Green Sun, Black Shadows (CG/Exalted)

So now we have courtesans who infiltrate courts and gather secrets and play music, as well as assassins who murder in the night and have music for a basic need.

We're gonna see a lot of these two pairing up, aren't we?

Quite possibly, though the Gardelivs seems like they are meant for long term infiltration more than anything. The Dark Green Fangs on the other hand would get a big boost from having Gyilkos on board, as it would give them a ranged option they currently lack. Seyrun will be super happy about that.

That sounds fine, and is in-line with AESS and similar sight-charms.

Ok, fixed the line accordingly.
 
We're gonna see a lot of these two pairing up, aren't we?
Yup.

The plan to be a bunch of people who are all the same person is proceeding apace. Heck, we've even kind of got a theme going on here already: a sort of midnight kingdom, a shadowy and magicky (but otherwise normal) reflection of the Empire.

We've already got the courtiers, the ninja, and the rank-and-file knights, but now we need lawmakers, craftsmen, guards, field workers of various descriptions, educated people of various sorts, sorcerers, and artisans. Sooooo, maybe seven more species, for a total of nine, discounting anything which would fit into one of the previously noted societal slots in some way. Three or four per Important Deva we have?

Or maybe a species for specializing in each of the twenty five skill/ability thingies?
 
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Yup.

The plan to be a bunch of people who are all the same person is proceeding apace. Heck, we've even kind of got a theme going on here already: a sort of midnight kingdom, a shadowy and magicky (but otherwise normal) reflection of the Empire.

We've already got the courtiers, the ninja, and the rank-and-file knights, but now we need lawmakers, craftsmen, guards, field workers of various descriptions, educated people of various sorts, sorcerers, and artisans. Sooooo, maybe seven more species, for a total of nine, discounting anything which would fit into one of the previously noted societal slots in some way. Three or four per Important Deva we have?

Or maybe a species for specializing in each of the twenty five skill/ability thingies?
But it takes a village to raise a child, and how will we raise all of these devas without already having these devas?
 
But it takes a village to raise a child, and how will we raise all of these devas without already having these devas?
Hah, a hilarious sentiment, but it doesn't, not when magic is involved. If it did, there'd be two much tinier people inside our soul, and an abundance of... trash. And an overworked mind spider. Say what you will about the proper way to raise a child, but you can't deny that springing forth fully formed from the metaphorical brow of your parent isn't convenient.
 
I AM BACK!!!

It didn't end how I wanted, meaning I can't yet put it behind me and forget it, but damn if I haven't free time now. F*** yeah.

Tally:

[X] Yes
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[X] No
No. of Votes: 1
Spectrum
[x] Yes. I think the expadition is a good idea. We have multiple IInfernals (which means we should be able all but the nastiest surprises), and even if we run into a full Abyssal team with nephwrack backup, we should till be able to escape with, oh, not more than 2 or 3 losses even in the absolute worst case scenario.
No. of Votes: 1
Azunth

Somewhere, a dark cabal meets...
I have decided: this is canon. +2 Xp
So, I was bored, and I thought of a few ideas for Pantheon-Anchored Charms we might make so we can have something to discuss until the GM isn't plagued by reality and the woes that come with it.

Text for these might need some work, but I had some fun writing them.

Anesidora Charms

In Madness, Victory
Cost: —; Mins: Essence 3; Type: Permanent
Keywords: Pantheon-Anchored (Anesidora)
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: Muse of Unearthly Delights

Anesidora's mad genius on the battlefield is not limited to herself, for she is a muse that inspires her subordinates to greatness. This Charm expands the scope of it's prerequisite, allowing the Infernal to grant bonus successes to a War roll in exchange for granting a Derangement. The bonus successes are granted to the inspired commanding officer the first time a specific strategy or tactic is employed in a war.

Seven Pledge Playing Field
Cost: 20m, 1wp; Mins: Essence 4; Type: Simple
Keywords: Sorcerous, Shaping, Pantheon-Anchored (Anesidora)
Duration: Seven Days
Prerequisite Charms: Muse of Unearthly Delights

Anesidora is a thinker, not a fighter. As such, many would think it easy to assault her by force. This is not the case.

