Green Sun, Black Shadows (CG/Exalted)

[Alexander89]

Vote Tally : Green Sun, Black Shadows (CG/Exalted) | Page 53 | Sufficient Velocity
##### NetTally 1.1.2
[X] Choose 1 Demonic Intimacy.
-[X] Silk
No. of Votes: 9

Spoiler: Voters

Enjou
Broken25
codeRR
Daniel14541
overmind
Unelemental
veekie
wingstrike96
Zaratustra

[X] You have 2 dots. Assign them.
-[X] Awareness (Sensing Ambushes)
-[X] Craft (Poison)
No. of Votes: 7

Spoiler: Voters

Enjou
Broken25
codeRR
Daniel14541
overmind
random_npc
Unelemental

[X] You have 2 dots. Assign them.
-[X] Awareness (Sensing Ambushes)
-[X] Dodge (Outnumbered)
No. of Votes: 4

Spoiler: Voters

wingstrike96
silentspirals
veekie
Zaratustra

[X] Choose 1 Demonic Intimacy.
-[X] Pragmatism
No. of Votes: 1

Spoiler: Voters

silentspirals

Total No. of Voters: 11

Poll is still open.

@Alexander89 - let me know if these choices are acceptable, or if I'm misunderstanding something.

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They are acceptable, yes. Though the image of Lelouch developing an appreciation for silk for some reason makes me smile in anticipation...

Hey, doesn't Lelouch have a charm that gives people super nightmares when he sleeps, or was that just something that could be picked up later?

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Something that could be picked up later.

Might want to check with @Alexander89 if that works for Seyrun's skill set. Otherwise that's a good choice.

EDIT - Also, this would be "Multiple Opponents" based on the rulebook provided specialty, but that's just semantics.

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Yes it's Multiple Opponents but the concept is the same. It works, through Seyrun is cautious enough to not need that specialty often.

@Alexander89
If we use the Fiend's ability to learn almost any charm to learn Infernal charms we haven't unlocked, then we unlock them, do we get back the extra XP we spent?

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My suggested mechanic for this is that you get to pick another Charm in the tree you unlocked rather than getting a refund.

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Either way is fine for me. I think Enjou's proposal is the most advantageous for you all.

Does anyone have a link handy to which custom Charm sets we'd be using for the other Yozis?

I would imagine there's some way Szoreny could help us, though. Probably Elloge as well -- the speech thing has to be exploitable.

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Give me a couple of minutes and I will provide links. Just to be clear, I am taking charms from many sources.

Honestly a bit annoyed about Nunnaly's portrayal here. Her perceptiveness is already wanked in the fanon, though I understand why - elevation of the pseudo-myths (exaggerations) concerning the blind's supersenses to give her some character trait beyond Princess Wheelchair McBlandish Woobie. But this goes a bit too far.

I could stand her detecting something different about Lelouch - his appearance has changed and he has magical powers now so his emotional presence has probably changed from the bitter defeatist of pre-Exaltation - something that he can pass off as he usually does to protect his waif sister. But for Nunnaly to literally hear the speech of his Coadjutor, a being so entangled with his own soul as to be undetectable, as far as I can find, even to Exalted beyond a minor physical tell? Impossible, and she doesn't have the patronage of Oramus to work with that state of affairs.

Frankly, Nunnaly's only importance as a character are her impact on Lelouch as his Achilles' heel and partial morality pet. At no point in the show does she show the least sign of independent action when not prompted by the manipulations of someone else, whether that be Lelouch or Schneizel, so there's literally no way she's an Exalted. Even if she did inherit a terrestrial exaltation, she'd have to be older before it meant anything for her abilities. As such, I'm not really sure what granting 'magic senses' without explanation or cause to such a boring character probably better left int he background actually adds to the quest.

If you're going for drama concerning the conflict between Nunnaly's image of Lelouch versus the reality, this is both too early in the narrative to meaningfully address it (Lelouch has barely used his Exaltation yet so the conflict is minimal beyond external changes, which are the least meaningful for this sort of thing) and a really haphazard way to approach it, coming as it does without reasonable source in either part of the lore.

I won't ask you to change anything, Alex, as that would be presumptuous, but I wanted to get across my reaction for future consideration.

