Random Nerd/HungryGhostHunting

Three facts in Exalted have combined in my head to create an idea.

1. The DragonBlooded put the bodies and possessions of the First-Age Solars in tombs, to be left undisturbed, so their lower souls wouldn't rise as hungry ghosts to protect their bodies.

2. The lower soul of a powerful Exalted is often absurdly powerful. The first age Solars were indeed powerful.

3. Ghosts with certain Arcanoi can control and train hungry ghosts, given enough effort.

This has created the idea of a skilled band of heroic dead going around and looting these tombs, not for the treasure, although that would be nice, but for the ghost.

If they made it through the tomb, they could get the lower soul to rise as a hungry ghost by their tomb-looting, and they managed to avoid getting killed before they could stop it, they'd have a very valuble commodity on their hands. Take a look at the rules in Abyssals for hungry ghosts of Exalted, and figure out what one of a Solar with six or seven Essence and good abilities and attributes would be like, when used properly. If they could manage to get it back to the Underworld without having sunlight touch it, such a ghost could be sold for a pretty penny indeed to the Deathlords or the Dual Monarchs.

Now, getting it wouldn't be easy. Those tombs would be defended fairly well. But still, it seems that the defenses would probably not have been made with ghosts in mind, and they've got several abilities that could come in handy if they weren't anticipated. With the right Arcanoi and enough Essence, ghosts can go from incorporeal to corporeal and back as is needed, attack enemies and trigger traps without becoming physical, and walk a bunch of corpses in and have them die in the process of working through the tomb without the animating ghost being seriously harmed. The dangers would still be great, but the rewards would be interesting.

Furthermore, as a game concept, there are beneficial aspects. There's room for both dungeon crawling and financial maneuvering, and the potential for a mixed ghost / Solar party using their combined abilities to loot tombs, take the artifacts, and turn the ghosts of the fallen against the Empire.