B y Reminiscent Oasis and the Forums

Main Editor, Samuel Dragonmystic Smith

Art:
Cover: B entti Bisson
Backgrounds: Whitney L eopard
Chapter Comics: Inverted Mind
Character Portraits :
N ox Portrait: G onzo
G od Portraits : Mellisa Pena
C aste Marks : T eleute

Table

of

Contents

Introduction
Chapter One : Heralds

4
and

Harlequins

Chapter Two : Nox , The Onyx Youth

29

Chapter Three: Character Creation

59

Chapter Four: Traits

63

Chapter Five: Charms

83

Chapter Six: The Miracles

of

Night

Chapter Seven: Storytelling

Table

166
180

of

Contents

INTRODUCTION
If the Universe came to an end every time there was some uncertainty about
what had happened in it, it would never have got beyond the first picosecond.
And many of course dont. Its like a human body, you see. A few cuts and
bruises here and there dont hurt it. Not even major surgery if its done properly. Paradoxes are just the scar tissue. Time and space heal themselves up
around them and people simply remember a version of events which makes
as much sense as they require it to make.
Douglas Adams, Dirk Gentlys Holistic Detective Agency

Lost for millennia, abandoned in a forgotten prison, the
Nocturnal Exalted are a possibility waiting to be set free upon
Creation. Or maybe they already have been. Or they might
not yet exist at all. Perhaps they are all these things and more.
The Chosen of Noxthe Incarna of Possibilitiesare forged
in paradox and contradiction. Unraveling that conundrum is
just the beginning of their tale.

Or possibly the end.

H
ow to Use This Book

The Manual of Exalted PowerThe Nocturnals provides the rules and background to run a game that focuses
upon Nocturnal Exalted characters or to design such characters as allies or antagonists for other Exalted games. The
books contents are as follows:
Chapter One: Heralds and Harlequins

This chapter details the all too brief, and occasionally
perplexing, history of the Nocturnal Exalted. It examines
how they fit into and interact with the rest of Creation and
its heroes and villains. Finally, a few notable Nocturnals are
presented as sample characters.
Chapter Two: Nox, the Onyx Youth

In this chapter, the history of Nox, patron of the Nocturnals, is presented from his creation by the Primordials to his
imprisonment by the Incarnae. His panoply and entourage
from the height of his power are detailed, in addition to some
gods and demons who continue to seek the Bound God.
Chapter Three: Character Creation

This chapter supplies the rules for creating a Nocturnal
Exalted character.
Chapter Four: Traits

Unique traits and backgrounds for the Nocturnal Exalted are provided in this Chapter.
Chapter Five: Charms

The Nocturnals are the Chosen of chance and possibilities. They wield a variety of powers that defy the established
order and undermine the dictates of tyrants and Fate alike.
Chapter Six: The Miracles of Night

In addition to Charms, the Nocturnal Exalted may
perform reality-warping Fluctuations to momentarily reshape
Creation. They also employ a unique set of hearthstones,
artifacts, and other wonders.
Chapter Seven: Storytelling

This final chapter describes the special factors one must
consider when storytelling a game about the Nocturnal Exalted.

This Is Not a Complete Game!

For that matter, The Manual of Exalted Power
The Nocturnals isnt even an official supplement to
White Wolfs Exalted. In order to play with this book,
youll need to have the Exalted Core, which details the
Solar Exalted, the (mostly) virtuous Chosen of the Sun,
as well as the basic rules for the game. But you probably
knew that already. The Manual of Exalted PowerThe
Sidereals will also be quite useful to you, since many setting elements and unique rules overlap with the Chosen
of the Maidens of Fate. When such overlap exists, those
rules are not included in this book. Instead, alternative
methods are provided. Use whichever you please, or
blend them together. The Manual of Exalted Power
The Sidereals also, briefly, shows the Maidens side of
Noxs story and provided the original inspiration for this
manual.

Lexicon

The majority of terms used in Exalted also apply to the
Nocturnal Exalted. The following terms, however, are particularly relevant to Nocturnal characters.
adamant: The sharp, light-weight magical material that
resonates with the Nocturnal Exalted. A supernatural amalgam of diamond, glass, and various crystals, it usually appears
sky blue or indigo from light scattering through its structure.

Amber Legion: An enormous army of Fair Folk trapped
within the Caverns of the Sky. They are unaware that the
Balorian Crusade ended over 700 years ago.

Bureau of Destiny: the division of the Celestial Bureaucracy headed by the Five Maidens and staffed by Sidereal
Exalted and various gods, which oversees Fate and Destiny.

Caelian City: Equivalent to the Daystar or the Silver
Chair, this enormous city was Noxs personal domain on the
Firmament. It has since fallen to ruins and is fought over by
various tribes of Godblooded, descendants of Noxs entourage.
Calibration: Five days set apart from the rest of the
calendar to mark the end of one year and the beginning of
the next. During this time, the night sky is empty of stars and
the moon never rises. Regarded as an inauspicious time dominated by strange occurances. Many festivals are held during
this time as people attempt to avoid serious activites during
these troubled days. Once part of Noxs domain.

Calibration Court: The collective term for all Heralds
before the majority of Nocturnals became Harlequins.

Carnival Fantastique: The collective term for all Harlequins, equivalent to the Sidereal Five-Score Fellowship.

Caverns of the Sky: An extensive network of caves and
tunnels within the Firmament. A few segments have openings
to the Empyrean Expanse.

Celestial Vaults: The vaults within the Caverns of the
Sky which served as the storehouse for the Primordials excess
wonders. In a fit of anger, the Holy Tyrant sealed it from the
rest of Creation during the Primordial War. It continues to be
guarded and maintained by a large contingent of forbidden
gods.

Celestial Void: The highest, thinnest layer of Creations
atmosphere immediately bordering the Firmament. Here the
stars glow on immense towers anchored in the Firmament.
companion: Either partner in a Nocturnal-Sidereal pair
united by the mystical bond of their Exaltations.
coterie: A small group of Heralds, equivalent to a circle
of Solars. See also troupe.

Convention on Oversight: A mysterious agency that assigns many missions to Sidereals, watches their conduct, and
generally makes everyone nervous in the Bureau of Destiny.
Noxs shattered mind composes at least part of this agency.
Destiny: Specific plans for the future of beings, objects
of locations within Fate created by the Bureau of Destiny. See
also Fate, Samsara.
domain: Similar to the astrological colleges studied by
the Sidereal Exalted, the nine domains are fundamental facets
of reality which the Nocturnals alter to perform fluctuations.
The nine domains are the Stone, the Chisel, the Statue, the
Silk, the Needle, the Cloak, the Clay, the Stylus, and the
Tablet.

Empyrean Expanse: The vast plain of the Firmament
facing Creation. Its near-featureless glassy surface is occasionally interrupted by immense adamant towers that hold the
stars aloft in the Celestial Void or by sinkholes leading down
to the Caverns of the Sky.
Fate: The routine sequence of events and causal relationships within Creation maintained and updated as needed
by the Bureau of Destiny. See also Destiny, Samsara.

Fate, Obscured from: The powers of Nox hides all references to himself, the Nocturnal Exalted, or forbidden gods
from Fate. Those who are obscured from Fate are treated by
all others as being outside of Fate. Beings who are mutually
obscured from Fate instead treat one another as being within
Fate.
Fate, Outside of: Beings not native to Creation are naturally outside of Fate. They do not appear in the records of Fate
and are not accounted for in future plans. After a few days of
monitoring the weakest of such creatureslike the First Circle
Demons and the Rakshathe Bureau of Destiny can usually
account for the influence of these beings and bring them
within Fate.

Fate, Within: Beings native to Creation are generally
within Fate and under the influence of the Bureau of Destiny.
Powerful supernatural beings such as the Exalted can typically ignore Bureaus influence, disturbing Fate in the process.
Some cause more damage than others.
Firmament: The adamant shell that forms the sky over
Creation, originally created by the Primordial Oramus and
ruled over by Nox during the earliest ages of the world.
Fluctuation: A talent unique to the Nocturnal Exalted
that allows them to warp Creation and its history into a new
shape, if only for a moment.

forbidden god: A god that is not part of the Celestial
Bureaucracy, usually a fugitive deity of some unwholesome
concept or a loyalist who supported the Primordials. Many
were executed after the Primordial War. Others remain in
hiding. Imprisoned by the Celestial Bureaucracy, Nox is the
highest ranking forbidden god.
Harlequin: A Nocturnal Exalt potentially under the
influence of the Curse of Subservience. They make up the
majority of Nocturnals.
Herald: A Nocturnal Exalted without the Curse of
Subservience. Only a handful remain.
Kalpa: The hypothetical multiverse composed of all
Manvantara.
Manvantara: Any of a hypothetically infinite number
of possible universes which Nox claimed existed. Manvantara
have been theorized by other beings but not yet proven. An individual Manvantara is composed of all interrelated Realms of
Existence. For example, Creation, the Wyld, the Underworld,
Malfeas and Autochthonia form one Manvantara.

Introduction


Nocturnal Exalted: The Chosen of Nox. One hundred
Exalted designed to reveal and encourage alternate possibilities.
Nox: The Incarna of Possibilities. The Onyx Youth. The
Diamond Prince. The Calibration King. The Bound God. He
was created by the Primordials to oppose the Five Maidens
and ensure they did not overstep their bounds. Later, he was
defeated by a conspiracy of the Five Maidens at the beginning
of the Primordial War.
Paradox: A conflict or error in Fate, typically caused by
Sidereals overwriting Fate with new Destinies, or by a Nocturnal blatantly rejecting Fate by creating a Fluctuation.

The Paradox Liberation: A clandestine organization
apparently dedicated to releasing the Nocturnal Exaltation
from whatever means has trapped them for millennia.

samsara: The metaphysical principle of predestination.

It exists independently of Creation and its influence extends

into all neighboring Realms of Existence. The Maidens can
perceive a fraction of its vision, have never known it to be
wrong, and must adhere to it once glimpsed. Nox was created
to struggle against its vision, perhaps in vain. Only the Yozi
Sacheverell has seen the full extent of samsara. All others are
generally ignorant of its vision or even its existence. See also
Destiny, Fate.
Subservience: Autochthon placed the Curse of Subservience onto the Nocturnal Exaltations after Nox was defeated
to discourage the Nocturnals from rebelling against those
who had imprisoned their patron.
troupe: A small group of Harlequins, equivalent to a
circle of Solars. See also coterie.

Chapter One

Heralds and Harlequins

The Nocturnal Exalted are a mystery, to themselves and

to the Bureau of Destiny. They have no established elders to
spirit them away to learn in seclusion. No Silver Pact to train
them in their ancient arts. No holy vision to give them guidance. The stars are silent regarding their destiny it has fallen
between the gaps in Fate, dissolving into the Infinite Possibilities that is the domain of their crippled patron, Nox. Not
even the Immaculate Orders propaganda against Anathema
provides them with insight. At best, the Nocturnal Exalted
have the half-coherent murmur of their patron whispering
the past into their minds.

T
he Cascade of Years
In order to understand the Nocturnal Exalted and their place

in Creation, one must first understand their tragic origins

and fall from grace. The current state of the Nocturnals is the
end result of a long line of betrayals and misunderstandings.
Like every Exalt though, their story begins with their patron
in the prehistory of the world before the Incarnae rose up
against their Primordial makers.

Nox and the Maidens

In the beginning, the Primordials fashioned Creation

out of the raw chaos of the Wyld and established the Loom of
Fate to ensure their greatest marvel continued to function as
they decreed. To work the Loom, the Primordials unwittingly

made and appointed the five Maidens. It was their role to

oversee specific areas of Fate that, collectively, held Creation
together. Fearful of the predestined future from which the
Maidens derived their power, the Primordials made Nox,
the God of Infinite Possibilities, to supervise the work of the
Maidens and inspect the Loom for dangers. Nox acted as a
liaison between the Primordials and the Maidens, reporting
hazards to the Lidless Eye that Sees, now the Yozi Sacheverell,
and receiving requests from the various Primordials for alterations in Fate they wished the Maidens to enact.

Nox had only limited power over the Loom of Fate.
He could create vast changes, but could not sustain these
alterations. The destinies woven by the Maidens overpowered
the possibilities he revealed. More often than not, he evoked
this power to demonstrate the inscrutable whims of the
Primordials, displaying the changes their masters wished the
Maidens to make a reality. At other times, he used this power
to restore small segments of the Loom that had been ruined
by Unshaped incursions before they could be driven off by
the Unconquered Sun and Luna, while the Maidens worked
to solidify the restored portions. Still, any interference with
the Loom by Nox caused tangles that the Maidens had to fix.
To the Maidens, Nox was only a source of deviation in their
carefully laid plans.

The Maidens were perfect manipulators of Fate, toiling tirelessly and flawlessly at their work. Nox, however, was

Chapter One Heralds

and

Harlequins

fashioned as the prime agent of free will and the randomness self-determination inserts into any system. The conflict
between the Maidens and Nox soon became inevitable. To
make matters worse, sexual tension among the Maidens and
Nox ran high. To a mortal mind, such a relationship reeks of
incest, but in all truthfulness, the Maidens and Nox were no
more siblings than a set of tools crafted by the same hand. The
Maidens and Nox played their games throughout Prehistory,
sometime out of honest attraction, other times just to relieve
the tedium of their work. As time went on, such dalliances
only generated more ire among the Incarnae that interacted
with the Loom of Fate.

Nox was the last Incarna to be brought into the conspiracy against the Primordials. His close relationship to the Lidless
Eye That Sees and the Black Boar that Twists the Sky made
the other Incarnae skeptical of his loyalties. It was Luna who
vouched for him, and convinced the Maidens that their true
rivalry was not with Nox, but with the Primordials who issued
orders through him. Remove the Primordials, she argued, and
Nox would not interfere with their duties any longer. Perhaps
she swayed their hearts. More likely, the Maidens had planned
further ahead than the other Incarnae realized.

The Origins of the Nocturnal Exalted

After bringing him into the conspiracy, Noxs primary

role was to keep the Primordials distracted and assuage any
misgivings the titans had regarding the original generation
of Exalted. Nox met with The Lidless Eye That Sees and the
White Ram, the titans Fetich, and argued to allow the Maidens chosen into Yu-Shan, so that they could gather requests
from the various Primordials personally, at least until Noxs
own Chosen were ready to assume such duties. Though he
allowed them into Yu-Shan, The Lidless Eye That Sees never
truly trusted the Sidereals. Only his relationship with Nox
caused him to be lax in security. Like a father that could not
deny his favorite child a new toy, The Lidless Eye opened the
Celestial Gates to the Sidereals. In doing so, he allowed the
first Sidereals access to all the information the Exalts needed
in their upcoming war.

While the first Sidereals were already busy traveling
between Heaven and Creation, the first Nocturnals were still
a thought in the minds of Autochthon and Nox. As the last
and most indecisiveof the Incarnae to join the conspiracy,
his Chosen were the last Exaltations to leave the Primal Forge.
Nox spent considerable time studying the other Chosen as
well as venturing into the Wyld to study the Unshaped. After
returning to Autochthon with his observations, they still had
much compromising to work out before the first Nocturnals
could be Exalted. Noxs original designs were far too eclectic
for even the Great Maker to contain in a single Exaltatation.
In the end, Autochthon built the Nocturnal Exalted according to Noxs altered plans, a type of Exalt ready for any possible situation and able to make any possibility a momentary
reality.

Of course, the Exalted were more than just toys and
tools for the Incarnae. They were weapons to be deployed in
the greatest war Creation would ever see. That Nox needed
constant reminding about this fact troubled the Maiden
of Battles greatly. Still, the final design of the Nocturnals
included their potential military application. The Nocturnal
Exalted were intended to be the Heralds of the Exalted Host.
They formed links that held the military together and kept
it running smoothly, just as Nox had been the voice of the
Primordials intended to ensure the gods operated as their
makers had decreed. The Vanguards prepared the way for the
Exalted military, not only in current battles but for potential

battles hidden beyond the horizon. The Armigers fought

alongside other champions of the gods, ensuring they went
into battle under the most favorable conditions possible.
The Ambassadors accompanied diplomats, protecting them
from possible harm and revealing potential benefits from the
Exalted victory in order to sway the hearts of neutral parties.
The Barristers followed in the militarys wake, stabilizing
conquered territory and enforcing the edicts of the Lawgivers
among the frightened mortal populace. The Sophists maintained the flow of information, inspiring the Descending
Suns and Silver Shadows to forge wonders as much as helping
the Oracles hinder the progress of the Primordials spies.

Or so they would have had Destiny not intervened.

Betrayals

The first generation of Nocturnal Exalted had nearly

completed their initial training when the Maiden of Battles
and the Maiden of Endings conferred and determined the war
against the Primordials should begin within the next year if it
had any hope of succeeding. Noxs contradictory allegiances
to both the Incarnaes insurrection and his Primordial superiors frustrated the Maidens. They sought to win him wholly
over to their side or expose his hypothetical treachery to the
rest of the conspiracy. In order to do so, they tempted him
with the one thing he desired most.

Venus seduced Nox, not just personally, but also with the
prospects of a union between his Chosen and the Maidens.
Having seen the bond the Unconquered Sun and Luna had
forged between their Chosen, Nox had long desired a similar
relationship between the Nocturnal Exalted and the Sidereal
Exalted. Until now, the Maidens had refused his arguments
on that subject. Venus seductive advances created implicit
consent to the union of the Heralds and the Viziers, a union
that was consummated by Venus and Nox themselves.

What happened then, no one quite knows. The Maidens have told one version of the story (The Manual of Exalted
PowerThe Sidereals, p. 88-89), but Nox himself is in no condition to relate his own account. The Maidens had successfully brought Nox over to the conspiracys side through Noxs
love of Venus. Jupiter masked their relationship while Saturn
severed his old affections for the Primordials. However, the
Maidens mistook the nature of their brother. As a being of
contradictions, bringing him fully into their own camp simultaneously sent him into the arms of the Primordials. Before
he could warn the Primordials, Mercury sent him off course
and into an ambush, while Mars defeated him and left him
incapacitated. That moment, perhaps, was the true beginning
of the Primordial War and the great series of betrayals that
followed.

With Nox defeated, the Incarnae had to accelerate their
plans before the Lidless Eye That Sees noticed the absence of
his most loyal servant. The trial of Nox was brief and held
while he was still unconscious from his fight with Mars. The
Unconquered Sun, in particular, demanded an out-right execution of the traitor; Mars and Saturn agreed. Luna, Venus,
and Mercury dissented, while Gaia abstained. Jupiter, too,
kept silent, claiming it was not her place to bear witness in
such matters. Autochthon cast the deciding vote, and it was
agreed that Noxs life would be spared, though those who
sought his execution only abandoned their position because
they saw the alternative as a fate worse than death.

Autochthons solution was to cripple Noxs mind and
fuse him with the Loom of Fate itself, where he could continue
his most basic function of inspecting the Loom for potential
hazards. Binding him to the Loom was a simple process for
the Great Maker. He completed the work within a few days

of Noxs defeat at the hands of the Maiden of Battles and

issued one final order to Nox: hide yourself. In that task, Nox
has never faltered, slowly obscuring all information regarding
himself to the point thatmillennia latereven the other gods
have difficulty remembering him.

With Nox eliminated, the Incarnae turned their attention to his Chosen.

The Nights Tale

What really happened to Nox on that fateful day?
The world may never know. Only a few forbidden gods,
the Incarnae, and the Primordials now remember that
he ever existed. Of these, only the Incarnae, Gaia and
Autochthon know that he yet lives. Sacheverell likely
knows, but he is no state to speak on the matter either.
Isidoros has guessed, but cannot prove his hypothesis. All
others presume the Onyx Youth to have died as the first
causality of the war.

It is left to each Storyteller to say how accurate
the Maidens narrative is. They certainly have motive
to portray themselves in an overly favorable light, yet, as
they have told no one, for whom could this propaganda
possibly be designed to convince? The Onyx Youths
proclivities in the Time of Glory earned him a host of
sycophants and hangers-on, but among the mightiest of
gods he had few friends and many rivals. Perhaps he truly
deserved all that the Maidens dealt to him. Still, with all
the trauma he has suffered, it is just as likely that Nox
unbound will remember none of his life before regaining
his freedom.

The Massacre

The Nocturnals, youngest of the Chosen, had been exalted

less than five years when Mars secretly defeated Nox in battle.
During that time, they spent most of their year scattered
across Creation, working with various older Exalts or training
with gods. Already, they had established the Calibration tradition among themselves to gather on the slopes of a coastal
volcano across the Inner Sea from Noxs palatial manse on the
Blessed Isle. They participated in the native Cereus Blossom
Festival, which honored their patron and coincided with the
rare blooming of the local cereus plant.

Typically, these festivities were jovial. Competitive hunts
went out to acquire javelinas for the nights feast. Martial
artists displayed their skills in exhibitions. Stories and jokes
were exchanged; dances and songs performed. That year, the
hunting horns were silent, the celebration subdued by an air
of trepidation.

Some Nocturnals had begun to hear a faint murmuring
in the back of their minds, a whisper that would not go away,
while others had felt a longing in their hearts as their Essence
called out to their Sidereal companions. When questioned
about this, the Empyreans had no answers. They prayed to
Nox and received no response, which troubled them all the
more. The Empyreans urged calm and patience. They would
speak to Nox about this matter directly when, as he had done
in years before, he joined them for the festival on the evening
before the first night of Calibration.

But evening came and went. As a purple dusk settled
over the festival, the Nocturnals anxiously awaited the sight
of The Philopannyx, Nox sable-sailed ebony trireme, across
the Inner Sea. Instead, a fog rose out of the Sea, shrouding
the area and obscuring all but a small portion of the night

sky, which revealed something more disturbing than the starless sky of Calibration: the Five Planets.
A
hunting
horn sounded, drawing the Nocturnals attention away from
the stars. A young girl emerged from the fog, her face masked
with a violet funerary veil, which did more to confirm her
identity than hide it, and her starmetal daiklave unsheathed.
Where the Maiden of Ending passed, no one was left alive.
The Maiden of Battles ensured the Nocturnals could not devise an effective strategy to escape her sister, while the Maiden
of Journeys ensured they had nowhere to run. The Maiden of
Serenity gathered the fleeing Exaltations so that they would
not trouble them during the coming war, while the Maiden of
Secrets obscured her sisters responsibility.

The Primordial War

Though Jupiter had sealed all records of the Maidens involvement in the massacre of the Nocturnals, their sudden
disappearance did not go unnoticed by the other Exalted. The
Chosen soon came to believe that Nox and the Nocturnals,
already a fading memory, had been destroyed as a preemptive
assault by the Primordials. Believing they were now fighting
for their lives, the Exalted made their first strike: killing the
White Ram while the Primordial was sent out to discover
the fate of Nox. It remains unclear how much the Incarnae
encouraged this misconception among the Exalted. Likely the
Exalted came to their own conclusions, and as they coincided
with the plans of the Maiden of Battles and the Maiden of
Endings, there was no need to reprimand them.

While the war raged, the Incarnae thought it best to
keep the Nocturnal Exaltations locked away. The gods feared
what might happen if Noxs Chosen discovered the fate of
their patron and what retribution the Nocturnals might seek.
The Incarnae could not allow the Nocturnals to side with the
Primordials during the war. They instructed Autochthon to
make a few alterations to the Nocturnal Exaltations to ensure,
once they were released after the war to aid their own Chosen
in maintaining Creation, that they would be hampered in
seeking revenge against the gods. Following their instructions,
the Great Maker inserted a Geas of Subservience into the
Nocturnals, to encourage them to follow the orders of the

The All-Encompassing Vision of Samsara

The Maidens have never observed an error in samsara. The one Twilight who dared question them on this
matter detected no falsehood or misdirection, much to
his surprise. How can this be if Nox has the power, at
least in theory, to defy samsara? Perhaps it is that Nox and
the Maidens can never question samsara regarding the
same topic simultaneously, that the vision of one blinds
the other. Perhaps this is mere coincidence, that Nox and
the Maidens never learned the exact same fact. Perhaps
the Maidens wrote Nox off as a loss. Why struggle forever
against the one being that could fight back? Samsaras
vision is far grander than the life of one god; no sense
losing the war for the sake of one uncertain battle.

What then of that famous night when the Maidens
and Nox finally came to blows? The Maidens wouldnt
dare consult samsara for fear the answer would not be
to their liking. Nox, seeing the Maidens arrayed against
him with Mars as their champion, could only assume that
they would not throw their full might against him without such assurances. He asked samsara what his fate was
to better fight against it. It whispered two words: You
win. In a way, he did. Samsara is always right.

Chapter One Heralds

and

Harlequins

other Celestial Exalted. The Geas earned the Nocturnal their

derogatory title of Harlequins.

In the end, having seen how mighty the Exalted had
grown during the war, the Incarnae convened again to discuss the final fate of the Nocturnal Exaltations and decided
it would be best if Autochthon never released them again.
The gods, bound to their own geas, had just overthrown their
masters and claimed Yu-Shan as their own, using beings that
were far inferior to the Primordials. The same could be done
with Nocturnals, even with the imposed Geas. As well, the
alleged destruction of Nox and the Nocturnals served as a useful political tool. By the end of the war, Nox had successfully
masked all memory of his name in Creation and all events
that stemmed from his existence. The Princes of the Earth
erected a monument in to the nameless Incarnae that were
destroyed by the Primordials during the war and their Chosen
that tore themselves apart in their absence. The Incarnae
themselves attended the dedication ceremony of the Fallen
Stars Memorial. To this day, no one can remember seeing
Jupiter smile as contently as she did that day.

The First Age and the Last Herald

Ivy collected the accounts of all Exalted who experienced

the temporal disruption. Jupiter herself read each one of the
reports trying to find evidence that Nox had been behind the
incident. Though she found nothing to place blame directly
on Nox, she did discover hints of Nocturnal involvement.

Beings that resembled Nocturnals appeared explicitly in
half the reports, and possible Nocturnals appeared in a sizable portion of the remaining reports. Jupiter involved herself
personally in the investigation. She concluded her research
and sealed the records of her discoveries. Whether the event
was a result of their sudden, but brief, return to Creation or
whether their return was a consequence of the event itself remains known to none by the Maiden of Secrets and, perhaps,
the Nocturnals involved. In either case, no Nocturnal was
reported in Creation after the time of Cascading Years was
resolved.

The Second Age

Unfettered Adolescent returned to Creation once more.

Landing on a dirty sidewalk amid broken glass towers, he appeared in Chiaroscuro well into the Second Age on a brisk
Calibration evening. As night settled in, he saw grim portions
of the city descend into the underworld, bringing with them
ghosts that prowled the streets of the living. The marvels of
the First Age had decayed and fallen to ruin. Though he was
more cautious this time, he still sought out the Chosen of the
Sun and the Moon. He could find neither. Even the Chosen
of the Maidens were nowhere to be found. Only the Dragonblooded remained.

Quietly he traveled the world, waiting and watching.
He learned the history of Creation from the Primordial War
to the modern day from a multitude of sources. From public sources he learned many things, but from the dreaming
whispers of Nox he learned the secret history of the world.
Unfettered Adolescent pledged himself to freeing the rest of
his kind. In order to do so, he knew he would need to distract
the Chosen of the Maidens or wait until something else attracted their attention. For years he searched for something
that would keep the Maidens and their Chosen busy while
he attempted to free the rest of the Nocturnals. In time he
learned to shape the future in his own mind and followed the
misty information he learned.

His meditations led him to the Imperial Mountain
where he sought further answers among Autochthons chosen
people, the Jadeborn. Conferring with their cruel prophets,
Unfettered Adolescent learned that the cage containing the
Nocturnal Exalted could only be opened from without and
only by those within. It could not be opened until it was
found and could not be found until it was opened. Frustrated
by the mad ravings of the chaos seers, he departed Urvar
with only riddles to guide him. For years the paradox of the
seers words confounded him. The Heralds were no strangers
to such seemingly nonsensical situations, but without some
crucial detail he could not solve this puzzle.

During the First Age, Autochthon departed Creation for

regions unknown, taking with him two secrets. The first is the
final resting place of the Nocturnal Exaltations. It remains
unclear whether the Great Maker took them with him or if
he left them in a private and secure location within Yu-Shan
or Creation. The second secret is shared only between the
Maidens and Autochthon.The Maidens success was not
total at the massacre. At least five Heralds managed to escape
through a pathway unguarded by the Maiden of Journeys.
Most famous of these is Unfettered Adolescent. He credits
his survival to Nox, whose imprisoned whispering instructed
a technique to step outside of time itself. The rugged Nova
caste felt his essence surge in him as the Maidens attacked,
and in a blink of an eye, he was gone. The fog-shrouded night
transformed into a bright summers day. Unfettered found
himself in a small farming village at the base of an enormous
statue, sitting cross-legged where once stood a volcano.

In what is now known as the First Age, he immediately
attempted to warn the other Exalted that the Maidens had
gone mad and slaughtered the Nocturnal Exalted. His activities alerted the Forbidding Manse of Ivy, and immediately the
Maiden of Secrets dispatched her most trusted Chosen to deal
with the Herald, the young Chejop Kejak among them. She
did not explain what the Herald was, merely instructed them
in the methods of capturing Unfettered Adolescents Exaltation.

The Viziers pursued the Herald through the South,
eventually chasing him to Chiaroscuro. Among the glass
towers and flying transports of the First Age metropolis, Unfettered Adolescent sought refuge. He found it only briefly;
Chosen of Secrets assassins trapped him on a rooftop of one
of the citys taller towers. When it became clear that he could
not win the fight, Unfettered Adolescent threw himself from
the roof rather than be captured. His body and his Exaltation
The Paradox Liberation
were never recovered.
Fifteen years ago, while travelling between Kirighast and

As for the other four escaped Nocturnals, they either
Yane,
Unfettered Adolescent encountered a strange woman
learned the lesson of Unfettered Adolescent well and have
remained hidden, or they are still lost to time and space, cast waiting for him on the road. She stood before him. As he
approached, the day dimmed and his horse froze in place.
adrift in the endless dirac sea at realitys edge.
Calling herself the Madame, she appeared beautiful and pale,
dressed in sky-blue silk. If he wished to see the Nocturnal
The Cascading Years
The Nocturnals were not heard from again until the Exalted return to Creation, she said, he would do as she
time of the Cascading Years (Lands of Creation, pg 17-18). instructed. Providing a list of names, of dates, and of terrible
After the crisis had been resolved, the Forbidding Manse of

10

deeds that needed to be performed, the Madame departed

and Unfettered Adolescent set about his task.

Over the years he has been a scourge of the Bureau of
Destiny, though he is hardly aware of their constant pursuit
of him. He travels widely throughout Creation, wrecking destinies on the carefully timed schedule the Madame provided.
The Bureau of Destiny can only react to his systematic, if apparently haphazard, attack on Fate. Though each ruined destiny
appears as a tangle in the Loom of Fate, those charged with
its maintenance have yet to realize the unity or precision of
Unfettered Adolescents actions. How could they? The Herald
operates hidden from their sight, and though he has rendered
dozens of destinies obsolete, hundreds of other small tangles
appear each year from any number of other means. By the
time the Sidereals arrive, he has already departed the scene of
the crime and has moved on to the next target.

In recent years, Unfettered Adolescent has begun to
see the fruits of his labors. Five years ago, the Solar Exalted
returned to Creation. He was on the Blessed Isle at that moment and had the honor of watching the short-lived Night
Caste known as Autumn Fox exalt. Autumn Fox had been
one of Unfettered Adolescents long term projects, slowly and
methodically manipulating her life toward her moment of
Exaltation. What became of Autumn Fox, he never learned.

On the last night of the most recent Calibration, the
first new Nocturnal Exalted appeared in Creation. The new
Herald, or rather the first Harlequin for she suffers from the
Geas imposed on her kind by Autochthons mercy, was one
of the many people whose destinies had been manipulated
and ruined by Unfettered Adolescents interference. Others
followed soon afterwards. In Yu-Shan, the Loom of Fate
convulsed for a week. The Sidereals who inspected the Loom
could not even find the remnants of the strands of Fate that
had been disturbed. By all appearances, they had simply never
been there. Attempts to question Asna Firstborn, mother of
all the Pattern Spiders and the most knowledgeable being
regarding matters of the Loom of Fate, were stymied by her
rare leave of absence during Calibration. She returned from
a sojourn in the abandoned industrial district of Yu-Shan,
Autochthons Primal Forge, said not a word to the panicked
Sidereals and set about directing the Pattern Spiders in stabilizing the quaking Loom. Asnas quiet assurance calmed most
Sidereals, and those few who might have been suspicious of
the incident knew better than risk the ire of the spider queen.

For Unfettered Adolescent, it marked the end of an
era. His goal of freeing to other Nocturnals had been accom-

Autumn Fox and the Madame

Unfettered Adolescent was not the only person approached by the Madame. After her exaltation, Autumn
Fox encountered the mysterious woman as well. The
Madame came to her with a risky bargain. Revealing the
location of the Scarlet Empresss summer home near
Juche, the Madame provided Autumn Fox with information needed to bypass the magical security systems there.
In exchange for this information, the Madame expected
Autumn Fox to acquire a single item from those hidden
in the Empresss cache the rest the young Lawgiver
could do with as she pleased. Autumn Fox successfully
infiltrated the mountainside manor, but was killed by
Bronze Faction agents before she could escape. Among
the many sorcerous tomes, jade artifacts, and wonders of
the Mountain Folk Autumn Fox had attempt to steal, it is
impossible to determine which the Madame had desired.

plished, but not by him. Certainly he helped the wandering

Exaltations find new hosts, but they would have found new
hosts regardless. What did he do to free those Exaltations
from whatever prison held them? The Madame never reappeared to congratulate him or to explain. Over recent months
he has grown bitter due to what he perceives as a lack of direct
involvement with the liberation of the Nocturnals. Lacking
proper motivation, he seeks a new calling in life. He is too
suspicious of the world to reveal himself as one of the Heralds
just yet, and has not taken any of the new generation as an
apprentice. He waits and watches. He is easily distracted and
his goals alternate between attempting to discover how the
Nocturnals became free and learning how the modern Nocturnals differ from those of his generation.

The Lives of Nocturnals

Mortal Condition

In their original form, Nocturnal Exaltations sought
new Heralds among those mortals destined for greatness but
who were unable to accomplish their destinies due to the
inference of others. Among the first generation of Heralds
were many who had their destinies rendered obsolete by the
fickle whims of the Primordials and their servants. A young
man, destined to unite two warring tribes by marrying the
rival chieftains daughter, received his Second Breath when
his bride-to-be caught the eye of one of the lesser devas of the
Dragons Shadow and was transported to life of luxurious servitude in Yu-Shan. In the Second Age, a mortal commander
might receive her Second Breath when her destiny to defeat a
barbarian invasion is thwarted by the opposition of a Lunar
general. Since every expenditure of Essence risks changing
Fate, any action of a magical being has the potential to cause
a chain reaction resulting in the exaltation of a Herald.

However, since Autochthon altered the original design
and inserted the Geas that transformed the Heralds into Harlequins, another qualification has become equally important.
Exaltations seek out those whose destined greatness stems
not from a desire for personal glory, but for the greater good.
Unfortunately, the greater good is open to interpretation.
Exaltations are incapable of issuing any moral judgment on a
potential host. It detects only what the potential host personally believes about his or her own motivations. A person who
believes that the complete elimination of all Exalted is in the
best interest of Creation is just as likely to receive a Nocturnal
Exaltation as one who struggles to eradicate an epidemic.
Regardless of the specifics, so long as the persons primary
motivation focuses on the betterment of a large number of
other people, that person may become a Harlequin.

When a mortal struggles against a dead-end destiny for
the betterment of others, the Nocturnal Exaltation descends
upon him. His anima erupts fully, and he joins the ranks of
whichever of the five castes bests suits his personality and
history; the Exaltation is not bound to a single caste from
incarnation to incarnation. He receives a flash of insight,
revealing what cannot be.

The Current State of Nox

Unlike other Celestial Exalts, whose patrons live in luxury

and enjoy the euphoric pleasures of the Games of Divinity,
the Nocturnal Exalted serve a patron enslaved. While Noxs
consciousness is sublimated into the Loom of Fate, his dreams
mingle with those of his Chosen, watching and guiding them
indirectly. The emancipation of Nox provides the Nocturnals
with a unifying goal, though it is by no means unanimous.

Chapter One Heralds

and

Harlequins

11

Even Death Has a Purpose

In an era of heroic exploits and epic deeds, those
who become Nocturnals often arise even when their
inability to accomplish their Destiny is advantageous to
themselves. Many of the new generation of Nocturnals
have exalted after being rescued from certain death by a
Solar or Lunar hero. In the grand scheme of Fate, even
death serves a vital role. The death of protesters can spark
a nationwide revolution, and without those deaths the
grand revolt will not happen as Fate decries. The gift of
Nocturnal Exaltation grants the would-be martyr the
power to set things right. Heroic suicide is only one option and more often than not the least effective. With the
magic the Exalted yield, entirely new paths can be tread.

Nox is bound physically and spiritually to the Loom
of Fate. Autochthon hammered the gods very Essence into
the workings of the Loom and so long as they remain bound
together, one cannot be destroyed without destroying, or at
least severely damaging, the other. Any form of Essence Sight
reveals Nox and the Loom to be so mingled they are indistinguishable. Indeed, unless one knows Nox is within the Loom,
not even the most potent Charms and Magic may reveal his
presence. So long as Nox abides by Autochthons last command, he masks his presence and the presence of anything
that might reveal himself by proxy.
The process of placing Nox within the Loom was as
unpleasant as it was absolute. Autochthon fractured the
Incarnaes mind during the procedure, preventing Nox from
taking anything but the most basic and involuntary actions.
His broken mind dreams incessantly, shaping conflicting visions, contradictory pasts and paradoxical futures from the
information he can glean from the Loom. If one were to hear
the mind of Nox, one would hear myriad voices chattering
inanely and nonsensically. In their last days, a few of Noxs
favorites did, in fact, hear such murmuring, but the whispers
of Nox have been extinguished with his Chosen until perhaps
the day of their liberation.
Within the Loom, Nox unconsciously performs periodic
maintenance of Fate. Sweeping through the threads, he automatically notices errors and abuses, which are filtered through
his ruined mind into cryptic instructions to the agents of the
Bureau of Destiny, as part of the mysterious Division of Oversight. Aside from the indirect power he wields anonymously
through the mask of Oversight, Nox is unable to influence
the world in any other way that might reveal his presence. The
sole exception with this is in regards to his Chosen. They are
also hidden due to Autochthons last command and Nox is
capable of exerting a small amount of his true power through
them.
Freeing Nox from the Loom of Fate may be impossible,
Autochthon is not known for craftsmanship that is easily
undone. If the possibility exists, however, his Chosen will
find it: perhaps in a brief epic struggle, perhaps in decades
or centuries of tireless pursuit.Since the goal of releasing Nox
from his bounds might bring the Nocturnals into conflict
with their fellow Celestial Exalts, the Nocturnals must be
clever. They must know how to appease the concerns of their
equals and superiors, and know how to provoke a fight they
are forbidden to start should appeasement fail. Through their
service to Nox, the Nocturnals hope to finally and truly be
free of the Geas themselves.

Interactions with Others

12

The emergence of the Harlequins has already begun to

subtly shift the relationships of the world powers. As they
settle into their own niche, the Nocturnals assert themselves
as Princes of the Earth. Yet in the presence of other Celestial
Exalted, they must defer even to their equals. The dynamics of such relationship are as varied as the individuals who
participate in them, but time and time again certain themes
reemerge.

Sidereal Exalted

Among the first to detect the advent of the Chosen of

Nox were the Sidereal Exalted. Lytek, ignorant of the bond
forged by Nox and Venus within each Sidereal Exaltation and
a Nocturnal companion, had been methodically purging the
apparently obsolete emotional ties. Incarnation after incarnation slowly lost their connection to their appointed mate.
Only the oldest of the Sidereals detected a faint pang of familiarity descend upon them when their companion exalted. For
these Sidereals, having been so long hindered from building
lasting emotional connections with anyone other than their
own kind or with potent Celestial deities, this feeling was foreign and disturbing. Only one or two have yet determined the
source of this feeling, and few have broached the topic with
their peers. Certainly, they have considered exploring the situation, but so far they have let other priorities command their
attention. Such personal matters are best left to sabbaticals,
and with Creation in its current state, who among the elders
could put aside their duties now?

Sidereal Exaltations that have passed through Lyteks
office more often have had their bond to their Nocturnal
companion reduced nearly to non-existence. Only in the presence of the Harlequin would such a Sidereal detect the feeling
of being near something strangely familiar.

Conversely, the Nocturnal Exaltations departed from
their cage directly to their new hosts and have never passed
into Lyteks hands. The bonds to their Sidereal remain strong,
and even being in an area influenced by the astrological workings of their Sidereal companion will spark the feelings of
longing and a desire to be with the mysterious power whose
handiwork is obvious in the destinies of the world. This
feeling has compelled many Harlequins to search out their
companions, but their attempts to make contact have been
hindered by the significant amount of time the Chosen of the
Maidens spend in Yu-Shan and their ability to travel quickly
from one end of Creation to the other.

For those who make contact, determining the meaning of their relationship is an even greater challenge. Unlike
the bond between the Lawgivers and the Stewards, which
has been well understood and established in past lives, the
bond between the Viziers and the Harlequins is without
precedence. A mortal rarely knows that Sidereals exist, and
the Nocturnal Exaltation does not necessisarly impart this
knowledge to them. However, the machinations of a secret
Beureu of Destiny are simultaneously alluring and repulsive
to the nature of the Chosen of Infinite Possibilities. For the
Sidereals, who pride themselves in knowing practically all that
occurs upon the face of Creation, the sudden appearance of a
new breed of Exalt troubles them greatly. The Harlequins are
to be distrusted, no matter how much their Exaltation might
compel them otherwise. Only after detailed observations
have been conducted will the Five Score Fellowship allow the
Harlequins into their inner sanctums.

Among all the Celestial Exalted, the Harlequins are
only truly the equals of their companions. Though the Geas
imposes obedience to other Celestial Exalted upon them,
they do not suffer from this curse in regards to their Sidereal

The Harlequins, The Viziers, and Fate

The breaking of the Mask obscured the Sidereal Exalted from Creation. Their Arcane Fate prevents others
from remembering them for long and they have grown
quite accustomed to this. Despite the strength of this
fractured constellation, the bond between Harlequin and
Vizier is stronger. The Nocturnal Exalted bonded to a
particular Sidereal can always see through the Viziers
Resplendencies and remembers her without concern for
Arcane Fate. Once they have met, his player never needs
to roll in order to remember the Sidereal.

Likewise, Autochthons last command to Nox has
caused the Incarna to obscure his Exalted within the
Loom of Fate. Their threads still exist but are masked by
the Incarnas own powerful magic. As such, the Chosen
of Nox are considered Outside of Fate by all who would
care about such a designation, with two exceptions. First,
all Nocturnals treat each other as within Fate for Nox
has no need to hide them from each other. Second, each
Sidereal treats their companion as within Fate. Only that
Sidereal can directly target a Nocturnal with astrological
effects, though others may attempt to do so by casting a
wider net. When a Harlequin performs a Fluctuation she
simultaneous imposes a powerful Illusion which causes
all witnesses to forget the original state in favor of the
altered one. Only her Sidereal companion and other
Nocturnals are automatically immune to this effect.
companions. If commanded by their companion, they accept
such orders out of honest respect and affection rather than a
metaphysical compulsion.

Lunar Exalted

So far there has been little, if any, contact between the

Harlequins and the Stewards. Among the Exalts native to
Creation, the Stewards have long been an anomaly, deriving
their powers through raw natural talent rather than individual
skills. With the emergence of the Harlequins, a second front
has been opened on the development of such magic. More
likely than not, once the Harlequins have become established
and are recognized by their Celestial peers they will enter
into many collaborative efforts with the Chosen of Luna to
develop shared charms. The most promising front will almost
certainly be in the potential development of new martial
arts styles. For millennia, the Lunar Exalted have only been
able to employ their native Hero Style solely through their
natural grace and speed without requiring extensive martial
arts training. The Harlequins bring with them a second Style
to expand their potential. Working together, who knows what
other esoteric martial arts they might invent? Such a thing
might well be outside the realm of possibilities, but if not,
the Lunars mastery of their own bodies and the Nocturnals
mastery of potential will surely make it a reality.

Solar Exalted

Long before the Primordial War was even a dream in the ambitious minds of the gods, Nox and the Unconquered Sun had a
well established rivalry. The two male Incarnae vied often for
authority over the other gods and despite Noxs persistence
any challenge to the God of Perfection is doomed to failure,
though Noxs consistently new and unexpected plans at least
entertained the Sun. In many ways, this rivalry is reflected in
the relationship of their Chosen.

The Nocturnal Exalted can work momentary wonders,
shaping the world in grand detail and sweeping scope, but they
cannot compete with the permanent glories the Solar Exalted
can create. Despite having their reality enforced by the Loom
of Fate, any world-shaping envisioned by a Harlequin will be
remembered only as a novel sort of illusion, a mere parlor
trick compared to the works of the Lawgivers, rather than as
something truly real. When the histories of the Second Age
are written, they will recall the noble endeavors of the Lawgivers and the majesty of their labors, glossing over the inspiring
vision with which the Harlequins guided such efforts. Given
their nature, most Nocturnals who have sculpted any future
know this fact. A few grow embittered by this lack of recognition; others strive all the harder to earn their own place in the
annals of history.

Even the most scholarly of Twilights know no more
about the Harlequins than anyone else. Many over-zealous
and xenophobic Solars suspect the Nocturnals of some dark
purpose. Their fears are not entirely unfounded. The first
appearance of the Harlequins has roughly corresponded with
the advent of the Deathknights and the Green Sun Princes,
and the Harlequins are hardly above making convenient alliances.

The Missing 150

Though 300 Lawgivers fought the Primordials
before the Age of Man and ruled Creation throughout
the millennia that followed, in the fallen state of the
Second Age only 150 Solars spread their light across the
world. The other half have been stolen and corrupted by
forces beyond the purview of Fate. This has not stopped
the threads of destiny from offering more candidates for
Solar Exaltation than can receive this boon.

Those that fail to join the ranks of the Solar Exalted
at their appointed time have few options. Many remain
mortal heroes, continuing the natural course of their
lives. Others may find an alternative Exaltation. Those
who have only themselves to blame receive the corrupt
alternative of the Yozi. Those who fail to exalt solely
because their destined Exaltation is currently in the employ of a Deathlord or a Yozi may instead receive their
Second Breath from Nox. Such would-be-Solars-turnedNocturnals are among the most ambitious and most zealous of their kind. Often they realize that their new-found
powers do not feel entirely appropriate, that they were
perhaps meant for something else. This feeling compels
them to use their powers in more grandiose displays than
other Nocturnals, as if they were out to prove they can
make the most of even this lesser Exaltation.

The Dragon-blooded

The Immaculate Order does not know what the Harlequins are either, but they are clearly Exalted and clearly not
Dragon-blooded so they are therefore certainly Anathema. No
attempt has been made by the Immaculate Order to investigate
the Harlequins any more than they have any other Anathema
that they deemed worthy of slaughter. In older days, when the
Scarlet Empress herself rode out with the Wyld Hunt, some
Nocturnals might have been captured as novelties. In her absence, the Wyld Hunt eliminates this new breed of Anathema
with direct and deadly fervor.

Yet the Heralds were made to mediate between the
Celestial Exalted and their lessers. The Harlequins retain this

Chapter One Heralds

and

Harlequins

13

charge and some subtle members among their ranks have already begun the process of reconciling the Terrestrial Exalted
with the Celestial Exalted. For those Dragon-blooded willing
to make alliances with Anathema, the Harlequins provide
them with a potent secret weapon. Unfortunately, for those
Dragon-blooded who intend to wield their new allies against
other Anathema, an unpleasant surprise awaits.

For the Nocturnals, the relationship between themselves and the Terrestrial Exalted is often the most rewarding
relationship they may have with a fellow Exalt. In such a
relationship there is no looming Geas and no Great Curse
that can be exploited against them. Their dealings with the
Dragon-blooded can be as honest or as deceptive as the Harlequin pleases. They may forge friendships and alliances with
beings of considerable power and similar station without fear
of sublimating their own will in favor of the Dragon-bloodeds
demands.

The Alchemical Exalted

The Chosen of the Great Maker were the first Exalts to

be designed but were never produced during the Primordial
War. They served as the prototype for all that followed, including the Nocturnal Exalted. The Harlequins resonate with
their crystalline counterparts in Autochthonia: the hidden
Adamant Caste. Should the seal between the worlds fall and
the Nocturnals encounter the clandestine angels of the Realm
of Brass and Shadows, they will find their Exaltations stirred
to greatness. The Adamant Caste kindles in them memories
of their intended glory as inspiring visionaries and vigilant
watchmen. When the Nocturnal next sleeps after encountering the Alchemical, she dreams of being as it is: a free agent
guarding their home rather than a servant shackled to their
peers. While in the presence of an Adamant Caste, Harlequins
gain Subservience only once per scene, and should Heralds be
required to gain Limit from being opposed by Destiny, they
reduce the total limit gained by one, to a minimum of zero.

The Abyssal Exalted and Ghosts

The Nocturnal Akuma

Will defines the Nocturnal Exalted. It is from the
free exercise of their will that they gain their power. Even
under the influence of the Geas, the Harlequins are too
strong-willed to give up their freedom to a Yozi without
possessing a great desire to do so. Certain Yozi then will
be more appealing to the Harlequins than others. Above
all others are Isidoros and Sacheverell, the Primordials
that, via their Creation of Nox, most influenced the
nature of the Nocturnals.

New Infernal Monster Style Charm

Shackled Slave Revolution

Cost: (+1wp); Mins: Martial Arts 5, Essence 3;

Type: Permanent
Keywords: Form-Enhancing, Native, Obvious, Rage
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: Infernal Monster Form

The Yozi enslaves the Harlequin with a promise of
true freedom. The akuma is unleashed upon a world that
can no longer constrain her. This Charm permanently
enhances Nocturnal akuma, and provides additional
benefits when activating Infernal Monster Form.

The akuma is not obligated to attack her Yozi patron or any of its Third Circle demons while in a berserk
state (such as that induced by Retribution Will Follow)
unless those beings have physically attacked her earlier in
the scene.

The akumas slavery to her Yozi master is complete
and she knows no lesser servitude. Rather than the usual
means, she gains Subservience only when defying Infernal Exalted and Third Circle Demons. When a usual
trigger for Subservience is met, she instead enters a state
of violent madness as per the Rage-keyword.
Through slavery to another master, the damned Harlequin brings a terrible resolve against those who would
have exploited her otherwise. While Infernal Monster
Form is active, her minimum damage is increased to her
Temporary Willpower if it is higher than her Essence.
Temporary Willpower gained from Willful Strength Bolstering also increases her minimum damage. If she attacks
a Celestial Exalt, she regains a Temporary Willpower if
she successfully damages him or loses a Temporary Willpower if she successfully hits but inflicts no damageshe
may gain or lose willpower this way once per Tick.

The Harlequins have few dealings with the Underworld.

The stasis of that realm does not yield itself to the worldshaping mind of the Harlequin and denies them the full
extent of their power. As such, the Nocturnal Exalted have no
more interaction with the dead than any other type of Exalt
native to Creation would.
Beyond the dead themselves, the Underworld possesses
its own champions, and the Deathknights have inherited the
ability to bend the Harlequins to their will. At least two Nocturnals have come to the attention of Deathlords and even
these ancient beings are perplexed by the Harlequins arrival.
With varying success, the Deathlords and their servants have
explored potential alliances with the Chosen of Nox, hoping
to find some common purpose in darkening Creation.
slumber by the other Yozi. The progeny of Sacheverell have
long searched for a way to rouse their lord, striving against
The Infernal Exalted and Demons
other demons that ensure the dreaming Yozi never stirs in his
The Incarnae feared the Nocturnal Exalted would turn slumber. Together the Harlequins and these demons might
to the Primordials if they ever uncovered what the gods had conspire to liberate the ancient wardens of Creation: Nox and
done to Nox. Indeed, upon their return to Creation, many The Lidless Eye.
Harlequins have forged alliances with the hellish host. Just as
the Deathknights may command the Harlequins, the Green The Fair Folk
Sun Princes and appropriate Akuma may also issue edicts and
The Harlequins and the Raksha view each other jealorders to those Harlequins they encounter.
ously. Within their own purview, both can shape the world
Specifically among the Yozi, the Harlequins are drawn to their whims, but they do so in very different ways. In the
to the progeny of Sacheverell, He Who Knows the Shape of Wyld the Raksha craft fantastical wonders of artistry and
Things to Come. Sacheverell was once the Primordial known impossibilities, yet within Creation they are powerless. The
as the Lidless Eye That Sees, in whose burning vision Nox Harlequins may shape even the world of Creation but are
was first imagined. Just as Nox was betrayed and imprisoned confined to the realm of possibilities. As they venture farther
by his own kind, Sacheverell has been condemned to eternal

14

from the influence of the Loom of Fate, their power to influence the world around them grows weaker until they are fully
in domain of the Raksha and the Unshaped monsters the
dwell beyond.

Within the Bordermarches and Middlemarches, the
powers of the Harlequins and the Raksha overlap. Here
they may engage each other in shaping contests. The Raksha
attempts to impose the mad dream logic of the Wyld upon
the tainted lands of Creation, while the Harlequin seeks to
stabilize the region into a possibility safe for the habitation of
the Creation-born. As they play their games of tug-of-war, the
Harlequins and the Raksha pull Creation and the Wyld farther apart, expanding the marches or causing them to retreat
according to who claims victory.

Gods

The small gods of Creation react to the Harlequins with

the deference a Celestial Exalt deserves assuming they take
any note of the Harlequin at all. Such gods are the ones most
likely to interact with the Harlequins, and generally lack the
knowledge necessary to recognize them as something new or
unusual.

The Harlequins may seek or extort aid from more potent gods, but few beneath the ranks of Celestial gods will
dare question the will of a Celestial Exalted. Beyond this, the
Harlequins interact with the gods no more frequently than a
young Lawgiver or Steward would.

As an interesting consequence of Noxs obscuring his
own existence, he has also masked the existence of the forbidden gods those deities that sided with the Primordials during the Great War or those who were purged from the ranks

Lytek

Among all the gods of Yu-Shan, Lytek certainly possesses the greatest interest in the Harlequins. Upon their
initial release last Calibration, the Exaltation bypassed his
office and flew immediately to new, long-awaited hosts. A
handful have been slain. Though he had overheard curious reports before this, he had not concerned himself
with the matter until the first Exaltation landed in his
cabinet. To Lyteks amazement, the cabinet expanded of
its own accord, revealing a new row of shelves holding the
Nocturnal Exaltations.

He attended to those curious novelties with great
care, examining them in detail and struggling to determine their exact nature. For some time he has assumed
these dark Exaltations belong to the mysterious Abyssal
Exalted that had appeared in Creation and the Underworld, and as yet he has not ruled out this possibility.
He lets the Exaltations come and go as they please, attempting to determine their method of Exaltations and
preferred targets so that he might begin offering them
suggestions as he has done with others. Still, the desires
of the Nocturnal Exaltations remain elusive to him and
immediately upon leaving his office, Lytek is incapable of
detecting their location or destination.

Now and then, Lytek considers that they may not
be the same as the Abyssals, but always seems to forget
this line of reasoning within a few days. Occasionally he
is surprised to find scrolls in his own handwriting with
lengthy notes describing the differences between the
Nocturnal Exaltation and the hypothetical qualities of
the Abyssal Exaltation. This surprise, too, he promptly
forgets.

of the Celestial Bureaucracy as the Incarnae established their

rule. Just as Harlequins are not hidden from one another they
may also interact with the forbidden gods without interference from the Loom of Fate and the power that possesses it.

Mortals

Like all Celestial Exalted, the Harlequins arise from the

mortal population of Creation, typically independent of any
other Exalt. Unlike other Exalts, however, the Harlequins as
a group are the least likely to place themselves in positions
above the common people. Guided as they are by altruistic
motives, they often seek to elevate the masses alongside themselves. Suffering from the Curse of Subservience, they know
the burden of being ruled better than most.

Their unique perspective often makes them highly accessible to mortal populations compared to other Exalted.
Even the Dragon-blooded can appear as mighty god-kings to
those who possess no Charms of their own.

While the Lawgivers rule imperiously over their subjects, the Stewards subtly manipulate their chosen peoples
from afar, or the Viziers guide Creation from their offices in
Yu-Shan the Harlequins most often interact with the people
among the people. Many of their Charms works best not on
those they rule, but on social and military groups to which
they belong. Inevitably, almost any Harlequin that hopes to
influence a mortal population will present himself as one
of their own, even if he doesnt believe in the groups cause
himself.

Known Nocturnals

Unfettered Adolescent
The Last of His Kind

Quote: Im over five thousand late already, and I

dont have time to waste on you.
Among all the Exalted, Unfettered
Adolescent believes himself unique. Though
he appears no older than thirty, he is, as far
as he knows, the last surviving human of
the Primordial Age. Those who wish to
question him for secrets of that era will be
sorely disappointed. He launched himself out of the flow of Time before the
Primordial War began and is unable
to provide any insight on the greatest exploits of the Exalted. Despite
being apart from Creation at the
time of the Three Spheres Cataclysm, even he was affected by the
destruction wrought by She Who
Lives In Her Name. Having no
knowledge of the Yozis devastating parting shot, he did
not know what had occurred
to Creation to leave it in its
current diminished state when
he returned to the First Age nor
could he identify anything that
was missing.
Unfettered
Adolescent
exalted at the young age of
fourteen. He had aspirations of becoming a
great explorer, wan-

Chapter One Heralds

and

Harlequins

15

dering the dangerous world the Primordials had crafted and

discovering the truth behind the wondrous tales told of lands
beyond his tribes borders. Destiny at first compelled his aspirations, but the advent of the Exalted rendered him obsolete
as the great heroes of that age boldly ventured into untamed
realms beyond the safety of the Dragon Kings nations, laying
claim to marvels meant for Unfettered Adolescent to discover.

Nox delivered a Nocturnal Exaltation to the young
man personally, transforming him into one of the first Nova
Castes and inducting him as a Vanguard in the Exalted host.
He trained as hard and as diligently as any Exalted, frequently
meditating upon his own nature and that of his patron.
Through such devotion he quickly earned great attention
even from Nox. The young Vanguard trained frequently
under the Incarnas tutelage along with a handful of other
chosen favorites.

When the Incarnae betrayed Nox, the lobotomized god
immediately began murmuring in the minds of his favorite
Chosen, including Unfettered Adolescent. By the time the
Maidens attacked the Heralds Calibration festivities, he had
barely begun to comprehend the constant murmuring in his
head. Mere moments before Saturns blade would have fallen
upon him, he allowed the whispers of Nox to guide him to
safe passage through timeless Elsewhere to safety in the future.

He wandered the First Age briefly and the Second Age
for considerably more time. Until recently his driving goal
has been to seek the freedom of the other Heralds, but now,
with the Harlequins released, he wanders in search of a new
purpose. He recognizes that the Nocturnals that now appear
throughout Creation differ somehow from himself and those
he once knew. Their will is weakened, and he keeps his distance from them for fear that whatever changed them may
affect him as well.

He is disheartened that the diminished state of Creation
seems to have also worn down the will of his fellow Heralds,
transforming them into these lesser Harlequins. At times he
regrets ever accepting Noxs gift of Exaltation. When such
moods strike him he temporarily discards his Exalted powers
and adopts the form of a young heroic mortal himself at a
much younger age. Adopting this younger form returns his
youthful vigor and the many ruins of the Second Age provide
plenty of opportunities to live out his original desire for adventure.

Otherwise, he appears as his true adult age, though still
with a youthful look about him that only the Exalted can
achieve in the rugged world of Creation. He travels lightly and
quickly. In a fight, he quickly dons a heavy suit of adamant
plate and wields a crackling shock pike both of which he
summons to himself through the bonds of history. He prefers
to fight among other soldiers as he had been trained, but his
secretive missions from the Madame and his increasing paranoia have forced him into an uncomfortable solitude. Likely
his growing misanthropy will only end once he discovers a
Harlequin he deems worthy of the name Herald.
Motivation: Find a Nocturnal Exalted worthy of his tutelage.
Caste: Nova
Anima Banner: An eruption of white light followed by expanding sky-blue rings forming an hourglass pattern around
him.
Attributes: Strength 5, Dexterity 3, Stamina 5, Charisma 4, Manipulation 2, Appearance 3, Perception 5, Intelligence 3, Wits 4
Virtues: Compassion 2, Conviction 4, Temperance 3, Valor 3
Abilities: Athletics 2, Awareness 4, Bureaucracy 1, Dodge
4, Integrity 4, Investigation 4, Lore 1, Linguistics (Native:
Old Realm; Flametongue, Riverspeak, Low Realm), Melee
4 (Shock Pikes +1), Occult 3, Presence 3, Ride 2, Stealth 3

16

(Making a clean get-away +1), Survival 3 (Unexplored Territory

+1), War 3 (Alongside other Exalted +2)
Backgrounds: Ally 1, Artifact 4, Artifact 2, Companion 1,
Resources 2, Tangled Fate 4, Whispers 5
Domains: The Stone 5, The Chisel 1, The Statue 3, The Silk
3, The Clay 5, The Tablet 4
Charms:
Excellencies: Strength (3rd), Dexterity (1st), Charisma (2nd),
Wits (3rd)
Strength: A Cut In Time, Arena-Hopping Advance, Armor
and Cloth Juxtaposition (x2), Battlefield-Leaping Maneuver,
Broken Destiny Majestic, Dashing Meteor Speed, Falling Star
Endowment, Momentous Comet-Warrior Method, Myriad
Possibilities of Strength (x2), Position of Uncertainty Offense,
Shields to Rust, Strength and Stone Unity, Tumbling Troupe
Technique
Stamina: Horizons Captured and Conquered, Ox-Body
Technique, Road-Smoothing Attitude, Shadow Out of Time,
The Open Road Softly Calls
Charisma: Hold The Line, Stentorian Amplification Practice,
Trumpets Herald Victory
Appearance: Rescinding The Nocturnal Gift
Perception: Another Face In the Crowd, Assassins Fatal
Stare, Breaking The Dragons Fangs, Captains Insightful
Command, Ever-Wary Bandits Premonition, Owl-Eyed
Hunter Technique, Standing In Harms Way, Weighing The
Scales
Wits: Blades Drawn In Peace (x2), Night Prepares At Dawn
(x2)
Join Battle: 8
Attacks:
Punch: Speed 5, Accuracy 4, Damage 5B, Parry DV 3, Rate 3,
Tags N
Kick: Speed 5, Accuracy 3, Damage 8B, Parry DV 1, Rate 2,
Tags N
Clinch: Speed 6, Accuracy 3, Damage 5B, Parry DV , Rate 1,
Tags C, N, P
Historys Tear: Speed 4, Accuracy 10/11, Damage 12L/14L,
Parry DV 5, Range 100, Rate 3, Tags 2, R, *
*Historys Tear operates both in close combat and ranged
combat, with the numbers after the slash representing its
ranged Traits. Firing the weapon at range costs two motes and
subtracts one from the targets Parry DV.
Soak: 17L/19B (Adamant Articulated Plate, +15L/+14B,
8L/8B Hardness, Mobility -1, Fatigue 1)
Health Levels: -0x2/-1x2/-2x2/-4x2/Incap
Dodge DV: 6 (5 in armor)
Willpower: 10
Essence: 5
Personal Essence: 25
Peripheral Essence: 45
(56)
Committed Essence: 11
Other Notes: Unfettered Adolescents purchases of Night
Prepares At Dawn reduces the speed of his (Dexterity + Melee)
attacks by one when he uses a polearm such as his shock pike,
and reduces the speed of Rally actions (Exalted, p. 165) by
one. His artifact backgrounds represent his armor and his
Shock Pike, Historys Tear. The armor of ancient design, while
he claimed the shock pike during his brief adventure in the
First Age and once belonged to a Terrestrial infantryman (see
Book of Sorcery, vol IWonders of the Lost Age, p. 76 for the
details on this weapon.) His Ally Background represents his
loose association with the Madame. He has actively avoided
his companion for many years and would like to keep it that
way. His Rescinding the Nocturnal Gift reshapes himself as
the 14-year old child he was upon Exalting.

Sapphire Lavandra

Quote: In all languages four words are saddest:

what might have been. It is no coincidence
that they hint at those two words which bring
the most hope and wonder: what if.

The tragic tale of poet Sapphire
Lavandra begins on the small island of
So Blessed, a minor protectorate of the
Coral Archipelago. She had a typical
childhood, seeing little of the world
beyond her family or the other girls
of her village. When her father returned from sea, she listened raptly
to his tales of far-off ports and high
adventure and through him learned the
strange tongues of the world beyond the
islands. She didnt care that her father
embellished the details. He inspired
her and that was enough.

As she grew, she found the ways
of the West stifling. It was not a womans
place to seek adventure. She was meant
to stay home and attend to the familys
affairs while the men were away. The
words of the world became her connection to distant lands shed never know.
Poetry was her chief outlet. Her verse
spoke of her longing and of the inequalities inherent in her society. The beauty
of her words stirred conflicting emotions
within her audience. Unfamiliar notions entered their minds,
but none would dare voice those ideas save Lavandra herself.

But destiny had dealt the young poet a cruel hand. As
her popularity spread through the archipelago, a fury grew
among those who favored the nations patriarchal traditions.
Lavandra attracted the ire of people she had never met, and
eventually, she made wealthy enemies. One of the plutocrats
hired a band of privateers to attack So Blessed, with orders
to find and quietly kill Lavandra in the process. Though they
succeeded in their mission, the privateers were pursued by
the Coral fleet and captured. They revealed name of their
employer, and when the plutocrats crime was exposed, Lavandras long-sought revolution for gender equality began in
earnest, toppling centuries of established patriarchy.

Or so the Division of Endings had planned. Unfortunately for the Bureau of Destiny, but quite to Lavandras
liking, the privateers caught the attention of a great whale,
marked with shimmering silver tattoos, long before they arrived at So Blessed. Her destiny avoided, the poet attracted the
attention of a Nocturnal Exaltation and found new strength
in her voice as one of the Troubadours of the Nova Caste.

She is unaware of her near brush with death or the
ancient Lunar who unwittingly saved her. Her poems continue to inspire those who hear or read them, and her fame
continues to spread. The plutocrat who conspired to have her
murdered, too, enjoys a second a chance and plots against her
still. His secret is safe still and he has had time to reconsider
the folly of his first rash attempt to silence the poet. While he
delays, Lavandra attracts larger and larger audiences, stirring
more hearts to break the chains of patriarchy that have long
kept the women of Coral shackled to their homes.

In the Loom of Fate, Lavandras strand vanished on
schedule. Only later did a Sidereal note that it had not been
severed by the Maiden of Endings as planned. After much
searching he has finally found ita tangled mess hiding deep

within the Loom. The Sidereal weighed his options. Fate

veered off course, but it still seemed to be heading ultimately
toward the destination he intended. In the meantime, he continues to monitor the situation. With increasing frequency,
the young poets strand twists and convulses, shaking the
surrounding strands. The pattern spiders ignore her, so the
Sidereal tends to her strand personally. He can barely keep
up.
Motivation: Inspire the women and men of the West to rise
up for equality
Caste: Nova
Anima Banner: A flash of white and expanding fiery halo
leaving behind sea foam green wisps
Attributes: Strength 2, Dexterity 3, Stamina 2, Charisma 5, Manipulation 4, Appearance 3, Perception 5, Intelligence 4, Wits 2
Virtues: Compassion 2, Conviction 3, Temperance 3, Valor 2
Abilities: Awareness 2, Craft (Air) 3 (Calligraphy +2), Dodge
2, Integrity 3, Investigation 2, Linguistics (Native: Seatongue;
Skytongue, Riverspeak, High Realm, Low Realm, Firetongue) 5
(Poetry +2), Lore 2 (Philology +1), Performance 3, Presence
3, Sail 1, Socialize 3
Backgrounds: Companion 2, Influence 2, Resources 2,
Tangled Fate 3, Whispers 1
Domains: The Stone 2, The Silk 5, The Needle 2, The Clay
5, The Stylus 2
Charms:
Excellencies: Charisma (1st), Perception (1st)
Charisma: Artful Conversationalists Allure, Brothers in
Arms, Fifteen Minutes of Fame Approach, Services Rendered
Perception: Lovers Attentive Ear, Open Book Interaction
Intelligence: Basic Necessities Provisions
Join Battle: 4
Attacks:
Punch: Speed 5, Accuracy 4, Damage 2B, Parry DV 3, Rate 3,
Tags N
Kick: Speed 5, Accuracy 3, Damage 5B, Parry DV 1, Rate 2,
Tags N
Clinch: Speed 6, Accuracy 3, Damage 2B, Parry DV , Rate 1,
Tags C, N, P
Soak: 3L/1B
Health Levels: -0/-1x2/-2x2/-4/Incap
Dodge DV: 4
Willpower: 6
Essence: 2
Personal Essence: 14
Peripheral Essence: 31
Committed Essence: 0
Other Notes: Since Lavandras Companion spends most of
his time in Yu-Shan, she is only vaguely aware of his existence.
Some of her more recently poems have addressed her desire to
find the source of this mysterious longing (though her admirersrepresented by her Influenceargue incessantly over this
series of poems, as they differ in style from her previous work).
Her resources come from a combination of working as a scribe
for her familys shipping enterprise and from donations received at her poetry readings. Her Basic Necessities Provisions
provides her with materials typically found in a scriptorium,
though she supplies her own paper when she can. The artifact
this Charm provides is a crystalline Audient Brush (Book of
Sorcery, vol. IIIOadenols Codex, p. 33).

Indigo Grace

The Teahouse Assassin

Quote: Arm yourself and let the dance begin!

Born in the village of Rigin, a rice-farming community
a mere two-day ride from the outskirts of Lookshy, Indigo
Grace was the only child born to a poor farmer and his blind

Chapter One Heralds

and

Harlequins

17

wife. The people were under the jurisdiction and protection

of Lookshy and greatly admired the famous soldiers who had
long guarded their small village from raiders.
Indigo Grace grew up hearing the tales of
famous battles and noble heroes, and while
other girls learned how to be proper women,
she spent more time fantasizing of her own
exploits as a glorious sword-princess.

Tragedy befell her family when she
was still young and ruined her dreams of
heroism. While traveling to Lookshy
to deliver Rigins rice tribute, Indigo
Graces father was fatally wounded
by a bandit. He survived long enough
to recount his assailants description: a
man armored head to toe in glittering blue armor and wielding a crackling pike. Her father
had spotted the man some distances away,
but before he could even consider fleeing, the bandit was already upon him.
Oddly, the bandit took nothing but a
single sack of rice, before departing.
The local regiment vowed
to apprehend the bandit but
although they searched for
the Deserter, as he came to
be called, for months he was
never found or even seen again. After her fathers death, the
patron of her village took pity on Indigo Grace. While the
patron invested in the community that had taken his name,
as is expected from wealthy citizens of Lookshy, his wife Rigin
Oshipa operated a fine house of entertainments not far away.
There foreign visitors and off-duty soldiers could take their
leave and indulge themselves with little concern for who
else was watching. Working for Oshipa provided Grace with
enough money to support her mother.

Oshipa groomed Indigo Grace for a life as a geisha. She
easily mastered the arts of hospitality and though the clientele were rowdier than most she might encounter in similar
establishments closer to Lookshy, she was never asked to do
anything demeaning while Oshipa managed the house. After
two years of standard work such as serving tea and dancing,
Oshipa began instructing Grace in subtle methods of selfdefense. Unfortunately, Oshipa was never able to complete
Graces training in the esoteric arts. Early last year a client
revealed himself to be a Fair Folk and a brief fight ensued.
While most of the guests and Graces fellow geisha fled the
house, Grace lingered to watch the fight. A single young
Dragon-blooded officer remained with Oshipa. Her mistress
exhibited a martial prowess that seemed to impress even the
officer. The Fair Folk was as cruel as he was cunning, and he
shielded himself with Oshipa as the officer prepared to land a
final blow. Do it! were Oshipas last words. The Rigin family
was well honored for her bravery and sacrifice.

Oshipas husband cared little for the management of
the house after his wifes death. Its popularity soared in the
wake of Oshipas heroism. The new wave of clients were very
respectful the first season, and while Grace remained busy
every day, it was not unpleasant work and she sent her mother
more wealth in those months than most people of Rigin saw
in years. As Oshipas husbands interest in the house waned,
the rules grew lax and the clientele became more eccentric
and demanding. The clients made requests that would have
never been honored while Oshipa managed the house but
which Grace was now bound to fulfill.

18

As her work became increasingly unpleasant, Grace

retreated to her heroic fantasies. She imagined herself as a hidden martial arts master,
transforming her lightest caress into a deadly
blow, like Oshipa had been able to do. Against
particularly lewd clients she played out her dreams
of revenge in fine detail. And so she kept herself
from despair until Calibration.
Somewhere far away, a cage had been
opened and a Nocturnal Exaltation made its
way to her. Indigo Grace exalted as the first
Gladiator of the Comet Caste. Soon after she
took her Second Breath, the Madame came to
visit her. Indigo Grace, being ignorant of spiritual affairs, mistook the strange woman as the deified
spirit of Rigin Oshipa, returned to guide Graces new
found mission. The Madame told Grace to recover a
hidden book wrapped in white cloth from beneath
the floor boards of Oshipas office, which only confirmed Graces suspicions. The book contained
coded information and a dozen or so illustrations of martial arts techniques. Instructed by
the Madame, Grace took the book to Lookshy
and showed no one. Those who knew how to
translate the book would find her.
True to her word, the White Veil Society
quickly discovered Indigo Grace and after
proper initiation she has joined as rising
star in the secret society. Much to the Societys surprise, she mastered their style rapidly. Indigo Grace
remains disguised as a mere geisha, working now at an establishment within Lookshy. Those within the Society know she
is some sort of Anathema, but they know how to keep a secret.
The grandmasters of the White Veil frequently make use of
her power and send her on the most dangerous assignments
under the pretense that her new mistress has sent her to
entertain at private parties. Indeed, Graces beauty and talent
as a geisha have not gone unnoticed and such requests are not
uncommon.
Motivation: Embody the elegance and grace of the martial
arts to inspire others
Caste: Comet
Anima Banner: A blue, streaming coma with a tumbling
indigo nucleus.
Attributes: Strength 3, Dexterity 5, Stamina 3, Charisma 3, Manipulation 2, Appearance 3, Perception 2, Intelligence 3, Wits 4
Virtues: Compassion 2, Conviction 2, Temperance 4, Valor 3
Abilities: Awareness 2, Athletics 2, Craft (Water) 2, Dodge 3,
Integrity 2, Lore 1, Martial Arts 5 (Without Attracting Attention +2), Performance 3 (Dance +1), Socialize 3 (As Hostess
+1), Stealth 3
Backgrounds: Artifact 2, Backing 2, Companion 2, Resources
2, Tangled Fate 3
Domains: The Stone 3, The Chisel 5, The Silk 1, The Stylus
1, The Tablet 4
Charms:
Excellencies: Dexterity (1st), Wits (2nd)
Strength: Hidden Might Physique
Dexterity: Feather and Iron Descent, Improbable Response,
Unhesitating Duelist Parturition
Appearance: Essential Possibilities
Wits: Blades Drawn in Peace, Spears from Quivers Drawn
Supernatural Martial Arts:
White Veil Style: Alehouse Memory Stance, Birdsong Over
Blades, Owl Clutches At The Night, White Veil Form
Other: Faceted-Lotus Enlightenment

Join Battle: 6
Attacks:
Punch: Speed 5, Accuracy 11, Damage 3B, Parry DV 6, Rate
3, Tags N
Kick: Speed 5, Accuracy 10, Damage 6B, Parry DV 1, Rate 2,
Tags N
Clinch: Speed 6, Accuracy 10, Damage 3B, Parry DV , Rate
1, Tags C, N, P
Soak: 6L/8B (Jade Discrete Essence Armor, +5L/+5B, Hardness: 2L/2B, 3m to activate reflexively)
Health Levels: -0/-1x2/-2x2/-4/Incap
Dodge DV: 5
Willpower: 7
Essence: 2
Personal Essence: 16
Peripheral Essence: 25 (35)
Committed Essence: 10
Other Notes: Indigo Graces artifact is her Discrete Essence
Armor, which typically costs only 5 motes to attune but is
doubled because it is not of the appropriate magical material for her. For more information, see Book of
Sorcery, vol. 1: Wonders of the Lost Age, p. 80.
It was a gift from the White Veil Society, which
is where she has Backing.

Seneca

The Lion In the Woods

Quote: Sleep no longer, Linowans, or you

shall wake to find the bones of your ancestors beneath the red trees of Halta.

On the last night of Calibration, a lone Nocturnal Exaltation flitted about the world
searching not just for a host
dedicated to the plight
of his people but also
one that would lead it
to its long lost companion. It paused to consider
many heroes, but flew on. It
could do better. If Exaltations
can know joy, surely this one did
when it discovered its new host.
No other choice could be better.

The Exaltation found Seneca
alone in the woods, just within the
Haltan border. The only survivor
against a failed raid, he crudely
attempted to tend to gossamer arrow protruding from his shoulder.
Not far away, a twig snapped. No Raksha would be so clumsy.
They wanted him to know. They wanted him afraid.

But the Raksha found no helpless mortal when they
came to finish Seneca. The Nocturnal Exaltation found him
first. Flooded with celestial power, the new gladiator was more
than a match for his Raksha foes, especially once armed with
a glittering crystal bow. The Fair Folk retreated in terror, and
Seneca headed south to plan his next raid on Halta.

Another surprise awaited Seneca when he returned
home. After years of absence, his younger brother Lowuyica
stood before him, with a mix of utter surprise and relief upon
his face. Immediately, both knew something had changed
between them since they last met. Lowuyica, now the Chosen
of Mars, had been to Yu-Shan and back; Senca, now Chosen
of well, someone at least, had been waylaid by Raksha on
destined path to ignite open war between the Haltans and the

Linowansone in which the Haltans and their new Solar ally

were intended to win.

If it were a war Destiny demanded, then Seneca was
happy to oblige. But it would be war on his own terms. With
his brothers help, Seneca will soon give Destiny more than it
ever bargained for. He travels the waterways of the Linowan,
rallying support. Lowuyica aids in whatever manner he can,
increasingly finding excuses to visit his homeland, careful to
avoid suspicion that he is on the verge of going ronin.

Seneca has, thus far, neglected to inform Queen Arkasi
of his activities. If asked, he will say he does not wish to involve the Queen in this matter officiallyif he attracts the attention of the Bull of the North, let it be a rogue band rather
than with royal sanction. There is some pragmatic truth there.
Should he fail, he would not wish bring ruin upon his entire
people. But deep down, he simply doesnt care for the Queen.
Arkasis alliance with the Realm has failed the Linowans dramatically. Its local legion has been eradicated by the Bull of
the North. The Queen Who Lives Forever has vanished from
her scarlet throne. What aid can the Dynasts offer now, in the
Linowans most desperate hour? The leaves are changing; new
leadership is needed.

Already, Senecas name is one whispered to be better fit
for the throne, or at least he should replace Virithan Splitsthe-Door as the royal war leader. So far, Seneca has ignored
such suggestions. Each day, he, his mysterious prophet and
their war band travel from boat clan to boat clan, spreading
his mission and preparing the people for war.
Motivation: Fight for the ultimate victory of the
Linowans
Caste: Comet
Anima Banner: A dual-tailed comet with a dark
ominous heart
Attributes: Strength 4, Dexterity 4, Stamina 4, Charisma 3, Manipulation 2, Appearance 2, Perception
3, Intelligence 3, Wits 4
Virtues: Compassion 2, Conviction 5, Temperance 2,
Valor 3
Abilities: Archery 4 (On the move +1), Awareness 3,
Athletics 2, Craft (Wood) 2 (Woodworking +1), Dodge
3, Integrity 3 (Never Forgive +1), Lore 1, Medicine 1,
Presence 3 (Oratory +1), Sail 2 (Rivers +1), Survival
2, War 3 (Guerilla Tactics +1)
Backgrounds: Companion 5, Artifact 3, Followers
2, Influence 2
Domains: The Stone 4, The Chisel 4, The Statue 2,
The Silk 2, The Tablet 4
Charms:
Excellencies: Strength (3rd), Dexterity (1st), Charisma (2nd)
Strength: Cometary Impact Technique, Tumbling Troupe
Maneuver
Dexterity: Empty Handed Innocence, One Bird, Two Stones
Stamina: Destiny Adopting Humility, Road Smoothing Attitude
Charisma: Birds of a Feather Unity, Trumpets Herald Victory
Join Battle: 7
Attacks:
Punch: Speed 5, Accuracy 5, Damage 4B, Parry DV 3, Rate 3,
Tags N
Kick: Speed 5, Accuracy 4, Damage 7B, Parry DV 1, Rate 2,
Tags N
Clinch: Speed 6, Accuracy 4, Damage 4B, Parry DV , Rate 1,
Tags C, N, P
The Barbed Meteor: Speed 6, Accuracy 11, Damage +6L, Rate
2, Range 250, Tags 2, B, P
Soak: 2L/4B

Chapter One Heralds

and

Harlequins

19

Health Levels: -0/-1x2/-2x2/-4/Incap

Dodge DV: 5
Willpower: 8
Essence: 2
Personal Essence: 18
Peripheral Essence: 35 (39)
Committed Essence: 4 (3 Paradox)
Other Notes: Senecas companion, obviously, is his brother.
When he accompanies his brother, he wears a Spear Resplendency and, thanks to Destiny Adopting Humility, has placed
an Ascending Spear Destiny on Seneca as well. Once per
scene, Seneca regains one willpower whenever he succeeds
on a rolled action related to training his troops, represented
by his Followers. This destiny will last for one year. While in
Yu-Shan, Lowuyica tends to his brothers Fate and keeps it
orderly. Senecas artifact is The Barbed Meteor, a Paradoxed
short powerbow. By gaining a Paradox, Seneca may fire an
unlimited supply of frog-crotch arrows for a scene. Due to the
adamant nature of the weapon, these arrows can puncture
all but the hardest armor. Lethal armor soak is unaffected by
either the doubling nature of the arrows or the Piercing effect
of the weapon. His Influence is his growing reputation among
the Linowans.

Sartor Verdan
Loves Fool

Quote: Look, love, this is fun, but

maybe I can tie you up for a change.
Born somewhere in the West,
the blue-haired Sartor Verdan
knows little of his own past. Sartor Verdan may not even be his
real name. Nothing before his
Exaltation in the month of
Resplendent Air remains.
Since then he has been
haunted by the memories
of his previous incarnation.
The alien world of prehistoric Creation perplexes him
and the incongruity with his
memories and modern Creation unnerve him. He sleeps
poorly as the grim veiled
image of Saturn manifests in
his nightmares. From time to
time, his past life erupts to the
fore of his psyche, assuming control with intense passion, living
vicariously through Sartor.

With little attachment
to his mortal life, Sartor set
out toward something familiar. He did not know what
it was, but could feel it calling him. Whenever he awoke from
one of his black-outs, he almost always regained consciousness
to discover himself closer to the source of the calling than
before. Periodically the calling went silent, and he thought he
had found wherever it was he was supposed to go. Romance
came easily to him, and the handsome youth has broken the
hearts of many women along his travels. When the calling
comes again, he departs without explanation.

In time his travels brought him to an isolated island
monastery hidden atop sheer cliffs. The calling cried to him
stronger than ever, but guided him no further. Among the
monks, he thought he had truly and finally found the place
he sought. He joined them attempted to learn their Sea-

20

Faring Hero Style, remaining careful to hide his identity as an

Anathema. Soon after starting the students training of the
style, he suffered another black-out.

When he awoke, he found himself chained to a chair
being questioned by a harsh Tya woman, tattooed and sporting mens clothing and hair style. She interrogated him for
hours, demanding to know why he was trying to break into
her base, who he worked for, and most importantly who and
what he was. Sartor Verdan had few answers for her questions
and what he was able to answer did no please his captor
Righteous Tsunami. She wasnt exactly the sort of woman
he usually pursued, but his attraction to her was undeniable.
Sitting in her presence, he knew once and for all that she was
his calling, the thing that had traveled thousands of miles
to discover. Unsurprisingly for those who knew Righteous
Tsunami well, his seductive advances were not met well.

What did surprise those who knew the Chosen of
Battles was the way she handled Sartors capture. Usually
level-headed, she grew frustrated and annoyed with him easily, yet refused to let anyone else interrogate him without her
direct permission. No one beyond the Convention of Water
was to know about Sartor until they had discovered exactly
who and what he is. It seemed odd to other members of her
Convention, considering how she might have typically used
an unknown threat as a means of garnering extra funds from
the Bureau of Destiny.

Sartor Verdan remains Righteous Tsunamis prisoner
today. She continues to interrogate and occasionally torture
him, convinced he has placed some magic on her that must
be revoked. Torture typically takes the form of elaborate
experiments that also allow her to gauge the power of the
young Concubine of the Aurora Caste. To his credit, Sartor
endures Righteous Tsunamis cruelty without bitterness.
He admits to others that this is illogical, that he should
be angry, but he simply cannot be angry with her. Its
only a matter of time before she comes around. Since
Sartor remains outside of Fate to all but Righteous
Tsunami, this has provided the members of the
Convention of Water a rare opportunity; bets
have been placed on when exactly hell
eventually snap under the abuse.
Motivation: Win Righteous
Tsunamis love
Caste: Aurora
Anima Banner: Gently rolling curtains of sea-foam green.
Attributes: Strength 2, Dexterity 4, Stamina 3, Charisma 5, Manipulation 3, Appearance 5, Perception 2, Intelligence 2, Wits 3
Virtues: Compassion 2, Conviction 3, Temperance 2, Valor 2
Abilities: Athletics 3, Dodge 3, Integrity 5 (While Being
Tortured +1), Martial Arts 3, Presence 5 (Seduction +2), Resistance 3 (In the Company of a Woman +1), Sail 2, Socialize
2, Survival 1
Backgrounds: Companion 3, Cult 1, Past Lives 1, Tangled
Fate 2
Domains: The Chisel 4, The Statue 1, The Silk 4, The Needle
1, The Cloak 5
Charms:
Excellencies: Charisma (2nd), Appearance (3rd)
Stamina: Road-Smoothing Attitude
Charisma: Artful Conversationalists Allure, Constellations
Fill The Sky, Interest Catching Camaraderie, Zodiac and
Ecliptic Union
Appearance: Personified Mask of Conviction, Too Pretty To
Die
Supernatural Martial Arts:
Seafaring Hero Style: Sea Spider Plunge

Join Battle: 3
Attacks:
Punch: Speed 5, Accuracy 8, Damage 2B, Parry DV 5, Rate 3,
Tags N
Kick: Speed 5, Accuracy 7, Damage 5B, Parry DV 3, Rate 2,
Tags N
Clinch: Speed 6, Accuracy 7, Damage 2B, Parry DV , Rate 1,
Tags C, N, P
Slashing Sword: Speed 4, Accuracy 8, Damage 5L, Parry DV 4,
Rate 1
Soak: 1L/3B
Health Levels: -0/-1x2/-2x2/-4/Incap
Dodge DV: 5
Willpower: 6
Essence: 2
Personal Essence: 14
Peripheral Essence: 31
Committed Essence: 0
Other Notes: Sartor Verdans Cult background represents
the members of the Convention of Water which pray for his
continued enduranceso that they might win the bets theyve
placed. He is a rarity among Harlequins as he possesses the
Past Lives background. His Exaltation was not entirely purged
of its former memories by Autochthon and occasionally those
memories surge and overtake his mind. The background is
fully detail in Manual of Exalted Power, vol. V: Infernals, p.
77-78. For Nocturnals, this would represent their Primordial War incarnations, and no Nocturnal may have Past Lives
greater than 1.

Lady Ferem Abrianne

Deaths Harlot

Quote: Honestly, now! Why do you waste time groveling

in the streets? You cant be that poor. You still have two
arms, two sturdy legs, and a strong back, dont you?
Theres a necrotech surgeon in town who would gladly
pay you for the spare parts, since youre obviously
not using them.

When the Mask of Winters marched
on the city of Thorns, how many destinies
were disrupted? Only the Bureau of Destiny knows for sure, but this is certain:
among those was the destiny of a young
woman far from home.

Ferem Abrianne was born in the city
of Cherak. Renowned for her beauty
and little else, Ferems father considered her a liability when she failed to
carry on the familys Exalted heritage. She
became a bargain chip in his politic schemes.
By way of their mutual alliance with the
Realm, her father had arranged for her
marriage to a son of Thorns Autocrat. To
her protests, she was shipped off across to
the Inner Sea to meet her betrothed.

She found herself in Thorns on
the eve of its invasion. Abandoned
by her family, she became trapped
in city as the dead marched in.
Through guile and wit, she survived the initial attack. This would
surprise her father, not only because he still assumes that
she died in the attack but also because he would have never
expected her to possess such skill.

Living in squalor taught her harsh lessons. She did what
she had to in order to survive. When Calibration came, she
received charity from an unlikely source. Exalting in Thorns

shadowland soon brought her to the attention of its new

master. She perplexed the Mask of Winters, and he refused to
let her depart until he solved the riddle of her existence.

This suited her just fine. True, for a time she was little
more than a prisoner, but soon she won the favor of the
Deathlords court. Swearing an oath to never leave the city,
she was given freedom of movement within it. She once again
enjoys the benefits of being nobility and has adapted well to
the aristocracy of the dead. She is a known lover of more than
one of the citys Deathknights.
The people of the city speak of her with disdain, calling her
Deaths Harlot behind her back. They curse her, more so than
they do the Abyssals, for they remember that she was once one
of them. Recently risen from the filth of the streets, she shows
them no love, only contempt. Where she walks, discontent
and malice follows. The people grow restless in her presence.
Should they see an opportunity to revolt, her head would be
among the first they place upon a spike.
Abrianne smiles as she walks away from their insults. Their
hatred gives her hope. She has taken it upon herself to become a parody of the citys rulers. To dwell among them, to
imitate their habits, to draw the ire of the common people. If
her death will buy the people their freedom, she would gladly
accept that bargain. Not without attempting to negotiate a
better price first, of course, and when the day comes, she has a
few more tricks up her sleeve to ensure her continued survival.
Motivation: Inflame the rebellious spirit of Thorns mortals.
Caste: Aurora
Anima Banner: Pale green-and-white wisps coiling slowly
around her.
Attributes: Strength 2, Dexterity 3, Stamina 2, Charisma 4, Manipulation 4, Appearance 4, Perception 2, Intelligence 3, Wits 4
Virtues: Compassion 3, Conviction 3, Temperance 2, Valor 2
Abilities: Awareness 3, Bureaucracy 2, Dodge 3 (In expensive
clothes +1), Integrity 3, Linguistics 2 (Native: High Realm;
Skytongue, Riverspeak), Lore 2, Melee 3 (Fencing +1), Occult
1 (The Dead +2), Performance 2, Presence 2, Socialize 3 (High
Society +2), Survival 1 (Street Smarts +2)
Backgrounds: Backing 1, Companion 1, Resources 3,
Tangled Fate 2
Domains: The Chisel 3, The Silk 4, The Needle 2, The
Cloak 4, The Tablet 2
Charms:
Excellencies: Manipulation (1st), Appearance (3rd)
Dexterity: Empty Handed Innocence
Charisma: Confident Debate Initiation, Interest-Catching
Camaraderie, Following the Hearts Desire
Manipulation: Absurd Satirists Mask
Wits: Devil Reigning Hypothesis, Smiling Traitor Opportunity
Join Battle: 7
Attacks:
Punch: Speed 5, Accuracy 4, Damage 2B, Parry DV 2,
Rate 3, Tags N
Kick: Speed 5, Accuracy 3, Damage 5B, Parry DV 1,
Rate 2, Tags N
Clinch: Speed 6, Accuracy 3, Damage 2B, Parry DV
, Rate 1, Tags C, N, P
Straight Sword: Speed 4, Accuracy 8, Damage 5L, Parry DV 4,
Rate 2
Soak: 1L/2B
Health Levels: -0/-1x2/-2x2/-4/Incap
Dodge DV: 5
Willpower: 6
Essence: 3
Personal Essence: 15
Peripheral Essence: 35
Committed Essence: 0

Chapter One Heralds

and

Harlequins

21

Other Notes: Lady Abrianne wears courtly finery to flaunt

the wealth of Thorns new aristocracy. Though ragged, it is
among the best the half-dead city can provide and is sufficient
for its purpose. She is a fine fencer, having practiced the sport
since childhood (at her mothers insistence and without her
fathers consent). This practice served her well in her days
surviving on the streets; she still carries the sword that saved
her life on more than one occasion. Though it is no rapier,
it has served her well thus far. Her Backing represents her
official status among the citys Exalted. Her Devil Reigning
Hypothesis allows her to appear as a Creature of Death. Who
her companion is, she cannot say. They have not yet met.

Aolan Graf-Keszic

Herald of the Day of Reckoning

Quote: Let all chains break! Let all traitors wail! The Day of Reckoning draws nigh!
Unwittingly Aolan Graf-Keszic life
has been ruled by numerous conspiracies.
Born into the royal family of Gradafes, a
small kingdom located halfway between
the Haslanti League and Halta, he was
indoctrinated into a Yozi-worshiping
cult of Sacheverell from the moment
of conception. Many believed he
would be the one to pave the
way for the two sons of Aolan
fated to open the door between
the living and the dead and
enter the Third Place, in accordance with a prophecy that
the minions of Sacheverell had
delivered to the Yozis cult long
ago. As such, the secretive cult
prepared Graf-Keszic, as they
had all members of the royal
family, to be the Herald of the
Day of Reckoning.

The foremost obstacle to
this prophecy is the Deathlord,
the Lover Clad in the Raiment
of Tears, who rules Gradafes
from her shadowland within the
kingdom. Together with her deathknights, she interferes daily in the
destiny of the nation, constantly
manipulating who will become her next vassal
king. Graf-Keszic is not the first in line to inherit the throne
and he has not earned the Lovers notice. He is a heavy-set
man with a full dark beard and a ruddy face well known for
his stoic integrity, cunning, and sharp wit. Such a man hardly
appeals to the Lover though he might interest her for a
moment while he attempts to resist her seduction, as a mere
mortal he could never resist long enough to make himself a
true challenge. There is no sport in seducing mortals, and so
the Lover prefers to select those who appeal to her standards
of male beauty. To her, the kings of Gradafes are little more
than toys with which to gratify her own desires until she can
find more challenging opportunities deserving of her attention.

Additionally, Cecelyne herself has learned of Sacheverells interference in the region and she will not abide by his
flagrant circumvention of restrictions she and the other Yozi
placed upon him. Sending her own agents into Gradafes,
she began undermining a revolution Sacheverells cult had

22

prepared, so that its leader, Aolan Graf-Keszic, would falter at

the crucial moment.

Cecelyne succeeded and Aolan Graf-Keszic aborted his
own revolution when the Lover sent one of her Deathknights
to investigate disturbances in the capital of Graf-Vindak. Before Cecelyne could claim him as her own Green Sun Prince,
a Nocturnal Exaltation came upon him, transforming him
into a Jester of the Empyrean Caste.

Today, Aolan Graf-Keszic is a hunted man. The Lover
is aware of his new-found power and seeks to make him her
slave. Cecelyne is enraged that he escaped her own attempt
and has directed one of her Infernals to find and eliminate
him. As for Sacheverells cult, Graf-Keszic remains an active
member, using his power to further its agenda. Already he has
contacted the lesser souls of Sacheverell and is preparing to
take their conspiracy in a new direction thanks to unexpected
boon the cult has received from Nox.
Motivation: Prepare the world for the Day of Reckoning
Caste: Empyrean
Anima Banner: A sphere of darkest indigo of apparently
infinite depth.
Attributes: Strength 2, Dexterity 2, Stamina 4, Charisma 3,
Manipulation 4, Appearance 2, Perception 3, Intelligence 4,
Wits 4
Virtues: Compassion 2, Conviction 5, Temperance 2, Valor 4
Abilities: Awareness 1, Bureaucracy 3 (Affairs of State +1),
Dodge 2, Integrity 2, Lore 1, Linguistics 1 (Native: Skytongue;
Old Realm), Melee 2 (Sacrificial Dagger +1), Occult 3, Performance 2 (Oratory +3), Presence 2, Ride 1, Socialize 2, Stealth
2
Backgrounds: Companion 1, Cult 2, Influence 2, Resources
3, Tangled Fate 2
Domains: The Statue 4, The Silk 1, The Needle 4, The Stylus
2, The Tablet 4
Charms:
Excellencies: Charisma (2nd), Manipulation (2nd)
Stamina: Death and the Broken Mirror, There Is No Sword,
Time-Halting Auroch Mastery, Truthful Nomenclature Habits,
Charisma: Brothers In Arms
Manipulation: Manipulation and Needle Unity
Intelligence: Fickle Leopards Defense
Wits: Smiling Traitor Opportunity
Join Battle: 4
Attacks:
Punch: Speed 5, Accuracy 3, Damage 2B, Parry DV 2, Rate 3,
Tags N
Kick: Speed 5, Accuracy 2, Damage 5B, Parry DV 0, Rate 2,
Tags N
Clinch: Speed 6, Accuracy 2, Damage 2B, Parry DV , Rate 1,
Tags C, N, P
Sacrificial Dagger: Speed 5, Accuracy 7, Damage 5L, Parry DV
4, Rate 1
Soak: 8L/12B (Royal Lamellar +6L/+8B)
Health Levels: -0/-1x2/-2x2/-4/Incap
Dodge DV: 3
(2 in armor)
Willpower: 7
Essence: 2
Personal Essence: 16
Peripheral Essence: 36
Committed Essence: 0
Other Notes: Aolan Graf-Keszic has escaped with a bit of his
family fortune while the forces of the Lover and Cecelyne
pursue him. This includes a set of royal lamellar armor, which
is of fine quality and only imposes a -1 Mobility Penalty. His
sacrificial dagger is of perfect quality, adding one to its Accuracy, one to its Damage, and two to its defense. He serves as
the priest of Sacheverells cult in Gradafes, and a portion of

Nexus has kept him busy and his actions as unofficial

the cult praises him daily as the Herald of the Day of Reckon-
ing. His Influence includes both his sway in the Cult and his law enforcement have begun to attract unwanted attention.
familiarity among the locals as a member of the royal family. Avoiding the wrath of the street gangs and, occasionally, the
Council of Entities is tiring work, but since he has found ways
urning
aters
to pit rival gangs against each other, he had time to consider
other mysteries.
The Law Without Borders

From time to time, as he wanders the city, he spots a
Quote: Two months and not a clue in sight? You
door crafted of blue crystal. Oddly, he alone seems to even
found me just in time.
notice the mysterious door. Where it leads, he does not know

Calibration held many surprises
for it appears to stand free of any structure. He has tried openfor Burning Waters, few of them pleasing
it, but it is always locked. The door comes and goes with
ant. Born in the Hundred Kingdoms,
a cacophonous racket only he hears. Hell solve that mystery
his family emigrated to Greyfalls
some day, but for now, there are murderers and thieves runduring a time of famine. Growing
ning free.
up in the city was not always easy.
Motivation: Make the Streets of the Scavenger Lands
After a few run-ins with the law,
Safe at Night
he realized that if he couldnt
Caste: Empyrean
beat them, he might as well join
Anima Banner: A black and indigo sphere which shows the
them. By the age of twenty, he
stars as they would appear overhead during the day.
was chasing petty thieves through
Attributes: Strength 2, Dexterity 3, Stamina 4, Charisma 2,
crowded markets. By thirty, he
Manipulation 4, Appearance 2, Perception 4, Intelligence 2,
was tracking down murderers.
Wits 5

The next thirty-five years of his
Virtues: Compassion 2, Conviction 3, Temperance 2, Valor 2
life saw his continued service to the
Abilities: Athletics 1, Awareness 3, Bureaucracy (Laws +1),
law. Admirable as his works were,
Integrity 2 (No one is above the law +2), Investigation 5 (Cold
he was but a mortal in a city which
Cases +2), Lore 1, Martial Arts 3 (Tonfas +1), Presence 2,
attracted Outcastes and Dynasts
Resistance 2, Survival 1
looking for a second chance. Time
Backgrounds: Artifact 3, Artifact 3, Resources 1, Tangled
and again, he is accomplishments
Fate 1, Whispers 2
were ignored in favor for yet another
Domains: The Chisel 2, The Statue 4, The Needle 4, The
Dragon-blooded passing through the
Clay 2, The Tablet 5
ranks.
Charms:

Over sixty, he could no longer
Excellencies: Dexterity (1st), Charisma (2nd), Manipulation
keep up with even the younger mortal
(2nd), Perception (3rd), Wits (1st)
officers. Since he refused to quit the
Stamina: Ox-Body Technique, There Is No Sword
job he loved, he was unceremoniously
Charisma: Ears to the Ground
discharged one Calibration eve. Packing
his things, he trudged out into an evening shower. Passing Manipulation: Scapegoat and Glory Hound
a dark alley, he heard a cry for help. Placing his box on the Perception: Whence You Came
rain-slicked cobblestones, he muttered: Once more, for old Join Battle: 8
Attacks:
times sake.

He encountered a lovers spat turned violent, on the Punch: Speed 5, Accuracy 8, Damage 2B, Parry DV 4, Rate 5,
verge of murderous. But no good deed goes unpunished. Tags N
Burning Waters crossed paths with a Bloody Hand that night. Kick: Speed 5, Accuracy 7, Damage 5B, Parry DV 2, Rate 4,
Though he was unaware of it, for years Burning Waters had Tags N
been arresting the murder gods favorite serial killers, forcing Clinch: Speed 6, Accuracy 7, Damage 2B, Parry DV , Rate 1,
him to start over time after time.The Bloody Hand had had Tags C, N, P
enough of Burning Waters interference and would not let Tonfas: Speed 5, Accuracy 8, Damage 6B, Parry DV 5, Rate
5, Tags M
him stop this one.

Had the Bloody Hand thought to consult with the Soak: 12L/14B (The Dusty Lawman, +10L/+10B, Hardness
Bureau of Destiny, he would have learned that Burning 5L/5B)
Waters was fated to die that night in a double murder. His Health Levels: -0x2/-1x2/-2x2/-4x2/Incap
Willpower: 8
death would have sparked an outcry among the Confederate Dodge DV: 4
Essence:
2
community in the city and eventually leading to them being
Peripheral Essence: 35
recognized as true citizens of Greyfalls rather than long-term Personal Essence: 15
Committed
Essence:
3
(3
Paradox)
visitors.

Instead the gift of Nox came upon him. In a way, Burn- Other Notes: Burning Waters possesses a pair of adamant
ing Waters did die that night. The old man who walked into hearthstone bracers, which he acquired from the Guild facthat alley never walked out. Renewed by his Second Breath, a tor Erimav the Librarian after Burning Waters arrested the
thief who had stolen from the factors vast collection of rare
young man walked out victoriously.

He has since left his old life behind. Traveling the River wonders. His other artifact is the Dusty Lawman, a Paradoxed
Confederacy, he eventually arrived in Nexus. He uses aliases Reinforced Buff Jacket. Burning Waters may gain a Paradox
as he travels, typically referring to himself merely as the Con- to banish the armor to Elsewhere or to retrieve it, ready for
stable, when he can avoid using a proper name. Though still battle, so long as hes not wearing any other armor.
adjusting to his transformation, he has not faltered in his duty
to the law.

Chapter One Heralds

and

Harlequins

23

Rothel Xul
The Hunter of Men

Quote: Well skip introductions. I can

tell by your steadily rising stench that you
already know who I am, and I wouldnt
be here if I didnt know you.
Life in the great southern
desert is particularly harsh. A nomadic tribe leads a hard life, and
the sandy wastes are prowled by
many dangers not the least of
which are other tribes. Rothel
Xul once belonged to small
tribe in the northern fringe of the
desert until his tribe was raided
by another, larger tribe. The raid
leader was a Dragon-blooded
bastard, ignorant of his own
heritage but hoping to earn the
favor of certain wealthy Dynasts.
The Dragon-blooded captured
Rothels tribe and sold them into
slavery. Rothels wife caught the eye
of a scion of House Cynis and was
taken to the Blessed Isle. Rothel
was sold to wealthy merchant
in Chiaroscuro to serve as a eunuch in the merchants harem.

For years Rothel hated
the Outcaste raider who captured him and
the nameless member of House Cynis who separated him from his wife. He mourned the children he would
never have. As he guarded his masters harem he brooded and
formulated his revenge. Yet all his planning were little more
than childish fantasies. As time passed, he grew to accept
his new lot in life. Who was he to rail against the hand of
Destiny?

Performing his duties with increased dedication and loyalty, he became a trusted member of his masters entourage.
When Calibration came recently, his master invited Rothel
to join the feast as a guest rather than a servant. Rothel was
honored and accepted graciously. He wore his finest outfit
and rubbed expensive scented oils onto the skin of his bald
head as was customary for his culture. Rothels enthusiasm
evaporated as the merchants guests arrived, among them
Cynis Matto the very man he had sworn revenge against all
those years ago!

Rothel ate and drank little during the feast and watched
the gluttonous Matto intensely. Oblivious to the fury building in the eunuch, Cynis Matto boasted regarding his sexual
exploits with his own slaves and mourned the loss of so many
to his ravenous fetishes over the years. Rothels drunken master assured the Dragon-blooded that he was free to do as he
pleased with his harem, so long as he paid for any damaged
goods. Laughter filled the room while Rothel sipped at his
own drink to mask his expression.

As the night wore on and Matto drank more, he admitted a particularly strange fetish. Of all the women of Chiaroscuro, he wished to bed Crimson Leaves, the famous beauty
from the mountains, who had died during the previous year
at the hands of a jealous lover. Emboldened by many strong
drinks, the merchant suggested it would be a small matter for
a potent Dragon-blooded like Cynis Matto to summon the
ghost of the deceased beauty and have his way with her.

24

With the wisdom only drunken lechers possess, the merchant and Cynis Matto decided to venture into the shadowlands of the city and call out Crimson Leaves. And who better
to accompany them on their exploit than the merchants
eunuch? The three went lightly armed into the shadowland.
Rothels hand never left the hilt of his ceremonial khopesh,
waiting for the perfect moment to strike Cynis Matto. Perhaps
he would cut the Dragon-blooded down just moments before
he could add Crimson Leaves to his list of sexual exploits.
That would be bitter justice.

Whether Rothel would have actually done what he
swore to do may never be known. He raised his sword just as
Cynis Matto completed his slurred evocation of the dead. A
dozen ravenous ghosts manifested before them. As they torn
into the Dragon-blooded, the ghosts splattered Rothel with
his blood. The ghosts torn his khopesh from his hands and
surely would have devoured him as well. Chance smiled on
Rothel Xul that night. The Second Breath came upon him
and just within reach an arcane device glistened, inviting him
to pull the trigger. Invested with new power and armed with
potent weapon, he fought his way free of the hungry ghosts,
with his former master in tow.

His traumatized master suffered delusions following the
incident, caused by a combination of drunkenness, fear, and
Rothels own mind-subduing anima. The next morning, seeing blood on Rothels clothes, the merchant accused Rothel
of murder. False though the accusation was, Rothel happily
accepted the blame. After all, had it not been for the ghosts,
he would have done it himself.

Of course, Rothel had no intention of suffering the
consequences of the crime and has fled and evaded the local
authorities ever since. He remains within Chiaroscuro or its
immediate environs, learning all he can about the slave traders that pass through the city. Meanwhile, he has let the fear
of his name run wild. Rumors of Rothel the Hunter spread
through the city, tales of a mortal who slew a mighty Dragonblooded. Since Cynis Mattos death several other prominent
figures, mainly visiting Dragon-blooded, have died under
mysterious circumstances. Such deaths are always attributed
to Rothel the Hunter, slayer of the mighty. While some within
think the Hunter of Men is nothing but an urban legend,
many others whisper prayers to Rothel, wishing death upon
those who have offended them.

The truth is Rothel is only partially to blame for these
deaths. He obscures evidence and warps memories to hide
the true cause and make it appear as though he is responsible.
When his name is feared far and wide and he has learned
the name of the man who ruined his life, he will announce
his intent and set out into the desert. Until he is ready, he
carefully cultivates his mythos so that his enemy will quake
with fear the day Rothel the Hunter comes against him.
Motivation: Make the Wicked Fear His Name
Caste: Nebula
Anima Banner: Billowing pillars of crimson smoke that
darken to the color of dried blood.
Attributes: Strength 2, Dexterity 3, Stamina 4, Charisma 2,
Manipulation 5, Appearance 2, Perception 4, Intelligence 4, Wits
4
Virtues: Compassion 1, Conviction 3, Temperance 2, Valor 3
Abilities: Archery 2 (Executing Justice +2), Awareness 2,
Dodge 2, Integrity 2, Investigation 3, Larceny 3, Lore 1, Melee
1, Presence 3, Resistance 1, Ride 1 (Camels +1), Stealth 3,
Survival 2 (Deserts +1)
Backgrounds: Artifact 3, Cult 1, Influence 2, Resources 1,
Tangled Fate 1

Domains: The Statue 2, The Needle 5, The Clay 4, The Stylus

4, The Tablet 2
Charms:
Excellencies: Manipulation (2nd), Wits (1st)
Manipulation: Scapegoat and Glory Hound
Appearance: Essential Possibilities
Perception: Another Face in the Crowd, Assassins Fatal
Stare, Ever-Wary Bandits Premonition, Open Book Interaction, Someone Elses Problem
Intelligence: Mind of the Mad Genius
Wits: Shadow Leaping Surprise
Join Battle: 6
Attacks:
Punch: Speed 5, Accuracy 4, Damage 2B, Parry DV 3, Rate 3,
Tags N
Kick: Speed 5, Accuracy 3, Damage 5B, Parry DV 1, Rate 2,
Tags N
Clinch: Speed 6, Accuracy 3, Damage 2B, Parry DV , Rate 1,
Tags C, N, P
That Lucky Feeling: Speed 5, Accuracy 7, Damage 10L, Range
20, Rate 1, Tags F, P
Soak: 5L/8B (Buff Jacket +3L/+4B)
Health Levels: -0/-1x2/-2x2/-4/Incap
Dodge DV: 4
(3 in armor)
Willpower: 5
Essence: 2
Personal Essence: 12
Peripheral Essence: 27
Committed Essence: 0 (3 Paradox)
Other Notes: Rothel Xuls Influence represents the myth of
himself he has cultivated. His Cult represents a disorganized
group of mortals who pray to the Hunter of Men in order to
rid them of some enemy. In combat he favors That Lucky Feeling, a Paradox Artifact variant of the Plasma-Tongue Repeater.
It is made of glittering adamant with an ornate ivory detailing. Rather than alchemical reagents, That Lucky Feeling fires
high velocity adamant-tipped bullets. It is not reloaded in the
usual sense. After firing five shots, Rothel Xul may gain one
Paradox as a diceless miscellaneous action to reload the same
five bullets, over and over, removing them from
their current location and returning them to their
chambers in pristine condition.

[REDACTED]
The Madame

Quote: Do we have an agreement?

Little can be said of the Madame with
certainty. She is a Nocturnal, that much is
clear, and an old one at that. She has gone
through at least one Renewal in her life, and
with that she wiped the rest of her history
clean. Her name has been erased from Fate
and is known now only to her Companionif
she has even exposed herself to her Companionand those beings beyond Fate who knew
here in the days before she lost her name to
become a legend. If such beings, none of the Madames would-be accomplices have found them.

She has met with the few surviving Heralds, but none recall her from their days in the
Time of Glory. She wears a new face now. Appearing as a beautiful, petite woman with pale
skin and black hair, she is most frequently
seen wearing a sweeping black cloak, in
a Northern style, with hood raised and
hands tucked neatly in her sleeves.

She is never seen arriving. Mysteriously, she appears
upon the path of a hero, either waiting for him in some
unexpected location or suddenly unveiling that she had been
traveling alongside him for quite some time. After a cryptic
explanation, the Madame offers the hero a challenge and a
reward. She provides him with information which aids him
in his endeavors or goads him to pursue a personal desire. In
exchange for this information, she asks for that he find and
deliver some seemingly insignificant article to herone that
can be found as he pursues whatever goal he now seeks to
accomplish.

Many adventurous heroes who took the Madame up on
her offer have met with unfortunate ends. More often than
not, she neglects to mention some potential hazard. With
increasing frequency, her accomplices find themselves on the
wrong end of the Bureau of Destiny. Worst still, this all seems
part of the Madames master plan, whatever it may be.

Fortunately, her loyalties lie with her peers, and she
offers the Nocturnal Exalted the best tasks. Such tasks rarely
involve run-ins with the Bureau of Destiny, unless the Nocturnals themselves prompt such an investigation. Otherwise,
the Madame does her best to ensure minimal chance of interference. She approaches her fellow Nocturnals with tasks to
occur during Calibration, or while arranging for some other
event to distract the Bureau. In one notable incident, she
organized the assassination of a Hundred Kingdoms royal
family at the hands of an Abyssal Exalted merely to cover the
tracks of a pair of Harlequins who were busy in a neighboring
kingdom.

