- Location
- United States
It burns! IT BURNS! and i have the shakes!
Exalted Questions Thread
- Thread starter Chehrazad
- Start date
QafianSage
Ascending Ape
- Location
- United Kingdom
This... This is The Good Shit. Hakushin vibes increasing. *yoinks*
Also, it works really well with the non-charm-development-based 'heresy' that EarthScorpion's been talking about, because even if you can't control your disciples with Qafian charms, you can with those of other Yozis. Sure, you can't necessarily control what they learn, but you can use SWLiHN's Capability-Redefining Compartmentalization to trim off the bits you don't like in favour of those that help your organization, and Kimbery has some nice 'you are part of the family now - and there's no escape' charms.
Qaf's Urge, then, would almost certainly be some variant on 'seeking' or 'discovering' - though he can't do it the Infernals can - and his Torment would be that cracking of the ascetic facade to reveal the fury that the First and Foremost Sage has bottled up in his mountain-heart.
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QafianSage
Ascending Ape
- Location
- United Kingdom
Here's the Torment and Act of Villainy I've got so far. I'm not sure how to word the Urge yet - I want to have the 'seeking/exploration' thing, but also an aspect of hoarding what you learn and discover. I'm thinking that Qaf's main Virtues should be Conviction (he will seek the Answer forever) and Temperance (he will ignore all distractions), with Valor (he will brave many things in order to find his answers) coming next and finally Compassion (he has compassion enough to try and help others to enlightenment, but they're all so stupid and lazy that even the best - if such a term can be applied - are barely worthy).
EDIT: I have a quote for him, too, because it was fitting and I couldn't resist it:
I think the Act of Villainy may be too forgiving.
EDIT: I have a quote for him, too, because it was fitting and I couldn't resist it:
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Azrael
Sakura Saber
- Location
- Throne of Heroes
Oadenol's Codex is a good bet. That or maybe its in Wonders of the Lost Age.
- Location
- Singapore
Ok guys. Let's say a third circle demon is summoned into creation.
It's ligier.
What would be the normal response?
It's ligier.
What would be the normal response?
Frakir's brother
Goodbye.
- Location
- The Sea of Trees
Scream and run away. Or genufluct. Anything to survive.
- Location
- Singapore
Ok.
1. Aerial legion.
2. Sidereal hit squads.
3. Elder lunars start showing up
4. Mass evacuations.
What else?
Azrael
Sakura Saber
- Location
- Throne of Heroes
Response... from who?
Also, what's Ligier doing? If a Solar called him up to do some construction projects or something people will react with a lot less urgency than if he's releasing his light and scouring a city or something.
- Location
- Singapore
A solar summoned him, pointed at the vague horizon, and then spoke. "Burn them all."
...Ligier gets pissed off and dumps an atomic explosion on his summoner's head.
- Location
- Singapore
Huh.
Fine then. The solar starts using ligier the way one would use a tactical nuke. I.e. smash a city, and then use him to make the rest capitulate.
He's currently holding an entire direction under his heel via fear. No one wants to be the first.
QafianSage
Ascending Ape
- Location
- United Kingdom
@GardenerBriareus , I've had an idea for a Keyword for Qaf, to play off of his 'I don't teach you, I let you develop in my shadow' and 'harsh trials' things: Trial. Basically, the idea is that a lot of Qaf's offensive or defensive charms can be used in a training regimen - for instance, putting up a barrier and challenging a student to cross it, or withstanding the weight of the Sage's enlightenment (cough killing intent cough) - and when he does that they can function as Training effects, with the exact effect varying from Charm to Charm. Of course, given that these are exalted fighting charms, this is a... dangerous process. Does that sound interesting/workable?
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- Location
- Pittsburgh, PA
Absolutely! Unfortunately, I just got up and am still too fuzzy to come up with ideas to springboard off of that.
QafianSage
Ascending Ape
- Location
- United Kingdom
Sweet. It makes the 'teacher' aspect of Qaf more accessible without specifically speccing into that, too, and increases the theme of his teaching being incidental to what he's actually doing. That's the idea, anyway.
