Green Flame Rising (Exalted vs Dresden Files)

Is that how it was supposed to be read?

Because I agree with Bored on that one, the way it's written says "Harry calls the white council to prepare for a scrying ritual using her as a focus", not "Harry calls the white council and also prepare a ritual on his own in a completely unrelated manner"

The act of warning the white council and doing the scrying are in the same sentence, of course we're going to infer Harry is supposed to work with the white council on that one.
The way it was parsed can be misunderstood rather easily, thanks for clarifying.
I'll try to be clearer in the future. The logic behind it was "Harry can have autosuccesses. Molly should be a good focus for a scrying ritual, and can use her crown to improve said ritual (like we did soulgaze). Abyssal exaltations are producing global phenomena, so clearly they are not in stealth mode. He should be able to give us at least a direction".
 
The way it was parsed can be misunderstood rather easily, thanks for clarifying. @BronzeTongue are you going to add it??
So, with the misunderstanding cleared (the scrying part is for Harry to do, using essence boost), are you willing to put it back into your vote? Because it's a rather critical thing that we can do immediately, with a significant chance for success, I think.

No, because I think it's a waste of time.

Free successes or not we're talking about having Dresden invent an impromptu ritual for tracking very different types of exaltation using each other. Sympathetic magic doesn't automatically make that a simple thing to do when dealing with exaltations.

He should need to know what he's trying to do before being allowed to spend essence on doing it perfectly.

That time is better spent talking with the senior council and working out how to manage the fallout from this situation.


I don't understand how you can consider Infernals the weakest spec, or think others hedging us out can be an issue when the kingdom charm, VEE, bakemono-making charms and Prayer Eating combined make basically all other splats entirely irrelevant. Like, mote tapping via scale is the most lore-successful tactic ever.
Everyone has better minion charms, and prayer eating is not going to be relevant at combat time. The FCF is great, but it won't stop an Abyssal murder spec within 2 essence levels of us from walking up and killing Molly functionally wherever and whenever they like.

You certainly implied that the procedure I proposed was invasive, unpleasant and potentially dangerous to Molly. Which is inaccurate
My point was about giving wizards an eyeful of exalt under major ritual conditions. The physically risk was never a concern.
 
No, because I think it's a waste of time.

Free successes or not we're talking about having Dresden invent an impromptu ritual for tracking very different types of exaltation using each other. Sympathetic magic doesn't automatically make that a simple thing to do when dealing with exaltations.

He should need to know what he's trying to do before being allowed to spend essence on doing it perfectly.

That time is better spent talking with the senior council and working out how to manage the fallout from this situation.
1) He'll be using Molly as a sympathetic link / conceptual resonance focus. Molly herself notes that the powers released are similar to her crown.
2) We will be helping him with the ritual using the crown

There's no harm in trying here, I feel.
Everyone has better minion charms, and prayer eating is not going to be relevant at combat time. The FCF is great, but it won't stop an Abyssal murder spec within 2 essence levels of us from walking up and killing Molly functionally wherever and whenever they like.
You do understand how mote tapping works? And how VEE works, right? There's nothing stopping us from spamming VEE granting all our minions background "ally: abyssal" to fatebend the abyssal into being our friend. Or from marching legions of soldiers against said abyssal.

Also what better minion charms do abyssals get? Zombies produced by Starveling Plague are strictly worse than bakemono in all ways. I guess you could also buy Corpse Graft Technique with an apocalyptic effect, Vessel of the First Curse, again, with Apocalyptic Charm (remember, you only get two of those, and none at E1), is also great. But bakemono making, even its canon version, is better. Not to mention the spawning pit sanctification which works on things other than mortals.

You kinda keep ignoring the scale.

For some reason you sorta assume that a hostile abyssal will have freedom of action. But that veers back to discussing exalted threat profiles with you, which I said I won't. Sorry.
 
So, allow me to explain why VEE + Kingdom = Infernals win socials forever.

FIrst, VEE acts as follows:
System: Upon hearing an uttered wish, the Infernal
may spend 5 Essence to grant it. The world conspires to
bring about the Infernal's blessing as soon as possible,

usually within the same scene. The beneficiary knows
only that the hand of fortune is upon them, and they
may accept or reject it. Rejection costs a point of Will-
power. Sensing the sinister price attached to the gift re-
quires a Perception + Awareness roll against difficulty 8.
The Infernal can grant any of the following: a dot of
an Attribute; a dot of an Ability; a dot of a Background;
a Merit; or she can remove a Flaw. No character can
have more than one wish granted in the course of a year.
This is explicitely not UMI, not social charms, not shaping in play. It's fate manipulation. The world conspires to make Infernal's blessing a thing. It affects and targets the person we are granting the blessing to, not anyone else. That's important, because it makes it hard to defend against with perfect defenses or large dice pools.

Kingdom with loyal citizenry gives us an effectively infinite pool of willing subjects for VEE. At which point we can do the following:
1) Grant a black widow type agent of ours True Love: Abyssal merit. The merit goes as follows:
In spite of epic tragedies around you, you've found True
Love – the kind that folks make movies, songs, and ballads about.
Whenever things look bleak, Love can pull you through. This
capital-L Love is not defined by gender, culture, anatomy, or
even species… though that last one might make things difficult
for your star-crossed relationship. For extra drama, it could be a
forbidden romance: a cyborg, for example, in love with a Cultist,
or a straight-laced Chorister whose soulmate teeters on the brink of
being Fallen (see also the Flaw: Sleeping with the Enemy, p. 66).

