This thread will contain me ranting about Exalted. It was pointed out that this is probably the better place for such things than Skype, where it will be easily lost. I'll edit this post to contain a bit of a table of contents, and try to break up the posts by topic matter.
The Magic of the Exalted - Charms, Sorcery, and other features
-General Features of the Exalted
-Charms
-Sorcery
The Divisions within the Exalted Host - Castes and their Anima Banners
-Types of Exalted
-Solars
Essence - What's in a mote?
-Essence Levels
-Motes
The Setting
-Creation
--A brief history of Creation
--Major locations in Creation
-Alternate Settings
--Yu-Shan
--The Wyld
--The Underworld
--Malfeas
--Autochthon
Critter Types
-Spirits
--Small Gods
--Demons
-Elementals
-Ghosts
-Fair Folk
A Primer on Exalted
Last edited by Avilister on Mon Mar 04, 2013 11:36 pm, edited 5 times in total.
The Magic of the Exalted - Charms, Sorcery, and other features
General Features of the Exalted
All Exalted share some common traits. All are in excellent physical health and are highly resistant to poisons, diseases, and other toxins.
Each can expect to live hundreds of years if he does not die in battle. The Dragonblooded can expect to die of old age only after 200-300 years, while the Celestial Exalted frequently live to more than ten times that age (or more). Some, like the Abyssal death knights, are actually immortal unless killed.
Exalts all have an anima banner. Human bodies were never intended to channel the titan-slaying might that was granted to them, and so they only imperfectly synchronize with that extreme power. The result is that Exalts have both a pool of personal essence, which they can spend without any flashy light shows, and a pool of peripheral essence, which is stored in their anima banners.
When peripheral essence is spent, it begins to light up their anima so that it is visible to others. First it lights up their caste mark, a symbol on their forehead that glows in the shape unique to their caste. When even more motes are spent, they flare up into a bonfire of glowing power - this glow shines in a light associated with their patron. For example, Solar Exalts have golden anima banners (though the exact tints and secondary colors vary both with the individual and with caste, Twilight Caste exalts often have purples and reds in their banners, for example, as seen during sunsets). Animas flaring to this point automatically enable their bearer's caste-associated anima power.
The extreme of this anima flare is a totemic manifestation unique to the individual in question. Sometimes this is an animal, like a wolf, a cat, a raptor, or a bull. Sometimes it may be something more symbolic, scales of justice, two shaking hands, a mountain, a comet, a tower, or an elaborate magical mandala. The exception is the Sidereal Exalts, whose more subdued anima banners never become totemic (but whose anima powers are capable of affecting multiple people).
[Placeholder - How does one become Exalted?]
Charms
The following is an excerpt from Skype that I may edit and prettify later.
[Placeholder - what is a Charm?]
[1:43:32 PM] Steven Ferguson: charms range from adding dice or successes to rolls to perfectly defending yourself from an attack, ignoring penalties for certain types of actions, or fixing any object perfectly (even if you lack all of its pieces)
[1:44:11 PM] Steven Ferguson: some make you a better leader, let you more easily manipulate large organizations, make your mind proof against external influence, or let you swing a sword so hard you can cleave a castle wall in two
[1:45:15 PM] Steven Ferguson: for Solars they are tied to abilities, so they generally enhance skills, and there's usually some sort of logical extrapolation from the base skill to whatever supernatural thing the charm lets you do
[1:45:46 PM] Steven Ferguson: I'm going to take mine mostly from Melee and probably Athletics
[1:46:49 PM] Steven Ferguson: which will enhance combat capability, while athletics charms enhance movement options (multiplying jumping or running distances and rates, letting you balance on a blade of grass, walk on water or walls, or even ceilings)
[1:47:20 PM] Steven Ferguson: some of the athletics charms can eventually let you fly
[Placeholder - How does one learn more charms?]
Sorcery
Sorcery is a sort of ritual magic that is accessible to everyone to varying degrees. It is typically both slow and expensive to cast, but is capable of effects that are not otherwise available with native Exalted magic (ie: charms)
The Terrestrial Exalted can learn only the Emerald Circle of Sorcery (also called the Terrestrial Circle, for this reason). Extremely talented and dedicated mortals may also learn these arts. These spells enable the summoning of First Circle Demons and elementals. Other effects include clouds of razor-sharp butterflies, modes of conveyance, or limited personal transformation. Most have a fairly limited scope (though also generally more broad than charms of the same Essence requirement).
