Green Sun, Black Shadows (CG/Exalted)
- Thread starter Alexander89
- Start date
- Crossover
Amaterasu is the goddess of the sun. The sun already has a god. His name is the Unconquered Sun, and he rules all of Creation (technically, even if he isn't really doing his job). The worship of any sun god would probably apply to him.
Japanese Mythology should be used to an extent, but it should be remembered that they are the records of unreliable mortal memory due to the Arcane Fate.
Gods can have overlapping domains due to having different authority levels or regions. For example maybe she is the regional goddess of the sun in japan and thus works under UCS. It isn't like he does all that much to draw attention to himself due to living in the Jade Pleasure Dome.
Some domains can overlap, but I don't think the sun is something that really can be shared. Amaterasu, if she exists as the goddess of Japan, probably has no actual authority over the sun whatsoever. Remember that there is no sun in Japan, there is only the sun, so it's not like a river that's in geographically divided sections, and there's no reason for someone else to try to make the sun behave like the sun. Her authority would in reality be backed by the Unconquered Sun which might explain the confusion, and she would be the goddess of the "land of the rising sun" known as Japan. The sun itself would still be the exclusive domain of the Unconquered Sun. Remember that in Japanese Mythology that many legends regarding the gods are just blatantly false in regards to the actual history of the setting we're dealing with. (though it might be true that the Emperors of Japan descended from her)
It's also quite possible that Amaterasu, if she even exists, is a corrupt goddess who claimed to some mortals that she was the goddess of the sun (but really wasn't) and got away with it because the Unconquered Sun isn't really enforcing things and it's too much of a pain for the higher ups to do so themselves. The fact that she isn't actually the goddess of the sun wouldn't matter given the actual sun god isn't paying attention. Either that or mortals just got it wrong due to the Arcane Fate fucking with their memories. Probably some combination of the two.
- Location
- madison
Not that I mind, but you are forcing me to make the Celestial Bureaucracy even more corrupted from 5000 years of complete boredom that I initially thought
christ I hadn't even thought about that. The gods are hilariously corrupt in cannon exalted, and that was with the immaculate order punching the worst of the corruption, and the fair folk providing a constant (if low level) external threat. In this setting there are far fewer dragonblooded, gaining prayer legitimately is all but impossible, and the fair folk are light years away. The only power that could possibly act as any kind of check aginst the gods is the sidereals, and from my understanding they consider there responsibilities to extend solely to safeguarding creation as a whole, rather than its inhabitants. That is of course assuming the shit they pulled with the mask (which is the reason traditional prayer gathering methods all but impossible) hasn't left them permanently persona non grata with the gods.
The gods could very well be corrupt to the point that even the normal solars will seek to burn yu-shan to the ground.
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All the Sidreals involved in that fiasco are long dead, so the gods probably just don't care about them all that much.
Also, I'll note that traditional prayer methods aren't impossible, just much, much more difficult. Most likely gods maintain contacts with a handful of mortal priests to ensure worship and prayer continues. It's just a good deal less effective because the majority of actual people won't remember any kind of direct intervention by a god. Religion is still a thing in Code Geass, after all.
- Location
- madison
that still leaves only 100 exalts who may or may not care about anything beyond creation as a whole running smoothly as the only possible check against the entirety of heaven.
ReaperofInterest
Herald of Disaster
Like it was said, as Infernals we're much more likely to see the bad sides of the deities. There very well could be a large number of gods who work hard, do their jobs, and try to improve the world, even if just in small ways. It's just that we're not likely to meet then, because we work for their mortal enemies.
- Location
- madison
not to mention were probably mostly going to be seeing/murdering gods who support britannia. Given that britannian philosophy can be summed up as "If I can fuck you over you had it coming." most gods who work with them are probably going to be dicks.
A Bargain, but for Who? (GSP Maxwell and Charlie by ReaperofInterest)
ReaperofInterest
Herald of Disaster
A Bargain, but for Who?
Maxwell's Story
Almost there, almost th-
"Got you!"
NO! NO NO NO not now! Not when I'm so close!
"Did you really think that you could escape you pathetic little human?
Truthfully, Maxwell hadn't expected to be able to escape his captors. But he did have a plan in case he was captured. Turning, he charged at the god that had found him.
"What?!"
Maxwell attempted to stab the god to death, and if that didn't work, he planned to just smash the deity's head in with a rock. Those plans were put on hold, though, by the god turning intangible. He tried to escape, but a foot smashing into his face put a stop to that.
"Idiot mortal. We gods can turn intangible when in Creation at will, which means you can't hurt me no matter what you do! Now, it's time to take you back to your master. He'll surely reward my for capturing you."
Jesus, his smug voice was irritating. But what could Maxwell do? If gods could turn intangible, then how was he supposed to kill them?!
"HeLlO"
What the-?
With that, a...ball-thing with lots of legs tackled the deity that had Maxwell bound, then promptly kicked it to death.
When the god's body dispersed, Maxwell began preparing himself for death. What happened next surprised him.
"MoRtAl. I hAvE cOmE tO oFfEr YoU a DeAl."
"Wh-what? Do you think you could try to speak a little clearer please? It's somewhat hard to understand you."
"ManEkteH will trY. ManeKtrh's maSters wisH to oFfer you Power. AccePt, and you wIll be given pOwer in exChange for your aId. RefuSe, and ManekteH will leave."
After taking a little time to puzzle out the creature's words, Maxwell was both wary and curious.
"What aid do your masters want? Would I just be exchanging one master for another?"
"No. You wiLl keep your fRee will. Aid tHe mastErs escaPe from their priSon, and striKe at the gods and thEir pawns and AlliEs."
Chuckling a trifle hysterically, Maxwell decided to ask one final question.
"Who are your masters?"
"They wHo were once the Primordials, theY who made CreatiOn, the Yozis."
Maxwell's chuckling had graduated to full-blown maniacal laughter.
"Haha! Ve-he-ery well the-he-n, I accept your offer!"
"ManekteH thanks you."
With those words, the creature pounced.
Darkness. It was everywhere, a new and unknown kind of darkness. Over the years in captivity, Maxwell had come to recognize many kinds of darknesses, from the shades, to the shadowstuff that he had used to create so very many things, to his so-called "Master". But this...this was different. It seemed to...oppose. It moved in shapes similar to that which he feared, and whispered to him sweet lies and horrible truths. Part of him resonated with it, and gladly drank deeply of what the darkness was telling him. Eventually, it left, and something else came, something that the part of him that rejected the darkness resonated with.
He was home. Not the throne he had spent so long confined to, but his old home from before that final act. He was in the library, and looking at the tome that started it all. Unsure of what was happening, he moved to it, pondering destroying it. Suddenly, words appeared on the walls and began to spread.
Mortal, why should I honor the bargain? Why should I grant you power?
"Because you and I share enemies. We both oppose Heaven for the sins it has committed, and we both want them to suffer for those sin."
The books were replaced by bundles of words, turned black as pitch from their massed texts.
Actually, you want the forces of Heaven to suffer. If it is done in a manner worthy of being told as a story, then I will want Heaven to suffer. So we share enemies. What will you do to them?
"I...I will tear down my enemies' Sanctums! I will lead an army against Heaven itself if I must! I will see their ability to commit the sins they have committed destroyed, even if I have to tear every last god apart with my own hands!"
And how will you do it? Will you do it simply and quickly, or will you take the time to personally kill every god you can?
"I will do it whatever way makes the rest of them pay attention. If I can make my statement more effectively by tearing apart a single god, then I will do so. If it can be made more effective by slaughtering half of Yu-Shan, then I will do so! If I must become Heaven's own boogeyman to make sure they get the message, then I will do so! I will do whatever I must in order to make sure I am heard by those corrupt deities!"
Good. You know the power of actions and reputations. Very well.
In my Name, that of Elloge the Sphere of Speech, go forth
And remind Creation of a properly-told story's power
In my Name, that of Elloge the Sphere of Speech, go forth
And remind Creation of a properly-told story's power
Charlie's Story
Darkness. It was something Charlie had become very well acquainted with over the years. She was practically nocturnal after all these...how long had it been, since that fateful performance?
Shaking her head, doing her best to ignore the agony the motion caused her and failing, Charlie stopped that line of thought. It didn't matter, all that she cared about was making something bleed. Now whe-ah! There was something that couldn't see her. Part of her regretted what she was about to do. The rest of her just focused on the odd fog with weapons sticking out of it.
It was night, and the creature couldn't see her. One of the small 'gifts' her hated master had given her. She attacked the creature, only for it to attempt to block her strike with a sword. She tore through it.
"Ah, the fabled Monster in the Dark, I presume? I was wondering when you would show up. I must-what? No that's...why is the Exaltation..."
The creature's words meant nothing to the hate and pain that drove Charlie. She redoubled her efforts to kill the thing, which infuriatingly refused to die. After a few minutes, the creature spoke again.
"Hear me creature! You are human, despite whatever has been done to you! I wish to offer you a deal! I hold power within me, power that can surpass even the mightiest of gods!"
Charlie's attacks slowed by a miniscule amount, but the creature was holding up well enough that it could tell she slowed.
"I wish to offer you a bargain! In exchange for aiding my masters, the Yozis, they who created the world, they who were betrayed by the gods, you will gain power that given time can surpass the mightiest of gods. In addition, you will regain your human form!"
