There is a Mardukth charm that grants bonuses whenever you act according to a title someone gives you. Perhaps an expansion off of that charm would allow you to accept names from others as well?
A Name that Shakes the Heavens
Cost: 3m; Mins: Essence 2; Type: Simple Keywords: Combo-OK, Compulsion, Entourage 1 Duration: One Scene Prerequisite Charms: Written Upon the Stone
Though he appears monolithic, this is but an image of himself Mardukth has cultivated in the minds of others. In truth, he is little more than a legend given form anchored to a name that resounds down long ages and across cultures. Activating this Charm and demanding to know "Who am I?" the Infernal rolls a (Charisma + Investigation) social attack against all beings within (Essence x 5) yards, adding his Essence in automatic successes. All beings whose MDVs are overcome are compelled to answer in accordance to their beliefs about the Infernal. This unnatural mental influence costs two willpower to resist.
Choosing an answer that appeals to him, the Infernal gains (Followers) extra dice on all actions which would adhere to or promote that concept of his character. He also suffers a -(Followers) Internal Penalty for behaving counter to the chosen belief. If he does not choose an answer, either because none was given or because he found none acceptable, he immediately loses a temporary willpower from the despair of anonymity.
Hmm, according to this, Leila appears to have a geass ability in canon. Is that non-canon, rephrased as a Dragonblood ability, or is it just that Exaltations can apply on top of Geass, but not the other way around?
Also, given that in canon, Charles' ultimate goal was to use the sword of Akasha to destroy the gods....I wonder whether we'll want to stop him here?
Wrong gods, Charles is trying to kill Humanity's collective unsconcious (that simply happens to be referred to in canon as "the gods") and basically causing Instrumentality to happen.
A thought, according to someone who was discussing Exalted with me and mentioned that depending on the time Luna is "probably the perfect person to get to help you steal the Daystar for a joy ride (as long as it gets returned to the UCS eventually)" due to her being about change and stuff and given the example of Mardukth's soul and how Enjou's "steal Erembour for our waifu" plan is gonna change a HELL of a lot of stuff (pun intended) and possibility of fond memories of seducing Gaia to sit out the War maybe Luna starts giving Lelouch dating tips if she ever finds out?
Also given how completely out of shape Lelouch is perhaps it might be worth befriending Kaska since if ANYONE can whip him into shape its probably going to be the girl who is the personification of a Colosseum plus with her as a "girlbro" and Isidoros being all about indulging his desires whenever they strike him she might get lelouch to loosen up and indulge himself.
That would just lock us into a different name. Maybe make it a committed charm with a mote cost so that it can be deactivated to recover your given name?
It still doesn't seem to be in theme, and it certainly wouldn't be Essence 2 given that the Charm set explicitly states that sobriquets become allowed at higher Essence Charms. (E3 minimum, but quite possible E4)
Mardukth is about proudly and openly declaring and displaying himself so that others may bear witness and declare his legend and majesty in return. He does not disguise himself. Ever. Doing so explicitly goes against what he is. Distortions of his legend make them grander in the minds of others, but they're never outright lies and they never disguise his actual involvement in lieu of a fake persona.
Any Charm that tries to fool the universe into temporarily thinking a name other than your real one is your actual name is a deception. In order for it to work, a Charm would literally have to make you become the false persona, casting away your real one. This is a good example (though is not a Mardukth Charm, might be some heresy with Oramus and other Yozis, maybe Szoreny):
Becoming the Mask Cost: —; Mins: Essence 5; Type: Permanent Keywords: Heretical Duration: Permanent Prerequisite Charms: Glimpsed Through A Warped Mirror, ???+
Upon purchasing this Charm, the Infernal casts off his identity and exchanges it for one of the false personalities created by Masque of Hollow. For all intents and purposes, the false identity becomes his true one. His name, Motivation, Intimacies, appearance, and personality completely change to the ones of the previously false character. His old personality is lost, but may be recreated through Masque of Hollow Faces for the usual cost. The role is real, he has become the mask.
This Charm may be repurchased an infinite number of times, though an Infernal giving up his identity should be aware that his new one may have no desire to give up his newfound state of permanence.
