Thank you for the kind words! I'm really glad you're enjoying the quest.
I wouldn't look too deep into my rulings, I've never run Essence on the tabletop so I'm very much figuring this shit out as I go.
And yeah, I think starting combat with build power is a pretty common house rule, because otherwise everyone spends the first couple turns doing nothing but building power anyway.
Expanding a bit on my logic for these two, aside from the obvious breaching being just plain cool, which will always somewhat influence my choices, the main reason I actually want VOoP is for the ability to blow a way out of environmental hazards which should hopefully give us a way out of shaker effects we might otherwise get trapped in.
For LS sure we could increase athletics purchase some charms and get much better options, and long term I agree we should, but LS is a very cheap way to get good enough right now mobility letting us put off that part of our build while we pick up other more urgent charms and ability increases
I'd rather go for Solar Survival/Resistance charms (Navigate/Physique?) to let us ignore environmental effects entirely. Even ignoring the tactical benefits of 'sure I can fight in a cloud of tear gas, no problem/I have all the advantages fighting in a burning building as I don't even need to watch my step' etc, they're intrinsic to her as a Solar and thus should likely have advantages (speed of use, reduced cost, easier effect etc) over relying on Sorcery to do that sort of thing. (Also, I don't know about Exalted Essence but the first charm of the Eye of Heaven style gives bonus dice against hostile environmental effects. I am totally not just shilling it because the capstone charm is 'rip out someone's heart to praise the sun', honest)
I'm not going to fight you on Lightning Spider; as I mentioned it is neat, and opens up mobility options that can be helpful if we're fighting flying enemies (Empire mostly, unless we're going outside Brockton Bay) and it also counts as a grappling aid in 2e, so those interested in getting combat sorcery there's added utility;
Books of Sorcery: Black and White Treatises pg 52 said:
LIGHTNING SPIDER
Cost: 10m
Target: Caster
This spell involves the steps of the Storm Spider Dance, a tribal dance in the Northeast that celebrates the spiders that crawl among the highest, cloud-scraping treetops. As the sorcerer raises his arms like a hunting spider about to strike, eight legs of coherent lightning sprout from his back.
These legs are not solid, though they carry the sorcerer's weight and gain purchase on physical objects themselves. They can touch living fl esh without harm, causing only a slight tingle. These legs can carry the sorcerer at her normal movement rates across vertical walls, ceilings or simply rough terrain without penalty. Additionally, the lightning spider legs allow the sorcerer to dash more easily, reducing the DV penalty for the Dash action by one point.
The additional legs grant the sorcerer a +5 bonus for all rolls made to instigate, maintain or escape from a grapple or to resist knockdown. The sorcerer can also create a length of lightning-thread she can tie to or around objects or people. Evoking this dragline requires the sorcerer to reflexively spend one mote per 100 pounds she wants it to support, and she can spend a number of motes equal to her permanent Essence. The dragline has a soak of 10L/10B and can take 15 levels of damage before breaking. Damage against it must be rolled.
Most of the spells you mentioned aren't in Exalted Essence but lots of them seem pretty handy and useful enough to ask Abzan for a conversion. CW in particular is an absolute fuck yes for when we declare war on the Empire. I love it, thank you for introducing me.
Gotta admit, there's a certain appeal for me as well.
I'm fuzzy on what is and isn't on the board for ExEss, but intend to bang the drum on 'hey check out this cool thing! this thing is cool and we might be able to do it!' etc.
Tangentially related, do we have any intention to interfere with Canary's trial? Because that abomination of justice needs someoneto step in and while it's not Taylor's core competency it is something she might be able to do something about (even if just shouting from the rooftops about miscarriages of justice). The fact that it's a human master getting railroaded into the Birdcage probably hits a bit close to home for Taylor as well.
Also, when did we want to check in on the Trio getting hit by the book?
These two aren't spells in EE, you need to have the Sorcerous Initiation charm and Sagacity 3 and at that point you get access to the ability to summon without needing a charm or spell purchase. I really want to hit that ability ASAP and will be advocating and voting to spend our next 2 minor milestones getting Sagacity high enough.
Does that apply to Minions of the Eyeless Face as well, or 2nd Circle Demons or summoning Ghosts? Ghosts have fewer combat abilities (though not none) but do somewhat challenge that old saw about 'three can keep a secret if two of them are dead' and I imagine there are a few unsolved murders that would benefit from examination.
Also summoning a combat-focused 2CD to help fight Endbringers would be interesting. (or a non-combat 2CD for that matter, it's not like they're helpless)
Before this I wanted to spend our next personal milestone on an Ox Body repurchase but this does make me think we should grab Navigate 1 just so Taylor can look a bit more competent while riding. Of course Craft 1 feels like it could be useful for the charity so could be more of an immediate concern. Ultimately I think we should be purchasing all of these, so to me this is just an ordering issue and I'll be happy whatever wins on this front.
I'd rather get the first dot of a new skill than more Ox Body right now, though that may change as time goes on. Navigate slightly edges out Craft but both edge out War, Ranged Combat and Stealth.
The intimacy is not necessarily permanent, but Taylor's resolve is high so changing her mind is difficult. And she's a budding anarchist, not a cardboard cutout of one. So she doesn't reject expertise, she rejects the notion that some people should have power over others.
Her beliefs will probably be clarified once the quest has time for her to do a little research and cohere her vague principles and past-life memories into a clear ideology. That'll probably be part of what she does in figuring out what to do with the Merchants' leftovers regardless of which route you take.
Glad to hear she's not a brainless anarchist, just a green one. I didn't want to cast aspersions, but intimacies sometimes do strange things to people.
[x][Skidmark fight] Take Skidmark on tonight with Mush and Eurus at your side. You will be fighting him and Squealer in Squealer's workshop.
-[x] Call in the PRT as well. The extra help will be useful, but there's no telling how they'll react to Mush.
--[x] Warn them about Mush and that he wants to change sides, that you might be able to sway Squealer as well and that you're not interested in credit so much as accomplishing this cleanly and compassionately
-[x] Ask Mush to call Skidmark and tell him there's a new cape that wants to talk to him, ask where we can meet up.
--[x] If Squealer is present at the meeting spend the effort to convince her not to side with Skidmark
Ideally it's not at Squealer's workshop, but we can work with it if it is. Call Skidmark to let him know we're coming so he thinks it's a potential recruit and we won't have to fight an army of drug-addled Merchants to get to the boss fight or something. I expect the PRT is familiar with 'new cape thinks they can take on the world' and has policies in place intended to preserve the baby heroes more than focus on removing gang presence, and by forsaking the PR of taking out one of the gangs we offer them something they care about to grease the wheels to do things our way. My expectation is "a squad of troopers and 1 or 2 Protectorate heroes are waiting a block or two away listening for gunfire to swoop in and extradite Zenith before she gets herself killed (possibly followed up with another recruitment pitch once she has gotten in over her head)", hashing a few things out ahead of time should hopefully buy us some credibility for thinking ahead at least a little (putting us ahead of most baby heroes) and promising that Mush wants to flip should make their ears perk up. The concern there is that they will be tempted to just show up, thank us for helping to arrest Mush (he might get a job offer somewhere else later) and tell us to not over-extend.
Would getting the PRT to play ball the way we want count as another Venture?
[x][Merchant cleanup] Meet with local community leaders about their concerns and offer to help publicize their problems to drum up political support.
-[x] Plan things out with your dad on who to approach and what sticking points are likely to be
-[x] if possible, buy a medical charm to help with addictions
-[x] Be humble (this is an attempt to use Salina's Humility)
Also, are Specialties a thing? Because getting a Presence specialty in 'parahumans' seems like it'd be darn handy.