The other Celestial Exalted (including Solars and their derivatives, Lunars, Sidereals, and Alchemicals [sort of]) can learn Sapphire Circle Sorcery - also called the Celestial Circle. These effects allow the summonng of powerful servants like Second Circle demons. The scope of spells in this circle are often quite broad, like a form of conveyance capable of moving an entire building or large ship, or tendrils of lava capable of destroying armies. Spells of this tier rarely affect only a single target and often make drastic changes to the environment.
The Adamant Circle of sorcery is accessible only to the Solar Exalted and is thus also called Solar Circle Sorcery. These potent spells are even broader in scope and power than those of the Celestial Circle. It allows the summoning of Third Circle Demons - the princes of hell themselves. Modes of conveyance created with these spells can cross Creation in less than a day. These spells are able to kill even the most powerful opponents or empower entire allied armies with rightous might. Spells of the Solar Circle can clear out Shadowlands or press entire cities into closed time loops.
General Features of the Exalted
All Exalted share some common traits. All are in excellent physical health and are highly resistant to poisons, diseases, and other toxins.
Each can expect to live hundreds of years if he does not die in battle. The Dragonblooded can expect to die of old age only after 200-300 years, while the Celestial Exalted frequently live to more than ten times that age (or more). Some, like the Abyssal death knights, are actually immortal unless killed.
Exalts all have an anima banner. Human bodies were never intended to channel the titan-slaying might that was granted to them, and so they only imperfectly synchronize with that extreme power. The result is that Exalts have both a pool of personal essence, which they can spend without any flashy light shows, and a pool of peripheral essence, which is stored in their anima banners.
When peripheral essence is spent, it begins to light up their anima so that it is visible to others. First it lights up their caste mark, a symbol on their forehead that glows in the shape unique to their caste. When even more motes are spent, they flare up into a bonfire of glowing power - this glow shines in a light associated with their patron. For example, Solar Exalts have golden anima banners (though the exact tints and secondary colors vary both with the individual and with caste, Twilight Caste exalts often have purples and reds in their banners, for example, as seen during sunsets). Animas flaring to this point automatically enable their bearer's caste-associated anima power.
The extreme of this anima flare is a totemic manifestation unique to the individual in question. Sometimes this is an animal, like a wolf, a cat, a raptor, or a bull. Sometimes it may be something more symbolic, scales of justice, two shaking hands, a mountain, a comet, a tower, or an elaborate magical mandala. The exception is the Sidereal Exalts, whose more subdued anima banners never become totemic (but whose anima powers are capable of affecting multiple people).
[Placeholder - How does one become Exalted?]
Charms
The following is an excerpt from Skype that I may edit and prettify later.
[Placeholder - what is a Charm?]
[1:43:32 PM] Steven Ferguson: charms range from adding dice or successes to rolls to perfectly defending yourself from an attack, ignoring penalties for certain types of actions, or fixing any object perfectly (even if you lack all of its pieces)
[1:44:11 PM] Steven Ferguson: some make you a better leader, let you more easily manipulate large organizations, make your mind proof against external influence, or let you swing a sword so hard you can cleave a castle wall in two
[1:45:15 PM] Steven Ferguson: for Solars they are tied to abilities, so they generally enhance skills, and there's usually some sort of logical extrapolation from the base skill to whatever supernatural thing the charm lets you do
[1:45:46 PM] Steven Ferguson: I'm going to take mine mostly from Melee and probably Athletics
[1:46:49 PM] Steven Ferguson: which will enhance combat capability, while athletics charms enhance movement options (multiplying jumping or running distances and rates, letting you balance on a blade of grass, walk on water or walls, or even ceilings)
[1:47:20 PM] Steven Ferguson: some of the athletics charms can eventually let you fly
[Placeholder - How does one learn more charms?]