This is the most important lesson one can learn about
the Madame. Behind her demure appearance lurks a patient,
ruthless heart. In order to free the Nocturnals and Nox, she
has no qualms with sacrificing the lives of mortals and Exalts
alike. She rarely takes pleasure in this grim necessity, though
a faint smile crosses her lips when she hears a Sidereal has
fallen to one of her accomplices.
Motivation: Liberate the Nocturnal Exaltations and their
Patron from their Prison
Caste: Nebula
Anima Banner: A billowing, mountainous shape colored
rose and rust
Attributes: Strength 3, Dexterity 4, Stamina 4, Charisma 5,
Manipulation 5 (Illusive +1), Appearance 5 (Fragile Beauty +1),
Perception 5 (Seeing the Hearts Desire +1), Intelligence 5, Wits
4
Virtues: Compassion 2, Conviction 5, Temperance 4,
Valor 3
Abilities: Awareness 3, Bureaucracy 2, Dodge 3, Integrity
5 (Enigmatic +3), Investigation 3, Larceny 3, Linguistics
5, Lore 5 (History of the Second Age +2), Occult 3, Performance 4, Presence 4 (Withholding Details +2), Resistance
2, Ride 1, Sail 1, Socialize 3, Stealth 4 (In a Crowd +2),
Thrown 3 (From Shadows +1, Counterattacks +2),
Backgrounds: Artifact 2, Artifact 4, Companion 2, Tangled
Fate 5, Whispers 5
Domains: The Statue 1, The Silk 3, The Needle 5, The
Cloak 3, The Clay 4, The Stylus 5, The Tablet 2
Charms:
Excellencies: Charisma (2nd), Manipulation (2nd), Appearance (3rd), Perception (1st), Intelligence (1st)
Dexterity: Unhesitating Duelist Parturition
Stamina: Boundless Possibilities Assimilation, Hidden Might Physique, The Crooked Made Straight
Charisma: Courtesan and Artisan Meditation, Darkest Night Hero, Following the Hearts Desires, Interest
Catching Camaraderie

Chapter One Heralds

and

Harlequins

25

Manipulation: Deception of Self, Fickle Lovers Affections,

Unreliable Face of Contradiction
Appearance: Alpha and Omega Epithet, Broken Soul Reborn, Curious Onlooker Deflection, Essential Possibilities,
Familiar Face Confusion, Personified Mask of Conviction,
Personified Mask of Temperance, Unwavering Critic Style
Perception: Another Face in the Crowd, Cheaters Never
Prosper, Ever-Wary Bandits Premonition, Heart-Halting Accusation, Lovers Attentive Ear, Open Book Interaction, OwlEyed Hunter Technique, Now My Watch Begins, Someone
Elses Problem, Standing in Harms Way
Intelligence: Accidental Discoveries, Black Veil Conspiracy,
Beautiful Mind Savant, Ingenious Singularity Advancement,
Interrogation Halting Simpleton, Mind of the Mad Genius,
Parting the Veil, Strategic Unexpected Brilliance, Puzzle Box
Courier Technique, The Riddle Responds, The Veil Sundered
Wits: Coiling Mbius Counterstrike, Night Prepares at Dawn
Join Battle: 7
Attacks:
Punch: Speed 5, Accuracy 5, Damage 3B, Parry DV 3, Rate
3, Tags N
Kick: Speed 5, Accuracy 4, Damage 6B, Parry DV 1, Rate 2,
Tags N
Clinch: Speed 6, Accuracy 4, Damage 3B, Parry DV , Rate
1, Tags C, N, P
Knives: Speed 5, Accuracy 8, Damage 5L, Parry DV 2, Range
50, Rate 3, Tags P, T
Soak: 2L/4B
Health Levels: -0/-1x2/-2x2/-4/Incap

26

Dodge DV: 6
Willpower: 10
Essence: 5
Personal Essence: 25
Peripheral Essence: 58 (67)
Committed Essence: 9
Other Notes: The Madames Artifact represents her Cloak
of Vanishing Escape (Book of Sorcery, vol. IIIOadenols
Codex, p. 40), which she will use in conjunction with
Unhesitating Duelist Parturition to escape from combat as
quickly as she can. Her lesser Artifact is a strange contraption
wore around one wrist. The device appears to be an adamant
Concealed-Knife Brace (Manual of Exalted Power, vol. VI
Alchemicals, p. 208), which provides her with six constantly
refreshing knives. Where she acquired such a device, who can
say? Regarding her true nature, there are few possibilities. The
most likely is that she is a Herald, in which case she likely has
Shadow Out of Time, in addition to her other Charms, or
has used some other means to survive the long millennia. At
least one Herald believes her to be the unwitting Alter-Ego of
another, though whose he cannot guess. If true, she would
have access to at least a few of Charms of the Alter-Ego. A
stranger possibility exists, at least in a few Manvantara, that
she is an advanced Harlequin who has twisted time and space
to arrive in Creation before her own birth. If this were the
case, she would also possess Walking the Skeins, or some
method of bridging Manvantaras. She six languages appropriate to her actual background, but which six depends on
which background is true.

Chapter Two Nox, The Onyx Youth

27

28

Chapter Two

Nox, The Onyx Youth

Bound and broken, Nox is the lowliest of the mighty
Incarnae. His long imprisonment has stripped him of his volition and left him an emotionless husk. The threads of Fate
wrap tightly around his essence, trapping him like a fly in the
web of the Maidens design.

This has not always been so. Ages ago, the Onyx Youth
had a privileged place among the Most High. He bore the
air of an entitled prince and the carefree nature of one unaccustomed to heavy duty. As the emissary of the Primordials
he enjoyed their collective favor unlike any other god. For
that, he earned the ire of his overworked peers long before
Ignis Divine first drew up his plans for war.

Had it not been for the words of Luna and the Maidens
slavery to their own vision, Nox might never have been privy to
the other Incarnaes guarded dreams of rebellion. As it were,
the others could not hope to create and train their Exalted in
utter secrecy and to deny the knowledge of Exaltation to one
of their own would raise suspicions among the Primordials.
Thus, with the Great Makers help, the Onyx Youth crafted
the Nocturnal Exaltations, and empowered them to be agents
of unfettered will.

PERSONAGE AND PANOPLY

In the early days of Creation, the Dragon Beyond the
World embraced the imperiled world to shield it from the ravages of the chaos beyond. From his seven wings he excreted
the adamant Firmament and placed the wondrous dome atop
the world. Unwittingly, he infused it with essence, the beginning of the nascent Nox, which drifted mindlessly through its
crystal lattice, ignored and ignorant, until the first night of
Creation.

On that night, the Maidens revealed themselves to
the Primordials in order to rejoice at Lunas birth. Isidoros,
insulted by their presumption, and the Lidless Eye That Sees,
horrified at the potential tyranny of samsara, conspired to
oppose these Incarnae. The Black Boar That Twists the Sky
shattered a portion of the Firmament with a single stamp
of his hoof. From the crack erupted the essence trapped
within. The Boar stretched it toward infinity and compressed
it toward singularity. The Lidless Eye burned into it visions
of eternity and realities unrealized. Their toil continued for
centuries, until at last, when the Lidless Eye feared their effort

Chapter Two Nox, The Onyx Youth

29

was finally lost and the Boar demanded one last strike upon
the anvil of the Firmament, the essence cried out, Enough!
and would permit no more imposition upon itself. The Lidless Eye blazed with joy, and Isidoros trampled the entire
civilization of Bharanta in elation.

The Primordials revealed their work as Calibration
fell upon the world. With neither sun, nor moon, nor stars
as witnesses, the Onyx Youth appeared at the zenith of the
heavens, a handsome entity with skin of darkest indigo and
long jet black hair. The Primordials draped him with sky-blue
garments and crowned him with adamant. They named him
the Calibration King and proclaimed him the God of the
Firmament and the Lord of Possibilities.

The aspect of the Onyx Youth is that of optimistic aspiration and impetuous rebellion. He is the child who believes
all things are possible and that no yoke can be placed upon
him. To ensure he complied with his makers needs, special
care was taken in framing his duty. His time as the Calibration
King was a privilege, one that grants him complete freedom
to do as he pleased. He was an endless experimenter, always
willing to try anything oncean attitude that has seduced
many a god, deva, or mortal (often several at once) into the
bedchambers of the Crystal Palace. In his role as Calibration
King, Nox ingrained upon reality the barely controlled chaos
that continues to haunt it on those five unique days.

Yet his stubbornness would make him difficult to control were he not the favored youngest child of the Primordials.
Outside of Calibration, his duties included serving as the
emissary of the architects, declaring their desires to the rest
of the divine bureaucracy, and channeling their might into a
single moment of primal revelation, without need to perform
the difficult work himself. When the Lords of Chaos broke
through Creations outer defenses, he took on the aspect of
the Diamond Prince, adorned himself in his adamant armor,
and joined the fray. While the Unconquered Sun saw battle
as a solemn necessity, Nox reveled in the sport of it. In this,
he shared Lunas passion. When their enemies fled in terror
before the Incarnae, he was loath to remain behind to help
the Maidens anchor reality. Once the unspoiled potential of
reality had been evoked, the Diamond Prince departed to sate
his own whims elsewhere.

The first reign of the Calibration King was met with the
rejoicing of the gods. Finally, they were given a reprieve from
their eon-long toil. Nox empowered himself with unbridled
potential and ruled supremefor those few days only the Holy
Tyrant and Ignis Divine could hope to defeat him in a fair
fight. When Calibration ended and the Onyx Youth stepped
down from his regency, the gods soon learned that he was
not created for eternal slavery as they were. Who was this
young upstart to enjoy all the comforts the Primordials could
provide while their labors continued?

Still, many deva and gods were easily seduced by his
charm. The Onyx Youth earned enormous favor for the
yearlong revelries he hosted in the Crystal Palace. His parties
continued day and night, punctuated only by the occasional
necessity to deliver orders on behalf of his patrons. At all other
times, Nox went about the world fulfilling his every desire and,
unwittingly, fulfilling the purpose for his creationeroding
the shackles of predestination and proclaiming the primacy of
free will.

Few desires escaped his grasp, yet one prize eluded him.
Creations scholars called Nox the brother of the Maidens, for
both meddled with the nature of Fate, but his so-called sisters
were as much a mystery to him as he was to the Maidens.
Such mystery was a temptation too great to resist. Opposites
by design, he forever clashed with the Maidens, and each re-

30

buffed his advances in turn. They were the forbidden desire,

that which he might pursue endlessly but never be expected to
claim. Yet, the Onyx Youth is nothing if not persistent.

As the Time of Glory drew to a close and Incarnae drew
up their plans for insurrection, the Fate of Nox hung in the
balance. All too easily he could have been tipped in either
direction; which direction he fell is a matter of debate to this
day. Regardless, the outcome is known to the chief conspirators alone: that Nox was flayed from his mind and will, and
his essence was entwined throughout the Loom of Fate where
he weakly struggles against the very strands of Fate he long
sought to undermine but which, in the end, proved stronger
than he had imagined. Perhaps someday, should he ever be
freed, Nox can recount his own side of the story. Until then,
only the Maiden of Secrets knows the full account.
Since his imprisonment, three events have nearly
freed the Bound God. The first of these occurred during
the Primordial War, when the architects captured Meru and
absconded with the Loom of Fate to Yu-Shan. The constant
prodding by She Who Lives In Her Name, combined with the
periodic attempts by Isidoros to demolish the entire structure,
almost shattered the threads that held his essence in place.
The Maidens and their Chosen, however, were able to use
Noxs presence in the Loom as an arcane link, allowing them
to control Fate through direct manipulation of the Firmament, until such time as the Unconquered Sun could throw
open the gates of Yu-Shan and allow the host to reclaim the
Loom.

The second event was the Time of Cascading Years. The
cause of this event remains a mystery, notably because the
evidence collected from the various universes it spawned is
riddled with contradictions. Some say a Twilight built a device
that fractured reality. Others say reality broke asunder when
a Primordial attempted to enter Creation. The Maiden of
Secrets fears that Noxs struggles jarred reality loose. Regardless of the cause, a second such event could easily weaken the
Tapestry enough to cause Noxs essence to bleed through.

The third event was the Balorian Crusade. As reality
frayed and unraveled from rim to core, slowly Noxs binding loosened. Had it broken away completely, certainly Nox
would have been freedthough restoring his broken mind
would have been another question entirely.

T
he Nights Regalia

As befitting a god of his importance, the Onyx Youth

was invested with numerous artifacts by his creators. Each is a

unique wonder crafted by Primordial will and forged in their
primal intent. The whereabouts of these items are currently
unknown. Some may reside in the Crystal Palace. Others
could have been claimed by the Maidens and stored in the
infinite warehouse beneath the Forbidding Manse of Ivy. Others may be buried beneath miles of blood-soaked sediment
just south of Arjuf, where the run-off from the First Siege of
Meru during the Primordial War buried Noxs temple-city.
As each was specifically crafted for the sole use of the Onyx
Youth, he need not commit any motes to attune to them. All
other beings attempting to employ these artifacts must commit the designated attunement cost.

The Auroral Kamarbands

Artifact

Coruscating with green, red, and blue light, these three
ropes were forged by The Lidless Eye That Sees from adamant,
molten stars, and the breath of the Elemental Dragons. They
were once fastened around the Onyx Youths waist, adorning him with the dancing glow of the aurora. Each of these

artifacts raises by one the penalty imposed on another beings

Mental DV by the wearers Appearance, and likewise increases
the bonus to his own Mental DV provided by his Appearance.
Attuning to one costs four motes. Each kamarband after the
first adds one mote to the attunement costs of the set.

The Skyward Sandals

Artifact

These adamant-soled sandals are laced almost to the
knee with starmetal cords. Clasps of white jade hold the laces
tight. These sandals allow the wearer to reorient which direction is considered down for himself at will, allowing him to
walk up walls or hang from ceilings. The pair costs five motes
to attune.

The Lapis Dhoti

Artifact

The Onyx Youth most often appeared as a shirtless
young man with only the Lapis Dhoti wrapped around his
waist fastened with the Auroral Kamarbands. Isidoros hammered lapis lazuli and adamant into this fine flexible cloth,
as rich a blue as has ever been seen on a clear day. The Lapis
Dhoti ensures the wearer is unbroken in all his affairs. It adds
half the wearers Socialize to his Hardness and to his Parry
Mental DV. Attuning to the Lapis Dhoti costs six motes.

The Kurta Unrealized

Artifact

When the mood struck him for more formal attire, the
Onyx Youth donned the Kurta Unrealized. This long shirt
ends just below the knees and is decorated with elaborate
kalamkari artwork depicting a dozen unrealized realities for
the wearers present moment. These images from the Kalpa
flow elegantly, like dreams, constantly updating and altering
as choices are made. Even if the wearer were not able to otherwise, this garment allows him a brief glimpse the Kalpa. Once
per scene, he may spend one willpower to roll (Wits + Occult)
to intuit a comparison between his current situation and that
occurring in other worlds. The difficulty of this roll is the
highest Essence of any being present in the scene, excluding
the wearer. If successful, the wearer determines the outcome
he wishes to occur in the current scene. He lowers the target
number of his rolls which aid in the accomplishment of that
outcome by one, usually to six and to a minimum of four.
Any being who can see the Kurta Unrealized after it has been
activated in this way may also roll (Wits + Occult) at half the
wearers initial difficulty, rounding up. This allows them to
determine what outcome the wearer is hoping to achieve and
also lowers their target numbers to accomplish that outcome.

Unbridled Authority

Artifact

Gifted to the Nox by the Holy Tyrant, this saffron sash
is a nearly identical copy to the one the Holy Tyrant gave to
the Unconquered Sun. A third Unbridled Authority exists,
also in the possession of the Unconquered Sun, though it
did not originally belong to him. Each functions only under
specific conditions. Noxs version functions only during the
five days of Calibration. It imposes a Servitude effect on all
spirits who see him and recognize the authority of Yu-Shan,
forcing them to do as he commands or spend five willpower
to resist. Should a spirit adhere to Noxs orders both Nox and
the spirit regain one willpower at the completion of that task.

The Armor of the Diamond Prince

Artifact

In times of conflict, Nox took on the aspect of the
Diamond Prince and donned this suit of adamant lamellar
to shield himself against the foes of all realities. From its
shoulders a long cape hangsfor a time this was replaced with
the Cloak of Night. Out of respect, Luna replaced the original
cape when she reclaimed the Cloak. The dazzling crystal of
the armor refracted any attack which struck it. If Noxs soak
is sufficient to reduce the attack to its minimum damage, he
may spend three motes to redirect the attack to another being of his choice within range of the original attack. Against
the new target the attack was unblockable and undodgeable.
Unless stopped by a suitable defense in Step 2, the redirected
attack skipped immediately to Step 7, where it possessed the
same amount of Raw Damage as it did against Nox.

Nox, Luna, and the Cloak of Night

The Onyx Youths first convert was the Fickle Lady,
and an easy convert she was. Willful in her own right, she
accepted his gifts with eager glee. Her orbit unshackled,
the Silver Chair was free to roam through day and night
with equal frequency. At times she could rise at sunset,
revealing her full glory. Other times, she arose with sun,
hiding her face alongside his blinding radiance.

To express her gratitude to Nox, she offered him the
Cloak of Night, which he accepted without hesitation.
He wore it proudly in the Time of Glory, particularly during his time as the Calibration King. With the exchange
of the Cloak of Night, Nox inherited the role of the God
of Night from Lunaa role he adopted on with varying
degrees of interest throughout the millennia. The Onyx
Youth lax attitude only further stoked the ire of the Unconquered Sun, the de facto God of the Day, who never
faltered or shirked his burdensome duties. For countless
centuries the God of the Day and the God of the Night
played out their rivalry.

After the Onyx Youth was imprisoned, Luna took
up the Cloak of Night and once again became the Goddess of Night as she was originally intended to be. She
finds this role uncomfortable. It reminds her of her
ancient slavery and old betrayals. The Argent Madonna
divides her time between the day and night evenly since
the victory over the Primordials, guiding the Silver Chair
on its regular orbit. The night haunts her dreams and she
would gladly give back the Cloak if Nox were revived as
penance for failing to come to his aid when he cried out
to herthe only other Incarnae who truly regarded him
as a friend.

The Sastraratri

Artifact

The divine weapon of Nox is the Sastraratri, an infamous
bow crafted with adamant, entwined with onyx. It is strung
with a single nerve from Urathi, the Devourer of Light, a
behemoth that gorged itself on the light of the Unconquered
Sun and could only be slain by Nox while Luna served as a distraction. This adamant bow requires eight motes to attune and
needs no arrows, unless the archer desires a type other than
the target arrows that manifest whenever the bow is drawn.
When enhanced with motes, the arrow punctures through the

Chapter Two Nox, The Onyx Youth

31

Kalpa, creating interference pattern with otherworld versions

of itself. The arrows path spreads like an ever-growing wave
across the battlefield, striking one additional target per mote
spent. Once the archer spends ten motes on a single shot in
this way, he may spend an additional willpower and, if he does
so, the shot strikes all viable targets in a 90-degree arc in front
of him, out to the maximum range of the weapon.
Armor of the Diamond Prince
Soak: +15L/+10B, Hardness: 7L/7B, Mobility: -0,
Fatigue: 0, Attune: 8m
The Sastraratri
Speed 5, Accuracy +5, Damage +5L, Rate 5, Range 500, Attune 8m, Tags 2, B, P]

The Philopannyx

Artifact
Manse

Part pleasure-barge, part battleship, The Philopannyx ferried the Onyx Youth and his host of courtiers from his temple
district on the Blessed Isle to the Caelian City and carried the
Diamond Prince to war. Nox attunes to it as manse, requiring
no mote commitment, and may permit others to do so as well.
While Nox is not attuned to The Philopannyx, other beings may
attune to it as an artifact, costing twenty motes. While not
as impressive as the Daystar, or even many ships of the High
First Age, it is still a wonder upon the sea or in the sky. One
hundred yards of ebony wood, adamant rivets, and black sails,
the ship was unrivaled in size until the Solars built their own
mighty warships. Its numerous decks provide penalty of room
for guests and troops alike, and its cargo hold could store half
a dozen warstriders or enough wine to last the Endless Revelry
a year.
Speed: 50/100mph
Maneuverability: +0S
Endurance: Requires one hour of festivities held aboard it for
every two hour spent doing anything else. If rediscovered, it
cannot set sail again until this qualification is met.
Crew: 30/10 (1/1, if the captain is attuned to it as a manse)
Cargo: 500 Tons and space to comfortably house 100 guests
Armor: 18L/25B (Hardness 18L/25B)
Health Levels: Ux30/Mx30/Cx30/Ix10/D
Weapons: The Philopannyx effectively has one Medium Implosion Bow affixed wherever the captain feels it is needed at any
given moment. It may be fired from the helm by the captain
or anyone else attuned to the ship.
Other Notes: The Philopannyx may fly or sail, typically maintaining its vertical orientation until it enters the weightless
Celestial Void above Creation and inverting as it approaches
the Empyrean Expanse. During such travels, the vessel
maintained its own localized gravity, ensuring its passengers
remained firmly affixed to its decks. It possesses whatever
simple magical conveniences its captain could desire, and the
ship and all aboard are considered outside of Fate. It produces
no hearthstone, but its helm is fixed with the equivalent of
a Compass of Imminent Strife (Book of Sorcery, Vol. III
Oadenols Codex, p. 34) which may point toward the nearest
conflict as described, or the nearest party. The captain must
hedge his bets before he sets sail.

The Calibration Crown

Artifact N/A

This domed crown is crafted from adamant and bejeweled with amber and orichalcum leaf. Isidoros and the Lidless
Eye collaborated on its creation, spending as much effort with
it as they did creating Nox himself.
It is loathsome to the Maidens and the Pyrian Queen alike,
as it thwarts all Fate and the best laid plans. The Dragons

32

Shadow long coveted the crown, and undoubtedly the Ebon

Dragon still recalls its power. Isidoros dispatched his first
akuma to reclaim the Calibration Crown and crushed her
underfoot after a century of failure.
During the five days of Calibration, the crown allows its
wearer to override the baseline operations of the Primordials
greatest handiwork: Creation. With it the Calibration King
may tweak reality as he sees fit, from simple cosmetic changes
to vast alterations of the laws of physics.
Cosmetic changes, such as changing how a particular type of
food tastes or how a color is perceived, costs only one mote. If
altering the laws of physics to create or remove Environmental
Penalties, each point created or removed costs two motes.
Changes that result in physical hazards, such as granting water
the properties of a potent acid, or remove such hazards, such
as making fire as harmless as air, cost two motes for every point
of Trauma added and removed and one mote for every level of
damage added or removed. This applies as well to Poisons and
Sicknesses, replacing Trauma with Toxicity and Virulence,
respectively. Finally, Nox may impose effects mimicking the
results of mutations by paying one mote for poxes and deficiencies, two motes or afflictions and debilities, four motes
for blights and deformities, and six motes for abominations.
These costs must be committed until the end of Calibration
and are immune to any effect that would remove that commitment, whether voluntarily or involuntary, short of the
Calibration Kings death. The bearer of the crown may not
spend more than (Essence + Willpower) motes in this way,
and no single effect of the crown may cost more than (Essence) motes. Nox himself preferred to spend about ten motes
each Calibration.
These changes are universal, applying everywhere governed by
the Loom of Fate and affecting all beings without appropriate
Shaping defenses. He may limit the influences of particular
changes only to universal classifications of beings. For example, he may make sand as satisfying as water to all humans,
all mammals, or all living beings, but not only the Dune
People. The major restriction of the Calibration Crown is
that it is not intended to be used as a weapon. Changes, once
determined, are implemented slowly over the course of an
hour, and begin to manifest throughout Creation randomly.
No alteration may be made which would be universally lethal
without also imparting some compensatory effect to mitigate
that lethality; if the Calibration King makes air as thick as
earth, he must also grant beings the ability to breathe it. Finally, the true power of the crown lies in its ability to blanket
all of Creation in its alterations, not in the individual potency
of any single change. On an individual scale, the greatest effect
of the crown may be comparable to Terrestrial Circle Sorcery.
Though never tested, this may include generating scenarios
which permit a particular breed of First Circle Demons to
slip free of the Demon City. The Storyteller may apply other
restrictions as necessary.
If the Calibration Crown were ever rediscovered and used,
the wearer would be met with the full force of the Bureau of
Destiny, and almost certainly the Bureau would do all in its
power to prevent such an event from occurring. Due to the
risks involved should it ever fall into the wrong hands, one
can safely assume that the Maidens themselves have secured
the crown long ago and keep it where only they can access it.
The bond between samsara and the Maidens metaphysically
prevents them from attuning to the crown, which costs 10
motes for all other beings.

NOX

Even before his mutilation, the Onyx Youth was a god

beyond the comprehension of most mortals. Indeed, other

gods had difficulty knowing his true self. To the Maidens, he
was broken enigmasomething that needing to fix if only they
knew how. Only Luna and the Primordials truly had minds
capable of comprehending his often contradictory nature.

Now the Bound God haunts the Loom. His mind has
been utterly altered and any discussion of the nature of Nox
would be incomplete without a comparison between the
prince and the prisoner. Where differences exists, the Trait
preceding the / presents Nox in his prime, while the Trait
which follows is that of the broken Incarna.
Motivation: Defy expectations / Hide all evidence of Forbidden Gods. His notable Intimacies include the following: Free
Will (Passionate Defense), The Maidens (Forbidden Desire),
Samsara (Dread), Calibration (Anxious Anticipation), The
Kalpa (Infinite Curiosity), The Nocturnal Exalted (Fraternal
Kinship), Creation (Dissatisfaction), Isidoros and the Lidless
Eye That Sees (Filial Respect), Luna (Friendship), The Unconquered Sun (Professional Rivalry), malcontents (Sympathy) /
None
Attributes: Strength 8 / 0, Dexterity 12 /0, Stamina 8 /0,
Charisma 12 /0, Manipulation 12, Appearance 10 / 0, Perception 12 / 20, Intelligence 10 / 1, Wits 12 /5
Virtues: Compassion 3, Conviction 5, Temperance 2, Valor 4
Abilities: Archery 10 (Sastraratri +3)/0, Athletics 10/0,
Awareness 10 (In Utter Darkness +3)/ (Loom of Fate +3),
Bureaucracy 6 (During Calibration +3), Craft: Fate 0/10,
Dodge 10/0, Integrity 10 (Resisting Commands +3)/(Maintaining Secrecy +3), Larceny 5, Lore 5/10, Martial Arts 6/0,
Occult 10 (the Kalpa +3), Performance 10 (Sexual Activity
+2, Entertaining Guests +1)/0, Presence 8 (Seduction +1,
Issuing Edicts +2)/0, Ride 5 (Kerivoula +3)/0, Resistance 8

(Festivities +3)/0, Sail 5 (The Philopannyx

+3)/0, Socialize 8 (During Calibration
+1, Endless Parties +2)/0, Stealth 8 (At
Night +3)/0, Survival 5/0, War 3/0
Backgrounds: Beloved by the Primordials, Nox once had access to near limitless
Backgrounds, possessing ratings 5 or N/A
as applicable. His Cult N/A provides
5m, 1wp per hour during daylight hours
and 10m, 1wp per hour at night. As the
Calibration King, he regains one mote per
minute during the days of Calibration.
The Bound God has no Backgrounds,
nor could he use them even if he did.
Sorcery: Like the other Incarnae, Nox is a
potent sorcerer with mastery of the Emerald and Sapphire Circles and knowledge
of all spells which do not clash with his
naturein particular spells which bind
the wills of other beings are antithetical
his being. He possesses several spells
learned during his time as the God of
Night which he did not lose upon having
that position taken from him. He is aware
of the Adamant Circle, but is unable to
obtain it. He finds this unacceptable,
and desires the pinnacle of sorcerer as his
birthright.
Charms: Even imprisoned, Nox is a god
of the highest caliber, rightfully taking his
place among the Incarnae. He possesses
the All-Encompassing version of nearly
all spirit Charms, save those unique to particular spirits,
Host of Spirits, Excellencies, and related Charms. He has ten
purchases each of Essence Plethora, Reserve of Will, and OxBody Technique and it costs him 100 motes to Materialize.
His Hurry Home transports him to any location within or
upon the Firmament and from there to Meru, a sunken grotto
off Arjufs coast, and the bridge of The Philopannyx. During
Calibration, he may transport himself to any location within
Creation. For obvious reasons, while bound to the Loom, he
may use neither Materialize nor Hurry Home. Storytellers
should likewise restrict many of his other common Charms.
Otherwise his Charms are restricted only by the limits of his
exploration the Kalpa and, to a lesser extent, his extremely
limited knowledge of samsara. He may issue any manner of
Blessing or Curse as often as he likes and may make them
permanent by spending (30m) rather than one permanent
willpower. By spending (30m, 1wp), his version of Endowment may grant the Nocturnal Exalted their Charms, dots of
Domains, or dots of Essence as a Training effect so long as
they have not Training debt currently. His Endowment may
render a being outside of fate for (15m, 1wp) and or make the
target Lucky (2m per point of Lucky, 1wp); his Scourge may
likewise make a being Unlucky. See Scroll of Heroes, p 60 and
74 for further details.

Nox was imprisoned in the Loom before the great proliferation of supernatural martial arts by the Exalted. As such
he knows only Nocturnal Hero Style. He knows of others he
would likely pursue if ever freed, including Crystal Chameleon, Ebon Shadow, and Dreaming Pearl Courtesan Styles.

Chapter Two Nox, The Onyx Youth

33

Charm Concept: The Kalpa

Creation is not alone. Contemplating ancient scars, Luna has guessed this. Alone among the Primordials, Oramus
has an inkling of the truth. Though faint hints are common across Creation and beyond, only the Lord of Possibilities
knows the truth in any great detail. He has seen the multi-faceted structure of reality, the great blossoming of worlds
upon worlds known to him as the Kalpa. The Maidens cannot comprehend it any more than Nox can comprehend
samsara, for the two visions are wholly incompatible.

The Kalpa is subdivided into a host of Manvantara, of which Creation and its environs are but one. The precise
number, not even Nox knows. Some Manvantara differ from Creation in every aspect, others are so similar that they
differ only the timing of a single yeddims sneeze. Some are Ages ahead of Creation, some only seconds behindand
every possible variant thereof.

Early investigations revealed that all Manvantara appear to be branching away from Nox, an ever expanding,
ever divergent pattern of universes, radiating their origins in Creation. Further study revealed that an observer in any
Manvantara would see the same pattern, with themselves at the center. If any Manvantara can claim to be the first, that
status has been lost to the clutter of the entire collection long before Nox began his observations.

In Creation, there are several points at which the local Manvantara connects with its neighbors. There exists a
fragile connection with the flooded Manvantara of the Triple Matriarchy. The Well of Udr serves as another such point,
where beings from the other side tunneled through early in the Time of Glory and were immediately consumed by ceaseless light of the Unconquered Sun. The Saigoth Gate, if it exists at all, is likely a third point of contact. The Sevenfold
Temple of Oramus, the caverns of the deep within the Silver Chair, and Great Mirrored Hall within the Firmament are
also potential points of connectioneither to a Manvantara itself or its fleeting echo resounding off Creations reality.
Finally, and most famously, a great collision of Manvantaras occurred, for reasons unknown, during the Cascading Years.
Creation seethes with lesser points of contact. For example, every use of Essence Resurgent causes a connection to form
and immediately dissipate. Nox finds this endlessly fascinating, as the Charm is possessed by numerous devas but by
none of the Primordialsrendering the architects blind to the Kalpa. Likewise, though he often tried to explain it to
them, the Maidens remain unaware even of their own use of the Kalpa.

Knowing a bit about samsara, Nox has pondered whether each Manvantara has its own unique samsara or whether a
single vision guides the Kalpa. If samsara is universal throughout the Kalpa, does it determine events in each individually
or does it continuous generate new Manvantara to allow all possibilities until nothing is left undone? Nox is incapable
of answering such questions. It remains for an enterprising Twilight or a joint effort between the Chosen of Fate and the
Chosen of Possibilities to discover.

Nox employs the regions of the Kalpa he has explored to his full advantage, finding outcomes he likes and willing
them into Creation. His long imprisonment diminishes his ability to do so considerably and has prohibited him from
discovering and exploring new Manvantaras. Lacking access to these worlds is a crippling blow the Bound Gods power.
It is important for Storytellers to understand that a Manvantara is as all-encompassing as samsara. A Manvantara that
is similar to Creation in which your game is set, includes not only the lands and seas between the five elemental poles,
but also the Demon City, the Underworld, the Wyld, Autochthonia, Elsewhere, etc. A similar Manvantara is perhaps
the setting of a different chronicle you have told, or home of the other players adventures. Samples of more divergent
Manvantaras are included on p. 184. Feel free to populate the Kalpa further as needed.

Typically, this will not be necessary. The Kalpa is a wholly esoteric concept. Only a few beings in any Manvantara
have any idea that it even exists. The one that knows the most is bound and gagged in most Manvantara. Even if you
set your chronicle in a Manvantara where Nox is free, he has little reason to wax philosophical about the topic. Travel
between Manvantara is not impossible, as the doomed cosmonauts of the Well of Udr proved, but any attempt is an epic
quest in itself, a feat worthy of the Exalted and not a journey to be taken lightly. Traveling may be possible, but navigating
is another matter entirely. And of course, as youve certainly noticed in your own games, most chronicles find plenty to
do in their home Manvantara and never have need to venture so far afield.

Or perhaps you prefer to chalk this all up to Noxs own imagination. There is no Kalpa, There is but one Manvantara and it is the Creation of your narrative. Noxs Charms work not by dragging elements across the multiverse, but
by willfully conjuring such items from his own fantasy. This is a simple enough alternation. Only Nox firmly believes
in the Kalpa. Luna and Oramus may consider the possibility in an idle fancy, but they have no solid proof. Alternate
explanations may be provided for the Cascading Years, the Well of Udr and the Great Mirrored Hall. The Kalpa allows
for all possibilities, even its nonexistence.

Cosmic Panoply
of the Calibration King

These Charms are the unique powers of Nox and may be

learned by no other being. Should the need arise, they are all
considered to have a minimum Essence rating of 10.

Defying Samsaras Shadow: As a man might know the
position of the sun without ever turning his eyes to the light,
Nox guessed the nature of samsara by studying the shadow he
cast on reality. By spending (1m), he could guage the unseen

34

momentum of samsara and attempt to deviate from the path

it intended for him. Upon activating this Charm, a vague hint
of the future course of events comes to him, like the faintest
whisper from samsara itself. Whatever this hint is, Noxs Motivation is transformed into one opposing that upcoming event.
He may not use any of his Charms to facilitate or promote
the intended outcome and the doubling threshold of all his
dice is decreased by one, usually to 9, on any roll he makes to
set reality down a different path. Once the event has come to
pass or been successfully diverted, Noxs Motivation returns
to normal and he not reactivate this Charm until then. In

ancient days, Nox used this Charm sparingly, fearing that his
curiousity might lead him to stare directly at samsara and thus
become a slave to its narrative.

Best of All Possible Worlds: Noxs every mote is a fluctuating link to the Kalpa. After any roll, Nox may pay (1m) per die
to reroll any dice that did not turn up a success and may continue to do so until all dice are to his liking. For static values,
he may spend (1m) to employ this Charm as a standard Third
Excellency. When spending a willpower to enhance an action,
he ignores all Internal and External penalties to his dice pool
and instead of gaining a single success and he instead treats all
dice as having rolled two successes rather than actually rolling
the dice. If he spends this willpower to enhance a static value,
he doubles its value. If used to enhance a DV, this allows him
to block the unblockable and dodge the undodgeable, even if
it were an unexpected attack.
Uncertain Supremacy: Nox abhors predetermined
results. By spending (30m, 1wp), as a Simple Charm, Nox
may place a zone of chance one mile in radius anywhere he
can perceive. Any being with Essence 9 or lower within that
region suffers from Shaping effect enforcing the uncertainty
of the moment; during Calibration this Charm affects all
beings, even himself. They must pay a (+1wp) surcharge on
any action which is normally rolled but is now guaranteed
to succeed due to use of Charms or other magic. Examples
include the use of Accuracy Without Distance or using the
Second Excellency to gain enough successes to automatically
succeed. Perfect defenses do not suffer from this effect as DVs
are not rolled actions. Additionally, any effect which ensures
automatic failure also suffers the (+1wp) surcharge. Finally all
target numbers of affected beings are set to seven, regardless
of other influences, unless the origin of that other influence
pays the (+1wp) surcharge each action they wish to maintain
the altered target number. This zone dissipates at the end of
the scene, or when Nox releases his commitment. He cannot
use this Charm while in the Loom.

The All-Seeing Eye in the Sky: Nox may naturally perceive
the world as though he used the Charm All-Encompassing
Sorcerers Sight whenever he desires. Focusing his senses
through the lens of the Firmament, he may project his awareness anywhere exposed to open sky. The light of the Daystar
blinds this awareness, limiting his awareness to the western
half of Creation at sunrise and to the eastern half at sunset.
By the time the Daystar reaches its zenith, all Nox can see
with this power is its brilliant radiance. Otherwise, any location that can see any patch of open sky is subject to his view.
Those in windowless rooms, underground, or beneath heavy
cloud cover are beyond his sight. While bound to the Loom,
he instead may project his limited awareness anywhere within
Fate. If freed from the Loom and permitted to take his place
among the Incarnae in Yu-Shan, he may also project his awareness anywhere beneath the sky of the heavenly city while he
leads in the Games of Divinity, during which time the sky of
the celestial city would turn to starless night. He may also cast
his awareness to any location where a being has successfully
prayed to him, though while he is in the Loom, he cannot
receive prayers. Following a successful prayer, he may employ
any of his Charms as though he stood beside the supplicant.

Mapping Manvantaras Shores: As a Dramatic Action, Nox
may spend at least one hour in deep meditation and cast his
awareness far into the Kalpa. A (Wits + Occult) roll, difficulty
10, is required to find any Manvantara Nox has previously discovered. A (Perception + Occult) roll, difficulty 15, is required
to discover a new Manvantara and only one new Manvantara
may be discovered per season. During Calibration, he may
discover one new Manvantara per day, if he decides to put in

the effort to do so. Extra successes determine the extent of

the divergence, with each extra success representing the Magnitude of people that difference affects. Once he has chosen
a Manvantara, he may observe it for as long as he likes. Each
hour he observes a new Manvantara, he may make a reflexive
(Intelligence + Lore) roll, difficulty 25, to gain the collective
knowledge of that Manvantaras inhabitants regarding its
history. Each additional hour spent in meditation adds one
automatic success. Once he has successfully done this, he may
navigate back as described above and may catch up on missed
details by making an (Intelligence + Lore) roll with a difficulty
equal to the number of seasons which have passed in Creation
since he last checked. If a Primordial has ordered him reveal
an aspect of reality yet unrealized in Creation, he gains ten
automatic successes to discover a new Manvantara which
already contains the Primordials desire. Nox cannot perform
this Charm while in the Loom but once free he would need
to begin his explorations anew.

Vision of Worlds Beyond: As a Simple Charm, Nox may
pay (10m, 1wp) to perform acts equivalent to the Fluctuations
of the Nocturnal Exalted as though he possessed any relevant
Domain at 10. However, he can only generate Fluctuations
which have equivalents concurrently existing in at least one
Manvantara he has explored. There is no Illusion-effect associated with Noxs actions and he gains no Paradox from
performing it. He may only do this once per scene and is
prohibited from doing so while in the Loom.

Favored Son Beckons: Nox may never perform spells which
summon demons. He was not part of the treaty which ended
the Primordial War and gave the victors those privileges. He
did, however, enjoy the special patronage of Isidoros and the
Lidless Eye that Sees. As a diceless miscellaneous action, Nox
may spend (10m, 1wp) to call to one deva descended from
either Primordial. First Circle Devas are compelled to arrive
in a manner similar to Summon Elemental, granting them
a few hours to put their affairs in order. Second and Third
Circle Devas come only if they desire and may either refuse
outright or send a representative in their stead. While this still
works on demons descended from the Yozis his patrons have
become, it grants Nox no power to liberate demons from their
prison. Such demons are aware of his call, but cannot cross
into Creation. If Nox and the demon are in the same Realm
of Existence, the demon may come to him as described if both
are in the Demon City, or if the demons binding does not
otherwise prohibit it from venturing to Noxs location. He
cannot use this Charm within the Loom.

Herald of the Architects: Isidoros and The Lidless Eye That
Sees created Nox to be their voice in the greatest debate to
ever wage. Other Primordials availed themselves of his talents
and used him as a messenger of their will. Nox may relate any
message given to him by a Primordial into an unnatural Compulsion, Emotion, or Illusion, as appropriate to the nature
of the message, as an unblockable, undodgeable social attack
toward its intended recipients,which costs costs (11-targets
Essence, maximum 5) willpower to resist. Deva of Primordials other than the one who invested Nox with the message
never need to spend more than one willpower. Nox himself is
under no obligation to actually deliver the message. If freed,
this power will still works as there was no clause in the terms
of surrender regarding position of Nox as emissary between
the Incarnae and the Primordials. Luckily, Nox cannot receive
such messages while bound to the Loom. He does, however,
relay Autochthons final order to any spirit within Fate, compelling any spirit to ignore (as a Compulsion) or forget (as an
Illusion) any information that might lead the spirit to discover
Nox and the forbidden gods are more than mere rumors. He

Chapter Two Nox, The Onyx Youth

35

may do so only once a day and he must continually reissue

these orders when the spirit discovers new evidence. It took
Nox nearly a century to successfully dissuade continued interest in the forbidden gods. Until recently he rarely needed to
apply this power. The emergence of the Nocturnal Exalted has
necessitated more frequent use.

Mandate of the Calibration King: Nox ascended each
Calibration to ranks of the highest divinity in Creation while
the other Incarnae rested. During those days, Nox may issue
orders to all spirits with lower Essence as though they were his
own subordinates (see Exalted, p. 295), though he does not
need to spend willpower to do so. The Bound God can never
shake free of his woven shackles to assume the mantle of the
Calibration King.

The God With a Thousand Faces: Nox may reflexively transform himself into any of his analogues in other Manvantara.
As they can transform similarly, which image of Nox belongs
to which Manvantara is a complicated and bewildering riddle.
His most common forms are the Onyx Youth, who appears
as a young athletic man in his late teens with dark indigo
skin and long black hair; the Diamond Prince, who appears
as a more mature version of the Onyx Youth but still in the
prime of his life; and the Calibration King, stern, bearded,
and appearing eons old. Less common forms include the StarBellied Dancer, a lithe young woman with pitch black skin
studded with diamonds; the Smoking Jaguar, an enormous
feline formed of smoke and mirrors; the Blue Khakhan, an
azure-skinned warrior dressed in the finery of a barbarian
king; and Cosmic Natator, an enormous volant turtle inside
whose sapphire and adamant shell exists his entire Manvantara and himself. Typically such transformation is free, but
Nox may also pay (3m) to transform into another version of
himself to remove or avoid any unwanted Shaping or Crippling effect. If he reverts back to a form which was afflicted
with such an effect in the same scene, the effect remains on
that form. Otherwise, the effect terminates at the end of the
scene regardless of its usual duration. As an extension of this
power, when shifting from one form to another, he may heal
any heal any number of damaged health levels by spending
(1m) per Bashing, (2m) per Lethal, and (4m) per Aggravated.
Additionally, when transforming he may pay one mote per
dot to raise any Attribute, Ability, or Virtue by one to better
align with the Traits of his fellows, by simultaneously lowering
an equivalent Trait. For example, in the guise of Cosmic Natator, he may sacrifice 10 dots of Dexterity to raise his Stamina
by 10, paying ten motes to facilitate the transformation. This
cost is not committed. The Traits of the Youth, the Prince,
and the King are identical and are those listed here. If he is
slain, but not permanently killed, he always reforms as one of
those three with their Traits restored to the described baseline,
rather than as one of his more exotic forms with its altered
Traits. Finally, while changing forms, he may gain mutation
points to better represent the nature his more exotic guises, by
committing one mote per mutation point. In either case, the
exchanges must be made and the mutations acquired when
he transforms or he uses his natural traits for the duration of
the disguise. The Bound God is locked into his identity by the
cage of Fate woven around him and may not alter it with this
Charm.

Shattered Mirror Transcendence: Nox is a being of contradictions. He has seen the Kalpa and knows everything can
and does happen. Here, he loves the Maidens; there, he
despises them; over there, they love him back, and so on.
Within himself he manifests these contradictory Manvantara
and fractures his identity between them. When afflicted by a
Compulsion, Emotion, Illusion or Servitude effect, Nox may

36

immediately pay (20m, 1wp) as a reflexive Indefinite duration

Charm. This creates a second Nox up to one mile away which
is either unaffected by the effect or suffers from the opposite,
as Noxs player chooses. This Nox is a wholly independent
entity, capable of using his own motes, willpower, any Charms
he possesses, etc. Either Nox may reflexively pass additional
potential triggers of this Charm between themselves, canceling them or inverting them as they desire. Neither Nox can
have simultaneous contradictory effects, and if this occurs,
the contradictory effects cancel each other out. For example,
no single Nox could have the Emotion effects Love Luna
and Hate Luna simultaneously, and those two would cancel
each other. This Charm ends if both Noxes are ever afflicted
by the same combination of mental influences (including
when both are under no such influences) or if either one
is Incapacitatedthe first to become Incapacitated remains
while the other dissipates; otherwise, Nox may choose which
remains and which does not when the Charm ends. Famously,
Nox employed this Charm when the Maidens compelled him
to betray the Primordials, creating a second Nox which was
compelled to betray the Incarnae. This Charm is unavailable
while Nox remains bound to the Loom.

Nox and The Convention on Oversight

When the Maidens retired from their nigh endless
toil from the Loom, entrusting it to their Chosen and the
Pattern Spiders, they left behind one safeguard to keep
watch: The Convention on Oversight. The system was designed to be fully automated, accepting the information
and warnings that Nox mindlessly gathers and directing
agents accordingly. That Nox unthinkingly performs
these duties is unfortunate for the Nocturnal Exalted
who threatens to thwart the Bound Gods Motivation.
Such an Exalt may find that Oversight itself has signed
his death warrant. If and when the Maidens desire they
may access Oversight and dispense orders anonymously.
Unbeknownst to them, they are not the only beings who
can do so. While the Maidens and Sidereals attention
has been elsewhere, the Pattern Spiders have been secretly
attempting to hack into the Convention on Oversight
and are nearing success. They also speculate that a few
covert Viziers have already done sothough they cannot
say which ones or if they are even still alive. Worse still,
some of the Convention on Oversights more bizarre orders have come from the mad dreams of the Chaos Seers
inadvertly syncing with the Great Makers handiwork.
Skin Like Diamonds: Nox soaks all damage with his full
Stamina and gains Hardness equal to his Soak, which stacks
with that provided by any Adamant armor he wears. By reflexively spending (4m), he is immune to any automatic levels of
damage and effects that deal infinite or arbitrary amounts of
damage, ensuring that chance always plays a part in determining his continued existence. He may commit (10m) reflexively
to render himself immune to all Environmental, Sickness, or
Poison effects indefinitely.
Sky Gods Stride: Gravity influences Nox only as much as he
allows it. As desired, he may move normally, or he may float
weightlessly. While floating, he may move in any direction
at any speed he desires, up to his full Dash. Additionally, he
may spend (25m, 1wp) as a Simple Charm to cause gravity
to fail in an area up to a mile across, centered upon himself.
This Shaping effect is attached to Nox and moves as he moves,

allowing him to float upwards and carry those caught in the

region with him.
Cosmic Exile Banishment: When Nox inflicts enough damage
to permanently slay a character, he may instead choose to banish that being to any Manvantara he has observed which does
not currently have a version of that character. The character
arrives in an incapacitated, but stable, state and will awaken
in a number hours equal to her Dying health levels, or one
day, whichever is shorter. As far as Creation is concerned, the
character is dead. If she bore an Exaltation, it departs her; she
however arrives in her new Manvantara with undiminished
Essence and mote pools and gains a number of Spirit Charms
to mimic those of her former Exaltation. If she were a spirit
she is considered to have been slain by Ghost-Eating Touch
for the purposes of Noxs own Manvantara. Nox regains one
willpower and the targets Essence in motes as a reward for
his mercy.
Absolute Objective Oversight: While bound to the Loom, Nox
is shackled by Fate and his power harnessed in permanent
Servitude to the will of the Maidens the Great Maker who
bound him. He is obligated to acts, as far as he is capable, in
the manner they have decreed. The Great Maker imposed a
new Motivation on the Bound God, causing him to perfectly
obscure all reference to the forbidden gods, including himself
and the Nocturnal Exalted, from the Loom of Fate. Should
any effect contest this, Nox adds twenty automatic successes
to the Essence roll-off. All things obscured in this manner effectively remain in Fate and cannot be detected through direct
observation of Fate or affected through direct manipulation
of their individual strand of Fate. They can, of course, be
perceived by direct observation of the being and remembered
in the usual fashion. In all other situations, Nox remains
an impassive observer, mechanically executing his power in
service of Fate and scanning the Loom for potential errors
that are reported to appropriate agents via systems designed
by the Maidens.
Join Battle: 22
Attacks:
Punch: Speed 5, Accuracy 19, Damage 8B, Parry DV 10, Rate
3, Tags N
Kick: Speed 5, Accuracy 18, Damage 11B, Parry DV 9, Rate 2,
Tags N Clinch: Speed 6, Accuracy 18, Damage 8B, Parry DV
, Rate 1, Tags C, N, P
Soak: 8L/8B (Hardness 8L/8B)
Health Levels: -0/-1x16/-2x16/-4/Incap
Dodge DV: 16
Willpower: 10 (20 points)
Essence: 10
Essence Pools: 250
Other Notes: Should another being inherit the destiny and
station of Nox following his demise, use the same rules as for
the Unconquered Sun (Glories of the Most High: The Unconquered Sun, p. 14), except that finding Incarnae willing
to approve the new Nox may be more difficult that actually
killing Nox. While Nox is in the Loom, he is immune to all
additional harm. Destroying the Loom may kill Nox or it may
set him free, as Storytellers prefer. Alternatively, Storytellers
may determine that Nox has long since died and that the
entity currently residing in the Loom is little more than an
AI construct crafted from his remains and harboring a few
residual memories of Nox. To scale Nox down, Storytellers
may wish to increase to cost of Nox pays to heal himself and
force him to commit the cost of any alterations of his Traits
with The God With a Thousand Faces.

THE FIRMAMENT

The sky is Noxs dominiona vast expanse of adamant
and other minerals larger than Creation itself. From Creations surface it appears as a featureless plain of blue by day
refracting the light of the Daystar; by night, its darkness reveals
enigmatic depth and is punctuated by the occasional star. Yet
it is a vibrant and exotic realm, full of its own wonders and
mysteries. It is well guarded by the Incarnae to this day, but
brave souls willing to risk the wrath of the greatest gods, the
Firmament offers much promise.

Oramus crafted the Firmament in the earliest era of Creation as an adamant pearl separating Creation from the Wyld.
It was the Primordials first attempt to design a mechanism to
contain and define reality. As such, it was vast and inefficient
at the task compared to later mechanisms made for the same
purposethe Daystar, the Silver Chair and the Loom of Fate.
But without this early wall against Chaos the experiment of
Creation would have failed in its infancy.

While often referred to as a dome, this is only partially
true. Certainly, from the point of view of Creation, the material hemisphere of the Firmament sits atop the world like a
crystal dome. In the beginning the crystal dome of the Firmanent was ended precisely one mile over Creations utmost
border, allowing a small enough gap to allow the appropriate
influx of the Wylds creative energies. These energies were
needed, particularly in Creations earliest days, to maintain
the ongoing process of essence regeneration and, later, automated soul generation. Too much, though, would have torn
Creation apart. The Firmament protected Creation from
above; the stabilizing influence of Earth protected it from
below. In the mile-high gap between the two, the River of All
Torments ran her perpetual circuit, devouring anything that
dared cross Creations border.
But the Firmament above Creation is only half the story. The
Firmament rotates above Creation and through Elsewhere as
a continuous whole, carrying the Constellations with it, ever
emerging and departing along ancient boundaries. It moves
at a pace of its own, slightly faster than orbit of the Daystar,
thereby revealing certain constellations in their own season
throughout the year. As the years rolled on, Creations size has
waxed and wane. The rim of the Firmament now wraps into
Elsewhere a mile above the Middlemarches in most places.

The Celestial Void

The Celestial Void was a later addition to the Firmament. The Fixed Stars of the constellations were anchored to
adamant towers hundreds of miles tall. These stars serve to
refine the reality-stabilizing nature of the Firmament and were
the second prototype for the Loom of Fate. As such, this territory more properly belongs to the dominion of the Maidens
and here their stars drift among the constellations, far above
the sun and moon.

So tall are the greatest adamant towers which bear the
numinous stars, and so great the distances between each and
any other object, that all perception of distance fails. Everything from Creation to the foundations of the Firmament
appear infinitely far away. Indeed this is not far from the
truth, as spatial distortions in higher heavens expand distance
beyond human reasoning. There is no proper sense of up and
down either, except in reference to the nearest star. Otherwise
beings float weightless here, caught between the gravitation
pull of Creation and the Firmament.

The smaller towers, ranging in height from a few
hundred feet to a mile, bear dim stars. These represent the
common, trivial elements of realtythe mortals, the little
gods, and the likeand are quite numerous. They are often
undetectable by the naked eye from the surface of Creation.

Chapter Two Nox, The Onyx Youth

37

On the the surface of the Firmament, however, they cluster

like groves of crystal sequoias. Though they may seem firmly
rooted, through the powers of Astrology, these stars and their
towers may be shifted across the sky. The star moves incrementally to its newly designated location each time it dips
into Elsewhere.

Though blazing light of the Daystar washes out the pale
starlight, the silver illumination of the moon cannot reach
this region or beyond. Starlight alone pierces this dark void
and is too weak to ward of monstrosities that dwell among the
stars. Fortunately for Creation, the argentim patrol this vast
empty region and the great distances keep the cosmic horrors
of the Firmament from ever reaching the surface of Creation
before daybreak and sunlight drives them back into hiding.

Distance and Travel

The space between the stars is vast beyond measure.
Though they appear only a few hundred miles up from
Creations surface, they are in fact much, much further than
that. The very concept of distance stretches in the Celestial
Void and continues to stretch to this day. A stellar explorer
may travel between the stars of the Guardians and record a
distance of several thousand miles on his way. Returning he
discovers that the distance is ever so slightly longer than what
it was before.

This dialation of space begins little over a mile above
Creations surface. Vehicles or beings not specifically designed
for or protected from this stretching of space, can be severely
damaged or randomly ejected from Creation. By six miles up,
serious damage or ejection is almost a certainty. This effect
is less pronounced around the stabilizing influence of the
Imperial Mountain and does not begin until at least ten miles
above its towering summit and a hundred miles away from its
slopes

Higher still, over a thousand miles up as the eye perceives, is the realm of the Daystar and the Silver Chair. More
accurate measurements, taking this distortion into account,
would reveal them to be at least ten times higher and much
larger than suspected. Still, beings climbing Lunas silver
ladder or riding upon Chirmirajen travel this great distance
with incredible speed. Both means of travel are specifically
designed to overcome the distortion of space, at least for these
lower levels.

Once a traveler has reached this height, he no longer
moves with Creation as his frame of reference. Instead he
orbits Creation just as the sun, moon, and entire Firmament
do. With each passing moment, he drifts westward, first rising to his zenith then arcing back to Creation. If he travels
beyond the sun and the moon, when he reaches a mile above
Creations surface he is transported to the Elsewhere along
with the rest of the Firmament and its caravan of stars. There
he may continue his journey skywards, but cannot descend
any lower until he rises in Creation once again.

Beyond the Daystar is the realm of the Five Maidens.
As a traveler passes each planet in turn, she would find the
distortion growing more pronounced. What seems like only
a few miles stretches on and on for thousands. The difference between perceived and actual distance reaches its peak
once one reaches the great stars of the Constellations. Beyond
these, the distortion diminishes rapidly toward the Firmament proper. Within a mile of the Firmament, perceived and
actual distances are the same as upon Creations surface.

To travel in this distorted space, special preparations are
needed. Spirits native to this region, such as the argentim and
tindholes, seemingly move at incredible speeds through the
Void. All their variations of Landscape Travel allow them to

38

ignore this distortion and move through perceived distances

rather than actual distance. Magical vehicles may be designed
specifically to travel through this region, but such vessels
would need to incorporate large amounts of starmetal and
adamant among other materials to function properly. Since
the last days of the Eretaeen, no one has yet committed such
resources into vessels like these.

Comets

Erupting from the Firmament itself, comets are failed
stars. Formed from unresolved possibilities, they do not solidify properly and never form an adamant tower to anchor
themselves to the Firmament. Instead that rush through the
Celestial Void, disrupting the destinies represented by the
stars they pass, until they eventually burn themselves out. This
process may last only a few days or an entire season.

Comets are composed primarily of starmetal and adamant. As the comet disintegrates, great plumes of dust trail
behind it. Adamant dust is drawn back toward the Firmament, while starmetal continues to follow the motion of the
stars and is held aloft in the Celestial Void until drawn in by
the influence of star. Rarely does this dust ever fall from the
Celestial Void. When it does it illuminates the night sky with
a beautiful display of so-called falling stars.

Fortunately for those who care about the undisturbed
progress of Fate, comets occur infrequently. The last noteworthy comet appeared during the height of Bagrash Kls empire
and lasted three weeks before fading from view and breaking
up. Several hundred years earlier, another great comet rose
from the ruined Mask and slammed into Jupiters personal
star, after the Maiden intentionlly veered onto an intercept
course. The damage to Jupiters star was neglible, all things
considered, but the display of essence and fury unleashed by
the impact would have been a sight to behold. The momentous occasion went unnoticed by Exalted observers, who were
too busy fighting the last battles of the Usurpation. No comet
has unintentionally struck the surface of Creation since the
Time of Glory, but such impacts would cause massive devastation for hundreds of miles and throw an entire Direction into
chaos.

The Primordials were very fond of comets. A few deva
took the form of comets, as others took the form of forests or
rivers. Other Primordials harnessed comets as their own personal chariots or as Deep Wyld probes. Isidoros, in particular,
found endless uses for them. During the Primordial War, his
forces deployed comet-based artillery weapons and mobile
command platforms. Presumably these weapons have been
destroyed. The Exalted may have permitted the Yozi to take
these weapons with him to the Demon Prison since he could
find no ammunition for them there. Even if the weapons
themselves do not exist anywhere, the plans most certainly
do. An interested Defiler would find Isidoros most eager to
recount the glories of his ancient arsenal.

The Sky Is Falling

Most comets drift aimlessly through the Celestial Void,
safely separated from the stars by the outstretched emptiness.
Eventually they are blown away by the resolving light of the
Daystar, revealing themselves to be nothing more than a collection of hypothetical particles. A few comets escape into
the Wyld and return to Creation periodically. Once in a great
while, however, a comet veers widly off course and strikes the
Firmament or Creation.

The smallest comets are half a mile in diameter with
tails ten miles long. The largest are six miles in diameter with
tails stretching a hundred miles or more. When such objects

The Hard Way Up

Though the Celestial Void is mostly empty space and collisions are exceptionally rare, travel there is not without its
hazards. Pilots of vessel travelling in this region must make a periodic (Intelligence + Sail) roll once a day or whenever they
enter a new region of the heavens. The difficulty begins at five and increases as the vessel rises with each successive region:
one to six miles up: 5; up to the Daystar and Silver Chair: 10; up to Mercury: 15 (+1 for each additional planet passed);
the Celestial Void: 20. Additionally, the roll suffers an external penalty of -2 for every 100 mph or fraction thereof that the
vessel travels at. If the roll fails, the pilots player rolls one die:
1:

All the vessels health levels fill with damage immediately.

2-3:

The vessel suffers 20L dice of damage, which ignores armor.

4-5: The vessel is teleported into the skies of the Underworld

(or 15L, as per the previous option if the Underworld does not exist).
6-7: The vessel is teleported into the skies of Malfeas

(or 10L, as per the previous option if the Demon City does not exist).
8-9: The vessel is teleported into the skies of Yu-Shan

(or 5L, as per the previous option if Yu-Shan does not exist).
10:

The vessel continues on undaunted.

Vessels composed primarily of adamant or starmetal decrease the difficulty by five and halve the external penalty.
Beings or objected thrown into the sky always suffer some unusual fate, as their uncontrol flight cannot avoid particularly
distorted regions of space. Typically the magical effect which launched them into the sky will describe the effect, but if
not, continue to roll this die until the object or being is destroyed or finds itself falling from the sky of another world.
impact, the damage they inflict is truly catastrophic. Anything
at the point of impact, whether it be a quarter mile or three
miles in radius, suffers an environmental damage effect that
inflicts L/Tick, Trauma 5L, for five ticks, as the comets mass
converts into raw incandescent essence. In a flash, the whole
of Creation is illuminated as though a second sun were rising
from the site of the impact. In short, anything that cannot
perfectly resist environmental damage is instantly destroyed.

From the point of impact a sphere of environmental
damage expands outward at ten miles per Tick, out to
(comets diameter x 100) miles. In the Firmament, the front
of this explosion inflicts a one time environmental damage
event of 100L, Trauma 5L. On the surface of Creation, the
superheated atmosphere lingers, changing this damage to
100L/minute, Trauma 5L. Every hour, this damage is halved,
rounding down.

A great deal of debris is kicked up from such impacts,
and the comet leaves a crater ten times larger than itself. If it
strkes the Firmament, it can send adamant-enriched material
falling to Creation, but most of the debris will fall back to
the Firmament after drifting through the Celestial Void for
a time. If it strikes Creations surface, it rains burning debris
well outside of the blast radius (typically large and small rocks
inflicting an amount of bashing damage to anything they
strike equal to the Strength + Athletics needed to lift them
and igniting flammable materials where they land). Dust
from an impact on Creation temporarily cools the world if
the Bureau of Seasons does not rush to repair the damage.
Unseasonably cool weather follows a small impact for one
Season; exceptionally large impacts might cool Creation for
up to a decade.

The Empyrean Expanse

The majority of the Firmaments surface is a vast plain
known as the Empyrean Expanse. From this arise the starbearing towers and mountain ranges thousands of miles long.
The auroral rivers ripple across its surface, changing colors as
they near the Elemental Poles and flooding with luminescent
essences periodically only to drain to faded gullies at other

times. The shattered remains of ancient towers lay scattered

by destructive novas, and stormy nebulas of possibilities collapse violently to birth new star-bearing towers. Comets burst
like volcanoes from the Empyrean Expanse to blaze disruptive
trails through the Celestial Void before finally burning out.

A visitor to the Empyrean Expanse would find themselves oriented so that Creation was above them, allowing
them to walk freely on the vast surface of the Firmament.
Everywhere the alien aesthetic assails the senses of those born
on Creations surface. The sky curves up in all directions
toward the horizon overhead. The visitor feels the ground
beneath her feet swing westward, carrying her along with it.
Acclimating to this world in perpetual motion is challenging
but rewarding. Once she adjusts, she may stroll through its
crystal forests of resonant trees. She could swim in the vibrant
streams of the aurora. She could scale the adamant peaks and
towers or descend into the black depths of the fissures and
caverns which mar the otherwise flawless surface.
Of course, no journey to the Firmaments surface would be
complete with visiting a few of its most prominent and unique
features.

Nebulas and Novas

The exact number of nebulas in the sky at any particular
time varies. Typically there are at least fifty; the vast majority
of which are too faint to be detected by the naked eye from
the surface of Creation. Even most supernatural vision reveals
them to be little more than faintly luminescent smudges upon
the Firmament. In truth they are towering banks of essential
clouds mixed with the debris of Fate. Their edges glow faintly
with crimson or saffron light, though occasionally one might
find other colors tinting the periphery of the cloud. Their
hearts, however, are always a deep red, approaching black.

Nebulas stand as lingering monuments to all that was
and all that is yet to come. When a star dies, it throws off
tremendous amount of debris before casting its starmetal core
to Creation. Before a new star is born it draws essence toward
itself, building it up from the cast-off debris of its predecessors. The nebula may stand for several generations before the

Chapter Two Nox, The Onyx Youth

39

Survival in the Firmament

For all its beauty, the Firmament is not a place designed for mortal habitation. Its crystalline landscape is
sterile by Creations standards, and its air so rarified it can
hardly be breathed at all. Mortals who find themselves in
this region die as quickly as it takes them to asphyxiate.
Magical beings that require air to live can survive longer.
They must pass a (Stamina + Resistance) roll, difficulty
4, every (Stamina + Resistance) hours. Failure imposes a
cumulative -1 Internal Penalty from shortness of breath.
If this penalty would ever exceed the characters (Stamina
+ Resistance) or he botches the roll, he immediately
begins to asphyxiate. Magical beings suffering from asphyxiation may be stabilized by allies, if the ally succeeds
at a (Stamina + Medicine) roll, difficulty 3, as the ally
personally augments the victims breathing temporarily.
Additionally, there is no food or water suitable for beings
native to Creations surface. Survival rolls to discover
nutriment is as difficult as in the most barren desert, but
these regions do not count as places of desolation. Alien
though they certainly are, they are far from lifeless.
Finally, the adamant-enriched material of the
Firmament prohibits the movement of dematerialized
entities as well as materialized ones. Only the god of the
Firmament and those whom he granted special leave may
pass through its solid barriers while dematerialized.

New Mutation:

Celestial Adaptation (Pox): The mutant is at home
among the stars and may breathe normally in the Firmament. He may consume the crystalline food and drink
from the luminescent rivers of the Firmament. Creatures
that have subsisted off such fare for more than (Stamina)
weeks offer no nutritional value to beings without this
mutation, as their biochemistry has now been completely
retrofitted for this alien ecosystem. Many animals reside
on the Firmament, having contracted this mutation near
the point of contact between Creations surface and the
Firmament itself. Most of the biosphere is composed of
flightless creatures descended from birds and more exotic
aerial creatures. This mutation might also result from
exposure to Sidereal or Nocturnal demesnes.
possibility of the new star is fully realized. When the time is
right, the heart of the nebula swirls, drawing the entire cloud
into a tight sphere. As it approaches sufficient essential mass,
it flares into a brilliant nova. Soon afterward a new star is
born, rising toward the Celestial Void on a spire of adamant.
Each nebula is unique. Without wind on the Firmament to
disappate them, the billowing clouds form persistent shapes
which invite the imagination to see all manner of entities
within them. Nebulas are often named for the whatever shape
catches the eye of the spirit who first happens up it. Most
iconic among the Maidens servants who patrol these heights
are the Rearing Stallion Nebula, the Helm of Ahlat Nebula,
and the Laughing Eagle Nebula.

Though these destinations would certainly attract a traveller seeking impressive natural wonders, they are best viewed
from a distance. Travel within a nebula is extremely hazardous. The dark heart of a nebula is nearly impenetrable to light
(treat as fog on a moonless night). Tindholes are attracted to
this points of unresolved Fate and stalk in the darkness for
unwary intruders who many disrupt the new stars development. And, of course, there is the ever-present possibility that

40

the nebula might suddenly flare into a nova with devasting

force.

Novas are apocalyptic events in the truest sense of the
word. They unleash destructive energies to clear the way for
the birth of the new, unvealing empty niches to be filled or
Heralding the arrival of a rising star. There are two types of
novas, both of which are equally dangerous. The first type
occurs when a nebula spins itself into a new star; the second
occurs when a star dies and casts off its excess material, which
eventually drifts back to the Firmament to form a new nebula.
In either case, the nova inflicts an environmental damage effect across a large area. This inflicts 10 dice of lethal damage
for each dot of Essence the being the star represents is fated to
achieve in its lifetime or its Essence at death, with a Trauma
5. This affects an volume with a radius equal to (Essence x
10) miles. This effect persists for one day per dot of Essence.
The stars of Essence 1 beings flicker in and out without much
fanfare and their novas are barely detectable from Creations
surface. Beings of Essence 6+ have novas which become as
bright as the Maidens planets for several days.

When a nova occurs at the birth of a new star, the process may be interrupted if something prevents an Essence 4+
being from coming into existence during that narrow window
of time. Doing so causes a comet to launch from the nebula
instead of a star, casting it adrift through the Celestial Void
untethered to the Firmament.

The Two Auroras

Though from Creations surface, there is little to
distinguish them, those upon the Firmament would recognize two distinct types of aurora. The most common
type is the riperine aurora. These are the streams of luminescent essence that flow across the Firmament, fed by
frequent rains of respired essence rising from Creation.
While they glow brightly in close proximity, most are too
dim to see from Creation until they form enormous,
chaotic rivers near the elemental Poles.

The second type is the more extravagant solar aurora. These occur when the Daystar burns off excess energy, igniting essence mixtures in the Celestial Void and
lower portions of the sky. These are the most dramatic
aurora displays seen in Creation and appear overhead of
ground-dwellers and sky-dwellers alike, uniting them in a
common sense of wonder and amazement.

The Wadi Everlasting

Spanning the entire Firmament lays the Wadi Everlasting. The vast canyon splits the Firmament into northern and
southern hemispheres, arcing primarily over the South of Creation. The flanks of the gorge descend for nearly eighty miles
into the Firmament and at its widest it is over a thousand miles
across. Though it fractures the Firmament, it exists apart from
it. During Calibration, it does not exist. On the first day of
the year, the ruins of the Cyan Fountain rise in the east. Once
the source of an ancient river of light, the fountain hosted a
cataclysmic battle during the war against the Primordials. It
and its goddess were destroyed. The luminous river drained,
revealing the canyon that cuts the sky. Throughout the year,
the canyon continues along the course of the extinct river,
twisting and turning, broadening and narrowing, until at last,
just before Calibration, it comes to an abrupt end, just where
the mouth of the river would have deposited its light before

nature of his departure, he may have left enough finery for an

adventurous soul to claim the mantle of the god of Natural
Order, or he may have left only traps to punish intruders.

The identity of the goddess of the Cyan Fountain
Isidoros Hoof
has been lost to history. She is depicted graphically in

Near the constellation of the Pillar, a misshapen ring of
the ruins of the fountain, but no words record her name
jagged mountains surround a deep caldera nearly a hundred
or deeds. What can be gathered from the ruins would
miles across. The tallest of these mountains reach into the
be tell an explorer that the goddess once consorted with
Celestial Void and have accumulated glittering starmetal dust
the Incarnae; indeed her river of endless light appears
upon their peaks. The caldera delves into the Firmament, exto mark her as a deity of equal stature to those Celestial
posing openings to the Caverns of the Sky along its sheer cliff
entities. While her precise domain is unknown, an edufaces. This great scar upon the Firmament is the birthplace of
cated guess can be made from the artwork at the Cyan
Nox, where the Titan Isidoros cracked the sky and pulled the
Fountain.
young gods essence from it.

The goddess is shown receiving men and women

Nebulas often form around the peaks of the mountains,
from Saturns guidance. She wears a simple white dress
but no star has ever grown from them. The fractured nature of
and a feathered hedjet crown. She carries a shepherds
this landscape prohibits the nebulas potential from solidifying
staff, to which is tied her sacred knot sealed with a
and ensures they all eventually cast off comets in time. Along
serpent clasp and upon which grow her sacred rose blostheir lower slopes, twisting crystal forests provide a home
soms. She escorts those delivered to her by Saturn to into
for many giant flightless birds and bats which colonized the
her river, and baptizes them in its light. Once immersed,
Firmament ages ago.
the man or woman is then drawn from the river as an

Amid the broken slopes of Isidoros Hoof one would
infant and given to Mercury. Yet other images around
find many ancient shrines dedicated to Nox and the Primordithe Cyan Fountain depict elderly beings drinking directly
als who wrought him. They are built upon demesnes, aspected
from it and restored to youth.
either to Nox or to Isidoros. The whole mountain range is

What is unclear is who destroyed the Cyan Founpockmarked by craters and ruins where once stood shrines to
tain and its goddess or for what purpose. Perhaps the
the Lidless Eye; once his essence was drained from the world
aggressor sought to claim control of Lethe or somehow
to create the Yozi Sacheverell, the demesnes destabilized and
disrupt or suspend its influence. Perhaps the Primordials
the shrines underwent catastrophic failure.
attempted to seize its life-giving font to revive their fallen

Most notable of these shrines is the Forge of the Nativcompatriots. Perhaps there was no battle and the creation
ity, which based upon its elaborate murals, claims to be built
of the Underworld in turn destroyed the Cyan Fountain.
upon the site where Isidoros and the Lidless Eye toiled and
Only a dedicated investagtion that dares to question the
shaped Nox into being. Like all the shrines, the Forge of the
most inscrutable beings in Yu-Shan, the Underworld,
Navitity is an ancient building. Unlike the other shrines,
and Malfeas has any hope of unraveling the truth.
however, it appears have been inhabited periodically over the
the starless nights. Due to its nature, the Wadi Everlasting is millennia and its hearthstone is currently missing.
significantly longer than the circumference of the Firmament.
he aelian ity
Those wishing to explore this mystery must reach the Wadi
Somewhere upon the Empyrean Expanse rise the adaEverlasting on the first night of Ascending Air to find its bar- mant walls and crystalline towers of the Caelian City. Its posiren source, and depart again before that portion of the Wadi tion always changes, once according to the whim of Nox, now
sets in the west. Failing to leave the Wadi before it sets sends solely by random chance, and the city never dips below the
the explorers to Elsewhere, where they reside until that por- horizon. Its size is vast, equivalent to Tongma Island, which is
tion of the Wadi rises again a year later or they travel down the northwest of the Blessed Isle. The Caelian City served as the
dried-up streambed to a portion that has not yet set. Doing capital of Noxs immense domain, and housed his personal
so requires that they move faster than the Firmament spins, a sanctum as well as many other marvels. Among the deva, the
feat of superhuman speeds.
Caelian City was a popular destination, and it fell to Nox and
his entourage to keep the souls of their masters well enterThe Axial Pharos of Original Motion

At the center of the Firmaments northern hemisphere tained.
In the Time of Glory, the Caelian City was a place of
spins the Axial Pharos of Original Motion, around which
the whole Firmament rotates. This celestial lighthouse once sheer beauty. By day, its faceted spires refracted the rays of
belonged to one of the most prominent gods of the Time the sun and turned sky blue, as does the entire Firmament.
of Glory, Polaris, the Jade Viceroy, god of Natural Order. At night, its vast cityscape was light by auroral lamps, blazing
During the Primordial War, he stood aside, recognizing the with reds, greens, and blues, flashing brilliant advertisements
danger the Primordials posed to Creation yet reluctant to of all the spectacles the Caelian City had to offer. The city was
defy the architects of that which he was dedicated to promote. divided into eleven wards, each dedicated to a different means
He vanished at the end of the War, a casualty of the Three of delighting the Primordials and home to the gods and their
Spheres Cataclysm, some say. Others speculate that, in the offspring who served there as part of Noxs entourage. The
end, he could not abide the overthrow of the Primordials and central ward is that of the Crystal Palace, now an empty shrine
departed Creation, perhaps accompanying Gaia in search of to Nox locked away from the rest of the city for millennia. The
remaining ten wards form a ring around the Crystal Palace.
the Shining Answer.

So the Axial Pharos, his ancient sanctum, stands as a Each is separated from its neighbors by adamant walls and
hollow monument to this once great god. It is sealed and whenever the city transports, the precise arrangement of the
its beacon deactivated. Its light is hardly necessary now, as wards changes. Each of the ten exterior wards has a gate to
the Daystar provides enough to catalyze the natural order as two of its neighbors, a gate to exit the city, and a locked gate
Ignis Divine pleases. Who can say what treasures, if any, the to that would lead to the Crystal Palace if it were ever opened.
Jade Viceroy, left within the Axial Pharos? Depending on the

The Goddess of the Cyan Fountain

Chapter Two Nox, The Onyx Youth

41

After Nox disappeared at the beginning of the Primordial

War, the gods who dwelt in his city seized upon the opportunity to lay claim to the dominion itself. They fought fiercely
among themselves, launching their godblooded in crusades
to conquer the city ward by ward. However, as the Primordial
War continued, the gods were drawn away from their petty infighting and joined (or were drafted into) the greater conflict
that engulfed Creation below. As the wars raged on, the influence of the Bound God worked its magic upon the minds of
the gods. One by one, they forgot their former positions and
relinquished their claim. The godblooded kept up the fight
in their absence, until only one god remained. For a time,
Boundless Mirth, God of the Endless Revelry, ruled over
the ruins of the Caelian City. By the time the Exalted stood
victorious before the humbled Tyrant, even Boundless Mirth
had forgotten about his other war and took up occupation of
Yu-Shan with the other gods.

Centuries of periodic warfare has left its mark on the
Caelian City. Its elegant geometries, its friezes, and its murals are all marred by an ever-growing tangle of gypsum trees
and quartz vines that have spread from the untended crystal
hedge mazes of the Orchid Maze Ward. The auroral lighting
now flickers ominously throughout the city. Occasionally a
fixture is broken in the fighting, erupting into great curtains
of luminescent energy, consuming all parties in the conflict.
Tidholes and other beasts prowl the city at night. Some have
been tamed by the tribes to serve as mounts and war dogs;
others are feral hunters who escaped from Noxs private kennels and the cages of the Glass Menagerie Ward. Singularity
fountains, once the delight of residents and visitors alike,
have been loosed from their foundations to devour buildings
and cut canyons in their wake until they find a new resting
place. The fountains continue to blast intense jets of blinding
energy. The secure fountains produce steady vertical streams
of energy; the rogue fountains might shoot off at random
and at strange angles. Several of the Caelian Citys towers are
pierced straight through by a fountain resting at a shallow
angle nearby.

The Eternal Festival Ward

For the last five thousand years (with a few interruptions
now and then), the Eternal Festival Ward has been the center
of culture in the Caelian City. From here, Boundless Mirth
ruled over the broken city for a time. His descendants, the
Masqueraders, have been the ruling tribe for most of the
subsequent centuries, in one form or another.

The Masqueraders were originally known for their effective mix of intrigue and swift, intense ambushes during the
war to claim the Caelian City. These tactics served them well,
and solidified the rule of the First Masquerade Empire for a
thousand years.

Culturally, the godblooded of the Eternal Festival have
changed considerably since those early barbaric days. Their
empire has risen and fallen five times since they first conquered
the city, and each great revolution has reforged their civilization from the remains of the old. Today, the Masqueraders
are known for their sophistication and subtlety, both in the
arts of politics and in war. Their society is arranged around
important yearly festivals, as it always has been, though the
exact festivals have changed many times over as each generation finds something new to commemorate.

The many of the most important festivals are local affairs, held for the benefit of a particular clan rather than the
tribe as a whole. The most common festivals are the Mask
Day Festivals, held once a year for all the thirteen-year-old
children of a clan as a rite of passage. During this festival

42

the clan celebrates the transition into adulthood with lavish

decorations, food, and, music and dance. Each of the children
receives a mask specially crafted by the clan elders. Donning
the mask, they become fully recognized members of the tribe
and entitled to all the rights afforded to Masqueraders of the
Fifth Empire.

Celebrations for the whole tribe are held in the heart
of the Eternal Festival Ward. Though surrounded by an
impressive palace and the estates of the Fifth Empires most
prominent bureaucrats, the Imperial Plaza itself is the true
seat of power among the Masqueraders. Here all the clans
gather to celebrate important tribal festivals. Among the
most important are the Reunification Festival, which commemorates the preservation of the Empire in its fifth form
after a near collapse, and the anniversary of the coronation of
current empress Feather-Eyed Jholo, first of her line.

Feather-Eyed Jholo took the throne after a brief successional crisis. The previous emperor ascended without heirs.
The nation seemed on the brink of civil war; skirmishes
broke out far and wide between those loyal to the opposing
sides. Before a protracted conflict could begin in earnest,
Feather-Eyed Jholo graciously offered a marriage proposal to
her rival claimant. The Masqueraders breathed a collectively
sigh of relief when he accepted. The wedding festival attracted
more guests than the previous five Reunification Festivals
combined.

On their wedding night, while their cheering subjects
still filled the Imperial Plaza, Feather-Eyed Jholo had her new
husband quietly poisoned. The wake was as well attended as
the wedding and, in the years following, more fondly remembered.

The empress has ruled for twenty years, and is approaching what the Skyborn consider old age despite being
only sixteen when she took the throne. She distances herself
from the daily routine of Imperial politics, allowing her eldest
daughter, Cracked-Ivory Hegu, to learn the role that she will
soon inherit. Feather-Eyed Jholo is far from idle. She convenes
regularly with her spies and foreign advisors, dispatching
agents to disrupt any plot that threatens her empire.

Most notably, the Gamblers of the Rolling Dice Ward
have begun conducting raids near the entrances of the Crystal
Palace Ward. The Crystal Place, once Noxs personal sanctum, has been cut off from the rest of the city since the god
disappeared. No one may enter the Crystal Palace without
the permission of the Onyx Youth or bearing the mark of his
essence. Her advisors fear that the Gamblers have discovered
such a person, but Jholo is unconcerned. If any other tribe
were behaving in such a manner, she might have reason to
worry. The Gamblers, however, are known to act without
rhyme or reason. Regardless, the great god of the City left
no tribe of his own (if he had, the Concubines would have
long since learned of them), so who could the Gamblers have

A City With A View

The view from the Caelian City is one of the most
spectacular sights in all Creation. Even in its fallen state,
to look up and see the stars and the vast expanse of the
earth spread out above is breathtaking. Throughout the
day, the view changes as the Firmament rotates and the
city warps to new locations to stay above the horizon.
The whole of Creation is visible from the city, as the
Firmament swings toward the distant horizon, and the
lands and seas, obscured only the ever-moving clouds, are
rolled out like a map overhead.

possibly found to throw upon the gates to the Crystal Palace?

Better to let the Gamblers waste their efforts where they can
do no harm.

The Sapphire Evening Ward

Azure banners still wave over the broken ramparts of
brothel palaces in the Sapphire Evening Ward. Once the devas
gathered here to enjoy all the sexual pleasures the Primordials
world had to offer. Madame Kama, the Purveyor of Bought
Nights and long-deceased goddess of Prostitutes, oversaw this
ward and was one of Noxs earliest and most frequent lovers.
She mothered the tribe of Courtesans before being the first of
the rival gods to leave the fight for the Caelian City. Joining
the Incarnaes rebellion when her mistress Venus called, Madame Kama educated the Exalted in the arts of the bedroom
and more exotic locales and taught them how to seduce the
devas.

The Courtesans forged an early alliance with the
Masquerades after their goddess abandoned them. These
ancient treaties allowed them to retain their independence
throughout the First Empire. When the First Empire went
into decline 1,019 years later, the Courtesans Conclave temporarily became the seat of culture in the Caelian City for the
next five hundred and thirty-two years.

Renowned for their beauty, the Courtesans have consistently proven to be poor warriors in a large scale fight. They
have, however, produced a large number of martial artists
and continue to be the epicenter for such training. Among
their other talents is the ability to sense bloodlines and for
this reason other tribes will typically hire Courtesan advisors
root out foreign spies and suggest ideal matches for the purest
possible offspring.

The New Conclave currently oversees tribal matters for
the Courtesans from the House of Assignation. Originally a
matriarchal assembly, Conclave law was rewritten a hundred
and fifteen years ago to allow men to serve as well. Despite this
change, only five members of the fifty seats in the Conclave
are taken by menthe most that have ever served at once.
Elsewhere in Courtesan society, men continue to struggle for
equal representation.

The Drawn Curtain Ward

A serpentine canyon cuts its way through the Drawn
Curtain Ward. The crumbling ruins of theaters slide down
its jagged slopes. Crystal forests surround abandoned odeum.
By all appearances the theater district of the Caelian city is a
wilderness devoid of any sign of civilization.

Indeed the civilization of the Thespians who once
inhabited this region has vanished. Three thousand years
ago, they lead a rebellion that brought down the Second Masquerade Empire. They lead a brief intertribal council which
rapidly decayed along established alliances and devolved into
pointless bickering before finally dissolving completely. After
the collapse of their great alliance, the Thespians isolated
themselves from the larger Caelian society, sealing the gates
between their wards and others.

Not until the Third Masquerade Empire rose three
hundred years later where the gates finally pried open again.
By then, the forests had spread through the ward and the
singularity fountains had cut deep scars in the cityscape. The
Thespians themselves had left no trace.

The disappearance of the Thespians has been a persistent source of legend and conspiracy theories. Among the
various tales told by the Skyborn, there are a few common
themes. Some say the Thespians grew sick of the follies of
the world and ascended en masse. Other say they conducted

Life and Death Among the Skyborn

The Skyborn, as the people of the Caelian City have
come to call themselves, number in nearly two hundred
thousand today. Nox has obscured the entire Skyborn
population from Fate, for their discovery would lead to
the discovery of his ancient city and to him in turn. The
Bureau of Destiny does not tend to the fates of these
people, and with their magical inheritance, the Skyborn
possess highly tangled fates.

The godblooded Skyborn typical face an early death
as prey for the tindholes. Less commonly, a Skyborn
ascends, transforming herself into a true god. This is a
bittersweet moment for the Skyborn. The newborn god
helps replenish the bloodlines of her tribe. If they stay
with the tribe, they effectively become forbidden gods
and centers of the ancestor worship that is common
among the Skyborn. However, a gnawing edict preys
upon their minds if they ever wander from their tribe. In
time, those who depart to explore the Empyrean Expanse
lose all sense of themselves and wander as nameless gods
with no recollection of their past.

Mortals are uncommon in the Caelian City. The
Firmament was not designed for human habitation.
None can survive without the protection of gods or
without being properly adapted to the local environment.
Strong selective pressures maintain purity in the bloodlines as the majority of those born without divine essence
die only moments after their birth.
heinous acts within their sealed ward and brought down the
wrath of the ancestors. Some say they began to starve within
their walls but their hubris would not allow them to rejoin the
rest of the city; instead they left the City and became lost in
the Empyrean Expanse when it warped to a new location.

A final theory is frequently presented. In some nations
there are whispers that the Thespians still walk among the
other tribes, secretly manipulating history as they see fit. If
one is wealthy enough and knows the right shadowy figures,
one might hire the Black Hands. Always appearing in the dark
clothing of stage hands, these assassins certainly adhere to the
ancient code passed down through surviving Mortality Plays.
Courtesan advisors, however, recognize them as a motley guild
drawing its members from many of the other tribes. True, now
and then, the Courtesans encounters a Black Hand whose
bloodline they cannot recognize, but this can be accounted
for by weak inheritance or mixed parentage. The Courtesans
hold no stock in the conspiracy theories of other tribeswhich
has only encouraged other tribes to assume they are part of
the conspiracy.

Today, the Fifth Empire claims the Drawn Curtain Ward
as part of its domain. The Masqueraders have several colonies
of their own in the ward, each taking up residence in a single
city block. The towers and theaters of each colony provided
enough room to house a thousand or more Masqueraders.
The rest of the Drawn Curtain Wilderness they leave undeveloped, as hunting and harvesting grounds, which help alleviate
the need to import as much food from the Villeins for the
Orchid Maze and Glass Menagerie Wards.

The Villeins themselves have long contested the Empires claim and many of their clans have resided in the Drawn
Curtain wilderness for generations. Masquerader hunting
parties are increasingly assaulted by Villein raiders. FeatherEyed Jholo is currently negotiating a deal with the Cheering

Chapter Two Nox, The Onyx Youth

43

the Cascading Years which precipitated the rise of the Third

Masquerade Empire, the Gardeners and the Kennelmasters
united into one tribe, the Villeins. Since the Third Masquer
Lasting two-hundred and fifty-six years, the Time of
ade, the Villeins have had an uneasy relationship with the
Fallen Crowns began roughly a century before the UsurMasqueraders, centered mostly around disputed claims in the
pation took place on Creations surface. Historians mark
Drawn Curtain Ward. The Villeins cite a poorly worded treaty
this period as beginning with an assault on the Caelian
with the Second Empire which granted their ancestors all
City by the behemoth Kerivoula. The reason for the atrights to the wilderness wards. The Third and subsequent
tack is still a matter of speculation, though placing blame
Empires have all maintained such treaties were voided when
on a hypothetical Thespian conspiracy remains popular.
the Second Empire collapsed, though this has not stopped
During the Fallen Crowns era itself, this belief led to the
them from citing similarly ancient treaties when convenient
bloody persecution of alleged Thespians.
for their needs.

After Kerivoula destroyed the upper echelons of

Today, the Villeins are a scattered people. They live in
imperial society, the Courtesans Conclave unsuccessfully
isolated clans with little authority at the tribal level. Only the
attempted to hold the empire together until the emperors
monks who reside in the ancient kennels can command the
bloodline could be reestablished. Instead, beginning with
respect of all the clans. The monks, however recues themselves
the Villein warlord Natas the Baying Hound, the next
from such worldly affairs. They spend their days in their
two and half centuries saw the rise and fall of nearly a
kennel monasteries, breeding various plants and animals as
dozen would-be emperors. Eventually Rakish-Smiling
monks elsewhere might trim a bonsai tree. These long-term
Farhor, propped up by an alliance of Courtesans and
meditative acts aid the monks on their path toward ascension.
Restorationists retook his ancestral throne and began the
Those who do achieve apotheosis are revered by the clans and
Fourth Masquerade Empire.
the plant or animal breed they created becomes fashionable
Arena Ward to hire more mercenaries to protect her interests both among the clans and the tribes beyond.
in the Drawn Curtain.
The Serene Orchestra Ward
The Orchid Maze and Glass Menagerie Wards Throughout the Serene Orchestra Ward echoes the

Accounting for nearly a quarter of the Cealian City, sound of shattered glass, of strings out of tune, of cacophothe vast wilderness of the Orchid Maze and Glass Menagerie nous dissonant choirs. The Musicians who dwell amid the
Wards is blanketed under a canopy of twisting gypsum trees grand concert halls, recital studios, and windless chime
and a dense crystalline understory. Flightless bats swing gardens call it Tiger Music, for the winged muse said to have
through its glittering branches. Large birds waddle among its inspired the movement currently in vogue.

The tribe of Musicians bears little resemblance to their
sparkling trunks and never know the joy of taking wing.
ancestral
way of life. Once a strongly united tribe capable of

In ancient days, the Orchid Maze Ward contained elegant pleasure gardens arranged in ever-shifting mazes made fending off any invader with pacifying song, they have become
of every beautiful or fragrant plant found in Creation. During a mismatched band, all playing to a different beat. Clans are
the war to control the city, many of the greenhouse manses defined by the aesthetics of ones music, rather than ones
in this Ward were shattered. Their escaping essence mutated parentage. Of course, deviating from the style of ones parents
the plants into crystalline forms that could survive long-term is seen as a great (though exceptionally common) insult.
Matters of politics among the Musicians are settled by
exposure to the Firmament. Their seeds have since spread
throughout the city and beyond, colonizing various portions a simple vote, which falls along clan lines more often than
of the Empyrean Expanse as the city has teleported across its not. This has led to the folk belief among other tribes that the
Musicians based their decisions upon whose style of music is
surface.

Likewise, the Glass Menagerie Ward once held numer- most popular at the time. This stereotype portrays them as
ous species of fearsome and exotic beasts. The deva would vacuous fools concerned more for their art than practical matgather here to admire the creative handiwork of their patron ters, which in turn has resulted in a long serious of popular
and to hunt in the vast game preserveswhich, most deva jokes at their expense.
The Musicians are a dynamic, ever-changing society
admitted, were a poor substitute for hunts sponsored by the
Bloodied Huntress, even if Noxs hunts were available on that has, in fact, produced many of the brightest minds in
demand. Additionally this ward was home to Noxs personal the Caelian City despite the stereotype against them. Notably,
kennel of tindholes, and the manse that held these feral gods the scholars of the Third Masquerade Empire were predominantly either from the Serene Orchestra Ward or trained in
still stands today.

The two wards were once overseen by Galeola of the Em- its academies. The loss of those academies during Kerivoulas
erald Labyrinth and Udarin, God of Cages, respectively. The rampage through the City nearly fifteen hundred years ago
two formed a powerful alliance, and with their godblooded ultimately resulted in the collapse of the Third Empire and
tribesthe Gardeners and the Kennelmastersthey won many the onset of the Years of Fallen Crowns.
early battles against the other tribes. In time, their alliance The Endless Gallery Ward
fractured due to external politics. Galeola sided with the
Originally home to the citys artist and their exhibitions,
Incarnae; Udarin joined the Primordials. Both regretted torn the Endless Gallery Ward has become a hallowed museum
allegiances, and had it not been for the Bound Gods interfer- over the centuries. Early fighting in the ward destroyed much
ence, they might have returned to the Caelian City to live in of prehistorys greatest art. When the war was over, the
peace had they remembered it existed at all. Instead, Udarin godblooded of the Endless Gallery dedicated themselves to
died in desperate attempt by the Primordials to seal the Exal- repairing and restoring their artistic treasures. This desire has
tation Cabinet. Galeola still lives and maintains a modest post come to define the Restorationists. The Courtesans surmise
in the Bureau of Nature as the Goddess of Uncharted Forests. that the main lineages of the Endless Gallery descended from

The Gardeners and Kennelmasters were vassals of the gods charged to maintain the ancient galleries rather than
First Masquerade Empire and allies of the second. During

The Time of Fallen Crowns

44

those who actually created the art, but anyone who says as
much in front of a Restorationist will have to defend such an
accusation in a formal duel.

Of all the inhabited wards, the core region of the Endless Gallery Ward most resembles its ancient condition. The
hinterlands of the ward closest to the unused exterior gate are
a wasteland of cannibalized buildings. Amid these systematic
ruins, peltate crystals grow in vast forests and shelter isolated
Villein clans. The two tribes have a mutually beneficial relationship. The Restorationists permit the Villeins to hunt in
their wilderness and establish posts along the periphery of the
forest to facilitate trade, while the Villeins keep the wilderness
relatively safe for Restorationist salvage parties.
Throughout history, the Restorationists have been
strong allies of the Masqueraders and have continuously
aided the establishment of a new Masquerade whenever a viable imperial candidate came forward. Following the Time of
Fallen Crowns, Restorationist museums became the centers
of learning in the Caelian City. There they teach a conservative view of history, emphasizing long standing traditions and
the value of heritage. Their academics resist any change to the
status quo, and new ideas rarely catch on until a generation or
two has passed.

The Epicurean Delights Ward

While the Caelian City was spared the Balorian Crusade, it did not escape the Great Contagion. The diseased
arrived in the city, carried by some flying creature, while the
Raksha tore Creation apart. The divine constitutions of the
godblooded tribes prevent the same catastrophic loss of life,
but the population plummeted from half a million to just over
a hundred thousand all the same. This marked the end of the
Fourth Masquerade Empire.

In its place, the Gourmand Regency arose. The Gourmand tribe is native to the Epicurean Delights Ward, a region
of the city formerly dedicated to fine dining and and intoxicants. Its restaurants, taverns, and drug dens catered to the
exotic tastes of the devas, and to this day one can procure rare
ingredients if one knows where to buy. The Villeins have long
assumed the Gourmands have their own greenhouse manse
serving a nursery for their intoxicating plants, but if so, the
Gourmands have successfully kept its location a secret for five
millennia.

When the Great Contagion struck, the Gourmands
proved more resilient that other tribes, suffering the deaths of
only a quarter of their number. To them, the torch of civilization was passed much to their reluctance. The Gourmands
had been willing vassals of the Masqueraders and allies of the
Restorationists since time immemorial, enjoying the benefits
of their civilization with minimal investment. During the
interregna, they allied with the Courtesans, initially opposed
the Thespians until the Second Masquerade had fallen, they
backed whichever candidate seemed most likely to bring lasting peace to the city during the Years of Fallen Crowns, but
never did they make a bid to rule the city themselves.

The Great Contagion changed that. If civilization were
to continue, it would do so only under their guidance. Placing
regent after regent in the imperial palace within the Eternal
Festival, the Gourmands administrated the long period of
rebuilding after the Masquerade. Collaborating with surviving Courtesans and Restorationists, the Gourmands spent
two hundred and forty-five years reestablishing the imperial
bloodline. When the Masquerader tribe finally recovered its
numbers enough to retake their empire, the Gourmand regent gladly abdicated the throne.

Under the Fifth Masquerade, the Gourmand are still
considered a vassal tribe, but one which is afforded a great
deal of respect by the Masqueraders. The Masqueraders rarely
intrude upon the Epicurean Delights Ward or the sybarite
ways of the Gourmands, so long as they continue to pay their
rather lenient tribute.

The Cheering Arena Ward

Amid crumbling hippodromes and collapsing stadiums,
the Bronze Laurel clan conducts training exercises. They
hold garland wars against less prominent clans of the Laurels
and sell their martial services to neighboring tribes. Despite
their violent acumen, the Bronze Laurels are highly respected
throughout the Fifth Empire.

The Laurel tribe seemed poised to defeat all other claimants to the Caelian City before their patron god abandoned
them to fight in the Primordial War. They continued to fight
in her name, but honor-bound as they were, they fell prey to
the subterfuge and dishonest tactics of the Masqueraders. In
the intervening time, they have become a fractured tribe of
highly competitive rival clans, happily fighting beneath the
banner of whoever was willing to pay them.

The Bronze Laurel clan rose to prominence during the
Year of Six Masks, a little over a century into the Fifth Empires rule. Six potential emperors and empresses each made
a bid for the throne, hiring what mercenaries they could find
to support them. The Bronze Laurels sided with DrunkenSauntering Adro, and within a generation had eliminated
all rival claimants. During the Reunification ceremony that
officially ended the civil war, the emperor granted the Bronze
Laurels dominion over the Cheering Arena Ward.

Though Drunken-Sauntering Adros dynasty has ended
and Feather-Eyed Jholos has begun, the Bronze Laurels
continue to be the strong arm of the Fifth Empireat least
as far as official military matters are concerned. The Laurels
still hold to the ancient warrior code that bound their actions
during the war for the Caelian City, and betraying the code
is a capital offense. Clan members tend to turn a blind eye
to their own members violation of the code so long as the
violation impedes a rival Laurel clan and the violator is sufficiently discrete. If the rival clan can identify the violator, he
or she will find no safe haven anywhere among the Laurels,
including her own clan.

The Rolling Dice Ward

The Gambler tribe of the Rolling Dice Ward is the only
tribe never to fall beneath the banner of the Masquerade
Empires. Few of the other tribes desire long-term relations
with the Gamblers, and the tribe is widely considered to be
fickle and unpredictable. This reputation is well-deserved.
Each year, representatives from each Gambler clan are chosen
randomly, typically by drawing straws or casting lots. Once
selected, the representative travels to the House of Uncertain
Victory at the heart of their ward and joins the tribal council
that convenes there. The tribal council, in turn, poses matters
concerning tribal affairs to ten-sided die whose roll determines
their decision.

Despite their isolation, the Gamblers are a successful
tribe. Along with the Villeins and the Masqueraders, they
are one of the three tribes to colonize the Empyrean Expanse
beyond the citys wall. While the Villeins simply abandoned
their colonies to survive on their own and the Masqueraders rely on outdated artifact transports to move quickly to
and from their colonies whenever the Caelian City appears
nearby, the Gamblers simply appear to always be in the right

Chapter Two Nox, The Onyx Youth

45

place at the right time, despite seemingly aimless wandering

through the desolate Empyrean wilderness.

In recent years, the Gamblers have increased raids on
other tribes within the city, particularly focusing their attention near the gates of each ward that lead to the central Crystal Palace Ward. Though Feather-Eyed Jholo is unconcerned
by these efforts, other factions within her regime are deeply
troubled. The Restorationists, in particular, fear how the balance of power would shift if the Gamblers successfully opened
the Crystal Palace Ward. Restorationist advisors encourage
the empress daughter to take action against the Gamblers,
if only to dissuade further incursions into imperial territory.
Ever ambitious, Cracked-Ivory Hegu has drawn up her own
plans against the Gamblers, one which she hopes will demonstrate early on that her rule is not to be contested.

The Crystal Palace

With Noxs disappearance, his personal sanctum was
sealed off and the Crystal Palace remains relatively untouched
by the wars that have raged around it. Crystal vines scale its
outer walls, and the tindholes prowl its unkempt gardens. But
inside, it is as pristine as the day Nox left it. The palace itself
is as large as the city of Lookshy, and its towers loom over the
rest of the city, standing half a mile tall. Their auroral lighting
still beam vividly at night. Within clean forgotten halls, the
Crystal Palace holds many wonders awaiting Noxs return.
Chief among these are the Universal Ecumene Cartographer
and the Salon of the First and Final Debate.

The Universal Ecumene Cartographer is an immense
room in the lower levels of the palace. Its main hall is circular and decorated with radial geometric patterns. In the
center is a raised dais surrounded by a complicated bank of
controls. The primary switch on these panels activates a threedimensional cladogram of the known Kalpa, manipulation of
which permits the user to access information regarding any
known Manvatara with records stored in the Toponomastic
Archives of the Cosmos. It also projects three dimensional
maps and tangible holographic environments from any such
Manvantara, allowing the user to interact with the location as
though she were really there or move unseen through it if she
prefers.

The Toponomastic Archives reside in wings around the
Universal Ecumene Cartographer and are filled with Noxs
accumulated knowledge of the Kalpa and its Manvantaras.
Whenever Nox uses Mapping Manvantaras Shores while in
the Cartographer, any information he learns is automatically
penned upon the appropriate scrolls in inaccessibly dense
technical terminology and complex mathematical formulae.
One must understand Old Realm and pass a (Intelligence +
Lore, difficult 7) roll to understand any scroll. These scrolls
are potent artifacts (Artifact , 10 motes to attune).
Possession and attunement to such a scroll allows any being
capable of performing Fluctuations to automatically succeed
at any attempt to fluctuate an element of that Manvantara
into Creation and reduces the final Paradox gained by half,
rounding down. Once a scroll has been removed from the
Toponomastic Archives, the Cartographer cannot access any
information about that Manvantara until it is returned. All
the records in the archives are woefully out of date as they
have not been updated since just before the Primordial War.

At the top of the highest tower of the Crystal Palace is the
Salon of the First and Final Debate. There are six entrances
to the room. One is the main lift that leads down to the lower
floors. The other five lead to the domains of the Maiden,
but only when both Maiden and Nox agree to confer. It is a
luxurious room designed to mask its more martial capabili-

46

ties. Hidden within the room are the controls to the defenses
of the Crystal Palace and the Caelian City. From here, Nox
may erect an adamant dome over the city, direct the quantum
cannon batteries, and aim the singularity fountains as true
and proper weapons. More dangerous still, the Salon of the
First and Final Debate allows Nox to evoke novas across the
Empyrean Expanse, direct the motion of comets against his
enemies, and transport the Caelian City to any point in the
Firmament above the horizon. He is free to do as he pleases to
the Firmament, but is incapable of launching attacks from his
high redoubt upon Creation.

The greatest weapon at Noxs disposal is the Cosmic
Catharsis Xiphos. The Xiphos stands like an adamant-andstarmetal armillary sphere upon the peak of the Crystal
Palace. The Onyx Youth has never fired this weapon for to
do so would be an open act of war against the Maidens. It has
accidentally been triggered at least twice, as the cataclysmic
build-up of possibilities and destiny that mark the end of an
Age forces the weapon to discharge before overloading catastrophically. The moment that Cosmic Catharsis Xiphos fires,
destines woven through use of the stars and their constellation
colleges are untangled, unless they specifically relate to the
establishment of the new Age. All knowledge gained through
the Art of Astrology becomes obsolete until new star charts
are compiled and new readings made, which will typically give
different results. The slate of destiny is wiped clean, and the
Maidens and their Chosen must work fervently to recreate
much of what was lost.

The Caverns of the Sky

The Empyrean Expanse is broken by immense fissures
and scarred with craters. These allow access to the networks
of caves and tunnels beneath the Empyrean Expanse, which
form thousand-mile long mazes through the adamant ceiling
of the world. Navigation is perilous throughout. Up and down
become entirely arbitrary. Through some passages, gravity is
oriented toward Creation. In others it might be oriented away,
or at perpendicular angles, or toward the walls of the cavern
itself, or cease to exist at all. These changes can be abrupt and
a being who loses his grip may find himself falling for days at
a time, thrown about in odd angles. The truly unfortunate
tumble through indefinite gravity loops, never to strike solid
ground again.

Within these caverns dwell things that have not seen
the light of day since the Incarnae usurped their makers and
some that have not breeched the surface since the Primordials themselves banished them beyond the stars. In lightless
regions, vast structures as old as Creation itself punctuate the
seemingly endless tunnels. So enormous is this region that
one could spend decades exploring it and never once encounter anything except beautiful crystal chambers, despite the
innumerable forbidden gods and lost temples that populate
the Caverns of the Sky. There are, however, certain locations
and beings that one will likely wish to find or otherwise might
discover with tireless effort.
The Celestial Vaults

Throughout their eons-long reign the Primordials
built countless wonders and to them the teeming masses of
Creation forged tributes worthy of their station. The toil of a
thousand slave races and the reality-conjuring might of the Titans themselves created more wonders than even the makers
of the world could reasonably use. Their prized possessions
were kept with them in Yu-Shan, and were either claimed by
the victors of the war, destroyed, or permitted to remain with
their owners as a token of mercy.


The vast majority of the Primordials possessions were
stored safely in the Celestial Vaults within the Firmament.
Tegores, the Hiriyabhandari of the Infinite Reliquary, holds
the keys to the Celestial Vaults and knows the location and
proper owner of every item within. A member of the Onyx
Youths extensive entourage, Tegores remained loyal to the
Primordials throughout the war and the Celestial Vaults witnessed frequent sieges and attempted infiltrations. At least
one intrepid Night Caste slipped past the vaults security and
absconded with one of the Holy Tyrants own weapons. Following this humiliation, the Empyreal Chaos unleashed his
rage against the Celestial Vaults, sealing the adamant tunnels
that lead to it and trapping Tegores within the Firmament
along with all the treasures of the Primordials, denying them
to the Exalted and the Titans alike.

Today, Tegores is the leader of a host of forbidden gods
trapped with him. His isolation along with the Celestial Vaults
ultimately proved to be a blessing in disguise as it permitted
his followers to defend Creation from threats from deeper
within the Caverns of the Sky. Astride Kerivoula, Tegores led
the charge against the Amber Legion to preserve Creation
from these invaders. But the general defense of Creation and
the welfare of his followers remain Tegores only solid loyalties.
He has no love for the Primordials (though news of their imprisonment may evoke sympathy) or the Celestial Order. His
long independence from both powers has forced self reliance
upon him and his followers, and they will not give up that
independence easily.

The Amber Legion

The rim of the world was certainly the easiest point of attack for the Balorian Crusade, but it was not the only point of
entry for the Raksha. The Inaugural Templar, strategos of the
Amber Legion, sought fame and fortune among the followers
of Prince Balor and hatched a daring scheme. Misunderstanding key aspects about the nature of Creation, he sought a way
directly into Yushan from the Wyld by breaking through the
Firmament itself. After much searching he did, at least, find
a fissure in the far side of the Firmament that opened into the
Caverns of the Sky and poured his dream-spun army into this
crack to fill the tunnels.

That was the last the Balorian Crusade ever heard of
the Inaugural Templar and his legion. Cut off from the Wyld
by a cave-in early during their march, they had no means of
retreat and only thousands upon thousands of miles of crystal
caverns before them. In these lifeless chambers, they found
no easy prey and no glorious battle. The strategos dream
threatened to evaporate until, by sheer chance, he stumbled

The Mask and the Maze

Far beneath the crooked celestial lampposts marking the constellation of the Mask, colossal tectonic forces
have fractured and twisted the Firmament. Tindholes
swarm here, gorging upon the ambient paradox of the
crippled constellation. This is, perhaps, the second
greatest alteration to the cosmos the Sidereal Exalted
ever wrought and the extent of their alteration pierce
through the Firmament completely. Should one be
brave or foolish enough to pass through this region of
mangled destiny, the caverns beneath are as nightmarish and inauspicious as the Labyrinth itself. This is not
coincidental, for after the perilous journey through the
Firmament, the traveler would find himself suspended
in the sky over the Underworld, with that bleak expanse
stretched out beneath him.

upon a Nocturnal demesne and established a freehold within

the Firmament.

The Incunabulum Station became the rakshas base of
operations and allowed him to create reinforcements. From
here, his Amber Legion has spread and found additional demesne to convert into freeholds. They control sizable regions
of the Caverns of the Sky and their advance has only been
halted by Tegores and his host of forbidden gods wielding
the weapons of the Primordials. Even with such technology
at their disposal, Tegores forces have only been able to fight
the Inaugural Templar to a standstill. The raksha and his army
are too well entrenched and command far more resources
than the forbidden gods for the spirits to defeat or even risk a
major offensive against them.

The Inaugural Templar is unaware that the Balorian
Crusade has ended centuries before. He is uncertain how
much time has passed since he entered the Firmament. His
raksha mind is unaccustomed to thinking in such linear terms
and deep caverns of the Firmament provide little reference for
the passage of time. By his reasoning, he knows the crusade
has not yet succeeded. His forces are still trapped in the Firmament, which has not yet unraveled with the destruction of
Creation. He throws his forces against the gods in a nearly
unending stream, unaware that the Celestial Vaults are sealed
from the other side.

His remote scouts, exploring the most distant parts of
the known caverns from his realm have recently reported a
strange discovery: the Great Mirrored Hall.
The Great Mirrored Hall

Beneath an empty part of the sky, from which no constellation has ever been raised, the twisting Caverns of the
Sky yawn wide to reveal the Great Mirrored Hall. The hall
stretches nearly a mile and on either side mirror after mirror
made of highly polished crystal and adorned with emeralds
and amethyst fixtures. Each mirror is a yard wide and three
yards tall. When a being approaches one, only a handful will
show him as he actually appears. A slightly larger number
show him somehow altered: here his face is scarred, here he
wears the regalia of a king or a beggar, here he is a woman.
In either case, he and his reflection are not guaranteed to
mirror each others movements for long. In the majority of
mirrors, however, he casts no reflection at all. These mirrors
reflect strange alien realities and from time to time, beings
from those worlds will approach the mirror from their side
and peer into Creations Firmament.

The ultimate origin of the Great Mirrored Hall remains
unknown. It began as titanic geode, a unforeseen cyst of
possibility in Oramus grand design of the Firmament. Nox
discovered it during the Time of Glory and plied its secrets,
eventually cracking it open and fashioning it into the Great
Mirrored Hall. The hall has aided him in contemplation of
the Kalpa but functions as little more than a fetish to focus
his meditation. No communication has yet proven possible
between beings (if indeed they are truly beings) on the other
side of the mirrors.

Of particular note, one mirror shows nothing but
complete and unsettling darkness. It fixtures are warped, as
though the blackness in the mirror had attempted to drag
them into it. Three others lie shattered on the floors of the
hall. One had been broken by Nox attempt to wrest its secrets
from it by force. The other two were broken well after Noxs
disappearance. Their shards still reflect the world beyond.
Conversely, two mirrors in the hall show disjointed images
as though the mirror on the other side were itself broken.
Finally, one mirror is missing entire and has been since the
Amber Legion rediscovered the hall.

Chapter Two Nox, The Onyx Youth

47

 The experience with their possibility counterparts

haunts those who have encountered the hall. The hall demands attention and is enthralling to all observers. Beings
who enter it and gaze into any of its mirrors must make a
Willpower roll, with a difficulty equal to the number of hours,
or fraction thereof (maximum 5), they have spent in the hall
before they can leave. Alternatively, they may spend Willpower
equal to the required difficulty to depart. Even after they have
left, the vision of the mirrors echoes in their dreams, beckoning them to return. Such dreams strike their victim once a
week, requiring two willpower to resist. This rises to three if
the being has looked into any mirror since departing the hall.
If the victim can resist returning for one month, the dreams
subside, occurring only once a month. After a year away from
the hall, the dreams no longer hold any sway over the being.

ENTOURAGE

As the chosen emissary and entertainer of the Primordi-

als and their devas, Nox attracted numerous allies, consorts,

and underlings. As one of the most powerful gods in existence, he broke the will of many foes and earned their servitude. Following his disappearance, his collection of allies and
servants scattered. Some allied with the Incarnae and found
employment in the Celestial Order. Others remained loyal to
the Primordials and were slain or exiled as forbidden gods.
Here is a sampling of Noxs allies and servants who are still
alive in the Second Age, as well as other beings who have a
vested interest in discovering the true fate of the Bound God.
In addition to these beings, Nox also associated closely with
Plentimon of the Dice (Compass of Terrestrial Directions,
Vol. IIThe West), Arilak the Unseen (Compass of Terrestrial
Directions, Vol. IIIThe East), and Burning Feather (Book
of Sorcery, Vol. IVRoll of Glorious Divinity). The god Luranume (Compass of Celestial Direction, Vol. IIIYu-Shan)
was created following the Primordial War to fill some of the
duties once performed by Nox, and is the likeliest candidate
to replace him completely. Five Days Darkness (Compass of
Terrestrial Directions, Vol. IThe Scavenger Lands) would
seem a likely ally of Nox, but in truth, the two were bitter
rivals. Though Five Days Darkness has since forgotten Nox,
he still covets his position as god of Calibration.

Kerivoula of the Ten-Thousand Wings

In the ages before humanity, the Incarnae each defeated
their share of monstrous behemoths. Among the mightiest
to fall before Noxs might is Kerivoula of the Ten-Thousand

48

Wings. As the beast lay broken before him, the Onyx Prince
took pity and nursed it back to health. So enamored with the
god was the behemoth that it chose to become his personal
mount and faithful companion.

From a distance, the behemoth recalls the general form
of a gigantic squid, though one that prowls the sky rather
than the seas. Upon closer inspection, one realizes that each
of its long tentacles is formed from dense clouds of bats
which comprise the bulk of its body. The head, however, is a
solid mass. Its face is squat and marked with twisted flanges,
wrinkled skin, atrophied eyes, and rows upon rows of needlelike teeth. Where ears would be upon the head of normal bat,
the behemoth possesses immense leathery wings. So large is
Kerivoula that as he flies through the Celestial Void he blots
out the sun below for miles, bringing a false night to all in his
wake.

Kerivoula is fanatically loyal to Nox, and has not forgotten his former master. It moves freely through the Caverns of
the Sky thanks to a blessing placed on it by the Onyx Youth,
passing through solid adamant that can imprison even gods.
One can only imagine what devastation it might wreak upon
the Celestial Void should it learn of the Maidens involvement
in Noxs disappearance. Fortunately for Creation, the behemoth shuns the light of the sun and does not dare fly too
closely. So long as the sun rises, the behemoth cannot rage
upon its surface.
Motivation: Defend the dominion of Nox until his return.
Attributes: Strength 20, Dexterity 10, Stamina 10, Charisma
7, Manipulation 2, Appearance 1, Perception 8, Intelligence
4, Wits 6
Virtues: Compassion 2, Conviction 4, Temperance 2, Valor 4
Abilities: Athletics 8, Awareness 6 (The Sound of Fear +3),
Dodge 6, Integrity 4 (Loyalty to Nox +1), Investigation 2,
Martial Arts 8, Presence 8 (Invoking Horror +1), Occult 1,
Resistance 6, Stealth 3 (At Night +3), War 2
Powers:
Kraken of the Celestial Sea: Kerivoula may pass through solid
adamant as easily as he flies through thin air of the Firmament.
When he chooses he may squeeze his entire body through any
space small enough to fit a single average-sized bat, pouring
himself through piece by piece. With a dash, the behemoth
jets across the sky, moving 100 yards in a single tick.

Ravages of the Unending Flock: Where Kerivoula flies,
death follows. Anything caught within his mile-long body suffers from continuous environmental damage of 10L/action
and Trauma 2. He may clinch targets to keep them within
this area and carry them off. He may be damaged only by
attacks which inflict damage over an area of effect, rather than
a single point. He cannot crush beings he clinches, but may
throw or hold them as normal.

The Blind Eye Sees: The chattering and chirping of the
behemoths flock body can be heard well in advance of
his arrival. This is merely the portion of Kerivoulas alien
aria which the human ear can detect. Those who can hear
higher frequencies are overwhelmed with the approaching cacophony. This imposes a -2 External Penalty on all Awareness
rolls involving hearing within one mile of the behemoth, and
allows Kerivoula to perceive objects and beings within that
range even while in utter darkness. He is truly blind only to
that which reflects no echo.

