Remove ads

General Exalted Thread

Reader mode
Shyft said:
I'm interested in hearing more thoughts if anyone has them.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

So, finally got around to reading this and... well.

Goodness, you don't do things by half measures, do you? I'm clearly too used to Kerisgame, where Keris is fundamentally a Night - even if she's a Scourge - and she reflexively hides herself, establishes convoluted disguise schemes, and never flares her anima if she can possibly avoid it. Some of that is an Infernal thing, but most of it is, I think, just how @Aleph plays.

Also, her tiger is super cool. Go tiger!
 
I'd actually assume that Lookshy and the realm have pretty much opposite systems of economics.

The realm mostly exchanges food for military power. They hire and equip legions of thresholders (and people from more marginal areas of the blessed isle) into military forces via giving them food, or the products that are created by this giant industrial production glut, IE, the fact that the realm can afford to maintain massive city populations who's job is to make cool shit. Realm legions are probably incredibly multi-ethnic and supported by clouds of local auxiliary troops. They may also be somewhat non-professional, with a large number of guys who the realm conscripts from agricultural labour when it needs them, around a core of those parts of the realm's society that are socially obligated to do warfare.

That would mean the dragon blooded, and any kind of military caste that the Dragon Blooded decide exists. Probably the decedents of the mortal soldiers built up for the shogunate/that served the scarlet empress and various great houses in the early days etc.

The Scarlet Empire is basically a service empire. It's soldiers are rice and salt and trade winds in a very literal sense. It creates military power by attaching its own military elite (dragon blooded and realm soldier class professionals) to massive swarms of local conscripts/mercenaries who it recruits with currency. Realm legions are often temporary or administrative affairs, based around the personalities of commanders, with only a few having a long history.

Basically, Vermillion legion is the most legion of all legions under this perspective.

Meantime, Lookshy is a power that exchanges military power for food. They have an arsenal of first age weapons and a large cadre of dragon blooded, and they use this to provide military services to the rest of the three rivers confederacy in return for submission, tribute and a flow of trade to the city. Food flows out of the East, from fields made fertile by the pole of wood, down the great river, to Nexus and the Lookshy, which each take their cut of their profitability. In Nexus's case, that cut is in the form of turning base goods, wood, grain, minerals, whatever, into finished goods, both directly (it's got factories and artisans) and indirectly (it needs grain to feed its artisans). In Lookshy's case, it's probably a lot of gifts, a lot of tolls they impose on the river to pay for their protection, a lot of semi-direct tributary relations.

On another issue, what do people think about putting another continent far out to the West, probably ruled by lunars who tore it out of the wyld?
 
FBH said:
On another issue, what do people think about putting another continent far out to the West, probably ruled by lunars who tore it out of the wyld?
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
Would be interesting, since there used to be a continent out there that the Solars tore out of the Wyld, but it kind blew up during the Usurpation and then got eaten by the Crusade on its way through. I don't think Lunars have the same level of wyld-shaping abilities that the Solars do, but I think you could swing something like, say, the ruins of the continent weren't all subsumed back into the Wyld, and some Lunars managed to win the pieces back from the Fair Folk, possibly with additions shaped into being through further challenges, so that it would actually resemble something like a singular landmass instead of scattered isles of rubble.

You know, upon reflection, given the number of landmasses of varying size that sink and/or explode with varying levels of violence in the West, its kind surprising that Luthe seems to be the only Atlantis expy lying around.
 
FBH said:
On another issue, what do people think about putting another continent far out to the West, probably ruled by lunars who tore it out of the wyld?
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

I prefer to do the precise opposite - putting a vaguely Americas-shaped continent into the miles and miles of bloody nothing in the Mid West. There is, of course, a vitally important Panama Canal-alike that is the main passage for the Realm Navy to the West and if some Lunar or Solar were to hypothetically seize it, they could deny most of the West to the Realm.

Culturally, the continent would be the Japan to the Realm's China - a kin post-Shogunate culture derived from the same roots, but affected by isolation. And while the Realm holds the Panama Canal, the native Dragonblooded post-Shogunate culture still holds significant areas of the landmass and are hungrily eyeing up a weakened Realm for vengeance for their previous humiliation.

That sounds awfully like (allies)/(a brave people who need our help)/(useful idiots that anyone who wants the Realm distracted on the other side of the world) [delete as applicable] to me.