Sorcery
Sorcery is a sort of ritual magic that is accessible to everyone to varying degrees. It is typically both slow and expensive to cast, but is capable of effects that are not otherwise available with native Exalted magic (ie: charms)
The Terrestrial Exalted can learn only the Emerald Circle of Sorcery (also called the Terrestrial Circle, for this reason). Extremely talented and dedicated mortals may also learn these arts. These spells enable the summoning of First Circle Demons and elementals. Other effects include clouds of razor-sharp butterflies, modes of conveyance, or limited personal transformation. Most have a fairly limited scope (though also generally more broad than charms of the same Essence requirement).
The other Celestial Exalted (including Solars and their derivatives, Lunars, Sidereals, and Alchemicals [sort of]) can learn Sapphire Circle Sorcery - also called the Celestial Circle. These effects allow the summonng of powerful servants like Second Circle demons. The scope of spells in this circle are often quite broad, like a form of conveyance capable of moving an entire building or large ship, or tendrils of lava capable of destroying armies. Spells of this tier rarely affect only a single target and often make drastic changes to the environment.
The Adamant Circle of sorcery is accessible only to the Solar Exalted and is thus also called Solar Circle Sorcery. These potent spells are even broader in scope and power than those of the Celestial Circle. It allows the summoning of Third Circle Demons - the princes of hell themselves. Modes of conveyance created with these spells can cross Creation in less than a day. These spells are able to kill even the most powerful opponents or empower entire allied armies with rightous might. Spells of the Solar Circle can clear out Shadowlands or press entire cities into closed time loops.
Last edited by Avilister on Mon Mar 04, 2013 11:22 pm, edited 3 times in total.
The Divisions within the Exalted Host - Castes and their Anima Banners
Each of the Celestial Exalts are members of a Caste which, in theory, says something about the societal role they're supposed to play. None of the Exalted castes within a given Exalt type are higher or lower than any other - no one persecutes you for being a member of a specific caste (though they may persecute you for being a specific type of Exalt, that's another story).
Terrestrial Exalts (also called Dragon Blooded) instead have an elemental Aspect which determines their natural proclivities. They're born to these Aspects (or perhaps they're determined upon Exaltation, but its not clear) and they seem to be hereditary to some degree. In Exalted there are five elements: Air, Earth, Fire, Water, and Wood. While each Aspect is associated with five abilities (just like virtually very other Exalted subdivision), the intended societal role of the Dragonblooded is that of a soldier. Each Aspect includes at least one martial ability in its set of five favored abilities.
The Celestial Exalted are first divided by who their patron Incarna is. Those imbued with the power of the Five Maidens of Destiny (Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn) are the Sidereal Exalted. Those that channel the mercurial might of the Moon (Luna) are the Lunar Exalted. Finally, the shining exemplars of the Unconquered Sun's holy power are the Solar Exalted.
Or at least those were the 'original' divisions in the settings history. About five years before the official Day 1 of the setting, the Solar Exalted changed. About half of their original 300 members were turned into something else. 100 of these were claimed by the Neverborn (more on them in another post) and their Deathlord servants and became the champions of Oblivion, the Abyssal Exalted (also called death knights). Fifty of these came into the possession of the Princes of Hell, the Yozis, and were corrupted into the Infernal Exalted (also called Green Sun Princes).
One more group of Exalted exist, the industrial Champions of Autochthon, the Alchemical Exalted. They're native to an alternate setting called Autochthonia, and are basically steampunk-styled robots imbued with the a human soul that has lived dozens of heroic lifetimes. They may or may not feature into a vanilla game of Exalted. The ST (or players if they're playing Alchemicals) must have decided to break back into Creation from their native world for them to be included - no one else has ever seen them, and they're completely unknown to everyone else.
Solar Exalted
Solar Exalted are divided into castes named after times of day.
The Dawn Caste are warriors and generals, their anima banner vastly improves their combat capabilities, and they automatically favor all five inherently martial abilities (and get some discounts on buying charms of other abilities that are sufficiently martial in nature).
The Zenith Caste are priest-kings, leaders, and survivors. Their favored abilities grant them a facility for moving people's hearts and minds and resisting both mental and physical punishment. Their anima banner makes them priests of every diety in Creation, lets them burn dead bodies to ensure that they won't rise as zombies, and gives them substantial combat bonuses against creatures of darkness.
The Twilight Caste are sorcerers, scholars, and builders. They favor many of the inherently creative or academic abilities. Their anima banner lets them pierce through illusions and discern the details of magical events more easily.