At his final proclamation, Charlie almost stopped. Her body was effectively on autopilot while she pondered whether or not to accept the offer. If the creature was telling the truth, she could be human again. She would even get power that she could use to tear apart the gods as a bonus. But, she would have to serve someone. Would she simply be trading one master for another? Eventually, when the creature was down to less than ten weapons, she decided that it didn't matter. She had a chance to become human again. She had to take it.
The creature was down to two weapons. With an exhausting exertion of her will, Charlie managed to stop herself from cleaning through the being's weapon. A voice rang out from the darkness. It was horrible, monstrous, and nightmare-inducing. It spoke the words "I accept your bargain."
With that, the Tomescu, guided by Fate, embraced the Monster in the Dark, leaving behind a chrysalis to mark the existence of either.
Mirrors. They were everywhere, in a silver forest. No matter where she looked, those mirrors were reflecting...what? They-they weren't reflecting the hideous thing she'd been twisted into! No, when she looked into them...she saw the face she had worn as a human. It was almost enough to bring her to tears. As it was, her eyes began watering almost to the point where she couldn't see. The reflection, though...they whispered to her. Part of her drank deeply of the whispers, of the words of her reflected selves. Eventually, the mirrors began burning in a green conflagration, until it consumed everything.
The stage. She was on the stage where it either started or ended. Her life as a human had ended. Her life as a monster had begun. She saw the performance as one of the audience, wishing, as she did every day, that she could go back in time to just destroy that damn book. Eventually, the climax came. But...something happened.
The hands, those horrible hands, burst into flame. The fire spread, consuming the Charlie on the stage, consuming Maxwell, consuming the people, consuming everything but her. When the flames died down, she was in a temple made of brass, with glaring eyes for windows.
Mortal. Why should I lend you my power?
She cracked open her mouth, and for the second time in years, began to speak.
"Because you and I have both been wronged by the gods. We have both had our bodies twisted and warped against our wills. While my suffering is lesser than yours, it is enough that I hate them. My hatred isn't as great as yours, but it's great enough that I want them dead."
And so you accepted the bargain. But, how great is your hatred? What will you do to sate it?
"I will kill those who hurt me. I will tear down their Sactums, I will burn their homes, I will tear out their hearts just to feed them to the carrion birds! I will see every god who hurt me destroyed, broken mind, body, and soul! If I must, then I will tear down Yu-Shan itself to see those that hurt me suffer for eternity!"
Amusing. Your hatred is great, and you will go far to sate it. Very well
In my name, that of Malfeas the Demon City, go forth
And show the world the power of your hatred
In my name, that of Malfeas the Demon City, go forth
And show the world the power of your hatred
Name: Maxwell
Age: 35? Appears to be in his 20s
Image:
Caste: Fiend
Patron: Elloge
Titles: Chosen of the Sphere of Speech, The Shadow King
Motivation: Find and free his old assistant Charlie from the clutches of the Gods
Urge: Create a monument to the sins of the gods out of Starmetal (Dramatic)
Essence: 2
Willpower: 8/8
Anima Banner: Uncountably numerous black grasping phantom hands, reaching out as if to clutch unknowable secrets
Anima Power:
While their Yozi masters no longer have the power to directly manipulate the destinies of Creationborn, the Fiends still have the power to sanctify oaths in a manner conceptually similar to that of the Eclipse and Moonshadow Exalted, drawing upon their status as agents of the architects of Creation itself.
When a Fiend is party or witness to an oath, he may use his anima to sanctify it. The character must touch the other party or those making the pact to seal the agreement. In response his anima burns brightly, swirling with the words and runes by which the Yozi gave him the right to arbitrate such matters. The Exalt spends ten motes of Essence and one point of Willpower to sanctify the oath.
Those who break such an oath (including the Exalt himself) will suffer terrible luck from their oathbreaking. A number of times equal to the Exalt's Essence at the time he witnesses or agrees to the oath, the oathbreaker will horribly botch a critical action. When this happens is up to the Storyteller, but it is always at the worst possible moment. The Exalt needs not even be alive when the curse takes effect—he sanctifies the oath, but Creations itself enforces it. In addition the Yozis are, in many ways, the personification of inauspiciousness, and they have granted their diplomats the power to remove the burden of existing Eclipse, Moonshadow and Fiend oaths and transfer the penalty for any transgression onto the Yozis, for whom such penalties have no purchase. By committing five motes to a person who has sworn an oath sanctified by an Eclipse Caste Solar, a Moonshadow Caste Abyssal or another Fiend Caste Infernal, the Fiend can free the oath swearer from the effects of violating that oath, but only for as long as the Essence remains committed. The Fiend can end the commitment at any time. Violations of the oath that took place while the Essence was committed will have no effect on the oath breaker, but if he violates the oath again once the Essence is withdrawn, he will suffer the normal effects of violating it. In other words, an oath swearer's continued immunity to the effects of his oath are entirely dependent on the Fiend's continued largesse. This power can also be used to protect one who has sworn an oath sanctified by any deity of the Celestial or Terrestrial Hierarchies or sworn to the Fair Folk. However, a Fiend cannot shield an oath breaker from the effects of breaking the oath unless the oath was sanctified by a being (Exalt, deity or Fair Folk) whose Essence is less than that of the Fiend himself. Also, under no circumstances can a Fiend use this power to circumvent the oaths of surrender that bind the Yozi themselves and their demonic offspring.
Fiends, like their Solar and Abyssal peers, are talented generalists and can learn Charms from any type of Exalt or from spirits. The only limitation is that a Fiend can never use any Charm that carries the Holy keyword. She can learn holy Charms as prerequisites to other Charms that are not intrinsically holy, but holy Charms activated by Fiends automatically fail to function. All of a Charm's prerequisites must be purchased before the desired Charm may be purchased. Solar Mirror Charms may be substituted for their counterparts when learning Abyssal Charms. When a Fiend learns a foreign Permanent Charm they are not required to permanently commit the two motes surcharge for using the Charm. As with Eclipse and Moonshadow Caste Exalted, the cost for learning non-Infernal Charms is equal to double the normal cost for a Favored Charm and each such Charm costs an additional two motes to use. Should the Fiend anima power be used to learn a foreign Charm with a Flaw of Invulnerability, the Exalt must always add the Imperfection of the Shadow of All Things to non-native perfect defenses in addition to the already existing Flaw. No Green Sun Prince, even a Fiend, is capable of learning Sidereal martial arts.
Finally Fiends, understandably, are protected by diplomatic immunity in the Yozi realm just as Eclipse Caste Solars are, and they also serve as honored diplomats in both the Underworld and the courts of the Fair Folk. They carry no such immunity in the spirit world, where gods will almost certainly slay Infernal Exalts on sight once they realize what such strange beings are.
When a Fiend is party or witness to an oath, he may use his anima to sanctify it. The character must touch the other party or those making the pact to seal the agreement. In response his anima burns brightly, swirling with the words and runes by which the Yozi gave him the right to arbitrate such matters. The Exalt spends ten motes of Essence and one point of Willpower to sanctify the oath.
Those who break such an oath (including the Exalt himself) will suffer terrible luck from their oathbreaking. A number of times equal to the Exalt's Essence at the time he witnesses or agrees to the oath, the oathbreaker will horribly botch a critical action. When this happens is up to the Storyteller, but it is always at the worst possible moment. The Exalt needs not even be alive when the curse takes effect—he sanctifies the oath, but Creations itself enforces it. In addition the Yozis are, in many ways, the personification of inauspiciousness, and they have granted their diplomats the power to remove the burden of existing Eclipse, Moonshadow and Fiend oaths and transfer the penalty for any transgression onto the Yozis, for whom such penalties have no purchase. By committing five motes to a person who has sworn an oath sanctified by an Eclipse Caste Solar, a Moonshadow Caste Abyssal or another Fiend Caste Infernal, the Fiend can free the oath swearer from the effects of violating that oath, but only for as long as the Essence remains committed. The Fiend can end the commitment at any time. Violations of the oath that took place while the Essence was committed will have no effect on the oath breaker, but if he violates the oath again once the Essence is withdrawn, he will suffer the normal effects of violating it. In other words, an oath swearer's continued immunity to the effects of his oath are entirely dependent on the Fiend's continued largesse. This power can also be used to protect one who has sworn an oath sanctified by any deity of the Celestial or Terrestrial Hierarchies or sworn to the Fair Folk. However, a Fiend cannot shield an oath breaker from the effects of breaking the oath unless the oath was sanctified by a being (Exalt, deity or Fair Folk) whose Essence is less than that of the Fiend himself. Also, under no circumstances can a Fiend use this power to circumvent the oaths of surrender that bind the Yozi themselves and their demonic offspring.
Fiends, like their Solar and Abyssal peers, are talented generalists and can learn Charms from any type of Exalt or from spirits. The only limitation is that a Fiend can never use any Charm that carries the Holy keyword. She can learn holy Charms as prerequisites to other Charms that are not intrinsically holy, but holy Charms activated by Fiends automatically fail to function. All of a Charm's prerequisites must be purchased before the desired Charm may be purchased. Solar Mirror Charms may be substituted for their counterparts when learning Abyssal Charms. When a Fiend learns a foreign Permanent Charm they are not required to permanently commit the two motes surcharge for using the Charm. As with Eclipse and Moonshadow Caste Exalted, the cost for learning non-Infernal Charms is equal to double the normal cost for a Favored Charm and each such Charm costs an additional two motes to use. Should the Fiend anima power be used to learn a foreign Charm with a Flaw of Invulnerability, the Exalt must always add the Imperfection of the Shadow of All Things to non-native perfect defenses in addition to the already existing Flaw. No Green Sun Prince, even a Fiend, is capable of learning Sidereal martial arts.
