The Demented One
2009-04-21, 09:09 AM
What Is Essence Crisis?
Charms are the most basic powers of the Exalted, the most simple form of Essence manipulation they are capable of. When a mortal draws their second breath and exalts, their anima shifts through all possible forms, flickering through each and every pattern of Essence before crystallizing into the first Charms known to the new Exalt, their native powers. After their exaltation, the Chosen must learn new Charms through extensive training, physical katas or intensive meditations that allow them to force their anima into a new pattern. However, in life-or-death situations, an Exalt’s anima might once more flicker through infinite possibilities, allowing the champion to immediately learn a new Charm that could save their life.
Mechanics of Essence Crisis
When an Exalt’s anima transforms to allow them to instantaneously learn a new Charm, it is referred to as an Essence Crisis. An Essence Crisis allows an Exalt to immediately learn a new Charm, without need for training times or tutor. They must still spend the XP to learn the Charm, and must meet all Ability or Essence minimums and prerequisite Charms as normal. A character may go into XP debt to learn a Charm through Essence Crisis, as if it were a training effect, but only if they do not have any other XP debts. Charms from Martial Arts styles (but not Martial Arts Charms native to an Exalt type) and spells cannot be learned through Essence Crisis, although some types of Exalted may violate this rule, as noted in their descriptions. Learning a Charm through Essence Crisis requires only a reflexive action (which does not count in Charm use) in combat. The Exalt’s anima banner immediately flares up to the totemic level for the duration of the scene, and they gain one point of Limit from the stress of Essence Crisis. Abyssals instead undergo an immediate Resonance eruption.
However, an Exalted cannot simply learn a Charm through Essence Crisis at any time. Typically, they must be in a life-or-death situation which the Charm would allow them to survive. Simply fighting a dangerous opponent is not enough to qualify–they must be under a direct threat to their life. For example, a Dawn Caste Exalted who wished to learn Heavenly Guardian Defense through Essence Crisis could not do so just because he is fighting a Deathknight–the Deathknight must have actually attacked him, and be capable of killing him with that one attack, in order for the Solar to enter Essence Crisis. Normally, Charms such as Heavenly Guardian Defense or Shadow Over Water that defend against an attack can only be learned as the Exalted is being attacked. Charms such as Ox-Body Technique that grant additional health levels can be learned at any the Exalt is at dying health levels (under such a situation, levels of damage flow upward to occupy the newly-gained health levels from the Charm). In all situations, the Storyteller has the final say as to whether or not the situation allows an Essence Crisis. Essence Crisis should not be used simply to circumvent training times–only when it is truly vital to saving the character’s life can it be used. Once a character has learned a Charm through Essence Crisis, they cannot do so again for between one and three sessions, at the Storyteller’s discretion. The Storyteller always has final say in determining whether a character can or cannot trigger Essence Crisis.
In addition, all Exalted have a secondary condition which, when triggered, allows them to enter Essence Crisis. The secondary condition varies between different Exalted types–Solars and Lunars determine theirs based on their Virtue Flaw, Sidereals based on their Caste, Dragonblooded based on the element of the Charm, and Infernals based on the Yozi the Charm belongs to. Abyssals have only one secondary condition, based on the all-destroying nature of Oblivion.
Solar Exalted
The Solar Exalted determine their secondary condition based on their Virtue Flaw. A list of secondary conditions for each Virtue Flaw from Exalted: 2nd Edition is given below. For other Virtue Flaws, the player should work together with the Storyteller to determine a suitable secondary condition. Solar Exalted with Martial Arts as a caste or favored ability may learn Charms from Terrestrial and Celestial Martial Arts styles through Essence Crisis. Solar Exalted with Occult as a caste or favored ability may learn sorcerous spells of any circle through Essence Crisis (but not necromancy spells). Such events are often called breakthroughs–they come not from the Exalt's anima, but either from an instantaneous revelation or the resurgence of memories from a past incarnation.
Compassionate Martyrdom: The Solar can trigger Essence Crisis whenever he must make a significant sacrifice–of his own well-being, his possessions, or his own personal goals–in order to complete some significant task with weighty consequences for failure. The sacrifices he makes must be major–willingly being harmed in order to rescue an ally, willingly giving up an artifact to buy a slave’s freedom, deliberately harming his own plans for the greater good of a city. Only Charms that help him in immediately accomplishing the task can be learned through Essence Crisis when triggered by this secondary condition.
