How could you possibly know that they didn't or that DF isn't an example of exactly such a place?
Because the history of Exalted 2E would be very different if there was a second Creation that the forces of the Usurpation did not reach, where the Loom of Fate had no sway and the various events following it, from the Balorean Crusade to the Great Contagion, did not affect.
The surviving Maidens apparently have involvement here.
So its not an alternative Creation.
The problem they have is that their powers kind of have a lot of nasty side effects that throttle their ability to do things.
A Shih willing to pay for it can do a lot. Technically they even have a perfect attack, from the capstone of the Qiao of I Shen. They just have to take unsoakable Agg damage on top of spending a good chunk of chi to do it.
They also have things like Roll strength + occult at difficult 8. You gain the ability to deal Agg with all martial arts attacks and your successes in extra attacks every turn for the rest of the scene*. It just costs 4 chi and reduces all your physical attributes to 1 after the fight until you've rested.
These are high level powers, but the lower level ones are very nice too. Someone 3-4 dots deep into the Qiao of mirrors can bounce magic attacks, cut off your ability to regain supernatural resources, and rip what you do have straight out of your pool.
The issue they have is that pulling the trigger is really dangerous and their resource pool is pretty cruelly limited. They're dangerous as is, but anything you do that loosens those shackles rapidly escalates how bad an idea to mess with them it is.
* The Qiao of the shi is bullshit. Incidentally, here's Holden's rules for an exalt using it:
I do understand how their powers work.
I agree that a ready source of healing would make them significantly more effective, and I have no trouble with trying to get them some if its possible and safe to do so.
What I am reiterating is that something like a 3-dot Splendor like the Peaches of Immortality thing is too
hot for them to be able to retain control of. Way more aggro than they can handle.
The holder(s) will just get ganked for it, and whoever grabs it will either monopolize it, or attempt to turn it to more sinister uses, just like the Denarians tried to use the Shroud of Turin to start a pandemic in
Death Masks.
A one or two dot splendor is less likely to reach that level of concern, even if it has lesser effects.
The Shih largely optimized for 1v1 duels with solitary or a small number of Kueijin, with a secondary viability against some other shen, and extended downtimes afterwards.
Like I said, they are an accepted part of the hierarchy of things in KIndred of the East, both because they are widely respected even among some of the destro factions in the East for their discriminating targeting, and because even the vampires see the utility in having people who can inconvenience akuma of the Yama Kings.
The problem here is that they are acutely vulnerable to empowered minions in numbers, especially in mixed forces.
All the supernatural buffs dont help them against significant numbers of ghouls or enthralled humans with AKs and body armor.
For example, Victor Sells, the starter villain in Storm Front, the one that was peddling magical drugs?
Had, without any preptime, half a dozen magical attack drones in a drawer, and a Hell-demon that he summoned.
Leonid Kravos, the dude who killed himself to become the Nightmare? Had at least one demon on tap even when taken by surprise when he was alive, hence the need for Michael's presence.
Those are relatively low level casters in the Dresden Files from the earlier books, with relatively low level access to hired help.
Someone like Vittorio Malvora with his access to regenerating uberghouls? Or the Denarians with access to elite mooks, both Tessa's elite ghouls and Nicodemus' entire lineages of disciples? Or Mavra's (Or indeed, any Black Court Master vampire) ability to throw up a fighting force at short notice? Or even a couple of Formorian hitsquads?
No love for my alternative? We might as well get the ball rolling on further cooperation considering how beneficial it can be, and my approach is a good middle ground between doing nothing and jumping in so hard we scare the crap out of them.
My opinion is that its too much too soon.
Do remember that the Shih are not the White Council or the Fae Courts.
Unless the QM changes things here, the Shih are not an organized faction, but a calling. They have no centralized chain of command, no superiors that they are dutybound to follow, or general assemblies that they attend.
Just some respected elders and traditions they follow.
This is something where you let Brother Div gather information, and then socialize with other senior Shih and share their impressions and concerns.
Its not really the sort of thing that you should rush.
Thats just my opinion though.