Fear of Night: As an Emotion effect, Kerivoula spreads
fear far and wide. By spending five motes, he may make a
(Charisma + Presence) social attack against any being caught
within his flock or a shadow he casts, employing his Essence in
place of Appearance. If successful, the target is overwhelmed
with abject horror. Mortals can do little more than cower

before him. Particularly strong-willed beings may spend four

willpower to overcome this effect. This effect lasts as long as
the being can perceive Kerivoula. By spending a willpower
with this effect, the behemoth may induce long-term phobias
as a Shaping effect (see Manual of Exalted Power, Vol. IILunars, p. 210). Most commonly he inflicts fear of darkness or
of bats, but any sort of phobia is available to him. He may
only inflict the Deficiency on Exalts and beings with Essence
greater than or equal to his own, and no greater than the
Debility version on other magical beings. All these effects are
automatically and freely applied to extras within range, unless
the behemoth is feeling merciful. He is immune to fear-based
Emotion effects.
Join Battle: 12
Attacks:
Clinch: Speed 6, Accuracy 18, Damage , Parry DV , Rate 4,
Tags C, N, P
Soak: 25L/30B (Endless Flock Body, 20L/20B)
Health Levels: -0x60/Quiescent
Dodge DV: 12
Willpower: 10
Essence: 8
Essence Pool: 100
Other Notes: Kerivoulas may make a clinch attempt against
up to four individuals per action, but may have any number of
beings clinched at a time and suffers no penalty for attempting to maintain multiple clinches.

Tegores
the

Hiriyabhandari of the Infinite Reliquary

Most of the forbidden gods have been driven to hideous
acts of desperation by their exile. Tegores is one of the few to
have maintained his nobility despite millennia of isolation.
His constant war against the Amber Legion has demanded no
less of him.

When relaxing, something he has little time for these
days, he appears a studious curator bedecked in fine robes.
When at war, he dons the fierce armor and weapons of the
Primordials themselves and becomes a horror to all beings.
What manner of horror depends largely on what threats the
Amber Legions have launched on any given day.

Long ago, he discovered among the Primordials possession a means of breaking the Holy Tyrants curse upon the
Celestial Vaults and unraveling the maze that separates his
dominion from Creation. Immediately, he had the artifact
scrapped for parts, though he keeps accurate, if cryptic, records of the current locations of each part should he ever have
need of it.

His host of lesser gods are comprised mostly of the
gods of particular branches of Primordial technology, each
well versed in their unique areas of expertise and form guilds
among themselves, arranged by which Primordials technology they represent. In total, only 1,187 gods stand between
the nigh-infinite armies of the Amber Legion and the arsenal
of the Primordials. Morale among the gods has waxed and
waned over time, as one might expect, and recent victories
by the Amber Legion have disheartened many. There are
whispers among the Hegran Dreamcatchers Guild that
defection would be preferable to defeat. Tegores struggles to
root out potential traitors without further eroding morale.
Fortunately, the memory of what became of the treacherous
Oramic Critical Existence Engines Guild keeps most of other
guilds in line.
Sanctum: The doorway to Tegores sanctum is an ornate
archway near the entrance of the Celestial Vaults. Within,
in addition to the comforts of his home, he stores the vast
catalogue of wonders under his authority. The various guilds
under his command maintain communal sanctums in the
wings of vault dedicated to their purview.
Motivation: Maintain his independence from the gods and
Titans alike
Attributes: Strength 3, Dexterity 5, Stamina 4, Charisma 6,
Manipulation 3, Appearance 4, Perception 4, Intelligence 6,
Wits 4
Virtues: Compassion 2, Conviction 3, Temperance 3, Valor 4
Abilities: Athletics 2, Awareness 2, Bureaucracy 4 (Working
With the Guilds +2), Craft 5 (Repair +2), Dodge 3, Integrity
3, Lore 4 (Time of Glory +2), Occult 2, Performance 2 (Boosting Morale +1), Survival 3 (Caverns of the Sky +1), War 3
(Against the Amber Legion +3)
Backgrounds: Allies 4 (Kerivoula), Artifacts N/A, Followers
5 (The Guilds), Backing 5 (The Celestial Vaults), Sanctum 4
Charms:
Amethyst Awareness
Animating ManagementMay possess any item noted within his
catalogue
BenedictionTegores may grant any being +1 die to operate or
repair one of the artifacts stored within the Celestial Vaults.
Bane WeaponThose who have stolen from him
BanishExpels intruders from the Celestial Vaults
CommandeerRemoves spirits from items he cares for
Divine PrerogativeTegores cannot betray the security of the
Celestial Vaults or the guild members within it
Essence Plethorax3
Hand of DestinyDetermine the fate of artifacts within the
vaults
Hurry HomeThe Celestial Vaults
Materialize85 motes
Measure the Wind
Ox-Body Techniquex3
PortalOpens to the Celestial Vaults or his sanctum
Regalia of AuthorityAdvocates how to use and maintain items
entrusted to his care
Reserve of Willx3
Sense DomainItems stored within the vaults
Signet of AuthorityMay issue orders through Guild members
Spice of Custodial Delectation

Chapter Two Nox, The Onyx Youth

49

TrackingMay follow artifacts under his care

First (Ability) ExcellencyBureaucracy, Craft, Lore, Occult,
Performance
Second (Ability) Excellency Bureaucracy, Craft, Lore, Occult
Third (Ability) Excellency Bureaucracy, Craft, Lore, Occult,
War
Divine Subordination of (Ability)Craft (While repairing the
Primordials artifacts)
Panoply: These Charms are unique to Tegores and may not
be learned by any other being.
Keys to the Celestial Vault: Tegores alone may open or close the
Celestial Vaults and may summon to him any artifact stored
within by reflexively paying its attunement cost. He may banish them back to the Vaults freely.
Certain Maintenance Mastery: While he may not create on his
own, Tegores is consider to have any Craft type, no matter
how exotic, necessary to maintain an item stored within the
Celestial Vaults. Additionally, he may wield any such item
with his Lore rather than the usual Ability.
Join Battle: 6
Soak: 2L/4B
Health Levels: -0/-1x5/-2x5/-4/Incap
Dodge DV: 7
Willpower: 8 (11 points)
Essence: 6
Essence Pool: 130
Other Notes: Tegores attacks are not listed here, nor is his
armor soak. He has access to a vast arsenal of bizarre weapons
and armors crafted by the Primordials, as represented by
his Artifact background. He favors none and will select his
weapon and battle attire to suit his current needs. Storytellers
should feel free to invest him with any magical items they feel
are necessary. Chapter 6 of Manual of Exalted Power, Vol.
VIInfernals demonstrates the sort of esoteric wonders the
Primordials favor even in their broken state. Some of these
wonders have variants stored within the vaults.

ceased overseeing the continuous festival of the Caelian City.

He appears as robust, jovial man, with garlands in his hair
and a flowing mantle the color of rich red wine. He wears a
garish jewel-and-feathered mask at all times, which results in
his iconography often mistakenly depicting him as an avian
spirit.

He spent the Primordial War vying for control of the
Caelian City and siring the Masquerader tribe. When most of
the Caelian City lay in ruins and the Primordials had surrendered, Boundless Mirth swore fealty to the Unconquered Sun
and joined the Celestial Bureaucracy as the god of festivals.
Political savvy, he petitioned for his office to be moved from
the Bureau of Humanity to the Bureau of Heaven when he
saw which way the tides of power had turned. Currently hes
eying a position in the Division of Serenity, hoping to take
advantage of the imbalanced power and infighting there.

For all his conniving, Boundless Mirth is not a god
who loves power. He seeks only whatever position provides
him with the most salary and the greatest opportunity for
leisure. Surely, he would love to claw his way to the ranks of
the Incarnae to join with them in the Games of Divinity, but
that is a mere idle fancy. A visitor seeking audience with the
god of festivals is unlikely to find him in his heavenly office.
Most of his day he spends recovering in his sanctum from his
fact-finding missions the night before.
Sanctum: Boundless Mirths sanctum is surprisingly austere:
a single, bare room where he can recuperate from long parties.
He could have a more lavish sanctum, one more befitting his
station, if he desired, but as he spend little time there except
to recover, he sees no need for the effort.
Motivation: Revel.
Attributes: Strength 2, Dexterity 4, Stamina 5, Charisma 7,
Manipulation 4, Appearance 4, Perception 5, Intelligence 4,
Wits 6
Virtues: Compassion 3, Conviction 3, Temperance 2, Valor 3
oundless irth
Abilities: Athletics 1, Awareness 3, Bureaucracy 3, Craft
(Water) 4, Dodge 2, Integrity 3, Investigation 4 (Seeing Bethe Majordomo of Endless Reverie
yond the Mask +3), Larceny 1 (Party Tricks +3), Linguistics 6
(Native: Old Realm; High Realm, Riverspeak, Flametongue,
Skytongue, Woodspeak, Seatongue), Lore 3, Martial Arts 5,
Occult 3, Performance 4, Presence 3, Socialize 5 (Festivals +3),
War 1 (Garland Wars +2)
Backgrounds: Allies 4, Backing 2, Influence 3, Salary 3,
Sanctum 1
Charms:
Amethyst Awareness
BenedictionGrants +1 die to Performance or Socialize actions
during parties
Calculated Order of Immediate ActionAnything required to
host a fine party
Domain Manipulation ScenarioGuides the course of a party
Essence Plethorax3
Foretell the FutureDetermines which parties to attend and
which to avoid
Host of Spirits
Hurry HomeParties
Materialize70 motes
Measure the Wind
Ox-Body Techniquex1
Reserve of Willx3
Sense DomainParties
Spice of Custodial Delectation
Stoke the FlamesSways opinions regarding a party

Formerly the Majordomo of the Endless Reverie, Bound- First (Ability) ExcellencyMartial Arts, Performance, Socialize
less Mirth dropped the definite article from his title once he Second (Ability) ExcellencyPerformance, Socialize
Third (Ability) ExcellencyBureaucracy, Performance, Socialize

50

Infinite (Ability) MasterySocialize

Divine Subordination of (Ability)Socialize (While attending or
organizing Parties)
Martial Arts: Dreaming Pearl Courtesan Style (up to Form
Charm), Origiastic Fugitive Style (All Charms)
Panoply: These Charms are unique to Boundless Mirth and
may not be learned by any other being.

By Invitation OnlySome parties are meant for all to
enjoy, others are reserved for a select few. By committing 10
motes, Boundless Mirth may extend an invitation to a particular party to all beings who share a specified trait. This may
be as broad or as narrow as he likes. So long as the motes
remain committed, any being who meets the qualification immediately knows about the party and all relevant information.

Guest of HonorBy the rights due to him as god of all festivals great and small, Boundless Mirth is presumed to be on
the guest list of any party and is immune to any effects which
would dissuade him from attending or hampering his abilities
while there, such as the penalty imposed by Ship-Claiming
Stance if he has not been officially recognized by the Lawgiver
who owns the pleasure barge.
Join Battle: 9
Attacks:
Punch: Speed 5, Accuracy 10, Damage 2B, Parry DV 6, Rate
3, Tags N
Kick: Speed 5, Accuracy 9, Damage 5B, Parry DV 4, Rate 2,
Tags N
Clinch: Speed 5, Accuracy 9, Damage 2B, Parry DV , Rate 1,
Tags C, N, P
Soak: 2L/5B
Health Levels: -0/-1x3/-2x3/-4/Incap
Dodge DV: 7
Willpower: 7 (10 points)
Essence: 6
Essence Pool: 135
Other Notes: The Charms of Boundless Mirth were incredibly popular among the Crowned Suns during the First Age,
and many bearing the Exaltations of the Eclipse Caste still
owe the god favors to account for their predecessors debt.
Most commonly, he asks only that they manage his affairs for
a night so he can slip out to attend a party or two. At other
times, he has more serious business for them, such as aiding
him in his latest political maneuver.

Abiskoa Who Jumps At Fates Shadow

Among the Pattern Spiders, Abiskoa is infamous. While
attempting to untangle a knotted Paradox, Abiskoa and his
broodmates were caught in an eruption of pent up causality.
Such accidents are increasingly commonAbiskoas survival,
though, is exceptional. So fortunate was his survival, that the
Division of Endings investigated the incident and interrogated
the Pattern Spider thoroughly. The investigation determined
that the pattern spider was thoroughly mad, but his survival
was not fate-defying. After a seasons isolation he was allowed
to return to work, though under careful scrutiny of the August
Weavers.

Since his return, he has proven to be a nuisance to his
fellow Pattern Spiders. He claims to have tended to the strand
of a young courtesan in Lookshy; but the next day her strand
was gone and no record of her remains in the Loom of Fate.
With increase regularity, his madness calls his attention to
other vanishing strands. He fears the Loom itself is disappearing before eyes, strand by strand, and only he can see it. He
skitters about the Loom now, foretelling doom. With each
day, fewer spiders are drawn to the novelty of his ranting.

With utmost conviction, he knows the truth of his
words. He has seen the monster devouring Fate, the broken
child within the Loom of Fate itself. He does not speak of

this. He has tried, but finds the words caught in his throat
and sees the blazing seal of the Maiden of Secrets and the
Great Maker burning in his mind. He pursues this mystery in
frantic solitude, having wholly abandoned his proper duties.
Between his fellows and the Division of Endings, there is talk
to recues him of his duties and removing him from the Loom
of Fate before he can cause any permanent damage.
Sanctum: Abiskoa shares a Sanctum with the rest of its kind
much to their frustration.
Motivation: Unravel the Looms Secrets
Attributes: Strength 4, Dexterity 5, Stamina 4, Charisma 3,
Manipulation 1, Appearance 2, Perception 4, Intelligence 5,
Wits 3
Virtues: Compassion 1, Conviction 4, Temperance 2, Valor 3
Abilities: Athletics 2 (Balance +2), Awareness 3, Bureaucracy
3, Craft (Fate) 5, Dodge 2, Integrity 3, Investigation 4, Lore 4,
Martial Arts 3, Occult 4
Backgrounds: Backing 1, Connections 1, Sanctum 4
Charms:
Amethyst Awareness
CallOther Pattern Spiders
Foretell the Future All-Encompassing while attending the
Loom
Hurry HomeThe Loom of Fate
Intrusion-Sensing MethodAll-Encompassing while attending
the Loom
Landscape TravelParticularly swift upon the Strands of Fate
Measure the Wind
Natural Prognostication All-Encompassing while attending the
Loom
Ox-Body Techniquex1
Spice of Custodial Delectation
First (Ability) ExcellencyCraft, Investigation
Second (Ability) ExcellencyCraft, Investigation
Third (Ability) ExcellencyCraft, Investigation
Divine (Ability) SubordinationCraft (While working the Loom)
Panoply: These Charms are unique to the Pattern Spiders
and may not be learned by any other being. The August Weavers have Charms in addition to those listed here.

Chapter Two Nox, The Onyx Youth

51

By Fate Bound: When performing a Clinch, the Pattern Spider

may spend (6m) to wrap the target in unbreakable strands of
Fate. The spider may not crush the target after this, but the
target is rendered Inactive until he is untangled. Additionally,
the Pattern Spider may clinch a beings Strand of Fate, paying
a (+1wp) surcharge for this Shaping Effect. This allows the
Spider to perform a Malediction on the target as though it
possessed that Charm.
Join Battle: 6
Attacks:
Bite: Speed 6, Accuracy 9, Damage 4L, Parry DV , Rate 1,
Tags N, *
Kick: Speed 5, Accuracy 8, Damage 7L, Parry DV 3, Rate 2,
Tags N
Clinch: Speed 6, Accuracy 8, Damage 4L, Parry DV , Rate 1,
Tags C, N, P
* The soulsteel jaws of the Pattern Spiders drain 3 motes
whenever they bite a target.
Soak: 10L/12B (Orichalcum and Moonsilver Body 8L/8B,
Hardness 4L/4B)
Health Levels: -0/-1x3/-2x3/-4/Incap
Dodge DV: 5
Willpower: 10
Essence: 3
Essence Pool: 80
Other Notes: Abiskoas Connections represent those sympathetic to his plight in the Bureau of Destiny. When desperation
takes him, he may turn to those beings and ask of assistance,
either to get to the bottom of the mystery that plagues him or,
in a more lucid moment, to cure him of his madness.

Tindholes

As the Firmament was the precursor of the Loom of
Fate, the tindholes were the precursor to the Pattern Spiders.
Designed by the Primordials to prowl the stars for the detritus
of Fate, the tindholes feast upon paradox. Whenever errors
occurred in Fate, the tindholes descended upon the offending
party and devoured the hapless soul. Ultimately, these beings
proved too destructive for their intended purposes and were
banish to the Caverns of the Sky.

These forbidden gods have long, serpentine bodies
covered in segmented chitin. Their tails end in rigid, vertical

52

fins and their flanks are marked with bioluminescent nodes.

Their jointed forelimbs are like that of a praying mantis and
their eyeless heads possess hollow pits resembling eye sockets.
They lack mouths, but possess an adamant-tipped projectile
proboscis.

When Nox arrived at the Caelian City, tindholes were
drawn to him like ravens to a fresh kill. They swarmed upon
the Onyx Youth, seeking to consume him. Their ceaseless
howls echoed through the city for weeks, until at last, Nox had
killed or maimed the entire horde. Those that survived, Nox
kept in his kennels as trophies of his victory. Since his disappearance, they have broken free, bred, and spread throughout
the Caverns of the Sky. They are both the predators and prey
of the argentim (Glories of the Most HighThe Five Maidens)
and the two races of gods battle every night as tindholes rise
from their dens and hunt among the stars.
Sanctum: As feral gods, the tindholes do not possess luxuries
such as Sanctums.
Motivation: Feast upon that which deviates from Fate
Attributes: Strength 6, Dexterity 5, Stamina 4, Charisma 2,
Manipulation 2, Appearance 1, Perception 5, Intelligence 1,
Wits 6
Virtues: Compassion 1, Conviction 5, Temperance 1, Valor 5
Abilities: Athletics 4, Awareness 2 (On the Hunt +3), Dodge
4, Integrity 3, Martial Arts 5, Presence 3 (Intimidation +3),
Stealth 5, Survival 5, War 2 (Pack Hunting +3)
Backgrounds: None
Charms:
Amethyst Awareness
Bane WeaponAgainst those who have deviated from Fate
CallOther Tindholes
Intrusion-Sensing MethodAll-Encompassing, so long as it is the
nearest Tindhole to the deviation in Fate
Landscape TravelFlies without visible means of lift
Materialize45 motes
Measure the Wind
Meat of Broken FleshBeings who have deviated from Fate
Mirror of the Infinite WardrobeTransform into any being it has
devoured
Ox-Body Techniquex5
Principles of MotionKeeps 6 actions banked
Sheathing the Material FormWhile hunting
Spice of Custodial Delectation
Spirit CuttingBeings who have deviated from Fate
TrackingPursues deviations within Fate
First (Ability) ExcellencyMartial Arts, Stealth, Survival
Second (Ability) ExcellencyMartial Arts, Stealth, Survival
Third (Ability) ExcellencyMartial Arts, Stealth, Survival
Infinite (Ability) MasteryMartial Arts
Divine (Ability) SubordinationStealth (While hunting beings
who have deviated from Fate)
Join Battle: 6
Attacks:
Siphon: Speed 5, Accuracy 13, Damage 6L, Parry DV , Range
3 yards, Rate 1, Tags C, N, P
Claws: Speed 5, Accuracy 11, Damage 8L, Parry DV 6, Rate
3, Tags N
Soak: 10L/10B (Chitin Carapace 8L/6B)
Health Levels: -0/-1x7/-2x7/-4/Incap
Dodge DV: 6
Willpower: 6
Essence: 3
Essence Pool: 60
Other Notes: Whenever a being deviates from its Fate, the
nearest tindhole becomes aware of the event. This includes
any Suspicious or Blasphemous action, as well as actions
which cause a being to gain Paradox and more mundane errors in Fate, the likes of which the Bureau of Destiny deals

with nearly every day. Against beings that possess Paradox,

the tindholes minimum damage is increased to the targets
Paradox rating. Tindholes have been cursed by the Unconquered Sun. So long as the sun shines, tindholes can only
rarely escape the Firmament to prowl Creation, and are more
commonly seen along the rim of world nearest the horizon.
No tindhole has hunted upon the Blessed Isle since they were
deemed forbidden gods.

Sibarthan

The Tiger That Stalks in Dreams

Messenger Soul of the Serpent Manjaa

The Tiger That Stalks in Dreams is a lithe being who
hunts upon six slender legs. She wields two fangs like those
of a great cat. Her coat is short and deep red. Black stripes
flow along her lean body as she prowls. When she desires,
she sprouts enormous owl-like wings to fly through the barren
dreamscapes between sleeping minds.

Though dreaming, the Yozi Sacheverell has not forgotten Nox and is well aware of his favorite gods imprisonment,
having seen all that is. The sleeping Yozi has dispatched Sibarthan into the dreams of Creation, to prowl for clues regarding
how to release Nox from bondage. For centuries, the demons
search has been in vain. Only the Incarnae are likely to know
how to rescue Nox, and their dreams are barred against her
hunt.

She has found better prey in the dreams of the forbidden
gods, but that motley pantheon is too concerned with its own
survival to attempt the rescue of the greatest among them.
Tegores himself has flatly refused even an audience with the
demon, so great is his hatred for both sides of that ancient
war. So year after year, she slips from dream to dream, always
lurking in the background for some hint that might gain the
freedom of Nox.

The advent of the Nocturnal Exalted has provided Sibarthan with fresh hunting grounds and more willing ears.
Many of the Harlequins are naturally distrusting of demons,
but a few have heeded her advice and are now aware of their
patrons plight. Of course, Sibarthan does not seek Noxs

liberation purely for the sake of old alliances. If handled properly, the turmoil in the Celestial Order that a free Nox would
cause would awaken Sacheverell himself, and the demon
desires nothing less than that.

Summoning: (Obscurity 5/7) The demons of Sacheverell are poorly known even among expert demonologists.
Those who have learned of Sibarthan call upon her skills to
interpret dreams or to steal into the minds of their enemies,
either to rob them of a closely guarded secret or impart some
meme of their own devising. She gladly performs such tasks
if granted one day to ravish the dreams of her summoner in
search of esoteric knowledge that will aid her ultimate objective.

Sibarthan sometimes leaves the Demon City and enters
directly into the minds of those who dream of tigers on moonless nights. She dwells in their dreams until they wake and
cannot leave them under circumstances until then.
Motivation: Drag the Dream of Liberation into the Waking
World
Attributes: Strength 5, Dexterity 6, Stamina 5, Charisma 4,
Manipulation 5, Appearance 4, Perception 3, Intelligence 5,
Wits 4
Virtues: Compassion 2, Conviction 3, Temperance 5, Valor 3
Abilities: Athletics 3 (Feline Grace +3), Awareness 4, Craft
(Glamour) 5, Dodge 5, Integrity 4, Investigation 4 (Of Dreams
+3), Larceny 3 (Stealing Dreams +2), Linguistics 3 (Native:
Old Realm; High Holy Speech, Pelagial, Tribal Languages),
Martial Arts 5 (Claws +2), Occult 5, Presence 4, Resistance 2,
Stealth 4 (While in Dreams +3), Survival 2
Backgrounds: Allies 4, Sanctum 5
Charms:
Amethyst Awareness
Bane WeaponAgainst Lucid Dreamers
CaptureDraws beings into the dreamscape she creates
Divine PrerogativeLeaving a dream is an unaccepted order
DreamscapeAll-Encompassing
Domain Manipulation ScenarioAlters the course of dreams
EndowmentAllows target to be a lucid dreamer
Essence Plethorax3
Hollow Out the Soul
Host of Spirits
Impromptu MessengerCauses beings whose dreams she haunts
to talk in their sleep
Landscape TravelExceptionally fast in dreams
Materialize70 motes
Measure the Wind
Mirror of the Infinite WardrobeDisguises herself as other elements in the dream
Ox-Body Techniquex2
ParalyzeInduces sleepy lethargy as a Crippling effect
PossessionThose asleep
Principles of MotionKeeps 8 actions banked
Reserve of Willx3
Subtle WhispersConveys social attacks through the narrative
of a dream
Terrestrial Circle SorceryMists of Eventide, Silent Words of
Dreams and Nightmares
Wine of Infinite HeartbreakDreamers hate to wake up from
her dreams
First (Ability) ExcellencyMartial Arts, Occult, Stealth,
Second (Ability) ExcellencyMartial Arts, Occult, Stealth
Third (Ability) ExcellencyMartial Arts, Occult, Stealth
Infinite (Ability) MasteryMartial Arts
Divine (Ability) SubordinationMartial Arts (while in dreams)
Join Battle: 8
Attacks:

Chapter Two Nox, The Onyx Youth

53

Bite: Speed 6, Accuracy 12, Damage 5L, Parry DV , Rate 1,

Tags C, N, P
Claws: Speed 5, Accuracy 14, Damage 8L, Parry DV 3, Rate
2, Tags N
Soak: 8L/11B (Nightmare-wrought Form 6L/6B, Hardness 2)
Health Levels: -0/-1x4/-2x4/-4/Incap
Dodge DV: 6
Willpower: 8 (11 points)
Essence: 6
Essence Pool: 130
Other Notes: While residing in the dreams of other beings,
Sibarthan may only influence the dream and engage in Social
Combat with the dreamer, unless her host is a lucid dreamer.
If she encounters lucid dreamers, either may engage the other
in physical combat while in the dream. The results of this
combat are fatally real. The lucid dreamer may call to his aid
any weapon, Charm, etc. that he possesses in the walking
world to help fight off this demon. Sibarthan may also perform thaumaturgical divinations, though her methods involve
interpreting dreams rather than the stars.

OBSERVANCES

The God of the Sky, the God of Possibilities, the God

of Calibration, and the God of Night: In these roles, Nox

was worshiped across Creation during the Time of Glory.
Each aspect received its share of veneration from different
sources expressing their gratitude and lamentations in unique
ways. With the Pteroks as a notable exception, he was not
well regarded in Dragon King society, and fell behind even a
few lesser gods in human temples. But in the earliest days of
Creation, there were more supplicants than just these to offer
praise to the Onyx Youth.

The Pteroks, the Haeloia now extinct race of delicate
aerial siphonophoresand others paid their respects to
the god of the sky. Those beings who had mastered flight,
either by natural or artificial means, offered prayers before
each flight. Lavish festivals in honor of Nox and other gods
were held before major migrations. Even the Eretaeen, who
generally cared little for the affairs of the gods, painted a small
tribute to Nox on their flying vessels. The gargantuan organic
towers of the parasitic onychophoran Nipavo displayed banners trimmed with indigo, to appease the god into whose sky
they intruded. Many of these prayers were wasted on Nox,
as he held no authority over what occurred below the Firmament, as that fell to the mad goddesses of the storm or to the
sun and the moon. Still, when appeased by prayers, the young
charismatic god advocated on behalf of the supplicant to the
appropriate god. Never has he stayed the wrath of the Unconquered Sun when a supplicant had been so unfortunate to
catch Ignis Divines ire.

Astrologers and prophets of all species prayed to Nox
to save them from their own dire predictions. These heartfelt
prayers were among the most dangerous uttered to the god of
possibilities, for he would do all in his power to help the supplicant avoid her unwanted fate. A young alaun oracle once
prayed to Nox to relieve him of the burden of his new mates
imminent death. Nox sent a rival suitor to seduce the mate, so
the oracle delighted in his mates fatal accident months later.
In another infamous moment, a Lintha warlord learned of
her defeat in an impending battle from a travelling soothsayer.
After sacrificing to Nox, the Lintha and her entire crew were
lost at sea before the battle could arrive. Not all prayers to the
Onyx Youth were answered with such macabre results. Many
resulted in definitive improvements to the supplicants life.
But any prayer to alter ones fate was a gamble with the chance
extremes that Nox represented.

54

When the moon and stars vanished from the sky, beings
across Creation knew that the Calibration King had come
again. The whims of the Calibration King brought boons and
curses arbitrarily to all Creation. Prayers went up to him, begging him to stay his mad experiments or to grant a long sought
after wish. Nox delighted to see others live out their dreams
and frequently granted such requests. A mortal boy touched
Noxs heart with a desire to fly; the following Calibration, Nox
gifted mortals with that power. One year, prayer after prayer
rose above the waves as the Pelagials hoped for a few spare days
to move freely upon the land and mingle with beings there.
This too Nox granted, to his dismay. The Pelagials abused his
gift and ambushed many Lintha towns. Not until ever living
Pelagial of that generation had died did the Calibration King
attend their prayers.

Noxs inheritance of the godhood of night proved highly
controversial. Among nocturnal beings, the validity of Noxs
claim was matter of violent theological dispute. Numerous
crusades were waged between those who revered Nox and
those who still clung to Luna. Each side dedicated their
battles to their chosen patron and fought to the bitter end for
their gods honor. After centuries of periodic conflict, several
inter-species communities could be found across Creation,
bound by their mutual adherence to this volatile religious
question. Nox frequently accused Luna of encouraging this
schism. With a smile, she denied any involvement.

In addition to prayers received from the battlefield, Nox
received prayers from those seeking safety in the dark of night,
and from those hoping to commit some nefarious act best
kept hidden from the light of the Unconquered Sun. The
adulterers tryst, the thiefs escape, the murderers approach,
so long as they happened under the cover of darkness, they
fell to Nox. Rarely would he answer such prayers without
introducing some new element of chance to the situation.
The lovers met, but their maiden tea proves inert. The thief
bypasses the guards, but encounters a greater but riskier prize
along the way. The murderer ambushes his victim, but lost
his weapon along the way. Likewise for those calling upon
Noxs aid. The caravan encampment avoids midnight raiders, but their beasts slip free of their reigns in the night. The
hunter stalks his prey without error and finds himself with a
perfect opportunity to slay a tyrant lizard which has plagued
his tribe for years. The spy escapes the guards by ducking into
the rival generals war room and discovers his battle plans.
Such uncertain consequences made Nox a favored god of the
brave, foolhardy, or just plain lucky; more prudent individuals
learned to avoid such risks and pray to more reliable godslike
the Fickle Lady.

The endless string of prayers has long since dried up.
The Bound God receives no adoration, nor could he if anyone

The Gamblers Prayer

A successful prayer to Nox is always a risky gambit.
Unless the Storyteller has reason for Nox to answer in
a specific fashion or refuse the prayer entirely, she may
instead roll one die to determine the general results of
the prayer, in addition to the minimum requirements of
fulfilling the prayer. The supplicant is given an Unlucky
pool of 5 if the Storyteller rolls a 1 through an Unlucky
pool of 1 if she rolls a 5; he instead gains a Lucky of 1 if
she rolls a 6 through a Lucky pool of 5 if he rolls a 10.
See Scroll of Heroes, p. 60 and 74 for more information.
These pools are not permanent, cannot be refreshed, and
dissipate after 25 hours.

even remembered him. Should his position be restored, he

would not immediately regain his extensive and varied cult.
The Onyx Youth must once again demonstrate his authority over his domain before mortals will begin praying for his
eclectic aid.

for each additional cycle of reincarnation through which the

soul has passed since the death of the person who knew what
the thaumaturge seeks.

Beyond learning simple facts, the thaumaturge may
extend his meditation over many hours. Each additional hour
counts as one spent training with a mentor to learn any Trait
known to a particular past life. Beings with the Past Life or

The Onyx Youth contributed greatly to the arcane Eidolon Background may add their rating in that Background
arts during the Time of Glory. He saw no reason to deny as bonus dice to this ritual.
power to mortals merely because of the circumstances of their
lowly origins, provided the mortal had the will to claim it. His
Chosen proved particularly adept at the simple miracles of
The Art of Demon Summoning
thaumaturgy, enacting such magic with casual deftness.

Lidded Eye of the Prophet Abhorrent (3, Percep
Principally, the sacred rites of Nox are those that allow a
tion, 7, one hour or more): While not a ritual directly
being to transcend the happenstance of her birth and defy her
associated with Nox, this rite is well known to the
own destiny. Many of these rituals are now exceptionally rare,
demons descending from the Onyx Youths ancient
practiced only in isolated communities. Some are outright
patron, the Yozi now called Sacheverell. The thauforbidden in certain parts of the world. A few are preserved
maturge must first obtain an arcane link associated
only by outcaste communities of forbidden gods once loyal
with a being, object, or location. Clutching the arcane
to Nox. The rebirth of the Chosen of Possibilities may be the
link tightly as he sleeps, the thaumaturge receives
only hope of saving these rituals from extinction.
clairvoyant dreams of the being, object, or location
associated with the link. These dreams reveal the
The Art of Alchemy
current state of the links target and are a form of

Last Days Inheritance (3, Intelligence, 2, one night): The
scrying. Upon waking the thaumaturge discovers
alchemist loathes to see her life of accumulated knowledge
that the arcane link has twisted into a useless blasdisappear with her death. To preserve her wisdom for the next
phemous shape. Only indestructible objects survive
generation, she performs this work of inner alchemy during a
this treatment unbent but are still rendered ineffecnight of meditation. She imbibes a mix of halucigenic herbs
tive as arcane links thereafter.
and concentrates on particular aspect of her training. At the
end of the ritual, she coughs a thick grey liquid, which must
be captured and stored, and loses the Trait she had been
meditating upon. Anyone who drinks the liquid gains that The Art of Husbandry

Subtle Words Hypnosis (2, Manipulation, targets MDV,
Trait as a Training effect.
five
Long
Ticks): With this procedure, a mortal mind is unfet
Sweet Waters of Youth (3, Intelligence, 4, six hours): As a
popular adage goes, youth is wasted on the young. This for- tered and free to act as it truly desires. There is no Resource
mula allows the elderly a chance to recapture a bit of their lost cost associated with this ritual, but the target must volunteer
youth. By mixing the powdered inflorescence of the century to be hypnotized or the thaumaturge must be able to touch
agave with the poison of certain jellyfish polyps, the thauma- the target if he is unwilling. If successful, the ritual imparts
turge produces this draught. A single dose will cause a person a powerful but simple delusion: You are excused. The target
to appear in the prime of their life and removes any infirmities believes this lie utterly and acts upon all subsequent impulses
of old age, but only for a day. However, the poison inherent and suggestions shamelessly. He holds no regard for social
in the drink slowly works its way through the subjects body, taboos and only his Virtues hold him back. This effect lasts
until an impulse or suggestion would be regarded as an unacreducing their lifespan by one day for each dose.
ceptable order, the target spends two willpower to resist the
The Art of Astrology
effect, or some trigger determined by the thaumaturge occurs.

The Stars Blindly Run (3, Manipulation, 3, one night): The Art of Spirit Beckoning
The practice of this ritual is a capital offense in Varangia,
Blood-Soaked Crusaders of (Spirit) (3, Charisma, 5+[Spirits
where it is most commonly known. Having first performed Essence], [Magnitude] hours): This rite was more common
a Divination of some sort, the astrologer then methodically during the Time of Glory when the gods were less unified
paints his star charts with indigo ink produced during Cali- and more prone to fight amongst themselves openly. Now it is
bration. The chart is then burned, bit by bit, over the course rarely practiced except by the Siakals cult and a few surviving
of the night. Thereafter, any subsequent attempt to divine the Dragon Kings. Each version of this rite is tied to a specific
same information that the astrologer learned in his previous god, and can be learned only by a being who is a priest of that
Divination suffers an external penalty equal to his additional deity. The priest performing this rite blesses a military unit in
successes on this action, to a maximum of his Occult.
the name of his divine patron and charges it with a mission
appropriate to that god. For example, the priest of Siakal may
The Art of the Dead
charge the unit with the wholesale slaughter of a Lintha fleet,

Enlightened Tathagata Awareness (3, Perception, 5+, one but not an attempt to capture the Lintha alive. The Storyteller
hour): This obscure meditative art is currently practiced only remains the final authority on what is appropriate for each
by the muni of remote mountain monasteries east of An-Teng. spirit, and a spirit may veto any application of this rite if it
The thaumaturge prepares his meditation with candles, exotic determines the units task is not within its interests. The priest
incense, and the chanting mantras of his fellow muni. He may substitute his Performance in place of Occult for this
enters a deep trance and attempts to unlock the knowledge ritual.
buried within his own soul. If successful, after one hour, he
If successful, the unit gains a number of +1 bonuses
may learn any single fact known to a previous incarnation of equal to half the gods Essence (rounding down), which may
his hun soul. A minimum of five successes is necessary for his be applied to the units Drill, Morale, or Endurance as the
most recent incarnation, but the difficulty increases by one units leaders player chooses. Additionally, the death of any

SACRED RITES

Chapter Two Nox, The Onyx Youth

55

individual within the unit counts as a prayer to the chosen

deity. These effects last for (gods Essence) days or until the
end of the units next battle, whichever comes first.

56

Versions of this ritual exist in the Arts of the Dead and
of Demon Summoning. In particular, Blood-Soaked Crusaders of Octavian is a common practice in the Demon City.

Chapter Three

Character Creation

Released from their mysterious prison by unknown
means, the Nocturnal Exalted find themselves thrust back
into a Creation that has no recollection of their former greatness. Elder Nocturnals, if such things are more than mere
legend, might be counted upon a single hand and are isolated
and well hidden. This provides the young Harlequins with
unique challenges and opportunities to forge their own agendas in this blind world they find themselves in.

To the Chosen of Possibilities the Second Breath comes
at a moment of absolute necessity. The hero finds himself
thwarted at every turn, beset by enemies on every side, oppressed by limitations beyond his mortal skills to overcome,
and finally abandoned by Destiny. In that hopeless moment
the Exaltation finds him and elevates him to a new level of
potential. So exceptional is such an event, that the crippled
mind of the Bound God takes note and, for the briefest of
moments, rejoices.

In that rush of potential, the Harlequin is treated to a
wondrous and heartbreaking vision of all possible realities.
For an instant, the whole of Creation revolves around him

and his own willful determination. From a thousand possible

worlds, including the bleak and the glorious, the reborn hero
stretches out his will and chooses one of his liking. In that
vital second, what world the Harlequin chooses is determined
wholly by the content of his character.

Step One: Character Concept

Historically, the Nocturnal Exalted come in two varieties. First, the Heralds of Primordial War filled their ranks
with visionaries and revolutionaries. These discontents were
hampered by the flawed and incomplete world the Primordials had wrought, and sought above all else to tear down the
stumbling blocks the universe had put between them and the
dream they wished to externalize. Second, following the purge
of the Heralds, the Nocturnals were recreated as the Harlequins. These maintained the revolutionary spirit of their
forebearers, but like their patron, are bound to perpetual servitudenot that they havent discovered ways to skirt around
such impositions. For the Harlequin, the Second Breath now
comes to those whose own desire is to elevate others, those

Chapter Three Character Creation

59

who find satisfaction through service and through the betterment of his fellow man.

Therefore, every Nocturnal character begins with a
suitable character concept. For Heralds, such concepts may
include Heretical Priest, Rebel Leader, or Scientific
Innovator. For Harlequins, appropriate concepts might include Passionate Abolitionist Pamphleteer, Wealthy Guild
Philanthropist, Charsimatic Anticolonial Militiaman, or
Disillusioned Prince Turned Ascetic Philosopher.

Caste

Nebula Attributes manifest the Exalts supremely calculated

cunning: Manipulation, Perception, and Intelligence
In addition to these three Caste Attributes, each Nocturnal is granted two Favored Attributes of his players choice, as
suitable for the character concept. The selection of Favored
Attributes also corresponds to Favored Domains (see Step
Four below), and this should be kept in mind when making
this choice.

Once these have been chosen, prioritizes the characters
Physical, Social and Mental Attributes as described on Exalted, p. 74. Each Attribute begins with one dot, and the player
then divides eight additional points to his Primary Attributes,
six points to his Secondary Attributes, and four points to his
Tertiary Attributes. Finally, he may add one additional point
to a single Caste or Favored Attribute of his choice. His Caste
Attributes must be rated at least two, and no Attribute may be
rated over five.

The caste of the new Nocturnal Exalt crystallizes around
the hosts adamantine personality. There is no set number
of each caste and a single Exaltation carries with it all the
instructions necessary to be whatever its host demands of it.
The Exaltation initially surveys the hosts natural aptitudes
and inclinations and locks into the form best suited. From
there, it influences the young Exalts future development. The
player should determine his characters caste as appropriate
hree
bilities
for the concept and do so early. The nature of the five castes tep
The
new
Exalt
retains
numerous
skills from his mortal
will be discussed fully in Chapter IV.
days, which are enhanced by insights from other possible
worlds. He retains one Favored Ability from his time as heotivation

As with all Exalts, the Second Breath is a transition from roic mortal, chosen by his player. The Exalt gains 25 dots to
the heroic to the epic. Heralds and Harlequins must possess distribute among his Abilities, and at least one dot must be
epic Motivations fitting of their station among the greatest of placed in his Favored Ability. The Exalt is blessed for the task
Creations legendary heroes and villains. The Harlequins, in ahead of him; the characters concept and Motivation should
particular, will have Motivations appropriate to their altered help guide this process. For example, the boy who dreams of
naturethey perform epic feats not solely for their own self- discovering new lands for his impoverished village to settle
aggrandizement, but for the improvement of the world at on might take his Second Breath and gain several dots of Sail
large. There is no guarantee that the Exaltation of any par- even if hes never been aboard a boat in his life. No Ability
ticular Nocturnal will be a blessing to Creation, but rare is may be rated higher than five.
the misguided Herald or Harlequin who believes he means
ill to the world. For every troupe of Harlequins who seek to pecialties
Whether insights from previous experience or gifts of
eradicate poverty or build a new society free of modern vices, his Exaltation,
the Nocturnal begins with four Specialties of
there is one who desires to subjugate the world beneath his his players choice,
to be spread among his Abilities as desired.
mightnot for wealth or power, but for its own good. Even if Remember, no single
Ability may benefit from more than
he seeks to slay the Maidens themselves, he does so with the three Specialties.
intent that such deicide is best for the world.

See Exalted, p. 88, for more information about Motitep our
dvantages
vations, then choose one suitably epic and attuned to your

Beyond
their
natural
talents
and skills, the Nocturnal
character concept.
Exalted employ potent magical effects and wield the panoply
of heroes. Such advantages are what truly allow the Herald or
tep wo
ttributes

The source of power for the Nocturnals is in their own Harlequin to transcend the mortal limitations of his heroism.
raw potential, not individual training. As such Attributes play
ackgrounds
a more important role in the development of a Herald or
Backgrounds are a representation of the characters
Harlequin than such Traits do for the Solar Exalted. Upon wealth and social ties, including magical possessions and
drawing their Second Breath, the hero finds his natural po- supernatural connections. Like the Solar Exalted, the Noctential greatly expanded by the Essence welling up inside his turnals are reborn into a world without an infrastructure to
soul. Set free of his limitations, the mortal truly becomes the accommodate them. The Harlequin gains seven points of
epic hero he always desired to be.
Backgrounds for his player to spread as he pleases. None may

The Nocturnal Exalted possesses both Caste and Fa- be higher than three without spending Bonus Points. The
vored Attributes, which function in a manner similar to the Nocturnals may obtain a few unique Backgrounds, as detailed
Caste and Favored Abilities of Solars. The Harlequin may in Chapter IV.
master these Attributes with comparatively little effort.
harms
Nova Attributes demonstrate the sheer force of their per
The mystical powers of the Nocturnals are codified in
sonality and vision: Strength, Charisma, and Perception.
Comet Attributes allow the Exalt to strike swift and true to their Charms as with all Exalted. The Charms of the Heralds
and Harlequins tap into the infinite possibilities of their
deliver the fatal blow: Strength, Dexterity, and Wits
Aurora Attributes epitomize grace and alluring beauty: own potential rather than being extensions of more specialized might. They are divided into categories based on the
Dexterity, Charisma, and Appearance
Empyrean Attributes represent the Exalts unflagging will associated Attribute, not Ability as with the Solar Exalted.
and the sharpness of his tongue: Stamina, Manipulation, and The Harlequins player selects eight Charms for which his
character meets the minimum requirements. These need not
Wits

:A

:A

60

:A

be associated with his Caste or Favored Attributes, but those and uncertainties. Always in flux, the Exalt depends on few
Charms will likely prove the most useful to him.
defining characteristics to maintain his identity. Consider for
a moment what those core elements are for your Herald or
omains
Harlequin.

Unique to the Nocturnal Exalted is the ability to ma-
What is your characters story? Though agents of chance
nipulate the substrate of existence and conjure alternate reali- themselves, the Nocturnals are not chosen by random lottery.
ties as desired. By harnessing a Domain to his will, the Exalt They are exalted for a reason. Why was yours? What was the
crafts reality in a manner more pleasing to him, if only for a seemingly impossible obstacle that blocked your character
moment. Each Domain is associated with one Attribute. The from achieve more mundane heroism and necessitated the
Exalts Caste Domains are the ones that correspond to his gifts of Nox? Once invested with those gifts, how did he overCaste Attributes, and begin at the same rating as the associat- come that obstacleor how does he plan to overcome if it still
ed Attribute. His Favored Domains are those that correspond stands in his way?
to his Favored Attributes, and begin at half the rating of the
What does your character look like? This is a tricky quesassociated Attribute, rounded down. All other Domains begin tion for the Nocturnals. While not as adept at transformations
at zero. For more information about Domains, see Chapter as the Lunar Exalted, their fundamental nature is beyond the
VI.
scope of a single mortal form. Still, as mortals they begin, and
that body image leaves an indelible mark upon his soul. How
irtues

Virtues are the characters guiding ethos, influencing does your character present himself to the world? Does he see
how the character acts and perceives the world. All Virtues this image as something to preserve or to overcome?
Where is your character from? Creation is vast and dibegin with one free dot, and the characters player may dis-
verse.
Where your character grew up and where he now lives
tribute five additional dots among the Virtues as he pleases
to define his characters personality. None may be higher will have a great influence upon his nature. Was he born into
than three without spending Bonus Points. Unlike the Solar poverty or wealth? Did he spend his days among the trees of
Exalted, the Nocturnals never suffered from the Great Curse Halta or the waves of the Western isles? What did he find
unsatisfying about his circumstances that fueled his revoluand do not need to select a Virtue Flaw.
tionary desire?
How did your character encounter his fellow heroes?
tep ive inishing ouches Whether
he travels in a troupe of Harlequins or in the mixed

Lastly, determine the characters static values and apply company of other Exalts, your character is unlikely to be alone
Bonus Points to flesh out the character further.
in the world. How did your character team up with those of
the other players? Was it a recent chance meeting or a long
illpower

The will to act is of vital importance to the Nocturnal standing relationship? Do you hide your mysterious nature or
Exalted. The Herald or Harlequin begins with Willpower 5. are you open about the unknown source of your power?
How does your character feel about his Exaltation? Your
See Exalted, p. 115, for more information about Willpower.
character is the inheritor of a strange birthright. Creation
ntimacies
lacks any record of the Nocturnal Exalted and the Exaltation

Intimacies are expressions of the Exalts passions and itself is encoded with only basic information of your new
his desires. He may select up to (Willpower + Compassion) status. He is one of the Exalted, Chosen of a powerful god
Intimacies. See Exalted, p. 90, for more information about whose name he do not recognize. Your character finds himself
Intimacies.
in possession of great power. With a thought he may twist the
past and future around the present and alter reality before his
ssence
eyes. Demented murmuring might haunt the silent corners of

The Exaltation that fuels the Nocturnals transforma- his mind and, most disturbingly, seem comforting to hear. An
tion into a legendary hero elevates him above the ranks of oddly familiar longing might call to him from across Creation.
mortals. He begins at Essence 2. This may be raised up to Es- The days following his Exaltation are a confusing and dangersence 3 with Bonus Points, but no further without Storyteller ous time in your characters life. Certainly he has learned to
approval.
cope with such upheaval, but how?

The Exalts Personal Essence pool is equal to his permanent Essence plus twice his Willpower.

His Peripheral Essence pool is equal to her permanent
Essence times four, her Willpower times three, and the sum
of her highest and lowest Virtues.

:F

W
I

Health Levels

The Exalt possesses the usual health levels (-0, -1x2, -2x2,
-4, I), plus any health levels gained from Charms.

Bonus Points

Spend 18 bonus points as desired to improve Traits or to
purchase new ones. See the Character Creation Summary for
a full listing of Bonus Point costs.

S
park of Life

The Nocturnal Exalted is more than dots on a page. He

is a mighty hero empowered by the quantum foam of a magical cosmos. The life ahead of him is one full of possibilities

Chapter Three Character Creation

61

Character Creation Summary

Step One: Character Concept

Choose concept, caste and Motivation.

Note caste anima power.
Step Two: Select Attributes
Note Caste Attributes. Note that all Attributes begin at
one dot for free.
Select Favored Attributes (2); Favored Attributes cannot
be the same as Caste Attributes.
Prioritize Primary, Secondary, and Tertiary Attributes.
Assign dots to Primary Attributes (8), Secondary Attributes
(6), and Tertiary Attributes (4).
Place one additional dot in one Caste of Favored Attribute of your choice. Caste Attributes must possess at least two
dots, and no Attribute may be higher than five.

Step Three: Select Abilities

Note Favored Ability (1).
Assign dots to Abilities (25).
Assign Specialties (4).

Step Four: Select Advantages

Select Backgrounds (10, none may be higher than 3 without spending Bonus Points). Select Charms (8). Caste Domains begin at same rating as your Caste Attributes; Favored
Domains begin at half the rating of your Favored Attributes,
rounding down. All other Domains begin at 0. Assign dots to
Virtues (5, none may be higher than three without spending
Bonus Points).

Step Five: Finishing Touches

Record Essence (2) and Willpower (5), Personal Essence

(Essence + [Willpower x2]), Peripheral Essence ([Essence x 4]
+ [Willpower x 3] + Highest Virtue + Lowest Virtue), and
health levels (standard 7, plus any gained from Charms.)
Bonus Points
Bonus Points (18) may be spent at any point during
character creation.
Castes
Nova: Revelators and destroyers who uncover what others
do not see and banish what is undesirable.
Caste Attributes: Strength, Charisma, Perception
Caste Domains: The Stone, The Silk, The Clay
Caste Anima Power: Causes all mundane attempts to hide or
lie within his anima banner to automatically fail.
Comet: Swift warriors who stamp their will upon the battlefield.
Caste Attributes: Strength, Dexterity, Wits
Caste Domains: The Stone, The Chisel, The Tablet

Caste Anima Power: Increases the Speed of her foes Actions

by one.
Aurora: Alluring and agile socialites who bend societies to
their will.
Caste Attributes: Dexterity, Charisma, Appearance
Caste Domains: The Chisel, The Silk, The Cloak
Caste Anima Power: Imposes an external penalty on opponents MDV equal to their own Compassion when
attempting to resist the Exalts advances.
Empyrean: Enduring missionaries who spread and maintain their cause.
Caste Attributes: Stamina, Manipulation, Wits
Caste Domains: The Statue, The Needle, The Tablet
Caste Anima Power: Allows Nocturnals to activate Charms
as though it were Calibration and darkens the world as
though night has fallen.
Nebula: Cunning and secretive scholars and conmen who
battle in the arena of the mind.
Caste Attributes: Manipulation, Perception, Intelligence
Caste Domains: The Needle, The Clay, The Stylus
Caste Anima Power: Imposes External Penalties on all of his
opponents Mental actions.

Virtues

CompassionEmpathy and capacity for mercy

ConvictionDetermination and capacity for suffering.
TemperanceMental clarity and capacity for selfcontrol.
ValorCourage and capacity to defend your honor.

Backgrounds

AlliesAides and friends who help you.

ArtifactsWondrous objects and magical devices.
BackingStanding or rank in an organization.
CompanionThe bond between a Harlequin and a
Vizier
ContactsInformatants in useful places.
CultMortals who worship you
FamiliarAn animal companion
InfluencePull in the world around you
ManseA place of power and Essence
MentorA teacher and instructor
Tangled FateYour ill-maintained Strand of Fate
helps and hinders you
ResourcesMaterial goods and money
WhispersConnection to Nox or, more rarely, to the
Neverborn.

Bonus Point Costs

62

Trait

Cost

Attribute

4 (3 if Caste or Favored)

Ability

2 (1 if Favored Ability)

Background

1 (2 if Background is being raised above 3)

Speciality

1 (2 per 1 if Favored Ability)

Virtue

Willpower

Essence

10

Charms

6 (5 if Caste or Favored Attribute)

Domain

5 (4 if Caste or Favored Domain)

Chapter Four

Traits

The Chosen of Nox possess many of the same Traits as
those discussed in Exalted, beginning on page 88. Consult
that Chapter for details on Attributes, Abilities, Virtues,
Willpower, Essence, and the like. In addition to the standard
Traits, the Harlequins also possess several variants of common Traits and a few Traits unique to themselves.

A
STheoul
With A Hundred Lives

physiology of the Nocturnal Exalted is unique to

them. Unlike other Exalted, their physical aging process is

not slowed by their Exaltation. They live out their lifespan
like any mortal. They are immune, of course, to the infirmities of old age and maintain their health and vitality well into
what most people would consider their twilight years. As they
approach the end of their mortal life, a truly miraculous event
occurs

Renewal

When his old body seems on the verge of surrendering
his soul to Lethe, usually sometime between the Exalts 75th to
80th year of life, his anima erupts to its full splendor. Within

this expanse of light and darkness, the Exalt undergoes a

metamorphosis. To say that the Exalts youth is restored is an
oversimplification of the process. The Exalts body, once past
its natural lifetime, expires and his Exaltation forges a new
one from the remains. This is the Renewal which rejuvenates
the Exalt into a being at the prime of his life.

The Exalts body is obviously different. He cannot pass
as a younger version of his old form among those who knew
him when, but perhaps as a son or daughter at best. Subtle
personality shifts are common during Renewals, though they
are usually only discernable with frequent interactions as
such quirks take hold.

Despite his new body, the Exalt is still fundamentally
the same character. The same Exaltation and the same souls
reside within it. While typically only death from old age
triggers a Renewal, the process does more than just give the
Exalt a younger body. All ongoing Poison and Sickness effects
are immediately ended and any Crippling effect is healed.
The Nocturnal Exalted have invented Charms to expand the
capabilities of Renewals.

Chapter Four Traits

63

The Indiscriminate Exaltation

Because of this potential, the Nocturnal Exaltation is
not as selective when choosing a host as other Exaltations.
Others may be directed toward the hale and youthful heroes
of the world, Nox could not bear to deny so great a second
chance as an Exaltation to those who needed it most. Heroes
denied their destiny by infirmity, injury, or old age may still
receive the Second Breath. When they do, they immediately
undergo a Renewal and are given young, healthy bodies if they
desire such a transformation.

E
xpanded Backgrounds

The Harlequins return to Creation alone and isolated.

They have no Five-Score Fellowship to spirit them away to

seclusion for education. They have no Silver Pact to regale
them with the tales of their past glories and instruct them in
the challenges ahead. Rarely do they have family fortunes to
exploit as the Dynasts do. The Harlequins must survive what
with paltry supplies and alliances they might collect through
their own adventures. As such, they use the same Backgrounds
given to the new-born Solar Exalted, with a few additional
limitations.

Altered Backgrounds

the Harlequins have few options. The extra effort required to

obtain such Artifacts translate into an additional cost during
Character Creation. All adamant Artifacts are considered to
be rated one higher than the base Artifact for the purposes
of acquiring them at Character Creation. Adamant weapons
become Piercing, and if they were already piercing inflict an
additional -4 on the targets armor soak; Adamant armor
provides +3L soak and reduces the mobility penalty by one.
For additional adamant magical material benefits consult
Manual of Exalted Power, vol. VI: Alchemicals, Chapter VI,
and Chapter VI of this book.

Backing, Contacts, Followers,

Influence, Resources

The Harlequins are Exalted from humble heroes, and
only rarely do the wealthy and well-connected find themselves
among the Chosen of Nox. As such, no combination of these
Backgrounds may be higher than four without spending
bonus points. Similarly broad social Backgrounds, such as
Command from Manual of Exalted Power: Dragon-blooded,
also apply toward this total. More limited social Backgrounds
such as Allies and Mentor are unaffected.

Familiar

As creatures of the night themselves, the Harlequins
have a special affinity for animals which share their nocturnal

The Nocturnal Exalted resonate with the rarely utilized habits. Such creatures reduce their Familiar rating by one and
magical material adamant. Adamant is the primary compo- so long as his familiars are nocturnal, he may possess up to
nent of the Firmament, both in Creation and in Yu-Shan. (Essence) animal companions.
This supernal diamond is actually clear, though as it catches
and refracts light it often frequently appears sky-blue in direct Manse
If any Nocturnal-aspected manses still exist they are
light, red or orange if the light strikes it at an oblique angle
or indigo in darkness. Today, adamant artifacts are among found only in the depths of the earth, well within the terthe rarest in existence. In Creation, only the Mountain Folk ritories of the Darkbrood, or upon or within the Firmament
commonly employ them. To obtain their natural material, itself. With memory of the Nocturnal Exalted and their patron lost during the Primordial War, those Nocturnal manses
which were known to have survived to the First Age were
destroyed in early pogroms, suspected of being temples to the
Paradox Artifacts
some unknown Primordial. Autochtons feigned ignorance

During preparations for the Great War, several Herof their construction unsettled the Exalted.Surely they saw
alds possessed Paradox Artifacts. Their cousins preferred
through his lies, but they could not fathom why he would
to consider these potent tools to be forged by the Heralds
keep such knowledge secret from them. The Great Makers
bizarre Charms, yet the Heralds themselves insisted that
secrecy only bolstered those who perceived them to be the
Paradox Artifacts were not made, but received. These
shrine of some unspeakable blasphemy.The knowledge of the
objects exist outside of time and space, and can remain
architectural styles necessary to cap Nocturnal demesne may
in Creation only while attuned by a Nocturnal. To attune
have been retained by First Age archaeologist, but even that
to such objects, the Exalt must also commit a number
has been lost in this Age of Sorrows.
of points of Permanent Paradox equal to the Artifacts

Without the knowledge necessary to cap them properly,
rating, which is always one higher than normal. A NocNocturnal demesnes are notoriously unstable. They fleetingly
turnal may only attune to one Paradox Artifact at a time.
form only in sunless regions: under the earth, beneath impenIn addition to the regular adamant bonus, these Artifacts
etrable forest canopies, at the bottom of the sea, on the evergain the following benefits:
shadowed slopes of mountains in the remotest areas of the

Any attempt to steal the artifact suffers from an
North and South. Due to these positions, they often convert
external penalty equal to the Exalts current Paradox.
to elemental-aspect demesne at the slight provocation, ranked
Against effects that automatically steal or disarm items,
one higher than the Nocturnal demesne itself. Frequent expothis always triggers an Essence roll-off and the Nocturnal
sure to moonlight or starlight causes the demesne to convert
gains a number of automatic successes equal to the Artiinto a Lunar or Sidereal demesne after a week. Any contact
facts rating.
with sunlight immediately burns away the demesne, leaving a
The artifact gains one unique power which the Nocturnal
Solar demesne ranked one lower than the original.
must gain one Paradox to use. Storytellers and players

As such, Harlequins are not able to claim Nocturnal
should work together to design these powers. See Chapmanses during Character Creation unless the principles of
ter VI for examples.
Nocturnal architecture have been rediscovered. Demesnes
If the artifact is ever de-attuned, it immediately vanishes.
should be claimed with caution. For more information on
It may only be removed from Elsewhere when a NocturNocturnal demesnes and manses, see p. 64.
nal Exaltation finds a new host, who may elect to attune
to one of Paradox Artifacts currently in Elsewhere.
ew ackgrounds

Artifact

64

Companion

According to legend, when Venus seduced Nox before
his defeat, the two Incarnae consummated the union between
the Heralds and the Viziers. It is a fascinating tale, but perhaps
it is only that. The bond between Herald and Vizier is etched
deep into the Exaltation of each, as though the two were
created to complement each other from the beginning. This
relationship is more egalitarian that that which exists between
Lawgiver and Steward as the Chosen of the Possibility and
of Destiny are thoroughly peers. As such, this Background is
available to both Nocturnal and Sidereal Exalted. The Harlequin will typically have a higher Companion rating than the
Vizier, as the connection has been less eroded by subsequent
incarnations. In the absence of the Harlequins, the Five-Score
Fellowship has been unaware of this connection. As the companions return, many Sidereals will feel a sense of longing as
the bond asserts itself.

The bond between Nocturnal and Sidereal may be used
in a few ways. First, either partner may add their Companion
rating in dice to any attempt to find the other and may roll
(Companion + companions Essence) to detect the companion across large distances. A single success lets the Exalt know
if her companion is in the same plane of Existence. Two
successes reveal which Direction her companion is in. Three
successes would narrow down the companions location to
within 1000 miles; each additional success refining that estimation by a factor of ten. This ability fails if either companion
is outside of Fate.

Additionally, either Exalt may add their Companion
rating in dice to any action which aids the other. This may
be done a number of times per story equal to the Exalts
Companion rating. If both Exalts work together on a simultaneous action, such as a coordinated attack or some form of
teamwork, both may add (their own Companion rating +1)
in dice to the action. This counts as one use of the solo dice
bonus ability for only one of the Exalts.

Finally, regardless of rating, this Background grants
both Exalts an unbreakable positive Intimacy. The Herald
may always see through his companions Resplendencies and
never suffers from the effects of Arcane Fate with regards to
his companion. Likewise, the Vizier immediately perceives
her companions Fluctuations without spending Willpower
to do so and ignores Noxs attempts to obscure her companion from Fate. If her companion knows the Charm Destiny
Adopting Humility, she may weave Ascending or Descending
Destinies for him by touching him directly rather than sending her request through the Pattern Spiders (who would be
unable to locate his Strand, anyhow).
x

You are estranged from your companion. Perhaps his Exaltation has not yet enlightened its
next host, or perhaps you are deliberately suppressing your true feelings.

Your connection is undeniable and shows great

potential for future development.

You and your companion live in auspicious

harmonymost of the time.

No matter your differences, you and your companion are irresistibly drawn to one another.

The friendship or romance between you and

your companion would be the stuff of epic song,
if only you were not hidden from the world.

The stars will fall from the sky before you and
your companion are separated again.

Tangled Fate

Nox hides his Chosen from the Pattern Spiders. As a
result, their strands of Fate are passed over during the spiders
maintenance of the Loom. In time, these strands become
knotted and difficult to work. This condition worsens so long
as it persists and provides the Exalt with a mix of benefits and
detriments. Primarily, each dot of this Background increases
the difficulty of any attempt to manipulate or perceive his
Fate. This includes mortal astrology, Sidereal Astrology, and
Fluctuations, including his own. Additional effects are noted
below and are cumulative.

Tangled Fate is both a help and a hindrance. The Exalts
rating may ebb and flow over time. Any event that causes the
Exalt to gain Paradox is a valid reason to raise his Tangled
Fate background to a maximum of half the Paradox gained
in the incident. Likewise, any event that causes him to lose
Paradox may be used as an excuse to lower his Tangled Fate,
to a minimum of his remain Paradox. Other events may raise
or lower this Background with Storyteller approval, and any
Strand that is not properly maintained will begin to tangle.
x

Your Strand of Fate is immaculately well-kept.

Perhaps you are freshly Exalted or you have
recently burned off accumulated Paradox.

Your Strand has begun to twist around itself. You

receive only the base effects of this Background.

Your tangled Strand does not quite sync up

those around it. Once per session, rather than
rolling, you may cause a mundane scenario to
go your way despite appearances to the contrary.
Conversely the Storyteller may cause one mundane scenario to go against you. As an example
you may determine that a mortal guard was
looking away at precisely the right moment,
while your Storyteller may determine that local
apothecary just sold the last bottle of medicine
you desperately need. If you and the Storyteller
use this power simultaneously, they cancel each
other and the event is determined by a roll as
normal.

Your Strand spirals around itself. Luck and

misfortune is ever present. Once per session
you may reroll one Chance die. Likewise your
Storyteller may force you to reroll a Chance
die. Whoever caused the reroll decides of the
two results determines the Chance effect of
your Charm. Uniquely, the Charm Improbable
Response is immune to Storyteller interference.

Your Strand weaves dangerously through other

Strands, ensnaring them along the way. You
require one fewer scenes to build Intimacies
and other beings require one fewer scenes to
build Intimacies toward you, for better or worse.
Characters with Conviction 1 gain relevant Intimacies at the beginning of the scene, based on
their first impression or whatever rumors have
preceded you. If you have Conviction 1, you will
likely cycle through new Intimacies at a rapid
pace.

Chapter Four Traits

65

Your Strand is a tightly wrapped bundle, pulling in other strands around it. You may select
one being with whom you interact frequently,
whether it is an ally or an enemy. That being
is also drawn under Noxs obscuring influence.
Sidereals and beings outside of Fate are immune, as are beings who are already obscured in
this manner. However, so ill-maintained is your
Strand that you gain one additional Paradox die
whenever you gain Paradox. Beings obscured
by this effect may also gain the Tangled Fate
background.

Whispers

While Harlequins who journey to mausoleum-bodies of
the Neverborn may return with haunting susurration of the
dead Primordials as much as anyone else, more commonly
the Chosen of Nox hear the gibbering madness of their own
crippled patron. While broadly similar to the Background
described in Manual of Exalted Power, vol. IVAbyssals, there
are several important differences between the two versions of
Whispers. The Whispers of Nox should be noted as a distinct
background from the Whispers of the Neverborn, but it
provides largely the same benefits. Once per scene, the Exalt
may reflexively spend one Willpower and glean from Noxs
ramblings some useful information within Fate, which may be
applied in one of the following ways.

The Exalt may substitute his Ability for one roll with his
Whispers rating.

Mentally crippled though he is, Nox still perceives all
that occurs within Fate thanks to his connection to the Loom.
The fraction of his consciousness that remains whole is barely
enough to assist his Chosen in some small way. The Exalt may
roll (Perception + Whispers) to probe his patrons ramblings
for information relevant to his cause. The more successes,
the more detailed the results. For example, if the Exalts
asks, What sort of army will the Bull of the North attack
with? one success would reveal One thousand men, three
successes would reveal Two wings of infantry, two talons of
archers, and two scales of siege weapons and attendants, and
five successes would detail the precise nature of each units
equipment, their overall quality, and the identity of their
commander. All successes in excess of his Whispers rating
are wasted. Failure results in nothing but insane mutterings,
while a botch causes the Exalt to misapprehend those mutterings as vital clues. Seeking information outside of fate always
results in failure. As a character robbed of his own personal
agency, Nox is incapable of plotting or planning beyond his
Motivation (see p. 33) and cannot provide his Chosen with
any guidance that is not specifically request. As such, questions such as What should I do next? result only in answers
which further Noxs Motivation.

The Exalt may recognize any other Nocturnal, forbidden
god, or other beings and objects which Nox is deliberately
hiding for what they truly are.

The Exalt becomes aware of the nearest and most recent
error in Fate, which may be the result of a Suspicious Charm,
the influences of beings outside of Fate, or naturally occurring mistake in the Loom itself.

Only beings actively hidden by Nox are capable of gaining his Whispers and they may do so at any time. If a being
with these Whispers is ever outside of Fate, he temporarily
loses access the voice of Nox. Should Nox be liberated from
the Loom, this background loses its efficacy. As a unique
benefit, Nocturnal Exalted who possesses Whispers 2+ may
learn the nature of their shattered destiny if desired.

66

The Bound God does not speak to you, or you

ignore his mad words.

Amid the nonsense you occasionally glean some

useful bit of information.

From endless strings of words and images you

may extract a single coherent sentence.

Nox frequently presents you with a broken, incoherent riddle, which you somehow decipher.
You might worry his madness is beginning to
rub off on you.

Ever gibbering, your patron seems to recognize

that you exist and desperately seeks to give you
aid. Youll have to learn to tune out his most
recent obsession and focus only on the details
you desire.

You begin to see a strange logic in the words of

your mad god. Or maybe youre just as crazy as he
is now. When no one is near (and occasionally
when they are) you may find yourself conversing
with Nox in an equally nonsensical blather.

The Curse of Subservience

For the Harlequin, the Second Breath does not come
without an air of tragedy. Their Exaltation frees them from
the chains that reality had designed for them, whether those
be the slaves shackles or a gilded cage. In a sudden rush of
power, the young Harlequin finds himself thrust among the
mightiest beings in the world. But when he encounters his
peers, he begins to learn that he has exchanged one yoke for
another. A more glorious yoke, to be sure, but a yoke all the
same.

Some might say that the Harlequins were spared the
Great Curse. Secreted away before the opening shots of the
war, their Exaltations never fell prey to the blasphemous last
words of the Neverborn. But Autochthons hammer did not
fall lightly upon the Nocturnal Exaltations either. If the Harlequins were aware of the Great Curse, they might look upon
the tragic hamartia of their peers with a hint of envy. At least
the Great Curse is an expression of the Exalts desirestwisted
and exaggerated as they might be.

The Curse of Subservience exploits the same venting
mechanism as the Great Curse, but does so in a way that so
thoroughly subjugates the Exalts will that only the original
maker of the Exalted could have devised it. Since both the
Harlequins curse and the Great Curse function on similar
principles, those who suffer from the Curse of Subservience
cannot be afflicted by the Great Curse, or vice versa (if the
Great Maker ever hoped to punish the other Exalted in similar fashion).

Unlike the Great Curse, the Curse of Subservience is
not an esoteric secret. That it is not known to the Celestial
Exats as a whole is only due to the absence of the Nocturnals. The Incarnae certainly know if it, for it was designed by
their request. Once Harlequins begin interacting with other
types of Celestial Exalted, the Curse of Subservience could
be detected with sufficient study. The Maidens may choose
to inform their Chosen of Nocturnals Curse as a method
of containing the Harlequins. In either case, this revelation
would also likely provide an avenue to discover the Great
Curse hidden in other Exalts.

Gaining Subservience

The Heralds and the Great Curse

Had the Nocturnals fought alongside the other Exalts during the Primordial War, they would have met the same fate
as their peers when the Primordials spoke their blasphemous final words. They would gain Limit they first time they spend
willpower to resist an unnatural mental influence in a scene and when they suppress a 3+ Virtue. Also, whenever another
being employs its Destiny background in dice to oppose the Herald, the Exalt rolls that many dice and gains one Limit per
success. When her Limit reaches 10, she suffers one of the following Limit Break effects based on the characters primary
Virtue, decided at character creation. If needed, others may be created with Storyteller approval. An uncontrolled Limit
Break grants the Herald temporary willpower equal to his primary Virtue, even if this would exceed her normal maximum.

Cage The World (Compassion): The Exalt treasures her own freedom, of course, for she has the wisdom to use
it properly. Few in this unruly world do. For one day, she spends her time using any method in her power to limit the
freedom of others in order to protect them from dangerous choices, intervening with force when necessary. Partial Control:
The Exalt is not obligated to use force or Charms, but must still advocate against any choice she perceives not being in the
other characters best interests.

Adamant Desire (Conviction): The Exalt sets her mind to a task and nothing can shake her from it. For one day,
once the Exalt has decided on a course of action, all attempts to convince her otherwise are treated as unacceptable orders.
She cares not for consequences, only expedience, and will employ violence to achieve her goals if anyone stands in way.
Partial Control: She may restrain herself long enough to debate her point with others or find some other way to avoid
violence, but will still pursue her own agenda fervently.

Infinite Discourse (Temperance): For any problem set before the Exalt many possible paths exist. How can she
decide upon just one? For one day, whenever the Herald must make a decision, she must either debate the pros and cons
of all options ad nauseum or attempt to divide her resources between multiple options. Partial Control: The Herald may
commit to a single option, so long as one other possibility was considered and rejected.

Blood Diamond (Valor): The treasures of this world are meant for those with the will and courage to claim them.
By this right, the Herald claims whatever she desires as her own. For one day, the Exalt ruthlessly pursues the acquisition
of something she desires. The object of her desire must be tangible rather than abstract. She may seek to claim the Guilds
fortune, but she could not seek simply to be wealthy; she may attempt to bed the Perfect, but not gain his affection. She
pursues this goal without concern for the morality of her actions, and is not above killing to claim her prize. Partial Control:
The Exalt does not need to resort to violence, and may scheme and plot as necessary to obtain her desire.

Every Harlequin possesses a Subservience track, similar
to the Limit or Resonance tracks of other Exalted. Points of
Subservience can be gained in several ways.
Defiance: Whenever the Harlequin spends willpower to resist
a direct order or personal request from a Celestial Exalt, he
gains one subservience, to a maximum of that Exalts Essence
per scene.
Sublimation of Virtue: Even when following orders or fulfilling requests the Harlequin is not entirely safe from Subservience. He gains one point whenever he must suppress a Virtue
rated 3+ in order to accomplish the other Celestial Exalts
goal.
Limit: The Exalt also gains Subservience in some situations
in which other Exalts would usually gain Limit. If successfully afflicted with a Charm, Artifact, Spell, or other effect
which would cause an Exalt to gain Limit, the Harlequin gains
Subservience instead. Additionally, the first time each scene
he spends willpower to resist an unnatural mental influence
raises his Subservience by oneunles the first unnatural mental influence would also cause her to gain Subservience for
Defiance. In such situations she gains only one Subservience,
rather than two.

Losing Subservience

However, the Harlequins have one advantage that their
Exalted peers do not. They have several ways of reducing their
Subservience.
Deference: Whenever the Harlequin obeys a direct
order or fulfils a personal request issued by a Celestial Exalt,
he lowers his Subservience by one when he accomplishes the
task. He can only lose one Subservience once a scene per
Celestial Exalt. However, long term tasks also allow him to
continuously lower his Subservience. Such tasks allow the
Harlequin to lower his Subservience by one whenever he
completes a major facet of the task, similar to the manner

in which the Exalt would regain willpower for completing a

major portion of their own Motivation (Exalted, p. 89).

Expression of Virtue: If the Harlequin channels a Virtue he possesses rated 3+ in the service of an order or request
from a Celestial Exalt, he lowers his Subservience by one.
Motivation: If the Harlequins Motivation resonates
favorably with the order or request, he may lose one Subservience instead of gaining a willpower from a stunt that resonates
with his Motivation. He may do so only once per order or
request.

Effects of Subservience

Through this curse, the Harlequins are bound to their
fellow Celestial Exalted in servitude. This extends to all
Celestial Exalts, save the Nocturnal Exalted themselves, of
course, and their individual companions; even the corrupted
Exaltations of the deathknights and the Green Sun Princes
may inflict this curse upon the Harlequins. The curse begins
simply enough, first eroding the Harlequins ability to resist
the mental influences of their superiors. In time, however,
they simply cannot refuse any longer. The effects of the curse
vary in severity depending upon the amount of Subservience
accumulated. Such effects a cumulatively, but in the case of
MDV penalties, only the greatest applies.
Points of
Subservience

Effects

0-2

No effect.

3-4

The Exalts MDVs suffer a -1 penalty

against orders and requests from appropriate Celestial Exalted.

Chapter Four Traits

67

5-7

The Exalts MDVs suffers a -2 penalty

against appropriate orders and requests;
such social attacks are always considered
Unnatural mental influences.

8-9

The Exalts MDV suffers a [Celestials Essence] penalty; such social attacks cannot
be dodged.

10

The next appropriate social attack cannot be parried, and negates perfect social
defenses as though it exploited a Charms
Flaw or Imperfection of Invulnerability,
even if the Charm does not normally possess such weaknesses. The Nocturnal cannot spend willpower to resist the order or
request. Additionally, upon completing
this task, his Subservience immediately is
set to zero.

Paradox

New Sidereal Charm

Clasped Fists of Heaven

Cost: ; Mins: Martial Arts 3, Essence 2;
Type: Permanent
Keywords: None
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: Sifus Useful Fingers

The Vizier has trained Exalted and gods in his long
career, but who could be more deserving of his insights
than his long lost companion? When the Exalt employs
Sifus Useful Fingers on her companion, he treats her
as though she were a Sidereal for the purposes of that
Charm and grants the Nocturnal an additional bonus die
to her Martial Arts rating. He uses the higher of his own
Martial Arts or Companion rating to add to the Nocturnals Dodge MDV. The lessons of this Charm do not
flow only from the Vizier to the Harlequin. In exchange,
she grants him a bit of Noxs protection from the wrath
of the Looms guardians. The Vizier gains a Temporary
Paradox track capable of absorbing (his Companion)
points of Paradox. If the Vizier breaks the commitment
to this Charm while he has points of Temporary Paradox,
all such points transfers over to usual track, potentially
causing an immediate Pattern Bite if this results in Paradox 10+.

A second purchase of this Charm at Essence 4+
grants the Vizier a Temporary Paradox track capable of
absorbing (the pairs combined Companion dots) points
of Paradox.

Creation does not take kindly to the constant tampering
of the Heralds and Harlequins. Such interference attracts the
ire of the Maidens and the pattern spiders alike. Were it not
for the obscuring influence of Nox himself, the Nocturnal Exalted would quickly find themselves at the mercy of the Fates
caretakers. Thank the Maidens, then, for the small favor of
imprisoning Nox in the Loom and offering the Chosen of
Possibilities greater opportunities to avoid punishment from
the likes of the Maidens and their servants.

The degree of distress the Exalt causes those who work
the Loom of Fate is measured in points of Paradox. The Nocturnal may gain Paradox in several ways and it is marked in in the most extreme cases will a Maiden personally pursue a
one of two tracks. First is Temporary Paradox, which denotes Nocturnal Exalt.
the amount of Paradox that Nox can personally hide from The Maidens Revenge
the attention of others. The Exalt can reduce his Temporary
Paradox by having Nox excise his troublesome Strand of Fate 1-2 Mercury: Grasping tightly to the offending Strand of
completely from the Loom and untangles it. This is often an
Fate while she can, Mercury quickly weaves a disasunpleasant experience for the Exalt, but not nearly as bad as
trous journey into the Exalts future. He might be
the alternatives
lost at sea with all his possessions sent to the depths,

Should the Exalt allow his Temporary Paradox to reach
or his most potent foe will pursue him wherever he
10, all additional Paradox cycles into Permanent Paradox.
hides. This destiny haunts the Exalt until it comes
So long as the Exalt remains outside of the authority of the
to fruition, even if he appears to have escaped it, for
Bureau of Destiny, he is incapable of removing Permanent
one month. If he earns Mercurys ire again while still
Paradox. If he submits to the Bureau, they might teach him
under the influence of one of her previous curses,
methods of dissipating Permanent Paradox, such as Wrapped
she may instead instantly teleport the offending
Fly or Wrapped Diamond rituals (Manual of Exalted Power,
Nocturnal to anywhere within Fate, including imvol. IIISidereals, p. 209-210). However, Permanent Paradox
mediately before her.
gained from Charms and Paradox artifacts cannot be removed
3-4 Venus: The Maiden of Serenity ensures there is no
without losing the source of the Paradox itself.
rest for the mischievous soul who ruins her vision of

Once the Exalts Permanent Paradox reaches 10, he sufFate. The Exalt is haunted by nightmares that impose
fers the effects of the Pattern Bite (Manual of Exalted Power,
a -1 External Penalty on all attempts to regain Willvol. IIISidereals, p. 209) or worse. Unlike the Viziers, the
power from sleep for the next month. For this time,
Nocturnal Exalted do not tamper with Fate with the permisno being within Fate may gain a positive Intimacy
sion of the Maidens who guard it. Nocturnals who reach
toward the Exalt unless forced to do so by Charms
Permanent Paradox 10 may find that one of the Maidens has
or other magic. Beings within Fate only require one
declared a personal vendetta against him. In either case, the
scene to gain a negative Intimacy toward the Exalt.
Exalts Permanent Paradox drops to zero, plus any remaining
If the Exalt draws Venus attention again while
from Charms and Artifacts. The Storyteller then rolls one die
under her influences, she may convert all positive
to determine the outcome, either from the Pattern Bite or for
Intimacies toward the Exalt into negative Intimacies.
the justice of the Maidens. In the case of the Maidens, if the
Only inviolable Intimacies such as those preserved
Exalt reaches Permanent Paradox 10 while under the influence
by Righteous Lion Defense or the Exalts connection
of a Maidens curse and attracts that same Maidens attention,
to his companion remain unmarred.
that Maiden may either extend her curse for another month,
perform a different curse as described, or dispatch one of her
most loyal Chosen to hunt down the troublesome Exalt. Only

68

5-6

Mars: Blood and strife await the Herald or Harlequin

who offends the Maiden of Battles. For one month
following the curse of Mars, the Exalt finds himself
caught in a maelstrom of conflict. An increase in
banditry and barbarian raids hinders his attempts to
open new trade routes; court intrigue causes his diplomatic efforts to falter; a bull mammoth in musth
wrecks his manor in a fit of competitive fury. If he
attempts to deal with any of these problems with
Mass Combat, rival units within Fate add +3 to their
Might as the Maiden of Battles aids them against the
Nocturnal. Should Mars direct her wrath against the
Exalt again while he is already under her curse, she
may instead invest up to (Exalts Essence) beings with
the Destiny Background, all rated at 5all of whom
are fated to oppose the Exalt. While Dragon-blooded
are the only Exalts who may bare this Destiny, such
potent fates often attract Exaltations to the mortals
who bear them, potentially creating a host of potent
enemys for the Harlequin.

7-8

Jupiter: The Harlequin cannot hide from the

Maiden of Secrets, but she can hide from him. For
one month, whatever the Exalt seeks within Fate
becomes exceptionally hard to find. If he desires
passage from the Blessed Isle to Abalone, no ships
are willing to take him aboard or none are heading
that way. Doctors lack the knowledge needed to
cure his disease. Merchants have always sold out
of whatever he desires. Likewise, anything that can
be used against the Exalt is always readily known.
Magistrates accuse the Exalt of breaking an obscure,
long-forgotten law. His pursuers always find a trail,
regardless of whatever magic he used to cover it up.
Old debtors suddenly appear to collect. If Jupiter
turns her anger against the Exalt while is already
under her curse, she may instead reveal one of the
Exalts closely guarded secrets to any and all beings
within Fate that she desires.

9-10 Saturn: When grim Saturn directs her cold hatred

toward the Harlequin, he must struggle to stay alive.
For one month, all natural diseases and poisons
within Fate are empowered against him, forcing him
to respond to them as though he were a mortal. This
includes infection of wounds. Also, all beings within
Fate who attack the Exalt inflict one additional automatic level of damage in Step 10 if they inflict any
damage at all. His physical well being is not the only
thing thats threatened. Organizations to which the
Exalt belongs will soon find reason to terminate his
position or revoke his membership. Mentors and allies will often find that their partnership is no longer
in their interests and decide to cut off contact with
the Exalt. Only the most loyal remain. For all beings
within Fate, each week that passes counts as one
scene to erode an Intimacy toward the Exalt. Once
an appropriate person has no Intimacy toward the
Exalt, they will seek to sever ties with him at the earliest opportunity. If Exalt falls under Saturns deathly
stare again while under this curse, she may instead
slay something the Exalt cares deeply for. Only the
Exalts companion is immune from Saturns vengeance.

Venting Temporary Paradox

With diligence and luck, the Harlequin will never have
to feel the vengeful touch of the Pattern Spiders or Maidens.
For younger Chosen, Nox dissipates Temporary Paradox on
his ownthough whether this is simply an automatic response
to errors in the Loom only he can see or deliberate caring for
his new Chosen is hard to tell. The Exalt may also request
such attention from Nox at any time, if she desires to purge
herself of accumulated Paradox, by performing one of ten
known rituals.

Nox automatically causes one of these rituals to affect
his Chosen at random whenever her (Temporary Paradox
+ Whispers) is greater than her (Permanent Willpower +
Essence). The Nocturnal may voluntarily engage in one of
these rituals by rolling Essence with a difficulty of the amount
of Temporary Paradox the ritual dissipates, if she meets the
minimum requirements. Alongside the name of each of these
rituals is listed the minimum Whispers and Essence required
for each, as well as the Paradox the ritual alleviates. The Exalt
must possess at least as much Temporary Paradox as he hopes
to dissipate. These ten rituals are the ones Nox applies to his
Chosen, without regard to minimum requirements, and are
innately known to all Nocturnals. The Chosen of Possibilities
may invent new rituals as though they were favored Charms,
with the same training times and experience costs. They may
teach any known ritual for which she meets all the minimum
requirements to another Nocturnal, or to her Companion,
who learns them as though there were non-favored Sidereal
Charms, and who replaces the Whispers requirement with an
equivalent Companion background. Without a Temporary
Paradox track, however, the Viziers have little use for such
rituals at the moment.

Only one ritual may be attempted per day. All such rituals last twenty-five hours and once begun cannot be ended
until that duration expires. For this time, the supplicant is
considered completely outside of Fate while the Bound God
mechanically untangles a bit of the Exalts strand. Freed
completely from the Looms guiding influence, the Exalt
experiences this process as particular errors in how cause and
effect play out, how her history appears to have played out, or
in the flickering existence of certain important aspects of her
life which are no longer backed up by the Looms definition
of reality. These rituals tend of have a mix of positive and
negative effects on the Exalt.

Courtesans Backward Glances (Whispers 0, Essence 2,
Paradox 1): This ritual produces many minor cosmetic errors
in causality. Mud on the Harlequins garments might fall away
without leaving a mark or dry immediate as though it were
there for days. Cuts and other wounds close smoothly behind
the offending weapon as though it never touched herany
damage inflicted, remains, however. While it provides no
consistent mechanical benefit for the Exalt, it does allow for
some stunting opportunity as her player describes how these
cosmetic effects take shape in her everyday life. On the downside, anyone who witnesses such errors instantly recognizes
the Exalt as a supernatural being.

Skipping Authors Amnesia (Whispers 1, Essence 2, Paradox 2): This ritual severs ties between the Exalt and her past.
Once it takes hold she forgets all that occurred before the
ritual until its conclusion. Additionally at the beginning of
each new scene for the duration of the ritual, she forgets what
has occurred earlier that day. While this leads to some very
confused moments for the Exalt, it also makes all attempts
to force her to reveal forgotten information into impossible

Chapter Four Traits

69

orders (Exalted, p. 180), and causes all attempts for the Exalt
to recall such information to automatically fail.

Lost Loves Forgotten (Whispers 1, Essence 3, Paradox 2):
This ritual is the inverse of the Skipping Authors Amnesia.
For its duration the world forgets the Exalt. Unless rendered
inviolable by another effect, any Intimacy toward the Exalt
possessed by another being within Fate is removed. Any
records of Exalt and her deeds within Fate are also unable
to be tied back to her for the duration. This can easily obscure wanted posters and the like, but also removes her from
employee rosters, dinner reservations, and other records she
might wish to remain on.

Bartering Beyond Reality (Whispers 2, Essence 2, Paradox 2): The Exalt temporarily sacrifices a treasured artifact
when performing this ritual. The artifact ceases to be for
the duration. In exchange the Exalt receives a common, but
random, artifact, chosen by the Storyteller, that is rated one
dot less than the sacrificed artifact. The received artifact is
not guaranteed to be immediately useful to the Exalts current situation, but a savvy Nocturnal knows how to make the
most of a bad situation. One-dot artifacts sacrificed in this
way are traded for mundane items costing Resources 2-3. At
the end of the ritual the acquired item transforms back into
the Exalts original artifact. If any damage befell the acquired
item, the artifact returns in a similar state of disrepair.

Crimes of the Natural Philosopher (Whispers 3, Essence 3,
Paradox 3): The Loom of Fate maintains many of Creations
most fundamental laws. Freed from such constraints, the
Exalt who performs this ritual becomes an outlaw of physics.
One of the following physical properties of Creation fail when
the Exalt attempts to interact with them. Friction: the Exalt
treats all surfaces as smooth ice (Exalted, p. 155), and suffers
a +3 difficulty on all actions to maintain her grip, including
clinches and disarm attempts. She also adds 3 automatic successes to any attempt to escape or avoid a clinch and adds
3 to her Dexterity for the purposes of determining movement speed. Gravity: The Exalt becomes exceptionally light,
allowing her to ignore falling damage and to move without
applying any weight to the objects on which she stands. She
also suffers a +3 difficulty to resist knockback and adds three
yards to how far she is thrust. Additionally, everything else
seems exceptionally heavy to the Exalt. She adds +2 to weapons minimum strength, doubles the (Strength + Athletics)
required to lift or throw and object and doubles the mobility
and fatigue penalties of any armor she wears. Elemental: The
essence binding objects together falter around the Exalt. The
Storyteller chooses two Element from Creation, Autochthonia, or elsewhere. For the duration, the Exalt treats one of the
chosen elements as the other, as the Storyteller decides. Fire
may feel as hard as stone. She may swim up trees as though
they were water (though in this case, if she wears clothing
made of natural fibers, she would find them as substantial as
clothing made of water as well). Licking a stone might quench
her thirst, and she might burn water like kindling. Air, though
it may be made as thick as water, always remains breathable
and may never be made impermeable or lethal like fire. Other
Effects: The Storyteller may assign other creative effects from
this ritual as desired.

Over Before It Begins (Whispers 4, Essence 2, Paradox
3): The Exalt who performs this ritual fights all his battles in
hindsight. Whenever she engages in Join Debate, she immediately loses two willpower. When she engages in Join Battle,
she immediately suffers two levels of unsoakable lethal damage. Whenever she engages in Join War, any unit she leads
immediately loses on Magnitude. However, having already
suffered these effects, she does not suffer them in their proper

70

time. Whenever she desires during the scene, she may cancel
up to two points of willpower expenditure to resist a mental
influence, up to two of levels of damage as that gained by this
effect, or one effect that would cause her unit to lose further
Magnitude. Once she has evoked these benefits she may not
do so again until she engages in Join Battle, Debate or War
again and incurs these penalties anew. If she does not make
use of them this scene, she may store them up for later scenes
but these advantages are lost if not used before the ritual ends.

Surgeons Delicate Blade (Whispers 5, Essence 2, Paradox
4): When the Exalt performs this ritual, the ill-handled blade
undoes all its wielders hard work. For every non-success rolled
in Step 10, the target of her attacks heals one level of damage,
to a maximum of the targets Essence. This also applies in
the Exalts benefit to any attack directed at the Exalt unless
her attacker is immune to Shaping. Either the Exalt or her
attacker may sacrifice any number of Post-soak damage dice to
mitigate this potential situation.

Absent Hero Sabbatical (Whispers 5, Essence 3, Paradox
4): For the duration of this ritual the Exalt completely ceases
to be. She is utterly removed from existence for a full day,
unable to act or be acted upon by any force. At the end of the
ritual, she returns to reality at the point she left as though no
time at all had passed.

Turning Back the Makers Hand (Whispers 5, Essence 4,
Paradox 5): Anything that can be done can be undone by the
Exalt who practices this ritual. Any object she spends more
than an action handling converts back to its base components. A sword breaks down into pommel and blade. The
blade converts from steel to iron and from iron into raw ore.
Her clothing becomes spools of thread, and thread becomes
bundles of raw wool, silkworm cocoons, or other materials.
Only items to which a being is attuned remains unchanged
by her touch, as are those objects which are require a feat of
strength to break greater than ([Strength + Athletics] x 5) or
are otherwise immune to Shaping effects. In all other cases,
this effect is mandatory.

Cosmic Sailor Explorations (Whispers 5, Essence 5,
Paradox 5): To the outside observer, this ritual is identical to
Absent Hero Sabbatical. The Exalt disappears from Creation
completely and Nox sets the Exalt aside in a world generated from his own broken memories while he tends to her
tangled fate. This allows the Exalt to explore a randomly
chosen Manvantara simulation for twenty-five hours. The
Exalt who elects to perform this ritual personally may only
choose the Manvantara she visits if she possesses a scroll from

The Bound Gods Cosmic Atlas

Trapped within the Loom of Fate, Nox has not
accessed the Kalpa in many thousands of years. He therefore is limited in the number and types of Manvantaras
he may recreate for his Chosen. He produces only those
Manvantaras which contain a Loom of Fate, and all his
Manvantaras are woefully out of date. The Nocturnal
arrives in that Manvantara on the eve of the Primordial
War or the equivalent time period. Even bound, Nox
will update his repertoire of Manvantaras if Nocturnal
performs Cosmic Sailor Exploration while possessing an
up-to-date scroll from the Toponomastic Archives. This
allows him to offer that world to other Nocturnals for
further exploration in the future, though his knowledge
of that Manvantara will not advance beyond what information was originally provided to him unless supplied by
a Nocturnal.

the Toponomastic Archives. If two companions or a troupe

of Harlequins perform this ritual simultaneously, they are
delivered to the same simulation and permitted to explore
together. The simulation, of course, is not real. Nothing may
be taken from it except knowledge and should the Exalt die
while there, she returns to Creation at the end of the ritual
without any temporary willpower or motes of Essence.

13

The Exalts caste mark begins to manifest as a

faint shadow upon her brow. It may be detected with a difficulty 3 (Perception + Awareness)
roll or covered to hide it from view.

47

Dramatic shadows fall upon the Exalt and her

caste mark appears like a dark indigo tattoo on
her brow. Under direct lighting, these markings cannot be hidden, adding two automatic
successes to detect her under such conditions.
But while she stands in shadow or in darkness,
she adds +2 dice to her Stealth rolls.

810

The Exalt is wreathed in an aura of darkest

indigo, obscuring all details of her appearance.
In direct light, all attempts to hide herself
automatically fail, including magical effects; in
shadow or under the cover of night, she adds
+4 dice to Stealth rolls and prevents beings
who did not see her before her anima reached
this point from recognizing her by sight later.
This aura casts no light, but does allow the
Exalt to see in darkness as well as she could
in sunlight.

11+

Her dark anima implodes and in an instant

erupts outward again. On the tick during
which the anima reaches this level, she imposes a -2 Internal Penalty due to blindness on
all within (Essence) yards. The exact manifestation of this effect differs among the five castes.
Her anima display, also unique to each caste,
begins to expand. Initially, her anima display
and power only has a radius equal to her (Essence) yards. During her action tick it expands
by (Essence) yards again, to a maximum of
(Essence x 5) yards in radius. Alternatively,
she may expand it to its maximum range by
spending (5m, 1wp) at any time. The Nocturnal Exalted do not have iconic animas, but the
caste manifestation is individualized within
the themes of their caste.

Castes

Just as their starry-eyed cousins possess five Castes, the
Harlequins are also divided into five Castes of their own.
Each has its own role and purpose to fulfill. All Exalted are
first and foremost warriorsweapons designed to slay the
architects of the world. But not all necessarily pursue this
purpose in the most literal sense. Nox designed his Chosen
to serve a function similar to his own: to announce the will of
his superiors. So the Heralds took up the cause of the Exalted
host and spread it across all Creation through diplomacy and
the sword.

But what role will the orphaned Harlequins fill in this
fallen Age? Only time will tell.

Anima Effects

In addition to an anima power unique to each Caste,
all Nocturnal Exalted possess a few common anima abilities.
These may be activated by spending a single mote.
The Exalt may cause her Caste mark to appear as a dark etching on her brow and have dramatic shadows fall upon her as
though she spent 4-7 motes of peripheral essence.
The Exalt may surround herself in an indigo halo, as though
she spent 8-10 motes of peripheral essence. This allows her to
see as well in darkness as she would in full sunlight.
If the Exalt is in a region within Fate, she may detect the presence of things outside of Fate within (Essence x 100) yards;
If she is a region outside of Fate, she detects the presence of
things within Fate instead. While the Exalt will know that
such a thing is nearby, he does not learn its precise location.
The Exalt may reveal a current Fluctuation to any and all beings she wishes.

Nocturnal Anima Banners

Motes of
Effects
Peripheral
Essence

Chapter Four Traits

71

Nova Caste

Very rarely something truly new happens, something unprecedented in all
of history. The night sky announces such rare occurrences with a brilliant display
called a nova. The nova erupts brilliantly from the collapsed potential of the
event, flaring vividly for weeks until it fades into a star. The nova burns with
the total intensity of the stars future life, allowing sage astrologers a chance to
gauge the destined greatness of this wondrous novelty. A similar event occurs
after a concept has been utterly removed from the purview of Creation, as it star
goes through its brilliant death throws. Immediately following the Three-Spheres
Cataclysm, the nights burned with a fierce white light that rivaled the brilliance
of the Unconquered Sun.

Those Exalted to the Nova Caste, the vanguards, are truest to the name
Herald. It is their duty to escort and announce. Wherever they go, greatness follows and new truths are revealed. In a military capacity, they excel at delivering
orders and ensuring maneuvers are executed properly. While they are no strangers to personal combat, theyre better known for their military prowess. When
a vanguard determines a new power will rise, he preserves morale and fitness of
that power until it has ascended to its proper place. Bolstered by the vanguards
power, his charge can only be toppled from within. In order to preserve their
responsibilities against such internal threats, the vanguards have the power to root
out all manner of deception and subterfuge. Their shaping talents specialize in
conjuring the new and dismissing the old.

A visionary goal drives members of the Nova Caste. They have some great
task they seek to fulfill, though not for their own benefit. Vanguards possess all
the hallmarks of great leaders, yet they rarely have the desire to truly rule. For
them, leadership is but a means to an end, not an end in itself. The vanguard
seeks to ensure his vision is fulfilled, whether it is to guide a small nations ascent
into imperial dominion or make a revolutionary discovery in some field of study;
it makes no difference to him whether he or someone else actually accomplishes
this task.
Anima Banner: The Novas caste mark is a solid diamond of darkest indigo
inside the outline of a larger diamond, with the corners of either connected by
thin bars. His anima erupts with a blinding flash of white light, followed by ever
expanding rings, waves, and arcs of brilliantly colored essence.
Anima Effect: The Nova Caste reveals new possibilities, including the possibility
of betrayal. The vanguard may spend 5 motes and 1 Temporary Willpower to
flare his anima out to (Essence x 5) yards. Within this radius, all mundane attempts at Stealth, Larceny, and deception fail, as the culprit is illuminated in by
a white halo. Objects deliberately hidden or sabotaged through mundane means
are similarily outlined. Any expenditure of essence (or application of a Permanent
Charm) trumps this detection. This power activates automatically over (Essence)
yards once the Exalt has spent 11+ motes of Peripheral Essence, expanding by an
additional (Essence) yards every Action, to a maximum of (Essence x 5) yards.
Caste Attributes and Domains: Creation does not always welcome change. In
order to bring about something new, the vanguards must be forceful in all aspects
of their life. They are naturally adept at Strength, Charisma, and Perception. In
their Fluctuations, they can create alliances as easily as they conjure a sword or
dismiss old hatred as readily as a thought. Their Caste Domains are the Stone,
the Silk, and the Clay.

72

Associations: The Maiden of Endings, the element of air, the

half moon, the season of spring, the color white
Sobriquets: Vanguards, Troubadours, the Ivory Trumpets
Concepts: Field medic, Lookshy banner man, cutting edge
scholar, obsessive investigator, court musician, epic poet.

The Troubadours

The Curse of Subservience often means the
troubadour must sacrifice his own dreams to reveal
the glory of another. At the behest of Celestial patrons, troubadours focus their driving passion into
art. They create symphonies to honor the triumphs
of the Exalted. They sculpt beautiful memorials so
that the populace will never forget the nobility of
their lords. They regale their benefactors with epic
poetry recounting their heroic deeds. They are sent
from court to court, to entertain the entourage of the
Lawgivers, to let others marvel at something theyve
never seen before.

They say there is nothing new under the

sun. But the night is dark and hides many
wonders. Youll see. Ill show you.
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73

Comet Caste

Throughout Creation the sudden arrival of a comet is a portentous event. These

mysterious bodies appear without warning and follow unpredictable paths
through the starry void. Trailing long, luminescent tails, they pierce and bridge
constellations, throwing the metaphysical alignment of the heavens into conflict.
Astrologers carefully study the passage of the comet, hoping to glean some insight
from its trajectory, but the comet does not exist to provide wisdom. It comes to
shake Destiny to its foundation and suspend the dictates of Fate, it only for a brief
while. For those who desire peace, the comet is an ill omen. For those willing
to seize the fleeting opportunity, the comet offers a chance for all to ascend to
greatness.

Conflict is the appointed role of the Comet Caste. They have earned the
name Armigers as they dutifully prepare others for battle. Though swift and
mighty warriors in their own right, they often lack the resilience for sustained
fighting. As the armigers establish themselves in Creation, they quickly earn a
reputation for the speed and power of their attacks and the lightning response
of their reflexes. So rapid are the movements of the armigers that merely keeping
pace with one requires a focused mind. With their shaping skill, the armigers
remold the battlefield to suit their needs, deprive their enemies of vital resources
while supplying themselves and model the success of strategies.

Those with dreams of heroic daring are accepted into the ranks of the armigers. Creation has no lack of would-be heroes, but all too often their potential
is stifled by lack of training or perhaps Fate intervened to prevent them from
acting when the time was right, though certainly not for lack of trying. The gift of
Nocturnal Exaltation bypasses both of these problems, allowing the hopeful hero
to battle even without specialized skill and granting her the power to revitalize
conflicts. The armiger never has to wonder what would have happened if only she
had been there. Whether for personal glory or revenge, she need only set herself
to the task of discovering her potential.
Anima Banner: The armigers caste mark is an indgo outline of a diamond with a
solid diamond within it; three bars rise up and to the right of the larger diamond.
Her anima blinds with a blue haze and takes the form of a blue coma with a
lengthening tail trailing behind her wherever she goes.
Anima Effect: By spending 5 motes and 1 Temporary Willpower, everyone within
(Essence x 5) yards who is considered by the armiger to be an opponent increases
the Speed of all their actions by 1. A focused mind may overcome this effect by
spending one willpower. This power activates automatically over (Essence) yards
once the Exalt has spent 11+ motes of Peripheral Essence, expanding by an additional (Essence) yards every Action, to a maximum of (Essence x 5) yards.
Caste Attributes and Domains: The armigers do not necessarily possess the endurance for long battles. They specialize in being swift and brutal, pouncing upon
their opponents before he even has time to react. The Caste Attributes of the
Comets are Strength, Dexterity, and Wits. Their Fluctuations focus on creating
the ideal conditions for battle and testing the success of strategies before they are
required. Their Caste Domains are the Stone, the Chisel, and the Tablet.
Associations: The Maiden of Battles, the element fire, the full moon, the season
of autumn, the color blue
Sobriquets: Armigers, Gladiators, the Azure Drums

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Concepts: idealistic adventurer, farm boy with delusions of

grandeur, war orphan, bounty hunter, the dark horse champion

The Gladiators

The Curse of Subservience means many gladiators
fight not for their own cause but at the whim of others.
When commanded they fight and kill to satisfy the bloodlust of spectators or to line the treasuries of their masters.
The greatest gladiators are highly prized commodities, to
be bought and traded at the pleasure of their managers.
Gladiators rarely make lasting friendships. Not because
they do not seek companions, but because they know
that someday they may be forced to face that friends on
the sands of the arena.

How did you insult me? You sent a dozen

men to hunt me through field and forest.
Only a dozen! It was over far too quickly.
Chapter Four Traits

75

Aurora Caste

The living essence of Creation courses through the air, to be inhaled and
exhaled by all living things. High in the Firmament it pools and flows in
luminescent rivers, which ripple and twist their way toward the Elemental
Poles where they are drawn down to Creation once more. At night, the
regions of Creation nearest the Poles are treated to a vivid display of flowing essence projected onto the sky. The aurora, as these manifestations
are collectively known, is where the terrestrial mingles with the celestial.
Myriad colors illuminate the night near the Poles, always dominated by
the color of the Pole itself and the viridian glow of living essence.

As the auroras bridge the heavens and the earth, so too do the Ambassadors form a crucial link between the mighty Celestial Exalted and the
people they rule. Beautiful, charming, and graceful, the ambassadors are
a welcomed addition to almost any social setting. Though predominately
focused on assisting the Crowned Suns in their negotiations, the ambassadors also excel at being secret weapons in the event that diplomacy fails.
Their shaping abilities allow them to be adept social engineers. They forge
social bonds, create pleasant environments, and model social experiments
with detailed accuracy. Such talents are often used to tantalize prospective
allies. The allure of the ambassadors is legendary, and those who linger
in her presence come to desire her and seek her favor, as far as they are
capable of such passion.

The gift of the Nocturnal Exaltation comes to ambassadors as they
dream of a glamorous life of wealth and fame, though not necessarily
for themselves. While some seek personal fame and fortune and a life of
luxury, others seek to reshape their society, to topple oppressive regimes
or abolish economic depressions. Though the ambassadors first solution
tends to be peaceful, she is perfectly capable of fighting for her cause. She
is a master of words and of swords.
Anima Banner: The ambassadors caste mark is an indigo diamond with
its lower half filled; three short bars rise from its top, left and right corners. Her anima blinds with curtains of multi-colored essence, dominated
by green, which later form great dancing ribbons and loops of light.
Anima Effect: Everything about the ambassador is beguiling: her words,
her movements, her beauty. For 5 motes and 1 Temporary Willpower, the
ambassador may flare her anima out to (Essence x 5) yards. All within
this radius subtract their own Compassion from their Mental DVs when
opposing the ambassador, her Motivation, or any of her Intimacies, even
if the social attack does not originate from the ambassador herself. This
power activates automatically over (Essence) yards once the Exalt has
spent 11+ motes of Peripheral Essence, expanding by an additional (Essence) yards every Action, to a maximum of (Essence x 5) yards.
Caste Attributes and Domains: Through her charm and will, societies
bend to the ambassador. She is naturally skilled at Dexterity, Charisma,
and Appearance. Her Fluctuations focus on molding societies and perfecting their environment. Her Caste Domains are the Chisel, the Silk,
and the Cloak.
Associations: The Maiden of Serenity, the element water, the gibbous
moon, the season of summer, the color green

76

Sobriquets: Ambassadors, Concubines, the Viridian Flutes

Concepts: peasant revolutionary, opera house diva, community organizer, philanthropic merchant, vainglorious manabout-town, overwhelmed physician

The Concubines

The concubines are a great treasure. Their beauty
adorns the courts of the Mighty. Their grace can inspire
the lusts of all but the most stoic observers. The Curse of
Subservience often encourages the concubines to satisfy
the carnal desires of those they serve. Such sexual dalliances are not unheard of among the Celestial Exalted,
and only rarely is the experience unpleasant for the
concubine. Far more frustrating are the frequent periods
during which the concubine is expected to be seen and
not heard. When the concubine is treated as a mere ornament, she must either reluctantly accept her position or
learn more subtle ways to manipulate her surroundings.
Luckily, such skills are common among the concubines.

I pity you. I really do. Who could

envy this pathetic and miserable life?
If you only knew how much better it
could have been, how much better it
could be. Would you like to see?
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77

Empyrean Caste

When the stars go out during Calibration, only the stark empyrean field
remains. The Empyrean Expanse is the foundation of the Firmament itself, the solid barrier that separates Creation from the vastness of Chaos.
As the stars delineate the predetermined pathways of Fate, the empyrean
field serves as the foundation of possibilitiesinfinite, but not unlimited.
Out of this blank slate, anything that is possible can emerge and nothing
that is not. In this way, the Firmament protects Creation from both the
chaotic realm of impossibilities beyond it and the rigid definition of Fate
within it.

Aligned with the foundation of the Firmament rather than anything that adorns it, the members of the Empyrean Caste are closest to
the mind of Nox. They serve as his priests, though they are quite unlike
the priests of other Incarnae. His priests are more cunning businessmen
than shining paragons. The Barristers, as they are also known, seek to
maintain order without hindering freedom. Their task verges on contradiction, and they rely on being quick and clever, knowing how to shift
sentiments for individual circumstances, and consider the outcome of
every decision fully before implementing it. They are wandering enforcers, rarely staying in any place for long to prevent their own will from
becoming the law of the land.

The barristers have a chaotic streak in their personality. Many are
out-right anarachists. Those who join the Empyrean Caste dream of leaving behind their current circumstances in the world. They worry about
the destination only so much as to ensure it is an actual change rather
than simply more of the same. Where they go, they undermine the status
quo and break down barriers only to erect replacements in their wake.
They see the potential folly in a society before it has a chance to manifest
and subtly nudge others onto better paths.
Anima Banner: The caste mark of the barristers is an outline of an indigo diamond containing three vertical bars, a horizontal bar connecting
them, and a small hollow diamond in its lower corner. Their anima is
pitch black at first, but as eye adjusts to it, it is seen to be a field of darkest
indigo, occasionally adorned with the faintest hints of a field of stars or
strange distortions. By spending 5 motes and 1 Temporary Willpower,
the barrister casts his anima on an area with a radius of (Essence x 5)
yards. Within this darkened field, vision is penalized as though it were
a moonless night (Exalted, p. 135), and all Nocturnal Charms with the
Calibration-OK keyword may be activated as though it were Calibration.
This power activates automatically over (Essence) yards once the Exalt
has spent 11+ motes of Peripheral Essence, expanding by an additional
(Essence) yards every Action, to a maximum of (Essence x 5) yards.
Caste Attributes and Domains: The barristers are tireless in their pursuits, subtle in their method of swaying society to their way of thinking,
and quick to think of new courses of action. Their Caste Attributes are
Stamina, Manipulation, and Wits. With their Fluctuations, they reveal
the foolishness of others, exposing the consequences of their action
before they have a chance to become reality as well as maneuvering social

78

norms more to his liking. Their Caste Domains are the Statue,
the Needle, and the Tablet.
Associations: The Maiden of Journeys, the element earth, the
new moon, Calibration, the color black
Sobriquets: Barristers, Jesters, the Ebony Bells
Concepts: mad prophet, the man behind the curtain, wandering magistrate, conniving merchant, political pamphleteer,
renegade officer of the law

The Jesters

The jesters cut to the heart of any social setting.
They find flaws and hold them up for public derision.
The Curse of Subservience has made them useful tools
of state, focusing their skill on undermining the social
standing of their masters political enemies. The jester
has only one prayer and it is answered in abundance:
Gods, make my enemies ridiculous. A wise jester rarely
makes a joke at his masters experience, but a brilliant
one knows how to do so and get away with it.

There is a fine line between the sublime and the absurd; I will walk it as
far as it will take me.
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79

Nebula Caste

Scattered throughout the night sky are small pockets of diffuse, oddly
tinted light. Lacking the definition of stars, these nebulas present spots
where Fate refuses to settle. In time, they may collapse into novas, or a
dying star might leave a nebula behind as it falls from the Firmament. Always mysterious, the presence of a nebula within or near a constellation
disrupts the calculations of astrologers. The Chosen of Destiny disagree
as to whether the nebulas represent an error in Fate or are a necessary
step in the process of congealing Fate from chaos; for the Chosen of
Possibilities, it matters not. The nebulas confound those who seek to
divine the future, and that is enough for them.

The Sophists, as the Nebula Caste came to be called, are designed
to work closest with their Sidereal cousins. While the Oracles shield the
minds of their allies, the sophists take their counter-espionage duties
further still, reaching into the minds of their enemies to discover what
they have learned and to prevent them from forging memories. The
sophists excel at being spies themselves and are masters of subterfuge,
deception, and misdirection. They move through unfamiliar and hostile
regions, bending laws and regulations out of their path, faking whatever
documentation might be needed, and creating false memories in the
minds of those they meet.

Those with a love of mystery become members of the Nebula
Caste. Most often they have a secret they wish to protect or one they
wish to discover. Perhaps it is some embarrassing or threatening piece
of information that may have already been discovered by someone else.
Their Exaltation gives the power to retrieve that secret and keep it hidden. Or at least so confound the world that it cannot discern the truth
of the matter. This is the primary difference between the sophists and
Jupiters oracles. While the oracles seek to gather secrets and use them
when appropriate, the sophists exist to obscure. While the oracles are
masters of extortion and blackmail, the sophists know that people are
more easily manipulated when their own imaginations are left to fill in
the mystery. Secrets are a powerful weapon, but the unknown threat is a
terrifying tool.
Anima Banner: The sophists Caste Mark is a solid indigo diamond, save
for a diamond-shaped hole in its center. Their anima billows up from the
ground around them into tall columns of dense, colored smoke. Typically these are a dull red, but orange and pinks are also common. As the
anima grows, it darkens until it is nearly black with only fringes of color.
Anima Effect: The sophist distracts and fogs the mind. By spending 5
motes and 1 Temporary Willpower, the sophist causes his anima to rise
up around him within a radius of (Essence x 5) yards. Within the pillars
of his essence, his enemies suffer a -1 External Penalty on all actions
involving their Mental Attributes. This penalty increases by one for each
action the opponent remains within the anima banner, to a maximum of
the Nebulas (Essence +1), and decreases by one for each action the opponent remains outside of the anima.This power activates automatically
over (Essence) yards once the Exalt has spent 11+ motes of Peripheral

80

Essence, expanding by an additional (Essence) yards every

Action, to a maximum of (Essence x 5) yards.
Caste Attributes and Domains: The sophists are cunning
observers and interrogators. Their Caste Attributes are Manipulation, Perception, and Intelligence. Their Fluctuations
focus on manipulating information and the rules regarding
who may access that information. Their Caste Domains are
the Needle, the Clay, and the Stylus.
Associations: The Maiden of Secrets, the element wood, the
crescent moon, the season of winter, the color red.
Sobriquets: Sophists, Charlatans, the Crimson Lyres
Concepts: criminal mastermind, triple agent, academic
saboteur, propaganda minister, confidence man, sorcerous
interrogator.

The Charlatans

The charlatans perform petty tricks for the amusement of the court. They guess secrets from the crowd,
stage shows of chicanery and distractions, discern a
persons history from the lines on a palm. They are magicians, adept at sleight-of-hand trickery, and when their
masters allow, perhaps even true sorcery. Which miracles
are true and which are lies is all part of the mystique of
the charlatans.

Dont ask questions if youre not willing to have me change the answers.
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81

Singularity Caste

Inherent within the design of the Nocturnal Exalted is the possibility for the existence of a sixth Caste. This Singularity Caste is not native to the basic Exalted Manvantara, but does exist in others. In some, it replaces one of the other five
Castes, usually one which shares a Caste Attribute with it. Elsewhere it exists alongside them. In all, the Singularities are
known for their enduring beauty and wisdom. They have a captivating presence and educate others with ease. When they
warp reality, they conjure lost kingdoms and future societies, adjusting the history and predictions of both to prove her
point.

Caste Attributes: Stamina, Appearance, Intelligence

Caste Domains: The Statute, The Cloak, The Stylus

Anima Banner: The Singularitys caste mark is a small solid indigo diamond within the outline of a larger one. A
dark line protrudes from the top and bottom of the outer diamond. At the 11+ mote level her anima forms a sphere of
absolute darkness (Essence) yards in radius, much like the Empyreans anima However, this sphere never expands. Instead,
a vortex of white and violet essence swirls around the black heart of the Singularitys anima banner. A jet of violet and
indigo essence shoots skyward as well.