System-wise, this Merit – which exists in a crux between
the Social and Supernatural realms – gives you one automatic
success on all Willpower rolls, which can be negated only by a
botch. (Magick-casting rolls do not apply, although the success
does apply if someone's trying to influence your character with
Mind magick.) Your True Love will move heaven and earth to
help you, and other folks might do a Princess Bride if and when
they discover that you've got True Love on your side. Note,
of course, that said Princess Bride-ism usually involves people
making the Path of True Love even more difficult for you, too.
Such hardships are the reason so many tales revolve around
True Love. You shall, by all the gods, have a very dramatic life…
as per the Chapter Five Genres, Storytelling, and Mage entries for Romance and Tragedy! (See pp. 285-286.)

2) Grant a hundred or so of our agents of various kinds a 3 dot version of the Favor merit with an abyssal:
Also known as a Boon, this Merit means that some-
body owes you, big-time. You scratched their back, and will
eventually call in some scratching of your own in due time.
Maybe you aided a Master-level mage… or helped a vampire
prince… or did a solid for a wealthy Sleeper, a spirit, a faerie,
or a ranking member of the Changing Breeds. Regardless
of their identity, this party is more powerful than you are,
and can get things done on your behalf that you could not
get done yourself.
The value of this Merit depends upon the value of that
favor. Minor acts of benevolence cost one point, significant
boons are worth two, and a life-debt is worth three. You
may purchase several Favors, either from a single party
or from several different folks who owe you. A Storyteller
may grant this Merit in place of experience points if your
character has helped a supporting character and requested,
earned or demanded a Favor in return. Once that favor has
been performed, however, the Merit is spent. Long-lasting
assistance would be counted as a Background like
Mentor or Patron, or as one of the allies described in the section
about Supernatural Merits.
3) Grant another hundred or so an ally background with the abyssal. Use Pooled Backgrounds so the total background is probably at ~ 3 dots.
4) Finally, and this is a bit iffy - find an old sifu type, and grant him an Apprentice Flaw. This is not strictly allowed by the text of the charm, but the Apprentice Flaw is a bit on the fence of being a Flaw or a Merit, I feel:

Most metaphysical societies, the Technocracy included,
employ a mentor /apprentice system. During a members' early
years, an elder member is assigned to, or chooses to, teach
a new and inexperienced member. During the later days of
membership, an elder is expected to pass on their experience
to the younger generation. In addition to the usual training
programs a given group may purse, a new recruit often winds
up in the care of a seasoned member of that group. And in
the case of this Flaw, you've got a real winner on your hands.
When you mentor an apprentice a mentor, you're responsi-
ble for someone (whatever his formal title might be) who makes
your life difficult. You can't just kick this person to the curb,
but must instead provide discipline, guidance, training, and
quite often a support system (room, board, research space, and
so forth) so that the newbie can become a successful member
of your sect. An apprentice, however, is not a houseplant; even
the most cooperative apprentices demand time and attention,
and their deeds – good and otherwise – reflect upon your own
social status. The more troublesome ones, by extension, can
drive a mentor toward curmudgeonly solitude.
As a Flaw, this Trait reflects the range of potential appren-
tices and the effect they have upon your life:
• (1 point) A cooperative and dedicated ideal student
who takes up very little of your space and time, reflects
well upon you, and seems eager to learn from you while
being reluctant to argue very much.
• (2 points) A typical student who needs a fair amount
of hand-holding; makes occasional mistakes of protocol
and discipline; and takes up a fair amount of time, space
and patience. Even so, this person remains attentive and
more or less respectful, providing plenty of reasons for
you to be proud of him.
• (3 points) A rather clueless student whose presence
consumes a significant amount of time and attention.
This apprentice can be clumsy, obnoxious, thick-witted,
and occasionally problematic in social situations and
training exercises. He's got promise, but it's going to
take a lot of work to get him to realize his potential.
• (4 points) A seriously challenging student whose behav-
ior and dedication leave a great deal to be desired. This
apprentice may have talent, but the burdens begin to
outweigh the potential benefits of his instruction.
• (5 points) An obstinate, haughty, disrespectful ass whose
presence is more trouble than it's worth. Dangerous to
himself and everyone around him (yourself included),
he's a disgrace to the society you share. Why are you
training this person, again? There might be a light at
the end of the tunnel someday, but it's gonna take a lot
of work and sacrifice before this apprentice amounts to
anything more than a waste of your time.
Again, this is a person for whom you are responsible.
Unless you dedicate lots of time, attention, and often mone-
tary resources toward bettering his condition, your apprentice
could get worse as time goes on. Conversely, you might be able
to mold a troublesome apprentice into an exemplar of your
society. From a game-system standpoint, you can lower the value
of this Flaw through dedicated work – the obstinate five-point
troublemaker could eventually become a one-point ideal student
if you put in the time, work, and roleplaying to make him so.
Storytellers: Allow your player to buy this Flaw down through
experience if and when she makes an effort to straighten up
a problematic apprentice, but also feel free to raise the Flaw's
drawbacks if the player lets things slide too often and too far.
Despite the usual preconceptions of age and experience,
an apprentice could be older than his mentor. He may have
originally belonged to a different sect (say, a Verbena defecting
to the New World Order or Bata'a), and has a head full of ideas
about how things "should" be done – ideas that run counter to
your own teachings. Or he might be a new mage who Awakened
in middle age, and who therefore has problems taking orders
from an experienced mage he considers to be a kid. Even the best
students make mistakes, and so no level of this Flaw is without
headaches – that, after all, is why it's considered a Flaw!
Once again, this character-based Trait represents a full-fledged
Storyteller character whose personality, needs, problems, and
agendas make him far more than just a list of dots on a character
sheet. In an experienced roleplaying trope, you might let another
player run this apprentice, as either a supporting character or as
their main mage. In such cases, of course, the student will be less
powerful and experienced than the teacher, unless he began his
Awakened life as a mage from a different group. In any case, the
apprentice ought to be a major part of the chronicle, and may
eventually even become the center of the tale (as in the Harry
Potter saga) if and when the apprenticeship goes well. A rotten
apprenticeship, on the other hand, could still earn that character a
starring role in the chronicle: as an antagonist whose close history
with the mage just makes the fight nastier for everyone involved.

