Dice The Redux of the Tale of a Falling Empire - OOC

[Random Word]

Oh yeah, for sure, at Artifact 3 we could have every DB with a two bit family daiklave summoning 2CDs all over the place in this timeline. It sort of takes away from Mnemon's signature party trick, but so does Kitava doing it, so that's fine. It seems like a mistake to put it at Artifact 3, though. That thing lets angry E3 Lunars summon Ligier or Erembour and set them loose on the Realm once a year. If every major Realm fortress in trouble can summon Octavian or Zsofika that seriously buffs their arsenals.

 

[D. Rex]

If a Patrician or Lost Egg has the temerity to undermine her authority in public, that's a declaration of war. It's just not done. In private is one thing, in which case a Patrician or Lost Egg is annoying and insulting while a fellow Dynast is maybe potential threat, maybe just a verbal sparring partner.

Either way I dont think they would go that far to do so in public. Just because they don't get along doesn't mean he doesn't want her to succeed at her job. And explicitly undermining her authority in public breeds ill will which would not lend any favors seeing her safe.

Sure he might have a snack while she is in a meeting. But he is going to be quietly in the corner letting her to do magic.

Sure he might be standing close by her while she is giving a speech to her peasants. But he is standing by. Expecting any imminent attack that he could prevent.

He doesn't want to see her fail. On the contrary, he is willing to give his life for hers.

He has no free time. Barely gets any sleep. Spends every moment, waking and asleep, with Kitava. Is bored out of his mind because politics suck. The statrap is a statrap.



But still, I can make either one work. Which would you rather see, or do you have no preference?

 

[jaydude]

I'm going to say Kitava graduated from the Spiral Academy and moved on to managing extensive House mining concerns in the South until the mines struck something interesting in the deep and the dark. She became obsessed with the occult mystery she found, falling down the rabbit hole as so many Ragara do, pouring the vast fortunes she had earned astutely managing House business into her research at a rate that unsettled even her family. It was one thing to obsess over arcane power and long forgotten secrets, quite another to bankrupt oneself in their pursuit. All was forgiven when she emerged from her retreat having made some kind of pact with and having summoned a Second Circle Demon (Maybe Mara? I don't usually go in for her sorcerous initiation, but she is incredibly useful. jaydude do you have a favourite 2CD you would like to see in play? We could also make one up.), a feat only ever equalled in the history of the Realm by Mnemon and the Empress herself.

To say this earned her some attention would be an understatement. Mnemon was livid at this know-nothing upstart who hadn't even seen her first century challenging her House's effective monopoly on the greatest heights of sorcerous power, and made it quietly clear she would like to see Kitava killed. House Ledaal believes House Ragara corrupt at the best of times, and Kitava triply so. Cynis and Sesus would love to have suitably juicy blackmail material to control her, but it's difficult to outdo, 'willingly consorts with powerful demons'. The Empress, concerned about how this might upset the delicate balance of power between the Great Houses, summoned Kitava to discuss this new development and its implications for her future, assigning her a safe but largely unimportant Satrapy as a 'reward' to keep her out of the way while she worked out how best to check House Ragara's growing power.

I like this whole idea. And Kandara could certainly be considered "a safe but largely unimportant Satrapy" after Nagaraja was conquered and turned into a buffer zone against the Lunars further east. As for 2CD's, I don't really have any preferences for ones I'd like to see in play. Octavian and Mara are the only ones I'm remotely familiar with, but I'd be more than happy to bring in a different or custom one.

Oh yeah, for sure, at Artifact 3 we could have every DB with a two bit family daiklave summoning 2CDs all over the place in this timeline. It sort of takes away from Mnemon's signature party trick, but so does Kitava doing it, so that's fine. It seems like a mistake to put it at Artifact 3, though. That thing lets angry E3 Lunars summon Ligier or Erembour and set them loose on the Realm once a year. If every major Realm fortress in trouble can summon Octavian or Zsofika that seriously buffs their arsenals.

Yeah, I'm mindful of having it be Artifact 3 myself because of that potential. I won't block it here though.

 

[D. Rex]

Speaking of artifacts, how does one go about making them here?

Say if I wanted me a good pair of smashfists.

I'd take me the light weapon Template. Then add cestus tags. Worn and paired and melee.

Then I'd add artifact and two more. Defensive and powerful perhaps?



