Exalted 2e: Fair Folk Optimization Request [Archive]

meschlum

2023-03-28, 11:54 PM

Platter of the Perfected Palette

Once upon a time, there was a greedy satrap, as they are in so many tales. Blessed with the blood of Dragons, in the ages before the Anathema were commonplace, he was yet clever enough to limit his ambition. Not for him the games of high politics, the raising and laying down of armies and champions. Nor did he seek overmany unwilling companions, nor even chains with which to utterly constrain all who fell under his eye. No, he merely desired to partake of the finest of dishes, and to improve upon them until the Empress Herself might desire a taste.

But to achieve this goal, the herbs of the East, the meats of the North, the spices of the South, the catch of the West, and the produce of the Earth itself were not sufficient. He dabbled with the dark powders and vapors of the Underworld, sampled the dishes and ichors of Hell itself, even bartered for a memory of the scent of Ambrosia. But the satrap was not satisfied even with these. At long last, with the aid of a net of glittering fancies, he had a Raksha brought to him. A simple craftsman, a being a dedicated to creating culinary marvels as the satrap was to partaking of them - and a bargain was struck.

A week later, the satrap was seen once more, and among his treasures was a platter. A simple copper dish and lid, without ostentatious engravings, but which bore an aura as of something more significant. As indeed it was, but by simply lifting the lid, the most marvelous meals could be revealed within, each one more desirable than any seen before.

We no longer know where the satrap ruled, and it is better so. We can only hope this it is only the memory of his land that was consumed in the end, rather than something else.

Mechanics

1-dot Oneiromancy
Assumption of Dreams and Passion - the Platter is hunger, desire, and satiety made manifest
Ordinary Object Conjuration - simply by lifting the lid of the Platter, any dish that could fit within is made manifest, prepared with supreme skill
Shiftless Untamed Beauty - those who have eaten from the Platter agree that no other foods can compare
Heart-Stealing Kiss - to ensure that the Platter's creations suit any who partake, its offerings are woven out of their inmost desires, slowly consuming their temperance with ever more enticing meals.

Ahem.

I note a distinct lack of summons directed my way, got to work on that Cult rating, I suppose.

Fair Folk 2e is interesting (so is 1e, albeit not always the same way), so a few basic questions and statements:

1) Are you playing with the Errata? If not, the Platter might not exist (but you can get and give infinite stats and skills in exchange, so it possibly works out?)
2) Playing in Creation is an excellent move. Mostly because Shaping combat Does Not Work (tm), with or without Errata (the Raksha like it that way).
3) Communication with your GM is essential - the Fair Folk power curve is more or less orthogonal to that of Exalts, so you can accidentally do bad things to the setting (as in, "we are now playing cyberpunk with anthropomorphic bonsai") or to the numbers (as in "my dice pool is 40+ or 0, depending on the number of eggs in this carton").

With all that, the character concept you described technically works best as a Panjandrum, because you need a rather silly number of Staff Charms to pull it off.

Raksha Noble Creation:
As much Birth as you can get away with (4-5 for your character, there is never a reason to have less than 2)
Artifact: YES
Retinue: At least 1, so someone else can sustain your artifacts. Or 0 if you have no artifacts, and likely dead?
Gossamer: Wealth = Yes in Creation, what's not to like? Spare gossamer is useful to start your engine, too. On the other hand, you're going to spend far more gossamer than the background will give you, and you can get wealth with artifacts. So 0 or enough to be stylish.
Style: 0 or 5. You are a Panjandrum, you can have 5 for the cost of 1 charm (with errata).

Now that your backgrounds are set, you will need:

- Ways to not die in combat: gossamer armor is awesome, and only a charm or two away since you have Birth of 3 or more (you have birth 3 or more, right?)
- Ways to not die outright: a 1 dot Chancel lets you recover motes normally, and do a lot more. It only costs 1 point of artifact (so 1/2 of artifact 1. You have artifacts, right?)
- Ways to not die when killed: a 1 dot Behemoth lets you send out a copy of yourself (with fewer, different, powers) while you relax in your Chancel. It costs 1 point of artifact (so the other 1/2 of artifact 1. You have artifacts, right?)
- Ways to deliver overkill: artifacts. You could try to be a Strategos and spend your (very few) motes on charms to almost have Exalt level dice pools. Or you could bring a few artifacts along and operate at that level all the time. (You have artifacts, right?)
- Ways to have a decent mote pool: an artifact will let you store motes = YES, so get one. (You have artifacts, right?)
- Ways to convince people to do what you want: You have social skills. Use them. Toss in a few Charms, some artifacts, and you're basically set. (You have artifacts, right?)
- Ways to get gossamer: the gossamer background isn't enough. 1 gossamer / week from Oneiromantic conjuration isn't enough. Eating souls isn't enough. The solution is, of course, artifacts (and minions). GM approval strongly recommended here, as 10 gossamer / scene is typically ruled as abusive, for some reason. (You have artifacts, right?)
- Ways to make artifacts: You need to start at Birth 4 to have the prerequisite Charms, and then spend Charms. Oneiromancies (Cup) let you do a LOT. Then it's either Adjurations (Staff, personal boost) or Behemoths (Sword, custom minions). Treasures (Ring) are probably last, for when you want to create an artifact that's in the other books (or break the game).
- Ways to use your artifacts: you need lorekeepers. Retinue gives you a few, or you can make them, especially if you start with Birth 5.

So the real question is how many artifacts you want to start with, and how you'll use them. There are many different ways to build up your character concept, it depends on what you want to offer your partners, how skewed you want the deals to be, and whether you want to go wholesale (just get a few Cup charms, and you are the head of the local organizations) or personalized (making an artifact for each customer is cool, but takes a lot of GM time).

Again, communicate with your GM - it's easy to go far over the top by mistake (for instance, starting with All Consuming God Monster Stance and Unlimited Resplendence, and you have 5 dots of Backing in any organization you want. This requires Essence 3 and 5 charms, so it's difficult. Or take a 1 dot Oneiromancy with Unlimited Resplendence, pass it off to your Worker Lorekeeper with All Consuming God Monster Stance, and it's free 1.5 (or less) background dots).

metalith

2023-03-29, 01:26 AM

metalith

2023-03-29, 12:00 PM

meschlum

2023-03-30, 12:26 AM

Can you explain how this spell would work with the Errata rules and non-Errata rules? So I can understand it. It's not exactly my flavor for my PC I have in my mind, but I could keep it as a backup tool for dealing with certain people or modify it appropriate for my character.

Flavor-wise he is very much a trader, barter and creator. Motivation wise, I'm leaning toward "Binding and reshaping Creation to my desire" He learned about the idea of "fair" trade and barter and wants enough Creation Born to eventually barter away enough of Creation for him to control.

With errata, Oneiromancies are either inward facing (personal buffs) or outward facing (affects the world). This is an outward facing oneiromancy, with three effects:

- Ordinary Object Conjuration, which creates a specific thing each time it's triggered (as fast as every 5 ticks for something small, like a delicious dish). This creates tasty food. Technically, it could be the same food every time (and that's fine), but as long as what you're creating is "a delicious and complicated meal", you can probably get away with some variety. Otherwise, it's piece of burnt toast that tastes better than anything else you've ever eaten.
- Shiftless Untamed Beauty: people seeing the Platter in use, or eating its products, become addicted. Simple, efficient, and clear!
- Heart Stealing Kiss: once per scene, anyone eating from the Platter has some temporary Temperance munched on, which become motes stored in the platter. A great way to expand your mote capacity if you just let it charge somewhere. Especially if it works once per scene per person, and you serve out a banquet.

Without errata, you don't know how fast the Platter can create food, and also don't know what happens to the stolen motes, if anything. You do get to steal them as often as you like, though. Plus, there is Glamour Resistance going on, so some people might not be addicted or have their Temperance stolen.

The practical application is that it's a 1-dot artifact (3 committed motes - get a lorekeeper) that you can just leave with a crowd in Creation and come back a month later to have a mote pool of YES. Creating addictive food is just the idiom. You can be terrifyingly more effective otherwise, or change the fluff drastically to still get the same effect.

meschlum

2023-03-30, 01:47 AM

I am unsure about errata, but I don't see why not. Since it would have the up to date clarifications on rules. But I'll ask, since I'll be joining an established game. I want to start off strong but willing to conceal just how much I have going on. Once my PC is built I'll have 150 XP to bring me up to par-ish with the established players. We have an Zenith Solar and Full Moon Lunar pair, an Eclipse and a Day "Renegade" Abyssal. There are two players who rotate in and out as schedules allow, a Chosen of Endings Sidereal "Gold Faction" and a Twilight.

Ideally, I want to start with Birth 4/5, Gossamer 5, Artifact 5. I want artifacts be his primary way to manifesting his Worker aptitude. He loves creating things and when dealing with mortals he wants primary payment in Creation-born graces. Not only as means to be raw material to create more artifacts but also because of the hooks these can provide into potential future targets. If they are immune to him doing this for him, then his prices can be quite steep. I was looking to have his Artifact 5 being Artifact shaping Armor, so when invoked in Creation would give him the max armor rating. Since while I know its been a minute since I've done Exalted combat can get ridiculous. I really haven't thought about a Retinue background since its outside my initial Freebie points.

I also see him, doing "good work" with the poor around the city. He would be willing to compensate any poor that would will to see them the necessary raw material he needs for his crafting projects, ie him forging their graces for money. I was looking to have a means to get to the Wyld from time to time to quest against Unshaped since that is the only way to raise Artifacts to level 4 and 5. But want to work that out during between game or DT sessions. Unless the party wants to join me. Sure they are not made of magical material but with a lot less prep time then normal Creation Born methods decking out my "friends" in multiple rank 4/5 artifact weapons, armors, gear.

I'm looking at Assumption of Dreams and Passion as my primary Assumption, with an emotional resonance of Trustworthy or Honest. lol

Alright!

The Tiniest String

The problem with the Fair Folk is not that they do not understand Creation, but that they understand it far too well. Thus, while foolish mortals layer themselves in corrosive iron, the Raksha observe that the Exalted instead wear less. Thus, the String. A piece of fabric only by a technicality, it is by definition exactly enough to cover exactly what must be covered, and not a millionth of a hair's width more.

While the Fair Folk have found the String extremely useful in battle - it does, after all, cover exactly the spots where the enemy will hit - they are somewhat confused as to why wearing sensible armor seems to attract and outrage a plethora of very distracted mortals.

Mechanics
Use Gossamer Forging Art and Armor Which is not to create Perfect (exceptional) Gossamer Superheavy Plate merged with Fine Form Chitin or Exceptional Fate Weave. That's 0 Fatigue, 0 Mobility, and soak for the Plate +6 (for normal Form Chitin). Requires no motes, weighs nothing, looks like a minimalist bikini (or less) - and can be duplicated for your friends.
Then, if you must go further, get a 1-dot Adjuration (1 committed mote) to pick up Opalescent Gossamer Raiment for + (Essence + Heart) to bashing and lethal soak. Or get the charm chain, and for three charms get 2*(Essence + Heart) B/L and 2*Essence A soak.
Of course, since you're operating with a Soak in the 20s already, you might want to get serious about things, but that would require investing in combat artifacts to a larger extent.

Buying artifact armor for 5 dots is... wasteful.

Your concept looks fun, but still fairly generic. Still, I can narrow things down further!

First of all, you really want a Chancel (if errata exists). It lets you own a portable magic shop, and what can be more appropriate? It also speeds up your artifact creation and other fun things.

1) Do you want to pay people with mundane goods and money (lumps of gold, rare spices, fine shoes), social positions ("you are now the city's greatest baker!", "you are now the chief scribe of the temple"), personal alteration (remake yourself, learn to fly), wondrous goods (a first age floating citadel, a farm where everything grows twice as fast), really special deals (a knife that leads you to your True Love, the ability to recover from any wound), or just break the game (time travel, teleportation networks, functional immortality, ascending to the power of the Incarna)? They're all possible, but it's better to specialize.

2) Do you want to have a few 'mass produced' goods that you can spread out easily, though they are largely the same (e.g. stacks of gossamer plate) or customize your offerings to the client?

3) How do you feel about mass backgrounds - would an artifact that gives you the Backing or Contacts backgrounds be interesting or a waste of time?

4) What is your opinion on areas of effect? Do you prefer to trade away a banner that makes everyone in a city much braver as long as they are loyal to the king, or a sword that makes its wielder terrifying?

5) Minions! Yes, no, how many? How customized?

6) Check with your GM: how badly can you cheat the artifact creation times? Is a scene too fast? Too slow? A month? A tick?

7) Check with your GM: is gossamer going to be a rare resource or not? There are ways to produce more or less infinite gossamer very fast, but they may not suit the game.

8) How much do you want to invest in things outside your niche? What things? In artifact dots, ideally? Stuff like combat, lore, sneaking, stealing the spotlight, etc.

Basic optimization rule when starting with xp: spend your bonus points carefully, and by carefully I mean overspecialize. Say you have three favored skills (1 xp / dot), 3 skill points and 3 bonus points. If you start with 3/3/3, going to 6/6/6 costs 45 xp. If you start with 6/2/1, going to 6/6/6 costs 38 xp.

Also, boost your Essence and find out if you can increase your Heart (it lets you have more 'favored' Graces, which makes them cost less to increase).

metalith

2023-03-30, 02:27 PM

Alright!

The Tiniest String

The problem with the Fair Folk is not that they do not understand Creation, but that they understand it far too well. Thus, while foolish mortals layer themselves in corrosive iron, the Raksha observe that the Exalted instead wear less. Thus, the String. A piece of fabric only by a technicality, it is by definition exactly enough to cover exactly what must be covered, and not a millionth of a hair's width more.

While the Fair Folk have found the String extremely useful in battle - it does, after all, cover exactly the spots where the enemy will hit - they are somewhat confused as to why wearing sensible armor seems to attract and outrage a plethora of very distracted mortals.

Mechanics
Use Gossamer Forging Art and Armor Which is not to create Perfect (exceptional) Gossamer Superheavy Plate merged with Fine Form Chitin or Exceptional Fate Weave. That's 0 Fatigue, 0 Mobility, and soak for the Plate +6 (for normal Form Chitin). Requires no motes, weighs nothing, looks like a minimalist bikini (or less) - and can be duplicated for your friends.
Then, if you must go further, get a 1-dot Adjuration (1 committed mote) to pick up Opalescent Gossamer Raiment for + (Essence + Heart) to bashing and lethal soak. Or get the charm chain, and for three charms get 2*(Essence + Heart) B/L and 2*Essence A soak.
Of course, since you're operating with a Soak in the 20s already, you might want to get serious about things, but that would require investing in combat artifacts to a larger extent.

Buying artifact armor for 5 dots is... wasteful.

I found the Scroll of Exalted Errata and the Fair Folk section almost looks like a rewrite mechanically. Still reading through it. I thought in order to be the equivalent of Artifact 5 armor it also had to be level 5. I do not mind a little investing in combat items, since I know in combat versus other Exalted types, Fair Folk are super squishy since we last perfect defenses etc. So if things go sideways or I find myself in combat against the antagonists or the party, since PVP is allowable with justifications. The Lunar and Sidereal are already not going to be friendly. Which is party of the hide what I can do. As for the manifestation of that armor, I thinking a pair of bracelets or a choker.

Your concept looks fun, but still fairly generic. Still, I can narrow things down further!

Understood. My concept is generic since I'll refine it as I put dots down on paper and build the scaffolding of the character.

First of all, you really want a Chancel (if errata exists). It lets you own a portable magic shop, and what can be more appropriate? It also speeds up your artifact creation and other fun things.

1) Do you want to pay people with mundane goods and money (lumps of gold, rare spices, fine shoes), social positions ("you are now the city's greatest baker!", "you are now the chief scribe of the temple"), personal alteration (remake yourself, learn to fly), wondrous goods (a first age floating citadel, a farm where everything grows twice as fast), really special deals (a knife that leads you to your True Love, the ability to recover from any wound), or just break the game (time travel, teleportation networks, functional immortality, ascending to the power of the Incarna)? They're all possible, but it's better to specialize.

I like the Chancel. I haven't heard back yet, since the Fair Folk section is large and guessing he is working on absorbing it as well. I was already looking to buying a shop front in the city and build a business. A Chancel could be good for establishing that and would help since I was thinking about using a couple Artifact points for an Artifact Waypoint, in order to have access to on demand Middlemarch waypoints. I have asked if I can spend any XP on purchased backgrounds with my starting XP.

2) Do you want to have a few 'mass produced' goods that you can spread out easily, though they are largely the same (e.g. stacks of gossamer plate) or customize your offerings to the client?

I think both. Some items I can easily mass produce since I'll have the material to make Level 1 and 2 items without issues. Since I'll have to Quest to get level 3-5 items. If I can avoid the level 5 artifact armor I'm thinking about a level 5 Oath.

3) How do you feel about mass backgrounds - would an artifact that gives you the Backing or Contacts backgrounds be interesting or a waste of time?

I thinking about Backing or Contacts with the Guild. Since they would be an easy access for resources, material and influence. Since that would be the easiest monkey branch concept wise. I could go after influence in the city and try and see about building ties with the Elementals and Terrestial Gods of Creation. The Luna Guide talks about eatting spirits for their charms but I have no idea how that would work.

4) What is your opinion on areas of effect? Do you prefer to trade away a banner that makes everyone in a city much braver as long as they are loyal to the king, or a sword that makes its wielder terrifying?

I have no issue with Buffs single target or AoE. I like to build with the idea of multiple Aces up my sleeve. Being Batman and preparing to take out every other Superhero if they turn bad and have contingencies upon contingencies for everyone and everything else. Sometimes you need to buff an army, sometimes you need to buff a hero. It will take time for me to figure out how things work but once I figure it out, I want to be like Kudzu.

5) Minions! Yes, no, how many? How customized?

I wasn't planning on minions to begin with but can see that I will most likely need to have some in time. Especially since I would like to develop a small Cult in time as well.

6) Check with your GM: how badly can you cheat the artifact creation times? Is a scene too fast? Too slow? A month? A tick?

I'll ask, though I though mechanically most gossamer artifact creation seems to be extremely quick.

7) Check with your GM: is gossamer going to be a rare resource or not? There are ways to produce more or less infinite gossamer very fast, but they may not suit the game.

I don't think he would allow infinite gossamer but I don't think it would be rare either. Especially at Gossamer 5, every game I would start with 20 gossamer.

8) How much do you want to invest in things outside your niche? What things? In artifact dots, ideally? Stuff like combat, lore, sneaking, stealing the spotlight, etc.

I have no problem with expanding on my initial niche. I do not mind combat but I know compared to Solars/Abyssals and Lunars, I am doubtful I could keep up combat wise. Though I did see the Bulb of the Martial Arts mutation in the Errata, and would love to pick up the Pearl Dreaming Courtesan martial arts. Honestly, I'm not sure where I could fill in since except as a secondary since the current PCs are pretty spread around and balanced.

Basic optimization rule when starting with xp: spend your bonus points carefully, and by carefully I mean overspecialize. Say you have three favored skills (1 xp / dot), 3 skill points and 3 bonus points. If you start with 3/3/3, going to 6/6/6 costs 45 xp. If you start with 6/2/1, going to 6/6/6 costs 38 xp.

Also, boost your Essence and find out if you can increase your Heart (it lets you have more 'favored' Graces, which makes them cost less to increase). Oh I have played enough WW games, that when building a character that if you have starting XP, use bonus points and creation points, to stack high and back fill with XP since especially high dots can be cheaper during character creation then to purchase with XP. If I remember correctly, once I have 200 XP, I should increase my Heart rating to 4.

meschlum

2023-03-31, 02:10 AM

The Raven's Gift

Once upon a time, a raven was lost to Chaos. She had wandered far and further, until even the notion of distance was gone, when she fell among the company of the Raksha.

"Where are you from, painted with the colors of the blind?" asked one, bleeding quiet roses, but she knew better than to give an answer.

"How came you here, aching for what cannot be given?" pressed another, singing scarlet trails, but she was too tired to open her beak.

"Whence shall you go, calling for the deaf?" hinted the third, picking poisoned songs, and she was distracted enough to answer.

"Home."

At once, the Fair Folk exclaimed that there could be no better place, no greater quest, no higher cause - yet the raven was still clever and knew what would be wrought if she brought their host along with her.

"But to go there I must travel the Sky, and that is my gift alone."

"And will you grant us your gift?" they asked as none.

"I may not, for I was born with it, and it is only for those of my kind."

"Then let your gift reveal the way."

And so the raven emerged from Chaos, dark as the night, hungry from her travels, and crowing of her wits. Ever since, those to whom she grants her Gift gain access to the Sky, whether they were born with wings or without - and a tendency to wander towards the Edge of the world.

Mechanics

1-dot Adjuration
Gossamer Wing Flight: those who have the Raven's Gift are untroubled by gravity, perhaps even unaware of it. Certainly they can travel to the borders of Creation without being in danger, and there are such marvels just a bit further within...

5-dot Adjurations are either gamebreaking (pre-errata) or extremely niche cases (post errata). Either way, they require 5 committed motes.

Pre-errata, that gives you only 4 mutation points, but for a single effective mutation. So you grab one, have the mutation be bestial / elemental transformation, which gives you (Essence + 3) mutation points, which are used for bestial / elemental transformation, which... And you end up with every single charm or mutation which costs (Essence + 3) or less, possibly duplicated. This includes Glorious Hero Form, so all your attributes have +(Sword), among other bonuses.

Post errata, you get 8 mutation points (which can't be used on mutations - that's Fantastic Grotesquerie Shell, which does not have a mutation cost), still for 5 committed motes. There are exactly 0 charms that require 8 mutation points. In fact, the most expensive ones (assumption related) cost 6, so the most you need is a 4 dot Adjuration.
1 dot: 2 points / 1 mote. Ratio of 2
2 dot: 3 points / 2 motes. Ratio of 1.5
3 dot: 4 points / 3 motes. Ratio of 1.33
4 dot: 6 points / 4 motes. Ratio of 1.5
5 dot: 8 points / 5 motes. Ratio of 1.6
So for mote efficiency, 1-dot Adjurations are the best. 5-dots is only worth it if you're doing something worth more than 2 dots. Since mutation points costs are 1, 2, 3, 4, and 6, the only reason to use a 5-dot Adjuration is to get two 4 point mutations (for 5 committed motes instead of 6 with two 3-dot Adjurations).

Shuffling the Pieces is awesome, as long as you're killing people.
Assumption of the City's Heart is awesome, as long as someone else is using it.
Bastion of the Self is awesome, but probably not allowed to double up.
Pounding Dream Harmony is meh. Seeing through mundane disguises is nice, but is it worth it?
Beguilement is meh. Unnatural influence costing one extra willpower is cute, I suppose. It can also be gained as a 1 dot inward facing Oneiromancy, for 3 committed motes and other powers to boot.

There are some fun possibilities, but to use them you need to have a different focus from your concept.

From what you've said, I'd strongly recommend the following:

- Outward Facing Oneiromancies, specifically with Sovereign Elemental Shape and World Angering Elemental Mastery (or equivalents), which gives +Essence to rolls in a specialty and -Essence to rolls in another. Say "attacking my enemies" and "dodging my attacks", and you've got a nice advantage there (also add "parrying my attacks" in the same Oneiromancy, and boost your Essence to 4 to make the penalty an external penalty). Besides combat, this lets you craft significant boons and banes customized to your client - and you can disable them by no longer committing motes.

You'll want a Heroic Worker Lorekeeper with God Monster Stance to sustain these eventually, as it can have effective Essence 5 and an effective 15 die difference is nothing to sneeze at (only 5 dice boost if they have Shaping defenses up).

- A multipurpose inward facing Oneiromancy. Pick up most of the World Shaping Charms for 3 committed motes, what's not to like? You can learn them eventually, but this is a convenient shortcut that saves xp and charms. Plus, you get the Contacts, Backing, Wealth, etc. you want. Skip some of the charms to get Gossamer Wing Flight if you want.

- A Chancel

- Some sample products to make your GM's life easier. Just so you both know what you're going to be offering, and who you might look for. A sword that cannot be dodged will not attract the same people as a knife that cuts out memories. You can diversify later, but you need a starting stock. Set yourself a budget (in artifact dots). Low dot Raksha artifacts give remarkable value for dots.

- Unshaped Grace Transformation lets you recycle existing artifacts into new ones. I've suggested a pile of Oneiromancies, so you might want to grab the Cup version. For your buddies, you could consider getting a 5-dot treasure and Unshaped Ring Transformation, in order to be able to have any 5-dot artifact in the book (only one at a time, though).

- You probably penciled it in already, but Principle of Worlds (and Translucent Dream Sheathing Technology) is a lot of fun. Also a convenient way to give people things without needing to create artifacts in the process. Essentially minor magic items you can toss around much more easliy - and if not permanent, they make for return customers...

- An escape route. You don't want to be caught fighting in the Exalted leagues, so you need a way to get out of trouble when things get serious. Pick one: "kill me and I shall rise again!"; "you mean you move slower than sound?"; "surprise one mile step!"; "time for the handy teleport gate!"

Incidentally, you can easily awaken the essence of all your cultists, which gives you options. With some effort, you can grant them access to Celestial Martial Arts (a Strategos would have an easier time), or Celestial Sorcery (Solar Sorcery is work). Yes, all of them.

metalith

2023-04-05, 08:49 PM

So, the GM said he is open to using the Fair Folk Errata material. As far as Gossamer goes, he says moderate, depending on the background, charms and etc I use to gather the resource. He is fairly generous with Essence recovery except when it comes to scenes when important. So unless I give him a reason to curtail or abuse the resource, I should be good. When crafting items via Essence/Gossamer, it is a shaping action thus according to the rules, it requires a scene to make. And for Gossamer it has to spend 3 months to become stable.

I was looking at the material and would you have any suggestions to max out what I'm finding my 3 most important creation rolls. I know Raksha can get high dice pools, but from the looks of information, I would like to find a way to avoid rolling for these, and just get 10+ successes. Especially when it comes to crafting Gossamer, I feel like I'm going to have a few items I'll be making but having worker minions to make the bulk of Gossamer items, due to requiring 3 months of mote commitment to finish the forging.

#1 - Intelligence + Crafts (Glamour) > Ring Object Crafting with Essence and Gossamer

#2 - Intelligence + Socialize > Staff Minion Crafting

#3 - Intelligence + Occult > Staff Behemoth Crafting

What would you recommend for a 5 dot artifact? Or just not worry about it and just spend the 15 points Artifact 5 for give me other things. Unless a 5 dot Chancel would be good.

meschlum

2023-04-06, 02:16 AM

Bazaar of Hidden Directions

Welcome to the Bazaar, young one! It is a place of marvels and delight, where most anything you dream of can be found. You have no money? Pah! Pah, I say! You have a promising look, and I have a few minor tasks that need to be cared for. Would this - and twice as much once you're done - convince you to step in and clean out a few stalls? A caravan loaded with spices and dates has just come in and their camels need housing.

No caravan came into town? Why, what a knowledgeable person you are! Surely you know every alley of this fair city, and can tell when folk come near in any direction. This is most excellent! With your expertise, the Bazaar folk will easily find what they seek, and make bargains more glorious than ever! Do you happen to know someone with a refined palette and large appetite? There is a cook hereabouts who wants to ensure that her pastries fit the local tastes. She'd need some helpers to sample a dozen different dishes and perfect them.

Yes, the Bazaar can seem a bit confusing, I suppose - mostly to newcomers who are not yet used to it, or lack suitable friends. As a friend of mine, you'll find it quite easy to navigate before long, I'm sure... Here we are, can you smell that? Cinnamon and honey, just waiting to be eaten. Now, as you are a friend, I do feel you should be warned if you go further within - when you step into a tent, be sure to never take the leftmost exit three times in a row.

A harmless superstition we Bazaar folk like to play up, as you say. And not one that ought to concern you, as you have much to do without needing to wander further. Of course you can if you wish to! The Bazaar is open to anyone who comes, and there are many more places you have not seen yet. There was a fellow further inside who was desperately looking for an orphan's shoes - his silk and gold slippers didn't suit him and he wanted to trade...

I'm afraid I have to return to the entrance now, but I'm sure I'll see you later on, once you've had your fill of the Bazaar!

What fine footwear you've found! My sincere congratulations on the change, though perhaps the soles are a bit thin? Ah, you don't intend to keep them too long. Well, no matter! May your every promise be held, as they say in my land. And soon in yours, perhaps!

Oh, one minor concern, dear customer. Nothing of note, merely a matter that seems to have the caravan master a bit confused. The stables have been cleaned have they not? Else you would not be entitled to your payment... and no friend of mine would be a cheat, certainly?

Mechanics
5-dot Chancel
The Bazaar of Hidden Directions manifests as a huge aggregation of tents, flimsy buildings, caravans, and other spots from which countless merchants and craftsfolk can peddle their wares. The sheer variety of contents and opportunities, and the subtly shifting paths between different waypoints, may allow visitors to realize they are outside the bounds of Creation, but the place is mostly harmless.

