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Solar Exalted in Yu Shan

Before the Usurpation, Yu Shan was a considerably different place than it was today. In those times, the Unconquered Sun and Luna made their will actively evident through their essential agents – the Solar and Lunar Exalted. In certain ways less powerful than the Celestial Gods, and in certain ways more, the Solar and Lunar Exalted enforced through various means harmony and cooperation between the various aspects of the Celestial Bureaucracy. While the Solars and Lunars were the undisputed rulers of Creation, they were even more important in making sure that Heaven functioned smoothly. Much of the corruption and decadence of Yu Shan these days can be traced directly to the lack of enforcement by the Celestial Exalted of Heavenly Law.

Celestial Exalted in Yu Shan – general notes

Before the Usurpation, the three types of Celestial Exalted formed a powerful troika in Heaven that kept the gods in line. In general, the Solar Exalted who served in Yu Shan (as opposed to serving in Creation) were attached to the Bureau of Heaven. Solars of all castes served in a wide variety of tasks, each best suited towards that Exalted’s respective caste. Below are some examples of the tasks at which Solars served in the First Age –

Dawn Caste – The Dawn were exclusively commanders in the armies of the Unconquered Sun, a role they directly had during the war with the Primordials. While Dawn Caste could serve in other areas as well, all Dawn Caste solars are presumed to have the rank of an equivalent Essence god in the armies of the Bureau of Heaven. Thunder Birds, Celestial Lions and the like all give Dawn Exalts of equal or higher Essence deference and respect, and Dawn Exalted are empowered to take command of Heavenly troops in emergency situations (say, a major incursion by Malfeas or the Wyld.) Otherwise, they are treated as ranking visiting officers. This does not mean that a Solar would automatically be given access to the armories of Heaven, unless he or she was part of a unit or retinue that had authority to issue such gear. Dawns in Yu Shan usually find themselves assigned to important military assignments, with always some sort of ranking god or Exalt above them (usually, fellow Solars in the First Age.) Most Dawns preferred to stay in Creation, where they had the most freedom of action and no real superiors except for other Exalted. However, various heavenly factions both then and now pay Dawn Caste Solars handsomely in favors and influence if they join their various factions in Heaven. Most Dawn Caste had no time for such intrigue and would only be found in Heaven during the 1st Age for very specific reasons.

Zenith Caste – Strangely, the Zenith Caste is the one to be found the least in Yu Shan in the 1st age. Most Zenith are charged with carrying the Unconquered Sun’s law and word to the peoples and gods of Creation. However, while they rarely visited Yu Shan, the Zenith caste Exalted were universally feared by the gods residing there. Most Zeniths saw their duty as serving the Unconquered Sun’s will in Creation, caring for the mortals and spirits there. Thus, most Zeniths had no time for Heaven and its interminable games.

In the 1st Age, the Zenith Caste had a close connection with the Unconquered Sun, often receiving visions and directives. As such, they were the voice of the Unconquered Sun. In Yu Shan, Zenith Caste priests most often sat in judgement of deities during various trials under heavenly law. Since the Unconquered Sun often heard and heeded the entreaties of his priests, the Zenith represented a direct link to the authority of the Unconquered Sun. Up until the Solars turned their backs on their patron deity, the Zenith Caste were the pillar upon which heavenly stability rested. Due to their connection to and faith in the Unconquered Sun, they were immune to most heavenly bribery and political influence. In conjunction with the Eclipse and Twilight Castes, they were able to cut through the layers of deception and intrigue, and enforce the spirit of the Law of Heaven, as well as its letter. Further, the combat power of the Solars backed the power of the Censors of the Bureau of Heaven, many of whom were Solars themselves.

Another important aspect of Zenith influence in Heaven was what Zeniths did in Creation. The Zenith caste had a series of Presence and Performance Charms that directed the faith and worship of humans in Creation. The Zenith Caste alternately rewarded and punished recalcitrant gods who defied the will of the Unconquered Sun and the Solar Deliberative. With a vote in the Deliberative and a campaign of manipulation of the faithful, Zenith Solars could transform mighty gods in Yu Shan into celestial paupers and weaklings. This is one of the reasons why many of the gods stood idly by when the Usurpation occurred.