Anima Effect: The Singularity demands the company of all who approach her so that they might learn what she has
to teach them. By spending 5 motes and 1 Temporary Willpower, she spreads her anima banner over (Essence x 5) yards.
Whenever a being within this radius attempts to move away from the Singularity he must engage in a contested roll as
though prevented by a Blockade Movement Action, for which the Singularity does not roll but applies (Essence) successes
automatically. The Exalt may selectively render any number of allies immune to this effect. Additionally, if she flares her
anima at the beginning of a Dramatic Action to train another being, she doubles the effective time spent educating her
studentthis effect is not compatible with other effects which speeds Training times. These powers activate automatically
over (Essence) yards once the Exalt has spent 11+ motes of Peripheral Essence, and expands by (Essence) yards each Action
to a maximum radius of (Essence x 5) yards.

Limitless Cosmos Expansion: The Exalt adds two additional automatic successes to the contested roll to prevent
other beings from moving away and she halves the cost of her Training Charms while her anima is flared.

Sobriquets: Philosophers, Nurses, the Violet Chior

Concepts: traveling showman, a Dynasts au pair, boarding school headmaster, counter-historian, hero with a thousand faces.

82

Chapter Five

Charms

It is not the nature of the Onyx Youth to place restrictions

upon his favorites. When the Nocturnal Exalted were devised, they were given free reign over the realms of possibility
and potential. They focused their power into Charms, like all
Exalts, but devoted their miracles to revelations of counterfactuals, to the invention of epiphanies, and to the liberation of
all desired outcomes. They obtain power easily, but struggle
to ascend past an early plateau. Nox did not desire his Chosen
to stagnate, but if they are to succeed, they must pursue their
own paths toward transcendence. As such, unlike their Sidereal cousins, the Nocturnal Exalted may continuously invent
new Charms. Many of the Charms included here will not be
part of the Nocturnal library upon their return, but instead
represent examples of new Charms waiting to be invented.

R
equirements

The Charms of the Heralds and Harlequins are derived

from the Exalts inherent potential, rather than her particular

training. As such, unlike Solar or Sidereal Charms, Nocturnal
Charms require a minimum Attribute rating. In this they are
similar to the Charms of the Lunar and Alchemical Exalted
and typically a single Charm will be applicable over a range
of potential situations. For example, a Nocturnals Dexterity
Excellency might be applied to any situation employing that
Attribute, whether it is an attack, an attempt to pick someones pocket, or a nimble acrobatics routinelikewise the
Charm Basic Necessities Provision could potential serve as a
workshop or a field hospital, among other options, based on
the characters decisions.

Limits

The Harlequin pushes herself to express her full potential, allowing her to achieve great bursts of power. However,
overcoming her natural limits is a taxing process. No combination of Nocturnal Charms may add more dice to a roll
than the Exalts current Temporary Willpower. However, if
the character adds more dice than her rating in the relevant
Attribute, she must also spend one Temporary Willpower.
This expenditure comes after determining her maximum
number of dice. For example, if a Harlequin with eight Temporary Willpower and Strength 4 decides to add four dice to
a Strength-based action with her First Strength Excellency,
she pays only four motes. However, if she wished to add the
maximum eight dice allowed to her, she would need to spend
eight motes and one Temporary Willpower in total, reducing her maximum number of dice to seven for any following
actions. If a Charm adds dice for a duration longer than an
Instant, the Nocturnal need only pay the willpower surcharge
on the initial activation of the Charm.

Static values are subject to the same limitation, and are
increased at the same rate as they are for Solars (Exalted, p.
185).

Combos

Like other Exalts, the Nocturnals use Combos to augment the power of individual Charms or to maintain both defense and offensive options during combat. While Nocturnal
Charms are still limited by the Charms Type when it comes
to building a Combo, a Nocturnal is free to mix and match
Charms from various Attributes.

Chapter Five Charms

83

Charm Conflict

When two Charms conflict, the Nocturnal rolls (Attribute + Essence) if the relevant Ability is unclear. Otherwise,
they resolve such conflicts with a standard (Attribute + Ability) contest.

N
ew Keywords

Calibration-(OK): The Nocturnals are the Chosen of the

Calibration King and authority over those five untamed days

is their inheritance. Charms with this keyword have enhanced
or additional effects when used during Calibrations. Charms
with the Calibration-OK keyword can also be used within
the radius of an Empyreans anima banner as though it were
Calibration.

Chance: The Chosen of Nox draw their power from possibilities, not certainties. Charms with this keyword have suite
of possible effects which manifest randomly. This requires the
Exalt to roll a Chance die to determine the outcome, when
directed by the Charm. At times, even the Nocturnals know
better than to leave things entirely up to chance. The character may spend one willpower when activating the Charm to
select a desired outcome before the die is rolled. She may be
prohibited from selecting certain options in this way until she
meets additional requirements, such as a second purchase of
the Charm, a higher Attribute minimum or both.

Flux: In addition to their Charms, the Nocturnals also
draw power from their ability to perform Fluctuations (see
Chapter VI), but at times the two become indistinguishable.
Charms with this keyword count as the Exalts Fluctuation
for the scene if it is successful. As such, only one successful
Flux Charm or Fluctuation may be performed by the Exalt
in a scene. Additionally, all Charms with this Keyword are
also considered to have the Native, Shaping, and Suspicious
Keywords.

Kalpa: The Kalpa is divided into myriad Manvantaras,
each with its own metaphysical quirks. Transcending the limits
of a single reality, a few Nocturnal Charms have variable functions depending on which Manvantara the Exalt finds himself
in. If the Exalt discovers a method to travel between Manvantaras, he may discover that his Charms have increased or
decreased in power depending on the local metaphysics. The
initial presentation of the Charm is the one most commonly
found across all Manvantaras. The Storyteller should inform
her players which variant exists in the native Manvantara of
their game, if any variant exists at all. As the Kalpa allows for
the possibility of its own non-existence, the Storyteller may
decided that any or all Kalpa-keyworded Charms do not exist
either.

Nox: Maimed and trapped within the Loom of Fate, the
Bound God can do little to aid his Chosen. Those Heralds and
Harlequins how hear his mad murmuring occasionally find
that he bends Fate to augment the Charms with this keyword.
In order to gain access to the enhanced effects while Nox is
in the Loom, the Exalt must be affecting objects or beings
within Fate or himself and have the Whispers background for
their patron equal to the minimum Essence of the Charm, to
a maximum of 5. Without meeting these qualifications, the
Charm can be used as though Nox were not in the Loom, as
described.

Suspicious: The powers of the Harlequins often register in
the Loom of Fate as glitches that not even Nox can keep hidden. This may alert the Bureau of Destiny to the presence of
the Exalt if she frequently abuses Charms with this Keyword.
Whenever she employs a Suspicious Charm, the Storyteller
rolls one die. On a 10, the offense goes unnoticed. On a 9-7,

84

error is noted but not considered significant. On a 6-2, the

error is a matter of concern for the Bureau and an operative
will be dispatched as soon as possible. On a 1, the Exalt has
tampered with the convoluted machination of the Bureau of
Destiny or one of its Sidereal Exalted; an agent is dispatched
immediately to set things right. This is a general rule. At times
the Storyteller may simply determine the Bureaus response as
best suits the storyalso, the Storyteller is under no obligation
to inform the Exalt of the Bureaus response.
Additionally, a Suspicious Charm does not normally trigger a
roll when any of the following apply: it is used during Calibration, it affects beings and objects obscured by Noxs influence
(a Nocturnal, a Nocturnals belongings, or a forbidden god,
for example), or it affects beings outside of Fate. Unless indicated otherwise, a
Suspicious Charm with a Duration longer than Instant only
triggers a roll once per activation.

Return of the Keyword

This Manual uses a few keywords original found in other

Exalted material. For ease of reference, they are provided here
as well.
Enhanced: This Charm is found in association with the Hero
Styles of the Exalted. When the Charm is learned by its native
type of Exalt, it gains the benefits of the Enhancement feature
described at the end of the Charm.
Merged: Charms with this keyword are found in multiple Attributes (or Abilities for Solars, Sidereals, and Terrestrials). It
may be purchased with any listed Attribute, with appropriate
alterations. For example, if a Merged Charm requires Stamina
3 and adds (Stamina) successes to a roll, its Intelligence variation requires Intelligence 3 and adds (Intelligence) successes.
A Charm merged into another Attribute has the same prerequisite unless otherwise noted. As a special case, if the above
example required Any Stamina Charm, its Intelligence version
requires Any Intelligence Charm instead. Once the Exalt has
learned a Merged Charm, he may use it as a prerequisite for
any Charm that specifically requires it as a prerequisite, regardless of which Attribute he purchased it for or which Attribute
the new Charm is in.
Native: Charms with this keyword may only be purchased by
the type of being for whom the Charm is part of his natural
set. For example, Nocturnals may only purchase Nocturnal
Charms with the Native keyword. They may never be learned
through the use of the Eclipse Anima Power or similar methods. Flux Charms are inherently Native.

General Charms

Excellencies and Attribute Charms

First (Attribute) Excellency
Essence Overwhelming

Cost: 1m per die, (1wp); Mins: Attribute 1, Essence 1;

Type: Reflexive (Step 1 for attacker, Step 2 for defender)
Keywords: Combo-OK
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: None

The Harlequin may increase her (Attribute)-based dice
pool by spending up to (temporary willpower) motes. If this
adds more than (Attribute) dice, she must expend one temporary willpower to do so.

Second (Attribute) Excellency

Essence Triumphant

Cost: 2m per success, (1wp); Mins: Attribute 1, Essence 1;

Type: Reflexive (Step 1 for attacker, Step 2 for defender)
Keywords: Combo-OK
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: None

By spending up to (temporary willpower) motes, the
Harlequin may add one additional success to any (Attribute)
dice pool for every two motes spent. As with other Essence
Triumphants, each success added counts as two dice from
Charms and the Nocturnal must spend a willpower if these
dice more than doubles her effective Attribute.

Third (Attribute) Excellency

Essence Resurgent

Cost: 1wp; Mins: Attribute 1, Essence 1;

Type: Reflexive (Step 4 for attacker, Step 6 for defender)
Keywords: Combo-OK
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: None

The Harlequin wills herself through failure. By spending
one willpower, the Nocturnal may be reroll one (Attribute)
roll or add half her temporary willpower to a derived static
value. As usual, the Third Excellency can never be used on the
same roll as a First or Second Excellency.

Transcendent (Attribute) Potential

Cost: 2m+, 1wp; Mins: Attribute 5, Essence 4;

Type: Simple
Keywords: None
Duration: One Scene
Prerequisite Charms: First or Second (Attribute) Excellency

The Harlequin can overwhelm her foes with pure expression of will and mastery of her innate aptitudes, but she
must do so quickly. For every two motes spent on this Charm,
the Exalt may employ her (Attribute) Excellency as though she
had spent one mote for the Charms duration. Even a 0m Excellency must spend +1wp to add more than (Attribute) dice,
and can never add more than the Exalts current Temporary
Willpower at the time of the Excellency would be applied.

With a second purchase of this Charm at Essence 5+,
the Exalt increases her effective (Attribute) by one for every
four motes spent, for the purposes of determining when she
must pay the (+1wp) surcharge of her First and Second (Attribute) Excellencies.

Myriad Possibilities of (Attribute)

Cost: ; Mins: Attribute 5, Essence 4;

Type: Permanent
Keywords: Shaping
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: Third (Attribute) Excellency

For every action there are hundreds of equally likely outcomes and even more unlikely ones. Whenever an (Attribute)based action undertaken by another being results in an
outcome that does not suit the Harlequin, she may employ
her Third (Attribute) Excellency on that beings behalf as a
Shaping effect. This action must occur within (Essence x 5)
yards, and the Exalt must be aware of it in order to use this
effect. This may also be used on her foes. In either case, the
Exalt must accept the second result. This effect cannot be
used if another re-roll effect has already been used, such as the
targets own Third Excellency, but if the Nocturnal declares
the re-roll first, the target is explicitly allowed to apply his own
re-roll effects to make a third roll if desired. Static values may
not be altered using this effect.

A second purchase of this Charm at Essence 5+ allows
the Harlequin to reflexively spend four motes to regain one
Willpower whenever a reroll granted by her Third (Attribute)
Excellency results in more successes for herself or her allies, or
fewer successes for her foes, than the original roll.

Willful (Attribute) Bolstering

Cost: 4m per Temporary Willpower; Mins: Attribute 6, Essence 6;

Type: Simple
Keywords: Combo-Basic, Native
Duration: One Scene
Prerequisite Charms: Transcendent (Attribute) Potential or
Myriad Possibilities of (Attribute)

The adamant will of the Harlequin feeds her natural
ability; and her natural ability bolsters her will. This Charm
effectively creates a second Temporary Willpower track. For
every four motes spent she adds one point of Temporary
Willpower to this new Track, to a maximum of two points for
each dot of Permanent Essence she has over 5. This willpower
may only be spent to enhance rolls involving the chosen Attribute or to activate Charms of the chosen Attribute. If a
Charm of the chosen Attribute defines its effects based on
the characters Temporary Willpower, such as First (Attribute)
Excellency, these points also count toward that effect. If the
Exalt successfully performs a 2+ dice stunt involving the
chosen Attribute, she may restore a point of this additional
Temporary Willpower; other 2+ dice stunts never restore this
willpower. Only one version of Willful (Attribute) Bolstering
may be active at a time.

(Attribute) and (Domain) Unity

Cost: ; Mins: Attribute 2, Essence 2; Type: Permanent

Keywords: Native
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: Any (Attribute) Excellency

The Harlequins mind and body are a microcosm of
Creation as a whole. Her own attributes correspond to the
Domains that form the substrate of existence. Each Attribute
corresponds to a specific Domain. Strength to the Stone;
Dexterity to the Chisel; Stamina to the Statue; etc. Once she
has learned this Charm, the Exalt treats all her (Attribute) Excellencies as though they were also corresponding (Domain)
Excellencies.

STRENGTH

Attack Enhancement Charms

Position of Uncertainty Offense

Cost: 4m; Mins: Strength 4, Essence 2;

Type: Supplemental
Keywords: Chance, Combo-OK
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Any Strength Charm

Of all the possible methods of attack, the Harlequin
cannot select just one. Instead he learns to gamble and let
chance decide how (and sometimes who) he will attack. This
Charm enhances a physical attack. Upon activation in Step
One, the Nocturnal vanishes and his player rolls a Chance die
to determine how he reappears.
1:

Reappearing as suddenly as he vanished, the Exalts

attack rushes forward at terminal velocity. The
attack may employ Strength in place of Dexterity, including the use of related Excellencies, and proceeds
normally from there.

Chapter Five Charms

85

2-3:

The Nocturnal reappears within range and ready to

attack another enemy within the Engagement Range
of his original target. The Nocturnal may only direct
his motion if he spent willpower to choose this option; otherwise the new target is chosen randomly by
the Storyteller.

4-5:

The Exalts weapon appears first, followed by the

Exalt. This imposes the usual -2 External Penalty for
blindness on the target. If such a penalty would have
already applied to the target, it is instead doubled.

6-7:

The Nocturnal appears, trailing the echoes of other

possibilities and imposing an Onslaught Penalty
equal to the Rate of her weapon, in addition to other
applicable penalties.

8-9:

Multiple versions of the Exalt surround the target,

imposing a Coordinated Attack penalty equal to his
Essence, in addition to other applicable penalties.
All but one version vanish again once the attack is
resolved.

10:

The Nocturnal reappears behind his target, making

the attack unexpected. This option may not be intentionally selected unless the Exalt has Essence 3+.

Defenses Fractured and Warped

behind the Nocturnal. The Nocturnal may avoid this hazard

if her own attack was unexpected.

Armor and Cloth Juxtaposition

Cost: 1m per -1L/-2B, (3m,1wp); Mins: Strength 3, Essence 2;

Type: Supplemental
Keywords: Combo-OK, Obvious, Shaping
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Any Strength Charm

The Nocturnal warrior excels at putting his opponent
in unfavorable conditions. With this Charm the Harlequin
transforms his opponents armor into a less protective sort,
just long enough to slip his blade into the enemys vulnerable flesh. This may turn a suit of articulated plate into a
thin layer of chainmail, or a chainmail shirt into a broken,
rusting tangle provided he pays enough motes to warrant
the change. The more motes spent, the more dramatic the
alteration. With a second purchase of this Charm at Strength
5+, Essence 3+, the Exalt may instead spend three motes and
one willpower to completely remove her targets armor, leaving him in whatever sort of clothing he would normally wear
in casual circumstances. This Charm has no effect on ethereal
armor such as that created with Glorious Solar Plate.

Shields to Rust

Cost: 1m per -1DV; Mins: Strength 3, Essence 2; Type:

Supplemental
Keywords: Combo-OK, Obvious, Shaping
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Any Strength Charm

Time rushes ahead of the Heralds attack, announcing
her lethal intent. Her target can find no shelter from this
impending onslaught. This Charm hampers a targets defense
temporarily aging them into disrepair: his shields and cover
into disrepair and ruin. When contending with a shield-wielding opponent, the Nocturnal may spend a number of motes
equal to half the Defense rating of the shield to lower the
targets DV by one for every mote spent. After the attack, they
revert to their normal condition. Alternatively, it may be used
to reduce the DV bonus provided by cover no greater than
90%, as cracks open in walls and columns erode away to allow
for the passage of the Nocturnals attack. After the attack is
resolved, all changes wrought by this Charm are undone.

Cost: 5m (+2m, 1wp); Mins: Strength 5, Essence 3; Type:

Supplemental
Keywords: Combo-OK, Merged, Obvious
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Position of Uncertainty Offense

The most determined of the Harlequins will shatter reality if it means the defeat of their foes. An attack supplemented
by this Charm may be enhanced in one of two ways. If the
Exalt qualifies for both, he may pay an additional two motes
and a willpower to apply both effects to the attack.
If the Exalt knows Position of Uncertainty Offense and
possesses Strength 5+, the supplemented attack becomes
unblockable as it punches through the intervening space and
bypasses such defenses.
if the Exalt knows One Stone, Two Birds and possesses Dexterity 5+, the supplemented attack becomes undodgeable as
the Harlequin appears wherever his foe might try to flee.
Quantum Assassin Tunnel

Merged: Defenses Fractured and Warped (Dexterity, Cost: 1m, 1wp; Mins: Strength 5, Essence 3;
Prerequisite Charms: One Stone, Two Birds)
Type: Supplemental
Keywords: Combo-OK, Obvious
Between the Body and the Guard
Duration: Instant
Cost: 6m; Mins: Strength 5, Essence 3;
Prerequisite Charms: Shields to Rust
Type: Supplemental

The Exalt strikes at a foe who hides behind a solid barKeywords: Combo-OK, Obvious, Shaping
rier.
The
Exalts sword bounces off the wall or the arrow beDuration: Instant
comes
lodged
in the masonry. A phantom echo of the attack
Prerequisite Charms: Defenses Fractured and Warped
continues
on,
rippling through the barrier as a possibility of

The Herald sees and exploits the smallest gaps in dewhat
might
have
been had the barrier not stopped the attack.
fenses. This Charm supplements an attack against a target
The
attack
may
pass
through up to (Temporary Willpower)
protected by a Defend Other Action. The Nocturnal shifts
feet
of
solid
material,
excluding armor. It then continues out
positions of her target and his defender. If the defender is
to
its
normal
range.
If
the attack passed through more than
immune to Shaping effects, this Charm provides no benefits.
(targets
Perception)
feet
of material, it is considered unexOtherwise, the Nocturnal appears between her target and
pected,
with
a
difficulty
to
detect equal to the additional feet
the defender in a flash of her anima, just long enough to
of
material
through
which
it travelled, to a maximum of 5.
launch one attack without the defenders interference, before
The
Exalt
must
have
some
way
to detect the target beyond the
returning to her original position. If the defender is capable
barrier
in
order
to
make
this
attack.
Used in conjunction with
of making a counterattack against the Nocturnal, he may do
Arena
Hopping
Advance,
this
Charm
allows the Exalt himself
so as though he had been attacked, and this counterattack
to
pass
through
such
a
barrier
to
make
the attack.
gains the benefit of being unexpected as the defender is now
Behind the Fading Barrier

86

Cost: (+3m or +6m); Mins: Strength 5, Essence 3; Type:

Permanent
Keywords: None
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: Armor to Cloth Juxtaposition, Shields
to Rust

This Charm permanently enhances its prerequisites.
The Shaping effects caused by these Charms do not revert
back to their original state immediately. The duration of both
Charms is extended to One Action for three additional motes.
A second purchase at Essence 4+ extends the duration to One
Scene for six additional motes. A third purchase at Essence
5+ makes the shaping until the end of Calibration. Used in
this way, these Charms are treated as Instant-duration, Fluxkeyworded Charms and cause the Exalt to gain one Paradox
die for mundane armor and (Artifact rating) Paradox dice
otherwise.

Infinite Prismatic Arsenal

Cost: 8m; Mins: Strength 2, Essence 2;

Type: Simple
Keywords: Chance, Combo-Basic, Obvious
Duration: One Scene
Prerequisite Charms: None

This Charm causes a mundane weapon to materialize
out of the possibilities underlying fate. It is an echo from the
past or a dream from a possible future. Always it has some
special connection to the Nocturnal. A sword he lost months
ago, the arrow that slew his grandmothers first love causing
her to marry his grandfather instead, the scythe his unborn
descendants may one day use to harvest grain in an unplanted
field. All are possible. In a vibrant blue and indigo swirls, a
variety of readied weapons manifest on the Nocturnals body.
Upon activating this Charm, the Exalt rolls a Chance die and
receives a weapon of his choice as described. In addition to
the weapons and ammunition created by this Charm, the
Exalt also gains whatever scabbards, quivers, holsters, etc.,
would normally be required to carry them. In all cases a group
of (Essence x 5) Resource 0 items, such as mundane arrows
or knives, may be acquired as though they collectively cost
Resources 1. At the end of the Charm, the item vanishes as it
appeared.
1:

Any number of mundane weapons or ammunition

costing no more than a total of Resource 1.

2-3:

Any number of mundane weapons or ammunition

costing no more than a total of Resources 2.

4-5:

Any number of mundane weapons or ammunition

costing no more than a total of Resources 3.

6-7:

Any number of mundane weapons or ammunition

costing no more than a total of Resources 4.

8-9:

Any number of mundane weapons or ammunition

costing no more than a total of Resources 5.

10:

The Exalt gains a specific an Adamant Artifact with

a rating no higher than 3, which his player selects at
the time he purchases this Charm. Paired weapons,
including a one-handed weapon and a shield, may
be chosen as well so long their individual Artifact
rating is 2 or less. In the case of bows and the like,
the Exalt also gains an unlimited supply of Resource
0 ammunition to accompany the Artifact. The Exalt
may spend willpower to choose this option only if
he also knows Thousand-Faceted Mercenary Armaments. This Charm may be purchased (Essence)
times. The Exalt gains a different artifact or artifact
pair with each purchase and may select from the
available artifacts freely when this option is rolled
or chosen.

Thousand-Faceted Mercenary Armaments

Cost: ; Mins: Strength 4, Essence 3;

Type: Permanent
Keywords: Merged, Native
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: None

Even a Herald who has committed herself to the bloody
necessity of combat cannot commit to merely one method of
delivering death to the enemies of Creation. The way of the
sword and the way of the bow call to her equally. The hammer
and the axe have their appeal as well. This Charm allows the
Exalt to keep all his options open. When attuning to Adamant artifacts, excluding N/A artifacts, the Exalt pays the full
commitment for the artifact with the highest attunement cost.
Thereafter, he reduces the commitment cost of all Adamant
weapons to one mote and all non-weapon Adamant artifacts
to two motes. The total commitment to such discounted
artifacts may not exceed the cost of the original item. Any
artifacts beyond this limit must be committed as normal. If
the Exalt commits to an artifact with a greater attunement
cost than the original item, the new artifact takes precedence
and costs are adjusted appropriately.

Merged: Thousand-Faceted Mercenary Armaments
(Intelligence, Stamina).

The Fork in the Road

Many Nocturnal Charms require Any (Attribute)
Charm as their prerequisite. Also, several introductory Charms are Merged with other Attributes, such
as Thousand-Faceted Mercenary Armaments. Being
Merged, the Exalted can acquire this Charm as either a
Strength Charm or a Stamina Charm. However for the
purposes of satisfying the prerequisites of other Charms,
it counts only for the Attribute it was purchased through,
not both. Therefore, if the Exalt purchased this Charm as
a Strength Charm, he must acquire a different Stamina
Charm to satisfy the Any Stamina Charm requirement.

A Cut In Time

Cost: 1m; Mins: Strength 3, Essence 2;

Type: Simple (Speed 3)
Keywords: Combo-OK, Merged, Obvious
Duration: Indefinite
Prerequisite Charms: None

The Herald no longer waits for his inheritance of his
ancestors or the borrowed gifts of his descendants. His own
weapons arrive precisely when they are needed. The Exalt
selects an appropriate object that he owns upon activating this

Chapter Five Charms

87

Charm. In a vortex of sky blue and indigo light, the object

vanishes. It is carried through the vortex to a point in the
future when the Exalt decommits the mote, re-opening the
vortex and extracting the item once more. For the duration of
this Charm it is treated as though it were in Elsewhere. With
Strength 3+, this Charm works on weapons; with Stamina 3+
it works with armor; with Intelligence 3+ it works with miscellaneous tools and items. Shields may be treated as either
weapons or armor for the purposes of this Charm.

The Exalt may also use this Charm on items created by
Infinite Prismatic Arsenal, Armor Summoning Methodology,
or Basic Necessities Provisions, launching these items backwards through time to the point when he originally summoned
then. Once all the items created by one of those Charms have
been returned to the past, the Exalt in the present is refunded
the eight motes committed to the Charm originally. Used
in this fashion, this Charm becomes Duration: Instant and
causes the Nocturnal to gain one Paradox.

Merged: A Cut In Time (Stamina, Intelligence).

Damage Enhancement Charms

Remembered Mortality

place? Demonstrating mercy upon her foes, the Exalt grants

him a second chance at life.
This Charm enhances a killing blow. When the Exalt would
otherwise kill a living opponent, she may instead choose to activate this Charm. Instead of dying, the opponent transforms
into an infant version of himself, stripped of the memories
and training of his life as though his soul had passed through
Lethe. If the target is a Celestial Exalted, the Exaltation departs
for a better host, treating him as dead. Terrestrial Exaltation,
bound to the Exalt by blood as it is, is suppressed until the
baby once again matures. Alchemical Exalts are completely
immune to this Charm.

Kalpa: In some Manvantara, Sidereal Exaltations are
not released upon the Viziers reversion to infancy. Instead,
the Exaltation continues to recognize the infant as its destined
heir and will not abandoned him. The lingering Exaltation
waits until the child matures to Exalt him once again.
In most Manvantara, the spirits and Primordials slain with
this Charm do not usually become infant-versions of themselves. Typically, if they would not have been permanently
slain, they revive as normal, minus any memories of the scene
during which the Exalt employed this Charm. If they would
have been slain permanently, they still revive normally, but
without any of their past memories. However, in a few Manvantara, this Charm does create infant versions of spirits and
primordials, stripped of all memories, even if that being never
had such a period of infancy or had a very different period
of infancy (such as a mortal who ascended to godhood). In
the case of Primordials, if they would have been permanently
slain, this spares them from becoming Neverborn but adds a
suitable infantile or child-like trait or two to their Excellency.
This change ripples through the Primordials entire nature,
altering its aesthetics but not its general power.

Cost: 1m; Mins: Strength 2, Essence 1;

Type: Supplemental
Keywords: Combo-OK, Crippling, Sickness
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: None
Ever since the first Neverborn descended toward
Oblivion, the mightiest of beings have learned to fear their
own demise. Even the Chosen were once mortals themselves
and lived under that same fear. This Charm supplements a
physical attack. Any damage done by this Charm should be
marked uniquely. As a Crippling effect, this damage will heal
no faster than it would for a mortal unless Charms or other Accidental Amputation
magical effects are applied. Additionally, as a Sickness effect, Cost: 4m (+2m), 1wp; Mins: Strength 5, Essence 4;
the victim of this damage must resist infection as a mortal Type: Supplemental
while the damage remains.
Keywords: Combo-OK, Crippling, Obvious, Shaping, Suspicious
Recollection of Pain
Cost: 5m; Mins: Strength 4, Essence 3; Type: Supplemental Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Recollection of Pain
Keywords: Combo-OK, Shaping, Stackable

Creation is a dangerous place and any of a thousand
Duration: Instant
missteps
could leave a person beyond the help of mortal
Prerequisite Charms: Remembered Mortality

No foe, no matter how insurmountable, is invincible. medicine. The Harlequin cuts deep into her targets past
If the Harlequin cannot harm him, then someone else at and severs a limb from the body, changing a targets physical
some other time will. A physical attack supplemented with history with a single metaphysical blow. If a physical attack
this Charm tangles the targets Fate. Past injuries and future supplemented with this Charm inflicts at least one level of
wounds overlap with the targets present, causing intense damage, the Nocturnal inflicts a Crippling effect (Exalted,
pain. If the attack hits, the Nocturnal does not apply damage p. 152). A subsesquent Shaping effect warps the wound to
in Step 10. Instead, the target suffers an additional -1 wound disguise its origins. The retroactive crippling injury must be
penalty for each damage success the Nocturnals player rolled. something the target could have experienced in his past and
These stack with the targets normal wound penalties and last potentially survived with the help of mundane medicine.
Since it is resphaped as though it had already healed naturally,
for the remainder of the scene.
only magical healing can repair this damage. For example, if
attacking bandits near Gethemane, the Nocturnal may strike
Oaks to Acorns
an opponent and cause him to lose a foot to frostbite, but such
Cost: 1m; Mins: Strength 5, Essence 4;
an injury would be inappropriate for desert nomads in the far
Type: Reflexive (Step 10)
south. Limbs severed with this Charm disappear completely,
Keywords: Combo-OK, Flux, Kalpa
but the wounds do not bleed and are otherwise fully heal as
Duration: Instant
best as they naturally could. This Charm does not actually
Prerequisite Charms: Recollection of Pain

Death is abhorrent to Nox and his Heralds. It is cessa- change any portion of the victims past, but the Loom of Fate
tion of possibilities. Even in the days of the Bound God and is fooled by this Charm. Though everyone recalls the victim
his Harlequins, the Underworld offers only a pale mockery having all his limbs the day before meeting the Nocturnal, an
of life surrounding the bottomless well of anhilation. What examination of the Loom reveals that he did, indeed, lose his
Nocturnal in good conscious could banish his foes to such a arm to a tyrant lizard attack three months earlier.

88


At Essence 5+, this Charm allows the Nocturnal to
spend an additional two motes to inflict an Illusion effect on
the victim and all who witness the attack. The Illusion imposes the false history the Nocturnal concocted to justify the
injury upon the memories of those affected. The target suffers
this automatically, but may resist by spending willpower equal
to the damage inflicted by the attack, to a maximum of 5. Witnesses whose Mental Dodge DV is less than the Nocturnals
([Strength or Stone Domain] + current temporary willpower)
also gain this Illusion but may resist by immediately spending two willpower. If they do not spend this willpower immediately, the victim cannot do so later until contradictory
evidence is presented.

Imitations of Strength

Cost: 4m; Mins: Strength 5, Essence 4;

Type: Supplemental
Keywords: Chance, Combo-OK, Obvious
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Any Strength Charm

The lightest touch of the Harlequin could have been
worse and the Nocturnals opponents soon learn to fear her,
no matter how soft her attacks appear to be. This Charm is activated in Step 1, as usual, and the Exalt must spend willpower
and select an option then if she wishes to do so. Otherwise,
the Chance die is rolled in Step 7.
1:

The attacks Minimum Damage increases by one or

by two if the Exalt currently has 8+ Temporary Willpower remaining. The attack becomes Overwhelming if was not already.

2-3:

The attack becomes Piercing or subtracts an additional -2 from the targets armor if already Piercing,
to the usual minimum.

4-5:

The target is knocked back (Nocturnals Temporary

Willpower) yards. This adds the Knockback-keyword
to this Charm and stacks with other Knockback effects. If the target strikes a hard object, he suffers a
die of bashing damage for each yard he would have
continued to travel. Striking a particularly dangerous object may convert this damage to lethal.

6-7:

If the target unsuccessfully parried this attack with

a mundane weapon, it receives the full force of the
Nocturnals fury. It shatters, scattering shrapnel
with horrific force. This destroys the weapon and
creates a one-time Environmental effect with Damage 4L, Trauma 2 and a radius of (Strength) yards.
The Nocturnal and anyone who stands behind her
is immune to this damage.

8-9:

The targets lungs are filled with the vacuum of the

Firmament, causing him to rapidly asphyxiate as a
Crippling effect. In addition to any damage inflicted
by this attack, the target continues to take one level
of Bashing Damage every action until he catches his
breath with a difficulty 4 (Strength + Resistance)
roll as a Miscellaneous action. This has no effect on
someone who is already under its influence or does
not require air to breath.

10:

The target takes the Nocturnals Essence in unsoakable levels of lethal damage rather than the usual
dice of damage.

Frothing Quantum Fury

Cost: (1wp); Mins: Strength 5, Essence 3;

Type: Permanent
Keywords: Chance, Native, Overdrive
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: Position of Uncertainty Offense or
Imitations of Strength

The Harlequins motes quiver with a thousand possible
offensives all waiting to be realized. Eventually, these attacks
boil over and are unleashed upon her foes. This Charm grants
the Exalt an Overdrive pool of ten motes. The first time each
scene she rolls Join Battle, she may spend one willpower to
roll a die, adding that many motes to the pool as a Chance
effect; she may never spend willpower to select the results of
this Chance die. Additionally, the first time each Tick that she
rolls a Chance die due to another Charm, she adds one mote
to her Overdrive pool.

Cometary Impact Technique

Cost: 4m; Mins: Strength 4, Essence 2;

Type: Supplemental
Keywords: Combo-OK, Obvious
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Any Strength Charm

The Heralds might is awe-inspiring and devastating.
This Charm supplements a ranged attack made with a physical projectile whose flight is powered by the Exalts own force,
such as an arrow or throwing knife. The projectile momentarily unravels into raw potential, a miniature comet glowing
with a fierce brightness, and trailing a brilliant tail the color
of the Nocturnals animain the case of an Empyrean this
instead takes the form of roiling black smoke. This Charm
adds (Essence +4) dice of damage to the attack, ignites flammable material, and can be seen for (Essence x 10) miles with
an unobstructed view. After unleashing its potential energy,
the projectile collapses back into proper form.

With Strength 5+, the Exalt can accelerate her attacks
with devastating force even over short distances. This Charm
can now be used with hand-to-hand attacks as well.

Blast Front Concussion

Cost: ; Mins: Strength 5, Essence 2;

Type: Permanent
Keywords: Knockdown
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: Cometary Impact Technique

The world recoils from the shock of the Exalts attack.
At the point of impact, all beings within (Strength) yards of
the target of an attack enhanced with this Charms prerequisite must check for knockdown.

Unstoppable Bolide Improvisation

Cost: (+5m); Mins: Strength 5, Essence 3;

Type: Permanent
Keywords: None
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: Cometary Impact Technique

In the hands of a Herald, what could not be a deadly
weapon? This Charm permanently enhances its prerequisite,
maximizing the lethal potential of any object driven by his
might. Improvised weapons used with attacks supplemented
by Cometary Impact Technique increase their Accuracy to
+(Perception) and their Damage to the +(Strength + Athletics required to throw the improvised weapon as a Feat of
Strength). The Range of these attacks becomes (Strength x 5)
yards.

Also, the Exalt may pay five additional motes to enhance
any attack supplemented with Cometary Impact Technique

Chapter Five Charms

89

further. If the attack is successful or if it is dodged, it is resolved as normal then carries on to the next potential target
along a straight line. This continues until the attack is parried
or it reaches its maximum range, whichever occurs first. Such
attacks automatically smash through any objects which the
Exalt possesses the necessary (Strength + Athletics) to break as
a Feat of Strength.

Burning Ejecta Maelstrom

Cost: (+3m or +5m); Mins: Strength 5, Essence 4; Type:

Permanent
Keywords: None
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: Cometary Impact Technique

The unbridled majesty of the gladiator scours the
battlefield. This Charm upgrades its prerequisite, causing the
projectile to explode upon impact with its final destination,
for an additional surcharge of (+3m). All mundane weapons
are completely destroyed by this effect; artifact and natural
weapons are unharmed. The explosion inflicts a one-time
Environmental damage effect with a radius of (Strength +
Essence) yards, Damage (Strength)L, and Trauma (Essence).
If the Exalt also knows Instantaneous Destruction Technique,
this damage is doubled against inanimate objects. At Essence 6+ the Exalt doubles his Strength for the purposes of
determining Damage, both for the initial attack and for the
explosion.

A second purchase of this Charm extends the duration
of this devastation for (+5m). When she causes a projectile to
explode, it now erupts into a towering mushroom cloud. This
maintains the visibility radius of Cometary Impact Technique
for the remainder of the scene and ignites a firestorm beneath
it. The environmental damage effect of this Charm lasts for
(Strength) actions, inflicting damage once an action to all beings caught its radius, except the Exalt herself.

Feats of Strength Charms

Enlightening Material Falsification

Cost: 3m; Mins: Strength 2, Essence 2;

Type: Supplemental
Keywords: Combo-OK, Obvious, Shaping, Touch
Duration: Indefinite
Prerequisite Charms: Any Strength Charm

Across Creation a variety of materials are used in construction of all manner of buildings and items. Among these
possibilities, the Nocturnal may find one that better suits
her needs. As long as the Nocturnal touches the item, she
subtracts her (Strength x 2) from the (Strength + Athletics)
required for related Feats of Strength (Exalted, p. 127) or she
may double her raw damage against an inanimate object. At
Essence 3+, this Charm also allows the Nocturnal to invert
its effects adding her (Strength x 2) to required Feats of
Strengths or halving raw damage against the object so long
as she maintains contact with the item. This Charm physically transforms the object into a suitable material, which may
defined with as part of a stunt, as she transforms prison bars
to balsa wood or a wicker basket to an steel drum.

Instantaneous Destruction Technique

Cost: 4m, (+1wp); Mins: Strength 3, Essence 4;

Type: Supplemental
Keywords: Calibration-OK, Combo-OK, War
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Enlightening Material Falsification

On the battlefield, time is urgent. One cannot wait while
battering rams hammer at city gates or individual soldiers hack

90

through barricades. This Charm allows the Exalt to break an

object instantly if he his (Strength + Athletics) would permit
him to break it as a Feat of Strength, or multiplies his pre-soak
damage against an object by his Strength. Also, by expending
a point of willpower, the Nocturnal may extend this benefit to
a complimentary unit with a Magnitude no greater than his
Essence. During Calibration, add the Nocturnals Essence to
his Strength for all purposes related to this Charm.

Alchemy and Sabotage Touch

Cost: (+2m, 1wp); Mins: Strength 4, Essence 4;

Type: Permanent
Keywords: Flux
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: Enlightening Material Falsification

This Charm permanently enhances its prerequisite, rendering the transformation permanent if the Nocturnal pays
the surcharge.

Empty Box Imagination

Cost: 1m; Mins: Strength 3, Essence 2;

Type: Reflexive
Keywords: Combo-OK, Touch, Shaping
Duration: Indefinite
Prerequisite Charms: None

As far as the Harlequin is concerned, anything he cannot perceive might not exist. As long as the Nocturnal cannot
see the contents of a container small enough to carry on his
person, he may treat it as though it were empty with regards
to its weight. A second purchase of this Charm at Strength
4+, Essence 3+ allows the Exalt to also regard it as empty with
regards to volume, allowing him to place more objects in the
container than could naturally be permitted. However, if he
adds more than could be held by (Strength) such containers,
this Charm becomes Suspicious.

Broom Closets to Ballrooms

Cost: 5m, 1wp; Mins: Strength 4, Essence 4;

Type: Simple
Keywords: Combo-OK, Flux, Obvious
Duration: Indefinite
Prerequisite Charms: Empty Box Imagination (x2)

The closed door beckons to the Harlequin to reveal the
mysteries that hide behind it. As he opens the door, so long
as there are no beings with Essence 2+ on the other side to
observe the rooms current state, he may activate this Charm.
The space within the room expands rapidly as the door swings
open, multiplying the rooms interior volume by the Exalts
Strength. The exterior volume remains constant. Within this
increased space, the Exalt may define additional architectural
features, such as adding walls or staircases, but must remain
true to the overall architectural style and construction materials. The room, however, is bare of any items save what it
originally contained. A second purchase of this Charm at
Essence 6+ multiplies the volume of the space by (Strength x
10).

Fitness Charms

Hidden Might Physique

Cost: ; Mins: Strength 2, Essence 1;

Type: Permanent
Keywords: Illusion, Merged
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: None

While the Unconquered Sun flaunts his power, Noxs
strength is subtle and unassuming. Once a Nocturnal has

learned this Charm, his physique remains lean regardless

of how high his Strength or Stamina rises. While he gains
increasing definition, he does not gain any apparent increase
in associated muscle mass. This is not merely a cosmetic effect. While performing Strenuous Activity (Exalted, p. 130),
while engaged in physical combat or in any Scene immediately
following engagement in Strenuous Activity or physical combat, the Nocturnal adds his half his Strength or Stamina to
his effective Appearance. At all other times, the Nocturnal
adds a similar number of dice to all attempts to hide his true
strength, both literally and metaphorically, as an Illusion effect. As usual, the Storyteller is the final arbiter of when this
bonus applies.

Merged: Hidden Might Physique (Stamina)

Companion backgrounds to his Strength for the purposes of

determining how many hours of healing the Charm creates.

Tumbling Troupe Technique

Cost: 3m, 1wp; Mins: Strength 3, Essence 2;

Type: Simple
Keywords: Touch, War
Duration: One Scene
Prerequisite Charms: Any Strength Charm

The Harlequin needs his entire troupe at peak fitness
to perform the elaborate feats his kind is famous for. The
Nocturnal may use this Charm to enhance an individual or
a unit with a Magnitude no greater than (Essence) if he leads
it, or (Essence +2) if he serves as a special character within
it. This may only enhance one unit or up to (Essence) indiMilitant Artist Intimidation
viduals. For the remainder of the scene, all beings benefiting
Cost: 4m; Mins: Strength 2, Essence 3;
from this Charm may substitute their own Athletics with the
Type: Reflexive (Step 1 or Step 2)
Nocturnals Strength and may halt their bleeding as though
Keywords: Combo-OK, Social, Mandate
they were Exalted. Additionally, individuals affected by this
Duration: Instant
Charm treat 10s as one additional success on all Strength- or
Prerequisite Charms: Hidden Might Physique
Athletics-based rolls except damage; for mass combat units,

In days of old, the Heralds were experts of placing troops this Charm ensures a minimum Might of 1.
and military installations in positions to maximize their
intimidating qualities. Even todays Harlequins remember Lead By Example
these techniques. If a military unit to which the Nocturnal Cost: 5m, (1wp); Mins: Strength 4, Essence 3;
belongs comes under threat of a social or mental influence or Type: Simple
attempts to levee such an influence against an opposing force, Keywords: Combo-OK, Suspicious, War
the Nocturnal may use this Charm to add the units Might in Duration: One Scene
automatic successes. Additionally, this Charm may be used to Prerequisite Charms: Tumbling Troupe Technique
Fighting shoulder to shoulder with the front line, the
add a Dominions Military rating to its Culture for a single
action that the Nocturnal guides as sorcerer or savant. In such Herald bolsters the might of any unit in which he serves as a
cases, the Nocturnals player rolls (Dominions Military) dice Hero. While doing so, he also counts as one Relay. The Close
Combat Attack of the unit is increased to half his (Martial
and the Dominion gains one point of limit per success.
Arts or Melee) and its Ranged Attack is increased to half his
Twice-Beating Heart Exercise
(Archery or Thrown), if otherwise lower. Close Combat and
Cost: 10m; Mins: Strength 4, Essence 2;
Ranged Damage are likewise increased to half the Exalts
Type: Reflexive
Strength if lower. The units Drill may also be increased to
Keywords: Calibration-OK, Combo-OK
half his War rating. The Nocturnal must make one attack as
Duration: Indefinite
a solo unit each action for the unit as a whole to gain this
Prerequisite Charms: None
benefit. The traits revert to their true value on any action the

The Harlequin keeps himself fit and healthy at all times, Nocturnals does not attempt such an attack.
strengthening his body for battles ahead. As his heart races
If the unit lacks a Commander, either because it never
from the exertion, the rest of his body is forced to run all had one or because the Commander was slain by a duel or
the faster to keep up. While this Charm may be activated at a Called Shot, the Exalt may pay an additional willpower to
any time, the Exalt only gains its benefits while performing activate an optional Suspicious effect. The units Magnitude
Strenuous Activity. During such activities he ignores wound drops to (Essence -1) if it were higher. The remaining soldiers
or fatigue penalties and every hour spent in this way counts as fight on for the rest of the scene without a Commander. The
(Strength) hours of rest for the purposes of healing damage. Exalt effectively becomes its Commander for the purposes
During Calibration, it is considered (Strength x 2) hours of of determining the units dice pools, but continues to act
rest instead.
as a semi-independent character, as normal for a Hero. All
attempts to discern the units strategy fail, for it has none, as
Lovers Entwined Hearts
does any attempt to target the Commander for any reasonfor
Cost: ; Mins: Strength 4, Essence 3;
the same reason.
Type: Permanent
Keywords: None
We Are All Heralds
Duration: Permanent
Cost: 1-9m; Mins: Strength 5, Essence 3;
Prerequisite Charms: Twice-Beating Heart Exercise
Type: Reflexive (Step 10)

Rather than running one heart at twice the speed, the Keywords: Combo-OK, Emotion, Flux, Merged, War
Harlequin finds it better to run two hearts at once. The Exalt Duration: Instant
opens his body and soul and accepts the heart of a Sidereal Prerequisite Charms: Lead By Example
who uses Heartless Maiden Trance (Manual of Exalted Pow-
The Herald fights as a common soldier and is welcomed
er, vol. IIISidereals, p. 129-130). So long as the Harlequin among them. He is one of them. Who strikes at him, strikes
hides the Sidereals heart, the Sidereal is also considered to at all of them. While engaging in the duel on behalf of a Mass
be under the effects of Twice-Beating Heart Exercise and the Combat unit, the Nocturnal may activate this Charm should
cost of that Charm is reduced to five motes. If the Sidereal is he otherwise be slain during the fight. It is not the Exalt who
the Harlequins companion, they both add their combined fell, but one of his brothers in armsanother soldier from the
same unit who fought bravely, empowered by the Nocturnals

Chapter Five Charms

91

essence. This perfectly defends the Exalt from the possible

death.The cost of this Charm is (10 Units Magnitude),
minimum one mote. For obvious reason, this Charm cannot
be used when the Exalt is part of a Magnitude 0 solo unit.
The necessity of an alternate martyr constitutes a unique Flaw
of Invulnerability. Only mortals and Dragon-blooded may
become this martyr; heroic characters must have a Positive
Intimacy toward the Nocturnal and willingly accept the fatal
blow. Extras are considered to always consent. The Nocturnal
is healed of all damage received during the duel and all effects placed on him by his opponent are removed. He is still
drained of any motes, willpower, or other costs paid during
the fight.

The Exalt also gains a Positive Intimacy toward the martyr, recognizing him as a fallen hero as a self-inflicted Emotion
effect. He may regret the death of his compatriot, but he feels
no guilt. He aided the soldier as best he could and would
have done no better if he himself had fought in the soldiers
place. The Nocturnal will remember fondly those who died in
performing such valiant duty.

Merged: We Are All Heralds (Charisma, prerequisites:
Saturn Shuns the Willing)

Dashing Meteor Speed

Cost: 3m; Mins: Strength 4, Essence 2; Type: Simple (Speed

3)
Keywords: Combo-OK, Merged
Duration: One Scene
Prerequisite Charms: Any Strength Charm

With a blur of motion, barely noticed before it is has
gone, the Harlequin races past her competitors. The Nocturnal unites all forms of motion: she adds her Strength to her
Dash distance and her Dexterity to her Jump. Additionally,
she swims and climbs as a Move or Dash action, covering the
same amount of distance as she would walking or running.

Merged: Dashing Meteor Speed (Dexterity)

Momentous Comet-Warrior Method

Cost: 7m; Mins: Strength 5, Essence 3;

Type: Simple (Speed 4, DV -2)
Keywords: Calibration, Combo-Basic, Obvious
Duration: One Scene
Prerequisite Charms: Dashing Meteor Speed

The true might of the armigers are lost on those who now
treat them as mere gladiators. Focusing his mind on the task
of war, the Nocturnal becomes the champion he was meant
to be. For the Duration of this Charm, he twists the threads
of reality in his favor, bending and breaking destinies to
suit his own needs. When the Exalt channels Willpower on
an attack, he adds one to his minimum damage and adds (Essence) to the difficulty of all attempts to resist knockback or
knockdown from his attacks and to stop the bleeding from
any wound he inflicts so grievous are his empowered blows.
He may gain one Paradox rather than spend the willpower
cost of any First, Second, or Third Excellency. During Calibration, the Nocturnal adds one success to all his combat-related
actions, one to all his physical DVs, and gains one Paradox die
instead of one Paradox.

A second purchase of this Charm at Essence 4+ makes
this Charm Calibration-OK.

Broken Destiny Majestic

Cost: (+1-3m); Mins: Strength 5, Essence 3;

Type: Permanent
Keywords: Merged, Suspicious
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: Momentous Comet-Warrior Method

92

The strands of fate twist and coil around the overwhelming might of the Harlequin. This Charm upgrades its
prerequisite. Each mote spent lowers the doubling threshold
of the Nocturnals dice by one. For example, one mote spent
on this Charm makes all 9s count as two successes in addition
to 10s and three motes make all successes count twice. The
Nocturnal gains one die of Paradox each Action. Even though
this Charm affects the Nocturnal personally, if she fights beings within Fate it still is considered Suspicious.

Merged: Broken Destiny Majestic (Charisma, prerequisite: Entrancing Aurora Novelty; Intelligence, prerequisite:
Ingenious Singularity Advancement)

Falling Star Endowment

Cost: 10m, 2wp; Mins: Strength 5, Essence 3;

Type: Simple (Dramatic Action)
Keywords: Calibration, Mandate, Obvious, Touch, Training,
War
Duration: One Week
Prerequisite Charms: Tumbling Troupe Technique, Dashing
Meteor Speed

The Heralds of old cared for the fitness of their armies.
Their exercise regimes provided the Exalted military with
troops beyond compare. This Charm allows the Nocturnal to
train a unit with a Magnitude no greater than his Essence in
one of the following: Strength, Stamina, Athletics, Survival,
Medicine, War, or increase the Drill of the unit by one. This
Training time requires eight or more hours a day for one
week and adds one to the selected Trait, to a maximum of
the Exalts current rating or four, whichever is lower. During
Calibration, this training requires only five days, and may use
the higher of the Exalts rating or four to determine the maximum the training allows. The Exalt may use this Charm to
train himself. If the unit is loyal to a non-Nocturnal Celestial
commander the maximum Magnitude this Charm can train
is raised to (Essence +2).

When used in conjunction wih the Mandate of Heaven
rules, this Charm adds the Exalts Strength to the Dominions
Military for the season and causes the Dominion to gain one
Limit.

A second purchase of this Charm at Essence 4+ allows
the Exalt to train war and combat-related Specialties in any
Ability.

Movement Charms

Arena Hopping Advance

Cost: 1-2m; Mins: Strength 2, Essence 2;

Type: Supplemental
Keywords: Combo-OK, Obvious
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Any Strength Charm

For a single attack, the Harlequin blinks out of his present location and taps into another possible location closer to
his target. This effectively increases the range of his attack.
For one mote, he instantly moves up to (Essence x 2) yards
for a close combat attack. For two motes, he flashes across
a much large swath of territory, up to one range increment
of a ranged attack. The Nocturnal remains in his new location long enough for a single attack and any subsequent
counterattack but returns to his original position immediately
thereafter. A second purchase of this Charm at Essence 3+
increases the distance the Exalt may travel to (Essence x 5)
yards for close combat attacks or twice the range increment
of a ranged weapon. A third purchase at Essence 5+ allows
the Exalt to move up to (Essence x 10) yards or three times
the range increment of his weapon. If for some reason the

maximum distance allowed for close combat attacks would be Cost: 4m; Mins: Strength 5, Essence 3;
greater than that for his ranged attack, the Exalt may default Type: Simple
to the longer distance for his ranged attacks.
Keywords: Touch, Shaping, Stackable
Duration: Indefinite
Battlefield Leaping Maneuvers
Prerequisite Charms: Wilderness Vaulting Journey
Cost: 8m, 1wp; Mins: Strength 4, Essence 2;

Harlequins keep their friends close. Even when Mercury
Type: Reflexive
or Mars drive them apart, the Nocturnal knows of some posKeywords: Combo-OK, Obvious, Shaping, War
sible world where Venus held sway over their destiny and
Duration: Instant
kept them close. Breaking through the isolation of reality,
Prerequisite Charms: Arena Hopping Advance
the Nocturnal reaches across time and space transport his

As masters of war games and training exercises, the ally to himself. When activating this Charm, the Nocturnal
Heralds knew how to quickly place troops on a battlefield and touches a willing partner and commits four motes. For the
untangle units from conflict before they harmed themselves duration of this Charm, the Nocturnal may use Wilderness
too greatly. While attached to a unit, the Nocturnal may use Vaulting Journey to draw that person to himself. Effectively,
this Charm to augment its Move or Dash action and multiply the ally obeys all the rules associated with Wilderness Vaulting
the units movement distance by his own Essence. Travel Journey and her player makes all the necessary rolls to arrive
supplemented with this Charm is instantaneous, as the unit at her destination. The distance she travels counts toward the
flashes brilliantly and streaks across the battlefield as streams total distance that Wilderness Vaulting Journey may cover in
of essence the same color as the Exalts anima. These stream- a single day. The Nocturnal may use this Charm on up to
ers of essence move along the same path as the unit naturally (Essence) individuals simultaneously and must reapply to any
would and is slowed and blocked by obstacles in the same person he successfully transports. Any person touched by this
fashion. The Exalt may use this on any unit with an Magni- Charm may reflexively break the bonds of essence by spendtude no greater than (Essence) if he leads it or (Essence +2) if ing two willpower at any time up to and including the very
he serves as a special character within the unit.
moment of transportion.

Additionally, if the Nocturnals unit is currently engaged
with another unit and is attempting to disengage, the Noc- Intimate Interests Relocation
turnal may use this Charm to move his unit up to its aug- Cost: (+2m); Mins: Strength 5, Essence 4;
mented Dashing distance away, provide he first succeeds at a Type: Permanent
Willpower roll with a difficulty of the opposing commanders Keywords: Nox
Essence.
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Wilderness Vaulting Journey
Wilderness Vaulting Journey

The Harlequin is drawn to the things she cares about.
Cost: 10m, 1wp; Mins: Strength 5, Essence 3;
They call to her and she comes as quickly as she can. This
Type: Simple (Speed 5, DV -2)
Charm permanently enhances its prerequisite. Whenever an
Keywords: Obvious, Calibration-OK
Intimacy is within one mile, she becomes superficially aware
Duration: Instant
of its existence. She knows neither its location nor nature. For
Prerequisite Charms: Arena Hopping Advance
two additional motes, she may activate Wilderness Vaulting

Time does not hinder the Nocturnals travelhe simply Journey to transport herself to a safe location in the vicinity
taps into a possible world where he has already arrived at his of that Intimacy. For example, if a Nocturnal had both an
destination. With this Charm the Nocturnal disappears in a Intimacy for Free Drinks and an Intimacy for Bar Fights, this
flash of his anima and a streamer of anima-colored essence, Charm would give her a sense that somewhere within one
invisible to the mortal eye, streaks along his most probable mile one of the two was currently occurring. She could then
path. Obstacles along this path may still stop the Nocturnal elect to transport herself there, either to find a new father has
before arriving where he intends. The Nocturnal and the just bought a round of drinks for everyone or that a brawl has
source of the obstacle engage in a contested Essence roll to just broken out. If the Intimacy is within Fate and Nox is in
determine if the Exalts progress is halted. If the Nocturnal the Loom, she is aware of the nature of the Intimacy if she
is victorious, he continues along unheeded. If the Nocturnal gains at least three successes on a (Whispers + Compassion)
fails, he must confront the obstacle or escape it normally roll.
before moving on. Truly natural occurrences do not roll Essence but are considered to have one automatic success on the
roll. The Nocturnal may travel no further than (Essence x 5)
miles in twenty-five hour period with this Charm, but may use
efensive harms
multiple evocations to make numerous shorter trips, up to the
Empty Handed Innocence
maximum

During Calibration, the Nocturnal may extend this Cost: 2m+; Mins: Dexterity 2, Essence 2;
benefit to a large number of surrounding travelers, such as a Type: Reflexive
naval fleet or a desert caravan, so long as the total Magnitude Keywords: Combo-OK
of such a makeshift unit does not exceed his Essence. If it is Duration: Instant
not actually Calibration, only those within the radius of the Prerequisite Charms: None

It is often hard to tell when the Harlequin has acted
Empyreans Anima Banner are teleported.

A second purchase of this Charm at Essence 5+ increases and when she hasnteven she might be deceived into believthe maximum distance that can be traveled in a 25 hour pe- ing events played out differently than she imagined. Every
riod to (Essence x 10) miles. A third purchase at Essence 6+ two motes spent on this Charm reduce the penalties to her
increases this limit to (Essence x 50) miles. A final purchase at physical DV by 1, to a minimum of zero. This Charm cannot
remove environmental penalties or wounds. At Dexterity 4+,
Essence 8+ increases this to (Essence x 100) miles.

DEXTERITY
D

Wayward Associate Extraction

Chapter Five Charms

93

this Charm upgrades automatically to Duration: Until Next Untouchable Quantum Stance
Action.
Cost: (+4m or +4m, 1wp); Mins: Dexterity 5, Essence 3;
Type: Permanent
Improbable Response
Keywords: Obvious
Cost: 2m; Mins: Dexterity 3, Essence 2;
Duration: Permanent
Type: Reflexive (Step 2)
Prerequisite Charms: Improbable Response
Keywords: Chance, Combo-OK, Nox, Obvious

In a sparkling whirlwind of adamant blades and elegant
Duration: Instant
twists of her own body, the Harlequin becomes an unassailPrerequisite Charms: Any Dexterity Charm
able point of defense. This Charm upgrades its prerequisite,

The Harlequin always finds a possible defense, no mat- increasing its Duration to One Tick for four additional motes.
ter how unlikely. When purchasing this Charm, the player At Essence 6+, this Charm may be repurchased to extends
assigns its effects to either the Parry or Dodge Defense Value. this Duration to One Action at the additional cost of one
This Charm may be purchased twice. Charms which directly willpower. In any case, this additional cost must be paid up
upgrade this Charm need only be purchased once. When front, before any Chance die is rolled or willed.
activating this Charm for the chosen Defense Value, the
If the Exalt also knows Harmony and Equilibrium EvaNocturnals player rolls a Chance die.
sion, at Essence 4+, this Charm may be repurchased to extend
1:
Though his opponent hopes for a killing blow, the the duration of that Charm as well.
Herald thwarts that desire and finds a more surviv- Position of Uncertainty Defense
able path. The chosen defense becomes applicable, if Cost: 3m; Mins: Dexterity 4, Essence 2;
otherwise not, including against unexpected attacks. Type: Reflexive (Step 9)
While Nox is in the Loom this option also imposes a Keywords: Chance, Combo-OK, Counterattack, Obvious
-(Whispers/2) External Penalty on the attacks origi- Duration: Instant
nating from beings within Fate, as the Bound God Prerequisite Charms: Any Dexterity Charm
subtly advises his Chosen.

If an attack does not strike the Harlequin, one cannot
2-3: Nimble and surefooted, the Exalt never finds him- be certain she was ever there to strike. If the Nocturnals DV
self in a disadvantageous position. The Harlequin successfully defends against a physical attack, she may activate
ignores all penalties to his DV that do not originate this Charm and disappear from her current location. The
from himself. This includes onslaught and coordi- Nocturnal reappears instantly anywhere within (Dexterity x
nated attack penalties but excludes wound penalties [one die]) yards of her original position. This Charm can be
used to escape flurries if the attacker cannot keep up with the
or penalties resulting from his own actions.
Nocturnal.
4-5: The fabric of reality thins and echoes of other worlds
briefly emerge, increasing the Exalts cover by 25%, Harmony and Equilibrium Evasion
Cost: 10m; Mins: Dexterity 4, Essence 3;
to a maximum of 90% (Exalted, p. 147).
Type: Reflexive (Step 2)
6-7: Leaving a trail of afterimages to distract and deflect, Keywords: Chance, Combo-OK, Illusion, Obvious
the Exalt forces a blow to smash through a thousand Duration: Instant
possibilities before it can reach him. If the attack Prerequisite Charms: Position of Uncertainty Defense
succeeds, the opponent subtracts the Exalts current
The Herald may not know much for certain, but he
Temporary Willpower from her extra successes for knows this: somewhere there is a sword or arrow or ax thirstthe purposes of calculating damage. Even if the at- ing for his life. Should their paths cross, the Exalt must meet
tack is reduced to zero extra successes or lower, it is this doom with an equal and opposite desire and evade not
still considered successful.
only the attack but the conflict itself. Activated in response
to a physical threat against the Exalt, this Charm shunts the
8-9: A swirling blue and indigo vortex opens between the attack into a hypothetical world and allows peace to dwell in
Exalt and his attacker, from which a hypothetical fu- this one.
ture version of the Nocturnal emerges to defend his
He perfectly dodges the attack and rolls a Chance die.
younger self. The Exalt is effectively protected by a If his Dodge DV would have been sufficient to overcome this
Defend Other action with a DV equal to his current attack without the use of this Charm, he adds his Dodge DV
Temporary Willpower, even against unblockable to the number rolled. This number is then compared to the
attacks. The future Nocturnal immediately dives Mental Dodge DV of all witnesses including the original atback into the original vortex or into a new one. If tacker. If it exceeds their defenses, they suffer an unnatural
the attacker has any remaining successes, he must Illusion causing them to forget the attack (and any potential
continue on to attack the younger Nocturnal. If the counterattack the Nocturnal might make in response). This
Nocturnal currently benefits from a Defend Other Charm possesses one of the four Flaws of Nocturnal InvulnerAction with a higher DV, this option adds +(Noctur- ability.
nals Essence/2) rather than the usual +1 to the lead
defenders DV, to a maximum of the Exalts current Bending Destiny Maneuver
temporary willpower.
Cost: (+3m); Mins: Dexterity 4, Essence 3;
Type: Permanent
10:
Multiple defensive strategies are superposed upon Keywords: Merged
one another, magnifying their results. The Exalt may Duration: Permanent
choose (Essence/2) of the previous options to apply Prerequisite Charms: None
simultaneously to his defense. Willpower may never
Dodging the odds and parrying probabilities, the Harbe spent to select this option.
lequin dances around her own destiny and gracefully, rather

94

Flaws of Nocturnal Invulnerability

Perfection does not come easily to the Nocturnal as
it does to the Solar. His soul balks at the imposition of
such absolute certainty, preventing the easy use of such
perfect defenses unless the Exalts action serves to precipitate some greater change. In all cases, these defenses
apply against attacks from beings who seek to prevent the
Nocturnal from performing the specified actions or who
attack him in retribution for previously acting in such a
way. When the Nocturnal has not acted in accordance
with his Flaw, he may still activate the Charm with a
+1wp surcharge.
Compassion: A defense with this flaw can only be
used when the Exalt fights to improve the lot of the oppressed or beleaguered populace of an area, whether it be
a large empire or a small tribal village. This act of kindness
must align with known desires rather than merely being
whatever the Exalt thinks is best. If, for some reason, the
locals do not wish to be rid of the monster that terrorizes their countryside, the Nocturnal cannot employ this
defense while fighting it.
Conviction: A defense with this flaw can only be
used when the Exalts actions knowingly undermine an
established regime. For example, he may use this defend
himself against the Emissary of Nexus after he attracted
its ire, but not to defend himself from random muggers
in a back alley. However, if he learns that those muggers
were hired to attack him by the Council of Entities, this
defense becomes viable again.
Temperance: A defense with this flaw can only
be used when the Exalts actions seek to elevate another
being to a station at least equal with his own, so that
she may enjoy all the freedoms, if not more, that he
enjoys. For example, he may use this Charm to defend
himself while fighting a robber barons guards to acquire
treasures for a poor family or when fighting to place a
usurper upon a throne. However, he could not use this
defense while fighting for personal gain. Those he fights
for need not know about his actionsin fact, its often
better if they dont.
Valor: A defense with this flaw can only be used
when the Exalts employs extravagant methods for social
change. While he may work in the shadows and keep his
identity hidden, the results of his actions must be intended to have a highly visible impact on society. For example,
he may be attempting to blow up the Deliberative with a
basement full of firedust or arrange the assassination of a
prominent public figure during a victory speech. Quietly
killing a political opponent in her sleep and making it
look like an accident would not qualify.
than forcefully, finds a more preferable future. This Charm
enhances one Chance-Keyworded Charm the Exalt knows.
Instead of spending willpower to select an option, she may
instead spend three motes. This Charm may be learned (Essence) times to enhance a different Chance-keyworded Charm
with each purchase.

Merged: Bending Destiny Maneuvers (Stamina, Perception)

Cheaters Never Prosper

Cost: ; Mins: Dexterity 5, Essence 3;

Type: Permanent
Keywords: Merged, Native

Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: None
The Harlequin abhors certainty. Who would not rebel against
her guaranteed demise? Against those who are so certain of
her doom, the Exalt is not above the hypocrisy of ensuring
their failure. When faced with an attack which succeeds regardless of its number of successes, such as Accuracy Without
Distance, and the Exalt activates a Charm with a Flaw of
Invulnerability against it, she may either reduce the cost of
that Charm by three motes or regain one point of Temporary
Willpower.
Merged: Cheaters Never Prosper (Stamina, Perception)

Sowing the Seeds

Cost: (5m); Mins: Dexterity 5, Essence 4;

Type: Permanent
Keywords: Calibration, Merged
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: Cheaters Never Prosper
The Heralds restless soul gains strength from each kind act
and every rebellious gesture. From each a larger revolution
will grow, all propogated from the Nocturnals single act.
When the Exalt spends a scene performing an act that would
permit him to enjoy the full benefits of his defenses through
one of his Flaws of Nocturnal Invulnerability, he may immediately commit five motes. So long as he maintains this
commitment, he may activate a Charm with the chosen Flaw
of Nocturnal Invulnerability without the additional willpower
surcharge situations where he would be unable to otherwise.
This commitment automatically drops at the end of any scene
during which he benefited from this effect, or after twenty-five
hours. During Calibration, the commitments time limit lasts
until the end of Calibration.
A second purchase of this Charm at Essence 6+ grants it the
Stackable keyword. Each additional scene spent acting in the
appropriate fashion allows the Exalt to commit one additional
mote to enjoy the benefits of this Charm for one additional
scene. She may maintain this commitment for up to (Essence)
days. A suitable act performed during Calibration may be
committed to for the remainder of the year. After exhausting
one scene, the total commitment drops by one mote until it
reaches five motes. At which point, the Exalt has only one
scene of protection remaining. She can maintain a commitment to a total of (Essence) protective scenes.
A third purchase at Essence 8+ allows the Exalt to always
activate her Charms with a Flaw of Nocturnal Invulnerability
during Calibration without a willpower surcharge due to inapplicability.
Merged: Sowing the Seeds (Stamina, Perception)

Shield of Chance

Cost: 4m (+1wp); Mins: Dexterity 4, Essence 3;

Type: Reflexive (Step 2)
Keywords: Calibration-OK, Combo-OK, Shaping
Duration: Until Next Action
Prerequisite Charms: Any Dexterity Charm

The Harlequin is protected by happenstance. Strange
coincidences come to his defense. Various elements of the
environment move between the Nocturnal and her attackers.
Swaying branches stop arrows; loose floorboards trip assailants
at the pivotal moment. This imposes a -1 External Penalty for
each die the Nocturnals player receives for stunts describing
how this Charm manifests its effects for a particular action.
The attackers may bypass these penalties with appropriate
Charms (for example, using Charms that ignore Cover to

Chapter Five Charms

95

bypass the aforementioned tree branches) or by preventing

the Nocturnal from shaping the environment.

During Calibration, the manifestations of this Charm
become even more pronounced and circumspect. While they
are never truly impossible, the sheer odds against such events
become staggering and this Charm is regarded as Obvious. A
flock of sparrows fly between the Nocturnal and a flurry of
arrows, just as the archers bow string snaps. Attackers who
botch their attacks must roll (Wits + [weapon ability]), with
a difficulty equal to the external penalty imposed on their
attack. Failure indicates that they are disarmed; mundane
weapons may be destroyed by this Charm if the Nocturnals
stunt logically permits this, as determined by the Storyteller.

A second purchase of this Charm at Essence 4+ allows
the duration to be extended to One Scene for the additional
cost of one willpower.

Collateral Damage Obstruction

Cost: (+4m); Mins: Dexterity 5, Essence 4;

Type: Permanent
Keywords: Calibration-OK, Counterattack, Obvious
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: Shield of Chance

Those foolish enough to attack the Herald risk harming themselves and their allies. This Charm permanently
upgrades its prerequisite. By paying four additional motes, so
long as the Exalt would impose any external penalties through
Shield of Chance, the penalty is increased to (Essence). Additionally, Shield of Chance permits the Nocturnal to redirect
any attack that failed to hit him in Step 6 of combat resolution to another target within range of the original attack. The
new target, which may be another being or an object, interacts
with the attack as though he were the original target, allowing
him to select defense options in Step 2 and take other necessary actions. This redirection is a Shaping effect and either the
attacker or the new target may prevent it as such.

During Calibration, the Nocturnal may choose to redirect the attack to the original attacker, as his enemys weapon
backfires or he falls upon his own sword.

Watchful Ally Intercession

Cost: 2m, (+1wp); Mins: Dexterity 4, Essence 2;

Type: Reflexive (Step 2)
Keywords: Combo-OK, Merged, Obvious
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Any Dexterity Charm

The Herald is always alert and aware of his surroundings in combat, ready to spring into action to aid an ally at
a moments notice. When an ally within (Dexterity) yards of
the Nocturnal is attacked, the Exalt may activate this Charm
to interpose himself between the attacker and his ally. The
attacker must interact with the Nocturnal as though he had
engaged in a Defend Other Action for this attack.

A second purchase of this Charm at Essence 4+ allows
the Nocturnal to activate it with a duration of Until Next Action at the additional cost of one willpower.

Merged: Perception (Watchful Ally Intercession)

Grace and Balance Charms

Feather and Iron Descent

Cost: 5m ; Mins: Dexterity 2, Essence 2;

Type: Reflexive
Keywords: Combo-OK, Obvious
Duration: (Essence) Actions
Prerequisite Charms: Any Dexterity Charm

96

The Loom of Fate dictates that all objects fall toward the
element of earth with a speed ingrained upon the founding
of Creation. Such natural constants are not beyond the Harlequins chicanery. With this Charm the Nocturnal alters the
way gravity interacts with the character. Divide the distance
the character falls by his Essence for the purposes of calculating falling damage and multiply the time it takes to fall by the
same amount. The Nocturnals Strength is also multiplied by
his Essence in order to calculate jumping distance. Finally the
characters weight is divided by his Essence for the purposes
of determining if an object could support him.

Sometimes Apples Fly

Cost: 3m (+1wp); Mins: Dexterity 4, Essence 3;

Type: Reflexive
Keywords: Combo-OK, Obvious
Duration: (Essence) Actions
Prerequisite Charms: Feather and Iron Descent

The night sky calls to the Herald, and with this Charm
they are drawn into it. This Charm enhances a vertical leap
by causing the Nocturnal to fall upward, rather than down.
The Nocturnals vertical jumping distance is multiplied by his
Essence. He continues to fall upward by the same distance
as his vertical leap each tick for up to (Essence) actions. This
inverted gravity also allows him to walk on ceilings and the
underside of other objects. At the end of this Charm, the
Nocturnal will begin falling downward again.

Additionally, at Essence 4+, by spending an additional
willpower upon activation, the Nocturnal may cause this
Charm to last one scene.

Burden of the Earth

Cost: 5m (+1wp); Mins: Dexterity 3, Essence 3;

Type: Supplemental
Keywords: Combo-OK, Obvious, Shaping
Duration: (Essence) Actions
Prerequisite Charms: Feather and Iron Descent

The weight of the earth is not displaced freely. Turning
the fundamentals of Creation against his enemies, the Nocturnal causes gravity to drag his victim down with increased
strength. This Charm supplements an attack, so long as the
attack inflicts at least one level of damage. For the purposes
of determining movement, his Dexterity is halved, as is his
Strength for the purposes of determining leaping distance.
His falling distance is doubled for the purposes of calculating damage, and his weight is doubled for the purposes of
determining what objects can support him.

A second purchase of this Charm at Essence 4+ causes
the targets Dexterity and Strength to be divided by the Nocturnals Essence, to a minimum of 1, and for the targets falling distance and weight to be multiplied by the same amount.

Stepping Stones Method

Cost: 2m (+1wp); Mins: Dexterity 2, Essence 2;

Type: Reflexive
Keywords: Combo-OK, Obvious, Shaping
Duration: (Essence) Actions
Prerequisite Charms: Any Dexterity Charm

Chance coincidences are among the Harlequins greatest
tools. While this Charm is active, the environment is shaped
to meet her needs. She may move across surfaces that would
otherwise be impossible, as a cool patch of lava solidifies to
hold her weight, or a passing group of sea turtles allows her to
skip between ships at sea. Likewise it makes climbing easy as
well, creating handholds and beneficial architectural features
to aid her ascent. These effects linger for the duration of the
Charm, allowing others to follow with a successful (Dexter-

ity + Athletics) roll, with a difficulty 2. The Nocturnal may

spend willpower to allow only someone as nimble as herself to
exploit these advantages, imposing an External Penalty equal
to her Dexterity on all attempts to follow her.

Ice and Oil Stance

Cost: 1m; Mins: Dexterity 2, Essence 2;

Type: Reflexive
Keywords: Combo-OK, Obvious
Duration: (Essence) Actions
Prerequisite Charms: Any Dexterity Charm

The graceful Harlequin need never fear falling and
may remain perfectly balanced regardless of the situation.
When standing or moving on unstable terrain, the Nocturnal
requires no roll and suffers no penalties from such circumstances.

Ballet and Trapeze Mastery

Cost: (+1m); Mins: Dexterity 4, Essence 3;

Type: Permanent
Keywords: Calibration-OK
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: Feather and Iron Descent, Stepping
Stone Method, Ice and Oil Stance

Beings of consummate grace, the Harlequin never
falters in her dance. This Charm upgrades its immediate
prerequisites. During Calibration, the Nocturnal may spend
an additional mote to increase the duration of the Charm to
Indefinite.

Slippery Slope Infliction

Cost: 2m+, 1wp; Mins: Dexterity 4, Essence 3;

Type: Supplemental
Keywords: Combo-OK, Obvious, Shaping
Duration: (Essence) Actions
Prerequisite Charms: Ice and Oil Stance

Engaging in battle with an Exalt is to fight on uneven
ground. Against a Herald, this saying is literal. This Charm
supplements an attack. Should the attack succeed, the target
suddenly finds himself on unstable ground. Every action for
the duration of this Charm, the target must make a (Dexterity
+ Atheltics) roll with a difficulty equal to half the motes spent,
to a maximum of 3. This necessitates that he flurry if he
wishes to take other actions. Should the target fail the roll to
maintain balance, he must make another roll, at +1 difficulty,
to rise again.

Movement Charms

Surpassing the Breeze

Cost: 3m; Mins: Dexterity 2, Essence 2;

Type: Reflexive
Keywords: Combo-OK
Duration: One Scene
Prerequisite Charms: Any Dexterity Charm

Night settles on Creation as quickly as the dawn overcomes it in the morning. The Nocturnal increases her Move
and Dash actions by +(Temporary Willpower) yards for the
remainder of the scene, including any bonuses gained from
Willful Dexterity Bolstering.

Transcending the Wind

Cost: (+2m, 1wp); Mins: Dexterity 4, Essence 2;

Type: Permanent
Keywords: Obvious, Shaping
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: Surpassing the Breeze

Nothing stands in the way of a determined Herald when
it could be elsewhere. The Nocturnal may pay the additional
cost when activating Surpassing the Breeze. As he moves, all
obstacles are warped out of his path, bending and flowing
around a bubble of unobstructed space (Essence) yards in
diameter. Unless her opponent is immune to Shaping, the
Exalt cannot be hindered by Blockade Movement actions and
any obstacle less than (Essence) yards across is moved aside,
providing her with a clear path and removing (Essence) penalties to her movement.

Routing the Gale

Cost: (+1m per Magnitude); Mins: Dexterity 5, Essence 3;

Type: Permanent
Keywords: War, Touch
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: Surpassing the Breeze

This Charm permanently enhances its prerequisite.
By spending the required additional motes, the Nocturnal
may extend the benefits of Surpassing the Breeze to a complimentary unit, using her own temporary Willpower. The
Magnitude of the unit may not exceed (Essence) if she leads
it, or (Essence +2) if she serves as a special character within the
unit. If Surpassing the Breeze is also enhanced by Transcending the Wind, the Heralds unit may disengage from another
unit or charge straight through enemy ranks with a Move or
Dash action, unless the opposing commander can counter the
Nocturnals shaping.

Hurricane in the Heavens

Cost: ; Mins: Dexterity 5, Essence 4;

Type: Permanent
Keywords: Native
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: Surpassing the Breeze

Like an onrushing comet, the Herald always moves at
phenomenal speeds. This Charm permanently adds +(Temporary Willpower) yards to his Move and Dash distance, including any gained from Willful Dexterity Bolstering. Surpassing
the Breeze may still be used to add this number again.

Speed and Extra Action Charms

Unhesitating Duelist Parturition

Cost: 2m; Mins: Dexterity 2, Essence 2;

Type: Reflexive
Keywords: Combo-OK, Merged
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: None

From the very moment she took her Second Breath, the
Harlequin has been ready for the fight to come. It might not
arrive tomorrow or even in half a dozen lifetimes, but eventually, when it does, it will find her waiting. Who is her foe
to keep her waiting? Instead of rolling Join Battle, she may
activate this Charm to ensure she acts on Tick 0. With Dexterity 4+, she may also activate this Charm to ensure her actions
are resolved before the actions of any other being who acts on
her Action-tick.

Merged: Unhesitating Duelist Parturition (Wits)

Shooting Star Speed

Cost: 2m per tick; Mins: Dexterity 3, Essence 2;

Type: Supplemental
Keywords: Combo-OK
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Any Dexterity Charm

Chapter Five Charms

97


Like a falling meteor, the Herald flashes into action and
is gone in a moment. This Charm may supplement any action
and reduces the Speed of that action by one tick for every two
motes spent, to a minimum of three, after persistent effects.

Heartbeat Accomplishments

Cost: (+2m per tick, 1wp); Mins: Dexterity 4, Essence 4;

Type: Permanent
Keywords: Calibration-OK
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: Shooting Star Speed

So swift is the Herald, he appears to finish almost before
he begins. The Nocturnal may employ Shooting Star Speed
at the increased cost associated with this Charm to extend its
benefits to all actions for her next (Essence) Actions. During
Calibration, the surcharge of this charm is reduced to (+0m,
1wp). A second purchase of this Charm at Essence 6+ increases the duration to One Scene.

One Stone, Two Birds

Cost: 4m; Mins: Dexterity 4, Essence 2;

Type: Extra-Action
Keywords: Combo-OK, Obvious
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Any Dexterity Charm

When faced with two mutually exclusive options, the
Herald may always choose both. The Nocturnal splits reality
and simultaneously attacks two different targets within range,
even if moving into combat with one would move him out
of range of the other. The Nocturnal rolls only one attack
and applies it against both targets. If the Nocturnal needed
to move toward either opponent, he may choose to remain at
either of those two locations or return to his original position
at the end of the attack.

Flock and Boulder Strike

Prerequisite Charms: One Stone, Two Birds

The Herald tangles his past and future with that of his
opponent, catching himself and his foe in a violent repetition
as long as he wills. The Exalt spends the willpower cost of this
Charm when making the first attack at her full dice pool. If
she gains more successes than her targets Essence, she may
pay three motes to make a second attack also with her full dice
pool. So long as she continues to gain at least more successes
than her targets Essence, she may continue to do so, paying
one less mote for each additional attack, to a minimum of
zero motes. She may make no more than (Dexterity +1) or
(Temporary Willpower) attacks, whichever is lower. This
Charm becomes Obvious if the Exalt makes more attacks
than the rate of her weapon would normally allow. During
Calibration, the second attack costs two motes rather than
three and the remaining costs decrease from there.

Blade Cuts the Past

Cost: (1m); Mins: Dexterity 2, Essence 1;

Type: Permanent
Keywords: None
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: None

Quicker than one can blink, the Harlequin arms herself
for battle. In a deadly sleight of hand, the Harlequin seems to
attack empty-handed, only to reveal a hidden weapon. This
Charm allows the Exalt to reflexively ready a weapon. She may
do so at any time, but during attack resolution she may only
do so during Step 1. Additionally, she may sheath her weapon
in Step 10 whether she was the attacker or defender for free.

Nocturnal Hero Style Expansions

Multifaceted Martial Acumen

Cost: (+1m); Mins: Dexterity 4, Essence 2;

Type: Permanent
Keywords: Obvious
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: Crystallize Kata Insights

The Exalt moves to counter multiple foes, fracturing
her motion to appear as a multi-armed goddess of conflict.
She increases the DV bonus provided to +(Essence) DV. This
upgrades automatically at Essence 4+; she may target up to
(Essence) foes with Crystallize Kata Insights simultaneously.

Cost: (+1m); Mins: Dexterity 5, Essence 3; Type: Permanent

Keywords: Calibration-OK
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: One Stone, Two Birds

Fracturing reality to reflect innumerable options, the
Herald unleashes a storm of attacks. This Charm upgrades
its prerequisites. The Nocturnal may simultaneously attack a
number of opponents equal to the Rate of his weapon. The
Exalts refracted image appears before all her targets. During
Calibration, the Nocturnal may use his Essence in place of One Body Unity
Cost: ; Mins: Dexterity 3, Essence 2;
Rate if he desires.
Type: Permanent
Migration and Avalanche Onslaught
Keywords: None
Cost: (+2m); Mins: Dexterity 5, Essence 4;
Duration: Permanent
Type: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: Diamond Fist Atemi
Keywords: None

Though her martial practice has many facets, the HarleDuration: Permanent
quin is, ultimately, one complete whole. Her mastery for her
Prerequisite Charms: Flock and Boulder Strike
own body reflects this unity. Her Punch and Kick attacks are

The Exalts fractured assault appears to fill the battlefield unified into one Strike attack with the following traits: Speed
with images of herself fighting all her foes at once. This Charm 5, Accuracy +1, Damage +3B, Defense +2, Rate 5, Tags N. Any
adds +3 to the Exalts Rate or Essence for the purposes of reference to Punch or Kick attacks is assumed to apply to her
Flock and Boulder Strike. Alternatively, by paying a two-mote Strike attack. A second purchase of this Charm at Dexterity
surcharge on One Stone, Two Birds, the Exalt may strike all 4+, Essence 3+ allows the Exalt to apply the exceptional qualtargets within (Essence x 3) yards at once. Doing so makes this ity bonus to her Strike (Exalted, p. 366). She may reassign this
Charm Suspicious.
bonus by spending a day retraining her body and spending
one experience.
Time-Looping Tempest
Cost: 0-3m per attack, 1wp; Mins: Dexterity 4, Essence 3; Jewelers Many Tools
Type: Extra Action
Cost: ; Mins: Dexterity 3, Essence 2;
Keywords: Combo-OK, Calibration-OK
Type: Permanent
Duration: Instant
Keywords: None

98

Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: Diamond Fist Atemi

The jeweler has an array of tools, for her work requires
precise instruments for various tasks. So too, the Harlequin
might employ a variety of weapons to enhance her talents
on the field of battle. This Charm may be purchased up to
(Essence) times. Each purchase may add one of the following to the list of Nocturnal Hero Styles form weapons: hand
and throwing needles and throwing knives, spears and lances,
straight swords and rapiers, or bows. Other weapons may be
acquired with Storyteller approval. In general, anything that
can attack with a single, fine point might be permissible while
bulky two-handed weapons or flame and energy based weapons are not. If the Exalt also knows Falling Hammer Mastery
she may also add staves or one-handed hammers to her list
of Form weaponsthe jeweler needs her hammer as much as
she needs her chisel. In all cases the artifact equivalents also
become form weapons.

Seizing the Fallen Star

Cost: (4m); Mins: Dexterity 3, Essence 2;

Type: Permanent
Keywords: None
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: Falling Hammer Mastery

Seeing an opportunity, the Herald pounces while his opponent is weakest. If his target is successfully knocked down
by an attack supplemented with Falling Hammer Mastery, the
Exalt may reflexively pay four motes to make an immediate
Clinch attempt against that target, so long as the target is
within the range of her Move action.

Any target the Exalt hurls away from herself using Falling
Hammer Mastery, may be returned to the edge of her Move
radius by spending one mote at the end of his journey.

Pressure Point Puncturing Grip

Cost: (2m); Mins: Dexterity 5, Essence 3;

Type: Permanent
Keywords: None
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: Seizing the Fallen Star

The Harlequin has no need to coil limbs around her foe
to subdue him. She tightens her fingers around a single point
on her targets body and completely immobilizes him. This
Charm permanently enhances the Exalt. She may maintain
a clinch with only one limb, freeing her others to perform
other actions, though she would need to flurry to maintain a
clinch and attack. Her Clinch attack increases its Rate to 2.
She cannot Dash or Jump while clinching, and the number
of yards she may Move is reduced by her targets Strength, to
a minimum of one. Finally, if she wishes to inflict crushing
damage on her target, she may pay two motes to ignore all
soak from armor.

World Sleeps at Nightfall

Cost: (1m); Mins: Dexterity 5, Essence 3;

Type: Permanent
Keywords: Calibration
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: Pressure Point Puncturing Grip

So she might go about her business unmolested, the
Nocturnal takes the world by the hand and guides all to slumber. The Exalt tightens her fingers upon a vital point in the
Star-Taunting Launch
targets body, cutting off essential functions. The Harlequin
Cost: (+2m, 1wp); Mins: Dexterity 4, Essence 3;
may pay one mote to double post-soak damage done durType: Permanent
ing a Clinch. This damage is always Bashing, even if would
Keywords: None
otherwise be Lethal, and never wraps around into Lethal.
Duration: Permanent
All damage dealt in this way heals automatically at the next
Prerequisite Charms: Falling Hammer Mastery
sunrise. During Calibration, this damage remains until the

Swing her attack from low to high, the Exalt channels end of Calibration.
the force of his blow into pure momentum. This Charm
enhances Falling Hammer Mastery. By paying two additional Adamant Forceps Tactic
motes and a temporary willpower, if the attack would success- Cost: 5m, 1wp Mins: Dexterity 5, Essence 4;
fully knock the target down, he is first launched a number of Type: Supplemental
yards vertically equal to the Exalts vertical Jump or a number Keywords: Combo-OK, Crippling
of yards horizontally equal to her horizontal Jump, as the Ex- Duration: Indefinite
alt prefers. Targets launched vertically suffering falling damage Prerequisite Charms: World Sleeps at Nightfall
Striking multiple pressure points along her targets
as normal. If the target strikes a hard surface as part of this
body,
the Exalt may freeze her foe in place. The Exalt may
flight, they take additional damage as with the Solar Charm
Heaven Thunder Hammer (Exalted, p.242). At the end of the employ this Charm when she could inflict crushing damage
targets flight they are knocked down, allowing the Exalt to on the victim of her clinch. Instead, she pays a willpower and
commits five motes to cripple the targets pressure points and
trigger Seizing the Fallen Star if within range.

With a second purchase this Charm, if the Exalt uses immobilize him. Though she may release him, he continues
Falling Hammer Mastery against a target that is currently to be consider clinched by her. She may act as she pleases,
prone, she may employ this effect without incurring its usual reflexively rolling to maintain the Clinch each action, adding
her Essence in automatic successes, until she either drops the
surcharge.
commitment or the target restarts his own pressure points
Grasping the Comets Tail
and escapes.
Cost: (1m); Mins: Dexterity 5, Essence 3;
Vitality Rupturing Assault
Type: Permanent
Cost: (+2m); Mins: Dexterity 5, Essence 3;
Keywords: None
Type: Permanent
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: Seizing the Fallen Star, Star-Taunting Keywords: Crippling
Duration: Permanent
Launch

As her opponent sails away from her strike, the Harle- Prerequisite Charms: Pressure Point Puncturing Grip
The Exalt pinpoints her foes vital organs and aims to
quin performs a quick kata, grasping the rushing air trailing
behind her target as though it were a rope. When the foe inflict lasting harm upon her foe. If the Exalt has paid the
reaches the end of his tether, the Exalt snaps the rope back. two motes to make her crushing damage ignore armor, this

Chapter Five Charms

99

Cost: ; Mins: Dexterity 4, Essence 3;

Type: Permanent
Keywords: Native, Overdrive
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: Nocturnal Hero Form

The Harlequins attacks strike with frightful accuracy,
but they are likewise empowered with incredible force. Together the combination devastates her foes. This Charm
Chakra-Cracking Chisel
grants the Exalt an Overdrive pool of ten Peripheral motes.
Cost: 4m; Mins: Dexterity 5, Essence 4;
This pool can be filled by sacrificing dice accumulated from
Type: Reflexive
Aim actions, granting one mote per die. She may only sacrifice
Keywords: Combo-OK, Crippling, Obvious
these dice on her Action tick and may never sacrifice more
Duration: One Action
than three dice at a time. The universal Aim die granted by
Prerequisite Charms: Vitality Rupturing Assault
Nocturnal Hero Form may be sacrificed in its entirety for one

As easily as she makes her foe bleed to death without mote. Sacrificed dice granted by Charms such as Crystallize
ever shedding a drop of his blood, the Harlequin spills her Kata Insights and Nocturnal Hero Form refresh along with
targets essence upon the world. Pressing upon her targets her DV unless otherwise prevented.
chakra points, she punctures the essence pathways within
him. If she inflicts any damage with a clinch, she may activate
this Charm. Her opponent adds his current wound penalty as
a mote surcharge on all Charms activated for the next action.
amage and haping
This surcharge does not stack with any similar surcharge, such
esistance harms
as from the Solar Charm Sun-Sufficing Slag; only the highest
surcharge applies. A second purchase of this Charm at Essence 5+ extends this Charm to (Targets Wound Penalty) Ac- Armor-Summoning Methodology
tions, minimum one. A third purchase at Essence 7+ extends Cost: 8m; Mins: Stamina 2, Essence 2;
this Duration to One Scene at the cost of an additional (+2m, Type: Simple
Keywords: Chance, Combo-OK, Obvious
1wp).
Duration: One Scene
Prerequisite Charms: None
Diamond Pierces Iron

The Herald girdles himself in revelations of the past and
Cost: 6m; Mins: Dexterity 5, Essence 3;
shields himself with the hope of the future. This Charm is
Type: Reflexive (Step 9)
functionally identical to the Strength Charm Prismatic ArseKeywords: Combo-OK, Counterattack
nal Methodology, save that instead of summoning weapons
Duration: Instant
it summons armor, helmets, and shields, and the artifact verPrerequisite Charms: Pressure Point Puncturing Grip

When her brutish foe seizes the Harlequin, threatening sions thereof.
to throttle her with his grotesque force, the Exalt smiles and
reveals that he has only exposed a fatal point of weakness. There Is No Sword
The Exalt may activate this Charm whenever an opponent Cost: 5m; Mins: Stamina 4, Essence 2;
initiates a Clinch against her, but not when she has lost an Type: Reflexive (Step 2)
attempt to maintain a clinch. She may make her own Clinch Keywords: Calibration-OK, Combo-OK, Nox, Obvious
attempt against her attacker. This attack cannot be dodged or Duration: (Essence) Actions
parried unless her target also releases her, but her counterat- Prerequisite Charms: None
Nocturnal philosophers debate the exact relationship
tack suffers an External Penalty equal to half the successes her
between Creation and the Loom of Fate. Is a person repreattacker gained on his clinch attempt.
sented by a strand of Fate, or is the strand represented by the
person? Is there meaningful difference? The Harlequin turns
Pierced Soul Mercy
this debate into a powerful defense, bending the fate of an
Cost: 6m; Mins: Dexterity 5, Essence 4;
incoming attack around his own to avoid all contact between
Type: Supplemental
the two. The Nocturnal gains an effective DV of (Permanent
Keywords: Combo-OK, Compulsion
Willpower/2), plus Essence at night or during Calibration.
Duration: Instant
This DV suffers onslaught penalties as normal but is neither
Prerequisite Charms: Pressure Point Puncturing Grip

If the Exalt is feeling particularly merciful, she strikes Parry nor Dodgethe Nocturnal stands stoically still as the
straight through the body of the being that earned her ire and sword warps or arrows flow around him. While Nox is in the
pierces its soul. This Charm enhances an attempt to inflict Loom, the Nocturnal adds an additional bonus of +(Whiscrushing damage on a clinched target and flee. If the attack pers/2) to this DV if the attacker is also within Fate. If the
would inflict any damage in Step 10, it instead imposes a attacker is immune to Shaping, his bare-handed attacks bypass
Compulsion effect to abandon the fight. This unnatural men- this DV completely; if his possessions are immune to Shaping,
tal influences costs a one willpower to resist per level of health they also ignore this DV.
A second purchase of this Charm at Essence 3+ also
level it would have inflicted. (i.e. One willpower for damage
in the -0 health level, three willpower for -2 health level, up to provides the Nocturnal with +(Temporary Willpower) lethal
five willpower for Incapacitated/Dying level.) The compelled and bashing Soak. Attacks which ignore the DV provided by
target may defend himself as normal, and should the Exalt this Charm also ignore this soak. A third purchase at Essence
attack him, the Compulsion terminates immediately. Other- 5+ grants a DV equal to the Exalts full Permanent Willpower.
wise, the Compulsion lingers for one day.
The Crooked Made Straight
Cost: 7m, 1wp; Mins: Stamina 3, Essence 2;
With Precision Struck
damage becomes Lethal. She may also pay two additional
motes at this time to further enhance this damage. If her attack inflicts any damage, the target suffers one unsoakable
lethal die of damage every Action for (Strength or Dexterity,
whichever is higher) Actions as a Crippling effect, even after
he has escaped her clinch. Wounds inflicted by this effect are
purely internal, and mortals cannot close these wounds.

STAMINA
D
R

100

S
C

Type: Simple
Keywords: Combo-Basic, Shaping
Duration: One Scene
Prerequisite Charms: None

Through force of will, the Herald claims ground for the
lords of Creation. Upon activating this Charm, the Nocturnal
immediately crystallizes the metaphysics of the Wyld, Labyrinth, Malfeas or similar realms within his (Essence) yards of
him. This region immediately begins obeying the laws of
Creation (meaning, that if the Nocturnal were imprisoned by
a Fair Folk in a heatless bonfire, activating this Charm might
not be such a good idea unless the Nocturnal can also resist
damage of the fire once it begins burning as normal). The
region is protected from further Shaping-effects that could
not be performed in Creation, and within this small area,
the Nocturnal may perform Fluctuations as if he were in Creation. Those within the region must still resist further shaping
effects normally. A second purchase of this Charm at Essence
4+ extends the radius of the protected region to (Essence x 5)
yards; a third purchase at Essence 5+ extends this to (Essence
x 10) yards.

As an additional benefit, a Sidereal using Mending
Warp Designs (Manual of Exalted PowerSidereals, p. 142)
within this Charms area of effect adds the Nocturnals Essence to her roll. Companions also add the higher of their two
Companion ratings.

Phantasmagoric Minotaur Body

Cost: 1m+, 1wp; Mins: Stamina 3, Essence 3;

Type: Reflexive
Keywords: Combo-OK
Duration: One Story
Prerequisite Charms: The Crooked Made Straight

Should the Herald be required to venture far afield and
face the minions of unbridled Chaos in their own territory,
she finds herself in a precarious situation, as her own powers
are diminished in the Wyld. Still, she has a few tricks left to
her even if her primary defenses falter. This Charm grants the
Exalt one Shaping Health Level per mote spent, to a maximum of her Permanent Willpower.

Boundless Possibilities Assimilation

Cost: 1wp (4m); Mins: Stamina 4, Essence 2;

Type: Reflexive
Keywords: Combo-OK
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: The Crooked Made Straight

The Heralds adamant integrity grows to accommodate
some changes and remains rigid against others. In the face
of new possibilities, she adopts some and rejects others. The
Nocturnal may reflexively pay one willpower to perfectly ignore any unwanted shaping effect. If a shaping effect has both
desirable and undesirable results, the Nocturnal may also
commit four motes to gain only those beneficial results for as
long as he maintains the commitment. He may maintain up
to (Essence) separate commitments in this way.

If the Nocturnal has The Crooked Made Straight active,
the duration of this Charm becomes One Action. A second
purchase at Essence 4+, extends the duration while within
the influence of The Crooked Made Straight to One Scene,
and this extension may be applied even in the presence of
anothers activation of The Crooked Made Straight.

Ox-Body Technique

Cost: ; Mins: Stamina 1, Essence 1;

Type: Permanent
Keywords: Native

Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: None

Like all Exalts, the Nocturnals body is bolstered against
damage. This Charm may be purchased once per dot of
Stamina the Harlequin possesses. Each odd-number purchase
provides her with one -0 and one -4 health level. Each evennumber purchase provides her with one -1 and one -2 health
level.

Unbroken Gayal Resilience

Cost: (3m); Mins: Stamina 3, Essence 3;

Type: Permanent
Keywords: None
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: Ox-Body Technique

While most beings are either dead or alive, the Nocturnal is not limited to only two possibilities. This Charm grants
the Exalt one additional Dying Health Level for each purchase
of Ox-Body Technique. If any effect would damage his Dying
Health Levels without completely filling all of them, he may
pay three motes in Step 10 to negate all damage to his Dying
Health Levels. This may be done while unconscious.

Living Beyond the Moment

Cost: 3m, 1wp; Mins: Stamina 4, Essence 3;

Type: Reflexive (Step 8)
Keywords: Calibration, Combo-OK
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Ox-Body Technique

The Heralds do not live entirely in the presentnor do
they die entirely in the present. With just a quick thought,
the Nocturnal spreads a potentially fatal wound into many
minor injuries along his future. The Nocturnal activates this
Charm in response to an attack with at least one die of postsoak damage. He gains a number of temporary -0 health levels
equal to his temporary Willpower, including any gained from
Willful Stamina Bolstering. All damage is channeled into
these temporary health levels first, and all health levels from
this Charm, damaged or undamaged, disappear immediately.
Record the number of damaged health levels created by this
Charm. This Charm cannot absorb Aggravated damage.

Thereafter, this damage plagues the Exalt like a poisonous future, inflicting (number of damaged health levels
absorbed by this Charm)L/one day with a Toxicity of 5.
Though this functions similar to poisons, it cannot be halted
by Charms that resist or remove Poison effects. This damage is
considered part of the Charms cost and cannot be avoided by
any means. If the Exalt is ever Incapacited, this lingering harm
will attempt to finish him off. The interval of this poison
drops to One Hour.

During Calibration, this Charm drops to a cost of one
willpower if it has been previously activated during the scene.
Additionally, any damage absorbed by this Charm disappears
permanently, never to haunt the Exalt again.

Time-Halting Auroch Mastery

Cost: 1m, 1wp; Mins: Stamina 4, Essence 2;

Type: Reflexive
Keywords: Combo-OK
Duration: Until Next Action
Prerequisite Charms: Any Stamina Charm

Lesser beings might find death an appropriate and
timely response to a fatal attack, but the Herald only notes
his demise with causal disinterest, knowing it is but one
possibility and eager to see what else the future might offer
him. He sets his death aside for the moment and awaits more
interesting opportunities. This Charm allows the Nocturnal

Chapter Five Charms

101

to remain active even into his Incapacitated and Dying Health

Levels. While this Charm is active he does not continue to
lose Dying Health Levels except from additional attacks.

With a second purchase at Essence 4+, this Charm no
longer costs Willpower if the Nocturnal had previously activated it on his last action.

Endurance and Travel Charms

Cost: 15m, 1wp; Mins: Stamina 5, Essence 4;

Type: Simple
Keywords: Flux, Nox, Obvious
Duration: Indefinite
Prerequisite Charms: None

Whether by grave necessity or simple boredom with his
current situation, the Herald finds that the present is no longer fit for his habitation. He strikes out for more interesting
locales, not by crossing vast distances of space but by piercing
time itself. The Nocturnal deliberately excises his Fate from
the Loom and rolls it into a single point. He is cut off from
causality and, indeed, all meaningful forms of existence. After
activating this Charm, the dark shadow of the End of Time
falls over the Nocturnal and his thread of Fate, illuminated by
anima, coil tightly around him. At the beginning of his next
action, the Herald vanishes without further fanfare.

The Nocturnal declares up to (Essence) qualifications,
which must be detectable by the Loom of Fate that will cause
him to return to Creation. These qualifications may either
be independent or rely upon simultaneous fulfillment. The
Nocturnal need not name a maximum duration as one of
those qualifications, but he would be foolish not to. This
Indefinite potential of the Charm is made possible only by
the presence of Nox in the Loom. Should he be removed from
the Loom, the Nocturnal may remain outside of time only
for his (Willpower) years, and all Nocturnals outside of Fate
when Nox is removed from the Loom immediately return to
Creation despite their chosen requirements.

Regardless of the Noxs current condition, the Nocturnal must remain outside of time at least until the first day of
the next Calibration.

Once the return qualifications are met, the Nocturnal
immediately turns to Creation at the point he was last seen,
or as near to it as possible if some obstruction has developed
in the intervening time. His Fate uncoils from around him
and the shadow of the End of Time lifts from his face. From
his perspective, no time has passed, but in his instantaneous
isolation he has glimpsed outside of Time. He must roll Conviction or Valor, whichever is lower, difficulty 3, or loss all
Willpower in excess of that Virtue. What he has seen is indescribable and unintelligible except to his fellow Heralds who
have experienced it, and to Second Circle Demons who have
answered the call of Fiend-Vassal Conscription and witnessed
similar, if not identical, horrors.

Enduring Procrastinator Style

Road-Smoothing Attitude

Death and the Broken Mirror

Cost: 5m; Mins: Stamina 4, Essence 2;

Type: Reflexive (Step 7)
Keywords: Combo-OK, Obvious
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Time-Halting Auroch Mastery

The Herald knows a dozen deaths, reveals them to his
enemies and escapes while they are distracted. This Charm
is activated in response to a physical attack that successfully
struck him, turning it into an instantly fatal blow. His body
falls dead immediately. Before his attacker has a chance to
gloat, however, the Exalt jumps out from behind a tree,
sprints from around a corner, or otherwise emerges from
nearby spot that might have hidden him and arrives within
one Move action of his own corpse. If no such hiding place
exists, the Exalt flickers into existence as though created by a
Fluctuation (see p. 166). His deceased duplicate and its possession remain on battlefield until disturbed or the end of the
scene, whichever comes first, fading away when reality catches
up with it. This Charm allows the Nocturnal to perfectly soak,
ignoring all damage from the attack, and has one of the Four
Flaws of Nocturnal Invulnerability.

Falling Through the Cracks

Cost: (+1wp); Mins: Stamina 5, Essence 4;

Type: Permanent
Keywords: Calibration-OK
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: Death and the Broken Mirror

In the face of powerful foes, the Herald might face a
thousand deaths and avoid them all. This Charm permanently
upgrades Death and the Broken Mirror. During Calibration,
the Nocturnal may pay an additional willpower upon the first
use of the Charm during or after his Action. Until his next
action, each additional use of this Charm gains a -1 mote discount, to a minimum of zero. Even a free use of this Charm
counts as a Charm activation.

Cost: 4m; Mins: Stamina 3, Essence 3;

Type: Reflexive
Keywords: Combo-OK
Duration: One Scene
Prerequisite Charms: Any Stamina Excellency

Some things are better put off until later, when the
Herald can give the matter his full attention. Activating this
Charm, the Herald segregates all forms of pain and weariness
from his being, and sets it aside for later. While this Charm is
active, the Nocturnal ignores all wound penalties and fatigue
penalties. At the end of the scene, the Nocturnals player rolls
(Stamina + [Resistance or Integrity]) with an external penalty
equal to the maximum total penalties he should have received
from wounds and fatigue in the previous scene, as those penalties settle on him once again. If successful, he recovers from
those penalties at the normal rate. Failure indicates that the
character is overcome by the sudden onrush of pain and exhaustion; all his penalties are doubled for a number of hours
equal to the total penalty.

102

Shadow Out of Time

Cost: 2m+ or 5m, 1wp; Mins: Stamina 2, Essence 2;

Type: Supplemental
Keywords: Calibration, Combo-OK
Duration: Indefinite
Prerequisite Charms: None

Neither rain nor sleet nor dark of night can keep the
Herald from her appointed duties. Whenever travelling long
distances, the Nocturnal may activate this Charm and spend
up to [(Stamina + appropriate ability) x2] motes. Typically, the
most common abilities used with this Charm are Athletics,
Ride, or Sail depending on the mode of transport. Other
Abilities may be used at Storyteller discretion. Every two
motes spent cancels out one point of external penalties that
might hinder her on her travels.

Additionally, if using the Complex Travel rules (Exalted,
p 266-267), two motes may reduce a negative Terrain Modifier or Travel Quality by 1/8, as the Nocturnal subtly shifts
problematic situations out of her way.


For example the barrister Swift Gull is attempting to
escort a large band of refugees across a border between two
warring states. He decides to take the refugees along well established roads and risk the checkpoints along the way. With
his Stamina 2 and Bureaucracy 2, he may spend eight motes
with this Charm. Doing so he cancels out the usual -1/4 speed
modifier for Large Group (4m) and the -1/8 penalty for Political Upheaval (2m); the -1/4 penalty from Warzone he reduces
to a -1/8 penalty (2m). In all cases, the changes wrought by
this Charm are subtle; the hazards are not removed, but the
Exalt does find (or creates as necessary) a path around them.

During Calibration, the Nocturnal may use this Charm
as if she had spent (Essence x 2) motes, without needing
actually spend any motes, though these do count toward the
maximum number of motes the Nocturnal may spend. This
benefit only applies if the Nocturnal can reach his destination
during Calibration.

With a second purchase of this Charm at Essence 4+,
the Exalt may spend five motes and one willpower in lieu of
the usual cost of the Charm, to cancel external penalties or
speed modifiers as though he had spent the maximum number of motes allowed by this Charm for his current situation.

Detour Directing Stare

Cost: 2m+, 1wp; Mins: Stamina 2, Essence 4;

Type: Simple
Keywords: Calibration, Combo-OK, Nox, Suspicious
Duration: (Essence) Days
Prerequisite Charms: Road-Smoothing Attitude

Chance encounters turn against the enemies of the
Nocturnal and Creation defends itself from incursions from
beyond. The Harlequin may activate this Charm whenever he
witnesses or hears a report about an enemy or an enemy unit
with Magnitude no greater than the Nocturnals (Essence -1)
on the move, so long as they are within (Essence x 25) miles.
His player rolls (Stamina + appropriate Ability)as with RoadSmoothing Attitude, Atheltics, Ride and Sail are the most
commonly used Abilities though others may be used under
certain circumstances.
If this overcomes the enemys (or enemy leaders, as the case
may be) Mental Dodge Value, the Harlequin may name a destination to which he wish to prevent his enemy from arriving.
For every two motes this Charm adds one external penalty
to the enemies movement, or adds a -1/8 speed modifier, as
described in Road-Smoothing Attitude a shaping effect, so
long as the enemy is moving toward the named destination.
In addition to these basic options, the Nocturnal may also
increase the difficulty of the Terrain Type once, for 4 motes.
In total, he may not spend more than twice (Stamina + appropriate Ability) motes.

During Calibration, the Nocturnal gains his Essence
in automatic successes on the initial roll. Should Nox be
removed from the Loom, the Harlequin may only use this
Charm on enemys he can directly perceive.

Use of this Charm greatly frustrates the Bureau of Destiny and triggers the Suspicious-keyword once a day for as long
as it persists.

uisite. In addition to removing negative penalties to Complex

Travel, the Nocturnal may also add bonuses to his journey at
a similar cost: 2 motes per each +1/8 bonus provide. He may
also pay four motes to decrease the Terrain difficulty once.

The Open Road Softly Calls

Cost: ; Mins: Stamina 3, Essence 3;

Type: Permanent
Keywords: Compulsion
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: Road-Smoothing Attitude

Unfamiliar territory beckons to the Nocturnal. He is
drawn to find new lands and new adventures beyond the edge
of the map. His wanderlust invigorates him. While he travels,
whether on foot, upon a mount or upon some other convoyence. No matter who arduous the Nocturnals travels prove to
me, he is always considered to be meditating for the purposes
of regaining motes or raising his Permanent Essence. This
makes him a tireless wanderer. He suffers no fatigue from his
travels and every eight hours of consistent travel allows him
to regain willpower as though he had slept. For the purposes
of this Charm, can only travel a particular path once per day.
Riding circles around a hippodrome becomes tedious after
one lap, but circumnavigating the Blessed Isle over a season is
a suitable, if leisurely, change of scenery.

However, the Exalts wanderlust gnaws on him. He may
remain in an area for only (Temperance) days before the desire
for travel drives him away. If he possesses a positive Intimacy
toward a region or its people, he may remain there for up
to (Temperance + Compassion ) days instead. This manifests
as self-inflicted Compulsion effect, costing one willpower to
resist for another (Temperance) days. If he succumbs to the
Compulsion, he must travel at least (Essence x 10) miles before it he is free to settle down for a time.

The Sidereal Exalted have an identical Charm called
Wanderers Saffron Whip, which requires Ride 3, Essence 3
and Yellow Path.

Undiscovered Country Pioneer

Cost: 15m; Mins: Stamina 5, Essence 4;

Type: Simple
Keywords: Calibration, Chance, Flux, Obvious
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: The Open Road Softly Calls

The vast unmapped regions of Creation have long seduced explorers into their depths. The First Age saw a great
expansion in Creations territory, and the ebb and flow of the
Wyld has since wiped the maps clean. The time is ripe for new
adventurers to brave the wild regions of the world and learn
what hides beyond civilization.

The Nocturnal may activate this Charm while within
a region of Creation, including Bordermarches and Middlemarches. This region of Creation is (Essence x 10) miles
in diameter.Excluding spirits, all sapient beings native to
Creation within this region must be within (Essence) yards
of the Nocturnal when he activates this Charm and it cannot be activated within the radius of a previous activation of
this Charm until Calibration. During Calibration, it may be
Rapid Transit Alteration
activated in overlapping regions no more than once per day.
Cost: ; Mins: Stamina 3, Essence 3;

Upon activating this Charm, the Nocturnal causes
Type: Permanent
something to fluctuate into existence, somewhere within the
Keywords: None
designated region. The larger the total area of the region, the
Duration: Permanent
greater extent of whatever this Charm creates, to a maximum
Prerequisite Charms: Road-Smoothing Attitude
size of half the area. The Nocturnals player rolls a Chance

The Herald discovers new paths and where none exist, die to determine what exactly waits to be discovered in this
he makes them. This Charm permanently enhances its prereq- untamed wilderness. The discovery is not made immediately

Chapter Five Charms

103

upon activating the Charm, but will be found within a day of natives of Creation. Instead of alerting the Bureau of Destiny,
continuous exploration.
the suspicious nature of the Charm alerts the nearest Essence
10 being to the Exalts activities. Whatever the Charm creates
1:
Something hostile to the Nocturnal or his goals, adheres to the metaphysical laws of the realm that birthed it
such as an active volcano or an aggressive barbarian and always bears the mark of that regions unique aesthetics.
tribe.
This Charm may be purchased (Essence) times.
2-3: An impressive landmark, suitable to the surround- Horizons Captured and Conquered
ing landscape. Such features are notable for their Cost: ; Mins: Stamina 4, Essence 3;
aesthetic beauty and possibly provide shelter or Type: Permanent
defensible positions for settlements, but have no Keywords: None
immediate practical value.
Duration: Permanent
4-5: Something that expands an arena of knowledge, such Prerequisite Charms: The Open Road Softly Calls
The Heralds are wanderers and explorers, but they are
as a new species of plant or animal, the overgrown
not
rulers.
Venturing into new territory, the Nocturnal claims
ruins of a lost civilization, or a previously unknown
mineral. The benefit, if any exists, of the discovery it only to aid in future colonization before moving on to do
will not be fully known until a full investigation is the same in other regions. When the Nocturnal travels as
made. Discovering more samples in the region re- compelled by The Open Road Softly Calls and arrives in an
quires a (Perception or Intelligence) + (Investigation area (Essence) miles in radius where he has never before been,
or Survival) roll, difficulty 5, which may be made he temporarily claims metaphysical ownership of the areaso
long as the area is not currently owned by another Essence
once per (Essence) square miles.
user. He maintains this ownership until he leaves the area or
6-7: A landscape rich in natural resources, such as trees until he must spend willpower to remain.
suitable for timber, wildlife suitable for hunting, While he maintains this ownership, he gain access to one
medicinal herbs, or veins of metal ores. The total of the following actions of his choice. Once per day, he may
value per (Essence) square miles is equal to half the change which action he can perform within the claimed land.
Nocturnals highest Physical Domain, minimum The bonuses provided by this Charm last after the Exalts
owner lapses. They remain until the map or structure is deResources 1.
stroyed or the designated resource is depleted.
8-9: A settlement of mortals long isolated from the out- Cartographers Precise Hand: The Exalt spends one hour craftside world, with a Mandate of Heaven Magnitude ing a highly detailed and accurate map of his region. This
equal to half the Exalts highest Social Domain, map grants its owner (Nocturnals Essence/2) successes on all
minimum Magnitude 1.
attempts to navigate through the area.
10:
A landscape rich in magical resources, such as Local Resource Exploitation: The Exalt spends a day surveying
magical materials, exotic ingredients, or auspicious the region for natural resources and after finding a suitable
geomancy. This landscape produces enough exotic supply of a single resource, he designates it for future harvest.
ingredients, magical materials or a demense strong Subsequently, those who gather the specified resources gain
enough to build an (Artifact or Manse) with a maxi- (Nocturnals Essence/2) successes on any action where failure
mum rating of half the Nocturnals highest Mental would indicate the loss of any portion of the resource or seriDomain, minimum (Artifact or Manse) 1. This ous harm to the gatherer during her relevant labors.
option cannot be selected with willpower unless Traders Lucrative Outpost: The Exalt spends a day constructing
the Nocturnal created the land with Weaving the or designating a structure for trade. Thereafter, any being who
engages in commerce within the structure gains (Nocturnals
Tapestry.
Essence/2) successes on all attempts to ensure fair and equitable trade between the native populace and outsiders.
Exotic Universe Navigator
Holy Fellowship Mission: The Exalt spends a day constructing
Cost: ; Mins: Stamina 5, Essence 5;
or consecrating a structure as a site of worship. The object
Type: Permanent
of this worship may be any Incarnae, any forbidden god, or
Keywords: None
any other type of Celestial Exalt toward whom the Nocturnal
Duration: Permanent
possesses a positive Intimacy. Akuma may also designate their
Prerequisite Charms: Undiscovered Country Pioneer

When the Herald has exhausted Creations horizons patron or any member of its soul hierarchy.Thereafter anyone
he must search farther afield for new lands. Prior to the within this structure gains (Nocturnals Essence/2) successes
Primordial War, the Wyld alone offered a limitless source of on all appropriate prayer rolls and to any attempt to convince
adventure. The death, imprisonment and willing exile of the another being to join the cult.
Primordials has offered the Nocturnals ever more diverse pos- Insurrectionists Hidden Camp: The Exalt spends a day constructsibilities for exploration. When purchasing this Charm, the ing or designating an area to train troops. Any native of the
Exalt choses another Realm of Existence, such as the Demon region who trains within this area for at least one week gains
City, the Underworld (including the Labyrinth), or the Wyld. (Nocturnals Essence/2) successes or an equivalent MDV boIf the Exalt were to discover some lost realm created by the nus to keep the location of the training a secret. Additionally,
Primordials, such as the remnants of Cenumians sun-blasted they also gain an equivalent number of successes to establish
Cajerron or the Font of Horizons museum-planet Mysejot, surprise and ambushes against the local authorities.
those Realms become possible options for this Charm as well.
Within the chosen realm, the Nocturnal may now employ Un- Stirring Travelogue Epic
discovered Country Pioneer as though he were in Creation. Cost: 5m, 1wp; Mins: Stamina 4, Essence 3;
For the purposes of this Charm, beings who have ancestors Type: Supplemental
native to Creation, no matter how remote, are considered Keywords: Combo-OK, Compulsion, Emotion, Merged, Nox

104

Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: The Open Road Softly Calls

Traveling into the wilderness, seeing sights no human
eye has ever witnessed, beholding wonders long thought lost:
such is the average day for the wandering Herald. If only
she had traveling companions to share her experiences.The
Charm supplements any spoken or written social attack to
encourage travel to a location the Nocturnal has previously
visited. This may be as blatant and elaborate as a lengthy travelogue or as subtle as a return address stamped on a gift mailed
to a distant friend. The attack gains a number of automatic
successes equal to the higher of the Nocturnals (Ride, Sail or
Survival). If the attack succeeds, the target suffers a Compulsion to travel to the described destination costing willpower to
resist equal to the higher of their own (Ride, Sail, or Survival),
maximum 5, which can be paid at any time but must be paid
all at once.
Alternatively, the target may spend one willpower immediately
to convert the Compulsion into a Positive Intimacy toward
the location as an Emotion effect, which reestablishes itself
whenever the target is reminded of the location, until the
target spends the same amount of willpower he would have
needed to resist the Compulsion.
Additionally, this attack cannot be dodged by any being who
possesses The Open Road Softly Calls, orwhile Nox is in the
Loomany Chosen of Mercury if the target has never been to
the designated location.