With this Charm, you could create a persona of "Zero" with Masque of Hollow Faces. Zero could wear a mask, but in order to work with Mardukth's Excellency and many of his Charms he'd have to truly view the Mask of Zero as his real face/identity (his appearance under it might look like Lelouch, but Zero is nobody - he's a symbol who stands for justice, not an individual person) and would thus not be able to use the Excellency while unmasked, ironically. Also, if Zero's Intimacies are a certain way he'd not really have any desire to ever become Lelouch vi Britannia again. (and it really wouldn't be convenient to do so)
THAT is the extent I think you'd need to go to make Lelouch able to use Mardukth's stuff as Zero. He would literally have to become Zero on a permanent basis, casting off his identity. Anything temporary is but a lie. It might be possible to do this without a Charm, but at this point in time it's not IC for Lelouch to do that.
A thought, according to someone who was discussing Exalted with me and mentioned that depending on the time Luna is "probably the perfect person to get to help you steal the Daystar for a joy ride (as long as it gets returned to the UCS eventually)" due to her being about change and stuff and given the example of Mardukth's soul and how Enjou's "steal Erembour for our waifu" plan is gonna change a HELL of a lot of stuff (pun intended) and possibility of fond memories of seducing Gaia to sit out the War maybe Luna starts giving Lelouch dating tips if she ever finds out?
I had to read this three times to get it all lined up right in my head. Please use proper punctuation.
And I highly doubt Luna will have any interaction with us beyond "kill it dead." Our explicit goal is to free the titans who held her in bondage and who will most certainly torture her forever and/or kill her should they be released.
As for Kashta, she's interested in the strong, not those with potential to be strong. To get her attention you have to win the combat, not just show up. We'd make better use of our time training at Suntarankal.
No, Theion created Ligier as a partner to Ruvelia. Having 2 fetiches was part of why he was such a big deal. When Ruvelia was murdered, only Ligier was left, causing Malfeas to form as a lump of scar tissue over the power that was once Theion.
I always found it odd how RotSE and Infernals never really mentioned Gaia. I mean, she's a free primordial and a pretty darn strong one by all accounts. Most of her is away from Creation, but her humaniform jouten should still be a terrifying force.
I wonder if exactly what the yozi intend to do to humanity has really sunk in for our circle? pretty much all of them would be varying levels of not cool with screwing over humanity. Then again, there is that massive empty universe out there now. getting enough leverage to get the gods to agree to let the yozi play out into the black in exchange for forsaking their vengeance on humanity would be a decent plan. hell we could even throw in an offer to assist against the underworld, and other threats to creation.
getting enough leverage to get the gods to agree to let the yozi play out into the black in exchange for forsaking their vengeance on humanity would be a decent plan.
And I highly doubt Luna will have any interaction with us beyond "kill it dead." Our explicit goal is to free the titans who held her in bondage and who will most certainly torture her forever and/or kill her should they be released.
the gods can be forced to the table if we get enough leverage over them. we already plan to take over japan, and the leadership of the chinese federation are exactly the sort of fools who would sell their country to hell for the right price. gain sway over a large enough amount of the gods prayer supply and we should be able to get them to negotiate.
as for the Yozi, well we would have a couple of approaches. we could sell it as an incremental step towards their revenge, we could start with the ones who want freedom more than vengeance, we could look into ways of changing them by abusing the fact we have a direct link to their souls. we would have options, none of them easy, and few of them even possible, but when talking long term there is very little a celestial exalt cannot eventually accomplish if he isn't slain first.
edit: these would be very long term plans. The main practical effect of having this plan is we would have a response to somone pointing out that if we freed the yozi they would torture humanity to death.
the gods can be forced to the table if we get enough leverage over them. we already plan to take over japan, and the leadership of the chinese federation are exactly the sort of fools who would sell their country to hell for the right price. gain sway over a large enough amount of the gods prayer supply and we should be able to get them to negotiate.
as for the Yozi, well we would have a couple of approaches. we could sell it as an incremental step towards their revenge, we could start with the ones who want freedom more than vengeance, we could look into ways of changing them by abusing the fact we have a direct link to their souls. we would have options, none of them easy, and few of them even possible, but when talking long term there is very little a celestial exalt cannot eventually accomplish if he isn't slain first.
Or we can just let them were they are and take the world to ourselves.
