. Haven't played a big fighter type yet...


On a related note, any of the Solars looking to have a pc for their Lunar mate?
Click to expand...
I could go for it. It always seemed a good hook. Could you give a bit more detail on what you were intending to play first though?
 
I've finally got my character sheet written up. Backstory will most likely come after the holidays.

Name: Kanda Rhulain


Concept: Assassin Extraordinaire


Motivation: Right the wrongs comitted against his family


Type: Lunar


Caste: No Moon


Anima: A dark blue otter with purple streaks


Tell: Otter-like whiskers against his cheeks


Strength: ***


[F]Dexterty: *****


Stamina: **


Charisma: ***


[F]Manipulation: ***


Appearance: **


[F]Perception: *****


Intelligence: ***


[F]Wits: ****


Archery **


Athletics **


Awareness **


Dodge **


Integrity **


Martial Arts **


Melee ***


Resistance *


Thrown **


Larceny ***


Linguistics **


Performance


Presence **


Socialize *


[F]Stealth * (Tailing +2)


[F]Survival *


Artifact ** (Moonsilver Dire Lance)


Heart's Blood * (Otter, Blue Jay, Tiger)


Face **


Solar Bond **


Resources **


Knacks


Life of the Hummingbird


Quicksilver Second Face


Lightning Change Style


Charms


First Dexterity Excellency


First Perception Excellency


Wasp Sting Blur


Ox-Body Technique


Outworld-Forsaking Stance


Hide of the Cunning Hunter


Eagle Eye Advantage


Compassion **


Conviction: ***


Temperance: *


Valor: **


Virtue Flaw: Curse of the Hungry Wolverine


Essence: ***


Willpower: *****


Personal Essence: 13/13


Periphreal Essence: 29/34


Comitted Essence: 5


Health: -0/-1/-1/-1/-1/-2/-2/-4/Incap


Bonus Points


10 pts for Essence 3


2 pts for Integrity 2


2 pts for Resources 2


1 pt for Stealth (Tailing +2)


EDIT: Edited to fit Domino's Chargen. Backstory upcoming.
 
Bardlebee said:
One caveat' date=' Bardlebee, I dunno about the armor. I don't want you guys decked out in gold with gold on top and gold in your orichalcum grills. I know you all need weapons, but as for plain armor and stuff...mm, not sure. I'm looking for a rare amount of grit in this game.[/quote']
Oh sorry, this was a character that was created for like a very battle heavy game.... I just never used her. I will make changes, you have an excellent point. By goodness she doesn't even have resources or anything! How foolish :D


EDIT: I am doing the write up about her tonight, hopefully been engrossed in reading lately.


EDIT EDIT: Going to keep my artifact that keeps me squeaky clean though. Us Whitewallers need to bathe.
Click to expand...
Pffft, bathing. Do it the Western way. Salt. Salt freakin' everywhere.
Click to expand...
 
I'd like to join, if there's room...I can try for any type of Exalt needed, but I haven't played anything besides Solars yet.
 
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