Basically, VEE, when combined with a large pool of competent minions, allows us to Fate-shape an abyssal's entire life. All without touching the abyssal themselves.

EDIT: And while I can see angels and such having defenses against this, and maybe Infernals being problematic, because of Outside Fate, abyssals and other exalts should be susceptible to this.
 
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@Yog Molly doesn't have VEE yet, but in the interest of preventing plans that will have issues once you get them that cannot work, you cannot use VEE to remotely influence a specific third party. You can give someone a job and fate will twist to give them something within the dot rating, you can even give them a true love and they will have always been in love with someone (though Molly might have some issues with that one), but you can't use the charm as a means to manipulating a third party.
 
@Yog Molly doesn't have VEE yet, but in the interest of preventing plans that will have issues once you get them that cannot work, you cannot use VEE to remotely influence a specific third party. You can give someone a job and fate will twist to give them something within the dot rating, you can even give them a true love and they will have always been in love with someone (though Molly might have some issues with that one), but you can't use the charm as a means to manipulating a third party.
Ok, thanks for the clarification. This does indeed sharply limit the possibilities. So, does this mean we cannot grant wishes that target specific people / organizations, or we cannot grant wishes that affect third parties at all? I.e. can wee grant "ally" (backup, etc) background, or "favor" merit at all, just without specifying who the background is with? If not, I'll have to go back to the drawing board, I guess.
 
Everyone has better minion charms, and prayer eating is not going to be relevant at combat time. The FCF is great, but it won't stop an Abyssal murder spec within 2 essence levels of us from walking up and killing Molly functionally wherever and whenever they like.
This is just not true. 14th generation vampires are worse than a lot of beings all together to the point where it's really difficult to count the number of ways up to including the fact that they have to learn disciplines by hand and through time and in this universe they would have no seniors.

The second point is also just not true. Even with perfect attacks an abyssal just wouldn't be able to kill us at the moment they would require something a bit more powerful they would need a weapon strong enough to pierce our soak well and truly because soaking damage is how we deal with most threats perfect attacks if they are not trying to hit through a perfect defense only score essentially one success on hit and we can have up to 14 with two charm activations (Iron Skin, Viridian Legend Exoskeleton).

The only weapons in World Of Darkness that do anywhere near that much damage are actual bombs. This is before Shintai and any other soak charm that we have.

An Abyssal to walk up to us and try to kill us at the moment would die due to Essence exhaustion just fighting us because we are an damn near an Elder exalt with a full ability Excellency for our combat pool. Not even a multi-attack charm would help because at the moment they still would be running directly into the fact that their Essence pools aren't large enough to generate enough attacks per turn to wear us down that they can hit us undefended.

Then there's a fact that we have perfect damage adders like green Nimbus flare as well as ablative Health levels in the form of shintai even if it came to a knock down drag out fight we can just Outlast any opponent at the moment the only way we couldn't is if they had on top of a working combat Suite supernal final ray of light or birth of Sanity sorrow. Even then we have another shintai with a blade of Health levels too Outlast through that as well.

All this to say none of our cousins could walk up and kill us even if they wanted to because while holy is effective it's not that effective (we can match the effects of holy with Transcendent anathema) the abyssals are killers but they're not much better at fighting than any of their cousins they just kill with a particular efficiency that isn't matched. If they come up against an even opponent they're going to have a bad time because they gave up a lot of their stuff that would help them get an edge in exchange for raw killing power.

(Italics seem to be broken can't fix it past this point)
This is all based on Raw exalted versus Raw exalted power we have myriad both abilities and allies to tilt how such a meeting would go even more so in our favor. From bodybuilding potions to Angelic assistance to wizard blessings Fortune blessings of Our Own Court Spirit assistance there's just a lot of things that abyssals will lack in general because resonance tends to fuck having non Abyssal help.
 
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Ok, thanks for the clarification. This does indeed sharply limit the possibilities. So, does this mean we cannot grant wishes that target specific people / organizations, or we cannot grant wishes that affect third parties at all? I.e. can wee grant "ally" (backup, etc) background, or "favor" merit at all, just without specifying who the background is with? If not, I'll have to go back to the drawing board, I guess.

You can aim them at organizations fine, so backup (FBI) is fine and would work as intended. Molly is honestly not sure what would happen if she went more obscure, like give someone back-up (Denarian Cult) but there is no reason why it wouldn't work metaphysically, it just might alert the relevant people.
 
