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Archived from groups: alt.games.whitewolf (More info?)

Well, my Exalted: Fair Folk showed up yesterday (it was probably there
a day ago, bastiches in Receiving didn't let me know...>_<), so I
snatched it up and have been reading thru it a fair bit, and here are
my first impressions...

Didn't really miss the "faerie", nor mind the "raksha" at all, maybe
because they'd wisely prepped up for that in advance. Interestingly,
despite the developer's distaste for "poofy sleeves", much of the art
remains in that vein...

While I wasn't that surprised that early children's cartoons made the
"Suggested Viewing" list (I'd call particular attention to the oddly
surreal Warner's cartoons where Porky is hunting the last Dodo), I was
a little that no anime made the list...is this a first?

Almost as many references to Changeling: the Dreaming terms and
concepts as Sidereals has to Mage. Freeholds, Dragon's Ire, Fomorians,
they're all here and more or less what they were in CtD...

I've been worried about how the game would approximate creatures that,
in game fiction, can bleed anything from fire to butterflies when you
cut them. It doesn't disappoint. These guys are *weird* and (can be,
but don't have to be) very alien. They make the Fae from DA:Fae look
like Changelings...^^

Lovely cover. The background doesn't seem as muted as on other Exalted
hardbacks, which looks much nicer...then again, maybe it'll look
different in the cold light of day...There's one artist inside that I
don't recall seeing before, but I like their work *a lot* (more,
please!)...if any Exalted book deserves full color, it's this one.

Well, that's all for now. Frankly, skimming the book is dizzying; this
is probably the most complex critter since Sidereals. I'm gonna sit
down and work this all out tonite, after running off some character
sheets...

What did anyone else think?

Dex
 
Archived from groups: alt.games.whitewolf (More info?)

Hand-of-Omega wrote:

> What did anyone else think?

<snip>

I think I'm getting my copy tomorrow.

Hopefully. The last time I thought something like that, I came back
with bupkiss.
--
Stephenls
Geek
"I'm as impure as the driven yellow snow." -Spike
 
Archived from groups: alt.games.whitewolf (More info?)

Haven't read it, but saw it in the store.

MFG, that cover is BEAUTIFUL. I don't mean "merely" good. I mean
utterly, unbelievably brilliant. I mean best art I have ever seen on a
book cover, anywhere.

Flipping through the book and everything looked damn cool too. Skimmed
the charms - shapeshifters rock!

Yeah, this one is going on the "Buy after Christmas" list.

William
 
Archived from groups: alt.games.whitewolf (More info?)

OK, I've now had about a week to read through the book and here are
some more impressions:

I don't know that I'd call the way the book is written *confusing*, but
I did have to reread certain parts a few times...
there are things and actions that I wasn't sure we were meant to take
as literal physical items and actions or not. Such is
the way of the Wyld and those who dwell there...

I do think the Charms could have been better organized, however. A
clearer structure might have helped avoid the feeling I got of
unrelated Charm trees flowing one after the other. Also, there is a lot
of repetition. Instead of endlessly reciting the identical conditions
each charm in a tree has, why not just state "all charms in this tree
come with *this* limitation"?

But these are nitpicks, really, tho I did feel they slowed down my
reading comprehension somewhat. Perhaps I would have been better served
not saving the chapters on Rakshastan and The Raksha till later? (BTW,
I hope you have the Lunars book, because a lot of important info on the
Wyld and Wyld Mutations is not reprinted here...)

Still, it all came together when I actually made up a few characters
(CS on request, or if I really want to...^^). The process was less
complex than I'd thought, and much more fun! The kick-ass Attribute
spread alone with make your heart race, but the bonus points to Fav and
Caste Abilities can be a little tricky at first. The new Backgrounds
are pretty simple, buy Birth if your game is Creation-based, Style if
you're spending much time in the Wyld (except that the Familiar ratings
don't really match the Familiar costs given in the Rakshastan chapter).
Charms are really where the meat of these creatures is at..It took a
second to get used to the change from "Ability/Essence" minimums to
"Grace/Ess", but I'm really surprised at how easy it is to make a
pretty powerful starting character. Which is reasonable, given that a
Ring of immortal Fair Folk may well have been around for a while (I
don't think the Storytelling chapter really addresses the issue of
starting a game with "newly born" Raksha as opposed to ones who've been
around for a while).

