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[Exalted, ?] Most High

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[X] The Field Commander - Swift as sunlight, he lead always from the front. A masterful strategist, ever-inventive, his tactics and thoroughness shocked and bewildered enemies and allies alike. A consummate polymath, he commanded the unwavering and absolute loyalty of his legions despite his cold, furious disposition.

[X] Best Friend - Though they were not romantically attracted to each other, nonetheless no one understood Odyssial better than she. Moderate where he was extreme, her counsel often blunted the too-sharp edge of his policies, and helped him remain in touch with the hunter he had been, so many thousands of years ago. Between them, all hurts could be forgiven, and there were no secrets, nor madness, in the space that they shared.
 
Rihaku said:
The Odyssians consist of the forces he commanded during the Primordial War, but Alectai, your ambition is certainly possible given the correct decisions. In the case of the Field Commander, they are the society loyal to him, and which he rules. In the case of the Obliterator, they are the anvil to his hammer.
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I like, I like, it also solves the chief problem of going with hyper optimization--which is to say, it makes sure we have relevant figures around to protect our interests while we're busy taking on other supercombattants.

Incidentally though, do know that Third Edition Exalted has it set that even most Elder Exalts don't rise beyond Essence 5. Some do, and those that do are legends for it. Mostly because you don't actually need to be Essence 5 to use the full toolkit--every Exalt gets to pick one of ten Caste Skills that are considered to be Supernal, where they always count as being Essence 5 for the purpose of prerequisites and effect.

Essence 6+ effects are all unique and terrible abilities specific to the Exalt, not a toolkit of super stuff though, so you can have fun with that :)
 
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Huh, I'm surprised Mortal Foe is so relatively popular. You guys know it will hinder Odyssial's efforts to perform epic First Age feats, right? Plus she's a yandere in the First Age, who knows how she'll turn out given five thousand years! Poor Uly might have to deal with a Handsome Monkey King-level threat that is fixated on him...

Unelemental said:
:cry:
Nio is dead. Again.
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Isn't it sad? T_T But you can have a Nio surrogate if you pick Best Friend! That's healthy, right?!

Delicious First Age craziness is best craziness.
 
[x] The Field Commander
[X] Masked Queen

Moar dramatic tension! Who will win, the thousand-faced assassin, or the Shogun's daughter?
I feel that making Lea our BFF would make things too easy. Besides, don't you feel the lure of the harem?
*wink wink nudge nudge*
*hides from explosive response*

Rihaku said:
Huh, I'm surprised Mortal Foe is so relatively popular. You guys know it will hinder Odyssial's efforts to perform epic First Age feats, right? Plus she's a yandere in the First Age, who knows how she'll turn out given five thousand years! Poor Uly might have to deal with a Handsome Monkey King-level threat that is fixated on him...
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Tempting...
 
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Rihaku said:
Huh, I'm surprised Mortal Foe is so relatively popular. You guys know it will hinder Odyssial's efforts to perform epic First Age feats, right? Plus she's a yandere in the First Age, who knows how she'll turn out given five thousand years! Poor Uly might have to deal with a Handsome Monkey King-level threat that is fixated on him...



Isn't it sad? T_T But you can have a Nio surrogate if you pick Best Friend! That's healthy, right?!

Delicious First Age craziness is best craziness.
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Moon had 2 quests for her while lea never appeared. It's Lea turn now.
 
Alectai said:
I like, I like, it also solves the chief problem of going with hyper optimization--which is to say, it makes sure we have relevant figures around to protect our interests while we're busy taking on other supercombattants.
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Well, the chief problem you'd need to tackle is making Odyssial someone that the DBs would want to bring back. The second problem is protecting those DBs from the Bronze Faction / Immaculate Philosophy, and keeping the tradition alive in the face of generational change plus the upheaval of the Great Contagion.

Incidentally though, do know that Third Edition Exalted has it set that even most Elder Exalts don't rise beyond Essence 5. Some do, and those that do are legends for it. Mostly because you don't actually need to be Essence 5 to use the full toolkit--every Exalt gets to pick one of ten Caste Skills that are considered to be Supernal, where they always count as being Essence 5 for the purpose of prerequisites and effect.

Essence 6+ effects are all unique and terrible abilities specific to the Exalt, not a toolkit of super stuff though, so you can have fun with that :)
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Yup, I know that much. There's no way Odyssial has anything less than the maximum Essence rating though, those other chumps will just have to deal.
 
[X] The Field Commander - Swift as sunlight, he lead always from the front. A masterful strategist, ever-inventive, his tactics and thoroughness shocked and bewildered enemies and allies alike. A consummate polymath, he commanded the unwavering and absolute loyalty of his legions despite his cold, furious disposition.

