General Exalted Thread
- Thread starter Aleph
- Start date
Ahh yes, the classic 'take over the world and screwing it over to save it from the oppressive world system that is keeping everyone from being fucked even harder'
It's more "the current system keeps getting screwed over by assholes, I should try to find an alternative".
After all, the reason that everything went wrong in D3 is that Lothric decided that he wanted to sit back and watch the world be reduced to Nothing rather than making the choice of Flame or Dark.
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notthepenguins
Neither Spherical Nor Frictionless
- Pronouns
- He/She/They
Well, I was chatting with @Pale Wolf about all the homebrew lost in the depths of this megathread yesterday, and I realized that I... really haven't put much of my homebrew here at all.
So, to begin to remedy that, haveShonen Hero Style Champion of Legend Style, a CMA I put together back in 2014 out of what was originally a desire to enable Nanoha as a character, but quickly broadened and shifted once I realized that that was much narrower than a CMA should be.
Champion of Legend Style
The origins of this style are long since lost to time; perhaps the records of Heaven itself hold the key, or the journal of some long-dead Lawgiver, but the answer to such a question rarely matters to those who wield such a style.
Throughout history there have been heroes, and champions; those who fight for their beliefs, those who do what they do because they care, not out of mere whimsy or duty. Often, they go forth bearing the might of this style. Sometimes, they are taught it, by those wishing to use or empower them. Sometimes, they stumble across old training manuals, in dojos overgrown and neglected in this fallen age. Sometimes, they learn it through dim recall, through flashes of their past lives. And sometimes they simply... learn it. This last aspect of the style is hotly debated by those interested in such things; does it express some cosmic principle, such that others can simply find enlightenment in it on their own? Is it in some manner like the Hero Styles of the Exalted? Does Creation itself conspire to teach it to them, through coincidence and flashes of inspiration, as with the initiations of Sorcery? Or is someone or something wandering Creation, teaching this style to those worthy without their knowledge?
In the modern day, this question is moot, when faced with a resurgence of users of this Style. Regardless of the origin of Champion of Legend Style, it is back, and back in force. The Lawgivers bear it, their virtues driving it to great deeds. The Lunar Exalted, returning from their long exile, use it, their need to return, to challenge those who would drive them back and cast them down in ruin, giving them the passion they need for this style. It is even rumored that the Abyssal Exalted wield it - those who truly believe in their cause find strength, regardless of whether others think it righteous. What, then, is to be done about the return of such heroes and villains?
Weapons and Armor: Charms of this style treat attacks with a single weapon, selected when the first Charm of the style is learned, as unarmed attacks. Charms that expand the definition of unarmed attacks in general (such as Celestial Godbody Understanding) do not broaden this definition; only Charms that add single, specific weapons to a style's unarmed list, such as Master's Hand Envisioned Anew, function to add weapons to this style, and then only at the Storyteller's discretion. Charms that create weapon-like effects, such as Elemental Bolt Attack or Blazing Solar Bolt, may be selected.
This style is not compatible with armor or shields.
So, to begin to remedy that, have
Champion of Legend Style
The origins of this style are long since lost to time; perhaps the records of Heaven itself hold the key, or the journal of some long-dead Lawgiver, but the answer to such a question rarely matters to those who wield such a style.
Throughout history there have been heroes, and champions; those who fight for their beliefs, those who do what they do because they care, not out of mere whimsy or duty. Often, they go forth bearing the might of this style. Sometimes, they are taught it, by those wishing to use or empower them. Sometimes, they stumble across old training manuals, in dojos overgrown and neglected in this fallen age. Sometimes, they learn it through dim recall, through flashes of their past lives. And sometimes they simply... learn it. This last aspect of the style is hotly debated by those interested in such things; does it express some cosmic principle, such that others can simply find enlightenment in it on their own? Is it in some manner like the Hero Styles of the Exalted? Does Creation itself conspire to teach it to them, through coincidence and flashes of inspiration, as with the initiations of Sorcery? Or is someone or something wandering Creation, teaching this style to those worthy without their knowledge?
In the modern day, this question is moot, when faced with a resurgence of users of this Style. Regardless of the origin of Champion of Legend Style, it is back, and back in force. The Lawgivers bear it, their virtues driving it to great deeds. The Lunar Exalted, returning from their long exile, use it, their need to return, to challenge those who would drive them back and cast them down in ruin, giving them the passion they need for this style. It is even rumored that the Abyssal Exalted wield it - those who truly believe in their cause find strength, regardless of whether others think it righteous. What, then, is to be done about the return of such heroes and villains?
Weapons and Armor: Charms of this style treat attacks with a single weapon, selected when the first Charm of the style is learned, as unarmed attacks. Charms that expand the definition of unarmed attacks in general (such as Celestial Godbody Understanding) do not broaden this definition; only Charms that add single, specific weapons to a style's unarmed list, such as Master's Hand Envisioned Anew, function to add weapons to this style, and then only at the Storyteller's discretion. Charms that create weapon-like effects, such as Elemental Bolt Attack or Blazing Solar Bolt, may be selected.
This style is not compatible with armor or shields.
Heroes draw strength from their passions, and can only reach their full might by doing so. A Charm with the Motivated keyword grants bonuses that vary depending on why the user is doing what they are.
If the Charm references a nonspecific Virtue, the player and Storyteller should determine what Virtue most motivates the character's current action. If no Virtue clearly does so, reference an Intimacy motivating the character's current action, and determine the Virtue based on the emotional context of the Intimacy. If the character has no relevant Intimacies either, treat the Virtue as having a value of 1.
If the Charm references acting in line with the character's motives, this requirement is satisfied by acting in accordance with any Intimacy that is not directed toward the character herself, as well as acting in line with the character's Motivation. However, any conflicting Intimacies whatsoever cause the Exalt to not satisfy the requirement, and the action is considered to conflict with her motives. Conflict in the heart of a hero must be resolved before she can fight at her best.
Charms with the Motivated keyword ignore any Charms that enhance Virtue ratings or Virtue channeling (with the exception of Charms that allow Virtue channels to be regained in other ways). One may have those Charms, but may not utilize their benefits in conjunction with any Champion of Legend Style Charms.
If the Charm references a nonspecific Virtue, the player and Storyteller should determine what Virtue most motivates the character's current action. If no Virtue clearly does so, reference an Intimacy motivating the character's current action, and determine the Virtue based on the emotional context of the Intimacy. If the character has no relevant Intimacies either, treat the Virtue as having a value of 1.
If the Charm references acting in line with the character's motives, this requirement is satisfied by acting in accordance with any Intimacy that is not directed toward the character herself, as well as acting in line with the character's Motivation. However, any conflicting Intimacies whatsoever cause the Exalt to not satisfy the requirement, and the action is considered to conflict with her motives. Conflict in the heart of a hero must be resolved before she can fight at her best.
Charms with the Motivated keyword ignore any Charms that enhance Virtue ratings or Virtue channeling (with the exception of Charms that allow Virtue channels to be regained in other ways). One may have those Charms, but may not utilize their benefits in conjunction with any Champion of Legend Style Charms.
For users of Champion of Legend style, their passions are their strength, but if they are not careful they will find that they have run their even their dedication to the end of their endurance. A Charm with #vc in its Cost requires the expenditure of # channels of a Virtue, selected as per the Motivated keyword.
Cost: 3m; Mins: Martial Arts 2, Essence 1; Type: Reflexive
Keywords: Combo-OK
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: None
True heroes have a way of arriving in the nick of time. This Charm may be activated upon rolling Join Battle, and adds (Martial Arts + Stunt Rating) dice to the hero's Join Battle roll. Additionally, the hero's may instantly move (Martial Arts + Stunt Rating) yards at the time that he activates this Charm, as long as he moves either toward an enemy or toward someone he wishes to protect. The stunt enhancing the Join Battle roll in question must be flashy and impressive - leaping in front of an ally, cloak billowing in the wind, is entirely acceptable, but simply drawing a sword and waiting is not.
Keywords: Combo-OK
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: None
True heroes have a way of arriving in the nick of time. This Charm may be activated upon rolling Join Battle, and adds (Martial Arts + Stunt Rating) dice to the hero's Join Battle roll. Additionally, the hero's may instantly move (Martial Arts + Stunt Rating) yards at the time that he activates this Charm, as long as he moves either toward an enemy or toward someone he wishes to protect. The stunt enhancing the Join Battle roll in question must be flashy and impressive - leaping in front of an ally, cloak billowing in the wind, is entirely acceptable, but simply drawing a sword and waiting is not.
Cost: 1m; Mins: Martial Arts 3, Essence 2; Type: Reflexive (Step 2)
Keywords: Combo-OK, Motivated
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Just-In-Time Arrival
A hero always has something to protect - a sibling, a lover, or even an innocent bystander. This Charm may be activated when the subject of an unarmed Defend Other action the hero is taking is attacked, and adds (Virtue Rating) dice to the pugilist's Parry DV pool. This Charm may also be activated if the hero is taking a Defend Other action and is attacked directly - after all, if he falls, who will protect his loved ones?
Keywords: Combo-OK, Motivated
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Just-In-Time Arrival
A hero always has something to protect - a sibling, a lover, or even an innocent bystander. This Charm may be activated when the subject of an unarmed Defend Other action the hero is taking is attacked, and adds (Virtue Rating) dice to the pugilist's Parry DV pool. This Charm may also be activated if the hero is taking a Defend Other action and is attacked directly - after all, if he falls, who will protect his loved ones?
Cost: 3m; Mins: Martial Arts 3, Essence 2; Type: Supplemental
Keywords: Combo-OK, Motivated
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Just-In-Time Arrival
A hero's passions lend strength to her blows, but do not require her to slay her enemies, only to defeat them. This Charm may enhance an unarmed attack and grants the following effects:
Keywords: Combo-OK, Motivated
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Just-In-Time Arrival
A hero's passions lend strength to her blows, but do not require her to slay her enemies, only to defeat them. This Charm may enhance an unarmed attack and grants the following effects:
- +(Virtue Rating) dice of damage
- +2 additional damage if the attack is in line with her motives
- The hero may choose, before rolling damage, to prevent the attack's damage from rolling past Incapacitated.
Cost: 5m, 1vc; Mins: Martial Arts 4, Essence 3; Type: Reflexive
Keywords: Combo-OK, Motivated
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Just-In-Time Arrival
There is no better way to be shown the truth than through force of arms, and the Champion of Legend knows it well. This Charm may be activated upon the conclusion of a battle. The hero makes a social attack with a dice pool of (Charisma + Martial Arts) with the intent of building or changing the context of an Intimacy in the target, and may choose to replace her Appearance rating with the rating of any Virtue that she could have used for a Motivated-keyworded Charm during the battle. If successful, the attack counts as (Virtue) scenes of building the Intimacy in the target. If the hero won the battle, the social attack becomes undodgeable - the hero's ways have shown their validity through force of arms, and can no longer be simply ignored.
This Charm must be activated at the end of a battle that is in line with the hero's motives as per the Motivated keyword. If the hero dies or is otherwise incapacitated before the battle's end, and the hero has the motes remaining to pay for this Charm's cost and any Charms intended to enhance the social attack, this Charm may instead be activated at the moment of death or incapacitation, instead of at the end of the battle. The hero may only use this Charm once against a given target per scene, however.
Keywords: Combo-OK, Motivated
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Just-In-Time Arrival
There is no better way to be shown the truth than through force of arms, and the Champion of Legend knows it well. This Charm may be activated upon the conclusion of a battle. The hero makes a social attack with a dice pool of (Charisma + Martial Arts) with the intent of building or changing the context of an Intimacy in the target, and may choose to replace her Appearance rating with the rating of any Virtue that she could have used for a Motivated-keyworded Charm during the battle. If successful, the attack counts as (Virtue) scenes of building the Intimacy in the target. If the hero won the battle, the social attack becomes undodgeable - the hero's ways have shown their validity through force of arms, and can no longer be simply ignored.
This Charm must be activated at the end of a battle that is in line with the hero's motives as per the Motivated keyword. If the hero dies or is otherwise incapacitated before the battle's end, and the hero has the motes remaining to pay for this Charm's cost and any Charms intended to enhance the social attack, this Charm may instead be activated at the moment of death or incapacitation, instead of at the end of the battle. The hero may only use this Charm once against a given target per scene, however.
Cost: 2m; Mins: Martial Arts 3, Essence 2; Type: Reflexive
Keywords: Combo-OK, Motivated
Duration: Indefinite
Prerequisite Charms: Just-In-Time Arrival
At times, the hero is defeated by their foe, and while he may be discouraged, it only drives him to work harder. This Charm may be activated when the pugilist takes damage from the attack of someone or something stopping them from accomplishing a task in line with their motives. While these motes remain committed, the character reduces the training time for Traits desired for the purpose of accomplishing the same task barred by the attacker by a factor of (Virtue Rating + Attacker's Essence). Once the character defeats the attacker or accomplishes the goal the attacker was preventing, this Charm deactivates.
Note: For games that ignore the canon rules for training time, this Charm may be removed entirely without negatively affecting the style as a whole.