(I like putting ex-Shogunate cultures and other DB-ruled powers into Creation. The Blue Monkey Shogunate in Kerisgame used to control most of the South West, and when the Realm crushed its centre of power that led to the current pirate-feudal society arising in the vacuum where fractured noble families with dragon-blood who occasionally produce Exalts have their own holdings and serve as the centre of power as they basically play pirate CK II against each other. It's an incredibly game-able set up)
 
EarthScorpion said:
I prefer to do the precise opposite - putting a vaguely Americas-shaped continent into the miles and miles of bloody nothing in the Mid West. There is, of course, a vitally important Panama Canal-alike that is the main passage for the Realm Navy to the West and if some Lunar or Solar were to hypothetically seize it, they could deny most of the West to the Realm.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

I( can see the advantage of this, but I've always felt the existing Western stuff feels like it should be on the way to something. It's like the Caribbean without an America.
 
FBH said:
On another issue, what do people think about putting another continent far out to the West, probably ruled by lunars who tore it out of the wyld?
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

ichypa said:
Would be interesting, since there used to be a continent out there that the Solars tore out of the Wyld, but it kind blew up during the Usurpation and then got eaten by the Crusade on its way through. I don't think Lunars have the same level of wyld-shaping abilities that the Solars do, but I think you could swing something like, say, the ruins of the continent weren't all subsumed back into the Wyld, and some Lunars managed to win the pieces back from the Fair Folk, possibly with additions shaped into being through further challenges, so that it would actually resemble something like a singular landmass instead of scattered isles of rubble.

You know, upon reflection, given the number of landmasses of varying size that sink and/or explode with varying levels of violence in the West, its kind surprising that Luthe seems to be the only Atlantis expy lying around.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

First thing I changed in Exalted mythology was putting sunken continent ruled by Lunars and populated by fish-people and protected by rebel ocean gods and Lunar sorcery (think part Atlantis, part Lost R'lyeh and part SF underwater cities with bio-engendered corals reef buildings and ecosystems) in outermost Western ocean as a dangerous challenger to the Realm naval hegemony in endless tug-of-war over myriad islands.

It's good idea.
 
FBH said:
On another issue, what do people think about putting another continent far out to the West, probably ruled by lunars who tore it out of the wyld?
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
Hmm. I do think that the Lunars certainly need more representation in the history of creation - as it stands the MoW has effected it more than the entire lunar host - but I'm not entirely sure about making a new continent in the West is the way. I'd much rather have their influence be felt more strongly in the North, where the realm fights against the lunars through proxies (or not so proxies). Certain lunar City states would be recognized by the realm - the Lunars are hardly a united front, after all.

This would, unfortunately, necessitate the complete abolition of the bull of the North to make it work, but that's not really a loss, is it.
 
Estro said:
Hmm. I do think that the Lunars certainly need more representation in the history of creation - as it stands the MoW has effected it more than the entire lunar host - but I'm not entirely sure about making a new continent in the West is the way. I'd much rather have their influence be felt more strongly in the North, where the realm fights against the lunars through proxies (or not so proxies). Certain lunar City states would be recognized by the realm - the Lunars are hardly a united front, after all.

This would, unfortunately, necessitate the complete abolition of the bull of the North to make it work, but that's not really a loss, is it.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

Nah, the basic concept of the Bull - Solar warlord rises in North, completely fucks the status quo for the Realm, they'd probably have got over it but then the Empress vanishes as a one-two-punch and now the Realm is punch-drunk - is fine.

I think, amusingly enough, the main problem with the Bull is that he survived. He's a much better historical disruption setting up the stage for the players than he is an actual player.
 
Estro said:
Hmm. I do think that the Lunars certainly need more representation in the history of creation - as it stands the MoW has effected it more than the entire lunar host - but I'm not entirely sure about making a new continent in the West is the way. I'd much rather have their influence be felt more strongly in the North, where the realm fights against the lunars through proxies (or not so proxies). Certain lunar City states would be recognized by the realm - the Lunars are hardly a united front, after all.

This would, unfortunately, necessitate the complete abolition of the bull of the North to make it work, but that's not really a loss, is it.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

Isn't that really the Haslanti league?
 
EarthScorpion said:
Nah, the basic concept of the Bull - Solar warlord rises in North, completely fucks the status quo for the Realm, they'd probably have got over it but then the Empress vanishes as a one-two-punch and now the Realm is punch-drunk - is fine.

I think, amusingly enough, the main problem with the Bull is that he survived. He's a much better historical disruption setting up the stage for the players than he is an actual player.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
I just don't like how much it ... I can't think of the word.

It makes Solars that much more compared to, well, everyone else. If one solar was all it took to break the back of the realm (temporarily, at least, if the SE remained) than how much does it diminish the Lunars that the entire host couldn't manage a similar feat?
 
Estro said:
I just don't like how much it ... I can't think of the word.
It makes Solars that much more compared to, well, everyone else. If one solar was all it took to break the back of the realm (temporarily, at least, if the SE remained) than how much does it diminish the Lunars that the entire host couldn't manage a similar feat?
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
Right man at the right time.
Scarlet Empress is missing, Sidereals are distracted, Deathlords are on the move.
A capable and lucky Celestial Exalt had just the opening to pull something off.