Mostly.

One half of the Bazaar is simply more than it seems, as it is in fact a minor freehold - a place of respite for the Raksha who cheerfully buy and sell almost anything that could be, and many things that cannot or should not. Barter is welcome, of course, and those who travel deeper into freehold will find that the deals become less material and more... fundamental. Souls for safety is a common trade.

The other half of the Bazaar lies in a different direction. One the Raksha avoid, unless they are feeling particularly contentious. For the Bazaar needs guards, not just against the mortal hordes, but also against what is hidden. For the other half of the Bazaar is the counterpoint to Creation - a place of danger and madness, home to one of the Unshaped.

And so there is ever a conflict within the Bazaar, a need for new mortals to visit and stabilize the freehold in the face of the Unshaped, a need for the wildness of the Wyld to form new marvels for Creation to seek...

5-dot Adjuration: largely pointless for your concept (it has uses for War and Combat style characters)
5-dot Behemoth: baseline 20/20 soak and lots of mutations. Great for combat, or using as a stand-in (make the Behemoth look like you, be hard to kill and just repair the behemoth if it (you) gets murdered).
5-dot Chancel: may be of interest to your long term crafting goals (see above).
5-dot Oneiromancy: mostly useful for complex curses or blessings affecting entire countries (or maybe cities)
5-dot Treasure: useful to reshape into any 5-dot artifact you want from the other books.

So you have limited options that are really worth investing in a 5-dot artifact, but still some possibilities.

Shaping rolls can be challenging, but let's see how far we can go, and with how much cheese.

Intelligence 7: 7 dice
Skill 5: 5 dice (more if favored, more if specialized)
Staff 5: you can add up to 5 dice from charms to your Shaping actions.

2 Charms: Unassailable Tower of Glamour + Style Improving Spirit: you can spontaneously cast Terrestrial+ Sorcery, and have a pool of bonus stunt dice you can add to your rolls. Style is awesome. With Tower, you can convert your stunt dice into automatic successes, so 2-4 automatic successes (costs 1 gossamer).

Add Wyld Communion, and you get an extra stunt die to shaping charms. So an extra success! Does require 5 committed motes, though.

3+ dot Chancel + Forging the Arcane Redoubt + Minion: if you are the master of a Freehold, you get + Essence automatic successes to your Shaping Rolls. Call it another 3? The Chancel has 10 waypoints at 3 dots, so it's large enough to accommodate any tier of Freehold. Can also be done with a 3-dot Chancel and 3+ dots in Freehold. Also ensures access to a Middlemarch environment. Or take the Bazaar and be quick to create your freehold, before the Unshaped takes it over...

Creator's Fugue (Charm, or as part of an Adjuration): 1 automatic success at creating new things. The first success from Charms on the list so far!

Mind's Grip Rigor: 2 automatic successes at non-combat Ring or Staff shaping, comes from Charms so may not be allowed to be as high as you'd like.

Surpassing Excellence (Charm, or as part of an Adjuration): 2 bonus specialty dice, debatably dice from charms. Take three for all your rolls, for 2 artifact dots (or take three and Creator's Fugue as two distinct artifacts, for the same number of committed motes).

So when you're working from within your Freehold and being exceptionally stylish about it, you have (Essence + 8) automatic successes (3 base stunt + 1 stunt die + 1 bonus stunt die + Creator's Fugue + Mind's Grip Rigor) and 12 dice. Starting with Essence 3, that's 11 automatic successes, for a cost of 9 motes + 1 wp. Since you're stunting, you get 4 motes and 1 wp back (3 die stunt), so it's just 5 committed motes and 1 gossamer.

We only need 10 automatic successes, so we can drop Wyld Communion and just need to have 4 motes in your pool (recovered by the stunt), plus 1 gossamer

If we keep track of limits on dice from Charms, then Creator's Fugue + Mind's Grip Rigor requires Staff 6 to give 3 successes, which is problematic. So you don't get Creator's Fugue, and have 10 successes for 5 committed motes and 1 gossamer.

If you don't want to abuse a Chancel for your work, things become more difficult, mainly because you're looking at 8 automatic successes and are limited to Staff extra dice, so you need Staff 6. And you have a 1.5% chance of failure with 12 dice (0.5% with Surpassing Excellence)

Edit: the errata limits the number of dice you get from charms, not successes. This is debatable, but how would Mind’s Grip Rigor work otherwise, with its 6 automatic successes for shaping combat?

To get Staff 6, you cheat! Get an Oneiromancy with Manacles of Virtue, and it can boost your Staff. Not sure whether the boost is limited to your Cup (it's a Cup shaping action), your Essence (per the text), or your Staff (it's affecting your Staff). Anyway, you just need one success, so it's easy. Give the Oneiromancy to an Entertainer Lorekeeper, and it's free, too!

If you're assigning the work to minions, consider giving them Worker's Gift (Charm or Adjuration), so they generate gossamer too (from completing their Motivation: making you happy by crafting stuff).

To create very temporary gossamer items, consider Soul Carving Artifice - it creates a temporary 10 waypoint Middlemarch to craft in, with extremely compressed time. Anything you make in there will vanish when you end the Charm, but it lets your customers taste the goods!

Edit: you could also get the Veil of Glamour charm for instant, if temporary crafting. And Ordinary Object Conjuration (on minions or artifacts) lets you mass produce mundane things.

All Consuming God Monster Stance can give you 2 extra essence for Charm purposes, which can be helpful in some cases.

Research Thaumaturgy: there are some minor rituals which can be helpful in boosting your odds of getting enough successes out of your huge dice pool.

meschlum

2023-04-06, 08:27 PM

5 Dot Raksha Artifacts and You

Raksha can have, and create, a lot of artifacts. What are they good for? Just about anything. But what are the 5-dot artifacts really good for? That's a more challenging question, and the answer is still a lot, but less than you might expect.

Treasures of the Ring

Treasures are the equivalent of ordinary artifacts, without magic material bonuses. Having a 5-dot artifact is nice, and, depending on what it is and does, possibly worth it too.

The trick here is to get Unshaped Ring Transformation, which lets you turn the artifact into any other 5-dot artifact. It requires multiple stories to pull off, so you need a bit more cheese to speed things up, but the value is there.

Chancels of the Way

Chancels let you carry a pocket world or two along with you, which is always fun. A 5-dot Chancel has two features that differentiate it from lesser ones: it contains 20 waypoints (exactly enough to hold two freeholds, one freehold and an Unshaped, or two Unshaped), and it is difficult to find (with 10 automatic successes at hiding itself). It also has 5 secondary exits up to 5 miles from the main entrance, which is useful for escaping or travel.

Adjurations of the Staff

Adjurations give you mutation points in exchange for committed motes. The most efficient way to do this is with 1-dot Adjurations, for 2 mutation points per mote - but that won't work if you want a mutation worth more than 2 points. The most expensive mutation is 6 points, which you can get with a 4 dot Adjuration. The extra 2 points for a 5-dot are exactly equivalent to a 1-dot Adjuration in cost and benefits, so it's not a reason to get a 5-dot Adjuration. In fact, the only combination that makes a 5-dot Adjuration worthwhile is to take two 4 point mutations (5 committed motes instead of 6 with two 3-dot Adjurations).

4-point mutations are rare: Assumption of the City's Heart, Bastion of the Self, Pounding Dream Harmony, Beguilement, and Shuffling the Pieces.
Beguilement can be obtained as an Oneiromancy with other benefits, so you have no reason to get it.
Assumption of the City's Heart makes those who swear the Adjuration a part of the landscape, applying a Charm under programmed conditions. You don't want to use it personally, but could use it on a minion with lots of motes to trigger charms with?
Bastion of the Self: you normally can only have one of these, but Adjurations don't care. Take an Adjuration that gives you invulnerability (Heart, Sword) for combat, and switch to one that protects you from social issues (Cup) otherwise!
Pounding Dream Harmony: do you need to see through mundane and minor magical disguises this much? Better to have as an Adjuration than a Charm since you don't pay for it.
Shuffling the Pieces: turns creation-born you kill into minions. Very nice if you're going to be fighting a lot. Mix with Bastion of the Self to be hard to hurt and spawn an army as you hack through enemy ranks.

Behemoths of the Sword

A 5 dot behemoth has some special features: its attacks are equivalent to a 2-dot artifact weapon (with special material), it has 20/20 soak, and it has 18 mutation points. A 4-dot behemoth attacks as a 1-dot artifact and has 15 mutation points, so you really need to consider whether the extra 3 mutation points and weapon options are worth 3 more committed motes (which could be used on a 1-dot behemoth with 6 mutation points).

A 5-dot behemoth is therefore setup as a fairly powerful combat thing, and you can play with it in many ways. Give it a ranged weapon, Assumption of the City's Heart, and it can shoot everyone in the city - mix that with Shuffling the Pieces, and you've got a pseudo zombie outbreak. Or just make it more of a tank, and boost its damage to unspeakable heights with Sword and Ring charms (since the base artifact is a natural weapon).

I am fond of giving Behemoths of any size Assumption of Dreams and Passion, so they can look like me and go out to be killed in my stead. Unshaped Sword Transformation lets you repair them afterward too!

Oneiromancies of the Cup

5 dot Oneiromancies are primarily valuable as ways to get large areas of effect (City or Kingdom), and to deliver a pile of effects at that scale. Inward facing Oneiromancies are much more effective as 1-dot versions (two 1-dot inward facing Oneiromancies give you 18 points of glamour, more than you can get with a 5-dot, for only 6 committed motes).

Their other benefit is that, like 4-dot Oneiromancies, they are a hard to bypass with cold iron and last a long time. Still, unless you want an effect affects a City or a Kingdom, you're most likely better off not using one.

If you're using Living Kingdom, you get 12 glamour of effects for 15 motes: 0.8 glamour / mote (less if you use Mad God Mien, as that costs you effectively 3 glamour, so 0.6 / mote). A 4 dot Adjuration (the only other way to get Land's Heart) gives you 9 glamour for 12 motes: 0.75 glamour / mote (0.5 with Mad God Mien). So you have an incentive to go as big as possible if you're cursing or blessing entire countries!

If you're using City's Heart, you get 12 glamour of effects for 15 motes: 0.8 glamour / mote (always include Mad God Mien). A 4 dot Adjuration gives 9 glamour for 12 motes, and a 3 dot gives you 9 glamour for 9 motes (or 6 glamour for 9 motes with Mad God Mien). If you're toying with a city and worried about counterspells, use a big Oneiromancy. Otherwise, a 3-dot is better.

If you're using Land's Heart, you get 15 glamour of effects for 15 motes: 1 glamour / mote (Mad God Mien included). A 4 dot Adjuration gives 12 glamour for 12 motes, a 3 dot gives you 9 glamour for 9 motes, and a 2 dot gives you 9 glamour for 6 motes (without Mad God's Mien) or 6 glamour for 6 motes. At this scale, it depends on the effects you want to use - you can be justified in packing a lot of bonuses into one Oneiromancy, but cheaper ones can fit your overall budget more easily.

If you're using an ordinary Assumption, you get 15 glamour for 15 motes (Mad God Mien included), but the 2-dot gives 9 glamour for 6 motes, and a 1 dot gives 9 glamour for 3 motes, or 6 for 3 with Mad God Mien. So unless you want to use the Charm that requires 12 glamour (Curse of Definition), you have no reason to use a 5-dot Oneiromancy. And you can get more effects out of a 4-dot Oneiromancy and a 1-dot Oneiromancy (6-9 glamour instead of 3 for the same price).

Conclusion

For most Raksha workings, a lot of small artifacts give you much more effect than a few large ones. There are exceptions if you want to build in fairly specific directions, but as a rule it's the Fair Folk with a pile of lesser synergistic toys that will be the most effective.

metalith

2023-04-07, 03:54 AM

I think having my big 5 dot artifact be a Chancel might be the best bet. I doubt the ST will allow me to have an on tap Unshaped. Since questing against an Unshaped in creation is bad. Not sure how the Unshaped would work in a Chancel and how to convince one that living in a Chancel would be its best for it. Since at best it would be treated as Middlemarch. Maybe I can make arrangements with the ST but unsure what he would say.

I have a feeling my first big actions will be churning out the minions I need to get my activities up and running. Raksha to sacrifice to generate my Chancel Freehold. I do like the idea of the bazaar, but definitely would want to staff it will Heroic Commoners and Oath-bound Nobles loyal to me. If I can get an Unshaped to live without issue in the Chancel, an Oath-bound noble so that the Unshaped and us have an agreement so that we would quest regularly with it but give it time to recoup, and maybe occasionally something else. I can think of the idea of a couple of good Unshaped for that purpose, if the ST allows me to build it.

Oneiromancies are nice, but seems to be something a bit to obvious for me at least at this stage. It would seem to be something for way down the road, or after I choose to reveal myself to be the big bad or something and go up against the other members. :P

meschlum

2023-04-08, 02:10 AM

A Chancel can only contain a 1-dot Freehold, requiring 6+ waypoints. Interestingly, the rating of a freehold is largely meaningless - it only affects the number of pennants or cysts you can create (and your ability to create a Breakthrough). All other features depend on the rating of the freehold's places of power, so a freehold 1 can have a Sword 5 rating, and only control up to 56 waypoints. A freehold 5 with Sword 5 could go all the way up to 60 waypoints!

For the sake of elegance, I'd suggest getting a freehold with at least 7 waypoints, ideally 8 or more. You need 7 to host each Grace based feature (including a Beacon), and a few extra waypoints so visitors can be welcomed without risking your features.

Arcane Redoubt

This gives you Essence automatic successes at Shaping Rolls, which is great. It also lets you spy on people in the Freehold, or who hold a cyst or pennant (convenient, but you don't have many). Since you can return to the Chancel when you want, you don't need to own a cyst or pennant, so you can hand them to minions or patsies who'll spy for you. Make a pennant part of a gossamer suit of armor, give it to the captain of the guard, know what the guards are doing!

Fountainhead

This is of limited value to you. The Arcane Redoubt already lets you spy on what is going on, and the Chancel is small enough (even with 20 waypoints) that you don't need to worry about performing Ring attacks (they are ranged, almost everything is in range).

Glory

An excellent way to get people to stay and serve you - 6 to 10 (depending on the Cup Grace used. Create a commoner with 5 Cup, done) automatic successes at getting people to want to stay and let you take what you want from them. Also allows you to prevent other Raksha from respiring motes, so you can starve them out if they misbehave.

Stronghold

Extremely useful. Lets you expand the freehold from its initial 6 waypoints (so it's necessary if you want to have all the features), fully controlling the Chancel at Sword 2. You may want to leave 10 waypoints unclaimed for Unshaped shenanigans, of course (or release them from your control once you have all the ingredients in place). Even better, it lets you change the connections between waypoints, so you can more or less indefinitely prevent invaders from reaching you.

The Bazaar entrance has two journeys - one leading to the caravan grounds, one leading to the craftsmen's forges.

The caravan grounds, a mixture of tents, sand, wagons, and strange creatures, has two journeys as well - back to the entrance and into the hidden parts of the Bazaar.

The craftsmen's forges have other workshops as well, for metal, gems, ceramics, leather, wood, stone, and other products. From there, one journey are possible - back to the entrance.

The secret Bazaar is the first waypoint with a feature, possibly the Glory since it's where the most marvelous items and beings are traded. It has two journeys - to the craftsmen's forges, and to the Bazaar's guardhouse.

The guardhouse holds the Stronghold, and has journeys to various places besides the secret Bazaar.

If attackers come to the Chancel's entrance and then rush into the forges, the freehold's general can remove the connection between the forges and the secret Bazaar, instead linking it to the caravan grounds. The invaders have entered a dead end, and must go back to the entrance, then into the caravan ground - by which time, the initial journey can be reestablished.

You can create more advanced loops with more waypoints, but just this setup should help in case of intruders (requires 9 waypoints at least, for 6 waypoints with features plus the entrance, caravans, and forges - so Sword 1+ used in the Stronghold, which is easy).

Throne Room

Of debatable utility. Valuable if you have a stack of convenient Adjurations, as you can have them apply to everyone who swears to the freehold - thus ensuring all Raksha (and other grace bearers) loyal to you can fly and have Fire aspected appearances, for instance. If you don't want to play with adjurations, it's still sort of valuable in that you can swear a pile of oaths for everyone to follow, but that's what Ring and Staff are for anyway.

Beacon

Grants automatic successes to finding the way to the Bazaar for everyone within 5 miles. You're also getting a lot of automatic successes against being found from the Chancel, so the interaction between the two can be great or terrible - check with the GM. Knowing how many motes other Raksha have is vaguely convenient (especially if you're going to keep them from respiring), so it's not terrible, but needs GM rulings.

If you can have the Beacon trigger only for specific categories (orphans with special scars, loyal followers of your personal cult, and ornery camels), then you essentially have Diagon Alley in a handkerchief - the feylings can find it easily, but it's undetectable by the muggles.

Other fun things to do with Freeholds and Chancels

You're in the Wyld, and your Freehold, so you can actively change the landscape into whatever you want (and give yourself bonuses to actions as you do so).

You're in the Wyld, so a Ring Perception roll lets you know where everything interesting is, with a radius of 20 waypoints (so everywhere in the Chancel).

You can set an incumerbance on each waypoint, affecting everyone who enters. It only lasts for a scene and cannot interfere with other incumberances, so it's not utterly broken, but it still gives you a lot of fun options. "Tell your deepest desire to the guards at the Bazaar entrance" is fine for the entrance, and lets you know what to prepare for visitors. "Enjoy the food and drink on offer before going further" lets you amplify the effects of the Glory. "Stack all 1,356 crates of fragile glassware on top of each other without breaking anything." is basically a trap you set in a waypoint to slow down anyone who comes through it (your Stronghold can ensure this).

Your Chancel is portable, so decide what it looks like!

You have 5 secondary entrances, all within 5 miles of the primary entrance. This has fun applications for smuggling and travel, if some of them are outside a city and others inside...

Waypoint Knife (Ring charm) lets you 'vanish' a waypoint, so travel through it is automatic. This is a way to apply two incumerbances at once to anyone going through it - they can't be contradictory, but can help anyway.

These Dreams Are Clay (Ring charm, dreaming form) gives you 1 temporary gossamer for 5 motes. A great way to power your industry, since temporary gossamer can absolutely be used to create permanent artifacts, objects, or minions.

Waypoint Sealing Technique (Sword charm) lets you prevent others from entering a waypoint, using a Shaping attack. So it might fail against Exalts, but is another way to manage enemy travel - and a general can use it anywhere in the Freehold, plus it's cheap, so it can definitely have its uses.

The Gateway to Sundraprisha charm lets a Raksha turn into an Unshaped, and requires Heart 2, Essence 1 - something any heroic commoner has. You can create minions... It must be used in the Deep Wyld, which can be achieved in different ways. The simplest (depending on your GM) is to wait for the full moon and open your Chancel to the outside - raising its level from Middlemarch to Deep Wyld. The guaranteed method calls for creating a heroic Worker with Essence 4, All Consuming God Monster Stance, and a few stacks of Terrible Wonderland Infliction to allow the conversion of Creation into Deep Wyld. If it has Gateway too, you're set! You're not randomly dropping Unshaped in Creation, but just one in your Chancel, which your GM should be grateful for, too. There are other options that work better as parts of a story, like getting a Wyld Crucible from Creation to deepen the Wyld in part of the Chancel, spending time with Creation-born reshaping waypoints to make them more Wyld-like (geomancy style), and so on.

In order to help you accelerate your initial production, consider the following Charms:

Endless Yawning Void (Ring): extremely cheap dice adder (2 dice / mote) to increase your Staff or Ring pool. Again, you are limited by the die limit, which could honestly bear to be a bit higher. Maybe adding Heart to Essence (in Creation) or Grace (Shaping)?

Aegis of a Martial Destiny (Sword): you spend two motes / day instead of 1, and get an automatic success to all rolls to achieve your goal, based on an Intimacy. Another free success for your crafting, basically (and you can switch to a different Intimacy or drop the Charm when you step outside the Chancel and are not crafting).

Thematic Stunting Methodology (Sword): more stunt dice for your Style background, to ensure you have all the successes you need.

Harmonious Primordial Spirit (Sword): lets you upgrade a commoner to heroic commoner, using one of your Graces. Thematically suitable for crating an utterly loyal and customized minion who'll be able to create more things or servants for you.

Segev

2023-04-08, 10:13 AM

Sadly, I do not have time to give this thread the attention it deserves right now, but you're in good hands with meschlum. He knows Raksha really well.

I will offer this (made for a game set in a particular city, but also based on a concept that can be adapted easily. The mechanicsmare likely what will interet you the most, near he bottom): https://docs.google.com/document/d/10Nbk5VUvhLME6gTYS1AMkCg05-ukiS70dkF6mUW3vJM/edit

Apologies for it being a google doc. Like I said, no time to do conversions right now. I hope it helps give some ideas or what Raksha can do in Creation!

metalith

2023-04-08, 01:30 PM

Attempted to use the link but its saying to request access.

Segev

2023-04-08, 01:45 PM

Attempted to use the link but its saying to request access.

Darn it. Trying to share from my phone. I think it should work now.

meschlum

2023-04-12, 01:50 AM

The Sword of Love and the Sash of Dreams

Once upon a time, two mortal children fell in love. But since they were not important to the workings of Fate, none came to bless their love - except for the Fair Folk, who come without being called, and grant gifts without measuring the cost.

Because Creation is often cruel and will uncaringly strike down lovers, one of the mortals forged a dreamsteel Sword whose blows could not be avoided, with which to defend their love.

Because Mortals are rarely kind and will knowingly keep lovers apart, one of the mortals wove a Sash with a bounty of threads and pockets, to hold all that was needed for their love.

The children's love might have been perfect, but Creation is flawed and cannot accept such - especially from the least of its folk, chosen by none and for for no cause. Yet the Raksha intervened on their behalf, and rather than break the Sword and Sash, they were made greater.

If they were fortunate, the lovers walked out of the story, to love as long as they wished - but fortunate or not, they left the Sword and the Sash behind, and those remnants of their time in Creation are sought by many. Which dragon or follower of the maidens would not desire such a blade? Which child of the Empress or sifu does not hunger for safety and plentiful possessions? To these, the Sword and Sash are marvels to kill and scheme for - and so the Fair Folk know they will never be understood.

Mechanics
Two 1-dot Oneiromancies, plausibly forged from graces made for mortals
Assumption of Dreams and Passion: both the Sword and the Sash were formed from the raw stuff of love, even if it was just the love of one mortal for another.
(Sword) Unwanted Obsession Provocation Technique (twice): anyone facing the Sword becomes distracted by love it holds, and finds it extremely difficult to evade its blows. This applies an internal penalty of (lorekeeper's Essence) to attempts to parry or dodge it (at Essence 4+, the penalty is external).
(Sword) Elegant Muse Attitude: guided by their love, the wielder of the Sword finds it extremely easy to use. This grants a bonus of (lorekeeper's Essence) dice to using the weapon.
(Sash) Waypoint Knife: sometimes love needs to be protected - with the Sash lain in a circle around them, the lovers cannot be reached by any of the cruelty that lies beyond its embrace. Shaping or contact with cold iron are needed to get in or out of the area delimited by the Sash
(Sash) Unlimited Resplendence: sometimes love needs sustenance and company - the pockets of the Sash contain threads of its essence, which many are happy to trade for decent food, useful advice, or convenient rulings. Grants some dots in Resources, Backing, or Influence.

The flaw affecting both the Sword and Sash is that they won't affect other people who are in love. Which makes them seemingly flawless to most Exalts, of course! Sidereals have yet to figure out why these items appear to fail at random against utterly insignificant mooks, but with the assistance of a few more of their number they'll crack the secret any day now.

Demonstrating some decently versatile (combat and non-combat) Oneiromancies that can be made from Creation-born graces. The Sword is extremely potent against opponents without shaping defenses: an external penalty removes successes, so at Essence 4 the Sword gives +4 dice to hit, +2 DV, and opponents have -4 DV. Effectively a 12 dice shift when attacking. Mortals have Essence 1, so they only get +1 die (and maybe +1 DV). Still a 9 die shift when attacking... No perfect attacks involved, but also no mote cost (besides 3 committed motes by the lorekeeper) - so a fairly effective way to force perfect defenses.

I have been able to read the google doc - fun stuff!

Conflict with Exalts can definitely be challenging. You can operate at a consistently high dice pool, but have limited motes and perfects are hard to get. With the Sword, you are basically operating at their peak level all the time (7 dice Dex + 5 Dice Melee + 5 Dice specialization (Surpassing Excellence) + 4 Dice Sword gives you a pool of 21 dice, versus 23 dice from Dex 5, Melee 5, 3 dot specialization and 10 motes spent), while they have a significant disadvantage on defense (base parry / dodge DV of 8 instead of 12). You can boost yourself further with Style dice (stunts give you up to +5 dice to their +3), but that's a limited resource.

Shaping defenses remove the defensive disadvantage but you still have the same base pool, so they'll burn through motes on defenses.

Getting hit is an issue, since they have perfects and you may not (you're not a Strategos). This is where you can benefit from significant soak, via gossamer armor (around 18 base), which will reduce the pain. Add in the soak boosting charms (as charms or Adjurations), and you've got another 7 to 14 soak - enough to seriously reduce the damage you take.

You don't necessarily do major damage (that's what Behemoths are for - they have your dice pool (except dice from Charms) and extra benefits), but you're well suited to a Death of a Thousand Cuts style conflict - drain them of motes and then beat them into the ground.

If you can learn which abilities they favor or are not strongly invested in, you can design Oneiromancies that take advantage of these - between pennants, minions, and behemoth scouts, you should be able to decide where a fight will happen, and what the win conditions are. If they have no archers, get Gossamer Wing flight and kite them. If they have no shaping defenses, make things interesting (and granting you bonuses). If they have low Survival, make them suffer!

metalith

2023-04-12, 03:04 AM

Currently working on creating my CS now. All books are open to use within reason for the game including Merits/Flaws so decided to spend 4 bonus points on Extra Favored Abilities. I'm leaning toward Martial Arts since I do want to eventually learn some Martial Arts charms later on and I need a strong Sword Ability for when I need to use Sword Shaping actions, for when I do Questing. As well as Performance for Cup Shaping actions. Though the sword seems like a nice weapon, especially since I'm unsure of any gossamer items I can use with Martial Arts. Another rule we are using is 3XP for dots of backgrounds. So I can spend my starting XP to buy up certain backgrounds, since some backgrounds have no justification to be increased after character creation ie Birth.

meschlum

2023-04-12, 11:10 PM

The Forbidden Sutra

There never was a maiden
Who trampled the wind
Who fell into a teacup
Who shattered all she touched

With books and tales around her
She traveled from her bed
When any warrior found her
"You are a duck," she said

---------------

Fragments of the Forbidden Sutra are intently sought by devotees of the martial arts, whether their goal is to study them, destroy them, or otherwise. The martial art they hide and reveal is one that seems on par with those of the dragons, if not greater - and it is terrifyingly easy to learn. While the Realm has its reasons for seeking to burn out the Sutra wherever it is found, many of the martial arts world also oppose it, claiming it is not an art but a corruptive, infectious instinct.

Students of the Sutra must learn to conceal their art, or revel in it between hunts. Its lessons are taught in phrases, each a series of moves which can be used in combat to devastating effect - and the conclusion of each phrase is a working of essence that transcends the limits of mortals. A scholar who has mastered three or more phrases might be a threat to gods and dragons both, if one could be found.

Mechanics
1-dot Adjuration: Armament of Flesh
1-dot Adjuration: Knife Hand Dream
1-dot Adjuration: Surpassing Excellence (Natural Weapon), Surpassing Excellence (Join Battle)
Together, these Adjurations give you +5 Lethal Damage, +2 dice with your natural weapons (so +2 accuracy and +2 defense), +Essence points to distribute across other features of your unarmed attacks (Accuracy, Defense, Rate, and Damage, if you must, limited to Heart +1), and 2 extra dice for Join Battle rolls. This requires 3 committed motes, and as soon as your Essence is a bit higher, you do aggravated damage on a hit. You can boost the Rate of your Clinch to be more than 1, which is system breaking.

Stack on a few more Armaments of Flesh, and you have +4 to Accuracy, Defense, Rate, and Damage (since you're limited to Heart +1).

1-dot Inward Facing Oneiromancy
Assumption of Fire Form: the Sutra is written in letters of living flame on an unburning parchment.
Gossamer Wing Flight: the stances taught by the Sutra do not concern themselves with footing, and a student following them finds that they can walk on air as easily on the ground
Rarefied Air of Inevitable Victory: the essence of the Sutra's user will deflect incoming blows, adding +1 DV (equipment bonus)
Endless Yawning Void: the flames of the Sutra reach out to consume all those who come close, only ignoring their user
Swift Wings of Song: the Sutra allows its students to react with the speed of lightning
For 3 committed motes, you get +1 DV, (Cup) automatic successes to Join Battle rolls, flight, and a damaging aura. Sort of like an improved dragonblood!