Finally Fiends, understandably, are protected by diplomatic immunity in the Yozi realm just as Eclipse Caste Solars are, and they also serve as honored diplomats in both the Underworld and the courts of the Fair Folk. They carry no such immunity in the spirit world, where gods will almost certainly slay Infernal Exalts on sight once they realize what such strange beings are.
Attributes: Strength 2, Dexterity 3, Stamina 2; Charisma 4, Manipulation 4, Appearance 3; Perception 4, Intelligence 4, Wits 3
Abilities: Archery/Firearms 1, War 1, Integrity 2, Performance 4 (Specialty: Stage Magic 3), Craft (Wood) 2, Craft (Genesis) 2, Lore 4, Occult 3, Awareness 2, Bureaucracy 1, Linguistics 1 (Native English, Old Realm), Ride/Drive 1, Socialize 4
Background: Backing (Yozi): 1, Cult (Yozi): 1, Influence (Yozi): 1, Unwoven Coadjutor (Manekteh): 1
*Unwoven Coadjutor is a Marotte
Traits from Unwoven Coadjutor: His hair seems more coase, and always has at least one knot in it
Virtues: Compassion 3, Conviction 2, Temperance 4, Valor 2
Ebon Dragon Charms:
First Ebon Dragon Excellency
Cost: 1m per die; Mins: Essence 1; Type: Reflexive (Step 1 for attacker; Step 2 for defender)
Keywords: Combo-OK
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: None
The Shadow of All Things is Other, not wholly of the world nor fully alien to its precepts like the Neverborn. He is self-indulgent and without conscience but can be trusted to act with enlightened self-interest at all times, making him the most dependable and trustworthy of the Yozis so long as those dealing with him don't forget his nature. He corrupts and seduces others away from virtue and honor because these concepts are poisonous to him rather than because he wants to enlighten or enslave. He genuinely believes the universe should be darkened until it approaches his unholy perfection, but his warped magnanimity hides a deeper and greater hatred of all light—literal or metaphoric. The Ebon Dragon is hollow, assembling his semblance of identity from lies, copied mannerisms and observed vices, constantly recreating himself in the image of whatever offends and frightens his adversaries the most. Moreover, he is The Nemesis, finding greater joy in thwarting the dreams of others than advancing his own agenda. Whereas the Silent Wind brings agonizing freedom to others, the Ebon Dragon can't abide his own restraint, whether by prison walls or social mores.
This Excellency enhances actions that attack morality, break established moral codes or cheat in lieu of playing fair. This includes most criminal acts, except in societies where crime functions with the knowledge and quiet approval of the reigning government. Direct and intentional violations of the laws of Yu-Shan or the dictates of Cecelyne always offer chances for antagonism. The Shadow of All Things gleefully turns heroes into villains or reveals to a self-styled hero how his actions were actually villainous all along. While a character with this Excellency experiences confinement or restraint, the Charm can only enhance actions that help him break free from that immediate imprisonment until he has done so. The Charm also can't assist actions that knowingly help anyone else more than they help the Infernal, even when he still stands to profit a great deal. A third limitation is that the character can't use the Charm when being honest, unless revealing a horrid truth that will hurt or debase the listener. Finally, all actions must show subtlety, if not outright guile. Choosing a brazen course of action over a subtle one forfeits any opportunity to use this Charm.
Shadow Spite Curse
Cost: 3m per -1; Mins: Essence 1; Type: Reflexive (Step 2)
Keywords: Combo-OK, Obvious
Duration: Instant (one scene)
Prerequisite Charms: First Ebon Dragon Excellency
The Ebon Dragon offers no certainty of victory apart from the certainty of an opponent's defeat. Accordingly, the Shadow of All Things lacks a Second Excellency but offers this hateful alternative. Upon witnessing another character perform a valid action within (Essence x 100) yards, the Infernal may spend three motes per -1 external penalty applied to the enemy. This penalty can't exceed the Exalt's Essence by default, but the Infernal's player may describe the target's failure in a way that earns a stunt bonus, and the rating of this stunt adds to the Exalt's Essence rating to determine the maximum penalty. Shadows ooze and lash out from the Infernal's anima to momentarily entwine the victim with obscene tendrils that inflict bad luck and sudden lapses in competence. A valid action as defined by this Charm is one that furthers the target's Motivation, supports or protects any of her Intimacies or directly contests the Infernal's own actions, provided the Infernal could enhance her own action with First Ebon Dragon Excellency. Once an Infernal has Essence 3+, she may remove the Obvious keyword from this Charm whenever she activates it.
Cracked Shell Circumvention
Cost: 2m (or 2m, 1wp); Mins: Essence 2; Type: Reflexive (Step 1 or 2)
Keywords: Combo-OK
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: None
From his thrashing imprisonment to present, the Ebon Dragon has tirelessly and furiously labored to shatter the walls of his prison. This Charm may supplement any action that directly helps an Infernal escape physical restraints or physical confinement. Note that this Charm only aids in direct personal escape efforts; it can help an Exalt seduce a guard to get out of jail, but it won't help her shatter the prison wall from the outside to set other captives free. As always, the Storyteller remains the final arbiter of when this Charm applies. Cracked Cell Circumvention doubles the successes of any valid action (or doubles the size of a static pool). If used to enhance an attack, the accuracy successes double before applying the target's DV (or MDV), but this does not also double damage successes. Infernals with Essence 4+ may spend an additional Willpower when activating this Charm in order to ensure a threshold one success on the enhanced action as a Shaping effect. The character can't use this effect to destroy magical objects, but she may augment actions that circumvent such barriers nondestructively. Using this effect to escape a clinch breaks the hold immediately.
Loom-Snarling Deception
Cost: 0-8m; Mins: Essence 2; Type: Simple
Keywords: Combo-OK, Illusion, Shaping
Duration: Indefinite
Prerequisite Charms: None
The Ebon Dragon is among the greatest liars in history, surpassed only by those Exalted who call themselves heroes. Although Infernal Exalted of both varieties "naturally" exist outside fate as living avatars of Yozi power, such glory ill fits the needs of subtlety. Use of this Charm creates a convincing disguise of a fictitious individual of the Infernal's imagining. Akuma may explicitly impersonate the people they used to be before their damnation. Upon activating this Charm by spending (10 - Essence rating) motes, the Infernal's shadow rises up and covers him in liquid darkness. As the shadow melts to its normal configuration a moment later, it leaves the Infernal's body appearing as he desires. The Illusion guise must follow the same basic body plan, though clothes may be included or changed as part of the disguise. Gender does not matter. The disguise is perfectly immune to mundane scrutiny and may not be resisted with Willpower expenditure. Appropriate non-Excellency Charms may pierce the ruse using standard roll-off rules, but the Infernal's player adds (Essence) bonus successes to his roll. In addition to providing a disguise, this Charm also supplies a false destiny sufficient to beguile fate as a Shaping effect. For the duration, the character exists inside fate with all concomitant drawbacks and advantages, but any astrological reading of the character's destiny provides whatever information the character chose to include in the false fate at the time of its creation. Some Infernals have been known to leave cryptic messages for one another in their fates as a way of communicating across the world. Whenever the Charm deactivates and the Infernal leaves fate, a random pattern spider in the Loom cries out in horror as it realizes how it has been used.
Witness To Darkness
Cost: —; Mins: Essence 2; Type: Permanent
Keywords: None
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: None
The Ebon Dragon sees through darkness lesser than himself. The Infernal can ignore all penalties and sensory impairment associated with darkness in any form, treating pitch black as though illumined by clear noon. Witness to Darkness grants no additional capability to see through other forms of visual impairment such as fog and smoke. This attunement to darkness has a price, as direct sunlight in Creation imposes a -1 internal penalty to all non-reflexive actions. Said penalty can be ignored for a scene with the expenditure of one Willpower.
Should the Infernal suffer a Crippling effect that blinds her, she may perfectly ignore the effect as a defense to see clearly. However, for as long as this benefit is used Primordial Essence leaks from the eye (or socket), making this Charm Obvious. The player defines how the leakage manifests.
Finally, the Infernal is unimpressed with the murk of others' guile, and adds her Essence rating to her MDVs against inherently deceptive social attacks and as bonus successes to recognize or pierce another's deceptions. Her attunement to lies makes it harder to be honest, however, imposing a -(Essence) internal penalty to all attempts to be honest and straightforward, save when truth brings more pain than lies.
Cost: 1m per die; Mins: Essence 1; Type: Reflexive (Step 1 for attacker; Step 2 for defender)
Keywords: Combo-OK
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: None
The Shadow of All Things is Other, not wholly of the world nor fully alien to its precepts like the Neverborn. He is self-indulgent and without conscience but can be trusted to act with enlightened self-interest at all times, making him the most dependable and trustworthy of the Yozis so long as those dealing with him don't forget his nature. He corrupts and seduces others away from virtue and honor because these concepts are poisonous to him rather than because he wants to enlighten or enslave. He genuinely believes the universe should be darkened until it approaches his unholy perfection, but his warped magnanimity hides a deeper and greater hatred of all light—literal or metaphoric. The Ebon Dragon is hollow, assembling his semblance of identity from lies, copied mannerisms and observed vices, constantly recreating himself in the image of whatever offends and frightens his adversaries the most. Moreover, he is The Nemesis, finding greater joy in thwarting the dreams of others than advancing his own agenda. Whereas the Silent Wind brings agonizing freedom to others, the Ebon Dragon can't abide his own restraint, whether by prison walls or social mores.