Heart of Tears: The Solar can trigger Essence Crisis whenever he witnesses a threat to another’s life. Only Charms that would allow him to defend the victim can be learned through Essence Crisis when triggered by this secondary condition.
Red Rage of Compassion: The Solar can trigger Essence Crisis whenever he witnesses a threat to another’s life. Only Charms that would allow him to attack the source of the threat to the victim can be learned through Essence Crisis when triggered by this secondary condition.
Deliberate Cruelty: The Solar can trigger Essence Crisis whenever his Motivation or his ability to achieve his Motivation is threatened in a way that he cannot normally resolve. Only Charms that allow him to immediately resolve or overcome whatever impedes his ability to achieve his Motivation can be learned through Essence Crisis when triggered by this secondary condition.
Heart of Flint: The Solar can trigger Essence Crisis whenever all his companions fail or are unable to complete some significant task with weighty consequences for failure, leaving him as the only one able to do it. Only Charms that allow him to immediately accomplish the task can be learned through Essence Crisis when triggered by this secondary condition.
Ascetic Drive: The Solar can trigger Essence Crisis whenever he fails at or is unable to achieve some significant task with major consequences, and his failure causes another suffering or the risk of death. Only Charms that would allow him to immediately accomplish the task can be learned through Essence Crisis when triggered by this secondary condition.
Contempt of the Virtuous: The Solar can trigger Essence Crisis whenever he confronts an opponent who he perceives as dishonorable or indulgent. The confrontation need not be combative–it can be an argument, a game of Gateway, or a musical duel–but the opponent must be capable of posing a significant challenge to the Solar, and their must be considerable consequences if he loses the confrontation. Only Charms that would directly allow him to defeat the dishonorable opponent through fair and honest tactics can be learned through Essence Crisis when triggered by this secondary condition.
Overindulgence: The Solar can trigger Essence Crisis whenever a major obstacle stands between him and some favorite vice. The obstacle must require major effort to overcome, and must pose some substantial threat to the Exalt. Only Charms that would allow him to directly overcome the obstacle can be learned through Essence Crisis when triggered by this secondary condition.
Berserk Anger: The Solar can trigger Essence Crisis whenever an enemy humiliates, torments, or deliberately frustrates him. The opponent must pose a significant challenge to the Solar, and his taunt must be public, and threaten the Solar’s reputation or status. Only Charms that allow him to best his opponent can be learned through Essence Crisis when triggered by this secondary condition.
Foolhardy Contempt: The Solar can trigger Essence Crisis whenever he engages a significant enemy in single combat. The opponent must pose a significant challenge to the Solar, and the Solar must engage him without any outside help (although the enemy may seek outside help as he will). Only Charms that allow him to best his opponent can be learned through Essence Crisis when triggered by this secondary condition.
Lunar Exalted
The Lunar Exalted determine their secondary condition based on their Virtue Flaw. A list of secondary conditions for each Virtue Flaw from Manual of Exalted Power: The Lunars is given below. For other Virtue Flaws, the player should work together with the Storyteller to determine a suitable secondary condition. The Lunar Exalted are capable of learning Knacks through Essence Crisis.
The Curse of the Whipped Dog: The Lunar can trigger Essence Crisis whenever a figure he respects or fears commands him to perform some difficult task. The task must require major effort, and the consequences for failure must be severe. Only Charms that allow him to directly complete the task can be learned through Essence Crisis when triggered by this secondary condition.
The Curse of the Mother Hen: The Lunar can trigger Essence Crisis whenever he witnesses a threat to another’s life. Only Charms that would allow him to defend or heal the victim can be learned through Essence Crisis when triggered by this secondary condition.
The Curse of the Heartless Weasel: The Lunar can trigger Essence Crisis whenever he tries to perform some action that will further his self-interest or Motivation, but that will also cause physical harm or other major suffering to an innocent victim. Only Charms that would allow him to directly accomplish the task while maintaining or increasing the suffering to innocents can be learned through Essence Crisis when triggered by this secondary condition.
The Curse of the Hungry Wolverine: The Lunar can trigger Essence Crisis whenever his Motivation or his ability to achieve his Motivation is threatened in a way that he cannot normally resolve. Only Charms that allow him to immediately resolve or overcome the threat can be learned through Essence Crisis when triggered by this secondary condition.