Merged: Stirring Travelogue Epic (Charisma, prerequisites: Interest Catching Camaraderie)

Beckoning Nocturnal Lighthouse

Cost: 10m, 1wp; Mins: Stamina 5, Essence 4;

Type: Simple
Keywords: Calibration, Combo-Basic, Native, Obvious
Duration: Indefinite
Prerequisite Charms: Stirring Travelogue Epic

Venturing first into remote lands, the Herald establishes
safe passage or, at least, the potential of victory should the
travelers be waylaid. This Charm may be activated at night or
during Calibration. If activated during Calibration it will last
until next Calibration and does not require continued commitment of motes. A tower of light, the color of the Exalts
anima, rises skyward from the point where he activated the
Charm. allowing it to be seen even then. This uncanny light
can be seen (Essence x 10) miles away but does not serve to illuminate the region and casts no shadows. The Charm cannot
be activated again within sight of another tower of light.
This Charm affects all applicable beings that can see the tower
of light. When the Charm is first purchased, the effect is that
of his own Caste. Additional Caste options may be purchased
at Essence 4+, for the cost of four experience each. Only one
option may ever be applied through a single tower of light,
and the light remains that of the Exalts own Caste regardless of which option he applies. Applicable beneficiaries gain
whatever bonuses this Charm provides so long as they move
at least ten miles closer to the light each day. Once they are
within ten miles of the light, they retain these benefits when
they move at least one mile in any direction. The Exalt who
used this Charm is always considered a beneficiary.
Any other type of Celestial Exalt may stand within this pillar of
light and flare their anima at the 11+ mote level to engage the
Nocturnal in a contested Essence roll. The Nocturnal suffers
an external penalty on this roll equal to half his accumulated
Subservience, rounding up. If the other Exalt succeeds, this
Charm is immediately deactivated.

Nova: The vanguard scouts ahead and prepares the way
for a larger army. A pillar of pure white light guides their way
and draws others to their cause. Any unit with a Magnitude
3+, led by a being the Exalt considers an ally, gains the Exalts
Essence in automatic successes on any attempt to recruit or
otherwise bolster their numbers.

Comet: The armiger prepares others for battle and
proclaims an area ripe for conquest. A column of diffuse
blue light signals the attack. Any being or military unit that
is considered an ally by the Exalt gains the Exalts Essence
automatic successes on all Join Battle or War rolls. Likewise,
beings increase their minimum damage to half the Exalts
Essence if it would otherwise be lower, and military units
increase their Might to a minimum of 2, or a minimum of 3
if the Exalt has Essence 5+.

Aurora: The ambassador travels between cultures to facilitate unity and ensure peace (through any means necessary,
they often add quietly). A pinnacle of twisting green light is
the banner of their peace. Any beings that the Exalt regards
as an ally enjoys the hospitality of the region as a default. As
a result of this hospitality, such beings suffer no social penalty
for being strangers or foreigners and will be treated kindly
and fairly by all, so long as he has given the locals no reason
to distrust or antagonize him personally. This is a Compulsion effect, and the exceptionally hard-hearted or xenophobic
among the locals may spend three willpower to act as they
please for the duration of this Charm. Additionally, the being benefiting from this Charm understands the basics of
the most common of the regions social customs, though he
remains ignorant of particularly obscure or esoteric customs
at the Storytellers discretion.

Empyrean: The barrister wanderssettling disputes or
sowing them. He cares not which so long as he leaves no land
unchanged. None know quite what to expect when the black
tower rises over their region, outlined by a distinct indigo glow
so that it remains visible even at night. Upon activating this
Charm, the Exalt chooses whether he wishes his ally to be a
peacemaker or a rabble-rouser. As a peacemakers, the Exalts
allies gain his Essence in automatic successes on any social
attack to peacefully settle a dispute. Those convinced by the
social attack gain a positive Intimacy toward the allys solution, considering it either a suitable settlement to the problem
or at least a step in the right direction, if the Storyteller feels
the dispute is too large to settle on one issue. As rabblerousers, his allies gain a like number of successes on any social
attack to convince others that they have been unfairly treated,
exploited, or otherwise wronged. Those who are successfully
convinced gain a negative Intimacy toward those perceived to
be at fault, each choosing the specific context of the Intimacy
based on their own experiences. In either case, the social attack is considered an Emotion effect and costs two willpower
to resist and renders the target immune to further influences
from this Charm for one week.

Nebula: The sophist obscures and misdirects. Beneath
her dim red light, her allies move unseen. All beings she
considers an ally gain her Essence in automatic successes on
all Stealth rolls and any attempt to track her allies by others
suffers an external penalty equal to her Essence. Failing an
attempt to track her allies renders the tracker hopelessly lost
until the next sunrise or sunset, whichever comes first, as an
Illusion effect. This Illusion costs four willpower if the tracker
has never been in the region before, two if he has, and one
if he has lived in the region for at least a year. Botching the
roll adds one to the willpower needed to spend to resist the
Illusion.

Merged: Beckoning Nocturnal Lighthouse (Charisma)

Chapter Five Charms

105

Oblivious Wayfarers Endurance

Cost: 5m; Mins: Stamina 2, Essence 2;

Type: Simple
Keywords: Combo-OK
Duration: Indefinite
Prerequisite Charms: Any Stamina Excellency

Every journey is full of hazards, but what joy is there in
life without some risks? In pursuit of his desires, the Herald
walks boldly into the fire, singed by not burned. Naming
an objective, whether it be a destination he wishes to reach
or a goal he wishes to achieve, the Herald commits the cost
of this Charm. While advancing toward that objective, he
reduces the Trauma of all natural environmental hazards by
his Essence. At Stamina 4+, magical environmental hazards
as also lessened. If the Trauma is reduced to zero, the Herald
is completely immune to the environmental damage. Unless
purchased a second time at Stamina 5+, Essence 4+, this
Charm does not reduce the Trauma of environmental effects
caused by the deliberate action of other characters. If the
Exalt also knows Cheaters Never Prosper and encounters an
environmental effect without Trauma or one that is otherwise
assumed to be automatically injurious, this Charm protects
the Exalt perfectly.

Possibility Preservation Charms

Vein and Hourglass Freezing Touch

Cost: (2m); Mins: Stamina 4, Essence 2;

Type: Permanent
Keywords: Obvious, Shaping, Touch
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: Any Stamina Charm

For the sick and the dying, time is a precious commodity. The Herald possesses time to spare. Touching an
incapacitated or willing living being, the Nocturnal halts all
bodily function for two motes. The targets heart stops beating, he no longer bleeds out, nor does he need to breath. All
Sickness and Poison effects are suspended immediately. To
beings without supernatural means of diagnosis, he appears
conclusively dead. While in this state, he is impervious to any
unintentional damage.

The Nocturnal must maintain the two-mote commitment throughout the duration of this effect, up to (Stamina)
hours. For beings with the Destiny Background, she may
maintain this commitment for an additional number of hours
equal to the Destiny of the target.

The target of this Charm may not perform any actions
that he could not do while Inactive, and doing so immediately
terminates this Charms effects on him. When the effects end,
for any reason, the target begins suffering from his wounds,
diseases, and toxins as normal. He may be treated by Medicine
actions and healing magic normally, even while under the
influence of this Charm.

Extemporal Medic Transport

Cost: 2m+; Mins: Stamina 5, Essence 3;

Type: Reflexive
Keywords: Calibration, Combo-OK, Obvious, Touch
Duration: Indefinite
Prerequisite Charms: Vein and Hourglass Freezing Touch

Hauling an injured allied off the battlefield is slow and
dangerous work. Better for both the Herald and his ally if
they ignore all that hazardous tedium. When the Nocturnal
uses Vein and Hourglass Freezing Touch he may also commit
two motes per targets Essence. In a flash of the Nocturnals
anima, the target vanishes. The Nocturnal has until the ex-

106

piration of Vein and Hourglass Freezing Touch to reach an

appropriate destination to deliver the injured person, such as
a hospital or holding cell. When the Nocturnal arrives at such
a place, or decommits the motes, or the target is no longer
under the influence of Vein and Hourglass Freezing Touch,
the target returns in another flash, minus one willpower for
each hour he was gone. This Charm cannot be used again on
the same person until he has recovered all his willpower.

As a permanent effect, this Charm extends the length
of time a being might be under the influence of Vein and
Hourglass Freezing Touch to Until the end of Calibration,
and during Calibration the target of this Charm loses only
one willpower per day, rather than per hour.

Softly Stretch the Hours

Cost: (+1wp); Mins: Stamina 5, Essence 4;

Type: Permanent
Keywords: Shaping, Suspicious, Training
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: Extemporal Medic Transport

Elsewhere is not a place meant for human habitation.
The timeless force of that spaceless region is a dangerous tool,
and if the Exalt did not shield his charge with his own Essence
it would almost certainly prove fatal to all but the hardiest
beings. However, to a well-trained Nocturnal, the extemporal
nature of Elsewhere can be controlled. Expending a willpower
when activating this Charms prerequisite the Nocturnal
allows controlled exposure to Elsewhere. His player rolls
(Stamina + Essence), with a difficulty of the targets Essence,
each extra success allows the Nocturnal to apply one point of
Elsewhere Mutations as a Training effect which takes a number of hours equal to the total Mutation points to apply. If
the Nocturnal botches this roll, he cannot retrieve the person
from Elsewhere until Extemporal Medic Transport expires on
its own. In such an event, whenever the subject would lose
willpower during the use of this Charm he also suffers one
unsoakable level of lethal damage.

This Charm is not regarded as Suspicious until the
subject returns to Creation.

Destiny Adopting Humility

Cost: 1m+; Mins: Stamina 4, Essence 2;

Type: Reflexive
Keywords: Combo-OK, Nox, Shaping, Stackable, Suspicious
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: None

In ancient days, the Lord of Possibility absorbed the
damage inflicted on the world by the vagrancies of the Primordials, preventing apocalyptic reality failure until the Maidens
finished their repairs. So too, the Heralds preserve the work
of their Sidereal companions. If a being with an uncompleted
Destiny Background dies within (Essence x 10) yards of the
Nocturnal, he may activate this Charm by paying a number
of motes equal to the deceaseds Destiny and roll (Willpower)
with a difficulty equal to the Destiny. If successful, the Nocturnal gains the Destiny as his own.

The Nocturnal may not possess more than (Essence)
Destinies and any mutually exclusive Destinies or Destinies
that are literally impossible, as determined by the Storyteller,
are immediately discarded. Otherwise, Destinies remain with
the Nocturnal until she fulfills them or a Sidereal removes the
Destiny and attaches it to another character.

A Sidereal may do this by performing an (Intelligence +
Craft [Fate]) dramatic action lasting 10 long ticks, difficulty
equal to the number of motes spent to collect the Destiny in
question. At some point during this process, he must touch

Elsewhere Mutations

Elsewhere mutations function like Wyld Mutation, except that their variety is far more limited. These mutations
may only tamper with the way Time and Space influences a beings body and mind. They do not, however, interfere with
a beings ability to live in Creation. Some common examples from Exalted (p. 288) include Large, if applied to children
who rapidly grow to physical adulthood, Small and Atrophy, if applied to adults as they either revert to physical childhood
or succumb to the ravages of old age. From Compass of Celestial Directions, vol. IIThe Wyld (pg. 144), Longevity,
Wolfs Pace and its associated mutations (which, while they do not alter the mutants body are still impossible to hide if
the mutant moves at all), Exalted Healing, Short Gestation, Slow Healing, Short Life, and Amnesia. Some new examples
follow and are equally available through Wyld Mutations.

Weathering Touch: This Deficiency causes the mutant to be an unwitting agent of the inexorable force of entropy.
He doubles effective amount of time he spends using objects, causing them to break down sooner. Food he prepares spoils
faster and plants he tends blossom, wither, and die at a much faster pace (which may provide a small benefit in accelerating
harvestoffset by rapid spoiling). Mortals and natural animals with whom he interacts also age more quickly, though the
acceleration only becomes noticeable on long timescales with near-constant interaction. Mortals who spend time in the
Labyrinth or the Blighted Zones of Autochthonia may acquire this mutation from exposure to the entropic nature of
those locations.
Telekinesis: Space does not quite align properly for the mutant. As a Pox, this adds one yard to the mutants reach.
It may be purchased as an Affliction or a Blight, which double or quadruple the bonus, respectively. Unless the mutant
is making use of this bonus, this mutation is not immediately obviously. However, the mutant must go through the
appropriate motions to control things at this extend range and he suffers an internal penalty equal to the mutation points
of Telekenesis on all actions involving use of his actual hands.
Neotony: This Affliction halts any overt signs of physical aging. The mutant will still die of old age eventually, but
will continue to look the same age throughout the remainder of her life. If the mutant gains this Affliction before reaching
sexual maturity, the reproductive system continues to development normally. Some with this mutation enjoy the benefits
of remaining in the prime of their lifeothers suffer the curse of forever being trapped in the body of a child.

Phase Shift: The mutant may become slightly out of sync with time and space with this Affliction. By spending one
willpower, the mutant and his possessions become dematerialized for one action. This may be activated reflexively only
on a Tick during which the mutant acts.
Oracle: This Affliction disconnects the mutants mind from time and space for a brief moment. Once per day,
as a Miscellaneous Action costing one willpower, the mutant may perform a Divination (Exalted, p. 138)though the
mutants player rolls (Perception + Awareness) instead of (Intelligence + Occult). This action is Obvious to anyone who
can see the mutant and it cannot be flurried. As a Debility, these visions come unbidden and often reveal future horrors
rather than useful insights. Once per day, the Storyteller may inflict this vision upon the mutant as a reflexive action. In
addition to the roll to determine the accuracy of the vision, the mutants player also must succeed at a Valor or Conviction
roll (his choice) or lose one willpower.

Slow Metabolism: This Affliction doubles the mutants Stamina for the purposes of determining how long he
may go without requiring food and doubles the interval of Poisons. This mutation is often received in association with
Longevity. As the Rapid Metabolism Debility, the mutant halves his Stamina for the purposes of determining how long
he can go without food. This mutation is often received in association with Short Lived or Wolfs Pace and its variants.
Mercurys Pace: This Abomination is the final variant of Wolfs Pace. This mutation adds eight to the mutants Dexterity
for the purposes of calculating movement in combat and eight to his Strength for the purposes of calculating his Jumping
Distance. He also doubles any mobility penalties that apply to him. For long distance travel he moves at the pace of a
tireless horse, so long as he suffers from no mobility penalty or as a simple horse relay otherwise. Additionally, while he
has no mobility penalty, he may spend one willpower to Move at his full Dash speed in combat. So fast is the mutant when
evoking this ability he appears to teleportin fact, that is precisely what some mutants with this power do.
the Nocturnal and the new recipient. If the Sidereal currently
has access of the Loom, the Fates of either participant not
only provide a suitable substitute, but gives the Sidereal an
extra success on the roll. As appropriate, the Sidereal may attach Destinies to things created by a Solar with Wyld-Shaping
Technique, granting them permanence. Additionally the Nocturnals companion may now craft Destinies specifically for
him and grant them with a touch rather than going through
the Loom of Fate.

If Nox is removed from the Loom, the Nocturnal gains
a number of Paradox dice equal to either the Destiny Background. A Nocturnal under the influences of this Charm
is no longer obscured by the Loom, but will appear as the
original carrier of the Destiny. Despite only affecting the Nocturnal, this Charm becomes Suspicious when the Nocturnal
possesses Destinies from multiple people.

Inheriting the Patchwork Estate

Cost: ; Mins: Stamina 4, Essence 3;

Type: Permanent
Keywords: Suspicious
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: Destiny Adopting Humility

In dark days, heroes fall, cities are raized, and wonders
demolished. This Charm enhances its prerequisite, allowing
the Nocturnal to salvage uncompleted Destinies of regions
and objects upon their untimely destruction. For example, if
the Mask of Winters burns Lookshy to the ground before it
can complete the epic destiny that Mars had prepared for the
city, the Nocturnal could preserve that destiny until such time
as her Sidereal companion could find a new military power
to assume the role of Lookshy. Possessing even one Destiny
belonging to a region or object is Suspicious.

Weaving the Tapestry

Cost: 20m, 1wp; Mins: Stamina 5, Essence 4;

Type: Simple (Dramatic Action)
Keywords: Calibration, Combo-OK, Nox, Obvious, Shaping

Chapter Five Charms

107

Duration: One project

Prerequisite Charms: Inheriting the Patchwork Estate, The
Crooked Made Straight

As the gods intended, the Vizier foresees and the Herald
pronounces. This Charm allows the Herald and an appropriate Sidereal to work together to tame the Wyld and restore
damage to Creation. Simulating the function of the Solar
Charm Wyld-Shaping Technique and Wyld Cauldron Technique (consult Scroll of Errata for the updated mechanics of
these two Charms), this Charm must be undertaken in two
phases, which must occur simultaneously. First, while she has
access to the Loom of Fate, the appropriate Sidereal weaves a
Destiny she has crafted (Manual of Exalted PowerSidereals, p. 212) for a person, mundane object (treat as an Exotic
Ingredient), or region that does not yet exist, but could exist
within the standard physical laws of Creation. The Sidereal
rolls (Intelligence + Craft [Fate]) to accomplish this. Meanwhile, the Nocturnal ventures into the Wyld and demands
that the Wyld relinquish the desired creation, waiting with indomitable patience until it does so. His player rolls (Stamina
+ Integrity). Each roll requires five hours of labor and has the
same difficulty as the Solars (Intelligence + Lore) roll would
to accomplish the same task. The Sidereal and Nocturnal
must both accumulate the necessary number of successes to
complete this task.

This Charm may only be used within the Bordermarches
and Middlemarches. Once both the Vizier and the Herald
have successfully completed their respective tasks, the desired
creation forms near the Nocturnal, ready to be escorted back
to Creation. Land made with this Charm completely converts
the waypoint into Creation, provide it currently borders
Creation, and cannot be moved except with specialized
magic, such as Neighborhood Relocation Scheme (Manual
of Exalted PowerSidereals, p. 144).Wyld-tained lands in
Creation may be healed by treating them as Bordermarch waypoints to be converted into the Creation, with a +3 difficulty
if it is not Calibration. Anything created with this Charm is
automatically permanent, as it is bound to the Loom of Fate
by the destiny forged for it by the Vizier.

During Calibration, while Nox is in the Loom, shadowlands may be similarly healed by treating them as Wyld-tainted
regions, though the +3 difficulty remains. If Nox is free, this
effect requires a second purchase of this Charm to perform.

Thousandfold Hero Threads

Cost: (+1m); Mins: Stamina 4, Essence 2;

Type: Permanent
Keywords: Native, Overdrive
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: Destiny Adopting Humility

Taking up the burdened of fallen heroes, the Herald
draws upon their unspent strength. This Charm grants the
Exalt an Overdrive pool capable of holding ten motes, initially
empty.Whenever the Exalt performs a successful actions enhanced by a Destiny he possesses, he adds a number of motes
to this pool equal to the Destiny. Unlike other Overdrive
pools, the Nocturnal may use these ten motes to pay for any
Charm, so long as its use helps complete the Destiny. However, if the Charm is not an offensive Charm, the Exalt must
pay a one mote surcharge from this pool.

Yarn and Epic Spinster

Cost: ; Mins: Stamina 5, Essence 4;

Type: Permanent
Keywords: None
Duration: Permanent

108

Prerequisite Charms: Thousandfold Hero Threads

In time the Herald may accumulate the heroic purpose
of many fallen, and the echos of these unfinished acts of heroism demand fulfillment from the Exalt. For better or worse,
the Nocturnal treats her Destinies as additional Motivations
for determining unacceptable orders and bonus or penalties
in Social Combat.

Sustenance Charms

Truthful Nomenclature Habits

Cost: ; Mins: Stamina 3, Essence 2;

Type: Permanent
Keywords: Calibration
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: None

The Herald is a creature of the night, tirelessly working
while others sleep. But his labors do not end at the rising of
the sun, as his fellows do not share his habits. So long as the
Exalt sleeps only while the sun is in the sky, he divides the
number of hours required for a full nights sleep by his Essenceso upon learning this Charm at the first opportunity,
for example, grants a full days rest in only four hours. The
Nocturnal may still only regain willpower from sleep once per
day.

During Calibration he foregoes all need for sleep,
though he may roll to regain willpower at sunset as though he
had slept.

Feast Today, Fast Tomorrow

Cost: 1m; Mins: Stamina 4, Essence 2;

Type: Reflexive
Keywords: Combo-OK, Stackable
Duration: Indefinite
Prerequisite Charms: Any Stamina Charm

The Harlequin does not know when her next meal might
be. Prudence, not gluttony, encourages her appetite. For each
full days worth of food and water she consumes in excess of
her daily requirement she may commit a mote. The effects
of the meal are pushed into her future to be enjoyed later.
Whenever she decommits a mote dedicated to this Charm,
she experiences all consequences of one meal she holds in
reserve. She may also use this Charm to hold the effects of
various intoxicants in reserve, along what she consumes to
provide both nutrition and recreation, as desired. She may
not commit more than (Stamina + Resistance) motes to this
Charm.

For Meat and Bread Today

Cost: (+1wp); Mins: Stamina 4, Essence 3;

Type: Permanent
Keywords: Stackable
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: Feast Today, Fast Tomorrow

The Harlequin remembers being poor and hungry and
takes pity on herself, transmitting aid back to her past self.
This Charm permanently enhances its prerequisite. If she has
no meals held in reserve, she may pay an additional willpower
to benefit from a meal she has yet to eat. The mote cannot be
decommited for any reason until she has consumed a days
worth of food to account for her paradoxical meal. When
she consumes the meal and water she gains no benefits from
it, but does not suffer any negative effects, such as potential
poisoning. Though she may not put meals into reserve with
this Charms prerequisite while she retains the debt of a future meal, she may still commit up to (Stamina +Resistance)
motes, preemptively benefiting from that many future meals.

Marching On the Stomach

Cost: 1m+, 1wp; Mins: Stamina 5, Essence 4;

Type: Simple (Dramatic Action)
Keywords: Calibration-OK, Combo-Basic, Stackable, Suspicious
Duration: Indefinite
Prerequisite Charms: Feast Today, Fast Tomorrow

The Herald joins the people at feast times, celebrating
bounty and preparing them for famine. This Charm functions
as its prerequisite with the following exception. The Nocturnal
must participate in a large feast attended by a social or military
unit to which she belongs. She commits a number of motes
equal to the units Magnitude per days worth of food and
water the group consumes. As with the prerequisite, benefits
of meals bound in to the committed Essence have no effects
until the Nocturnal decommits them. She may hold up to her
(Willpower) meals in reserve this way. During Calibration, a
single days worth of food and water consumed may count as
(Essence) days worth.

Gleaning the Fields

Cost: 10m; Mins: Stamina 3, Essence 2;

Type: Supplemental
Keywords: Calibration-OK, Combo-OK, Suspicious
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Feast Today, Fast Tomorrow

Though the Herald may mitigate the harm of famine
through extemporal mealsactually acquiring the surplus of
food needed to support such Charms may be difficult. With
this Charm the Exalt eases his burden in the present at the
expense of the future. Supplementing any attempt to obtain
food or water, the Nocturnal multiplies the final amount of
sustenance acquired by his Essence. However, the next (Essence) attempts at similar means of obtaining food or water
suffer a -4 External Penalty. A successful hunt steals game animals from the future to the present; a bountiful harvest this
year robs the land of nutrients for several seasons to come.

At Essence 3+ the Nocturnal may expend (+1wp) to have
this Charm affect a social or military unit with a Magnitude
no greater than his Essence. In such cases, the associated penalty applies to all people and animals within (Essence) miles of
the Nocturnals location when this Charm is used. Such use
of the Charm is considered Suspicious.

During Calibration, this Charm may be used without
incurring any penalty, but the Nocturnal gains one automatic
point of Paradox.

Adamant Stomach Acclimation

Cost: 5m, 1wp; Mins: Stamina 3, Essence 1;

Type: Reflexive
Keywords: Combo-OK
Duration: One Scene
Prerequisite Charms: Any Stamina Charm

Many travelers have met with embarrassment when tasting foreign delicacies for the first timeor contracted diseases
from drinking water in strange lands. The Harlequin with this
Charm never fears such situations and may eat as though he
were a local. He gains general knowledge of any food or drink
brought before him, knowing how the locals usually prepare it
and what ingredients typically go into its production. Any peculiar variations of chef are not immediately known, though
Nocturnal gains three bonus dice to detect deviation from the
norm. If there are any Poison or Sickness effects attached to
the meal, he gains his Stamina in automatic successes to resist
them, and adds his Stamina in extra dice to avoid any social
faux pas while eating exotic dishes.

At Essence 3+ this Charm allows the Harlequin to recall
any meal he has consumed and how it was prepared, allowing
him to replicate any exotic menu from memory, so long as she
can collect the proper ingredients.

Retroactive Prevention

Cost: 2m; Mins: Stamina 3, Essence 2;

Type: Reflexive
Keywords: Combo-OK, Training
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Any Stamina Charm

Like all Exalts, the Harlequin is immune to most
common diseases, but she may still succumb to particularly
aggressive diseases and poisons. In order to avoid these, the
Nocturnal adjusts her own history to retroactively immunize
her body against the disease or toxin. She gains three artificial
specialties to resist a Poison or Sickness effect. As a training
effect, she may make any of these specialties permanent by
expending the appropriate experienceif she already possesses
three specialties for the appropriate Ability (usually Resistance) she may swap any number of them out for specialties
related to the current threat, as usual.

A second purchase of this Charm at Essence 3+ allows
the Herald to apply its benefits to another person with a
Touch.

Unintentional Contact Avoidance

Cost: 6m, (1wp); Mins: Stamina 4, Essence 2;

Type: Reflexive
Keywords: Combo-OK, Shaping, Suspicious
Duration: One Scene
Prerequisite Charms: Retroactive Prevention

In the wilderness, determining what is safe to eat is a
challenge, and failure is potentially fatal. This is no less true
in the courts of intrigues that surround all Exalted. The Harlequin preserves herself against casual poisoning or diseases.
She rolls (Stamina + Resistance) upon activating this Charm.
All poisons reduce their Toxicity by one and all diseases reduce their Virulence by one for each success. Any poison or
disease reduced to 0 Toxicity or Virulence is rendered inert. By
spending a willpower, the Harlequin may extend this benefit
to all beings within her (Essence x 2) yards, though doing so is
regarded as Suspicious. Anyone who knowingly exposes himself to poison or disease gains no benefits from this Charm. A
second purchase at Essence 4+ removes this final restriction.
While this Charm is active, the Exalt is also perfectly immune
to Poison and Sickness effects which automatically poison or
infect the target if she also knows Cheaters Never Prosper.

Live Another Day

Cost: ; Mins: Stamina 4, Essence 4;

Type: Permanent
Keywords: Native, Obvious, Suspicious
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: Unintentional Contact Avoidance

Whether from old age, the ravages of disease, or degenerative poisons, even a mortal who has led a peaceful life
will someday die. So too will the peaceful Harlequin. But for
her, such things are not the end. This Charm permanently
enhances the Exalts physiology. When she would otherwise
be killed by either a Poison or a Sickness effect, she instead
undergoes an immediate Renewal (p. 63). Despite affecting
the Nocturnal directly, this is still considered Suspicious.
All her Dying health levels are healed immediately and her
Incapicated health level heals twenty-five hours later as she
awakes to find herself in a new body.

Chapter Five Charms

109

Die Another Way

Cost: ; Mins: Stamina 5, Essence 5;

Type: Permanent
Keywords: None
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: Live Another Day, Living Beyond the
Moment

The tenacious Herald clings to life until the bitter end.
When he has shuffled his death off until the future, he is better prepared to swindle Saturn one last time. Once the Exalt
has mastered this Charm, if he would be killed from damage inflicted by the lingering after-effects of Living Beyond
the Moment, he instead undergoes an immediate Renewel
as described in Live Another Day. Doing so immediately
eliminates all remaining damage left in Living Beyond the
Moments reserves.

CHARISMA

Background Acquisition Charms

Services Rendered

Cost: 8m; Mins: Charisma 3, Essence 2;

Type: Supplemental
Keywords: Combo-OK, Compulsion
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: None

The Harlequin is an entertainer and her talents never go
unrewarded. This Charm may supplement any action which
might qualify the Nocturnal to receive motes from Courtesan
and Artisan Meditation (p. 113), even if performed for less
than an hour. At the conclusion of that action, her player
rolls (Charisma + relevant Ability) against the MDV of all who
benefited from her action. She never receives fewer successes
on this roll than her extra successes on the previous action.
Anyone whose Mental DVs are insufficient to overcome this
social attack suffers an unnatural mental influence to compensate the Nocturnal for her services. They are compelled
to offer the Nocturnal the equivalent of the Nocturnals
extra successes in Resources, to a maximum of their own
Resources minus one. This Compulsion costs 2 willpower to
resist. People with Resources 1 or lower are not required to
provide any compensation but will instead feel compelled to
voice their appreciation, either to the Nocturnal directly or
by praising the Exalt to his friends, family, and strangers he
meetsmuch to their frequent annoyance.

Grabbing the Reins

Cost: 5m, 1wp (3xp); Mins: Charisma 3, Essence 1; Type:

Simple
Keywords: Combo-OK, Shaping
Duration: One Scene
Prerequisite Charms: Any Charisma Charm

The Herald is a creature of the night and in the darkness he finds many allies. Using this Charm, the Exalt binds
himself to a nocturnal creature, rolling (Charisma + [Presence
or Survival]) with a difficulty equal to the Familiar rating of
the creature. If successful the Nocturnal gains the creature as
a familiar for the remainder of the scene. At Essence 3+, the
Herald is no longer limited to animals that share his nocturnal habits. Once per scene, he may spend 3xp to gain one
dot of Familiarpermanently gaining the creature as his true
Familiar an appropriate number of applications.

A second purchase of this Charm at Essence 3+ allows
the Nocturnal to target creatures that are currently the familiar
of other beings. He and the familiars owner make a contested

110

Willpower roll. The owner gains a number of automatic successes equal to his Familiar rating, while the Nocturnal may
supplement this roll with his Charisma Excellency if placed
in a combo with this Charm. If successful, the Nocturnal
robs the other person of her familiar for the sceneand
may permanently reduce the targets familiar rating by one
by spending 3xp. Permanently reducing the targets Familiar
rating makes this Charm Suspicious.

Tightening the Leash

Cost: 1-5m, (+1wp); Mins: Charisma 4, Essence 2;

Type: Simple (Speed 3)
Keywords: Combo-Basic, Obvious, Shaping
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Grabbing the Reins

The Herald and his familiar are bound tightly together.
Not even time or space can keep them apart. By spending a
number of motes equal to the familiars rating, the Nocturnal
recalls his familiar to him across any distance within the same
realm of existence, provided that there is at least one possible
path that the familiar could have followed on its own to reach
the Exalt. If, for example, the Nocturnal has a yeddim familiar
and is in a cave with a single entrance barely big enough for a
human to squeeze through, this Charm cannot call his familiar to him.
With a second purchase at Essence 3+, the Heralds familiar
no longer requires a logical path to be summoned with the
Exalt pays one willpower when summoning it. So long as
there is ample space to receive the familiar and both the Exalt
and the animal are within the same realm of existence, this
Charm may be used. Used in this way, this Charm becomes
Suspicious.

Ears to the Ground

Cost: 4m, (+1wp); Mins: Charisma 2, Essence 2;

Type: Simple
Keywords: Calibration, Combo-OK, Shaping, Suspicious
Duration: One Day
Prerequisite Charms: Any Charisma Charm

The Herald depends upon a strong network of connections to be her eyes and ears while away. But even in foreign
lands she finds willing informants, and failing that, makes
them. The Exalts player rolls (Charisma + [Investigation or
Socialize]), suffering a -1 external penalty if she has never been
in the region before and a -2 external penalty if the region
would be openly hostile to her. These penalties stack. She
gains one dot of minor contacts per success. By spending an
additional willpower she may gain one major contact per success as well though this becomes Suspicious for non-extras, as
the contacts history is rewritten to include a casual relationship with the Herald.

Usually only mortals may be bound to the Herald in
this way, but a second purchase of this Charm at Essence 4+
allows her to gain contacts among beings with Essence less
than her own, though only if her roll overcomes the potential
contacts Mental DVs. Any being may resist this shaping effect
by spending willpower equal to the Heralds Essence, minus
their own, to a maximum of 5.

This Charms duration changes to Until the End of
Calibration if activated during Calibration.

Friends and Lovers Stance

Cost: 6m, 1wp; Mins: Charisma 5, Essence 3;

Type: Simple (Dramatic Action)
Keywords: Combo-OK, Emotion
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Ears to the Ground


With natural social poise, the Harlequin ingratiates
himself among the mighty. The Nocturnal spends a scene in
social interaction with another person and attempts tangle
their futures together on positive terms. So long as the scene
does not end on sour terms, the Nocturnal rolls (Charisma
+ Socialize) against the targets Mental DV. If successful, the
target gains a positive Intimacy toward the Nocturnal, appropriately flavored by their recent encounter. This Intimacy
may be resisted for a scene by spending one willpower and is
completely dismissed once the target has spent (Nocturnals
Charisma) willpower. So long as the Intimacy remains, the
Exalt gains an appropriate Ally background to represent the
target and interacts with that character accordingly. At the
Storytellers discretion, this may be replaced with a Mentor
background if the target is substantially more powerful than
the Nocturnal himself.

Zodiac and Ecliptic Union

Cost: (3xp); Mins: Charisma 2, Essence 2;

Type: Permanent
Keywords: None
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: None

The bond between Herald and Vizier is deep and automatic. While no further apart than their combined Essence in
yards, neither the Nocturnal nor the Sidereal needs to spend
Willpower to channel a Virtue to support an action which
aids their companion. At the end of any scene in which they
benefited from their companions virtuous actions, the Nocturnal or the Sidereal may spend 3xp to raise their respective
Companion rating by one.

A second purchase of this Charm adds their combined
Companion rating in yards to the maximum distance which
may separate the pair.

Constellations Fill the Sky

Cost: ; Mins: Charisma 2, Essence 2;

Type: Permanent
Keywords: None
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: Zodiac and Ecliptic Union

Though often at odds over the eternal debate between
free will and predestination, the Herald and the Vizier have
a common goal in the defense of Creation. They are stronger
together than they are apart. When the Herald successfully
performs a stunt to aid his companion by acting in a manner
consistent with the nature of his companions aspect (acting
secretively in the case of a Chosen of Secrets, for example), the
Exalt may regain a Virtue channel instead of the usual reward
from the stunt. The Storyteller may veto an attempt to regain
a Virtue channel if the stunt is determined to be contrary to
the ideals of the Virtue.

Implacable Foundations

Cost: 3m; Mins: Charisma 3, Essence 2;

Type: Reflexive (Step 2)
Keywords: Calibration-OK, Combo-OK, Social, Obvious
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Zodiac and Ecliptic Union

The Chosen of Possibilities have few constants in their
lives. The past is an illusion to be exploitedthe future, a
dream to be crafted. There is but one island of certainty that
the Herald can rely upon: his Sidereal companion. Calling
upon that point of stability, this Charm serves as a perfect
defense against unwanted social influences originating from
Creatures outside of Fate, so long as the Exalts companion
has placed upon him an Ascending Destiny that would be

relevant to his current situation. The necessity of a tether to

the certainty of the Loom of Fate serves as a unique Flaw of
Invulnerability. A relevant Destiny provided by Destiny Preserving Humility will also allow the Nocturnal to activate this
Charm, but reduces the Destiny rating by one as part of the
cost.

During Calibraiton, this may serve as a perfect social
defense against beings within Fate, so long as the Exalt possesses a relevant Destiny. A second purchase at Charisma 5+,
Essence 3+ grants this benefit even when it is not Calibration,
but makes such use Suspicious.

Fifteen Minutes of Fame Approach

Cost: 6m (+1wp); Mins: Charisma 3, Essence 2;

Type: Simple
Keywords: Calibration, Combo-OK
Duration: One Scene
Prerequisite Charms: Any Charisma Charm

Like all Exalted, the Harlequin, in time, makes quite a
name for herself. She is a hero of legend and rumoreven
if those legends and rumors are contradictory. Wherever she
goes, she knows how to play the part. First, the Nocturnals
player rolls (Charisma + relevant ability). If she wishes to be
famous for her musical talents, she would roll Performance;
for her healing abilities, Medicine; for her physical prowess,
Athletics; and so on. This roll suffers an external penalty equal
to the highest rating in the chosen ability present, excluding
her own. The Exalt gains Influence equal to the remaining
successes, to a maximum of 5 or the Nocturnals Essence,
whichever is lower. Additionally, for the remainder of the
scene, the Nocturnal may add up to her new Influence rating
to the Chosen ability, though this is subject to usual dice cap
rules for the Nocturnal.

This Charm lasts until the end of Calibration if activated during that time.

Building the Bandwagon

Cost: 8m, 1wp; Mins: Charisma 5, Essence 4;

Type: Supplemental
Keywords: Combo-OK, Compulsion, Emotion, Social
Duration: (Charisma) Days
Prerequisite Charms: Fifteen Minutes of Fame Approach

As the servants of other Exalted, the Herald is often sent
out to drum up support for their superiors and their agenda.
The Exalts affable personality engenders a Charisma-based
social attack with an infectious intimacy. If the attack is successful, the target gains an Intimacy of loyalty to a being other
than a Nocturnal Exalted or to a cause lead by such a being.
Additionally, the target gains the Compulsion to spread the
Intimacy to others. If this was a social attack against a single
target, she may spend two willpower to resist the Compulsion
and another two to resist the Emotion of the Intimacyboth
are regarded as unnatural mental influences. If this is an attack
against a social unit, the leader may pay two Loyalty to resist
the Compulsion and two to resist the Emotion, otherwise the
Intimacy and Compulsion become part of its Policy. If this
causes the unit to split, those who split from the main unit
must also resist the full effects of this Charm or it continues
normally.

The Intimacy created by this Charm lasts until it is
resisted. The Compulsion, however, lasts until the end of
this Charm or until it is resisted. Each day after the first, the
social unit gains an additional Magnitude (a single target is
considered Magnitude 0 as usual), with the Intimacy as its
Policy. This continues each day until the Charm ends or the
unit has Magnitude equal to Nocturnals Essence. If all people

Chapter Five Charms

111

affected by the Compulsion resist its effects in the same day,

the Charm terminates immediately.

This Charm can be used to accelerate recruitment drives
for Mass Combat units as wellthough it only ensures an
ample supply of soldiers willing to fight and die for their loyalties. Theyre actually fighting qualifications may leave much to
be desired.

Outside Consultant Technique

Cost: 5m; Mins: Charisma 3, Essence 2;

Type: Simple
Keywords: Calibration, Combo-OK
Duration: One Day
Prerequisite Charms: Any Charisma Charm

Though they rarely hold positions of authority themselves, the Harlequins may be called upon by various organizations to offer aid in a particular area of expertise. This
Charm allows the Nocturnal to acquire temporary Backing
in a particular organization. The Nocturnal rolls (Charisma
+ relevant ability), with a difficulty of the highest Backing
rating possessed by someone else in the scene. Bureaucracy
is always regarded as relevant, but the Nocturnal may elect to
roll a different ability if it relates to an area of focus for the
organization or for the task the organization intends the Exalt
to perform (or the task she feigns to perform). For example,
a Nocturnal might choose War if trying to offer advice to
members of the House of Bells, or Occult while attempting to
pose as a visiting scholar at the Heptagram. If successful, the
Nocturnal gains Backing in that organization equal to half his
Essence.
While in the same scene, beings with a higher relevant Backing than the Exalts may revoke his status by simply issuing
a statement to the organization as a whole, or at least those
members present. Those with equal Backing may make a
contested ([Charisma or Manipulation] + Bureaucracy) roll; if
successful the Nocturnal is denounced and his status revoked.

This Charm lasts until the end of Calibration if activated at that time.

Heir to the Calibration King

Cost: 10m, 1wp; Mins: Charisma 5, Essence 5;

Type: Simple
Keywords: Calibration, Combo-OK, Mandate, Obvious,
Shaping
Duration: Until the End of Calibration
Prerequisite Charms: Friends and Lovers Stances, Building
the Bandwagon, Outside Consultant Technique

It is tradition among many kingdoms in Creation to allow the court jester to rule the nation during the chaotic days
of Calibration, allowing the actual authority to escape blame
for any misfortune that befalls their people during this time.
The Harlequin brings this principle to the courts of the Lords
of Creation. This Charm may only be used during the five
days of Calibration. The Exalt targets an organization or nation he wishes to assume control of and is currently in. If the
current leader is willing, this Charm succeeds automatically;
otherwise the Nocturnal must roll (Charisma + Willpower)
with a difficulty equal to the Magnitude of the target, plus
the highest Essence of its leaders. If successful, all trappings
of authority and legal and metaphysical rights thereof pass to
the Nocturnal. The leader may resist this completely with an
appropriate Shaping defense; otherwise beings with immunity
to Shaping may ignore the Nocturnals borrowed mantle of
authority on an individual basis.
Authority transfers back to the original leader at the end of
this Charm, but the Nocturnals decisions remain in effect

112

unless specifically rescinded by the current leader. The leader

receives no blame or ill-will for anything the Nocturnal does
(and a savvy leader can easily exploit this), so long as she terminates any detrimental decisions the Nocturnal made within
the first week after Calibration. The Nocturnal is under no
obligation to make it easy for the current leader to take back
his orders.
While this Charm is active, Building the Bandwagon may be
used to spread loyalty of himself and his causes within the
usurped organization. While this Charm is not Suspicious, it
rarely goes without notice. In Mandate of Heaven rules, this
Charm allows the Nocturnal to select one of the Dominions
actions for a time period including Calibration.

A second purchase of this Charm at Essence 7+ grants
it the Stackable-keyword, allowing the Harlequin to assume
control of up to (Essence) nations and organizations simultaneously. Each activation after the first costs only five motes
and a willpower.

Fascination Charms

Artful Conversationalists Allure

Cost: 4m; Mins: Charisma 3, Essence 2;

Type: Reflexive (Step 1)
Keywords: Combo-OK, Compulsion, Social
Duration: (Charisma) Actions
Prerequisite Charms: Any Charisma Charm

A master of pleasant conversation, the Harlequin enthralls her audience. Few can tear themselves away from her
words. This Charm augments a social attack. Her words draw
her opponent deeper into the conversation. If successful, the
opponent or opponents are compelled to remain in Social
Combat rather than leaving or initiating physical combat. The
target may break free of this unnatural mental influence by
spending willpower equal to half the Nocturnals Charisma,
rounding up.

A second purchase of this Charm at Charisma 4+, Essence 3+ allows the Exalt to employ this as a social counterattack if her Mental Parry DV was sufficient to overcome a
social attack. This Charm may be activated on Step 9 and, if
so, gains the Counterattack-keyword.

A third purchase at Charisma 5+, Essence 4+ allows the
Exalt to employ this Charm as a counterattack in physical
combat if she successfully defends herself against a physical
attack. If successful the attacker immediately ceases Physical
Combat and is regarded as Inactive if combat continues, until
either he spends the required willpower or is attacked. He
may defend himself normally. Used in this way, this Charm
becomes Obvious.

Interest Catching Camaraderie

Cost: 6m, (+1wp); Mins: Charisma 3, Essence 2;

Type: Supplemental
Keywords: Combo-OK, Social
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Any Charisma Charm

The Harlequin binds others into lengthy discussions of
common interests or long, passionate debates. This Charm
supplements a Social attack. If the Exalt possesses an Intimacy
which relates, even unfavorably, to the targets Motivation,
Policy, or one of the targets Intimacies, the attack becomes
undodgeable.

With a second purchase at Charisma 5+, Essence 4+,
the Exalt may spend one willpower upon first activating this
Charm. Doing so allows the Nocturnal to enjoy a cumulative
-1m discount on this Charm, to a minimum of 0m, for the

remainder of the scene so long as she does not change the Essence mutation as a Training effect. Since he receives this as
topic or fail to activate this Charm at least once each action. he completes his Motivation, he may also increase his Essence
by one immediately, as usual.
Entrancing Aurora Novelty
Cost: 7m, 1wp; Mins: Charisma 5, Essence 3;
Continued Discussion Addiction
Type: Simple (Speed 4, DV -2)
Cost: 8m, 1wp; Mins: Charisma 5, Essence 3;
Keywords: Calibration, Combo-Basic, Obvious
Type: Simple (Dramatic Action)
Duration: (Charisma) Actions
Keywords: Combo-OK, Compulsion, Social
Prerequisite Charms: Interest Catching Camaraderie
Duration: (Extra Successes) Days

With a smile and a pleasant word, the Harlequin en- Prerequisite Charms: Artful Conversationalists Allure, Intersnares the world. For him, Fate itself would unravel if he est Catching Camaraderie
would only ask. His forceful presence wins many hearts and
Nocturnal courtiers are highly prized additions to any
breaks as many minds. For the duration of this Charm, he social setting. Their very presence is intoxicating. This Charm
increases the willpower necessary to resist his natural mental requires a scene of interaction between the Harlequin and
influences by one and treats his Appearance as being one another being. At the end of the interaction, the Exalts player
higher. He may gain one Paradox rather than spend the will- makes a (Charisma + relevant ability) roll against the targets
power cost of any First, Second, or Third Excellency. During Mental DVs. In addition to typically Presence or PerformanceCalibration, he adds one success to all his social attacks, one based rolls, this social attack may take some rather unorthodox
to his mental DVs, and gains one Paradox die instead of one forms. For example, after a scene of sparing the Nocturnals
Paradox.
player might roll (Charisma + Martial Arts), or (Charisma +

A second purchase of this Charm at Essence 4+ makes Craft [Water]) after the target has enjoyed a meal prepared by
this Charm Calibration-OK.
the Nocturnal.

If the social attack is successful, the target gains a ComFollowing the Hearts Desire
pulsion to reengage the Exalt in similar interaction. The tarCost: 5m, 1wp; Mins: Charisma 4, Essence 3;
get is not obligated to pursue this Compulsion until the next
Type: Simple (Dramatic Action)
day and may resist it for one day by spending one willpower,
Keywords: Combo-OK, Compulsion, Social
or completely by spending half the Nocturnals Charisma,
Duration: Instant
rounding up, in willpower at one time. If the Nocturnal is not
Prerequisite Charms: Interest Catching Camaraderie
available, the target seeks other means to gratify the Compul
A conversation with the Harlequin is an eye-opening sion, but is never quite satisfied by the experience.
experience. Like a night of contemplative consideration,
those who speak with the Nocturnal leave her presence with nteraction harms
new resolve and a sense of purpose. The Exalt spends a scene
conversing with the target of this Charm about a topic that Courtesan and Artisan Meditation
relates favorably to the targets Motivation, Policy, or one of Cost: ; Mins: Charisma 4, Essence 3;
his Intimacies. At the end of the conversation, her player rolls Type: Permanent
a Charisma-based social attack against the target. If success- Keywords: Merged, Native
ful, the target is unnaturally compelled to pursue the most Duration: Permanent
expedient course of action that will advance his Motivation, Prerequisite Charms: None
Through her service to others the Harlequin finds
Policy, or chosen Intimacy. For example, if the target has an
Intimacy to see justice executed, the Exalt might convince him fulfillment and is, in turn, empowered. This Charm allows
to take the law into his own hands and pursue vigilantism. the Nocturnal to recover additional motes while entertaining,
physically or emotionally healing others, or aiding another
This unnatural Compulsion costs two willpower to resist.
in accomplishing his Motivation. For every hour the Exalt
Darkest Night Hero
spends doing such activities, she recovers a number of motes
Cost: (+5m); Mins: Charisma 5, Essence 3;
equal either to the Magnitude of the group affected, or the
Type: Permanent
highest Essence of any member of that group, whichever is
Keywords: Nox, Suspicious, Training
higher. If the Exalt also knows The Open Road Softly Calls
Duration: Permanent
each hour spent traveling at the request of another being or
Prerequisite Charms: Following the Hearts Desire
group likewise allows the Exalt to regain motes.

Desperation and desire forge champions, if only for
Additionally, each purchase of this Charm provides the
a night. Come morning, an unlikely hero may wonder why Nocturnal with an additional 10 motes for her peripheral eshe ever acted so boldly or took such foolish risks. By paying sence pool, which may only be refilled through Charms that
the surcharge of this Charm when activating Following the recover motes of Essence. This Charm may be purchased once
Hearts Desire, the Nocturnal elevates an extra to Heroic per dot of Permanent Essence.
Mortal status while they pursue the Compulsion, exaggerat- Merged: Courtesan and Artisan Meditation (Intelligence,
ing the mortals Motivation into something suitably heroic. Wits)
When this Charm is used, the threads of Fate representing Exaltations quiver and Lyteks cabinet rattles as the Exaltations Bought Mercenarys Oath
consider this new hero. Additionally, the new hero gains a Cost: (1xp); Mins: Charisma 4, Essence 3;
Willpower rating of at least 6, as a training effect, and restores Type: Permanent
all temporary willpower. This reverts to his natural rating, if Keywords: Compulsion, Merged, Native
Duration: Permanent
lower, once he loses his Heroic status.

If the mortal fails to achieve this empowered Motivation Prerequisite Charms: Courtesan and Artisan Meditation
The Harlequin spends his days fulfilling the requests of
or spends willpower to resist the Compulsion of Following
the Hearts Desire, he reverts back to insignificant extra. If he others and through his service steels his will against further
succeeds, however, he may choose to receive the Enlightend demands. When the Harlequin receives an order from a

Chapter Five Charms

113

Celestial Exalt which could serve as an appropriately heroic

Motivation for any type of Exalted, the Harlequins player may
pay one experience to change his characters Motivation to the
request. The Motivation is thereafter inviolable, even by the
Harlequins own Charms such as Inevitable Bandit Betrayal.
Further application of this Charm is the sole exception to this
rule as the Exalt may overwrite one order with a new one.
The Harlequins Subservience immediately drops to zero and
the being who issued the order no longer triggers the Curse
while the Harlequin has this new Motivation. The Harlequin
gains a Compulsion to complete the Motivation which costs
two willpower to resist for a day but can never be fully negated
while the Motivation remains. Spending at least one scene a
day working toward the Motivation is enough to satisfy the
demands of the Compulsion.

If the Exalt successfully completes the Motivation, he
never again suffers the Curse of Subservience from the Celestial who issued the order. If the Motivation ever becomes
impossible, it may be freely abandoned. Once completed or
rendered impossible, the Harlequin may choose to restore his
own Motivation or adopt a new one as appropriate.

Merged: Bought Mercenarys Oath (Intelligence, Wits)

Limitless Cosmos Expansion

Cost: ; Mins: Charisma 4, Essence 4;

Type: Permanent
Keywords: Merged, Native
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: Courtesan and Artisan Meditation

Delving into the hidden depths of their own cosmic
power, the Heralds unlock the splendor and majesty of the
heavens within their own souls. The effects of this Charm
depend upon the Heralds caste. As a universal effect, all
Nocturnals may now use Calibration-OK Charms when their
anima flares to the 11+ mote level, as though they were Empyreans.
Nova: The intense explosion of the vanguards anima ripples
outward with tremendous force. When his anima first flares
at the 11+ mote level, it sends out a blast of cosmic energy.
All beings he considers enemies within the radius of the vanguards anima must check for knockdown at a difficulty equal
to his Essence. If she fails, the antagonistic being is carried to
the edge of the Nocturnals anima. As the anima expands to
cover more territory, additional pulses radiated out from the
vanguard, forcing another knockdown check.
Comet: The armiger bombards her foes with a series of powerful attacks, each more powerful than the last. Once her anima
has reached the 11+ mote level, she gains one automatic
success a physical attack for each previous physical attack she
performed in one Action and increases the willpower needed
to resist the slowing effect to half her Essence.
Aurora: Surrounded by rippling viridian banners, the ambassador is far too lovely to destroy. Once the ambassadors
anima has reached the 11+ mote level, all beings must fail
a Compassion roll to physically attack him and such attacks
suffer an internal penalty equal to the attackers Compassion.
Empyrean: The barristers life is one of barely controlled
chaos, but he is rewarded for embracing a life of chances and
risks. Whenever a Chance die is rolled by the player of a being
within that radius, that player may reroll the Chance die once
and choose which of the two results apply, at the cost of a
willpower. The Empyrean himself may make this reroll freely.
No Chance die may be rolled more than once. Additionally,
the area within the barristers anima counts a Calibration for
the purposes of Fluctuations as well, so long as the effects of

114

the Fluctuation are completely contained within that radius at

the time of the Heralds player makes the roll.
Nebula: Dense clouds of cosmic dust surround the sophist,
fogging the minds of his foes and obscuring their vision.
Once the sophists anima banner reaches the 11+ mote level,
the initial External Penalty it imposes on Mental Attribute
rolls increases to (Essence), and the maximum it can impose
increases to (Essence x 2). Additionally, the anima banner
obscures vision as an actual fog (Exalted, p. 135).
Merged: Limitless Cosmos Expansion (Intelligence, Wits)

Brothers In Arms

Cost: 5m; Mins: Charisma 3, Essence 2;

Type: Supplemental
Keywords: Combo-OK, Emotion, Social
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Any Charisma Charm

At night settles over the world, people band together
against whatever may hide in darkness. The Herald likewise
encourages solidarity. This Charm supplements a spoken or
written Charisma-based social attack which emphasizes commonalities among a group and encourages people to work
toward a common goal. The attack suffers an external penalty
equal to the social units Magnitude, but if successful, every
member of the unit gains an Intimacy of solidarity for the
group as a whole. Targets with such Intimacies will temporarily set aside differences and cooperate willing unless schisms
between them are deliberately reopened. Resisting this unnatural Emotion costs two willpower.

Stentorian Amplification Practice

Cost: 2m (+1wp); Mins: Charisma 2, Essence 2;

Type: Supplemental
Keywords: Combo-OK
Duration: One Scene
Prerequisite Charms: Any Charisma Charm

On the battlefield or in a debate hall, the Herald must
ensure his voice is heard. Any attempt to relate information
suffers no external penalty due to range, contesting noise,
or other forms of interference, so long as the recipient is
within (Essence x 50) yards. All within range may hear the
Nocturnals words as clearly as though spoken beside them
in personal conversation. The Nocturnal may touch another
person upon activating this Charm to transfer the benefit to
her by spending one willpowerdoing so grants this Charm
the Touch keyword.

A second purchase at Essence 4+ changes the duration
to Indefinite. So long as the motes remain committed, the
Exalts message is received. This is particularly useful for
delayed communications. No amount of graffiti may cover-up
her propaganda posters; nor will any accident on the road obscure the message written to a distant ally. The material upon
which the message is written may be destroyed as normal,
but individual pieces continue to remain legible beneath any
vandalism. Burning such messages is one of the few ways to
effectively break this Charms power.

Echoing Polyglot Discourse

Cost: 5m, (+1wp); Mins: Charisma 3, Essence 3;

Type: Reflexive
Keywords: Calibration-OK, Combo-OK, Shaping
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Stentorian Amplification Practice
Language barriers hinder efficient communication.
Translators take time to relate conversations and all too often
the fine details are lost. With this Charm the Herald bypasses
the need for such inefficient methods. Anything he says is

simultaneously spoken in all languages he knows. Individuals

will only hear one version of the Heralds words, preferentially
their own native language. If an individual and the Herald do
not share a common language, they hear only the Heralds
own native tongue.

During Calibration, the entire audience hears the Nocturnals words in their own native dialect if the Exalt spends
an additional willpower upon activating this Charm. Under
such circumstances the Nocturnal gains one die of Paradox
for each major language which the audience hears that he
does not actually know.

From the point of view of non-targets, no time passes.
When the Charm ends, all targets rejoin the scene exactly
as they were before the Nocturnal activated the Charm,
excluding any consequences of social combat that occurred.
Those unaffected hear only the rapid high-pitched hum of the
accelerated conversation, which is indecipherable to anyone
without Perception 6+. Even such superhuman hearing requires a (Perception + Awareness) roll, with a difficulty equal
to the number of Paradox dice the Nocturnal received from
this Charm.

While Nox is in the Loom the Nocturnal may pay an additional (+2m) surcharge to have this Charm affect Creatures
Defense in Silence
outside of Fate. Otherwise, only such beings with Essence less
Cost: 2m+; Mins: Charisma 4, Essence 2;
than the Nocturnals are affected by this Charm. Creatures
Type: Reflexive (Step 2)
beyond Fate with equal or greater Essence may completely
Keywords: Combo-OK, Social
ignore this Charm. They may move freely while time is frozen,
Duration: Until Next Action
and the Charm terminates instantly if the being attempts any
Prerequisite Charms: Any Charisma Charm
action other than engaging in social combat with those the

No matter how boldly the Harlequin argues her point, Exalted targeted with this Charm. Beings who are immune to
the possibility remains that she sat quietly. The same applies Shaping behave similarly.
to her opponent. Every two motes spent on this Charm
cancels out one point of penalty to her Mental DVs from
edicinal harms
social attacks and social onslaught, to a minimum of 0. The
Nocturnal may not spend more motes on this Charm than Bedside Manner Acceleration
Cost: 5m, 1wp; Mins: Charisma 3, Essence 2;
twice her Charisma.
Type: Supplemental
Simultaneous Signal Technique
Keywords: Combo-OK, Emotion, Merged
Cost: 3m+, 1wp; Mins: Charisma 4, Essence 3;
Duration: Instant
Type: Extra-Action
Prerequisite Charms: Any Charisma Charm
Keywords: Combo-OK, Obvious, Social

Even the greatest medicines cannot heal a patient who
Duration: Instant
has given up the will to live. The Harlequin inspires hope in
Prerequisite Charms: Defense in Silence
her patient and encourages the patient to continue struggling

The Harlequin may be silent, or she may speak volumes. against whatever adversity afflicts him. This Charm suppleThe Nocturnal argues several points at once, making up to ments an attempt to tend to a wounded, diseased, or poisoned
(Charisma) social attacks at cost of three motes each. She does person. In addition to the standard roll to tend to such things,
not make rapid-fire points. Each attack takes up the usual the Nocturnal rolls (Charisma + Medicine), with a difficulty
amount of time, but each occupies the same position in time. of the targets current wound penalty, the poisons Toxicity,
The target hears each individually and only realizes that the or the diseases Virulence, as appropriate. The Storyteller may
Exalt fractured reality to deliver them all in a single instant determine other difficulties for more exotic ailments.
once the last word leaves the Nocturnals mouth. This magical
If successful, the target maintains a positive attitude
flurry has a speed and DV penalty equal to the highest among regarding his condition, gaining a positive Intimacy of hope
any of the individual social attacks, and all attacks suffer no toward his current condition. The patient heals damage
flurry penalties.
(Nocturnals Charisma) times faster than normal, and adds
the Nocturnals Charisma in dice to (Stamina + Resistance)
Extemporal Message Delivery
rolls to resist the poison or disease. This effect lasts for the
Cost: 8m, 1wp; Mins: Charisma 5, Essence 4;
Nocturnals Charisma in days, or until some other factor
Type: Simple
negates the Intimacy the Nocturnal has created.
Keywords: Combo-OK, Flux, Nox, Obvious, Social

Merged: Bedside Manner Acceleration (Appearance)
Duration: Special
Prerequisite Charms: Echoing Polyglot Discourse, Simultane- Laughing Pharmacist Placebo
ous Signal Technique
Cost: 1m+, 1wp; Mins: Charisma 4, Essence 3;

The prudent Herald knows not to discuss disagreements Type: Simple (Dramatic Action)
within earshot of his enemies. Upon activating this Charm, Keywords: Combo-OK, Merged
the Exalt selects no more than (Essence) individuals and rolls Duration: Instant
a Charisma-based social attack against them as appropriate. Prerequisite Charms: Bedside Manner Acceleration
From the perspective of the Exalt and any target whose mental
Laughter, it is said, is the best medicinethough many
DV he successfully overcame, all other beings freeze in place concubines disagree on that point. The Harlequin knows
and the world loses its color, save for those under the influ- many unorthodox ways of healing injured patient, and masence of the Charm. As time freezes, the Nocturnal and his ters alternative and improbable forms of medicine. Regardless
targets make an immediate Join Debate roll. Thereafter they of the method employed, after providing the patient with
may only engage in social combat with each other. They may some unlikely doctoring, the Nocturnal rolls a (Charisma
not move or interact in any way with anyone not included in + [Presence or Performance]), adding her Medicine in autothis Charms effects. They become segregated in a scene onto matic successes. The difficulty of this action is the higher of
itself, which lasts as long as the Nocturnal wills or until one of the targets wounded health levels or base Mental Dodge DV.
the targets spend willpower equal to half the Nocturnals Cha- Every extra success allows the Exalt to heal one Bashing or
risma, rounding up. The Nocturnal gains one die of Paradox one Lethal health level, at the cost of 1 mote for Bashing and
for every Action he takes well this Charm is in effect.

Chapter Five Charms

115

2 motes for Lethal. The Exalt may only use this Charm once Cost: 2m; Mins: Charisma 2, Essence 2;
per patient per day.
Type: Reflexive

Merged: Laughing Pharmacist Placebo (Appearance)
Keywords: Combo-OK, War
Duration: Instant
Sugar and Wishes Remedy
Prerequisite Charms: None
Cost: 10m, 1wp; Mins: Charisma 4, Essence 3;

In warfare, the pawns move first, and it is the Herald
Type: Simple (Dramatic Action)
who drives them forward. Instead of rolling Join War, the
Keywords: Combo-OK, Flux, Merged
Nocturnals unit acts on Tick 0. With Charisma 4+, this
Duration: Instant
Charm may be used to ensure that the units action is resolved
Prerequisite Charms: Laughing Pharmacist Placebo
before another unit that acts on the same Tick.

The Harlequin is no mere swindler (well, not always, at
least). Though she offers nothing but hope; that is enough. Many Messengers Relay
Upon activating this Charm, the Exalt spends a scene con- Cost: ; Mins: Charisma 5, Essence 3;
cocting a remedy for a specific disease or poison. She rolls Type: Permanent
(Charisma + [Medicine or Craft: Water]), with a difficulty Keywords: Obvious, Suspicious
equal to the the diseases Difficulty to Treat or the poisons Duration: Permanent
Toxicity. The concoction may take the form of anything the Prerequisite Charms: Any Charisma Charm
Exalt desires, from candy to foul tasting medicines. Whatever
The Herald is well suited to her role as messenger of the
form the remedy takes, it has no true power to heal beyond Chosen, particularly in times of war. In the heat of battle, she
what the Nocturnals essence invests in it.
appears to be just where she needs to beperhaps even in two
If successful, she creates (Essence) doses of the remedy, plus places at the same time. While the Herald serves as a relay for
one dose per extra success. She may not create remedies in a mass combat unit, he counts as (Charisma) additional relays
this way for diseases that cannot be healed without magic within that unit. The Herald is not obligated to enjoy this
unless she also knows Cheaters Never Prosper. Any being benefit, but doing so is Suspicious.
who ingests the a number of doses of the remedy equal to the
A second purchase of this Charm at Essence 6+ allows
diseases untreated Morbidity or the Poisons Toxicity +2 is the Nocturnal serve as relays for multiple units with (Essence)
immediately healed. Remaining doses may be saved for future miles of one anotherthough she still cannot serve as more
use for up to one month before they lose their power.
than a total of (Charisma) relays. While doing so, she may
If the healed being suffers the same disease or poison again facilitate near-instant communication between the units.
in the future, the Exalt cannot use this Charm to heal them Should a general attempt a Coordinate Units action involving
again. Another Nocturnal with the same Charm may attempt only the units the Exalt has simultaneously placed herself in,
to do so, but must choose a different sort of concoction as the that general uses the Exalts Charisma rather than the lowest
vehicle for his healing power. Knowing her own remedies to Drill among the units to reduce the difficulty of the action. At
be nothing but a ruse, she cannot use them to heal herself.
the end of the battle, the Nocturnal may move herself to any

Merged: Sugar and Wishes Remedy (Appearance)
unit that benefited from her service as a relay, even one miles
away from the unit in which she began the battle.
Careful Surgeon Instructions
Cost: 5m; Mins: Charisma 2, Essence 2;
Hold the Line
Type: Supplemental
Cost: 2-3m; Mins: Charisma 2, Essence 2;
Keywords: Combo-OK, Compulsion, Emotion, Merged
Type: Reflexive (Step 2)
Duration: Instant
Keywords: Combo-OK, War
Prerequisite Charms: Any Charisma Charm
Duration: Instant

Healers cannot stand beside all their patients every day. Prerequisite Charms: Any Charisma Charm
The Harlequin knows the value of communicating effectively
A strong presence can inspire in the face of overwhelmwith patients so that they can continue to care for themselves ing danger. When serving either as the units commander
while shes away. This Charm supplements spoken or written or relay, the Herald may activate this Charm in response to
instructions, usually in the form of a social attack, given to a an attack and cancel up to (Charisma) points of penalties to
person who benefitted from one of the Nocturnals success- units DV. This Charm costs two motes if the Exalt serves as a
ful medicine rolls or Medicinal Charms. The attack becomes relay, or three motes as the commander.
undodgeable, and should it succeed, the target must spend
the (the Nocturnals Charisma) willpower to resist its effects, Evoke the War Gods Blessing
maximum 5. The Charm generates an Intimacy of gratitude Cost: 6m; Mins: Charisma 4, Essence 3;
toward the Exalt and a Compulsion to follow the Nocturnals Type: Simple (Speed 4, DV -1)
instructions as they relate to his continued recovery. Addition- Keywords: Combo-OK, Chance
ally, the target suffers no internal penalties when executing Duration: Until the end of the battle
Prerequisite Charms: Hold the Line
those instructions.
The gods of war are a diverse group of beings, and often

With a second purchase at Charisma 5+, Essence 4+,
disagree
on the nature of warfare. With this Charm, however,
this Charm gains the Calibration-OK keyword. The Exalt is
no longer limited to instructions dealing directly with the the Nocturnal appeals the universal qualities of War and atpatients continued care, if the healing and the order is given tracts the attention of an individual war god. The Heralds
during Calibration. Used in this way, the influence of this player rolls (Charisma + [Performance or War]) with a difficulty equal to the Magnitude of the unit to which she is atCharm lasts only until the next sunrise.
tached. If successful, the Nocturnal rolls one die to determine

Merged: Careful Surgeon Instructions (Intelligence)
the blessing.

Military Unit Charms

Trumpets Herald Victory

116

1:

Any object that the Heralds unit employs during

combat suffers no wear. This includes artifacts.

2-3:

The unit gains a number of extra -1 health levels

equal to the Nocturnals Charisma.

4-5:

The unit gains perfect morale.

6-7:

The unit gains a pool of automatic successes equal to

the Nocturnals Charisma, which may be used at the
commanders discretion.

8-9:

The unit halves opposing Might, rounding up, as a

Shaping effect.

10:

Any Exalt in the Heralds unit enjoys a -1m on all his

Charms while fighting a duel, to a minimum of 1m.
This option may not be selected with willpower until
the Herald has Essence 5+.

Rank-and-File Reformation

Cost: 1m per Magnitude, 1wp; Mins: Charisma 4, Essence 2;

Type: Reflexive (Step 1 or Step 2)
Keywords: Combo-OK, Obvious, Suspicious, War
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Hold the Line

Military units under the Heralds tutelage readily fall
into formations for which they have regularly trained. When
the Nocturnal serves as their commander or relay, he may
activate this Charm to change his units formation, merge
with another unit, or split into two unites. The Exalt rolls
(Charisma + [Performance or War]), with a difficulty of the
units (Magnitude Drill, minimum 1). If successful, the
change occurs nearly instantaneously, with the entire unit
vanishing in flash of the Nocturnals anima and immediately
reappearing in their appropriate positions.

Saturn Shuns the Willing

Cost: 8m; Mins: Charisma 5, Essence 3;

Type: Simple (Speed 3 in long ticks, DV -2)
Keywords: Calibration, Combo-OK, Flux, Obvious
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Hold the Line

The Loom of Fate is not a perfect record of reality. Occasionally errors are made and a mortal might go on living
long after his recorded death. With this Charm, the Herald
exploits such errors to aid in military units Rally Action to
recuperate losses mid-battle. This Charm may only be used after his unit lost a point of Magnitude. The Nocturnals player
rolls (Charisma + [Performance or War]) with a difficulty of
the units Magnitude before the most recent loss. If successful,
the soldiers find themselves looking at their own dead bodies,
while they themselves are perfectly alive and corporeal. Given
a second lease on life, they fight all the harder, increasing the
units Magnitude by one. Except during Calibration, the Exalt
gains Paradox dice equal to the units restored Magnitude
whenever this Charm proves successful.

and the rank and file soldier. Such humble leadership encourages greater cooperation in the society and army. The Nocturnal rolls (Charisma + [Socialize or War]), with the difficulty of
equal to the Magnitude of any Dominion, social or military
unit she leads. If successful, the Magnitude is doubled for any
purpose that the leader considers beneficial. This Magnitude
bonus cannot exceed the Nocturnals Essence. If she also
knows Many Messengers Relay, she may employ this Charm
while serving in some other official role within the organization.

Convenient Politicians Adoption

Cost: 4m, 1wp; Mins: Charisma 3, Essence 2;

Type: Simple
Keywords: Combo-OK, Emotion, Social
Duration: One Scene
Prerequisite Charms: Any Charisma Charm

The charming attitude of the Harlequin forces his way of
thinking onto society. With this Charm, the Nocturnal causes
a social unit to which he belongs to retroactively adopt a new
Policy. His player rolls (Charisma + Socialize), with an external
penalty of the units Magnitude. If the Exalt does not lead
the social unit, he must overcome the leaders Mental DV,
otherwise he needs only one success. If he succeeds, he may
implant one of his own Intimacies into the units Policy. The
leader of the social unit may spend 2 Loyalty to remove this
facet of the Policy.

A second purchase at Charisma 4+, Essence 4+ grants
this Charm the Suspicious-keyword. As a Suspicious action,
the Nocturnal may remove any number of facets of the Policy
and insert any number of his Intimacies, though doing so
imposes a (+2m) surcharge.

A third purchase at Essence 6+ gives this Charm the
Shaping-keyword. For a (+4m) surcharge, any effects wrought
by this Charm permanently alter the groups Policy unless the
leader is immune to Shaping effects. The Herald may employ
either or both of these upgrades as he desires.

Like Minds Congregation

Cost: 8m, 1wp; Mins: Charisma 3, Essence 2;

Type: Simple
Keywords: Combo-OK, Social
Duration: Indefinite
Prerequisite Charms: Any Charisma Charm

The people follow the Harlequin, not because she radiates an air of authority but because she appears as one of them.
The Nocturnal selects one of her Intimacies when activating
this Charm and rolls a Charisma-based social attack, which
may employ Socialize in addition to the usual Abilities. Any
who has a similar, favorable Intimacy or a Motivation aligning
positively with the chosen Intimacy and whose Mental DV the
Exalt overcame with this social attack, recognize the Nocturnal
as a kindred spirit. The Nocturnal accumulates a social unit,
with a Magnitude no greater than her Charisma, so long as
there are enough people to comprise such a unit (if not, more
are added as they become available). The group recognizes the
member with the highest (Charisma + Essence) as their leader,
ocial nit harms
who is likely, but not necessarily, the Harlequin herself. The
social unit persists as long as Nocturnal maintains her comBirds of a Feather Unity
mitment to this Charm, though any member, including the
Cost: 4m; Mins: Charisma 3, Essence 2;
Nocturnal, is immediately ejected if he or she no longer has a
Type: Simple
qualifying Motivation or Intimacy.
Keywords: Combo-OK, Mandate, Social, War

A second purchase of this Charm at Essence 5+ allows
Duration: (Essence) Actions
the Nocturnal to automatically be considered the leader durPrerequisite Charms: Any Charisma Charm

Even in their infrequent encounters with true authority, ing Calibration, regardless of other claims. This Charm gains
the Herald insinuates themselves among the common people the Calibration-OK keyword.

Chapter Five Charms

117

Darkest Before Dawn

Cost: 4m; Mins: Charisma 4, Essence 4;

Type: Reflexive
Keywords: Combo-OK, Social, Mandate
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Convenient Politicians Adoption, Like
Minds Congregation

Even under the starless, moonless sky of Calibration,
there is hope and the Harlequin embodies that hope with
the full potential of her demeanor. No matter what hardships
the people face, leaving the Exalts presence is more unthinkable than going into the night alone. When a Magnitude 3+
Dominion or social unit to which the Nocturnal belongs must
spend willpower or Loyalty to resist an effect, the Exalt may
activate this Charm to reduce the cost of the resist by the
Nocturnals Essence, to a minimum of one.

A second purchase at Essence 5+ grants this Charm the
Calibration-OK keyword. When activated during that time,
the Exalt may elect to spend an additional number of motes
equal to the units Magnitude and an additional willpower to
extend this Charms duration to One Scene.

MANIPULATION

Background Alteration Charms

Bureaucracy Transcending Transfer

Cost: 5m, 1wp; Mins: Manipulation 4, Essence 2;

Type: Simple
Keywords: Combo-Basic, Illusion, Shaping
Duration: (Manipulation) Days
Prerequisite Charms: Any Manipulation Charm

Unlike the Viziers, the Harlequins are not bound to a
particular hierarchy. With this Charm, the Exalt shifts any
portion of her Backing from one branch of a larger organization to a sister branch, or to a subsidiary department (in which
case, she gains an automatic Backing 1, plus however many
dots of Backing were shifted). For example, she might shift
her ranking in the House of Bells to the Thousand Scales, as
these are both agencies within the larger Scarlet Dynastyor
she might shift her Backing from the Guild at large to increase her authority over the slave traders within the Guild.
Anyone whose relevant Backing is equal to or greater than the
Nocturnals altered rating may make a reflexive (Intelligence
+ [Backing or Bureaucracy]) roll, with a difficulty equal to
the Nocturnals Manipulation to see through this deception.
Otherwise, this Charm can only be broken by applicability
trumping defenses. Illusion immunity defends an individual
(or a group, if applicable), or the Nocturnal may be targeted by
effects that terminating Shaping effects to end this Charms
effects on everyone.

organization, except during Calibration, when only applicability trumping defenses will reveal the Nocturnals true nature.

In all cases, Bureaucracy Transcending Transfer now
grants the Nocturnal all the trappings of her new station, such
as official documents, uniforms, or unique tattoos. While
these are accurate enough to fool any inspection, they do not
provide any magical benefits that the true version might.

Currency Converting Calculations

Cost: (1m); Mins: Manipulation 2, Essence 1;

Type: Permanent
Keywords: Shaping, Suspicious, Touch
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: None

The various currencies of Creation often require merchants to exchange one form of money for another in order to
do business. With this Charm, the Nocturnal expedites currency exchange. He may instantly alter any form of currency
into another of equivalent value. See Exalted, p. 360, for basic
monetary conversions. This Charm becomes Suspicious if the
Exalt converts money he does not personally own.

Underhanded Haggling Sleight

Cost: 3m; Mins: Manipulation 3, Essence 2;

Type: Simple
Keywords: Combo-OK, Illusion
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Currency Converting Calculation

The price of goods and services are not constant, and
turbulent times create frequent fluctuations. The Harlequin
knows how to manipulate the mind to create the impression
of such unstable values. This Charm is an attempt to negotiate the price of something to be bought or sold, or an attempt
to barter over the value of something. The Exalt makes a
Manipulation-based social attack to set his own price. Every
extra success doubles or halves the true value, as the Exalt
desires. In terms of Resources, every fifth success adds or subtracts one from Resource cost. This unnatural Illusion costs
two willpower to resist

Market Crashing Curse

Cost: (+[Magnitude]m, 1wp), ; Mins: Manipulation 4, Essence 3;

Type: Permanent
Keywords: Mandate, Social, Suspicious
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: Underhanded Haggling Sleight

This Charm enhances its prerequisite, allowing it to
influence an entire social unit or Dominion. Used in this
way, the Charm costs an additional number of motes equal
the targets Magnitude and one willpower. Additionally,
Underhanded Haggling Sleight becomes Suspicious and lasts
Indefinitely when so empowered. If the Harlequin overcomes
Double Agent Determination
the leaders Mental DVs, the entire group is overcome with
Cost: (+1m); Mins: Manipulation 5, Essence 3;
the Illusion that some commodity has become exceedingly
Type: Permanent
rare and expensive, or a worthless liability, as the Exalt desires.
Keywords: Calibration-OK
Individuals may resist for the same cost before, but the leader
Duration: Permanent
of the social unit or Dominion must spend four Loyalty or
Prerequisite Charms: Bureaucracy Transcending Transfer

Leading up to the Incarnaes rebellion, Nox maintained Willpower, respectively.
dual loyalties, balancing the paradox precariously within him- Unfaithful Husbandry Reconsideration
self. With this Charm, the Harlequin emulates the internal Cost: 4m, 1wp; Mins: Manipulation 2, Essence 2;
conflict of his patron. When using this Charms prerequisite, Type: Simple
the Nocturnal may pay the additional motes to convert her Keywords: Combo-Basic, Shaping, Touch
Backing into Backing within a rival organization. Anyone who Duration: One Scene
has previously encountered the Nocturnal as a foe may spend Prerequisite Charms: Any Manipulation Charm
two willpower to recognize that he does not belong within the

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The fox eats the mouse; the eagle eats the fox; and in
time, the eagle falls from the sky and becomes food for scavengers. All life is part of an unbroken web, intertwined and
inextricably tangled. The Harlequin takes hold of a natural
animal and shakes that web until something new falls out.
This transforms the animal into another animal of equal or
lesser Familiar rating. If the target is currently the familiar
of an uncooperative being, the Nocturnal and the targets
owner make a contested roll, following rules similar to that of
Snaring the Chains, p. XX, allowing the Exalt to employ her
Manipulation Excellency to enhance the roll.

A second purchase of this Charm at Essence 4+ makes
the Duration of this Charm instant and renders the effects
permanent and Suspicious. The animal remains transformed
until the Exalt intentionally transforms it back, or until the
shaping effect is terminated by some other means. Also at
Essence 4+ this Charm automatically upgrades to allow the
Nocturnal to affect unnatural animals with Essence less than
her own. If the animal is sentient, its mind is unaffected by
this Charmonly its physical form changes.

A third purchase, also at Essence 4+, allows the Herald
to manipulate the mind as well as the body. When the Exalt
transforms an animal, she may grant it a new Motivation.
Sentient animals may receive heroic Motivations, but in all
cases, the Motivation must be suitable to the animals species.
For example, a horse transformed into a mastiff may be given
the Motivation of Protect the Harlequin, while an ata-spider
might receive the Motivation Uncover the Fair Folk Plot
Against Halta.

willpower. The Exalt may enhance written propaganda with

this Charm.

A second purchase of this Charm at Essence 4+ sets its
duration to Instant. The Intimacies created by this Charm last
until they are resisted or are altered naturally and the Charm
no longer requires a commitment of motes to maintain its
effects.

Sheep and Cottonwood Transformation

Cost: 10m; Mins: Manipulation 4, Essence 4;

Type: Simple
Keywords: Calibration, Chance, Combo-Basic, Shaping,
Suspicious
Duration: (Manipulation) Days
Prerequisite Charms: Scapegoat and Glory Hound

The magistrate hangs the criminal; the emperor executes
the magistrate; and the assassin takes the emperors life. The
cynical Harlequin sees no difference between the primal
struggles of life and contests of political mastery, and though
she is a servant, she is neither powerless nor bound to serve
an unjust ruler. The Nocturnal targets a leader of any sort of
organization, from the foreman of a mine to highest ranking
official over an entire nation, and her player rolls (Manipulation + Willpower) against his Mental DV. If successful, the
Exalt then selects up to (Essence) potential leaders, one of
which must be the original leader and none of which may
be the Harlequin herself except during Calibration. The
player of each candidate rolls one Chance die and adds his
Essence to the result. Whoever possesses the highest score
assumes temporary leadership. In the event of a tie, the being
with the highest Essence wins; if this still results in a tie, the
organization splits accordingly. Alternatively, the Nocturnal
may simply spend one willpower to select one of the potential
candidates as though she were rolling a Chance die herself.

In Mandate of Heaven rules, this Charm allows the winner to choose one of the Dominions actions for the season.

Cost: (+2m); Mins: Manipulation 2, Essence 4;

Type: Permanent
Keywords: Suspicious
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: Unfaithful Husbandry Reconsideration

The cycle of life does not begin or end solely with
animals. The threads of nature extend much further. This
Charm permanently enhances its prerequisite. She may now
transform an animal into an equivalent amount of plant matter, for two additional motes. Intelligent animals with Essence
two or higher are instead transformed into wood elementals
of equivalent essence.

Belief and Deception Charms

Scapegoat and Glory Hound

Cost: 6m; Mins: Manipulation 4, Essence 2;

Type: Supplemental
Keywords: Combo-OK, Emotion, Social
Duration: (Manipulation) Days
Prerequisite Charms: Any Manipulation Charm

The Harlequin fabricates damning rumors against his
enemies and robs them of their due praise. This Charm supplements a Manipulation-based social attack to shift responsibility. If the Nocturnal overcomes the targets Mental DVs, he
may select someone or something else to assume responsibility in the eyes of the targets. If the target already possesses any
relevant Intimacies, those Intimacies shift as appropriate for
this social attack. For example, if the target loathes a new tax
hike, the Nocturnal may convince her that she should not
blame the satrap that decreed the tax increase, but the rebels
whose insurrection made such an increase necessary, in which
case the target would now loath the rebels. Otherwise a new
Intimacy is created. Resisting this Emotion effect costs two

Relativistic Truth Discovery

Cost: (+2m, 1wp); Mins: Manipulation 5, Essence 3;

Type: Permanent
Keywords: Flux
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: Scapegoat and Glory Hound

Whom the Harlequin accuses, the world condemns.
This Charm upgrades its prerequisite, turning the Exalts lies
into to truth if he pays two additional motes and a willpower.
All relevant evidence is transformed to appropriately indicate
whomever the Exalt said was responsible whenever a person
under the influence of Scapegoat and Glory Hound discovers
that evidence. Evidence uncovered by those not under the
Harlequins influence remains unchanged resulting in conflicting, if apparently equally valid, realities. Evidence found
in this way converts back to its original state when Scapegoat
and Glory Hound expires or when targeted by effects that
terminate Shaping effects. Once the Exalt has purchased
Scapegoat and Glory Hound twice, the evidence never transforms back on its own.

The Lion and the Dark Horse

Unreliable Face of Contradiction

Cost: ; Mins: Manipulation 2, Essence 2;

Type: Permanent
Keywords: Compulsion, Emotion
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: None

The Herald embodies possibility, and his mind wanders
haphazardly through all potential states. With this Charm,
whenever another being successfully performs a Read Moti-

Chapter Five Charms

119

vation action (Exalted, p. 131) or uses some other method

to gauge his intent or emotional state he may immediately
elect to impose up to (Essence) contradictory conditions, all
of which his opponent learns, confounding his attempt to
learn the Nocturnals true state. These alternatives become
self-imposed Compulsion and Emotion effects, depending on
whether they affect his intentions or his mood, respectively,
which each cost the Nocturnal (Essence [Compulsions and
Emotions imposed]) willpower to resist, but he cannot spend
willpower to resist these emotions until his next action. The
effects of this Charm last one scene, and additional evocations
of this Charm may either use the same selection of false intentions and emotions, or allow the Nocturnal to reselect them.
If the Exalt is currently immune to Compulsion or Emotion
effects, he loses one willpower from the feedback between the
various effects and suffers no long term effects of this Charm,
but his opponent remains as bewildered as always.

Deception of Self

Cost: 2m; Mins: Manipulation 2, Essence 2;

Type: Simple
Keywords: Combo-OK, Illusion
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Unreliable Face of Contradiction

The ears of the mighty can discern the slightest hint of
deception. To avoid such suspicious the Herald never speaks
a lie without first convincing himself of its truth. The Exalt
imposes an Illusion on himself and is convince of the truth of
some fact or opinion he otherwise knows to be false. Thereafter, when discussing the subject, the Nocturnal presents the
information as though he truly believed it, though he may
continue to use to make Manipulation-based social attacks
regarding the self-imposed lie. Any effect that discerns if a
person is being dishonest fails to do so against this lie unless
it sees through Illusions or indentifies accidental misinformation in addition to intentional lies. The Nocturnal must
spend two Willpower to overcome this Illusion or have the
truth demonstrated in a way that would convince him normally before he stops believing his own lie.

Fickle Lovers Affections

Cost: 1m; Mins: Manipulation 3, Essence 2;

Type: Reflexive
Keywords: Combo-OK, Social, Stackable
Duration: One Scene
Prerequisite Charms: Unreliable Face of Contraction

The Harlequin is not known as a paragon of loyalty.
As circumstances demand, he freely dances around obligations and past commitments. This Charm twists one of the
Exalts Intimacies into a different, though at least tangentially
related, Intimacy. For example, if he had a Intimacy to distrust
the merchants of Nexus, one application of this Charm could
transform that intimacy into distrust of the children of Nexus,
or patronage of the merchants of Nexus, or distrust of the
merchants of Great Forks. Three stacked applications could
change the Intimacy into patronage of the children of Great
Forks.

innocent joke, a symphony, a dance, or a childish love letter.

This Charm makes the social attack unexpected. If the attack
remains unexpected, the target does not become aware of the
origins of the social attack unless he spends willpower equal
to the Exalts Manipulation, to a maximum of five.

A second purchase of this Charm at Essence 4+ allows
the Nocturnal to gain a (-1m) discount on subsequent activations of this Charm in a scene, for each previous social attack
enhanced with it, to a minimum of (0m). Even a free use of
this Charm requires a Charm activation, and making a social
attack without activating this Charm resets the cost.

Truth in Humor

Cost: (+1wp); Mins: Manipulation 4, Essence 2;

Type: Permanent
Keywords: Emotion
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: Cunning Metaphor Delivery

The Harlequin influence is slow and subtle, and those
she convinces hardly notice that she has shifted their hearts
to her own purpose. When employing this Charms prerequisite, she may pay a one-willpower surcharge to impose a
delayed emotional effect. She determines the sort of Intimacy
she wishes to impose at the time of the attack, as well as the
length of the delay, up to (Manipulation) days. If her social
attack is successful, her target remains unaware of his change
of heart until the delay terminates. The next time the subject
of the Intimacy comes up in the targets presence, the Intimacy fully manifests. Only then is the target allowed to spend
willpower equal to the Exalts Manipulation to resist it. Once
the Intimacy has formed, the target may make a (Intelligence
+ Investigation) roll with a difficulty equal to the Nocturnals
(Manipulation + Essence) to trace the source of the new emotion back to the Exalts performance.

For example, the Harlequin may compose a symphony
in honor of Lawgivers recent conquests. Within its victorious
melodies, she weaves subtle, disquieting harmonies which
encourage all the Dragon-blooded hearing the performance
that their general has not fully appreciated their sacrifice. The
Intimacy of being underappreciated by the Lawgiver slowly
forms over the next four days, until the next time the Dragonblooded encounter the general or hear mention of his heroic
exploits, when it blossoms fully.

With a second purchase, the Harlequin learns to manipulate events more directly. This Charm also imbues the
target with a delayed Compulsion effect, directing the targets
response when the Emotion triggers as the Exalt determines
upon activating Cunning Metaphor Delivery.

Absurd Satirists Mask

Cost: 6m, 1wp; Mins: Manipulation 4, Essence 2;

Type: Simple (Dramatic Action)
Keywords: Calibration-OK, Combo-OK, Emotion, Social
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Any Manipulation Charm

Perhaps the greatest calamity to befall the Harlequins
enemies is for her to join their side. Adopting the mannerisms
and positions of her rivals, the Exalt makes herself into an
Cunning Metaphor Delivery
absurd parody and shows her foes to be the fools they are.
Cost: 3m; Mins: Manipulation 3, Essence 2;
Upon activating this Charm, the Exalt becomes a satiric icon
Type: Supplemental
of a group, position, ideal, or vice of her choice, acting and
Keywords: Combo-OK, Social
expressing herself in a hyperbolic fashion. Once she has spent
Duration: Instant
a scene lampooning her chosen target, she makes a (ManipulaPrerequisite Charms: Any Manipulation Charm
tion + Performance) social attack against all who witnessed her

Some opponents cannot be directly confronted, even behavior, adding her Essence in automatic successes during
in debate. With this Charm, the Harlequin disguises her Calibration. If the attack succeeds, the witness gains a Negasocial attacks in some innocuous form, such as seemingly

120

tive Intimacy of ridicule or disgust toward the initial target of

the Charm if he did not possess a relevant Positive Intimacy
already. If such an Intimacy existed, he instead gains a Negative Intimacy of his choice toward the Nocturnal. Overcoming
this effect costs two willpower.

At Essence 3 this Charm upgrades automatically and
causes those who already have a Positive Intimacy toward the
target to gain a Positive Intimacy toward the Nocturnal. Her
mockery is so perfect that those she ridicules no longer realize
they are the butt of her jokes.

2-3:

She perceives a conversation in incomprehensible

language, perhaps arousing the suspicions of the
xenophobic.

4-5:

She hears complex jargon and specialized vocabulary

outside her area of expertise, perhaps indicating that
the Nocturnal and his compatriots are scholars or
members of a highly trained profession.

6-7:

She hears dull and vulgar conversation, demonstrating that those involved in it are low-born commoners beneath her concern.

8-9:

She hears idle chatter of between friends, suitable of

people of her own class.

10:

The Nocturnal becomes aware of that person eavesdropping and may reflexively choose what she hears.

Proposals Modest and Perverse

Cost: (+4m); Mins: Manipulation 5, Essence 3;

Type: Permanent
Keywords: Compulsion
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: Absurd Satirists Mask

Becoming an avatar of ridicule, the Harlequin motivates
the public to action.This Charm upgrades its prerequisite. By
spending an additional four motes, the Exalt also imparts a
Compulsion effect on those who gain the desired Negative Intimacy against the targeted subject. The Compulsion compels
the target to oppose the target of the Intimacy in some fashion. If the Exalt knows Truth In Humor, she may choose the
manner of compelled opposition. Otherwise, those who bear
the Intimacy may choose their own manner of opposition.
The Intimacy now costs four willpower to resist; the Compulsion costs one willpower to resist. While the Compulsion
cannot be fully resisted normally, it disappears as soon as the
Initmacy vanishes. Finally, the Exalt may now also use Absurd
Satirists Mask to pen a satiric work, conveying the Intimacy
(and the Compulsion if desired) through the text.

Undeniable Performance

Cost: 6m, 1wp; Mins: Manipulation 4, Essence 4;

Type: Supplemental
Keywords: Calibration-OK, Combo-OK, Social
Duration: (Manipulation) Actions
Prerequisite Charms: Cunning Metaphor Delivery

The Harlequins performance never grows old. Even a
long-standing routine is seen as a favored classic rather than
a repetitive disappointment. While this Charm is active, any
indirect social attack that could be enhanced by Cunning
Metaphor Delivery becomes an unnatural mental influence.
During Calibration, this Charm makes all social attacks unnatural.

Thousandfold Chattering

Cost: 6m; Mins: Manipulation 4, Essence 3;

Type: Supplemental
Keywords: Chance, Combo-OK, Social, Shaping, Suspicious
Duration: One Scene
Prerequisite Charms: Any Manipulation Charm

The Herald shrouds her conversations to ward off undue attention. He selects no more than (Essence x 2) other
beings who hear his words perfectly and whose own words are
masked by this Charm. Essence randomly warps their words
before they arrive upon the listeners ears. Whenever a person
first perceives the conversation, her player rolls one die to
determine what she hears for the rest of the scene.
1:

She hears nothing. Depending on the circumstances

she may become suspicious of the Nocturnal and his
friends silent loitering.

The Nocturnal may spend a point of willpower upon
activating this Charm to select one option that applies to all
who overhear the conversation. He may only choose the last
option if he has Essence 4+.

Flying Times Amnesia

Cost: 4m, (+1wp); Mins: Manipulation 4, Essence 3;

Type: Simple
Keywords: Calibration-OK, Combo-OK, Social
Duration: (Essence) Actions
Prerequisite Charms: Any Manipulation Charm

The charlatan distracts her audience, preventing them
from remembering the truth of events unfolding before their
very eyes. The Harlequin makes a social attack against up to
(Essence) individuals, or a social unit with Magnitude no
greater than her Essence if she spends a point of willpower.
For the duration of the Charm affected targets are unable
to form any memories of events that occur. Afterwards, the
target recalls only that he spent time with the Nocturnal, but
not what was said or done during that time, or who else might
have been present. If this Charm was part of an unexpected
attack, the target forgets even the Harlequin herself. They may
recall everything for a scene by spending one willpower, or remember forever by spending three willpower all at once. The
vague recollection of the Harlequin herself always provides an
opportunity to remember, however, if activated during Calibration, she robs her victims even of this opportunity, as the
Charm also gains the Crippling-keyword and the memories
are forever excised. A second purchase at Essence 4+ extends
this Charms duration to one scene.

A Night To Remember

Cost: (+6m); Mins: Manipulation 5, Essence 3;

Type: Permanent
Keywords: Shaping
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: Flying Times Amnesia

This Charm permanently enhances its prerequisite,
allowing the Harlequin to reweave the memories of anyone
under the influences of this Charm. She may fill in the blank
spots in the targets memory, warping the targets perception
to suit her needs. This is a Shaping effect. The targets true
memories continue to exist, so long as they were not excised
by Flying Times Amnesias Calibration effect, but cannot be
accessed by spending willpower without first removing the
Shaping effect.

Debate and Defense Charms

Chapter Five Charms

121

Confident Debate Initiation

Cost: 2m; Mins: Manipulation 2, Essence 2;

Type: Reflexive
Keywords: Combo-OK, Merged, Social
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: None

Fine manipulation of conversation ensures that if there
is going to be an argument, the Herald will be the one to start
it. Using this Charm the Exalt does not roll Join Debate, but
instead acts first on Tick 0. With Manipulation 4+, the Nocturnal may use this Charm to ensure that his action resolves
first on any Tick that he and another character both act.

Merged: Confident Debate Initiation (Charisma)

his Companion, one of the Incarnae, or the bearer of a Solar

Exaltation (even a corrupted one), the Exalt may spend one
willpower to also gain an equal number of automatic successes
to any social attack that promotes that beings agenda. If she
uses Answering the Call to make a counterattack that would
qualify for these successes, she gains them freely.

Underling Maneuvering Arguments

Cost: 4m, 1wp; Mins: Manipulation 4, Essence 3;

Type: Reflexive
Keywords: Calibration-OK, Combo-OK, Social
Duration: (Manipulation) Actions
Prerequisite Charms: Answering the Call

Hearing the complaints of the masses is beneath the
station of most Celestial Exalted, so it falls to the Herald to
Answering the Call
argue on behalf of his betters and deal with the rabble. While
Cost: 5m, (1wp); Mins: Manipulation 2, Essence 2;
this Charm is active, the Exalt suffers no penalties to his Parry
Type: Reflexive (Step 9)
Keywords: Calibration-OK, Combo-OK, Counterattack, Mental DV from onslaught, coordinated attacks, or Magnitude differences, so long as the opponents or social unit
Social
leaders Essence is lower than his own. During Calibration,
Duration: Instant
the Exalt gains the benefits of this Charm regardless of the
Prerequisite Charms: Any Manipulation Charm

The Herald announces the will of the mighty and re- Essence of his opponents.
ceives the arguments of the masses. When another interferes
with her work, she is obliged to object. This Charm may be Debate-Shattering Response
activated when another being has been successfully overcome Cost: (1wp); Mins: Manipulation 5, Essence 3;
by a third beings social attack, so long as both other beings Type: Permanent
are within (Manipulation) yards. During Calibration, she Keywords: Calibration-OK, Compulsion
adds her Essence to her Manipulation to determine if the Duration: Permanent
beings are within range. She may make an immediately social Prerequisite Charms: Answering the Call
The appropriate retort can quickly end any debate.
counterattack against either being (or a single Performance-
based social attack against both), so long as the intent of the The Herald counters his opponents argument and turns it
counterattack is to convince the target to believe or do the against her with a vicious repartee. This Charm permanently
upgrades its prerequisite. First, when used against the original
opposite of the social influence which triggered it.
If the Nocturnal sways the original targets opinion to her attacker, it carries with it a Compulsion effect forcing him to
side, this Charm undoes the effects of any natural mental in- drop the debate if successful. Resisting this effect costs two
fluence. With Essence 4+, the Exalt may attempt to overcome willpower. Second, Answering the Call may now also be used
unnatural mental influences as well. By reflexively paying one when another being makes a social attack against the Nocwillpower, she engages the original attacker in a contested turnal herself and she successfully parries it. Finally, during
Essence roll. The original attack may substitute his Essence Calibration, the Exalt may spend one willpower to enhance
for the numberof willpower an Exalt would need to resist his this Charm. If the social attack attempted to convince him
unnatural mental influence. If the Nocturnal wins the roll, or another being to submit to an existing authority, he enjoys
the unnatural mental influence terminates immediately. Oth- a cumulative -1 mote discount for Answering the Call, to a
erwise it costs one less willpower to resist (or allows the target minimum of zero motes, until his next action.
to resist as an Exalt if he could not spend willpower to resist Referring Questions Deflection
the influence), to a minimum of one willpower.
Cost: 5m; Mins: Manipulation 5, Essence 3;
If the counterattack forwards the agenda of another type of Type: Reflexive (Step 2)
Celestial Exalted, a Harlequin may lose one Subservience per Keywords: Combo-OK, Social
scene if successful. If the Nocturnal was specifically tasked Duration: Instant
with spreading this agenda, she may substitute her own Es- Prerequisite Charms: Debate-Shattering Response
sence with that of the Exalt who ordered her to perform this
Intelligent and cunning as the Herald is, he does not
task in the event of an Essence roll-off caused by this Charm. have all the answers. Sometimes he must defer comment to
his superiors. The Exalt activates this Charm in response to
Pronouncing the Will
a social attack directed solely at him. If he successful defends,
Cost: 3m, (1wp); Mins: Manipulation 3, Essence 2;
he may redirect the attack to a new target within range. The atType: Reflexive (Step 2)
tack remains enhanced by whatever effects the attacker chose,
Keywords: Combo-OK, Obvious
and new target compares the attackers successes to her own
Duration: One Scene
Mental DVs as applicable.
Prerequisite Charms: Answering the Call

None can dissuade the Herald from his duties. He is Society Preserving Alterations
the voice of the Lords of Creation, and his position is bol- Cost: 10m, 1wp; Mins: Manipulation 5 Essence 4;
stered by their authority. The Exalt may announce his official Type: Reflexive
role as the Herald of some other powerful being. If he truly Keywords: Combo-OK, Mandate, Nox, Shaping, Social
is on assignment from another being (as determined by the Duration: (Manipulation) Days
Storyteller) he adds a bonus to his Parry Mental DV whenever Prerequisite Charms: Referring Questions Deflection
an attack attempts to dissuade him from his official business.
Though their power to tamper with the Loom of Fate
This bonus is equal to half the beings Essence. If the being is is infamous, the Harlequins possess such power in order to

122

preserve the vitality of reality against forces that seek to impose their will upon it. This Charm allows the Nocturnal to
ward off undue influences and prevent them from controlling
society. For the duration of this Charm, add the Nocturnals
Manipulation to the difficulty of any Charm or supernatural
effect that would harm a society or social unit in which the
Nocturnal currently resides. While Nox is in the Loom, effects that would harm the Nocturnals social standing or her
agenda are similarly affected, even if those effects would ultimately help the society. Individuals within the society gain no
protection from this Charm, and this Charm has no impact
on physical harm.

A second purchase of this Charm at Manipulation 6+,
Essence 6+ allows the Nocturnal to activate this Charm as an
Instant-duration defense which perfectly negates undue social
influences upon an entire society or social unit. In either use
of this Charm, if the Exalt is not leader of the society, the
actual Leader may activating her own Shaping-countering
magic to allow the effect to go through despite the Harlequins
protests.

Idolatry Charms

False Prophet Aggravation

Cost: 2m+, (1wp); Mins: Manipulation 3, Essence 3;

Type: Simple
Keywords: Calibration-OK, Combo-OK, Illusion
Duration: (Manipulation) actions
Prerequisite Charms: Any Manipulation Charm

The Nocturnal is no holy man, but he knows how to fake
piety for the sake of a good con. When confronting a creature
outside of Fate or any spirit not native to Creation, the Herald
boasts to his enemies and pronounces their inevitable doom.
He spends two motes per targets dots of Essence, and makes
a Manipulation-based social attack, in order to convince the
creature that the Nocturnal has or knows the means that
will do grievous or irrevocable harm to the creature, such as
convincing a Raksha that his weapon is made of iron. Overcoming this Illusion costs the creature four willpower.

During Calibration, this Charm might be more than
a bluff. If the Exalts Essence exceeds that of his target, he
may spend one willpower to grant this Charm the Shapingkeyword. Against non-natives to Creation, his attacks inflict
aggravated damage and gain the benefits of Ghost-Eating
Technique (Exalted, p. 221). If the target has specific conditions that can inflict aggravated damage upon it, such as Raksha and iron or a Luminata and rowan wood, the Harlequins
weapon is suitably transformed. Even if the Exalt is unarmed,
he quickly finds a suitable method of attack, often unexpectedly. This Charm may also produce more elaborate methods
of destroying its target, including aligning events to cause a
Raksha to break a sworn oath, at Storyteller discretion.

Messiah On Demand

Cost: (6m, 1wp); Mins: Manipulation 3, Essence 4;

Type: Permanent
Keywords: Shaping
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: False Prophet Aggravation

Creation has many enemies, and the Harlequin cannot
always wait until Calibration to strike the killing blow. When
learning this Charm, the Exalt selects one of the following:
natives of Malfeas, creatures of the Wyld, or creatures of
Death. If the Seal of Eight Divinities is broken, those afflicted
with Gremlin Syndrome become viable targets of this Charm.
Other groups generally antagonistic to Creation may also be
chosen at Storyteller discretion. Members of such groups are

always considered outside of Fate for the purposes of False

Prophet Aggravation. By targeting a being of the chosen group,
the Exalt may activate False Prophet Aggravation as through
it were Calibration by spending a flat rate of six motes and
one willpower. Additionally, when fighting alongside his companion or while enjoying the benefits of a relevant Ascending
Destiny placed on him by his companion, the Exalt adds his
Companion rating to his Essence for the purposes of False
Prophet Aggravation.

Duplicitous Viceroy Disguise

Cost: 8m, (1wp); Mins: Manipulation 5, Essence 3;

Type: Simple
Keywords: Illusion, Obvious
Duration: (Manipulation) Days
Prerequisite Charms: False Prophet Aggravation, Implacable
Foundations

The Herald is the emissary of the Lords of Creation,
and though far afield, he enjoys their protection. With this
Charm, the Herald fakes the diplomatic immunity enjoyed
by the Eclipse Caste Solars. This protection is obvious to any
valid being, though if that beings Dodge Mental DV is greater
than the Exalts (Essence + temporary Willpower), they recognize that it is merely an Illusion and may freely ignore the
effect. Otherwise, beings may pay 4 willpower to resist it.

The Herald is not always lying when he employs this
Charm. A Lawgiver may command the Herald to undertake a
diplomatic mission on her behalf, touching the Nocturnal as
she does so. If the Nocturnal accepts the assignment, he pays
an additional willpower with this Charm and gains true diplomatic immunity as a Shaping effect, so long as his encounters
are relevant to the assignment. For example, tasked to negotiate the release of hostages from the Lapis Court, he receives
diplomatic immunity with the Court itself and its allies, but
not any other roving bands of Raksha and certainly not with
any demons he might encounter along his travels. Such beings
may still be influenced by the Illusion of this Charm.

Military Unit Charms

Hare Chases Hounds

Cost: 2m; Mins: Manipulation 2, Essence 2;

Type: Supplemental
Keywords: Combo-OK, War
Duration: Until Next Action
Prerequisite Charms: None

The Herald rarely leads battalions, but may command
a small strike force to harass and harry her enemies, tiring
them before a full assault. For the duration of this Charm,
whenever the Exalts unit attacks or is attacked, the opposing
commander adds half the Nocturnals Manipulation to the
units fatigue when attempting to prevent Endurance loss. A
second purchase of this Charm at Manipulation 4+, Essence
4+ makes this cumulative.

Spider Lures Fly

Cost: 3m; Mins: Manipulation 2, Essence 2;

Type: Simple
Keywords: Combo-OK, Illusion, War
Duration: (Essence) Long Ticks
Prerequisite Charms: Any Manipulation Charm

An expert at disguising her true strength, the Herald
easily prepares ambushes and catches her foes off-guard. Her
player rolls (Manipulation + War) with a difficulty of the opposing commanders Perception. If successful, the units commander subtracts half her Manipulation from a mass combat
units Magnitude, when desired, and adds her Manipulation

Chapter Five Charms

123

in extra successes on attempts to envelope opposing units. original opinion, or cause it to completely support the NocturThe opposing commander may spend (Exalts Manipulation) nals arguments. The target may immediately pay 2 willpower
willpower to see through this Illusion.
or 2 Loyalty to reassert the original Intimacy or Policy.

A second purchase of this Charm at Essence 4+ grants
Queen Summons Drones
the Calibration-OK and Training keywords. During this time
Cost: 1m or 3m; Mins: Manipulation 3, Essence 1;
the Harlequin may permanently shift one of her targets
Type: Reflexive
Virtue dots to another one of his Virtues, so long as the shift
Keywords: Combo-OK, War
justifies lack of DV bonus on the attack. The dot she moves is
Duration: Instant
immediately converted into experience to pay for the increase
Prerequisite Charms: Any Manipulation Charm
of the othe Virtue, placing her in experience debt if it is not

The Herald quickly and efficiently redefines the chain sufficient to pay for the increase in full. If there is excess Expeof command. By spending a mote when a unit to which she rience, she may use it to pay toward any additional experience
is attached attempts to promote new relays or other special debt she has or hold it in reserve to pay for additional Virtue
characters, she may use this Charm to cause that Rally action increases later. It cannot be used in any other fashion. This
to automatically succeeds. Should the commander be slain, cannot cause a Virtue associated with the Great Curse to fall
this Charm ensures that the units hero or sorcerer (whoever below 3.
has the higher War rating) assumes command immediately,
or, if no other candidate is available, promotes the Herald to Courting the Ambitious
commander.
Cost: 6m; Mins: Manipulation 4, Essence 2;

A second purchase of this Charm allows the Herald to Type: Supplemental
ensure that successful Rally action to promote new relays al- Keywords: Combo-OK, Mandate, Social
lows the unit to gain its full requirement of relays. Doing so Duration: Instant
cost three motes if the Herald is not also serving as a relay for Prerequisite Charms: Blameless in Abandon
the unit.

The more who follow a leader, the greater the possibility
for betrayal. The Harlequin speaks past the leader of a social
Swarm Shelters Queen
unit or Dominion, and encourages dissent from within. This
Cost: 5m, 1lhl; Mins: Manipulation 5, Essence 3;
Charm supplements a social attack. The social unit gains no
Type: Reflexive (Step 2)
benefits to its DV from its Magnitude, and should the attack
Keywords: Combo-OK, Shaping, Suspicious, War
overcome its leaders Mental DV, the Exalt inspires internal
Duration: Instant
conflict. The leader must spend Loyalty equal to the units
Prerequisite Charms: Spider Lures Fly, Queen Summons Magnitude or the unit immediately splits and loses a point of
Drones
Magnitude.

