Silver Seas is an Exalted chronicle told and run by me, Rainfall. To sum it up in a few short words… “The players so far have managed to turn the largest island in the Western Archipelago into a hellish portal to the Underworld populated by a swarm of hungry ghosts, because they decided to blow up a volcano larger than Krakatoa. Now they get to deal with all the problems that caused.
But what is Exalted? Well, one of my players wrote up a nice summary, so I feel I can put it right here.
The best way to sum up Exalted would be
Epic. Exalted is White Wolf's fantasy RPG series, and centers around the actions, deeds, and motivations of the Exalted, divinely-empowered beings of already astounding power and grace. It's a game of tragic heroes, incomparable glory, and (literally) earth-shattering feats. The players are legends. They are the Sun Wukongs, the Jasons, the Ramas of the world, and by their hand the world will either be lifted out of the troubled and dangerous Age it now endures, or cast down and broken completely.
Or you could roll up a kung-fu cowboy riding a giant robot against zombie hordes in the middle of the setting equivalent of Mos Eisley. No, really. Or instead of taking epic heroes of old as inspiration, you could draw on DMC's Dante, Ninja Gaiden's Ryu Hayabusa, or GoW's Kratos. Or, hell, make a slippery-sly, crafty bastard like David Xanatos from Gargoyles. Almost anything goes, just so long as its suitably grand or suitably awesome.
Exalted: Silver SeasIn the far West of Creation, troublesome weather is becoming more common. The Wavecrest Archipelago trembles beneath the cataclysm that befell its primary island of Abalone, and soon all the West will suffer from the loss of its breadbasket. The Coral Archipelago stirs restlessly, churning like foam with developed might and political intrigue as they prepare for action, though most know not what they intend to act on or for anymore. The island tribes of the Neck squabble and build and live; when troubles come, they will either feel the brunt of it for their weakness or be ignored in favor of more formidable opponents. The demon-blooded Lintha pirates ravage the waters from their moving Sister-Mother island of Lintha Ng Oroo. And amidst all this the nation of Skullstone sits calm and unruffled as its immortal god-priest, the Silver Prince, bides his time, waiting for the right moment.
At dawn, the morning rays of the Unconquered Sun wash over the turbulent waters, casting a bright shine over the sea. This beauty distracts from the fear and desperation and ominous portents that smother the land to those that know of them. But perhaps there is hope. The Sun-Kings of old walk the world again, the Chosen of Luna finally creep forth to act, and the Sidereal Viziers hold their breath and turn their eyes towards Creation. Fates will be made, fortune will be tested, and lands will either be conquered or broken on these Silver Seas.
A Tale of Ash, Fire, and Rage
The Wavecrest Archipelago is on the verge of collapse, and the Exalted are to blame for it. Abalone, center of the archipelago and food source for the entire West, is a dead, haunted land, its entire population burned and buried in the ensuing eruption following the death of the local volcano god, the Lord of Earthen Fire. What was once a tropical land of crops and modernized tribal culture is now a horrible gate to the Underworld. The Chosen of Heaven acted with haste and without caution, and it is the people and citizens of the Direction that will pay.
Fleeing to Wavecrest's second-biggest (now biggest) island, Pearl, the Chosen settled down to plan their futures and possible atonements. They had no time to waste, however, as they quickly found Pearl in dire peril. The death-cult of a powerful Nephwrack quickly drew the Exalted into the heart of their patron's power, and the Chosen were forced to face off against the Nephwrack known as the Darkness That Ascends in a Great Wave to the Heavens and stop it from unleashing a monstrous, ancient artifact that would see the further destruction and devastation of Wavecrest. Of course, even the deepest pit or bleakest situation will not halt or diminish the glory and indomitability of those holding the Mandate of Heaven, and even in the bowels of the chthonic Labyrinth itself the Chosen prevailed.
