Heirs To The Shogunate

Jacqueline Bryk, Adam Carbone, Luka Carroll, Manda Collis, Steffie de Vaan,
Meghan Fitzgerald, Blue Frauenglass, Elliott Freeman, Emily Griggs, James Huggins,
Henrik Jäderkvist, John Matyus, Nik May, Eric Minton, Neall Raemonn Price,
Liz Rogers, Lauren Roy, Myranda Sarro, Matthew Scott, John Snead, Benjamin Sousa,
Robert Vance, Vera Vartanian, Amber Underwood
Credits
Authors: Jacqueline Bryk, Adam Carbone, Luka Carroll,
Manda Collis, Steffie de Vaan, Meghan Fitzgerald, Blue
Frauenglass, Elliott Freeman, Emily Griggs, James
Huggins, Henrik Jäderkvist, John Matyus, Nik May, Eric
Minton, Neall Raemonn Price, Liz Rogers, Lauren Roy,
Myranda Sarro, Matthew Scott, John Snead, Benjamin
Sousa, Robert Vance, Vera Vartanian, Amber Underwood
Developers: Eric Minton, Robert Vance
Consulting Developer: James Taylor
Editor: Matt Click
Artists: Yihyoung Li, Gunship Revolution Studios, Gong

Studios, Melissa Uran
Art Director: Mike Chaney
Creative Director: Richard Thomas
Special Thanks
Violet Green, for invaluable feedback on the War in the
West.
Jenna Moran, for creating the Forest Witches. The ver-

sion here is built on the bones she laid down.
Lauren Roy, for developing fiction above and beyond the

call of duty.
All the backers who made the Dragon-Blooded Kickstarter

possible.
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or copyright concerned This book uses the supernatural for settings, characters and themes. All mysti-
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Introduction 8 Social Standing 39
Economics 40
This Book at a Glance 8 Serving the Legion 40
Enemies and Alliances 40
Chapter One: The Realm 12 Prominent Members 40
Cadet Houses 12 Gens Maheka 41
House Ferem 12 Earth Unbroken by Armies 41
House Nissar 15 Social Standing 42
House Simendor 17 Economics 42
House Yueh 20 Serving the Legion 42
Other Cadet Houses 22 Enemies and Alliances 43
Scions of Note 43
Storytelling Cadet House Games 23
Gens Teresu 44
At the Threshold 23
Enemies Abound 23 Water Flowing with Jade and Silver 44
Far from Home 24 Social Standing 45
Adventure Seeds 24 Economics 45
Serving the Legion 45
Secondary Education 24 Enemies and Alliances 46
Unusual Students 25 Scions of Note 46
The Cloister of Wisdom 25
Gens Yushoto 47
The Heptagram 27
The House of Bells 28 Wood Whose Roots Grow Deep 47
The Spiral Academy 29 Social Standing 48
Pasiap’s Stair 30 Economics 48
Threshold Academies 31 Serving the Legion 48
Enemies and Alliances 48
Storytelling Secondary School Games 31 Scions of Note 49
Teenage Demigods 31
Seventh Legion Leadership 49
Young Love 32
Great Expectations 32 The General Staff 49
Monsters and Mayhem 32 The Administrative Staff 50
The Seventh Legion Military 51
Chapter Two: Lookshy 34
The Seventh Legion 51
Gens Amilar 34 Field Forces 52
Air that Rushes Toward Tomorrow 34 Navy 53
Social Standing 34 Garrison Forces 54
Economics 34 Redoubts 55
Serving the Legion 34 Rangers 55
Enemies and Alliances 35 Foreign Legions 55
Lookshy Timeline 36 Artifacts 55
Scions of Note 37 Sorcery and Lookshy 56
Gens Karal 39 Valkhawsen Academy 56
Fire Burning Brightest 39 Sorcerer-Exorcists 57
Storyteller Advice: War Games 57 Storytelling Prasadi Games 82
The Wyld Hunt 58 Prasadi Dragon-Blooded 82
Behind the Lines 58 Visiting Dynasts 83
Foreigners 59 Mixed Dragons 83
Chapter Three: Prasad 62 Chapter Four:

Clan Burano 62 The Forest Witches 86
Stone That Towers Toward the Sky 62 Seeking Perfection 86
Social Standing 62
Mysteries of the Forest 87
Growing Up in Clan Burano 62
Clan Leadership 62 Life in Paradise 87
Economics 63
Ways of the Witches 87
Military 63
Enemies and Alliances 64 The Blood and the Spear 88
Major Holdings 64 Oreithyia and the Forest 89
Scions of Note 65 Children of the Woods 89
Clan Ophris 66 The Mandala Guard 90
Fire That Renews the Forest 66 The Sea of Mind 91
Social Standing 66 Transcending Reality 91
Growing Up in Clan Ophris 66 Beyond Good and Evil 92
Clan Leadership 67 Shores of the Sea 92
Economics 67 The Tithe 92
Military 68 The Company of Messengers 93
Enemies and Alliances 68 The Table of Fiends 93
Major Holdings 69 The Tax of Fading Embers 93
Scions of Note 69
The Dead 93
Clan Akatha 70
Dragons Walking Among Gods 70 Atsiluth Eternal 95
Spirit Courts of Love and War 70 A Blessed Labyrinth 95
Social Standing 71 The Mist 97
Economics 71
The Cult of the Mist 97
Military 72
Enemies and Alliances 73 Domnica’s Mantle 98
Sanctums 74 The Company of Thrones 98
Scions of Note 74 Conquest in All But Name 99
Life in the Dragon Clans 75 Noteworthy Witches 99
Divinity Clothed In Flesh 75 Beyond the Forest 100
Pure in Spirit and Form 75
Dragons in Waiting 76 Systems 100
Educating the Elite 77 The Sea of Mind 100
Expanding the Nest 78 Walking Effigies 101
Life in Prasad 79 The Numina 101
Domnica’s Mantle 102
Society and Culture 79
Following the Pure Way 79 Storytelling the Forest Witches 103
A Spiral Ever Outward 80 Theme: Pursuing Perfection 103
Neighbors 81 Mood: Idyllic Amorality 103
Chapter Five: Outcastes 106 Occult 141
Performance 142
The Cult of the Violet Fang 106 Presence 142
The Pilgrimage 106 Resistance 143
Life in the Cult 108 Ride 144
Northern Relations 109 Sail 144
Scions of Note 109 Socialize 144
The Grass Spiders 110 Stealth 145
Survival 146
The Art of Death 110
Thrown 147
The Unrepentant Sinner Palace 110
War 147
Recruitment 111
The Grass Spiders’ Code 111 Chapter Seven:
Enemies and Allies 111
Heirlooms of Power 152
Scions of Note 112
Heaven’s Dragons 112 The Dragon-Dancer’s Wings 152
Humans in Heaven 113 Evocations of the

Dragon-Dancer’s Wings 152
Community Life 113
Heaven’s Wildcards 114 Empyrean Aegis 154
On Assignment 116 Evocations of Empyrean Aegis 154
Notable Communities 116
Majestic Nightmare Visage 155
Scions of Note 117
Evocations of Majestic Nightmare Visage 156
Scions of the Wanasaan 117
Sunset Blaze 159
Scions of the Temple of Evocations of Sunset Blaze 159
the Reverent Whisper 119
White Lizard’s Tongue 161
Other Outcastes 120
Evocations of White Lizard’s Tongue 161
Running Outcaste Games 122 Blazerider 163
All-Outcaste Groups 122 Evocations of Blazerider 163
Mixed Groups 123
Conquering Tide 165
Chapter Six: Charms 126 Evocations of Conquering Tide 165
Archery 126 Fivefold Dragons’ Grasp 168
Athletics 127 Evocations of Fivefold Dragons’ Grasp 168
Awareness 127
Brawl 128 Glacial Mantle 170
Bureaucracy 130 Evocations of Glacial Mantle 170
Craft 131 The Revelation Sphere 172
Dodge 131
Evocations of the Revelation Sphere 172
Integrity 132
Investigation 133 Gunzosha Armor 174
Larceny 133 Gunzosha Evocations 176
Linguistics 135 Seralawi, the Earth’s Beating Heart 176
Lore 136
Evocations of Seralawi,
Medicine 138 the Earth’s Beating Heart 177
Melee 138
Chapter Eight: The War at Home 240
Blood of the Dragons 180 Major Players 240
Cathak Setod 180 House Peleps 240
House V’neef 241
Cathak Urima 182 Notable Figures in the West 242
Cynis Megara 184 The Neck 243
Ledaal Kebok Coren 186 Islands of Note 243
The Western Campaign 245
Peleps Deled 188
Regional Reactions 246
Peleps Najah 191
A Possible Future 248
Ragara 193 Stage One: The Dragon Grasps Her Destiny 248
Righteous River 195 Stage Two: The Dragon Strikes like Lightning 250
Stage Three: The Dragon Nests 253
Sesus Eshuvar 197 Storytelling the Endgame 254
Tepet Arada 199 Appendix:
V’Neef 202 Dragon-Blooded
Karal Linwei 204 Intro Reference 256
Yushoto Mathar 206 The Realm 256
Ten Thousand Dragons Rule the World 256
Cevis Ghandarva 208
The Scarlet Dynasty 256
Kumari Samathi Anja 211 The Immaculate Order 256
Social Class 256
Vitali Proseria 214
The Great Houses 257
Kingfisher Swift 216 The Imperial Service 257
Schooling 257
Left Hand Chalima 218 Magic of Creation 257
Saloy Hin 220 Lookshy 258
Last Bastion of the Shogunate 258
Chapter Nine: The Seventh Legion 258
The Center Cannot Hold 224 Chains of Command 258
Civil War in the Realm 224 The Immaculate Faith 258
Political Agendas 258
Decisions, Decisions 224
The Gentes of Lookshy 259
Claimants to the Throne 225
Civilian Service 259
Waiting in the Wings 226
Magic of Creation 259
Dark Horses 228
In the Ashes of Empire 229 The Empire of Prasad 260
Power Blocs 230 Empire at Creation’s Edge 260
Long Shots and Faint Hopes 233 Ruled by Dragons 260
Storytelling the Civil War 237 Living Divinity 260
The War in the West 239 Enemies of the Empire 260
Prasadi Culture 260
About This Adventure 240 Magic of Creation 261
The Aftermath of Civil War 240 Pantheon Invisible 261
Notable Neighbors 261 Outcastes 264
Unsafe Lands 261 A Divine Birthright 264
The Forest Witches 262 Born of the Dragons 264
Seekers of Perfection 262 Creation’s Threshold 264
Among the Witches 262 Outcaste Societies 264
Mysteries of the Forest 262 Lone Dragons 264
Worldly Powers 262 Worldly Powers 264
Many Paths 262 Outcastes and Empires 264
The Dead of Atsiluth Eternal 263 Immaculate Faiths 265
Numina of the Mist 263 Magic of Creation 265
Magic of Creation 263
Introduction
“You must learn, child, that what would be wrong for you or for any of the common
people is not wrong in a great Queen such as I. The weight of the world is on our
shoulders. We must be freed from all rules. Ours is a high and lonely destiny.”
— C.S. Lewis, The Magician’s Nephew
The Dragon-Blooded Shogunate born with the Second Chapter Two: Lookshy explores the Seventh Legion,
Age’s dawn has long since crumbled and collapsed, including greater detail on Lookshy’s Dragon-Blooded
weakened by internecine conflicts and ultimately de- gentes and the Seventh Legion’s leadership, military
stroyed by the twin tribulations of plague and fae inva- might, and other resources.
sion. But from the Shogunate’s corpse arose the great
Dragon-Blooded lineages and polities that still shape Chapter Three: Prasad details the Dragon-Blooded
the face of Creation today, including both the vast pow- ruling class of this Dreaming Sea empire — once a
ers of the Scarlet Realm, Lookshy, and Prasad, and more Realm satrapy, until its governing houses went rene-
parochial societies such as the Grass Spiders, the Cult of gade and established themselves atop Prasad’s society
the Violet Fang, and the esoteric Forest Witches. From as the ruling Dragon Clans.
the lone outcaste wandering the Hundred Kingdoms to
the Great Houses of the Scarlet Dynasty, all carry the Chapter Four: The Forest Witches introduces a mys-
flame passed down by the Shogunate. terious group of Dragon-Blooded outcastes whose es-
oteric secrets transcend life and death and draw back
For the rules necessary to play a Dragon-Blood, setting the veil of reality.
information on the Scarlet Dynasty and the Realm they
rule, and an introduction to other Dragon-Blooded Chapter Five: Outcastes discusses a variety of other
polities, you’ll need access to Dragon-Blooded: What Dragon-Blooded lineages, polities, societies, and note-
Fire Has Wrought. The book you’re now reading, worthy individuals. These include the Wanasaan exor-
Heirs to the Shogunate, is a companion volume fund- cists, the Cult of the Violet Fang that quests against its
ed through Kickstarter. It delves into more special- fae ancestors in the Wyld, the Temple of the Reverent
ized topics, such as how to run games in the Realm’s Whisper’s courtesan-priests, the deadly assassins of
secondary schools and the details of regional outcaste the Grass Spiders, and more.
groups. It also includes new Charms and artifacts
created with the help of Kickstarter backers who sub- Chapter Six: Charms supplies new Dragon-Blooded
mitted their custom concepts. Thank you to everyone Charms, expanding on the legendary prowess and ele-
who made this book possible by backing the Dragon- mental power of the Terrestrial Exalted.
Blooded Kickstarter!
Chapter Seven: Heirlooms of Power offers heirloom
artifacts from a variety of Dragon-Blooded societies:
This Book at a Glance Great Houses, Lookshyan gentes, cadet houses, and
more. It also showcases Seventh Legion gunzosha ar-
Chapter One: The Realm details a handful of the mor, a First Age relic usable by mortal heroes at great
Dragon-Blooded cadet houses dwelling in the cost.
Threshold that have tied themselves to the Scarlet
Dynasty through allegiance and marriage. It also goes Chapter Eight: Blood of the Dragons presents Quick
into greater depth on the Realm’s secondary schools, Character write-ups for a number of Dragon-Blooded
where young Dynastic Dragon-Blooded receive an edu- from the Realm, Lookshy, and beyond, ranging from
cation fit for a demigod and have their first adventures. youthful scions to Great House matriarchs.
8
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introduction
Chapter Nine: The Center Cannot Hold provides The Appendix contains two-page sheets intended for
Storyteller guidance for including the Realm civil war new players of Dragon-Blooded characters of various
in their games in a variety of different ways. It also origins, summarizing the setting details relevant to
covers the War in the West, a scenario detailing one their characters.
possibility for how civil war might unfold.
9
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The gala was a beautiful sham.
Nissar Udar stood on a secluded balcony above the grand hall of Peleps Belina’s seaside estate in Voice-of-the-
Tides Prefecture. His hosts had thrown the veranda doors wide, letting the chill ocean breeze swirl about the
room. Below him, Haltan acrobats clad only in jewels flew through the air, Dynasts and other honored guests
marveled at the exotic and ephemeral prodigies from the far West on display, and attendants scurried about,
carrying trays laden with paper-thin slices of salted siaka, hybroc balut, and crystal flutes of the most expensive
wine that jade could buy.
Over the last few years, Peleps’ soirees had grown less frequent, though they maintained their opulence. Udar
wondered how much this whole affair had set the Great House back, though he’d never be so gauche as to ask.
House Nissar’s galas in Wu-Jian might be more modest, but at least they stayed within the cadet house’s means.
Peleps Belina stood beside Udar. The cadet house scion had commissioned a new silk coat for the occasion, in
Peleps blue and black to subtly signal the house had his — and thus, House Nissar’s — support.
His first mistake.
Wearing house colors had gone out of fashion on the Blessed Isle, it turned out. Rather than looking the savvy
courtier, sending messages to his hosts via his sartorial choices, Udar came across as the country cousin
borrowing clothing ten years out of date, or an overdressed servant in house livery. Perhaps that was why Belina
insisted on having their discussion up here, where his appearance couldn’t embarrass her.
Country cousins or not, Peleps needed Nissar, or so Udar hoped to convince her. He pretended not to notice the
way her eyes kept slipping toward the party below, as though watching for someone important to pass by. As if
to emphasize Udar’s inferiority.
“If it comes to war,” Udar said, “Sesus and V’Neef will move to secure Wu-Jian’s harbors and restrict the
shipping lanes. But they’ll be focused on your ships, not ours.”
That snapped her gaze firmly back to him. “Go on.”
“House Nissar can deliver you the West. And from there...” From there, the Realm.
Belina gestured with a complicated flutter of her fingers Udar couldn’t interpret. Was she signaling assent?
Telling him to elaborate? Scoffing? Was the movement a warning that he’d overstepped, or that someone was
eavesdropping? This wasn’t the first time in this conversation that Belina had left Udar to flounder over her
meaning. Turns of phrase and idioms exclusive to the Scarlet Dynasty’s elite littered her speech, none of which
Udar had context for.
He was a Prince of the Earth, same as Belina. He could trace his lineage back to the Empress, just as she could.
And yet she seemed intent on putting him firmly in his place — one well beneath her.
He breathed in the salt air, willed his anger to dissolve like footprints washed away by the tide. “Peleps can’t
take the Imperial City by itself. Your house’s navy and reputation will be a boon, but the money will run out.”
Belina drew a sharp breath. His candor had thrown her off-kilter, but intrigued rather than insulted her. “I’m
listening.”
“Peleps needs an ally willing to do the dirty work, someone who knows which throats to cut and which pockets
to fill. House Nissar keeps Sesus, Peleps, and V’Neef in check in Wu-Jian. It can put a Peleps on the Scarlet
Throne.”
Belina took his arm. “Let’s speak somewhere more private,” she said, leading him away from the balcony.
Udar matched his gait to hers, careful not to break the fragile rapport he’d finally established. It’d be no small
feat, convincing her to take his offer, and placing Peleps on the throne would take effort enough to shake the
heavens. But to see the Great Houses struck from the Imperial ledgers by a new Empress’ hand and House
Nissar elevated in their place? It would all be worth it.
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Chapter One
The Realm
House Economics
Cadet Houses Both Cherak’s and House Ferem’s economy depend on
the sea, the navy, and the Realm. The sea’s rich bounty
The cadet houses exist on the Dynasty’s periphery.
of fish, crab, eels, and whales supplements harvests
They’re no mere Threshold nobility; they trace their
reaped from the region’s poor soil. Ferem’s navy — an
lineage back to the Scarlet Empress and are blessed
ancient and powerful institution — spreads the house’s
with the blood of the Dragons. Compared to the Great
influence, filling its coffers (and its scions’ pockets)
Houses, they’re lesser in almost every respect — status,
with the spoils of privateering, and safeguarding the
holdings, numbers, wealth, military strength, and prox-
maritime trade that’s become House Ferem’s lifeblood.
imity to the center of power on the Blessed Isle. But
while their position might confer fewer advantages, the
Much of that trade is with the Blessed Isle for both econom-
cadet houses’ scions are still Dragon-Blooded heroes.
ic and political reasons, complicated now by the Empress’
Their deeds have forged legends across Creation, and
absence. House Ferem has of necessity mastered the tools
may yet shape the course of the Realm’s future.
of economic warfare — ranging from selective tariffs to
resource buyouts to outright fraud. Every obol it takes in
House Ferem is an obol denied to its rivals, and drawing those rivals into
debt provides powerful political leverage. For instance,
Air Cradled in the Jaws of the Sea when the merchant prince Yirida of Damanara sought oak
Greatness came so close for House Ferem’s ancestors, galls for the dye trade, he discovered that Ferem Sadano
yet was not to be. The sorcerer-king Bagrash Köl’s am- had quietly bought up most of Cherak’s supply months
bition and hubris crushed the dream of a united Grand earlier. Sadano refused to bargain until Yirida agreed to a
Cherak. Now the house rules a rump state, their war lifetime contract for future purchases.
machines battered into plowshares, their only saving
grace their numerous well-pedigreed Dragon-Blooded House Ferem’s greatest rival in this cutthroat game is
scions. They’ve maintained consistent marriage ties House Margard. They’re only a family of mortal mer-
to the Dynasty, and today sport just over a hundred chants, rather than a cadet house, but they’re cunning,
Exalted members — perhaps the largest of all cadet tenacious, and backed by enormous wealth and political
houses. Even so, they’re only a cadet house, not a Great ties to the Guild, the Realm, and even intermarriage with
House. But Ferem’s scions have worked since their Ferem households. More than once, House Margard’s
defeat to ensure that Cherak (The Realm, p. 157) rises intervention has soured a transaction that seemed in
once more — that the lands once theirs shall be theirs House Ferem’s favor.
yet again, and beyond.
House Military
House Ferem’s history is one of conquest and power, Grand Cherak’s traditional strength was military excel-
and its scions haven’t forgotten it. Raised on stories of lence, and its navy, largely dedicated to pirate-hunting,
naval battles as well as games teaching principles of na- western White Sea privateering, and mercenary con-
val warfare, Ferem scions learn never to forget that the tracts, is envied by petty states throughout the North.
Cheraki spirit is as indomitable and fierce as the north- Despite efforts to bring it under Peleps’ sway, Cherak’s
ern winds. Only a fool, they say, sails into a red sunrise, navy remains independent, a source of pride to every
and only a fool sails against House Ferem. Whether they hot-blooded Ferem scion. Most have captained at least
study naval logistics and trade at Scales of Plenty, mas- one warship — those who haven’t are either pitiably
ter seafaring and combat aboard the Hall of Bitter Salt’s unseaworthy or seen by the matriarch as better able to
teaching fleet, or even win a place at a Realm secondary serve their house in less prestigious roles ashore. Ferem
school, all come of age ready to lay the foundations for coast-admirals, serving at the matriarch’s pleasure,
Cherak’s rise and House Ferem’s rebirth. dominate the navy’s upper ranks.
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chapter one : the R eal m
Ferem maintains a meager standing army, the White once-great empire as their Empress-affirmed birth-
Dragon Regiment, to repel bandits and raiders, supple- right. Since then, Tepet and Ferem have intermarried
mented by levied serfs and kulak militias. While not as often, and a few Ferem scions fought alongside Tepet at
esteemed as the navy, it’s respected among the inland the Battle of Futile Blood.
communities that it recruits from and protects. House
Ferem itself sees the Regiment as an inheritor of Grand House Margard has ever been a thorn in House Ferem’s
Cherak military traditions, and many scions proudly side, leveraging wit, audacity, and a web of both legit-
seek commissions in its officer corps. imate and criminal connections to pose an obstacle to
even Dragon-Blooded might. Ferem scions are warned
Enemies and Alliances to be wary in business or social dealings, for House
Ferem Tolosh and Tepet Ilan met upon the field of Margard is always seeking opportunities to outmaneu-
battle after the collapse of Bagrash Köl’s empire opened ver their social betters.
the door for the Realm to conquer Cherak. They gave
each other half a dozen new scars apiece before collaps- Cheraki exports — primarily whale oil, salted and fer-
ing, and fell in love during their convalescence — their mented fish, scrimshaw — find their way into Realm
marriage tilted the scales, securing a sliver of Ferem’s markets mainly through Cynis hands. Cynis Belar, the
THE CULT OF ARTORA
The Immaculate Order maintains a strong presence in Cherak, but it’s not yet extirpated the heretical worship
of Artora, the Sea-Reddening Hellion, a regional god of whaling and war. Sailors of all social classes covertly
honor her, especially in the navy; many Ferem scions even regard her as their house’s unspoken patron god-
dess. Sailors tell stories of the whalebone-clad goddess and her enormous harpoon, with which she spears
rogue waves to capsize enemy ships. Her devotees wear tiny wrought-iron harpoons as talismans at sea, far
from monks’ watchful eyes.
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H E I R S T O T H E S H O G U N AT E
house matriarch, is ever watchful for chances to further than just commerce is transacted in the Sea Market.
tie down House Ferem as a steadfast ally and source of Merchants, spies, and criminals carry out countless
military power, stringing them along with a wedding or intrigues, either as proxies in House Ferem and House
three each generation. She also maintains ties — strictly Margard’s rivalry or for their own advantage, and its
business, so far — with House Margard. flagstones aren’t unaccustomed to the taste of blood.
Since the Empress’ disappearance, satrap Ragara Razha has While Cherak’s climate and poor soil demand that every
labored to gain more control over Cherak on her house’s inch of arable land be put to agricultural use, Tepelye
behalf, both to extract tribute and to restrict House Ferem’s Forest remains nigh-untouched. The ancient and pow-
ambitions. Every shipbuilding project is tied down with erful spirits of the Court of Burning Soil jealously guard
mountains of red tape, and the house’s finances subjected it, demanding exorbitant sacrifices from the rare few
to constant interference from Ragara allies within the Wise hunters and loggers they permit in each year. Despite the
and Knowledgeable Advisors of Foreign Tributaries. efforts of Ferem scions, Immaculate monks, and Cheraki
shamans, these spirits remain proud and untamed.
Despite its status as a cadet house, Ferem enjoys a rela-
tionship with the Great Houses — other than Peleps and Scions of Note
V’neef — a hair’s breadth above its peers for its power- House Ferem’s matriarch, Ferem Remini, is a serious
ful, independent navy. Ferem ships have escorted trade and studious woman beneath her polished socialite
fleets as far away as Chiaroscuro and Wu-Jian, and few persona. An alumna of the House of Bells, she uses her
Inland Sea sailors know the treacherous waters of the strategic understanding to position her house for maxi-
White Sea and the Great Western Ocean better than mum benefit in the coming civil war. Remini personally
they — Ferem navigators can always find work aboard interviews every Ferem scion upon graduation from
other ships, if opportunities are lacking at home. secondary school, and few walk away without some
assignment at home or abroad. Such tasks may seem
Though the dragon’s share of House Ferem’s alliances trivial or without clear purpose, but always serve her
and marriages have historically been aimed at increas- singular aim — the restoration of Old Cherak.
ing their Dynastic ties, no few of House Ferem’s sons
have been married off to the half-dozen neighboring Ferem Yuran is a happily married husband — truly, not
cadet houses that trace their ancestry back to Grand just as a polite fiction. His wife, Cynis Ishiga, is both
Cherak’s Dragon-Blooded elite — such as Japor and lovely and light-handed in directing Yuran’s affairs.
Nandorun — and vice versa. Ferem has intensified this Although devoted to his wife, he remains quietly loyal
effort recently, courting its fellows in a bid to reunify the to House Ferem, using his position to make connections
North under its banner. on behalf of the house at Remini’s behest. From Ishiga’s
estate in Pangu city, he’s secured smuggling routes be-
Major Holdings tween Cynis holdings and Cherak. And while he isn’t
Ferem’s navy commands hundreds of miles of coastline, privy to House Cynis’ inner secrets, he regularly corre-
but the house’s only official holdings are in the satrapy sponds with Remini in code, passing on relevant bits of
of Cherak. gossip overheard in salons and at galas.
The Windward Palace, a tall, squared-off tower-manse Ferem Milela is the master shipwright of Cherak’s
aflutter with prayer banners that sculpt the wind into naval yards, a tall woman with the ragged, rough-edged
trade-favorable patterns, stands in pride of place in look of someone who’s spent half her life at sea. She
the city’s heart. Once House Ferem’s ancestral home, it runs her crews with clockwork precision, working
was seized for use as the satrapial palace when House them to the bone — a practice that’s seen her maker’s
Ragara took over Cherak’s lease a few years ago. House mark on nearly half the ships in Cherak’s fleet. Despite
Ferem now maintains its seat in the Clear Sky Garden, a this ruthlessness, she sees to it that any of her workers
walled estate just north of the city. Once the matriarch’s that retire or suffer injuries are pensioned from her own
private manor, it’s still expanding to accommodate the purse. She’s recently come into a significant challenge:
rest of her sprawling household. a wrecked Shogunate warship salvaged from within a
White Sea iceberg. It’s being restored in extreme se-
The Sea Market, a network of alleyways covered crecy lest it be uncovered by the Ragara satrap, House
over with steeply angled roofs to hold off the snow, is Margard, the All-Seeing Eye, or anyone else.
known for the sheer variety of goods that pass through
it: imports from across the Northern Threshold and An outcaste born into the destitute fishing village of
the Blessed Isle, prizes of pirate hunts, goods procured Broken Quay, Ferem Heartwolf was first solicited by
through House Margard’s trade network. But more House Margard, seeking to adopt a Dragon-Blood of its
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own. Ferem Remini made considerable concessions to win The family’s small handful of young scions must balance
him over to her house, as much as to deny House Margard the benefits of cooperating against their elders with the
the dragon’s blood as to bolster Ferem’s ranks. A sorcerer risk that their peers will betray such efforts to said elders
of middling talent, he’s spent much of his time at sea in the in exchange for boons. Vedan is quick to elevate scions
Ferem fleet, commanding the wind and tide. In exchange who please her, and demote failures, making Nissar a
for this service, he and his husband, the gloomy Ferem meritocracy rife with internal intrigues and backstabbing.
Kenta, have been entrusted with a lavish estate at Cherak’s
heart, where Heartwolf’s free to pursue his true passions Social Standing
of sculpture and seduction. He still maintains amicable Descended from a criminal elite, the Nissars retain a de-
ties with a few Margards, though he gives away more in- vious, treacherous streak. They’re taught that laws exist
formation than he should in his dealings with them. merely as tools to be manipulated for personal gain;
many honor no rules beyond respect for family and
House Nissar service to their elders — and sometimes not even that.
They also prefer not to dirty their hands with personal
The Dragon Unseen Beneath the Waves involvement in governance, leaving such matters to
A century ago, when the Realm prepared to seize Wu- subordinates. Instead, scions play games of decadence
Jian (The Realm, p. 172), the city was ruled by the Lords and covert action, rejoicing in outsmarting and outma-
Criminal — a merchant oligarchy descended from the neuvering foes while seeming to do nothing at all.
ambitious street gangs who’d overthrown the old mon-
Nissar maintains outwardly good relations with House
archy generations earlier. Several outcastes, as much
Sesus, diligently raising tribute and providing information
partners as agents, served as lieutenants. As the conflict
on Wu-Jian’s criminal underworld. Sesus spymasters have
escalated, the wary Lords vested key responsibilities
discerned several blind spots in Nissar’s reports — all crim-
and secrets upon the outcaste they trusted most, their
inal operations where Nissar would benefit from Sesus’
castellan Nissar. But they’d misjudged his ambition
ignorance. The Masked Council hasn’t decided if Nissar is
and guile; he betrayed the Lords to assassins and the
merely concealing income, or actively planning treachery;
Imperial Navy. The Empress rewarded his service with
Nissar must work hard to dispel the latter notion.
his own cadet house, folding the Lords’ other surviving
lieutenants — and a smattering of other local outcastes Houses Peleps and V’neef have a strong naval-oriented
who’d thrived under the Lords’ rule — into his family. presence in Wu-Jian. Nissar seeks good relations with
both, but the longstanding enmity between these Great
In many ways, House Nissar emulates its predecessors.
Houses complicates matters. Its galas, gifts, and other
Numbering a score of ruthless, independent-minded
attempts at currying favor must be painstakingly calcu-
Dragon-Blooded scions, it rules through unscrupulous
lated, lest too grand an overture to House Peleps offend
agents, seeks wealth and power, and chafes under the
House V’neef, or vice versa.
Realm’s rule. And now, with the Empress gone, inde-
pendence seems within the house’s grasp. House Nissar holds close working ties with Wu-Jian’s
criminal underworld — small gangs running protection
Governing Wu-Jian
in a single neighborhood, large-scale syndicates, certain
House Nissar dedicates its governance to raising taxes of the Thirteen Schools (The Realm, p. 172), and even
for tribute, ensuring the free flow of trade along the a local Lintha family enclave. The house has its agents
Western sea routes, promulgating the Immaculate turn a blind eye to avoid antagonizing these criminal
Order, and — last but not least — personal profit. Beyond allies — save for when they crack down on a gang to
that, it has little interest in the details of administrating curry favor with its rivals. Vedan encourages scions to
Wu-Jian’s teeming populace and tottering infrastruc- cultivate underworld contacts and allies, both as tools
ture, contracting such responsibilities to merchant to keep control of Wu-Jian, and from paranoid desire to
houses, martial arts schools, criminal organizations, and keep any potential enemy close. After all, Nissar itself
other private entities. These contractors are surveilled rose to power by betraying the Lords Criminal.
and kept in line via underhanded means, including
blackmail, embedded agents, extortion, and violence. House Economics
House Nissar’s primary income comes from subcon-
Nissar scions learn at an early age to weigh risk against
tracts with Houses Cynis and V’Neef, ferrying goods
reward at every angle. The family matriarch, Nissar
from the Blessed Isle to the Western Archipelago. They
Vedan, personally meets with all scions, who work as
augment this with independent contracts with city-
legitimate shipping captains, black-flag pirates, and
states, and their far-flung shipping empire ranges from
risk-taking entrepreneurs.
An-Teng to Fajad.
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the thugs and legbreakers on the house’s payroll. The

DYNASTIC SPOUSES Thirteen Schools provide the most impressive weapons
in Nissar’s arsenal — primarily the Blood, who’ll take
While many young cadet houses remain closely tied about any job in exchange for imported firewands and
to a single Great House, Nissar struggles to remain firedust, and the Jade Sky, masters of Devil Pipe style.
unattached. Its households have spread the family’s
Dynastic marriages widely to avoid being subsumed Seeing the Great Houses’ recall of the legions as an op-
by one house — Nissar deems such commitments portunity to secede from the Dynasty, Vedan is quietly
risky — and to widen the scope of information and increasing Nissar’s ground forces, while secret envoys lay
favors they can extract from the Dynasty. groundwork for alliances with nearby Western regional
powers. The matriarch offers commercial advantages to
However, these connections still tug at the house. the Guild, including lowered taxes and docking fees, in
Mortal Dynastic spouses — from Cynis, Peleps, exchange for loans and discounted mercenary contracts.
Nellens, Ragara, and so forth — petition Nissar on While this gives the Guild a greater foothold in Wu-Jian
their kinfolk’s behalf, manipulate their offspring’s than she prefers, it also generates funds to purchase
loyalties, and quietly meddle in Wu-Jian’s affairs. pirate vessels and assemble a navy. She’s currently nego-
tiating with local Lintha and other pirate leaders.
More enterprising scions manage their own businesses, Major Holdings
often with the goal of making them profitable enough to Situated on the jagged overlook known as the
attract wealthy buyers. Vedan gives scions great leeway in Promontory, the looming fortress-manse Hurricane
proposing new endeavors, matching funding on those she Bulwark serves as the family stronghold. Few Nissars
particularly likes, from pearl farming by aquatic beastfolk to reside there long-term — most maintains their own
charting faster shipping lanes through bordermarches. The small country estates — but it’s well-suited to family
drug trade — unregulated in Wu-Jian — is especially popular; gatherings, strategy meetings, and hatching secret
many scions devote great effort to seeking out novel narcotics schemes. Caverns beneath the manse wind down
for import or improving on existing drug-refining methods. through treasure vaults and training grounds to sea-
caves containing a handful of small, sleek yachts and
Wu-Jian also sees a robust Guild presence. Nissar histori-
smuggling vessels.
cally taxed Guild enterprises heavily, hoping to discourage
membership among Western merchants, but not so heavily At the edge of the disreputable Shades neighborhood’s
as to trigger a trade war. The house also plays Guild factors riot of hawkers, bars, and casinos, the Green Garda is
and merchant princes against one another, lest a unified an island of quiet. An opium den for the well-to-do, its
Western Guild undercut Nissar’s local economic dominance. walls are draped thickly in rich tapestries to establish
And with the Empress’ disappearance, Guild merchants feel an air of opulence and to dampen any noise that might
freer to escalate — especially those with Cynis backing. distract its patrons. Some of its clientele is transient
— pirates, mudlarks, and thieves burning through mo-
For every legitimate merchant captain or harbormaster,
mentary wealth — but most are crime lords, merchant
Nissar counts two pirates in its ranks. Its corsairs attack
princes, and aristocrats, their security assured by an
coastal villages throughout the West, using knowledge of
array of Thirteen Schools bouncers. House Nissar owns
Sesus and Peleps movements to maneuver past their coastal
the Garda and uses it to conduct secret dealings, includ-
patrols and pirate hunters. Most merchant captains double
ing with Fair Folk from the nearby undersea courts.
as marauders, ready to seize vulnerable ships. Profits from
raiding enter house coffers after captain and crew get their Scions of Note
cut. Smuggling is common among legitimate merchants and
Matriarch Nissar Vedan is a tall and curvaceous woman,
pirates alike, to sell illicit goods and bypass tariffs.
well-muscled from her years as pirate captain. A dy-
House Military namic, quick-witted survivor from the days of the Lords
Criminal, she’s used to being the sharpest mind in the
House Nissar lacks a standing army or navy. However,
room, and it frustrates her that she hasn’t yet sent House
its ships’ crews are trained in both naval warfare and
Sesus packing from Wu-Jian. In her eagerness, she takes
hand-to-hand combat to repel seafaring enemies and
increasing risks as the Realm turns its attention else-
capture vulnerable cargoes.
where, discussing secret alliances with Lintha contacts
House Nissar leverages its ties with Wu-Jian’s criminal from her piratical days. Vedan likes to meet personally
element to deploy private military forces, mustering with successful scions; she’s highly charming, reserving
brigands, cutthroats, and assassins to supplement her acerbic wit for those she truly trusts.
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The smuggler Nissar Jarali has seized part of the western the house’s pursuit of sorcerous knowledge. Now, in the
Blessed Isle’s market on contraband by usurping control of Realm’s twilight, House Simendor is a microcosm of the
the smuggler fleet called Crimson Horizon. Jarali relishes coming civil war — perched on the edge of extinction, the
sneaking past Realm patrols; they favor adventure over house will either rise anew in glory or crumble into dust.
profit, a trait uncommon among their kin. Jarali is boister-
ous, loud, and curses like the pirate they are, and House Social Standing
Nissar usually keeps them far away from Dynastic affairs. The ancestors of House Simendor’s sorcerer-princes sat
They serve as the House’s main liaison to the infamous, the Agate Throne of Chalan in the long-forgotten First
centuries-old outcaste pirate Storm Mother’s Son. Age. While the house has flown many banners and gone by
many names since then, it endures. Its long history means
Nissar Wildrose had the luck to be able to marry for love — that the house is entangled in the affairs of both the Realm
assisted by the sizable dowry brought by her wife Vaxilna, a and the South, having married into illustrious families of
rich merchant plying the Western sea lanes. Vaxilna, howev- both many times over. Though regarded as eccentrics (if
er, has ulterior motives. Her true identity is Iselsi Natalin, a not apostates), the house is undeniably ancient, offering
deep-cover spy using her Nissar ties to work against Houses allies legitimacy through connection to the distant past.
Sesus, Peleps, and V’neef. Natalin has since revealed the
truth to Wildrose, who’s willingly pledged herself to Iselsi’s While Simendor is feared in its own holdings, the
Vendetta out of love — and in hope that House Iselsi could Dynasty regards it with a mixture of confusion, unease,
back Wu-Jian’s secession from the Realm. and anticipation. Its scions’ wholehearted embrace of
dubious sorcerous practices runs against Realm mores,
Raised on luxuries and perfect etiquette, Nissar Hatek and their failure to recognize the Great Houses’ social
is now the house’s prime host to visiting Dynasts — a task superiority grates against Dynastic pride. And a few
well suited to his easygoing, sybaritic nature. His parties are recent high-profile assassinations within the house
lavish affairs, with drink and drugs freely flowing, and he raise stark questions about what a less inward-turned
has a talent for inviting young nobles to Wu-Jian to escape Simendor matriarch might do upon Chalan’s throne.
overbearing family. Hatek’s mission is to listen, and care-
fully assess which noble might be turned against another. Status within the house is measured by sorcerous knowl-
But recently he’s fallen in love with the poet Cynis Amari — edge, skill, and accomplishments, such that those few
Sesus Nemoia’s urbane niece — and has begun sharing more mortal scions who master sorcery stand almost as high as
of Nissar’s secrets with his lover than he ought. the Exalted themselves. Those who lack talent for sorcery —
mortal and Dragon-Blooded alike — are pitied and relegated
House Simendor to such unglamorous but necessary roles as administration,
finance, or military command. Those rare few with talent
Dark Wings Enfolding the Agate Throne who refuse to pursue it — or who’ve learned sorcery but
House Simendor exemplifies all of the Realm’s fears about forgo its use — undermine the house’s self-image. They
sorcery. Its ruling elite — a dozen-odd Dragon-Blooded sci- face a coordinated onslaught of insults and petty slights
ons and as many un-Exalted sorcerers, towering like gods for squandering Simendor genius on trivialities, and either
among their more numerous mortal kin — are dissolute, change their tune, linger as black sheep, or flee Chalan.
insular, moody, and relentless. They’re always ravenous for
House Economics
new spells and knowledge, and for such luxury, wealth, and
political power as permits them to pursue their obsessions Loved, feared, or hated, House Simendor is too well-po-
at leisure. The entire house is a deadly game of one-upman- sitioned to ignore. Chalan’s port is critical to commerce
ship, with favor and influence granted in proportion to dis- between the South and the Realm, its ships laden with
coveries rather than loyalty. Even their ancestral tradition tribute and treasure destined for the Empress’ coffers.
of sorcery is built on a foundation of decadence and pride, Shipping forms the cornerstone of the house’s wealth,
drawing power from their pursuit of hedonism. and it extracts a tidy sum from tariffs, fees, and bribes.
The house’s current incarnation is named for Daimyo More than coin, however, Simendors value knowledge,
Simendor the Hellblade, one of the first Threshold lords exotic reagents, and useful servants. They eagerly trade
to pledge fealty to the Scarlet Empress, plying her with with Guild enterprises for skilled slaves and specimens
gifts of magical lore and artifacts, and tutoring her in for their many experiments. Their treasure houses are
certain sorcerous arts. Doing so secured her good will, stocked with both petty talismans and puissant artifacts
which has for centuries discouraged satraps from look- collected over their long history. While their income is
ing too closely at the more troubling practices — demonic middling, their vaults are fathomless; each strata of coins
pacts, mortal test subjects, and the like — surrounding an archeological record of Creation.
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EX3
SIMENDOR SORCERY
In a time now lost to history, House Simendor’s ancestors cavorted with spirits of sand and shadow in the open
desert — rogue gods and elementals who refused to bow to the Old Realm. From this so-called Court of Name-
less Gods, they learned the art of sorcery. Today, many scions still honor their house’s traditions by initiating into
sorcery under these spirits’ tutelage, seeking out their hidden pleasure-sanctums.
Shaping Rituals
God-Pacting: The sorcerer may bargain with spirits for portions of their power. Once per day, the sorcerer may
strike a pact with a willing spirit. Its player proposes an Intimacy for the sorcerer to gain. If the sorcerer’s player
accepts, the sorcerer gains that Intimacy at Minor intensity and (spirit’s Essence + 3) sorcerous motes, which
last for the rest of the day. The contracting spirit loses that many motes.
Wild Revel: Opulence and hedonism nourish the sorcerer’s soul. Once per scene, when she partakes in a gala,
festival, night of drunken carousing, or other form of revelry, she rolls (Charisma + Occult) against difficulty 3,
adding non-Charm dice equal to the total Resources cost of the event, gaining sorcerous motes equal to (1 +
extra successes), which last until the end of the day.
Unbroken Spirit: Like the rogue gods she emulates, the sorcerer draws power from opposing others’ will.
Once per scene, when she successfully asserts her Resolve against social influence or another effect, she gains
(Integrity) sorcerous motes, which last until the scene ends. If the character she resisted had a higher Essence
than her, she gains additional sorcerous motes equal to the difference in their Essence ratings.
Other Benefits
Hedonistic Affinity (•): The sorcerer exerts subtle charm over her fellow revelers. Anyone who’s drunk,
drug-impaired, or under a Psyche effect or magical social influence that causes hedonistic pleasure is treated
as having a Minor Tie of friendship toward the sorcerer. Spirits associated with alcohol, drugs, or revelry are
treated as having a Minor Tie of respect toward her instead.
Living Bezoar (••): Revelry and magic have honed the sorcerer’s body. She doubles 8s on rolls to resist poison
and harmful drugs’ effects.
Anything But Temptation (•••): The sorcerer gains +2 Resolve as a Charm bonus against influence that would
require her to refrain from hedonistic indulgence, or against any Psyche effect or magical social influence that
diminishes her capacity to enjoy sensual pleasures.
House Military and the Mnemon garrison on the defensive, rebels grow
House Simendor has little interest in warfare, and a his- increasingly bold, sabotaging treasure-ships in port or
tory of mutinies has left it disinterested in a convention- burning cargo on the roads outside the city. Foremost
al military. Still, the house requires protectors. It boasts among the rebels is the grim un-Exalted sorcerer
a handful of soldiers, many uniquely altered or twisted Gabara Kairon, who seeks bloody vengeance against
through sorcery, but relies primarily on bound demons the house for its cruelties; his band has raided several
and elementals, sorcerous war-constructs, and other Simendor libraries and now turns their oppressors’ own
strange guardians. While in Chalan, Simendor sorcer- cruel magics toward seizing Chalan’s manses.
ers are expected to devote one night in seven to tending
these defenses, whether in summoning, research, or House Mnemon has a strained relationship with its quar-
attending to their servants’ peculiar urges. relsome satrapy. Simendors embrace the Immaculate
Philosophy’s pageantry but not its substance; consider
Enemies and Alliances only Mnemon herself and her house’s other sorcerers to
Chalan’s people don’t love the Simendor. Most endure be their equals; and treat the satrap’s demands as a trou-
them as one endures any oppressor, but there are con- blesome inconvenience. While satrap Mnemon Darow
siderable pockets of resistance within the city, which Sha may daydream of Simendor destroying itself through
grow more restive as they see opportunity in the coming petty infighting, she nonetheless supports its authority to
time of tumult. With the Realm’s legions withdrawn keep tribute flowing.
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EX3
House Ragara once held Chalan’s satrapial lease; it’s divine allies are the Court of Nameless Gods from whom
intermarried with Simendor a few times over the centu- they derive their signature sorcerous initiation (p. XX).
ries, seeking access to financial opportunities and occult
secrets. Simendor sorcery secures several Ragara vaults, Major Holdings
and Ragara scions sometimes visit Chalan to meet with House Simendor dominates Chalan and its surround-
Southern potentates and plutocrats. But Mnemon satraps ings, but rarely interferes with its satellites unless
have long interfered in such affairs, and without Imperial provoked or intrigued. They maintain waystations, toll-
oversight Sha has begun meddling with a much freer houses, and caravanserais along nearby roads, extract-
hand. Should Simendor and Chalan prove crucial assets in ing taxes and tempting wealthy merchants to indulge
a Realm civil war, House Ragara may intervene blatantly in sorcerously devised intoxicants. The house’s general
via economic warfare, espionage, or military action. disarray and lack of a unifying voice prevents it from
pursuing a more active agenda in its holdings, but this
The Guild is always welcome in Chalan. Guild caravans suits its laissez-faire spirit…as long as wealth continues
are met with extravagant impromptu festivals; visiting flowing into its coffers.
merchant-princes occupy elegantly appointed suites. The
house especially craves artifacts, exotic slaves, and novelties While Simendor may let exploited neighbors conduct
of every stripe. Guild factors and merchant princes closest their own affairs, it vigorously claims and exploits the local
to House Simendor remain neutral in its growing schisms, geomancy. Foremost among these holdings is the Palace
selling to any and all without prejudice or preference. of the Agate Throne — a grandiose manse, encrusted with
masses of raw crystal, that dominates Chalan’s skyline.
Local spirits vary in opinion toward Simendor. The Other manses and demenses range from the Betrayal
house scarcely enforces Immaculate doctrine, only Tower’s foreboding heights to the chaotic beauty of
making a show of force every few years to avoid oppro- Washerway Fens and its schools of glimmering sandfish.
brium from House Mnemon and the Order. But individ-
ual Simendors often meddle with spirits for their own The well-guarded Screech Owl Mine produces not
purposes, binding them or even stealing their panoplies only silver and gold, but fabulous orichalcum. These
for use in sorcerous workings. The Simendors’ greatest riches fuel Simendor’s experiments and arm their
19
EX3
scions — Simendors have special fondness for orichal- The house honors Tepet Sharas as its founder. That
cum’s extravagance and raw power. dragonlord besieged Nai Lei during the Realm-Baihu
wars, then married Raja Yueh Po-Thuan VI to seal the
Scions of Note peace treaty — a love match brokered to both sides’
Matriarch Simendor Aksaja of the Leaden Tablet is political advantage. Through Sharas and other marriage
a sorcerer-queen of peerless skill and refinement. She bonds, House Tepet gained influence over Nai Lei’s stra-
rarely leaves her chambers in Chalan, instead seeking tegic port and sizable navy, aiding the Realm’s conquest
to foster unity and avoid schism through an exhausting and partition of the Greater Zhao empire. Granting
series of balls and masques. Growing increasingly errat- cadet house status to Nai Lei’s royal family, the Empress
ic, she showers unsustainable rewards upon scions for awarded the satrapial lease elsewhere to restrain Tepet
sorcerous discoveries, especially those she can integrate influence. Though reformers sponsored by Dynastic
into her magnum opus — a collection of hideous curses rivals eventually abolished the Yueh-Tepet monarchy,
she intends to deliver to the next Empress as tribute. Sharas’ progeny retained control over Nai Lei’s politics
Many in the house grow increasingly frustrated with through the Assembly.
her abdication of her duties, either vying for her posi-
tion or grooming potential candidates to succeed her. Social Standing
A regional power, House Yueh’s influence over politics
Simendor Eshi is heavyset and strong, an anomaly in is limited to its Baihu and Zhao neighbors and the near-
her otherwise cadaverous house. While her post as “ad- by Southwestern trade lanes. V’neef and Peleps both see
ministrator” of the Weepstone Wastes was intended as Yueh as a potential pawn in their struggle for the West,
both insult and exile for being too overt in her ambitions while Tepet strives to maintain good relations with its
toward unseating Aksaja, she’s taken an interest in the estranged relatives. Other Great Houses hold that the
region’s unstable geomancy and ancient crypts. She des- Yueh think too highly of themselves, when they consid-
perately seeks the resources to investigate the Wastes er their distant cousins at all.
in greater depth, trading wild-born hearthstones for the
labor and supplies she requires. Satrap V’neef Rose Lin, a gifted socialite, is well-liked
among House Yueh despite her position; she treats the
Born on the furthest, shabbiest branch of the Simendor house’s scions as peers, and involves herself on their
family tree, the un-Exalted sorcerer Simendor Toren behalf in local political affairs. But this gives her greated
masks his insecurities in flamboyance. He travels the leverage to enforce House V’neef’s increasing demands
South atop a flaming azure chariot drawn by winged in the Time of Tumult. Privately, she offers vassalage as
horses, leaving a trail of wonder and chaos; he generously an alternative to crushing tribute — a choice that leaves
offers unasked-for sorcerous miracles, while demanding the Yuehs divided.
satisfaction of his appetites for luxury, strangeness, and
attention. He has no taste for the house’s schemes, often House Economics
protecting young Simendors from their elders’ machina- Nai Lei makes a show of its culture, but playwrights and
tions by threat of violence, or seeking promising outsiders philosophers don’t fill Yueh’s coffers. The house’s true
as apprentices for his experiments in battle sorcery. He wealth lies in trade and luxury goods — silks, enameled
sees this network of protégés and allies as his true family, pottery, spiced brandies, porphyry, and sandalwood.
and can become erratically, violently overprotective of Yueh ships also smuggle everything from trained slaves
what he sees as their interests. to jade ore, and engage in wide-ranging privateering.
House Yueh House V’neef, Yueh’s maritime partner, invests in

revitalizing Nai Lei’s Sunset Harbor, provides charts
A Dragon Among Vipers and escorts on Western trade routes, and maintains
From the harbor city of Nai Lei, House Yueh rules the the region’s primary Merchant Fleet depot here. But
satrapy Nandao Danh Nhân, situated at the edge of accepting V’neef’s aid risks provoking House Peleps,
the Southwest’s Meiyu Sea. Heir to both the seafaring which backs the rival Baihu cadet house Kúi-Dien in
Baihu people’s rich cultural legacy and the Shogunate the neighboring satrapy of Huang Hei.
traditions of their Tepet ancestors, House Yueh —
House Military
numbering a score of Dragon-Blooded and dozens of
mortal relatives — is a family of mariners, warriors, and House Yueh lacks a standing army, instead relying on
merchants. Its scions control a majority of seats on the a citizen army typical of Baihu city-states. Citizens
Lamenting Stone Assembly, Nai Lei’s council of ruling supply their own arms, supplemented by mercenaries
oligarchs. hired from Nai Lei and other Baihu ports. Leadership
of Nandao’s military falls to a general elected by the
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EX3
Lamenting Stone Assembly from among its members. After the recent loss of Tepet’s financial patronage,
Yueh’s dominance in the Assembly assures that Nai some Yuehs have turned to House Ragara for loans to
Lei’s elected generals are always Yueh scions, rendering support business ventures and secondary school tui-
the citizen army an extension of the house. tion. Though grateful, they resent the barely sustainable
interest rates Ragara has imposed. The V’neef satrap
By age-old custom, the Baihu port cities commission offers key Yueh households more reasonable financial
mercenary captains as privateers against rival city- aid, seeing an opportunity to win Yueh’s loyalty amid
states’ fleets. Such attacks are restrained — excessive the coming strife, but her coffers are more limited; she
raiding or egregious conduct invite reprisal from other cannot support the entire house.
city-states’ privateers, incite trade disputes, or spark
outright war. Privateer captains who claim too many Beyond Great House politics, Yueh’s more immediate
prizes or commit atrocities under their city-state’s aegis concerns are with Nai Lei’s neighbors — rival satrapies
face pressure at home, ranging from revocation of their around the Meiyu Sea and old feuds with Nandao’s oth-
commission to criminal punishment. er city-states. House Kúi-Dien of neighboring Huang
Hei — a clan of proud, ruthless swordmasters and mer-
Foreign ships, however, are fair game for privateers un- chant princes ruling the Meiyu Coast’s oldest Realm
less their home country has treaties with a Baihu city- bastion — has been especially aggressive in political and
state. So are other Southwestern pirates: Guild-backed economic gambits against Yueh. In exchange for aid-
corsairs, Lintha raiders, Bleak Yatar’s ghost-reavers, ing their Peleps patrons in conquering the region, the
the Nightjaw buccaneers of the Spine, and so forth. Kúi-Diens were offered authority over the entire Baihu
House Yueh’s Dragon-Blooded privateers are among people; they’re readying themselves for war. Yuehs and
the Meiyu Coast’s mightiest naval powers — and when Kúi-Diens who’ve married into each other’s houses face
faced by foreign threats, other Baihu cities’ privateers difficult decisions.
form alliances of convenience with them.
Houses V’neef and Peleps both watch Yueh scions
House Tepet traditionally paid for House Yueh’s most closely, determining whose loyalty is strongest, and
promising scions to attend the House of Bells, with the who might be swayed. Peleps pressures Yueh shipping
understanding that they’d serve in the Tepet legions through Huang Hei. V’neef offers favors, introductions,
after graduation — and indeed, a few such scions per- debt forgiveness, and other favorable financial terms,
ished in the ill-fated campaign against the Bull of the presenting itself as a generous friend — one able to take
North. With House Tepet’s downfall, these funds have the place of the now-ineffectual Tepets.
vanished, and some Yueh households curry favor with
House V’neef or shoulder loans to put their children While the threat of Greater Zhao, one-time oppressor of
through premier secondary schools. Others recruit Nai Lei, was broken generations ago by Imperial forces,
talented instructors, mercenaries, and outcastes from old rivalries aren’t so easily abandoned. The eldest Yuehs
throughout the Southwest to supplement the martial nurse grudges against Greater Zhao’s successor-states —
tutelage provided in Nai Lei’s open-air academies. This Maichu, Ferazha, Zhujen, and especially Zhaojūn (The
homegrown curriculum can’t equal the House of Bells’ Realm, p. 169) — as only those who’ve struggled through
quality, nor its opportunity to network with Dynastic centuries of war can, while Zhaojūn’s reigning Mnemonrai
scions. But as the Great Houses turn against one anoth- family fears invasion from the southern Baihu cities and
er, the prospect of a generation of Yueh warriors free contemplates preemptive strikes. Though Yueh cham-
of entanglements with the Scarlet Dynasty is promising. pions have honed their skills in the Tepet legions, and
carefully tended feuds with neighboring city-states have
Enemies and Alliances kept Nai Lei’s military somewhat sharp, the broader peace
Since its inception, House Yueh has been a loyal subject has left the mortal officer corps unready for the logistics of
and partner of House Tepet. Ports in Tepet prefectures a major conflict, should one arise.
and satrapies offered Yueh excellent trade opportuni-
ties, while a handful of Yueh officers served proudly in Pirates — ranging from Lintha war fleets to independent
the Tepet legions — many of them perishing in the cam- freebooters and rebellious fisherfolk — afflict the Meiyu
paign against the Bull of the North. With the Empress Coast. House Yueh hones its navy against them, ridding
gone, Yueh is caught between loyalty to fallen Tepet, the region of threats to commerce. With Peleps and
which can offer little of what it once did, and overtures V’neef poised to strike at each other, the Imperial Navy
from House V’neef, which have much to offer to those and Merchant Fleet have flocked to the region, causing
with ambition. House Peleps has also taken interest in the pirates to keep their heads down for the nonce. But
Nai Lei, if only as a means of deterring V’neef. once the Realm civil war kicks off in earnest, Yueh fears
it must protect the region alone.
21
EX3
Major Holdings true scion of Tepet’s martial traditions of honor and

Carved into a clifftop just outside Nai Lei, the Ampitheater excellence. After studying at the House of Bells, he trav-
of Fragrant Attar offers a magnificent view of the Meiyu eled broadly throughout the Meiyu Sea, battling pirates,
Sea. A pillared marble pavilion stands at the amphithe- Fair Folk, and monsters. These exploits have made him
ater’s center; its gilded dome shelters the ancient, pitted a rising star in the house, his name a byword throughout
Lamenting Stone itself, moved centuries ago from the Nandao for honesty, integrity, and bravery.
beach where priests made bloody offerings to its half-for-
gotten god. The Assembly holds days-long meetings Luhn has broken Gui’s engagement to a respectable
here, members drinking and dining as they conduct state mortal Tepet in order to negotiate a marriage with a dis-
business. Villas, shops, and the like have accreted around reputable, craven black-sheep Ragara. Aggrieved, Gui
the Ampitheater, forming a small town dedicated to the prepares to elope with his original betrothed, regardless
Assembly’s aristocrats and their entourages. of the consequences to his house.
At strategic points amid the hills surrounding Nai Lei For over a year, the young diplomat Yueh Fahn has
stand a pair of Shogunate fortress-manses, the Eyes of Mi served as Nai Lei’s ambassador to Goldenseal. It’s a de-
Tha. Rebuilt from ruins by the Realm, the domed jade pa- manding job; even decades after its surrender, Zhaojūn
godas’ reconstructed walls remain untested in battle. Each still bears the scars of war against the Realm, and re-
hosts V’neef troops under garrison commander Tepet sentment is ever-present. As an eligible young Dragon-
Ramna, who chafes at her inability to aid her Yueh kin. A Blood, Fahn entertains fantasies of whirlwind romance
third manse lies submerged beneath the waves offshore, and marriage into the Mnemonrai line. He idles his time
victim of a sorcerous cataclysm that decimated Nandao’s away chatting with palace contacts and seeking entry
coast in a long-forgotten war. Efforts by Yueh’s engineers into the High Queen’s graces. Recently, he’s unearthed
to rekindle this lost manse have met with limited success. disturbing evidence of financial fraud in the Ministry
of Silver and Jade. He considers advancing his social
The Distant Emerald Shipping Company commands prospects through blackmail or bringing the matter to
several ships and an entire swath of dockside ware- the satrap, though such gestures might antagonize the
houses in the Zhao city-satrapy of Zhujen (The Realm, very Mnemonrais he hopes to romance.
p. 171). As Nandao’s cities consumed the island’s old-
growth woods, House Yueh established the Company Tranquil Sky, formerly Immaculate monk Yueh
to transport timber from Ferazha’s forests to Nai Lei’s Dresvara, follows the Empty Path, a proscribed philos-
shipyards. Now a contingent of house guards protects ophy preaching escape from the cycle of reincarnation
the business lest Zhujen’s prince seize it in the runup to through selfless virtue. Having cast off her former
civil war, denying House Yueh a critical naval resource. name and station, she wanders the southern Meiyu
cities seeking enlightenment. She’s preached the Six
Scions of Note Harmonious Emptinesses (The Realm, p. 171) to beggars
A distinguished war hero, matriarch Yueh Kho Luhn’s and scholars alike, dueled Immaculates seeking to drag
gifts lie primarily in delegation and oversight. Balancing her back into orthodoxy, and delivered comeuppance to
the aims and ambitions of proud Yueh oligarchs, admi- haughty elites — but it wasn’t until she publicly offered
rals, and merchant princes demands firmness and tact, assistance to a coalition of anti-Zhao rebels that Queen
as do diplomatic responsibilities and managing espio- Mnemonrai Enzei pressured Zhaojūn’s Immaculates to
nage assets. Luhn’s influence has renewed Nai Lei’s role declare her Anathema. Now she works in the shadows,
as a regional power, outmaneuvering rivals and setting ever watchful for Wyld Hunts, while her family sorrow-
them against one another. He negotiates with neighbor- fully seeks to stop her themselves to cleanse their name.
ing Baihu princes, deals with V’neef’s Merchant Fleet
captains, and slips information to Huang Hei’s Peleps
handlers and Ledaal satrap alike.
Other Cadet Houses
A warrior order of Northern outcastes founded centuries
He employs these same traits in matchmaking for young ago to battle monsters and bandits, House Blackglass
Yueh scions, a task that’s suddenly become paramount. earned a new role in the Realm as a cadet house. Based
Much of the family’s future depends upon its marriage in their chapter house in the satrapy of Tallow (The
prospects, and with House Tepet’s fall, he seeks to re- Realm, p. 159), they continue their mandate today, jour-
align Yueh with stronger houses. neying alone or in small groups to hunt down raiders,
rebels, wild beasts, and supernatural terrors across the
Yueh Kho Gui, youngest of the matriarch’s three sons,
northern Threshold.
is highly accomplished, especially in poetry and martial
arts. Fostered by House Tepet, Gui views himself as a
22
EX3
By the Empress’ special dispensation, membership isn’t — still stands strong. Decades of Lunar assaults, Lintha
hereditary. Each of the house’s ten members seeks out raids, bandits, plague, Fair Folk, and other troubles have
an outcaste apprentice (including occasional Exalted left once-thriving cities in ruins, coastlines denuded,
Blackglass children); when a member dies, the most peoples scattered, and satrapies torn by rebellion and
senior apprentice in the entire house takes her place as civil war. Shortly before her disappearance, the Empress
a member. But half of the order marched with House stripped cadet house status from two nearby houses:
Tepet against the Bull of the North and never returned. House Daha-Ai of Duneport, a grim lineage of necroman-
The remainder and their former apprentices — newly cers, and the bellicose House Sunbird of Turning Crag.
promoted, unprepared, to full membership — struggle Sensing opportunity, House Raden arranged numerous
to find and train suitable new apprentices while fending marriages to absorb those fallen houses’ Dragon-Blooded
off pressure from Tallow’s ruling House Nandorun to scions. While the house seems numerically well-posi-
become Nandorun’s vassals. tioned to face the Time of Tumult, its forty-odd Dragon-
Blooded remain disparate and fractious, with factions
Once a noble house of Calin, House Kenzho remained scheming for power and prestige even in the face of
devoted to the Empress when the rest of that nation growing threats to Low Yethrai itself.
broke from the Realm. Today, Kenzho rules the satrapial
enclave of Pale on the River Province’s coast, flanked by
Calinti territories. Despite intermarriage with Houses Storytelling Cadet
Cathak and Ledaal and with Calin’s noble houses, cen-
turies of embroilment with Calinti politics and battles House Games
with Calin-sponsored bandits and mercenaries have Cadet house characters occupy a middle ground be-
whittled Kenzho down to a half-dozen Dragon-Blooded tween the Great Houses and outcastes, enjoying many
scions, all raised with a sense of tight-knit loyalty, deep Dynastic privileges while facing the frontier’s chal-
distrust of the foreign families they’re intermarried lenges and the crushing burden of the Realm’s tribute
with, and a nigh-paranoid sense of caution. Today, the demands. Their unique circumstances make them ideal
Wood Fleet and House Nellens alike withdraw their for games that mix politics and family with traditional
forces, leaving Pale all but defenseless. House Kenzho adventuring.
has little time to find allies, lest it face a losing battle or
submit to Calin’s mercy.
At the Threshold
House Eraman rules the sleepy, sprawling island satra-
py of Sarkarn (Dragon-Blooded, p. 58). They descend As Dynasts that rule subjugated regions of the
from Shogunate aristocrats, for whom Sarkarn was a Threshold, cadet house scions occupy a unique place in
scenic getaway before the Contagion. Their lineage the Realm. A game set in a cadet house’s home satrapy
has dwindled to a dozen Dragon-Blooded and thrice naturally emphasizes Dragon-Blooded themes of family
that many mortal scions; these study at the island’s and privilege. Cadet houses are much smaller than Great
Shearwater Academy, govern from Sarkarn city and a Houses; they typically host ten to twenty scions, with
few lesser ports, serve in the Imperial Navy, and tour none exceeding House Ferem’s hundred. So characters
the nearby Threshold for mercantile opportunities and from the same house probably grew up together. Think
adventure. carefully about the circumstances of the family and
their satrapy, and what they mean for the characters.
Parochial in their views, the Eramans focus on their peo- Encourage players to consider Ties to family members
ple’s needs while paying little heed to the wider world; and Principles detailing stances on local politics.
most pursue hunting, the arts, and sufficient diplomatic
and bureaucratic skills to placate the Peleps satrap, Enemies Abound
whose increasing tribute demands grow intolerable
amid dwindling trade revenues. Today, Thorns domi- Cadet families are powerful within their sphere of
nates House Eraman’s thoughts. Envoys from the new influence, but beset by challenges larger than them-
Autocrat offer alliance in the name of past friendship selves. Specific challenges vary from house to house,
between Sarkarn and Thorns. With civil war brewing but invariably include tribute demands from a Great
and none to defend them, the Eramans are now sharply House satrap. Their Threshold domains are vulnerable
divided over whether to accept this offer of protection. to the depredations of Anathema, the Guild’s economic
manipulations, bandits, pirates, and numerous other
Of the satrapies between An-Teng and the Violet Coast, threats. Cadet house games offer a wide variety of polit-
only Low Yethrai — a wealthy, fortified coastal state ruled ical and practical antagonists — even several at once —
by the Immaculate shaman-princes of House Raden such as fending off a warmongering legionary general’s
23
EX3
ambitions, quelling a local rebellion before a bloodbath

ensues, and taking charge of a Wyld Hunt.
Secondary Education
While the four great secondary schools offer an excep-
Far from Home tional education, their true benefit from the Dynasty’s
perspective is the political connections they offer to
Regardless of whether cadet house characters face attendees. A student has the opportunity to establish
challenges at home or abroad, they carry their house’s lifelong bonds with any number of other young Dynasts
cultural and political identity. In games set away from that they can draw upon later on behalf of their family
the satrapy, the characters’ peers still expect them to and their house. No amount of specialized education at
comport themselves as representatives of their house. a lesser secondary school — or worse, via private tute-
As satrapial subjects themselves, cadet house characters lage — can compensate for losing this opportunity.
may have more empathy for oppressed Thresholders
than do their Great House counterparts. This process has begun to change in the Time of Tumult.
Now, household matriarchs question the utility of gaining
As a middle ground between outcastes and Dynasts, ca- Dynastic contacts in houses who will soon be foes, and
det house characters shine especially in mixed Dragon- worry over the safety and security of their scions in those
Blooded games. Alongside Great House Dynasts they’re institutions. More students now find themselves sent to
poor cousins and underdogs, as outcastes are to both. lesser secondary schools under their houses’ control.
They’re able to connect at some level with just about
any Dragon-Blooded character. Acceptance
A young Dragon-Blood’s acceptance to secondary
Adventure Seeds school carries a variety of familial traditions, whether
forging her first battle-ready sword or braiding a lock
House Desai (Dragon-Blooded, p. 77) faces demands of each parent’s hair into hers. Ragara scions receive an
from House Mnemon to supply auxiliaries against the endowment to manage during their education. V’neef
Jiaran insurgency. With limited resources, the Hearth personally speaks to each child of her house before he
must maneuver between House Desai’s needs, pressure leaves for secondary school.
from Mnemon’s emissaries, and political complications
involving their homelands’ princes and satraps — and The most universal tradition is the First Salon, held close
the risks of incurring the wrath of the Anathema. to start of term, usually in a country home. It involves
much lecturing as elders reminisce and offer advice —
An advisor to Cherak’s satrap is murdered while visiting desired or otherwise — about the institution in question.
the Clear Sky Garden, and House Ferem is blamed. The The young scion’s father must shed tears as his child
Hearth must clear their family name and discover the walks the first mile to a waiting carriage. Another male
truth among all the possibilities, whether it’s internal relative may take this role at need — it’s inauspicious
Realm politics, a crime of passion, a Ferem faction’s pow- should no man from the scion’s family weep.
er play, or sabotage by a rival Grand Cherak cadet house.
Scheduling
The theft of an ancestral daiklave belonging to House While specifics vary between institutions, class sched-
Nissar sends the Hearth delving through Wu-Jian’s uling at secondary schools tends toward grueling inten-
underbelly, and entangles them in a plot orchestrated sity. Students typically study six days a week for 12 of
by an elusive Anathema revolutionary. the year’s 15 months. Getting pulled out of classes for
several days at a time to address family business isn’t
A malign spirit approaches a Simendor Hearth to extract unheard-of, but the student is expected to make up for
repayment for a pact made by long-dead ancestors. While the lost time through independent study. The three-
resolving the situation, the characters fall under suspi- month summer break offers time for parents to show off
cion of Immaculate inquisitors, convinced that Simendor their children at galas to parents of prospective spouses;
is abetting the spirit’s diabolic cult for their own ends. quiz them on what they’ve learned and provide private
tutelage to catch up on weak points; offer hands-on
An ancient sunken city mysteriously resurfaces near involvement in family business; and remind them that
Nai Lei. House Yueh must stake its claim as every local their loyalties belong to their own house rather than to
power — from pirates to rival cadet houses — converges their school friends or the Empress.
to exploit it. Threats escalate from neighboring city-
states to Great House fleets to the shadowy powers of
the sunken city itself.
24
EX3
SECONDARY SCHOOL NARRATIVES
Secondary schools are a time-tested favorite setting for Dragon-Blooded campaigns, and media centered on
educational settings is no less prevalent in wider society. Lev Grossman’s The Magicians series is tailor-made
for a Heptagram campaign, and with some finesse Pretty Little Liars makes a fantastic Spiral Academy prem-
ise. Fire Emblem: Three Houses is great inspiration for games set in the House of Bells or Pasiap’s Stair. Shows
like Revolutionary Girl Utena and Riverdale capture the strange relationships and pressures of schools slightly
beyond normal.
These stories are full of variations on a handful of archetypal stock characters: bully, bookworm, teacher’s pet,
popular one, stoner, etc. It’s easy to mold these to fit the Dynasty. Take your bog-standard bully; she was the only
member of her primary school class to Exalt, which — along with all that Fire Essence — went to her head. You
can do this to all sorts of archetypes, applying Dynastic childhood pressures to twist them into new and inter-
esting shapes and add unique details, quirks, and characterization to flesh them out beyond a stock character.
Faculty are just as important. Some are approachable (your family owes them favors, or vice versa); others are
distant (something happened at that salon your mother held twenty years ago). Favoritism is real (your profes-
sor is your nephew), but so are strange antipathies (your mother killed her favorite cousin in a duel). Almost
every Dynast has a relationship or history, even if both are initially ignorant of it, and faculty provide opportuni-
ties to play out Realm politics in miniature.
Unusual Students This is very rare not only because of the years required
and the awkwardness of studying alongside teenagers,
Outcaste Students but because the student’s family must once again raise
Because the Cloister of Wisdom and Pasiap’s Stair admit the enormous sums needed as a donation to ensure ad-
outcastes who’ve taken the coin or the razor, the student mission. As a result, adult students possess either vast
body at these institutions encompasses a broader age wealth, or connections or prestige sufficient to get in
range than in other secondary schools. It’s not unusual with a perfunctory donation.
to find a nine-year-old and a 19-year-old in the same
first-year class. Especially young outcaste students are The Cloister of Wisdom
allowed some slack to confront concepts and exercises
beyond their ability, and their course of study is often The Humble Gate of Hesiesh’s Resolve, a simple oaken gate
stretched out over an additional year or two. atop smoothly polished stone stairs, leads into the Cloister’s
main courtyard. New students are made to kneel and wait
Transfer Students for three days, given bread and water at dawn and dusk and
A handful of Dynastic Dragon-Blooded Exalt after permitted to rise or rest while they eat. Mothers intent upon
secondary school begins at age 15. These late bloomers sending children to the Cloister may make them practice
typically transfer from whatever lesser secondary school such austerities for a year preceding attendance.
they started their education at to one of the four great sec-
ondary schools. Transfer students are often pushed back Each student has her own room at the Cloister, allowing
a year or two. This is ostensibly to give them a chance private space for meditation and contemplation. These
to catch up on the new school’s intense and specialized chambers are hardly luxurious — little more than a low
curriculum, but more importantly, it provides additional desk, firm cushion, and straw mattress. Students dine in
opportunity for networking with their new classmates. common at long tables, seated upon benches and eating
as Immaculate acolytes do.
Returning Students
Adult Dragon-Blooded occasionally return to second- Classes take place in chambers suited to the topic, from
ary school for an additional course of study. This may small, thick-walled rooms for philosophical debate to
include learning sorcery later in life, mastering one’s large, open halls for meditation and lecture. Physically
wild Essence at the Cloister of Wisdom, obtaining addi- oriented classes, such as martial arts training, takes
tional training — and contacts! — to shift into a military place in the courtyard. Most preceptors are monks;
or political career, or the like. for a lay professor to be invited to teach at the Cloister
is a high honor. Courses from geography to history to
25
EX3
who sets herself an overly light course load receives

LESSER IMMACULATE ACADEMIES invitations to classes during times when she’s free. If
she’s fool enough to decline, an elder monk sets her to
The Cloister of Wisdom is far from the only source a meditation schedule that even the strongest-willed
of Immaculate education in the Realm. Virtually students can rarely endure — and if she can, that too is
every temple serves as a school for peasant chil- an education.
dren, inculcating moral virtue and basic literacy
and mathematics. Some double as academies, of- Faculty of Note
fering higher-level courses for adult peasants or Well into her third century, dominie Repentant
patricians — though rarely in the same temple. Blossom of Winter has led the Cloister for eleven de-
Very few rise to such excellence that Dynastic par- cades, training students — some now serving as faculty
ents consider sending mortal (or even less-distin- — in martial arts, Immaculate doctrine, and sorcery.
guished Dragon-Blooded) scions to attend. Her face is mature, but still vital; such is her Essence
that students quickly learn to dress warmly for her
AcornÕs Wisdom Temple rests in the shadow classes, even in summer. She’s known to take an interest
of the enormous ash at the heart of Myion’s Ever- in students she believes have extraordinary potential,
green Sanctuary. Dedicated to Sextes Jylis, Acorn’s
even the outwardly hopeless — sometimes especially
Wisdom specializes in horticulture. Each student is
those students — and invites them to special classes on
assigned a plot of the courtyard’s rich, fertile soil to
days otherwise devoted to rest and contemplation, the
tend as devotional meditation. The school prioritiz-
es virtues such as patience and harmony, with an subjects of which vary widely. Her devoted emulation
eye to managing and guiding underlings. Unlike the of Mela makes her an unflinching disciplinarian; she’s
Cloister, Acorn’s Wisdom students are free to seek willing to be cruel if, through that cruelty, she serves as
wisdom in Myion’s many other temples, which are a crucible of perfection.
accustomed to accommodating such requests.
Willow Breaker, a lay preceptor of martial arts, was
Absence in Clamor is a monastic temple in the born Iselsi Rasuna. Those few faculty who know her
Imperial City’s heart, its high walls shutting out the lineage let it pass unmentioned; the rest think her a
city’s hubbub. The monks — most of whom take talented and fortunate outcaste. Her piety runs to the
vows of silence — maintain a vast library of an- bone, though she still serves her fallen house and gives
cient records, and suffer only a few new students special guidance to hidden Iselsi students. Aside from
each year. Among the Realm’s most exclusive martial education, she lectures on classical and modern
lesser secondary schools, it offers students the op- literature. Words are the one distraction she permits
portunity to pursue obscure religious scholarship herself, as are students who display a like interest —
and sorcerous initiation. she’s always happy to share tea and debate the virtues
of novels’ protagonists with bright students.
mathematics cultivate virtues such as forethought,
Quiet Moth came to the Cloister a troubled patrician
leadership, and responsibility.
youth. Since graduating, she’s roamed the Isle as an
Students are usually only permitted outside the Cloister itinerant, but her heart’s never left the campus’ shrine
for religious purposes, under a monk’s chaperonage. to Daana’d, where she realized her inner truth. Through
This may include undertaking a pilgrimage to a holy site, meditation and alchemical distillations, she’s aligned
journeying to meditate in a potent elemental demesne, her body with her gender in emulation of Daana’d, She
or participating in a Wyld Hunt deemed suitable for the Who Remakes Her Children. Now, she’s that shrine’s
student’s discipline, maturity, and level of education. head monk, tending it alongside teaching history and
Leaving for other purposes is rare, but not impossible. culture, watching for young misfits who might need a
gentle nudge down the right path. Her mother, believing
Study here is highly structured, but each student is the Empress’ disappearance presents an opportunity
expected to set her own curriculum after her first year. for patricians, pressures Moth to curry favor with the
She must obtain permission from the preceptors of each Order for their family. She has little desire to besmirch
class and lecture she wishes to attend. Overly driven her station thusly, but the more corruption she witness-
students who set too heavy a course load are gently es within the Order, the harder it becomes not to ensure
guided to ease up. Meanwhile, a too-clever student that her family shares those benefits.
26
EX3
The Heptagram Faculty of Note

Ragara Bhagwei, the Heptagram’s founder, remains its
Students arriving at the Heptagram for their first year dominie despite his advanced age. He ignores politics
are referred to by their seniors as “sacrifices.” Most unless his research is threatened; when it is, his voice
assume it’s a hazing ritual; then they discover the hells remains gentle and calm, but his frustration or anger
that await, a year-long period of guided study called “the is palpable. He’s phenomenally intelligent but lacks
Ten Thousand Labors.” Fully half of those few students perspective, such that his lectures can be wholly im-
who fail out or die do so within their first year. From penetrable for younger students; faculty occasionally
learning to channel foreign Essence to tending the schedule follow-up lectures to unpack the concepts
recurring rituals placating the school’s bound spirits, Bhagwei casually peppers his speech with. Only the
first-years must not only excel in academics but must most brilliant, promising, or abnormal students catch
build relationships to carry them through the Labors Bhagwei’s eye and receive direct training, more gruel-
and the following six years. ing even than the life of first-year “sacrifices.”
Within the residence tower, students live two or three Zadaki Twelve-Feathers is an outcaste from the far North
to a room — the faculty doesn’t trust fledgling sorcer- who, rumor has it, once held an advancing Imperial legion
ers who don’t properly grasp sorcery’s dangers with at a mountain pass for a season, calling down avalanches
total privacy — making it difficult to find quiet places from nowhere. Rumors disagree on how Zadaki was bested
to work undisturbed. In certain workrooms, vaults, or convinced to surrender, let alone how she came to teach
archives, and other chambers of peculiar purpose, at the Heptagram. She’s the only Realm sorcerer known
magically sealed doors forbid access to any without to practice the nigh-forgotten Aria of Emptiness, shaping
the requisite opening ritual, offering one’s best chance sorcery with nothing but her perfectly trained voice —
at privacy. Students who fail to properly reseal such among her favorite demonstrations for new students is
portals earn fiery reprimands from faculty, lest they singing a stone to dust. But even her favorites — typically
expose unprepared peers to sorceries beyond their troublemakers, patricians, and iconoclasts — aren’t taught
skill. the Aria; Zadaki says only that it’s beyond them.
27
EX3
LESSER OCCULT ACADEMIES SORCERY AND OTHER SCHOOLS
While the Heptagram isn’t the Realm’s only source The other three great academies, as well as Pa-
of sorcerous education, few lesser secondary siap’s Stair, maintain limited sorcerous curric-
schools offer tutelage in the art. More common are ulums for those with the talent and inclination.
those specialized in other forms of mystical study: Students at the House of Bells learn war-magic
geomancy, artifice, spirit-lore, and the like. to decimate armies or turn storms against enemy
fleets; the Spiral Academy teaches how to loose
The Balustrade of Glorious Harmony, a geo- one’s shadow as a spy or mesmerize with a glance.
mantic academy endowed by Mnemon herself,
sprawls across a grand stretch of alpine mead- The Cloister of Wisdom hosts the most advanced
ow in the mountains above Mnemon-Darjilis. The curriculum, teaching sorcery holistically in accor-
academy-manse’s architecture is both geoman- dance with doctrine and the Immaculate Dragons’
tic marvel and teaching tool, allowing students to wisdom. Immaculate sorcerer-monks endure less
observe the seamless flow of Essence from one of the Realm’s prejudices and fears regarding sor-
structure to the next — and to witness the conse- cerers, provided they adhere to the Philosophy in
quences of shoddy workmanship, through flaws all things — particularly in their sorcery.
deliberately built into the design. Many residents
of the Valley of the Ancients only employ this insti-
tution’s graduates, renowned as among Creation’s it shows. Its fields are pockmarked by signs of student
best, but the greatest honor a student can receive armies on the march; every fortification bears the scars
is the right to design a new edifice on the campus. of centuries of students’ sieges; driftwood from ships
wrecked in naval exercises litters the nearby coast.
The Forge of MotherÕs Fury sits atop a great Cadets joke about other cadets’ follies, often after the
upwelling of Fire Essence, where rocks glow red
poor cadet serving as the butt of the joke is long dead.
and run like slag, on an island just off Howling
Heart Prefecture’s coast. One of the few forges in There’s nothing quite like a squad’s camaraderie — even
the Realm licensed to work orichalcum, it’s the
the fiercest rivals will unite against outsiders. For seven
only one that accepts students, and has a history
years, they learn, eat, sleep, and fight as one — nothing
stretching back to the Shogunate. The current do-
save death or grievous injury separates them. Serious
minie, Ledaal Shigora — famed Anathema-slayer
in her youth — has been retired for over a century, intra-squad violence is rare; a fistfight is one thing, but
during which she’s forged dozens of nigh-perfect an injured cadet drags down her fellows’ grades far
weapons. A Shigora blade isn’t merely a treasure, more than a healthy but underperforming one.
but a statement; she gifts them only to those who
swear to heed the Wyld Hunt’s call. Students embrace their limited recreational opportu-
nities, engaging in impromptu Gateway tournaments
in the Hall of Sabers (the college of strategic studies);
Cynis Bashura is the subject of a thousand tall tales, pursue furtive trysts in the library’s musty stacks; or
each grown in the telling until they couldn’t possibly be venture to the on-campus villages named Sword and
true. Her office — crammed with a lifetime’s trophies Shield, offering a taste of seemingly ordinary life amidst
and knickknacks — says otherwise. She couldn’t have the pressures of education and mock warfare. Shield
fought off a tyrant lizard with only a dagger and a gar- houses peasant staff, while Sword serves patrician staff
dening spell, yet her chair is clearly carved from such and faculty. Students are welcome in either when at lib-
a great beast’s skull! Bashura doesn’t dignify inquiries erty, but Sword’s teahouse is of far higher quality than
with a response, especially during lectures, but students Shield’s, and senior students gleefully run presumptu-
who remind her of her younger self — brash, overcon- ous juniors out of town for occupying their elders’ seats.
fident, convinced of their own immortality — she occa-
sionally instructs in dread secrets. Better they learn the Faculty of Note
hard way that they lack her immortality, and the terrible Dominie Tepet Chayo was once unquestioned in her
price she’s paid for that double-edged gift. prowess. As a spear-dancer, she was beyond compare
— but with her great-grandmother’s spear Eleventh
Sunrise in her hands, she was indescribable. Honored
The House of Bells to be granted authority over the House of Bells, she
found satisfaction in training students from every
The House of Bells hammers young Dragon-Blooded
Great House, but took especial joy in Tepet students’
into the elite officer corps of the Realm’s legions, and
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EX3
intrigues. Younger students serve as runners, meeting

LESSER MILITARY ACADEMIES and making advantageous connections with highly
placed ministers. Older students act as their professors’
Many military schools exist across the Blessed Isle, proxies, attending meetings and even salons in their
none the House of Bells’ equal. Most, such as The name, the better to cement those political relationships.
Hall of Steel Clashing, near Myion, serve mor- Upon graduation, students are well-versed in the inter-
tal Dynasts or the children of wealthy patricians play between official governance and decision-making
— logistics and battlefield leadership is its stock behind closed doors.
in trade, though it also has a top-notch swords-
manship curriculum and a thriving underground The Academy’s buildings are monumental without, but
dueling community. A rare few, such as Scarlet elegantly understated within. Students live in on-cam-
Prefecture’s Pearl Pillar Academy, actively scout pus dormitories, two or occasionally three to a suite.
prestigious, well-to-do foreigners or immigrants. Each has her own desk and wardrobe, and her own
servant to launder her clothes and stock her desk with
The House of the Fulminant Stroke in Lord’s paper and ink. Unlike the other great academies, the
Crossing Dominion is among House Tepet’s great campus is open; students frequently attend teahouses
legacies, founded by one of Tepet’s granddaugh- and local businesses. Sixth- and seventh-year students
ters centuries ago. Students — mainly patricians may secure off-campus lodgings (typically a small town-
associated with House Tepet — receive instruction house), though many mothers and matriarchs won’t
not only in battlefield tactics and leadership, but in
countenance such an expense. These seniors must take
charisma and loyalty. The school’s ideal officer can
out loans to secure such housing — a lesson in itself.
forge a viable militia from peasantry at need.
Students rise early at the Academy, attending lectures
on subjects ranging from government ethics to callig-
achievements. That’s turned to ashes in her mouth,
raphy. Following lunch, practical work begins. Younger
as her house’s financial collapse affords few scions
students process actual paperwork from the Thousand
the resources to attend. Nonetheless, she remains too
Scales; older students certify their juniors’ work while
stubborn to step down, even as House Peleps lobbies the
also tackling higher-level bureaucratic duties. By their
school’s governing council to replace her with fellow
seventh year, students must reliably produce profes-
professor Peleps Nalani (Dragon-Blooded, p. 89). The
sional-quality work. Woe betide the senior student who
council in turn is pressuring her to accede — only out of
returns erroneous paperwork to the Thousand Scales;
concern, of course, that she might mourn her kin.
the faculty descend with untold fury and a mountain of
Once firm but fair, Chayo’s fury is apparent to faculty and tasks in the same vein as whatever’s botched, the better
students alike; many believe it’s only a matter of time until for the student to learn to do it right.
the Pavilion of the Honored Soldier is stained with some-
The Garden of Unheard Whispers
one’s blood. She hates being reduced to playing politics,
especially in a time of crisis, but she knows this battlefield A secret curriculum open only to those who discover it,
as well as any other, and quietly encourages like-minded the Garden of Unheard Whispers provides an entirely
students to lobby their families on her behalf. different experience for students. In addition to normal
studies, the Garden’s students meet after dark to learn
Cathak Hetena is vicious in service of discipline and advanced tradecraft and espionage. They wear masks
excellence, accepting only perfection from the students or otherwise disguise their identity, a tradition hedging
she instructs in physical fitness, swordplay, and small- against the chance that two students might become foes
unit tactics. Her voice cuts across the parade grounds in later life. The best way to recognize a fellow Gardener
like a razor-sharp blade, roaring loud enough to wake is to catch him attempting an “assassination” — subtly
every student on campus who doesn’t rise before dawn. marking a target with a bit of ink, a test frequently put
She has no qualms about scarring students — physically to Gardeners.
or otherwise, toughening them up to improve their
odds of survival upon meeting the enemy. She’s far more Faculty of Note
personable with peers, standoffish but pleasant. Dominie Rein Fenaar, a Dragon-Blooded patrician,
has held her post for thirty-eight years. Previously she
served with distinction as an Imperial judge, blessed
The Spiral Academy with connections through the Red-Handed Note
Society that she once led. Upon becoming dominie,
The Spiral Academy sits near many Imperial City offic-
she relinquished leadership of that secret society as
es of the Thousand Scales, and often participates in its
tradition dictates, but still calls on student members
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EX3
now-vanished Empress, they cannot deny that they

THE OUTER COIL favor Sesus students, many of whom receive subtle
hints from their family that lead them to the Garden.
If the Spiral Academy is the heart of finance, di- Yabal is well placed to pass along details hidden in the
plomacy, and intrigue in the Realm, then the Outer Thousand Scales’ records to their house — but they also
Coil forms its veins: an educational system to train find themselves struggling against House Iselsi’s efforts
the countless patricians who constitute most of the to subvert the Garden and its students. The games Yabal
Realm’s bureaucrats and ministers. Some of these has been instructing students in for years are now dead-
schools match the Spiral Academy’s scale; others ly real.
comprise a single townhouse hosting a handful of
students. Pasiap’s Stair
While the Outer Coil cannot boast the Spiral Acad-
Where the other great secondary schools are meant to
emy’s opportunities for connections with Dynastic
refine Dynastic scions into proper aristocrats, Pasiap’s
houses, these schools nonetheless provide the
education in intrigue and society needed to thrive Stair is a brutal hammer to forge Dragon-Blooded born
among Dynasts. Local teahouses and other enter- as peasants, slaves, or the dispossessed into officers of
tainment establishments supplement their income the Imperial legions. Lost eggs arriving at the Stair are
through selling reports on which Dynastic students expected to obey orders with the same immediacy as
attend them, how often, and what topics they dis- adult soldiers and to learn with equal facility. Corporal
cuss, providing social climbers at the Outer Coil an punishment is frequent and severe, handed out at the
opportunity to “accidentally” encounter a Dynastic slightest sign of intransigence or insubordination.
scion and “just so happen” to be researching the Extraordinarily young students receive the bare min-
same subject. imum of latitude regarding their physical and mental
limitations, and are expected to do their utmost to keep
Flowering Vestibule, an ancient and respect- up.
able school of economics and finance, occupies a
picturesque walled estate near the Imperial River. Dynasts almost never enroll, and especially not of
Once famous and well-regarded, it’s fallen on hard their own volition. Often, no Dynasts are in attendance
times; several overgrown buildings stand disused throughout the student body, and when they’re present
and in disrepair, visited only by animals and by stu- it’s for very specific reasons. This is most often to tame
dents engaged in private liaisons. Only the favor a particularly intransigent or rebellious young Exalt,
and largesse of a few influential alumni keeps the most notably those who endured primary schooling at
once-great school afloat.
the House of Ancient Stone or the Palace of the Tamed
Founded a decade ago by retired prefect Cynis Storm and somehow remained unbroken. More rarely,
Kentura, the Kentura Institute offers training in certain military households sent scions to the Stair to
negotiation and social graces. A handful of Cynis make outcaste contacts, although this proved risky and
scions (mostly mortal) attend, studying under the unpredictable.
dominie and her handpicked staff amid Dynastic
luxury; proximity to such connections tempts patri- The Stair’s student culture reflects legion culture. During
cian matriarchs to send their own scions here. Cy- their few opportunities to blow off steam, students find
nis students pursue a second, secret curriculum: whatever amusement they can, from gambling on beetle
catching classmates in compromising positions to fights to competitions of bawdy rhymes and wordplay.
accumulate blackmail material. They sleep, eat, learn, and train in common, residing
in rough-hewn quarters whose cavelike qualities the
students are frequently too worn down to notice.
of the society to assist in her intrigues. The stakes of
these have grown considerably as Dynastic agents in- The Empress historically sponsored Stair graduates,
creasingly mark out territory in the Thousand Scales in paying for their commissions in the Imperial legions.
the Time of Tumult. A traditionalist at heart, Fenaar’s The ministries briefly continued this practice after her
watchful for an opportunity to place her knowledge and disappearance, but since the Great Houses usurped
connections at the disposal of whatever faction in the control over the legions, such commissions have nearly
nascent civil war will best keep those traditions alive — ground to a halt. Few graduates are willing to shoulder
or, failing that, best protect her family. the enormous debts necessary to purchase a commis-
sion in the house legions, while the houses look warily
Sesus Yabal heads the Garden of Unheard Whispers. at graduates’ loyalty to the empress and ambition to-
Torn between loyalty to their house and to the ward high rank.
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EX3
Unable to legally release graduates without commis- offices and members of satrapial government, both for
sions, Pasiap’s Stair simply ignores the law. The Stair’s instructional purposes and to provide students with
outcaste professors and alumni direct outcastes unwill- Dynastic connections despite their distance from the
ing or unable to purchase commissions toward other Isle.
roles — mercenaries, household guards, prefectural or
garrison officers, or even associate faculty. Some even The House of the Whispering Squall, built atop the
have marriage prospects arranged for them. This ar- ruins of a far more famous academy dating back to
rangement is grossly illegal, circumventing the manda- Grand Cherak, educates most of House Ferem’s scions,
tory fifty-year term of service, but as it doesn’t currently as well as a handful from other nearby cadet houses
threaten the Great Houses’ interests, no action has yet and Dynastic households in the North. Formerly, this
been taken. included a small but notable number of Tepets, but
today they’re outnumbered by Ragara and Sesus scions,
Faculty of Note as those houses have taken over several Northern Tepet
Dominie Stone Mask served the Empress loyally in the satrapies. This transition has been accompanied by
legions for a century and a half, refusing retirement a change in curriculum — while the House retains its
when offered. Winning one bitter campaign earned her naval focus, its martial curriculum has been reduced in
an audience with the Empress — a few minutes that favor of focus on diplomacy and economics.
affirmed everything she felt about that distant, mag-
nificent woman. A century later, her idol’s squabbling Aurora of Morning, built in the shadow of Kirighast’s
children threaten to undo everything she fought for, and Fane of Upswept Horns, is perhaps the premier educa-
she must swallow it all dutifully. Deeply attentive and tional institution in the near Southeastern Threshold.
inspiring in her prime as a teacher, the Imperial legions’ Its students have the opportunity to participate in
dissolution and the current state of Pasiap’s Stair has Harborhead’s satrapial administration firsthand, rang-
left her stretched almost beyond endurance. She fills ing from preparing paperwork for the satrap’s ministers
every gap in the Stair’s faculty she can, and coordinates to accompanying Immaculate monks for negotiations
the school’s efforts to connect graduates with outcaste with Ahlat’s priesthood.
alumni to secure their future. This, she hopes, is what
the Empress would want her to do. Soon, out of love and
grief for a woman she gazed upon but once, she thinks
Storytelling Secondary
she’ll gut at least one of that woman’s descendants, and School Games
hopefully more.
The Realm’s secondary schools provide a rich environ-
A Stair graduate, Nellens Spur was adopted by House ment for games centered on personal drama and non-
Nellens upon its elevation, securing him status and traditional challenges. Young characters confront peers
privilege few outcastes have the fortune to achieve. Now they can tackle head-on, powerful Exalted mentors who
a teacher of siegecraft and battlefield geography, he must be dealt with carefully to avoid expulsion, and even
arranges commissions for his most receptive students mortal teachers whose institutional power makes them
in the Nellens legions. While he’s aware of the illegal formidable adversaries. Day-to-day student challenges
transfer of graduates, he hasn’t reported it to his house, may lack the high stakes of a Wyld Hunt or a bid for the
and has even helped connect a few students not quite Imperial throne, but meaningful relationships can make
suitable for the Nellens legions with patrons capable of them just as exciting, while a twist of fate might still put
helping them. He’s all too aware of how his life might Creation’s future on the shoulders of a few students
have gone had not been adopted into House Nellens, who happen to be in the right place at the right time.
and won’t be an obstacle in his fellow outcastes’ path.
Teenage Demigods
Threshold Academies
Students typically enter secondary school at age 15
Many secondary schools exist in the satrapies, typically and graduate at 21, surviving a rigorous education
for Dynastic Dragon-Blooded whose families reside in during an already-tumultuous time of their lives. Young
the Threshold or cadet house scions without the con- Dragon-Blooded seek approval or authority, experience
nections to attend Blessed Isle schools. These institu- elation and tragedy, and learn through trial and error
tions provide a broader general education than schools what works and what doesn’t emotionally, socially, and
on the Isle, given their students’ lack of alternatives, legally. Half the challenge their teachers face is taming
though they often boast certain specialties. Where pos- the follies of youth, and students expend equal energy
sible, they arrange for students to spend time around avoiding the rules set out for them.
31
EX3
Players should be encouraged to keep all this in mind expectations they’ve inherited, even as they try to fit in with
when designing their teenage characters’ Intimacies. It people their own age and plan for the future. Something
helps to take at least one Major or Defining Intimacy as simple as taking a written exam becomes complicated
reflecting a petty ambition or insecurity. Principles like when your mother expects you to get a higher grade than
“I must prove I’m no coward” or “I need everyone to that Cathak boy who turned down your cousin’s family’s
like me” provide hooks to drag a character into sticky proposal, your family friend in the All-Seeing Eye heavily
situations, and lure her friends along to get her out of implies that an above-average mark could make you stand
trouble. Likewise, young characters often cling to pas- out too much, and your teacher will host mandatory extra
sionate and ill-advised relationships (and the Ties that lessons for the ten worst students that would preempt a
go with them), with friend and foe alike becoming even crucial social engagement next weekend.
more important though the lens of limited life expe-
rience and the walls of a closed, confined community. Storytellers should work with players to give each
Players can pick a primary-school best friend, sworn character family, teachers, friends, and rivals who’ll
family rival, beloved teacher, object of affection, or oth- complicate the young student’s life with additional
er meaningful personal connection within the school as expectations. They should also consider interesting
a Major or Defining Tie, providing someone to worry story-driven consequences for failure. Making two
about at all times. people impossible to please at the same time challenges
players to find a loophole, or choose their character’s
Young Love true priorities.
It isn’t a secondary school game without teenagers Monsters and Mayhem

falling in love — or lust! — quickly, and falling out of
it just as fast. Torrid love affairs, Essence fever, and The Realm works to ensure students’ safety, especially the
social influence make for a dangerous combination, best and brightest, but only so much can be done while
full of hasty promises and sworn vengeance. Dynastic training young Dragon-Blooded to master their Essence.
marriage is highly political; star-crossed lovers face an The Heptagram has a reputation as the most dangerous
uphill battle against their families if they wish to wed. secondary school, isolated on the Isle of Voices and open
Still, school provides most Dynasts their best chance to to the ocean’s dangers. A botched summoning or an un-
find a marriage partner they actually like, before their expected monster from sorcery-tainted waters calls for
parents find one they don’t. everyone — students and teachers alike — to help solve
the problem. The Cloister of Wisdom, House of Bells, and
Passionate love creates drama when something keeps Pasiap’s Stair are safer, but training accidents and overex-
would-be lovers apart, be that social convention, unre- ertion injuries aren’t uncommon, and risk of sabotage or
quited feelings, or romantic rivals. Storytellers should guerrilla attacks from the Realm’s enemies — peasant reb-
challenge relationships in ways that force characters els, Iselsi infiltrators, Lunar Anathema, and more — seems
into conflict, whether against Storyteller characters or higher with the Empress gone and the legions divided.
with their own Intimacies. Secret duels at dawn, fami- Though once counted the safe option by nervous students,
lies who’ll only agree to a match if the would-be suitor the Spiral Academy is a fortified compound in a city that
can prove himself, and beautiful-but-treacherous lovers could plunge into civil war at any moment.
who use others’ affections against them are all staples of
romantic epics, for good reason. No matter its location or apparent civility, every sec-
ondary school trains students hard, with no pretense
While exploring young love, always remember the Red of perfect safety. Accidents happen, sometimes with
Rule (Exalted, p. 222) and keep an open line of com- help from an academic rival, and many teachers are
munication with your players. Never force players to inclined to step back and let children sort out their own
roleplay romantic or sexual situations that make them problems. Blatant murder attempts aren’t tolerated, but
uncomfortable. In a game of demigods and magic, it physical danger forces the best to rise to the top, and the
should be easy to find excuses to redirect the scene and best Dragon-Blooded are best for the Realm.
keep the story moving forward.
Incursions by Wyld-tainted monsters, desperate revolu-
Great Expectations tionaries, or Anathema offer young students dangerous
challenges to overcome. In a scenario where the whole
Families, teachers, peers, and future employers all feel school faces an attack — whether a coordinated assault
they have a right to tell students what to do and how to from a Lunar and his beastfolk army, or a bungled sum-
do it. Young Dragon-Blooded can’t afford to ignore the moning circle pouring out demons — try to find a chunk
of the conflict that player characters must handle on
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EX3
SCHOOL STORIES
The month ends at the House of Bells with a day of urban warfare, fang versus fang. Fights are meant to stop
at first blood, with teachers acting as referees, but the opposing team’s eldest member has sworn vengeance
on a player character for some perceived slight to his family. He’s ready to kill to regain his family’s honor, and
has talked the rest of his fang into covering for him while he pursues his personal vendetta during the training
exercise.
Every year, as the Cloister of Wisdom’s final examinations approach, rumors swirl up concerning secret, de-
bauched end-of-term parties thrown by graduating students in years past. This year, a handful of secular stu-
dents are preparing to emulate those tales. Sneaking food, drugs, and illicit literature past the monks is harder
than the actual testing, and being caught risks expulsion, but some find it hard to resist the thrill of the chal-
lenge, the temptation of the event itself, or the bonds and prestige established among participating peers.
A teacher at the Spiral Academy issues a challenge to the player characters’ class: “Cheat on your exam and
don’t get caught, and I’ll connect you with a prestigious new apprenticeship.” The victor must be able to prove
they cheated, and get a perfect score. Worse yet, there’s only one position on offer; if more than one student
meets the requirements, no one gets it … unless one of the successful cheaters can take their rivals out of
contention.
The Heptagram is known for secretive sorcerers, so when a well-liked professor insists on performing her
rituals in private, people don’t ask questions. The player characters stumble upon her secret: Alone in her
classroom, she casts strange magic with an Anathema’s sigil on her brow. Can they prove to the rest of the
school that the kind woman is really a monster, or will she convince them to betray the Realm and keep her
secret safe?
At their initiation into Pasiap’s Stair, a fang of five is assembled from those outcastes found most wanting by
their teachers and peers — whether for disciplinary issues, heretical views, lack of martial prowess, or foreign
birth. The war games start in a week, and a rival fang led by a disgraced Dynastic scion plans to arrange an
“accident” for the disgraceful rejects. If the player characters can’t set aside their differences and work together,
they may not survive.
their own. When they’re ambushed by the Lunar warlord The excitement doesn’t end after the fight. Family and
on the way back to their dormitory, or their detention in teachers meet the characters’ heroics with new expec-
the North Tower places them nearest the summoning tations, ample praise, and questions about what the
circle on its roof, players can take the spotlight without students were doing out on their own to encounter such
powerful Exalted teachers stepping in to help. a threat.
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EX3
Amilar Lukalo walked the decks of the Jade Herald, the most antiquated and battle-scarred of Lookshy’s few
functioning skyships, as it soared above the city. Beside her, Nefvarin Hikaru, acting captain for this test flight,
assured her all maintenance protocols had been followed to the letter.
“Our engineers perform inspections daily since it’s been brought back to active status,” Hikaru said. “Next is the
dorsal perceptor array—”
“Wait.” Lukalo had started the tour with a vague, directionless apprehension. Now it congealed into wrongness
— a nauseating throb through the deck, a sickly flicker in her peripheral vision. Her hand swung out of its own
accord. “The engine room … it’s that way, yes?”
“Yes, wai tan-junai. Is something wrong?”
“Show me now, haizei, if you please.”
The pair stepped into the skyship’s heart. Its original engine, a towering lotus-mandala of jade and orichalcum
petals gently cradling the ship’s hearthstones, was half-visible beyond cables, reliquaries, and other accretions of
Lookshyan artifice — workarounds for irreparable or irreplaceable First Age components.
Several technicians worked intently at gleaming banks of valves, modulating the Essence flow. Lukalo leaned over
the lead technician’s shoulder. “What’s the status of the primary epicycle impeller?”
“The accretion is outside of parameters, wai tan-junai,” he replied nervously. “We’re recalibrating the diaphane
spindles to adjust.”
“Good work,” she said. “That should resolve it if it’s just an epicycle spike. Let me take a closer look...”
Sidling past the clutter, Lukalo placed her hand against the engine. She saw the flow of power through the ship
with her inner eye, counted the beats of the engine’s pulse.
“They’re irregular…” she muttered. Perhaps a blockage in the impulsion mandala? No amount of maintenance
could overcome centuries of wear. Probing deeper, she felt it — conduits lit up with Essence with no way
toward its destination, all that stagnant power building, seething, coiling malignantly upon itself. No amount of
recalibration could diffuse this — the blocked Essence was building into a cascade on the verge of criticality.
Lukalo swore. “We can’t stop it. We’re going to go down...” A tremor of panic filled her voice, as she imagined the
skyship crashing down into Lookshy, the sheer number of civilians who’d be killed in the blast. “I could force a
breach, try to vent it, but there’s not enough time—”
Hikaru placed a reassuring hand on Lukalo’s shoulder. “Maybe you can’t, but we can. All hands on deck!” His voice
stilled the panicked engine room. “Wai Tan-junai Lukalo has a plan. Follow her orders, and we needn’t die in vain.”
Lukalo willed herself calm before addressing the frightened crew. “The cascade is too far gone, but we can make
sure it doesn’t drop us out of the sky over Lookshy. Give me total manifold resynchronization before the next
engine cycle, and bring the fore cannons to forty-seven degrees.” The technicians, pale-faced but stoic, set to work
with every ounce of focus and expertise they had, operating mechanisms and controls meant for the hands of
Exalted geniuses.
As the technicians scrambled, Lukalo once again visualized the Essence flowing through the ship’s structure as
her hands danced across countless valves and levers to redirect it. It was a desperate plan, but it was working —
the manifold was resetting, and the cannon was almost in alignment. All she had to do was…
An explosion rocked the engine room, feedback from the mounting cascade overloading the mandala array.
Lukalo was knocked to the floor, but she was lucky — one technician lay dead, her face sloughed off in the
Essence discharge; others were bleeding, burned, limping back to their consoles on broken bones.
Lukalo didn’t hear Hikaru rallying the technicians — her world had shrunk down to the ship, and the flow of
Essence through it. They’d lost precious seconds; the manifold was still too unstable for her to properly route the
cascade through the cannon. She’d have to do it blind, and pray to the Dragons.
Breathing ragged, Lukalo poured the last of her own Essence into the Jade Herald, driving the cascade through
the impulsion conduits with brute force, rocking the ship with explosions. As the cascade passed the point of
criticality, Lukalo fired the cannons, venting the Essence overload through them in a rupturous blast that threw the
ship off course.
“You’ve done it, wai tan-junai,” Hikaru said, looking out the porthole. “At this trajectory, we’ll fall well beyond the
city’s walls.”
Lukalo let out a sigh of relief. “We’ve done it, haizei.”
The skyship shuddered and tilted, giving the captain no time to enjoy the praise. “All hands, brace for impact!”
32
EX3
Chapter Two
Lookshy
Repository, one of Creation’s largest libraries. Public
Gens Amilar stacks are available even for helots, though access to
controversial, dangerous, or sensitive books is heavily
Air that Rushes Toward Tomorrow restricted, and lending privileges extended only to estab-
lished, prestigious citizens. Amilar physicians also run
For Gens Amilar, expertise is everything. Whatever clinics in Lookshy and abroad, treating the sick to better
profession they pursue, Amilar scions are expected to study local illnesses and develop effective treatments.
not only excel, but innovate. The gens produces some
of Creation’s premier scholars in disciplines both mun- Amilar’s numbers have grown significantly since their
dane and esoteric; their research engendering greater ascension to Gens Major status a century and a half ago,
crop yields, stronger steel, and better medicine. Amilars giving them a higher proportion of outcastes among
number among the Seventh Legion’s leading strategists, their number than the other Gentes Major. But mar-
specializing in logistics, battle sorcery, and innovative riage into the eldest families remains prestigious, and
tactics. Even their sohei tread unorthodox ground in pur- is sought after as an avenue for advancement within the
suit of insight. Prizing intellectual and academic achieve- gens and the Seventh Legion.
ments of every stripe, they deem nothing more vital than
protecting their image of all-encompassing ingenuity. Economics
This drive toward excellence and innovation extends Most of Amilar’s wealth comes from tuition at its
beyond Lookshy itself. Amilars educate foreign princes academies and the exorbitant honorariums its scions
and heirs, deploy experimental defensive sorceries and command as tutors, translators, mediators, and savants
artifacts in allied polities, and fund affiliated scholars and throughout the River Province. This wealth is carefully
academies. While this agenda politically supports Amilar reinvested, often funding promising scions’ research.
and Seventh Legion interests, it also spreads Lookshyan Competition for funding is a vicious game of politicking.
ideology, culture, and agents throughout the River Most see this as a necessary evil separating the great
Province. For some, this is a moral imperative; for others, from the good. Nonetheless, this often leads to injured
a means to elevate the gens’ reputation. And for most, it’s feelings, moral compromise, and — in extreme cases —
a means to establish hegemony without conquest. storied vendettas.
Social Standing Amilar also reaps considerable income from contracts

with scavenger lords. Amilar archaeologists and oc-
Amilar’s cachet is inseparable from its scions’ preem- cultists help plumb ancient ruins, dusty tombs, and for-
inence as savants and teachers. Prestigious, expensive gotten kingdoms’ relic-houses — for a price. Their fees
Amilar academies draw not only Lookshyan students, include right of first refusal on the sale of any objects re-
but savants, merchant princes, aristocrats, and their covered. Through this policy, Gens Amilar has amassed
scions from throughout the River Province, both for numerous artifacts for study, trade, and its scions’ use.
the unparalleled education and the opportunity to forge Scavengers’ reports also offer useful intelligence on the
alliances. In the Halls of the Red Poppy, students lounge affairs of local polities.
on plush cushions while perusing dreamstone archives
containing long-dead savants’ memories. Firmament Serving the Legion
Academy offers rigorous training in piloting, mainte-
nance, and field repair for airships and warstriders, Though Amilar sends its children to military service
sending many graduates to the Sky Guard. in the Seventh Legion as readily as any other gens, it
holds an unspoken belief that there are better ways
Gens Amilar draws added prestige from philanthropic to serve Lookshy than by sword or spear. Amilar
projects, foremost among them the Ten Thousand Tome
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C hapte r T wo : L oo k shy
LOOKSHY LEXICON
chumyo: Commanding officer of the Seventh Legion. Directs the General Staff.
directorate: A wing of the Seventh Legion’s military bureaucracy. The seven directorates include the Director-
ate of the Adjutant-General and the Intelligence, Justice, Liaison, Operations, Security, and Stores Directorates.
field force: A Lookshyan military regiment, roughly equivalent in size and strength to a Realm legion.
General Staff: Lookshy’s high command, comprised of the chumyo and six senior officers, and supported by
the two dozen advisors of the Administrative Staff.
gens (plural gentes

gentes)): One of Lookshy’s ruling Dragon-Blooded families.
helot: A serf-like subordinate social class descended from peoples conquered early in the Seventh Legion’s
history.
Immaculate Faith: Lookshy’s decentralized Immaculate creed, forming a denomination distinct from the
Realm’s Immaculate Philosophy.
imperator: Leader of a gens.
ranger: Member of a Seventh Legion unit tasked with reconnaissance, espionage, expeditionary warfare, and
similar special operations.
redoubt: A fortified outpost and waystation in the Scavenger Lands, used by Seventh Legion forces for resup-
ply, recuperation, coordination, and defense.
Seventh Legion, the: The military apparatus of Lookshy, considered by many to be synonymous with the city
and its populace.
sohei: A chaplain of the Immaculate Faith.
sorcerer-engineer: A Seventh Legion sorcerer trained in artifice and First Age lore.
strategos (plural strategoi): An Operations Directorate officer handling military strategy, tactics, and logistics.
strategoi):
taimyo: Second-highest military rank in the Seventh Legion. Commands a field force or its equivalent.
sorcerer-engineers and sohei receive blatant favoritism, Amilar logisticians in the Stores Directorate are para-
lauded as exemplars of the gens’ values. gons of efficiency and insight, drawing on a deep net-
work of connections throughout the Scavenger Lands
Amilar field force officers face a harder road — stereo- to keep troops provisioned in even the most protracted
typed as bookish and bloodless by fellow soldiers, and campaigns. Those who mock the gens may find supplies
uncelebrated by their family unless they distinguish delayed or redirected to other, more vital initiatives.
themselves as brilliant strategists or battle sorcerers.
Many request assignment with Field Force Four, whose Enemies and Alliances
focus on novel weapons and tactics best suits their
talents. Amilar’s Interventionist politics and Karal’s Mercenary
agenda align more often than they conflict, though
Many Amilars seek employment within Lookshy’s di-
ideological clashes have historically soured efforts at
rectorates — especially Operations, Stores, and Liaison,
strengthening the gentes’ relationship. However, many
where they’ve consolidated considerable authority and
members of Karal’s prominent Interventionist minority
influence. Elders often direct young scions into fields of
maintain strong ties with Gens Amilar, enrolling scions
study that dovetail with these directorates, positioning
in Amilar academies and receiving generous scholar-
them as talented administrators, cultural savants, and
ships and stipends.
meticulous investigators.
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Lookshy Timeline
Realm Year Event
One year before The Shogunate’s Seventh Legion arrives at Deheleshen’s ruins. Its forces embark on a program
the Realm of humanitarian assistance, reconstruction, and fortification.
1-28 The Seventh Legion subjugates the lands immediately surrounding Deheleshen, forcing conquered
peoples into service as helots.
20 Civilian city of Lookshy officially founded.
45 General Nefvarin rebuffs the Empress’ claim to rule.
47-53 First Realm invasion of the Scavenger Lands.
53-54 In the wake of the Realm’s first invasion, helots rise up en masse in the Flint Spear Rebellion.
The Home Guard brutally suppresses the uprising, but the economic consequences coupled
with losses suffered in the invasion undermine Lookshy’s power for years to come.
75-76 Second Realm invasion of the Scavenger Lands.
88-89 Final official Realm invasion of the Scavenger Lands.
95 League of Many Rivers established; Lookshy is a founding member.
108 Green Banner Revolt. Helots win support from idealistic Seventh Legion officers, but the up-
rising is swiftly crushed. The mutineers are court-martialed and their leaders executed; thou-
sands of helots are executed without trial.
111 Security Directorate is split from Intelligence Directorate.
197 The Seventh Legion’s General Nefvarin dies; succeeded by the General Staff.
216 Internecine strife between gentes culminates in the Spilt Tea War, with three days of open
battle in Lookshy’s streets.
240 Yushoto ascends to Gens Major status.
265 Laris-Velen war breaks out, wracking the eastern Scavenger Lands for decades. Seventh
Legion intervention enriches Lookshy.
311 Inexplicable, widespread snakebud tree infestation afflicts much of the Scavenger Lands. The
Seventh Legion coordinates League efforts to root out the trees over the following decades.
There’s little common ground between innovative, Amilar merchants ply traditional Maheka trade partners
iconoclastic Amilar and conservative, pious Maheka. with new products and methods. This friction regularly
Unorthodox Amilar scholars, strategists, and sohei provokes disagreements and political strife.
rub Maheka colleagues the wrong way; more vexingly,
IMPERATORS
Each gens’ imperator shoulders numerous responsibilities. She manages the gens’ finances, liaises with the Director-
ate of the Adjutant-General on scions’ military careers, arranges marriages, approves outcaste adoptions, and holds
herself accountable for scions’ crimes and scandals. She must also involve herself in Seventh Legion politics, attend
high-profile social and religious events, and at all times comport herself with the dignity appropriate to her position.
Traditionally, scions regard their imperator as a superior officer and address her accordingly, treating her with
formal respect. She exerts significant power over their lives, and has various tools to punish intransigence
— ranging from familial shaming to reassignment, flogging, or even expulsion from the gens, although such
extreme punishments are rarely used.
The imperator selects an heir upon her accession, and may select a new heir at any time by formally notifying
the General Staff. Should an imperator die without a living heir, the General Staff names her successor.
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Lookshy Timeline (continued)

