Odds and Ends, Everything else and questions go here

Here are a few final things for the RPG.

Powers of the Exalted
The primary difference between human and Exalted — Terrestrial or Celestial — consists of the ability of the Chosen to channel the fundamental force of the universe, called Essence. The power of the Exalted depends on both their skill at manipulating Essence and having adequate Essence to work with. Although humans are composed of Essence and are ruled by its ebb, flow and vicissitudes, they are unable to command its nature or direction consciously. The power an Exalted has corresponds directly to the strength of her connection to the Essence around her. A young and inexperienced Exalted may seem like a moderately talented magician, capable of only a few practical tricks or simple feats of sorcery. Older, more experienced Exalted who have a greater understanding or command of Essence are like unto the Incarna in their ability to shape the world.

The abilities of the Exalted are constrained, however, by the amount of Essence available to them. Without Essence to command, even the greatest of the Exalted is little more than human. Essence exists within all facets of the natural world and flows through all healthy living beings. Exalted typically breathe in the ambient Essence that flows through the world, storing it up until they need it. The amount of Essence an Exalted can hold within her body at any one time is determined both by her magical ability and her force of personality, and it is an important measure of her strength.

The Essence powers of the Exalted take three forms: innate abilities, Charms and sorcerous spells. The innate abilities are talents that the Exalted exercise simply by flooding their animas with Essence. For example, a Solar Exalted of the Dawn Caste can use her anima to appear to be a fearsome warrior, so terrifying that enemies literally cannot bear to look directly at her.

Charms refer to the ways in which Exalted can imbue their own actions with Essence. With the aid of Charms, the Exalted uses Essence to empower her otherwise normal skills or talents, thereby making them extraordinarily powerful. For example, an Exalted who was a blacksmith can forge amazing weapons, an Exalted warrior can perform mighty feats in battle, and an Exalted leader can command anyone and expect to be obeyed.

Spells are the most difficult and powerful means of channeling Essence, and they can be devastating. When an Exalted casts a spell, he manipulates Essence with his words and gestures, according to the laws and principles of magic, and in so doing, he reweaves reality itself.

The Exaltation
While anyone can manifest as one of the Celestial Exalted, the weaker Terrestrial Exalted are born only to Dragon-Blooded parents. However, normally not all of a Dragon-Blooded family’s children will be Exalted. Both Celestial and Terrestrial Exalted rarely manifest before early adolescence. The rules of Terrestrial heredity are complex and poorly understood, and the only rule of Celestial Exaltation is that the Exalted individual is already far above average — always in terms of potential, and usually in terms of life-accomplishment as well.

When the Empress reigned, newly born Celestial Exalted were almost assuredly doomed to destruction at the hands of the Wyld Hunt of the Dragon-Blooded. For at that time, the Dragon-Blooded watched closely for signs of recently Exalted Celestials and hunted the Celestials wherever they were found. These Celestial Exalted were either killed or captured and taken to the Empress. It is whispered among the Dragon-Blooded that the Empress devoured their souls, for her understanding of Essence was such that she was able to strengthen herself and lengthen her existence with each such meal. Only the Sidereals could hide from the scourge, due largely to the central role those Sidereals had in the imposition of the Wyld Hunt.

Since the disappearance of the Empress, the feuding houses of the Realm have begun to divert all the empire’s resources to fuel their internecine squabbles and their jockeying for the throne. The once-ubiquitous network of spies and informants with which the Empress searched for the Celestials has begun to unravel, subverted by the intelligence apparatuses of the various houses or reassigned to deal with the nobles’ growing disloyalty. And at this dark moment, the one moment when the Dragon-Blooded are no longer in a position to do anything about it, it seems as if more Solars than have ever been seen before has entered the world. Today, the Wyld Hunt must often rely on mortal assassins and outcaste bounty hunters, rather than the massive and well-armed hunting parties of the past.

Causes of Exaltation
The powers of an Exalted frequently manifest after a period of stress, such as severe injury, terrible illness, terror. The trigger events vary greatly from Exalted to Exalted. At his hour of greatest need, it is as if the character is given the strength to triumph and endure. Some Celestials also manifest when they are exposed to a large amount of magic or when a great deal of Essence is moved or channeled near them. Finally, some seem to manifest due to vast exposure to their element — many Solars are Exalted during a period of overexposure to sunlight for example.

Manses and Demenses
Throughout most of the world, Essence flows across, beneath and through all things, clear and quiet as a spring. Essence is in the tides of the sea, the light of the sun and the solidity of the earth. Moreover, it is the source of spirit that animates all living things. All life, dreams and emotion arise from the ebb and flow of Essence. Essence is the rhythm the world moves to, the mad and vital dance that holds the void at bay.

While Essence is usually invisible to all but powerful Exalted, there are places where the stream becomes a river and the raw power of Creation is manifest for all to see. Where Essence roars through Creation, it creates places of power. These sites are sacred and full of magic. In the First Age, they were often the sites of the mansions of the Exalted, and today, they are frequently the sites of temples and shrines. Exalted can sense such places at a distance, and even the dullest humans feel something akin to awe in these places. When edifices have been built to channel and focus the flow of Essence, they are called Manses. When the power is untamed by architecture, these holy places are called Demesnes.

The Anima Banner
The Anima is an aura, normally invisible, that surrounds all living things. However, when an Exalted uses Essence, the power often spills into her anima, making it visible. As a result, an Exalted who expends a great deal of power is usually surrounded by a display of power that can range from a glow to a billowing pillar of heatless flame bright enough to see for miles. (Think Dragon Ball Z)

Hearthstone
A crystal of pure magical energy, formed at the center of a Manse. If an Exalted is attuned to the Manse from whence a Hearthstone springs and carries the Hearthstone with him in a focal device made from one of the Five Magical Materials, then he may draw on the power of the Demesne to perform miraculous feats. The power and basic nature of these feats are set by the natural tendencies of the Demesne. The exact manifestation is determined by the Essence-focusing architecture of the Manse built atop it.

If you have any questions about anything in the RPG ask them here and I will get back to you as soon as possible.

Starting today the RPG Exalted is now open.

lol, So, is anyone ever going to post again?


:( the rpg is so awsome! lol i suggest that you make a sepparate site for the rpg lol :D you could get more members that way

Well, we need more people.

is this rpg still open, just wondering, since I just finished my chara and just sat around for a while...

It's pretty dead, we haven't played for nearly a year. Talk to Utena if you want to start it up again.