1-dot Outward Facing Oneiromancy
Assumption of Duck form: the Sutra has the elegance and fluidity of a duck
Bestial Transformation: anyone punched three times by the Sutra's student will turn into a duck. This is a shaping effect.
King of Beasts Method: moving along the patterns revealed by a duck's wings, a student of the Sutra gets Essence dice to martial arts with their natural weapons.
Heart Stealing Kiss: the first blow of the Sutra's student will infect its victim with an insight into the terror of geese (and ducks), while gathering power for later techniques
Heart Stealing Kiss to lower enemy Valor and gain a mote reservoir (takes an action to get the motes), King of Beasts to get even more dice (and DV), and Bestial Transformation to give a pile of debilitating mutations to your foes. For 3 committed motes, what's not to like? Charge your reservoir off normal displays of skill, scaring a few extras when you get the chance, and you can refresh your mote pool at will (takes an action) during the important fights. Be sure to take duck pose when replenishing your motes.

1-dot Chancel
The entrance to this Chancel looks like a teacup - and is one, in fact. The Sutra can be hidden among other teacups while its student watches what occurs outside, ready to spring out at the least expected moment!

Besides the arsenal set out above, a Raksha who wants to invest in martial arts can access some very nice charms and effects.

- All Consuming God Monster Stance is exceedingly useful. You have Calling Upon the Dragon's Ire and Heart Stopping Numinous Power to use it in Creation and get +2 Essence for the purpose of Charms, which lets you get higher tier effects sooner. You get an extra benefit on top of that, with some interesting options - and the ability to get more by abusing Nature Eliminating Knife (destroy a grace, get a bonus - you have Graces of Wyld so you don't suffer Bedlam - then create the Grace again, and repeat).

- Overriding Construct of Fate lets you toss people one mile away at essence 6 (4 with All Consuming God Monster Stance). Great for demonstrating your skill, escaping (punch yourself or something you are attached to), and killing enemies (they don't take damage from whatever they run into. So kick them straight up and see if they can parry the ground).

- Hundred Hand Style (can be taken as an Adjuration) boosts your Rate by 2 for your natural weapons (except clinches).

- Radiance of the Invincible Warrior lets you teleport. It also breaks flurries, but teleporting is the good part.

- Imposition of Law (of course) can be taken as part of an Inward Facing Oneiromancy, giving you the benefits of up to three stacks of the Charm for 3 committed motes. Since it fails against Charms and Stunts, it's only really useful against extras.

- Bastion of the Self (also of course) can be put in an Adjuration (3 dots), giving you +Essence to DV and +Essence dice to resist damage. Plus immunity to mundane damage, of course.

- You could pick up Terrestrial / Celestial martial arts, but you may not need to!

metalith

2023-04-20, 02:50 AM

I am 95% completed my character.

I have a few fine points to fill in and put terms etc on my Artifacts, Freehold and Retinue. Link should be open for everyone to view. Only problem with the sheet I'm using is stats cap out at 7 dots, and I have 8 dots in Intelligence.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/15cFgVWs9M1p7UqGLaEXOJYEyywSu3kFc/view?usp=sharing

Segev

2023-04-20, 04:29 PM

What is your concept for him, now that he's come together? How do you plan to play him? What cool things do you look forward to doing?

meschlum

2023-04-21, 01:53 AM

metalith

2023-04-21, 03:40 AM

What is your concept for him, now that he's come together? How do you plan to play him? What cool things do you look forward to doing?

Concept: Merchant Prince

Playstyle: I plan to play him as a collector of debts, favors and toys. He will be congenial and pleasant. I am still trying to find the right emotion to embody with his assumption. I was thinking trustworthy, innocent, etc. As I was building him, I was thinking of a quote: “Water is fluid, soft, and yielding. But water will wear away rock, which is rigid and cannot yield. As a rule, whatever is fluid, soft, and yielding will overcome whatever is rigid and hard. This is another paradox: what is soft is strong.” ― Lao Tzu. So I'm looking to embody those aspects when I RP him.

Honestly, I am not sure. I want to be the guy that people come to when they need something, but each time there is a favor / debt incurred.

metalith

2023-04-21, 07:24 AM

Good questions all! I'm happy to suggest artifact ways of doing a lot, but I'd like to have a bit more to work with...

From the mechanical viewpoint:

What are the next charms you want to pick up? A 1-dot Adjuration and a freehold gives you Spectacular Insanity and Bedlam Masterworks for 1 committed mote, and can be shared with all your minions. This would free two charms for a solid amount of xp, so may be worthwhile. Knife Hand Dream may be better as an Adjuration (since it might not cost motes / gossamer to activate), and fits into a 1-dot Adjuration. Opalescent Gossamer Raiment and Worker's Gift are more things you could get for 1 committed mote (each), and sharing Worker's Gift with your freehold minions seems an excellent idea. Same for Glorious Hero Form.

Honestly there are so many avenues I can pursue. I am feeling okayish with my character. One of the first principles I have with any game is be competent enough in combat, since even in Exalted Roll Play exceeds rollplay when to comes to certain things. I don't have a huge amount of experience with combat in Exalted so trying to do my best to turtle and have some means of counter attacking.

I have the idea of my Freehold and have to put them all down to paper. Magic items have always been the hardest for me when it comes to games. One of the things I hate the most when playing D&D. :P

I am still new to the interactions so how would the adjuration/freehold thing work and would that 1 mote be mine or someone elses?

I have no problem with sharing to minions since I am planning to do that with some things further on.

Why not use Bastion of the Heart? It's more useful against Creation, and shaping combat Does Not Work anyway, so it's a minor concern. Again, an Adjuration would be 2 dots, which is a bit pricey.

The problem is with some discussions, I will have to be involved with questions for Artifacts 3+ with an Unshaped so while not in dealing with stuff in Creation I will have some work to do in my Freehold and other things. Since I have been given the okay to create the Unshaped I can work with, it doesn't mean its going to be friendly all the time as well, as I might have to deal with dominion style issues.

If you intend to abuse All Consuming God Monster Stance, you'd be better served keeping one Grace at 1 dot. Like that, when you sacrifice it for more bonuses to your Stance, you don't lose any investment when you re-create it. Also note your mote pool is small.

Your combat soak values do not reflect the bonuses from Opalescent Gossamer Raiment, or your armor.

I am aware. I wanted to start with Essence 4, but needed to spend XP elsewhere. I know about the soak. The soak sections are auto-filling with information from the character sheet except for EQ and charms. It would be noted manually.

From the Charm selection:

- You don't have any of the Great Works charms. Aren't you going to make things out of the graces you make for people?
- Translucent Dream Sheathing Technology lets you create minor magics (a sword that never misses grants a +1 wyld bonus to hit and a -1 wyld die penalty to being dodged, a levitating carpet can explicitly levitate as long as you accept it does...)
- Consider Heart Cutting Style. Combined with All Consuming God Monster Stance for an effective Essence 5, it lets you spend 7 motes, 1 gossamer to ignore the Appearance MDV cap. Mix in Glorious Hero Form for Appearance (as a Charm or Adjuration) and your performance rolls are terrifying.
- You want a plethora of Cup Charms to help your interactions with Creation. An inward facing Oneiromancy will cover all that, make sure to get one! Gladdening Vision, Heaven Rains Wisdom, Gossamer Wing Flight just cost 4 glamour, out of 9 available with a 1-dot Oneiromancy.
- You could consider Bottomless Dream Gullet to expand your mote pool, and use the motes from the pool for the charms / effects you sustain all the time.

- I thought about it but considering cost+time investments, I have leaned toward having some commoner minions be the work horses when it comes to the heavy duty crafting/reshaping of 3+ Wyld Artifacts.
- I thought about it TDST but ran out of XP when purchasing charms.
- If I can free up some charms and XP, I'm up for rearranging things.
- I would need to raise my Cup up to Cup 3 for some more charms since I had to cut it down to 2. There is so much I want to do, and only so much XP. I expected 150 xp to go much farther then it did. But at least I got some core things put into place.
- 9 available for what? I am not understand this point.
- It was on my list of want to buy since having only a person pool of essence, sucks when compared to even some of the weaker Exalted they have way more essence to throw around.

From the Backgrounds:

Artifact fun fair! Tainted Creature Command could interact remarkably well with an Outward Facing Oneiromancy with Bestial Transformation, granting wyld mutations to nearby Creation-born. I'd also recommend picking up Armament of Flesh as an Adjuration at least, to get a massive bonus to your accuracy (or defense?)

I thought about Armament but was unsure how well it would react with Martial Arts and the charm which it explicitly states barehanded attacks. Giving me +5 to attack and then possibly agg dmg when in All Consuming God Monster for Ess 5.

You have a serious retinue, so it would be a good idea to develop some of its members. You'll definitely want to know the attributes of your lorekeepers and beastmasters, as they'll be the ones powering your minor Oneiromancies and Behemoths. Maybe they're the ones with the artifact forging charms?

I am looking at prelimary spread of a Gatekeeper for Artifacts 5 - Chancel, a Beastmaster for Artifact 4 - Behemoth, and the Lorekeepers for the rest.

meschlum

2023-04-22, 01:24 AM

Honestly there are so many avenues I can pursue. I am feeling okayish with my character. One of the first principles I have with any game is be competent enough in combat, since even in Exalted Roll Play exceeds rollplay when to comes to certain things. I don't have a huge amount of experience with combat in Exalted so trying to do my best to turtle and have some means of counter attacking.

See the Forbidden Sutra for one approach. You also seem to be considering a Behemoth, which opens up other avenues. Exalts rarely have flight (Lunars aside), so it's worth investing in in order to get out of trouble.

I have the idea of my Freehold and have to put them all down to paper. Magic items have always been the hardest for me when it comes to games. One of the things I hate the most when playing D&D. :P

Grail of the Wyld's Gift

Mortals die.

This should not be, but Creation enforces its nonsensical rules on all within its reach, and even infects the Wyld with this madness.

Mortals die.

The Chosen of the Dragons, of the Incarna, of other powers... reject death, as they should, even the champions of the Underworld. Their core desire is to persist, even after their stories, their selves, have reached a conclusion. And so they try to escape the bonds of Creation.

Mortals die.

But what of the masses caged within Creation? Those who are not even given the power to slow death's approach, should it draw near? Their lords have many names for them, but a single identity: extras, mooks, pawns, minions... fodder and fuel to be consumed and worth nothing more.

Mortals die.

And yet each mortal dreams, even the least of the broken, starving peasants who never had a chance to hope for a day without pain, and - if Creation persists - never will. And their dreams are worthless, say the lords of Creation, and their masters within its hold.

Drink from the Grail, and live!

The Fair Folk value every mortal, most of all you, who have been long abandoned by your so called betters, who are told that the most you might achieve is to be forgotten. And the Grail is proof. One sip will restore to you all the vigor and health that Time and Work have stolen.

Drink from the Grail, and live!

Do you know whence the Grail comes? It is not an alien thing from the Wyld, nor some stolen marvel of Creation. No, it is your own desire for life, for wonder, for a future - which the Raksha have simply made manifest. Another sip will show you Creation, all the workings of Essence hidden from you until now. With that, its lords will welcome you below them, a not quite as disposable piece, and you can taste the marvels they kept from you before - so long as you accept their chains again.

Drink from the Grail, and live!

Was it not your highest ambition to be a more useful tool for your masters, to inflict on your companions the suffering these masters so carelessly threw your way? The Grail's gift will sustain you as you pursue your dreams, be they new or old. It is yours, after all, not Creation's, not the Fair Folk's, no one's but yours. Use it as you see fit.

Drink from the Grail and live!

And if you choose to sip a third time from the Grail, it will grant you what it has always given you - life. Life free of torment, unhaunted by the scepter of death, where you can say and act as you wish and need not fear retribution. Even time will loosen its grip upon you, if you take that third and final sip - but there is no hurry to do so.

Mechanics
1-dot Outward Facing Oneiromancy (3 committed motes, requires a lorekeeper with Essence 3 for the third sip to function)
Assumption of Dreams and Passion - the Grail is always full of an elixir that smells of life and wonder.
Ordinary Object Conjuration - someone sipping from the Grail once will consume a dose of Celestial Wine (5 resource dot item, so can be created). This cures wounds, heals diseases up to an including the Great Contagion, restores debilitating damage (possibly even the effects of ravishing), and tastes pretty good to boot.
Behemoth Forging Meditation - sipping twice from the Grail in the same scene grants the drinker the Awakened Essence mutation, so passing it along to a crowd of sick beggars gives you a cadre of healthy essence users.
Behemoth Forging Meditation - sipping three times from the Grail in the same scene grants the Immortal Flesh abomination, ensuring the drinker will survive inconveniences like being cut to pieces, burnt to ash, or buried at the bottom of the ocean.

Incidentally, a mortal sipping three times from the Grail will accumulate ten mutation points, and become a 1-dot fey beast, which Raksha can then tame and use for shaping combat. It's a way to get more than 6 mutation points on a 1-dot fey beast, I suppose... Or you can make them a few more Graces and elevate them to being a Raksha too!

I am still new to the interactions so how would the adjuration/freehold thing work and would that 1 mote be mine or someone elses?

I have no problem with sharing to minions since I am planning to do that with some things further on.

An Adjuration is a promise. Anyone who swears to the promise while possessing it gets the benefits - and they keep them even if someone else takes the Adjuration away. So if you don't have a freehold, you can start with an Adjuration of Worker's Gift, generously give it to a Worker minion, who swears "to work for its master until the sky falls", then have the minion give it to another minion, who swears on it... it takes a while, but can be shared that way (you might want to recover it at the end, even if you don't swear it).

With a freehold that has a Throne Room, the vizier who holds the Throne Room (not you) can swear to the Adjuration, and then the ruler of the freehold (you) can reflexively assign to or remove it from any of your minions. They need to commit the motes while they have it, but only the vizier needs to have the motes committed full time.

The practical benefit is that you can have the cheap charms you want when you need them, as well as other charms that work better on minions than on you, and be sure they'll be available (or not have them and not need to commit the motes).

The problem is with some discussions, I will have to be involved with questions for Artifacts 3+ with an Unshaped so while not in dealing with stuff in Creation I will have some work to do in my Freehold and other things. Since I have been given the okay to create the Unshaped I can work with, it doesn't mean its going to be friendly all the time as well, as I might have to deal with dominion style issues.

Fair enough. Shaping combat comes closest to working when it's questing against the Unshaped, so sure. Still, you could fit a Bastion into a 3-dot Adjuration (3 committed motes), and be able to spread it across the entire Freehold...

I am aware. I wanted to start with Essence 4, but needed to spend XP elsewhere. I know about the soak. The soak sections are auto-filling with information from the character sheet except for EQ and charms. It would be noted manually.

Good to hear! Assigning some of your Charms to Adjurations can let you save xp at the cost of committed motes (and Artifact dots). Your call.

- I thought about it but considering cost+time investments, I have leaned toward having some commoner minions be the work horses when it comes to the heavy duty crafting/reshaping of 3+ Wyld Artifacts.

Your minions will not get your automatic successes from being the freehold's master, so your Diplomat will have to be built very carefully. An Adjuration with Creator's Fugue (1 point, so you can fit something else in it too) will give 1 automatic success on creating new things, which is nice.

- 9 available for what? I am not understand this point.

A 1-dot Inward facing Oneiromancy has 10 glamour points. 1 must be used to give it an assumption, and the other 9 are used to give you useful powers.

Wanderer's Staff

Those who travel the furthest reaches of Creation are sometimes fortunate enough to find a Wanderer's Staff. These bits of natural essence workings attune themselves closely to their finders, and cannot be used by others even if a Staff owner dies, or if it is stolen or given freely. The most noticeable effect of the Staff is that its owner can walk on air as well as the ground, allowing them to climb steep mountains with ease.

Rumors have it that a Staff might have other properties, but they must be minor indeed - after all, impressive as the ability to fly might be, the owners of the Staves are all ordinary, honest folk who just have a tendency to wander a bit further than usual!

Mechanics
1-dot Inward Facing Oneiromancy (3 committed motes)
Assumption of Wood Form (1) - the Staff is made from a very rare kind of wood, which does not grow anywhere near here but is perfectly natural.
Gossamer Wing Flight (2) - with the help of the Staff, its owner can wander into the heavens themselves
Heaven Rains Wisdom (1) - a wanderer has learned to attune to hearthstones, and is familiar with lore from many places
Gladdening Visage (1) - wanderers are from Creation, there can be no doubt of it! (Requires equal or higher Essence to pierce the illusion. God Monster Stance means 5+ Essence...)
Rarefied Air of Inevitable Victory (2) - a Staff tends to get in the way of incoming blows, deflecting them with ease (+1 equipment DV)
Untouchable Performer Technique (1) - wanderers are helpful, harmless people and any gathering will certainly not agree to do anything to trouble them!
Elemental Transformation (2) - actually, I've heard that some wanderers are actually Wood Dragonbloods in disguise! If they are troubled, they can reveal their true forms and wreak havoc, so it's best to respect them!

You don't need to have it in the shape of a Staff, of course - a hat could work as well if you're into martial arts. This gives you the benefits of 6 reasonably useful charms for three committed motes. And they're charms you don't need to buy with XP, or have the Graces and Charm trees to purchase! You might consider changing the charms, of course. Mad God Mien (1) protects you from countermagic, which can be useful, Ordinary Object Conjuration (1) gives you one predefined item (a purse full of jade is always nice), Subtle Hammer (1) protects you from having your Motivation read... On the other side of the cost spectrum, Beguilement (5) makes all your social attacks UMI and cost 1 extra willpower to resist.

- It was on my list of want to buy since having only a person pool of essence, sucks when compared to even some of the weaker Exalted they have way more essence to throw around.

Consider an Outward Facing Oneiromancy with Heart Stealing Kiss. It's a mote battery that can accumulate a more or less unlimited charge if exposed to mortals. You need to spend an action to recharge your motes, but you can refill your (shallow) pool freely.

I thought about Armament but was unsure how well it would react with Martial Arts and the charm which it explicitly states barehanded attacks. Giving me +5 to attack and then possibly agg dmg when in All Consuming God Monster for Ess 5.

Armament explicitly works with martial arts attacks per the Charm text, so I'd tend to expect it to work with Knife Hand Dream too. GM call, I suppose. Note that mutations (from Adjurations) give you the benefits permanently, so you might not need to spend motes on activating the benefits if you get Knife Hand Dream as a 1-dot Adjuration.

I am looking at prelimary spread of a Gatekeeper for Artifacts 5 - Chancel, a Beastmaster for Artifact 4 - Behemoth, and the Lorekeepers for the rest.

That leaves you only 6 dots of minor artifacts - I'd want to go for more, but then I am not entirely impartial. What do you intend to do with your Behemoth? At 4 dots, you have a lot of options, most of which are ways to kill things. Do you want to go toe to toe with Exalts? Wipe out armies? Be a perfect assassin? Grant Dragon-blood tier power to a family of your worshipers? Lead a healing martial arts cult? Something else?

The Glyphstone

2023-04-22, 09:24 AM

I dont suppose there is a glossary somewhere of Fair Folk terms, to help follow this as a non-player? Behemoths, Shaped/Unshaped, inward/outward-facing, etc.?

metalith

2023-04-22, 11:07 AM

See the Forbidden Sutra for one approach. You also seem to be considering a Behemoth, which opens up other avenues. Exalts rarely have flight (Lunars aside), so it's worth investing in in order to get out of trouble.

I am interested in the Forbidden Sutra, but the part about changing into a duck, doesn't fit my focus. I would love it, if it could be modified so that the last line would be ("Serve me" she said) and that that instead of turning the target into a duck, it would turn them into servants, by overriding their motivation or instilling an intimacy of reverence or servitude to me. IE weaving the enemy into my narrative as an asset instead of an obstacle.

Grail of the Wyld's Gift

Mortals die.

This should not be, but Creation enforces its nonsensical rules on all within its reach, and even infects the Wyld with this madness.

Mortals die.

The Chosen of the Dragons, of the Incarna, of other powers... reject death, as they should, even the champions of the Underworld. Their core desire is to persist, even after their stories, their selves, have reached a conclusion. And so they try to escape the bonds of Creation.

Mortals die.

But what of the masses caged within Creation? Those who are not even given the power to slow death's approach, should it draw near? Their lords have many names for them, but a single identity: extras, mooks, pawns, minions... fodder and fuel to be consumed and worth nothing more.

Mortals die.

And yet each mortal dreams, even the least of the broken, starving peasants who never had a chance to hope for a day without pain, and - if Creation persists - never will. And their dreams are worthless, say the lords of Creation, and their masters within its hold.

Drink from the Grail, and live!

The Fair Folk value every mortal, most of all you, who have been long abandoned by your so called betters, who are told that the most you might achieve is to be forgotten. And the Grail is proof. One sip will restore to you all the vigor and health that Time and Work have stolen.

Drink from the Grail, and live!

Do you know whence the Grail comes? It is not an alien thing from the Wyld, nor some stolen marvel of Creation. No, it is your own desire for life, for wonder, for a future - which the Raksha have simply made manifest. Another sip will show you Creation, all the workings of Essence hidden from you until now. With that, its lords will welcome you below them, a not quite as disposable piece, and you can taste the marvels they kept from you before - so long as you accept their chains again.

Drink from the Grail, and live!

Was it not your highest ambition to be a more useful tool for your masters, to inflict on your companions the suffering these masters so carelessly threw your way? The Grail's gift will sustain you as you pursue your dreams, be they new or old. It is yours, after all, not Creation's, not the Fair Folk's, no one's but yours. Use it as you see fit.

Drink from the Grail and live!

And if you choose to sip a third time from the Grail, it will grant you what it has always given you - life. Life free of torment, unhaunted by the scepter of death, where you can say and act as you wish and need not fear retribution. Even time will loosen its grip upon you, if you take that third and final sip - but there is no hurry to do so.

Mechanics
1-dot Outward Facing Oneiromancy (3 committed motes, requires a lorekeeper with Essence 3 for the third sip to function)
Assumption of Dreams and Passion - the Grail is always full of an elixir that smells of life and wonder.
Ordinary Object Conjuration - someone sipping from the Grail once will consume a dose of Celestial Wine (5 resource dot item, so can be created). This cures wounds, heals diseases up to an including the Great Contagion, restores debilitating damage (possibly even the effects of ravishing), and tastes pretty good to boot.
Behemoth Forging Meditation - sipping twice from the Grail in the same scene grants the drinker the Awakened Essence mutation, so passing it along to a crowd of sick beggars gives you a cadre of healthy essence users.
Behemoth Forging Meditation - sipping three times from the Grail in the same scene grants the Immortal Flesh abomination, ensuring the drinker will survive inconveniences like being cut to pieces, burnt to ash, or buried at the bottom of the ocean.

Incidentally, a mortal sipping three times from the Grail will accumulate ten mutation points, and become a 1-dot fey beast, which Raksha can then tame and use for shaping combat. It's a way to get more than 6 mutation points on a 1-dot fey beast, I suppose... Or you can make them a few more Graces and elevate them to being a Raksha too!

I really like this and will be taking it.

An Adjuration is a promise. Anyone who swears to the promise while possessing it gets the benefits - and they keep them even if someone else takes the Adjuration away. So if you don't have a freehold, you can start with an Adjuration of Worker's Gift, generously give it to a Worker minion, who swears "to work for its master until the sky falls", then have the minion give it to another minion, who swears on it... it takes a while, but can be shared that way (you might want to recover it at the end, even if you don't swear it).

With a freehold that has a Throne Room, the vizier who holds the Throne Room (not you) can swear to the Adjuration, and then the ruler of the freehold (you) can reflexively assign to or remove it from any of your minions. They need to commit the motes while they have it, but only the vizier needs to have the motes committed full time.

The practical benefit is that you can have the cheap charms you want when you need them, as well as other charms that work better on minions than on you, and be sure they'll be available (or not have them and not need to commit the motes).

How many motes, since that the confusion I'm having. I do plan on having a Throne Room in the Freehold and would like to have a few Adjurations but want to make sure commitment and usage isn't to crazy. Since mote/commitment usage was a reason for certain changes I had to make.

Still, you could fit a Bastion into a 3-dot Adjuration (3 committed motes), and be able to spread it across the entire Freehold...

Will do.

Your minions will not get your automatic successes from being the freehold's master, so your Diplomat will have to be built very carefully. An Adjuration with Creator's Fugue (1 point, so you can fit something else in it too) will give 1 automatic success on creating new things, which is nice.

Understood. I think a few Diplomats for creating lv 3 artifacts will be primary goals. Forging lv 4 and 5 artifacts may not be the most immediate concerns, especially considering the information you have provided that most lv 5 artifacts are for specific hyper-focused goals. Honestly, if a lower leveled Chancel had the necessary way points, I think I would have swapped the Chancel and Behemoth. Since I am leaning toward the idea of having a "guard dog" style behemoth and being a level 5 artifact Sword shaping weapon would be nice for dealing with questing.

A 1-dot Inward facing Oneiromancy has 10 glamour points. 1 must be used to give it an assumption, and the other 9 are used to give you useful powers.

Wanderer's Staff

Those who travel the furthest reaches of Creation are sometimes fortunate enough to find a Wanderer's Staff. These bits of natural essence workings attune themselves closely to their finders, and cannot be used by others even if a Staff owner dies, or if it is stolen or given freely. The most noticeable effect of the Staff is that its owner can walk on air as well as the ground, allowing them to climb steep mountains with ease.

Rumors have it that a Staff might have other properties, but they must be minor indeed - after all, impressive as the ability to fly might be, the owners of the Staves are all ordinary, honest folk who just have a tendency to wander a bit further than usual!

Mechanics
1-dot Inward Facing Oneiromancy (3 committed motes)
Assumption of Wood Form (1) - the Staff is made from a very rare kind of wood, which does not grow anywhere near here but is perfectly natural.
Gossamer Wing Flight (2) - with the help of the Staff, its owner can wander into the heavens themselves
Heaven Rains Wisdom (1) - a wanderer has learned to attune to hearthstones, and is familiar with lore from many places
Gladdening Visage (1) - wanderers are from Creation, there can be no doubt of it! (Requires equal or higher Essence to pierce the illusion. God Monster Stance means 5+ Essence...)
Rarefied Air of Inevitable Victory (2) - a Staff tends to get in the way of incoming blows, deflecting them with ease (+1 equipment DV)
Untouchable Performer Technique (1) - wanderers are helpful, harmless people and any gathering will certainly not agree to do anything to trouble them!
Elemental Transformation (2) - actually, I've heard that some wanderers are actually Wood Dragonbloods in disguise! If they are troubled, they can reveal their true forms and wreak havoc, so it's best to respect them!

You don't need to have it in the shape of a Staff, of course - a hat could work as well if you're into martial arts. This gives you the benefits of 6 reasonably useful charms for three committed motes. And they're charms you don't need to buy with XP, or have the Graces and Charm trees to purchase! You might consider changing the charms, of course. Mad God Mien (1) protects you from countermagic, which can be useful, Ordinary Object Conjuration (1) gives you one predefined item (a purse full of jade is always nice), Subtle Hammer (1) protects you from having your Motivation read... On the other side of the cost spectrum, Beguilement (5) makes all your social attacks UMI and cost 1 extra willpower to resist.

Well, I was thinking about picking up a Martial Arts compatible weapon, for when I'm running low on motes/gossamer. I was leaning toward a 7-section staff.

Consider an Outward Facing Oneiromancy with Heart Stealing Kiss. It's a mote battery that can accumulate a more or less unlimited charge if exposed to mortals. You need to spend an action to recharge your motes, but you can refill your (shallow) pool freely.

I was considering something like this. I am wanting my Freehold to be a Bazaar, a place of trade where mortals are welcome to come and trade, with all features plus a beacon. I was looking for either Oneiromancy or Adjurations to help protect the freehold and milk the guests. Like something, that Entry to the Bazaar you agree to these rules and you are protected by decorum and must pay X thing. If you do not agree, you have no protection and open to surviving by your own skill.

Armament explicitly works with martial arts attacks per the Charm text, so I'd tend to expect it to work with Knife Hand Dream too. GM call, I suppose. Note that mutations (from Adjurations) give you the benefits permanently, so you might not need to spend motes on activating the benefits if you get Knife Hand Dream as a 1-dot Adjuration.

That leaves you only 6 dots of minor artifacts - I'd want to go for more, but then I am not entirely impartial. What do you intend to do with your Behemoth? At 4 dots, you have a lot of options, most of which are ways to kill things. Do you want to go toe to toe with Exalts? Wipe out armies? Be a perfect assassin? Grant Dragon-blood tier power to a family of your worshipers? Lead a healing martial arts cult? Something else?