You can aim them at organizations fine, so backup (FBI) is fine and would work as intended. Molly is honestly not sure what would happen if she went more obscure, like give someone back-up (Denarian Cult) but there is no reason why it wouldn't work metaphysically, it just might alert the relevant people.
OK, so we cannot target third party individuals directly, but we can target third party organizations. I think I can work with that. It's a bit trickier, but it works. No spamming Favor merit to get infinite favors from Mab, but I think I can think of something
 
To voters - ifI remove the Mag part from my vote, will it make the vote more palatable? I want at least to try finding the abyssals
 
[X] Plan Recalibrated Response
-[X] Gather intelligence
--[X] Use the recordings of the worldwide phenomena as a focus to ask "where the the events these phenomena herald are happening?", 1 mote cost
-[X] Contact closest allies
--[X] Tiffany calls Dresden, explains the situation, and asks him to set up a meeting with the senior council.
—-[X] Meet with them to outline the basics of the situation and coordinate a response.
--[X] Lydia calls her retainers, to prepare a searching party. Her dogs might be able to locate a trail in NeverNever or something like this, and the Arthurian knights will provide muscle (if they don't have any tracking charms)
--[X] Molly calls Michael and, if she can, Sanya, to see if they have been given a mission, or if the swords have anything to say.
---[X] Has her agents arrange for fast speed global transportation for both. Private jets, taxis, visas, backup. If they were called, tells them she'll likely be joining them, if not, asks them to be on standby if possible
--[X] Molly sets her cyber forces to combing through the internet for signs of abyssals

Removed LoV bothering.
1) He'll be using Molly as a sympathetic link / conceptual resonance focus. Molly herself notes that the powers released are similar to her crown.
2) We will be helping him with the ritual using the crown

There's no harm in trying here, I feel.
You're missing my point.

His sympathy spell is for objects. He uses it on blood and lost keys, not abstract spiritual super weapons. He should have to develop something new for this. I don't think the being able to cast what he does know how to do with great success shouldn't be taken to mean he can pass any sort of magic we can think of whenever he likes.
 
You're missing my point.

His sympathy spell is for objects. He uses it on blood and lost keys, not abstract spiritual super weapons. He should have to develop something new for this. I don't think the being able to cast what he does know how to do with great success shouldn't be taken to mean he can pass any sort of magic we can think of whenever he likes.
1) We can easily help with modifications if needed, by using the Crown on the prepared ritual - similar to how we used it to make soulgaze safer for Dresden
2) Spiritual or not, exaltation is an object
3) I don't think you appreciate how much Enlightenment has given him. Harry has been portrayed as Arete 6 as of a recent combat encounter:
Magic rituals work this way:
1) You need X successes. WoD M20 required success table for reference is:
  • Simple Feat (Enhancing your perceptions, lighting a candle, changing hair color, shielding your mind)
  • Standard Feat (Healing yourself, conjuring a small fire, altering your shape, influencing someone's mood with Mind magick) - 2 successes
  • Difficult Feat (Healing aggravated damage, conjuring a fireball, transforming yourself into a radically different shape, reading or affecting someone else's mind) - 3 succeses
  • Impressive Feat (Growing or regenerating limbs, conjuring a firestorm, transforming someone else into a different shape, controlling someone else's mind - 4 successes
  • Mighty Feat (Creating simple life-forms, blowing down walls, conjuring strange entities, commanding a mob) - 5 to 10 successes
  • Outlandish Feat (Creating complex life-forms, blowing up buildings, summoning Otherworldly creatures, turning a mob into your personal zombie squad) - 10 to 20 successes
  • Godlike Feat (Rewriting your own Pattern permanently, incinerating cities, conjuring monstrous hordes, enslaving hundreds of people) - 20 and beyond successes
2) You roll your Arete dice (Harry rolls 6 dice) at an appropriate difficulty. You can spend Willpower or Quintessence on rolling? Spending Quintessense affects DC of the roll.

You modify the difficulty in the range from -3 DC to +3 DC with appropriate tools, resonances and such. MInimum DC is 3, maximum is 10, if you go above 10, add needed successes to the roll, on a 1 to 1 ratio.

You can botch.

3) If you achieved a partial success (which is described as achieving roughly half of needed successes, but I'll generously take as at least 1 success) you can do another roll, but at +1 difficulty.

