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Unfailing Warlord’s Advance

This is probally the single most crazy thing I have made for Exalted. I made it for the Dawn of my campaign. It is a level N/A Artifact

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Background

The Symphonial Artificer was a pioneer in many fields, and not afraid of using controversial designs. Additionally, he had a knack for creating strange synergies, a trait he claimed derived from his interest in music. Thus, when the Dawn of his circle sought him out to commission a suit of armor, he decided to try something completely new. He would construct the armor using a living creature as base template and construct skeleton, and what’s more, not only would he design the armor, but he would also design the creature itself. The armor’s purpose was to be used when the Dawn’s warstrider, was unsuitable for missions, usually due to size. Having witnessed the largely successful designs of the dragon armor, the Artificer chose to also utilize the semi-warstrider model. After the general direction of the project had been decided, he set about choosing materials.

The armor’s main chassis was made of slick Obsidian, used by the Dragon Kings. The material’s innate mobility, and ability to be combined with Orichalcum, were useful properties. He decided to use Starmetal wires as the armor’s “nerves” and to further increase the flexibility of the joints with Moonsilver. Finally, a halo of Soul Steel (at that time, a newly discovered metal) within the helmet would serve as the interface between the wearer and the armor, transmitting his movement impulses to the armor’s control nodes.

With the exception of Soulsteel, the above-mentioned materials were there for mainly practical reasons. The core components were not yet in place.

Through repeated applications of the spell Spawning of the Monsters, he managed to mix animals, certain Wyld-mutants and even spirits. This process resulted in a creature called the Unfailing Hunter, which carried all the seeds of the armor’s power. The creature would be slain and the armor built around its skeleton. When this was done, the creature’s lower soul would be forged into the Soul Steel halo to provide a perfect conduit for motion-inducing impulses.

This was the plan. Unfortunately, the last of the Symphonial Artificer’s projects would never be completed. At the time of the armor’s commissioning, the Usurpation was only years away, and when the planning was complete, it had already started. The Artificer’s only advantage in the matter was that of the well informed. When the Terrestrials found his secret underground workshop, he lured them into the complex, offering just enough resistance to not arouse suspicion. When the usurpers finally broke through the defense systems and reached the core of the complex, The Twilight was already gone. At that moment, the mechanisms that kept his experiments restrained ceased to function. The creatures attacked the terrestrial task force and most of the complex was destroyed. It is unknown to this day if any of his research survived.

The Soulsteel halo must be crafted as a separate Artifact 2. The artificer also planned to use a metallurgic enhancement crystal (artifact 2) to give the armor the Durability enhancement.

Subsystems and abilities

(Unless otherwise noted, abilities work as described in WoTLA under Celestial Battle Armor. Also note that, while each system has it’s own rating, they are not complete artifact in and of themselves. The rating represents the effort needed to construct that part of the armor)

• Frame The armor’s frame is a level 3 artifact composed of the exoskeleton of the Hunter, alloyed with titanium and obsidian, and inlayed with Orichalcum and Starmetal.
• Helmet: The helmet of the armor is a level 3 artifact component Constructed from The Hunter’s skull and crystallized eyes. It contains the following enchantments .
  • Filtration Baffles*  : +4 bonus to Resistance against poison or all forms of disease (including wound infection); one-hour supply of fresh air (refilling the tank in fresh air takes one minute per 10 minutes of air added to the tank, unless the armors power source is air aspected, in which case it refill s constantly). The hunterslungs were uses as film for the filter.
  • Sensory Augmentation Visor*: The wearer gains a +3 bonus to Awareness. If the wearer knows Sorcerer’s Burning chakra she gains the constant benefit of All-Encompassing Sorcerer’s sight Essence sight (see p. 85 WotLA) for, which also automatically pierces any dragon armor cloaking device. In addition, the lenses that provide Essence sight for this armor are coated with thin films made from a mixture of orichalcum, starmetal and soulsteel. As a result, when the character activates the armor’s Essence sight, she can also see dematerialized spirits, ghosts, living beings and enchanted objects (including walking dead and automatons) as glowing presences. In addition, the wearer can see the Essence-flows of demesnes and manses at the range of her normal vision and can easily tell the power of these locations and if their Essence flows have been properly capped. The visor also includes a targeting system the adds 3 dice to any ranged attack
• Exomuscular fibers : +4 dots to Strength for feats of strength, calculating jump distance and inflicting damage with attacks. The armor’s exomuscular fibers were constructed from the Hunter’s sinews and alchemically prepared to be energized by the armor’s power supply. They are artifact 2.
• Hunter’s greaves: These were constructed as artifact 2 God-Kicking Boots that in addition to the listed stats double the wearer’s running speed. This enchantment also provides synergistic effects with the armor’s propulsion system.
• Adaptive Camouflage Subsystem : +2 bonus to Stealth while moving or +3 while stationary. This ability specifi cally defends against Essence sight. In addition, this color-changing feature can also be used to provide the armor with the appropriate colors and imagery for parades and other formal occasions. This ability was based on chameleonic properties of the hunter skin.