Well since I'll be building the most prominent members of my retinue (5 heroic commoners and 5 handlers/gatekeepers/beastmasters). The write up is vague if the handlers/etc have to be standard commoners or can be heroic. As of right now, the other Raksha that will be holding the other positions in the freehold, will be nobles forged by me, I asked and approved, since I have the appropriate charms (No XP). I'm currently working on the write up and the Vizier will be having a high Artifact rating. Originally it was going to be a heroic commoner but i asked and got a nod off.

metalith

2023-04-22, 01:35 PM

I dont suppose there is a glossary somewhere of Fair Folk terms, to help follow this as a non-player? Behemoths, Shaped/Unshaped, inward/outward-facing, etc.?

I'll see if there is an easy glossary online somewhere. There is a lexicon in the front of the book but it doesn't come every term in the book. I copied part of the lexicon here, and removed terms that were not relevant to the discussions so far.

Assumption: The physical form a shaped raksha builds for himself with Charms in order to better survive outside the Wyld.
Cup: The Grace of the Fair Folk focusing on conciliation and performance, it emulates the Virtue of Compassion.
Fair Folk: The most popular term used by Creation’s denizens to refer to the raksha in order to avoid drawing the alien creatures’ attention. Raksha only refer to themselves with this term as an act of self-aware humor.
Grace: An artifact repository for the one of the raksha’s Virtue and Willpower emulators. Five Graces exist—Cup, Ring, Staff, Sword and the prime Heart Grace.
Heart: The central Grace of the Fair Folk, which houses her self-awareness and Willpower. It is defended by the other four Graces.
journey: A connection between two waypoints remembered as a dreamlike and impressionistic transition that puts travel between the two waypoints in context.
possession: A thing which intrinsically belongs to one of the raksha as a result of metaphysical links created through various Charms. Any possession may be reflexively summoned from or dismissed to Elsewhere by its raksha owner, and may be cosmetically modified by her to better meet her current needs or whims.
raksha: An aggregate of five Graces, possessing either a single or dual feeding maws, commonly referred to as one of the Fair Folk by Creation’s inhabitants. To survive outside the Wyld, a raksha must use an Assumption to create a physical form for himself to avoid calcification by the sheer rigidity of shaped reality.
Rakshastan: Those parts of Creation that have been overlapped by the Wyld. Creation’s inhabitants typically refer to Rakshastan as simply “the Wyld,” but more accurately, it is a blend of both Creation and the true Wyld that exists beyond the world’s boundaries. Rakshastan isn’t a unified nation of any sort, merely the natural habitat of shaped raksha that surrounds stable Creation.
ring: A group of Fair Folk working together to achieve common goals or for mutual protection from more powerful raksha. The closest Fair Folk equivalent to the Exalted circle.
Ring: The Grace of the Fair Folk focusing on identity and the drive to fulfill the raksha’s purpose, it emulates the Virtue of Temperance.
shaping: A raksha’s innate ability to shape the reality of the Wyld through the power of her Graces.
shaping action: The time necessary to complete a single act of shaping in the Wyld.
shinma: Embodying pure concepts that exist in and even beyond the Wyld, the shinma abide somewhere between natural laws and idiot gods, venerated and studied by the raksha (as well as the Primordials and the Exalted savants of the High First Age).
Staff: The Grace of the Fair Folk focusing on diplomacy and society, it emulates the Virtue of Conviction.
Sword: The Grace of the Fair Folk focusing on dominance and respect, it emulates the Virtue of Valor.
waypoint: A place in the Wyld of variable size wherein events can occur.

meschlum

2023-04-22, 01:57 PM

Native Advisor's Valuable Information

People get lost - be it in the Wyld or in Creation - and find themselves utterly confused by the local languages and customs, even if they think they understand the meanings of the words.

Heroes get lost - intentionally or otherwise - and need to navigate their way through complex mazes, whether physical, social, or remembering minor details about bit players mentioned a few chapters ago.

Champions have a solution! The Native Advisor's Valuable Information (NAVI) will follow you wherever you go, ready to dispense useful reminders and knowledge you might have skipped over during the credits or forgotten to pick up at the last safe zone. Manifesting in a shape that 93.5% of all surveyed young squirrel-kin went "Squee" to, this invaluable companion will guide and assist you through your quest.

NAVI Note: all squirrel-kin words are "Squee".

Mechanics
1-dot Behemoth
Assumption of Air Form: while not actually capable of flight, NAVI has wings, can float above the ground and communicates primarily in high pitched whistles
Tiny: NAVI is rather small - dare we say fairy size?
Imposition of Law (Intelligence + Lore: Exposition): Everything you need to know about the current plot, the backstory, and the setting lore, all in one adorable package!

NAVI Note: Useful Fair Folk vocabulary for reading meschlum's ramblings!

Creation-born: sentient beings that inhabit Creation and its nearby realms and lack a strong affinity for the Wyld or associated concepts (a dream demon might not qualify, for instance). Anything a Creation-born does to one of the Raksha cannot be dismissed by Shaping, no matter how important or insignificant the Creation-born is. Technically includes Creation itself, insofar as being hit by a real rock will inflict real wounds to the Fair Folk, even if it's another Raksha doing it or there is no one else to see it happen.

Mortals: the unexalted masses, extremely numerous, full of tasty dreams, and rarely rising to the heights of bit players from the perspective of Exalts.
Awakened Essence Users: mortals who have learned to channel their essence, gaining the ability to learn sorcery or martial arts. This knack for essence use can be the result of training, consuming drugs with a high essence content, heredity, the Wyld, sorcery, and more.
Exalts: come in three tiers, have supernatural powers from their patrons, annoyingly resistant to the Wyld.
Spirits and Demons: immaterial entities (including minor gods) which can (or want) act on Creation, typically existing for a specific purpose (the spirit of a tree, a demon of fearful mathematics). They can take on physical shape and are hard but not impossible for the Wyld to influence.
The Dead: when mortals die, parts of them keep on going. Ghosts, zombies, and so forth. Can be affected by the Wyld.
Incarna: the gods of Creation and other places. Exceedingly dangerous, responsible for creating Exalts, best avoided until the final showdown.
Luna: Run. It won't help, but She may be amused.

Raksha: Fair Folk
Fair Folk: Raksha
Creatures of the Wyld: including both Raksha and Fair Folk, among other species, the Wyld has a wide variety of beings that can be played (mostly Raksha) or contested with (including Fair Folk). There are essentially three tiers of Wyld entities, with some potential to cross over.

Wyld Beasts: these are by default non sapient, and include mortals (q.v.) subsumed in a story (often a violent one), incomplete Raksha, particularly consistent shrubs that have not yet realized they are things, servants and minions created for the sake of Shaping scene and possibly persisting afterwards, Behemoths, etc.

Wyld Afflicted Mortals: formerly Creation-born, turned into Wyld beasts by different methods. Can in principle include Fantasies of Creation-born that never actually were Creation-born, but just look that way.
Mannikins: tiny servants of the Fair Folk, often capable of manifesting in Creation on their own. More dangerous than they look.
Servants: purpose built minions of the Raksha, highly customized but ultimately disposable if they are not interesting. Includes various nightmare creatures as well as platypus butlers.
Behemoths: the war beasts of the Fair Folk, used in Shaping Combat or wielded in Creation. Can come close to being sapient under some circumstances (mostly by virtue of being terrifyingly powerful).

Shaped Raksha: these are what you'll play under most circumstances. Sapient entities of the Wyld with the ability to feed on the souls of the Creation-born. Can participate in Shaping or learn to do so. Effectively immortal in the Wyld so long as no Creation-born are nearby and other Fair Folk are not heavily invested in killing them. Wear an Assumption to exist in Creation, often permanently.

Commoner Raksha: barely above Servants (and can be created from them or other Wyld Beasts), they are not capable of Shaping but can follow their cues and live up to their roles - possibly even improvising a bit. Mechanically, they have a single feeding Grace (virtue they consume), Heart 1, and may not even be able to consume souls on their own.
Heroic Commoner Fair Folk: can Shape, and are extremely useful followers to have, if a bit specialized. An actual starting character option which is not as terrible as it could be (still pretty bad unless you want to play a specialized one hit wonder). Better than ordinary Commoners in every respect, but a lot rarer. Mechanically, still have a single feeding Grace, Heart 2, and likely capable of subsisting in Creation for a while without dying.
Fae-Blooded: Sometimes the Creation-born and the Raksha become very friendly, and a story or so later a child appears! Mix the characteristics of both Fair Folk and Awakened Essence Users with a few unique twists, plausibly capable of Shaping and learning Terrestrial Martial Arts. Mechanically don't have a feeding Grace, Heart is treated as 2 (does not have a Heart Grace), manages fairly well in Creation but cannot have Essence over 3.
Noble Raksha: can Shape and are most likely what you're playing. Capable of messing with Exalts and surviving, by virtue of having excellent attributes and powers that are very different from what Exalts usually deal with. Plus, Grace Magic and tricks. Mechanically have 2 feeding Graces (rarely 3), Heart 3 (4 if they have 3 feeding Graces), and (like all Fair Folk) never have enough motes.

Unshaped Raksha: The Unshaped are not like the Shaped Fair Folk - they are massive Wyld entities defined by a story and little else, unable or unwilling to manifest such mundane things are bodies or sentience. They manifest as extremely powerful Freeholds, with special rules on top, and are the target of quests - a questing Fair Folk can challenge an Unshaped and, if successful, gain or improve Grace Magic. This is the only way to get 3-dot or more Grace Magic. Heart 5 for the dominant aspect of the Unshaped's being, 4 for the rest, and very different from Noble Raksha!

Assumption: not that kind. A charm that lets your Raksha wear a specific shape (or customize their shape), with a theme (an element, an animal, an emotion...). Most abusable are the charms that let you possess people or become part of the landscape, for different reasons. Honorable Mention to Dreams and Passion, which (besides emotion shapes) lets you disguise yourself as someone else - and be better at looking like them than they are! Wyld things that lack an Assumption cannot exist for long in Creation (and even with an Assumption, it takes some work), but they can be granted a temporary Assumption by their Fair Folk masters.

Shaping: Fair Folk can modify reality while in the Wyld. It does not work as well on Creation-born, but a lot of their internal conflicts and charms in the Wyld work around the concept of (ahem) shaping their environment (and their selves).

Fantasy: the story a Raksha creates within a Waypoint, possibly conflicting with the stories told by other Fair Folk in the same place. More importantly, Creation-born caught in a Fantasy can go along with it (and be empowered), or resist it (and face difficulties). This is not Shaping Combat, where stories vie for supremacy (or Raksha try to durably enforce stories on the Creation-born), just background color that has a mechanical effect.

A Fantasy of a table full of irresistible food will allow Creation-born to eat an entire elephant each if they go along with it, or make it hard for them to leave the table if they don't want to partake. Once the Fantasy is over, its effects fade away. A Shaping Combat (Cup) of a table full of irresistible food will leave Creation-born with a long term need to consume elephants imprinted in their souls.

Gossamer: the Wyld is hard to keep in a single shape. Accordingly, gossamer is used to make any changes more durable - this is also used to allow things of the Wyld (and Fair Folk) to persist more easily in Creation. Think of it as an alternate mote pool which is used to power some charms.

Grace: the Raksha do not person well. In order to interact with others (even other Raksha) and not simply shut down in a solipsistic spiral, they shape Graces out of the stuff of the Wyld, which allow them to act on or with things besides themselves. It is possible to create a Grace for someone who lacks one, by virtue of being Creation-born or a not fully sentient being of the Wyld.

Heart: Existence. A Raksha without a Heart does not exist. This is the only Grace not used for feeding by some sort of Fair Folk, and cannot be granted to the Creation-born under normal circumstances.
Cup: Empathy. Realizing other people want things, and that you can give them what they want. Realizing you want things, for that matter. Fair Folk with high Cup are Entertainers, and feed on Compassion.
Ring: Self Definition. Defining rules for yourself about what you will and will not do, remaining yourself in the chaos of the Wyld. Raksha with high Ring are Workers, and feed on Temperance.
Staff: Social Awareness. Viewing not-you beings as sentient and capable of having goals or interacting with each other when you're not there to dictate them. Fair Folk with high Staff are Diplomats, and feed on Conviction.
Sword: Presence. Acting on the world (typically by beating it up) rather than passively watching things happen. Raksha with high Sword are Warriors and feed on Valor.
Way: Location. A deeper sense of geography and the workings of space - not actually required to be a functional Raksha. Fair Folk with high Way are Guides and feed on Perception.

Bedlam: the Raksha do not person well. Even with Graces, they can still lose their minds (temporarily), either from channeling their virtues too much or as a consequence of someone tampering with their Graces. This is called Bedlam, and there are a few Charms that exploit it.

Calcification: the Raksha do not reality well. Even with an Assumption, they bleed motes while in Creation and may well cease to exist if they grow too boring (the errata added Stasis as another way of messing with Raksha).

Grace Magic: meschlum's drug of choice. Stay a few realities away if you want avoid splash damage. By shaping a Grace into a artifact, the Fair Folk can achieve a variety of powers. These often come at a cost, but said costs can often be passed on to minions. If a minion powers some Grace Magic for you, the effects are based off the minion's abilities and attributes rather than yours. 1-dot Grace Magic can be created with the Graces of Commoners (Heart 1-2), 2-dot with the Graces of Nobles (Heart 3-4), and anything more requires the contribution of the Unshaped. Note that Grace Magic is made from / with actual Graces, so there is a physical object manifesting the effect, which can be stolen or destroyed.

Oneiromancy: the Grace Magic of the Cup. Spells that last for anything from a season to a century, affecting the environment or the caster. Since Errata struck, they are split into two categories: inward- and outward- facing, depending on whether they work on anyone nearby or only on the caster. As Grace Magic, despite being spells, these come as physical objects, so they only work around the object embodying them. Casting one of these takes some time, a fair amount of motes, and some Gossamer.

Inward-Facing Oneiromancy: these are personal buffs. An inward-facing Oneiromancy allows you to access a wide range of charms which you might not otherwise be able to afford, mostly focused around getting backgrounds (a wallet that gives you Resources, a jug of wine that gives you Allies, etc.). Other charms can also be granted, including flight, shapeshifting, and some social and combat abilities. One of these will give you 3-6 Charms for the cost of 3 committed motes, which is a bargain.

Outward-Facing Oneiromancy: these change reality around them, in a huge variety of ways. Higher tier Oneiromancies can affect cities or nations, which significantly amplifies your threat rating. Can go from protecting people wearing green hats from sandstorms to transforming everyone in a country into a cat on their sixteenth birthday - before looking into complicated stuff. Can be transferred to a minion to supply the committed motes.

Treasure: the Grace Magic of the Ring. Boring, but ripe to specific forms of abuse. All Raksha Treasures correspond to Exalted artifacts, without magical material bonuses. What you get if you want to look like a Dragon-blood with an armory of wonders backing you.

Adjuration: the Grace Magic of the Staff. Promises. Make a promise, and get power in exchange - what's not to like? Since the errata, cannot be used to mutate yourself, only to get Raksha charms (so an Adjuration can grant the Gossamer Winged Flight charm, but not the Wings mutation). Very low commitment costs (1 mote / dot of Adjuration), so a way to get some charms you may want cheaply - similar to Inward Facing Oneiromancies in that way, but with much more focus on combat and personal augmentation. Can be shared with others, so if you and your friends all promise to eat your vegetables every day, you can all get a bonus Strength dot!

Behemoth: the Grace Magic of the Sword. Monsters that do your bidding. Extremely flexible, as they can get mutations as well as Charms (with the mutation keyword), so you can have a behemoth with both wings and Gossamer Winged Flight. Mostly used as killing machines - and can be very good at it - but some creativity can allow them to fill other roles as well. Since they can get Assumption Charms, it's possible to have a behemoth that possesses people, or is the local city.

Chancel: the Grace Magic of the Way. Pocket worlds, essentially. Even a 1-dot Chancel contains hundreds of square miles of territory you can modify at will, including a backup exit a mile away from the main entrance. Can contain Freeholds once they get larger, and can be wrapped up and carried in your wallet when you're done using one. Also a very good way to recover your motes when in Creation.

Waypoint: the Wyld does not do distance the ordinary way. Instead, you journey from waypoint to waypoint, where each waypoint is a place with a theme and possibly an encounter.

Freehold: in the Wyld (and uncapped demesnes in Creation, as well as large Chancels) it is possible to bind a collection of Waypoints so that you rule over them, and the Freehold will boost you while you're inside. Further upgrades to the Freehold can give more benefits, typically relying on having some minions about to manage things.

Cyst: the Freehold equivalent of a Hearthstone. Has no actual powers besides allowing Raksha to regain motes in Creation. Makes for very nice decorations on the treasures of important people, who should all have one close to them at all times, for no reason.

Pennant: an even weaker version of a Cyst, it simply prevents the Fair Folk from losing motes while in Creation. Also very decorative, and much more plentiful than Cysts are.

Shaping Combat: this is ostensibly how Raksha contest with each other, changing each other's stories to their advantage. Despite two editions and an errata, meschlum is of the opinion that it Does Not Work as written, but that's a diatribe for another day. This manifests as the Fair Folk telling stories at each other, trying to achieve narrative dominance using the different Graces. They can do the same to Creation-born, looking for more permanent effects than what's in a Fantasy, or to Waypoints.

Cup Shaping: favored by Entertainers, this form of Shaping aims to create emotions in its targets, and then Ravish them, consuming a part of their souls (if they have any) and burning a specific emotion into their essence (such as fear of spiders). A Waypoint can be Ravished to drain a few motes from it.

Ring Shaping: favored by Workers, this form of Shaping defines the world around its target, forcing them to follow its rules. It is the only form of 'ranged' Shaping Combat, affecting foes in distant Waypoints. Someone who succumbs to Ring Shaping is Incumbered, forced to accept and follow through on an oath (so long as it's not directly self-destructive). A Waypoint can be Incumbered to enforce a temporary oath on anyone who goes through it.

Staff Shaping: favored by Diplomats, this form of Shaping sets up the social context around its target, shaming or pressuring them into compliance. A victim of Staff Shaping is Snared, and vulnerable to any other form of Shaping Combat the diplomat wants to inflict. Waypoints cannot be Snared.

Sword Shaping: favored by Warriors, this form of Shaping seeks to claim the possessions of its victims. Someone struck by Sword Shaping is Vexed, and will lose some of their possessions (graces, artifacts, or other items for Raksha, possessions for Creation-born). A Waypoint can be Vexed, allowing the Raksha to attune to it and perform Sword Shaping on anyone inside - a way to remotely steal invader's supplies!

Way Shaping: favored by Guides, this form of Shaping seeks to prevent its targets from finding their goals. A target affected by Way Shaping becomes Bewildered an cannot find a specific location (up to a small kingdom in scale), which can be useful to keep intruders out. If a Waypoint is Bewildered, it takes much longer to travel away from it, possibly pinning down opponents.

meschlum

2023-04-22, 04:37 PM

Important: what are you doing for your Assumption? You have three options:

- Take it as a permanent Charm. Always on, cannot be removed, locks you into your Shape. Does not require committed motes.
- Keep it as a normal Charm. Requires 10 committed motes, can be changed to a different face / emotion when you dismiss it in the Wyld (or your freehold).
- Pick up an Adjuration. Requires 1 committed mote (1-dot Adjuration, mix this with another 1 mutation point Charm you want, such as Bedlam Masterworks or Creator's Fugue), locks you into a Shape defined by the Adjuration as long as you swear the Adjuration.

I'm fond of option 3, but arguments can be made for the others.

I am interested in the Forbidden Sutra, but the part about changing into a duck, doesn't fit my focus. I would love it, if it could be modified so that the last line would be ("Serve me" she said) and that that instead of turning the target into a duck, it would turn them into servants, by overriding their motivation or instilling an intimacy of reverence or servitude to me. IE weaving the enemy into my narrative as an asset instead of an obstacle.

Easy! Just replace Bestial Transformation with Emotion Weaving Style, and you can rewrite the Motivation of your target rather than their body. Nothing to it.

I was poking a bit of fun at the 'all-powerful' Sidereal Martial Arts, which have been memed as punching people into ducks and hiding ninjas in teacups, I confess.

I really like this and will be taking it.

Thanks!

How many motes, since that the confusion I'm having. I do plan on having a Throne Room in the Freehold and would like to have a few Adjurations but want to make sure commitment and usage isn't to crazy. Since mote/commitment usage was a reason for certain changes I had to make.

An Adjuration requires 1 committed mote per dot, much cheaper than other Grace Magic. So:

1-dot Adjuration: 1 committed mote, 2 mutation points (1-2 Charms, depending on the Charm)
2-dot Adjuration: 2 committed motes, 3 mutation points (1-3 Charms, a chance to get 3 mutation point Charms like Imposition of Law)
3-dot Adjuration: 3 committed motes, 4 mutation points (1-4 Charms, a chance to get 4 mutation point Charms like Bastion of the Self)
4-dot Adjuration: 4 committed motes, 6 mutation points (1-6 Charms, if you must get Assumption of the Living Kingdom / Tainted Land)
5-dot Adjuration: 5 committed motes, 8 mutation points (2-8 Charms, there are no Charms costing more than 6 mutation points)

So a 1-dot Adjuration to grant the Worker's Gift charm to anyone who "will work in the freehold for a year and a day" requires them to commit 1 mote to it while under its effects, and gives them the benefit of the Charm as long as they do.

A 3-dot Adjuration of "None can harm me so long as my sword is in my hand" can be granted to the minions fighting to defend the Bazaar (3 committed motes from them), and dropped if they leave the Bazaar...

Understood. I think a few Diplomats for creating lv 3 artifacts will be primary goals. Forging lv 4 and 5 artifacts may not be the most immediate concerns, especially considering the information you have provided that most lv 5 artifacts are for specific hyper-focused goals. Honestly, if a lower leveled Chancel had the necessary way points, I think I would have swapped the Chancel and Behemoth. Since I am leaning toward the idea of having a "guard dog" style behemoth and being a level 5 artifact Sword shaping weapon would be nice for dealing with questing.

If your Diplomats are not abusing Birth, it's a lot of Charms to just be able to make things. To get one of the Great Works Charms, you have three prerequisites and need Staff 4, Essence 3, so that's 4 Charms and 10 bp invested with no bonus successes yet - to create one kind of Grace Magic (actually 5 Charms if you also want to create the appropriate Grace). Creating more Grace Magic with the same Diplomat is tempting, because the prerequisite Charms are already invested, but it means slower crafting if you don't get successes elsewhere (which you can - for instance an Adjuration of Creator's Fugue (1 mutation point) and Surpassing Excellence gives an automatic success and two specialty dice, while not requiring any Charms from the Diplomat and a single committed mote).

A 4-dot Chancel has 15 waypoints, enough to contain an Unshaped but not enough to contain a Freehold as well...

Fan Invoking the Destroyer of Obstacles

Sometimes, a mountain, tree, or fence is in your way, keeping you from reaching the "Squee"ing threat that plots your demise.

Sometimes, a chariot tries to escape you in the midst of heroic battle, and must be retrieved before the treats it contains are devoured by unworthy foes.

Sometimes, the dread beast Silence fills the world, and its attendant Sleep creeps ever closer, and it must be repelled at any cost.

That is when you call upon the Fan Invoking the Destroyer of Obstacles (FIDO), which will loyally call forth a great beast - with terrible strength, incredible speed, and a voice loud enough to rouse the dead themselves. Once it has thoroughly destroyed its enemies (and the occasional garden flowers), FIDO can easily be contained at returned to its cage, simply speaking the Word of Power ("Bad Dog!") and threatening it with the Fan (offering a nice juicy steak as a bribe works even better).

Mechanics
4-dot Behemoth (natural weapon works like a 1-dot Artifact of your choice, with magical material bonus included, base soak of 20B/20L)
Assumption of Dog Form - grants (Essence) worth of mutations, so pick up Large Size, or Fur, or legs for improved movement speed...
Bastion of the Heart - FIDO cannot be hurt, not even when facing down the terrible Garden Hose!
Surpassing Excellence - why not add +2 to Accuracy and Defense of your natural weapon, as a specialization?
Knife Hand Dream - even more damage from Essence 3 onward, and Aggravated damage might let you go through obstacles
Racing Dragon Speed - FIDO is really fast
Opalescent Gossamer Raiment - FIDO is even harder to hurt than other comparable beasts
Endless Yawning Void - when FIDO is angry, his howls shake the heavens and damage anything that comes close
Rarefied Air of Inevitable Victory - things too tiny for FIDO to notice have a hard time affecting him, even if they are using Charms

Not especially optimized, but a base soak of 25/25 before Stamina, Daiklaive bites for +4 Acc, +4 Def, Rate 3, +10/2 Damage (at Essence 3, possibly aggravated), boosts to Strength and Stamina from Size, considerable move speed, an environmental damage aura, another +(Essence + 1) DV when attacked by Charms or Stunts (and invulnerable otherwise), +Essence successes to resist other damaging environments is probably a good starting point for a brute threat? Enemies better bring treats or rolled up newspapers if they don't want to be savaged.

Note that a Diplomat with Unshaped Sword Transformation can repair FIDO after an Exalt breaks it, which is nice.

Well, I was thinking about picking up a Martial Arts compatible weapon, for when I'm running low on motes/gossamer. I was leaning toward a 7-section staff.

7-section is Acc -1, Def +4, Dmg 8B/2, Rate 3, Spd 5
Punch is Acc +1, Def +2, Dmg 0B, Rate 3, Spd 5

Two 1-dot Adjurations, for Knife Hand Dream, Surpassing Excellence, and Assumption of Bestial Visage (for Large / Huge / Gigantic and Claws / Talons) give you punches with Acc + 3, Def +4, Dmg 8L (A), Rate 3, Spd 5 - for 2 committed motes, as well as extra Stamina (Strength factored into the damage) and health levels.

And you can share the benefits of the Adjurations with all your servants in the Freehold...

I was considering something like this. I am wanting my Freehold to be a Bazaar, a place of trade where mortals are welcome to come and trade, with all features plus a beacon. I was looking for either Oneiromancy or Adjurations to help protect the freehold and milk the guests. Like something, that Entry to the Bazaar you agree to these rules and you are protected by decorum and must pay X thing. If you do not agree, you have no protection and open to surviving by your own skill.

You can Incumber the Waypoints in your Freehold, applying a temporary (1 scene) obligation on anyone visiting. "Pay a monthly tithe of your virtues to the Bazaar's guards" is a perfectly reasonable Incumberance. "Behave politely and do not fight unless attacked" will buy you a scene of respite most of the time - sadly a waypoint can only bear a single Incumberance.

If your Freehold has a Glory, anyone entering and behaving peacefully will end up addicted fairly quickly, especially if you have a skilled Entertainer as your Pride.

You have high Ring - you could perform Shaping attacks on visitors in order to Incumber them, giving them much more long lasting rules on their behavior.

Adjurations (via Throne Room) can be applied to those who serve you (and have a Staff Grace), so they'd be mostly useful for boosting your guards. Special guests who have been granted Staff Graces can be threatened with the consequences of losing all their helpful Adjurations, of course - or just have an Adjuration that says "I will behave in the Bazaar and pay its master some gossamer each season".

Outward-Facing Oneiromancies can be very effective tools as well, being fairly good at punishing rude behavior.

The Peaceful Idol

Creation is full of treacherous folk, who would like nothing more than to rob you of your hard won possessions and leave you in the dust. Still, it is sometimes necessary to work with them, and you can't always know who is truly virtuous and who merely pretends to be. The Idol helps with this issue immeasurably.

Found in the remnants of a sunken temple, the Idol has been carried a long way from its origins, from fair to souk, by ship and caravan, always encouraging peace and honest trade. Once it has been set down and the appropriate offerings made, the Idol will emanate a delightful perfume, a reminder of home and happiness, so that those who offer it a brief prayer will find their tempers soothed. While helps contain the high humors that can arise over the course of a spirited bargaining session, there are those who will not pray to the Idol as they plot harm to those around them.

The Idol shows no kindness to these - it serves peace, not compassion - and they soon find themselves isolated, betrayed by others of their ilk as their untrustworthiness is revealed. Perhaps the only way to cause trouble in a place blessed by the Idol is to be the only trouble maker - but that makes the task rather difficult, does it not?

Mechanics
1-dot Outward-Facing Oneiromancy
Assumption of Wood Form - the Idol releases the enthralling scent of sweet and medicinal herbs
Heart Stealing Kiss - anyone making an offering to the Idol has their Valor temporarily reduced, making fights much less likely to happen
Prince and Pauper Approach - anyone who does not make an offering to the Idol is untrustworthy by definition, to allies, foes, and neutral parties alike.
Unitary Being Forge - whenever untrustworthy beings come close to each other, they cannot help but speak their true feelings, and the insults thus spoken would justify murder in most courts.

So visitors are either low Valor and unlikely to want to fight, or insulting each other whenever they get close - so fighting among themselves rather than troubling the Bazaar folk. If you want to set up rules, just have Prince and Pauper Approach trigger on people who break the rules!

