sol invictus.indd

EXALTED • SOL INVICTUSperfectly with the descriptions below. Still, thesedescriptions can give you some idea of what toexpect from a game with a certain power level.ESSENCE 1-2At a low Essence rating, your game will operateon a straightforward level. This is the level ofplay that the Exalted corebook is tuned to provideimmediately upon beginning play. Exalts at thisstage are working almost entirely within the realmof human ability — Charms at these levels tend toaid Exalts in performing tasks the greatest humanscould accomplish, rather than opening up newcapabilities. These Exalts are still stretching theirmuscles, discovering the power inherent in theirnew condition and learning how to channel itproperly. Such characters are likely to be involvedlargely in local events, and to deal largely withsmall-scale opponents — local politicians, minorcult leaders, regional gods, other new Exalts, andso on. They’re unlikely to get involved in worldspanningplots, travel beyond the borders ofCreation, or become too deeply enmeshed in thecomplicated politics of Essence wielders in the Ageof Sorrows. Mortals can still pose a threat to Exaltsof this level. Thematically, games at this powerlevel are likely to revolve heavily around personalissues — for Solars, for example, escaping fromthe Wyld Hunt, recovering artifacts of previousincarnations, and dealing with the massive changesin the character’s life.ESSENCE 3-4At Essence 3, Exalts move past the boundaries ofhuman capability. At this level, an Exalt’s skills havesurpassed the perfect-human level of lower-EssenceCharms, and begun to explore the unique andesoteric realm available only to Essence wielders.It’s no coincidence that sorcery first becomesavailable to Exalts at Essence 3 — it highlights theimportance of the Essence 3 threshold. For an Exaltof this level, the power and flexibility of Charms isenough to render mortals unthreatening. Demons,Fair Folk, better-established Exalts, and othervarious monstrosities are much better foes. Suchgames will rarely have a scope much smaller than ametropolis or small nation-state, given how easy it isfor an Essence 3 Exalt to found or conquer one. Thecharacters are likely to become important figuresin local politics, and will be drawn into whateverschemes and events are occurring in their vicinity.The looming problems of Creation will begin tobe more relevant as well — such characters willbegin to clash with world-spanning players likethe Realm or the Deathlords, and begin to considerhow to neutralize them. Thematically, such gameswill often focus on the question of “how?” — whatdirection will the characters take to accomplishtheir goals? These games can also focus on therepercussions of character’s actions, putting theExalts’ new importance into sharp focus. Resourcecollection will often feature heavily in such games—most Exalts will need a tremendous quanitity ofallies, artifacts, favors, and raw materials in order toaccomplish the deeds they set out to do, and Exaltsof this level are well-suited to gathering them.This is the highest level of play supportedby the Exalted corebook and the hardcoversupplements.ESSENCE 5-6Exalts who have reached Essence 5 can operateon the scale of entire nations. At this level, Solarshave access to the Adamant Circle of Sorcery,letting them level cities or build new ones withbut a few minute’s effort. At this level, it’s mostlyother Exalts, demons, and spirits who will providea suitable challenge. Mortals in any quantity canprovide no significant opposition. A character thispowerful will have established herself as a force tobe reckoned with in a selected niche, whether asthe leader of a vast criminal empire, the benevolentruler of a nation-state, or simply as the most fearedwarrior in all of Creation. In addition, most suchExalts will have a truly staggering collection ofresources to draw upon in any undertaking. Atthis point, the relevant question begins to shift174