By using this Charm a field with a radius of (Essence x 100) yards is created around the user in which a set of rules is enforced. Anyone who attempts to enter the field becomes immediately aware of seven pledges they must abide by while within or suffer dire consequences.

1. All conflicts must be resolved through games. Murder, war, violence, and robbery is forbidden within the field unless allowed by the rules of a game.
2. For the game, each player will bet something they agree is of equal value.
3. As long as it does not violate the second pledge, anything may be bet, and any game may be played.
4. The challenged party has the right to decide the rules of the game.
5. Any bets made in accordance with the pledges must be upheld.
6. Conflicts between groups will be conducted by designated representatives with absolute authority.
7. Being caught cheating during a game is grounds for an instant loss.

Violations of the pledges cause the culprits to suffer a number of automatic botches equal to the Infernal's Essence as if they broke an Eclipse Caste oath. The field enforces bets as a Shaping effect when necessary, transferring even concepts such as Intimacies or knowledge. Should someone attempt to resist the Shaping effect with a Charm or other ability, they will be considered to be in violation of the fifth pledge and will suffer accordingly. Once accepted, the Shaping cannot be dispelled by any means other than the field's own mechanics, and will even continue to act outside of the field if needed.

The field may be dispelled by casting the appropriate countermagic in the exact center of the effect, based on the Infernal's Essence rating rather than the Charm's Essence requirement of 4.

An Essence 6 Repurchase of this Charm causes the field to generate necessary items, structures, or effects to enable games whose requirements are not present to be able to be played. Even temporary Elsewhere pockets may be generated as necessary. At Essence 8, the Charm's effects extends to (Essence x 100) miles.

Sinnihtáre Charms

Tranquility Induction Melody
Cost: 2m; Mins: Essence 3; Type: Supplemental
Keywords: Combo-OK, Emotion
Duration: One Scene
Prerequisite Charms: Darkling Grace Complete

The music of Sinnihtáre is meant to calm and relax those who listen, so that they may temporarily forget their troubles. Whether this is for their good or Sinnihtáre's gain is never certain, for enemies who drop their guard in her presence may regret it. Activating this Charm enhances any Performance based action to create music using Darkling Grace Complete. Those who hear this music are subjected to an Emotion effect of the Infernal's choosing that is intended to calm or relax the listener or reduce hostility towards the Infernal. The effect may be resisted for one Willpower.

Pleasant Dreams Berceuse
Cost: 8m, 1wp; Mins: Essence 3; Type: Reflexive
Keywords: Compulsion, Sorcerous
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Tranquility Induction Melody

Not much is more relaxing than sleeping without a care in the world. The music of Sinnihtáre is perfect for ensuring that one can reach a state where sleep is restful. When listeners are successfully made relaxed by Tranquility Induction Melody, the Infernal may activate this Charm to target up to a magnitude of (Essence) members of his audience to inflict a Compulsion to fall asleep. Resisting this effect costs two Willpower.

Those who slumber due to this Charm experience a state of sleep so deep they cannot be awoken by mundane means until (Essence) hours have passed. They will experience pleasant dreams during their rest and will be guaranteed to regain at least one point of Willpower when they wake, unless they would experience nightmares due to Charms such as Nightmare Fugue Vigilance in which case they will not dream at all and will roll normally to regain Willpower rather than experiencing a penalty. The effects of this Charm may be dispelled with Emerald Countermagic or appropriate Charms.

At Essence 6, the duration of the sleep may be made to last until the victim dies.
Those are really some interesting ideas.
The first rule of White Veil Style is that there is no such thing as White Veil Style.



Hey, you know who I bet could tell us all about how this style doesn't exist? Someone who has been around for ages, hangs around near the highest echelons of society and tends to wear white all the time for no particular reason.


....Hmm. Can't think of anyone off the top of my head.




While that would be hilarious, she only has Martial Arts 3 in her character sheet. This would mean she could know only up to the two first Charms in the style if there was such a thing as the White Veil Style.