Well since I'll be building the most prominent members of my retinue (5 heroic commoners and 5 handlers/gatekeepers/beastmasters). The write up is vague if the handlers/etc have to be standard commoners or can be heroic. As of right now, the other Raksha that will be holding the other positions in the freehold, will be nobles forged by me, I asked and approved, since I have the appropriate charms (No XP). I'm currently working on the write up and the Vizier will be having a high Artifact rating. Originally it was going to be a heroic commoner but i asked and got a nod off.

Nice!

The Glyphstone

2023-04-22, 05:08 PM

Thankee kindly for the glossary.

metalith

2023-04-23, 02:42 AM

meschlum

2023-04-23, 11:54 AM

I was looking through some material, I know with Shaping Attacks, we can add our weapons to the rolls. Can equipment be added to regular shaping rolls? I know Raksha shaping is not very linear but if using equipment as inspiration or to assist with a shaping action.

GM call, but there are official rules on the benefits of having equipment, and Rakshas are allowed to steal items from each other, so there should be some reason to want other Fair Folk's items.

Gossamer items can give you a lot of bonus dice for the task (Gossamer Forging Art costs gossamer equal to the Resources cost of the item, and gives one die per gossamer spent - so create items that would cost 5 Resources and get 5 bonus dice), and this can be combined with Essence Forging Art to make Exceptional (or Perfect, pre-errata) items.

You would be limited to normal tool rules, so likely comparable to a narrow specialty.

Translucent Dream Sheathing Technology (granting +1 wyld die) is debatable - it's more of a way to import a fantasy than to make the actual shaping easier.

You can also look at Veil of Glamour, which works better if you have a starting seed for your creation, so having a starting inspiration is justified.

To the edit-mobile for the glossary, incidentally!

metalith

2023-04-23, 01:37 PM

GM call, but there are official rules on the benefits of having equipment, and Rakshas are allowed to steal items from each other, so there should be some reason to want other Fair Folk's items.

Gossamer items can give you a lot of bonus dice for the task (Gossamer Forging Art costs gossamer equal to the Resources cost of the item, and gives one die per gossamer spent - so create items that would cost 5 Resources and get 5 bonus dice), and this can be combined with Essence Forging Art to make Exceptional (or Perfect, pre-errata) items.

You would be limited to normal tool rules, so likely comparable to a narrow specialty.

Translucent Dream Sheathing Technology (granting +1 wyld die) is debatable - it's more of a way to import a fantasy than to make the actual shaping easier.

You can also look at Veil of Glamour, which works better if you have a starting seed for your creation, so having a starting inspiration is justified.

To the edit-mobile for the glossary, incidentally!

Understood. I was thinking about Gossamer-Forging Art and the item forging rules for a way to benefit my Commoner/Heroic Commoner shaping rolls. Since a Fine Gossamer shaping tool should provide a hefty shaping bonus.

I'm looking at redoing my Charms, since from the information provided I can trade out some for Adjurations and picking up Veil of Glamour since it would a very nice way to, be like, oh our sneak needs to enhance his sneak rolls without spending tons of essence, here is a cloak I wiped up with x bonus dice for Stealth, lock picking tools, here is a set, need a boat, chariot, etc. Whip it up.

The Glyphstone

2023-04-23, 05:45 PM

A Commoner/Heroic Commoner, if I understood right, is something entirely different from a mortal commoner?

meschlum

2023-04-23, 07:05 PM

Interesting catch on Veil of Glamour - it explicitly states that you can use the accuracy bonus from a shaping weapon on your roll to create things. Which might argue against using other tools for that purpose... GM call, I'm afraid!

Ordinary Object Conjuration can also be used to create things, including high quality, so it's an alternative - you don't get the benefits of gossamer items, but your creations are more durable. If you have a lot of gossamer, you can cheat and use both - Ordinary Object Conjuration for a perfect seed, then Veil of Glamour to make the final creation last days.

Veil of Glamour does have a fun follow up (Monstrous Conceit), which lets you create items that are real for only one person - and count as having Essence gossamer spent on them. If you can create usable invisible lockpicks that way, the outcome should be fun. Otherwise, a ladder or bridge that only works for your ally can be useful too. Again, check with the GM - what does invisible armor protect against? Does a very stealthy invisible cloak hide you? How about a lantern whose light is only real for you - an excellent night fighting tool!

Panoply of the Ascended Artisan

The tale of the Ascended Artisan is well known in shadier circles of Creation, that of a seemingly ordinary craftsman who by virtue of her skills and superlative equipment pulled off a series of thefts so outstanding even the lords of the Realm could not figure out how she performed them - or catch her afterward. For while only the cleverest of rogues can despoil the treasures of the mighty and live, it takes something more - more even, perhaps, than the Exalted themselves can manage - to truly get away with such a deed.

And so, the story goes, the Artisan was inducted into the ranks of Heaven, for fear that she would continue her depredations and so shake the foundations of the Dragon's law. But even so, her legend was not content to rest upon its laurels, and it is said that those who pray to the Artisan, or achieve deeds worthy of her own, may be blessed with some of the Panoply.

Rumor is not certain as to how many devices lie within the full Panoply, and perhaps its extent has grown since the Artisan ascended, but some of them are better know than others.

- The Cloak of Winds is woven from the finest airspider silk, dyed with pigments drawn from southeastern forests and fragments of jade. Simply adjusting its heft will shift the colors wildly, so it can be used to hide almost anywhere, and to fit in where one cannot hide.

- Bridget's Knives are a set of very fine, extremely thin knives made from nearly indestructible pearwood from the East, with edges drawn out by wires of rare southwestern ores. They have been used to pick locks, fitted between stone blocks to assist climbing, and even as cutlery when infiltrating a mansion or two.

- Harodean's Ship is a clever mechanical device, a remarkably rapid boat that can be folded down until it will fit in an ordinary seeming case - and even be opened and investigated by suspicious guards without any oddities catching their notice. As with all the Panoply, it reportedly far superior to what appearances suggest, capable of outsailing most pursuit - or changing its appearance to blend in with innocent bystanders.

- The Folding Armoire is another example of the Artisan's genius for packing things together. No larger than a portrait, and barely thicker, it holds a wide variety of clothes and jewels, each carefully made by the Artisan herself so that its owner can dress to belong anywhere with a few instants to pull out new clothes or adjust what she is already wearing.

Of course, the exaggerations about the Artisan's Useful Sack should not be heeded - if she had a magical bag that contained anything she wanted, she would not have needed to set out on her career, after all - nor had to make the other parts of the Panoply.

Since her ascension, the Artisan has taken to choosing promising members of the profession and granting them her blessing. This manifests as a curious red gold bracelet around the right arm, which the Artisan can hide from outsiders, the ability to retrieve quite a few parts of the Panoply as needed, and a knack for knowing when the forces of law are nearby. The Artisan's favorite prayers are dreams of new and more extravagant thefts - she is said to provide new items from her Panoply to those whose plans she approves of...

Mechanics
1-dot Chancel: the Useful Sack is a gateway into a small Chancel, filled with all manner of useful devices. It might take some time to find what you want, but it's more or less certain to be there.
1-dot Inward Facing Oneiromancy: Ordinary Object Conjuration lets you create up to nine of the items in the Panoply at will, summoning them back to you if you need them later or they are destroyed. So invent a few more or take other powers too...
1-dot Behemoth: Assumption of the Person's Heart lets the Behemoth merge with a Creation-born, Ordinary Object Conjurations allows them to summon one item from the Panoply, Glorious Her Form makes their bearer a lot more agile.
Veil of Glamour Charm lets you create items in the Panoply that are significantly more effective than normal versions would be, if temporarily.
A dedicated Worker with a lot of gossamer can create Panoply items over time, via Gossamer Forging Art and Translucent Dream Sheathing Technology.
A Raksha with a lot of permanent possessions can manifest or banish them for 1 mote each time. This does not rely on Evocation charms, so long as they are permanent. So it's extremely cheap!

Edit: glossary update complete, on Creation-born versus Fair Folk and finer details.

Short answer: Yes. Fair Folk Commoners are actual Fair Folk, not Creation-born Commoners.

metalith

2023-04-23, 08:31 PM

A Commoner/Heroic Commoner, if I understood right, is something entirely different from a mortal commoner?

Yes. However there are parallels. Commoners Fair Folk are equivalent of mortal commoners. Mostly background, set dressing, workers/slaves, fodder or targets. Not exactly dangerous individually but could be a problem en masse when you are weaker. Heroic Commoners have much more self-will and ability to influence things and can become right hands to Nobles and if lucky may eventually ascend to become a Noble Raksha. Not something common but possible.

metalith

2023-04-29, 02:56 PM

Sorry for the delay in updating material. Since my Storyteller, said I basically am building the freehold and unshaped, a lot of my recent energy has been poured into it. Since I need to have the established. I did manage to get involved in a soft RP interlude session between games and due to some redesigning etc, I will have to be ready for my first hard RP session in 3 weeks. But since I have enough down I can do soft RP with some of the players.

In working with my Freehold Document, I came to the realized with the errata removal of Glamour Resistance, Minions are evil and way more dangerous then I realized to begin with. Especially since with the charm load out I have I can technically add up to 21 points of Mutations to the Manikins, Poppets, and Homunculi written out in the book. After looking at the description, I realize that Manikins are serviceable, Poppets are Fine and Homunculi are Exceptional. Unsure what I could think up as a Perfect / God-blooded level minion, since Homunculi are very powerful.

Since it is a lot of work coming up with 6 new associated characters, it has been a lot of work, but definitely enjoying it. I have to finish up the stronghold and throne room write up, and then put down the write up for the Unshaped. I have a diagram of relationships of the preliminary relationships between the position holders of the freehold. Once I have them put down then it will be adjuration, oneiromancy.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1SZ9CP88-Gd7yjHjJWjiIsPWJGdTb_VxwGL7zuEF2YYU/edit?usp=sharing

I would appreciate some primarily toys for the freehold if you have the idea for it.

Oneiromancy - Upon entering the Freehold, Creation-born have to pay a tithe to enter, using Heart-Stealing Kiss. I'm thinking maybe 4 or 5 of these. Allowing the people to tithe depending on which virtue they want to "donate" without realizing it. I am not sure how many motes an oneiromantic spell can store.

meschlum

2023-04-30, 03:20 AM

Cloak of Averolin, the Principle of Flight

If asked, Averolin will admit that Creation has one redeeming feature: the sky. A limitless space which could be explored freely, from which every perspective is remade and old limits can be discarded. And, except for birds, ancient and often faulty marvels, and a few more esoteric Exalts, it is closed to the Creation-born.

This will not do, says the Principle of Flight, and so it does not.

The feathered cloak of Averolin reveals its properties when it is laid upon the never to be reviled enough ground. It covers the hateful earth with quills and beauty, and grants flight to those who need it.

All the beasts of Creation deserve to know the sky, and so Averolin gives them wings.

Mortals are more attached to the ground, let it be cursed a thousand thousand times. The Principle's gift is short lived for them, for Creation's chains reassert themselves all too quickly, leaving only the memory of being a noble raptor.

Heaven was made for men, and the Principle of Flight shall show them the way.

If they are willing to serve Averolin's cause, mortals may wear the cloak for seven days and nights, never touching the cruel unfeeling ground - and find that their own wings grow beneath it. This gift does not fade, for even Creation respects dedication.

Mechanics
1-dot Outward Facing Oneiromancy
Assumption of Air Form: the Principle of Flight's cloak is of the air more than anything else.
Subversion and Transformation Artifice: any animals that touch the cloak when it is laid down are granted wings. These last for a story (season?) or may be permanent at Essence 4+
Eagle Transformation: any creation-born that touch the cloak when it is laid down are transformed into eagles, gaining wings. This lasts for a day, or until they touch the ground.
Behemoth Forging Meditation: this permanently grants wings to mortals who wear the cloak for a week on end.

Averolin went on to create - or wrest from the Wyld - many other marvels, all made for the same goal. When essence users and Exalts found they could not durably gain the cloak's gift, Averolin learned to shape their intentions into oaths, and to make their oaths come true (create a Staff Grace, then turn it into a 1-dot Adjuration with Gossamer Wing Flight, or have the essence user swear to an already existing Adjuration). When mortals grew fearful of leaving the never to be thanked ground, Averolin learned to remake it, so that it might be kin to the sky and let its children learn to fly (Principle of Worlds, the ground does not exist but people can still move freely, so it's good practice for flying!). When kingdoms declared Averolin a menace and sent armies to contest with the Principle of Flight, it was thankful and granted them all wings (higher tier Oneiromancy, with Assumption of the Living Kingdom to affect entire countries).

Now Averolin is a visitor in the Bazaar, trading trinkets and marvels that serve its cause, and bargains with any who sit with it on its cloak. They will receive flight, for an instant or a lifetime. But what will it cost?

Cage of the Forgotten Winter

Once upon a time, in a northern kingdom, Winter forgot to come. The land remained almost warm for a full year, the snow was barely above waist height, and a few confused hares kept their darker furs before ending up in a stew pot. In all, the good folk of the kingdom were not overly troubled by Winter's absence, but some of the younger children noticed and complained.

So they were told that Winter must have had a very important duty to perform, perhaps collecting more icicles to hang on their houses, or dealing with the weird dancing and singing sprites that tried to build frozen palaces on the equinox. None of these explanations seemed satisfactory, so when a stranger asked the children about Winter, they told their own story - that Winter was captured by a bear, and been ransomed for seven mackerel and a walrus tusk.

"As it happens," said the traveler, "I have with me six mackerel and a walrus tusk. Perhaps we might contrive to find one more, and then capture Winter for ourselves?" He added that he had learned how to build a Cage which might contain Winter once the ransom was paid, so that it would never be lost again.

Perhaps there are fewer children in that kingdom today, or perhaps more. Maybe those who live there have uncommon affinities for Air and Fire, or maybe the seasons are very carefully regulated by the Heavens in that little corner of Creation. In any event, the Cage has traveled far from its origin, but still serves to contain those who do not follow the rules - albeit rules that only the young and the Fair Folk can make sense of.

Mechanics
1-dot Oneiromancy
Assumption of Fire Form: the Cage is made of very warm metal, which will explicitly turn any ice or snow touching it into steam
Waypoint Knife: any rule breaker inside the Cage cannot exit without paying a ransom
Adaptation to Adversity: anyone inside or touching the cage is utterly unaffected by snowstorms, since the Winter forgot to bring them
Ordinary Object Conjuration: people bringing a mackerel to the Cage can throw it inside, where it will vanish, and receive a never melting icicle instead. This is, incidentally, called a diamond by grown-ups.

The Cage is set out in a fairly public section of the Bazaar, where anyone can see the fate that awaits those who disturb its peace (being pelted by mackerel until they pay a creative fee).

There is no official limit to the number of motes that can be contained in an Oneiromancy with Heart Stealing Kiss. Since they can affect everyone who sees or interacts with them, their potential capacity is more or less YES (also, GM call).

Consider Eight Corner Ring Binding to start serious gossamer generation (1 / scene / Raksha involved, up to 8), remembering that a scene is an action in Shaping Combat - so your minions would be producing a lot of gossamer, as a reward for establishing their relationships.

Glamour resistance no longer existing is nice for mannikins, I agree - and also has some more esoteric applications too! I'm rather fond of the rider on Bestial Transformation which means that it's impossible to see through the transformation without Survival 4+, an ability that isn't all that common outside Lunars. The really fun hack is the Principle of Worlds used to allow Glamour Resistance, specifically to protect the possessions of Creation-born. Like armor and weapons, cold iron and jade... you might not destroy it, but giving it the consistency of rubber could work!

metalith

2023-04-30, 08:25 AM

Great, on the capacity question. After talking to the ST enough, I have a feeling, that pretty much there wouldn't be a limit.

I am think of a optional token toll, where you are given a choice of five tokens, if you are brave, choose x, compassionate, choose y and put deposit it into the box and then in doing so, zotted by Heart Stealing Kiss.

Eight Corner Ring Binding? I see you provided a bit of mechanics but don't understand what you meaning here? Can you explain it better?

Did you review the Freehold write up? Did it open for you?

meschlum

2023-04-30, 09:00 PM

Cassim's Arbiter

They say that deep in the Bazaar, there is a place where the best horses in Creation are trained, and where Cassim deigns to reveal the arts of bow and sword to those who prove worthy. While this may be perhaps a slight exaggeration, those who have an interest in riding and battle can often find like minds and spaces within the confines of the Bazaar.

Of course, the stable master and most skilled warriors are too busy to attend to mere gawkers, but it is possible to draw their attention - by participating in one of the Bazaar's challenges. These can be dangerous, but the Arbiter ensures they are fair, and that those who participate are suitably rewarded.

Every day, the folk of the Bazaar establish a new challenge, tearing down the old spaces and building something new in the time it takes for the Sun to fully rise above the edge of Creation. Always, the courage of participants is put to the test, whether they must run through a space where archers are practicing, jump across the backs of wild horses, climb swaying stacks of boxes on the brink of collapse... and always, the Arbiter watches, and waits.

The Arbiter takes the shape of twin bladed axe, with obsidian and stone where one would expect metal, and an eye carved into the flat of each blade. It is always set at the entrance of the challenge, to better observe those who would approach Cassim. Contestants lay their palms against its eyes, set forth, and are judged.

Those who show the qualities the Arbiter approves of - often success, but some who fail are accepted, and some who succeed are refused - find their pulses beating more strongly, their desires closer to the skin, their nerves ready to act. They are also granted a token, a stone and obsidian disk on which their feats and figure are drawn, and which proves they are worthy of Cassim's attention. Those who displease the Arbiter are overwhelmed by the dangers of the challenge and its grounds, and find their courage and assertiveness vanish like dew in the sun.

The effects of the Arbiter's judgement do not last more than a few days either way, but the right to petition the master of the Bazaar's training grounds is rare indeed - most sensibly prefer to approach Cassim's assistants.

Every season, a grander challenge is organized before the Arbiter - one that is only open to Cassim's favorites, of those who have three of its tokens to offer up. It is said that the rewards for success are greater, though the danger is far higher and the rules less lenient...

Mechanics
1-dot Outward Facing Oneiromancy
Assumption of Fire Form: the Arbiter is made with the materials of the south, stone and glass reborn from fire.
Heart Stealing Kiss: those who fail the challenges or break its rules, find that their courage and Valor are much less.
Manacles of Virtue: success at the Arbiter's challenge, and following its rules otherwise, is rewarded with bravery and Valor beyond normal
Ordinary Object Conjuration: the Arbiter's token is not magical per se, but each one is unique and uniquely valuable.

The seasonal challenge is when the Oneiromancy is refreshed.

If you create similar tokens for the other features of the Bazaar, you could easily use Translucent Dream Sheathing Technology to restrict access to parts of the Bazaar to those who have enough tokens - or reward those with many tokens with graces or other marvels, since they've proven themselves dedicated to it.

I could read the freehold description, thanks - it's what made me think of Eight Corner Ring Binding. It's a Staff charm (prerequisite is Oath Gossamer) which defines relationships between up to eight Fair Folk. Each scene in which the relationship is developed grants the participating Raksha gossamer, so just by having your key allies interact with each other you can generate a lot of gossamer. A side effect is that deliberately breaking the relationship also destroys the Staff grace of the one who does so, meaning the relationships are incentivized to be fairly stable! If you establish one between the main figures of your freehold, you're generating gossamer in the background and justifying their interactions.

From a purely mathematical perspective, you may want to limit the number of Fair Folk in a Binding - if there are N Raksha, that's N(N-1)/2 relationships to describe, so 28 if there are eight Fair Folk (but only 6 if there are four).

Keep in mind that the waypoints in your freehold can be Incumbered, meaning that visitors are driven to follow a specific request for a scene.

metalith

2023-05-01, 12:04 AM

I like the idea of the Arbiter. It did provide enough of a mechanic idea. The idea was more for a general toll for entering the Freehold. Though I can definitely see Cassim doing something like this for the Strong Hold. I could see maybe one or two other position holders doing something similar but different. Thanks for the Adjuration and Oneiromancy ideas.

metalith

2023-05-02, 01:58 AM

I have to admit with a better understanding of Adjurations and Oneiromancy, rebuilding my charms has be a bigger thing. Question do Oneirmancies last forever, or just the default length of the charms involved. I see that invoking the spells takes scenes depending on how powerful they are.

Also from my reading of Adjurations, if sworn to the Throne Room. It appears only 1 person at a time can gain the benefits of the mutations unless I'm reading that wrong, so wanting confirmation. Since it would appear better if that is the case to just pass certain Adjurations around like candy. I was looking forward to providing a good general charm for everyone in the Freehold.

meschlum

2023-05-02, 02:33 AM

Rebuilding Raksha is an occupational hazard, I'm afraid!

Do keep in mind that for inward facing Oneiromancies, like Adjurations, you need to be the one committing the motes (also, you need to supply the motes to cast the more powerful Oneiromancies, even if a minion is providing the commitment).

Oneiromancy durations are in the rulebook, and default to 'long enough you don't need to worry'. More dots gets you to 'longer than the campaign', but if you want exact numbers:

1 or 2- dot: 1 tale / story (so a season in Creation by default)
3 or 4- dot: a year and a day, or until a condition is satisfied
5- dot: a century, or until a condition is satisfied

The conditions for 3 or more dot Oneiromancies could be things like "this city will be cursed until a princess from the North weds a southern frog," if you want to cheat the system. Practically speaking, it's a way to end the spell that does not rely on destroying the underlying Grace.

The benefits of the Freehold features are extremely variable, quality-wise. From Ring which is basically pointless to Cup and Sword which completely remake the way your Freehold works... Per the text on page 142, oaths made upon the freehold apply to all Raksha who owe you fealty, so there is no reason for the effects to be limited to a single character. Per page 134, you can probably only assign the benefits to one target at a time, so granting a thousand minions benefits would be tedious, but an Adjuration can affect many people at once if they've all sworn to it.

metalith

2023-05-02, 08:52 PM

So for inward focusing, I have to commit the essence to use the charms in it. I did not realize that, need to make sure to focus on when building them.

Can Adjurations and Oneiromancies, stack up limited forms of the charms, such as same forms of Glorious Hero Form.

meschlum

2023-05-03, 02:14 AM

Dunyazad's Advisor

Of those who visit the Bazaar, merchants are the most interesting - for they return of their own will, often even when they know the price of what they purchase, or maybe the value of what they sell.

Also unlike heroes, beggars, thieves, thrill seekers, and other common rabble, merchants are not contented with the acquisition of a single wonder, or even a dozen. No, their innermost dreams are of countless marvels, with the merchant the only provider to cities or nations.

Dunyazad respects this ambition, but finds it all the greater when challenged - but merchants do not usually deal in death, glory, love, or occult lore. Hence the creation of the Advisor, a most helpful assistant to winnow the wheat from the chaff.

A merchant seeking to strike a deal of great magnitude with the Bazaar is informed that a few minor formalities are required, as is custom in Creation and even, perhaps elsewhere. They are led to a moderate sized room with a large table and an uncomfortable chair. A few candles are scattered on the table, as are some forms, and ink pot, and a quill. The Advisor is a dusty old figure, impeccably dressed, who seems ancient enough to have seen Creation before the Empress was born and indifferent enough to have failed to record the event.

To achieve the deal, the merchant merely needs to fill in all the required forms, impeccably, and provide satisfactory answers as relevant. The Advisor provides ink, quills, candles, and forms, and nothing else.

The very first form, presented to all merchants no matter what they wish to deal in, states that the process can be greatly accelerated if the merchant merely agrees to an addendum on their contract whereby they cede a portion of their soul to the Bazaar. This is not required, of course, but without that guarantee there are a few more forms that must be filled in - and they must all be filled in during the current sitting. The Assistant provides the forms, and ink, and quills, and candles, and nothing else.

After a few hours, many merchants decide that hunger, or fatigue, or second thoughts, might be reason enough to leave the room. The Assistant provides a form stating they chose to abandon their request, witnesses it being signed, and the merchant is permitted to leave.

After a few days, a few merchants test the edibility of the forms, ink, and candles. This warrants more forms to justify the damage to property and unusual expenses, which the Assistant provides, along with ink, quills, and candles, and nothing else.

Other merchants experiment with burning the forms in the candle flames, dousing them in ink, stabbing them with quills and the like. Again, this merely warrants more forms, which the Assistant provides, along with ink, quills, and candles, and nothing else.

Oddly enough, the merchants who surrender are often granted quite beneficial terms, though they often prove to be a bit jumpy at the sight of forms, ink, quills, candles, and nothing else. Rumor claims that there are some few who manage to satisfy the Assistant, and are even allowed to keep their entire souls - but that is merely a rumor, and it is much less trouble to sign the addendum to the Assistant's first form, with ink, quills, candles, and nothing else.

Mechanics
1-dot Onieromancy
Assumption of Dreams and Passion - the Assistant is boredom incarnate
Ordinary Object Conjuration - the Assistant can create all the forms, ink, quills, and candles it needs, and nothing else.
Waypoint Knife - once someone has begun to fill the forms provided by the Assistant, they can only leave if they complete all of them, or surrender and sign the addendum.
Heart Stealing Kiss - signing the addendum indicates a willingness to have their Conviction consumed, as the merchant did not hold onto their principles in the face of adversity.

If a merchant manages to fill in all the forms, they've probably radiated enough Conviction for Dunyazad to get a Banquet of Crumbs. The room itself is inside the Freehold, and under a shaping effect (possibly via Translucent Dream Sheathing technology) making it impossible to fill in all the forms (so stunts or Charms are needed, with willpower expenditure as well) but also warping the flow of time so that merchants do not starve to death. In any case, the Advisor needs to resupply its ink, quills, candles, and forms, and nothing else every season or so - which sets an upper limit to how long a merchant must stay there and fill out forms!

Fancy that - I just dug through the errata and the core book, and nowhere is it stated that Inward-Facing Oneiromancies need to be attuned by their possessor. That makes them more interesting, to my pleased surprise! Do note that a lorekeeper (Raksha who is not you but is supplying the motes) needs to spend some scenes each day maintaining an Oneiromancy, so there are some risks involved.

You do need to commit your own motes for Adjurations (cheap) and Treasures (less so). Commitment requirements are why it can sometimes make sense to take a permanent Assumption rather than just have a 1-dot Adjuration providing the form - 1 committed mote isn't much, but Raksha pools are rather small...

Per the errata, page 108 for "Mutation", an Adjuration gives you the the effect of a Charm as a permanent benefit, so I'd say it probably counts as a Charm in terms of not stacking, unfortunately. This makes Glorious Hero Form a lot weaker than it was pre-errata.

On the other hand, Adjurations can easily be dismissed if inconvenient, so you could switch between Adjurations granting different forms of Bastion of the Self if needed - though you're probably not allowed to have more than one up at the same time.

I wonder what a Bastion of the Way would protect from!

metalith

2023-05-03, 03:27 AM

I was assuming that the handlers/lorekeepers/etc would be involved in a daily rituals toward maintenance. If for some reason, I have to leave the Freehold to go on a trip, ie if the story requires us to leave the city to go somewhere else, I plan on bringing several "servants" with me. I'm still trying to suss out which charms I need to buy versus which charms I can get via Adjurations/Oneiromancies.

As for Bastion of the Way, I would say, default effect for Way Shaping. As for other affects, I would say resist environmental hazards when traveling, kind of like Bastion of the Heart but in a more limited way. Also maybe something about resisting traps, mundane means of obfuscation, when looking for a location.

meschlum

2023-05-03, 11:59 PM

Forgemaster's Bargain

Once upon a time, there was a smith who was ambitious. He was, quite honestly, not the greatest smith in the kingdom, but he came close - among mortals. And he was perhaps a bit too obvious in his ambition, or heavenly drugs were rare, or he was no longer in the bloom of his youth... in any event, he knew the Chosen of Creation would not grant him the gift of Essence in the time he had left.

He did not wish to be a crucible for Demons to forge, nor to exist only as an obsessed spirit that could not learn or improve its craft.

So he was not as surprised as it might have been when one of the Fair Folk approached him.

"I will remain in Creation," he demanded.

"Then we shall be permitted to come for your works there," was the reply.

"My soul will be untouched," he insisted.

"Then we shall collect the dreams you need on our way," was the reply.

"I will forge what I wish to, and sell my work as I desire," he concluded.

"Then we shall claim one thing of your making every season," was the reply.

And so the bargain was struck, the smith granted insight into Essence and a hammer made from the dreams of those around him - with accents of admiration, envy, and even a strand of love. He found his skills enhanced, even for the tedious necessities of the smith's craft, his mind not drawn into flights of Wyld fancy. And he developed a knack for metals unrivaled by any of his peers, to feel the metal as it was still molten, and shape it with his bare hands.

Every season, a caravan would visit the city, and pay for all the goods it took away - all but one, as the Bargain required. In time, with his new perceptions and talent, the smith grew more skilled and also more perceptive. He studied his hammer as much as his art, and traced the threads within it - and followed one until he found love.

Many years later, the caravan left the city, having paid for all it took. And taking a young new apprentice as well... as the Bargain allowed.