I'm very impressed at the sheer diversity of characters possible here.
This section explains how Fair Folk can have Elemental natures by
Assuming bodies in Creation. Knew that, but didn't think that there
could be Fair Folk of the Underworld, as well! I wonder if "Assumption
of Cerements and Bone" only functions in Shadowlands? I thought the
Wyld couldn't really touch the Underworld...

Also, "Elemental Transformation" allows the Raksha to adopt an
alternate animal form. Now, this is a fully bestial form? If I just
want a Fey Cat-girl (like Nlassa), do I need this Charm, or do I have
to buy the Beast-Form Wyld Affliction? Do the Raksha suffer the
drawbacks of that Affliction (loss of Intelligence, etc)? Or can you
just decide: "She looks like a cat girl" and pay nothing for that?

The few issues I have with the character sheet: Since Ability points
can go up to 6, why only 5 dots? And there really should be a slot for
Lures...

Well, that's all for now...Don't wanna hit the Event Horizon Length
Limit! I've pretty much wrapped my head about Shaping Duels, so more on
that, next...

Dex
 
Archived from groups: alt.games.whitewolf (More info?)

Me, I like to explore the Fairies and the Sidhe and Seelie and like
more, as well as more mythological beings like the Jin and Angels.

Mike


Hand-of-Omega wrote:
>
> Well, my Exalted: Fair Folk showed up yesterday (it was probably there
> a day ago, bastiches in Receiving didn't let me know...>_<), so I
> snatched it up and have been reading thru it a fair bit, and here are
> my first impressions...
>
> Didn't really miss the "faerie", nor mind the "raksha" at all, maybe
> because they'd wisely prepped up for that in advance. Interestingly,
> despite the developer's distaste for "poofy sleeves", much of the art
> remains in that vein...
>
> While I wasn't that surprised that early children's cartoons made the
> "Suggested Viewing" list (I'd call particular attention to the oddly
> surreal Warner's cartoons where Porky is hunting the last Dodo), I was
> a little that no anime made the list...is this a first?
>
> Almost as many references to Changeling: the Dreaming terms and
> concepts as Sidereals has to Mage. Freeholds, Dragon's Ire, Fomorians,
> they're all here and more or less what they were in CtD...
>
> I've been worried about how the game would approximate creatures that,
> in game fiction, can bleed anything from fire to butterflies when you
> cut them. It doesn't disappoint. These guys are *weird* and (can be,
> but don't have to be) very alien. They make the Fae from DA:Fae look
> like Changelings...^^
>
> Lovely cover. The background doesn't seem as muted as on other Exalted
> hardbacks, which looks much nicer...then again, maybe it'll look
> different in the cold light of day...There's one artist inside that I
> don't recall seeing before, but I like their work *a lot* (more,
> please!)...if any Exalted book deserves full color, it's this one.
>
> Well, that's all for now. Frankly, skimming the book is dizzying; this
> is probably the most complex critter since Sidereals. I'm gonna sit
> down and work this all out tonite, after running off some character
> sheets...
>
> What did anyone else think?
>
> Dex
 
Archived from groups: alt.games.whitewolf (More info?)

Abrigon Gusiq wrote:
> Me, I like to explore the Fairies and the Sidhe and Seelie and like
> more, as well as more mythological beings like the Jin and Angels.
>
That's cool. Since Exalted is really a different world with its own
mythology, you'd probably be better off checking out Dark Ages: Fae or
Demon: the Fallen. Djinn also show up in at least one Mage
supplement...

I'm getting closer to formulating my universal theory of the Fae that
will account for all versions. I just have to work out how
Exalted=>Dark Ages=>World of Darkness (Changeling). DA to WoD is easy,
but the origin of Creation given in DA:F is inconsistent with...just
about everything else WW has ever published...

