- Location
- Brazil
Yes, I totally enjoyed this Hell charm list and I hope DP will let us access it later, even if it potentially needs some changes, as its themes and charms are great.
Green Flame Rising (Exalted vs Dresden Files)
- Thread starter DragonParadox
- Start date
- Crossover Fantasy
fictionfan
Please sir, may I have some Meows?
- Location
- Tempe, AZ
I actually trying to make some hell charms. It's surprisingly hard. Infernals have two big main thematics that they can lean into
Tyrant of hell where they lean into hellish authority. Unfortunately this generally just give knock off and generally worse Solar charms because Solars have loads of authority that isn't limited to CODs or the evil.
And rebellion or corruption of authority which feels like something a Infernal might do better.
So I am trying to make The Hell of the Lonely Streets.
A streetwise charm that makes it so no temporary obstacles (crowds, traffic, blocked roads) slow you down.
A smuggling charm for hiding large amounts of items on your body.
A fence charm of some sort.
A charm that helps to identify corrupt official and take advantage of their corruption for mutual befit well screwing the system.
A street cred charm.
The whole point of the scheme is that the white council nominally considers them their responsibility, but only pays enough attention to kill the most overt warlocks.
The whole point was to exploit the inattention of the council to cull mortal mages from the population by going after the demographic most likely to produce noteworthy talents.
It wouldn't have worked at the desired scale if the council was paying enough attention to actually matter before it was far too late.
As to the under siege stuff, that might have been too extreme. They are however more at risk even with their knowledge. See how senior members of the ordo die on contact with middling members of the white court running the most direct possible campaigns.
They are in fact targets because most of them are more material than regular mortals for most purposes. Reds keep something of the talents they had pre conversion, whites are iffy but since they eat from your spiritual energies it wouldn't surprise me if talents taste better, people like the pathfinders prefer someone with more to work with when they start their butchery.
It's a pretty clear pattern that makes people like them just powerful enough to be better food but not quite powerful enough to actually stop someone from taking them.
Best they can do is make it more annoying than it's worth most of the time. That might not be a siege like what the fomor put them under, but that feeling of insecurity isn't paranoia.
I think you're dramatically overstating the risk of our involvement; I doubt this will be used against us much more than the paranet is used against Harry.
Edit:
My bet is that for Helen's lifetime she's priority mortal number one based on the exact phrasing of its core instruction.
Bane's general motive clearly isn't confined to one person since that'd be pretty myopic for an immortal place spirit, but its defining purpose only mentioned her as a priority to defend.
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It called the 10,000 hells for a reason. Just pick a theme and build on that doesn't really matter what.
- Location
- washington
I mean their definitely possible they'd just likely be an artifact of some kind.
- Location
- washington
I see one other potential avenue not very likely though it would be in pursuit of destroying outsiders which is her job above all else. Where even she herself is a disposable pawn
Ok, this looks pretty solid, looks like we are joining the local minor talent organization. How did someone put it? As though a whale has joined the shrimp colony.
Essentially, there are two questions we need to ask ourselves when considering joining:
1) Would joining them be a net benefit to us?
2) Would us joining be a net benefit to them?
Let's first consider what we get. As far as I can see it's access to a large number of small-time practitioners, with some minor-to-middling artifacts thrown in. This potentially gives us the following:
1) Access to a large number of paths at 1 dot for no XP spending. Is this a big benefit? I think so. Yes, Harry can likely be comissioned to do magic for us for money. But his time is precious. The time he spends making us magical body armor is the time he doesn't spend fighting Red Court or doing his Warden duties, or saving the world, or whatever. Can we just buy their services? Likely yes, but not for all of them, and we almost certainly won't be allowed to participate in the magic being cast. Ie no silly "we roll 30+ successes on a minor ritual, producing exalted-grade shenanigans".
2) The above sentence segues into this one. Let's assume Harry is Int 5, Occult 4 (he certainly doesn't have the max rating), and, thanks to Bob, is rolling at -1 DC for all challenges. A ritual with 6 or more middling low path practitioners will have likely have more successes than Dresden gets. With Molly having Leadership excellencies and in general exalted resources to organize this sort of mass rituals, that suddenly becomes relevant. If we can organize a hundred people for a mass ritual, things start to get silly (because even if we assume that success thresholds are organized as exponents of 5, ie 5, 25, 125, we get a chance to see what the next threshold has). We'll need to work on it (Leadership excellencies, cyberdevils, training charm to make them all creatures of darkness while giving them occult 5 in a week, etc), but it's doable.
3) Access to the social circles of minor practitioners. Remember, they are human people. They have lives and skills outside of magic. Like money handling. Possibly programming, construction, etc. By joining them, we get more and better access to those resources than by just paying them.
