A deluxe supplement detailing the Lunar Exalted for the Exalted 3rd Edition tabletop RPG
This post is for backers only. Please visit Kickstarter.com and log in to read.
Hello Gatecrashers,
It's time for our weekly Charm preview! Here is a sneak peek at content that we'll be releasing to backers tomorrow - our third (of 4) sections featuring the Charms of the Lunars.
Also, a special note about a special feature - coming on March 4th at 9:00 PM GMT (note the time zone!!), Onyx Path's Neall Reamonn Price and Matthew Dawkins will be walking through Exalted character creation - using the Lunars in their example. So, you'll be seeing all of the cool bits you've been reading during this campaign in action!
It'll be hosted on Onyx Path's Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/TheOnyxPath
And now, on to Charmy goodness:
Cost: 3m, 1wp; Mins: Manipulation 4, Essence 3
Type: Simple
Keywords: Psyche
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Generosity of the Cuckoo, Uncertain Sky Ambiguity
The Lunar’s sales pitch conveys such impassioned sincerity that her mark sees pearls instead of pebbles. She makes a (Manipulation + [Performance or Presence]) bargain roll against a single character. If successful, she convinces him that whatever she offers is actually another object of a similar size and shape, but with a Resources value up to (1 + Lunar’s extra successes) higher than the actual object’s, before the Storyteller determines whether that offer is sufficient. She might pass off a handful of leaves as Realm scrip, a rusted saber as a bladesmith’s masterpiece, or a clay brick as a silver ingot. This does not create an illusion or disguise the object — rather, the Lunar’s lie is so convincing that her target disregards all evidence to the contrary, even that of his own eyes.
This Psyche effect lasts (Lunar’s Essence) hours. An affected character may pay three Willpower to resist if another character disputes the object’s value, such as a vendor refusing to be paid in leaves, or if attempting to use the object makes the discrepancy between what it is and what the victim believes it to be apparent. Once the Lunar uses this Charm against a specific character, he’s immune to further uses for (his Integrity) days.
With a Manipulation 5, Essence 4 repurchase, the Lunar may target multiple characters with this influence, spending at least several minutes speaking to do so. She uses the lowest number of extra successes over any audience member’s Resolve when determining what she can cause affected characters to perceive.
Cost: 4m, 1wp; Mins: Manipulation 5, Essence 2
Type: Reflexive
Keywords: Mute, Protean
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Forgotten Self Wisdom
The Lunar submerges her conscious mind in the depths of the countless beasts that teem in her Essence. After successfully asserting Guile against a read intentions roll with at least a single 1, she may use this Charm, causing the opposing character to believe he succeeded. However, instead of the truth, he sees only an animalistic drive of her choice — hunger, aggression, lust, etc. — and disregards her until end of scene unless her actions prompt further attention.
Protean: If the Lunar uses this Charm in an animal’s shape, it causes the opposing character to instead see only the instincts and drives typical to a normal animal of that kind. She may use it even after a successful read intentions roll, as long as it contained at least a single 1.
Cost: 6m, 1wp; Mins: Manipulation 4, Essence 2
Type: Simple
Keywords: Mute
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Secret Devil’s Presence
Marking another with the distinctive sign of her divinity, the Lunar curses or blesses him to be mistaken for her. She must first touch her victim. In combat, this requires a difficulty 5 Brawl or Martial Arts gambit; outside of combat, she may accomplish this through social influence, trickery, or similar means. She then rolls (Manipulation + [Larceny, Occult, or Presence]) opposing her victim’s ([Appearance, Stamina, or Wits] + Integrity) roll. Success marks the victim with a physical characteristic almost identical to the Lunar’s Tell for (1 + Lunar’s extra successes) hours.
The false Tell is obvious to all who perceive it, and imposes a −4 penalty on disguise rolls to conceal it. Onlookers must succeed on a difficulty 7 (Perception + Awareness) roll to realize that the false Tell is not identical to the Lunar’s. Anyone that can see both the Lunar and her victim suffers a −2 penalty on rolls to spot the Lunar’s Tell or distinguish the false Tell. This mark doesn’t confer any benefits or disadvantages associated with the Lunar’s Tell — milky-blind eyes could still see normally, while mutations wouldn’t confer their benefits on the victim. This Charm is a shaping effect, resistible using Destiny-Manifesting Method or similar magic.