Unrelated to the above, but what skill would we use to start building up a rapport with the local corvid population? Crows and ravens are smart, remember people who do them favors and can be trained to undertake tasks and we might be able to get started on training up our own feathered spy network before picking up Bestial Traits Technique in exchange for delicious treats. The seagulls are mercenary bastards who will fight God for a french fry but we could probably have ravens deliver letters or USB sticks to people they recognize and stuff, while also using them to track 'where does Crusader go after a fight' or 'follow the bald asian guy, let me know if he crosses this street'.
Gulls I just want to have crap on any car Kaiser is in militantly. I am willing to spend money on this.
I'd rather go for Solar Survival/Resistance charms (Navigate/Physique?) to let us ignore environmental effects entirely. Even ignoring the tactical benefits of 'sure I can fight in a cloud of tear gas, no problem/I have all the advantages fighting in a burning building as I don't even need to watch my step' etc, they're intrinsic to her as a Solar and thus should likely have advantages (speed of use, reduced cost, easier effect etc) over relying on Sorcery to do that sort of thing.
Worth noting that you already have a charm which lets you soak environmental damage, which is not normally a thing that's allowed. So you can pull that whole "fighting in a burning building" thing if you want.
(Also, I don't know about Exalted Essence but the first charm of the Eye of Heaven style gives bonus dice against hostile environmental effects. I am totally not just shilling it because the capstone charm is 'rip out someone's heart to praise the sun', honest)
You've been given time off from school for the rest of the week, so you probably won't see anything regarding them for at least that long. And remember that Taylor didn't actually get shoved in the locker (and thus was not hospitalized) in this quest, so the possible consequences they'd be facing are substantially lessened.
Does that apply to Minions of the Eyeless Face as well, or 2nd Circle Demons or summoning Ghosts? Ghosts have fewer combat abilities (though not none) but do somewhat challenge that old saw about 'three can keep a secret if two of them are dead' and I imagine there are a few unsolved murders that would benefit from examination.
Minions of the Eyeless Face would probably be its own spell, but 2nd Circle Demons just require Sagacity 3 and Celestial Circle Sorcery. Ghosts require the first circle of necromancy to summon, but otherwise function like summoning demons or elementals.
Unrelated to the above, but what skill would we use to start building up a rapport with the local corvid population? Crows and ravens are smart, remember people who do them favors and can be trained to undertake tasks and we might be able to get started on training up our own feathered spy network before picking up Bestial Traits Technique in exchange for delicious treats. The seagulls are mercenary bastards who will fight God for a french fry but we could probably have ravens deliver letters or USB sticks to people they recognize and stuff, while also using them to track 'where does Crusader go after a fight' or 'follow the bald asian guy, let me know if he crosses this street'.
Gulls I just want to have crap on any car Kaiser is in militantly. I am willing to spend money on this.
Uh, all the animal charms are under Navigate, so I guess I'd say that? Though you probably have better uses of your time and milestones than training seagulls to shit on Kaiser's car.
Wait, something i just though, Sorcery allows us to summon actual ghost like literal dead people, ehhhhh does this mean that Taylor can regain her mother figure? one that can actually put the fear of god on anyone (Is this healthy? maybe not buuuuuuuuuttttt it is cool and rule of cool over-rules anything else so)
[x][Skidmark fight] Take Skidmark on tonight with Mush and Eurus at your side. You will be fighting him and Squealer in Squealer's workshop.
-[x] Call in the PRT as well. The extra help will be useful, but there's no telling how they'll react to Mush.
--[x] Warn them about Mush and that he wants to change sides, that you might be able to sway Squealer as well and that you're not interested in credit so much as accomplishing this cleanly and compassionately
-[x] Ask Mush to call Skidmark and tell him there's a new cape that wants to talk to him, ask where we can meet up.
--[x] If Squealer is present at the meeting spend the effort to convince her not to side with Skidmark
[x][Merchant cleanup] Meet with local community leaders about their concerns and offer to help publicize their problems to drum up political support.
-[x] Plan things out with your dad on who to approach and what sticking points are likely to be
-[x] if possible, buy a medical charm to help with addictions
-[x] Be humble (this is an attempt to use Salina's Humility)
Wait, something i just though, Sorcery allows us to summon actual ghost like literal dead people, ehhhhh does this mean that Taylor can regain her mother figure? one that can actually put the fear of god on anyone (Is this healthy? maybe not buuuuuuuuuttttt it is cool and rule of cool over-rules anything else so)
Taylor having ghost of her mom as advisor would be extremely interesting, like imagine Annete who as far as I remember was a bit of "HE ASKED FOR NO PICKLES!" kind of person just going to Barnes.
Alan: But you are dead?!
Anna-Rose: That won't stop me from ripping you a new one.
Taylor having ghost of her mom as advisor would be extremely interesting, like imagine Annete who as far as I remember was a bit of "HE ASKED FOR NO PICKLES!" kind of person just going to Barnes.
Alan: But you are dead?!
Anna-Rose: That won't stop me from ripping you a new one.
Yeah we need this, specially because HALLOWEEN (yes i know that it wont be halloween anymore when Taylor can actually do this but the point still stands) like it will be such fun and Taylor having the ghost of her mom as her advisor will not only be interesting but hilarious because its a given that people wont believe its her actual ghost (at least at first)
This talk about Necromancy has me wondering something, @Amazing Abzan. As I read the rules if we buy Necromantic Initiation we get access to any necromantic versions of spells we already have which in this case would mean we get Bone Lion, but nowhere in the spell description does it specify whether lions and wolves have a seperate or shared summon limit. So if we do gain access to it do we get wolves equal to our essence and lions equal to our essence or do we get up to our essence of summons split as we choose between lions and wolves?
Also while I'm bugging you with minor questions that are niggling me, how are you ruling stunts for the quest? Stunt dice are popping up but I don't think you've ever said how exactly you decide to award them. I'm especially interested in how you'd rule stunts for Phantom Conjuring Performance and Aspect of the Virtuous Warrior since those are kind of awkward for us to make full use of in a quest format.
Aspect of the Virtuous Warrior:
When the Solar's Stunt serves a Principle the reward is four dice, instead of the usual two. These dice can instead be banked to increase the difficulty of the next social influence targeting her by two. Gain 1 anima when this charm is invoked.
Phantom Conjuring Performance:
Using a Performance or Presence Charm creates phantom displays from ambient Essence, supplementing the Solar's actions. Anyone who works the phantoms into a Stunt description gains an additional Stunt die and may restore a spent mote or gain additional anima once a scene
Wait, something i just though, Sorcery allows us to summon actual ghost like literal dead people, ehhhhh does this mean that Taylor can regain her mother figure? one that can actually put the fear of god on anyone (Is this healthy? maybe not buuuuuuuuuttttt it is cool and rule of cool over-rules anything else so)
Taylor having ghost of her mom as advisor would be extremely interesting, like imagine Annete who as far as I remember was a bit of "HE ASKED FOR NO PICKLES!" kind of person just going to Barnes.
Alan: But you are dead?!
Anna-Rose: That won't stop me from ripping you a new one.
Yeah we need this, specially because HALLOWEEN (yes i know that it wont be halloween anymore when Taylor can actually do this but the point still stands) like it will be such fun and Taylor having the ghost of her mom as her advisor will not only be interesting but hilarious because its a given that people wont believe its her actual ghost (at least at first)
So before anyone gets too excited about Taylor summoning her dead mom, remember that 1) you need necromancy, not sorcery, to summon ghosts, so this would require a separate charm purchase in addition to the 3 Sagacity required for summoning and 2) not everyone who dies leaves a ghost. Not saying she didn't leave a ghost, just that it's far from guaranteed.
This talk about Necromancy has me wondering something, @Amazing Abzan. As I read the rules if we buy Necromantic Initiation we get access to any necromantic versions of spells we already have which in this case would mean we get Bone Lion, but nowhere in the spell description does it specify whether lions and wolves have a seperate or shared summon limit. So if we do gain access to it do we get wolves equal to our essence and lions equal to our essence or do we get up to our essence of summons split as we choose between lions and wolves?
