IceAndWave/WyrmBlooded

The Wyrm-Blooded

The latest threat to emerge from the Underworld, these death-tainted DragonBlooded have the potential to upend the long balance between the lands of the living and the Dead.

The method of their creation was shown inIceAndWave/ADarknessUnderground, their birth was the cause ofIceAndWave/FiveDaysInHell and their first appearance to any of the characters was inIceAndWave/GrowthChangeAndPain. There will be others.

What This Isn't

This document is not an attempt to create the Wyrm-Blooded as a viable character type, instead it merely exists to provide an outline of themes and effects to draw upon in the game.

What They Are

The initial crop of Wyrm-Blooded were created from so-called "lost eggs" shipped out to certain of the overlords of the Dead as part of a deal forged in the greatest secrecy. Most of them died, since one crucial thing that the process requires for success cannot (at least thus far) be forced - the consent of the Exalted to be transformed.

The "lucky" few that survived the process were changed almost beyond recognition. Their Aspects were warped, becoming one of the Underworld elements and, in the process, they lost all Charms that they previously knew (with the exception of any TerrestrialMartialArts styles known), and instead they found different, other Charms at their disposal.

The Wyrm-Blooded are the greatest heralds of the Dead into the lands of the living, for unlike their ghostly members they can exist (more or less) normally in the sunlit lands and unlike the death-cults that infest the dark corners of Creation they have a deep connection to the Underworld that grants them dark and previously-unseen powers.

The Aspects

There are five aspects of the Wyrm-Blooded, corresponding to the five Underworld elements of Ash, Blood, Bone, Jade and Prayer (canonically Ash should be "Ghostflame", but I feel Ash works better). Their Aspect abilities and anima powers remain unchanged from the DragonBlooded that they descend from, as below:

Ash = Fire

Blood = Water

Bone = Wood

Jade = Earth

Prayer = Air

Aspect Markings

Tainted and twisted DragonBlooded, the Wyrm-Bloods are physically marked by their perverted Exaltation in a similar way to their unchanged cousins, but their aspect markings are far more visible. While a low Breeding DragonBlood can often pass for a normal human, a Wyrm-Blood who does not specifically wish to do so cannot. The changes wrought on their bodies and souls are simply too extensive.

Aspects of Ash are almost universally dark-skinned, with eyes like smouldering coals and hair that is most often pale grey or reddish-brown. As they spend peripheral Essence their anima begins to deposit ash onto the ground around them, and they fill the air with the smell of burning wood and flesh, until eventually a swirling cloud of glowing embers forms around them.

Aspects of Blood often appear flushed, and their eyes are red rather than white (although they retain both iris and pupil). As they spend peripheral Essence blood will begin to leak slowly from under fingernails and out of tear ducts, then completely covering the skin in a layer of crimson. At totemic levels a Blood-aspect resembles a nightmare of gore, surrounded by a whirlwind of spattering blood.

Aspects of Bone are usually tall and thin, gaunt even, with their bones usually visible through their skin and with deep-set, almost hollow, eyes. Spending peripheral Essence makes their skin seem to thin or even tear, revealing the naked skeleton beneath, and then splinters of bone and tooth will begin to force themselves out of the ground, forming a jagged cloud around the Exalt.

Aspects of Jade often have green-tinted skin, but with marks and whorls that provoke impressions of cold hard stone, while their eyes are blank spheres of marble set into carved faces. The expenditure of peripheral Essence causes their skin to appear to crack and splinter, ephemeral jade dust spilling out, until a tempest of razor-sharp jade shards surrounds the Wyrm-Blooded.

Aspects of Prayer are almost ethereally pale, colourless hair and skin contrasting with brightly shaded eyes. An air of the profane surrounds them, and a Prayer-aspect that spends peripheral Essence darkens the surrounding air, while an unholy chorus chants on the edge of hearing, the effect gathering strength until the Exalted is the centre of a storm of prayer-strips dedicated to the dead gods of the Underworld.

The Powers

As tainted DragonBlooded the Wyrm-Blooded retain a number of the powers and abilities of their Creation-born cousins. They can utilise Reflexive Charms freely, without requiring that they use a Combo. Their Charms are aspected and so they have to pay the elemental surcharge. The limit for their dice-adder Charms is Ability + applicable Specialties. Essence pools are similarly calculated identically, although Wyrm-Blooded lose any dots of Breeding that they may have had.

The Charms

As noted above, this is not an attempt to create fully-fledged Charm trees. The abbreviated format below does not include any prerequisites (beyond Essence minimums), and largely devoid of non-mechanical text. It also assumes that basic Charms, such as dice-adders and re-rollers are already extant. Instead it exists to provide a palette of effects to work from within the structure of the game.

Ash

Athletics

Dodge

• • Swirling Cinder Duplicate

4m, Reflexive, Instant, Ess 2

The Wyrm-Blood rolls Dexterity + Dodge + Essence, and her attacker must beat that result with a reflexive Wits + (combat Ability used) roll or miss outright. The use of this Charm counts as a dodge attempt.

Melee

Presence

Socialise

Blood

Brawl

• • Slick Skin Escape

1m, Reflexive, Instant, Ess 1

The Wyrm-Blooded adds his Brawl to a single attempt to escape from a clinch.