The Curse of the Drunken Monkey: The Lunar can trigger Essence Crisis whenever a major obstacle stands between him and some favorite vice. The obstacle must require major effort to overcome, and must pose some substantial threat to the Exalt. Only Charms that would allow him to directly overcome the obstacle can be learned through Essence Crisis when triggered by this secondary condition.
The Curse of the Humble Sloth: The Lunar can trigger Essence Crisis whenever the basic necessities of his life or some fixed, constant element of his life (like his daily routine, or his relationship with a spouse) are threatened in a way that he cannot normally resolve. Only Charms that allow him to immediately resolve or overcome the threat can be learned through Essence Crisis when triggered by this secondary condition.
The Curse of the Raging Bull: The Lunar can trigger Essence Crisis whenever an enemy humiliates, torments, or deliberately frustrates him. The opponent must pose a significant challenge to the Lunar, and his taunt must be public, and threaten the Lunar’s reputation or status. Only Charms that allow him to best his opponent can be learned through Essence Crisis when triggered by this secondary condition.
The Curse of the Lone Wolf: The Lunar can trigger Essence Crisis whenever all his companions are defeated or unable to fight against a foe, leaving him the only one capable of defeating them. The opponent must pose a significant challenge to the Lunar. Only Charms that allow him to best his opponent can be learned through Essence Crisis when triggered by this secondary condition.
Dragonblooded
The Dragonblooded do not have any one particular secondary condition–instead, each Charm has a secondary condition under which it may be learned through Essence Crisis, based on its elemental aspect. Dragonblooded with Martial Arts as a caste or favored ability may learn Charms from Terrestrial Martial Arts styles through Essence Crisis. Those who are Immaculate Monks or who have otherwise been initiated into Celestial Martial Arts may also learn charms from Immaculate Dragon styles. Martial Arts Charms are treated as having the elemental aspect of the style they are from; Charms from elementally neutral styles have no elemental aspect and thus no secondary condition.
Air Aspect: A Dragonblooded may trigger Essence Crisis to learn an air-aspected Charm whenever they perform an action that furthers an ideal or ideology that relates to their Motivation or that they have an intimacy to. The action must require major effort, and the consequences for failure must be severe. Only Charms that would allow him to directly accomplish the task can be learned through Essence Crisis when triggered by this secondary condition.
Earth Aspect: A Dragonblooded may trigger Essence Crisis to learn an earth-aspected Charm whenever traditions he follows or time-honored beliefs are threatened in a way that he cannot normally resolve. Only Charms that allow him to immediately resolve or overcome the threat can be learned through Essence Crisis when triggered by this secondary condition.
Fire Aspect: A Dragonblooded may trigger Essence Crisis to learn a fire-aspected Charm whenever whenever an enemy humiliates, torments, or deliberately frustrates him. The opponent must pose a significant challenge to the Dragonblooded, and his taunt must be public, and threaten the Dragonblooded’s reputation or status. Only Charms that allow him to best his opponent can be learned through Essence Crisis when triggered by this secondary condition.
Water Aspect: A Dragonblooded may trigger Essence Crisis to learn a water-aspected Charm whenever his Motivation or his ability to achieve his Motivation is threatened in a way that he cannot normally resolve. Only Charms that allow him to immediately resolve or overcome the threat can be learned through Essence Crisis when triggered by this secondary condition.
Wood Aspect: A Dragonblooded may trigger Essence Crisis to learn a wood-aspected Charm whenever a major obstacle stands between him and some favorite vice. The obstacle must require major effort to overcome, and must pose some substantial threat to the Exalt. Only Charms that would allow him to directly overcome the obstacle can be learned through Essence Crisis when triggered by this secondary condition.
Sidereal Exalted
The Sidereal Exalted determine their secondary condition based on their Caste. All Sidereal Exalted can learn Charms from Terrestrial and Celestial Martial Arts styles through Essence Crisis. Sidereal Exalted with Martial Arts as a caste or favored ability may also learn Charms from Sidereal Martial Arts styles.
Chosen of Journeys: The Sidereal may trigger Essence Crisis whenever he attempts to make some major journey or travel, with major consequences for failure. Only Charms that would allow him to make or complete the journey can be learned through Essence Crisis when triggered by this secondary condition.
Chosen of Serenity: The Sidereal may trigger Essence Crisis whenever he encounters some aspect of society that opposes his Motivation or one of his intimacies–for example, if his Motivation were “spreading peace throughout the Realm,” encountering a secret society of rebels against the Empire would meet this condition. Only Charms that would allow him to alter that aspect of society to bring it in line with his personal beliefs, or to destroy it altogether, can be learned through Essence Crisis when triggered by this secondary condition.