4) Here is the success table (rolled with a 1e6 statistics, so the error margin is ~ 0.1%) for the described above roll mechanic (hopefully I didn't flub it):
DC\# of success<=0>=1>=2>=3>=4>=5>=6>=7>=8>=9>=10>=11>=12
3​
1.7463​
98.2537​
95.452​
88.6732​
77.7347​
59.1153​
38.8325​
17.2209​
4.7062​
0.7946​
0.077​
0.0042​
1.00E-04​
4​
3.3055​
96.6945​
91.5656​
81.6449​
66.0105​
45.8586​
25.7348​
10.6027​
2.9423​
0.5334​
0.064​
0.0037​
1.00E-04​
5​
5.9628​
94.0372​
85.7892​
71.8793​
53.0324​
32.9758​
16.5156​
6.2938​
1.7586​
0.3359​
0.0415​
0.0027​
1.00E-04​
6​
10.1893​
89.8107​
77.6019​
59.914​
39.9255​
22.2526​
10.1137​
3.6273​
1.0039​
0.2022​
0.0278​
0.0017​
1.00E-04​
7​
16.5745​
83.4255​
66.8948​
46.8875​
28.1119​
14.1307​
5.8973​
2.0178​
0.5422​
0.1132​
0.0183​
0.0014​
1.00E-04​
8​
25.8187​
74.1813​
54.1546​
34.0315​
18.3843​
8.4444​
3.2874​
1.0652​
0.2893​
0.0641​
0.0106​
0.0015​
1.00E-06​
9​
38.6462​
61.3538​
41.0278​
22.2952​
11.2921​
4.558​
1.7622​
0.5148​
0.1487​
0.0316​
0.0062​
0.0006​
1.00E-04​
10​
56.6672​
43.3328​
31.034​
10.812​
7.7498​
1.5573​
1.1644​
0.1268​
0.0998​
0.0057​
0.0045​
0​
1.00E-04​
As one can see starting from DC 8 you have ~ equal chance to botch or achieve no success when trying to perform 3 sequential rolls. Normal Wizards, however, can spend Willpower for +1 autosuccess. So, factoring that in:
DC\# of success <=0>=1>=2>=3>=4>=5>=6>=7>=8>=9>=10>=11>=12>=13
3​
0.5073​
99.4927​
98.2474​
95.463​
88.7455​
77.7313​
59.0568​
38.7978​
17.1712​
4.753​
0.7784​
0.0762​
4.20E-03​
1.00E-04​
4​
1.063​
98.937​
96.7085​
91.5626​
81.5769​
65.9187​
45.7186​
25.6783​
10.5479​
2.8985​
0.5151​
0.0544​
2.70E-03​
1.00E-04​
5​
2.0278​
97.9722​
94.0663​
85.8004​
71.8759​
52.983​
32.9424​
16.452​
6.2676​
1.742​
0.3525​
0.042​
2.90E-03​
1.00E-04​
6​
3.6789​
96.3211​
89.8084​
77.6518​
59.9466​
39.9529​
22.2895​
10.1393​
3.6294​
0.994​
0.1946​
0.0277​
2.30E-03​
1.00E-04​
7​
6.2992​
93.7008​
83.4965​
67.0239​
46.9362​
28.1086​
14.1846​
5.8924​
2.0291​
0.5528​
0.1211​
0.0196​
1.90E-03​
1.00E-04​
8​
10.5873​
89.4127​
74.2243​
54.1519​
34.0365​
18.4082​
8.4373​
3.3027​
1.0565​
0.2852​
0.0611​
0.0103​
1.30E-03​
1.00E-04​
9​
17.2386​
82.7614​
61.2011​
40.931​
22.307​
11.2729​
4.5187​
1.7367​
0.499​
0.1458​
0.0283​
0.0061​
8.00E-04​
1.00E-04​
10​
27.4395​
72.5605​
43.2918​
30.9364​
10.7738​
7.6852​
1.527​
1.1429​
0.1249​
0.0994​
0.0041​
0.0036​
1.00E-04​
1.00E-04​
Harry is no longer a normal wizard. He has become the Legendary Super Wizard Enlightened and can spend motes of auto-successes. The most reasonable thing to do would be to spend 1 mote per casting for an extended casting if you are trying to achieve legendary feats. And to also spend WP. This results in a following success table:
DC\# of success<=0>=1>=2>=3>=4>=5>=6>=7>=8>=9>=10>=11>=12>=13>=14
3​
0.1554​
99.8446​
99.483​
98.2536​
95.4839​
88.7317​
77.7632​
59.0793​
38.7199​
17.1439​
4.7132​
0.7758​
7.86E-02​
4.40E-03​
1.00E-04​
4​
0.2957​
99.7043​
98.932​
96.6995​
91.5853​
81.641​
65.9723​
45.8667​
25.8222​
10.5524​
2.9037​
0.525​
6.28E-02​
2.90E-03​
1.00E-04​
5​
0.551​
99.449​
97.9613​
94.0335​
85.8078​
71.8733​
53.0772​
33.0516​
16.5603​
6.2911​
1.7457​
0.3386​
4.25E-02​
3.50E-03​
1.00E-04​
6​
1.0091​
98.9909​
96.3542​
89.8812​
77.6929​
60.0308​
40.0344​
22.3676​
10.1594​
3.639​
1.0087​
0.2096​
3.16E-02​
2.30E-03​
1.00E-04​
7​
1.7679​
98.2321​
93.6625​
83.5229​
67.1063​
47.0415​
28.1948​
14.2193​
5.9243​
2.0397​
0.5611​
0.1212​
1.91E-02​
1.90E-03​
1.00E-04​
8​
2.9281​
97.0719​
89.4134​
74.1597​
54.108​
33.9793​
18.3101​
8.3698​
3.2731​
1.0662​
0.2877​
0.0582​
1.12E-02​
8.00E-04​
1.00E-04​
9​
4.7227​
95.2773​
82.7992​
61.1998​
40.9126​
22.2248​
11.2431​
4.5349​
1.7661​
0.5096​
0.1482​
0.029​
5.40E-03​
6.00E-04​
1.00E-04​
10​
7.3204​
92.6796​
72.5966​
43.4125​
31.0775​
10.8025​
7.7315​
1.5246​
1.1416​
0.126​
0.1018​
0.0064​
5.30E-03​
3.00E-04​
1.00E-04​
The critical information here is that even at DC10, the probability of not generating any successes, and thus the ritual fizzling is only 7.3%. This means that Harry can make more than 5 rolls at better than even odds to accumulate successes.

