History TableTopGame / Exalted

''Exalted'' is a [[TabletopGames tabletop RPG]] by Creator/WhiteWolf and currently handled by The Onyx Path Publishing, set in a mythic fantasy world known as Creation. The player characters are the Exalted, epic heroes and demigods blessed with cosmic power to reshape the world to their will. There are many established kinds of Exalted, each one chosen by a different god, [[OurTitansAreDifferent titan]], or cosmic force, and each one with a different role.

This backstory would be bleak, forbidding, and generally depressing in any other setting, but the basic premise of ''Exalted'' is that you are [[TheHero a Hero]], in a universe where heroes matter, and in fact are endowed with power to equal the rulers of the world. The RuleOfCool is the order of the day, and there is ''nothing'' you cannot do if you put some effort into it. In fact, the setting-function of the Primordial War is intended to show you that, given time and effort, you can overturn the foundations of the world and define your own reality.

''Exalted'' is a [[TabletopGames tabletop RPG]] by Creator/WhiteWolf set in a mythic fantasy world known as Creation. The player characters are the Exalted, epic heroes and demigods blessed with cosmic power to reshape the world to their will. There are many established kinds of Exalted, each one chosen by a different god, [[OurTitansAreDifferent titan]], or cosmic force, and each one with a different role.

See also ''Webcomic/KeychainOfCreation'', a long-dead ''Exalted'' Webcomic. Also see ''Webcomic/ChorusOfTheNeverborn'', which finished in 2019. See also ''TabletopGame/{{Scion}}'', which is basically diet ''Exalted'' [[JustForFun/XMeetsY meets]] ''Literature/AmericanGods'' [[RecycledInSpace IN AMERICA]]. See also ''TabletopGame/{{Nobilis}}''. See also the ''TabletopGame/OldWorldOfDarkness'', which inspired parts of the game, and which previous developers once mentioned they would very much like to [[AlternateUniverse crossover]] with (though it's unlikely now).

The ''Exalted'' First Edition corebook was released in 2001; this edition introduced [[TheAce the Solar Exalted]], [[ElementalPowers the Dragon-Blooded]], [[VoluntaryShapeshifting the Lunar Exalted]], [[PowerOfTheVoid the Abyssal Exalted]], [[WindsOfDestinyChange the Sidereal Exalted]], [[{{Magitek}} the Alchemical Exalted]] and the Raksha as playable splats. The Second Edition corebook was released in 2006; this edition introduced [[LovecraftianSuperpower the Infernal Exalted]] as a playable splat. The Third Edition corebook was Kickstarted in 2013 and released in 2016; this edition is set to introduce [[SailorEarth the Exigents]], the Exalted of [[OddJobGods the myriad lesser gods]], the Frankenstein-themed [[{{Necromancer}} Liminal Exalted]], and the Taoist-themed [[GlitchEntity Getimian Exalted]] as playable splats.

Forthcoming is ''Exalted Essence'', a corebook that will streamline the 3e ruleset and provide PC rules for all ten current Exalt types (Solars, Dragon-Blooded, Lunars, Abyssals, Sidereals, Alchemicals, Infernals, Exigents, Liminals and Getimians), and will exist alongside Third Edition.

See also ''Webcomic/KeychainOfCreation'', a long-dead ''Exalted'' Webcomic. Also see ''Webcomic/ChorusOfTheNeverborn'', which is still updating at time of writing. See also ''TabletopGame/{{Scion}}'', which is basically diet ''Exalted'' [[JustForFun/XMeetsY meets]] ''Literature/AmericanGods'' [[RecycledInSpace IN AMERICA]]. See also ''TabletopGame/{{Nobilis}}''. See also the ''TabletopGame/OldWorldOfDarkness'', which inspired parts of the game, and which previous developers once mentioned they would very much like to [[AlternateUniverse crossover]] with (though it's unlikely now).

The ''Exalted'' First Edition corebook was released in 2001; this edition introduced the Solar Exalted, the Dragon-Blooded, the Lunar Exalted, the Abyssal Exalted, the Sidereal Exalted, the Alchemical Exalted and the Raksha as playable splats. The Second Edition corebook was released in 2006; this edition introduced the Infernal Exalted as a playable splat. The Third Edition corebook was Kickstarted in 2013 and released in 2016; this edition is set to introduce the Exigents, the Exalted of the myriad lesser gods, the Frankenstein-themed Liminal Exalted, and the Taoist-themed Getimian Exalted as playable splats.

The Solar Exalted were made rulers of the world, but slowly fell to the Great Curse, becoming depraved and heartless monsters; mad with power. The Sidereal Exalted, blinded by the hubris of their curse, conspired against the Solars. They incited the Dragon-Blooded to overthrow their masters in the bloody conflict of the Usurpation, and imprisoned the Exaltations of the Solars, so that they could never again bless mortals with their power. The Lunar Exalted, the Solars' right hands, were chased to the fringes of the world, there to plot revenge against the usurpers. The Dragon-Blooded reigned over Creation, but could not defend it from the infinite hordes of Raksha, [[TheFairFolk soul-eating faeries]] from beyond Creation, and the plots of the Deathlords, the ghosts of dead Solars in service of the Neverborn. Almost all Creation was destroyed, swallowed up into chaos as the Raksha invaded and the Great Contagion engineered by the Deathlords wiped out nearly all life.

Udon created a comic book available for discussion [[{{ComicBook/Exalted}} here]].

Has [[MassiveRaceSelection extensive]] [[Characters/{{Exalted}} character sheets]] in need of WikiMagic.

Confused? You're not the first. Fortunately, the website Scribd has several extensive [[http://www.scribd.com/collections/3319192/Exalted?page=3 free samples]] of the first two editions' sourcebooks, both of which explain the game rather better than one page of text can.

Now that so many examples of {{Tropes}} have been gathered, we had to split up the main page.

* Exalted/TropesRaces

The Solar Exalted were made rulers of the world, but slowly fell to the Great Curse, becoming depraved and heartless monsters; mad with power. The Sidereal Exalted, blinded by the hubris of their curse, conspired against the Solars. They incited the Dragon-Blooded to overthrow their masters in the bloody conflict of the Usurpation, and imprisoned the Exaltations of the Solars, so that they could never again bless mortals with their power. The Lunar Exalted, the Solars' right hands, were chased to the fringes of the world, there to plot revenge against the usurpers. The Dragon-Blooded reigned over Creation, but could not defend it from the infinite hordes of Raksha, soul-eating faeries from beyond Creation, and the plots of the Deathlords, the ghosts of dead Solars in service of the Neverborn. Almost all Creation was destroyed, swallowed up into chaos as the Raksha invaded and the Great Contagion engineered by the Deathlords wiped out nearly all life.

The chaos ended when one Dragon-Blood activated an ancient superweapon of the Solar Exalted, saving Creation and uniting it behind her. She would become the Scarlet Empress, founding a realm that would span most of Creation. But now, the peace she claimed is falling apart. The Scarlet Empress has vanished. The Raksha still creep across the borders of undefended Creation. And the Yozis and Neverborn have cooperated to free the imprisoned Solar Exaltations, stealing half of them to twist into their own dark champions. Harbingers of slaughter and entropy now stalk the land, while the champions of Hell seek to enact their masters' vengeance. And into the midst of all this, the Solar Exalted have returned.