Lines of blue light race though the shadow thing, fractures that give true shape to shapelessness for just an instant..."Poor broken things, cutting with your bleeding edges," it spits its malice upon the air, though on the last word it is no more. It almost looks like she gave the thing reality poisoning.
The exact form of calcification
varies. Some raksha turn to stone or amber or pillars of
salt, while others explode into glass shards or great piles
of dried leaves or flower petals. According to some tales,
a calcified raksha is instantly and permanently reborn as
a mortal with an Essence of 1, although such an outcome
occurs only at Storyteller discretion. Generally, however
dramatic the effect, calcification means that the raksha
is effectively dead as a character.
At storyteller's discretion calcification might result in a mortal, but in general, calcification is death, permanent destruction. That's the expected outcome.
What you are talking about is becoming a shaped raksha. That's completely different.
I dont buy it. If they wanted to impersonate him, they'd have simply lured him out of his jail cell and had him killed, whether by poisoning or just jumping and shanking him. Instead of going to the trouble of waving him under the nose of the Fae and the Infernal, which simply guarantees that the Fae will come to check both his prison and his identity.
So Comparing the above charms, only this charm specifically calls out the fact that you cannot multi attack the same opponent. The fact that this is not in any of the other charms may be a miss by Holden but I do stand by my assumption on Multi-Attacks.
@DragonParadox what is your take on this?
Having watched City of the Bull God on YouTube, in which Holden played his intention seemed to be that if you can find a multi-attack source from somewhere you can use them freely on whoever you want unless otherwise mentioned. The players fight a Lunar in Arc 2 and he absolutely uses his multi-action to try to focus down one of the players. I can't remember the episode unfortunately except that it was towards the end of the playlist.
Incarnate Shadow Insinuation (•••••)
Freezing tendrils of absolute midnight writhe up from the Infernal's shadow, anchoring themselves somewhere on her body. They strike down those who draw near with sinuous, bone-chilling strikes.
System: After a turn's concentration, spend 1 Essence to summon the shadow-tendrils of Kakuri. At the end of every turn for the rest of the scene, the Infernal may make an extra attack action with her full Dexterity + (Brawl or Melee) pool. The tendrils inflict Strength + 3 bashing damage.
Signature Effect: The Infernal's Shintai writhes with deadly, lashing shadows. Incarnate Shadow Insinuation activates at no cost when the Infernal dons her Shintai form, and grants two extra attack actions rather than one,which inflict lethal rather than bashing damage.
1 Essence for +1 Attack/turn for the scene; +2 Attacks/turn if a signature effect. Transcendent Anathema turns that damage from Bashing to Aggravated
Less single target burst, and more armykiller.
[X] Do like any reasonable nobleman would
-[X] Activate ATB, Charisma excellency.
-[X] «I accept your challenge, Dreameater! The hour after sunrise after my duty before the Queen is done, you will find your death here, wretched thing!»
[X] Plan Iron Price
Also where is a list of charms? When I search "source code compliance" I get coding stuff even if I add exalted to the search
At storyteller's discretion calcification might result in a mortal, but in general, calcification is death, permanent destruction. That's the expected outcome.
What you are talking about is becoming a shaped raksha. That's completely different.
Raksha could always be permakilled by wielding cold iron, no charms necessary.
Exalted could do it, Raksha could do it, mortals could do it.
If Iku-Turso was still Raksha, killing him would be as simple as getting a bunch of spears from a blacksmith.
Or iron swords. Or iron bullets. Iron musket balls.
Aerosolized iron filings.
Was he Raksha? Yes; so were the Fae, and Nemesis.
Is he still Raksha? I dont know; there isnt enough evidence to say one way or the other, and we know that calcification is explicitly something that can happen to Raksha in Exalted.
[] Gossamer The stuff of dreams and nightmares harvested by the Pathfinders as part of a plot to bait and make use of the powers of an ancient god-thing... no, it sounds wrong to use that name. There is another more fitting flitting though the back of your mind Raksha.
Adhoc vote count started by uju32 on Dec 11, 2023 at 12:01 PM, finished with 138 posts and 19 votes.
