- Location
- my house
General Exalted Thread
Parabola
Divided Loyalties Librarian
- Location
- The Destination of Fate
- Pronouns
- She/Her
Yeah, I understand those concerns, I want nice things for Mortals too. But the thing is, I also don't want Exalts to think they should never pick up thaumaturgy because it's not worth it, or because they'd think it's beneath them. And having Exalts be good at thaumaturgy doesn't (or shouldn't) mean that it's worthless for mortals to pick them up, anymore than it would be worthless for mortals to pick up martial arts or other stuff.
Lately I've been thinking of mortals like pawns in chess. Pawns are the weakest piece, but also arguably the most important. They are expendable, but so is every piece other than the king. They may move predictably and slowly, but they form the backbone of one's tactics, and they can take any other piece in the game. And most importantly, if a pawn can by some miracle survive all the way to the other end of the board, they can become any piece other than the king.
On some abstract level mortals fit all these categories. You couldn't hold any game of Exalted without mortals, even if they don't see the limelight all that much. They're weak and puny in comparison to most other supernatural creatures, but they can still kill them, with the right tactics or support. And if they're tenacious enough, determined enough, awesome enough, they can become almost any other supernatural creature, usually an Exalt.
- Location
- Singapore
Um.... why can't the exalted find thaumaturgy not worth it? Its inefficient and weak compared to their own charms
Parabola
Divided Loyalties Librarian
- Location
- The Destination of Fate
- Pronouns
- She/Her
I didn't say they can't, I said I don't want them to find it not worth it.
- Location
- United States
If you want to encourage Thaumaturgic Proliferation, reduce the xp cost for player characters to pick up degrees (I'm playing in a game where it's 5xp to learn the first two degrees of an art and 6xp to master the third, which is the same as buying two favored charms) and have more NPC that know it. You don't have to tie it into the nature of the individual exalted (especially when no one really knows what the deal is with all the new types, everything is a bunch of assumptions that staple together what tidbits of information we've been given over the years)
If you want it to be a worthwhile investment for Solars while also not being an inappropriate level of power for mortals, maybe you could design thaumaturgy so that it was balanced around mortals and then give Solars an Occult charm that reduces the costs of learning Thaumaturgy.
- Pronouns
- They/Them
- Location
- Singapore
May i ask why?
- Location
- Singapore
I assume this was the necromancy spell, an abyssal curse, or that brothel within the underworld
Carrnage
Human
- Location
- New Zealand
IIRC you could use a charm to drain people's life force as they slept through intimate acts, there were further charms that let you use the spirits of those you killed with it as proxies for the original charm.
might be misremembering a tad.
- Location
- Gladstone, OR
No, it was part of the abyssal preview on somethingawful forums; basically there was a charm that abyssals could get that A: made them sexier, and B: had the 'creepy' effect of attracting ghosts to beat on the walls and windows, wailing about how sexy the character was- it came off as some kind of 'it's not rape if the woman is asking for it' mechanic. Mind you it's been months since I read the charms or the arguments....
Or I could do a quick google
Article: Has your group been looking for the right role playing system that will let you incorporate rape into your tabletop game? Your search is over! Exalted, a "mature" game from White Wolf, and now Onyx Path, has exciting new ways to make the atmosphere around your gaming table oppressively awkward. Do you like "mature" things like pictures of vinyl nuns with their boobs all over the place and lots of sex-themed magic? How about comics featuring child rape? What would your group think of the new Exalted Kickstarter that includes magic rape powers? Pretty cool! Pretty "mature"! Fun way to spend a Saturday with the guys in your kitchen? Steve and Zack take a horror show tour of Exalted's many "mature" subjects.
The charm preview is there.
- Location
- United States
Ahh the rape ghosts, what fond memories. I mean what awful, awful memories. I think Holden got tripped up in thinking people were upset about those charms in the same way people were upset about UMI in 2e being interpreted as hypno-ray mind control, when they were really upset about you being able to summon up rape ghosts who NPCs couldn't resist because because you were summoning up a horde of rape ghosts.
He compounded the issue by digging in his heels and insisting that everyone was being willfully obtuse about the issue. For my two cents, if lots of people are habitually reading the worst possible interpretation of what you claim to mean when you write sex charms, maybe the problem isn't that there's a conspiracy of vocal haters who hate you and want to see you fail. Maybe the problem is the charms you are writing and how you are writing them, or how you interact with the fans trying to support your books.
He compounded the issue by digging in his heels and insisting that everyone was being willfully obtuse about the issue. For my two cents, if lots of people are habitually reading the worst possible interpretation of what you claim to mean when you write sex charms, maybe the problem isn't that there's a conspiracy of vocal haters who hate you and want to see you fail. Maybe the problem is the charms you are writing and how you are writing them, or how you interact with the fans trying to support your books.
Dark Abstraction
Infrequent Participant
- Location
- United States
I mean, for the most part their article's analysis wasn't entirely off the money.
The wretched spitefulness directed at the backers, for supporting a new edition when it was an old edition had the squicky Lilun stuff ((despite Chapters 1 & 2 of Infernals being universally disavowed by fans and WW/OPP staff both) was unfair though.