Chosen of Battles: The Sidereal may trigger Essence Crisis whenever he finds himself faced with an opponent he is incapable of harming. The opponent must either be capable of defending himself from all the Sidereal’s attacks, or too tough to be wounded by them. Only Charms that would allow him to harm his foe can be learned through Essence Crisis when triggered by this secondary condition.
Chosen of Secrets: The Sidereal may trigger Essence Crisis whenever he attempts to uncover or reveal significant secret that is largely unknown throughout Creation or Yu-Shan, with major consequences for failure. Only Charms that would allow him to reveal or learn the secret can be learned through Essence Crisis when triggered by this secondary condition.
Chosen of Endings: The Sidereal may trigger Essence Crisis whenever he attempts to kill a person or destroy an organization in a way that aligns with his Motivation–for example, if his Motivation were “completely purge the Celestial Bureaucracy of corruption,” then killing a Sidereal who secretly served some enemy of Heaven would meet this condition. Only Charms that would allow him to kill the enemy or dismantle the organization can be learned through Essence Crisis when triggered by this secondary condition.
Abyssal Exalted
All Abyssal Exalted share a single secondary condition under which they may trigger Essence Crisis: whenever they attempt to kill an enemy who opposes the Deathknights, the Neverborn, or Oblivion itself, they may trigger Essence Crisis. The opponent must pose a significant threat to them, and they can only learn Charms that allow them to kill that foe when they trigger Essence Crisis with this secondary condition. Abyssal Exalted with Martial Arts as a caste or favored ability may learn Charms from Terrestrial and Celestial Martial Arts styles through Essence Crisis. Abyssal Exalted with Occult as a caste or favored ability may learn necromantic spells of any circle through Essence Crisis (but not sorcery spells).
Infernal Exalted
Infernal Exalted do not have any one particular secondary condition–instead, each Charm has a secondary condition under which it may be learned through Essence Crisis, based on the Yozi it belongs to. Infernal Exalted with Martial Arts as a caste or favored ability may learn Charms from Terrestrial and Celestial Martial Arts styles through Essence Crisis. Infernal Exalted with Occult as a caste or favored ability may learn sorcerous spells of any circle through Essence Crisis (but not necromancy spells). Akumas trigger Essence Crisis as if they were Exalted of their original type, not as Infernal Exalted.
Malfeas: An Infernal Exalt may trigger Essence Crisis to learn a Malfeas Charm whenever he attempts to destroy or kill with an excessive force an individual who angers him directly. The opponent must pose a significant threat to them. Only Charms that allow him to harm or kill his opponent can be learned through Essence Crisis when triggered by this secondary condition.
Ceceleyne: An Infernal Exalt may trigger Essence Crisis to learn a Ceceleyne Charm whenever he attempts to perform some task to demonstrate or exercise his superiority over another. The task must require major effort, with substantial consequences for failure. Only Charms that allow him to demonstrate or convince others of his superiority can be learned through Essence Crisis when triggered by this secondary condition.
She Who Lives In Her Name: An Infernal Exalt may trigger Essence Crisis to learn a She Who Lives In Her Name Charm whenever she attempts to perform some task to force an individual or group to obey either her, or their own superiors in the hierarchy they belong to (whether it is through manipulation, intimidation, or outright force does not matter). The task must require major effort, with substantial consequences for failure. Only Charms that would allow her to convince or compel another to obey can be learned through Essence Crisis when triggered by this secondary condition.
Adorjan: An Infernal Exalt may trigger Essence Crisis to learn an Adorjan Charm whenever he performs some task to drive an individual to madness, or to demonstrate the madness inherent in mortal society to them (often through displays of inhuman violence). The task must require major effort, with substantial consequences for failure. Only Charms that would allow him to cause madness or perform amoral, seemingly irrational actions can be learned through Essence Crisis when triggered by this secondary condition.
Ebon Dragon: An Infernal Exalt may trigger Essence Crisis to learn an Ebon Dragon Charm whenever he performs some task to corrupt or outright eliminate the morality or ethical strictures of an individual or group. The task must require major effort, with substantial consequences for failure. Only Charms that would allow him to manipulate or influence the individual or group towards evil can be learned through Essence Crisis when triggered by this secondary condition.