This Excellency enhances actions that attack morality, break established moral codes or cheat in lieu of playing fair. This includes most criminal acts, except in societies where crime functions with the knowledge and quiet approval of the reigning government. Direct and intentional violations of the laws of Yu-Shan or the dictates of Cecelyne always offer chances for antagonism. The Shadow of All Things gleefully turns heroes into villains or reveals to a self-styled hero how his actions were actually villainous all along. While a character with this Excellency experiences confinement or restraint, the Charm can only enhance actions that help him break free from that immediate imprisonment until he has done so. The Charm also can't assist actions that knowingly help anyone else more than they help the Infernal, even when he still stands to profit a great deal. A third limitation is that the character can't use the Charm when being honest, unless revealing a horrid truth that will hurt or debase the listener. Finally, all actions must show subtlety, if not outright guile. Choosing a brazen course of action over a subtle one forfeits any opportunity to use this Charm.
Shadow Spite Curse
Cost: 3m per -1; Mins: Essence 1; Type: Reflexive (Step 2)
Keywords: Combo-OK, Obvious
Duration: Instant (one scene)
Prerequisite Charms: First Ebon Dragon Excellency
The Ebon Dragon offers no certainty of victory apart from the certainty of an opponent's defeat. Accordingly, the Shadow of All Things lacks a Second Excellency but offers this hateful alternative. Upon witnessing another character perform a valid action within (Essence x 100) yards, the Infernal may spend three motes per -1 external penalty applied to the enemy. This penalty can't exceed the Exalt's Essence by default, but the Infernal's player may describe the target's failure in a way that earns a stunt bonus, and the rating of this stunt adds to the Exalt's Essence rating to determine the maximum penalty. Shadows ooze and lash out from the Infernal's anima to momentarily entwine the victim with obscene tendrils that inflict bad luck and sudden lapses in competence. A valid action as defined by this Charm is one that furthers the target's Motivation, supports or protects any of her Intimacies or directly contests the Infernal's own actions, provided the Infernal could enhance her own action with First Ebon Dragon Excellency. Once an Infernal has Essence 3+, she may remove the Obvious keyword from this Charm whenever she activates it.
Cracked Shell Circumvention
Cost: 2m (or 2m, 1wp); Mins: Essence 2; Type: Reflexive (Step 1 or 2)
Keywords: Combo-OK
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: None
From his thrashing imprisonment to present, the Ebon Dragon has tirelessly and furiously labored to shatter the walls of his prison. This Charm may supplement any action that directly helps an Infernal escape physical restraints or physical confinement. Note that this Charm only aids in direct personal escape efforts; it can help an Exalt seduce a guard to get out of jail, but it won't help her shatter the prison wall from the outside to set other captives free. As always, the Storyteller remains the final arbiter of when this Charm applies. Cracked Cell Circumvention doubles the successes of any valid action (or doubles the size of a static pool). If used to enhance an attack, the accuracy successes double before applying the target's DV (or MDV), but this does not also double damage successes. Infernals with Essence 4+ may spend an additional Willpower when activating this Charm in order to ensure a threshold one success on the enhanced action as a Shaping effect. The character can't use this effect to destroy magical objects, but she may augment actions that circumvent such barriers nondestructively. Using this effect to escape a clinch breaks the hold immediately.
Loom-Snarling Deception
Cost: 0-8m; Mins: Essence 2; Type: Simple
Keywords: Combo-OK, Illusion, Shaping
Duration: Indefinite
Prerequisite Charms: None
The Ebon Dragon is among the greatest liars in history, surpassed only by those Exalted who call themselves heroes. Although Infernal Exalted of both varieties "naturally" exist outside fate as living avatars of Yozi power, such glory ill fits the needs of subtlety. Use of this Charm creates a convincing disguise of a fictitious individual of the Infernal's imagining. Akuma may explicitly impersonate the people they used to be before their damnation. Upon activating this Charm by spending (10 - Essence rating) motes, the Infernal's shadow rises up and covers him in liquid darkness. As the shadow melts to its normal configuration a moment later, it leaves the Infernal's body appearing as he desires. The Illusion guise must follow the same basic body plan, though clothes may be included or changed as part of the disguise. Gender does not matter. The disguise is perfectly immune to mundane scrutiny and may not be resisted with Willpower expenditure. Appropriate non-Excellency Charms may pierce the ruse using standard roll-off rules, but the Infernal's player adds (Essence) bonus successes to his roll. In addition to providing a disguise, this Charm also supplies a false destiny sufficient to beguile fate as a Shaping effect. For the duration, the character exists inside fate with all concomitant drawbacks and advantages, but any astrological reading of the character's destiny provides whatever information the character chose to include in the false fate at the time of its creation. Some Infernals have been known to leave cryptic messages for one another in their fates as a way of communicating across the world. Whenever the Charm deactivates and the Infernal leaves fate, a random pattern spider in the Loom cries out in horror as it realizes how it has been used.
Witness To Darkness
Cost: —; Mins: Essence 2; Type: Permanent
Keywords: None
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: None
The Ebon Dragon sees through darkness lesser than himself. The Infernal can ignore all penalties and sensory impairment associated with darkness in any form, treating pitch black as though illumined by clear noon. Witness to Darkness grants no additional capability to see through other forms of visual impairment such as fog and smoke. This attunement to darkness has a price, as direct sunlight in Creation imposes a -1 internal penalty to all non-reflexive actions. Said penalty can be ignored for a scene with the expenditure of one Willpower.
Should the Infernal suffer a Crippling effect that blinds her, she may perfectly ignore the effect as a defense to see clearly. However, for as long as this benefit is used Primordial Essence leaks from the eye (or socket), making this Charm Obvious. The player defines how the leakage manifests.
Finally, the Infernal is unimpressed with the murk of others' guile, and adds her Essence rating to her MDVs against inherently deceptive social attacks and as bonus successes to recognize or pierce another's deceptions. Her attunement to lies makes it harder to be honest, however, imposing a -(Essence) internal penalty to all attempts to be honest and straightforward, save when truth brings more pain than lies.
Elloge Charms:
First Elloge Excellency, Second Elloge Excellency
The Sphere of Speech weeps and bleeds a ceaseless tide of symbols and patterns, crippled so that she cannot truly invent. Instead, she willfully interprets and recalls what already exists, stealing ideas and distorting existing sentiment into her stories. She has insight into relationships of all kinds, but avoids direct interaction lest her wounds expose her as a hollow fraud. Instead, she lurks at the edge of perception, an envious audience in self-imposed isolation. The Minstrel Echo sees hidden meaning everywhere, injecting emotional drama into the most mundane situations in order to fuel confusion and validate her suspicions. Her favourite narratives are romances, but she lives vicariously through all stories, hiding inside her obsessive fantasies.
Elloge constantly reinvents herself, donning proxy personas or the trappings of roles. She is desperate to obscure her own weakness, jealous and infatuated with those whose sincerity and strength of will can make dreams real. Such heroes become perfect dolls who act out her plots, unable to betray her. Exalts can use this Charm to conceal their presence, motives or capabilities, as well as any attempt to understand something, but it comes with a major restriction – it cannot aid open, personal interaction with another character. A warlock could strangle from hiding or romance while disguised, but not duel before a crowd or directly profess their love.
MEANS TO MEANING
Cost: 3m; Mins: Essence 2; Type: Reflexive
Keywords: Combo-OK, Social
Duration: Indefinite
Prerequisite Charms: None
A symbol is a lie that leads to the truth. Elloge understands such things. She lives in them. The Infernal's senses creep at the edges with mutant glyphs and variated whispers – she may activate this Charm to condense them into an actual language she knows, providing a perfect, instant translation for any text she reads or speech she hears. Even colloquialisms receive appropriate translation – though her ability to understand their original nuances depends on her Linguistics rating. This Charm gives the Infernal no ability to speak foreign languages, or understand unintelligent "languages" such as body language or birdsong.
UNSEEN AUTHOR ASSUMPTION
Cost: 3m; Mins: Essence 1; Type: Simple
Keywords: Combo-OK
Duration: Indefinite
Prerequisite Charms: None
How bright and hot the lights, how curious and dreadful the crowd! Those who expose themselves are fools. Better by far to stay backstage, to control unseen through direction and script. This Charm is identical to the Solar Charm Easily-Overlooked Presence Method (Exalted, pp. 230). As with the original Charm, superhuman senses do not provide situational modifiers – the Exalt slides beneath attention unless it is drawn to her, so improved perception does little to defeat the Charm.
BEHIND THE ROLE (X2)
Cost: 3m; Mins: Essence 2; Type: Simple
Keywords: Combo-OK, Ichor, Illusion
Duration: Indefinite
Prerequisite Charms: Unseen Author Assumption
The great and good are to be admired from a distance – Elloge prefers an unobserved vantage. The Exalt chokes out a bleeding word,a shameful and insignificant part of herself which she smears onto an object in her possession. While she openly bears this prop, she is considered to be playing a specific, appropriate role – whether a servant, a soldier, or a sage. This works like Unseen Author Assumption, except that instead of ignoring her, others perceive her as an unremarkable example of her role. They can notice physical details, but dismiss her as part of the crowd. Specific context – such as a soldier's nation – can be chosen on activation, or left up to interpretation.