The spitefulness directed at Holden wasn't, though. I have trouble remembering a single instance where he didn't mishandle statements made to the public.
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Graypairofsocks
What is Grammar?
- Location
- earth
I have javascript turned off so that link isn't working for me.
- Location
- The end of all things
Seems to work just fine for Solars, Dragon-Blooded, and Sidereals. That said, Exigents do not necessarily have Ability charms.
To understand Exigents, you need to remember that they are not "representatives of the spirits" so much as a particular Exigent is the Chosen of a particular god.
RedV
Refuelling
- Location
- Right here
Yeah, Ability exalts have worked for these splats, but Exigents are entirely homebrew based and expecting a 25 ability charmtree for that seems like a lot of effort.
Further, there are certain iconic spirit capabilities like large scale alteration of the natural world or cursing wounds that don't fit neatly into a single ability.
Since Exigents aren't fluffed as drawing power from supernal skill, but as having raw power endowed by Gods, it's more elegant to have it be pure Essence based imo.
Fair enough, though again, certain Gods have portfolios that really aren't amenable to all abilities. There is some precedent, given how Strawmaiden Janest had combat skills despite Ten Sheaves being a harvest god, but it feels intuitively weird to me.
Homebrewing even a large evocation tree would stress a lot of GMs I think.
As for charm design for a Great Teacher Exigent...I'd ask what KIND of teacher god and why did said god wipe themselves like that.
A god of a school, an academy, or even a region's teachers is going to have very different effects from a major god of learning(heck such a god putting out an exigent is going to be a pretty big deal).
Not all regions teach alike, you could expect an exigent of a military academy to enforce obedience and discipline on enemies and students alike, while inflicting Tiger Warrior training variants focused on battle formations and the like. You would not see said exigent demonstrating the same competency in teaching Lore and Bureaucracy.
As for charm design for a Great Teacher Exigent...I'd ask what KIND of teacher god and why did said god wipe themselves like that.
A god of a school, an academy, or even a region's teachers is going to have very different effects from a major god of learning(heck such a god putting out an exigent is going to be a pretty big deal).
Not all regions teach alike, you could expect an exigent of a military academy to enforce obedience and discipline on enemies and students alike, while inflicting Tiger Warrior training variants focused on battle formations and the like. You would not see said exigent demonstrating the same competency in teaching Lore and Bureaucracy.
Google the word danish, then Google the word dalish. That's the point being made.
- Location
- United States
Sharing an article that was sent to me, about rare sea-silk made from solid clam spit. It honestly sounds like something that can be used in Exalted somehow, maybe there's islands in the west who's tribute to the Realm is made up of this byssus.
The last surviving sea silk seamstress
The last surviving sea silk seamstress
I think using images from an April Fool's Joke and then claiming it as normal for Exalted was pretty cheap.
I would like to mention that Something Awful happily kept a convicted child molester on staff for the better part of a decade, and the writers of that same article later went on to defend the fucked up monstrosity that is Kingdom Death: Monster from its detractors.
I think it's important to know where guys like Zack Parsons actually stand on topics like rape and sexual abuse.
- Location
- Germany
So, I did a thing (well, rather 8 things).
I figured that, after years of lurking and next to no contribution, it was about time that I tried my hand at homebrewing.
The basic idea for this was to make a set of "crafting-affecting" charms focusing on the fact that Malfeas is, as written in Purity of Madness Defense, his own architect and his building material is his own living flesh - that when Malfeas extrudes a building from a layer, that building is still part of Malfeas.
I was also obviously heavily influenced by the idea of the Infernal craftsman as Sauron - Strength-for-Purpose Benefaction had the working title "Ringwraith Binding Prana" for obvious reasons.
There was also the attempt to make these charms mostly compatible with the collections of homebrew by Revlid and EarthScorpion and general ideas prominent in our little corner of the internet, though I obviously lack their experience to make it work flawlessly.
I am rather convinced that the balance is all over the place, the systems in place are awkward in play, some rules and themes that should never be broken are completely ignored and that Chartreuse Sovereign Audience should be a Shintai at best, and is dysfunctional at worst (Also, would it qualify to be Pantheon keyworded, or is it too close to SHFS and Ligier (as in nobility, royal audience, etc.) in general?).
...the visuals should be mostly on point though.
Also, as the worst of my sins, Chattel Commanding Clamour figths with Countless Cities Clotting over the acronym CCC, a truly unforgivable act
All things said, I would appreciate some opinions, feedback , possible fixes etc.
August Architect Metousiosis
Cost: --(2ahl); Mins: Essence 3; Type: Permanent
Keywords: None
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisites: Sun-Heart Furnace Soul
It is said that great craftsmen leave part of themselves within their creations. For Malfeas that is self-evident, for what other material can fully express his glory better than his own flesh?
Whenever the Infernal crafts an Artifact or a building they take 2 points of Aggravated damage, as molten brass, glowing bright green, explodes from their chest and infuses their creation at its completion, weaving a part of themselves into it.
This augments their creations in the following ways:
The effects of this charm can be suppressed for the creation of a singular object or structure at the cost of taking a -2 internal penalty to all crafting rolls pertaining to that item and one point of limit.