What does it cost us?
1) We would need to shelter them if they are in trouble. I assume this doesn't mean "shelter them from wardens after they break the Laws", even if we actually could quite easily (any bakemono transformation charm allows us to save warlocks from White Council by transforming them into non-humans). I think that the thread agrees that we would do so regardless of joining. This just gives us a more formal obligation (but still not enforced by magic oaths or anything, from what I understand)
2) We would need to participate in their activities. I assume this means we'd need to participate in some rituals, attend gatherings, etc, maybe pay some money. Mechanically, this would be action points. I believe this is an issue, but not a strong one - we are learning alchemy, we are likely going to buy the "only one hour of sleep" potion recipe (remember, recipes are bought separately from the path dots!), so this offsets it.
What do they get?
1) If they advertise it (arguable - to whom?), they get prestige, and a deterrent.
2) They get a lot of juice for their rituals
3) They get a big red button labeled "throw a pissed-off Celestial Exalt at the problem"
What does it cost them?
1) Our enemies are likely to become their enemies
I think, geopolitically, they go from being... I don't know, some island nation, to North Korea - a minor barely functional economy, but with nukes.
Also, I tried making the Watchful Bane upon the Thirty Sixth Threshold in midjourney. I am not satisfied with the results (midjourney has surprisingly lot of trouble when trying to make a greyhound picture, I think they only got like one or two photos in the training set or something), but here it is:
1) Would joining them be a net benefit to us?
2) Would us joining be a net benefit to them?
Let's first consider what we get. As far as I can see it's access to a large number of small-time practitioners, with some minor-to-middling artifacts thrown in. This potentially gives us the following:
1) Access to a large number of paths at 1 dot for no XP spending. Is this a big benefit? I think so. Yes, Harry can likely be comissioned to do magic for us for money. But his time is precious. The time he spends making us magical body armor is the time he doesn't spend fighting Red Court or doing his Warden duties, or saving the world, or whatever. Can we just buy their services? Likely yes, but not for all of them, and we almost certainly won't be allowed to participate in the magic being cast. Ie no silly "we roll 30+ successes on a minor ritual, producing exalted-grade shenanigans".
2) The above sentence segues into this one. Let's assume Harry is Int 5, Occult 4 (he certainly doesn't have the max rating), and, thanks to Bob, is rolling at -1 DC for all challenges. A ritual with 6 or more middling low path practitioners will have likely have more successes than Dresden gets. With Molly having Leadership excellencies and in general exalted resources to organize this sort of mass rituals, that suddenly becomes relevant. If we can organize a hundred people for a mass ritual, things start to get silly (because even if we assume that success thresholds are organized as exponents of 5, ie 5, 25, 125, we get a chance to see what the next threshold has). We'll need to work on it (Leadership excellencies, cyberdevils, training charm to make them all creatures of darkness while giving them occult 5 in a week, etc), but it's doable.
3) Access to the social circles of minor practitioners. Remember, they are human people. They have lives and skills outside of magic. Like money handling. Possibly programming, construction, etc. By joining them, we get more and better access to those resources than by just paying them.
What does it cost us?
1) We would need to shelter them if they are in trouble. I assume this doesn't mean "shelter them from wardens after they break the Laws", even if we actually could quite easily (any bakemono transformation charm allows us to save warlocks from White Council by transforming them into non-humans). I think that the thread agrees that we would do so regardless of joining. This just gives us a more formal obligation (but still not enforced by magic oaths or anything, from what I understand)
2) We would need to participate in their activities. I assume this means we'd need to participate in some rituals, attend gatherings, etc, maybe pay some money. Mechanically, this would be action points. I believe this is an issue, but not a strong one - we are learning alchemy, we are likely going to buy the "only one hour of sleep" potion recipe (remember, recipes are bought separately from the path dots!), so this offsets it.
What do they get?
1) If they advertise it (arguable - to whom?), they get prestige, and a deterrent.
2) They get a lot of juice for their rituals
3) They get a big red button labeled "throw a pissed-off Celestial Exalt at the problem"
What does it cost them?
1) Our enemies are likely to become their enemies
I think, geopolitically, they go from being... I don't know, some island nation, to North Korea - a minor barely functional economy, but with nukes.
Well, we are a baby whale, to be fair.
Also, I tried making the Watchful Bane upon the Thirty Sixth Threshold in midjourney. I am not satisfied with the results (midjourney has surprisingly lot of trouble when trying to make a greyhound picture, I think they only got like one or two photos in the training set or something), but here it is:
Winning Vote
Arc 4 Post 30: Witches' Way
Witches' Way
25th of August 2006 A.D.