I have to run, so I'll do a detailed modeling for a number of successes Harry has a chance to achieve with an extended roll later, but suffice to say, I believe, and think that the numbers back me up, that achieving Enlightenment put Harry in a class all of his own.
 
All of this reading up on infernals has given me new insight into the charm set and some conversions that I thought were pretty cool as well as names that were worth stealing. I've only done Malfeas and converted them into Lanka but I'm hoping I'll get more when I have time.
● Impenetrable Warlord Condescension (Hundredfold Facets of Enlightenment) - A wicked grin and an unbreakable form in the Demon City strength is everything. System: Whenever the infernal takes no damage from a successful attack they may reflexively make a Charisma + Intimidation at the difficulty of the opponents willpower. Successes on this roll creates a penalty up to plus three difficulty on further attacks on the infernal for the opponent until and unless they pay one willpower to shore up their fleeting confidence. If this intimidation roll scores more than three successes the opponent must either pay two willpower or break and attempt to run; they must spend at least one turn running before spending one willpower to return to combat. This charm is permanent.

While this is a powerful effect. The situation is so Niche that is worth a one dot rating the attack must hit the infernal successfully and deal no damage for this to be possible to be used which is such a thin margin of error that it's not really worth angling for but it's really sick when it happens so having the charm is worth it but it's not so worth it that you would buy it for higher XP cost.

Largely just stole the name the original is a charm enhancement of Pathetic Distraction Rebuke that discounts its mote cost as well as Ablation of Brass and Fire.
●● Skyfire Seizing Repast (Manual of Exalted Power Infernals) - The hellish radiation, intense ambient heat and spurts of lankan flame surge uncaring of the denizens yet the Demon city is unburned. Such is the infernal. System: Reflexively spend 1 Essence to activate this Charm. Infernals may for the rest of this scene may absorb and dissipate the damage inflicted by purely energy-based attacks by Parrying or Blocking attacks or fully soaking attacks. By doing any of them successfully she converts that power and gains one willpower if her temporary willpower is full the energy is captured adding +2 dice of damage to her next attack. Examples include fire, lightning and other concentrated elemental Essence, technocrat plasma bolts, Tremere Levin Bolts or an Abyssal's Crypt Bolt Attack but not effects such as Death of Obsidian Butterflies. Skyfire Seizing Repast can't defend against Holy attacks.

The original gave Essence post soak damage reduction to appropriate attacks and Essence regeneration otherwise the same.
●● World Chains Geas (Manual of Exalted Power Infernals) - In a time long since lost lesser spirits and gods revealed and scrabbled amongst themselves for the notice of the ministers. It is unfortunate now that divinities must be forced to abase themselves before their betters but that will suffice to keep the infernal amused. System: Spend 2 Essence and roll Charisma + Intimidation against difficulty 6. Every spirit within (successes x 10) yards must materialize or the targets may pay a number of Willpower points equal to the Infernal's successes to become immune to World Chains Geas for the rest of the scene. If it cannot or does not pay this cost, the spirit must acquiesce. The infernal is aware of successful resistance to this charm but not the position of the spirit.

Largely identical but more absolute than the original.
●● By Torment Immortalized (Hundredfold Facets of Enlightenment) - The Infernal extrudes her burgeoning agony into a layer of terrible brass callous. System: By Reflexively spending 1 Essence after taking an injury the infernal may increase her soak by the amount of damage taken /2 rounded up for the rest of the scene. This Charm doesn't stack with itself; additional activations replace older ones.

Just stole the name and description the original is an upgrade of By Pain Reforged that extends duration to near permanent.
●● Triumph of the Will (Ink Monkeys) - Unyielding flaming rage, Stubborn brass pride, an unwillingness to have their back bent for anyone The Infernal refuses to stoop for anyone. System: The Infernal receives Essence extra dice for her Willpower rolls whenever she faces a challenge to her convictions, or resists attempts at Mind magick, torture, exhaustion, and other debilitating attacks. This is Permanent. By Spending 2 Essence may add her Essence dice to her willpower rolls for a scene.

Just stole the name. The original is to kill people for protecting Other on people who you are trying to kill.
●●● Pathetic Distraction Rebuke (Manual of Exalted Power Infernals) - The Infernal forced to hunch so low once before refuses such antics vehemently. System: By Reflexively spending 1 Essence the infernal doesn't suffer dice penalties for consecutive Block or Parry actions for Essence + 1 turns. If the Infernal has By Rage Recast active they may block lethal ranged, melee and brawl attacks bare handed.

Largely identical to the original except it has a greater duration not instant.
●●● Invulnerable Wounding Futility (Manual of Exalted Power Infernals) - The doomed and the mad beat their fists against the enduring walls of the Demon City as though they might crack anything but their own hands. The meaningless rhythms of their blows soothe the Infernal's heart. System: Spend 1 Essence reflexively to activate this Charm. For the next (Essence rating + 1) turns, the Infernal responds to every Melee, Brawl and within walking distance attack of her by launching a reflexive melee or brawl counterattack at her full dice pool, if it's possible to strike back at the attacker.