With Manipulation 5, Essence 3, the Lunar may extend the false Tell’s duration from hours to days by committing this Charm’s mote cost for that duration.
Cost: 6m; Mins: Perception 3, Essence 1
Type: Simple
Keywords: Protean
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Exquisite Heart’s Taste
The divine predator uncovers her prey’s weaknesses. The Lunar makes a special read intentions or profile character roll. If successful, the Storyteller reveals that character’s most significant weakness to the Lunar’s player: syphilis plaguing a master swordsman, a Dynast’s overwhelming debts, a merchant prince’s poor reputation, a Wyld monstrosity’s vulnerability to ash wood, etc. She may seek to find a character’s greatest weakness in general, or in a specific arena. However, there must be evidence, no matter how scant, from which she can infer this information. She gains a temporary specialty in exploiting this weakness in an Ability of her choice. It lasts indefinitely, but she can only have one specialty granted by this Charm at a time.
Protean: In a human or animal shape that her target has a Tie of fear towards, the Lunar can use Exquisite Heart’s Taste at no cost to penalize his Guile with that Intimacy.
Cost: 5 m, 1wp; Mins: Perception 5, Essence 3
Type: Simple
Keywords: None
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Exquisite Heart’s Taste, Motive-Dissecting Eye
Descending into a sleeper’s dreams, the Lunar witnesses his heart laid bare. She makes a special (Perception + [Investigation, Occult, or Socialize]) read intentions roll against a sleeping character, who suffers the −2 Guile penalty for being unaware of her. Success lets her witness one dream, plus an additional dream for every two extra successes. Each dream reveals a piece of useful information — an Intimacy, a glimpse into a memory, a relevant clue for the Lunar’s investigations, etc.
This Charm can only be used on a character one per day.
Cost: 3m per Charm; Mins: Perception 5, Essence 3
Type: Reflexive
Keywords: Decisive-only, Stackable
Duration: Indefinite
Prerequisite Charms: Shed Divinity’s Nectar
Savoring the taste of slain divinity, the Lunar subsumes its nature into her own. Upon permanently killing a character, she may access any of his Eclipse Charms (Exalted, p. 514) whose Essence minimums she meets, committing three motes each. She may have up to (Essence) Eclipse Charms accessed through God-Body Consumption at a time, either through a single use or multiple stacked activations.
The Lunar may permanently learn Charms accessed through God-Body Consumption for eight experience points each. She no longer needs to commit motes to use such Charms, and they don’t count towards the maximum of (Essence). She waives the experience point cost of the first Eclipse Charm purchased this way.
If the Lunar uses Charms to perform a non-lethal sacred hunt, she may trigger God-Body Consumption to take the Eclipse Charms of a god-blood, Eclipse Caste Solar, or similarly empowered human when she takes his shape.
Hello Gatecrashers,
We're at the halfway point, and now we see where our tremendous momentum will take us. We started out HUGE - funding quickly and unleashing Stretch Goals! But these middle weeks are a test, and we're doing very well, but can't relax our efforts on the back half.
There are more backers out there. We need to keep reaching out and recruiting them to our cause (#SilverPact), so remember to invite them to join in! Share info about this campaign on your social media and in your social circles, and let's keep the moonlight shining in the darkness.
And, if you come post something cool or come across some Dragon-blooded fans that need to be converted to the cause, let us know! Always looking to share more Exalted goodness, especially when it can bounce back to this campaign... like this video from backer Christopher Reynolds who looks back at the Exalted 3rd Edition core rulebook in a "re-boxing" video that clearly shows the size of these books!
So, let us know if you've got fun Exalted things to share, either in the comments for this Update, or in the general comments and I'll be happy to spotlight and fun fan involvement.
And speaking of adding more backers, we'll also be sneaking in a few new premium reward tiers over the next few days.
WAYFARING LUNAR SAGE will combine the "Name an NPC" reward of the Incomparable Argent Muse tier with the "Custom Charm" reward offered to the Keeper of Midnight's Gates. There will be 10 slots available for this reward tier starting on Wednesday, February 27th, at 2:00 PM EST.
IDEAL-MADE-FLESH APOTHEOSIS will combine the "Interior Art Model" from the Many-Faced Lunar Hero tier with the "Custom Charm" reward offered to the Keeper of Midnight's Gates. There will be 5 slots available for this reward tier starting on Thursday, February 28th, at 6:00 AM EST.