Realm Year Event
364-371 Seventh Legion forces lead a coalition to rout Wyld-touched invaders from the southeastern
Scavenger Lands.
424-441 Vaneha and several lesser allies conquer the eastern Scavenger Lands, diminishing Lookshy’s
contract income and outcaste enrollment.
441-444 Vanehan civil war. Seventh Legion provocateurs exacerbate the conflict, while Lookshy allies
with the weaker side. Vaneha’s empire collapses in RY 444.
444-479 Eastern Throne period. Seventh Legion forces annex key cities from Vaneha’s empire. Rebel-
lions and Anathema incursions make these territories increasingly untenable.
460 Maheka supplants Kiriga among the Gentes Major.
479 Karal Lucar attempts to overthrow the General Staff in the failed Wildfire Coup. Prioritizing
Lookshy’s security in the aftermath, the Seventh Legion cedes its eastern territories.
547-554 Fair Folk invasion tests the limits of the League of Many Rivers. It’s ultimately turned back by
the Seventh Legion and Guild-backed mercenary forces.
557 Confederation of Rivers supplants the League of Many Rivers.
588 After Palimpsest, a major Confederation of Rivers trade center, formally offers asylum to the
Lunar Anathema Covenant Wasp, Lookshy deploys Field Force Three — reinforced with ad-
ditional Immaculate sohei — to besiege it over other Confederation members’ objections. Pa-
limpsest is ultimately razed to the ground, though Covenant Wasp escapes.
615 Most of the Seventh Legion’s corrupt upper echelons perish when a First Age weapon deto-
nates at Gunzota Redoubt. Amilar supplants Nefvarin among the Gentes Major.
636-637 Purple Banner Revolt. Stoked by Iselsi agents, helots revolt over lack of substantial improve-
ment in their status after the Gunzota Incident.
637 Seventh Legion forces thwart Iselsi-sponsored invasion of the Scavenger Lands.
750-754 Thorns invades the River Province with Realm backing. Lookshy and allied forces defeat
Thorns’ army at the bloody Battle of Mishaka in RY 754.
768 The present day.
There’s much to divide Amilar and Yushoto. Amilar’s

sharp focus on theory and ideas runs counter to Yushoto’s
Scions of Note
emphasis on grounded, diverse approaches and needs,
Imperator Amilar Tzo Li Shon, a stern and reed-thin
while Yushoto’s largely apolitical Mercenary outlook
Fire Aspect just entering old age, remains vigorous
rankles Amilar’s Interventionist and Purist ideologues.
and vital. Born to River Province tinkers, the former
The two gentes share common ground largely in a shared
outcaste demonstrated his worth to Gens Amilar and
passion for teaching, their educators and administrators
the Seventh Legion many times over via battlefield
working hand in glove throughout Lookshy’s acade-
leadership, tactical innovation, and diplomatic prowess,
mies. But these find themselves at odds over students’
eventually marrying into his predecessor’s family and
future direction; an Amilar professor presses protégés
being adopted as her heir. He remains an outspoken
to explore cutting-edge systems and methods, where a
proponent of cosmopolitan thought, foreign trade, and
Yushoto strives to guide students to pursue their own
welcoming new blood into the city and his adoptive
personal interests and career satisfaction.
gens.
Amilar and Yan Tu share Interventionist political views
A staunch Interventionist, Tzo Li Shon has pursued con-
and an interest in innovative tactics and weapons. But
tracts with Great Forks, Sijan, and other River Province
their relationship faces political turmoil as Amilar Chalo
states, entangling the gens in their affairs. These con-
and Yan Tu Weko each struggle to claim the chumyo’s
tracts oblige Amilar to take a more proactive role in the
seat.
region, providing a useful pretext to reposition Lookshy
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as a hegemonic power that leads the Scavenger Lands frustration in his promotion from battle-sorcerer to strat-
from a position of prominence and strength. While egos. His new role offers the freedom to devise innovative
successful, these contracts have proven divisive; many applications for other Seventh Legion sorcerers’ talents,
Amilars see the gens as apolitical and strongly disagree but leaves little time to hone his own abilities. He now takes
with such involvement in foreign affairs. More than every opportunity to apply magic in service of his work — a
anything, the Imperator seeks a protégé amenable to his host of folded-paper shikigami file his paperwork for him,
vision who he can groom as his successor. while sorcerous fire sealed within his marrow obviates
most of his need for sleep. Operations Directorate peers
Amilar Usekko is a soldier, but has distinguished herself value his dedication and insight, but find his frenetic man-
in her family’s eyes through a frighteningly compre- ner and unblinking gaze disconcerting. Some worry that
hensive study of The Thousand Correct Actions of the he’ll burn out — or worse, crack under pressure.
Upright Soldier, the seminal textbook of Shogunate war-
rior-philosophy. She seeks to reconstruct the “true” text, Amilar Esu is young but grim, a dutiful sohei whose
and eagerly authorizes any mission or action that might studies of the Immaculate Texts have included seeking
bring her a unique translation or original fragment. She out the ghosts of Shogunate theologians and critically
also adheres zealously to Immaculate tenets, seeing The interpreting blasphemous texts scribed by Anathema.
Thousand Correct Actions — predating this fallen age’s As a member of Valkhawsen’s Central Administration,
corruption — as a handbook for holy war. She holds salons she’s vying for support to become the academy’s com-
for fellow officers who share her passions, offering subtle mandant in the wake of the previous commandant’s re-
but undeniable favoritism both to those who impress her tirement. If she does, she aims to transform Valkhawsen
with knowledge of both The Thousand Correct Actions into a bastion of Purist ideology; Eso fervently wishes
and the Immaculate Texts. She nonetheless ranks her- to return the academy to what she sees as its spiritual
self among the Interventionists rather than the Purists, roots. She’s gathered many sohei to her side, offering
deeming her religious ardor secondary to her duties. support and legitimacy to allies who exemplify piety,
evangelism, duty, and resolve — and who are willing to
An unorthodox sorcerer skilled in spells of fire and ignore or violate orders in order to oppose corruption.
air, Amilar Omonok has found both opportunity and
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A peerless historian and archeologist, Sijan-born

Amilar Khesem is also voraciously greedy. He’s gener- THE FLAMEBREAK
ated considerable wealth for the gens while leading its
vanguard scavenging team, the Last Breath Brigade. One In the aftermath of the Wildfire Coup, the Karal im-
of Lookshy’s greatest savants of the Underworld and the perator — facing intense pressure from her own
undead, he has a reputation for morbidity and eccen- family — assembled the Flamebreak, an advi-
tricity — but his family doesn’t hold this against him as sory council comprised of the heads of the gens’
long as he delivers results. He specializes in salvaging ten most prominent households, with the power
artifacts from shadowlands, and as such can rarely be to overrule an imperator’s decisions, name her
found in Lookshy proper, instead spending most of his successsor, or unseat her by two-thirds majority.
time on surveys, scavenging expeditions, and visits to Since then, the Flamebreak has served as a forum
foreign colleagues — not all of them among the for resolving internal disputes while avoiding the
living. He currently has his sights set on retrieving outward appearance of conflict within the gens.
goods from several sites in and around Thorns.
Current members of the Flamebreak include
far-traveled Karal Sakurai,
Sakurai, a retired ranger, dip-
Gens Karal lomat, and Intelligence Directorate spy; Karal
Mazen,, once a kazei in Field Force Three, now a
Mazen
Fire Burning Brightest garrulous font of stories about her military ad-
ventures; Karal Ren Zu,
Zu, a dashing junior admiral
Gens Karal has a reputation to maintain. Respected by as much renowned for fiscal ingenuity as naval
even the other major gentes for loyalty to the Seventh tactics; and Field Force One’s illustrious taimyo,
Karal Linwei (p. XX).
Legion, martial triumphs, and deep roots in Lookshy’s
history, the gens goes to great pains to maintain this The body leans Mercenary despite Imperator
prestige. Its scions are inculcated practically from the Maiandreia’s open-minded attitude toward Inter-
cradle with the virtues of loyalty (to family, the polis, ventionism. When she steps down, they’ll almost
and one’s Sworn Brotherhood), dignity, prudence, in- certainly name a more conservative successor.
dustriousness, probity, and competence.
The imperator and her council of senior advisors labor

to evaluate political stances, proposed military actions, problematic family members to prevent them from
and mercantile enterprises, ensuring that they’re never compromising the gens’ reputation.
seen as placing Gens Karal’s profits or individual scions’
needs above the good of Lookshy as a whole. The eldest The eldest Karals, including the imperator and most
among them recall a time when burnishing their image of her senior advisors, adhere firmly to the Mercenary
this way seemed essential to the gens’ very survival. faction, favoring steady maintenance of Lookshy’s emi-
nence in the River Province via extensive diplomacy and
carefully chosen military actions supporting the polis’
Social Standing allies. Many of these leaders are retired Legion officers
managing the gens’ political and diplomatic interests.
Three centuries ago, Taimyo Karal Lucar led his field
force against Lookshy itself in what history calls the Those leaders face an insurgency in the form of a grow-
Wildfire Coup, only for his own gens to spearhead the ing bloc of younger Karal officers on the front lines of
city’s defenses until loyal Seventh Legion forces could a rapidly and dangerously changing situation. Karal’s
arrive. Reputation and social status have preoccupied Interventionists argue that Creation is changing swiftly
Karal ever since. and the gens must change with it. The elders regard
Interventionist juniors as insufficiently experienced
Fretting over the slightest stains on the family’s care-
hotheads at best, with insulting intimations of cowardice,
fully maintained image, Karals will do whatever it
disloyalty, and Imperialist sentiments reminiscent of the
takes to erase them. Sometimes this means pressing
Karal coup that once divided the gens. The juniors deem
the wrongdoer to atone through action, finding glory or
their elders too calcified in their obsession with ancient
death on the battlefield. Often it entails closing ranks to
history, too divorced from the realities of rapidly growing
protect their own, downplaying or covering up fellow
dangers, to competently guide the family into the future,
Karals’ crimes or misconduct. But when circumstances
a stance that those elders deeply resent.
demand, the most ruthless Karals have been known to
sabotage, blackmail, or even — when all else fails — kill
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EX3
But the gens’ internal disputes go beyond mere politics. opportunities to achieve recognition while peacefully
For some Karals, the family’s longtime obsession over the furthering Lookshyan interests. Meanwhile, the Justice
appearance of honor has left actual principles by the way- Directorate attracts zealous Karals eager to flaunt their
side. Interventionists and Purists among them wish for the incorruptibility. Strategists and savants support the
Seventh Legion to oppose tyrants, Anathema, and other Operations and Stores directorates by refining new
unrighteous forces more aggressively — though few can military tactics, devising mundane weapons and tools,
agree on the nature of righteousness. Others stand with or researching salvaged First Age relics. And any other
the Isolationists, believing that Lookshyan hegemony does role that offers high repute — daring artist, charitable
more harm than good to the people of the River Province. merchant prince, expert chirurgeon — attracts its share
of scions.
The intensity of these quarrels hasn’t broken the public
perception of Gens Karal as a disciplined unit. But it’s Enemies and Alliances
only a matter of time before an open break in the fami-
ly’s united front makes their disunity known to all. Gregarious and congenial Karals maintain friendships
within every major gens and most minor gentes — their
Economics doors are always open to boon companions, and they
regularly host gatherings and celebrations to mark hol-
The gens’ mercantile interests include breeding horses idays, birthdays, and historic events. Politically, they’re
for use in Lookshy and abroad by the Seventh Legion. In closely aligned with Gens Maheka, whose political
far-flung ranch-manses, Karal carefully maintains God- conservatism parallels their own, and to a lesser extent
Blooded lineages tracing back to the Shogunate, rang- Gens Yushoto, whom they consider the tragically un-
ing from heavy war steeds to dainty palfreys. Recent dercredited backbone of many important humanitarian
successful experiments in hybrid vigor have leveraged enterprises within Lookshy and beyond. Relationships
ties to the Marukani horselords, who provide equine between Karals and Teresus — given their gentes’ very
breeding stock to enrich the gens’ stables. Ongoing different emphasis on maintaining appearances — vary
marriage alliances with the Marukani have facilitated considerably.
these efforts while increasing tensions with Karal’s de-
tractors, who perceive this — not inaccurately — as an Publicly, the gens doesn’t consider any Lookshyan its
attempt to curry influence in Marukani society. enemy. Karals prefer diplomatic solutions to internecine
conflict. While some of their ties with other Lookshyan
Similarly, the gens is deeply involved in weaponsmith- groups are strained, they nonetheless maintain open
ing. Most customers are Seventh Legion officers seeking lines of communication even with those whom they
distinctive, personalized arms reflecting their rank and distrust or oppose, such as Amilar’s Purists, Teresu
needs. Karal artisan-smiths are highly sought after; merchant princes, and the most reactionary Mahekas.
their in-depth training and immediately recognizable
yet constantly evolving aesthetic has rendered them Less openly, the gens’ hardliners are prepared to
martial tastemakers for centuries. strongarm, blackmail, frame, or — in extreme cir-
cumstances — assassinate troublesome individuals or
Serving the Legion households to preserve their vision of Lookshy, should
the General Staff’s politics shift against their preferred
Karals aim for high-profile or dangerous posts where course. Hardliners embark on these actions subtly and
they can win honor and prestige — whether to bur- cautiously lest the family’s name be stained, and readily
nish their gens’ image or their own, or simply out of shoulder all blame should they be caught.
principle. For many, this involves military roles where
they can seek glory on the front lines; postings with Prominent Members
Field Force One’s shock forces are particularly prized.
From these scions, the family desires victory, but also Eldest among the Gentes Major’s imperators, Karal
leadership skill and personal courage — and political Maiandreia is a flame that’s burned brightly for Lookshy,
savvy from those who ascend into the highest ranks. the Seventh Legion, and her family for centuries — cen-
The Operations Directorate absorbs many such scions turies she knows are reaching the end of their span. A
after their time on the front lines, providing further well-respected kazei and widely renowned authority in
opportunities for advancement. war and politics, she came of age during Karal Lucar’s
uprising, which forever colored her political instincts.
But renown isn’t found on the battlefield alone. The Achieving her current position in RY 615, she’s governed
Liaison Directorate’s diplomatic postings provide her family with a steady and capable hand since. She lent
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common sense and wisdom to stabilizing her gens and to fight alongside. Yet she finds herself ill at ease with
rebuilding Lookshy’s government following the Gunzota what Lookshy’s current political instability means for
Incident, supporting a series of conservative chumyos the River Province, and fears what decisions she must
but eschewing the reins of such power herself. make should she receive orders she cannot stomach.
But beyond that, she wonders whether it’s enough to be
Maiandreia’s wise counsel has served Lookshy well, strong and respected. Can Lookshy be more than a force
guiding a measured course of intervention when nec- for stability, but a force for justice, taking an active hand
essary, a hands-off approach when not. Unlike many against tyrants, demagogues, and idolaters?
on the Flamebreak, she’s willing to give fair hearing
to Interventionist Karals’ concerns, well aware that a Fox-Hunter’s quiet passion has dramatically influenced
generational shift is in progress within family and polis those around her, drawing in a cabal of like-minded
that may reshape Lookshy’s destiny, and may mean young officers. She meets privately with those who’ve
embracing more radical change than her more deeply earned her trust, discussing hypotheticals and winnow-
conservative advisors expect — or would accept. She ing information to find a path forward.
treads lightly, knowing that efforts sufficient to change
the gens’ course may see her removed from office. A century and a half ago, Karal Nereva was an ideal-
istic young official in the Security Directorate. Aghast
Ambassador Karal Kallias, a senior Liaison Directorate at the corruption endemic in the Seventh Legion — and
official, spent decades assiduously avoiding corruption at Gens Karal’s own role in it — he played a key role in
and impropriety. But when visiting Great Forks after orchestrating the Gunzota Incident, helping to conceal
the Battle of Mishaka to discuss reconstruction aid, the conspiracy from its targets until it was too late,
he found himself smitten by his opposite diplomatic then covering the conspirators’ tracks. Later he helped
number — Wisdom’s Shining Promise, God-Blooded choreograph the disinformation campaign that led an
daughter of divine triumvir Shield of a Different Day. overconfident House Iselsi to disaster in its military
He gave her all she wanted and more, though securing expedition into the Scavenger Lands.
significant concessions in turn. Courting her without
his family’s permission, he secured her hand with Today, Nereva — a soft-spoken widower known best
Dayshield’s blessing. for somber poetry — holds high rank in the Security
Directorate. He wields this authority to preserve both
Gens Karal acknowledged the union to save face, but Karal prestige and the image of the Seventh Legion as
Kallias’ great-grandmother Karal Mirian, head of their a whole, alternately covering up or exposing wrong-
household, resigned from the Flamebreak in shame. The doers among the citizenry. His concern now is with
Karal elders have privately made clear that they’ll only several young officers whose principled aims — such as
continue to support his career while his reputation re- more rights for helots, greater independence for River
mains otherwise pristine, with no hint of bias or disloyalty. Province polities, or deposing stable but cruel regimes
— might interfere with Lookshyan hegemony. He finds
Kallias joins Promise in Great Forks for a few months himself uncertain whether to undermine or support
each year; she likewise visits him in Lookshy. Both them.
accept that they’re now as much spies as diplomats,
expected by their families to gather information from
their journeys and spouses. This is of little import while Gens Maheka
Lookshy’s and Great Forks’ interests remain aligned,
but as tensions rise throughout the River Province, their Earth Unbroken by Armies
circumstances grow strained.
Gens Maheka is the bedrock upon which the Seventh
Raised a farmer in the petty principality of Tantivy, Legion stands. Whether in the officer corps, the
the outcaste Karal Fox-Hunter joined the bandit-reb- Directorates, the Shogunate Bureaucracy, or archi-
els struggling against Queen Rouda of the Iron Heel. tecture and artisanship, its scions quietly support the
Disillusioned when the victorious rebels tore Tantivy Legion and its traditions, standing together against cha-
apart in bloody vendetta, she wandered the Hundred os, weakness, and unorthodoxy. For many, this unity is
Kingdoms for years as a mercenary-hero before enlist- both uplifting and empowering. But for those who don’t
ing in the field forces and accepting sponsorship from fit in, it’s as smothering as being buried alive.
the gens she deemed most honorable.
Where Gens Makeha once built fortifications to protect
Now a taizei, Fox-Hunter is gratified to finally find the last remains of the Shogunate, now it defends the
a place for herself, a code to adhere to, and comrades Shogunate foundations of Lookshyan culture. When a
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believing such foolhardy strategies would upset the

TRADITIONALISM: THREE STANCES delicate balance of River Province politics and waste re-
sources better used to shore up weak points in Seventh
While Gens Maheka stands strong behind Sho- Legion fortifications. Interventionist Makehas must act
gunate and Seventh Legion traditions, its scions craftily to avoid censure or reassignment to insignifi-
don’t always agree on what those traditions are. cant postings.
Most fall in line with one of three broad stances.
Conservatives — the dominant group — believe Despite counting many gifted engineers, tacticians,
that Maheka should adhere strictly to its current artists, and scholars among their number, Mahekas
traditions. Antiquarians wish to hew ever closer have an undeserved reputation for being slow-witted
to the Shogunate’s original ways, and research and unimaginative. In truth, they understand well the
lost traditions, methods, and customs that Look- unorthodox attitudes evinced by other gentes, the lower
shy has long forgotten — or never knew, having classes, and foreigners. Many Mahekas relish playing
been practiced in far-distant Shogunate provinc- the stereotypically muleheaded role that others assign
es. Descriptivists
Descriptivists,, lastly, view tradition as that them, exercising tremendous patience before pulling
which is broadly accepted throughout Lookshy the rug out from under a rival at a dramatic moment.
today, and press for Gens Maheka to adapt to a
changing Seventh Legion. Economics
Gens Maheka traditionally deals in construction, min-
Shogunate tradition falls out of favor, Maheka officers ing, and the manufacture of arms, armor, and other mili-
drill recruits in its practice. When discipline fails in a tary supplies. Its financiers prefer to invest in old, stable
field force, a Maheka officer stands tall, a silent pillar businesses, and maintain longstanding commercial ties
of self-control. When the Shogunate Bureaucracy with Lookshyan merchants; they’d prefer to keep their
speaks out against the General Staff, Gens Maheka lis- money in Lookshy rather than dealing with Guild enter-
tens. Maheka upholds Lookshy as the Shogunate’s last prises and other foreign entities.
stronghold; without its ancient traditions, the Seventh
Legion is nothing more than a mercenary legion. Maheka’s iron-taming saints pursue an artisanal tra-
dition said to trace back to old Deheleshen under the
Shogunate. They specialize in creating artifacts tailored
Social Standing to their client’s personality and his past deeds in the
Seventh Legion’s service, centered around one pillar
Imparting Shogunate traditions and ideals to the next
of the Code of the Righteous Warrior. Their tradition
generation is paramount to the Maheka elders. They
demands equal standing; a saint only accepts a commis-
expect each scion to be an exemplary Seventh Legion
sion from a client whose past deeds are roughly on par
officer — a disciplined warrior soul who knows when to
with her own accomplishments as an artisan.
draw a blade and when to leave it sheathed. Those who
take easily to such traditionalism see their career path
smoothed by their elder and peers. But those with dif- Serving the Legion
ferent ideas, or who find themselves struggling to follow
convention, face a rockier climb. Any Makeha written Above all else, Gens Maheka emphasizes courage in the
up for disciplinary action finds the Legion’s punishment face of adversity. Its scions are lauded both for standing
mild, compared to the disapproval of the gens’ elders. firm against the enemy’s onslaught and for rallying their
soldiers to do the same. Some families favor Field Force
Gens Maheka tempers youthful exuberance with ma- Two’s opportunities for infantry to hold the line; others
ture professionalism, assigning an elder to mentor each prefer Field Force Three’s focus on siege warfare, where
scion upon coming of age or adoption into the gens. This Maheka experience with construction and logistics
tradition bridges the gap between generations, allowing comes into play.
the protégé to become more comfortable with the gens’
elders and ensuring the elders don’t isolate themselves Mahekas hold a reputation as expert planners and
from younger Dragon-Blooded. Mentors usually only researchers who study every text and consider every
take individual protégés, but an elder in charge of a scenario before acting, finding details and flaws others
major construction project may take many. miss. The Seventh Legion values them as architects,
generals, Directorate officials, and sorcerer-engineers
Maheka’s conservative leaders draw a hard line against whose projects will finish on time and on budget.
Interventionism and Imperialism within the gens, It’s not uncommon for scions with such meticulous,
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methodical dispositions to seek out postings in the pursuing free trade, and avoiding proactive political
Operations and Stores Directorates or the Directorate and military involvement beyond quashing threats
of the Adjutant-General. to the Scavenger Lands’ overall balance of power.
Interventionist detractors say that his policies squander
Gens Maheka’s traditionalism leads many scions into opportunities to expand Seventh Legion power and in-
fields where they can uphold and perpetuate tradi- fluence. But his youth taught him to fear the unintended
tional ideas and values, such as justiciars, sohei, and consequences of such new directions, no matter their
teachers. Others pursue this goal within the Shogunate intentions.
Bureaucracy, seeing it as the ultimate bastion of
Lookshyan heritage. Nonetheless, Interventionist and even Imperialist sen-
timents are on the rise in both the officer corps and the
Enemies and Alliances General Staff, inflamed by the potential opportunities
of the Time of Tumult. Dazan finds his position tenu-
Gens Amilar’s emphasis on innovation places it in direct ous, and spends more time than he likes politicking to
opposition to Gens Maheka’s ideals. Maheka adminis- prevent a vote of no confidence that would remove him
trators and educators dedicate much of their efforts from office. He’s come to dread leading Seventh Legion
toward undermining Amilar influence in Lookshy and forces in the field, as it isolates him from day-to-day
the Seventh Legion. General Staff interaction.
The Karals are the Mahekas’ strongest allies in River Imperator Maheka Jitnas is among her genera-
Province realpolitik. Likewise dedicated to the tion’s greatest architects and geomancers. She’s also
Mercenary ideology, Gens Karal’s quick charisma bal- the Shogunate Bureaucracy’s Supreme Minister of
ances out the Mahekas’ caution. But Karal openness Aesthetics and Recreation, a position she uses to
to changing traditions puts the two gentes at odds in disseminate traditionalist values and Maheka’s ide-
internal Lookshyan politics, and disagreements with ology through commissioning public art and funding
allies can be more infuriating than those with enemies. select entertainers. She sees Maheka as the guardian
Karal and Maheka justiciars especially are known for of Shogunate traditions and midwife to a resurrected
fiery conflicts over legal philosophy and the disposition Shogunate. She’s a calculating political strategist, and
of individual cases. has never let sentiment stand in the way of her agenda.
But she’s dedicated to nurturing conservative protégés;
Gens Maheka finds fault with Gens Teresu’s extrava- she sees them as the gens’ future, and dotes on them like
gance, vanity, moral flexibility, and close ties with the a devoted grandmother.
Guild. Nonetheless, Maheka considers Teresu’s military
branch a reliable supporter of Seventh Legion interests, Jitnas is particularly critical of Chumyo Dazan, whose
and relies on Teresu’s merchant fleet for its own com- personal unpredictability and unwillingness to submit
mercial and construction enterprises. to her authority rankles her. She’d support his ouster as
chumyo, surrendering that post to another gens, so long
Scions of Note as a more pliant Maheka replaced him on the General
Staff.
Maheka Dazan, chumyo of the Seventh Legion and
The iron-taming saint Maheka Yanagi is held in high
Field Force Two’s taimyo, rarely matches his rivals’
regard throughout Lookshy as a virtuoso jadesmith. A
expectations. A nonconformist hellion in his youth, his
deeply traditional and pious man, he’s also charming,
firsthand experience with devastation caused by mil-
gregarious, and inquisitive. Fascinated by others’ lives
itary adventurism — most notably his participation in
and experiences, he converses regularly with clients,
the razing of Palimpsest — brought him around to match
wishing to better understand them so that his craft
his gens’ conservative political stances. Yet his tactics
bears their personalities’ stamp. He also travels exten-
remain unpredictable, whether on the battlefield, in the
sively throughout the River Province to view inspiring
political arena, or even in administration. Dazan ignores
landscapes, study unfamiliar artistic styles, and sample
his staff’s attempts to keep him to a schedule, often
local cuisine; his travelogues circulate widely among
rearranging his day without informing them. Much to
Lookshy’s cognoscenti.
junior officers’ apprehension, Dazan appears in unex-
pected locations, ready to discipline any infraction. As a famous adept, his artistic tradition limits him
to clients of equal repute. Rather than turning away
Dazan pursues a traditional Mercenary agenda: sticking
inexperienced petitioners, he offers them hospitality,
to short-term contracts rather than indefinite treaties,
discusses their goals, and offers encouragement. He
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EX3
sprinkles this with advice, hints, and sometimes out- up to her parents’ expectations, unable to admit that
right directions regarding potential achievements that she needs help, and lacking emotional support, she’s
might make them permissible clients. developed an opium habit and shut out her assigned
protégés, and has recently sunk into a languorous de-
Stubborn and rebellious, Maheka Galith couldn’t be pression. She’s thus far successfully attributed failures
forced into the family mold by detentions, lectures, to her subordinates, but this has reduced morale and
or even corporal punishment. A meeting with family increased insubordination. Unless she overcomes her
leadership ended with Galith fleeing Lookshy and the familial struggles, she’s headed for a fall that could both
gens declaring her a deserter. Now she wanders the leave Lookshy vulnerable and destroy her career.
Scavenger Lands, plundering ancient ruins none other
dares brave and recruiting other Seventh Legion desert-
ers for expeditions. Officially, the General Staff aims to Gens Teresu
bring her back into the fold — or failing that, end her
dealings with Lookshy’s rivals, such as House Ragara Water Flowing with Jade and Silver
and the Mask of Winters. But some believe that she’s a
deep-cover agent for Gens Maheka or the Intelligence Appearance is everything to Gens Teresu. Its scions
Directorate, working with the General Staff’s consent to pour silver into parades and ceremonies, equip their
funnel relics, lost lore, and information on her clients troops with exquisite uniforms, and boast of every
back to the Seventh Legion. achievement. Many of their peers think they flaunt
wealth and care more for pomp and displays than
Maheka Nirita is a woman of incredible piety and results, but the truth is less obvious. Teresu scions are
faith — or at least she presents herself as such. Sensitive deeply concerned with cost, and for a military family
and high-strung, her overbearing family nonetheless the greatest cost is the loss of men and equipment. So
maneuvered her to high rank in the Stores Directorate they posture to appear strong and unassailable, making
at a relatively early age, seeking to fulfill their own grand displays of power to discourage enemies without
ambitions through her. Fearing herself unable to live ever suffering the costs of engagement.
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Being a Teresu is about knowing when to be the roaring

wave and when to quietly ride the currents. No matter RUBY STITCH
what position one serves in the house, the strategy is
the same: loud, overwhelming successes, and unspoken When garments are damaged in battle, instead of
withdrawal from danger and failure. A Teresu scion replacing them, Teresus — and occasionally sci-
presents their best face and never lets anyone see their ons of other gentes as well — traditionally prefer
flaws. to have them mended with scarlet embroidery em-
bellished with silver, gold, and various vivid colors.
Social Standing Called “ruby stitch,” this style serves as a mark
of honor, spotlighting one’s combat experience. It
Everyone knows Gens Teresu’s triumphs, and its vast also saves money; this can help conceal a family’s
wealth and naval power make it an important force in descent into genteel poverty.
Lookshy. As a result, the Teresus always have social
The practice has grown elaborate since its incep-
coin to spend: their successes may seem overplayed and
tion, with distinctive stitching practiced by special-
their pomp exasperating, but it’s impossible to deny ist tailors and a complex coding system for the col-
their contributions. Respect for Teresu may sometimes ors and patterns employed, although some favor
be grudging, but never lacking. the original, archaic style of unembellished red.
Slashing and embroidering undamaged clothing is
The gens’ military and mercantile branches trace the considered déclassé.
length and breadth of the Scavenger Lands along rivers
and coastlines, projecting power and influence with a
swiftness that other gentes can only envy. But the two
have different interests and mindsets, and hold distinct All along the Scavenger Lands’ rivers, Teresu merchants
reputations within Lookshy. maintain warehouses, trading posts, and private estates.
These double as stopping-points, residences, and un-
Military branch scions traditionally enter the Lookshyan official embassies for Lookshyan travelers. Field forces
Navy, where they predominate among the officer corps. often quarter troops in such locales, for which their
They’re known for dynamism and elan, and command owners are compensated handsomely.
as much respect as Field Force officers.
The General Staff’s approbation for Teresu profits
The smaller mercantile branch’s scions devote them- comes in large part from the gens’ opposition to the
selves to commercial endeavors, command the gens’ Guild. The Seventh Legion mistrusts that vast commer-
mercantile fleet and private military escorts, or hold cial conglomerate, which it sees as a significant threat to
Directorate posts. Some say they value wealth above its hegemony over the River Province. Teresu mercan-
allegiance to Lookshy. Nonetheless, they’ve gathered tile interests work to ensure that Guild businesses don’t
many clients who offer them favors in exchange for gain inroads in and around Lookshy, fighting a shadow
financial support. war amid bazaars and ledgers.
Economics The gens is a major patron of the arts. Instead of profit,

this offers opportunities to shape Lookshyan and River
Teresu’s merchant fleet dominates Lookshyan trade, Province culture, emphasizing Teresu styles and play-
contracting with the General Staff to supply the city ing up their prestige as seagoing heroes and bounteous
with raw materials and to provision field forces and magnates. Most Teresu scions — especially in the mer-
redoubts throughout the Scavenger Lands. In turn, the cantile branch — study the fine arts, and a few make it
Lookshyan Navy offers preferential treatment to Teresu their life’s work.
vessels, speeding them through customs and providing
escorts against river pirates. Serving the Legion
Shipbuilding and warehousing trades in Lookshy also Almost every Teresu serves at least one five-year stint
fall under the Teresu umbrella. The Seventh Legion in the Lookshyan Navy — and often more — whether for
contracts military ship construction to Teresu, whose the honor of military service or in preparation for the
master shipwrights seek new innovations to improve family’s mercantile ventures. During this time, a Teresu
naval power, speed, and efficiency. Most other merchant scion is expected to sail far and wide, learning her fam-
vessels purchased in and around Lookshy come from ily’s operations and trade routes while absorbing the
the Teresu shipyards. diverse ideas and sights that such a tour offers. A Teresu
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EX3
who avoids naval service is mocked as seasick; she may

bear that shame for the rest of her days, albeit as no
Scions of Note
more than good-natured ribbing if she distinguishes
Renowned more for principle and oratory than for
herself sufficiently in the field forces.
military acumen, Teresu Mardun first came to promi-
Though the Teresu merchant fleet serves the gens’ am- nence in his youth through public criticism of cronyism
bitions, those ambitions align with the Seventh Legion’s among the General Staff. After the Gunzota Incident,
needs. Teresu flotillas secure Lookshy’s economic inter- he rose quickly to shozei in the Lookshy Navy, with a
ests, warding away would-be competitors and ruthlessly reputation for cool-headedness, generosity, and strict
eliminating pirates. Scions not directly involved with sea- but fair discipline. Seeing how thinly Lookshy’s forces
borne operations often serve in the Intelligence, Liaison, were spread and how Seventh Legion contracts were as
Security, and Stores directorates, putting their cosmopoli- likely to support brutal tyrants as upright princes, his
tan experiences and entrepreneurial skills to effective use. political stance drifted toward Isolationism.
The previous Teresu imperator, a respected Mercenary

Enemies and Alliances admiral, adopted Mardun as her heir both out of per-
sonal admiration and in hopes of building bridges with
Teresu naval officers look to Amilar strategoi for new the gens’ mercantile branch. Since becoming imper-
and dramatic tactical approaches and armaments, while ator, Mardun has sought to consolidate Teresu’s naval
Teresu merchant princes value Amilar researchers’ strength, sharply cutting back on hiring out the gens’
innovations in new trade goods and fabrication meth- private forces to foreign powers. Much of his time is de-
ods. But while these form the basis for strong working voted to correspondence and debate with other Seventh
relationships, the two gentes’ divergent politics and Legion notables. While he still supports a powerful and
mindsets often preclude deeper alliances. influential military that enforces security within the
River Province, he believes that the Scavenger Lands’
Gens Sirel remains a loyal client of Gens Teresu. Sirels more distant reaches should be allowed to chart their
hold commissions in the Lookshy Navy, make invest- own course.
ments on Teresu recommendations, and even foster
heirs in Teresu households. But this relationship is not As head of the mercantile branch, Teresu Alazi is referred
entirely one-sided. For all Teresu’s prominence within to informally within the gens as the “imperator minor.”
the Navy, the fleet admiral is a Sirel scion, and the po- A skilled and determined negotiator, she once held high
tential for reprisal has stemmed the worst of Teresu’s rank in the Liaison Directorate, eking out concessions
plans to exploit its client gens. on military contracts. Today she oversees Teresu invest-
ments and business interests in concert with a handful
Riverborne Teresu merchants deal closely with Gens of key mercantile branch heads, arranges marriages for
Nerigus’ landbound caravans. Teresu’s financial scions of mercantile families, and liaises with Mardun
strength generally makes it the patron, offering loans over mercantile branch scions’ career paths. The two
and investments, and acting as go-between to swiftly maintain an uneasy peace, with Mardun holding official
convey Nerigus merchants and cargoes through the authority but Alazi holding the gens’ purse strings.
Scavenger Lands’ river network. Teresu merchants
sometimes accompany Nerigus expeditions to offer Living a spartan lifestyle at home, Alazi nonetheless em-
financial backing and seek new commercial opportuni- braces Teresu extravagance elsewhere to strengthen the
ties, only with Teresu taking the back seat. gens’ image. She wears opulent garments and jewels to
salons, financially backs artists, and provides charitable
Teresu’s mercantile branch works to ensure that Guild donations to impoverished citizens, metics, and even
enterprises, such financially potent Great Houses as helots — although she vociferously opposes abolition-
Cynis and Ragara, and other rivals don’t gain too much ism. Ruthless in maintaining the upper hand over Gens
economic leverage over Lookshy and its neighbors. But Nerigus mercantile interests, she dedicates significant
it’s willing to collaborate with one rival against another, effort to keep Nerigus out of the lucrative river trade.
making for complicated relationships. Last year’s hated
adversary is this year’s cherished dinner guest, and As a young naval officer, Teresu Gayalusa proved her
experienced Teresu merchants maintain uneasy long- worth with numerous victories, most notably by crip-
term friendships with many foreign rivals. pling Iselsi maritime supply lines during that house’s
ill-fated invasion of the River Province over a century
ago. After retirement from the fleet, she became a strat-
egos, demonstrating her tactical expertise in numerous
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EX3
conflicts. She briefly returned to active duty to lead a

squadron against Thorns’ navy over a decade ago.
THE CHANGING SEASONS COMMAND
Ambitious and driven, Gayalusa currently seeks promo-
tion to the General Staff. She borrows money from dis- As old as the gens itself, the Changing Seasons
tant cousins in the mercantile branch to host galas and Command was established by Yushoto’s founder
offer patronage to famous artists, aiming to promote her as an advisory body. The imperator delegates much
image and her candidacy. She also wields her influence of her authority over the gens to the Command —
— both authority in the Operations Directorate and even a veto on her choice of heir — although this
friendship with other powerful figures — to support has changed before, and may again in the Time of
and uplift her allies and protégés, in large part to accrue Tumult.
favors against future need. Four members serve at the imperator’s pleasure;
four others are elected for eight-year terms by the
With the rise of new threats in the Time of Tumult,
heads of all Yushoto households. Current members
Gayalusa hopes for opportunities to return to field com- include Yushoto Lonida,
Lonida, a jovial, soft-spoken vet-
mand. Another naval victory would enhance her creden- eran sohei famed for insightful commentaries on
tials further; but she takes joy in the fight itself, relishing the Immaculate Texts; Gray Legion taimyo Yushoto
the challenge regardless of how it affects her ambitions. Agat,, renowned as an authority on battlefield med-
Agat
icine; Yushoto Silon,
Silon, founder and chief adminis-
One of the gens’ most renowned captains is Teresu trator of the diplomacy-oriented Emerald Crane
Mata, the Dragon of the Yanaze. Flamboyant and ter- Academy; and retired sorcerer-engineer Yushoto
rifying, she enters battle in a dragon mask and scaled Hepalo,, now a well-connected merchant prince
Hepalo
cape, staying in the thickest fray to satisfy her craving famed for philanthropy and patronage of the arts.
for blood and glory. Once a Lookshyan Navy captain,
she transferred to the Teresu merchant marine, whose For decades, the Changing Seasons Command has
broader latitude for captains’ initiative and reduced remained largely apolitical, focusing on supporting
oversight allow her to more easily gratify these urges — Yushoto interests. But as chaos envelops the Scav-
and to more easily profit from captured pirate vessels. enger Lands, some question this approach. Debate
grows lively concerning the gens’ overall political
Though her aggressive tactics stray from standard prac- stance — whether Mercenary, Interventionist, or
tice, Teresu applauds Mata for her success in drastically Isolationist.
decreasing river pirate activity. She’s accomplished this
with a combination of ferocious combat and quiet deals.
She serves bloody execution to pirates threatening
Teresu merchants, ignores those who ignores them in Gens Yushoto
turn, and secretly works with pirates who’re willing to
sell out rivals or lend aid to Teresu. Wood Whose Roots Grow Deep
The clever, yet indolent, merchant Teresu Westwind To the Yushotos, the Seventh Legion is a wild and
prefers working as an intermediary and manager, letting wondrous garden, and they the gardener. Emphasizing
others handle the most difficult work while he directs from individual needs and talents, the gens encourages di-
a position of comfort and reaps the rewards. He deals heav- verse pursuits among its scions, aiming to nurture their
ily with other gentes, mainly Karal and Maheka, arranging strengths and allow them to branch out into every field.
deals between them and foreign purchasers while taking a Likewise, they seek to support Lookshy as a whole,
cut for himself and his shipping crews. He bases his actions lending their aid to their peers outside the gens with
on how they’ll reflect on himself first and Teresu second. little thought of recompense.
Once a Guild merchant who’d reached the limit of Yushotos like to see the best in others, both their kin
what ambition the organization allowed to outcastes, and the Seventh Legion as a whole. Most are happy to
Westwind sought further advancement in Gens Teresu. do favors for fellow scions of Lookshy without think-
He retains Guild connections throughout the River ing too hard about the consequences. And though
Province, but doesn’t deal with them directly to avoid rarely involved in corruption themselves, they can
accusations of favoring his former colleagues over be quick to forgive and absolve their peers of impro-
Teresu interests. Nonetheless, his subordinates and priety and illegality in order to maintain a peaceful
Guild merchants share contacts, trading posts, and in- status quo.
vestment opportunities.
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EX3
The Changing Seasons Command — a council of or animal feed. Yushoto also has a strong interest in
Yushoto’s eldest and most accomplished members — textiles, its magnaneries producing copious amounts
maintains the gens’ neutrality, insulating it from politi- of luxurious silk in high demand amongst the rich in
cal strife to sustain its role as a supporter of Lookshy as a the Scavenger Lands. The sale of these goods provides
whole. This detached stance pervades the gens’ politics; Yushoto with income, while guarding them in transit
Yushotos largely adhere to Mercenary ideology out of provides Yushoto scions with valuable experience as
a desire for balance rather than dedication to its prin- guards and sailors.
ciples. Should Lookshy’s political winds shift toward
Interventionism, the Changing Seasons Command is Serving the Legion
ready to follow.
Yushoto scions spread through every element of the
Social Standing Seventh Legion apparatus. They’re field force and
naval officers, Directorate administrators, Shogunate
Yushoto’s individualism makes it difficult for outsid- Bureaucracy ministers, sohei, sorcerers, merchants,
ers to view it as a monolith. This perception benefits artisans, scholars, and more. Most pursue their own
the gens, as outsiders with grudges against individual inclinations or follow the path of some respected family
scions rarely extend their enmity toward the gens as a member or heroic figure. Elder Yushotos seek out and
whole, but where Yushoto scions share in this percep- mentor young scions who still seek direction for their
tion, cooperation and solidarity falters. careers.
Insofar as Yushotos have a collective reputation, they’re More specifically, Yushoto individualism often leads
viewed as easygoing, supportive, and politically neu- scions to seek out forms of military service that empha-
tral. Some say they make excellent advisors and aides, size autonomy, flexibility, and spontaneity. Becoming a
but poor leaders — an unfair assessment, but one that strategos or ranger is a common dream among young
occasionally influences promotions, transfers, and sub- Yushotos, who compete fiercely for attention and
ordinates’ morale. tutelage from elders in these fields. Retired strategoi
and rangers often capitalize on their fame by taking on
The gens’ ethos of nurture without judgment extends teaching posts or founding their own academies.
to the rest of the Seventh Legion. Their long history
of serving as mediators between rival Lookshyan Another popular Yushoto career is sorcerer-engineer,
factions — such as diplomacy following the civil strife following in founder Yushoto Baraka’s footsteps. In
of the Spilt Tea War, or negotiating promotions to the addition to forming an excellent compromise for this
General Staff after the Gunzota Incident — established nontraditional gens’ more conservative scions, it pres-
a tradition whereby other gentes’ scions ask Yushotos to ents the unique opportunity to pursue a centuries-old
arbitrate personal disagreements. For many, this makes sorcerous tradition.
the gens seem more trustworthy. Others resent Yushoto
after feeling wronged by a scion’s decision. Admiration for the gens’ own ethos leads a dispropor-
tionate number into the teaching profession or the
Economics Directorate of the Adjutant-General, where they can
help members of other gentes find their own paths just
Gens Yushoto maintains several highly profitable busi- as Yushotos do. Retired officers often capitalize on their
ness ventures, encouraging young scions to explore fame by taking on teaching posts or founding their own
and conquer new fields of commerce. The Changing academies.
Seasons Command uses the resulting income to support
new ventures. Successful scions reap praise and politi- Enemies and Alliances
cal influence; those who fail to make a profit must labor
for a time under more successful kin — both to repay Gentes Yushoto and Maheka disagree on how to best
the investment and to further their entrepreneurial serve the Legion. Yushoto individualism irks more con-
education. servative Mahekas, who point to occasional turmoil be-
tween young Yushoto as proof that the gens’ approaches
Agriculture is among Yushoto’s most stable income are flawed. Meanwhile, Yushotos find Mahekas’ ap-
sources, growing such cereals as rice and maize along proach stifling to innovation.
the fertile riverbanks east of Lookshy. These crops
supply Lookshy’s massive military first and foremost, No gens is more closely tied to Yushoto than Gens
but are also sold independently to those who need food Nefvarin. Since the Gunzota incident, Yushoto has
48
EX3
offered financial support to Nefvarin, nominally to mission to infiltrate the Guild. Quietly plucked from the
help it back onto its feet. Now, the Changing Seasons military at an early age in recognition of his skills and
Command calls on Nefvarin scions for extended services loyalty to the Legion, Dalaro has lived two lives for over
to offset the resulting debts. Feeling owned by Yushoto, a decade. His mission is to obtain rank and influence
many Nefvarins feel resentful rather than grateful. within the Guild sufficient to ferret out secrets and
weaknesses of value to the Seventh Legion.
Yushoto finds itself deeply entangled with Guild mer-
cantile endeavors. This relationship oscillates between Dalaro has succeeded in the first half of his mission,
partnership and fierce competition, trending more standing at a merchant prince’s right hand and ro-
toward antagonism in recent years. Yushoto sees the mancing a Guild hierarch’s personal assistant. But he
Guild’s vast financial powers as a potential threat to grows hesitant as tensions escalate. He feels more con-
Lookshy, and collaborates with the Security Directorate nected to his life as Taltzen than as Dalaro, and his Guild
in counterespionage operations targeting Guild spies paramour’s love pulls him further from the Legion each
within Lookshy’s walls. Yushoto rangers and mer- day. This divided loyalty haunts him, driving him to oc-
chants spy in turn on Guild enterprises throughout the casional drinking binges and wanton brawling that may
Scavenger Lands. threaten his secret identity.
Scions of Note Once an outcaste Yellow River pirate with a penchant for
stealing and raising exotic beasts, Yushoto Broken Chain
Imperator Yushoto Okani grew up two centuries ago sought security and purpose — not to mention protection
as corruption burgeoned among the Seventh Legion’s from the Lookshy Navy — with Gens Yushoto and the
officer class, and her sense of righteous purpose led her Seventh Legion. After a stint in the Navy, they gathered
to join the conspiracy behind the Gunzota Incident. a new pirate squadron and placed it at the gens’ disposal.
Today she’s firmly dedicated to the Mercenary ideol- Their Red Hawks were a point of pride for Yushoto for
ogy, believing that as long as the officer class remains years, until they mistook a Sijanese funerary vessel for
honorable and the Seventh Legion remains dedicated to a pirate ship in a heavy fog and attacked. Sijan calls for
its traditions, Lookshy cannot fail. She labors continu- Broken Chain’s punishment; some Yushoto close ranks
ally toward this end, leaving little time for her personal to defend them, while others squarely blame Broken
passions — gardening, the culinary arts, and classical Chain for failure to lead. For their part, all Broken Chain
Deheleshen poetry. wants is to return to favor. They’re approaching young
Yushotos with increasingly desperate and risky ideas to
Okani watches Lookshyan political issues closely, but reverse their fortunes.
has a blind spot when it comes to the changing exter-
nal circumstances of the Time of Tumult. She doesn’t
wish to meddle with other gentes’ affairs; thinking of
Seventh Legion Leadership
the horrors of the Gunzota Incident fills her with dread All of Lookshy’s highest-ranking officials serve on the
at the thought of harming her fellow Lookshyans again. General Staff; their military and administrative roles are
But she also fears opening investigations that might integrated with their governmental duties. The General
inadvertently unearth the Gunzota conspiracy. Staff proper, consisting of the chumyo and six other
members, sets policy for the Seventh Legion as a whole.
Yushoto Rilodan, also of the Changing Seasons The Administrative Staff, comprised of two dozen other
Command, desires to see Yushoto take a less impartial Lookshyan notables, serves as an advisory body.
role in Lookshyan politics and to see the Seventh Legion
as the Scavenger Lands’ hegemon. He commands loyal- Vacancies on the General and Administrative Staffs are
ty amongst Yushoto Imperialists and Interventionists, filled by majority vote of the General Staff; much fa-
and himself supports Amilar Chalo — the firmly vor-trading goes on behind the scenes. Likewise, a ma-
Interventionist taimyo of Field Force Four — to be the jority vote of the General Staff can replace the chumyo
next chumyo should Maheka Dazan step down. His with any General or Administrative Staff member. All
upcoming marriage to Chalo’s sister bodes to further members of both bodies are Dragon-Blooded.
embroil him in Gentes Major politics. He’s currently
maneuvering to ensure that when Yushoto Ouhota re-
tires from the General Staff, an Interventionist Yushoto
The General Staff
takes her place.
Maheka Dazan: Chumyo; Field Force Two’s taimyo.
Mercenary; he’s forced to compromise with rising
Most know Yushoto Dalaro as Guild merchant Taltzen
Interventionist sympathies on the General Staff.
Linn of the Ivy Wheel trading company, his cover on his
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compromise between rival ideologies. Well-respected

RETURN OF THE SHOGUN for wisdom, insight, and smoothing over the General
Staff’s internal conflicts. Elderly and in failing health;
The Seventh Legion prides itself upon upholding they’re expected to retire shortly.
the Shogunate’s traditions, and bases its authori-
ty on the final orders received by General Nefvarin The Administrative Staff
Gilshalos to defend the River Province until a new
shogun arises. Naturally, pretenders to the title Some of the more notable Administrative Staff members
have arisen over the centuries. All have failed. include:
While Lookshy’s histories admire Shogunate cul- Amilar Bright Spring: Field Force Four’s taimyo.
ture and institutions, they also acknowledge the Supports Amilar Chalo, leaning in favor of his
transience of its dynasties and the era’s political Interventionist stance. Young, unorthodox, and innova-
and military chaos. And few on the General Staff tive. Especially sympathetic to outcastes.
— a governing body invested in its own authority
— would consider surrendering power to a puta- Yushoto Gehoubu: Intelligence Directorate taimyo.
tive Shogun; no matter how legitimate her claim, it Interventionist; wishes to remove potentially troublesome
would never be legitimate enough.
foreign powers early. Former ranger and spy with contacts
Would-be shoguns face political opposition, mob across the River Province. Supports Yan Tu Weko.
violence, sabotage, or even assassination. Worse,
they face apathy. Whatever the Lookshy Directive Karal Bei-Malar: Justice Directorate taimyo. Largely
says, Seventh Legion culture opposes transgres- apolitical, but leans Mercenary. Once a famous justiciar;
sion of the chain of command, limiting a dema- charismatic and well-liked among the citizenry. He
gogue’s reach. abstractly values justice and takes pride in Lookshy’s
legal system, but prioritizes keeping the peace and min-
imizing scandal. Allied with Karal Linwei, but invested
in preventing any potential alliance between her and an
Amilar Chalo: Operations Directorate taimyo. A candid Interventionist bloc.
Interventionist, he’s aggressively undermining Dazan’s
position. He seeks Dazan’s seat out of personal ambition, Maheka Kesen: Liaison Directorate taimyo. Mercenary,
although not at the expense of Seventh Legion stability. with quiet Interventionist leanings. They’re a brilliant
but taciturn administrator, and a cosmopolitan with a
Karal Linwei: Field Force One’s taimyo. She’s officially deep understanding of foreign cultures and govern-
Mercenary for family unity’s sake, but privately open to ments. Allied with Yushoto Gehoubu.
Interventionist views if presented persuasively enough.
Teresu Geren-Zu: Security Directorate taimyo.
Sirel Sogrun: Taimyo of the Lookshy Navy. Mercenary, Mercenary. Always on the job; offers favors easily in
but devoted to Gens Teresu; often backs Teresu Irongate exchange for information. Deeply suspicious of House
on key issues. She’s old, well-respected, and conserva- Iselsi ever since its long-ago invasion of the Scavenger
tive, with little personal life outside the Navy. Lands, and vigilant for any sign of foreign subversion
within Lookshy.
Teresu Irongate: Stores Directorate taimyo. Isolationist, but
prioritizes Teresu and Stores interests; readily sides with Maheka Okata: Taimyo overseeing foreign legion
Interventionists or Mercenaries in exchange for concessions. training and deployment. Mercenary. A stiff-necked
Obsessed with the image of logistical readiness, he ruthlessly traditionalist, she sees non-Lookshyans as barbarians
cracks down on leaks about Seventh Legion shortages. needing the Seventh Legion’s civilizing influence.
Delaying retirement to fend off her most likely succes-
Yan Tu Weko: Field Force Three’s taimyo. Leans
sor, Kiriga Genai, a rising star in the foreign legions and
Interventionist/Imperialist, but ambition comes first;
an outspoken Imperialist.
she’s maneuvering to gain power for herself and for
Gens Yan Tu, and ultimately to seize the chumyo’s seat. Toriki Tianbei: Director-General of the Shogunate
Her recent elevation to the General Staff has destabi- Bureaucracy. Isolationist, but prioritizes maintaining
lized the Mercenary status quo. the Shogunate Bureaucracy’s power above all else.
Old, stubborn, and devoutly Immaculate to the point
Yushoto Ouhota: Taimyo of the Directorate of the
of eccentricity. She has longstanding grudges — more
Adjutant-General. Mercenary; deems it a satisfactory
personal than political — against many General Staff
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mercenary contracts that often amount to tribute.

THE LIMITS OF MERITOCRACY Threats to revenue are mercilessly dealt with, and
Lookshyan propagandists spread tales of the Legion’s
For all that the Seventh Legion values merit over might and prowess across the River Province. Many ag-
blood, outcastes face barriers to advancement. gressors quit the field before facing the Seventh Legion
Those who don’t join a gens can’t draw upon the in battle — victory before Lookshy musters a single fang.
connections the gentes offer, slowing promotions
and severely limiting opportunities for high rank or The Seventh Legion
advantageous marriage. Those who do join a gens
fare far better, but still aren’t on an entirely equal The Seventh Legion consists of numerous military
footing with scions born into the gentes. Outcastes branches. At its heart are the field forces, simultaneous-
seeking the highest offices do have a chance, es- ly its greatest weapon and strongest political tool. But it
pecially if they marry into the most prestigious old encompasses a range of other military branches, from
families — Amilar Tzo Li Shon’s accession as im- garrison forces and rangers to the Lookshy Navy and
perator isn’t unheard-of — but they’ll always be the Sky Guard.
half a step behind native-born peers.
All Lookshyan land-based forces follow the same inter-
nal hierarchy: Five soldiers form a fang, five fangs make
members. She almost never attends meetings personal- a 25-person scale, five scales a 125-person talon, five
ly, sending a deputy instead. talons a 625-person wing, and two wings a 1,250-person
dragon, with each sub-division under an officer. While
Bukane Jade Bell: A prestigious sohei advising on guard and ranger hierarchies stop there, field forces
matters of the Immaculate Faith, both religious and unite five dragons under a kazei. Each dragon also
political. A military veteran, he prioritizes the spiritual has a “tail” — roughly a wing of support and specialist
needs of the field forces over the Faith’s civilian activi- personnel including accountants, animal handlers,
ties. Publicly apolitical, he has quiet Purist leanings and laborers, medics, messengers, scribes, servants, sohei,
connections. and sorcerers not expected to see combat, along with
hundreds of oxen, mules, and other beasts of burden.
Nerigus Baro: A retired Stores Directorate official and
famed artificer, advising on economic matters and the Legion strategic doctrine emphasizes unity and intelli-
Guild. Interventionist, focusing on the economic ben- gence. Sworn Brotherhoods and heirloom artifacts are
efits of controlled warfare and the threats posed by the encouraged, and rarely separated. Battle formations re-
Guild and by the Realm’s mercantile Great Houses. inforce unit strengths and protect weaknesses. Doctrine
recognizes strength in diversity, as well as thoroughly
Karal Saiyenzi: A retired field force taimyo and understanding one’s enemies. Rangers and spies con-
former ambassador to the Blessed Isle, advising on stantly monitor the entire theater of battle and beyond
Realm affairs. Once Mercenary, she now quietly leans — both for nascent threats and to seed propaganda. The
Imperialist, seeing opportunity to fill the power vacuum best victories are won before battle is joined.
should the Realm collapse. Highly approachable; quick
to nurture ambitious scions. Soldiers are trained to follow orders without question,
engaging the enemy with speed and precision. However,
Teresu Enefara: A retired taimyo of Nechara Redoubt, the legion recognizes that no battle goes according to
advising on southeastern Scavenger Lands affairs, plan, and rewards soldiers who seize opportunities — if
particularly Vaneha. Mercenary, but deeply concerned they’re successful.
with external threats; she’ll support Interventionists
willing to take a hard line on Vaneha — or, to a lesser Logistically, the legion depends heavily on riverine
extent, other dangerous foreign powers. transport and the River Province’s sometimes-unre-
liable roads and paths. Units forage to supplement ra-
tions of grain and dried meat. Legion contracts stipulate
The Seventh Legion Military quantities of provisions the hirer must supply, based on
distance from Lookshy and local hardships. Supply lines
The Scavenger Lands tremble at the sound of Lookshy’s
are considered vital; disruptions are dealt with urgently.
legions marching to war. Yet for all the Seventh Legion’s
magnitude, it’s thinly stretched across the Scavenger Legion discipline is harsh. Punishments range from beat-
Lands’ vast area. The General Staff knows the Legion ings for insubordination, to whippings, torture, and death.
is barely sustainable despite heavy taxes, tariffs, and Losing Legion artifacts through cowardice or carelessness
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soldiers wear their hair long, wrapped in intricate coils

NONCITIZEN EXALTED beneath polished helms. They maintain their equipment
with regimented discipline, under brightly colored pen-
Despite laws forbidding helot-citizen marriage, nants denoting their field force and unit. Before battle,
there are rare cases of helots Exalting. They suf- sohei lead prayers to Lookshy’s gods, during which time
fer some stigma among the gentes, and they’re individuals take the opportunity to reinforce personal
watched carefully for signs of sedition, but over- oaths of allegiance and honor.
all they have better opportunities for advancement
than outcastes; they’re still culturally Lookshyan, Field forces, unlike the Realm’s legions, aren’t fungible.
and helots have always had opportunities for citi- Each specializes in a distinct approach to war. Likewise,
zenship. Slaves and metics who Exalt hold similar
status, being less Lookshyan than citizens but mo-
reso than outcastes.
is treason. Officers deliver judgement and sentencing at

their discretion, often after consultation with sohei, other
officers, and the soldier’s comrades. Many factors are
weighed; Exalted are granted more leeway in adjudication,
but face harsher punishments if found guilty.
Mercenary work is a regrettable necessity to reliably

season troops and fund the Legion’s maintenance
across the vast River Province. Lookshy hires out field
forces and foreign legion units to any able to afford
them. Prices vary with numerous factors, including how
closely the purchaser’s goals align with Lookshy’s, the
number of Exalted within the units hired, other military
purposes for which Lookshy needs these units, other
potential hirers, the distance to be traveled, the season
and terrain, etc. Contract negotiations may take days
or months, with chuzei and higher ranks authorized to
initiate discussions. Every contract must be approved
by a taimyo — or by the General Staff for an entire field
force — with the negotiation period initiating Legion
investigations, both subtle and overt, of the purchaser’s
true goals and needs.
Field Forces
The Seventh Legion is the glittering host common folk
sing about throughout the Scavenger Lands. Field force
SPECIALIST RANKS
Haizei: Skyship captain.
Sazei: Naval captain.
Shugan-junai: Military sorcerer.
Wai tan-junai: Sorcerer-engineer.

their dragons and wings are heterogeneous subunits, innovates new weapons and strategies to supplement
each dedicated to specific functions. Lookshy’s dwindling occult arsenal.
Field Force One is a highly mobile shock force com- Navy

posed of Lookshy’s finest, its skirmishers and recon-
naissance units surrounding a core of heavy cavalry and Lookshy’s navy is small compared to its land forces
mounted infantry. Field Force Two is primarily infan- — and compared to the Realm’s vast fleets — but still
try, aimed at open engagement against conventional sizable, with its rowers, sailors, and marines sailing un-
Scavenger Lands armies. Field Force Three focuses on der white and crimson pennants. Its few artifact ships
siege warfare and monster hunting. Field Force Four
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typically remain in reserve for Lookshy’s defense. The

remainder take on military contracts, ferry troops and DISPERSED DRAGON-BLOODED
supplies along the coast and rivers, escort merchant
ships, hunt pirates, or stand in readiness to discourage While the Seventh Legion counts perhaps three
rival navies. thousand Dragon-Blooded under its banner, only a
minority of those reside in Lookshy. At any given
A score of naval kazei and shozei serve under the taimyo time, the majority are abroad. Many are on active
as junior admirals. They direct flotillas and task forces duty in the field forces, the Manse Guard, at re-
on an ad hoc basis in accordance with instructions from doubts, or similar posts. Others serve in the Direc-
the taimyo and the Operations Directorate, and serve as torates as ambassadors, intelligence agents, and
staff officers when not needed in the field. While offi- the like. Still others go about civilian business or
cers are intermittently moved around to broaden their have retired to foreign estates. Families often travel
horizons and break up cliques, they remain in place for with them, such that it’s not uncommon for scions
years at a time to take advantage of regional knowledge, to be raised entirely abroad. Indeed, a few Scaven-
experience, and connections. ger Lands cities see so many Seventh Legion res-
idents that they maintain their own Lookshy-style
Officer roles in the navy largely lack the prestige of the academies for their use.
field forces; Lookshy views itself as a land-based power,
and many scions of the gentes see the fleet as offering
fewer opportunities for glory and advancement. Gens
units mix novice recruits, ambitious idealists eager
Teresu, Gens Sirel, a handful of traditional naval fam-
to prove their worth, and disillusioned veterans who
ilies, and outcastes dominate the officer ranks. While
didn’t make the cut for field force deployment. Because
most common sailors are helots, the navy also welcomes
foes rarely threaten the city directly, the Home Guard
metics from maritime peoples like the Calinti and
tends toward complacency and arrogance. Rather than
Gloamese.
pennants, Home Guard units are signified by colored
The Sky Guard helmet plumes and ribbons woven into armor.
Kazei Nefvarin Shou-Yu commands Lookshy’s Sky The gentes sometimes try to place scions considered
Guard. On paper and in song, this is a great honor. In too valuable — or incompetent — for real combat with
reality, she commands a mere handful of mothballed the Home Guard for their mandatory Legion service.
skyships — ranging from colossal aerial cruisers to Taimyo Maheka Varil considers such tricks and bribes
three-person flying chariots — and a small force of arti- an affront to the Legion’s honor and to herself, purging
ficers, sorcerer-engineers, and sky-marines. As a further recruits suspected of such from the ranks.
shame, the Sky Guard now lies under Navy command.
The prestigious, well-equipped Manse Guard secures
Still, the Sky Guard isn’t wholly ceremonial. Each sky- Lookshyan manses both at home and abroad. Because
ship takes a shakedown cruise every few years to ensure all manner of critical First Age apparatus — skyships,
that it’s functional and to give skyship crews practice warstriders, siege engines, and the like — depend
for when their skills are needed. And in major crises — upon hearthstones, Seventh Legion doctrine prior-
such as the war against Thorns a generation ago — aerial itizes manse security. Taimyo Bukane Winter Rose
assets still deploy into the field. works closely with the Intelligence and Operations
Directorates to ensure that reinforcements are always
Garrison Forces available in advance of any attack on a manse, and with
the Security Directorate to ward off saboteurs.
Lookshy’s guard units maintain order over the city,
surrounding settlements, and foreign exclaves. They A reserve force, the Gray Legion encompasses the
also provide training grounds for field force soldiers. weak, infirm, or unfit for duty, and those retired from
When field forces require new bodies, they look to the active service. In emergencies, Lookshy can muster an
garrison forces first. Many garrison-force soldiers grow army of Gray Legion light infantry larger than all field
bitter as the Legion passes them over for assignment in forces combined. Gray Legion members train weekly,
the more prestigious field forces year after year. for which they receive nominal pay and time off from
other occupations. Membership is a source of civic
The Home Guard defends Lookshy above all else. This pride; it’s also a channel by which members of diverse
mandate includes policing, tax collection, peacekeeping social classes come together as Lookshyans.
duties, and suppression of helot revolts. Home Guard
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begrudgingly so when the two groups’ tactical objec-

PRIVATE SECURITY tives conflict. Rangers also have authority to recruit
anyone useful to their goal. Many recruits are expend-
Beyond the Legion’s own might, the gentes employ able dupes kept ignorant of Legion involvement.
their own loyal guards. Sometimes these private
forces come from Lookshy’s own Gray Legion. Foreign Legions
These troops make easy money guarding estates,
caravans, ships, and traveling dignitaries. Wealthi- Lookshy’s foreign legions take in non-Lookshyan
er families hire exotic foreign warriors, prioritizing hopefuls seeking post-service citizenship. Some are
loyalty to themselves should Lookshy endure an- seduced by Lookshyan propaganda; others enlist to
other bout of internal strife. escape justice or slavery; yet others are simply starving
and lost — the foreign legions accept them all. Their
training is unforgiving. Recruits live and die in service
in exchange for basic rations and the promise of sins
Redoubts forgotten. For many, this is enough; for others, the
reward of citizenship provides motivation. Many fail
The Legion has established several fortified redoubts basic training — they die, are maimed, or desert. Those
in strategic locations throughout the Scavenger Lands, who pass serve in military campaigns far afield and
reassuring allies and threatening potential rivals. Each guard remote redoubts. They know the field forces view
is a self-contained fortress under its own taimyo — some them as expendable, and throw themselves into battle
hold enough troops and supplies to launch major cam- to prove their worth.
paigns, while smaller, secret redoubts serve as ranger
refuges and weapon stockpiles. The largest redoubts Artifacts
can support an entire field force and allied troops
against protracted sieges. The Legion’s First Age wonders are failing. Small
faults accumulate, whether cascading into catastroph-
Any attack on a redoubt is considered an attack upon
ic failure or dead equipment to be cannibalized for
Lookshy itself. The Legion’s reprisals are famed as
parts. Maintaining an arsenal of lightning ballistae,
swift and unforgiving throughout the River Province,
implosion bows, warstriders, and more is staggeringly
though the reality is tempered by concerns of logistics,
expensive. The General Staff knows Lookshy’s success
diplomacy, distance, and perceived importance of the
is partly attributable to fear of its artifact arsenal, and
site. Redoubt troop allocations are based on local needs.
goes to extreme measures to hide this decline. Rangers
For instance, additional forces have been stationed
spread propaganda throughout the land, while Security
at Marukan Redoubt southeast of Lookshy as a check
Directorate operatives mislead, suborn, or — in extreme
against Thorns, and at Nechara Redoubt to discourage
cases — assassinate those who investigate too deeply.
Vanehan expansion.
Wonders forged, unearthed, seized in battle, or other-
Rangers wise obtained by Lookshyan Dragon-Blooded — dai-
klaves, direlances, and the like — are theirs to keep,
The Seventh Legion’s intelligence and espionage arm, and often become heirlooms within their gens. Their
rangers are drawn from the ranks of the field forces. ownership is taxed, however, while donating them to
Ranger command reports directly to the General Staff the Seventh Legion’s arsenal yields handsome com-
and is granted broad autonomy and authority to ad- pensation. The Legion obtains other artifacts when
vance Lookshy’s cause by any means necessary. Dragon-Blooded die intestate or as gifts from their
heirs. It prioritizes assigning artifacts long-term to
This freedom provides diverse assignments. Rangers act Dragon-Blooded who’ve awakened their Evocations, to
as advisors to both Lookshyan and allied commanders. maximize their strategic value.
They infiltrate, investigate, and assassinate enemy lead-
ers. They hunt spies and traitors, and spread pro-Legion Legion-sponsored expeditions scour the Scavenger
propaganda throughout the Scavenger Lands. Success, Lands for materials and lore to maintain its sorcerous
no matter how unorthodox, is rewarded with promo- arsenal. Rangers seek caches of forgotten artifacts and
tions, honors, and another mission. raid First Age tombs, while the Liaison Directorate
obtains others through bargains with princes and mer-
All Seventh Legion units are expected to provide chants. And Amilar-heavy research teams test mundane
the rangers with sanctuary and support — albeit substitutes, from toxic gases to reconnaissance balloons.
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The Valkhawsen Way

Sorcery and Lookshy While Valkhawsen doesn’t proscribe any form of sorcer-
ous understanding, its sorcerous curriculum is designed
Lookshyan sorcerers play a prominent role in the
to guide students along a path of meditation, ritual, and
Seventh Legion. Battle sorcerers deployed alongside
communion with Creation’s Essence through dissolu-
field forces reinforce military stratagems through oc-
tion of the self.
cult tactics — manipulating weather ahead of a pitched
battle, ambushing enemies with spells that scythe
Shaping Rituals
through entire battalions, or summoning whirlwinds
• Empty-Mind Enlightenment: Once per day, the
to carry elite Dragon-Blooded soldiers to strategically
sorcerer may meditate or engage in a mind-clearing
vital locations. Sorcerer-engineers maintain and master
ritual, rolling (Intelligence + appropriate Ability)
the intricacies of the Legion’s arsenal of legendary First
and banking sorcerous motes equal to her success-
Age wonders. The Immaculate Faith’s elite sorcerer-ex-
es. Traditional meditation uses Integrity; tea cere-
orcists subdue foreign gods, bind demons, and lead the
monies use Socialize; reciting poetry or performing
Wyld Hunt against terrifying Anathema that threaten
ritual dances uses Performance; playing out com-
the Legion’s regional hegemony.
plex Gateway scenarios uses War; and so on. These
Though much of the Legion’s sorcery is devoted to sorcerous motes last until the story ends or she uses
warfare and maintaining its arsenal, the city of Lookshy this shaping ritual again.
benefits as well. Infallible Messengers convey crucial
• Glimpse the Void: Inhaling subterranean vapors,
correspondence for the gentes, General Staff, and
smoke from burning oleander, or other mind-al-
Shogunate Bureaucracy. The sacred Spring of Danaa’d’s
tering fumes, the sorcerer glimpses truths beyond
Joy is warmed by the salubrious flame of a fire elemen-
mortal ken. Once per story, she can enter such an
tal sealed away centuries ago by a sorcerer-exorcist.
ecstatic trance and describe the vision she receives,
Wooden posts strung with bells and carved with lumi-
rolling (Essence + Willpower) and banking sorcer-
nous symbols repel birds and vermin from the fields of
ous motes equal to her successes, which last until
gentry wealthy enough to retain a sorcerer’s service.
the story ends. She can subsequently declare that
her vision symbolized the events of the current
Valkhawsen Academy scene as part of a stunt, gaining (Essence x [stunt+1])
sorcerous motes for that scene. She can only make
Lookshy’s premier academy of sorcery and artifice oc- such a declaration once per story, and must base it
cupies more of a fortified compound than a traditional on her most recent vision.
campus. Surrounded by high outer walls, Valkhawsen
is dominated by several heavy stone buildings, sturdy • Talismanic Focus: The sorcerer can prepare an
enough that even a massive explosion is unlikely to ofuda, cloth-doll talisman, engraved curse tab-
affect the surrounding city. let, or similar ritual implement with a difficulty 2
(Intelligence + [appropriate Craft or Linguistics])
Students study a foundational curriculum of occult roll; a difficulty 4 roll provides effectively as many
theory, engineering, philosophy, alchemy, and artifice. talismans as the sorcerer requires. Once per scene,
Those with the potential to initiate into sorcery pur- the sorcerer may incorporate a talisman into a Shape
sue advanced courses of deep introspection, breaking Sorcery roll, destroying it, to accrue an additional
down their egos and attaining true self-understanding (higher of Essence or 3) sorcerous motes. Talismans
through meditation — whether emptying the mind via can only be used by the sorcerer who created them,
ritualized tea ceremonies, memorizing volumes of poet- and only remain potent for a week.
ry, immersing themselves in games of complex strategy,
and even inhaling psychedelic fumes from a tectonic Other Benefits
fault deep beneath Valkhawsen. Ritual Master (•••): Once per week, the sorcerer can
add (Occult) Charm dice on a roll to successfully per-
Not all who graduate from the academy become sorcer-
form a complex religious or social ritual, a roll based on
ers; many acclaimed artificers, physicians, sohei, archi-
strategy — including Strategic Maneuver rolls and rolls
tects, and artists hail from its esteemed halls. Conversely,
to play Gateway or other games of strategy — or a roll
many Lookshyan sorcerers study at lesser academies or
based on meditation, often made as part of a Charm.
find some other path to power. But Valkhawsen sorcer-
ers are renowned throughout the River Province for Enlightened Contemplation (••••): Once per day, after
their uncanny power and understanding of Creation’s spending an hour meditating, performing a tea ceremo-
mysteries. ny or other ritual, playing strategy games, or a similar
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practice of this initiation, the sorcerer rolls (Intelligence

+ appropriate Ability) at difficulty 3. Success completely YES, COMMANDER
restores her Essence pools, and adds (Ability) to the
number of motes she recovers each hour for the rest of The Storyteller and players should discuss how
the day. to handle situations where one player character
outranks another and may give orders, demand
Sorcerer-Exorcists obedience, and punish disobedience. Such sto-
ries work well when everyone’s on board with how
Sorcerer-exorcists are both devout sohei of the player character officers choose commands and
Immaculate Faith and expert sorcerers, renowned for punish transgressions. While one character may
piety, devotion, and prowess much like grandmasters of make the final decision, all players might discuss
Immaculate martial arts. Few attain this elite rank; they the matter and come to an agreement as to what
must complete the academic and spiritual training nec- the ranking character’s orders should be. This may
essary to be recognized as a sohei, initiate into sorcery, also be a useful approach for when a Storyteller
and lastly, complete an apprenticeship under a veteran character outranks the player characters, depend-
sorcerer-exorcist. ing on the desired tone and style for the chronicle.
The position conveys few temporal benefits, but many

duties. Sorcerer-exorcists are expected to serve as a casualties stinking of blood, sweat, and waste; medics
constant example of spiritual purity for both sohei fighting carnage and infection; monks blessing the liv-
and the laity alike; to lead lives of austerity, forgoing ing and cremating the dead; the same bland stew served
the comforts sorcery offers and using their power only for weeks on end; terrifying ambushes; the heartbreak
for selfless service; and, if they must, to lay down their of cowardice.
lives to ensure that the Immaculate Faith triumphs over
rogue gods, malign spirits, and the Anathema. There’s At the other extreme, Lookshy’s gentes both oppose
one notable perquisite of the position, however: the supernatural adversaries and wield occult might
Lookshyan law forbidding the summoning of demons themselves. The Dragon-Blooded leave no battlefield
and elementals doesn’t apply to sorcerer-exorcists. untouched by their power. Forest fires ignite, the earth
shatters, poisonous brambles impale enemy troops,
Not all sorcerer-exorcists live up to these ideals — and howling gales whip away screams amid floods and
they’re as capable of self-interest, hypocrisy, cruelty, storms.
and other flaws as anyone else, and a bound retinue of
demons and elementals can satisfy base and inhumane Between battles, units must scout, forage, manage logis-
desires much more expediently than any mortal cro- tics, restock redoubts, navigate Legion politics, and me-
nies. Without any formal religious institution behind diate between opposing parties who turn to the Legion
the Immaculate Faith, such wayward sorcerer-exorcists for adjudication. Officers also work to recruit outcastes
answer only to prominent devotees’ social censure and to their gens and to Lookshy’s cause.
the self-policing efforts of other sorcerer-exorcists.
Field forces rarely go to war at full strength. The
Scavenger Lands’ sheer size demands deployment fru-
Storyteller Advice: gality. Often this leaves troops caught outnumbered and
War Games ill-equipped for unforeseen circumstances until rein-
forcements arrive. Initiative, infiltration, diplomacy, ex-
Stories set in the Seventh Legion showcase the glory ploration, and individual heroics are expected of troops
and horror of war — the heart-pounding excitement of in these situations. Characters separated from Legion
pitched battles, bloody victories, or ignoble defeat and supply lines and support make for more personal stories,
desperate retreat. Warfare provides clear objectives providing players with the tension of individual danger.
and defined enemies. Lookshy’s role as defender of the
Scavenger Lands grants Storytellers an easy excuse to The Time of Tumult offers countless opportunities for
use a variety of foes, from Wyld mutant hordes, Fair conflict. The most obvious option is Thorns’ piecemeal
Folk incursions, fantastical monstrosities, and foreign expansion to the south, where the General Staff seeks
Exalted to mortal nations vying for power and resources. further intelligence — and perhaps an alliance with
supportive local or Realm interests — before interven-
Remember that battle is visceral. Its details are har- ing. But this is just one of many ongoing or incipient
rowing and compelling — screaming charges; groaning conflicts within Lookshy’s sphere of influence.
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Vaneha turns its attention once more to the Hundred

Kingdoms. The Intou Shogunate’s heirs seek to restore FURTHER AFIELD
their former empire. Countless minor polities war
against their neighbors. Guild enterprises, backed by Stories set away from the Seventh Legion offer dif-
mercenary armies, profit through raiding and intimida- ferent character and scenario options for players.
tion. And the Anathema are on the rise — both newly Lookshyan merchants, scavengers, sorcerers, and
fledged Solars overturning the old order, and Lunars spies roam Creation on the Legion’s behalf. Those
taking advantage of the chaos to press their agendas. fleeing justice, like deserters and criminals — and
those Lookshy sends after them — also have rea-
The Wyld Hunt son to be among foreigners far from home. Legion
mercenaries may be stuck in remote locations on
Wyld Hunts are part of the Legion’s mandate to protect missions they refuse to fail.
the River Province, just like its other military opera-
If reports of lost lore or vital sorcerous ingredients
tions. Given the terrifying power of the Anathema, such
are deemed credible enough, the Legion will risk
missions accept only volunteers. Traditionally there’s expeditions to distant and wondrous lands — even
been no shortage of these, as joining the Wyld Hunt into the deadly Wyld or Underworld. Expeditionary
offers religious fulfillment, public glory, and opportu- forces require means to send their discoveries
nities for advancement within the Seventh Legion. In back, and to return upon mission completion —
practice, certain Dragon-Blooded — Lookshyan and which can be an odyssey in itself.
outcaste alike — have found themselves “volunteered”
to join a Wyld Hunt against an Anathema nearby.
By longstanding arrangement, Realm Dragon-Blooded Behind the Lines

can freely enter the Scavenger Lands to accompany
Lookshyan Wyld Hunts and vice versa, so long as they Not all Seventh Legion need focus on military maneu-
leave their soldiers at the border. Dedicated shikari on vers. Lookshy’s merchants and traders negotiate for
both sides have struck up friendships in this way over vital supplies and report on the status of foreign nations
decades of shared hunts. But as the Realm falls into dis- and trade routes between them. Rumors they hear —
array, fewer Dynasts devote themselves to such efforts. and spread! — can also benefit the Legion.
This makes it more difficult to pin down Anathema
crossing between the River Province and adjoining Scavenger teams search for and explore caches of for-
satrapies. Such delays make targets more powerful, gotten artifacts. Even the traps and wards surrounding
placing shikari in greater danger. such places are valuable. Access to some sites requires
skilled diplomacy or larcenous aptitudes. Sorcerers
Despite the Seventh Legion’s military might and scour Creation — and sometimes beyond — for means to
longstanding diplomatic ties, it lacks the Realm’s over- maintain Lookshy’s crumbling First Age infrastructure
whelming dominance over its sphere of influence. If and artifacts, and craft new ones. Itinerant sohei pro-
need be, Lookshyan Wyld Hunts can storm into villages mote the Immaculate Faith throughout the province,
and petty principalities without warning. But when an dealing with wayward spirits and officiating over festi-
Anathema appears in a powerful polity like Great Forks vals and private affairs.
or Nexus — especially someone holding an important
political or social role — the Legion must make political Rangers infiltrate allied and enemy states alike, from
arrangements before officially sanctioning a Wyld Hunt the Realm to the Hundred Kingdoms, reporting on
to avoid a diplomatic incident. intrigues and threats. They spread Legion propaganda
and suborn, threaten, or otherwise silence those too vo-
Stories involving the Wyld Hunt showcase the terrible cally opposed. Ranger cells sabotage enemy states and
might of even nascent Anathema, along with the moral keep lines of communication clear across the Province
quandaries faced by the Hunt. Do the characters slaughter
a village to slay the newly Exalted Solar the villagers will The Dragon-Blooded are equally potent in intrigue
die to protect? Or do they stay their hands, allowing the and politics. Lookshy’s gentes vie for status, wealth,
village to harbor the child until the Solar becomes un- and power with as much zeal as the Realm’s Great
stoppable? These stories emphasize difficult choices that Houses. The gentes work to place their own scions in
might conflict with characters’ morals or strain their re- influential positions. Legionary officers steal glory from
lationships. Yet they can equally demonstrate the Legion’s rival families’ commanders and intercept sealed orders.
heroism in facing down some of Creation’s most powerful Merchants cheat rival gentes and even Lookshy itself
beings, and the glory that comes with such deeds.
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when they can get away with it, their revenues procur- or Prasadi might appear as emissaries requiring Legion
ing heirloom artifacts, private soldiers, and spies. protection.
Foreigners Outsiders under false pretenses — such as Dynastic

spies or hidden Anathema — may also have their place
Foreign characters have many potential roles in Seventh in Seventh Legion games, disguising themselves as
Legion games. Some outcastes join a gens to gain outcaste recruits or mortal aides. Such characters
Lookshyan citizenship. Happily independent outcastes must conceal their true loyalties against discovery by
(and other Exalted, such as Exigents) may work more Lookshyan peers. It’s typically best to discuss such
loosely alongside Lookshyans, whether gathering intel- things at the table before play; it’s the characters who
ligence in the field or joining a Wyld Hunt. Even Dynasts should feel betrayed, not fellow players.
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Smoke and ash choked the air. Screams and shouted orders rang out over the insistent crackle of
the spreading savanna fire. Burano Heliu Barucha swung her axe, its wind dispersing the haze in
a ring around her. Her scale was scouting ahead of the Prasadi legion’s main body, searching for
ambushers in the grasslands. Barucha had to admit she’d found some.
Three enemy soldiers lay dead around her, armored in Volivat’s style. Also fallen was Barucha’s
adviser and translator, a young and inexperienced Sage Caste scholar, now never to grow older.
Barucha shook her head. Then she whistled, sharp and piercing, until her remaining soldiers
emerged from the smoke to rally around her.
An impressive number of Barucha’s troops had survived the initial ambush, but the battle
wasn’t done. She heard Volivati warriors darting through the haze of the fires they’d set, clearly
outnumbering her unit. But she focused her hearing just so, and pointed her axe into the smoke
where their commander hid. She issued an invitation, politely using his own ugly language: “Come
and face me, jackal of dubious parentage, if you fear no gods.”
A champion of Volivat strode into view, towering over his fellows. He wore profane tattoos, heavy
iron armor, and cruel spiked gauntlets. “Ah-ha. I expected to catch a few mortals, not a well-spoken
Dragon. Yet she confuses my pedigree for her own. I know well my parents — all ten of them.”
Barucha grimaced in disgust and dismay. She’d hoped to frighten off a mortal commander and
spare her soldiers a longer fight, but she ought to have expected one of the Yennin. She couldn’t
fathom their bizarre parentage, but their unnatural strength was real enough. Killing the perverse
champion might not be easy.
But the dead scholar at her feet urged vengeance. Barucha sighed, carefully stepped over him, and
gestured to her scale. They began quietly singing a familiar hymn in praise of her warrior-courage
and strength.
The hymn helped focus Barucha’s spirit, and she summoned a grin that would set any foe’s blood
boiling. “Are you Yennin all related?” she asked. “Because if so, I’ve killed two of your cousins. If I
described them, perhaps you could tell me their names.”
The Yennin warrior raised his chin and glowered down at her. “Perhaps we are. And perhaps
there are five of us for each Dragon. Perhaps there are ten, each of us carrying the strength of ten
heroes!”
Barucha sank into a ready stance, axe poised across one shoulder, off-hand forward. Her jade-
reinforced leather coat creaked. “Yet I see only one of you here.”
Volivat’s champion growled and sprinted forward with shocking speed. By the time Barucha’s axe
left her shoulder, the Yennin had reached her and slammed a great gauntlet into her gut. The blow
knocked the breath from Barucha, and she had no time to block his other gauntlet’s follow-up strike
across her face.
Essence suffused Barucha’s skin at the point of impact, and the yennin’s gauntlet rang like a bell
striking stone, failing to move her even an inch. His eyes widened in surprise, and Barucha’s anima
flared, a pulse of seismic force flinging him back several yards.
As the Yennin found his footing, Barucha’s soldiers found their voice. Their hymn rose, and the
prayer’s uplifting power filled Barucha’s chest. She took a centering breath and spoke to her enemy:
“You carry the strength of ten heroes. I carry the faith of an empire. Hardly a contest.”
Barucha rushed forward, axe descending like a meteor.
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Chapter Three
Prasad
On the other hand, Clan Burano’s discipline is often seen
Clan Burano as stubbornness, and its orthodoxy as conservatism.
While this is true more often than the clan might like,
Stone That Towers Toward the Sky many remain deeply committed to critically examining
and refining Prasad’s traditions.
Stable but not stubborn, strong but not brittle, Clan Burano
doesn’t see itself as Prasad’s foundation. Foundations stand Growing Up in Clan Burano
fixed, immobile, unable to adapt to change. Rather, Burano
raises up airy towers of society and law, forever rebuilding Burano children face a highly structured upbringing,
and reshaping, anchored in solid ground but always aspir- which can be stifling or liberating. Early tutelage focus-
ing to new heights. The clan builds on Prasad’s indigenous es on self-discipline, etiquette, ritual purity, basic schol-
ways and the conquering Dynasts’ disruptive traditions, arship, and physical fitness, all in accordance with the
aiming to harmonize and refine them into an ever more clan’s most recent educational consensus. This includes
powerful and resilient whole. determining and fostering the child’s useful talents, but
doesn’t consider their desires.
Renowned for dedication and discipline, Buranos often
serve Prasad and their clan as generals, bureaucrats, Clan Burano’s private academies all share a monolith-
scholars, teachers, financiers, and artisans. Though dis- ic, comprehensive core curriculum determined and
inclined to wanderlust, many journey abroad in pursuit occasionally revised through the Peacock Rite. Burano
of their duties and to master foreign ways, the better to scions frequently face rigorous aptitude tests to deter-
help Prasad confront the challenges of a changing world. mine how best they might serve and strengthen Prasadi
society, with the expectation that they will pursue the
Social Standing path advised by their elders. Those who deviate from
their elders’ expectations risk a lifelong black mark on
Burano scions enjoy a formidable reputation for being their names, but a scion who can justify her rebellion
serious, disciplined, tenacious, patient, erudite, and with a well-made argument citing the clan’s traditions
wise. Their officers’ unshakable drive inspires confi- might gain more acclaim than if she’d simply followed
dence among soldiers and fear in foes; few dare bribe her preordained path.
their seemingly incorruptible bureaucrats. Burano
savants are a byword for perfect memory. Clan Leadership
The clan is overseen and managed by a karta, in whom ul-
THE PEACOCK RITE timate authority is vested. This is an elected official drawn
from a candidate pool of the eldest and most experienced
When significant disputes arise, Burano scions Burano Dragon-Blooded. Elections are held within the
engage in a ritualized debate originally practiced clan every twenty-five years, and kartas are expected to
by local philosophers, called the Peacock Rite. A campaign for at least a second term before retirement.
panel of arbiters, chosen by lottery from interested
individuals, hears arguments both for and against Since rani-satrap Burano Rohavin’s election, her expan-
the tradition under review. When each side has ex- sionistic policies have been a wedge within the clan. While
hausted its argument, the debaters exchange po- her agenda enjoyed majority support among her clan
sitions, and the arguments begin anew. While only when she was elected as tanist, the margin was never over-
experienced Buranos may argue in a Peacock Rite, whelming, and some supporters have reconsidered their
younger Buranos engage in mock debates prior to views. Heated arguments have broken out everywhere
the Peacock Rite and assist the debaters in prepar- from academy classrooms to the White Jade Table, and
ing their arguments. the Peacock Rite has been held more often since Rohavin’s
ascension to rani-satrap than in many decades.
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C hapter T hree : P rasad
PRASADI LEXICON
caste: The four broad social strata that make up Prasadi society. At the bottom, the Corporal Caste deals with
menial and unclean labor. Above them, the Caravaner Caste deal in commerce, travel, and warfare, while the
Sage Caste are intellectuals, advisors, bureaucrats, and mortal children of the Dragon Clans. The Dragon Caste
encompasses Prasad’s social elite — the Dragon-Blooded members of Clans Burano, Ophris, and Akatha.
clan: An extended Prasadi familial unit.
guest: A foreigner in Prasad on legitimate business, vouchsafed by a Prasadi household matriarch.
guru: A religious teacher and leader of the Pure Way, analogous to an Immaculate abbot.
jati: An ethnicity within the Prasadi empire. Jatis can overlap both caste and clan.
karta: The matriarch of one of Prasad’s reigning Dragon Clans.
the: Prasad’s state religion, a syncretic faith combining elements of the Immaculate Philosophy and
Pure Way, the:
traditional Kamthahari religion.
rani-satrap (masculine raja-satrap

raja-satrap)): The Prasadi empire’s temporal leader.
stranger: A foreigner in Prasad without legitimate business, possessing no rights.
The White Jade Table finished goods to construction sites, wholesale buyers,
To assist her in leading the clan, the karta appoints a merchants, and markets in every corner of Prasad.
council of elders known as the White Jade Table — typ-
ically drawn from prominent politicians, experienced Burano remains traditionally conservative in invest-
bureaucrats, Pure monks, and legion veterans — to ments and enterprises, focusing on tried and true
whom she delegates authority. Each Table member has products, techniques, shipping routes, and the like.
a formal title that carries traditional privileges and The clan’s merchants and financiers leave risky ven-
responsibilities. tures for others, focusing on obtaining stable holdings
during Prasad’s conquests, then providing protection
The Table meets twice a month at the karta’s residence and careful oversight. The Table often asks scions to
— the Spire of Perfect Reason, an austere granite edifice perform surprise inspections of key facilities, where
on a hill outside Kamthahar. Those unable to attend they’re authorized to eliminate both internal corrup-
send representatives in their stead, offering opportuni- tion and external threats such as banditry, wild beasts,
ties for younger Buranos to demonstrate their political or hauntings.
acumen. Councilors try to attend personally on the first
meeting of a cycle and during crises, but otherwise, Military
stand-ins constitute the majority of attendees. Steeped
in formality, these meetings occupy much of the day, For Clan Burano, military service is a prestigious career
followed by dinner and dispersal into small groups for well-suited to the family’s strengths — discipline, per-
socializing and informal political discussion. cipience, planning, and timing. Training in specialized
academies, scions study formation-based tactics, logis-
Economics tics, strategy, and diplomacy, alongside heavy armor and
weapons use, archery, and the like. Scions can expect to
Throughout Prasad, Burano dominates the construc- serve across numerous ranks throughout their military
tion, metallurgical, mining and processing, and fine careers, beginning as commanders and specialists oper-
clothing and textiles industries, amassing immense ating in the field with the potential to reach the highest
wealth through a de facto vertical monopoly. Burano ranks based on their merit. The clan emphasizes tradi-
contracts with prestigious Caravaner jatis to guard and tionalism in military doctrine, focusing on time-tested
transport raw materials from mines and quarries to methodology while remaining flexible enough to avoid
refineries and processing plants, and to transport the predictability.
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NOTABLE WHITE JADE TABLE MEMBERS
Urshas, the Treasure-House Panjandrum, is the karta’s financial minister, given wide lati-
Burano Maharan Urshas,
tude to set economic policy for the clan. An enthusiastic factotum, he takes a personal hand in the clan’s indus-
tries, spending his free hours weaving at the loom, lending his hands to construction projects, or hammering
at the clan’s forges.
Arranga, the Ivory Spear Raja, commands the Burano legions and holds the much-coveted
Burano Qibin Arranga,
power of appointing military officers. While her days on the frontline ended when a raksha cataphract’s blade
took her leg, her strategic mind makes her a formidable presence in the war room, directing strategy from her
wheeled chair of jade and sapphire.
Jahan, the Most Excellent Peacock, is entrusted with arranging the clan’s largest galas and
Burano Namika Jahan,
negotiating Burano scions’ marriages. The youthful romanticism that once saw him acclaimed as one of his
clan’s greatest lovers has given way to a ruthless pragmatism in his old age; he plots seating arrangements on
a Gateway board and tallies the advantages of potential marriages on a jade abacus.
Dishankar, the Turning-Wheel Sage, serves as a spiritual guide and a liaison with Pure Way
Burano Katora Dishankar,
authorities, Clan Akatha, and spirit courts. Her marriage to Akatha Sovana, the God-Blooded daughter of a
minor plum-tree deity, has strengthened ties between Burano and Akatha during her tenure, but her advanced
age may soon see her replaced by the Burano karta.
Habadra, the Keeper of the Sapphire Ledger, oversees the clan’s academies and assesses
Burano Maharan Habadra,
scions’ aptitudes for various career paths. A talented sorcerer whose cultivated reputation for eccentricity is just
shy of scandalous by Burano standards, he rarely makes a decision without consulting his neomah advisors
Garden-of-Malachite and Ever-Drowning Dove, whom he regards as his Sworn Kin.
Burano military doctrine once leaned heavily on The Thousand commerce, warfare, and the like. Meanwhile, counter-
Correct Actions of the Upright Soldier, but has evolved over cultural and rebellious elements within Prasadi society
time, adjusting to the circumstances of Dreaming Sea war- — whether organized criminal groups, revanchist jatis, or
fare. Unlike Ophris’ legions, the four Burano legions all follow heretical cults — draw Burano’s ire.
the same structure and adhere to the same standards. Each
comprises a range of heterogeneous units in order to func- The Guild draws a cautious response from Burano com-
tion effectively in any theater of operations, with skirmishers, mercial interests, who enjoy the increased stability of
infantry, and cavalry accompanied by specialist units ranging working with Guild businesses but exercise caution due
from sappers to mountaineers to war elephants. Though to the syndicate’s economic and political influence. As
less numerous than the rani-satrap’s Prasadi legions, they’re such, Burano works to limit Guild businesses’ access to
largely considered to be of similar quality, and officers move Prasad’s markets, with Dragon Clan merchants acting
back and forth easily between the two. as brokers and distributors.
Enemies and Alliances Major Holdings

Burano and Ophris remain tightly intertwined, their The city of Radiant Pearl, upriver from Kamthahar in
power and influence entangled within all levels of the fertile Candlefire River valley, was constructed from
Prasadi government, economics, society, and culture. the ground up a century ago to exemplify Burano prin-
Collegiality between the eldest members of both clans ciples of social order. Dragon Caste palaces loom at the
helps maintain their longstanding alliance, as do their city’s heart, encircled by tall, sleek ministerial buildings,
mutual entanglement with high-caste jatis and their Immaculate temples, and the elegant walled manors of
shared drive toward expansion and conquest. Rivalries the Sage Caste. Beyond that, rows of identical tenements
largely manifest at the level of individuals, families, and for the Caravaner Caste rise among tree-lined avenues,
clan-dominated businesses and ministries. sunlight gleaming from pale stone facades and illuminat-
ing interior courtyard gardens. At the city’s periphery, a
The clan maintains strong ties with a number of Sage Caste labyrinth of picturesque ivied streets holds the homes
and Caravaner Caste clans involved in administration, and businesses of the Corporal Caste. The street layout
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cunningly guides foot traffic, bringing each clan and jati discussing the future of the empire with her heir have
together while keeping different castes apart. become painful and burdensome. Rohavin questions the
motives of everyone, even her oldest and most-trusted
Centuries ago, Burano princes founded the fortress-city advisors. Ophris nips at her heels, demanding a new heir
of Talaragar in the desert southwest of Kamthahar. be elected, and Burano reminds her that traditions must
Built atop a low ridge by Lake Hadal, the city both be followed, but Rohavin isn’t ready to cave to their de-
guards and profits from trade passing through the mands. Until proof of her heir’s demise is returned to her,
Summer Mountains. It’s also long been a key mustering Rohavin forges ahead undaunted with their shared vision
and training site for Burano’s private legions, and the for the future of Prasad, and places her own protection as
site of the Bronze Tusk School, a respected officer’s the highest priority for the stability of the throne.
academy. However, with Prasad’s expansion, the city
grows more peaceful and farther behind the battle lines. A shrewd economist, talented artificer, and renowned
dancer, Karta Burano Namika Endi has led her clan for
As Burano shifts its military presence toward new fron- nearly a century. A gregarious and thoughtful woman,
tiers, parts of Talaragar once dedicated to supporting the she expected her fourth election, nearly twenty years
legions grow impoverished and threadbare, with a rise ago, to be her last, but with the current political instabil-
in petty crime. Recent governors’ efforts to ameliorate ity in Kamthahar, she’s already beginning her campaign
this through work projects, alms, and the like have had for an unprecedented fifth term. She’s wary of the prec-
some success. Today, as war with Prasad’s neighbors edent this sets, but feels certain that she’s the clan’s best
seems likely, it’s unclear whether the city will see a new option to lead them through the storms on the horizon.
wave of conscription and training, or if Clan Burano will
withdraw its troops to some other locale entirely. Amid the changes brought about by the empire’s expan-
sion, Endi prioritizes maintaining the balance of power
Scions of Note between Clans Burano and Ophris. Much of her time is
spent in galas and private meetings with members of
Rani-satrap Burano Maharan Rohavin is no longer a both clans — maintaining ties, smoothing over disputes,
young woman, but the years she once thought she’d enjoy and mending relationships.
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Guru Burano Maharan Marisha plays a vital role at is a frequent occurrence — Kesselek leaves towns and
the Pure Way’s Monastery of the Red Butterfly, where villages more enlightened and confident of their dearest
Anathema captured in Wyld Hunts are imprisoned. traditions than they were upon his arrival.
Having debated theology and ethics with Fair Folk,
ghosts, and stranger things, Marisha’s cultivated a repu-
tation as an eccentric whose open-mindedness is coun- Clan Ophris
terbalanced only by his unwavering piety. On the rare
occasions he leaves the Monastery to argue in a Peacock Fire That Renews the Forest
Rite, Burano scions from across the empire go to great
lengths to ensure that they and their children can be Ophrises are stereotyped as passionate, individualistic,
in attendance. Marisha’s recently taken up mentor- worldly, intense, and sensual. Their warriors are re-
ship of Lis of the Many Skins, a newly-Exalted Lunar nowned for the boisterous camaraderie they inspire in
Anathema captured in a recent Wyld Hunt, in hopes of their comrades, and storied for making friends out of ene-
converting her to the Pure Way. Other Anathema in his mies; their courtiers stir passions and seduce the stoniest
care now plot to turn his distraction to their advantage. hearts. But their reputation isn’t all positive —they’re also
seen as capricious, mercurial, and easily bored, leaving
The scholarly Burano Nermaia Ananda appreciates the trails of broken hearts and making enemies out of friends.
consideration both the rani-satrap and the Burano karta
extended to her when she was promoted to her current Renowned for charisma and sense of adventure, many
position, but sometimes she wishes the elders had de- Ophrises serve Prasad as politicians and ambassadors,
cided on a less bureaucratic path for her life. Nominally or their clan as wandering heroes, explorers, ship cap-
in charge of Prasad’s chief financial ministry, in practice tains, and mystics. These well-traveled scions return
Ananda is overworked, understaffed, and expected to home bearing foreign ideas and aesthetics that are pur-
stretch every obol to its breaking point. Expanding an sued with fervor at Ophris galas and galleries.
empire is expensive, and Ananda struggles with making
ends meet, trading on favors when the ministry’s funds Social Standing
won’t suffice. Lenders from Guild financial enterprises,
Dreaming Sea banking houses, and even far-distant House Ophris is the flower of Prasad’s empire, attract-
House Ragara circle her patiently, waiting for the mo- ing and impressing visitors with grace and wit. Ophrises
ment she turns to their deep coffers and places Prasad make excellent artists and better lovers, even if they
in their debt. do leave and forget lovers eventually. They strike up
friendships — though not always lasting — with those
Burano Maharan Hassana, the Avalanche has never outside the clan who’re given to a similar pursuit of
swayed from the path decreed by the elders at her experiences and beauty, while provoking hostility from
childhood testing, and she has enjoyed a subsequently those resenting their frivolous ways. When Prasad
glorious career swiftly rising through the ranks of the deigns to make diplomatic overtures in pursuit of peace
clan’s legions, to her current rank of general. Her repu- or trade, Ophrises lead the way.
tation alone has often been enough to end battles before
they could begin, sitting proud and tall astride Tarresh, Growing Up in Clan Ophris
her God-Blooded elephant familiar — and the legendary
story of how their bond came to be has entertained gen- Households manage their affairs and raise children
erations of Prasadi villagers at feasts and festivals. She largely independently. Children pursue whichever
enthusiastically backs Rohavin’s expansionist agenda, but training they and their parents favor, whether that’s at-
bridles at the move toward the Dreaming Sea; Burano has tending Ophris schools, occasional Burano academies,
no naval tradition, and she fears war with Ysyr and other home schooling, or traveling to foreign institutions —
maritime powers will slow Prasad’s inland expansion. even on the distant Blessed Isle.
Burano Namika Kesselek’s aptitude tests evinced his This independence is counterbalanced by older
promising potential as a mediator, and his elders tried to Ophrises meddling in their descendants’ affairs — not
strongarm him onto that path. But driven by a fiery and to mention their siblings’, cousins’, and Hearthmates’
contrarian temperament, he broke away from his elders’ descendants — and gossiping about those affairs with
plans, using his comprehensive education in rhetoric their peers. Known collectively as the byangomi (singu-
and oratory to convincingly make his case. Now, he lar: byangoma), these elders form a mutual aid network,
wanders Prasad as an itinerant apologist, taking up the performing favors that are held in reserve against some
cause of unpopular traditions and indefensible clientele dire moment of familial need.
across the empire. No matter the outcome — and loss
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EX3
The byangomi regard Clan Ophris, and their own jati The daylong meeting is opened and interspersed with
specifically, as a garden to tend. The clan as a whole performances by young Ophrises reading their own
requires a plan where everything has its place, to create poetry, engaging in battle dances, or otherwise display-
strength and harmony. Yet they know every individual ing their talents. This is a great honor, affording gifted
Ophris has her own needs — one scion must be carefully performers a chance to informally meet with councilors
nurtured and placed in the light, whilst another thrives afterwards. Hosting the Pavilion is likewise a great honor.
under benign neglect and darkness. (Clan Burano, by
this metaphor, is the sturdy trellis upon which Ophris While the council owns the physical Alkanet Pavilion — a
grows tall; Burano fathers, husbands, and cousins hu- white stone building wreathed in poisonous flowers near
manize the clan for Ophris.) Kamthahar’s center — they meet outside in especially
pleasant weather, or in another city if military and economic
A young Ophris can win great freedom by persuading matters warrant a personal visit. This is both for variety’s
the byangomi that she isn’t an errant weed in need of sake and so scions can showcase organizational skills.
trimming, but rather a new bloom requiring a different
care regimen. She’ll do well to cater her appeals to a Aside from monthly meetings, councilors meet weekly in
byangoma aunt or uncle who favors her personally, and smaller groups, called symposiums, dedicated to specific
letting them persuade the eldest byangomi in her stead. goals. These groups attract and lose members based on
what skills and resources the project needs in the mo-
Clan Leadership ment, and many councilors assist more than one group.
For instance, aging diplomat Ophris Maharan Jhata

As with Clan Burano, the Ophris karta — elected by the
and his symposium dedicate themselves to stymieing
clan’s adult members from among the byangomi for a
diplomatic efforts between Ysyr and Volivat to prevent
nine-year term — holds ultimate authority within the
them from forming an alliance that would threaten
clan. The karta may theoretically serve unlimited terms,
Prasadi interests, and seek a team of saboteurs to car-
but given the Ophrises’ predilection for novelty, most
ry out their plans. Meanwhile, the famous merchant
are only intermittently elected. Only the first karta, who
adventurer Ophris Anelsa Ahaju is preparing a sailing
gained legendary stature by negotiating a favorable bar-
expedition into the Wyld, and requires a crew. And
gain with the Scarlet Empress, served until her death.
elderly socialite Ophris Namika Yoti hosts perhaps
The Alkanet Pavilion the most acrimonious active symposium; its members
discuss matchmaking for eligible scions.
A thirty-member council called the Alkanet Pavilion
advises the Ophris karta. It’s Clan Ophris in microcosm:
sprawling talents pulled in countless different directions Economics
and prone to feuding, but ultimately one family against the
interests of Burano, the lesser castes, and foreign powers. An Ophris’ heart yearns for adventure and beauty —
talents that turn to profit in Prasad. Ophris artists,
Every year, each of the clan’s dozen-odd dominant jati musicians, poets, dancers, and artisans are renowned
elects one or more of its members, largely drawn from its across the Dreaming Sea, and sometimes even as far as
byangomi, as representatives to the Pavilion. How many the Blessed Isle.
representatives any given jati sends is governed by a
complex matrix of size and status, as well as fierce nego- Ophris’ yearning for beauty sees them breed the most
tiations between byangomi. Most byangomi serve at least magnificent beasts, of which the delicate silver peafowl
one term in the Pavilion during their lifetime. Prestigious and ferocious black tiger fetch the highest price. Few
elders serve many terms, not necessarily consecutively. Prasadi outside Clans Burano and Akatha can afford
these creatures, but they find eager buyers in other
The Pavilion meets for a full day monthly. The first Southeastern kingdoms. Occasionally Ophris gifts
hours are reserved for petitions, be it two hotheaded one to a visiting Dynast, both as a bribe and a token of
young Ophrises asking permission to duel to the death goodwill.
(almost never granted; the Pavilion finds this wasteful)
or a scion seeking financial backing for a mercantile Sea captains of Clan Ophris track the byzantine mi-
enterprise. While in theory anyone may address the gration of the Dreaming Sea’s legendary nacre whales.
Pavilion unannounced, councilors casually dismiss any Ophris ships drag vast sheets of silk in the water of the
who didn’t have a byangoma pave the way, deeming this Dreaming Sea to catch the fabled oils the whales leave
arrogant and naive. in their wake. Auctions for these occult oils have steep
starting bids.
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EX3
Ophris sorcerers learn songs that calm the land, and firedust bombardiers, and adaptable skirmishers are
shift fortunes so favorable roads present themselves. common in Prasad’s varied-yet-regimented military
Some dark-hearted sorcerers weave songs of ill fortune camps. The clan maintains four legions, each adapted
in their wake instead, throwing off pursuers and cursing to a different environment. The Sand Legion operates
them to wander lost. Clan Ophris keeps both happy and west of the Summer Mountains, its camel-mounted
well-paid, making their people the best — and most troops and light infantry trained for desert and moun-
expensive — to hire on any travels in Prasad. tain maneuvers. The Wind Legion’s heavy cavalry duel
with foreign nomads in the steppes south of Prasad. The
Many scions turn their wanderlust toward scaveng- Forest Legion’s light infantry and ranger units patrol
ing wondrous treasures from the lands around the the jungles to the north. Lastly, the Divine Legion’s light
Dreaming Sea. All Ophris scavengers must give the kar- and heavy infantry, trained for urban warfare, guard
ta right of first offer on all finds, allowing her to select Prasad’s borders and support other forces.
and distribute the most powerful items among favored
clan members. The karta keeps a list of their value, and Ophris also maintains a private navy. Historically river-
upon retirement may sell them to the current bearers if ine, it’s enthusiastically constructing blue-water craft
they impressed her. based out of Prasad’s newly acquired Dreaming Sea ports.
For all that Ophris scions find themselves drawn toward Enemies and Alliances
exotic lines of business, the clan itself invests in more
prosaic enterprises — mining, agriculture, artisanship, Sociable, charismatic Ophrises maintain contacts
and the like — via Sage Caste and Caravaner Caste inter- throughout Prasadi society. The byangomi can draw
mediaries. But they approach such businesses with the upon friendships and favors from Burano and Akatha
clan’s usual flair for innovation. Ophris farms employ scions, government officials, and Sage Clan elders in
unusual fertilizers; mines establish strange pacts with time of need. These are largely personal, informal
earth elementals; textile workshops experiment with connections rather than formal alliances, but the clan
new dyes and spinning processes for textiles; and the usually deems that to be enough.
like.
Likewise, the clan proper has few real enemies. But
Military all too many Ophrises leave trails of broken promises,
broken friendships, and broken hearts; such personal
Clan Ophris isn’t as militaristic as its Burano cousin, animus can color others’ views of the entire clan. And
but remains formidable. Its military doctrine, the Way where individual Ophrises’ fascination with the foreign
of Ten Thousand Sighs, focuses on extemporaneous and exotic touches on religion, that can border on here-
planning, situational awareness, attrition, stealth, and sy, drawing the Pure Way’s ire.
small-unit tactics. An Ophris officer studies the military
traditions of many peoples, and is expected to synthesize
these to apply their strengths to the current situation.
Those who successfully master this regime are among
MOVING FORWARD
the Southeast’s finest generals. Those who fail find their
careers plateaued, stuck serving sharper-witted — or Forestalling the succession crisis that would come
luckier — peers. if Burano Rohavin died without an heir has leaped
to the forefront of Ophris’ varied political agenda.
Ophris legionnaires favor light, graceful weapons, and The clan spends any and all clout it has with Bu-
make an art of warfare. Archers inscribe poems onto rano to back their motion forcing Rohavin to elect
a new tanist. They’re also spending considerable
their arrows, prizing beautiful verse and exquisite cal-
resources on scouring the Dreaming Sea to find
ligraphy as much as precise aim. Elegant martial arts
their lost tanist.
such as Dreaming Pearl Courtesan style are favored
by both Dragon-Blooded officers and mortal soldiers. Meanwhile, Prasad’s expansionist push continues,
Ophris cavalry rides war elephants and other unusual forcing Ophris to do all this amid quickly boiling
beasts into battle, mercilessly trampling lesser oppo- tension with Champoor, and the nascent anti-Pra-
nents while clan sorcerers unleash terrible spells on sadi alliance between Ysyr and Volivat. A more
opponents worthy of such curses. cautious clan might counsel holding off and seek-
ing peace with the other Dreaming Sea powers to
Ophris military doctrine makes extensive use of units allow time to solve its internal problems, but that
deemed auxiliaries by the Realm. Elephant cavalry, isn’t Ophris’ way.
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EX3
Major Holdings
OPHRIS QIBIN PADHI
A key riverine port in northwestern Prasad, forest-girt
Qadan Vija trades with the Sisters (The Realm, p. 166) Lost on a Dreaming Sea voyage, this former Ophris
and beyond. After its conquest by Prasad, the city blos- tanist was a renowned general who aggressively
somed into a garden of art and culture; its Ophris gov- advocated formal secession from the Realm and
ernors focused on importing artisans and artists from the cessation of tribute. Padhi found their agenda
across the empire while welcoming foreigners from countered by karta Ophris Madhava, who preferred
northern lands, encouraging a melding of disparate not to add another enemy and instead focus on
traditions and a flowering of new ideas. Not coinciden- nearby targets. But with the Realm on the brink on
civil war, Padhi’s cry for independence would find
tally, the city has also become a hotbed of heresy and
much more purchase now.
rebellion. Ophris normally keeps elements of the Forest
Legion and Divine Legion in the area in part to maintain
order in Qadan Vija, but as chaos looms in the Time of
The brilliant rogue Ophris Raju Vivaan, famous for
Tumult, those forces may need to move elsewhere.
stealing the sacred Starling’s Eye Ruby from neighboring
Madara, turned a crooked spine — a congenital disability
Askai is the name of both Ophris’ greatest jade mine
— into a cover as a Ys servant. She’s provided the Alkanet
and the thriving mining town that abuts it. The mine
Pavilion with information on Ysyr, its leading sorcerers,
yields less jade every year, and Ophris fears it’ll soon
and its overtures to Volivat. Vivaan has also fostered an
be exhausted. Overseer Ophris Dalavi seeks Dragon-
underground insurgent cell among Ysyr’s slaves, and
Blooded experts to direct the search for new veins in
plans to direct them against select targets should Prasad
the Askai Mine. The work must be secret, lest it reveal
ever go to war with Ysyr. But tales of her exploits, albeit
the clan’s vulnerability to its rivals and weaken its pres-
under an alias, reached the sorcerers’ ears, and they now
tige. Success would win the Pavilion’s enduring good
search for her. Vivaan is committed to see her plans
will and a royal fortune from a cut of the profits. Askai
through, both out of loyalty to Prasad and — if she lives
Town, with teahouse, gambling hall, and seraglio, offers
long enough — to earn entry to the Alkanet Pavilion.
enough diversions for a pleasant stay.
Retired sea captain Ophris Tuchari Reyansh is a hero
Scions of Note for her crucial role in capturing the seaport of Madara,
establishing a Prasadi foothold on the Dreaming Sea.
Ophris Namika Madhava, an elder politician and ec- Now retired, she’s joined the byangomi and been elect-
centric mystic from the prestigious Namika jati, has been ed to the Alkanet Pavilion. Still as ambitious and belli-
karta for 14 years. A gifted mediator and negotiator, she cose as she ever was, she trades on her acclaim to sway
focuses on maintaining the clan’s wealth, prestige, and other councilors to her agenda of aggressive military
internal harmony, and is otherwise content to pursue expansion. She’s cousin to Ophris Padhi, but gave up
philosophy and scholarship. But now she’s agitating for all hope for their return. The best way to honor the lost
a bold new agenda beyond anything she’s sought before. tanist, Reyansh insists, is by conquering the whole of
She presses Burano Rohavin hard to allow the election of the Dreaming Sea. A winged squirrel — taken as person-
a new heir, appealing to their shared dream of a Greater al tribute during Reyansh’s conquest of Madara — sits
Prasadi Empire which requires the Twin Dragons to be on her shoulder, screeching and snapping its jaws at all
at full strength. Madhava proposes Prasad conquer the who come too close.
length of the Dreaming Sea as Imperial legions stand to
abandon the threshold, and hopes to become a legend An exceptional physician, the outcaste-born Ophris
rivaling even the first karta. Lasarat Shauryam scavenges the Dreaming Sea for exotic
medicinal herbs. Shauryam considers herself plagued by
Ophris Katu Aarav joined the Pure Way as a monk her jati’s notorious bad fortune; she provides her services
shortly after his return to Kamthahar from study at the for free and gives away any treasures she finds, believing
Blessed Isle’s Cloister of Wisdom. Gregarious, charis- any wealth she came by would only be lost, or worse. She
matic, and highly knowledgeable about the Immaculate considers establishing a wilderness hospital for treating the
Philosophy, he enjoys engaging visiting Immaculates most desperate cases, far from more fortunate people who
in theological debates. Aarav’s sharp tongue is no less might catch her bad luck. Shauryam has a wonderful voice,
contentious with his fellow Pure Way monks, who’re a legacy from her divine parent Void-Singing Nightingale,
quickly souring on him. As Aarav continues to antago- and her songs soothe even the most grievous pains.
nize his brethren, some posit that his Realm education
taints his loyalty to the Pure Way and Prasad as a whole.
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EX3
Clan Akatha AKATHA SPECIALTIES

