Wordman/ReferenceStandard

Introduction

The Exalted Reference Standard (ERS) defines a system for referencing Exalted products. The idea is to provide a method for web authors and internet posters to cite references to Exalted books in web sites, net.books, posts and even databases and other software in a way that is:

• Unobtrusive. References should be as short as possible so they do not distract from the main text and take as little screen space as possible.
• Unified. Everyone using the system should use the same system, eliminating confusion.
• Flexible. References should be able to specify a page in a book, but also have the ability to site exact paragraphs and page ranges.

While this sounds a bit anal, the ERS was born from a need to fit page references into tables with very narrow columns. It suits this purpose very well, compressing a lot of information into a small space. I've used this system for a long time, mostly encoding page numbers into XML files and character sheets.

It should be mentioned that this system is not endorsed by White Wolf in any way.

System

Each Exalted product is given a four-letter code. This code is used to indicate the book being referenced. This code is followed by a ".", then by a page number or a page range. If a single page is specified, it can also be followed with a comma and a column number. This can optionally be followed by another column and a paragraph number. The resulting syntax is as follows:

 {code}.{page}[-{end page} | ,{column}[,{paragraph}] ]

This is easier to understand by looking at a view examples:

||Code||Meaning|| ||ex2e.189||Exalted Second Edition Core Book, page 189.|| ||ex2e.189-192||Exalted Second Edition Core Book, pages 189 through 192.|| ||ex2e.189,2||Exalted Second Edition Core Book, page 189, column 2.|| ||ex2e.189,2,3||Exalted Second Edition Core Book, page 189, column 2, paragraph 3.||

In practice, column and paragraph references are used very rarely, bordering on never.

Sidebars on pages are counted as columns that always come after columns of standard text. So, a reference like ex2e.189,3 would refer to the sidebar on page 189 of the 2E core book labeled "Charm Concept: Elsewhere". Sidebars are counted starting at the top left, then going down, then going across.

When a paragraph is specified, heading or section lines are ignored, as are statistic lines. Only full paragraphs are counted. That is, a paragraph is only "in a column" when its first letter is in that column. So, the ex2e.189,3 reference above refers to the paragraph that begins "Essence multiplies the force...".

First Edition Codes

abys - The Abyssals

ab_a - Aspect Book: Air

ab_e - Aspect Book: Earth

ab_f - Aspect Book: Fire

ab_v - Aspect Book: Water

ab_w - Aspect Book: Wood

auto - The Autochthonians

bstn - Bastions of the North

bone - Bone & Ebony

botc - The Book of Three Circles

bull - Houses of the Bull God

cb_d - Caste Book: Dawn

cb_e - Caste Book: Eclipse

cb_n - Caste Book: Night

cb_t - Caste Book: Twilight

cb_z - Caste Book: Zenith

coin - Manacle and Coin

comp - Storyteller’s Companion

core - Exalted Core Rules

crea - Creatures of the Wyld

cult - Cult of the Illuminated

dbld - Dragon-Blooded

fair - Fair Folk

halt - Kingdom of Halta

game - Games of Divinity

luna - Lunars

outc - Outcastes

play - Player's Guide

ruin - Ruins of Rathess

seas - Savage Seas

salt - Blood and Salt

scav - The Scavenger Lands

side - Sidereals

svnt - Savant & Sorcerer

time - Time of Tumult

Second Edition Codes

1kca - The Thousand Correct Actions of the Upright Soldier

blck - Books of Sorcery II: Black Treatise

ex2e - Exalted Second Edition

exab - The Manual of Exalted Power: Abyssals

exal - The Manual of Exalted Power: Alchemicals

exdb - The Manual of Exalted Power: Dragon Blooded

exin - The Manual of Exalted Power: Infernals

exlu - The Manual of Exalted Power: Lunars

exsd - The Manual of Exalted Power: Sidereals

gmhs - Glories of the Most High: Unconquered Sun

gmhl - Glories of the Most High: Luna

gmhm - Glories of the Most High: Maidens

hero - Scroll of Heroes

ilot - Imperfect Lotus

isle - Compass of Celestial Directions I: The Blessed Isle

king - Scroll of Kings

land - Dreams of the First Age: Lands of Creation

lord - Dreams of the First Age: Lords of Creation

lost - Lost Arts of the Dead

malf - Compass of Celestial Directions V: Malfeas

masq - Graceful Wicked Masques: The Fair Folk

meru - Dreams of the First Age: Meru

monk - Scroll of the Monk

npcs - Scroll of Exalts

ocdx - Books of Sorcery III: Oadenol’s Codex

rgd1 - Books of Sorcery IV: Roll of Glorious Divinity I

rgd2 - Books of Sorcery V: Roll of Glorious Divinity II

sfrd - Scroll of Fallen Races: Dragon Kings

sfrm - Scroll of Fallen Races: Mountain Folk

sesc - Second Edition Storyteller’s Companion

tdea - Compass of Terrestrial Directions III: The East

tdno - Compass of Terrestrial Directions IV: The North

tdsl - Compass of Terrestrial Directions I: The Scavenger Lands

tdso - Compass of Terrestrial Directions IV: The South

tdwe - Compass of Terrestrial Directions II: The West

undr - Compass of Celestial Directions IV: Underworld

whit - Books of Sorcery II: White Treatise

wola - Books of Sorcery I: Wonders of the Lost Age

wyld - Compass of Celestial Directions II: The Wyld

yush - Compass of Celestial Directions III: Yu-Shan

Comments

I'd like to propose adding:

gmhs - Glories of the Most High: Unconquered Sun

gmhl - Glories of the Most High: Luna

gmhm - Glories of the Most High: Maidens

ttca - The Thousand Correct Actions of the Upright Soldier (or perhaps 1kca)

If there are already existing abbreviations elsewhere (or they're here and I'm missing them somehow) please disregard!

- Siha