All was not well, unfortunately. To finish old business deals, the Chosen found themselves running an errand to the volcano god Hamoji on behalf of the businessman Hideous Bower of the Waves. This turned out to be a ruse, and while the Exalted were distracted with their own pursuits the Bower and his Fae allies took the opportunity to damage the wind-engines which kept the reality of Wavecrest (and to a smaller extent, the West) stable. Following a brief, pathetic struggle, the puissance of the Exalted found the wind-engines in the process of being restored, and the Bower forfeiting his worldly possessions in atonement. The Chosen then marched upon the Bower's vineyard, penetrated into the Fae Court of Memory, and, after glimpsing bits of each other's troubled pasts, confronted and slew the The Maw of Heart and Thought, impeding if not stopping the ambitions of the Fae.
Now is where it all truly begins. The Chosen have struck a deal with the god Hamoji, a deal to better prepare Wavecrest for the undeath and horrors and hardship it is likely to be forced to endure, a deal hindered by the Immaculate Order and its arrogant attempts to demand Hamoji's cooperation. The Chosen are motivated by many things, but above them all hang several issues of importance: the people must be prepared, an ominous vision of Coral destroyed by a fleet of black warships must not come to pass, and the West must be united and made a testament to the greatness of the Exalted. While their goals possibly diverge down the line, they know that the only way to begin securing all of these things is to gain dominion of what's left of Wavecrest.
The Immaculate Order must bow, or it must fall. The Chosen set their course for the port city of Starfall.
Posts
The Priest hails from Skullstone, where he enjoyed a position of religious importance. Despite being one of the Chosen of the Sun, this past affiliation has left him with an affinity and fixation on the dead and the Underworld which occasionally crosses over into unsettling. His incessantly cheery mannerisms frequently switch between oblivious and eerie depending on the situation, and often cause people to (mistakenly) assume him a fool or a madman. A Necromancer and a spiritual leader, his very philosophy is a possible danger to both the status quo and the lives of those who hear it. Still, in the aftermath of the Abalone Disaster, what else can be done to help people cope?
"Truthfully, by my plots and plans I only dream of one thing: long-awaited absolution. That will be my gift to Creation."
Born in the realm, he grew up a boarding student at an astrological institute, paid for by a combination of favors and a modest inheritance left in the school's stead, before being drafted into the army. Of course, it had seemed like strange forces have had been keeping an eye on him, even in the years before the Unconquered Sun's gaze fell upon him as well. For what reason, Gemini cannot know, but they even seem to track him down across both an ocean and the illusion of death - He had assumed the realm thought him vanished with the rest of his unit in the frigid north, torn apart by the destructive wrath of the opposed lunar and solar gods. Despite his stoic face, he is burdened by the thought of the destruction that has occurred in his past and at his hands, and has focused his efforts on eliminating the corruption and willful disregard for life that now plagues creation - and perhaps some other, less pure motives may drive him.
"The blessing of the Unconquered Sun is a powerful tool, and just like any sort of power, using it to fight for righteous causes too often causes unintended suffering. But that doesn't mean we can stop fighting."
Coral born and bred, the combat skills he attained through service as a pirate have been magnified considerably by his Exaltation and have served him well indeed. Those skills, when applied to the moonsilver blade Argent Calamity, have defended the Circle from numerous threats, bringing low even the Lord of Earthen Fire himself (his head specifically) with relative ease. While not one who prefers to draw steel to deal with a situation, the Steward of Creation finds himself called time and again to end lives.
“Hardship and perseverance are the way of the West. It is not a kind way, but it is all that makes a man more than he once was. There shall come a time when all of Creation knows this to be the truth.”
Requirements: IRC, A Judo grip on the English language (not manditory), Thursdays and Fridays from 5 pst onwards free.
White FC: 0819 3350 1787
Good job on grabbing Ivy, though. I was hoping that Intimacy Stone had for her would come into play, although I thought it unlikely.
Also, Fiery was getting close to running out of motes. I feel that the fight could have been a close thing, but Smilie would have had to bail there, due to not having any Essence.
Either way, it was interesting, and it started out most excellently and then slowed down after around Tick 15, I believe.
Good times. Tomorrow is another(less combat-filled) day!
This was my last day at my now former job, and I had to do a few things and ended up two hours late.