[X] Plan Iron Price -[X] Accept the Duel -[X] Suggest that Titania/Lily obscure the Nfested nobles senses to deny Nemesis intelligence. -[X]Turn 0: Imperial Primacy Mantle + All Things Betray: 1m,1wp -[X]Turn 1: Shintai + Steelskin: 3m, 2wp -[X]Turn 2: Viridian Legend Exoskeleton + Melee Excellency: 2m -[X] Contingency: EIPP to trigger at need -[X] Without Honor and Boiling Sea Mastery from Signature Charm -[X]STUNT: Your senses sharpen to clarity as you pause, straining for everything you can get from the presence across the water. Then you nod to Titania. "By your leave." As she nods back to you, you continue "You should see to your defenses, queen; thieves sneak into the pantry when the homeowner is distracted." Not waiting for a reply, you step out onto the surface of the lake. Power unfurls around you and flattens the water agitated by the intruder, even as you assume shintai. The temperature around you plunges precipitously, the summer warmth of Avalon replaced by freezing rain and biting winds as your brass-shod feet leave not even a ripple on the surface of the water."You seem to have found newer associates to lead you around by the nose, thousand-horned. And fouler ones at that" The green light of your anima plays across your face, and illuminates the suddenly still water around you as you come to a halt, Usum in hand as all your eyes stare up into the pillar of darkness and water that is your foe. "I thought I taught you this lesson before, Old One."
[X] Plan Look before you leap
-[X] Activate ATB with willpower
-[X] Use the scene to ask a crown question "what is the plan of the one behind creating this scene?"
--[X] If us fighting doesn't directly play into the prepared enemy plans
---[X] Activate VIridian Legend Exoskeleton, Melee excellency when needed, Steel Skin
---[X] Dive into the lake to fight it in the water.
---[X] Activate shintai, and form a localized dueling arena, with a chilled air and iron sand hurricane bound to your will
---[X] STUNT: "Let none say that I shrink from defense of Creation. And before you start worrying, I'll clean everything up by the time I finish this little bit of pest control" - so saying, you step forwards, first close , and then to stand directly onto the water. As you do, serene look of concentration passes over you, and both you, and the world around you shift. Your mortal-looking flesh is discarded for the armored form of your god body, covered in balefire glowing sigils you know to proclaim your glory to come. In the five corners of the impromptu arena, banners of the Five Cities rise, connected through am impassable circle of black iron snow, which even now howls and tears through the arena of combat, rapidly freezing it to the point you start feeling invigorating. All this changes happen between heartbeats, so seemingly subtle and natural, that a mortal mind would likely not notice the transition. None present here can precisely be called mortal. The preparations complete, you salute your opponent, and fall into the water, sword already swinging.
[X] Do like any reasonable nobleman would
-[X] Activate ATB, Charisma excellency.
-[X] «I accept your challenge, Dreameater! The hour after sunrise after my duty before the Queen is done, you will find your death here, wretched thing!»
[X] Plan The Boom of Brass and Thunder -[X] Accept the Duel -[X] Suggest that Titania/Lily obscure the Nfested nobles senses to deny Nemesis intelligence. -[X] Activate VIridian Legend Exoskeleton, Melee excellency when needed, Steel Skin -[X] Dive into the lake to fight it in the water. -[X] Activate shintai, and form a localized dueling arena, with a chilled air and iron sand hurricane bound to your will -[X] STUNT: "Let none say that I shrink from defense of Creation. And before you start worrying, I'll clean everything up by the time I finish this little bit of pest control" - so saying, you step forwards, first close , and then to stand directly onto the water. As you do, serene look of concentration passes over you, and both you, and the world around you shift. Your mortal-looking flesh is discarded for the armored form of your god body, covered in balefire glowing sigils you know to proclaim your glory to come. In the five corners of the impromptu arena, banners of the Five Cities rise, connected through am impassable circle of black iron snow, which even now howls and tears through the arena of combat, rapidly freezing it to the point you start feeling invigorating. All this changes happen between heartbeats, so seemingly subtle and natural, that a mortal mind would likely not notice the transition. None present here can precisely be called mortal. The preparations complete.
If Iku-Turso was still Raksha, killing him would be as simple as getting a bunch of spears from a blacksmith.
Or iron swords. Or iron bullets. Iron musket balls.
Aerosolized iron filings.
---[X] STUNT: "Let none say that I shrink from defense of Creation. And before you start worrying, I'll clean everything up by the time I finish this little bit of pest control" - so saying, you step forwards, first close , and then to stand directly onto the water. As you do, serene look of concentration passes over you, and both you, and the world around you shift. Your mortal-looking flesh is discarded for the armored form of your god body, covered in balefire glowing sigils you know to proclaim your glory to come. In the five corners of the impromptu arena, banners of the Five Cities rise, connected through am impassable circle of black iron snow, which even now howls and tears through the arena of combat, rapidly freezing it to the point you start feeling invigorating. All this changes happen between heartbeats, so seemingly subtle and natural, that a mortal mind would likely not notice the transition. None present here can precisely be called mortal. The preparations complete, you salute your opponent, and fall into the water, sword already swinging.