Not even the sharpest eye can see everything in the
In Mandate of Heaven rules, this Charms adds the Nocchaos of battle, and discerning leadership among the throng turnals Manipulation to the difficulty of one internal action
becomes an exercise in futility. While the Exalt serves as relay the targeted Dominion takes, unless the leader suppresses the
or commander, she may use this Charm to perfectly defend opposition by allowing the Dominion to gain (Magnitude)
against any attack that targets a special character within her Limit.
unit, including a champion in the middle of a duel. The
attacker strikes blindly into the united mass of troops, and Praising the Princes
the unit (rather than the Exalt) takes the damage cost of this Cost: 8m; Mins: Manipulation 5, Essence 3;
Charm. This Charm has no affect on attackers who are im- Type: Supplemental
mune to Shaping effects.
Keywords: Chance, Combo-OK, Compulsion, Mandate,

A second purchase at Essence 4+ extends the duration Social
to (Manipulation) Actions, but the unit takes one level of Duration: (Manipulation) Days
damage each time the benefit of this Charm are evoked.
Prerequisite Charms: Courting the Ambitious

The Harlequin is still a Herald at heart and it falls to
ocial nit harms
him to inspire support for the Exalted and their rule. This
Charm supplements a Manipulation-based social attack to
Blameless in Abandon
convince a social unit or a Dominion that either their current
Cost: 1m (+3m, 1wp); Mins: Manipulation 3 Essence 2;
leadership is unfit to continue in their role or that an Exalt
Type: Supplemental
would be better suited to lead them. Against a social unit that
Keywords: Combo-OK, Obvious, Shaping, Social
broke off due to Courting the Ambitious, this attack cannot
Duration: Instant
be dodged or parried.
Prerequisite Charms: Any Manipulation Charm
If successful, the unit or dominion clamors for Exalted

All ideals are temporary and mutable, and the Har-
lequin taps into possible worlds in which her opponents leadership, as determined by a Chance die roll in Step 10.
opinion has swayed another way. This Charm supplements a 1:
One of the Harlequins enemies. As the archetypal
Manipulation-based social attack. For a moment, the targets
Sun Princes always count, even if they are allied with
Virtues, Intimacies, or Policy shift ever so slightly to avoid
the Harlequin.
resisting the Harlequins words. His attack ignores any DV
bonus provided by the targets Virtues, Intimacies, or Policy, 2-3: Any Terrestrial Exalted.
provided no other effect has rendered those inviolable, such
as Righteous Lion Defense or Epic Zeal of (Virtue). If the 4-5: Any Celestial Exalted, not otherwise on this list.
attack succeeds, he may pay an additional three motes and 6-7: Any Lunar Exalted.
a willpower to change the Intimacy or Policy permanently as
a Shaping Effect, so long as his Essence exceeds the targets 8-9: Any Solar Exalted.
or unit leaders Essence. The change cannot fully reverse the

124

the benefits of this Charm, allowing the Herald to moderate

public debates without outbursts from the audience. Heroic

If an appropriate Exalt openly encounters the social unit mortals may spend two willpower to resist this Compulsion.
or Dominion during the duration of this Charm, the people Herald Demands Respect
will demand her rule, and support her in any endeavor to Cost: (+1wp); Mins: Appearance 3, Essence 3;
assume controlgoing so far as attempting to force the Exalt Type: Permanent
against her will to accept them. The current leader may spend Keywords: None
Loyalty equal to the Essence of the likely usurper (Dominions Duration: Permanent
gain a like amount of Limit) to suppress this Compulsion.
Prerequisite Charms: Maintaining Manners

A second purchase at Essence 4+ makes the duration The Herald speaks for the Lords of Creation and all humanIndefinite, ending only when the Exalt assumes her rightful ity must bow to their wishes. By spending a willpower with
place, the current leader puts down the dissent, or the Harle- Maintaining Manners, the Herald affects all essentially huquin releases his sway over the populace.
man beings, mortal or otherwise, whose Essence is less than
his own. Against other Exalted this requires a successful social
attack requesting their compliance in order to transmit the
Compulsion effect. Such an attack may be made immediately
efense and istraction harms
upon activating this Charm.
There Are No Words
Attention-Catching Distraction
Cost: 5m; Mins: Appearance 2, Essence 3;
Cost: ; Mins: Appearance 3, Essence 2;
Type: Reflexive (Step 2)
Type: Permanent
Keywords: Calibration-OK, Combo-OK, Nox, Social
Keywords: None
Duration: (Essence) Actions
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: None
Prerequisite Charms: Too Pretty to Die

The Heralds will is as impenetrable as the firmament.
The Harlequin turns heads wherever he goeseven into
Upon activating this Charm, the Exalt warps the chain battle. This Charm permanently enhances its prerequisite,
of cause and effect in a debate. He is deaf to all arguments allowing the Exalt to grant activate that Charm in response to
and blind to all propaganda. He gains an effective Mental an attack targeting another being with Appearance less than
DV, which is neither Parry nor Dodge, equal to (Permanent his own. The defender receives whatever bonus to her DV
Willpower/2), plus Essence during Calibration. If Nox is in that the Exalt would have received if he were the target. If the
the Loom, she gains an additional bonus of +(Whispers/2) to Exalt has repurchased Too Pretty to Die so that its duration
this DV, if her attacker is within Fate. This DV is modified by is longer than Instant, he may activate it multiple times to
Appearance and other social factors as normal. Social Attacks protect up to (Essence) beings, including himself. Each activawith the Touch-keyword ignore this DV completely.
tion requires a separate commitment if the Exalt opts to make
them last longer than an Instant as well.
Too Pretty To Die
Cost: 1m, (+3m, 1wp); Mins: Appearance 3, Essence 1;
Center of Attention Stance
Type: Reflexive (Step 2)
Cost: 6m, 1wp; Mins: Appearance 4, Essence 3;
Keywords: Combo-OK, Obvious, Social
Type: Simple
Duration: Instant
Keywords: Combo-Basic, Compulsion, Obvious
Prerequisite Charms: Any Appearance Charm
Duration: One Scene

The beauty of the Nocturnal Exalted is too precious to Prerequisite Charms: Attention-Catching Distraction
discard callously. This Charm allows the Herald to apply his
At any social gathering the Harlequin is an alluring presAppearance-based DV modifier to his physical DVs, just as he ence. No one can help but admire him. For the remainder
would for his Mental DVs.
of the scene, anyone who can perceive the Exalt suffers an

A second purchase of this Charm at Appearance 4+, Es- internal penalty equal to his Appearance on all actions not
sence 3+, extends its duration to (Appearance) actions if the directed toward him. If a beings Temperance or Appearance
Nocturnal pays a surcharge of three motes and a willpower. is higher than the Exalts, they may ignore this penalty freely.
With this repurchase, if the Exalt also knows Prettier Than Otherwise, the Compulsion to interact with the Exalt may be
You Assertion, the duration of this Charm becomes One resisted either by spending half the Nocturnals Appearance
Scene for no additional cost.
in willpower, or by spending a number of actions equal to
the difference in relative Appearance values, minimum 1,
Maintaining Manners
interacting with the Exalt.
Cost: 2m; Mins: Appearance 3, Essence 2;
Type: Simple
Glances Stolen and Borrowed
Keywords: Combo-OK, Compulsion
Cost: 3m+; Mins: Appearance 4, Essence 2;
Duration: One Scene
Type: Simple
Prerequisite Charms: Too Pretty to Die
Keywords: Combo-OK, Social, Touch

With this Charm, the Herald is free to deliver his Duration: One Scene
message to the people unmolested. While active this Charm Prerequisite Charms: Attention Catching Distraction
prevents mortal beings (including animals) from initiating
So handsome, so beautiful are the Harlequins that their
physical hostilities against him, though once hostilities have poise and appeal overflows and elevates those around them.
begun, they are under no further compulsion. Additionally, The Exalt may touch being with Appearance less than his own
mortals under this Compulsion will not heckle or rudely and grant that being one dot of Appearance for every three
interrupt the Exalt while he speaks. If he is engaged in a motes spent, though he cannot make any being more attracconversation with one or more essence-users, all of them gain tive than himself.
10:

A specific Solar of the Harlequins choosing.

APPEARANCE
D

Chapter Five Charms

125

Statesman and Courtesan Lessons

Cost: 10m, 2wp; Mins: Appearance 5, Essence 3;

Type: Type
Keywords: Calibration, Mandate, Obvious, Social, Touch,
Training
Duration: One Week
Prerequisite Charms: Glances Stolen and Borrowed

The Harlequin knows the subtle demands of society and
the byzantine complications of civilization. Others would do
well to heed his lessons. This Charm allows the Exalt to train
others in one of the following per week: Charisma, Appearance, Craft (Air, Earth, Fire, Water, or Wood), Integrity, Performance, Presence, or Socialize. This Training time requires
eight or more hours a day for one week and adds one to the
selected Trait, to a maximum of the Exalts own rating or four,
whichever is lower. During Calibration, this training requires
only five days, and may use the higher of the Exalts rating
or four to determine the maximum the training allows. The
Exalt may use this Charm to train himself.

In Mandate of Heaven rules, this Charm adds the Exalts Appearance to the Dominions Culture for the season
and causes the Dominion to gain one Limit.

A second purchase of this Charm at Essence 4+ allows
the Exalt to train Specialities, which may be for any Ability,
which are appropriate to social situations. Examples include
Craft: Air (Calligraphy), Socialize (Dynastic Dining Etiquette),
Lore (Heraldry), Melee (Formal Duels), and Bureaucracy
(Navigating Red Tape).

Prettier Than You Assertion

Cost: 4m, (1wp); Mins: Appearance 4, Essence 2;

Type: Reflexive (Step 2)
Keywords: Combo-OK
Duration: (Appearance x 2) Actions
Prerequisite Charms: Too Pretty To Die

The physical allure of the Herald is legendary, and
with this Charm he ensures no one can take his beauty for
granted. So long as the Exalt has the highest Appearance of
beings involved in the scene, he has no limitations on the DV
bonus his Appearance can provide. By spending a willpower,
this Charm also removes any limitation on DV penalties her
opponents receive from the Exalts higher Appearance.

A second purchase of this Charm at Essence 6+ extends
its duration to One Scene.

Disguise and Stealth Charms

Curious Onlooker Deflection

Cost: 5m (+1wp); Mins: Appearance 1, Essence 2;

Type: Simple
Keywords: Combo-OK, Compulsion
Duration: (Essence) Actions
Prerequisite Charms: Any Appearance Charm

Sometimes it is preferable not to be the focus of attention. With this Charm the Harlequin redirects an onlookers
gaze and convinces him that another person more greatly
deserves his attention. If the Exalts current temporary willpower, including any gained from Willful Appearance Bolstering, exceeds the Mental DV of those trying to look at him,
she may roll Willpower with a difficulty of the new center of
attentions Essencedoubled if that being is actively attempting to hide, halved, rounding down, if he is actively drawing
attention to himself anyhow. Victims of this Charm immediately refocus their attention on the other being, ignoring the
Harlequin completely. Spirits and other Exalted hold others
attention more firmly than mortals; resisting this unnatural

126

Compulsion costs a number of willpower equal to half the

Essence of the being which now holds his attention.

A second purchase at Appearance 2+, Essence 4+, allows
the Exalt to spend a willpower when activating this Charm
and add the Emotion-keyword. If those searching for the
Exalt would have had any emotional reaction to finding him,
that emotion is also redirected so long as they suffer from the
Compulsion.

Mysterious Hidden Decoy

Cost: 2m; Mins: Appearance 3, Essence 3;

Type: Reflexive
Keywords: Combo-OK, Illusion
Duration: Indefinite
Prerequisite Charms: Curious Onlooker Deflection

Bejeweled with adamant regalia and deep indigo hearthstones, the Herald openly wears the symbols of his office. If
this is what he wears openly, how much more valuable are
the things he keeps hidden? Only a fool bothers to find out.
The Exalt uses this Charm to enchant one of his artifacts and
binds its essence to a mundane object. So long as he keeps
the mundane object out of sight and within (Essence) yards
of the artifact, the artifact is likewise obscured from observers
minds. Anyone who cannot perceive the object cannot perceive
the artifact either, as an Illusion effect. Resisting this Illusion
costs (Artifacts ratingobjects Resource cost), minimum 1,
willpower. However, anyone affected by this Illusion gains a
vague suspicion that the Exalt is hiding something, gain a onedie situational bonus on Investigation rolls directed toward
the Exalt or his possessions.

Familiar Face Confusion

Cost: 6m; Mins: Appearance 2, Essence 3;

Type: Simple
Keywords: Calibration-OK, Chance, Combo-OK, Shaping,
Suspicious
Duration: Until Broken
Prerequisite Charms: Curious Onlooker Deflection

A person may encounter thousands of faces in a single
lifetimesome will be remembered fondly, others with ire,
and most with indifference. This Charm shifts the past fates
of the Exalt and her target so that the Harlequin will appear
familiar. The Exalt rolls a social attack against the target, adding her Appearance in automatic successes. If successful, roll
a die to determine how the Exalt is remembered.
1:

In the false past, the Exalt is remembered for committing some terrible offense.

2-3:

The Exalt and her target had an insignificant meeting that is now barely remembered. Perhaps they
exchanged greetings in the market yesterday, or they
remember each other from an alcohol-fogged party
last year.

4-5:

The Exalt and her target engaged in some business

transaction that was mutually beneficial though
otherwise impersonal.

6-7:

The Exalt and her target had a brief tryst and split
on terms that, while not necessarily friendly, are
unlikely to cause the target to react poorly to the
Harlequins return.

8-9:

The Exalt and her target were once best friends,

close relatives, or long-term lovers, but time and
circumstances beyond their control, rather than an
emotional falling-out, drove them apart.

10:

The target remembers the Exalt as an authority

figure, such as a priest, magistrate, his own mother,
or anyone else who might receive the targets respect
and loyalty.

Once the die determines the general theme of the false
past, the Exalt may tailor the specifics appropriately. Both the
Harlequin and her target gain the false memories, woven into
their own respective histories wherever they might fit. Since
this causes differences between the two memories, discrepancies may eventually arise. The target may remember meeting
the Exalt a Calibration party last year, while she remembers
that party being two years ago. Whenever such conflicts arise,
the Nocturnal gains one Paradox die. Once she has received
more levels of Paradox than her Essence, the Shaping effect
ends. During Calibration, she gains no Paradox from this
Charm.

Initially this Charm has no affect on beings outside of
Fate, but once the Exalt as Essence 4+ he may elect to replace
the Shaping-keyword with an Illusion-keyword and affect such
beings accordingly. As a shaping effect this Charm cannot be
resisted without specialized magic to do so; the social attack
successful imparts an Illusion, however, this Charm may be resisted by spending one willpower per scene, or four willpower
all at once to completely break it.

Duration: One Day

Prerequisite Charms: Essential Possibilities

Even the greatest Herald should not draw attention away
from his less powerful superiors. No matter his Experience.
For each mote of Essence spent, the Exalt lowers his effective
Permanent Essence by one, to a minimum of one, for any purposes in which having a lower Essence would be advantageous
for the Exalt. If the Nocturnal lowers his Essence to one, he
is, by all appearances, a mortal. Only applicability-trumping
defenses allow observers to perceive the Nocturnal as he truly
is and interact with his Essence accordingly. If activated during Calibration, this Charm remains active until the end of
Calibration. Any display resulting from the expenditure of
peripheral motes automatically terminates this Charm.

Merged: Perfectly Ordinary Spectacle (Perception, prerequisites: Another Face in the Crowd).

Recoiling Cosmos Implosion

Cost: (1wp); Mins: Appearance 3, Essence 3;

Type: Permanent
Keywords: Native
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: Essential Possibilities

Once the Heralds anima has exploded around him,
it will continue to expand until it reaches the limits of his
Essence. After it has reached its maximum radius, the Exalt must choose at the beginning of his Action whether the
anima holds its current position, retracts (Essence) yards, or
begins expanding again after being retracted. The first time
per Action the Exalt spends Peripheral motes, the anima must
expand by (Essence) yards. If the Exalt retracts his anima banner fully he will appear as though he spent only 10 motes of
Essential Possibilities
Peripheral Essence. At this point, at the beginning of his AcCost: (+1-3m); Mins: Appearance 2, Essence 2;
tion, he may choose to spend one willpower to snuff his anima
Type: Permanent
out completely. Spending Peripheral Essence again before the
Keywords: None
end of the scene causes anima banner to once again flare as
Duration: Permanent
though he had just spent 11 motes of Peripheral Essence, unPrerequisite Charms: None

The Harlequin must be discreet at times and hide less the expenditure is masked by Essential Possibilities.
her capabilities. This Charm allows the Exalt to mask any
expenditure of Peripheral Essence. If she has enough motes Alternative Visage
in her Personal Mote pool to pay for the full mote cost of the Cost: 6m+; Mins: Appearance 1, Essence 3;
Charm or other essence-fueled powers such as Combos, she Type: Simple
may instead pay one additional mote of Personal Essence and Keywords: Chance, Combo-OK, Shaping, Touch
mask any amount of Peripheral Essence spent to power the Duration: (Appearance) Days
effect. She treats all motes spent as Personal for the purposes Prerequisite Charms: Any Appearance Charm
A persons life is written upon her face and her experiof increasing her anima display. This may not suppress the
Exalts anima while she performs any Shape Sorcery action or ences shape her appearance. This Charm is an attempt to crethe use of Overdrive motes. Combos deserve special mention: ate a disguise for a willing being, including the Exalt herself.
when determining the full price of a Combo for the purposes She edits the beings past, allowing her to change almost any
of this Charm, ignore the cost of Reflexive Charms. If the physical feature that could have been changed within the time
rest of the Combo could be paid for with Personal Motes, allotted. Roll a die to see how far into the targets past the
she need only pay the surcharge to apply this Charms effects Nocturnal may change.
to the entire Combo, including any Reflexive Charms which 1:
Within the last month. This may, for example, remay be activated later.
grow a beard shaved off the day before or grant scars
A second purchase of this Charm at Appearance 3+, Essence
from a bar fight that didnt occur a fortnight ago.
3+ allows the Exalt to pay this surcharge with Peripheral motes
rather than Pesonal, but increases the surcharge to two motes. 2-3: Within the last season.
With a third purchase at Essence 4+, the Exalt is no longer
required to be able to pay the full mote cost with Personal 4-5: Within the last year. While this could disguise a
woman as heavily pregnant (or hide such a pregmotes in order to qualify for this Charm, but if she is not able
nancy) no life is created or destroyed in the process.
to do so, the surcharge becomes three additional motes.
6-7: Within the last decade.
Masking the Divine
Cost: 1-9m, 1wp; Mins: Appearance 3, Essence 3;
8-9: Within the last (Essence) decades.
Type: Simple
Keywords: Calibration, Combo-OK, Illusion, Merged

Chapter Five Charms

127

10:

Since before the target was born. This may change

the targets sex or race, or other factors determined
during the targets prenatal development. Doing
so does not allow the target to disguise himself as a
particular being.

The changes made by this Charm are real, but purely
physical. Close examination of the changes cannot discern
that they are just a disguise, but if the target is questioned on
how he received a certain scar, he better be prepared to back
up these changes with a clever story.

For particularly dramatic shifts, those going back more
than one year, the Nocturnal may commit two additional
motes to grant the target a bonus of +1 die to an Attribute or
Ability as appropriate for every five years of history, or fraction
thereof, altered. Alternatively, he can distribute a like number
of -1 Internal Penalties to an Attribute or Ability to grant the
bonus for only one mote. He is free to mix and match these
alternatives as he pleases. These are considered bonuses from
Charms and the Exalt may not commit more than (Essence +
[higher of The Cloak or The Tablet]) motes in this way.

Unreliable Witness

Cost: 5m, 1wp; Mins: Appearance 2, Essence 4;

Type: Simple
Keywords: Combo-Basic, Illusion
Duration: One Scene
Prerequisite Charms: Alternative Visages

Most people are lucky to enjoy even one life. The Harlequin lives a thousand lives in her time, and wears a thousand
faces. She knows each person is just a collapsed point of possibilitiespotential constrained by history. She is under no
such obligations to remain so constrained and may present
the countless alternate lives for all the world to see. In this
multitude of self, she finds anonymity. When she activates
this Charm, her player rolls (Appearance + Stealth), adding
her Essence in automatic successes. Each success superimposes one alternate life upon the Exalt, each more different
than the last. For the Duration of this Charm, each person
who perceives the Exalt perceives a different, distinct version
of her, each behaving with its own unique personality quirks,
each moving in slightly different ways, each speaking different
words. So long as observers do not outnumber the Exalts successes, no one will perceive her true identity or behavior. Any
observer beyond the successes rolled, however, will. While this
Charm is active, the Exalt cannot make a social attack against
anyone who does not perceive her as she truly is without at
least a two-dice stunt. Other beings may spend three willpower
to see through this Illusion.

Another Lifetime Liar

Cost: (+2m); Mins: Appearance 3, Essence 3;

Type: Permanent
Keywords: None
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: Unreliable Witness

Decisions as innumerable as the stars have shaped the
Harlequins life. Had any gone differently she would be a
new person. What sort of person? Only the witness knows.
She may now use Unreliable Witness without an activation
roll by spending two additional motes. She never runs out of
alternate personas to project.

Evidence and Perjury Stance

Cost: (+1m); Mins: Appearance 3, Essence 3;

Type: Permanent

128

Keywords: None
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: Unreliable Witness

A thousands lives leave their mark on the world in a thousand ways. This Charm enhances its prerequisite. By spending
an additional mote, the Exalt causes each being who perceives
an alternate form to discover evidence that aligns only with
their perceptions. If they saw the Exalt as an unarmed monk,
the aftermath of the Exalts attack as appropriate for unarmed
attacks, rather than the stab wounds that truly exist. Such
misperceptions may impose external penalties on characters
actions as appropriate. Overcoming the Illusion of Unreliable
Witness also allows the being to perceive evidence normally.

Rescinding the Nocturnal Gift

Cost: 1wp; Mins: Appearance 1, Essence 2;

Type: Simple
Keywords: Nox, Shaping
Duration: (Essence) Days
Prerequisite Charms: None

The Primordials never considered humans to be a
threat, and the Incarnae exploited that when selecting the
vessels for Exaltation. Even after the Primordial War, mortals
are hardly given a second thought. With this Charm, the
Harlequin gains access to an alternate self who never Exalted.
The Nocturnals player should create a heroic mortal version
of her character, with additional bonus points equal to the
Exalts (Willpower + Essence), gaining one additional bonus
point whenever the Nocturnal raises one of those traits. The
mortal does not gain experience, unless the player has spent
the majority of a session in this form, in which case the player
may assign a portion of that sessions experience to the mortal.

The heroic mortal loses access to any benefits directly
associated with being a Nocturnal, such as native Charms, Celestial Martial Arts, and Celestial Circle Sorcery, and all other
Charms deactivate. The benefits of permanent charms are suspended for the Duration. The heroic mortal begins at Essence
2 which may be raised with bonus points to a maximum of 3.
She retains any Terrestrial Martial Arts and Terrestrial Circle
Sorcery spells she knows, provided she meets the qualifications for such Charms and spells. For all purposes, the Exalt
is now a mortal and will appear as such to Measure the Wind
and All-Encompassing Sorcerers Sight, though the latter will
detect an aura of foreign essencethe lingering effects of the
Charms shaping.

Regardless of the Nocturnals state, the mortal enters
play in pristine conditionfull health, full willpower, and full
motes. When the Charm ends, the Exalts anima flares to its
10m+ range, and she returns exactly as she departed, still suffering from whatever effects befell her.

With Essence 4+, the Exalt may spend one Permanent
Willpower to activate this Charm reflexively. Doing so doesnt
just hide his Exaltationit is ejected, permanently rendering
the Nocturnal a heroic mortal again. Nox proposed this feature to a skeptical Autochthon. The Incarna recognized the
possibility that his Chosens power might be turned against
the war effort, or that his Chosen may simply grow tire of
their gift. Should all else fail, this Charm preserves the last
ounce of the Exalts will and humanity. Not even a Primordial
could coerce him to use it against his will. By design, this
Charm requires extreme duress in order to activate unless the
Nocturnal is officially relieved of her duties by her patron.
If Nox is free, the Exalt must make her case before him if
she wishes to relinquish her Exaltation for merely personal
reasons. The ever-watchful eye of imprisoned Nox knows the

minds of his Chosen. While he is in the Loom, the Nocturnal thoughts and interactions. For the duration of this Charm,
needs no permission to activate this Charm for any reason.
the Exalt may replace her Appearance with the Virtue and
she gains one automatic success whenever she rolls the Virtue,
Birthing the (Caste)
including channeling it in support of other actions. Spending
Cost: (1wp); Mins: Appearance 5, Essence 4;
a willpower to resist the influence of the Virtue causes the
Type: Permanent
Exalt to gain Paradox dice equal to the Virtue. Additionally,
Keywords: Kalpa
each version of this Charm has the following benefits:
Duration: Permanent

Compassion: The Exalt attunes herself to hearts and
Prerequisite Charms: Masking the Divine, Alternate Visage minds of others and against a number of automatic successes
Within each Nocturnal Exaltation is the information neces- equal to her Compassion to all Investigation, Medicine, and
sary for the new Exalt to become any Caste, as suits his own Socialize rolls to discern a persons current state or intent.
personality. Even after his Caste has settled, this information
Conviction: The Exalt adopts an air of unwavering devoremains. Tapping into a different vision of himself, the Exalt tion and gains her (Conviction/2), rounding up, in automatic
convert his Essence, temporarily, into that of another Caste. successes for all attempts to defend or promote her Intimacies.
This Charm may be purchased multiple times, with each
Temperance: The Exalt takes her time and ensures she
purchase representing a different Nocturnal Caste. Each does not leave herself vulnerable. The Speed of her actions
purchase of this Charm must be for a Caste which possesses are increased by one and the total DV penalty she suffers from
on Caste Attribute in common with his own, either through her own actions is decreased by her Temperance.
his own Caste or one acquired through a previous purchase of
Valor: The Exalt steps forward and takes charge, inspirthis Charm. For example, with his first purchase, a Nova may ing others in her wake. She adds a number of automatic sucacquire Birthing the Aurora but not Birthing the Empyrean, cesses equal to her Valor to all Coordinate Attack and Rally
since the Nova and Empyrean Caste share no Caste Attributes. action she takes.

The first time the Exalts anima reaches the 11+ mote
display during a scene (whether through the slow expenditure Empathetic Advisor Foresight
of peripheral motes or the payment of five motes and will- Cost: 5m; Mins: Appearance 2, Essence 3;
power), he may pay a willpower to convert his anima display Type: Simple
and power to that of the chosen Caste for the remainder of Keywords: Combo-OK, Compulsion, Social, War
the scene. His Caste Mark remains the same. He may pay this Duration: Instant
willpower again to convert his anima back to its natural state. Prerequisite Charms: Personified Mask of Compassion, Per
Kalpa: Also inherent in the design of the Nocturnal Ex- sonified Mask of Temperance
alted is the possibility of a sixth caste, the Singularities (see p.
By putting herself in the place of another, the Herald
82 for full description). While they exist in some Manvantara, knows what any person will possibly do in a given situation.
they are absent from many. In some Manvantara lacking the The Nocturnal targets an individual within (Essence x 10) yards
Singularity Caste (or in those possessing the Singularities but and rolls (Perception + [Compassion or Temperance]), with
lacking one of the other Castes), this Charm may be acquired a difficulty equal to the targets Manipulation. If successful,
in a dramatically different fashion.
the targets player must name (Nocturnals Essence) actions he

In such Manvantaras, this Charm allows the Exalt to might take on his next action. The Exalts player selects one,
fully awaken a Caste within himself. This Charm gains the fol- and the target must adhere. If situation changes such that the
lowing Keywords: Calibration, Merged, and Training. It also chosen action is impossible or blatantly ill-advised, the target
requires any one Charm for each of the Castes Attributes. For must spend one willpower to choice a new action and delays
the Singularities, this would be Any Appearance Charm, Any his action by one tick. Otherwise, the target must spend four
Intelligence Charm, and Any Stamina Charm.
willpower to act against the choice. If he follows through with

During Calibration, the Exalt may spend a willpower to the Exalts suggestion, however, he gains the higher of the
become a member of the designated Caste. His Caste and Fa- Exalts Compassion or Temperance in automatic successes on
vored Attributes and Domains change as necessary and he can the action.
convert any number of dots from one Trait into experience
to immediately raise another equivalent Trait (Attribute for Meddlesome Monk Hindsight
Attribute, Domain for Domain, etc.) He gains two experience Cost: 8m+, (1wp); Mins: Appearance 3, Essence 3;
for every Charm that has been made Caste or Favored by this Type: Simple (Speed 6)
process and loses two experience for every Charm that was Keywords: Combo-OK, Illusion, Touch
formerly Caste or Favored but has no lost that status. In short, Duration: Instant
the Exalts player may completely redesign his character as the Prerequisite Charms: Empathetic Advisor Foresight
Meditating upon the plight of others, the Nocturnal
new Caste, keeping in mind that it is the characters Caste
that is changing, with only minor alterations to the character regrets not being able to advise them at some crucial moment
in their life. Having learned of some painful experience in
otherwise.
another beings life, the Exalt attempts to set things right, or
ersona harms
at least create the appearance that it has been. Touching the
being the Exalt pays eight motes to rewrite the story of their
Personified Mask of (Virtue)
life for the better, erasing all memory of a single personal
Cost: 5m; Mins: Appearance 1, (Virtue) 3, Essence 2;
tragedy and replacing it with a happier oneor at least one
Type: Simple
the Exalt honestly believes the target would have enjoyed
Keywords: Combo-Basic, Obvious
more. The Exalt rolls a social attack against the target, adding
Duration: One Scene
his Appearance (or appropriate Virtue if he currently has a
Prerequisite Charms: None
Personified Mask of [Virtue] Charm active) in automatic suc
An individuals personality is shaped by the Virtues to cesses. If successful, the target experiences false memories of
which she adheres. The Exalt uses this set of four Charm to
shape a new personality and allow a Virtue to dominate her

Chapter Five Charms

129

the event, as an Illusion effect, which costs the higher of the

Exalts Compassion or Temperance to ignore it immediately.
Since this Charm does not actually change the past, the Exalt
is encouraged to come up with alternative explanation for
the targets current circumstances so that they do not realize that reality does not match their memories. Should the
target detect such deviation, she is provided with another opportunity to spend willpower to resist the Illusion. Regardless
of how the Exalt altered the memory, the new memory will
conspicuously place the Exalt in the targets memory, either
as a participant in the event or as a background character in
some prior scene occurring shortly before.

This Charm upgrades automatically at Essence 4. Using
the target as a link to all others who shared the experience, the
Exalt warps the memories of all. This costs an additional number of motes equal to twice the Magnitude of the social unit
that would be formed by this group, plus one willpower. This
makeshift social unit may not exceed Magnitude (Essence).
The Exalt rolls one social attack and compares his successes to
the Mental Dodge Value of all. This attack cannot be parried.

Unwavering Critic Style

Cost: 4m (1wp); Mins: Appearance 2, Essence 3;

Type: Reflexive (Step 2)
Keywords: Combo-OK, Social
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Personified Mask of Conviction, Personified Mask of Temperance

Through iron-clad dedication and a thorough examination of the situation, the Herald counters any argument. This
Charm allows the Exalt to perfectly parry any social attack
that can be parried. If the attack was Performance-based, or
otherwise targeted a group of people, the Exalt may spend one
willpower to extend this defense to anyone who can perceive
the Nocturnals counterargument.

Different Drumbeat Mastery

Cost: 1m, 1wp; Mins: Appearance 3, Essence 3;

Type: Reflexive
Keywords: Combo-OK, Social
Duration: One Scene
Prerequisite Charms: Unwavering Critic Style

The Harlequin is her own person, or persons as the case
may be. Regardless, she follows no trends and blazes her own
trails. Dressing in a distinctive fashion, speaking in her own
unique style, behaving ever so slightly out of sync with the reset of society, the Exalt sets herself apart from others. So long
as she presents herself in this individualist fashion, she may
activate this Charm. For its duration, she ignores the penalty
imposed from social units with greater Magnitude and any
social attack intended to cause her to join a larger group or
follow social norms is considered to be opposed by either her
Conviction or Temperance, as she chooses. She doubles the
bonus the chosen Virtue provides to her DV against such attacks and may always channel that Virtue to further enhance
her DV.

However, for the duration of this Charm, she is considered a solo social unit. While she can make no overt social
attack to convince others to be like her for the duration of
this Charm, she does radiate a passive unnatural mental
influence. Anyone whose MDV is less than her (Appearane +
Socialize) considers the scene to be an additional scene spent
building a positive Intimacy toward one of the Nocturnals
quirks, plus one scene if any of the following the apply: the
being is an extra, the being is a mortal, the being has not
encountered the Nocturnal before. In this way, the Nocturnal

130

quickly spreads new fashions and idioms and is forced to keep

pace with social changes in order to maintain her own unique
style.

Forceful Provocateur Stance

Cost: 4m, 1wp; Mins: Appearance 2, Essence 3;

Type: Simple
Keywords: Combo-OK, Compulsion
Duration: One Scene
Prerequisite Charms: Personified Mask of Conviction, Personified Mask of Valor

The Herald stands by his words and challenges anyone
who disagrees. The Exalt rolls Willpower. Anyone with
Temperance or Compassion lower than the Exalts successes
is compelled to challenge the Exalt in whatever form seems
most appropriate or efficient to the character. An Exalt hoping to provoke an argument might be surprised when her
would-be debater simply pulls a flamepiece and fires. Resisting this Compulsion costs one willpower for the scene, plus
one willpower for each of the following: the Exalt possesses
Appearance 5+, the Exalt posseses Conviction 5, or the Exalt
possesses Valor 5.

Boasting War Chief Recruitment

Cost: (+4m); Mins: Appearance 3, Essence 3;

Type: Permanent
Keywords: Social, War
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: Forceful Provocateur Stance

Taking on the mien of a fierce barbarian warlord or savagely civilized general, the Herald displays that he is not one
to be trifled with. Better to join his cause than to suffer his
wrath. This Charm permamently enhances its prerequisite.
First, the Exalt always gains at least (lower of Conviction or
Valor) successes on the activating Willpower roll. Second,
it may be used in mass combat, whether military or social,
forcing the leaders of opposing units to engage his own as
appropriate. Finally, when a unit that engages his own due
to this Charm loses Magnitude, the Exalt makes a reflexive
(Appearance) roll. If the roll gains more successes than the
opposing units prior Magnitude and that Magnitude was
greater than that of the Exalts own unit, his units Magnitude
increases by one as the enemys deserters bolsters his own
ranks. So long as the Exalt gains at least one success on this
roll, he is assumed to have won at least a handful of converts,
though not enough to increase the Magnitude of his unit.

Martyrs and Matrons Interjection

Cost: 1m; Mins: Appearance 2, Essence 3;

Type: Reflexive (Step 7)
Keywords: Combo-OK, Obvious, Shaping, Social
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Personified Mask of Compassion, Personified Mask of Valor

Like a caring mother or a loyal bodyguard, the Harlequin
steps into harms way for those she cares about. This Charm
may be activated when a being toward whom the Exalt holds
a positive Intimacy is attack within (Essence) yards of her.
Attack resolution continues from Step 7 onward as though
the Nocturnal had been the target, applying raw damage and
all associated and subsequent effects to him instead of the
original target. The cost of this Charm drops to 0m after its
first activation until the end of the tick.

Kaleyard Child Harvest

Cost: (1wp); Mins: Appearance 3, Essence 3;

Type: Permanent

Keywords: Calibration, Flux

Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: Martyrs and Matrons Interjection

Adopting the aspect of the protective parent, the Harlequin learns to be a doting father or mother. But the Exalt
cannot truly claim the mantle of a parent until he or she has a
child. A boy or a girl, how can the Nocturnal Exalt decide? The
proper answer is obvious. This Charm permanently enhances
the Exalt. Whenever he potentially could cause a sexual partner to become pregnant (or she become pregnant herself),
the Exalt can spend a willpower to ensure the pregnancy as a
Flux effect. The pregnancy always results in twins, a boy and a
girl. If two Nocturnals apply this effect simultaneously on the
same pregnancy, the result is a set of identical male twins and
another set of identical female twins.

Once per Calibration, the Exalt may spend a willpower
to create a child without the entertaining but messy business
of sex. The child is created nearby, out of sight but within
earshot, and discovered as though abandoned by some other
being. The child always appears in a container of some sort,
such as a wicker basket, cradle or papoose. The created child
is considered the offspring of the Nocturnal alone and will
always bear a striking resemblance to the Exalt.

Surgeons Unflinching Scalpel

Cost: 5m; Mins: Appearance 2, Essence 3;

Type: Simple
Keywords: Combo-OK, Shaping, Touch
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Personified Mask of Compassion, Personified Mask of Conviction

The process of healing often requires further harm. The
surgeon must cut his patient. The apothecary brews poisons
to cure diseases. Likewise the Harlequin knows that a little
harm can serve the greater good. This Charm allows the Exalt
to convert (Compassion or Conviction) levels of Bashing
Damage into a level Lethal Damage, or levels of Lethal Damage into a level of Aggravated. Alternatively, the Exalt may
purge a mundane disease or poison by converting it into one
level of Lethal Damage. This Charm may be used either on
himself or on others.

Sorrowful Doctors Decision

Cost: 5m, 1wp; Mins: Appearance 3, Essence 3;

Type: Reflexive
Keywords: Combo-OK. Compulsion
Duration: Indefinite
Prerequisite Charms: Surgeons Unflinching Scalpel

Every hero someday comes to a troubling crossroad.
Every hero must make sacrifices to protect those she loves.
The Exalt may activate this Charm whenever she finds herself facing a vexing moral quandary. For example, if forced
to choose which of two patients to save when she has only
enough resources to save one and both patients are equally
deserving of the cure, or if her compassionate heart encourages her to disobey an order from a commander she respects.

Upon activating this Charm, she chooses a course of
action, so long as it is supported by at least one Virtue rated
at 3+. Any Virtues which would otherwise conflict with this
decision are temporarily ignored as the Exalt rationalizes
her actions through the lens of the ignored Virtue. She may
continue to ignore this Virtue whenever it would conflict
with her chosen path for as long as this Charm remains active. Additionally, she gains her Appearance (or the ignored
Virtue if the appropriate Personified Mask is active) in automatic successes on any social attack to convince others that

she has made the right choose. If the attack is successful, the
target gains a Compulsion effect to follow her example in the
current matter. Resisting this Compulsion costs (6 targets
rating in ignored Virtue) willpower. So long as the Compulsion remains, the target likewise ignores the designated Virtue
while performing the dictated action.

The Solar Exalted possess a similar Charm called Wearing the Heavy Crown, which requires Integrity 5, Essence 3,
and Epic Zeal of (Virtue). It is a Permanent Charm which
allows the Exalt to ignore the influence of any Virtue which
conflicts an action dictated by Epic Zeal of (Virtue) even if
that Virtue is also backed by its own Epic Zeal. The Lawgivers
social attacks add the Virtue to which his action adheres,
rather than the one he ignores, and cost (6 opposing Virtue)
willpower to ignore.

Wary Bravo Warning

Cost: ; Mins: Appearance 2, Essence 3;

Type: Permanent
Keywords: Chance
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: Personified Mask of Temperance, Personified Mask of Valor

It is often difficult to distinguish bravery from foolishness. If a successful Valor roll compels the Nocturnal into a
dangerous situation, he may use this Charm to determine
what possible dangers await. Roll a Chance die to determine
what information the Exalt gains.
1:

The Essence rating of the most dangerous threat.

2-3:

The number of antagonists, including the Magnitude of any units involved.

4-5:

Environmental hazards that lie along his path.

6-7:

The location of the most dangerous threat.

8-9:

(Essence) powerful Charms or other magic effects

the most dangerous opponent possesses, determined
by the Storyteller.

10:

All of the above. Willpower may not be spent on

this option.

Shipwrecked Corsair Memento

Cost: (1m); Mins: Appearance 3, Essence 3;

Type: Permanent
Keywords: Emotion, Merged, Stackable
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: Wary Bravo Warning

The Harlequins adventures are never forgotten, especially when they leave behind a permanent reminder. This
Charm allows the Nocturnal to commit a mote as a diceless
Miscellaneous Action. Doing so creates a mark on his body.
Usually this mark is a tattoo or a scar, but more creative options are also available, such as piercings, but in such cases
the Nocturnals body gives the mark its reality and it cannot
be removed. The mark is a record of some past event that
the Exalt participated in, such as a famous battle or surviving
some tragic event.

Anyone who can see the mark (and the Exalt may choose
where it appearswhether he wishes all to see it or to keep it
hidden to be revealed only to a select few) become intuitively
aware that the Exalt participated in the designated event. In
the case of battles or other events during which the Exalt may
have taken a side, those who see the mark know which side
he was one, but not the specifics of his role. This knowledge

Chapter Five Charms

131

radiates a mental influence which bypasses normal social

defenses. Instead, those who see the mark, must roll their
Temperance, with a difficulty equal to half the Exalts Appearance, rounding up. If they fail, they react strongly to this
information, immediately gaining an appropriate Intimacy as
an Emotion effect, which costs their own Valor in willpower
to resist. For the remainder of the scene, this new Intimacy
imposes the usual internal penalties associated with Emotion
effects. Otherwise, the knowledge counts as one additional
scene spent building the appropriate Intimacy.

Additionally, while the mark remains, the Exalt gains
one artificial Specialty in any Ability of his choice which he
might have gained from the designated experience. He may
commit up to (Essence) motes to this Charm. Each mote
either creates a different mark from a different experience,
or makes an existing mark more prominent and grants an
additional Specialty die related to that experience.

Merged: Shipwrecked Corsair Memento (Perception,
prerequisites: Tattle-Tell Scar Attunement)

Broken Soul Reborn

Cost: ; Mins: Appearance 1, Essence 3;

Type: Permanent
Keywords: Chance, Native
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: Any Personified Mask of (Virtue)

The process of Renewal is, quite literally, life changing.
The Herald is reborn and just as one incarnation of a hun
soul differs from the previous incarnation, so too might the
Herald change during his Renewal. When the Exalt undergoes a Renewal, his player rolls one die.
1:

Nothing happens. The Renewal proceeds as normal

with merely cosmetic changes.

2-3:

The characters sex is changed along with other

alterations.

4-5:

The Exalts player may convert any number of Virtue

dots into Experience, which must be immediately
spent to raise the Exalts Virtues. If changing the
Exalts Virtues in this way disqualifies the Exalt for
any Personified Mask of (Virtue), the player may
switch to another version as applicable. Similar
Virtue-dependent effects may be changed at Storyteller discretion.

6-7:

The Exalt changes any number of Intimacies and his

Motivation.

8-9:

Either the Exalt appearance increases by one, to its

current maximum, as a training effect, or converts
any number of Appearance dots, to a minimum required for his Charms, into Experience, which may
immediately be spent to raise any other Attribute.

clothes. What he knows today, he might discard tomorrow

for more useful knowledge. Always in a state of flux, the Exalt
has few constants. Among those is the legend his exploits have
won for him. That will be with him until the end of time.

The Nocturnal may learn this Charm while undergoing
a Renewal as a Training effect. If learned before that moment,
it waits until the Exalts next Renewal before it expresses its
power. Shedding his name with his old body, he anchors his
identity to a potent epiphet. The epiphet must have been
earned by the actions of his life to date, but beyond that the
choice is freely up to him. If he was renowned for fighting
for the highest bidder, he may call himself the Mercenary.
If he had gained infamy as a master thief, he may adopt the
pseudonym granted to him by the local populace, such as the
Gray Fox or the Masked Bravo.

Once he has sacrificed his name, it is erased from Fate
and replaced universally by his chosen epithet. It remains
known only to himself and beings Outside of Fate who knew
it prior to the sacrifice. Curiously, his companion continues
instinctively knows his true name on sight, even if the companion had no prior experience, and knows it is some grave
secret.

The epithet becomes the lynchpin of the Exalts personal legend. He gains three Attribute specialties, distributed
among his Attributes as he pleases, which must support and
reinforce his legend. These Attributes may be as broad as an
entire Ability, or narrower but potentially covering multiple
Abilities. For example, the Mercenary may gain two Dexterity
specialties in Fighting For Profit and a Charisma specialty
in Commanding a High Price, while the Gray Fox gains a
Dexterity specialty in Larceny, a Manipulation specialty in
Fooling You Twice, and a Wits specialty in Trickery.

Like Ability specialities, no Attribute can have more
than three specialities and no roll can gain more than three
dice from specialities, whether they be Attribute or Ability
specialties. Dice from Attribute specialties do not count as
dice from Charms, but neither do they add to the Attribute
for the purposes of determining its value for Excellencies or
other Charms.

The Exalt may purchase this Charm up to (Essence -3)
times, with each additional purchase providing three more
Attribute specialties to expand upon his adopted identity. Additional purchases take effect immediately rather than waiting
until the Exalts next Renewal.

Perception

Crafting and Planning Charms

Measure Once, Cut Twice

Cost: 5m; Mins: Perception 3, Essence 2;

Type: Supplemental
Keywords: Combo-OK, Obvious, Stackable, Touch
Duration: Indefinite
Prerequisite Charms: None
10:
Any combination of the previous options.

The Harlequin wastes nothing. Touching the raw maAlpha and Omega Epithet
terials prepared for a crafting project, the Exalt commits five
Cost: ; Mins: Appearance 2, Essence 4;
motes for every (Essence) pounds of material she wishes to
Type: Permanent
protect. Should the project fail at any point before compleKeywords: Training
tion, the Exalt may release the commitment and restore the
Duration: Permanent
raw materials to their original state. Additionally, should
Prerequisite Charms: Broken Soul Reborn
the project succeed, releasing the commitment causes any of

Bit by bit, year by year, the Nocturnal changes. Once unused portions of the material to reform into the largest poshe was a mortal, now he walks among the mighty Exalted. sible cohesive unit. For example, if the Exalt used this charm
That was only his first transformation. His passions come and on a block of marble, after finishing her carving, the various
go with fickle ease. His motives are changed as easily as his

132

chips and dust would form into single block of marble, ready
for additional work.

6-7:

Having seen her finished work, completing it becomes a simple matter of following a path she hasnt
yet trod. Though it is not truly Repeat Business,
the Exalt may treat it as though it were, including
benefiting from Parallel Mirrors Repetition (p. 143)
for the project if she possesses that Charm.

8-9:

The Heralds insight accelerates her efforts. The

interval of all the Exalts dramatic Craft-based actions to complete this project is reduced by one level
period, typically reducing it from one season per roll
to one month per roll.

10:

The Nocturnal completes her meditation and her

design in the same moment. The Exalt may not
select this option by spending willpower unless the
she possesses Essence 6+ and purchases this Charm
a second time. This option retroactively adds (+1wp)
to the cost of the Charm and if the Nocturnal does
not pay this additional cost she is instead treated as
though she rolled a 1. Artifacts crafted in this way
become Paradox variants.

Preemptive Prototype Designs

Cost: 10m; Mins: Perception 4, Essence 3;

Type: Simple (Dramatic Action)
Keywords: Chance, Combo-OK, Flux, Obvious
Duration: One crafting project
Prerequisite Charms: Measure Once, Cut Twice

One function of the Herald is to reveal new possibilities.
This often requires the Exalt to invent new technologies from
whole cloth in order to properly execute his vision. In order
to use this Charm, the Exalt must first design the plans for a
new object (plans are considered complete once the Exalt as
accumulated a quarter of the required successes) and gather
the require materials to finish his invention. She arranges
the plans and materials before her and mediates upon her
intended invention for one hour. During her meditation,
the component parts appear to skitter across the workshop
and self-assemble into the finished product. At the end of the
hour, the Exalts player rolls one die.
1:

A fatal flaw is revealed in the fundamentals of the

design. The Exalt loses all progress, but if she begins
again, she may distribute the accumulated dice as bonus dice throughout the subsequent attempt whenever she wishes, adding up to (Perception) dice per
roll. These dice may be added one at a time after a
roll has already been made. The object shatters spectacularly and the amassed resources are lost unless
protected by Measure Once, Cut Twice. The plans
remain to be altered according to the revelation.

2-3:

The flaws of the design can be corrected. The object

reverts back to its original materials, and the Exalt
must continue her work as normal, gaining a pool of
(Perception + Essence) bonus dice to be used on any
subsequent rolls, which may be added one at a time
after the initial roll, up to a maximum of (Perception.)

4-5:

The Heralds design is flawless. She continues her

work the enhanced insight on the final product. The
object reverts into partial completed elements. The
Exalt gains a poll of (Perception + Essence) bonus
successes which may be used in the same manner
as bonus dice provided by previous options of this
Charm.

Everything Old Is New Again

The Heralds Charms often demand that he

design each item he crafts anew. But in terms of game
mechanics, there are only so many ways one might craft a
daiklave. In order to get around this restriction, the Exalt
must explore new aesthetics rather than new functions or
employ new materials and methods in the creation of the
item. If the player wishes to craft a second version of an
item that he has previously made, a valid two-dice stunt
describing the new elements of its construction will suffice to differentiate it from the previous model, allowing
him to benefit from Charms that demand he make new
items. He must still go through the full crafting process,
beginning with the earliest design phase.

Motes spent on this Charm remain committed until
the project is complete. This Charm can only be used on set
of plans once, and cannot be used at all on plans made by
another being.

Vision and Innovation Primacy

Cost: ; Mins: Perception 5, Essence 4;

Type: Permanent
Keywords: None
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: Preemptive Prototype Designs

The Nocturnal Exalted has always held a special place in
Autochthons mind. They, like the Great Maker, are constantly driven to new and more elaborate inventions. This Charm
permanently enhances the Exalts potential for crafting new
objects or structures, those for which the Exalt must design
new plans. The interval for each roll is reduced once for
each purchase of this Charm. Years become seasons; seasons,
months; months, weeks; weeks, days; and days, hours. This
Charm may be repurchased once for each dot of Essence the
Exalt possesses over four.

Once the Exalt has completed his initial plans, he may
employ Preemptive Prototype Designs as normal. The benefits
of this Charm stack with the relevant effects of its prerequisite. For example, if the Exalt is inventing a new artifact, the
interval for the roll is automatically reduced from one Season
to one Month; if he also gains the benefit of the 8-9 option of
Preemptive Prototype Designs, this is again reduced from one
Month to One Week. The Exalt may never make more than
one roll per hour.

Awaiting Ruins Glance

Cost: 4m; Mins: Perception 2, Essence 2;

Type: Reflexive
Keywords: Combo-OK
Duration: Indefinite
Prerequisite Charms: Any Perception Charm

Despite the excellence of all Exalted, the Harlequin sees
the potential for failure wherever she looks. While examining
the plans for a crafting project, whether it be a manse, an
artifact, or something more mundane, the Exalt may activate
this Charm and roll (Perception + [relevant Craft]), with a difficulty of the Background rating needed to acquire the object.

Chapter Five Charms

133

If successful, the Exalt learns all possible means by which the

project could fail. So long as the Exalt keeps his motes committed and continues to advise the project leader, any botched
roll made on behalf of the project may be re-rolled. A second
purchase at Perception 4+, Essence 4+ allows roll that failed
to advance the project to be rerolled. This Charm only allows
one re-roll per action, but is compatible with Third Excellencies, which may be used after this Charms effects.

If the Exalt knows the Third Perception Excellency, the
cost of this Charm is reduced to two motes.

The Folly of Kings

Cost: (+3m); Mins: Perception 3, Essence 2;

Type: Permanent
Keywords: Social, Mandate, War
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: Awaiting Ruins Glance

The invisible hand of the social engineer is as likely to
slip as that of any artificer, and even the wisest general may err
if provided with incorrect information. This Charm upgrades
its prerequisite. Fault Predicting Examination may be used on
behalf of any group project which the Exalt is participates in.
The Exalt rolls (Perception + [relevant Ability]), which may be
War for military endeavors, Socialize for festivals, Bureaucracy
for business deals, etc., with a difficulty of the Magnitude of
the unit or Dominion that undertakes the action. For the
duration of this Charm, whenever the group fails an action
which would advance the goals of the project chosen when
the Charm was activated, the project leaders player may reroll
the action.

Detection Charms

Now My Watch Begins

Cost: ; Mins: Perception 4, Essence 2;

Type: Permanent
Keywords: Calibration-OK
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: None

The Nocturnals have a keen eye and ear for trouble,
knowing that anything could lurk in a shadow or that the
faintest whisper might carry hints of murder. This Charm may
be purchased (Perception) times. Each time it is purchased,
the Harlequins player defines a set of circumstances in which
the characters skills of observation would prove useful at
preventing some harm to others. Examples include detecting
assassination attempts on anothers life, guarding a post from
intruders, and making medical diagnoses. Thereafter, he
always gains (Essence) automatic successes in the appropriate
situation, and may allows roll Perception if not otherwise
applicable. During Calibration, the Exalt gains the benefits
of this Charm for all scenarios that could be covered by a
hypothetical purchase of this Charm.

Whence You Came

Cost: 3m; Mins: Perception 2, Essence 2;

Type: Simple
Keywords: Combo-OK, Touch
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Any Perception Charm

This Charm allows the Herald to observe the series of
events that lead up to a being or objects current moment.
The Exalt touches the target and rolls (Perception + [Awareness or Investigation]), with a difficulty of half the target or
targets owners [Manipulation + Socialize]. For each success,
the Exalt perceives one important step in the sequence of
events that led up to the present. He receives only sensory

134

flashes as though he stood near enough the target to touch

it while those important events occurred. For example, if the
Nocturnal grabs hold of a man running through a crowded
market, he may perceive the events that have caused the
man to run. With a single success, the Exalt hears the local
authorities shouting at the man to stop. With two successes,
the Exalt he watches the man steal a necklace from a vendor.
With three successes, the Exalt sees children begging for food.

The information received is objective. The Nocturnal
must make his own value judgments. If he did not roll well
enough to learn of the mans hungry children, he would have
no clues to separate a petty thief from a desperate father. At
Essence 4+ this Charm upgrades automatically, adding the
Exalts Essence in automatic successes to the roll.

Whither You Go

Cost: ; Mins: Perception 4, Essence 3;

Type: Permanent
Keywords: None
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: Whence You Came

Knowing where one has come from is the key to knowing where they are going. This Charm permanently upgrades
its prerequisite. The Exalt gains an additional option when
employing Whence You Came. Instead of perceiving past
events, he may glimpse the future. He sees the most likely
circumstances extending from the current moment. Will this
clandestine meeting go badly? If theres a fight, who will win?
If he leaves survivors, will they send more men after him? And
so on. As an additional option, if the target has a Destiny,
the Nocturnal may instead learn the steps to help that being
accomplish his task under current circumstances.

This Charm works beyond Fate as well as within it, but
does not account for the actions of beings from realms other
than the one in which the Nocturnal currently finds himself.

Needle Among Straw

Cost: 3m; Mins: Perception 4, Essence 2;

Type: Supplemental
Keywords: Combo-OK, Calibration-OK
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Any Perception Charm

Anything that is not hidden can be detected with
enough time and searching. This Charm grants the Exalt such
time. Any action to locate a known person, object, or location that is not actively hidden may be supplemented by this
Charm and automatically succeeds. For example, the Nocturnal may find a particularly book in even the vastest library,
provided that she knows its there at all. During Calibration,
this Charm may also work to find something that is actively
hidden. Mundane attempts to hide the being, object, or location automatically fail, while the Exalt adds her Essence in
automatic successes to detect hidden targets.

Known Unknowns

Cost: (+2m); Mins: Perception 5, Essence 3;

Type: Permanent
Keywords: Chance
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: Needle Among Straw

The Herald does not risk becoming so single-minded on
a hunt that he neglects more promising opportunities when
they arise. This Charm upgrades its prerequisite, allowing the
Exalt to pay two additional motes to roll one die and determine precisely what the Charm might find instead of what he
was original looking for.

1:

This Charm functions as though it were Calibration, allowing the Exalt to find her target even if it is
deliberately hidden.

2-3:

If more than one of the target exists, she finds all

examples.

4-5:

If her target is not the best example for the Exalts

purpose currently available, she finds one that is
better suited to her needs (for example, finding The
Book of Three Circles while searching for The White
Treatise). What is found is determined by the Storyteller, though the Exalts player should clearly define
the Exalts purpose.

6-7:

The Exalt finds the most valuable thing present,

based on what the Exalt most values and what the
Storyteller deems appropriate for discovery.

8-9:

The Exalt finds the most dangerous thing present,

based on what poses the greatest threat to the Exalt,
her possessions or companions as determined by the
Storyteller.

10:

The Exalt finds something that may or may not qualify for any of the previous categories of the Charm.
If it does not fit in one of the other categories, the
being, object, or location appears otherwise irrelevant yet still holds the Exalts interest. Its purpose
or value is not immediately recognizable, but in due
time, whatever the Exalt discovered will be of the
utmost importance to solving a major obstacle of
which he is currently unaware. This option cannot
be selected unless the Exalt possesses Perception 6+.

Holistic Detective Agency

Cost: 5m, 1wp; Mins: Perception 5, Essence 3;

Type: Supplemental
Keywords: Calibration-OK, Combo-OK, Merged, Obvious,
Suspicious
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Needle Among Straw

When time is of the essence, the Herald cannot delay
in inspecting all aspects under his charge. This Charm allows the Exalt to apply a single Perception-based action to all
valid targets of the same class. For example, he may inspect
all his troops simultaneously, as quickly and as thoroughly as
he could inspect a single soldier. Alternatively, he may read
ever page of a book in the same time as it would take him
to read one. Doing so, however, causes his Fate to vibrate
rapidly in order to account for the Nocturnals simultaneous
actions. This disturbs the Loom and generates Paradox. The
Exalt gains one die of Paradox for every dot of Magnitude
that would be necessary to for a unit comprised of all the
hypothetical copies of himself needed to undertake all the
actions he should have performed. In the above examples, the
Nocturnal would gain Paradox dice equal to the Magnitude of
the inspected army, or if the book was 75 pages long the Exalt
would gain two dice of Paradox, as he would require 75 copies
of himself (a Magnitude 2 unit) to read all those pages in the
allotted time.

During Calibration, this Charm generates no Paradox.

Merged: Holistic Detective Agency (Wits, prerequisites:
Night Prepares At Dawn, Any other Wits Charm).

Medical and Psychological Charms

If Scars Could Speak

Cost: 4m; Mins: Perception 2, Essence 2;

Type: Simple
Keywords: Combo-OK. Merged
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Any Perception Charm

In the violent, rugged world of Creation, every encounter leaves its mark. This Charm is a Perception-based roll to
examine a wound, a disease or poisons symptom or damage
to an object. The Exalt rolls (Perception + [relevant Ability]).
A single success identifies the nature of the injury, the disease, or poison; mechanically this provides the player with the
Traits of the poison or disease and knowledge of how many
wounded and unwounded health levels the target possesses.
Additionally, with three successes, the Exalt reveals the origins of the harm; he learns the diseases or poisons by name,
distinguishes accidental injuries from intentional attacks or
expected wear from sabotage. Finally, with five successes, the
cause of the harm flashes before the Exalts eyes; he sees a
would-be assassin strike a near-fatal blow or slip poison into a
drink, watches a fight between a foolhardy mortal and a rapid
beast, understands the full length of time it took a small plant
to shatter a sidewalk.

Merged: If Scars Could Speak (Intelligence)

Tattle-Tale Scar Attunement

Cost: 1m, (1wp); Mins: Perception 2, Essence 2;

Type: Reflexive
Keywords: Combo-OK, Shaping, Stackable
Duration: Indefinite
Prerequisite Charms: If Scars Could Speak

Invincible though they may seem to mortals, rare is the
Chosen who does not come to harm at some point in their
lives. In order to defend against such unfortunate possibilities,
the Harlequin paints his body with scars of future injuries and
may do for others as well.

Tattle-Tale Scar Attunement creates a remnant of some
nearly fatal wound that has yet to be inflicted but is imminent
in the characters future as determined by the Storyteller. This
could be a small scar from an arrow to the chest, a smiling
scar on the throat from a garrote, a horrible skin disfiguration
from poison or fire. Any physical manifestation of the injury
will suffice. Whenever conditions are right for the injury to
occur (such as when the Exalt is near an enemy armed with
the appropriate weapon, even if he is otherwise unaware of the
enemy), the Exalt rolls Willpower, difficulty 2. On a failure he
suffers a -1 internal penalty due to the pain emanating from
the scar. On a success, the target senses the impending danger
and is immune from unexpected attacks in such situations for
the rest of the scene.

The Exalt may create no more than (Essence) such scars
on his body. At Essence 3+, this Charm gains the Touchkeyword and allows the Exalt to place scars on other beings as
well. No being can gain more scars than their own Essence.

These Walls Would Crack

Cost: 5m, 1wp; Mins: Perception 4, Essence 3;

Type: Supplemental
Keywords: Combo-OK, Merged, Obvious
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: If Scars Could Speak

Once the full extent of damage is determined, it often
better to bring things to swift end rather than let them linger.
This Charm supplements a damage roll of a physical attack
against a being or object previously observed with If Scars
Could Speak. If the target currently has any wounded health
levels, the Exalts raw damage is multiplied by the severity of

Chapter Five Charms

135

the damage. Therefore, the Nocturnal doubles his raw damage if the target currently has a -2 Health Level damaged, and
quadruples raw damage if the target has a -4 Health Level,
Incapacitated Health Level, or Dying Health Level damaged.

A second purchase of this Charm at Essence 4+ adds
the Calibration-OK keyword. This allows the Exalt to convert
(Perception) dice of post-soak damage into levels of damage,
to a maximum of current severity of the targets wounds. During Calibration, the Exalt convert more dice, up to a total
maximum of (Perception + Essence), into levels of damage by
spending 3 motes per die.

Merged: These Walls Would Crack (Intelligence)

Lovers Attentive Ear

Cost: 3m; Mins: Perception 2, Essence 2;

Type: Reflexive
Keywords: Combo-OK
Duration: Until next attack
Prerequisite Charms: None

The Harlequin attunes herself to subtle body language
and to the pitch of anothers voice. With calm reserve, she listens and observes others, then turns her insight into a precise
rebuttal. This Charm enhances the Exalts Study/Monologue
Action for its duration. She gains an additional die each tick
and doubles the total number of dice which may benefit her
next Social attack.

Open Book Interaction

Cost: 5m; Mins: Perception 3, Essence 2;

Type: Supplemental
Keywords: Combo-OK, Social
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Any Perception Charm

The Harlequin sees the many masks a person might
wear to hide their emotions or motives, and thus sees beyond
those changing veils to the constant truth beneath and the
chain of causality that created it. This Charm supplements
a Read Motivation action. If successful, the Exalt learns, at
least vaguely, the immediate cause behind the motive or emotion. If, for example, the targets motive is to acquire a large
supply of weapons, the Exalt knows if he wishes to use them
offensively or defensively; or if the target is sorrowful, the
Exalt learns if this is caused by a recent loss or a long-standing
depression. With 5+ successes, the Exalt learns this information in greater detail. She knows, for example, that the man
wishes to purchase the weapons so that he might overthrow
the local government and which rebel group he represents, or
she realizes that the sorrowful womans husband was killed in
a barbarian raid yesterday. With Perception 5+, the Exalt also
learns whether the characters current motive adheres to or
contradicts the characters Motivation, 3+ Virtues, or Intimacies.

Art Betrays Artists

Cost: (+2m); Mins: Perception 4, Essence 3;

Type: Permanent
Keywords: None
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: Open Book Interaction

The craftsman pours his heart and soul into his work
or leaves his work hollow without such passions. The Herald
may examine something created by another being, carefully
inspecting it to perceive the motives or emotions that fueled
its production. This Charm permanently enhances its prerequisite, allowing it to be used on an object or action (such as a
dance or a ritual prayer) created by the target. The difficulty
for the Read Motivation action is based on the creators Traits,

136

and if successful, the Exalt learns information about the creator at the time the target created the object or prescribed the
course of action.

The Mind Behind the Myth

Cost: (+1wp); Mins: Perception 5, Essence 4;

Type: Permanent
Keywords: Calibration-OK
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: Open Book Interaction

Neither hero nor villain exists in a vacuum. Their exploits are told and spread by the mortals they have protected
or horrified. But what drives men and women to such acts
of heroism and villainy? The Herald knows. This upgrades
its prerequisite allowing the Exalt to discern a beings motive
from the accounts of witnesses rather than direct observations.
The base difficulty of this Read Motivation action is still the
half the targets (Manipulation + Socialize) as usual. Additionally, the difficulty is increased by +1 if the targets actions are
related by eye-witnesses or by +3 for anyone else. Finally, if
the narrator of the tale embellishes the targets actions, the
Nocturnal suffers an external penalty on his roll equal to
the higher of the narrators Manipulation or Performance. If
there is no truth at all to the story, the action fails automatically. During Calibration, even fictions provide insight in to
the targets character as the Nocturnal learns what the target
would have really been like in such a situation.

If successful, the Exalt learns the targets motive or emotional condition at the time she performed the actions in the
story.

Heart-Halting Accusation

Cost: 10m, 1wp; Mins: Perception 5, Essence 4;

Type: Simple
Keywords: Combo-OK, Compulsion, Social
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Open Book Interaction

The right question will grind war machines to a halt and
give even the Primordials pause. In order to use this Charm
the Harlequin must first discover that the targets current motive is in conflict with his Motivation, 3+ Virtues, or Intimacies. Having learned this information, she makes a written or
spoken social attack against the target, calling them out for
their hypocrisy or faulty logic. The attack cannot be dodged,
and the penalty imposed on the targets MDV by his own
Motivation, Virtues, or Intimacies is doubled. If the attack is
successful, the target suffers a compulsion to halt his current
course of action in favor of a motive that better agrees with
his Motivation, Virtues, or Intimacies. This Compulsion costs
four willpower to resist.

Military Unit Charms

Captains Insightful Command

Cost: 3m; Mins: Perception 2, Essence 2;

Type: Reflexive
Keywords: Combo-OK, War
Duration: Until Next Attack
Prerequisite Charms: None

The Heralds path to victory is not always through raw
courage and fierce attacks. Such things are blunt instruments,
useful in their way, but not sufficient on their own. No, the
Herald prefers well-ordered and well structured units, poised
to make an attack that will be remembered as much for its poetry as its strategic brilliance. For the duration of this Charm,
the Exalt doubles the number of dice his unit receives each

tick from Position Troop actions, as well as the maximum dice ordinators, and overseers. They see the greatest strengths in
his units attacks may add from such actions.
others and ensure that those strengths are put to their greatest
use. With this Charm, the Exalt serves as a linchpin of coordiBreaking the Dragons Fangs
nation across the whole Exalted Host. When purchasing this
Cost: 4m (+1wp); Mins: Perception 4, Essence 3;
Charm, the Exalt chooses one of the effects listed below. For
Type: Supplemental
the purposes of this Charm, the benefits provided are based
Keywords: Calibration, Combo-OK, War
on the Magnitude of a hypothetical unit comprised solely of
Duration: Instant
the type of being mentioned it is effects that currently serve in
Prerequisite Charms: Any Perception Charm
the Exalts own unit.

After thoughtful consideration, the Herald determine
Conquering Hero Triumphant: For each dot of Magnitude
every possible position from which the enemys leadership provided by Solar Exalted, the unit gains +1 Might and the
might command their forces. Which is the true location? It units Commander gains +1 dice to all Dawn Caste Abilities.
does not matter. The Herald guides his units attack to all pos-
Driven Before the Storm: For each dot of Magnitude
sible locations, leaving their enemies no place to hide. This provided by Lunar Exalted, the unit gains +1 Magnitude
Charm supplements a Call Shot against a special character in whenever the commander wishes, and the units Heroes gains
an opposing unit, allowing the attack to ignore the opposing +1 dice to all Full Moon Caste Attributes.
units Magnitude and Drill for this attack. The blow lands as
Preordained Declaration of Victory: For each dot of Magnian unassuming lucky shot
tude provided by Sidereal Exalted, the unit reduces damage

With a second purchase at Perception 5+, Essence 4+, successes against it by one and the units Commander reduces
the Exalt may spend one Willpower for this attack to strike up the target number of all Chosen of Battle Abilities by one, to
to (Essence) special characters in the opposing unit simultane- a minimum of four.
ously. Doing so makes this Charm Suspicious. Fate trembles
Shadow of War Concealment: For each dot of Magnitude
to account for some many coincidences and lucky shots. provided by Nocturnal Exalted, the unit may reduce its MagDuring Calibration, this effect may be applied against all the nitude by one whenever the Commander wishes, and all of
units special characters.
the units special characters gain +1 DV against Called Shots.

Swing the Sword: For each dot of Magnitude provided by
Weighing the Scales
Abyssal
Exalted, the units minimum damage is increased by
Cost: 5m; Mins: Perception 4, Essence 2;
one and individuals in opposing units which lose Magnitude
Type: Supplemental
from the attacks of the enhanced unit add +1 to the difficulty
Keywords: Combo-OK, War
of the (Wits + Willpower) roll to remain alive.
Duration: Instant

Dragon-Soldier Solidarity: For each dot of Magnitude
Prerequisite Charms: Any Perception Charm

Through careful observation, the Herald discerns all provided by Terrestrial Exalted, the unit gains two additional
possible strategies his opponent may adopt and prepares for health levels (both -1, should it matter), and the units Comall accordingly. This Charm enhances a Read Strategy action. mander gains one temporary War Specialty, chosen when the
If successful, in addition to the usual information provided, commander rolls Join War. This may cause him to exceed
the Nocturnal learns (extra successes) alternative strategy the three Specialties, though only three may be applied to a single
opposing commander may attempt if his current strategy fails. roll.

These were the original six modes of this Charm. It it
curious that the Heralds had an option that interacts with
Talons Strike as One
Abyssal Exalted even in ancient days, long before the DeathCost: 6m; Mins: Perception 4, Essence 3;
lords claimed Solar Exaltations for their own purposes. UnType: Reflexive
fortunately, none of the surviving Heralds can recall what sort
Keywords: Combo-OK, War
of beings this effect might have originally applied to. Other
Duration: Instant
modes may be developed for fighting alongside other beings
Prerequisite Charms: Any Perception Charm

When commanded, the Herald obeys and echoes his including gods, demons, Mountain Folk, Dragon Kings, or
commanders orders throughout the ranks. This Charm Tiger Warriors. Each additional technique after the first costs
supplements a Coordinate Attack action performed by the Exalt two experience points to learn.
The Exalt himself cannot serve as the units Comanother being which would include the Exalt in the attack,
or a Coordinate Units action performed by another being so mander while enjoying these benefits, but if the Commander
long as the Exalts unit would be included in the attack. If all is an Exalt (or another appropriate being, if the Herald knows
participates are Nocturnals, or if all units have at least one more exotic techniques) the Commander counts as at least a
Nocturnal serving in their ranks, the coordination succeeds Magnitude 1 unit of his type, ensuring that his unit gains at
least the basic bonus this Charm provides.
automatically.

Additionally, if the coordination is successful, the Exalt
erception nhancing harms
or his unit doubles the penalty to the targets DV for their
own attacks.
Unhindered (Sense) Acuity
Cost: 3m or 6m, 1wp; Mins: Perception 3, Essence 1;
Legion of Heaven and Earth
Type: Reflexive
Cost: ; Mins: Perception 5, Essence 4;
Keywords: Combo-OK
Type: Permanent
Duration: One Scene
Keywords: War
Prerequisite Charms: Any Perception Charm
Duration: Permanent
As beings of the night, the Harlequins come into their
Prerequisite Charms: Breaking the Dragons Fangs, Weigh-
own
when
senses of others would be dulled. This is a set of
ing the Scales, Talons Strike as One

Though they do not lack in personal heroics, the proper three Charms, divided as the Solar Charm Keen (Sense) Techplace of the Nocturnal Exalted is to serve as messengers, co- nique (Exalted, p. 225). When active each Charm removes

Chapter Five Charms

-E

137

any External penalty imposed on the chosen sense and any

Perception-based rolls based on that sense convert External
penalties into bonus successes. If there are multiple sources
of External Penalties, only the greatest grants bonus successes,
which may be received even if the Exalt is otherwise immune
to that particular penalty. With Perception 5+, the bonuses
granted by this Charm are doubled.

These Charms typically cost three motes to activate
individually, but if the Exalt knows all three versions, she
may instead pay six motes and a willpower to activate all three
simultaneously.

Shadow Spirit Hallucination

Cost: ; Mins: Perception 4, Essence 2;

Type: Permanent
Keywords: None
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: Any Unhindered (Sense) Acuity

As children drift to sleep in the dark of night, the
monsters come out. They hear the beasts under their beds,
feel them clawing at their blankets. The creatures can only
been seen in the dark and disappear whenever the light of a
lamps flame reaches them. Parents calm their children and
tell them it was only a trick of the night, but the Harlequin
knows the truth. This Charm enhances all variants of Unhindered (Sense) Acuity that the Exalt knows. While that Charm
is active, the Exalt can detect dematerialized spirits through
the appropriate senses. With Unhindered Hearing and Touch
Acuity, the Exalt may pay one mote to enhance her physical
attacks so that it may harm a dematerialized spirit, but the
attack suffers a -2 External Penalty unless the Harlequin can
also see the target.

This Charm supplements a physical attack and allows
the Exalt to disrupt sorcery, necromancy and Sorcerouskeyworded Charms, hereafter refered to as spells. The spell or
Charm must be obvious to the Exalts senses to be a valid
target of this attack. The attack must strike the caster or incoming spell (for offensive spells) or the beneficiary of the
spell (for enhancing spells). If the spell creates or summons
an automaton or spirit, the Heralds attack must target that
being. If the spell is a free-standing effect, such as Rain of
Doom, then the attack must be generally aimed at the center
of the spells area of effect. Incoming spells and free-standing
spells are considered to have a DV of (Circle x 3) or (Charms
minimum Essence +2), as appropriate. During Calibration,
this Charm may be activated reflexively and creates a single
reflexive attack against a sorcerous target.

If the attack is successfully, the infusion of Nocturnal
essence randomly warps the spell. The Exalts player rolls one
die to determine the effect.
1:

The spell is not destroyed, despite the Nocturnals

best efforts. Instead, its effects are merely lessened.
A damage-enhancing spells damage is reduced to
half; a beneficial spells effects are likewise halved,
or if not quantifiable, its duration is halved instead.
The Nocturnal faces the backlash from the disrupted
spell, receiving (spells Circle) x 3 or (charms minimum Essence) dice of lethal damage, which ignores
armor. Additionally, the Nocturnal recovers (spells
Circle +1) or (Charms minimum Essence/2) motes,
rounding up.

2-3:

The Nocturnal does not destroy the spell, but instead

disrupts the pathways of Fate and Shinmaic law alike
to re-target it, the spells new target is determined
randomly by the Storyteller. The spell is redirected
to a new target within (spells range x 100) yards.
Large area of effect spells, such as Rain of Doom,
are redirected to somewhere within (casters Essence
x 10) miles.

4-5:

The spell is dirupted, but its energy explosively dissipates into the surrounding area. Disrupting a spell
in this manner follows the rules for shattering spells
(Exalted, p. 253 and 256). The effect of the shattering is at the Storytellers discretion, but should
always inflict less overall damage or mayhem than a
hostile spell of the appropriate Circle (or Charm of
the appropriate minimum Essence).

6-7:

The spell is destroyed completely, but its energy

drains away in a controlled decay, reabsorbed into
the ambient Essence flows of the area. The Nocturnal reaps the benefits of thisinfusion of essence,
gaining (spells Circle x 3 or Charms minimum
Essence) motes.

Sorcerers Eye and Alchemists Tongue

Cost: (+3m, 1wp); Mins: Perception 5, Essence 2;

Type: Permanent
Keywords: None
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: Shadow Spirit Hallucination

The things that go bump in the night are but childish echoes of the horrors unleashed by the Exalted and
the Primordials. This Charm further enhances the Exalts
Unhindered (Sense) Acuity. By paying the increased cost, the
Harlequin can discern the influence of Charms, Sorcery and
other magical effects. This is identical to the Solar Charm
All-Encompassing Sorcerers Sight (Exalted, p. 222), but Nocturnal receives this information through the enhanced sense,
rather than sight alone.

Witchery-Withering Waveform

Cost: 15m; Mins: Perception 5, Essence 4;

Type: Supplemental
Keywords: Calibration-OK, Chance, Combo-OK, Obvious,
Merged
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Unhindered Sight Acuity, Unhindered
Hearing and Touch Acuity, Sorcerers Eye and Alchemists
Tongue

The Nocturnal Exalted never knew sorcery before
their betrayal and those Heralds returning to Creation after
many thousands of years in isolation may be surprised to
see the Exalted wielding the weapons of their great enemies.
Nevertheless, the Heralds learned to abhor the foul taste
and blasphemous icons of Primordial power. They, like their
Exalted compatriots, were designed with the power to destroy
the handiwork of the Primordials.

138

8-9:

The spell explodes into destructive energy, focused

back onto the beneficiary or caster. This backlash
creates all encompassing environmental hazard
(casters Essence) x 5 yards in diameter, centered on
the beneficiary or caster as appropriate. This effect
lasts for the remainder of the scene before dissipatin,
dealing lethal damage equal to the spells (Circle
+3) or (minimum Essence), as appropriate, every
action, with Trauma equal to the (casters Essence).
If neither the caster nor beneficiary is present, the
damage is centered upon the center point of the
spells effective area.

10:

The Nocturnal may redirect the spell as with the 2-3

option, except that his player, rather than the Storyteller, decides the new target. If the Exalt prefers, he
may simply discard the spell in a manner identical
to the 6-7 option. This Option can only be selected
with Essence 5+.
Merged: Spiralling Pathways Collision (Strength, prerequisites: Defenses Fractured and Warped, Quantum Assassin
Tunnel)

Blindfolded Gateway Mastery

Cost: 1wp; Mins: Perception 4, Essence 3;

Type: Reflexive
Keywords: Combo-OK, Nox
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Lovers Attentive Ear or Captains
Insightful Command, Any Unhindered (Sense) Acuity

In the absence of information, they Harlequin must
improvise. Contemplating her enemys motives and strategies,
she does not strike upon their own thoughts, but onto a brilliant counter to whatever mysterious plans her opponent has
in mind. This Charm may be activated upon failing a Read
Motivation or Read Strategy action. Each success the Exalt
received on the roll is converted into a Study/Monologue or
Position Troop die for her next attack against that opponent.
Any dice gained in excess of the maximum allowed for such actions are wasted.These dice do no count as dice from Charms.
If the opponent is within Fate and Nox is in the Loom, the
enhanced attacks are always considered to occur at night for
the purposes of other Charms.

Assassins Fatal Stare

prerequisites the Nocturnal knows, but the effects are broadly

similar. Those who know Assassins Fatal Stare convert Aim
dice gained at night or during Calibration into automatic
successes. Those who know Captains Insightful Command
likewise convert dice gained from the Position Troops Action
into automatic successes; such commanders typically call this
Charm Rebels Dishonorable Strategem. They have no stigma
against employing dirty tricks and nighttime ambushes. Those
who know Lovers Attentive Ear similiarly convert dice gained
from the Study/Monlogue Action into successes and call this
Charm Courtesans Pillow Talk Revelations. If the Nocturnal
knows more than one of the prerequisite Charms, he benefits
from all possible variations of this Charm.

Ever-Wary Bandits Premonition

Cost: 2m or 4m; Mins: Perception 3, Essence 2;

Type: Reflexive (Step 2)
Keywords: Combo-OK, Calibration-OK, Merged
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Any Perception Charm

The Nocturnals own killer instincts prepare him for
the inevitable ambush. Every shadow seems to shelter his
enemies; behind ever tree lurks an assassin with bow drawn.
While others might cower in fear from such prospects, the
Herald steels himself against such possibilities. He may activate this Charm to remove the unexpected quality from an
attack and defend himself as otherwise applicable. Outside of
combat this Charm costs four motes, otherwise it costs only
two.

During Calibration, this Charms duration is One Action, protecting the Exalt from all unexpected attacks for that
time.

Merged: Ever-Wary Bandits Premonition (Wits)

Standing In Harms Way

Cost: 5m; Mins: Perception 4, Essence 2;

Type: Reflexive (Step 2)
Keywords: Combo-OK, Obvious
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Ever-Wary Bandits Premonition

His ability to discern all possible attacks allows the
Nocturnal to place himself precisely in path of an attack. The
Herald activates this Charm in response to a physical attack
as part of a parry. In an instant, the Exalt shatters into a number of defensive positionssometimes only a few, sometimes
seemingly an infinite number. In that same instant, the attackers blow connects with one possible defensive, resolving
it into reality and discarding those what would have failed to
block her attack. This perfectly defends against the attack and
carries with it one of the Four Flaws of Invulnerability.

Cost: 3m; Mins: Perception 2, Essence 2;

Type: Reflexive
Keywords: Combo-OK
Duration: Until Next Attack
Prerequisite Charms: None

The quick draw might win some fights by dumb luck,
but a single well-aimed strike is worth a dozen wild blows. Moth to the Lamp
This Charm enhances the Harlequins Aim actions. He gains Cost: (+1wp); Mins: Perception 5, Essence 4;
an additional die each Tick, and doubles the maximum num- Type: Permanent
Keywords: None
ber of dice he may gain from such actions.
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: Standing in Harms Way
Owl-Eyed Hunter Technique

The Herald is drawn to adventure and the thrill of danCost: ; Mins: Perception 4, Essence 2;
ger. Standing in the thick of a brawl, he is untouchable. He
Type: Permanent
may pay one additional willpower when activating Standing
Keywords: Calibration-OK
in Harms Way. Until his next action, he enjoys a -1 mote
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: Assassins Fatal Stare, Captains In- discount, to a minimum of zero motes, for every two opponents whose Essence is at least equal to his own and in whose
sightful Command or Lovers Attentive Ear

While others stumble in darkness, the Chosen of Nox engagement range he currently stands. Additionally, until his
are superbly adapted to their element. The effects of this next Action, he ignores Onslaught and Coordinated Attack
Charm vary depending upon which of the Charms possible penalties to his Parry DV.

Chapter Five Charms

139

The Sword in the Darkness

Cost: ; Mins: Perception 5, Essence 3;

Type: Permanent
Keywords: Calibration-OK, Overdrive
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: Standing in Harms Way, Watchful
Ally Intercession

Perfecting his own defensives and knowing how to keep
his eye on others safety, the Harlequin knows how best to
defend another. This Charm creates an Overdrive pool
capable of holding ten motes. While performing a Defend
Other Action, the Exalt may add one mote to this pool each
time he successfully defends his ward, for each of the following conditions: it is Calibration, it is night, conditions related
to a known version of Now My Watch Begins apply. As an
example of this last condition, the Harlequin may gain offensive motes while defending a patient if he knows a diagnostic
version of Now My Watch Begins. If all three apply, ignoring
the usual Calibration benefit of Now My Watch Begins, the
Exalt gains one additional offensive mote.

Quantum Entanglement Detection

Cost: 6m; Mins: Perception 4, Essence 2;

Type: Reflexive
Keywords: Chance, Combo-OK
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Ever-Wary Bandits Premonition or
Open Book Interaction

The skillful servant knows when he is needed before he
is summoned. The effective supervisor is always on hand to
advise her charges. Their fates are intertwined long before the
Exalt hears the call. However, it remains the Exalts choice
whether to heed the call or avoid it. With this Charm the
Harlequin finds those who need her services, or allows them
to find her. Upon activating this Charm, the Exalts player
rolls a Chance die, gaining (or transmitting) the following
information if appropriate:
1:

One being within (Essence x 10) yards of the Harlequin who is seeking her in any subsequent context
knows that she is within that range. The Harlequin
learns nothing.

2-3:

The Harlequin learns of any being within (Essence

x 10) yards who is looking for someoneanyoneincluding her if she passes his way, such as a highwayman waiting in ambush or his most recent victim
hoping for rescue.

4-5:

The Exalt learns of anyone within (Essence x 10)

yards who is in need of someone with her particular
skill set. She must possess a relevant Ability to learn
of this need, and higher ratings inform her of more
specialized work. For example, possessing Performance 1 might alert her to a cheap taverns need for
nightly entertainment, while Performance 5 might
indicate that local satraps state orchestra is in need
of a new conductor. The Exalt always knows which
of her talents is being called upon, but not precisely
in what faculty.

6-7:

140

The Exalt learns of anyone within (Essence x 10)

yards who is searching for her without knowing her
true identity or location. Perhaps she committed
some crime and the local law enforcement is seeking
the culprit, or a hopeful admirer spotted her in a
crowd yesterday and wishes to find her again.

8-9:

The Exalt learns of anyone within (Essence x 10)

yards who is seeking her either by name or with full
knowledge of her current location.

10:

The Exalt learns that someone with (Essence x 10)

yards who is seeking something or someone that the
Exalt is also seeking, or that something she seeks is
equally close by. She also knows when the two potential pieces of information coincide.

This Charm may also be used on behalf of the Exalts
companion if he is within (combined Companion) yards of
the Harlequin. This Charm upgrades automatically at Essence
3 to inform the precise distance and location, as applicable.
At Essence 4+, this Charm may be purchased again to increase
the radius to (Essence x 100) yards with a subsequent upgrade
to (Essence) miles at Essence 6.

Unified Vision of Time and Space

Cost: (1m); Mins: Perception 2, Essence 1;

Type: Permanent
Keywords: Touch, Nox
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: None

From the first moment of its creation, the Firmament
has spun at a steady pace. It keeps no specific time, but by
its restless motion it provides a framework for more precise
measurements. Learning this Charm, the Exalt harmonizes
his essence with the crystal resonance of the Firmament. Permanently enhancing his senses, he accurately counts the seconds between any two events. Though he does not know the
time of day, he knows precisely how many hours have passed
since he woke, since he last ate, or such other event. Likewise,
as time is marked out by the distance the Firmament spins, he
knows how far he has traveled, in whatever units he prefers,
down to individual footsteps.

Additionally, he may spend this mote while touching
something to glean information related to time and distance
from it. For example, he may touch a corpse and learn when
the person died, or he may hold an arrow and discover from
how far away it had been fired.

While Nox is in the Loom, he may also spend a mote
and learn how many additional hours must pass before some
other known impending event will occur should he remain
on his current path at his current speed. For example, while
sailing down river from Nexus, he knows how precisely how
long it will be before he arrives in Lookshy or if the Exalt
learns she has become pregnant, she knows the exact day to
expect the birth. If used to determine the time until the Exalt
reaches a specific destination, this Charm also reveals in what
direction the destination lies if the Exalt has been there before. If his current path is not the most direct route, he learns
this information but not which route would be quicker. This
function works only in relation to events and locations within
Fate and does not account for the interference from beings
who can deviate from Fate or are entirely outside of Fate.

Sensory Deprivation Charms

Another Face in the Crowd

Cost: 1m; Mins: Perception 3, Essence 1;

Type: Simple
Keywords: Combo-OK, Shaping
Duration: Indefinite
Prerequisite Charms: None


The Chosen of Nox are heroes ascended from anonymity, but a few find need to maintain their own obscure identities. While this Charm is active, the Exalt severs his identity
from proper flow of information. He is seen, as normal, but
nothing about his appearance registers to the eye as information worth remembering. His effective Appearance is two,
after all other modifiers. Nothing distinguishes him from
any other being; any attempt to pick him specifically from a
crowd is impossible. Finally, while his words and actions are
remembered, he himself is not; attempts to recall his specific
presence automatically fail.

Someone Elses Problem

the Exalt completely outside of Fate, even to beings who would

typically regard him as otherwise, such as other Nocturnals
and his Sidereal companion.

If used in conjunction with A Crowd of Faces or Made
Without Purpose, this Charm becomes Suspicious.

A Crowd of Faces

Cost: (+2m); Mins: Perception 3, Essence 2;

Type: Permanent
Keywords: Touch
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: Another Face in the Crowd

The Harlequin can hardly disappear into a crowd if
there is no crowd; yet even the anonymous stands out among
the notable. With this Charm, the Exalt may extend his aura
of anonymity to othersthe better to hide himself. By paying
two additional motes, the Exalt may apply the benefits of
Another Face in the Crowd to another willing being.

A second purchase of this Charm at Perception 5+, Essence 4+, allows the Exalt to apply this to a unit to which he
belongs, paying two motes per dot of Magnitude, to a maximum Magnitude of his Essence. All members of the unit gain
the benefits of its prerequisite. Additionally, armies composed
of such anonymous units are immune to called shots against
individual members and opposing leaders and individuals
never need to suppress Compassion to resist granting mercy
or to restrain the brutality of war while facing them.

Cost: (+2m or +4m); Mins: Perception 3, Essence 2;

Type: Permanent
Keywords: None
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: Another Face In the Crowd

The Herald breaks the connections between the senses
and reason even further. This Charm permanently enhances
its prerequisite. By spending an additional two mote, the Exalt
fades from concern. He may speak, but is not heard; he may
be seen, but not perceived. So long as he does not perform
any action to draw undo attention to himself, all Awareness
and Investigation checks to perceive him automatically fail.
Should the Exalt perform any action that offers another character at least a +3 situational bonus to detect him, as described
in Easily Overlooked Presence Method (Exalted, p. 230), this
Made Without Purpose
Charm deactivates immediately.

This Charm may be repurchased at Essence 4+, increas- Cost: (+1m); Mins: Perception 3, Essence 2;
ing the required situational bonus needed to detect the Exalt Type: Permanent
Keywords: Touch
to +(Essence) for an additional two mote surcharge.
Duration: Permanent
Invisible As Shadows
Prerequisite Charms: Another Face in the Crowd
Cost: (+7m); Mins: Perception 5, Essence 3;

All Creation was built by the Primordials for their own
Type: Permanent
inscrutable purposes; during the war against them, their
Keywords: Obvious
reasoning was lost and the teleology of Creation unwittingly
Duration: Permanent
hidden by the victorious Exalted. With this Charm, the Exalt
Prerequisite Charms: Someone Elses Problem
obscures the intent behind an object. This Charm upgrades

When night falls, only shadows remain. When the Exalt its prerequisite allowing the Exalt to use it on an object. In
activates Someone Elses Problem, she may pay an additional this case, the object appears to be nothing of use or value. Its
seven motes, she becomes completely invisible while in dark- Resource value drops to zero, and if it is somehow noticed, no
ness. When any light falls on her, she remains invisible, but potential function or purpose of the object can be discerned.
still casts a shadow. Indeed, only her shadow truly exists while
Initially this may be used on any object the Exalt can
this Charm is active. She may pass through any space through hold in his hands, but a second purchase at Perception 4+,
which light could pass, slipping through keyholes and panes Essence 3+, allows him to apply this to any non-stationary
of glass. Additionally, she may interact with the shadows of object up to (Essence) yards in any one direction. A third
other objects. If her shadow picks up an objects shadow, the purchase at Essence 5+ allows this Charm to be used on any
object floats along as though she were carrying it in her hands non-stationary object, regardless of size.
until her next action, at which point it vanishesits shadow
remains just as hers does. Should sunlight touch her shadow, Built Without Witness
Cost: (+3m or +5m); Mins: Perception 4, Essence 3;
Another Face in the Crowd terminates automatically.
Type: Permanent
Better Off Without You
Keywords: Touch
Cost: (+1wp); Mins: Perception 5, Essence 4;
Duration: Permanent
Type: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: Made Without Purpose
Keywords: Nox

The Harlequin often has need for unseen hide-outs
Duration: Permanent
and secret saferooms. This Charm further enhaces Another
Prerequisite Charms: Someone Elses Problem
Face in the Crowd. The Exalt may now touch a doorway

In one possible world, the Harlequin is a man. In an- and apply its affects to the room or building beyond. If the
other she is a woman. In some worlds, she is a wealthy doctor; Exalt obscures a door to a single room in this way, it costs
in another, a broken and discarded slave. But for all those pos- an additional three motes; obscuring a whole building costs
sibilities, one possibility looms: the Harlequin never existed. five additional motes. If the door has at least one other door

This Charm permanently enhances Another Face in the within (Essence) yards, or if the building is within (Essence x
Crowd. When that Charm is active, the Exalt is outside of 10) yards of another building of similar quality, the room or
Fate. Currently, Noxs presence in the Loom nearly obsoletes structure goes unnoticed as per Another Face in the Crowd.
personal use of this Charm. However, it does fully rendered More conspicuous structures require Someone Elses Problem

Chapter Five Charms

141

Prerequisite Charms: Any Intelligence Charm

Slapping together whatever meager resources she possesses, the Harlequin can repair almost anythingfor a time.
It might not look pretty, but at least itll work. This Charm
allows the Exalt to instantly repair a broken object, which
must be small enough to carry, even if she does not possess all
ntelligence
the tools or materials necessary for such repairs. Instead she
rafting and epairing harms
employs cheap alternatives to get by. For example, she may
mend a sword with twine or replace the shattered focusing
Basic Necessities Provisions
crystal of a First Age weapon with a bit of broken glass. Her
Cost: 8m; Mins: Intelligence 2, Essence 2;
impromptu repairs are short lived, however, and fall apart
Type: Simple
after one scene.
Keywords: Chance, Combo-Basic, Merged, Obvious

With a second purchase at Essence 4+, the Exalt may
Duration: Indefinite
spend an additional willpower to repair larger objects such
Prerequisite Charms: None
as vehicles or structures. Such repairs last a scene or until the

No matter where the Herald finds himself, he never vehicle or structure suffers new damage.
fears being without the proper supplies. The Nocturnal must
possess a container of some sort, be it a bag, a box, or even Clepsydra Flows Uphill
a closet in a building. Anything intended to store things will Cost: 10m, (1wp); Mins: Intelligence 5, Essence 3;
suffice for the purposes of this Charm. Opening the container Type: Supplemental
the Exalt may pull all manner of useful items, even those too Keywords: Calibration, Combo-OK, Flux
big to fit inside the container so long as they can fit through Duration: Indefinite
its opening.
Prerequisite Charms: Frugal Tinkerer Method

This Charm functions similarly to the Strength Charm
Day by day, entropy triumphs over creation. Glories
Infinite Prismatic Arsenal, with a few alterations. First, it of old crumble and the majesty of the world dims slightly.
requires a container in order to function as described above. The Herald recalls better days and turns back the clock to
Second, rather than generating weapons, it generates miscel- relive them. This Charm supplements any action to repair an
laneous tools equal to the resource value determined by the object. He adds (Essence) dice to the roll, and gains (IntelChance die. Third, the tools its summons must be useful for a ligence) automatic successes. If he used the object before it
particular scenario which the Exalt defines when purchasing was damaged or if he possesses the original designs, he adds
this Charm, usually defined by the sort of location where the (Intelligence x 3) successes instead. During Calibration he is
items would be the most useful or found. An artifact suit- always considered to have had seen the object before it sufable for such situations is chosen as the final option of the fered damage. Objects repaired in this way must be whole
Chance die; though the artifact may take the form of any util- enough to be repaired through mundane means.
ity artifact with a rating of 3 or lower, it will always appear as
By spending an additional Willpower, the Nocturnal
though made completely from adamant. Finally its duration may active the optional Flux effect. When the repairs are
is extended, but the Charm becomes Suspicious if the Exalt completed, the object reverts to its younger state. It functions
maintains the commitment for longer than a scene.
and appears as though brand new. For example, a long forgot
Repurchasing this Charm also works differently than In- ten weapon crafted by Autochthon himself, lost and broken
finite Prismatic Arsenal. Rather than granting an additional beyond repair, could be restored to its former glory and even
artifact option, each repurchase counts as a separate Charm, under magical observation it would appear as though it had
allowing the Exalt to choose a new scenario and an artifact just cooled from the Great Makers forge. Used in this way,
appropriate for that scenario. For example, the first purchase this Charm does not require the Exalt to use tools or be able
of this Charm might provide items that would be useful in to repair the item in a more mundane fashion.
survival or travel situations, such as compasses, camping
This Charm upgrades automatically at Essence 6 to
gear, and harnesses for riding animals. Additional purchase provide (Intelligence x 3) successes in all circumstances and
provides objects for equally broad scenarios, as the Nocturnal (Intelligence x 5) successes if he has used the undamaged
chooses. The most common being crafting (see sidebar), object or possesses its original designs.
social situations (providing, for example, all the tables,
chairs, and utensils needed for a feast), and medical needs Adamant Mirror Technology
(providing surgical tools, bandages, a steady supply of clean Cost: 5m; Mins: Intelligence 4, Essence 2;
sheets, etc). Warfare is a valid scenario for this Charm, but it Type: Supplemental
cannot produce weaponry or armor which is the purview of Keywords: Combo-OK
Infinite Prismatic Arsenal and Armor-Summoning Methodol- Duration: Instant
ogy, respectively. Instead, the Warfare version of this Charm Prerequisite Charms: Any Intelligence Charm
A keen mind understands the purpose and mechanism
produces items such as tents for soldiers, shovels for sappers,
tools for engineers to maintain siege weaponry, signal flares, of any device. With understanding comes the ability to reand the like. Only one version of this Charm may be active at engineer that device. Thus, the Herald recreates wonders from
the past. This Charm supplements any action to craft a copy
a time.
or a forgery of any object the Exalt has previously observed,
Merged: Basic Necessities Provisions (Stamina)
halving the difficulty of the action.
Frugal Tinkerer Method
Ideal Luxuries Requisition
Cost: 5m, (1wp); Mins: Intelligence 3, Essence 2;
Cost: ; Mins: Intelligence 4, Essence 3;
Type: Reflexive
Type: Permanent
Keywords: Combo-OK, Shaping
Keywords: None
Duration: One Scene
Duration: Permanent
to fully obscure but count their Resource value as bonus to
detect them. Additionally, with Essence 4+, all items within
the obscured building or room automatically benefit from
Made Without Purpose.

142

Workshops

Many charms of the Exalted replicate the effects of
various workshops as described in The Books of Sorcery,
vol. IIIOadenols Codex, p. 27-28. For the Nocturnal
Exalted, however, Basic Necessities Provision does not
provide a constant workshop equivalent as it is dependent on Resource ratings of the objects it produces. The
ability to create 1-3 Resources dots of crafting objects
allows the Exalt to function as though she had a Rudimentary Workshop. A Basic Workshop can be replicated
with the ability to generate 4-5 Resources items. Instead
of selecting a specific artifact toaid in crafting, the Exalt
may choose a generic set of tools and materials to qualify
for a Master Workshop.
Prerequisite Charms: Basic Necessities Provision, Adamant
Mirror Technology

The simple things in life have their purpose, but at times
the Exalt demands great wonders. This Charm enhances
all purchases of Basic Necessities Provisions and it can be
purchased up (Essence-2) times. Each purchase grants one
version of Basic Necessities Provisions an additional Artifact
option, suitable for its particular scenario. When the final
option is rolled or chosen, the Exalt may choose which of
the available artifacts she receives. Additionally, as universal
enhancement of all versions of Basic Necessities Provisions,
if she also knows Currency Calucating Conversions and has
any Resources stored in Elsewhere, she may sacrifice her Resources as though purchasing a mundane item created with
Basic Necessities Provisions, enhancing that items reality. It
does not vanish at the end of the Charm.

Parallel Mirrors Repetition

Cost: ; Mins: Intelligence 5, Essence 3;

Type: Permanent
Keywords: None
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: Frugal Tinkerer Method, Adamant
Mirror Technology

Anything that has been done once, can be done again
and again. Consistency is the mark of the Harlequins brilliance. She recalls with ease the feel of the hammer in her
hand, the delicate placement of chisel on stone, the rush of air
against her arm. No matter how much time has separated her
from her previous toils, every sensation and every movement
is indelible remembered. This Charm lowers the required
number of successes for Repeat Business (Book of Sorcery
II: Oadonals Codex, p. 29) by an additional amount equal to
the Exalts Essence, and this benefit is never lost, regardless of
how many seasons the Exalt spends away from her craft.

Tangled Skeins Production

Cost: 20m; Mins: Intelligence 5, Essence 4;

Type: Simple
Keywords: Calibration, Chance, Flux, Nox, Touch
Duration: One Day
Prerequisite Charms: Parallel Mirrors Repetition

The philosophers say that Time is an illusion. In fact,
Time is a law, imposed on Creation by the Loom and by
Shimna beyond. Such laws, the Harlequin is not obligated to
obey, nor are her possessions. With this Charm, the Nocturnal touches an object within Fate that she owns and attempts
to collapse its future into a day. She rolls (Perception + Willpower) with a difficulty of the objects Resource or Artifact
rating, plus the Magnitude of the number of copies she wishes

to produce. If successful, she gains the desired number of

copies and a number of Paradox dice equal to the difficulty of
the roll. If she failed the roll, she has lost nothing but motes
and the opportunityshe cannot try again for 25 hours. If she
botches, the object exhausts itself in an instant. Even artifacts
are destroyed by the infinity of time.

While Nox is in the Loom, he safeguards the Exalts
possessions by carefully rationing their usefulness. At the end
of Charm, roll one die. If this number is at least equal to the
difficulty of the roll, the object remains useful and the Exalt
continues to own it. All other copies dissolve into Essence.
Otherwise, if this number less than the difficulty or if Nox is
no longer in the Loom, it is completely destroyed when this
Charms duration expires. If at any point during the duration
of this Charm, any copy of the object is destroyed, the Exalt
does not get to employ this Chance-effect. At the end of the
Charm, all copies dissolve into Essence, save the ruins of the
most thoroughly destroyed version.

During Calibration, this Charms duration is extended;
the Exalt gains no Paradox dice for activating the Charm.
However, she may gain one Paradox for each condition that
would result in the objects destruction during the duration
of this Charm in order to preserve her own copy at the end of
this Charm.

Collapsing Potential Invention

Cost: ; Mins: Intelligence 5, Essence 5;

Type: Permanent
Keywords: None
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: Parallel Mirrors Repetition, Preemptive
Prototype Designs

Through insight and attention to detail, the Nocturnal
artisan excels beyond any mortal craftsman in her chosen medium. This Charm lowers by one the minimum Craft, Lore,
and Occult requirements to craft any artifact made chiefly of
Adamant or to build a Nocturnal-aspected manse once those
techniques are rediscovered. If the Exalt also knows Willful
(Intelligence or Perception) Bolstering, she may purchase this
Charm a second time to reduce the minimum Ability requirements by two rather than one.

During the Primordial War, the Sidereal Exalted also
knew a Charm called Immanent Arcanum, which required
Craft 5, Essence 5 and had World-Shaping Artistic Vision,
Mending Warped Designs, and the Fateful Craft Excellency as its prerequisites. It functioned nearly identically to
Collapsing Potential Invention, except that it improved the
Viziers ability to build Starmetal artifacts, Sidereal manses,
and the Destiny Background. If the Vizier also knew Implicit
Construction Metholodogy, he could repurchase Immanent
Arcanum to double its benefits. After the War, the Maidens
actively discouraged their Exalts from learning this Charm
as the specialization in Starmetal increased demand for the
material, and therefore fatalities among the gods.

Insight Charms

Mind of the Mad Genius

Cost: (1wp); Mins: Intelligence 2, Essence 2;

Type: Permanent
Keywords: Merged
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: None

Only a fool tries the same thing over and over without
success, and the Harlequin certainly knows how to play the
fool. This Charm permanently enhances the Exalt. He no longer suffers from retry penalties (Exalted, p. 121). He accom-

Chapter Five Charms

143

plishes this by approaching a problem from every conceivable

(and some inconceivable) angle, until, at last, one succeeds.

Additionally, the Exalt may spend one willpower to
convert the penalty he normally would receive from retrying
the same task into bonus successes as his previous failed attempts guide him closer to the correct answer. Alternatively,
if he has witnessed another being perform the same task and
fail, he may spend one willpower to enhance his action by
adding a number of automatic successes, to a maximum of his
Intelligence, for each such person he has witnessed.

Merged: Mind of the Mad Genius (Wits)

Strategic Unexpected Brilliance

Cost: 6m, 1wp; Mins: Intelligence 3, Essence 2;

Type: Reflexive
Keywords: Combo-OK, Merged
Duration: One Scene
Prerequisite Charms: Mind of the Mad Genius

In a burst of insight verging on madness, the Harlequin
stumbles across a plan so implausible, so dangerous, so inefficient, that no one would have dared propose it otherwise.
Upon activating this Charm, the Exalt determines a goal and
an unlikely means of achieving that goal. The more his plan
seems sure to fail, the better. He rolls (Intelligence + Essence),
with a difficulty described below. If successful, the Exalt announces his apparently insane strategy to up to (Intelligence
+ Essence) beings, including himself if he desires to gain the
benefits of this Charm as well. If they agree to follow his strategy, they gain the following benefits.
Difficulty

Strategy

1:

The Exalts plan is only mildly inconvenient,

requiring that he and his followers take a brief
detour or make do with only slightly suboptimal equipment. Those who participate in
this plan gain one extra die, which counts as
a Specialty rather than a die from Charms,
on all rolls which help overcome the extra
hindrance of plan.

3:

The Exalts plan requires notable sacrifice,

but nothing that cannot be replaced eventually. Alternatively, it may require achieving a
goal while significantly underequipped. For
example, he may attempt to rescue villagers at
the expense of their fields, or he may concoct
a plan to survive in cold forests of the North
with minimal supplies. Those who adhere
to this plan gain two automatic successes
on any action needed to overcome the extra
hindrance of the plan.

5:

144

The Exalts plan risks substantial sacrifices

which, if lost, cannot be replaced or his plan
begins with the assumption that he has none
of the required supplies. For example, he may
propose a frontal assault on a well defended
citadel, or organize the survival of a shipwrecked crew who has lost all but the clothes
on their backs. Those who adhere to the plan
gain three automatic successes on any action
which overcomes its extra hindrance and
once per scene, when he succeeds on such an
action, the benefactor may regain one Temporary Willpower.

However, if a being agrees to the plan, and later deviates from

it, she suffers a -1 External Penalty on all her actions until the
end of the scene. A second purchase of this Charm at Essence
3+ extends its duration to Indefinite, but does not extend
duration of the imposed External Penalty.
Merged: Strategic Unexpected Brilliance (Wits)

Accidental Discoveries

Cost: 6m, 1wp; Mins: Intelligence 4, Essence 2;

Type: Simple
Keywords: None
Duration: One Task
Prerequisite Charms: Any Intelligence Charm

The Harlequins mind is constantly wandering, making
connections between seemingly random and disparate facts to
form a cohesive, if seemingly haphazard, theory. Something
the Exalt sees might inspire her inventions; something she
reads might provide the final clue needed to solve an impenetrable mystery. Upon activating this Charm, the Exalt choose
a single task that is performed with a Mental Attribute-based
roll, such as research, investigation, or crafting. For the duration of this Charm, the Nocturnal may sacrifice any successes
gained on Mental Attribute-rolls, except Join Battle or similar
actions, and apply them instead to the other task. He may not
sacrifice more than the lower of either his Intelligence or the
rolled Attribute and must sacrifice the successes before the
success of the action is determined.

Ingenious Singularity Advancement

Cost: 7m, 1wp; Mins: Intelligence 5, Essence 3;

Type: Simple (Speed 4, DV -2)
Keywords: Calibration, Combo-Basic, Obvious
Duration: (Intelligence) Actions
Prerequisite Charms: Accidental Discoveries

Collapsing all her wisdom and insight into a few moments, the Harlequin becomes a singular genius. Filled with
knowledge beyond compare, her mind is capable of twisting
and rending Fate with the sheer volume of her understanding.
She becomes the Herald of new discoveries and monumental
scientific advancements. For the duration of this Charm, the
Exalt treats the difficulty of all Mental tasks and the minimum
Traits necessary to perform such tasks as being one lower. She
may gain one Paradox rather than spend the willpower cost of
any First, Second, or Third Excellency. During Calibration,
she adds one success to all Mental rolls, one to her mental
DVs, and gains one Paradox die instead of one Paradox.

A second purchase of this Charm at Essence 4+ makes
this Charm Calibration-OK.

Solutions of Deep Thought

Cost: 10m; Mins: Intelligence 4, Essence 4;

Type: Simple (Dramatic Action)
Keywords: Calibration, Combo-Basic
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Mind of the Mad Genius, Accidental
Discoveries

Mysteries abound, and every question answered is another asked. It is to duty of the Harlequin to see how deep the
rabbit hole goes. Along the way, she soon discovers that the
answer to any riddle is only as good as question asked. Spending at least eight hours a day in contemplation about a subject, to a maximum number of days equal to her (Willpower
+ Highest Virtue), the Nocturnal activates this Charm at the
end of her explorations. Her player asks one question and
rolls (Intelligence + number of days spent in contemplation)
dice. The specificity and scope of the question determines the
difficulty of the roll. For example, What did I do last night?

or How can I get to Nexus by tomorrow night? would only 8-9: As an Illusion effect, whenever the target makes an
require one success. Why did this merchant die? or How
attempt to discover the truth about the subject and
can I eliminate slavery in Great Forks? would require three
fails, she instead believes that she has uncovered the
successes. Where is the Scarlet Empress? or How do I
truth. She gains a number of automatic successes
eliminate the Mask of Winters? require at least five successes,
equal the Nocturnals Essence on any attempt to
if not more, depending on what information the character
convince others of her truth. Actually discovering
already knows.
conflicting information allows the target to spend

Success on the roll does not actually answer the Nocturtwo willpower to overcome this Illusion.
nals question. Instead, if the roll is successful, the Nocturnal
gains a single vital clue that will ultimately lead to the answer 10:
The Harlequin presents superficial details regarding
he seeks. Every additional success provides one additional
the subject and the target finds it either too trivial
clue. For example, attempting to discover why the merchant
to consider or thinks the matter is already in good
died, might first cause the Exalt to think of an angry wife.
hands, as the Exalt chooses. Regardless, since they
Is it the merchants wife? Did she commit the murder? The
think they already know about the subject, the target
Nocturnal cannot say yet, but finding the angry wife will be
will not investigate further as a Servitude effect costthe first step, ultimately, in unraveling the secret. Additional
ing 3 willpower to resist.
successes might reveal an issue of money, a broken-hearted
Theories Vast and Intricate
mistress, and a knife in the sewer.

If the Exalt performs her entire contemplation during Cost: (+2m); Mins: Intelligence 4, Essence 3;
any night of Calibration, she automatically gains (Willpower Type: Permanent
Keywords: None
+ Highest Virtue) dice.
Duration: Permanent
Black Veil Conspiracy
Prerequisite Charms: Black Veil Conspiracy
Cost: 8m; Mins: Intelligence 4, Essence 3;

A single voice in the darkness may distract a few from
Type: Supplemental
the truth, but to truly hide the truth, the Harlequin must sway
Keywords: Chance, Combo-OK, Social, Stackable, Suspicious the minds of many to his conspiracy. This Charm enhances
Duration: Instant
its prerequisite, allowing the Exalt to spend two additional
Prerequisite Charms: Any Intelligence Charm
motes to target a large group of mortals. Leaders of Social

For mortals Creation is a vast and terrifying place, and units replace the Charms willpower costs to resist with the
its usually best for them to forget their troubles and let the units Loyalty. With a second purchase of this Charm at EsExalted handle the truly frightening matters. This Charm is sence 5+, this Charm gains the Mandate-keyword and may afsupplements a social attack against a mortal, allowing the Har- fect Dominions with a Magnitude no greater than the Exalts
lequin to obscure information about a chosen subject. The Essence. Leaders of Dominions replace the willpower cost to
social attack must make some reference to the chosen topic, at resist this Charms effects with the Dominions Limit.
least in passing, and if successful, the Exalts player rolls one
Blinding Heavens Eye
die.
Cost: ; Mins: Intelligence 5, Essence 3;
1:
The target of this Charm gains a powerful interest in Type: Permanent
the topic. This adds the Compulsion-keyword to the Keywords: None
Charm and forces the target to investigate the matter Duration: Permanent
more closely, investing at least (Nocturnals Essence) Prerequisite Charms: Black Veil Conspiracy
hours a day to his investigations. He may spend one
Even before the War, the oracles and the sophists were
willpower to resist this Compulsion for a day, and hiding the true potential of the Exalted from the Primordials
is completely immune after spending (Nocturnals more attentive servants. This Charm permanently upgrades
Essence) willpower in this way. However, should he its prerequisite, allowing it to affect spirits with Essence no
give in to the Compulsion, all rolls to learn more greater than the Nocturnals. Untethered as they are from an
about the subject gain one automatic success.
external reference to reality, beings Outside of Fate must pay
one additional willpower to resist its effects. With a second
2-3: As a Shaping effect, whenever the target of this purchase at Essence 4+, this Charm may be used against any
Charm attempts to uncover the truth regarding the being whose Essence does not exceed the Exalts.
chosen subject suffer an internal penalty equal to the
Nocturnals Intelligence.
Parting the Veil
Cost: 5m, 1wp; Mins: Intelligence 4, Essence 3;
4-5: As a Shaping effect, those targets who already know Type: Simple (Dramatic Action)
the truth suffer an external penalty equal to the Keywords: Calibration, Combo-Basic
Exalts Essence when attempting to convince others Duration: Varies
of that truth.
Prerequisite Charms: Any Intelligence Charm
History leaves its mark on the world. Anyone insightful
6-7: As a Shaping effect, all records and evidence of
the subject are lost, stolen, or destroyed, causing enough to perceive the significance of events may trace the
the targets mundane attempts using Lore, Occult, chain of cause and effect into the past or the future. The Exalt
or Investigation to discover further information to marks a path around a region no greater in diameter than
(Essence x 10) yards, studying it intently as he goes. Upon
automatically fail.
completing his circuit, his player rolls (Intelligence + [Lore or
Investigation]) and divides his successes as he pleases.

This Charm recreates an important scene from the past
which occurred within the boundaries of the Exalts path, or

Chapter Five Charms

145

a portentous scene yet to occur in the area, within one year of

the current date. The base duration is (Willpower) minutes,
but the Exalt may expend any number of successes to add (Essence) minutes to its duration; other successes may be spent
to increase radius of the effect by (Essence) yards each.

So long as the Nocturnal remains within this zone of
influence, he may observe events unfold from outside the
zone, or participate in those events if he remains inside the
zone. Though the echoes of the beings previously in the scene
respond to his actions, the Nocturnal does not actually alter
the past. He merely learns how those beings would react to his
presence and actions. Despite this, beings who encounter
the Exalt through use of this Charm often experience an odd
sense of dj vu whenever they meet again. In the present
moment, only the Nocturnal sees and may interact with the
vision being played out before him.

Beings outside of Fate do not properly manifest with use
of this Charm. They appear as ambiguous, hazy silhouettes,
which can only be observed when they interact strongly with
beings within Fate. When modeling the future, this Charm
does not account for beings outside of Fate at all.

This Charm may be repurchased at Essence 5+ to allow
the Exalt to examine up to (Essence) years in either direction.
A third repurchase at Essence 6+ allows for (Essence x 10)
years; a fourth repurchase at Essence 8+ allows for the Exalt to
examine up to (Essence x 100) years, and a final purchase at
Essence 10+ allows up to (Essence x 1000) years.

If activated during Calibration, this Charm lasts until
the end of that period, regardless of the Exalts successes and
permits the Exalt to examine the events of any previous or
future Calibration, though the days of Calibration remain
synced across time, so if this Charm is activated on the third
day of Calibration, the Nocturnal cannot interact with the
first or second days of other Calibrations.

The Veil Sundered

Cost: (+10m); Mins: Intelligence 5, Essence 4;

Type: Permanent
Keywords: Supsicious
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: Parting the Veil

The Herald folds time in half so that the present intersects with the echo of the past, or the vision of the future. This
Charm upgrades its prerequisite. By spending ten additional
motes, the Exalt allows all beings within the designated area to
perceive the extemporal reality he has created and to interact
with it as he does. As always, the events that occur in this zone
have real and lasting meaning to those who share the Heralds
present, but has no influence on the future or past beings
conjured by the Exalt.

Walking the Skeins

Cost: 20m, 1wp; Mins: Intelligence 5, Essence 5; Type: Simple

(Dramatic Action)
Keywords: Calibration, Flux, Kalpa, Nox
Duration: Until the end of Calibration
Prerequisite Charms: The Veil Sundered

The Realm of Might Have Been is the purview of the
Nocturnal Exalted. This Charm is perhaps the greatest, if
somewhat unreliable, expression of that dominion. Communing with the Bound God (for Noxs presence in the Loom
is required for this Charm to function at all), the Harlequin
begins a lengthy meditation as the sun sets on the first night
of Calibration. Until the sun rises on the first day of the new
year, the Exalt remains oblivious of her surroundings as her
body enters a deep turpor and her mind into a time of her

146

I Cant Believe Its Not Time Travel

What a Nocturnal does when performing Walking
the Skeins is not, technically, time travel. The Charm
creates a replica of Creations past rather than actually
transporting the character into the past.

That said, its still effectively time travel. The differences are purely academic and exist mainly to justify
the various safeguards that prevent this Charm from completely undermining the setting. Time travel is, traditionally, one of the few impossible feats in Exalted, but time
travel provides excellent fodder for adventures. How you
handle it in your game is entirely up to you. In a game
with minimal allowance for time travel, all this Charm
might do is grant the character access to information
and experiences he would have missed otherwise with
no chance to alter history. Learn what really became of
Bagrash Kls empire by witnessing its final days, or put
Ma-Ha-Suchi to shame and bed every Celestial Exalt, ever.
At the end of Calibration, Creation remains unchanged
by the characters trip into the past, but the character is
wiser or worldlier for it.

Alternatively, you may wish to run wild with time
travel. In which case, see Chapter VII for more suggestions. Either way, be sure Storytellers and players know
what theyre getting into from the beginning.
If your game exists in a Manvantara which allows for the
characters to alter the past, potential is opened up for
Charms which further enhance the Exalts time travel
capabilities. As an example:

My Own Worst Enemy

Cost: ; Mins: Intelligence 6, Essence 6;

Type: Permanent
Keywords: None
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: Walking the Skeins

As the centuries roll on, the Herald may one day
come to regret the choices he made in his life. How many
wrongs has he inflicted upon the world? How many
chances to make it better did he pass up? If only there
were a way to set things right. Mastering this Charm, the
Nocturnal may at least attempt to correct some of his past
errors.