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I realize that, even if I don't particularly care for it especially as it builds off bad fanon. However, my point was primarily that it is far too early in the plot to introduce that complication. This is the sort of twist that would be best introduced in the middle of a quest - when it would actually have some impact or cause a struggle between competing goals - not at the very beginning of Rising Action when the setting and characters are still being established. The introduction of this altered world is still too new and uncertain for this to have any sort of emotional resonance beyond reflections of canon relationships.

Also, there has to be some setting-based explanation for this event. None exists for Nunnaly that I can discern - she isn't an Exalt or heroic mortal of any sort, she doesn't have non-human ancestry (or Lelouch would as well), and, unless things have really changed, Geass have no inheritable characteristics (again the sibling issue). If someone is going to have impossible abilities, they can't just emerge out of nowhere - and people aren't randomly born with powers that I recall in Exalted (with the possible exception of Sidereals, but that's more predetermined that born with). At least Sayoko was able to see Lelouch's face and so has a reason to question why he is now 40% more attractive than he was this morning, but Nunnally basically pulled a Tattletale after maybe 10 seconds of conversation without any cue besides maybe hearing a strange voice. Perhaps Alex has a decent explanation, and I'm somewhat willing to give him the benefit of the doubt, but this was a poor introduction of the plotline by any standard. It doesn't provide a character more agency or expand their personality, it doesn't add a compelling narrative (not as currently presented anyway) or more world-building, it simply gives a background player the inexplicable ability to cause the main character ultimately pointless angst in the most unsubtle way possible and muddles establishment of the setting and main characters. Hint: Nunnaly is not one of these. See below.

Furthermore, Nunnaly is by far the least interesting character with which to attempt something like this, having exactly zero personality beyond mildly determined woobie. She's just a flat character, and her role is so minor in canon (excepting backstory or as someone's pawn) that I don't see the point of expanding it when the words can be far better used elsewhere. I'd much rather an interesting OC than giving one of Code Geass' worst characters more screentime.

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She isn't though. The experience of losing his mother, his sister being crippled, and being banished by his father inspired Lelouch's motivation to destroy Britannia but that's become a self-propagating agenda at this point and Nunnaly is somewhat tangential to the actuality of the ambition. That does not deny the intimacy remaining or a fierce desire to protect her, but she has no reason to be central to his activity as an Exalt beyond a familial relationship. I have no objection to that relationship being present, even if I say for reasons of limited time and words (and admittedly, personal bias) that it should not be a large part of the quest.

However, this ability of Nunnaly's in no way makes that relationship more interesting or expands her agency in any meaningful way (or, as you put it, gives her something interesting to do). She's still stuck in Ashford Academy, waiting for her big brother to come home. As such, her character only matters as it impacts Lelouch and this is a shallow and poorly timed attempt to induce unnecessary drama.

You can disagree and that's fine. I have no interest in starting a debate when I only intended to share my viewpoint anyway.

EDIT: Edits abound.

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Ah. I see your point, I really do. First, I want to say I wish this will not cause you to stop following my quest.

About Nunnally's perception...I confess that her hearing Seyrun is something that is going to come up only a few times, as a hint towards something plot related. It's only background info that isn't likely to come up in the story.
Her reaction to touching Lelouch, well that is way more important. Considering what Lelouch has become...

I could remove the part with Nunnally hearing Seyrun, but I would like to hear what the other players think about it.

 

[Kanata.EXE]

[X] Choose 1 Demonic Intimacy.
-[X] Silk

[X] You have 2 dots. Assign them.
-[X] Awareness (Sensing Ambushes)
-[X] Craft (Poison)

 

[Enjou]

I could remove the part with Nunnally hearing Seyrun, but I would like to hear what the other players think about it.

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This is very much an AU/crossover, so it's not unusual that there will be a few differences in some of the characters. Also, at the end of canon when Lelouch got stabbed and Nunnally held his hand she did seem to see everything he had plotted.

I'm perfectly fine with it - little surprises like this keep things interesting.

 

[Alexander89]

The source of the Five Canon Yozi (plus Kimbery) Charms comes from: Infernal Corebook, Broken-Winged Crane and Ink Monkeys, plus any fanmade Charms.

Cytherea can be found here.
Metagaos can be found here.
Szorney can be found here.
Isidoros can be found here.
Elloge can be (mostly) found here.
Hegra can be (mostly) found here.

My anti-XP sink rule is made not to promote not only going far into the charmset (I want to write about Infernal using Shintai Charms. Sue me), but also specialization, which makes teamwork imperative. I am not forcing anyone of course, just pointing this out.