Eclipse Caste – Eclipse Caste Solars mostly filled the role of ambassador and diplomat between the Solar Deliberative and the Celestial Bureacracy when they served in Yu-Shan. The Eclipse caste Anima power enabled the Solar Exalted to forge lasting deals that could not be backed out on, as the wrath of the Incarnae would fall onto the head of any welching gods. The Eclipse were the caste that most often moved between Yu Shan and Creation, carrying missives back and forth and negotiating deals and treaties. Eclipse Exalted were also generalists, often acting as censors, inspectors and ad-hoc administrators.

The Eclipse caste was also favored by many gods to assist in administration in the various divisions of the Bureau of Heaven. However, due to their heavy responsibilities in also helping to govern Creation and the Realm, Eclipse administrators were worth literally their weight in gold.

Twilight Caste – Where the Eclipse Caste was the friendly smiling face of the Solar Deliberative, the dour face of Solar authority was the Twilight Caste. Tasked with many dark matters, the Twilight caste was as responsible for the safety of Creation as any other Exalted.

In addition to their considerable responsibilities in Creation, the Twilight caste Exalted was the penultimate set of investigators and censors in Heaven. The Twilight Caste were experts at rooting out heavenly corruption, back door deals and other problems that would threaten Heaven and Creation. Needless to say, only experienced Solars operated as Censors for the Bureau of Heaven, and they usually had a carte blanch cache from their division and bureau that immunized them from political pressure.

Another responsibility of the Twilight Caste was overseeing all shapings of Essence within Creation, and this specifically included the weavings of fate of the Maidens. The Twilight caste directly worked with the Sidereals in the Bureau of Destiny. This included the authority to directly inspect any weaving of Fate that the Sidereals conducted, and the ability to sit in and observe any planning meeting within the Bureau. The most ancient Twilight Solars even had the authority to inspect the Loom of Fate, using their unbelievably puissant Craft charms to inspect the handiwork of the Sidereals. During certain critical operations, privileged and trusted Twilights even took their place at the Loom, lending awesome Solar skill in weaving Fate. Some of this Solar ability to manipulate reality is reflected in the charms that the Solars use to extend Creation into the Wyld. Most often, however, the Twilights would check for errors and work to assist the 5 score fellowship. Further, most Twilights were tactful enough to not step too hard on the Sidereals mandate. When abuses were found in regards to Fate manipulation, Twilight censors would quietly pass along such information to their colleagues in the Bureau of Destiny in the Forbidden Manse of Ivy. Usually, the Sidereals would effectively internally rectify such problems.

Finally, in conjunction with the Bureau of Destiny, the Twilight caste oversaw all large-scale expenditures of Essence that took place within Heaven and Creation. Any unauthorized Sorcery of Celestial Circle or Higher that took place within Creation usually earned the reckless Sorcerer a visit from a Twilight caste Censor with a Lunar Exalted No Moon partner and a cadre of Dragon Blooded who provided support to the pair. Sidereal Exalted usually stayed in Yu Shan, unless reality and fate needed to be reweaved in Creation and was beyond the power of Solar Circle Sorcery to correct. The Twilights had a suite of spells that sealed gates, banished demons and undid large magical effects without the side effects of the gross applications of Countermagic.

As the Twilight caste went mad, these functions deteriorated and were eventually cast aside, eventually leaving the policing of Creation to the Sidereals. Much of the ruined state of Creation is due to the lack of resources to properly police it.

Night Caste – As the Twilight Caste were the enforcers everyone saw, the Night Caste were the enforcers that no one saw. The Night Caste was the silent blade for the Solar Deliberative, working to maintain it’s authority in Creation. As such, the Night Caste did not have much interaction in Yu Shan, except in a few notable areas.

Firstly, the Iron Wolves worked closely with the Division of Endings in the Bureau of Destiny. If it was needed for a certain being’s life to end, Chosen of Endings worked closely with the Iron Wolves. When a life was ended, it was usually seen as some other cause or accident. If a God’s function was essential, then a Night Caste would assume the form of that god until a suitable replacement could be found.

Secondly, Night Caste demon hunters worked extensively with like minded individuals to see to it that Infernal infiltration of Yu Shan was kept to a minimum. These hunters crossed between Heaven and Creation freely, often working alone but just as often working with Twilight caste censors and other Exalted. Often, they infiltrated cults and wreaked silent havoc on the social networks which supported these cults.

