Exalted!

That's how it works with any children you don't nerve-staple, though. And even if you do get the nerve-stapling done right, that usually just leads to some some nosy do-gooder barging in to undo all your hard work and knock you off the top of a tower during a dramatic thunderstorm.

I never really got the whole "But celestials are chosen" thing. So what? The original Dragon Blooded were chosen too.

And it's not like there aren't ways for Exalts to empower mortals anyway. Besides, do you really think the solars would stand by and let there be something other things could do that they couldn't? That's just asking for them to start tinkering.

I don't care to see some Solar dude, establishes his power base, build a harem and then expands his power base via humping.

Honestly if they really want to do so by such convoluted means, why stop them? It's not like their kids will be able to continue the line, like D Bs can. Not without certain mutations I would definitley not allow them to have, anyway.

If you only focus on the in-universe mechanics, then sure, there's nothing stopping the Celestrials from making their powers hereditary. But that's a very shallow way of looking at it.

Themes-wise, everything about the Celestrials are all about how they are chosen. From the way that mortals become Celestrials, to their place in the narrative (finding who had just been Exalted is a big narrative focus for the Lunars and the Sidereals. For the Solars figuring out what to do with their new powers minus support is another huge narrative focus. For Abyssals being marked by death is pretty much their schtick. Infernals are pretty much themed as "dealing with the devil"). On the other hand, Dragonblooded, even though at the beginning they are chosen, the focus is always on the heritage and inheritance side of things. From the way that they have different clans that are up against each other, to the way that their charms are designed to work better in a team. Everything about the Dragonblooded screams "family".

If anything, how much of the books talk about how Dragonblooded are "chosen" as opposed to how their clans and their politics work? How many official Dragonblooded characters are about "I AM GOD'S CHOSEN ONE!" as opposed to things like "I disagree with my family, but they are family. What should I do"? And how about the Celestrials?

The reason why I dislike half-castes is the same reason why I would dislike it very much if mortals can become Solars by making a deal with the Unconquered Sun (that's the Infernal's schtick), or Solars now can regain their motes from drinking blood (that's Abyssal thing). This kind of thing dilutes the theme and characteristics from other splats. Sure, you can have it in your game, and it can be mentioned to happen, but having mechanical support to it is... a bit too far in my opinion.

edited 9th May '14 6:45:05 AM by IraTheSquire

You wouldn't get the same clans and politics with Solars though. You're looking at one, maybe two generations maximum. It's not this big family with cousins and factions and politics, It's just one guy and his kids. Kids that will likely not outlive him.

Dragonblooded always have the chance of reaching the top of the pile, or somewhere near it. For a half caste the situation is completely different. They'll always be in their parent's shadow unless they actually exalt. That allows for stories dragonblooded simply don't, more akin to the other godblooded.

edited 9th May '14 6:55:08 AM by Elfive

I'd still want some sort of limit on the number of Half-Caste kids you got.

Or perhaps, just the first one or few get the real good stuff.

The ones after that get awakened essence and a certain glow. "It's starting to wear thin."

Maybe you could have it that they get so many in a certain time frame, and then have to let it build up again?

Perhaps every kid after the first drops a point of inheritance unless you wait a decade or two. If the number hits zero then it's mortals only.

Or maybe have the odds drop by 10% every time you sire a kid, and go back up by 1% a year?

edited 9th May '14 8:48:06 AM by Elfive

Lots of ways you can do it (Or not do it*) depending on what you're comfortable with.

*Not limit or not do it at all.

That's the thing. Solars and other Celestials are not designed for this kind of thing. That's not the focus and not what they represent in the fictional universe.

First of all, I wouldn't say that Dragaonblooded always have the opportunity: there are families who are just about to be banished/lose prestige/etc from their respective clans and they need an Exalted offspring to give their name a leg-up.

Secondly, in families with high prestige there is even more pressure for the child to Exalt. Because while mortals in prestigious Dragonblooded families have opportunities, there is a glass ceiling which they can never go above unless they Exalt, and that is much, much lower than what you can get when you Exalt. And the prestige that you can give to your family as a mortal is nothing compared with what you can after Exaltation. And if memory serves it is stated in the book that not having Exalted for a long time in families is a reason that can lower the status a prestigious Dragonblooded family.

Because of the above, I'd argue that Dragonblooded is more suited for the "living in <insert family member here>'s shadow" type of stories as there are just so much more opportunities for that to happen: a child who wants to contribute to their family name as much as their Exalted father/mother/sibling. This is something and the kind of thing that Dragonblooded is pretty much designed for.

edited 9th May '14 8:47:18 PM by IraTheSquire

From Other Settings With Exalted Rules

Interesting, though the last two were kind of repetitive.