 

[Broken25]

They are acceptable, yes. Though the image of Lelouch developing an appreciation for silk for some reason makes me smile in anticipation...

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I smell shenanigans.

This is very much an AU/crossover, so it's not unusual that there will be a few differences in some of the characters. Also, at the end of canon when Lelouch got stabbed and Nunnally held his hand she did seem to see everything he had plotted.

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I am fine with it too.

 

[Prent]

[X] You have 2 dots. Assign them.
-[X] Awareness (Sensing Ambushes)
-[X] Dodge (Outnumbered)

[X] Choose 1 Demonic Intimacy.
-[X] Silk

 

[Indrik]

Ah. I see your point, I really do. First, I want to say I wish this will not cause you to stop following my quest.

About Nunnally's perception...I confess that her hearing Seyrun is something that is going to come up only a few times, as a hint towards something plot related. It's only background info that isn't likely to come up in the story.
Her reaction to touching Lelouch, well that is way more important. Considering what Lelouch has become...

I could remove the part with Nunnally hearing Seyrun, but I would like to hear what the other players think about it.

Click to shrink...

Don't worry, I don't have any plans of abandoning ship over something so small. My natural tendency towards verbosity in text might have given the impression of a greater emotional response than I actually felt. It doesn't really make sense to me in the current context, but it doesn't particularly have to at this point.

Really, I just wanted to share my viewpoint as to narrative structure and issues of character for this point. Beyond that, Alexander, proceed as you see fit. You're the author and I'm ultimately just one member of your audience.

And, as I forgot to vote earlier:

[X] You have 2 dots. Assign them.
-[X] Awareness (Sensing Ambushes)
-[X] Craft (Poison)

[X] Choose 1 Demonic Intimacy.
-[X] Webs

This encompasses both the material quality of webs (i.e., silk), but also the intangibles such as plotting, manipulation, ambushes and so on that are so central to the social and strategic warfare that Lelouch favors.

 

[Enjou]

They are acceptable, yes. Though the image of Lelouch developing an appreciation for silk for some reason makes me smile in anticipation...

Click to shrink...

Lelouch, the next morning...
Anuhle: Boss, we've got your first bulletproof silk uniform ready. *offers the uniform*
Lelouch: Excellent. Good work. *takes the uniform, feels it* Oh... this is nice. *puts it on* Very nice indeed. Suitable for the future Emperor of the world. Yes... *looks over at his bed*
Anuhle: Boss?

A few days later, laundry day...
Sayoko: "Wait... why are Lord Lelouch's uniforms made of silk?"
Sayoko: *goes to change the bed sheets* "The sheets too?"

A bit later, while cleaning the windows...
Sayoko: "Oh for... the curtains? Really? Where is he getting all this silk?"

The next day...
Sayoko: *goes to put on her uniform, notices something is off*

A bit later...
Sayoko: "Lelouch-sama, do you care to explain why you replaced all my uniforms with silk ones?"
Lelouch: "It's a present for all your hard work?"
Sayoko: *deadpan stare*
Lelouch: "Uhm... did I mention they're bulletproof?"
Sayoko: "...can your tailor make a ninja outfit?"

 

[Unelemental]

Vote change. Still prefer Craft (Poison) to Dodge (Outnumbered), but I like Indrik's idea for the Intimacy.

[X] You have 2 dots. Assign them.
-[X] Awareness (Sensing Ambushes)
-[X] Craft (Poison)

[X] Choose 1 Demonic Intimacy.
-[X] Webs

 

[Enjou]

This encompasses both the material quality of webs (i.e., silk), but also the intangibles such as plotting, manipulation, ambushes and so on that are so central to the social and strategic warfare that Lelouch favors.

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It might also make him use spider web themes on stuff. Remember the whole PR issue Lelouch was pointing out regarding the Yozi naming of stuff?

"Why does Zero's costume have spider web patterns all over it? It's creepy."

 

[Unelemental]

He can just make the web designs look good if it comes down to it. We're a Chosen of Oramus, aren't we? Isn't it our prerogative to make beautiful and strange things?

 

[Yog]

What can be a target of demonic intimacy, what benefits / downsides it generates and why are we choosing silk?

 

[Enjou]

He can just make the web designs look good if it comes down to it. We're a Chosen of Oramus, aren't we? Isn't it our prerogative to make beautiful and strange things?

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Oh, I'm not arguing they won't be beautiful, it's just that it isn't really an easy image to make look good given the cultural associations with spiders typically aren't positive ones in most locations.

