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Guancyto
2010-12-23, 05:55 PM
How good are they, and how difficult is it to become one?

From some cursory examination of the material (I don't have that many of the books), they sound amazingly fluffalicious but pretty much screwed against a Celestial Exalt, which is fine because basically everything else of the same Essence level is.

Would they be capable of taking out a Terrestrial in the same sort of numbers that Terrestrials use against Celestials? What about the other threats of the setting? Do they have their own native charms? If not, what charms can they use? Are they any good as sorcerers? Are they better at thaumaturgy than ordinary mortals? Are they good martial artists? Are they good at anything other than the previous three?

Also, can your essence be awakened without your own doing? Is it possible to do this to multiple people at once (a la Tiger Warrior Training)? Is it doable to do this to all mortals in Creation at once? What would it take to alter humanity - current and future - such that they're all capable of essence use?

Mr.Bookworm
2010-12-23, 08:02 PM
I'm AFB and a little fuzzy on the particular rules, but I'll answer these as best I can.


How good are they, and how difficult is it to become one?

You just need to be a heroic mortal. "Enlightened" as it suggests, means you have to work for it, so you know, training and all that.


From some cursory examination of the material (I don't have that many of the books), they sound amazingly fluffalicious but pretty much screwed against a Celestial Exalt, which is fine because basically everything else of the same Essence level is.

Definitely screwed, especially in a straight-up fight. A band of more experienced heroic mortals could probably take a newly Exalted, Essence 2 Solar, though.


Would they be capable of taking out a Terrestrial in the same sort of numbers that Terrestrials use against Celestials?

Yes. Really, the biggest thing about playing a HM is that you have to be smart. You have a more limited Essence pool, access to less resources and backing, and no native charmset. You can probably take a younger Terrestial no problem as long as you don't rush in like an idiot, and as I mentioned before, if you're really smart, you could even take on a (inexperienced) Celestial.


What about the other threats of the setting?

Well, depends on the threat. They have problems with dematerialized beings, especially, so fighting spirits or savvy elementals is tricky.


Do they have their own native charms?

Nope.


If not, what charms can they use?

Terrestial Martial Arts are pretty much the greatest thing since sliced bread to a heroic mortal.

And that's pretty much it.


Are they any good as sorcerers?

Again, limited mote pool to work with, and you can only learn Terrestial circle sorcery, but that can be very useful in it's own right. You'll probably want something that can be used for a large number of purposes. Demon or elemental summoning is probably a good pick over a punch-you-in-the-face spell.


Are they better at thaumaturgy than ordinary mortals?

I don't know if "better" is the right word, but thaumaturgy is pretty good for them, yes, as long as you can work in the costs and time you need.


Are they good martial artists?

Again, martial arts is how they get their charms. You want to be a good martial artist.


Are they good at anything other than the previous three?

Really, heroic mortals should make sure they have a specialty. You can usually match a young Exalted blow-for-blow in whatever specialty you choose to focus on.


Also, can your essence be awakened without your own doing?

I don't believe so. It's a training thing.


Is it possible to do this to multiple people at once (a la Tiger Warrior Training)?

I think you can train it, yes, but I'd have to check that.


Is it doable to do this to all mortals in Creation at once?

Sure. Plot. Outside of that? No.


What would it take to alter humanity - current and future - such that they're all capable of essence use?

Make them all Exalted? Enlightenment is the result of some hardcore training. It's not really something you can give to someone.

One important thing to note is that heroic mortals can stunt. Use it. All of the time. It's good for the Exalted, and the greatest thing ever for people who normally don't have dice adders.

Hope that helps.

Reynard
2010-12-23, 08:11 PM
I don't believe so. It's a training thing.
Nope. The Incarnane can Awaken someone's essence, as can a handful of other Gods. My favourites are Little Beam and Five Days Darkness.

Little Beam would make the Mortal in question a Half-Caste (Golden Child) and give them access to Solar Charms (Except Perfects), while FDD permanently takes away a dot of a virtue and makes the mortal a Creature of Darkness. FDD isn't a bad guy, though. Him being a CoD is part of his nature. If he wasn't, he wouldn't exist.


Make them all Exalted? Enlightenment is the result of some hardcore training. It's not really something you can give to someone.

I think you can pull shenanigans with Craft: Genesis and/or Wyld Shaping.

Erith
2010-12-24, 02:10 AM
Also, can your essence be awakened without your own doing? Is it possible to do this to multiple people at once (a la Tiger Warrior Training)? Is it doable to do this to all mortals in Creation at once? What would it take to alter humanity - current and future - such that they're all capable of essence use?

Shinmaic Communion/Calibration. It's essentially the next step above wyldshaping. It is strongly implied/outright stated that this was how the salinian working happened, although we don't have the charms or sorcery to actually implement miracle shells yet.

Xefas
2010-12-24, 02:39 AM
It probably wouldn't be all that difficult for a Malefactor to enlighten all the mortals in the world in a relatively short amount of time if no one was out to stop them. With, dunno, 100xp or so?

