Gems in the Wastes (Exalted/Warhammer Fantasy/CK2)

Apparently sleep is determined to stay away from me, so might as well do this now.

In about 26 hours from now, I will be closing the vote. By my reckoning, God King is narrowly in the lead, with Science just a bit behind it. If any of you have not voted for either of these two options, I would suggest changing or making your vote now, since I'm not sure anything else at this point can win.

I was hoping to get Part 2 out on the day that the vote ended, but I was informed last night that I had some extra mandatory training for my job that I needed to do then, so it might be coming out on the 18th instead. Can't say for certain at this point.

Alright, today's been a bit of a slow day at work, so while I'm waiting for the results of this update, I've gone ahead and filled out the first half of the next update. Second half has been long since it's finished, so I might have everything ready.

HOWEVER, one thing I'm realizing looking at it all is there's a lot of different things you're going to have vote for if the whole package is used. So, just getting your opinions (not like an actual vote or anything), how would you feel about splitting it up into two different parts? Keep in mind this is still just Part 2 of character creation, there's another part 3 after all of this that I haven't written yet.

Current Total Word Count: 3.4k, can definitely go up later.
First Half Word Count: 1.4k
Second Half Word Count: 2k

Current Total Voting Items (Does not include every possible option, just the number of items you will need to vote on total): 12 items
First Half Voting: 7 items
Second Half Voting: 5 items

So, do you want to split it up, or just get it over with?

It's an hour early, but I wanted to get everything done and finished before I have to head into work today.

God-King of Destruction has finished, meaning that we will be playing as Sango, the newly-crowned King of New Uluiru! A man of great scholarly insight as well as a fair amount of military experience, hopefully he will be enough to secure his people's future.

Winning Plan: God-King of Destruction

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You are Sango, first of your name. You are the youngest direct descendant (otherwise known as a child) of Queen Ulu, having been born as her son 30 years ago from the present day. Your father was the Queen's third husband, her first having died before her Exaltation (which he was responsible for, because as Cantata-of-the-Depths it was his death which fueled the Fount of Glories) and her second dying centuries before your birth. None begrudged the Queen for taking yet another spouse, considering she had spent several decades in effective grief for her previous lover, instead it was considered a miracle that she was still able to have children at all. Sovereign Exalted, while long-lived, reach middle and older-age quicker than most Exalted of similar lifespans. In light of that, her continued fertility was a welcome surprise.

[] Write-in for character's appearance, or provide an image. As with the name, an appearance that calls back to West Africa or Africa in general, while not required, is preferred due to Uluiru's inspiration. THIS VOTE DOES NOT NEED TO BE PART OF THE PLAN.

Of course, your direct relation to the Queen had little to do with her choice of heir. Uluiru was a strictly meritocratic nation, with many citizens taking up the challenge of the 44 Distinctions. These Distinctions were certificates of skill and prowess, with certain government and military positions requiring high scores in several areas. The royal family had another privilege that required high qualifications: Should they prove sufficiently well-rounded in most, if not all areas of challenge, they would earn the honor of bathing in the Fount of Glories and possibly become a Sovereign Exalt.

You, however, did not earn this honor, and you know why. While you always excelled in the sciences and in all manner of warfare, there was a glaring weakness in your skill set. There were several tests in one particular area or another that you absolutely bombed at, and because of your poor results, you were denied Exaltation by your mother. Of course, that wouldn't matter in the future, but you're getting ahead of yourself. What was the area that you did so awfully in?

The following selection will determine your WORST stat, with runner-up votes determining the rest of the order. Currently, your three highest stats, in order, are Learning, Combat and Martial.

-[] You were slow of tongue and poor at listening to what was being said (Diplomacy)
-[] Your ability to manage and keep track of resources was foolish at best (Stewardship)
-[] Secrets and hidden meanings slipped past you like water around rocks (Intrigue)
-[] If you had any respect for the gods, you certainly didn't demonstrate it (Piety)

As disappointing as it was, at least you weren't a total failure. You became one of the best academic minds even in your youth, and an accomplished Sorcerer by the age of 20, which was even more rare. And unlike most Sorcerers, you weren't content to just exercise your mind. You demonstrated great skill with weaponry of all kinds, and led several squadrons of men and women to combat the fae. Ultimately, there was one particular area of warfare that you really excelled in, which was it?

-[] Bow (Archery)
-[] Fists (Brawl)
-[] Sword (Melee)
-[] Javelin (Thrown)

In point of fact, your lack of Exaltation would soon resolve it one evening as you worked on your masterwork, your greatest achievement yet. You always strove to be a virtuous person, yet in this instance, you were following one of the following virtues most closely. This would leave its mark on you, as you subtly embraced that virtue above all others:

-[] Compassion

• The Virtue of Kindness and Forgiveness

-[] Conviction

• The Virtue of Resolve and Duty

-[] Temperance

• The Virtue of Restraint and Stoicism

-[] Valor

• The Virtue of Courage and Defiance

-[] Wonder

• The Virtue of Curiosity and Wanderlust

In the end and with a bolt of inspiration, your masterpiece, your life's work was complete. And with its completion a golden aura overtook you. You felt divine power rushing through your veins, as if you were the object of worship for every living thing in Creation. You felt unstoppable, invincible, ALMIGHTY. And when the aura eventually faded, the sensation did not leave, only diminish slightly as comprehension came into your mind. You knew what just happened, even if you didn't know precisely what you became. You had just Exalted, specifically as you later found out, as one of the Solar Exalted.