...Unless she is a lying liar who lies even in meta, and actually has a higher score. Hmm. I might write an omake about this later on.
CC: "Let a girl have her secrets, boya."

Gyilkos, the Moonlight Assassins
Assassins with iPods? Classy.
 
Shinjuku Shadowland 1.1
[X] Yes

"Honestly, the biggest obstacle is going to be eluding Britannia's surveillance." You wave your hand, the Dark-Green Fangs coming to attention. "Luckily, with our forces it is easily doable."

"I'll pass." Rakshata replies. "Hunting zombies is not my favorite way of spending evenings."

"Uhm, me too." Nathan raised his hand.

"Alright. The rest of you want to come?" Seeing them nodding you turn to the cultist. "Assemble all summoned demons and the men that can fight. Take weapons and equipment from the crates in the laboratory."

"Zero, I would like some of that for my girls too." Yelena asks.

"Of course." You reply.

{====}​

The Shinjuku Ghetto. Since the battle that took place there one month ago between the Britannian army and unknown terrorist forces the area has been off-limits to everyone who isn't a soldier. Officially, it is due to structural instability. The reality of the matter is that the ghetto, when the sun set down, becomes part of a chthonic realm of shadows and death. That, and the fact the dead rise to assault and drink the blood of the livings, shows how Britannia should have taken containment measures very seriously.

It should have. But exactly because it didn't the small force of roughly fifty individuals managed to sneak through the gaps between the patrols of soldiers.

Your guts churn when you set foot into the Ghetto. Looking up reveals a huge red-tinted moon, the stars dull as if seen through smoke. You can't pinpoint how, but even the air feels wrong. 'What an unpleasant place.'

"I know, right?" Seyrun says. "And the Underworld proper is even worse. I know because I have been summoned there some times. There is no satisfaction in killing the dead."

'And isn't that an oxymoron?' You think before shaking your head. You have come here for a reason, and wasting time would do you no good. You turn to look at your assembled forces.

Milly is again wearing the Peronelle Kasr, Jikhs the Chernobaalim walking next to her and looking around with sharp eyes. Kaguya is flanked by two rifle-wielding bodyguards wearing tactical armor. Akito is armed with two staked-shaped tonfa, while Leila is spotting a set of new magical gloves.

Akio is, obviously, armed with the Jade Goremaul. Yelena is followed by her girls, who replaced their normal guns for Hellcasters. Nadir has his sword.

Followed the Anhules, the cult's demons and the cultists themselves.

"May I have your attention?" Nadir suddenly asks. When he sees that everyone is looking at him he continues. "Some things you ought to know if we are going to fight in a Shadowland. First, in the Underworld living people like us cannot regain Essence. We can do it while we remain within the Shadowland, but at half the normal rate. So, those who can use Essence, keep in mind to use it with moderation. It is of the utmost importance that you don't let your reserves run empty." He points in the direction they came from. "If we decide to go back before the night ends, something I fully recommend, when we cross the Shadowland's borders we need to spend Essence in order to return to Earth, or we will enter the Underworld. Those of you who cannot use Essence, you will need to have an Essence user bring you with them when they cross."

"Thanks for the info Peer Nadir, this will surely prove useful." You compliment him.

"Boss, we have company."

"Like, right now." You turn around, your cape fluttering up in an appropriate dramatic way, and behold the new obstacles to your perfect world.

They are, quite bluntly, eerie. There are both Japanese and Britannian soldiers, skin and clothes pale with sunken eyes and the empty gaze of a corpse. What's worse, is that all of them have a clearly lethal wound on their bodies like bullets holes or crushed heads. Yet they still move, skulking forward with the unstable gait of a drunken beast.

Somehow, you regret never watching a film about zombie.

"Ugh, gross!" Milly comments with a disgusted tone and a hand covering her mouth, a gesture copied by Kaguya.

"Those are all Hungry Ghosts." Nadir walks next to you, sword at the ready. "This is good, because they're easy to deal with. But they are the weakest type of ghost: the others are stronger...and intelligent."