So here's the DBs, some backstory to them, and a few GM comments. Enjoy!
Ash Upon The Breeze
Ironically she was intended to be the major NPC/villain of the first chapter of the game, with her subtle control of Wavecrest leading you guys into some sort of trap, in which you would bust out and there would be a fight with a few of her awesome bodyguards. A few of her spells are very nautical in nature, and I was hoping for some ship-to-ship sorcery combat with her and Gemini.
Those awesome bodyguards gave their lives to protect her from pirates on the journey, since I figured that we already had a bunch of DBs gathering on Pearl anyways, we didn't need a bunch of mortals clogging things up. Since then, she's been asserting control over the island's various deities and mortal powers. She's pretty much running things. And yes, she has been the voice in your heads. She can be a bit pretentious at times.
Cynis Ivy
Just before heading up into the lawless islands between the Neck and Wavecrest, Abalone erupted and she found hints of a strange cult worshipping something called 'The Darkness.' You guys know the rest of that story.
On her return to Starfall, hoping to impress the locals enough for them to fund and crew her expedition up into the Wild West, she spread tales of her glory, and caught the attention of Ash Upon The Breeze. Ash, being a crazy manipulative woman, decided to use her as a figurehead to force the people of Starfall(and hopefully all of Wavecrest, and then the West) to fall underneath her power. Ivy's cool with this. She likes telling people what to do.
She felt uncomfortable knowing about the Anathema, but she's never been that married to the idea of them being demons. So she didn't sell you guys out, or the ship would have been sunk in the harbor by Ash.
Ivy is pretty much the only one that's played the role I planned for her so far, as a somewhat sympathetic Exalt who gives some aid dealing with the Darkness. You guys are good at messing stuff up. We'll see how her plans end up after she got incapacitated by you guys.
Stones Worn Smooth
Saved only by the medicinal skills of one Venomous Ivy, he thought his career was finished. Not so! Skilled artificers working for the Immaculate Order forged him new, powerful arms out of jade, and he learned true strength. Then he pissed off one of his bosses and got sent to the West, to stay out of everyone's way and to fill a curious hole in the roster of the Immaculate temple in Wavecrest.
Arriving a few days before the destruction of Abalone, he immediately started rooting out the evil in Stafall, which landed him on the trail of the Cult of the Darkness. He ran into Ivy in the woods after Abalone erupted, and battled back the undead hordes in the Starfall cemetery grounds in order to give her a clear run at the Darkness.
After clearing them out, he met up with Ivy on her return from the lair of the Darkness. He follows Ivy. Not the Immaculate Order, and not Ash. Just because Ivy does what Ash asks her to doesn't mean he likes her.
Stone and Ivy were intended to be opponents after a pitched battle with the Darkness, coming in and screaming Anathema and shooting your faces off, stuff like that. A mixed, underpowered group, and being rushed into making a shitty battle with the Darkness as opposed to a grand setpiece in the Labyrinth as I had planned, forced me to give you guys a breather. It's lucky I did that, since that ended up being the best option to end the latest battle in Starfall.
I like this guy a lot. I love the concept of an Earth Immaculate who doesn't have a hammer, but instead punches the shit outta things with jade clockwork arms.
Salacious Dolphin
...Or was it?
Salacious Dolphin was put in to add spice to a series of pirate encounters that I thought up in case things got boring. I decided to spice things up when Ash had to bail out of Abalone, and he provided a good excuse.One of my least-planned characters and now he's dead/dying. His name amuses me immensely, though.
Sesus Amashanai.
He's in Starfall because that's his headquarters. His grand agenda is to whip the Wavecrest Archipelago into shape. They need to follow the Immaculate Philosophy. Ash is backing him on this. It worked for the Realm, it can work for the West.
This guy was written up to be the end of the trail of Dragon-Bloods that you were supposed to follow from Seahaven. He was written up to be scary. He was written up to be something for the entire group to take on, with minimal support. He wasn't written up to be a member of a five-man group all out for your blood.
I apologize for that. I cut out a few of his higher-up-the-tree Charms for this battle, but it obviously wasn't enough.