But what about evocations here, and how do I judge what level of artifact it is?

 

[Chowlett]

I'm struggling a bit on Merits, especially picking a Primary, so suggestions are welcome.

I currently have Artifact as Tertiary, for a simple Silk Armour to provide me some defence compatible with Serpent Style MA. I'm tempted by a Hearthstone, but none of the Essence ones grab me - jaydude , could I have the core book's Memory Stone (Standard Air Hearthstone - grants perfect recall to the bearer) as a 3-dot here?

 

[jaydude]

Speaking of artifacts, how does one go about making them here?

Say if I wanted me a good pair of smashfists.

I'd take me the light weapon Template. Then add cestus tags. Worn and paired and melee.

Then I'd add artifact and two more. Defensive and powerful perhaps?



But what about evocations here, and how do I judge what level of artifact it is?

Defensive works as an additional tag. As for Powerful, that's more for Ranged Weapons, but you could certainly take Defensive and Smashing though (Reduce the cost of Knockback and Knockdown gambits made with this weapon by 1 to a minimum of 1).

As for Evocations and Artifact level, the former don't have to be defined immediately, and you don't appear to need to spend milestones/exp on them. Rather, you unlock them as you increase your attributes/use the Artifact in question. For the latter, Artifact weapons and armor are always at least Artifact 3, and in terms of level, I'm currently inclined to go with what Arms of the Chosen says on the matter: Artifact 3 stuff is based around simply enhancing the user's abilities, Artifact 4 stuff is based around more unique supernatural things that don't extend beyond the current scene, and Artifact 5 stuff is the same but on a far greater scale.

I'm struggling a bit on Merits, especially picking a Primary, so suggestions are welcome.

I currently have Artifact as Tertiary, for a simple Silk Armour to provide me some defence compatible with Serpent Style MA. I'm tempted by a Hearthstone, but none of the Essence ones grab me - jaydude , could I have the core book's Memory Stone (Standard Air Hearthstone - grants perfect recall to the bearer) as a 3-dot here?

Yes, you can have a Memory Stone.

As for Merits, you can switch your Primary for an additional Secondary and Tertiary if you wish. Otherwise, you've indicated your character concept as being an Undercover Investigator; perhaps Backing, to indicate your character's employer? Contacts, to indicate people your character's met while undercover? And an Artifact weapon might not hurt too much (I don't yet know if committing motes is still a thing for Artifact equipment).

 

[Chowlett]

Yes, you can have a Memory Stone.

As for Merits, you can switch your Primary for an additional Secondary and Tertiary if you wish. Otherwise, you've indicated your character concept as being an Undercover Investigator; perhaps Backing, to indicate your character's employer? Contacts, to indicate people your character's met while undercover? And an Artifact weapon might not hurt too much (I don't yet know if committing motes is still a thing for Artifact equipment).

Great, thanks.

Artifact weapon - yeah, I was definitely considering that. Probably a Seven-section staff... 3- or 4-dot, I think.

Contacts is pretty plausible. You need a group to have contacts in, don't you?
Probably don't want it at 5-dot level, so maybe exchanging the Primary is a good option. Either that or taking a 4-dot staff, Contacts 3, and a random extra Tertiary. Familiar, perhaps.

 

[D. Rex]

Defensive works as an additional tag. As for Powerful, that's more for Ranged Weapons, but you could certainly take Defensive and Smashing though (Reduce the cost of Knockback and Knockdown gambits made with this weapon by 1 to a minimum of 1).

As for Evocations and Artifact level, the former don't have to be defined immediately, and you don't appear to need to spend milestones/exp on them. Rather, you unlock them as you increase your attributes/use the Artifact in question. For the latter, Artifact weapons and armor are always at least Artifact 3, and in terms of level, I'm currently inclined to go with what Arms of the Chosen says on the matter: Artifact 3 stuff is based around simply enhancing the user's abilities, Artifact 4 stuff is based around more unique supernatural things that don't extend beyond the current scene, and Artifact 5 stuff is the same but on a far greater scale.

Smashing works. Would be a lot of fun to just send everybody flying for one or two power. Gets the threats away from Kitava.


I'm thinking maybe an artifact 4. Can do some cool things with it.

Do Paired weapons need to be bought with merits separately or do they come as a set with a single purchase?


How does one come up with Evocations? Since there aren't many examples.