Really, not all of the Yozi are total dicks,and some of them may deserve to be freed, but even so, the amount of effort that would take to actually free them without messing up everything else in the process is so absurdly large we may as well use it in a more worthwhile and easier goal, like conquering the underworld, killing all the deathlords and destroying all the soulsteel in the world.
I wonder if exactly what the yozi intend to do to humanity has really sunk in for our circle? pretty much all of them would be varying levels of not cool with screwing over humanity.
Most definitely not. They do not really understand at all that the Yozis intend to screw over humanity along with the gods. They're still young and quite grateful for their new masters giving them a hand and raising them up from failure.
Then again, there is that massive empty universe out there now. getting enough leverage to get the gods to agree to let the yozi play out into the black in exchange for forsaking their vengeance on humanity would be a decent plan. hell we could even throw in an offer to assist against the underworld, and other threats to creation.
The Yozis might be willing to accept it, or something like it, if the GSPs won't budge and it doesn't seem like they'll have any other options. At least some of them would, anyways. Szoreny was canonically willing to accept a parole for himself and his brother, even if that would mean submitting to the Unconquered Sun - better that than the prison that is Malfeas.
Yu-Shan might be willing to accept it if the alternative is that the GSPs storm the gates and murder them all to take over reality themselves, and maybe lock the Incarnae in the Jade Pleasure Dome to turn it into the Jade Prison 2.0.
It wouldn't necessarily require submission on their part. Any negotiated deal would probably end up with both sides getting power, but over different sections of Creation. Earth and most of the Solar system would definitely be off limits to the Yozis. The Yozis would be able to play the Games of Divinity again, rule over their own solar systems, etc. Meanwhile the gods would have their own stuff as usual, or would answer directly to the more human GSPs.
Though again really, this is likely outside the scope of this quest.
then we'd need them to think if we did nothing the yozi would be freed with no constraints at all. if they would prefer death to the yozi being free, we frame it as us giving them a chance to save themselves by "tricking" the yozi into binding themselves from interfering with them or humanity. Keep in mind this is mostly to have a response to when a solar hero point out killing humanity would be kinder than leaving them at the mercy of the yozi.
The thing is, we actually kind of like them in character. our interactions with oramus have been mostly positive, and lelouch was truly horrified by how oramus was suffering. Not to mention he has a crush on one of the ebon dragon's third circle souls. we need a way (no matter how harebrained) to reconcile that with the fact he wants to make a better world.
The Yozis might be willing to accept it, or something like it, if the GSPs won't budge and it doesn't seem like they'll have any other options. At least some of them would, anyways. Szoreny was canonically willing to accept a parole for himself and his brother, even if that would mean submitting to the Unconquered Sun - better that than the prison that is Malfeas.
Only because it was part of a longer-term plan to get revenge.
I like Earthscorpion's comments on the matter, in the GenEx thread: The humans will probably be ignored; they're nothing, just walking prayer batteries. The Exalted can be brought into service as Infernals or Akuma, which the Yozis have been doing for centuries. Nothing new there.
But the gods? Ohhhh no. They're the ones who masterminded everything, who rallied the exalted and directed them against their rightful lords. Once the Yozis get out, every single god is either going to die, or wish it were dead.
I think that probably the best-case scenario is the Infernals working themselves into some kind of mediator role between the Yozis and mortals, keeping humans safe while satisfying the Yozis' commands.
And no, we can't just decide we can ignore that part. @Alexander89 would have to approve of that change, and I don't think he would. Though perhaps he might also enlighten us on how he'd handle the mechanic described as well, just so we're sure.
Upon deliberation... I have to agree with Enjou's reasons. Don't get me wrong: Mardukth has a lot in common with Lelouch just as Malfeas does. If Lelouch still were a prince the Mardukth Charmset would be his best ally. Thing is, the current Lelouch still acknowledge Vi Britannia as his real name, but he also can't acknowledge the weight that come with it. He still has some pride from it, but he doesn't dare reveal it to the world. He is much better at home as Zero, a mask created to be everything he wants to be. He's playing a part, the part of who he would have been without his mother's death and other misfortunes having happened. Also, he loves deception too much.
Now, if Lelouch is ever going to fully discard his other names and fully embrace the name/moniker of "Zero", then things would be different...
However, despair not: this will not be the only chance to unlock another Charmset. You will have others, of that I can assure you.
Erembour isn't his fetich. She's his Seventh Soul and given her attitude, she likely embodies his capacity to love things. Taking that from him would result in the most fiendish being in existence getting even worse.