You hum in understanding. The ghosts in front of you are only a dozen, but many more are surely waiting ahead. And, beside fighting them, you also need to search for possible clues. This, you realize, is a good opportunity to consolidate your authority: by taking command and successfully guiding your forces you can show your worth as a leader and establish your fame as the best candidate to take command.

You only need a plan.

[] Write-in.
====

The expedition will be over in the next 1-2 update. This means you can make a general strategy, like taking formations and the like.
 
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Ok, the few ghosts ahead of us can easily be dealt with, but they won't be the last.

Thoughts on this general strategy?

[] General Strategy: Take a square formation, with the aim of keeping yourselves from being surprised by attacks from unexpected angles. Those with guns will be in the outer areas of the formation, with Kaguya, her bodyguards, and Milly in the center. The melee fighters will deal with any enemies that get too close, being covered by the ranged fighters. Some suitable demons will be sent out in small groups as scouts to check nearby areas, both to return to alert you of any dangers or of anything else of importance.
 
I think one of the melee specialists should be in front and one in back, and a few loose concentric circles of demons should scout for the group in all directions.
 
Ok, the few ghosts ahead of us can easily be dealt with, but they won't be the last.

Thoughts on this general strategy?

[] General Strategy: Take a square formation, with the aim of keeping yourselves from being surprised by attacks from unexpected angles. Those with guns will be in the outer areas of the formation, with Kaguya, her bodyguards, and Milly in the center. The melee fighters will deal with any enemies that get too close, being covered by the ranged fighters. Some suitable demons will be sent out in small groups as scouts to check nearby areas, both to return to alert you of any dangers or of anything else of importance.
Makes too little use of the melee users, no? I think people are good enough shots to cover them.
 
Ok, the few ghosts ahead of us can easily be dealt with, but they won't be the last.

Thoughts on this general strategy?
Hmm. Its pretty solid base. Now, we just need a proper stunt so that we can get those extra dice. And maybe we should even use one point from our stunt pool to further amplify it? Its completely full at the moment. Also, some thoughts on the mission and our resources:

Kaguya has the highest Occult in the group, though unfortunately her Essence sight is focused on demons, so she will likely be our immediate analyst to our findings. Milly is an Scourge and with good basic Charms for scouting, but is focused in her skills more to social side of things, so using Anuhles (and probably Jikhs) as a scouting party might be preferable once again. We should probably reserve her and her motes for heavy firepower for if we need it. However, as Nadir has experience on Shadowlands and even Underworld, maybe we should send him with them.Leila will be a good sub-commander with her experience and Charms (hello, Leading From Below, if you are applicable here), while also being likely able to take down at least some of the weaker enemies by herself. I'm not sure about Yelena, however, except that she will likely lead her own followers, so we should probably give directives to her instead of her troops if we want to avoid antagonizing her.
 
It'd be a poor idea to open fire while the melee guys are stuck in, Hungry Ghosts are pleb-tier and we're trying to be moderately stealthy about this. Let's just not shoot at all and have our close-combat guys take care of things? I doubt they'll even need to burn motes for this.

Wasting ammo and motes on mooks is a sucker's choice. Save the resources for the boss-fight (abyssal or nephwrack?) at the end.
 
Makes too little use of the melee users, no? I think people are good enough shots to cover them.

Generally speaking you don't send in your melee people to take unnecessary wounds fighting a group of enemies you can kill at range that can't fight back. Basically the idea is to let them take on anything that gets close enough to threaten the firing line, but leave everything else to the firing line.

Hmm. Its pretty solid base. Now, we just need a proper stunt so that we can get those extra dice. And maybe we should even use one point from our stunt pool to further amplify it? Its completely full at the moment. Also, some thoughts on the mission and our resources:

Kaguya has the highest Occult in the group, though unfortunately her Essence sight is focused on demons, so she will likely be our immediate analyst to our findings. Milly is an Scourge and with good basic Charms for scouting, but is focused in her skills more to social side of things, so using Anuhles (and probably Jikhs) as a scouting party might be preferable once again. We should probably reserve her and her motes for heavy firepower for if we need it. However, as Nadir has experience on Shadowlands and even Underworld, maybe we should send him with them.Leila will be a good sub-commander with her experience and Charms (hello, Leading From Below, if you are applicable here), while also being likely able to take down at least some of the weaker enemies by herself. I'm not sure about Yelena, however, except that she will likely lead her own followers, so we should probably give directives to her instead of her troops if we want to avoid antagonizing her.