• Voice on Winds Transmitter*: This system was added so that the Golden Shogun coul command his troops. In addition to working like Pectoral of Resplendent Speeches, it can also transmit commands to Voice Pearls and other communications systems, and the user can choose to whom he sends the message. This is a level 3 artifact.
• Warlord’s Soothing Garment*: This is a crystalline web-like filament that runs along the armor’s exomuscular fibers. When activated, by the expenditure of 5 motes of Essence, this level 4 artifact allows the user to heal 4 Bashing and 2 lethal health levels every action and one aggravated health level each hour. If the armors power source is level 5, it can be activated without expenditure of essence.
• Warstrider Interface System: This is a level 3 subsystem that is activated by spending 3 motes of Essence. This causes the armor’s plates to partly unfold and triggers the extension of Moonsilver wires Fused with components of the hunter nervous system. These wires are capable of interfacing with a Warstrider. Effectively, the armor replaces the Warstrider’s motion-triggering systems and sensory systems in the cockpit. The later are directly wired into the armor’s own sensory systems. This confers a number of benefits. First and foremost, the wearer reduces the attunement cost of the subjected Warstrider by twice his Essence rating. Second, he has full access to any of the Unfailing Warlord’s powers marked with an asterisk, and adds 5 to the Warstrider’s Soak and 3 to its Hardness. The additions to Soak and Hardness are a function of the armor and come coupled with MM bonuses.
• Banner of the Golden Shogun*: Alongside Warlord’s Soothing Garment, this level 3 subsystem serves to give the armor its name. It is based one the ability of the hunter to mentally instill fear in its prey. When the wearer’s anima power is active, the display is enhanced. The iconic image is even more terrifying, and crimson glyphs in Old Realm and High Holy speech display the Virtues of the General, and signify the mandate of the Golden Shogun to lead the army of the Sun. This aura fills the wearer’s followers with courage and his enemies with dread. Mechanically, this means that he can add half his Valor or Temperance (as appropriate to the situation) in automatic successes to any roll to command, direct or otherwise control his troops. This is any war roll during mass combat, and any hesitation rolls made. This bonus is also applied as an external penalty to the corresponding rolls of the enemy. Finally the +2 DV bonus from the Dawn Anima power is replaced by the character’s Valor.
• Wings of the General This flight system is the only component of the armor that would work on its own. Used like this, it would cost 5 motes to attune to, and require an hourly expenditure of 5 motes to fly. It takes the appearance of a wing skeleton that unfolds upon activation. When used in flight, the framework generates wings of light that also leave a trail of Essence behind them. Used on their own, they would technically allow the user to fly at 5 times his ground speed. Due to the synergistic effects generated by the Peripatetic Greaves, however, the speed is in practice 10 times the user’s ground speed. The user can perform Dash actions while in the air as normal. This flight system is Artifact 4.
• Weapon encapsulment: The armor has two sockets for built-in weapons, one on each of its forearms. Installed weapons function just as built-in war strider weapons and can have an artifact rating of three or below. What these contain is yet to be decided.

Due to the application of certain charms, the armor can theoretically be fully attuned by both Solars and Sidereals, and provides both the Starmetal and the Orichalcum MM bonus in the instances where they are applicable (that is to say, not only Soak, but its sub-systems as well). However, the armor also contains a security system, that prevents attunement by any non-Solar, and by any Solar below Essence 4. This system requires the armor to absorb a drop of blood from the attuning individual, and this blood must be touched by Solar Essence. This blood need only be shed once to gain the armor’s approval. The armor requires a level 4 Power Source to function properly. Additionally, when the armor was finally constructed in the Second Age, its maker used various means to lower the Essence drawbacks of the armor’s individual components.

Appearance
The armor is relatively tight-fitted and not extremely bulky. The chest plates seem to be slightly lamellar, and the armor’s exterior takes on an insectoid appearance. In essence, the armor’s iconography looks like what you get when you combine the scariest parts of a mantis and an ant. It is mostly black, with inlays of Magical Materials and carries the insignia of the Dawn on its chest.

Stats
The armor’s stats include the effect of the metallurgic enhancement crystal, but do not include MM bonus.

Unfailing Warlord’s Advance: Soak (15/15) | Hardness 10 | Fatigue 1 | Mobility 0| Commitment 10

Comments

Inspiration for the armor’s appearance was taken from a variety of sources, such as Cooler from DBZ, the Pokemon Kabutops, and the armors worn by the Samurai. I Stole The format from Telgar due to its goodness - Azurelight

Ah, you mean the [Kamen Rider] look? - TonyC

I just realisesd I made a Major formatting bluder. Anyone care to help in putting this page in its right place?- Azurelight

A very interesting and unique artifact, I like. Some comments I have:

• I love the way you added Soulsteel and the creature's spirit, nice
• Its very cool how both Sidereals and Solars can attune to the artfiact. This feature, while minor in and of itself, is awesome cause it connects to the concept of unity amongst the different Exalted.
• I love the reasons you give for each material, it provides a greater sense of the reason for the artifact.
• Did they have titanium, or is that something you just decided to use. Its cool and all, I was just wondering.
• I really like the many features, it helps to show what a real N/A artifact is and has. - Heru

Titanium will feature as an exotic componet in my BookOfArtifice. And its properties will largly mirror those of RL-titanium. I have had sepcial love for the metal ever since I wrote an essay on it in school. In my book it beats gold and silver any day (not Platinum) but thats another story.

And the armor doenst exactly signal unity....you'll notice tha it is Siddie proof. It was, after all, a late Fa consturct.

Actually the closte thing I could find picture wise would be Garo the wolf-knight -Azurelight