The only situational modifiers that apply to this Charm are actions that would be judged unusual behaviour for the role. An emperor, therefore, would be an impossible role except in a situation that rendered rulers unremarkable, while joining battle would not disrupt a military role unless the Infernal fought with impressive skill.
A second purchase allows the Infernal to create props for other characters. The Illusion applies regardless of whether they are aware of the prop's significance, but it dissolves once they discard it, ending the Charm.
ENDLESS ECHOES
Cost: 4m; Mins: Essence 2; Type: Reflexive
Keywords: Combo-OK
Duration: One action
Prerequisite Charms: Unseen Author Assumption
When reality becomes too much, Elloge retreats into havens of memory. The Infernal's eyes glaze over as she enters a sleep-like trance for an action (she may remain standing) and relives a full scene's worth of memories in the form of synaesthetic self-narration and illustrative adjectives. This perfect recollection allows her to make rolls to notice details she had missed, develop skills through training, and roll-off against memory-altering magic. However, it is also subtly emphasises certain aspects of the memory, reinforcing the Exalt's relevant intimacies. If no such intimacies exist, this counts as a scene spent building one appropriate to that memory.
While in this trance, the warlock is subconsciously aware of anything that would normally wake her from sleep, and may end the Charm early, letting the entire recollection slip away. This Charm can be used while inactive.
With Essence 3+, the Exalt can rewrite her memories, spending a point of Willpower to edit the scene she "recollects" in any way she pleases as a self-directed Illusion. She gains a point of Limit if this altered scene casts her or one of her beliefs in a poor light (even if it originally did so). She herself forgets she made this change, and facing contrary evidence does not shake her own beliefs, simply irritate her.
The Sphere of Speech weeps and bleeds a ceaseless tide of symbols and patterns, crippled so that she cannot truly invent. Instead, she willfully interprets and recalls what already exists, stealing ideas and distorting existing sentiment into her stories. She has insight into relationships of all kinds, but avoids direct interaction lest her wounds expose her as a hollow fraud. Instead, she lurks at the edge of perception, an envious audience in self-imposed isolation. The Minstrel Echo sees hidden meaning everywhere, injecting emotional drama into the most mundane situations in order to fuel confusion and validate her suspicions. Her favourite narratives are romances, but she lives vicariously through all stories, hiding inside her obsessive fantasies.
Elloge constantly reinvents herself, donning proxy personas or the trappings of roles. She is desperate to obscure her own weakness, jealous and infatuated with those whose sincerity and strength of will can make dreams real. Such heroes become perfect dolls who act out her plots, unable to betray her. Exalts can use this Charm to conceal their presence, motives or capabilities, as well as any attempt to understand something, but it comes with a major restriction – it cannot aid open, personal interaction with another character. A warlock could strangle from hiding or romance while disguised, but not duel before a crowd or directly profess their love.
MEANS TO MEANING
Cost: 3m; Mins: Essence 2; Type: Reflexive
Keywords: Combo-OK, Social
Duration: Indefinite
Prerequisite Charms: None
A symbol is a lie that leads to the truth. Elloge understands such things. She lives in them. The Infernal's senses creep at the edges with mutant glyphs and variated whispers – she may activate this Charm to condense them into an actual language she knows, providing a perfect, instant translation for any text she reads or speech she hears. Even colloquialisms receive appropriate translation – though her ability to understand their original nuances depends on her Linguistics rating. This Charm gives the Infernal no ability to speak foreign languages, or understand unintelligent "languages" such as body language or birdsong.
UNSEEN AUTHOR ASSUMPTION
Cost: 3m; Mins: Essence 1; Type: Simple
Keywords: Combo-OK
Duration: Indefinite
Prerequisite Charms: None
How bright and hot the lights, how curious and dreadful the crowd! Those who expose themselves are fools. Better by far to stay backstage, to control unseen through direction and script. This Charm is identical to the Solar Charm Easily-Overlooked Presence Method (Exalted, pp. 230). As with the original Charm, superhuman senses do not provide situational modifiers – the Exalt slides beneath attention unless it is drawn to her, so improved perception does little to defeat the Charm.
BEHIND THE ROLE (X2)
Cost: 3m; Mins: Essence 2; Type: Simple
Keywords: Combo-OK, Ichor, Illusion
Duration: Indefinite
Prerequisite Charms: Unseen Author Assumption
The great and good are to be admired from a distance – Elloge prefers an unobserved vantage. The Exalt chokes out a bleeding word,a shameful and insignificant part of herself which she smears onto an object in her possession. While she openly bears this prop, she is considered to be playing a specific, appropriate role – whether a servant, a soldier, or a sage. This works like Unseen Author Assumption, except that instead of ignoring her, others perceive her as an unremarkable example of her role. They can notice physical details, but dismiss her as part of the crowd. Specific context – such as a soldier's nation – can be chosen on activation, or left up to interpretation.
The only situational modifiers that apply to this Charm are actions that would be judged unusual behaviour for the role. An emperor, therefore, would be an impossible role except in a situation that rendered rulers unremarkable, while joining battle would not disrupt a military role unless the Infernal fought with impressive skill.
A second purchase allows the Infernal to create props for other characters. The Illusion applies regardless of whether they are aware of the prop's significance, but it dissolves once they discard it, ending the Charm.
ENDLESS ECHOES
Cost: 4m; Mins: Essence 2; Type: Reflexive
Keywords: Combo-OK
Duration: One action
Prerequisite Charms: Unseen Author Assumption
When reality becomes too much, Elloge retreats into havens of memory. The Infernal's eyes glaze over as she enters a sleep-like trance for an action (she may remain standing) and relives a full scene's worth of memories in the form of synaesthetic self-narration and illustrative adjectives. This perfect recollection allows her to make rolls to notice details she had missed, develop skills through training, and roll-off against memory-altering magic. However, it is also subtly emphasises certain aspects of the memory, reinforcing the Exalt's relevant intimacies. If no such intimacies exist, this counts as a scene spent building one appropriate to that memory.
While in this trance, the warlock is subconsciously aware of anything that would normally wake her from sleep, and may end the Charm early, letting the entire recollection slip away. This Charm can be used while inactive.
With Essence 3+, the Exalt can rewrite her memories, spending a point of Willpower to edit the scene she "recollects" in any way she pleases as a self-directed Illusion. She gains a point of Limit if this altered scene casts her or one of her beliefs in a poor light (even if it originally did so). She herself forgets she made this change, and facing contrary evidence does not shake her own beliefs, simply irritate her.
Name: Charlie
Age: 28? Appears to be 20
Image:
Caste: Slayer
Patron: Malfeas
Favored Yozi: Szorney
Titles: Chosen of the Demon City, The Monster in the Dark
Motivation: Find and free her old employer Maxwell from the clutches of the Gods
Urge: Brutally destroy the Gods who hurt you and twisted your body (Malfean)
Essence: 2
Willpower: 6/6
Anima Banner: Bloodstained brass covers the form in a demonic parody of a dress and opera gloves
Anima Power:
By spending five motes of Essence, the character may appear glorious and terrifying until the end of the scene (or until he decides to let the effect dissipate). He appears taller and fiercer, with a terrible visage, burning eyes and a deadly, rending grasp. This effect comes into play automatically once the Infernal spends 11+ motes of Peripheral Essence.
While this power is in effect, the character exudes a fear aura which causes all opponents attempting to attack or oppose him (socially or physically) to suffer a -1 external penalty on all attack rolls. This unnatural Emotion effect costs five points of Willpower to ignore for the rest of the scene. The Slayer's terrifying glory unbound also disrupts attempts at coordinating attacks against him, increasing the difficulty to arrange such attacks by 2. Additionally, the immense Essence pressure within the character's anima slows all incoming attacks, increasing the character's DVs by 2. Finally, Infernals of the Slayer Caste are immune to all fear-based Emotion effects while their anima power is active. If a complementary mass combat unit is forced to check for rout because of the Slayer Caste's actions while this anima is active, they suffer a -2 external penalty to the roll.
While this power is in effect, the character exudes a fear aura which causes all opponents attempting to attack or oppose him (socially or physically) to suffer a -1 external penalty on all attack rolls. This unnatural Emotion effect costs five points of Willpower to ignore for the rest of the scene. The Slayer's terrifying glory unbound also disrupts attempts at coordinating attacks against him, increasing the difficulty to arrange such attacks by 2. Additionally, the immense Essence pressure within the character's anima slows all incoming attacks, increasing the character's DVs by 2. Finally, Infernals of the Slayer Caste are immune to all fear-based Emotion effects while their anima power is active. If a complementary mass combat unit is forced to check for rout because of the Slayer Caste's actions while this anima is active, they suffer a -2 external penalty to the roll.
