Dice Trial by Fire - Exalted 2e OOC

[MasterDAF]

jaydude Good touch, adding that Zelda music to your IC post! I decided to listen to it while reading your post, and next thing you know I was totally in the journey-ing mood!

 

[jaydude]

jaydude Good touch, adding that Zelda music to your IC post! I decided to listen to it while reading your post, and next thing you know I was totally in the journey-ing mood!

Thank you very much. Nothing like good music to start off a long journey.

 

[Rykon]

Speaking of the journey, I worry about the prospect of graverobbing very prestigious Exalts tombs. Especially in a place that likely contains a shadowland or two by now. Perhaps we'll be cleared by the lions, perhaps they'll have useful intel or interactions for us. If not, I vote we focus on addressing other areas first.

 

[MasterDAF]

I'm open to whatever the group decides. I certainly want to check out the airships/grave-artifact that might remain (for crafting purposes), but I am willing to put it on hold if the group is against it.

My main reason for doing so though was simply to have a precursor for separating the group a little geographically while we're there, kinda pulling a Fred to split and search for clues (like Scooby-Doo). I realize it isn't the most advantageous tactic to follow, but I feel like we are so strong right now that anything we run into won't really pose a threat. But if we separate a little bit after arriving, we can search larger swaths quicker and if we run into enemies we won't be assured victory. Again, if group is against it I won't bring it up IC.

Rykon How do you feel about that?

 

[Rykon]

I'm fine with checking it out to see what's going on, but I'm hoping it won't be a matter of slaughtering the lions and pillaging all the graves, cause that would certainly have bad consequences. It's kinda like mind control in that grave robbing is a bit of a setting thing that you do when you need stuff to happen.

In spite of that, I'm sure looking for some books or rare items we need and trying to honor the dead in taking it should be alright, ultimately.

 

[MasterDAF]

I'm fine with checking it out to see what's going on, but I'm hoping it won't be a matter of slaughtering the lions and pillaging all the graves, cause that would certainly have bad consequences. It's kinda like mind control in that grave robbing is a bit of a setting thing that you do when you need stuff to happen.

In spite of that, I'm sure looking for some books or rare items we need and trying to honor the dead in taking it should be alright, ultimately.

I'm not sure what you mean by grave-robbing being a setting thing, but I do agree we should probably avoid it (and killing servants of the Celestial heirarchy) and do things in an honorable fashion that shows respect to the dead if we do go.

Taking your IC post this afternoon into consideration though, I think you raised a good point about meeting with spirits in Rathess first. I am still playing with the idea of splitting into multiple groups while in city, but at this point will probably plan to hold until we have met with the local gods and gotten the lay of the land.

 

[Rykon]

I'm not sure what you mean by grave-robbing being a setting thing, but I do agree we should probably avoid it (and killing servants of the Celestial heirarchy) and do things in an honorable fashion that shows respect to the dead if we do go.

Taking your IC post this afternoon into consideration though, I think you raised a good point about meeting with spirits in Rathess first. I am still playing with the idea of splitting into multiple groups while in city, but at this point will probably plan to hold until we have met with the local gods and gotten the lay of the land.

Depending on what we find there, that'd be a great way to get ambushed and die. I am extremely against splitting until we're sure of the state the city is in.

 

[MasterDAF]

Rykon I understand your point, and don't plan to offer up splitting until we have some intel (perhaps after meeting with one of the gods). But Viktor has read a lot about these different ancient locations, and based on his texts (and their outdated information) has little reason to think it is anything but abandoned (save for a scattering of Dragon Kings). His readings would have made no mention of the myriad of enemies that moved in post-Balorian Crusade. So to him, there appears little risk to be had from splitting to explore and much to be gained.

As for the graveyard, knowing it is guarded by Celestial Lions actually makes it seem more appealing (to Viktor). He has read enough to know their place in the Celestial heirarchy, and since he has never met one he is most likely to assume they would be willing to help him. I imagine if we actually do meet them, the outcome will be quite different than he expects as Sidereals tasked them with guarding these tombs (and keeping out Solars), but he won't know this until at least trying to speak with them.

