Spinning Silver - Exalted/Worm

Nothing comes of the locker. Nothing will come of the locker. No proof. No witnesses. Nothing but your own words, drawn from you when you were too exhausted to filter. Accusations you know they'll find baseless.

You go home from the hospital, silently. You head up to your room, silently.

You can't talk to your dad, not now. Can't handle the rapid surge of his emotions - guilt, protective fury, self recrimination. You caused some of this, you know, by keeping your secrets for so long…

You're tired.

Sleep doesn't come that night. The next, you slip out after dad goes to bed, filled with a strange urge to follow the moon. To bathe in its light.

You walk as if in a trance, taking the bus where convenient, always keeping the moon in your sight, until you're at a desolated part of the docks, overlooking the Bay. The Ship's Graveyard. All the signs of everything wrong with this city - with this society - with this world. A decaying city that long ago abandoned hope, a society where the strong prey on the weak, a world spiraling down (you realize, in a way you've never properly grasped) to its inevitable final weak gasp.

Terrible, horrible things. You know they'll happen. You know all the forces of heroism and hope have only stemmed the tide.

You got nothing from the locker. Not a reprieve from the Trio, not restitution, not even powers. That's the nature of the world, isn't it? Suffering that only begets more suffering. Disintegration that weakens the rest of the structure.

You won't allow it.

The waters of the Bay seem agitated. Waves crash on the shore, and half-sunken ships groan in a high wind. You stare out at the moon, unaffected.

No. Fucking. More.

You have a week off from school, still. Time to rest. To recover yourself.

Time to make sure your enemies can't see you cowed.

You got nothing from the locker except misery. You won't allow this horrible cycle to continue, can't, and even if you can't wrest the world away from its path you can take control of your own damn life -

There's someone behind you.

You turn and blink. The - person - you want to say they're a parahuman. Obviously. They're floating and also glowing to match the moon still hovering over the Bay.

You have a strange feeling parahuman would be something of an insult. Like accusing a shining beacon of light of working for the cause of darkness. Absurd.

You turn more to the strange person, examining them, feeling oddly calm. Long, white hair - glowing - and pale skin - also glowing. Opalescent white irises. A grin on pale lips. The person looks male, maybe a young adult, to your eyes, despite the obvious swell of pregnancy. They're dressed in strange robes with no shoes.

"Who are you?" you ask, wary.

The person smiles more widely, leans in -

And kisses you.

You blink in shock, reeling back. The person laughs and vanishes.

And then the world falls away, stars and darkness surrounding you, a world spread out beneath your flying feet - machinery held in your body, holding back the tides that threaten to collapse the world, investigating the secrets in the darkest corners of Creation, searching endlessly for someone you love - someone you lost - playing host to your old enemies and allies alike -

You spin in free fall, slamming back into your body to fall to your knees -

And then you turn into a spider.

...This is the weirdest dream ever, you think.

Except…

You have a charge. A mission. And - you know who you are. The silver patterns on your spider-body give truth to that.

Who are you?

-

-

Thread game system: Exalted Second Edition. Also, extra charms/ knacks can be granted as story rewards, for repeated training, for exceptional actions, for completing goals, for finishing an arc, etc.

You don't need to own the Exalted source books to participate in this quest, and I'm hoping to make it doable even with zero familiarity with Exalted.

For voting: Your caste and sub-caste/theme will determine your starting stats and powers. You start with the appropriate caste tattoos - courtesy of your patron, Luna.


Motivation: You are someone who will…

[] Empower the powerless
[] Lead Brockton Bay to glory
[] Save the world


Caste: By the power of the…

[] Full Moon. The mightiest warriors in Luna's service, the Full Moon Lunars are Luna's Chosen at their strongest - as are the relentless tides of their enemies. You protect the body of the world. You will specialize in physical attributes.
-[] Child of the Burning Moon. No matter what, you will endure. Bullying. Indignation. Treachery. Deceit. The end of the world, if you must. Stamina comes most naturally to you. You're a juggernaut and a survivor.
-[] Luna's Blade. The insect has many lessons. One of those: wherever your enemy is, that is where you are not. Swatting flies has nothing on hitting you. Dexterity comes most naturally to you. You're a fighter and an acrobat.

[] Changing Moon. Luna's manipulators, seducers, and diplomats, the Changing Moon Lunars are at their most charming - as are the enemies that whisper in the ears of those around them. You protect the heart and soul of the world's people. You will specialize in social attributes.
-[] Child of the Shifting Moon. You've had long, long practice keeping your head down and pretending to be someone you're not. Manipulation comes most naturally to you - as does stealing the forms and lives of others. You're a spy and a weaver.
-[] Luna's Courtier. You have a message for the world - and they will listen. Charisma comes most naturally to you - as does swaying hearts and minds, naturally or not. You're a diplomat and a leader.

[] No Moon. Luna's strategists and sorcerers, the No Moon Lunars are at their cleverest - as are those who scheme in the shadows against them like two spiders weaving opposing webs. You ferret out the secrets of the world and its enemies, to protect all. You will specialize in mental attributes.
-[] Child of the Hidden Moon. You've had more than enough of being findable. No more - you operate from the shadows, from here on out. Your mind is keener than they can know, and your tracks are nonexistent. Intelligence comes most naturally to you - bringing with it the knowledge you might just need. You're the hidden hand that directs nations.
-[] Luna's Shadow. More than anything in your history - more than suffering, more than dreaming, more than yearning - you've watched. You've observed. You've seen every secret that whispers past you. Perception comes most naturally to you - as does every secret the world could have kept. You're the hunter and the explorer.

[] Casteless. Luna's wild cards, the Casteless Lunars are free spirits unbound by the yoke of expectation - but their greatest enemy is the pure chaos that threatens to rip them and their world to shreds. You roam restlessly, taking a charge wherever you might, as something changes within you. Your future is uncertain. Your nature is even more uncertain.
-[] Write-in. The nature of the Casteless is even more freedom from the bounds of fate than usual. Now is the time to seize that.


Reaction: Except...

[] This is definitely a dream. You're going to turn back into a human, go home, go to sleep, and pretend this never happened.
[] This is definitely your destiny. You know. You're going to turn back into a human, make a few excited noises, go home - and plan your future career as a superhero.
[] This is definitely something cool. You're going to head out into the Boat Graveyard and let loose. You've gotta have more powers than turning into a spider, right?
[] This is definitely incredibly weird. You're going to panic and freak out!

Overall System: Exalted Second Edition

Major Homebrew Rules Supplement: Terrifying Argent Witches

Major Personal Homebrew Modifications:

Taylor has three true forms, as per original Lunar rules: her true human form, her true spider form, and her true monstrosity/ war/ deadly beastman form. She does not need charms for any of these.

Taylor can take forms as small as a house fly, importing the original Lunar knack 'Emerald Grasshopper Form'. She does not need charms for this.

Most charms and some knacks will (likely with some modifications) be available from the original Lunar rules; I'm still working out which ones and whether I want to alter them at all.

Taylor can gain bonus charms as story rewards.

Taylor cannot learn sorcery at least not until the QM has enough of a break from nursing school to reread the sorcery stuff.


(this will eventually include more stuff)