Charms are the most basic powers of the Exalted, the most simple form of Essence manipulation they are capable of. When a mortal draws their second breath and exalts, their anima shifts through all possible forms, flickering through each and every pattern of Essence before crystallizing into the first Charms known to the new Exalt, their native powers. After their exaltation, the Chosen must learn new Charms through extensive training, physical katas or intensive meditations that allow them to force their anima into a new pattern. However, in life-or-death situations, an Exalt’s anima might once more flicker through infinite possibilities, allowing the champion to immediately learn a new Charm that could save their life.
Mechanics of Essence Crisis
When an Exalt’s anima transforms to allow them to instantaneously learn a new Charm, it is referred to as an Essence Crisis. An Essence Crisis allows an Exalt to immediately learn a new Charm, without need for training times or tutor. They must still spend the XP to learn the Charm, and must meet all Ability or Essence minimums and prerequisite Charms as normal. A character may go into XP debt to learn a Charm through Essence Crisis, as if it were a training effect, but only if they do not have any other XP debts. Charms from Martial Arts styles (but not Martial Arts Charms native to an Exalt type) and spells cannot be learned through Essence Crisis, although some types of Exalted may violate this rule, as noted in their descriptions. Learning a Charm through Essence Crisis requires only a reflexive action (which does not count in Charm use) in combat. The Exalt’s anima banner immediately flares up to the totemic level for the duration of the scene, and they gain one point of Limit from the stress of Essence Crisis. Abyssals instead undergo an immediate Resonance eruption.
However, an Exalted cannot simply learn a Charm through Essence Crisis at any time. Typically, they must be in a life-or-death situation which the Charm would allow them to survive. Simply fighting a dangerous opponent is not enough to qualify–they must be under a direct threat to their life. For example, a Dawn Caste Exalted who wished to learn Heavenly Guardian Defense through Essence Crisis could not do so just because he is fighting a Deathknight–the Deathknight must have actually attacked him, and be capable of killing him with that one attack, in order for the Solar to enter Essence Crisis. Normally, Charms such as Heavenly Guardian Defense or Shadow Over Water that defend against an attack can only be learned as the Exalted is being attacked. Charms such as Ox-Body Technique that grant additional health levels can be learned at any the Exalt is at dying health levels (under such a situation, levels of damage flow upward to occupy the newly-gained health levels from the Charm). In all situations, the Storyteller has the final say as to whether or not the situation allows an Essence Crisis. Essence Crisis should not be used simply to circumvent training times–only when it is truly vital to saving the character’s life can it be used. Once a character has learned a Charm through Essence Crisis, they cannot do so again for between one and three sessions, at the Storyteller’s discretion. The Storyteller always has final say in determining whether a character can or cannot trigger Essence Crisis.
In addition, all Exalted have a secondary condition which, when triggered, allows them to enter Essence Crisis. The secondary condition varies between different Exalted types–Solars and Lunars determine theirs based on their Virtue Flaw, Sidereals based on their Caste, Dragonblooded based on the element of the Charm, and Infernals based on the Yozi the Charm belongs to. Abyssals have only one secondary condition, based on the all-destroying nature of Oblivion.
Solar Exalted
The Solar Exalted determine their secondary condition based on their Virtue Flaw. A list of secondary conditions for each Virtue Flaw from Exalted: 2nd Edition is given below. For other Virtue Flaws, the player should work together with the Storyteller to determine a suitable secondary condition. Solar Exalted with Martial Arts as a caste or favored ability may learn Charms from Terrestrial and Celestial Martial Arts styles through Essence Crisis. Solar Exalted with Occult as a caste or favored ability may learn sorcerous spells of any circle through Essence Crisis (but not necromancy spells). Such events are often called breakthroughs–they come not from the Exalt's anima, but either from an instantaneous revelation or the resurgence of memories from a past incarnation.
Compassionate Martyrdom: The Solar can trigger Essence Crisis whenever he must make a significant sacrifice–of his own well-being, his possessions, or his own personal goals–in order to complete some significant task with weighty consequences for failure. The sacrifices he makes must be major–willingly being harmed in order to rescue an ally, willingly giving up an artifact to buy a slave’s freedom, deliberately harming his own plans for the greater good of a city. Only Charms that help him in immediately accomplishing the task can be learned through Essence Crisis when triggered by this secondary condition.
