Haku/Faint Moon
You know... I've notice a smidgin amount of anger at the mechanics of the Lunars (otherwise, why would people keep designing their versions of Lunars?).
And I've been giving some thought to this as well, mainly due to a comment about how lunars are practically 'terresterial' in a pose on the White Wolf forum.
So, why no go whole hog and admit that Lunars are screwed, and barring 2nd Edition FIXING them, there's no way you can honest say that without their DBT Lunars would be on a celestial scale; compared to Solars, Sidereals or even Alchemicals (remember 10 Tiger Stripes getting punked by Excessively Righteous Blossom?).
So, this page is for me to have some fun retrofitting the Lunars to true terresterial exalted level...
This is a work in progress... ^_^;
Contents
History
Skip all that stuff about The primordials creating Creation.
Right up to the first Exalted being created. Luna decided instead of creating potent but limited numbers of exalts like the Unconquered Sun and the Maidens, she would go with less powerful exalts, but more numerous and capable of breeding to replace any losses.
In that war, the Lunar Exalted fought along side the Dragonblooded as shock troops, elite soldiers and sub-commanders. Where the Dragonblooded used elemental forces, the lunars were pure animalistic fury; changing their very forms to devastate their enemies.
For every lunar that fell, there would be more to replace them in the fashion of the dragonblooded host. They weren't as numerous as the dragonblooded host who served as infantry, but their charms were superior to the dragonblooded.
In the first age, the Lunars served the Solar and Sidereal exalted alongside the dragonblooded, as major donos, lieutenants, commanders of the dragonblooded armies, as well as courtesans in the harems of the Celestial exalted.
Then came the ursuption and everything changed.
The lunars and dragonblooded found themselves the rulers of Creation, the Celestial exalted gone.
The terresterial exalted split creation between themselves, with the Blessed Isle belonging to the Dragonblooded Shogunate, and the Threshold as the domain of the various Lunar clans.
The Lunar clans and the Shogunate prospered in that age, growing strong as they worked together in harmony...
Then came the contagion and the fair folk invasion, the Lunars bore the brunt of the fey invasion. Their various surviving armies were decimated first, while the dragonblooded stood right beside them and were just as decimated.
Standing side by side with the Dragonblooded armies of the Shongunate, the Lunar warriors were certain that they were doomed in the face of the massed fey armies.
That was when the heavens opened with colorless flames that incinerated the fey, gale winds laden with iron nails shredding their otherworldly panapolies into nothingness.
+To be continued+
Anima Power and Shape-shifting
Rules for lunars and their shape-shifting as well as their general anima powers go here.
Aspects
The lunars on a whole have five aspects, which are pass down by bloodlines. However, due to the amount of crossbreeding between the various aspects over the ages, a lunar can end up any aspect, irregardless of his family's aspects.
Full Moon
Combat all the way.
Association:
Sobriquets:
Aspect attributes: Strength, Dexterity, Stamina
Anima powers: A full moon lunar may reflexively spend 5 motes and double his running and leaping distances for the scene. This bonus stacks with those derived from charms and other effects.
Waning Moon
Stealth ninjas
Association:
Sobriquets:
Aspect attributes: Dexterity, Manipulation, Charisma
Anima powers: A waning moon lunar may reflexively spend 5 motes to wrap an illusionary veil around herself. And for the rest of the scene, the lunar may appear as any person she has seen. This illusion is destroyed if the lunar's peripheral essence is used or if she enters protracted combat with someone. The illusion is visual only and does not work on fair folks.
Half Moon
Observers, Tacticians
Association:
Sobriquets:
Aspect attributes: Perception, Intelligence, Manipulation
Anima powers: Half Moon are the observers and tacticians of the Lunars. After spending 5 motes, the half moon can read the subtle flows, strength and flaws of their opponent's fighting tactics. For the rest of the scene after spending the full action of a turn studying her opponent, the lunar gains bonus die equal to her essence for any plans and actions (attacks / defense) against a single studied enemy. The Half Moon can only have this effect against a single target at a time. This power can be used on the large scale in planning military manuevers against opposing generals and tacticians.