Attributes: Strength 4, Dexterity 4, Stamina 4; Charisma 3, Manipulation 3, Appearance 4; Perception 3, Intelligence 3, Wits 2
Abilities: Martial Arts 3, Melee 4, Thrown 3, Integrity 2, Performance 3 (Specialty: Stage Magic 2), Resistance 3, Survival 2, Lore 3, Occult 2, Athletics 2, Awareness 3, Stealth 3, Linguistics 1 (Native: English, Old Realm), Socialize 3
Backgrounds: Backing (Yozi): 1, Cult (Yozi): 1, Influence (Yozi): 1, Unwoven Coadjutor (Jonetai): 1
*Unwoven Coadjutor is a Tomescu
Traits from Unwoven Coadjutor: She feels the urge to scream as loud as possible at each dawn and dusk
Virtues: Compassion 2, Conviction 3, Temperance 2, Valor 4
Malfeas Charms:
First Malfeas Excellency, Second Malfeas Excellency
The fallen King of the Primordials is arrogant, cruel and given to excessive displays of obvious force for the chance to show off and the sadistic joy he feels when enemies and allies look upon him in awe and terror. He is vast and full of hate toward those who betrayed and imprisoned him, seeking vengeance with indiscriminate callousness to the collateral damage he inflicts on the innocent. The Demon City is resilient and strong enough to lift the world or crush it underfoot. The green fires raging in his heart blight the very Essence of everything they touch, marking the world with his wrathful glory. He holds authority over all things wise enough to bow before the world's creators.
Characters may apply this Charm to any actions in which they choose the ostentatious or overkill approach over merely adequate solutions. Any intentional subtlety or display of restraint makes this Excellency inapplicable, including adding less than half the maximum possible dice bonus to a roll (rounded down). Note that force does not necessarily equate to violence. A forceful seduction in which an Infernal confidently orders a prospective paramour to accompany him rather than cajoling or flattering her can benefit from this Charm just as readily as a stomp delivered to a prone enemy's face. Strangely, the power of Malfeas may also enhance any Performance action to dance or create music. These are the secret pleasures of the Demon City that embarrass Ligier.
Hardened Devil Body (x3)
Cost: —; Mins: Essence 1; Type: Permanent
Keywords: Stackable
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: None
Though the Yozis are beyond awareness of most damage, let alone threatened by it, their servants can only manage to embody a fraction of this durability. This Charm may be purchased a maximum number of times equal to the lesser of (Stamina or Resistance). Each purchase gives the Infernal three additional -2 health levels and one extra -4 level.
By Pain Reforged
Cost: 1hl; Mins: Essence 2; Type: Reflexive
Keywords: Combo-OK
Duration: One scene
Prerequisite Charms: None
Pain puts life in perspective, pushing aside all other distractions. This is the simplest truth Malfeas has learned from his imprisonment within himself. Use of this Charm allows an Infernal to ignore all negative effects associated with bashing damage she has suffered. Such injuries do not cause wound penalties or slow her down in any way. If reduced to Incapacitated by bashing wounds, she does not fall unconscious, but remains fully aware as further bashing trauma converts to lethal. Aggravated and lethal injuries penalize characters protected by this Charm normally. When this Charm ends, all suspended penalties resume immediately.
Scar-Writ Saga Shield
Cost: —; Mins: Essence 2; Type: Permanent
Keywords: None
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: By Pain Reforged
Malfeas does not quietly accept his tortured inversion, but builds up calloused layers and folds them in a vain attempt to seal his wounds and inoculate against future injury. Such efforts cannot achieve their goal, but incidentally toughen the Demon City further. The first purchase of this Charm raises the character's natural lethal soak to her Stamina rating (rather than half) and gives her bashing Hardness equal to her Stamina.
The second purchase of Scar-Writ Saga Shield requires Essence 3+ and adds the character's Essence rating to her natural bashing and lethal soak. Her Hardness remains unaffected.
A final repurchase at Essence 4+ grants the warlock a bashing and lethal Hardness equal to his (unmodified Stamina + Essence). Magical attacks have their minimum damage reduced by a single die (to a minimum of 1).
The fallen King of the Primordials is arrogant, cruel and given to excessive displays of obvious force for the chance to show off and the sadistic joy he feels when enemies and allies look upon him in awe and terror. He is vast and full of hate toward those who betrayed and imprisoned him, seeking vengeance with indiscriminate callousness to the collateral damage he inflicts on the innocent. The Demon City is resilient and strong enough to lift the world or crush it underfoot. The green fires raging in his heart blight the very Essence of everything they touch, marking the world with his wrathful glory. He holds authority over all things wise enough to bow before the world's creators.
Characters may apply this Charm to any actions in which they choose the ostentatious or overkill approach over merely adequate solutions. Any intentional subtlety or display of restraint makes this Excellency inapplicable, including adding less than half the maximum possible dice bonus to a roll (rounded down). Note that force does not necessarily equate to violence. A forceful seduction in which an Infernal confidently orders a prospective paramour to accompany him rather than cajoling or flattering her can benefit from this Charm just as readily as a stomp delivered to a prone enemy's face. Strangely, the power of Malfeas may also enhance any Performance action to dance or create music. These are the secret pleasures of the Demon City that embarrass Ligier.
Hardened Devil Body (x3)
Cost: —; Mins: Essence 1; Type: Permanent
Keywords: Stackable
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: None
Though the Yozis are beyond awareness of most damage, let alone threatened by it, their servants can only manage to embody a fraction of this durability. This Charm may be purchased a maximum number of times equal to the lesser of (Stamina or Resistance). Each purchase gives the Infernal three additional -2 health levels and one extra -4 level.
By Pain Reforged
Cost: 1hl; Mins: Essence 2; Type: Reflexive
Keywords: Combo-OK
Duration: One scene
Prerequisite Charms: None
Pain puts life in perspective, pushing aside all other distractions. This is the simplest truth Malfeas has learned from his imprisonment within himself. Use of this Charm allows an Infernal to ignore all negative effects associated with bashing damage she has suffered. Such injuries do not cause wound penalties or slow her down in any way. If reduced to Incapacitated by bashing wounds, she does not fall unconscious, but remains fully aware as further bashing trauma converts to lethal. Aggravated and lethal injuries penalize characters protected by this Charm normally. When this Charm ends, all suspended penalties resume immediately.
Scar-Writ Saga Shield
Cost: —; Mins: Essence 2; Type: Permanent
Keywords: None
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: By Pain Reforged
Malfeas does not quietly accept his tortured inversion, but builds up calloused layers and folds them in a vain attempt to seal his wounds and inoculate against future injury. Such efforts cannot achieve their goal, but incidentally toughen the Demon City further. The first purchase of this Charm raises the character's natural lethal soak to her Stamina rating (rather than half) and gives her bashing Hardness equal to her Stamina.
The second purchase of Scar-Writ Saga Shield requires Essence 3+ and adds the character's Essence rating to her natural bashing and lethal soak. Her Hardness remains unaffected.
A final repurchase at Essence 4+ grants the warlock a bashing and lethal Hardness equal to his (unmodified Stamina + Essence). Magical attacks have their minimum damage reduced by a single die (to a minimum of 1).
Szorney Charms:
First Szoreny Excellency, Second Szoreny Excellency
The Silver Forest is a creature of endless patience and selfless consideration, even more than Cecelyne. He moves slowly, but inexorably towards his goal, like a tree root splitting a stone. He opposes sudden action unless it is necessary, instead preferring to work subtly. He plans far in advance and plans for every contingency. He turns seeming seeming failures into successes. Being less than infinite, Szoreny expands his influence, growing greater with each passing day and stubbornly refusing to give way to any. He is verdant and full of life. He thrives on opposition, learning how to overcome his foes by imitating their strengths and capitalizing on their weaknesses. Where the other Yozis often ignore or mistreat their lesser progeny, the Silver Forest is relatively benevolent, providing succor to those beneath him. However, he values conformity and seeks to impose his values on others. The Silver Forest prefers to work by misdirection. He seeks to confuse his enemies and attacks unexpectedly. He poisons his foes, either physically or by slowly cutting off their social and mental resources. Where possible, others do his work for him.
This Excellency may always be used to deflect unwanted attention elsewhere as well as to exploit the aspirations of others. Additionally, Szoreny's Excellency may always be used to enhance any Larceny action to create a disguise. The Silver Forest's chromed branches easily reflect the images of others. Szoreny must reflect others to build himself, so his Excellency cannot enhance any action of the Infernal when he is alone, without any living being he could see. The Unwoven Coadjutor is considered part of the Infernal and doesn't apply.
Thousand Words Picture
Cost: 4m; Mins: Essence 2; Type: Supplemental
Keywords: Combo-Ok
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: First Szoreny Excellency
Szoreny speaks with images as fluently as some speak with words. This Charm enhances a dramatic action by the Infernal to create any sort of image. It could be a doodle, a painting, or even a sculpture, so long as it is not normal script of any sort. As he creates the item, he encodes within it a message or a meaning which can be of any length. As long as the image's creation is successful, this meaning is immediately apparent to anyone who views the image. While a social attack may be encoded into the image, only one social attack may be encoded per image.
Alternatively, the Infernal can create the image in such a way that only a select few can understand its meaning. The Infernal is free to define as many or as few individuals or groups that can understand it, such as "My Coven", "The Scarlet Empress" or "The People of Nexus".
Quicksilver Sap Transfusion
Cost: — (1 lhl); Mins: Essence 1; Type: Permanent
Keywords: Obvious, Poison
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: None
Szoreny's blood is quicksilver, deadly to all but those that suffer his benevolence. This Charm replaces the Infernal's blood with poisonous quicksilver. In addition to allowing the Infernal to use his blood as a poison, this renders the Infernal immune to the poisonous effects of Szoreny's quicksilver, allowing him to drink the stuff as though it was water, and to the poisonous effects of the quicksilver blood of any Infernal that also knows this Charm.