This Charm removes the restriction on its prerequisite which forbids the Exalt from attempting to alter the
indirect results of his actions. However, he may not do
so without difficulty. He stands in his own, blocking his
path. Whenever he attempts to intervene in the results
of his indirect actions, a manifestation of his current self
is generated to oppose him. If, for example, he tried to
stop the assassin he hired to kill the Perfect, the assassin
gains all the traits of the Nocturnal as he currently is.
In order to have any hope of altering his own past, he
must first defeat a number of these manifestations equal
to his Essence at the time he made the decision he seeks
to unmake.
choosing. Inflicting a level of damage will rouse her from her
meditation and immediately end this Charm.

At the beginning of her meditation, however, the Exalt
names a point in the past and rolls (Willpower + Essence),
with a difficulty determined by how far into the past the Harlequin has chosen, rounding up:

Difficulty

Time

0:

one month

1:

one season

2:

one year

3:

ten years

4:

twenty years

5+:

(X +Y) years, where X and Y are the two

previous difficulties. For example, Difficulty
5 itself would be thirty years, that is (ten years
+ twenty years).

Having successfully rolled the appropriate number of
successes to reach the time period desired, the Exalt bids the
Bound God to access the Looms records and create a replica
of Creation at the time in question. This version of Creation
is obviously flawed, as it neglects to include beings outside of
Fate, save for notable interactions with beings within Fate,
and any connection to a Realm outside of Fate is sealed by
invisible walls which prevent passage. If the Exalt rolled no
extra successes, the replica lasts for one scene. One extra success allows it to persist for one day; two extra successes allow
it to persist for a week. With three or more extra successes it
persists for an amount of time following the same progression
as the original Difficulty table for the Charm (meaning that
three extra successes allows it to persist for one month, and so
on).

The Nocturnal may explore and interact with this replica
of the past as she chooses for as long as it lasts. No matter how
much time she experiences within her replica of Creation,
only five days actually pass for the purposes of training. This
Charm is useful for gathering information and experiencing a
world of opportunities lost to time, but in the end it is nothing but an artificial world crafted for her amusement. Any
alterations she made in the past have no influence on the
present.

Up to four other Nocturnals may join her in this crafted
past, if they know Parting the Veil and meditate along with
her. If they also know this Charm, each adds his Essence to her
roll, if they activate the Charm in communion with her. Her
Companion, meditating in her company, can likewise join her
without needing any Charms of his own. The events, however,
are real enough to affect her on a personal level, and for the
purposes of Charms that require her to have participated in
some past event, such as Shipwrecked Corsair Memento.
Kalpa: One of the simplest and most common variants
of this Charm is one that causes the bodies of those meditating to vanish for the duration of this Charm, preventing
others from interrupting the Nocturnals exploration of the
past. In such cases, the usual safety features of this Charm
are occasionally deactivated. If the Exalt dies within the past,
instead of being returned in an Incapacitated state to the
present, she is truly dead. A more dramatic variant exists in a
few Manvantaras, which allows the Bound God to attempt to
weave the Nocturnals altered Creation into the Loom of Fate
while the Pattern Spiders complete the annual Calibration.
Depending on the Manvantara, this attempted upload fails if
one or more of the following conditions occur. These restrictions apply to her traveling companions as well as herself.
While in the past, the Exalt publicly revealed herself as a
Nocturnal, including a display of peripheral essence at the
8m+ level. In Manvantara where Nox is deliberately hiding

evidence of himself and his Chosen, such actions will result

in the immediate rejection of the altered past.

If Nox permits the alterations, it must be subtle enough
to avoid the immediate notice of the overworked Pattern Spiders. For each success used to determine either how far into
the past she travels or how long she remains there, the Exalt
gains one Paradox die. She also gains one Paradox die for
ever dot of Dominion Magnitude affected by her alterations.
If she gains more Paradox dice than her (Essence + highest
Domain), her alterations are blatantly obvious to the Pattern
Spiders and they reject it out of hand. In which case, she need
not roll her accumulated Paradox Dice.

The Exalt may not cross paths with the version of herself
contemporaneous with the visited time period. She may hide
in the background as a passive observer, watching her younger
self from afar, but she cannot actively interact or intervene in
her own affairs. This includes rolling Join Battle or Join Debate against herself, or trying to alter an event she is directly or
indirectly responsible for. This likewise includes any previous
use of this Charm.

The force of history itself rejects the Exalts alterations.
This may take the form of actions of Exalts and other magical
beings between the time the Nocturnal made her changes and
the present setting the course of history back on track after
she diverted it or a future version of herself or another Nocturnal going back again to undo whatever it is she did. In the
guise of one of these forces, the Storyteller may veto an altered
past, though he should do so only after careful consideration.
Few other beings will care if the Nocturnal went back to save
her poor fisherman father, but a great many would contest an
attempted assassination of the Scarlet Empress.

Once an altered past is uploaded into the Loom, it
may affect the present in one of two ways. First, in some
Manvantara, it may completely alter the reality of Creation,
progressing naturally from the Nocturnals engineered point
of divergence. More commonly, however, are the Manvantaras
where the Nocturnals alterations affect only mortal beings,
mundane objects and structures, and landscapes directly.
Mortals may appear or disappear in droves, as they did at the
end of the Cascading Years, but magical beings are carried
along by their own ontological inertia. An Exalt may be very
upset to discover his grandfather never existed, but he suffers
no direct harm from the loss. While mortals may escape death
through the use of this Charm, the deaths of magical beings
are allow no reprieve. Unsurprisingly, in no Manvantara
which contains the Well of Oblivion does this Charm allow
the Exalt to rescue anything that has been cast into itwhat
the Void has claimed, it never relinquishes.

Mental Defense Charms

Fickle Leopard Defense

Cost: ; Mins: Intelligence 3, Essence 1;

Type: Permanent
Keywords: Chance, Native
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: None

When the Herald dedicates himself to a cause, that
cause comes to define his nature even as the Herald changes
around it. This Charm is analogous to the Solar Charm Righteous Lion Defense but functions in a considerably different
manner. First, instead of protecting an Intimacy to an ideal,
it protects an intimacy to an objective. The Herald might
wish to secure safe passage for a train of refugees, liberate the
slaves of Great Forks, solve a murder, or topple the Realm.
Second, unlike Righteous Lion Defense, this Charm may only

Chapter Five Charms

147

be purchased once. Third, the Intimacy does not preserve

the Intimacy wholly. Instead, any erosion of the Intimacy is
undone at sunset and the Intimacy is restored, and no further
erosion can occur until the sunrise. Also, if the Exalt also
knows Cheaters Never Prosper, any effect which would cause
the immediate alteration or removal of the Intimacy, except
the Nocturnals own magic, automatically fails against the
protected Intimacy. If an Intimacy is completely ruined during
the day, the Exalts player rolls one die at sunset to determine
what becomes of the Intimacy.
1:

The Intimacy is reestablished as an inversion of

itself. The Exalt who wishes to end slavery in Great
Forks would, for example, become a great proponent
of the practice and assume a new cause of promoting
and expanding the slave trade.

2-3:

The protection of this Charm fails for the chosen

Intimacy. It is not restored and the Exalt may assign
this Charms effects to another appropriate Intimacy
if any exist. If not, its effects lie dormant until such
an Intimacy is developed.

4-5:

The Intimacy is restored with a slightly different

emotional context. For example, a Exalt who possessed an Intimacy to unraveling a mysterious murder might have begun his investigation out of sense
of justice, but that intimacy may shift to desire for
vengeance.

6-7:

The scope of the intimacy is diminished. For

example, a Nocturnal who wished to bring down
the Realm might be satisfied with blinding the AllSeeing Eye or ruining a particular great house.

8-9:

The scope of the Intimacy is inflated. For example,

the Exalt who wishes to ensure safe passages for refugees may expand his Intimacy to ensuring the safety
of all refugees or to stopping whatever problem is
causing the refugees to flee.

10:

The Intimacy is restored in its original form with no

alterations. Additionally, if this option was determined by the roll of a die rather than the expenditure
of Temporary Willpower and the Exalt possesses at
least one other Intimacy that would qualify for this
Charms protection, that protection is extended to
one such Intimacy of the players choosing.

Inevitable Bandit Betrayal

Cost: 3m+; Mins: Intelligence 3, Essence 3;

Type: Reflexive
Keywords: Combo-OK, Social
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Fickle Leopard Defense

The loyalties of the Heralds and Harlequins are hard
won and rarely long maintained. Though they are bound to
obey their betters, those that abuse that privilege will earn
more enemies among the Nocturnal Exalted than allies.
This Charm may be activated whenever the Exalt wishes to
spend Temporary Willpower to resist an unnatural mental
influence. She may instead replace one or more points of
Willpower with three motes each. However, as a side effect,
the Exalts Motivation shifts as well. The degree to which it
changes depends on how many points of willpower the Exalt
exchanged for motes. Converting one willpower is a minor
change to the Nocturnals Motivation. If the Exalts Motivation was Assist Anja Silverclaws in the liberation of Thorns,

148

his intent might shift to helping Anja to destroy the Mask of

Winters or offer his assistance to the Outcaste revolutionary
Jaded Chrysanthemum. Ultimately, the final result will tend
to be very similar. Converting two willpower results in the
Motivation increasing in scopethe Exalt may seek to turn
his and Anjas attention to all the Deathlord holdings in
Creation rather than just Thorns. Converting three willpower
results in a wholly new Motivation, bearing no resemblance
to his previous one. Converting four willpower results in a
new Motivation that is counterproductive but not completely
antagonistic to the original Motivation, such aiding Ma-HaSuchis dismantling of civilizations throughout the Scavenger
Lands. Finally, converting five willpower, results in a Motivation truly antagonistic to the original, such as assisting the
Mask of Winters in crushing all manner of dissent and rebellion in his dominion.

Even if the Exalt converts the full willpower cost of this
Charm, he still gains one Subservience if it is the first unnatural mental influence he resists in the scene. Any change
to the Exalts Motivation through use of this Charm is, of
course, free; no expenditure of experience is required. A
second purchase of this Charm at Intelligence 5+, Essence
5+ allows the Exalt to activate this effect as an innate power
rather than a Charm use, but also makes it obligatory so long
as the Exalt has at least 3 motes. In any case, the Exalt is under
no obligation to convert the full Willpower cost.

Soldier of Fortune Loyalty

Cost: ; Mins: Intelligence 3, Essence 3;

Type: Permanent
Keywords: Calibration-OK
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: Inevitable Bandit Betrayal

There comes a time when even the Nocturnal Exalted
must chose sides and declare their allegiances, if only for momentary convenience. This Charm enhances its prerequisite,
preventing that Charm from forcing the Exalt to betray her
allies. Upon learning this Charm, she selects a category of
being, which may be as narrow as her own Troupe or as broad
as Creatures of Darkness. Social attacks originating from the
chosen category do not force her to change her Motivation
when activating Inevitable Bandit Betrayal. Additionally, if
Fickle Leopard Defense or Inevitable Bandit Betrayal would
cause an Intimacy or Motivation to shift in such a way to
betray this group, the alteration occurs at the next nearest
degree that would not cause this betrayal. For example, if a
conversion of 4+ Willpower would have otherwise shifted her
Motivation in a manner opposing the group, she is instead
treated as though she converted only three Willpower. Once
per scene, during Calibration, the Exalt may redefine her
chosen group.

As an optional Holy effect, the Exalt may select all beings who are not Creatures of Darkness.

Interrogation Halting Simpleton

Cost: 4m; Mins: Intelligence 1, Essence 2;

Type: Reflexive
Keywords: Combo-OK, Illusion
Duration: (Essence) Actions
Prerequisite Charms: Any Intelligence Charm

When enemies have seized the citadel, Stewards and
Viziers are tortured until they reveal their secrets. But who
questions the fool? The Harlequin plays her part so well, she
convinces others that she knows nothing worth knowing. The
Exalt rolls (Essence + Willpower); any being who wishes to
question the Harlequin whose mental defense is less than

the Exalts successes suffers an Illusion which convinces the

would-be interrogator that the Exalt is not worth questioning.
Even if the victim of this Illusion does question the Exalt, her
reply will sound ignorant or inane, even if the Exalt answered
correctly. Exalts with Intelligence 3+ may have their words
sound so pompously academic or arcanely esoteric as to be
equally obscured. Overcoming this Illusion costs the interrogator 2 willpower.

A second purchase of this Charm at Intelligence 2+,
Essence 3+, allows the Exalt to extend the Charms duration
to One Scene by paying an additional Temporary Willpower.
Additionally, overcoming the Illusion now costs 4 willpower.

Beautiful Mind Savant

Cost: 3m, 1wp; Mins: Intelligence 3, Essence 2;

Type: Simple
Keywords: Combo-OK, Social
Duration: One Scene
Prerequisite Charms: Any Intelligence Charm

People recognize when they were in the presence of a
great mind, and only a well-reasoned argument will sway such
a mind. The Herald demonstrates his mental superiority and
bows before the brilliance of others. While this Charm is active, the Exalt employs Intelligence in place of Appearance for
the purpose of determining bonuses and penalties applied to
his own mental defenses in social combat, comparing his Intelligence to that of his opponent. Any Charms that influence
or are determined by his Appearance-based defense bonus or
penalty are instead derived from his Intelligence-based values.
With Intelligence 5+, this Charm no longer costs a willpower.

True wisdom comes only from experience, and the
Harlequin ensures that no one gains wisdom they are not prepared for. This Charm permanently enhances its prerequisite.
Instead of choosing and rolling various Traits as described, the
Exalt may instead select a task. The task may be as arbitrary
and unrelated as the Exalt likes, but it must be something
that would require a mortal at least one scene of continuous
activity to complete. Once the task is complete, the being who
completed it immediately becomes aware of the Nocturnals
message. As with the riddles before, revealing the information
in any other fashion once the task has been set becomes an
Unacceptable Order.

Sorcery and Thaumaturgy Charms

Terrestrial Circle Sorcery

Cost: ; Mins: Intelligence 3, Essence 3;

Type: Permanent
Keywords: None
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: None

After appropriate initiation, this Charm allows the
character to perform Shape Terrestrial Circle Sorcery actions.
See Exalted, p. 220 and 252. This Charm may not be used
to satisfy the Any Intelligence Charm prerequisite for other
Charms.

Celestial Circle Sorcery

Cost: ; Mins: Intelligence 4, Essence 4;

Type: Permanent
Keywords: None
Duration: Permanent
The Riddle Responds
Prerequisite Charms: Terrestrial Circle Sorcery
Cost: 5m; Mins: Intelligence 4, Essence 3;

After appropriate initiation, this Charm allows the
Type: Supplemental
character to perform Shape Celestial Circle Sorcery actions.
Keywords: Combo-OK, Obvious, Social
See Exalted, p. 220 and 252. This Charm may not be used
Duration: Instant
to satisfy the Any Intelligence Charm prerequisite for other
Prerequisite Charms: Beautiful Mind Savant

The Harlequin is clever and she does not part with her Charms.
secrets easily. When she wishes to conceal her true purpose, Shadowland Circle Necromancy
but either cannot or will not lie or feign ignorance, she instead Cost: ; Mins: Intelligence 3, Essence 3; Type: Permanent
speaks only in obscure koans and riddles so that only the wise Keywords: None
may appreciate her wisdom. This Charm supplements any Duration: Permanent
form of communication by burying her message in what is ob- Prerequisite Charms: None
viously a code or riddle. She selects an Ability and a Speciality
After appropriate initiation, this Charm allows the
(neither of which she actually needs to possess) which will aid character to perform Shape Shadowland Circle Necromancy
in deciphering her message. Her player then rolls (Intelligence actions. These are identical to Shape Terrestrial Circle Sorcery
+ Ability + Speciality). Whenever someone else encounters actions, except that they allow the Exalt to cast necromantic
the message, they may roll the same Traits; only if they match rather than sorcerous spells. See Exalted, p. 220 and 252.
or exceed the Nocturnals successes do they perceive her true This Charm may not be used to satisfy the Any Intelligence
message. Each attempt to decipher the message is a Dramatic Charm prerequisite for other Charms.
Action lasting one scene for beings with Intelligence less than
the Exalts, or a Miscellaneous Action otherwise. Until the Conjurers Cheap Tricks
riddle is solved or the code broken, revealing the information Cost: ; Mins: Intelligence 3, Essence 2;
in any other fashion becomes an Unacceptable Order.
Type: Permanent

A second purchase of this Charm at Intelligence 5+ Keywords: None
extends its duration to One Scene, obscuring all attempts Duration: Permanent
at communication the Exalt makes during that time. The Prerequisite Charms: None
Nocturnal may reselect the (Ability + Specialty) combination
While mortals struggle to perform the arts of thaumaup to (Essence) times per scene freely, but must reactivate the turgy, wringing every ounce of power from ritual and sacrifice,
Charm to make any additional changes.
such magic comes easy to the Exalted. The Harlequins insight
reveals the motonic mechanics behind each thaumaturgical
Puzzle Box Courier Technique
procedure, allowing her to perform such feats as an expression
Cost: ; Mins: Intelligence 5, Essence 4;
of her wisdom and mental acumen. When performing a thauType: Permanent
maturgical procedure, she may substitute her Intelligence for
Keywords: None
any other Attribute and may always enhance such actions with
Duration: Permanent
her Intelligence Excellencies. Additionally, if she converts the
Prerequisite Charms: The Riddle Responds

Chapter Five Charms

149

entire cost of a ritual into motes, she reduces the final cost by
(Intelligence) motes.

The Lunar Exalted possesses an identical Charm called
Crones Hidden Wisdom, which is popular among the Crossroad Society.

8-9:

The Exalt knows many things, some useful, some

not. He may distribute (Intelligence) additional
dots among any number of Abilities, though at least
one dot must go to the chosen Ability. This bonus
remains until the end of the scene, but the Exalts
Intelligence drops to 0 for any action not also involving one of those Abilities.

10:

The chosen Ability is immediately raised to its maximum value. If the Exalt did not spend willpower to
select this option, he also converts (Intelligence) dice
into automatic successes.

Momentary Miracle Evocation

Cost: (+1wp); Mins: Intelligence 4, Essence 3;

Type: Permanent
Keywords: Calibration-OK, Suspicious
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: Conjurers Cheap Tricks

While alchemists labor away in arcane laboratories and
demonologists enslave themselves to chanting and scrawling
of sigils, the Harlequin understands the chaotic, improbable
world of motes. On that quivering microscopic level of reality,
there is a chance, however, slim that a mote of lead will spontaneously become a mote of gold or that, for just an instant,
a crack will appear in the walls between Creation and the Demon City. But for a whole bar of lead to transform into gold,
or for a particular demon to step through that crackwhat a
coincidence that would be! Such miracles are possible only if
the Exalt wills them to be so.

This Charm enhances the Exalts thaumaturgical procedures. By expending an additional willpower and converting
the entire cost of the procedure into motes (see Exalted, p.
138), she may perform any procedure that would normally
take no longer than (Essence) hours as a Miscellaneous Action. During Calibration, she need not spend an additional
willpower to gain this benefit.

Training Charms

Man of Many Talents

Cost: 1m; Mins: Intelligence 3, Essence 2;

Type: Supplemental
Keywords: Chance, Combo-OK
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Any Intelligence Charm

The Herald is experienced and versatile. He knows how
to apply his knowledge over a wide range of topics. With this
Charm the Exalt infuses his actions with his brilliance. Before
the Exalts player is required to roll any Ability, he may instead
activate this Charm and roll one die.

150

1:

The Exalts knowledge fails to extend to the chosen

Ability. The Abilitys rating drops to zero for the
remainder of the scene. But when the Exalt lacks
knowledge in one area, he compensates with knowledge in others. All dots lost in the Ability may be
distributed among the Exalts other Abilities.

2-3:

Precise knowledge guides his every action. The Exalt

may use the higher of either the chosen Ability or
his Intelligence.

4-5:

The Exalt is an expert in convenient trivia, gaining

his (Intelligence) as artificial specialties for the action. He may still not apply more than three specialties to the action.

6-7:

The Exalts training in the subject is exceptional.

He gains one automatic success, and an additional
automatic success for each applicable Specialty.

Once the effect has been determined, the roll proceeds
as normal.

By Darkness Inspired

Cost: (+4m); Mins: Intelligence 3, Essence 3;

Type: Permanent
Keywords: Touch, Shaping, Suspicious
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: Man of Many Talents

When life is at its bleakest even a lowly mortal finds
the skill to overcome adversity. With this Charm, the Herald
ensures that others find insight they need to accomplish the
task aheador snatch the very knowledge from their minds to
ensure failure. The Exalt touches another being and commits
the required motes. At the moment of his choosing, he may
roll one die to alter one of that beings Ability-based rolls that
he can perceive. If the scene elapses before the Exalt exploits
this advantage, the opportunity passes and the motes are
decommited.

At Essence 4+, the Exalt may evoke this effect up to one
day after he touches the being. Additionally he may assign
a specific scenario to automatically trigger the effect even if
he is not aware of the specific action. At Essence 6+, he may
maintain the commitment indefinitely.

Glorified Child of Night

Cost: 8m+, 1wp; Mins: Intelligence 4, Essence 3;

Type: Simple (Dramatic Action)
Keywords: Shaping, Suspicious, Touch
Duration: Until sunrise
Prerequisite Charms: Any Intelligence Charm

The Harlequin cares little for the distinctions between
the Lords of Creation and the teeming multitudes that live in
service of them. Though he is mighty, the Exalt is yet a servant
himself. If he must taste servitude, why then should not the
serfs taste glory? With this Charm, the Exalt grants a mortal
brief time among the mighty. Spending a scene instructing
the mortal in the ways of the Exalted, he raises the mortals
Essence by one, to a maximum of 3, granting the mortal a
mote pool of (Essence x 10). The first (Essence x 3) motes
may be accessed freely; anything beyond that amount requires
the expenditure of one willpower. Additionally, the Exalt may
invest the mortal with up to (Eseence) of his own Charm by
spending motes equal to the minimum Essence of the Charm.
If the Nocturnals companion also touches the subject and
willingly consents, the Harlequin may invest the mortal with
the Sidereals Charms as well. The mortal must meet the
minimum requirements for any Charm bestowed upon him
and may never learn Native Charms.

A second purchase of this Charm at Intelligence 5+,
Essence 4+, grants this Charm the Calibration keyword. Its
duration is extended for the full length of Calibration.

Night Shift Initiation

Cost: 10m, 2wp; Mins: Intelligence 5, Essence 3;

Type: Simple (Dramatic Action)
Keywords: Calibration, Obvious, Social, Touch, Training
Duration: One Week
Prerequisite Charms: By Darkness Inspired, Glorified Child
of Night

The duties of the mighty never end. While his betters
rest, the Herald tirelessly labors to ensure their affairs continue on pace to greet the dawn. The Exalt often employs a wide
range of assistants to ease her burden. This Charm allows the
Exalt to train a unit in order to better prepare them for the
thankless duty of toiling while the world sleeps. The Exalt
selects one of the following Traits: Perception, Intelligence,
Bureaucracy, Investigation, Linguistics, Lore, or Resistance.
This Training time requires five or more hours a day for one
week and adds one to the selected Trait, to a maximum of
the Exalts own rating or four, whichever is lower. During
Calibration, this training requires only five days, and may
use the higher of the Exalts rating or four to determine the
maximum the training allows. The Exalt may use this Charm
to train himself.

In Mandate of Heaven rules, this Charm adds the
Exalts Intelligence to the Dominions Government for the
season and causes the Dominion to gain one Limit.

With a second purchase of this Charm at Essence 4+,
the Exalt may also train Specialties in any Ability, so long as
those Specialties assist in living and working at night or in the
maintenance of social infrastructure.

Alternative Curriculum

Cost: (+5m); Mins: Intelligence 5, Essence 4;

Type: Permanent
Keywords: Merged, Shaping, Suspicious
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: Night Shift Initiation

Despite their power, the Heralds are all too often looked
down upon by their peers. While the Stewards attract the
fiercest warriors, the Viziers gain the savviest bureaucrats,
and the Lawgivers gain the best savants society can offer, the
Herald must manage with whatever riff-raff his fellows have
discarded. This Charm upgrades all of its potential prerequisites. When using one of those Charms, the Exalt twists and
contorts the targets knowledge and, thereby, may cannibalize
any portion of one Trait that he could have trained with a
known Charm, even if it is not the Charm he is currently
using. The cannibalized Trait is immediately converted to
experience and used to raise the Trait he is currently training.
Any excess experience remaining is immediately lost, so the
Exalt would be wise not to cannibalize more experience than
can be used.

Merged: Alternative Curriculum (Strength, prerequisite:
Falling Star Endowment; Appearance, prerequisite: Statesman and Courtesan Lessons)

Instruction of Self

Cost: ; Mins: Intelligence 5, Essence 3;

Type: Permanent
Keywords: Calibration
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: Man of Many Talents

The Harlequin is a strange creature. What others perceive as a singular entity is merely the most immediate presence of a being which stretches far into the past and future.
When she comes to understand her own extemporal nature,
her growth is greatly accelerated, but at the risk of succumbing

to the even stranger being that awaits her in the future. When
the Exalt learns this Charm, her player should determine a
Storyteller-approved Motivation appropriate for an elder
Nocturnal, one seasoned by many Renewals and centuries
accustomed to a life of quantum paradoxes, philosophical
contradictions, and alternative realties, as well as a number of
associated Intimacies equal to her own Essence. These represent the future echo of herself as she might be, and whenever
the Exalt undergoes a Renewal, so too does her future self,
though only her Motivation and Intimacies may be changed.

More importantly, the future self serves as a Mentor to
her younger self. She is always regarded as having a mentor
for any Trait she wishes to train and gains a Sifu rating equal
to the higher of her own current Martial Arts or Face. As with
other Mentors, as the Storyteller permits, the Exalts future
might provide advice or material support (by informing Exalt
where a useful item might be acquired, rather than directly
providing them). Whenever the Harlequin seeks to benefit
from her future self, she gains one Paradox die.

Of course, her future self, like other mentors, is often
demanding. The future self may issue automatically successful
social attacks against the Exalt during Calibration, though no
more frequently than once a day. Such demands cause the
Harlequin to gain one point of Subservience if she refuses,
and she may never immunize herself from such demands
except by achieving Essence 10.

A second purchase of this Charm at Essence 4+ allows the Exalt to halve all training times for all Traits. This
strengthens the connection between the Exalt and her future,
causing her to gain two Subservience for denying the orders of
her future self.

WITS

Anachronism Charms
Night Prepares At Dawn

Cost: ; Mins: Wits 3, Essence 2;

Type: Permanent
Keywords: None
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: None

After many repetitions, certain activities become second
nature to the Harlequin, easily performed without hesitation.
When learning this Charm, the Exalt selects one type of activity with a Speed measured in Ticks, including Long Ticks.
This might be a specific variety of attack specified with an
(Attribute + Ability + Specialty) combinationthe Exalt need
not possess the specific Specialty to select a combinationor
a particular variety of action, such as a Dash, Coordinate
Attack, or Change Formation. The Exalt is so well practiced
in the chosen activity, that she is ever-ready to perform it. The
Speed of the chosen action is reduced by one. No combination of effects including Night Prepares at Dawn may reduce
the Speed of an action to less than three.

The Exalt may purchase this Charm (Essence) times, but
only once per action.

Coiling Mbius Counterstrike

Cost: 5m (1wp); Mins: Wits 4, Essence 3;

Type: Reflexive (Step 2)
Keywords: Combo-OK, Counterattack, Merged, Suspicious
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Night Prepares At Dawn

Though her enemies may sneak up on her, the Harlequin is never defenseless. Her future coils around to defend

Chapter Five Charms

151

her present. As an enemy prepares to attack her, somewhere

within (Wits) yards her future self steps out from hiding and
intervenes before the weapon strikes. The Exalt makes a physical attack of her own, adding her Wits in automatic succeses
and subtracting her total successes from the attackers impending successes. If this reduces the attackers successes enough
so that the attack does not succeed, the present version of the
Nocturnal flickers out of present to arrive in the past half a
second earlier to make the attack. If the attack still succeeds
despite her intervention, she remains where she is and the
future version flickers out of existence, as the Nocturnal failed
to appear as scheduled and gains one Paradox die.

If the Nocturnals preemptive counterattack reduces
the attack to zero successes, any remaining successes are applied as a normal counterattack in Step 9. With Essence 4+,
the Nocturnal adds her Temporary Willpower in automatic
successes to this potential counterattack. This Charm usually
costs five motes, but if the attack is unexpected it costs an additional willpower. Spending this willpower does not remove
the unexpected quality from the attack.

Merged: Coiling Mbius Counterstrike (Dexterity, prerequisites: Blade Cuts the Past)

Blades Drawn In Peace

Cost: 3m, (+3m, 1wp); Mins: Wits 3, Essence 2;

Type: Reflexive
Keywords: Combo-OK, Obvious
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Any Wits Charm

A bared weapon in peacetime arouses suspicion, but the
Herald stays near his weapon even through the most tranquil
nights. Upon activating this Charm, the Herald finds his
weapon in his hand, though he apparently took no action to
ready his weapon, so long as his weapon is on his person. If
not, this Charm causes the Exalt to flash up to (Essence x 5)
yards toward a weapon he owns in an instant, readying the
weapon reflexively as soon as he arrives at its location. This
Charm may be used no more than (Essence) times per Tick.

A second purchase of this Charm at Wits 4+, Essence
3+ allows the Exalt to spend an additional three motes and
a willpower to cause any number of other beings within (Essence x 5) yards to reflexively ready a weapon they own and
currently carry. Doing so makes this Charm Suspicious.

Spears From Quivers Pulled

Cost: 0-5m, (1wp); Mins: Wits 4, Essence 2;

Type: Reflexive (Step 1 or Step 2)
Keywords: Combo-OK, Merged, Obvious, Touch
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Blades Drawn in Peace

The Herald walks the fractured paths of her own manifold lives. Here she is an elegant duelist, there she is a knivejuggling entertainer, yonder she is a precise archer, beyond
she is a testubo-swinging monk. Everywhere she is a warrior
without compare.

Upon activating this Charm, she alters the traits of
her weapon (which cannot be her natural attacks) into that
of another weapon. Mundane weapons can become any sort
of mundane weapon for the cost of (Resources -1) motes;
an artifact weapon may be turned into a mundane weapon
for the same cost but also can take on the traits of another
artifact for the cost of (Artifact) motes, so long as the Artifact
rating of the imitated weapon does not exceed its own. This
Charm imitates only broad classes of weapons, not specific
and unique ones. She can emulate the traits of a generic grimcleaver, but not unique weapons such as Death at the Root

152

or specialized types such as the Singing Staff. Only adamant

artifacts can be emulated in this way.

Though others will notice something mystical has
occurred, her weapon does not change appearance (unless
viewed through All-Encompassing Sorcerers Sight or similar
Charms). Its nature, however, is so mangled that Fate responds
to it as thought it were whatever weapon the Nocturnal
decreed it to be. She may cleave through her foes with a crossbow as though it were a scythe, or bat arrows far afield with a
sword as though it were bow. If she gives her weapon the traits
of a Form Weapon for a Martial Arts Style she knows, she may
employ it as an unarmed attack for that Style. The nature of
the original weapon is completely overwritten.

At Essence 3, this Charm automatically upgrades. The
Exalt may spend a point of willpower to extend its Duration
to One Scene.
Merged: Spears From Quivers Pulled (Strength, prerequisites: A Cut In Time, Infinite Prismatic Arsenal; Dexterity,
prerequisites: Blade Cuts the Past, Unhesitating Duelists
Parturition)

Armory of One

Cost: (1m); Mins: Wits 4, Essence 4;

Type: Permanent
Keywords: Merged, Stackable, Suspicious
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: Spears From Quivers Pulled

A needle might function as well as a knife in skillful
hands. But as a sledge or bow? Only the Harlequin is so adept
at sleight of hand to achieve all at once. This Charm permanently upgrades its prerequisite. First, the original nature of
the weapon is not completely overwritten if she desires it to
remain. Additionally, the Nocturnal may now activate Spears
From Quivers Pulled as a Stackable Charm. So long as the
most expensive weapon is accounted for, all additional activations only cost one additional mote. While all these weapons
are considered Readied, only one applies at any one moment.
She may freely rotate among them once per action, or pay
one mote to switch between them in either Step 1 or Step 2
of Combat resolution. She may have no more than (Essence)
weapons, including the original, Readied through this Charm.
Whenever a single physical weapon takes on the nature of
more than one weapon, this Charm becomes Suspicious.

Merged: Armory of One (Strength, Dexterity)

Teacup Assassins Arsenal

Cost: (+3m or +6m); Mins: Wits 5, Essence 3;

Type: Permanent
Keywords: Merged, Suspicious
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: Spears From Quivers Pulled

A porcelain saucer, a silver spoon, a paper parasol. In
such innocuous items, the Harlequin invests deadly importance. This Charm enhances its prerequisite. The Nocturnal
may now give mundane tools and other miscellanea the
nature of weaponry. This imposes a three mote surcharge and
the limitation that the weapon the item emulates must be of
roughly equivalent size. The saucer may become a throwing
star, the spoon may cut like a knife, or a parasol pierce flesh
like a sword. Transforming such innocent items into lethal
instruments makes this Charm Suspicious.

At Essence 4, this Charm upgrades automatically. The
Exalt is no longer obligated to adhere to the size restriction
when converting items into mundane weapons, but if she
does so she may double the surcharge to transform it into

the artifact equivalent. She must, of course, pay the cost of

creating the artifact with Spears From Quivers Pulled.

Merged: Teacup Assassins Arsenal (Strength, Dexterity)

8-9:

The Exalt selects a weapon with (Essence x 5) yards

that is not currently owned by another being. Until
the end of the scene, that weapon is sent to Elsewhere.

10:

The Exalts player selects one of the above options

and applies it to all viable targets within range. This
option may not be deliberately selected without a
second purchase of this Charm at Essence 5+.

Toys to Alloys Mimicry

Cost: (+2m); Mins: Wits 5, Essence 4;

Type: Permanent
Keywords: Merged, Suspicious
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: Spears From Quivers Pulled

The jealous Herald is not content merely to wield the
weapons of his own station. Breaking through reality, he steals
the weapons of others. This Charm upgrades its prerequisite.
The Exalt may emulate an artifact that exceeds the rating of
his own, so long as the rating of the new artifact does not
exceed 3. Additionally, if the Exalt knows Devil Reigning
Hypothesis and has that Charm active, artifact weapons he
emulates take on his own altered nature, thereby gaining the
traits of a soulsteel weapon if he has the Underworld variant of that Charm active. If he has the variant of the Demon
City active, he may freely choose among the more exotic types
of weapons available in that infernal realm, but not merely
vitriol-tainted variants of other magical materials. If he knows
Legion of Heaven and Earth, he may adopt the weaponry of
any basic magical material. That Charm need not be active
for him to gain this benefit, but he must immediately pay any
additional attunement cost required of him for wielding a
foreign material.

All applications of this upgrade impose a two-mote
surcharge and render the Charm Suspicious.

Merged: Toys to Alloys Mimicry (Strength, Dexterity)

Swords Sheathed In War

Cost: 8m; Mins: Wits 4, Essence 3;

Type: Simple (Speed 5)
Keywords: Chance, Combo-OK, Obvious, Suspicious, Shaping
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Blades Drawn in Peace

As foolish as it is to draw a weapon during a peaceful
negotiation, it is even more foolhardly to sheath ones weapon
in the midst of battle. Yet the Harlequin makes fools of many.
Upon activating this Charm, the Exalt rolls one die.
1:

Until the end of the scene, at least one of the Exalts

or her allys weapons (within [Essence x 5] yards) is
sent to Elsewhere, as the Nocturnals player chooses.

2-3:

Any weapon without the N-tag wielded by an otherwise rendered not ready, as appropriate for the
weapon.

4-5:

The Exalt selects an opponent within (Essence x

5) yards, who must roll to contest disarming with a
difficult equal to the Exalts Wits. If the opponent
does not have a weapon readied, he must still check
for disarming and if he fails to roll, the distance the
weapon is thrown is measured in yards rather than
feet.

6-7:

The Exalt selects a weapon own by another being

within (Essence x 5) yards and makes a contested
willpower roll with the owner. If the Exalt wins,
until the end of the scene, the owner of the weapon
loses all benefits of ownership.

Coals From Diamond Enclosure

Cost: 6m; Mins: Wits 4, Essence 2;

Type: Simple (Speed 3)
Keywords: Combo-OK, Obvious, Suspicious
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Any Wits Charm

Donning armor is time a time consuming process.
Rather than putting armor on a person, the Herald has an
easier time putting a person in the armor. Aiding another
being in donning their armor, the Exalt activates this Charm,
accomplishing the task in a flash, as the being is teleported
into her armor. Typically only personal armor is permitted
with this Charm, but at Essence 6+, the Exalt may teleport
allies even into Warstriders and other atypical armor variants.
This Charm may also remove a willing being from her armor
just as quickly.

A second purchase of this Charm at Essence 3 allows the
Herald to employ this Charm on himself.

The Dragon Flies Tail First

Cost: 10m, 1wp; Mins: Wits 5, Essence 5;

Type: Simple
Keywords: Flux, Mandate, Obvious, War
Duration: (Essence) Actions
Prerequisite Charms: Coiling Mbius Counterstrike, Swords
Sheathed in War

Making war against the Exalted host is a foolhardy
endeavor. Only a well-prepared enemy has any hope against
them, and who can prepare for the Heralds? The Exalt targets
a military unit she can perceive and rolls (Wits + Willpower)
with a difficulty of (targets Magnitude + leaders Essence). If
the Herald is part of a mass combat unit herself, she adds one
automatic success for each additional Celestial Exalt or Essence 5+ Dragon-blooded accompanying her, to a maximum
bonus of the highest Essence among them. If successful, the
Herald alters the reality of combat. The opposing unit finds it
is missing weapons, that its armor is motley and haphazardly
worn, that its formations are eschew, and a various other effects as suitable for current conditions. The Exalt may impose
a total penalty equal to her Essence on any of the opposing
units traits except Magnitude. For the duration of this
Charm, during his action, the opposing leader may roll Wits
with a difficult equal to penalty imposed to restore one affected trait for the remainder of the action. Alternatively, the
leader may immediately sacrifice a dot of Magnitude to ignore
all penalties.

In Mandate of Heaven rules, the Exalt makes the same
roll against an opposing Dominion, adding successes for each
appropriate Exalt with legitimacy within her own Dominion.
If successful, the opposing Dominions Military rating drops
to 1 for a number of Military-based actions that season equal
to the Heralds Essence. The opposing leadership may either
accept this penalty, allow their Dominion to gain four Limit,
or function at an effective -1 Magnitude for the season.

Words Outpaced By Echoes

Chapter Five Charms

153

Cost: 4m, 1wp; Mins: Wits 4, Essence 3;

Type: Reflexive (Step 2)
Keywords: Combo-OK, Counterattack, Merged, Social, Suspicious
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Night Prepares at Dawn

Even as her opponent opens his mouth to speak, the
echo of the Heralds rebuttal resounds through the hall.
Granting herself time to properly consider a rebuttal, the
Nocturnals own counter-arguments ripple backward through
time to aid her now. This Charm functions nearly identically
to Coiling Mbius Counterstrike, save that it is activated in
response to a social attack to make a social counterattack and
the Exalt is not transported to make the counterattack. Only
her words are bent backwards through time.

Merged: Words Outpaced by Echoes (Charisma, prerequisite: Confident Debate Initiation)

Stone Follows Ripples

Cost: 5m; Mins: Wits 4, Essence 3;

Type: Supplemental
Keywords: Combo-OK, Social, Suspicious
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Words Outpaced by Echoes

The Harlequin is so swift in debate, that his opponents
hardly have time to notice his trickery before he has moved
on. This Charm supplements a social attack. If successful, the
effects of the attack are delayed until the target spends willpower to resist a different mental influences. Once the Exalts
delayed mental influence takes effect, the target may resist it
as normal. The Suspicious-keyword is not triggered until the
effects of the social attack are. Any being who current has
a delayed social attack waiting to be triggered cannot be a
valid target for further applications of this Charm or similar
effects. At Essence 4+ the Exalt may further delay this mental
influence, allowing up to (Essence) other mental influences
to be resisted first as the Exalt declares when employing this
Charm.

Thunder Precedes Lightning

Cost: 1-5wp; Mins: Wits 4, Essence 3;

Type: Simple
Keywords: Combo-OK
Duration: One Scene
Prerequisite Charms: Words Outpaced By Echoes

The arguments of fools are rejected before they are
heard. The Harlequin has refuted every point a thousand
times before it is even spoken. With this Charm, the Exalt
commits up to his Essence or 5 Willpower, whichever is lower.
Each point of willpower committed adds one to his Parry
MDV. Additionally he does not need to spend willpower to
resist any mental influence that costs less than the committed
willpower. Any effect which costs an equal amount of willpower to resist as the Exalt currently has committed reduces
the commitment by one, but is otherwise resisted as though
he had spent willpower to ignore it. Effects with greater costs
to resist affect the Exalt normally.

skyand it allowed the Onyx Youth to expand this purview

and grow in power. The Harlequin, too, knows the value of an
easy sell and draws strength from convincing others of their
own position. This Charm creates a pool of ten peripheral
motes, initially empty, which may only be used on Social attacks. Whenever the Exalt performs a successful Social attack
and the target does not immediately spend willpower to resist
it, he gains a number of motes equal to the penalty the targets
MDV suffered based on the attack aligning with her Intimacies, Virtues, Motivation, or similar Trait. He also regains one
additional mote for each of the following that apply: the Exalt
is employing Following the Hearts Desire against the target,
the target is a Celestial Exalt (including Solars and derivatives), the target is Essence 6+, or the target is Essence 10.

With a second purchase of this Charm at Essence 4+,
the Exalt learns to give as much as he demands. He retains
up to (10 Subservience) motes in this pool at the end of the
scene rather than losing the Overdrive pool completely.

Regression of Epicycles

Cost: 4m; Mins: Wits 3, Essence 2;

Type: Supplemental
Keywords: Combo-OK, Shaping
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Any Wits Charm

As the Herald moves forward, her opponents appear
to fall behind. This Charm supplements a physical or social
attack. If successful, the targets next action is delayed by
a number of ticks equal to the Exalts extra successes, to a
maximum delay equal to the Exalts Essence. This maximum
delay includes any caused by the Comet Castes anima power.
A target that is currently delayed by Regression of Epicycle
cannot be further delayed by additional applications of this or
other Charms.

Tomorrows Feats Today

Cost: 3m, +2m per ally, 1wp; Mins: Wits 3, Essence 3;

Type: Simple (Speed 3)
Keywords: Combo-OK, Suspicious
Duration: (Essence) Actions
Prerequisite Charms: Regression of Epicycles

The Heralds speed pulls others along with her. The
Exalt selects up to (Essence) allies within (Essence x 5) yards.
The Speed of her own and her chosen allies actionsexcluding Simple Charms and Sorceryare reduced by one, to a
minimum of three, for the duration of the Charm. At Wits 5+
this Charm may be used on military and social units, treating
each dot of Magnitude as one ally. At Essence 4+ this Charm
extends its duration to One Scene.

A Thousand Moments Now

Cost: 2m per action; Mins: Wits 4, Essence 3;

Type: Extra-Action
Keywords: Combo-OK, Obvious
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Tomorrows Feats Today

The Harlequin is never lacking in choices. All possibilities are laid bare before her, she chooses as many as she
Tides Of Moonless Nights
desires. This Charm creates a magical flurry of up to (Essence)
Cost: ; Mins: Wits 4, Essence 3;
actions, so long as no two actions are the same. In the case of
Type: Permanent
attacks, switching weapons or topics qualifies as a different
Keywords: Overdrive, Social
action, but a 2+ dice stunt is also enough to distinguish one
Duration: Permanent
action from another if they would otherwise be the same. No
Prerequisite Charms: Words Outpaced By Echoes
action in the flurry suffers from multiple action penalties and

Long ago, Nox convinced Luna to relinquish her the Exalt suffers only from the highest DV penalty of any one
position as the goddess of night. It was an easy argument to action.
winthe Fickle Lady already desired to wander free in the

154


A second purchase of this Charm at Wits 5+ allows the
Exalt to activate this Charm as a Reflexive action to create a
flurry for an ally currently benefiting from Tomorrows Feats
Today during their action tick. The allys player decides the
nature of the actions granted to him by this Charm, but he
must follow the same restrictions as the Nocturnal.

Weaving Yesterday Throughout

Cost: 10m; Mins: Wits 5, Essence 3;

Type: Simple
Keywords: Chance, Combo-Basic, Flux
Duration: One Scene
Prerequisite Charms: Regression of Epicycles

The past influences the present; the present, the future.
That is, usually. Let the Viziers worry about causalitythe
Herald has more important issues to attend to, and who is
he to turn down good fortune simply because it is ill-timed?
While it is active, before a being within (Essence x 5) yards
performs a rolled action, that beings player rolls one die.
1:

If that being had been injured in the last 25 hours

from a source other than this Charm, that being suffers one level of damage of the same type, beginning
with bashing damage and increasing in severity as
available. No being may suffer more damage from
this Charm than they have received in the previous
25 hours or (Exalts Essence), whichever is lower.

2-3:

For each non-Permanent Charm the being has active, he loses one mote of Essence, beginning with
Peripheral motes.

4-5:

If that being had suffered any Compulsion or Servitude effect in the last 25 hours, one of those effects
is restored, beginning with the least recent.

6-7:

If that being had suffered from any Illusion or Emotion effects in the last 25 hours, one of those effects
is restored, beginning with the least recent.

8-9:

If that being had been injured in the last 25 hours,

he heals one level of damage.

10:

If that being has acquired a mental influence in the

last 25 hours, he may freely remove one.
The Exalt may only spend Willpower to determine
the outcome of the die when it applies to him. A
second purchase at Essence 5+ allows him to spend
Willpower when activating this Charm to determine
a single effect which applies to everyone for the duration of the Charm, oblivating the need for anyone to
roll a Chance die.

Tomorrow Never Comes

Cost: 3m+, (1wp); Mins: Wits 5, Essence 3;

Type: Reflexive (Step 2)
Keywords: Calibration-OK, Combo-OK, Shaping
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Regression of Epicycles

None can compare with the Harlequins ability to control the arena and deprive her foes of their advantages. This
Charm may be activated in response to an attack in which
the attacker has declared a flurry. She rolls her Willpower
with a difficulty equal to the number of actions in the flurry,
maximum 5, (if she knows Cheaters Never Prosper, she automatically succeeds if the flurry contains an arbitrary or
otherwise unspecified number of actions, such as one created
with Time-Looping Tempest). During Calibration, she adds

her Essence to this roll. If successful, the attacker is prevented

from making the flurry and his player may select only a single
action from the declared flurry to be performed. If the flurry
was created magically, the Exalt must pay an additional surcharge equal to the minimum Essence of the Charm or the
rating of the Artifact that created it. The Storyteller may
adjudicate other such surcharges as necessary.

A second purchase of this Charm at Essence 4+ allows
the Exalt to spend an additional willpower to similarly cancel
any flurry he can perceive while it is Calibration.

Calendar-Cracking Pugilist

Cost: 5m, 1wp Mins: Wits 5, Essence 3;

Type: Supplemental
Keywords: Combo-OK, Merged, Native, Obvious, Shaping,
Suspicious
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Regression of Epicycles

Those who cannot act might as well not exist at all. The
Exalts attacks dislodge his foe from the flow of time. If a
physical attack inflicts at least one level of damage against the
target, she is ejected from the normal progression of seconds.
She vanishes immediately. For all intents and purposes, she is
no longer in the scene. She cannot be targeted, nor is she affected by all-encompassing events. She reappears on her next
action tick, perceiving no time to have passed and suffering
any knockdown, knockback, or other effects that may have
resulted from the attack.

At Essence 4, this Charm automatically upgrades. If the
attack would have inflicted more damage than the targets
Essence in Step 10, the Exalt may instead elect to launch her
to the end of the scene. Mortals and spirits with Essence less
than his own may instead be launched one full day into the
future, plus one additional day for each level of damage over
the minimum needed for this effect. If used in this way, the
target arrives at the end of the scene or in a few days time in
whatever state she was in before the Nocturnal attacked her
and, again, perceiving no time to have passed.

Merged: Calendar-Cracking Pugilist (Strength, prerequisites: Recollection of Pain; Dexterity, prerequisites: Diamond
Fist Atemi).

Concealment Charms

Shadow Leaping Surprise

Cost: 2m (1wp); Mins: Wits 2, Essence 2;

Type: Supplemental
Keywords: Combo-OK, Nox
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Any Wits Charm

The Harlequin exploits the night to her advantage,
laying ambushes in darkness and taking her foes without
warning. This Charm supplements an attempt to establish
surprise. During the day, she doubles her successes, or adds
(Essence) successes, whichever is lower; at night, whichever
is higher. Additionally, at night, she may use this Charm to
make such an attempt, mid-conflict, even when she would
otherwise be unable to do so.

While Nox is in the Loom, the Harlequin may expend
one willpower to further enhance her ambush. For the briefest moment she is unwoven from the logical progression of
cause and effect and vanishes. This is Obvious to anyone who
can perceive her at that moment, but they cannot continue
to track her movements once she has vanished unless they
are beings Outside of Fate or can directly perceive the strands
of Fatein which case the Exalt is seen as a noticeably blank
in reality. Against such beings her attempt automatically fails;

Chapter Five Charms

155

against all others it automatically succeeds. She may remain

hidden in this way until she takes a non-reflexive action or
until sunlight touches her.

2-3:

All members of the unit gain innate awareness of another beings membership within the group so that
there may be no question regarding who belongs
and who is a spyunless one of their own is seduced
to their enemys camp.

4-5:

The unit adds the Exalts Wits to its Loyalty or Endurance as appropriate; each individual in the unit
adds one to their Conviction and Integrity so long
as their actions are beneficial to the unit as a whole,
as determined by the Storyteller.

6-7:

Each individual in the unit gains a positive Intimacy

toward maintaining the groups secrecy and such
secrecy is integrated into the groups Policy as appropriate. Military units gain +1 to their Morale, if
failing the Morale check would cause them to reveal
themselves.

8-9:

Even if one member of the organization is captured

and interrogated by the enemy, they will learn nothing of value. Any attempt to connect one member of
the organization to any other, or to the organization
as a whole, suffers an external penalty equal to the
Exalts Wits.

10:

The unit itself becomes Outside of Fate. The collective activities and movements of the unit cannot
be discerned through investigation of the Loom of
Fate, nor can it be affected by any sort of Astrology
or Fluctuation. Individual members remain within
Fate, but any gathering appears as a random accumulation of people, such as one might expect to see
gathered on a market day, rather than as a cohesive
body with unified intent.

Lost and Found Encounter

Cost: 4m (1wp); Mins: Wits 3, Essence 2;

Type: Supplemental
Keywords: Combo-OK
Duration: Indefinite
Prerequisite Charms: Shadow Leaping Surprise

The dark forest, the nighttime alleyways, the deepest cavernswhat could hide more mysteries? The Harlequin knows
all possible hiding places. This Charm supplements an attempt
to hide an object or being. Regardless of where she hid the
object or being, so long as it remains hidden, its true location
is in constant flux, switching randomly between possible hiding places within (Essence x 10) yards of its original position.
Anything hidden with this Charm is immune to mundane
detection as it is never where the investigator searches. The
Exalt adds her Wits to any contested roll to avoid detection by
supernatural perception. If the Exalt possess Wits 4+, she may
also use this Charm to gain (Wits) automatic successes on any
attempt to discover something hidden within the designated
vicinity, so long as she actually knows what shes looking for.
If the object or being was hidden with a previous use of this
Charm by any being, the attempt to discover it is automatically successful.

Sunlight Shunning Avoidance

Cost: 1m or 5m; Mins: Wits 4, Essence 3;

Type: Simple
Keywords: Combo-OK, Shaping
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Lost and Found Encounter

While others search in vain for whatever the Harlequin
has hidden in the realm of chance, for the Exalt, it is always
exactly where she looks. If the Exalt has hidden something
with Lost and Found Encounter, she may spend one mote to
retrieve it from any potential hiding spot within (Essence x 10)
yards of the original hiding spot.

Additionally, by spending 5 motes, the Exalt may do
the same to any object within (Essence) yards which is not
currently in use by another being or currently exposed to sunlight. She may then either retrieve that item or immediately
make an attempt to hide it somewhere within (Essence) yards.
If the Exalt has unwoven herself from reality using Shadow
Leaping Surprise, she may do this to herself for five motes as
well.

Forty Thieves Gambit

Cost: 6m; Mins: Wits 4, Essence 3;

Type: Simple
Keywords: Chance, Shaping, Stackable
Duration: Indefinite
Prerequisite Charms: Lost and Found Encounter

As a conspiracy grows larger, greater effort is required to
hide it. This Charm provides the Herald with several tools to
maintain even the largest secret society, or peel back the veil of
secrecy such organizations enjoy. The Exalt designates a unit
with a Magnitude no greater than his Essence to which he has
belonged for at least (Magnitude) days. His player then rolls a
Chance die.
1:

156

Any attempt to discover the unit gains a number of

bonus dice equal to its Magnitude. These do not
count as dice from Charms.

The effects of this Charm last as long as the Exalt remains a member of the unit or until the unit is reduced to
Magnitude 0 for any reason. Splinter units do not gain the
benefits of this Charm. A second purchase of this Charm at
Wits 5+ allows its effects to continue even after the Exalt has
left the ranks of the organization.

Historical Revisionism Charms

All Your Piety And Wit

Cost: 1m, (1wp); Mins: Wits 2, Essence 2;

Type: Supplemental
Keywords: Combo-OK, Suspicious
Duration: (Wits) Actions
Prerequisite Charms: Any Third Excellency

While others may be forced to live with the consequences of their actions, the Harlequin has dispensed with
consequences. She knows how to pen new causes and rewrite
effects. This Charm may supplement any specific action the
Nocturnal undertakes. Until the Charms duration expires,
the Exalt may reflexively spend one willpower to retroactively
cancel most consequences of the action. All lingering effects
of the action immediately cease and all damage from an attack
is immediately healed. Having drunk poisoned wine, the glass
is full once again and the poison has left her body.

There are limitations to this Charm, however. Only her
own action is undone. The cell may be locked again, but if the
prisoner has already escaped, this Charm will not reincarcerate him. While it can instantly heal damage the Exalt inflicts
on another being, this will only leave a pristine corpse if the

How many archers have once wished they could take

being has died. Finally, all costs of the action, such as motes,
back a single arrow? How many assassins long to undo the
willpower or virtue channels, remained paid.
stroke of knife? The Harlequin, too, comes to know such reOf Alternate Nights and Days
grets. Unlike others, however, she may make amends to those
Cost: ; Mins: Wits 4, Essence 2;
she slays. Until the end of the scene, this Charm supplements
Type: Permanent
all the Exalts physical attacks. If she does not kill an opponent
Keywords: Chance
before the scene ends, the Charm terminates immediately.
Duration: Permanent
Otherwise, when she slays an opponent, she may extend this
Prerequisite Charms: All Your Piety and Wit
Charms protection to that opponent. Only one opponent

The Harlequins revel in the twisting quirks of life. Ran- per scene can be protected in this way, but the Charm may
dom happenstance is their domain. But when such chance be activated again in a later scene to protect additional opevents do not go in the Nocturnals favor, she cunningly ponents.
changes her wager and trades one random act for another.
By all accounts the opponent is dead. Despite this, no
When a rolled Chance die turns up a result the Exalt does ghost moves on, nor does the Exaltation flee the body if the
not desire, her player may roll one additional Chance die. The opponent was a Celestial Exalt. If the opponent were the
cost of the initial Charm is refunded and its effects cancelled. Fetich soul of a Primordial, the Primordial remains unaltered,
The Nocturnal, however, suffers some other outcome. Will- but knows precisely how close to death it came. Those who
power may never be spent to select this outcome.
can perceive Essence will note the Nocturnals magic permeat1:
The Nocturnal gains Paradox dice equal to the mini- ing the corpse.

Each day the Exalt retains the opponent in this condimum Essence of the Charm canceled.
tion, she increases the commitment of this Charm by one
mote (excepting Calibration). While she maintains this
2-3: The Nocturnal gains one Paradox.
commitment, she may spend five willpower at anytime to
4-5: The Nocturnal loses one Temporary Willpower.
revive the fallen opponent restore him to life. Dropping the
6-7: The Nocturnal loses one Intimacy of her choice, commitment at anytime before reviving the opponent results
in his death without hope of recovery. Spirits slain in this
which cannot be one protected by her Charms.
way recover as normal unless they were permanently slain by
8-9: The Nocturnal suffers one unsoakable bashing dam- another effect.

An opponent revived by this Charm is restored to full
age.
health, motes and willpower. Any decay or damage that
10:
The Nocturnal suffers no immediate consequences, occurred to his corpse is undone. If his body were dismembut the reversion is considered Suspicious if it oc- bered or burned, those fragments of him that remain lose
curred within Fate.
any metaphysical connection to the opponent. The Charm
weaves a new body for him, either from the largest portion of
Thither Moves and Slays
his remains or wholly new at the location he was slain, as his
Cost: 3m; Mins: Wits 3, Essence 2;
player chooses.
Type: Supplemental
Keywords: Combo-OK, Illusion, Merged
As the Sea Heeds Pebbles Cast
Duration: Instant
Cost: 6m+, 1wp; Mins: Wits 4, Essence 3;
Prerequisite Charms: All Your Piety and Wit
Type: Supplemental

The foolish opponent waits for the Herald to make the Keywords: Calibration-OK, Combo-OK, Nox, Shaping
first move, failing to see that she already has. This Charm Duration: Instant
supplements an unexpected attack with an Illusion effect that Prerequisite Charms: All Your Peity and Wit
influences all who could potentially witness the attack. This
Commanded by Autochthon to obscure his own exisIllusion renders usual mental DVs inapplicable. All witnesses tence, Nox extends this protection to his Chosen who have
roll to perceive the unexpected attack. If they are successful, mastered this technique. Despite what witnesses may recall,
they do not suffer from the Illusions effects. If they fail, they they can find no evidence of the Harlequins presence upon
perceive nothing at all. The Herald never moved. The victim closer inspection. It is swallowed up by the endless depths
was never attackedhe merely began bleeding for no discern- of Time,restoring order as though the Exalt had never been
able reason. Resisting this unnatural mental influence cost a there. This Charm supplements any action to remove evidence
number of willpower equal to the number of additional suc- of ones actions, such as getting away with a crime, escaping
cesses those affected would have required to detect the attack, through the wilderness, or simply erasing a name from an
to a maximum of five. However, if the Nocturnals bloody inns guest book. The attempt automatically succeeds and all
blade or drawn bow is the only visible readied weapon, resist- subsequent attempts to uncover the information automatiing this Illusion costs only one willpower. This Illusion usually cally fail. All relevant information is wiped from the Loom
lasts for one scene, but if the Exalt has Essence 5+ it affects its of Fate, and Creation provides not a single shred of proof of
victims indefinitely.
the Nocturnals existence. During Calibration, this Charms

Merged: History-Defying Assault (Dexterity, prerequi- benefits may be extended to up to (Essence) other individuals;
sites: Blade Cuts the Past, Any Other Dexterity Charm)
otherwise the Nocturnal must spend an additional 1 mote
per individual. Evidence outside the Empyreans anima is not
All Your Tears Shall Wash Away
eliminated.
Cost: 5m+, (5wp); Mins: Wits 5, Essence 4;

If Nox is free from the Loom, this Charm no longer
Type: Supplemental
allows the attempt to automatically succeed except during
Keywords: Calibration, Combo-OK, Flux, Stackable
Calibration. At any other point in the year, the Nocturnal
Duration: Indefinite
adds half her Permanent Willpower, rounding up, to the
Prerequisite Charms: Thither Moves and Slays
attempt. A second purchase at Essence 5+ grants her full Per-

Chapter Five Charms

157

manent Willpower as automatic successes during the day and (Nocturnals Essence [x2, during Calibration] enemys Esallows the Charm to automatically succeed at night as well as sence, minimum one) miles, determined by the Storyteller.
Calibration.

The inferior arrives prepared for the encounter with the
Nocturnal as appropriate for the characters backgrounds. If,
This Days Madness
for example, the Nocturnal employed this Charm successfully
Cost: 10m, 1wp; Mins: Wits 5, Essence 3;
against a Deathlord (who, for its own inscrutable reasons deType: Reflexive
clined to resist its effectsperhaps the Deathlord has more
Keywords: Combo-OK, Flux, Merged
important business elsewhere), and the attacker is replaced
Duration: Until sunrise
with a Abyssal with the Abyssal Command background, the
Prerequisite Charms: All Your Peity and Wit
deathknight may arrive, if he chooses, with a contingent of

No matter her crimes in the name of a greater cause, war ghosts.
the Harlequin is never without excuse to mask her blame.
As an Illusion effect, anyone with a Mental Dodge DV
When the Exalt activates this Charm she names an action less than the Nocturnals Willpower (plus Essence, during
she committed which she does not wish others to discover, Calibration) recalls the scene as though the inferior had
be it a social faux pas, a heinous crime, or an anonymous always been present and the original enemy had been absent.
act of charity. Until the next sunrise, evidence is generated to This includes the enemy and his inferior. This Illusion effect
demonstrate that the Exalt could not have possibly done the may be resisted at the cost of 4 willpower.
act, as she was clearly doing something else at the time. This
If the enemy is transported away, the attack ends immeCharm alters physical evidence and memories according to diately. As a Counterattack this Charm imposes a DV penalty
the needs of the Exalt as a Shaping effect, but only as much as equal to the enemys Essence.
needed to create the alibi. For example, she might escape the
allegations of theft by claiming to have spent the night with
reachery harms
innkeepers daughter. While the daughter will recall their
night together (assuming she does not possess the ability to Smiling Traitor Opportunity
resist Shaping effects), her sexuality is not altered to suit the Cost: 6m; Mins: Wits 3, Essence 2;
Exalts needs, which might raise more problems for the Exalt Type: Supplemental
than it solves. A second purchase of this Charm at Essence Keywords: Combo-OK, Emotion
4+ extends its Duration to One Week; a third purchase at Duration: Instant
Essence 5+ reduces the cost to 5m, 1wp and extends the Dura- Prerequisite Charms: None

What drives a hero to betray his friends? What causes
tion to Indefinite.

Merged: Midnight Taboo Alibi (Manipulation, prereq- him to join the ranks of his enemies? Some might say cowardice; others that the Exalt is no hero at all. The Herald,
uisite: Relativistic Truth Discovery).
however, recognizes that some loyalties must be sacrificed to
Tomorrows Triumph or Despair
achieve a greater goal and to set a foe up for a greater fall. This
Cost: 15m, 1wp; Mins: Wits 5, Essence 5;
Charm supplements any action the Exalt takes in the presType: Reflexive (Step 2)
ence of an enemy and which causes him to betray his allies.
Keywords: Calibration-OK, Combo-Basic, Counterattack, His previous loyalties must be known to those involved, but
Flux, Illusion, Obvious
the action may take nearly any form. He might divulge the loDuration: Instant
cation of his Solar ally to the Wyld Hunt, publicly denounce
Prerequisite Charms: This Days Madness
his political allies within earshot of a rival faction, attack his

There is a time for heroism and a time for prudent general in sight of the opposing army, or any similar action.
consideration of ones circumstances. In the case of the latter,
In addition to whatever roll might be necessary for the
the Herald discerns when a foe is too powerful to confront action, the Exalt may make a reflexive (Manipulation or Wits)directly. The Nocturnal may employ this Charm in response based social attack against all enemies who witness the action,
to an attack from an enemy. For the purposes of this Charm adding his Wits in automatic successes. If successful, the opan enemy is another sentient being who is actively and inten- ponent gains a positive Intimacy toward the Exalt, recognizing
tionally causing harm to the Nocturnal and toward whom the him as a useful ally. As such, those affected by this Charm
Nocturnal does not possess a positive Intimacy. The Noctur- suffer a -3 internal penalty on any action which continues to
nals player rolls Willpower, adding her Essence in automatic treat the Exalt as an enemy or a -1internal penalty on actions
successes during Calibration, with a difficulty of the enemys which fail to regard him at least on friendly terms until the
Essence. If successful, the enemy is dismissed from his cur- end of the scene. This unnatural emotion costs two willpower
rent location as a Shaping effect and another being whom to resist, but may be resisted freely if the Exalt takes any action
that enemy regards as his inferior yet is also bound to the which would inflict harm on those affected.
enemy by Ally, Henchmen, Patron, Liege, Backing, or similar
backgrounds is teleported into the situation in his stead, so Loyal Mercenary Infiltration
Cost: ; Mins: Wits 4, Essence 3;
long as that inferior is within the same realm of existence.

The enemys player may select the appropriate inferior Type: Permanent
or resist this effect with appropriate defenses. If the inferior Keywords: None
can defend against shaping effects and does so, the enemys Duration: Permanent
player may continue to reselect inferiors until one is found Prerequisite Charms: Smiling Traitor Opportunity
Having won the favor of his enemies, the Herald has
that either does not or cannot resist. Demons descended from
prepared
the way for fatal blow. This Charm allows the Exalt
the enemy may never resist the enemys call, such an enemy
may choose to banish himself back to Malfeas to call an un- to commit the cost of its prerequisite, making its duration
derling from there. If all resist, this Charm has no effect. The Indefinite. Resisting the unnatural mental influence now
enemy is transported to some place distant and safe, within costs willpower equal to the Exalts Wits, to a maximum of
five. Additionally, the Exalts first attack against any being who
possesses a positive Intimacy toward him due to Smiling Trai-

158

tor Opportunity is automatically considered unexpected but this Charm protects the Exalt from any harm that might result
causes the immediate termination of that Intimacy as well.
from a being native to the same realm of existence, so long as
that action is not enhanced with magic. Additionally, against
Devil Reigning Hypothesis
such attacks, the Exalt adds his Wits to the appropriate DV.
Cost: 10m; Mins: Wits 4, Essence 3;

A second purchase of this Charm at Essence 4+ allows
Type: Simple
the Exalt to spend an additional willpower to extend this benKeywords: Combo-Basic, Kalpa, Shaping,
efit to (Essence) allies. A third purchase at Essence 5+ allows
Duration: Indefinite
the Exalt to provide this defense to an entire complimentary
Prerequisite Charms: Smiling Traitor Opportunity
unit with a magnitude no greater than his Essence for a total

During the Great War, the Incarnae suspected Nox of eight motes and a willpower.
would turn traitor and side with the Primordial host and they
acted accordingly to prevent that risk. The Chosen of Possibili- Inquisitors Vain Questions
ties, however, remain free to choose their alliances and betray Cost: 4m; Mins: Wits 4, Essence 2;
them as they please, precisely as the Maidens feared. Some Type: Reflexive
use this Charm to spy on the enemies of Creation; others to Keywords: Combo-OK
better conspire with dark allies. In either case, this Charm Duration: Instant
warps the Exalts own internal essence pattern, aligning him- Prerequisite Charms: Smiling Traitor Opportunity
self to an alternate reality where he serves other masters. This
Once entrenched in his new position, the Herald is
Charm may be purchased multiple times, with each purchase adept at maintaining the ruse. If questioned concerning his
providing one of the following effects. In all three cases, the loyalties, this Charm may be used to either impose an external
Exalt is considered fully Outside of Fate while in his new na- penalty on a social attack to force him to reveal the truth of
tive Realm. He reintegrates with Fate (remaining obscured if a particular subject, or to impose an external penalty on anNox is in the Loom) while visiting Creation unless he achieves other beings MDV when the Herald lies concerning his true
Essence 6+.
loyalties. In either case, the penalty is equal to his Wits.

The Exalt is considered a native of Malfeas and a Creature of Darkness. If scrutinized by spirits, he will appear as an Friendship of Heretics
akuma, though one of uncertain patronage, and all demons Cost: 1m; Mins: Wits 3, Essence 2;
of lower Essence ratings will defer to him as though he were Type: Reflexive
in their superior in accordance to the law of Cecelyne. He Keywords: Combo-OK, Stackable
must pay double motes to commit to adamant artifacts, but Duration: Indefinite
all vitriol-tainted artifacts may be attuned for their base cost. Prerequisite Charms: Smiling Traitor Opportunity
Though he lives among them, shares their meals, feigns
The Exalt is considered a native of the Underworld and a crea-
ture of Death as well as Darkness. He may only respire motes love and passion, the Herald never truly forms any attachment
in the Underworld or in shadowlands. He must pay double to those he prepares to betray. Upon activating this Charm,
the motes to commit to adamant artifacts, but all soulsteel the Exalt names a being, object, ideal, etc., toward which he
does not currently possess an Intimacy. So long as the mote
artifacts may be attuned for their base cost.

The Exalt is considered a native and creature of the remains committed, the Exalt is incapable of obtaining any
Wyld. He may perform Fluctuations in the Wyld, but they are Intimacy directed at the designated target.
no more substantial than the fantasies of the Raksha. For the
purposes of resisting Wyld mutations and addiction, he treats
Unlike other heroes, the Nocturnal Exalt need not regret
any area of the Wyld as one step closer to Creation than they
that they have only one life to give in the service of Creation.
would otherwise be.
Kalpa: In some Manvantara, Nox and the Nocturnals Indeed, to live only a single life would be far too limiting for
truly did side with the foes of Creation. In some of those re- the Chosen of Possibilities. Through the esoteric Charms of
alities, one of the previous options becomes the base state of the Alter-Ego, the Harlequins can become more than single
the Nocturnals. An altered Nocturnal may learn a Creation- person and begin their own unique path toward the grand
oriented version of this Charm which allows him to be con- transhumant experiment all Exalted pursue.
Obtaining this level of enlightenment requires extensive
sidered a native of Creation within Fate (though he may still
be obscured from Fate, if Nox is in the Loom) and attune to study and a wide pool of natural talent. The core of this path
adamant normally. If he were considered a creature of Death, is detailed here, containing one Charm for each of the nine
that classification is suspended for the duration of this Charm Attributes. Additional Charms may be created by individual
and he may respire motes as normal. If he were a Creature Nocturnals, but only after he has mastered all nine of these
of Darkness, that condition still applies if an appropriately Charms.
These Charms are unique to the Nocturnal Exalted and
holy authority exists to enforce that designation. Additional
variants of this Charm for more exotic realms may also exist under no circumstances can they be acquired by any other
being. Even Black Mirror Shintai treats the Nocturnal and
with Storyteller approval.
his alter-ego as two separate entities and does not acquire this
Iron and Salt Excommunication
overlapping Charm set if the Infernal copies either of the pair.
Cost: 5m (+1wp or +3m, 1wp); Mins: Wits 4, Essence 3;
Alliance of the Alter-Ego
Type: Simple
Cost: ; Mins: Appearance 1, Essence 2;
Keywords: Flux, Obvious
Type: Permanent
Duration: One Scene
Keywords: Native, Nox, Training
Prerequisite Charms: Devil Reigning Hypothesis

The Herald is at peace with those to whom he appears Duration: Permanent
loyal. Should his allies seek to harm him, he simply revokes Prerequisite Charms: None
their status in the chain of cause and effect. When activated

ALTER-EGO

Chapter Five Charms

159


Nox presents the gift of Exaltation to liberate his
Chosen from the rigid dictates of their prior destinies. The
Heralds are empowered to explore alternate realities and turn
counterfactuals into fact. With this Charm, the Exalt turns
this power upon himself, shattering his Fate into fragments
and forging a fresh start from its remains. Upon learning
this Charm, the Exalts player creates a secondary character,
known as the alter-ego, following standard character creation
rules for a Nocturnal Exalted. The alter-ego gains additional
experience equal to half the Exalts current total, to be spent
however the player chooses. Since the caste of the Nocturnal
Exaltation is determined by the personality of its bearer, the
alter-egos caste may be different from the Exalts. For the rest
of the game, the alter-ego gains experience at half the rate
of the original, and the player may transfer up to a quarter,
rounding down, of the experience earned by the Exalt each
session to the alter-ego.

The alter-ego possesses its own Traits, except Willpower
and Essence, which must be equal to the Exalts. Likewise, the
alter-egos (highest Virtue + lowest Virtue) must equal that
of Exalt. Should any of these Traits be changed by either the
Exalt or the alter-ego, the Trait is altered as a Training effect
for the other as well. The two share Temporary Willpower
and both personal and peripheral Essence pools, except for
Temporary Willpower or motes gained by Charms and other
effects unique to either the Exalt or his alter-ego. The alter-ego
begins with a positive Intimacy corresponding to the Nocturnals Motivation, and its own Motivation cannot conflict
with that. The alter-ego may purchase its own Charms, as any
Nocturnal couldthough it automatically gains the benefits of
all charms ultimately derived from Alliance of the Alter-Ego as
though it also knew them. It may never learn Alliance of the
Alter-Ego itself.
While the alter-ego is active, it generates a phantom strand
of Fate, wholly separate from the Exalts and it ignores any
lingering effects placed upon the Exalt which do not directly
work upon the Exaltation itself. The flickering stand of Fate
attracts the attention of the Pattern Spiders in a way that not
even Nox may hide. Both the Exalt and the alter-ego permanently gain one Paradox that cannot be removed while the
Exalt knows this Charm.

Upon first learning this Charm, the Exalt is unaware
of the alter-ego. The two cross paths only through the consequences of their actions. Whenever the Exalt fails a Conviction roll to recover Willpower while sleeping, the alter-ego
awakens in his place, subtly, but thoroughly, changing shape
into a new person. During such transformations, Ownership
of all the Exalts items pass to the alter-ego. The Exalts player
may choose to play the alter-ego at this time, or turn control
over to the Storyteller, but in either case it is important to
remember that the alter-ego is explicitly a new character with
its own desires and objectives and should be played as such. At
this point in mastery of these techniques, the alter-ego exists
solely to explore possibilities and take actions that the Exalt
couldnt have done himself, not to further the Exalts own
agenda. This is not to say that the alter-egos objectives cannot
have significant overlap with the Exaltsjust that they must
have distinct motives. The Exalt returns once the alter-ego
falls asleep, but not if the alter-ego is rendered unconscious
by other means. The alter-ego possesses his own health levels
and if he dies by any means, the Exalt immediately manifests
wherever she last fell asleep, jolted suddenly awake as if experience the death in a dream. He loses this Charm and fills up to
his last -2 health level with bashing damage. If he relearns this
Charm later, his player must create a new alter-ego rather than
reviving the previous one.

160

Only Heralds with the necessary Whispers background
may intentionally learn this Charm as a Nox effect. In all
other cases, and occasionally even among those who could
learn this Charm intentionally, Charm imposes itself on the
unwitting Exalts sleep as a Training effect (with the players
approval, of course). This occurs infrequently and only to
those who appear particularly dissatisfied or frustrated by
their current position.

Imaginary Friend Dialogue

Cost: ; Mins: Perception 3, Essence 2;

Type: Permanent
Keywords: Illusion
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: Alliance of the Alter-Ego

As the Exalt develops this Charm, he catches glimpses
of his alter-ego. Sometimes the alter-ego flashes into existence
too quickly to be noticed; sometimes it passes through a
crowd, sometimes it can be seen in a mirror out of the corner
of the Exalts eye, and so on. Once the Exalt has mastered this
Charm, he is fully aware of his alter-ego as another being. Even
if informed by another source he still has not yet grasped the
concept that the alter-ego is an extension of himself. Though
the Nocturnal can see and speak with his alter-ego, it exists
only in his mind. Others will hear their conversations only if
they are capable of skimming the surface thoughts whichever
of the two beings is currently dominant, or if the dominant
personality becomes emotional during interaction with his
counterpartin which case he may accidentally vocalize some
portion of their conversation.

The dominant personality always perceives the other
within (Essence x 5) yards or closer, unless that being is currently asleep. The switch between the two now occurs whenever one fails a Conviction roll, most often manifesting from
the perspective of the Exalt and his alter-ego as one stepping
forward to take the reins of the current scene while the other
steps back and becomes quiescent. From the point of view
of other beings, the switch between personalities is difficult
to detect, as the Charm exerts an automatically successful
unnatural mental influence to rationalize the disappearance
of the previous persona and the sudden appearance of the
alternate. Resisting this Illusion costs five willpower.

Additionally, once this Charm has been learned, the Exalt and his alter-ego may be influenced by each others social
attacks, but only the dominant personality is subject to social
attacks originating from other sources.

Uncanny Recognition Stance

Cost: (1wp); Mins: Charisma 4, Essence 3;

Type: Permanent
Keywords: Compulsion, Social, War
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: Imaginary Friend Dialogue

The presence of an alter-ego subtly shifts the Exalts own
personality in response. Others, particularly, those who have
interacted with the alter-ego, may recognize these changes.
Likewise, the alter-ego never fully deviates from the Herald
and a bit of the Exalt lingers even while the alter-ego dominates. With this Charm, the dominant personality may spend
a Temporary Willpower to gain the benefits of any social
background the other personality possesses, such as Backing,
Influence, Resources, etc., for the remainder of the scene.
This Charm takes the form of an unnatural Compulsion to
recognize the legitimacy of the personality social connections,
rated at one less than that of the other personality. Other
beings may spend two willpower to ignore this compulsion.

Should the personalities switch in the midst of mass combat,

whether military or social, this allows the new dominant
personality to maintain control of the unit, despite other
requirements, though at an effective -1 Magnitude.

Whats Yours Is Mine Alteration

Cost: (3m, 1wp); Mins: Manipulation 5, Essence 3;

Type: Permanent
Keywords: None
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: Uncanny Recognition Stance

Until learning this Charm, the submissive personality
has had to remain silent while the dominant personality interacts with the world. Although the submissive personality
had found nothing odd about his silence, he now has the
opportunity to speak. The dominant personality allows the
other to come, momentarily, to the forefront of their shared
mind. Though the physical form doesnt change, for the next
(Essence) actions, everything else does. From the point of view
of the Exalt and his alter-ego, the other person merely injects.
From the perspective of everyone else, characters personality shifts, often dramatically, and the person they had been
interacting with suddenly manifests a new selection of Traits.
While this remains in effect, the submissive personality takes
over, using all of his Traits, until the dominant personality
assumes control again.

Helping Hand Assistance

Cost: (1wp); Mins: Strength 3, Essence 3;

Type: Permanent
Keywords: Obvious
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: Imaginary Friend Dialogue

The Exalt and his alter-ego are rarely alone. Together,
they may perform actions that no one could perform alone.
Supported by the other personality, the dominant personality has the power to overcome any obstacle. By spending a
willpower, the dominant personality may interact with the
other as if he were physically present for (Essence) actions.
For example, if the dominant personality is about to fall off
a cliff, the other personality could pull him to safety. Anyone
capable of seeing dematerialized spirits can see the hazy figure
of the other personality while the effects of this Charm are
employed. This is as close to physically coexisting as the two
personalities will ever achieve. Others would just see the
dominant personality hanging precariously from a cliff as
if supported by an invisible hand. Whenever this Charm is
used, the dominant personality receives one point of Paradox.

Two Are Better Than One

Cost: (5m, 1wp); Mins: Dexterity 5, Essence 3;

Type: Permanent
Keywords: None
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: Helping Hand Assistance

The Exalt and his alter-ego soon develop a close bond
and learn how to best work together. Anything one of the
personalities does is readily supported by the other. As an
innate power, the dominant personality may spend five motes
and one willpower to gain the benefits of this Charm. First,
for (Essence) actions, if he gains any successes on an action, he
automatically gains an additional success as though he were
being supported by another character. Additionally, once
per Action, he may duplicate any action he took, using the
other personalitys Traits and Charms on the second attempt.
Upon activating this power, the dominant personality gains
two Paradox.

Me, Myself, and My Friends

With Two Are Better Than One, Improbable

Response, and her own allies, a Nocturnal has the the
potential to sent up multiple layers of Defend Other actions for herself. Hypothetically, if a Nocturnal would set
up multiple layers of Defend Other in this fashion, her
attacker need not break through each separately. Only
the source which provides the greatest benefit applies its
full DV to the attack. Each additional source provides an
additional +1DV to the primary defender.

If the Exalt also knows Whats Mine is Yours Sacrifice
(below), a second purchase of this Charm at Essence 5+ allows the dominant personality the benefits of a Defend Other
action, using the other personalitys DV to protect himself.
Whenever an attacker overcomes the other personalitys DV,
the attacker cannot chose to attack the other personality. Instead the attack passes to the dominant personality, who must
defend accordingly and who gains one Paradox in the process.

One Mind Monologue

Cost: ; Mins: Wits 4, Essence 3;

Type: Permanent
Keywords: None
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: Imaginary Friend Dialogue

Though appearing separate even to themselves, the Exalt and his alter-ego share one mind. They can have no secrets
from one another. No matter how far apart they appear to be,
their distance is only an illusion created by the Nocturnals
mind. Information travels between them as quickly as the
mind commands the body. This Charm permits the dominant
personality to gain information learned by the other personality, so long as an appropriate trigger exists for the personality
to think of the required information. For example, if the Exalt
reads a bulletin about the magistrates upcoming birthday, he
suddenly recalls overhearing a conspiracy to assassinate the
magistrate, despite the fact that the alter-ego, not the Exalt,
actually overheard the conversation.

Schismatic Unity Awareness

Cost: ; Mins: Intelligence 5, Essence 5;

Type: Permanent
Keywords: Flux, Obvious
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: Uncanny Recognition Stance, Helping
Hand Assistance, One Mind Monologue

In time, the Exalt accepts the reality of his unique situationor, more precisely, their unique situation. He recognizes
the alter-ego as an extension of himself, and himself as an
extension of the alter-ego. It hardly matters now which was
the original and which the alternative. The Exalts player now
has full control over the both characters if she did not already.
The Exalt may transition fluidly between both personalities as
his Fluctuation. Both remain separate entities, though allied
to a common mind. Nocturnals who have achieved this level
of enlightenment draw parallels to the gestalt souls of the
Primordials in order to explain their condition.
Additionally, the dominant personality draws on the potential
of his alternate self. He permanently receives a full Independent Action in addition to his own, following the normal rules
of Independent Actions (Scroll of the Monk, p. 121-122), by
gaining one Paradox per Action. During such Independent
Actions, he may use any Charm the other personality possesses, but doing so requires that he spend additional motes

Chapter Five Charms

161

equal to the minimum Essence required for the Charm. The

alter-egos strand of the Fate solidifies, intertwined with the
Nocturnals. Not even Noxs influence can mask their presence in the Loom of Fate from the frustrated Pattern Spiders.
They both gain an additional Paradox which cannot be lost
while both personalities remain.

well, including Orgiastic Fugitive Style, Swaying Grass Style,

and Mystifying Legerdemain Style. However, like the Lunar
Exalted, they are incapable of learning Sidereal Martial Arts
under any circumstances.

Whats Mine Is Yours Sacrifice

from the face of Creation, their native martial arts style is still
practiced. Known as the Flawless Jewel Style in Creation and
Autochthonia, Nocturnal Hero Style condenses the precision
and expert timing of the Heralds and the Harlequins. The
movements of the Flawless Jewel are sharp and sudden. It is a
minimalist style that derives increasing complexity from building upon and combining relatively simple katas.

Nocturnal Exalted may learn this style as natural
Charms, and may create and learn new Charms to expand
upon the basic principles of the core style presented here (see
p. 98). Others who can learn Celestial Martial Arts may learn
this style as well, substituting the Dexterity requirement for
an equivalent Martial Arts requirement. As an exception to
this general rule, the Lunar Exalted may learn this style using
only their natural Dexterity and the Nocturnals may learn
Lunar Hero Style in the same fashion. However, neither may
learn the expansion Charms of the other, except in situation
mimicking the Eclipse anima power.

Weapons and Armor: Nocturnal Hero Style requires
unhindered movement, and may only be practiced in armor
with a Mobility Penalty of -0. As form weapons it employs the
cestus, the iron boot, knives, and their artifact equivalents.

Complimentary Abilities: The precision necessary to
practice this style demands expert hand-eye coordination. Beings who do not learn this style with a Dexterity requirement
also require at least Awareness 2 in addition the Martial Arts
minimum.

Cost: (1wp); Mins: Stamina 4, Essence 3;

Type: Permanent
Keywords: Obvious
Duration: Duration
Prerequisite Charms: Imaginary Friend Dialogue

Though each has its own Fate, the Exalt and his alter-ego
share one body, transformed though it may be. This Charm
allows the dominant personality to pass physical harm onto
the other personality by spending a willpower during Step 10
of combat resolution. Depending on how the two personalities feel about one another this may be perceived as the other
jumping into the way of the attack, the dominant personality
dodging so that the attack strikes the alternate behind him,
apathetic happenstance causing harm to a bystander the
dominant personality barely knew, and so on. From the perspective of others, the dominant personality absorbs the damage as though there were none. If the submissive personality
possesses Charms that could perfectly defend against such attacks, mitigate levels of damage, or stop other harmful effects
such as poisons or diseases, he may use them; otherwise he
accepts whatever effects the dominant personality would have
suffered in Step 10. Though alter-egos may use this Charm
they do so sparingly and only when they know the Exalt is
unlikely to die. The alter-ego intrinsically knows that if the
Exalt dies, so will he.

Additionally, during a Renewal, the player may elect
to transfer primary agency to the alter-ego, destroying the
original character completely. The alter-ego assumes the role
of the Exalt with Alliance of the Alter-Ego and all subsequent
known Charms passing to him, immediately gains the difference between his experience and that of the original, and
generates a new alter-ego.

Swallowing the Lotus Root, Redux

The Nocturnal Exalted may also learn the Charm
Swallowing the Lotus Root, as per the description of the
Charm in Scroll of Errata. Among the Nocturnals, it
is called Faceted-Lotus Enlightenment. This Charm
requires Martial Arts 5, Essence 2 and permanently reduces the cost of Terrestrial Martial Arts Charms to 5xp
(4xp if Martial Arts if favored). It has no prerequisite
Charms.

SUPERNATURAL
MARTIAL
ARTS

The Nocturnal Exalted does not possess any Martial

Arts Style unknown to rest of Creation. Their Hero Style has

lingered in the memories of the Sidereal cousins, and they
have not invested time into the creation of new styles since
their return. They are Celestial Exalted, and thus may learn
any Celestial Martial Arts, provided they have a sifu willing
to instruct them in the techniques. There are several Terrestrial Martial Arts Styles that appeal to the Harlequins as

162

N
octurnal Hero Style

Though the Nocturnal Exalted have long been banished

Crystallize Kata Insights

Cost: 4m; Mins: Dexterity 2, Essence 2;

Type: Reflexive (Step 1 or Step 2)
Keywords: Combo-OK, Enhanced
Duration: One Scene
Prerequisite Charms: None

Sizing up his foe, the Nocturnals movements become
finely tuned to defeat any maneuver. When activating this
Charm, the Exalt selects an opponent he can perceive.
Against that foes attacks he adds +1 to his unarmed Parry DV
and, when his DV refreshes, he gains three dice as though he
had taken an Aim action against that foe. She may use these
immediately or hold them in reserve as she sees fit, but any
remaining dice are lost when her DV refreshes and replaced
with new dice. She may not exceed 3 Aim dice unless permitted by some other effect.

Enhancement: The Nocturnal may reflexively reassign
the target of this Charm once when her DV refreshes but
before she gains Aim dice.

Diamond Fist Atemi

Cost: 2m; Mins: Dexterity 3, Essence 2;

Type: Reflexive (Step 1)
Keywords: Combo-OK, Enhanced
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Crystallize Kata Insights

As the jeweler refines the stone into a lavish gem, the
strikes of a Nocturnal chip away at her foes exterior to reveal
what hides beneath. An unarmed attack supplemented by
this Charm is considered Piercing and may allow the Exalt to
perform a coup de grace (Exalted, p. 152) as though they were
bladed weapons without incurring a -1 External Penalty.

Hero Styles Redux

Among some players, a popular alternative to learning native Martial Arts Charms in lengthy trees is to allow
Exalts of the appropriate type to learn them in short clusters. With Storyteller approval the following Charms possess
different prerequisite Charms as an Enhanced effect. If Storytellers allow for this option, they should be sure to permit
similar Hero Style restructuring for all Exalts. Even if the Exalt possesses Fivefold Faceted Strike through these altered
prerequisites, she is still required to learn all nine Charms of Nocturnal Hero Style before she is considered to have
mastered it as a Celestial Martial Arts style.

Jewelers Expert Defense:
Prerequisite Charms: Crystallized Kata Insights

Diamond Cuts Topaz:
Prerequisite Charms: Diamond Fist Atemi

Chisel Removes Flaws:
Prerequisite Charms: Crystallized Kata Insights

Tumbling Gemstone Counter:
Prerequisite Charms: Jewelers Expert Defense

Fivefold Faceted Strike:
Prerequisite Charms: Diamond Cuts Topaz

Enhancement: The Nocturnal increases the duration
of this Charm to One Action and allows her to parry lethal
damage barehanded for its duration. This Charm may also be
activated defensively in Step 2.

Falling Hammer Mastery

Cost: 1m; Mins: Dexterity 3, Essence 2;

Type: Supplemental
Keywords: Combo-OK, Enhanced
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Crystallize Kata Insights

As surely as night falls at the end of the day, the Heralds
foe will be laid out before her. This Charm supplements an
unarmed Sweeping Attack (Exalted, p. 153) and removes the
associated -2 Accuracy penalty. The difficulty to resist knockdown is increased the difficulty to resists knockdown by the
Exalts Essence.

Enhancement: This Charm is a Permanent upgrade of
the Exalts capabilities becoming Cost: , Type: Permanent,
Keywords: Enhanced; Duration: Permanent.

Nocturnal Hero Form

Cost: 6m; Mins: Dexterity 4, Essence 2;

Type: Simple
Keywords: Combo-Basic, Enhanced, Form-Type, Obvious
Duration: One Scene
Prerequisite Charms: Diamond Fist Atemi, Falling Hammer
Mastery

The Nocturnals every kata is expertly guided to maximize its lethal potential. Her staccato movements occur so
swiftly she appears to run and strike in a series of distinct
poses rather with natural fluidity. Her unnatural movements
increase the speed her own actions and prevents others from
properly gauging where she will be next. This reduces the
speed of her unarmed attacks by one, to a minimum of 3,
and imposes a -1 External Penalty on all incoming attacks
against her and on the Parry DVs of those she attacks. Additionally, when she activates this Charm and whenever her
DV refreshes, she gains one Aim die against all opponents,
following the same rules as Crystallize Kata Insights.

Dynamic Form Transition: The martial artist may reflexively assume Nocturnal Hero Form whenever he successfully
strikes a target with an unarmed attack which benefited from
at least three Aim dice. This is in addition to standard Dynamic Form Transitions common to all styles.

Enhancement: This Charm gains the Calibration-OK
keyword, which adds an additional Dynamic Form Transition
opportunity. The Harlequin may reflexively assume Nocturnal Hero Style whenever he successfully parries an attack
unarmed during Calibration.

Jewelers Expert Defense

Cost: 4m; Mins: Dexterity 4, Essence 2;

Type: Reflexive (Step 2)
Keywords: Combo-OK, Obvious
Duration: One Scene
Prerequisite Charms: Nocturnal Hero Form

The Exalts fine aim may be translated into a skillful defense. Knowing the precise movements of a select opponent,
she positions her own body precisely to shield herself from
the attack. This Charm grants +(2 + Aim dice accumulated
against the attacker) to her unarmed Parry DV as though it
were a bonus from a shield. If this defense is insufficient to
block the attack, she loses one Aim die accumulated against
her attacker.

Enhancement: While this Charm is active and provides
a bonus of 3+ to her DV, she may declare a perfect parry in
Step 2 of combat resolution, completely negating the attack.
Doing so deactivates this Charm and causes her to lose all accumulated Aim dice as a unique Flaw of Invulnerability. Used
in this fashion, Jewelers Expert Defense cannot be activated
again during this scene.

Diamond Cuts Topaz

Cost: 5m, 1wp; Mins: Dexterity 4, Essence 2;

Type: Simple (Speed 3, DV -0)
Keywords: Combo-OK, Crippling, Enhanced
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Nocturnal Hero Form

Faster than the eye can blink, the Nocturnal strikes
at her targets vital organs. Her fists cut like knives and her
kicks crack bone like hammers. Her foe is left broken and
disfigured by the critical blow. This Charm is an unarmed
attack which inflicts Lethal damage. Additionally, the Exalt
effectively reduce one of her targets Attributes by one, to
a minimum of one, as a Crippling effect if she inflicts any
damage. While this does not remove access to Charms her
target might otherwise qualify for via that Attribute, it does
lower the Attribute for all other purposes. She must declare
which Attribute she wishes to damage in Step 1 and strike
accordingly. For example, while fighting another Nocturnal
Hero Stylist with this Charm, she might attempt to crippler
her opponents Dexterity by striking pressure points and
numbing the opponents body. The opponents Dexterity effectively drops to 3, limiting the number of dice he can add to
his martial arts attacks without spending willpower, but does
not prevent him attempting to us this Charm on her as well.

Enhancement: If this attack is supplemented by
Diamond Fist Atemi, it ignores armor completely rather than
becoming Piercing.

Chisel Removes Flaws

Cost: 5m; Mins: Dexterity 5, Essence 2;

Type: Reflexive (Step 10)

Chapter Five Charms

163

Keywords: Combo-OK, Enhanced

Duration: One Scene
Prerequisite Charms: Nocturnal Hero Form

The Nocturnal is a flawless gem. With each strike her
foes land against her, her skills only improves. The Exalt may
activate this Charm whenever damage is inflicted on her by
another being. When she attacks another being that has inflicted damage on her this scene, she ignores Wound Penalties
and adds the penalty she would have received as Aim dice on
the first attack she makes against the character each Action.

Enhancement: The Nocturnal applies these Aim dice to
all attacks made against any being who has inflicted damage
on her this scene.

opposes the teaching of unapproved styles in the Realm and

beyond, the monks tend turn a blind eye to this style, seeing it
little more than cheap parlor tricks meant to amuse the crowd
rather than a rival path to enlightenment or a serious threat
in battle.

The techniques of Mystifying Legerdemain Style are a
closely guarded trade secret. Only those within the profession,
or those deeply familiar with esoteric martial arts, will even
recognize these techniques as a coherent martial art style.
Though an Air-aspected Style, it is rarely practiced by the
Dragon-blooded, except for an odd Outcaste who has picked
it up running cons in back alleys or to amaze his audience.

Weapons and Armor: The weapons of the magician
are his wide assortment of props, with which he may make
Tumbling Gemstone Counter
unarmed attacks. These are most often treated as improvised
Cost: 5m; Mins: Dexterity 5, Essence 3;
weapons, but some of the most common props may use the
Type: Reflexive (Step 9)
traits of Sticks, Batons, Chakrams, or Windfire Wheels. ArtiKeywords: Combo-OK, Counterattack, Enhanced
fact equivalents are also permitted.
Duration: One Scene

Complimentary Abilities: The magician must be able
Prerequisite Charms: Jewelers Expert Defense, Diamond to feign mystical knowledge while performing his sleight of
Cuts Topaz, Chisel Removes Flaw
hand. This Style requires Occult 1 and Larceny 2, in addition

The Nocturnal never troubles herself between choosing to martial arts training.
to fight or choosing to flee. With this Charm she strikes a
perfect balance. After defending herself with a dodge or an Magicians Charming Feint
unarmed parry, the Harlequin recoils away from her attacker Cost: 2m; Mins: Martial Arts 2, Essence 1;
and slashes or kicks as final departing gesture. She may make Type: Reflexive (Step 1)
a single unarmed attack her attacker, while simultaneously Keywords: Combo-OK
moving (Dexterity + Martial Arts) yards in any direction. This Duration: Instant
may break a flurry if her attacker is unable to keep pace.
Prerequisite Charms: None

Enhancement: The Nocturnals movement becomes
With a smile and a flourish, the magician knows how
increasingly attuned to her foes attacks. Until the end of the to distract her audience. How much easier, in the midst of
Tick, she gains a cumulative -1m discount for each previous battle, to distract her foe. The martial artist performs a feat
time she activated this Charm in response to the same op- intended to catch the eye of her opponent with one hand,
ponent. With Essence 4+, all participants in a Coordinated at- while making an unarmed attack with the other. This adds
tack against her count as the same opponent for the purposes two dice to such an attempt at a surprise attack. Alternatively,
of this Charm.
the martial artist may activate this Charm to distract from
another beings attack, granting that being the two dice bonus
Fivefold Faceted Strike
instead.
Cost: 10m, 1wp; Mins: Dexterity 5, Essence 4;
Type: Simple (Speed 4, DV -1)
Empty Palm Deception
Keywords: Combo-OK, Enhanced, Obvious
Cost: 3m; Mins: Martial Arts 3, Essence 1;
Duration: Instant
Type: Simple
Prerequisite Charms: Tumbling Gemstone Counter
Keywords: Combo-OK, Illusion, Touch

The jeweler does not create his masterpiece with a single Duration: (Martial Arts) Actions
stroke of his hammer and chisel. It is a delicate procedure Prerequisite Charms: Magicians Charming Feint
requiring concentration, calculated precision, and time.
The magicians empty hand hides many things. Her
For the Exalt, two of the three will suffice. This Charm is audience marvels as she makes items disappear and reappear
an unarmed attack against an opponent against whom she before their very eyes. Her enemies will be somewhat less
has accumulated at least one die from an Aim Action. She amused by her tricks. Holding a form weapon no larger than
appears to split into a fractured image surrounding her foe, her forearm in at least one dimension, the martial artist actieach version of herself tinted with a slightly different color vates this Charm and causes the item to disappear. Anyone
as though she were light refracted by a prism and each posed whose Dodge Mental Defense Value is less than the magicians
for a unique strike. To this attack she adds a number of au- (Martial Arts + Essence) sees the object disappear, though it is
tomatic successes equal to the combined Rate of her readied still held by the magician. Anyone under the influence of this
weapons. For the purposes of this Charm, her Punch and Illusion suffers a -1 external penalty to his attempt to discern
Kick attacks are always considered readied, even if she holds the magicians surprise attack while the weapon is hidden. At
another weapon. If the attack is successful, the Exalt multiples the very instant of the attack, the weapon is finally revealed,
the levels of damage inflicted in Step 10 by (1 + Aim dice ending the Charm.
enhancing the attack).

Enhancement: Upon activating this Charm, the Exalt Shattered Expectations
may sacrifice any number of Aim dice, to a minimum of one, Cost: 2m; Mins: Martial Arts 3, Essence 1;
to reduce the cost of this Charm by two motes for every die Type: Reflexive (Step 10)
Keywords: Combo-OK, Illusion, Obvious
forfeited.
Duration: (Martial Arts) Actions
ystifying egerdemain tyle
Prerequisite Charms: Magicians Charming Feint

This style is popular among the entertainers of the more
When parchment is burned, it must surely turn to ash.
civilized areas of the Threshold. While the Immaculate Order When the mirror is struck, it must surely shatter. Not so when

164

the magician performs such a feat! To play with her audiences

expectations and defy them is the magicians greatest art.
When she damages an object, the martial artist may activate
this Charm and choose which Illusion will enhance the act.
She may either obscure the damage, making the object appear
whole; or she may negate all the damage she just inflicted
while maintaining the expected appearance of destruction.
In either case, the Illusion affects all observers with Dodge
MDVs less than the magicians (Martial Arts + Essence).

Mystifying Legerdemain Form

Cost: 5m; Mins: Martial Arts 4, Essence 2;

Type: Simple
Keywords: Form-Type, Illusion, Obvious
Duration: One Scene
Prerequisite Charms: Empty Palm Deception, Shattered
Expectations

Adopting this form, the magician takes a single step forward and bows impressively. When the magician wishes, she
may obscure her movement with an Illusion, affecting those
with Dodge MDVs less than her (Martial Arts + Essence).
To those affected, the magician moves in an Obvious puff
of colored smokepreventing affected beings from detecting
any other Obvious effect influencing her movement or targeting her with a Blockade Movement action. Additionally, the
magician may now treat playing cards as shurikens. Finally,
the magicians unarmed Parry Defense Value is increased by
one for the each dot of Magnitude that would be possessed
by a unit comprised solely of beings currently under the influences of at least one of her Illusions.

Unwilling Volunteer Levitation

Cost: 5m; Mins: Martial Arts 5, Essence 2;

Type: Supplemental
Keywords: Combo-OK, Knockdown, Obvious
Duration: (Martial Arts) Actions
Prerequisite Charms: Mystifying Legerdemain Form

A favored trick of the magician is to cause an assistant or
a volunteer from the audience to appear to levitate. With this
Charm, the martial artist may perform a similar trick, even
with unwilling participants. This Charm enhances an unarmed attack. The victim must always check for Knockdown
if the attack is successful, with an increased difficulty for each
in-Style Illusion the target currently suffers. If the target fails
the roll, he falls back but never strikes the ground. Instead
he is suspended in mid-air, one yard off the ground. Each
subsequent action until he rises from prone, the martial artist

may cause the target to rise up to (Martial Arts) additional

yards. If the target rises from prone before the Charm ends,
he arrives safely on the ground. Otherwise, the magician may
choose whether he plummets dangerously or lands safely.

Vivid Escapism

Cost: 4m; Mins: Martial Arts 5, Essence 2;

Type: Reflexive
Keywords: Combo-OK, Obvious
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Mystifying Legerdemain Form

The audience loves a thrill and few tricks are more
exciting than a death-defying escape. With this Charm the
magician may use the higher of her Martial Arts or Larceny
to escape restraints or a clinch. Additionally, the more elaborate the trap the more spectacular the escape. The martial
artist gains an automatic success on her attempt to escape
restraint for each layer of restraint currently placed upon her.
For example, if she is shackled, bound with rope, and locked
in a chest, she gains three automatic successes on attempting
to escape whichever layer of restrain she chooses first, two
successes for the second, and one on the final. In the case
of clinches, she gains an automatic success for each dot of
Strength her opponent has in excess of her own. In either
case, this bonus cannot exceed her Essence.

Smoke and Mirrors Mastery

Cost: (+1m); Mins: Martial Arts 5, Essence 3;

Type: Permanent
Keywords: Form-Enhancing
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: Unwilling Volunteer Levitation, Vivid
Escapism

The magician knows how to manipulate the crowd to
reinforce her Illusions. The audience believes what they wish
to believe, and they wish to believe whatever the magicians
tells them they should. This Charm permanently enhances
Mystifying Legerdemain Form. While active, all in-Style Illusions increase the willpower required to resist them from one
to either the current bonus the magician is receiving to her
unarmed Parry DV from the Form or the number of concurrent in-Style Illusions influencing the target, whichever is
higher.

Additionally, the duration of all in-Style Illusions is extended to the duration of the Mystifying Legerdemain Form.
Finally, Shattered Expectations may be applied to beings and
Unwilling Volunteer Levitation may be applied to objects.

Chapter Five Charms

165

Chapter Six

The Miracles of Night

As they return from their long absence, the Harlequins
quickly make a name for themselves as twisters of reality.
Those in Creation marvel at these Nocturnal miracles, while
the Bureau of Destiny is shaken by the dramatic nature of the
Harlequins art. What unknown magic could possibly cause
such tangles in Fate?

FLUCTUATIONS
What Fluctuations Are

Nox and the Great Maker granted the Nocturnal Exalted the
power to enact Fluctuations on reality. This power resembles
that formerly possessed by the Onyx Youth to reveal the
will of the Primordials, but differs in the particulars of its
application. The methods by which this is accomplished is
the manipulation of Loom of Fate through nine metaphysical
Domains underlying the nature of reality. Just as the twentyfive Colleges of Astrology are tied to specific areas of study,
the nine Domains are associated with the nine primal skills
possessed by all beings. As such they are divided into Physical,
Social, and Mental Domains. To Nocturnal scholars, these
divisions are known as the Three Columns.
These scholars also refer to three Tiers, which contain one
Domain from each Column. These are known as the Tiers of
Material, Method, and Product. While Columns determine
in which medium of the Fluctuation may be worked, the Tiers
govern the particular manner in which the Fluctuation takes
shape. The precise nature of each Domain will be discussed
shortly.

166

How They Work

Fluctuations tamper with and overwrite the usual functionality of Fate and the record of causality it keeps. As such
they only work where the Loom of Fate governs the nature of
reality. Performing a Fluctuation is a simple process compared
to Astrology. The Harlequin need not plot or plan, pray or
petition. She simply wills reality to be other than it is. She
determines what manner of the Fluctuation she wishes to
achieve, spends a temporary Willpower, and rolls (Willpower
+ Domain) as a Simple Action (Speed 6, DV -1). During Calibration, the Nocturnal adds her Essence to the roll.

All Fluctuations are Shaping effects and may be defended against as such. They are also Suspicious if successful.
However, they are always noticeable. When the Storyteller
rolls a die for the Suspicious effect, treat all 10s as 1s. Fluctuations may only target a Nocturnal or mundane beings,
objects, and locations within Fate (though it can produce
loyalty to a god, plans for artifacts, maps to manses, etc.), and
have a base difficulty of three. Additional levels of difficulty
are determined by the nature of the desired Fluctuation.

The effects of a Fluctuation lasts until the end of the
scene, and the Harlequin may perform only one successful
Fluctuation or Flux-keyword Charm per scene, excluding
the use of specialized Charms to perform others. When the
Fluctuation succeeds, it exerts an Illusion upon all witnesses
whose Dodge MDV is less than the Harlequins (Temporary
Willpower + Domain). This Illusion causes affected beings to
accept the new reality as though it had always been so, filling

in details in their memories as needed. Mortals may not resist

this unnatural mental influence, but magical beings may do
so by spending three willpower. They need only do so once
per scene, regardless of the number of Fluctuations created.

To those unaffected by the Illusion, and to everyone
once the scene has resolved, the Fluctuation itself is Obvious. The Harlequin, her peers, and her Sidereal companion
are automatically immune to the Fluctuations Illusion. The
Fluctuation itself is not an Illusion; it is the new state of reality.

When the Fluctuation ends, the Harlequin gains a number of Paradox dice equal to the difficulty of the Fluctuation.
Reality reverts to its previous condition, except for any changes
wrought by the consequences of the Fluctuation while not
being part of the Fluctuation itself. The sword vanishes, but
the wound remains; the insult still stings even after hatred has
turned back to love.

What They Do

Each Domain belongs to both a Column and Tier,
which together determine the nature of the Domain itself and
what manipulation of that Domain can accomplish. Physical
Domains alter the physical elements of a scene, such as the
scenery, the bodies of beings, or the tools and weapons they
carry.Social Domains alter the social paradigms governing the
scene, frequently imitating Emotion effects by altering Intimacies. Mental Domains alter the information causing or caused
by the scene, often resembling Illusion effects by altering how
a being perceives reality or by effectively adding or subtracting
dice from rolls to represent new or lost knowledge. The Material Domains add and subtract whatever the Domain alters;
the Method Domains vary the subject by degrees without
creating or eliminating it; the Product Domains explore the
long-term consequences of such alterations, extrapolating
futures and speculating upon alternate pasts and presents.

The Exalt manipulates only one Domain at a time, but
often multiple Domains actually participate in the results of
the Fluctuation. For example, if the Exalt wishes to use a Fluctuation to add a book to a particular scene, he may determine
its physical characteristics using the Stone or its informational
content using the Clay as his primary focus, which determines
the difficulty of the action. Whichever is not the focus of the
action is left to the Storyteller to determine, though the Exalt
may influence that decision with a 2+ die stunt defining the
remaining qualities.

What They Look Like

To those affected by the Illusion side-effect, a Fluctuation simply is and always has been. Those who see through
the initial Illusion recognize the Fluctuation as an artificial
imposition upon reality and can observe it taking shape.
Reality appears to flicker as the Nocturnal performs the Fluctuation, successful or not. Threads of Fate become visible for
an instant the Nocturnal attempts to weave them into a new
shape. Should he fail, this momentary error is all anyone will
see.

However, if the Nocturnal succeeds, the reality of the
scene unravels. From the perspective of each observer, Creation fades away beginning with distant objects and sweeping
rapidly toward the witness. After an instant in a blank void,
the observer beholds the Nocturnals new reality sweep out
from them. Building seems to unfold from their lower floors,
trees sprout fully formed from intertwining Fate, and rivers
seem to race along their newly woven banks toward the horizon. Though it may appear to take several seconds, the actual
transformation occurs instantly.

Meanwhile, in the Loom of Fate

To those tending the Loom of Fate, a Fluctuation
appears quite differently than it does to those on the
ground. Potentially, an observer in the Loom could see
any Fluctuation occurring anywhere in Creation, not
just ones occurring in a particular scene. However, for
practical purposes, the sheer size of the Loom makes this
unlikely. Trivial Fluctuations manifest as slight tremors
in the Loom. They might shake a Pattern Spider who
happens to be standing near it, but a disruption of Fate
on that magnitude can barely be detected above the background noise. An Average Fluctuation shakes the Loom
with such force that it might knock numerous Pattern
Spiders off their feet. Such an event does not go without notice, but by the time they figure out exactly what
has happened, the Fluctuation usually have ended and
reality has conducted the necessary self-repairs. Anyone
in contact with the Loom of Fate will feel the powerful
tremors and aftershocks of a Dominant Fluctuation.
The boundary of such an event will almost certainly be
a tangled mass of Paradox. During a Total Fluctuation,
the Threads of Fate convulse and twist. The entire Most
Perfect Lotus of Heavenly Design trembles with enough
force to topple bookcases and bureaucrats alike. Events of
this magnitude always leave the Bureau of Destiny with a
considerable mess.

This dramatic display occurs only with the first successful Fluctuation in a given scene. Each subsequent Fluctuation
builds off the false reality already created. A single sword
flickers, unravels, and is rewoven into a hammer. A mortal
does likewise as her memories are twisted to the Nocturnals
desires.

While the Fluctuation itself is Obvious to those who
see through its initial Illusion, its nature is not necessary apparent. Creating a city were once stood a small forest village
will be immediately detected by all but the least observant.
Making a loving husband hate his wife, however, will not be
detected until the husband acts upon his new emotions.

At the end of the scene, all Fluctuations simultaneously
unravel and the true nature of reality reascerts itself. All observers witness this event in the same manner as the original
Fluctuation took shape.

Difficulty and Impossibility

The Difficulty of Fluctuations ranges on a scale from
Trivial to Total. Numerically, this begins at Difficulty 3 for
a Trivial Fluctuation and increases by three each step until
Difficulty 21 for a Total Fluctuation. What can be performed
at each level of difficulty varies depending upon the dominant
Domain being used. For examples of each Domain, see the
associated sidebars. If the Nocturnal attempts to directly affect
a heroic character, replace the difficulty of the Fluctuation
with the characters dodge MDV if higher than the normal
difficulty of the action.

Repeating a Fluctuation also increases its Difficulty by
+3, cumulatively, until the beginning of the next Calibration.
For example, the Harlequin may create a simple knife as a
Trivial Fluctuation, but recreating that same knife in a later
scene would increase the difficulty to a Minor Fluctuation.
Creating it for a third scene would increase it again to an
Average Fluctuation, and so on. A 2-dice stunt describing the
differences between the knives would bypass this increased
difficulty.

Chapter Six The Miracles

of

Night

167


Of course, there are some things that Fluctuations simply cannot do. The Nocturnal cannot create what currently exists, nor can he create what could never exist by the basic laws
of Creation. He can create a city in wilderness, but he cannot
create a duplicate of Nexus. He can, however, turn Nexus into
an alternate version of itself, if he performs his Fluctuation
within the city, or recreate a lost city from its ruins. Anything
lost to Oblivion is forever beyond the reach of the Nocturnals.
Likewise, the Harlequin must obey the fundamental laws of
physics. He can create rivers, but he cannot make them fly.
He can give insight into the construction of a mystical artifact,
but he cannot bottle the laughter of the innocent or freeze
heartache. Such whimsical things are the dominion of the
Fair Folk.

Finally, Fluctuations are never immediately fatal. The
Harlequin can make a sword and slay his enemy with it, but
he cannot make swords sprout instantly from his enemys
chest. He can swell a puddle into an ocean, but any prominent feature of the landscape, such as a city or manse will
appear as islands in that ocean rather than risk drowning their
inhabitants. He may reveal heartbreaking information, but he
can never compel someone to suicide. There is a strange loophole to this rule. The Harlequin can shape life from death
and death from life, but since this is the Fluctuation itself,
whatever he resurrected or killed in this manner returns
to its original state at the end of the scene.

The Stone

The Stone is the Physical, Material Domain. Manipulation of the Stone allows the Harlequin to create and eliminate
aspects of the scene determined purely by the qualities of their
physical existence. With this Domain, the Exalt may carve
canyons, erect buildings, generate bodies, and create objects.
She may create villages in the wilderness complete with villagers, and though she can eat their food for sustenance, if she
were to sell items to those people their money vanishes along
with them at the end of the scene and items sold to them are
left behind. Conversely, the wounds and infection caused by
a rabid dog created with the Stone remain even after the dog
has vanished as those are consequences rather than an aspect
of what was created by the Fluctuation.

Dominant (18):

A minor city, an ancient forest full of

wild beasts, a large harbor, a tornado,
a vast herd of bison, a 100-cart caravan
and guards, an earthquake.

Total (21):

A major city, a seemingly endless forest

teeming with life, an ocean, a powerful
hurricane, a well armed and fully complimented legion.

The Chisel

The Chisel is the Physical, Method Domain. Manipulation of the Chisel allows the Harlequin to delicately or dramatically alter the characteristics of physical elements already
present in the scene. A light drizzle might become a heavy
downpour, a mountain could be shrunk to a hill, a tankard
of beer could be transformed into a goblet of wine. Additionally, this Domain may grant or remove physical mutations at
a minimum difficulty of three times the required mutation
points.

Chisel Difficulty
Trivial (3):

Salt water to fresh water, wheat to oats,

sandstone to limestone, cotton to linen,
remove scars, knife to stick, moving a
door a yard to the right.

Minor (6):

Water to cheap beer, hay to wheat, sandstone to sand, oak timber to balsa wood,
mare to stallion, cotton to hardened
leather, knife to sword, rain to snow,
unlocking a chest.

Average (9):

Water to wine, rocks to bread, streams

to rivers, raft to yacht, vendors cart to
market square, mare to cow, branch to
spear, a woman to a man, rearranging an
encampments defenses.

Major (12):

Rain puddle to lake, gentle rain to thunderstorm, a pony to warhorse, a club to

battering ram, a watchtower to citadel, a
man to a pig, a sparrow to a strix, moving a city a few miles.

Stone Difficulty
Trivial (3):

A knife, a cup of water, a subtle breeze, a

crumbling stone wall, a hedge, an insect
or small rodent.

Minor (6):

A bow or sword, personal armor, a well,

a strong wind, a peasants hovel, a stand
of trees, a dog.

Average (9):

A small village, a summer shower, fertile

pastureland, a small fishing boat, a great
cat, a horse.

Major (12):

A country estate, a large village, a heavy

snow storm, a well-stocked granary, a
tyrant lizard, crew for an average vessel,
a small pond.