[X] Best Friend - Though they were not romantically attracted to each other, nonetheless no one understood Odyssial better than she. Moderate where he was extreme, her counsel often blunted the too-sharp edge of his policies, and helped him remain in touch with the hunter he had been, so many thousands of years ago. Between them, all hurts could be forgiven, and there were no secrets, nor madness, in the space that they shared.
 
[X] The Field Commander - Swift as sunlight, he lead always from the front. A masterful strategist, ever-inventive, his tactics and thoroughness shocked and bewildered enemies and allies alike. A consummate polymath, he commanded the unwavering and absolute loyalty of his legions despite his cold, furious disposition.

[X] Best Friend - Though they were not romantically attracted to each other, nonetheless no one understood Odyssial better than she. Moderate where he was extreme, her counsel often blunted the too-sharp edge of his policies, and helped him remain in touch with the hunter he had been, so many thousands of years ago. Between them, all hurts could be forgiven, and there were no secrets, nor madness, in the space that they shared.
 
[X] The Obliterator
[X] Mortal Foe

Going with these two as a combo. They both will be glorious this way. As for other reasons... I can easily see Odyssial taking this path after losing everything and throwing himself against the titans. Rather then try to uplift a society to fight for him.
 
Well. We're not dead.

Also, did we really fight that guy for the entire night? Really? How the hell could that possibly... ... Or maybe it wasn't as long as it felt?

[X] The Field Commander - Swift as sunlight, he lead always from the front. A masterful strategist, ever-inventive, his tactics and thoroughness shocked and bewildered enemies and allies alike. A consummate polymath, he commanded the unwavering and absolute loyalty of his legions despite his cold, furious disposition.

[X] Best Friend - Though they were not romantically attracted to each other, nonetheless no one understood Odyssial better than she. Moderate where he was extreme, her counsel often blunted the too-sharp edge of his policies, and helped him remain in touch with the hunter he had been, so many thousands of years ago. Between them, all hurts could be forgiven, and there were no secrets, nor madness, in the space that they shared.

This combination seems the... the least lonely. The one most likely to maybe open up to camaraderie.

Why do I think a possibility of camaraderie is encouraged more by a best friend than a masked queen? Because the latter seems too private and personal. It sounds like it would be a relationship he would find solace in; something uniquely suited and crafted.

While it's not like Odyssial's best friend wouldn't be a very unique person... the point is that "friend" has the kind of connotations that I prefer more. There's a bit more... open-ness. Like -- there can only ever be one true love, but friendship comes in various forms right? Or at least is more easily imagined.


Plus, the description of Best Friend has connotations of sometimes having a moderate or softening influence upon Odyssial. And that "no madness" sounds well-boding.
 
[x] The Field Commander

[X] Masked Queen

Because ultimate Solar, and ultimate Lunar. Also, they are each other's weakness.
 
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Garlak said:
Well. We're not dead.

Also, did we really fight that guy for the entire night? Really? How the hell could that possibly... ... Or maybe it wasn't as long as it felt?

[X] The Field Commander - Swift as sunlight, he lead always from the front. A masterful strategist, ever-inventive, his tactics and thoroughness shocked and bewildered enemies and allies alike. A consummate polymath, he commanded the unwavering and absolute loyalty of his legions despite his cold, furious disposition.

[X] Best Friend - Though they were not romantically attracted to each other, nonetheless no one understood Odyssial better than she. Moderate where he was extreme, her counsel often blunted the too-sharp edge of his policies, and helped him remain in touch with the hunter he had been, so many thousands of years ago. Between them, all hurts could be forgiven, and there were no secrets, nor madness, in the space that they shared.

This combination seems the... the least lonely. The one most likely to maybe open up to camaraderie.

Why do I think a possibility of camaraderie is encouraged more by a best friend than a masked queen? Because the latter seems too private and personal. It sounds like it would be a relationship he would find solace in; something uniquely suited and crafted.

While it's not like Odyssial's best friend wouldn't be a very unique person... the point is that "friend" has the kind of connotations that I prefer more. There's a bit more... open-ness. Like -- there can only ever be one true love, but friendship comes in various forms right? Or at least is more easily imagined.


Plus, the description of Best Friend has connotations of sometimes having a moderate or softening influence upon Odyssial. And that "no madness" sounds well-boding.
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Time was sort of malleable then?
 
[X] The Obliterator
[X] Best Friend

Because Gilgamesh without Enkidu is so much lesser, in spirit and soul if not physical might.