Sorry for not responding sooner. Was late when I last posted and only now, I have the time to go through the books.
Ok so there are two things, well 3 things to take into consideration.
1. What is an Attack Action?
It is ALL the attacks you make in a turn. It could narratively be a single strike or a flurry of blows. But you only roll one attack regardless of how you fluff it up. Which leads to the next part.
2. How do multi-Attacks Work?
By Base Vampire V20 rules you cannot make multi attacks on the same target.
I view it more like a budget where someone else is handing down rules.
Like a charitable organization who's told that the government endowment they're getting has the stipulation that no more than 10% can be spent on overhead costs.
Then later another group provides an "administrative grant" which can be spent on overhead. The rules for the endowment aren't the rules for the grant.
In this metaphor lunars get an admin grant for global use, and infernals can only use it for admin from the township that granted it.
Its been a couple thousand years at a minimum, given the alleged timing of the myths where he showed up
If they wanted him dead, it could have been arranged just fine, especially with the known vulnerability of immortals during Halloween. At least, thats my impression
If it's supposed to be the white god then where's the bottom? What about the red court, or super ghouls randomly raiding into reality?
Why does god allow evil to exist?
Clearly for the purposes of the DF infinite power isn't the same as infinite ability to act. Iku could easily be a useless shit that never got killed off because he wasn't enough of a problem to matter to enough of the right people.
We dont know if thats true.
Canon Lily and Fix both worked for Nemesis without being mindcontrolled, as did Thomas Raith, because much as we focus on possession and mind control, deception and manipulation has been far and away the major MO of the Enemy.
If he can't notice an infection when the subject is bound, gagged, and laughing like a madman in front of him then he's too stupid to live.
If he's doing it on purpose like I believe he is then he should be killed. If he's been tricked I'll happily take the excuse to murder Iku to roaring applause unless there's a specific practical reason to keep him alive.
We've seen what he's like on his personal hours. He's burned through his allotment of benefit of the doubt.
Adhoc vote count started by DragonParadox on Dec 11, 2023 at 1:33 PM, finished with 146 posts and 20 votes.
[X] Plan Iron Price -[X] Accept the Duel -[X] Suggest that Titania/Lily obscure the Nfested nobles senses to deny Nemesis intelligence. -[X]Turn 0: Imperial Primacy Mantle + All Things Betray: 1m,1wp -[X]Turn 1: Shintai + Steelskin: 3m, 2wp -[X]Turn 2: Viridian Legend Exoskeleton + Melee Excellency: 2m -[X] Contingency: EIPP to trigger at need -[X] Without Honor and Boiling Sea Mastery from Signature Charm -[X]STUNT: Your senses sharpen to clarity as you pause, straining for everything you can get from the presence across the water. Then you nod to Titania. "By your leave." As she nods back to you, you continue "You should see to your defenses, queen; thieves sneak into the pantry when the homeowner is distracted." Not waiting for a reply, you step out onto the surface of the lake. Power unfurls around you and flattens the water agitated by the intruder, even as you assume shintai. The temperature around you plunges precipitously, the summer warmth of Avalon replaced by freezing rain and biting winds as your brass-shod feet leave not even a ripple on the surface of the water."You seem to have found newer associates to lead you around by the nose, thousand-horned. And fouler ones at that" The green light of your anima plays across your face, and illuminates the suddenly still water around you as you come to a halt, Usum in hand as all your eyes stare up into the pillar of darkness and water that is your foe. "I thought I taught you this lesson before, Old One."
[X] Plan Look before you leap
-[X] Activate ATB with willpower
-[X] Use the scene to ask a crown question "what is the plan of the one behind creating this scene?"
--[X] If us fighting doesn't directly play into the prepared enemy plans
---[X] Activate VIridian Legend Exoskeleton, Melee excellency when needed, Steel Skin
---[X] Dive into the lake to fight it in the water.
---[X] Activate shintai, and form a localized dueling arena, with a chilled air and iron sand hurricane bound to your will
---[X] STUNT: "Let none say that I shrink from defense of Creation. And before you start worrying, I'll clean everything up by the time I finish this little bit of pest control" - so saying, you step forwards, first close , and then to stand directly onto the water. As you do, serene look of concentration passes over you, and both you, and the world around you shift. Your mortal-looking flesh is discarded for the armored form of your god body, covered in balefire glowing sigils you know to proclaim your glory to come. In the five corners of the impromptu arena, banners of the Five Cities rise, connected through am impassable circle of black iron snow, which even now howls and tears through the arena of combat, rapidly freezing it to the point you start feeling invigorating. All this changes happen between heartbeats, so seemingly subtle and natural, that a mortal mind would likely not notice the transition. None present here can precisely be called mortal. The preparations complete, you salute your opponent, and fall into the water, sword already swinging.