In the nights following this miracle, one that thankfully no one else was witness to, you witnessed memories which were not your own. They gave hints as to what precisely you had become, a "Twilight" or a "Copper Spider" who was destined to master the world and bend it to your will. Eventually, though, these memories would-

-[] -become overwhelming (+1)

• Whenever you critically fail or overwork, there is a risk of your past life taking over. They do NOT have good decision-making skills, having been a First Age Solar and all that, but they might give you inspiration on rare occasions.

-[] -fade (0)

• You learn nothing more from your past life.

-[] -continue to provide insights (-1)

• Your past life will provide more memories over time, giving a random insight every so often that could prove useful.

And what of your masterpiece? What was the astounding accomplishment which earned you your glory?

-[] You wrote up a treatise perfectly predicting the enemy's next movement. Despite the lack of information available, it turned out to be completely correct! (Lore)

• Charm Gained: Dogstar Ruminations: Once per year, can take a Personal Action using Learning to declare a Doom onto a target city or province (NOT an empire or nation). Doom must correlate with a subject the Solar knows about. If successful, the Doom WILL happen.
• Trait Gained: Odd General: +1 Martial; Unlocks strange strategies to be used in combat.

-[] You invented a universal cure for many diseases, including pneumonia, meningitis and many others! (It's an antibiotic which uses a rather common form of mold) (Medicine)

• Charm Gained: Immaculate Solar Physician: Double the results of ALL rolls to treat wounds, poisons and diseases; permanently. Only applies once per day in mini-turns.
• Trait Gained: Panacea Maker: +1 Stewardship; Unlocks actions related to antibiotics and other cures.

-[] You were able to instruct a class of five random children from all walks of life, with all of them becoming Sorcerers in their own right. (Occult)

• Charm Gained: Spirit-Drawing Oculus:When all Anima Slots are filled, once per turn can choose to either:
  • Cast a Terrestrial Circle spell for free and with no roll required.
  • Open up 1 Slot, reducing the Critical Fail Threshold, but it cannot be used for overwork this turn.
• Trait Gained: Teacher of Magic: +1 Diplomacy; Unlocks actions related to teaching magic to people.

As a sorcerer, you learned a great number of spells from your peers, and one from your past life. The latter would leave a strong mark on you, as would the first spell you ever learned, showing just how important they were to your development as a spellcaster. Which of these spells were the two that you learned first?

Select 1 Terrestrial Circle and 1 Celestial Circle Spell. These will become your Control spells, providing a beneficial Arcane Mark on your body to show how much you use them. You will still learn the other Terrestrial spells, but ONLY the 1 Celestial spell for now without tutors or past life memories.

Terrestrial Circle Spell:
-[] Death of Obsidian Butterflies

• Creates a cloud of large obsidian-winged insects which splatter themselves onto the ground, creating a hailstorm of supernaturally sharp glass.
• Arcane Mark: Obsidian Fingernails, allowing you to potentially kill others even when unarmed.

-[] First Circle Demon

• Allows you to summon a Demon of the First Circle at night. Restricted use during mini-turns.
• Arcane Mark: Chain Tattoos around hands, provides +10 to grappling targets.

-[] Flight of the Brilliant Raptor

• Conjures a bird from blue flame which travels a far distance before exploding.
• Arcane Mark: A shock of blue hair, provides +10 to personal social actions while Anima Banner is active (at least 1 slot filled).

-[] Invulnerable Skin of Bronze

• Transmutes your skin into bronze, heavily improving your durability at the cost of increased weight.
• Arcane Mark: More copper-like skin, provides -10 to enemy melee attack rolls in personal combat.

-[] Stalwart Earth Guardian

• Creates a boundary which protects those inside and pushes foes back via earth tremors.
• Arcane Mark: Earth smooths and compacts itself underneath every step you take, transforming difficult terrain into normal terrain for you.

Celestial Circle Spell:
-[] Magma Kraken

• You conjure up a cephalopod made of molten lava. Quite effective in battle.
• Arcane Mark: Fire constantly circles and embraces you, allowing you to conjure flame whenever.

-[] Second Circle Demon

• You summon a Demon of the Second Circle on the night shrouded by the New Moon. Unavailable during mini-turns.
• Arcane Mark: Malfeas hates you slightly less, providing +10 to talk with demons not bound by you (but not daemons).

-[] Thorn of Cold Rebuke

• You throw a javelin of ice which explodes, dealing damage and freezing over every available surface.
• Arcane Mark: Spirits of wood and water alike cow before you, reducing the difficulty of rolls to persuade them by 10.

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Author's Note: So, uh, I apparently forgot that Military is actually called Martial in CK Quests? Whoops? Oh well, it's not like it's a major failure. What IS an issue is that I accidentally called Sango "Sambo" more than once, which I had to correct before posting this.

So yes, we are a Sorcerer, and I'm going to need to do a post on how that works soon enough. Generally speaking, Sorcery provides two things: Spells and Sorcerous Workings. Spells are specific powers that typically only last a short amount of time, and thus are more useful in combat (Summoning spells aren't as temporary, but I'm getting ahead of myself). Workings on the other hand are permanent alterations to the location or people, and are presented as [Sorcerous] Actions in any of the normal categories which require you or an existing group of Sorcerers to deal with. ALTERNATIVELY, there is a Personal Action you can take which allows you to "research" potential Workings for the turn after that. It's an excuse I'm giving you guys to come up with whatever you want, so long as you're willing to have me grade how difficult of a venture that thing will be and what it will require. Celestial Sorcerers like Sango, while not as powerful as Solar Sorcerers, can still do quite a lot with their power.

Go head and vote, and let me know if you have any questions. I'm going to be going to work soon, so my capacity to answer questions might not be as helpful for now, but I WILL get to answering them sooner rather than later.

EDIT: Forgot that Queen Ulu actually married Cantata for a short time before he gave up his life to fuel the Fount. Added it to the beginning of the character intro.