Mechanics
1-dot Adjuration
Assumption of Fire Form: anyone who has sworn to the Bargain is immune to mundane heat and flame, such as can be found in a forge.
Surpassing Excellence: those who follow the Bargain are exceptional at forging.

The smith was probably given the Awakened Essence mutation, a Staff Grace in the form of his hammer, and done!

Adjurations and You

I probably wrote this already somewhere, but archives are short lived. So!

Congratulations on your new Adjuration, here's what you need to know.

Costs: an N dot Adjuration requires N committed motes, and grants a variable number of mutation points (not mutations). Relevant Charms typically cost 1-2 mutation points, so even the most basic Adjuration can give you at least one (and probably more) Charms, if you commit the motes.
1-dot: 2 mutation points. The most efficient mutation point / committed mote ratio
2-dot: 3 mutation points. Only worth it if you want a 3 point mutation (you can get 4 points of 1-2 mutation point Charms with two 1-dot Adjurations)
3-dot: 4 mutation points. Only worth it if you want a 4 point mutation (you can get a 3 point and two points worth from a 2-dot and a 1-dot, or 6 worth of 1-2 points with three 1-dots)
4-dot: 6 mutation points. Only worth it if you want a 6 point mutation (there are no 5 point mutations)
5-dot: 8 mutation points. Only worth it if you want to get two 4 point mutations (there are no mutations costing more than 6 points)

Benefits: charms granted by mutation points are always on and always active. They can therefore be argued not to cost any more than their commitment requirement when in an Adjuration - this is relevant for some that require motes to use. They definitely should not require any costs to activate, if the distinction is made (since they are always on).

Assumptions: an Adjuration can grant you an Assumption form, which is almost like getting the charm permanently except it has a commitment cost and you can remove it by fulfilling the oath (and change it too, with suitable Charms). Most cost 1.
- Elemental Form: grants minor immunities related to the element
- Bestial Form: grants mutations (not mutation points) equal to Essence
- Dreams and Passion: automatic success with the selected emotion or disguise
- Cerements and Bone: feed on the dead
- Person's Heart (cannot be your starting Assumption at character creation): possess a Creation-born, share Charms, be intangible
- Land's Heart (cannot be your starting Assumption at character creation): possess a village (cost 2)
- City's Heart (requires Land's Heart): possess a city (cost 4)
- Living Kingdom (requires Land's Heart): possess a country (cost 6)
- Wyld Tainted Land (requires City's Heart): possess a City near the Wyld, make it wylder (cost 6)

Bedlam: an Adjuration can help you perform better when you're in Bedlam, or benefit from going slightly madder than usual. Cost is 1 point per Charm.

Peerless Ways: allow you to recognize whether someone has been ravished, one per Grace. Also exists for Way. Cost 1.

Universal: give you bonuses to something, typically fairly narrow, but which could be anything.
Imposition of Law (Heart 1): always succeed at a specialty, does not work for Shaping rolls. Cost 3.
Surpassing Excellence (Sword 1): I heard you liked specialties, so we stacked specialties on top of your specialties... Cost 1.
Glorious Hero Form (Sword 2, Essence 2): one die bonus to one or two attributes. Does not stack. Cost 2.
Creator's Fugue (Ring 3, one prerequisite): extra success for making new things. Cost 1.

Movement: could be in Combat (q.v.), but have other practical applications too.
Racing Dragon Speed (Sword 1): move a lot faster than others, can be stacked Sword times. Cost 1.
Gossamer Wing Flight (Sword 1, Essence 2): fly! Stacks with the Wings mutation. Cost 2.

Social: a very broad category, though it's often provided by Oneiromancies instead.
Gladdening Visage (Cup 1): these are not the Raksha you are looking for. Cost 1.
Shiftless Untamed Beauty (Cup 2): addict people to your presence. Cost 2
Untouchable Performer Technique (Cup 3, one prerequisite Charm): people can't plot against you. Very useful, cost 1
Beguilement (Staff 3, Essence 2): your social attacks cost extra willpower to resist. Cost 4. You can get this and more benefits with a 1-dot Oneiromancy, which requires as many committed motes and fewer artifact dots. Get it as Grace Magic to avoid paying the cost for triggering it.
Tainted Creature Command (Staff 3, two prerequisite Charms): social domination of anyone with Wyld influence, unless they're fellow Raksha (or heroic common Fair Folk). Cost 3.
Pounding Dream Harmony (Ring 4, Essence 3, one prerequisite): you can see through disguises. Cost 4. Even more expensive than Subtle Hammer, for even less payoff, I feel.
Subtle Hammer (Staff 5, Essence 3, four prerequisite Charms): people can't read your motives, and you can even pretend to have different ones. Cost 2. It's called bluffing, everyone can do it, so why this expensive?
Brilliant Glinting Lure (Cup 4, Essence 4!, four prerequisite Charms): people fall in love with you incredibly fast. Cost 3.

Combat: where most Adjurations gather.
Knife Hand Dream (Ring 1): your hands are deadly weapons, especially at higher Essence. Cost 2.
Opalescent Gossamer Raiment (Ring 1, one prerequisite Charm): extra bashing and lethal Soak. Cost 2.
Armament of Flesh (Sword 1): grow an extra weapon as part of your body. Cost 2. Should stack with Knife Hand Dream.
Bastion of the Self (Heart 2, Essence 2): invulnerability to a fairly broad form of danger. Cost 4. The Charm cannot be taken more than once, but what if an Adjuration were to grant it to someone who already has it? Or a 5-dot Adjuration that grants two of them?
Elusive Object of Desire (Cup 2): easily get out of clinches. Cost 2. Also helps you escape more abstract forms of confinement, like chains, prisons, and weddings.
Blade Turning Skin (Ring 2, two prerequisite Charms): extra aggravated Soak. Cost 1. The next Charm in the chain doubles the soak for this and Opalescent Gossamer Raiment, but is not available as an Adjuration.
Hundred Hand Style (Sword 1, Essence 2): boosts the Rate of your natural weapons, except clinches. Cost 2.
Swift Wings of Song (Cup 3, one prerequisite Charm): successes to Join Battle. Go first! Cost 1.
Endless Yawning Void (Ring 3, Essence 2, one prerequisite Charm): environmental damage, for dragonblood impersonation. Cost 2. Book text states the dice bonus limit for Raksha when shaping is Essence + Grace, which is sensible (errata claims Grace only).
Luminous Exhalation (Ring 3, Essence 2, one prerequisite Charm): get the Solar Phantom Arrow Technique. Cost 2.
Rarefied Air of Inevitable Victory (Sword 5, Essence 3, four prerequisite Charms): 1 extra DV, stacks with most things. Cost 2.
Shuffling the Pieces (Staff 5, Essence 3, four prerequisite charms): people you kill come back as minions. What's not to like? Cost 4.

Utility: these grant a range of abilities, with variable use but usually not things you'd employ directly on people. For the quirky knacks, essentially.
Heaven Rains Wisdom (Cup 1): understand Creation-born Lore and Occult. Cost 1
Worker's Gift (Ring 1): produce gossamer when following your Motivation. Cost 2.
Wyld Prince Resilience (Cup 2, one prerequisite): extra shaping health levels. Cost 1.
Demesne Farming Art (Cup 2, Essence 2, 5 prerequisite Charms, or 1 if you have Banquet of Crumbs): locate uncapped demesnes at long range. Cost 1.
Ordinary Object Conjuration (Ring 2): summon or banish a specific object at will. Cost 3.
Millipede Mind (Sword 2, Essence 2): run with your hair, fight with your toes, and smell with your pinkie. Seems more utility than combat, so it's here. Cost 2.
Adaptation to Adversity (Heart 3: Noble only): immunity to a specified environmental hazard. Cost 2. Note the Dreaming charm, post errata, can boost your shaping armor soak by 2 per mote committed (up to Heart), and gossamer armor can benefit from shaping soak on top of the normal armor...
Mind's Grip Rigor (Ring 5, two prerequisites): have up to all three versions of Solar Keen Sense Technique up, all the time. Cost 2.

meschlum

2023-05-04, 01:32 AM

Care and Feeding of your Inward Facing Oneiromancy

Because I seem to be on a roll, let's continue! Inward facing Oneiromancies have a lot of overlap with Adjurations, but tend to cost less - and there are a few Charms you can't get otherwise.

Costs: a N dot Inward Facing Oneiromancy requires 3 N committed motes, which do not need to be yours, and grants a variable number of Glamour points. One (or more) must be spent on an Assumption, and Inward Facing Oneiromancies are for you alone, so we'll assume (see what I did there) that you used a 1 point Glamour on it.

1-dot: 9 Glamour points left
2-dot: 10 Glamour points left. Get two 1-dots.
3-dot: 12 Glamour points left. Get two 1-dots.
4-dot: 14 Glamour points left. Get two 1-dots.
5-dot: 17 Glamour points left. Get two 1-dots.

Benefits: like with Adjurations, but with a potential twist: if your lorekeeper is sustaining the Oneiromancy, it uses the lorekeeper's abilities and attributes to determine its effects. This may be relevant.

Mad God Mien: does not grant the Charm, but protects your Oneiromancy from countermagic. Either useless or essential. Costs 1.

Background: there is a plethora of Cup Charms that give you backgrounds, and most can be obtained with Oneiromancy.
The Naming of Secrets (Cup 2, one prerequisite): get Contacts. Costs 2 points.
Adored by All the World (Cup 2, one prerequisite): get Allies or Followers. Costs 2 points.
Limitless Wealth Conjuration Technique (Ring 3, one prerequisite): get Resources and lifestyle. Costs 1 point.
Unlimited Resplendence (Cup 3, Essence 2, one prerequisite): get Backing, Influence, and Resources. Costs 2 points. More than Limitless wealth, but more flexible.

Transformation: these effects allow you to turn into something else, with a pile of mutations (not mutation points, so no Adjuration benefits). Each transformation gives you (3+Essence) mutations, to compare to (Essence) you get from an Adjuration of Bestial Form (1 mutation point) - so transformations are better up to Essence 5 (Essence 6 is needed for an Adjuration to grant an Abomination). Both benefit from Heart Stopping Numinous Power, which boosts effective Essence by 2 (so Essence 4 is enough for Bestial Form to give 6 mutations). All require Essence 2.
Elemental: pierced by high Occult, which is somewhat common, cost 2.
Beast: pierced by high Survival, which can be rare. Cost 2.
Spectral: as Elemental. Cost 2.

Universal: as with Adjurations, some overlap
Imposition of Law (Heart 1): as the Adjuration. Cost 3. Less expensive (1 mote committed instead of 2)
Fall of Night Shadows the Truth (Cup 3, Essence 2, one prerequisite): people do not notice you performing a specific deed (such as a murder) and even the evidence tends to fade away. Cost 3 (edited).

Movement: as with Adjurations, basically just there for the flight.
Gossamer Wing Flight (Sword 1, Essence 2): as the Adjuration. Cost 2. Less expensive (2/3 mote committed instead of 1)

Social: as with Adjurations, all overlap and cost less.
Gladdening Visage (Cup 1): as the Adjuration. Cost 1. Less expensive (1/3 mote committed instead of 1/2)
Untouchable Performer Technique (Cup 3, one prerequisite Charm): as the Adjuration. Cost 1. Less expensive (1/3 mote committed instead of 1/2)
Beguilement (Staff 3, Essence 2): as the Adjuration. Cost 5. Less expensive (5/3 mote committed instead of 3 (or 2.5 with a 5 dot Adjuration))
Subtle Hammer (Staff 5, Essence 3, four prerequisite Charms): as the Adjuration. Cost 1. Much less expensive (1/3 mote committed instead of 1)

Combat: as with Adjurations, all overlap, a lot fewer exist, and usually cost less.
Swift Wings of Song (Cup 3, one prerequisite Charm): as the Adjuration. Cost 3. More expensive (1 mote committed versus 1/2)!
Endless Yawning Void (Ring 3, Essence 2, one prerequisite Charm): as the Adjuration. Cost 2. Less expensive (2/3 mote committed instead of 1)
Rarefied Air of Inevitable Victory (Sword 5, Essence 3, four prerequisite Charms): as the Adjuration. Cost 2. Less expensive (2/3 mote committed instead of 1)

Utility: as with Adjurations, all overlap and usually cost less.
Heaven Rains Wisdom (Cup 1): as the Adjuration. Cost 1. Less expensive (1/3 mote committed instead of 1/2)
Ordinary Object Conjuration (Ring 2): as the Adjuration, but does not require a roll to summon / banish and cost is 1. So you can get 9 items for 3 committed motes with Oneiromancy, or 1 item for 2 committed motes with Adjuration (and need to roll to get it).
Adaptation to Adversity (Heart 3: Noble only): As the Adjuration. Cost 3. Similar cost (1 mote committed). Costs the same when used in an Outward Facing Oneiromancy, which can protect your allies too.

meschlum

2023-05-05, 01:47 AM

Abusing Outward Facing Oneiromancies for Personal Profit

Might as well finish things! Outward Facing Oneiromancies are usually meant to be used on people around you, rather than just yourself, but can still be finessed into giving you the effects of some Charms and boosting your personal prowess in some way.

Costs: Outward and Inward Facing Oneiromancies are built around the same costs, but anything in an Outward Facing Oneiromancy will cost a multiple of 3 Glamour (besides the basic Adjuration). This means that on a 1-dot Oneiromancy, Mad God Mien has an effective cost of 3 Glamour. Also note that an Outward Facing Oneiromancy is much more likely to rely on the Abilities and Attributes of its lorekeeper.

Universal: these can be used for many things, but you need to define the relevant specialty - applications do include combat, but are potentially broader. Have the benefit of not requiring any motes to activate.
Sovereign Element Shape (requires an Elemental Assumption): grant a solid bonus to a specialty to yourself (or anyone else wearing the Oneiromancy while shouting "I am the Raksha!"). Cost 3.
King of Beasts Method (requires Bestial Assumption): see Sovereign Element Shape
Elegant Muse Attitude (requires Dreams and Passion Assumption): see Sovereign Element Shape
Subtle Wraith Arts (requires Cerements and Bone Assumption): see Sovereign Element Shape

Social: effective in boosting your social combat abilities
Thousand Tiny Hooks Technique (Cup 4, two prerequisites): make your social attacks undodgeable. Cost 9, works on everyone within range so you get the Cup 5+, Essence 5+ benefit for free.

Combat: these can be used for things beyond combat, but do not make you better at them.
Unparalleled Terror Technique (Sword 2, one prerequisite): does not work as often as the Charm, but costs nothing to infect your foes with dream-poison. Cost 3.
World Angering Elemental Mastery (Essence 2, requires an Elemental Assumption): inflict a severe penalty to a specialty to everyone around. Such as Melee (you) or Dodge (you), making them easier to hit and possibly making it harder for them to hit you. Cost 3
World Angering Bestial Mastery (Essence 2, requires Bestial Assumption): as World Angering Elemental Mastery
Unwanted Obsession Provocation Technique (Essence 2, requires Dreams and Passion Assumption): as World Angering Elemental Mastery
World Darkening Grave Shadow (Essence 2, requires Cerements and Bone Assumption): as World Angering Elemental Mastery
Devouring Revelation of the Wyld (Cup 3, Essence 2, two prerequisites, one granted by Birth 1+): distract people, maybe eat their souls. Cost 6.
Chaotic Soul Sledgehammer (Cup 4, Essence 3, two prerequisites): remove all channels of a virtue, make it harder to use as well. Cost 9 Great way to ensure Valor rolls fail.
Curse of Definition (Cup 4, Essence 3, three prerequisites): make your opponents unable to dodge your blows without a Stunt or Charm, or unable to hit you without the same. Cost 12. Requires a 3+ dot Oneiromancy.

Utility: minor overlap with Inward Facing
Shiftless Untamed Beauty (Cup 2): people are addicted to being next to your Oneiromancy, instead of next to you - so it works out the same. Cost 3.
Manacles of Virtue (Cup 2, one prerequisite): use it on yourself instead of others, and you get the effect of having Unsightly Rigor Approach without needing to pay for it. Cost 3.
Adaptation to Adversity (Heart 3: Noble only): As the Adjuration. Cost 3. Similar cost (1 mote committed). Affects all the chosen people around you as well.
Heart Stealing Kiss (Cup 4, Essence 2, one prerequisite - which is granted by Birth 1+): steal virtues from others for motes. Cannot be used as often on a single target as the Charm, but costs nothing to use. Cost 3.

metalith

2023-05-05, 04:46 AM

So after comparing and reviewing I have decided which charms I can get replace with a Grace replacement and which I could maybe replace. I am thinking that I could even get rid of Bedlam's Masterworks and Worker's Gift since after reviewing some things, I don't think I'll have to worry as much about Gossamer. Especially once I bind the Common Raksha in an appropriate Adjuration. I would like to try and minimize the number of potential oaths coming in. I have no problem with min/maxing but do want to avoid any uber munchkining.

Replace

Bedlam Masterworks
Glorious Hero Form
Worker’s Gift
Tainted Creature Command

Maybe Replace

Knife-Hand Dream
Opalescent Gossamer Raiment

Spectacular Insanity - Would like to purchase so I could eventually purchase Raging Vortex Form.

meschlum

2023-05-05, 09:58 PM

Raging Vortex Form gives you up to 5 mutations (not mutation points), so a Blight and a Pox, two Afflictions and a Pox, one Affliction and three Poxes, or five Poxes. You can get more with a single purchase of Fantastic Grotesquerie Shell (costs gossamer).

An Inward Facing Oneiromancy which transforms you when you go into Bedlam gives you (Essence + 3) mutations, so it's as good as or better than Raging Vortex Form, and the mutations can be changed with Unshaped Cup Transformation, rather than being locked in.

Bestial Assumption (as an Adjuration, or add on to your base form) gives Essence mutations, which is 5 if you have Heart Stopping Numinous Power up. Or you take two Bestial Assumptions in a 1-dot Adjuration, and have more options (but no Blight until Essence 4).

Tainted Creature Command requires a 2-dot Adjuration to get access to (3 mutation points), so it has a definite resource cost to take as Grace Magic.

As it stands, you're looking at 7 dots worth of Adjurations for everything, which is a lot! Since you'll have a Diplomat crafting for you, consider which Great Works Charms it might have, and delegate.

The Glyphstone

2023-05-06, 05:35 AM

Bedlam is the Raksha equivalent to a limit break, right?

metalith

2023-05-06, 06:57 AM

Bedlam is the Raksha equivalent to a limit break, right?

Yes. Though I believe Bedlam is much longer lasting.

meschlum

2023-05-06, 08:59 PM

Bedlam is analogous to Limit Break, with some differences:

- The manifestation of Bedlam depends on the strained Grace - a Fair Folk who pushed its Sword too far will not have the same problems as a Raksha which was excessively compassionate.

- Raksha are subject to every form of Bedlam, which triggers when they run out of virtue channels or when the Grace is destroyed. So an Entertainer (Cup focus) can easily succumb to Sword based Bedlam if they channel their Valor, but can resist Cup based Bedlam for a while.

- Raksha without a Grace are in perpetual Bedlam (except for Fair Folk without a Way Grace, who are fine as long as they never had one), though Nobles or Diplomats may have Charms allowing them to re-create their Graces. Creation-born eventually recover.

- Bedlam can also be inflicted on anyone with a Grace (including Creation-born), by whoever owns the Grace. This form of Bedlam lasts as long as the person inflicting it wants it to last (some limits apply).

- 'Normal' Bedlam has a narrative based duration - it lasts until it has forced you to get into enough trouble. The same Entertainer will recover quickly from Sword Bedlam (by surrendering to something dangerous once), but would need to accumulate a lot more regrets if it descended into Cup Bedlam.

- Post errata, Bedlam is somewhat necessary for Raksha to exist, since it removes Stasis. Stasis is an affliction that eventually petrifies Fair Folk unless they do exciting things and allow their minions to plot their demise - or enter Bedlam, go briefly nuts, and resume business as usual.

- There are Charms that give you benefits when you enter Bedlam or leave it (and can almost all be replicated with Adjurations, except Raging Vortex Form, which is of dubious value).

- It is possible to be immune to the effects of Bedlam (via All Consuming God Monster Stance).

- Yes, there is an Adjuration which creates gossamer when those sworn to it enter or leave Bedlam, and it can be combined with having two minions swap Graces and constantly inflict brief Bedlam on each other. Congratulations! You now have unlimited gossamer.

Rockphed

2023-05-07, 12:32 PM

The more I see of the fair folk rules, the more I am convinced they were written by a fairy, and not the children's book version. On the one hand they seem to carry the "monsters from beyond the edge of the world vibe, on the other they channel fae tropes.

That said, it is always a pleasure to see meschlum's work. I think he might be draining my temporary valor every time I look on his posts. At some point I should see about phenomenal cosmic powers for all the soul eating I have endured.

meschlum

2023-05-08, 03:14 AM

Gospel of Ascension

Creation is unfair, flawed, and cruel - but it can be changed.

From the moment it was carved out of the Wyld, it was written into the substance of What Is that the few had power and the many could not obtain it. The Yozi, in their cruelty, decreed that they would only grant power at the cost of Self - a tool who erased himself and became a channel for their will was more potent than a slave who could choose her path, or dream to.

And so the Yozi fell, when their highest slaves changed themselves and exalted a few more.

Exaltation is unfair, flawed, and cruel - but it can be changed.

From the moment they were raised out of the mortal races, it was written into the substance of the Exalted that their numbers were finite, and infinitesimal in the face of Creation. The Incarna, in their cruelty, decreed that they would create less than a thousand Exaltations, weighed down by the echoes of every life they had suffered before - and mortal nonetheless. A million can suffer without an Exalt rising, if their ranks are full - and Exalts gain power they longer they live, so they die young or ancient and twisted.

And so the Incarna's rule fell, when their favored toys grew mad and ambitious - and fell before the Dragon's numbers.

The Dragons are unfair, flawed, and cruel - but they can be changed.

From the moment they were charged with their duties, it was written into the substance of the Dragon-blooded that only their blood - as pure as possible - could raise them above the masses. The Dragons, in their cruelty, decreed that a few select families chosen aeons ago would be granted power undeserved, placed above mortals by accident of birth - a corrupt and depraved dragon-blood without talent or virtue would matter more than a righteous and dedicated mortal, no matter what she might do or master.

And so the Empire must fall, but what will take its place?

The Wyld is change - and we can make it fair and kind despite its flaws.

For the Wyld was there before Creation, and it can break its laws.

The Hidden Sutras can grant anyone the ability to perform martial arts beyond the ability of the Dragon-blooded.

The Glittering Tomes can unleash sorceries on par with the workings of the Exalted, to any who learns their lessons.

The Grail itself grants life beyond what was taken by the Exalted, and shatters the limits Creation has set upon mortal-kind.

Do not envy the Dragons and the Exalted - pity them instead. For the laws of Creation are burned into their souls, and they will die. This is neither threat nor prophecy, but simple fact. Pity them, for they were created to fight and die, and the Wyld will bring peace and possibility.

Mechanics

Among the Creation-born, only Gods, Demons, and Exalts can raise their Essence above 3.

Gods and Demons have limited free will, being closer to functions of Creation (or the Yozi) than independent beings.

Exalts explicitly die of old age (though it can take millennia), and have very limited numbers (700 non-Dragonblood Exalts total at any time, out of a population of millions or billions? Dragonbloods can be more common, but unless they're very inbred, they remain rare).

Raksha do not age (unless they want to, and if so, in the direction they want), and can raise their Essence over 3. They are free willed, if often lacking creativity.

Mortals start at Essence 1, and can unlock their essence in order to use it, for Thaumaturgy and empowered martial arts. A vanishing few might, after decades, learn a little Terrestrial Sorcery or Martial Arts, but at a significant cost in time and xp. They also die of old age, disease, and lots of other things.

Half-bloods (the children of mortals and Gods, Demons, Exalts (non Dragon-blooded), or other beings with high Essence) are also limited to Essence 3, but have a somewhat easier time of it, as they draw on their non-human part. Some (God and Demon bloods) can become full Gods or Demons if they want to rise past Essence 3, at the cost of their free will. Exalt Blooded cannot, and Fey-bloods probably can't?

So how do we get the mortal masses to Ascend beyond their limits?

Assumption of the Person's Heart lets a Raksha share its Charms with the person it's merged with.

Root of the Perfected Lotus (Sword 2, Essence 2 - available to any Heroic Warrior or Noble favoring Sword) lets them learn Terrestrial Martial Arts. Random farmgirl with no hidden backstory suddenly having access to top tier martial arts moves? Check! The follow up Charm in the Errata allows access to Celestial Martial Arts, so you're as good at punching things as a Solar is - and without the tendency to explode displayed by Dragon-bloods who try for that tier of skill.

Style Improving Spirit (Ring 2, Essence 2, one prerequisite - available to any Heroic Worker or Noble favoring Ring) lets them get 5 dots in the Style background, which can explicitly reproduce effects of Terrestrial Sorcery. Generic pigboy without mysterious teachers tossing fireballs? Sure!

Behemoth Forging Meditation does not work on Exalts (poor things). On anyone else, it lets them get the Immortal Flesh Abomination, making them explicitly nigh immortal and unaging. Not bad! It can also grant Awakened Essence, assuming you haven't used Ordinary Object Conjuration to give everyone nearby magic Essence Awakening cocaine (actually exists in the books).

So we've got nigh unkillable martial artists and sorcerers by the hundreds (or thousands), but they're still limited to Essence 3, and probably die if tossed into an active volcano.

Time to do better!

Someone getting 10+ mutations from Behemoth Forging Meditation (no Exalts!) becomes a 1-dot Behemoth. This means that if they are destroyed, they can be repaired with Unshaped Sword Transformation (the prerequisite for Behemoth Forging Meditation), granting what's effectively resurrection if they get killed.

Forging the Graces can be used to give a minion (e.g. a Behemoth) Graces, and they can have one opened, becoming a full Raksha. With no limits on their Essence!

So the entire population of your kingdom of choice (except the Exalts) can become more or less immortal, and those who want to develop their skills further can access Exalted charms (for Martial Arts and sort of Sorcery). If they want to go further, they can graduate to being Fair Folk, and raise their Essence that way.

metalith

2023-05-08, 04:59 AM

Okay... this is a level of gouda I can't even... lol

meschlum

2023-05-10, 02:55 AM

Well, there was a request for phenomenal cosmic powers in exchange for some purportedly harmless soul eating, so...

It is possible to push the fermented milk products further, but the really qualitative jumps become rarer and (at times) reliant on one's reading of the text. We shall not go there (openly).

Marashek's Manual

Marashek has named itself the Architect of Flesh, and is quite determined in its efforts to understand the workings of mortal bodies, and to remake them into more suitable forms. A dedicated Warrior, it is known for leaving vicious scars on those who cross its blades, further refining its understanding of its foes.

Still, Creation is large and Marashek cannot travel its full extent in order to perform its arts. Instead, it has overseen the creation of its Manual, a leather bound tome whose origin is best left unconsidered, which is scribed with all that Marashek has learned over the years of its existence - and is cursed, or blessed, with the need to apply those skills and acts described within.

When a Manual is inflicted upon Creation, it usually begins as something innocuous - a new text describing how to treat wounds, a guide to the use of a cleaver in battle or butchery, or (very successfully) a profusely illustrated manual showing how to best please a lover. Once someone begins to use it, more pages appear, with ever more fascinating content - but they require partners. Willing, at first. In small numbers, initially. Surviving the procedures, to begin with.

And then the Dragon-blooded come and put the city to the sword, burn it down, salt the earth, and burn the salt just to make sure. They then return home with a few spoils from the battle, including a very useful and instructive Manual...

Mechanics
1-dot Outward Facing Oneiromancy
Assumption of Cerements and Bone - really, as if the Manual could be made otherwise?
Shiftless Untamed Beauty - using the Manual soon becomes a reason in and of itself
Emotion Weaving Style - those who are instructed by the Manual seek only to perform more of the procedures it describes, or to find new ones to commit to its pages.
Untouchable Performer Technique - while individuals may not believe the Manual is harmless, any group of mortals close to it will almost always find something else to blame, if they remain convinced there is an issue at all.

This could also be called the One Ring, or most other items filling that plot space. It's utterly terrifying for mortals, and largely harmless against Exalts (assuming they don't let it fester somewhere), so it makes for an excellent narrative tool!

metalith

2023-05-10, 04:19 AM

I can normally grasp what is going on with the suggested items you created but I can't wrap my head around this one. Shouldn't this be an outward facing one. Since its affecting other people instead of the Raksha who is using it. Or is this a trap item, where you give it to someone and they attune to and then use it. Since a Loremaster would need to attune to it to active the item or the Creation-Born you give it to, would have to have the ability to use Essence to wield themselves.

metalith

2023-05-10, 07:19 AM

I have been putting pen to paper and I have come up with 3 Adjurations 1 and 1 Oneiromancy 1 for consideration.

Oath of Driven Inspiration: "I shall not resist the call to inspiration, let reason and insanity have equal reign." This oath grants the powers of Spectacular Insanity and Bedlam Masterworks.