Also while I'm bugging you with minor questions that are niggling me, how are you ruling stunts for the quest? Stunt dice are popping up but I don't think you've ever said how exactly you decide to award them. I'm especially interested in how you'd rule stunts for Phantom Conjuring Performance and Aspect of the Vituous Warrior since those are kind of awkward for us to make full use of in a quest format.
Aspect of the Vituous Warrior:
When the Solar's Stunt serves a Principle the reward is four dice, instead of the usual two. These dice can instead be banked to increase the difficulty of the next social influence targeting her by two. Gain 1 anima when this charm is invoked.
Phantom Conjuring Performance:
Using a Performance or Presence Charm creates phantom displays from ambient Essence, supplementing the Solar's actions. Anyone who works the phantoms into a Stunt description gains and addition Stunt die and may restore a spent mote or gain additional anima once a scene
Stunting in a quest is weird no matter how you play it. The game is sort of balanced around the assumption that you're a decent player and always stunting, so basically I'm writing the stunts for you and awarding the dice accordingly. As such, if you took those charms I'd try to write your stunts as taking advantage of them when possible. It's not a perfect system, but I'm adapting a game meant for tabletop play to the quest format, so some awkwardness is expected.
[x][Skidmark fight] Take Skidmark on tonight with Mush and Eurus at your side. You will be fighting him and Squealer in Squealer's workshop.
-[x] Before the fight do our best to pump up Mush and reinforce that this is the right choice. Try to weaken his intimacy of self loathing and instill an intimacy of "I can be a hero"
-[x] Start the fight by trying to dissuade Squealer from fighting. Ask Mush to share any intimacies/virtues he's aware of we could target for this on the way over so we can tailor our approach.
-[x] Use instant training to purchase Orichalcum Battle Soul.
[x][Skidmark fight] Take Skidmark on tonight with Mush and Eurus at your side. You will be fighting him and Squealer in Squealer's workshop.
-[x] Call in the PRT as well. The extra help will be useful, but there's no telling how they'll react to Mush.
--[x] Warn them about Mush and that he wants to change sides, that you might be able to sway Squealer as well and that you're not interested in credit so much as accomplishing this cleanly and compassionately
-[x] Ask Mush to call Skidmark and tell him there's a new cape that wants to talk to him, ask where we can meet up.
--[x] If Squealer is present at the meeting spend the effort to convince her not to side with Skidmark
[x][Skidmark fight] Take Skidmark on tonight with Mush and Eurus at your side. You will be fighting him and Squealer in Squealer's workshop.
-[x] Before the fight do our best to pump up Mush and reinforce that this is the right choice. Try to weaken his intimacy of self loathing and instill an intimacy of "I can be a hero"
-[x] Start the fight by trying to dissuade Squealer from fighting. Get Mush to share any obvious intimacies/virtues we could target on the way over so we can tailor our approach.
[x][Merchant cleanup] Start a charity dedicated to helping the people of the Merchant's territory.
-[x] Get in contact with New Wave to see if they are interested in helping out, especially try to get Panacea to do a few sessions helping addicts with withdrawl, focusing on those most likely to suffer lethal effects.
-[x] Ask Dad to help with the legal/orginizational side of things
-[x] Look for Corporate sponsors or donations as well as personal ones.
-[x] Where possible try to get locals involved in helping with the aim of building a sense of community in the area.
[x][Merchant cleanup] Meet with local community leaders about their concerns and offer to help publicize their problems to drum up political support.
-[x] Plan things out with your dad on who to approach and what sticking points are likely to be
-[x] if possible, buy a medical charm to help with addictions
-[x] Be humble (this is an attempt to use Salina's Humility)
[x][Merchant cleanup] Start a charity dedicated to helping the people of the Merchant's territory.
-[x] Get in contact with New Wave to see if they are interested in helping out, especially try to get Panacea to do a few sessions helping addicts with withdrawl, focusing on those most likely to suffer lethal effects.
-[x] Ask Dad to help with the legal/orginizational side of things
-[x] Look for Corporate sponsors or donations as well as personal ones.
-[x] Where possible try to get locals involved in helping with the aim of building a sense of community in the area.
-[x] In addition to immediate assistance the charity should also help people get back into work and off the streets.
[X][Merchant cleanup] Try and meet with local politicians and business leaders, convince them to invest in and hire from the area once you've dealt with Skidmark.
-[X] Research stuff that can help with this before hand to give them some ideas and more material reasoning that just being good
--[X] Talk with Dad about it; he has some experience with politics and labour market and you could use someone to run the ideas by
-[X] Go around the merchant stashes with PRT or police to get rid of the drugs and weapons so they won't enter circulation
-[X] talk down the minions into surrendering to the police or at least retiring
--[X] Research reduced sentence for cooperation and etc.
-[X] Maybe start online present to get propaganda and some charity underway
-[X] Ask PRT if they can get in contact with Panacea and if she wants and can get rid of the additions of Merchants who turn in, so they have less incentives to go back to the life of crime
Worth noting that you already have a charm which lets you soak environmental damage, which is not normally a thing that's allowed. So you can pull that whole "fighting in a burning building" thing if you want.
Soak is nice, immune is better. (Not sure if Exalted Essence does immunity/perfects, haven't seen anyone else crowing about them making me feel like the odd duck in the flock)
Reasons to fight in a burning building;
- cinematic as heck
- there's cover to stunt around you don't normally get to see
- one of the few places your anima can be lit like a bonfire and stealth still remains viable
- very cinematic (bears repeating)
I figure what with Lung, Circus, Sundancer and all those molotov-loving Nazis the odds of a building going up in flames where we are are pretty decent. This is only to prepare for a worst-case scenario, honest.
I like it for its thematic flair but I don't know that a style designed for Aztec Dinosaurs is really something we want to start with. (If that's how people want to take it though, I will support this 100%: "Zenith is the rare Thinker you want to let keep talking. Talking means she is probably not about to beat your face like a drum and rip out your heart."
"That heart thing is apocryphal."
"The heart thing was apocryphal until Genocide the Eye Reaper tried holding a maternity ward hostage."
"Oh, shit. Fuck that guy.")
You've been given time off from school for the rest of the week, so you probably won't see anything regarding them for at least that long. And remember that Taylor didn't actually get shoved in the locker (and thus was not hospitalized) in this quest, so the possible consequences they'd be facing are substantially lessened.
Has nothing to do with certain social connections those three have, I'm sure.
"Day one of my week off school; talk my way out of a cell with the PRT."
"Day two of my week off school; asked Mush to turn himself in pretty please and got to punch Skidmark in the face."
"Day three of my week off school; reminded the Merchant rank and file that drugs are bad. Addiction rates plummeted."
"Day four of my week off school; had a meeting with Councilman Wilkes and some of the local community leaders about reinvigorating the Archer's Bridge district, Silk Street ribbon-cutting ceremony scheduled for next Monday"
"Day five of my week off school; found some ABB guys running something they called The Farm. Told them to cut it out. Entire human trafficking ring just ended."
"Day six of my week off; talked to single mother about a custody problem she was having with her kid, Purity mysteriously vanishes."
"Day seven of my week off; dad got a call from someone in the school district. They're extending my days off for some reason."
Glenn Chambers on the phone with Legal who are trying to use very small words to explain that 'kidnapping a teenager for PR reasons is still illegal'
Minions of the Eyeless Face would probably be its own spell, but 2nd Circle Demons just require Sagacity 3 and Celestial Circle Sorcery. Ghosts require the first circle of necromancy to summon, but otherwise function like summoning demons or elementals.