It shouldn't diminish the Lunars that the united Realm, headed by a Scarlet Empress and with the implicit backing of much of the Celestial Establishment, managed to hold them off for seven hundred years or so.
Especially if you consider lifespan difference on the part of the longer-lived Lunars would tend towards patience.
 
Estro said:
I just don't like how much it ... I can't think of the word.

It makes Solars that much more compared to, well, everyone else. If one solar was all it took to break the back of the realm (temporarily, at least, if the SE remained) than how much does it diminish the Lunars that the entire host couldn't manage a similar feat?
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
Ok, so, as I understand it, there are two factors you're missing, either of which could have been dealt with, although they'd have a noticable impact alone.

1. The Empress wanted to weaken house Tepet subtly, and sent them in with forces insufficient for a Solar as established as the Bull, with plans to send reinforcements after they had to retreat from a battle they'd lose but still cause significant damage with. Then she disappeared before she could order the reinforcements there, and the immediate chaos that has slightly stabilized meant no-one else sent them either.
2. There were five Solars, not one. The Bull himself exalted before the return, but the actual fight happened afterwards, and he had a full circle he was leading.
 
EarthScorpion said:
(I like putting ex-Shogunate cultures and other DB-ruled powers into Creation. The Blue Monkey Shogunate in Kerisgame used to control most of the South West, and when the Realm crushed its centre of power that led to the current pirate-feudal society arising in the vacuum where fractured noble families with dragon-blood who occasionally produce Exalts have their own holdings and serve as the centre of power as they basically play pirate CK II against each other. It's an incredibly game-able set up)
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
I love the idea of there being small but enduring holdouts of Solar Deliberative loyalists who are still around, or at least their descendants who inherited some of their ancestor's loyalties. Like how some DB loyalists took refuge with the Air Folk in Sezekan, for example, but a DB lead society.

Estro said:
I just don't like how much it ... I can't think of the word.

It makes Solars that much more compared to, well, everyone else. If one solar was all it took to break the back of the realm (temporarily, at least, if the SE remained) than how much does it diminish the Lunars that the entire host couldn't manage a similar feat?
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
That's easy to fix, because he didn't do that. He had his whole Circle of Solars with him, assistance from Halta, some Second Circle Demons, and other allies, and the Tepet Legions were being undermined by a number of parties, so they were nowhere near as effective as they could have been.
 
Iirc, Compass: The North raises several what if scenarios, one of which is the Bull as a Lunar- I'm curious how well you think that idea might work.
 
horngeek said:
Iirc, Compass: The North raises several what if scenarios, one of which is the Bull as a Lunar- I'm curious how well you think that idea might work.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

I don't think it really matters what the Bull is, bluntly - at least if you use him like I do, which is to say he died in the battle, but his death changed the world. He could even be a rogue Realm General.

I just fucking hate him when he survives, because he's a tumour that eats the North and part of the East as well (because of course he's a friend of fucking Halta).
 
FBH said:
On another issue, what do people think about putting another continent far out to the West, probably ruled by lunars who tore it out of the wyld?
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
EarthScorpion said:
I prefer to do the precise opposite - putting a vaguely Americas-shaped continent into the miles and miles of bloody nothing in the Mid West. There is, of course, a vitally important Panama Canal-alike that is the main passage for the Realm Navy to the West and if some Lunar or Solar were to hypothetically seize it, they could deny most of the West to the Realm.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
I imagine you could do both. The West is empty enough, and if you made the farther landmasses more of an archipalago setup, it would give the West more of a feel of becoming more and more ocean-based, from a roughly-contiguous continent close to the Omphalos, out to large islands, then smaller islands (some of which are the broken remnants of lost landmasses dredged up from the Wyld depths by Lunars), then nothing but open sea and the Pole of Water.
 
ichypa said:
How so? Like, just that he takes up room or that his presence overshadows everything storywise that he even remotely comes near, or something else?
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

He's a better-than-you character with a circle of multiple Solars - including a high level sorceress - Lunar allies, a massive unified horde, and the magical meta-narrative ability to teleport around the map so he's not content to infect the North, but he also teleports thousands of miles with his entire horde without passing through the intervening space to get involved with fucking Halta.

I was in a long running game in the North, where we were DBs in Cherak. By a certain point in the game, everything ended up based around "what the fuck the Bull is doing?" because he's such a concentration of force that he warps the entire setting around him - and the habitable areas in the North are actually pretty close together. You can't really run a game in that area without running into "will the Bull act against you?".
 
Reader mode
You must login or register to reply here.
Remove ads
Back
Top