Also, I've been thinking of a charm tree based on the 'black nacre portals' that characterises the portals as the 'eyes' of Qaf, seeking something outside fo himself. The tree would start off with turning your eyes to nacre and allowing you to A) see immaterial things and B) do a good impression of the Byakugan, which then branches into full essence-sight ala All-Encompassing Sorcerer's Sight and first detaching an eye to look somewhere else and then turning said eye into a portal. I thought we could take mechanical inspiration for the latter from Revlid's Tzeentch charmset: [Exalted 2e] Tzeentch Yozi Charmset
Specifically, these charms:
EAGLE-EYE SET AFLAME
Cost: 5m; Mins: Tzeentch 0, Essence 2; Type: Simple
Keywords: Combo-OK, Sorcerous
Duration: Indefinite
Prerequisite Charms: Tendril-Mind Insinuation
Tzeentch has many eyes, some of which watch, invisible, about Malfeas and Creation alike. There is nothing he cannot see, nowhere he does not know, and it is atop this foundation of presumed omniscience that he builds his perfect plans. Upon activating this Charm, the warlock creates a Sorcerous eye of flame that floats at any spot within (Essence x100) yards of him (he does not need to be able to perceive this spot). The eye is not actually a creature of any kind, but an immaterial Sorcerous projection, invisible except to sight that can perceive dematerialized spirits. As such, it cannot be destroyed by attacks, even those that would strike immaterial creatures, but can be destroyed with appropriate countermagic, ending this iteration of the Charm.
The warlock may spend a miscellaneous action (Speed 5, DV-1) looking through the eye until his DV refreshes, allowing him to perceive what it perceives. This perception is both omnidirectional and omnisensory, with every sense directed equally in every direction from the eye. It also uses the warlock's own senses – if he has enhanced or impaired them (such as with Essence-Dissecting Stare or Shuddering Senses Stirred) then these effects apply to his perceptions through his eye. While the warlock is looking through the eye, he may direct it, mentally propelling it in any direction at a rate of up to (Infernal's Occult) yards per tick. He may still perceive and interact with his own surroundings during this scrying, but suffers an external penalty of -2 to all his dicepools while doing so (if he would rather not suffer this penalty, he can reflexively end the scrying earlier at no penalty, refocusing on the here and now).
The Infernal may have only one eye of flame active at once. Unlike a normal Sorcerous Charm, the Infernal may reflexively end this Charm himself, at any distance. Dimensional barriers do not impair this Charm, though effects that would block scrying prevent the Infernal from looking through the eye in question.
The Infernal may purchase this Charm a second time at Essence 3+, increasing the maximum number of eyes he may have manifested at once to three. A third purchase at Essence 4+ increases the maximum number a second time, to (Essence).
SIGHT OF THE UNIVERSAL ALCHEMIST
Cost: 5m; Mins: Tzeentch 0, Essence 2; Type: Reflexive (Step 1)
Keywords: Combo-OK, Sorcerous
Duration: Indefinite
Prerequisite Charms: Eagle-Eye Set Aflame
What use is a chemist who cannot read a formula? Tzeentch concocts whole new realities in which to play out his scenarios, and so it is the formula of the universe that he must read. Other than its duration and keywords, the effects of this Charm are identical to those of All-Encompassing Sorcerer's Sight (Exalted Corebook, pg 222). Despite the Sorcerous keyword, the Infernal may reflexively end the effects of this Charm.
In addition, when activating Eagle-Eye Set Aflame, the Infernal may pay an additional mote. If he does so, he grants the eye created by that Charm the effects of All-Encompassing Sorcerer's Sight for the duration of its existence.
ALL-SEEING IS ALL-KNOWING
Cost: — ; Mins: Tzeentch 0, Essence 3; Type: Permanent
Keywords: None
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: Eagle-Eye Set Aflame
When Tzeentch was imprisoned, he offered up four of his souls to be executed, though they struggled and cried in a manner most convincing. These days, the peacock-feathers that line his humaniform jouten's cape sport four additional eyes. Few have noticed, and none have commented. Ultimately, only Szoreny knows the truth of what happened to those deva. With each purchase of this Charm, the Infernal's eyes gain two abilities of his choice, chosen from the four listed below.
Thought: The eye benefits from a fraction of the colossal intelligence of Huga, allowing it to function without the Infernal's continuous attention. It can move and follow the Infernal's instructions as though it were an automaton, able to travel to specific locations the Infernal knows the way to, follow specified people it can perceive, or move in a pattern until it finds a specified area, item or character. Orders may be transferred whenever the Infernal is looking through the eye, immediately overriding any previous commands. Once the eye's orders are completed or inapplicable, it will immediately stop in place. It has no ingenuity or initiative, and will not do anything it was not specifically tasked with doing, nor will it develop solutions to any problems that may occur or innovate in the face of complications with its orders. For example, if it is ordered to follow the dragonblood carrying a set of battleplans, and the dragonblood hands these plans to a mortal servant, the eye will stop in place, its orders considered inapplicable.