This charm can never be suppressed for the creation of Artifacts with a rating of 4 or higher and structures that serve as residency, place of worship, symbol or military installation for the Infernal, Malfeas or any of their souls.
Any structures affected by the Infernal's Calloused City Growth (The Book of Ten Thousand Scorpions - EarthScorpion) also count as created through this charm, being suffused with Malfean essence.
Highest Cause Glorification
Cost: +1-10m, 2lhl, 1wp (+1 Limit); Mins: Essence 5; Type: Simple/Supplemental
Keywords: Combo-OK, Obvious, Sorcerous,Touch
Duration: (Artifact rating) years
Prerequisites: August Architect Metousiosis, Rebuking Impudent Arms
There is no greater cause than that of Malfeas, there is no greater glory than to be the instrument of his will.
Touching an Artifact the Infernal may attempt to subjugate it and flood it with their blighted essence, blood of molten metal exploding from their hands and flowing into it. .
The Infernal tries to attune to the chosen Artifact with a surcharge matching the Artifacts rating (10m for N/A) and makes a contested roll with their (Essence + Charisma) against the owner's (Essence + Integrity + Artifact rating(10 for N/A)). For ownerless Artifacts the owner's Integrity and Essence are of course 0.
Should the Infernal fail, their essence is simply rejected in a flash of green light. On a success the Artifact is visually twisted to match the aesthetics of the demon city and the Infernal instantly attunes to it, even when doing so would be impossible (such as requiring the wielder to be of a specific bloodline).
The Artifact is treated as if made using August Architect Metousiosis as long as this charm is maintained, though, much to Malfeas' humiliation he can not contest ownership and attunement of an Artifact belonging to somebody else, lessened as he is.
Any previous attunements on the target Artifact remain in place until they fade or are dismissed as normal.
Due to this flaw the Infernal also takes 1 point of Limit when using this charm on an Artifact that is already attuned to somebody else.
But mere humiliation can not stop Malfeas' will for long: His vitriolic essence twists and reforges any container slowly in his image.
Should this charm remain active for (Artifact rating) years (10 for N/A) the Artifact is permanently twisted into a tool of the Infernal, as though created through August Architect Metousiosis and tainted by Vitriol. Any traits that would make it impossible for the Infernal to attune to it are rewritten to include specific individual permission for them, as the Artifact recognizes their terrible royal authority. This charm ends leaving behind a normal attunement to the Artifact and returning any surcharge motes. If there is still an owner other than the Infernal, they are now both counted as co-owners - a problem best solved through violence.
Timely dispelling or cancelling of this charm causes the weapon to revert to its old appearance and breaks the Infernal's attunement to it.
An object can only be affected by one instance of this charm, the older effect having primacy.
Boundless Cognizance Imprisonment
Cost: --(8m); Mins: Essence 4; Type: Permanent
Keywords: Obvious, Sorcerous
Duration: Permanent/Indefinite
Prerequisites: August Architect Metousiosis
To walk upon the streets of Malfeas is to walk upon the king's flesh, and, though he rarely pays much attention to it, Malfeas does enjoy listening to the fearful adoration of those who realize it.
The Infernal becomes capable of hearing individual prayers inside structures and within (Artifact rating * Charisma) yards of an Artifact created by this charm's prerequisite as though they were a spirit. Actually listening to all prayers imposes a -3 internal penalty to all non-reflexive actions as it does using Penitents Like Scattered Grains; if the Infernal tunes them out, the Storyteller only relays the most widely repeated or urgently spoken prayers.
Listening to a prayer made or lead by an individual attuned to an Artifact created through August Architect Metousiosis only imposes a -1 internal penalty, as their words ring clearer through their connection.
Additionally the Infernal may draw such structures or Artifacts directly into their awareness for 8 motes each, provided that it is within the same realm of Existence as them. Doing so allows them to perceive everything as if they were in the location of the Artifact or observe simultaneously from all walls, floors and ceilings of the building, though stealth is still possible, as Malfeas tends to ignore the indiscretions of individual serfs.
The Infernal is capable of using perception enhancing charms as if the target object or structure were their body, though each target location requires a separate activation to be affected.
This expanded consciousness is not without downsides: Proud though Malfeas may be, his city-body is an affliction, among the greatest scars the Exalted carved into his being, and the Infernal partakes of this crippling.
For each such view active at once the Infernal suffers a cumulative -4 internal penalty to all non-reflexive actions not reinforced by the First Malfeas Excellency and a cumulative -1 mobility penalty.
The Infernal may cancel one use of this effect in one unflurried miscellaneous action.
This use of the charm is Obvious, as green glowing verdigris eyes, many tongued mouths with basalt teeth and other sensory organs form on the surface to the target, unless the location is also under the effect of All-Pervading Skyfire Glower.
Should that be the case the Infernal also benefits from the effects of Eye of the Unconquered Sun (Exalted 2 Core, p. 226), while those they observe are only aware of a hateful green sun glaring down at them, unless the Infernal chooses otherwise.