We just keep taking the 'get more magical minions' options, get surrounded by bone lions, shades of 1920s mobsters and 1730s smugglers, spider demons and blood apes, unnerving blobs of ink and shadows that move oddly etc. Eclipse the Empire and Protectorate in concentrated parahuman-level threats offered but still insist we aren't starting a gang because look at us, how could we even think to do such a thing?
In that case I would like to put all our xp (that is also not a thing) into increasingly elaborate specialties that are both niche and frustratingly clutch like an Embassy specialty in 'interdimensional finance' and an Integrity specialty in 'the blandishments of itinerant evil barbers'. You know, the sort of thing that gets "I can't believe you wasted your xp on that" one session and "I hate that your useless speciality became so important this session" a few arcs later.
Uh, all the animal charms are under Navigate, so I guess I'd say that? Though you probably have better uses of your time and milestones than training seagulls to shit on Kaiser's car.
More seriously, the gulls aren't trained to shit on his car, just how to recognize him and bribed to make his car a preferential target. Gulls are mercenary bastards at the best of times, and I think they'd take the commission.
Actually serious though, the real idea was 'train up a flock of birds (corvids) to act as a spy network that most people overlook' as a way to potentially glean information ("follow this guy around and tell me where he goes") and dispatch for minor but potentially important tasks ("deliver this memory card to the kid on the flying skateboard (he knows to feed you)"). The intent is to get a minor but easily overlooked background merit (spies 0 or 1, however valuable such a service is considered.
Wait, something i just though, Sorcery allows us to summon actual ghost like literal dead people, ehhhhh does this mean that Taylor can regain her mother figure? one that can actually put the fear of god on anyone (Is this healthy? maybe not buuuuuuuuuttttt it is cool and rule of cool over-rules anything else so)
Important to remember that in Exalted ghosts are not the same person as who died to make them and they're only...tangentially sane a lot of the time. You don't become a ghost by having an easy death and you don't remain the same kind of person for long, as the human soul is split into the 'hun' and 'po' souls, one which governs conscious thought and memory and the sort of thing that separates a human from, say, a gerbil. The other is where emotions and drives like hunger and sex are found. Even if Taylor was able to call up someone identifying itself as her mother, it wouldn't be the sort of endearing reunion you may be thinking of, it'd be a traumatizing, toxic thing that would prey upon a lot of hangups for Taylor.
...so yeah, I'm all for helping to traumatize Taylor, how do we want to do it?
Taylor having ghost of her mom as advisor would be extremely interesting, like imagine Annete who as far as I remember was a bit of "HE ASKED FOR NO PICKLES!" kind of person just going to Barnes.
Alan: But you are dead?!
Anna-Rose: That won't stop me from ripping you a new one.
A reminder that ghost stories in Exalted are tragedies. The 'tearing you a new one' may start verbally but likely won't end there without a qualified exorcist or similar stepping in to stop it. Given that at present that 'qualified exorcist' list is "Taylor, end of list" and it would require her to step between the ghost of someone she loves and someone who, however tangentially, has wronged her...she'd probably do it, but that would likely surprise a lot of people. (Taylor carries surprisingly few grudges, it's admirable and frustrating sometimes)
Aspect of the Vituous Warrior:
When the Solar's Stunt serves a Principle the reward is four dice, instead of the usual two. These dice can instead be banked to increase the difficulty of the next social influence targeting her by two. Gain 1 anima when this charm is invoked.
Phantom Conjuring Performance:
Using a Performance or Presence Charm creates phantom displays from ambient Essence, supplementing the Solar's actions. Anyone who works the phantoms into a Stunt description gains an additional Stunt die and may restore a spent mote or gain additional anima once a scene
I like these. Those familiar with the combat charms of Exalted Essence, how do we rate Aspect of the Virtuous Warrior?
(tangentially I have discovered a homebrew document, not sure if this is helpful for planning or not)
So before anyone gets too excited about Taylor summoning her dead mom, remember that 1) you need necromancy, not sorcery, to summon ghosts, so this would require a separate charm purchase in addition to the 3 Sagacity required for summoning and 2) not everyone who dies leaves a ghost. Not saying she didn't leave a ghost, just that it's far from guaranteed.
Important to remember that in Exalted ghosts are not the same person as who died to make them and they're only...tangentially sane a lot of the time. You don't become a ghost by having an easy death and you don't remain the same kind of person for long, as the human soul is split into the 'hun' and 'po' souls, one which governs conscious thought and memory and the sort of thing that separates a human from, say, a gerbil. The other is where emotions and drives like hunger and sex are found. Even if Taylor was able to call up someone identifying itself as her mother, it wouldn't be the sort of endearing reunion you may be thinking of, it'd be a traumatizing, toxic thing that would prey upon a lot of hangups for Taylor.
Soak is nice, immune is better. (Not sure if Exalted Essence does immunity/perfects, haven't seen anyone else crowing about them making me feel like the odd duck in the flock)
Immunity/perfect effects aren't really a thing in Exalted Essence. The only one I can think of is Integrity Protecting Principle, which makes you immune to the Wyld's mutating effects (though even then, it's only the passive mutation that you're protected from. Active effects wielded by the fae you only get bonuses to resist).
In Essence/3e lore, sorcerous initiation lacks 'steps', and the Trials of Brigid are gone. You need some sort of unique advantage to initiate into sorcery/necromancy, but there are a lot of things that do it: instruction from Raksi, a bargain with Mara, studying at the Heptagram, a deal with a powerful spirit, etc. I homebrewed a possible sorcerous initiation based on the trials earlier in the thread, but it was not voted for.
So just like last time, you can buy sorcerous/necromantic* initiation like a charm and we can use past-life memories to justify it if there's no way to justify it otherwise.
*Only necromantic initiation for now, actually, as you lack the Essence to initiate into celestial/sapphire circle sorcery. But when you DO have the prerequisite Essence, it'll work like last time.
Immunity/perfect effects aren't really a thing in Exalted Essence. The only one I can think of is Integrity Protecting Principle, which makes you immune to the Wyld's mutating effects (though even then, it's only the passive mutation that you're protected from. Active effects wielded by the fae you only get bonuses to resist).
Perfect effects are still there, just harder to come across, and more situational. This list is by no means extensive but it's what I could find in short time.
SUSPICION-ALLAYING GESTURE is a perfect effect to move suspicion away from you against trivial characters. The solar mode is a perfect effect against nontrivial targets unless they also have a perfect effect.
FLAWLESS DIAGNOSIS TECHNIQUE is a perfect effect to diagnose mundane illnesses. The abyssal/liminal mode is a perfect effect to determine cause of death.
DOUBT-SEALING HEIST has a Solar/Abyssal/Infernal mode which is a perfect effect to steal something in plain sight without being noticed.
GRACEFUL CRANE STANCE is a perfect effect for balance and holding your own weight.
AMBUSH SENSING PREMONITION is arguably perfect in so far as it doesn't need a roll and always negates nonmagical bonuses from surprise attacks.
THE PERFECT PRICE is a perfect effect to know a good's value.
STRANGE TONGUE UNDERSTANDING is a perfect effect to understand a language.
POETIC EXPRESSION STYLE is a perfect effect that allows you to always be understood through poetry and make social influence that way.
ARCHIVE MIND MENTALITY gives the player a perfect memory.
As for the traditional Solar perfect defenses, well those were all nerfed to not be perfect but are in the book.
Adamant Skin Technique is now a mode for IRON KETTLE BODY which allows the increased soak from that charm to be used against environmental effects.
Seven Shadow Evasion is now FLICKERING SHADOW EVASION and boosts defense.
HEAVENLY GUARDIAN DEFENSE is now a pseudo perfect effect. You compare your defense rating to a "Hazard, a trap, a disease, a great fall, or some other source of harm" if your defense is higher than that source of damage's rating you automatically ignore it without a roll. This makes it the closest to a perfect of the three, if still both conditional and situational.