No Moon
Sorcerers, shamans, artificers
Association:
Sobriquets:
Aspect attributes: Perception, Intelligence, Wits
Anima powers: No moon lunars are masters of their essence and combat spells, and may lower the essence cost of their spells by 5 motes for the scene by spending 5 motes. The no moon may not reduce the cost of any spell by more than half their essence cost.
Waxing Moon
Communicators, Couriers, Priests
Association:
Sobriquets:
Aspect attributes: Charisma, Manipulation, Wits
Anima powers: The diplomats, communicators and priests of the Lunar exalted, Waxing Moons can spend 5 motes and for the rest of the scene, their words are chosen carefully while their voices are modulated to pierce the hearts of their audience. The audience will utter believe the words of the lunar, even if the facts contradict his statements. This belief only last for the scene. This power only works on those with a lower essence trait than the lunar who can hear and understand his words.
If this power is used in prayer, the god receiving the prayer gains additional motes equal to the lunar's essence trait for the effusive prayers. This secondary effect of the anima only works once a month on any given god.
Totem Animal
When one of the Children of Luna exalts, they soon find their totem animal. A totem animal is a natural creature of Creation that their inner natures and personalities are closest to. In short, their spiritual representation.
The totem animal may take any form, however the animal that matches the nature of the lunar tend to be found near where they exalt. This usually means that Lunar families tend to have certain animals near their homes, in an effort to make sure that their children have impressive totem animals. This does not, however, mean that the children will get the impressive animal, should his nature be closer to other less impressive animals.
Players may be tempted to take massive or dangerous animals as their totem animal. They should, however, note that their characters' personalities and behaviour MUST match their totem animal in some way.
Also, the totem animal MUST be a natural creature of Creation, which means it must be able to breed normally in creation without the aid of wyld energies or essence (charms or spells). Nor may lunars have outright magical creatures as their totems, such as furnace rhinos.
To be able to assume the form of the totem animal requires that the lunar consume the heart or drink the heart's blood of one of the totem animal's species.
Tell
An exalt of lunar straddles a thin line between his humanity and the inner beast that lies in his nature. The flows of essence within his form means that his body will grow and evolve with time.
This evolution takes the form of physical changes called tells. A tell affects his normal human form as this is the way his essence informs him that he is more then human.
A lunar's default 'human' appearance will have some slight modifications to show his animalistic nature. This can take the form of animal ears or eyes, moonsilver horns or trusks, animal tails, talon-like fingernails, tattoo-like patterns on their skin or hair. The player is encouraged to develop his own personalized tell for his character. The tell should be based on the lunar's totem animal.
The tell is something developed during the initial surge of essence that comes from the Lunar's exaltation or slowly manifests in the days after the exaltation. The tell only affects the Lunar's default human form and does not affect any other human forms he may slip into with the use of charms.
However, the degree and level the lunar has a tell at is tied to his war form, it's a well known fact that the greater the war form, the greater the lunar's tell. Certain ancient lunars who have incredible power in his war form tend to have their default 'human' form looking almost identical to his war form due to the amount of essence flowing in his body as well as how much he has shifted his body.
Character Creation
Attribute
Attributes - note the aspect attributes.
As with all characters, Lunars start with one (1) dot in each attribute. Because they are exalts, Lunars are more potent then normal mortals. A Lunar has nine (9) dots to place in her primary attribute, seven (7) dots to place in her secondary attribute and five (5) in her tertitary attributes. There is no limit to how many dots may be spend on a single attribute, save that it may not go over five (5) dots in a single attribute without the use of a 'legendary attribute merit'.