All-Pervading Skyfire Glower
Cost: (12m, 2wp) or (6m, 1wp); Mins: Essence 5; Type: Simple
Keywords: Obvious, Sickness, Sorcerous
Duration: (Essence rating) weeks
Prerequisites: August Architect Metousiosis, Sun Salted Fields
It is well known in Malfeas that no mere buildings can truly hold back Ligier's light, and it is only through what little mercy still lingers in Malfeas' heart that all serfs are not yet extinct.
The Infernal focuses their smouldering rage onto a habitable building created under the influence of August Architect Metousiosis within the same realm of existence.
In a flash of chartreuse fire and the sound of two layers of Malfeas clashing a bright green sun becomes visible through any ceilings of the structure, as if shining through from above.
Any being must check for exposure to Final Viridescence every full hour that they spend within the structure at a Virulence equal to the Infernal's Essence rating.
Beings that are either marked by Magnanimous Warning Glyph or have an Intimacy of Terrified Awe instead check for exposure to Green Sun Wasting with a Virulence of half the Infernal's Essence rating, those who have both are immune, knowing their place, as are beings that are direct part of the Infernal's or Malfeas' soul hierarchy.
The light of a green sun makes this effect and the severity of it on them, though not the cause of it, Obvious to all in its area of influence, as they feel the Infernal's castigating gaze upon them.
When applied to a personal residence or place of worship of the Infernal, Malfeas or one of their souls the charm's price is reduced to 6 motes and 1 willpower, as the building's innate purpose resonates with this charm, fiercely rejecting unwanted intruders.
If not refreshed the charm fades after (Essence rating) weeks with the same clamour that heralded its coming, as the gaze of the green sun turns towards more deserving targets.
A repurchase of this charm allows for it to also apply to uninhabitable structures made through August Architect Metousiosis, creating a blighted zone in (50* Resources worth of the structure) yards around it instead, in which a green sun can be seen in the sky above.
The aesthetics of this charm vary based on the way Sun-Heart Furnace Soul manifested among the Infernal's souls.
Chattel Commanding Clamour
Cost: 6m (+2 per additional target); Mins: Essence 4; Type: Simple
Keywords: Social, Obvious
Duration: Instant
Prerequisites: Boundless Cognizance Imprisonment
Focusing their will into a fragment of themselves the Infernal makes their will known to their lessers.
The Infernal bellows a command, no longer than one sentence, from a building or Artifact created through August Architect Metousiosis. This shout can be heard clearly within a (Charisma * 250) yard radius and is accompanied by an omen such as a flash of green lightning or the sun burning green for an instant, making this charm Obvious to anyone within range.
This command can be augmented by any applicable charms as a social attack.
Additional applicable locations may be added for 2 motes each up to a maximum of (Essence rating) targets.
Strength-for-Purpose Benefaction
Cost: --; Mins: Essence 5; Type: Permanent
Keywords: Emotion
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisites: Boundless Cognizance Imprisonment
Only a fool would think that linking their essence to Malfeas' living flesh would have no consequence.
For anyone other than the Infernal a scene spent using and being attuned to an Artifact created through August Architect Metousiosis counts as building an Intimacy of Terrified Awe towards its maker.
Characters that already possess it reinforce any growing positive Intimacies towards the Infernal, their souls or their cause instead.
Characters must spend points of willpower equal to the Artifact's rating to ignore the effects of this unnatural mental influence for one scene, reduced to a singular point of willpower, if this Artifact is under the influence of Highest Cause Glorification.
In addition positive Intimacies including Terrified Awe towards the Infernal cannot be eroded or otherwise lost while attuned to such a dread Artifact with a rating of 3+ which is not affected by Highest Cause Glorification, the Artifact's power serving as an ever present reminder of their master's glory.
This effect cannot be resisted, serving as a perfect defense for those intimacies.
Chartreuse Sovereign Audience
Cost: 10m, 2wp, 1lhl, 1 Limit (+ 10m, +1 Limit); Mins: Essence 5; Type: Simple (Dramatic Action)
Keywords: Social, Sorcerous
Duration: One Scene
Prerequisites: Chattel Commanding Clamour, Nightmare Fugue Vigilance
Much to Malfeas' exasperation his servants often fail to grasp the intricacies of his will, lesser beings that they are.
Sometimes he finds within his heart the mercy to teach them, to show them his terrible glory and let them partake of the agony lurking in his dreams, lest they ever forget.
The Infernal falls asleep, suckling their budding nightmares with the tormented essence of Malfeas. Their skin splits and seeps drops of vitriol mixed with blood as tremors wrack their unconscious body, their psyche giving shape to greater and still greater horrors, until their mind is about to shatter.
At this climax their anima flares to its iconic state, as they wrest control of their visions and from them forge themselves an avatar made of brass, dreams and torment.
Creations made from their flesh groan, twist and shudder, as invisible tendrils of essence seep from them and plunge into the bodies of all sleeping nearby, burning away lesser dreams, so that the Infernal may take their place.
This charm targets one structure or Artifact created through August Architect Metousiosis within the same realm of existence as the Infernal. For the duration of one scene all characters sleeping inside or within (Charisma) feet of the target are drawn into the Infernal's hellish nightmares.
They find themselves in a demonic palace born from the Infernal's souls and Malfeas' memories, among a mass of petitioners covering before the towering figure of the Infernal, twisted, constantly shifting, clad in a terrifying regalia of burning nightmares, yet clearly recognizable.