Perfect effects are still there, just harder to come across, and more situational. This list is by no means extensive but it's what I could find in short time.
You know, that's fair. I was thinking purely in terms of perfect defenses, I didn't think to consider all the charms that just say "you succeed at this thing." There's a good amount of those, as you've pointed out, but few if any are applicable to combat, which is primarily what my brain went to. Of course, if I was looking solely at combat applicable perfects, I shouldn't have cited Integrity Protecting Principle.
You know, that's fair. I was thinking purely in terms of perfect defenses, I didn't think to consider all the charms that just say "you succeed at this thing." There's a good amount of those, as you've pointed out, but few if any are applicable to combat, which is primarily what my brain went to. Of course, if I was looking solely at combat applicable perfects, I shouldn't have cited Integrity Protecting Principle.
Yeah, I broadened it a bit because you specifically said perfect effects not perfect defenses. The only truly perfect defense I'm aware of still in the book is AVOIDANCE in the Sidereal section (this book's version of the perfect defense Duck Fate from 2e) but even that has the drawback of removing you from the scene so you can't use it to merely dodge, making it all or nothing. There might be more since I don't have the close combat and resistance charms for all the splats memorized.
"We're going to take out Skidmark tonight," you decide. "As for what happens after that, I'll try my best to get help down to this part of the city. We'll need education, jobs training and placement resources, medical services, hell, maybe we can even get Panacea to help out, get people through the worst of withdrawal. I'll start a charity to see all of that done."
"Sounds nice, if you can make it happen," says Mush.
"I can and I will," you declare. He eyes you for a moment, then nods.
"Maybe so. Now let me take you down to the lighthouse."
So doing, he sets off down the alley and into the street, leaving you and Eurus to follow.
Once you've been walking for a minute or two, eyeing all the locals who scramble to get out of Mush's way, you decide to strike up a conversation. "So Mush, tell me about Squealer."
He gives you look that's indecipherable behind all the garbage. "What do you wanna know?" he asks.
"I'm going to try and talk her down," you explain, "but that's easier if I know what makes her tick. So tell me about her."
Mush grunts and goes quiet for a while. You almost think he's decided to ignore you, but then at last he speaks.
"Most capes, they got a complicated relationship with their power. Not Squealer. She loves to tinker, loves her big trucks, loves working on 'em. I think it's maybe 'cuz she likes learnin' stuff. When she's not getting high or fuckin' Skids, you can catch her watchin' nature documentaries and shit. She loves that shit.
"And she's brave. Maybe not as brave as she needs to be to leave Skids, 'cuz I know she's afraid of him almost as much as she loves him, but she is brave. She's really strong, to keep goin' on like she has, after everything she's been through."
He goes quiet again, and after a moment you realize that's all you'll be getting out of him. It's more than enough, and you're starting to wonder if Mush maybe has a bit of a crush on her. Not your business if he does, that frankly sounds messier than anyone needs right now, but the information you've gotten is helpful.
Major Virtue of Wonder
Major Intimacy of "I love to tinker"
Minor Intimacy of "Drug addiction"
Minor Virtue of Courage
Major Intimacy of Skidmark (Fear and Love)
Mush also reveals through this exchange his minor intimacy of Squealer (Crush)
"You know," you say. "Squealer's gonna need some support once we deal with Skidmark. Leaving an abusive relationship like that, it's not easy, especially not when you're dealing with drug addiction at the same time."
"You thinkin' that'll be me?" asks Mush, surprise evident in his voice.
"I think it can be, if you're willing to stop feeling sorry for yourself," you tell him. "You need to look past what you've done wrong and start looking at what you can do right. You can be a hero, Mush, if you let yourself be."
"Me, a hero," he says, a little bit of wonder in his voice. "Imagine that." Then his voice darkens. "I dunno if there's much room for a druggie like me as a hero."
"That's not the attitude Squealer needs right now, Mush," you lightly scold him. Something about the way he'd denigrated himself as a 'druggie', that's rooted in a deeper part of him than even his self-loathing. He unthinkingly accepts that he'll continue to be on drugs. Combined with his self-loathing, it paints an ugly picture of just what his relationship with these narcotics is. Something for you to work on later.
"Right," he says. "Just gotta imagine me as a hero. Man, how crazy would that be?"
Attempting to weaken the minor intimacy of self-loathing in Mush.
Rolling Force + Presence + Presence excellency. Stunt dice are banked for instant training for Orichalcum Battle Soul, and so are not added to the roll. This means you have 14 dice. You're at 14 dice, 1 bonus success, 2/10 anima, 3/5 motes, 1 mote committed to HPM.
Mush's Resolve is 2 + 2 from his intimacy of self-loathing, -2 from exploiting his minor intimacy of Squealer (Crush) = 2 Resolve.
8 successes, beats his Resolve with 6 bonus successes.
Use 1 to instill the minor intimacy of "I can be a hero", use 3 to learn his unknown major intimacy, learning that it's "I need drugs to numb the pain." Use last 2 to learn his minor virtue of Wonder.
You nod and give him a smile as Eurus gives a happy little bark.
"You won't have to imagine for long Mush. Soon, we're gonna make it real."
***
Anima drops to 1/10, motes return to 5/5, HPM no longer committed.
The Merchants' base, in some ways, looks like what you'd expect; it's a miniaturized version of the classic red and white striped lighthouse, only all the windows are broken and it's graffitied all over. In others, well, you're a little bit surprised. Mostly by the attached gift shop that's had a wall knocked out and the resulting hole covered with a tarp.
"What's up with that?" you ask Mush.
"Squealer's workshop," explains Mush. "We needed a way to get her trucks and shit in and out, so we turned the gift shop into a garage."
"Huh," you say. "I guess they'll be in there?"
"Probably," says Mush.
So without further ado you move forward, pushing aside the tarp and entering the makeshift garage-
"Gah!"
-only to immediately cover your eyes so you don't see anything you shouldn't. You think Skidmark and Squealer were just making out, but you aren't planning to double-check that.
After a brief moment, Mush mutters to you. "They're decent now." You cautiously open your eyes, taking in the sight before you. It looks like someone made a chopshop into a drug den; there's a couple half-assembled (or half-disassembled) cars, several intimidating looking tools strewn about, garbage all over the floor which includes used needles, and the users of said needles passed out in the corners of the room. A couple of the Merchants appear to still be lucid, hastily picking themselves up off the floor and grabbing random tools and bits of pipe to arm themselves.
Oh, and there's also the tank.
Sitting in the center of the room is a monstrous feat of Tinkering. It looks like what you'd get if you told someone to put three trucks, some scrap metal, and a dozen guns in a blender: it's got eight wheels and at least that many protruding guns, armor plates welded haphazardly to its frame (all with different paint jobs, giving it a patchwork appearance), and it's big enough to be scraping the top of the garage.
Leaning against it and hastily adjusting her top is Squealer. Next to her, glaring at you, is Skidmark.
"Mush, you piss-rag, who's the assdrip you just brought to our lair? And what's with the mutt?"
That's your cue. Showtime.
"My name is Zenith, this is Eurus, and we're here to help."
Skidmark shoots you an evaluating eye. "What, looking to join the Merchants? Cuz if you are-"
"No," you interrupt as you're enveloped by a soft golden glow. "I'm not here to help you, Skidmark. I'm here to help Squealer and your other victims."
"Yeah, bitch," says Skidmark with a glower. "Whatcha talkin' about?"
"I know he hurts you," you say, and Squealer squirms.
"He doesn't-"
"Squealer," says Mush. That's all he says, but her protests stop.
"I know you love him," you continue, "but you shouldn't be afraid of the people you love."
"If you think I'm gonna let you cum weasels stand there and-" Skidmark says before he's interrupted by a growl from Eurus. He snarls back with a mouth full of rotten teeth, but goes silent.