Not quite. You may read in books such as Broken-Winged Crane and Return of the Scarlet Empress that the function of a 3CD is to provide the respective Yozi with an unbreakable Intimacy towards said 3CD's Motivation.
That could be no more wrong.
Inaccurate as it may be, 3CD are a Yozi's Intimacies. They're literal, thinking expressions of the Yozi's themes and interests.
Case in point, Erembour is the Ebon Dragon's "revelry for the night". It's obvious that, as darkness incarnate, TED likes the night. Erembour is how he expresses it. Why do you think his dragon's jouten flies across Malfeas? It's because Ligier is a dick that doesn't allow a day-night circle, and Malfeas as the King approves. TED must obey Malfeas out of necessity, but he still wants a night so he flies across the Demon City, using his own shadow as a fake night so that Erembour can properly appreciate it. And what she appreciates, he does.
Let's see Erembour's Motivation and Intimacies: Motivation: To celebrate the darkness and oppose the plans of Ligier and the Unconquered Sun. Erembour has Intimacies for the things of night, including lovers in the dark, theft, murder, bats, owls, Dune People, creatures who live in lightless caverns and nighttime battles.
She is an enemy of Ligier and UC. That's a given. She want to celebrate the darkness, and that's what she does under TED's shadow. Her Intimacies are all about things associated with the night: lovers in the dark, theft, murder, bats, owls, Dune People, creatures who live in lightless caverns, nighttime battles, etc.
Mind you, Erembour is one of the more pleasant souls of TED. Night and darkness aren't wholly evil: they can be, but they can also be good.
True, her horn transforms people into creatures that are happy only in the darkness, but she probably fully believe she's doing them a favor. It's kinda is, even if not everyone would agree to it
Remember: demons are [insert thing] taken up to eleven. It's us mortals' fault that we can't handle excesses!
Then again, he kinda needed a hell of a long time and a very dramatic moment to actualy admit as much to himself. Here its pretty much "meet hot demon babe, crush all over hot demon babe". For most of CG he was mostly oblivious to Shirley's feelings, as well as his own feelings towards her.
Hmm, according to this, Leila appears to have a geass ability in canon. Is that non-canon, rephrased as a Dragonblood ability, or is it just that Exaltations can apply on top of Geass, but not the other way around?
Don't say that! After all, there's precedent for TCDs having relations with Exalted, even Solars. There's no reason we couldn't achieve this grand goal with a little bit of work and plotting.
Of course, given her interests, she's much more likely to respond to Lelouch having a secret affair than taking her out to a nice dinner...
Funny you mentioned her: the original plan for this arc was to have Lelouch also meet her, together with another soul of Oramus, but then I decided there were too many 3CD and so discarded the idea.
No. But If you look at ES's Forth Soul Rewrite of the Coadjucator background He can probably develop charms that would allow him to develop a mutation that would allow him to connect to the Teodozjia hive-mind, though probably not to the same extent as a true Teodozjia.
"When Erembour enters the mortal world, thunder cracks overhead. That Which Calls to the Shadows cannot physically escape Malfeas without being summoned, but the music of her horn sometimes drifts unbidden between the worlds with terrible consequence."
Distorted Reflection Cost: —; Mins: Essence 2; Type: Permanent Keywords: None Duration: Permanent Prerequisite Charms: Written Upon the Stone
The Mountain and the Beast Upon It defines himself by his flock much as they define themselves by him. If the Inferal's followers know the Infernal by a different name, the Infernal can consider that name to be one of his true names. This name cannot be the name of another. This charm may be repurchased (Essence) times, with a new name each time.
Would this be an acceptable Mardukth charm @Alexander89?
right, the ebon dragon created the most perfect, and virtuous creature he could to better define himself opposition, and he probably took inspiration from the greatest of his kin.
TED: "That was one of my best masterplans. That he turned his back on Creation and now spend all his time playing the Games stymied it a bit though: he isn't supposed to do something I would do!"
Also given how completely out of shape Lelouch is perhaps it might be worth befriending Kaska since if ANYONE can whip him into shape its probably going to be the girl who is the personification of a Colosseum plus with her as a "girlbro" and Isidoros being all about indulging his desires whenever they strike him she might get lelouch to loosen up and indulge himself.