Heart of Tears: The Solar can trigger Essence Crisis whenever he witnesses a threat to another’s life. Only Charms that would allow him to defend the victim can be learned through Essence Crisis when triggered by this secondary condition.
Red Rage of Compassion: The Solar can trigger Essence Crisis whenever he witnesses a threat to another’s life. Only Charms that would allow him to attack the source of the threat to the victim can be learned through Essence Crisis when triggered by this secondary condition.
Deliberate Cruelty: The Solar can trigger Essence Crisis whenever his Motivation or his ability to achieve his Motivation is threatened in a way that he cannot normally resolve. Only Charms that allow him to immediately resolve or overcome whatever impedes his ability to achieve his Motivation can be learned through Essence Crisis when triggered by this secondary condition.
Heart of Flint: The Solar can trigger Essence Crisis whenever all his companions fail or are unable to complete some significant task with weighty consequences for failure, leaving him as the only one able to do it. Only Charms that allow him to immediately accomplish the task can be learned through Essence Crisis when triggered by this secondary condition.
Ascetic Drive: The Solar can trigger Essence Crisis whenever he fails at or is unable to achieve some significant task with major consequences, and his failure causes another suffering or the risk of death. Only Charms that would allow him to immediately accomplish the task can be learned through Essence Crisis when triggered by this secondary condition.
Contempt of the Virtuous: The Solar can trigger Essence Crisis whenever he confronts an opponent who he perceives as dishonorable or indulgent. The confrontation need not be combative–it can be an argument, a game of Gateway, or a musical duel–but the opponent must be capable of posing a significant challenge to the Solar, and their must be considerable consequences if he loses the confrontation. Only Charms that would directly allow him to defeat the dishonorable opponent through fair and honest tactics can be learned through Essence Crisis when triggered by this secondary condition.
Overindulgence: The Solar can trigger Essence Crisis whenever a major obstacle stands between him and some favorite vice. The obstacle must require major effort to overcome, and must pose some substantial threat to the Exalt. Only Charms that would allow him to directly overcome the obstacle can be learned through Essence Crisis when triggered by this secondary condition.
Berserk Anger: The Solar can trigger Essence Crisis whenever an enemy humiliates, torments, or deliberately frustrates him. The opponent must pose a significant challenge to the Solar, and his taunt must be public, and threaten the Solar’s reputation or status. Only Charms that allow him to best his opponent can be learned through Essence Crisis when triggered by this secondary condition.
Foolhardy Contempt: The Solar can trigger Essence Crisis whenever he engages a significant enemy in single combat. The opponent must pose a significant challenge to the Solar, and the Solar must engage him without any outside help (although the enemy may seek outside help as he will). Only Charms that allow him to best his opponent can be learned through Essence Crisis when triggered by this secondary condition.
Lunar Exalted
The Lunar Exalted determine their secondary condition based on their Virtue Flaw. A list of secondary conditions for each Virtue Flaw from Manual of Exalted Power: The Lunars is given below. For other Virtue Flaws, the player should work together with the Storyteller to determine a suitable secondary condition. The Lunar Exalted are capable of learning Knacks through Essence Crisis.
The Curse of the Whipped Dog: The Lunar can trigger Essence Crisis whenever a figure he respects or fears commands him to perform some difficult task. The task must require major effort, and the consequences for failure must be severe. Only Charms that allow him to directly complete the task can be learned through Essence Crisis when triggered by this secondary condition.
The Curse of the Mother Hen: The Lunar can trigger Essence Crisis whenever he witnesses a threat to another’s life. Only Charms that would allow him to defend or heal the victim can be learned through Essence Crisis when triggered by this secondary condition.
The Curse of the Heartless Weasel: The Lunar can trigger Essence Crisis whenever he tries to perform some action that will further his self-interest or Motivation, but that will also cause physical harm or other major suffering to an innocent victim. Only Charms that would allow him to directly accomplish the task while maintaining or increasing the suffering to innocents can be learned through Essence Crisis when triggered by this secondary condition.
The Curse of the Hungry Wolverine: The Lunar can trigger Essence Crisis whenever his Motivation or his ability to achieve his Motivation is threatened in a way that he cannot normally resolve. Only Charms that allow him to immediately resolve or overcome the threat can be learned through Essence Crisis when triggered by this secondary condition.