 

[ScrewFate]

[X] You have 2 dots. Assign them.
-[X] Awareness (Sensing Ambushes)
-[X] Craft (Poison)

[X] Choose 1 Demonic Intimacy.
-[X] Silk

 

[Enjou]

What can be a target of demonic intimacy, what benefits / downsides it generates and why are we choosing silk?

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The target can be something the Unwoven Coadjutor would have an Intimacy towards, or something related to its species of demon. Also, demons pretty much universally like good music and really dislike bad music. (a summoned blood ape might surprise a summoner by inflicting an unnecessary beat down on a musician that is playing off key, for instance, because bad music isn't really tolerated in Hell)

The benefits and downsides are similar to other Intimacies - the characters motives and actions are influenced by it, and it generally takes a roll to act against an Intimacy successfully. (example actions for Lelouch - lying to Nunnally, doing something that benefits the Emperor or Britannia)

I'm suggesting silk because it's a relatively harmless intimacy to have, especially given our Anuhles can provide a ready supply of it to make clothing and whatnot for him. Situations in which Lelouch would have to act against the Intimacy would be pretty rare, I would think.

 

[Deathwings]

Also, making Lelouch a silk maniac is lulzi. What other reason do we need ?

[X] Choose 1 Demonic Intimacy.
-[X] Silk

[X] You have 2 dots. Assign them.
-[X] Awareness (Sensing Ambushes)
-[X] Craft (Poison)

 

[cyberswordsmen]

Malfeas is a very noisy place because not making noise attracts Adjoran the Silent Wind who shows up and kills everyone. Music is much preferable noise to the other options.

In the demonic hierarchy of needs music is higher up than food, water or even shelter for many demons.

 

[landcollector]

I've been catching up on this quest, and I loved the surprise that Milly was a fellow Infernal. She's going to be quite an entertaining character I feel.

[X] You have 2 dots. Assign them.
-[X] Awareness (Sensing Ambushes)
-[X] Dodge (Outnumbered)
[X] Choose 1 Demonic Intimacy.
-[X] Silk

 

[Krain]

[X] You have 2 dots. Assign them.
-[X] Awareness (Sensing Ambushes)
-[X] Dodge (Outnumbered)
[X] Choose 1 Demonic Intimacy.
-[X] Silk

 

[Hyacinthium]

[X] You have 2 dots. Assign them.
-[X] Awareness (Sensing Ambushes)
-[X] Dodge (Outnumbered)
[X] Choose 1 Demonic Intimacy.
-[X] Silk

 

[Diller]

[X] You have 2 dots. Assign them.
-[X] Awareness (Sensing Ambushes)
-[X] Craft (Poison)

[X] Choose 1 Demonic Intimacy.
-[X] Silk

 

[Enjou]

Ok, another omake. This one featuring a different character in our Coven who may be interested in our recent actions.

Goddess of the Liberation​

Kubouin Hidenobu watched the footage on the screen with rapt awe. It was truly terrifying what the new Britannian Knightmare was capable of. The fact that the pilot of the Sutherland that took the footage had managed to hold her own for so long was a testament to her skill. As the video continued, the mysterious 'Zero' showed up in his own Knightmare and coordinated an attack that result in damage to the new model, followed up by a suicide attack in which Zero ejected and allowed the pilot to escape. The video feed ended there.

"My, how bold!" exclaimed the young woman sitting on the opposite side of the table from him.

"Indeed, Kaguya-sama." Hidenobu readily agreed. Kaguya-sama's word was divine, after all. "Quite a brave act, taking such a risk to let Shinjuku group escape. Truly a miracle, given how the situation could have ended in tragedy."

"Yes. I honestly can't imagine what Kirihara was thinking when he gave the information about the poison gas to them." There was venom in her voice, Hidenobu noted. She was still angry with Taizo. Even now, after Hidenobu had realized the truth, Taizo just couldn't see it. He still treated Kaguya-sama, head of the Sumeragi family, as if she was a mere child. Hidenobu knew better. "Without Zero's intervention, all of Shinjuku would have been massacred."

Hidenobu tried to refrain from sighing. He could not do something so unsightly in her presence. "Yes, it would have been terrible. Taizo does what he thinks best, and he must have thought it worth the risk, but still..." He shrugged. Taking a brief moment to think while stroking his beard, he decided to see if he could lighten his lady's mood. "Well, at least it turned out well. Even if they didn't attain their original goal, Britannia suffered terrible losses and the Shinjuku group managed to keep five of the Sutherlands that Zero captured. I still have to wonder how he did that."