In this realm combat and any significant form of touch is impossible, as space shifts and distorts, enforcing appropriate behaviour for this hellish congregation.
Characters drawn into this realm can only recognize and interact with the Infernal and those whom they hold Intimacies towards, the rest appearing as huddled, shadowy figures.
The Infernal can perceive and interact with anyone as if they were within normal conversational range, while their shining form makes them not only seen and heard by anyone, but also incapacle of escaping anyones notice.
Those old or educated enough to remember might recognize the heraldry, architecture and furnishings of this unreal palace to be reminiscent of the residencies of those souls of the Holy Tyrant, that were lost to the gods' treachery long ago.
In the end the nightmare palace and the bodies of anyone within are but images of the real thing. All but the Infernal are refunded any resources spent in social combat during this dream as they awaken, save for willpower.
In addition to the Infernal all other characters affected by this charm also suffer the internal penalty of -1 on all rolls to regain Willpower upon awakening as per Nightmare Fugue Vigilance.
Characters may pay willpower equal to the Infernal's Charisma to escape this charm at any time, becoming immune to all effects of it for a week, but are aware that them doing so becomes Obvious to the Infernal.
A second purchase of this charm allows the Infernal to vastly expand their reach: By paying an additional 10 motes, and taking an additional point of Limit the Infernal can treat all targets that by their inherent nature belong thematically or geographically within a single grouping as a singular valid target.
'All my fortresses in the South', 'Every ring I forged' and 'All targetable buildings in the same realm of existence' are valid groupings, 'All items not in enemy hands' or 'All my Artifacts in the possession of Solars' are not. ('All items I forged for Solars' however is, due to their purpose being inherent to them.)
Remote Frontier Gentrification
Cost: 10-15m, 2wp, 2ahl; Mins: Essence 5; Type: Supplemental
Keywords: Obvious
Duration: Varies
Prerequisites: Strength-for-Purpose Benefaction, All-Pervading Skyfire Glower
Flesh, blood and essence seep through the link between the Infernal and their creation, exploding from it in a burst of bright glowing essence and metallic viscera (10*Essence rating) feet tall and wide, as a new layer forces itself into existence.
This charm can be used to activate Sun Salted Fields, Calloused City Growth (The Book of Ten Thousand Scorpions - EarthScorpion), (Yozi) World-Shaping Cosmogony (Vault of the Viridian Mantle, SWLiHN - Revlid) and any Charm considered to be Infernal Geomancy (Vault of the Viridian Mantle, Metagaos, Highway To Hell - Revlid) treating a structure or an Artifact with a rating of 3+ created through August Architect Metousiosis as being the Infernal's location, provided that the Artifact is attuned to somebody.
If used through an Artifact, moving that Artifact outside of the supplemented charm's radius while it is still not completed causes that charm to violently shatter as if it was an Adamant Circle Sorcery being undone by Antimagic.
The use of this charm to supplement a non-Malfeas charm costs 5 additional motes.
I figured that, after years of lurking and next to no contribution, it was about time that I tried my hand at homebrewing.
The basic idea for this was to make a set of "crafting-affecting" charms focusing on the fact that Malfeas is, as written in Purity of Madness Defense, his own architect and his building material is his own living flesh - that when Malfeas extrudes a building from a layer, that building is still part of Malfeas.
I was also obviously heavily influenced by the idea of the Infernal craftsman as Sauron - Strength-for-Purpose Benefaction had the working title "Ringwraith Binding Prana" for obvious reasons.
There was also the attempt to make these charms mostly compatible with the collections of homebrew by Revlid and EarthScorpion and general ideas prominent in our little corner of the internet, though I obviously lack their experience to make it work flawlessly.
I am rather convinced that the balance is all over the place, the systems in place are awkward in play, some rules and themes that should never be broken are completely ignored and that Chartreuse Sovereign Audience should be a Shintai at best, and is dysfunctional at worst (Also, would it qualify to be Pantheon keyworded, or is it too close to SHFS and Ligier (as in nobility, royal audience, etc.) in general?).
...the visuals should be mostly on point though.
Also, as the worst of my sins, Chattel Commanding Clamour figths with Countless Cities Clotting over the acronym CCC, a truly unforgivable act
All things said, I would appreciate some opinions, feedback , possible fixes etc.
August Architect Metousiosis
Cost: --(2ahl); Mins: Essence 3; Type: Permanent
Keywords: None
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisites: Sun-Heart Furnace Soul
It is said that great craftsmen leave part of themselves within their creations. For Malfeas that is self-evident, for what other material can fully express his glory better than his own flesh?
Whenever the Infernal crafts an Artifact or a building they take 2 points of Aggravated damage, as molten brass, glowing bright green, explodes from their chest and infuses their creation at its completion, weaving a part of themselves into it.
This augments their creations in the following ways:
- The Infernal can attune to any such Artifact in one reflexive action and the attunement lasts indefinitely, not requiring refreshing. The Infernal also is and remains Owner of any object or structure they created through this charm until their permanent death.