Not to mention that having Odyssial's most constant source of social interaction be with a Yandere or a female version of himself would be horrifying beyond measure.
 
[X] The Field Commander - Swift as sunlight, he lead always from the front. A masterful strategist, ever-inventive, his tactics and thoroughness shocked and bewildered enemies and allies alike. A consummate polymath, he commanded the unwavering and absolute loyalty of his legions despite his cold, furious disposition.

[X] Best Friend - Though they were not romantically attracted to each other, nonetheless no one understood Odyssial better than she. Moderate where he was extreme, her counsel often blunted the too-sharp edge of his policies, and helped him remain in touch with the hunter he had been, so many thousands of years ago. Between them, all hurts could be forgiven, and there were no secrets, nor madness, in the space that they shared.

Welp. Nio...it's like we hardly knew ya.
Also...I kinda don't have a clue who Lea is...but ok.
 
[X] The Obliterator - Always he fought alone, but there was no Titan or army so mighty that it would not quail before his terrible fury. Silent as a sunbeam, he forged a legend of invincible destruction that echoes still to this day. To face him is the direst folly; to defy him is to beg for death. There was no angle by which he would fail to attack, and often he struck from every angle at once, like a hurricane sprung from sudden mists. Like a sun risen from nothingness, returned to scour a lightless world.
[X] Mortal Foe - Adversity propels growth only for the insufficiently motivated; otherwise, it is an unproductive distraction. That was what he believed, before he met her. Their love was devastation, the shattering of nations, for no mortal force could stand in its wake. A love true and pure, a star of paradox, for those two spirits could in no way cooperate otherwise. His equal in power, his utter nemesis in purpose, nature, and name.
 
Garlak said:
Well. We're not dead.

Also, did we really fight that guy for the entire night? Really?
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Yes, really. He never gives up, ever.

How the hell could that possibly...
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Well, one doesn't Exalt by taking half-measures! Not in the Age of Glory.

This combination seems the... the least lonely. The one most likely to maybe open up to camaraderie.

Why do I think a possibility of camaraderie is encouraged more by a best friend than a masked queen? Because the latter seems too private and personal. It sounds like it would be a relationship he would find solace in; something uniquely suited and crafted.

While it's not like Odyssial's best friend wouldn't be a very unique person... the point is that "friend" has the kind of connotations that I prefer more. There's a bit more... open-ness. Like -- there can only ever be one true love, but friendship comes in various forms right? Or at least is more easily imagined.
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Even a general can be alone. When there is truly no one above you, that is its own form of loneliness. That said, it's definitely more prosocial (for a given value of social) than the Obliterator, though that is not necessarily always the case. It depends a lot on what interpretation you guys want to argue. Merely commanding others does not always bring one closer to them. Often, it can only widen the distance.

Plus, the description of Best Friend has connotations of sometimes having a moderate or softening influence upon Odyssial. And that "no madness" sounds well-boding.
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Being reliant on someone for a reprieve from madness can have serious consequences of its own, of course.
 
[X] Best Friend

Though the prospect of a five thousand year old Lunar yandere is... interesting, it's the sort of interesting that is usually reserved for particularly spiteful Chinese curses, which is to say I want no part of it. The Best Friend is unhealthy in its own way, but it or the Masked Queen are infinitely preferable to a creature that will actively seek to destroy both us and Moon.

[X] The Obliterator

The Obliterator seems like a rational reaction to the loss of his tribe, seeking to cultivate himself rather than lead others into ruin.
 
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Gaudy Guise said:
[X] The Obliterator
[X] Best Friend

Because Gilgamesh without Enkidu is so much lesser, in spirit and soul if not physical might.

Not to mention that having Odyssial's most constant source of social interaction be with a Yandere or a female version of himself would be horrifying beyond measure.
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The yandere and the female version of himself (as far as power is concerned, anyway) are both the mortal foe! The Masked Queen is complementary to Odyssial, while the Mortal Foe is more directly rivalrous.

sithmor said:
[X] The Field Commander - Swift as sunlight, he lead always from the front. A masterful strategist, ever-inventive, his tactics and thoroughness shocked and bewildered enemies and allies alike. A consummate polymath, he commanded the unwavering and absolute loyalty of his legions despite his cold, furious disposition.

[X] Best Friend - Though they were not romantically attracted to each other, nonetheless no one understood Odyssial better than she. Moderate where he was extreme, her counsel often blunted the too-sharp edge of his policies, and helped him remain in touch with the hunter he had been, so many thousands of years ago. Between them, all hurts could be forgiven, and there were no secrets, nor madness, in the space that they shared.