"The bravest thing you can do right now, Squealer, is nothing," you say. "Just let me do my job, let me help you, and it'll all be over."
"Are... are you gonna try and take him?" she asks. You simply nod. "But he's all I have!" she mewls.
You shake your head. "The world is so much bigger than Skidmark and his little gang, Squealer, I know you know that! I know there's a part of you that yearns to spread your wings and fly, so please, just let me help you be free."
"We could be heroes, Squeals," says Mush.
"You… you mean that? You're not just playin'?" she asks.
"I'm sure you'd make a great hero," you assure her. "If you let me take down Skidmark, and you get yourself clean, you'd make a fantastic hero. So just let me do this."
Attempting to dissuade Squealer from helping Skidmark.
Dice pool is Force + Presence + Presence Excellency + Stunt + 1 bonus die from Mush = 17 dice. Committing 1 mote to HPM for 1 bonus success, spending 1 mote on CPT for 2 more bonus successes. This gets you 2 more bonus successes, one from HPM and one from your anima effect, for entering active anima. Anima is 3/10, motes are 3/5, 1 committed to HPM.
Squealer's resolve is 2 + 3 from Skidmark intimacy - 3 from major virtue = 2
10 successes on 17 dice, plus 5 bonus successes means 15 total successes. That beats her resolve with 14 extra successes.
2 extra successes extend the dissuade to scene length. 1 extra success instills an intimacy of "I can be a hero." 3 extra successes weakens her major intimacy towards Skidmark, making it minor, then another 3 removes it completely. Another 3 weakens her minor intimacy of drug addiction, removing it completely. With your last 2 successes, you extend the "don't help Skidmark" dissuade to story length, so she won't try to free him if/when you capture him.
She takes a shaky breath. "Okay. I'll-"
Whatever she's about to say is interrupted by a backhand from Skidmark. "You two-faced slut!" he roars as she reels from the blow.
You can't just stand back and try to win this with words anymore. Almost before you realize what you're doing, you've thrown yourself at Skidmark as your light surges, filling the room with a brilliant gold and white glow. You land a solid blow on his chin that sends him reeling with a shower of golden sparks. You blink in surprise; those golden sparks were new.
Eurus and Mush are hot on your heels, but Skidmark recovers quickly. He barely avoids getting his leg bitten by Eurus, stumbling out of the way at the last minute, then makes use of his power. There's a brief shimmer in the air, like a heat haze, then the ground Mush is charging through is covered in a glowing violet-to-blue gradient. Mush stumbles, his charge disrupted, but he manages to push himself through the field.
Skidmark fires back by making similar fields all around the room, sending the clutter and tools flying in your direction. You duck and weave around flying power tools and used needles, but are unable to avoid them all: a crate of some sort shatters as it impacts your back. You're unharmed by the blow, but knocked off balance.
"What are you cocksuckers waiting for?!" yells Skidmark. That's the cue for the various Merchants around the room to charge you, brandishing pipes, wrenches, scraps of metal, whatever they can get their hands on. They mob the three of you, spending the bulk of their attention on you in particular. They're easier to avoid than Skidmark's volley, but you still are forced to block a particularly nasty blow with your forearm from some asshole with a bat. Thankfully, you notice Squealer crawling away in the chaos, so that's one worry off your mind.
Unfortunately, you notice something else that's much more concerning. While you, Eurus, and Mush have been busy fending off the mob, Skidmark has been layering his fields on the ground in front of him over and over, to the point where it's a deep, pulsing violet. He notices your eye, gives you a nasty grin, and drops a bucket onto the field.
It fires off like a gunshot, and you're forced to tense in that special way that makes knives skitter across your skin as it impacts your skull. Your glow surges to become almost blinding as the bucket crumples against your head. Without your brute rating, that probably would have taken your head clean off. As it stands, you get by with only a gash on your brow and broken sunglasses.
"Son of a cunt!" shouts Skidmark, clearly having expected that to be a deciding blow. You watch him grab a coffee can full of screws and prepare to repeat his performance, only for Eurus, who had quietly flanked him, to leap up and bite his hand. He screams in pain and nearly stumbles into his own field, hastily letting the power drop as he wrestles with the hound to free himself.
That leaves you and Mush to handle the crowd. You start to counterattack, confident that Eurus is handling Skidmark, and send your golden fists flying in expertly aimed blows. You don't do much damage, there's too many of them for you to work any one of them over, but you do scare a few off and give yourself some breathing space. You can see the crowd starting to waver, suddenly uncertain if they can take on a cape that's fighting back.
Then Mush makes his contribution with a roar, battering aside one of the assholes and sending him sprawling into a buddy of his. Both of them get up and flee rather than face the trash golem, and that starts a full on rout as the drugged-out Merchants flee the garage after their friends.
The time is now. With Eurus distracting Skidmark and all his minions gone, you have time to maneuver behind him, line up your shot, and send a vicious haymaker into the back of his skull. He crumples immediately, collapsing to the floor in a boneless heap.
And just like that, it's over. Skidmark is down, the Merchants have fled, Mush is on your side and Squealer is looking to reform. You've won your first cape fight and taken down one of Brockton Bay's minor gangs to boot.
The setup.
In one corner, we have you, Mush, and Eurus. In the other corner, Skidmark and a size 0 battlegroup of Merchants, with Skidmark designated as their leader.
First, everyone rolls join battle to see who goes first. This is also treated as a build power roll against difficulty 3.
You get 8 dice, Mush gets 7, Eurus gets 9, Skidmark gets 7, and the Merchants rabble get 6. The rolls result in you getting 7 successes, Mush getting 4, Eurus getting 4, Skidmark getting 5, and the Merchants getting 5.
Thus you go first with 5 power, Mush has 2 power, Eurus has 2 power, Skidmark has 3 power, and the Merchants have 3 power.
Your side starts at the garage entrance, Skidmark's side starts in the inner garage. You are within short range of each other.
Round 1
You instant train to learn Orichalcum Battle Soul and commit 2 motes to it. Your unarmed attacks now have the artifact tag and your withering attacks generate 2 additional power. Motes are now 1/5, 3 committed to HPM and OBS, anima is 6/10.
You opt to make a decisive rush attack against Skidmark, wagering all 5 power and rolling 11 dice (Force + Close Combat + stunt + 3 from rush) with 3 accuracy (and thus 3 bonus successes) against his defense of 3. Rolled 6 + 3 = 9 successes, meaning 6 extra successes and thus a damage roll of 11 dice (6 successes in the attack + 5 power) + 1 bonus success from your artifact unarmed damage value. You roll 3 + 1 = 4 successes, subtract 1 success for Skidmark's soak (he's a lanky meth head with no protective gear) and Skidmark is at 2/5 health.
Mush goes next. He makes a withering rush attack with his heavy, paired "junk fist" weapons. Rolling 10 dice against Skidmark's 3 defense yields only 1 success, and therefore 1 power from overwhelming. Mush's power is now 3.
Eurus follows, making another withering rush against Skidmark, rolling 12 dice against defense of 3. 7 successes plus her accuracy of 2 means 9 successes, beating defense by 6. Eurus gains 6 power, her power is now 8.
Skidmark goes. He'll roll a point-blank withering attack against you, using the weapon "throwing random shit with his power" (Medium, ranged, improvised, powerful). This decreases his defense by 1 until the start of his next turn, but gives him 2 bonus dice. He therefore rolls 9 dice against your defense of 3. 5 successes generates 3 power, leaving him with 6 power.
Merchants battle group goes last. They will attempt to make a withering attack against you with their improvised medium melee weapons. They roll 6 dice against your defense of 3, rolling 3 successes and netting 1 power. Their power is 4.