 

[Rykon]

I'm not even factoring in Han-Tha or the Solar. Just with Traps and Raptok ambushes, you'd need surprise and onslaught negation to travel in confidence.

Since only a few have such techniques right now, Aredin would feel better keeping the already small group together. Especially given the limited combat experience we have as a single unit.

As for the Lions, Aredin will not suffer the over extension of Yu Shan privilege in Creation. If we find that to be the reason for their presence than they will be forcefully removed for violation of the mandate.

 

[Rykon]

Between this game and the 3E one... I found cause to delve into the vehicle options.... short of 4-5 dot magitech battle craft, the globe's 5 times faster than anything else availalbe for what it's worth =[

Worse is I'm hardly finding any aircraft short of N/A rating that can haul a single warstrider. Only the Indomitable Conquest Platform, Artifact 5, can carry ONE warstrider...
EDIT: Derp, Manta-Class Transport is also Artifact 5, but carries two. Perhaps we should focus on mastering that schematic.

MasterDAF , our work for fleet cheesing is cut out for us.

EDIT: Citations... See Wonders of the Lost Age for artifact grade vehicles, Scroll of Kings for mundane vehicles, and Scroll of Fallen Races for the Globe of Transport as it is Dragon King Crystal Tech

 

[Sherwood]

On a note that is completely off topic, I have a Robotech game that I'm running here that Psychie is a part of that is looking for more players. Anyone interested in getting into a sci-fi game of giant robots and exciting war action?

 

[MasterDAF]

Yeah, I'd forgotten how expensive most of the First Age skyships were, especially when they come with sizable cargo areas. Just did some reviewing, unfortunately I think we are gonna have to delve into magitech crafts to get what we want. I've already been gearing Viktor up to learn Craft(Magitech), just need one more dot of Craft(Air) to be able to purchase the exotic craft, then I can start retooling anything we find for such a purpose.

If Viktor is are able to take over Denandsor in the nearish future, we'll have the necessary infrastructure to begin producing such vessels at least marginally quicker. Throw in a solid work/design crew and laborers, and maybe Aredin will have his fleet sooner than he expects!

 

[Sherwood]

There is just no middle ground from the small Windblade flying frisbee and the massive airships.

 

[Rykon]

I like mecha genre stuff but I know next to nothing about Robotech or the system, what would I need to learn?

 

[Sherwood]

It is a d20 system, and I have had much practice introducing people to the Palladium System for years that have no experience with the game.

Basic plot is that there is an alien invasion that devastates the planet, killing 3/4ths of the population. Earth manages to win, and builds a fleet of ships to go out and try and make peace at the end of a gun barrel with the leaders of the aliens, and hilarity ensues. You would be playing a human (or one of the friendly allied races that have been encountered) in one part of the fleet in the effort to free several subjugated worlds from the tyranny of another race called the Invid.

 

[Psychie]

The game is a lot of fun, but we are down to just three players right now and Sherwood has been looking for some new people for a while.

 

[Rykon]

I've stayed up for far too long, so I'll have to go over the material tomorrow.

 

[MasterDAF]

Sorry, Robotech sounds cool, but I don't think I'll be able to join that one. I make time to be heavily involved in this game, and a little left over for the slow Lunar game, but my IRL commitments prevent me from sinking any more time into additional games. Hope y'all are able to gather enough players for it though!

 

[Rykon]

As for craft times... there is a way to get craft rolls down to the hours instead days+, but you'd need wyld shaping and wyld cauldron technique.

Also the money laundering capacity with magical reagents would be insane, but it easily table flips the artificer flow in a lot of ways. Not least being the need for a wyld zone to work in.

 

[MasterDAF]

Rykon Ironically I was just looking at the Lore charms again yesterday, and thinking about that same thing. I could accomplish (theoretically) with 5 hours of work the same as a week using traditional crafting w/ charms. If we could find a way to create a manse for such a purpose in Denandsor, flooding it with Wyld energy and then securing it with powerful Fae-wards on the outside, I could use it to aid in such endeavors.