UNBOUND LUNAR DEMIURGE will combine the "Custom Artifact" from the Pattern-Realizing Genius tier with the "Custom Charm" reward offered to the Keeper of Midnight's Gates. There will be 10 slots available for this reward tier starting on Friday, March 1st, at 8:00 PM EST.
These are still premium tiers, and limited in quantity, and expensive, but growing the campaign and crossing the $200,000 funding mark (soon, I hope!) allows us to shoot for the moon!
And one more bit of excitement for the day...
Sazay wasn’t herself tonight. She was attending an extravagant party in Kulinth’s royal palace, and to suit local fashions she’d worn the complacent face of a man named Glimmering Shroud, who had “earned” the title of dewan by managing the kingdom’s treasury. Sazay could have replaced someone less well-protected to fit in, but she couldn’t resist hunting down someone so self-important and hateful, or claiming such an appropriate name. Sazay imagined that when she recounted the tale of Kulinth’s liberation from the Realm, the palace’s roaring fireplaces would provide a pleasing contrast to the dewan’s shivering, bloody death on the ice of Mare’s Tail Lake.
The Realm’s most powerful representative, satrap Cathak Vanida, was enjoying the warmth of the prince’s palace and the company of a small salon of Kulinthian luminaries. Kulinth’s own Prince Asmund wasn’t part of the salon, which was how they both liked it. Glimmering Shroud wouldn’t be speaking with either of them directly; Vanida was too sharp and Asmund too hot-tempered. Instead, Sazay delved into the affairs and gossip that passed for entertainment among the rich and comfortable.
In life, Glimmering Shroud had collected enemies and lackeys aplenty. To the former, Sazay let slip “accidental” hints of loyalty to Vanida or Asmund, morsels that would polarize the jackals eager to oppose the dewan. To those who loved Glimmering Shroud — or at least his wealth and influence — Sazay showed hints of vulnerability, even fear. They loved the dewan more for it, and would cry for vengeance upon discovering his death.
To finish, Sazay searched for a rarity: the honest aristocrat, brave and true. She wasn’t hard to find, standing alone near the snow-blotted windows. Castellan Mitali Vogl was cousin to a local Guild factor, with none of her cousin’s business acumen. Yet Vogl was well-bred and eternally loyal to Asmund.
Vogl saw Glimmering Shroud reflected in the window and turned, wary. “Ah, dewan. I hope the evening finds you well. Your outfit seems little protection against the snow.”
“The snow’s out there,” said Sazay, smiling coyly. “You’re still in cloak and bracers. Expecting a battle to break out in the sitting room?”
Vogl coughed, embarrassed. “No, no. Just...comfortable in them.”
“I don’t blame you.” Sazay lowered Glimmering Shroud’s voice. “If I were close to the prince, I’d watch my back around Vanida’s people.”
Vogl frowned. “...I’ve heard of you, dewan, and your games. Peddle your rumors elsewhere.”
“Of course,” said Sazay, and bowed, before backing out of sight.
As she left, Sazay took with her the memory of her presence, fading into the evening buzz of half-recalled gossip and inconsequential conversations. She left behind only the seed of suspicion, planted by a forgettable hand. She gave Vogl a few minutes to digest the gossip, then returned with a forced-looking smile.
“Ah, dewan,” said the castellan, less wary than before. “I hope the evening finds you well. Your outfit seems little protection against the snow.”
“I dress to fit in with Vanida’s clique,” Sazay said, with a touch of fear, clear even to Vogl. “If I didn’t...”
Vogl frowned. “...do you have reason to watch your back around them?”
Sazay flashed Glimmering Shroud’s glassiest smile and asked, “Can I trust you, castellan?”
Vogl rested a hand on Glimmering Shroud’s shoulder. “Of course, Shroud. What do you need?”
“I fear I’ve uncovered something...something the satrap doesn’t want anyone to know. No, don’t ask me. Come and...meet me at Mare’s Tail Lake,” begged Sazay. “Please. As soon as the blizzard ends.”
And before the ice melts, she thought, giddy with secret laughter.
This post is for backers only. Please visit Kickstarter.com and log in to read.
Hello Gatecrashers,
OK, more exciting previews today, as I share a snippet from tomorrow's manuscript posting. This is a tiny portion of the Martial Arts & Sorcery chapter, which will be available for download to all backers tomorrow.