Keywords: Combo-OK, Motivated
Duration: Indefinite
Prerequisite Charms: Just-In-Time Arrival
At times, the hero is defeated by their foe, and while he may be discouraged, it only drives him to work harder. This Charm may be activated when the pugilist takes damage from the attack of someone or something stopping them from accomplishing a task in line with their motives. While these motes remain committed, the character reduces the training time for Traits desired for the purpose of accomplishing the same task barred by the attacker by a factor of (Virtue Rating + Attacker's Essence). Once the character defeats the attacker or accomplishes the goal the attacker was preventing, this Charm deactivates.
Note: For games that ignore the canon rules for training time, this Charm may be removed entirely without negatively affecting the style as a whole.
Cost: 5m, 1wp; Mins: Martial Arts 4, Essence 3; Type: Simple
Keywords: Combo-Basic, Form-type, Motivated
Duration: One Scene
Prerequisite Charms: Dedicated Protector's Stance, Righteous Blows Technique, Beliefs Proven Through Strife
The hero settles into a battle-ready stance, and from it her enemies will find the strength of her convictions. She gains an additional (Virtue Rating) Lethal and Bashing soak, and adds (Martial Arts) dice to all combat-related actions if they are in line with her motives. If the action conflicts with her motives, however, she subtracts that same number, and reduces her soak by that amount, for such great passions are a double-edged sword. Finally, the hero may deal either bashing or lethal damage with bare-handed attacks as she likes, and may parry lethal attacks unarmed.
Dynamic Form Transition: Champion of Legend Form may be reflexively assumed without being considered a Charm activation when a character the hero has a positive Intimacy towards is injured, or when activating Rise to the Challenge, Why We Fight Remembrance, Final Form Transcendence, or Beyond Forgiveness Assault.
Keywords: Combo-Basic, Form-type, Motivated
Duration: One Scene
Prerequisite Charms: Dedicated Protector's Stance, Righteous Blows Technique, Beliefs Proven Through Strife
The hero settles into a battle-ready stance, and from it her enemies will find the strength of her convictions. She gains an additional (Virtue Rating) Lethal and Bashing soak, and adds (Martial Arts) dice to all combat-related actions if they are in line with her motives. If the action conflicts with her motives, however, she subtracts that same number, and reduces her soak by that amount, for such great passions are a double-edged sword. Finally, the hero may deal either bashing or lethal damage with bare-handed attacks as she likes, and may parry lethal attacks unarmed.
Dynamic Form Transition: Champion of Legend Form may be reflexively assumed without being considered a Charm activation when a character the hero has a positive Intimacy towards is injured, or when activating Rise to the Challenge, Why We Fight Remembrance, Final Form Transcendence, or Beyond Forgiveness Assault.
Cost: 4m; Mins: Martial Arts 4, Essence 3; Type: Reflexive
Keywords: Combo-OK, Motivated
Duration: One Scene
Prerequisite Charms: Champion of Legend Form
Heroes who challenge foes with might greater than their own find that they rise to the task. For the remainder of the scene, the Champion of Legend increases the Accuracy, Damage, and Defense ratings of her unarmed attacks by (Difference in Essence + 1, max Virtue Rating) when fighting opponents with Essence greater than her own.
As an additional benefit for the remainder of the scene, the hero's bare-handed attacks increase their Accuracy, Damage, and Defense by (Virtue Rating/2), and gain a magical material bonus appropriate to their nature - Solars gain the Orichalcum magical material bonus, Sidereals gain the bonus of Starmetal, and so on. Non-Exalted users gain no magical material bonus. This final bonus stacks with the bonus against opponents of greater Essence, but does not stack with Charms from that modify unarmed attacks for a non-Instant duration, artifacts, or other effects that do so.
Keywords: Combo-OK, Motivated
Duration: One Scene
Prerequisite Charms: Champion of Legend Form
Heroes who challenge foes with might greater than their own find that they rise to the task. For the remainder of the scene, the Champion of Legend increases the Accuracy, Damage, and Defense ratings of her unarmed attacks by (Difference in Essence + 1, max Virtue Rating) when fighting opponents with Essence greater than her own.
As an additional benefit for the remainder of the scene, the hero's bare-handed attacks increase their Accuracy, Damage, and Defense by (Virtue Rating/2), and gain a magical material bonus appropriate to their nature - Solars gain the Orichalcum magical material bonus, Sidereals gain the bonus of Starmetal, and so on. Non-Exalted users gain no magical material bonus. This final bonus stacks with the bonus against opponents of greater Essence, but does not stack with Charms from that modify unarmed attacks for a non-Instant duration, artifacts, or other effects that do so.
Cost: 4m, 1vc; Mins: Martial Arts 4, Essence 3; Type: Reflexive
Keywords: Combo-OK, Motivated, Overdrive
Duration: One Scene
Prerequisite Charms: Champion of Legend Form
Most often, the Champion of Legend does not fight with the intent to kill. Those foes that bar her from her goals must be defeated, but with no personal grudge against them she fights only to defeat them, not to kill. When that changes, her fury is a spectacular sight to behold... provided the watcher is not its target.
When activating this Charm, the hero designates a target or group of targets that have earned her wrath. She must have legitimately been enraged, not simply annoyed or inconvenienced; the most common targets of this Charm are thus those that attack the subjects of positive Intimacies the hero has. Injury to the hero herself is never grounds for activating this Charm, though for some heroes damage to personally-significant articles of clothing might be. For the remainder of the scene, the hero gains the following benefits:
This Charm ignores the usual qualifier of the Motivated keyword preventing the keyword's benefits from applying if the hero has conflicting motives.
Keywords: Combo-OK, Motivated, Overdrive
Duration: One Scene
Prerequisite Charms: Champion of Legend Form
Most often, the Champion of Legend does not fight with the intent to kill. Those foes that bar her from her goals must be defeated, but with no personal grudge against them she fights only to defeat them, not to kill. When that changes, her fury is a spectacular sight to behold... provided the watcher is not its target.
When activating this Charm, the hero designates a target or group of targets that have earned her wrath. She must have legitimately been enraged, not simply annoyed or inconvenienced; the most common targets of this Charm are thus those that attack the subjects of positive Intimacies the hero has. Injury to the hero herself is never grounds for activating this Charm, though for some heroes damage to personally-significant articles of clothing might be. For the remainder of the scene, the hero gains the following benefits:
- The hero may ignore single attack against a designated target each action for purposes of calculating her multiple action and DV penalties.
- All attacks against designated targets may do Lethal damage if the hero so desires
- She may spend 1wp in Step 6 to turn (Virtue Rating) post-soak damage dice into automatic successes.
- She ceases to treat conflicting motives as conflicting for the purposes of Champion of Legend Form while attacking or defending from the attacks of designated targets
- If the hero possesses an Overdrive pool, she gains one Overdrive mote for each action in which the only targets she attacks are designated ones. Incidentally damaging bystanders with area-of-effect attacks is not considered an attack for these purposes, provided damaging the bystanders was not a motivating factor in deciding to use the Charm (Storytellers should use their best judgment here).
- The hero adds (Virtue Rating) to her base Move, Dash, and Jump speeds when pursuing a designated target.
This Charm ignores the usual qualifier of the Motivated keyword preventing the keyword's benefits from applying if the hero has conflicting motives.
Cost: 7m, 2wp, 1vc; Mins: Martial Arts 4, Essence 3; Type: Simple (Speed 4, DV -0)
Keywords: Combo-Basic, Motivated
Duration: One Scene
Prerequisite Charms: Champion of Legend Form
When pushed to the end of his endurance and forced to carry on, a hero need only remember why it is they do battle. When activating this Charm (which can only be done while the hero suffers from a Wound Penalty of at least -2), the pugilist reflects on his motives and reasons for entering into this battle in the form of a brief flashback, gaining a number of stunt dice appropriate to the player's description (if the flashback is in sync with the hero's motivation, the stunt level should be upgraded appropriately). As the hero opens his eyes again, he fights with newfound strength and purpose, gaining the following effects:
Keywords: Combo-Basic, Motivated
Duration: One Scene
Prerequisite Charms: Champion of Legend Form
When pushed to the end of his endurance and forced to carry on, a hero need only remember why it is they do battle. When activating this Charm (which can only be done while the hero suffers from a Wound Penalty of at least -2), the pugilist reflects on his motives and reasons for entering into this battle in the form of a brief flashback, gaining a number of stunt dice appropriate to the player's description (if the flashback is in sync with the hero's motivation, the stunt level should be upgraded appropriately). As the hero opens his eyes again, he fights with newfound strength and purpose, gaining the following effects:
- He ignores wound penalties
- He regains (Virtue Rating) temporary willpower
- He gains (Stunt Rating) temporary -2 health levels. If it was a natural 3-die stunt, he gains 4 instead. These health levels are lost when the Charm ends, and the damage within them is applied to the hero's remaining permanent health levels, but any damage gained in this way that would bring the hero into his Dying health levels is ignored.
Cost: --; Mins: Martial Arts 4, Essence 3; Type: Permanent
Keywords: Motivated
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: Champion of Legend Form
The dreams of a Champion of Legend are mighty, and pursuing them risks wearing him down with the weight of the world. It is good, then, that working towards his passion rejuvenates him. While pursuing a task in line with his motives, the hero rolls (Virtue) to regain Willpower each night, rather than being limited to Conviction. Additionally, after winning a battle in pursuit of this task he may immediately regain a single spent channel of (Virtue). The battle must have presented meaningful opposition to the character - a handful of peasants are not sufficient opposition to trigger this effect, but a Wyld Hunt certainly would be.
Keywords: Motivated
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: Champion of Legend Form
The dreams of a Champion of Legend are mighty, and pursuing them risks wearing him down with the weight of the world. It is good, then, that working towards his passion rejuvenates him. While pursuing a task in line with his motives, the hero rolls (Virtue) to regain Willpower each night, rather than being limited to Conviction. Additionally, after winning a battle in pursuit of this task he may immediately regain a single spent channel of (Virtue). The battle must have presented meaningful opposition to the character - a handful of peasants are not sufficient opposition to trigger this effect, but a Wyld Hunt certainly would be.
Cost: 7m, 1wp, 1vc; Mins: Martial Arts 5, Essence 4; Type: Simple
Keywords: Obvious, Combo-Basic, Motivated
Duration: One Scene
Prerequisite Charms: Dedicated Hero's Rejuvenation, Why We Fight Remembrance, Beyond Forgiveness Assault, Rise to the Challenge
The mightiest of Champions have a secret technique that they may call upon, but only when the need is great enough. Upon purchasing this Charm, the user selects (Martial Arts + Highest Virtue) points worth of Mutations. These mutations must be Obvious, but can have whatever appearance is appropriate to the martial artist. While this Charm is active, the user's anima flares iconic, and gains the benefit of all Mutations selected when the Charm was purchased, physical manifestations of her power and drive. The raw power coursing through and around her increases the Overwhelming tag of her weapons by 1, applies a -1 External Penalty to attacks directed at her person, reduces the speed of all attacks by 1 (to a minimum of 3), increases all of her Virtues by 1 (to a maximum of 5), and increases her Aggravated, Bashing, and Lethal soak by (Virtue Rating).
Such power does not come without consequence, however. The hero may not act against any Virtues now rated at 5, and may not roll to resist acting on Virtues now rated at 4. A conflict between two Virtues at 5 results in frozen inaction for a minimum of one action, even if the hero's player can see a valid workaround. Additionally, the strain this places upon the pugilist's body is immense; any physical damage the hero has suffered stages up one level (from Bashing to Lethal, or Lethal to Aggravated) at the end of the fight, and when the Charm ends she must succeed at a (Stamina + Resistance) roll with a difficulty of (Wound Penalty) or immediately fall unconscious.
Keywords: Obvious, Combo-Basic, Motivated
Duration: One Scene
Prerequisite Charms: Dedicated Hero's Rejuvenation, Why We Fight Remembrance, Beyond Forgiveness Assault, Rise to the Challenge
The mightiest of Champions have a secret technique that they may call upon, but only when the need is great enough. Upon purchasing this Charm, the user selects (Martial Arts + Highest Virtue) points worth of Mutations. These mutations must be Obvious, but can have whatever appearance is appropriate to the martial artist. While this Charm is active, the user's anima flares iconic, and gains the benefit of all Mutations selected when the Charm was purchased, physical manifestations of her power and drive. The raw power coursing through and around her increases the Overwhelming tag of her weapons by 1, applies a -1 External Penalty to attacks directed at her person, reduces the speed of all attacks by 1 (to a minimum of 3), increases all of her Virtues by 1 (to a maximum of 5), and increases her Aggravated, Bashing, and Lethal soak by (Virtue Rating).
Such power does not come without consequence, however. The hero may not act against any Virtues now rated at 5, and may not roll to resist acting on Virtues now rated at 4. A conflict between two Virtues at 5 results in frozen inaction for a minimum of one action, even if the hero's player can see a valid workaround. Additionally, the strain this places upon the pugilist's body is immense; any physical damage the hero has suffered stages up one level (from Bashing to Lethal, or Lethal to Aggravated) at the end of the fight, and when the Charm ends she must succeed at a (Stamina + Resistance) roll with a difficulty of (Wound Penalty) or immediately fall unconscious.