The Night Caste are stalkers, thieves, and assassins. They favor abilities that make them adept combatants with light quick fingers and incredibly discerning senses. Their anima banner helps them remain undetected by preventing their anima from flaring and enhancing Stealth. In the event that they are detected, their anima masks their features to keep them unidentifiable.
Finally, the Eclipse Caste are merchants, diplomats, and travelers. They favor abilities that make them good at dealing with large groups of people (organized or otherwise) and that help them to get from place to place. Their anima banner grants them diplomatic immunity when dealing with most of the enemies of Creation as a whole, allows them to magically seal sworn oaths, and enables them to learn the Charms of other types of Exalts or spirits (though at double cost).
[Placeholder - anima powers by type - terrestrial anima flux]
Other Exalt types to come, this is a work in progress
Each of the Celestial Exalts are members of a Caste which, in theory, says something about the societal role they're supposed to play. None of the Exalted castes within a given Exalt type are higher or lower than any other - no one persecutes you for being a member of a specific caste (though they may persecute you for being a specific type of Exalt, that's another story).
Terrestrial Exalts (also called Dragon Blooded) instead have an elemental Aspect which determines their natural proclivities. They're born to these Aspects (or perhaps they're determined upon Exaltation, but its not clear) and they seem to be hereditary to some degree. In Exalted there are five elements: Air, Earth, Fire, Water, and Wood. While each Aspect is associated with five abilities (just like virtually very other Exalted subdivision), the intended societal role of the Dragonblooded is that of a soldier. Each Aspect includes at least one martial ability in its set of five favored abilities.
The Celestial Exalted are first divided by who their patron Incarna is. Those imbued with the power of the Five Maidens of Destiny (Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn) are the Sidereal Exalted. Those that channel the mercurial might of the Moon (Luna) are the Lunar Exalted. Finally, the shining exemplars of the Unconquered Sun's holy power are the Solar Exalted.
Or at least those were the 'original' divisions in the settings history. About five years before the official Day 1 of the setting, the Solar Exalted changed. About half of their original 300 members were turned into something else. 100 of these were claimed by the Neverborn (more on them in another post) and their Deathlord servants and became the champions of Oblivion, the Abyssal Exalted (also called death knights). Fifty of these came into the possession of the Princes of Hell, the Yozis, and were corrupted into the Infernal Exalted (also called Green Sun Princes).
One more group of Exalted exist, the industrial Champions of Autochthon, the Alchemical Exalted. They're native to an alternate setting called Autochthonia, and are basically steampunk-styled robots imbued with the a human soul that has lived dozens of heroic lifetimes. They may or may not feature into a vanilla game of Exalted. The ST (or players if they're playing Alchemicals) must have decided to break back into Creation from their native world for them to be included - no one else has ever seen them, and they're completely unknown to everyone else.
Solar Exalted
Solar Exalted are divided into castes named after times of day.
The Dawn Caste are warriors and generals, their anima banner vastly improves their combat capabilities, and they automatically favor all five inherently martial abilities (and get some discounts on buying charms of other abilities that are sufficiently martial in nature).
The Zenith Caste are priest-kings, leaders, and survivors. Their favored abilities grant them a facility for moving people's hearts and minds and resisting both mental and physical punishment. Their anima banner makes them priests of every diety in Creation, lets them burn dead bodies to ensure that they won't rise as zombies, and gives them substantial combat bonuses against creatures of darkness.
The Twilight Caste are sorcerers, scholars, and builders. They favor many of the inherently creative or academic abilities. Their anima banner lets them pierce through illusions and discern the details of magical events more easily.
The Night Caste are stalkers, thieves, and assassins. They favor abilities that make them adept combatants with light quick fingers and incredibly discerning senses. Their anima banner helps them remain undetected by preventing their anima from flaring and enhancing Stealth. In the event that they are detected, their anima masks their features to keep them unidentifiable.
Finally, the Eclipse Caste are merchants, diplomats, and travelers. They favor abilities that make them good at dealing with large groups of people (organized or otherwise) and that help them to get from place to place. Their anima banner grants them diplomatic immunity when dealing with most of the enemies of Creation as a whole, allows them to magically seal sworn oaths, and enables them to learn the Charms of other types of Exalts or spirits (though at double cost).