This is largely the same thing; it only has a lower dot rating than the other Counterattack charm because it completely disallows range attack counters (Athletics & Firearms) and grants no bonus or benefit to not being able to strike back immediately

The original is kind of confusing but it functions as a bounce back of enemy damage every attack that successfully contacted (Parry, Block or hit) the infernal even if it didn't inflict damage dealt bashing damage equal to the infernals soak minus the raw damage of the incoming attack the raw damage could not be lower than the infernals essence rating or the raw damage of the original attack whichever is less. Functioned as an unblockable and undodgeable attack. If the infernal completely Parries the attack they determine the raw damage for the purposes of this charm using the weapons that attacked them base damage without any extra successes.
@DragonParadox could you tell me if these are appropriate or usable charms in this Quest. sorry for so many of them all at once.
 
@DragonParadox could you tell me if these are appropriate or usable charms in this Quest. sorry for so many of them all at once.

IWC: This is too strong, not against significant enemies, but against extras, you could wear down hundreds with this easily. It should cost essence as a reactions I think
SSR: looks fine
WCG: should specify below incarna level, you are not conceptually weighty enough in their version of reality to force everyone to heel or pay willpower
BTI: You guys already have a lot of soak so I'm going to say no to that one
TotW: Works, but should be noted you have to resist the effect, just nope-ing UMI does not count
PDR: Feels a bit too powerful for one essence, two works
IWF:... that should be four dots in this system
 
IWC: This is too strong, not against significant enemies, but against extras, you could wear down hundreds with this easily. It should cost essence as a reactions I think
So do you think something like adding on a per turn basis would be right? The same effect but The Infernal may reflexively pay one Essence to activate this charm for Essence turns something along those lines?
WCG: should specify below incarna level, you are not conceptually weighty enough in their version of reality to force everyone to heel or pay willpower
BTI: You guys already have a lot of soak so I'm going to say no to that one
Oh my bad on WCG, fair enough on BTI.
TotW: Works, but should be noted you have to resist the effect, just nope-ing UMI does not count
I feel like I'm missing something here but I don't know what. I don't think this is a communication error I think I'm just missing something about what you're saying here?
PDR: Feels a bit too powerful for one essence, two works
IWF:... that should be four dots in this system
All right I'll revise those right quick.
 
So do you think something like adding on a per turn basis would be right? The same effect but The Infernal may reflexively pay one Essence to activate this charm for Essence turns something along those lines?

That does work

I feel like I'm missing something here but I don't know what. I don't think this is a communication error I think I'm just missing something about what you're saying here?

Ah, sorry that's on me, misunderstood how the charm works. It's fine as is.
 
● Impenetrable Warlord Condescension - A wicked grin and an unbreakable form in the Demon City strength is everything. System: The Infernal may reflexively pay one Essence to activate this charm for Essence turns. Whenever the infernal takes no damage from a successful attack they may reflexively make a Charisma + Intimidation roll at the difficulty of the opponents willpower. Successes on this roll creates a penalty up to plus three difficulty on further attacks on the infernal for the opponent until and unless they pay one willpower to shore up their fleeting confidence. If this intimidation roll scores more than three successes the opponent must either pay two willpower or break and attempt to run; they must spend at least one turn running before spending one willpower to return to combat.
●● World Chains Geas - In a time long since lost lesser spirits and gods revealed and scrabbled amongst themselves for the notice of the ministers. It is unfortunate now that divinities must be forced to abase themselves before their betters but that will suffice to keep the infernal amused. System: Spend 2 Essence and roll Charisma + Intimidation against difficulty 6. Every spirit within (successes x 10) yards must materialize or the targets may pay a number of Willpower points equal to the Infernal's successes to become immune to World Chains Geas for the rest of the scene. If it cannot or does not pay this cost, the spirit must acquiesce. The infernal is aware of successful resistance to this charm but not the position of the spirit. This Charm cannot affect Incarna level or above spirits.
●●● Pathetic Distraction Rebuke (Revised) - The Infernal forced to hunch so low once before refuses such antics vehemently. System: By Reflexively spending 2 Essence the infernal doesn't suffer dice penalties for consecutive Block or Parry actions for Essence + 1 turns. If the Infernal has By Rage Recast active they may block lethal ranged, melee and brawl attacks bare handed.
●●●● Invulnerable Wounding Futility (Revised) - The doomed and the mad beat their fists against the enduring walls of the Demon City as though they might crack anything but their own hands. The meaningless rhythms of their blows soothe the Infernal's heart. System: Spend 1 Essence reflexively to activate this Charm. For the next (Essence rating + 1) turns, the Infernal responds to every Melee, Brawl and within walking distance attack of her by launching a reflexive melee or brawl counterattack at her full dice pool, if it's possible to strike back at the attacker.
@DragonParadox Do these look good?
 
Last edited:
Vote closed.
Adhoc vote count started by DragonParadox on Feb 17, 2025 at 4:39 AM, finished with 106 posts and 14 votes.

