PDA

View Full Version : [Exalted 2e] Tainted Solars



Lix Lorn
2010-10-29, 06:07 PM
TAINTED SOLARS

Background
At the point of death, the dark powers beyond Creation sometimes speak to the most extraordinary of mortals, offering them rebirth, immense power for a lifetime of service.
Of course, those already Exalted cannot receive this offer. However, in some extreme cases, those who Exalted mere hours ago by the Unconquered Sun can sometimes receive near-fatal wounds. On rare occasions, this damages their psyche significantly, opening their minds to the dark words of the deathlords and the Neverborn. These Solars show a propensity towards instability, and often become little better than Abyssals. Some have in fact fallen, joining the Deathlords and having their exaltation changed into its dark mirror.

Game Effects
A Tainted Solar may spend points during character creation on Backgrounds normally reserved for Abyssals. These include Whispers, Liege, Abyssal Command, Spies, and Underworld Manse. (Although the latter four assume a character loyal to the Deathlords and the Neverborn.)
A character using these rules must have at least a single point of Whispers.
In addition, a Tainted Solar can more easily learn Abyssal charms. In fact, they can manifest them without even realising they aren't normal, even if their darker nature ought to give this away.
They treat Abyssal Charms as Solar charms of the appropriate type for purposes of character creation, and do not pay a higher cost for them. However, they do pay one additional bonus point for each abyssal charm they begin with, or two extra experience points if they buy them during the game. (A Dawn Solar does pay less to gain a Dusk charm than a Day charm)

However, the influence of darkness suffuses their mind and body. A Tainted Solar gains resonance, as with an Abyssal, in addition to the effects of the Great Curse. The maximum resonance they can gain is equal to their permanant essence. Their eruptions always split amongst as many different effects as possible, in the following order: Stigmata, Blight, Branding, Conduit. This makes a resonance eruption dangerous, but generally not a terrifying event except for characters of incredible power.

Primal Fury
2010-10-29, 07:43 PM
Isn't there already a charm that allows Solars to learn Abyssal charms?

Lix Lorn
2010-10-29, 07:44 PM
Isn't it essence four though..?

Primal Fury
2010-10-29, 08:10 PM
It's not that hard to get to Essence 4.

Besides, this fluff doesn't make a whole lot of sense. Solars (any Celestial Exalt really) are supposed to be near-invincible at the moment of Exaltation, taking down entire armies with ease, or winning against seemingly impossible odds. Some STs even go as far as to give them infinite motes and Essence 5 charms for that scene to represent the unbelievable burst in power. Even if you ignore that, with stunting and perfect defenses, Solars really shouldn't suffer that much damage soon after Exalting.

Lix Lorn
2010-10-29, 08:30 PM
It uses most all of your bonus points at creation.

They are? Well... that doesn't help. Although, if they manage to suffer a dangerous hit in that situation, something strange is bound to happen. xP

Primal Fury
2010-10-29, 08:57 PM
If they suffer a dangerous blow, they get back up and continue to beat the ever-loving Malfeas out of their opponent. Solars are pretty damn tough.

Lix Lorn
2010-10-29, 09:28 PM
Hmm. What about being hit by a dangerous blow shortly after that power ends?

Primal Fury
2010-10-29, 09:50 PM
They still get back up (unless it's enough to kill them of course).

That being said, you could still take this in a different direction. It's entirely possible to corrupt Solars through torture and honeyed words (unless they have charms that say "Screw your torture and honeyed words, I'm a Solar damnit"). You could even throw all that out the window and say "This Solar wants to serve the forces of Oblivion for whatever reason", giving them access to those backgrounds, though you'd still need to wait on Black Mirror Revelation.

Lix Lorn
2010-10-29, 09:59 PM
Hmm... I'm kinda attached to the half-sane idea.

Jokasti
2010-10-29, 11:46 PM
So... why not just play a half-crazy Solar or Abyssal?

Primal Fury
2010-10-30, 10:22 AM
The Greater Curse flaw sounds like the perfect thing for this.