Dex
 
Archived from groups: alt.games.whitewolf (More info?)

handofomega@hotmail.com wrote:
> Abrigon Gusiq wrote:
>
>>Me, I like to explore the Fairies and the Sidhe and Seelie and like
>>more, as well as more mythological beings like the Jin and Angels.
>>
>
> That's cool. Since Exalted is really a different world with its own
> mythology, you'd probably be better off checking out Dark Ages: Fae or
> Demon: the Fallen. Djinn also show up in at least one Mage
> supplement...
>
> I'm getting closer to formulating my universal theory of the Fae that
> will account for all versions. I just have to work out how
> Exalted=>Dark Ages=>World of Darkness (Changeling). DA to WoD is easy,
> but the origin of Creation given in DA:F is inconsistent with...just
> about everything else WW has ever published...

Well, the Fair Folk *are* notorious liars...
--
[The address listed is a spam trap. To reply, take off every zig.]
Richard Clayton

Be a friend to man's best friend: don't buy dogs from pet stores.
 
Archived from groups: alt.games.whitewolf (More info?)

OK, I've read the Movntain Folk chapter, so it's all svnk in. Man, I
was saving this part for last becavse I thovght they'd be the dvllest
part of the book, bvt it tvrned ovt to be one of my favorites. Mvch
clearer and (pardon the pvn) more down to Earth than the rest of the
book.

Their origin gives vs one of the clearest looks at the creation of
Creation yet, by Gaia and "Cytherea"; have we heard this name before?
Covld this be the Primordial now known as Malfeas? This part also
brings vp a qvestion I'd wondered, what is the practical difference
between the Primordials and the Unshaped Fae?

Anyway, Avtochthon shows vp and starts mvcking arovnd the joint, and
discovers bits of Wyld/Fae essence, trapped in Jade from the beginning
of Time. He shapes this into The First, who goes on to create The
Movntain Folk. In a cool bit of tying things together, it is also
explained how The First is also The Clay Man, which kind of shatters
the story idea I had of the revnion of The Clay Man, the prototype of
Hvmanity, with Mokrevs, the progenitor of Hvmanity. Bvt oh well...

(Incidentally, one thing I'd hoped wovld be mentioned, bvt wasn't,
were the Five Goddesses of Jade, only recently mentioned in Hovses of
the Bvll God. Gvess we'll have to wait to learn more abovt these ladies
(davghters of the 5 Elemental Dragons, perhaps?))

Anyway, a bvnch of stvff happens and the Jadeborn end vp splitting into
three Castes: The svrpassingly beavtifvl Artisans (or Firstborn, a
possible link to the Firstborn of DA:Fae and the Sidhe), the Warriors
(think Dwarves from LotR) and the Workers (think Hobbits...except with
kickass Charms!). While most of the latter two commoner classes are
dedicated to their limited roles, some among them are crafted (yes,
literally) with Enlightenment, given them greater powers and, perhaps,
ambition.

In case yov were wondering what happened to that Uber-Attribvte point
spread we saw in the Scavenger Sons appendix, look no farther. That's
right, these gvys can even ovtperform "Trve Fae", at least as far as
raw talent and appearance goes! Their Charms don't really enhance their
dice pools, bvt why shovld they need them to?! We also get a healthy
dose of Charms, Artifacts (these gvys have some sweeet gear! Even
Dragon Kings wovld be jealovs!^^) and the deadly vndergrovnd enemies
they have to contend with.

The Storytelling part, tho it did describe possibilities with each of
the Castes, fell kind of flat. Instead of coming vp with ways the
different Castes can interact, we're essentially told not to bother,
since the Castes work best with themselves anyway. Also, there seems no
provision for getting arovnd the Great Geas, which vltimately limits
these characters, locking them into their own setting. Which is great
if yovr grovp is exploring the Underside of Creation for a while, or
yovr PCs need a new kingdom to investigate, bvt doesn't really allow
for mvch crossover otherwise. Sorry, yov can't have a kickass,
Charm-vsing Dwarf to back vp yovr party of Solars.