Round is over, you recover 1 mote, going to 2/5, 3 committed to OBS and HPM
Round 2
The Merchants nominate Skidmark to go first. He opts to make a decisive attack against you (your Hardness is currently 4 - 2 = 2, and he has 6 power). He uses his special quality "railgun" to add 2 more damage dice. Assuming he hits, of course. He wagers all of his 6 power, then rolls 7 dice trying to beat your defense of 3. He succeeds, narrowly, with exactly 3 successes. Thus, he rolls 8 damage dice, netting 7 successes. You spend 2 motes to increase your soak with IKB from 4 to 6, and take only 1 damage. Your anima is now 8/10.
Your current health is: [X] -0 [ ] -0 [ ] -1 [ ] -1 [ ] -1 [ ] -1 [ ] -1 [ ] -2 [ ] -2 [ ] Incapacitated
Merchants rabble go next, they'll make another withering attack against you. They roll 6 dice against your defense of 3, rolling 4 successes and thus gaining 2 power. Their power is 6.
Eurus goes next. She'll make a decisive attack against Skidmark, wagering 8 power. She rolls 9 dice and 2 accuracy bonus successes against his defense of 3, rolling 5 successes plus her 2 accuracy and thus succeeding with 4 bonus successes. She then rolls 12 damage dice, but gets only 2 successes, dealing 1 damage after Skidmark's soak. Skidmark is at 1/5 health.
You go next, making a withering attack against the Merchants rabble with your artifact fists boosted by OBS. You roll 8 dice + 3 bonus successes from accuracy against defense 3. 5 rolled success + 3 accuracy = 5 net successes, with OBS you generate 7 power.
Successful attack prompts a rout check, Skidmark rolls 6 dice against difficulty 3 and succeeds with 3 successes. The battlegroup does not rout.
Mush goes last. He also attacks the rabble, rolling 7 dice against defense 3. He succeeds with 5 successes, generating 3 power. His power is now 6.
Successful attack prompts a rout check, Skidmark rolls 6 dice against difficulty 3 and fails with only 1 success. The battlegroup routs.
You regain 1 mote from the Breath of War, bringing you to 1/5, 3 committed to HPM and OBS.
Round 3
You go first, making a decisive attack against Skidmark, wagering all 7 power. You roll 8 dice + 3 bonus successes from accuracy against defense 3, netting 5 rolled successes meaning you succeeded with 5 extra successes. You thus roll 13 damage dice with 1 bonus success, rolling 8 successes for 9 damage. After soak, this is 8 damage. Skidmark is definitely out for the count.
The battle is over. You regain 1 last mote from the end of the round, bringing you back to 2/5, 3 committed to HPM and OBS.
Somewhat weary at the exertion of the fight, you nevertheless place Skidmark in the recovery position before zip-cuffing his hands.
"Mush, why don't you check on Squealer, make sure she's okay," you say. "I'm gonna make some calls."
***
Motes return to 5/5, none committed. Anima drops to 6/10 (Burning)
A few discrete inquiries while you're calling in Skidmark's capture reveals to you that the Protectorate does have a program for villains looking to reform, though they keep it on the down low.
You consider not telling Mush and Squealer, to your shame. It'd be useful to have a couple capes at your back, and you could put them on the path of heroism that way, but ultimately it would be doing them a disservice. You can't provide for them, can't always watch them to keep them from relapsing or help them through the withdrawal symptoms they're sure to have. You can't get them the help they need to lift themselves out of lives of crime. The Protectorate can.
As such, when Mush and Squealer start nervously eyeing the exit as the sound of sirens gets louder, you have something to say to them.
"Mush, Squealer, listen to me," you say, pacing over to them and leaving Eurus to guard the stirring Skidmark. He groggily tries to move, but a single growl form Eurus stops him.
"Uh, I dunno boss, we should really get movin' before the fuzz show up," says Mush. Squealer nods nervously in agreement.
"That's what I wanted to talk to you about," you say. "I think you should go with them." You hold up hand to forestall any arguments. "I'm not turning you in," you say. "I want you to join the Protectorate."
The two are dumbstruck. "Can… can we even do that?" asks Squealer.
"The PRT offered it as an option when I called them just now," you say, "and I think you should take it. Mush, you can stop imagining yourself as hero and start living it, be the man you've always dreamed of being. And I know you're scared, I know you're probably wondering what you'll do without access to drugs, wondering how you'll make the pain go away, but numbing yourself with narcotics isn't the answer you think it is."
"The fuck am I supposed to do then?" he whines.
You gesture around you. "This. Helping people. It's not as easy as shooting up, I know, but I promise you it's more worthwhile. You want to stop hurting in a way that lasts, in a way that actually makes you feel good about yourself instead of just dead inside, then help make the world a better place. I promise you it's worth it.
"And Squealer," you say, turning to the other cape as Mush contemplates your words. "The heroes have so much to offer you. Imagine the things you could build with some decent funding at your back, collaborating with other Tinkers."
"I hear Armsmaster gets to work with Dragon," she mumbles. You grin.
"Exactly! Imagine working with Dragon! Imagine what you could accomplish, all the good you could achieve now that you're away from your scummy ex."
"Hey, I'm-" Skidmark starts, only to be silenced by another growl from Eurus.
"Can we, uh, talk this over, just the two of us?" asks Mush
"Of course," you say, and move back to Skidmark to give the two some space.
They whisper quietly in hushed tones for a while as Skidmark does his best to give you the evil eye. In the end, though, you're not surprised when Squealer comes over to you and says "We'll take the deal."
First persuade roll, trying to persuade Mush to join the Protectorate.
Dice pool is Force + Presence + Presence Excellency + Stunt = 16 dice. Committing 1 mote to HPM for 2 bonus successes, that's 3 total bonus successes with active anima effect. Anima is now 6/10, motes are 4/5, 1 committed to HPM.
Mush's resolve is 2 + 3 from "I just want to numb the pain", -2 from "I can be a hero," -2 from minor virtue of Wonder = 1
6 successes on 16 dice, + 3 bonus successes is 9 total successes for 8 extra successes.
You spend 3 to weaken "I need drugs to numb the pain" to minor, then spend 4 to buy 2 extra levels of persuade. 1 successes is left over, you instill the intimacy "helping others makes me feel good."
Squealer, same deal, trying to persuade her to join the Protectorate. You have 16 dice and 3 bonus successes on the attempt.
Squealer's resolve is 2 - 3 from Tinkering major intimacy - 3 from major virtue + 2 from Skidmark minor intimacy = 1 (Resolve can't drop below 1)
7 successes rolled, 10 successes total, 9 extra successes.
4 successes buy the persuade up twice, 2 strengthen the "I can be a hero" intimacy up to major, and 3 weaken the Skidmark intimacy so it's gone completely.
You smile at them as the sirens grow louder.
"You'll both be great heroes, I know it."
***
Motes return to 5/5, none committed. Anima drops to 4/10 (Glowing)
By the time the PRT arrives, you're lit only by a soft halo of golden light rather than the bonfire it was earlier. You drag a grumbling and cursing Skidmark outside to greet the PRT with Squealer, Mush, and Eurus in tow.
You're surprised to find not only the PRT troopers emerging from their armored trucks, but also Assault and Battery. You hand Skidmark off to a trooper who begins reading him his rights before leading your little entourage to the two heroes.
"Zenith," says Battery. "Very good work. Though I have to ask, where did the wolf come from? Is there another cape we have to thank for this arrest?"
"This is Eurus," you reply, giving the wolf in question a scratch behind the ears as you introduce her. "She's one of my powers, I suppose." It still feels wrong to say that, like there's some nuance you're missing, but it's the best explanation you have at the moment.
Battery's eyes widen slightly, but it's Assault who responds.
"Well aren't you just full of surprises?" he says. "How many powers do you actually have?"
You shrug. "I'm still figuring out my limits," you admit. The whole 'golden sparks' thing you pulled during the fight was definitely a new trick, but it worked out pretty well.