Dragons Walking Among Gods Akatha Dragon-Blooded gain two specialties from
among Occult, Performance, or Socialize during
Ensconced within golden temples and heavenly character creation (Dragon-Blooded, p. 137).
sanctums heavy with fragrant incense, insulated from
outside concerns, Clan Akatha dreams of lost glory.
The clan traces its ancestry to the earthly divinities the region’s recovery. Later he pressured a broader
of Prasad. Today, both gods and clan are inextricably range of gods into his coalition to increase the Fecund
bound by obligation, privilege, and lineage. Court’s power and standing relative to other Dreaming
Sea spirit courts.
Akatha comprises a complex hierarchy of mortals, God-
Blooded, Dragon-Blooded, and gods. Clan members Gods of the Fecund Court include:
spend their days performing religious ceremonies,
appeasing Prasad’s gods, and advancing those gods’ Beautiful-Eyes, the peacock-headed fertility god, is
agendas. Few care to deal with secular matters. Dragon- first among equals and prince of the Court. Proud and
Blooded take more dynamic and worldly roles in the serene, charming yet vindictive, he commands — and
world outside their divine kin’s sanctums; they bridge thrives upon —the loyalty of the court’s upper echelons
the gulf between mortals and gods, advance their clan’s and the wary devotion of its lesser gods and mortal
temporal agendas, maintain political ties with the other scions.
Dragon Clans, negotiate with and suborn foreign divini-
ties, and battle those who reject their diplomacy. Edri Shattering-Spears, a rain-god with eyebrows
and beard of bushy clouds framing his bald head and
An Akatha child is born — or adopted — into a life of mirthful eyes, is proud father of two Dragon-Blooded
obligation, veneration, and ritual. Surrounded by prayer daughters, including the current karta. Fatherhood has
and incense, she longs to demonstrate divine heritage changed his priorities; if put to the test, he would side
or to Exalt, and pities those who do neither. If her godly with the Dragon-Blooded of Clan Akatha over the gods
bloodline manifests, her clan status increases; if she of his spirit court.
Exalts she joins the gods, and acquires autonomy previ-
ously withheld. If neither, she remains to obey the gods The many-limbed jungle elemental Subtle Wood falls
until death — and sometimes beyond. in love with a new hunter every year, but is tragically
unlucky in love. They’ve devoted themself to the Pure
Spirit Courts of Love and War Way, hoping to tame their wayward passions through
ascetic discipline and rigorous training, but even attain-
Two powerful spirit courts stand politically above the ing the rank of guru hasn’t quelled their romanticism.
rest, dominating Prasad’s religious landscape. Both
courts’ members intermarried among Kamthahar’s Othriti the Sickly, the cat-faced god of the sick, haunts
Exemplar Caste ere the arrival of Burano and Ophris, her children, speaking to them from the tongues of
and their God-Blooded progeny act as champions, lepers and the plague-ridden. She expects both her
priests, agents, and advocates. A god with many God- progeny and her priesthood to minister to Prasad’s im-
Blooded descendants, or especially puissant ones, gains poverished and destitute, for any of them might be her
prestige within his court. Many Akatha households in disguise.
affiliate themselves with one court or the other, but al-
The Court of the Crimson-Tailed Banner
most all can trace at least some of their ancestry to both.
When the Contagion came, the Fair Folk followed on
The Fecund Court its heels, riding from the edge of the world to tram-
Beautiful-Eyes, the Southeastern god of fertility, found- mel Creation beneath their hooves. The war gods of
ed the Fecund Court in the wake of the Great Contagion, the Southeast joined forces to oppose this invasion.
when loss of contact with the Celestial Bureaucracy left Many surviving deities assembled under the banner of
the terrestrial gods in disarray. Assembling scattered the charismatic Prikata Fang-Fall, war god of the city
gods of fertility, love, family, domesticity, and the like, Kamthahar, to cleanse the region of plague-born hungry
he directed them toward gathering and nurturing both dead. Later they stood against the Realm’s invasion, ulti-
human and animal survivors of the disaster, speeding mately submitting in exchange for religious concessions
from the Immaculates.
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EX3
Gods of the Court of the Crimson-Tailed Banner include: foreign gods sue Akatha for peace — or occasionally find
themselves targeted by the clan’s assassins.
Prikata Fang-Fall is a mighty warrior-general, admired
by the court’s war gods for his skill, proud demeanor, Social Standing
and calm in a crisis. He’s also prickly and judgmental,
and holds a grudge against anyone who tries to manipu- Clan Akatha’s star is falling. Despite its importance in
late him — most notably Beautiful-Eyes. religious matters and its scions’ personal ties to individ-
ual Dragon Clan members, Prasad’s political elite large-
Handsome Ashav, foul-mouthed guardian of camp
ly consider it a relic irrelevant to Prasad’s military and
followers, delights in brawling with “cultured” foes,
political ascendance. Among the lesser castes, Akatha
be they fellow divinities, Dragon-Blooded, or Fair Folk
remains highly respected as gods, demi-gods, and holy
princes. Though an incorrigible lout in the Court, his
saints. The god-blooded were part of Prasadi culture
widespread worship — and mastery of Swaying Grass
long before the Realm armies arrived. Then as now, the
Dance, Dreaming Pearl Courtesan, and other martial
people petitioned their gods with colorful festivals and
arts of lowly origin — makes him difficult to gainsay.
prayers, and courted the God-Blooded for favors.
Laughing-Rain Izu, an elemental storm bird, happily
Brightly attired Akatha priests and priestesses preside
serves the court despite her disinterest in politics. When
over religious ceremonies, joyously play matchmaker,
there’s no war to be had, she wanders the Summer
and sponsor vivid celebrations encouraging partner-
Mountains, terrifying passersby by starting impromptu,
ships both sacred and profane. These sumptuous or-
sophomoric philosophical debates. Her God-Blooded
giastic devotions invite gods to mingle among mortals.
children, hatched from eggs and raised on raw meat in
Outsiders attend at great expense to petition the gods
her mountaintop nest, have difficulty acculturating to
personally, with bribes ensuring the right introductions.
life in Clan Akatha.
Exhausted revelers wake later recalling blissful dreams,
Blood-in-the-Furrow, a god of peasant levies, delights and owe the clan any God-Blooded offspring produced.
in liaisons with Corporal Caste laborers. He’s even
Prasad accords the few Akatha Dragon-Blooded pres-
happier to rub holier-than-thou Akathas’ noses in the
tige befitting twice-blessed champions. They’re leaders,
earthy origins of his occasional outcaste by-blow.
warriors, and gods in their own right. As shamans, ora-
Divine Politics cles, and prophets, they influence the empire’s diverse
citizens from within incense-wreathed temples shaping
By and large, the proud divinities of Prasad’s spirit
Prasadi society for their own — and Akatha’s — benefit.
courts respect the Exalted only as nigh-equals, despite
the Pure Way’s opinion. Dragon-Blooded Akathas join
the courts and gain all due respect and worship upon Economics
taking their Second Breath. Even so, many gods subtly
snub their Exalted peers. The Dragon-Blooded rarely Clan Akatha sells favors, blessings, and curses to the de-
brook such treatment for long and are far less subtle in vout, and worship to the divine. Much wealth streams in
their insults; long-running feuds and grudges are com- from worshippers’ tithes — those desperate for children,
mon at the clan’s highest echelon. good harvests, safe journeys, or military victory court the
clan with coin, treasures, food, and prayers according to
Other Prasadi gods and spirit courts largely approve their ability. While some of this tithing comes during sanc-
of the central role that the Fecund Court, the Court of tioned festivals, most is hidden within private worship.
the Crimson-Tailed Banner, and Clan Akatha played in
brokering their relative freedom and prestige under the All Akathas are trained in the ways of divine worship,
Pure Way, as opposed to what they might have faced and many charge for their professional services when
had Burano and Ophris imposed undiluted Immaculate petitioning gods for intercession. The clan manages or-
doctrine. But centuries of Akatha and its divine patrons phanages filled with unwanted, orphaned, or homeless
throwing their weight around has resulted in mixed street urchins, providing religious instruction until the
feelings among many. child is adopted — at modest cost to adoptive parents —
or joins the priesthood upon reaching majority. Rumors
Gods of neighboring territories often join Prasad’s spir- claim unscrupulous clan members abduct children to
it courts to escape worse fates as the Prasadi conquer sell in slave auctions or to private buyers. In truth, the
their domains and worshippers. These foreign divinities clan searches for children with powerful lineages, nota-
negotiate with Clan Akatha for favorable marriages and ble traits, or unusual appearances for adoption within
for places in the Prasadi pantheon. And in times of war, the clan itself.
71
EX3
endurance rather than martial aptitude. Their primary

Military purpose is to guard the legion’s specialists — hundreds
of priests, exorcists, minor deities, and the like. Rarely
Akatha’s military isn’t limited to fanatic cultists, temple
fielded, the legion provides occult support against ene-
guards, and Dragon-Blooded warriors. The clan fields
my armies that have spiritual backing.
its own generals, strategists, and troops across two le-
gions, each dedicated to one of its ancestral spirit courts. The Crimson-Tailed Banner Legion, however, is a
match for any other Prasadi legion. Its soldiers, drawn
The Fecund Court’s Legion of Watered Fields is largely
from various temple devotees and priesthoods, train
ceremonial. Most of its ornately armored troops have
as assiduously as any other standing army. Its senior
mediocre training, having been chosen for looks and
officer corps is composed entirely of war gods and
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EX3
Dragon-Blooded Akatha. Prikata Fang-Fall himself as an impediment to Burano’s perceived role as the
remains its general, although an Akatha general some- keeper of Prasadi tradition. These views are often held
times leads it in his stead. simultaneously.
Enemies and Alliances Some Ophrises seek out Akatha’s divine sactums and
obscure rites in search of exoticism and intrigue, while
Traditionalist and religious Buranos often admire the occasional Ophris priest or mystic seeks tutelage
Akathas’ proximity, service, and devotion to Prasad’s from the clan or an introduction to a particular god. It’s
ancestral pantheons. Proud Buranos see the God- not uncommon for such connections to lead to personal
Blooded clan’s high standing and links to the gods ties.
While clan members compete with outsiders for sacred

commodities like dyes, incense, fabrics, and drugs, their
most insidious enemies come from within. Jealous gods,
including the Dragon-Blooded, feud over incorrect
worship, petulant slights, and long-standing grudges,
paying scant attention to the detriment to the clan.
The clan’s broadest support springs from the common

folk. Faithful congregations willingly assist the divine
clan, heedless of privations. Few clan members recog-
nize the power of this large-scale support.
Many foreign spirit courts, such as Champoor’s Court

of Shadows, resent Akatha and its divine patrons.
Among the most troublesome of these is the Court
of the Lost, whose misfit gods of hermits, vagabonds,
exiles, outlaws, and other rogues now accept all minor
divinities who seek a home. Gods of Prasad’s conquests
have been migrating into the jungles north of Prasad to
join the Court of the Lost, swaying the court as a whole
against Prasad and Clan Akatha. The court even has a
handful of Exalted agents, such as the Lookshyan ren-
egade Amilar Selia, capable of standing against Akatha
scions on equal terms.
Still, neighboring spirit courts often accept vassalage

to Prasad’s pantheons. These send envoys to formally
acknowledge their new suzerains’ supremacy, and if
worshiped in neighboring lands, permit the Prasadi
to proselytize and raise temples in those lands. In ex-
change, Clan Akatha and their parent courts welcome
the vassal courts’ gods to visit Prasad and experience its
splendor.
The divinities of the Court of Seven Metals, in the

Summer Mountains west of Kamthahar, often indulge
in such visits. The court stands divided in its allegiance;
the gold-goddess Buried-Sun Uvara and her coterie
have fallen into Beautiful-Eyes’ orbit, while the iron-
god Bhuska of the Single Edge led his peers in swearing
fealty to Prikata Fang-Fall. The other gods of the court
waver in their alignment. Akatha scions sometimes find
themselves dragged into the court’s endless political
maneuvering.
UN-EXALTED GOD-BLOODED NEW MERIT:

DIVINE HERITAGE (•••••) — INNATE
Un-Exalted Akatha live in service to their families
and to their gods, who lavish their divine children This Merit depicts Exalted descended from gods,
with attention, for good and ill. The clan elevates demons, ghosts, fae, or other strange creatures
God-Blooded to important positions, binding them who manifest supernatural power from that blood-
within chains of ritual and worship. The gods ex- line. The character’s player should work with the
pect perfection from their favored children. They Storyteller to define the nature and thematics of
must be obedient, respectful, and despite the lux- the Exalt’s divine ancestor. The character receives
ury they may never forget they aren’t gods. Some one Eclipse Charm that fits their divine parent’s
turn this discipline into resentment; others grand- thematics, and can purchase additional Eclipse
stand in hubris. Charms at character creation with bonus points,
or subsequently with experience points. A char-
acter’s divine lineage may have other manifes-
Sanctums tations, which can be represented with Flaws or
other Merits.
Clan Akatha dwells among the divine. Openly, they
dwell within the court’s temples and manses, taking pe-
titions and offerings as well as performing the necessary takes such words seriously from reliable old Ebrama.
holy rituals their gods demand.
Ebrama’s younger sister, Akatha Manik Arama, treks
Almost every god has her own sanctum where she for months alone, preferring wilderness over her sister’s
dwells in luxurious comfort according to her nature, concerns. As a child she denied her family, claiming her-
from Beautiful-Eyes’ opulent spiritual palace to the self an exiled fae princess. Now she suffers from fevered
orangutan-god Vermilion Crown’s phantom forest can- dreams impelling her search for prodigies around the
opy heavy with rich, ripe fruit. Most are inaccessible to Dreaming Sea. Arama wantonly expends clan resources
materialized beings, though the clan possesses artifacts, in retrieving these wonders. She funds a network of con-
spells, and other magic that permit entry. tacts and traders to share rumors and uncover leads for
her quixotic quest, and liberally pays for the assistance.
Every sanctum is different, and every Akatha family has
unique traditions and customs, yet one thing remains Orchid Harvest devoutly follows the Pure Way to es-
the same — the veneration of, and devotion to, their cape her overbearing divine mother. Jade-Tongue — the
divine ancestors. opulent and devious Dyed Queen, Prasadi goddess of
trade and marketplaces — has groomed her daughter
for a mercantile life, and views entering the cloister as a
Scions of Note broken contract. The Dyed Queen finds ways — cajoling
or bargaining — to ensure her wayward offspring takes
Karta Akatha Manik Ebrama grows weary of her role. steps to stop her rivals’ plans. Orchid Harvest despairs
Always reliable in her service to her clan and the gods, of escaping her mother’s attentions, turning to Pure
she devoted her life to those duties — mediating disputes Way texts for comfort and guidance. She needs help,
between mortals and gods, battling foreign gods, and evan- and isn’t too proud to ask for it, but faces paranoia that
gelizing her divine ancestors to peoples newly conquered everyone she asks is part of her mother’s schemes.
by Prasad. But now age creeps up on her, old wounds sting,
and what does she have to show for it? Her divine husband, Akatha Junam Alearri spies for Clan Ophris, deter-
the mighty Beautiful-Eyes, cares little for her; her children mined to free himself from his parents’ control, selling
are thankless; her peers jockey for her position. out his family in exchange for favorable marriage into
Ophris. He observes his family’s antics with silent
Ebrama’s once-unshakable calm now cracks daily in disdain, feeling shame to be among their number. The
furious outbursts at whatever frustration currently Ophris spymasters consider Alearri a useful tool, easily
plagues her. She’s largely withdrawn from her husband’s swayed by cheap courtesans and false promises. So far,
sanctum, dwelling instead in the Second Spring Temple, the information has been of little importance — enough
from which she sends younger Akathas and petty gods to cause the karta minor embarrassment. Now that
as envoys and agents. In more than one recent tirade, his information has been confirmed true, the Ophris
she’s proposed abdicating without choosing a succes- spymasters have begun pushing Alearri for more, and
sor, and leaving to enjoy her last years alone. But no one asking him to start unsavory rumors about his clan.
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EX3
Life in the Dragon Clans THE HUNDRED-AND-EIGHT

Centuries of Prasadi assimilation separate the AYAMAS OF ADORATION
Dragon Clans from their Dynastic peers. Prasadi
Dragon-Blooded rely heavily on ritual and law to Early in the empire’s history, Prasadi religious
manage lives complicated by competing loyalties and scholars penned a text defining all accepted types
responsibilities. of worship and ritualistic observances appropriate
for each. Though the Hundred-and-Eight Ayamas
have been revised repeatedly over the centuries,
Divinity Clothed In Flesh their purpose is unchanged: to enumerate the holy
purposes for which gods may justly receive wor-
The Dragon Clans assert that they’re physical gods, a
ship, and to deny as heretical any form of worship
belief backed and enforced by Pure Way monks. Though that doesn’t support Prasad’s social order.
the empire’s gods — spirits and Dragon-Blooded alike
— claim many of the same rights and privileges that The most broadly-defined ayama allows pleas
Dynasts do, the perception of divinity fundamentally and expressions of gratitude for fertility and good
shifts the Dragon Clans’ perceived role in Creation. health. Ayamas for creative works such as epic
poems and paintings emphasize the inspiration
Prasadi Dragon-Blooded view gods and elementals as they bestow to better serve the gods and beautify
peers, rather than inhuman and otherworldly entities the empire, and specifically deny the legitimacy of
to cow into submission. Members of the Dragon Caste satire and representations that spoil mortal per-
value harmony with their own elemental divinity, and ceptions of Creation. Roughly half of the ayamas
seek vital inspiration in the throes of Essence fever. focus on skills and circumstances common to war,
Even as elders impart the importance of taming one’s household management, or both.
raging Essence, they rekindle their own elemental
passions through competition, battle, and liaisons with
spirits and younger Dragon-Blooded. Worshiped as Gods
While Prasadi Dragon-Blooded face expectations to
While Prasad’s Dragon-Blooded receive worship them- avoid excessive personal investment in individual mor-
selves, tradition dictates that they offer up prayers to tals, many take care to instill reverence in the mortal
the Fecund Court and the Court of the Crimson-Tailed masses. Over time, Dragon-Blooded accumulate rep-
Banner. Burano and Akatha cleave to this tradition more utations as patron saints of particular professions and
consistently than Ophris, but even the most iconoclastic life circumstances, and receive worship from across the
scions tend to venerate a handful of select gods. Dragon- empire. The power and ubiquity of worship grants in-
Blooded also worship fellow Dragon-Blooded, offering fluential Dragon-Blooded a degree of popular celebrity
prayers to elders and loved ones. almost unheard-of elsewhere in the Second Age.
Popular myth states that through worship that suits

their natures, Dragon-Blooded saints grow ever greater
in those talents for which they’re renowned. Unlike
THE CULT OF THE EMPRESS gods and elementals, Dragon-Blooded aren’t born
knowing who they are and what they must be, and the
The average Prasadi citizen knows nothing of lure of popular worship provides a powerful incentive
foreign Dragon-Blooded from distant lands. The for members of the Dragon Caste to devote themselves
Scarlet Empress is the exception. The persistent to specialties early in life. Those who stand out on their
but heretical worship of the Empress that thrives own terms can better define their public identities, and
on the Blessed Isle followed the Dragon Clans to may take their success as evidence of reincarnation
Kamthahar, and as the mightiest Prince of the from a historical luminary.
Earth ever known, she attracted a sizable cult
among the Prasadi people that still venerates her
despite her disappearance. Some say she tran- Pure in Spirit and Form
scended mortality to become one with the Drag-
ons. Others believe that she now walks unseen in As a syncretism between the carefully constructed
Prasad — the true center of the world! — and may Immaculate Philosophy, the foundational myths of
yet reveal herself, perhaps to rule at the rani-sa- Kamthahar, and morsels of religions swallowed by
trap’s side. the growing Prasadi Empire, the Pure Way evolves
constantly. Its teachings, spread by gods’ personal
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priests and the order’s dedicated monks, emphasize the

unalloyed divinity from which Prasad’s rightful power JATI NAMES
flows. Though gods come in many forms and natures,
their wisdom and grace can be muddied by undue ex- It isn’t possible for this text to cover Prasad’s hun-
posure to less refined souls. To avoid this, and to reduce dreds of jatis, with their many names, origins, and
unseemly pandering to mortal cults, the Dragon Clans cultural traditions. In general, jati names start
are insulated from personal and physical contact with as references to historical homelands or nation-
the lower castes by layers of ritual and law. al identities, then transform through exposure to
Prasadi language. When introducing themselves,
When members of the Dragon Caste must interact with Prasadi citizens give their clan name, jati name,
Caravaners and Corporals, they relay their commands and personal name in that order. Most jatis have
through Sages, who arrange for purifying rituals and collections of traditional personal names from
the removal or concealment of undesirable elements to their original homelands, as well as strong associ-
avoid exposing the Dragon-Blooded to undue contam- ations with specific castes.
ination. As such, they’re normally accompanied by at
least one Sage aide. Dragon-Blooded who must directly The following guidelines may help Storytellers and
supervise, investigate, or otherwise engage with less- players design jatis of their own:
pure entities undergo elemental cleansing rituals to Most Dragon Clan jatis hailed from specific re-
preserve their holy spiritual bearing. gions of the Blessed Isle five centuries ago, and
have names that may sound familiar but old-fash-
Foreigners and their influence threaten the Dragon ioned to modern Dynasts. Since their conquest of
Clans’ purity, whether in a teahouse or on the battle- Kamthahar, the Dragon Clans have also inducted
field. They’re deemed to be spiritually tarnished due jatis from southeastern regions with strong out-
to ignorance of proper etiquette and cleansing rituals. caste bloodlines. Common linguistic inspirations:
This is largely allayed by taking necessary foreigners Hebrew, Mandarin, Japanese.
under one’s wing as guests, guiding them in appro-
priate behavior and assuming spiritual and temporal Sage jatis often have significant overlap with the
responsibility for their misdeeds. But this isn’t possible Dragons, or hail from cultures with old traditions
while traveling abroad. Upper-caste travelers retain a of royalty and the arts. Common linguistic inspira-
Corporal Caste aide as a liaison; Corporals are accus- tions: Sanskrit, Tamil.
tomed to unclean tasks, after all.
Caravaner jatis often hail from cultures with strong
Some in the Dragon Caste view foreigners — especially nomadic, mercantile, and warrior traditions. Com-
mon linguistic inspirations: Arabic, Hindi.
strangers who linger in Prasad without a guarantor —with
simple disgust. But many view encounters with foreigners Corporal jatis often hail from cultures known for
as necessary and even exciting opportunities to emphasize their manufacturing and agriculture, as well as
Prasadi purity and power. High-level mercantile negotia- traditions Prasadi find unsavory, such as ancestor
tions provide as much opportunity as wars of conquest to worship and religious cannibalism. Common lin-
polish away the grime of Creation’s ignorance. guistic inspirations: Hindi, Punjabi.
By contrast, the God-Blooded of Clan Akatha provide a

template for spiritual purity. Often raised by and among God-Blooded Exemplar Caste had minimal overlap with
true gods away from the daily concerns of mortal life, the Sages, the Dragon-Blooded needed roles for their
Clan Akatha’s scions are known to be both wise and children and mortal cousins to fill that wouldn’t interfere
more relatable than spirits. The Dragon-Blooded may with the demands of rulership. As a result, Prasad’s mod-
be the physical world’s rightful and necessary rulers, ern Sage Caste — much like the Blessed Isle’s patricians
but they pay special attention to the spiritual insights — provides much of the intense educational and financial
of Clan Akatha. infrastructure required to support the Dragon Caste, and
provides avenues for profit, marriage, and social mobility
Dragons in Waiting among mortal members of the Dragon Clans.
Members of the Dragon Clans who haven’t Exalted form Prasadi Dragon-Blooded rarely bother with the spiritual
a small but prestigious subset of the Sage Caste, and are challenges and inconvenience of child-rearing. Instead,
brought up as such. This includes all children born to the they send their children (and a generous living allowance)
Dragon Clans, which has drastically changed the Sage to stay with mortal Sage cousins. Clan Burano is generally
Caste’s role since the empire’s founding. Though the old straightforward about this arrangement, but it’s currently
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SORCEROUS INITIATION: STUDENT OF THE SIXFOLD INSIGHT
The Mandir of Sixfold Insight’s instructors utilize a variety of mind-bending methods to unlock mystical in-
sight. Students employ psychedelics and austerities to break down mental barriers, and study spells trapped
in memory crystals or the dreams of imprisoned raksha. By breaking down their minds, they break down the
walls that keep them from perceiving the full breadth of sorcerous truth. Students who attend the Mandir leave
it with strange tastes and perspectives. They’re exotic, scarred figures who draw the fascination and wariness
all sorcerers inspire in Prasad.
SHAPING RITUALS
Enlightenment Through Adversity: Once per scene, when the sorcerer stunts a Shape Sorcery roll with a
description of pain, hunger, emotional turmoil, or other immediate hardships, she accrues an additional (stunt
rating) sorcerous motes. If the roll suffers a penalty due to that hardship, she accrues additional sorcerous
motes equal to the penalty. Enhancing a control spell doesn’t count against this ritual’s once-per-scene limit,
but it can only benefit a given casting of a spell once.
Truth Through Lies: The sorcerer grasps reality by confronting ignorance and illusion. Once per scene, when
she introduces or challenges a fact or successfully asserts her Resolve, she gains (Perception + stunt rating)
sorcerous motes, which last until the scene ends.
Clarity Through Discovery: Once per story, when the sorcerer studies, researches, or personally witnesses
a wonder with which she’s unfamiliar, she gains (Essence + Perception + Occult) sorcerous motes, which last
until the story ends.
Other Benefits
Dream-Kin (•): Having partaken of fae strangeness, the sorcerer is marked by the Wyld. Fair Folk and other fae
are treated as having a Minor Tie of familiarity toward her.
Oneiromantic Soothsayer (••)(••):: Once per story, after listening to a description of, or otherwise observing, a
character’s dreams, the sorcerer can introduce a fact about him or his immediate circumstances without need-
ing an applicable Lore background, adding (Perception) Charm dice.
Lens of Austerity (•••): Penalties from wounds, deprivation, fatigue, poison, and other drugs don’t apply to the
sorcerer’s Perception-based rolls or Shape Sorcery rolls.
in vogue for Clan Ophris’ foster parents to claim full par- clans and jatis, while others are open to foreigners with
entage until Exaltation, to keep the shame of any offspring proper resources and connections, such as Dynastic
that doesn’t Exalt away from the true parents. Regardless children or scions of other Dreaming Sea empires.
of a child’s particular parentage, all Sage households have
the right to any education they can afford, and Dragon Academies founded by Clan Burano form the founda-
Clan Sage households can afford the best. tional Dragon-Blooded curriculum against which all
other educational options in Prasad are compared, and
Educating the Elite they compare most closely to the primary and second-
ary schools found on the Blessed Isle. However, only the
When the Dragon Clans emigrated from the Blessed empire’s most secure cities maintain such institutions.
Isle, they brought the academic structure they knew
Kamthahar itself boasts three such “academies for flour-
— primary and secondary schools — to a culture that
ishing youth”: the Rosewood Campus, which teaches
already had a thriving and influential Sage Caste. With
legislation, finance, and espionage; Burano Netaru’s
each jati added to Prasad’s Sage Caste, the academic
Spire-Upon-The-Bank, which teaches personal combat,
options available expanded, competed, and evolved.
military history, and navigation; and the Mandir of Sixfold
Now the empire boasts a wide variety of educational
Insight, a converted temple which teaches the principles
traditions and institutions, including schools dedicated
of esoteric martial arts, geomancy, and sorcery. Burano
to preparing the Caravaner and Corporal Castes. Many
students make up the bulk of each academy’s population,
schools and tutors traditionally associate with specific
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as Ophris households are more willing to trust their

young to illustrious and iconoclastic tutors, or to foreign CHANGING HOUSEHOLDS
schools. A few talented mortal students with wealthy and
politically connected parents might attend these elite In most cases, men maintain their caste and jati,
academies each year alongside Dragon-Blooded peers, and join their spouses’ households and clans. The
but most mortal scions study at lesser institutions. Dragon Clans maintain the Realm’s matriarchal
culture, and have propagated it throughout Prasa-
The most acceptable foreign schools are on the Blessed di society, though the myriad cultures subsumed
Isle. A few Prasadi youths make the long and perilous into the empire each have their own traditions. By
journey to the Blessed Isle each year, often as part of law, a man maintains his responsibilities to his
a deal or trade with one of the Great Houses. Certain birth jati and is considered an “interested party” in
Dynastic secondary schools in the southern and eastern his spouse’s jati, able to contribute to its welfare
Threshold, such as Aurora of Morning (p. XX), the and live within it, but ultimately still an outsider. A
mercantile academy called the Counting House, and child, meanwhile, shares caste, clan, and jati with
the harsh Jade Anvil, are also well regarded. Prasadi ex- the parent who bore her. Exaltation outside of the
change students invariably serve as spies for their clans Dragon Clans naturally changes all of this, and the
as they attend Realm secondary schools, and often must newly Exalted youth has no true clan until one of
contend with Dynastic attempts to buy or manipulate the Dragon Clans adopts her.
their loyalties. Since many Dynasts view the Prasadi as
But sometimes a child is born out of wedlock, and
strange, heretical, and untrustworthy, Prasadi exchange
her proper jati won’t have her. Sometimes a man
students usually return home with newfound gratitude
would marry a lower-caste spouse or a noncitizen,
for their place in the empire. Nonetheless, they also
or is himself a child-bearer. Sometimes a child
make many valuable connections. feels that she was born into the “wrong” parent’s
jati. In each case, the one who would break the
Expanding the Nest mold of proper family must seek out Clan Akatha,
guardians of the soul behind the law, and earn
The Dragon Clans straddle the Sage and Dragon Castes, their blessing to attain her proper household.
resulting in a complex web of family relations built
around maintaining the blood of the Dragons. Prasadi
marriages require ritual permission and legal endorse- Dragon Clans after completing three labors chosen by
ment of good health and fertility from closely related the clan’s karta, aimed to test their loyalty, discipline,
elders of both spouses, especially the spouses’ parents. valor, and wisdom. These labors are often pretexts, ex-
Dragon Clan households compete fiercely for potent cusing away failures and giving second chances.
bloodlines, and many long-running feuds arise from
marriage agreements revoked at the last minute for a Once adopted, outcastes often find themselves treated
more favorable arrangement. as second-class. Their unknown pedigrees leave them
largely unable to marry except into other outcaste fam-
Clan kartas hold special authority over the marriages of ilies, and their political prospects are few. Their best
their scions, invoked to intervene in pairings disadvan- avenue to prestige is battlefield valor — a method with a
tageous to the clan as a whole and to mediate conflicts. high mortality rate.
First, they may annul marriages when spouses are too
closely related, or when one spouse is infertile. Second, An outcaste’s jati remains unchanged when she’s adopt-
kartas of Clans Burano, Ophris, and Akatha may grant ed. If she comes from a foreign land, she effectively has
married Dragons and Sages permission to take on no jati — at least until Prasad conquers her homeland, at
additional spouses. Common wisdom states that first which point she’s folded into the newly established jati.
marriages are for clan, and further marriages are for In either case, if she marries into her clan, she and her
love and community. children are absorbed into her spouse’s jati.
Though the Dragon Clans retain a sense of superiority The Diamantine Vessel, a Pure Way institution, tradi-
over outcastes, Prasad’s needs nonetheless demand im- tionally oversees the adoption process and mediates
portant roles for foreign- and low-born Dragon-Blooded. disputes between the clans over adoptees. They also
The empire’s expansionist agenda and competitive mar- counsel all such outcastes, offering the opportunity to
riage pool require that the Dragon Clans expand by any enter the monkhood instead, where citizenship may be
means necessary, and outcastes are forbidden to serve earned through dedicated study and martial skill. Those
in the Corporal or Caravaner Castes. Instead, outcastes who fail the kartas’ tests must either enter the monk-
may earn full citizenship and adoption into one of the hood or leave Prasad.
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Exigents, historically rare in Prasad, follow similar

procedures, although they’re adopted into Clan Akatha BEYOND THE CITY
rather than the other two Dragon Clans. With the up-
surge in new Exigents amid the Time of Tumult, Burano Though most Dragons and Sages are found in cities
or Ophris have made noises about claiming a share as or military encampments, most lower-caste Pra-
they do with outcastes, but nothing has changed as yet. sadi live in rural communities dominated by one or
two jatis each, with proper boundaries maintained
Life in Prasad by Caravaner enforcers and local monks. Rural
communities are assigned Sage mayors, whose
estates must be kept suitable to temporarily house
Society and Culture high-caste visitors,
Prasad’s castes are separated and bound by layers of rit-

ual, law, and competition, starting with introductions. with equal parts fear and respect; the greater the soul
Meetings between citizens involve traditional greetings that once resided within, the greater the malice and
intended to establish one’s own social position, which corruption of its emptied vessel. Rather than cremat-
often take the form of blessings bestowed (e.g. “wis- ing corpses and allowing their corruption to rise into
dom” as a traditional blessing from a Sage) or promised heaven as smoke, Corporals prepare bodies for funeral
services (e.g., “a strong arm and fleet foot” from a services — with ritualistic safety measures, such as silk-
Caravaner). en gloves for handling Dragon-Blooded corpses — and
inter the dead in clan-owned tombs. Corporal funerists
Once participants’ relative social standings are estab- toil at society’s edge to protect the empire from the un-
lished, they’re expected to follow strict laws for appro- dead, calling upon monks to assist their degrading work
priate speech and behavior toward one another. Lower- only when desperate.
caste citizens face fees and humiliating punishments for
untoward interactions with their superiors, such as in-
formal speech, physical contact, and unauthorized use
Following the Pure Way
of the left hand in a superior’s presence. Higher-caste
The Pure Way’s monkhood draws both spiritually minded
citizens who interact too casually with lesser castes face
citizens and those who struggle to find purpose in Prasad’s
public embarrassment from peers and avoidance from
communal approach to social mobility. Ambitious, isolat-
terrified inferiors.
ed, and idealistic outsiders can find place and purpose in
Prasadi citizens learn early in life — or soon after induc- the monkhood. Pure Monks are fiercely and forcefully
tion to the empire — that any privilege not determined proselytic, trusted to enforce proper worship of gods and
by their caste is afforded by the standing of their clan Dragon-Blooded. Dragon-Blooded monks retain their
and jati. Clans within the same jati jockey against one right to receive worship even as they wield the authority
another for advantage, then cooperate to compete to enforce proper piety, a conflict of interest few citizens
against clans of other jatis, all to secure opportunities would describe as such.
for business and respect from higher castes.
Aside from worship, monks of the Pure Way forswear
Since Prasad assigns urban clans and jatis specific most rights and strictures of their caste and jati. Lower-
enclave-neighborhoods, most urban citizens’ days are caste citizens undergo lengthy spiritual purification prior
spent among their own people. This is especially true to training, but monks who complete their training no
of Corporals, whose spiritually coarse duties mean they longer bear a caste. Upon completing their training, monks
might spend weeks at a time moving from home district may spend their limited personal time among their clans,
to work site and back with minimal attention from or though they’re expected to avoid directly aiding their
interactions with outsiders. Caravaners have signifi- clans except through advice and advocacy. Nonetheless,
cantly more interactions with foreigners and exotic outside of orders received from her superiors, a monk’s
animals, while many Sages spend their time supervising understanding of society’s needs is significantly informed
the lower castes and relaying orders from the Dragon by the problems her clan reports to her.
Caste.
Foreign-born outcastes, Exigents, and God-Blooded
Though the Corporal Caste is entrusted with many of may join the monkhood — a handful of mission temples
the empire’s most crucial and thankless duties, its most abroad also serve to train novices — and receive citi-
spiritually significant role is completing funeral prepa- zenship without adoption into any clan. Rare gods and
rations. Pure Way texts insist that corpses be viewed elementals pursue the disciplined and hard-working
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forcibly imported new citizens, export some of its own

THE MONASTERY OF citizens to repopulate newly conquered territory, and
THE RED BUTTERFLY redraw known trade routes and borders.
Life in Prasad would be even more chaotic if the Dragon

Enclosed by a walled garden of fragrant flowering Clans didn’t ably keep the populace focused on Prasad’s
trees, its ivory-crowned gates attended by monks
inevitable conquest over the Dreaming Sea coast. What
in scarlet veils, this rural temple complex is ded-
order the Dragon-Blooded can’t buy through patrio-
icated not to men or gods, but to monsters. Fair
tism-affirming displays of victory and the spoils of con-
Folk, demons, ghosts, and monstrous prodigies of
the Dreaming Sea wishing to join Prasadi society quest, they enforce through strict laws and draconian
come here to learn from Pure Way monks. In a punishments. But the empire’s resources — including its
reversal of traditional teachings, the monks teach Dragon-Blooded rulers — are increasingly spread thin,
their students to immerse themselves in form, placing stress on its ambitious design.
joining the illusion that is the world. The intention
is for students to so thoroughly become part of One symptom of this stress is the use of protectorates:
Creation that they reincarnate as mortals do — and neighboring nation-states that aren’t subject to the
to learn to eschew the inconstant, self-indulgent empire’s laws or social structure, but have sworn to aid
cruelty endemic to their kind. Although this ideal is Prasad in exchange for protection from common ene-
seldom realized, the monks persist. On those rare mies. While protectorates may offer some military or
occasions when a Wyld Hunt captures a Lunar or technical assistance, their primary contribution to the
Solar Anathema alive, the Exalt is imprisoned for empire is tribute. Prasad expects less tribute from pro-
life in the Monastery’s innermost chambers and tectorates than from subjugated territories, but forestalls
mentored in the Pure Way that they might find a their conquest as a matter of expediency — conquest and
better life in their next reincarnation. integration are expensive and time-consuming. Bullying
a nation into subservience is cheaper, for exactly as long
as Prasad appears too strong to challenge.
life of a monk, while far more hold honorary positions
in the monkhood and provide vital spiritual training Though Prasad’s armies are awe-inspiring forces for ex-
and insight. pansion, the empire also uses other methods. Pure Way
monks serve as advance scouts, spies, and dissidents
The Pure Way shares the Immaculate Order’s martial in hostile nations, as well as envoys to protectorates.
traditions and hierarchical structure. All monks gradu- Prasadi traders have reputations throughout the region
ate from training into the First Coil, after which they for ready wealth, as well as limitless access to (and
rise through obedience and accomplishment. Mortals hunger for) novelties. Prasad has also begun reaching
rarely rise above the Third Coil, while Dragon-Blooded into the Dreaming Sea itself, relying heavily on newly
and rare God-Blooded and spirit grandmasters com- conquered coastal ports to help adapt the empire’s riv-
prise the Fifth Coil (The Realm, p. 98). A nine-member erine naval tradition to open-sea conquest. In all these
Council of Judges determines policy and priority in the arenas, Prasad’s aggression and ambition sometimes
monkhood. By law, this council contains Prasad’s ra- tip into rashness, for their means and appetites are in
ni-satrap and tanist; a Dragon-Blooded monk from each constant competition.
of the three Dragon Clans; three gods with fifty years
of loyal service to Prasad; and one God-Blooded Akatha Prasad’s Paths Outward
monk. Each judge gets one vote on changes in policy The Dragon Clans learned much about imperialism
and revisions to sacred texts, and most changes require from the Scarlet Empress, but their own rebellion from
a simple majority. By tradition, the rani-satrap and the Realm convinced them that the satrapy system was
tanist vote together, but the council has suffered several inherently unstable. The Empress wanted her satrapies
deadlocks since the last Ophris tanist went missing. productive, docile, and cooperative with the Wyld Hunt,
but did not intrude on their culture beyond those wants.
A Spiral Ever Outward The Dragon Clans envision a Dreaming Sea more co-
hesive than the Blessed Isle itself. So conquests require
Prasad’s borders have expanded rapidly over the past enormous resources and attention, and protectorates are
century, with each victory inspiring a push for greater seen as temporary arrangements.
glory still. This near-continuous rush of conquest
means that the empire is in constant flux. At any given Sabhas and Governors
time, a city may need to feed and quarter a passing army, Upon becoming a Prasadi territory, a conquered na-
expand and redistrict existing enclaves to accommodate tion or region is assigned a sabha — an administrative
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council answerable to the rani-satrap. A sabha is led by occasionally experiments with city councils or other
five Burano and five Ophris councilors, advised by an power-sharing mechanisms. Governors likewise assem-
Akatha envoy and local leaders of lower-caste clans. ble lower-caste advisors from local clans.
The empire is currently divided among eight sabhas.
Should a conquest prove too small to require founding Neighbors
a new sabha, the rani-satrap places it under a neighbor-
ing sabha’s aegis. The Dreaming Sea region hosts many empires, young
and old. The Dragon Clans have every intention of
The sabha rules from whatever city it deems best suited breaking and restructuring each according to the Pure
to serve as its capital; this occasionally changes as cir- Way’s philosophy, in time, but even mighty Prasad must
cumstances demand. It meets as often as its members be strategic.
see fit, though no less than once each month. Sabha
members often travel throughout the territory to better Even as Ysyr is the Dreaming Sea’s preeminent naval
observe current events, establish contacts, and deal power, its armies bear countless sorcerous workings,
with local problems personally. amulets, and minor wonders created by the empire’s
sorcerer-princes. Legends of Ysyr’s mutated citizenry
Each karta chooses her own sabha members; she’s ad- strike horror and righteous indignation in Prasadi
vised by the White Jade Table or the Alkanet Pavilion hearts, and the Dragon Clans will go to extreme lengths
respectively, and subject to the rani-satrap’s veto. A to rid Creation of the sorcerers’ corruption.
speaker presides over meetings and break ties; the
speakership passes between Burano and Ophris each Some Prasadi strategists argue that a temporary alliance
year, chosen by that clan’s sabha members. with Volivat would buy time to develop Prasad’s own
navy, but Prasad’s growing admiralty board largely
For local matters, oversight of each city or rural region rejects the idea as heretical and cowardly. Volivat’s
is assigned to either Burano and Ophris. Burano tradi- ten-parented Yennin champions insult the natural or-
tionally assigns a single scion (often mortal Sage Caste der, and the Dragon Clans’ place atop that order. Prasadi
kin) as governor. Ophris usually does the same, but spies seek the secrets of Yennin creation — ostensibly
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to sabotage Volivat’s champions, though more oppor-

tunistic spymasters wonder what ten Dragon-Blooded Storytelling Prasadi Games
parents might give rise to.
Prasad is on the brink of disaster. The tanist, next in line
Prasad’s own ambitions have driven several lesser to succeed the throne, has been missing for ten years
powers to band together. The most notable of these, and is presumed dead, but the rani-satrap refuses to
the Tiger’s Nest Coalition, has blocked expansion of accept this and won’t call for another election to replace
Prasad’s southeastern borders for decades. Originally her heir. Rohavin is elderly, and dying on the throne
a tentative alliance between four prideful and fractious without a successor is a real threat to the stability of
nation-states in response to Prasad’s aggression, it’s the entire empire. Despite the upheaval and uncertain
drawn in neighbors that fear the loss of their autonomy, future, Rohavin forges ahead with her expansionistic
culture, and faith under Prasadi rule. The Nesters use an plans, determined to see Prasad’s borders extend into
assortment of magics to breed viable lines of chimerical the Dreaming Sea before her death.
warbeasts, and trade prisoners of war to the Fair Folk
For perhaps the first time in their long history, the
for aid against Prasad. They’re hardy and resourceful
Dragon Caste suffers widespread fractures of its rela-
folk, well-suited to arid steppes and rocky hills that can
tionships. Clan Ophris demands Rohavin call for the
exhaust armored infantry. Prasad has thus far refrained
election of a new heir, and Clan Burano worries about
from committing its full force against the Coalition,
what their rani-satrap seemingly rejecting one of their
seeing richer opportunities elsewhere.
most respected traditions means for the future. Jatis
Prasad’s current highest-value target is Y’danna, which harboring grudges against their oppressors for genera-
refers to a great walled metropolis and the tight-knit tions prepare in secret to take back their ancestral lands.
empire of island nations surrounding it. Y’danna was Smelling blood, the moneylenders, military leaders, and
a greater power centuries ago, but though the empire ruthless merchants circle Prasad, waiting for the first
wanes, the city has never fallen. Its seamless, hundred- sign of weakness.
foot-high walls are constructed of a First Age material
But for all the chaos waiting in the wings, most Prasadi sci-
that’s weathered Wyld storms, raiders, and sorcerous
ons stay at center stage of their own stories. The Dreaming
attacks. Y’danna’s Ageless Emperor controls sea lanes
Sea remains a cauldron of wonders, filled with opportu-
for dozens of miles around his city using a sizable fleet
nities for glory and adventure. Even as disaster looms,
secured in hidden shipyards, supported by powerful
Prasadi player characters can still explore ancient ruins;
tower-mounted lenses that focus sunlight — or, during
traffic with prehuman creatures; join the Wyld Hunt; and
night battles, light from a dwindling stock of First Age
struggle against the empire’s enemies via battle, diploma-
flares — into beams of ship-burning intensity.
cy, or espionage to further extend its dominion.
Prasad currently lacks the naval power to claim any of
Y’danna’s territory, and instead seeks to infiltrate the city Prasadi Dragon-Blooded
and overthrow it from within. Once they do so, Prasad
will be able to invade the surrounding territories, and its Ophris and Burano are in crisis, one without a clear
position as a naval power will be secured. Meanwhile, successor to the throne, the other troubled by the de-
Ysyr also maneuvers for control of Y’danna, while Volivat viation from established protocols. Both are burdened
makes overtures of alliance toward the Ageless Emperor. by the astronomical cost of Prasad’s expansion rate,
and struggle with managing the ever-growing empire.
Having expanded into the populous regions west of the Games involving an all-Prasadi cast of characters can be
Dreaming Sea, Prasad now abuts rural and wild domains played on any level, ranging from managing potential
on its flanks — jungles to the north, the Summer Mountains unrest in the streets, to expanding the empire, to sailing
to the west, and vast rolling steppe to the south. These off into the Dreaming Sea.
regions’ inhabitants, from the four-gendered Juádleh
clans of the Vaniwayan River uplands to the Dragon- The simmering pressure cooker that currently compris-
Blooded steppe nomads of the Khamaseen Legion, have es Kamthahari politics makes for excellent intrigue and
no desire to be absorbed into an imperial apparatus that political maneuvering, with Burano seeking to re-es-
would grind them down, steal their lands, and scatter their tablish the correct and traditional balance of power,
families. Though often willing to trade, they’re quick to and with Ophris scrambling to regain the power lost
retreat from potential threats, and many will raid Prasadi with their tanist. Political conflict can also arise from
merchant traffic when opportunity arises. Prasad’s myriad cultures, with player characters finding
themselves embroiled in tensions between members
of different clans or jatis. On the edges of the Empire,
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legions amass on the borders between Prasad and its own coffers — or procuring Prasad’s support through
neighbors, waiting for the orders to invade and annex alliance.
as they have so many times before. In the Dreaming Sea,
strange and wondrous objects and places lie in wait for Dynastic visitors and expatriates make useful allies for
those who will sail to their discovery, and the mysteri- a Prasadi Hearth. By and large, they lack contradictory
ous fate of the lost tanist is sure to be found, fostering loyalties, and they offer unusual perspectives on local
the sense of rollicking adventure and mystery that only politics and events. That they may be agents for the
tales of seafaring daring-do can bestow. Realm and its feuding factions is hardly worth remark-
ing on; after all, the Realm is far away, and Prasad reigns
Visiting Dynasts unchallenged on the shores of the Dreaming Sea.
Few Dynasts make the long, arduous trek to Prasad. Mixed Dragons
Nonetheless, a handful visit this most distant of satra-
pies for assorted reasons. Diplomats conduct negotia- While Prasad is a distant and distinct culture, Prasadi
tions between the Great Houses and the Dragon Clans player characters can easily be integrated into games
with renewed urgency as the Realm teeters towards civil with Dynastic, Lookshyan, and outcaste player char-
war. Scholars study Dreaming Sea architecture, history, acters. The Dragon Clans are always in need of funds
and other fields of inquiry. Sorcerers probe prehuman and political allies to maintain their hold on the Prasadi
mysteries. Theologians debate Immaculate doctrine empire and expand its borders outwards. Foreign
with Pure Way gurus. But most Dynastic visitors come Dragon-Blooded might be willing to come to a mutually
to broaden their horizons. Gourmands salivate over beneficial arrangement, offering such aid in exchange for
Prasadi cuisine; explorers sail Wyld-touched waters; trade agreements, political favors, and military alliances.
adventurers battle strange beasts and explore lost civ-
ilizations’ ruins. While a foreign Dragon-Blood might be little more
than an ally of convenience at first, there’s ample
It’s not unknown for Dynasts to go native. Distance from common ground for Prasadi Dragon-Blooded to forge
the Blessed Isle allows escape from political and per- lifelong ties with foreigners. Romance, friendship, and
sonal entanglements while retaining much of a Dynast’s the bonds of Sworn Kin might come to unite Dragon-
wealth and prestige, while the allure of mortal worship Blooded who began as little better than strangers.
has been known to tempt heterodox Dragon-Blooded. And while the Pure Way may have splintered from
the Immaculate Order, the shared tradition of the
Now, with civil war brewing in the Realm, some pon- Wyld Hunt can still unite Dragon-Blooded from across
der what role Prasad might play in the struggle. With Creation, regardless of doctrinal differences. A com-
their income dwindling, the ministries hope to ensure mon threat or enemy can provide a rallying point for
that Prasad continues to pay tribute. Meanwhile, the Dragon-Blooded of different origins, and the Time of
Great Houses consider directing that tribute into their Tumult abounds in such perils.
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Halcyon follows Laith through the forest. They walk the same path, yet Halcyon can’t help but feel
that also, they do not.
Laith is old, though Halcyon doesn’t know her true age. She appears old enough to be Halcyon’s mother,
or perhaps her grandmother. Yet, during lessons, Laith speaks of centuries-old happenings as though she
was present for them. As though she had a hand in shaping them. Laith’s voice was one of the first human
ones Halcyon heard, when Oreithyia (the mother whose vines sometimes cradled Halcyon lovingly, and
sometimes grew thorns to prick and tear her skin) brought her near the Forest Witches’ homes.
They wander through the forest now, bearing tithes for the Sea of Mind. Halcyon carries a pair of finely
wrought orichalcum daggers — the offering that will gain her entry into the Sea and let her experience
its splendors. She almost wishes she could keep them for herself, as spoils of a battle well-won.
Laith carries the Dawn Caste’s heart in her still-bloody hands. Her clothing is ragged and torn from
those same daggers’ brutal slices. In places, the wounds he inflicted still seep. Halcyon splinted
her mentor’s leg, where the Dawn’s kick snapped it and the bone pierced through Laith’s skin. It’s
still broken, but Laith walks on it as easily as when they’d left the forest. Rust-brown streaks mar
her lovely face where she’s touched it. When Halcyon offered to wipe clean her cheeks, Laith only
laughed and asked whyever she might do that?
The forest rustles around them, but they are alone. Still, Laith pauses on the path, as though she’s met
an old friend along the way. “Thank you,” she says, to no one at all. “She’s my prized student, and we’re
on our way to Atsiluth Eternal. Halcyon, show some respect when you receive such a kind compliment.”
Halcyon, ragged herself and unsure where to look, bows deeply nonetheless and addresses a point
just past Laith. “Your words bring me honor.” She hopes it is enough.
Laith beams and caresses Halcyon’s cheek. The blood on her fingertips is thick and cold, and it is all
Halcyon can do to keep from scrubbing it away with her sleeve. “Come,” says Laith. “We mustn’t be late.”
They stop like this several more times, and Laith indicates that some of these absent passers-by
have decided to travel with them. Halcyon sees only the forest, and the path, and Laith. She steps
gingerly, afraid to tread on ephemeral toes. Along the way, Laith asks her to recount their battle with
the Solar for this silent audience, and repeats questions her pupil cannot hear so Halcyon might
respond to them. Halcyon isn’t sure Laith is even aware she’s speaking when she does this. Her lips
move in a murmur, but her expression never changes.
At last, they stand before the forest pool. Laith picks her way carefully over the dirt, but her gliding
gait is better suited to smooth-paved streets. They stand at the water’s edge, and the forest holds
its breath — even Halcyon senses the sudden quiet. Laith casts the Solar’s heart into the pool; for a
moment, Halcyon glimpses a city reflected in the ripples.
Laith takes Halcyon’s hands in her bloody ones, and draws her into the pool. The clear, cool water covers
their knees, their waists, their chests. Then Laith takes Halcyon’s shoulders, and pushes her gently down.
When she rises, she sees the city at last: Atsiluth Eternal, shining atop its hill. Laith is as clean
and radiant as they day they left the forest, and Halcyon’s own body no longer bears the scars and
bruises from the day they killed the Dawn. On the shore, surrounding them, stand half a dozen
people as perfect as Laith herself. They bid Halcyon welcome, touch her hands, caress her cheeks.
“Now, pay your tithe,” says Laith.
Halcyon casts the orichalcum daggers into the water — which is no longer a tiny forest pool, but
now stretches before her, a vast and beautiful Sea.
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Chapter Four
The Forest Witches

She walks blindly along the edge of a forest pool,
clad in rags yet standing proud as any prince. Seeking Perfection
Before her inner eye unfold the shining streets
A twisted, uncanny forest looms north of the Scavenger
of a perfected city that does not exist, where she
Lands, somewhere between Linowan lands and the
speaks to the living and the dead without dis-
Hundred Kingdoms. Neighboring peoples avoid it, for
tinction; to her they are one and the same.
its reputation is inauspicious. They have many ominous
••••• names for the place. Its inhabitants call it only the for-
est; to them it is paradise, and paradise needs no name.
He chooses a mossy hollow amid the forest to take
his supper, and the forest obliges — roots bulging Thousands of mortal residents serve the mysterious outcaste
upward from the earth to form chair and table, cabal called the Forest Witches, who hold a reputation as
boughs gathering overhead to ward off the rain, vines sinister as the forest’s. Nearly 100 in number, these immortal
pulling forth fruit and greens and raw, bloody meat Witches send forth adventurers, raiders, and missionaries
for his provender. He sees, smells, and tastes only the to explore Creation’s vistas, seize ancient treasures, slay
most marvelous of viands, and the screams of the Exalted rivals, and spread their esoteric gospel of perfection.
hare torn apart for his meal do not reach his ears.
Founded seven centuries ago by Cevis Ghandarva — a
••••• renegade Dragon-Blood from the nascent Scarlet Realm
— and his coterie, the Forest Witches have grown both
She wears the flesh of a young Scavenger Lands strong and strange in their isolation. The forest they
princeling, stolen from him before he was conceived. claimed as their refuge holds the lingering remnant of an
Through scheming and murder she’s claimed his moth- ancient power that’s taken root in their minds and souls.
er’s throne, and holds power and wealth beyond the
dreams of avarice. But to her it is nothing. She dreams
only of the day when she can return to the distant
forest she called home before she took this body, to RY 68: GHANDARVA’S RETREAT
reclaim her birthright of perfection and immortality.
Half a century into the Empress’ reign, a Fair Folk no-
••••• ble seeking to undermine the Realm approached Cev-
is Ghandarva — a gifted and ambitious Dragon-Blood
He crouches in the deep forest, surrounded by mist — and showed him a vision of himself perfected. Em-
without color or shape. With a knife, he cuts away at bracing the vision, Ghandarva dubbed himself Mela’s
the parts of his nature that he rejects, reshaping himself reincarnation, drawing followers to his hedonistic cult
in his own image. When he’s finished, he no longer of personality with a message of power and enlight-
struggles against his own existence. He is no longer enment transcending ordinary Exaltation.
human. He is one with the mist. He is complete.
Ghandarva’s cult thrived for a short while, until the
••••• Empress’ agents turned public opinion against him
through a campaign of defamation naming him the in-
Humanity, the wise say, is a flawed creature inhab- carnation of Mela’s Antithesis, the Sickly Whore. Soon
iting a blemished Creation. All things fade; all things enough, Dynastic high society began to snub and mock
decay. Nothing is perfect. Nothing lasts forever. him. Infuriated, Ghandarva withdrew from the Bless-
ed Isle accompanied by his inmost circle of 16 Drag-
Lies, say the Forest Witches. Perfection is here, for on-Blooded, eventually establishing themselves in an
those with the power and wisdom to claim it. untrodden forest deep in the Eastern Threshold.
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C ha p ter F o u r : T he F orest W itches
The power within the forest seeks perfection, but it no philosophical inquiry, courtships, games — the Witches
longer recalls what that means. With no shape of its have a veritable eternity to devote to these pursuits.
own, it found form in the stories of those who sought
perfection here in ages past. The Forest Witches have The Forest Witches dwell in sumptuous palaces of sod
seized upon these shapes to provide structure for their and living wood, wrought from the forest by Oreithyia.
society and their selves. Each offers its own path to Temples, arenas, bathhouses, pleasure gardens, and
perfection. theaters arise as the Forest Witches have need. Even
without the Sea of Mind to remove all ugliness from
their vision, they live in vivid splendor — colorful wild-
Mysteries of the Forest flowers flourish along every path, intricate patterns of
ivy and moss adorn every building, and eerily lifelike
The foremost of these shapes is the forest walker
topiaries arise in new shapes each day.
Oreithyia (p. XX). The forest itself is alive, taking its
shape after a ghastly, yet magnificent artistic perfor- Among the Witches, marriage is largely nonexistent.
mance in a former age. Oreithyia tends to the Forest Partners may couple or triad off for extended periods of
Witches’ material needs, offering food, clothing, and time, but such exclusive relationships aren’t the norm.
shelter from its own substance, so that they need never While there’s still an emphasis on selecting partners
want for any mundane thing, freeing them to indulge whose pedigree will likely result in Dragon-Blooded
their search for perfection. offspring, such liaisons rarely last past the child’s birth.
More pervasive is the Sea of Mind (p. XX). Not so much The Forest Witches are broadly irreligious outside of
a place as an idea, the Sea of Mind takes its shape after the Cult of the Mist. Their afterlife is laid out for them
two young lovers’ attempt to immortalize their ideal- in Atsiluth Eternal or among the numina, preempting
ized perceptions of each other, even beyond death. It’s Immaculate doctrines of reincarnation. With their pow-
an image of Creation stripped of ugliness and flaws — er and passions unchallenged within the Sea of Mind,
a perfected Creation. Wherever they go in Creation, they see little cause to bargain with the divine — gods
those immersed in the Sea perceive the world through and other spirits may be ignored or bullied as suits the
the Sea’s lens, and in doing so, they experience Creation Witches’ needs, but few worship them. The Cult of the
as a place wherein their power and desires can over- Mist’s veneration and emulation of the numina is the
come any challenge. The Sea even transcends death; the Forest Witches’ primary spiritual outlet, though some
unreal city of Atsiluth Eternal at the forest’s heart offers revere the Sea of Mind as a spiritual force, while others
sanctuary to those who died while immersed in the Sea. propound exotic heresies, such as viewing union with
the Sea as the ultimate enlightenment promised by the
Lastly, the mist waits in the forest’s recesses for those
Immaculate Philosophy.
who seek its promise. As alive in its way as the forest, it
takes its shape from a misanthrope’s pursuit of self-com-
pletion through self-mutilation. Witches who wish to Ways of the Witches
change themselves can bargain with the mist to carve
away undesired elements of their own nature. Known as Though the forest’s gifts bring the Witches together, its
numina (p. XX), these Witches are both Dragon-Blood various manifestations pull them in different directions.
and spirit, surrendering much of their humanity to strip Rather than a single unified band, they form a shifting
away perceived weakness and imperfection. And from assembly of factions and coteries, united by their desire
the mist, Cevis Ghandarva bargained for power over to maintain and secure their forest paradise. Many are
reincarnation, offering Witches immortality across deeply individualistic and self-absorbed, occasionally to
countless lives. the point of solipsism.
A handful hardly stir themselves from the forest.

Life in Paradise Lingering in Oreithyia’s embrace or wandering the
blessed streets of Atsiluth Eternal (p. XX), they fol-
The Forest Witches live a blessed existence. They need low their own idiosyncratic pursuits, whether that’s
not toil day by day, for Oreithyia provides all that they physical pleasure, political machinations, or esoteric
require. They need not concern themselves with the wisdom. Some join the Mandala Guard (p. XX), for-
ugliness of the world, for the Sea of Mind erases it from going paradise to watch over it instead. Others join
their sight. While they occasionally venture forth from the Cult of the Mist (p. XX), the otherwise alatrist
the forest to seize those things needed to sustain their Witches’ primary spiritual venue, to venerate the
paradise or advance their own agendas, for the most enigmatic numina.
part, their lives are spent in leisure. Creative endeavors,
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THE FIRST AGE: PHERENIKE’S GARDEN
Long ago, the Solar Pherenike, the Harp of Morning, found that her Dragon-Blooded retainer Oreithyia had tread
carelessly in her garden, disturbing its perfection. Enraged beyond reason, Pherenike set upon Oreithyia, and
the two Exalted did battle. “I do not believe that you have mastered the fine principles of gardening,” Pherenike
said, as she struck Oreithyia down, and demonstrated by arranging the Dragon-Blood’s flesh in aesthetically
pleasing fashion over an acre of forest. Only after setting her eyes amid the flowers and her skull amidst the
stones did Pherenike let Oreithyia die. Among the Solar’s peers, even those who found the display morally re-
pugnant deemed it her masterwork, and artists came to study it for years as it decayed.
Still, every living Witch leaves the forest at some point, Messengers, inspiring fear of the Forest Witches and
leading raids against neighboring peoples or otherwise doubt concerning the Sea’s wonders.
adventuring to acquire things Oreithyia cannot provide.
They especially seek jade, artifacts, and other super- Lastly, many Witches seek all manner of adventure in
natural prodigies with which to pay their annual tithe distant lands. All Creation is the Witches’ paradise,
to the Sea of Mind and to expand the Sea’s reach, but drowned in glory by the Sea of Mind; it’s a fitting stage
anything that can be sold or traded for such treasure is for them to pursue their own goals and ideals.
likewise valued. The otherwise fractious Witches find
solidarity in organizing and participating in such ban- The Blood and the Spear
ditry; the sect mounts several such actions every year.
Sometime after the Forest Witches first found their
Witches also labor to undermine opposition among paradise, their leader Cevis Ghandarva pronounced
neighboring peoples and polities, with the ultimate in- two new doctrines: the Blood Sutra and the Spear Sutra.
tent of ruling in all but name. Their foremost tool is the The Blood Sutra is a philosophy of aspiration. It posits
Company of Thrones (p. XX), a faction of Witches led that true enlightenment is the pursuit of self-perfection,
by Ghandarva who reincarnate as the children of for- sacrificing one’s self to become something greater, and
eign elites. As royalty, merchant princes, and the like, that those who follow this path will one day claim their
they supply the Witches with intelligence and monies, rightful place as unquestioned Princes of the Earth,
while sabotaging or redirecting potential threats to the supplanting the Realm or building their reign out of its
Witches and the forest. ashes.
Some range farther afield on other business. The pros- The Spear Sutra is Ghandarva’s plan for claiming that
elyte Company of Messengers (p. XX), who wish to rightful place. One does not rule a place by conquest, it
offer the Sea of Mind’s perfection to the world, spread teaches — rather, the Forest Witches will rule from the
word of the blessings it offers. Members of the much shadows. Creation’s princes and godlings will be made
smaller Table of Fiends (p. XX) — who deem the Sea to recognize the Witches’ worth, or to fear their power
too precious to open to the unworthy — oppose the beyond any hope of resistance. Those who would stand
RY 71-145: VALENTIN AND OREITHYIA
Ghandarva took as his lover the beautiful youth Bidalaksa Valentin. The Fair Folk had claimed Valentin’s pas-
sions; in exchange they gave him his mirrored eyes, in which others saw all the things that made them weak.
Oftimes Valentin sought solitude from Ghandarva’s attentions in the forest. There his cold, vain perfection drew
the attention of whatever thing wore long-dead Oreithyia’s semblance. Valentin endured this for a time, eventu-
ally giving the creature the ultimatum he’d given Ghandarva: “I will never love you, for I do not understand what
love means. If you wish to serve me and give me the things I desire, I am willing to tolerate your presence.”
Oreithyia’s yellowed skull stared Valentin down, but in his mirrored eyes saw all the things that made it weak.
Submitting, it withdrew; and that night, a mansion of living wood arose where his tent once was. From that
day, the forest walker gave Valentin — and by extension, the Forest Witches — clothing, food, and shelter, in
exchange for his tolerating its presence.
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against their rule without name, the Spear Sutra names wood and stone, and the like. Even beasts of the wood
Anathema. serve its will. And its numberless leathery vine-tendrils
can tangle, rend, and strangle trespassers.
Not all Witches subscribe to Ghandarva’s doctrines, but
he has been persuasive in spreading them. Most Witches Only the forest’s gods and elementals aren’t under
have accepted the Blood Sutra, and many have accepted Oreithyia’s direct sway, and even they fear its power.
the Spear Sutra — particularly those in the Company of Many a woodland spirit has had eyes or tongue torn away
Thrones and the Table of Fiends. in punishment for crossing the forest walker’s will.
To placate Oreithyia, the Witches provide offerings of

Oreithyia and the Forest beautiful youths captured in their raids or purchased
from slavers. These the forest walker dotes on for a time,
Millennia ago, the ancient power behind the forest wit-
supplying them with every luxury and adoring them
nessed the magnificent and terrible artistry with which
from afar with ancient eyes. But eventually it turns on
the Solar Pherenike dismembered her aide Oreithyia,
each, rending them limb from limb.
sprinkling bone and viscera across the wood in a man-
ner that perfectly disclosed every aspect of Oreithyia’s Much as the Sea’s perfected world gives the Witches
nature and personality. That power has since manifest- arrogance, Oreithyia gives them certainty, supplying
ed in the image of Oreithyia’s remains — a living web material needs more swiftly than even a pampered
of gristle, bone, and sinew that wears a yellowed skull Dynast’s. Without fear of want, they’re free to pursue
for a face, winding through earth and water and wood, their own desires and ideals.
spanning the length and breadth of the forest. It is not
Oreithyia, but it has taken her name for itself.
Children of the Woods
The forest walker provides all of the community’s phys-
ical needs — food, clothing, shelter. It sinks wells and By and large, the Forest Witches hold little interest in
redirects streams, erects homes and fortresses from childbirth and child-rearing. When it’s time to give
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RY 145: OREITHYIA’S FURY
During his frequent visits to the forest pool, Amoril Rurik found that within its paradise, he attained all desired
qualities of strength and will. He soon saw himself in a state of perfection, and brought that arrogance to the
outside world. One day he quarreled with Bidalaksa Valentin; looking into Valentin’s mirrored eyes, Rurik saw
nothing that made him weak, and slew Valentin without a qualm.
Oreithyia flew into a rage that night. Mightier than any spirit, it demolished the Witches’ homes, hounded them
with ravening beasts, turned food and water to ashes and mud, and twisted every path back on itself, trapping
the Witches within. They might have died had not Ghandarva offered the forest walker a bargain: “Valentin was
given me, and I shall give you others.” Oreithyia took Ghandarva’s tongue and one eye, but nothing more, sealing
their pact.
birth, most simply wander into the forest, and return must see even the most painful truths if they’re to watch
alone; the Sea drowns the pain while Oreithyia acts as against all threats. Other Forest Witches may find their
midwife, taking the child away to raise it in the deep asceticism strange, but laud them nonetheless for their
woods. vital service.
Suckled on Oreithyia’s sap, raised among deer and Most Witches shun the manses within the forest’s
wolves, these children are wild but not feral. The forest bounds, for the Sea of Mind is distorted in these plac-
walker brings them in secret near the Witches’ homes es of power, nor can Oreithyia enter them. Thus, their
to hear human voices and learn human speech; they stewardship has fallen to the Mandala Guard. They
choose their own names from words gathered thus. As tend the scenic, overgrown House Cleft Asunder; the
they grow, Oreithyia teaches them writing, arts, weap- Phoenix Tears Pagoda, whose eaves of living wood drip
ons, and other civilized ways, using pain as discipline; crimson sap; Rurik’s Seal, a monolithic fortress rising
instead of providing food, it shows them how to hunt amid picturesque ruins; Seven Strings, burbling with
and kill. music from a stream flowing through its walls; and
the asymmetrical gardens of the Star-Thistle Palace.
Should a child of the woods Exalt, Oreithyia brings him The Guard also oversees the allocation of the manses’
before his parents to introduce him to the Witches’ so- hearthstones, and arbitrates disputes over them.
ciety. Otherwise, it eventually guides such children to
join the Witches’ mortal followers, among whom they By tradition, the Mandala Guard has nine members, ro-
shine as scouts, hunters, and raiders. tating between the five manses and walking the forest’s
borders. Membership is voluntary; Mandala Guards
The Mandala Guard may resign at any time. New members require majority
approval. The faction is tight-knit and insular, entan-
The Mandala Guard is made up of those Forest Witches gled with quiet feuds and romances.
who forgo the paradise of their brethren to protect it.
They live on the forest’s borders, beyond Oreithyia’s In addition to a cloak blazoned with the group’s epon-
reach. They deny themselves the Sea of Mind, for they ymous mandala, Guards traditionally hide their faces
THE FIRST AGE: KEHIRO AND CASSANDRA
In the bright days at history’s dawn, the young lovers Cassandra and Kehiro agreed to part forever before age or
sorrow found them. “It is best,” each told the other, “for I will wither and I will fade, and lines of suffering shall
etch themselves upon my brow, and my heart may even grow untrue — but you shall remember a love forever
young, forever joyous, and forever pure.”
The next night, Kehiro, agonized by the loss even as he believed it best for Cassandra, drowned himself in a
cold, dark pool. Cassandra, for her part, spent long months immersed in her sorrow before she, too, entered
the forest and cast herself into the same pool.
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RY 68: THE FOREST POOL
Ghandarva’s lieutenant Peace of Song Forgotten — a heretical monk who trafficked with demons — sought to
perfect his martial arts in the forest’s depths. Encountering a dark, still pool, he called out to its spirit to rise
and do battle. What emerged instead was an uncertain shape, flowing from dragon to centipede to vaporous
shadows. “You shall do,” the monk said. Peace’s adversary cast him aside twice before he absorbed its blow into
his watery Essence’s bottomless depths.
Instantly, Peace found himself, as if in a dream, upon an endless sea’s shore. There two young lovers each
walked alone, lost in their own dreams of love and tragedy. Recalling the tale of Cassandra and Kehiro, the
monk understood the pool’s power: to sustain human minds within its dream.
Peace of Song Forgotten slew the lovers to free the pool for more useful dreams. He reported his discovery to
Ghandarva thusly: “I have found a thing of use to us. None of us need ever die.”
with masks, hoods, or veils. Revealing one’s face is un- alternate perspective of reality demands Essence, and
usual — perhaps because, in their manses, the Sea can’t these demands increase with greater divergences from
perfect their features in fellow Witches’ eyes. Creation’s actual state.
Most importantly, those who die while immersed in

The Sea of Mind the Sea can choose to linger within it. Living persons
immersed in the Sea still perceive them; they remain
Central to the Forest Witches’ experience is the Sea of
part of the Forest Witch community. Most dead Forest
Mind. It is not a physical place or alternate dimension,
Witches retire to the irreal city of Atsiluth Eternal at
nor is it tangible in any traditional sense. Rather, it’s a
the forest’s heart. Others venture out into the world,
transformation of how the Witches perceive the world
but unless they inhabit a walking effigy (p. XX), their
around them.
actions affect only the perceived Creation of the Sea.
Those immersed in the Sea — requiring only baptism in
Most Witches see the Sea as a sacred blessing, washing
the forest pool’s waters — see Creation not as it is, but
away imperfections to reveal Creation as a paradise. For
as it might be if flensed of flaws and imperfection. It’s
some, it’s a gift from the Dragons, whether to be shared
clean and stylized, enhancing the natural world’s beau-
with the world or hoarded for those whom destiny
ty and wonder. Colors shine more vividly, flowers smell
has already led there; others posit alternate, perhaps
more fragrant, food bursts with rich flavor, people speak
heretical, theories of its origins. But many Witches
more eloquently and walk more gracefully, and so forth.
see it merely as leisure, joyous but ultimately without
meaning. And a few actively reject the Sea, deeming it
When possible, the Sea glosses over unpleasantness.
profane, dangerous, or aesthetically objectionable.
Reeking garbage, buzzing flies, fatigue from a long march,
disagreeable weather — if these things don’t affect the
Witch, she simply doesn’t perceive them. Unavoidable Transcending Reality
discomforts reveal themselves as intriguing or beautiful;
the flies’ buzz forms delightful music, while scorching Through passion and will, a Forest Witch may impose
heat recalls the warmth of a lover’s touch. her will more directly upon the reflected Creation,
accomplishing most any task (p. XX). She might slay
To prevent self-harm induced by such misapprehen- a hundred demons with a sword-stroke, shatter a city
sions, the Sea can subtly twist an immersed character’s wall with a shout, or cure the Great Contagion with a
actions. A Witch, kneeling to drink from a befouled pool touch. However, such changes aren’t real. The Witch is
she perceives as fresh, might in truth sip from her can- as puissant as any Dragon-Blood, but cannot truly trans-
teen instead. If a Witch thinks she’s slain a foe, when he form Creation this way.
strikes at her again she perceives a new enemy she must
fend off, rather than being blinded to his existence en- Whenever possible, the Sea works to minimize the dif-
tirely. The Sea isn’t intelligent; it merely acts to diminish ferences between a Witch’s perceptions and Creation.
differences between itself and Creation. Maintaining its A village she thought destroyed will be “rebuilt” by her
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next visit; the next time she crosses swords with a foe
she thought she’d slain, she may think herself fighting APPEARANCE IN THE SEA OF MIND
his twin brother. But this can’t always keep up with a
Witch’s changes; should she lose immersion in the Sea, In the perfected vision of the Sea of Mind, a For-
she may find Creation much the same as she remem- est Witch’s self-image may take precedence over
bers, or vastly different. their actual body. Those Witches with an unusually
strong conception of their self-image may recre-
There’s only one Sea of Mind. Should two Witches seek ate themselves without thinking upon attuning to
to impose contradictory changes, they must contest the Sea, recasting themselves in an ideal form.
each other. (Changes supported by a consensus, such Gender, height, weight, age, and other physical
as the structure of Atsiluth Eternal, can prove almost traits all appear exactly as such Witches envision
unshakeable.) One Witch’s alteration to the Sea is per- themselves. The self-image of one of the Company
ceived by all others who encounter it. of Thrones may even retain elements from prior
incarnations. Even if their self-image isn’t so con-
Beyond Good and Evil crete as to immediately assert itself, they can work
transformations within the Sea that would be im-
With the Sea muffling or erasing the world’s resistance possible in reality.
to their will, it’s no surprise that most Forest Witches ra-
diate self-assurance. The Sea hides their own failures, so
they rarely experience self-doubt. The Sea hides others’ The Tithe
suffering, so they have little cause to consider morality.
Meanwhile, their own strengths and virtues shine bright- The Sea of Mind cannot maintain its vision of a perfect-
ly, while their deeds bathe them and the world in glory. ed Creation indefinitely; it could not sustain the ever-in-
With the Sea filtering out imperfection and weakness, it’s creasing numbers of the dead of Atsiluth Eternal were it
easy for them to see the world in black and white. not sustained with Essence. The Forest Witches tend to
it in the form of a yearly tithe, making offerings of occult
Likewise, Witches demonstrate an unsettling ruthless- puissance — magical materials, artifacts, the hearts of
ness. The Sea glosses over the effects of their actions, so Exalted and other supernatural creatures, and similar
they need not smell the rank stench of the dead, hear prodigies, cast into the forest pool to feed the Sea.
the lamentations of widowers, or see the ragged and
starving folk left homeless in war’s wake. If they do, it’s While each living Witch is expected to pay their tithe
couched amid profound, artistic beauty, or framed to be annually, a Witch in good standing or with influence
inherently and unquestionably just. in the right places may go several years without a
complete payment. Successful Witches often pay in
Shores of the Sea advance, freeing them to leave the forest for years at a
time without worry. Those not immersed in the Sea —
When the Witches first found it, the Sea extended largely Mandala Guards, or members of the Company of
no farther than the forest pool’s glade. It has since Thrones who’ve yet to return — needn’t pay at all.
expanded to encompass Creation, yet still, it has its
bounds. Where the world’s Essence assumes an order Dead Witches aren’t subject to the tithe. This is oc-
alien to the Sea — demesnes, manses, shadowlands, casionally a subject of rancor for living Witches, but
bordermarches — the Sea becomes fuzzy and difficult there’s little they can do about it.
to perceive, fading in and out to reveal the world as it
is. In entirely other realms, such as Heaven, Hell, the Exile
Underworld, or the Wyld proper, the Sea fades entirely Over the course of centuries, the dead of Atsiluth
from the Witch’s perceptions. Eternal wove the Sea of Mind from the power within
the forest pool. Their ruling council (p. XX) retains
Such journeys don’t end immersion. A Witch return- the power to close the Sea to those who offend them;
ing to Creation regains access to the Sea. One who per- this is their primary weapon in disputes between living
ishes beyond the Sea’s shores still lingers within it; she Witches and the dead.
awakens in Atsiluth Eternal among her fellow dead,
remembering nothing of what transpired in those oth- Exile serves primarily as a lever to ensure that living
er realms. Witches pay the tithe. It’s also a punishment for espe-
cially severe crimes, such as treason against the Witches
or stealing treasures from the forest pool.
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Temporary exile lasts for anywhere from one month to to boast, share information, and collaborate on spe-
seven years. Permanent exile, an extremely rare pun- cific projects, but they accept neither leadership nor
ishment, is reserved for the most terrible crimes; being hierarchy.
well-loved or despised by the dead can tip the balance
one way or the other. The Tax of Fading Embers
The Company of Messengers The conflicting ideologies of the Company of Messengers
and the Table of Fiends led to considerable conflict and
Many living Forest Witches, enthralled by the glories of bloodshed between them until the dead of Atsiluth
the Sea of Mind, wish to convey the message of the Sea Eternal pronounced the Tax of Fading Embers. Any
far and wide. In this they’re aligned with the dead el- Witch who kills another, they decreed, must pay that
ders of Atsiluth Eternal. With the elders’ blessing, they Witch’s tribute to the Sea of Mind for the rest of their life.
serve as apostles of the Sea, ranging across and beyond Since its institution, conflict between the Messengers and
the Scavenger Lands to spread word of paradise. Fiends has largely cooled, with more conflicts resolved
through words than blades. Some bold Witches still dare
Of course, the Sea still has limits. All are welcome to the Tax’s consequences, but even the most aggrieved will
stand at the gates of paradise, but until its power suf- typically employ indirect efforts — sowing distrust in a
fices to drown the world, only a select few may enter. Messenger’s path, warning princes and Immaculates of
Messengers make a point of seeking out amenable her coming, and the like. Hiring assassins technically in-
Dragon-Blooded, Exigents, and other heroes fit to gath- vokes the Tax, but only if the perpetrator is caught.
er more of the treasure that makes the Sea whole.
Like most Witches, the Messengers see the world in The Dead
absolutes. The Sea’s perfection is an unalloyed blessing.
Therefore, all who stand in the way of its truth are evil. Over 200 dead Forest Witches reside within the Sea of
Those both willing and able to oppose the Messengers Mind. Most rarely — if ever — leave this afterlife, seeing
are deemed Anathema, subject to the Witches’ own it as retirement to a well-earned paradise.
Wyld Hunt.
It’s unclear to what extent the dead exist as anything
Messengers face opposition in their task. Their offer of more than a dream shared by the living Witches and the
paradise undermines Immaculate teachings, gods’ con- Sea of Mind. Nonetheless, dream or no, they act upon
trol over their cults, and the common folk’s obedience to the world to sustain their paradise, fulfill personal am-
temporal rulers. Confronted by opposing propaganda, bitions, and expand the Sea.
legal sanction, and physical force — especially from the
The dead largely subsist in a passive state. Even moreso
Realm in satrapies, or Lookshy in the River Province —
than visiting Witches, their existence is a loose frame-
they must be swift, stealthy, charismatic, or adept with
work of concepts, a series of events sketched out with-
violence.
out truly being experienced. Only when engaged with
the living or pursuing their strongest passions do they
The Table of Fiends exist in the moment.
Smallest of the Forest Witches’ factions, the Table of The dead aren’t ghosts in any traditional sense. They
Fiends repudiates the Messengers’ creed. Paradise, they lack physical or spiritual form, are not undead, and have
say, belongs only to those worthy of it. A treasure earned no connection to the Underworld. Nonetheless, when
through struggle by a destined few is cheapened when an immersed Witch dies and is reborn in the Sea, she
offered with open hands in exchange for mere jade. leaves neither ghost nor hungry ghost behind.
Fiends spread dark rumors of the forest and its in- Thousands of mortal servants have also given their
habitants, inspiring fear and doubt to undermine the minds to the pool upon death, but their existence is
Messengers’ gospel. Some go farther, committing more tenuous. Only a handful exist at any given time,
atrocities in the forest’s name. Theirs is a religious serving the dead Witches’ will. The rest persist only in
mission; they see no evil in protecting the Sea from the potential, summoned forth when a Witch remembers
undeserving. them, ceasing to be when no longer needed; such is the
natural state of the pool’s dead inhabitants, averted for
The Fiends have never numbered more than half a the Witches themselves only through great occult effort
dozen. All have strong personalities, and each works at the sect’s dawn.
independently toward their shared goal. Fiends meet
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still sets their agenda today. The council’s membership,

CIRCUMSCRIBED JOURNEYS though largely static, intermittently changes as new
luminaries and demagogues join the dead, or amid seis-
While the Sea encompasses all Creation in theory, mic shifts in its neverending political dramas. Ousting
in practice it’s rooted in the Witches’ perceptions or replacing a council member requires only a majority
and knowledge. It has no independent awareness vote.
of Creation. This limits dead Witches’ ability to trav-
el unescorted to places that no living Witch has vis- Living Witches occasionally find themselves dragged
ited recently — or ever. into the council’s intrigues by dead mentors and allies.
They may be called upon to deploy persuasion and
Dead Witches largely find themselves uninterested threats, gather blackmail material, or even “assassinate”
in such locales, as the Sea unconsciously discour- dead councilors at auspicious moments.
ages them from journeying there. Should a dead
Witch reject such urges and visit a place the Sea The council’s politics remain obscure to outsiders.
doesn’t know — or, indeed, a place the Sea doesn’t Broadly speaking, their conflicts center on divergent
extend, such as the Underworld or the Demon City visions concerning such matters as the nature of a per-
— the trip lacks content, much like untethered fected Creation subsumed by the Sea of Mind; by what
adventures in Atsiluth. She recalls the gist of so- methods to extend the Sea’s reach; how best to refine
journing there, but specifics are abstracted away. Atsiluth Eternal’s perfection; and the living Witches’
strategies and tactics within the imperfect Creation.
Individually, they’re also driven by ambition, vendetta,
Should a dead Witch “die,” she ceases to exist. However, the el- romantic affairs, and similar consummate passions.
ders’ council may, by its decree, recreate her in Atsiluth Eternal.
Laws of the Dead
The Elders’ Council
Proseria holds forth four principles for the dead and
A council of 25 rules Atsiluth Eternal. Vitali Proseria (p. their city:
XX) seized leadership of the council centuries ago, and
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RY 564: THE BLESSING OF AWAKENING
Across the centuries, Witches came to the pool as their lives waned, giving their minds to its depths. There
they constructed a world of their own devising.
When this paradise at last attained fruition, the dead Witches named it the Sea of Mind and welcomed their
peers to swim within its depths. “In life and in death,” said Vitali Proseria, “you may join us. We only ask that
you divert some portion of your attention, now and again, to the flow of power on which this Sea depends.”
The Witches came and baptized themselves in the pool. And now, instead of leaving their paradise behind
when they went forth into Creation, it accompanied them. They saw the world perfected, and were blessed.
• The councils of the dead are for the dead alone. A Blessed Labyrinth
Living witches may address the councilors and hear
their response, but the council’s deliberations are Largely untethered from reality, Atsiluth Eternal fol-
not for their ears. lows the logic of dreams. The city’s streets may not be
in the same place from visit to visit; hours flit by like
• Atsiluth Eternal is sacred ground. Struggles between
minutes or stretch out like days. Without the need to
the dead must take place in the reflected Creation,
synchronize with Creation, the Sea is free to abstract
lest they disturb the dream of the perfected city. The
Witches’ experiences.
dead occasionally flout this law, ranging from theft
to kidnapping or assassination. A meal, debate, or artistic performance in Atsiluth need
have no content. It simply happens, leaving only the
• The dead must carefully limit their impact on the
memory of a mood felt or decision reached. One may
Sea beyond Atsiluth, as divergences between the
wander through a district whose populace and archi-
real Creation and what Witches perceive sap the
tecture are ciphers, then enter a garden with flowers of
Sea’s strength. This doesn’t apply to those using a
no particular shape or color — unless an onlooker gives
walking effigy (p. XX).
sufficient attention to fill in the gaps.
• All must support the Company of Messengers, to
Still, some locales have received sufficient attention
speed the day when the Sea subsumes Creation and
over the centuries to take on concrete, persistent form
the dead walk the world alongside the living.
and detail. These include:
Atsiluth Eternal The District of Fallen Petals: A gentle hillside of

switchback roads, where small picturesque villas stand
The uninitiated see only trees surrounding an ordinary among cherry trees forever shedding their blossoms.
forest pool. But the Forest Witches, immersed as they Its peaceful atmosphere draws artists, lovers, and
are in the Sea of Mind, witness something transcendent. penitents.
For them, a glorious city rises upon a hill above a shin-
ing sea, its beauty and perfection outshining anything in The Gallery of Ancient Dust: This broad, interminable
Creation. This is Atsiluth Eternal, the first and final city. corridor’s flagstones and faded portraits are thick with
dust. On one wall, grimy windows overlook the Sea; on
Since the beginning, Witches approaching the end of
their lives gave their minds to the forest pool. Atsiluth
took form from their dreams and desires, becoming the STANDING ON THE SHORE
city-seed from which the Sea of Mind grew. Today, it
remains the home and sanctuary of the dead, though its While Atsiluth Eternal and its dead exist outside of
doors are open to the living via the Sea. Creation, a visiting Forest Witch doesn’t. She per-
ceives and interacts with the streets and residents
It’s the heaven to which the Witches aspire. Creation of the first and final city, but her body remains near
in the Sea is a miracle, where they seek perfection amid the forest pool. Those not immersed in the Sea see
ever-ascending glory. But when passion for life passes, her wandering aimlessly, speaking to people who
Atsiluth welcomes them into its eternal, paradisiacal aren’t there.
embrace.
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THE FIRST AGE: LADY DOMNICA AND THE SHAPE
Sleeping in the forest one night, Lady Domnica dreamed a shapeless thing of mist and memories. Thrashing in
her sleep, beset by fear and a terrible sense of completion, she impaled her hand on a thorn; when she woke,
there was no blood, only a hole filled with shimmering, misty gray. Inspired, she bid her servant carve a pattern
of her devising in her flesh while she slept. Night after night, the pattern grew, as more and more of her — and,
eventually, her servant — disappeared as she slept. One night, Domnica didn’t wake; all that arose was mist,
all shimmering gray.
the other, countless doors open on rooms crammed with to heighten the drama of their actions, from romantic
books and curios reifying centuries of dead Witches’ gestures to secret duels.
knowledge. Witches come seeking wisdom or to med-
itate on the transience of mortal things. The Western Quay: Grand barques of perfumed wood
dock here, carrying strange goods and travelers from
The Sea: A vast, shimmering ocean leading to Creation fictitious lands. Travelers between Atsiluth Eternal and
and imaginary shores. This is the forest pool as seen Creation often envision themselves passing through
from Atsiluth Eternal. here, as do those visiting the notional island fastnesses
of the more misanthropic dead.
The Street of Soup Vendors: This winding alleyway
buzzes with common folk about their ordinary, live- The Black Scale Embassy
ly business, sampling fragrant dishes hawked loudly Decades ago, the demon Eutychia, the Bull Slain on
at food kiosks. Witches come here to partake in such Stagnation’s Altar, appeared in Atsiluth Eternal by un-
vibrancy. known means. Naming herself emissary of the Ebon
Dragon, she bargained with the dead for a seat upon
The Street of Strangers: Near to the Western Quay, this the elders’ council. The specifics of this bargain remain
broad avenue — with its hostelries and its storefronts secret.
dealing in peculiar services — throngs with unfamiliar
faces from unknown lands. Witches visit to walk or con- Bleak and forbidding, the Black Scale Embassy stands
nive unnoticed among crowds. upon the Street of Strangers, staffed by demons and mor-
tal dead. Occasionally a Second Circle demon emerges,
The Walk of Unforgotten Words: An esplanade along bearing a token of Eutychia’s authority to attend the
the Sea’s shore, where the sound and scent of the crash- elders’ council on her behalf. Thankfully, these demons
ing waves enthrall passersby. Here, every word and have shown no ability to enter Creation from the Sea.
gesture seems freighted with meaning. Witches visit
RY 72: ANJA’S SACRIFICE
Born with severe congential defects and suffering from suicidal depression, Kumari Samathi Anja was an
outcast before Exaltation; even after, she found only marginal acceptance in the Scarlet Dynasty. But she found
welcome in Ghandarva’s sybaritic cult, and followed him into the East.
Like Valentin, Anja sought solitude in the forest, albeit in her case to cut her own flesh and ponder nonexistence.
And like Valentin, she wasn’t alone. What approached her came as a mist; inquiring about her motives for self-
harm, it offered her the opportunity to remake herself, perfected, in her own image. Anja, disdainful of bargains
with mysterious mists in forest clearings, declined.
Ghandarva, overhearing the conversation, sought his own bargain. Trapping Anja with the mist, he forced her
to confront its offer and her own self-loathing — things it deemed one and the same. “I have been without form
for a long time,” the mist said. “And if I am to have form, I must have a soul, and that soul must be a thing of its
own shaping. Naturally, you must consent. However, is that consent not implicit in your pattern of activities?”
The mist took Anja’s form as it spoke. Maddened, Anja struck at her own shape, and in doing so, struck at her-
self. Thus she was remade as the first numen of the mist.
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The Embassy focuses on the Company of Messengers, transcend, they’ll escape the pitfalls suffered by other
offering infernal lore and dark pacts that might aid in numina. And many simply seek self-improvement or
their mission. Hell’s attention unnerves some, but the self-perfection, with no intention of ever actually un-
Witches remain confident in their power and their de- dergoing apotheosis.
votion to their task.
Reverence of the numina is more widespread among
the Forest Witches’ mortal followers. Hundreds wor-
The Mist ship the mist, offering regular prayers and gossiping
over rare sightings of the numina amid thicket and
The mist is the most cryptic manifestation of the for-
glade. Witches who emulate the numina find willing
est’s power, and the one with the least impact on most
devotees among mortal cultists, and can look forward to
Witches’ lives. But for those who embrace its offer, it
receiving worship themselves should they ever accept
holds the power to transform one’s life utterly.
the mist’s offer.
In the First Age, Lady Domnica cut herself away to be-
Iurka, the Autumnal Torrent cut away her stillness;
come the potential for something greater. Now, a Forest
she’s ever-moving, like a river or a storm, knowing no
Witch can bargain with the mist that was — and, in some
rest. She cut away her uncertainty; she knows her desti-
sense, still is — Domnica, sacrificing part of her nature
ny from now until death, without room for choice. She
to become an aspect of the mist, a numen (p. XX). Only
cut away her ugliness; she has eighteen legs, seven arms,
four are known to have taken this step.
and three faces, yet is beautiful. She cut away so much
that she sheds shining blood at every step. Stillness and
Any Dragon-Blood may bargain with the mist to be-
choice, she says, lead to pain; cut these away, and you
come a numen, choosing what part of her nature she’ll
cannot be hurt more than you already suffer.
forsake. Changes in form, personality, and powers ac-
company this apotheosis. If an extant numen has per-
To the cult, Iurka embodies battle, dance, destiny, and
ished, she may instead step into its place, taking on its
the stars. They idealize her understanding and em-
name and nature.
brace of apotheosis’ costs, and of how she found utility
in what she sacrificed — the toad idol Setsi-Lum upon
Samathi Anja, first of the numina, appears to each new
her ankle is shaped from her stillness, while the spider
Dragon-Blood joining the Witches as a representative
bangle Menine-Li upon her wrist is sculpted from her
of the mist. She tells the mist’s tale and offers its bar-
uncertainty. They take caution against cutting too deep-
gain of transcendence. Few accept this offer. Yet Anja
ly as she did, lest they suffer as she does, or be trapped
persists, for it is her belief that the mist yet remains
like her in helpless foreknowledge.
incomplete, and will remain so until seven and seventy
Dragon-Blooded sacrifice themselves to it and become
Menderes, the Face Behind the Sky, cut away every-
numina.
thing about himself that he deemed ignorant and in-
significant. Now, from his dreamlike vantage, he peers
The Cult of the Mist down on all Creation as though into a world under glass.
Others sense him first as an oppressive presence. Those
Many Forest Witches find themselves fascinated by he focuses on see him in visions — cockatiel-headed,
the mist’s potential, but few have the courage to follow seven-tailed, clutching the crystal sphere that is the
through. Rather than natural evolution and growth, it world in smoldering claws. At its most intense, his re-
promises perfection through one direct, final, irrevoca- gard can shatter minds. Exalts can strike back, their
ble step — a step that the numina themselves don’t seem blades cutting him in his seat behind the sky.
entirely satisfied with. Witches caught on the threshold,
enthralled by the prospect of metamorphosis but un- To the cult, Menderes embodies failure, the night, proph-
ready to proceed, join the Cult of the Mist. ecy, and social graces. They idealize his aloof, cerebral
distance from Creation, and how he refined something
Such a Witch studies one numina or another, cloaking so passive as observation into a means to transform the
herself in its symbols and imitating its mannerisms and world. They take caution against withdrawing so much
deeds. Through this emulation, she hopes to discern from the world as to cease to be part of it.
both the intent behind its sacrifice, and in what ways it
failed or succeeded to fulfill that intent. The reasons for Samathi Anja, the Shadow of the Knife cut all of
doing so vary. For some, the Cult is a way to overcome herself away, yet somehow remained; who but she
the things that hold them back from pursuing apothe- could do the cutting? A creature of remnant things, she
osis. Others cultivate themselves so that when they do guards the cast-offs of the forest — trash, lost treasure,
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abandoned plans, forgotten memories, and the like. Her The Mantle’s wearer selects the nature of the new life
many forms include a seething heap of molted snake- into which she’ll be born. This includes location, ethnici-
skins, a cat with a broken spine, or a woman cut open ty, social status, and the like, and her physical appearance.
from chin to groin. When visiting as a representative of She may be as broad or selective as she wishes, though at
the mist, she appears as she did in life, but sad and tired, least one parent must be human. If circumstances deter-
with dead-black eyes. mine that no birth matches her criteria, she’ll reincarnate
under circumstances as close as possible to her desire.
To the cult, Anja embodies all abandoned and remnant
things. They idealize her ability to transcend while Upon naming and meditating for a time on her desire,
remaining fundamentally herself, and how she’s re- the wearer crumbles to dust. She’s reborn within two
mained integral to the Forest Witch community after years unless the Mantle itself is destroyed.
her apotheosis. They take caution against failing to un-
derstand one’s desires, lest one become trapped in one’s The reborn wearer lacks access to the Sea of Mind, and
self-loathing or some other negative ideal. slowly recalls her former life during early childhood. If
she was Exalted as a Dragon-Blood, she Exalts again at
Seven-Face Rèsja cut away who she was without know- puberty, regaining her full supernatural puissance.
ing what she wanted to become. Now she’s fluid and ev-
er-changing, her faces and her memories too transient The Company of Thrones
to hold onto for long. An artist of shape, she takes many
forms, ranging from beauty to horror, every detail mea- Upon returning to the forest after his first reincarna-
sured for the desired effect. She transforms others as tion, Ghandarva proposed a new path for the living
well, often as part of bargains that slip her mind before Witches. This proposal — the Spear Sutra — was to rule
she can fulfill her end of the deal. Creation in all but name, by secretly undermining the
will to oppose their power. Their primary tool would be
To the cult, Rèsja embodies change, fire, hounds, new reincarnation.
endeavors, and weather. They idealize her passion and
fluidity, free as she is to change despite her apotheosis. Called the Company of Thrones, Ghandarva’s agents
They take caution not to abandon too much structure use Domnica’s Mantle to be reborn into positions of
in their lives and identities, lest they surrender control power in neighboring lands. Upon Exalting again, some
over their nature as she has. strike at the Witches’ enemies from within, then return
to the forest to renew their connection with the Sea of
Domnica’s Mantle Mind. Others remain in place, marshaling power and
influence on the Witches’ behalf.
Sacrificing Anja in a devil’s bargain with the mist,
Ghandarva obtained the nebulous, occult cloak known Active Thrones occupy a variety of roles, including
as Domnica’s Mantle. It holds a unique power: One who princes, oligarchs, priests, bureaucrats, merchants,
wears it may exchange their life for one not yet con- generals, and the like. Their methods encompass in-
ceived, superseding the cycle of reincarnation. telligence-gathering, blackmail, sabotage, preaching,
assassination, and war.
RY 326-341: DEATH AND REBIRTH
As Ghandarva grew old, the Witches expected him to retire to Atsiluth Eternal. But he found another way.
In payment for Samathi Anja’s soul, he claimed from the mist a cloak made from its substance, a thing to cir-
cumvent the mechanisms of death and reincarnation. Donning it, he engineered his own rebirth into the Scarlet
Dynasty that mocked him. Born as Jurul Ledaal Demyen, he Exalted young, and turned unexpected power and
brilliance toward stealing House Jurul’s fortune. He and the house underestimated each other; he largely failed
but escaped, wealthy and whole, to the forest.
Besting several Forest Witch champions, Ghandarva forced the sect to acknowledge his rebirth. And, reener-
gized by physical youth and as embittered by the Realm as ever, he set forth a new agenda for the Witches.
As seekers of perfection, they were owed the authority unrighteously held by the stagnant Realm. They would
destroy any who were both willing and able to oppose them. Creation would be theirs.
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Desire for the forest’s blessings limits the Thrones’ ef- A member of the Table of Fiends, Rurik sows terror
fectiveness. Craving the Sea of Mind, they return to the across the Scavenger Lands, performing unhale deeds —
forest whenever possible — first to reimmerse, and later profaning sacred places, brutally slaying beloved leaders
to enjoy the company of their own kind. And some join and sages, raising insurrections — in the Forest Witches’
solely to renew their youth, doing the bare minimum as name. Though he prefers sojourning abroad where no
Thrones before ending their tenure. peers can gainsay his will, he occasionally returns to the
forest to rabble-rouse and pursue old vendettas. He’s yet
Conquest in All But Name to resolve the conflict between his loyalty to Ghandarva,
resentment over their longstanding feud, and ambition
Cevis Ghandarva’s faction strives to subdue Creation, to take Ghandarva’s place.
but not through force of arms. Better to remove all op-
position, placing their own people and pawns in posi- Indecorous Needle, of the Company of Messengers,
tion of power. They will rule in the end, even if the ruled evangelizes among the Scavenger Lands’ many outcaste
don’t know it. They believe this to be their destiny. All captains and champions, seeking to share the beauty of
who oppose them are Anathema. the Sea of Mind and Atsiluth Eternal with those of her
Dragon-Blooded kin not fortunate enough to have been
Immortality underpins this grand scheme. Given time, born into paradise as she was.
the Witches’ servants would form an empire under the
Company of Thrones’ sway, eventually rivaling the hat- A brilliant hunter, tracker, and warrior, she offers her
ed Scarlet Realm. But with the Empress’ disappearance, services to fellow outcastes on their adventures, then
the Witches find themselves unready. slowly unfurls the tale of the Sea during long, slow
nights in the wilderness. Few have shown more than
Defeating the Realm would legitimize the Witches’ pro- casual interest in the Sea, thinking it a trick, a delusion,
fessed destiny. It would also fulfill Ghandarva’s ancient or merely overstated. Nonetheless, the treasures she
grudge. Sadly, his faction is centuries (at best) from being gathers in her adventuring have consistently paid her
ready to usurp the Realm. Pressed for time, they’ve be- tithe, and she has made no few powerful allies among
come more aggressive in their mission. Should they prove her traveling companions.
too incautious, their machinations may be revealed.
Once a ruthless raider and passionate adventurer,
Uthalia of the Unseen Eye joined the Mandala Guard
Noteworthy Witches after a pyrrhic victory over a mighty raksha prince, in
which she’s said to have lost some part of her soul. Cold
Though changed by death and reincarnation, Cevis and calculating, she takes pleasure mostly in hunting
Ghandarva remains at his core who he always was: a intruders with bow and scythe, and in spying on fellow
proud, arrogant visionary, never satisfied with his lot, Witches; she can hear the most distant whispers, and
forever seeking power and perfection. Many Forest see through the eyes of the forest’s birds and beasts. To
Witches still revere him as the sect’s founder, and he amuse herself in her spare time, Uthalia pens biting,
holds much sway over the living. As a political lead- satirical novels from the perspectives of fictionalized
er, his two goals — ruling the world in all but name, versions of her peers.
and vengeance against the Realm that mocked him —
are aligned, and the incipient Realm civil war offers Spirits fascinated Ceyx the Raveler long before he ever
long-awaited opportunity. heard of the forest. An outcaste raised in the shadow of
Great Forks’ temples, he studied demonology at Nathir’s
Amoril Rurik is a polarizing figure among the Witches. House of Thirty Seals, perused crumbling cenotaphs
He slew Ghandarva and Oreithyia’s favorite, Bidalaksa amid Sijan’s necropoli, and bargained with Fair Folk in the
Valentin, enraging the forest walker and leaving Northeastern woods. Drawn to the Witches by the Company
Ghandarva maimed; he founded the Mandala Guard, of Messengers’ evangelism, he found himself fascinated by
securing their paradise’s borders. Insightful, coura- the numina. Now a scholarly devotee of the Cult of the Mist,
geous, and strong, he’s also swaggering, prickly, and he tracks numina through the forest, chronicling their sto-
unmerciful. Reborn through Domnica’s Mantle, he’s ries as he ponders whether to join their number.
one of the few original Forest Witches still living, and
among the most skilled in the ways of violence. Some Few question Vitali Proseria’s rulership of the dead
ambitious or iconoclastic Witches support Rurik as a council. A ruthless authoritarian, she maintains peace
rival to Ghandarva, but he has few intimates — most of and order with an iron fist. She’s also a true believer in
them among the dead. Atsiluth Eternal’s paradise. To share that perfection,
she aims to strengthen the Sea of Mind until it wholly
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subsumes Creation, dreaming of a world where the dead Two centuries ago, Yeser Qhad of the Company of Thrones
walk freely among the living. She maintains an uneasy reincarnated into the holy bloodline of theocratic Haze, in
and distant alliance with Ghandarva, concerned that his the Hundred Kingdoms. Drawing on pacts made with puis-
ambitions might someday place them at cross-purposes. sant local spirits in advance of her rebirth, she rose to prom-
inence as a divinely inspired prophet through “predicting”
The seer Evelina once ruled the dead council, and she a number of spectacular natural phenomena. Backed by an
remains eminent among their number. A soft-spoken influential cult of personality, she amended Haze’s state
mystic with prophetic gifts, she concerns herself more religion with new doctrines amenable to the teachings of
with studying the nature of the Sea and exploring new the Company of Messengers and the Cult of the Mist. Her
realms of perception than with matters of politics. most enduring legacy, before she feigned her ascent into
Though she holds no personal ambitions, some would Heaven and rejoined her fellow Forest Witches, was the
use her as a figurehead for opposition to Vitali Proseria. Star-Scribed Carnelian, a voluminous tome of prophecy that
became one of the kingdom’s holiest texts.
Beyond the Forest Haze’s scarce supplies of jade were exhausted by the
Forest Witches within a few decades of Yeser Qhad’s
After two centuries of the Forest Witches’ depredations,
disappearance, but it remains a strategically positioned
few settlements remain within several days’ walk of the
asset. When the Forest Witches have need, they deploy
forest. Haunted ruins, overgrown and looted of valu-
Haze’s military, diplomatic, or economic power against
ables, lie scattered along rivers and streams among the
its neighbors by contriving the occurrence of the appro-
region’s valleys, woodlands, and prairies. The Witches
priate omens specified in the Star-Scribed Carnelian.
must travel farther to raid merchant traffic, perform
daring urban heists, or otherwise acquire their tithe.
East of the Hundred Kingdoms stands the satrapial
seat of Greyfalls; to the west lies the Seventh Legion’s
The few nearby communities that survive, such as
Nasaru Redoubt. Their Dragon-Blooded residents,
the Black Barley Towns on their rolling downs, are
artifacts, and other tithable treasures tempt the Forest
too impoverished to attract the Witches’ notice. Their
Witches, but are too well-defended to easily obtain. But
residents offer fearful hospitality to these eerie travel-
in the growing chaos of the Time of Tumult, coteries of
ers, who ride onward to win treasure in distant lands.
Witches have engineered raids on both, stealing several
Witches take lovers here on occasions; the newly
jade weapons from Nasaru’s armory and cutting out the
Exalted outcaste Thistle traces her origin to one of
heart of a young Cynis scion. House Cynis and Lookshy’s
these liaisons. She’s intensely curious as to her father’s
General Staff know of these raids but remain unaware of
identity, but wary of the Witches’ intentions.
the Forest Witches’ true nature and purpose, thinking
The Sky Cleft Mine, near the ruined city of Orev, re- them simply outcaste bandits. Their resources in the
mains rich in silver. The Guild merchant prince Six-Stars area are drawn thin, delaying investigation.
Siriade, of the Six Shining Stars Company, reopened
the mine two years ago. Wary of ancient rumors, he’s
brought a sizable guard led by the outcaste mercenary
Systems
Aedi of the Wooden Lance, but thus far the Witches The rules for the unique mysteries of the Forest Witches
have only helped, hunting wild beasts and Orev’s hun- are below.
gry ghosts. The thriving new mining town grows rich;
it’ll soon be worth raiding, robbing, or suborning. The Sea of Mind
The petty kingdom of Shrike’s Pinion, once a haven for
Immersion in the Sea of Mind is represented with a
savants and artists, has undergone a change with the as-
three-dot Story Merit. Player characters who don’t begin
cent of its eerie boy-prince Vereth-Vel. A reincarnated
with it can subsequently gain it, although they’ll have to
agent of the Company of Thrones, Vereth-Vel — or as
pay a suitable tribute before being allowed to do so. In ad-
the Witches know him, Ori of the Golden Scepter — has
dition to altering the character’s perceptions as detailed
swayed his queen mother Thragna Jewel-Eye’s council
above (p. XX), it also confers the following benefits:
toward a warlike footing, encouraging expansionis-
tic conquest. Under Ori’s machinations, the armies of • When she takes an action that upholds one of her
Shrike’s Pinion have softened the defenses of neighbor- Intimacies, her roll or static value is used to deter-
ing principalities for Forest Witch raids, while envoys mine its outcome in reality — but within the Sea, she
from the Company of Messengers have been invited to succeeds automatically, unless she’s opposed by an-
treat with the queen and proselytize to the masses. other attuned character acting in furtherance of an
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Intimacy. When two attuned characters come into

conflict, each multiplies their total rolled successes PLAYING THE DEAD
or applicable static value by (Intimacy) to determine
its effects within the Sea. If a character takes an un- Dead Forest Witches are viable player characters,
opposed action that solely affects the Sea, such as although it’s probably worth discussing with the
building a palace that has no equivalent in Creation, Storyteller in advance so she can take that into
no roll is necessary. consideration. Virtually all dead player characters
will need a walking effigy to meaningfully interact
• Tasks can be completed far more quickly than normal with the game. The Storyteller has the option to
within the Sea, decreasing the necessary time by one give them a walking effigy for free, although if she
step: from years, to seasons, to months, to weeks, to does, she should give other characters a similar
days, to hours, to minutes. This is only reflected in the benefit at character creation. If being dead caus-
Sea; in reality, the attuned character’s progress corre- es significant obstacles for a player character, she
sponds to the actual time they have spent at work. may gain experience points from it as though it
were a Flaw (Exalted
(Exalted,, p. 167).
• Her actions within the Sea are not impeded by in-
juries, poison, disease, shaping magic, curses, or If a dead player character being unable to enter
other unwanted effects. Even if she dies, she persists realms of existence outside of Creation would be
within the Sea. unnecessarily disruptive to the game’s narrative,
the Storytellers should let them develop walking
• If an attuned character activates a Charm in a way effigy Evocations at no cost to circumvent this lim-
that has no impact on reality outside the Sea, she itation, or simply handwave it entirely, whichever
waives its cost. best fits the needs of her game.
• If an attuned character crafts an object that exists

only in the Sea, she waives all craft point costs. two −0 levels, three −1 levels, three −2 levels, and three
Likewise, if she performs a sorcerous working that −4 levels. Walking effigies are immune to poison and
exists only in the Sea, it costs no experience. disease, and have no need to eat, drink, sleep, or breathe.
• While the Sea of Mind cannot impact Creation di- Walking effigies don’t heal naturally — repairing a
rectly, an attuned character’s idealized experience single health level is a difficulty 4 major craft project
of reality still conveys some benefits, guiding her (Exalted, p. 240) that takes one day. If a walking effigy
toward the best ways of achieving her goals. When is incapacitated, a superior project with goal number 30
she spends Willpower to add a success to an action is required to repair its Incapacitated health level.
that upholds one of her Intimacies, she may add
(Intimacy) non-Charm dice instead of a success. Walking effigies are unreliable in demesnes, manses,
shadowlands, and Wyld zones, imposing a −3 penalty on
The Sea of Mind is weak in demesnes, manses, shad- any action the Witch takes that interacts with the real
owlands, and Wyld zones, and the benefits of this Merit Creation. They cannot function at all outside of Creation.
may likewise be unreliable in such places. Outside
Creation, it offers no benefits at all. The Numina
Walking Effigies (Artifact •••) A Forest Witch who wishes to become a numen must
spend time secluded amid the mist, communing with it
Death may not impede a Forest Witch’s ability to act in preparation for her eventual apotheosis. The mist in-
within the Sea of Mind, but without a body, she can no quires how she wishes to change herself, and her answer
longer interact with Creation’s reality. Walking effigies forms the basis of the transformations apotheosis works
are artifacts that allow the dead to circumvent this: on her body and spirit. She must spend 20 experience
faceless statues graven from jade the dead may inhabit points to undergo apotheosis, although the Storyteller
to interact with Creation. may allow her to take on experience debt instead if neces-
sary to give the transformation suitable dramatic timing.
A dead Forest Witch may attune to a walking effigy for
five motes. Once she does, she bonds with it, and can act Becoming a numen confers the following traits:
through it as though it were her own body. She uses all
of her own traits — including Essence and Charms — • They’re spirits as well as Exalted, which renders
except that the walking effigy has its own health track of them vulnerable to certain magical effects. If they
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are killed without the use of magic capable of per- additional experience points during apotheosis to
manently killing spirits, they reform within the immediately learn such Charms.
forest (Exalted, pp. 508-509), typically within a
month. If a player wishes to make a numen in character cre-
ation, they can purchase the above benefits as a four-dot
• They gain six dots of mutations, reflecting the Merit. This doesn’t grant mutations; those must be pur-
changes wrought upon their bodies by their apo- chased separately with her starting Merit dots or bonus
theosis, and can spend experience points or go into points. The numen can take Eclipse Charms in place of
experience debt to gain further mutations. her starting Dragon-Blooded Charms.
• They’re capable of hearing prayers directed to them. Domnica’s Mantle