Lix Lorn
2010-10-30, 01:19 PM
Because then only their fluff is crazy, and they can't use abyssal charms until late.

Same problem.

Raz_Fox
2010-10-30, 01:31 PM
This seems to me less of a way to integrate a fascinating idea into the setting and more of a way to just play a Solar who can use Abyssal charms. Even putting that aside, there's already a name for Solars who fall to the Neverborn - Abyssals.

Solars are glorious and mighty, while Abyssals are their mirror darkly. The two are supposed to be distinct, two ideals in different directions. The concept of a "Tainted Solar" makes the Abyssals less important, less distinct.

Lix Lorn
2010-10-30, 02:08 PM
It seems logical and right that someone whould be able to fall only partway.

Lord Raziere
2010-10-30, 02:53 PM
It seems logical and right that someone whould be able to fall only partway.

anywhere else? Yes.

This is Exalted. Going only partway is not over-the-top and awesome enough :smallwink:

Lix Lorn
2010-10-30, 03:00 PM
anywhere else? Yes.

This is Exalted. Going only partway is not over-the-top and awesome enough :smallwink:
Going partway leading to a fusion of light and dark into sheer messed up awesome?

Lord Raziere
2010-10-30, 03:01 PM
or from another interpretation, fall into a dull unexciting gray.

Lix Lorn
2010-10-30, 03:09 PM
I disagree. Thus this. XD

The Rose Dragon
2010-10-30, 03:13 PM
There are already two precedents for Solars developing Abyssal Charms. However, one requires the Solar to have Whispers, so can only be learned through a trek in the Labyrinth, and the other is a N/A artifact.

This really cheapens Abyssals and those two effects, so I'm not really a big fan.

Lix Lorn
2010-10-30, 03:14 PM
This also requries whispers. :|

Primal Fury
2010-10-30, 07:11 PM
What's so bad about just waiting to get the charm? Roleplay the Solar's fall into darkness, and their ultimate surrender to their darker nature.

Feel free to use this, but don't expect a whole lot of people to like it. It's just... lazy.

The_Snark
2010-10-30, 08:24 PM
I have to agree with the general strain of comments - the setting doesn't really need this. If you want to play a half-mad, Whispers-tormented character struggling against the dark... that sounds like a perfect concept for an Abyssal to me.

Maybe you don't like the part where your character swears to destroy the world - that's fine. That's the standard origin for deathknights, but not always, as expanded upon here (http://forums.white-wolf.com/cs/blogs/freelancers/archive/2010/08/30/ink-monkeys-vol-31-chapter-seven-abyssals.aspx). A loose Abyssal Exaltation seeks out heroic people, the sort who would have Exalted as Solars—except that they didn't survive their attempts at heroism. Something comes to them at death's door, offering a second chance; there's no Deathlord offering Faustian bargains, no trading away the world in exchange for your own life... just a wordless presence offering an opportunity. The newly Exalted Abyssal won't have a Deathlord to deal with, but they will have to deal with the repercussions of their newfound dark power—especially if you take Whispers. You want a twisted fusion of dark and light? Go for it! Take Solar Impersonation Style to blur the lines, work towards Unconquered Hero's Faith, inflict strange unwanted Whispers-visions on your character. Mechanics are less important than style, here.

If for some reason you are utterly opposed to playing an Abyssal, you could play a Solar and ask the Storyteller if you can take Whispers. It's not a very powerful Background, so I can't think there are many who will disallow it, provided that it fits your backstory. To the world you're a shining golden figure, beautiful and terrifying; how much more frightened would they be if they could see the rot taking hold beneath that golden skin?

If you really want to have magical powers that shout "look, I'm dark!" then there is necromancy, or you could just work towards for Black Mirror Revelation. Again, pure style can convey this better than mechanics ever could.

It is true that neither of these options will allow you to play a character with easy access to both Solar and Abyssal Charms, but frankly I don't think that is a good idea. The tainted Solars you propose seem like an attempt to have the best of both worlds - all the powers of Solars and Abyssals, without all of the consequences. Thematically, they don't bring anything new to the setting, they're just Abyssals lite. I think Raz hit the hammer on the head on this one: it makes Abyssals less unique, less important, to have someone else running around with their themes.