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- Location
- Ottawa
- Location
- Gladstone, OR
On the note of kingship systems, this is I think largely for @linkhyrule5 and maybe @Aaron Peori - But it applies to anyone who's interested:
Okay- so the basic idea I had, is you need [Things only orgs can do] and then you need [Orgs]. Past that, you need reasons/ways for Orgs to conflict. i personally like using the word 'Court' for Orgs, as it's easier less awkward than Organization.
Anyway- I think it's a mistake trying to model say, a nation with a single abstract unit. Instead, you want to model a nation as a group of cooperative courts with shared or interlinking Policies. The policies define what the court does, and for the sake of simplicity, are all the court does.
Like, before extra granularity, if you have a Farmer Court, with a Farming Policy, they have a Farming Pool which is 'how good they are at Farming' if it ever gets invoked at all. What's likely more going to happen, is the Farmer Court can generate, based on its traits, [Value] per interval (likely a season).
I don't have metrics for anything like how much value something generates, but I think it's safe to assume we can use something like the Resources scale to extrapolate how much a farming court produces for their dependants, much as we can extrapolate how much an industrial court does for say, stockpiling armories.
So we have courts that Do Things, and Policies. Now, Courts should need things to do things. Farmers need land andsafety to grow crops, industry needs raw materials and food, etc. So the 'Mass' system, if this takes off at all, would be about juggling Needs.
But courts might also have Wants, and Conflicts? What if the farmers want to be more important than the industries? They'll develop a policy that encourages them to contest the Industrial Court- and it comes down to PCs or smaller, specialized 'management' courts to mediate the disputes.
And that is all I have at the moment.
Okay- so the basic idea I had, is you need [Things only orgs can do] and then you need [Orgs]. Past that, you need reasons/ways for Orgs to conflict. i personally like using the word 'Court' for Orgs, as it's easier less awkward than Organization.
Anyway- I think it's a mistake trying to model say, a nation with a single abstract unit. Instead, you want to model a nation as a group of cooperative courts with shared or interlinking Policies. The policies define what the court does, and for the sake of simplicity, are all the court does.
Like, before extra granularity, if you have a Farmer Court, with a Farming Policy, they have a Farming Pool which is 'how good they are at Farming' if it ever gets invoked at all. What's likely more going to happen, is the Farmer Court can generate, based on its traits, [Value] per interval (likely a season).
I don't have metrics for anything like how much value something generates, but I think it's safe to assume we can use something like the Resources scale to extrapolate how much a farming court produces for their dependants, much as we can extrapolate how much an industrial court does for say, stockpiling armories.
So we have courts that Do Things, and Policies. Now, Courts should need things to do things. Farmers need land andsafety to grow crops, industry needs raw materials and food, etc. So the 'Mass' system, if this takes off at all, would be about juggling Needs.
But courts might also have Wants, and Conflicts? What if the farmers want to be more important than the industries? They'll develop a policy that encourages them to contest the Industrial Court- and it comes down to PCs or smaller, specialized 'management' courts to mediate the disputes.
And that is all I have at the moment.
Artifact: Thirsting Blades
There is an odd entry in Realm legion regulations that reads as follows: "All mortal soldiers must use standard issue blades. All mortal soldiers must log and register confirmed kills in battle. All standard issue blades issued to mortal soldiers must be recalled for reforging before they reach 100 registered confirmed kills."
This regulation is rarely followed on purpose. Most visibly, it simply prevents 'legacy' mundane weapons from being passed down by the mortal members of the various Dynast families. The vast majority of non-artifact standard issue weapons will chip and shatter beyond mere repair's reach long before they strike down one hundred foes. Those few blades that do last so long are likely stolen and out of the Realm's reach, and/or in the hands of desperate Chosen that are (for whatever reason) unable to obtain an artifact equivalent. Even then, once they kill one hundred foes, nothing of note happens.
The regulation wasn't written to prevent a single blade from killing one hundred men. It was written to prevent a single blade from killing one thousand.
In the event that a mundane weapon is painstakingly maintained until it kills one thousand sapient, sentient beings (without being broken beyond repair or completely reforged), its Least God awakens to the act of killing. The very act of fighting with said legacy blade becomes prayer. Taking further lives with it become sacrifices. This 'empowerment of thirst' is technically a kind of thaumaturgic ritual, but the details are unknown to most laymen. Such blades become more capable of killing and less susceptible to wear as said Least god blesses its domain and its wielder.
A one dot rating Thirsting Blade will likely maintain its edge longer, and resist any mundane attempts to break it in combat. It might become an Exceptional or Perfect version of whatever weapon it was if it hadn't been so already. The Storyteller decides how the Least God will empower the blade as the owner continues to rack up kills. If the owner is mortal themselves, said Least God may try to apply blessings to the owner when they handle the blade. Such blessings might make them slightly more skilled with the blade, or perhaps more likely to use the blade.
It is this latter point that caused the regulation to be drafted in a time long forgotten.
A two dot rating Thirsting Blade has been used to kill two or more thousand beings. It has been saturated with blessings to capacity, and the mortal owner has likely developed an intimacy (through the help of the Least God's UMI spirit charms) to applying the blade to as many situations as possible. Non-mortal owners may or may not be influenced by the blade as much, but that doesn't stop the blade from trying. Battle will invoke blessings, and sufficient numbers of kills will invoke endowments. The least god fuels a self-perpetuating cycle of death.
Thirsting blades of a three dot rating are virtually impossible to create by accident. They are made much in the same manner as their lesser versions, but with more discrimination: the thousand initial kills must be of a specific subtype of supernatural being. For example: a species of first circle demon, forest gods, elemental dragons, or heaven forbid, a variety of Exalt. These blades build up to Perfect ratings the same as a lesser variation, then as more of their specialized kills are accrued, they trade those upgraded stats in for double their value in 'specialty' ratings applicable to the appropriate sub-type of enemy. Likewise, the blessings of power and influence laid down on the owner will only apply as relevant to the specific target class.
Thirsting Blades are not particularly powerful, and are easily eclipsed by properly forged artifact weapons in the hands of the Exalted. Still, rumors abound in cities near Shadowlands of warriors in unearthly black steel willing to pay handsomely for any such blades; far in excess of their supposed combat utility value. It is said that one such seller claims to have asked about the high price offered. The reply was: "There is no finer exotic component for an artifact weapon than something that has already killed this much." Said seller apparently politely excused himself rather than press for more detail at the time.
There is an odd entry in Realm legion regulations that reads as follows: "All mortal soldiers must use standard issue blades. All mortal soldiers must log and register confirmed kills in battle. All standard issue blades issued to mortal soldiers must be recalled for reforging before they reach 100 registered confirmed kills."
This regulation is rarely followed on purpose. Most visibly, it simply prevents 'legacy' mundane weapons from being passed down by the mortal members of the various Dynast families. The vast majority of non-artifact standard issue weapons will chip and shatter beyond mere repair's reach long before they strike down one hundred foes. Those few blades that do last so long are likely stolen and out of the Realm's reach, and/or in the hands of desperate Chosen that are (for whatever reason) unable to obtain an artifact equivalent. Even then, once they kill one hundred foes, nothing of note happens.
The regulation wasn't written to prevent a single blade from killing one hundred men. It was written to prevent a single blade from killing one thousand.
In the event that a mundane weapon is painstakingly maintained until it kills one thousand sapient, sentient beings (without being broken beyond repair or completely reforged), its Least God awakens to the act of killing. The very act of fighting with said legacy blade becomes prayer. Taking further lives with it become sacrifices. This 'empowerment of thirst' is technically a kind of thaumaturgic ritual, but the details are unknown to most laymen. Such blades become more capable of killing and less susceptible to wear as said Least god blesses its domain and its wielder.
A one dot rating Thirsting Blade will likely maintain its edge longer, and resist any mundane attempts to break it in combat. It might become an Exceptional or Perfect version of whatever weapon it was if it hadn't been so already. The Storyteller decides how the Least God will empower the blade as the owner continues to rack up kills. If the owner is mortal themselves, said Least God may try to apply blessings to the owner when they handle the blade. Such blessings might make them slightly more skilled with the blade, or perhaps more likely to use the blade.
It is this latter point that caused the regulation to be drafted in a time long forgotten.
A two dot rating Thirsting Blade has been used to kill two or more thousand beings. It has been saturated with blessings to capacity, and the mortal owner has likely developed an intimacy (through the help of the Least God's UMI spirit charms) to applying the blade to as many situations as possible. Non-mortal owners may or may not be influenced by the blade as much, but that doesn't stop the blade from trying. Battle will invoke blessings, and sufficient numbers of kills will invoke endowments. The least god fuels a self-perpetuating cycle of death.
Thirsting blades of a three dot rating are virtually impossible to create by accident. They are made much in the same manner as their lesser versions, but with more discrimination: the thousand initial kills must be of a specific subtype of supernatural being. For example: a species of first circle demon, forest gods, elemental dragons, or heaven forbid, a variety of Exalt. These blades build up to Perfect ratings the same as a lesser variation, then as more of their specialized kills are accrued, they trade those upgraded stats in for double their value in 'specialty' ratings applicable to the appropriate sub-type of enemy. Likewise, the blessings of power and influence laid down on the owner will only apply as relevant to the specific target class.
Thirsting Blades are not particularly powerful, and are easily eclipsed by properly forged artifact weapons in the hands of the Exalted. Still, rumors abound in cities near Shadowlands of warriors in unearthly black steel willing to pay handsomely for any such blades; far in excess of their supposed combat utility value. It is said that one such seller claims to have asked about the high price offered. The reply was: "There is no finer exotic component for an artifact weapon than something that has already killed this much." Said seller apparently politely excused himself rather than press for more detail at the time.
Think you could change the color scheme for the title boxes around your charms? It's this weird kind of blue that's hard to read.
notthepenguins
Neither Spherical Nor Frictionless
- Pronouns
- He/She/They
Unfortunately, fieldsets have blue backgrounds by default. I can make them normal text in spoiler boxes, if that's easier for you? The text displays as a very readable white on dark blue to me as-is, though; what theme are you on?
Last edited:
- Location
- Virginia
My thoughts on a system are actually kind of the inverse.
I think having any seriously mechanized "what happen when I tell the org to do a thing" rules ends up really wonky and kills verisimilitude.
Instead, my idea is to say: why do people want to control an organization? And the answer is, because the organization can give you Stuff.
So derive a way to figure out what Stuff you get out of an organization (like Command or Resources dots, or some kind of "Capital" resource that you can spend on large-scale projects). Doesn't have to be very complex.
THEN, put most of the meat into "taking control of the organization" mechanics. These will probably not be too hard to navigate if you are the lone Exalt pursuing them... but if you are opposed, then things can get tricky. These organizations are valuable, they can give you Stuff, and so you will face competition for them.
And because of course "unified opinions" are for losers, I disagree with both of you!
If you're going to have Solars as leaders, kings, and generals, then organizations need to be ... well, honestly, they need to be as well simulated as the combat mechanics, because they're critical to gameplay as Exalted "wants" to be played. That means that, like in reality, it's not enough to abstract away organizations as loot-piles - they're sources of power and methods of influence on a much larger scale than an Exalt can reach on her own. At the very least, there need to be rules for using organizations as force-multipliers and as outreach, but honestly at that point you might as well start writing Sim Satrapy after all.
If you're going to have Solars as leaders, kings, and generals, then organizations need to be ... well, honestly, they need to be as well simulated as the combat mechanics, because they're critical to gameplay as Exalted "wants" to be played. That means that, like in reality, it's not enough to abstract away organizations as loot-piles - they're sources of power and methods of influence on a much larger scale than an Exalt can reach on her own. At the very least, there need to be rules for using organizations as force-multipliers and as outreach, but honestly at that point you might as well start writing Sim Satrapy after all.
I'm on the old Flexile Dark. The body text of the charms shows up fine for me too, it was just the border format thing that had the title in it that was clashing.
notthepenguins
Neither Spherical Nor Frictionless
- Pronouns
- He/She/They
Ah, gotcha. Well, spoiler'd now instead of fieldsetted.
- Location
- NOVA
@notthepenguins makes a very good point about contributing, but most of my homebrew ideas are system hacks. So, I'm not sure how relevant they would be to a lot of people.
Since it's still being talked about. Here's something that I wrote up a while ago for a leadership subsystem.
It originally had very different terminology, but @linkhyrule5 made a good point about reusing things whenever possible so I edited a lot.
It's gone through a little bit of play testing, but that was mostly with players who were very strong with math and system mastery.
To any of the people trying to build these, feel free to steal anything you like.
Organizations:
An organization is any group of people acting together to accomplish a task. Like the individuals who make up the organization, each has its own unique character and character sheet.
This character sheet has almost all of the same statistics as a character.
These statistics are the aggregate ability and potency of all of the actors within the organization. Because of this, it is very rare for any organization of more than a handful people to ever have multiple ratings higher then three, but such organizations make up for this with their other advantages when acting on a large scale.