Finally, one of the most dangerous missions of the Night Caste was not in Heaven, but in Hell. Only the most experienced Night caste Exalted, along with the greatest of the Lunar and Sidereal Exalted, would infiltrate Malfeas and divine the plans of the Yozis. Only the best Night Caste were ever allowed missions of this danger and magnitude.

Solars in Yu Shan today

When the first Solar does finally set foot into Yu Shan, their foot steps will literally shake the foundations of that divine city.

In Yu Shan, Sidereal Exalted will not be able to directly harm any visiting Solars. However, when the first Solars do appear in Yu Shan, the Bronze faction will know more or less instantly. The Bronze faction will bring every bit of political weight it can bear to negate or diminish the power of the Solar Exalted. However, the old political authority of the Chosen of the Unconquered Sun will be unsquelchable. the old networks of Solar political power will start to come together again, as the deities who remember the old grandeur of Yu Shan will approach any new Solars to teach them heavenly etiquette and the ways of power. This will be the case especially for Zenith and Eclipse caste Solars.

The most powerful allies of the Solars in Yu Shan will be the Heavenly Censors, who will most likely deal with Solars in a forthright and honest manner. The Censors within the Bureau of Heaven will wish to use any Solars allied with them to assist in the enforcing of Heavenly law, and will wish for Solars to take up their mandate of rule of Creation again. The army gods within the Bureau of Heaven will wish for any Solar Dawn caste to assist them in preparing for the inevitable clashes between the armies of Malfeas, the Deathlords and the Wyld which they see as coming in the near future. The Censors will wish for Solars to act as their agents in Creation, breaking the rebellious gods in Creation back into line, as well as pushing back against the Wyld and reclaiming and expanding Creation. While they will deal fairly with Solars, the Censors will have an overwhelming amount of dangerous work for them. A Solar who directly works for a deity in the Bureau of Heaven will be more or less safe from the machinations or attacks of the Sidereals, and will have access to immense storehouses of First Age lore. They will receive the finest training available, and will be regarded as Princes within Yu Shan. However, in exchange, they will be on the frontlines for all Creation – be it as assassin, ambassador, soldier, investigator, judge or all of the above. They will have no time to deal with personal affairs or to build their own kingdoms in Creation, and will be most likely spending most of their time on desperate missions of one sort or another.

Support for Solars will be fairly evenly divided within Yu Shan. For every small god who wishes to return to the safety and stability of the 1st Age, there will be another god who is quite pleased with the current state of affairs. These deities do not want a mere mortal who has been given the power of a god pointing a golden Daiklaive in their face and spouting Heaven’s rules.

Running a Heavenly campaign

It may come to pass in your Chronicle that your Solar PC circle may find a reliable way to enter and exit Yu Shan. Perhaps they gain access to the Celestial Circle spell, Summon the Heavenly Portal, or befriend a god who arranges for them to be transported to Heaven when they wish. The Solars may want to take up residence in the Heavenly City, where they can know some safety from the Wyld Hunt and have a place of refuge from Malfeas and the Deathlords. If this is the case, then the campaign can take a few forms.

Apprentices to Divinity

In this scenario, the Exalts join the household of a greater divinity, such as Wayang, the minister of Silence in the Division of Endings, or one of the divisions of Heavenly Censors. In this case, a circle of Exalts has as it’s patron a powerful deity – below an Incarnae, but definitely above the ruck and run of the various divinities in Heaven.

Such a deity would regard the resources spent on maintaining, assisting and training a circle of Solar Exalts as an investment in the future. Such a deity would see the Solar’s existence as proof that the Unconquered Sun has not sunk entirely into the Games of Divinity and is taking an active role on Creation’s behalf. Further, in 2 to 3 centuries, these Solars will take up their mantle as rulers of Creation. Odds are that they will look kindly upon the deity who helped to shelter and instruct them during the dangerous Time of Tumult, and can win such a deity an immense amount of power and prestige. Further, various divinities may shelter Solars due to loyalty felt to the Unconquered Sun and the principles of the 1st age. The fact that a deity who protects a circle of young Solars can have a large hand in shaping the type of Exalts they become in the coming centuries is obvious.

Normally, entering the household of a deity usually entails a Eclipse caste oath, or a similar promise witnessed by heavenly bureaucrats that has the same force as an Eclipse oath. Usually, the arrangement is rather fuedal, with the divine minister promising to support and protect the Exalts, see to it that they receive training that he or she can provide, and otherwise support the Exalts in exchange for a clearly defined period of service. Traditionally, Solar Exalts would serve a heavenly deity for a period of a century, although that period could be divided as one season of service a year, or 5 days out of every week. The Celestial Minister nearly always bargains in good faith, since no Exalt stays as a sworn vassal forever.