Memory: The eye gains a drop of the endless memory of Mune, letting it carry a record of everything it perceives (it is considered to use the Infernal's unenhanced senses for this purpose – his magical enhancements are only applied when he is looking directly through it). Whenever the Infernal looks through the eye, he may spend a diceless miscellaneous action retrieving its memories, perfectly integrating them into his own. This integration occurs automatically when the Infernal dismisses an eye, but if the eye is dispelled by another character, all stored memory is lost. The Infernal may also have an eye project any of its memories outward in a construct of immaterial light, perfectly portraying events as they occured (though he may have it start or finish its recollection at any point, allowing a certain amount of creative editing).
Decision: The eye is infused with a touch of the perfect judgement of Kosi, allowing it to notify its creator of particular events. When looking through an eye, the Infernal may specify certain conditions, ranging in complexity from "Someone enters the room" to "A blonde man in gold armour says the word 'Cellar-door' to a young girl". When one of these conditions is met, the eye instantly sends the warlock a signal in the form of a beckoning whisper, a sudden sense of illusory heat, a jangling tone or some other unmistakable sign. "My orders are no longer applicable" is obviously an acceptable condition. Each eye may have up to (Essence) triggers lying in wait at a time, each one with a different signal for their conditions being met. If the eye is also infused with Thought, then instead of a signal being sent to him, the Infernal may link a trigger to a new order (as defined in that entry), set when creating the eye. This allows the Infernal to, with a little planning, create multi-layered and complex programs.
Speech: The eye acquires an echo of the many-throated voice of Talo, giving it the ability to transmit the Infernal's voice. When he is looking through the eye, he may speak through it as well, just as though he were at its location. At no additional cost, he may choose to give his voice a reverberating, ominous tone, increasing the difficulty of any roll to identify him by voice by two. He may also, at no additional cost, cause the flaming eye to become visible, and may (if he wishes) instead have it instead as a humanoid figure composed of those same flames. Finally, he may have the drone telepathically present his message to up to (Occult) characters within (Essence) yards of it, preventing his words from being overheard. Any social attacks the Infernal makes through the eye use his own traits as if though he was present at the eye's location, and he may enhance them with Charms as normal.
LENS OF THE VIATICAL
Cost: 20m; Mins: Tzeentch 0, Essence 5; Type: Simple
Keywords: Combo-OK, Obvious, Sorcerous, Touch
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Eagle-Eye Set Aflame
Tzeentch could tell the lesser beings of the world so many things. He could tell them that all places are as one, that all roads lead to their destination, that paths unseen riddle the universe like tunnels in the woodwork of a house, built into it at the time of its construction. Many of these things would be true, many would be half-truths, a great number would be outright lies. One thing that is certain, though, is that he truly enjoys making a dramatic escape from out of the clutches of his enemies.
This Charm may be activated whenever the Infernal has at least two burning eyes active at once. He touches one, and spends twenty motes to turn both that eye and one other in the same plane of existence into linked portals for the duration of the Charm, allowing instantaneous travel from one point to the other. Eyes altered in such a way pulse and stretch, their pupils lengthening and splitting open into a fire-rimmed tear in reality, through which the other side can be seen (though when no demons can perceive the portal this view sometimes switches to a great void dotted with unblinking eyes). This shift makes them visible and Obvious even to mundane senses, though they are no more vulnerable than before. The Infernal can still use the eye as normal, although it is rendered immobile.
Any character or object that moves into one of the portals emerges out of the other one, just as though they were walking through a mundane door. Each portal is normally large enough to allow a single, average-sized human through at once without slowing. However, the edges of the portal are unnervingly elastic, and larger (or additional) characters can fit through by squeezing – this requires a Speed 6 miscellaneous action from each character, which renders them effectively inactive until their DV refreshes, just as though they were in a clinch with the portal.
Characters who move through a portal must immediately roll their total number of mutation points (counting negative mutations as positive ones for this purpose), at a difficulty of 3. If they succeed, they move through as normal. If they fail, they suffer a single level of unsoakable aggravated damage, which they may only avoid by accepting a number of points of negative mutations (of the Storyteller's choice) equal to the amount by which they failed.
The warlock may use this Charm on an active portal to close it (and any connected to it, if he wishes) and change it back into an eye.
A second purchase of this Charm allows the Infernal to pay (number of linked portals-1) points of Willpower when activating the Charm, or subsequently pay that point as a miscellaneous action when touching a portal. If he does so, the portal (and all portals linked to it) stretches wider with a sound like tearing sinew, increasing its capacity for easy movement to (Essence) average-sized humans at once (or an equivalent mass).
In addition, he may activate this Charm again when touching another eye of his (that is not acting as a portal). If he does so, he may link that eye into his portal network, creating a three-(or four, or five)-way portal. Any character stepping into such a portal will emerge out of whichever portal they desire, if they have one in mind. If not, they will exit out of a randomly-chosen portal from the network (including the one they just entered).