Most of the time, these prayers are an indistinguish-
able susurrus at the edge of the numen’s perception; The formidable powers of Domnica’s Mantle are
focusing enough to hear their contents imposes a −3 conceptually Evocations that Cevis Ghandarva has
penalty on all non-reflexive actions. awakened from it, but the precise mechanics are unim-
portant for the role it plays in Forest Witch games. If
• They can spend thirty motes and one Willpower
a player wants her character to employ the Mantle to
to dematerialize, as a miscellaneous action that
reincarnate, she should ask the Storyteller first, and see
can’t be flurried. They don’t dematerialize until
if there’s an opportunity to work the significant down-
their next turn begins. Rematerializing costs fifteen
time necessary to speed past her new incarnation’s early
motes, and is likewise a miscellaneous action that
years can be worked into the game without disrupting
can’t be flurried. Motes spent to dematerialize or
its ongoing narrative — playing a baby offers few oppor-
rematerialize aren’t committed.
tunities for adventure. Once the new incarnation comes
• They can learn Eclipse Charms that fit the nature
of age, she retains all the traits she possessed formerly,
of their apotheosis for eight experience points each.
in addition to any she’s gained since being reincarnated,
This doesn’t require a teacher. They can spend
either through story developments or spending experi-
ence points.
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Storytelling the become something irrevocably new, without certainty

as to what they’ll become. To follow the Cult of the Mist
Forest Witches is to teeter on the doorstep of personal transformation,
constantly questioning exactly what steps to take and
Theme: Pursuing Perfection why, and wondering whether it’ll be worthwhile. To
become a numen is to take that final step, and to forever
Forest Witch stories concern themselves with the pur- wonder if it was the right choice.
suit of perfection through transformation, both within
The Mandala Guard set such ambitions aside. Rather
and without. This manifests most clearly in the Sea of
than pursuing their own perfection, they labor to en-
Mind, where characters and players alike can explore
sure the safety of their fellow seekers on the path. Is
the boundaries between the world as it is and the world
it right that those who perform ugly, thankless duties
as we wish it to be. What does it mean to see the things
can’t share in the earthly paradise that their labors
you desire even if they aren’t real, while things you deem
make possible?
ugly simply … disappear? What happens when you can
describe the world as you desire it to be so strongly and
so clearly that you — and those who see the world as you Mood: Idyllic Amorality
do — take it for the truth?
The Forest Witches live in paradise. Oreithyia tends
Atsiluth Eternal’s dead explore concepts ranging from to their every physical need; the Sea of Mind fills their
artificial intelligence and brain mapping — see the Black minds with splendor and glory, offering a world rife
Mirror episode “San Junipero” — to the impact of the with adventure and pleasure; the mist offers the pros-
real world’s dead on us today, where we can call up our pect of sudden, radical completion.
memories of lost loved ones, deceased writers seem
to come alive when we read their works, and politi- All of this comes at a cost. The Witches must steal from
cians put dead statesmen’s old words in new contexts. others and slay irreplaceable champions in order to pay
Atsiluth’s dead hold a similar liminal role. If we create their tithes to the Sea; they must offer up young foreign-
an idealized reflection of someone who’s died, is that ers to Oreithyia’s possessive, unpredictably violent grip
truly the same person? to retain her services. The Sea glosses over the harm
they do, making the suffering of others invisible to them.
In the Company of Thrones, a character donning
Domnica’s Mantle abandons her old life and begins Much of the tone of a Forest Witch story comes from
anew. But what does it mean to wipe the slate clean and addressing this incongruity. No matter how long the
get a fresh start? How much of our personality comes characters remain oblivious to the evils they perpetrate,
from our memories, and how much from our bodies and the truth still lies in wait. And if one or more characters
our environments? look past the Sea’s artificial perfection to acknowledge
the consequences of their actions, they must confront
Those who’d join the numina embark on an even great- their peers’ dedication to maintaining and expanding
er transformation, cutting away all that they are to the Sea despite its human cost.
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EX3
Thick forests lined the road to Delem. Once, bandits used the trees for cover, dropping from
overhanging branches to raid passing merchant caravans. Then Chalima turned the forest against
them, launching her own assaults from thick stands or luring bandits deep into the woods. The road
from her principality to the outlying towns was much safer these days, and Chalima prided herself
on knowing the places unsavory sorts might hide.
Which was why, when the woman landed lightly in her path, katana and wakizashi drawn,
admiration warred with alarm.
“You should know,” Chalima said, resting one hand on her devil caster’s grip, “that I’m the one who
rid this route of thieves and murderers the first time around. Whatever you’re about to do, perhaps
you’d like to reconsider.”
“And go home empty-handed? No. The Grass Spiders are collecting quite the hefty price for your
head, Left Hand Chalima.” She raced forward, swords flashing. Chalima brought the devil caster up
and fired twice, her finger a blur on the trigger. Her would-be assassin swerved and darted away,
blasting Chalima with an icy wind as she went.
The Grass Spiders? Chalima had heard word of the outcaste assassins. She must have finally
angered the right person, to be on their kill list. “You know my name,” she said, drawing her
daiklave. If Simhata’s Roar ran out of firedust, Chalima wouldn’t have time to reload; her foe moved
as swiftly as a Northern wind. “It’s only polite to tell me yours, if you’re aiming to spill my blood.”
Her smile was as cold as a Northern wind, too. “Cutting Frost.” Uninterested in further pleasantries,
the assassin leapt high into the air and dove down, both blades ready. Chalima cursed and brought
her daiklave up just in time to knock the longer sword aside. The other stung as it sliced her cheek.
Chalima shoved Cutting Frost backward, buying herself room to swing. Flames licked the air as her
daiklave arced toward the assassin. The clang of clashing blades echoed through the forest, setting
a flock of startled raitons to wing. “Would you at least do me the courtesy of telling me who’s put the
bounty on me?”
Cutting Frost considered this a moment, then shrugged. “I see no harm in it. He called himself
Garan.”
Oh, that name Chalima knew. She’d driven the Solar Anathema’s zealous followers from the village
of Rise a year ago, scattering them across the Hundred Kingdoms. She’d planned to write to her
Hearth and ask for their help hunting the Anathema down, but other matters had required her
attention, and all reports of Garan trickled to a stop. She’d begun to hope he’d left the region entirely.
Should’ve made time for that letter. “So, the Grass Spiders willingly do an Anathema’s bidding? You
should be ashamed.” She lunged, forcing Cutting Frost to catch the daiklave on her swords. They
stood inches apart, staring one another down over their blades.
“Coin is coin,” said Cutting Frost. “The source doesn’t matter, only the job.”
“That attitude will be your downfall.”
That icy smile again. “How sad for you, then, that you won’t live to see it.” Cutting Frost broke the
stalemate, dodging Chalima’s ensuing swing and whirling in with one of her own. Rime gathered in
the assassin’s footsteps, then dissipated as tongues of fire dripped from Chalima’s daiklave.
Chalima couldn’t help but grin as she readied for another strike. It had been too long since she’d
seen a proper fight.
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Chapter Five
Outcastes
disguised as boons. Members who don’t Exalt dedicate
The Cult of the Violet Fang themselves to the Cult’s secular existence, trading with
the Guild and recruiting new members.
The landscape surrounding the fortress-cathedral of the
Cult of the Violet Fang still displays traces of its past —
salted fields, unmarked graves, mounds of rubble from The Pilgrimage
once-mighty walls. Hazana Redoubt stood here during
the Shogunate, both a strategic defense and a watchful The pilgrimage into the Wyld is the heart of the Cult’s
eye on the nearby Wyld. When the raksha invaded in spirituality and society. It’s both ancient tradition and
the Great Contagion’s wake, they assailed the fortress uncanny obsession, an all-but-inescapable drive to ven-
with nightmarish weapons and impossible armies, yet ture out into chaos and confront the ancestral monsters
its Dragon-Blooded guardians held the line, deploying of the Parliament Amethystine.
awful relics of the First Age and sacrificing their lives to
Only the Dragon-Blooded may partake in the pilgrim-
drive back the chaos.
age. Sometimes this is a personal matter — faced by an
With neither side able to achieve clear victory, and both impossible decision or laden with guilt for some crime,
incurring ruinous losses, Hazana Redoubt’s commander one might seek answers or atonement in the Wyld. At
eventually negotiated a ceasefire with the raksha nobles other times, perhaps following a beloved comrade’s lead
leading the siege. For a time, the surviving Dragon- or gathered by signs and portents, groups of pilgrims
Blooded and the Fair Folk lived together in a tenuous assemble to challenge the Fair Folk together.
harmony. When the Sword of Creation was unleashed
From the moment of Exaltation, a Dragon-Blood faces
on the Blessed Isle, the redoubt’s Fair Folk fled back into
great pressure to undertake the pilgrimage. It may be
the Wyld before its awful might — but the Cult of the
forestalled for a time, even for years, but the longer they
Violet Fang, the Fae-Blooded lineage born out of this
delay, the more coercive the efforts of their peers will be-
strange truce, survives even to the modern day.
come. Those who have no wish to undertake the pilgrim-
The dark star at the Cult’s center is its pilgrimage into age often leave the Cult entirely to escape such demands.
the Wyld. The pilgrimage calls Cult zealots to quest
Cult members traditionally begin their pilgrimage route
against the Fair Folk, offering great rewards at a terrible
through Whitecrown’s Gate, a bordermarch encompass-
cost, and members spend their whole lives preparing
ing a long, winding mountain pass in the Wyld-warped
for it. When they Exalt in their grand Cathedral of Opal
mountains north of the Cathedral. Shadows here seem
Dreams, they seek out their raksha ancestors to acquire
thicker than normal, and colors brighter, while objects
great boons — or, for the unlucky or foolish, curses
feel curiously light; falling snow hovers for hours, never
quite touching the ground. Fae guardians of all sorts
haunt the Gate, sent by the Parliament Amethystine’s
STORYTELLER ADVICE: princes to test pilgrims to see who’s worthy of patron-
THEMES AND GENRE age. Some pilgrims traverse other bordermarches, such
as the eye-rimed tundra of the Freezing Vigil, where
The Cult of the Violet Fang offers dark adventure one is never alone, or the fleshy, pulsing tunnels that
and horror within the twisted trappings of the Cult. form the ever-shifting Lindworm Maze.
The Cathedral sits geographically isolated in the
Northwest, separated from its neighbors by the Pilgrims who endure the gauntlet of the bordermarch-
Wasting Tundra, to render escape near-impossi- es enter the middlemarches of Irrian-Ves, where the
ble. Beauty and suffering become one in the Fair Parliament resides. A dreadful violet aurora illumines
Folk’s hands, and Dragon-Blooded must endure the forever-midnight sky. Beneath its glow, vertigi-
both to return from the pilgrimage. nous peaks capped with Fair Folk palaces shine with
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C ha p ter F ive : O utcastes
THE PARLIAMENT AMETHYSTINE
The raksha court that Cultists quest against is comprised of the same fae who first sired the Cult’s otherworldly
bloodline, as well as raksha who’ve won a place among the court’s nobility in the intervening centuries. The Cult
worships them, but doesn’t understand them fully — the court’s political structure is an ever-shifting cauldron
of chaos, and even the most studious pilgrim’s observations may be out of date by the time they return to the
Cathedral.
The Parliament, for its part, views the Cult of the Violet Fang with what seems like benevolence. They show their
Dragon-Blooded descendants much warmer hospitality than other guests, and the pilgrimage is as central to
the Parliament’s culture as to the Cult’s. A pilgrim who’s successfully completed their trials might share mead
with the same monster that harried them on their pilgrimage, seek inspiration from a lorelei muse, or linger
with a fae paramour before setting out to return to the Cathedral. Yet wary pilgrims don’t mistake the Parlia-
ment’s hospitality for safety — their fae ancestors’ nature isn’t to nurture their children, but to flense away
weakness until only strength remains.
Diermedel Rime-Crowned is the Parliament’s current leader; the only commonality of her many shapes is
the miniature golden cage dangling from her necklace, containing her predecessor’s shriveled but still-living
body. Her voice is a killing gale that freezes all who hear it, and so she communes with pilgrims in synesthetic
whirlwinds of flashing color and pleasing aromas. She seeks to consolidate her newfound power, yet her nature
demands that she love most those who pose the fiercest threat to her. She often asks pilgrims to take on certain
unpleasantries that her own heart cannot bear to enact firsthand.
Calt oÕ the Quest wears most often the shape of a snow-white stag with a man’s face and a lion’s paws,
challenging pilgrims to track him through miles of windswept snow. The only safe path is that marked by his
pawprints; all others lead inevitably to acidic snowmelts, the dens of predatory mirages, voice-stealing winds,
and other perils.
When Osiyan Voice-of-Iron speaks her poems aloud, her words become marching armies arrayed in
ice-crusted steel. Those who face her challenge must endure her rhymed legion, forcing their way through its
ranks until they stand face to face with the black-visored poet and can recite her poem back to her perfectly.
Clad in hues warm as firelight, Magnanimous Gwenyant seems a beneficent host. He welcomes pilgrims as
honored guests to his Palace of a Thousand Bounties, seating them beside him at banquet and offering luxuri-
ous private bedchambers. But the palace is a labyrinth of deception and treachery, where vassals and servants
jockey to suborn the pilgrim into intrigues against their master and one another. A pilgrim must choose the
winning side and successfully “overthrow” Gwenyant to win his favor.
The savant and trickster Emeyun Whom-You-Do-Not-Know tests pilgrims by trapping them in illusionary
worlds that embody intellectual puzzles or philosophical paradoxes that must be understood before they can
be escaped. A shapeshifter, they can take any form unfamiliar to the pilgrim; they never appear to one in the
same shape twice.
a thousand colors; between them, sheer cliffs descend bordermarches, direct descent from that fae, or some in-
into lightless abysses where other faerie lords make comprehensible quality of mind or spirit — but some in the
their grim abodes. Islands and skerries float in midair, Cult tell of pilgrimages they’ve undertaken where faerie
haunted by monsters and pilgrims’ ghosts; great ser- nobles competed and schemed against each other for the
pents swim through the sky between them, willing to right to judge the pilgrim, or where none in the Parliament
carry travelers in exchange for a bite of frozen flesh. would judge the pilgrim, who instead found their ordeal in
the crucible of the vast depths beneath Irrian-Ves.
In Irrian-Ves, the Fair Folk noble whose minions have test-
ed and assailed the pilgrim throughout the bordermarches At ordeal’s end, the pilgrim emerges anew, bearing gifts
now confronts the aspirant directly, overseeing the pil- and scars from their raksha patron. Some receive artifacts,
grimage’s final ordeals in accordance with the inscrutable whether new from faerie dream-smiths’ forges or heir-
laws of their nature. Most pilgrims draw a single raksha looms lost to the Wyld in a long-ago pilgrimage. Others are
noble’s attention — either through heroic deeds in the bodily transformed into shapes wondrous and terrifying.
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Still others learn forbidden secrets or mind-warping they can produce Dragon-Blooded scions. They tend
insights into some abstruse enlightenment. It isn’t always crops and livestock, carve artistic and household items
easy to tell whether these are punishments or rewards — from stone and wood, and occasionally dare the border-
even the most desirable boons aren’t without cost, and marches in search of treasures and lesser wonders that
even the worst curses aren’t without benefits. might fetch a handsome price from visiting merchants.
Life in the Cult The Cult’s leadership is likewise divided. Within the
Cathedral, Dragon-Blooded affairs are governed by the
The Cult imposes a stark division between its Dragon- Council of the Returned, wherein every Dragon-Blood
Blooded and mortal members. Those who’ve drawn their who’s completed a pilgrimage has a vote. Despite the
Second Breath reside in the splendors of the Cathedral substantial prestige that accompanies a successful pil-
of Opal Dreams, among the first and greatest prizes won grimage, a pilgrim’s reputation is vulnerable to rumors
from the Fair Folk. A palace of vibrant gemstones forged and gossip of how their pilgrimage changed or warped
around the ruined shell of Hazana Redoubt, it grows like a them; public displays of emotional volatility, trauma,
living thing, passages twisting into new rooms while opal or instability risk darkening their star. The Council’s
walls shed gems like dead skin. Stained-glass windows cliques and voting blocs shift as reputations rise and
of gemstone depict Dragon-Blooded pilgrims’ deeds, fall, and conspiracy thrives within the Cathedral’s halls.
even those they might wish to conceal. Spires catch the
The Cult’s mortal members are overseen by the Gray
aurora’s pale light and bright hues, carrying their warmth
Assembly, upon which any mortal who’s reached age
down through the Cathedral into the earth to make the
sixty may claim a seat. In principle, the Gray Assembly’s
surrounding land habitable.
purpose is solely to promulgate and enforce the Council
Mortal Cultists, forbidden from entering the Cathedral, of the Returned’s edicts. In practice, the Council has
reside in an outlying ring of buildings erected from the delegated considerable authority to the Assembly in ar-
rubble of Hazana Redoubt. These include relatives of eas such as agriculture, trade, and punishment of crimes
the Cult’s few dozen Dragon-Blooded, from spouses and between mortals, so that Dragon-Blooded may focus on
children to kin so distant that the Cult no longer believes loftier matters. While direct conflicts between the two
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and Jora maintain a united front when dealing with out-

CHILDREN OF THE WYLD siders, but their rivalry is clear to astute observers. The
siblings, keen for the Wyld prodigies the Cult offers, are
The Cult of the Violet Fang descends from the rak- frustrated by the slow pace at which the Cult collects
sha, and most members are Fae-Blooded. Many them. They bring livestock to replace animals who died
possess Supernatural Merits or other mutations in the hard winter, firewood, and various metal items.
reflecting fae ancestry, but lack any greater mag-
ics. A rare few possess supernatural power — The Audhild are Northern nomads following mam-
thaumaturgy, sorcery, or Charms evoking Fair Folk moth-spider migrations. Their path takes them close
magic. Exalted of Fae-Blooded descent use the Di- to the Cathedral, where they strike up temporary trade
vine Heritage Merit (p. XX) to represent its benefits. encampments. It also takes them through the Tethra
Plains, a tundra bordermarch rich with strangely col-
ored animals and plants on which the mammoth-spi-
ders prey. Audhild religion centers around worship
bodies are rare, the Gray Assembly’s oversight of Cult and propitiation of Fair Folk princes who occasionally
granaries and coffers lends considerable leverage — descend from the mountains to hunt or meddle with
more than once, the Council has ceded to its inferiors’ mortals, and occasional Fae-Blooded offspring are re-
demands, lest Dragon-Blooded be forced to toil in the vered as spiritual leaders.
field or parley with merchants to survive.
Through their travels, the Audhild know much about
New Recruits the state of Northern Realm satrapies and independent
Legends of the Cult’s secrets and power draw recruits cities. The Cult also pays Audhild bards to sing the Cult’s
from across the Northwest and beyond. Dragon-Blooded praises to the extended North and Northwest whenever
aspirants, ranging from lone outcastes to renegade it needs new recruits. Dragon-Blooded seeking to leave
Dynasts, are welcomed into the Cathedral and trained for the Cult, either surreptitiously or after a successful
the pilgrimage. Lacking the Parliament Amethystine’s fae pilgrimage, may travel with the Audhild, who consider
lineage, they must be accompanied on their first pilgrim- an unstable mind in their midst a fair trade for having
age by a born member of the Cult; a successful pilgrimage someone who can treat with raksha.
sees them adopted into the Cult’s bloodline.
The Cult believes that only the Exalted have the physical
Scions of Note
and spiritual strength to endure the pilgrimage. Even
In the Cult, family names are only borne by outsiders
Fae-Blooded or descendants of other supernatural beings
who join during adulthood; children born into the Cult
simply aren’t fit to the task. Mortals may nevertheless
don’t receive them. Cult members who share a name
serve the Cult both as laborers and potential spouses to
differentiate themselves with epithets.
expand the Cult’s bloodlines, and find spiritual reward in
veneration of raksha ancestors — even if they never set
True Ingrid prepares for her thirteenth pilgrimage.
foot in the Cathedral or bear witness to its horrible glory.
Her hollow eyes, blind to mundane things, perceive
the eddies of glamour with impossible clarity; her
It’s rare that Exalted other than Dragon-Blooded seek
blade-turning skin of sapphires feels neither pain nor
admission to the Cult; in such cases, the Council of the
pleasure. A diadem of stars glows between her upswept
Returned will determine their fate. Often, they spend time
horns, their radiance invoking awe and despair. Weird
in service, working under a Dragon-Blooded Cult member
and distant from her kin and her own humanity, she still
or even serving the mortal populace, proving both loyalty
seeks to share the strange wisdom she’s earned from her
and worth. Others — especially Anathema postulants,
quests, but she and her students must struggle to bridge
toward whom some Immaculate prejudice yet remains —
the gap sufficiently to communicate her insights.
face harsher tests, contending against great Northern beasts
or Wyld perils. Those who find favor with the Council may
Oroshi the Spear-Bearer, a renegade Realm outcaste
undertake the pilgrimage under Dragon-Blooded guidance.
who fled the purge of the Imperial legions, returned
from his first pilgrimage with a foe-shattering lance in
Northern Relations his hand and undying wonder in his heart. Filled with
the zeal of the newly converted, he wishes to share the
A caravan of the Guild’s Company of Northern pilgrimage’s horrors and beauty with all Northerners.
Twilight visits the Cathedral yearly. Three siblings lead He proposes more aggressive recruitment of Dragon-
the Company, each out to prove they should inherit Blooded and mortals alike, to build the Cult into a grand
their wealthy mother’s family business. Bjorn, Saska army. But if he’s to lead an army, why stop there? He’s
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started dreaming of himself as Empress of the North,

and seeks ambitious young Dragon-Blooded as lieuten- STORYTELLER ADVICE:
ants in his cohort. THEMES AND GENRE
Dagna emerged from her pilgrimage mentally broken,
The Grass Spiders provide a venue for tales of
barely remembering her own name. It took her years to
spycraft, the criminal underground, and assas-
regain some semblance of self; now, she’s an outspoken
sins’ intrigues. They’re narratively well-suited to
opponent of the pilgrimage, striving to save her kin from games that will traverse many locales; a series of
the torments that befell her. Dagna seeks Dragon-Blooded assassination contracts could provide the basis for
who want to escape the pilgrimage, then bribes merchants a Grass Spider to join with other player characters
or nomads to smuggle them away. She’s quiet and obser- on such a journey.
vant, but her scattered mind makes her unreliable; char-
acters might find Dagna speaking gibberish in her rooms
when she was supposed to bring them to the smugglers.
The Art of Death
Honey-Voiced Hetta, mortal cult member, has continued
a relationship with Magnanimous Gwenyant for twen- The Grass Spiders consider themselves artists of death,
ty years and counting. They met when Hetta secretly expressing themselves aesthetically through murder
ventured into the middlemarches, seeking out treasures — whether bloody and macabre, or subtle and silent.
normally reserved for pilgrims. She’s since borne her lover Moreover, it’s their tradition to share that expression
twins, and now carries their third and fourth child. Hetta with the clan through other media, whether oratory,
dreams of a Cult where mortals and Dragon-Blooded alike poetry, song, sculpture, dance, painting, or the like. For
may undertake the pilgrimage; she believes that gifted the Spider, assassination doesn’t begin and end with
kinfolk can win renown, while the foolish and arrogant her knife piercing the mark’s heart. Her art begins with
will perish — strengthening the Cult either way. But the accepting a contract and ends when the last note is
rule against mortal pilgrims is strong, and she knows she composed or the last brushstroke is made.
needs powerful allies to enact change. She seeks out young
Dragon-Blooded amenable to a more equal Cult. The clan gathers annually at the Unrepentant Sinner
Palace to share performances and artwork inspired by
recent assassinations with the Three Elite Fiends and
The Grass Spiders gathered clanmates. The prestige earned from an im-
pressive presentation yields not only respect from one’s
A Scavenger Lands fable describes the Grass Spider as
peers, but the clan elders’ favor; this can translate into
a shadow who lopes across the tangled branches of the
training in secret techniques, access to artifacts in the
East so deftly that her legs seem eight in number, her
Grass Spiders’ vaults, or other boons.
daggers dripping with lethal venom. A real Grass Spider
is even more dangerous for concealing her true threat
behind a veil of normalcy. The Unrepentant Sinner Palace
For over a century, the outcaste assassins known as the At the River Province’s eastern edge stands a large
Grass Spiders have operated from their hidden for- temple to Ring-Tailed Karaxi, a major River Province
tress-manse, the Unrepentant Sinner Palace, where they harvest goddess. Few would suspect the Grass Spiders’
train in every manner of killing. Each Grass Spider lives headquarters lay hidden below.
her life in accordance with the instruction of the Three
Elite Fiends, three mysterious elder outcastes who tol- The temple’s monks are known to practice martial arts
erate little dissent. The Fiends demand strict adherence and to produce medicines and perfumes for sale in
to tradition, and enforce highly regimented training that neighboring village markets. Many from the surround-
consumes the entire day when not on assignment. ing farmlands make seasonal pilgrimages to pray and
make offerings for bountiful yields; the Grass Spiders
The assassin clan encompasses a score of Exalted and use this traffic to mask their travels.
several dozen mortals. Mortal Grass Spiders often ac-
company Exalted colleagues on difficult and dangerous Behind Karaxi’s altar stands an unmarked door through
contracts or take on lower-priority jobs solo. The Grass which only temple leaders go, purportedly to speak
Spider who draws her Second Breath finds her training with the goddess. A trapdoor in the room beyond opens
accelerated, and is expected to train twice as hard as on stone steps that wind down to the subterranean
mortal peers. fortress-manse.
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When their teachers deem them ready, they’re brought

RING-TAILED KARAXI to the Palace for presentation to the Three Elite Fiends.
The Grass Spiders focus on recruiting outcaste Dragon-

Clad in elaborate white robes embroidered green
and gold, leaning on a jade staff carved to resem- Blooded and others with supernatural talents. These
ble an oversized rice stalk, Karaxi appears a kind, occasionally include Exigents, God-Blooded, spirits, or
motherly figure. But she’s feared among the Scav- stranger entities. All that concerns the Fiends is loyalty.
enger Lands’ harvest gods. She schemes with the
Grass Spiders to undermine or destroy rival spirits When word reaches the Grass Spiders of a newly
and broaden her worship. Indeed, she’s an honorary Exalted outcaste within their sphere of influence, the
Grass Spider herself, adept in the White Reaper and Fiends dispatch an agent to recruit the outcaste and
Crimson Killing Field styles, and on rare occasions bring her back to the Unrepentant Sinner Palace. These
repays the organization by accepting a contract. missions require a silver tongue and a keen understand-
ing of human nature. Successful recruiters receive rich
But their relationship isn’t entirely amicable. rewards from the Fiends.
Karaxi once sought to suborn the Spiders, and the
Fiends dealt her an injury that has never healed; The Grass Spiders’ Code
bandages beneath her robes are soaked with am-
ber blood, and the wrinkles around her eyes show
Upon initiation, Grass Spiders swear an oath to obey
not wisdom but pain. Her resentment offers lever-
the following rules. Each rule takes precedence over the
age in manipulating her against the Spiders.
ones that follow it.
• First and foremost, always obey instructions from

The stairs open onto an esplanade alongside an under- the Three Elite Fiends.
ground lake that encircles an island with a bone-white
tree. Growing without light, fed with flesh and blood, • Never reveal the clan’s secrets to outsiders.
this tree is the manse’s beating heart. Grass Spiders
gather its sap, which runs down into basins at its roots, • Never break a contract.
to make a deadly paralytic poison, as well as medicines
• Never hinder another Grass Spider’s pursuit of a
the temple sells. When necessary, the Three Elite Fiends
contract.
address the clan from here.
• Never kill or maim another Grass Spider.
Branching from the esplanade are smaller caverns,
connected by narrow tunnels leading to many dead The Fiends have full authority and discretion to adjudi-
ends. These serve as gathering areas, storerooms, and cate and punish code violations as they see fit, though
dormitories for resident Grass Spiders. The walls are they often delegate this authority to older, respected
decorated with Spiders’ statues, paintings, tapestries, Grass Spiders. The same applies to assigning contracts.
and calligraphy. Several times a year, these pieces are
moved about at random, lest intruders attempt to use
the decorations as directions.
Enemies and Allies
The Three Elite Fiends’ council chamber stands behind As paid assassins, the Grass Spiders have few friends
a jade-banded door. They convene here to meet with and many enemies. Considered criminals in most places
one another or with individual Grass Spiders. Inside the throughout the Scavenger Lands, Spiders must conceal
chamber are three thrones — one of oak, one of elm, and their identities from local authorities. Insofar as they
one of ash — illumined by a perpetual blue-green glow have friends, it’s among wealthy long-term clients who
from naturally luminescent rocks set into the walls. pay protection money to avoid becoming targets, and
common folk who attribute the deaths of local tyrants
and oppressors — rightly or wrongly — to a Grass Spider.
Recruitment
Mendicant monks of the tiny, obscure Order of the Wren
The Grass Spiders recruit mostly from the students wander the River Province, preaching and doing good
of Karaxi’s temples throughout the River Province. works. Few know that the Order is a cover, its Wrens
Promising initiates are offered special training in martial intermediaries between the faraway Grass Spiders and
arts to progress beyond their peers, often in subtle styles potential employers. Almost none know that the Order is
such as White Veil, Ebon Shadow, or Phantom Talon. the brainchild of Lookshy’s Intelligence Directorate, its
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agents only passing along contracts that serve Lookshy’s and subtly arranging contracts. She disguises herself
interests. The Three Elite Fiends know and accept this; effortlessly, adopting a region’s customs, mores, and dress,
the Wrens remain useful to them despite Lookshy’s leash. and carries an arsenal of poisons concealed in her perfume
case.
Scions of Note
At the Unrepentant Sinner Palace, Soon-ae is a far cry
The Three Elite Fiends — Crimson Weaver, Emerald from the socialite she is abroad. As a child, she never
Widow, and Pallid Wolf — rule the Grass Spiders with felt as skilled as her peers in the art of murder. Now
absolute authority. None know for certain if they’re the she draws into herself when at home, observing and
same three who seized control of the clan shortly after mimicking her peers’ expressions and body language,
its founding, though their eldest peers might hazard a though rarely interacting directly. In the field she draws
guess. Only rarely do they accept contracts personally, on these studied mannerisms as though they were nat-
at extortionate rates. They never go unmasked. urally hers. She enjoys missions, where she can become
anyone other than the shy and withdrawn Nari Soon-ae
Crimson Weaver has mastered countless weapons and who always stumbled and fell short.
martial arts; it’s their hallmark to perform assassina-
tions using obscure styles and exotic armaments from In her surreptitious observation of her peers, Soon-ae
faraway lands. They offer special training to the clan’s has recently overheard dangerous things — intimations
most martially talented students, but show little patience of strife between the Fiends, and a cryptic conversation
for distraction or failure, cheerfully leaving scars to add between two assassins suggesting an incipient coup.
gravity to lessons. The Weaver is equally passionate She wishes to stem any potential bloodshed within the
about the creative impulse, demonstrating tremendous Grass Spiders, but knows she can’t do it alone, and isn’t
aptitude with a range of visual and performing arts, sure who she can trust to help her.
though in discussion they draw no distinction between
While the clan’s reputation is of silent killers that op-
artistic disciplines and methods of violence. They crave
erate unseen, Mountain Rains prefers a more direct
notoriety for the Grass Spiders, an impulse their peers
approach. Favoring physical strength and explosive
must rein in to protect the clan.
passion over elaborate schemes, he employs his grim-
Emerald Widow speaks in macabre parables and allego- cleaver Adjudicator and powerbow Silken Walk to cut
ries to convey her points and make her threats. She disci- down foes in the open. This brazenness brings unwant-
plines students through fear, traumatizing those who fail ed attention; some who have reason to hate the Grass
to meet her exacting standards. A rare Dragon-Blooded Spiders, such as the self-exiled legion officer Tepet
necromancer, she sends Grass Spiders to shadowlands or Akede and the outcaste warrior Kamuro of the Vengeful
First Age tombs seeking such texts as The Pale Journal Lance, now hunt him.
of Whispers, purportedly the most complete work on
All is not well for Rains within the clan, either. As pun-
nephwracks ever compiled. She’s also a brilliant poison-
ishment for murdering a fellow Grass Spider without
er, adept with unhale toxins distilled from corpses or
cause, he’s spent three years assigned only the most
procured from shadowland ghost-merchants. She hopes
perilous or humiliating missions, always solo. But he
to learn secrets of the Underworld’s utmost depths and
has friends among the clan who deem this punishment
bargain with ancient forces interred within.
excessive. He bides his time, planning to return to the
Pallid Wolf prefers the company of beasts to humans, Unrepentant Sinner Palace when he has more friends
and keeps his snow leopard familiar at his side even and more strength. When that day comes, only one
in the Unrepentant Sinner Palace. He’s trained dozens Fiend will lead the clan.
of beasts to serve the clan, leaving them to wander the
wilderness miles from Karaxi’s temple until needed.
But he nonetheless possesses a keen understanding of
Heaven’s Dragons
humans as social animals. His students learn how to Amid the Divine Revolution, Dragon-Blooded entered
blend into crowds, stir up mobs, and even incite peoples the celestial city as warriors, spies, and diplomats.
to war, using these distractions to provide openings for Some remained after war’s end, whether captivated
assassination. He sees the Grass Spiders as his legacy, by Heaven’s impossible splendors, seeking glory and
and keeps careful watch for traitors and fools who wealth through alliance with mighty gods, rejecting
might betray the clan and its secrets. their old lives, or for any other number of reasons.
Nari Soon-ae serves as a face for the Grass Spiders, vis- Their descendants take pride in their millennia-long
iting noble courts throughout the Hundred Kingdoms bloodlines and their heavenly abode. While they have
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Scattered as they are across a score of enclaves amid a

STORYTELLER ADVICE: continent-sized city, they lack a single unified culture.
THEMES AND GENRE But between their tenuous mutual ties and the nature
of Yu-Shan’s geography and society, some cultural el-
ements — though not universal — are common among
Heaven’s Dragons offer an excellent entry into
their communities.
games that center around the politics of the Celes-
tial Bureaucracy and its countless scheming gods,
or that emphasize the otherworldly wonders and Community Life
horrors of realms beyond Creation. They can easily
be inserted into a group of Sidereal player charac- While gods in Yu-Shan require no sustenance and can
ters, stand on their own in a Kinship made up en- derive all manner of extravagant — albeit evanescent —
tirely of Heaven’s Dragons, or join forces with other luxuries from prayer, Heaven’s Dragons aren’t so fortu-
Dragon-Blooded while on assignment in Creation. nate. Instead, ingenuity and effort, enhanced by Dragon-
Blooded and divine magic, enables Heaven’s Dragons to
survive. Cisterns catch rainwater; abandoned gardens
become farms and orchards, enhanced by fertility gods’
little opportunity for advancement in the Celestial blessings. Employment further enriches the Dragons,
Bureaucracy — few gods wish to employ and train a whether this takes the form of a favor owed by a harvest
subordinate who’ll retire after a couple of centuries god stockpiled against future shortages, exotic treasures
at most — they wield their status as outsiders to their and prodigies of Yu-Shan, or puissant artifacts forged by
advantage, performing tasks for which low-ranking the gods.
gods are ill equipped and that high-ranking gods cannot
officially touch. Many are employed by powerful gods or Children are typically raised in groups by mortal rela-
Sidereals, hold a low-ranking position or contract (or an tives or family friends, who also serve as teachers. Such
off-the-books agreement) with a department within one friends often include celestial gods, employed or oth-
of the heavenly bureaus, or carry on a family business in erwise, whose natures are suited to the task. Heaven’s
Heaven that’s existed for thousands of years. Dragons make much of their ancestry, proud of long and
unbroken bloodlines traceable to the dawn of history.
Humans in Heaven Nearly every family has a god or two somewhere in its
ancestry; keeping track of lineage isn’t just a matter of
Heaven’s Dragons mostly dwell in Yu-Shan’s slums — pride, it teaches who to lean on for favors later in life.
parts of Heaven avoided by wealthier and more powerful
gods. Some of these regions were shattered in ancient
wars; others have been cut off from vital services by
greedy celestial landlords or through simple disrepair; ETIQUETTE OF HEAVEN’S DRAGONS
and some cyclopean constructions of the world’s cre-
ators loom on so great a scale that the gods themselves Certain cultural mores are common to most Heav-
never made proper use of them. Millennia of cracks en’s Dragons communities. These include:
and stains obscure once-shining facades of marble and
chalcedony. Fountains and canals stand dry and empty. • Approaching strangers with exaggerated
Feral beast-spirits infest overgrown parks and gardens. courtesy paired with wariness; the gods can
be capricious, doubly so in the slums, where
By and large, only unemployed gods inhabit the slums, criminal or feral gods may trick or assault the
many of them criminals and rogues. Heaven’s Dragons unwary.
have carved out safe and comfortable enclaves amid the • Greetings, farewells, and other common ex-
slums over the millennia, maintained by the diligent pressions double as prayer, glorifying the per-
effort of mortal families and sustained by the wealth of son thus addressed.
successful Dragon-Blooded scions. Many unemployed
gods regard these havens with an envious eye, some- • It’s considered important to visit another
times boiling over into harassment, feuds, or crime. Heaven’s Dragon community at least once, to
share information and maintain ties. Mortals
Heaven’s Dragons endure as a people by hanging occasionally relocate to another community,
together in close-knit communities. They provide deeming it more welcoming or falling in love
for one another’s needs, share favors hard-won from with a member.
divine patrons, and raise the next generation, ensur-
ing that Yu-Shan’s human bloodlines don’t peter out.
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Heaven’s Dragons who don’t Exalt are more numerous and quick thinking to remain competitive. Favors and
than those who do. Many spend their entire lives within obligations are passed down through the family, al-
a few miles of the enclave they were born in, working as lowing Dragon-Blooded to compete against gods with
caretakers, household managers, scholars, or craftspeo- hundreds of lifetimes of social capital. Dragon-Blooded
ple for family elders, Dragon-Blooded kinfolk, spirits, employed by the Celestial Bureaucracy often find niche
or Sidereal Exalted. Others venture further afield as roles between bureaus as interdepartmental liaisons
scribes, couriers, or personal servants to the gods or to beholden to no one single employer.
their Exalted brethren. Some God-Blooded scions wield
sufficient divine power to thrive in Yu-Shan, acting Heaven’s Dragons also own a significant share of
much like their Exalted relatives. Heaven’s black market, which offers an alternate path
to obtain wealth for their communities. Though lacking
From a young age, Heaven’s Dragons grow up with gods
as their parents’ peers, due respect but not worship.
Romantic entanglements, rivalries, and other inter-
actions with the divine are the stuff of daily life, even
for the un-Exalted. The gods, inhuman and immortal,
may never fully understand the perspective of Heaven’s
Dragons, yet they’re personable enough, if forgiven the
occasional eccentricity. Most Heaven’s Dragons won’t
even blink when a divine friend calls them by a parent’s
name, or asks about some millennia-old incident.
Heaven’s Wildcards
As soon as a young Dragon-Blood comes into her
power, her family encourages her to find employment.
Serving as a low-level functionary within the Celestial
Bureaucracy gives her valuable experience and connec-
tions. If her family has a business of its own — typically
as entertainers, artisans, traders, or some sort of crimi-
nal enterprise — the new Exalt might start work there
instead, learning the trade from her relatives. Still oth-
ers serve the community directly as guardians, builders,
teachers, liaisons, and the like. The rare layabout who’d
subsist on the community’s largesse without support-
ing it finds herself “volunteered” for exciting charac-
ter-building opportunities, like a trip down to Creation.
Dragon-Blooded are largely exempt from the bureau-

cratic regulations governing both gods and Sidereals,
and use this freedom to fill gaps in the Celestial
Bureaucracy left by years of internal rivalry, corruption,
and divine disinterest. Their Exalted might levels the
playing field when competing against minor gods and
functionary spirits for positions as retainers, spies,
professional confidants, bodyguards, and advisors. This
novelty also makes them popular as entertainers and ar-
tisans — even if a novice Dragon-Blood’s technique falls
short of that of an ancient god of art, she brings a unique
life experience and perspective that tantalizes divine
audiences. Some pursue other skilled trades: personal
accountants, bankers, artificers, assassins, and the like.
Old family businesses compete with gods who’ve prac-

ticed the same craft for hundreds of lifetimes, trading
on the Heavens’ Dragons reputation for discretion
the unique gifts of gods of crime, Dragon-Blooded con magical oddities not easily forged out of divine essence,
artists and thieves can master a broad range and depth secrets of terrestrial spirit courts. Crime families donate
of useful abilities. Moreover, families run Heavens’ generously to maintain and improve their neighbor-
Dragons criminal operations. This offers all manner of hoods, ensuring their peers’ goodwill even when their
accomplices and resources, and — should the celestial actions bring scrutiny and distrust down upon the en-
lions who police Heaven catch the operation’s ringlead- tire Heaven’s Dragons population.
ers — a clear chain of succession.
In the end, each Dragon-Blooded finds opportunity for
Criminal Dragon-Blooded are particularly adept at wealth unimaginable for their mortal kin. Few pass up the
smuggling things and people into and out of Yu-Shan: opportunity to use at least some of their riches for themselves
wide-eyed mortal monks to feed gods with prayer, — for comfort, to flaunt their wealth, and to better fit in among
the gods. Many become accustomed to more luxurious food, legal and otherwise, stealing or trading for simple Yu-
clothing, and bedding than even decadent Dynast. Shan luxuries that the Creation-born regard with awe.
On Assignment Notable Communities

Most gods who reside in Yu-Shan have little desire to The community of Sunspear Fountain resides in the
abandon its sublime luxuries to walk Creation on er- slum of the same name, between the bustling Bazaar of
rands. Even among those willing to do so, not all can eas- Forgotten Treasures and the tranquil, greenery-ringed
ily afford a sabbatical from their position in the Celestial Agency of Foxes. Abandoned by divine landlords, the
Bureaucracy, and some business is better conducted neighborhood has fallen into disrepair. Its two- and
with the benefit of plausible deniability. Thus, Heaven’s three-story residences, once elegant, have grown ram-
Dragons often find themselves retained to carry out the shackle; their facades are cracked and ivied, and tiles
work of the gods in Creation. Travel to Creation is usually have fallen from their sloping roofs. The Fountainers
business-related, assigned to the Dragon-Blooded by her live alongside thousands of petty godlings, most of them
employer or family, though leaving Heaven out of per- — aside from a few bohemian sorts — unemployed in
sonal curiosity or punitive banishment isn’t unheard of. the Celestial Bureaucracy. Dragon-Blooded negotiators
maintain friendly relations between the community
Moreover, Heaven’s Dragons are more in tune with and the neighborhood’s divine gangs, such as the fallen
Creation’s human cultures and society. Celestial divin- dream-god Erem-Avern’s prayer-thieves and the staff
ities find Creation a strange place. Everything moves of the crane-god Black-and-White Bisaben’s infamous
slowly; people walk or ride mundane animals instead gambling house. They also protect the community from
of being conveyed by sorcery, while ships and caravans rogue gods’ hostility and venal ministers’ schemes.
are archaic shadows of Heaven’s yachts and chariots.
Amenities like running water and Essence-fueled lights Fountainers are best known for their handicrafts and
are rare, communication systems practically nonexis- their farcical theater. Dragon-Blooded performers can
tent, people speak a mosaic of different languages, and entertain even jaded gods, while mortal pratfalls are
all the clothes are scratchy. But Yu-Shan’s human com- occasionally unexpected enough to spark mirth.
munities already deal with such hindrances, and even
their most jaded Dragon-Blooded recall their roots. A community of Heaven’s Dragons inhabits the Green
Enclosure, a fortified compound whose many-turreted
Nonetheless, even Heaven’s Dragons must learn new stone walls encircle a ring of farmland cultivated by the
skills to survive in Creation, from traversing the wilder- community over centuries. It stands in the Stonescar, a
ness to playing the expected role of Prince of the Earth miles-wide swath of Yu-Shan shattered by some long-
in whatever society she’d like to visit. Dealing with gods ago conflict. Great jagged spikes of stone slant forth
is another cultural challenge; terrestrial divinities are from the earth in all directions, like wings of quartzite
used to being treated as awe-inspiring and powerful. and granite feathered in moss and vines, forever in
Coming from Yu-Shan, the pomp and posturing of the blossom and sparkling with dew. The Enclosure’s peo-
terrestrial courts can be frustrating, humorous, or simple know all the secret routes through the labyrinth of
ply baffling to a Dragon-Blood who doesn’t expect it. ruins. A handful of feral gods also haunt the ruin; the
Dragon-Blooded have bargained with some and intim-
Dragon-Blooded who return from Creation often idated others, but the rest — dreadful figures such as
find themselves assigned to repeat the journey many Venom-Eyed Urbatha and the many-winged Skythief —
times — they’ve clearly got a knack for it. Long-term must be avoided when traveling the ruins or driven off
assignments are generally seen as undesirable, but some when they come too close to the community.
Dragon-Blooded develop a taste for being treated like
queens and kings. No matter who commands the trip, Enclosure folk are renowned for stonework, sculpture,
there are plenty of reasons to send someone through the and painting. They leave carved and daubed images
celestial gates. across the Stonescar’s walls, both as art and trail-marks.
Heaven’s bureaus often need to communicate with the Residing in leather tents, the nomadic community of
terrestrial spirit courts, ideally through agents who can Ein Milespa — named for their legendary progenitor
see past political lies to the truth. Gods displeased by the — herds horses and cattle hard-won from divine estates
Immaculate Order’s latest revision to the prayer calendar and visits to Creation. These self-sufficient people
might retain a deniable agent to interfere in the Order’s wander between the fringes of Ahlat’s vast and largely
affairs. Self-employed and family-employed Dragon- untended estate, the vast parkland of Seven Rainbows
Blooded seek rare materials irreproducible in Heaven, Forest, and a nameless morass of ancient, war-shattered
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cyclopean structures predating the gods, now over- Laska Ozarun serves Bitter Hyacinth, God of the Realm’s
grown into wilderness. They serve as occasional guides Deliberative. On paper, Laska is the steward of her heav-
through Heaven’s wild places for gods and the Sidereal enly estate, a sprawling miniature city near the heart of
Exalted, and scavenge relics of the Time Before that Yu-Shan, but his real tasks are off the books and often
even the gods might prize. borderline illegal. For the last decade and a half, he’s
been on a covert mission to Creation as V’neef Imaien, an
Milespians are more inclined than most Heaven’s adopted outcaste, interfering in the machinations of both
Dragons to visit — and intermarry with — other com- Gri-Fel, God of the Imperial City, and Jagalza, God of the
munities in western Yu-Shan, and serve as messengers, Realm itself. Originally, Laska’s mission was primarily fo-
couriers, and matchmakers. They maintain longstand- cused on surveillance of the other gods’ efforts, reporting
ing covert agreements with the divine overseers of issues to Bitter Hyacinth, but since the Scarlet Empress’s
Ahlat’s estate, as well as other estates they occasionally disappearance, Bitter Hyacinth has tasked him with
pass through, paying bribes or doing favors to maintain taking a more active hand in furthering the Deliberative’s
safe passage. Their peculiar artistic traditions draw power at the cost of the throne’s.
on the bizarre symbology found in the predivine ruins
through which they sometimes venture. Subtle Triumphs conveys messages and arranges meet-
ing between the Celestial Bureaucracy and Creation’s
Scions of Note spirit courts. His kinfolk — couriers for six generations
— have made steady side income as spies. Triumphs
Silent Curator of Harmony spent most of his life in the sells delays, miscommunications, and secrets to the
Celestial Bureaucracy, becoming an invaluable attaché highest bidder, while using those secrets to blackmail
to the Golden Barque of the Heavens — headquarters or bribe anyone who discovers the secret of his family’s
of the Division of Journeys — and forging connections wealth. For the right price, he can stall trials, ensure
across Yu-Shan. He’s since retired to live out his last few favorable appointments, or blacken a superior’s name
decades surrounded by friends and family. He likes to to make room for promotion. Though his late father
say he’s working on a book now, a history of his commu- taught him not to take business personally, Triumphs
nity, but really spends most of his time mentoring and never listened. He loves the rush of holding power over
assisting younger Dragon-Blooded. Curator still has the Heaven’s arrogant spirits; more than once he’s ruined
ears of several prominent deities, and uses favors owed an eternal life over a perceived insult, endangering him-
him by a handful of Sidereals to help Heaven’s Dragons self in the process.
facing undue hardship or discrimination.
Virania sails Heaven’s quicksilver sea in a blue jade
A romantic at heart, Curator has a soft spot for star- cutter, escorting cargo and people who shouldn’t be in
crossed matches, and is particularly inclined to help Heaven to the private island estates of the wealthy and
young Dragon-Blooded whose love is thwarted. But he powerful despite divine blockades and the occasional
also has a mean-spirited, cruel side that emerges on dark mercurial leviathan. A Sidereal, Midnight Tiger Killer,
days or when he’s in his cups. Dragon-Blooded protégés helps keep the celestial lions off her trail in exchange for
who fail at the tasks he sets for them or otherwise prove the occasional favor. The two have been in bed together
unworthy of his mentorship risk see this wrathful side, — literally and metaphorically — for over a century, and
suffering ferocious upbraiding or vindictive reprisals. Virania has been back and forth to Creation many times
as a deniable asset for the Bureau of Destiny.
Exalted at fourteen, Red Field Vivacity got her first
job running errands for the Bureau of Destiny shortly Once a cold-blooded smuggler loyal only to kin and coin,
thereafter. She soon decided this was dull beyond belief Virania has grown more sentimental than is healthy for
and quit, but not before stealing a sackful of treasures a woman in her career, swayed by her starry-eyed lover’s
from a celestial vault to sell on the black market. With vision of Creation restored to its past glory. Her crew of
the celestial lions in hot pursuit, she skipped town, flee- wayward elementals and younger Dragon-Blooded eye
ing to Creation with her haul. Unbeknownst to Vivacity, her with suspicion as she takes new risks to forward
one of the baubles she stole was the Reliquary of Bleak Midnight Tiger Killer’s cause.
Tomorrow, an artifact sealing away a thread of destiny
that never should have been woven. Wherever Vivacity
travels, the Reliquary subtly poisons fate around her,
Scions of the Wanasaan
twisting events into foreboding alignments. The only Wanasaan Kemra seized control of the Nameless Isle
thing more dangerous than the Reliquary left unsealed thirty years ago from the family’s former leader — her
is someone who discovers how to command its power. brother Shiga, who as the eldest sibling inherited
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the title. Their disagreement had been brewing since been restored. She plans to bide her time, slowly gath-
childhood, with Kemra and their mother upholding the ering supporters within and without the family until
Wanasaan’s traditional isolation, and Shiga insisting she can best her aunt at her own game. But Perga is too
upon dramatically increasing the family’s intermarriage pragmatic to pass over a perfect opportunity should one
and diplomatic involvement with outsiders. Days after arise, and not temperate enough to wait forever.
Shiga’s ascension, his blood and that of his closest
confidants lay steaming on the cold tiles of the Hall of Wanasaan Omorga is among the youngest Dragon-
Whispers Consumed. Blooded Wanasaan, having Exalted some ten years ago.
According to tradition, on his twenty-fifth birthday, his
For all that her hands are stained with fratricide, Kemra family will drown him in the Spring of Echoes, and (if
rules fairly, rebuilding the family’s power structure he survives) he’ll gain the sorcerous power that’s kept
and regional influence. Scarcely past her first century, generations of his ancestors strong. The idea terrifies
Kemra intends to rule for many years and restore faith him; something inside him recoils at the thought of a
in the old ways. She takes a direct hand in educating lifetime of ghost-eating and cutthroat family politics.
Wanasaan children, nipping disobedience in the bud, He doesn’t hate his family — to the contrary, he loves
the better to command their personal loyalty. When them dearly — but virtually every member of the family
such sentiments arise in adulthood — especially in loathes one side in the coup or the other, and once he’s
Dragon-Blooded scions — she runs them ragged with drowned and reborn, he’ll have to choose.
assignment after assignment, allowing no time to pon-
der the logistics of rebellion. Already, representatives from both sides bend Omorga’s
ear night and day. He already knows whose side he’d
Thus far she’s been successful, drawing no Wanasaan take in an argument — Perga, only a decade or so older
blood since the duel. She focuses instead on crushing than him, often looked after him when she was younger,
other Northwestern exorcists and necromancers — from before she too Exalted and was drowned for it. Only out
lone outcastes and far-wandering Immaculate monks to of loyalty for his cousin will he submit himself to the
the terrifying Lunar shahan-ya Smiling Rat — who seek ritual, for as lonely as he worries he’ll be as a Wanasaan,
to exploit the slackening of Wanasaan authority over the he cannot bear to leave Perga lonelier than she already
dead. Worse, the activities of the dead have risen sharp- is. Thus far, all she’s asked of him is that he pass on
ly in the last few years, abetted by the sinister Bishop of anything he learns of Kemra’s plans. Should she ask for
the Chalcedony Thurible and his deathly apostles. more, he’s not sure how far he’ll go.
Firm, unyielding, and unfailingly regal, Kemra com- Distant cousin and sometimes lover to Shiga, Wanasaan
mands the family through a close-knit handful of Yeleto only narrowly avoided death in the coup thirty
advisors and lieutenants. She hasn’t raised her voice years ago. Having visited the lavatory moments before
since the coup, speaking in a low whisper; some suggest the blades came out, he fell with a knife between his
that inhaling her brother’s soul damaged her voice ribs, left to die on the cold floor. Instead he dragged
permanently. himself to a window, plummeting to the cold sea below,
and from there swam to safety. Cold water means noth-
Shiga’s daughter Wanasaan Perga had no choice to save ing to a Wanasaan who’s endured the Spring of Echoes.
her life but to submit to her aunt’s rulership. Perga is
certain that, had she failed to do so, she’d have been cast Yeleto has wandered the Northwestern mainland ever
to the waves long ago as a liability; indeed, she’s been since, staying far from the familiar sea, alternately
under Kemra’s watchful eye ever since she Exalted. despondent and furious at Kemra’s coup. For his own
Now in her prime, Perga is a rising star among the safety, he’s never identified himself as Wanasaan, but
Wanasaan, lauded by those she aids for her warmth occasionally uses his sorcery to destroy or banish some
and generosity, a rarity among her traditionally laconic undead creature threatening a mortal village — the guilt
kin. What kindness she shows to outsiders, though, she of failing to protect Shiga won’t permit him to stand
withholds among her own — she cannot afford anything idly by. Rumors have spread of a wandering ghost-con-
but cold and clinical words in that den of ice vipers. suming sage; Kemra doesn’t know who’s responsible,
and directs family members to hunt down this “rogue
For all her bitterness, Perga is loyal to the family, and exorcist.” Meanwhile, agents of the deathknight The
counsels patience to what remains of her father’s de- Celebrant of Blood seek to bring Yeleto into the fold,
funct faction. The Wanasaan blood runs thin, with only using his hunger for revenge against Kemra and her
a dozen or so Dragon-Blooded survivors of Kemra’s faction to help destroy the exorcist clan that’s put down
coup, and she won’t countenance any action that makes many of the Abyssal’s necromantic creations.
it run thinner — at least, not until their numbers have
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Scions of the Temple of priests; and bargained with raksha princes for flowers
that bloom not in Creation’s soil.
the Reverent Whisper Sevan’s work is dangerous. She often travels with oth-
ers — her favorites include Teruhi Haruno, an outcaste
The Temple’s headmistress for the past century, Riela martial artist and fellow wanderer with whom she’s
Tenan first won acclaim for feats of spiritual purity crossed paths many times, and whose flames have
— howling a beast-god’s name for three days without saved her more than once; and the legendary courtesan
pause, knitting smoldering votive incense into her hair Orchid-Drips-Honey, whose gossip surrounding Nexus
without singeing a single strand, and spending a night high society never fails to enthrall. Such partnerships
entombed alive with the guardian spirit Sachra Awaits- rarely last long, however. Sevan, though charming, can
the-Dawn, whose body consists of thousands of skitter- be as arrogant and overbearing as her grandmother,
ing scarab beetles. Now well into her third century, she and most traveling companions need respites from her
rarely engages in contracted prayer anymore. Such is company.
her legend that many gods pay merely for her company;
her wit has only grown with age, while her calm beauty Mnemon Koborase has resided at the Temple for three
hasn’t diminished — it’s simply matured. years — still a novice by its reckoning, but a fast and en-
thusiastic learner. Fresh from the Cloister of Wisdom,
Tenan keeps a watchful eye over the Temple’s monop- he traveled far and wide to experience the magnificent
oly in Great Forks. She prefers to bring worthy rivals breadth of Creation. His journey was arrested in Great
into the fold, absorbing their competing efforts into the Forks by the sight of fellow Dragon-Blooded hanging
Temple’s own — amicably or otherwise. Competitors blue lanterns outside a temple that, for all its grandeur,
who fail to match the Temple’s standards instead face seemed more akin to a bordello. Infuriated, he made
the full power of its divine influence. She’s equally ruth- a scene on the temple steps until the priestess Yura
less within the Temple, having ground three challengers Konma invited him to share tea in the temple’s atrium.
for headmistress into the dust in as public a fashion as
she could manage. Learning the true nature of the temple’s work — the
strenuous ritual and endurance demanded of acolytes,
Tenan’s connections throughout Great Folks are legion. and the sacred nature of the actions they undertook —
She’s on friendly, even intimate, terms with much of the Koborase asked to remain a while and observe. Soon
divine population; the remainder are largely small gods thereafter, he requested a contract under the temple’s
who cannot afford her time. She knows many outcastes auspices. Three years on, he lives and works hand in
as well, and has recruited several herself. Occasionally glove with the other acolytes.
she chooses a favorite to train personally. Kind but firm,
she particularly stresses decorum, taking any behavior For a time, Koborase permitted himself to think himself
that diminishes the Temple’s reputation as a personal one of them, deep in contemplation of service to the
affront. divine. But his family has contacted him, calling on him
to supply House Mnemon with information on River
The headmistress’ granddaughter, Riela Sevan, is Province activities from well-connected gods. His work
scarcely more than thirty and already well-known in suffers as he struggles between family loyalty and devo-
Great Forks — though not so much for her services tion to his new calling.
to gods. For all that she’s won fame for appeasing
Stands-Between-All-Things, the mirrored god-goddess Falling-Star-Thunder was born in the Temple, raised
of boundaries, she specializes in retrieving precious according to its strictures, put to work making tea and
treasures and rarities prized by certain gods — gods carrying messages, and celebrated when he Exalted and
willing to pay dearly to have such items sacrificed in rose to become a priest. His handsome face, taut body,
their names. and perfect hair make him extraordinarily popular
among gods intrigued by the mortal body; one in par-
Though she serves as a priestess on her rare visits to ticular, Riverbanks Shaded by Alder, has moved beyond
Great Forks, she spends most of her time ranging across patronage to become Star’s lover. They meet in secret
the Eastern Threshold. She’s always felt a deep wan- whenever Star can get away, lest Star’s other divine
derlust, and though she loves her service, she can’t bear patrons take offense at his special treatment of Alder.
the Temple’s cloistered lifestyle — or her grandmother’s
domineering personality. She’s seen Sijan’s towers and Alder has spent the last year and a half trying to convince
retrieved black opals from ancient kings’ tombs; climbed Star to run away with him. Star has thus far demurred;
Palanquin’s uncountable steps and stolen diaphanous though his feelings for Alder are genuine, he’s called to
wisp-fabric worn only by the highest cloud-people serve in the temple, which sheltered him and gave him
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common thread in her deeds is her love of Sijan and

YATANI’S CHILDREN: THREE TALES partisan devotion to its poorest. She wears simple and
patched clothing, handing her wealth to beggars and
The origins of Yatani’s Children (Dragon-Blooded
(Dragon-Blooded,, the needy. When criminals prey on the poor, she hunts
p. 126) are little-known outside of their bands. Even them without mercy, and when the poor steal or strike
savants deeply knowledgeable about outcastes at those above them, she doggedly protects them. And
must work from hearsay and unreliable tales. as the Age of Sorrows waxes, she joins Wyld Hunts to
put down anything that threatens the common folk.
Along the Dreaming Sea, they speak of the Em-
pire of Yatani: an otherworldly realm of grand and Deep in the Summer Mountains stands the sandstone
terrible sorceries, whose Elemental Panjandrums throne of Prince Gaznai. Stories of her city, Refuge,
carved open a gateway between worlds through struggle across the vast wastelands that separate her
which to invade Creation. Amid the Cinder Isles, the from greater civilization, spreading despite all barriers.
story goes that a pantheon of devouring god-mon- Her territory seems barren and inhospitable, far to the
sters so bedeviled the Yatani, people of another South where raindrops boil and all life hides from the
world, that they fled through the Wyld in search merciless beat of the sun. Even so, straggling lines of the
of safe haven, settling eventually in Creation. And desperate and daring make the journey, drawn by the
in the North, they sing of a Dragon-Blooded hero promise of freedom.
named Yatani who pursued a terrible beast from
world to world to put an end to its atrocities, finally Gaznai’s people have always lived in the mountains, us-
tracking it to Creation and slaying it there. ing their remote and harsh environment to shield them
from the reach of grasping nations and wealthy slavers.
When Gaznai was born, her people were poor nomads
everything he has. He feels tremendously indebted, and eking out an existence from the scorching wastes. Now,
fears both disappointing his peers and tarnishing the centuries later and under her rule, most are settled and
Temple’s reputation. Though he struggles to endure the organized. Life in the mountains still harsh, but it is im-
status quo, at some point he’ll have to make the hard proving little by little as the prince expands the groves
choice between his love and his calling. of well-trees and guards against predatory Fair Folk.
Other Outcastes Stern-eyed and grim, Gaznai’s joyless demeanor is tem-

pered by patience and mercy. She welcomes anyone into
Mija is a brawler and sellsword, known in the trade as her city who’s willing to work hard and respect their fel-
Ironskull. Originally a derisive allusion to her intellect lows. Escaped slaves who reach her territory are freed,
and bullheadedness, Mija took a liking to it, reforging heretical faiths are given refuge, and criminals and out-
the insult into a unique martial style based in tenacity, laws are accepted. Her patience only shortens for those
brawn, and brutal headbutts to drive her rivals into the who attempt to wrest control from her and her citizens,
dirt. Now she wanders the Scavenger Lands, hungry for whether they’re slavers, priests demanding conformity,
the thrill of combat and the chance to test her strength. envoys of foreign powers requiring tribute, or heroic vi-
sionaries. These are quickly quashed or thrown out into
One of many children in a poor Sijanese family, Mija was the wastes if they prove too troublesome or insistent.
a fighter even as a youth, getting into scraps to win bets,
defend herself, or protect her honor. While Exaltation One weight is heavy on Gaznai’s shoulders: succession.
opened her horizons and gave her a new future, she’s Old age doesn’t press down on her yet, but she can feel
still a product of that childhood — illiterate, more at its grip beginning to tighten. Worse yet, she sees tumul-
ease among commoners than nobility, and very much tuous times approaching. Without a capable ruler to
a daughter of Sijan. Ritual and respect are ground into guide her city through the oncoming storm, she worries
her. She honors her ancestors each night, treats dying that her works will erode and fall to outside forces or
requests as sacred, and challenges enemies to duels internal strife. She hunts for potential successors even
rather than simply starting fights. She also knows River as she redoubles her efforts to support her people.
Province shadowlands like the back of her hand, using
Jaeyun is a terror of the Western islands, a fearsome
the Underworld to escape, follow others unseen, and
bandit who takes what he will and suffers no opposition.
sometimes to speak with the dead.
Between his Exaltation and beastfolk features, many
These days, Mija is a bounty hunter, prizefighter, and think him an angry spirit rather than a man; he has
mercenary. She’s eager to fight, dueling and sparring hooklike teeth, tough gray skin, and a long eel’s tail in
under any excuse, but her desires go deeper. The place of legs. When his volcanic anima rages, the water
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around him boils and hisses. Only a few favored islands way to a victor, see a potential ally, or hatefully nurse a
know him as more than a monstrous god, and even their grudge.
fearful respect of him verges on worship.
When certain Northern tribes have questions that must
The strange realms beneath the waves are Jaeyun’s true be answered, they turn to the Voice of Storms, an ora-
home. A hidden cleft deep in the sea is actually a crack cle who keeps eternal watch from a glacial manse north
in Creation, a vent that releases the Wyld instead of of Tusk. Voice never leaves the grounds of his manse,
heat. Raksha, Wyld mutants, warped spirits, and lesser but within its confines he wields prodigious power. His
fae all mingle in the unnatural pocket the vent creates, territory is known to all as sacred ground. He doesn’t
forming a community of riotous diversity and unpre- welcome everyone, but guests are protected and expect-
dictable dangers. Lustrous pearl-like bubbles of air con- ed to keep the peace. Sometimes he uses this neutrality
tain structures and weird earthly terrain, nestled among to broker peace or offer sanctuary, but only according to
palatial coral catacombs where Jaeyun and many others his divinations’ enigmatic designs.
make their home. Jaeyun was born here and raised by
beastfolk, Wyld-touched peoples, and a raksha god- The title he bears is both literal and metaphorical. His
mother who follows his exploits with interest. oracular proclamations resound, thrumming in the
bones of all who hear them. He’s thunderous in anger,
In the prime of his life, Jaeyun desires to revel in his and soothing when peaceful — a scion of wind and sky.
strength, amass wealth, and earn glory. He’s begun
laying claim to territory, starting with Embou — one Voice and his manse are both disabled in their own
of his favorite islands — and expanding outwards as he way. Voice needs a cane to walk, struggles with fatigue,
cements his hold. He demands respect and tribute from and has muscle spasms and seizures that make daily
anyone who plies his waters or lives on his land, and life difficult, all symptoms of multiple sclerosis. The
assaults those who don’t acknowledge him. Only those manse’s surviving conveniences help him manage his
who can hold him at bay earn his respect and forbear- condition, providing food, shelter, and comfort in the
ance. No one yet has matched or overpowered him, and harsh climate.
the outcome is anyone’s guess; he might reluctantly give
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The manse — carved into the heart of an unmelting treated with great deference. Some say these peoples
glacier — is a remnant of Bagrash Köl’s empire. Once worship the insects themselves, but in truth the insects
it fed on and analyzed Air Essence from all over the are mere heralds who connect the Mother and her
North, deciphering patterns and giving information worshippers. When a devotee prays to a spider hanging
to its operators. But it’s suffered degradation over the in a golden web, the Mother hears. When the Mother
centuries, and its ability to organize incoming data has wishes something, priestesses known as Daughters
been lost. Now anyone who accesses its higher func- gather around a beetle’s emerald dais to interpret its
tions experiences a tempest of visions and impressions movements. When her people beg for aid, the swarms
without context or order. Voice has spent years learning in the forest around them respond according to her will.
to decipher these fragments, and spends days meditat-
ing to compose coherent insights from them, giving him The Mother seems an eternal guardian, distant but
a bird’s-eye view of the North. devoted to her people. In truth, she’s the latest in a long
line of sorceresses. Each Mother was once a Daughter,
The Guild-affiliated merchant prince Andira Rupa trained and selected by the previous Mother to take up
travels between the Scavenger Lands and the Far East, the role. The current Mother is newly ascended, and
leaving business ventures behind her to grow like seeds. though she’s still uncertain of her place, her Dragon-
She rarely stays anywhere for long, preferring frequent Blooded might is raising her to greater heights than any
travel to settling down. Astride her horse, bearing her of her predecessors. Full of vigor and earnest desire to
banner-draped spear, and accompanied by a caravan help her people, she tirelessly forges alliances with spir-
filled with goods and assistants, she seeks out uncon- its, pursues threats, and spreads her influence. Few can
tacted territories, untapped resources, and potential enter her territory unnoticed, and truly peculiar sorts
bargains. Driven by instinct, flashes of inspiration, and will find themselves welcomed — and questioned — by a
whims, Andira follows only loose plans on her expedi- Daughter attended by one of the Mother’s swarms.
tions, rarely plotting out concrete ventures but instead
pursuing whatever opportunities or ideas come her Traditionally, a Mother secludes herself in an under-
way. ground lair shot through with roots from a grove of
ancient redwoods and is rarely (if ever) seen by her
Born to wealthy Hundred Kingdoms merchants, Andira people. The current Mother, however, is restless. After
learned the trade through their tutelage and her own years spent in the lair at her predecessor’s feet, she’s
observations. By the time she Exalted, she was already a tired of being cooped up, and now that she bears the
Guild merchant in good standing, and it didn’t take her mantle, she’s beholden to no one. She ventures out more
long to climb the ladder of wealth and rank through a frequently, taking an active role in her people’s lives.
series of daring-yet-profitable ventures. Today she’s Lately, she dreams of uniting her disparate worship-
a powerful agent of the Guild, a merchant prince who pers and expanding their territory, forming a unified
brings in tremendous wealth but has little time for in- state with the power to treat equally with neighboring
ternal Guild politics. She’s learned to enjoy the position, Ixcoatli and the distant Hundred Kingdoms.
relishing the freedom and personal profit her distance
buys her.
Running Outcaste Games
Backed by the vast wealth of astute Guild factors, her
Rupa Caravan overwhelms tiny communities in the All-Outcaste Groups
East along her route. She dominates their markets, buys
their leaders’ loyalty, enslaves resistance. and conscripts Outcaste-focused chronicles encourage play in remote
the desperate. Andira sees herself as a visionary, imag- locales beyond the Realm’s far-reaching influence.
ining and plotting grand projects that she leaves others Outcastes can act independently of the Realm without
to realize. She rarely has the patience to finish any given responsibilities toward the Dynasty or the Imperial
plan but has a knack for picking the right person to Service, albeit without a Dynast’s wealth and influence.
finish the job, allowing her to set up and orchestrate far
more than she could handle on her own. In this manner The easy thing about running an outcaste story is that it
she’s seeded a network of subservient traders across the can be set anywhere, for the blood of Dragons has spread
East, watered it with blood and strife, and reaped the across Creation. Dragon-Blooded families outside the
profits for herself and the Guild. Realm may share little resemblance to one another, for
all that each proclaims itself heir to the Shogunate. Use
In one swath of the Far East, scattered tribes and villag- this to your advantage when planning your all-outcaste
es all give praise to the Mother. They maintain minia- story. Play with players’ expectations whenever they
ture shrines, each containing a single insect or arachnid visit a new area.
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Threshold societies can vary wildly in how they view and Creation-spanning effects, outcastes provide the
the Dragon-Blooded. One people, long oppressed by Storyteller and players an opportunity to tell small-
Dragon-Blooded despots, hate and fear all such Exalted. er-scale stories that might otherwise be overlooked.
In another land where passing Immaculate monks once A Dynast or Lookshyan scion, while able to engage in
subdued tyrant gods, outcastes find themselves vener- personal stories or deal with local threats, will always
ated as authorities in spiritual matters, and petitioned act within the context and shadow of their culture.
to exorcise hungry ghosts or negotiate with fractious
deities. Mixed Groups
Unlike Hearths based in regions where Dragon-Blooded Outcastes and members of established Dragon-Blooded
authority is ingrained into local culture, all-outcaste groups might come together for any number of reasons.
groups provide roleplaying opportunities unavailable A Grass Spider is hired by a Lookshyan aristocrat to
to Dynastic or mixed groups. Outcastes’ independence infiltrate a rival gens. A heretical Immaculate monk
from the Realm and Lookshy grants unparalleled free- travels to Prasad, seeking insight in Pure Way theology.
dom. They’re acknowledged in most places as Princes of Threatened by the Imperial Navy, outcastes from a re-
the Earth, yet lack obligations to hegemonic powers. No mote Western island find themselves aided by a V’neef
Wyld Hunt pursues them. Barring immediate personal scion. The Storyteller and players should collaborate on
and familial ties, they can act as they please. details to integrate the outsider into the group.
On the other hand, no outcaste clan has the resources or When an outcaste is brought into a Hearth of other
wealth of the Realm, Lookshy, or Prasad at its disposal. Dragon-Blooded, it can be hard to balance the spot-
Often, the only ones outcastes can turn to for help are light each receives. A chronicle focusing on Realm
each other; they may never even have seen Exalted realpolitik might see an outcaste overshadowed by
other than their kindred. When trouble rises, outcastes her Dynastic peers. In a chronicle centering around an
don’t have backing from a Great House on which to rely. outcaste Hearth in the River Province, the Lookshyan’s
They have only their Hearth. connections and prestige may give her disproportion-
ate influence over her fellows. The Storyteller should
All Exalted are larger-than-life figures with the po-
ensure that she gives enough attention to outcastes
tential to shape history. While it’s tempting to show
and non-outcastes both, and should offer narrative
the outcastes’ actions reflected across all of Creation,
beats that accommodate every character, just as she’d
the Storyteller should have a firm idea of the scope of
build mechanical challenges that reflect their unique
the game she’s telling. Though worthy of grand epics
strengths.
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Mathar ran a hand over the intertwined tree trunks that formed the manse’s walls. The power of this place
called to him, though the forest outside seemed to reject it: Surrounding trees leaned away from the structure.
Inside, it smelled of sap and fresh-cut wood, though the Phoenix Tears Pagoda had clearly been standing for
hundreds of years.
Perhaps he should have pressed harder for information on the Forest Witches’ domain. The Intelligence
Directorate gave him little to go on, aside from saying that Lookshy and the Witches mostly left each other
alone. He felt certain this wasn’t so much truth as politics — the official who’d compiled the dossier was
Vaya’s protégée. She’d stymied his career at every turn, so why not encourage her underlings to do the same?
His best intel came from the blind outcaste Little Tsunami, who spoke of a dream-like city, of long-dead
Dragon-Blooded walking the world, and of a hidden purpose behind the Witches’ raids on nearby towns and
caravans. Chalima complained of those raids sometimes, close as the Witches’ domain was to the Hundred
Kingdoms.
Mathar wandered the Pagoda’s chambers — chambers that coiled in tangles like roots, and hallways fanning
out like branches, every wooden surface weeping red sap. Some were stockpiled with supplies, from dried
fruits to vellum to weapons. Others were adorned with the Witches’ strange art — portraits of faceless figures;
sculptures depicting monstrous forms wreathed in mist; tapestries embroidered with a mandala whose
meaning escaped even Mathar, far-traveled as he was.
The absence of guards surprised him. Though he’d spent an hour watching, no patrols came by. Still, he
moved cautiously. Just because he hadn’t seen a guard didn’t mean there weren’t any. A chamber with an
open window overlooked the forest, but dense foliage blocked the view. So much for getting a look at the
layout from above.
When he pulled back into the room, a woman stood in the doorway, watching. She wore a black cloak
blazoned with that same unknown mandala; beneath it, gold and silver accented the black jade links of her
chain shirt. The cloak’s hood hid her face in shadows.
“Ah,” said Mathar softly. He kept his tone affable but not irreverent. “I’m here under the banner of peace. I
intend you no harm.” Most people, when Mathar turned his smile on them, couldn’t help but smile in return.
Judging by the nimbus of icy razors that swirled into being around her person, he suspected she wasn’t
favorably inclined.
With a flick of a gloved hand, one of the darts flew at Mathar. He dropped into a crouch and the dart embedded
itself deep into the wall. Thick red sap oozed from the puncture.
“I know a ranger when I see one,” she said. “I can’t let you bring our secrets back to Lookshy.”
“Take me to someone, then. Let me explain to your... council? Your queen? And we can smooth things over.”
“I’ve a better idea.” The ice shards spun faster. “I’ll throw your heart into the Sea.”
It wasn’t an idiom Mathar had ever heard, and he hoarded phrases and lyrics like the Guild hoarded coins.
He suspected it wasn’t an idiom at all.
Thorn-tipped vines burst from Mathar’s wrist and wrapped around his direlance’s shaft, securing the weapon
to its wielder. He lunged at the guard. Several shards consolidated, turning its point aside. She didn’t budge a
step, didn’t so much as flinch. She wasn’t going to let him leave.
Only one way out, then.
Mathar dove for the window. He was weightless for a moment, then hit the ground hard and rolled to his feet.
The guard flung more shards as he ran, but soon the Witches’ forest swallowed him, covering his retreat.
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Chapter Six
Charms
Archery can only enhance a decisive attack that benefits from
aiming. An enemy hit by it is knocked back one range
Grasping Vine Shot band. If this movement leaves him on an earthen sur-
face, he also falls prone as the Dragon-Blood’s arrow
Cost: 3m; Mins: Archery 3, Essence 2
seeks to return to the earth.
Type: Simple
Keywords: Wood Five-Dragon Arsenal
Duration: Instant
Cost: —; Mins: Archery 4, Essence 2
Prerequisite Charms: Harvest of the Hunter
Type: Permanent
The Dragon-Blood’s arrow grows and extends into a Keywords: Earth
sturdy, flexible vine. This rope attaches itself to a surface Duration: Permanent
within short range. Flame weapons instead discharge Prerequisite Charms: None
braided ropes of semi-tangible smoke. She treats the
An expert in countless weapons, the Dragon-Blood’s
rope as exceptional equipment (Exalted, p. 580), and
Essence is inextricable from her arsenal. As long as she
can use reflexive move actions to climb it, ascending or
has one full-cost attunement to an artifact weapon, she
descending one range band, or to swing along it, moving
reduces the attunement cost of further artifact weapons
one range band forward and, optionally, one range band
(regardless of the Ability used to wield them) by three
down. Other characters don’t gain the movement bene-
motes each, to a minimum of one mote. This doesn’t
fits, but still treat the rope as exceptional.
stack with other discounts. If the Dragon-Blood ends
Alternatively, the Dragon-Blood may fire at an unat- her full-cost attunement, she must commit enough
tended object within short range that she’s capable of motes to bring another attunement to its full cost, or all
holding in her hands. The Storyteller may require a discounted attunements end.
(Dexterity + Archery) roll in the case of very small ob-
Special activation rules: This Charm may alternatively
jects or poor visual or weather conditions. If successful,
be learned as a Brawl, Melee, Thrown, or War Charm.
the line attaches to the object and retracts, dragging it to
the Dragon-Blood’s feet undamaged. Nightshade’s Deadly Bloom
Ropes created with Grasping Vine Shot wither or Cost: 5m, 1i; Mins: Archery 4, Essence 2
disperse at end of scene. If the Dragon-Blood has a rel- Type: Supplemental
evant Craft, like ropemaking, she receives craft points Keywords: Decisive-only, Wood
for meeting objectives with this Charm as though she’d Duration: Instant
completed a basic project (Exalted, p. 240). Prerequisite Charms: Arrow Thorn Technique
Cruel thorns grow from the Dragon-Blood’s arrow,

Backer: David “Weimann” Karlson-Weimann
dripping deadly venom. To use this Charm, she must
Landslide Missile Attack have Initiative 10+. Her decisive attack carries a poison
with Damage 2i/round (L in Crash), Duration (Essence
Cost: 2m, 2i; Mins: Archery 3, Essence 2
+ attack roll extra successes) rounds, and a –3 penalty.
Type: Supplemental
Keywords: Decisive-only, Earth An Archery 5, Essence 3 repurchase lets the Dragon-
Duration: Instant Blood pay a one-Willpower surcharge to use this as a
Prerequisite Charms: Death From Nowhere Simple-type Charm, firing an arrow at any point within
The Dragon-Blood wreathes her arrow in earthen her weapon’s range, instead of targeting a specific
Essence, building momentous force as she aims, then enemy. The arrow grows into a thicket, exposing all
releasing it to strike like a rolling boulder. This Charm characters within close range to a one-time environ-
mental hazard with difficulty (Dragon-Blood’s attack
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C hapt e r S i x : C ha r ms
roll successes) and damage (Dragon-Blood’s Initiative / If she makes a roll with any Ability as part of the move-
total number of enemies, rounded up)L; those who take ment action, she adds an automatic success and ignores
damage also suffer the poison above, with Duration 5 any penalties for difficult terrain based on ice or snow.
rounds. The thicket remains on the battlefield as diffi- This Charm can also be used to walk over bodies of water,
cult terrain for the rest of the scene; characters entering freezing their surface as the Dragon-Blood moves.
or moving through it are exposed to the poison. This
resets the Dragon-Blood to base Initiative. Crashing Tide Advance
Cost: 3m; Mins: Athletics 4, Essence 2
Backer: Michael Brewer Type: Supplemental
Keywords: Dual, Water
Thousand Thorn Artillery Duration: Instant
Cost: —(+1m, 1wp); Mins: Archery 4, Essence 3 Prerequisite Charms: Bellows-Pumping Stride
Type: Permanent
Keywords: Wood Like the relentless tide that erodes the shore, the
Duration: Permanent Dragon-Blood’s advance is inevitable, her momentum
Prerequisite Charms: Arbor Sentinel Technique undeniable. She adds an automatic success on a rush.
If she successfully rushes her enemy and he subse-
Planting her weapon in the soil, the Dragon-Blood bids quently provokes her reflexive movement, she inflicts
it grow into a sprawling arboreal engine of war. She may a −1 onslaught penalty on him, and if she attacks him
pay a one-mote, one-Willpower surcharge when she uses from close range on her next turn, she adds one die of
Arbor Sentinel Technique to cause her weapon to grow decisive damage or post-soak withering damage.
into a siege weapon (Arms of the Chosen, p. 127): bows
and crossbows become ballistas, while flame weapons be- Flying Dagger Leap
come fire cannons. The siege weapon still retains the nor- Cost: 3m; Mins: Athletics 4, Essence 2
mal benefits of Arbor Sentinel Technique, granting heavy Type: Supplemental
cover to the artillerist and crew and producing its own Keywords: Air, Dual
ammunition (though it must still be reloaded normally). Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Soaring Leap Technique
Rolling Stormcloud Approach
Cost: 2m, 2i; Mins: Archery 5, Essence 3 The Dragon-Blood blurs through the air, descending on
Type: Reflexive her foe in a mighty bound. To use this Charm, she must
Keywords: Air, Aura, Perilous either move into close range with an enemy by leaping
Duration: One turn and attack him on the same turn, or reflexively pursue
Prerequisite Charms: Drawing Lightning Style him by leaping with a rush and then attack on her next
turn. She adds (Essence) bonus dice on the attack roll,
The Dragon-Blood sweeps across the battlefield like a and adds an automatic success on a withering damage
swift-moving storm. She may aim and take a move ac- roll or a bonus die on a decisive damage roll.
tion in the same turn, and can flurry an aim with a rush
or disengage. If she successfully rushes or disengages, Awareness
she ignores the Defense penalty from flurrying.
Victory-Seeking Insight
Athletics Cost: 4m; Mins: Awareness 2, Essence 1
Type: Reflexive
Ice-Slick Tread Technique Keywords: Air, Perilous
Cost: 2m, 2i; Mins: Athletics 3, Essence 2 Duration: Instant
Type: Supplemental Prerequisite Charms: None
Keywords: Air, Perilous
Duration: Instant Anticipating how a fight will unfold in the blink of an eye,
Prerequisite Charms: Bellows-Pumping Stride the Dragon-Blood directs her allies into advantageous po-
sitions and warns them of potential threats. After rolling
The air chills at the Dragon-Blood’s passage, smoothing Join Battle, the Dragon-Blood may transfer up to (highest
her movement and leaving behind an icy trail. When of Intelligence, Wits, or War) total points of Initiative to
she crosses a range band by walking or running (but not any number of allies, dividing up the transferred Initiative
jumping, climbing, or so on), she freezes the ground as however she chooses. She can’t crash herself this way. If
she moves across it, leaving a patch of difficult terrain she transfers Initiative to a Hearthmate, that character
(Exalted, p. 199) that extends along the path she traveled. gains an additional point of Initiative.
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EX3
Pasiap Preempts Haste wall as long as the other side were within her vision’s
Cost: 3m; Mins: Awareness 3, Essence 2 range. However, she may still suffer penalties or be unable
Type: Supplemental to see certain areas entirely as a result of obstructions to
Keywords: Earth her bird’s-eye perspective: dense fog, low-lying clouds,
Duration: Instant foliage, roofs, and the like (though she may use magic like
Prerequisite Charms: All-Encompassing Earth Sense Cloud-Piercing Focus to negate applicable obstacles). The
Dragon-Blood’s other senses aren’t affected.
The Dragon-Blood is as patient and still as a mountain,
waiting for the perfect moment to act. She doubles 9s on The Dragon-Blood adds an automatic success on any
a Join Battle roll. If she wins Join Battle, she waives the Perception-based rolls she makes to look for or examine
Initiative cost of delaying her action (Exalted, p. 196) anything larger than a single person from this perspective,
on the first round, and adds (Perception) bonus dice on such as spotting a concealed battle group or surveying the
her attack roll if she delays it until after an enemy acts. architecture of a palace. When making command actions
(Exalted, p. 209), she can roll with (Perception + War) as
Distant March Intuition long as she’s able to perceive the battle group she’s com-
Cost: —; Mins: Awareness 5, Essence 3 manding, and adds an automatic success on such rolls.
Type: Permanent
Keywords: Earth Brawl
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: Feeling the Dragon’s Bones Flotsam-and-Jetsam Approach
The Dragon-Blood attunes herself to the vibrations Cost: 1m; Mins: Brawl 1, Essence 1
and Essence that pass through the earth, sensing the Type: Reflexive
marches of distant legions or a behemoth’s footfalls. Keywords: Uniform, Water
When she uses Feeling the Dragon’s Bones, she detects Duration: One scene
the movement of battle groups, Legendary Size charac- Prerequisite Charms: None
ters, or anything similarly large moving across the earth Like the tide, the Dragon-Blood gathers up whatever
within (successes rolled) miles. She can’t pinpoint their comes to hand and smashes it against the shore. She
precise location, but has a general sense of distance waives the Initiative cost for attacking with improvised
and direction, doubling 8s on Survival rolls to navigate weapons using any combat Ability, and may use Strength
toward or away from them. instead of Dexterity to attack with them. Bonus dots of
Strength conferred by magic don’t add to these attack
If the Dragon-Blood knows Sense the Hidden Ember, she
rolls.
also detects the presence within this range of any trace of
magic that Charm is capable of sensing, as above. Backer: Nik May
Backer: Charles Lovett Twisting Vicious Tide
Skyward Eye Vigil Cost: 1m; Mins: Brawl 3, Essence 2
Type: Supplemental
Cost: 8m, 1wp; Mins: Awareness 4, Essence 4
Keywords: Uniform, Water
Type: Simple
Duration: Instant
Keywords: Air
Prerequisite Charms: Pounding Surf Style
Duration: One scene
Prerequisite Charms: All-Encompassing Earth Sense Having worn down her foes with an unrelenting offen-
(Air), Feeling the Dragon’s Bones sive, the Dragon-Blood finds their feeble strikes all too
easy to overpower. When she clashes an attack, her en-
The wind bears the Dragon-Blood’s sight aloft, elevating
emy’s attack roll loses dice equal to the onslaught pen-
her perspective. She sees the world around her from a
alty that wore off at the start of his turn (or his current
bird’s-eye view, as though she were looking down from a
onslaught penalty, if he’s attacking outside of his turn or
point at long range above herself. She can see her surround-
if his onslaught penalty didn't refresh at the start of his
ings out to long range horizontally from herself, unless en-
turn due to other effects).
vironmental conditions or obstructions block some or all
of this range. She cannot see from her normal perspective, Trireme Strikes the Rocks
but neither does she suffer any penalties that only apply
Cost: 3m, 1wp, expend Water Aura; Mins: Brawl 5,
to it rather than her line of sight from above — a blindfold
Essence 3
or a maimed eye would be no obstacle, nor would a stone
Type: Reflexive
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EX3
Keywords: Aura, Clash, Decisive-only, Water Slamming a fist or heel into the ground, the Dragon-
Duration: Instant Blood drives a pulse of pyroclastic Essence into the earth
Prerequisite Charms: Blade-Deflecting Palm, Twisting beneath her, forcing a surge of molten lava forth from
Vicious Tide the depths. To use this Charm, she must have Initiative
20+ and be standing on bare soil or stone. This eruption
Moving without thought, the Dragon-Blood brutally is represented as an unblockable decisive attack against
wrenches an attacker’s limb or weapon aside. When an all characters, friend or foe, within medium range, with
enemy with lower Initiative attacks her, she may reflex- the Dragon-Blood applying a single attack roll against
ively clash with a decisive attack or a disarm gambit. all of them. She may exempt her Hearthmates from the
This doesn’t count as her attack for the round. The attack.
Defense penalty imposed by a successful clash (Exalted,
p. 202) counts as an onslaught penalty for the purposes The Dragon-Blood divides (her Initiative + the lowest
of the Dragon-Blood’s and her allies’ offensive Charms. number of attack roll extra successes she received
against any hit target) evenly, rounded down, among all
If the Dragon-Blood knows Currents Sweep to Sea, she hit characters to determine the lethal damage the lava
may use this Charm to clash attacks from out to medium rolls against them. Trivial opponents are incapacitated
range as long as there is a source of water on the battle- automatically without detracting from the Dragon-
field, striking with a watery tendril. Blood’s total damage, and scenery is damaged at the
Storyteller’s discretion.
Magma Hell Upheaval
Cost: 15m, 1wp, expend Earth or Fire Aura; Mins: Brawl If a crashed enemy takes 3+ levels of damage, the erup-
5, Essence 4 tion leaves a lava hazard (difficulty 5, damage 6L/round)
Type: Simple on the ground beneath him. These hazards cool and
Keywords: Aura, Decisive-only, Earth/Fire solidify into obsidian when the scene ends; characters
Duration: Instant might cool or disperse them earlier with clever stunts
Prerequisite Charms: Fist-Spinning Maelstrom, Rolling or magic.
Boulder Blow
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This Charm can only be used once per day, unless reset If she succeeds, she may assail her target’s position
by gaining 20+ Initiative from a single withering attack within a bureaucratic organization. Any rolls that
made from base Initiative, and then incapacitating that character makes to carry out the official business of that
enemy on the next turn with a decisive attack. organization or to influence his subordinates within
the bureaucracy to perform their official duties lose
Backer: Nathan Henderson successes equal to the 1s on the roll. Additionally, for
the purpose of the victim’s influence rolls, any positive
Bureaucracy Ties toward him or toward the organization possessed
by organization members are treated as one step lower.
Sink-or-Swim Discernment
Cost: —; Mins: Bureaucracy 2, Essence 1 Alternatively, the Dragon-Blood may attack one of her vic-
Type: Permanent tim’s business or political relationships with another char-
Keywords: Water acter. To do so, that other character must be present when
Duration: Permanent the Dragon-Blood uses this Charm. If she uses this variant,
Prerequisite Charms: Finding the Water’s Depths any influence roll her victim makes against his partner
in the context of their business or political relationship
Gauging the bureaucratic merit of those around her, the lose successes equal to the 1s on the roll, as do any read
Dragon-Blood distinguishes those who’ve risen to the top intentions rolls he makes against the partner. Additionally,
from the dregs. She can use Finding the Water’s Depths the victim suffers –1 Resolve and Guile against his partner.
to assess a character’s bureaucratic standing, gaining a Any positive Ties the partner has toward the victim or any
general sense of what kind of bureaucratic organizations, organization the victim belongs to are treated as one step
if any, he belongs to, as well as his approximate rank lower for the purpose of the victim’s influence rolls.
within those organizations. For example, using it on a
Guild factor could reveal that he belongs to a mercantile The victim may free himself from the effects of the first
enterprise and holds a high position, but wouldn’t pro- version of this Charm by completing a project to ad-
vide the specifics of his membership in the Guild. vance or reestablish his position with an organization,
or the second version by completing a project to fulfill
Charting Unfamiliar Tides the requests or agenda of the partner who was targeted
Cost: —; Mins: Bureaucracy 3, Essence 2 by this Charm. Either version can be negated by magic
Type: Permanent such as Woe-Capturing Web (Exalted, p. 288).
Keywords: Water
Duration: Permanent Once anyone uses this Charm against a member of an
Prerequisite Charms: Confluence of Savant Thought organization, members of that organization can’t be
targeted with it until the start of the next story.
Even at Creation’s farthest shores, where strange
people follow stranger customs, a bureaucracy is a Growth Investment Propagation
bureaucracy. The Dragon-Blood can use Confluence of Cost: 10m, 1wp; Mins: Bureaucracy 5, Essence 3
Savant Thought to introduce facts about bureaucratic Type: Simple
and mercantile organizations she isn’t familiar with, as Keywords: Wood
long as she’s spent at least a scene interacting with or Duration: Instant
eavesdropping on members of that organization acting Prerequisite Charms: Sprouting Bamboo Cultivation
in their official capacity.
A savvy player of the market, the Dragon-Blood conceals
Meddling Bridge-Burner Approach funds in profitable investments and revenue-earning
Cost: 5m, 1wp; Mins: Bureaucracy 4, Essence 3 ventures, ensuring she always has savings to draw on
Type: Simple for unexpected expenses. When she makes a purchase
Keywords: Fire using her Resources rating (Exalted, p. 578), she may
Duration: One story expend these saved funds, treating her Resources rat-
Prerequisite Charms: Thrashing Carp Serenade ing as though it were two dots higher for purposes of
that transaction, and doubling 7s on any bargain roll
The Dragon-Blood’s incendiary rhetoric turns her political involved in the transaction. If this would raise her ef-
rival’s bases against them or drives a wedge between even the fective Resources rating above 5, she can instead make a
closest of business partners. After spending at least a scene Resources 5 purchase without incurring any debt.
interacting with a character in his official bureaucratic capac-
ity, she rolls ([Manipulation or Intelligence] + Bureaucracy) Using this Charm entails revealing the existence of
opposing his ([Charisma or Intelligence] + Bureaucracy). funds the Dragon-Blood has acquired off-screen, not
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EX3
creating money ex nihilo. In circumstances where it realize they were deceived. Depending on how the Dragon-
wouldn’t make sense for the Dragon-Blood to access Blood acted on the group’s behalf, they may form positive
her investments, the Storyteller may require an appro- Ties toward her and offer her a formal position within it.
priate stunt to justify using this Charm — a Dragon-
Blood marooned on a far-off Western island can’t call in Backer: Mackenzie Belmont
her savings, unless she reveals she’s been funding trade
with the island’s natives. Craft
This Charm can only be used once per story, unless reset Dragon-Ancestor Bequest
by completing a project with a primary goal of amassing Cost: 15m, 1wp, 10wxp per Evocation; Mins: Craft 5,
wealth or creating a profitable investment. Essence 3
Type: Simple
Pearl-and-Coral Diadem
Keywords: Wood
Cost: 7m, 1wp; Mins: Bureaucracy 5, Essence 5 Duration: Instant
Type: Simple Prerequisite Charms: Flawless Facet Realization,
Keywords: Psyche, Water Stoking Inspiration’s Forge
Duration: One story
Prerequisite Charms: Flowing Authority Insinuation The wonders born from the Dragon-Blood’s forge desire
worthy masters, flourishing in the hands of their maker’s
Flowing with the tides of a bureaucracy, the Dragon- heirs and comrades. Activating this Charm entails a
Blood rises effortlessly to the top. She makes a special ritual ceremony in which the Dragon-Blood presents an
([Appearance or Manipulation] + Bureaucracy) instill artifact she’s crafted to a blood relative or a Hearthmate.
roll, ignoring the penalty for group influence, against all She awakens up to (recipient’s Essence) of the artifact’s
members of a specific organization present in a scene. Evocations for the recipient at no experience point cost,
A character whose Resolve is beaten will perceive the spending ten white points for each Evocation awakened.
Dragon-Blood as either someone who holds a position Dragon-Ancestor Bequest can only be used on any given
of superior rank within that organization or as someone artifact once.
whose credentials make them a natural choice for filling
such a role, depending on which option is more plausible.
The Dragon-Blood gains the benefits of any positive Ties Dodge
those characters have toward the organization in ques-
tion, and affected characters will carry out any inconve- Nimble Zephyr Defense
nient tasks (Exalted, p. 216) she assigns them without Cost: 1m; Mins: Dodge 4, Essence 1
requiring an influence roll if they have such a Tie. Type: Reflexive
Keywords: Air, Uniform
While this Charm is active, the Dragon-Blood may use Duration: Instant
Flowing Authority Insinuation for only five motes if she Prerequisite Charms: Flickering Candle Meditation
targets an affected character, and such characters can’t
resist with Willpower unless they first resist this effect. Gracefully maneuvering around her attackers, the
She waives Thrashing Carp Serenade’s Willpower cost Dragon-Blood lets the force of their blows disperse
when she uses it against an organization she’s used this into the wind. She must use the Charm before an attack
Charm to secure a position of authority within. roll. On a successful dodge, her attacker loses a point
of Initiative. If the attack roll contains any 1s, she may
This effect can be resisted for one Willpower, but only dodge the attack even if its successes equal her Evasion.
when a character is confronted with evidence that the
Dragon-Blood doesn’t actually hold a position within In Air Aura, the Dragon-Blood gains the lost Initiative.
the organization or is unqualified to do so, when he’s
Ascending Ember Trick
mistreated by the Dragon-Blood, or when another orga-
nization member succeeds on an instill roll to turn him Cost: 3m; Mins: Dodge 3, Essence 2
against the Dragon-Blood. Characters who resist realize Type: Reflexive
they’ve been deceived, but not that mind-altering magic Keywords: Air/Fire
is involved. Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Heat-of-Battle Advance
When this Charm ends, all affected characters that didn’t
A burst of superheated air propels the supine Dragon-
resist gradually begin to realize that they’d mistaken the
Blood back onto her feet. She makes a rise from prone
Dragon-Blood for someone in authority, though they don’t
action (Exalted, p. 198) reflexively, and can do so outside
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her turn. This still counts as her movement action for long as there is any earth, stone, or similar material within
the round. close range, she can attempt a take cover action, creating an
earthen barrier that provides light cover (Exalted, pp. 198-
Light-as-Clouds Method 199) if she succeeds. Alternatively, if she can take advantage
Cost: —(+4m); Mins: Dodge 3, Essence 2 of earthen or stone scenery that would normally provide
Type: Permanent light cover, a successful roll upgrades it to heavy cover,
Keywords: Air/Fire drawing loose soil or stones to fortify it. The environmental
Duration: Permanent changes made by this Charm are permanent, and other
Prerequisite Charms: Hopping Firecracker Evasion characters can gain cover from the barrier created.
The Dragon-Blood takes advantage of her enemy’s lust In Earth Aura, the Dragon-Blood doubles 9s on en-
for battle, turning the wasted momentum of his attack hanced take cover actions.
into a burst of wind that carries her out of danger.
Heart Like Water
When she uses Hopping Firecracker Evasion, she may Cost: 4m, 3i, 1wp, expend Air or Water Aura; Mins:
pay a four-mote surcharge to reflexively roll to disengage, Dodge 5, Essence 4
adding bonus dice equal to the Overwhelming rating of Type: Reflexive
her enemy’s weapon. If successful, in addition to Hopping Keywords: Air/Water, Aura, Balanced, Counterattack,
Firecracker Evasion’s usual effects, she can reflexively Decisive-only
move away if any enemy moves toward her before her Duration: Instant
next turn, as per a standard disengage. This doesn’t count Prerequisite Charms: Safety Among Enemies
as her move action for the round. Such uses of Hopping
Firecracker Evasion are both Air- and Fire-aspected. Light as air, fluid as water, the Dragon-Blood flows
around hostile force with infinite grace, letting her ene-
In Air or Fire Aura, the Initiative cost to disengage is my defeat himself. After successfully dodging a decisive
waived. attack, she turns it back on her attacker, rolling a de-
cisive counterattack with (Wits + Dodge). All Charms
Salvo-to-Silt Technique that the attacker used to enhance his original attack
Cost: 2m, 1i; Mins: Dodge 3, Essence 2 also apply to this counterattack at no additional cost.
Type: Reflexive If it hits, it uses the attacker’s Initiative to determine
Keywords: Uniform, Perilous, Water damage (before he loses any due to missing), and resets
Duration: Instant him to base Initiative, not the Dragon-Blood.
Prerequisite Charms: Flickering Candle Meditation
The Dragon-Blood can enhance this counterattack with
The Dragon-Blood’s anima thickens to a viscous li- any Water Dragon style Charms she knows, regardless
quidity, slowing or even stopping projectiles in mid-air. of the Ability it was originally made with.
She imposes a –(Anima) penalty on the attack roll of a
ranged attack with a physical projectile or flame-based This Charm can only be used once per day, unless reset
ranged attack against her Evasion. If the attack hits, up by incapacitating a nontrivial enemy with an attack re-
to (Anima) 1s on the damage roll subtract successes, or directed either by it or by Safety Among Enemies.
(Anima) 1s and 2s for flame-based attacks.
Backer: Michael Maitan
If the Dragon-Blood successfully dodges an attack with
a physical projectile, the projectile becomes caught in Integrity
her anima banner. She can pluck these suspended pro-
jectiles from her anima for her own use. If her anima Moon-and-Earth Marriage
fades to dim, all suspended projectiles fall to the ground.
Cost: —; Mins: Integrity 2, Essence 1
Stone-Sculpting Fortification Type: Permanent
Keywords: Air
Cost: 5m; Mins: Dodge 4, Essence 2
Duration: Permanent
Type: Supplemental
Prerequisite Charms: Oath of the Ten Thousand
Keywords: Earth
Dragons
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Flickering Candle Meditation In the Age of Sorrows, there has been only war between
the Dragon-Blooded host and the Lunar Exalted, but it
The earth rises to enfold the Dragon-Blood, ensuring she
was not always so. This Charm is a secret that might have
has a place of safety to move into as she evades her foes. As
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been, and may yet be. The Dragon-Blood must spend this If a Hearthmate already has two opposing Defining
Charm’s training time interacting with a willing Lunar Intimacies — either ones he possesses naturally, or
who she has a positive Defining Tie toward, and who has ones borrowed from a Hearthmate — each additional
a positive Defining Tie toward her. Their interactions Hearthmate who possesses an opposing Defining
culminate as the Charm is learned, creating a Terrestrial Intimacy instead grants him +1 Resolve each.
Bond between the Dragon-Blood and the Lunar. The
Dragon-Blood treats the Lunar as one of her Sworn Kin If the Dragon-Blood uses this Charm multiple times in
for all purposes. This effect doesn’t extend to the Dragon- the same scene, the Willpower cost of all activations
Blood’s Hearth, if she has one; the Terrestrial Bond is a past the first is waived.
separate affinity. Her Tie for the Lunar is permanently
protected as per this Charm’s prerequisite. Backer: Demstyx NN
The Lunar gains the ability to sense the Dragon-Blood, Investigation

as usual for Sworn Kin (Dragon-Blooded, p. 154), and
treats her as a Solar mate for all purposes. If her Tie Goblin-Thwarting Hunch
toward him is ever fully eroded, she immediately forms Cost: 4m; Mins: Investigation 5, Essence 3
a new Minor Tie toward him after the scene’s end. A Type: Supplemental
Lunar can only have one Terrestrial mate at a time, and Keywords: Balanced, Earth, Mute
vice versa, and this bond can be broken only by death. Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Scent of the Stranger’s Threshold
Backer: Moral Wiz
The eerie touch of the Wyld is like a film of pollution
Rot-Pruning Conviction to the Dragon-Blood’s keen eye, an unsettling sign that
Cost: 3m; Mins: Integrity 4, Essence 3 the enemies of Creation are at work. She doubles 9s on
Type: Reflexive a profile character roll or read intentions roll against a
Keywords: Wood Fair Folk or other creature native to the Wyld, a case
Duration: Instant scene roll to find clues left behind by such creatures or
Prerequisite Charms: Heart-Hardening Meditation by the influence of the Wyld itself, or on any Awareness,
Lore, Occult, or Survival rolls to detect the influence of
The Dragon-Blood prunes the garden of her own heart, the Wyld.
removing diseased buds to make room for new growth.
When she spends Willpower to resist an influence
roll that aligned with one of her Major or Defining
Larceny
Intimacies, she may shed that Intimacy entirely. In its
Veiled Dragon’s Secret
place, she forms a new Minor Intimacy that reflects her
reasons for resisting the influence. She can’t shed Inti- Cost: 5m; Mins: Larceny 3, Essence 1
macies to her Hearthmates this way. Type: Simple
Keywords: None
Ten Thousand Dragons Stand Together Duration: One day
Prerequisite Charms: Flowing Body Disguise
Cost: 5m, 1wp; Mins: Integrity 5, Essence 3
Type: Reflexive Manipulating the Essence of the five elements that
Keywords: Earth flow through her, the Dragon-Blood conceals her true
Duration: Instant Aspect. Upon using this Charm, she chooses an element,
Prerequisite Charms: Ten Thousand Dragons Fight as and the cosmetic appearance of her anima banner and
One Aspect markings change such that her elemental Aspect
appears to be the chosen element. She can’t use this
None can put asunder the sacred oath of a Sworn
Charm to imitate the anima banners or Aspect markings
Kinship. When a character that isn’t part of the Dragon-
of specific Dragon-Blooded — rather, her disguised an-
Blood’s Hearth makes an influence roll targeting her
ima and Aspect markings are still reflective of her own
or any of her Sworn Kin, they may combine their will
personality and nature.
against it. If any Hearthmate who witnesses the influ-
ence has an Intimacy opposing it, it becomes available This Charm’s Aspect is the same as the elemental Aspect
to all members of the Hearth, either to bolster their that the Dragon-Blood emulates.
Resolve or to use in Decision Points. A Hearthmate who
does so gains the borrowed Tie at Minor intensity.
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Hundred-Devil Masquerade Additionally, the Dragon-Blood’s masks draw power

Cost: —; Mins: Larceny 5, Essence 3 from their legend, slowly transforming into artifacts.
Type: Permanent This transformation is represented by the mask
Keywords: Wood gaining Mystique, which occurs under the following
Duration: Permanent circumstances.
Prerequisite Charms: Terrifying Forest-Devil Mask
• Once per session, when the Dragon-Blood upholds
The legends of fearsome monsters, noble outlaws, the Intimacy conferred by the mask, it gains 1
and ancient heroes take on a life of their own through Mystique.
the Dragon-Blood. She waives Terrifying Forest-
Devil Mask’s Willpower cost if she uses it to assume • Once per session, when a narratively significant
a role that she’s previously taken with it. character forms or upholds a Major or Defining Tie
toward the role embodied by the mask, it gains 1 • Once per story, when the Dragon-Blood defeats an
Mystique. enemy in a fashion that aligns with the Intimacy
conferred by the mask — potentially in combat, but
• When the Dragon-Blood completes a major charac- including other forms of defeat such as humiliating
ter or story goal that aligns with the Intimacy con- him in front of his admirers or driving his mer-
ferred by the mask, it gains 1 Mystique. chant enterprise bankrupt — it gains (his Essence)
Mystique, maximum 5.
• When the Dragon-Blood achieves a legendary social
goal (Exalted, p. XX) that aligns with the Intimacy Once a mask accrues 50 Mystique, it becomes a three-
conferred by the mask, it gains 5 Mystique. dot artifact, with Evocations based on both the legend
that’s formed around the role it depicts and any magical
materials it’s composed of. The Dragon-Blood may
incorporate jade or another magical material into the
mask to complete this process to gain greater resonance
with its Evocations; this requires no roll. She immedi-
ately awakens one of the mask’s Evocations at no expe-
rience point cost.
The Dragon-Blood can only have one mask in the pro-

cess of accruing Mystique at a time.
Backer: Brian Rivers
Kinship’s Shadow Subterfuge

Cost: 5m, 1wp; Mins: Larceny 5, Essence 3
Type: Reflexive
Keywords: Fire/Water, Mute
Duration: Indefinite
Prerequisite Charms: Investigation-Deflecting Current
The Dragon-Blood conceals her soul’s depths from even

her own Sworn Kin, twisting their oath to blind her
brothers to her true self. When one of her Hearthmates
rolls against her Guile, she adds any positive Tie that
Hearthmate has toward her to her Guile as a non-
Charm bonus.
Additionally, when a Hearthmate attempts to sense her

with his anima power, she’s aware of it and may attempt
to deceive him. He rolls (Perception + [Awareness,
Investigation, or Socialize]) opposing her Guile; if he
fails, she causes him to sense her as being at a point
within long range of her. Should she die, she may con-
ceal this from her Sworn Kin as well.
Should the Dragon-Blood betray a Hearthmate, she

loses only one point of Willpower, not all of it.
Backer: Josh Raveling
Linguistics
Root Tongue of the Dragon’s Stemmata
Cost: 3m, 1wp; Mins: Linguistics 3, Essence 1
Type: Reflexive
Keywords: Wood
Duration: One scene Ritual for (Essence + extra successes) days. She suffers
Prerequisite Charms: Language-Learning Ritual no penalties on influence rolls made with that language,
speaking with the accent and dialect of the character
Immersing herself in the shared lineage that unites the she stole it from, and can mimic his voice flawlessly.
Terrestrial host, the Exalt transcends all boundaries of
language that would divide her from her kinsfolk. Her This Charm’s victim doesn’t lose fluency in the chosen
spoken words can be understood by any Dragon-Blood, language, but his voice is unnaturally quiet whenever
regardless of language, and she may likewise understand he speaks in it, imposing a –3 penalty on any spoken in-
them. She can also read anything written by another fluence rolls he makes in that language. He can reclaim
Dragon-Blood in any language, although her own writ- his stolen voice by breathing in the Dragon-Blood’s
ings aren’t translated for other Dragon-Blooded. Her exhalation while at close range. This requires a difficul-
keen affinity for the psyche of her Terrestrial kin lets ty 6 gambit in combat, but can potentially be achieved
her reroll 1s on rolls to read the intentions of Dragon- outside of combat through social influence, Larceny, or
Blooded or break ciphers created by Dragon-Blooded. other means.
A scene spent using this Charm to communicate with With Linguistics 5, Essence 3, the Dragon-Blood may
a Dragon-Blood speaking an unknown tongue can sub- steal up to (Intelligence) languages with a single acti-
stitute for the (6 – Intelligence) days of study needed to vation, committing an additional two motes for each
use Language-Learning Ritual for that language. language past the first.
Rose’s Secret Petal Backer: Mark Hales