Dynastic Lunars, who exalt in the realm, and are trained there, sacrifice mastering their bodies to learn the rote teachings of the realm educational system instead of living in the wilds and learning to trust their instincts in mastering their bodies. As such, a dynastic realm lunar has seven (7) dots to place in her primary attribute, six (6) dots to place in her secondary attribute and four (4) in her tertitary attributes. There is no limit to how many dots may be spend on a single attribute, save that it may not go over five (5) dots in a single attribute without the use of a 'legendary attribute merit'.
Abilities
Abilities start at 0 dots. Lunars have 4 favored abilities that they chose. These are the abilities that a lunar has a natural affirmity and have an easier time mastering.
A lunar has ten (10) points to spend in his favored abilities and fifteen (15) points to spend as he wishes in his favored or unfavored abilities, the only requirement is that each favored ability has to have at least one (1) dot in them and that no ability may go over three (3) dots without the use of bonus points.
If raised in the Realm as a dynast or a patrician, the lunar character has ten (10) points to spend in his favored abilities and twenty-five (25) points to spend as he wishes in his favored or unfavored abilities. It should be noted that to reflect their intense educations, all dynasts must have an absolute minimum of Archery (1), Brawl or Martial Arts (1), Melee (1), Performance (1), Presence (1), Ride (1), Lore (2), and socialize (2). This is to reflect their basic training in the affairs of war and the social skills that is the underpinning of the Realm's noble culture. Most dynast nobles will have these abilities at two (2) points or more, and those who don't meet the minimums are considered to be... deficient in the critical life skills.
Advantages
Lunars have nine (9) points to spend on their backgrounds, none of which may go over three (3) dots without the use of bonus points. This is to reflect the support a given lunar in the threshold has from his family, mentor, or employers.
Dynastic lunars have twelve (12) points to spend on their backgrounds, none of which may go over three (3) dots without the use of bonus points.
Lunars start with eight (8) charms, four (4) of which have to be aspect charms. Lunars have no problems learning terresterial circle spells or terresterial martial arts. They may also exchange their charms on a one for one basis with spells as long as they meet the requirements for sorcerery and possess the sorcerery charm.
Optional - A lunar can learn sorcerery of the Sapphire circle (also known as Celestial Circle) if he truly struggles, which requires the mastering celestial circle sorcerery charm with all its requirements. The lunar may exchange his charms on a one for one basis with spells. It should be noted that if you allow a Lunar to have celestial circle, that it is generally advisable to allow Dragonblooded access to celestial sorcerery as well.
With great difficulty, a lunar MAY learn celestial martial arts. To do so, the lunar exalted must great effort to master those charms. As such, the Lunar must master two (2) initialization charms, as listed in the dragonblooded book, the player's guide or as listed in the knowledge charms section below. After that, the Lunar can learn four (4) charms from the celestial arts style he is attempting to master or his own native charms. The lunar can only study a single celestial martial arts style at a time and MUST master that style before starting on a new celestial martial arts style.
Lunars, like all characters, are driven by their emotions and passions. A lunar has five (5) dots to spread amoung the four virtues; compassion, conviction, temperment, and valor.
Like all exalted, a lunar suffers the effects of the great curse. Note his highest virtue as this is the one that influences his curse. If he has multiple virtues of the same value, the player is free to select the virtue that the curse is influenced by. If the character's highest virtue changes, the curse will shift to the new highest virtue.
Finishing Touches
A lunar's willpower is calculated by adding his two highest virtues together. A lunar begins with an essence trait of two (2). These two traits may be increased with bonus points at any time, but the willpower may not exceed a rating of 8 without the lunar's highest or two highest virtues at a value of 4 or higher.
Like all exalted, a lunar has personal and peripheral essence pools. Effects powered by personal essence are subtle, while peripheral essence powered effects generate awe-inspiring anima effects.
A lunar's personal essence pool is calculated by adding their essence trait to twice their willpower as well as any gained from breeding (Essence + (Willpower x 2)).