At Essence 8+, this Charm can be used to create portals between two separate planes of existence. Tzeentch has been forbidden from doing so as part of his surrender oaths, and the Yozis cannot escape their prison through such portals, but a Green Sun Prince could easily open gateways into Malfeas, Yu-Shan, the Underworld, or even his own Heretical soulscape. Interdimensional portals are Blasphemy effects, and have the difficulty of the roll to pass through them unharmed increased to 5.
Cost: 5m; Mins: Tzeentch 0, Essence 2; Type: Simple
Keywords: Combo-OK, Sorcerous
Duration: Indefinite
Prerequisite Charms: Tendril-Mind Insinuation
Tzeentch has many eyes, some of which watch, invisible, about Malfeas and Creation alike. There is nothing he cannot see, nowhere he does not know, and it is atop this foundation of presumed omniscience that he builds his perfect plans. Upon activating this Charm, the warlock creates a Sorcerous eye of flame that floats at any spot within (Essence x100) yards of him (he does not need to be able to perceive this spot). The eye is not actually a creature of any kind, but an immaterial Sorcerous projection, invisible except to sight that can perceive dematerialized spirits. As such, it cannot be destroyed by attacks, even those that would strike immaterial creatures, but can be destroyed with appropriate countermagic, ending this iteration of the Charm.
The warlock may spend a miscellaneous action (Speed 5, DV-1) looking through the eye until his DV refreshes, allowing him to perceive what it perceives. This perception is both omnidirectional and omnisensory, with every sense directed equally in every direction from the eye. It also uses the warlock's own senses – if he has enhanced or impaired them (such as with Essence-Dissecting Stare or Shuddering Senses Stirred) then these effects apply to his perceptions through his eye. While the warlock is looking through the eye, he may direct it, mentally propelling it in any direction at a rate of up to (Infernal's Occult) yards per tick. He may still perceive and interact with his own surroundings during this scrying, but suffers an external penalty of -2 to all his dicepools while doing so (if he would rather not suffer this penalty, he can reflexively end the scrying earlier at no penalty, refocusing on the here and now).
The Infernal may have only one eye of flame active at once. Unlike a normal Sorcerous Charm, the Infernal may reflexively end this Charm himself, at any distance. Dimensional barriers do not impair this Charm, though effects that would block scrying prevent the Infernal from looking through the eye in question.
The Infernal may purchase this Charm a second time at Essence 3+, increasing the maximum number of eyes he may have manifested at once to three. A third purchase at Essence 4+ increases the maximum number a second time, to (Essence).
SIGHT OF THE UNIVERSAL ALCHEMIST
Cost: 5m; Mins: Tzeentch 0, Essence 2; Type: Reflexive (Step 1)
Keywords: Combo-OK, Sorcerous
Duration: Indefinite
Prerequisite Charms: Eagle-Eye Set Aflame
What use is a chemist who cannot read a formula? Tzeentch concocts whole new realities in which to play out his scenarios, and so it is the formula of the universe that he must read. Other than its duration and keywords, the effects of this Charm are identical to those of All-Encompassing Sorcerer's Sight (Exalted Corebook, pg 222). Despite the Sorcerous keyword, the Infernal may reflexively end the effects of this Charm.
In addition, when activating Eagle-Eye Set Aflame, the Infernal may pay an additional mote. If he does so, he grants the eye created by that Charm the effects of All-Encompassing Sorcerer's Sight for the duration of its existence.
ALL-SEEING IS ALL-KNOWING
Cost: — ; Mins: Tzeentch 0, Essence 3; Type: Permanent
Keywords: None
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: Eagle-Eye Set Aflame
When Tzeentch was imprisoned, he offered up four of his souls to be executed, though they struggled and cried in a manner most convincing. These days, the peacock-feathers that line his humaniform jouten's cape sport four additional eyes. Few have noticed, and none have commented. Ultimately, only Szoreny knows the truth of what happened to those deva. With each purchase of this Charm, the Infernal's eyes gain two abilities of his choice, chosen from the four listed below.
Thought: The eye benefits from a fraction of the colossal intelligence of Huga, allowing it to function without the Infernal's continuous attention. It can move and follow the Infernal's instructions as though it were an automaton, able to travel to specific locations the Infernal knows the way to, follow specified people it can perceive, or move in a pattern until it finds a specified area, item or character. Orders may be transferred whenever the Infernal is looking through the eye, immediately overriding any previous commands. Once the eye's orders are completed or inapplicable, it will immediately stop in place. It has no ingenuity or initiative, and will not do anything it was not specifically tasked with doing, nor will it develop solutions to any problems that may occur or innovate in the face of complications with its orders. For example, if it is ordered to follow the dragonblood carrying a set of battleplans, and the dragonblood hands these plans to a mortal servant, the eye will stop in place, its orders considered inapplicable.