Kaguya-sama's frown turned into a bright smile, lighting up the room. "Yes! Such an amazing victory. I don't think the JLF has managed something that spectacular in years." His lady turned introspective for a moment. "Hmmm... I wonder. Yes, it seems likely, but... if he's one of ours... should we... I think... really? So then..."

"Kaguya-sama?" He hadn't quite heard what she had said. His lady would sometimes do that. She would seem to space out and quietly talk to herself. He knew the truth of it though. His lady was communing with the divine. He didn't know why he hadn't seen it before, but now he just knew.

"Oh! I'm sorry, Hidenobu-dono."

"Think nothing of it, Kaguya-sama. Nothing you could do could possibly offend me."

"Ara, you flatter me!" She giggled. "Now, who else has the information on what happened in Shinjuku?"

"Ah, yes. Taizo knows the very basics of it, but he has very little in the way of details as of yet. My agents are the ones who are in communication with the Shinjuku cell, after all. I had to tell him something, but I didn't want to let him know everything without your blessing."

Kaguya-sama nodded to him. "Ensure it stays that way. The footage we just watched is something we can use at just the right moment - the pilot who managed to stand against the new Britannian model is an ideal candidate for the Guren. We can use that to delay the decision to give it to the JLF until we've brought enough of the others to my side for the Kyoto House to change leaders."

"Of course, Kaguya-sama." The others would see it soon. They would know that Kaguya was the instrument of the kami, that her word was divine and should be followed. It was through her blessing that the liberation would come, not through the machinations of mere men such as himself or Taizo. The others would realize it. He was eager to tell them his beliefs, but his lady had counseled patience. They would come to understand in time.

"Keep me appraised of the activities of the Shinjuku group. If Zero contacts them again, I want to know as soon as possible." She stated quite firmly. "Oh! Before I forget..." she gestured to a nearby servant, who came bearing a wrapped box for him to take. "You'll be going to visit Tousai-dono in a few days, yes? A gift for him and his wife. Candied locusts."

"Oh! Munakata will be very pleased with this gift, Kaguya-sama. I don't know where you get these delicacies, but he's always had a taste for the exotic. They'll absolutely love them."

His goddess's radiant smile grew. It took all his will to resist the urge to bow down before her divine grace. "Yes, I'm sure they will."

 

[codeRR]

Awesome cult snip

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...your making me want to make one...

great job on the perspective of a person in a cult

 

[chocolote12]

[X] You have 2 dots. Assign them.
-[X] Awareness (Sensing Ambushes)
-[X] Dodge (Outnumbered)
[X] Choose 1 Demonic Intimacy.
-[X] Silk

 

[Alexander89]

snip

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My word! Kaguya-chan has been...busy. I was going to make her favor Szoreny, but it seems she had invested more in Cecelyne. The omake is canon (with all that it implies) and have +3 Xp.


I present to you, Milly Ashford! Tell me of any blunder I may have done.

Spoiler

​

Motivation: To become an international celebrity
Urge: Make people renounce the rigid laws of Area Eleven (Psychotic)
Caste: Scourge
Patron Yozi: Hegra
Anima Banner: An harp made of iridescent gemstone surrounded by a storm
Attributes: Strength 2, Dexterity 2, Stamina 3; Charisma 4; Manipulation 3; Appearance 4; Perception 2; Intelligence 3; Wits 4
Virtues: Compassion 4, Conviction 3, Temperance 1, Valor 2
Abilities: Integrity 1, Performance 1 (Parties +2) (Harp +2), Presence 3, Investigation 1, Lore 2, Athletics 2, Awareness 2, Dodge 3, Larceny 1, Stealth 2, Bureaucracy 1, Linguistics 1 (English and Japanese); Socialize 3
Backgrounds: Backing (Yozi) 1, Cult (Yozi) 1, Influence (Yozi) 1, Unwoven Coadjutor (Nassozra) 2, Allies (Lelouch) 1, Familiar (Demonic)(Zenész) 1, Influence 1, Backing (Ashford Academy) 4, Contacts 3, Resources (Ashford family) 2
Essence: 2
Willpower: 6
Other notes: both the Unwoven Coadjutor and Familiar are Angyalkaes