In order to get around these limitations, organizations call on individual experts or leaders to bolster their abilities for particular tasks.
Special/Altered Statistics:
Since it's still being talked about. Here's something that I wrote up a while ago for a leadership subsystem.
It originally had very different terminology, but @linkhyrule5 made a good point about reusing things whenever possible so I edited a lot.
It's gone through a little bit of play testing, but that was mostly with players who were very strong with math and system mastery.
To any of the people trying to build these, feel free to steal anything you like.
Organizations:
An organization is any group of people acting together to accomplish a task. Like the individuals who make up the organization, each has its own unique character and character sheet.
This character sheet has almost all of the same statistics as a character.
These statistics are the aggregate ability and potency of all of the actors within the organization. Because of this, it is very rare for any organization of more than a handful people to ever have multiple ratings higher then three, but such organizations make up for this with their other advantages when acting on a large scale.
In order to get around these limitations, organizations call on individual experts or leaders to bolster their abilities for particular tasks.
Special/Altered Statistics:
The scale that an organization can act on is known as its Scope. This statistic represents both the number of people working for the organization and the infrastructure that supports them. In order to act of a large scale, both are needed.
Scope controls what are considered valid targets for an organization to act on. It is impossible to act against another organization with a scope 3 higher than your own or 4 lower than your own. When going up against a foe significantly larger, the organization is not able to take actions which meaningfully affect its enemy. When on the opposite side, it can't act fast enough to deal with the target.
For a small organization to have an effect on a much larger one, it needs to target particular components.
For a large organization to target a smaller one, it needs to spin off a small group dedicated to that task: a Subordinate.
A Subordinate organization is a group within the Organization that has a different set of skills or a different focus than its parent.
For instance, the Realm(Scope 12) may have a Melee score of 2 and be unable to directly target minor bandit camps(Scope 3). A single legion of the Realm(Scope 6) with a Melee of 3 can destroy them with impunity.
A Subordinate organization must have a scope at least 3 points lower than its parent. The same person also cannot be the direct leader of an Organization and one of its Subordinates. A character with Backing/Command should be considered the leader of an Organization or Subordinate with a Scope equal to their Backing+1.
The scale of scope begins at 1 for an Organization with roughly five people. The number of people it directly controls increases by a factor of five for every increase in Scope. Of course, the number of people that it may affect can be far larger.
Scope controls what are considered valid targets for an organization to act on. It is impossible to act against another organization with a scope 3 higher than your own or 4 lower than your own. When going up against a foe significantly larger, the organization is not able to take actions which meaningfully affect its enemy. When on the opposite side, it can't act fast enough to deal with the target.
For a small organization to have an effect on a much larger one, it needs to target particular components.
For a large organization to target a smaller one, it needs to spin off a small group dedicated to that task: a Subordinate.
A Subordinate organization is a group within the Organization that has a different set of skills or a different focus than its parent.
For instance, the Realm(Scope 12) may have a Melee score of 2 and be unable to directly target minor bandit camps(Scope 3). A single legion of the Realm(Scope 6) with a Melee of 3 can destroy them with impunity.
A Subordinate organization must have a scope at least 3 points lower than its parent. The same person also cannot be the direct leader of an Organization and one of its Subordinates. A character with Backing/Command should be considered the leader of an Organization or Subordinate with a Scope equal to their Backing+1.
The scale of scope begins at 1 for an Organization with roughly five people. The number of people it directly controls increases by a factor of five for every increase in Scope. Of course, the number of people that it may affect can be far larger.
1 A small team. ~5 members.
2 A large team or small company. ~25 members.
3 A small village or mid sized company. ~125 members.
4 A large company or village. ~600 members
5 A large town. ~3000
6 A city. ~15000
7 A mid sized city-state. ~75000
8 A very large city-state or small country. ~375000
9 A country. ~2 million
10 A large country. ~10 million
11 An ancient empire. ~50 million
12 A continent spanning empire ~250 million
2 A large team or small company. ~25 members.
3 A small village or mid sized company. ~125 members.
4 A large company or village. ~600 members
5 A large town. ~3000
6 A city. ~15000
7 A mid sized city-state. ~75000
8 A very large city-state or small country. ~375000
9 A country. ~2 million
10 A large country. ~10 million
11 An ancient empire. ~50 million
12 A continent spanning empire ~250 million
Much like an individual character, an organization has health levels and suffers from wound penalties.
For a mortal organization they are one -0, one -1, one -3, and Destroyed.
For heroic organizations they are one -0, two -1's, two -2's, one -4, and Destroyed.
Damage is only caused in single point increments and represents both infrastructure damage, as well as death or desertion of members.
An organization does not heal naturally and must complete a task equal to its own Scope to recover one point of damage.
Is the Destroyed health level is ever filled, the organization immediately loses one Scope and recovers form all wounds.
For a mortal organization they are one -0, one -1, one -3, and Destroyed.
For heroic organizations they are one -0, two -1's, two -2's, one -4, and Destroyed.
Damage is only caused in single point increments and represents both infrastructure damage, as well as death or desertion of members.
An organization does not heal naturally and must complete a task equal to its own Scope to recover one point of damage.
Is the Destroyed health level is ever filled, the organization immediately loses one Scope and recovers form all wounds.
In order to accomplish all of its goals, an organization needs to leverage a large number of different Assets.
These can be important physical locations, talented individuals, potent artifacts, and loyal Allies. These are represented mechanically through the organization's backgrounds.
The potency of individual Assets is determined by a three point scale which controls how much of a benefit the Asset gives to a particular task.
Leaders and other special characters are treated as assets according to the following scale.
Mortal - Rank 1 asset in an Ability
Terrestrial Exalt - Rank 2 asset in an Ability and Rank 1 general Asset
Celestial Exalt - Rank 3 asset in an Ability, a Rank 2 asset in three other Abilities, and Rank 1 general Asset
Assets of Rank 4 or more are possible, but require highly specific circumstances to come by. The best known example would be the Realm Defense Grid a Rank 10 Archery Asset.
These can be important physical locations, talented individuals, potent artifacts, and loyal Allies. These are represented mechanically through the organization's backgrounds.
The potency of individual Assets is determined by a three point scale which controls how much of a benefit the Asset gives to a particular task.
Leaders and other special characters are treated as assets according to the following scale.
Mortal - Rank 1 asset in an Ability
Terrestrial Exalt - Rank 2 asset in an Ability and Rank 1 general Asset
Celestial Exalt - Rank 3 asset in an Ability, a Rank 2 asset in three other Abilities, and Rank 1 general Asset
Assets of Rank 4 or more are possible, but require highly specific circumstances to come by. The best known example would be the Realm Defense Grid a Rank 10 Archery Asset.
There are many backgrounds that are important to an individual, which get lost in the scale of an organization.
They may possess the following general backgrounds, provided the background can operate on the proper scale: Allies, Artifact, Connections, Influence, and Manse.
Each of these backgrounds follows the same scale of benefits.
Rank
0 The background can assist with certain tasks, acting as a Rank 1 Asset within a very specific field(ability specialty). This level is appropriate for small organizations, potent mortal leaders, and significant numbers of minor wonders.
00 The background can assist as a Rank 1 Asset in an entire ability. This level is appropriate for weak spirits.
000 The background can assist as a Rank 2 Asset in a specialty or as a general Rank 1 asset. This level is appropriate for young Terrestrial Exalts or significant number of lesser wonders.
0000 The background can assist as a Rank 2 Asset for an entire ability. This level is appropriate for old terrestrial Exalts and organizations of similar scope.
00000 The background can assist as a Rank 3 Asset in a specialty or as a general Rank 2 asset. This level is appropriate for young Celestial Exalts and wonders that can affect enormous locations.
They also gain a new background which follows the same progression: Physical Asset.
This background represents something within the organization's control that consistently provides benefits. They may never be used as general assets, but provide two Assets for their rank.
Examples could include Iron Mines(r1 Craft), a sorcerous college 000(r2 Occult(Sorcery)), or a valley of old Solar tombs 00000(r3 Investigation(discovering artifacts)).
Two new backgrounds also exist: Wealth and Defenses.
Wealth- Unlike an individual, an organization can move immeasurably vast amounts of Wealth. However, not all of it can be used at once.
This background determines the amount of excess wealth an organization controls over its operating costs. Wealth provides a number of Rank 1 general Assets that can be assigned to any task.
0 - 1
00 - 2
000 - 3
0000 - 5
00000 - 10
Defenses- Organizations have a large number of resources in their control and these resources need to be defended.
Defenses are purchased based on the abilities they defend against. They give all enemies an external penalty on certain ability rolls based on their potency.
0 A -1 external penalty to a single specialty
00 A -1 external penalty to a single Ability.
000 A -2 external penalty to a single specialty in addition to a -1 for the Ability.
0000 A -2 external penalty to a single Ability.
00000 A -3 external penalty to a single specialty in addition to a -2 for the Ability.
If an Organization increases in Scope, all of its backgrounds automatically fall by 1 point. A single iron mine means a great deal to a city, but is irrelevant to the Realm.
When an organization creates a Subordinate, it assigns the new group Assets that it already controls.
An Asset gains 1 rank for every 3 points of difference in Scope between a Subordinate and its parent. This benefit maxes out at rank 4 or the base rank of the Asset +1, whichever is higher.
They may possess the following general backgrounds, provided the background can operate on the proper scale: Allies, Artifact, Connections, Influence, and Manse.
Each of these backgrounds follows the same scale of benefits.
Rank
0 The background can assist with certain tasks, acting as a Rank 1 Asset within a very specific field(ability specialty). This level is appropriate for small organizations, potent mortal leaders, and significant numbers of minor wonders.
00 The background can assist as a Rank 1 Asset in an entire ability. This level is appropriate for weak spirits.
000 The background can assist as a Rank 2 Asset in a specialty or as a general Rank 1 asset. This level is appropriate for young Terrestrial Exalts or significant number of lesser wonders.
0000 The background can assist as a Rank 2 Asset for an entire ability. This level is appropriate for old terrestrial Exalts and organizations of similar scope.
00000 The background can assist as a Rank 3 Asset in a specialty or as a general Rank 2 asset. This level is appropriate for young Celestial Exalts and wonders that can affect enormous locations.
They also gain a new background which follows the same progression: Physical Asset.
This background represents something within the organization's control that consistently provides benefits. They may never be used as general assets, but provide two Assets for their rank.
Examples could include Iron Mines(r1 Craft), a sorcerous college 000(r2 Occult(Sorcery)), or a valley of old Solar tombs 00000(r3 Investigation(discovering artifacts)).
Two new backgrounds also exist: Wealth and Defenses.
Wealth- Unlike an individual, an organization can move immeasurably vast amounts of Wealth. However, not all of it can be used at once.
This background determines the amount of excess wealth an organization controls over its operating costs. Wealth provides a number of Rank 1 general Assets that can be assigned to any task.
0 - 1
00 - 2
000 - 3
0000 - 5
00000 - 10
Defenses- Organizations have a large number of resources in their control and these resources need to be defended.
Defenses are purchased based on the abilities they defend against. They give all enemies an external penalty on certain ability rolls based on their potency.
0 A -1 external penalty to a single specialty
00 A -1 external penalty to a single Ability.
000 A -2 external penalty to a single specialty in addition to a -1 for the Ability.
0000 A -2 external penalty to a single Ability.
00000 A -3 external penalty to a single specialty in addition to a -2 for the Ability.
If an Organization increases in Scope, all of its backgrounds automatically fall by 1 point. A single iron mine means a great deal to a city, but is irrelevant to the Realm.
When an organization creates a Subordinate, it assigns the new group Assets that it already controls.
An Asset gains 1 rank for every 3 points of difference in Scope between a Subordinate and its parent. This benefit maxes out at rank 4 or the base rank of the Asset +1, whichever is higher.
Organizations operate through Tasks which are broken up into Actions.
Each Task has a Target Scope, which is the number of people affected by the Task. In the case of acting against an organization, it is the enemy's Scope or the enemy's Scope + Asset Rank -5 if targeting an Asset.
The Target Scope of an Task affects how long each Task takes to resolve. An organization may only attempts tasks within -3/+2 base Target Scope of its own.
By assigning Assets to a Task, the Target Scope can be reduced for a given Action. Only the highest rank Asset matters. Negative values are possible.
Any Asset is assigned for the entire duration of the Task. If it's removed, then the Task is halted. Because of this, it can be beneficial to over-assign Assets to certain Tasks in order to ensure they succeed despite enemy action.
Scope -3 = 1 hour
Scope -2 = 8 hours
Scope -1 = 1 day
Scope 0 = 2 days
Scope 1 = 5 days
Scope 2 = 2 weeks
Scope 3 = 1 month requires r1 asset
Scope 4 = 2 months
Scope 5 = 5 months
Scope 6 = 1 year requires r2 asset
Scope 7 = 2 years
Scope 8 = 5 years
Scope 9 = 10 years requires r3 asset
etc
Tasks of certain Target Scopes also have required Assets. These Assets give no benefit, they merely allow the organization to attempt the Task. This is determined by the base Target Scope.