Cost: 5m; Mins: Linguistics 3, Essence 1
Type: Simple Lore
Keywords: Wood
Duration: Instant Deadly Essence Flashpoint
Prerequisite Charms: Cryptic Essence Cipher, Cost: 1m per die; Mins: Lore 3, Essence 1
Wind-Carried Words Technique Type: Reflexive
Keywords: Balanced, Stackable
The Dragon-Blood buries a written message in the
Duration: One scene
soil and suffuses it with Wood Essence, bidding it to
Prerequisite Charms: Elemental Concentration Trance
grow and blossom into a small but colorful flower.
The arrangement of petals and leaves on the flower The Dragon-Blood inverts the destructive force of her
acts as a cipher created with Cryptic Essence Cipher, anima banner, drawing it inward and letting it build
conveying the contents of the message, which can be up unto a terrifying strength. Whenever she would roll an-
to one page. The Dragon-Blood rolls ([Intelligence or ima flux, she may instead commit one mote to hold her
Manipulation] + Linguistics), doubling 9s, to determine flux in abeyance. She may have up to (higher of Essence
the strength of the cipher, but few realize the code is or 3) activations of this Charm stacked.
there to be broken — the plant cannot be distinguished
from ordinary flowers except by actions enhanced with When the Dragon-Blood makes a decisive attack, she
magic. However, to the intended recipient of the flower, may release all motes committed to this Charm to add
it’s immediately recognizable that the plant contains a one die of decisive damage per mote as her unleashed
message. flux wreathes the attack. If she enhances an Elemental
Bolt Attack this way, its range is extended by one range
Stolen Breath Understanding band, maximum long.
Cost: 5m, 1wp; Mins: Linguistics 4, Essence 2
Type: Simple This Charm’s Aspect is the same as the Dragon-Blood’s.
Keywords: Air
Duration: Varies Mantle of Elemental Power
Prerequisite Charms: Thousand Tongues Meditation Cost: 3m, 1a, 1wp; Mins: Lore 3, Essence 2
Type: Simple
Drinking in a person’s breath, the Dragon-Blood steals Keywords: None
his voice. She rolls ([Manipulation or Wits] + Linguistics) Duration: One scene
against the Resolve of a character within close range to Prerequisite Charms: Elemental Bolt Attack
breathe in his exhalation. If successful, she draws out
his fluency in a single language, gaining the ability to The Dragon-Blood channels her anima into a puissant
speak and comprehend it as per Language-Learning manifestation of her Aspect’s element. An Air Aspect
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might surround herself with a nimbus of crackling Air: The sky darkens, pouring down harsh rain or heavy
lightning; a Wood Aspect could conjure a swirling snowfall accompanied by gale-force winds and flashing
vortex of cherry blossom petals; countless fragments lightning.
of stone might orbit an Earth Aspect. Drawing from
this manifestation enhances her Elemental Bolt Attack • Precipitation imposes a –2 penalty on all vision- or
when she uses it with her Aspect’s element: hearing-based rolls.
• Its cost is reduced by three motes. • Winds impose a –3 penalty on movement actions,
ranged attacks, and similar rolls.
• When a Simple or Reflexive Charm lets her make an
Archery or Thrown attack, she can reflexively use • Airborne characters and trivial opponents treat all
Elemental Bolt Attack to make it. movement as difficult terrain.
• She can use Elemental Bolt Attack reflexively to • Characters exposed to the storm suffer an environ-
defend against an attack with a display of elemen- mental hazard with difficulty 2, Damage 10L/hour; a
tal power, applying a Parry rating of ([Dexterity + failed roll indicates they’ve been struck by lightning.
[higher of Archery or Thrown]/2, rounded up] + 1).
The storm lasts (Dragon-Blood’s successes / 2) hours,
• In her Aspect’s Aura, she waives the anima cost to but can be dispersed earlier through magic or the cre-
extend the range of her elemental bolts. ative actions of characters.
Backer: Matthew Earth: The land shakes and grinds horrifically as seis-
mic tremors shudder through it.
As in the Beginning
Cost: 30m, 3wp (expend Aura); Mins: Lore 5, Essence 5 • All characters within range must make a difficulty
Type: Simple 3 (Dexterity + Athletics) balance roll or fall into a
Keywords: Aura, Perilous yawning chasm, suffering a falling damage as per a
Duration: Five hours short-range fall (Exalted, p. 232) unless they find a
Prerequisite Charms: Dragon Vortex Attack way to mitigate it. Climbing out requires a difficulty
3 ([Dexterity or Strength] + Athletics) roll, although
Embodying the creative and destructive power of the characters may escape by other means, such as
Five Elemental Dragons, the Dragon-Blood unleashes a Monkey Leap Technique.
primal force not witnessed since Creation’s birth. Her
anima banner flares to bonfire, straining with bare- • The damage wrought by the earthquake renders the
ly-contained force that mounts over the course of five entire area difficult terrain (Exalted, p. 199), and the
hours. During this time, the Dragon-Blood can’t take speed of any long-range travel through the affected
any non-reflexive actions or movement actions. Anyone area is halved.
who can see her anima banner can tell that disaster is
imminent; a difficulty 2 ([Intelligence or Perception] Fire: A roaring conflagration engulfs the land, setting
+ Occult roll) reveals exactly how much time remains. the world ablaze.
The Dragon-Blood’s anima collapses, dispersing harm-
lessly, if she leaves Aura or is crashed, incapacitated, or • All characters suffer a one-time environmental haz-
forcibly moved by an enemy. ard with difficulty 5, Damage 6L.
After five hours uninterrupted, the Dragon-Blood ex- • Forests, grasslands, wooden structures, and other
pends her Aura and rolls (Intelligence + Lore), unleash- flammable terrain catches fire and continues to
ing a blast that extends (successes/2) miles outwards. burn with a lesser intensity (difficulty 5, Damage
She and her Hearthmates are immune to the blast’s 4L/round) until they’re extinguished or no fuel
immediate consequences; she can use Enfolded in the remains.
Dragon’s Wings (Dragon-Blooded, p. 282) to grant the
• A haze of smoke and ash hangs over the affected
same protection to all allied characters within medium
area, imposing a –2 penalty on any vision- or scent-
range. The Storyteller determines how much damage
based rolls. This lasts (Dragon-Blood’s successes /
the blast inflicts on mundane scenery and trivial op-
2) hours, unless dispersed earlier by natural weath-
ponents, up to uncountable damage. Affected battle
er, magic, or the creative actions of characters, and
groups must check for rout against difficulty 4. The
may last longer if large regions remain ablaze.
blast’s other effects depend on its elemental aspect:
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Water: A swirling pillar of water descends from the sky different elements will combine without cancelling
or rises from the sea, before dispersing in all directions one another — Water and Fire, for example, would
as a crushing tidal wave. combine to unleash a scalding tsunami hot enough to
set the battlefield afire.
• Depending on a character’s proximity to the Dragon-
Blood, the amount of time they have to prepare for After using this Charm, the Dragon-Blood and all
the wave’s impact varies — those within long range Hearthmates that contributed Auras suffer a –4 fatigue
are struck by it instantly, without an opportunity penalty on all rolls. Each full night’s rest lowers the pen-
to seek cover, while someone miles away from her alty by one; until it’s fully removed, affected characters
might have minutes to prepare. can’t regain Willpower from rest.
• Characters unable to reach a place of safety be- This Charm can only be used once per story or year,
fore being hit must make a difficulty 5 ([Strength whichever is longer.
or Stamina] + Athletics) roll to avoid being carried
away. If they fail, they’re knocked one range band Backer: Ashley Thompson
away from the Dragon-Blood per success they failed
by. If this movement is interrupted by hitting a Medicine
barrier, the character takes damage as though he’d
suffered a fall from a height equal to the number of Flesh-Sealing Flame Technique
range bands of movement prevented. Cost: —(+2m or 2i); Mins: Medicine 3, Essence 2
Type: Permanent
• Ships caught in this wave suffer ten dice of Hull Keywords: Fire
damage. Captains can roll (Wits + Sail) to avoid Duration: Permanent
the worst of it, subtracting one die of damage per Prerequisite Charms: Wound-Closing Technique
success.
The Dragon-Blood cauterizes wounds with flame-
• The blast is also likely to cause mass flooding in val- wreathed hands, searing flesh and saving lives. When
leys and similar areas. she uses Wound-Closing Technique to convert lethal
damage to bashing, she may pay a surcharge of two
Wood: Gigantic vines burst from the ground, bearing motes or two Initiative to complete the treatment in-
vibrant flowers that bloom with toxic pollen. stantly, doubling 9s on the roll. Her cauterizing touch
also automatically staunches her patient’s wounds
• The overgrowth renders the entire area difficult
(Exalted, p. 174) and prevents his wounds from becom-
terrain and halves the speed of long-term travel
ing infected (Exalted, p. 235). However, the pain of this
through it, although travelers can potentially bypass
procedure increases her patient’s wound penalty by –1
this by setting fire to the vines or destroying them
for (6 – patient’s Stamina) rounds.
through other means.
Alternatively, the Dragon-Blood may pay a two-mote
• Pollen imposes a –3 penalty on scent-based rolls.
or two-Initiative surcharge to use Wound-Closing
• The pollen is also an inhaled poison. The first time
Technique to make a rally for numbers roll with
a character breathes in the affected area, and after
(Intelligence + War), adding (Medicine) non-Charm
each hour of exposure thereafter, they must roll
dice, quickly patching her soldiers’ wounds to get them
against a poison with Damage 1B/minute, Duration
back on their feet.
10 minutes, and a –3 penalty.
Uses of Wound-Closing Technique enhanced by this
The vines remain until destroyed, but their flowers Charm are Fire Aspected.
wilt after (Dragon-Blood’s successes / 2) hours, ending
the pollen haze. It can be dispersed earlier by natural Melee
weather, magic, or the creative actions of characters.
Oncoming Storm Stance
The Dragon-Blood’s Hearthmates can contribute their Cost: 1a, 1i per two motes; Mins: Melee 3, Essence 2
Auras to this Charm, as long as they remain within Type: Reflexive
short range and abide the same restrictions she does. Keywords: Air, Perilous
Only one Aura of each element can be contributed, Duration: Instant
adding a non-Charm die on the Lore roll and confer- Prerequisite Charms: Crimson Fang Bite
ring that element’s effects on the blast. The effects of
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Lightning arcs across the Dragon-Blood’s weapon as Lightning-Drinking Blade

she hones her deadly focus. When she aims at an enemy Cost: —; Mins: Melee 5, Essence 2
within close range, she may spend up to (Perception/2, Type: Permanent
rounded up) Initiative to gain two motes for each point Keywords: Earth
of Initiative spent. These motes can only be used to Duration: Permanent
enhance a Melee attack that benefits from that aim ac- Prerequisite Charms: Wrath-Grounding Guard
tion, and are lost if the Dragon-Blood doesn’t attack the
enemy she aimed against on her next turn. When the Dragon-Blood successfully blocks an attack
with Wrath-Grounding Guard, she gains motes equal to
Unerring Lightning Razor the 10s on the attack roll, maximum (higher of Essence
Cost: 6m; Mins: Melee 4, Essence 2 or 3) motes, strengthening herself with her enemy’s
Type: Supplemental power. If the attack was made against a character the
Keywords: Air, Uniform Dragon-Blood was protecting with a defend other ac-
Duration: Instant tion, she gains an additional mote.
Prerequisite Charms: Oncoming Storm Stance
With Melee 5, Essence 3, if the Dragon-Blood would re-
Honing her focus and concentration beyond the limits of ceive motes from parrying an attack based on one of the
human perception, the Dragon-Blood unleashes arcing five elements, she may instead forgo the mote reward
lighting along her blade’s edge, guiding it to strike true. and pay one Willpower to enter the Elemental Aura that
When she makes an attack that benefits from aiming, she matches the attack’s element.
rerolls (Essence) non-1 failures on both an attack and dam-
age roll. If her enemy is wearing metal armor (including ar- Dragon-Scale Shield
tifact armor made from the five magical materials), she adds Cost: 1m, 1i; Mins: Melee 4, Essence 2
its mobility penalty to the number of failures she can reroll. Type: Reflexive
Keywords: Perilous, Uniform
A Melee 5, Essence 3 repurchase lets the Dragon-Blood Duration: Instant
pay a one-Willpower surcharge while in Air Aura to Prerequisite Charms: Flame-Borne Interception
reflexively aim against an enemy wearing metal armor
before attacking with this Charm. The Dragon-Blood channels the force of her elemental
Aspect into her defense, wreathing her blade or shield
Backer: Quinn Radich in anima. She gains a benefit based on her Aspect:
Wrath-Grounding Guard Air: The Dragon-Blood’s weapon unleashes a blast of

Cost: 4m; Mins: Melee 3, Essence 2 air as she defends, adding +1 Parry as a non-Charm bo-
Type: Reflexive nus against any ranged attack with a material projectile.
Keywords: Balanced, Earth
Duration: Instant Earth: The Dragon-Blood’s weapon takes on the weight
Prerequisite Charms: Flame-Borne Interception of mountains, adding +1 Parry as a non-Charm bonus
against a disarm gambit. If she blocks with a heavy
Whether it be lightning crackling from a sorcerer’s weapon, she can apply this bonus against any attack,
fingertips or the fires of Hell, the Dragon-Blood diverts and increases the bonus against disarm gambits to +2.
deadly energies into her weapon, grounding them
harmlessly. She gains +1 non-Charm Parry against an Fire: The Dragon-Blood’s defense radiates fiery intensi-
attack made up entirely of Essence or other magical ty. A successful block against an attacker at close range
energy with no physical component, such as Elemental causes him to lose one Initiative, plus one Initiative for
Bolt Attack, and 1s on the attack roll subtract successes. every 1 he rolls (which she doesn’t gain).
She can parry such attacks even if they’re unblockable.
Water: A swirling ribbon of water coils around the
In Earth Aura, when one of the Dragon-Blood’s allies Dragon-Blood’s weapon, lashing out at attackers. If she
within medium range is targeted with an attack made successfully blocks an attack from close range while
up entirely of Essence or other magical energy, the benefitting from a Full Defense, her attacker incurs a –1
Dragon-Blood may expend her Aura to reflexively onslaught penalty.
protect that ally as per a defend other action, diverting
the flow of energy toward herself. Even if her Parry is Wood: Vibrant flower petals trail behind the Dragon-Blood’s
beaten, the attacker must target her, not her ward. weapon, as beautiful as they are deadly. If she successfully
blocks an attack from close range, her attacker is exposed to
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a poison with Damage 1i/round (L in Crash), Duration (the Type: Simple

Parry applied against his attack) rounds, and a –1 penalty. Keywords: Aura, Decisive-only, Earth/Fire
Duration: Instant
The Dragon-Blood may purchase additional elemental Prerequisite Charms: Burning Pinnacle Strike
variants of this Charm for three experience points each.
She can activate this Charm multiple times against a Channeling her anima banner into a murderous blow,
single attack to stack the benefits of different elemental the Dragon-Blood marks her enemy with lines of
variants. The Air variant can be used against attacks red-hot Essence that spread from the point where her
from close range if combined with another element. weapon struck him. Her killing intent inflames these
molten wounds, causing the blazing meridians to pulse
Rumbling Earth Rebuke and writhe until they finally erupt. She makes a decisive
Cost: 4m, 1wp; Mins: Melee 4, Essence 2 attack, adding (higher of Essence or Strength) attack
Type: Reflexive roll extra successes as dice of damage.
Keywords: Decisive-only, Earth
Duration: Instant If the attack deals any damage, an eruption begins
Prerequisite Charms: Blinding Spark Distraction mounting within the victim, culminating at the end of
his next turn. He suffers dice of lethal decisive damage
The stalwart force of the Dragon-Blood’s defense is like equal to the Dragon-Blood’s successes on the attack’s
a seismic shockwave as her attacker’s blades rebound damage roll, ignoring Hardness. If this inflicts 3+ lev-
off her weapon. After successfully blocking or clashing els of damage or the victim is incapacitated before the
an attack made from close range, she may reflexively eruption, the ground beneath the victim melts into lava
attempt a disarm gambit against her attacker. for the rest of the scene, an environmental hazard with
difficulty 5, Damage 6L/round.
In Earth Aura, a successful gambit inflicts an additional
point of onslaught penalty, and destroys mundane If the Dragon-Blood is incapacitated before the erup-
weapons rather than disarming them. tion occurs, her killing intent fades, making it possible
to prevent the eruption. If the victim or one of his al-
Fulminating Thunderclap Surge lies succeeds on a difficulty 5 (Intelligence + [lower of
Cost: 6m, 1a; Mins: Melee 4, Essence 3 Medicine or Occult]) roll as a miscellaneous action, the
Type: Simple eruption is averted as the magmatic anima is shunted
Keywords: Air, Decisive-only harmlessly away.
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Unerring Lightning Razor Backer: Bryant Devillier
Unleashing the tempest within, the Dragon-Blood Thousandfold Tempest Strike

channels her Essence through her weapon and into a Cost: 8m, 1wp, expend Air Aura; Mins: Melee 5, Essence 4
deadly levinbolt. She makes an unblockable decisive Type: Simple
attack against an enemy within short range, and halves Keywords: Air, Aura, Decisive-only
Hardness from metal armor (including armor made Duration: Instant
from the five magical materials). Prerequisite Charms: Mela’s Flashing Tongue, Oncom-
ing Storm Stance
In Air Aura, the Dragon-Blood can attack out to medi-
um range without needing to aim. If she aims before Driving her lightning-wreathed weapon into the ground
attacking, she adds the aiming bonus to her decisive at her feet, the Dragon-Blood unleashes a spectacular
damage as well as the attack roll. Aiming before using burst of flashing lightning and deafening thunder,
this Charm counts as aiming at an enemy within close directing the storm’s fury against her foes. To use this
range for the purpose of other Dragon-Blooded Melee Charm, she must first take an aim action enhanced with
Charms, like Oncoming Storm Stance (p. XX). Oncoming Storm Stance, and must have Initiative 12+.
She rolls a single decisive attack against all characters
This Charm can only be used once per scene unless within close range, friend or foe, making a single attack
reset by dealing 5+ withering or 1+ decisive damage to roll that benefits from aiming and apply it against the
a nontrivial enemy with an attack from close range. Defense of all targets within the range. Her attack
carries a base damage against each hit target equal to
Spilling the Mountain’s Blood the number of motes from Oncoming Storm Stance
Cost: 8m, 3a, 1wp, expend Earth or Fire Aura; Mins: that she spent enhancing the attack, and she divides
Melee 5, Essence 4 her Initiative evenly among between all hit characters,
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EX3
rounding up, to determine the total damage. This attack

ignores Hardness from metal armor (including armor MUTATIONS
made from the five magical materials).
Mutations are Innate or Purchased Merits (Exalt-
(Exalt-
If the Dragon-Blood knows Fulminating Thunderclap ed,, p. 158), mundane or supernatural, that alter or
ed
Surge, she may use it reflexively with this Charm to improve a character’s physical body, such as Ambi-
instead strike all characters within short range. dextrous, Giant, or Wings.
This Charm can only be used once per scene, unless re-
set by crashing an enemy with Mela’s Flashing Tongue. • If the elemental travels more than (Dragon-Blood’s
Essence) miles from her, it dissipates into nothing-
Occult ness and this Charm ends.
Dragon’s Egg Hatched While elementals created by this Charm cease to exist
Cost: 1m, 1a, 1wp; Mins: Occult 5, Essence 3 once this Charm ends, if any of the players are partic-
Type: Simple ularly invested in an elemental as a character, its con-
Keywords: None sciousness, personality, memories, and Intimacies may
Duration: (Essence + Intelligence) days carry over to subsequent uses of this Charm to create
Prerequisite Charms: Fivefold Resonance Sense elementals of the same element.
The Dragon-Blood bids Creation serve her, and the This Charm’s aspect is the same as that of the elemental
elements answer the Prince of the Earth. To use this created.
Charm, the Dragon-Blood must be within close range of
a dramatic and significant manifestation of an element, World-Weaving Dragon Demiurge
such as a windstorm, grove, cliffside, or river. She draws Cost: 5m, 1wp; Mins: Occult 5, Essence 4
up its Essence and shapes it into a weak elemental ser- Type: Supplemental
vant with the following traits. Keywords: None
Duration: One working
• The base traits of any one-dot Familiar (Exalted, Prerequisite Charms: Dragon-Sorcerer Puissance, any
p. 161), or of either an elite troop or an assassin five Terrestrial Circle spells
(Exalted, pp. 497, 499). The weapons listed for these
traits represent the elemental’s natural weapons, The Dragon-Blooded sorcerer shapes Creation’s ele-
rather than literal weaponry. mental Essence by will alone, drawing forth miracles
worthy of the Elemental Dragons. This Charm enhances
• Up to (Dragon-Blood’s Essence) dots of mutations a sorcerous working that creates, strengthens, or con-
that represent its elemental nature. trols the elements, such as creating a wall of sorcerous
flames, granting a bodyguard a lightning-spitting eye,
• A Defining Tie of loyalty to the Dragon-Blood and, purifying a river, merging two elementals into a gestalt
optionally, a Major or Defining Principle chosen hybrid, or similar. She gains the following benefits:
by the Storyteller based on the element it’s created
from. • She adds (Essence) dice on each roll.
• Essence 1, an Essence pool of sixty motes, and the • The first botch her working suffers has no negative effect.
Hurry Home Charm (Exalted, p. XX), allowing it to
return to the Dragon-Blood’s side for ten motes and • If one of her Hearthmates provides Means for the
one Willpower. working—either as a cooperating sorcerer or offering
a complementary Ability—she adds an additional +1 to
• The elemental is more intelligent than most an- the working’s terminus. She can only gain this benefit
imals, though not as intelligent as the average hu- once, even if multiple Hearthmates provide Means.
man. It isn’t capable of speech and can’t understand
complex commands or statements. • If the working is Terrestrial, she adds (Essence/2,
rounded up) to the maximum number of dice she
• If the Dragon-Blood knows Elemental Bond can add to each roll, and decreases the working’s
Meditation, the created elemental counts as a famil- experience point cost by two, minimum 1.
iar, although it doesn’t count toward the maximum
number of elemental familiars she can have. Backer: Jordan Goldfarb
141
EX3
Performance • Resolve or Guile against the target, raising it by +1

for every two dice she expends.
Enticing Paramour Passion
• Rolls to introduce or challenge facts related to the target.
Cost: 5m, 1wp; Mins: Performance 3, Essence 1
Type: Reflexive • Strategic Maneuver rolls against the target.
Keywords: Mute, Fire/Wood
Duration: Indefinite This Charm can only be used once per story, unless reset
Prerequisite Charms: None by achieving a major character or story goal or accom-
plishing a legendary social goal by seducing someone.
The flames of passion nourish the seeds of lasting
relationships, be they bonds of pure-hearted love or Backer: Jordan N
rivalries of hatred and attraction. To use this Charm,
the Dragon-Blood must engage a character in a volun-
tary act of physical intimacy — sex, a kiss, a passionate
Presence
embrace — after successfully seducing him with an
Heart-Conquering Prowess
influence roll of any Ability, or being seduced by his
own influence roll. She stocks a pool of non-Charm dice Cost: 3m; Mins: Presence 3, Essence 2
equal to (her Appearance + her positive Tie toward the Type: Supplemental
target + his positive Tie toward her). She may add up to Keywords: Balanced, Dual, Fire
(Essence) non-Charm dice from this pool on: Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Eternally Argumentative Flame
• Influence rolls made with any Ability against the
Such is the elegance and beauty of the Dragon-Blood’s mar-
target alone that inspire an emotion, or instill or
tial prowess that even her staunchest enemies must respect
leverage a Tie toward the Dragon-Blood.
it. She adds (Appearance/2, rounded up) bonus dice on an
• Read intentions or profile character rolls against the target. attack roll. If the enhanced attack is decisive and deals dam-
age greater than its target’s Resolve or incapacitates him,
142
EX3
the Dragon-Blood can forgo inflicting one level of damage such attacks, while mundane armor provides Hardness
to erode a negative Tie her victim has toward her by one 4 against them. Earth-wreathed clothing doesn’t pro-
step. If he has no negative Ties to her, she can forgo a level vide a soak bonus or Hardness against normal attacks
of damage to instill him with a positive Tie for her, with an and doesn’t count as armor for purposes of Martial Arts
emotional context chosen by his player. Treat this as an instill and other incompatible effects, but it does provide soak
action that succeeds automatically without a roll, although and Hardness against smash attacks and the like.
it must still leverage a supporting Intimacy to strengthen an
Intimacy to or weaken it from Major or Defining intensity Fire: Fire-wreathed armor or clothing deals one die
(Exalted, p. 215). If an attack enhanced by this Charm inca- of lethal decisive damage, ignoring Hardness, to any
pacitates an enemy, he can’t spend Willpower to resist, but enemy who hits the Dragon-Blood with an unarmed or
is left merely unconscious, not dying. natural attack, or who spends a round physically grap-
pling her. Her flaming raiment also adds an automatic
Backer: Michael Brewer success on Appearance-based threaten rolls.
Resistance Water: Water-wreathed armor is slick and easily hid-

den, gaining the Concealable tag (Exalted, p. 593) and
Dragon-Graced Raiment adding an automatic success on rolls to oppose being
grappled, escape physical restraints, or move through
Cost: —(4m); Mins: Resistance 3, Essence 2
tight spaces. Armor that already has the Concealable
Type: Reflexive
tag adds an automatic success on disguise rolls, as does
Keywords: None
water-wreathed clothing.
Duration: One scene or Indefinite
Prerequisite Charms: Elemental Aegis Wood: Wood-wreathed armor or clothing is adorned
The Dragon-Blood adorns herself with the elements with vibrant flowers with fragrant aromas, adding an
themselves, donning armor whose plates are frozen automatic success on inspire rolls, instill rolls to create
lightning, elegant many-layered dresses woven from Ties of attraction or lust toward the Dragon-Blood, and
varicolored flame, and hauberks resplendent with fra- persuade or bargain rolls to seduce characters.
grant blossoms. When she recalls armor banished with
Backer: Déan Pijpker
Elemental Aegis, she can don it in (mobility penalty + 1)
rounds, and it is wreathed in the element she summons Apocalypse-Outlasting Posture
it from (or her Aspect element, if she recalls it by spend-
Cost: 7m, 1wp; Mins: Resistance 5, Essence 4
ing anima) for one scene.
Type: Reflexive
She can also use Elemental Aegis to create any type of Keywords: Decisive-only, Earth, Perilous
mundane armor out of the elements, donning it as above, Duration: Instant
or to create clothing from the elements that provides no Prerequisite Charms: Dragon’s Unfailing Vigor, Earth
defense benefits but counts as exceptional equipment Bears Witness
(Exalted, p. 580) for social rolls where the Exalt’s garb Embodying the eternal Essence of the Imperial
is relevant. Created armor or clothing normally lasts Mountain, the Dragon-Blood becomes nigh-invincible.
until the scene ends, but the Dragon-Blood can commit She may use this Charm after being hit by a decisive
four motes after that to maintain it indefinitely. attack or failing a roll to resist an environmental hazard,
falling damage, or trap, but before damage is rolled.
Regardless of the option the Dragon-Blood employs,
She rolls (her Hardness), subtracting one die from the
she gains benefits based on the invoked element:
damage roll for each success. This can’t reduce the total
Air: Air-wreathed armor is nigh weightless, gaining the dice of damage below half the original number, rounded
Buoyant and Silent tags (Exalted, 593). Additionally, its up (although other defensive effects can subsequently
mobility penalty is reduced by one when applied to the do so).
Dragon-Blood’s Evasion. Light armor or clothing in-
Additionally, uncountable damage (Exalted, p. 205)
stead adds an automatic success on Stealth rolls where
is reduced to 10 dice of decisive damage before the
moving silently is a factor.
Dragon-Blood rolls her Hardness.
Earth: Earth-wreathed armor gains +1 soak. This in-
Apocalypse-Outlasting Prana can only be used once per
creases to (higher of Essence or 3) soak against smash
scene.
attacks and other attacks that would forcibly move the
Dragon-Blood. Artifact armor gains +1 Hardness against
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EX3
Ride This Charm can only be used once per scene unless reset
by gaining 3+ Momentum from a successful positioning
Rearing Stallion Provocation stratagem.
Cost: 3m, 1wp; Mins: Ride 3, Essence 2
Mountain-Hull Meditation
Type: Simple
Keywords: Fire Cost: 1m; Mins: Sail 4, Essence 2
Duration: Instant Type: Reflexive
Prerequisite Charms: Dance of the Jade Bridle Keywords: Earth, Pilot
Duration: Instant
With a rousing shout, the Dragon-Blood agitates an Prerequisite Charms: Sturdy Bulkhead Concentration
enemy’s mount, driving it to flee or charge unwisely. She
makes a (Charisma + [Presence, Survival, or Ride]) threat- The Dragon-Blood’s ship is as tough as she is, suffused
en roll against an animal mount, doubling 9s. If successful, with the unyielding Essence of stone as she sails through
the mount reflexively moves one band in a direction of the perilous storms, enemy fire, or other terrors. She reduc-
Dragon-Blood’s choice, taking its rider with it. It won’t es the difficulty of a roll needed to avoid damaging her
move into obvious danger, such as off a cliff or into a bon- ship by one, or subtracts one success from another char-
fire, but it can be made to move within range of perils it’s acter’s roll to damage her ship. This explicitly includes
unaware of. Mounts can’t spend Willpower to resist this both feats of demolition and offensive Naval Maneuvers.
influence unless they’ve been trained for battle or have a
A Dragon-Blood with this Charm treats the decks of a
Major or Defining Tie that opposes this influence.
ship that she pilots as earthen surfaces for the purposes
Special activation rules: This Charm can be placed in of other Dragon-Blooded Charms.
a flurry.
Socialize
Sail
Impeccable Purity Lavation
Sea Dragon’s Cunning Cost: 5m, 1wp; Mins: Socialize 3, Essence 2
Cost: 3m; Mins: Sail 3, Essence 1 Type: Simple
Type: Supplemental Keywords: Mute, Water
Keywords: Balanced, Pilot, Water Duration: (Essence + Appearance) days
Duration: Instant Prerequisite Charms: Friend-to-All-Nations Attitude
Prerequisite Charms: None Submersing herself in cleansing waters, the Dragon-Blood
Skilled in the ways of war on the seas, the Dragon-Blood washes away all imperfections. After spending at least
executes a peerless naval strategy. She doubles 9s on a an hour bathing, she emerges resplendent and pure. Her
Naval Maneuver roll (Exalted, p. 245). If she succeeds, cleanliness transcends the world; she cannot be stained
she gains one Momentum. or dirtied by any mundane material. Any character that
interacts with her is treated as having a positive Minor Tie
In Water Aura, the Dragon-Blood gains one Momentum toward her, with an emotional context chosen by that char-
even if she fails. acter’s player. A fellow Dynast might respect her faultless
grooming and manners; a peasant might be awestruck by
Trial-by-Fire Imperilment her impossible purity; an assassin sent to kill her might fall
Cost: 5m; Mins: Sail 4, Essence 2 in love as he smells the perfume she bathed in. Characters
Type: Supplemental who already have a positive Tie for the Dragon-Blood
Keywords: Fire, Pilot instead suffer –1 Resolve against her. A character can
Duration: Instant spend one Willpower to become immune for this Charm’s
Prerequisite Charms: Sea Dragon’s Cunning duration; if the Dragon-Blood treats someone offensively
or demandingly, no Willpower is necessary to resist.
The ocean boils as the Dragon-Blood’s ship rains fire down
on enemy fleets. She adds (Anima) dice on a broadside With Essence 3, the Dragon-Blood reduces the costs of
stratagem and deals an additional level of damage if she suc- Auspicious First Meeting Attitude, Enticing Paramour
ceeds. This Charm lets the Dragon-Blood attempt a broad- Passion, Heart-Conquering Prowess, Hot-Blooded
side even if her vessel lacks anti-ship weaponry or crew to Ardor, Vivacious Dragon Beauty, and Warm-Faced
man it — she might cast a spray of embers to set an enemy Seduction Style by one mote each.
ship’s sails afire, set part of its hull ablaze with a bolt of fire,
or lend a spark to the firedust in her enemy’s cannons. Backer: Wern212
144
EX3
Still Waters Mask Foe-Blinding Venom

Cost: 1m, 1wp (3m, 1wp); Mins: Socialize 5, Essence 3 Cost: 4m; Mins: Stealth 3, Essence 2
Type: Simple Type: Simple
Keywords: Mute, Stackable, Water Keywords: Balanced, Decisive-only, Wood
Duration: Indefinite Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Implacable Dragon Mien Prerequisite Charms: Blood-Chilling Strike
A consummate deceiver, the Dragon-Blood can live as The Dragon-Blood distills her Essence into a venom that
countless false selves. Using this Charm, she devises burns her presence from the senses of her enemies. While
a fictitious identity over the course of at least an hour, in concealment, she makes a decisive unexpected attack
gaining a temporary specialty that applies on Larceny that conveys a poison which must be resisted with ([lower
rolls to disguise herself as that identity, to her Guile of Perception or Stamina] + Resistance). It has Damage 2i/
against rolls that would contradict her disguise, and on round (L in Crash), Duration (her current Stealth success-
influence rolls made to convince others of her disguise es) rounds, and a –1 penalty. This penalty increases to –4
or explain away discrepancies or inconsistencies in her on rolls opposing the Dragon-Blood’s Stealth.
portrayal of that identity.
Belladonna-and-Wormwood Refinement
When a character makes a roll opposing the Dragon- Cost: —(+1m, 1wp); Mins: Stealth 4, Essence 3
Blood’s disguise as that character, she can pay three motes Type: Permanent
and one Willpower to make a special (Manipulation + Keywords: Psyche, Wood
Socialize) instill roll against his Resolve, which can’t Duration: Permanent
be resisted with Willpower. Instead of a normal instill Prerequisite Charms: Foe-Blinding Venom
roll’s effects, success imposes a penalty of (1 + threshold
successes) on his roll. If multiple characters roll against The Dragon-Blood twists the toxic Essence of her venoms
the Dragon-Blood’s disguise simultaneously, she need into a puissant deliriant, ensnaring foes within feverish
only pay the Willpower cost once, and makes a single hallucinations. When she uses Foe-Blinding Venom, she
roll against all of them. may pay a two-mote, one-Willpower surcharge to create a
hallucinogenic venom. Such a poison doesn't deal damage.
The Dragon-Blood may stack this Charm to maintain up Instead, a poisoned victim is subjected to hallucinations
to (higher of Essence or Manipulation) cover identities. for the duration of the poison as a Psyche effect, adding
(Manipulation) to the usual duration.
Backer: Eleanor Saxton
The Dragon-Blood chooses the form the hallucinations
Stealth take when she uses this Charm, and must limit them to a
single, relatively specific delusion. She might make her
Blood-Chilling Strike victim believe that his surroundings are on fire, that his
Cost: 4m; Mins: Stealth 3, Essence 1 beloved paramour is present begging for him to flee, or
Type: Supplemental that his enemies are grotesque Wyld mutants, but not
Keywords: Air, Decisive-only all three at once. While these hallucinations can change
Duration: Instant the way the victim perceives something, they can’t
Prerequisite Charms: None eliminate something from his perception entirely. Her
victim’s belief in the hallucinations counts as a Major
The icy sting of the Dragon-Blood’s murderous intent Intimacy for the poison’s duration. The hallucinations
freezes her victim’s blood in his veins. When she lands can’t physically interact with anything, although the
an unexpected decisive attack with any Ability against Dragon-Blood can make social influence rolls through
an enemy who hasn’t acted this round, he loses one them, using her own dice pools and actions.
Initiative, or (Essence) Initiative on an ambush, which
she doesn’t gain. If this deals 3+ levels of decisive dam- The penalty inflicted by the poison still increases to –4 on
age to him, the chill prevents him from taking a move- rolls opposing the Dragon-Blood’s Stealth, but it also does
ment action that round, except to rise from prone, and so if the hallucination’s nature complicates an action (e.g.,
from taking any movement created by Charms even if it a disengage through terrain the target believes is on fire),
doesn’t count as a movement action. or if the Dragon-Blood exploits the hallucinations with a
stunt (e.g., persuading him through a hallucinated friend).
In Air Aura, the Dragon-Blood gains any Initiative her
victim loses. Backer: Sunny Springs
145
EX3
Quicksand Tomb Burial concealment total, and all enemies may roll (Perception
Cost: 5m, 1wp, expend Earth Aura; Mins: Stealth 5, + Awareness) opposing it to detect her. If her attack
Essence 3 roll is higher or equal than her current concealment
Type: Simple successes, then all enemies roll against her concealment
Keywords: Aura, Decisive-only, Earth, Mute successes instead.
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Sleeping Dragon’s Lair The Dragon-Blood may expend her Fire Aura to add her
Initiative to the damage roll of a counterattack made
The Dragon-Blood rises from the depths of the earth to drag with this Charm. Doing so resets her to base normally
her victims down into the endless dark. To use this Charm, if the attack hits.
she must be using Sleeping Dragon’s Lair. She makes an un-
expected grapple gambit against an enemy who’s unaware Survival
of her, without leaving concealment. If she successfully
establishes control of the grapple, she drags her victim back Dragon-Beast Transformation
into the earth with her, as per Sleeping Dragon’s Lair. This Cost: 5m; Mins: Survival 3, Essence 3
disappearance goes unwitnessed, and the entombed charac- Type: Simple
ter can’t be detected or perceived for the grapple’s duration Keywords: None
unless a character successfully detects the Dragon-Blood. Duration: One day
Prerequisite Charms: Animal Empathy Technique
The Dragon-Blood can make savaging attacks, slams,
or throws against a grappled victim without breaking The Dragon-Blood draws from her bond with a familiar
concealment, instead rolling (Dexterity + Stealth) re- to emulate its nature, her Aspect markings transform-
flexively with an additional –1 penalty after the attack. ing into a more bestial appearance. To use this Charm,
Enemies whose (Perception + Awareness) rolls beat she must touch one of her familiars. She gains (higher
the Dragon-Blood’s successes can detect her presence of Essence or 3) dots of mutations that reflect that fa-
underground, even if they lack the magic normally re- miliar’s physical form, behavior, or traits. Once she has
quired to contest Sleeping Dragon’s Lair. chosen a set of mutations that a familiar grants her, all
subsequent uses of this Charm drawing from that same
If the grapple ends, the Dragon-Blood’s victim may familiar will grant her the same mutations. This Charm
reflexively emerge from his burial. If the Dragon-Blood is Wood Aspected when used on an animal familiar;
incapacitates him before that, his body will rise from the when used on an elemental familiar acquired through
earth after (Dragon-Blood’s Essence) rounds, although Elemental Bond Meditation (p. XX) or the like, its as-
this is insufficient for onlookers to pinpoint the Dragon- pect is the same as the elemental’s.
Blood’s exact current location.
Elemental Bond Meditation
Backer: U. Kaya Yavuz
Cost: —; Mins: Survival 3, Occult 3, Essence 3
Explosive Decoy Technique Type: Permanent
Keywords: None
Cost: —(6m); Mins: Stealth 5, Essence 4
Duration: Permanent
Type: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: Beast-Taming Aspect
Keywords: Counterattack, Decisive-only, Fire, Mute
Duration: Permanent The Dragon-Blood has cultivated an affinity for
Prerequisite Charms: Burning Shadow Double Creation’s elementals, those spirits closest in nature to
her own Essence. She may take elementals with Essence
The Dragon-Blood’s shadow conceals a secret flame.
3 or less as familiars, up to a maximum of (her Essence)
When an enemy attacks a duplicate created by Burning
such familiars. She may claim as her familiars elemen-
Shadow Double, she can pay six motes to detonate that
tals that she has sorcerously summoned — sustaining
duplicate in a burst of flame as a decisive counterattack,
their existence indefinitely beyond the spell’s end — but
rolled with (Wits + Stealth). If the Dragon-Blood is con-
not those currently bound by others.
cealed from the attacker, it’s a surprise attack. It deals
(Essence) dice of lethal damage, ignoring Hardness. The The Dragon-Blood may use Beast-Taming Aspect and
Dragon-Blood’s Initiative isn’t included or reset to base. Animal Empathy Technique to enhance influence rolls
against elementals with Essence 3 or less as though they
This counterattack doesn’t break the Dragon-Blood’s
were animals. Such uses of those Charms have the same
concealment. Instead, if her attack roll is lower than
aspect as the elemental targeted.
her current concealment successes, it becomes her new
146
EX3
Thrown requires both characters to perform. A brawler might

deliver a crushing uppercut that pushes an enemy into
Sand-Scourge Feint the downswing of her ally’s goremaul; a Righteous Devil
Cost: 1m, 1wp; Mins: Thrown 4, Essence 2 stylist might use a firewand to wreathe her partner’s
Type: Simple daiklave in flames; a pair of assassins might unleash a
Keywords: Decisive-only, Earth storm of throwing knives that comes from all directions.
Duration: Instant
When this Charm is used, the Dragon-Blood and her ally
Prerequisite Charms: Elusive Zephyr Strike
each make a decisive attack with any Ability against a sin-
A sandstorm spits forth to swirl around the Dragon- gle enemy. Her ally can move up to one range band in any
Blood’s weapon in flight, harrying her foe. She makes direction before making the attack. If this is insufficient to
a distract gambit. If successful, the gambit’s victim bring him within range, or if he’s crashed, this Charm can’t
loses Initiative equal to the gambit’s Initiative cost. If be used. Such is the effectiveness of their combination
this crashes him, the Initiative Break is awarded to the that both attacks’ onslaught penalties are applied to the
beneficiary of the gambit, instead of the Dragon-Blood. enemy’s Defense before the attack rolls are made, and they
both use the higher of their two Initiatives to determine
In Earth Aura, the Dragon-Blood may expend her Aura the damage rolled. This Charm doesn’t count against the
in lieu of paying the gambit’s Initiative cost. ally’s attack or movement actions for the round, although
it does count as the Dragon-Blood’s attack.
War A character can only participate in this Charm’s combi-
nation attack once per day, whether by using this Charm
Swift Rain, Fierce Storm
or participating in it as an ally.
Cost: 3m per battle group, 1wp; Mins: War 3, Essence 2
Type: Simple This Charm can be repurchased to develop signature
Keywords: Air/Water combinations with different partners.
Duration: One scene
Prerequisite Charms: Tireless Footfalls Cadence Backers: Tim Aumônier and Greg Stayner
The Dragon-Blood’s archers sweep across the battle- Twin Dragons Dancing
field like gathering storm clouds, unleashing volleys
Cost: —(both characters expend Aura); Mins: War 4,
that darken the sky and fall like rain. She enhances
Essence 4
allied battle groups for three motes each, granting them
Type: Permanent
an automatic success on movement rolls and ranged
Keywords: Aura, Decisive-only
attack rolls made from medium range or further, and +1
Duration: Permanent
Evasion. If an enhanced battle group has elite Drill, the
Prerequisite Charms: Tiger-and-Dragon Combination
dice bonus it provides on command actions to rally it or
order ranged attacks or movement actions increases to Drawing power from the bonds of Sworn Kinship, the
three non-Charm dice. Dragon-Blood and her oath-sibling attain an incompa-
rable battle-unity. When she uses Tiger-and-Dragon
If the Dragon-Blood is fighting under a stratagem she Combination to unleash a signature move with a
successfully enacted, she can use this Charm reflexively. Hearthmate, each of them may expend their Elemental
Auras to transcend their limits, adding a free full
Backer: Brian Jenkins
Excellency on both attack rolls. If the two Auras were of
different elements, both Dragon-Blooded count as being in
Tiger-and-Dragon Combination
those elements’ Auras for purposes of determining what
Cost: 7m, 1wp; Mins: War 3, Essence 2
Charms they can activate to enhance the attacks (although
Type: Simple
they can’t use other Charms that require them to expend
Keywords: Balanced, Decisive-only
Auras), and they can use Charms of both elements togeth-
Duration: Instant
er on the attack as though they were Balanced.
Prerequisite Charms: Any combination of five Archery,
Brawl, Martial Arts, Melee, Thrown, or War Charms A Dragon-Blood can only participate in a combination
attack enhanced by this Charm once per story, regard-
Acting in perfect harmony with a steadfast ally, the
less of whether he activated it or not, unless reset by
Dragon-Blood coordinates a deadly finishing blow. She
achieving a major character or story goal as a result of
must spend this Charm’s training time practicing with
protecting a Hearthmate from physical danger, or by
an ally, developing a signature combination move that
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working together with a Hearthmate to defeat a foe If the Dragon-Blood wins Join Battle, she can use Magma Hell
more powerful than either of them alone. Upheaval without needing to be in an Aura or expend one.
Backers: Tim Aumônier and Greg Stayner Once the scene ends, lava created with this Charm cools
and hardens into obsidian.
Caldera Battlefield Approach
Cost: —; Mins: War 5, Essence 4 Backer: Nathan Henderson
Type: Permanent
Keywords: Earth/Fire Supreme Dragon-General’s Presence
Duration: Permanent Cost: 5m, 1a, 1wp; Mins: War 5, Essence 4
Prerequisite Charms: Magma Hell Upheaval, Ramparts Type: Reflexive
of Obedient Earth Keywords: Fire
Duration: Instant
Reshaping the battlefield to her will, the Dragon-Blood Prerequisite Charms: Indomitable Flame of Valor
calls great pillars of stone up from the earth, only to
strike them with such tremendous force that they The Dragon-Blood’s anima blazes across the battlefield
shatter and melt into lava. When she uses Ramparts of as enemy armies break before her legion’s might, its glo-
Obedient Earth, she can create a lava hazard (difficulty rious radiance calling retreating foes and deserters to
5, damage 6L/round) filling the space of an enemy battle fight beneath her banner. When an enemy battle group
group by spending (higher of its Size or 3) points. is routed, the Dragon-Blood may reset her rally for
numbers action (Exalted, p. 210), as deserting enemy
Additionally, if the Dragon-Blood employs the Reshape soldiers may potentially be won over to her cause. If she
Battefield option, she can create lava hazards for one rallies for numbers on or before her next turn, she rolls
point each, with each hazard extending out to close an additional non-Charm die for each 10 rolled.
range from a point anywhere on the battlefield, so long
as no nontrivial, non-battle-group enemies are caught In Fire Aura, the Dragon-Blood may expend her Aura to re-
in the hazard’s area when it forms. flexively make a rally for numbers roll upon using this Charm.
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Enemies won over to the Dragon-Blood’s side will fight movement action for the round. Alternatively, the battle
for the duration of the scene, but don’t immediately gain group can reflexively aim at the target, and then make
any lasting loyalty — good treatment or social influence a ranged attack that benefits from the order action on
are necessary to secure their permanent allegiance. its turn.
This Charm can only be used once per scene. Using this Charm requires the Dragon-Blood to forgo
her turn entirely on the first round, and counts as her at-
Divine Wind Approach tack and movement actions that round. If she enhances
Cost: 5m (+10m, 1wp); Mins: War 5, Essence 5 the Join Battle roll solely with Air or Balanced Charms,
Type: Supplemental she enters Air Aura.
Keywords: Air
Duration: Instant Once per story, when the Dragon-Blood wins Join
Prerequisite Charms: Blessed Dragon Champion, Battle, she may pay an additional ten motes and one
Changing Winds Cunning (x2) Willpower to enact an ambush stratagem (Exalted, p.
212), resetting her to base Initiative. If she’s already
Drawing on peerless tactical brilliance, the Dragon- fighting under a successfully enacted ambush strata-
Blooded general deploys her troops in an unstoppable gem, this instead renders all attacks her battle groups
fast attack. She Joins Battle with (Intelligence + War), make for the entire scene surprise attacks, and doesn’t
which also counts as an order command action (and reset her Initiative. This effect can be reset by winning
can be enhanced with Charms that enhance orders). a Strategic Maneuver roll against a general who poses a
She must order a battle group to make an attack. It significant threat.
does so reflexively, before any character takes his turn
that round, and can advance one range band toward its Backer: Robert “Jefepato” Dall
foe. This doesn’t count as that battle group’s attack or
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EX3
In the hour before sunrise, the governor’s estate was cruelly cold. A hundred mortal laborers and
artists had gathered on the estate grounds, carefully respecting its ancient trees and stonework, to
bear witness to a formal duel. Tisara of House Ferem and Erober of House Japor didn’t need many
witnesses, but the nation of Cherak did — the two distant cousins fought over a piece of Grand
Cherak, an imperishable remnant of the empire both houses had lost.
Japor Erober was young and ambitious, an honor to his family’s name. He wore leather armor fit for
a cavalryman; his firewand was customized for reload speed, with a bayonet on its muzzle. Where
he walked, grass parted, and the estate’s stray leaves trailed in his wake.
Ferem Tisara was rough around the edges, but she had a ready laugh and the mortal witnesses’
loyalty. Her thick breastplate and heavy maul were scorched with the heat of many battles against
the Fair Folk. She sported a brilliant red jade chevron at her waist, like an oversized belt buckle: the
subject of this duel, the legendary Blazerider.
With the first light of dawn, the duel began.
The two Princes of the Earth rushed each other, and Erober led with a bayonet-thrust to test
Tisara’s defenses. The daughter of House Ferem trusted her armor to blunt the blade, swinging
her maul with such speed and ferocity that her opponent fell to his back foot. Erober’s parries
lacked confidence, and he resorted to ducking and weaving as he searched for an opening in her
aggression. When Tisara over-reached, Erober brought his blade up into her exposed arm.
Tisara saw this and knew no fear. Focusing diamond-hard Essence into her flesh, she brought her
arm down and clenched the blade against her side. Then, as Erober pulled in vain against her, she
head-butted him in the face.
“Ready to surrender, cousin?” Tisara asked, loud enough for the mortal observers to hear.
“Blazerider rightfully belongs with House Japor,” Erober snarled, “and it has been too long kept
from home!”
Erober snapped a cleverly designed catch on his firewand and detached the bayonet. He kicked
Tisara in the gut and used her bulk to flip back and away from her. Before he touched the ground, he
took aim and shot a gout of flame laced with Wood Essence. Tisara struck the flame aside with her
maul out of reflex, but from the sparks grew tenacious vines that sought to lash her to the ground.
Tisara fought the vines to chase down her opponent, but Erober was always a step ahead, reloading
with lightning efficiency and raining fire upon her from every angle. Her frustration grew, and with it,
her fiery anima.
“If you desire Blazerider so badly,” bellowed Tisara, “then witness its glory! House Ferem
ascendant!”
She grasped the chevron at her waist, and the red jade sang harmoniously with her will. It unlocked
like a wondrous puzzle, blade-wings extending greater than her own armspan. Tisara flung the
artifact at Erober, low along the ground, and it trailed fire behind it. Erober dove to the side, rolling
away from blade and heat, and Blazerider returned to obediently to Tisara’s outstretched hand.
Tisara grinned and hopped aboard the weapon, balancing upon it with ease. Then she leaned
forward. Blazerider surged ahead eagerly, trailing flame behind it, as Tisara raised her maul for a
telling strike.
Erober grinned too, seeing Blazerider rushing toward him. “Bring it to me, then!” he exclaimed as
he took aim at the Ferem. “House Japor for a thousand more years!”
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Chapter Seven
Heirlooms
of Power
out, while the remainder was reborn as House Ledaal.
The Dragon-Dancer’s Wings For centuries, they languished in relative obscurity as a
patrician family, but when the Empress elevated House
(Blue and Red Jade Typhoon Fangs, V’neef, they were among the outcastes brought into its
Artifact •••) fold, bringing their treasured heirloom with them.
Once, the air dragon Rekal, a diligent censor, found himself The Dragon-Dancer’s Wings are a matched pair of jade war
at odds with the fire dragon Banu, an indolent spirit who fans named for the dragons. Etched into the folded face of the
shirked his duties to luxuriate in splendor. The two quar- red jade fan are designs of garda birds in flight, curling orange
reled and ultimately fought, and in the end a victorious flame trailing behind them. The blue jade fan is coated with
Rekal feasted on Banu’s fiery Essence. He’d thought to use rime that creeps along its ribs like a frozen delta, winged ser-
that power to fulfill the fire dragon’s responsibilities as well pents gliding across its leaves. In battle or in dance, the pat-
as his own, but the smoldering remnants of Banu’s spirit terns come alight, giving off wisps of fire and ice.
overwhelmed Rekal, driving him to unrestrained fury.
Backer: Nathan Henderson.
The dancer-diplomat Nalako Jathri learned of Rekal’s
plight. Some of her Sworn Kin argued that they should slay Attunement: 5m
the tormented dragon, but Jathri spoke against it, fearful
of what havoc a battle might wreak upon a land still strug- Type: Light (+5 Acc, +10 Dmg, +3 Ovw)
gling to establish itself. Instead, she sought out two famed Tags: Lethal, Martial Arts, Disarming
smiths, sisters with clashing temperaments, and secretly
commissioned one fan from each. The jade she provided Hearthstone slot(s): 2 (one on each fan)
came from two veins within the same mountain, one red,
the other blue. From these emblems of division and re- Era: The Year of Seven Shoguns
union, the Dragon-Dancer’s Wings were forged.
It was no difficult thing to find the berserk Rekal along

Evocations of the
his path of destruction. Wielding the Wings, Jathri Dragon-Dancer’s Wings
danced alongside Rekal — when he breathed out tem- The wielder of the Dragon-Dancer’s Wings adds a non-
pest winds, she whirled within them; when he spat Charm die on dance-based Performance rolls.
flame, she promenaded through the smoke. Some of her
Hearth stood beside her, fending off Rekal’s claws and Fire-and-Ice Pavane
fangs; the others worked to draw a great binding dia- Cost: 3m; Mins: Essence 1
gram about him. Finally, the dance drew to its close, and Type: Reflexive
the circle was completed. The ritual’s power brought Keywords: Resonant
peace to the warring Essences of Banu and Rekal, and Duration: One turn
from their union was born a new dragon of air and fire. Prerequisites: Soul-Stirring Performance
Jathri’s lineage was brought into the Scarlet Dynasty cen- Shimmering heat-haze and whirling snowflakes sur-
turies later as part of the newly formed House Jurul, along round the wielder as she dances, fending off her foes.
with the Dragon-Dancer’s Wings. When the Empress She suffers no penalties for flurrying a full defense with
struck Jurul from the Imperial ledgers for its founder’s a dance-based Performance action.
treachery, Jathri’s descendants were among those cast
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C hapter S e v e n : H eirlooms of P ower
Resonant: If the wielder’s Performance roll beats the The wielder dances as if fire licked under her every
Resolve of at least one nontrivial character, the Initiative step, and leaves a blazing path in her wake. She converts
cost of the full defense is refunded. any bonus dice from her Appearance on a dance-based
Performance roll to non-Charm successes. If she rolls 3+
Special activation rules: This Evocation awakens at no successes, she ignites a fiery environmental hazard with-
cost when a Dragon-Blooded V’neef scion attunes the in close range that has Damage (Essence/2, rounded up)
Dragon-Dancer’s Wings. L/round and difficulty 3. The flames subside at the end of
the wielder’s next turn unless she successfully uses this
Passion-Flaring Flamenco Evocation again. The wielder is immune to these flames.
Cost: 5m; Mins: Essence 1
Type: Simple If the wielder flurries the enhanced Performance roll with
Keywords: None an attack, she catches the ignited flames on the Dragon-
Duration: Instant Dancer’s Wings, adding +1 Overwhelming on withering
Prerequisites: Fire-and-Ice Pavane attacks and doubling 10s on decisive damage rolls.
The Dragon-Dancer’s Wings stir the flames in the hearts This Evocation is incompatible with Boreal Winds
of the wielder’s audience, rousing them to ardent passions. Grace and Soothing Snowfall Waltz.
She makes a dance-based (Appearance + Performance)
inspire roll with (higher of Essence or 3) bonus dice to Boreal Winds Grace
rouse desire, anger, excitement, or other active emotions. Cost: 4m, 2i; Mins: Essence 2
In addition to inspiring that emotion, this influence also Type: Supplemental
instills each affected character with a Minor Intimacy that Keywords: Perilous
relates to that emotion, chosen by the character’s player. Duration: Instant
Prerequisites: Soothing Snowfall Waltz
If a Dragon-Blood uses Falling Leaves Sway, Swaying
Boughs Arabesque, or Waltz of Honeyed Wine (Dragon- Stirring the air with the Dragon-Dancer’s Wings, the
Blooded, pp. 241-242) with this Evocation, such uses are wielder lulls the world to sleep beneath a freezing wind.
Fire aspected. When she makes a dance-based Performance roll, her
targets treat their emotion-based Intimacies as one lev-
Soothing Snowfall Waltz el lower for purposes of adding to Resolve or resisting in
Cost: 5m; Mins: Essence 1 Decision Points. If she rolls 3+ successes, she may freeze
Type: Simple the ground beneath her to create a patch of difficult
Keywords: None terrain, or raise up a wall of ice within close range that
Duration: Instant counts as heavy cover (Exalted, p. 199). The wielder
Prerequisites: None isn’t impeded by this difficult terrain, though enemies
can benefit from the cover against her.
Shimmering snowflakes fall from the air and chime with
soft melodic tones as the wielder moves with languorous, If the wielder flurries the enhanced Performance roll
captivating grace. She makes a dance-based (Appearance with a full defense, ice limns the fans, adding +1 Parry
+ Performance) inspire roll with (higher of Essence or 3) against the next attack against her before her next turn.
bonus dice to calm her audience. The pleasant reverie in-
spired by this dance grants an additional +1 Resolve against This Evocation is incompatible with Blazing Summer
influence that would inspire or exploit strong emotions, but Samba and Passion-Flaring Flamenco.
imposes a −2 penalty on nonreflexive physical actions and
on influence rolls that express the influencer’s emotions. Banu and Rekal Dancing as One
Cost: 10m, 2wp; Mins: Essence 3
If a Dragon-Blood uses Falling Leaves Sway, Swaying Boughs Type: Simple
Arabesque, or Waltz of Honeyed Wine (Dragon-Blooded, Keywords: Resonant
pp. 241-242) with this Evocation, such uses are Air aspected. Duration: Instant
Prerequisites: Blazing Summer Samba, Boreal Winds Grace
Blazing Summer Samba
Cost: 4m, 2i; Mins: Essence 2 Resonant: This Evocation can only be awakened by a
Type: Supplemental wielder resonant with the Dragon-Dancer’s Wings.
Keywords: Perilous
Duration: Instant Reenacting the famed dragon-dance of Nalako Jathri,
Prerequisites: Passion-Flaring Flamenco the wielder brings peace to troubled minds just as Jathri
153
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reconciled Banu and Rekal. This Evocation can free a charac- Evocations of Empyrean Aegis
ter from a Psyche effect or cause a Derangement to subside.
The wielder must first use either Passion-Flaring Flamenco The wielder can use Empyrean Aegis as a medium
or Soothing Snowfall Waltz on her target — Passion-Flaring Thrown artifact weapon (+12 DMG, OVW 4) with the
Flamenco for Psyche effects or Derangements that cause Bashing, Thrown (Medium), and Special tags. When
unnatural passivity, languor, or emotionlessness; Soothing thrown, the shield returns to its wielder’s hand if there’s
Snowfall Waltz for those that provoke the victim to irratio- a clear path.
nal action or fill them with uncontrollable emotions.
Guardian Gale Technique
The wielder makes a special (Appearance + Performance) Cost: 3m (1i per attack); Mins: Essence 1
inspire roll. Against Psyche effects, this follows the rules Type: Supplemental
for overturning influence (Exalted, p. 221), requiring the Keywords: Resonant
target to call upon a Defining Intimacy in the Decision Duration: Instant
Point. If he does and spends one Willpower, the Psyche Prerequisites: None
effect is terminated. Against Derangements, the roll
Empyrean Aegis flies from its wielder’s hands to shel-
is made at difficulty (Derangement x 2), with success
ter her allies. She can take a defend other action to
lowering its intensity by one step (or suppressing Minor
protect an ally within short range. Each time her ward
Derangements entirely) until the story’s end.
is attacked, she must pay one Initiative to extend her
This Evocation can only be used once per story. protection to him unless he’s within close range. If an
attacker beats the wielder’s Parry, he can only direct his
attack against the original target, rather than her.
Empyrean Aegis
Resonant: With Essence 2, the wielder can protect al-
(Blue Jade Thunderbolt Shield, lies out to medium range.
Artifact •••)
Special activation rules: This Evocation awakens at
Aria Skysinger forged Empyrean Aegis from blue jade and no cost when a Dragon-Blooded Tepet scion attunes
feathersteel, with the Tyrant Glacier’s frozen heart for Empyrean Aegis.
her anvil and her fallen mother’s goremaul, stained with
Solar blood, for her hammer. The Shogunate’s early days Freezing Glacier Strike
were marred by internecine conflict and civil war, and Aria Cost: 2m; Mins: Essence 1
sought a shield to defend her gens through the fray. Type: Supplemental
Keywords: Dual
Empyrean Aegis was passed down along Aria’s descen- Duration: Instant
dants. Ikke the Bastion-Breaker fended off the spears of Prerequisites: Guardian Gale Technique
the Storm That Rode. Madrigan Azure, honor guard to
the shogun, wielded it to thwart a Silver Pact assassi- Empyrean Aegis strikes with numbing cold. It gains
nation attempt against her, though it cost him his life. +1 Overwhelming on a withering attack or ignores 2
Opatha Kopal wielded it alongside her great-uncle, Hardness from metal armor on a decisive attack. If it
Tepet, when he challenged the Scarlet Empress’ claim deals 5+ withering damage or 1+ decisive damage, ice
and laid siege to the Imperial City. Kopal fell in her rimes her target. Until the wielder’s next turn, that
great-uncle’s war, but her daughter, Opatha Zari, lived character can’t attack her or any ally protected by her
to see the Scarlet Empress proclaim House Tepet’s as- defend other actions unless he first pays 2 Initiative.
cension and bore her mother’s heirloom with her.
Sudden Squall Interception
Backer: Eric Deans Cost: 2m; Mins: Essence 1
Type: Reflexive
Attunement: 5m; Type: Medium (+3 ACC, +12 Keywords: None
DMG, +1 DEF, OVW 4) Duration: Instant
Prerequisites: Guardian Gale Technique
Tags: Bashing, Melee, Shield
When an ally protected by the wielder’s defend other
Hearthstone slot(s): 1
actions makes a disengage roll or a roll opposing an en-
Era: Shadows of the Usurpation emy’s rush, the wielder may throw Empyreal Aegis be-
tween the two characters, adding a non-Charm success
on her ally’s roll. If she has a positive Tie toward her
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EX3
ally, she adds an additional non-Charm die as well. If Duration: Permanent

she’s using Guardian Gale Technique to protect her ally Prerequisites: Guardian Gale Technique
from beyond close range, she must pay one Initiative, as
though he were being attacked. Empyrean Aegis flies across the battlefield, ricocheting
off walls to interpose itself between countless attacks.
Freezing Rime Barrier When she uses Guardian Gale Technique, she may pay a
Cost: 3m; Mins: Essence 2 five-mote, one-Willpower surcharge to extend her pro-
Type: Reflexive tection to all allies within range, rather than just one. If
Keywords: Uniform she uses this Evocation subsequently in the same scene,
Duration: Instant the surcharge is reduced to only five motes.
Prerequisites: Guardian Gale Technique
Empyrean Aegis exudes a chill that numbs enemies and Majestic Nightmare Visage
comforts allies. She imposes a −1 penalty on an attack (Green Jade Devil Mask, Artifact •••)
roll against her Parry. If she successfully blocks the
attack, her attacker loses one Initiative. She gains this When Gerold Bronze-Arm set out from the Cult of the
Initiative if the attack was directed against her; if the Violet Fang’s cathedral to quest against his fae ancestor,
attack was against a character protected by her defend Magnanimous Gwenyant, he donned the mask of a rak-
other action, he gains the Initiative. sha prince, proclaiming himself the Childe of Midnights
Unremembered as he stole into Gwenyant’s court.
Thunder Follows Lightning Living and scheming alongside the Fair Folk, Gerold
Cost: 6m, 1wp; Mins: Essence 3 unraveled the court’s deepest secrets, and forged a
Type: Simple conspiracy against Gwenyant through blackmail, in-
Keywords: Decisive-only, Dissonant, Resonant trigue, and backroom dealing. When Gerold ousted the
Duration: Instant raksha noble from his throne, he won Gwenyant’s favor
Prerequisites: Crushing Glacier Strike and boon, for such has e’er been the compact between
Gwenyant and his children in the Violet Fang.
Empyrean Aegis flies from foe to foe, toppling them in a
dynamic whirl of violence. The wielder makes a single Returning to Creation, Gerold doffed his mask, set-
decisive Thrown attack. If it hits, before rolling dam- ting it aside as he took his place on the Council of the
age, she may have Empyrean Aegis rebound to strike Returned. But the Childe of Midnights Unremembered
another enemy within close range of the first, making was not ready for their tale to end so soon, and Gerold’s
another attack roll, and can continue to rebound it until mask had grown heavy with the Childe’s legend, be-
she either misses, hits (Dexterity) enemies, or has no coming the Majestic Nightmare Visage.
more targets in range. She divides her Initiative evenly
among all hit characters to determine the damage rolled Gerold’s granddaughter, Ardent Leonore, donned the
against them, ignoring Hardness. Trivial opponents Childe’s visage to drive away a Wyld Hunt that declared
don’t count toward the maximum number of enemies the Cult of the Violet Fang’s adherents Anathema, sow-
that can be hit and suffer the wielder’s full Initiative in ing chaos and discord among the shikaris’ ranks. Finn
damage. the Whale-Singer stole Majestic Nightmare Visage from
the Cult’s vaults when he fled from it, seeking a life away
Attack-enhancing magic need only be used once to ap- from the Wyld and the uncanny Northwest — though in
ply to all attacks made as part of this Evocation, apart time, he would lose himself within the Childe. The Cult
from Excellencies, which must be paid separately for has hunted after it since, considering it a sacred relic to
each attack roll. be reclaimed, but it has thus far eluded them.
Dissonant: The wielder can’t continue rebounding Majestic Nightmare Visage is a full-face mask of oak
once she’s hit (lower of Essence or Dexterity) enemies. heartwood with a glossy green jade lacquer, threaded
with moonsilver inlay evoking the thin, cruel features
Resonant: The wielder can rebound Empyrean Aegis to of a raksha prince. When the mask is attuned and worn,
strike enemies within short range of a hit enemy. the inlay dances across its surface in an eerily lifelike
motion, reflecting the wearer’s own expression. It ra-
Whirling Shield Tempest diates the mien of an all-conquering monarch, a prince
Cost: —(+5m, 1wp or +5m); Mins: Essence 3 whose will cannot be denied.
Type: Permanent
Keywords: None Backer: Brian Rivers
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EX3
Attunement: 2m disguise or rolls against her Guile that would contradict

the disguise unless their efforts are enhanced by magic.
Era: The Second Quest Against the Parliament Even if it’s enhanced by magic, 1s and 2s subtract successes.
Amethystine
If a Dragon-Blood uses Terrifying Forest-Devil Mask to
Evocations of Majestic disguise herself as the Childe, she’s immune to exposure
to the Wyld for that Charm’s duration.
Nightmare Visage
Majestic Nightmare Visage’s wearer adds a non-Charm suc- Special activation rules: A Dragon-Blooded scion of
cess on rolls to disguise herself as the Childe of Midnights the Cult of the Violet Fang awakens this Evocation at no
Unremembered, and +1 non-Charm Guile against any ac- cost upon disguising herself as the Childe.
tion that would contradict her disguise as the Childe. If a
Becoming Midnight’s Childe
Dragon-Blooded wearer uses Terrifying Forest-Devil Mask
to disguise herself as the Childe, its cost is reduced by two Cost: 5m; Mins: Essence 1
motes, and the mask can’t be removed with gambits. Type: Simple
Keywords: Mute
A Stranger in the Court Duration: Instant
Cost: —; Mins: Essence 1 Prerequisites: A Stranger in the Court
Type: Permanent
Subsuming herself in the Childe of Midnights
Keywords: None
Unremembered’s mythos, the wearer becomes the mask.
Duration: Permanent
She gains one of the Childe’s Intimacies, listed below, and
Prerequisites: None
suppresses one of her own Intimacies of equal or higher
The courts of chaos are blind to what lies behind Majestic intensity. If the Childe’s Intimacy has been fully eroded, the
Nightmare Visage. While the wearer is disguised as the suppressed Intimacy returns; until then, the wearer can’t
Childe, fae automatically fail any rolls opposing her voluntarily strengthen it or a substantially similar Intimacy.
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If a Dragon-Blood uses Terrifying Forest-Devil Mask to dis- Clothed in myth and legend, the wearer embodies
guise herself as the Childe, she may use this Evocation re- the Childe through her deeds. When she upholds an
flexively to take on all of the Childe’s Intimacies, as above, in Intimacy gained with Becoming Midnight’s Childe with
place of the Defining Intimacy that Charm normally confers. an influence roll, read intentions roll, Larceny roll, or
None of those Intimacies can be weakened or changed for an application of Resolve or Guile, she adds (Intimacy)
that Charm’s duration. She must suppress the same number non-Charm dice, or +(Intimacy/2, rounded up) non-
of her own Intimacies; if she lacks sufficient Intimacies of Charm Guile or Resolve. She can’t voluntarily erode
equal or higher rating, she can’t use this Evocation. that Intimacy for the rest of the story.
• Defining Principle: I must be in control. Resonant: If an opposing character has a positive Major
or Defining Tie toward the wearer, she may use this
• Defining Principle: Subtlety and deception are Evocation even if it doesn’t uphold an Intimacy from
my first instincts. Becoming Midnight’s Childe.
• Defining Principle: Trust is a thing for fools. Raiment of Sundered Truths

• Major Tie: Other fae (Rivalry) Type: Supplemental
Keywords: Dissonant, Mute, Psyche, Resonant
• Minor Tie: Creation’s peoples (Contempt)
Duration: Instant
Endless Dreaming Masquerade Prerequisites: Cup-and-Staff Trickster Saga
Cost: —; Mins: Essence 1 The Childe of Midnights Unremembered is a creature
Type: Permanent of countless lies, gestating within dreams and delusions.
Keywords: None When the wearer makes an influence roll to lie about
Duration: Permanent the Childe of Midnights Unremembered’s identity,
Prerequisites: A Stranger in the Court, any Charm this history, or agenda, the cost to resist is increased by one
Evocation enhances Willpower. Affected characters automatically fail any
rolls against the wearer’s Guile that would contradict
Caged within the heartwood and lacquer of Majestic
the lie for the rest of the scene.
Nightmare Visage sleeps a dream of infinite deception.
This Evocation enhances the following Dragon-Blooded Against fae, this Evocation can enhance any lie the
Charms as described below: wearer tells.
• When she uses Instant Disguise Prana (Dragon- Dissonant: This Evocation doesn’t increase the
Blooded, p. 205) to disguise herself as the Childe, Willpower cost of resisting against non-fae.
she can complete the disguise instantly, counting
Majestic Nightmare Visage as suitable equipment. Resonant: This Evocation can contest lie-detecting magic
like Judge’s Ear Technique. Such contests are resolved by
• When she uses Auspicious First Meeting Attitude opposed rolls, with the wearing rolling (Manipulation +
(Dragon-Blooded, p. 261) against fae, she adds the Ability used to make the influence roll) with (Essence)
(Essence) non-Charm successes. bonus dice. If successful, her statement appears true.
• When she uses Smoke-Wreathed Mien (Exalted, Fourfold Maw Enlightenment
p. 261) against an effect that would contradict
Cost: —; Mins: Essence 3
her disguise as the Childe, up to (Essence +
Type: Permanent
Manipulation) 1s and 2s reroll successes.
Keywords: None
• When she uses Still Waters Mask (p. XX) to Duration: Permanent
adopt the Childe as a cover identity, she waives Prerequisites: Any four Evocations of Majestic Night-
its Willpower cost and may do so instantly. mare Visage
The Childe of Nightmares Unremembered creates itself

Cup-and-Staff Trickster Saga
from errant scraps of dream and from fantasies torn
Cost: 1wp; Mins: Essence 2 from its prey, forging its legend like a bird building a
Type: Reflexive nest. The wearer may learn raksha Charms with the
Keywords: Resonant Eclipse Keyword from willing teachers for eight expe-
Duration: Instant rience points each.
Prerequisites: Becoming Midnight’s Childe
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EX3
Majestic Nightmare Visage ever schemes against its

EXPERIENCE DEBT wearer’s superiors, whispering of how they might be
toppled from their thrones and made to bow before
Certain effects let player characters increase or her. The wearer spends a scene plotting to depose,
gain new traits by incurring experience debt equal overthrow, or otherwise remove a character that she
to the normal cost of purchasing those traits. Any has a negative Major or Defining Tie toward — this
experience points she subsequently receives go Evocation’s target — from a position of political, so-
toward paying off the debt, until it’s paid in full. Un- cial, or military authority. She rolls (Manipulation +
til the debt’s fully paid, the character can’t benefit [Bureaucracy, Larceny, or Socialize]), gaining betrayal
from other effects that cause experience debt. Sto- points equal to her successes. She may spend them on
ryteller characters never go into experience debt. the following effects:
• 1 Point: Waive Becoming Midnight’s Childe’s

Additionally, upon accomplishing a major character or cost.
story goal by defeating a raksha — in combat, intrigue,
or some other venue — the wearer may instantly learn • 3 Points: Add an automatic success on a roll op-
one of his Eclipse Charms, going into experience debt posing this Evocation’s target.
if necessary. She can’t benefit from this effect while al-
ready in experience debt. • 3 Points: Gain +3 Guile against this Evocation’s
target for one scene.
Special activation rules: This Evocation awakens at no
cost once the wearer meets its prerequisites. • 5 Points: Waive the Willpower cost of resisting
influence that opposes a negative Tie to this
Shadow-Prince Conspiracy Evocation’s target.
Cost: 10m, 1wp (+7m); Mins: Essence 3
• 5 Points: Treat the intensity of a positive Tie this
Type: Reflexive
Evocation’s target has toward the wielder as one
Keywords: Dissonant, Mute
step higher against a single influence roll.
Duration: One project or plan
Prerequisites: Raiment of Sundered Truths
• 5 Points: Treat the intensity of a positive Tie a
Majestic Nightmare Visage hides countless faces, character has toward this Evocation’s target as
casting its shadow over the wearer’s scheming. Upon one step lower against a single influence roll.
undertaking a covert project (Exalted, p. 226) or a
• 5 Points: Waive Raiment of Sundered Truths’
similar secretive plan involving the actions of multiple
Willpower cost when used against this
characters, she may use this Evocation. The wearer and
Evocation’s target.
all others who are a party to her secret agenda gain +1
Guile against any effect that would compromise the • 7 Points: Waive Shadow-Prince Conspiracy’s cost
plan’s secrecy. Against fae, this bonus is non-Charm. to enact a secret agenda against this Evocation’s
target.
The wearer can use Raiment of Sundered Truths to
enhance any lie she tells to further her secret agenda. • 7 Points: When this Evocation’s target makes a
When a character that is a party to her secret agenda roll opposing the wearer’s Guile, a roll contesting
tells a lie to further it, her player may choose to have her her disguise as the Childe, or an Investigation roll
pay a seven-mote surcharge to use Raiment of Sundered to uncover evidence left by her, he automatically
Truths to enhance that lie. fails. The wearer’s player may use this effect even
if the character is unaware.
Dissonant: The wielder can’t use Raiment of Sundered
Truths to enhance lies told by other characters. This Evocation can only be used once per story, unless
reset by upholding a Major or Defining Tie gained from
Ring-and-Sword Intrigues
Becoming Midnight’s Childe.
Type: Simple Dissonant: The wearer can’t use the seven-point effects.
Keywords: Dissonant, Mute, Resonant
Duration: One story Resonant: The wearer doubles 9s on this Evocation’s
Prerequisites: Shadow-Prince Conspiracy activation roll.
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EX3
Sunset Blaze The Banner keyword indicates that Sunset Blaze’s ban-
ner must be ignited to use that Evocation.
(Red Jade Direlance, Artifact •••)
Scarlet Banner Inspiration
Commissioned by Cathak herself from the renowned Cost: 4m; Mins: Essence 1
smith and sublime armiger Tepet Sothal, the direlance Type: Supplemental
Sunset Blaze — adorned with a banner of cloth-of-jade Keywords: Banner
— accompanied her in many of her famed battles. She Duration: Instant
wielded it in the Realm’s war against the Blood-Sand Prerequisites: None
Sultan, burning the man who feared no flame; in the
great Siege of Houshou, when she seemed to slay the Soldiers see fire on the horizon and know that their gen-
Anathema Sha’a Oka; in her famed duel with Ahlat. eral stands with them, Sunset Blaze in hand. Its wielder
adds (higher of Essence or 3) dice on a rally or rally for
In the hands of Cathak and her children, Sunset Blaze numbers action, and gains Initiative equal to the 10s on
has become an emblem for her Great House’s martial her roll.
prowess and emulation of Hesiesh in war. In the Wyld
Hunt against the Lady of Crimson Nectar, Cathak Meti Special activation rules: A Dragon-Blooded Cathak
Lonova rallied her shikari with the sight of its flaming scion awakens this Evocation at no cost upon attuning
banner after the Anathema filled their minds with rot to Sunset Blaze.
and death. Cathak Orina bore it in suppressing the
Dragon-General Puissance
Amaranth Uprising and in the execution of the revolt’s
instigator, the renegade magistrate Haruka Mir. Cathak Cost: —; Mins: Essence 1
Fari defended Fajad’s gates from the army of the he- Type: Permanent
retical Abhari prophet Kigal Whose-Name-Cuts, and Keywords: None
burned away the rogue god’s blasphemous tongue. Duration: Permanent
Prerequisites: Scarlet Banner Inspiration, any Charm
Traditionally, Sunset’s Blaze has been bequeathed to young this Evocation enhances
Cathak scions taking their first command in the house le-
Sunset Blaze bears the legacy of some of the Scarlet
gions when its current wielder decides to pass it on — though
Dynasty’s greatest generals, imparting them unto its
in practice, the new wielder is almost always a descendant
master. This Evocation enhances the following Dragon-
of the current one, or of a Cathak she owes favors to.
Blooded Charms as described below:
Backer: Jamie Michaels
• When she uses Burning Dragon Mien (Dragon-
Blooded, p. 242), the success added by Sunset
Blaze’s attunement effect is non-Charm.
Attunement: 5m; Type: Heavy (+1 ACC, +14
DMG, +0 DEF, OVW 5) • She can use Flame Warden Stance (Dragon-
Blooded, p. 226) reflexively to protect a battle
Tags: Lethal, Melee, Piercing, Reaching, group.
Two-Handed when on foot
• When she uses Roaring Dragon Officer (Dragon-
Hearthstone slot(s): 2 Blooded, p. 279), the flurry penalty on both ac-
tions is reduced by one.
Era: Reign of the Scarlet Empress
• When she uses Blazing Courageous Swordsman
Evocations of Sunset Blaze Inspiration (Dragon-Blooded, p. 279), the suc-
cess added by Sunset Blaze’s attunement effect is
When readied by an attuned wielder, Sunset Blaze’s non-Charm.
banner bursts into flame, adding an automatic success
on her Appearance- or Charisma-based command ac- Streaming Flames Spear
tions and threaten rolls. However, it impedes stealth as Cost: 2m; Mins: Essence 1
a glowing anima banner (Dragon-Blooded, p. 154). Its Type: Supplemental
wielder may extinguish it as a miscellaneous action, but Keywords: Banner, Dual
doing so denies her the above benefits. Reigniting it is Duration: Instant
also a miscellaneous action. Prerequisites: Scarlet Banner Inspiration
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EX3
Brandishing Sunset Blaze, its wielder spins its banner in influence roll to overturn influence (Exalted, p. 221) that
a fiery spiral that sears her foes. She adds (Charisma) to Rally the Upright Soldier applies against, she waives the
the raw damage of a withering attack, or adds (lower of Willpower cost to do so and adds (Essence) automatic
Essence or Charisma) attack roll extra successes as dice successes. This doesn’t allow her to overturn Psyche
of damage on a decisive attack. effects with her influence unless they’re normally sus-
ceptible to being overturned.
General-Demoting Joust
Cost: 4m, 1wp; Mins: Essence 2 Resonant: The added successes are non-Charm.
Type: Supplemental
Keywords: Banner, Decisive-only, Dissonant, Resonant Safety in Numbers
Duration: Instant Cost: 5m, 1wp; Mins: Essence 2
Prerequisites: Streaming Flames Spear Type: Reflexive
Keywords: Banner, Uniform
Bringing Sunset Blaze’s fiery reproach to bear against Duration: One scene
an enemy general, the wielder proves her superiority Prerequisites: Rally the Upright Soldier
to the armies on both sides. She adds dice equal to the
Size of the largest allied battle group in the fight on the Forming an impregnable formation centered around
attack and damage roll of a decisive attack. An enemy Sunset Blaze’s burning banner, its wielder leads her
damaged by this attack suffers a penalty (maximum –5) forces undaunted through even the fiercest battles. All
on his command actions and influence rolls equal to allies within close range of her gain +1 Parry, or +2 Parry
the levels of damage dealt for the rest of the scene. This for battle groups with elite Drill. She gains +1 Parry as
ends if he crashes or incapacitates the wielder. long as there are three allies or one allied battle group
within close range.
Dissonant: This Evocation doesn’t add dice of damage.
Pride of the Greatest General
Resonant: A damaged enemy can’t make any command Cost: 10m, 1wp; Mins: Essence 3
actions or influence rolls until the end of his next turn. Type: Simple
Keywords: Banner, Perilous, Resonant
Rally the Upright Soldier Duration: One scene
Cost: 3m; Mins: Essence 2 Prerequisites: General-Demoting Joust, Rising Phoenix
Type: Reflexive Banner, Safety in Numbers
Keywords: Banner
Duration: Instant Bearing the banner of Cathak herself in hand, Sunset
Prerequisites: Scarlet Banner Inspiration Blaze’s master enacts a peerless strategy. Allied battle
groups with elite Drill gain the following benefits:
The sight of Sunset Blaze’s flaming banner streaming
across the battlefield brings renewed courage. Its wield- • They treat their effective Size as one dot higher
er grants +2 Resolve to a character that can see Sunset (maximum 5).
Blaze (including herself ) or any number of allied battle
groups against a fear-based influence roll, an influence • They can use the wielder’s Initiative in place of
roll that would cause them to refrain from hostilities or their own, if higher, to determine when they act
impair their ability to fight, or a Psyche effect. in combat.
Alternatively, this Evocation can add (Essence) dice on • The wielder’s rally for numbers action restores
a rout check made by a battle group that can see Sunset an additional (Essence) Magnitude to them.
Blaze.
• Scarlet Banner Inspiration’s cost is waived when
Rising Phoenix Banner used to rally them.
Type: Supplemental If the wielder is fighting under a stratagem she enact-
Keywords: Banner, Resonant ed, these benefits apply to all allied battle groups, even
Duration: Instant those without elite Drill.
Prerequisites: Rally the Upright Soldier
Resonant: Affected battle groups gain perfect morale
Even as things seem darkest, Sunset Blaze’s master (Exalted, p. 208).
lights the way to hope. When the wielder makes an
160
EX3
White Lizard’s Tongue Master Herder’s Brand

(White Jade Direlash, Artifact •••) Type: Simple
Keywords: Decisive-only, Resonant
Sesus Dejeni, the Nine Bones Thief, amassed great
Duration: Indefinite
wealth for herself and her house wrangling thousands
Prerequisites: None
of head of cattle in the Southern steppes. Small herding
tribes and local cattle barons alike forfeited their herds Where White Lizard’s Tongue strikes its wielder’s foes
to Dejeni, and she went to great lengths to ensure she or cattle, it marks them with a chalky white brand, Old
never had to pay a fair price, employing fraud, black- Realm glyphs spelling out the wielder’s name. Branding
mail, and violence when needed. All the while, White an enemy requires a difficulty 2 gambit; branding will-
Lizard’s Tongue was at her side, a whip of ivory-colored ing characters or unwitting cattle outside of combat
jade and the flayed hide of some unknown beast. Its jade requires no roll. Branded characters suffer −1 Resolve
surfaces are engraved with images of horses and cattle, against the wielder. Additionally, the wielder can reflex-
with acrobatic riders dancing atop them and flipping ively cause a character’s brand to weigh him down un-
over them. der the spiritual pressure of Earth Essence, imposing a
−1 mobility penalty until she ends it as a reflexive action
Dejeni wasn’t the first of her house to wield the direlash, or he moves to further than long range from her.
but few dispute that the artifact’s infamy was greatest in
her hands. Keeping her hold on the vast herd she ac- Normally, a brand can’t be removed while this Evocation
quired was but the least of its feats: she drove back the remains active. If a branded character crashes or inca-
hundred-eyed lions unleashed by the Fair Folk prince pacitates the wielder, his brand vanishes.
Glimpse-of-Evermore, tamed the aurochs-dragon of
Hellbender Mesa, and struck out the eye of her business A single use of this Evocation can brand a number of
rival Nellens Padano when he sought to steal her cattle, willing or unwitting animals equivalent to a Size (wield-
leaving her brand in its place. er’s Essence) battle group. This requires no roll. Such
uses can’t affect familiars and other magical animals.
Dejeni has retired from the steppes to enjoy her for-
tune and serve her house as a political luminary on the Special activation rules: A Dragon-Blooded Sesus sci-
Blessed Isle. While she no longer has need of her famed on awakens this Evocation at no cost upon attuning to
direlash, she has a personal stake in those Sesus scions White Lizard’s Tongue.
who wield it, meddling in their lives to ensure that no
unworthy successor takes up her legacy. Resonant: The wielder can inflict one level of deci-
sive damage per 10 on the Initiative roll, paying one
Backers: Little Wolf and Angry Jackal Initiative per level inflicted in addition to the gambit’s
Initiative cost.
Aurochs-King Prowess
Attunement: 5m Cost: —; Mins: Essence 1
Type: Light (+5 ACC, +10 DMG, +0 DEF, OVW 3) Type: Permanent
Keywords: None
Tags: Lethal, Melee, Disarming, Grappling, Duration: Permanent
Flexible, Reaching Prerequisites: Master Herder’s Brand, any one Charm
this Evocation enhances
Hearthstone slot(s): 1
White Lizard’s Tongue learned much from its time
Era:: Reign of the Scarlet Empress
Era in the Nine Bones Thief’s hand, and is eager to share
with its wielder. This Evocation enhances the following
Evocations of White Lizard’s Tongue Dragon-Blooded Charms as described below:
White Lizard’s Tongue is exceptional equipment • Scent-of-Crime Method (Dragon-Blooded, p.

(Exalted, p. 580) for Survival rolls to train animals and 198) lets her detect anyone who’s ever attempted
influence rolls against animals. Its wielder adds an au- to steal an animal belonging to her, regardless of
tomatic success on gambit attack rolls and on any rolls how long ago it was done. She can distinguish
to perform rope tricks or otherwise manipulate objects such characters from other criminals by the
with it, as the lash moves with her will. earthy scent that clings to them.
161
EX3
• When she uses Nimble Thief’s Fingers (Dragon- The whipcrack of White Lizard’s Tongue sounds out over
Blooded, p. 202), she can pay a one-Willpower the din of the battlefield, steeling its wielder’s herd against
surcharge to take the enhanced action out to panic. When a character makes a fear-based influence tar-
short range using White Lizard’s Tongue. geting one or more animals, the wielder may make a special
(Charisma + [Ride or Survival]) inspire roll with double 9s.
• Beast-Taming Aspect (Dragon-Blooded, p. 271) All targeted animals may use this result in place of their base
allows her to claim familiars in (familiar’s Resolve Resolve against the influence. Branded animals are treated
− wielder’s Charisma, minimum 1) weeks. as having a Minor Tie of loyalty to the wielder, or treat the
intensity of an existing positive Tie to her as one step high-
• When she uses Rearing Stallion Provocation (p. er. Intelligent and magical animals can benefit from this
XX), the equipment bonus from White Lizard’s Evocation, but it doesn’t apply against any influence that
Tongue is converted to a non-Charm success. would be incomprehensible to normal animals.
Demon-Wrangling Rope Trick Alternatively, the wielder can use this Evocation when a mount-
Cost: —(+1wp); Mins: Essence 2 ed battle group or a battle group made up entirely of animals
Type: Permanent makes a rout check to add (higher of Ride or Survival) dice.
Keywords: Decisive-only, Resonant
Duration: Permanent Special activation rules: This Evocation awakens for
Prerequisites: Master Herder’s Brand free once the wielder owns enough animals to form a
Size 2+ battle group. Animals with Tiny Creature or
Once White Lizard’s Tongue is coiled around its wield- Minuscule Size don’t count toward this.
er’s foe, its weight might as well be that of a mountain.
When the wielder uses Master Herder’s Brand, she may Resonant: With an Essence 3 repurchase, the wield-
pay a one-Willpower surcharge and raise the gambit’s er may pay a one-Willpower surcharge to extend this
difficulty to 5 to combine the effects of a grapple gambit Evocation’s benefits to non-animals.
with that Evocation’s gambit.
Scourge of Rustlers
Resonant: Instead of inflicting damage, each 10 on the Cost: 5m; Mins: Essence 2
Initiative roll adds an automatic success on the grapple Type: Supplemental
control roll. This doesn’t cost the wielder Initiative. Keywords: Dual, Resonant
Duration: Instant
Find the Stray Calf Prerequisites: Master Herder’s Brand
Type: Supplemental White Lizard’s Tail moves like a vast and deadly serpent,
Keywords: Resonant striking at its wielder’s foes. The wielder adds (Essence)
Duration: Instant dice of post-soak damage to a withering attack, an auto-
Prerequisites: Master Herder’s Brand matic success on the damage roll of a damaging decisive
attack, or (Essence) automatic successes on a gambit’s
Herds branded by White Lizard’s Tongue aren’t easily Initiative roll. Against branded enemies, she adds an ad-
stolen from its master, nor do her foes easily escape her. ditional (Charisma/2, rounded up) dice on the attack roll.
The wielder adds (higher of Ride or Survival) dice on a
roll to track a branded character, or half that many dice, Resonant: The dice added against branded enemies are
rounded up, on an Awareness or Investigation roll to non-Charm.
detect a branded character or evidence left by one.
World-Shaking Whipcrack
Resonant: The dice added on tracking rolls are non- Cost: 3m, 1wp; Mins: Essence 3
Charm, and the bonus on Awareness and Investigation Type: Simple
rolls isn’t halved. Keywords: Decisive-only, Dissonant, Resonant
Duration: Instant
Stampede-Quelling Assurance Prerequisites: Scourge of Rustlers
Type: Reflexive The earth shakes and rumbles like a bucking stallion
Keywords: Resonant when White Lizard’s Tongue strikes it, sending the
Duration: Instant wielder’s enemies into upheaval. She makes an unblock-
Prerequisites: Find the Stray Calf able decisive attack roll against all enemies standing on
the same surface as her within medium range. All hit
162
EX3
enemies fall prone. If any hit enemies carry brands, the

wielder also divides her Initiative among them evenly WINDBLADES
to determine the decisive damaged rolled against them,
adding an additional (Charisma) dice against each. The All windblades allow the attuned wielder to fly while
wielder’s Initiative only resets if she makes at least one standing atop them for five motes per hour of flight.
damage roll against a branded target. Stone and stron- They travel at a speed of thirty-five miles per hour,
ger substances aren’t damaged by the shockwave, but but can’t ascend more than medium range above
soil, wood, or the like may be, creating difficult terrain the ground. Aerial movement on a windblade uses
(Exalted, p. 199) at the Storyteller’s discretion. the same dice pools as ordinary movement, but the
windblade adds its Speed Bonus to the roll as non-
This Evocation can only be used once per scene, unless re- Charm dice. The Speed Bonus is halved, rounded
set by branding a nontrivial foe or crashing a branded foe. down, if the windblade is weighed down by any-
thing more than the wielder and her personal pos-
Dissonant: The attack is limited to short range. sessions, such as a second person being carried by
her or unusually heavy cargo.
Resonant: Against characters that aren’t branded, this
attack still deals (Charisma) dice of decisive damage. A windblade’s wielder can take a miscellaneous
action to collapse it, rendering it nonfunctional but
reducing it to the size of a heavy belt buckle. She
Blazerider can return it to full size with another miscellaneous
(Red Jade Windblade, Artifact §••••) action. A windblade’s Evocations can’t be used
while collapsed unless they specify otherwise.
Forgotten wonders of the First Age, windblades are person-
al-scale flying transports. Each is a narrow, aerodynamic Blazerider’s attunement cost and Speed Bonus
platform about a yard across, wrought from magical ma- are typical of most windblades. All windblades are
First Age artifice and have a minimum Artifact rat-
terials and sorcerous constructs of solidified Essence. The
ing of four dots.
art of creating new windblades is lost to the Second Age’s
artificers; the few that remain, scattered across Creation,
are prized by Chosen, scavenger princes, and savants.
flame, twisting to encircle the windblade’s hearthstone
slot. When wielded as a weapon via Flying Dragon Fang,
The Solar Indeshi Twice-Anointed forged Blazerider for
it’s thrown like a skycutter, albeit longer and less curved.
his champion and confidante Lacquer Gannet, to aid the
Dragon-Blood in her siege of Frozen Star Parapet. Gannet
Backer: David Bufkin
scaled the Parapet’s glacial fortifications atop Blazerider,
then wielded it as a burning blade against the Children of
the Frozen Star, breaking their infectious dominion.
Attunement: 5m
In the Shogunate, Gannet’s great-granddaughter
Perehun flew atop Blazerider in pursuit of the fabled Speed Bonus: +2
Siramarg That Opens The Way — and though she never
captured the elusive bird-spirit, her battles against the Hearthstone Slot: 1
bandits and raiders who assailed her along her hunt Era: The Frozen Star Incursion
helped pave the way for the Mountainbreaker Legion’s
pacification of the Blue Glass Uplands.
Evocations of Blazerider
When Bagrash Köl’s empire threatened to expand across
When attuning to Blazerider, the wielder awakens
the borders of Grand Cherak, Ferem Cinel was among those
Flying Dragon Fang for free.
Cheraki Dragon-Blooded who rode against the sorcerer-em-
peror in the ill-fated Six Dove Siege, flying Blazerider through
Flying Dragon Fang
the doors that opened to permit the sun and moon to pass
through Köl’s vast towers. Cinel ultimately fell to one of the
Type: Reflexive
incomparable horrors created by the Eye of Autochthon, but
Keywords: None
the lone survivor of the Siege bore it back to House Ferem.
Duration: One scene
Blazerider’s red jade exterior is engraved with ornate ar- Prerequisites: None
abesque designs resembling countless tongues of dancing
163
EX3
The same speed that bears Blazerider’s master through the sky Resonant: A Dragon-Blooded Ferem scion may pay a
also makes the windblade a deadly weapon against her foes. The one-Willpower surcharge to extend this Evocation’s du-
wielder can use it as a heavy artifact Thrown weapon (Damage +14, ration to one hour, increasing her flight speed to seventy
Overwhelming 5) with the Cutting, Lethal, Special, and Thrown miles per hour in addition to the above. Other resonant
(Medium) tags. It returns to the wielder upon being thrown. wielders may gain access to this benefit with a repur-
chase of this Evocation.
If the wielder attacks with Blazerider while flying on it,
she falls one range band downwards before it returns to Searing Afterimage Evasion
her, positioning itself perfectly to catch her. Cost: 3m, 1i (+2m); Mins: Essence 2
Type: Reflexive
Swift Flame-Rider Spirit Keywords: Dissonant, Perilous, Uniform
Cost: —; Mins: Essence 1 Duration: Instant
Type: Permanent Prerequisites: Racing Flame Method
Keywords: None
Duration: Permanent Blazerider’s speed bears its master out of harm’s way,
Prerequisites: Flying Dragon Fang, any one Charm this moving faster than the eye can see. Its wielder adds
Evocation enhances Blazerider’s (Speed Bonus/2, rounded up) to her
Evasion as a non-Charm bonus.
Blazerider and its master burn with the same fire. This
Evocation enhances the following Dragon-Blooded If Racing Flame Method is active, the wielder may pay
Charms as described below: an additional two motes to make a decisive counterat-
tack against an attacker at close range with the flames
• When the wielder uses Bellows-Pumping Stride wreathing Blazerider, using (Dexterity + [Athletics or
(Dragon-Blooded, p. 168) to rush an airborne en- Dodge]) for the attack roll.
emy, she rolls additional dice for her target’s 2s in
addition to his 1s. Dissonant: The wielder can only make the counterat-
tack if she successfully dodges.
•
If she uses Hopping Firecracker Evasion
(Dragon-Blooded, p. 191) to move toward a non- Dragon’s Blazing Wake
trivial opponent, she waives its Initiative cost and Cost: 1i per range band + 5m; Mins: Essence 3
can use it against any attack she dodges, regard- Type: Supplemental
less of how many successes it missed by. Keywords: Decisive-only, Dissonant, Perilous
Duration: Instant
• When she uses Blinding Spark Throw (Dragon- Prerequisites: Racing Flame Method
Blooded, p. 275) to attack with Blazerider, she can
make a damaging decisive attack instead of a gambit, Blazerider ignites a swath of smoldering destruction
blinding her foe as long as she deals 3+ levels of damage. across the battlefield, raining fire down upon its master’s
enemies. To use this Evocation, the wielder must be at least
• She can use Smoke Burst Eruption (Dragon- short range above the ground or a similar surface. She can
Blooded, p. 276) to enhance a move action, leav- use it to enhance either a decisive attack or a move action,
ing a trail of smoke behind her as she flies, and igniting a trail of flames behind Blazerider that descends
can use the Essence 3 repurchase to conceal her- from the sky for five motes, plus one Initiative for each
self in the smoke after completing her movement range band Blazerider moves as part of the supplemented
if she has it. action. This is a one-time environmental hazard with diffi-
culty 4 and Damage (Essence)L. It spans the entire length
Racing Flame Method of Blazerider’s movement, is wide enough to encompass
Cost: 4m; Mins: Essence 2 only a single character, and descends all the way down to
Type: Reflexive the ground, or similar surface. This always includes the
Keywords: Dual, Resonant target of an enhanced attack. Any flammable objects in the
Duration: One scene hazard catch fire and burn until the end of the scene, with
Prerequisites: Flying Dragon Fang the above hazard traits.
Flames stream from Blazerider as it flies, driving it A Dragon-Blood with the Essence 3 repurchase of Bellows-
forward at incredible speed. This Evocation increas- Pumping Stride may use it to enhance this Evocation, pay-
es its Speed Bonus by +1, and the flames that wreathe ing three motes and expending her Fire Aura to increase
Blazerider’s edge grant +1 Overwhelming on withering the hazard’s traits to difficulty 5 and Damage 5L.
attacks and double 10s on decisive damage rolls.
164
EX3
Dissonant: This Evocation can’t enhance attacks be- learned to fear the sight of the warship’s sails, knowing
yond short range, or movement that crosses multiple whose coming they foretold — she who sank the ser-
range bands. pent-fleet of the corsair Malkin Stormtooth; who wrung
truth from the lips of the Demon of Hollow; who cap-
Devastating Fire-Vortex Blitz tured the barque of the renegade sorcerer Orrey before
Cost: 12m, 1wp; Mins: Essence 4 he could flee to the Wyld’s waters.
Type: Simple
Keywords: Decisive-only, Perilous, Resonant After the Usurpation, numerous Shogunate gentes
Duration: Instant claimed Conquering Tide as their own, citing their de-
Prerequisites: Dragon’s Blazing Wake, Searing Afterim- scent from either Wind-on-Cresting-Foam or Zhalk
age Evasion Zhova. It was lost to all of them in the aftermath of
the disastrous Second Campaign against Bluehaven,
Resonant: This Evocation can only be awakened by remaining in Lintha hands for centuries until Peleps
characters resonant with Blazerider. Dafan seized it after a decisive sea-battle.
Wheeling through the sky, Blazerider’s master ignites a Peleps Lai captained Conquering Tide into the heart
deadly tornado of fire. To use this Evocation, she must have of Jill-of-the-Nine-Lives’ living ship to rescue those
Initiative 20+ and be at medium range above the ground or enslaved within. Peleps Lymidia commanded it at the
a similar surface. She flies in a wide circle around a point Battle of Frozen Sails, driving back the forces of the
within short range, whipping up a fiery vortex. This counts Anathema Fever Stone. Peleps Arakari brought judg-
as her move action, although her movement ends where ment to the Avata pirate family, ending their bloody
she began. This environmental hazard extends out to short dominance of the Quiver Coast.
range from the central point on the ground, and out to medi-
um range at short and medium range above that point, and Conquering Tide is a huge triple-masted man-of-war.
it burns until the end of the round. Other than this, the haz- Nigh-imperishable timbers from long-vanished islands
ard is identical to that created by Dragon’s Blazing Wake, comprise the hull, masts, and deck, all of which have been
including the ability to enhance it with Bellows-Pumping lacquered with black jade. These stand in brilliant con-
Stride. The wielder is immune to this hazard. trast to stark white sails laced with orichalcum thread.
When the wielder activates Flying Dragon Fang, she Backer: Matthew Parker
may make decisive attacks against up to (Essence) ene-
mies that fail their roll against the hazard, dividing her
Initiative evenly among each hit enemy to determine
the damage rolled against them, ignoring Hardness. Attunement: 10m
These attacks can be made against enemies at medium Speed: Current +1, empty cargo holds +1, leg-
range or further without aiming. endary sails +8
For each nontrivial enemy incapacitated by this Maneuverability: +2; Hull: −0/−1x3/−2x3/−4/
Evocation — either by the hazard or the wielder’s deci- Incap.
sive attacks — the fire tornado continues to burn for an
additional round. Cargo: Conquering Tide can carry up to 200 crew
in its belowdecks quarters, and has cargo holds
This Evocation resets the wielder’s Initiative once com- capable of carrying several hundred tons.
pleted, even if she didn’t make a successful decisive
attack. Era: Earth-and-Fire Dynasties
This Evocation can only be used once per day. Evocations of Conquering Tide
Conquering Tide’s captain adds one die on Investigation
Conquering Tide rolls and on read intentions rolls that would uncover
deception. While aboard Conquering Tide, she adds a
(Black Jade Warship, Artifact ••••) non-Charm success instead.
The Dragon-Blooded shipwright Zhalk Zhova built
In Search of Justice
Conquering Tide for his lover, the justiciar-prince Wind-
on-Cresting-Foam, instilling it with his beloved’s famed
Type: Permanent
zeal for justice. Pirates, criminals, and corrupt officials
165
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Keywords: Resonant Salt-Water Dragon Spirit

Duration: Permanent Cost: —; Mins: Essence 1
Prerequisite: None Type: Permanent
Keywords: None
Conquering Tide yearns to carry its captain toward Duration: Permanent
those who’ve thwarted justice. When the captain pur- Prerequisite: In Search of Justice, any one Charm this
sues a character whom she believes has committed a Evocation enhances
crime, the ship’s Speed Bonus increases by +1, and adds
(higher of Essence or 3) non-Charm dice on rolls to nav- Conquering Tide’s captain is a legend upon the seas. This
igate marine hazards between her and her quarry. If the Evocation enhances the following Dragon-Blooded
crime she believes was committed opposes one of her Charms as described below:
Intimacies, Conquering Tide’s Speed Bonus increases by
(Intimacy + 1) instead. • When she successfully uses Permeating Insight
(Dragon-Blooded, p. 198), the specialty granted
Special activation rules: A Dragon-Blooded Peleps sci- also applies on Sail rolls against the profiled char-
on awakens this Evocation at no cost upon attuning to acter and to pursue him.
Conquering Tide.
• When she uses Heart-Maze Navigation (Dragon-
Resonant: Once per session, when the captain brings Blooded, p. 198) or Foul Stench of Lies Discernment
a criminal who’s played a significant part in the story (Dragon-Blooded, p. 201) aboard Conquering Tide,
to justice, she gains one Willpower. Additionally, when she waives their Willpower costs.
she sleeps aboard Conquering Tide, it whispers to her in
dreams of foul deeds committed at sea. This information • Dragon Mariner Attitude (Dragon-Blooded, p.
is rarely detailed, but sufficient to provide guidance on 257) extends its duration to Indefinite. She can
where to begin; the Storyteller should use this to provide change between its different effects at no cost as a
plot hooks at whatever frequency best suits the game. miscellaneous action.
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EX3
Darkness-Drowning Whirlpool Special activation rules: This Evocation awakens for

Cost: 3m; Mins: Essence 2 free when a character whom the captain believes has
Type: Reflexive committed a crime that opposes one of her Major or
Keywords: Resonant Defining Intimacies comes aboard Conquering Tide. The
Duration: Instant captain need not be aware of that character’s presence.
Prerequisite: In Search of Justice
Resonant: Using this Evocation resets In Search of
The waters around Conquering Tide churn as the law- Justice’s once-per-session Resonant effect.
less are drawn toward the warship on currents of their
own misdeeds. When a ship makes a roll to outrun Sea Queen’s Judgment
Conquering Tide in a pursuit (Exalted, p. 244) or for a Cost: 5m; Mins: Essence 3
Concealment, Escape, or Positioning naval stratagem, Type: Simple
the captain can inflict a (higher of Essence or 3) penalty Keywords: Dissonant, Psyche, Resonant
on that roll. If the enemy ship carries a character whom Duration: Instant
she believes has committed a crime that opposes one of Prerequisite: Hallowed Court of the Sea
her Intimacies, this subtracts successes instead of dice.
The verdicts passed on the wicked by Conquering Tide’s
If Conquering Tide’s captain is in regular combat aboard captain are as divine writ, a law beyond even those of
Conquering Tide or an enemy ship that she’s boarded Heaven and Hell. To use this Evocation, Hallowed Court
(Exalted, p, 245), this Evocation can impose a −2 pen- of the Sea must be active, and the captain must witness a
alty on a movement action taken by an enemy aboard character truthfully confessing to an act that the captain
that ship, stirring the waters to rock the ship slightly considers a crime. The captain may use this Evocation to
or calling up wind and seaspray to distract him. If she impose a geas on the confessing character, a task that he
believes the penalized foe has committed a crime that must complete to absolve himself of his crime. The diffi-
opposes one of her Intimacies, this subtracts successes culty of the task (Exalted, p. 216) she can command de-
instead of dice. pends on the severity of the transgression: inconvenient
tasks for crimes that oppose one of her Minor Intimacies
Special activation rules: This Evocation awakens at no or no Intimacy at all; serious tasks for crimes that oppose
cost when the captain enters naval combat or a pursuit one of her Major Intimacies; and life-changing tasks for
with Conquering Tide against a ship carrying a character crimes that oppose one of her Defining Intimacies.
whom she believes has committed a crime that opposes
one of her Major or Defining Intimacies, or when she If misunderstanding or some other circumstance causes
Joins Battle against such a character aboard Conquering the captain to believe that the crime was more egregious
Tide or a boarded ship. than it actually was, then the Storyteller should mitigate
the geas to the level of task appropriate for the actual act
Resonant: While in combat aboard Conquering Tide or committed, rather than what the captain believes the act
a boarded ship, this Evocation can penalize attack rolls. entailed, while preserving as much of the intent of the
captain’s player as possible. Likewise, if the geas would
Hallowed Court of the Sea constitute unacceptable influence (Exalted, p. 220), the
Cost: 10m, 1wp; Mins: Essence 3 Storyteller should mitigate it to render it acceptable while
Type: Reflexive retaining as much of the geas’ intention as possible.
Keywords: Mute, Resonant
Duration: One scene The geased character is treated as having a Defining
Prerequisite: Darkness-Drowning Whirlpool Intimacy toward fulfilling the task, which can’t be weak-
ened or altered. He need not spend his every waking hour
Conquering Tide won’t allow the decks where Wind-on- devoted to his geas, but he must make a good faith effort
Cresting-Foam once stood to be sullied by the footsteps toward making progress on it each day. He can spend one
of the guilty. While this Evocation is active, all characters Willpower to suppress this Psyche effect for one scene.
aboard Conquering Tide suffer −1 Guile and a −3 penalty Once he fulfills the geas, this Psyche effect ends.
on all Manipulation-based rolls. However, they add one
automatic success added on all Investigation rolls, rolls This Evocation can only be used once per story, unless
opposing disguise, read intention rolls that would uncov- reset by uncovering evidence of a crime that opposes
er deception, and influence rolls that would cause their one of the captain’s Defining Intimacies.
target to confess to a wrongdoing, and the cost of any ef-
fects enhancing such rolls are reduced by one mote each. Dissonant: Characters dissonant with Conquering Tide
can’t awaken this Evocation.
167
EX3
Resonant: The captain need not have a confession from her Evocations of Fivefold
culprit to use this Evocation as long as she possesses over-
whelmingly convincing evidence of his guilt (potentially in-
Dragons’ Grasp
cluding testimony from other characters). The culprit must The wielder adds +1 Accuracy on withering attacks
still be present on Conquering Tide to be sentenced. If this with Elemental Bolt Attack (Dragon-Blooded, p. 214)
evidence is inaccurate, the captain’s judgment is mitigated to and elemental spells.
a level appropriate to the culprit’s actual conduct, as above.
Elemental Lens Refraction
Cost: —(+1m); Mins: Essence 1
Fivefold Dragons’ Grasp Type: Permanent
(Green Jade Smashfists, Artifact ••••) Keywords: None
Duration: Permanent
Earth nurtures wood. Wood fuels fire. Fire becomes smoke, Prerequisites: Elemental Bolt Attack
diffusing into air. Air condenses, and rains down as water.
Water enriches the earth, beginning the cycle anew. Thus Grasping one element with each of her gauntleted hands,
do the elements of Creation proceed, the foremost among the Dragon-Blood weaves them together into a deadly
the many elemental cycles studied by savants and occultists. display of power. When she uses Elemental Bolt Attack,
Jurul Koba Kiriji forged Fivefold Dragons’ Grasp to further she may pay a one-mote surcharge to enhance it with
his understanding of this cycle, creating them not as a weap- the effects of two of the elemental variants she knows,
on, but a tool to understand and wield elemental Essence. as long as they’re next to each other in the cycle — earth,
then wood, then fire, then air, then water, then earth
This pair of gauntlets is fashioned to resemble a dragon’s again. If she combines variants that deal bashing or lethal
claws, with each finger composed of a different color of jade. damage, she may choose which type of damage is dealt.
Each gauntlet’s palm houses a lens of flawless adamant, a Such uses are aspected toward both elements.
prism through which the five elements become one.
Upon awakening this Evocation, the Dragon-Blood
Kiriji died before his house was cast down and replaced with automatically gains one of Elemental Bolt Attack’s el-
House Ledaal, slain in the Wyld Hunt against the blasphe- emental variations. If she already knows all five, this
mous Eater of Tongues. His daughter, Ledaal Koba Mukar, Evocation’s experience point cost is instead discounted
took up Fivefold Dragons’ Grasp to avenge him, the first of by three experience.
many deeds in her career as a storied monster slayer. In some
generations, the gauntlets have been inherited by a sorcerer Walking in the Dragons’ Footsteps
or savant — Ledaal Vuyen used them to unravel the elemen- Cost: 2m; Mins: Essence 1
tal enigma-vaults of the Court of Dark Skies’ spirit prince, Type: Reflexive
while Ledaal Pakayu, the Winter Flame, averted a potential Keywords: None
schism within the Immaculate Order by drawing on her Duration: Instant
insights into the cycle to pen the Sutra of Reconciliation. Prerequisites: Any ten Charms of one element
In others, their masters have been warriors devoted to the
Great House’s Shadow Crusade — Ledaal Remanis, who The cycle of elements moves through all things, within
burned the Voice Serpent to death from within; the out- and without. When a Dragon-Blooded wielder would
caste-born Ledaal Empty Chamber, scourge of the fae Court enter an Elemental Aura, she may pay two motes to
of Formless Dancers; and Ledaal Kebok Adenu, who slew instead enter the Aura of the next element in the cycle
the Anathema Helltusk while besieging Garianghis. — e.g., when she would enter Air Aura, she may instead
enter Water Aura. This doesn’t let her avoid the re-
Backer: Richard Javier Stephenson striction on her Aura while at bonfire anima (Dragon-
Blooded, p. 162).
A Dragon-Blood who’s awakened Ascendant Omphalos

Attunement: 5m; Type: Light (+5 ACC; +10 Avatar waives this Evocation’s mote cost.
DMG; +0 DEF; 3 OWV)
Inverted Cycle Attainment
Tags: Bashing, Brawl, Grappling, Smashing,
Worn
Type: Permanent
Heartstone Slot(s): 2 Keywords: None
Duration: Permanent
Era: Reign of the Scarlet Empress Prerequisites: Walking in the Dragons’ Footsteps
168
EX3
The wielder can use Walking in the Dragon’s Footsteps (Dragon-Blooded, p. 163) to all Charms of the next ele-
to enter the Aura of the previous element in the cycle — ment in the cycle that she uses in one instant.
e.g., entering Fire Aura instead of Air Aura.
Ledaal scions who’ve repurchased Walking in the
Special activation rules: Dragon-Blooded Ledaal sci- Dragons’ Footsteps can instead grant Balanced to
ons may awaken this Evocation at no experience point Charms of the previous element in the cycle (but not
cost. both at once).
Radiant Dragon Mandala Ascendant Omphalos Avatar

Cost: —; Mins: Essence 2 Cost: 1wp; Mins: Essence 3
Type: Permanent Type: Reflexive
Keywords: None Keywords: None
Duration: Permanent Duration: One scene
Prerequisites: Elemental Lens Refraction, Mantle of El- Prerequisites: All-Under-Heaven Unity
emental Power
Bringing the cycle to its completion within her soul,
The Dragon-Blood beckons forth blazing mandalas of the Dragon-Blood embodies its totality. To use this
five-colored light, wreathing Fivefold Dragons’ Grasp Evocation, the Dragon-Blood must progress through
with mystical diagrams of the cycle that empowers it. three Elemental Auras in the order of the cycle within
She waives Mantle of Elemental Power’s (p. XX) anima one scene (wielders who’ve awakened Inverse Cycle
cost, and enhances all of Elemental Bolt Attack’s ele- Attainment may instead use it by progressing through
mental variations. She chooses which element it counts three Auras in reverse order). Leaving Aura doesn’t in-
as when she activates it. terrupt her progress, but if she enters an Aura that’s not
next in the cycle, she must begin anew. She gains the
Five-Dragon Harmony following benefits:
Type: Permanent • While she’s in an Elemental Aura, she also counts
Keywords: None as being in the Aura of the next element in the
Duration: Permanent cycle. Wielders who’ve awakened Inverse Cycle
Prerequisites: Walking in the Dragon’s Footsteps Attainment may instead extend this to the pre-
vious element in the cycle when they enter Aura
Recognizing her place in the elemental cycle, the (but not both).
Dragon-Blood gains deeper insights into what she
might become. Being at bonfire anima doesn’t prevent • Bonfire anima doesn’t prevent her from entering
the Dragon-Blood from remaining in the Aura of the any element’s Aura. Each time she enters an Aura,
element that follows her Aspect in the cycle. she may automatically flare to bonfire.
Ledaal scions who’ve repurchased Walking in the • When she expends her Aura as part of a Charm’s
Dragons’ Footsteps extend this benefit to the element cost, she adds a free full Excellency.
preceding their Aspect in the cycle.
• She adds (Essence) dice of post-soak damage to
All-Under-Heaven Unity withering attacks with Elemental Bolt Attack
Cost: —(+1wp); Mins: Essence 3 and elemental spells, and (Essence) dice of dam-
Type: Permanent age to decisive attacks with the same.
Keywords: None
Duration: Permanent •
She can waive All-Under Heaven Unity’s
Prerequisites: Five-Dragon Harmony Willpower surcharge once per round.
Even antithetical forces are reconciled in enlightened Special activation rules: This Evocation awakens for
hands, their opposition resolved in synthesis. While in free when the Dragon-Blood progresses through three
Aura, a Dragon-Blooded wielder may pay a one-Will- Auras in order (or reverse order, with Inverse Cycle
power surcharge to grant the Balanced keyword Attainment) while fighting against at least one nontriv-
ial enemy, and can be used immediately.
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EX3
Glacial Mantle Frozen Aegis

(Blue Jade Articulated Plate, Type: Reflexive
Artifact ••••) Keywords: Perilous, Resonant
Duration: Instant
It was the Anathema Wilting Taiga who forged Glacial Prerequisite: None
Mantle amid the mountain fastness of the Three
Diamonds, but the armor’s boreal power couldn’t tem- The inexorable cold that radiates from Glacial Mantle
per the young Solar’s impetuous Essence fever. While numbs those who stand against its master, leaving their
his early raids proved fruitful, the caught the attention weapons rimed with ice. After an enemy hits the wearer
of the Lookhsyan ranger Maheka Katsuro. Far from with an attack from close range, she can use this Evocation
home, Katsuro turned to a nearby satrapy for aid, join- to unleash a wave of numbing cold against him, causing him
ing forces with a Sworn Kinship of Dynasts to prosecute to lose one Initiative (which she doesn’t gain). Against deci-
a Wyld Hunt against Wilting Taiga. They ultimately sive attacks, this Initiative is taken before calculating dam-
slew the Anathema, but not before Taiga killed Katsuro, age, not from the attacker’s base Initiative after resetting.
impaling him on a spike of ice.
This Evocation can also be used while grappling or being
Iselsi Ofava, Peleps Tarik, and Akiyo Valen all coveted grappled by a character at close range. The wearer may
the Anathema’s puissant armor, but when Tepet Rekal use it once on each of her turns to drain one Initiative
declared that she would go on a pilgrimage to the River from the opposing character (which she doesn’t gain).
Province to bring Glacial Mantle to the honorable
Dragon-Blood’s family, none of her Hearth could dis- Resonant: The wielder gains the lost Initiative.
agree with her. Even today, Lookshyans allude to the
story of the four Dynasts’ journey as a reminder that the Unleashing Winter’s Heart
Realm’s Dragons can at times be worthy allies. Cost: 3m; Mins: Essence 1
Type: Simple
Glacial Mantle is a suit of articulated plate forged from Keywords: Resonant
blue jade, and inlaid with black jade mined from an Duration: Instant
underground river and unmelting ice from the North’s Prerequisite: Frozen Aegis
far reaches. When attuned, a cape of frost crystallizes
across the wearer’s back, displaying the mons of the Slamming a mailed fist into the ground, Glacial Mantle’s
wearer’s gens or some other personal symbol. master unleashes a wave of freezing Essence to sculpt
the battlefield to her will. She rolls (Intelligence + War)
Backer: Seth Landry to freeze the battlefield with one of the following ef-
fects, at the listed difficulty.
• Ice Platform (Difficulty 1): The wearer freezes