And, if you dig the Martial Arts available to the Lunar Exalts, remember that we've added even more to Many-Faced Strangers, the Lunars Companion, with an earlier Stretch Goal.
UNLEASHED! - MANY-FACED STRANGERS – Martial Arts Expansion: Four distinctly Lunar martial arts styles: the incredibly resilient and venomous Toad style; the brutal, grappling-focused Bear style; the Sun Wukong-inspired Monkey style; and the stealthy, disease-spreading Rat style.
There's much more to add to the book, and we can continue to build it as long as we keep growing! So let's keep inviting our friends and gaming pals to join in with our #SilverPact and unleash even more Stretch Goals!
The fae warrior-saints of the Court of Flayed Sinners distilled Laughing Monster style from the digested dreams of countless thieves, scavenger princes, and oathbreakers drawn by rumors of the unimaginable treasures they guarded. This reign of false virtue was ended by the shaman Juven Fifth-Summer, who tore off the face of the fae court’s prince and coaxed the style’s secrets from his ragged lips, using them to set the raksha against each other until none remained.
Laughing Monster style epitomizes impetuosity and wicked humor, employing misdirection and confusion to humiliate rivals with inordinate glee. Its stylists practice erratic breathing exercise, rolling dance-steps, and ego-destroying meditations to fully understand its secrets. Juven shared it with his Silver Pact allies, but the esoteric style’s since spread to numerous dojos and secret societies. It’s regarded as a style of criminals, revolutionaries, madmen, and all manner of trickster-heroes, as erratic and unpredictable as any devil born of the Wyld.
Cost: 6m, 1wp; Mins: Martial Arts 5, Essence 2
Type: Supplemental
Keywords: Decisive-only
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Laughing Monster Form
A true warrior sets aside everything but the fight, letting no errant idea stray onto the battlefield. The stylist helps her enemies with a strike that unbinds unnecessary thoughts, expelling such beasts of the mind. When she makes a decisive attack against an enemy with a negative Tie she’s aware of, she rerolls (Intimacy) failed dice on the damage roll. If she deals at least (his base Resolve) damage, she expels that Intimacy from him as a quasi-tangible imp, whose appearance makes the Intimacy’s nature and intensity obvious to all who see it. This is a mental shaping effect, which Destiny-Manifesting Method (Exalted, p. 304) and similar effects can defend against.
The imp is always at the victim’s side, moving automatically with him no matter how far he goes. It remains manifest for a scene, during which the victim loses the Tie’s benefits (but not any negative effects it imposes), and halves his base Guile as the imp betrays whatever he tries to conceal. Once per round, the stylist may have the imp grant (lower of Intimacy or her Essence) dice of damage to a decisive attack against the victim by any character. The imp can be destroyed with a difficulty (Intimacy) gambit, but it has Defense equal to the stylist’s Guile, and requires magic capable of striking dematerialized foes. If it’s destroyed with magic capable of permanently killing spirits, the Intimacy is weakened one step.
The ghost of the Moon-Touched sorceress Mishiko often appears to her students in the twilight minutes between day and night as a young girl shaped from moonfire. She’s tied to Creation by a number of crystalline flowers that emerge unbidden from unexpected places — the sepulcher of an ancient shaman; the site of a lengthy, difficult birth; the vista that inspired a painter’s first work; a tree that once shaded a traveling sage. Each is a sorcerous relic (Exalted, p. 470) as well as a conduit to Mishiko. Gentle and astute, her wisdom comes in the form of poetry, parables, and uncomfortable truths, spurring students to explore and discover. Many young Lunars find the gems gravitating towards them as if by fate, though elders speculate that some subtler force is at work.
Shaping Rituals
• Sorcerer’s Quest: When the sorcerer learns of a place she must go to advance a major character or story goal or succeeds on a Survival roll to navigate to such a place, she gains one sorcerous mote, which lasts until the story ends, up to a maximum of 10 sorcerous motes. Once per story, when she upholds an Intimacy by entering such a place for the first time, she gains (Essence x Intimacy) sorcerous motes, which last until she leaves.
Other Benefits
Cryptic Insights (••): Once per story, the sorcerer may confer with Mishiko when she rolls to introduce a fact, adding (higher of Essence or 3) non-Charm successes and waiving the need for an applicable Lore background, drawing instead on the ghost’s poem-prophecies.