One lethal health level of the Infernal's blood is a single dose of poison, which deals 7L/minute damage, has a Toxicity of 3, and a Penalty of -3. There is no Tolerance for this poison. The poison can be administered by injury or ingestion, so anything foolish enough to bite the character automatically ingests a dose of poison. An Infernal need only cut himself to apply this poison to his own weapons. The poison, exposed to air, stays potent for (Essence) days before becoming useless. The Charm is only Obvious while the character is bleeding, which reveals his shimmering silver blood.
Subtle Poison Style (x3)
Cost: —; Mins: Essence 2; Type: Permanent
Keywords: None
Duration: up to (Essence) hours
Prerequisite Charms: Quicksilver Sap Transfusion
Those who feel Szoreny's wrath die slowly, often long after they think they have escaped his reach. This Charm allows the Infernal to set a delay on the onset of the poisonous effects of his blood. The Infernal can decide any amount of delay, up to (Essence) hours, as a reflexive action. Until the Infernal chooses to change it again, the delay remains fixed.
A second purchase of this Charm increases the length of the possible delay to (Essence) days. A third and final purchase allows the Infernal to delay the poison for as long as he wishes, be it minutes, years, or centuries.
Haunting Hallucination Infliction
Cost: — (6m, 1 lhl); Mins: Essence 2; Type: Permanent
Keywords: Illusion
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: Subtle Poison Style
The effects of the Silver Forest's poison on the body are fearsome, but the wise fear its effects upon the mind even more. With this Charm, the Infernal can turn a single dose of his blood (one lethal health level's worth) into a carefully controlled hallucinogen by spending 6 motes. This hallucinogen does the victim no harm and can be delayed, as per Subtle Poison Style. Instead of dealing damage, the hallucinogen delivers a single social attack against the victim through vivid hallucinations (or lucid dreams, should it strike while the victim is asleep). This social attack is unexpected unless the victim wins an opposed roll against the Infernal: the victim rolls (Stamina + Resistance), while the Infernal rolls (Manipulation + Socialize). The Infernal rolls the social attack that makes up the hallucination at the time that the hallucination takes effect. This hallucination can include social Charms, spent at the time the Infernal creates the hallucinogen.
New Growth Meditation (x4)
Cost: —; Mins: Essence 1; Type: Permanent
Keywords: Stackable
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: Quicksilver Sap Transfusion
Szoreny allows his branches to be cut, for they will always grow anew. This Charm speeds the Infernal's natural rate of healing. An Infernal who knows this Charm always heals as though he is resting, even if engaged in strenuous activity. Further, each hour counts as three hours of time for the purposes of determining the speed with which the Infernal recovers from bashing or lethal damage. This Charm has no effect on the amount of time it takes a character to recover from aggravated damage.
An Infernal can purchase this Charm multiple times to increase the speed with which he heals. His healing rate is [(Number of copies known x 2) + 1] effective hours for every hour that passes. He can have as many copies of this Charm as he has dots of Stamina.
The Silver Forest is a creature of endless patience and selfless consideration, even more than Cecelyne. He moves slowly, but inexorably towards his goal, like a tree root splitting a stone. He opposes sudden action unless it is necessary, instead preferring to work subtly. He plans far in advance and plans for every contingency. He turns seeming seeming failures into successes. Being less than infinite, Szoreny expands his influence, growing greater with each passing day and stubbornly refusing to give way to any. He is verdant and full of life. He thrives on opposition, learning how to overcome his foes by imitating their strengths and capitalizing on their weaknesses. Where the other Yozis often ignore or mistreat their lesser progeny, the Silver Forest is relatively benevolent, providing succor to those beneath him. However, he values conformity and seeks to impose his values on others. The Silver Forest prefers to work by misdirection. He seeks to confuse his enemies and attacks unexpectedly. He poisons his foes, either physically or by slowly cutting off their social and mental resources. Where possible, others do his work for him.
This Excellency may always be used to deflect unwanted attention elsewhere as well as to exploit the aspirations of others. Additionally, Szoreny's Excellency may always be used to enhance any Larceny action to create a disguise. The Silver Forest's chromed branches easily reflect the images of others. Szoreny must reflect others to build himself, so his Excellency cannot enhance any action of the Infernal when he is alone, without any living being he could see. The Unwoven Coadjutor is considered part of the Infernal and doesn't apply.
Thousand Words Picture
Cost: 4m; Mins: Essence 2; Type: Supplemental
Keywords: Combo-Ok
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: First Szoreny Excellency
Szoreny speaks with images as fluently as some speak with words. This Charm enhances a dramatic action by the Infernal to create any sort of image. It could be a doodle, a painting, or even a sculpture, so long as it is not normal script of any sort. As he creates the item, he encodes within it a message or a meaning which can be of any length. As long as the image's creation is successful, this meaning is immediately apparent to anyone who views the image. While a social attack may be encoded into the image, only one social attack may be encoded per image.
Alternatively, the Infernal can create the image in such a way that only a select few can understand its meaning. The Infernal is free to define as many or as few individuals or groups that can understand it, such as "My Coven", "The Scarlet Empress" or "The People of Nexus".
Quicksilver Sap Transfusion
Cost: — (1 lhl); Mins: Essence 1; Type: Permanent
Keywords: Obvious, Poison
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: None
Szoreny's blood is quicksilver, deadly to all but those that suffer his benevolence. This Charm replaces the Infernal's blood with poisonous quicksilver. In addition to allowing the Infernal to use his blood as a poison, this renders the Infernal immune to the poisonous effects of Szoreny's quicksilver, allowing him to drink the stuff as though it was water, and to the poisonous effects of the quicksilver blood of any Infernal that also knows this Charm.
One lethal health level of the Infernal's blood is a single dose of poison, which deals 7L/minute damage, has a Toxicity of 3, and a Penalty of -3. There is no Tolerance for this poison. The poison can be administered by injury or ingestion, so anything foolish enough to bite the character automatically ingests a dose of poison. An Infernal need only cut himself to apply this poison to his own weapons. The poison, exposed to air, stays potent for (Essence) days before becoming useless. The Charm is only Obvious while the character is bleeding, which reveals his shimmering silver blood.
Subtle Poison Style (x3)
Cost: —; Mins: Essence 2; Type: Permanent
Keywords: None
Duration: up to (Essence) hours
Prerequisite Charms: Quicksilver Sap Transfusion
Those who feel Szoreny's wrath die slowly, often long after they think they have escaped his reach. This Charm allows the Infernal to set a delay on the onset of the poisonous effects of his blood. The Infernal can decide any amount of delay, up to (Essence) hours, as a reflexive action. Until the Infernal chooses to change it again, the delay remains fixed.
A second purchase of this Charm increases the length of the possible delay to (Essence) days. A third and final purchase allows the Infernal to delay the poison for as long as he wishes, be it minutes, years, or centuries.
Haunting Hallucination Infliction
Cost: — (6m, 1 lhl); Mins: Essence 2; Type: Permanent
Keywords: Illusion
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: Subtle Poison Style
The effects of the Silver Forest's poison on the body are fearsome, but the wise fear its effects upon the mind even more. With this Charm, the Infernal can turn a single dose of his blood (one lethal health level's worth) into a carefully controlled hallucinogen by spending 6 motes. This hallucinogen does the victim no harm and can be delayed, as per Subtle Poison Style. Instead of dealing damage, the hallucinogen delivers a single social attack against the victim through vivid hallucinations (or lucid dreams, should it strike while the victim is asleep). This social attack is unexpected unless the victim wins an opposed roll against the Infernal: the victim rolls (Stamina + Resistance), while the Infernal rolls (Manipulation + Socialize). The Infernal rolls the social attack that makes up the hallucination at the time that the hallucination takes effect. This hallucination can include social Charms, spent at the time the Infernal creates the hallucinogen.
New Growth Meditation (x4)
Cost: —; Mins: Essence 1; Type: Permanent
Keywords: Stackable
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: Quicksilver Sap Transfusion
Szoreny allows his branches to be cut, for they will always grow anew. This Charm speeds the Infernal's natural rate of healing. An Infernal who knows this Charm always heals as though he is resting, even if engaged in strenuous activity. Further, each hour counts as three hours of time for the purposes of determining the speed with which the Infernal recovers from bashing or lethal damage. This Charm has no effect on the amount of time it takes a character to recover from aggravated damage.
An Infernal can purchase this Charm multiple times to increase the speed with which he heals. His healing rate is [(Number of copies known x 2) + 1] effective hours for every hour that passes. He can have as many copies of this Charm as he has dots of Stamina.
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Spectrum
Tell me a secret~
- Location
- Behind you~
I don't know, it kinda rubs me the wrong way for someone else's (read: everyone's) pantheon to be suddenly treated like a bunch of fakers just because we're using Exalted metaphysics. (If you say that Amaterasu is a fake that isn't the goddess of the sun then of course Tsukuyomi isn't the god of the moon and so on.)
Yes, Tsukuyomi if real would either be a corrupt faker or would be misattributed as being the moon god due to mortals not remembering things correctly. Again, Japanese Mythology said the main three gods created Japan but that's just false, so obviously things in the mythology aren't all correct.
- Location
- his hidden lair
Now's really not the time to be getting upset because the existence of Exalt Metaphysics invalidates most of Earth's religions as we know them. I actually like that the fact we're going to see a far more dynamic supernatural world what with the possibilities of those gods actually existing, but simply being far more fallible/morally bankrupt than humanity envisioned. It's more than a little terrifying to consider that these super powerful beings charged with running Creation, are all too human in nature. Kinda curious if/how the Abrahamic religions will come into play here; I'm assuming its worship of the Unconquered Sun, with Jesus and Mohammed possibly being either Solars, or Exigents by the Unconquered Sun for whatever reasons.