Attunement: 6m the surface of a body of water to create a platform
Type: Heavy (Soak +11, Hardness 10, Mobility of ice within close range that’s capable of bearing
Penalty −2) her weight.
Tags: None • Ice Slick (Difficulty 3): The wearer rimes over a
surface within close range of her, creating a patch
Hearthstone slot(s): 2 of difficult terrain (Exalted, p. 199) large enough
to encompass a single character. If she uses this
Era: Mercury Era of the 8th Epoch of the Drag-
Evocation to create an ice slick directly beneath
on-Blooded Shogunate
an enemy, the roll’s difficulty is (higher of his
Evasion or 3).
Evocations of Glacial Mantle
• Ramp/Bridge (Difficulty 4): The wearer creates a
Glacial Mantle’s wearer is immune to mundane envi- bridge or ramp of ice within close range, providing
ronmental hazards based on cold, and adds (Essence) unobstructed passage over pits, difficult terrain,
non-Charm dice on rolls against magical hazards based and the like. The bridge or ramp is only a single
on cold. Glacial Mantle gains +(Essence) soak and +1 range band long. There must be a significant source
Hardness against cold-based attacks. of water she can draw from to create it, such as a
barrel or stream. An enemy can destroy it with a
170
EX3
difficulty 4 gambit against its Parry of (higher of An eerie chill falls over the battlefield as Glacial
wearer’s Essence or 3). The gambit’s difficulty is Mantle’s wielder advances to the frontlines. She exudes
reduced to 2 if performed with a fire-based attack. supernatural cold out to short range, an environmen-
tal hazard with difficulty (higher of wearer’s Essence
• Wall (Difficulty 4): The wearer creates a barrier or 3) and Damage 1B/round. Allied battle groups that
of ice within close range, capable of providing benefit from Tundra-Conquering Strategos are immune
light cover (Exalted, p. 198-199). If there is a to this hazard. If this depletes an enemy battle group’s
significant source of water, such as a barrel or Magnitude, the rout check is made at +1 difficulty.
stream, this provides heavy cover instead. An
enemy can destroy this barrier with a difficulty Additionally, while this Evocation is active, when the
4 gambit against its Parry of (higher of wearer’s wearer uses Frozen Aegis against an attack, she can
Essence or 3). The gambit’s difficulty is reduced make an unblockable decisive attack with sheer cold,
to 2 if performed with a fire-based attack. rolling (Intelligence + War). Success inflicts one die of
bashing damage, ignoring Hardness. This doesn’t reset
If the wearer is fighting under a stratagem enacted with the wearer to base Initiative.
Winter Brings Death, she adds an automatic success on
rolls to use this Evocation, and her ice constructs can’t If the wearer is fighting under a stratagem enacted with
be destroyed with gambits. Winter Brings Death, the damage inflicted by both the
environmental hazard and counterattacks increases to
Special activation rules: A Dragon-Blooded Maheka (Essence) dice.
scion awakens this Evocation for free upon meeting its
prerequisites. Resonant: The wearer’s allies are immune to this
hazard.
Resonant: This Evocation can be placed in a flurry.
Glacier Bulwark Fortification
Tundra-Conquering Strategos Cost: 5m, 1wp; Mins: Essence 2
Cost: 5m (+1m per additional battle group); Mins: Essence 1 Type: Simple
Type: Reflexive Keywords: Dissonant, Perilous, Resonant
Keywords: None Duration: One scene
Duration: One scene Prerequisite: Harvest-Killing Frost
Prerequisite: None
Dense layers of ice freeze over Glacial Mantle, rein-
Glacial Mantle’s master and her armies are undaunt- forcing the armor with impervious strength. She gains
ed by even the harshest winter, marching implacably (Essence) temporary −0 health levels. These temporary
through snow and ice. The wearer isn’t affected by diffi- levels are the first to be filled when she’s damaged, and
cult terrain or other movement penalties due to snowy vanish when damaged. Additionally, each temporary
or icy terrain. She can also extend this Evocation’s ben- health level remaining grants Glacial Mantle +1 soak.
efit as well as the attunement benefit of Glacial Mantle Fire-based attacks ignore this bonus soak.
to battle groups within long range. She can enhance one
battle group this way at no additional cost; each addi- The wearer can use this Evocation reflexively, waiving
tional battle group requires an additional mote. its Willpower cost, when she activates Harvest-Killing
Frost.
If the wearer is fighting under a stratagem enacted with
Winter Brings Death, this Evocation’s cost is waived. This Evocation can only be used once per scene.
Special activation rules: This Evocation awakens at Dissonant: This Evocation can’t be awakened by char-
no cost when the wearer successfully enacts a Strategic acters dissonant with Glacial Mantle.
Placement stratagem (Exalted, p, 212) to force a fight to
take place on icy or snowy terrain. Resonant: For every two temporary health levels re-
maining, Glacial Mantle gains +1 Hardness. Fire-based
Harvest-Killing Frost attacks ignore this Hardness bonus.
Type: Simple Winter Brings Death
Keywords: Perilous, Resonant Cost: 10m, 1wp; Mins: Essence 3
Duration: One scene Type: Simple
Prerequisite: Unleashing Winter’s Heart Keywords: Dissonant
171
EX3
Duration: Until stratagem is completed

Prerequisite: Harvest-Killing Frost, Tundra-Conquer-
The Revelation Sphere
ing Strategos (Blue Jade Puzzle, Artifact ••••)
An icy wind heralds the arrival of Glacial Mantle’s master Amilar Mia awoke in the frozen North, a sphere of
and her army, plunging the battlefield into an unseason- dreams clutched in her fist. She knew not how she’d
able winter. This Evocation creates a unique magical found it, had no memory of her journeys over the last
stratagem with threshold 3. If successful, upon Joining months, but she could feel the power slumbering with-
Battle, heavy snowfall, sleet, or hail descends upon the in the fist-sized orb of rune-etched jade, banded with
battlefield, inflicting a −2 environmental penalty on en- orichalcum rings. Though seemingly solid, an attuned
emies’ ranged attacks, movement actions, and vision- or wielder can twist and manipulate segments of the
hearing-dependent Awareness rolls. Additionally, the sphere like a puzzle-box, manipulating it into various
intense cold increases any withering damage dealt by configurations of uncertain purpose.
allied battle groups by one point. This damage bonus
It’s since been passed down through the generations,
doesn’t apply against characters immune to environmen-
along with the study of its ancient origins, whether
tal penalties.
researched in the ruins of Shogunate archives or trans-
Dissonant: This Evocation’s penalties only apply lated from archaic runes that occasionally drift to the
against enemy battle groups. puzzle-sphere’s surface. Amilar Borulan speaks of how
the Widow Daimyo, in her folly, created it to seek out
Mela’s Frozen Legion the tombs of the Anathema and despoil their trea-
Cost: 10m, 1wp; Mins: Essence 3 sure-laden graves; his great-niece Veja calls him a fool,
Type: Simple and insists the ancient Dragon-Blooded hero Ophalon
Keywords: Dissonant, Resonant ra-Vamaja plucked it from the eye socket of a titanic
Duration: One scene sorcerer-behemoth.
Prerequisite: Glacier Bulwark Fortification, Winter
Whatever the Revelation Sphere’s true origins, it’s a pow-
Brings Death
erful relic in the hands of those seeking after the truth,
lending supernal percipience and a clarity as cold as the
Glacial Mantle’s master blesses her soldiers with bo-
land in which it was found. Sorcerers can tap its poten-
real might, encasing their weapons and armor in ice as
tial to fuel scrying and divinations. Amilar Nefa made
strong as jade. She grants an allied battle group within
her fortune locating jade mines with its power; Amilar
medium range the following benefits:
Kopal cast open a window in time to find the lost panoply
• They gain Might 1. of the Scarecrow Prince, scattered across the Scavenger
Lands. Those who’ve truly bonded with the sphere begin
• Their attacks gain +1 Accuracy and Overwhelming 5. to dream of icy labyrinths, feeling a subtle call toward
the North and the ends of the earth beyond it. Loyalty
• They gain +1 Parry. Fire-based attacks ignore this to the Seventh Legion and the watchful eyes of their kin
bonus. have thus far ensured no Amilar has deserted Lookshy in
search of this maze, but perhaps someday…
• They gain +2 armored soak and Hardness (her
Intelligence + War). Fire-based attacks ignore Backer: Alex Godofsky
this soak bonus and Hardness.
If the wearer is fighting under a stratagem enacted with

Winter Brings Death, she can use this Evocation reflex- Attunement: 2m
ively upon winning Join Battle.
Era: Disputed
Dissonant: This Evocation can’t be awakened by char-
acters dissonant with Glacial Mantle. Evocations of the Revelation Sphere
Resonant: The enhanced battle group gains Might 2. The Revelation Sphere is exceptional equipment
(Exalted, p. 580) for rolls to navigate to a manse, de-
mesne, or similar place of power; rolls to track a character
bearing an artifact, hearthstone, or similar magical object
the wielder knows of; and Investigation rolls to find hid-
den artifacts, concealed entrances to manses or similar
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places of power, and the like. If an enhanced roll upholds • Any roll (or her Resolve) to see through illusions.
a Major or Defining Principle, the wielder doubles 9s.
• Any roll to endure cold temperatures or cold-
A Dream of Ancient Ice based magic.
Type: Simple This Evocation can only be used once per day.
Keywords: Resonant
Duration: One day Special activation rules: This Evocation awakens for
Prerequisites: None free when a Dragon-Blooded Amilar scion attunes to
the Revelation Sphere.
Holding the Revelation Sphere to her chest as she sleeps,
the wielder dreams of an otherworldly maze of ice, chas- Resonant: The wielder may spend banked successes
ing her unknown goal through its gelid passageways. She in place of motes when paying the costs of Instant-
rolls (Perception + [Integrity, Lore, or Occult]) and banks duration Charms enhancing the above rolls. Successes
her successes. She can add up to (Essence) of these suc- spent this way don’t count toward the limit that can be
cesses on any of the following rolls: added on the roll.
• Any roll enhanced by the Revelation Sphere’s Horizons Beyond Horizons

equipment bonus. Cost: 3m; Mins: Essence 1
Type: Supplemental
• Introduce fact rolls. Keywords: None
Duration: Instant
• Shape Sorcery rolls. Prerequisites: A Dream of Ancient Ice
• Any spell effect roll made as part of casting a spell Visions, waking dreams, and hidden portents reveal
that enhances the sorcerer’s senses, scries on dis- Creation’s secrets to the Revelation Sphere’s master. She
tant things, or divines the past or future. can make an introduce fact roll regarding the existence
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or details of a manse, demesne, spirit sanctum, shad- At the Labyrinth’s Frozen Heart
owland, Wyld zone, deposit of magical materials, or Cost: 10m; Mins: Essence 3
similar place of power without needing an applicable Type: Reflexive
Lore background. Any successes added on the roll with Keywords: Resonant
A Dream of Ancient Ice are non-Charm. If she has an Duration: One scene
applicable Lore background, a successful roll grants her Prerequisites: Terrestrial Circle Sorcery, Unyielding Ob-
one Willpower. session Aegis
This Evocation can only be used once per story, unless Resonant: Only characters resonant with the Revelation
reset by successfully navigating to the introduced loca- Sphere can awaken this Evocation.
tion and achieving one of the wielder or her allies’ goals.
As the wielder deftly twists the Revelation Sphere to
Dreaming Dragon’s Eye solve its puzzle, the orichalcum bands locked around
Cost: —; Mins: Essence 2 it slide and retract, their bindings no longer fettering
Type: Permanent the dreaming power that lies within. The runes etched
Keywords: None on its surface drift into the air as shimmering patterns
Duration: Permanent of azure light, surrounding her with ancient words of
Prerequisites: Fivefold Resonance Sense power. She gains the following benefits:
Manipulating the Revelation Sphere’s puzzle-mech- • Any successes she adds on Shape Sorcery rolls or
anisms as she meditates, the Dragon-Blood’s con- spell effect rolls with A Dream of Ancient Ice are
sciousness sinks into deeper contemplation. She non-Charm.
reduces the cost of Fivefold Resonance Sense
(Dragon-Blooded, p. 231) by two motes, and applies • When she casts a spell enhanced by A Dream
its bonus on Awareness, Investigation, Occult, or of Ancient Ice, its Willpower cost is reduced by
Survival rolls to detect any artifact or place or power. one. This applies regardless of whether she en-
On rolls to detect jade artifacts, elemental demesnes hanced a Shape Sorcery roll or a spell effect roll,
or manses, or places of power otherwise linked to or whether she added successes or spent them in
elemental Essence, any successes she adds with A place of motes.
Dream of Ancient Ice are non-Charm.
• At the end of each of her turns, if she succeeded
Special activation rules: This Evocation awakens for on a Shape Sorcery roll or cast a spell, she gains
free when a Dragon-Blooded Amilar scion attunes to one Initiative.
the Revelation Sphere.
• She doubles 9s on spell effect rolls for spells that
Unyielding Obsession Aegis enhance her senses, scry on distant things, or di-
Cost: 4m; Mins: Essence 3 vine the past or future.
Type: Reflexive
Keywords: Resonant • While shaping a spell, the runes grant Hardness
Duration: Instant (Perception + [Integrity, Lore, or Occult]).
Prerequisites: Horizons Beyond Horizons
A Dragon-Blooded Amilar scion who’s awakened this
Having glimpsed the promise of the unknown, the seek- Evocation can use the Revelation Sphere as a Means for
er won’t abandon her quest no matter how much it may sorcerous workings that involves enhancing her senses,
cost her. She adds (Perception) non-Charm Resolve scrying, or revealing the past or future, adding +2 termi-
against an influence roll that would cause her to cease nus. Other wielders may gain access to this benefit with
seeking out an artifact or place of power or instill her a repurchase of this Evocation.
with any Intimacy that opposes such a pursuit.
This Evocation can only be used once per story, unless

Gunzosha Armor
reset by upholding a Defining Intimacy by successfully (Artifact §••• to §•••••)
navigating to a place of power or obtaining an artifact.
Ancient wonders of the First Age, gunzosha armor are
Resonant: The wielder treats the influence as unac- more akin to Essence-powered armored exoskeletons than
ceptable (Exalted, p. 220). the artifact armors donned by the Second Age’s Exalted.
They’re puissant relics in the hands of the Chosen, but can
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also be attuned by mortals, allowing the First Age’s war- armor takes from its wearers, the General Staff’s current pol-
lords to field entire armies of gunzosha. But this power icy sets a ten-year maximum term of service, after which the
carries a high price. Before a mortal can attune to gunzo- gunzosha’s amulets are surgically removed. Gunzosha and
sha armor, she must have jade amulets surgically implant- former gunzosha hold considerable prestige in Lookshyan
ed across her body, allowing her to control the armor and culture; their sacrifice exemplifies the Immaculate Faith’s
draining her Essence to power it. As long as the amulets Pillar of Conviction. The Seventh Legion’s Dragon-Blooded
remain implanted, the rate at which she ages is doubled. may not consider the gunzosha their equals, but few are
without a healthy respect for them.
Lookshy’s arsenal boasts dozens of suits of gunzosha armor,
more than any other single power in Creation. Seventh Gunzosha armor is heavy and ornate, made up of bulky,
Legion military doctrine deploys gunzosha as elite troops overlapping plates that cover the wearer’s entire body. These
reinforcing the field forces, attaching a fang of five gunzosha plates are inlaid with flowing script spelling out prayers for
to a dragon, while also occasionally fielding smaller gun- victory in battle and protection. The underside of each plate
zosha detachments to support Dragon-Blooded officers. is covered with fine capillaries that act as an extension of the
However, Lookshy’s store of gunzosha armor is too small to wearer’s musculature and route Essence from her implant-
allow every field force to have a full gunzosha complement; ed amulets to the armor — wonders beyond the Second
the Stores Directorate and the Directorate of the Adjutant- Age’s artificers. Most of the gunzosha armors in Lookshy’s
General coordinate unit allocation. The Stores Directorate arsenal are primarily constructed from jade, but suits forged
is keenly aware of gunzosha armor’s irreplaceability and is from other magical materials still exist today.
loath to deploy gunzosha in circumstances where a fallen
warrior’s armor might not be retrievable. Gunzosha armor is heavy artifact armor (Exalted, p.
599). Mortals must pay five Willpower to attune to it,
Lookshyan gunzosha candidates are selected from the field in place of committing motes. All of them share the
forces by the Directorate of the Adjutant-General, though universal gunzosha Evocations below, depicting the
service has not been compulsory outside of some of the wearer’s proficiency with the armor’s integrated mech-
darkest times in Lookshyan history. Given the severe toll the anisms, but each is still a unique and storied treasure,
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BECOMING A GUNZOSHA GUNZOSHA AND RESONANCE
Creating the jade amulets necessary for a mortal For artifacts such as gunzosha armor that allow
to attune to gunzosha armor is a major project mortals to attune them, mortal wielders are con-
(Exalted
Exalted,, p. 240) that requires Craft (Artifact). Sur- sidered dissonant regardless of the materials the
gically implanting them is a difficulty 3 (Intelligence artifact is made from.
+ Medicine) roll that inflicts a level of unprevent-
able lethal damage.
Infinitesimal fibers of the magical materials are woven
throughout the gunzosha armor, reinforcing it against
with unique Evocations reflecting its specific legend. attack when charged with Essence. After a damage roll
Like any other artifact armor, its rating can range from against the wearer, she can use this Evocation to subtract
three dots to the fabled Artifact N/As, determining the a number of successes up to the 1s on the damage roll,
power and number of that armor’s unique Evocations. paying one mote or Initiative per success subtracted.
Mobility Augmentation System

Gunzosha Evocations Cost: 3m or 3i; Mins: Essence 1
The following Evocations are possessed by all gunzosha Type: Supplemental
armor. Keywords: None
Duration: Instant
Integrated Essence Musculature Prerequisites: None
Cost: 3m or 3i; Mins: Essence 1
Type: Supplemental Gunzosha armor propels its wearer’s every movement,
Keywords: Withering-only allowing her to keep pace with the fastest of rival de-
Duration: Instant spite her armor’s weight. She adds an automatic success
Prerequisites: None and ignores the armor’s mobility penalty on a rush, dis-
engage, contested roll in a race, or a roll to accomplish a
Gunzosha armor amplifies the strength of its wearer, challenging climb, jump, or the like.
giving her the strength of ten. She adds (Strength) dice
on a Strength-based roll, or (Strength) to the raw dam- Sensory Augmentation Visor
age of a withering attack. If she uses this Evocation to Cost: 4m or 4i; Mins: Essence 1
enhance a feat of strength, she adds +1 to her effective Type: Supplemental
Strength to determine what feats she can attempt. Keywords: Uniform
Duration: Instant
Internal Life-Support Systems Prerequisites: None
Cost: 1wp; Mins: Essence 1
Type: Simple The gunzosha armor’s visor provides drastically en-
Keywords: None hanced vision and integrated targeting systems. She ig-
Duration: One day nores one point of penalty from visual obstruction, such
Prerequisites: None as darkness or fog, on an action. If she enhances an at-
tack roll or Awareness roll, she also adds two successes.
Automated systems within gunzosha armor monitor the
wearer’s health, deploying the armor’s integrated medi-
cal equipment as needed. The wearer adds an automatic Seralawi,
success on rolls against poison and disease, triples the
rate at which she heals damage naturally, and triples her
the Earth’s Beating Heart
effective Stamina for determining how long she can go (White Jade Gunzosha Armor,
without food, water, and air (Exalted, p. 232). Artifact §••••)
Kinetic Armor Reinforcement A suit of alabaster-white gunzosha armor distinguished
Cost: 1m or 1i per success; Mins: Essence 1 by a single gauntlet of red jade and orichalcum, Seralawi
Type: Reflexive was not among the Seventh Legion’s initial arsenal
Keywords: Perilous, Uniform when it encamped at Deheleshen. Instead, it was the
Duration: Instant scavenger prince Geshel Reave who discovered it in
Prerequisites: None the Tomb of Ten Thousand. The fragmentary First Age
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texts he recovered along with it showed how to create hits the wearer, she may activate this Evocation to add
and implant the attunement amulets but contained no (Willpower/2, rounded up) armored soak. If this re-
mention of the toll gunzosha armor took on its wearer. duces the attack to its minimum damage, she gains one
Geshel entered old age a decade too early, believing his Initiative.
unnatural aging to be some curse left upon the Tomb.
If the wearer uses Kinetic Armor Reinforcement after
Geshel sought the counsel of many savants to free him this Evocation, she can penalize the damage roll for its
of this curse, but it was not until he met Amilar Hakala 2s as well as its 1s.
of Valkhawsen Academy that he learned the truth.
Crushed by this revelation, Geshel offered the armor to An Essence 2 repurchase of this Evocation extends its
Hakala in exchange for a sorcerous working that would duration to last until the wearer’s next turn.
restore the semblance of his youth, if not his lifespan.
Unfaltering Sentinel Attitude
Seralawi’s design is configured for defense, and the Cost: 5m or 1wp; Mins: Essence 1
Seventh Legion deploys it to take maximum advantage Type: Reflexive
of its Evocations. Anado Kurun held her dragon’s line Keywords: Dual
against the Tungapi horse archers after their arrows Duration: One scene
slew the dragon’s kazei. Spindrift Unaki rode with Karal Prerequisites: Kinetic Armor Reinforcement
Nevak in the Wyld Hunt against the Hellion Flower and
saved the Dragon-Blood’s life from the Fair Folk’s lash of Seralawi’s master stands like a mountain between her
tears. Mizura the Hammer held the Jaguar Pass against ward and all enemies. She can flurry a full defense
Lin the Betrayer’s army with but a dozen soldiers. with a defend other action, ignoring flurry penalties.
Additionally, her ward gains +2 armored soak and
Hardness 4 against attacks that bypass her Parry.
Attunement: 6m Earth’s Heart Awakens

Cost: 5m or 1wp; Mins: Essence 1
Type: Heavy (Soak +11, Hardness 10, Mobility Type: Reflexive
Penalty −2) Keywords: Resonant
Tags: None Duration: One scene
Prerequisites: Iron Will Aegis, Unfaltering Sentinel At-
Hearthstone slot(s): 1 titude
Era: Dreams of the First Age Seralawi recalls countless battles, empowering its
master to take her place in the armor’s legend. To use
this Evocation, the wearer must be hit by a withering
Evocations of Seralawi, or decisive attack from a nontrivial opponent without
the Earth’s Beating Heart taking any damage. She rolls Join Battle with (Stamina
Seralawi’s wearer lowers the Initiative cost of full de- + Resistance). Each 10 on the roll increases Serawali’s
fense actions by one point. soak by +1 for the scene.
Iron Will Aegis This Evocation can only be used once per scene.
Cost: 5m or 1wp; Mins: Essence 1 Special activation rules: This Evocation awakens at no
Type: Reflexive cost when the wearer is hit by a withering or decisive
Keywords: Withering-only attack from a nontrivial opponent without taking any
Duration: Instant damage.
Prerequisites: Kinetic Armor Reinforcement
Resonant: The wielder can use this Evocation when
Serawali draws from its master’s will, becoming as
her soak reduces a nontrivial opponent’s withering at-
unbreakable as her spirit. After a withering attack roll
tack to minimum damage.
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Righteous River sat on the veranda, watching the ships on Arjuf’s harbor. No clouds marred the blue sky. A
gentle sea breeze stirred the air. It was a perfectly lovely day, and Ledaal Kebok Coren spoke about shadows.
Coren was young yet, fresh from the House of Bells. She’d spent the morning peppering River with questions
about the Wyld Hunts the former Immaculate had participated in, focusing on one Hunt in particular. Coren
cared most about the Anathemas’ strategies: How had they wiped out all but three of the shikari? What
had River, Swift, and Eshuvar done that let them survive? How did her trio, joined by Chalima and Mathar,
track them down? What was it like to kill one? What was it like to drag the other back to the Imperial City in
orichalcum chains?
River couldn’t help but feel a twinge of bitterness as she told the story. Once, she’d been lauded in Dynastic
circles. She’d never cared for the glory, but she’d commanded the respect of her peers, of her house. Yet
today, she was an embarrassment, a scion of House Ledaal who’d chosen love over obedience. The house
tolerated River for her past successes, but had quietly stripped away much of her clout as an example to its
younger Dynasts.
Still, she had some few friends within the family, and Coren was one of them. The young woman believed
wholeheartedly in carrying out the Shadow Crusade’s mission. River couldn’t publicly mentor her, but she
could help here, from the shadows, as it were.
“You’ll need to keep an eye on Ragara’s movements,” River said.
Coren frowned. “I’ve heard whispers about the house’s darker side, but little more. Tell me.”
In this, River could help. She’d known magistrate Ledaal Isolde since childhood, before Isolde left for the
Spiral Academy and River shipped off to the Cloister of Wisdom. Isolde paid little mind to how much of the
house shunned River, and often came by to drink tea and discuss her investigations into Ragara’s unusual
activities.
“They’re moving money to fund expeditions to First Age ruins, then hiding the results. Or they say they found
nothing of value, yet our informants mention wagons under heavy Ragara guard leaving the sites. They’re
stockpiling relics, things the Empress kept stored away for good reason.”
A cloud passed over the sun. “To what purpose?” Coren asked, though her scowl said she knew.
“We think they’re dabbling in dangerous sorceries. Might be making deals with fiends that will grant them
power.”
“But that’s ... that’s what happened with House Jurul.”
“Ragara’s nothing if not arrogant. They think they can avoid our ancestors’ mistakes. But power is seductive. If
it goes wrong for them, when it does, you need to be ready.”
The pleasant afternoon was gone now. The sea breeze carried a chill to it, and thunderheads piled up in the
steel-gray sky. Thunder rolled in the distance, and River realized Coren was growling right along with it. “And
they have their hands on the Realm’s purse strings, so no one can stop them without risking retribution.”
“Not without unquestionable proof. Until then, it’s our duty to make sure they don’t destroy the defenses and
let in all the horrors their mechanisms hold at bay.”
It grew dark as dusk. Fear swept across Coren’s features. River let her imagine it: the Fair Folk swarming
across Creation unchecked once more, and no Empress in place to stop them. But, ah, there came the young
woman’s storied temper. Terror lapsed into fury on Coren’s features, and the thunder rolled. “Thank you for
your hospitality, cousin,” she said, setting her teacup down. “It seems we have work to do.”
River remained on the veranda as Coren departed. She called for more tea and waited for the skies to open.
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Chapter Eight
Blood of the Dragons

Cathak Setod
For more than two centuries, Cathak Setod faithfully served of growing threats from the mighty Solar Anathema.
the Realm. Chosen of Pasiap and freshly graduated from the At some level, Setod hopes that those rumors are true.
House of Bells, he went forth as a newly minted officer of What better way to wash the stain of murdering the
the Legions to bring the Empress’ peace and order to the helpless from his soul than to die in glorious battle,
lawless and unruly Threshold. Afire with the idealism of defending the innocent against a monster of legend?
callow youth, he believed his path a righteous one.
Backers: Joakim Aske and Lars-Henrik Evjan
He was a fool.
Aspect: Earth
It didn’t take two centuries for Cathak Setod to con- Essence: 4; Willpower: 8; Join Battle: 10 dice (+4
clude that the Empress he had sworn to faithfully serve for 4m)
was a grasping tyrant whose rule was not one of peace
Personal Essence: 15; Peripheral Essence: 28
and justice but fear, cruelty, and avarice. The Bloodied
Scythe Uprising and its equally bloody aftermath de- Health Levels: −0/−1x7/−2x7/−4/Incap.
stroyed the last of his faith in the Realm’s moral recti- Actions: Command: 9 dice (+4 for 4m); Feats of
tude. From that moment, despite his lauded position Strength: 11 dice (+6 for 6m, may attempt Strength 5
as a general of the legions and a hero of the Realm, the feats); Investigation: 8 dice (+4 for 4m); Medicine: 7
trajectory of his life arced downward. dice (+4 for 4m); Mysticism: 7 dice (+4 for 4m); Read
Intentions: 5 dice (+2 for 2m); Resist Poison/Disease:
His enemies counted it a victory when he resigned his 10 dice (+4 for 4m); Senses: 7 dice (+4 for 4m); Social
commission in favor of a position with the Breath of Influence: 7 dice (+4 for 4m); Strategy: 8 dice (+4 for
Mela, the Immaculate Order’s administrative wing for 4m), Tracking: 8 dice (+4 for 4m).
military training and defense. There, among devotees of Appearance 2, Resolve 5 (+2 for 4m), Guile 3 (+1 for
the Immaculate Philosophy, he found something of the 2m)
man he’d once been, a hint of the righteousness he had COMBAT
once believed in so fiercely. He found it in the care and Attack (Unarmed): 13 dice (+6 for 6m, Damage 12B)
teaching of a girl less than half his age.
Attack (Hundredweight, white jade goremaul):
Peleps Najah had herself looked upon the worst that the 12 dice (+6 for 6m, Damage 17B/4)
Realm had to offer and, instead of being disillusioned, grew Attack (Grapple): 9 dice (+4 for 4m; 10 dice to
stronger in her devotion to the Immaculate Philosophy control, +4 for 4m)
and the responsibilities it inculcated into her: The respon- Combat Movement: 7 dice (+4 for 4m)
sibility of the strong to protect the weak, to heal the sick, to Evasion: 1; Parry: 6 (+3 for 6m)
guide the lost, to nurture the abandoned. Najah astonishes Soak/Hardness: 16/10 (Faith Like Steel, white jade
Setod on a regular basis with both her kindness and her fe- articulated plate)
rocity. Setod knows that she regards him not only as a lost
soul in need of guidance, but also as a friend, and he cannot INTIMACIES
resent her for either perception. She is, after all, correct. Defining Principle: The Realm is hopelessly corrupt.
Defining Tie: The Immaculate Order (Loyalty)
Of late, Setod has taken to accompanying his wandering Major Tie: The Breath of Mela (Devotion)
troublemaker companion on her travels, both on the
Blessed Isle and in the Threshold, where rumors swirl
Major Tie: House Cathak (Complicated Loyalty)
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C ha p ter E i g ht: B lood of the D ra g ons
an enemy on an earthen surface — or, in Earth Aura, if it

lowers her Initiative from higher than Setod’s to lower —
she’s swallowed in the earth: she can’t take movement
action, she suffers the penalties for being prone, and she
takes one die of Hardness-ignoring bashing damage on
each of his turns. Breaking free is an extended (Strength
+ Athletics) action with difficulty 5 and goal number 9.
Any character can roll to help free the victim, but the roll
can’t be flurried. Once per scene, unless reset by inca-
pacitating a nontrivial foe with a decisive attack from
20+ Initiative.
DEFENSIVE CHARMS
Earth Bears Witness (5m, 3i; Reflexive; Instant;
Aura, Decisive-only, Earth, Perilous): Reduce decisive
damage by 3, or 5 if there’s a large earthen structure
within short range.
Impervious Skin of Stone (4m; Reflexive; Instant;
Balanced, Earth, Withering-only): Add +5 soak. In
Earth Aura, can be used after attack roll.
Stone Dragon’s Skin (5m, 1i; Reflexive; Instant;
Dual, Earth, Perilous): Ignore up to three points of wound
penalty to Parry. Add +4 natural soak or +1 Hardness.
Weapon-Breaking Defense Technique (10m,
1wp; Reflexive; Instant; Clash, Decisive-only, Earth):
Clash an attack from close range with a disarm gambit,
adding attack roll extra successes to the Initiative roll. A
Major Tie: Peleps Najah (Paternal Affection) successful gambit destroys mundane weapons. In Earth
Minor Principle: I am willing to die to wash the blood of Aura, Setod can add an artifact’s rating to the gambit’s
the innocent from my hands. difficulty to break the wielder’s attunement and render
the artifact unusable until repaired. Once per scene,
Minor Principle: The Anathema threaten innocent lives unless reset by dealing 7+ levels of decisive damage
and souls. to a nontrivial enemy with one attack.
Minor Tie: The Imperial legions (Despair)
SOCIAL CHARMS
ESCORT
Flawless Diamond Heart (7m; Reflexive; Instant;
Setod is often found with Peleps Najah (p. XX). His en- Balanced, Earth): Lower the cost to reduce influence
tourage may also include monks (Exalted, p. 499) and that opposes a Major or Defining Intimacy by two Will-
Dragon-Blooded shikari. power. Once per story unless reset by upholding that
OFFENSIVE CHARMS Intimacy.
Earth Dragon Form (9m; Simple; One scene; Earth, MISCELLANEOUS CHARMS
Form): Add +3 dice on smash attack rolls and attack rolls Quarry Revelation Technique (2m; Supplemental;
against prone enemies, and gain +5 natural soak. Can Instant; Balanced, Wood): Reroll 6s on Tracking and
use reflexively if hit by an attack from a lower-Initiative can contest magical concealment.
enemy. Perfection of Earth Body: For a six-mote, six-Ini-
WAR CHARMS
tiative, one-Willpower surcharge, add +5 damage dice
on withering and decisive smash attacks and attacks Roaring Dragon Officer (3m; Reflexive; One turn;
against prone enemies, and ignore wound and crip- Balanced, Earth): Flurry a command with a non-at-
pling penalties. tack action. In Earth Aura, lower penalty on rolls to
Force of the Mountain (3m; Supplemental; Instant;
−2, and negate Defense penalty.
Dual, Earth): Add five dice of raw withering damage Blessed Dragon Champion (5m, 1wp; Reflexive;
or double 10s on a decisive damage roll. Unarmed One scene; Aura, Earth): When leading under a suc-
attacks gain the Smashing tag. cessfully enacted stratagem, double 9s on all Command
rolls, gain +2 Defense against battle groups, and add
Hungry Earth Strike (10m, 6i, 1wp; Supplemen-
non-Charm dice equal to (the Size of the largest battle
tal; Instant; Earth, Perilous, Withering-only): Double 8s
group under her command) to all attacks she makes
on the damage roll of a withering smash attack or a
against enemy battle groups.
withering attack against a prone enemy. If this crashes
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Cathak Urima
Urima is one of the rare Dynastic wives overshadowed
by her husband — Cathak Cainan, who currently leads
the house. The relative anonymity afforded by a famous
spouse suits Urima just fine. She uses her husband’s po-
sition to divert attention from her own achievements,
preferring a life of service to her house over personal
glory. Honor is all well and good, but someone has
to take a pragmatic hand in dealing with important
matters.
The diversion is necessary: If she’d married anyone else,

Urima would be the talk of the Imperial City. Though
from a modest bloodline, she’s a distinguished general
and soldier, a veteran of the Wyld Hunt and the Cathak
house legions. She’s also found time to involve herself
in Dynastic politics, especially Cathak internal politics,
earmarking young adults for military or civilian roles.
While Cainan has final say in the house’s marital match-
es, she has long advised him on this diplomatic facet of
house leadership, suggesting most of the matches he ap-
proves. Urima pays particular attention to intra-house
pairings, shaping Cathak’s character and strengthening
its power.
Although Urima is mostly retired from the battlefield,

younger generals seek her out for advice. Her lectures at
the House of Bells are well-attended, and her occasional
courses at the Spiral Academy on the subject of combat be slowing down, mentoring the next generation, be-
administration and resource management always fill up queathing her artifacts to children or grandchildren
days after being announced. who’ll carry them into battle, but can’t quite bring
herself to take those last few steps. Leaving her post in
Cainan and Urima have made an excellent team for cen- the house legions never sat well with her, and she saw
turies, bound by mutual respect rather than romantic to it that the general who replaced her would gladly
love. Urima is glad of a partnership that requires noth- step down if she ever wanted her old army back. Now
ing from her but a mildly uncomfortable night every she sees the shadows of civil war on the horizon, and
few decades to conceive children. She’s never felt any has once more taken up her favorite armor and famous
need for romantic or sexual relationships outside of daiklaive. If her husband goes to war over the throne,
conceiving offspring, preferring to spend time with her his wife intends to play her part on the battlefield
platonic friends and political allies. personally.
Urima’s many close friends within the family include Backer: Geoff Kincaid
general and distant cousin Cathak Risaria, whom she’s
known since their school days at the House of Bells; Aspect: Wood
sister-in-law Cathak Garel, whom she once mentored
Essence: 4; Willpower 8; Join Battle: 12 dice (+6
and now sees as a respected equal; and numerous for-
for 6m)
mer students, now many of them officers in the Cathak
legions or administrators of Cathak satrapies. Personal Motes: 15; Peripheral Motes: 28
Health Track: −0/−1x4/−2x8/−4/Incap.
Urima is reaching the end of her life. Her once vibrant Actions: Command: 9 dice (+6 for 6m); Dynastic Edu-
green hair is now tinted autumn orange, her bark- cation: 8 dice (+4 for 4m); Feats of Strength: 8 dice (+4
brown skin beginning to gray like old wood. She should for 4m, may attempt Strength 3 feats); Read Intentions: 8
182
EX3
dice (+4 for 4m); Resist Poison/Disease: 6 dice (+2 for Portentous Comet Deflection (3m, 1wp; Reflexive;
2m); Senses: 7 dice (+4 for 4m); Social Influence: 10 Instant; Clash, Decisive-only, Fire): Reflexively clash
dice (+4 for 4m); Strategy: 10 dice (+6 for 6m) with a decisive attack. Counts as her action for the
Appearance 3, Resolve 5 (+2 for 4m), Guile 6 (+3 for 6m) round unless she expends Fire Aura.
COMBAT Root-and-Hand Merging (5m, 1wp; Reflexive; One
scene; Balanced, Wood): Gain +1 Parry (non-Charm in
Attack (Hesiesh’s Crucible, red jade grimcleav- Aura) and add +2 to difficulty of disarm gambits against
er): 12 dice (+6 for 6m, Damage 16L/4) her.
Combat Movement: 8 dice (+4 for 4m) SOCIAL CHARMS
Evasion: 2 (+1 for 2m); Parry: 6 (+3 for 6m)
Rumor-Dredging Gaze (6m, 1wp; Simple; Instant;
Soak/Hardness: 13/10 (The Ablative Scales, green Mute, Water): Read Intentions with double 9s to uncover
jade articulated plate) the Intimacy target most wishes to keep hidden from her.
INTIMACIES Using it to blackmail target in the same scene doubles 9s
Defining Tie: House Cathak (Unwavering Dedication) on a bargain or threaten roll; success grants one Will-
power.
Major Principle: Never make an enemy when you can
make a friend. Smoothing-Over-the-Past Technique (5m, 1wp;
Simple; Instant; Water): Roll Social Influence against
Major Principle: If you want it done right, do it yourself. one character to make him forget a past incident of mis-
Major Tie: The Realm (Soldierly Devotion) conduct by Urima for one scene. If this would make him
Major Tie: Cathak Cainan (Respect) act against a Major or Defining Intimacy, he may resist
Minor Principle: The public eye should be avoided. for one Willpower.
Minor Tie: Cathak Garel (Respect) WAR CHARMS
Minor Tie: Cathak Risaria (Friendship) Blessed Dragon Champion (5m, 1wp; Reflexive;
One scene; Aura, Earth): When leading under a suc-
Minor Tie: The Immaculate Philosophy (Sincere Piety)
cessfully enacted stratagem, double 9s on all Command
ESCORT rolls, gain +2 Defense against battle groups, and add
Urima is typically escorted by a Dragon-Blooded non-Charm dice equal to (the Size of the largest battle
officer or aide, and by a handful of elite bodyguards group under her command) to all attacks she makes
(Exalted, p. 497). against enemy battle groups.
OFFENSIVE CHARMS Roaring Dragon Officer (3m; Reflexive; One turn;
Balanced, Earth, Perilous): Flurry a command with a
Crimson Fang Bite (3m, 1wp; Supplemental; Instant;
non-attack action. In Earth Aura, lower penalty on
Dual, Fire): Add +4 raw withering damage or double
rolls to −2, and negate Defense penalty.
up to four 10s on a decisive damage roll.
Demon-Crushing Wolf Bite (4m, 1i; Supplemen- EVOCATIONS (HESIESH’S CRUCIBLE)
tal; Instant; Perilous, Withering-only, Wood): Add +3 Mounting Bonfire Concentration (4m; Supple-
Overwhelming. In Wood Aura, add +3 raw withering mental; Instant; Dual): If Urima didn’t make any attacks
damage as well. from her last turn until the current turn, add +3 post-soak
Dragon Soul Burst (8m; Simple; Instant; Decisive-on- withering damage dice or +3 decisive damage dice.
ly, Fire): After taking an aim action, make a decisive Phoenix Crucible Conflagration (3m, 1ahl, 1wp;
attack with base damage 6, not including Urima’s Ini- Simple; Instant; Perilous): Roll Join Battle and add to Ini-
tiative, that ignores Hardness. An enemy that takes 3+ tiative. Once per scene unless reset by landing a deci-
levels of damage is set afire, suffering 4 dice of lethal sive attack from Initiative 20+.
damage on each of his turns until the flames are extin- EVOCATIONS (THE ABLATIVE SCALES)
guished. In Fire Aura, may add Initiative to damage roll,
Defense of the Heartwood: (2m, 2i; Reflexive;
but reset as normal.
Instant; Decisive-only, Perilous): After a damage roll,
DEFENSIVE CHARMS negate one level of decisive damage. Decreases her
Aura of Grasping Branches (5m, 3i, 1wp; Simple; soak and Hardness by one each until end of scene.
One scene; Perilous, Wood): Ignore up to 4 points of on- Greenwood Resurgence (Permanent): When
slaught penalties to Parry per round, which may be divided Urima’s soak lowers a withering attack to minimum
between multiple attacks. In Wood Aura, doesn’t suffer on- damage or her Hardness negates decisive damage,
slaught penalties from attacks she successfully parries. she gains 1 Initiative and reduces soak and Hardness
Graceful Flowing Defense (2m, 1i; Reflexive; penalties from Defense of the Heartwood by one.
Instant; Perilous, Uniform, Water): Ignore one point of
penalty to Parry (4 points in Water Aura).
183
EX3
Cynis Megara
Still sailing from island to island, Megara makes deals with
gods and locals for maps and secrets. Her crew has been
willing to put up with her eccentricities and sorcerer’s ways
in exchange for a steady salary, but their dissident whispers
have been growing louder, and many long for home.
Backer: Sam Gulliver-Goodall
Aspect: Water
Essence: 2; Willpower: 7; Join Battle: 7 dice (+3
for 3m)
Personal: 13; Peripheral: 26
Health Levels: −0/−1x4/−2x6/−4/Incap.
Actions: Command: 5 dice (+2 for 2m); Crafting: 6 dice
(+2 for 2m); Dynastic Education: 9 dice (+5 for 5m); In-
vestigation: 10 dice (+6 for 6m); ; Medicine: 6 dice (+2
for 2m); Mysticism: 10 dice (+4 for 4m); Read Intentions:
6 dice (+2 for 2m); Resist Poison/Disease: 5 dice (+2 for
2m); Seafaring: 7 dice (+4 for 4m); Senses: 7 dice (+4
for 4m); Sorcery: 10 dice (+4 for 4m); Social Influence: 6
dice (+2 for 2m); Strategy: 7 dice (+4 for 4m)
Appearance 3, Resolve 3 (+1 for 2m), Guile 3 (+1 for
2m)
COMBAT
Attack (Siaka’s Bite, black jade daiklave): 9 dice
(+4 for 4m, Damage 14L/5)
Where her Cynis kin showed more concern with galas Attack (Unarmed): 9 dice (+4 for 4m, Damage 9B)
and gossip than with the mysteries of Creation, Megara’s Attack (Grapple): 5 dice (+2 for 2m; 4 dice to control,
only passion in life was her books and puzzles. When +2 for 2m)
she graduated from the Heptagram, she was honored
Combat Movement: 6 dice (+2 for 4m)
for her brilliant intellect, but felt that the formal parties
she was expected to partake in muddled her mind. Her Evasion: 2 (+1 for 2m), Parry: 4 (+2 for 4m)
efforts to devote herself to her studies were stymied by Soak/Hardness: 7/0 (Reinforced Buff Jacket)
her mother’s demands for sorcerous displays to curry INTIMACIES
favors within the house. Defining Principle: My intellectual pursuits are more im-
portant than politics, civility, and similar trifling matters.
Finally, Megara found freedom from her mother’s dictates
in an ancient Shogunate treatise, speaking of a lost arse- Major Principle: I must see my expedition through to the end.
nal-manse in the distant West. Offering promises of great Major Principle: The social stigma of being a sorcerer
riches to her house, she secured funding for an archaeo- benefits me.
logical expedition that has increasingly become her life’s Major Tie: Her mother (Resentment)
work. Though she’s sent home many artifacts and trea- Minor Principle: The world is built upon lies.
sures to her mother since, the manse she seeks still eludes Minor Principle: I don’t need loyalty as long as I have
her. obedience.
Megara commands the blue-water transport Tsunami of Minor Tie: Tsunami of Rolling Waters (Fondness)
Roiling Waters and its escort of four merchant ships — on Minor Tie: Other sorcerers (Kinship)
loan from her mother. Misliking the company of sailors al- Minor Tie: House Cynis (Wary Kinship)
most as much as that of her kin, she keeps on as few crew Minor Tie: Demons (Familiarity)
as possible, binding demons to fill such posts as she can.
184
EX3
ESCORT SORCERY
Megara commands four blue-water merchant ships Shaping Ritual: Once per story, Megara may re-
(Exalted, p. 246), each carrying a Size 2 unit of bat- search arcane texts and roll Sorcery, gaining (success-
tle-ready soldiers (Exalted, p. 496) with average Drill. es) sorcerous motes that last until the story ends.
Tsunami of Roiling Waters is a large yacht with a Size Beckoning That Which Stirs the Sky (Control
1 battle group of blood apes (Exalted, p. 525) with Spell) (Ritual, 2wp; 1 + [threshold successes] hours)
average Drill, an assortment of other demons, and a Size Huge chitinous limbs emerge from the sky and weave
2 unit of elite troops (Exalted, p. 497) with elite Drill. the weather. Roll Sorcery, adjusting the difficulty de-
SOCIAL CHARMS pending on how drastic a change or storm is desired.
If successful, weave the desired weather in an area out
Finding the Water’s Depths (3m; Simple; Instant; to (Essence + threshold successes) miles from the caster.
Water): Roll Read Intentions to determine what payment it Weather reverts to normal after (1 + threshold success-
would take to convince a character to do something with a es) hours.
bargain roll, and his strongest Intimacy related to that price.
Death of Obsidian Butterflies (15sm, 1wp; Deci-
Thoughtful Gift Technique (4m; Supplemental; sive-only; Instant): Roll Sorcery as an undodgeable de-
Instant; Water): After using Finding the Water’s Depths, cisive attack against everyone in a line out to medium
double 9s on a Social Influence roll to make that bargain. range (battle groups take −2 Defense). Roll (5 + thresh-
WAR CHARMS old successes)L damage, or (10 + threshold successes)
Army-to-Mob Assault (3m, 2i; Reflexive; Instant; L damage against battle groups. This doesn’t reset Ini-
Perilous, Water, Withering-only): When a battle group tiative.
attacks an enemy battle group under Megara’s orders, Demon of the First Circle (Ritual, 2wp; Instant):
convert 3 of the dice added by her command roll to Summon a First Circle demon in a night-long ritual,
successes, If this empties the enemy battle group’s Mag- rolling Sorcery against its Resolve to bind it.
nitude track, add +1 to the difficulty of the rout check. Infallible Messenger (5sm, 2wp; Control): Conjure a
Roaring Dragon Officer (3m; Reflexive; One cherub to deliver a message up to five minutes long to
turn; Balanced, Earth): Flurry a command with a a single individual anywhere in Creation, reaching him
non-attack action. In Earth Aura, lower penalty on within a day. Can convey social influence, but not social
rolls to −2, and negate Defense penalty. Charms. For a one-Willpower surcharge, Megara may
MISCELLANEOUS CHARMS extend her senses through the cherub and make Senses
rolls through it.
Hurricane-Predicting Glance (5m; Simple; Instant;
Air): Roll Seafaring to predict the weather. If Megara Keel Cleaves the Clouds (25sm, 1wp; One day):
predicts hostile weather, she gains +1 non-Charm die Ship can travel over mist, fog, and vapor as if it were
on Seafaring rolls to avoid or navigate it. water, but can’t gain Speed bonuses from oars or cur-
rents while doing so.
185
EX3
Ledaal Kebok Coren

in swordplay and mind for tactics, she faced pressure
from her mother and aunts to attend the Heptagram as
they had. Though Coren got her way, the family remains
divided over the issue, and some Kebok cousins have be-
come hostile to her over her decision to join the legions.
Now in a post-Empress Realm, the untested young of-

ficer seeks opportunities to travel beyond the Blessed
Isle. Coren feels beset on all sides. Former schoolmates
encourage her to join them in the legions; the Flashing
Tempest Council wishes her to devote herself to the
Shadow Crusade. It’s only loyalty to her house that
keeps her from leaving to wander Creation on her own.
Coren is a slim young woman in her twenties with pale,

angular features and ash-blonde hair bordering on gray.
Her large eyes are an indeterminate shade of blue-gray
that shifts to match the weather. She dresses soberly and
conservatively in dark colors, the better to maintain emo-
tional distance. Since her graduation from the House of
Bells, she’s taken to wearing an enameled breastplate in
Ledaal blue and gray, embossed with the family mon.
Backer: Rand Brittain
Aspect: Air
Almost thirty years ago, for the third time on record, Essence: 2; Willpower: 6; Join Battle: 8 dice (+4
the House of Omens — ancestral home of the Ledaal for 4m)
Kebok family — was engulfed by an unnatural storm Personal: 13; Peripheral: 26
that blew in off the Inland Sea. For three days and Health Levels: −0/−1x2/−2x6/−4/Incap.
nights it raged, until on the third morning, a child’s Actions: Command: 8 dice (+4 dice for 4m); Read In-
cries broke the storm. tentions: 7 dice (+2 successes for 4m); Resist Poison/
Disease (7 dice, +2 successes for 4m); Senses: 7 dice
A quiet, intense child, Ledaal Kebok Coren didn’t excel (+4 for 4m); Social Influence: 6 dice (+1 success for
in primary school. She performed adequately, albeit her 2m); , Stealth: 9 dice (+2 successes for +4 motes)
performance suffered from occasional bouts of volatile
Appearance 3, Resolve 3 (+2 for 4m), Guile 3 (+2 for 4m)
emotions or foul moods. Pressure to control herself
grew; tutors enforced harsh discipline. In those days, COMBAT
the House of Omens was wracked by storms often. Attack (Slashing sword): 10 dice (+5 for 5m,
Damage 11L/2)
Only when Coren Exalted at age twelve did the family Attack (Unarmed): 9 dice (+4 for 4m, Damage 9B)
elder, Ledaal Kebok Sulco, take her granddaughter into
Attack (Grapple): 5 dice (+4 dice for 4m; 5 dice to
her confidence. Their line contained stranger blood
control, +2 for 2m)
than that of the Dragons. For three generations they’d
borne the lineage of the storm demon Yan, the price that Combat Movement: 7 dice (+4 for 4m)
the household’s founder Ledaal Kebok had paid for his Evasion: 4 (+2 for 4m), Parry: 7 (+3 for 6m)
assistance in her occult experiments. Soak/Hardness: 6/0 (Breastplate)
INTIMACIES
Upon finishing primary school with increased marks in
all categories, Coren requested permission to attend the Defining Principle: None must know my heritage.
House of Bells. While all acknowledged her excellence Minor Principle: I prefer to drown my worries in practice.
186
EX3
Major Tie: Grandmother Sulco (Trust) DEFENSIVE CHARMS

Major Tie: Yan (Wary curiosity) Dragon-Scale Shield (1m, 1i; Reflexive; Instant; Air,
Minor Principle: My skill with a blade is unmatched. Perilous, Uniform): Gain +1 non-Charm Parry against a
Minor Principle: I have no time for my family’s squabbles. ranged attack with a material projectile.
Minor Tie: House Ledaal (Begrudging Loyalty) Flame-Borne Interception (4m; Reflexive; Until next turn;
Balanced, Fire, Uniform): Gain +1 Parry. Increases by one for
ESCORT each attack blocked; resets back to +1 if he’s hit or dodges.
Coren may be accompanied by one or more young pa- Impervious Skin of Stone (4m; Reflexive; Instant;
trician hangers-on, such as the taciturn sword-prodigy Balanced, Earth, Withering-only): Add +3 soak. In
Cirrus Gull (use elite bodyguard traits, Exalted, p. 497) Earth Aura, can be used after attack roll.
or the devious socialite Irima Goru (use spymaster traits,
LINEAGE CHARMS:
Exalted, p. 499).
Coren possesses several Eclipse Charms reflecting her
OFFENSIVE CHARMS
demonic heritage, per the Divine Lineage Merit (p. XX).
Crimson Fang Bite (3m, 1wp; Supplemental; Instant; Storm’s Caprice (Permanent; Eclipse; Essence 1): Coren
Dual, Fire): Add +2 raw withering damage or double unconsciously alters the weather out to (Essence) miles
up to two 10s on a decisive damage roll. based on her mood. When she’s happy, the sun shines;
Oncoming Storm Stance (1a, 1i+; Reflexive; Instant; when she’s angry or upset, storms break. This effect is
Air, Perilous): Upon aiming at close range, may spend usually subtle, but heightened emotion — such as from an
up to 3 Initiative, gaining 2 motes for each point spent. inspire action — may, at the Storyteller’s discretion, inflict
These motes can only be spent to enhance a Melee penalties, create environmental hazards, or cause other
attack that benefits from that aim action. complications. She adds (Essence) non-Charm dice on rolls
Unerring Lightning Razor (6m; Supplemental; to find shelter from storms or resist environmental hazards
Instant; Air, Uniform): Reroll two non-1 failures each created by them — even storms not created by her moods.
on the attack and damage rolls of an attack that Wind-Dancer’s Art (4m; Reflexive; Until next turn; Eclipse,
benefits from aiming. Add enemy’s mobility penalty Essence 2): Ignore penalties from weather and difficult terrain
from metal armor to the number of dice she can caused by weather conditions. In weather severe enough to
reroll. impose penalties, add one die on movement actions; in weather
severe enough to cause difficult terrain, add three dice instead.
187
EX3
Peleps Deled
Even as a youth, Peleps Deled was ferociously pious.
Guided by his uncle Deham into a religious education
preliminary to the Realm’s secondary schools, the young
Dynast studied Immaculate doctrine, mathematics, his-
tory, philosophy, and the martial arts before furthering
his studies at the Cloister of Wisdom. When classmates
or cousins failed to demonstrate proper piety, blas-
phemed, or mocked Deled’s monkish devotions, he
dealt out lectures with his fists. Joining the Immaculate
Order didn’t temper this penchant for violence; Deled
took pride in dueling monks who disagreed with his
interpretation of the Immaculate Texts or showed hy-
pocrisy in their personal lives.
The Order hoped to channel Deled’s wrath toward

better ends by assigning him to the Pinnacle of the Eye
of the Hunt (The Realm, p. 159), a cold and forebod-
ing Northern manse. The Pinnacle’s master, Mnemon
Jorun, and his second-in-command, the former soldier
Cathak Titus, helped redirect Deled’s passion from the
lapses of fellow monks to greater heresies committed in
the Threshold.
Deled traveled the Northern satrapies on missions from

the Pinnacle, rooting out heresy and illegal worship
and prosecuting Wyld Hunts. He gained considerable
experience in ignoring pleas for mercy from the lips of
illicit cultists, and in dispatching truculent gods, fae, telling how he singlehandedly slew Bosk of Sijan before
and the undead with his longfang seized from a fallen the newly Exalted Solar could plunder his past life’s
Anathema. His travels bred a somewhat cosmopolitan tomb for artifacts.
character — while no Threshold barbarism could equal
the glories of the Realm’s culture, he had a certain fond- Deled rails at the Great Houses for struggling over the
ness for foreign arts and delicacies, and an almost mor- throne rather than sending him the resources the Wyld
bid curiosity for witnessing their primitive customs. Hunt desperately needs. Deled wrings supplies out of
nearby villages to make up the shortfall. Monks keep
When Mnemon Jorun retired, Cathak Titus was his the locals in line with stories of vicious Anathema.
natural successor. Deled had fought alongside Titus and Outcastes are illegally conscripted into the Order,
respected his martial prowess, but the former soldier swearing fealty to Deled. Should the surrounding sa-
had never paid more than lip service to the Immaculate trapies’ cadet houses discover Deled’s actions, they may
Philosophy, and Deled could not abide him ascending move against him.
to Jorun’s position. Reaching out to a number of promi-
nent Peleps monks in the Order’s Breath of Sextes Jylis, Aspect: Water
Deled secured enough pressure to convince Titus to Essence: 4; Willpower: 8; Join Battle: 9 dice (+4
step aside in his favor, though the Cathak remained at for 4m)
the Pinnacle as Deled’s subordinate, a pragmatically
secular counterbalance to Deled’s fanaticism.
Personal: 15, Peripheral: 28
Deled ceaselessly drills the Pinnacle’s shikari in martial Actions: Administration: 7 dice (+4 for 4m); Command:
arts and Immaculate doctrine, and he’s redoubled his 9 dice (+4 for 4m); Feats of Strength: 8 dice (+4 for 4m;
efforts since the Solars’ return. He takes pride in lead- may attempt Strength 3 feats); Investigation: 8 dice (+4
ing Wyld Hunts personally, and takes particular pride in for 4m); Mysticism: 5 dice (+2 for 2m); Read Intentions:
188
EX3
7 dice (+4 for 4m); Resist Poison/Disease: 6 dice (+2 range take a −1 onslaught penalty.
for 2m); Senses: 8 dice (+4 for 4m); Social Influence: 6 Spine-Shattering Bite (5m, 1wp; Reflexive; Instant;
dice (+2 for 2m); Stealth: 9 dice (+4 for 4m); Strategy: 8 Decisive-only): After rolling 3+ decisive damage,
dice (+4 for 4m); Tracking: 7 dice (+4 for 4m) waive two levels of damage to inflict a crippling effect
Appearance 2, Resolve 6 (+3 for 6m), Guile 3 (+1 for 2m) that prevents enemy from taking movement actions. She
COMBAT can spend a turn and pay 2 Initiative to roll (Stamina
+ Resistance) at difficulty 4 to recover, which counts as
Attack (Sting of Danaa’d, orichalcum longfang): disengaging. Once per scene, unless reset by rolling at
14 dice at short range (+6 for 6m, Damage 16L/4) least four 10s on decisive damage roll. Can ignore
Attack (Riptide Penance, black jade razor reset by expending Water Aura while in a Form.
claws): 14 dice (+6 for 6m, Damage 14L/3) Striking Fury Claws (6m; Supplemental; Instant;
Attack (Clinch): 11 dice (+6 for 6m; 10 dice to control, Withering-only): Convert up to four withering attack
+6 for 6m) roll extra successes to post-soak damage dice instead of
Combat Movement: 10 dice (+4 for 4m) raw damage. Against an enemy who took a disengage
Evasion: 6 (+3 for 6m), Parry: 6 (+3 for 6m) or withdraw action on her last turn, they are added as
automatic successes instead.
Soak/Hardness: 9/4 (Calm the Seas’ Rage, black jade
breastplate) Theft-of-Essence Method (4i; Reflexive; Instant; Per-
ilous, Water): Upon crashing an enemy, steal (4 + her
INTIMACIES wound penalty) motes.
Defining Principle: The Immaculate Philosophy is the Tiger Form (10m; Simple; One scene; Form): Double up to
truth of this world. 4 extra successes when calculating raw damage of wither-
Defining Tie: The Immaculate Order (Devotion) ing attacks. Add 4 dice on rush rolls and rolls opposing dis-
Defining Tie: Anathema and heretics (Murderous engage, and gain Initiative lost by disengaging foes. Ignore
Hatred) penalties for fighting prone. Can use reflexively upon dealing
3+ levels of decisive damage. Angry Predator Frenzy: Pay
Major Principle: My interpretations of the Immaculate
a five-mote, one-Willpower surcharge to enter a berserker
Texts are always correct.
rage. Add up to 4 extra successes on decisive attack rolls
Major Tie: The Scarlet Dynasty (Disappointment) as dice of damage. Can rush reflexively in addition to normal
Major Tie: Cathak Titus (Exasperation) move actions, but can’t disengage or withdraw. Gain a De-
Minor Principle: The Dynasty’s children are the future of fining Tie of savage hatred towards enemies.
the Realm Water Dragon Form (10m; Simple; One scene;
Minor Tie: House Peleps (Disdain) Form, Water): Add dice on attack rolls equal to foe’s
wound penalty. Gain +4 soak. Can use reflexively upon
Minor Tie: Threshold cultures (Voyeuristic Curiosity)
dealing enough decisive damage to raise a nontrivial
ESCORT foe’s wound penalty.
Deled is often accompanied by monks (Exalted, p. OFFENSIVE CHARMS (THROWN)
499) and Dragon-Blooded shikari.
Arcing Levinbolt Precision (2m; Supplemental;
OFFENSIVE CHARMS (MARTIAL ARTS) Instant; Air, Balanced, Uniform): When Deled attacks
Drowning-in-Blood Technique (3m; Supplemen- an enemy wearing metal armor, its mobility penalty
tal; Instant; Decisive-only, Water): Double 10s on de- applies to her soak and Hardness.
cisive damage roll. If it deals 3+ damage, enemy’s Stone Needle Strike (3m, 2i; Supplemental; Instant,
wound penalty increases by one until she crashes Deled Decisive-only, Earth): Decisive attack pins a damaged
or the scene ends. In Water Aura, adds (foe’s wound foe with Deled’s longfang, causing her to lose her move-
penalty/2, rounded up) dice of damage. ment action on her next turn. Removing it takes a difficul-
Essence-Dousing Wave Attack (5m, 1wp; Sup- ty 4 feat of strength, which requires Strength 3+. Until it’s
plemental; Instant; Decisive-only, Water): If decisive removed, the target can’t take movement actions at all.
attack against a crashed enemy deals at least (her Winter Fang Attack (4m; Supplemental; Instant; Air,
Essence) damage, negate one of her ongoing combat Balanced, Decisive-only): Decisive attack or gambit
Ability Charms or combat-based Physical Attribute causes enemy to lose Initiative equal to 10s on the
Charms. Can expend Water Aura to use against non- damage roll or Initiative roll, maximum 4, which Deled
crashed foes. doesn’t gain.
Rippling Water Strike (5m; Supplemental; Instant; DEFENSIVE CHARMS
Water, Withering-only): Withering attack adds +1
Blade-Deflecting Palm (1m per die, 1i; Reflexive;
raw damage (+5 in Water Aura) and +2 Overwhelm-
Instant; Perilous, Uniform, Water): Up to three 1s on an
ing. If it crashes an enemy, all other enemies within close
attack roll against Deled’s Parry let him pay one mote to
189
EX3
reroll a successful die, starting with 7s and moving up. next round, extra successes on rush are added as dice
Bottomless Depths Defense (5m, 1ahl [+1wp, on the attack roll.
expend Water Aura]; Reflexive; Instant; Decisive-on- Stalking Cat Movement Meditation (5m; Reflex-
ly, Perilous, Water): Before a decisive attack against ive; One scene): Enemies within short or medium range
Deled is rolled, he rolls 8 dice, unmodified by other must disengage to move away from Deled, and take −1
effects. Each success cancels a level of damage against Defense against his surprise attacks.
him, minimum one. Can pay one Willpower and expend SOCIAL CHARMS
Water Aura to negate all damage instead. Once per
day, unless reset by being hit by three decisive attacks Heart-Hardening Meditation (6m; Reflexive; One
from nontrivial foes without taking damage. scene; Earth): +2 Resolve (non-Charm in Earth Aura)
against inspire rolls and influence that leverages in-
Flowing Water Defense (4m; Reflexive; Instant; Per- spired emotions or emotion-based Ties.
ilous, Water): Flurry a full defense with an attack, ignor-
ing the Defense penalty for flurrying. In Water Aura, a Unquenchable Battle-Passion (5m; Reflexive;
successful attack refunds the full defense’s Initiative cost. Instant; Fire): When targeted by influence that would
make him stop fighting or hinder his ability to fight, au-
Impervious Skin of Stone (4m, Reflexive; Instant; tomatically inspires himself with an emotion opposing
Balanced, Earth, Withering-only): +4 natural soak. In that influence. If she spends Willpower to resist that in-
Earth Aura, can use after being hit. fluence, he gains 4 Initiative per Willpower spent.
Ripples-on-Water Defense (4m; Reflexive; Instant; MISCELLANEOUS CHARMS
Aura, Dual): Against a withering attack roll, up to four
1s subtract successes. Against a decisive attack roll, up Quarry Revelation Technique (2m; Supplemental;
to four 1s reroll successes, starting with 7s and going up. Instant; Balanced, Wood): Reroll 6s on Tracking and
can contest magical concealment.
MOBILITY CHARMS
Crimson Leaping Cat Technique (4m; Supplemen-
tal; Instant; Uniform): Successful rush steals 1 Initiative
from target. If Deled attacks her before the end of the
190
EX3
Peleps Najah
Where most magistrates were once criminals or mal-
contents, Peleps Najah was always known as a genu-
inely pious and idealistic itinerant monk. Even by the
Empress’ impenetrable standards, the choice of Najah
seemed odd, evoking gossip among her fellow magis-
trates — and, later, concern for her welfare.
The Empress’ pet monk, as it turned out, was entirely too

idealistic for her own good. She was well-suited for wan-
dering the Blessed Isle and the Threshold, slaying monsters,
fairly adjudicating disputes, and protecting the interests of
impoverished peasants and wealthy nobles alike. But she
approached the thorny complexities of corruption in the
ministries with the same ingenuous bluntness, unconcerned
with subtlety or guile or the necessity of picking one’s battles.
For a time, the Thousand Scales’ diffuse ire toward magiste-
rial meddling focused primarily on her. A not-insubstantial
number of high-ranking ministers were quietly plotting
her death and pondering how to avoid official censure for it
when, miraculously, the Scarlet Empress disappeared.
Knowing herself hemmed in by peril on all sides, much

of it political and all of it contemptible, Najah took refuge
in what she always considered the first and most import-
ant of her duties: her service to the Immaculate Order.
The Breath of Mela opened its doors to her, embracing
the purity of her passionate devotion to the Immaculate
Philosophy, as well as her decades of experience hunt- Aspect: Fire
ing and slaying Anathema and their minions, both useful Essence: 3; Willpower: 7; Join Battle: 11 dice (+6
skills for the Wyld Hunt to possess. Najah’s kindly heart for 6m)
and gentle care for the suffering and dispossessed made Personal Essence: 14; Peripheral Essence: 25
her a welcome addition to the fold — a sharp contrast to
her harsh, uncompassionate kinsman Deled. Health Levels: −0/−1x4/−2x4/−4/Incap.
Actions: Command: 6 dice (+2 for 2m); Dynastic Edu-
Her brilliance drew the spiritually needy to her like cation: 6 dice (+2 for 2m); Feats of Strength: 10 dice (+4
moths to a flame that transfigured rather than con- for 4m, may attempt Strength 3 feats); Read Intentions:
sumed. One such moth was her senior colleague Cathak 8 dice (+4 for 4m);Resist Poison/Disease: 6 dice (+2
Setod, retired legionary general, living hero of the for 2m); Social Influence: 9 dice (+4 for 4m); Senses: 8
Realm, whose bitter disillusionment had hollowed his dice (+4 for 4m); Stealth: 7 dice (+4 for 4m); Strategy: 5
soul and broken his heart. He’s spoken, haltingly, to dice (+2 for 2m); Tracking: 6 dice (+2 for 2m).
Najah of the horrors he’s witnessed and the grief those Appearance 3, Resolve 5 (+2 for 4m), Guile 3 (+1 for 2m)
horrors caused, and she knows that he still shelters an COMBAT
ember of faith beneath the duty he wears like armor. Attack (Unarmed): 12 dice (+6 for 6m, Damage 11B)
It needs only the proper encouragement to flare to life
again. To provide that encouragement, she’s coaxed Attack (Ashen Forgiveness and Purifying Con-
flagration, red jade short daiklaves): 12 dice (+6
him into the field with her, chasing tales of Anathema
for 6m; Damage 14L/4)
and their cults. Whether they find anything or not, she
thinks it’ll do Setod good to be out in the world again, Attack (Grapple): 10 dice (+4 for 4m; 9 dice to
where he can be the hero she knows that he truly is. control, +4 for 4m)
Backers: Joakim Aske and Lars-Henrik Evjan Evasion: 5 (+2 for 4m); Parry: 6 (+3 for 6m)
191
EX3
Soak/Hardness: 12/7 (Ardent Mantle, red jade re- In Fire Aura, each doubled success also adds +1
inforced buff jacket) damage die.
INTIMACIES Searing Edge Attack (3m; Supplemental; Instant;
Defining Principle: Defend the weak from the terrors of Fire, Withering-only): As long as withering damage
the world with the strength of my faith and my blade. roll receives at least one success, target loses 3 addi-
tional Initiative, which Najah doesn’t gain.
Defining Principle: I must devote myself entirely to the
Immaculate Philosophy DEFENSIVE CHARMS
Major Principle: Slay the Anathema wherever they appear. Flame-Flicker Stance (3m; Reflexive; Instant; Fire,
Perilous): Each 1 on an attack roll adds +1 Parry. If she
Major Principle: Bring the unrighteous to justice, regard-
successfully blocks a lower-Initiative enemy’s attack, she
less of their station.
doesn’t suffer onslaught penalties from it. In Fire Aura,
Major Tie: The Immaculate Order (Belonging) this Charm can be used after the attack roll.
Major Tie: Fellow magistrates (Exasperated Admiration) Impervious Skin of Stone (4m; Reflexive; Instant;
Major Tie: Ministerial and prefectural officials (Mistrust) Balanced, Earth, Withering-only): +4 soak. In Earth
Major Tie: Cathak Setod (Filial Affection) Aura, can use after being hit.
Minor Tie: The Scarlet Empress (Concern) Overwhelming Fire Majesty Stance (6m, 3i; Re-
flexive; Until next turn; Fire, Perilous): Attacks against
ESCORT Najah take a −3 penalty. Enemies that hit from close
Najah is often found with Cathak Setod (p. XX). Her en- range suffer one die of Hardness-ignoring lethal
tourage may also include monks (Exalted, p. 499) and damage. Enemies may pay one Willpower to become
Dragon-Blooded shikari. immune to the penalty for the scene. In Fire Aura, waive
OFFENSIVE CHARMS Initiative cost and Perilous keyword.
Fiery Blade Attack (5m, 4i; Simple; Instant; Deci- MOBILITY CHARMS
sive-only, Fire): Make a decisive attack. If it deals Dancing Ember Stride (4m, 2i; Simple; Instant; Fire,
damage, it ignites the victim in a bonfire (Damage 4L/ Perilous): Rush from short range with double 9s (medium
round, Difficulty 5) that burns as long as he remains in range if she pays one Willpower and expends Fire Aura).
it. Leaving the bonfire requires a successful disengage, If successful, instantly move into close range of target.
even if no enemies are in close range (difficulty 2 if no Inescapable Blazing Advance (5m, 1wp, expend
characters oppose it). Fire Aura; Supplemental; Instant; Aura, Fire): Add 3 non-
Fire Dragon Form (7m; Simple; One scene; Fire, Charm dice on a rush. Up to three 1s on opposing charac-
Form): Lower-Initiative enemies suffer onslaught penal- ter’s roll cause him to lose 1 Initiative each, which Najah
ties from Najah’s attack before her attack roll. Enemies gains. If this crashes him, he catches fire, suffering (Initiative
double the Initiative lost for missing a decisive attack lost) dice of Hardness-ignoring lethal damage on each of
if she parries. Can use reflexively upon winning Join his turns until extinguished.
Battle. MISCELLANEOUS CHARMS
Perfect Blazing Blow (3m, 1wp; Supplemental;
Quarry Revelation Technique (2m; Supplemental;
Instant; Decisive-only, Fire): Double up to three 9s on
Instant; Balanced, Wood): Reroll 6s on Tracking and
a decisive attack against a lower-Initiative enemy.
can contest magical concealment.
Against crashed enemies, can double 8s as well.
192
EX3
Ragara
A meteor shower heralded Ragara’s first breath, an omen
promising greatness. Ruthlessly brilliant and of limitless
ambition even as a child, he soon came to enjoy the Empress’
favor, to his rivals’ detriment.
He was not yet thirty when his investigation into House

Jerah’s corruption brought it down and raised his household
up in its place. Further deeds cemented his place among the
mightiest Great House magnates. Within two centuries,
he’d established his dominance over Realm finance and
subdued his political rivals, making himself a force to be
feared upon the Blessed Isle and beyond.
For two centuries, Ragara held the Empress’ personal favor.

But that wasn’t enough. He wanted the throne, and for all
her affection, the Empress refused to name him as her heir.
So he sought to force her hand with a variety of schemes,
from elaborate political machinations to unearthing forbid-
den relics from the First Age. Forestalled in all nonviolent
approaches, he ultimately escalated to a brief but terrifying
assassination spree against rival siblings and ministers, with
the aim that no other suitable heir would remain.
The Empress didn’t kill him outright, whether out of love

or for fear that he’d tear down the Realm’s economy from
beyond the grave. Instead she tied his life to that of his sister
Sesus, promising death if he further pursued his vendetta.
Thwarted, his aspirations turned inward and festered. For But he’s not dead yet. With the Empress gone, everything has
a time, he sought power and immortality through occult changed. Now Ragara is a man at war with himself. Old ambi-
secrets, hoping to outlive or overcome his mother. But as tions have surfaced, bare and raw. But he’s not the same man he
the centuries passed, even his vaunted ambition gave way once was. Can he set aside the rectitude that he’s spent his final
to lethargy and defeat. days cultivating, for no better cause than to seize the throne?
Few would say that Ragara has fallen from grace — and
Aspect: Earth
fewer still would dare breathe such offenses in his presence
— but he needs no one to tell him what he already knows. Essence: 5; Willpower: 10; Join Battle: 10 dice (+4 for 4m)
His stature has diminished over the centuries, rival Great Personal: 16; Peripheral: 32
Houses seizing the power that once was his. The dynamic Health Levels: −0/−1x7/−2x12/−4/Incap.
Ragara of yesteryear has grown old, his life stretched thin Actions: Administration: 12 dice (+6 for 6m) Command: 10
beyond its natural span. dice (+4 for 4m); Crafting: 10 dice (+4 for 4m); Disguise: 6 dice
(+2 for 2m); Dynastic Education: 10 dice (+4 for 4m); Investiga-
Ceding control over his house and the Imperial Bank to his tion: 9 dice (+4 for 4m); Mysticism: 11 dice (+6 for 6m); Resist
adopted son Banoba, Ragara retired decades ago to a life of Disease/Poison: 12 dice (+6 for 3m); Senses: 8 dice (+4 for
piety in the holy Threshold city of Pneuma. There he do- 4m); Social Influence: 11 dice (+6 for 6m); Stealth: 6 dice (+2 for
nated vast sums to the Immaculate Order, venerated the 2m); Tracking: 8 (+4 for 4m); Wilderness Survival 8 (+4 for 4m)
Dragons, tutored young scions, and entertained surviving Appearance 2, Resolve 6 (+3 for 6m), Guile 5 (+2 for 4m)
old friends and Hearthmates in his luxurious palace-manse,
the Diamond Phoenix Retreat. With the strength of will he COMBAT
once used to achieve temporal power, he struggled to come Attack (Blood Zenith, black jade reaper daiklave):
to terms with his own mortality and with his past crimes. 16 dice (+6 for 6m, Damage 12/4L)
Attack (Unarmed): 10 dice (+4 for 4m, Damage 9B)
193
EX3
Attack (Grapple): 6 dice (+2 for 4m; 6 dice to control, +2 decisive attack. Counts as his action for the round unless
for 4m) she expends Fire Aura.
Combat Movement: 10 dice (+4 for 4m) Rumbling Earth Rebuke (4m, 1wp; Reflexive; Instant; De-
Evasion: 3 (+1 for 2m); Parry: 7 (+3 for 6m) cisive-only, Earth): After successfully blocking or clashing an
attack from close range, make a reflexive disarm gambit.
Soak/Hardness: 16/10 (Eon Bastion, white jade articulat-
ed plate) MOBILITY CHARMS
INTIMACIES Earth-Moving Kata (10m, 1wp; Simple; Instant; Earth):
Move aside any natural earthen obstacle that blocks his path,
Defining Principle: I’m still bitter over being denied my birthright
or create a stair or bridge up to three range bands long out of
to the Scarlet Throne.
earthen substances.
Defining Principle: I’m not sure what sort of man I am anymore.
One-With-Earth Embodiment (10m, 1wp; Simple; One
Major Principle: I can find peace and absolution in the Immac- round; Aura, Earth): Can move through earthen substances.
ulate Philosophy’s precepts. If he doesn’t emerge from at the end at the end of the move
Major Principle: Wealth and power are everything. action, must use this Charm again on his next turn, waiving its
Major Tie: The Scarlet Empress (Resentment) Willpower cost, or be ejected from it, falling prone and taking
a level of bashing damage. He has full cover while doing so
Major Tie: House Ragara (Pride)
unless enemies can create an opening to attack from.
Minor Tie: Ragara Banoba (Confidence)
SOCIAL CHARMS
Minor Tie: Anathema and their longevity (Fascinated Jealousy)
Finding the Water’s Depths (3m; Simple; Instant; Water):
Minor Tie: The Blessed Isle (Homesickness) Roll Read Intentions to determine what payment it would take to
Minor Tie: His Hearthmates (Affection) convince a character to do something with a bargain roll, and
Minor Tie: The Immaculate Order (Solidarity) her strongest Intimacy related to that price.
Minor Tie: Mnemon (Guilt-ridden Fear) Smoothing-Over-the-Past Technique (5m, 1wp; Simple;
ESCORT Instant; Water): Roll Social Influence against one character to
make her forget a past incident of misconduct by Ragara for
Ragara is often attended by several of his Exalted grandchil- one scene. If this would make her act against a Major or Defin-
dren and great-grandchildren. It’s not uncommon for one or ing Intimacy, she may resist for one Willpower.
more of his Hearthmates to be visiting him at any given time,
Thoughtful Gift Technique (4m; Supplemental; Instant;
each an experienced Dragon-Blooded of comparable power.
Water): After using Finding the Water’s Depths, double 9s on a
OFFENSIVE CHARMS Social Influence roll to make that bargain.
Crimson Fang Bite (3m, 1wp; Supplemental; Instant; Dual, MISCELLANEOUS CHARMS
Fire): Add +5 raw withering damage or double up to five 10s
Following the River’s Course (5m; Reflexive; Instant; Mute,
on a decisive damage roll.
Water): Roll Administration with double 9s to read the inten-
Spilling the Mountain’s Blood (8m, 3a, 1wp, expend Earth tions of a character transacting in currency or physical goods to
or Fire Aura; Simple; Instant; Aura, Decisive-only, Earth/Fire): discern how that character obtained them, or evaluate the credit
Make a decisive attack, adding up to 5 attack roll extra suc- quality and intent to repay of a character transacting on credit.
cesses as dice of damage. If it deals damage, on victim’s next
turn, she suffers dice of Hardness-ignoring lethal damage equal EVOCATIONS
to successes on damage roll. If this inflicts 3+ levels of damage Heart-Seeking Rapacity (2m, 1wp; Reflexive; Instant):
or victim is incapacitated before her next turn, ground beneath Ragara’s daiklave is drawn to blood and power. Reflexive-
her melts into lave (Damage 6L/round, Difficulty 5) for rest of ly aim at an enemy with a wound penalty of −2 or greater,
scene. If Ragara is incapacitated, eruption can be averted with Essence 5+, or a burning or bonfire anima. If an enemy meets
a difficulty 5 (Intelligence + [lower of Medicine or Occult]) roll. two or more conditions, waive the Willpower cost.
DEFENSIVE CHARMS Life-Sipping Blade (2i; Supplemental; Instant; Decisive-only):
For each 10 on a decisive damage roll, Ragara gains one mote,
Earth Bears Witness (5m, 3i; Reflexive; Instant; Aura, Deci-
and his target loses one if they have a mote pool. May forgo
sive-only, Earth, Perilous): Reduce decisive damage by 3, or 5
gaining five motes to heal one level of non-aggravated damage.
if there’s a large earthen structure within short range.
Reap the Soul (—; Reflexive; Instant; Decisive-only): Upon
Flame-Borne Interception (4m; Reflexive; Until next turn;
incapacitating and killing an Exalt or other supernatural crea-
Balanced, Fire, Uniform): Gain +1 Parry. Increases by one for
ture, roll (that character’s Essence) and heal that many levels
each attack blocked; resets back to +1 if he’s hit or dodges.
of non-aggravated damage, as well as any crippling effects
Impervious Skin of Stone (4m; Reflexive; Instant; Balanced, Ragara suffers. Killing an Exalt this way adds one-tenth of their
Earth, Withering-only): +5 soak. In Earth Aura, can use after being hit. remaining natural lifespan to Ragara’s own; other supernatural
Portentous Comet Deflection (3m, 1wp; Reflexive; creatures grant (their Essence) years.
Instant; Clash, Decisive-only, Fire): Reflexively clash with a
194
EX3
Righteous River
financial gains. Her superiors in the Immaculate Order
sought to keep her on the road to ward off the tempta-
tion of a physical relationship. River did what neither
her house nor her fellow monks expected: She chose
Jihe. She left the Order and accepted her reduced status
within House Ledaal. The partnership makes her hap-
py, and she and Jihe dote on their son Adan.
Though her reputation as a competent fighter prevents

other Dynasts from mocking her for choosing love over
duty, River struggles to have a say in Ledaal affairs.
Today she operates out of Arjuf, working behind the
scenes for the house’s Shadow Crusade. River helps
author proposals to the Flashing Tempest Council, but
keeps her name off them. Though it chafes, she lets
those in better standing take credit.
Despite leaving the Order, River’s faith remains strong.

She has amassed a respectable collection of copies of
the Immaculate Texts, which she’s happy to let monks
passing through Arjuf peruse.
River is a woman of few words and stern delivery. She’s

tall and athletic, and wears her dark hair in a long braid.
In battle, she displays the Ledaal mon in silver. When
unarmored, River indulges in a love of richer fabrics.
Aspect: Water
Ledaal Sivarin Indri was always meant for a monk’s robes.
She joined the Immaculate Order immediately upon grad- Essence: 3; Willpower: 8; Join Battle: 8 dice (+4
uating from the Cloister of Wisdom. Though her full mo- for 4m)
nastic name is Righteous River Overflows its Banks, most Personal Motes: 14; Peripheral Motes: 25
know her as River. Once she took her vows, she rarely Health Levels: −0/−1x3/−2x3/−4/−Incap.
returned home to her family’s home in Arjuf. Instead, she Actions: Command: 7 dice (+4 for 4m); Dynastic Edu-
used her new status to travel the world. River has served cation: 6 dice (+2 for 2m); Feats of Strength: 7 dice (+4
in temples throughout the Realm and outside of its reach, for 4m, may attempt Strength 3 feats); Investigation: 6
studied Immaculate Texts in ancient monasteries, and dice (+2 for 2m); Medicine: 6 dice (+2 for 2m); Read
brought the Dragons’ wisdom to far-off villages. Intentions: 8 dice (+4 for 4m); Resist Poison/Disease: 5
dice (+2 for 2m); Senses: 8 dice (+4 for 4m); Social In-
She also answered the Order’s call on several Wyld fluence: 8 dice (+4 for 4m); Strategy: 7 dice (+4 for 4m)
Hunts, including the fateful hunt where her Hearth Appearance 2, Resolve 5 (+2 for 4m), Guile 2 (+1 for 2m)
took shape. She misses Mathar’s laughter and Chalima’s
teasing competition; even their age is subject to rivalry, COMBAT
as both women approach a century. Kingfisher Swift’s Attack (Heartslicer, black jade razor claws): 12
letters are light on sentiment but lift River’s spirits all dice (+6 for 6m, Damage 13L/3)
the same. River is closest to Sesus Eshuvar, whose sor- Attack (Grapple): 9 dice (+4 for 4m; 7 dice to control,
cery gave River and her patrician wife Jihe the child +4 for 4m)
they so dearly wanted. Combat Movement: 8 dice (+4 for 4m)
Evasion: 3 (+1 for 2m), Parry: 5 (+2 for 4m)
River fell in love with Jihe while helping to rebuild a
flood-damaged temple in Incas Prefecture. Her elders Soak/Hardness: 10/7 (Obsidian Reef, black jade rein-
balked at the match, which offered neither political nor forced buff jacket)
195
EX3
INTIMACIES DEFENSIVE CHARMS

Defining Principle: The Immaculate Dragons offer us Blade-Deflecting Palm (1m per die, 1i; Reflexive;
wisdom, if only we’re willing to listen. Instant; Perilous, Uniform, Water): Up to three 1s on an
Defining Tie: Jihe and Adan (Love) attack roll against River’s Parry let her pay one mote to
reroll a successful die, starting with 7s and moving up.
Major Tie: House Ledaal (Thankless Loyalty)
Bottomless Depths Defense (5m, 1ahl [+1wp,
Major Tie: Sesus Eshuvar (Fondness)
expend Water Aura]; Reflexive; Instant; Decisive-only,
Major Tie: Left Hand Chalima (Love of Debate) Perilous, Water): Roll 6 dice, reducing damage of de-
Major Tie: Kingfisher Swift (Camaraderie) cisive attack by one per success, minimum one. If she
Minor Principle: If I start something, I must see it through pays one Willpower and expends Water Aura, negate
to its conclusion. all damage. Once per day unless reset by being hit
with three decisive attacks from nontrivial foes without
Minor Principle: I find solace in the Immaculate Philosophy.
taking damage.
Minor Tie: The Immaculate Order (Frustration)
Minor Tie: Yushoto Mathar (Trust) Balanced, Earth, Withering-only): Add +3 soak. In
OFFENSIVE CHARMS Earth Aura, can be used after attack roll.
Drowning-in-Blood Technique (3m; Supplemental; Eternal Tide Endurance (2m; Reflexive; Instant;
Instant; Decisive-only, Water): Double 10s on damage Water, Withering-only): Each 1 on a withering attack
roll. In Water Aura, add (enemy’s wound penalty/2, roll adds +1 soak against it.
rounded up) dice of damage. If River deals 3+ levels of Ripples-on-Water Defense (4m; Reflexive; Instant;
damage, enemy’s wound penalty increases by one until Aura, Dual): Against a withering attack roll, up to three
the scene ends or he crashes her. 1s subtract successes. Against a decisive attack roll, up
Essence-Dousing Wave Attack (5m, 1wp; Sup- to three 1s reroll successes, starting with 7s and going up.
plemental; Instant; Decisive-only, Water): If decisive SOCIAL CHARMS
attack against crashed enemy deals at least (his Essence)
Heart-Maze Navigation (1m, 1wp; Supplemental;
damage, end one of his ongoing combat Ability Charms
Instant; Water: Against an Investigation roll to profile
or physical Attribute Charms. Can expend Water Aura
a character, relevant Intimacies penalize his Guile as
to affect non-crashed enemies.
though it were his Resolve. Can expend Water Aura to
Flow Reversal Strike (7m, 1wp; Simple; Instant, De- complete a profile character action instantly.
cisive-only, Water): Make a decisive attack. On hit,
Waves-Swallow-Mountains Persistence (5m; Re-
enemy must roll (Stamina + Resistance) opposing River’s
flexive; Instant; Water): Up to two 1s on an influence roll
attack roll extra successes. If he fails, each success he
against River’s Resolve subtract successes. Each subse-
failed by adds one die of decisive damage, and after
quent use in the scene increases the maximum number
the attack, he loses (wound penalty) Initiative, which is
of dice affected by one and affects the next-highest dice
added to River’s base Initiative.
number (e.g., up to three 1s and 2s on the second use,
Water Dragon Form (10m; Simple; One scene; and up to four 1s, 2s, and 3s on the third). Can only be
Form, Water): Add dice on attacks equal to target’s used against one character per scene.
wound penalty. Gain +3 soak. Can use reflexively
upon dealing enough decisive damage to a nontrivial
enemy to increase his wound penalty.
196
EX3
Sesus Eshuvar
and ambitious, adept at navigating Dynastic politics like
a good Mnemon ought to be. Were she anyone other than
his wife, Eshuvar might even like her.
Although he’s used his sorcerous talents on behalf of

several prominent Dynasts, Eshuvar frequently down-
plays his Heptagram training. Instead, he presents
himself as a businessperson, throwing his backing —
and his wealth — behind other Dragon-Blooded’s risky
ventures if he deems them worthy. The gambit pays off;
Eshuvar’s peers frequently request his charming pres-
ence in their salons, and the professional contacts he’s
made have proven quite profitable. Eshuvar frequently
attends parties in the Imperial City, the more luxurious,
the better. When he’s not pursuing a new conquest, he
can often be found surrounded by young Dynasts eager-
ly pitch their adventuring plans, in the hopes he’ll help
fund their expeditions.
Despite his large social circle, Eshuvar only truly feels

at home in his Hearthmates’ presences. Most of all, he
misses Yushoto Mathar. The Lookshyan ranger makes
Eshuvar’s heart race.
Eshuvar is tall, slim, and handsome. One look at his fine

clothing and jewelry confirms his wealth.
Aspect: Air
Wealth and charm have gotten Sesus Eshuvar just about
everything he’s ever wanted. Once, he took it simply as Essence: 3; Willpower: 7; Join Battle: 9 dice (+4 for 4m)
his due: He was a Prince of the Earth, a scion of the Personal Motes: 14; Peripheral Motes: 35
Scarlet Dynasty, and the world ought to bend to his Health Levels: −0/−1x2/−2x2/−4/Incap.
whims. But just a few months out of the Heptagram, Actions: Administration: 8 dice (+4 for 4m); Dynastic
Eshuvar accompanied a Wyld Hunt in the River Lands. Education: 7 dice (+4 for 4m); Mysticism: 7 dice (+4 for
The mission changed him; he returned to the Realm de- 4m); Read Intentions: 7 dice (+4 for 4m); Seafaring: 8
termined to be a better person. Yet his family’s privilege, dice (+4 for 4m); Senses: 6 dice (+2 for 2m); Social Influ-
combined with his own arrogance and vanity, make ence: 9 dice (+4 for 4m); Sorcery: 10 dice (+6 for 6m);
changing hard. Refusing to let go of his own comforts Stealth: 5 dice (+2 for 2m); Strategy: 5 dice (+2 for 2m).
and the access he enjoys with his station has severely Appearance 4, Resolve 2 (+1 for 2m), Guile 4 (+2 for 4m)
slowed the process.
COMBAT
Eshuvar served as a weather-sorcerer in the Imperial Attack (Windshear, blue jade infinite chakram):
Navy for twenty years. While a capable seafarer, his dis- 9 dice at close range (+4 for 4m, Damage 11L/3)
dain for authority eventually cost him his commission, Combat Movement: 6 dice (+2 for 2m)
though hefty bribes kept Eshuvar’s final confrontation Evasion: 4 (+2 for 4m), Parry: 1
with a superior out of naval ledgers. He took a position
Soak/Hardness: 2/0
in the Thousand Scales and married Mnemon Rela, an
Imperial Assessor. While the union satisfied both houses INTIMACIES
politically and has produced two legitimate children, the Defining Principle: I want to be better than I am.
match is an unhappy one. Eshuvar resents his un-Exalted Defining Principle: I find pleasure in my wealth and
wife and pursues affairs with people of various genders as station.
much to spite her as to make himself happy. Rela is clever
197
EX3
Major Tie: House Sesus (Guilt-Ridden Loyalty) dodge even if its successes equal his Evasion.
Major: Righteous River (Friendship) Safety Among Enemies (5m, 1wp; Reflexive; Instant;
Major Tie: Yushoto Mathar (Romantic Affection) Air, Aura, Decisive-only, Perilous): After dodging a de-
cisive attack, redirect it against another character within
Minor Principle: I will carry out my duties to my house,
range, rerolling the attack roll. Eshuvar’s Initiative must
but I’ll do it on my own terms.
exceed (attacker’s Initiative + new target’s Initiative).
Minor Tie: Kingfisher Swift (Respect)
SORCERY
Minor Tie: Left Hand Chalima (Bemused Affection)
Shaping Ritual: Once per scene, when Eshuvar stunts
Minor Tie: Mnemon Rela (Resentment) the first Shape Sorcery roll of a spell with invocations
Minor Tie: His children (Distant Interest) or mudras, he gains (stunt rating + 2) sorcerous motes
Minor Tie: House Mnemon (Distrust) toward completing the spell.
OFFENSIVE CHARMS Dragon-Sorcerer Puissance: Gain one sorcerous
mote per round while shaping an element-based spell;
Persistent Hornet Attack (5m, 1wp, expend Air
three per round in the appropriate Elemental Aura.
Aura; Simple; One scene; Air, Aura, Withering-only):
Make a withering attack, transferring all Initiative from Beckoning That Which Stirs the Sky (Ritual, 2wp;
it to Eshuvar’s chakram, which gains a place in Initiative [1 + threshold successes] hours; Control): Roll Sorcery
order and can begin acting the next round. It can aim, to alter the weather, with difficulty based on degree of
take reflexive move actions, and make attacks against change and climate. Altered weather extends out to (5
enemies within close range using Eshuvar’s dice pools. + threshold successes) miles. Eshuvar can expend half
It loses three Initiative at the end of each round it doesn’t his extra successes, rounded up, to make the weather
aim or land an attack, and this Charm ends after it makes follow him as he moves.
a decisive attack. It has Defense 4 and soak 4, can be Cirrus Skiff (15sm, 1wp; Until ended): Summon a
targeted by withering attacks, and can be knocked flying cloud capable of traveling at 18 miles per hour,
out of the air with a disarm gambit, ending this Charm. using Sorcery for movement rolls. The spell ends if
Winter Fang Attack (4m; Supplemental; Instant; Air, Eshuvar spends more than a scene off the cloud.
Balanced, Decisive-only): Every 10 on a decisive Death of Obsidian Butterflies (15sm, 1wp; De-
damage roll or gambit Initiative roll causes target to lose cisive-only; Instant): Roll Sorcery as an undodgeable
one Initiative, maximum three. Eshuvar doesn’t gain it. decisive attack against all characters in a line out to
DEFENSIVE CHARMS medium range (battle groups take −2 Defense). Roll (3
+ extra successes)L damage, or (8 + extra successes)
Elusive Crosswind Defense (4m, 1i; Reflexive; L against battle groups. This doesn’t reset Eshuvar’s Ini-
Instant; Air, Aura, Perilous, Uniform): +1 non-Charm tiative.
Evasion against an attack from medium range, or +2
non-Charm Evasion against an attack from long or Demon of the First Circle (Ritual, 2wp; Instant)
extreme range. Summon a First Circle Demon in a night-long ritual,
rolling Sorcery against its Resolve to bind it.
Flickering Candle Meditation (1m, 1i; Reflex-
ive; Instant; Fire, Perilous, Uniform) (1m, 1i; Reflexive; Keel Cleaves the Clouds (25sm, 1wp; One day):
Instant; Fire, Perilous, Uniform): Up to three 1s on attack Ship can travel over mist, fog, and vapor as if it were
roll negate one point of penalty to Evasion each. water, but can’t gain Speed bonuses from oars or cur-
rents while doing so.
Nimble Zephyr Defense (1m; Reflexive; Instant; Air,
Uniform): Successfully dodging an attack causes attack
to lose 1 Initiative, which Eshuvar doesn’t gain unless
he’s in Air Aura. If the attack rolls any 1s, Eshuvar can
198
EX3
Tepet Arada
Despairing for the state of the Realm, Arada decided to
while away his days in contemplation, drinking wine
and composing poetry about the Realm’s lost glory.
Even when the Scarlet Dynasty slapped House Tepet
in the face by appointing the incompetent Tepet Fokuf
regent to the throne, Arada refused to let it bait him out
of his hermitage.
Between his humiliating defeat and his subsequent

retreat from public life, Tepet Arada’s fame has turned
to infamy. He cares little — the Realm is a pack of
squabbling children, the Great Houses little more than
vultures, cowards, and sybarites in varying measure.
Perhaps the only thing that might rouse him from
seclusion is House Tepet’s survival. Arada has no de-
lusions of saving his house himself, but he believes in
the younger generation — in the family’s mercantile
branches, skilled warriors like Tepet Ejava, and a few
others who’ve shown promise.
Aspect: Air
for 6m)
Actions: Command: 10 dice (+6 for 6m); Dynastic
Education: 8 dice (+4 for 4m); Feats of Strength: 8 dice
A hellraiser and a hooligan in his youth, Tepet Arada’s
(+4 for 4m, may attempt Strength 3 feats); Read In-
early education in the Palace of the Tamed Storm al-
tentions: 5 dice (+2 for 2m); Resist Poison/Illness: 11
loyed his fierce temper with enough cunning to ensure dice (+6 for 6m); Senses: 8 dice (+4 for 4m); Social
he could get away with his indiscretions, while the Influence: 9 dice (+4 for 4m); Strategy: 10 dice (+6 for
House of Bells forged him into a shrewd tactician and 6m); Tracking: 6 dice (+4 for 4m)
formidable warrior. Though never one for house politics
Appearance 2, Resolve 5 (+2 for 4m), Guile 2 (+1
or courtly etiquette, his defeat of the Anathema Jochim
for 2m)
saw him rise to almost unassailable prestige within the
house, earning the sobriquet of “the Wind Dancer.” COMBAT
Attack (Relentless Wind, jade daiklave): 13
Soon, Arada was a general in the Tepet legions — a po- dice (+6 for 6m, Damage 15L/4)
sition that would see him leading them in the ill-fated Attack (Composite bow): 12 dice at short range
campaign against the Bull of the North. Despite Arada’s (+6 for 6m, Damage 9L)
personal accomplishments, including slaying the Bull’s
ally Fear-Eater, his forces were bloodily routed, and his
fame and glory turned to disgrace. Evasion: 5 (+2 for 4m), Parry: 6 (+2 successes for
4m)
Arada led his surviving troops on a long, costly retreat. Soak/Hardness: 12/7 (Icy Rampart, jade lamellar
Once they were safe, he resigned his commission, be- armor)
coming a hermit living in embittered seclusion. He hat- INTIMACIES
ed himself for his own failure, hated the Scarlet Empress Defining Principle: The Realm is beyond salvation.
for her sabotage of the Tepet legions, and hated the oth-
er Great Houses for not doing anything to help his own. Defining Tie: House Tepet (Mournful Regret)
Major Principle: Honor is more important than survival.
199
EX3
Major Principle: My failure has dishonored me and my enhanced with Oncoming Storm Stance. Make a single
family. decisive attack against all characters in close range
Major Principle: House Tepet’s future lies in the hands (can use Fulminating Thunderclap Surge reflexively to
of the young. extend to short range). Each hit character suffers base
damage dice equal to the number of motes from On-
Major Tie: Himself (Self-loathing)
coming Storm Stance spent on this attack, and Arada
Major Tie: The Scarlet Dynasty (Contempt) divides his Initiative evenly among them, rounding up
Minor Principle: The Realm is worth defending. to determine total damage. Ignores Hardness from
Minor Tie: The Thousand Scales (Disgust) metal armor. Once per scene, unless reset by crashing
an enemy with Mela’s Flashing Tongue.
Minor Tie: Tepet Fokuf (Contempt)
Unerring Lightning Razor (6m; Supplemental;
Minor Tie: Talented young Tepets (Hope)
Instant; Air, Uniform): Reroll four non-1 failures each
MERITS on the attack and damage rolls of an attack that ben-
Sobriquet: Once per story, when Arada makes an efits from aiming. Add enemy’s mobility penalty from
influence roll that aligns with his image as a legend- metal armor to the number of dice he can reroll. In Air
ary warrior and general, the level of the stunt she’s Aura, may pay one Willpower to reflexively aim at
awarded is increased by one. enemy before attacking if she’s wearing metal armor.
OFFENSIVE CHARMS DEFENSIVE CHARMS
Crimson Fang Bite (3m, 1wp; Supplemen- Body-Like-Clouds Meditation (8m; Simple; Aura; Air,
tal; Instant; Dual, Fire): Add +4 raw withering Aura, Withering-only): Withering damage rolls against
damage or double up to four 10s on a decisive Arada take a −4 penalty. If a withering attack hits but
damage roll. deals no damage, Arada steals 2 Initiative from his attacker.
Fulminating Thunderclap Surge (6m, 1a; Simple; Dragon-Scale Shield (1m, 1i; Reflexive; Instant; Air,
Instant; Air, Decisive-only): Make an unblockable de- Perilous, Uniform): Gain +1 non-Charm Parry against a
cisive attack against an enemy within short range, ranged attack with a material projectile.
halving Hardness from metal armor (rounded down). Impervious Skin of Stone (4m, Reflexive; Instant;
In Air Aura, can attack out to medium range without Balanced, Earth, Withering-only): +5 soak. In Earth
aiming, and add dice from aiming to damage roll as Aura, can use after attack roll.
well as attack roll. Flame-Borne Interception (4m; Reflexive; Until
Mela’s Flashing Tongue (10m, 1wp; Simple; next turn; Balanced, Fire, Uniform): Gain +1 Parry. In-
Instant, Air): Arada makes a number of withering creases by one for each attack blocked; resets back to
attacks against a single opponent equal to his on- +1 if he’s hit or dodges.
slaught penalty at the time he activates this Charm. Portentous Comet Deflection (3m, 1wp; Reflexive;
Each withering damage roll only grants Initiative Instant; Clash, Decisive-only, Fire): Reflexively clash
equal to half the damage inflicted, rounded down. In with a decisive attack. Counts as his action for the
Air Aura, he may use this Charm’s final attack for a round unless he expends Fire Aura.
decisive attack instead. This attack resets him to base
Initiative even if it misses. SOCIAL CHARMS
Oncoming Storm Stance (1a, 1i+; Reflexive; Ascendant Ideal Inspiration (6m, 1wp; Simple;
Instant; Air, Perilous): Upon aiming at close range (or Indefinite; Air): Arada dedicates himself to a Defining
further, if enhancing Fulminating Thunderclap Surge), Principle. Influence to weaken it must be rolled twice,
may spend up to 3 Initiative, gaining 2 motes for each using the lower result. Double 9s on influence rolls to
point spent. These motes can only be spent to enhance instill the Principle in others or persuade them to act
a Melee attack that benefits from that aim action. on it.
Steel Tempest Strike (4m, 1wp, expend Air Aura; Dragon’s Voice Mastery (5m, 1wp; Supplemental;
Simple; Instant; Air, Aura, Decisive-only): Move one Instant; Air): Add 2 non-Charm successes on a Social
range band toward an enemy at short range, ignor- Influence roll that aligns with one of Arada’s Major or
ing difficult terrain and skimming over chasms or pits, Defining Principles and increase the cost to resist by
and make a decisive attack. This counts as a move- one Willpower. Once per day, unless reset by uphold-
ment action, but not his attack for the round. Once per ing a Major or Defining Intimacy.
scene, unless reset by gaining 15+ Initiative on one tick. Wind-Carried Words Technique (3m [+1wp];
Thousandfold Tempest Strike (8m, 1wp, expend Simple; Instant; Air): Send a message of up to a
Air Aura; Simple; Instant; Air, Aura, Decisive-only): To few sentences to a character within 40 miles. For a
use, must have Initiative 12+ and take an aim action one-Willpower surcharge, extend range to 400 miles.
200
EX3
WAR CHARMS action. In Earth Aura, lower penalty on rolls to −2, and
Enfolded in the Dragon’s Wings (3m, 1i; Re- negate Defense penalty.
flexive; Instant; Earth, Perilous, Uniform): Make a Storm-Calling Strategos (10m, 1wp [5i]; Simple;
Command roll when a battle group in short range is Until stratagem is completed; Air): Roll Strategy to
attacked; every two successes grant +1 Defense and enact a threshold 3 stratagem. If successful, harsh
soak. Once per scene, unless reset with a successful weather imposes a −3 penalty on physical actions by
rally. enemy battle groups, and may impose a −1 penalty on
Indomitable Flame of Valor (1m [+1wp]; actions of non-battle-group enemies. At the beginning
Supplemental; Instant; Aura, Fire): Rally with of each round, if at Initiative 12+, can spend 5 Initia-
double 9s; can pay one Willpower to grant elite tive to create a one-time environmental hazard against
Drill troops perfect morale for one round. a battle group with Damage 8L, Difficulty 4. Once
per story, unless reset by accumulating +4 situational
Roaring Dragon Officer (3m; Reflexive; One turn; bonus on Strategy roll.
Balanced, Earth): Flurry a command with a non-attack
201
EX3
V’Neef
among the Great Houses, she was ready to press her
claim before her mother’s judgmental eye.
All things seemed possible for a time — growing the

wealth of a Ragara, the navy of a Peleps, the superb
legions of a Tepet. She would bind her mismatched col-
lection of outcastes and patricians into a unified house
that would match the greatest the Realm had ever mus-
tered, and all would acknowledge her gifts.
Then the Empress vanished.
She should have had decades, even a century or two, to

fortify her positions, strengthen her house and stabilize
her alliances. Her mother’s disappearance took with it
the shield on which she had counted to keep her pro-
tected from her elder siblings’ ruthless malice during
the critical early years. She knows Mnemon and Ragara,
amongst others, will eventually turn their attention to
her, and that many from Peleps already circle, ever de-
sirous to reacquire the Merchant Fleet.
The Empress had always seemed immortal, so for all

V’neef’s youthful ambitions, she’d never set her sights on
the throne itself. But if she wishes to survive to see her sev-
enth decade, she may have no choice but make a bid for it.
Aspect: Wood
Not long ago, V’neef looked upon the wilderness of her
Dynastic ambitions and saw any number of mountains Essence: 3; Willpower: 8; Join Battle: 8 dice (+4
that she might climb, given time. But now the empty for 4m)
throne looms over her like the Imperial Mountain, and Personal: 14; Peripheral: 26
she sees little choice but to climb it or die. Health Levels: −0/−1x4/−2x6/−4/Incap.
Actions: Administration: 10 dice (+4 for 4m);
Talented and gregarious, the young V’neef blossomed Command: 7 dice (+4 for 4m); Disguise: 6 dice (+2 for
in the hothouse environment of the Dynasty’s imperial 2m); Dynastic Education: 7 dice (+4 for 4m); Investiga-
household. Service as the Empress’ own cupbearer and tion: 6 dice (+2 for 2m); Medicine: 7 dice (+4 for 4m);
lessons at the Spiral Academy taught her the subtle- Resist Poison/Disease: 8 dice (+4 for 4m); Seafaring: 5
ties of intrigue, while unauthorized ventures into the dice (+1 success for 2m); Senses: 10 dice (+4 for 4m);
Blessed Isle’s wilderness taught her that any obstacle — Social Influence: 11 dice (+6 for 6m); Stealth: 7 dice (+4
whether the perils of untamed nature or her exasperat- for 4m); Strategy: 5 dice (+2 for 2m); Tracking: 10 dice
ed tutors’ rules — could be overcome through tenacity, (+4 for 4m); Wilderness Survival: 10 dice (+4 for 4m):
daring, and charm. Appearance 5, Resolve 4 (+2 for 4m), Guile 5 (+2 for
4m)
Measuring her worth against her elder siblings, V’neef
Combat
readied herself to challenge them as the master of her
own Great House. She served stints as a satrapial advi- Attack (Season of Falling Leaves, jade power-
sor, a minister, and even a senator in the Deliberative, bow): 10 dice at short range (+4 for 4m, Damage 14L,
honing her skills and developing connections and fiscal
Overwhelming 4)
resources. Marrying into prestigious House Tepet se- Attack (Unarmed): 8 dice (+4 for 4m, Damage 9B)
cured support from that house’s unparalleled private Attack (Grapple): 4 dice (+2 for 2m; 4 dice to control,
military. And when House Iselsi’s fall opened a gap +2 for 2m)
202
EX3
Combat Movement: 8 dice (+4 for 4m) Defense. Once per scene, unless reset by aiming nor-
Evasion: 6 (+3 for 6m); Parry: 2 (+1 for 2m) mally against an enemy before hitting him with a deci-
sive attack.
Soak/Hardness: 9/4 (Assassin Dancer, green jade
silken armor) Spring Follows Winter (2m [1i per die]; Supplemen-
tal; Instant; Aura, Perilous, Uniform, Wood): Reroll up
INTIMACIES to three non-1 failures on an attack roll for one Initiative
Defining Principle: The bold and the adaptable are best each.
suited to weather unexpected adversity. DEFENSIVE CHARMS
Defining Principle: My path to power will be secured by
Fearsome Dragon Presence (5m; Reflexive; One
quick wits and charm.
tick; Fire, Perilous): Attack rolls, influence rolls, and
Major Principle: I desire the renown that my talents and rushes against V’neef take a −2 penalty (−3 in Fire
deeds have earned. Aura). An enemy may spend one Willpower to become
Major Tie: House V’Neef (Reliance) immune for the scene.
Major Tie: Her blood family (Love) Swaying Grass Elusion (2i per +1 Evasion; Reflex-
Major Tie: Her husband Tepet Igan (Respect) ive; Instant; Aura, Perilous, Uniform, Wood): Increase
Evasion dice cap to +5, and can add +1 Evasion for two
Major Tie: House Peleps (Antipathy)
Initiative. Upon successfully dodging a lower-Initiative
Minor Principle: The Threshold offers us a cornucopia of enemy’s attack, can expend Wood Aura to regain half
wealth and culture. the Initiative spent on this Charm, rounded up.
Minor Tie: Eagle’s Launch (Pride) SOCIAL CHARMS
Minor Tie: Merchant Fleet (Pride) Auspicious First Meeting Attitude (5m; Simple;
Minor Tie: Mnemon (Apprehension) Instant; Balanced, Water): Upon meeting someone for
ESCORT the first time, roll Social Influence against (his lower of
Guile or Resolve) to both read his intentions and instill a
Tepet Citan, a cousin of V’neef’s husband who’s married
positive Tie toward V’neef.
into her house, always serves as both personal secre-
tary and covert bodyguard (use Immaculate of Air traits, Seizing-the-Tongue Technique (6m; Supplemental;
Exalted, p. 541). She typically has a contingent of elite Instant; Air, Balanced): Reroll up to three non-1 failures
troops (Exalted, p. 497) within earshot; these have on a Social Influence roll. In Air Aura, can use after
Size 2 and elite Drill. Other members of her house are rolling.
often nearby, as is her husband Tepet Igan. Poisonous Sneer Reproach (2m, 1wp; Reflexive;
OFFENSIVE CHARMS Instant; Wood): V’neef speaks out against someone
else’s attempted social influence, rolling her Social In-
Arrow Thorn Technique (3m; Supplemental; Instant; fluence pool. Each success imposes a –1 penalty on the
Balanced, Dual, Wood): +1 Overwhelming on a with- speaker’s influence roll.
ering attack (+3 with aim) or add two decisive attack
roll extra successes as dice of damage (3 with aim). Sweeten-the-Tap Method (5m, 1wp; Simple;
Scene; Fire/Wood): Those partaking in alcoholic bev-
Blossom Hides Thorns (6m, 1wp, expend Wood erages V’neef supplied are treated as having a positive
Aura; Simple; Instant; Aura, Mute, Wood): While per- Minor Tie toward all other partygoers and suffers −1
forming, roll Social Influence against one character’s Guile.
Resolve. If successful, battle begins, and V’neef or one
of her allies receives a surprise attack against that char- Vivacious Dragon Beauty (6m; Reflexive; One
acter on their first turn. If the attacker beat the target’s scene; Aura, Wood): Gain a bonus dot of Appearance.
Join Battle, the attack becomes an ambush. MISCELLANEOUS CHARMS
Heartbeats Before Death (1m, 1wp; Reflexive; Quarry Revelation Technique (2m; Supplemental;
Instant; Aura, Uniform, Wood): Aim reflexively at a Instant; Balanced, Wood): Reroll 6s on Tracking and
living or undead enemy before making an attack, and can contest magical concealment.
ignore light and medium cover. If she previously aimed,
it can bypass full cover, though it grants target +3
203
EX3
Karal Linwei
Full of fiery passion and steely resolve, Taimyo Karal
Linwei of Field Force One is the epitome of what a
Karal should be. On campaign, she’s rarely far from the
soldiers under her command — whether leading from
the front in battle, or drinking and sharing war stories
at the night fires. In Lookshy, when she’s not drilling
Field Force One or in her office, the taimyo can be found
drinking in a rowdy tea house frequented by Seventh
Legion veterans, both mortal and Dragon-Blooded.
As a youth, Linwei was always a favorite of her elders, an

attentive listener who took readily to their inculcation.
After graduation, her loyalty was rewarded with a prime
posting where she distinguished herself in early battles,
having taken in Karal military doctrine as thoroughly as
her gens’ ideology. Her eventual promotion to the First
Field Force’s command surprised few, and pleased elder
Karals with the assurance that the field force would be
under an unquestioningly steadfast scion of the gens.
In the war against Thorns, Field Force One initially cut

a swath through Thorns’ inferior forces. Two years later,
when the Thornish army — reinforced by Realm troops
under Dragon-Blooded leadership — savaged Field Force
Two at Deren’s Ford and bottled it up at Mishaka, Linwei
led Field Force One and Confederation reinforcements
to relieve the siege. She issued the command to retaliate
against Thorns’ use of First Age weapons with the Seventh Linwei has three surviving children: two Dragon-
Legion’s own ancient arsenal. The resulting cataclysm Blooded sons, Vosa and Kalim, and her oldest child,
decimated both sides; in the resulting chaos, Linwei’s tac- her mortal daughter Fire Orchid. Linwei recently lost
tical genius secured a pyrrhic victory. While others con- contact with Fire Orchid, who had retired from the le-
sider her a hero, Linwei is haunted by her actions. Each gions to a rustic villa in the Hundred Kingdoms. When
night, she dreams of Mishaka, walking among the corpses. the regular correspondence between the two first halt-
ed amid reports of Fair Folk activity, Linwei feared her
Linwei struggled with life in Lookshy after returning daughter dead — yet rumors of a Lookshyan soldier
from the War of Thorns, frustrated with the slowness with the mark of the Anathema on her brow have given
of the General Staff’s administration compared to bat- Linwei a strange combination of hope and fear.
tlefield decision-making. Without any recent major de-
ployments, she’s had ample time to become well-versed Aspect: Fire
in bureaucracy, and has aggressively pushed for several
reforms that would expedite the provision of supplies
for 4m)
and aid to Lookshy’s soldiers in the field.
Personal: 15, Peripheral: 39
To all appearances, the steadfast Linwei remains a politi- Health Levels: −0/−1x3/−2x3/−4/Incap.
cally conservative Mercenary. But in private moments, she Actions: Administration: 9 dice (+4 for 4m);
wonders whether a more dynamic foreign policy might bet- Command: 10 dice (+4 for 4m); Feats of Strength: 8
ter secure the Seventh Legion’s safety, preventing conflicts dice (+4for 4m, may attempt Strength 3 feats); Look-
from escalating to the point where the field forces suffer shyan Education: 6 dice (+2 for 2m); Read Intentions:
losses as extensive as at Mishaka. Where once she gave 6 dice (+2 for 2m); Resist Poison/Disease: 6 dice (+2
Interventionists on the General Staff the cold shoulder, now for 2m); Senses: 6 dice (+2 for 2m); Social Influence: 8
she listens, though she’s yet to promise any support. dice (+4 for 4m); Stealth: 6 dice (+2 for 2m); Strategy:
204
EX3
10 dice (+4 for 4m) clash from close range blinds attacker until end of his next
Appearance 3, Resolve 5 (+2 for 4m), Guile 4 (+2 for 4m) turn unless he succeeds on a (Stamina + Resistance) roll at
difficulty (4 + attack roll extra successes).
COMBAT
Crossfire Flash (5m; Supplemental; Instant; Balanced,
Attack (Unimpeded Flame, red jade daiklave): Fire, Uniform) Rerolls four non-1 failures on a clash
12 dice (+6 for 6m, Damage 15L/5) attack roll. Each rerolled die that shows a 10 subtracts a
Combat Movement: 10 dice (+4 for 4m) success from enemy’s attack roll.
Evasion: 2 (+1 for 2m), Parry: 7 (+3 for 6m) Dragon-Scale Shield (1m, 1i; Reflexive; Instant; Fire,
Soak/Hardness: 11/7 (Molten Poise, red jade Perilous, Uniform): Successfully parrying at close range
lamellar) causes attacker to lose Initiative equal to (1 + his attack
INTIMACIES roll 1s), which Linwei doesn’t gain.
Fearsome Dragon Presence (5m; Reflexive; One
Defining Principle: Seventh Legion lives shouldn’t be wasted.
tick; Fire, Perilous): Attack rolls, influence rolls, and
Defining Tie: Gens Karal (Loyalty) rushes against Linwei take a −2 penalty (−4 in Fire
Major Principle: Bureaucracy is the Seventh Legion’s Aura). An enemy may spend one Willpower to become
greatest enemy. immune for the scene.
Major Principle: Gens Karal’s reputation must be upheld. Flame-Borne Interception (4m; Reflexive; Until next
Major Tie: Field Force One (Responsibility) turn; Balanced, Fire, Uniform): Gain +1 Parry. Increas-
es by one for each attack blocked; resets back to +1 if
Major Tie: Karal Fire Orchid (Unease)
she’s hit or dodges.
Major Tie: Her children (Love)
Portentous Comet Deflection (3m, 1wp; Reflexive;
Minor Principle: I must rein in my temper, lest it get the Instant; Clash, Decisive-only, Fire): Reflexively clash
better of me. with a decisive attack. Counts as her action for the
Minor Tie: The Flamebreak (Mutual Respect) round unless she expends Fire Aura.
Minor Tie: The Realm (Enmity) MOBILITY CHARMS
ESCORT Dancing Ember Stride (4m, 2i; Simple; Instant; Fire,
Linwei is often accompanied by elite troops (Exalted, Perilous): Rush from short range with double 9s (medium
p. 497) as well as Dragon-Blooded officers. range if she pays one Willpower and expends Fire Aura).
If successful, instantly move into close range of target.
OFFENSIVE CHARMS
Inescapable Blazing Advance (5m, 1wp, expend
Burning Pinnacle Strike (3m; Reflexive; Instant; Fire Aura; Supplemental; Instant; Aura, Fire): Add 4
Aura, Fire, Uniform): After making a withering attack non-Charm dice on a rush. Up to four 1s on opposing
that raises her Initiative above all enemies, reflexive- character’s roll cause him to lose 1 Initiative each, which
ly make a withering or decisive attack. Once per Linwei gains. If this crashes him, he catches fire, suffering
round. (Initiative lost) dice of Hardness-ignoring lethal damage
Crimson Fang Bite (3m, 1wp; Supplemental; Instant; on each of his turns until extinguished.
Dual, Fire): Add +4 raw withering damage or double WAR CHARMS
up to four 10s on a decisive damage roll.
Deadly Wildfire Legion (5m, 1wp, expend Fire
Harnessed Firestorm Assault (10m, 1wp, expend
Aura; Supplemental; Instant; Aura, Fire): Add +4 non-
Fire Aura; Simple; Instant; Aura, Decisive-only, Fire): Charm dice on Command roll to order an attack; battle
Make three decisive attacks, each with (Initiative/2, group may immediately take its turn if it hasn’t acted this
rounded up) damage. Once per scene unless reset by round. Every two Command roll successes add one die
landing a decisive attack in Fire Aura and building to of damage. Once per scene unless reset by ordering a
Initiative 12+ without leaving Fire Aura. battle group to attack and deal enough damage to in-
Smoldering Essence Attack (5m, 1a; Simple; capacitate a nontrivial foe or rout a battle group.
Instant; Aura, Fire, Withering-only): Make a withering
Indomitable Flame of Valor (1m [+1wp]; Supple-
attack. Enemy loses extra Initiative equal to damage roll
mental; Instant; Aura, Fire): Rally with double 9s;
10s, which recurs on each of his next four turns, or until
can pay one Willpower to grant elite Drill troops
he deals withering damage to Linwei. She doesn’t
perfect morale for one round.
gain this Initiative.
Roaring Dragon Officer (3m; Reflexive; One turn;
DEFENSIVE CHARMS Balanced, Earth): Flurry a command with a non-at-
Blinding Spark Distraction (1m, 1i; Reflexive; Instant; tack action. In Earth Aura, lower penalty on rolls to
Balanced, Fire, Perilous, Uniform): Blocking or winning a −2, and negate Defense penalty.
205
EX3
Yushoto Mathar
and Eshuvar. Some of his Lookshyan rivals have used
his loyalty against him, sabotaging his career and ending
his climb up the Directorate ladder. He has no regrets.
His choices let him sleep at night.
People often can’t help but like Mathar. He’s handsome

and charming, and commands attention with his gre-
garious nature. He’s good at reading a room, and in-
spires positive feelings with his mere presence. Mathar
is a skilled musician; his biwa is never far from reach.
Animals respond to his training — he’s particularly fond
of birds, and has had several avian familiars over his
lifetime. His current companion is a blue jay.
Mathar travels the River Province on missions for the