If you really, really want a halfway point between Solars and Abyssals... and I have to say I'm not a fan of the idea, because it doesn't seem necessary and it dilutes both of them... then you should certainly not make them more powerful than the originals. That is a recipe for irritating the people who want to play ordinary Solars and Abyssals (mostly the latter).

Lix Lorn
2010-10-31, 11:26 AM
The main reason I don't want to just wait is because I don't really like having character concepts that aren't reflected by rules until partway through the game. (Partly because of how rare it is that games actually last that long in pbp)

That Ink Monkeys article is interesting... where can I find Keeper of the Old Laws? It's a charm they mention, I can't find it... for that matter, where is Black Mirror Revelation? I'd assume that it's the hinted at mirror of Unconquered Hero's Faith...

The character I made this for is essentially a Solar with the Crypt Bolt chain. It was very hard to build her with current mechanics; the only real way I could do it is by making her a twilight and begging the DM to let me start with abyssal charms. When I have a concept I can't make, I try to homebrew to fix it.

On trying to make it balanced, how about they can take a number of abyssal charms equal to their essence plus their whispers rating, and have maximum resonance equal to the number of abyssal charms they have?

Primal Fury
2010-10-31, 04:23 PM
The main reason I don't want to just wait is because I don't really like having character concepts that aren't reflected by rules until partway through the game.

How is insanity not reflected by the rules early in the game?

Lix Lorn
2010-10-31, 04:32 PM
Touche. :smallbiggrin:
But the abyssal-touched solar part, less so.

Jokasti
2010-10-31, 04:38 PM
You can do this in game, unless you're a Zenith, if you Exalt near a DL and they persuade you that they gave you power. You would be quite a potent ally, especially against their underlings and the other DLs and their various minions. I'm sure you could work with your ST to give you the backgrounds and such. The "Solar learning Abyssal charms" thing really rubs me the wrong way still (that's basically all the Eclipses have), but this seems mostly fluff to me, with mechanics added on later.

Lix Lorn
2010-10-31, 04:41 PM
I was thinking that if I fluff myself as Whispers corrupted, Blazing Solar Bolt gives a similar effect, without needing those pesky thrown dots either XD

Primal Fury
2010-10-31, 04:47 PM
That's what Black Mirror Revelation is for (which is in Glory to the Most High: Unconquered Sun). You're not supposed to be able to do thing like that right off the bat.

But if you REALLY want to do all this that bad, you can do so at character creation. Use your bonus points (Ink Monkeys provide Solars and Solar-tier Exalts with 18) to buy your Essence up to 4. Then buy any one Occult Excellency, then Occult Essence Flow.

After that you'll need to come up with a good reason for you Solar to have been in the Labyrinth, as that's the only way non-Abyssals can get Whispers. Get one dot in Whispers, and boom, you qualify for Black Mirror Revelation. It's a lot of hoops to jump through, and your ST might not like it, but that's how you do it RAW.

Lix Lorn
2010-10-31, 04:55 PM
I can't find 'glory to the most high'. Is it a sourcebook or what..?
These hoops seem like the easiest way to do it~

Jokasti
2010-10-31, 04:57 PM
It's a .pdf only. I think they're printing it soon though.
I think Lix wanted this so they he didn't have to spend all of BP at chargen for it though. Really, if you only have this in mind for one character, talk to the ST about it.

The Rose Dragon
2010-10-31, 04:58 PM
Glories of the Most High is a series of supplements that detail the Incarnae as well as give their Exalted some new powers. Black Mirror Revelation is one of those powers, and allows Solars that have delved deep enough into the mysteries of death Essence to learn Abyssal Charms.

Lix Lorn
2010-10-31, 04:58 PM
Do you know where I can get hold of it?

The Rose Dragon
2010-10-31, 04:59 PM
Do you know where I can get hold of it?

Try RPGNow.com.

Lix Lorn
2010-10-31, 05:05 PM
It's there, and I have no money. DXD