I still think the dynamic would be completely different. For one thing celestial exaltation is sufficiently rare that nobody could reasonaby expect it to happen. "You have disappointed me because you failed to inherit one of the 300 currently taken exaltations" isn't exactly a reasonable stance.

They're more akin to the children of powerful gods than any dynasty. They step on the dragonblooded's toes just as much as any other godblood, if you ask me. Gods were designed to oversee the mecanical function of Creation. They weren't supposed to be able to pass on their power either. Ghosts aren't even supposed to exist.

Beings in Exalted overstepping their boundaries and purpose is called "Mercuryday".

edited 10th May '14 2:05:40 AM by Elfive

First of all, I'd think that's a stance that a Celestial Exalted should be allowed to take (by the writer/GM/player, not in universe), because narrative it supports the way that Celestial Exalted as completely, utterly unreasonable and it fits with the way that everything about the Celestial Exalted, including their human flaws, are magnified a thousand times (think how the Great Curse is designed. Think how everything that has happened in the narrative. Everything is designed to make the Celestial Exalted that way).

You're still thinking in terms of in-universe plausibility rather than treating it like a fictional story like it is.

When I say "design" I don't mean the in-universe "UCS snapped his fingers and thing appeared the way he wants it to" type of design. I mean the way that the writers of Exalted wrote them. "Design" as in "given this group of fictional people certain characteristics deliberately to serve some kind of narrative/story purpose". All those in-universe explanations for something to occur doesn't mean that something is good for the story/narrative. I'd say that having half-castes mechanically supported is not something that is good for the story/setting, because it distracts the narrative focus of "these chosen heroes" who are represented by the Celestial Exalted.

In-universe plausibility is important. If they couldn't pass on their power I'd be wondering why the hell not. Their energy is notably as leaky as fuck. That's what an anima banner is.

And I still don't see how throwing about a couple of charms means that you've "distracted from the narrative focus" of beings otherwise completely different to them in practically every respect. I mean, for one thing, you could argue the same thing about any godblood, and for another, don't eclipse castes do pretty much the same thing?

What's wrong with a bit of role blurring? You sound like SWLiHN, for christ's sake.

edited 10th May '14 6:44:29 AM by Elfive

You're the one who needs everything to be explained and I'm the one who sound like SWLiHN? Seriously? There's a reason why there's MST3K Mantra for stories.

"A bit" of role blurring is not having mechanics specifically designed to have it playable and become the spotlight. Sure, saying that "the Celestial Exalted are studying ways to make their powers hereditary, and who knows? Maybe some of them have succeeded." is a very good way to emphasis on their narrative role as "heroes who can do the impossible". But going as far as saying "yes they've done it. Here's the mechanics so that you can play as the result" is no longer "a bit", because P Cs in a RPG are the protagonist of a story. It's where the spotlight is. Once anything gets to the "you can do this as a PC" stage its no longer "a bit".

In other words, it's less about the "role" and more about where the spotlight is. You don't have mechanics on how to piss and crap and how to brush their teeth or breathe. Why should half-castes get so much attention to the point where you can have them as P Cs when they are so far from what the Celestial Exalted are all about?

edited 10th May '14 7:26:06 AM by IraTheSquire

NP Cs need stats too. Besides, If you decide to play as half castes then they're not taking the spotlight away from the protagonists because are the protagonists. You can't steal the spotlight from yourself. Do you have something against people paying as all the other stuff they have PC stats for? The Celestials are just 700 individuals among untold billions in creation. You could easily tell a story where they don't show up at all.

What if I want to do a splat crossover, but I'm worried about the power discrepancies? Half castes even the playing field.

Maybe I want to have a dragonblooded player fight an anathema, but I think the real deal might be a bit too much for them? Cheap knock-off away!

They have a purpose. If you don't like them, fine, but personally I have a soft spot for the misfits. Haters gonna hate.

Would be born with Awakened Essence and a Heroic Mortal be too much for Celestial's kiddies?

If you bear in mind that they don't initially have any way to use that essence then I think they should be ok. Besides, It doesn't have much of an effect on ghostbloods or demonbloods or godbloods, does it?

I still, myself, would normally give them access to Excellency Charms.

Yeah, but not as a baby. For one thing they need the skills first.

Welll, yeah.

Revlid's Rewrite Of Terrifying Argent Witches, An Alternate Version Of Lunars

I especially want L Mage to read this, because he gives the most enjoyable opinions.

BTW, has anyone else got the kick starter survey?

I read over the Witches thing. Rather interesting.

I SHALL BUILD A WORLD BUILD ON MY HATRED OF YOU AND IT SHALL BE YOUR DWELLING PLACE FOR ALL TIME.