If I really wanted to piss of Aredin, I guess I could even make deals with the Fair Folk that would form inside! Nothing like bargaining with your liege's mortal enemies for their promise to stay within the Wyld-zone in exchange for constant mortals to drain!

 

[Rykon]

We could always just kill the fae in the wyld zone and make stuff ourselves. We'd need hard materials to transmute lasting reagents anyways. Not really much upside to bargaining with them when we could just annihilate them for recreation.

Edit: I totally just spaced on something I should have remembered... working in a sanctuary created by the Solar circle spell allows wyld shaping.

Alternatively we could try and generate a moonsilver artifacts to deck out a workshop that we siphon chaos to for wyld shaping.

 

[MasterDAF]

We could always just kill the fae in the wyld zone and make stuff ourselves. We'd need hard materials to transmute lasting reagents anyways. Not really much upside to bargaining with them when we could just annihilate them for recreation.

Edit: I totally just spaced on something I should have remembered... working in a sanctuary created by the Solar circle spell allows wyld shaping.

Alternatively we could try and generate a moonsilver artifacts to deck out a workshop that we siphon chaos to for wyld shaping.

I guess I don't know a whole lot about the Wyld, past the surface level. I assumed Wyld-zones were semi-constantly producing Fae within its infinite-ness. Is that not how it works?

I'll have to take a look at the sorcery, I don't remember that one, and it certainly sounds super useful!

I never considered the idea of crafting something to siphon the chaos, but I'm glad you did! That's a really creative idea! I'm gonna have to play with that a little bit today...

 

[Rykon]

I guess I don't know a whole lot about the Wyld, past the surface level. I assumed Wyld-zones were semi-constantly producing Fae within its infinite-ness. Is that not how it works?

I'll have to take a look at the sorcery, I don't remember that one, and it certainly sounds super useful!

I never considered the idea of crafting something to siphon the chaos, but I'm glad you did! That's a really creative idea! I'm gonna have to play with that a little bit today...

I think the easiest way to represent that effect, were it allowed, would be as a lunar manse power. Thematically though, it'd be like a forge in a carefully channeled wyld storm

 

[MasterDAF]

Rykon Just checked about the Solar Spell. It is super cool, but unfortunately it excludes using the Wyld-shaping bonus for crafting magical items.

I do like the the idea of a forge channeling a wyld storm though! Makes me think of the cover to Oadenol's Codex, with the Solar forging a weapon at the forefront and a Fire-elemental in the background being drained of essence to fuel the crafting.

Perhaps Viktor could construct some kind of stasis chamber or holding tube to be used within a specific room of the manse and designed to draw energy from an imprisoned unshaped Raksha. It would allow for the hearthstone owner to refocus the chaos directly from the Unshaped's infinite possibilities for their crafting purposes, and mechanically treat all Wyld-shaped crafting within the room to be treated as though it were being done within the Deep Wyld. The containment chamber could be a massive orb the size of a large carriage, constructed of Adamant that has been magically enchanted to provide both superior structural reinforcement and visual transparency (to allow viewing the creature inside). Perhaps it could also feature three thick Moonsilver bands wrapped around the outside of the sphere sporting White Jade glyphs to provide the more spiritual/esoteric aspect of keeping the creature trapped within the prison.

Of course, the downside would be the difficult quest to capture (or coerce) an unshaped monster into the orb, after the already Herculean task of building it (which I imagine will come in somewhere around Artifact 5, so definitely outside my abilities for a while). And I imagine anyone who viewed the transparent panels to see the Raksha inside would need to make a successful Willpower roll at difficulty 1 or else fall prey to the madness within and gain an instant Wyld-derangement (mental-based mutation). Because who doesn't love a powerful object with unexpectedly awful side-effects?

 

[Rykon]

Feeding off a raksha for material gain / time dialation magic has a nice ironic reversal to it for Aredin, and would see eternal imprisonment and torture as a reasonable replacement for death.