- When confronted with somebody else wielding one of their creations the Infernal may, once per scene, exert their will over the Artifact. The wielder must roll their (Essence rating + the higher of Valour and Conviction) against the Infernal's (Essence rating). On a failure their attunement with the Artifact is broken unless they spend 3 Willpower to constrain their essence's hold. Should the wielder retain his attunement in either way the Infernal takes 1 point of Limit, as their own flesh disobeys them.
- The living essence of Malfeas slumbers within his creations, just waiting to be unleashed. If the Infernal knows Rebuking Impudent Arms, Vitriolic Corona Endowment or Carapace Oven Trick they may, as a simple action, let their dormant essence spring to life in any of their creations within their line of sight at the cost of the respective charm, as if they had successfully hit with and activated those. Since this heating does not accompany any active disarm attempt, victims holding onto such an Artifact can accept the damage or drop it as desired without having to make a roll to hold on.
- Their creation's essence is their own. The Infernal receives one automatic success on any rolls connected to the locating of their creations, such as searching for a lost creation or navigation by a structure. Conversely anyone attuned to one of the Infernal's creations receives the same bonus with the addition of the Infernal's own location as a valid target.
The effects of this charm can be suppressed for the creation of a singular object or structure at the cost of taking a -2 internal penalty to all crafting rolls pertaining to that item and one point of limit.
This charm can never be suppressed for the creation of Artifacts with a rating of 4 or higher and structures that serve as residency, place of worship, symbol or military installation for the Infernal, Malfeas or any of their souls.
Any structures affected by the Infernal's Calloused City Growth (The Book of Ten Thousand Scorpions - EarthScorpion) also count as created through this charm, being suffused with Malfean essence.
Highest Cause Glorification
Cost: +1-10m, 2lhl, 1wp (+1 Limit); Mins: Essence 5; Type: Simple/Supplemental
Keywords: Combo-OK, Obvious, Sorcerous,Touch
Duration: (Artifact rating) years
Prerequisites: August Architect Metousiosis, Rebuking Impudent Arms
There is no greater cause than that of Malfeas, there is no greater glory than to be the instrument of his will.
Touching an Artifact the Infernal may attempt to subjugate it and flood it with their blighted essence, blood of molten metal exploding from their hands and flowing into it. .
The Infernal tries to attune to the chosen Artifact with a surcharge matching the Artifacts rating (10m for N/A) and makes a contested roll with their (Essence + Charisma) against the owner's (Essence + Integrity + Artifact rating(10 for N/A)). For ownerless Artifacts the owner's Integrity and Essence are of course 0.
Should the Infernal fail, their essence is simply rejected in a flash of green light. On a success the Artifact is visually twisted to match the aesthetics of the demon city and the Infernal instantly attunes to it, even when doing so would be impossible (such as requiring the wielder to be of a specific bloodline).
The Artifact is treated as if made using August Architect Metousiosis as long as this charm is maintained, though, much to Malfeas' humiliation he can not contest ownership and attunement of an Artifact belonging to somebody else, lessened as he is.
Any previous attunements on the target Artifact remain in place until they fade or are dismissed as normal.
Due to this flaw the Infernal also takes 1 point of Limit when using this charm on an Artifact that is already attuned to somebody else.
But mere humiliation can not stop Malfeas' will for long: His vitriolic essence twists and reforges any container slowly in his image.
Should this charm remain active for (Artifact rating) years (10 for N/A) the Artifact is permanently twisted into a tool of the Infernal, as though created through August Architect Metousiosis and tainted by Vitriol. Any traits that would make it impossible for the Infernal to attune to it are rewritten to include specific individual permission for them, as the Artifact recognizes their terrible royal authority. This charm ends leaving behind a normal attunement to the Artifact and returning any surcharge motes. If there is still an owner other than the Infernal, they are now both counted as co-owners - a problem best solved through violence.
Timely dispelling or cancelling of this charm causes the weapon to revert to its old appearance and breaks the Infernal's attunement to it.
An object can only be affected by one instance of this charm, the older effect having primacy.
Boundless Cognizance Imprisonment
Cost: --(8m); Mins: Essence 4; Type: Permanent
Keywords: Obvious, Sorcerous
Duration: Permanent/Indefinite
Prerequisites: August Architect Metousiosis
To walk upon the streets of Malfeas is to walk upon the king's flesh, and, though he rarely pays much attention to it, Malfeas does enjoy listening to the fearful adoration of those who realize it.
The Infernal becomes capable of hearing individual prayers inside structures and within (Artifact rating * Charisma) yards of an Artifact created by this charm's prerequisite as though they were a spirit. Actually listening to all prayers imposes a -3 internal penalty to all non-reflexive actions as it does using Penitents Like Scattered Grains; if the Infernal tunes them out, the Storyteller only relays the most widely repeated or urgently spoken prayers.
Listening to a prayer made or lead by an individual attuned to an Artifact created through August Architect Metousiosis only imposes a -1 internal penalty, as their words ring clearer through their connection.
Additionally the Infernal may draw such structures or Artifacts directly into their awareness for 8 motes each, provided that it is within the same realm of Existence as them. Doing so allows them to perceive everything as if they were in the location of the Artifact or observe simultaneously from all walls, floors and ceilings of the building, though stealth is still possible, as Malfeas tends to ignore the indiscretions of individual serfs.