Assault chuckles. "Well here's hoping you never find them, kid." Then he turns to your two cape companions. "Now, unless I've missed my mark, you two are why Zenith here was asking what we do with reformed villains, is that right?"
Mush nods as Squealer blurts "We wanna join the Protectorate."
Assault chuckles again. "Alright, why don't you two come with me and we can work through the details together." He leads the two of them off to the side, leaving you alone with Battery.
"This is an impressive showing for a first night out," she says. "One gang decapitated, two villains reforming and one behind bars. And so soon after triggering too."
"I'm just doing my part," you say with a shrug.
"And we're very glad to see that," says Battery. "Now, walk me through what happened tonight…"
***
Anima drops to 2/10.
By the time you get home, it's so late you're tempted to call it early instead. Still, once you're through the front door, you're immediately greeted by a hug from your dad.
"Taylor, I was so worried," he says as he fusses over you. "Did everything go okay? Oh my god, you're hurt! Do you need to go to the hospital?"
"I'm fine, dad," you say. "It's just a scratch." You neglect to tell him that that scratch would have been a lethal blow on a normal person. He doesn't need to know that.
"Are you sure?" he says, examining the cut on your brow. "You can never be too careful."
"Really dad, I'm fine," you assure him. "Things went really well tonight." Eurus barks and wags her tail in agreement.
"Did they?" says your dad, relaxing a just a touch. "That's good, Taylor, that's... really, really good to hear. Why don't you tell me exactly what happened?"
And so you do, recounting to your father the evening's events and how you're starting to make the world a brighter place.
Congratulations on the end of the arc! You've achieved a personal, Exalt, and minor milestone. The Exalt milestone was already used to buy Orichalcum Battle Soul via instant training, but the personal and minor milestones are still available. How will you use them? Please vote by plan. There is NO moratorium.
Personal Milestone:
[ ] Repurchase Ox Body Technique
[ ] Create a personal mode for a charm
-[ ] Cat's Puffed Tail
-[ ] Harmonious Presence Meditation
-[ ] Iron Kettle Body
-[ ] Orichalcum Battle Soul
[ ] Buy the first dot in an ability
-[ ] Craft
-[ ] Navigate
-[ ] Ranged Combat
-[ ] Stealth
-[ ] War
Director Piggot circa when not Ward cost her the very annoying Ward (who she didn't even want), but gave her 2 Protectorate heroes: I SEE THIS AS ABSOLUTE WIN!!!
It was a really cool chapter as to what we should buy:
I think that craft could be useful, I am not sure how much with our plan to do some social soon I think that upgrading Harmonious Presence Meditation will help more.
[X] Create a personal mode for a charm
-[X] Harmonious Presence Meditation
[X] Charm or spell write in:
-[X] Sun never Sets: Taylor no longer needs to sleep, this will give her more time to research, patrol or just relax. (I have no idea how to mechanically put in quest)
But for people who don't want to write in charms, I have found a list
Speaking of, I think that Listener-Swaying Argument would also make for a good charm to take
As for your vote, I've got a thought for the HPM upgrade. My initial idea is copying the Dragon-Blooded mode to a degree: you'd gain two dice to instill actions attempting to inspire a positive intimacy towards Taylor or her goals, or else while trying to inspire heroic inclinations.
For the "Sun Never Sets" charm, I'm thinking it would be you commit one mote, and while that mote is committed, you suffer no penalties from fatigue and can go without sleep. This would have an upgrade to become a permanent effect requiring no mote commitment at Essence 3. For those of you with the book, this is essentially just a more limited version of the Abyssal charm "Death Needs Nothing." Because that Abyssal charm requires Physique 5, I'm gonna say this one would require Physique 3, as it's a more limited effect. As your Physique is currently 3, you just barely qualify for it now.
I'll probably make a threadmark with homebrew charms and spells that are available for purchase later.
Thank you for that! Just a note, looks like that list is only universal charms, no Solar charms, so things like Orichalcum Battle Soul are missing from it. Still, that's better than what people without the book had to work with before.
[X] Plan: Alexandria package
-[X] Repurchase Ox Body Technique
-[X] Charm or spell write in
---[X] Ten Ox Meditation
While she won't be flinging cars anytime soon this allows her to make a good Headway on that front while also allowing her to survive more punishment in general.
[X] Plan: Maker Rising
-[X] Buy the first dot in an ability
--[X] Craft
-[X] Increase an Ability
--[X] Craft
This one kind of speaks for itself it's focusing on Making things her costume any possible Sorcerers infrastructure later possibly any housing or structure she wants to build in the bay as she attempts to fix the city.
The first plan is more focused on Direct reppraisal and survival against enemies this one is more about reaching goals of building a better Brockton Bay there's also the fact that the graveyard has to go and craft is the ability used to safely break down objects and turn those objects into useful things like massive ship corpses into housing blocks or anything else like steel beams.
It also allows the building of a costume and possibly a distinct weapon or anything along those lines.
[X] Plan: In Denial of Falling Sky
-[X] Create a personal mode for a charm
--[X] Orichalcum Battle Soul
---[X] Taylor Mode: Anima Strike Exercise, Taylor directs the glowing golden Sparks upon her fist to lash out at her opponent across the room. I don't really know how this would work system wise but something that allows her to strike using close combat at greater than close combat ranges.
-[X] Increase an Ability
--[X] Close Combat
This one's another directly combat focused plan but it's directly increasing her skills so she moves towards Heavenly Guardian defense so Random bucket of bombs don't take us out or any real environmental threat like explosive shock waves, radiation focusing, the ground turning into swords, occasionally the air attempting to crush us.
I'm sure there's probably other environmental effects that are wielded by the Nazis in Brockton Bay and other capes.
[X] Plan: Sun Goddess Accusations
-[X] Buy the first dot in an ability
--[X] Ranged Attack
-[X] Charm or spell write in
--[X] Conjuring The Azure Chariot
This one I just found funny and wouldn't mind playing out.
Taylor Mode: Anima Strike Exercise, Taylor directs the glowing golden Sparks upon her fist to lash out at her opponent across the room. I don't really know how this would work system wise but something that allows her to strike using close combat at greater than close combat ranges.
So the way I'd say this could work is that while OBS is active, your applicable range for Close Combat attacks increases in accordance with your inspiration: with a minor inspiration, you can attack out to short range, while a major inspiration allows attacking out to medium range (which is the maximum range for thrown objects).
This one's another directly combat focused plan but it's directly increasing her skills so she moves towards Heavenly Guardian defense so Random bucket of bombs don't take us out or any real environmental threat like explosive shock waves, radiation focusing, the ground turning into swords, occasionally the air attempting to crush us.
I'm sure there's probably other environmental effects that are wielded by the Nazis in Brockton Bay and other capes.
Just a note, Iron Kettle Body allows you to apply your soak to environmental damage effects*, so you already have some protection from these things. Totally cool if you want to double up, but I'm just making sure you know where things stand.
*Technically IKB only allows you to apply soak to environmental damage effects that were "created by a charm or other magic," but 1) that includes cape shit and 2) the Solar mode, Adamant Skin Concentration, which you have, expands that to all environmental damage effects.
Thank you for that! Just a note, looks like that list is only universal charms, no Solar charms, so things like Orichalcum Battle Soul are missing from it. Still, that's better than what people without the book had to work with before.
I feel like Heavenly Guardian Defense would need a QM ruling for balance. The charm was designed with the idea anyone lighting the area you are in on fire is spending motes to do it so, causing you to draw even on resources. However, superpowers don't have batteries so even with the Charm we would be could be easily forced into a situation where we have to use the charm to not get blown up/time stopped whatever, per each individual bomb thrown at as, except every person on the field could do that per round and we would become instantly mote tapped from exerting ourselves to not die. That being said I still think it would be a good investment just so we don't get hit by something stupid (along with the normal paranoia suit of a surprise negator, and integrity charms for mental defences).
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