Bureaucracy

• • Internecine Encouragment Method

5m1W, Simple, 1 day, Ess 3

The Wyrm-Blooded must physically touch his target for this Charm to take effect, whereupon he rolls his permanent Essence. Successes on the roll indicate the number of attempts on the life of the target that will be made by members of his organisation during the next day. Those making these attempts will not be able to recall any reason for this, beyond a sudden searing rage. This Charm cannot be used to affect a target with a higher Essence than the Wyrm-Blood.

Investigation

• • Familial Determination Technique

3m, Simple, 1 minutes, Ess 2

By engaging someone in conversation the Wyrm-Blooded can discover roughly how large his direct family is (up to two steps removed by blood or marriage), and also which of those he has the greatest affection towards. This Charm does not assist with the location of these people in any way.

Larceny

• • Stolen Blood Visage

3m1W, Simple, Varies, Ess 2

The Wyrm-Blooded paints his eyelids, nose and lips with the blood of another person, and will then appear to be them until the next sunrise or the disguise is pierced. This automatically happens if the original is also within sight, and anyone who knows the copied person can make a reflexive Perception + Awareness test (difficulty depends on degree of acquaintance) to see through it, as can any character with Essence equal to the Wyrm-Blood. This Charm does not affect characters with a permanent Essence higher than the Exalt's, nor can it be used to appear as them.

Sail

Bone

Archery

• • Ivory Flight Extraction

1m, Reflexive, Instant, Ess 1

The Wyrm-Blooded draws an arrow (of any standard type, but with +1 to damage) from a nearby undead follower (i.e.: a hungry ghost or walking dead). Two such extractions inflict 1 unsoakable level of damage on the follower. These arrows cannot be used by anyone except the character. This Charm only works on extras.

• • Bone-Shattering Shot

4m, Supplemental, Instant, Ess 3

The Wyrm-Blooded’s arrow inflicts additional wound penalties equal to his Essence, upon a successful attack. The damage this attack inflicts is considered one level worse for the purposes of time required to heal.

Medicine

• • Cohort-Reinforcing Gesture

6m1W +2m/additional, Simple, Instant, Ess 3

The Wyrm-Blooded increases the Lethal and Bashing soak of any single undead follower by his Essence, and increases the damage of his natural attacks by the same amount. This Charm can be used on additional followers (up to a total number equal to his Medicine) for the listed cost, and its effects are permanent. Cohort-Reinforcing Gesture only works on extras and any given extra can only recieve its benefits once.

Performance

• • Necropolis-Waking Oration

10m1W, Simple, Instant, Ess 2

The Wyrm-Blooded rolls his Charisma + Performance, successes on this roll indicate the number of walking Dead that he call from the grave. Only works in areas such as graveyards and battlefields, where there are a large number of mostly intact skeletons. Takes 1 hours to perform and can only be done at night.

Ride

• • Death-Staved Gallop

2m1W, Simple, 1 day, Ess 3

The Wyrm-Blood’s mount does not feel the effects of over-exertion, although it can still be ridden to death. If this occurs while the Charm is active the character can continue to ride, each full day of travel on the deceased horse inflicting gross physical damage upon it. This Charm can be used on a successive number of days equal to its HLs, after which it is little more than shreds of skin and bone.

• • Lich-Bridling Method

4m1W, Simple, 1 day, Ess 2

The Wyrm-Blooded rolls his Charisma + Ride against a difficulty equal to the Essence of the target undead. If successful then the creature is bound to the character as a mount with a Control Rating of 1 and adding his permanent Essence to its physical attributes (although it loses the ability to attack). This can only be used on extras.

Survival

• • Corpse Consumption Prana

2m, Simple, 1 day, Ess 2

The Wyrm-Blooded can eat can gain sustenance from any once-living flesh, even down to dusty bones found in a crypt. Similarly he can drink blood (fresh or not) without any adverse physical reaction. This Charm also significantly increases the jaw strength of the character, giving an additional +2L damage to any bite attacks he may make.

Jade

Awareness

Craft

Endurance

Martial Arts

Use MartialArts/GhostDragonStyle

Resistance

• • Dragon-Scale Effusion

4m, Reflexive, Varies, Ess 3

The Wyrm-Blood gains additional Bashing & Lethal soak equal to his Resistance. Does not apply to Charm-enhanced attacks, is not compatible with armour, and persists for Ess turns.

Prayer

Linguistics

• • Litany-Corrupting Mantra

2m1W, Simple, Instant, Ess 2

The Wyrm-Blooded rolls Manipulation + Linguistics against a difficulty of 3. Every extra success restores 2m to the character's pools. Use of this Charm in Creation is obvious (and painful) to any gods in the vicinity.

Lore

• • Elemental Bolt Attack (Better name needed)

As per Exalted: the DragonBlooded

Occult

• • Shadowlands Circle Necromancy

As per Exalted: the Abyssals

Stealth

Thrown

• • God-Weapon Entreaty

4m, Simple, Instant, Ess 3

The Wyrm-Blooded makes a normal Thrown attack, but the target is attacked twice. Once at the full number of successes rolled, and once at half (round up) that amount. The second attack is the weapon's Least God, but is defended against normally.