For instance an organization attempting a Target Scope 10 task must assign a rank 3 Asset to the attempt. If it has a rank 2 Asset as well, then this rank 2 Asset can reduce the time frame to Scope 7, but does not free up the rank 3 Asset.
Each Task has a Target Scope, which is the number of people affected by the Task. In the case of acting against an organization, it is the enemy's Scope or the enemy's Scope + Asset Rank -5 if targeting an Asset.
The Target Scope of an Task affects how long each Task takes to resolve. An organization may only attempts tasks within -3/+2 base Target Scope of its own.
By assigning Assets to a Task, the Target Scope can be reduced for a given Action. Only the highest rank Asset matters. Negative values are possible.
Any Asset is assigned for the entire duration of the Task. If it's removed, then the Task is halted. Because of this, it can be beneficial to over-assign Assets to certain Tasks in order to ensure they succeed despite enemy action.
Scope -3 = 1 hour
Scope -2 = 8 hours
Scope -1 = 1 day
Scope 0 = 2 days
Scope 1 = 5 days
Scope 2 = 2 weeks
Scope 3 = 1 month requires r1 asset
Scope 4 = 2 months
Scope 5 = 5 months
Scope 6 = 1 year requires r2 asset
Scope 7 = 2 years
Scope 8 = 5 years
Scope 9 = 10 years requires r3 asset
etc
Tasks of certain Target Scopes also have required Assets. These Assets give no benefit, they merely allow the organization to attempt the Task. This is determined by the base Target Scope.
For instance an organization attempting a Target Scope 10 task must assign a rank 3 Asset to the attempt. If it has a rank 2 Asset as well, then this rank 2 Asset can reduce the time frame to Scope 7, but does not free up the rank 3 Asset.
Once the Assets have been assigned to a Task, it comes time to begin work.
Tasks are broken up into three Actions: Planning, Mobilization, and Implementation.
Each of these actions should use a different combination of Attributes and Abilities to represent the different challenges in place.
If a Task would go against one of the organization's intimacies, all rolls suffer from a -4 internal penalty due to the loss of moral. Tasks that oppose an organization's Motivation cannot be attempted. Tasks that align with intimacies/Motivation gain a +1/+2 bonus to rolls instead. For Subordinate organizations, the parent's Motivation and Intimacies do not matter.
Tasks are broken up into three Actions: Planning, Mobilization, and Implementation.
Each of these actions should use a different combination of Attributes and Abilities to represent the different challenges in place.
If a Task would go against one of the organization's intimacies, all rolls suffer from a -4 internal penalty due to the loss of moral. Tasks that oppose an organization's Motivation cannot be attempted. Tasks that align with intimacies/Motivation gain a +1/+2 bonus to rolls instead. For Subordinate organizations, the parent's Motivation and Intimacies do not matter.
The first action is Planning.
This action is always based on one of the organization's mental Attributes and the usual Abilities are War, Survival, Investigation, Lore, Occult, Larceny, Bureaucracy, and Linguistics.
For this action and this action only, a special character assigned as an Asset may use their own stats rather than the Organizations.
The time per roll for this action is Target Scope -1 and requires a number of successes to be generated equal to the base Target Scope of the action. The organization may continue rolling until the plan is created or it botches a roll.
Planning rolls can suffer from penalties caused by enemy defenses.
Once a plan is created, the organization does not need to immediately mobilize. If they want to, they can store the plan for later, but every Target Scope time increment between when it was created and when it is used causes a -1 external penalty to Mobilization rolls due to information that has been lost.
The second action type is Mobilization.
A number of Mobilization Actions need to be accomplished depending on how far away the Organization needs to act to accomplish the Task. Internal actions should only require one successful action.
These rolls are often based on either Manipulation, Stamina, Perception and involve the abilities Resistance, Integrity, Lore, Athletics, Bureaucracy, Ride, Sail, or Socialize.
What challenges that need to be overcome to arrive at the desired end state are considered here: marching would be Resistance, infiltrating an enemy Integrity, scaling a mountain Athletics, etc. When in doubt, use Bureaucracy.
Rolls suffer from external penalties based on intervening hazards and enemy defenses. A mostly calm sea trip may not have any, while having to pass through during hurricane season would give a -6.
For instance, the Realm launching an invasion against a kingdom deep in the threshold may need three actions. One for crossing the ocean and two for marching to the location.
The first roll would be Perception+Sail to navigate. The second Stamina+Resistance for marching through friendly territory. The third Manipulation+Socialize to arrange passage through another kingdom.
Each roll takes a full Target Scope increment of time and requires a number of successes to be built up equal to the Task's Base Scope.
The final action is Implementation.
This action is either a check against a difficulty scale of 1-5 or an opposed check with the enemy that resolves when one of them hits a margin of 3 successes. It is based on the Attribute and Ability most needed to accomplish the task for the people on the ground. It has a time of base Target Scope -2.
The difficulty of the task would be based on what the forces on the ground need to do. If the organization is attempting to acquire a new Asset, then the difficulty is the rank of the Asset + 1. Improving a existing Asset is at a difficulty of the Asset's current rank.
In a contested roll, the smaller side rolls at a difficulty equal to 1+ the difference in Scope. However, the attacker suffers from a penalty based on the enemy's defenses(the highest penalty among the defenses applies).
Attacks always result in one of the two sides taking some form of damage, if a tie happens they both suffer from one point. When damaging an organization this is applied to its Health track, when damaging an asset it's applied to its rank as a background.
Organizations can target either specific Assets or the Health tracks of their enemies. Note, a defense does not apply an external penalty, if it is the target of the attack.
If you truly want to destroy your enemy, you will need to take down his defenses first.
If the goal is to capture Assets, rather than destroy them, then the organization suffers an additional -2 external penalty. They will also need some means of holding onto the Asset in question provided they win.
For the hypothetical Realm invasion, this would be Dexterity+Melee vs the enemy kingdom's Dexterity+Melee while attacking enemy soldiers/Scope. It would be the Realm's Dexterity + Archery vs the opponent's Dexterity + Archery for laying siege to fortifications.
This action is always based on one of the organization's mental Attributes and the usual Abilities are War, Survival, Investigation, Lore, Occult, Larceny, Bureaucracy, and Linguistics.
For this action and this action only, a special character assigned as an Asset may use their own stats rather than the Organizations.
The time per roll for this action is Target Scope -1 and requires a number of successes to be generated equal to the base Target Scope of the action. The organization may continue rolling until the plan is created or it botches a roll.
Planning rolls can suffer from penalties caused by enemy defenses.
Once a plan is created, the organization does not need to immediately mobilize. If they want to, they can store the plan for later, but every Target Scope time increment between when it was created and when it is used causes a -1 external penalty to Mobilization rolls due to information that has been lost.
The second action type is Mobilization.
A number of Mobilization Actions need to be accomplished depending on how far away the Organization needs to act to accomplish the Task. Internal actions should only require one successful action.
These rolls are often based on either Manipulation, Stamina, Perception and involve the abilities Resistance, Integrity, Lore, Athletics, Bureaucracy, Ride, Sail, or Socialize.
What challenges that need to be overcome to arrive at the desired end state are considered here: marching would be Resistance, infiltrating an enemy Integrity, scaling a mountain Athletics, etc. When in doubt, use Bureaucracy.
Rolls suffer from external penalties based on intervening hazards and enemy defenses. A mostly calm sea trip may not have any, while having to pass through during hurricane season would give a -6.
For instance, the Realm launching an invasion against a kingdom deep in the threshold may need three actions. One for crossing the ocean and two for marching to the location.
The first roll would be Perception+Sail to navigate. The second Stamina+Resistance for marching through friendly territory. The third Manipulation+Socialize to arrange passage through another kingdom.
Each roll takes a full Target Scope increment of time and requires a number of successes to be built up equal to the Task's Base Scope.
The final action is Implementation.
This action is either a check against a difficulty scale of 1-5 or an opposed check with the enemy that resolves when one of them hits a margin of 3 successes. It is based on the Attribute and Ability most needed to accomplish the task for the people on the ground. It has a time of base Target Scope -2.
The difficulty of the task would be based on what the forces on the ground need to do. If the organization is attempting to acquire a new Asset, then the difficulty is the rank of the Asset + 1. Improving a existing Asset is at a difficulty of the Asset's current rank.
In a contested roll, the smaller side rolls at a difficulty equal to 1+ the difference in Scope. However, the attacker suffers from a penalty based on the enemy's defenses(the highest penalty among the defenses applies).
Attacks always result in one of the two sides taking some form of damage, if a tie happens they both suffer from one point. When damaging an organization this is applied to its Health track, when damaging an asset it's applied to its rank as a background.
Organizations can target either specific Assets or the Health tracks of their enemies. Note, a defense does not apply an external penalty, if it is the target of the attack.
If you truly want to destroy your enemy, you will need to take down his defenses first.
If the goal is to capture Assets, rather than destroy them, then the organization suffers an additional -2 external penalty. They will also need some means of holding onto the Asset in question provided they win.
For the hypothetical Realm invasion, this would be Dexterity+Melee vs the enemy kingdom's Dexterity+Melee while attacking enemy soldiers/Scope. It would be the Realm's Dexterity + Archery vs the opponent's Dexterity + Archery for laying siege to fortifications.
Many organizations want to grow and acquire more power. This takes the form of Asset growth, statistic growth, and Scope growth.
All internal growth actions have a Target Scope of the organization's Scope.
There are three methods of Asset growth: acquiring new rank 1 Assets, improving existing Assets, and taking them from others.
Particularly potent Assets may be acquired at a Rank greater than 1, but the organization will need to beat others to it to lay claim. Whoever finishes their Task first acquires it.
Raising statistics is very difficult. An appropriate Asset of rank equal to the new statistic level + 1 needs to be assigned, but does not provide any benefit. All Action rolls are also done at a difficulty of the new statistic level. There will be a large number of failed rolls, but the organization may continue rolling on each type of action until it eventually succeeds.
Scope growth must come from taking the Scope of others.
It is an attack action where the organization must target an organization of its own Scope or higher and take the -2 external penalty to capture targets. Once the enemy loses a rank of Scope, the attacking organization's Scope increases.
When an organization's Scope increases, all of its backgrounds immediately lost one rank. As do any Attributes and Abilities of rank 2 or higher.
Note: Taking something from a group does not always need to be done through violence. A potent Performance or Linguistics campaign can sometimes draw talented people more easily than recruiting them by force.
All internal growth actions have a Target Scope of the organization's Scope.
There are three methods of Asset growth: acquiring new rank 1 Assets, improving existing Assets, and taking them from others.
Particularly potent Assets may be acquired at a Rank greater than 1, but the organization will need to beat others to it to lay claim. Whoever finishes their Task first acquires it.
Raising statistics is very difficult. An appropriate Asset of rank equal to the new statistic level + 1 needs to be assigned, but does not provide any benefit. All Action rolls are also done at a difficulty of the new statistic level. There will be a large number of failed rolls, but the organization may continue rolling on each type of action until it eventually succeeds.
Scope growth must come from taking the Scope of others.
It is an attack action where the organization must target an organization of its own Scope or higher and take the -2 external penalty to capture targets. Once the enemy loses a rank of Scope, the attacking organization's Scope increases.
When an organization's Scope increases, all of its backgrounds immediately lost one rank. As do any Attributes and Abilities of rank 2 or higher.
Note: Taking something from a group does not always need to be done through violence. A potent Performance or Linguistics campaign can sometimes draw talented people more easily than recruiting them by force.
Individual actors interacting with organizations typically do so in one of two ways. The first is interacting directly with an Asset or Leader.
A Leader can call on the organization to do things that the person wants it to do. Leaders are sometimes often much easier to convince of something than the organization as a whole.
Likewise, convincing an Ally of an enemy organization to not aid them or stealing an important Artifact are well within the powers of individual actors.
To attack an organization by yourself would require very powerful magic and even that may just be a pinprick to a sufficiently large one.
Generally speaking, the Scope of effects, and thus what counts as a valid target, should roughly correspond to the following Scope: Terrestrial Circle Sorcery(Scope 1), Celestial Circle Sorcery(Scope 3), Solar Circle Sorcery(Scope 5). The time of their actions is based on the spell in question.
A Leader can call on the organization to do things that the person wants it to do. Leaders are sometimes often much easier to convince of something than the organization as a whole.
Likewise, convincing an Ally of an enemy organization to not aid them or stealing an important Artifact are well within the powers of individual actors.
To attack an organization by yourself would require very powerful magic and even that may just be a pinprick to a sufficiently large one.
Generally speaking, the Scope of effects, and thus what counts as a valid target, should roughly correspond to the following Scope: Terrestrial Circle Sorcery(Scope 1), Celestial Circle Sorcery(Scope 3), Solar Circle Sorcery(Scope 5). The time of their actions is based on the spell in question.
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PURSUIT OF PEACE STYLE
Division is death. Harmony is life. To promote prosperity in the world, all peoples must set aside conflict and embrace cooperation.
Righteous Devils seek to cleanse the world of evil in fire, pain, and fear. Masters of the Crane assert their philosophies by returning violence unto its source. But true peace cannot be created through such heavy-handed methods. Stopping the cycle of destruction must begin with one's self.