Becoming the Mask Cost: —; Mins: Essence 5; Type: Permanent Keywords: Heretical Duration: Permanent Prerequisite Charms: Glimpsed Through A Warped Mirror, ???+
Upon purchasing this Charm, the Infernal casts off his identity and exchanges it for one of the false personalities created by Masque of Hollow. For all intents and purposes, the false identity becomes his true one. His name, Motivation, Intimacies, appearance, and personality completely change to the ones of the previously false character. His old personality is lost, but may be recreated through Masque of Hollow Faces for the usual cost. The role is real, he has become the mask.
This Charm may be repurchased an infinite number of times, though an Infernal giving up his identity should be aware that his new one may have no desire to give up his newfound state of permanence.
Funny, I was thinking of a similar Charm, with Glimpsed Through A Warped Mirror and Eldritch Secrets Mastery. Basically you play a role so much that the world itself is fooled into thinking it's real. Even when you use Infernal Charms an Illusion effect make the witnesses believe they are completely natural for the being you are to use.
As for Kashta, she's interested in the strong, not those with potential to be strong. To get her attention you have to win the combat, not just show up. We'd make better use of our time training at Suntarankal.
The thing is, we actually kind of like them in character. our interactions with oramus have been mostly positive, and lelouch was truly horrified by how oramus was suffering. Not to mention we have a crush on one of the ebons dragons third circle souls. we need a way (no matter how harebrained) to reconcile that with the fact we want to make a better world.
And I highly doubt Luna will have any interaction with us beyond "kill it dead." Our explicit goal is to free the titans who held her in bondage and who will most certainly torture her forever and/or kill her should they be released.
Well given how we OOC aren't planning on actually following through on freeing the Yozi and that Lelouch will probably get tired of his masters like most Infernals are implied to eventually especially when the true horror of just what they're planning to do to humanity sinks in.
Plus our unknown future Lunar mate may try to get us to "see reason" and that Luna is able to boost her Social attributes to 20 along with the fact that Luna was kinda made for subtlety, guile and seduction as WELL as the possible benefits of having an Infernal under her influence able to give Yu-shan intelligence on the Reclamation and what Hell is currently planning you never know.
You know... if we ever decide we don't like the Ebon Dragon that much, we could just try and snatch Erembour away.
There is that magic that can turn demons into gods.
You know... if we ever decide we don't like the Ebon Dragon that much, we could just try and snatch Erembour away.
There is that magic that can turn demons into gods.
Well given how we OOC aren't planning on actually following through on freeing the Yozi and that Lelouch will probably get tired of his masters like most Infernals are implied to eventually especially when the true horror of just what they're planning to do to humanity sinks in.
As Alexander said, an actual jailbreak is outside the scope of the quest. Remaining aligned to the Reclamation is only important as far as political allegiances go.
Plus our unknown future Lunar mate may try to get us to "see reason" and that Luna is able to boost her Social attributes to 20 along with the fact that Luna was kinda made for subtlety, guile and seduction as WELL as the possible benefits of having an Infernal under her influence able to give Yu-shan intelligence on the Reclamation and what Hell is currently planning you never know.
Meeting the Lunar ought to be interesting. I recommend bringing them to Hell and convincing her to sign up. We can get them to "see reason" as well. As for Luna, she wouldn't even know where to find us, let alone tear herself away from the Games long enough to try to convince us to turn traitor.
You know... if we ever decide we don't like the Ebon Dragon that much, we could just try and snatch Erembour away.
There is that magic that can turn demons into gods.
Funny you mentioned her: the original plan for this arc was to have Lelouch also meet her, together with another soul of Oramus, but then I decided there were too many 3CD and so discarded the idea.
dammit I'm torn about this on the one hand she is utterly terrifying and is bad news regardless of whether she DISLIKES you (causing your desires to LITERALLY burn you away) or if she LIKES you (takes you as her lover and eventually "breaks" you) but on the other hand she would probably have been amusing (and would give Kaguya such horrible horrible HORRIBLE ideas for Lulu's chastity)
Meeting the Lunar ought to be interesting. I recommend bringing them to Hell and convincing her to sign up. We can get them to "see reason" as well. As for Luna, she wouldn't even know where to find us, let alone tear herself away from the Games long enough to try to convince us to turn traitor.
