Trithne/VitriolineAlchemicals

As, in my Exalted game, I'm using the DBSInfernalExalted splat for my Infernals, by extension, I'm validating Vitrioline as a MM. As such, and because of the section in the Autocthonian book on the mysterious "Sixth Caste", I have come up with a broad background for Vitrioline Caste Alchemicals. For details on Vitrioline as a Magical Material, see DBSInfernalExalted/Artifacts. This is, of course, totally canon-breaking and requires a little bit of juggling to the Autocthonians, but that's the case with any change, isn't it?

Concept

The legendary Adamant Caste is a lie. A carefully fabricated lie by some power, some entity that exists in the Reaches of Autocthon. The purpose of this lie is to conceal the true nature of the sixth caste of Alchemical Exalt: The Vitrioline Caste. Built in the hidden places of the Blight Zones, only a small handful of these caste exist. It is unknown exactly how the material has been finding its way into Autocthon's body, but it has been, and very small quantities of it have been found by parties raiding Gremlin camps in the Reaches. Unsure what to make of the crystalline material, the various Tripartites are divided upon what action to undergo regarding it, yet still, the Vitiroline Caste grow slowly in number in the places where few dare to tread.

The Vitrioline Caste represent the ultimate failure of Autocthon, the Gremlin Complex at its most extreme and destructive. Even more than the Soulsteel Caste, the Scourges of Autocthon represent the ultimate nature of Ku. Indeed, while it is unlikely that the subgods and Autocthon Himself do not know of their existance, they have yet to do anything, for reasons unbeknown. Meanwhile, the Vitrioline Caste continue their Corrupt Crusade, spreading the Blight Zones and tainting Autocthon furthur, perhaps purely for the very act of destruction. Just as the Infernal Exalted who use Vitrioline are irrevocably evil, the Vitrioline Caste are irrevocably destructive.

It's unlikely that any Vitrioline Alchemicals have reached the point of becoming Patropoli, although such a concept would be terrifying. They would certainly dispense with habitation, instead becoming fortresses designed for no purpose other than to wreak havoc and destroy all in their path. Such a concept would spell the beginning of the end for Autocthon, unless drastic measures were taken.

Caste Markings

Charms of Vitrioline are implanted in ways that appear to be designed to look painful. Often they have numerous protuberances that simply jut into the body, or have been placed in literal holes in the Exalt's skin, made to look as if the surface layer was torn away. They have a minimalist appraoch to design, similar to Starmetal charms, although often without the alloys, which would eventually corrode due to contact with the cursed metal. The animas of this caste are a sickly green hue that pulses underneath the Exalt's skin, and burns to the surface when using a lot of essence.

Anima Effect

For a reflexive cost of 5 motes, members of the Vitrioline Caste may suffuse their bodies with the corrupting essence of Malfeas itself. They use this to twist the very reality around them, breaking the laws of fate, physics and indeed, Creation or Autocthon Himself. For the remainder of the scene, all enemies subtract (The Alchemical's Essence / 2, rounded down) sucesses from any action directly affecting the Alchemical, such as attacks, or attempts to hide, lie, etc. While this power is in effect, the Alchemical seems to burn with a barely visible flame, and a green-tinged heat haze surrounds him, thickening to seem like actual fire surrounding the target of its reality-shifting power.

Caste Attributes

With the ultimate goal of destroying all that stands before them, the Vitrioline Caste are designed around causing as much damage as they possibly can. They are intended to find their ideal enemy, and annihilate it quickly. Relying on the twisting powers of their Magical Material to do the subtleness for them, they strike hard and fast upon their target. Whoever their designer is, they realised the dangers such creations faced in Autocthonian society, where even the worse Lumpen knows that to lose Autocthon is to lose their home, and designed their Exalts to be able to spot potential hazards, know when it is too dangerous to strike, and, equally importantly, hide amongst the masses, unseen by the Sodalite's loyal Exalted. Their Caste Attributes are Strength, Appearance and Perception.

Extraneous Details

Vitrioline weaponry adds 1 to their damage after soak has been applied.
Vitrioline armour deals 1L damage to everyone within 1 yard of the bearer.
Vitrioline bracers add 2 to the accuracy of all the bearer's attacks.

Vitrioline Beam weaponry has a sickly green glow that follows the beam in whispy contrails.
Special stuff coming for other artifacts in time.

Please tear this idea to shreds below

I'm not sure parts can go "yozi" more malfean. THe blight zones are more like shadowlands. They are literaly parts of the machine god that are already dead or on the brink of failure. besides, the yozi are soul shards of primordials...the devine ministries are the yozi of Autochthon. Technically speaking. -ToBE

So they're created by part of Autocthon that's gone Yozi then? Possibly a bit of his soul that's gone mad? Wonder how they'd respond to the 'native' demons?

(also, autcothonian yozi's wouldn't be bound the way conventional types are. Crikey.) Edward Fortune

I had this idea that the vitriol was simply bubbling up in the Blight Zones that were most corrupt. The Vitrioline Caste don't so much represent Authcthonian Yozis any more than the Soulsteel caste are Autocthonian Abyssals. They're just destructive, and twisted. -- Trithne

Not sure I liked the whole anima power thingy, channelling Malfeas?.. not sure how that'd work, as I thought he was completely seperate from the yozis, otherwise I imagine they'd have been after him for a long time :) FluffySquirrel

The Yozis live in Malfeas. Off to the side. With Cecelyne being a desert inbetween here and there. -- Trithne

Err... yeah, I know.. I meant autochthon, given he's cut off from the yozis, I don't see the whole.. channeling malfeas bit in the fluff, especially when you specifically said the vitriols aren't meant to represent the yozis anyway.

I see them more getting the ability from the very fact that Vitriol comes from Malfeas. Hell, maybe someone put a crack in the Seal of Eight Divinities and is smuggling it in, and this is the cause of why Autocthon's dying already. ^_^ -- Trithne, who just made a plot he must one day use.

Just a helpful idea of how the material got into autochthon, the Primordials laid a curse on him when they laid one on the solars, which allegedly made him go paranoid and leave creation until the curse wore off. Maybe the Primordials put some extra depth to the curse on their greatest betrayer. A curse that would drive him to madness,(and eventually kill him) through vitroline producing whatevers that grew inside him from the curse. just an idea. -Blig001