Of covrse, yov can jvst handwave the GG aside, come vp with a Solar
Circle Spell or Artifact to do so, or something. Another possibility is
having a Fae-Blooded character, who is a Movntain Folk in every way
that matters, join vp...

Well, anyway, that's enovgh rambling from me. What'd yov all think?

Dex,
still not svre why that pictvre of some Dragon Kings is inserted right
in the middle of the Movntain Folk chapter, for no apparent reason...^^
 
Archived from groups: alt.games.whitewolf (More info?)

<handofomega@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:1104207086.027750.191330@f14g2000cwb.googlegroups.com...

> Their origin gives us one of the clearest looks at the creation of
> Creation yet, by Gaia and "Cytherea"; have we heard this name before?
> Could this be the Primordial now known as Malfeas? This part also
> brings up a question I'd wondered, what is the practical difference
> between the Primordials and the Unshaped Fae?

We have heard the name Cytherea before, in 'Games of Divinity'; she's also
known as the Mother of Creation (and is mentioned as a Yozi in her own right)

Imran
 
Archived from groups: alt.games.whitewolf (More info?)

....That's odd...I posted this message almost a week ago, and just
assumed it got lost somewhere (haven't had time to repost it)...It's
just now showing up? Weird...

I. Inayat wrote:
> <handofomega@hotmail.com> wrote in message
> news:1104207086.027750.191330@f14g2000cwb.googlegroups.com...
>
> > Their origin gives us one of the clearest looks at the creation of
> > Creation yet, by Gaia and "Cytherea"; have we heard this name
before?
> > Could this be the Primordial now known as Malfeas? This part also
> > brings up a question I'd wondered, what is the practical difference
> > between the Primordials and the Unshaped Fae?
>
> We have heard the name Cytherea before, in 'Games of Divinity'; she's
also
> known as the Mother of Creation (and is mentioned as a Yozi in her
own right)
>
Thanks, I'll look for that!

Dex
 
Archived from groups: alt.games.whitewolf (More info?)

Richard Clayton wrote:
> handofomega@hotmail.com wrote:

> > I'm getting closer to formulating my universal theory of the Fae
that
> > will account for all versions. I just have to work out how
> > Exalted=>Dark Ages=>World of Darkness (Changeling). DA to WoD is
easy,
> > but the origin of Creation given in DA:F is inconsistent
with...just
> > about everything else WW has ever published...
>
> Well, the Fair Folk *are* notorious liars...

Except to themselves. E:FF and DA:F both have similar passages about
how the Fae desperately need a continous history to define themselves
personally...
Now, nothing says that those histories can't be *wrong*...

Dex
 
Archived from groups: alt.games.whitewolf (More info?)

handofomega@hotmail.com wrote:

> The Storytelling part, tho it did describe possibilities with each of
> the Castes, fell kind of flat. Instead of coming up with ways the
> different Castes can interact, we're essentially told not to bother,
> since the Castes work best with themselves anyway.

Another thing I forgot to mention, is that there are absolutely NO
hints, in either storytelling section, about how the two types of
characters may interact. Do the Mountain Folk (and Dynasts) even see
themselves as Raksha? What would it take for Raksha to work alongside
their Landlocked (literally!) cousins? How might Raksha Ravishing,
Charms and Glamour affect/not affect Mountain Folk? Etc. Sure, I know
we can come up with answers of our own, but it'd be nice to hear
*something* on the subject...

Incidentally, what's to stop Raksha from Assuming Form on the Blessed
Isle? That's the only way one could assume the elemental aspect of
Earth, right?

Dex,
working on that Elemental Dragon of Earth thingy...
 
Archived from groups: alt.games.whitewolf (More info?)

handofomega@hotmail.com wrote:

> Incidentally, what's to stop Raksha from Assuming Form on the Blessed
> Isle? That's the only way one could assume the elemental aspect of
> Earth, right?

Raksha can't step into the Blessed Isle because there's no Wyld zones to
step out of to get there.