"I'm in," you say simply, no hint of your concern showing on your face, or at least so you hope. What tips the scales for you in the end is that these people need someone in their corner. The White Council, the organization which considers itself a legitimate enforcement arm over them certainly isn't doing it, not for any lack of will on Harry's part of course, but because there is only one Harry to contend with a whole mess of things that go pump in the night.
"Me too," Lydia quickly adds. "If anyone needs protection I have plenty of guest bedrooms just sitting empty." Lydia quickly gives her address, though no one here seems surprised. The women had obviously done their research on both of you before they invited you here and bumps along the way notwithstanding they had probably had recruitment in mind as a potential outcome from the start
Joined the Ordo Lebetis
As far as requirements of membership go there is nothing to worry about: being available for common workings, generally protective ones, offering sanctuary to members on the run and, Anna had hesitated mentioning this, fighting when all else fail. From the smile you catch a glimpse reflected in the polished kitchen counter, you do not think there is any doubt to anyone present about your willingness to put an abrupt end to any hunts involving the members of the Order of the Cauldron. Part of you wants to flourish your sword to make a point, but now is not the time to show off.
You discover that Anna works as an antiquarian for the Art Institute of Chicago, using her ability to read objects to help in her research, not that she can read the distant past she explains, but most forgeries are a good bit more recent than that. Meanwhile Pauline is a real-estate agent and though she has gotten some use out of her affinity to spirits in knowing to stay far away from certain properties she mostly keeps magic separate from her professional and home life. Her husband does not even know she has anything more to do with the occult than the tarot readings she used to do in college. She still does a bit of that, though not for money... in fact rather the opposite.
"And then when the board started to spell out 'Conman, thief, I know what you did' he ran out of the house so fast you would think he had a devil on his tail..." She finishes what is probably a familiar tale to the other women, but has you and Lydia in stitches. Ffake mediums who scam desperate old ladies out of their savings not fans of actual spiritual manifestations, who would have thunk it?
As for Abby you discover that she is a math teacher which... Seriously? You manage not to blurt out 'but you are way too nice to teach math', but it's a near thing. Apparently she has gotten statistics trying to figure out how the odds of her power work out since her father told her she was 'just guessing' when she was a kid and she ended up teaching math to highschoolers. She is probably the fun teacher, but a nightmare for anyone who tries to cheat on her tests
It is Helen though who is the most surprising revelation, you had actually visited her place of work before, cleaning up the blood and gore of the Museum fight... she runs Executive Priority Health, which you are ninety percent sure is a brothel and completely sure belongs to Marcone. To be entirely honest you are not sure how you feel about that. On the one hand it means that out of everyone here she's probably the best protected with Marcone having Gard on his payroll and maybe others like her, but on the other hand can you really begrudge anyone wanting to feel more safe? There are things out there that would swallow 'Gentleman' Johnny Marcone bones and all. On top of that it's not like Helen isn't giving back for the aid she does get, she seems to be a linchpin in many of the rituals the Ordo does for her ability to channel power. She is a lot more willing to talk about the technicalities of magic with Lydia than delve into her mundane life, but she falls dead silent when the topic of families comes up. That is not the expression of someone who is just likes to keep things private, the way Abby rushes up to get a refill of her water, almost knocking the glass over confirms there is something truly and deeply wrong.
Your mind goes back to thinking just how many things pray on minor talents, had something like that happened to her family? Had they been targeted because of her? That could destroy someone.
You quickly change the topic to how to keep in touch, emails and addresses are exchanged, not just of the people present, but also those members of the Order who couldn't make it i.e. did not want to risk meeting the weird and potentially dangerous strangers, but that gives you an idea. Your spirit-allies would go a long way in hardening lines of communication with the added benefits of being able to cast even powerful workings near the electronics without shorting them.
Usum of course suggests installing possessed cameras on every approach to the homes of Order members to allow real time surveillance for threats and smart guns for everyone. He seems genuinely shocked at the notion that anyone would value privacy more than security and certainly a mortal who 'only has one life before their next spin of the wheel'.
On a more reasonable level there is the matter of money. If people have to run sometimes, including to new cities upending their whole lives a mutual aid fund would be really useful. Money isn't much of an issue to you while Lydia is probably richer than everyone else here put together. She would not hesitate to chip in you're sure, but how to bring the matter up without seeming highhanded. I am the most junior member here after all... Resolutely you ignore Usum's proclamation that any organization you are a part of should rightfully bend to your will.
Do you offer any suggestions for the order going forward?
[] Yes
-[] Cyberdevils for a more secure and magically hardened line of communication
-[] A mutual aid fund for members in trouble
-[] Write in
[] No, leave be for now
OOC: Breaking news, Solaroid has ideas about how to improve organization she has been part of for two hours.