The Infernal is capable of using perception enhancing charms as if the target object or structure were their body, though each target location requires a separate activation to be affected.
This expanded consciousness is not without downsides: Proud though Malfeas may be, his city-body is an affliction, among the greatest scars the Exalted carved into his being, and the Infernal partakes of this crippling.
For each such view active at once the Infernal suffers a cumulative -4 internal penalty to all non-reflexive actions not reinforced by the First Malfeas Excellency and a cumulative -1 mobility penalty.
The Infernal may cancel one use of this effect in one unflurried miscellaneous action.
This use of the charm is Obvious, as green glowing verdigris eyes, many tongued mouths with basalt teeth and other sensory organs form on the surface to the target, unless the location is also under the effect of All-Pervading Skyfire Glower.
Should that be the case the Infernal also benefits from the effects of Eye of the Unconquered Sun (Exalted 2 Core, p. 226), while those they observe are only aware of a hateful green sun glaring down at them, unless the Infernal chooses otherwise.
All-Pervading Skyfire Glower
Cost: (12m, 2wp) or (6m, 1wp); Mins: Essence 5; Type: Simple
Keywords: Obvious, Sickness, Sorcerous
Duration: (Essence rating) weeks
Prerequisites: August Architect Metousiosis, Sun Salted Fields
It is well known in Malfeas that no mere buildings can truly hold back Ligier's light, and it is only through what little mercy still lingers in Malfeas' heart that all serfs are not yet extinct.
The Infernal focuses their smouldering rage onto a habitable building created under the influence of August Architect Metousiosis within the same realm of existence.
In a flash of chartreuse fire and the sound of two layers of Malfeas clashing a bright green sun becomes visible through any ceilings of the structure, as if shining through from above.
Any being must check for exposure to Final Viridescence every full hour that they spend within the structure at a Virulence equal to the Infernal's Essence rating.
Beings that are either marked by Magnanimous Warning Glyph or have an Intimacy of Terrified Awe instead check for exposure to Green Sun Wasting with a Virulence of half the Infernal's Essence rating, those who have both are immune, knowing their place, as are beings that are direct part of the Infernal's or Malfeas' soul hierarchy.
The light of a green sun makes this effect and the severity of it on them, though not the cause of it, Obvious to all in its area of influence, as they feel the Infernal's castigating gaze upon them.
When applied to a personal residence or place of worship of the Infernal, Malfeas or one of their souls the charm's price is reduced to 6 motes and 1 willpower, as the building's innate purpose resonates with this charm, fiercely rejecting unwanted intruders.
If not refreshed the charm fades after (Essence rating) weeks with the same clamour that heralded its coming, as the gaze of the green sun turns towards more deserving targets.
A repurchase of this charm allows for it to also apply to uninhabitable structures made through August Architect Metousiosis, creating a blighted zone in (50* Resources worth of the structure) yards around it instead, in which a green sun can be seen in the sky above.
The aesthetics of this charm vary based on the way Sun-Heart Furnace Soul manifested among the Infernal's souls.
Chattel Commanding Clamour
Cost: 6m (+2 per additional target); Mins: Essence 4; Type: Simple
Keywords: Social, Obvious
Duration: Instant
Prerequisites: Boundless Cognizance Imprisonment
Focusing their will into a fragment of themselves the Infernal makes their will known to their lessers.
The Infernal bellows a command, no longer than one sentence, from a building or Artifact created through August Architect Metousiosis. This shout can be heard clearly within a (Charisma * 250) yard radius and is accompanied by an omen such as a flash of green lightning or the sun burning green for an instant, making this charm Obvious to anyone within range.
This command can be augmented by any applicable charms as a social attack.
Additional applicable locations may be added for 2 motes each up to a maximum of (Essence rating) targets.
Strength-for-Purpose Benefaction
Cost: --; Mins: Essence 5; Type: Permanent
Keywords: Emotion
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisites: Boundless Cognizance Imprisonment
Only a fool would think that linking their essence to Malfeas' living flesh would have no consequence.
For anyone other than the Infernal a scene spent using and being attuned to an Artifact created through August Architect Metousiosis counts as building an Intimacy of Terrified Awe towards its maker.
Characters that already possess it reinforce any growing positive Intimacies towards the Infernal, their souls or their cause instead.
Characters must spend points of willpower equal to the Artifact's rating to ignore the effects of this unnatural mental influence for one scene, reduced to a singular point of willpower, if this Artifact is under the influence of Highest Cause Glorification.
In addition positive Intimacies including Terrified Awe towards the Infernal cannot be eroded or otherwise lost while attuned to such a dread Artifact with a rating of 3+ which is not affected by Highest Cause Glorification, the Artifact's power serving as an ever present reminder of their master's glory.
This effect cannot be resisted, serving as a perfect defense for those intimacies.
Chartreuse Sovereign Audience
Cost: 10m, 2wp, 1lhl, 1 Limit (+ 10m, +1 Limit); Mins: Essence 5; Type: Simple (Dramatic Action)
Keywords: Social, Sorcerous
Duration: One Scene
Prerequisites: Chattel Commanding Clamour, Nightmare Fugue Vigilance
Much to Malfeas' exasperation his servants often fail to grasp the intricacies of his will, lesser beings that they are.