The Gold Faction will attempt to make hay while they can, and will work to ingratiate themselves with any Solars in Yu-Shan, bringing them as much under their control as they can. However, they know it will be only a matter of time before the Solars will get their feet and start to assume their old leadership positions in Yu Shan, as well as attain the power that their higher-tier charms will allow. The negotiated agreement can be as simple or as complex as the Solars wish, but any attempt to take advantage of the deity will simply result in the deity refusing to take the characters into service. With the agreement sealed by Heaven, the wrath of the Incarnae will fall down on whichever side attempts to break their end of the bargain.

A typical arrangement is for Solars to get a package of 5 new Background points, which includes Salary 2 and 3 points of additional backgrounds, which usually include Connections (Heaven only), Allies (Gods in Yu Shan), Artifact, Celestial Manse and so on. This can even be the Sifu background, where favors are used by the Patron to arrange for supernatural martial arts instruction for the Exalt. Even the secret Sidereal Martial Arts can be learned in this way, although the patron will indeed drive a hard bargain with the Exalt he takes into service. Likewise, Sorcery instruction can be arranged for. Treat the Patron as an appropriate level of Mentor, depending on who the Exalts have taken as a patron. If the Solars do not receive a Celestial Manse and the attendant villa, they will receive appropriate quarters in their Patron’s own holdings.

In any arrangement, it is always implicitly understood that the first responsibility of Solar Exalted is to serve the Unconquered Sun and to defend Creation. Any divinity who attempts to hinder their Exalted in their duties may be called to the Jade Pleasure Dome to have a word with the Sun, personally. The Patron will never be able to penalize an Exalt who acts on a direct vision from the Unconquered Sun. All oaths are null and void if the Patron is found acting in a way that is not in Heaven’s best interest, be it in regards to his her Exalts or Creation in general. This provides Solars an out if they fall under the control of a deity who is heavily influenced by the Bronze faction, who would seek to curtail or slay them, or any other abusive patron. Likewise, Solars whom bring shame to a Patron’s name can have their agreement nullified at any time. The Solars are fully accountable to heavenly justice, and are considered to be junior officers in the same division as their patron. This may give them additional privileges and responsibilities.

Normally, the Solars will be at the beck and call of their new divine patron, in a manner similar to the arrangements between Deathlords and Deathknights. However, this arrangement is technically a fosterage, and is often referred to as such. The Patron must always treat his Exalts with proper respect, and the Exalts must always remember that they are guests in their patron’s household, and that their behavior reflects upon the Unconquered Sun. Unlike in Creation, in Yu Shan, they are accountable, as everyone else is.

Going it alone

Alternately, a band of Solars may wish to set up shop in one of the ruined sections of Yu Shan. In this case, they may choose to stake out one of the abandoned palaces or mansions. In this case, by force of arms they may be able to seize for themselves a small Celestial Manse. Likewise, the Quintessence that appears in the nearby jade tubs will be theirs for the taking, if they can deal with the small bandit gods who terrorize such desolate heavenly neighborhoods. A band of Solars who bring order to a small corner of Yu Shan and bring it back into the realms of respectability will have an array of small gods begging to be employed by them. While they will not have the array of resources that the greater deities have, they will have far more freedom, as Solar Exalted in Yu Shan are free agents, and are only beholden to the general laws of heaven and the Unconquered Sun himself. If any of the Exalts has a Cult Background, they may find that while in Yu Shan, instead of regaining Willpower and Essence, Ambrosia manifests in their midst.

Of course, the Solars will be expected to obey the general laws of Heaven. But as the Chosen of the Unconquered Sun, none may deign to directly order them. Solars who are not employed by any of the Bureaus can not be audited, although they can be investigated for crimes against Heaven. Without the protection of a powerful patron, Solars in Yu Shan must always walk very carefully, using their own influence to fending off Heavenly attempts to manipulate the circle, while using their unique position in Yu Shan to enable their agendas in Creation. Of course, such a Circle of Solars will be ceaselessly shadowed and hounded by the Bronze faction, who will regard Solars in Yu Shan as a Solar invasion of their territory