[Placeholder - anima powers by type - terrestrial anima flux]
Other Exalt types to come, this is a work in progress
Last edited by Avilister on Tue Mar 05, 2013 8:45 am, edited 1 time in total.
Essence - What's in a mote?
Essence Levels
For this, I'm just gonna copy/paste out of the core book and the Dreams of the First Age errata, because the descriptions are awesome
ESSENCE AND ABILITY MINIMUMS
The Ability minimums for Charms reflect the kind of mundane skill that the Charm enhances. If the Charm improves basic competence, it has a low Ability minimum. If it enhances the kinds of special tricks legendary masters do, it has a high Ability minimum.
Charms with an Essence minimum of 1 are usually internal. Unless the Charm is Obvious, it’s hard for observers to distinguish the Charm from luck or ordinary competence.
Charms with an Essence minimum of 2 are usually feats appropriate to pulp and epic heroes.
Charms with an Essence minimum of 3 are usually magical expressions of the Solar Essence—they create something from nothing or infuse Essence into the world.
Charms with an Essence minimum of 4 reflect a Solar’s transformation into a world-shaking font of holy power. They are mighty, angelic powers.
Charms with an Essence minimum of 5 touch on the remaining glory of the First Age. They are the Charms appropriate to the lords of Creation, the conquerors of chaos, the leaders of nations.
Charms having Essence minimums from 1 to 5 encompass the complete array of effects for which the Solars were given purpose. Having conquered chaos and ascended to rulership of Creation, Solars expand to represent a purpose for which there was no design. Charms beyond the Essence minimum of 5 suggest a force for which there is no peer, and a measure for which there is no call. In short, these effects equip the Solars with a new array of effects of such magnitude and scope that there could be no known reason. Beyond this point, Solars transcend humanity, expand their notice beyond the core of existence, bargain with incomprehensible forces, and build new worlds—if only to have more to conquer.
Charms with an Essence minimum of 6 leave behind worldly miracles—the Exalt now engages in the work of gods. Her power redefines her standing among the Exalted, and it is on the back of these wonders that an Age may be built.
Charms with an Essence minimum of 7 depict the authorial primacy of one who knows no value she cannot change and no limit she cannot reach. These miracles leave marks on the world that last for untold generations, each application a legend unto itself. The holy might contained by these Charms evoke such awe and terror that the Celestial Exalted look upon them with shocked remove.
Charms with an Essence minimum of 8 touch the very foundation of the universe. The Solar lays hands upon the forces of the very cosmos, and they recognize in her Essence a peer.
Charms with an Essence minimum of 9 affect all the heavenly glory of the sun unbound. Solar power expands almost beyond the capacity of the world to contain it. What is the possible purpose of such great and terrible power?
Charms with an Essence minimum of 10 denote powers beyond those which forged the universe. Not even the Primordials fully understand Essence 10; at this level of effect, the intellects which defined existence find themselves in the position of discovery. What challenges even the Primordials, a Solar may come naturally to grasp and engender: power beyond all reason.
Essence levels 1-5 are attainable in the scope of a typical game of Exalted. An Exalt must typically survive for 100 years before he is elligable to raise his Essence to 6, and much longer before he can raise Essence higher than that. Exalts aren't the only folks walking around with Essence traits though. Small gods and demons are the most commonly encountered non-Exalt essence wielders. Demons of the First circle typically have Essence traits of 5 or under (usually 2-4). Demons of the Second Circle generally range from 6-8, and Third Circle Demons fall somewhere in the 8-10 range (typically only with the most extremely powerful and important [the Fetich soul of a Yozi] having a 10).
Motes
Motes are the smallest divisible unit of Essence. In game terms, a mote can currently add a single dice to a single roll, or activate some lower tier charms. Multiple motes must usually be spent to activate higher leveled abilities. There is no limit to how many motes one can spend in a turn, aside from their actual capacity.
Mote pools vary with permanent Essence, Willpower, and with Virtues. A typical starting Solar Exalt might have a personal Essence pool of 15-20 points and a peripheral pool about twice that size. Most other Celestial Exalts will have slightly less capacity, and Terrestrial often have substantially less (though their charms are also generally cheaper). Each type's mote pool is calculated with a different formula which I won't bother reproducing here.