[X] Do like any reasonable nobleman would
-[X] Activate ATB, Charisma excellency.
-[X] «I accept your challenge, Dreameater! The hour after sunrise after my duty before the Queen is done, you will find your death here, wretched thing!»
[X] Plan The Boom of Brass and Thunder -[X] Accept the Duel -[X] Suggest that Titania/Lily obscure the Nfested nobles senses to deny Nemesis intelligence. -[X] Activate VIridian Legend Exoskeleton, Melee excellency when needed, Steel Skin -[X] Dive into the lake to fight it in the water. -[X] Activate shintai, and form a localized dueling arena, with a chilled air and iron sand hurricane bound to your will -[X] STUNT: "Let none say that I shrink from defense of Creation. And before you start worrying, I'll clean everything up by the time I finish this little bit of pest control" - so saying, you step forwards, first close , and then to stand directly onto the water. As you do, serene look of concentration passes over you, and both you, and the world around you shift. Your mortal-looking flesh is discarded for the armored form of your god body, covered in balefire glowing sigils you know to proclaim your glory to come. In the five corners of the impromptu arena, banners of the Five Cities rise, connected through am impassable circle of black iron snow, which even now howls and tears through the arena of combat, rapidly freezing it to the point you start feeling invigorating. All this changes happen between heartbeats, so seemingly subtle and natural, that a mortal mind would likely not notice the transition. None present here can precisely be called mortal. The preparations complete.
Time seems to slow, the colors fracturing on one side light to bright it pains the eye and on the other putrid darkness that make the edges of things rot. As you had done countless times before you are tempted to question the power of your crown. Why? The simplest answer is that the thing behind the hollowed masks wants a good look at you, a sense of how you fight for a battle not so doomed, but is the simplest answer good enough when facing He Who Walks Beside and his puppets? Yet the Archive's cautioning words also ring in your mind, sometimes it is best that even your allies do not know just how sharp your senses are.
Eyes of flesh narrow, sharpen emerald-bright to peer into the mass of ichthyic nightmare-flesh, yet you sense nothing that you had not seem before, only more of it, malformed and hateful. Thus you nod to Titania. "By your leave, Majesty."
There is no hint of surprise upon her stern luminous features. Why would there be after all, had the beast not insulted your honor?
"Pray see to your defenses. Thieves are wont to sneak into the pantry when the mistress of the house is distracted," you add then, not waiting for a reply, you step out onto the surface of the lake. Power unfurls around you and flattens the water agitated by the intruder, even as you grow in stature and in power. The temperature around you plunges precipitously, the summer warmth of Avalon replaced by freezing rain and biting winds as your brass-shod feet leave not even a ripple on the surface of the water."You seem to have found newer associates to lead you around by the nose, thousand-horned. And fouler ones at...."
Lost 3 Essence and 3 Willpower -> Now at 12/15 Essence and 6/9 Willpower Charms triggered: Imperial Primacy Mantle; All Things Betray
Shintai Triggered
Steel Skin Triggered
Alas you never get the last word out as you realize the black 'water' beneath you is not merely under the shadow of the monster, it is Iku Turso, god of war and you had fallen into his trap as his inky blackness— some unhelpful part of your mind recalls that your foe's name could also mean 'octopus' — rises to envelop you. But swift as the jaws of the trap might close you are faster still, between one moment and the next you are away, carried upon a balefire wind, a thousand eyes like embers upon it.
The sound of brass on brass rings out, as your sword, your companion and your guide is once more freed to do battle upon the foe of you both, puppet to the foe of all. "I thought I taught you this lesson before, Old One."
Lost 2 Essence -> Now at 10/15 Charms Triggered: Viridian Legend Exoskeleton; Melee Excelency
The once-god's shudders as if in some grotesque earthquake and it take you a moment to realize that it is with laughter that he is quaking as upon that face things are crawling. Once perhaps they had been men, for they retained the vague shape under aeons of stoney growtha and seaweed red and blood, now they are like ants to a broken anthill.
"See... the face of... those who have defied... me of old and know your... fate that is to come!"
These are the ones who had not been as skilled or as fortunate as Väinämöinen, you realize with mounting concern as the bone-thralls draw forth from their own substance, splintering and breaking javelins to cast high, spears to impale you with should you come close.
How do you fight the god-monster of old?