Sometimes he finds within his heart the mercy to teach them, to show them his terrible glory and let them partake of the agony lurking in his dreams, lest they ever forget.
The Infernal falls asleep, suckling their budding nightmares with the tormented essence of Malfeas. Their skin splits and seeps drops of vitriol mixed with blood as tremors wrack their unconscious body, their psyche giving shape to greater and still greater horrors, until their mind is about to shatter.
At this climax their anima flares to its iconic state, as they wrest control of their visions and from them forge themselves an avatar made of brass, dreams and torment.
Creations made from their flesh groan, twist and shudder, as invisible tendrils of essence seep from them and plunge into the bodies of all sleeping nearby, burning away lesser dreams, so that the Infernal may take their place.
This charm targets one structure or Artifact created through August Architect Metousiosis within the same realm of existence as the Infernal. For the duration of one scene all characters sleeping inside or within (Charisma) feet of the target are drawn into the Infernal's hellish nightmares.
They find themselves in a demonic palace born from the Infernal's souls and Malfeas' memories, among a mass of petitioners covering before the towering figure of the Infernal, twisted, constantly shifting, clad in a terrifying regalia of burning nightmares, yet clearly recognizable.
In this realm combat and any significant form of touch is impossible, as space shifts and distorts, enforcing appropriate behaviour for this hellish congregation.
Characters drawn into this realm can only recognize and interact with the Infernal and those whom they hold Intimacies towards, the rest appearing as huddled, shadowy figures.
The Infernal can perceive and interact with anyone as if they were within normal conversational range, while their shining form makes them not only seen and heard by anyone, but also incapacle of escaping anyones notice.
Those old or educated enough to remember might recognize the heraldry, architecture and furnishings of this unreal palace to be reminiscent of the residencies of those souls of the Holy Tyrant, that were lost to the gods' treachery long ago.
In the end the nightmare palace and the bodies of anyone within are but images of the real thing. All but the Infernal are refunded any resources spent in social combat during this dream as they awaken, save for willpower.
In addition to the Infernal all other characters affected by this charm also suffer the internal penalty of -1 on all rolls to regain Willpower upon awakening as per Nightmare Fugue Vigilance.
Characters may pay willpower equal to the Infernal's Charisma to escape this charm at any time, becoming immune to all effects of it for a week, but are aware that them doing so becomes Obvious to the Infernal.
A second purchase of this charm allows the Infernal to vastly expand their reach: By paying an additional 10 motes, and taking an additional point of Limit the Infernal can treat all targets that by their inherent nature belong thematically or geographically within a single grouping as a singular valid target.
'All my fortresses in the South', 'Every ring I forged' and 'All targetable buildings in the same realm of existence' are valid groupings, 'All items not in enemy hands' or 'All my Artifacts in the possession of Solars' are not. ('All items I forged for Solars' however is, due to their purpose being inherent to them.)
Remote Frontier Gentrification
Cost: 10-15m, 2wp, 2ahl; Mins: Essence 5; Type: Supplemental
Keywords: Obvious
Duration: Varies
Prerequisites: Strength-for-Purpose Benefaction, All-Pervading Skyfire Glower
Flesh, blood and essence seep through the link between the Infernal and their creation, exploding from it in a burst of bright glowing essence and metallic viscera (10*Essence rating) feet tall and wide, as a new layer forces itself into existence.
This charm can be used to activate Sun Salted Fields, Calloused City Growth (The Book of Ten Thousand Scorpions - EarthScorpion), (Yozi) World-Shaping Cosmogony (Vault of the Viridian Mantle, SWLiHN - Revlid) and any Charm considered to be Infernal Geomancy (Vault of the Viridian Mantle, Metagaos, Highway To Hell - Revlid) treating a structure or an Artifact with a rating of 3+ created through August Architect Metousiosis as being the Infernal's location, provided that the Artifact is attuned to somebody.
If used through an Artifact, moving that Artifact outside of the supplemented charm's radius while it is still not completed causes that charm to violently shatter as if it was an Adamant Circle Sorcery being undone by Antimagic.
The use of this charm to supplement a non-Malfeas charm costs 5 additional motes.
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- Location
- The sixth circle of Hell (second on weekends)
- Pronouns
- She/Her
Cracked Cell Circumvention, over in the Ebon Dragon's Charmset, makes off with the title while they're mid-brawl and sniggers nastily.Also, as the worst of my sins, Chattel Commanding Clamour figths with Countless Cities Clotting over the acronym CCC, a truly unforgivable act
Would this allow an Infernal to seize control of the Realm Defense Grid?
- Location
- Germany
Is it an Artifact?
Then most likely (at storyteller discretion), though I see no way that it would be allowed to continue by literally anyone important. Like it would be a blasphemy only without the keyword, as all assets of Yu-Shan go wild to free that thing from hell's control, on a 10 year time limit.
I am however of the opinion that the Realm Defense Grid should rulewise be more complicated than an Artifact, and possibly a demense, so more likely nope.
The RDG is a series of Manses, of which the Imperial Manse is only a single part.