Also! Would their be a way to get the Stone of Resilient Bamboo? For soak and healing.

I'm not sure the balance. But soak and hardness seem different here. I am aiming for a tank though.

 

[Chowlett]

Question on Charm costs.

Most Charms cost a single mote

Does this mean that we should assume a 1 mote cost if none is listed? Specific queries:
Crafty Observation Method - does this cost a mote to use, or is it always on?
Enhanced Senses - I assume this is always on; am I right, or does it cost a mote?

 

[Random Word]

Okay, we don't need Sondok. She's a super bodyguard/general and we already have a super bodyguard and general. Zsofika is only good for murdering one specific person. Octavian is mostly here to smash things, but he's also good at ruthlessly holding power. Mara could work if Kitava wants to become a soul-vampire super sorceress, and Mara is good at intrigue. As a Ragara and a Satrap I think I'd like a money making/infrastructure demon. Berengiere trades voices for magic cloth. Makarios is basically a Raksha, trading souls for otherworldly treasures. Alveula turns souls into magic metalwork. Any could help make Kandara's markets a major destination, but Makarios has the best advice. It's a shame Jacint doesn't have any fleshed our second circle souls.


Mara could help with celestial workings to improve local infrastructure and create sustainable new industries. Makarios makes Kandara a slave trading mecca - it's way cheaper and safer to trade slaves in Kandara rather than travel to the Wyld to find Raksha. That's a dark road and will likely make enemies of Cynis if they don't get their cut.

 

[Random Word]

Question on Charm costs.


Does this mean that we should assume a 1 mote cost if none is listed? Specific queries:
Crafty Observation Method - does this cost a mote to use, or is it always on?
Enhanced Senses - I assume this is always on; am I right, or does it cost a mote?

Unless it says spend m motes to do x, it is free and always on.

 

[jaydude]

Contacts is pretty plausible. You need a group to have contacts in, don't you?

Yes. For Contacts, you need to specify which group your contacts are found in.

Do Paired weapons need to be bought with merits separately or do they come as a set with a single purchase?

How does one come up with Evocations? Since there aren't many examples.

Also! Would their be a way to get the Stone of Resilient Bamboo? For soak and healing.

I'm not sure the balance. But soak and hardness seem different here. I am aiming for a tank though.

If the weapon has the Paired tag, then you can buy two of them as a single Artifact.

For Evocations, I'm afraid I don't know how much I can help you in this regard at the moment. I never really got into designing custom Evocations myself, so I wouldn't know where to start here. I can try and ask around on the Exalted discord, but I can't promise anything.

For the Stone of Resilient Bamboo, for the time being I'll let you have it with a boost of +1 to your soak, the doubled healing rate and the ability to parry unarmed without a stunt (though presumably you'd be stunting unarmed parries anyway). Depending how things go, I may well revise this if it turns out to be unbalanced.

 

[D. Rex]

Yes. For Contacts, you need to specify which group your contacts are found in.


If the weapon has the Paired tag, then you can buy two of them as a single Artifact.

For Evocations, I'm afraid I don't know how much I can help you in this regard at the moment. I never really got into designing custom Evocations myself, so I wouldn't know where to start here. I can try and ask around on the Exalted discord, but I can't promise anything.

For the Stone of Resilient Bamboo, for the time being I'll let you have it with a boost of +1 to your soak, the doubled healing rate and the ability to parry unarmed without a stunt (though presumably you'd be stunting unarmed parries anyway). Depending how things go, I may well revise this if it turns out to be unbalanced.

Making Evocations would be pretty handy to know. But I'm a simple guy. I'm okay with simple stat boosts as I draw out my artifact power. Or even just having an evocation modeled after a commital charm and it comes with having to spend the mote.

For example, I think it would be cool to have a fists that tie into terrestrial anima elements. So maybe at a certain anima level, it gives a free Dragon Graced Weapon Charm. Reflecting how it changes with one's aura.

Or maybe it gains an additional tag based on the aura you are in. Such as Air granting piercing from lightning or Wood aura granting Flexible or Disarming.

I would always be happy with passive boosts as well. Making the most without motes.




I think I'll nab me the bamboo stone as my 3 dot. Then grab a simple 2dot artifact armor.

Would I need to come up with a Manse in the Kandara region/city?