Welp. Nio...it's like we hardly knew ya.
Also...I kinda don't have a clue who Lea is...but ok.
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Lea is his waifu in the First Age. Every Solar was paired with a Lunar Mate.
 
Orm Embar said:
[X] The Obliterator
[X] Best Friend

Though the prospect of a five thousand year old Lunar yandere is... interesting, it's the sort of interesting that is usually reserved for particularly spiteful Chinese curses, which is to say I want no part of it. The Obliterator seems like a rational reaction to loss; seeking to cultivate himself rather than lead others into ruin.
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I'm surprised you would choose the option that is an ameliorating influence on Odyssial! Have you given up on making him as glorious and terrible as possible, or do you plan to argue that the Best Friend will accomplish this goal?
 
Well, I can't say I didn't see this coming, especially as I did not finish my previous argument, but I can't help but admit to some disappointment. I never objected to Odyssial having friends, merely that anger is such a temperamental mistress and has so many obvious downsides, that I had hoped to blunt the edge. But c'est la vie.

For the moment, I vote:

[X] The Field Commander - Swift as sunlight, he lead always from the front. A masterful strategist, ever-inventive, his tactics and thoroughness shocked and bewildered enemies and allies alike. A consummate polymath, he commanded the unwavering and absolute loyalty of his legions despite his cold, furious disposition.

If we're going with fury, we might as well take advantage of its benefits.
@Rihaku does the build merely illustrate focus or does it also affect personal puissance? This may affect my decision.


[X] Masked Queen - Strong where he was weak, direct where he was circuitous, together they eclipsed even the sun and moon. The thousand-faced seductress stalked the gardens and courtyards of the Titans and the Fair, plying her wiles, pouring poison and honey into their councils of war. Masks beneath masks she hid, and in all the history of Creation her true name was spoken only when they were alone. A love made strong by weakness: the weakness of her true face, and the weakness of his kindness.

In brief, the dualism appeals to me and hopefully her drive will help to propel Odyssial when his anger inevitably fails or causes him to overreach. I don't want to depend upon another person (as in Best Friend) to maintain our sanity, but an example and complementary counterpart would seem to be in line with Odyssial's needs and desires. Plus, replacing our sister with a Lunar Mate is just unhealthy psychologically, especially for Great Curse-ridden Solars.

More arguments when I'm not exhausted.
 
Indrik said:
Well, I can't say I didn't see this coming, especially as I did not finish my previous argument, but I can't help but admit to some disappointment. I never objected to Odyssial having friends, merely that anger is such a temperamental mistress and has so many obvious downsides, that I had hoped to blunt the edge. But c'est la vie.

For the moment, I vote:

[X] The Field Commander - Swift as sunlight, he lead always from the front. A masterful strategist, ever-inventive, his tactics and thoroughness shocked and bewildered enemies and allies alike. A consummate polymath, he commanded the unwavering and absolute loyalty of his legions despite his cold, furious disposition.

If we're going with fury, we might as well take advantage of its benefits.
@Rihaku does the build merely illustrate focus or does it also affect personal puissance? This may affect my decision.
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Both are the same power overall, though it's highly contextual.

[X] Masked Queen - Strong where he was weak, direct where he was circuitous, together they eclipsed even the sun and moon. The thousand-faced seductress stalked the gardens and courtyards of the Titans and the Fair, plying her wiles, pouring poison and honey into their councils of war. Masks beneath masks she hid, and in all the history of Creation her true name was spoken only when they were alone. A love made strong by weakness: the weakness of her true face, and the weakness of his kindness.

In brief, the dualism appeals to me and hopefully her drive will help to propel Odyssial when his anger inevitably fails or causes him to overreach. I don't want to depend upon another person (as in Best Friend) to maintain our sanity, but an example and complementary counterpart would seem to be in line with Odyssial's needs and desires. Plus, replacing our sister with a Lunar Mate is just unhealthy psychologically, especially for Great Curse-ridden Solars.

More arguments when I'm not exhausted.
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Well, the Best Friend doesn't necessarily have to act like Nio, it's just one possible interpretation!
 
Rihaku said:
I'm surprised you would choose the option that is an ameliorating influence on Odyssial! Have you given up on making him as glorious and terrible as possible, or do you plan to argue that the Best Friend will accomplish this goal?
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Hm, with the victory of Fury and the prelude drawing to a close, I suppose I was viewing the decision point through the lens of what would be most beneficial in the Age of Sorrows, having temporarily turned my mind to considerations other than Odyssial's glory. It's certainly not set in stone; something like this deserves careful consideration.
 
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