Memory: The eye gains a drop of the endless memory of Mune, letting it carry a record of everything it perceives (it is considered to use the Infernal's unenhanced senses for this purpose – his magical enhancements are only applied when he is looking directly through it). Whenever the Infernal looks through the eye, he may spend a diceless miscellaneous action retrieving its memories, perfectly integrating them into his own. This integration occurs automatically when the Infernal dismisses an eye, but if the eye is dispelled by another character, all stored memory is lost. The Infernal may also have an eye project any of its memories outward in a construct of immaterial light, perfectly portraying events as they occured (though he may have it start or finish its recollection at any point, allowing a certain amount of creative editing).
Decision: The eye is infused with a touch of the perfect judgement of Kosi, allowing it to notify its creator of particular events. When looking through an eye, the Infernal may specify certain conditions, ranging in complexity from "Someone enters the room" to "A blonde man in gold armour says the word 'Cellar-door' to a young girl". When one of these conditions is met, the eye instantly sends the warlock a signal in the form of a beckoning whisper, a sudden sense of illusory heat, a jangling tone or some other unmistakable sign. "My orders are no longer applicable" is obviously an acceptable condition. Each eye may have up to (Essence) triggers lying in wait at a time, each one with a different signal for their conditions being met. If the eye is also infused with Thought, then instead of a signal being sent to him, the Infernal may link a trigger to a new order (as defined in that entry), set when creating the eye. This allows the Infernal to, with a little planning, create multi-layered and complex programs.
Speech: The eye acquires an echo of the many-throated voice of Talo, giving it the ability to transmit the Infernal's voice. When he is looking through the eye, he may speak through it as well, just as though he were at its location. At no additional cost, he may choose to give his voice a reverberating, ominous tone, increasing the difficulty of any roll to identify him by voice by two. He may also, at no additional cost, cause the flaming eye to become visible, and may (if he wishes) instead have it instead as a humanoid figure composed of those same flames. Finally, he may have the drone telepathically present his message to up to (Occult) characters within (Essence) yards of it, preventing his words from being overheard. Any social attacks the Infernal makes through the eye use his own traits as if though he was present at the eye's location, and he may enhance them with Charms as normal.
LENS OF THE VIATICAL
Cost: 20m; Mins: Tzeentch 0, Essence 5; Type: Simple
Keywords: Combo-OK, Obvious, Sorcerous, Touch
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Eagle-Eye Set Aflame
Tzeentch could tell the lesser beings of the world so many things. He could tell them that all places are as one, that all roads lead to their destination, that paths unseen riddle the universe like tunnels in the woodwork of a house, built into it at the time of its construction. Many of these things would be true, many would be half-truths, a great number would be outright lies. One thing that is certain, though, is that he truly enjoys making a dramatic escape from out of the clutches of his enemies.
This Charm may be activated whenever the Infernal has at least two burning eyes active at once. He touches one, and spends twenty motes to turn both that eye and one other in the same plane of existence into linked portals for the duration of the Charm, allowing instantaneous travel from one point to the other. Eyes altered in such a way pulse and stretch, their pupils lengthening and splitting open into a fire-rimmed tear in reality, through which the other side can be seen (though when no demons can perceive the portal this view sometimes switches to a great void dotted with unblinking eyes). This shift makes them visible and Obvious even to mundane senses, though they are no more vulnerable than before. The Infernal can still use the eye as normal, although it is rendered immobile.
Any character or object that moves into one of the portals emerges out of the other one, just as though they were walking through a mundane door. Each portal is normally large enough to allow a single, average-sized human through at once without slowing. However, the edges of the portal are unnervingly elastic, and larger (or additional) characters can fit through by squeezing – this requires a Speed 6 miscellaneous action from each character, which renders them effectively inactive until their DV refreshes, just as though they were in a clinch with the portal.
Characters who move through a portal must immediately roll their total number of mutation points (counting negative mutations as positive ones for this purpose), at a difficulty of 3. If they succeed, they move through as normal. If they fail, they suffer a single level of unsoakable aggravated damage, which they may only avoid by accepting a number of points of negative mutations (of the Storyteller's choice) equal to the amount by which they failed.
The warlock may use this Charm on an active portal to close it (and any connected to it, if he wishes) and change it back into an eye.
A second purchase of this Charm allows the Infernal to pay (number of linked portals-1) points of Willpower when activating the Charm, or subsequently pay that point as a miscellaneous action when touching a portal. If he does so, the portal (and all portals linked to it) stretches wider with a sound like tearing sinew, increasing its capacity for easy movement to (Essence) average-sized humans at once (or an equivalent mass).