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Shame she doesn't have any organization-relevant charms.
taovkool
Forever Gone
- Location
- The Library, Department of General Works
Molly's a Solar. A lack of skill in leadership is something that can be rectified.Shame she doesn't have any organization-relevant charms.
We just need more XP is all.
- Location
- Germany
She does have mundane Leadership and the excellency to boost it.
[X] Yes
-[X] Cyberdevils for a more secure and magically hardened line of communication
The useful thing about a Cyber-Deviled Phone is that it can call for help even if you personally can't do so anymore.
No abduction or murder can happen too fast for the little guys to get Molly informed.
[X] Yes
-[X] Cyberdevils for a more secure and magically hardened line of communication
The useful thing about a Cyber-Deviled Phone is that it can call for help even if you personally can't do so anymore.
No abduction or murder can happen too fast for the little guys to get Molly informed.
Well to be fair Helen Beckit did not seem to mind the privacy issues of Bane, she is a bit of an outlier.
[X] Yes
-[X] Leadership excellency
-[X] Cyberdevils for a more secure and magically hardened line of communication
--[X] Suggest making a cyberdevil court for the Watchful Bane upon the Thirty Sixth Threshold
--[X] Create a social network platform for members, with cyberdevil administration and security
-[X] A mutual aid fund for members in trouble
--[X] Pitch in with some seed money and maybe gems
--[X] Don't limit it to money. Also include stuff like reagents, minor enchanted items, etc.
-[X] Improving their equipment. If they have any enchanters among them... Well, they saw what kind of power you can bring to bear. Suggest remaking what equipment they have and can make with your backing.
-[X] Expanding the Order's presence in this apartment building. Now that it is guarded by a guardian deity, it's probably one of the most protected buildings in Chicago.
[X] Ask Pauline for the list of the haunted properties she knows of, starting with the most problematic. This sounds right up Lydia's alley, and you could probably get some nice deals on those, once they are exorcised.
[X] Ask Anna for a private tour of the museum's collection, especially the most magically interesting objects. Those sound like something to use the Crown on.
We get at least two great plot hooks here. One for us, and one for Lydia.
-[X] Leadership excellency
-[X] Cyberdevils for a more secure and magically hardened line of communication
--[X] Suggest making a cyberdevil court for the Watchful Bane upon the Thirty Sixth Threshold
--[X] Create a social network platform for members, with cyberdevil administration and security
-[X] A mutual aid fund for members in trouble
--[X] Pitch in with some seed money and maybe gems
--[X] Don't limit it to money. Also include stuff like reagents, minor enchanted items, etc.
-[X] Improving their equipment. If they have any enchanters among them... Well, they saw what kind of power you can bring to bear. Suggest remaking what equipment they have and can make with your backing.
-[X] Expanding the Order's presence in this apartment building. Now that it is guarded by a guardian deity, it's probably one of the most protected buildings in Chicago.
[X] Ask Pauline for the list of the haunted properties she knows of, starting with the most problematic. This sounds right up Lydia's alley, and you could probably get some nice deals on those, once they are exorcised.
[X] Ask Anna for a private tour of the museum's collection, especially the most magically interesting objects. Those sound like something to use the Crown on.
We get at least two great plot hooks here. One for us, and one for Lydia.
Yeah, sure. Making decisions now, tho.
Goldfish
Friendly Spider-Fish Abomination
- Location
- Formerly of the Far Realm
I don't think we should leap directly into trying to manage or improve the Order quite yet. We should at least let the new member smell fade a bit before putting on our leadership hat, IMO.
Also, I'm not sure how well the offer to put spirits loyal to us in everyone's phones will go over with the Order. Seems like it might be something of a red flag for many of them. It would also guarantee that the ability eventually becomes known by everyone we don't want to know about it, whereas right now the pool of people in the know is fairly small.
[X] No, leave be for now
Also, I'm not sure how well the offer to put spirits loyal to us in everyone's phones will go over with the Order. Seems like it might be something of a red flag for many of them. It would also guarantee that the ability eventually becomes known by everyone we don't want to know about it, whereas right now the pool of people in the know is fairly small.
[X] No, leave be for now
taovkool
Forever Gone
- Location
- The Library, Department of General Works
Uhh, all of them are probably a good idea. But are you sure you're not pushing it too hard and too fast? We just joined in, you know.
[X] No, leave be for now
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I meant that the others didn't seem to raise it as a concern.
Which is what Leadership excellency is for. We joined. They are under our aegis now.
Still, even if we don't make suggestions for improvements, asking those questions can still be done. I don't think they are directly related to improving the order.
No, they did not, but then it is not their apartment.
- Location
- Russia
- Pronouns
- He/Him
"too nice to teach"?
Maybe "a long way in"? Otherwise I do not know what is inn doing in this sentence.