 

[Rykon]

Okay, we don't need Sondok. She's a super bodyguard/general and we already have a super bodyguard and general. Zsofika is only good for murdering one specific person. Octavian is mostly here to smash things, but he's also good at ruthlessly holding power. Mara could work if Kitava wants to become a soul-vampire super sorceress, and Mara is good at intrigue. As a Ragara and a Satrap I think I'd like a money making/infrastructure demon. Berengiere trades voices for magic cloth. Makarios is basically a Raksha, trading souls for otherworldly treasures. Alveula turns souls into magic metalwork. Any could help make Kandara's markets a major destination, but Makarios has the best advice. It's a shame Jacint doesn't have any fleshed our second circle souls.


Mara could help with celestial workings to improve local infrastructure and create sustainable new industries. Makarios makes Kandara a slave trading mecca - it's way cheaper and safer to trade slaves in Kandara rather than travel to the Wyld to find Raksha. That's a dark road and will likely make enemies of Cynis if they don't get their cut.

Why not Alveua for artifice. The first run of this game included a jade mine after all.

Edit: derp, bad eyes playing tricks on me again. Missed your mention of it.

Anyhow, assuming the mine is still a thing the artificer sounds like a decent start.

 

[D. Rex]

Summing a third circle demon. Its almost like Kitava is begging to be killed. My guy has his work cut out for him.

 

[Random Word]

Second circle! Kitava can't summon 3CDs. The Emerald Thurible only gives you a one circle boost. If she could summon 3CDs it would be Jacint, no questions asked, with Ligier close second.

Alveua is nice, but she's really picky about what she'll forge. She might be able to teach the local smiths something, but the materials she works with are very alien. I could use a sorcerous working to improve the fibres from a local plant or animal and have Berengiere teach the local weavers how to make very high quality goods from it. That's a durable economic advantage.

 

[Rykon]

Hmmm, I thought about taking craft myself but I'm probably stretched a little thin as is.

I was also reconsidering the charm for training troops over something else, but I'm not sure what I'd replace it with out of my current abilities.

Even just leaving things alone as they are, I'm content with the Volcanic attacks, calling down storms on enemy armies, being able to sing away all fear, defend allies, and wear any armor like it was no more cumbersome than pajamas. So at least D. Rex will have plenty of back up in combat.

 

[D. Rex]

Hmmm, I thought about taking craft myself but I'm probably stretched a little thin as is.

I was also reconsidering the charm for training troops over something else, but I'm not sure what I'd replace it with out of my current abilities.

Even just leaving things alone as they are, I'm content with the Volcanic attacks, calling down storms on enemy armies, being able to sing away all fear, defend allies, and wear any armor like it was no more cumbersome than pajamas. So at least D. Rex will have plenty of back up in combat.

Mighty kind of you! That backup will be handy. I have gotten myself to a mighty 13 soak, fully turned on, and 8 normally. Went heavy on Defense and defending others.


So Manato coming in swinging a volcano will be the might cuts out their mouth as they break their teeth on me. They won't stand a chance against us.

 

[WlfSamurai]

Still trying to figure out my Merits. I’m pretty light on defense, but plan on trying not to get hit at all.

The evocation thing is a thing. Never got into making them myself, either. Probably just going with the plan of doing straight stat boosts with evocations unlocking later.

 

[Chowlett]

Sorry, another question on Charms. When a charm lists an Upgrade (eg "Feeling the Dragon’s Bones (Upgrade: Awareness 5, Essence 2):") is that a separate Charm to purchase, or an additional effect of the original if you meet the requirements?

 

[jaydude]

Sorry, another question on Charms. When a charm lists an Upgrade (eg "Feeling the Dragon’s Bones (Upgrade: Awareness 5, Essence 2):") is that a separate Charm to purchase, or an additional effect of the original if you meet the requirements?

Having checked the manuscript, I'd say that unless the Charm specifically mentions a repurchase, it's the latter.

 

[WlfSamurai]

Having checked the manuscript, I'd say that unless the Charm specifically mentions a repurchase, it's the latter.

Oh nice! I took Spider-Foot Style upgrade as a separate Charm purchase. Adjusting! Thanks!

 

[D. Rex]

Anybody need help finding pictures while I'm picture hunting?

 

[Random Word]

Oh, sure. I won't have any time to look any time soon.

 

[D. Rex]

Oh, sure. I won't have any time to look any time soon.

Anything in particular you are looking for? Certain traits you want me to look for?