Charms:

First Hegra Excellency, Second Hegra Excellency

The Typhoon of Nightmares is always excited, a manic being who revels in the sensous. Her erratic moods are constantly shifting through the spectrum of emotions, and she is subject only to her whim. Hegra clings to her dreams because they are more pleasing than reality, and wishes to share her vision. She brings both inspiration and terror, disturbing the sleep of dreamers with unwanted revelations. Her wrath is less deadly than her carelessness, as her catastrophic storms cause massive collateral damage, without her knowing. Despite the exuberant rejoicing that her aimless passage through Malfeas brings, her mercy is just as unintended as her malice. She enjoys all that she does as if giving an artistic performance or playing a game, because she will not do anything which does not please her.

Characters may apply this Charm to actions that resonate with their emotions and passions, or acts of flamboyant and over the top vivacity. Actions that focus on style over substance or seem heroic are always better than those that are merely effective, as Hegra's form is nothing but dreams and gossamer, shaped into her own self-image. Socially, she arouses passions and incites revolutionary changes, upsetting systems of oppressive control or restraint with out of control emotion. She exploits the feelings of others, using them to achieve her own satisfaction. This Charm can never enhance any action that conflicts with the Infernal's own emotions or Intimacies, as Hegra values fantasy over reality and cannot place necessity above what she wants.

Ecstatic Passion Kaleidoscope
Cost: 5m; Mins: Essence 2; Type: Reflexive
Keywords: Combo-OK, Emotion
Duration: One scene
Prerequisite Charms: None
Hegra subsists entirely on emotion, the whole of her being coalescing around her hysteric passions. Activating this Charm, the Infernal may instill herself with any emotion, passion, or feeling, exerting unnatural mental influence upon herself. The Infernal may add (Essence/2) dice to any action which resonates with that emotion, which does not count as dice added by Charms. This Charm also exerts the usual penalties of an Emotion effect–a -1 internal penalty on any action that does not resonate the emotion instilled, or a -3 internal penalty on any action that directly opposes that emotion. The Infernal must spend a point of Willpower to cancel this Charm before its duration ends, or if they activate it again to change the emotion it creates.
A second purchase of this Charm allows the Infernal to re-activate it as an innate ability. So long as it is already active, activating it a second time to change the emotion it creates does not count as Charm activation, and they need not pay a Willpower surcharge to do so. A third purchase of this Charm at Essence 5 allows the Infernal to waive its mote cost when activating it, and it extends its duration to Indefinite. However, they can never voluntarily cancel the effects of this Charm–they may change the emotion it instills with a subsequent activation, but cannot simply end its effects.

Extravagant Revelry Carnival
Cost: – (+1wp); Mins: Essence 2; Type: Permanent
Keywords: Emotion, Social
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: Ecstatic Passion Kaleidoscope
Hegra's rains slick the streets of the Demon City with alien passions and vivid memories, fomenting sensual hallucinations. This Charm permanently upgrades Ecstatic Passion Kaleidoscope. Whenever the Infernal activates it, she may pay a surcharge of one Willpower to roll (Charisma + Performance) against the Dodge MDV of all characters who can see her. Any character whose MDV is exceeded succumbs to the same Emotion effect as the Infernal, a form of unnatural mental influence that can be resisted for two points of Willpower. This Emotion effect lasts for one scene. They do not gain the bonuses of Ecstatic Passion Kaleidoscope; only the base penalties of the Emotion effect.
In addition, while Ecstatic Passion Kaleidoscope is active, the Infernal may enhance any social attack that would rouse the same emotion it instills. Doing so costs a point of Willpower for Performance-based attacks, or two motes for Presence-based attacks, and inflicts the same unnatural mental influence as above if the social attack is successful. The character must resist this influence separately from the social attack if the Infernal's roll overcomes their MDV's. Enhancing a social attack in this way does not count as Charm activation.

Indelible Prismatic Stains
Cost: –; Mins: Essence 2; Type: Permanent
Keywords: None
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: Ecstatic Passion Kaleidoscope
Hegra's heart is as the storm cloud–sometimes illuminated by brilliant lightning, sometimes choked with dark rains, and sometimes still and tranquil. Just as the storm, there is nothing that can bind or fetter her passions. This Charm upgrades Ecstatic Passion Kaleidoscope. While it is active, the Infernal may treat any mental influence that would cause her to feel or experience an emotion, or gain an Intimacy based on an emotional context, that is opposed or incompatible to the emotion she has inflicted upon herself as unacceptable orders. A second purchase of this Charm at Essence 4 extends its benefits to all Infernal Charms she knows that exert an Emotion effect, so long as they carry the usual penalties for such effects. Any character subject to the mental influence of such a Charm gains the benefits of Indelible Prismatic Stains.