The Curse of the Drunken Monkey: The Lunar can trigger Essence Crisis whenever a major obstacle stands between him and some favorite vice. The obstacle must require major effort to overcome, and must pose some substantial threat to the Exalt. Only Charms that would allow him to directly overcome the obstacle can be learned through Essence Crisis when triggered by this secondary condition.
The Curse of the Humble Sloth: The Lunar can trigger Essence Crisis whenever the basic necessities of his life or some fixed, constant element of his life (like his daily routine, or his relationship with a spouse) are threatened in a way that he cannot normally resolve. Only Charms that allow him to immediately resolve or overcome the threat can be learned through Essence Crisis when triggered by this secondary condition.
The Curse of the Raging Bull: The Lunar can trigger Essence Crisis whenever an enemy humiliates, torments, or deliberately frustrates him. The opponent must pose a significant challenge to the Lunar, and his taunt must be public, and threaten the Lunar’s reputation or status. Only Charms that allow him to best his opponent can be learned through Essence Crisis when triggered by this secondary condition.
The Curse of the Lone Wolf: The Lunar can trigger Essence Crisis whenever all his companions are defeated or unable to fight against a foe, leaving him the only one capable of defeating them. The opponent must pose a significant challenge to the Lunar. Only Charms that allow him to best his opponent can be learned through Essence Crisis when triggered by this secondary condition.
Dragonblooded
The Dragonblooded do not have any one particular secondary condition–instead, each Charm has a secondary condition under which it may be learned through Essence Crisis, based on its elemental aspect. Dragonblooded with Martial Arts as a caste or favored ability may learn Charms from Terrestrial Martial Arts styles through Essence Crisis. Those who are Immaculate Monks or who have otherwise been initiated into Celestial Martial Arts may also learn charms from Immaculate Dragon styles. Martial Arts Charms are treated as having the elemental aspect of the style they are from; Charms from elementally neutral styles have no elemental aspect and thus no secondary condition.
Air Aspect: A Dragonblooded may trigger Essence Crisis to learn an air-aspected Charm whenever they perform an action that furthers an ideal or ideology that relates to their Motivation or that they have an intimacy to. The action must require major effort, and the consequences for failure must be severe. Only Charms that would allow him to directly accomplish the task can be learned through Essence Crisis when triggered by this secondary condition.
Earth Aspect: A Dragonblooded may trigger Essence Crisis to learn an earth-aspected Charm whenever traditions he follows or time-honored beliefs are threatened in a way that he cannot normally resolve. Only Charms that allow him to immediately resolve or overcome the threat can be learned through Essence Crisis when triggered by this secondary condition.
Fire Aspect: A Dragonblooded may trigger Essence Crisis to learn a fire-aspected Charm whenever whenever an enemy humiliates, torments, or deliberately frustrates him. The opponent must pose a significant challenge to the Dragonblooded, and his taunt must be public, and threaten the Dragonblooded’s reputation or status. Only Charms that allow him to best his opponent can be learned through Essence Crisis when triggered by this secondary condition.
Water Aspect: A Dragonblooded may trigger Essence Crisis to learn a water-aspected Charm whenever his Motivation or his ability to achieve his Motivation is threatened in a way that he cannot normally resolve. Only Charms that allow him to immediately resolve or overcome the threat can be learned through Essence Crisis when triggered by this secondary condition.
Wood Aspect: A Dragonblooded may trigger Essence Crisis to learn a wood-aspected Charm whenever a major obstacle stands between him and some favorite vice. The obstacle must require major effort to overcome, and must pose some substantial threat to the Exalt. Only Charms that would allow him to directly overcome the obstacle can be learned through Essence Crisis when triggered by this secondary condition.
Sidereal Exalted
The Sidereal Exalted determine their secondary condition based on their Caste. All Sidereal Exalted can learn Charms from Terrestrial and Celestial Martial Arts styles through Essence Crisis. Sidereal Exalted with Martial Arts as a caste or favored ability may also learn Charms from Sidereal Martial Arts styles.
Chosen of Journeys: The Sidereal may trigger Essence Crisis whenever he attempts to make some major journey or travel, with major consequences for failure. Only Charms that would allow him to make or complete the journey can be learned through Essence Crisis when triggered by this secondary condition.
Chosen of Serenity: The Sidereal may trigger Essence Crisis whenever he encounters some aspect of society that opposes his Motivation or one of his intimacies–for example, if his Motivation were “spreading peace throughout the Realm,” encountering a secret society of rebels against the Empire would meet this condition. Only Charms that would allow him to alter that aspect of society to bring it in line with his personal beliefs, or to destroy it altogether, can be learned through Essence Crisis when triggered by this secondary condition.
