FrivYeti/Insights

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The Elders' Insights

When the gods sought to overthrow the Primordials, they created an army of Exalts and gave to them the power to manipulate Essence, to create their own Charms and powers as they required. As the power of the Exalted grew, so too did the power of their magics, and they strode out against the Primordials and vanquished them.

In the aftermath of the war, however, Exalts continued to grow in power, reaching, and then outstripping, the inherent limits of their Exaltations. Eventually, they reached a point from which their Essences were not meant to continue; there had been no vast plan beyond succeeding at the war, and their powers had limits. Instead of growing in strength, therefore, elder Exalts sought to refine their puissance. The net results were the Elders' Insights.

Elders' Insights replace the existance of all Charms above Essence 6. Upon reaching Essence 7, instead of learning Charms, Exalts may learn this Insights. Insights have a different cost for each Exalt type, and there are few of them for each Ability or Attribute. Exalts may not learn Charms of Essence 7 or higher, or Insights that are not on the following list; these represent the ways in which Essence naturally refines and is controlled.

Note that the rules for Insights work on a Combo houserule, as follows: no Combo may contain more than (Permanent Essence x2) Charms. Charms may be added to Combos after they are created, but may not be removed from them. If this house rule is not used, certain Combo-related Insights may have to be altered for balance.

Solar Insights: The Five Supreme Rights
Lunar Insights: The Four Almighty Adaptations
Sidereal Insights: The Four Divine Alterations
Terrestrial Insights: The Three Trascendant Understandings

Alchemical Insights: The Four Anointed Transformations

Fair Folk Insights: The Three Wyld Understandings

Gods, elementals and demons do not have insights. Instead, they simply have Charms and powers that are appropriate to their natures.

Note: Insights are not meant to be equivalent in power to the theoretical power that current Exalts can manage at Essence 7+. Instead, they are a way to have higher-Essence characters be distinct from their low-Essence counterparts without being forced to extend Charm trees to their logical conclusions and create situations that cause characters to be essentially unkillable.

Note 2: Sidereal Martial Art styles that progress to Essence 5 or 6 remain in existance; however, those that pass Essence 6 do not. Storytellers may revise existing Styles to make them Essence 4-6, as desired.

Comments

Just wanted to note that while I provided suggestions on the other pages, I really like this project, and think it really does help to address what it should - how to keep high-Essence Exalts from simply blowing away villages. For those that think blowing away villages is a good thing, note that Exalts are heroes, first and foremost. Action heroes, quite often. Things don't get interesting when your master archer obliterates cities with a single shot, they get boring. It's far better to have a master archer that's just that wee bit more refined, more skilled, and more well-rounded than the young upstart - then things get interesting. Anyway, just wanted to give you thanks for your work. -- GreenLantern, who hasn't used post-name comments in a while

I'll note that very powerful effects are still possible at Essence 6 (Including Scenelong perfects with a bunch of limitations). Which; IMO, is perfectly fine. CMoS Barly extends to Essence 7 (lower its range to something definable, and I could easely justify lowering its essence to 6). Also; sacret patternd battle field, only goes to 6. So tos wont at allll be inpossible to blow up vilages, just a bit more manageble.- Azurelight