Ignoring Senseless Babble
Cost: 5m; Mins: Essence 2; Type: Reflexive (Step 2)
Keywords: Combo-OK, Social
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Ecstatic Passion Kaleidoscope
Hegra's bright passions numb her to the world outside, letting her dream away the absurdities of her imprisonment. This Charm may be activated in response to any form of mental influence, allowing the Infernal to perfectly dodge it. This Charm may defend against undodgeable mental influence. If the Infernal has Ecstatic Passion Kaleidoscope active, she may activate this Charm for a reduced cost of three motes against any mental influence that does not align with the emotion created by it, or for one mote against influence that is directly opposed to that emotion.

Sky-Crisis Strike
Cost: 2m; Mins: Essence 2; Type: Simple
Keywords: Combo-OK, Obvious
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Ecstatic Passion Kaleidoscope
Blizzards of fancy and lightning bolts of erotic passion rain down from Hegra's storm fronts, disasters as wonderful as they are destructive. Activating this Charm, the Infernal rolls (Charisma + Presence) as she hurls a bolt of prismatic lightning, a burst of gossamer ice, or some other form of emotional weather at a character within (Essence x 50) yards. Strong emotions draw down Hegra's wrath, and the Infernal receives a single automatic success on the attack roll if she attacks a character who is subject to an Emotion effect that exerts unnatural mental influence. The base damage of this is attack depends on the stunt awarded to the Infernal's attack, equal to (Stunt Rating x 5) lethal piercing damage. Attacks not awarded a stunt at have a base damage of only (Essence), to a maximum of 5L piercing.

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First Adorjan Excellency, Second Adorjan Excellency

The Silent Wind is restless, always in motion and never satisfied. She expresses the inevitability that bad things happen regardless of who you are or how many backup plans you have. She is catastrophe and calamity, the unconsidered variable that shreds the best-laid plans of Yozi and Exalt alike. She kills because it is her nature to hurt everything she touches, not because she revels in suffering. More than any of her siblings, Adorjan is insane and encompasses contradictions. Adorjan scours her enemies, breaking them to enlighten them, even if the lesson proves fatal. Her actions Her actions display vicious whimsy, especially toward the complacent and comfortable. She loves purposeful chaos that exposes the flaws in systems and lays low the proud, but she abhors chaos for the sake of chaos as much as she abhors stasis. She is a balancing force of wickedness against the excesses of the righteous. Her depredations inspire heroes to reach their full potential through the crucible of tragedy, invariably ruining their lives in the process. Greatness is the worst curse her touch imparts. She inflicts more pain on those she loves than those she hates. No one expects her. She refuses to be understood and torments those who try.

This Charm can enhance any action that causes unexpected or sudden harm, such as surprise attacks or attacks that are part of flurries. Actions that create ongoing discomfort or take away sources of comfort also fall under the purview of the Silent Wind. Socially, her attacks tear away Intimacies rather than building them, teaching people to let go of attachments and worries rather than continue meaningless cycles of love or vengeance. The behaviors she compels are mad and invariably disturbing, but she does not care how the minds of others break. Adorjan's power may be applied to any actions that help tear down structured society or spread anarchy, regardless of the reasons or methods for doing so. The Charm can't assist actions that are planned in great detail in advance, though it is permissible to do something whose consequences will not manifest until a later time. Actions motivated by insanity may only benefit from Adorjan's touch when there is some greater and immediate purpose behind them (even if the meaning isn't communicated to other characters). The Silent Wind embodies the madness of the freed mind, not an idiot's babbling.

WIND-BORN STRIDE
Cost: —; Mins: Essence 1; Type: Permanent
Keywords: Stackable
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: None
Where Adorjan blows, few can run fast or far enough to escape her touch. This Charm permanently enhances an Infernal's Dash actions (see Exalted, p. 143). First, dashing carries a DV penalty of -0. Second, the character automatically succeeds in crossing treacherous terrain without needing a roll. Finally, the Exalt adds his Essence rating to his Dexterity for the purposes of calculating his base dashing speed and does not subtract wound penalties from this calculation.
These benefits apply equally to running and other means of locomotion encompassed by a dash action, such as climbing or swimming. Other effects that increase the Exalt's speed use the Wind-Born Stride-enhanced value as the Infernal's natural base speed before applying their modifiers. This Charm may be purchased a maximum number of times equal to the Exalt's Essence rating, with each purchase stacking to cumulatively increase dashing speed. The other benefits of the Charm do not improve with repurchase.