The peripheral essence pool is calculated by multiplying the essence trait by four, multipling your willpower by two, and adding your two highest virtues together. Add this three together as well as any motes gained from your breeding. ((Essence x 2) + (Willpower x 2) + (Sum of 2 highest virtues) + breeding).
A lunar character possesses the normal seven health levels (-0, -1, -1, -2, -2, -4, Incapacitated) as well as any health levels gained from charms.
A lunar has fifteen (15) bonus points that he may spend at any point during character creation
Bonus Point Cost Chart Attribute 4 (3 if in an aspect attribute) Ability 2 (1 if in a favored ability) Background 1 (2 if raised above 3) Specialty 1 (2 per 1 if in a favored ability) Virtue 3 Willpower 2 Essence 10 Charm/Spells 7 (5 if in aspect attribute or favored ability) Celestial Martial Arts 10 (7 if Martial Arts is favored ability) Celestial Sorcery Spells 10 (7 if Intelligence is aspect attribute) Merits/Flaws Listed Cost
Backgrounds
New and modified backgrounds go here...
Families and Life Spans
Lunars have a lifespan equal to their dragonblooded cousins. After their two hundred and fiftith year, lunars must make a stamina + endurance roll every ten years at an increasing difficulty. From the age of 250 - 259, the difficulty is 1. From 260 - 269, the difficulty is 2. From 270 - 279, the difficulty is 3. From 280 - 289, the difficulty is 4. After 290 and higher, the difficulty is 5 and remains so. If the lunar fails the stamina + endurance roll, some time in the next decade, he dies of old age.
The stamina + endurance roll may be modified by charms, spells, and various wonders. This can result in a lunar living far beyond 300 years.
Lunars tend to have children who are normal humans until their puberty, at which time, they'll likely exalt.
To determine weather a given child will exalt as a lunar, roll a single ten sided dice.
If both parents are humans, then the child will exalt on a roll of 1-2. There, however, HAS to be a lunar in the ancestry, such as grandparents or further back.
If one parent is lunar and other is human, then the child will exalt on a roll of 1-4.
If both parents are lunars, then the child will exalt on a roll of 1-6.
The results are modified by the breeding of the parents. Add the total breeding as a modifier to the result necessary to determine if the child will exalt. On a roll with a result of 10, the child will NEVER exalt as a lunar, even with extremely bred parents.
The child's breeding trait is half the total of the parent's breeding trait.
Lunars grow up as normal children, and generally exalt at the age of 9 to 14, but exaltations at the age of 17 is not unheard of, just as the rare prodigy has been known to blossom 'prematurally' at the age of 7. Roll a single ten sided dice and add 6 to determine at what age they come into their power.
The physical aging of a lunar slows down after her exaltation in adolescence before apparantly stopping at the end of adolescence, the aging resumes as they near the end of their long life span (once they make their first stamina + endurance roll to extend their life-span). This does not mean their appearance won't change with the raising of their essence or charms.
Great Curse
Lunars have a great curse laid upon them by their ancient primordial enemies that makes 'em behave REALLY like animals.
Charms
A lunar has a die adder cap equal to the attributes of whatever form he happens to be in at the moment. Should he be in his war form, his cap is equal to his default human attributes.
Lunar success conversion charms can convert a number of die, equal to the attributes of the form he is in, to successes. This includes his war form as the First Age lunars chose to focus on succeeding in his tasks as opposed to trying better.
Basic charms
Shapechanging Charms
Combat Charms (Armed)
Combat Charms (Unarmed)
Combat Charms (Ranged)
Defensive Charms (dodges)
Defensive Charms (parries)
Defensive Charms (soak)
Perception Charms
Survival Charms
Stealth Charms
Interaction Charms
Knowledge Charms
War Form
Lunars have a war form that they can transform into. War form levels are purchased as backgrounds at character generation and may NOT be purchased more times than the Lunar's essence trait.