Within the martial arts world, this style is just as unpopular, maligned, and misunderstood as the ideal of pacifism itself. Its adherents are called Pursuers of Peace, and their detractors jeer how this pursuit naturally leads them in the opposite direction of every battle. It is in this spirit that they are given the sarcastically polite epithet of "Pacifist Runners".
In truth, this style is best learned by those who presently have very little left in world for which they would stand and fight, as well as those who feel little shame in running from combat. In fact, many who practice this Style do so solely for its proficiency at escaping death with quick feet and faster begging, which does the Style's reputation no favors.
But the style truly comes into its own when practiced by one sincerely dedicated to its principles. For those who are not content to merely run after pacifism, they find chasing wholeheartedly after the impossible dream of Harmony For All brings great inspiration. The conviction to risk death grants the power to protect life.
Weapons: The Pursuit of Peace incorporates extremely flexible and comprehensive forms of self-defense, allowing one to parry with any possible object, improvised or otherwise. However, it forsakes attacking even with one's own bare hands except to grapple and gently restrain an aggressor.
Armor: The Pursuit of Peace is compatible with any form of armor. Pursuing peace often requires preparing for conflict, and more than one mission of peace -- such as venturing into the heart of a volcano to beseech its god-king to halt his reign of violence -- may call for significant layers of environmental protection.
Complementary Abilities: For a practitioner of this Style, one's best victories are the battles never fought; to that end, one must cultivate Socialize (or Investigation, Survival, or Occult) in order to understand an aggressor's motivations, as well as Presence or Performance to inspire others to give peace a chance. If hostilities erupt and the Pursuer of Peace cannot persuade their opponents to sheathe their swords, Dodge and Athletics become invaluable for earning one's name as a Pacifist Runner.
Complementary Styles: Though this style stands apart from the Crane, they are more similar than they are different. More than a few kindhearted masters of Crane Style, secure in their strength of arms, humble themselves to learn this Style's gentler methods of persuasion. At the same time, most masters of the Pursuit of Peace, when seeking more power to protect the serenity they create, turn to the Crane.
Other popular combinations include Dreaming Pearl Courtesan, Silver-Voiced Nightingale Style, and the twisted contradiction that is the fusion of the Pursuit of Peace with Black Claw Style.
Inspirations: Undertale's player character on the True Pacifist Run, as well as pacifist runs and pacifism in general. Jackie Chan's characters have universally at least dipped into this Style, always attempting to escape until cornered, and then defending themselves with any number of unconventional implements while protesting how they don't want any trouble. At least a few times, they do so while attempting to protect someone else, as well.
Yes. The Pursuit of Peace is at least half of the fabled "Jackie Chan in a ladder and rope factory, holding a baby, and wanting no trouble" Style. Especially with Dreaming Pearl Courtesan and its Elegant Weapon Repertoire.
Concept: The Principles of Peace
The Charms of this style offer additional benefits to those practitioners who harbor a "Principle of Peace", which this style loosely defines as any Principle which upholds or promotes peaceful or harmonious thoughts and actions. Principles such as "All of Creation must join as one" or "One must be honest and fair-dealing" or "I will dissolve the barriers of bigotry and racism" can suffice. The stronger one's principles, the stronger one's practice.
NEGOTIATIONS BREAK DOWN - If at all possible, the Pursuer of Peace should be trying to forestall a battle before it even happens by ascertaining what both sides of a conflict desire and attempting to reach a compromise.
TURNING THE OTHER CHEEK - Mockingly called the "Turning Tail Technique", this Charm reflects the Pacifist's skill at rolling with the punches and fading away from strikes.
PURSUIT OF PEACE FORM -- The potential of this Form reflects one's commitment to the cause. Those unwilling to die for peace find it excellent for running to live another day, and thereby earn the moniker of "Pacifist Runner". Those willing to risk their lives in the pursuit of peace will find the strength of conviction to stand their ground and win without violence.
ESTABLISHING A DIALOGUE - It is not enough to blindly believe in peace, forgiveness, and mercy. A true Pursuer of Peace must be empathetic as well as sympathetic, which means understanding her opponents, even when their desires are thoroughly different from her own. Fortunately, getting to know someone is easy. Everyone's favorite subject is their own self. Invite them to share their story. Get them to monologue.
BEGGING FOR MERCY (Spare Or Be Spared)
I Know You're In There Somewhere
LINE IN THE SAND / WALKING THE NARROW PATH - In the pursuit of peace, a Pacifist will often find himself fighting to protect the lives of others rather than just his own.
WARM-HEARTED COOL-DOWN HUG - Your big, red heart warms the target, even through any armor you might be wearing.
SUING FOR PEACE
Division is death. Harmony is life. To promote prosperity in the world, all peoples must set aside conflict and embrace cooperation.
Righteous Devils seek to cleanse the world of evil in fire, pain, and fear. Masters of the Crane assert their philosophies by returning violence unto its source. But true peace cannot be created through such heavy-handed methods. Stopping the cycle of destruction must begin with one's self.
Within the martial arts world, this style is just as unpopular, maligned, and misunderstood as the ideal of pacifism itself. Its adherents are called Pursuers of Peace, and their detractors jeer how this pursuit naturally leads them in the opposite direction of every battle. It is in this spirit that they are given the sarcastically polite epithet of "Pacifist Runners".
In truth, this style is best learned by those who presently have very little left in world for which they would stand and fight, as well as those who feel little shame in running from combat. In fact, many who practice this Style do so solely for its proficiency at escaping death with quick feet and faster begging, which does the Style's reputation no favors.
But the style truly comes into its own when practiced by one sincerely dedicated to its principles. For those who are not content to merely run after pacifism, they find chasing wholeheartedly after the impossible dream of Harmony For All brings great inspiration. The conviction to risk death grants the power to protect life.
Weapons: The Pursuit of Peace incorporates extremely flexible and comprehensive forms of self-defense, allowing one to parry with any possible object, improvised or otherwise. However, it forsakes attacking even with one's own bare hands except to grapple and gently restrain an aggressor.
Armor: The Pursuit of Peace is compatible with any form of armor. Pursuing peace often requires preparing for conflict, and more than one mission of peace -- such as venturing into the heart of a volcano to beseech its god-king to halt his reign of violence -- may call for significant layers of environmental protection.
Complementary Abilities: For a practitioner of this Style, one's best victories are the battles never fought; to that end, one must cultivate Socialize (or Investigation, Survival, or Occult) in order to understand an aggressor's motivations, as well as Presence or Performance to inspire others to give peace a chance. If hostilities erupt and the Pursuer of Peace cannot persuade their opponents to sheathe their swords, Dodge and Athletics become invaluable for earning one's name as a Pacifist Runner.
Complementary Styles: Though this style stands apart from the Crane, they are more similar than they are different. More than a few kindhearted masters of Crane Style, secure in their strength of arms, humble themselves to learn this Style's gentler methods of persuasion. At the same time, most masters of the Pursuit of Peace, when seeking more power to protect the serenity they create, turn to the Crane.
Other popular combinations include Dreaming Pearl Courtesan, Silver-Voiced Nightingale Style, and the twisted contradiction that is the fusion of the Pursuit of Peace with Black Claw Style.
Inspirations: Undertale's player character on the True Pacifist Run, as well as pacifist runs and pacifism in general. Jackie Chan's characters have universally at least dipped into this Style, always attempting to escape until cornered, and then defending themselves with any number of unconventional implements while protesting how they don't want any trouble. At least a few times, they do so while attempting to protect someone else, as well.
Yes. The Pursuit of Peace is at least half of the fabled "Jackie Chan in a ladder and rope factory, holding a baby, and wanting no trouble" Style. Especially with Dreaming Pearl Courtesan and its Elegant Weapon Repertoire.
Concept: The Principles of Peace
The Charms of this style offer additional benefits to those practitioners who harbor a "Principle of Peace", which this style loosely defines as any Principle which upholds or promotes peaceful or harmonious thoughts and actions. Principles such as "All of Creation must join as one" or "One must be honest and fair-dealing" or "I will dissolve the barriers of bigotry and racism" can suffice. The stronger one's principles, the stronger one's practice.
NEGOTIATIONS BREAK DOWN - If at all possible, the Pursuer of Peace should be trying to forestall a battle before it even happens by ascertaining what both sides of a conflict desire and attempting to reach a compromise.
2m; Supplemental, Instant; No Keywords; Martial Arts 1, Essence 1 - No Prerequisites
Any successes that the Pacifist achieved on an Investigation, Medicine, Occult, Socialize, or Survival roll to determine the background, ailment, nature, motivations, or intent of an aggressor are applied as non-Charm bonus dice to the martial artist's Join Battle roll. If the martial artist succeeded at such a roll, add one automatic success.
[The Pacifist might get the same bonus for attempting a social influence action to avoid a fight, with the greater benefit arising from the target needing to spend Willpower to engage in hostilities despite a successful roll.]
[If necessary for balance, the bonuses the Pacifist gets to Join Battle may only count for determining who gets to act first in the first round, rather than generating points of Initiative, as per Solar-native Flashing Draw Mastery.]
If the Pacifist Runner wins Join Battle, she may/must:
* [activate Pursuit of Peace Form reflexively]?
* [spend one less Initiative point to make the attempt a Disengage or Withdraw action on her first turn.]?
* Or she may reset ability to examine, should it have failed?
NOTES: I want a funnier, more tongue-in-cheek name for this Charm, perhaps inspired by Rincewind or other legendary cowards who try to forestall violence whenever possible and turn tail to flee without dignity when that fails.
Also, I definitely want any Initiative gained with this Charm to be used for Style-appropriate purposes rather than for hostile actions, but I'm not sure how strictly I should enforce that.
Any successes that the Pacifist achieved on an Investigation, Medicine, Occult, Socialize, or Survival roll to determine the background, ailment, nature, motivations, or intent of an aggressor are applied as non-Charm bonus dice to the martial artist's Join Battle roll. If the martial artist succeeded at such a roll, add one automatic success.
[The Pacifist might get the same bonus for attempting a social influence action to avoid a fight, with the greater benefit arising from the target needing to spend Willpower to engage in hostilities despite a successful roll.]
[If necessary for balance, the bonuses the Pacifist gets to Join Battle may only count for determining who gets to act first in the first round, rather than generating points of Initiative, as per Solar-native Flashing Draw Mastery.]
If the Pacifist Runner wins Join Battle, she may/must:
* [activate Pursuit of Peace Form reflexively]?
* [spend one less Initiative point to make the attempt a Disengage or Withdraw action on her first turn.]?
* Or she may reset ability to examine, should it have failed?
NOTES: I want a funnier, more tongue-in-cheek name for this Charm, perhaps inspired by Rincewind or other legendary cowards who try to forestall violence whenever possible and turn tail to flee without dignity when that fails.
Also, I definitely want any Initiative gained with this Charm to be used for Style-appropriate purposes rather than for hostile actions, but I'm not sure how strictly I should enforce that.
TURNING THE OTHER CHEEK - Mockingly called the "Turning Tail Technique", this Charm reflects the Pacifist's skill at rolling with the punches and fading away from strikes.
5m; Reflexive, Instant; Perilous; Martial Arts 2, Essence 1 - No Prerequisites
Reduce damage against one attack. You may only use this Charm if, during your last turn, you made a Rise From Prone, Full Defense, Take Cover, Disengage, or Withdraw action, or a flurry containing some combination of only those actions. This Charm may be used before your turn in the first round of combat if you supplemented your Join Battle action with Break Down In Negotiations.
If the Pacifist possesses a Minor Principle of Peace, this Charm will accept Defend Other actions, as well as social influence actions that align with your Principle of Peace.
With a Major Principle of Peace...
A Pursuer of Peace with a Defining Principle may reflexively and instantly accept or strengthen a positive Tie for her attacker in return for further reducing the Decisive damage they deal to her. If your Tie is already defining, the Decisive attack withers away Initiative even if it fails.
NOTES: Not sure how much to reduce damage, or what effect to include at the Major level.
Reduce damage against one attack. You may only use this Charm if, during your last turn, you made a Rise From Prone, Full Defense, Take Cover, Disengage, or Withdraw action, or a flurry containing some combination of only those actions. This Charm may be used before your turn in the first round of combat if you supplemented your Join Battle action with Break Down In Negotiations.
If the Pacifist possesses a Minor Principle of Peace, this Charm will accept Defend Other actions, as well as social influence actions that align with your Principle of Peace.
With a Major Principle of Peace...
A Pursuer of Peace with a Defining Principle may reflexively and instantly accept or strengthen a positive Tie for her attacker in return for further reducing the Decisive damage they deal to her. If your Tie is already defining, the Decisive attack withers away Initiative even if it fails.
NOTES: Not sure how much to reduce damage, or what effect to include at the Major level.
PURSUIT OF PEACE FORM -- The potential of this Form reflects one's commitment to the cause. Those unwilling to die for peace find it excellent for running to live another day, and thereby earn the moniker of "Pacifist Runner". Those willing to risk their lives in the pursuit of peace will find the strength of conviction to stand their ground and win without violence.