Oath of Shielded Inspiration: "I shall follow the path inspiration provides, let not reason nor insanity drive me to ruin in my duty." This oath grants the powers of Ambrosial Ascension and Driven Madness.

Oath of Creation's Purpose: "I swear to never let the fire of creativity die, to forge new and wondrous things, until the Sun never rises again. This oath grants the powers of Creator's Fugue and Surpassing Excellence with a specialization of Crafts: Glamour [Essence-Forging Art].

Circlet of the Divine Forge: This spell takes the form of a circlet of impossibly woven twin threads silver and gold, accented with fine adamant filigree. The circlet has the permanent versions of Assumption of Earth Shape woven into it. When activated the spell grants the wearer the charm and protection of a divinely inspired blacksmith, protecting him from the dangers of the forge itself and from those who would see to ruin his divinely inspired work. Granting the wearer the charms of Heaven Rains Wisdom, Unlimited Resplendence, Gladdening Visage, Untouchable Performer Technique, Subtle Hammer, Adaptation to Adversity (Fire), and Rarefied Air of Inevitable Victory.

Segev

2023-05-10, 04:09 PM

A side note on Raksha metaphysics and (im)moratlity: Note that in mundane (i.e. what happens outside of Shaping) combat, raksha can die, but can Shape themselves back to life at will as long as they're in the Wyld. Unless a Creation-born deals the killing blow. Sure, a Raksha backstabbed by his Obviously Treacherous Vizier in Creation won't be able to Shape, so he can't Shape himself alive again, but that's only a problem until he is moved into a Chancel or a wyld zone or the Wyld. Then, because it was not a Creation-born who killed him, he can Shape himself alive again. (Similarly, they can't Shape away wounds from Creation-born.)

Falling On Your Own Sword
The simplest way to protect yourself if you know you face Exalted or other Creation-born who can actually defeat you in combat and may well kill you (the uncouth jerks) is to perform a monologue about the cruelty of the world or the nobility of the enemies' cause or anything else that suits the moment, and then commit ritual suicide. Now you're dead, and they can't kill you any more than you already have been. Sure, they can stab the corpse, but it's not like they can make that worse than the already-fatal one you cast upon yourself. That said, if they ARE double-tapping like this, you might be in trouble when you try to Shape yourself alive and find you still have a lethal number of health levels, so be cautious. Still, you weren't killed by Creation-born, so you can Shape yourself alive again...when you can Shape. Being in Creation (where you are statistically more likely to run into Creation-born willing and able to kill you) will make this trickier.

The True Purpose of the Obviously Evil Vizier
So, why does the Raksha Sultan keep that Obviously Evil Vizier around? You know, the one who always gives him advice that would get him into trouble or advance the Vizier's position, and who seems to be scheming to murder him? Why, because the best time to initiate Plan Backstab is when one's lord is on the ropes and you can blame his demise on those pesky mortals or exalts! The primary, true purpose of the Obviously Evil Vizier (who could be as simple as a well-built poppet) is to consistently have an action ready to murder the Raksha lord when the lord is about to be slain by another. By this kill-stealing act, the Raksha avoids having been slain by a Creation-born, and now all it takes is the Vizier whisking the corpse away to "lie in state" in the chancel (so he can use it in his political schemes, of course) for the Raksha lord to be able to whip up a story about how he miraculously survived and totally isn't dead. Or Shape himself into being the boy-king heir to his prior self, executing the Vizier for his treachery, and appointing a new suspiciously similar Vizier to his place.

The Hamlet Gambit: Assumption of Cerements and Bone
So you forgot to bring your Obviously Evil Vizier with you on this trip through Creation, or the incompetent dolt was too slow and a Dragonblooded on a Wyld Hunt smashed you into pulp with a Grand Goremaul before the Vizier could strike. You're dead, and it's sticking now. It's time to take an Assumption as a mutation. Assumption of Cerements and Bone lets you imitate the undead. This isn't shaping yourself alive; you're a ghost or similar creature. You still need the Wyld to pull this off, since you still need to be able to take Shaping actions and possibly learn a new Charm or forge a new Adjuration to make it happen, but even with this permanent mark on you, you're still a perfectly functional ghost/vampire/ghoul/whatever you like. There are plenty of stories to tell as a ghost!

Where to Shape Yourself to Life

The Wyld is the most obvious place. If you've got loyal servants who can drag you there, great!

It's often a bit far away, though, so if you have a chancel, your minions can drag you into that, instead. After all, you can Shape there, too. It's probably closer than the Wyld, itself.

There's a faster way to do it, however, and it works especially well for swearing your vengeance or handing out advice or a quest: Dream-Carving Artifice allows you to open a 10-waypoint Wyld zone inside the mindscape of a consenting Creation-born. You can obtain that consent through unnatural mental influence, if needs be. A good outward-facing Oneiromancy or an Assumption of the Person's Heart or similar can give you means of using other Charms to obtain that consent. Manifest a vision for him that shows him your demise and your rise as a ghost, and anything else you want to show him to shape the narrative in an amusing manner. However you gain the consent, this lets you perform Shaping actions while occupying the shared (day)dream. Including things like forging new Adjurations, learning new Charms, or assigning yourself permanent mutation Charms. You can Shape yourself back to life, if it wasn't a Creation-born that slew you, or Shape yourself into a ghost or the like if one did.

meschlum

2023-05-10, 09:54 PM

The Manual is a book full of disturbing content (be it instructions for vivisection, dieting fads, or political movements assigning importance based on the size of the left earlobe), and also an outward-facing Oneiromancy. It works by being snuck into the target town or city, probably as part of a shipment of exotic wares.

Shiftless Untamed Beauty activates, and people end up wanting to stay close to the book - or, more generally, the store where the Manual is now lurking. This is good for business, so the shopkeeper probably won't ask too many questions... And at some point, some poor sap is going to pick up the Manual and not want to let it go again. A guaranteed sale!

Once someone is foolish enough to read its contents (more than a few pages, but Shiftless Untamed Beauty will encourage the reader to go on), Emotion Weaving Style triggers, and the reader now wants to try all the experiments / diets / ear measurements, and get others to participate too!

Our happy little horror cult then begins to spread, with new members inducted by having them read the text and become members with Emotion Weaving Style (or inflicting the horrors on them, and addicting them to the fads via Shiftless Untamed Beauty). When the authorities realize that there is a problem because there are a lot fewer people in the district than there should be / most of the town is eating kale, raw eggs, and fresh human blood / they really should step down because their ears have not been artificially stretched to two feet long, you get Untouchable Performer Technique to activate.

The nascent cult is forcibly dissolved, but the Manual itself is not at all to blame for it, and might even need to be consulted to determine what should be done with these maniacs. Obviously, the authorities are the best people to care for it, and find out the proper things that they should do...

Exalts are immune to Emotion Weaving Style, but might still get addicted to being near the Manual - and will have a much easier time going for it if they act as a party rather than call in the army. So it makes for a great way to start an adventure!

The oaths look fine, though you might want to rephrase Shielded Inspiration: since you get bonus successes on rolls to keep an oath, it's nice to have a convenient oath right there that you can abuse!

One thing you may want to add to them is an escape clause - if you swear to an Adjuration, you cannot remove it (and get the motes back) until it is fulfilled or you break the Oath. And the consequences for breaking it are somewhat dire.

Your Oneiromancy has too many charms in it: you have a total of 10 glamour, but one is used on the Oneiromancy's Assumption, leaving 9 glamour.

Heaven Rains Wisdom: 1
Unlimited Resplendence: 1
Gladdening Visage: 1
Untouchable Performer Technique: 1
Subtle Hammer: 1
Adaptation to Adversity (Fire): 3
Rarefied Air of Inevitable Victory: 2

For a total of 10 Glamour, one more than you are entitled to (or you could take a 2-dot Oneiromancy, in which case you're better off taking two one-dots).

Check with your GM: if Fire counts as an environmental hazard you can be immune to, it's definitely something worthwhile! My ideas were more limited to 'sandstorms' and the like, which are much more specialized and thus less versatile. I approve!

Also, I suspect that Craft(Glamour) could be a specialty, so you don't need to apply it to a single Charm (or go for something more generic, like "creating magical marvels", which won't always trigger but fits your goals better).

Sadly, per the errata (page 101), a Raksha kindly backstabbing a Fair Folk in Creation leaves them dead, unable to shape themselves back to life. Also page 103 of the errata states that being killed in Creation is permanent, no Creation-born needed to commit the murder.

It's still a workable idea in the Wyld, and Assumption of the Wyld Tainted Land (on a minion) allows you to turn an area into a tainted land, where you can Shape. It needs to be adjacent to the Bordermarches, which can be an issue - or you just open the door to your Chancel, and that is now adjacent to the Wyld!

While Dream Carving Artifice can be exploited for significant cheese, anything you create in it only lasts as long as the scene of the shared daydream. So new Adjurations won't last long, but you can change Assumptions, learn Charms, use Unshaped Grace Transformation to rebuild your artifacts, and so forth.

metalith

2023-05-10, 10:40 PM

The oaths look fine, though you might want to rephrase Shielded Inspiration: since you get bonus successes on rolls to keep an oath, it's nice to have a convenient oath right there that you can abuse!

One thing you may want to add to them is an escape clause - if you swear to an Adjuration, you cannot remove it (and get the motes back) until it is fulfilled or you break the Oath. And the consequences for breaking it are somewhat dire.

Your Oneiromancy has too many charms in it: you have a total of 10 glamour, but one is used on the Oneiromancy's Assumption, leaving 9 glamour.

Heaven Rains Wisdom: 1
Unlimited Resplendence: 1
Gladdening Visage: 1
Untouchable Performer Technique: 1
Subtle Hammer: 1
Adaptation to Adversity (Fire): 3
Rarefied Air of Inevitable Victory: 2

For a total of 10 Glamour, one more than you are entitled to (or you could take a 2-dot Oneiromancy, in which case you're better off taking two one-dots).

Check with your GM: if Fire counts as an environmental hazard you can be immune to, it's definitely something worthwhile! My ideas were more limited to 'sandstorms' and the like, which are much more specialized and thus less versatile. I approve!

Also, I suspect that Craft(Glamour) could be a specialty, so you don't need to apply it to a single Charm (or go for something more generic, like "creating magical marvels", which won't always trigger but fits your goals better).

I can try to phrase Shielded better, I am trying to be general enough for non-adjuration oaths like Eight Ring or other oaths I may need to swear.

I can try to see what I can trim from my Cirlet charm wise. I have to read through the Hazard section of Core since in most game Fire is a general hazard to deal with but Exalted may spell it out differently. And being a 3 cost charm, would be easiest numberwise to replace. Though was may physical hazard I could think of with working in a Forge.

I was thinking about a little Primordial shade once I finished it calling/describing it something of Autochthon, since he was the main forger of items etc of the Primordials.

meschlum

2023-05-10, 11:12 PM

Since the Oneiromancy is for you, the easy Charm to drop is Unlimited Resplendence - it gives you up to Resources = Essence, and you already have Resources = YES from the Gossamer background, so it's largely superfluous. Or just use Ordinary Object Conjuration to create a Resources 5 diamond, sell it, and have Resources 4 in real money from then on.

Immunity to normal flame comes with Assumption of Fire Shape, which is half of a 1-dot Adjuration - as an alternate way to get the effect.

Marashek's Knives

Some of the Architect of Flesh's followers are not content to wait for Creation to study its Manuals and seek to remake themselves. Instead, they take on the burden of Shape, raise its Knives, and go into What Is to remake mortals into what they should be.

The owner of the Knives has an instinct for the way bodies come together - or fall apart - and regularly leaves scars behind, even from seemingly harmless cuts. Since their procedures can require more materials than are immediately at hand, they find a wide range of sharp - if perhaps excessively serrated - scalpels and knives are always at hand.

Of course, Creation's inhabitants - those not enlightened by the Manual tend to object to being spliced, scarred, and otherwise experimented upon. As it happens, the Knives are sharp enough to cut out the memory of who performed the deeds - though not the deeds themselves.

Mechanics
1-dot Inward Facing Oneiromancy
Imposition of Law - any cut inflicted by the owner of the Knives will scar, if at all possible.
Ordinary Object Conjuration (x3) - the owner of the Knives can always obtain an Excellent quality knife, scalpel, or other way of cutting flesh, as many and as often as needed - though these do not tend to exist for longer than the procedure being performed...
Fall of Night Shadows the Truth - while it is easy to remember the name of the Architect of Flesh, the features of those wielding its knives, and the procedures they perform tend to be forgotten in the face of the horrors they leave in their wake.

So your generic slasher flick villain, except not necessarily good at fighting - just good at not being noticed while doing slasher flick things, and leaving memorable scars (and a set of Knives) behind when killed.

Segev

2023-05-11, 10:35 AM

Sadly, per the errata (page 101), a Raksha kindly backstabbing a Fair Folk in Creation leaves them dead, unable to shape themselves back to life. Also page 103 of the errata states that being killed in Creation is permanent, no Creation-born needed to commit the murder.

It's still a workable idea in the Wyld, and Assumption of the Wyld Tainted Land (on a minion) allows you to turn an area into a tainted land, where you can Shape. It needs to be adjacent to the Bordermarches, which can be an issue - or you just open the door to your Chancel, and that is now adjacent to the Wyld!

While Dream Carving Artifice can be exploited for significant cheese, anything you create in it only lasts as long as the scene of the shared daydream. So new Adjurations won't last long, but you can change Assumptions, learn Charms, use Unshaped Grace Transformation to rebuild your artifacts, and so forth.

Ah, I did not realize the errata addressed dying in Creation regardless of who did the killing. Still, just because you're dead doesn't mean you can't do things! Assumption of Cerements and Bone is still a good choice for a way to get a functional body back. (In a wyld zone - Dream Carving Artifice, a Chancel, tainted land, etc. - you can also Shape yourself into a ghost or other dead thing without an Assumption.)

Hm. Since Creation supports Reincarnation, you could potentially Shape yourself a new identity as your own reincarnation, too. Or Assumption of the Person's Heart to "reincarnate" as an Exaltation - you grant all sorts of powers and memories to the mortal Chosen to Exalt with you!

The Glyphstone

2023-05-11, 06:54 PM

Exalted will always confuse the heck out of me, but I cant help but love a game where you can say 'just because you're dead doesn't mean you can't do things' and it's just how the world works.

Lord Raziere

2023-05-11, 07:05 PM

Exalted will always confuse the heck out of me, but I cant help but love a game where you can say 'just because you're dead doesn't mean you can't do things' and it's just how the world works.

this is all 2e canon to be fair, and 3e Exalted is pretty much a reboot of the setting. and 2e canon is largely confusing because it lost focus on whats important: the Exalted.

like 3e hard goes away from the ridiculous more out there elements that 2e introduced, like Fair Folk will never be playable in 3e, and ghosts are probably being made a lot more nuanced than being treated as something that mundane or blasé, much like the rest of the setting is now. like last time I heard, the devs were scaling ghosts back a bit so that it isn't as easy to become a ghost probably because of 2e memes about death being an upgrade from being a mortal when that isn't the point of ghosthood like, at all, and more about "your not exactly the same person anymore when your a ghost" much like how Onyx Path does everything, focusing on the story and humanistic elements of things.

metalith

2023-05-12, 12:40 AM

I am sad to hear that Fair Folk will not be a splat in 3e. I have no interest in the new Exalted types and would love to see what 3e Fair Folk would be like.

Lord Raziere

2023-05-12, 02:01 AM

I am sad to hear that Fair Folk will not be a splat in 3e. I have no interest in the new Exalted types and would love to see what 3e Fair Folk would be like.

They're not supposed to be anything but enemies.

They're soul eating faeries weaving things out of dreams. Exalted is about the Exalted.

The Dream-Souled are new Exalted type that is similar though, only available in the Exigents book thats only in manuscript right now, but it'll come out sooner or later. Like everyone keeps saying they have no interest in new Exalt types but honestly, we've gotten nothing but Solars, DB's and Lunars out, Sidereals manuscript and so on, Lunars have had the best execution anyone has had ever seen and Exigents manuscript will be the first time we get ANY new Exalts at all. we're going to get Abyssals before we get anything on Liminals, and we got Sidereals before anything about Getimians. if your worried about new Exalts, they have been strictly secondary priority to just doing the primary Exalts really well so far.

Segev

2023-05-12, 02:23 AM

Yeah, 3e had some good ideas and some great ones, and a lot of really bad ones. The majority of good ideas were mechanical, like their attempt to remake the paradigm of combat into something that built up a victory gauge and let you try to dramatically end a fight when yours is big enough. The best, and one I wholeheartedly adapt back into 2e games, is the concept that Artifacts allow their wielders to develop and learn Evocations. One I thought was good but have come to realize was too much ramification and not enough verisimilitude was the crafting system. The way the Charm trees for it were bloated and boring dice twiddlers was a sign I should have paid more attention to at the time, as well.

The setting changes are...they range from 'okay, I guess' (e.g. Exigent Exalted) to feeling unnecessary (Liminal Exalted) to lame as heck (what they're doing to ghosts and fair folk).

Evocations, though, are brilliant. They are basically Charm Trees unique to each unique Artifact. Artifacts have individual, unique themes for every one of them.

A given Artifact's Evocation tree for one master will be similar to, but probably different in at least a few ways from, the same Artifact's Evocation tree for another master. Evocations will follow the Artifact's theme and nature and also that of the master learning them.

So a Solar with a Red Jade Grand Daiklaive will find it gives him more fiery Evocations than his usual Melee Charms would allow, but it still likely has personal excellence woven throughout (even if some Evocations are directly magical, the tree will have excellence focus in the line). An enlightened mortal with a pair of God-Kicking Boots known as Heaven's Gatecrasher's might learn Evocations tied to his Martial Arts tree, or go straight for breaking down doors and barriers.

It is very much an art, since the ST has to work with the player to invent good Evocations for his character and his Artifacts. But it translates gorgeously to 2E, and makes Artifacts pop as cool and unique items, since two orichalcum daiklaives now have potentially very different names, purposes, and themes, making them have very different Evocations.

metalith

2023-05-12, 02:33 AM

I would say that is no different then Abyssals and Infernals.

Lord Raziere

2023-05-12, 02:36 AM

We still haven't gotten Liminals yet. and they're strictly coming after Abyssals are done

All the new Exalts have been strictly secondary priority after doing all the primary ones really well so far. if your complaint is about the new Exalts being there or taking up room....they haven't been, because none of them are out, and are all planned to be smaller books than the primary Exalts made after they're out so....*shrug* it seems really knee-jerk to judge it before they even come and haven't been given that much of a priority. heck, three of the new Exalts are just bare-bones optional canon writeups at the end of the Exigent's book, with Exigents themselves getting the entire rest of the book devoted to them. and Exigents, Getimians and Liminals are so small in number that not including them in a game is incredibly easy: 100 Exigents maybe, 64 Getimians, maybe 100 Liminals? and they're not exactly setting-changing, DB's still dominate, and in fact dominate more than they used to. the new Exalts really aren't that big of a deal.

as for ghosts and Fair folk uuuh......the fair folk being tvtrope larpers just made the setting feel too jokey and post-modern, and like, hard-confirming how ghosts (and really spirits) work in general cuts off more stories than it enables. the changes are to make sure more things can be done with them and they can be weirder, instead of all being generalized into interactions that once learned would get really repetitive if they were all like that.

and I say this as someone who STARTED with 2e. I thought 2e was awesome when I first got it sure, but looking at Exalted now, I really do prefer 3e's way of handling things because its much more real, honest and nuanced about the setting while also leaving things more open for wonder than just every single wonder being explained. Instead of every ghost having the same fetters system, I could potentially solve every ghost as its own unusual supernatural puzzle, with many more things stranger than ghosts or fair folk out there to encounter, there to expanded upon for a campaign.

Segev

2023-05-12, 06:05 AM

To each their own. I feel like the wonder is being squeezed out of 3e, myself, but like I said, it has some good and at least one great idea.

Depending what they've done with it since I stopped paying attention, the social system could be something to write home about, too.

I, for one, really like 2E's take on the Fair Folk, conceptually. But like I said: to each their own.

Lord Raziere

2023-05-12, 11:13 AM

To each their own. I feel like the wonder is being squeezed out of 3e, myself, but like I said, it has some good and at least one great idea.

I mean how many books have you read? Just corebook? DBs? because the design team has changed since the corebook and only for the better. Do you have Adversaries of the Righteous? Hundred Devils Night Parade? Lunars Fangs At The Gate? those are all out now, we're well past all the DB stuff and the first two of those is nothing but detailing NPCs and enemies. Exigents and Sidereals manuscripts like mention a lot of weird things just in passing without much elaboration.

like from Sidereals alone we have like, Devil stars, plague of ethics, the Orphan Maelstrom, something called a Seven-Limbed Pact, some Scorpion Empire fighting fair folk in something called the Split-Second War, some thinking engine called Jazex IX betraying heaven long ago, Omen-spore Infestation, some Skyeater Moth emerging from the Wyld beneath the world, all things for you to just do whatever you want with because they're left open to be whatever you need for your campaign, Yu-shan itself now has quicksilver seas, crystalline forests, wilder less populated areas full of this and that, A wall that even the Primordials didn't build past with.....something....dangerous beyond it. things like that.

while Exigents is interesting for simply seeing how Exalted does seemingly weird concepts for a Exalt through Exigents. the first Exigent is like the Chosen of Farming and she is awesome. the Exigent after? Chosen of Puppets. Chosen after that? Chosen of Cities. but then you have the Sovereigns who are a combination Exigent of some random trickster god and the remains of the dead Incarnae of Auroras. and those are just all the Exigents with a charm set written up. others include a Exigence made specifically to bind a trickster god to a person as punishment to the god, Torchbearers an Exigence devoted to preserving knowledge, lots of things like that.

and I have word that a supplement called Across the Eight Directions to provide details on various places all across Creation is the non-Exalt book being done next, but every book except like Arms of the Chosen provide some measure of setting or character information, 3e Lunars is a breath of fresh air has things like a moonsilver flamepiece that shoots rainbow fire, perspective flips a lot of things the Realm does, and just straight up makes the best Lunars ever, things like that.

like I'm just asking: maybe consider giving it a chance? there is a lot of stuff now here that I didn't expect would be put into 3e, a lot of detail and nuance and all I've talked about are just tidbits of what has been put out, like there is so much more that I don't have time to go into. I just hope all these little tidbits of cool things spark some interest.

Segev

2023-05-12, 05:03 PM

I mean how many books have you read? Just corebook? DBs? because the design team has changed since the corebook and only for the better. Do you have Adversaries of the Righteous? Hundred Devils Night Parade? Lunars Fangs At The Gate? those are all out now, we're well past all the DB stuff and the first two of those is nothing but detailing NPCs and enemies. Exigents and Sidereals manuscripts like mention a lot of weird things just in passing without much elaboration.Only the core. I was...well, I gave my review of it above. Some ideas were neat. Others were...poorly thought-out, at best, and I wasn't terribly enthused by the way they were clamoring to put out "well, MY new Exalt-type is so much cooler than what came before!" rather than focusing on making the existing lore neat and interesting.

like I'm just asking: maybe consider giving it a chance? there is a lot of stuff now here that I didn't expect would be put into 3e, a lot of detail and nuance and all I've talked about are just tidbits of what has been put out, like there is so much more that I don't have time to go into. I just hope all these little tidbits of cool things spark some interest.Some of it sounds like they might be interesting plots to steal from, but none of it sounds like something worth the changes and additions being made that seem... bleh... to me. Getimians, Liminals... meh. Exigents I kind-of like, in theory, but am not truly sure I feel have a place in Exalted. It seems like, rather than fleshing out what they had, they're throwing out what they had and cramming in new stuff.

Fair Folk, I admit, are my favorite part of the game, too, so hearing they're no longer playable at all is a major interest-killer. I have solars and lunars I've played and liked, and I've never gotten to play a raksha, but still.

I am not even sure my Casteless Lunar Sorcerer who uses the body transformation sorceries and thus doesn't want to get tattooed is a viable concept...conceptually...in the setting of 3e. Like, are the tattoos even important? Would the social conflict and the threat of being Casteless be an issue?

I'm possibly being unfair, but I had more than enough fights on the forums with the then-creative team over the direction they announced things were going, and a lot of what they said was basically, "Well, if you don't like it, you don't have to play," and...well, they're right. Maybe the new stuff in the new books would inspire new and different concepts than what I could play in 2E, but mostly this just seems to affirm that 2E and 3E aren't even the same setting, let alone the same game. :smallfrown:

Is 3e combat actually playable, by the by? I've never been able to give it a try, and while I like the conceptual approach they took to it, it looked to me like it would suffer similar playability problems to 2E's combat, particularly in terms of how many steps there are to resolving any given turn. (2E combat is nearly unplayable in a text-based medium due to the sheer number of back-and-forth exchanges required to resolve a single attack.)

Lord Raziere

2023-05-12, 05:49 PM

I am not even sure my Casteless Lunar Sorcerer who uses the body transformation sorceries and thus doesn't want to get tattooed is a viable concept...conceptually...in the setting of 3e. Like, are the tattoos even important? Would the social conflict and the threat of being Casteless be an issue?

I'm possibly being unfair, but I had more than enough fights on the forums with the then-creative team over the direction they announced things were going, and a lot of what they said was basically, "Well, if you don't like it, you don't have to play," and...well, they're right. Maybe the new stuff in the new books would inspire new and different concepts than what I could play in 2E, but mostly this just seems to affirm that 2E and 3E aren't even the same setting, let alone the same game. :smallfrown:

Is 3e combat actually playable, by the by? I've never been able to give it a try, and while I like the conceptual approach they took to it, it looked to me like it would suffer similar playability problems to 2E's combat, particularly in terms of how many steps there are to resolving any given turn. (2E combat is nearly unplayable in a text-based medium due to the sheer number of back-and-forth exchanges required to resolve a single attack.)

Casteless Lunar Sorcerer is completely viable. there is no social conflict between Lunars over whether your casteless or not, its just "hey want to join? no? okay, cool, we'll keep in touch" because your a Lunar, the offers always open and the Lunar Exalted are too few in number to do that kind of bull. Casteless don't devolve into monsters anymore, they're just....the jack of all trades of Lunars. they even get anima benefits other Lunars don't. like Moonsilver tattoos are primarily meant for self determination and protection, they still protect from the wyld and still give you a caste but they're not really needed unless your going into the Wyld.

Yeah, I've had a fight with that creative team to, they're not working on Exalted anymore. the less said upon them the better.

I mean its the same setting, its being handled differently so that we don't get dumb memes about dinosaurs in F14's and Solars taking Yozis singlehandedly or Exalted killing the Incarnae casually, stuff like that was straying from what its supposed to be about.

and if your favorite part about Exalted is 2e raksha uh....sorry. it was kind of weird to put a non-Exalted splat being in a game about well....the Exalted. the chosen of the gods, in the first place. the raksha are about as indicative of what Exalted is about as Watchmen is indicative of normal superhero comics like superman or spiderman, or Kotor2 is indicative of Star Wars: not like them at all. I'm sorry but thats just the way it is.

can't really answer whether its playable, I've been trying to get into games and never got much success in doing so.

meschlum

2023-05-13, 03:17 AM

Kaal the Fireblade

Once upon a time, the Fair Folk were discussing the virtues of Creation's toys.

"They have factories to create Daiklaives in the hundreds," a daring Guide reported.

The Raksha stared at the thousands of Fair Folk close by, and their Swords.

"Their Exalted craftmasters create potent and unique weapons in mere years," an exacting Worker declared.

The Raksha took a treasure and reshaped it into a perfect copy of Death At The Root.

"With trade networks spanning Creation, they can obtain rare ingredients in weeks," a trustworthy Diplomat warned.

The Fair Folk spun a wisp of gossamer into diamond made of flame.

"They claim they are the masters of the Art of war," a sorrowful Entertainer cried.

And so the Raksha was wroth, and stepped to the edge of What Is. There, it stole one blade of Grass from what is Real, and said: "You are a blade, forged in the flame of my anger and quenched in cold Creation."

And it was.

Kaal is a sword, with an aspect of flame, and that is all it can imagine being - but it is very good at being a sword, and learns from the Creation-born who wield it. Perhaps it teaches them as well...