Prominent (15): A grand palace, a thunderstorm, a fine

ship, a forest, an extravagant harem of
beautiful concubines, Armor and weapons for a personal guard, a rushing river.

168

Prominent (15): Water to potent medicine, a hobby horse

to a warhorse, a floating log to a trireme,
a statue to a real woman, a breeze to a
tornado, a hedge row to a cliff face,
redirecting the flow of a river.
Dominant (18):

A hornets nest to arboreal village, a

corpse to a living body, a monsoon to
morning dew, small village to walled city,
all the spoons in a city to swords for a legion, gently lapping waves into tsunami.

Total (21):

Sand dunes to mountain ranges, a brook

to a glacier, an irrigation ditch to canyon,
a minor cold to a sweeping epidemic,
raising or lowering sea levels, moving a
volcano to the horizon.

The Statue

The Statue is the Physical, Product Domain. Manipulation of the Statue allows the Harlequin to explore the consequences of altering physical elements of the scene. She could
reveal a ruined fortress in its prime, demonstrate how the

building of a dam will affect a riverside kingdom in 100 years,

or grant a battle favorable conditions by altering yesterdays
thunderstorm. By hypothetically altering the nature of a beings birth, this Domain may also great physical mutations,
just like the Chisel.

Statue Difficulty
Trivial (3):

How would I feel in an hour if I drank

that? What would have happened to me
today if I had worn my red shirt instead
of my blue shirt? What did this vase look
like before I dropped it a moment ago?

Minor (6):

What if we leave tomorrow morning

rather than tonight? What if it had
rained yesterday? Was this smoldering
ruin once a home?

Average (9):

What if there had been a month-long

drought? How will my crops fare in a
few weeks if I plant them now? What if
these two desiccated corpses had found
an oasis?

Major (12):

What if there had not been an outbreak

of cholera in the city last year? How will
this new irrigation system affect next
years harvest? Instead of dying in childbirth, what if this woman had never
become pregnant?

Prominent (15): What if an earthquake had not damaged

the citys wall ten years ago? Will this
mine still be producing ore in a decade?
How will these seedlings look as trees in
a few years?
Dominant (18):

Total (21):

The Silk

What if our ancestors had built this city

in the hill country instead of along the
river? How will this dam affect citizens
in seven generations? How would this
centuries-old road look if it had been
continuously maintained?
What if the Haltan forests had burned in
the First Age? How will a thousand years
of rain reshape this desert landscape?
What would this city look like had the
glaciers not rolled over it?

The Silk is the Social, Material Domain. Manipulation
of the Silk allows the Harlequin to add favorable social conditions and excise unwanted elements of society. Strangers
might become friends or enemies, laws may disappear, or
cities might spring up in the wilderness.

Silk Difficulty
Trivial (3):

Passing familiarity with another person,

a silly law everyone disregards if they
know about it at all, a style of pottery .

Minor (6):

Professional kindness, mild annoyance,

a known law that is rarely enforced, a
friendly hand gesture.

Average (9):

Friendship, rivalry, a law that rarely

impacts most people and low severity for
not adhering to it, a gossipy association
of weavers.

Major (12):

Infatuation, personal disgust, a law

that impacts many people but with low
severity for failing to adhere to it, a small
village.

Prominent (15): Romance, hatred, a law that most people

will not normally break but which carries severe punishment, a large village.
Dominant (18):

Abject loyalty, irrational fear, a law that

few can escape and which carries a severe
penalty for breaking, a small city.

Total (21):

National adoration, a prejudice throughout society, a core social value, a large

city.

The Needle

The Needle is the Social, Method Domain. Manipulation of the Needle allows the Harlequin to refine society to
her vision. She might alter the punishment for breaking laws
enforcing draconian measures or offering clemency as suits
her needsor might shift the balance of power by promoting
the prefects council to prominence.

Needle Difficulty
Trivial (3):

Fear to hatred, Bow to the magistrate

to Wave to the magistrate, tavern to
tea house.

Minor (6):

Fear to annoyance, Under penalty of

death by immolation to Under penalty of death by hanging, tavern to inn,
nomads to villagers.

Average (9):

Fear to derision, The eldest son shall

inherit to the eldest daughter shall
inherit, a tavern to a brothel, refugees
to citizens

Major (12):

Fear to friendship, Bow to the magistrate to The magistrate bows to all

citizens, tavern to shrine, slave to free
man.

Prominent (15): Personal fear to societys prejudice, Under penalty of death to Under penalty
of a small fine, tavern to local seat of
government, unsung hero to national
icon.
Dominant (18):

Personal fear to national panic, midnight

curfew to martial law, tavern to national
capitol, roving barbarians to major city

Total (21):

Personal fear to national pastime, Under penalty of death to Reward with

a large bounty, lonely tavern to major
city, national icon to most hated man in
the country.

The Cloak

Chapter Six The Miracles

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169


The Cloak is the Social, Product Domain. Manipulation
of the Cloak allows the Harlequin to demonstrate the consequences of social change. She may show what society would be
like today if the governor had freed the slaves two generations
ago, or how the nation would fare in three years if it went to
war today.

Cloak Difficulty
Trivial (3):

Minor (6):

Would she have gone home with me if

I had said? What would happen if I
disobeyed that sign?
What if we had had that party last night
after all? How would the crowd react if I
came back tomorrow and punched this
guy?

Average (9):

How will this social faux pas affect next

weeks election? What if different elders
had been chosen for last months council?

Major (12):

Will this marriage last a year? Was last

years Sun Festival worth the investment?

A memory of a dream, a minor detail

easily overlooked, experiences from an
uneventful day during childhood, the
orphaned punchline to a bad joke, the
answer to a common riddle

Minor (6):

A copy of a daily newsletter, a memory

from a drunken night, a common recipe,
the plotline of a popular tale.

Average (9):

A common book for the layman, the

memory of an average day, a casual
observation, a petty personal secret, a
well-known and lengthy story.

Major (12):

The knowledge of a tradesmans apprentice, the memory of a notable event,

an unusual observation, the answers to
an important exam, a severe personal
secret, the chemical formula for firedust,
granting a person a new sense equivalent
to mutations such as Shark Sight or
Sonar.

Prominent (15): How far would society have fallen if the

barbarians had successfully invaded in
the last decade? Will this treaty benefit
the next generation?

Prominent (15): The knowledge of a well-educated tradesman, the memory of a traumatic event,
an observation of immediate danger, the
solution to a scientific or mathematical
problem as yet unsolved by anyone.

Dominant (18):

What if we had abolished slavery when

our ancestors first settled this land after
the Balorian Crusades? How will this
law affect the next seven generations?

Dominant (18):

Total (21):

Will my kingdom last a thousand years?

What if the Cult of Isbarnul chosen
a single successor after the fall of the
Deliberative?

Complete mastery of a field of study,

someones personal history, a closely
guarded national secret, a revolutionary
and sweeping theory, a lost text of which
only one copy was ever known.

Total (21):

A branch of mathematics, a fundamental fact of nature, a basic mode of

expression such as Language or Music.

The Clay

The Clay is the Mental, Material Domain. Manipulation
of the Clay allows the Harlequin to grant wisdom or ignorance
as she pleases. She may rob a mind of its memories or inspire
another with brilliance. Like all Mental Domains, this affects
only knowledge of subjectsnot the subjects themselves. The
Exalt may cause a being to forget that there are differences
between men and women, but men and women are still physically different. Fluctuations of this Domain almost always
affect minds directly, but can also be used to create manifestations of information, such as books. Finally, it is important
to note that information known to one person is consider
different from information known to another person, even
if the information is otherwise the same, for the purposes
of determining whether the Exalt is creating something that
already exists. In other words, a Harlequin can cause a new
apprentice to gain knowledge equivalent to his master, even
though his master already has that knowledge as well. The
Harlequin may add or remove such knowledge by adding
or removing one Specialty as an Average Fluctuationeach
additional dot of Specialty added or removed increases the
difficulty by +3.

Clay Difficulty

170

Trivial (3):

The Stylus

The Stylus is the Mental, Method Domain. Manipulation of the Stylus allows the Harlequin to confound her
enemies and nudge her allies on the appropriate path. She
might alter the details of a memory or refine elements of a
theory.

Stylus Difficulty
Trivial (3):

Confusing details of hazily remembered

events, switching addresses of nearby
locations, mixing up names of recent acquaintances, misidentifying very similar
things, tweaking the headline of a local
pamphlet, making small corrections to a
mathematical proof, changing the way
information is stored such as turning
scrolls into folded codices.

Minor (6):

Average (9):

Major (12):

Confusing details of mundane but otherwise easily remembered events, switching the names of small towns or city
districts, mixing up the names of friends
and family members, misidentifying related but dissimilar things such as a strix
and a sparrow, rewriting a chapter of a
history text so that events occurred in
different places or with different people
involved, mildly impairing* a single
sense.
Confusing details of prominent events
in a beings life such as a wedding or the
birth of a child, changing the name of a
city, mixing up the name of friend and
enemies, misidentifying things that are
only trivially related such as a shrike for
the Five Metal Shrike, turning a zoology
text into a botany text, mildly impairing
all senses or severely impairing** one.
Confusing details of prominent motivating memories in a beings life such as the
name of her fathers murderer, changing
the name of nation, augmenting a sense
to a superhuman version of it such as
hearing to Sonar, changing the language
a person speaks, causing warnings to
be misheard as welcomed news such as
Bear loose in the menagerie! to Free
beer in the menagerie!

Prominent (15): Altering the details of widely taught

history within a nation, rewriting all the
books in a library or all the pamphlets
distributed in a city, improving the techniques of single professional class such
as craftsmen or doctors, changing the
plans for fireworks into plans for a Soul
Breaker Orb.
Dominant (18):

Total (21):

Altering every memory a person has

while still retaining their core identity,
rewriting information about a nations
history until it is no longer recognizable
by its citizens, changing the language a
nation speaks, turning schematics for
a Directional Titan into a recipe for
chocolate desserts.
Effectively swapping minds between
individuals, making a population relate
information in an inhuman way such as
dancing rather than speaking, overturning demonstrable theories such as the
Daystar circling Creation, adjusting the
perceptive capabilities of a species so
that it is blind to mundane reality.

The Tablet is the Mental, Product Domain. Manipulation of the Tablet allows the Harlequin to make the consequences of information manifest. She may reveal the path of
the future if a young inventors discovery is made public, what
the present might be like if the wisdom of the ancients had
not be lost, or show a king precisely what his actions had been
had he known then what he knows now.

Tablet Difficulty
Trivial (3):

What if he had known the actual odds

before making this bet? Could I make it
across this courtyard if the guards were
looking away right now?

Minor (6):

How would the general fare in tomorrows battle if he studies this chapter
from The Thousand Correct Actions
tonight? Would the patient have been
saved if she were correctly diagnosed
yesterday?

Average (9):

If the people had known what their prefect was up to last month, would he still
be power? How much will we learn from
a month-long census of the city?

Major (12):

Would the council have declared war last

year if they had known the truth? What
will happen to the tribe next winter if
the shaman fails to pass on his secrets to
his apprentice?

Prominent (15): What if the founders of this town had

known about the devastating flooding
every generation? If this baby is taught
his fathers trade, will he be successful
as an adult?
Dominant (18):

What if this historic manor had been

built with modern techniques? How will
this scholars works be remembered in a
hundred years?

Total (21):

While if the mortal inspectors of Hollow had solved their final murder case
before the Usurpation? Will reading this
cursed text help me protect Creation for
the entirety of my Exalted lifespan?

F
luctuation Charms

The Nocturnals have developed various Charms to aug-

ment their Fluctuations or circumvent its basic limitations.

These Charms are typically generalized and ultimately all
derived from (Attribute) and (Domain) Unity (p. 85). A few
basic Fluctuation Charms are presented here. As always, players and Storytellers can cooperate to create more Charms as
their game requires. These Charms may be placed in Combos
as though they were Attribute Charms.

*Imposing a -1 Internal Penalty, may be increased by one Infinite Rejuvenating Possibilities
Cost: ; Mins: (Any Domain) 4, Essence 3;
for each +3 difficulty increase

**Imposing a -1 External Penalty, may be increased by Type: Permanent
Keywords: Native, Overdrive
one for each +3 difficulty increase
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: Any (Attribute) and (Domain) Unity
he ablet

Chapter Six The Miracles

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The Harlequin revels in possibility and delights in seeing the old cast aside for new realities. This Charm grants the
Exalt an Overdrive pool capable of holding ten motes. When
the Nocturnal performs a successful Fluctuation, she gains a
number of motes equal to base difficulty of the Fluctuation.
She may now also employ her offensive motes to fuel Charms
which enhance her Fluctuations.

With a second purchase at (any Domain) 5+, Essence
4+, the Harlequin also gains offensive motes equal to her
own rating in the relevant Domain whenever she witnesses
another Nocturnal perform a successful Fluctuation.

Fluctuation is relevant (even if the Nocturnal herself is not

present) she must make a Difficulty 6 (Domain + Willpower)
roll to maintain the Fluctuation, gaining three dice of Paradox
if successful.

Such long term Fluctuations are inherently unstable. If
the target is sapient and realizes that an alteration has been
made (an Intelligence + Integrity roll with a Difficulty of (8
[base Fluctuation Difficulty/3] when presented with conflicting evidence), the effect immediately terminates. Overcoming
the initial Illusion of the Fluctuation automatically terminates
extended Fluctuation if it has gone on longer than one Scene.
In other cases, the Fluctuation collapses when the majority of
Unflinching Will of the (Domain)
sapient witnesses overcome the initial Illusion.
Cost: 5m, 1wp; Mins: Domain 3, Essence 2;

This Charm may be repurchased at Essence 6+ to extend
Type: Reflexive
the Duration to One Month for an additiontal (+6m) and
Keywords: Combo-OK, Counterattack
again at Essence 8+ to extend the Duration to One Season
Duration: Instant
for (+12m, 1wp). A final purchase at Essence 10+ extends the
Prerequisite Charms: (Attribute) and (Domain) Unity
duration to one year at the same cost as the Essence 8+ up
Having recreated the world as she prefers, the Nocturnal grade. In any case, no Fluctuation survives past the last day of
does not wish to see it end prematurely. If another Nocturnal Calibration, automatically terminating this Charm at sunrise
performs a Fluctuation which alters one already created by the on the first day of the year.
Exalt, she may activate this Charm in response. She subtracts
her (Domain) rating, which must be the one initially used Essential Mastery of The (Domain)
to create the Fluctuation, from her antagonists successes. A Cost: ; Mins: Domain 4, Essence 3;
second purchase of this Charm at (Domain) 5+, Essence 3+ Type: Permanent
increases the minimum difficulty needed for the alteration Keywords: None
of her Fluctuation to the difficulty on her own. For example, Duration: Permanent
if the Nocturnal first makes an Average Fluctuation, and an- Prerequisite Charms: Playthings of the (Domain)
other wishes to alter it with a Trivial Fluctuation, the difficulty
The Nocturnals were made to fight along side their felon the Trivial Fluctuation increases to 9. This occurs before low Exalted, to inspire them to greatest and to reveal their
any other modification of the difficulty.
weaknesses before tragedy falls.Upon learning this Charm,
the Exalt may affect magical beings, objects, and locations
Playthings of The (Domain)
with Fluctuations of this Domainthough such Fluctuations
Cost: (1wp); Mins: Domain 4, Essence 3;
do not gain the benefits of this Charms prerequisite. AfType: Permanent
fected Exalts must have Essence less than the Nocturnals and
Keywords: None
the Harlequin can never create Exaltations (though she
Duration: Permanent
could create a new temporary host for a roaming Exaltation
Prerequisite Charms: (Attribute) and (Domain) Unity
as a Dominant Fluctuation). As a few examples, a Nocturnal

The Harlequin masters the creation alteration of her with this Charm could add a least god as a Trivial Fluctuaenvironment. Mundane reality bends easily to her will. This tion, transform a mundane sword into a Grand Daiklave as
Charm reduces the base difficulty of a Fluctuation by three an Average Fluctuation, or see what Creation would be like if
to a minimum of three, effectively making a Minor Fluctua- the Solars had learned of the Usurpation in advance as a Total
tion into a Trivial one, and so on. A second purchase of this Fluctuation.
Charm at Essence 5+ allows the Exalt to spend an additional
Magical beings without Shaping Defenses can resist the
willpower on her Fluctuation to add a number of automatic Nocturnals Fluctuation by spending willpower equal to half
successes equal to half her Domain, rounded up.
her Essence if they have seen through the initial Illusion. Also,
in the case of Fluctuation which mimic Emotion or Illusion
The (Domain) Imitates Reality
effects, magical beings can resist such actions as though they
Cost: 3m+, 1wp; Mins: Domain 5, Essence 5;
were those effects.Various other defenses may be applied as
Type: Simple
appropriate.
Keywords: Combo-OK, Flux
Duration: One Day
Undeniable Reality of The (Domain)
Prerequisite Charms: Unflinching Will of the (Domain), Cost: 4m, (1wp); Mins: Domain 3, Essence 2;
Playthings of The (Domain)
Type: Supplemental

Who would not be heartbroken to see her hard won Keywords: Combo-OK
alternate reality pass away, never to return. With this Charm, Duration: Instant
the Nocturnal desperately clings to her Fluctuation. Upon Prerequisite Charms: (Attribute) and (Unity) Domain
activating this Charm, she performs a Fluctuation as normal
Weaving a compelling reality, the Harlequin does not
and commits a number of motes equal to its difficulty for wish anyone to remember how things once were. In order to
the duration of the Charm. While the motes remained com- see through the initial Illusion of a Fluctuation crafted with
mitted, the Fluctuation does not terminate at the end of the this Domain and supplemented by this Charm, witnesses
Scene as usual but persists. The Exalt must commit a number require an MDV greater than the Nocturnals (Temporary
of motes equal to the difficulty of that Fluctuation itself Willpower + Domain + Essence). A second purchase of this
(three motes of a Trivial Fluctuation, six motes of a Minor Charm at Domain 4+, Essence 4+ allows the Nocturnal to
Fluctuation, etc.). However, she is considered to have already spend a willpower to increase by two (to a maximum of 5) the
performed a successful Fluctuation each scene this Charm willpower victims of the Illusion need to spend to overcome it.
remains active and at the beginning of any Scene in which the

172

Cascading (Domain) Completion

Cost: 9m; Mins: Domain 4, Essence 4;

Type: Simple (Speed 6+)
Keywords: Combo-OK
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: (Attribute) and (Unity) Domain

The Harlequin is not content to leave her vision half
finished. Having performed at least one successful Fluctuation earlier this scene, she may activate this Charm to perform
an additional Fluctuation with this Domain, so long as the
Fluctuation builds upon her current vision, such as building
a bridge over the river she just manifested into the Scene. The
Speed of this Charm increases by one tick for each previous
time the Exalt activated any version of Cascading (Domain)
Completion this Scene.

Fluctuations and the Fair Folk

As an exception to the general rule about not affecting
magical beings, the Nocturnals can use their Fluctuations in
Bordermarches and Middlemarches to engage the Raksha in
Shaping Combat. These Fluctuations must still interact with
beings, objects, and locations within Fate, and uses those elements of Creation against the Wyld narrative of the Raksha.
The Nocturnals Shaping attack is equal to (Domain + Temporary Willpower + [Essence/2]). Any Domain might be used for
any type of Shaping combat, so long as the Nocturnal employs
it within the theme of the combats dominant Grace. For
example, when engaging in Cup combat, she might use the
Needle to alter the emotional context of scene or the Clay to
grant answers to the Fair Folks riddles. She treats her MDV
as her Shaping Defense, adding +4 to her DV as her Celestial
birthright.

For damage, she employs (Domain + associated Attribute) to calculate the raw damage of her attacks, and she soaks
with her (Domain + Willpower). However, she does not have
Shaping Health Levels like the Raksha unless she has acquired
them through Charms. If she is defeated she suffers the same
fate as any Creationborn (see Graceful Wicked Masques, p.
126)

However, if she inflicts Shaping damage on the Fair
Folk she may chose to afflict damage to his Shaping Health
Levels or to his physical Health Levels. Filling all the Fair
Folks Shaping Health Levels allows the Harlequin to ravish,
incumber, snare, or vex the Fair Folk as appropriate for the
style of Shaping Combat. Physically killing a Fair Folk with
Shaping Combat causes it to immediately calcify. The Nocturnal decides which to affect in Step 1 of the attack.

NOCTURNAL GEOMANCY
Demesnes

Nocturnal demesnes are inherently unstable. The
Bound Gods essence does not permeate Creation as strong
as that of the other Incarnae. It pools into sunless regions to
form weak, temporary demesnes where the slightest geomantic alteration causes it to transform into a more stable form.
Most frequently, Nocturnal demesnes form in deep caverns,
beneath dense forest canopies, at the bottom of the sea or on
the ever-shadowed slopes of the extreme North and South.
In all these locations, elemental influences soon become
dominant. Only in the Firmament will Nocturnal demesnes
remain stable for more than year. Additionally, if a being attunes to the demesne without possessing a Nocturnal aspect,
his own essence trumps that of the Bound God, transforming
it accordingly. Should the Chosen of Nox rediscover their

birthright and claim one of these demesnes, the influence

of their essence is strong enough to stabilize the area once
attuned.

First Age geomancers knew of these demesnes. They
were a curiosity, considered to be rare aspect-less regions waiting to be flavored by another type of Essence. The Sidereal
Exalted in particular took interest in these areas when they
could be discovered. Nocturnal demesnes have been blotted
out of the Loom of Fate by Noxs influence, and so to the Sidereals eye they appear as errors to be corrected. Fortunately
for the Viziers, Nocturnal demesnes shift into Sidereal ones
with ease.

In addition to obscuring the area from Fate, a Nocturnal
demesne can be recognized by several characteristics. These
features might be naturally occurring, causing the demesne
to form around them, or they might be imposed by the magic
of demesnes essence permeating the region. The following
associations may influence the appearance and contents of
any Nocturnal demesne and manse built on them.

Nocturnal: night, darkness, dreams, sleep, possibility,
chance, choice, free will, independence, rebellion, lust, romance, memory, hindsight, anachronism, paradox, mystery,
surprises, vigilance, irreverence, youth, gambling, entertainment, nocturnal animals, simple geometric patterns, crystals,
onyx, crossroads, wishing wells, clear skies, indigo and sky
blue

Manses

The techniques necessary to cap Nocturnal demesnes
has been lost to Creation. Other architectural principles may
be applied to accelerate the transformation of these wild
card demesnes into an aspect appropriate for the manse. Few
Nocturnal manses managed to survive the Primordial War.

Manse Powers

Nocturnal Manses favor the following powers from
Oadenals CodexOutside of Fate (4), Wyld Revocation
(4), Alternative Locations (5)and Dynamic Architecture
(3) from Dreams of the First Age: Lords of Creation.
Even without acquiring the Outside of Fate power, Nocturnal manses are obscured from Fate so long as Nox is
in the Loom. This protection does not necessarily extend
to the contents and occupants of such manses.

Additionally, Nocturnal manses can also acquire
new four-point power.

Principality of Uncertainty

(Nocturnal Only)

Infused with Nocturnal essence, the manse banishes predestination. To live within its walls is a calculated
risk, for the geomancy of chance reigns. As a Shaping
effect, beings within the manse cannot employ Charms
and other powers that ensure automatic success or cause
automatic failures, unless there is an element of chance to
that powerfor example, a Chance-keyword Charm when
the player chooses to roll the Chance die). If a character
is able to use such powers within the manse (by having
Shaping Immunity), the power is rendered Obvious as
the rejected magic recoils. Only defensive powers, such
as Charms with a Flaw of Invulnerability, are immune
to this influence. If the manse is also Outside of Fate,
the influences of Sidereal Astrology and the Destiny
background are temporarily suspended inside the manse.

Chapter Six The Miracles

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173

Most were destroyed by overzealous Exalts who believed them

to be Primordial shrines.

Those that survived these early purges remain far beyond
the reach of humanity. The Darkbrood infest the Nocturnal
manses beneath the surface of Creation. The Pelagials have
recently rediscovered a badly damaged Nocturnal manse
built around a deep-sea vent. The majority of the remaining
Nocturnal manses can be found in the Caelian City itself with
a handful of others providing hearthstones for the Infinite
Reliquarys war against the Amber Legion.

Even the most unstable of Nocturnal demesnes can be
protected by capping it with a Nocturnal manse. A shadow
manse (Books of Sorcery, Volume III: Oadenals Codex, p.
59) will suffice to postpone the complete conversion of the
demesne for several years. Like other manses, the style of architecture of a Nocturnal manse reflects its aspect. Nocturnal
architecture tends toward eclecticism; it would not be the
Nocturnal way to stifle creativity with rigid paradigms. There
are, however, a few aesthetic choices, common themes, and
pragmatic functions particularly well-suited to Nocturnal
manses.

Nocturnal: Towers, ziggurats, fountains, observation
decks, vaulted ceilings, skylights, crystal decorations, colored
lights, chevrons, polished metal, sharp angles, sweeping
curves, ballrooms, museums, theaters, casinos.
Hearthstones

Tarsiers Eye (Manse )
This translucent brown sphere surrounds a smaller black
sphere at its center. It is an unsettling stone, for it always appears to be watching whoever looks at it. When set into a
weapon, the wielder of that weapon may employ Perception
in place of Dexterity to determine the weapons attack pool
and DV. Such attacks and DVs never suffer penalties due to
low or absent lighting.

Lovers Lure (Manse )

This is a fist-size irregular crimson stone crisscrossed by
blue veins. It functions like a Road of Hatred Stone (Oadenals Codex, p. 101) except that it empowers an Intimacy of
romantic interest rather than hatred. Once the romance has
been consummated, the Intimacy is no long enforced and the
magic of this stone switches to a new interest. A Sidereal version of this hearthstone also exists.

Paradox Chrysalis (Manse - )

These clear crystals have increasing levels of complexity
within their interiors as their powers improve. The hearthstone absorbs one to five points of Paradox, equal to the point
value of the hearthsone, which would otherwise pass to the
owner. Once the crystal has absorbed its maximum allowed
Paradox, it shatters and reforms in its manse, following the
normal rules for hearthstone regeneration.

Insurrectionists Jewel (Manse )

The bearer of this elliptical sardonyx stone raises the
common people against their rulers. Any social attack made
by the owner that undermines the legitimacy of the current
rulers gains one automatic success. If the bearer successfully
inspires a mob against the local authorities, he regains willpower equal to the magnitude of the mob. Such stones may
also be produced by Isidoros manses.

Bat Echo Gem (Manse )

A high-pitched, barely audible hum emits from this
many-tined star-shaped amethyst whenever bats fly nearby.
The bearer may flick any of crystal tines to produce a single
clear note, like a tuning fork, for one scene. While this note
resonates, the bearer may control and communicate with
any bats within a hundred yards. A large swarm of bats may
form an environmental hazard with Damage 1L/minute and

174

Trauma 1, but only on one person at a time. If the swarm

inflicts lethal damage, the target must roll to resist contracting
rabies, though they are only infected on a botch.

Extemporal Craftsmans Turquoise (Manse )

This small, polished octahedron is typically a placid sky
blue but ignites with the color of the setting sun when used.
When the bearer touches a broken mundane object, the stone
suffuses it with Nocturnal essence and turns back the clock.
Over the next twenty-five hours, the object slowly regenerates
damage and reassembles itself from scattered parts. Manse
aligned with She Who Lives in Her Name and Autochthon
may produce similar hearthstones, but they operate by speeding restoring proper function and speeding repairs, rather
than turning back entropy.

Mazarin of the Watched Watchman (Manse )

By caring this cut, blue topaz, the bearer is aware of the
position of any being within one hundred yards that serves
as a watchman, sentry, or other dedicated observer and may
spend one willpower to observe through the senses of any such
extra. Additionally, if the bearer is spotted by such a being, he
immediately becomes aware of that fact and knows which has
seen him.

Knaves Diamond (Manse )

This brilliant cut diamond can inspire men to wager
their souls for a chance to possess it. If the bearer wishes to
make a bet with another character, she adds a number of
automatic successes to her attempt to convince the other to
accept the bet equal to the highest resource item being offered
as her portion of the prize, as well as increasing the willpower
needed to resist the social attack if successful to the highest
resource wagered. If the Knaves Diamond itself is wagered,
the attack is automatically successful and cannot be resisted by
mortals. This automatic success is immune to the powers of
Principality of Uncertainty if the stone came from that manse.
If the Knaves Diamond is lost in such a wager, however, ownership and attunement of it and its manse immediately pass to
the winner. Manses aligned with Hegra occasionally produce
a very similar hearthstone, though it tends to take for form an
iridescent pearl.

Chrysocolla of the Self Made Man (Manse )

Flecked with black and white, this deep blue polished
stone exists to defy the will of the Maidens and Fate. As such,
the Chrysocolla of the Self Made Man forms only in manses
that are Outside of Fate. It crystallizes around the destinies of
others, seeking out a total of five points of the Destiny Backgroundusually a related set or ones relevant to the environs
surrounding the manse. The bearer of the hearthstone gains
an effective Destiny 5 dedicated to opposing these. If the
bearer herself possesses the Destiny background normally, opposing that Destiny becomes her effective Destiny 5 and she
cannot benefit from her natural Destiny background while
she bears the stone. When all the Destinies the hearthstone
opposes have been thwarted, it selects a new set to continue
the cycle. Isidoros manse can also produce this hearthstone.

T
reasures of the Heralds

The young Nocturnals in the last days of the Time

of Glory possessed many wonders. Some they crafted for

themselves. Some were gifts from the gods or the People of
Adamant. But the Heralds fell at the razor edge of Saturns
mercy. Their wonders were scattered and lost, some flung into
the future to aid the next incarnation, some collected by the
Maiden of Secrets. Many of these remain in the vaults of the
Forbidding Manse of Ivy, while others have been distributed
under the authorization of Jupiter herself. She does so rarely

and reluctantly, fretting that someone might somehow use

them to learn of their previous owner. She keeps these concerns to herself however, never betraying that there is anything
special about these artifacts beyond the powers they possess.

Morning Readiness Basin

(Artifact )

These ornate crystal wash basins were common accessories in the tents of Exalted generals and their officers during
the Primordial War. So long as the basin had a supply of clean
water and was attuned for two motes, any being could splash
a handful of water on his or her face. Doing so met all the
beings hygienic needs for the day. Hair and skin would be
freshly bathed and clothes well washed. A days worth of hair
growth was also removed, keeping beards well-trimmed or
cheeks smoothly shaved, if desired. Additionally, those who
used this basin ignored any penalties imposed by lack of sleep
for twenty-five hours. The water in basin would need to be
replaced each morning or once all the water has been splashed
out by careless users.

Precise Dancers Bauble

(Artifact )

Usually taking the form of a beautiful belt buckle, a
decorative hair pin, or an ornate broach, these adamant
trinkets are always highly complex pieces of jewelry. Their
purpose is more than just ornamentation. When the wearer
performs any feat of physical dexterity requiring a complex
series of precise motions, she gains two extra dice. Examples
include a lenthy dance, cracking a well-built safe, or cutting a
fine jewel. Attuning to a Precise Dancers Bauble costs three
motes.

Illusionists Baton

(Artifact )

Whether a short baton or a long staff, the Illusionists
Baton is among the favored tools of stage conjurers and
street magicians even today. Crafted from one of the Magical
Materials, they serve as modest weapons, gaining the traits
of a mundane baton or staff with the appropriate material
bonus when attuned for four motes. However, they are far
more useful in augmenting the performers sleight of hand.
How an Illusionists Baton does this varies depending upon
the Magical Material that went into its construction. Gaining
the benefits of these effects costs one willpower. The effects
produced by these batons may be prematurely terminated by
the performer.

Orichalcum: The performer waves the baton as a salute
to his audience and makes a Performance-based Social attack
against them. Anyone whose MDV is insufficient to overcome
the attack suffers an Illusion effect which causes everything
he sees to be more impressive and spectacular than it truly
is. Puffs of smoke become towering infernos, a tame beast
becomes a fierce man-eater, and performers assistances are
among the most attractive women the audience has ever seen.
Though this Illusion might give them a thrill, it never causes
the audience to be truly terrified or slavishly awestruck. It will,
however, hold their attention as well as Respect Commanding Attitude (Exalted, p. 202) and remember the experience
appropriately. This Illusion costs one willpower to resists and
lasts for up to (Essence) actions in Long Ticks and cannot be
used in normal combat time.

Moonsilver: The performer taps an object or being
with the baton and makes a Performance-based Social attack
against his audience. Anyone whose MDV is insufficient to
overcome the attack sees the object or being transform into
another object as the performer desires. This is an Illusion-

effect costing one willpower to resist. This effect lasts up to

(Essence) actions in Long Ticks and cannot be used in normal
combat time.

Jade: The performer flourishes the baton and produces
a sudden obscuring screen. This cloud of smoke or debris may
be just enough to distract from audience from the performers
hands or enough to completely obscure the performer. Either
way, it adds three dice to any Larceny or Stealth attempt as
appropriate. Illusionists Batons may be made of any color of
Jade. Each is effectively the same, but each produces a slightly
different manifestation of the basic power depending upon
the element that most reasonates with the particular Jade that
went into making the baton. For example, a Black Jade baton
might send out a fine sea mist, or a Green Jade baton might
produce a shower of flower petals that dissolve back into essence.

Starmetal: The performer directs a beings attention
to the baton and makes a Presence-based Social attack. If
he overcomes the targets MDV, the target is entranced and
highly susceptible to suggestions. The target suffers a Compulsion of the performers choice, which cannot place the target
or his loved ones in danger and the target must be able to act
upon it immediately. The target may pay one willpower to
resist this Compulsion. This lasts for up to (Essence) actions
in Long Ticks and cannot be used in normal combat time.

Soulsteel: The performer strikes an object or being
with the baton and makes a Performance-based Social attack
against his audience. Anyone whose MDV is insufficient to
overcome the attack sees the object or being damaged in some
fashion, as the performer desires. This is an Illusion-effect
costing one willpower to resist. If the performer wishes, the
Illusion may be delayed one action to allow him to set up
some other possible means of damaging the object or being,
such as feigning incineration or sawing a person in half. This
effect lasts up to (Essence) actions in Long Ticks and cannot
be used in normal combat time.

Adamant: The performer taps something that obscures
an object or being from view and makes a Performance-based
Social attack against his audience. Anyone whose MDV is
insuffiecent to overcome the attack will not see the hidden
object or being when it is later revealed. This effect lasts up to
(Essence) actions in Long Ticks and cannot be used in normal
combat time.

Exalted Finery

(Artifact -)

Though primitive by artifact standards, these magical
outfits are as varied and stately as any courtly attire worn
today. They were made in a host of styles, each interwoven
with threads of a single magical material. With such as a suit
or dress, the earliest Exalted impressed the courts of mortal
nations and the alien empires of the various Primordial Races.
Once attuned from two motes, Exalted Finery adjusts itself
to fit perfectly (for the Moonsilver variant, this includes shifting to fit a Lunars Beastman form) and is as durable as any
artifact. In all cases, these outfits add two dice to Socialize
rolls.

Additionally, each outfit adds one automatic success
to Presence and Performance rolls in specific circumstances,
based on the Magical Material woven into it:

Orichalcum: When negotiating treaties and debating or
announcing laws.

Moonsilver: When speaking in defense of a person or a
people.

Jade: When speaking to a lower-ranked member of the
same command or other organization.

Chapter Six The Miracles

of

Night

175


Starmetal: When advising a person in a position of
authority on a particular course of action.

Soulsteel: When decrying another person or a people as
foolish or dangerous.

Adamant: When attempting to attract the attention of
others.

A two-dot artifact version also exists, which incorporate
more Magical Material threads into their weave. These add
+1L/+1B Soak, which does not count as armor and can be
worn under most other armor. Attuning to these costs an
additional mote, for a total of three. Exalted Finery fell out
of fashion during the First Age once more elaborate magical
clothing was developed, such as the Infinite Resplendence
Amulets.

Healers Scalpel

(Artifact )

Attuned, this appears as little more than an expertly
chiseled diamond knife and it may be wielded as a mundane
knife even without attunement. Once attuned for four motes,
however, it reveals its true value in the hands of a skilled
surgeon. It may be wielded as a weapon using Medicine as its
associated ability, though it does not gain the usual Adamant
bonus. It excels against flesh, not metal. Any wound caused
by this artifact heals at the end of the scene. If the target is
dead, all wounds sustained from this weapon neatly close,
leaving no trace. Though intended for medical use and often
found in Resplendent Satchels of Healing (Book Sorcery, vol.
I: Wonders of the Lost Age, p. 69), these blades were also
popular among morticians and assassins.

Dutiful Messengers Fife

(Artifact )

A small and easily carried instrument, a Dutiful Messengers Fife is favored by relays in times of war. Crafted from
a tube of ebony and adorned with keys of a Magical Material,
the fife can be heard over the cacophony of battle and its
piercing notes carry great distances. A relay playing such an
instrument, requiring a (Charisma + Performance) roll with
a Difficulty equal to the units Magnitude, provides his unit
with a certain bonus depending on the materials used in its
construction. Bonuses from the same material do no stack.
Instead, for each additional relay in the same unit playing a
Dutiful Messengers Fife of the same material, the bonus is
extend to all allied units within half a mile if the relays are
stationed in the largest of the allied units. Attuning to a Dutiful Messengers Fife requires four motes.

Orichalcum: Affected units increase their Morale by
one.

Moonsilver: Affected units increase their Close Combat
Damage by one.

Jade: Affected units gain one automatic success to avoid
losing Endurance.

Starmetal: Affected units increase their Close Combat
Accuracy by one.

Soulsteel: Enemy units engaged with an affected unit
suffer a +1 Difficulty on all Route checks.

Adamant: Affected units increase their Drill by one.

Micromegas Spyglass

(Artifact )

Micromegas Spyglasses are made of expertly polished
Adamant lenses contained within collapsible, modular
brass tubes.Once attuned for five motes, a single set may be
configured either to serve as a microscope or telescope as a
Miscellaneous Action. The spyglass replicates the effects of
the Solar Charms Keen Sight Technique and Unsurpassed

176

Sight Discipline, either for viewing extreme distances or for

viewing extremely small objects, depending on its current
configuration. However, it never compensates for other visual
hinderances, such as poor lighting or fog.

Efficient Magisterial Encyclopedia

(Artifact )

A hefty tome with exquisite leather binding, an Adamant
latch, and a thousand blank pages, the Efficient Magisterial Encyclopedia is required reading for anyone moving into
unfamiliar nations. When attuned for four motes, the latch
opens and the reader finds its pages filled with all the laws
and customs of region in which he currently resides, complete
with highly precise index for easy referencing. As he moves
about the world, the tome updates accordingly. This grants the
character two extra dice for rolls involving knowledge of laws
or customs, usually Bureaucracy or Socialize, respectively, but
Lore might also be enhanced when appropriate. Additionally,
when the reader is about to perform some action that violates
a listed law or custom, the book attempts to alert the character
of his potential wrong doing. With a (Wits + [Bureaucracy or
Socialize, as appropriate]) roll, Difficulty 3, the character may
stop himself before he commits a social faux pas or criminal
act.

Remoras Broken Shackles

(Artifact )

Prior the the creation of the first Solars, one of the
greatest mortal thieves preyed upon the great cosmopolitian
city of Amphion, the crown jewel of the ancient West. Surely
Lady Remorafor she was known only by that aliaswould
have joined the ranks of the Night Caste had Fate been kinder
to her. She was captured by the Mosok and imprisoned, and
there languished in a cell awaiting the festival season and the
human sacrifices that came with it. But when the day finally
arrived and the Dragon Kings came for her, they found her
cell empty. Nox had arrived first.

Accepting the gift of the Nocturnal Exaltation, Remora
received new shackles as a reminder of those she left behind.
Functioning as a pair of adamant Hearthstone Bracers (providing +1 Accuracy, +2 Rate in addition to the usual Hearthstone
Bracer effects), Remoras Broken Shackles gain an additional
benefit as a Paradoxed artifact. By gaining a point of Paradox,
the wearer may unlock any mundane locks she touches for
the rest of the scene. Locks sealed by magical means may be
unlocked as well if the lock was sealed by a beings whose Essence is less than the wearers. Locks sealed by beings with
greater or equal Essence must be unlocked individually, at the
price of one paradox per lock.

Procrastinating Huitzils Atlalt

(Artifact )

This Paradoxed weapon resembles a Spear Thrower of
Exalted Prowess (Book of Sorcery, vol 1: Wonders of the Lost
Age, p. 75) and is functionally identically except the usual
effects associated with its paradoxical existence and its lack
of a repair rating. It was owned by Procrastinating Huitzil,
who once served the Raptok until he Exalted as an Aurora
and joined the nascent rebellion against the Primordials. His
Atlalt is a powerful weapon, capable of hurtling javelins with
tremendous armor-peircing force. Additionally, by gaining a
point of Paradox, this arfifact may throw a javelin with such
force that it pierces the veil of time and space itself. It emerges
a few seconds earlier to strike one foe with an unblockable,
undodgeable attack as a Shaping effect (in combat resolution,
treat as though it occurred on the wielders action-tick). Even

if this attack kills the target before he would have taken some who speaks or performs in an official capacity, including a recother action, the targets actions remain unchanged.
ognized member of the audience who might have a question
of the lecturer, gains the benefits of Stentorian Amplification
Baying Hound Horn
Practice (p. 114).
(Artifact )

A delicate twisting horn carved from a single piece of Roaring Comet Banner
Adamant, the Baying Hound Horn resonates with a single (Artifact )
sonorous tone when blown. A blast from his horn calls the
This Adamant Direlance trails two streaming pennants,
attention of all beings within (Essence x 10) yards of the user, like the twin tails of a comet. In combat, they always blow
directing them to one object or being which the user can away from the most likely victor (as determined by the Storyperceive. All mundane attempts by the target to hide from teller). This may change mid-combat as fortunes shift. If the
the groups attention automatically fail as long as it remains bearer coordinates an attack against the combatant indicated
within the horns radius of effect. The user rolls (Perception by the banners, the coordinated attack penalty is increased
+ Performance) when blowing the horn. All beings whose at- by two. Additionally, if the bearer participates in the attack
tention has been called by this horn add his successes in extra and successfully inflicts damage on the target, he may regain
dice to attempts to detect or follow the target for the next five one Valor channel. If the banners ever indicate that the
minutes, even after it has left the initial range of the horn. bearer himself is most likely victor, he also regains a Valor
Attuning to the Baying Hound Horn costs six motes.
channel whenever he successfully fends off an entire wave of
a Coordinated Attack. In mass combat, if the Roaring Comet
Shears of Yazhan
Banner is wielded by a relay, the units effective Magnitude is
(Artifact )
increased by one for all purposes the commander desires and

This pair of glittering interlocking Adamant blades was the maximum bonus and penality the unit inflicts upon units
crafted by the Nebula Yazhan, later known as the Weaver of with lesser Magnitude is likewise increased by one, usually to
Gold Threads. Once an old tailor of seemingly little impor- four. Attuning to the Roaring Comet Banner costs ten motes.
tance, the Maiden of Endings had place on Yazhan a great
destiny. He was to weave from golden takin wool a cloak for Victorious Mythos Quill
the youngest son of his chief, a gift so impressive it would (Artifact )
stir his older brothers to fratricide and ultimately tear the
Despite its name, this artifact is not an actual writing
tribe apart. But before he could, the takin caught the eyes of implement. It pens its legend, true enough, but its ink is the
the Primordial Qaf. The Titan transformed it into a majestic blood of fools and its scrawls is glory upon the pages of the
behemoth with wool spun of true gold. For Qaf, this was an battlefield. This Paradoxed Grand Daiklave came to the Nova,
act of meditation, but ultimately trivial, like a monk raking known only as Mirror of the Horizon, from that place the
designs into his rock garden. For Yazhan, it was moment of Sidereals fear. She had long since discarded her true name,
utter transformation. The gift of Nox came upon him and even before Nox presented his gift to her. What her original
he set out to find a new path in life. He chiseled his famous destiny was no one seems to know. She had gone off her
sheers and with them slew the behemoth, carrying its metallic fated path many years before, and fell into disgracethough
wool as a trophy to his last Cereus Festival.
whether one caused the other is equally mysterious. All that is

The Shears of Yazhan may appear large and cumber- really known is that Mirror of the Horizon was not in the right
some for a pair of scissors, but once attuned for eight motes, place at the right time when destiny demanded her presence.
they are surprisingly nimble and exceedingly sharp. They cut Disgraced, she shed her name to protect the honor of her
through mundane metals as easily as the thinnest fabric. In family.
combat, the two halves of the shears may be separated to
Victorious Mythos Quill has the appearance of an enorserve as Adamant Short Daiklaves, which ignore soak from mous stylized crystal feather, and once attuned for ten motes,
mundane armor completely. Outside of combat, they serve is just as light as one, too. The weilder may gain one Paradox
as a Masters Workshop for all attempts to craft or repair at anytime. Sometime over the next twenty-five hours, she
mundane armor or clothing. In addition to cutting fabrics finds her self engaged with a fearsome foe worthy of the conand metals, the Shears continuously produce small fragments tinuing legend Victorious Mythos Quill wishes to write. She
that serve as needles, which in turn extrude a golden thread arrives at her destination driven by an assortment of bizarre
spun from the wool of the behemoth it first slew. The needle coincidences and contrived encounters, but ultimately the
and thread can stitch together metals as well as fabrics.
encounter only serves to further her renownif she can defeat
the foe the blade as chosen. In mass combat, the wielder can
Chautauqau Pavillion
gain one Paradox to intercept all attempts to duel a special
(Artifact )
character in her unit, provide she is not the leader of the unit

Properly folded and binded, a Chautauqua Pavillion herself.
resembles a large, closed parasol about as tall as a person.
Unfolding the Pavillion reveals it to be much larger than it Harks Ranging Bow
first appeared. Adamant poles extend to great heights and the (Artifact )
cloth stretches and expands to for an immense billowing tent.
Born in the primeval forest, Hark grew up in a small
These portable structures are always exactly as large as they tribe under the protection of the Raptok. Receiving the gift of
need to be, allowing the owner to entertain as many guests as Exaltation from Nox, he gained another from across time and
he can attract, while always ensuring the venue looks properly space. His ranging bow (he knew it was his, for his name was
well-attended. Those who enter the tent are captivated by the chiseled into its adamant along with a cryptic note: Enjoy it
performances within, even if they are just lectures or debates while it lasts) is a Paradoxed Long Powerbow. A deadly weapon
instead of the music or dance. Any being who enters the in its own right, it earned fame for the trickery the Herald
pavilion as part of the audience are automatically under the could perform with it. If the bow would inflict damage on a
influence the Charms Maintaining Manners and Herald De- target in Step 10, Hark could instead negate the damage and
mands Respect (p. 125) as though they were mortals. Anyone gain one Paradox. Doing so allowed him to swap places with

Chapter Six The Miracles

of

Night

177

Other Notes: Dancing Sky Shields ignore the spatial distortions of the sky, causing them to appear to accelerate at
increasingly bewildering speeds at higher altitudes. These
vessels are capable of exceptional maneuverabilitythe pilots
reaction speed, rather than the vessels, becomes the limiting
Oathbound
factor. These are relatively fragile vessels and typically rely on
(Artifact )
speed, agility, and stealth to avoid and evade conflict rather

Once owned by the armiger Chalcedony Pauraque, than engage a foe directly. Their small size and nearly silent
Oathbound is a glittering set of Paradoxed Articulated Plate, operations grants them a +3 situational bonus to avoid deteccomplete with matching helm. Encased entirely in Adamant, tion.
Chalcedony Pauraque was a fearsome warrior, but his greatest
strength was his compassion and loyalty to his allies. By gain- Mothuo Uowo, The Prodigal Twin
ing a Paradox, he could extend the protection of Oathbound (Artifact )
to one willing character within (Essence) yards to whom
Under Mosok patronage, the tribe of islanders known as
he had a positive Intimacy. Oathbound would materialize the Than Muono rose into a great merchant nation before the
around the protected ally, functionally being in two places at outbreak of the Primordial War. Their trading vessels plied
the same time. While the other person enjoyed the Soak and the dangerous waters of the Western Ocean. The wealth of
Hardness of the armor, she was unhindered by its Mobility the region flowed through their ports and into the coffers of
Penalty, Fatigue value or attunement cost. She did, however, their noble housesminus the tribute due to their reptilian
count as wearing the armor for the purposes of her Charms. patrons, of course. Greatest of these houses was Dou Galu,
Oathbound could sustain its dual location for one scene. whose mighty warship Ewo Uralo, or The Heir of Uralo, comOathbounds protection does not stack with armor the benefi- manded the respect and fear of all other maritime powers,
ciary may be wearing; if the beneficiary accepts Oathbounds except the Lintha. Fortunately the sea god Uralo approved of
protection, she forfeits the benefits of any armor she is cur- Dou Galus dedication of their warship in his honor and used
rently wearing until the end of the scene.
his position of as a yomi loyal to Kimbery to calm the Lintha.

For centuries the Ewo Uralo sailed the waters of the
The Dancing Sky Shield
Than Muono. Year after year, pieces were replaced. A mast
(Artifact )
here, new sails there. Plank by plank the Ewo Uralo was slowly
Before the Great Maker devoured their race, the rebuilt again and again. In time, not a single peg remained
Eretaeen built fleets of these sleek discoid vessels from unchanged, yet the venerable Ewo Uralo remained a national
starmetal and adamant. Exceptionally fast and nimble, the icon to the Than Mouno and brought house Dou Galu much
world would not see their like again until the Twilights of prestige.
the First Age built their own flying craft. What the Eretaeen
That is, until the young Ola Tharu exalted with the
called them in their native language, no one remembers. Hu- indigo banner of the nights sky. Fated to undermine the
mans called them Dancing Sky Shields, for that is how they authority of Dou Galu, his destiny was thwarted when the
appeared from the ground in those remote and ignorant days. Unconquered Sun chose the rising scion of the house to be
The small cockpit sits motionlessly in the center of a spinning among his Eclipses. Instead, gifted the improbable power that
disk, which emits a faint eerie whir that can only be heard on comes with the Nocturnal Exaltation, Tharu set out to undera close approach. Within the cockpit, the pilot, co-pilot and mine the icon of merchant empire. He scoured the islands of
up to four passengers can barely feel the movement of the the Than Muono for the scattered pieces of the Ewo Uralo, for
vessel as it accelerates or changes direction instantaneously. it was his peoples practice not to waste a scarce resource like
When landing three narrow legs extrude from the base of the wood on their small islands. He capablized door frames, floorvessel, leaving behind small patches of irradiated soil upon its boards, barstools, festival poles, and the many other items that
departure.
the pieces of the Ewo Uralo had been recycled into.
Only a few of these vessels survived the destruction of their
Bit by bit, the vessel took shape again. Soon, Tharu had
builders. The remains of one came into the possession of an exact replica of the Ewo Oralu or was his the original and
Ikida Shau, a Nova inventor and explorer. He repaired the the other the copy? It is a riddle that shook the confidence
vessel and launched the first Exalted expedition to the Firma- of the Than Muono and resonated well with the essence of
ment, for vessels such as these are one of the few that could the Nocturnal Exaltation. Through his labor Tharu created
make the long journey skyward.
something more than a mere warship. He crafted a vessel
Repair: 4
worth to bear an Exalt: the Muthuo Uowo, The Prodigal Twin.
Speed: 50/100mph
Speed: 7(15)/15(30) mph

Maneuverability: +(pilots Wits)S
Maneuverability: -4(+0)S

Endurance: Requires a 2+ dot hearthstone plugged Endurance: Wind and current
into the control panel to operate. A 3+ Sidereal or Nocturnal Crew: 22/6
heartstone is required to fly higher than six miles above the Cargo: 2,000 tons, or room for 125 passengers and their supsurface of Creation.
plies

Crew: 2/1 (Wits 3, Sail 2)
Armor: 6(12)L/12(24)B

Cargo: 500 pounds and room for four passengers.
Health Levels: Ux12/Mx6(12)/Cx5/I/D

Armor: 10L/20B
Weapons: None permanently equipped

Health Levels: Ux5/Mx10/Cx5/I/D
Other Notes: The Prodigal Twin is 35 yards long and 8 yards

Weapons: None standard. May integrate various wide. While still a large vessel by mortal standards, it was
magitech weaponry, such as fire lances and implosion bows, much more impressive in ancient times when ships of this size
that can then be fired from the cockpit by the co-pilot. Such were a rare sight. It may be sailed without attuning, but once
weaponry must be acquired separately.
it has been attuned for 10 motes it gains the Traits listed in parentheses. Additionally once attuned, the ship self-repairs one
his target, regardless of distance. For example, firing upon a
bird high above, he might launch himself skyward; turning
rapidly, he fires upon an enemy on the ground, swapping
places with her and letting her fall rather than him.

178

level of damage every hour; it has been broken and scattered

once before and will not allow itself to be again. However the
vessel does change as its captain does. Whenever the owner
completes his Motivation, the parenthetical values increase
by one (by +2 in the chase of its speed in miles per hour).

For Nocturnals, going through a Renewal also triggers this

bonus. The vessel may gain this bonus up to (Essence) times.
The Prodigal Twin has survived millennia of abuse and current
resides at the bottom of the sea, playing host to a family of
Peligial squatters who are unaware of its capabilities.

Chapter Six The Miracles

of

Night

179

Chapter Seven

Storytelling

Just as the Exalted storytelling chapter provides guidance for running a game with the recently returned Solar
Exalted, this chapter offers the same for games involving the
returning Nocturnal Exalted. The Chosen of Nox are a different breed of hero. Arising from servants, they transcend their
former mortal superiors. Taking their rightful place alongside
the other Celestial Exalted, the Harlequins will soon learn
their liberation is not all it appeared. They have merely traded
one master for another more splendid one. But Heralds and
Harlequins alike are never likely to accept the burden of fate
in silence. How they respond to such obstacleswhether they
will themselves through it or shatter themselves sideways to
go around itwill demonstrate to all that they are more than
glorified serfs. They are heroes worthy of the name Exalted.

Players, Too

Though written with the storyteller in mind, the information contained in this chapter is suitable for players as
well. There are secrets here, of course, and many of them,
but which apply to the Manvantara of your game and which
apply to another universe completely is matter best left to the
cunning plans of a Storyteller and the adventurous discoveries of players. In the meantime, these secrets are presented
here to guide you down the many paths of game involving the
Nocturnal Exaltedor to inspire the Storyteller to invent yet
more secrets of her own.

180

G
etting Started

As always, the first step is to decide exactly what sort of
game you want to run now that you have this manual. The
newborn Harlequins have many options to explore before
the shackles of Subservience begin to tightenwhich, in
turn, opens up the possibility for a different sort of story. Or
perhaps your game will center on the last coterie of Heralds,
refugees from ancient days thrust into unfamiliar modern
times. Either way, once you have struck upon an option that
interests both you and the players, youll be able to begin.

Heralds or Harlequins

Deciding whether the players will be portraying Heralds
or Harlequins is an important early step. Harlequins are the
default option. The Nocturnal Exaltations have only recently
begun choosing heroic mortals of the appropriate qualities to
become Harlequins, and there are a great deal more of them
than Heralds. They are mortal heroes suddenly invested with
great Celestial power and set free upon the world to explore
their new-found gifts. In this way, they are much like the
reborn Solarsunfettered and unguided.

This has its advantages. The Harlequins may set their
own course and use their power to advance their own desires
without concern for other obligations. This has its disadvantages as well. The Harlequins have no support structure and
no access to mentors. They will be targeted by the Wyld Hunt

Herald Character Creation

To better represent their increased power, you may wish to use this alternative character creation method for Heralds. Heralds begin with 11/9/8 Attributes, plus two dots to spend in Caste or Favored Attributes. They gain one dot in
Bureaucracy, Presence, or Socialize; two dots in Lore; two dots in Occult; a dot in Ride or Sail; and two dots to send in
Archery, Martial Arts, Melee or Thrown. Additionally, each Herald gains dots based on specialized training each Caste
received.

Nova: (Awarness or Investigation) 2, Presence 1, War 1

Comet: Athletics 1, (Archery, Martial Arts, Melee, or Thrown) 2, Dodge 1

Aurora: Linguistics 1, (Performance or Presence) 2, Socialize 1

Empyrean: Bureaucracy 1, Resistance 1, (Ride, Sail, or Survival) 2 Nebula: Larceny 1, (Lore or Occult) 2, Stealth 1

Beyond standard training, the Heralds also gain 38 additional Ability dots, 15 Background dots, 30 Charms, 5 dots
of Vitures, Essence 4, and 35 bonus points. This makes them roughly equivalent to an Established Celestial Exalt of the
First Age (see Dreams of the First Age: Lords of Creation, Chapter One) and such a Herald would count as Mentor 2 for
a new Harlequin.
and, worse still, the agents of Destiny. Fortunate, indeed, is
the Harlequin whose own companion is the one sent to slay
himhe will find no mercy elsewhere.
The days of such dangerous freedom may be short-lived. As
the Harlequin grows in power and prestige, he will inevitably
encounter other types of Celestial Exalted. It is only a matter
of time before the Harlequin feels the Curse of Subservience
eroding his free will. Then his story shifts. First, he make seek
a lonely life, but one free of obligation. Second, he may seek
to coexist with his Celestial peers, finding subtle ways to skirt
around direct conflict. Third, he may seek to resist, steeling
his will against the constant erosion of Subservience and bracing himself for the 699 tasks that will free him of his curse
completely.

Heralds are better suited for experienced players or as
storyteller-controlled characters. They were trained to fight
in the Primordial War and had the skills necessary to escape
the Cereus Blossom Massacre. Since then, they have passed
through time as a stone skips across the surface of a flowing
river. When they have appeared, the distinct trail of paradox
any Nocturnal create has attracted the eyes of the Maidens
upon them. These fugitives have fled from one Age to the
next, never lingering long and disappearing for centuries at a
time, always trying to stay one step ahead of the Maidens and
their assassins.

Now the Maidens have grown complacent, and their
greatest tools have been dulled by overuse. The Bureau of
Destiny is overworked and the sudden appearance of Solars,
Abyssals, and the Green Sun Princes provides plenty of distractions to keep the Sidereals busy while the Heralds move
about the world.

The Heralds are now free to explore the Age of Sorrows
they find themselves in. Indeed, some have been doing so
clandestinely for several years now. For some this might be a
grim adventure, for others it is a woeful exile. The Heralds are
not at home in Creation today. Their true home existed thousands of years ago, long since destroyed by the Three Spheres
Cataclysm, the Usurpation, or the Balorian Crusade. History
has not been kind to Creation. When the Herald walks the
world, she sees only diminished unfamiliar ruins.

Why did the characters Exalt as Nocturnals? If the players are portraying Harlequins, what was their great altruistic
callings? How were they thwarted by the powers that disrupt
Fate? Are they even aware that the Bureau of Destiny once had
plans for them that are now moot? If the players are portraying surviving Heralds, why were they chosen by Nox? What
obsolete act of heroism did the Lord of Possibilities offer the
Herald a second chance to claim?

How does the character feel about her thwarted Destiny? Does she even care? Does she seek to set her life back on
its proper path or does she strike out into unfamiliar territory? In general, how much does the character know about the
machinations of Fate and Destiny? Does she recognize them
as necessary for the function of Creation or are they merely
impositions placed on the world by the Powers That Be?

What are the characters current altruistic motivations? The Nocturnals are agents of revolutionary changenot
of their own glory but because they believe they making a
better world for everyone. Do the players characters share a
common goal? Who or what will oppose their revolution? If
they do not share a goal, why are they working or traveling
together?

How much do the characters really know about their
Exaltations? While all Exalts know intuitively what they are,
on a basic level, many mysteries surround the Nocturnal
Exalts, even to themselves. The Harlequins will know they
are Chosen of a powerful Incarna and they they possess the
power to warp reality. But do they know the ultimate source of
their power? Do they know whose mad voice whispers in their
minds? Do they know what mysterious beings call to them by
the bonds of their Exaltations? If they have encountered their
Sidereal companions, how strong is their relationship? How
large a role will the Chosen of the Maidens play in the series?

How much time do the characters spend with other
Celestials? Are they already serving a Solar general or a Lunars shadow government? Do they only know what Immaculate propaganda has taught them about their peers? If they
are not already in contact with other Celestials, are they likely
to encounter some early in the game? Are they more likely to
gain Celestial allies than enemies?

Before being a series involving the Nocturnals its best to
get a few questions out of the way. Exalted, p. 260, has a few
questions that are are important to address for any series. For
the Nocturnals, there are a few other questions that will help
guide the initial preparations of the game. Your players dont
need to have answers for all them immediately, but the more
detailed the response the stronger the players characterization will be.

The Nocturnals are a new superpower in the world of
Creation, but a superpower nonetheless. They wield power
equal to the other Celestial Exalted and warp reality with a
whim. There is little they cannot do if they apply themselves
toward a certain goal. Yet there are still limits to their cosmic
power. Perhaps those limits are not to your liking.
In Exalted, the first rule is Have Fun. If there is
something ill-suited to the series you wish to run, feel free to

Intial Questions

Changing the Rules

Chapter Seven Storytelling

181

talk it over with your players and make the necessary changes.
The Chosen of Nox are particularly predisposed to such rule
alternations. After all, it is simply a matter of discovering the
right Manvantara where the Nocturnals are precisely as you
desire them to be.

Example One: Raphael is a Storyteller who dislikes that Fluctuations increase in Difficulty when duplicating a previous Fluctuation. Instead, he changes the rules so that Trivial Fluctuations may
be related as often as Nocturnal desires; Minor Fluctuations may be
repeated once a day; Average Fluctuations may be repeated once a
week, and so on. This allows his players to make basic Fluctuations
readily, while still making more extravagant Fluctuations unique.

Example Two: Brandon is a Storyteller who dislikes that the
Charm Walking the Skeins only creates a simulation of the past. He
tweaks the Charms mechanics and fluff to allow his players to literally travel backwards through timebracing himself for the temporal
shenanigans his players will no doubt get up to.
Keeping Characters Unique

It is occasionally challenging to keep characters of the
same caste distinct, especially starting out. Exalted (p. 261)
discusses this issue as well, but here are some particular suggestions for Chosen of Possibilities. The key, as always, is to
aim for a clear characterization and to allow the personality
and preferences of that character to guide early (and later, of
course) development.

Example: Brians character Meticulous Surgeon is a Nova
Caste who has begun to master the Art of Victorious Concession.
As a mortal, he earned a living as a physician in the city of Cherak
and has learned the grim realities of war firsthand from tending the
wounds of the Realms legionnaires. A pacifist to the core, he seeks
peaceful resolution to conflicts and appeals to the better natures of
those he encounters.

Kaleens character Lightning Rhapsody is also member of
the Nova Caste. She excels in both the mundane art of music and
the magical art of Weather Workingoccasionally mixing the two
in impressive meteorological symphonies. These extravagant entertainments are more than mere shows, however, as they are also her
primary tools adjust the economic fortunes of region as she sees fit.

How Am I Not Myself?

This is a tale of personal paradox and will likely crop
up in any Nocturnal series that goes on long enough. What
makes a person someone and not someone else? The Nocturnal is forced to confront this philosophical riddle head on.
Over time, all identifying features of the Exalt may be replaced
and altered. Motivations and Intimacy shift on their own, but
for the Nocturnals this may occur at a much more rapid and
fickle pace. Some Charms allow them cannabilize other Traits
to learn new ones. Renewals may transform a Nocturnal body
and soul. At what point does the character stop being who
he once was and start being a new character entirely? Is the
transformation ever that complete?

Possessing an Alter-Ego exaggerates this identity crisis.
Like the Narrator and Tyler Durden from Chuck Palahniuks
Fight Club, are the Nocturnal and the Alter-Ego the same character or two characters who happen to share a body? Thats a
question Nocturnal philosophers (and your players) will have
to decide on their own.

Using the Nocturnal

E
xalted in Your Series

Revolution is the name of the game for the Nocturnals.

are heroes. While the Nocturnals were intended to be champions of change and progress, they can also be harbingers of
chaos. Which way the Harlequins are perceived is largely up
to the direction you choose for your series and the actions the
players take to achieve their goals.

Fate Crash

Nocturnals as Antagonists

Now and then, the Loom convulses and reweaves itself.
Yes, it restores itself shortly thereafter, but not without a
cascade of Paradox following it its wake. Worst still, one by
one, the strands of Fate that comprise the Loom are vanishing. The pattern spiders never notice the exact moment the
strand disappears, nor do they know precisely how many have
already vanished. The Bureau of Destiny grows increasingly
concerned. While Sidereal agents have been dispatched, sudden cryptic reassignemnts from the Convention of Oversight
frequently stymie their investigations.

Left unchecked, the Nocturnal Exalted pose a major
threat to the Bureau of Destiny. Fluctuations cause all manner
of Paradoxes. When a desert nomad drowns in flash flood
that should not have existed, when next week overlaps with
today, when the dead feign life, the Bureau is left to clean up
the Harlequins mess.

Then there is the matter of the Nocturnals own Tangled
Fate. Twisting through the Loom without the attention of its
caretakers, it ensares others and drags those strands into its
own obscured nature. A Tangled Fate spreads like a virus,
potentially infecting the Loom at an alarming pace. While
not immediately dangerous, as more fall through the cracks of
Fate, the Bureaus ability to maintain the continued existence
of Creation is made increasingly difficult. If not dealt with
swiftly, the nature of reality itself is threatened, torn apart not
by the ravenous Neverborn or the maddening Raksha but by
a disease from within.

On more mundane level, the Harlequins are well-suited
to be seeds around which a rebellion or revolution crystallizes
(though they do not necessarily lead the rebellion themselves).
A Dragon-blooded satrap or a Solar conquerer may find his
realm undermined by the sedition of the Nocturnals. A sufficiently subtle Harlequin may even avoid her Curse long
enough to allow her revolution to succeed. Alternatively,
perhaps the Nocturnals revolution is not as beneficial as she
believes. Perhaps the better world she seeks to craft must be
opposed by more sensible heroes.

Finally, should the Heralds and Harlequins decipher the
final fate of Nox, the internecine conflict that the Incarnae
feared may indeed come to pass. Will the players rally to the
aid of their patron? How far will they go to pull him from his
prisonthe very machine that stabilizes reality? The Sidereals,
certainly, will resist any attempt to undermine the Loom of
Fate. The Solars and Lunars, too, are not likely to support
such an action if it threatens all of Creation. For allies, the
Nocturnals may be forced to join known enemies of the
worldthe Abyssal Exalted or the Fair Folk.

Viva la Revolucin

Nocturnals as Protagonists

The people cry out. They live beneath the bootheel of
a tyrant. They suffer from merciless, amoral plague.They are
threatened by barbarians or by the intrusion of those who
vainly call themselves civilized. They need a hero. Some heros
This may be a welcomed change around which the Harlequins are golden, some silver. Still others are diamonds in the rough,
will gather many alliesor the might attract the ire of the most glittering beacons of hope hidden behind a dark exterior.
powerful beings in the land. All Exalts are heroic, but not all

182


The heroic journey of the Nocturnal Exalt differs from
that of their Solar and Lunar equivalents. In fact, it has more
in common with that of the Alchemical Exalted. Their tale is
bound up in their service to others. This may be overtsuch
as tending to the sick a disease-ravaged land. It may be more
abstractsuch as becoming a paragon of glory to serve as an
example to others. It may be sweepingsuch as leading a rebellion so that a better ruler may claim legitimate rule over an
oppressed nation. It may be personalsuch as helping a single
person find the courage to follow his ambitions.

However, while the Champions of Autochthonia exist
mainly to preserve the ideals of their society and maintain stability of their nation, the Harlequins rarely support the status
quo. Even the Empyrean Caste, who most closely approach
the concepts of order and stability, are better suited to empower
new order and shift society into a more stable form than they
are to maintain established trends indefinitely.

As radicals and revolutionaries, the Harlequins may
indeed be the harbingers of a new glorious age. Even if they
must defer to the leadership of a Lawgiver or Steward, the
Nocturnals will certainly be a powerful motivating force behind any major improvement to Creation to come. Through
their powers, the Harlequins expose the folly of Creations
current trajectory and sound the warning.

Free from the baggage of history, the Harlequins are
uniquely positioned to guide their fellow Exalts onto a new
path. The Usurpation never drove them to betrayal. They
remained innocent of the brutalities of the Primordial War,
being among that conflicts first victims themselves. As a
neutral party, the Harlequins may seek to mend these ancient
and bitter rivalries. With so many threats circling around
Creation today, the world will need such arbiters to pull its
heroes together toward a common goal.

Perhaps when the dust has settled and the coalition
bound by the Harlequins has saved the world, the Nocturnals
will even find time to reconcile the gods and earn Nox a pardon.

Game Styles

Exalted presents a number of play styles already (p.
262-263), but some of these are more appropriate for the
Solar Exalted than they are for the Nocturnals. This sections
provides a few adjustments to the basic play styles as well as
some new ones specifically for the Chosen of Nox.
Styles Remix

Vanilla Exalted, for the Harlequins, is quite similar
the basic tale of the Solars. They are independent heroes,
establishing their own legend while avoiding the wrath of
the Bureau of Destiny. This is a tale of grand adventure and
epic conflict. However, unlike a reborn Lawgiver seeking to
restore the ancient Solar Deliberative, the Harlequins have
little interest in rebuilding the past. Their eyes are firmly set
on the future and the creation of something new.

A Land Once Divided Must Unite is close to the revolutionary heart of the Nocturnals. Though they can assume
positions of leadership, in the presence of other Celestials
they rarely assume the role George Washington. Instead the
Nocturnals fill the role of Thomas Paine, Benjamin Franklin,
or occasionally Benedict Arnold. The Comet and Aurora
Castes, in particular, would prove useful in such a scenario.

And Ill Form the Head is a difficult style to pull off
for the Nocturnals given their initial starting conditions. They
could reclaim lost wonders of the First Age, but unlike the
Solars or Lunars they have no ancient tombs to provide them
with the treasures of their previous Incarnations. To achieve
this style you may wish to alter the setting slightly. Perhaps

the Harlequins have already contacted their mates and been

integrated into the Bureau of Destiny. When the Bureau has
need to flex its muscle, the Nocturnals are dispatched rather
than the Sidereals. Alternatively, perhaps Heralds fled the last
days of the Time of Glory with vast collection of machinery
befitting the greatest war Creation would ever see.

Outlander is also a challenge for the Nocturnals.
While they can survive in the exotic realms beyond Creation,
they require many specialized Charms and cut themselves off
from Fluctuations. Instead of exploring the alien realms of
Malfeas, the Wyld or Autochthonia, the Nocturnals may seek
adventures in alternate realities, as described later.

Project: Exalted allows the Harlequins to live up to
their name.They might find themselves in the service of mad
Celestial who frequently demands humorous tasks of them, or
their constant meddling with the nature of reality may cause
absurd and amusing paradoxes to manifest around them.
Alternatively, they may inhabit a quirky Manvantara, such as
one where the Incarnae chose various species of primates to
host their Exaltations, with Sol taking the gorillas; Luna, the
chimpanzee and bonobo; the Maidens, the orang-utan; Nox ,
the the gibbons and siamangs; and the Elemental Dragons,
the baboon.

Invasion, like Outlander before it, has a new option
available with the Nocturnals. Instead of nigh-infinite hordes
of Raksha or demons, Creation may find itself threatened by
another Manvantara, such as one in which the Usurpation
never occurred and powerful Solars seek to expand their
dominion across the entire Kalpa.

The (Nocturnal) Who Came in From the Cold can
by played with any Nocturnal Caste, especially if the focus of
their intrigue and espionage is the Bureau of Destiny itself.
Obscured from Fate as they are but with a vested interest in
the machination of fate, the Nocturnals may engage their
Sidereal cousins in a shadow war of sabotage and deception.
In particular, the Nebula Caste was specifically designed to
engage in this sort of activitythe Nova Caste, too, will prove
useful in such scenarios.

Sorcery & Sorcery works as well for the Nocturnals as
it does for any Celestial. Additionally, the Nocturnals retain
many Charms that enhance thaumaturgy, allowing them a
more low-key variant of this style

Walk the Earth is the Empyreans wheelhouse. Other
Nocturnals may, of course, join them in their travels. Be sure
to consult the Travel rules in Exalted (p. 263-268). Additionally with Charms such as Shadow Out of Time and Walking
the Skeins, the Nocturnals journeys need not be limited to
merely spatial dimensions.

Star-Crossed Lovers

The bond between the Harlequins and the Viziers is as
strong as that between the Stewards and the Lawgivers. But a
tale that centers around such a connection will have more in
common with Romeo and Juliet than the romance of Rama
and Sita in the Ramayana. This applies to platonic relationships as well as romantic ones.

In such a tale, the Harlequin and the Vizier must
contend with their undeniable bond. Opposing their happy
ending is the conflict between the Nocturnals and the Bureau
of Destiny. The Sidereal may seek to shelter his companion
from the inevitable purge while advocating for the less drastic
course of action, or he may run off with her and go ronin.
Either option is unlikely to go well for the pair.
Ghosts of Calibration Future

This game style focuses on the Nocturnals abilty to
perform Fluctuations in order to reveal the possible course of

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183

a persons life. The Nocturnals take on the role of the three

Christmas Ghosts from Charles Dickens famous A Christmas
Carol.

This works well in association with their Sidereal companions. For example, the Sidereal may make a dire prediction
regarding the future of a Solars realm if the Solar remains
on his presence course. The Nocturnal approaches the Solar
and delivers a vivid warning, shaping a scene from the Solars
doomed future in hopes of avoiding that calamity.

An Exalt Out of Temporal Water

This game style is designed for the exiled Heralds. Like
Rip Van Winkle or H.G. Wells anonymousTime Traveller,
the Heralds find themselves in an unfamiliar time after a long
absence. The world has changed much since the Primordial
War and the Heralds are largely ignorant of the intervening
5,000 years of history. In that time empires have risen and
collapsed. Great wonders have been built up and torn down.
Creation has shrunk and grown and shrunk again.

Adjusting to this unfamiliar setting will be challenging
for the Heralds. Coming to terms with the fact that they can
never go home again, that all they knew and all they loved is
now an irrelevant footnote in a dusty history book, will be
even harder. Once that angst has been cleared up, the real
work of the Herald begins. Creation is broken. Someone has
to fix it. Might as well be them.
Set Right What Once Went Wrong

This game style embraces the Nocturnals ability to
dabble in time travel. Instead of merely manipulating a
simulation of the past and hoping the Loom uploads some
slight modifications to mundane reality, the Nocturnals may
actually travel freely into the past. This is not a tale without
consequences. True, the Nocturnals may seek to correct an
event they perceive as a tragedy, but those corrections will
themselves have consequences. The Nocturnal manages to
save her husand, but at what cost? Her personal journey will
continue to affect her and she will bear the memories of all
her attempts, both successful and failed.

Not only does the past exist for todays Nocturnals to
journey to, the present may be visited by Nocturnals from
the future as well.They may come to deliver a warning of a
doomed universe, giving todays Nocturnals and other Exalts
just enough information to attempt to steer Creation away
from such a dire fate. Or they might come back to cut down
some foe before he becomes a true threatonly later to come
back again to stop himself from creating an even worse enemy.

If the Nocturnals are permited to travel through time
in this fashion, perhaps they are not alone. Of the many
Primordials, one might have possessed a similar power. Like
the Heralds, it also sought refugee in the future. Now it turns
its power to altering the past. Your players must pursue it and
its demons across time and space; thwarting its every move
before (or after, depending on your point of view) it can free
its fellow Primordials from their prison.

The Paradox Liberation

You probably notice that up until now, the exact means
by which the Nocturnals returned to Creation have not been
discussed. Where were the Nocturnal Exaltations stored?
Who released them and how? These are questions for you to
decide, and your players may play a role in the liberation of
their kind.

As a first option, perhaps the Paradox Liberation is a
cooperative effort of the remaining Heralds organized by the
Madame. The Heralds certainly have the motivation to free
the other Nocturnals.This may even have been a conspiracy

184

stretching over millennia as the Heralds skipped through

time. Or it may have been a recent development, something
permitted for the first time by the convergence of Heralds and
a distraction large enough to keep the Bureau of Destiny from
interfering as they performed their work.

As a second alternative, perhaps the Harlequins themselves may one day be responsible for their own liberation.
Perhaps by employing Walking the Skeins, the Harlequins
have subtly tampered with the past, poking and prodding
it until their Exaltations fly free for the first time in thousands of years, generating a stable causal loop and making
the Paradox Liberation true to its namesee Set Right What
Once Went Wrong, above. Or perhaps Harlequins from other
Manvantaras have discovered the means to travel from one
universe to another, and your players are on a crusade to liberate Nocturnals throughout the Kalpasee Other Yesterdays,
below.

As a third option, perhaps the Paradox Liberation is
not the main force behind the Nocturnals escape. In this
version of things, Nox has more freedom to command the
Sidereals through the Division of Oversight than the Maidens
had thought possible. Through perplexing orders over long
centuries, the Bound God has played a slow game. Here, your
players would be Sidereals rather than Nocturnals, either
following the strange orders of Oversight to their logical
conclusions or trying to stop those orders from unleashing yet
another hazard upon Fate.

As for where the Exaltations were kept, they might
have been stored within Autochthons forge in Yu-Shan (did
Asna Firstborn play a role in their freedom?). Or they could
have been kept with Autochthon himself when he departed
Creation, allowing the return of the Nocturnals now that the
Autochthonians may have broken the seal between the worlds.
Maybe the Jade Prison is far older than once thought and the
Nocturnals were stored there as well to be set free along with
the Solars (in which case, did the Heralds and Harlequins
somehow aid the Deathlords or is the Paradox Liberation not
actually responsible for the return of the Nocturnals?) These
are the most obvious answers. Whether they apply to your
series is entirely up to you.

Other Yesterdays

The Kalpa is open to the Nocturnals. In this game style,
the Chosen of Nox can either venture from one Manvantara
to another or play completely within a Manvantara radically
different from the standard Exalted setting.

In the first option, travel may be freely available,
extremely limited, or any variation in between as suits your
needs. Like the ancient cosmonauts of the Well of Udr, your
players may have found or made a stable link to another Manvantara. Alternatively, they may be castaways in the Kalpa,
dashing from world to world as connections open and close
between them at seemingly random intervals. This could be
combined with a Set Right What Once Went Wrong game, in
which the Nocturnals are responsible for creating branching
Manvantara by altering the past.

In the second option, the characters are native to another
Manvantara completely. Their history is not the history of the
default setting and their world may be drastically different,
diverging from the main Exalted setting thousands of years
ago. Here are some examples of alternate Manvantara, which
may be used, altered, or ignored as your game demands.

Manvantara

Sic Semper Tyrannis


It has been more than five millennia since Nox escaped
his treacherous sisters and warned The Lidless Eye That Sees
of their plot against the Primordials. Five thousand years since
the Exalted Host, under the leadership of Regent G-R-L, put
down the rebellious gods. Five thousand years since the Holy
Tyrant placed His own heart in the Daystar, since he installed
Nox as the head of the Celestial Bureaucracy and G-R-L as
His earthly regent.

Nox alone among the Incarnae survived the war unscathed. He now tends to the affairs of Celestial Bureaucracy
with the aid of his Calibration Court, his Heralds. The Unconquered Sun, in time, was vanquished. Foolhardy he was
not to retreat when so vastly outnumbered. Now an emerald
sun shines upon Creation. Luna, too, fell as she desperately
bought her lover time to escape. Noxs skies host a blood-red
moon who calls the tides with great force and periodical
sweeps the coastlines clean.

The Maidens suffered a worse fate. Their bodies are
whole, but their minds are broken. This seemed a fitting
punishment for them at first, for Nox knows that had the situation been reversed they would have treated him no better.
The Primordials gave the shattered goddesses to Nox as his
reward for loyalty. While he once delighted in his harem, he
finds no joy in their condition now.

The Primordials who aided the Incarnae also suffered
for their betrayal. Autochthon was captured and exiled to
realm of his own twisted devising. Within this sanatorium
his disease festers, but rarely does it threaten his kin. From
time to time, however he dispatches one of his Apostates into
Creation, who seeks to spread the sickness of the Void, or an
Exalt might employ sorcery to summon and bind a gremlin to
perform some some esoteric task.

Gaia felled for the Wyld, safe within Gnosis. She uprooted her souls which guarded the edge of the world and
began what history would later call the Five Poles Cataclysm.
The Wyld swallowed vast swaths of Creation before other Primordials could stabilize the world by replacing the Elemental
Dragons with their own souls. In his infinite wisdom, the
Holy Tyrant divided Creation among five of his most loyal
Primordials so that no one Titan might threaten Creation
with annihilation as Gaia did.

To Kimbery was given the West and all the seas. Hunanura, the Heart-Frost Unending, received the North into
his frigid embrace. Metagaos planted his forest soul into
the Eastern Pole, while Cecelyne anchored the South to her
own desert nature. Finally, Qaf once again received the title
of omphalos as he grafted one of his souls into the Sacred
Mountain.

The influence of these five Primordials have shifted
and twisted Creation as well as restored it. Qaf has seen fit
to elevate what was once the Blessed Isle until it has become
a towering plateau separated from the Threshold not by the
Narrow Sea but by deep canyons and steep cliffs. The eastern
forests are full of swamps and bogs, illuminated at night by
giant glowing fungi, and its creatures are preyed upon by
enormous pitcher plants and sundews. Cecelyne has cooled
the burning volcanoes of the south, eroded its mountains to
isolated mesas, and dotted the desert with vast, barren salt
seas to taunt those who desire a soothing drink of water while
sojourning across her wasteland. In the West, Kimbery has
nurtured Lintha Ng Oroo back to health and has spread its
offspring and her own Lintha descendents throughout the
Westmany of the Western Islands have sunk beneath the
waves only to be replaced with living islands born of Kimberys great behemoth and populated by her chosen people.
Unsurprisingly, Hunanura has invested little effort in North.

So long as his own soul is untroubled, he cares little for what

the populace of that frozen realm does.

As for the Exalted, many fought until the bitter end.
Most, however, joined with Regent G-R-L to oppose the brutal
devastation of Creation. The Regent realized the folly of his
ways when he witnessed the cataclysmic death of Mardukth.
He strove alone, by the time the Unconquered Sun and the
Dragons Shadow both fell, he had amassed enough support to launch his counter-revolution. For his efforts he was
rewarded by the Holy Tyrant and proclaimed Regent of all
Creation at the wars end, to rule mortal and Exalted alike as
Nox would rule the gods.

The Exalted serve their Primordial masters today, accepting the yoke of the Investure of Cosmic Glory under pain
of death. The Empyreal Chaos reserves fifty Solar Exaltations
for his own private use at all times. The rest he divides among
the other Primordials as their own merits recommend. Only
Noxs Heralds are permitted to live free of the Primordials
shacklesanother token of appreciation for Noxs loyalty.
Some accept this burden anyhow, particularly in service to
Isidoros or the Lidless Eye That Sees.

Not all Exalted have been forced into the Primordials
service. In ancient days, before the Primordials and their
Exalted had re-tamed Creation, Gnosis would occasionally
roar back into the world to abduct newly Exalted Lunars.
These joined Gaias own retinue of Dragon-blooded who
dwelt within Gnosis. For many generations it has been too
dangerous for Gaia to approach Creation herself, but she
still dispatches loyal Lunar Exalted and her Terrestrials into
Creation to liberate additional Exalts. Even among her ranks,
a few Lunars and Terrestrials have been blessed with Gaias
own Cosmic Glory.

And then, of course, there are Autochtons Apostates
who no Primordial could tame even if they desired such
disease ridden servants (Metagaos has tried and failed on
numerous occasions).

Such as been the state of things, in broad strokes, for the
last five millennia. Change is in the air, however. The Regent
has grown powerful, blending the Charms of the King of the
Primordials with his own Solar majesty. He eyes the Empyreal
Throne with envy. Meanwhile, Nox has grown weary of his
labors and the torment of the Maidens. He is uncertain if
he loathes himself or the Primordials more. A growing movement among his Chosen attempts to secret away young Exalts
so they may enjoy the freedom as they do. Some have been
smuggled away to Gnosis, where Gaia has now amassed a sizable army, one that tempts her to finally seek vengeance for
her fallen lover.

Once again, the world lurches to war.

The Onyx Anathema

Every Immaculate Monks knows of the Anathema and
their divisions. There is the gold Anathema: the Forsaken, the
Blasphemous, the Unclean, the Wretched, and the Decievers.
There is the silver Anathema: the Frenzied, the Tricksters, the
Ogres, and the Moon-Mad. And, of course, there is the onyx
Anathema: the Dissident, the Assassin, the Harlot, the Heretic, and the Traitor. These last tempt mortals with fantasies
and delusions and spread chaos and anarchy in their wake.

Such is the philosophy of Creation today. The Primordial War is ancient history, and the Harlequins joined their
Celestial peers at the victory celebration. The First Age rose
and fell. As the Sidereals convened for their Great Prophecy,
the Nocturnals were forced to choose sides as well. Many
were appalled that the Sidereals would even consider such an
all-encompassing look into the future, though most were com-

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185

forted by the discordant nature of the vision. The future was

not yet set and it was in their hands to guide it down the best
of all possible worlds. Others merely wished to throw off the
chains of the Solars who had debased them for so long, those
who had exploited their Curse for their own gains. Under
orders from another Celestial, they could pursue their revenge
with impunity.

In the end, the Bronze Faction won the debateif only
by striking the first blow. The Solars were executed; the Lunars, scattered or slain as well. To ensure the success of the
Usurpation, the Bronze Faction, both Sidereal and Nocturnal
members, turned their blades against their own kind, slaying
many of the Gold Faction and unaligned Independents while
driving others into hiding until it was too late to stop what
had to be done.

While newly reincarnated Sidereals are easy to track
and spirit away to Yu-Shan for reeducation, the reincarnated
Nocturnals proved to be a much more difficult matter. The
Five Score Fellowship and the Carnival Fantastique had to
wait until a Nocturnal made her presence known, by which
time the Wyld Hunt would already be mobilizing against her.
Though it makes conversion more difficult later, the Bronze
Faction had to connoct an excuse as they had for the Solars
and Lunars, to justify the existence of the Nocturnals in Immaculate Philosophy.

Unlike the Solars and Lunars, however, the Nocturnals
are sought by both Factions as new recruits, most often
whichever their companions belong to. They serve alongside
the Sidereals in the Bureau of Destiny, under the constant
supervision of their companion. Though metaphysical equals,
the Harlequin and her companion are not social equals. The
Harlequins are effectively under house arrest, allowed to roam
only when the Bureau permits. The Nocturnals are ill-suited
to such treatment, but most tolerate it. There are far worse
alternatives.
For obvious reasons, the Carnival Fantastique pursues new
Nocturnals with dogged determination. The Carnivals alliance with the Fellowship is an uneasy one, for the Fellowship
will not hestitate to have a troublesome young Harlequin slain
if she cannot be recruited in a timely fashion.

Many Harlequins were once appeased by the growing
popularity of the so-called Onyx Faction, a group advocating
for the replacement of Terrestrial-administered Creation in
favor of a system with a greater Nocturnal presence. With the
recent return of the Solar Exalted, the Onyx Faction has lost
ground to a resurgence in the Gold Faction.

The time may soon come when the Carnival Fantastique will part ways with Five-Score Fellowship. Among the
Harlequins, the Silver Faction has suddenly become a popular
option. New lines are being drawn. A three-way conflict to
control the future of Creation is looming. On one side, the
Bronze Faction and their Terrestrials; on the second, the Gold
Faction and their Solars; on the third, a union of Nocturnals
and Lunars. Should this conflict erupt into full-scale war, the
only certain winners will be the Abyssals and the Green Sun
Princes.

The Shattered World

Through the shapeless Wyld a vast comet roars. Around
it twists the Elemental Dragons, coiling protectively around
the abode of their mother Gaia. The Daystar, the Silver Chair
and the planets of the Five Maidens, too, orbit the comet
Gnosis, warding away the influence of Pure Chaos. Within
it, some of the last survivors of Creation flee from a relentless
enemy. The survivors are led by the Exalted, nurtured by the
essence of the Emerald Mother.

186

Three-thousand seven-hudred and eight four years ago, the titan Ramethus shattered Creation. Many of the greatest Exalts
fought boldly but in vain to preserve their homeland. In the
end their numbers were not enough, for many of the Solar
had remained at the worlds edge protecting their own lands
rather than coming to Creations aid. When Ramethus stood
victorious upon the Imperial Mountain and tore the world
to pieces, the Solars on the fringe held their island of reality together through their own majesty. Wyld and waypoints
flooded into the lands that had once been Creation and drove
all that remained apart.
Gaia felt the pains of the world and returned in vibrant glory.
Like Autochthon before her, she raptured as much life as she
could into her personal realm. With Lunas aid, the Maidens
smuggled the Loom of Fate from Yu-Shan to Gnosis. Trailing
vivid azure and ivory essence, Gnosis blasted into the Wyld
with its precious cargo.
Since then Gnosis has sailed the Wyld, occasionally finding
an isolated Solar or Lunar lead colony, offering them a place
among their refugee ranks. Those that died before contact
with Gnosis have had their Exaltations find new hosts in

A Gilded Age

The time surrounding the Usurpation is a major
diverging point in the Kalpa. From here worlds branch
off into those in which the Bronze Faction won (of which
the basic Exalted Manvantara is but one) and those in
which the Gold Faction won, as well as smaller minority
of those in which the Silver Faction or some other exotic
option proved to be the dark horse candidate and win
the day. In those with a victorious Gold Faction, there
is yet another split. In some, a Usurpation of sorts still
occurred. The Solars were executed and their reincarnations indoctrinated by Gold Faction mentors.

In others, the Gold Faction allowed the Solars
to proceed as they desired. Storytellers should read
through Dreams of the First AgeLands of Creation
to get a feel for the various mad plots the Solars had in
play before the Usurpation and run them out to their
logical conclusions. Manvantaras of this group will have
worlds in which Salina invested mortals with Adamant
Circle Sorcery, or worlds in which the Magnus and
his cohorts forged the Neverborn into a great howling
soulsteel wall around Creation, trapping the world
within a horrific mausoleum. There will be worlds where
the Solars released the Yozi, just for the chance to fight
them again, and worlds where they broke Creation into
300 lesser worlds. There will be worlds in which Sorraza Dalon perfected her legion of remorseless, ruthless
soldiers, worlds where Queen Ktulas cephalod children
have overtaken much of the West, and worlds where the
whole of Creations mortal population are subdued with
radiolari. The will be worlds in which the Solars united
their fellow Exalted and wrestled the Games of Divinity
from their patrons, and worlds where Lytek took hold
of the sublime tools which first created the Exaltations,
hammering and altering beyond recognition in a vain
attempt to control their might. Worst still, there will be
worlds where several of these mad experiments coexist.
And perhaps there is some small group of hopeful worlds
were the Gold Faction successfully redeemed the Solars
and preserved Creation in all its glory.
Mix and match as you please.

Gaias embrace, guided by the Loom of Fate. Only half a

dozen Solars and thirteen Lunars are yet to join Gnosis.
Meanwhile, Ramethus has continued to build his
military might, striking out against the Exalts island worlds
as he finds them. Until recently, the Ever-Dawning Glade had
avoided the Primordials detection. Now Raren-yud, the Spear
of the Forest, finds her Realm besieged by Ramethus forces.
The Dawn has rallied her people. They fight valiantly, but
the devas of Ramethus harry their every weakness in their
defense, picking at their flanks, gnawing at the edge, until
nothing remains.

The Primordial has not forgotten Gaia either. The
Third Circle Deva Chungira leads the hunt against her and
the refugees of Gnosis. The refugees know he stalks them,
though he has never shown himself directly. He dispatches
waves of lesser deva to harass the Gnosis. With the defenders
distracted, he sends others to quietly board the comet. He
finds ready allies among the Unshaped.

Currently Gnosis is on a direct course for the EverDawning Glade, though neither world is yet aware of the
other. Ramethus, however, is quite aware of the situation.
Two additional Third Circle Devas and their entire retinue
tear through the Wyld at all haste. Ramethus knows they cannot arrive before Gnosis, nor does he expect them to win.
They need only to inflict a crippling blow to Gnosis to be
successful.

Then Ramethus real strategy begins.

The Crusader Kingdoms

The Incarnae recline in leisure within their Jade Pleasure
Dome, content, for once, that affairs in Creation are moving
smoothly. The Great Maker labors endlessly in the glorious
Centropolis of Anaxis upon the banks of the Dawn River.
From here, he guards the miles-high spire of the Orichalcum
Shrine and coordinates the efforts of Exalted across two
worlds. Creation and Autochthonia enjoy an Age of Brilliance.

The reunion of Creation and Autochthonia has not always proceeded so peacefully. Eight-hundred and thirty three
years ago, a desperate nation broke through the Seal of Eight
Divinities and stepped foot under the sunlight and sky for
the first time since their ancestors were raptured away to the
Realm of Brass and Shadows. When word of the vast treasures
and pleasant climate of Creation reached the other nations of
Autochthonia, the race to claim its land began.

Soon the nations of Autochthonia clashed with the
might of the Shogunate. The initial confrontations were
evenly matched. Both sides brought to bear technological
marvels against their enemy. The Shogunate had superior
numbers, both of mortals and Exalted, but the Champions of
the Autochthonians were individually more powerful. Ostensibly the Shogunate was better organized to resist the invasion,
but political in-fighting amongst the daimyos hindered the
war effort. Additionally, as each of the Eight Nations joined
the crusade, they sprung from the ground across Creation,
seemingly at random, catching the Shoguns forces off-guard
and opening multiple fronts.

While the Eight Nations and the Shogunate tore one another apart, other forces conspired to exploit the conflict. The
Dowager released the Great Contagion upon the Creation.
Its virulence spread throughout the world, felling nine out of
every ten mortals. It spread slowly into Autochthonia, where
the medicinal powers of the Alchemical Exalted successful
hampered its lethality; only half the population of that world
perished. Still, despite the casualties (or perhaps because of

them), the fighting continued, with the Autochthonians gaining considerable ground.

Another Deathlord sought to strike at Creation while it
was weakened. The First and Forsaken Lion threw open the
doors to the Wyld and graciously invited the horde of the
Ishvara Balor. As the Raksha armies poured into Creation,
the beleaguered Shogunate and Autochthonians put aside
their differences and turned their well-sharpened military
might against their common foe. For his foolhardiness, the
Neverborn brutally humbled the First and Forsaken Lion.
Still, the war against the Raksha seemed tilting swiftly in
Balors favor as more and more of Creations periphery fell
to the Wyld. Until, at last, two Exalts, Annealed Praxis and
Chinua of Whispers breached the Pole of Crystal and woke
the Great Maker himself. With his help, the Jade and Changing Moon activated the Sword of Creation from its control
room in the Orichalcum Shrine and drove the Raksha back
into Chaos.

Following their victory, one of Autochthons jouten departed the Realm of Brass and Shadows and joined the effort
to heal Creations wounds. Annealed Praxis became the first
Alchemical to place his foundation in Creation, becoming
the Centropolis of Anaxis around the Orichalcum Spire, a
new home for the Great Makers jouten. As for Chinua of
Whispers, she aided the Great Maker in the restoration of the
Lunar Castes and has become one of the most prominent and
respected members of the Silver Pact. Autochthon would later
use knowledge gained from his experiments with Chinua to
restore the People of Adamant to their former glory.

The Eight Nations spearheaded the effort to rebuild
and resettle the Threshold. Their colonies provided a steady
stream of resources back to Autochthonia, but after threehundred years of colonial rule, one by one, the colonies shook
off their foreign rulers and gained their independence. Some
rebellions soaked Creation in blood; others in the ink of a
thousand mind-swaying pamphlets. In time the Twelve Nations of Creation took shape and gained equal status to the
Eight of Autochthonia.

The Twelve Nations, like those of their forebearers, have
a mighty Alchemical serving as their capitals and most of their
major cities, typically resting upon ancient ruins.
In the East, the Metropolis of Eroz, famous for its blue-lantern
district and black markets, built herself upon the ruins of
Hollow. She serves as the capital of Raehar, which rules the
riverways. South of Raehar is the Nation of Caprona, with
is starmetal capital, the Patropolis of Peluc, intermingling
amid the ziggurats of ancient Rathess. Travelling east from
Eroz, one would encounter the nation of Madris. Nestled in
a scenic landscape of winding rivers and rolling, forested hills
and low mountains, the nation funnels its vast natural riches
to its capital, the Metropolis of Selras, which spans the Lesser
Rock River and draws power from its great falls. Elsewhere in
the East are the Theopolis of Belgar, one of five theopolises
found beyond the Blessed Isle, grows up in a lonely forest hidden in the Lunar nation of Halta. Denandsora city named
sacred to Autochthonhas been restored to its original state
in his honor.

In the South, the soulsteel and adamant towers of the
Patropolis of Etdi rise among the remnants of Chiaroscuro.
From here, the nation of Yarren rules the southern coastline
of the Inner Sea, from the Penitent to old Deheleshen. Yarren has strong ties to its sister nation Sardosh which roams
the great southern desert. Sardoshs capital, the Metropolis
of Kashir, rumbles across the dunes on enormous treads,
piercing the desert sky with her smoking towers. Further west,
where once stood the City of Flowers, the Patropolis of Petres

Chapter Seven Storytelling

187

rises as a shining beacon of modernity amid lush, tropical forest. The heart of the city is the living monument of Perpetual
Restless Servitor, posing triumphantly as a commemoration of
his victory in the Lintha Invasion of Reunion Year 183, just
before the Colossus settled down to become the capital of the
nation of Echsat.

In the West, Admiral Leviathan proudly serves the
Nation of Luthe, which took its name from the citadel the
ancient Lunar lost during the early wars against the ancestors
of the very people he now protects. His beastmen now mingle
with the Autochthonians aboard the roving submersible
Metropolis of Moya, who was once (and if rumors are to be
believed, still is) Leviathans lover. Under Leviathans leadership, Luthe has made vassals of the other two Western nations:
Denisova and Vostok, with their capitals on the Wavecrest
and Coral Archipelagos respectively. Denisova at first resisted
Luthes growing influence, but soon succumbed to its naval
blockade. Vostok voluntarily joined the Luthe Protectorate
one hundred and sixty-three years ago, after the Metropolis of
Utaxal, the Wests principle exporter of soulsteel, defected to
the Silver Prince. The Silver Prince has now made Utaxal his
base of operations and attempts to weaken the great Western
alliance.

In the far North, a geodesic dome of jade and frosted
crystal rises from the endless tundra. Vivid flashes, like prismatic lightning illuminate the long, silent arctic night. Far
below, the Patropolis of Wimesht shelters the population of
the nation of Denerid from the bitter cold with its numerous
Municipal Charms. Built upon the ruins of Crystal, Wimesht
is Denerids only city and hosts lavish festivals to entertain its
entire population during the frigid months of Air and Water.
When the weather warms, the city empties all but essential
personnel, while mortal and Exalt alike comb the vast frozen
landscape for all available resources. To the south, the golden
arcades and temples of the Patropolis of Orison has restored
the sacred geomancy of Ondar Shambal. Profiting from a
continuous stream of pilgrims to its holy capital, the nation
of Jarse rivals the wealth of Raehar. It funds numerous largescale engineering projections across the Northmost recently,
it has begun to reconstruct the Spidersilk Dam, replacing the
original delicate construction with a new metropolis. The
final nation of the Twelve is Tautog, the northern counterpart to Yarren. Its capital, the Metropolis of Idaltu, weaves
moonsilver conveyor walkways and shimmering skyscrapers
through old Cherak. Ships that launch from Idaltus harbor
patrol the northern coast of the Inner Sea from Amber Shores
to Wallport, trading with the Blessed Isle, Raeharians and the
Yarrish alike.

Unlike the Eight Nations, the Twelve are each ruled by
an Exalted. In most cases, it is a Solar (one whose Exaltation
was never imprisoned), appointed by the Machine God himself. In two, such as the Luthe Protectorate states, it is a Lunar
who rules.

Thus far, the Solars and Lunars have ruled justly. The
Great Curse that plagued their previous incarnations has been
tamed by the presence of the Alchemical Exalted. Autochthon
still seeks a way to cure the Curse completely, but the success
of Alchemical interactions with the other Exalted has proven
highly encouraging.

The Great Maker felt confident enough to begin releasing the Solar Exalted. Intending to send out a first wave of
forty additional Solars, he opened the Jade Prison five years
ago. To his dismay, all the trapped Exaltations fled immediately and newborn Exalt spring up across Creation into a
system ill-prepared to handle such numbers.

188

Now the Great Maker braces his delicately crafted Creation

for the onrush of nearly three-hundred disenfranchised
Solars. He hurriedly prepares room for them. He knows all
too well the damage such rogue heros can do. He also knows
that, over the centuries, the Deathlords have seduced many
Apostates to their side and from the study of the prototypic
Exalted, learned to twist Exaltations that once empowered
them. Once before, they offered a young Solar new power as
the first of their Abyssal Exaltedits only a matter of time
before more take the black mantle.

Dragons of a Different Color

The Scarlet Throne is empty. The squabbling children
of the absent Empress threaten to tear her dynasty apart like
wolves at a warm corpse. The Jade Prison is open. The golden
Exaltations descend upon Creation like crows drawn by the
scent of fresh blood. And from the cracks in the world, a
hundred green suns dawn.

The hour grows late, and the time Heralds only tumult.
The heroes and villains of the world send countless legions
marching to their deaths. When their souls awake on the
other side, they find themselves the strange gray utopia of the
deathless Jade Emperor.

While the Scarlet Empress and her cohorts battled their
way to seize the reigns of the Sword of Creation, the Jade
Emperor sought the aid of the long-neglected Neverborn. He
broke open their nightmare mausoleums (with the aid of the
Iron Faction, if heavenly rumors are to be believed), and parleyed with the mad titanic ghosts. They offered him dominion
over the armies of the dead. In exchange, his seed would
be forever twisted to the deathly reflections of Creations
Elements, to live as Creatures of Death, and to serve their
tortured will until the End of Days. The Jade Emperor swore
the oath easily. How could he not? The End of Days would be
upon him sooner rather than later if he refused.

From shadowlands across Creation, the horrors of the
Underworld burst forth. The countless ghosts slain by the
Balorian Crusade, the mad nemissaries who had approached
too close to the whispers of the Neverborn, and the monstrous hekatonkhires rampaged through the ranks of the Fair
Folk. For the first time, the dread powers of Necromancy were
unleashed against an unsuspecting foe. The Jade Emperors
legions marched upon Creation for the first three days of Calibration with victory after victory only serving to encourage
those who fought under his banner, attracting even the living
to his cause.

On the fourth day of Calibration, the skies burned
with fires of the Sword of Creation. First the Raksha were
incinerated, and the Jade Emperor rejoiced. Then the Scarlet
Empress turned the worlds greatest weapon upon the Jade
Emperors own armies, driving him back to the Underworld.
Since then, the Jade Emperor and the Scarlet Empress have
had an uneasy truce (though had she the resources for such
an expedition, she likely would have declared war upon him
when he accepted the recently-deceased Seven Tigers with
open arms). Her influence spread throughout Creation;
his, through the Underworld. She slew the Seven Tigers; he
usurped the Dual Monarchy. She cowed the nations of the
world; he garnered support from the Shogunate survivors, for
he descended from the Shogun himself. She nursed the Great
Houses; he sired the gens of the Pallid Jade Empire.

These gens are not Terrestrial Exalted in the traditional
sense. Scholars of Exaltations, namely Lytek and Parad, have
named them Erebean Exaltedthe Voidblooded. In terms of
power, they show their kinship with the Terrestrials of Creation. Their Elemental Aspects, however, have become those

pale reflections native to the Underworld and the thematic

resonance of their power is equally altered though the lens
of these deathly elements. One notable difference between
the two breeds is the horrific power and proliferation of the
Voidbloodeds Martyr Charms.

After a hundred years of searching, the Jade Emperor
discovered the means by which Prince Balors Raksha stormed
Creation. The angry hun soul of a usurped Lawgiver had
raged impotently in its tomb until a Shogunate archeologist
broke open the Solars final resting place. Slaying the researcher, it went out into the Wyld to fulfill the last command
of the former Exalt. It bore a message to the Raksha from
the Solar, rescinding the ancient pacts which kept them at
bay and inviting them to do as they pleased to the traitors
who dwelt in Creation. Soon after this discovery, the hun soul
was found and defeated by a Sworn Brotherhood of the Jade
Emperors grandsons. The only survivor from this conflict
forged its remains into the Jade Emperors soulsteel scepter.
The Voidblooded gens have been active throughout the
Underworld and their shadowland colonies. Fortunately for
Creation, the Neverborns offer was hastily made on their
part. The Jade Emperor has proven more cunning than they
had imagined and deflected his masters attempted to turn
the Voidblooded against the world of the living, en masse.
True, many of his dynasty have fallen to the murderous whispers of the Neverborn and launched campaigns of slaughter
into Creation. Indeed, two hundred years ago, the majority of
Gens Rhamadus marched out of the Underworld and began
a genocidal campaign against the natives of Harborhead.
Though it pained him greatly to turn against his own kin,
the Jade Emperor allied with the Realm to put an end to
Gens Rhamadus pogrom. The survivors of Gens Rhamadus,
bound by the dying command of their founder, continue to
plague Creation and the Underworld alike.

The disappearance of the Scarlet Empress has brought
suspicion upon the Jade Emperor. It is said he had her
abducted. Others say that Voidblooded assassinated her,
and now her own advisors are covering up her death. Still
others say that she, whether is alive or dead, has become the
secret lover of the Jade Emperor (such rumors were common
whenever the Empress took a lengthy sabbatical). In truth, the
Jade Emperor knows nothing of her disappearance. He has
dispatched numerous investigators throughout Creation and
the Underworld hoping to learn this secret, but as yet, he has
discovered nothing substantial.

The best lead yet uncovered is that the Empresss disappearance is connected in some way with the recent unlocking
of the Jade Prison. His Iron Faction allies further suggest that
an akuma within the Bronze Faction threw open the doors of
the prisona test of some mechanism to do the same to the
Demon Prison, the Iron Faction speculates.
The Jade Emperor now weighs his options. The Empress
Realm descends into civil war. If the wrong faction wins, they
will turn upon the alleged-abductor. Yet, if he supports another faction overtly, he will have to contend with the arrival
of waves of the dead opposition within his own Empire. He
ponders the viability of shadowing his support by propping
up a Solar Exalted or two as intermediaries. Meanwhile, he
continues to focus resources into discovering the true reason
for the Empress disappearance.

after the Empress backed a failed coup several years agofortunately the incompetence of her stooge may have saved the
city from far grizzlier fate. Had the coup succeeded, no doubt
the city-state would have been embroiled in a costly civil war,
leaving it unable to defend itself from the Mask of Winters
assault. Indeed the deathlords have grown more active in
recent years; scores of their Abyssal Exalted spread death and
destruction in all corners of the world.

These scenarios are not meant to represent a single
Manvantara (but they might). They are examples of a variety
of Manvantara which diverged from the main Exalted setting
only recently or which differ by ways only recently apparent.
There are many possible examples of such worlds, but here the
focus will be on those that weigh most heavily on an Empress
who never vanishes.

Centuries ago, when Prince Balor seemed poised to
destroy Creation once and for all, the Sidereals convened to
elevate a young unassuming Dragon-blooded warrior to the
ranks of Creations greatest heroes. She would be given access
to the Sword of Creation, so she might wield its apocalyptic
power to save the world. But to gain entry, someone had to pay
a grim toll. Chejop Kejak accepted this burden upon himself,
allowing the Scarlet Empress to rule unmolested by the dark
forces that forced open the gates of the Orichalcum Shrine
to her. Seven-hundred and sixty-three years later, the Yozi
have collected their prize, spiriting the leader of the Bronze
Faction away to Malfeas for purposes unknown. Perhaps they
did so only to allow Anys Syn to assume control of the Bronze
Faction, the better to exploit the favor she owes them as well.
Perhaps, as Chejop Kejak nears the end of his life, the Yozi
have been force to act now rather than risk his death Such
reasoning seems to obvious for the Yozi. Surely, they must
have some convoluted and nefarious scheme prepared. But
what that might be, only the greatest Chosen of Secrets knows
now.

Four years ago, House Tepets legions fell or defected
to the Bull of the North. Following his victory in the Battle
of Futile Blood, the Dawn marched on undefended Cherak,
driving House Ferem into exile on the Blessed Isle. His war
against the Haslanti lasted two years, slowed only be a harsh
Season of Water. The most of the League now recognizes his
authority, except for pockets of resist in distant Diamond
Hearth and Crystal. Whitewall capitulated immediately to his
envoy; Gethemane surrendered peacefully after a six-month
siege. With the North beneath his banner, the Bull at last
turns his attention eastward, to the embattled Haltans and
their oft-repeated pleas for aid against the Linowans. With
negotiations between Halta and the Bull wrapping up, the
Linowans have become desperate for allies. As yet they have
found none willing to support them against the might of
Yurgen Kaneko.

Seeing the weakness of the Realm, Reshoom Keshara,
the Leopard of Harborhead conspired treasonous acts against
his Dragon-blooded satrap. Fearing open rebellion, the satrap
attempted to have the Leopard assassinated. The attempt
failed. Those who know the way of such things whisper fearfully that the satrap failed only because the Leopard received
the Black Exaltation upon the brink of death. If the Leopard
is a deathknight he has never revealed his necrotic power
openly. Regardless, he lived to begin his rebellion, uniting the
Five Tribes against the Realm occupation. House Cathak was
Ten-Thousand Yesterdays
temporarily driven from Harborhead, but recently returned

The Scarlet Empress sits upon a troubled throne with in greater numbers. The capital of Kirighast has been razed.
no shadow behind it. Cherak, Whitewall, Gethemane and the Cathaks legions entrench themselves along the coast, preparHaslanti have fallen beneath the banner of the Bull. Kirighast ing for an offensive inland. The Leopard has fled into the
is burning. Thorns has severed all relations with the Realm

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189

remote hinterland and now consorts with the Bride of Luna

who has come to the aid of the rebellion.

In Thorns, the Autocrat, too, survived an attempt on
his life by Realm sympathizers. His survival and the execution
of the traitors strained relations with the Realm and solidified an alliance with Lookshy. Though growing anti-Dragonblooded sentiment initially opposed stronger ties to Lookshy,
all opposition was silenced when the Mask of Winters
besieged the city. Lookshy and its allies rushed to Thorns
aid, and though they suffered heavy casualties, successfully
forced the Deathlord into retreat. The citizens of Thorns now
live in constant fear. Will the Mask of Winters strike again?
Do his Deathknights stalk silently among them even now? A
strong Lookshy garrison assuages some concerns, but it has
been four years since the attack and now many in Lookshy
are clamoring for the return of their soldiers. Meanwhile,
unknown to any in Creation, the Mask of Winters has been
debased by the Neverborn as the Princess Magnificent was
before him and given to the Walker in Darkness as a vassal.
This has hardly quelled his ambition. He currently goads the
Walker into attacking Great Forks while the people of the
Scavenger Lands are distracted with concerns over Thorns.

The Deathlords have Abyssal Exalted to spare. When
their gargantuan monstrosity cracked the Jade Prison, it
defied all odds. It successfully captured the Prisons entire
collection of Solar Exaltations. Fifty were given as the promised tribute to the Yozi. The rest were distributed among
the Deathlords. Each now commands three full circles of
Deathknights, with the remainder tithed to the Neverborn
themselves. The extinction of Creation begins in earnest. Nations fall to moaning swords or are ground beneath the treads
of crawling necrotech siege-engines. Shadowlands bleed
through the veil and darken the land of the living. Not since
the Balorian Crusade has Creation been so close to the brink
of collapse. Ancient insults must be put aside. The Stewards
and Viziers must band together with what few Lawgivers were
never imprisoned to save Creation from the devouring maw
of the Void. In defense of their world, they consider desperate
gambits, such as releasing the Kukla or seizing the Daystar.

190

They may find unlikely allies among the Yozi and their Green
Sun Princes. Perhaps in Creations darkest hour, the Seal of
Eight Divinities will be flung open and the Champions will
march forth in solidarity against the Void. Or perhaps this
world, too, will witness the return of Nocturnal Exalt, given
a second chance to defeat the Primordials who fell to the
Exalted once before.

The Rest of All Possible Worlds

This is but a tiny fraction of available Manvantara.
There are innumerable others. Amid that vast diversity
of worlds, there will be some common recurring themes.
In some Manvantara, Creation was spared the Three
Sphere Cataclysm when the Unconquered Sun accepted
She Who Lives in Her Name into his new Celestial Order. There are Manvantara in which the Dragon Kings
were never pushed to the brink of extinction, where the
Unconquered Sun still wears his Tyrant Lizard shape
in Yu-Shan. Elsewhere, the Great Maker never betrayed
the People of Adamant. Among these, there are Manvantaras in which the Solars saw the folly of their ways
and relented, and ones where they went to war against
Autochthon and his people (and in a further subdivision,
there are Manvantara where he fled Creation and others were he became the Engine of Extinction, haunting
Creation ever since). The Dawn Caste known as the Sun
Dragon still rules vast regions of the Demon City in
some Manvantara, and in others, her disruption of the
Descending Heirarchy woke the slumbering Prophet Abhorent and doomed the world to the tyranny of samsara.
Filial Wisdom has conquered or slaughtered most of the
South and East in some Manvantarain others, his war
was ended by a Lunar or Sidereal hero or the martyrs of
a Sworn Brotherhood. Where Filial Wisdom was slain,
he sometimes rises again as that Manvantaras fourteenth
Deathlord.

And on and on the variations go.

Nocturnal Experience

Except as noted, the Nocturnal Exalted gain experience, spend it, and train Traits at the same rate as Solar Exalted
(Exalted, p. 272-275). For values the differ from those listed for Solars, consult the Nocturnal Experience Cost Table below.
Trait

Cost

Training Time

Attribute

current rating x 4

(Rating) Months

Caste/Favored Attribute

current rating x 3

(Rating x 2) Weeks

Caste/Favored Charm

10

(Min. Attribute) Days

Out-of-Caste Charm

12

(Min. Attribute + Min. Essence) Days

Caste/Favored Domain

current rating x 2

(Rating x 2) Days

Out-of-Caste Domain

current rating x 3

(Rating x 4) Days

New Spell

10* or 12

(Spell Circle) Weeks

Essence

current rating x 9

(Rating) Month

*If Intelligence is Caste/Favored.

XP Generation

A popular alternative to standard character generation is full xp generation. For this option, the first dot of a
Domain rating is as follows:
Domain First Dot

Cost

Caste Domain

Free

Favored Domain

Out-of-Caste Domain

10

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