6m; Reflexive, One Scene; Form; Martial Arts 3, Essence 1 -- Negotiations Break Down, Turning The Other Cheek
The Pacifist Runner adds one success to any roll to Rise From Prone, Take Cover, resist an opponent's Rush, Disengage, or Withdraw.
With a Minor Principle of Peace, the Pacifist Runner adds +1 Defense and reduces the Initiative cost of Full Defense, Disengage, or Withdraw actions by one point.
With a Major Principle, whenever non-trivial opponents have their Resolve overcome by a Peaceful social influence roll made by the Pursuer of Peace, they each lose (the lower of her Charisma or the Resolve bonus of her peaceful Principle + 1) points of Initiative from having their attention split between physical and moral conflict. The Pursuer of Peace gains all of this lost Initiative.
With a Defining Principle, the Pursuer of Peace may spend Initiative instead of Willpower points to reject social influence which is opposed to her Principle of Peace, at a rate of three points to one. She may do this even while in Initiative Crash.
Special activation rules: This Form is unique in being Reflexive; rather than a special activation condition, it has a special deactivation condition in that attacking or taking any action opposed to the stylist's Principle of peace will instantly and prematurely end the Form. It then becomes a Simple-type Charm for the rest of the scene unless reset with a two or three-point stunt that emphasizes the Pursuer of Peace's commitment to peace or by gaining a Willpower point for undergoing a significant hardship or sacrifice to uphold a Major or Defining Principle of Peace or positive Tie to another character or social group.
The Pacifist Runner adds one success to any roll to Rise From Prone, Take Cover, resist an opponent's Rush, Disengage, or Withdraw.
With a Minor Principle of Peace, the Pacifist Runner adds +1 Defense and reduces the Initiative cost of Full Defense, Disengage, or Withdraw actions by one point.
With a Major Principle, whenever non-trivial opponents have their Resolve overcome by a Peaceful social influence roll made by the Pursuer of Peace, they each lose (the lower of her Charisma or the Resolve bonus of her peaceful Principle + 1) points of Initiative from having their attention split between physical and moral conflict. The Pursuer of Peace gains all of this lost Initiative.
With a Defining Principle, the Pursuer of Peace may spend Initiative instead of Willpower points to reject social influence which is opposed to her Principle of Peace, at a rate of three points to one. She may do this even while in Initiative Crash.
Special activation rules: This Form is unique in being Reflexive; rather than a special activation condition, it has a special deactivation condition in that attacking or taking any action opposed to the stylist's Principle of peace will instantly and prematurely end the Form. It then becomes a Simple-type Charm for the rest of the scene unless reset with a two or three-point stunt that emphasizes the Pursuer of Peace's commitment to peace or by gaining a Willpower point for undergoing a significant hardship or sacrifice to uphold a Major or Defining Principle of Peace or positive Tie to another character or social group.
ESTABLISHING A DIALOGUE - It is not enough to blindly believe in peace, forgiveness, and mercy. A true Pursuer of Peace must be empathetic as well as sympathetic, which means understanding her opponents, even when their desires are thoroughly different from her own. Fortunately, getting to know someone is easy. Everyone's favorite subject is their own self. Invite them to share their story. Get them to monologue.
5m; Supplemental , Instant; No Keywords; Martial Arts 3, Essence 2 - Pursuit of Peace Form
This Charm supplements a social influence action that aligns with a Principle of Peace. If the target's Resolve is overwhelmed but they reject the influence, the Pacifist's sentiments nettle the target's sense of self-justification, inspiring them to reveal their motivations for the conflict in order to prove the righteousness of their position.
Can reject influence in a later turn with three Willpower points; this trigger's the Initiative drain of the Form Charm.
a -2 penalty to Guile; in the heat of battle, the target forgets that others are listening
anyone listening can spend 5 Initiative to reset a failed Read Intentions action against an affected character
affect multiple targets without penalty; as a warning, this can spark an unexpected conflict between two allied enemies who find irreconciliable differences in their motivations
This Charm supplements a social influence action that aligns with a Principle of Peace. If the target's Resolve is overwhelmed but they reject the influence, the Pacifist's sentiments nettle the target's sense of self-justification, inspiring them to reveal their motivations for the conflict in order to prove the righteousness of their position.
Can reject influence in a later turn with three Willpower points; this trigger's the Initiative drain of the Form Charm.
a -2 penalty to Guile; in the heat of battle, the target forgets that others are listening
anyone listening can spend 5 Initiative to reset a failed Read Intentions action against an affected character
affect multiple targets without penalty; as a warning, this can spark an unexpected conflict between two allied enemies who find irreconciliable differences in their motivations
BEGGING FOR MERCY (Spare Or Be Spared)
5m, 1wp; Supplemental, Instant; Perilous; Martial Arts 3, Essence 2 - Pursuit of Peace Form
This Charm supplements a social influence action which would align with a Principle of Peace. If the Pacifist suffers any wound penalties, they are not applied to this roll, but instead are applied to the Resolve of all applicable targets. If the action succeeds, the Pacifist's Initiative is reset to base. If the roll fails, and her current Initiative is 1-10, she loses 2 Initiative; she loses 3 if it's 11+. If the Pacifist has taken no hostile action all scene and has the Form Charm active, her base value is considered two points higher.
Minor Principle: The supplemented action suffers no penalty for targeting multiple characters. If it already wouldn't, the action instead benefits from +3 bonus Charm dice.
Major Principle: For every character who wounded the Pacifist, and whose Resolve is overcome by the supplemented action, the Pacifist gains a Willpower point. This may grant them Willpower in excess of their total.
Defining Principle: If the supplemented action forces a character to enter a Decision Point to resist, he treats the intensity of any peaceful Principle or positive Tie to the Pursuer he has as one level higher for determining what Intimacies he can use to justify spending Willpower. If either kind of relevant Intimacy is already at the Defining level, then resisting costs an additional point of Willpower instead. Alternatively, if the supplemented action is instead meant to strengthen a Minor Principle of Peace or positive Tie for a person (whom may be the Pacifist), the Pacifist may use another Minor Intimacy to support the action, rather an a Major one. If strengthening a Major Intimacy, she may use another Major one, including an appropriate mood created with a prior successful Inspire action.
This Charm supplements a social influence action which would align with a Principle of Peace. If the Pacifist suffers any wound penalties, they are not applied to this roll, but instead are applied to the Resolve of all applicable targets. If the action succeeds, the Pacifist's Initiative is reset to base. If the roll fails, and her current Initiative is 1-10, she loses 2 Initiative; she loses 3 if it's 11+. If the Pacifist has taken no hostile action all scene and has the Form Charm active, her base value is considered two points higher.
Minor Principle: The supplemented action suffers no penalty for targeting multiple characters. If it already wouldn't, the action instead benefits from +3 bonus Charm dice.
Major Principle: For every character who wounded the Pacifist, and whose Resolve is overcome by the supplemented action, the Pacifist gains a Willpower point. This may grant them Willpower in excess of their total.
Defining Principle: If the supplemented action forces a character to enter a Decision Point to resist, he treats the intensity of any peaceful Principle or positive Tie to the Pursuer he has as one level higher for determining what Intimacies he can use to justify spending Willpower. If either kind of relevant Intimacy is already at the Defining level, then resisting costs an additional point of Willpower instead. Alternatively, if the supplemented action is instead meant to strengthen a Minor Principle of Peace or positive Tie for a person (whom may be the Pacifist), the Pacifist may use another Minor Intimacy to support the action, rather an a Major one. If strengthening a Major Intimacy, she may use another Major one, including an appropriate mood created with a prior successful Inspire action.
I Know You're In There Somewhere
1m; Reflexive, Instant; Perilous; Martial Arts 3, Essence 3 - Begging for MERCY (Spare Or Be Spared)
Supplements a social influence action that aligns with your Principle of Peace. Spend Initiative instead of Willpower points at a rate of three to one to attempt to overturn previous social influence.
[If the influence you are overturning is chaotic: persuaded the target to try harming you or someone else, or to serve someone who is ordering them to harm someone]?
If the target is forced into a Decision Point and wishes to accept this new influence, you may pay their Willpower cost for them with your own Willpower or your Initiative at the same triple rate. A character treats the intensity of any peaceful Principle or positive Tie he has to the Pursuer as one level higher for determining whether he can use it to justify spending Willpower. If the relevant Intimacy is already at the Defining level, then reduce the Willpower cost to accept the influence by 1. An appropriate mood created with a prior successful Inspire action may be counted as a Major Intimacy for this purpose.
The Pacifist may also spend Willpower (or Initiative at the same triple rate) to cover the target's Willpower cost for overcoming effects like Hypnotic Tongue Technique. The number of Willpower points she can substitute is capped at (her Charisma / the Resolve bonus of her peaceful Principle + 1).
Supplements a social influence action that aligns with your Principle of Peace. Spend Initiative instead of Willpower points at a rate of three to one to attempt to overturn previous social influence.
[If the influence you are overturning is chaotic: persuaded the target to try harming you or someone else, or to serve someone who is ordering them to harm someone]?
If the target is forced into a Decision Point and wishes to accept this new influence, you may pay their Willpower cost for them with your own Willpower or your Initiative at the same triple rate. A character treats the intensity of any peaceful Principle or positive Tie he has to the Pursuer as one level higher for determining whether he can use it to justify spending Willpower. If the relevant Intimacy is already at the Defining level, then reduce the Willpower cost to accept the influence by 1. An appropriate mood created with a prior successful Inspire action may be counted as a Major Intimacy for this purpose.
The Pacifist may also spend Willpower (or Initiative at the same triple rate) to cover the target's Willpower cost for overcoming effects like Hypnotic Tongue Technique. The number of Willpower points she can substitute is capped at (her Charisma / the Resolve bonus of her peaceful Principle + 1).
LINE IN THE SAND / WALKING THE NARROW PATH - In the pursuit of peace, a Pacifist will often find himself fighting to protect the lives of others rather than just his own.
5m; Reflexive, Indefinite; No Keywords; Martial Arts 4, Essence 2 - Pursuit of Peace Form
This Charm may be used at any time to supplement a Defend Other action. If the ward succeeds at a Disengage or takes a Withdraw action, the Pacifist reflexively moves to keep pace with him. "Far be it from a Pacifist Runner to stay and fight when others have the good sense to avoid conflict."
Minor Principle: "Braver Pacifists are willing to follow their reckless wards into the flames of battle, if that is what it will take to keep them safe." If the ward reflexively moves as per a Rush action, the Pacifist reflexively moves to keep pace with him.
Major Principle: "As often as the consummate Pacifist must act as the bridge that brings people together, sometimes she must stand as the wall that keeps them separate." As long as this Charm is in effect, the Pacifist not only applies her Defense to attacks targeting her ward, she also applies her Defense to attacks her ward makes against others.
Defining Principle: ???
NOTE: Very rough sketch of the idea.
This Charm may be used at any time to supplement a Defend Other action. If the ward succeeds at a Disengage or takes a Withdraw action, the Pacifist reflexively moves to keep pace with him. "Far be it from a Pacifist Runner to stay and fight when others have the good sense to avoid conflict."
Minor Principle: "Braver Pacifists are willing to follow their reckless wards into the flames of battle, if that is what it will take to keep them safe." If the ward reflexively moves as per a Rush action, the Pacifist reflexively moves to keep pace with him.
Major Principle: "As often as the consummate Pacifist must act as the bridge that brings people together, sometimes she must stand as the wall that keeps them separate." As long as this Charm is in effect, the Pacifist not only applies her Defense to attacks targeting her ward, she also applies her Defense to attacks her ward makes against others.
Defining Principle: ???
NOTE: Very rough sketch of the idea.
WARM-HEARTED COOL-DOWN HUG - Your big, red heart warms the target, even through any armor you might be wearing.
5m; Simple, Instant; Decisive-only; Martial Arts 4, Essence 2 - Line In The Sand
A hugging grapple that can only restrain. Must be used unarmed. The more intense the target's positive Intimacy for the Pacifist, the more the Pacifist may ignore their size for the sake of establishing and maintaining a hold. With a sufficiently intense Tie, they might even be dragged around the battlefield, as they put up only token resistance to your gentle but insistent pulling.
As long as the clinch lasts, you can flurry a social influence action on your turn, so long as it aligns with your Principle of Peace. If this action targets the character you hold, their Resolve is reduced to 0, though Intimacy bonuses still apply. Intimacy penalties to their Resolve become bonus dice for you.
This grapple is automatically canceled if the target is attacked or exposed to physical damage from any source, allowing them to defend themselves without penalty.
With more conviction to your Principle of Peace, rather than losing hold automatically when the target is attacked, you may apply your Defense for the person you're restraining, to treat it as a Defend Other action, or to take any hit yourself, to keep them from being harmed or endangered by your actions. (You can use Dodge instead of Parry.)
NOTES: You may not always be able to talk someone down from their warpath soon enough to prevent immediate harm to someone or something else, especially when your Dawn Circlemate is in the throes of Limit Break. This Charm can buy you time, if only to let everyone else flee before you let the Dawn turn his wrath upon you.