WHO STRIKES THE WIND?
Cost: 8m; Mins: Essence 2; Type: Reflexive (Step 2)
Keywords: Combo-OK, Obvious
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Wind-Born Stride
The Silent Wind blows around and through all opposition and adversity, untouched though the sky blackens with arrows meant for her. This Charm is a perfect dodge against any physical attack that is not unexpected, even if that attack can't be dodged. The Charm remains vulnerable to the Imperfection of the Silent Wind.

UNIMPEDED PERFECTION OF EXERTION
Cost: —; Mins: Essence 2; Type: Permanent
Keywords: None
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: Wind-Born Stride
Does the wind stumble? While the Infernal dashes, she automatically maintains balance and exerts no weight on solid objects, allowing her to skip from one blade of grass to another or waltz across the snow without leaving footprints. This weightless grace adds the lower of the Infernal's (Dexterity and Athletics)
to the difficulty of all efforts to track her and ensures quiet passage, providing a temporary +3 Stealth specialty in "Moving Silently" that does not stack with other specialties.

FOAM-DANCING HASTE
Cost: —; Mins: Essence 2; Type: Permanent
Keywords: None
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: Unimpeded Perfection of Exertion
Adorjan darts over rivers of blood without sinking into them. She is above wallowing in gore, so this Charm further enhances the functional weightlessness afforded by its prerequisite to cover liquid surfaces. If the Infernal begins a dash while swimming on the surface, she may continue to swim or nimbly climb atop the liquid and run on it. If she continues to swim, she dashes at the same speed as if running. Additionally, the Exalt suffers no environmental harm
associated with any dangerous conditions she traverses. This immunity does not defend against environmental hazards that aren't associated with the surface she dashes on or through. With Essence 4+, she is immune to all environmental hazards and penalties while dashing, even those unrelated to the medium of her journey.

Impatient Tempest Labor
Cost: 5+m; Mins: Essence 2; Type: Simple
Keywords: Combo-OK, Obvious
Duration: One hour
Prerequisite Charms: Wind-Born Stride
Demons evacuating ahead of the Silent Wind often congregate in places she recently ravaged, counting on her to seek a new venue of massacre rather than endure the tedium of a familiar arena. They are wise to do so. Adorjan has little patience for tasks that bore her or require her to stay in one place for any length of time and counts on her speed to rush through chores. The base cost to activate this charm is five motes, plus an additional five mote surcharge for each time the Exalt has activated the Charm in the past 25 hours.
While enchanted by this Charm, the warlock completes all Ability-based actions in half the usual time, provided that those actions normally would take ten minutes or longer to complete. The Charm is not cumulative with other quickening effects; only the best applies. Impatient Tempest Labor also can't quicken the casting of spells. Each dot of Essence above 2 cumulatively halves this time, so an Essence 5 Infernal works at sixteen times normal speed. It is not possible to work at less than maximum speed, given Adorjan's impatience. Not all tasks that can be quickened benefit from doing so; just because a warlock can recite the entire Broken-Winged Crane in the span of a second doesn't mean that a listener can absorb spoken information at that rate. The Charm also doesn't quicken fixed time limits that have nothing to do with how quick the Infernal is, such as cooking time on an alchemical reagent or the maturation of a sired offspring within a pregnant mother (unless the warlock is the pregnant one, since surviving childbirth is a Stamina + Resistance roll for mortals). The Storyteller should use common sense when adjudicating such cases. Adorjan struggles to build things that last because of her cultivated aversion to forming attachments. Consequently, the acceleration granted by this Charm may not allow a character to complete more than a day's worth of effort building or repairing items using any Craft Ability in a day. In the aforementioned Essence 5 example capable of completing 16 hours of work per hour, this limitation would allow her to spend a full hour of activation crafting, but slightly into the second hour, she would run against this limit and could not bring herself to "waste" any more time on crafts. She may use the remaining duration of accelerated speed for other tasks in the meantime, but she must wait a day before using the Charm for anything to do with construction or repairs.

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