Chosen of Battles: The Sidereal may trigger Essence Crisis whenever he finds himself faced with an opponent he is incapable of harming. The opponent must either be capable of defending himself from all the Sidereal’s attacks, or too tough to be wounded by them. Only Charms that would allow him to harm his foe can be learned through Essence Crisis when triggered by this secondary condition.
Chosen of Secrets: The Sidereal may trigger Essence Crisis whenever he attempts to uncover or reveal significant secret that is largely unknown throughout Creation or Yu-Shan, with major consequences for failure. Only Charms that would allow him to reveal or learn the secret can be learned through Essence Crisis when triggered by this secondary condition.
Chosen of Endings: The Sidereal may trigger Essence Crisis whenever he attempts to kill a person or destroy an organization in a way that aligns with his Motivation–for example, if his Motivation were “completely purge the Celestial Bureaucracy of corruption,” then killing a Sidereal who secretly served some enemy of Heaven would meet this condition. Only Charms that would allow him to kill the enemy or dismantle the organization can be learned through Essence Crisis when triggered by this secondary condition.
Abyssal Exalted
All Abyssal Exalted share a single secondary condition under which they may trigger Essence Crisis: whenever they attempt to kill an enemy who opposes the Deathknights, the Neverborn, or Oblivion itself, they may trigger Essence Crisis. The opponent must pose a significant threat to them, and they can only learn Charms that allow them to kill that foe when they trigger Essence Crisis with this secondary condition. Abyssal Exalted with Martial Arts as a caste or favored ability may learn Charms from Terrestrial and Celestial Martial Arts styles through Essence Crisis. Abyssal Exalted with Occult as a caste or favored ability may learn necromantic spells of any circle through Essence Crisis (but not sorcery spells).
Infernal Exalted
Infernal Exalted do not have any one particular secondary condition–instead, each Charm has a secondary condition under which it may be learned through Essence Crisis, based on the Yozi it belongs to. Infernal Exalted with Martial Arts as a caste or favored ability may learn Charms from Terrestrial and Celestial Martial Arts styles through Essence Crisis. Infernal Exalted with Occult as a caste or favored ability may learn sorcerous spells of any circle through Essence Crisis (but not necromancy spells). Akumas trigger Essence Crisis as if they were Exalted of their original type, not as Infernal Exalted.
Malfeas: An Infernal Exalt may trigger Essence Crisis to learn a Malfeas Charm whenever he attempts to destroy or kill with an excessive force an individual who angers him directly. The opponent must pose a significant threat to them. Only Charms that allow him to harm or kill his opponent can be learned through Essence Crisis when triggered by this secondary condition.
Ceceleyne: An Infernal Exalt may trigger Essence Crisis to learn a Ceceleyne Charm whenever he attempts to perform some task to demonstrate or exercise his superiority over another. The task must require major effort, with substantial consequences for failure. Only Charms that allow him to demonstrate or convince others of his superiority can be learned through Essence Crisis when triggered by this secondary condition.
She Who Lives In Her Name: An Infernal Exalt may trigger Essence Crisis to learn a She Who Lives In Her Name Charm whenever she attempts to perform some task to force an individual or group to obey either her, or their own superiors in the hierarchy they belong to (whether it is through manipulation, intimidation, or outright force does not matter). The task must require major effort, with substantial consequences for failure. Only Charms that would allow her to convince or compel another to obey can be learned through Essence Crisis when triggered by this secondary condition.
Adorjan: An Infernal Exalt may trigger Essence Crisis to learn an Adorjan Charm whenever he performs some task to drive an individual to madness, or to demonstrate the madness inherent in mortal society to them (often through displays of inhuman violence). The task must require major effort, with substantial consequences for failure. Only Charms that would allow him to cause madness or perform amoral, seemingly irrational actions can be learned through Essence Crisis when triggered by this secondary condition.
Ebon Dragon: An Infernal Exalt may trigger Essence Crisis to learn an Ebon Dragon Charm whenever he performs some task to corrupt or outright eliminate the morality or ethical strictures of an individual or group. The task must require major effort, with substantial consequences for failure. Only Charms that would allow him to manipulate or influence the individual or group towards evil can be learned through Essence Crisis when triggered by this secondary condition.