In addition, he may activate this Charm again when touching another eye of his (that is not acting as a portal). If he does so, he may link that eye into his portal network, creating a three-(or four, or five)-way portal. Any character stepping into such a portal will emerge out of whichever portal they desire, if they have one in mind. If not, they will exit out of a randomly-chosen portal from the network (including the one they just entered).
At Essence 8+, this Charm can be used to create portals between two separate planes of existence. Tzeentch has been forbidden from doing so as part of his surrender oaths, and the Yozis cannot escape their prison through such portals, but a Green Sun Prince could easily open gateways into Malfeas, Yu-Shan, the Underworld, or even his own Heretical soulscape. Interdimensional portals are Blasphemy effects, and have the difficulty of the roll to pass through them unharmed increased to 5.
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- Location
- Pittsburgh, PA
One modification might be to have it so that you can only get the AESS effect in person, so you have to actually go and see something in order to get the full picture. Other than that, a good amount of this is pretty much directly applicable.
Coming up with offensive Qafian Charms is a bit difficult, considering he's not a particularly fight-y Yozi. One easy option would be a clone of Oramus' Charm, but replacing weird cosmic horror blasts with more enlightenment-themed supernatural weapons, so you can be the Buddhist priest from this one wuxia movie I half-remember who uses raw enlightenment to manifest a thousand giant golden ghost-hands that mudra-punch demons to death.
Another option is to have a Charm that creates a mini-avalanche - presumably a one-time environmental hazard that creates a region of difficult terrain & auto-grapples people who fuck up their dodge roll (which represents getting pinned under rocks), with those who manage to claw their own way free after getting buried benefit from the Tutor effect.
It helps that Qaf only needs a handful of offensive Charms, since he's more a Twilight/Night or a Night/Eclipse than he is a Dawn.
QafianSage
Ascending Ape
- Location
- United Kingdom
That's a good idea. I also thought that it might be cool to have it so that the 'byakugan' charm works by manifesting extra nacre-eyes across your body (literally eyes in the back of your head, Argus-style), one per activation of that charm (Indefinite, of course), and creating a remote eye requires that you inflict a Crippling effect on yourself, removing a nacreous eye, which you can heal by returning the eye but not otherwise - so you can create two eyes to begin with at the cost of blinding yourself, and later you can create more. Plus, you can get some Odin-type imagery in there. Also, they should be physical rather than immaterial - Qaf doesn't care that others can see him watching, and making his eyes sneakier could be a TED/Qaf heresy.
I was thinking that his main 'offensive' thing would be focused around making your attacks into essentially avalanches - flurry-enhancers and something that makes you hit really, really hard - maybe your AoE version could be an advancement on that, an equivalent to Cecelyne's Dune-Burst Onslaught? I confess I don't really like the idea of cloning the Oramus charm, or of going the 'you manifest golden, glowing, sacred soul-weapons' route - that's a Solar thing, and I imagine Qaf's enlightenment as... not being very Buddhist or 'purge the unclean demon'. Furthermore I rather like the idea of Qaf beating the shit out of you with his bare hands, all the while looking like Guru Pathik from ATLA.
For combat, I was thinking that Qaf would be much heavier on the defensive side of things. I was going to give him a version of Swallowed in Eternity that works off of a height advantage rather than a Place of Desolation (your inferiors cannot reach you) and which uses some kind of enlightenment-related dicepool to overcome the Blockade Movement, and that his Perfect Defense would basically be what the Buddha does in the first few seconds of this:
The main problem I'm having with constructing this charmset is that a lot of the effects I want to use are very close to existing effects - Adorjan likes her flurry-enhancers, an effect which allows Qaf to climb the mountain of himself sounds very much like Graceful Crane Stance and so on. Although one thing which is pretty unique to Qaf is the idea of turning everything into a contest of enlightenment - e.g. when climbing you gain bonus sux equal to some measure of enlightenment (Essence? Lore?), you defend socially and then physically with your enlightenment - just as how ascending Qaf himself requires spiritual growth. It could be useful, too, as it lets you make tests 'on your terms', so to speak, as you're likely to be quite high in whatever the enlightenment-signifier is, while a typical warior might not be. That would allow him to throw down with enemies that would normally be out of his weight class, though martial artists should definitely do better against you than bog-standard brawlers. Maybe that could be made his Mythos Exultant in some way? I'm not sure how.