They can assume the elemental form of earth anywhere they want, though.
Form is like clothing. Unless you take it with mutation points, in
which case you've got icky form cooties and Wyld Fair Folk don't like
you anymore.
--
Stephenls
Geek
"You do your arguments no favor by insulting those you ought persuade."
--Greg Stolze, Rites of the Dragon
 
Archived from groups: alt.games.whitewolf (More info?)

Stephenls wrote:
> handofomega@hotmail.com wrote:
>
> > Incidentally, what's to stop Raksha from Assuming Form on the
Blessed
> > Isle? That's the only way one could assume the elemental aspect of
> > Earth, right?
>
> Raksha can't step into the Blessed Isle because there's no Wyld zones
to
> step out of to get there.
>
That's what I thought, but I can't find any place in the book that
explicitely says that. In fact, there's one Charm that allows Raksha to
assume form in the Underworld, where there are surely no Wyld zones...

> They can assume the elemental form of earth anywhere they want,
though.
> Form is like clothing. Unless you take it with mutation points, in

> which case you've got icky form cooties and Wyld Fair Folk don't like

> you anymore.
> --
Which is basically what unwillingly happened to Yseult, right?^^

Dex
 
Archived from groups: alt.games.whitewolf (More info?)

handofomega@hotmail.com wrote:

> That's what I thought, but I can't find any place in the book that
> explicitely says that. In fact, there's one Charm that allows Raksha to
> assume form in the Underworld, where there are surely no Wyld zones...

Assumption of Cerements and Bone allows a Raksha to create an undead
form and walk around in the Shadowlands, but after they do that, they
still have to there by exiting a Wyld zone and walking (or riding, or
running, or... shambling, I suppose) to the nearest Shadowland.

There's nothing says the Fair Folk can't go to the Blessed Isle. They
just have to go there. Probably by boat, though Western fae could swim.

> Which is basically what unwillingly happened to Yseult, right?^^

Maybe.

Yseult is a weird case. It looks like she had taken another Assumption
Charm as a mutation, and then got changed to stone by big mojo
afterwards. It'd surprise me to learn that Marika or Slulura aren't
using mutation Assumption Charms, as not doing so would put then down a
whole bunch of motes and they're supposed to be big and powerful and
presumably not starved for food all the time.
--
Stephenls
Geek
"You do your arguments no favor by insulting those you ought persuade."
--Greg Stolze, Rites of the Dragon
 
Archived from groups: alt.games.whitewolf (More info?)

Stephenls wrote:
> handofomega@hotmail.com wrote:
>
> > That's what I thought, but I can't find any place in the book that
> > explicitely says that. In fact, there's one Charm that allows
Raksha to
> > assume form in the Underworld, where there are surely no Wyld
zones...
>
> Assumption of Cerements and Bone allows a Raksha to create an undead
> form and walk around in the Shadowlands, but after they do that, they

> still have to there by exiting a Wyld zone and walking (or riding, or

> running, or... shambling, I suppose) to the nearest Shadowland.
>
That's not how I read it: "This Charm allows a Raksha to pass through
the gateway Nirakara and exist as a shaped creature within the
Underworld."
Which is distinct from Shadowlands.

> There's nothing says the Fair Folk can't go to the Blessed Isle.
They
> just have to go there. Probably by boat, though Western fae could
swim.
>
Or even fly. I wonder what kind of defenses the Realm has against this
sort of thing? They don't exactly have radar...

> > Which is basically what unwillingly happened to Yseult, right?^^
>
> Maybe.
>
> Yseult is a weird case. It looks like she had taken another
Assumption
> Charm as a mutation, and then got changed to stone by big mojo
> afterwards. It'd surprise me to learn that Marika or Slulura aren't
> using mutation Assumption Charms, as not doing so would put then down
a
> whole bunch of motes and they're supposed to be big and powerful and
> presumably not starved for food all the time.
> --
Good points. I suppose Yseult's problem isn't that she's stone, just
that she isn't an "elegant monster" anymore...

Still, I take anything said on Fae before the printing of E:FF which a
pinch of Chiaroscuro salt...did you check out the three wildly
different stats given for Lion Warriors?^^

Dex
 
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