Mechanics
Commoner Diplomat who had its Graces turned into magic, in order to be a better sword. Kaal's base (and permanent) Assumption is Fire Form, as it is always a fiery blade of some kind. Explicitly uses Commoner attributes to have Dexterity 0 (immobile, as it's a sword), but high investment in Stamina and Wits (not chipping or rusting, and noticing other swords - other mental attributes can be zero for all Kaal cares). High appearance, as it is a very nice sword.
1-dot Adjuration: Assumption of the Person's Heart and Swift Wings of Song. Kaal is literally the spirit of the sword, able to share its Charms and abilities with whoever wields it. It also draws first.
1-dot Behemoth: Assumption of the Person's Heart, Radiance of the Invincible Warrior, Surpassing Excellence (Sword), Millipede Mind. Kaal's Sword is a sheath, which also binds itself to the soul of its wielder, and makes them harder to hurt - as well as enhancing their sword skills and allowing them to wield swords with any part of their body.
1-dot Oneiromancy: Assumption of the Person's Heart, Mad God Mien, Fire Transformation, Imposition of Law (Sword), Gossamer Wing Flight, Ordinary Object Conjuration. Kaal is perfect at swordfighting, parries any attempts to dispel this, and can summon a sword (always the same one) into the hands of its wielder. It can also allow said wielder to fly in order to reach people who are trying to stay out of sword range (heretics!), and transform its wielder or itself to grant an Essence Attack that takes the shape of flaming swords.
1-dot Treasure: something sword related. Maybe a Daiklaive? Kaal is very good at wielding it, since it's made from its Ring.

Total of 9 committed motes or so, meaning Kaal needs to have Essence 2, and uses Heart Stealing Kiss and Banquet of Crumbs to survive day to day. As it's not a Warrior, it does not feed on its wielder's Valor, so they can sword all they like.

Enhancements would involve getting Soul Carving Artifice (Cup), Oneiromantic Conjuration and the Unshaped Grace Transformation charms to be able to remake itself into an even better sword while in its wielder's dreams - Kaal will always be a fiery sword, however. This would require starting as a Heroic Diplomat, but so it goes.

Also, I'm sure there is another thread somewhere else where 2e Fair Folk can be disparged in peace. I might even participate!

Segev

2023-05-13, 06:15 AM

Rockphed

2023-05-13, 10:17 PM

Was that a way of saying things are devolving into an exalted edition war without coming out and saying it?

And it is a sword that eats your virtues (probably temperance) while letting you for and shoot fireballs. How bad is it to have your virtues eaten again?

Lord Raziere

2023-05-13, 11:04 PM

Was that a way of saying things are devolving into an exalted edition war without coming out and saying it?

Jeez, overreaction much?

Can't people can respectfully disagree over things and talk about stuff without it being turned into a freaking war? the very term poisons interaction, makes it sound like people are fighting, we were just talking. we didn't agree on everything. oh well. To clarify: I didn't mean anything negative to Segev, meschlum or metalith with anything I said, I apologize for going off the threads topic, I was just letting it lie by not posting as I assumed Segev was doing, and will continue doing so after this post. please don't get the wrong idea, so we can all just move on with our lives.

I'm angry at you assuming all that was an edition war than whatever Segev said, he's fine. Not every fan disagreement is some combative experience, and constantly assuming that such interaction is a "war" only leads to stupid separations between fans when something like should be something we enjoy. We shouldn't be afraid to disagree over it and shrug about it rather than being afraid that every inter-edition interaction is going to lead to something bad. all that leads to is dividing people further and further until there is nothing to talk about because you got nothing but echo chambers.

Don't poison the well. Let it just be a conversation.

meschlum

2023-05-14, 02:59 AM

Perhaps Kaal has that Charm that destroys the Ring and Heart and that is why the nature of its one dot Treasure is unknown?

Extinction of the Self. It's a Staff Charm, so definitely an option, but without it Kaal gets to have some say on the charms and powers it grants to its wielder. After all, if I can go about and (barely) tongue in cheek declare that all Exalts are really Rahksha, it's not like I can't steal good ideas from other editions to prove it!

Fair Folk Diets

Creation-born have tasty souls, but they are not the only ways Fair Folk can gain motes.

- Stunts have been sabotaged by the errata (page 103), and apparently the motes they generate do not last longer than a scene. So you start out with a low mote pool, and power up during the fight - I wonder what other editions came up with this obviously genius idea. Or you cheat, of course.

Note that if you start with 1 mote below your maximum, and perform a stunt in the morning (gaining a mote for a scene), you can give that mote to Creation and be fine for the day. So the 'restriction' does not even work for its claimed purpose, instead leading to annoying accounting and clumsy restrictions on play. Or cheating, naturally.

- Natural respiration occurs in the Wyld, and probably in tainted lands or uncapped demesnes.

- Carrying a Pennant or Hearthstone means you don't lose your daily mote. You need Heaven Rains Wisdom to get Hearthstone benefits as well.

- Carrying a Cyst lets you recover motes as if it were a Hearthstone (no other benefits).

- Banquet of Crumbs lets you feed on ambient emotions once per scene. You need drama to have happened in the area, but don't actually inflict any harm when feeding this way.

- Heart Stealing Kiss lets you temporarily consume the Virtues or Willpower of Creation-born, who recover at a rate of 1/day (not sure how recovery happens if multiple Virtues are consumed on the same day). You spend 3 motes, 1 wp, 1 g to activate the Charm, so it could be a net loss. Or you put it into an Oneiromancy and let it run all the time. Add Manacles of Virtue, and your victims won't even realize anything happened as long as you don't eat too much (Oneiromancy only, really).

- Devouring Revelation of the Wyld lets you permanently consume one dot of a virtue when a virtue roll is botched (more likely to happen when the victims have low Virtues, but not guaranteed even then), gaining 10 motes (costs 5 to activate, so you had better be very intense to trigger a lot of Virtue rolls).

- Ravishing the Created Form and Extruded Stomach Feeding allow you to permanently consume Virtues and Willpower, gaining a huge amount of motes relative to your tiny pool. Errata allows you to turn excess motes into willpower or gossamer.

- Soul Consuming Hunger only works in the Wyld, and eats everything (leaving an animated body behind). Excess motes can be turned into Willpower (less effective than Ravishing the Created Form), Virtue Channels (stave off Bedlam), Gossamer, attribute dots (count as coming from Charms), or (Essence) days of immunity to Creation (probably not worth it).

- Ravishing a Raksha or Creation-born, via Shaping Combat, imposes a mental condition on the victim, and gives you 10 motes. It works on Fair Folk and Creation-born, up to once per scene per victim. Recovering from this is impossible to very slow (unless you cheat), but it can be highly specific too. So someone's Conviction could be Ravished so they feel saying good things about the Realm's Aqueduct Administration is unbearable, gaining you 10 motes and an easy way to rile up the authorities in the West. This is usually only possible in the Wyld, but Soul Carving Artifice allows it to be done to a volunteer. Have two Raksha give each other very specific phobias (polka dotted spiders with a missing leg that are exactly 3.24 millimeters long, say) and they can keep each other topped off on motes without any lasting consequences.

- Ravishing a Waypoint via Shaping Combat (or a section of Tainted Land counting as such, presumably) gets you 1 mote. This can be done once per Virtue and a Waypoint that has all its Graces consumed becomes almost real. Yes, Raksha are actually a lot better than Solars at converting the Wyld into Creation (but not the other way around). No idea what happens if Waypoints inside a Chancel (or Soul Carving Artifice) suddenly become real, but possibly worth trying!

Why is Having your Soul Eaten Bad?

Lower virtues mean you tend to give in to specific behaviors more often, which are often not those of heroic murder hobos.

- Low Valor: you try not to get in fights with dangerous things.
- No Valor: you surrender when threatened. Cheese and baguettes optional.

- Low Compassion: you don't go out of your way to help people in need.
- No Compassion: you lose all your social skills because others are not people.

- Low Conviction: you change your mind when presented with evidence.
- No Conviction: you change your mind all the time, possibly multiple times in the same sentence. No you don't! Do too!

- Low Temperance: you like to party
- No Temperance: you are so drunk you have no idea who you are or what you're doing, so you'll keep on doing it as long as it feels good. Also, you have successfully erased everything you were cramming for the finals, so hopefully you already had them.

- Low Willpower: people convince you easily
- No Willpower: you do whatever anyone tells you to do

Yes, this makes Soul Consuming Hunger victims completely self contradictory, but when did that ever stop Exalted? The system or the characters, your call. Note that Exalts are protected from the effects of having their Virtue consumed as Glamour Resistance, which no longer applies (they are explicitly immune to Soul Consuming Hunger, but not Ravishing the Created Form)...

metalith

2023-05-15, 06:40 AM

So I have been working on my Handler and Behemoth. Traditionally I would think that a Warrior Heroic Commoner would be the best the base stats for the Behemoth but looking at Entertainer and Worker I'm wondering if they would be a better base.

Suggested overview:

Heroic Commoner
Using Entertainer/Worker base
Favored Ability: Martial Arts
Primary Attributes: Physical

Behemoths gain the Charms of the Handlers
Entertainer Charms can allow the behemoth to have a large Essence pool and feed and have a few charms to interact with Creation-Born without being noticed or acknowledged.
Ring Charms can allow the behemoth to tons of survivability.

Sword 2 only requires 5 Bonus Points so covers most of the 3 free to choose Sword charms Heroic Commoner can get out of the starting 8 since 5 have to be Caste Grace Charms.

Segev

2023-05-15, 03:04 PM

I have to confess that Behemoths getting the Charms of the Handlers was always an interesting and slightly confusing thing to me. Basically, this means that the Behemoth is a clone of the handler with various mutations, right?

Rockphed

2023-05-15, 08:42 PM

Segev

2023-05-15, 09:37 PM

Wait, does that mean that your rankor has the same charms as the guy who goes in to weep for him? What is the point of having a rankor then? I want a giant monster to eat my enemies, not just an ugly commoner!

It has the Handler's Charms and stats, but also additional mutations that are paid for with the Behemoth's points.

meschlum

2023-05-15, 10:04 PM

Sadly, per errata page 106, Behemoths do not get their handler's Charms. So they're just versions of you or your minions with a few more mutations, natural attacks that behave like a weapon rather than a fist, and the benefit of their mutated Charms always being on - which can cut down on the cost in some cases!

Of course, it's possible to cheat a bit: if the handler has Glorious Hero Form, they get (for instance) +1 Strength and +1 Stamina. The Behemoth inherits its handler's attributes, so it has the increased Strength and Stamina. If the Behemoth then picks up Glorious Hero Form for Strength and Stamina...

And if you want your Rankor to be especially large, it and its handler can both have size boosting mutations (not mutation points), giving the Behemoth the benefits of increased size (once) and stat boosts (twice). Not sure about Health levels.

But yes, if a Behemoth's Handler is inept at combat, the Behemoth will be as well.

If you want to avoid having your Behemoth noticed, you can give it an Imposition of Law I suppose, or Dreams and Passion to look like 'a boring everyman', or Person's Heart to imprint on a Creation-born until they die. Or use violent stealth: if no one lives to say you were there, it's like you never were there at all!

metalith

2023-05-15, 11:47 PM

Argh... I'm considering whether or not I want to keep the Behemoth then and swap out those 4 points for more Oaths/Spells

meschlum

2023-05-16, 02:19 AM

What do you want your Behemoth to do? With a suitable theme and goal, it's certainly possible to do quite a bit - but having an idea of what you're after helps a lot.

The Raksha of Unnatural Size

The Fire Swamp is infected with many Wyld creatures, but the most fearsome of them all the Raksha of Unnatural Size. Having long since declared that Creation's dimensions were false, this Fair Folk noble has sought to become as large as possible, so it might step upon Creation itself and crush it.

So far, it is merely gigantic, but as it gorges on the souls of mortals foolish enough to come close, the moment of its apotheosis draws closer...

Mechanics
We're trying to build a critter that is as large as possible, and still a critter (otherwise, Assumption of the Living Kingdom turns you into a country, and done). Incidentally, we want Strength to be as high as possible.

1) Shape Forged Tyrant Lizard. Has Tyrant Lizard attributes +1 Strength for being an animal, and the Giant Blight for +3 Strength / Stamina on top of that. Strength... 18 or so? Depends on how you interpret bonuses from mutations, as these may be capped to Essence (1), for Strength 16 (in which case the Giant Blight is just there for extra health levels and being bigger). More than one can be made if you have the time, rolls, and gossamer.

2) Giant Noble Fair Folk. Essence 4, Giant mutation from Assumption of Bestial Form, Glorious Hero Form, for Strength 11. The Tyrant Lizard's inherent Strength 14 (versus 7 for Raksha) makes all the difference. Demand NPC parity!

3) Giant Rat Behemoth. Attuned to the Giant Noble, it starts with Strength 11, and can get the same Charms (3 mutation points total, well within budget), for Strength 15. Getting closer! Remember it's just twice the size of a normal rat, and walking around with Strength 15...

4) Upgraded Tyrant Lizard. Apply Subversion and Transformation Artifice to a normal Tyrant Lizard, possibly as an Oneiromancy, to turn it Giant. 1 less Strength than Shape Forged, but works on every Tyrant Lizard in the Swamp.

5) Lizard Chain. Grant a Tyrant Lizard a Sword Grace. Also awaken its Essence and make it Giant, possibly via Behemoth Forging Meditation instead of Subversion and Transformation Artifice, and have it attune to the Giant Rat Behemoth. Basic Tyrant Lizard has Strength 15 (up to 17 depending on Essence), its Behemoth gets another +1-3 Strength, for 16-20.

6) Lizard Wizard Chain. Turn the Tyrant Lizard into a Raksha, let it increase its Essence further and pick up Glorious Hero Form, for another +2 to final Strength. May be pushing it?

7) Ringing Devourer. Start with Giant Noble, but have it favor Cup and Ring (also Essence 4). All Consuming God Monster Stance is thematically appropriate, combine that with Soul Consuming Hunger to get +6 (Essence +2, since it's dice granted by a Charm) Strength, so base Strength is 13. Toss onto the Giant Behemoth, and you've got Strength 17 for a tale. Note that there should thematically be a size Abomination, presumably granting +4 Strength and Stamina, which would shift the Giant Behemoth up to 18.

8) All Consuming God Monster Tyrant Lizard. Turn a Tyrant Lizard into a Raksha, teach it God Monster Stance, have it eat souls. Essence 3 and Heart Stopping Numinous Power means 5 dice from Charms at most, so Strength 19 to begin with (via Soul Consuming Hunger for the last few dots after Giant and Glorious Hero Form), and attune to the Giant Rat for Strength 23. Now we're in business.

Remember, the Giant Rat Behemoth has natural attacks that perform like a normal (or artifact) weapon, so its damage modifier is... noticeable.

metalith

2023-05-17, 04:15 AM

Segev

2023-05-17, 09:25 AM

I am going to need you to break this down for me a bit better. Are these different options or different steps in a singular situation?

I'm looking for a behemoth I can bring into Creation as an attack/guard dog without being like the Green Ranger and having the Dragonzord stomping around the city. Especially since when you look at the description of the level 1 Behemoth of being used as a mount, essentially a Chocobo.

That was several examples, if I read it right.

For a "guard dog," first build yourself a commoner or heroic commoner raksha who, without activating any of his Charms, would be a good starting point for a bodyguard. This is the Handler. Then, build a Behemoth that assumes he starts with the attributes and (I think) abilities of the raksha Handler you just built. The behemoth will look like whatever beast you want it to, and use some of its mutation points to buy size-based mutations if you want something other than a man-sized "guard dog." Though there's leeway in "man-sized" as long as the size is mostly cosmetic, too. Assign mutations to give the Behemoth the form and functions you want. These can be mutations that alter the Behemoth's attributes and abilities; if so, they start with the Handler's own as the base. You probably don't need mutations to buy weapons such as claws and stuff, though, since the Behemoth comes with "artifact weapons" as the stat blocks for at least some of its attacks.

meschlum

2023-05-18, 01:51 AM

Different iterations on trying to see just how much strength I could stack on a critter. Technically, one could go for a Shape Forged Soul Eating All Consuming God Monster Tyrant Lizard to get to Strength 24, but the point of diminishing returns was likely reached a lot earlier.

Per book + errata, a Behemoth in Creation has the Attributes, Abilities, Virtues, and Willpower of its handler, before its own mutations apply. It presumably has its handler's Health levels, but this isn't specified. Specializations are not detailed, and may be open to debate (a specialization in 'tentacles' is good for a Behemoth squid, sort of pointless for a handler that isn't a squid). Its natural weapons count as a normal / exceptional / artifact weapon, and it may have inherent soak as well.

This means a handler with a pile of Glorious Hero Form Adjurations (or charms, which would require a high Sword grace) lets the Behemoth operate as if its native Attributes are equal to those of its handler + 1, which can help a bit (since Commoner Raksha are limited to Attributes of 4).

Also note that a Behemoth apparently lacks a mote pool, which is balanced by having its mutations always on.

Behemoths created using Behemoth Forging Meditation are probably weird cases: they existed with their own attributes, abilities, and so on before becoming Behemoths, and presumably remember being themselves. So what they retain of their original capabilities is uncertain.

I tend to give Behemoths an Assumption charm, as that means they can travel into Creation without needing to be evoked (and can be banished and brought back at incredibly low cost) - Evocation charms have rather niche and thematic applications, I feel.

It's a bit late where I am, but should be able to come up with a Good Dog - later!

meschlum

2023-05-20, 01:37 AM

The Great Crimson Canine

Shahrzad sought a suitable guardian beast throughout Creation and the Wyld for quite some time, but none were suitable. Until at long last a nightmare beyond all compare emerged, and was promptly adopted. Crimson as the blood of the thousands of squirrels he believes he has slain. Convinced he is larger than any other beast in Creation. Barks and howls he imagines shake the heavens themselves and terrify any foe.

Truly, the dream of the Canine is beyond all measure, and it is a simple matter for the Fair Folk to replace reality with the Canine's certainty.

Though he is a terrible foe with senses more acute than any mortal beast's, the Canine is usually content to appear as far less, for he knows his duty and might be petted less often if he made too many messes with guards, armies, and other annoyances.

Mechanics
1-4 dot Behemoth
Assumption of Dog Visage - the Canine is most assuredly a dog, and has the mutations to prove it.
Endless Yawning Void - when the Canine breaks into a barking frenzy, everyone nearby is harmed by the sound.
Mind's Grip Rigor - the Canine's sense of smell is on par with that of the Exalted.
Gladdening Visage - mortals and younger Exalts will at most suspect that the Canine is a spirit dog of some kind (assuming the handler has Essence 3. At Essence 4, or with All Consuming God Monster Stance, only spirits and ancient Exalts can notice anything is wrong).
With 2+ dots, add:
Knife Hand Dream - the Canine's bites can shred steel with minimal effort, and stop weapons cold.
Surpassing Excellence - the Canine is extremely good at biting things, or deflecting incoming kicks.
With 3+ dots, add:
Racing Dragon Speed - the Canine moves faster than should be possible, and can catch chariots!
Rarefied Air of Inevitable Victory - the Canine is harder to hit than it should be.
With 4 dots:
Replace Rarefied Air of Inevitable Victory with Bastion of the Heart - the Canine believes he is invulnerable, and so he is.
Add Swift Wings of Song - if a fight occurs, the Canine will act first.

To get the full effect, you also need...

The Leash of Power

Most dogs believe that their leashes are part of a bargain - so long as they wear them, they restrain themselves and do not reveal their full power. The Raksha make this belief a fact.

When the Canine is walked and wears the Leash, it is no more than it seems to be - to the eyes of a skilled sorcerer with potent essence, perhaps, but still, nothing more than that. However, if Shahrzad removes the Leash and allows the Canine to truly cut loose, everything changes.

While it is empowered by the Leash, the Canine grows to monstrous size, capable of shrugging off blows and shredding stone with ease - and all those who oppose it are shown to be cats, tiny cowardly beasts that are easily crushed, devoured, or cast aside. Even if they survive the experience - the immediate effects of the Leash last for a day at most, possibly less if the Canine's owner is feeling kind, the memory of the Canine's transformation is enough to inflict possibly lethal nightmares - unless it is leashed once more.

Mechanics
1-dot Outward Facing Oneiromancy
Assumption of Dog Visage - the Leash obviously belongs on a dog.
Bestial Transformation - the dog wearing the Leash gets a pile of size increasing mutations when it is removed, easily becoming Giant and possibly changing a bit more.
Bestial Transformation - anyone opposing the dog transformed by the Leash turns into the canine ideal of a cat. Minuscule, lame, and very tasty.
Unparalleled Terror Technique - those who see the Canine transform but not revert will experience terrible nightmares and possibly die rather than regain willpower when sleeping.

Presumably, maintaining the Canine and Leash consists of going on daily enthusiastic walks. Invoking the power of the Leash is a seasonal activity, which could vary from the thematic (a ritual to endow the Leash with power) to the less than entirely serious (visiting the vet).

Rockphed

2023-05-20, 06:10 PM

The Glyphstone

2023-05-20, 08:15 PM

Is the name you're thinking of Emily? (https://clifford.fandom.com/wiki/Emily_Elizabeth_Howard)

meschlum

2023-05-21, 03:36 PM

For the Canine, I'd suggest a Pox that changes his fur to crimson (no mechanical effects, or maybe some bonus soak?), and the Inexhaustible (CoCD: the Wyld) Affliction (requires a handler with Essence 3+ to get both), since he seems the type to keep going as long as he wants (immunity to fatigue is quite useful for people without gossamer armor - I wonder if it works on fatigue in Shaping combat?). You could instead use mutations to make him bigger, but the Leash works for that and probably does not stack. His natural weapon should have high Accuracy, so he can easily catch whatever he wants to nab.

You'll note that the size comes from an Oneiromancy, and the Oneiromancies are created from Cup Graces - which represent a Raksha's ability to love, so it is more or less by definition that the holder of the Leash's love is what made the Canine so big.

As to the build... Physical primary, since the Canine might clash with others. Essence 3 for maximum benefits. A solid Dexterity is always nice, as it helps nab cats (if being lame doesn't make them easier to catch, being minuscule adds a -2 external penalty to biting them, so some extra bonuses are nice). Favor the appropriate combat ability (brawl? martial arts? melee? The Canine's natural attack (bite) works like a weapon). Strength is good for damage, soak is low so some gossamer for armor might be a good idea (or as barding on the Canine). One could argue for a Worker (because All Consuming God Monster Stance is Just That Good) or an Entertainer (so people don't realize there is anything unusual about the Canine). A Warrior with Hiding the Graces of the Wyld has a solid head start at winning social combat against mooks, so it's an option too. Assumption of Innocent Little Girl Form is a must, of course.

In all, could be worked into an ordinary commoner, might be a bit low on motes and limited in ability beyond walking the Canine, but that's sort of the idea?

The Glyphstone

2023-05-22, 09:58 AM

Lord Raziere

2023-05-22, 02:00 PM

Do regular Exalted usually focus this much on minion-mancy? It seems like a lot of a Raksha's power comes from having dependably obedient (or dependably treacherous) minions to do things that benefit you.

just to be informative (the answer holds true regardless of edition, so don't worry about that):
well first, Raksha aren't Exalted. they very little to nothing to do with how Exalts work. you have to be human to Exalt, and Raksha aren't human.

second, there are different castes of each given Exalt type and their caste can determine a lot on how much you focus on it, and what KIND "minionmancy" you focus on. to keep this simple, we'll focus on the beginner and also the most powerful Exalted: the Solar Exalted.

how much you focus on "minionmancy" depends on what you consider to be minions versus being an Exalted social character and thus probably a leader of a civilization/kingdom/guild/whatever or a member of such with lots of people under their command. unlike DnD, getting followers and soldiers is incredibly easy at character creation- if you want you can start out commanding an entire army, or a cult, or a blacksmiths guild, whatever tickles your fancy. just a few background dots and your done. and its practically expected that you gain followers and such as you play.

to list the five Solar castes and what they can do:
Dawn: fighting caste. most likely to fight alone to anime heights of prowess with any weapon you can imagine, but still can learn War (the general/strategist ability) and and thus command an army of the best soldiers ever trained by you personally or just those random villagers you trained up to fight off the threat of the week.
Zenith: the leader, performer, and priest caste, most likely to gather followers, start religions, or bands or lead from the front as this inspirational fiery passionate person
Twilight: the thinker caste, for crafters, loremasters, investigators, sorcerers and the like. they are most likely to either summon demons/elementals with sorcery or ghosts with necromancy (things like demons and ghosts in Exalted are not inherently evil in this setting and don't follow the rules your familiar with, so being a demonologist or necromancer isn't a path to evil here) or just start academies and educate people and their underlings are just like....their students spreading education and knowledge
Night Caste: also likely to go alone for their stealth, disguise and subtlety kind of deal. but can also be spymasters, leaders of illegal groups like smuggler rings, black markets, pirate crews, and so on.
Eclipse: the diplomat/merchant/politician caste. a social character, but different from the Zeniths, they are more subtle social characters while also being the most bureaucratic, the caste most likely to make systems of government, make deals with people, organize logistics, make money, connect people together, and be able to use those systems to their advantage.

every Exalted caste can in some way do this kind of social follower-gathering stuff, and these castes aren't straitjackets- these aren't classes that limit you from doing things outside the stereotype. a Night caste could learn to summon demons, a Dawn could learn to do not-violent things, things like that- its actually recommended they do so because only being able to fight will leave you unable to do things for parts of the game while other castes do their super-social-fu. despite this, Solars are technically the Exalted that starts out with the LEAST social or political power in the setting for setting reasons I don't have time to explain here, but every other Exalted is in some way more established and have infrastructure in place to support them and thus more background dots to spend on the resources they can utilize to make up for the fact they are more limited or less powerful than Solars in terms of their individual power, with powerful organizations they belong to they can draw upon to work with in the setting, unlike the Solars who have no exalt-based organizations because they are your starting Exalted intended for you to leap into the setting knowing nothing about it, being this wrecking ball and seeing what happens when your given all the power in the world and no guidance on how to use it.

so such social stuff is a big part of Exalted and how it works. there are Exalted who can fight or do things alone, but even those characters are likely to acquire fans for being so awesome the thing they do inspires everyone around them, like being the best musician in your part of the world will probably get you crowds like a rockstar, and being a great warrior who slays monsters will probably get people who want to learn how to fight or follow you as fellow warriors or unless your really committed to laying low.

meschlum

2023-05-23, 01:03 AM

Do regular Exalted usually focus this much on minion-mancy? It seems like a lot of a Raksha's power comes from having dependably obedient (or dependably treacherous) minions to do things that benefit you.

Short answer: no.

Longer answer: still no, but Demons exist.

Clever answer: yes! Because regular Exalted can bind Raksha into their service and thus exploit the Fair Folk minion-mancy options.

Actual details, by broad category of what you're using your minions for.

Artifacts

For regular Exalted, artifacts are rather analogous to 1-2e D&D: the GM has a big pile of books with magic items inside, and you'll get some of them (possibly with feedback from you if obtained at character creation, or if you invest time and Charms into creating them). It's still limited to what is in the book(s), however you go about producing the things. Also, their mote pools are large enough to allow them to own artifacts and still use Charms.

For the Fair Folk, artifacts are more like Hero or 3e D&D custom items: the player has a toolbox of effects that can be combined in different ways, and (given time and resources) can create whatever warped combination appeals. However, their mote pools are tiny, so owning a high tier artifact is essentially crippling yourself (a starting Raksha Noble with Essence 2 (20 mote pool) can have 15 dots of artifacts, requiring 45 committed motes - not to mention needing to commit 10 motes in order to have an Assumption and exist in Creation).

So the Fair Folk's ability to pass on the commitment cost of (some) artifacts to their minions is necessary for them to be able to exist - and minions are therefore needed.

Pets

For regular Exalted, having a pet means investing some background dots and getting something that's probably small, might expand their mote pool, and is prone to getting killed. Plus, it's managed by the GM (who gets to approve of the pet in the first place and define its attributes and abilities). A sorcerer can also summon demons, which can be quite potent and broaden your options significantly.

For Raksha, having a pet just requires getting the right charm(s) (Awakened Dream Manufacture, Shape Forged Servant) or getting a Behemoth (1 dot artifact - Fair Folk have lots of artifacts). You get to pick what the animal looks like (up to Tyrant Lizards) and can customize its abilities as you like (no expanded mote pool, though). Behemoths just use their owner's attributes and abilities, which makes it easy to remember what to roll for them.

An Occult focused Exalt who summons demons will rely on minion-mancy, with the same setup as with artifacts: only GM approved demons can be summoned. Fair Folk can have lots of powerful custom pets, and easily replace them, so they benefit a lot from their minions and can build them to their needs. Both see use in combat and elsewhere, but pets are almost always useful for Raksha (in part thanks to their flexibility) where they're relevant for only a few styles of Exalts.

Large Scale

Regular Exalted can put a lot of work into getting suitable backgrounds, establishing contacts in the local city, starting a minor cult, making money, etc. This involves having anywhere from a few to huge numbers of minions, whose use varies from fluff to mechanical benefits to 'you must have this many followers to play' thresholds (on armies, magical industry, and kingdoms). So if you want to play with some parts of the system (and the GM approves), you need minions. Otherwise, you can get a few benefits from their existence (Cult), or have an official reason to boss people around.

Raksha can get a lot of the fluff and money from a few artifacts (minion powered), and need far lower numbers to create minor (1-2 dot) Grace Magic. Cult, armies, industrial scale magic, and nations face the same opportunities and constraints.

So if you're playing the game of thrones, you need minions about as much whether you're an Exalt or a Fair Folk. Raksha find it much easier to have friends and money everywhere they go.