I would prefer to leave the scouting to demons and keep the Exalts close at hand, so I don't think I'd want to send Nadir out with the scouts.

It'd be a poor idea to open fire while the melee guys are stuck in, Hungry Ghosts are pleb-tier and we're trying to be moderately stealthy about this. Let's just not shoot at all and have our close-combat guys take care of things? I doubt they'll even need to burn motes for this.

Wasting ammo and motes on mooks is a sucker's choice. Save the resources for the boss-fight (abyssal or nephwrack?) at the end.

It really depends on how many enemies we end up dealing with. If it's just this dozen, we can probably have the melee Exalts and demons handle it. If we start having to deal with a larger number? Well, that's something else entirely.
 
If they loser rejects the Shaping effect with a Charm such as Integrity Protecting Prana they will be suffer the standard consequences for breaking the pledges for breaking pledge five - they get the botches and will suffer immensely for them.
Seems way too strong to me. Being able to force eclipse oaths onto people is a big deal.
 
Seems way too strong to me. Being able to force eclipse oaths onto people is a big deal.

VEE does the same thing if you don't take action to follow through with the favor you owe, and you don't even know that that's a risk when the Charm takes effect. With this Charm you at least know as soon as you enter the field that there will be consequences for breaking the rules, and you know the rules because being in the field ensures you know them. So if you make a bet, lose, and then refuse to pay, then obviously you get the consequences.
 
Might be a good idea to specify just how many demons should be sent out scouting?
If they find trouble, we don't want them to get overwhelmed before they could come back to us in case of an ambush... cause, well, this situation definitely seems like we're gonna have an ambush happen.
 
Might be a good idea to specify just how many demons should be sent out scouting?
If they find trouble, we don't want them to get overwhelmed before they could come back to us in case of an ambush... cause, well, this situation definitely seems like we're gonna have an ambush happen.

Scout groups are small so they can be stealthy. I'd probably send out a two or three groups of two Anuhles each. Probably have one keep an eye on what's behind us, in case something decides to attack from that direction.

We can shatter souls right?

Reality Raking Claws, costs five motes. Not really worth it on the Hungry Ghosts.
 
VEE does the same thing if you don't take action to follow through with the favor you owe, and you don't even know that that's a risk when the Charm takes effect. With this Charm you at least know as soon as you enter the field that there will be consequences for breaking the rules, and you know the rules because being in the field ensures you know them. So if you make a bet, lose, and then refuse to pay, then obviously you get the consequences.
Yes, but "just" making a field where violence is totally forbidden on pain of botches is an absurdly powerful effect. This is something I would expect from a third circle soul.
 
Yes, but "just" making a field where violence is totally forbidden on pain of botches is an absurdly powerful effect. This is something I would expect from a third circle soul.
Anesidora is a Third-Circle soul. Lelouch just hasn't learned the charms to let her grow up yet.

But I could see this being locked behind Titanic Heart Invincible.
 
Yes, but "just" making a field where violence is totally forbidden on pain of botches is an absurdly powerful effect. This is something I would expect from a third circle soul.

There are ways around it. Send in automatons who wouldn't be affected. Attack from outside the field with an AOE weapon (which exist aplenty in the CG universe - artillery is a thing). Things like that.
 
Ok, here's what I came up with from everyone's comments. @Alexander89 - Let me know if there are any problems with this.

