[ww80105] Manual of Exalted Power - Infernals.pdf - Vakermit.com

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Dragon and his Fiends will turn their efforts to subjugating
their erstwhile demon allies.
THE OTHER YOZIS
The Green Sun Princes are primarily beholden to the
architects of the Reclamation, expected to consider those
five Yozis equals and the Yozis who own their Exaltations
first among equals. None of the other Yozis technically
have any authority over the Infernal Exalted, which is the
price they pay for not agreeing to cooperate with the Ebon
Dragon and company sooner. For all that they lack specific
authority, however, the other Yozis are still demon lords.
It behooves any Green Sun Prince not to go out of his way
to offend any of them. At best, the offended party might
confront the Yozi to whom the offender belongs, which will
likely result in punishment and educational degradation until
the offended party is satisfied. At worst, the offended Yozi
might simply snap the offender up and destroy him, being
either careless of or willing to face the wrath of the Yozi
whom the Exalt served.
For this reason, Green Sun Princes sometimes must serve
as attachés or consultants to groups of akuma who serve various
solitary Yozis. They are encouraged to shoehorn these
groups’ activities as best they can into line with the goals of
the Reclamation. When that isn’t possible, it depends on
them to distract or misdirect the other Yozis’ servants such
that they don’t get in the way of the Reclamation efforts.
Outside the Demon City, such responsibilities often fall upon
the Fiends, who are best suited to it. Supporting them is usually
the purview of the Malefactors, who must do their best
to establish ironclad chains of command. Within Malfeas,
the Ebon Dragon himself spends much time running interference
with iconoclast Yozis who think they can engineer their
eventual freedom better than he already has. (Fools.) When
he can get away with it, he occasionally appeals to Adorjan
to silence especially stubborn opposition or at least encourage
hardheaded dissenters to make themselves scarce.
While many Yozis confound the efforts of the Reclamation—either
though ignorance, vanity or unpredictable
madness—there are many who support it and contribute what
aid they can. These Yozis might not have the power or the
intellect to share status with the five architects, but they don’t
want to be imprisoned any more than the architects do. They
gladly devote akuma, Demon-Bloods, actual demons, vitriol,
cult resources and more to the Reclamation effort. The most
prominent of the supporting Yozis is the acidic sea Kimbery,
whose minions transferred the stolen Solar Exaltations to
the demon realm. The mirrored forest, Szoreny, provided
crucial insights into the Great Curse that afflicted the 50
stolen Exaltations when the architects of the Reclamation
received them. Oramus, also called the Dragon Beyond the
World, has aided in making contact with potential allies
outside Malfeas. Others provided services more abstract
or more well-intentioned than strictly helpful. To honor
such contributions, the Green Sun Princes are expected
to deal courteously with any Yozis not working against the
Reclamation. They must also accommodate them in any
way they can, so long as doing so doesn’t conflict with their
Urges or with any order given by one of the five architects
of the Reclamation.
SUPPORT STRUCTURES
When a mortal receives her renegade Exaltation and
becomes a Solar, she finds herself beset on all sides by both the
ignorant who fear and envy her and the educated who despise
the corruption that vast, unearned power often engenders.
She has the potential to do great things and carve her name
across the face of history, but she must do so alone, with no
one to rely on except those she can bully, coerce or bribe into
standing behind her. It’s no wonder, then, that those Solars
who do achieve measurable victories in their early years grow
addicted to their burgeoning power. With every step they take
in pursuit of their mounting ambition, they become every bit
the terrible god-kings history labels them.
Not so the Infernal Exalted. They’re every bit as powerful,
and they have the will and ambition to achieve terrible
greatness, but they are not alone. They know well that they’re
crucial components in the intricate machinery of the Yozis’
Reclamation, with both a hierarchy of overlords to answer
to and a multitude of demons to aid and serve them. Much
is expected of the Infernals, as all the hopes of the demon
realm are riding on them, but much is given to them in order
to see those hopes fulfilled. They are well housed, efficiently
organized, equipped with the finest infernal materiel and
supported with fanatical loyalty both in the Demon City
and beyond.
THEIR PLACE IN HELL
By Cecelyne’s laws, the Demon City is a realm based
on a strict hierarchy of strength. At the top are the Yozis,
with their Third Circle souls just beneath them designated
unquestionable. The unquestionable are all equal, though
fetich souls are customarily accorded slightly more respect.
Demons of the Second Circle are considered citizens of
Hell, as are certain rare, special First Circle demons (such
as Damaskenos, the demon wasp of Octavian). All other
demons of the First Circle are considered serfs and have no
power in Malfean society. The structure and integrity of
that society is upheld by the mysterious, black-clad priests
of Cecelyne, who punish serf and citizen alike as the Endless
Desert’s law demands.
Beings from outside who are captured and taken to
the Demon City are considered the property of those who
brought them (or of anyone stronger who can claim them).
Beings who come to Malfeas of their own accord and have
the power to remain independent and free are considered
“strangers.” Strangers are not obligated to follow the laws
of Cecelyne, but neither do those laws protect them from
anyone else in the Demon City. Demon-Blooded mortals
who come to Hell automatically enjoy (or suffer) the status
of their demonic parent. Those who are born to serf parents
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