[] Kill the 'garison' first, they do not look very sturdy even though there are a lot of them Risk of being attacked by tentancles while distracted
[] Cut off the head and the body will wither to fall upon and carve into the central mass Will have to endure being peppered with javelins and prodded with spears
[] As with an iceberg the true heart of Iku Turso is beneath the water he has invaded Dive under the lake, risk of being swallowed whole by his black waters
[] Write in
OOC: You guys are so lucky you have that surprise negator or this fight would have started with 'you have been swallwed hole'
Probably wouldn't ingratiate ourselves with Summer if we'd started off this fight with a Davy Crockett, but an RPG dealing Agg because of Transcendent Anathema would be quite nice too.
Would Titania be upset if we temporarily swapped in some environmental effects from the FCF? There has to be some tornado force winds blowing somewhere in our Hell we can throw at the mooks.
COMMENTARY
I was expecting Molly to roll Perception + Awareness, where Usum's Demonic Guide bonus would come into play to combined with ATB to turn our Perception 3 + Awareness 0 + Without Honor 2 into autosuccesses.
Ah well. Surprise negator for the win.
Okay, puppetting a bunch of undead thralls, would make me wonder why Vainamoinen who imprisoned him didnt simply kill him. Need more data.
Maybe the Fae know. Should have asked Titania before the fight, assuming she was free to answer.
Molly's defense pool is 28 dice at DC3, which should average around 20 successes on parries.
Im very much leaning towards ignoring the thralls and just decapitating Iku-Turso.
Our Perception + Alertness pool is not high enough for me to be comfortable diving into the dark waters.
Let's. Go.
Next round, definitely voting for this!
Probably wouldn't ingratiate ourselves with Summer if we'd started off this fight with a Davy Crockett, but an RPG dealing Agg because of Transcendent Anathema would be quite nice too.
The 2-dot Sandstrike Blast's rolls Dex+Athletics at DC5, and is free to use as a 60 yard range, single target weapon.
Its AoE mode costs 1m per shot, but has unlimited range and an AoE of Essence*5 yards radius, with a base damage of 10L (Agg if you have Transcendent Anathema).
The spells Death of Obsidian Buterflies and Flight of the Brilliant Garda also exist, but cost 3-4m per use and 10xp each.
And of course the 3-dot Principle Invoking Onslaught is your big gun, but because Molly is Firearms 0, actually making use of it short of simply nuking a football field with a Davy Crockett will require spending more than 20XP on Firearms dots and a Firearms Excellency.
Okay, puppetting a bunch of undead thralls, would make me wonder why Vainamoinen who imprisoned him didnt simply kill him. Need more data.
Maybe the Fae know. Should have asked Titania before the fight, assuming she was free to answer.
Molly's guess would be either he could not or he thought the undead thralls were fine since they lost fair and square. It was a rather harsh time in a harsh land.
@DragonParadox
QUESTIONS
1) Demonic Primacy of Essence and All Things Betray should be applicable here.
Are these undead mortals or just constructs spawned from Turso's essence?
2)Does killing them count for Murder is Meat?
3)Does Molly have anything like a fair idea of what the average statline of one of those things is?
Can we see the rolls we got for steel skin and viridian exoskeleton? It makes a difference in terms of planning.
As to how we should reply, everything in a 2.7 kilometer radius is subject to Thousand and First Hell + Lord of the Land. We're also immune to any sort of aquatic environment and our messes clean themselves up when Shintai goes down.
I'm not sure if we can stipulate that the lake is now actually our ring of lighting*, but we should be able to set it to liquid oxygen chock full off radioactive particulate. Or how about the Hukapanui forests? Don't those eat people who go into them? Once you get that cold being undead isn't going to help much. The thermal shock would make them to become brittle and/or burst like trees exploding in the winter.
@DragonParadox does Molly know enough to tell what those minions are?
Are they souls he's trapped and endlessly resurrects, or fragments like that shadow summon the Will of Kakuri used, and therefore delicious essence treats?
If they're capable of independent thought, would this be a situation where AtP would work? The charm requires 5+ willpower dots to be allowed to pay tempt will to roll a difficult 7 check to respond. I'd be kind of surprised if people broken and bound by a will eating abomination retained heroic willpower or many willpower points to spend themselves.
It'd be kind of great if his minions just stood there while we killed them, reacting only when we stop for a snack. Or if we respond to his shit by killing all of them with the cold and burning as much essence as we can each turn kicking his ass just to stay ahead of our binge.
* Though we might be able to summon it in the sky above us and command lightning to fall just after the liquid oxygen trick to maximize thermal shock.