Another issue I've been having is making it so that Qaf's enemies don't become better just by fighting him - the Heaven-Violating Spear doesn't share his wisdom with everyone, after all. I think we need some method of designating who can and cannot benefit from his charms - a charm concept, ala revlid's Isidoros' 'Desires' or SWLiHN's 'Aberrations'? 'Pupils'? Hmm. If we made the concept quite restricting - requiring a certain amount of attention paid to each individual Pupil per time unit or only having (Essence) Pupils, for instance - maybe we could put in a charm that allows Qaf to count a relatively low number of disciples as a high level of Cult, at the price of not being able to draw benefits from larger cults, or perhaps which allow you to ahve Cults which 'merely' revere you as an enlightened sage without actually praying to you, so long as your students seek your tuition? That might not work, though.
EDIT: Another charm-tree idea I had was one which acts to tear away lies and self-deception (Qaf cannot abide misunderstanding to stymie him) and which makes his enlightenment and knowledge Obvious to others, allowing him to muscle in where he wouldn't usually be allowed because 'he's the Enlightened One'.
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- Pronouns
- She/Her
Is there a guide towards writing first circle demons? I've seen references that indicated such existed, but haven't found it on a casual perusal of the general thread. I'm looking more for fluff advice than mechanical.
- Location
- Pittsburgh, PA
I was trying to avoid stepping on Mardukth's toes, since one of his Charms lets you make a single melee that hits everyone within (Essence) yards of your initial target, by using supernatural parallax and the living-myth element of the Questing Throne to do this:
One option would be to make flurries hit harder, not better... maybe. I'm not good at Exalted mechanics. What I mean is, instead of Qaf making you good at throwing five accurate punches, he makes you good at throwing two punches that are each better (in some fashion) than a single normal punch, at the cost of the penalties for flurrying staying more-or-less untouched. Maybe a boost to the minimum damage?
Alternatively, tap into the weird sage knowledge idea so that your "flurry" is actually striking a set nerve clusters or chakra meridians in Kenshiro-style fast motion to royally fuck people up - with the caveat that its effectiveness is inversely proportionate to how enlightened the target is in comparison to you. The general idea of fighting with more "spiritual" stats and forcing enemies to fight you soul-to-soul instead of muscle v. muscle works pretty well, especially since it carries a natural downside against enemies that are actually spiritually beefier than you are. It lets you pound meatheads into the ground, but if you go up against a Second Circle Demon or Celestial god, then things aren't quite so in your favor.
Pupils have to desire enlightenment; if they don't have a Motivation or major Intimacy that would make them willing to learn from you (either by being admiring/jealous of you personally, or just having a desire to learn or further their spiritual growth), then your wisdom is like pearls cast before swine.
- Location
- my house
That's a good idea. I also thought that it might be cool to have it so that the 'byakugan' charm works by manifesting extra nacre-eyes across your body (literally eyes in the back of your head, Argus-style), one per activation of that charm (Indefinite, of course), and creating a remote eye requires that you inflict a Crippling effect on yourself, removing a nacreous eye, which you can heal by returning the eye but not otherwise - so you can create two eyes to begin with at the cost of blinding yourself, and later you can create more. Plus, you can get some Odin-type imagery in there. Also, they should be physical rather than immaterial - Qaf doesn't care that others can see him watching, and making his eyes sneakier could be a TED/Qaf heresy.
I was thinking that his main 'offensive' thing would be focused around making your attacks into essentially avalanches - flurry-enhancers and something that makes you hit really, really hard - maybe your AoE version could be an advancement on that, an equivalent to Cecelyne's Dune-Burst Onslaught? I confess I don't really like the idea of cloning the Oramus charm, or of going the 'you manifest golden, glowing, sacred soul-weapons' route - that's a Solar thing, and I imagine Qaf's enlightenment as... not being very Buddhist or 'purge the unclean demon'. Furthermore I rather like the idea of Qaf beating the shit out of you with his bare hands, all the while looking like Guru Pathik from ATLA.
For combat, I was thinking that Qaf would be much heavier on the defensive side of things. I was going to give him a version of Swallowed in Eternity that works off of a height advantage rather than a Place of Desolation (your inferiors cannot reach you) and which uses some kind of enlightenment-related dicepool to overcome the Blockade Movement, and that his Perfect Defense would basically be what the Buddha does in the first few seconds of this:. I'm thinking an E2 charm whose main effect is to allow him to meditate in battle and gain increased defenses while meditating, with an E3 upgrade that allows you to use it as a Perfect Parry so long as you're meditating. I'm not sure what his Imperfection should be, though.