You need Scoured Perfection of Form and World-Grinding Sandstorm Devastation. With Ascendancy Mantle of Cecelyne, you should be able to keep one Indefinite World-Grinding Sandstorm Devastation up, and still have 40m left over for another casting of World-Grinding Sandstorm Devastation every hour. If you have a Cult of 4 and Temple Self Apotheosis, you'll get the 2wp cost back every hour just in time to cast it again.

With the first Sandstorm, you have a mile-wide moving blob of sand that grants everyone inside of it the Creature of Darkness mutation as it rides over them. The second Sandstorm grants the Awakened Essence mutation, which enlightens them with a mote pool of (Essence x 5) + (Willpower x 2) + (Virtue Total), so around ~24m for the average dude.

Sure, you'll have no motes, you'll be useless in combat, and you'll be a giant neon bullseye on Heaven's radar, but with a few years work, you might be able to get everyone. Especially when factoring in the mortals that want superpowers without working for them, and specifically line up in high-population-density rows for you to sandstorm over.

vegetalss4
2010-12-24, 06:12 AM
mr. bookworm is gennerally correct, but 1) it do not have to be a trainning thing, exalted have charms that can enlighten people and it can also be a mutation (which you can get in a varity of ways, for instance from the wyld, through power-questing)
2)making everyone into exalted would be impossible in cannon and require player and dm level interventing on par with repeatable true rescuration and time travel under complete control.
meanwhile there is an upgrade to the lore-based solar trainning charm which can mass enligthen people, and many other exalts has similair ways to do this.

and 3)
DO NOT. I reapet DO NOT, take demon of the first circle as a mortal, the bindings come from the surrender oaths and thus don't work for mortals.
and not only can't you contol the demons, they become angry at you for trying to summon them in that way, so even if you get one you could bargain with if you had used thaumaturgy they will most likely kill you now.

Kyeudo
2010-12-24, 01:42 PM
Again, limited mote pool to work with, and you can only learn Terrestial circle sorcery, but that can be very useful in it's own right. You'll probably want something that can be used for a large number of purposes. Demon or elemental summoning is probably a good pick over a punch-you-in-the-face spell.


Summoning spells don't work correctly for anyone who is not an Exalt. Those spells are facilitated by the decrees of the Celestial Order and the surrender oaths of the Primordials, both of which only specify service to the Exalted. Anyone else attempting to summon and bind a demon only gets the summoning part and ends up with a ticked off demon or elemental that is perfectly able to just kill you.

Eurus
2010-12-24, 01:59 PM
It probably wouldn't be all that difficult for a Malefactor to enlighten all the mortals in the world in a relatively short amount of time if no one was out to stop them. With, dunno, 100xp or so?

You need Scoured Perfection of Form and World-Grinding Sandstorm Devastation. With Ascendancy Mantle of Cecelyne, you should be able to keep one Indefinite World-Grinding Sandstorm Devastation up, and still have 40m left over for another casting of World-Grinding Sandstorm Devastation every hour. If you have a Cult of 4 and Temple Self Apotheosis, you'll get the 2wp cost back every hour just in time to cast it again.

With the first Sandstorm, you have a mile-wide moving blob of sand that grants everyone inside of it the Creature of Darkness mutation as it rides over them. The second Sandstorm grants the Awakened Essence mutation, which enlightens them with a mote pool of (Essence x 5) + (Willpower x 2) + (Virtue Total), so around ~24m for the average dude.

Sure, you'll have no motes, you'll be useless in combat, and you'll be a giant neon bullseye on Heaven's radar, but with a few years work, you might be able to get everyone. Especially when factoring in the mortals that want superpowers without working for them, and specifically line up in high-population-density rows for you to sandstorm over.

...That is so awesome. :smalleek:

meschlum
2010-12-24, 02:30 PM
Note that Heroic Mortals are not the same things as Enlightened Mortals. Both can stunt, but only the latter have access to their mote pool.


You can also perform mass Enlightenemnt via Fair Folk:

4-dot Oneiromancy with

Assumption of the Living Kingdom (6 points)
Behemoth Forging Meditation (3 points)
Adored by All the Worlds (6 points)

This means that over an area covering one large city (100.000 people), everyone who does a specific action (breathe, vow to serve you, walk...) is mutated, obtaining the Awakened Essence Mutation and a few Derangements (everything you say is true, you must convince other people to enter the spell's area... have fun). As a bonus, everyone who has been transmuted develops lots of allies and followers from outside, who come into the area and are transformed...

Only requires 12 commited motes, and an Essence of 4 to have the effect happen instantly (otherwise, it's a Training effect, gives no Derangements, and requires Essence 2).

mabriss lethe
2010-12-24, 02:33 PM
Lemme see.

There's a thaumaturical ritual or two that can enlighten mortals.

Gods/demons/etc, have a charm that can do it.

Exalts have another charm or three that can do it.

It can crop up as a Wyld mutation.....

There are almost as many ways to become an enlightened mortal as there are enlightened mortals....

SurlySeraph
2010-12-24, 02:40 PM
Don't forget the War Devil's Skull. It's actually one of the safer and easier ways to become Enlightened.