Directorate, seeking information on existing or immi-
nent threats to Lookshy. He cultivates as an eyes-and-
ears network separate from the Directorate’s, as some
of his colleagues attempt to pass along incomplete
and often inaccurate information to him. Mathar pre-
fers to meet his informants at The Dancing Blossom, a
teahouse in Lookshy’s Fourth Ring.
Aspect: Wood
for 6m)
Personal Motes: 14; Peripheral Motes: 23
Yushoto Mathar has a long and storied career with Health Levels: −0/−1x2/−2x2/−4/Incap.
the Seventh Legion. His skill on horseback earned
Actions: Disguise: 7 dice (+4 for 4m); Feats of Strength:
him a position in the field as a cavalry officer. He’s run 7 dice (+4 for 4m, may attempt Strength 3 feats); Investi-
reconnaissance on the Realm legions’ movements, in- gation: 9 dice (+4 for 4m); Lookshyan Education: 5 dice
filtrated smuggling rings, and intercepted messages (+2 for 2m); Read Intentions: 9 dice (+4 for 4m); Resist
between enemies intent on bringing harm to Lookshy Poison/Disease: 6 dice (+2 for 2m); Senses: 9 dice (+4
and the Scavenger Lands. Once he left active duty with for 4m); Social Influence: 10 dice (+4 for 4m); Stealth: 8
the Seventh Legion, he brought all the skills he culti- dice (+4 for 4m); Tracking: 8 dice (+4 for 4m)
vated in the army to bear as a spy for the Intelligence Appearance 4, Resolve 3 (+2 for 4m), Guile 4 (+2 for 4m)
Directorate.
COMBAT
During his time as a ranger, Mathar heard tales of a Attack (Ageos’ Thorn, green jade direlance): 9
wandering hero named Left Hand Chalima. Their paths dice (+4 for 4m, Damage 17L/5)
crossed when both responded to a call for aid from the Attack (Dawnbreaker, green jade short pow-
people of Yerath. Together, Mathar and Chalima helped erbow): 14 dice at short range (+6 for 6m, Damage
the villagers make a stand against a neighboring war- 13L/3)
lord, and became fast friends in the process. Combat Movement: 8 dice (+4 for 4m)
When they learned of a Wyld Hunt on the trail of the Evasion: 3 (+2 for 4m), Parry: 4 (+2 for 4m)
Anathema who’d been fomenting rebellion in small Soak/Hardness: 10/7 (Xarym, green jade lamellar)
settlements, they sought out the Realm forces to of- INTIMACIES
fer their aid and swore Kinship. He grew fond of his Defining Principle: Loyalty above all.
Hearthmates River and Swift in short order, and over
Major Principle: Music and laughter cure many an ill.
the years, he’s felt romance blooming between himself
206
EX3
Major Tie: Lookshy (Duty) Root-and-Hand Merging (5m, 1wp; Reflexive; One
Major Tie: Left Hand Chalima (Friendship) scene; Balanced, Wood): Gain +1 Parry (non-Charm in
Aura) and add +2 to difficulty of disarm gambits against
Major Tie: Sesus Eshuvar (Romantic Interest)
him.
Minor Principle: I long to find meaning in the Immacu-
late Faith. SOCIAL CHARMS
Minor Tie: Kingfisher Swift (Respect) Auspicious First Meeting Attitude (5m; Simple;
Instant; Balanced, Water): (5m; Simple; Instant; Bal-
Minor Tie: Righteous River (Loyalty) anced, Water): Upon meeting someone for the first
Minor Tie: Gens Yushoto (Kinship) time, roll Social Influence against his (lower of Guile or
Minor Tie: The Realm (Distrust) Resolve) to both read his intentions and instill a positive
OFFENSIVE CHARMS Tie toward Mathar.
Foul Stench of Lies Discernment (3m, 1wp; Re-
Arrow Thorn Technique (3m; Supplemental; Instant;
flexive; Instant; Air, Mute): Roll Investigation with three
Balanced, Dual, Wood): +1 Overwhelming on a
non-Charm dice against a character’s Guile when she
withering Archery attack (+3 with aim) or add two
speaks to determine if she’s lying. Waive Willpower cost
decisive Archery attack roll extra successes as dice of
for subsequent uses once a lie’s been found.
damage (3 with aim).
Sanxian-Charming Fingers (3m; Supplemental;
Death From Nowhere (4m; Supplemental; Instant;
Instant; Wood): Double 9s on a Social Influence roll
Air/Water, Balanced, Withering-only): Withering
with an instrument.
attack ignores 3 points of armor soak (5 with aim).
Soul-Stirring Performance (3m, 1wp; Simple;
Heartbeats Before Death (1m, 1wp; Reflexive;
Instant; Wood): Roll Social Influence with +3 non-Charm
Instant; Aura, Uniform, Wood): (1m, 1wp; Reflex-
dice to inspire an emotion. Resisting requires entering a
ive; Instant; Aura, Uniform, Wood): Aim reflexively at
Decision Point and calling on an Intimacy of any level.
a living or undead enemy before making an Archery
attack, and ignore light and medium cover. If he pre- MISCELLANEOUS CHARMS
viously aimed, can ignore full cover, though it grants Bloodhound’s Nose Technique (4m, 1wp; Simple;
target +3 Defense. Once per scene, unless reset by 3 days; Water/Wood): Roll Investigation with double
aiming normally against an enemy before hitting her 9s to examine evidence, with base difficulty 3. If suc-
with a decisive attack. cessful, pick up scent of character who left the evidence,
Spring Follows Winter (2m [1i per die]; Supplemen- identifying her if Mathar already knows her. Double 9s
tal; Instant; Aura, Perilous, Uniform, Wood): Reroll up on rolls to detect or track that character by scent.
to three non-1 failures on an Archery attack roll for one Instant Disguise Prana (1m, 1wp; Simple; Instant;
Initiative each. Water): Roll Disguise in one minute, ignoring penalties
DEFENSIVE CHARMS for lacking equipment. With equipment, double 9s.
Aura of Grasping Branches (5m, 3i, 1wp; Simple; Quarry Revelation Technique (2m; Supplemental;
One scene; Perilous, Wood): Ignore up to 4 points Instant; Balanced, Wood): Reroll 6s on Tracking and
of onslaught penalties to Parry per round, which may can contest magical concealment.
be divided between multiple attacks. In Wood Aura,
doesn’t suffer onslaught penalties from attacks he suc-
cessfully parries.
Instant; Clash, Decisive-only, Fire): Reflexively clash
with a decisive Melee attack. Counts as his action for
the round unless he expends Fire Aura.
207
EX3
Cevis Ghandarva
Child of the Scarlet Dynasty. Self-proclaimed avatar of
the Immaculate Dragon Mela. Exile from the Realm.
Luminary among the Forest Witches. Child of a god.
Cevis Ghandarva has lived many lives, both figuratively
and literally. From the days when a young Ghandarva
was first enthralled by a Fair Folk prince who showed
him how he might be perfected, the Dragon-Blood has
striven in pursuit of transcendence and enlightenment.
Though the Realm rebuffed his early pretensions and his
proclamation of himself as Mela returned, Ghandarva’s
obsession with self-perfection would not be easily ex-
tinguished, and ultimately led to the emergence of the
Forest Witches as they are today.
There’s little room for compassion or compromise on the

path to perfection, Ghandarva reasons. Yes, he’s betrayed
his closest companions, lost those that he has loved, and
been maimed at the hands of the forest’s mysteries — but
has it not been worth it? Is the Sea of Mind not a paradise
for the living and the dead? Did the sacrifice of his flesh
not appease Oreithyia, who now loyally serves the Forest
Witches? And has he not mastered Domnica’s Mantle,
and transcended the cycle of death and rebirth thereby?
Surely, such accomplishments prove the necessity of the
costs he’s paid in pursuit of them.
Ghandarva strives to conquer without conquest, the

ideology of ruling from the shadows espoused in his Strength 3 feats); Medicine: 5 dice (+2 for 2m); Mysti-
Spear Sutra. He envisions the end of the Realm, and the cism: 8 dice (+4 for 4m); Read Intentions: 10 dice (+4
rise of his loyal Company of Thrones to establish the for 4m); Resist Poison/Disease: 8 dice (+4 for 4m);
empire that will come after. In pursuit of this goal, he Senses: 6 dice (+2 for 2m); Social Influence: 12 dice
has undergone multiple reincarnations with the power (+6 for 6m); Stealth: 7 dice (+4 for 4m); Strategy: 6 dice
of Domnica’s Mantle. In his most recent, Ghandarva (+2 for 2m); Tracking: 5 dice (+2 for 2m);
was reborn as the child of Spinner of Glorious Tales, one Appearance 4, Resolve 5 (+2 for 4m), Guile 3 (+1 for 2m)
of the three gods who rule Great Forks (Exalted, p. 88). COMBAT
However, his efforts at suborning the City of Temples
have been complicated by the unexpected formation
of a familial bond between himself and Spinner of Attack (Grapple): 10 dice (+4 for 4m; 10 dice to
Glorious Tales. The god doesn’t fully trust his strangely control, +4 for 4m)
canny son, nor would Ghandarva allow sentiment to Combat Movement: 7 dice (+4 for 4m)
come between him and his conquest — yet neither can Evasion 1; Parry 5 (+2 for 4m)
deny that they love each other as family. Soak/Hardness: 10/4 (Immaculate Husk, blue jade
silk armor)
Aspect: Air
INTIMACIES
Essence: 5; Willpower: 8; Join Battle: 8 dice (+4 for 4m)
Defining Principle: The Blood Sutra and the Spear Sutra
Personal: 16; Peripheral: 39 are the Forest Witches’ only path forward.
Health Levels: −0/−1x5/−2x8/−4/Incap. Defining Principle: No sacrifice is unthinkable in pursuit
Actions: Command: 8 dice (+4 for 4m); Dynastic Edu- of victory.
cation: 6 dice (+2 for 2m); Investigation: 5 dice (+2 for Defining Tie: Himself (Pride)
2m); Feats of Strength: 6 dice (+2 for 2m; may attempt
208
EX3
Major Principle: The blessings of the forest free us to rounds without being hit or attacking (not counting coun-
pursue self-perfection. terattacks).
Major Tie: The Company of Thrones (Trust) DEFENSIVE CHARMS
Major Tie: The Realm (Bitterness) Blade-Deflecting Palm (1m per die, 1i; Reflexive;
Major Tie: Vitali Proseria (Distrust) Instant; Perilous, Uniform, Water): Up to five 1s on an
Major Tie: Spinner of Glorious Tales (Affection) attack roll against Ghandarva’s Parry let him pay one
mote to reroll a successful die, starting with 7s and
Minor Tie: Bidalaksa Valentin (Grief) moving up.
ESCORT Body-Like-Clouds Meditation (8m; Simple; Aura;
When not undercover, Ghandarva may be attended Air, Aura, Withering-only): Withering damage rolls
by Dragon-Blooded of the Company of Thrones. While against Ghandarva take a −5 penalty. If a withering
posing as Spinner’s son, he’s often escorted by grizzled attack hits but deals no damage, Ghandarva steals 2
mercenary bodyguards (Exalted, p. 497). Initiative from his attacker.
MERITS Countless Coils Evasion (7m, 1wp; Reflexive;
Immersed in the Sea of Mind Instant; Decisive-only, Perilous): After decisive attack
roll, roll (5 + Initiative). Each success subtracts one die
OFFENSIVE CHARMS from damage roll. Reset to base Initiative. Once per
Essence Venom Strike (6m, 3i, 1wp; Simple; scene.
Instant; Aggravated, Decisive-only): Make a de- Crane Form (8m, Simple; One scene; Form): Gain +1
cisive attack. If it deals damage, it inflicts a poison Parry, and reduce Initiative cost of full defense by one.
with Damage 1A/round, Duration (One round per When he takes a full defense, can make a withering
two dice of damage, maximum 5), and a −2 penalty. or decisive counterattack against each attack against
Crashed don’t get a roll against the poison. him until his next turn. Can use reflexively upon causing
Feather-Stirred Arrow Deflection (2m [+1wp]; an enemy’s Initiative to fall below his own by defending
Reflexive; Instant; Uniform): When counterattacking a against one of her attacks.
ranged attack, extend counterattack’s range to that of Impervious Skin of Stone (4m; Reflexive; Instant;
the original attack (maximum long). May spend one Balanced, Earth, Withering-only): Add +5 soak. In
Willpower to direct counterattack at a different enemy. Earth Aura, can be used after attack roll.
Humbling Enlightenment Commentary (1m, 1wp; Revolving-Hurricane-Force Defense (5m, 1wp;
Supplemental; Instant; Decisive-only): Add stunt bonus to Reflexive; Aura; Air, Aura, Withering-only): Roll 13 dice
a decisive counterattack’s damage roll as well as attack and gain soak bonus equal to successes. Drops by one
roll. If damage exceeds target’s Resolve, instill a positive each time an attack hits him. Once per scene.
Tie to a group or a philosophical or ethical Principle. If she
Snake Form (8m [+1m, 1wp]; Simple; One scene;
resists with Willpower or already has that Intimacy, she
Form): Gain +4 soak, and inflict −1 penalty on attacks
instead loses 5 Initiative (which Ghandarva doesn’t gain).
against him (−3 against lower-Initiative enemies). Can
Kindly Sifu’s Quill (5m; Supplemental; Instant; Deci- use reflexively upon lowering an enemy from an Ini-
sive-only): Double 10s on decisive damage roll. Posi- tiative higher than his own to one lower than him with
tive Ties to groups and philosophical or ethical Principles a withering attack. Essence Fangs and Scales Tech-
penalize target’s Defense if exploited with an appropri- nique: Pay a one-mote, one-Willpower surcharge to
ate stunt. gain an additional +5 soak and +2 raw damage on
Mournful Crane’s Cry (3m; Supplemental; Instant; withering attacks.
Decisive-only): Decisive counterattack knocks enemy MOBILITY CHARMS
back two range bands to fall prone.
Cloud-Treading Method (5m; Supplemental; Instant;
Striking Cobra Technique (3m; Supplemental; Air, Mute): Ignore five points of penalties on movement
Instant; Dual): Add +4 raw withering damage or one roll and can walk over surfaces that can’t support his
die of decisive damage. Against crashed enemies, weight, as long as he ends on solid ground. In Air Aura,
instead add +4 post-soak withering damage or one can walk on liquids and vapors.
success on decisive damage roll.
Soaring Leap Technique (1m; Supplemental; Instant;
Wisdom of the Celestial Crane (7m, 1wp; Reflex- Air, Balanced): Each 10 on a jumping-based Athletics
ive; Instant; Decisive-only): Adds (lower of Ghandar- roll rerolls a non-1 failure.
va’s or attacker’s Initiative) to damage when making a
decisive counterattack against a damaging decisive SOCIAL CHARMS
attack. Upon incapacitating a foe, can raise a positive Ascendant Ideal Inspiration (6m, 1wp; Simple; In-
Tie to a group or philosophical or ethical Principle to definite; Air): Ghandarva dedicates himself to a Defin-
Defining. Once per scene, unless reset by going three ing Principle. Influence to weaken it must be rolled twice,
209
EX3
using the lower result. Double 9s on influence rolls to LINEAGE CHARMS

instill the Principle in others or persuade them to act on it. Ghandarva possesses several Eclipse Charms reflecting
Dragon’s Voice Mastery (5m, 1wp; Supplemental; his most recent incarnation’s descent from the god Spinner
Instant; Air): Add 3 non-Charm successes on a Social of Glorious Tales, per the Divine Lineage Merit (p. XX).
Influence roll that aligns with one of Ghandarva’s Major Haled to the Horizon (5m; Simple; Instant;
or Defining Principles and increase the cost to resist by Eclipse; Essence 2): Roll Social Influence with 5
one Willpower. Once per day, unless reset by uphold- non-Charm dice to inspire wanderlust (Eclipses roll
ing a Major or Defining Intimacy. [Manipulation + Presence] with [higher of Essence
Puissant Precursor’s Monologue (8m, 1wp; or 3] non-Charm dice). If not resisted with Will-
Simple; Instant; Air): Roll Social Influence with double power, the inspired emotion doesn’t subside until
7s to persuade characters to take action that supports an affected character has completed a narratively
one of Ghandarva’s Defining Principles. Characters that significant journey to a locale she’s never been to
share that Principle must pay an additional Willpower before.
to resist. Once per scene unless reset by upholding a Legends Become Truth (8m, 1wp; Simple; Instant;
Defining Principle with a legendary social goal. Eclipse; Essence 4): Roll Social Influence to introduce a
Seizing-the-Tongue Technique (6m; Supplemental; fact by telling a story, subject to normal limits on intro-
Instant; Air, Balanced): Reroll up to five non-1 failures on ducing facts (Eclipses roll [Charisma + Performance]).
a Social Influence roll. In Air Aura, can use after rolling. If Ghandarva wishes, this can also count as a Perfor-
Smoothing-Over-the-Past Technique (5m, 1wp; mance-based influence roll. No Lore background is nec-
Simple; Instant; Water): Roll Social Influence against essary, but the introduced fact must uphold or align with
one character to make her forget a past incident of one of Ghandarva’s Intimacies, or an Intimacy of an au-
misconduct by Ghandarva for one scene. If this would dience member whose Resolve is beaten by the roll.
make her act against a Major or Defining Intimacy, she
may resist for one Willpower.
Wind-Carried Words Technique (3m [+1wp];
Simple; Instant; Air): Send a message of up to a few
sentences to a character within 50 miles. For a one-Will-
power surcharge, extend range to 500 miles.
210
EX3
Kumari Samathi Anja

among the Forest Witches, she wears the shape she had
in life, save that she appears sadder, more tired, and has
pure black eyes. She is a spirit of cast-off things and re-
fuse, of that which has been lost or forgotten within the
forest. Alone among the numina, Anja evangelizes the
Cult of the Mist, hoping to convince more of her brethren
to join her in apotheosis, and bring the mist closer to its
completion. Whether this is her own will or the voice of
the mist speaking through her, even she does not know.
Aspect: Air
for 4m)
Health Levels: −0x6/−1x5/−3/Incap.
Actions: Esoteric Lore: 9 dice (+4 for 4m); Investiga-
tion: 6 dice (+2 for 2m); Read Intentions: 6 dice (+2 for
2m); Resist Poison/Disease: 7 dice (+4 for 4m); Senses:
6 dice (+2 for 2m); Social Influence: 10 dice (+4 for
4m); Stealth: 11 dice (+6 for 6m)
Appearance 3 (Hideous), Resolve 4 (+2 for 4m), Guile
2 (+1 for 2m)
COMBAT
Attack (Knives): 12 dice at close range (+6 for 6m,
Damage 9L)
Anja’s early years were nothing but miserable. Her
Attack (Grapple): 7 dice (+4 for 4m; 4 dice to control,
aristocratic parents had little desire for a daughter
+2 for 2m)
born physically disabled and subject to dark moods,
and made this clear to Anja from an early age. Her un- Combat Movement: 8 dice (+4 for 4m)
expected Exaltation did little to improve her life — her Evasion: 4 (+2 for 4m); Parry: 4 (+2 for 4m)
parents took a renewed interest in her, but she was no Soak/Hardness: 6/0
naïve fool to believe they’d changed, and her newfound INTIMACIES
Exalted peers heaped yet more abuse upon her. Perhaps
this early misery is what made Ghandarva’s sybaritic Defining Principle: I am she who cut away Anja until
cult — and its departure into the Threshold — so appeal- nothing beside remained.
ing to her, or perhaps she was simply seeking any escape Defining Principle: I will guide those who wish to be
from Realm society that could be had. remade to their apotheosis.
Defining Principle: I must spread the Cult of the Mist until
Anja found acceptance and hedonistic pleasures among the mists are complete.
the Forest Witches, and enjoyed them both, but still Major Principle: I empathize with those who have been
she fell back into depression at times. Hoping to con- cast aside.
ceal this from her fellows, she secluded herself in the Major Principle: I am not satisfied with what I have
forest to carry out her self-mutilation. It was here that become.
Ghandarva spied her, and set in motion the machina-
Major Tie: Other numina (Kinship)
tions that resulted in Anja’s unwilling apotheosis.
Major Tie: Cevis Ghandarva (Hatred)
The numen Anja wears several shapes — a woman, cut in Minor Principle: I will not blind myself in the Sea of Mind.
half down the center; a cat without eyes or skin; a seeth- Minor Tie: The Forest Witches (Beneficence)
ing heap of sloughed-off snakeskins. When she walks
211
EX3
MERITS Dematerialize (30m, 1wp [15m, 1wp to rematerial-

Cult 2 ize]; Simple; Instant): Anja dematerializes at the start of
her next turn. She can materialize with a second use for
Pain Tolerance fifteen motes, one Willpower.
Unnatural Hide 2 Beckon Back the Lost (2m or 5m, 1wp; Simple;
OFFENSIVE CHARMS Instant or Indefinite; Eclipse; Essence 3): For two motes,
Invisibly Hidden Chakram Method (2m [1m]; Anja can reanimate the corpse of anyone who’s died in
Simple; Indefinite; Air, Balanced, Stackable): Banish a the forest as a zombie (Exalted, p. 502). Alternative-
knife Elsewhere (or multiple knives with one activation in ly, for five motes and one Willpower, she can create
Air Aura), maximum 5. Knives past the first cost only one an illusionary replica of anyone who’s ever died in the
mote to banish. forest. This replica is not an independent character nor
Mela’s Twin Fangs (4m, 1wp; Simple; Instant; Air, is it capable of rolled actions; Anja can use its senses
Aura, Withering-only): While Anja has a knife Else- and make social influence rolls through it with her own
where, she makes two withering attacks, one with a traits, though she can’t enhance them with her Charms.
readied knife and one with the knife from Elsewhere. A character can recognize the replica for a fake with
Only the attack that deals the highest damage grants a read intentions roll or (Perception + Awareness) roll
Initiative. against her own Guile. The replica’s behavior, knowl-
edge, and memories are limited to Anja’s knowledge of
Thousand Razor Wind (1m, 1wp, expend Air Aura; the deceased, although she can introduce facts to estab-
Simple; Instant; Air, Aura, Decisive-only): Make a de- lish this knowledge. Normally, Anja can only reanimate
cisive attack with a readied knife and with each knife corpses or create replicas within close range of herself,
in Elsewhere, rolling separately for each. Divide Initia- but if a character prays to her and makes a request that
tive evenly among all attacks, rounded up, to determine could be literally or figuratively fulfilled with this Charm,
damage, and ignore Hardness. she may use it with unlimited range to create a replica at
DEFENSIVE CHARMS the petitioner’s location.
Flickering Candle Meditation (1m, 1i; Reflexive; Festering Rot (4m; Supplemental; Instant; Aggravat-
Instant; Fire, Perilous, Uniform): Up to four 1s on attack ed, Decisive-only, Eclipse; Essence 1): Anja’s decisive
roll negate one point of penalty to Evasion each. attack against a living character deals aggravated
Impervious Skin of Stone (4m; Reflexive; Instant; damage. If it deals any damage, at the end of that char-
Balanced, Earth, Withering-only): Add +4 soak. In acter’s next turn, unless he or an ally successfully treats
Earth Aura, can be used after attack roll. the wound with an (Intelligence + Medicine) roll at dif-
ficulty (Anja’s Essence), he suffers an additional level of
Nimble Zephyr Defense (1m; Reflexive; Instant; Air, aggravated damage, ignoring Hardness, and contracts
Uniform): Successfully dodging an attack causes attack infected wounds (Exalted, p. 235) without a chance to
to lose 1 Initiative, which Anja doesn’t gain unless she’s resist, even if he has Exalted healing.
in Air Aura. If the attack rolls any 1s, Anja can dodge
even if its successes equal her Evasion. Keeper of Forgotten Things (3m; Simple; Instant;
Eclipse; Essence 2): Anja can summon an object that
SOCIAL CHARMS has been lost or forgotten in the forest to her, as long
Dragon’s Voice Mastery (5m, 1wp; Supplemental; as no one is currently aware of its location and she is
Instant; Air): Add 2 non-Charm successes on a Social able to carry it. Alternatively, she can summon a heap
Influence roll that aligns with one of Anja’s Major or De- of refuse, sufficient to create a patch of difficult terrain
fining Principles and increase the cost to resist by one large enough to encompass one character within
Willpower. Once per day, unless reset by upholding a medium range and capable of providing light cover. If
Major or Defining Intimacy. she tries to summon refuse beneath a character, he may
Puissant Precursor’s Monologue (8m, 1wp; roll (Dexterity + [Athletics or Dodge]) at a difficulty of
Simple; Instant; Air): Roll Social Influence with double her Essence; successes forces her to instead summon the
7s to persuade characters to take action that supports refuse at a point within close range of him rather than
one of Anja’s Defining Principles. Characters that share directly beneath him.
that Principle must pay an additional Willpower to resist. Manyfold Embodiment of Anja (5m; Simple;
Once per scene unless reset by upholding a Defining Instant; Eclipse; Essence 1): Anja may vary between the
Principle with a legendary social goal. four forms described above, as well as other refuse and
NUMEN CHARMS discarded things. The above traits reflect her form as a
woman cut in half. In the shape of her former life, she
As a numen (p. XX), Anja counts as a spirit, can hear loses Hideous. In her feline shape, she may use a cat’s
prayers to her, and reforms after a month if killed without traits (Exalted, p. 560) in place of her own if they are
magic capable of permanently destroying spirits. She better, treating any dice over her own pools and any
also has the following Eclipse Charms: dice from Merits or special abilities as Charm dice, but
212
EX3
is blind (Exalted, p. 168). As a heap of snakeskins or a character’s Guile; success reveals what that character
other refuse, she can’t speak or take any non-reflexive most desires to remove or be rid of about himself, even if
physical actions, but suffers no impediments to convey- he hasn’t consciously realized this desire. If Anja’s Read
ing social influence nonverbally. Intentions successes exceed his Resolve, he is confront-
Stirring Ancient Remembrances (4m, 1wp; Sup- ed with a visceral awareness of that trait or quality’s
plemental; Instant; Eclipse; Essence 3): When Anja in- presence in him as a Psyche effect. He loses one Will-
troduces or challenges a fact, she’s treated as having a power and must react to his self-revulsion with a course
Lore background in all knowledge and memories that of action that rises to the level of a serious or life-defining
have ever been forgotten by someone while in the forest, task (Exalted, p. 216), chosen by his player. Resisting
and the knowledge and memories of those who’ve died requires entering a Decision Point and calling on at least
in the forest. a Major Intimacy. This Charm can’t be used against the
same character more than once per story.
Things Best Forsaken (10m, 1wp; Simple; Instant;
Eclipse, Psyche; Essence 3): Roll Read Intentions against
213
EX3
Vitali Proseria
Few of Proseria’s fellow councilors are so fixated on a
single issue. In matters of politics unrelated to the tithe
and the persistence of the dead, she’ll often espouse a
fellow councilor’s agenda with the expectation that he’ll
return the favor in the future. Her fellow dead remain
divided on the issue, and even the greatest savants of the
Sea’s nature remain unable to reach any consensus on
whether her ambition can be made real.
Aspect: Earth
Essence: 4; Willpower: 9; Join Battle: 7 dice (+4 for
4m)
Health Levels: −0/−1x4/−2x4/−4/Incap. (Walking
Effigy: −0x2/−1x3/−2x3/−4x3/Incap.)
Actions: Administration: 11 dice (+6 for 6m); Ancient Lore:
8 dice (+4 for 4m); Disguise: 6 dice (+2 for 2m); Feats of
Strength: 7 dice (+4 for 4m; may attempt Strength 3 feats);
Investigation: 7 dice (+4 for 4m); Mysticism: 7 dice (+4 for
4m); Read Intentions: 8 dice (+4 for 4m); Senses: 8 dice
(+4 for 4m); Social Influence: 11 dice (+6 for 6m); Sorcery:
7 dice (+4 for 4m); Tracking: 5 dice (+2 for 2m)
COMBAT
Attack (Surgeon and End to Morning, blue jade
smashfists): 13 dice (+6 for 6m, Damage 14B/3)
Among the first outcastes to join Cevis Ghandarva’s band of Attack (Grapple): 8 dice (+4 for 4m; 10 dice to control,
Dynastic renegades, Vitali Proseria has cast a long shadow +4 for 4m)
over the Forest Witches ever since. While it was Peace of
Song Forgotten who discovered the forest pool that would
become the Sea of Mind, and the dead prophetess Evelina Evasion: 1; Parry: 4 (+2 for 4m)
who first envisioned how the Sea’s boundaries might be Soak/Hardness: 14/10 (Walls of Atsiluth, white jade
expanded, it was Proseria who led the Witches’ efforts articulated plate)
in plumbing the Sea’s depths and forging the afterlife of INTIMACIES
Atsiluth Eternal. After her death, Proseria called upon the Defining Principle: The dead of Atsiluth Eternal must endure
many allies she’d made among both the living and the dead forever.
to launch a bid to usurp Evelina, establishing the Council
Defining Principle: I will make the Sea of Mind into the one
of Atsiluth Eternal with Proseria at first among equals.
true reality.
The dead have always been Proseria’s foremost priority. Defining Tie: Atsiluth Eternal (Possessiveness)
For the living, the Sea is a paradise, but for the dead, it’s Major Principle: Perfection arises from conviction, compas-
all that sustains their existence — and if the necessary sion, temperance, and valor, but can only be fully realized
tribute of treasures rich in Essence is not rendered unto in the Sea of Mind.
the Sea, it’s the dead who will cease to be. Her every pol- Major Principle: Those who defy my laws shall not know the
icy and pronouncement, from the first opening of the Sea of Mind’s paradise.
Sea to the living to the Tax of Fading Embers, has been Major Tie: Cevis Ghandarva (Wariness)
for the goal of ensuring a steady procession of offerings
Minor Principle: The Blood Sutra and the Spear Sutra have
so that Atsiluth Eternal may not only endure forever, their validity.
but become as real and tangible as Creation itself.
Minor Tie: The Black Scale Embassy (Cautious Cooperation)
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EX3
ESCORT Grinding Millstone Argument (3m, 1wp; Reflexive;

Proseria may be accompanied by other dead Forest Instant; Earth): Reset a failed persuade. If a target uses the
Witches while in Atsiluth Eternal, and by an honor guard of same Intimacy to bolster Initiative against the new roll as he
living Witches on those occasions she leaves. did against the original, its bonus is reduced by one. Once
per scene.
MERITS
Heartstring-Pulling Approach (3m, 1wp; Sup-
Immersed in the Sea of Mind plemental; Instant; Fire): Add a non-Charm success on a
Walking Effigy: Proseria can only interact with the real single-target Social Influence roll. If the target’s Resolve is
world while attuned to a walking effigy (p. XX). While she lowered by a Major or Defining Intimacy based on pas-
inhabits it, she uses its health track, is immune to poison and sionate emotion, the cost to resist the influence increases by
disease, and has no need to eat, drink, sleep, or breathe. one Willpower.
OFFENSIVE CHARMS Seizing-the-Tongue Technique (6m; Supplemental;
Crater-Making Impact (5m, 1wp; Simple; Instant; Instant; Air, Balanced): Reroll up to four non-1 failures on a
Aura, Earth, Decisive-only): Make a decisive smash Social Influence roll. In Air Aura, can use after rolling.
attack against a crashed enemy or a decisive throw Unfaltering Pillar of Unity (10m, 1wp; Simple; Instant;
against a grappled enemy. If it hits, he falls prone and is Earth, Mute): Roll Social Influence with double 8s, ignoring
knocked back one range band, creating difficult terrain multiple target penalties to instill members of a culture or social
where he lands. With 3+ levels of damage, she can knock group with a Tie of loyalty to that culture or group. Resisting
him to medium range, inflicting damage per a short-range requires entering a Decision Point and calling on at least a
fall. With 7+ levels of damage, she can knock him to long Major Intimacy. An affected character can’t erode the Intima-
range, inflicting damage per a medium-range fall. cy for (6 − his Integrity) weeks or act to oppose it as long as he
Hammering Wave Technique (5m; Supplemental; Instant; has it, unless failing to do so would threaten a Defining Intima-
Dual, Water): Add +4 raw withering damage or double 10s cy. Other characters’ efforts to weaken the Intimacy use the
on decisive damage roll. In Water Aura, if she deals 3+ with- rules for overturning social influence. Once per story, unless
ering damage or 1+ decisive damage, the onslaught inflict- reset by accomplishing a major character or story goal that
ed by the attack doesn’t fade on her enemy’s next turn. benefits the Forest Witches or a subculture thereof.
Pounding Surf Style (2m; Supplemental; Instant; Bal- Virtuous Mountain’s Shadow (8m, 1wp; Reflexive;
anced, Water, Withering-only): Add target’s current on- Instant; Earth): Dispute an influence roll by citing a Major
slaught penalty to Overwhelming. In Water Aura, also add or Defining Intimacy that opposes it. All characters who
to raw withering damage. hear her may use that Intimacy to bolster their Resolve or in
a Decision Point; those who do gain that Intimacy at Minor
Rolling Boulder Blow (5m; Supplemental; Instant; Aura, intensity.
Decisive-only, Earth): Add up to four attack roll extra success-
es on a smash attack as dice of decisive damage. May both SORCERY
knock enemy prone and smash him back one range band. Shaping Ritual: If Proseria would gain Willpower from
Unfeeling Earth Meditation (3m; Reflexive; Instant; sleeping, she can forgo it to have a cryptically prophetic
Earth): Ignore wound penalties on one action. In Earth Aura, dream, rolling Sorcery and gaining sorcerous motes equal
ignore wound penalties as long as she remains in that Aura. to her successes, which last until the next time she sleeps.
Each counts as two sorcerous motes if spent on her control
DEFENSIVE CHARMS
spell. Once per story, she can stunt a description of how her
Blade-Deflecting Palm (1m per die, 1i; Reflexive; dreams foretold current events to gain ([stunt level + 1] x4)
Instant; Perilous, Uniform, Water): Up to four 1s on an sorcerous motes, which last until the scene ends.
attack roll against Proseria’s Parry let her pay one mote to Death of Obsidian Butterflies (15sm, 1wp; Deci-
reroll a successful die, starting with 7s and moving up. sive-only; Instant; Control): Roll Sorcery with +4 bonus dice
Earth Bears Witness (5m, 3i; Reflexive; Instant; Aura, as an undodgeable decisive attack against all charac-
Decisive-only, Earth, Perilous): Reduce decisive damage ters in a line out to medium range (battle groups take −2
by 2, or 3 if there’s a large earthen structure within short Defense). Roll (4 + extra successes)L damage, or (9 + extra
range. successes)L against battle groups. This doesn’t reset Prose-
Impervious Skin of Stone (4m; Reflexive; Instant; Bal- ria’s Initiative.
anced, Earth, Withering-only): Add +3 soak. In Earth Aura, Demon of the First Circle (Ritual, 2wp; Instant) Summon
can be used after attack roll. a First Circle Demon in a night-long ritual, rolling Sorcery
SOCIAL CHARMS against its Resolve to bind it.
Flawless Diamond Heart (7m; Reflexive; Instant; Infallible Messenger (5sm, 2wp; Control): Conjure a
Balanced, Earth): Lower the cost to reduce influence that cherub to deliver a message up to five minutes long to a
opposes a Major or Defining Intimacy by two Willpower. single individual anywhere in Creation, reaching him within
Once per story unless reset by upholding that Intimacy. a day. Can convey social influence, but not social Charms.
215
EX3
Kingfisher Swift
she loved so fiercely set to infighting. The jockeying for
position among those who were supposed to lead infu-
riated her, but she had no power to stop it.
The Tereya matriarch — Swift’s own aging niece, Tereya

Seren — offered her charge of the household guard. She
accepted, aware that the position might someday pit her
against the very legions she’d served. Some days, she’s
almost glad she’s a widow: Her husband always worried
when she was called off to fight. Her three living chil-
dren have given her half a dozen grandchildren so far,
one of whom Exalted as an Earth Aspect like herself.
She dreads what it will mean for her family, should the
Realm descend into civil war.
Swift is blunt and direct, and writes letters to her friend

Righteous River laying out her concerns for the Realm’s
future. River never judged her by the red-haired icon
of Daana’d that Swift wears on her belt, which marked
her as a peasant from the backwaters of Tongma. Her
Hearthmates know her as thoughtful, perceptive, and
stubborn, and she counts Sesus Eshuvar as one of her
closest friends.
Those who served with Swift recall her devotion, and

despite her dishonorable discharge often send young re-
cruits to her for mentoring. She maintains contacts with
Growing up, Kingfisher Swift never imagined she’d get the other patrician houses’ militias in the Imperial City,
closer to the Blessed Isle than her home in the Tongma and still has friends among the Great Houses’ officers. A
Archipelago off its western coast. She expected to work letter of recommendation from Kingfisher Swift carries
the land until she died, as her peasant family had for significant weight for those who have earned her respect.
generations. Any loftier goals were little more than a
Swift is short and muscular, with brown skin and pale
child’s idle daydreams. Then she Exalted, and was haled
violet hair she keeps cut short.
away to the Obsidian Mirror. One more lost egg, found.
Aspect: Earth
Swift graduated from Pasiap’s Stair and enrolled in the
Imperial legions. Swift’s superiors quickly noticed her Essence: 3; Willpower: 8; Join Battle: 10 dice (+4
penchant for command, and promoted her through the for 4m)
ranks until she became a winglord. In her youth, she par- Personal Motes: 14; Peripheral Motes: 24
ticipated in a Wyld Hunt where she met her Hearthmates Health Levels: −0/−1x3/−2x3/−4/Incap.
— their oath was Swift’s idea — and captured an Anathema Actions: Command: 9 dice (+4 for 4m); Feats of
and slew his Wretched companion. She married into the Strength: 7 dice (+4 for 4m, may attempt Strength
small but prestigious patrician Tereya family, and thought 3 feats); Read Intentions: 6 dice (+2 for 2m); Resist
she’d done quite well for a Tongma peasant. Poison/Disease: 10 dice (+4 for 4m); Senses: 10 dice
(+4 for 4m); Social Influence: 6 dice (+2 for 2m); Strat-
Yet, when the Scarlet Empress disappeared and the egy: 7 dice (+4 for 4m)
Great Houses divvied up the legions, her honorable
service and respected family name meant little. The
commanders trumped up an insubordination charge COMBAT
and let some Cathak pup bark the news to her. Swift was Attack (Stone Eater, orichalcum goremaul): 11
humiliated, and angry, and bitterly sad to see the Realm dice (+6 for 6m, Damage 16B/5)
216
EX3
Combat Movement: 6 dice (+3 successes for 3m) Earth Aura, can be used after attack roll.
Evasion: 3 (+1 for 2m), Parry: 5 (+2 for 4m) Portentous Comet Deflection (3m, 1wp; Reflexive;
Soak/Hardness: 15/10 (Bones of Verity, white jade Instant; Clash, Decisive-only, Fire): Reflexively clash
reinforced breastplate) with a decisive attack. Counts as her action for the
round unless she expends Fire Aura.
INTIMACIES
Rumbling Earth Rebuke (4m, 1wp; Reflexive;
Defining Principle: The Realm must endure. Instant; Decisive-only, Earth): After successfully blocking
Major Principle: Found family is as important as blood or clashing an attack from close range, make a reflexive
relations. disarm gambit.
Major Principle: My loyalty lies with the Scarlet Throne, SOCIAL CHARMS
not the Great Houses.
Burning Dragon Mien (4m; Simple; Instant; Fire): Roll
Major Principle: The Immaculate Philosophy guides me in life. Social Influence with double 9s to threaten a single target.
Major Principle: Anathema are a danger to us all. If his Resolve is beaten, he loses 1 Initiative (which Swift
Major Tie: Sesus Eshuvar (Friendship) doesn’t gain).
Major Tie: Righteous River (Respect) Flawless Diamond Heart (7m; Reflexive; Instant;
Balanced, Earth): Lower the cost to reduce influence that
Major Tie: Her children and grandchildren (Love)
opposes a Major or Defining Intimacy by two Willpower.
Major Tie: House Tereya (Loyalty) Once per story unless reset by upholding that Intimacy.
Minor Tie: Left Hand Chalima (Friendly Rivalry) Thicker Than Stone (4m, 1wp; Reflexive; Instant;
Minor Tie: Yushoto Mathar (Admiration) Earth): Against influence that opposes a positive Tie to
Minor Tie: House Cathak (Resentment) another Dragon-Blood, a family member, or a subor-
dinate under her command, add (Intimacy/2, rounded
Minor Tie: Tereya Seren (Respect)
up) non-Charm Resolve. Successfully resisting grants
ESCORT one Willpower. Can only protect a Tie once per story.
Swift is often accompanied by Tereya house guards (use Virtuous Mountain’s Shadow (8m, 1wp; Reflexive;
medium infantry traits, Exalted, p. 496). Instant; Earth): Dispute an influence roll by citing a Major or
OFFENSIVE CHARMS Defining Intimacy that opposes it. All characters who hear her
may use that Intimacy to bolster their Resolve or in a Decision
Point; those who do gain that Intimacy at Minor intensity.
up to four 10s on a decisive damage roll. WAR CHARMS
Pasiap Preempts Haste (3m; Supplemental; Instant; Enfolded in the Dragon’s Wings (3m, 1i; Reflexive;
Earth): Join Battle with double 9s. If Swift wins Join Battle, Instant; Earth, Perilous, Uniform): Make a Command roll
she waives the Initiative cost for delaying her action, and when a battle group in short range is attacked; every
adds +5 dice on her attack roll that turn if she delays it two successes grant +1 Defense and soak. Once per
until after an enemy acts. scene, unless reset with a successful rally.
Unfeeling Earth Meditation (3m; Reflexive; Instant; Roaring Dragon Officer (3m; Reflexive; One turn;
Earth): Ignore wound penalties on one action. Balanced, Earth): Flurry a command with a non-at-
DEFENSIVE CHARMS tack action. In Earth Aura, lower penalty on rolls to
−2, and negate Defense penalty.
Earth Bears Witness Reduce decisive damage by 2,
or 4 if there’s a large earthen structure within short range. MISCELLANEOUS CHARMS
Fearsome Dragon Presence (5m; Reflexive; One Deep-Listening Palm (5m; Simple; One scene;
tick; Fire, Perilous): Attack rolls, influence rolls, and Earth): Hear through a barrier as though it were not
rushes against Swift take a −2 penalty (−3 in Fire Aura). there. Stone, wood, and weaker materials don’t require
An enemy may spend one Willpower to become a roll; metal and stronger materials require a difficulty
immune for the scene. 3+ Senses roll. On failure, Swift only hears fragments of
what’s on the other side.
Balanced, Earth, Withering-only): Add +4 soak. In
217
EX3
Left Hand Chalima

Chalima is the Hearth’s contrarian, arguing about the
Realm’s and Lookshy’s policies, forcing her friends to
reexamine their stances. Communications with her
Hearth are sparser and more fraught lately, as Achus de-
mands Chalima’s attention and Realm troubles occupy
her friends’ time. She hears from Mathar the most, and
looks forward to his occasional visits.
Chalima takes a personal interest in Achus’ day-to-day af-

fairs. She frequently goes out among her people, working
alongside them and hearing their concerns. When the man-
tle of leadership chafes, Chalima returns to her wandering
hero roots. She gladly signs on with like-minded adven-
turers intent on helping the downtrodden in the Hundred
Kingdoms, sometimes recruiting others to aid in her causes.
Her red hair is long on top, though she keeps the sides
shaved close. She’s of average height and heavily built,
and her clothing and armor reflect the places she’s been.
She doesn’t adhere to any one region’s style: If she likes
a piece, she adds it to her wardrobe with little regard to
whether it matches anything else. She’s particularly fond
of a many-pocketed gray duster she picked up in Nexus.
Aspect: Fire
Essence: 3; Willpower: 6; Join Battle: 8 dice (+4 for 4m)
Personal Motes: 14; Peripheral Motes: 28
Left Hand Chalima grew up an orphan in the Scavenger Health Levels: −0/−1x2/−2x2/−4/−Incap.
Lands city of Gentian, where the dead walk among the living.
Actions: Administration: 6 dice (+2 for 2m); Command:
Chalima never knew where her next meal might come from,
5 dice (+2 for 2m); Feats of Strength: 9 dice (+4 for 4m;
or who’d try to take it away, and prayed daily in the hopes that may attempt Strength 3 feats); Investigation: 6 dice (+2
whichever ghosts were her parents would help her. After her for 2m); Read Intentions: 5 dice (+2 for 2m); Senses: 5
Exaltation, she became a champion of the weak and impover- dice (+2 for 2m); Social Influence: 8 dice (+4 for 4m);
ished, targeting bandits and petty warlords. She left Gentian Tracking: 5 dice (+2 for 2m)
and became a wandering hero, ridding beleaguered villages
of beasts, monsters, and human predators alike.
COMBAT
In her adventures, she befriended the Lookshyan ranger Attack (Seethe, red jade daiklave): 11 dice (+6 for
Yushoto Mathar and traveled with him for some time. The 6m, Damage 15L/5)
two offered their aid to the three survivors of a Realm Wyld Attack (Simhata’s Roar, red jade devil caster): 9
Hunt, and the Sworn Kinship they formed survives to this day. dice at short range (+4 for 4m, Damage 16L/4)
In the Hundred Kingdoms, she tore a cloak from a
tyrant-king’s shoulders and settled it upon her own, Evasion: 4 (+2 for 4m), Parry: 5 (+2 for 4m)
making her queen of the small principality of Achus. Soak/Hardness: 6/0 (Buff jacket)
She rules there still, aided by her living husband Xocha. INTIMACIES
Chalima’s Immaculate faith is unshakable, though to
Defining Principle: I must protect the weak and impov-
Righteous River’s consternation, she adheres to the
erished.
Intou heresy, which weaves ancestor cult worship into
the Immaculate creed. Thus, Chalima also seeks coun- Major Principle: The Wyld Hunt is essential to ending
sel and comfort from the ghost of her husband Itzli. threats from Anathema.
218
EX3
Major Principle: It’s wise to heed our ancestor’s guid- Instant; Aura, Fire, Withering-only): Make a wither-
ance and wisdom. ing Melee attack. Enemy loses extra Initiative equal to
Major Tie: Yushoto Mathar (Friendship) damage roll 10s, which recurs on each of his next four
turns, or until he deals withering damage to Chalima.
Major Tie: Righteous River (Respect)
She doesn’t gain this Initiative.
Major Tie: Achus (Responsibility)
DEFENSIVE CHARMS
Minor Tie: Xocha and Itzli (love)
Blinding Spark Distraction (1m, 1i; Reflexive; Instant;
Minor Tie: Sesus Eshuvar (Fondness) Balanced, Fire, Perilous, Uniform): Blocking or winning a
Minor Tie: Kingfisher Swift (Admiration) clash from close range blinds attacker until end of his next
Minor Tie: Lookshy (Wary Respect) turn unless he succeeds on a (Stamina + Resistance) roll at
Minor Tie: The Realm (Scorn) difficulty (3 + attack roll extra successes).
ESCORT Dragon-Scale Shield (1m, 1i; Reflexive; Instant; Fire,
Perilous, Uniform): Successfully parrying at close range
Chalima is often accompanied by Achus palace guards causes attacker to lose Initiative equal to (1 + his attack
(use medium infantry traits, Exalted, p. 496). roll 1s), which Chalima doesn’t gain.
OFFENSIVE CHARMS Fearsome Dragon Presence (5m; Reflexive; One
Blazing Phoenix Pinion (8m, 1a, 1wp, expend Fire tick; Fire, Perilous): Attack rolls, influence rolls, and
Aura; Simple; Instant; Aura, Decisive-only, Fire): After rushes against Chalima take a −2 penalty (−3 in Fire
aiming, make a decisive Archery attack, adding +3 Aura). An enemy may spend one Willpower to become
dice of damage. On a hit, if she rolls at least one 10 immune for the scene.
on the attack or damage roll, her shot erupts in a blast Flame Borne Interception (3m; Reflexive; Until next
out to short range from her target, rolling dice of lethal turn; Balanced, Fire, Uniform): Gain +1 Parry. Increas-
damage equal to her attack and damage roll 10s to es by one for each attack blocked; resets back to +1 if
her original target and each character whose Evasion is she’s hit or dodges.
lower than her attack roll, ignoring Hardness. Charac- Impervious Skin of Stone (4m; Reflexive; Instant;
ters damaged in the blast are knocked prone and suffer Balanced, Earth, Withering-only): Add +3 soak. In
3 dice of lethal damage, ignoring Hardness, on each of Earth Aura, can be used after attack roll.
their turns until the extinguish themselves.
Boughs of Burning Autumn (2m, 1i; Reflexive; Instant; Clash, Decisive-only, Fire): Reflexively clash
Instant; Fire/Wood, Perilous): Reloads her dragon sigh- with a decisive Melee attack. Counts as her action for
wand reflexively. the round unless she expends Fire Aura.
Burning Pinnacle Strike (3m; Reflexive; Instant; SOCIAL CHARMS
Aura, Fire, Uniform): After making a withering Melee
attack that raises her Initiative above all enemies, re- Blazing Heart Ascendancy (6m; Supplemental;
flexively make a withering or decisive Melee attack. Instant; Fire): When Chalima takes a persuade or threat-
Once per round. en action, if her target has any emotion-based Intima-
cies, they’re the only ones he can invoke in the Decision
Point.
up to four 10s on a decisive damage roll on a Melee Burning Dragon Mien (4m; Simple; Instant; Fire):
attack. Roll Social Influence with double 9s to threaten a single
target. If his Resolve is beaten, he loses 1 Initiative (which
Death From Nowhere (4m; Supplemental; Instant;
Chalima doesn’t gain).
Air/Water, Balanced, Withering-only): Withering
Archery attack ignores 3 points of armor soak. Eye-for-Passions Scrutiny (2m; Supplemental;
Instant; Fire): A successful Read Intentions roll also
Harnessed Firestorm Assault (10m, 1wp, expend
reveals an emotion-based Intimacy related to the
Fire Aura; Simple; Instant; Aura, Decisive-only): Make
motives or other Intimacy discerned.
three decisive Melee attacks, each with (Initia-
tive/2, rounded up) damage. Once per scene Smoke Without Flame (4m, 1wp; Reflexive; Instant;
unless reset by landing a decisive attack in Fire Fire): +1 Guile (non-Charm in Fire Aura). Characters
Aura and building to Initiative 12+ without leaving who fail believe they succeeded, but instead read an
Fire Aura. exaggerated version of Chalima’s emotional state or
one of her emotion-based Intimacies.
Moth to the Candle (2m, 1wp; Simple; One scene;
Fire): As long as Chalima is in the fight, enemies can’t MISCELLANEOUS CHARMS
attack targets other than her. Resisting for the scene costs Speech Without Words (5m; Reflexive; One scene;
one Willpower. Air;): Chalima and up to three others can communicate
Smoldering Essence Attack (5m, 1a; Simple; silently. Hearthmates don’t count toward this limit.
219
EX3
Saloy Hin
Saloy Hin doesn’t speak of where he came from, only
where he’s going. A headstrong young shepherd from the
southern Blessed Isle before he Exalted, he was tempered
into a soldier in the crucible of Pasiap’s Stair. He took well
to military discipline, but never lost his intrepid spirit.
He earned acclaim in the Imperial legions for his daring
tactics and charismatic leadership, and was ultimately
promoted to command of the 17th “Sirocco” Legion.
When Hin received the message calling his legion to

return to the Blessed Isle after the Empress’ disap-
pearance, he balked at what he saw for a naked pow-
er grab, and his troops stood with him. Instead, they
abandoned their posts, vanishing into the night. Now
they’re building a power base in the central South near
Chiaroscuro, seizing firedust caches, manses, artifacts
from Anathema tombs, and other strategic assets. He’s
raised his banner to welcome all Southern peoples,
promising glory to the young, power to the ambitious,
vengeance to the downtrodden, and hope to the disillu-
sioned. More prosaically, he also offers coin, with which
he’s bought out the contracts of a handful of Southern
mercenary companies. He particularly values outcastes,
Exigents, and God-Blooded, accepting all such who
swear themselves to his service.
Hin spends his days within the fortress-manse called the

Steel Tower. There he mulls over strategy, corresponds Aspect: Fire
with potential confederates for his so-called “Second Essence: 3; Willpower: 8; Join Battle: 9 dice (+4
Alliance of Tigers,” and consults with astrologers and for 4m)
seers. His current target is Chiaroscuro, with its vast Personal: 14, Peripheral: 39
wealth, bustling shipyards, and strategic location on the
Inland Sea. He’s sent envoys to Delzahn nomad bands Health Levels: −0/−1x5/−2x5/−4/Incap.
who’ve grown discontent with the Tri-Khan’s authority, Actions: Command: 10 dice (+6 for 6m); Feats of
bidding them to join him and reclaim their people. Strength: 7 dice (+4 for 4m, may attempt Strength
3 feats); Read Intentions: 7 dice (+4 for 4m); Resist
Hin hasn’t yet formulated his endgame, thinking it Poison/Disease: 6 dice (+2 for 2m); Senses: 7 dice (+4
premature. He and his inner circle of outcaste captains for 4m); Social Influence: 8 dice (+4 for 4m); Strategy:
have discussed ambitious strategies — burning the Lap’s 10 dice (+4 for 4m); Tracking: 5 dice (+2 for 2m); Wil-
fertile fields to disrupt the Realm’s Southern supply derness Survival: 7 dice (+4 for 4m)
lines, besieging a satrapy disguised as a Great House’s Appearance 4, Resolve 4 (+2 for 4m), Guile 4 (+2 for 4m)
troops, reaching out to Prasad’s Dragon Clans or even COMBAT
the Lunar Amatha Kinslayer as allies. These remain no Attack (Audacious Victory, red jade daiklave):
more than proposals until the right opportunities arise. 13 dice (+6 for 6m, Damage 15L/5)
For now, Hin seizes on any opportunity to amass more
power and troops — today Chiaroscuro, tomorrow, even
he doesn’t know. All the while he watches the Realm’s Evasion: 2 (+1 for 2m), Parry: 6 (+3 for 6m)
deterioration toward civil war, and considers what the Soak/Hardness: 11/7 (Blessed Ember, jade lamel-
world might look like from the Scarlet Throne. lar)
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INTIMACIES Fearsome Dragon Presence (5m; Reflexive; One

Defining Principle: Never hesitate to seize the moment. tick; Fire, Perilous): Attack rolls, influence rolls, and
rushes against Hin take a −2 penalty (−3 in Fire Aura).
Defining Principle: I am destined for greatness. An enemy may spend one Willpower to become
Major Principle: Leadership is about being someone immune for the scene.
others aspire to be. Flame-Borne Interception (3m; Reflexive; Until next
Major Tie: The 17th “Sirocco” Legion (Pride) turn; Balanced, Fire, Uniform): Gain +1 Parry. Increases
Major Tie: The Great Houses and their legions (Disdain) by one for each attack blocked; resets back to +1 if he’s
Minor Principle: Foreknowledge is the greatest weapon. hit or dodges.
Minor Principle: The Scarlet Dynasty must be burned Impervious Skin of Stone (4m; Reflexive; Instant;
away for the Realm to be reborn. Balanced, Earth, Withering-only): Add +3 soak. In
Earth Aura, can be used after attack roll.
Minor Tie: Pasiap’s Stair (Bitter Memories)
Portentous Comet Deflection (3m, 1wp; Re-
ESCORT flexive; Instant; Clash, Decisive-only, Fire): Reflex-
Saloy Hin is almost always accompanied by a ively clash with a decisive attack. Counts as his
Dragon-Blooded officer, an elite bodyguard action for the round unless he expends Fire Aura.
(Exalted, p. 497), and a Size 2 battle group of SOCIAL CHARMS
battle-ready soldiers (Exalted, pp. 496-497).
Auspicious First Meeting Attitude (5m;
OFFENSIVE CHARMS Simple; Instant; Balanced, Water): (5m; Simple;
Burning Pinnacle Strike (3m; Reflexive; Instant; Aura, Instant; Balanced, Water): Upon meeting someone
Fire, Uniform): After making a withering attack that for the first time, roll Social Influence against her
raises her Initiative above all enemies, reflexively make a (lower of Guile or Resolve) to both read his inten-
withering or decisive attack. Once per round. tions and instill a positive Tie toward Hin.
Crimson Fang Bite (3m, 1wp; Supplemental; Instant; Heartstring-Pulling Approach (3m, 1wp; Sup-
Dual, Fire): Add +3 raw withering damage or double plemental; Instant; Fire): Add a non-Charm success on a
up to three 10s on a decisive damage roll. single-target Social Influence roll. If the target’s Resolve
Harnessed Firestorm Assault (10m, 1wp, is lowered by a Major or Defining Intimacy based on
expend Fire Aura; Simple; Instant; Aura, Deci- passionate emotion, the cost to resist the influence in-
sive-only, Fire): Make three decisive attacks, each creases by one Willpower.
with (Initiative/2, rounded up) damage. Once per Unquenchable Battle-Passion (5m; Reflexive;
scene unless reset by landing a decisive attack Instant; Fire): When targeted by influence that would
in Fire Aura and building to Initiative 12+ without make him stop fighting or hinder his ability to fight, au-
leaving Fire Aura. tomatically inspires himself with an emotion opposing
Smoldering Essence Attack (5m, 1a; Simple; that influence. If she spends Willpower to resist that in-
Instant; Aura, Fire, Withering-only): Make a with- fluence, he gains 3 Initiative per Willpower spent.
ering attack. Enemy loses extra Initiative equal to WAR CHARMS
damage roll 10s, which recurs on each of her next Deadly Wildfire Legion (5m, 1wp, expend
four turns, or until she deals withering damage to Fire Aura; Supplemental; Instant; Aura, Fire): Add
Hin. He doesn’t gain this Initiative. +3 non-Charm dice on Command roll to order an
DEFENSIVE CHARMS attack; battle group may immediately take its turn
Aura of Invulnerability (5m, 1wp; Simple; if it hasn’t acted this round. Every two Command
Aura; Aura, Fire, Perilous): Roll (current tempo- roll successes add one die of damage. Once per
rary Willpower) and gain that many temporary −0 scene unless reset by ordering a battle group to
health levels and +4 soak. attack and deal enough damage to incapacitate a
Blinding Spark Distraction (1m, 1i; Reflexive; nontrivial foe or rout a battle group.
Instant; Balanced, Fire, Perilous, Uniform): Blocking Indomitable Flame of Valor (1m [+1wp]; Sup-
or winning a clash from close range blinds attacker plemental; Instant; Aura, Fire): Rally with double 9s;
until end of his next turn unless he succeeds on a can pay one Willpower to grant elite Drill troops
(Stamina + Resistance) roll at difficulty (3 + attack perfect morale for one round.
roll extra successes). Roaring Dragon Officer (3m; Reflexive; One
Dragon-Scale Shield (1m, 1i; Reflexive; Instant; turn; Balanced, Earth): Flurry a command with a
Fire, Perilous, Uniform): Successfully parrying at non-attack action. In Earth Aura, lower penalty on
close range causes attacker to lose Initiative equal rolls to −2, and negate Defense penalty.
to (1 + his attack roll 1s), which Hin doesn’t gain.
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RY 778
Once, the sight of the Imperial City from a ship’s deck filled Sesus Eshuvar with pride. On several occasions,
he’d sailed into the harbor while citizens stood on the docks, welcoming heroes home from hard-won battles.
Today, the figures held weapons, ready to fight once the ships drew close.
Patrician forces held the Imperial City. Perhaps the Great Houses should have seen their uprising coming,
but they’d been so focused on bloodily whittling away one another’s resources — their wealth, legionnaires,
contenders for the throne — that they’d ignored the families comprising the Thousand Scales and their forces.
Even now, it seemed unreal to Eshuvar — that mere patricians could take the splendid city from the might
of the Great Houses. He cringed even as the thought crossed his mind; that type of haughty sentiment would
certainly have earned him a lecture from Chalima, if she heard it. She’d be right.
Beside him stood Ledaal Chapet Hansei, a young officer fresh from the Heptagram. Sesus and Ledaal’s
current alliance bemused them both, but war made strange bedfellows. The Ledaal sorcerer reminded
Eshuvar of himself at that age. He’d only been a few months out of the Heptagram when he’d sailed on the
Wyld Hunt. How his Hearthmates would laugh at Eshuvar, the youngest of them, waxing nostalgic. Mathar
would laugh loudest, but there’d be no cruelty in it. Eshuvar missed them all, hoped they were safe, wherever
they might be. Letters had been scarce these last few years.
A runner passed a message to Hansei, who turned to Eshuvar. “Their leader wants a word. She’s waiting on
the docks.”
Eshuvar nodded. Perhaps she’d tender her side’s surrender, and this would be over without bloodshed.
He called a cloud from the sky, and rode it to where a lone figure stood at the end of a pier. She carried an
orichalcum goremaul, though she held it at ease. Her white jade breastplate bore the sigil of her patrician
house. After a moment, Eshuvar remembered which it represented: Tereya.
No. Please, Blessed Mela, don’t let it be her.
But he knew. He sensed her presence, usually such a comfort, the closer he drew. His heart soared with joy
even as it plummeted with despair. The woman removed her helm as the cloud set him on the dock. Before
him, his own horror mirrored on her dear, familiar face, stood Kingfisher Swift. His friend, his sister-in-arms,
his Sworn Kin.
In charge of the enemy’s forces.
“You’ve done well for yourself,” she said, breaking the heavy silence. “A command in the Navy.”
“And you. Leading an army.” He swept his gaze over the troops. “I had hoped you wanted to discuss your
terms for laying down your weapons.”
She shook her head. “I wanted to look my opponent in the eye.”
“Surrender, Swift,” Eshuvar said softly. “I can protect you.”
“You know I can’t. No more than you could turn the fleet around and sail away.”
They could do neither of those things. Maybe once, they could have disappeared into her command tent and
hammered out a peace. Maybe they still could, even now. Perhaps he could convince her to come with him, join her
rebel force to his own patchwork navy. It might give Sesus’ unlikely contender for the Scarlet Throne a chance.
But, no. He saw the determination in the set of Swift’s jaw, and knew she read something similar in his stiff-
backed stance. No matter their own friendship, circumstances across the Realm had deteriorated too sharply
to end this war. Eshuvar believed in the fleet’s cause. Swift wouldn’t have taken the damned Imperial City if
she didn’t think it was the right course of action.
“Fight well,” she said.

“And you.”
As the cloud returned him to the ship, Eshuvar thought how River would never forgive them for taking up
arms against one another. He might never forgive himself.
Out in the harbor, a battle horn blew.
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Chapter Nine
The Center
Cannot Hold
For eight centuries, the Scarlet Empress held a tiger by expertly crafted over eons, and armies drilled according
the tail, raising a great Dynasty and setting them about to methods that have held true for centuries. Its tens of
the task of ordering Creation. Hers was the burden of millions of peasants work the land, producing food, tex-
rule, the task of upholding the Perfected Hierarchy. Her tiles, wood, ore, and the like. Now, though, those armies,
blood flows in the veins of a Dynasty of godlings raised those fortresses, those manses and ancient wonders,
believing they were chosen to rule. those peasants — vulnerable as they are to conscription
as peasant levies — are all split between rival houses.
Small wonder that, when their divine mother vanished,
her children would begin to eye one another with re- Beyond the Blessed Isle, the satrapies become staging
doubled jealously, anticipating the day when the blades grounds and proxies in the conflict between Great
come out and blood stains the gilt-marble floors of pal- Houses. Imperial garrisons and satrapial militaries
aces and manses throughout the Blessed Isle. mobilize for war as the houses seek to cut their rivals
off from the treasure, resources, and janissaries that
When civil war engulfs the Realm, the result won’t be their satrapial holdings provide. Cadet houses find
clean or orderly. Organs of state fail, pulling apart into fac- themselves forced to choose sides, whether aligning
tions unable to stand on their own. Alliances, some frantic themselves with their satraps’ houses, or ousting the
and hastily made, other planned for decades, then come satrap’s garrison in pursuit of longstanding loyalties,
to the fore. Only then does the chaos settle into something other houses’ offers or threats, or local autonomy.
resembling a “normal” war. The Realm’s future isn’t set,
As the satrapies bear the cost of the Dynasty’s war, un-
and the civil war to come may take any form.
rest boils over into public dissent and outright revolt,
This chapter discusses how that war might begin, how fraying the edges of the Realm’s empire as conquered
it might affect the world, and what shape it might take. peoples struggle to throw off their yoke, potentially aid-
This isn’t divine writ or metaplot; rather, it outlines a ed by their native gods, Exigent champions, or Lunars
variety of possible futures to aid Storytellers in crafting of the Silver Pact. Local powers seek to profit from the
stories centered on the Realm civil war. This encom- Realm’s instability. House Ferem might unify its former
passes both conflict on the Blessed Isle and the collapse holdings and fellow cadet houses of Grand Cherak into
of order throughout the satrapies. It also presents a a powerful coalition; Rankar VII might seek to expand
detailed scenario in which the West becomes a theatre his Southern empire amid the turmoil; Azure’s Sea
of war all its own, perhaps even the center of the con- Lords seize new protectorates among the islands of the
flict, as V’neef and Peleps fight for the future of an entire Neck; Lookshy moves to subordinate the Confederation
Direction. of Rivers under the Seventh Legion’s command in the
name of defending the River Province. Victory on the
Civil War in the Realm Blessed Isle is key to seizing the throne, but a new
Empress may find her Realm greatly diminished if she
fails to take the Threshold.
Though the Empress’ reach extended across Creation,
the true base of her power was the Blessed Isle. Apart
from the ancient sorceries wrought upon the land, en- Decisions, Decisions
tire networks of manses fueling their terrible might, it’s
gifted with great seams of metal, rich and fertile earth, The civil war doesn’t exist in a vacuum. The Storyteller
navigable waterways, and imperishable roads that have determines how the player characters interact with the
lasted for an Age. It has fortresses built atop fortresses, progression of events as they unfold, which will shape
the flow of the war as the characters experience it. To
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chapter nine : the center cannot hol d
ensure that the player characters are active partici-

pants in the events of the Realm Civil War rather than THE COUNCIL OF THE EMPTY THRONE
mere bystanders — even if they play a relatively small
role in the war’s Creation-spanning geopolitics — the Two years after the Empress vanished, a council
Storyteller should make sure either that player charac- of Dynasts, Immaculate monks, and Thousand
ters are involved in key events throughout the war, or Scales ministers convened to negotiate the fate
that the important events they aren’t directly engaged of the throne, appointing Tepet Fokuf as regent
in hold personal meaning for them. and declaring that after seven years, the Scar-
let Throne would be declared officially empty. For
Wars don’t emerge from nowhere. They happen when games beginning at the default time of RY 768, only
rulers, states, or state-like actors (such as Great Houses) four years remain before this comes to pass. If
have vital needs or wants at odds with one another; in civil war doesn’t break out before then, the official
this case, only one contender may sit upon the Scarlet pronouncement of the Scarlet Empress’ abdication
Throne. The pressures created by the empty throne set will almost inevitably set it in motion.
the stage for war, while the trigger may be an event that,
in the historical view, seems small or out of place.
determination to see one’s allies, friends, and children
For example, a Dynast might be assassinated — perhaps slaughtered on the battlefield. None of the following
a player character’s favored relative, one who’s previ- claimants are guaranteed the throne (else there’d be no
ously played a major role in the campaign. Or the an- civil war over the question), but all things being equal,
nouncement of an alliance between Great Houses could they have a better chance than most.
lead to escalating saber-rattling with rival coalitions,
perhaps setting a player character against her spouse’s Mnemon
house. Other potential triggers include the theft of an If there’s one woman in the Realm thought a lead-
treasured artifact, the arrest of a Dynast by the Imperial ing contender to succeed the Empress, it’s Mnemon
Force, an overzealous officer seeking glory, or a border (Dragon-Blooded, p. 351). Even before the Empress
incident spiraling out of control. vanished, many saw her as heir apparent, despite her
mother’s largesse aiding her siblings and relations who
Make the players part of key events, and set up the competed against her. It suited the Empress to have
stakes beforehand so when they’re revealed, they pack her children at one another’s throats — and it suited
an emotional punch. Important figures in both diplo- Mnemon to stand above the rest so far as she was able.
macy and warfare may have close personal ties to one Eldest of the Empress’ living daughters, she considers
or more player characters — an enemy officer might the throne hers by right, and will countenance no other
be an old friend of one of the player characters from to sit upon it.
their time together in the House of Bells; a potential
ally might clash with a player character over her fam- Few passionately support Mnemon, but she has many
ily rejecting him as a wedding match for her years ago. fair-weather allies eager to win her favor. Likewise, few
Elder Dynasts who act as mentors and patrons to the wish to be first to stand against her, although her ene-
player characters may be the victims of assassinations mies — most notably Houses Ragara and V’neef — see
that serve as flashpoints for the civil war, while a player little choice. Her candidacy seems inevitable — until a
character’s home prefecture may become a battlefield. critical mass of opposition peels away her provisional
Personal vendettas and rivalries are pursued even amid support.
all-out war, while loyalties are strained to their utmost.
Sesus Raenyah
Every Storyteller character, every salon, every conver- A retired general renowned for competence and integ-
sation is an opportunity for the Storyteller to apply rity, house matriarch Sesus Raenyah (Dragon-Blooded,
leverage and emotional weight to the events surround- p. 65) doesn’t start out seeking the throne. Rather, she’s
ing the player characters, to drag them into events by put forward by her house as a compromise candidate —
the force of loyalty, friendship, duty, and blood. a figurehead to oppose Mnemon’s ascent to the throne,
one more easily controlled than V’neef. Raenyah, for
Claimants to the Throne her part, accepts this role to protect and strengthen her
house and stabilize the Realm, believing her capable,
Many in the Dynasty, and some outside it, seek the moderate reign is ultimately the best way forward for
Scarlet Throne, but desire alone isn’t enough. To stand both.
a chance, one needs not only a great name, but power
to back that name up, ties to call on allies, and the Her primary backer is her influential husband Oban,
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son of the Scarlet Empress, who’s vested his own ambi-

tions in placing her on the throne. Others include House A HOUSE DIVIDED
Sesus’ military and mercantile wings, her protégés from
the House of Bells and Spiral Academy, and ministers The Great Houses aren’t monolithic blocs. House-
and senators seeking to maintain the status quo. In ad- holds and individuals may break away from house
dition to their own political goals and personal loyalty, leadership to follow other claimants; entire houses
many such backers expect to be handsomely rewarded can fracture into clearly defined factions, loosely
once Raenyah sits the throne. aligned groups, or disconnected fragments. Loyal-
ties shift based on any number of factors, including
Raenyah’s experienced leadership and strategic profi- blood relationships, personal obligations, ideolog-
ciency will serve her faction well, and her house’s nu- ical support, geographic proximity, political oppor-
merous loyal legions offer military might that Mnemon tunity, or blackmail and threats.
and V’neef can’t match alone. However, her distaste for
corruption turns away many potential supporters, and
her reflexive rejection of Sesus’ espionage assets is a Cathak Cainan
blind spot that leaves her faction vulnerable. Cainan is an old man — that’s two strikes against him,
which he both knows and accepts. Cainan (Dragon-
Sesus’ Masked Council would prefer the house to back Blooded, p. 345) doesn’t want the throne, and would
another claimant, leaving them freer to act behind the prefer to stand back and play queenmaker. Even if he
scenes and allowing the house to switch sides should were to gain the Scarlet Throne, his remaining years
the balance of power shift. But until a better claimant are few, and were he to die before cementing Cathak
presents herself, the Council is prepared to throw its rule, the civil war that followed could well obliterate
weight behind Raenyah — whether she likes it or not. his house. Nonetheless, he might be convinced that
his stewardship is all that’ll preserve the Realm (or his
V’neef house) in the face of chaos, civil disorder, and collapse.
Youngest of the Empress’ Exalted offspring, V’neef (p. Should he make a bid for the throne, his military acu-
XX) believes her days are numbered if civil war breaks men and the loyal, well-trained Cathak legions will lend
out unless she plans wisely how to use the few assets she strength to his claim.
has. One key advantage is that she isn’t Mnemon, who’s
spent 400 years making enemies who fear what she Cynis Petalin
might do with the throne’s power. Those enemies court Cynis Petalin (Dragon-Blooded, p. 43) is a formidable
V’neef, who seeks the throne not solely for power’s sake, commander of her house’s legions, with a warm cha-
but to safeguard her family’s future — and her own. risma and easy laugh that have won her many friends
and admirers. While she has no imperial ambitions, her
V’neef commands the Merchant Fleet, a sizable military lover Cynis Wisel, one of the house’s presiding trium-
and financial asset. Her house has also given shelter virate, whispers to Petalin of all the good that a Cynis
to numerous magistrates, protecting them against the empress might do for both the house and the Realm.
ministries; their gratitude may prove valuable. But Petalin loves Wisel deeply enough to go to war if she
these assets bring enemies with them. House Peleps re- must, though she nurses secret hopes that a civil war
sents V’neef for stealing the Merchant Fleet, while the might yet be averted.
ministries may retaliate against her house for shielding
the magistrates. And infrastructural investments in the Petalin’s greatest weakness as a claimant is her house
Fleet has placed V’neef deeply in debt to House Ragara. — Cynis’ infamy within the Scarlet Dynasty stains her
reputation, despite her lack of personal involvement
For all her courtly grace, V’neef is a survivor. She genu- in any of its blackmail operations or more decadent
inely loves her family and the Realm, but she’ll sacrifice debauches, and it has fewer legions and experienced of-
anything and abandon any ideal when her own life is on ficers than others like Cathak, Sesus, or even Mnemon.
the line and there’s no other choice.
Peleps Lai
Waiting in the Wings Ancient and now largely retired, Peleps Lai (Dragon-
Blooded, p. 58) nonetheless leads House Peleps, and
Beneath the frontrunners are those who suffer some commands the Rightly Guided Admiralty Board in all
disadvantage — not severe enough to outright disqualify but name through sheer force of personality and leg-
them, but certainly a major obstacle to the throne. Their end. She remains loyal to the missing Empress; while
chances are proportional to the Storyteller’s desire to she’d love to magnify her house’s power and prestige,
offer them as contenders.
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she’ll make no move for the throne unless convinced House Ragara. His second priority is to maintain and
the Empress is permanently gone — she’d consider it a amass more power. Should Mnemon fall and no other
terrible betrayal. strong candidate present herself, Banoba might act more
directly to obtain leverage over the future Empress — or
Instead, Lai aims to establish a Western empire, to se- become Empress himself.
cure her house’s prospects in the short term and main-
tain control for when the Empress returns. This pits Mothers of Houses
Peleps against the rest of the Dynasty. Once Lai rules Virtually any other Great House matriarch could con-
the West, the only way to protect Peleps’ new empire ceivably declare for the throne. But not all can match
may be to claim the Scarlet Throne. their ambition with ability, or their funding with
Ragara Banoba
Banoba (Dragon-Blooded, p. 62) excels as a businessper-
son and administrator. Logistics are child’s play to someone MOURNING HUSBANDS
who’s spent the better part of two centuries balancing led-
gers of the size and complexity House Ragara commonly A claimant’s death can fracture her coalition as
handles. Lacking in martial power, he nonetheless wields elements unwilling to support her successor pull
immense financial might and is highly motivated to use away, but it could leave a healthy and powerful
infrastructure of warfare behind as well. In such
it — especially before civil war leaves the Realm’s financial
cases, there’d be a great many warriors, function-
systems in tatters. His inner circle also commands a secret
aries, and hangers-on without a prospect to attach
hoard of occult resources, many of them sufficiently he-
themselves to. The nearest legitimate figure might
retical as to make their use a last-ditch option. fill the gap, taking on the weight of the fallen claim-
ant’s bid for the throne — publicly out of piety and
Banoba’s priority is to keep Mnemon from claiming the
respect, though as likely to be founded in personal
throne and using it to destroy his house. He’d rather ambition. Husbands, children, siblings, lovers, or
back another claimant and wield his power from the lieutenants of sufficient charisma might fill the role.
shadows, but will step forward if no one else will defend
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EX3
fortitude. Such ventures are most likely to succeed after short civil war that ends with the Realm’s power con-
war has already taken its toll on the strongest claimants. solidated behind a new Empress or governing body will
likely rebuff Ghandarva’s ambitions for the moment —
Dark Horses but if the war stretches on, or leaves behind a fractured
Realm, Ghandarva’s machinations may bear fruit.
Beyond unlikely contenders, there exist long shots
whose chances of becoming Empress are scant indeed. Ledaal Yasmet
In the civil war’s early stages, none of these names The Ledaal matriarch Yasmet (Dragon-Blooded, p. 46)
merit consideration — but, as the conflict escalates and has no ambitions of sitting the Scarlet Throne — even
spreads, laying waste to the Realm and slaughtering amid the chaos of a civil war, she believes that House
more likely claimants, their odds improve. Ultimately, Ledaal’s Shadow Crusade must be placed above power
one should only take the stage if the Storyteller finds struggles, and that the best way to ensure its survival
her candidacy especially compelling, or a player takes is through an alliance with the strongest claimant. But
deliberate action to support her claim. should the Realm find itself facing an existential threat
from Anathema as the war rages on — if a contender for
Bal Keraz the throne allies with a Deathlord, or is replaced or has
The Imperial Treasury’s senior official, Bal Keraz (The her coalition infiltrated by Silver Pact shapeshifters, for
Realm, p. 50) is far from a likely prospect, but may be the instance — she may see no choice but to fulfill her duty
patrician with the best chance of ending up on the throne. to defend the Realm by taking the throne.
Having spent the years since the Empress’ disappearance
struggling against the Realm’s corruption, Keraz has Ledaal’s legions are formidable, though no match for
made allies within both the Thousand Scales and the All- those of Cathak or Sesus, and its chief financial asset,
Seeing Eye. If a patrician uprising challenged the Dynasty Arjuf’s port, could easily be cut off by a Peleps or V’neef
or the Imperial ministries made a bid for control of the blockade. If Yasmet is to prevail, she’ll need to win
Realm, Keraz could offer them the Treasury’s financial over allies to her cause — potentially even turning to
power and the All-Seeing Eye’s intelligence-gathering Lookshy, if the other houses can’t be convinced of the
network, perhaps providing the crucial edge needed for Shadow Crusade’s importance. But House Ledaal boasts
such an unlikely contender to prevail. secret strengths — salvaged First Age artifacts, ancient
sorceries, and the elite shikari created in Howling Heart
Berit — that may catch its enemies unawares.
Berit (Dragon-Blooded, p. 342), daughter of the
The Mouth of Peace
Empress, legendary general, sorcerous adept — yet
without a Great House to bear her name. In frustration The spiritual leader of the Immaculate Order, the Mouth
and fury, she went into self-imposed exile — but now, of Peace (The Realm, p. 91) is disinterested in matters of
with the Empress gone, her name has begun circulat- temporal authority, and unlikely to even consider mak-
ing again. She holds no significant military or financial ing any moves to consolidate the Immaculate Order’s
resources, but if she were to secure backing from power while pious contenders like Mnemon remain
elsewhere — taking leadership of a military coalition of viable. But unlike the Great Houses, the Mouth of Peace
weaker houses, perhaps — the Isle itself would tremble. is deeply concerned for the peasantry’s well-being, and
Few have ever stood against Berit when a legion carried could be pushed to action if the war’s toll on the com-
her mon. And once she has the power she always sought mon people became too much to bear. And if the course
in her hands, she’s unlikely to let go. of war sees Mnemon fall out of contention, the Mouth
of Peace may yet consider her own bid if it’s the only
Cevis Ghandarva way to prevent the Realm from splintering into warring
Leader of the Forest Witches, Ghandarva (p. XX) has states or to keep a heretical Empress from taking the
nursed his grudge against the Scarlet Dynasty for centu- throne.
ries, dreaming of building the empire that will succeed
Nellens Ikona
the Realm. The Realm Civil War offers fertile soil for this
ambition, but Ghandarva’s greatest asset — Domnica’s Nellens Ikona (Dragon-Blooded, p. 51) doesn’t consider
Mantle, an artifact capable of reincarnating him and his herself a contender for the throne, but she keenly appre-
Company of Thrones amid the houses of his enemies — ciates her own unique strengths. While her mercantile
doesn’t lend itself to swift responses. Even if Ghandarva operation lacks the wealth and influence brought to bear
seeded the Great Houses with his own agents as soon as by Ragara Banoba and his ilk, the charismatic Ikona is
he learned of the Empress’ disappearance, it would still well-loved throughout the patriciate and the wealthier
be years before his Thrones came of age and Exalted. A strata of the peasantry. While her peers on the Most
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August Conclave believe the house’s best path forward is

by securing an alliance with a stronger claimant, Ikona OTHER CLAIMANTS
has the potential to become the flashpoint of a popular
uprising against the Dynasty, supplementing her house’s The Dynasty is both broad and deep, populated
meager legions with patrician forces and peasant militias. with thousands of Dragon-Blooded and hundreds
of luminaries who stand out even from their he-
Ragara roic cousins. Many Dynastic characters mentioned
Ragara (p. XX) is deeply conflicted. He wants to con- elsewhere would make serviceable dark-horse
tinue the spiritual pursuits of his retirement, to trust claimants for the throne — not to mention non-Dy-
that his successor Banoba will lead their house through nasts such as Amon Mora, Ferem Remini, Hanto
the civil war — but after spending so much of his life Gallina, Iselsi Shenesh, or Stone Mask. Storytell-
obsessing over the throne, it’s not easy to simply stand ers may design their own claimants or solicit sug-
back as an unprecedented opportunity to seize it arises. gestions from players. A dearth of likely claimants
But by the time Ragara chooses to take an active role — from any given Great House needn’t be a barrier; it
if he ever does — Banoba will most likely already have will be an individual, not a house, who sits upon the
his own plans in motion, and Ragara isn’t fool enough Scarlet Throne.
to split his house against itself. Should Banoba die,
though, Ragara may step forward to reclaim the house’s
leadership. Alternatively, should a strong Immaculate even if her house did support her, its forces aren’t what
bloc emerge, the newly pious Ragara might be better they were. Ejava’s best shot is to seize the capital in a quick
posed to broker an alliance between it and his house, an coup, or wait out the bloodshed to even the odds. But
eventuality that would likely see Banoba step aside or with her legion currently on campaign in the Southwest,
be forced aside in Ragara’s favor. even reaching the Blessed Isle would be a victory.
Saloy Hin In the Ashes of Empire

As the civil war first breaks out, Saloy Hin (p. XX) is fo-
cused on the South, not the Blessed Isle. While the Great There is an alternative, should no victor emerge —
Houses make their first moves, he’ll continue to consol- the prospect of a Realm without an Empress. The
idate his rogue legion’s military power, preying upon Deliberative, the patrician families of the Thousand
any opportunities that arise in the Southern satrapies Scales, or the Immaculate Order might emerge as a rul-
as a result of the Realm’s growing instability. Pragmatic ing body if only to restore some semblance of order, un-
as it may be to let the Realm fall apart, though, Hin’s sure of its new (and finally real) power and legitimacy.
loyalty to the Scarlet Empress makes it hard to bear the
squabbling and corruption of her children. If the throne The Deliberative might rule alone, or in coalition with a
goes to a contender Hin sees as unworthy to succeed his few of the Thousand Scales’ great patrician houses — or
Empress, he may take his legion across the Inland Sea to perhaps those houses, or a single talented demagogue
make his own bid for the throne. and her handpicked associates, might rule through the
Deliberative. The Immaculate Order can call upon the
Tepet Ejava loyalty of virtually every peasant on the Blessed Isle,
Tepet Ejava, the Roseblack (Dragon-Blooded, p. 357), is establishing through them theocratic rule in the Realm,
a skilled general, devoted to military honor and defense with the Mouth of Peace occupying the throne. Massive
of the Realm. She may seek the throne to prevent the peasant uprisings could lead a coterie of rebel outcastes
Blessed Isle from devolving into chaos as unworthy to power.
claimants lay waste to her homeland — or to prevent
her own execution should an enemy of her house be- Even outsiders can enter the fray as central author-
come the new Empress. However, she commands but ity fades. Strong cadet houses such as House Ferem
the single Vermilion Legion — theoretically in service proclaim independence, building coalitions to take
to House Tepet, but fiercely loyal to her alone. Such a control of swaths of the Threshold. Eastern satrapies
force could rule a Threshold kingdom, but on the Isle, seek protection with Lookshy under the umbrella of
a single legion scarcely compares to the armies of other the Confederation of Rivers, or fall under the Forest
claimants. Witches’ sway. Anathema carve out Threshold empires
or worse, invade the Blessed Isle itself.
House Tepet might support Ejava, but in its diminished
state, the house’s leadership might see an alliance with And the Realm might splinter outright, leaving no
another claimant as a safer bid for its own survival — and central authority at all. The resulting state would
more closely resemble the Shogunate than the Realm
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Don’t take these as inevitable, but as suggestions and

OTHER AMBITIONS inspiration. Any one of these power blocs could rise or
fall through player action or through the demands of
Even in a war to become Empress, many partici- the narrative.
pants have little interest in the throne, or even in
who sits upon it. Some seek lesser positions in The War of Two Sisters
the new regime, and will gladly side with whoev- In this scenario, Mnemon and V’neef are twin poles of
er meets their price. Others would use the war as a conflict between two great alliances. It begins gen-
cover to pursue other objectives, whether it’s debt- teelly enough —the scheming and (occasionally literal)
ors arranging their creditors’ deaths, or individu- backstabbing among Dynasts increases only slightly as
als and households resolving old vendettas on the Mnemon openly speaks of declaring her mother de-
battlefield. ceased and ascending to the throne. She’s constrained
only by the Council of the Empty Throne’s timeline for
acknowledging the Empress’ death. Barred from the
— fractured, unstable, plagued by internecine strife, throne room by the Silent Legion and unwilling to storm
wracked with intrigues and regular changes to the pow- the Imperial Palace, she instead lays the groundwork for
er structure. This could accompany even a successful the day, two years hence, when the throne stands open.
bid for the throne, if a weakened Empress or other junta
is unable to control the whole of the Isle. In such chaos, Houses Ledaal and Peleps, eager to avoid war and
one house will be the real winner — with the Scarlet successfully negotiate support for the Shadow Crusade
Empress gone, and without the threat of retaliation and the Navy from the successor Empress, consent to
from powerful Great Houses to hold them back, House publicly back Mnemon. V’neef, fully aware of what this
Iselsi will pursue its Vendetta in grand style, becoming alliance means for her family, turns to her eldest broth-
a scourge unlike any the Blessed Isle has ever known. er Ragara, whose house officially backs her both out
of spite for Mnemon and to finally gain leverage over
Power Blocs the youngest Great House. House Tepet is notionally
aligned with V’neef by marriage, but given its tenuous
No Great House can claim the Scarlet Throne on its own — position and its divided leadership, it’s not yet willing
even Mnemon, considered the strongest claimant for her to act in support of V’neef’s claim to the throne when
mother’s throne, needs allies to make her ambitions real. doing so might shackle it to the losing side.
Virtually any civil war will be fought between power blocs
that form as the civil order comes crashing down — which This standoff persists for months as each claimant
means at the heart of every army, every battle, and every maneuvers toward a bloodless victory, hoping to avoid
negotiation between these blocs, there will be politicking a military response or breakdown of civil order should
and intrigues, perfect for players to become involved in. she claim the throne.
The following descriptions of possible power blocs are House Cathak demurs from any alliance, for though
among the most likely and significant combinations. Cainan has no great love for Mnemon, neither will he
countenance a hasty decision. House Sesus holds back
in response, believing that House Cathak will declare
for the opposite of whoever they back. The remaining
POWER OVERWHELMING Great Houses — Cynis, Nellens, Sesus, and Tepet — re-
main neutral, biding their time and building their own
For a single Great House to unilaterally seize pow- forces and alliances, until that choice is made. All the
er would require unprecedented supernatural aid.
while, Mnemon shores up power, making her victory
The most obvious method would involve control of
appear even more certain.
the Imperial Defense Grid, although other mecha-
nisms could conceivably come into play if the Sto-
Cainan’s primary concern is maintaining order; if he
ryteller desires — such as the Scarlet Empress’
feels certain that Mnemon would disrupt the Realm’s
personal arsenal of warstriders, the Eye of Autoch-
peace as Empress — such as a bloody purge of House
thon’s world-shaking magic, intervention by an In-
carna or similarly puissant being, or untold prodi- Ragara that upends the Realm’s economy — he’ll feel
gies such as the mythical Final Realm-Controlling obliged to support V’neef. House Sesus’ best reason to
Utterance sought by Ragara Banoba’s inner circle. declare for V’neef is a gamble to secure preeminence
Any such power would have unique properties, rein military affairs under her rule, displacing House
shaping the civil war in idiosyncratic ways. Cathak’s influence.
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If either House Cathak or House Sesus declares for one

claimant, its rival house declares for the other. With A SWORD OF DEFAULT
both great military houses in the field, civil war is all
but certain. The combined power of the Imperial Navy Almost every major player in Realm politics owes
and either of the Cathak or Sesus legions would pose money to House Ragara. Defaulting on that debt is a
a formidable obstacle to any one house’s legions on temptation that grows inevitable as war looms. But
the field of battle, but this doesn’t guarantee Mnemon default is a two-edged sword, and one that’s often
the throne. With Ragara providing financial backing, best wielded against threats more immediate than
whichever legions fight for V’neef will be well-supplied Ragara’s bankers. Should a major house, such as
and consistently paid through even the worst of the Mnemon or Peleps, publicly default early on, the
war, keeping morale high as opposing forces potentially other houses may see more benefit not in following
falter. The one certainty is that open war between these suit, but in supporting Ragara to tear down a more
coalitions of Great Houses would stain the Blessed Isle threatening rival for the throne.
with the blood of legions.
In addition, mass default won’t just hurt House
If neither house makes the hard choice, Mnemon takes Ragara. Losing the Imperial Bank will cascade
the Scarlet Throne unchallenged. Though perhaps the through the Realm’s economy and beyond as other
least bloody resolution, people will die nonetheless institutions fail or grow wary of lending. Business-
— whether in minor clashes as Mnemon consolidates es — including those run by other houses — falter
if they can’t obtain new loans; even claimants for
power, through intrigues during the process, or amid the
the throne find it harder to raise funds. Best, some
purges that follow. Mnemon isn’t quite so bloodthirsty
might think, to keep borrowing from Ragara now,
as her cousins believe; she may allow V’neef to survive
and default later.
if she accepts disinheritance, exile, and the striking of
her house from the Imperial ledgers (though she and
her progeny will be watched closely forevermore by With promises of debt forgiveness and of ongoing fiscal
Mnemon’s All-Seeing Eye). support beyond what any other house can offer, Ragara
Banoba could easily broker an alliance with Sesus
This configuration of power blocs is easily modifiable.
Raenyah or Peleps Lai, financing their bid with the mu-
House Sesus could take Peleps’ place as Mnemon’s
tual understanding that he’d be the power behind the
backer in this scenario, aligned via marriage bonds, eco-
throne. An outright bid for the throne by Banoba is less
nomic concessions, and military primacy under the new
likely, but he could secure backing from Houses Peleps
regime. This changes some details, and prompts terrible
and Sesus by the same means.
tension between the Realm’s rival maritime houses of
the Realm if Peleps throws in its lot with V’neef. Other The coalition would all but rule the seas and have a
claimants may also serve as the anti-Mnemon candi- strong army backing it, making it the focal point of ri-
date; Sesus Raenyah, Cathak Cainan, and Peleps Lai all val coalitions. Mnemon would almost certainly be the
have the pull to serve in that role, allowing V’neef to figurehead of that anti-Ragara coalition, or perhaps
fade into the background (and avoid being the primary V’neef. Such a war would have little chance of an am-
focus of other claimants’ assassins) — though she might icable outcome, for Mnemon would never stand aside
re-emerge later. and allow another to sit upon a throne she sees as hers.
A Throne of Debt It’s likely that the tensions within the anti-Ragara al-
House Ragara may not be a great military house, but liance could cause it to split, creating a three-way war
every great military house owes Ragara a tremendous for the Scarlet Throne that would tear the Isle apart.
amount of money, and requires enormous quantities Similarly, House Ragara’s alliance could split, as Peleps,
of military supplies and rations that Ragara can afford Sesus, or both disengage from their Ragara patrons.
to stockpile before war begins. The house has also had Banoba’s death would certainly cause a struggle for
centuries to lay the foundations for its own defense; control in his inner circle.
Corin Prefecture and other key Ragara strongpoints
are riddled with fortifications — ostensibly for defense Without a claimant with as strong a position as Mnemon
against banditry, but equally useful in open war for in the War of Two Sisters scenario, this would be a war of
the throne. And even if mass defaults on debts owed rapidly shifting allegiances, where one faction momen-
to House Ragara strip it of wealth on paper, stockpiled tarily allies with another to oppose whichever faction
jade and silver suffice to buy the loyalty of numerous seems dominant, almost certainly causing the war to
patrician families, Threshold rulers, mercenary bands, drag on much longer than a two-sided war would. Offers
and outcaste champions.
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of amnesty and other enticements to defect would be a While initially successful — House Cathak’s military
near-constant source of intrigue and paranoia, and when preparation and might makes it possible for them to
they enjoy success it would totally disrupt the war, at seize the Imperial City and place Cainan on the throne
least until someone else defects. Assassins would enjoy in short order, while little stands between Peleps’ grand
a vogue unlike any they’ve ever known, and House Iselsi armada and the Realm’s Western satrapies — this light-
would seize on the chaos to play their cousins against ning coup provokes a storm as the rest of the Dynasty
one another, marking them off one by one as their blood puts aside their differences to tear Cainan down and
stained the earth of the Isle red. break Peleps’ iron hold on the seas. This coalition is
fractious and given to splintering, its houses’ diverse in-
If House Ragara should find itself on the verge of defeat, terests and ancient enmities only reluctantly suspended
it may bring about the war’s worst horrors. Banoba’s in- — and encouraged by Cathak and Peleps with every bit
ner circle has dedicated decades managing the house’s of intrigue and bribery they can muster.
darkest projects, and while exposing them to the light
would outrage the Dynasty, they remain as a final op- More detail on the War in the West can be found on
tion. Sorcerous plagues sweep the Blessed Isle; First pages XX-XX.
Age weapons are unleashed with devastating collateral
damage; sleeper cells of mind-controlled agents are ac- A Wedding and a Murder
tivated within opposing factions to sow chaos; and im- Cainan’s priority, above all else, is to maintain order in
prisoned Anathema are freed to pursue their vengeance the Realm — and in this scenario, he sees no better ap-
against the Scarlet Dynasty. proach than to support the front-runner for the throne.
He and Mnemon meet in secret to hammer out an alli-
The War in the West ance, sealed by a marriage exchange — a prestigious son
In this scenario, Houses Peleps and Cathak agree to and daughter from each house, wed in a single grand
split Creation between them, with House Peleps ruling gala. Negotiations bring several other houses into the
the West and Southwest as a de facto empire under the fold, making victory a fait accompli. The Great Houses
pretext of an Imperial protectorate while Cainan rules make their obeisance, accepting invitations to the wed-
as Empress over the Isle and the rest of the Threshold. ding gala — even those, such as Houses Ragara, Sesus,
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Tepet, and V’neef, who can hope only for mercy. As the everyone without firm leadership to rein them in. If
day of the gala arrives, the Scarlet Dynasty assembles either house fails to quickly institute new leadership
in the Imperial City, gathering at the Deliberative’s and bring their households into line, scions may lash
Garden of Peace and Law to wait for the ceremony to out against purported assassins in the other house or
begin. That’s when the assassins strike. elsewhere in the Dynasty, starting a chain reaction of
vendettas disruptive to everyone’s plans.
The assassins’ identity is a variable in this scenario.
Perhaps House Iselsi saw their chance to wreak hav- Ten Thousand Wolves and the Fatted Calf
oc, turning the Scarlet Dynasty against itself. Perhaps In this scenario, each Great House stands alone, or
Ragara or V’neef sought to remove the greatest threat with only one or two allies of lesser stature seeking
to themselves and their houses. House Peleps might protection under its auspices, pulling away from the
worry that a reconciled Mnemon would favor House Realm’s governmental apparatus to rule as independent
V’neef in maritime matters, while Houses Sesus and fiefdoms. Mnemon declares for the throne backed only
Tepet could fear dissolution in favor of a pure Cathak by House Ledaal, or by no one; Peleps most likely allies
military. The order may even come from within Houses either with Ragara, Sesus, Nellens, or Cynis, seeking the
Cathak or Mnemon, a bid to secure sole power. Every naval funding that it desperately needs.
house — and other parties, such as the Deliberative, the
Immaculate Order, or foreign powers like Lookshy or Mnemon needn’t be the spark that ignites this war; any
the Forest Witches’ Company of Thrones — has cause contender who declares prematurely, hoping to succeed
to order the attack. through sheer audacity, could set things off. An assas-
sination might spark it, particularly if it targets one of
The war may go one of many ways, depending on who the front-runners. Any of the scenarios described above
dies in the attack, and possibly on how exactly the as- might degenerate into this one as alliances split under
sassins carry it out. Mnemon herself and Cainan may pressure. The most likely outcome of this scenario is
both survive — in which case the offending parties have a stalemate, with a fractured Realm whose surviving
two furious matriarchs to contend with, especially if factions each bow to their own claimant Empress, while
any of the brides or grooms die. If only one of the ma- the Threshold lists toward self-rule.
triarchs dies, their house will be thrown into chaos; the
alliance may hold, even if only to spite whoever set the Long Shots and Faint Hopes
attack in motion, but if the mourning house splinters
between rival heirs, it may find itself subordinated amid The following scenarios illustrate ways in which dark
last-minute renegotiation of terms. Eventually, there horse claimants could become relevant and even po-
may come a split as the scions of the now-client house tentially seize the Scarlet Throne. None are obvious
seek independence, or the greater house may absorb the to observers or likely to occur — in RY 768, few would
lesser. consider any of the following within the realm of pos-
sibility. Still, the above scenarios could potentially lead
In either of these cases, the most likely outcome is a
into one of these situations, leaving Dynasts scrambling
Cathak-Mnemon coalition relentlessly hunting down
to combat a threat they never planned for.
the assassins — and, as suspicion becomes paranoia,
they find countless enemies to hold culpable, esca- The Prodigal Daughter
lating from groups of armed guards making arrests to
Berit’s best hope of becoming Empress is to lead a coali-
armies ousting the governments of cities or prefectures
tion of houses desperate to survive. Tepet, Nellens, and
sympathetic to the assassins’ cause. Even factions with
V’neef all stand deeply imperiled, and any other house
clean hands begin conducting espionage and preparing
might find itself in such straits. Initially, their worthies
countermeasures against the Cathak-Mnemon coalition
are unwilling to cede authority to a woman who — for all
in anticipation of being the next before the chopping
her acknowledged greatness — turned her back on her
block. The least bloody path forward lies in the coalition
responsibilities to the Realm to indulge in all manner
finding those behind the assassinations — or at least a
of rumored wickedness. But such concerns are a luxury
scapegoat acceptable to a preponderance of the coali-
that they cannot afford amid open war. These houses
tion — but even then, Houses Cathak and Mnemon’s
may see themselves as safer and freer to pursue their
efforts in finding the assassins may leave them in a poor
ambitions under someone like Berit, who lacks personal
position to claim the throne.
backing, than under a powerful Great House.
Should assassins claim both Cathak Cainan and
Berit must contend with intrigues from those of her
Mnemon herself, the situation grows much more cha-
allies who fear that her ambition might outstrip the role
otic, as scions on both sides point fingers at virtually
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they’ve laid out for her. Her backers will aim to limit tried and failed to do so, it could be all that matters.
her authority lest she consolidate her own stable power That’s the thing about peasants: Dragon-Blooded are all
base at their expense, and work to marginalize or even the Empress’ children as far as they’re concerned.
assassinate her once her usefulness is over. This might
drive her back into self-imposed exile, finding nothing Rise of The Vermilion Empress
to save in her mother’s Realm, or it may push her to House Tepet enters the civil war in the worst shape
strike back, eliminating her most personally powerful it’s been since its founding. It doesn’t pin its hopes on
supporters for the Dynasty’s sake. Ejava, for its few hopes are invested solely in surviving
the bloody strife of the civil war and the almost-certain
Berit’s isolation within the Dynasty makes her an ideal purges to come in the aftermath of a new Empress’
claimant for player characters to build strong relation- ascent. No one in House Tepet or the rest of the Scarlet
ships with, precisely because her lack of connections is Dynasty — including Tepet Ejava — anticipates a Tepet
her greatest weakness. If they’re chosen to enlist Berit Empress.
on behalf of their house or houses, they’ll be familiar
to her. Defending her against assassins or countering But, broken though House Tepet may be, Ejava’s blood
other intrigues against her will earn her respect and grants her a legitimacy that Saloy Hin, ostensibly her
gratitude. She may take them under her wing, promote equal as a general, can’t match. If she seizes the Imperial
them rapidly if they demonstrate sufficient competence, City and claims the throne, she’ll have enemies, certain-
and place them in demanding and dangerous roles — on ly, but she’ll also have allies — mainly those looking to
the battlefield or elsewhere, as their talents indicate. curry favor and seeking protection. But House Tepet’s
allies are precious few, and she’ll take what she can get.
Characters who back Berit and use their leverage ap-
propriately can play an instrumental role in helping her Still, these advantages won’t suffice to hold power
seize the throne. She’ll honor them, but won’t consent against the likes of Mnemon, V’neef, or Raenyah — or
to be anyone’s puppet; the wrong choices may shift her against any coalition of Great Houses still healthy
from ally to opponent. However, if the player characters enough to mount a serious campaign. Assassins will
can outmaneuver both external enemies, the intriguers come for Ejava in droves, and armies will besiege every
within Berit’s own faction, and the elder Dragon-Blood city foolish enough to declare for her — for unlike many
herself — no mean feat! — they may reap the spoils of other contenders, her claim and the threat her legion
Berit’s coalition. poses dies with her. Ejava’s best chance of taking and
holding power comes in a Realm already broken by years
The Renegade Who Would Be Empress of war, a Realm that will accept a Vermilion Empress
An outcaste general in the Imperial legions, Saloy Hin because the alternative is drowning in a torrent of blood
remains loyal to the woman who took him in, gave him and chaos.
purpose, and made him part of something greater than
himself. But ultimately, he’s ruled by the same ambition The Scarlet Pretender
that drove him to outpace his peers in climbing the le- With armies on the march, a miracle occurs. The fiery
gion’s ranks. Seizing the throne would put the Empress’ image of the Empress towers above the Imperial City,
petty, feuding children in their place and prove his own much as histories say happened across the Blessed Isle at
worth to the world. the Realm’s dawn. In a booming voice, she proclaims her
disappearance a ploy to draw out traitors, rebels, and pre-
Hin cannot hold the throne while a legitimate contend- tenders, extends amnesty to warring claimants who lay
er remains on the field — the rest of the Dynasty would down their arms and submit to her authority, and offers
turn against him in a heartbeat, and there’s no way he reinstatement in her service to cashiered outcastes and
could hold them all off without some unprecedentedly deserters alike. The Silent Legion stands ready around
powerful advantage. His best chance is in an appeal the Imperial Palace, implicitly supporting the claim.
to order, to the way things were when the Empress
ruled, garnering support from patrician houses, the There’s good cause to believe that this isn’t truly the
Immaculate Order, other outcaste veterans of the le- Empress, but rather a pretender wielding sorcery,
gions, and especially the peasantry. Evocations, or other supernatural power to emulate a frac-
tion of the Empress’ command over the Realm Defense
Hin’s greatest obstacle is Mnemon, who many in the Grid. Nonetheless, the prospect of renewing the status quo
halls of power see as the Scarlet Empress in miniature, a appeals to many, especially those who have cause to fear
sure thing set against chaos. Unlike her, he cannot secure other would-be Empresses’ ambitions. Houses Ragara and
legitimacy through blood, but if he can secure legitimacy V’neef might shelter beneath the pretender’s wing against
through restoring order, especially where Mnemon has an ascendant Mnemon, for example, while Houses Cynis
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THE DELIBERATIVE’S REGENT
Instead of directly supplanting the Empress’ authority, the Deliberative may deem it less politically fraught to re-
tain the Regent as a figurehead. Tepet Fokuf — or someone equally ineffectual — would act as a rubber stamp
on the Deliberative’s pronouncements and issue edicts in accordance with its will. Alternatively, a prestigious
but politically neutral figure such as Amon Mora, Bal Keraz, or Berit might be awarded the Regency with some-
what more latitude, though ultimately serving at the Deliberative’s pleasure.
This status quo, however, depends on keeping the Regent under the Deliberative’s collective thumb. Should a
respected Regent gain the protection of the Silent Legion, or a dynamic Regent nakedly back a powerful faction
in the Deliberative, the resulting fracture could destabilize the status quo and trigger civil war after all.
and Sesus might pledge support to the false Empress to may produce legislation more efficaciously than any
fend off a Cathak-Peleps axis. thought possible.
The Ten Thousand Enlightened Stewards It’s also possible that the Deliberative prevails, but
Even for ambitious Dynasts, civil war offers as much doesn’t come through the civil war intact. A coalition
peril as opportunity. Those who don’t perish on the of Great Houses might break the Lesser Chamber’s
battlefield may be purged for supporting the losing side, power, exiling or purging its delegates to cement the
while the winners face a Realm vastly transformed by Deliberative as a seat of Dynastic power. Conversely,
war and the new Empress’ edicts. Lifelong careers are a peasant uprising backed by the patriciate and its
cut short as ministries are restructured or dissolved; Dragon-Blooded scions could potentially capture the
favorite estates are razed or gifted to other Dynasts for Imperial City. Assuming the uprising has supernatural
their services; webs of relationships carefully cultivated allies powerful enough to let it stand against the Scarlet
over a lifetime are torn asunder as contacts are killed Dynasty — whether a united front of patrician Dragon-
in battle, executed, or exiled at war’s end. But where Blooded, cashiered outcaste officers resentful of the
Dynastic claimants to the throne threaten blood and Great Houses and seeking to preserve the Empress’ old
chaos, the Deliberative offers a veneer of legitimacy and order, House Nellens or another Great House breaking
supports the comparatively bloodless status quo. with its peers, cadet house allies, a vengeful House
Iselsi, Lookshyan agents, or the like — they could oust
The Realm’s major powers have yet to take the the Greater Chamber, likely resulting in a fragmented
Deliberative seriously beyond lip service, but they ignore Realm where the patriciate-led Deliberative and the
it at their peril. Without the Scarlet Empress to veto its remaining Great Houses carve up the Blessed Isle.
proclamations or sow chaos among senators, its legisla-
tive machinery has now absorbed much of her role in the Without a military arm to enforce its dictates, and with
Realm’s executive functioning, giving it unprecedented tax-gathering hamstrung by recalcitrant prefects, the
sway — at least until civil order breaks down. Deliberative must rely on persuasion and diplomacy. On
the one hand, a Dynastic coalition may support it as an
With only the Empress empowered to appoint new alternative to a widely hated or feared frontrunner; this
senators, the trickling of senators from the Greater leaves it dependent on its backers’ legions, a figurehead
Chamber to serve their houses’ interests may make it for squabbling matriarchs. Alternatively, if years of war
impossible to reach quorum. But as house partisans leave Dynasts, outcastes, patricians, and peasants alike
leave and power blocs shift, those who remain may reach craving antebellum peace and stability, the Deliberative
an accord, voting together to achieve mutual interests. may successfully bring military forces under its own
Whether that’s to preserve the status quo, protect the banner, allowing it to cement its authority.
common folk, or enrich themselves depends on who’s
most effective at wrangling votes through eloquence, A Realm, Once Corrupt, Now Pure
deal-making, blackmail, or extortion. While war always causes suffering, the Blessed Isle’s
peasantry will suffer as it never has before in the
The Lesser Chamber’s traditional intransigence may event of civil war. If left unchecked for long enough,
likewise deadlock the Deliberative indefinitely. But this may lead the Mouth of Peace or others within the
should the two chambers work past their differences — Immaculate Order to declare an Immaculate Regency,
whether through shared ideals, finding opportunities to especially if the Deliberative fails to step in and govern
enrich both, or threats and purges — the Deliberative in the absence of Dynastic authority.
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An Immaculate-ruled Realm would likely absorb Imperial descent from a Shogunate gens or some noteworthy
infrastructure into the Order’s bureaucracy to better ease historical figure like Araka Jeresh — or a charismatic
the transition. Martial orders would take the place of the outcaste officer or magistrate.
Imperial legions, bivouacking in Great House fortresses
claimed for the Order. The Breaths of the Immaculate As the rebellion spreads, fighting can degenerate into
Dragons would integrate the Thousand Scales into their local affairs, with the Great Houses unable to march
own functions. Itinerant monks could replenish the on their rivals because they’re tied up with suppress-
much-thinned herd of Imperial magistrates, dispensing ing rebels in their own holdings. This may encourage
the Mouth of Peace’s justice. The Deliberative might a breakdown into house fiefdoms centered on their
be stocked with monks, or its powers absorbed into the ancestral seats and other key locations, or individual
Immaculate Regent’s executive authority. power bases surrounding this or that powerful prefect,
governor, or other noteworthy local figure. Extant rebel
The Great Houses, broken by the war, would be sub- groups, like the Cloud Dragon Oath (The Realm, p. 132),
ordinate to the Order, if not restructured or dissolved have a leg up here, and could become major players in
outright. Houses with strong ties to the Order, such as the civil war with a bit of cleverness and luck.
Mnemon and Cathak, might retain more of their for-
mer glory than the rest, while Cynis and Sesus might Those Who Serve None but Themselves
suffer more under Immaculate rule than their kin. Many other Realm power players will influence the
Immaculate authorities would distribute power only war’s course. Every Great House envies the All-Seeing
to those deemed both competent and morally pure (in Eye’s espionage network, and many seek to suborn
itself a highly political decision). Ostensibly meritocrat- it — but it may well determine its own fate. Outcastes
ic, advancement through the Coils of the Immaculate once cashiered from the legions, now pursued by Great
Dragons would become a deadly serious game of power Houses needing more Dragon-Blooded for the front
— many would enter the priesthood solely to enrich lines, can leverage their service for great gain — if they
themselves and their families. Such a cynic might well and their patrons survive. Criminal enterprises flourish
ascend into the highest reaches of the Order, perhaps in the chaos, smuggling goods (and people) in and out
even becoming the new Immaculate Regent. of war zones. Cadet houses eye the Dynasty, looking to
back contenders who’ll be sympathetic to their needs
A Wildfire of Insurrection or elevate their standing further. House Iselsi revels in
Tax collectors tighten their grip, extracting more and the bloodshed, pursuing their bloody Vendetta as never
more from patricians and peasants alike, while the before with the civil war as a pretext.
decaying ministries provide less and less support in ex-
change. Officers confiscate food for the legions’ supply External forces may also play a role. Lookshy might
trains, leaving villagers and townsfolk to starve. Entire intervene to weaken its old adversary, but only if its
villages are dispossessed for nonpayment of taxes, and conservative Mercenary faction can be convinced to
left defenseless against bandits and soldiers alike. Like support such a venture. The Mask of Winters plans to
a field of grasses baked beneath the unrelenting sun, the seize more of the River Province, but a collapsing Realm
spirits of the Blessed Isle’s people await only a spark to might tempt him to secure a foothold in the eastern
catch fire. Blessed Isle, dangerously close to the Imperial City. Fair
Folk princes who’ve lurked beneath the Plains of Rusted
After a prefectural revolt overcomes the prefect’s Iron since the Contagion could choose this moment to
guards and burns the local tax ledgers, its example return to the surface. A peasant Anathema might lead
inspires further rebellions, growing into a Blessed Isle– an uprising and carve out an empire even as the Realm
wide movement. Prefectural militia, monks, criminals, tears itself apart — perhaps abetted by Dynasts seeking
bandits, deserters, and even cashiered outcastes throw to use her as a tool against their rivals.
in their lot with the rebellion, bolstering its ranks suffi-
ciently to allow its sheer numbers to tell against Great As the Silver Pact senses blood in the water, its centu-
House troops. ries-long guerilla campaign may escalate into all-out
war against the Realm, especially in the case of a lengthy
While the Blessed Isle’s peasants often resent arrogant and bloody conflict. Though this offers the potential for
Dynasts and greedy ministers, they’ve long seen the a great victory, it also threatens to reunify the Realm in
Empress as a beloved figure. Most hope not for indepen- the face of Lunar aggression.
dence from imperial rule, but for a benevolent monarch
to take the throne. This may be a major claimant with a The Pact may also escalate its campaign of infiltration and
positive image among the peasantry, but is just as likely espionage. As the Realm splinters into factions, mech-
to be a patrician with some far-distant claim — such as anisms to keep the Silver Pact out — the All-Seeing Eye,
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Isle and in the satrapies. House legions conduct warga-