While in-game, the war form levels may be increased at a cost of 15 experience points per level. It also takes alot of meditation and practice as the lunar deliberately warps his body to better optimize it for combat. The war form levels may not be increased above the lunar's essence trait.
Experience & Growth
Other than the modified listed costs here, the cost are as per the exalted core book. Attribute Current rating x 4 Aspect Attribute (Current rating x 4) - 1 Essence Current rating x 9 New Charm 12 (10 if in aspect attribute or favored ability) New Warform Level 15 New Terresterial Spell 12 (10 if in aspect attribute) New Celestial MA Charm 15 (12 if Martial Arts is favored ability) New Celestial Spell 15 (12 if Intelligence is aspect attribute) Other than the modified listed training times here, the training times are as per the exalted core book. Aspect Attributes No training time New Warform Level New Level x Weeks
Peanut Gallery
Please leave all comments and such here. Old comments and questions can be found here.
An interesting re-interpretation of my favourite Exalts. Perhaps It makes sense to adapt the Breeding background and Legendary Breeding merit for Lunar use? Also, maybe change Waning and Waxing moons to Crecent and Gibbous? It doesn't sound as cool, I'll admit, but Half Moons are also Waxing or Waning, whereas Crecent and Gibbous actually refer to the full-ness of Luna. Either way, I look forward to seeing more stuff. -AmbroseCollector
- Thanks for the comments... and yeah, the breeding and legendary breeding merit would be applicable and will be modified to fit. Hmmm, Crescent and Gibbous... I'll think about the name change. In any event, I'll continue onwards! ~ haku
Have you seen the BerserkSeraph/AbilityLunars entry? I imagine that some crossover between this project and his might just create sometihng beautiful. Or a monster. Both suit ^_^ - trithne
Yes... that is a very interesting set-up. And definately might result in something odd if crossed over with this... I'll need to think on this. As my Faint Moon would still rely on attribute based charms, and switching over to an ability based system might result in me stepping too much on the DB's feet. ~ haku
Alright, this one is for breeding. If a Lunar and a Dragonblood mate, do we make two rolls to determine if the child exalts? I assume the parent with the higher breeding takes presidence, but if that roll to exalt fails, do we roll for the other parent? Also, how is it determined if both parents have the same breeding? ~ kakitashinsumi (I haven't bothered making a page for myself yet)
- Well, Kakitashinsumi, that is a good question. But yes, both lunar and dragonblooded would require the kid make two seperate rolls, the one with the lowest result is what the kid exalts as. Yes, this does mean that a lunar + DB pairing does result in a higher chance of exaltation of some kind, at a cost of better breeding. I feel that the kid's breeding background is the average of their parent type's breeding (lunar breeding 3 + lunar breeding 5 = kid lunar breeding 4 / lunar breeding 2 + DB breeding 5 = kid lunar breeding 1 / lunar breeding 1 + DB breeding 4 = DB breeding 2), and if your parents don't sync up, then the wrong type is assumed to be 0 for the calculation. ~ haku
I like idea alot and it's obvious that you put alot of time into this. My 2 cents: The devision of attributes should be more like alchemicals, where, if you had a 6th caste/attribute/whatever, you'd have every attribute used twice. I also noticed that appearance was not mixed into the frey. Is there a reason for this? Also, like alchemical, make legends of a 6th attribute. Something like this caste, despite breeding can appear anywhere at any time but is the most infrequent. They are the personal chosen of Luna whatever purpose luna desires. dmccoy1693
- Thanks! Hmmm, the division of the attributes is similiar to the alchemicals, As for the appearance attribute... oh kay... that one slipped by me... I'll need to think it over and reallocate the attributes and such, thanks for the catch. ^_^;
As for the 6th aspect... now THAT is a secret, it's something I've thought on, but I'll need to think more on it. ~ haku
- Perhaps the Waning Moon should have Appearance instead of Manipulation. At least their anima reflects appearance as an important attribute for them, and Manipulation is already favored for two other castes. ~ kakitashinsumi
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