Sorcery often costs many more motes than a typical charm activation - few charms cost less than 10 motes to activate, and some Solar Circle spells cost more than 50.
Essence Levels
For this, I'm just gonna copy/paste out of the core book and the Dreams of the First Age errata, because the descriptions are awesome
ESSENCE AND ABILITY MINIMUMS
The Ability minimums for Charms reflect the kind of mundane skill that the Charm enhances. If the Charm improves basic competence, it has a low Ability minimum. If it enhances the kinds of special tricks legendary masters do, it has a high Ability minimum.
Charms with an Essence minimum of 1 are usually internal. Unless the Charm is Obvious, it’s hard for observers to distinguish the Charm from luck or ordinary competence.
Charms with an Essence minimum of 2 are usually feats appropriate to pulp and epic heroes.
Charms with an Essence minimum of 3 are usually magical expressions of the Solar Essence—they create something from nothing or infuse Essence into the world.
Charms with an Essence minimum of 4 reflect a Solar’s transformation into a world-shaking font of holy power. They are mighty, angelic powers.
Charms with an Essence minimum of 5 touch on the remaining glory of the First Age. They are the Charms appropriate to the lords of Creation, the conquerors of chaos, the leaders of nations.
Charms having Essence minimums from 1 to 5 encompass the complete array of effects for which the Solars were given purpose. Having conquered chaos and ascended to rulership of Creation, Solars expand to represent a purpose for which there was no design. Charms beyond the Essence minimum of 5 suggest a force for which there is no peer, and a measure for which there is no call. In short, these effects equip the Solars with a new array of effects of such magnitude and scope that there could be no known reason. Beyond this point, Solars transcend humanity, expand their notice beyond the core of existence, bargain with incomprehensible forces, and build new worlds—if only to have more to conquer.
Charms with an Essence minimum of 6 leave behind worldly miracles—the Exalt now engages in the work of gods. Her power redefines her standing among the Exalted, and it is on the back of these wonders that an Age may be built.
Charms with an Essence minimum of 7 depict the authorial primacy of one who knows no value she cannot change and no limit she cannot reach. These miracles leave marks on the world that last for untold generations, each application a legend unto itself. The holy might contained by these Charms evoke such awe and terror that the Celestial Exalted look upon them with shocked remove.
Charms with an Essence minimum of 8 touch the very foundation of the universe. The Solar lays hands upon the forces of the very cosmos, and they recognize in her Essence a peer.
Charms with an Essence minimum of 9 affect all the heavenly glory of the sun unbound. Solar power expands almost beyond the capacity of the world to contain it. What is the possible purpose of such great and terrible power?
Charms with an Essence minimum of 10 denote powers beyond those which forged the universe. Not even the Primordials fully understand Essence 10; at this level of effect, the intellects which defined existence find themselves in the position of discovery. What challenges even the Primordials, a Solar may come naturally to grasp and engender: power beyond all reason.
Essence levels 1-5 are attainable in the scope of a typical game of Exalted. An Exalt must typically survive for 100 years before he is elligable to raise his Essence to 6, and much longer before he can raise Essence higher than that. Exalts aren't the only folks walking around with Essence traits though. Small gods and demons are the most commonly encountered non-Exalt essence wielders. Demons of the First circle typically have Essence traits of 5 or under (usually 2-4). Demons of the Second Circle generally range from 6-8, and Third Circle Demons fall somewhere in the 8-10 range (typically only with the most extremely powerful and important [the Fetich soul of a Yozi] having a 10).
Motes
Motes are the smallest divisible unit of Essence. In game terms, a mote can currently add a single dice to a single roll, or activate some lower tier charms. Multiple motes must usually be spent to activate higher leveled abilities. There is no limit to how many motes one can spend in a turn, aside from their actual capacity.
Mote pools vary with permanent Essence, Willpower, and with Virtues. A typical starting Solar Exalt might have a personal Essence pool of 15-20 points and a peripheral pool about twice that size. Most other Celestial Exalts will have slightly less capacity, and Terrestrial often have substantially less (though their charms are also generally cheaper). Each type's mote pool is calculated with a different formula which I won't bother reproducing here.
Sorcery often costs many more motes than a typical charm activation - few charms cost less than 10 motes to activate, and some Solar Circle spells cost more than 50.