Green Flame Rising (Exalted vs Dresden Files)


These rolls in short: "Sorry, you were saying? I was too busy looking at the spy above you to care." :V

Speaking of the spy, yeah, it may be time to get rid of it and have fun with Laura's reaction to this one, particularly as it allows us to get better terms.
 
Given that the spy is the product of dark magic I think we should just kill it now, then we can answer Lara.
It is/was apparently human. Or at least sapient. You dont kill sapients cavalierly here, nor do you want to get into the habit of doing so.Spying isn't a capital crime, and not one that Molly daughter of Michael would kill people for. And given the mods we're looking at, we're likely looking at a victim anyway.

Plus, homicide generally results in having to dispose of a body.
Subdue and interrogate it?
Its a Crown focus.
We can do the exact same thing to it that we did to Gorfels, and trace out everyone in its chain of command with the right question.

Dude modified by black magic/sorcery?
This is White Council business, and speaks to a very select group of people with the skills to do this.
Gonna need to call Harry.
 
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At your cautious nod she continues: "Being free with this gift, being known as such of your own power and standing will draw the ire of elders who for one reason or another require that their progeny be in thrall of the first of our weaknesses. They will come for you and most likely they will perish, dragging more and more of the court into open conflict against you."
Yep, that's what I want.

[X] Refuse, you are not going to let her leverage your presence for more influence, unlike Thomas his sister is definitely not one of the good guys
-[X] I look forward to meeting those Elders who haven't used their centuries to learn their limits.


We will bleed this court of those stupid enough to provoke us.
The death of vampires is a general good.
 
"This war, for it would be war will be a lot more harm to vampire and mortal alike then the good you have done for those who slipped through the cracks. I had hoped this would be a potion, something that could be replicated and passed on, something that could help thousands. Ah.." she stops, lips parting in a sigh that does not come, that she dares not give. "The world is as it is."
She's right here, and also very much intentionally missleading.

Killing those Elders who for some insane reason think that the Hunger should be something ever WHampire suffers from will cause more harm than helping a few outcasts could.
But the part she's not mentioning is that when we kill those Elders, we will propably get a lot more Whampire-minions and the combination of helping those and preventing them from harming innocent people in the pursuit of their hunger is worth a lot more than collateral damages.

Nevermind that lifting the hand of those Elders from the world is also a good thing.

Edit: Think about what we know of Isabela's father. Don't you think the world would be a better place with people like that gone?
 
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How would that apply to the Order of the Cauldron?

Or does Lara have no idea about that? :p
Would we even want her to know?
 
No, Lara knows she does not have the leverage for that. You do have to formally promise not to compel them into service, and not mess with the interests of House Raith unless they break the terms.
So she's trying to move the battlefield from "infernal murderblender slaughters ancient vampires" to "ancient vampires try to outsmart an information-crown infernal".

Because no way the members of her court won't try to get around that.
Spying, infiltrating and sabotaging is what they do.

But the second way will be slower, gives us more time to grow and potentially less bloody.
All things to choose in character for Molly.
 
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So she's trying to move the battlefield from "infernal murderblender slaughters ancient vampires" to "ancient vampires try to outsmart an information-crown infernal".

Because no way the members of her court won't try to get around that.
Spying, infiltrating and sabotaging is what they do.

The funniest part being, I'm sure most of the elders would think this give them an advantage, too bad for them that we have the crown and some other cards to play. :V
 
She's right here, and also very much intentionally missleading.
Killing those Elders who for some insane reason think that the Hunger should be something ever WHampire suffers from will cause more harm than helping a few outcasts could.

But the part she's not mentioning is that when we kill those Elders, we will propably get a lot more Whampire-minions and the combination of helping those and preventing them from harming innocent people in the pursuit of their hunger is worth a lot more than collateral damages.

Nevermind that lifting the hand of those Elders from the world is also a good thing.
Edit: Think about what we know of Isabela's father. Don't you think the world would be a better place with people like that gone?
Let me put it this way:
Is the world better off with Saddam Hussein gone? He was a brutal dictator with deaths of tens of thousands on his hands.
And yet his fall thoroughly destabilized the Middle East, and set the condition for two civil wars, with ripples we are still seeing two decades later, and opened a power vacuum for much worse entities like ISIS to step in.

The world unfortunately, isn't black and white. And its possible for the removal of bad people to make shit worse.

That said, I honestly dont know what the answer is here.
I dont think its in our interests, or that of the broader world to get into a conflict with the White Court.
But I dont know if its in our interests to get a formal non-interference pact.

It would certainly protect everyone in Cauldron, and would make a Paranet much easier to form.
But it might tie our hands in ways we dont want.

That said?
Its worth noting that there's no way Lara is here, now, without someone pointing her at us. The intelligence about Winter specifically suggests a breadth of insight into Winter ops that the White Court usually lacks.

And the only persons I can think of who have both the intel and the interest to do that are the Archive or Odin
 
The funniest part being, I'm sure most of the elders would think this give them an advantage, too bad for them that we have the crown and some other cards to play. :V
Yep. It's kinda funny.

[X] Agree, you are going to have to make some kind of formal deals with the local supernatural scene eventually and this one would not ask anything of you that your morals do not forbid anyway
-[X] Stunt: Agreed. So said you stab the spy. Consider this a gesture of good will.
-[X] Melee excellency, flare anima.
-[X] After spy killed, Crown question on spy: What are the current plans of the ones who sent him.
 
Yep, that's what I want.

[X] Refuse, you are not going to let her leverage your presence for more influence, unlike Thomas his sister is definitely not one of the good guys
-[X] I look forward to meeting those Elders who haven't used their centuries to learn their limits.