A hugging grapple that can only restrain. Must be used unarmed. The more intense the target's positive Intimacy for the Pacifist, the more the Pacifist may ignore their size for the sake of establishing and maintaining a hold. With a sufficiently intense Tie, they might even be dragged around the battlefield, as they put up only token resistance to your gentle but insistent pulling.
As long as the clinch lasts, you can flurry a social influence action on your turn, so long as it aligns with your Principle of Peace. If this action targets the character you hold, their Resolve is reduced to 0, though Intimacy bonuses still apply. Intimacy penalties to their Resolve become bonus dice for you.
This grapple is automatically canceled if the target is attacked or exposed to physical damage from any source, allowing them to defend themselves without penalty.
With more conviction to your Principle of Peace, rather than losing hold automatically when the target is attacked, you may apply your Defense for the person you're restraining, to treat it as a Defend Other action, or to take any hit yourself, to keep them from being harmed or endangered by your actions. (You can use Dodge instead of Parry.)
NOTES: You may not always be able to talk someone down from their warpath soon enough to prevent immediate harm to someone or something else, especially when your Dawn Circlemate is in the throes of Limit Break. This Charm can buy you time, if only to let everyone else flee before you let the Dawn turn his wrath upon you.
SUING FOR PEACE
3m; Supplemental, Instant; No Keywords; Martial Arts 4, Essence 3 - [Pinnacle Charm?] All Pursuit of Peace Style Charms?
This Charm supplements a social influence action which aligns with the martial artist's Principle of Peace. A minor Principle negates one point of penalty to the action's dice pool from being placed in a flurry with any combat action except an attack or an aggressive command to a pet, ally, or battle group. A major Principle negates two points, and a defining Principle negates all such penalties, including the flurry's Defense penalty.
If the Pursuer of Peace has a positive Tie to the target of the social action, he may use its intensity instead.
This Charm supplements a social influence action which aligns with the martial artist's Principle of Peace. A minor Principle negates one point of penalty to the action's dice pool from being placed in a flurry with any combat action except an attack or an aggressive command to a pet, ally, or battle group. A major Principle negates two points, and a defining Principle negates all such penalties, including the flurry's Defense penalty.
If the Pursuer of Peace has a positive Tie to the target of the social action, he may use its intensity instead.
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Bursting Eagerness Soul
Threadwalking Rating Machine
- Location
- Wisconsin
In order to get people to actually engage with this kind of system, I'd propose capping backgrounds like Followers, Command, Backing, and Resources on the individual level, because they would inevitably morph into psuedo-organizations at higher levels. For example, if you command 1000 soldiers or have a midranking post in the Guild, it would be reasonable to model that as being the head of a(n) (sub-)organization.
I'm really hoping that someone will help me finish that Pacifist Style so that I can move on to other things.
I've still got that Shield Style to finish. It's theme is "plated/horned dinosaurs", such as the Triceratops (Ox-Dragon), Stegosaurus (Siege Lizard), Anklyosaurus (Pestletail), and Pachychephalosaurous (Skullstrider). The shield is the beast's ramming skull, and your other arm is the whipping tail.
If I could just think of a fifth dinosaur that wasn't just another subspecies of the first four, I could be totally justified in calling it Five-Dragon Style.
I've still got that Shield Style to finish. It's theme is "plated/horned dinosaurs", such as the Triceratops (Ox-Dragon), Stegosaurus (Siege Lizard), Anklyosaurus (Pestletail), and Pachychephalosaurous (Skullstrider). The shield is the beast's ramming skull, and your other arm is the whipping tail.
If I could just think of a fifth dinosaur that wasn't just another subspecies of the first four, I could be totally justified in calling it Five-Dragon Style.
Well, depending on what you mean by "horned" there is the Parasaurolophus and Carnotaurus.
- Location
- Gladstone, OR
Big bold preface: This is an orphaned mechanic- there's no obvious place for it to connect to yet. I am aware.
Court Concept: Assets
Assets are like a combination of Backgrounds and Abilities- they can be rolled traits, and they also represent in-setting structures, resources or tangible assets of the court. Courts should only roll if their is a chance of meaningful failure. Since Assets represent tangible things like semaphore networks, mail services and Sorcery, the Storyteller should always default to how those things work first when reasonable.
New Court Asset: Communications
When one or more courts wishes act at range, in cooperation or conflict, they need a means of communication. This trait defines what means are available to communicate; the exact quality of these means are actually best described in the Storytelling chapter with regard to travel times.
When using this trait, the player and storyteller should take the time to define with as much detail as they need what form the asset takes.
Note that these ratings do not actually specify range. That is a deliberate abstraction. Range is best articulated by how long the message takes to reach the target. Mundane means like horses take longer than ships. Use common sense when arbitrating this as well.
X - None; the court does not have any specialized means of communicating. All interaction is conducted in-person or via empowered agents like diplomats, who must travel and act in the court's stead.
1 - Access to local postal services, be they government or privately maintained. Communication is slow but reliable. Public post is never private. Access is not guaranteed in the Scavenger Lands or even the Satrapies.
2 - Access to trained couriers or one-way messenger birds. Limited, close-range signals such as flag towers. Infrequent and public access to a Terrestrial Circle Sorcerer. These services are all considered a monthly Resources 2 expense.
3 - Access or ownership of a private, largely mundane ground or water courier system. A good working relationship with a god, elemental or Terrestrial Circle Sorcerer. All are Resources 3 monthly expenses.
4 - Supernatural couriers such as tireless horses and cloud-running spirits. The private services of a single Terrestrial Circle Sorcerer. All are a monthly Resources 4 expense.
5 - A complicated, city-spanning system of semaphore or heliograph towers. Lucrative contracts with many powerful social spirits or several contracted Sorcerers. A monthly Resources 5 expense.
N/A - A national network of signaling systems and sprawling mail service, requiring multiple Resources 5 investments divided among numerous prefectures and the like. Only the Realm maintains such a network, and reserves it for priority communication.
---
Communications X is intended to be a 'catch all' option for every org- just because you HAVE these assets doesn't mean you use them-sometimes you deliberately step up or down the scale. More importantly, it's the default assumption of the Eclipse Caste, being the diplomat/messenger as well as the court leader.
You'll also note that X and 1-dot levels don't cost Resources, but 2+ does. Communications N/A is a nod to the SCALE of the Realm's semaphore network.
Court Concept: Assets
Assets are like a combination of Backgrounds and Abilities- they can be rolled traits, and they also represent in-setting structures, resources or tangible assets of the court. Courts should only roll if their is a chance of meaningful failure. Since Assets represent tangible things like semaphore networks, mail services and Sorcery, the Storyteller should always default to how those things work first when reasonable.
New Court Asset: Communications
When one or more courts wishes act at range, in cooperation or conflict, they need a means of communication. This trait defines what means are available to communicate; the exact quality of these means are actually best described in the Storytelling chapter with regard to travel times.
When using this trait, the player and storyteller should take the time to define with as much detail as they need what form the asset takes.
Note that these ratings do not actually specify range. That is a deliberate abstraction. Range is best articulated by how long the message takes to reach the target. Mundane means like horses take longer than ships. Use common sense when arbitrating this as well.
X - None; the court does not have any specialized means of communicating. All interaction is conducted in-person or via empowered agents like diplomats, who must travel and act in the court's stead.
1 - Access to local postal services, be they government or privately maintained. Communication is slow but reliable. Public post is never private. Access is not guaranteed in the Scavenger Lands or even the Satrapies.
2 - Access to trained couriers or one-way messenger birds. Limited, close-range signals such as flag towers. Infrequent and public access to a Terrestrial Circle Sorcerer. These services are all considered a monthly Resources 2 expense.
3 - Access or ownership of a private, largely mundane ground or water courier system. A good working relationship with a god, elemental or Terrestrial Circle Sorcerer. All are Resources 3 monthly expenses.
4 - Supernatural couriers such as tireless horses and cloud-running spirits. The private services of a single Terrestrial Circle Sorcerer. All are a monthly Resources 4 expense.
5 - A complicated, city-spanning system of semaphore or heliograph towers. Lucrative contracts with many powerful social spirits or several contracted Sorcerers. A monthly Resources 5 expense.
N/A - A national network of signaling systems and sprawling mail service, requiring multiple Resources 5 investments divided among numerous prefectures and the like. Only the Realm maintains such a network, and reserves it for priority communication.
---
Communications X is intended to be a 'catch all' option for every org- just because you HAVE these assets doesn't mean you use them-sometimes you deliberately step up or down the scale. More importantly, it's the default assumption of the Eclipse Caste, being the diplomat/messenger as well as the court leader.
You'll also note that X and 1-dot levels don't cost Resources, but 2+ does. Communications N/A is a nod to the SCALE of the Realm's semaphore network.
D'SOMS
The Beautyful and Mystic Butterfly
- Location
- Denmark
Well, i dont expect myself to break the rules... I'm usually a polite person.
Revlid
blob of bugs
- Location
- England
So I finally got around to watching Kung-Fu Panda 3, and while it's nowhere near as good as the second or first movies, Kai makes for an excellent Abyssal inspiration (voiced by JK Simmons, for… some reason). Even if his theme music wormed Imagine Dragons' "I'm So Sorry" back into my head. A SON OF A STEP-FATHER A SON OF A I'M SO SORRY
Cool green jade chain-daiklaves and soul-drinking jade zombie-making technique aside, his reintroduction to the mortal realm can be inverted pretty perfectly for a newly-Exalted Abyssal.
"The Jade Slayer has returned!"
"Who?"
"The Jade Slayer? I was supreme warlord of this entire country."
"I, uh…"
"You might also know me as the Master of Pain."
"…no, I don't…"
"Beast of Vengeance?"
"Nuh-uh."
"Maker of Widows?"
"No, sorry."
"…I'm going to eat Resonance for this, but… My name was General Kai."
"Oh shit."
"Alright, thank you! Now that is brand recognition."
Cool green jade chain-daiklaves and soul-drinking jade zombie-making technique aside, his reintroduction to the mortal realm can be inverted pretty perfectly for a newly-Exalted Abyssal.
"The Jade Slayer has returned!"
"Who?"
"The Jade Slayer? I was supreme warlord of this entire country."
"I, uh…"
"You might also know me as the Master of Pain."
"…no, I don't…"
"Beast of Vengeance?"
"Nuh-uh."
"Maker of Widows?"
"No, sorry."
"…I'm going to eat Resonance for this, but… My name was General Kai."
"Oh shit."
"Alright, thank you! Now that is brand recognition."
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Mentioning the carnataurus helps me self-clarify that I'm looking for herding beasts rather than hunting predators. Bucks challenge each other for mates like jousting knights competing to impress courtly ladies, and all able members of the herd circle the wagons around the young and infirm when the t-rex comes along.
I'd discarded the Parasaurolophus because its horn probably wasn't used as a weapon.
I might just have to borrow from Monster Hunter, but then I might get more than five "dragons"!
I know, right?
I was really hoping they'd cash in on the Po/Tigress dynamic of the first two movies by having Po's long-lost family of pandas being threatened by Tigress's long-lost family of tigers. The last two movies (and the made-for-video Secrets of the Furious Five) made such a big but subtle deal of the fact that Tigress was also an orphan, and while she grew up learning kung fu, she didn't have the relationship with her adoptive father that she wanted and that Po had... until after Po learned kung fu and Master Shifu was able to let go of the specter of Tai Lung.
I know, right?!
Also, I want part of the Underworld to be like "the Spirit World".
In the ancient past, two brothers in arms turned against each other, and Master Oogwei was forced to kill Kai. But Kai's greedy spirit would not rest, and his ghost used what he had learned of harnessing and stealing Chi to track down, defeat, and absorb other mighty ghosts.
In the mortal realm, Master Oogwei reaches the end of his natural life, and uses his understanding of Chi to transcend Lethe, becoming a special kind of ghost who lacks the vibrancy of life but whom can continue to guide and assist the living without falling prey to restless passions that would turn him into an antagonistic force.
(Or else the old turtle never really was going to die at all, and he just bodily up and left the mortal world to take a vacation in Ghost Town so that Master Shifu and Po would figure out how to solve their own problems.)
Either way, the ethereally beautiful Spirit Realm in which Kai battles Oogwei and later Po is definitely the sort of haunting, peaceful, place that the Underworld can be. Empty, abandoned, ruined structures of former grandness which seem to recall a time which no longer exists. Very characteristic of the Underworld's themes of remembering things which are wrecked and gone forever, but with a somber and soft quality rather than a frenzied bitterness or sullen resignation.
Po's Wu-Shi Finger-Hold sends the living into the world of the dead while still alive, judging by how he could use it on himself. Which also lends weight to the idea that Oowgei used a similar trick for himself in the first movie.
Also, that's totally now a plot hook for Tai Lung to eventually return in a fourth movie, though probably not as the antagonist. Or at least not the primary one. He'll either be serving as a minion for the next villain from the Spirit Realm or else he'll be the one to warn Po of the new danger.
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What, you dislike utility charms?
It can be used for long-distance Aid Other actions by communicating strategy in a way only the target/s can understand.