NSMS
Probably evil, unfortunately.
- Location
- A rapidly widening tear in the fabric of reality
Unlikely, in my opinion; the UCS should have been too busy playing on the Xbox to inspire worship of him, and he doesn't really map brilliantly onto the Abrahamic God either. Actually, with how differently different parts of the Abrahamic religious texts portray God/his teachings, I wouldn't be too surprised to find that there are actually multiple Gods who share the identity/took it over from one another.
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So, presuming Reaper of Interest's latest Infernals get chosen, I've come up with a list of all Infernals so far. I think it should be noted that the Yozis who weren't among the Reclamation's architects would get less Champions than them, and canonically Szoreny gets two IIRC.
So here's the list presuming that each non-Reclamation architect Yozi gets two, and some random assignment of the rest:
Slayer - 4/10
Malefactor - 2/10
Defiler - 3/10
Scourge - 4/10
Fiend - 5/10
Malfeas (1/7) - Charlie (Slayer)
Cecelyne (0/6) -
She Who Live in Her Name (2/6)- Akio Murakami (Slayer), Ernst Lehrmann (Slayer)
Adorjan (1/6) - Imaginary (Fiend)
Ebon Dragon (0/6) -
Kimbery (2/2) - Nadir Yilmaz (Scourge), Yuno Gasai (Scourge)
Cytherea (1/2) - Rakshata Chawla (Defiler)
Metagaos (1/2) - Lian (Scourge)
Szorney (1/2)- Kaguya Sumeragi (Malefactor)
Isidoros (2/2) - Akito Hyuga (Slayer), Reinart Ellis (Fiend)
Elloge (2/2) - Nathan Coulter (Defiler), Maxwell (Fiend)
Hegra (2/2) - Milly Ashford (Scourge), Melody Wright (Defiler)
Mardukth (1/2) - Yelena Ferapont (Malefactor)
Ta'akozoka (1/2) - Andres Granados de Seral (Fiend)
Oramus (1/1)* - Lelouch vi Britannia (Fiend)
*Will only have one Champion, as he doesn't want more than one.
Let me know if I missed anyone.
So based on this we could use more Defilers, and Cecelyne and the Ebon Dragon needs their own Champions. We could also use another Malefactor or two. The non-Reclamation architect Yozis can still be favored even if their Champions are maxed out, but they can't be the one giving the Infernal an Urge after that.
@Alexander89 - does this work for you?
So here's the list presuming that each non-Reclamation architect Yozi gets two, and some random assignment of the rest:
Slayer - 4/10
Malefactor - 2/10
Defiler - 3/10
Scourge - 4/10
Fiend - 5/10
Malfeas (1/7) - Charlie (Slayer)
Cecelyne (0/6) -
She Who Live in Her Name (2/6)- Akio Murakami (Slayer), Ernst Lehrmann (Slayer)
Adorjan (1/6) - Imaginary (Fiend)
Ebon Dragon (0/6) -
Kimbery (2/2) - Nadir Yilmaz (Scourge), Yuno Gasai (Scourge)
Cytherea (1/2) - Rakshata Chawla (Defiler)
Metagaos (1/2) - Lian (Scourge)
Szorney (1/2)- Kaguya Sumeragi (Malefactor)
Isidoros (2/2) - Akito Hyuga (Slayer), Reinart Ellis (Fiend)
Elloge (2/2) - Nathan Coulter (Defiler), Maxwell (Fiend)
Hegra (2/2) - Milly Ashford (Scourge), Melody Wright (Defiler)
Mardukth (1/2) - Yelena Ferapont (Malefactor)
Ta'akozoka (1/2) - Andres Granados de Seral (Fiend)
Oramus (1/1)* - Lelouch vi Britannia (Fiend)
*Will only have one Champion, as he doesn't want more than one.
Let me know if I missed anyone.
So based on this we could use more Defilers, and Cecelyne and the Ebon Dragon needs their own Champions. We could also use another Malefactor or two. The non-Reclamation architect Yozis can still be favored even if their Champions are maxed out, but they can't be the one giving the Infernal an Urge after that.
@Alexander89 - does this work for you?
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ReaperofInterest
Herald of Disaster
I actually sent a copy of the stories and stats to the GM in a conversation to make sure they were satisfactory (I was worried that might have overpowered them, ability-wise), and he said that they were good. So I think we can accept them as canon. Very nice snip by the way.
Alexander89
Pet the pretty kitty? Y/N
- Location
- Italy
Oh yes, pretty much. But you missed one: Nadir, Scourge of Kimbery.
That said, it would really help me if all of you follow Enjou's scheme. All non-Architect Yozi gets two Exaltations, save Oramus who only wants one, and the Architects each get at least five. The latter don't have only Exaltations of their chosen Caste because the Ebon Dragon suggested adding variety would work better.
The next post is half-way done, and it will be finished tomorrow.
- Location
- Wörms, the half continent
You could give her one from her Caste, if that's what your asking.
Unless you mean what Yozi would make a good combination for her Caste, in which case perhaps Cytherea.
Walker of the Yellow Path
Ho There!
- Location
- The Land of Memes
Well, if you want all your cultists to be terrified of you, Malfeas + Cecelyne is fun.
Mm, Malefactor with Cytherea favored.
Alright, works for me.
Where is her Charmset again?
Added, thanks.
Anyways, I've got a couple ideas for concepts. One is a Malefactor favored by the Ebon Dragon - He's been a lifelong atheist, preaching that god isn't real and that the world is too fucked up place for a god to exist, or if he does that god is a dick. Exalts, learns the latter is actually the case, has an Urge to convince people that the gods they worship are evil and to make them worship the Yozis, care of the Ebon Dragon. He uses all the tricks and cons he learned about corrupt, fake preachers doing in order to get people to believe, except he's far, far better at it because he can actually make miracles happen.
frozenchicken
Does not have a custom title.
I'm thinking I might make a TED-favoured Malefactor. I might even be able to tie it into that narrative about a friendly god. Possibly by making the Malefactor really hypocritical.
....And just as I type this up, Enjou posts something with exactly the same base concept. I know it makes sense for us to both to have that idea given context but seriously.
Does one of us just have psychic leakage going on?
....And just as I type this up, Enjou posts something with exactly the same base concept. I know it makes sense for us to both to have that idea given context but seriously.
Does one of us just have psychic leakage going on?
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ReaperofInterest
Herald of Disaster
Regarding Favored Yozis, I think that they should be similar to Caste and Patron Yozis. That is, someone who has absolutely no regard for the authority if others shouldn't have SWLIHN as a Favored Yozi, but Hegra would be acceptable.
Basically, Favored Yozis should be Yozis who the character resonates with, though to a lesser degree than the Patron Yozi. For example, because of their pasts as stage magicians and all that entails, both Maxwell and Charlie could have had Szorney as a Favored Yozi. Ultimately, Charlie did get Szorney as a Favored Yozi, while I decided that Maxwell resonated with Elloge more.
When choosing a Favored Yozi, first you should think about why the character resonates with their Caste Yozi more than any of the others. For example, Charlie, as the Monster in the Darkness, was pretty much a rage- and hate-fueled monster that took out her pain on anyone she could. Since that's pretty similar to Malfeas, I decided that I could have Malfeas be her Patron, then started looking for a decent Yozi to Favor. Since Szorney is about resilience, understanding others, and stealth, I decided that he was a good fit for a rage-fueled stealthy monster who used to be a stage magician.
Ultimately, you should consider a possible Favored Yozi with as much care as you would give to the Patron.
Basically, Favored Yozis should be Yozis who the character resonates with, though to a lesser degree than the Patron Yozi. For example, because of their pasts as stage magicians and all that entails, both Maxwell and Charlie could have had Szorney as a Favored Yozi. Ultimately, Charlie did get Szorney as a Favored Yozi, while I decided that Maxwell resonated with Elloge more.
When choosing a Favored Yozi, first you should think about why the character resonates with their Caste Yozi more than any of the others. For example, Charlie, as the Monster in the Darkness, was pretty much a rage- and hate-fueled monster that took out her pain on anyone she could. Since that's pretty similar to Malfeas, I decided that I could have Malfeas be her Patron, then started looking for a decent Yozi to Favor. Since Szorney is about resilience, understanding others, and stealth, I decided that he was a good fit for a rage-fueled stealthy monster who used to be a stage magician.
Ultimately, you should consider a possible Favored Yozi with as much care as you would give to the Patron.
Alexander89
Pet the pretty kitty? Y/N
- Location
- Italy
Just something I made up since it was lacking:
The Urge of Mardukth: The Urge to Proclaim (Epic Urge)
The Urge of Mardukth is to make one's own name and actions known as wide as possible. Infernals with this urge are driven to gain the admiration of others, to perform great deeds where everyone can see and to be the constant center of attention, their names proclamed loud and clear.
Act of Villainy...probably forcing enemies to listen to a monologue about the Infernal's deeds.
The Urge of Mardukth: The Urge to Proclaim (Epic Urge)
The Urge of Mardukth is to make one's own name and actions known as wide as possible. Infernals with this urge are driven to gain the admiration of others, to perform great deeds where everyone can see and to be the constant center of attention, their names proclamed loud and clear.
Act of Villainy...probably forcing enemies to listen to a monologue about the Infernal's deeds.