We will bleed this court of those stupid enough to provoke us.
The death of vampires is a general good.
The death of asshole vampires is a good thing, the people caught up in their schemes aren't necessarily the same.

It's worth noting that white courts are the sort of vamp least inclined to come punch you in the face when upset. They'll still do it, but only after trying other stuff first that risks other people's necks instead.

That said we don't need to give her influence for free. If she wants a non aggression pact we should make her pay for it.

Maybe a favor to be named later? That could be all sorts of useful.
 
[X] Refuse, you are not going to let her leverage your presence for more influence, unlike Thomas his sister is definitely not one of the good guys
-[X] I look forward to meeting those Elders who haven't used their centuries to learn their limits.
 
So she's trying to move the battlefield from "infernal murderblender slaughters ancient vampires" to "ancient vampires try to outsmart an information-crown infernal".

Because no way the members of her court won't try to get around that.
Spying, infiltrating and sabotaging is what they do.

But the second way will be slower, gives us more time to grow and potentially less bloody.
All things to choose in character for Molly.
The funniest thing is that for all Molly is a murderblender, she's actually a socially aspected exalt.
It is/was apparently human. Or at least sapient. You dont kill sapients cavalierly here, nor do you want to get into the habit of doing so.Spying isn't a capital crime, and not one that Molly daughter of Michael would kill people for. And given the mods we're looking at, we're likely looking at a victim anyway.

Plus, homicide generally results in having to dispose of a body.
What other options do we have, anyway? Usum is the only thing we have that can touch immaterial beings, I think.
 
It is/was apparently human. Or at least sapient. You dont kill sapients cavalierly here, nor do you want to get into the habit of doing so.Spying isn't a capital crime, and not one that Molly daughter of Michael would kill people for. And given the mods we're looking at, we're likely looking at a victim anyway.

Plus, homicide generally results in having to dispose of a body.
Spying on heads of state can definitely get you executed.

I bet both Thomas and Lara have ways to get rid of bodies, or at least know someone who can.
Both had to deal with that trouble at least once.
 
Also keep in mind that we will be hitting E3 next spending update. We will also in all probability be hitting 20xp.

So we will get King and Kingdom charm and anything we agree to, we will end up binding our kingdom as well.
 
Let me put it this way:
Is the world better off with Saddam Hussein gone? He was a brutal dictator with deaths of tens of thousands on his hands.
And yet his fall thoroughly destabilized the Middle East, and set the condition for two civil wars, with ripples we are still seeing two decades later, and opened a power vacuum for much worse entities like ISIS to step in.
Is the world better without him?
Propably not in the broader view.

Could it have been better if the USA hadn't utterly fucked up their nation-building and been willing to do the best for the region rather than go after some oil and leave most of the necessary rebuild to the "free market"?
I'd say yes.

The lesson is not that taking out monsters is bad, it's that that alone is not enough, you gotta properly deal with the aftermath.

I'm not suggesting that Molly just passivly lets Whampires come after her, I am and have been for much of the story, suggesting that the White Court is the weakest link in terms of big supernatural factions and we should take over.

Killing old vampires is an inherent good, but taking over what we can of their influence and wealth to put it to better uses is even better.
And making sure that new Vamps never have to kill, never have to grow up in an environment that turns them into monsters even if the Hunger alone wouldn't be enough, that is the really big deal.

And I do believe that is worth both the collateral of the takeover and the consequences in form of bolder Formor or others.

We will be Queen, that is our nature, and the White-Jade Queen sounds like a great goal.
 
What other options do we have, anyway? Usum is the only thing we have that can touch immaterial beings, I think.
Drop him on the White Council is an option; a dude modded with black magic is in their jurisdiction.
This dude is a minion. Interrogate him and see what he has to say.
Let him go and see who he runs back to.

And frankly, he hasn't actually heard anything secret yet.
Nothing we might want to hide for any period of time.
Spying on heads of state can definitely get you executed.
I bet both Thomas and Lara have ways to get rid of bodies, or at least know someone who can.
Both had to deal with that trouble at least once.
Not in any modern state, and certainly not outside of times of war.
Besides, Molly Carpenter, daughter of Michael and Charity Carpenter isn't going to be party to killing people for spying.
It would be significantly out of character.

Dresden doesnt even kill people for trying to kill him and failing.
See Binder. See Lara herself.
Death is a very last resort.

Not to mention that there's a consistent theme in both the Dresden Files and ExWoD that unnecessary killing has a cost to the killer, even if its non-obvious.
In ExWoD, it reduces the value of your soul if you engage in Soul Commerce, for example.
Also keep in mind that we will be hitting E3 next spending update. We will also in all probability be hitting 20xp.
So we will get King and Kingdom charm and anything we agree to, we will end up binding our kingdom as well.
Not so sure about that.
Donar Vadderung's commitments do not necessarily bind Kris Kringle.
Molly Carpenter's commitments may not necessarily bind the Empress of the Hell of [Name]

Depends.
 
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[X] Agree, you are going to have to make some kind of formal deals with the local supernatural scene eventually and this one would not ask anything of you that your morals do not forbid anyway
 
I'm not sure if letting the spy go is worth it. Alive or dead, we can still use it as a Crown focus, and it obviously isn't the product of some neophyte warlock. It was either directed to spy on Lara in general or this meeting specifically, and while both options speak of considerable resources and intelligence assets, if it's the latter option the spy almost certainly has some means of accessing the Nevernever for rapid travel.

If that's the case, following it might not even be an option. I would rather just kill it, learn what we can, and definitely deny an enemy access to a specialized resource, one they are not likely to have many of at hand.
 
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