The main problem I'm having with constructing this charmset is that a lot of the effects I want to use are very close to existing effects - Adorjan likes her flurry-enhancers, an effect which allows Qaf to climb the mountain of himself sounds very much like Graceful Crane Stance and so on. Although one thing which is pretty unique to Qaf is the idea of turning everything into a contest of enlightenment - e.g. when climbing you gain bonus sux equal to some measure of enlightenment (Essence? Lore?), you defend socially and then physically with your enlightenment - just as how ascending Qaf himself requires spiritual growth. It could be useful, too, as it lets you make tests 'on your terms', so to speak, as you're likely to be quite high in whatever the enlightenment-signifier is, while a typical warior might not be. That would allow him to throw down with enemies that would normally be out of his weight class, though martial artists should definitely do better against you than bog-standard brawlers. Maybe that could be made his Mythos Exultant in some way? I'm not sure how.
Another issue I've been having is making it so that Qaf's enemies don't become better just by fighting him - the Heaven-Violating Spear doesn't share his wisdom with everyone, after all. I think we need some method of designating who can and cannot benefit from his charms - a charm concept, ala revlid's Isidoros' 'Desires' or SWLiHN's 'Aberrations'? 'Pupils'? Hmm. If we made the concept quite restricting - requiring a certain amount of attention paid to each individual Pupil per time unit or only having (Essence) Pupils, for instance - maybe we could put in a charm that allows Qaf to count a relatively low number of disciples as a high level of Cult, at the price of not being able to draw benefits from larger cults, or perhaps which allow you to ahve Cults which 'merely' revere you as an enlightened sage without actually praying to you, so long as your students seek your tuition? That might not work, though.
EDIT: Another charm-tree idea I had was one which acts to tear away lies and self-deception (Qaf cannot abide misunderstanding to stymie him) and which makes his enlightenment and knowledge Obvious to others, allowing him to muscle in where he wouldn't usually be allowed because 'he's the Enlightened One'.
On vacation so I don't have the time to go into this in depth and help, but one thing to ask is what villainous archetypen you want this charmer to incentivize.
Generally a good first step when making a charm tree is to list out 8 or so villains who your charms will turn people into.
QafianSage
Ascending Ape
- Location
- United Kingdom
I'm not so great at the mechanics either, so I'm not sure. I remember that from the Mardukth charmset, though.I was trying to avoid stepping on Mardukth's toes, since one of his Charms lets you make a single melee that hits everyone within (Essence) yards of your initial target, by using supernatural parallax and the living-myth element of the Questing Throne to do this:
One option would be to make flurries hit harder, not better... maybe. I'm not good at Exalted mechanics. What I mean is, instead of Qaf making you good at throwing five accurate punches, he makes you good at throwing two punches that are each better (in some fashion) than a single normal punch, at the cost of the penalties for flurrying staying more-or-less untouched. Maybe a boost to the minimum damage?
I do like that style of attack, especially as I was intending to flavour his Essence-Sight as 'seeing into things', ala the Byakugan's chakra-sight or similar, and possibly having another charm that allows you to literally see through physical barriers - like skin or muscles etc - to prevent such petty things standing in the way of your enlightenment. Hmm. Maybe it would be a good idea to scatter Qaf's offensive charms around, rather than having them all in one tree? So they are, physically and flavour-wise, the incidental results of him learning how things work?
The one issue with spiritual vs spiritual combat is the differential between the Essence of exalts and that of other things - an E4 Solar is significantly more powerful than an E4 1CD. Also, Cecelyne already has 'you're better at dealing with things with weaker Essence than you'. Maybe we could just build EarthScorpion's (I think it's theirs, at least) 'Enlightenment' system into the charmset as an extra charm concept?
That works.
Well, at the moment, I've been considering Qaf's primary villainous characteristics to be that he is:
- Greedy in hoarding his knowledge and wisdom
- Unable to accept that anyone could be wiser/more enlightened than him
- Has, almost without his own knowledge, become a false prophet, as his fury has made him rather less enlightened than he thinks he is, which feeds into the previous point
- Alien in his enlightenment - he's no Buddha
- The Enlightened Antagonist - he's enlightened, but his brand of enlightenment is alien, nihilistic or just opposed enough to yours that he's perfectly happy to tear down your utopian kingdom because it offends him for some esoteric reason. Unalaq from Legend of Korra comes to mind.
- The Hoarding Sage - he holds knowledge that could better the world, but he's keeping it to himself simply for the sake of pondering on it, teaching only a very select few for reasons known only to himself - and those few are scourges upon the land, villains and monsters without exception.
- The False Prophet - he comes from the mountains/desert/whatever and brings dangerous ideologies, and he's charismatic enough to have entire towns listening to him, revering him as a sage come to enlighten them - but all you can see is how they're going to be so caught-up in meditation that the harvest will lie fallow.
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- Location
- Singapore
- Location
- Gladstone, OR