  • [X] Plan Recalibrated Response
    -[X] Gather intelligence
    --[X] Use the recordings of the worldwide phenomena as a focus to ask "where the the events these phenomena herald are happening?", 1 mote cost
    -[X] Contact closest allies
    --[X] Tiffany calls Dresden, explains the situation, and asks him to set up a meeting with the senior council.
    —-[X] Meet with them to outline the basics of the situation and coordinate a response.
    --[X] Lydia calls her retainers, to prepare a searching party. Her dogs might be able to locate a trail in NeverNever or something like this, and the Arthurian knights will provide muscle (if they don't have any tracking charms)
    --[X] Molly calls Michael and, if she can, Sanya, to see if they have been given a mission, or if the swords have anything to say.
    ---[X] Has her agents arrange for fast speed global transportation for both. Private jets, taxis, visas, backup. If they were called, tells them she'll likely be joining them, if not, asks them to be on standby if possible
    --[X] Molly sets her cyber forces to combing through the internet for signs of abyssals
    [X] Plan Coordinated Reposnse
    -[X] Gather intelligence
    --[X] Use the recordings of the worldwide phenomena as a focus to ask "where the the events these phenomena herald are happening?", 1 mote cost
    -[X] Contact closest allies
    --[X] Tiffany calls Dresden, explains the situation, tells him to call White Council, asks him to prepare scrying ritual that'll use Molly as a focus
    --[X] Lydia calls her retainers, to prepare a searching party. Her dogs might be able to locate a trail in NeverNever or something like this, and the Arthurian knights will provide muscle (if they don't have any tracking charms)
    --[X] Molly calls Michael and, if she can, Sanya, to see if they have been given a mission, or if the swords have anything to say.
    ---[X] Has her agents arrange for fast speed global transportation for both. Private jets, taxis, visas, backup. If they were called, tells them she'll likely be joining them, if not, asks them to be on standby if possible
    --[X] Molly sets her cyber forces to combing through the internet for signs of abyssals
    -[X] Call for a general "we are on the side of Creation" meeting
    --[X] Call on Mab, as the primary Accords authority and enforcer, to inform her of what is happening
    [X] The White Council
 
Arc 15 Interlude 10: At the Crack of Night New
At the Crack of Night

13th of March 2007 A.D.

Harry Dresden was having a nice normal day for once, he has just gotten the shopping done —trying to get more into fancy cookery ever since Lash had told him his usual fare counted as 'urban survival rations', not that he was about to admit it— planning to take his daughter to a skating ring next Sunday since that was apparently a thing Americans did so he had to figure out skates. Somewhere in the back of his mind was the thought of a cushioning spell maybe.

Then the sky went black at midday, the sun ringed bloody red and spewing the light of noxious red nebulae across the horizon. It was like a cold hand had reached out for his heart and squeezed, the essence of the world transposed.

Maggie! his instincts screamed at him, but no as traffic ground to a halt with swerving cars and blaring horns he knew this didn't have anything to do with the Red Court. The closest he had ever come to feeling power like this was in the tomb under Edinburgh, but where that had been close and spun like strings this was all encompassing, nightfall outpacing the sun.

"Fuck me!" he couldn't even hear himself curse so loud was the panic outside the Blue Beetle 's window. It was a miracle no one got run over, but plenty of people had been knocked around. Without thinking he rushed out to help.

Being big guy had its perks in a crises, especially when you looked like you had a clue and shouted like you had something important to say beyond 'let's not all run hog wild now' as Ebeneezer used to say. Lash's in Egypt hunting the Black Court. Harry's brain caught up with his speeding heartbeat just as the sky began to lighten as day resumed its march. One might if blessed with an active imagination, which wizards definitely were imagine the birds in the trees and the mice in the hollows breathing a sigh of relief, not that he could hear anything over the din of questioning and now cranky humanity.

Something bumped against his leg, a hunting dog long legged but hairy, like the kind you'd expect to hunt on lonely moors, Lydia's, he remembered. "What's wrong?" The word 'Lassie' did go though his mind, it was perhaps a mark of maturity that he didn't say it.

The answer he got in exchange wasn't what you'd call encouraging: "Extinction wakes, its black knives fly though the air!!"

"Woah there does Extinction have a last name, a middle name at least, something that's less of a mouthful to call it?"

The dog looked at him like he was being a little silly which wasn't as much of a novel experience to Harry Dresden as it was to others, though he seemed content that Harry was willing to follow.

A laugh rang out just off the side street to his left, a blond haired man with a long beard as carefully combed as the hair on his head. "Well wise friend rejoice for we are the first of mortal kind to encounter this thing for all the long ages of the world so we get to name it for the bards to sing, assuming we live. Lyr's the name and Half-Speech will have to do for now, haven't come up with something less conspicuous for this age yet. Not sure whose idea if was to make it so this talking-at-a-distance trick could be overwhelmed by too many people talking at the same time, but 't was a bad one for a time of trouble. The lady Lydia she cannot reach you, nor the Lady Margaret with her. She bids that you summon the council of the wise and pay heed the portents."

Harry thought about it for a bit, then he thought about Molly's tendency to just run at trouble full tilt and tried to imagine what it must have taken for her to be calling in backup like this.

"Is there any good news I can give 'em?"

"I gather that all the powers and primcipalities of the earth and planes sublime and planes infernal are as suprised as we."

Harry was not very comforted.

He was halfway to the Carpenters' House and most of the way caught up on the story of how Molly, Lydia and Lash who should have known better, tried to turn the Black Court and let something worse loose, when his phone started working again... but it wasn't Molly on the phone.

"What just fucking happened?" Harry had never heard Lara Raith curse before, and he had never heard that mix of anger and concern in her voice before. "I know you felt that. Did you have something to do with it?"

What does Harry do?

[] Explain what he knows, there's worse people to bring in than her

[] Stonwall her, he hadn't even gotten in touch with the Senior Council, the last thing anyone needed was the White Court jumping in on this

[] Write in


OOC: The universe once more decides that Harry Dresden doesn't have enough on his plate.
 
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