So hopefully this explains a bit. And I'm going to reiterate this one more time.
One of the guards mentioned that there were Immaculates in the building at that time. There was blatant physical proof lying around of how much stuff they could wreck. This isn't too bad. You guys could bluff it out and pretend to not be Anathema if that was all that was going on.
But you guys talked about being Anathema directly in front of a Wind-aspected Dragon-Blood that you assumed was an Immaculate. There's no way she wouldn't have forwarded this to HQ.
So I don't really feel bad about throwing this at you. Sesus was a little much, and I feel bad about shooting the hell outta Foofoo there. But you guys kinda asked for it, and you needed a challenging fight to shake things up. Nobody died. You're good. And welcome to real Exalted combat. It does drag on a bit. *shrug*
I'm so looking forwards to Thursday.
But you know about well-laid plans.
Action, consequence, you're a Solar, fix it! Don't you love being one of the 300 most powerful souls in Creation?
I've never made a plan that went perfectly. But I've never had ones that went quite as southwards as the ones in this game. You guys make for fun protagonists.
It's almost gotten to the point where I could say the same thing. Every time I have things together and Smilie's plans are progressing smoothly, something happens or someone blurts out something. It'd be funny if it wasn't me.
Edit: And I hope you jerks are getting a laugh out of watching me fail utterly at plotting and deception. :P
We'll start spying on the DB's, and then ambush them from stealth one-by-one by divining their future locations, chain them to a wall, and mind-rape them into subservience.
Go all Stockholm syndrome on their asses. How many lights do you see? and all that fun stuff!
BUT! That doesn't mean you guys should go hide in a corner.
If you want, you can go ahead with your plan to kidnap/brainwash an Immaculate dude. Have some fun RPing with each other. Save the logs for me, and we can work off of 'em tomorrow.
Just assume you pass all your rolls. Free-form funtimes!
Welcome to the game, Krae.
If you guys can make all those times, we can do a three-game week for massive funtimes. If you guys can't, pick two and we'll roll with that.
As I understand it, Fiaryn is too lazy to show up. Talk to me, buddy!
"mandatory"
:P
"Go up, thou bald head." -2 Kings 2:23
That was the joke, del.
Yeah, I can make Monday and Tuesday evenings.
I'm good for Monday and Tuesday as well. I won't be around Friday though.
Okay, Game On for Monday and Tuesday, then. I will be slightly late for Monday, but since we always start late it'll be cool. Friday I shall take off to run some more of my bizarre Nexus campaign with my IRL newbie group.
HEY PEEPZ, if anyone is interested, come into #silverseas on irc.slashnet.org to watch the madness. There's still room for at least one more person, y'know.
Right now I'm on a wacky schedule since I just started at a new job, and we're short-staffed and changing management.
I WILL get my schedule pinned down, and hopefully open up my evenings to what works best for everyone.
That was hardcore. This game is so evil to me.
One more step on the road to becoming a detached, merciless tyrant.
Just as planned.
And don't fuck up your XP totals, because I give up on keeping track.
I can do whatever.
Just a heads-up, Sesus is bad-ass.
Seriously. Definitely the toughest DB you'll meet. His essence pool isn't as big as Ash's, but that's pretty much the only weakness he's got. I don't want to incur player fatalities, but he definitely does. Play smart and you'll be Solar. Play dumb and you'll be severely injured and giving Aeo a chance to use his medic skillz.
Everyone has regenerated one hour's worth of essence, so the starting totals at the beginning of this session will be as follows:
Gemini
WP 7/6
Pers 0/15
Peri 9/36
Anima Flare: Died down
Smilie
WP 7/7
Pers 16/16
Peri 31/37 (6 committed)
Anima Flare: Hahahaha yeah as if.
Aeo
WP 6/6
Pers 15/15
Peri 28/36 (8 commited)
Anima Flare: Died down
Paragon
WP 4/6
Pers 0/15
Peri 11/37 (3 commited)
Anima Flare: Died down
Also for reference, I'm 4 HL's down and deep in the -1's. I think Paragon's 1 HL down, and everyone else is golden.