[X] General Strategy: The main group will maintain a box formation and stay wary so that ambushes will be spotted. The main melee fighters will deal with small groups of hungry ghosts and other low level threats, staying in range of the main group in case they need to retreat and fire support is needed, and being backed up by two Anuhles each to prevent them from being overwhelmed as they pick off enemies. They will rotate in this duty, always keeping one of them close to the main group in case of trouble. The main group will avoid firing any loud weapons if they can unless a large host of enemies is encountered. Leila will act as a sub-commander, and enhance the group's discipline and morale with Leading From Below. Yelena will have direct command of her own followers. Milly and Kaguya will stay in the center of the group, the former being able to act as heavy artillery with her weather effects against any particularly deadly foes. Three groups of two Anuhles each will be on scout duty, with Jikhs helping one scouting group and one group scouting behind in case anything tries following.
-[X] Stunt: "Akio, take out the one the left. No, your other left!" you ordered in frustration. "Got it!" The moron ran towards the designated target, slamming the gigantic hammer into the wretched creature sending it flying into a distant wall. "Yes! Home run!" You repress the urge to shoot him once more, hiding all doubts in his competency and switching focus to Akito. As he beats and stabs his opponent his feral grin is not phased in the slightest by Leila barking orders for him to stop straying so far from the formation. One by one your party beats back the unspeakable nightmares that attempt to bar your way, each small victory bringing you one step closer to discovering what mysteries this place holds.
-[X] Use a dice from your stunt pool. Use Second Oramus Excellency x3 to aid in your command efforts.

Still working on a stunt, and will edit it in when I get a chance. EDIT - Added. Could switch to another if someone comes up with something good.
 
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I think your main strategy is good, @Enjou. I only added Jikhs to scouting ahead with the Anuhles. But I made my own completely reworked stunt, as well as adding Second Oramus Excellency x3 to War roll. I'm not sure about voting for the stunt reward now, as Alexander might just put the reward for a seperate vote after deciding what we get for it, but I included it still. Respiring motes through stunts isn't limited to normal respiration rules, so we should get the full amount (unless I've understood that part of mechanics wrong). Anyway, do you think this will work?

[X] Plan Strategy Enjou, Stunt meianmaru
[X] General Strategy: The main group will maintain a box formation and stay wary so that ambushes will be spotted. The main melee fighters will deal with small groups of hungry ghosts and other low level threats, staying in range of the main group in case they need to retreat and fire support is needed, and being backed up by two Anuhles each to prevent them from being overwhelmed as they pick off enemies. They will rotate in this duty, always keeping one of them close to the main group in case of trouble. The main group will avoid firing any loud weapons if they can unless a large host of enemies is encountered. Leila will act as a sub-commander, and enhance the group's discipline and morale with Leading From Below. Milly and Kaguya will stay in the center of the group, the former being able to act as heavy artillery with her weather effects against any particularly deadly foes. Three groups of two Anuhles each will be on scout duty, with Jikhs helping one group scouting ahed and one group scouting behind in case anything tries following.
[X] Stunt: "Akito, Akio, take care of any enemies who stray too close to our group. Milly, Kaguya, stay in the middle of our formation and provide fire support with your powers only if truly necessary. Peer Yelena, I would ask you and your followers to also support us in the case we encounter something more threatening, but lets avoid using weapons that make too much noise for now. Peer Nadir, we will require your experience and knowledge about these lands, so please lend us your wisdom. Lady Malcal, you can have direct operational command over the rest of our human troops, while also helping me coordinate between the groups. I will personally focus more on directing our demons."

With those rapidly fired words, you watch as your mixed group of various humans and beings that most would think as horrors sprung straight from nightmares take a solid formation around you. As you confidently order Jikhs and some of the Anuhles to scout before you, you hide all your doubts that this unsettling place is stirring inside you. You will discover the truth behind this mystery, even if you have to to walk in the the boundary between the world of the living and the dead to find it.
-[X] Use a dice from your stunt pool. Second Oramus Excellency x3 (6 motes) from the internal pool for the War roll to bolster our efforts in directing this chaotic mix of individuals. Mote regeneration from the stunt (if we get a three die stunt with the help of stunt pool, complete mote regeneration from the Excellency use).

EDIT: Removed "I" from a part that completely changed the meaning of the first sentence. Damn typos...
 
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