SIDEREAL INVOLVEMENT mes against other houses’ favored tactics — this is both
an exercise in combat readiness and a clear threat.
The Sidereals of the Bronze Faction have covertly
aided and reinforced the Realm since its inception. Salons and galas become social weapons, with targeted
The Realm Civil War represents one of their great- snubbing or occasions held on the same date as a rival’s;
est failures, and leaves their ranks in disarray as targets must choose who to offend, unmaking potential
too few Sidereals hasten to put out too many fires. alliances before they’re cemented or unmasking hidden
As the Scarlet Dynasty turns on itself, the Bronze allegiances in putative allies. Blackmailers deploy de-
Faction triages the crisis unfolding across the cades- or centuries-old secrets as leverage against vul-
Blessed Isle and beyond, allocating its extremely nerable officials or Dynasts, causing seemingly indelible
limited resources with the goal of ensuring that agreements to crumble at unexpected moments. Sides
whatever remains of the Realm can maintain Drag- are taken, divisions deepen, and as threats and pressure
on-Blooded hegemony and Immaculate orthodoxy. mount, anything could spark open conflict.
Civil war could serve the Gold Faction’s competing Player characters, regardless of their backgrounds, may
agendas, but disorder and bloodshed are hardly an become involved on their own initiative or at a patron’s
unmitigated good for them. Gold Faction Sidereals behest. They may not see the full picture, and early on
might seize upon opportunities to coordinate and it’s useful to keep characters (not players) in the dark.
support Solar insurgencies against the weakened Forcing decisions based on incomplete information is a
Realm, fill power vacuums left in the civil war’s recipe for tension, drama, and touching off other events
wake with the Lawgivers or other chaotic forces, that players must deal with. No operation should ever
or pursue individual agendas opposed to the status
go entirely to plan — don’t force failure, but be ready to
quo embodied in the Realm, but they’re spreading
exploit the slightest complication in the future.
their resources as thin as their Bronze Faction
counterparts in the process.
For example, the player characters may be sent to in-
tercept “bandits” — what a tragedy that another house’s
soldiers were conducting exercises outside their terri-
tory, and that important documents were “lost” (quietly
the Bronze Faction, and the like — begin to falter, their re-
recovered and analyzed for intelligence) in the scuffle!
sources taxed and their attention scattered. Undermining
The other house in question, of course, won’t take this
allegiances, assassinating peacemakers, and engineering
lying down.
betrayals, Lunar agents will accelerate the Realm’s break-
down into small warring states, ripe for the picking. As tensions mount, houses may entrust player char-
acters with brokering secret alliances with potential
Storytelling the Civil War allies, carrying out espionage against potential enemies,
guarding strategic sites or stockpiles of vital resources,
Rather than a sudden, unexpected epidemic of blood- and the like. Such efforts will see them pitted against
shed, most civil war scenarios involve an erratic ratch- not only the agents of the other Great Houses, but of the
eting-up of tensions. This can begin with a hostile glare Thousand Scales, the All-Seeing Eye, and other organs
at a salon and end with swords crossed on a smoldering of the Realm’s government.
battlefield surrounded by shattered remains of armies.
From Cold War to Open War
Few wish to openly acknowledge war’s seeming inevita- Whether all at once or in fits and starts, the conflict
bility, so these early stages rely on the application of soft will shift from social maneuvering and isolated inci-
power — negotiations and mingling in public and pri- dents to full-on war. House legions will take the field,
vate. Each house wishes to have its allies lined up firmly supplemented by garrisons in the satrapies and by pa-
behind them, while keeping as much information from trician-led peasant levies on the Blessed Isle.
its rivals as possible. Beneath the surface, operatives of
houses and factions conduct quiet missions, arranging Aside from a few centers of power, each house’s assets
things behind the scenes to be ready for war — possibly are scattered among the prefectures and across the
even eliminating important figures in deniable ways. Threshold, often leaving them surrounded by hostile
forces. Initial military actions focus on consolidating
Early signs include the amassing of military supplies, territory and claiming key cities, mountain passes,
foodstuffs, and hard currency, as well as troop move- and other strategic sites, while safely withdrawing
ments to hold strategic positions both on the Blessed personnel from untenable positions. Armies seek to
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defend loyal territories, connect with allied forces, line may pardon her former foes, or she may ring in her
up assaults on enemies’ seats of power, and deny these reign with purges unknown since the annihilation of
options to their rivals. All of this is bloody work. Soon House Manosque. Yet even should she cut down every
enough, peasant levies find themselves forced into the Dynast who opposed her, grudges — carried by spous-
forefront of battle to blunt the enemy’s thrusts. es, children, friends, lovers, Hearthmates — linger for
centuries.
The war’s consequences extend beyond the battlefield.
Foraging armies and conscription of farmers and ar- Between famine, disease, and bloodshed, the popula-
tisans cause shortages, sickness, and failed harvests, tion of the Realm drops significantly, more so the longer
sending shockwaves throughout an economy already the war. Agricultural heartlands lie fallow, their peas-
reeling as houses default on their debts. Even Dynasts antry fled or slain, or their soil contaminated by ancient
feel the pinch, though they stubbornly deny it even as weapons and unhale sorceries deployed in desperation.
living standards drop precipitously. Commerce plunges Harvests are seized by force of arms and stockpiled for
as fewer merchants make costly and dangerous voyages; military use. Trade collapses; many currencies become
luxuries previously taken for granted will vanish. worthless; loaning diminishes sharply. Hunger remains
constant for years, possibly decades.
As war goes on, culture changes. Production and effort
go toward warfare instead of the civilian economy, ex- Surviving player characters may be well-placed in
acerbating shortages. Houses institute rationing, favor- the aftermath as the new elite who must help build a
ing farmers slightly (they produce the food), but giving new Realm, reestablishing central authority over the
short shrift to anyone not immediately involved in the Blessed Isle and the Threshold. Following a shorter
war. Every Great House has a stake in putting down the war, that work will tend to be more political. But after
resulting peasant revolts — possibly sending the player prolonged strife, reuniting the Realm may entail further
characters to do so! — but they’ll certainly take advan- wars against holdouts, upstarts, and opportunists, with
tage of such revolts in rivals’ lands, both via propaganda player characters potentially on either side.
and on the battlefield.
The player characters may find themselves uniting a
Player characters living through all of this may need to divided Isle, enthroning one of their own as Empress
solve problems, stave off uprisings, or stop defections or governing as a tightly knit council. This gives players
to houses promising better living standards. Solutions the broadest scope to shape the Realm to their charac-
shouldn’t be simple or easy to stomach — war breeds ters’ desires, and offers the Storyteller myriad ways to
hard choices. Player characters’ patrons and allies may set further decisions before them — some with conse-
find other, more dangerous tasks for them, or cut them quences so far-ranging, it might well change the course
loose entirely, if they can’t solve problems decisively. of Creation’s destiny.
Characters needn’t be wholly selfless, though, and war- The campaign’s end can even form the foundation of a
time offers endless opportunities for profit. Forward- generational game. As children of the civil war’s heroes,
looking Dynasts can secure their postwar lifestyle and the new player characters compete with one another
position by being in the right place at the right time. for power even as they try to hold together the empire
their parents created.
An Elegy for That Which Was
Even a short, relatively bloodless war’s consequences
stretch down the line for centuries. The new Empress
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The War in the West

The West has ever been a place of great promise. Empress reined in its efforts to unite the archipelagoes
Creation’s most sparsely populated corner still boasts under the Imperial banner.
thousands of islands, both inhabited and not, and myr-
iad cultures, states, and kingdoms, each with their own Her reasons grew more transparent. A Peleps-controlled
rich history, fertile lands, and dark secrets. West would be prosperous enough to survive without
Realm aid, rich enough that it could harm the Realm’s
The Imperial hand has yet to fully grasp the West, economy by blocking trade, and distant enough that
though it lies heavy across many archipelagos. This is no navy could challenge Peleps rule. Nor would Peleps
largely a matter of history and distance. Weather, cur- ever permit another house a foothold in its territory.
rents, hostile spirits, and sea monsters made Western Lest the West become a greater Imperial rival than even
trade routes difficult to reestablish after the Contagion, Prasad, the Empress discouraged and disincentivized
despite the islands’ exotic promise. The Silver Pact expansion, and the idea of a united West slipped from
also took pains to harass and bleed the Realm’s initial the minds of Peleps scions.
attempts at expansion.
Secure manses along Voice-of-the-Tides Prefecture’s
The Empress was slow to turn ambitions of conquest churning coasts held yellowed scrolls detailing invasion
Westward, preferring to cement control of the Inland plans, forgotten by all but the occasional Peleps elder.
Sea coast. As Western routes progressed from being Their ambition of a new empire lay dormant. It could
accessible only through rare feats of Dragon-Blooded never be realized so long as the Scarlet Empress sat the
naval prowess to being open to regular mortal mercan- throne.
tile traffic, House Peleps — now fully invested in the
Imperial Navy — established footholds there. But the But now the Empress is gone.
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About This Adventure While this is the basic model for the War in the West,
Peleps’ Western push can be triggered by all manner of
As much a setting piece as an actual adventure, The other scenarios involving alternate power blocs. For in-
War in the West presents several major elements of stance, a cadre of Peleps officers concludes that Air Fleet
House Peleps’ incursion into the West and suggests grand admiral Ragara Feria — the only remaining non-Pe-
how a Storyteller can incorporate these elements into leps admiral in the Imperial Navy — is disloyal and try to
her game. This adventure isn’t targeted at any specific have her killed; thinking the Admiralty Board is purging
Exalt type; each has a place and a stake in the West, and her, Feria and her most loyal captains break from the
everyone stands to gain or lose in the coming war. Navy to join Ragara; Ragara and Peleps go to war, with
other houses crystallizing around them. The Storyteller
The war revolves around House Peleps’ bid to create can concoct any number of such personalized incidents,
an independent imperial entity: The Imperial Western and in mixed-house games, she’s encouraged to make
Protectorate, a satrapy in name only. Much like Prasad, these incidents meaningful to the player characters.
the Protectorate claims legitimacy through descent
from the Empress and the Dynasty.
The War at Home
The sections of this adventure break down as follows:
The civil war’s actual details shouldn’t be the Storyteller’s
primary focus in a chronicle featuring the War in the West,
Major Players describes Peleps’ imperial ambitions
although aftershocks and second- and third-order effects
and the scope of the Western powers who see profit
will doubtless have an impact. What ultimately matters
or peril in the crusade of a thousand Exalts. It also de-
is that House Peleps survives the civil war with resources
scribes the Western elements of House V’neef — who
and legions intact, allowing it to focus upon — and serve
face the choice between the yoke or the daiklave — and
as a credible threat to — the West and Southwest.
the West’s regional powers.
House Peleps has forsaken its homeland for blue waters
The Neck details one of the war’s primary theaters.
and rich islands. Within a few years, its scions will
The Western Campaign outlines the conflict caused by suck every last obol and artifact from their Blessed Isle
Peleps’ imperial incursion into the West and Southwest, holdings, retaining what manses they can and selling
and the stiff resistance their warmongering inspires or razing what they can’t. Even if they’re mouthing the
from native, foreign, and spiritual forces. fiction of a Protectorate in the Cathak Empress’ name,
every Peleps scion knows that the War in the West is
A Possible Future provides a timeline of story events, an all-or-nothing gambit to rule an entire Direction. No
including both a main trunk of how the war might go other fleet in Creation can challenge them, and even if
and various ways the story might twist and branch. the civil war’s tides turn against them or Cathak falls,
they won’t waver from their plans.
Storytelling the Aftermath gives advice on directions
for the chronicle after the war ends — or when the play-
er characters do their best to leave it behind. Major Players
House Peleps
The Aftermath of Civil War
Moving slowly and deliberately, Peleps has established
The War in the West follows a particular power bloc of footholds from which to strike at the West and consol-
the Realm Civil War: a Peleps-Cathak alliance. After dif- idate power — rich holdings on Wu-Jian and business
ficult negotiations and enmity on both sides, both houses interests with its gangs; ties to numerous Southwestern
agree that Peleps will rule the West, the Southwest, and satrapies; and a major anchorage on Black Gannet
the seas — retaining only Voice-of-the-Tides Prefecture Rock, a small island equidistant between Voice-of-the-
as embassy and trading port — while Cathak rules the Tides Prefecture and Wavecrest, for drydocking huge
Blessed Isle and the rest of the Threshold. Better two ships and projecting naval power throughout the West
dragons stand astride Creation and rule absolutely than a should Wu-Jian suffer invasion or blockade.
single dragon standing alone with ten thousand daggers
at her throat. Despite intense pressure from the other The Empress undercut Peleps’ Westward expansion
Great Houses, the alliance gains the upper hand. Three 14 years ago by appointing House V’neef to oversee the
of Peleps’ four legions immediately decamp for the West Merchant Fleet. This both limited House Peleps’ ability
after the Imperial City is secured, as does the bulk of the to finance expansion of the Imperial Navy, and ensured
Imperial Navy’s Water Fleet (The Realm, p. 79).
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that if the house ever attempted to seize power by force, operations and compromised by the purging of outcaste
it would have a rival naval house to contend with. Since leadership in favor of house loyalists. Still, they grow
then, the Rightly Guided Admiralty Board has been war- more seasoned as time goes on. Peleps also commands
gaming and strategizing to improve on centuries-old garrison forces stationed in Western satrapies, supple-
invasion plans. The house is eager for war. mented by continental garrisons and auxiliary troops
redeployed to support the Western campaign.
More numerous and powerful than any individual
Western polity, House Peleps can crush rivals piecemeal. Peleps Domakar, general of the 19th “Maelstrom”
Its strength draws in allies willing to accept subordina- Legion, directs ground operations in the West. He’s
tion rather than risk destruction. But the vast expense personally ambitious, desiring to make a name for
of maintaining and reinforcing the Imperial Navy — not himself with his victories; his strategies tend toward
to mention the Peleps legions — demands quick and flamboyance and aggression. Devoted to Peleps power
decisive moves to seize and hold enough shipyards and and prestige, he feels the house deserves the honor of
provisions to sustain it throughout the campaign. ruling an empire. Peleps Hallec, general of the 22nd
“Ox-Dragon” Legion, directs Southwestern ground
The Peleps Forces operations. Cautious and stubborn, she has reservations
Among the most militaristic of the Great Houses, Peleps about breaking from the Realm, but is dutiful and utter-
holds the following assets on the eve of civil war: ly loyal to house leadership.
The Water Fleet numbers over 1,200 warships, though House V’neef
the actual number fluctuates — climbing to 1,800 early
on due to reassigned Air Fleet vessels, then dramatical- House V’neef is a young house with a still-active found-
ly decreasing over the war’s course. As the campaign er. It’s invested more heavily in the West than any other
begins, the Admiralty Board removes grand admiral Direction, seeing it as a valuable source of untapped
Ledaal Calin — either by persuading him to retire or riches, albeit one whose exploitation would seriously
through attempted assassination — and replaces him aggrieve House Peleps — necessitating fortification of
with Peleps Aramida (Dragon-Blooded, p. 58). This its Western satrapies and Merchant Fleet depots. When
temporarily impairs fleet readiness and efficiency, but is the Empress disappeared, V’neef realized these Western
considered necessary to ensure Peleps control over the assets would become a priority target for House Peleps.
fleet. The majority of the fleet ventures between Wu- As the war begins, V’neef forces are largely scattered
Jian (The Realm, p. 172), Black Gannet Rock, Huang across the West and Southwest, though the house holds
Hei (The Realm, p. 171), and Wavecrest when the war a few scattered satrapies elsewhere and maintains a
begins, protecting the trade routes necessary for the presence on the Blessed Isle.
House’s imperial ambitions.
House V’neef is largely comprised of former patricians
Peleps admirals command the Earth, Wood, and Fire and outcastes assembled by the Empress. Some of these
Fleets, and hold high rank in the Air Fleet. Each Peleps outcastes originated among the Western archipela-
admiral has spent the last several years identifying goes. They haven’t forgotten their origins, and many
loyalists among the captains; when the deal between possess ties to their former lives that give them unique
Cathak and Peleps occurs, hardline opposition is rapid- powerbases.
ly purged. Other than the Air Fleet, these fleets consist
of galleys ill-suited to the Great Western Ocean. Unable Other Great Houses supply House V’neef with econom-
to participate directly in the War in the West, they ic and political backing. Concerned by Peleps’ ambition
sweep rival houses’ ships from the Inland Sea and battle and threatened by its maritime might, its rivals supply
Merchant Fleet assets in the Southwest. V’neef with much-needed loans and shipbuilding facil-
ities, as a naval counterbalance to the Imperial Fleet.
Peleps Orobel, newly promoted admiral of the Fire Even as other Great Houses falter before the Cathak-
Fleet, directs the house’s Southwestern campaign. A Peleps alliance, their anchorages and storehouses
veteran of the Realm-Zhao wars and an experienced remain open to Merchant Fleet use.
admiral, her knowledge of the region and its peoples
will stand her in good stead. Her romantic nature lends Far smaller and weaker than the Imperial Navy, the
itself to grandiose or unexpected maneuvers; she trusts Merchant Fleet nonetheless presents a resilient ob-
her staff officers to keep this impulse in check. stacle to Peleps expansion. For the Western powers,
alliance with V’neef is more a partnership between
The Peleps legions are four in number, each bat- equals, tempting those unwilling to sacrifice freedom
tle-hardened and ready, albeit initially unused to marine for security.
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across the western Blessed Isle and the Threshold, un-

V’NEEF: YOUTH ASCENDANT ready for the Peleps assault. Reuniting these units despite
Imperial Navy interdiction will prove difficult.
As the founder, V’neef herself pushes her house’s
youngest scions to shoulder as much responsibil- Notable Figures in the West
ity as they can handle. With so much of the house
comprised of outsiders who came to adulthood with Any number of ambitious and powerful individuals
very different loyalties, she hopes to draw upon a may become involved in the War in the West, poten-
more visceral loyalty in those not old enough to re- tially shaping the conflict in dramatic ways. Storytellers
call a time before their families joined the house. should use them as wild cards in the grander story of
This offers V’neef player characters opportunity to the war. A handful of potentially relevant characters are
get involved in matters that might otherwise be listed below.
seen as above their station.
The Realm has few foes more ardent than the Lunars
of the Silver Pact, and many call the West their home.
The V’neef Forces Leviathan (Lunars, p. 39) is among the eldest Lunars,
Though young, House V’neef is nonetheless a Great holding the ancient sunken city of Luthe and disrupting
House of the Realm. Its military forces, while no match Realm naval operations in the West. Sha’a Oka (Lunars,
for those of House Peleps, are considerable. Its other, p. 46) leads the war against the Realm on the Caul, but
less tangible strengths lie in commerce and politics. he and his adherents may seize upon the War in the
The Empress created House V’neef as a check against West to continue their campaign of open war. Other
Peleps’ power, and the house has spent years developing prominent Lunars in the Southwest and the West in-
and cultivating an economic hold upon the West and clude Ül the Burning Eye (Lunars, p. 48), the Black
growing rich off Merchant Fleet customs taxes. Wave Reavers (Exalted, p. 107), Lukha Palash (Lunars,
p. 92), and Wings of Ivory (Lunars, p. 109).
Numbering over 900 ships, the Merchant Fleet is
something of a misnomer. This full-fledged war fleet Tepet Ejava, the Roseblack (Dragon-Blooded, p.
serves as the Realm’s customs police and the Imperial 357), recently finished a campaign against pirates in
Navy’s chief pirate-hunting apparatus. It’s largely free of the Southwest, but even if the Blessed Isle offered safe
Peleps influence, purged when V’neef took possession, haven under Cathak rule, she cannot safely return while
although a handful of older seamen and low-ranking the War in the West rages and Peleps controls the routes
officers quietly retain Peleps sympathies. from An-Teng. While she’s decidedly removed from the
main conflict, the Roseblack possesses a full legion at
Despite recent efforts to construct more blue-water ves- her command. If House V’neef — its founder-matriarch
sels, two-thirds of the Merchant Fleet consists of galleys wed to a Tepet husband — persuades her that its cause
better suited to the Inland Sea’s calmer waters. Many is noble, she might intervene on its behalf. If Peleps
of these are assembled to defend V’neef’s Southeastern offers to bring her army back to the Isle after a decisive
holdings. Still, the house controls a sizable flotilla of victory, she might find that persuasive as well.
deep-sea vessels. Their crews are experienced in navi-
gating the Great Western Ocean between the West and Skullstone’s Bodhisattva Anointed by Dark Water, also
the Blessed Isle. called the Silver Prince, has several Abyssal Exalted in
his service. These include the Drowner of Saints, the
Merchant Fleet admiral V’neef Primrose, born to the restrained yet ferocious admiral of the Skullstone fleet,
maritime patrician family Cirrus, was fostered by House whose massive goremaul has shattered many an enemy
Tepet. Known for her unshakable calm and attention ship’s hull; and the Knight of Ghosts and Shadows, a
for detail, she served as a lesser admiral in the Water Northern warrior-poet and budding necromancer of-
Fleet, and later as an instructor at the House of Red ten sent forth as a diplomatic envoy. The Solar Moray
Sails, a respected naval secondary school. She’s run the Darktide, a former pirate born in Skullstone, also
Merchant Fleet for 14 years, time she’s spent watching serves the Prince, having become a true believer in the
House Peleps warily. Her knowledge of the Imperial Deathlord’s philosophy of ennoblement through death.
Navy and the West may prove invaluable.
Grandmother Cuong Sa Fey is an ancient and puissant
The two V’neef legions are of surprisingly good quality. matriarch of the Lintha pirate family. Cruel, cannibal-
Many V’neefs are former outcastes trained at Pasiap’s istic, and heir to a dozen bloodlines of supernatural
Stair, and as legion veterans they’ve been honing their puissance, Sa Fey surprises foes with necromantic bone
new troops’ edge. But their wings and talons are scattered amulets and dizzying swordplay. She leads a sizable
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pirate fleet from several small island lairs with a sadistic

fist, always moving and seeking new prey. Seeing profit OTHER DYNASTS IN THE WEST
in the civil war and opportunity to weaken antipirate
operations, she’ll escalate raids on lightly defended
A freethinking monk with a rakehell past, Cynis
mercantile traffic and satrapies — even seizing tribute Adran was sent to Wavecrest as a missionary. A
shipments or torching unprepared naval depots — thus true believer in the Immaculate Philosophy, he’d
undermining Peleps and V’neef alike. rather persuade using honeyed words than employ
Immaculate martial arts. But his genuine passion
Sea Lord Ryu Jinsu commands the Fifth Fleet of Azure’s to help ordinary folk will be tested as the Dynasty
navy, A seasoned privateer, he patrols the Neck’s water- unleashes war upon the West.
ways, raiding merchant ships and resource-rich islands.
Likely the first Azurite to encounter House Peleps’ Ledaal Catala KarÕtheil Exalted late in life after
forces as it pushes West, he can’t help but respect the a serious illness that kept her from attending sec-
Imperial Navy’s might; but he shares in Azure’s ancient ondary school. Her parents sent her to the West’s
fear of Dragon-Blooded rule, likely souring any efforts tropic clime in hopes of improving her still-fragile
at diplomacy before they begin. Should Jinsu fall in health. It’s been working, just in time for Catala to
battle, his clansfolk on Azure will agitate the other Sea be caught up in the feud between V’neef and Pe-
Lords to embark a war of vengeance against House leps, potentially involving House Ledaal if she’s
Peleps, potentially drawing the entire Azurite navy into taken hostage or feared dead in their fighting, or
the conflict. if she promises her house’s aid to one side or the
other.
Odara, Chosen of Ash, a dead volcano god’s Exigent,
Peleps Danin works for his family as a deep-sea
carries a vendetta against Peleps-ruled Wavecrest.
artifact hunter; he’s rarely without his glowing cut-
House V’neef secretly funds her pirate fleet, the tlefish familiar, carried in an enchanted jar of sea-
Bloodthirsty, sending them against Peleps plantations water when on shore. Well-connected with Western
and other targets protected by the Water Fleet. For scavenger lords, he’s highly knowledgeable about
more on Odara and the Bloodthirsty, see their respec- the artifacts deployed in the ancient Niobraran War.
tive entries in Adversaries of the Righteous.
Merchant Fleet captain VÕneef Rabatsu Mikal is
famed both for pirate hunting and for smuggling
The Neck luxury goods. He knows every pirate and smug-
gler’s port in the West, or near enough to make lit-
Encompassing the swath of lesser archipelagoes tle difference. On his hands is the mighty Osprey’s
southwest of the Coral Archipelago, the Neck serves as Grasp, a set of black jade razor claws that also
a juncture for maritime traffic between Wu-Jian and function as grappling hooks.
the broader West. Historically a target for conquest by
this Western power or that over the centuries, it cur- After joining the Vermilion Legion in disgrace many
rently contains the largest expanse of Realm-controlled years ago, Cynis Fia has risen to winglord and joined
Western territory outside of Wavecrest, but only a Ejava’s inner circle. Her kind heart and youthful ex-
fraction of the Neck bows to the Realm. Politically, the uberance belie her true motives: She’s actually Is-
archipelago is a factitious region composed of disparate elsi Phaedra, an agent of the All-Seeing Eye. With
polities and tribes. her Eye handler gone silent amid the growing cha-
os, she’s begun forming her own intelligence cell,
reporting not to the Imperial City but to her Iselsi
Islands of Note elders. But she grows concerned by her burgeon-
ing admiration for Ejava, knowing that she may be
The Cowries called upon to assassinate the Roseblack herself.
An impoverished but strategically placed island chain,
the Cowries offer anchorage to vessels traveling to and
from Wu-Jian. The satrapy of Amphiro is the largest Amphiro hosts the Cowries’ nominal capital and most
island in the chain, whose elites have grown wealthy populous city, Solid Shell. Traditionally, Amphiro’s
by exploiting neighboring isles. Other than merchants’ chieftain dwells there within the Shelled Palace, a manse
profits and trade goods, Amphiro’s most notable sourc- carved from the dead shell of a behemoth war-crab slain
es of material wealth include fertile volcanic valleys by some ancient Sidereal hero. The manse itself carries
supplying much of the Cowries’ grain, and a small with it the weight of destiny and authority. The Neck’s
Shogunate city’s ruins where scavengers still unearth various peoples revere Solid Shell, deeming it neutral
occasional treasures. ground; the Realm is happy to keep this peace.
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The Realm is slowly incorporating more of the Cowries

into a second satrapy, the Lesser Cowries, its satrap THE UNDERSEA
coequal to Solid Shell’s. The dual satraps — the foppish
Cynis Purasan of Amphiro and the aging martinet Sesus Numerous benthic societies dot the Great West-
Rofar of the Lesser Cowries — inhabit lavish apartments ern Ocean’s floor, such as the Greenfin Shallows’
in Solid Shell. The two share a mutual loathing, taking nomadic cephalopodfolk, the callous crustacean
every opportunity to snipe at and snub one another legions of Malac Rift, or the ghastly half-manatee
at Solid Shell galas. Both satraps’ garrisons have been pelagials. These peoples have little traffic with the
partly withdrawn to the Blessed Isle; their agitation at surface, and little interest in the war except inso-
this has only fed their mutual hostility. far as it impacts trade, pilgrimages, and the like.
It’s strongly unlikely any Great House could draw
Generations ago, Amphiro ruled the Cowries as a petty these peoples into the war, though the Lunar el-
empire, and even today its chieftain claims rightful do- der Leviathan may be able to rally them if he inter-
minion over the outer islands — a dominion that mon- venes in the V’neef-Peleps conflict.
archist islanders regard fondly as a desirable ideal. For
decades, that fiction served the Empress’ will. Were that
claim extended beyond the Cowries, unifying the Neck, powerful boleships to establish Kerkeis as a regional
that would serve House Peleps well. But as the war heats military and economic power, supporting their small
up, the Cowries see a chance to become truly free. conventional fleet in exploration, trade, and war.
The Crescent Archipelago Okhiro

The Crescent Archipelago has a long and storied histo- Okhiro matches its neighbor Kerkeis’ military strength
ry. Moonglory, the largest and central island, hosts the in a different way. Cliff-girt and studded with moun-
city-port of Port Monarch, protected by a vast chain that tainous ridges, the island’s ruling ephors maintain a
defies invaders. The other large islands are Pearl Reef, small, well-disciplined army, modeled after a Shogunate
Wavelet, and Albatross. Crescent’s current governor is a legion as remembered in the island’s oral history. The
puppet under control of Amphiro’s chieftain, though the Okhiroan army raids weaker neighbors for food and
office has played host to imperial ambitions in the past — other vital resources, defends the island from reprisals
the remains of a dozen past glorious kingdoms crowd the from a dizzying array of small highland fortresses, and
archipelago’s shores, leaving them studded with ruins of occasionally serve as mercenaries aboard Kerkeisian
different architectural styles and hidden secrets. vessels.
Crescent, alongside Coral and Wavecrest, hosts much of Tylo

the West’s Guild activity. The various merchant princes Tylo is a truly cosmopolitan island satrapy, befitting the
active in the West and their enterprises compete with Western Trade Alliance’s former central hub. Calm seas
the Western Trade Alliance, a well-established con- surround it, providing easy access to sea routes. Tylo
sortium of traders ensconced in the many old forts built rules several surrounding islands whose slave plan-
on various Western islands’ shores to withstand pirate tations supply the Neck’s lumber, sugar, and tobacco
attacks. Such walled compounds lie scattered across trades.
numerous islands, packed with barracks, watchtowers,
warehouses, refineries, manufactories, and marketplac- Once a major independent mercantile power, Tylo’s
es. Businesses and villages accumulate around them, wealth and influence diminished once it submitted to
forming the seeds of towns and cities. the Realm, and the Western Trade Alliance shifted much
of its activity to Wavecrest. Today, Tylo’s prince phleg-
Kerkeis matically plots a course to welcome whichever Realm
A century ago, refugees from the shadowland-swal- faction proves strongest, unaware of plots against him
lowed island of Cormorant discovered forested Kerkeis and satrap Mnemon Murino by resentful lesser nobility.
and enslaved its native people. The conquerors learned
from the island’s shamans the art of carving whole keels Suadela
from its mightiest trees, indwelt by elementals lulled to Currently the Neck’s breadbasket, pleasant Suadela was
sleep with thaumaturgic songs. As each figurehead is once a shogun’s private preserve, full of fertile lands,
completed, the elemental fuses with the hull, awaken- dense forests full of game, and gorgeous vistas. Today,
ing as a living ship with unique elemental blessings — powerful God-Blooded heroes hold court in manorial
whether expertly crewing itself, immolating its timbers hunting lodges that dot the countryside, ruling the
with sacred fire that only burns trespassers, or sailing peasantry in a feudal state with few large-scale battles
across land or air. The conquerors have used these rare, and only the occasional duel. Natives conduct secret
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CHANGING THE BOARD

The Western Campaign
With the Realm collapsing, the Rightly Guided
The Storyteller should feel free to tailor the geo- Admiralty Board presents House Cathak with an auda-
political climate of the Western satrapies for her cious offer: House Peleps will split Creation between
game by changing which Great Houses control itself and a Cathak Empress. In exchange for the new
which satrapies. Empress removing his protection from House V’neef
and safeguarding Voice-of-the-Tides Prefecture, Peleps
would lend Cathak naval support while removing itself
rites to the heroes’ divine ancestors in ancient shrines to the West, which it would conquer under Cathak
carved into Suadela’s coastal cliffs. suzerainty.
The Realm has made few inroads into Suadela. The This is a fiction. In truth, like Prasad, the Imperial
Immaculate Order appears content with the single temple Western Protectorate will be a satrapy in name only.
permitted by the local princes, set atop the island’s highest House Peleps intends to carve out a permanent strong-
hill. But none could miss House Peleps’ hunger for Suadela, hold in the West and Southwest from which it can
whose surplus alone could fill the Peleps legions’ bellies. never be dethroned. Should the Scarlet Empress return,
Peleps will present the new holdings to her as a fait ac-
Utahi compli — or if she takes long enough for the Protectorate
The city-state of Utahi (The Realm, p. 175) stands at the to entrench itself, Peleps will simply ignore her. Either
Neck’s southern tip, and serves as a jumping-off place way, the house is gambling everything on the West.
from the Neck to points south. Once rich and powerful,
its island empire has largely dissolved over the cen- The War in the West builds off the details of House
turies. Since leasing the satrapy a decade ago, House Peleps in Dragon-Blooded and The Realm. Peleps
Peleps has worked to reclaim Utahi’s former vassals and aggression meets resistance from House V’neef, Azure,
support Immaculate proselytization through the region. Skullstone, Wavecrest partisans, and other Western
factions, turning the Neck into a warzone. Meanwhile,
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Lintha freebooters and native pirates seek to capitalize Peleps’ forces. While Azure’s navy, mighty as it is, can’t
on the carnage, emboldened by divine support from singlehandedly drive back the Imperial Navy, it could
Siakal, the Western god of battle and bloodshed. Seeing position Azure as a key player in a coalition opposing
that the oncoming war will greatly increase her power, the Imperial Western Protectorate.
Siakal begins making aggressive moves against the di-
vine Ocean Father and his Azurite priesthood. But Azure also faces unrest among its own imperial
holdings, and can’t commit its entire navy to repelling
Regional Reactions House Peleps without risking its empire. As the war
progresses and the Azurite navy’s losses grow, the Sea
The Imperial Western Protectorate doesn’t go unno- Lords become reluctant to involve Azure further, seek-
ticed or unchallenged. Most of the powers of the West ing any excuse to extricate themselves from the conflict.
react negatively to the sudden arrival of thousands of
The Skullstone Archipelago
Peleps soldiers aboard ships captained by Dragon-
Blooded heroes. The Silver Prince dreams not of vast military conquests
or ostentatious displays of necromantic power, but of
The Wavecrest Archipelago walking through an Imperial City remade in Onyx’s aes-
The West’s largest satrapy, Wavecrest (Exalted, p. 103) thetics. He sees Skullstone’s society — its dead ennobled
was conquered by House Sesus two centuries ago. as a transcendent, immortal elite — as culturally superi-
Though that house retains notable assets, Wavecrest or to all others, making his victory and eternal rule in-
is now overseen and garrisoned by House Peleps, and evitable. Through regional hegemony and zombie labor,
serves as a major Imperial Navy depot. As House Peleps Skullstone maintains an economy largely independent
pursues its imperial ambitions, its grasp on Wavecrest of the Guild, Azurite slave-traders, and other foreign
becomes a stranglehold, no longer fettered by the powers, one that the West grows increasingly reliant
Imperial Service’s oversight or the political ambitions upon.
of rival houses, and ever in need of ships, resources,
House Peleps’ Imperial ambitions jeopardize this
soldiers, and jade to sustain their war effort.
dream of cultural hegemony by unifying the West under
Wavecrest’s ruler, the Feathered One, has long endured Dynastic rule and undermining Skullstone’s economic
the Peleps regime even as the archipelago’s royal fam- power by securing trade routes to the Blessed Isle and
ilies clamor for him to act, but this posture will soon the continental Threshold. Moreover, the Silver Prince
grow unsustainable as Wavecrest bears more and more fears that Immaculate monks will aim to eliminate
of the war’s costs. Wavecrest lacks military might to Skullstone’s heretical coexistence between the living
equal Peleps’ troops, but a mass revolt could turn what and the dead at its source — himself. Consequently, he
was once House Peleps’ seat of power in the West into seeks a short-term alliance with the beleaguered House
an interminable quagmire — especially if the Wavecrest V’neef against House Peleps.
rebels can find allies among those Dynasts forced out
Skullstone’s Black Fleet is the backbone of its military,
by House Peleps as it assumed control, like garrison
economic, and political strength, captained by puissant
commander Sesus Vevera.
nemissaries and crewed by zombie marines who neither
Azure and the Coral Archipelago break nor waver. Any ship might hold one of the Silver
Prince’s deathknights — terrifyingly powerful warriors,
One of the Neck’s greatest maritime powers, Azure has
mariners, necromancers, and diplomats. Should need
established its own empire throughout the breadth
arise, Skullstone’s shipyards can produce new vessels
of the Coral Archipelago and beyond, occupying the
swiftly, undead laborers working tirelessly day and night.
sophisticated Auspice Isles and sending privateers
deep into the Neck. Its navy boasts more ships than any Still, Skullstone’s navy is more kingmaker than king. Its
other Western power and military discipline to rival the fleet — focused on anti-piracy and defense rather than
Imperial Navy’s. And while ancient Azurite law forbids conquest — is smaller than that of other local powers,
Dragon-Blooded from holding political office, many its growth restricted by Skullstone’s timber supplies.
outcastes have found a place in its navy. And even Abyssal Exalted face their match in Peleps’
and V’neef’s much more numerous Dragon-Blooded
Azure has already lost a handful of tributaries in the
champions.
Neck to the Realm in recent decades. Its leaders, the
Sea Lords, view the Imperial Western Protectorate’s The Silver Prince’s ghostly council, elected by Skullstone’s
encroachment as nothing less than an existential crisis undead aristocracy, advises allying with Azure against
for their own authority, and rally to hold off House the Imperial Western Protectorate, and the Deathlord
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remains sensitive to the war’s shifting power dynamics.

In the meantime, he offers protection, funds, and sup- BEYOND THE NECK
plies to satrapies in the Neck. He doesn’t seek repayment
in coin, but instead asks that his newfound allies conduct The West is, geographically speaking, both mas-
mass executions of condemned criminals and war pris- sive and somewhat small. Trade routes are well-
oners, opening new shadowlands across the Neck. mapped internally, extending from one end of the
archipelago to the other, and beyond to Fajad and
Western Spirit Courts Goldenseal. But these routes cover huge swaths of
Any number of Western divinities might find them- ocean containing thousands of islands with their
selves drawn into the conflict. The Ocean Father, a own political issues and cultures. Vast societies
prominent sea god and one of Azure’s foremost divine exist underwater, with their own regional worries
patrons, takes a long view of the war. He’ll aid in the largely divorced from the battles going above ex-
Coral Archipelago’s defense to ensure Azure doesn’t cept for the occasional disruption in trade.
fall, but refrains from wielding his wider influence
among other ocean deities against the Imperial Western This campaign initially focuses on the Neck, and to
Protectorate. Not only is he hesitant to risk drawing a lesser degree Wavecrest. The Western powers
discussed below, among the most politically and
House Peleps’ ire down on Azure, but he also wishes to
economically significant in the region, don’t neces-
keep open the possibility of peaceful negotiations with
sarily get involved at the war’s outset. But as time
the Immaculate Order if the Protectorate’s influence
goes on, Azure’s domestic intrigues and proximity
cannot be entirely kept out of Azure. to the Neck draw it into the bloodshed, while Skull-
stone and local Lunar elders meddle in any major
Siakal, Western Goddess of War and Bloodshed, revels in
Western political upheaval. There’s room for other
the strife stirred up by House Peleps’ advance, enjoying Western powers to become involved, potentially
a resurgence in her cult’s prominence. She favors no turning the tide before war engulfs the entire Di-
faction, seeking only to prolong the war and see it spread rection. The Neck section of this chapter addresses
throughout the entire West. Siakal’s once-forbidden smaller regional powers that might influence the
priesthood in the Coral Archipelago courts the Sea Lords war.
with offers of divine blessings in exchange for blood
spilled in the sea; revolts and uprisings throughout the As war progresses, it draws in local factions for
West are aided by Siakal cultists; ships sailing under a flag various reasons. The Sisterhood of Pearls (Drag-
of parley or peace are attacked by bloodthirsty siaka. on-Blooded, p. 128) views House Peleps’ West-
ward expansion as an existential threat, fearful
Wu-Jian’s Court of Drowned Promises (The Realm, that the the Protectorate’s Immaculate Order will
p. 173) has fallen far from its ancient status as part of besiege the Isle of Fevers. House Kúi-Dien (p. XX),
Luna’s retinue. Under Immaculate suppression, its a Peleps cadet house, sees the Protectorate as a
members’ cults have dwindled, and now they turn on chance to rise high; its longtime rival House Yueh,
one another for what few scraps of prayer can be had. tied to fallen Tepet and now-precarious V’neef,
While this disarray leaves them in a poor position to op- fears being supplanted. Many others exist, and
pose House Peleps, they could prove useful allies to the Storytellers are encouraged to fill their own Wests
Protectorate’s enemies — be they the Thirteen Schools, with life, war, and politics not detailed here.
the Silver Pact, or even House V’neef.
Numerous other spirit courts dot the West, ranging The Silver Pact in the West
from mighty assemblages of divinities — such as the Western Lunar activity is focused primarily around
arrogant Wind Master named Black Grinning Bear and Sunken Luthe (Lunars, p. 96), Leviathan’s stronghold
his storm spirits, or the many vulcanic gods in service and a safe meeting ground for the Pact, and the Caul
to Hamoji — to individual storm mothers and their (Lunars, p. 99), where Sha’a Oka’s forces wage war
cronies. These courts largely remain aloof from mortal against the Realm. Other Lunar dominions dot the West
wars. But even among those remaining aloof from the — Wings of Ivory’s Star Jasmine Pavilion, the wander-
Peleps-V’neef war, many find themselves drawn into the ing Fortress of the Fulgurite Spire, and more (Lunars,
strife between the Ocean Father and Siakal. Meddling p. 109).
in that conflict — such as by driving off hostile envoys,
weighing in on internal disputes, or offering favors — Direct Lunar intervention in the War in the West is limit-
may earn goodwill from such courts, but risks embroiled, at least at first. Those Lunars committed to a strategy of
ing the player characters in spirit politics and making asymmetric warfare don’t engage directly, but encourage
enemies as well as allies. conflict between Peleps and V’neef and opportunistically
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hunt passing Dragon-Blooded. Those who prefer open Lai reaches out to her former Hearthmate, Cathak
war are largely united around Sha’a Oka’s crusade for Cainan, forging an agreement to transform the world:
the Caul and unwilling to pull their forces away from the Peleps rules the West, the Southwest, and the seas,
sacred conflict, though some join in the initial stages of while Cathak rules the Blessed Isle and the remaining
the conflict disguised as rebels, dissidents, or opportu- Threshold. Cainan agrees, and Peleps begins consol-
nistic pirates. Still, Silver Pact partisans may play a key idating resources — artifacts, heirlooms, ships, food,
role in the escalation of the conflict toward all-out war. all four legions — in Voice-of-the-Tides Prefecture,
As conflict intensifies, the Pact’s shahan-yas make bolder under the guise of preparing against civil war, without
and more aggressive moves if they see an opportunity to supporting an obvious side. Peleps elders court allies
irrevocably maim one or more Great Houses. falsely, accept gifts, and take out massive Ragara loans
intending to default. Once the West is theirs, they can
bargain for forgiveness against those they’ve wronged,
A Possible Future negotiating for more favorable terms.
The following timeline details one possible path the
The Peleps-Cathak alliance is only uncovered months
War in the West might take. Depending on how far
later. By that time, Scavenger Lands mercenary compa-
away characters are, they might not hear of the Peleps
nies are already en route for the Blessed Isle’s shores.
invasion until it’s well underway. It’s important to note
that these events only unfold as written if player char- Player Involvement
acters don’t get involved. The Exalted work wonders,
The player characters can take point in negotiating the
and changing the war’s course — even in the face of rival
Cathak-Peleps alliance, acting as diplomats, liaisons, or
Exalted — is well within a determined Circle’s purview.
advisors — or they might carry out espionage or sabo-
tage against the negotiations.
The Storyteller should only use as much of this timeline
as suits her needs. As written, House Peleps successfully
If a spy from another faction — House Sesus, the All-
conquers Wavecrest early in the campaign, then settles
Seeing Eye, Ragara’s financiers, or the like — uncovers
in for a war of attrition against V’neef holdouts. If this
evidence of the ongoing negotiations between Cathak
conflicts with ongoing campaign elements or character
and Peleps, or of the Admiralty Board’s plans, the player
ideas, the Storyteller should change as much or as little
characters might be sent to hunt the spy down, whether
as she wants to fit her story arcs. Perhaps V’neef herself
on behalf of Houses Cathak or Peleps, or in service of
comes to aid her besieged children, sailing at the head
a different faction seeking that information for itself.
of a mercenary battle fleet bought with her vineyards;
If they assist the spy, they may instead find themselves
or sudden reversals on the Blessed Isle force Peleps to
pursued by Cathak and Peleps agents seeking to silence
recall much of its forces to support beleaguered Cathak
her. The spy’s efforts to go to ground could lead the
legions.
pursuit into such perilous locales as Bittern’s undercity,
Eseon Forest, or the Isle of Smoke.
This timeline is divided into three significant stages
(although the first is largely prologue), with recommen-
At a gala sponsored by House Peleps, intrigue abounds as its
dations for player involvement at each stage.
scions court potential allies, backers, and proxies, speaking
in half-truths about their house’s plans. The player charac-
Stage One: The Dragon ters might be entrusted with carrying out this charm offen-
Grasps Her Destiny sive, or might be guests to the gala, with an opportunity to
piece together clues of House Peleps’ true ambitions.
The War in the West begins in the Realm’s bureaucracy
as a rapidly implemented series of secret treaties and The Glister Hawk Vanguard mercenary company, led by
long-laid plans. Shala Assai, the Exigent Chosen of Daggers, assembles
in a city on the Eastern Threshold’s shore in preparation
Concluding that the Empress isn’t coming back, the of sailing for the Blessed Isle to fight for House Peleps.
Rightly Guided Admiralty Board persuades Peleps Lai The player characters might be tasked with gathering
to implement a generations-old plan to conquer the information on the mercenaries’ activities and pre-
West. If the Empress does return, the Board reasons, venting them from crossing the Inland Sea, or may be
only House Peleps will have expanded its holdings and entrusted with fending off Dynastic spies and saboteurs
incomes dramatically, rather than destroying the Realm to safeguard House Peleps’ investment in the Vanguard.
squabbling over scraps. It can present the conquered
West as a fait accompli, too strong to be gainsaid even It’s possible that the player characters’ actions avert civ-
by the Empress. il war altogether. House Peleps most likely still commits
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to its plan of Westward expansion, but it must do so ferocious reavers onto silent shores, clashing with the
with much greater secrecy and subtlety lest the new Mnemon garrison in a hard-fought battle.
Empress rally a unified Realm against it.
Several Great Houses realize what’s going on, but no-
Opening Gambits body grasps the full scope of Peleps’ plans. V’neef lead-
In the final months before the civil war begins in earnest, ers hastily fortify their Western holdings and acquire
Houses Cathak and Peleps go from backroom dealings mercenary forces. Their efforts are hampered by Peleps’
to making overt moves against their enemies. House centuries of planning and by the broader Cathak-Peleps
Peleps’ harassment of the Merchant Fleet intensifies offensives tying up the other Great Houses. But House
as Imperial Navy ships disguised as pirates raid V’neef V’neef is full of ambitious scions eager to prove their
ships. Peleps subtly removes officers of questionable worth. Acknowledging their peril, they fall back to their
loyalty from garrisons and drydocks at Black Gannet Western and Southwestern strongholds, choosing to dig
Rock, Wavecrest, and Wu-Jian, primarily through in and fight rather than roll over and die.
transfers but occasionally via cashiering or “accidents.”
Some Peleps commanders still seek a future with the
House Peleps’ assaults on V’neef ripple through the Realm. They too don’t realize the scope of the Admiralty
West. Pirates across the Neck and the Azurite navy begin Board’s plan.
to follow the house’s lead, launching increasingly daring
attacks on the Merchant Fleet. Amid the tumult, several Player Involvement
wary satraps — sensing what’s coming — begin withhold- The player characters may find themselves on either
ing tribute in order to bankroll military engineers, merce- side of a naval battle between Peleps’ ships and the
naries, and Exalted champions, or to pay off pirates and Merchant Fleet — or between the Merchant Fleet and
local spirit courts. In the major Neck port of Tylo, a cabal the Azurite navy. And every faction may face attack by
of minor aristocrats secretly bargain with Grandmother Lintha pirates or other opportunistic raiders.
Cuong Sa Fey to overthrow their prince and eject the
Realm, placing them in power in exchange for the city’s Spycraft is no less significant as this stage, with abun-
loot and a promise of safe harbor. Lintha ships disgorge dant opportunities to surveil troop movements and the
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amassment of resources, head off attacks before they drawn from the Threshold, enter battle with the other
happen, uncover vulnerable targets, or perform light- houses, presenting ample opportunities for conflict.
ning raids or sabotage. Even if the player characters aren’t directly enmeshed in
the fighting on the Blessed Isle, they may be involved in
As V’neef scrambles to fortify its Western holdings, espionage, fortifying prefectural holdings on the Blessed
player characters might join them on the front lines, Isle, negotiations among the other Great Houses, or tend-
act as emissaries and envoys between House V’neef ing to the countless wounded in the fighting’s wake.
and neutral forces in the Neck, or insinuate themselves
among V’neef’s ranks to spy on them from within. Battle on the Blessed Isle has little direct impact on
the West, but if news from the front reaches the player
The Lintha siege of Tylo presents a dramatic confrontation characters ahead of other forces in the region, it may
no matter which side of the battle the player characters pose an opportunity to exploit that information in for-
find themselves on. It’s but one of many battles breaking mulating their battle plans or negotiating alliances, not
out across the Western satrapies as House Peleps, House to mention seeking personal advantage through favor
V’neef, and other regional powers ready themselves for war. trading or economic manipulation — or they might try
to ensure that news doesn’t reach enemy factions, or
Long Live the Empress spread false news of their own.
The Imperial City erupts into battle. Columns of smoke
stretch miles into the sky, perverse reflections of the Stage Two: The Dragon
Imperial Mountain. House Cathak battles all Imperial
comers, and at the bloodshed’s end, Cathak Cainan most Strikes like Lightning
likely sits the Scarlet Throne. If Cathak prevails, House
Peleps leaves one of its four legions to help garrison the The initial stages of the war involve Peleps securing
Imperial City. Within the week, the rest set sail for the the staging grounds of Wu-Jian and Black Gannet Rock
West along with most of the house’s paramilitary forces. while moving to pacify key Western and Southwestern
Should Cathak be defeated, Peleps withdraws all four le- satrapies. For the first time in centuries, the West sees the
gions Westward, hoping that the remaining Great Houses entirety of the Water Fleet, bearing the 19th “Maelstrom”
will feud over the Blessed Isle, but preparing for the worst. Legion and the 31st “Adamant” Legion with them. The
6th “Ironroot” Legion stays behind on the Blessed Isle
Even if Cathak Cainan can take the throne, the Scarlet to safeguard Peleps’ prefectural holdings; the 22nd “Ox-
Dynasty refuses to surrender easily, uniting against Dragon” Legion goes to the Southwest..
Cathak and Peleps. But this coalition threatens to splin-
ter whenever it seems it’s winning, as members that The Conquest of Wu-Jian
hate one another wait for a chance to slip the knife in. Wu-Jian is the first battleground in the War in the West.
Cathak is well positioned, its numerous well-trained A detachment of the Water Fleet, backed by two legions,
legions settling in for a protracted war of consolidation. disembarks and begins a bloody campaign of pacifica-
If Cainan’s bid for the throne fails, then the most likely tion. Within a few hours, the battle is liable to set fire
outcomes are the ascendancy of a Mnemon- or Sesus- to much of the ramshackle lower city, killing thousands.
led coalition or an uneasy stalemate where no one fac- Dynasts of other houses who refuse to go quietly into
tion possesses the strength to seize the throne, unless arrest risk being killed by Peleps Dragon-Blooded.
the player character’s actions or other narrative devel-
opments have advanced another claimant’s position. If Peleps succeeds in establishing control over however
much of the city remains intact — particularly the docks,
Assuming the war turns in Cathak’s favor, House V’neef which the Navy will take every effort to preserve — it makes
formally submits to Empress Cainan in exchange for it known that only the satrapy’s flag has changed, and that
retaining its Blessed Isle holdings, placing itself unit’s business as usual in Wu-Jian. Negotiations with House
der Cainan’s nominal protection. This bargain allows Nissar over their role in the Protectorate begin — on friend-
Cathak to use the Merchant Fleet as a pawn against ly terms, assuming Nissar didn’t suffer notable losses in the
Peleps’ naval monopoly, although the War in the West battle and hasn’t been turned against House Peleps.
itself occurs beyond Cainan’s reach. If Cainan fails,
V’neef will seek an alliance with the strongest possible With Wu-Jian subdued, the bulk of the Water Fleet sails
allies, desperate to ensure its own survival. for Black Gannet Rock — already firmly held by House
Peleps, it is but a stopover on the way to Wavecrest.
Player Involvement
Wu-Jian’s strategic significance means that House Peleps
In the Imperial City and throughout the Blessed Isle, the
can’t simply cut and run if the city holds out against
Cathak and Peleps legions, reinforced by mercenaries
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securing the Feathered One’s concession isn’t the end of

WYLD HUNTS DURING THE WAR House Peleps’ conquest.
Many of the archipelago’s royal families are outraged by

For all their differences, Houses Peleps and V’neef
both adhere to the Immaculate Philosophy. This this show of submission to an already familiar oppressor,
complicates matters when Anathema arise during and agitate against the Protectorate’s rule with methods
the War in the West. Wyld Hunts provide rare op- ranging from subtle politicking to outright revolts. They
portunities for cooperation between members aren’t the only ones; the Peleps garrison is tasked with
of the opposing forces. But it can be tempting to suppressing public opposition against the Protectorate
ignore cries for aid against an Anathema in ene- on Abalone, while the Peleps legions are dispatched to
my territory — or worse, to take advantage of the rein in other major inhabited isles of the archipelago
situation to strike a blow against a Dynastic rival. that don’t easily submit. Prominent political prisoners
Even after the battle is won, shikari must be wary are jailed aboard floating prison-ships offshore, as are
lest their fellows strike them down and call it the any Dynasts from other houses captured by the Peleps
Anathema’s work forces. Meanwhile, the Water Fleet blockades shipping
in and out of Wavecrest, seeking to secure it against
Solar Anathema potentially active in the West outside forces and to prevent news of the Protectorate’s
include the sea-witch Iay Selak-Amu, the pi- ambitions from spreading ahead of them.
rate-queen Kalonice Stormwind, the mer-
chant-prince Lyr Unnan, and the fanatical warlord Another obstacle comes in the form of Hamoji — chief
Lyta. volcano god of the Wavecrest Archipelago — and his spir-
it allies. Peleps monks and diplomats seek to establish
communication with Hamoji through his priestesses, of-
them. The Peleps legions will settle into a protracted,
fering him a prominent position in the Imperial Western
bloody quagmire against insurgent forces. Eventually,
Protectorate’s Immaculate prayer calendars in exchange
House Peleps may withdraw the 19th Legion to deploy
for his sanction. However, Hamoji ill trusts the offers of
elsewhere in the Neck, leaving the 31st legion to occupy
Immaculates, suspecting that their promised worship
Wu-Jian — but either way, House Peleps’ timetables for
will be withdrawn as soon as they need some other god’s
the war will have been set back significantly.
favor more. Unless the Peleps negotiators can win over
the volcano god, negotiations sour and the diplomats are
Player Involvement
expelled. If that happens, House Peleps deploys seasoned
House Peleps’ initial assault on Wu-Jian is a dramatic
Immaculate martial artists and other Dragon-Blooded in
conflict. Legionnaires flood the city, prioritizing Dynastic
an attempt to subdue Hamoji, eliminate his priesthood,
estates and governmental buildings, but not passing over
and cow his spirit allies across the archipelago.
any opportunities to pillage, despoil, and spread terror.
Resistance is sporadic, but between the Thirteen Schools Between the violent suppression of the royal families’
and whatever weird, supernaturally talented outlaws dissent and the blockade, the Feathered One is almost
lurk unknown in the lower city, Peleps detachments may certain to turn against House Peleps eventually, uniting
unexpectedly find themselves out of their depth. the rebellious royal families and vowing to fight the
Peleps invaders to the bitter end. But Wavecrest’s mil-
Once House Peleps settles into prolonged occupation,
itary is no match for the Peleps legions in open battle.
the player characters may be tasked with enforcing
Without aid from powerful allies or decisive interven-
order throughout the city and rooting out pockets of
tion by player characters, the rebellion is crushed, with
insurgency — or they may find themselves on the rebels’
the Feathered One either retreating into Abalone’s inte-
side, leading raids against the Peleps legions, tending
rior to continue leading a guerrilla insurgency or being
to those wounded in the initial assault, and negotiating
captured by the Peleps forces and tossed into his own
with House Nissar, the Thirteen Schools, and other
volcano. In the Feathered One’s absence, House Peleps
regional forces in a bid to turn them against Peleps.
may appoint a puppet Feathered One, or break with
satrapial convention altogether and place Wavecrest
The Wavecrest Campaign
directly under the house’s rule.
The Water Fleet’s flagships cruise to a satrapy that
appears to be mostly pacified. Wavecrest needs only In the aftermath of a failed rebellion, the surviving royal
accept the new Imperial yoke. Peleps diplomats meet families most likely begin secretly sheltering members
with the Feathered One to negotiate a bloodless transi- of House V’neef, other Dynasts, and priests of Hamoji.
tion of power, and most likely succeeds in doing so. But But, shaken by Peleps’ brutal retribution against the
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Feathered One’s rebellion, they’re unlikely to take up and the Meiyu Coast, the Merchant Fleet — all of these
active resistance for some time. are potential targets of opportunity.
Player Involvement If the early conquest of An-Teng and the Meiyu Coast
Player characters may take a key role in the initial negoti- goes well for House Peleps, then Zhaojūn will likely
ations with the Feathered One to secure his surrender and pose their first major obstacle in this region. Zhaojūn’s
in subsequent efforts to enforce order over Wavecrest. satrap V’neef Boru, garrison commander Sesus Chay
This may be through negotiation with royal families Darim, and crown princess Zhao Mnemonrai Faiyen
or leading Peleps forces to suppress dissent, either on plan to lead the V’neef garrison into the farming villages
Abalone or the other islands of the archipelago. Player and outlying wilderness surrounding the city, and the
characters aligned against House Peleps might carry out Maelstrom Legion may well spend the next several
their own negotiations with the royal families and pro- months running into traps and ambushes laid by the
vide support to their opposition efforts, or battle against insurgents. Peleps also suffers more subtle economic
the Peleps forces deployed throughout Wavecrest. sabotage from V’neef merchants. Even if House Peleps
eventually succeeds in pacifying Zhaojūn, pockets of
The Water Fleet’s blockade poses an opportunity for heavy military and merchant resistance persist.
intrigue — enemies of House Peleps might attempt to
smuggle secrets out of Wavecrest, or smuggle resources V’neef’s performance in the Western theater influences
in to help support insurgent groups. Peleps-aligned how long the insurgency lasts. A bloody campaign there
player characters might be tasked with hunting down leaves the Southwestern insurgents unsupported, while
spies who escape past the blockade before they can de- successfully reinforcing V’neef positions in the West
liver their vital information, or with hunting smugglers — or being so decisively routed that they abandon the
and blockade runners. West entirely — means more support available to the
Southwest. A strong performance in the Southwestern
The player characters can also take point in both House theater offers the Merchant Fleet safe harbor, dramati-
Peleps’ negotiations with Hamoji at his open-air temple cally strengthening V’neef’s position.
on the volcano’s lip, and the potential violent subjuga-
tion of the volcano god if negotiations fall through. Even Player Involvement
after the volcano god is bested, his priestesses and spirit An-Teng’s fall isn’t a sure thing. Despite outsiders’ image
allies remain spread across the archipelago to be sub- of the Tengese as a passive people, they’re as willing as
dued. Alternatively, player characters may try to con- anyone to fight in their own defense, albeit more experi-
duct their own negotiations with Hamoji beforehand enced in guerilla tactics than open warfare; intervention
to bring him into a coordinated anti-Peleps coalition, or by player characters, charismatic Tengese resistance
offer support and defense to his allies. leaders, or foreign allies could potentially thwart House
Peleps’ efforts. Likewise, there’ll still be ample battle
The Feathered One’s rebellion doesn’t qualitatively and negotiations for Peleps-aligned player characters
change the nature of the action in Wavecrest, but to take part in to secure An-Teng. Additionally, nearby
intensifies the conflict to new heights. Open warfare, satrapies such as Low Yethrai (p. XX) may put up a fight
espionage, assassination, negotiation, and propaganda of their own.
all play a vital role in determining the revolt’s outcome.
To complicate matters, Peleps’ conquest only trades one
The Zhaojūn Campaign oppressor for another. The Ragara garrison, the princes’
With An-Teng lightly garrisoned due to its longtime armies, and peasant rebels are all loosely allied at best
acquiescence to Realm control, the Imperial Navy’s against Peleps. Peleps-aligned characters can attempt to
capture of Dragon’s Jaws and the City of the Steel Lotus drive wedges between these groups through diplomacy
probably succeeds with little immediate opposition. If and espionage, while anti-Peleps characters can work to
successful, Water Fleet ships link up with allied cadet keep these forces united.
houses among the Baihu satrapies and attempt to sub-
due the northern Meiyu Coast, then convey the 19th Likewise, the conquest of the Meiyu Coast presents oppor-
“Maelstrom” Legion to Zhaojūn, which is expected to tunities for numerous conflicts involving player characters
put up more of a fight. on either side, with the resistance to Peleps divided among
four satraps, the satrapies’ local rulers, Hawkflower’s
The Lintha pirate family has a strong presence in these breakaway nobles, and the scattered city-states and peo-
waters, and seizes on the opportunities left in House ples of the southern Meiyu Sea and the Spine. Once the
Peleps’ wake. Imperial Navy and cadet house ships conflict reaches Zhaojūn, the player characters can take
weakened in battle, hard-hit coastal cities in An-Teng on key leadership roles within the rebellion, or in leading
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the fight against it. The Baihu cadet houses also present V’neef’s rhetoric. Few of the Neck’s peoples believe House
an opportunity for intrigue and diplomacy; Houses Peleps V’neef has their best interests at heart, but in the face of the
and V’neef each have strong ties to some of them already. Protectorate’s expansion, it’s a pragmatic alliance.
Coronation Just who House V’neef can bring into its coalition varies
If House Peleps successfully pacifies Wavecrest and with the player characters’ actions and the war’s progress
Zhaojūn — or at least, if it’s able to make a plausible up until this point. Kerkeis, Okhiro, Tylo, Suadelo, and
claim of having done so — it moves forward in estab- Skullstone are all likely candidates. Mercenaries, pri-
lishing the Imperial Western Protectorate proper with vateers, and pirates — even the infamous Lintha family
the coronation of a new Empress in the West. A mas- — could be brought into the fold, agitated by the Imperial
sive parade fills every street in Abalone. The Western Navy’s pirate hunting, and potentially paid off from V’neef
Empress takes her throne in the old satrapial palace, or Skullstone’s coffers, or with offers of amnesty and let-
calling herself the Protector of the Realm, heir to the ters of marque. Azure’s ancient fear of Dragon-Blooded
Scarlet Empress’ imperium. rule complicates any negotiations between it and House
V’neef, but the Sea Lords may prefer to partner with
The new Western Empress will almost assuredly be a one Dragon-Blooded house to avoid being conquered by
female Peleps Dragon-Blood. Peleps Lai is the strongest another. And while it would be almost unthinkable for
contender, though which of the numerous qualified the Silver Pact to outright join forces with a Great House,
claimants ultimately takes is up to the Storyteller’s de- Lunars may offer covert assistance.
cisions and the player character’s actions.
At this stage, the war’s outcome can vary greatly de-
Player Involvement pending on the Imperial Navy’s remaining strength after
Peleps-aligned player characters may play a part in the its previous conquests, the might of the alliance V’neef
political maneuvering and intrigues to determine who is able to assemble, and the actions of the player char-
takes the Western Throne, and in fending off the inev- acters. If House Peleps claims enough victories against
itable assassination attempts against the new Empress. minor polities, it sends diplomats throughout the Neck
to persuade other islands’ leadership to abandon the
For player characters opposing House Peleps, the cause. Should Peleps prevail, the Imperial Western
coronation is a high-risk, high-reward opportunity. Protectorate will see most of the Neck conquered and
Peleps will take pains to ensure the security of the new brought under its authority.
Empress, and her personal puissance will ensure that
she’s no pushover in any case. But a successful assassi- Player Involvement
nation could fracture House Peleps’ unity as potential Sea battles, diplomacy, island sieges, espionage, assassi-
successors squabble for the throne. nations — there are abundant opportunities for player
characters to engage in this stage of the war, and poten-
Stage Three: The Dragon Nests tially set their own endgames in motion.
Having declared the Imperial Western Protectorate, The Aftermath

House Peleps moves to consolidate the remaining Even if House Peleps can successfully bring the Neck
Realm territory in the West, and the war for the Neck into the Imperial Western Protectorate, there’s still
begins. Working from its base in Utahi, the Water Fleet conflict aplenty to be had. Insurgent forces within
sets out to systematically conquer the surrounding Wavecrest, Wu-Jian, Zhaojūn, or other holdings remain
islands, while hunting down the Merchant Fleet with a thorn in the Protectorate’s side — burning Imperial
orders to capture or kill. House V’neef, unable to match Navy ships in the harbor, freeing political prisoners,
the Imperial Navy’s might alone, seeks all the allies it and assassinating Protectorate officials. Azure’s tribu-
can from among the Western peoples, and makes House taries in the Neck are increasingly unable or unwilling
Peleps fight for every inch it takes. to pay tribute, either conquered or denuded by the
Protectorate’s growth. This likely leads to the Sea Lords
Conquest of the Neck declaring their opposition to House Peleps, embarking
As the Imperial Navy shifts the preponderance of Water on a war of expansion. The Silver Pact raids Protectorate
Fleet forces into the Neck, the Sea Lords of Azure can’t ig- holdings with the same zeal as it does Realm satrapies,
nore the implicit threat they pose, drawing the Azurite navy and the Western Empress’ proximity may stir the likes
into the war if it hasn’t already entered and seeing increas- of Leviathan or Sha’a Oka to audacious action.
ing military buildup throughout the Coral Archipelago.
The Water Fleet’s presence also lends force to House It’s also most likely at this time that House Peleps’ hold-
ings on the Blessed Isle are lost, with the Cathak and
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Sesus legions ousting those scions unwilling to go quiet- Peleps Victory

ly. Even if House V’neef can’t find allies among the rest The Protectorate crushes all major resistance within
of the Scarlet Dynasty, it can still paint House Peleps’ its sphere of influence. Aiming to avoid overextending
withdrawal from the Isle as a betrayal of the Realm. itself against any remaining Western powers, it cites
Peleps scions remaining on the Isle risk being impris- Shogunate-era treaties to legitimize its rule, then settles
oned and ransomed in exchange for the Protectorate’s in to consolidate its gains. Peleps-aligned characters
Dynastic prisoners, while Peleps-controlled prefec- find opportunities for heroic deeds, political advance-
tures are absorbed into the holdings of whichever Great ment, and personal profit in the new regime, as well as
Houses hold the most power on the Isle. avenues for military, diplomatic, and espionage efforts
against the Protectorate’s neighbors.
Player Involvement
At this stage, the War in the West is essentially over, V’neef-aligned characters must ingratiate themselves
leaving behind a changed Creation in which the chroni- with their victorious foes; commit themselves to gueril-
cle continues. The Imperial Western Protectorate is es- la war; or go on the run, taking refuge with Skullstone,
tablished as a new geopolitical force like unto Lookshy among the remaining independent islands, or beyond.
or Prasad — although depending on the player charac- There’s much to do outside the Protectorate’s borders,
ters’ actions and other events, the Protectorate’s reign including gathering new allies and financial backers,
may not necessarily be a long one. Intrigue, rebellion, succoring refugees, restoring broken trade networks, or
warfare, politics, and espionage flourish in both the battling rapacious pirates, Coral privateers, and Silver
Protectorate and the Realm. Pact raiders.
Storytelling the Endgame V’neef Alliance Victory

House V’neef and its allies break the Protectorate’s
Depending on the player characters’ actions, the War in main forces, forcing Peleps to fall back in disarray to key
the West can go in any number of possible directions strongholds such as Wavecrest. V’neef-aligned charac-
at this point — or earlier, if circumstances take a sharp ters must work hard to maintain their alliances once
turn. Likely outcomes include: the Protectorate’s immediate threat dissolves, while
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THE SHAPE OF THE WAR
This timeline of the War in the West is premised on the assumption that House Peleps is able to accomplish
enough of its goals to continue making progress toward its imperial dream, even if it doesn’t win every conflict
or maintain the position of power it has at the outset. If your chronicle breaks from this assumption — either
because the player characters successfully intervene at key moments, or because you want to tell a story where
some other faction overshadows House Peleps — then it will diverge from this progression. A few examples of
how this might play out are presented below.
If House V’neef can gain the upper hand — most likely with the aid of powerful allies, such as a coalition of other
Great Houses, the Silver Prince, a coalition of Western peoples, or the like — then the War’s focus turns toward
House V’neef deploying its power to force House Peleps out of strategically positioned islands and deny it key
resources. Depending on how events unfold, House V’neef may seek to raze the Imperial Western Protectorate
while consolidating as much power as it can on the Blessed Isle, or it may seek to usurp the Protectorate from
Peleps’ hands.
If a powerful outside force — the Silver Pact, Skullstone, an alliance of islands unified behind Azure — inter-
venes in the War and secures the upper hand, Houses Peleps and V’neef may find themselves united against a
common foe. This scenario can unfold in several ways, depending on who this enemy is and what part the play-
er characters take in the War. Lunar player characters might lead an island-hopping campaign of raids against
Realm strongholds in the West, liberating long-held satrapies such as Wavecrest and Wu-Jian. Dragon-Blood-
ed player characters facing down a mass uprising throughout the West incited by the Silver Prince might fight
to maintain their houses’ hold on whatever strategic assets haven’t already been lost while seeking to break
apart the coalition rallied against them through diplomacy, naval raids, assassinations, or other bold moves.
keeping Peleps and the Silver Pact alike at bay. “Stalemate” outcome in many respects, but offers
additional political drama as the various factions seek
Peleps-aligned characters confront power struggles ways to function together, with leaders of every group
over the rump Protectorate’s throne. Meanwhile, they jockeying for position in the new hierarchy.
must work to stave off further defeats while seeking
opportunities to reclaim the initiative and strengthen The Realm Defeated
their nascent Western empire. They may instead fall Peleps and V’neef suffer such losses that they can no
back to the Blessed Isle, beseeching aid from the new longer withstand the Realm’s Western adversaries.
Cathak regime. With the Imperial Navy and Merchant Fleet scattered
and broken, the characters must flee their enemies’
Stalemate wrath. Whether and where they can find safe haven
The Protectorate and the V’neef alliance wear each depends on the civil war’s progress elsewhere.
other down until, faced by threats from the Silver Pact,
Skullstone, a coalition of mortal Western polities, or the Leaving the West Behind
like, they establish a wary peace. Characters on both Character will have many reasons to depart the West
sides work together to strengthen ties by cooperating — temporarily or permanently — at various points in
against mutual enemies, engaging in diplomacy, or the campaign. They might seek aid for their Western
forming marriage alliances, though mistrust and ven- faction, or simply flee the chaos engulfing the islands.
detta may scuttle such efforts.
A largely intact Realm, its new Empress secure on the
Characters may also seek advantage to break the stale- Scarlet Throne, offers opportunities to join or rebel
mate, such as by recruiting foreign allies, spying on their against the new hierarchy. Should the Great Houses in-
peers, or covert raids against the other side’s shipping stead divide the Realm into scattered fiefdoms, serving
or remaining Blessed Isle holdings. or seizing one such state offers great opportunity for a
Hearth. And if the Realm collapses entirely in the face
A United Western Realm of Silver Pact aggression, Solar empire-building, or the
Confronted by overwhelming opposition from mutual like, fleeing Dynasts may find themselves on the run or
enemies, the various Western Realm factions — the carving out their own enclaves from nothing.
Protectorate, House V’neef, the Caul’s martial orders
— unite under a single banner. Play resembles the
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Appendix
Dragon-Blooded
Intro Reference
The Realm
Ten Thousand Dragons Rule the World the Dragon-Blooded have attained spiritual perfection
through countless cycles of reincarnation and are thus
The Realm is the preeminent empire in the world of Creation’s rightful rulers. The Order promises that un-Ex-
Creation. Founded centuries ago by the legendary hero alted humans (called mortals) who obey the Dragon-
called the Scarlet Empress, it’s expanded beyond the Blooded will reincarnate into better lives, with greater
central continent of the Blessed Isle to subdue vast wealth and power. It strictly regulates the worship of
swaths of Creation, absorbing countless conquered Creation’s gods through a regimented prayer calendar.
kingdoms and nations as client-states called satrapies.
Monks enforce Immaculate orthodoxy, wielding words
Five years ago, the Scarlet Empress vanished mysteri-
and martial arts against heretics, unruly gods seeking wor-
ously; now the Realm lurches toward civil war.
ship beyond what the prayer calendar grants them, and
dangerous threats known as Anathema whose very exis-
The Scarlet Dynasty tence threatens the Realm’s social order. The most power-
ful Anathema are other Exalted, such as Solars, Lunars,
The Realm’s aristocracy, the Scarlet Dynasty, is led and Abyssals. Solars are powerful heroes of incomparable
by Exalted humans called Dragon-Blooded, born skill and nation-building power, while Abyssal death-
warriors empowered by Creation’s five elements (Air, knights are equally powerful leaders of undead armies.
Earth, Fire, Water, and Wood). Dragon-Blooded power Lunars are monstrous shapeshifters who believe it’s their
is passed on by bloodline and arrives during adoles- shared duty to raise and direct guerrilla armies against
cence. Each Dragon-Blood has one element she’s clos- Dragon-Blooded empires. The Dragon-Blooded mount
est to, called her Aspect. Dragon-Blooded may live for hunting parties called Wyld Hunts to track down and kill
centuries, and often form long-term adventuring groups Anathema quickly, before their power can grow.
called Sworn Kinships, which are like family.
The Scarlet Dynasty is divided up into 10 Great Houses, Social Class

each a vast extended family group claiming descent from
the house’s founder. Members of the Great Houses — The Dynasts stand atop the Realm’s social hierarchy.
even those who don’t Exalt — are called Dynasts. Each Beneath them are the patricians, the Blessed Isle’s admin-
house is overseen by a matriarch, who controls its assets istrative class, who hold prominent positions within the
and exerts considerable influence in its members’ lives. imperial bureaucracy. Peasants make up the bulk of the
The Scarlet Empress interfered extensively in Great Blessed Isle’s populace, ranging from impoverished farm-
House affairs, setting them in competition against each ers to well-to-do merchants. The dispossessed have been
other and punishing disloyal houses. In her absence, the stripped of their rights and citizenship as punishment for
Great Houses plot for greater power, each seeking to in- crimes — including the dispossession of entire villages for
stall its chosen candidate as the Realm’s new empress. failing to pay taxes. Slaves have no rights, but are afforded
more legal protection than the dispossessed as the chattel
of their masters. Only Dragon-Blooded can own slaves.
The Immaculate Order
Patricians who Exalt as Dragon-Blooded are typically
The Realm’s state religion is the Immaculate Order. adopted by one of the Great Houses, although some
Its doctrine, the Immaculate Philosophy, teaches that
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Dragon-Blooded Intro Reference
remain in their own families. A peasant, slave, or dispos- Deliberative is a legislative body; it held little real pow-
sessed who Exalts is called a “lost egg” — such Dragon- er under the Scarlet Empress, but in her absence, much
Blooded outcastes are brought into the Empress’ ser- of her power has defaulted to it. Magistrates are elite
vice in the legions or the Immaculate Order. agents and investigators loyal only to the Empress, em-
powered to investigate crimes, root out corruption, and
The Great Houses deliver punishment. The All-Seeing Eye is the Empress’
clandestine intelligence agency and secret police.
House Cathak boasts the greatest military might of any
house; if civil war erupts, it plans to play queenmaker The Realm’s army, the Imperial legions, once served
by throwing its force behind the most viable candidate. the Empress directly. After she vanished, the Great
House Cynis deals in sensual pleasures, slaves, and Houses divided the legions up amongst themselves and
blackmail, hosting lavish galas where all three are on purged their ranks of loyalists. The Imperial Navy,
full display. House Ledaal guards the Realm against Creation’s greatest maritime force, is administered by
the Anathema and other supernatural threats. House House Peleps.
Mnemon, still led by its puissant founder and name-
sake, holds a monopoly on construction and a deep af- Schooling
finity for both religion and sorcery.
Young Dragon-Blooded Dynasts attend elite secondary
House Nellens lacks other houses’ more numerous schools to prepare for lives as Princes of the Earth. The
Dragon-Blooded, but engages in coordinated matchmak- House of Bells is the Realm’s premier military acade-
ing to strengthen its lineage. House Peleps dominates my, producing Dragon-Blooded officers of the Realm’s
the Imperial Navy; with the Empress gone, it explores legions. The Spiral Academy trains Dragon-Blooded
founding a new empire in Creation’s island-strewn West. in diplomacy, administration, and economics. The
House Ragara’s greatest asset is its immense wealth; Cloister of Wisdom takes in those who wish to join the
it ruthlessly exploits debts owed to it, even by other Immaculate Order as monks, including lost eggs. The
Dynasts. House Sesus’ impressive military masks its Heptagram teaches sorcery, artifice, geomancy, and
central focus on spycraft. other esoteric arts. Pasiap’s Stair is a military academy
attended almost exclusively by lost eggs who chose to
House Tepet, once a formidable military house, suf- serve the Empress in the legions.
fered devastating losses in a recent war, leaving its
position tenuous. House V’neef is the youngest Great Magic of Creation
House, formed by the Scarlet Empress from outcastes
and Dragon-Blooded patricians, and awarded the The Dragon-Blooded use elemental power to en-
Realm’s tribute-carrying Merchant Fleet to weaken hance their skills; such techniques have many names
House Peleps’ naval monopoly. House Iselsi is a fallen in Creation, but are called Charms on your character
house, struck down for treachery against the Empress; sheet. Dragon-Blooded often wield artifacts — near-un-
its scions linger still, pursuing a bloody vendetta against breakable tools of supernatural power — and can awak-
their fellow Dynasts from the shadows. en unique magics called Evocations from them. Some
control demesnes or manses, unique places of power,
In the Threshold, dozens of cadet houses — tiny off-
and bear hearthstones that confer the blessings of such
shoot families ennobled by the Empress — rule in a
sites. Some own such relics outright; others hold them
minority of satrapies. Though officially Dynasts, they’re
on loan as family heirlooms or by the Empress’ favor.
often ill-respected by their Great House peers, but may
prove invaluable as civil war engulfs the Threshold. With specialized training, characters may be initiated
into sorcery — a distrusted art — or learn powerful
The Imperial Service martial arts. Supernatural creatures and rare mortals
may learn sorcery, allowing them to cast spells — strange
The Thousand Scales are the Realm’s countless min- miracles with unique effects. Though mortals may learn
istries, overseeing bureaucratic functions ranging from martial arts, only supernatural beings like Dragon-
tax collection to foreign policy to public works. The Blooded can perfect those styles to superhuman levels.
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EX3
Lookshy
Last Bastion of the Shogunate The General Staff negotiates short-term contracts with
other polities of the River Provinces, sending Lookshyan
The city-state of Lookshy, founded by the Dragon- military forces to fight on their behalf, for a price.
Blooded of the Seventh Legion, arose from the ashes
of the Shogunate, a bygone era of warring Exalted The Immaculate Faith
daimyos fighting over the world of Creation. Situated
in the Eastern region known as the River Province, Lookshy adheres to the Immaculate Faith, a Shogunate
Lookshy is the mightiest member of a loose league of religion that teaches that the Dragon-Blooded have at-
city-states, the Confederation of Rivers, wielding its tained the reward of spiritual perfection after countless
power to defend the River Province from the imperial- cycles of reincarnation, and that un-Exalted humans
istic expansion of the Realm — Creation’s greatest em- (called mortals) may reincarnate into better lives if
pire — and consolidate Seventh Legion influence over they obey the Dragon-Blooded. The Faith regulates the
neighboring polities. worship of gods through a prayer calendar.
Sohei tend the temples of the Immaculate Faith, serve

The Seventh Legion as chaplains in the field forces, evangelize to foreign-
ers, and subdue both unruly gods seeking worship
The Seventh Legion is the last remnant of the Shogunate
beyond what the prayer calendar grants them and
military. It’s directed and championed by Exalted
dangerous threats known as Anathema. The most
humans called Dragon-Blooded, born warriors em-
powerful Anathema are other Exalted, such as Solars,
powered by Creation’s five elements (Air, Earth, Fire,
Lunars, and Abyssals. Solars are powerful heroes of
Water, and Wood). Dragon-Blooded power is passed
incomparable skill and nation-building power, while
on by bloodline and arrives during adolescence. Each
Abyssal deathknights are equally powerful leaders of
Dragon-Blood has one element she’s closest to, called
undead armies. Lunars are monstrous shapeshifters
her Aspect. Dragon-Blooded may live for centuries, and
who believe it’s their shared duty to raise and direct
often form long-term adventuring groups called Sworn
guerrilla armies against Dragon-Blooded empires. The
Brotherhoods, which are like family.
Dragon-Blooded mount hunting parties called Wyld
The Seventh Legion’s Dragon-Blooded and mortal kin Hunts to track down and kill Anathema quickly, be-
are divided into gentes (singular: gens), prestigious fore their power can grow.
military families. A gens is led by an imperator. The
gentes are informally divided into five Gentes Major, Political Agendas
deeply entrenched in the Seventh Legion’s hierarchy
— Amilar, Karal, Maheka, Teresu, and Yushoto — Five different factions compete within Lookshyan
and over a dozen Gentes Minor — including Kiriga, politics. The conservative Mercenaries, in the major-
Nefvarin, Nerigus, Sirel, Taroketu, Toriki, and Yan ity, seek to maintain the status quo wherein the River
Tu — who lack the institutional power of the Gentes Province defends itself and exerts hegemonic influ-
Major. Outcastes, foreign Dragon-Blooded of no espe- ence by contracting out Lookshyan forces on a short-
cial lineage, are recruited into the gentes via adoption term basis. Interventionists would see Lookshy take
or marriage, though political opportunities come more a more active role in the River Province, establishing
easily to those born into the gentes. greater military and political control over the region.
Isolationists, conversely, hold that Lookshy cannot
Chains of Command effectively police the entire River Province, and should
focus on domestic issues. The radical Imperialists
Lookshy is ruled by the chumyo — the general of the seek to transform Lookshy into an empire, annexing
Seventh Legion — who sits on the General Staff along- territory and expanding beyond the River Province.
side a council of senior officers and other prominent The fringe Purists espouse a greater emphasis on the
Dragon-Blooded; these advise the chumyo and can Immaculate Faith, imposing its orthodoxy throughout
oust him with a majority vote. The current chumyo is the River Province rather than making diplomatic
Maheka Dazan. compromises.
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EX3
The Gentes of Lookshy and management of the Legion’s resources, ranging from
rations to ancient artifacts. The Liasion Directorate
Gens Amilar prizes intellectual accomplishment and conducts diplomacy with foreign powers, including the
seeks out powerful relics and secrets of the bygone negotiation of military contracts for the General Staff.
past. Gens Karal cultivates a prestigious reputation
for honor and martial prowess, concealing its internal The Intelligence Directorate coordinates espionage
political disputes. Gens Maheka’s expert artisans, ar- and intelligence-gathering abroad, including Lookshy’s
chitects, and engineers are deeply traditionalist, uni- elite ranger corps, while the Security Directorate
fied behind the conservative Mercenary agenda. Gens oversees counterintelligence operations and military
Teresu, wealthy and flamboyant, predominates in both security. The Directorate of the Adjutant-General
Lookshy’s navy and in maritime trade. Gens Yushoto oversees all personnel and staffing issues, including mil-
encourages its scions’ individuality, emphasizing per- itary assignments, the operation of academies for young
sonal growth and self-improvement and cultivating a Dragon-Blooded, and care for veterans. The Justice
diverse portfolio of interests. Directorate provides law enforcement and coordinates
criminal investigations.
Gens Kiriga is drawn to the radical Interventionist
and Imperialist ideologies, seeking to establish a new The Shogunate Bureaucracy is a largely ceremonial
Shogunate. Gens Nefvarin, known for its sorcerer-en- body, but as the last remnant of the official Shogunate
gineers, oversees the Sky Guard, Lookshy’s dwindling government, it holds great symbolic importance to both
fleet of ancient skyships. Gens Nerigus is a merchant the Seventh Legion and Lookshy’s civilian populace.
family overseeing much of Lookshy’s overland trade.
The naval Gens Sirel descends from a Shogunate lin- Magic of Creation
eage that left the Blessed Isle during the Realm’s rise,
and still maintains diplomatic ties there. The Dragon-Blooded use elemental power to en-
hance their skills; such techniques have many names
Gens Taroketu has few Dragon-Blooded scions but in Creation, but are called Charms on your character
gains considerable wealth through strategic marriages sheet. Dragon-Blooded often wield artifacts — near-un-
with affluent families. The Isolationist Gens Toriki breakable tools of supernatural power — and can awaken
doesn’t consider itself part of the Seventh Legion, fo- unique magics called Evocations from them. Some con-
cusing on the city of Lookshy’s defense and governance trol demesnes or manses, unique places of power, and
over affairs in the River Province. Gens Yan Tu prizes bear hearthstones that confer the blessings of such sites.
prowess and cunning both on and off the battefield, Some own such relics outright; others hold them on loan
producing renowned cavalry, siege engineers, and as family heirlooms or Stores Directorate property.
sorcerers.
With specialized training, characters may be initi-
Civilian Service ated into sorcery or learn powerful martial arts.
Supernatural creatures and rare mortals may learn
Lookshy’s governmental apparatus is divided into seven sorcery, allowing them to cast spells — strange miracles
directorates. The Operations Directorate coordinates with unique effects. Though mortals may learn martial
the deployments and strategy of the Seventh Legion’s mil- arts, only supernatural beings like Dragon-Blooded can
itary. The Stores Directorate oversees the acquisition perfect those styles to superhuman levels.
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EX3
The Empire
of Prasad
Empire at Creation’s Edge Living Divinity
Prasad is an empire in the distant southeast of the world Prasad follows a religion called the Pure Way. The Pure
called Creation. From its capital city of Kamthahar, Way states that Dragon-Blooded are spiritually enlight-
Prasad seeks to expand into and ultimately claim the ened, and deserving of prayer and obedience by un-Ex-
nearby Dreaming Sea, which teems with wonders and alted humans (called mortals). Prayer gives power to
creatures that predate recorded history. Prasad has the Exalted, as it does to Creation’s gods.
many rival nations and empires, each of which must in-
evitably fall and be consumed for Prasad’s greater glory. The Pure Way promises that mortals who worship and
Prasad restructures conquered nations, importing loy- obey the Dragon-Blooded will reincarnate into better
al citizens into new territories and forcibly relocating lives, with greater wealth and power. Dragon-Blooded are
newly conquered peoples across the empire, where believed to be products of countless such reincarnations,
their cultures’ prized skills can be put to good use. and thus suited to command mortals. Monks enforce
the Pure Way’s dictates, wielding words and martial arts
Ruled by Dragons against heretics who threaten the Dragon Clans’ rule.
Prasad is ruled by Exalted humans called Dragon- Enemies of the Empire

Blooded, born warriors empowered by Creation’s
five elements (Air, Earth, Fire, Water, and Wood). In addition to rival nations and empires, Prasad calls
Dragon-Blooded power is passed on by bloodline certain threats Anathema. The most powerful and per-
and arrives during adolescence. Each Dragon-Blood sistent Anathema are other Exalted, which the educated
has one element she’s closest to, called her Aspect. call Solar, Lunar, and Abyssal Exalted. Solars are pow-
Dragon-Blooded may live for centuries, and often form erful heroes of incomparable skill and nation-building
long-term adventuring groups called Sworn Kinships, power, while Abyssal deathknights are equally pow-
which are like family. erful leaders of undead armies. Lunars are monstrous
shapeshifters who believe it’s their shared duty to raise
Prasad’s Dragon-Blooded are organized primarily by and direct guerrilla armies against Dragon-Blooded
two great Dragon Clans: Burano and Ophris. Clan empires.
Burano values tradition, academics, and spirituality, and
is associated with the elements of air and earth. Clan These Exalted are rare, but even the most pious mor-
Ophris values innovation, passion, and exploration, and tal may become one, defying the Pure Way’s teachings.
is associated with fire and wood. Together, these clans Anathema often cooperate to overthrow and replace
comprise the Dragon Caste, which carries absolute Dragon-Blooded rule. Monks mount hunting parties
authority and elects Prasad’s ruler — called a rani-sa- called Wyld Hunts, which welcome aid from all nearby
trap — from its ranks. The empire’s Dragon-Blooded Dragon-Blooded. These track down and kill Anathema
elect a tanist from the opposing clan as the rani-satrap’s quickly, before their power can grow.
successor.
Prasadi Culture
Dragon-Blooded live throughout Creation. The Dragon
Clans’ ancestors were conquerors from the distant Prasadi castes define citizens’ roles, callings, and spiri-
Realm, which is ruled by Dragon-Blooded Dynasts tual enlightenment. The Sage Caste educates, designs,
who still expect loyalty and tributes of wealth from and innovates, and uses its wisdom to support the
Prasad. Outcaste Dragon-Blooded arise from foreign Dragon Caste. The Caravaner Caste travels, trades,
and lowborn families, and may seek adoption into the and battles, and includes most of Prasad’s soldiers. The
Dragon Clans or admission into the monkhood. Rare Corporal Caste handles dirty and dangerous jobs, such
Prasadi Dragon-Blooded are born into Clan Akatha as waste management, construction, and assassination,
and raised among its God-Blooded members.
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EX3
as well as preparing corpses for funerals to prevent Prasad’s pantheon of gods are peers to the Dragon Caste,
vengeful undead. responsible more for spiritual guidance than practical
policy.
In addition to caste, each citizen belongs to a clan and
a jati. Clans (like Burano and Ophris) offer family rela- Prasadi gods’ relations with humans rely on Clan
tions and support. Jatis offer cultural history and iden- Akatha and the Pure Way. Clan Akatha’s God-Blooded
tity, each coming from a different part of the empire. — humans born of divine and mortal parents — serve as
Most Dragon Clan jatis originated in the distant Realm, priests, diplomats, and spies on their godly relatives’ be-
before its Dynasts conquered Kamthahar and founded half. Monks enforce appropriate worship, and Dragon-
the empire that would become Prasad. Blooded monks wield deadly martial arts to punish
disobedient gods and their heretical cults.
Magic of Creation
Notable Neighbors
The Dragon-Blooded use elemental power to en-
hance their skills; such techniques have many names Many strange nations exist in the Dreaming Sea region,
in Creation, but are called Charms on your character whose political makeup changes often. Champoor is
sheet. Dragon-Blooded often wield artifacts — near-un- a treacherous trade city shrouded in eternal twilight,
breakable tools of supernatural power — and can awak- where people come to make their fortunes. Ysyr is an
en unique magics called Evocations from them. Some empire ruled from an island nation by sorcerer-mon-
control demesnes or manses, unique places of power, archs. Volivat is a nascent empire reliant on superhu-
and bear hearthstones that confer the blessings of such man champions called Yennin — usually less powerful
sites. Some own such relics outright; others hold them than Prasad’s Dragon-Blooded, but more numerous.
on loan as family heirlooms.
Unsafe Lands
ated into sorcery or learn powerful martial arts. The Dreaming Sea region has many places where mor-
Supernatural creatures and rare mortals may learn tals dare not tread. Strange and surreal places called
sorcery, allowing them to cast spells — strange miracles Wyld regions corrupt and transform people and animals
with unique effects. Though mortals may learn martial that linger there, and are inhabited by unnatural beasts
arts, only supernatural beings like Dragon-Blooded can called behemoths and beautiful soul-eating tricksters
perfect those styles to superhuman levels. called the Fair Folk. Significant death and destruc-
tion can transform a place into a shadowland, where
Pantheon Invisible undead roam freely and travelers may wander into the
Underworld, land of ghosts. Ancient ruins of the First
Creation’s gods are many and varied, spirits often hid- Age contain artifacts, histories, and world-changing
den from mortal sight. Ageless beings meant to main- wonders lost to time, and fetch amazing prices for ex-
tain Creation, many have grown indolent and greedy. plorers who retrieve them.
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EX3
The Forest Witches

Seekers of Perfection forest’s heart.
The mist lurking within the forest harbors a mysterious,

A secretive cabal possessed of esoteric wisdom,
transformative power. Dragon-Blooded may sacrifice
the Forest Witches isolate themselves amid a mys-
their former nature to the mist and become numina
tery-haunted forest in the East of the world called
(singular: numen), transcendent beings and objects of
Creation. They promise transcendence, pursuing mys-
reverence.
tical paths to perfection and paradise.
Cevis Ghandarva wields Domnica’s Mantle, an artifact
Among the Witches of legendary power claimed through a bargain with the
mist. The Mantle’s wearer may quit their life, transmi-
The Witches are Exalted humans called Dragon- grating to a new life to be born without heed for the nat-
Blooded, born warriors empowered by Creation’s five ural cycle of reincarnation. They may choose this new
elements (Air, Earth, Fire, Water, and Wood). Dragon- life’s nature, being reborn as children of princes, gods,
Blooded power is passed on by bloodline and arrives or whoever else suits their needs. Those reborn retain
during adolescence. Each Dragon-Blood has one element their identity and memory — and, if they’re Dragon-
she’s closest to, called her Aspect. Dragon-Blooded may Blooded, their Exaltation reawakens as their new life
live for centuries, and often form long-term adventuring reaches puberty.
groups called Sworn Kinships, which are like family.
A few of the Dragon-Blooded Witches came to the

Worldly Powers
forest centuries ago alongside Cevis Ghandarva, the
The Forest Witches and the mysteries they live with ar-
cabal’s founder, when he fled the Realm, Creation’s
en’t the world’s only supernatural beings. Other Dragon-
greatest empire. Others claim descent from these first
Blooded live beyond the forest’s boundaries, and there
Witches, or hail from foreign lands — renegade Dynasts
are other types of Exalted: Solars, Lunars, Abyssals,
of the Realm, defectors from the militaristic city-state
and more. Solars are powerful heroes of incomparable
of Lookshy, or lone outcastes drawn by stories of
skill and nation-building power, while Abyssal death-
paradise.
knights are equally powerful leaders of undead armies.
Lunars are monstrous shapeshifters who believe it’s
Mysteries of the Forest their shared duty to raise and direct guerrilla armies
against Dragon-Blooded empires. Creation is also home
The Forest Witches share their home with mysterious to gods and other spirits, monstrous undead, the beau-
forces — or, rather, divergent aspects of a single force — tiful soul-eating Fair Folk, and stranger things besides.
beyond mortal ken.
Oreithyia is a presence dwelling within the forest itself, Many Paths

controlling its plants and beasts. The Forest Witches
have pacted with her, offering beautiful youths as trib- While all Witches seek perfection, their methods and
ute. In exchange, Oreithyia provides the Witches with ideologies differ. The Company of Messengers evan-
food, clothing, and shelter, rears and nurtures their chil- gelizes the Sea of Mind, recruiting new believers from
dren, and ensures that none know want in the paradise among their fellow Dragon-Blooded to immerse them-
of the Forest Witches. selves within the Sea and offer it powerful treasures
as tribute. The Table of Fiends rebukes this ideology,
The Sea of Mind is a shared mental construct that believing the Sea’s paradise belongs only to those who
Witches may partake in, a different way of experiencing find it on their own.
reality. Witches immersed in the Sea perceive Creation
not as it is, but as it could be, a world without flaws or The Mandala Guard deny themselves the Forest
imperfections. Their wishes shape the Sea’s reality — Witches’ paradise so that they may guard it from all foes.
but not Creation’s. Death has no dominion here; many They walk the forest’s boundaries and protect its manses,
Forest Witches long dead remain within the Sea, often which exist beyond the reach of Oreithyia’s blessing and
retiring to the unreal city of Atsiluth Eternal at the without the Sea of Mind’s vision of Creation perfected.
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EX3
The Cult of the Mist reveres the numina, but its mem- capacity remains undiminished. They congregate in
bers don’t seek the same apotheosis for themselves — Atsiluth Eternal, a city existing only in the Sea of Mind.
yet. Through study and emulation of the numina, these There, a council of twenty-five dead elders, led by an-
Witches strive towards self-perfection, cultivating cient Vitali Proseria, reigns over the Sea. Some of the
within themselves a potential to be realized in their dead may act on the world through artificial bodies
eventual metamorphosis. known as walking effigies, although this requires the
council’s permission.
The Company of Thrones, comprised of Cevis
Ghandarva and his most trusted followers, seeks to Numina of the Mist
rule Creation from the shadows. They use the Mantle
of Domnica to be reborn in prominent positions within Four Dragon-Blooded have joined the mist and been re-
neighboring lands, secretly marshalling influence and born as numina. Kumari Samathi Anja is a divinity of
power or striking at the Witches’ enemies from within. lost and cast-off things, and calls the Forest Witches to
Ghandarva hopes to someday supplant the Realm by worship the numina in pursuit of self-perfection in the
planting reborn Witches among its highest echelons. Cult of the Mist. Iurka, many-limbed and monstrously
With the Realm’s Scarlet Empress missing and its aris- beautiful, is ever in motion, teaching that stillness and
tocratic Great Houses preparing for civil war, that time choice lead to pain. Menderes watches the world from
may be now. on high, an attentive presence flensed of all ignorance
and insignificance. Seven-Face Rèsja is infinitely fluid
Ruling Without Conquest in form and nature, embodying the potential of change.
Two doctrines issued by Cevis Ghandarva dominate Magic of Creation

Forest Witch thought. The Blood Sutra says that the
pursuit of self-perfection brings enlightenment, and The Dragon-Blooded use elemental power to en-
that those who follow this path will one day supplant hance their skills; such techniques have many names
the Realm as unrivaled Princes of the Earth. in Creation, but are called Charms on your character
sheet. Dragon-Blooded often wield artifacts — near-un-
The Spear Sutra says that one rules a place not by
breakable tools of supernatural power — and can awak-
conquest, but by making it unable to offer meaningful
en unique magics called Evocations from them. Some
opposition. They aim to rule from the shadows, sub-
control demesnes or manses, unique places of power,
orning princes or leaving them too fearful to contest
and bear hearthstones that confer the blessings of such
the Witches’ will. Those both willing and able to stand
sites.
against this rule without name are labeled Anathema.
The Dead of Atsiluth Eternal ated into sorcery or learn powerful martial arts.
Supernatural creatures and rare mortals may learn
Though a Witch’s body may die, if she’s immersed in sorcery, allowing them to cast spells — strange miracles
the Sea of Mind, she will remain — for, from her per- with unique effects. Though mortals may learn martial
spective, she has not died at all. Without bodies, they’re arts, only supernatural beings like Dragon-Blooded can
largely unable to affect reality, but within the Sea, their perfect those styles to superhuman levels.
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EX3
Outcastes
A Divine Birthright The Cult of the Violet Fang in the Northwest venture
into the chaos beyond Creation to quest quest against
To be an outcaste is to stride the world of Creation as their otherworldly fae ancestors. In the Eastern city of
a Dragon-Blooded demigod. Some are lone heroes, Great Forks, divine courtesans of the Temple of the
born to mortal parents but descended from a Dragon- Reverent Whisper are companions and confidantes to
Blooded ancestor; others belong to families or organi- the city’s many gods. The Sisterhood of Pearls, a hereti-
zations of Dragon-Blooded. Unlike the Dragon-Blooded cal offshoot of the Realm’s Immaculate Order, left their
of the Realm — Creation’s greatest empire — and other homeland on the Blessed Isle, and now dwell in the West.
Dragon-Blooded polities, an outcaste need not be be-
The Wanasaan exorcists hunt the undead in the
holden to any throne. Their power and pedigree are
Northwest. Yatani’s Children are an enigma, a scat-
coveted and sought after across Creation, yet few can
tered culture of nomadic outcastes claiming to hail
bend these Dragons to their will.
from another world. And Heaven’s Dragons dwell not
in Creation, but in Yu-Shan, the realm of the greatest
Born of the Dragons gods, living and working alongside divinities.
All outcastes are Dragon-Blooded, born warriors em- These are but examples; many more outcaste societies
powered by Creation’s five elements (Air, Earth, Fire, exist.
Water, and Wood). Dragon-Blooded power arrives during
adolescence and is passed on by bloodline — though out- Lone Dragons
castes’ bloodline may be so thin that they have no known
Exalted relatives. Each Dragon-Blood has one element Many outcastes stand alone — whether born to mortal
she’s closest to, called her Aspect. Dragon-Blooded may parents, exiles or defectors from a Dragon-Blooded
live for centuries, and often form long-term adventuring polity, or the last of their line. They lack the resources
groups called Sworn Kinships, which are like family. and backing that an outcaste society can offer, but have
greater independence in their lives, free of preexisting
Creation’s Threshold loyalties or elder outcastes commanding their service.
Creation has five Directions: North, South, East, West, Worldly Powers
and the Blessed Isle at the Center, seat of the Realm.
The Threshold is all of Creation save the Blessed Isle, The Dragon-Blooded aren’t the world’s only supernat-
and it’s here that most outcastes are born — into the ural beings. There are other types of Exalted: Solars,
burning sands of the South, the ice-bitten frontier to the Lunars, Abyssals, and more. Solars are powerful heroes
North, the savage seas and fertile islands of the West, of incomparable skill and nation-building power, while
and the many kingdoms and city-states of the verdant Abyssal deathknights are equally powerful leaders of un-
East. dead armies. Lunars are monstrous shapeshifters who
believe it’s their shared duty to raise and direct guerrilla
Outcaste Societies armies against Dragon-Blooded empires; lone outcastes
rarely draw the same ire. Creation is also home to gods
The Threshold is home to numerous outcaste societ- and other spirits, monstrous undead, the beautiful
ies, from small family groups to cults and associations. soul-eating Fair Folk, and stranger things besides.
The Grass Spiders of the East are a dreaded society
of assassins who treat murder as an art. The archaic Outcastes and Empires
Khamaseen Battalion wanders the Southeast, serving
as mercenaries to kingdoms and city-states. The out- The Realm’s empire is without peer, extending into
caste bandits of the Seven Storms Brotherhood men- every Direction of Creation. Its reigning aristocracy —
ace merchants and traders in the Southeast. The Rogue the Scarlet Dynasty — is led by Dragon-Blooded, but
Legion of Saloy Hin, made up of outcaste defectors outcastes are also born to the Blessed Isle’s peasants
from the Realm’s legions, marauds in the South. and slaves. These are deemed “lost eggs,” and the Realm
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EX3
goes to great lengths to press them into its service — ei- the Threshold.
ther in the Imperial legions or in the state religion, the
Immaculate Order. These religions’ prevalence means that many mortals
in the Threshold are predisposed towards viewing all
Beyond the Blessed Isle, the Realm presides over the sa- Dragon-Blooded, including outcastes, as spiritually
trapies, nations and kingdoms that have accepted its au- elevated beings and enlightened figures of authority.
thority. Outcastes in the satrapies and beyond aren’t press- Not all outcastes subscribe to an Immaculate doctrine,
ganged like the Blessed Isle’s lost eggs, but that doesn’t although its message is understandably appealing to
mean they’re better treated. The Realm has use of them as them. Many still cleave to the religion of their birth cul-
powerful assets, but also views them as foreign barbarians ture, while others find the divine power of Exaltation
despite their Exaltation. They might be courted with lav- changes their perspective on Creation’s gods and spir-
ish galas and opulent gifts, but true respect or friendship its, adopting idiosyncratic perspectives.
are difficult to come by. Foreign outcastes may enter the
Realm’s service via the legions or the Immaculate Order, The Wyld Hunt is a common fixture of many Immaculate
like lost eggs, but can also marry directly into one of the sects. Dragon-Blooded mount hunting parties to track
Realm’s Great Houses of Dragon-Blooded aristocrats. down and kill Anathema — Solars, Lunars, Abyssals, and
other supernatural beings that threaten Dragon-Blooded
Lookshy, in the East, is a powerful city-state ruled by hegemony — before their power can grow. The Wyld
a Dragon-Blooded military. It offers citizenship to out- Hunt crosses many divisions between Dragon-Blooded;
castes willing to fight in its name, adopting them into an outcaste might ride alongside a Dynast of the Realm
its gentes, great military families. Prasad, a breakaway and a Lookshyan soldier in pursuit of a common foe.
empire split off from the Realm in the Southeast, ex-
pands along the wondrous Dreaming Sea. Outcastes Magic of Creation
may join one of Prasad’s reigning Dragon Clans and
earn citizenship by completing three labors assigned The Dragon-Blooded use elemental power to en-
by the clan’s leader, or may enter the monkhood of the hance their skills; such techniques have many names
Pure Way. in Creation, but are called Charms on your character
sheet. Dragon-Blooded often wield artifacts — near-un-
Immaculate Faiths breakable tools of supernatural power — and can awak-
en unique magics called Evocations from them. Some
Creation is home to countless cults and religions, but control demesnes or manses, unique places of power,
one common strain teaches that that the Dragon- and bear hearthstones that confer the blessings of such
Blooded have attained spiritual perfection through sites.
countless cycles of reincarnation and are thus
Creation’s rightful rulers. Unsurprisingly, the Realm’s With specialized training, characters may be initi-
state religion has promulgated and spread this doc- ated into sorcery or learn powerful martial arts.
trine — their Immaculate Philosophy — throughout Supernatural creatures and rare mortals may learn
much of the Threshold, but variations are also found sorcery, allowing them to cast spells — strange miracles
in Lookshy’s Immaculate Faith, Prasad’s Pure Way, with unique effects. Though mortals may learn martial
the dogma of the outcaste Sisterhood of Pearls, and arts, only supernatural beings like Dragon-Blooded can
countless minor heresies and syncretisms throughout perfect those styles to superhuman levels.
265
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Heirs To The Shogunate

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Jacqueline Bryk, Adam Carbone, Luka Carroll, Manda Collis, Steffie de Vaan,

Developers: Eric Minton, Robert Vance

Consulting Developer: James Taylor

Editor: Matt Click

Artists: Yihyoung Li, Gunship Revolution Studios, Gong

Art Director: Mike Chaney

Creative Director: Richard Thomas

Jenna Moran, for creating the Forest Witches. The ver-

Lauren Roy, for developing fiction above and beyond the

All the backers who made the Dragon-Blooded Kickstarter

Chapter Three: Prasad 62 Chapter Four:

Humans in Heaven 113 Evocations of the

His first mistake.

That snapped her gaze firmly back to him. “Go on.”

THE CULT OF ARTORA

the thugs and legbreakers on the house’s payroll. The

House Yueh House V’neef, Yueh’s maritime partner, invests in

Major Holdings true scion of Tepet’s martial traditions of honor and

ambitions, quelling a local rebellion before a bloodbath

SECONDARY SCHOOL NARRATIVES

who sets herself an overly light course load receives

The Heptagram Faculty of Note

LESSER OCCULT ACADEMIES SORCERY AND OTHER SCHOOLS

intrigues. Younger students serve as runners, meeting

now-vanished Empress, they cannot deny that they

It isn’t a secondary school game without teenagers Monsters and Mayhem

Social Standing Amilar also reaps considerable income from contracts

gens (plural gentes

imperator: Leader of a gens.

sohei: A chaplain of the Immaculate Faith.

Lookshy Timeline (continued)

There’s much to divide Amilar and Yushoto. Amilar’s

A peerless historian and archeologist, Sijan-born

The imperator and her council of senior advisors labor

believing such foolhardy strategies would upset the

Being a Teresu is about knowing when to be the roaring

Economics The gens is a major patron of the arts. Instead of profit,

who avoids naval service is mocked as seasick; she may

The previous Teresu imperator, a respected Mercenary

conflicts. She briefly returned to active duty to lead a

compromise between rival ideologies. Well-respected

mercenary contracts that often amount to tribute.

soldiers wear their hair long, wrapped in intricate coils

is treason. Officers deliver judgement and sentencing at

Mercenary work is a regrettable necessity to reliably

Haizei: Skyship captain.

Sazei: Naval captain.

Shugan-junai: Military sorcerer.

Wai tan-junai: Sorcerer-engineer.

Field Force One is a highly mobile shock force com- Navy

typically remain in reserve for Lookshy’s defense. The

begrudgingly so when the two groups’ tactical objec-

The Valkhawsen Way

practice of this initiation, the sorcerer rolls (Intelligence

The position conveys few temporal benefits, but many

Vaneha turns its attention once more to the Hundred

By longstanding arrangement, Realm Dragon-Blooded Behind the Lines

Foreigners Outsiders under false pretenses — such as Dynastic

clan: An extended Prasadi familial unit.