Exalted: The Ascension

Creation is in danger like never before. The last beacon of stability, the Realm, is slowly falling into chaos as the Empress is gone. The Solar Exalted, once champions of Creation, now serve the Primordials they slew or defeated. The Lunars are stretched thin fighting a resurgent Wyld, and the Sidereals remain caught up in politics. The Incarnae were still largely addicted to the Games of Divinity, but they saw these troubles. Sol Invictus, still bitter over the fall of His Chosen, despaired of finding an answer, especially from the Exalted.

That changed one day. The legends vary. Some say a beautiful and noble Infernal persuaded him in a debate within the Jade Pleasure Dome. Others say one of the Mountain Folk nobility came to His sanctum bearing the Eye of Autochthon. Yet others say a joint team of Exalts found a dark secret within their lineage, and their humility and devotion persuaded Him. The most common theory is that it arose from a prayer by a mortal. Regardless, He spoke of this with His fellow Incarnae and most trusted servants. A decision was made, and a secret function of the Loom of Fate activated.

And thus the Mortals of Creation began to Awaken...

The Magi

At a moment of sublime transcendence, a mortal absorbs her destiny, her two souls, and her own least god into a fusion of the mundane and the divine known as the Avatar. The Avatar exists apart from its components, and is the only distinction between the Awakened and other mortals. For all purposes of resisting a spell or charm, Magi count as Exalted.

Notable Stats

All of these cost 7 points at character generation or 8 (7 if favored) x current level with experience.

Essence

Essence determines the amount of general power and Quintessence a mage can control via his Avatar. This trait serves like the Avatar background, but also provides a level of defense and raw power at high levels. All Magi start with an Essence of 2, and may increase it through either a gift of power from an Essence user, or by completing a Seeking to expand their avatar.

Arete

Arete measures the skill of a Mage's reality manipulation. It determines the potency of a mage's effects, and is the most fundamental component of a mage's Awakened understanding. Fundamentally, raising Arete requires grasping some new underlying truth of Creation, and is less of an inner journey than a great quest to gain some inner realization. Specific examples include the fivefold initiation into sorcery, journeying to an elemental pole, or questing in the Wyld. This should be worked out with the storyteller.

Spheres

Exalted and other such creatures use charms. Magi have bodies of supernal wisdom they draw upon called spheres. Raising a sphere is a process of learning, just like becoming a better archer or writer. The mage need only spend the time and XP to learn the Sphere.

Focus and Paradigm

For one of the Awakened, Magic can be many things. Magic can be the sheer act of will of upon the world, much like the Raksha or the mightiest Gods. However, most Magi require a practice, ritual, or other focus to alter reality. A number of schools have sprung up based on the different choices for foci and various paradigms of magic.

The Lotus Order

Martial arts are nearly universal. From Raksha to Abyssal, from Sidereal to Mortal, all draw upon patterns of katas and sutras passed on through the generations. The Lotus Order uses these practices to align their body, mind, and soul, channeling the power of their magic through the harmony of the three. It is said that they have access to martial arts that rival the Immaculate Dragon Styles. Most Lotus Monks take their martial arts into battle against their enemies and Creation's foes, for there is much skill to gained in conflict. A few Monks practice in peaceful monasteries, finding much wisdom in the quiet contemplation there.

Favored Sphere: Life Favored Abilities: Martial Arts, Medicine

The Salinan Academy

The greatest of Solar sorcerers wished that Sorcery be available to all, and thus the Salinan Working made sorcery part of nature. With the systematic approach of her friend Devon, sorcery became repeatable and logical. The Sorcerers of the Academy view themselves as the ultimate version of Salina's vision. In their studies, the Academy's Magi apply the occult principles of sorcery to the own practice. They make use of secret languages, mudras, and the focused will of the Sorcerors. Their masters have made pacts with a number of elemental courts, allowing the summoning of Elementals. A few Sorcerers have chosen a darker path, and have wrested the secrets of Necromancy from the Underworld. This is looked upon with concern, but not complete condemnation. While largely a band of scholars, they have vowed to defeat the mighty Lunar Raksi and wrest control of Sperimen from the madwoman.

Favored Sphere: Prime Favored Abilities: Occult, Lore

The Maker's Children

The art of crafting tools and machines was among the first that mortals grasped. According to his followers, the Great Maker Autochthon is the reason mortals have ascended from base savages. In fact, while the Incarna and Dragons choose Mortals, all Exalted are the Maker's Children. In return for this gift, they spurned their Father and drove him away. These Magi view themselves as the new Children of Autochthon, and seek to use their talent in alchemy and artifice to build a world of wonders worthy of their beloved Father. They have embraced magitech, some even incorporating it into their own bodies. A number of non-Magi have welcomed the Children, as they share much of their knowledge with fellow scholars in the field. The have a firm alliance with the Mountain Folk, and tentative alliances with other factions.

Favored Sphere: Matter Favored Abilities: Craft, Integrity

The Resplendent Arbiters

Creation once had an order, a Celestial Bureaucracy that efficiently ran things for all. In this Age of Sorrows, it has fallen into ruins. The Resplendent Arbiters, burning with an internal divine spark, have chosen to seek out positions within the Celestial Bureaucracy to try and make it work smoothly and efficiently - or at least work for them. Arbiters rely on orders and prayers to various deities to control Creation, playing politics with gods and mighty beings. Some have risen to impressive ranks, while others are hidden as functionaries that provide valuable intelligence.

Favored Sphere: Spirit Favored Abilities: Bureaucracy, Investigation

The Hand of the Will

Life consists of a vast sea of possibility. None may truly command the power of magic without seizing it and shaping it to your will. Like the Raksha, the Hands do not use tools or ritual to shape reality, but rather their will. Alone among the different practices of magic do they easily force Time to serve them. Largely composed of people who venerate strength and dominance, the Hands are not closely knit for obvious reasons. Some of the less domineering members focus more on seizing the moment and taking control of destiny.

Favored Sphere: Time Favored Abilities: Presence, Resistance

The Dragonkin

The Dragonbloods remain the most common form of Exalt, and their kingdoms remain among the strongest powers in Creation. The Magi awakening in these areas interpret their power through the Immaculate Paradigm, and see themselves as lesser Exalted. Their powers are modeled after the charms of the Dragon-blooded of a particular aspect, which they choose to focus on, and they naturally provide their benefits to others.

Favored Sphere: Force Favored Abilities: Any single Weapon/War Skill, Socialize

The Star-Weavers

Fate degrees all things in Creation. Why should Magi be different? The Star-Weavers utilize astrology and divination, with the added twist of altering the horoscopes instead of passively reading them. They are quite common in the West, where the stars guide sailors to their fates, good or ill.

Favored Sphere: Entropy Favored Abilities: Sail, Awareness

The Pattern Architects

There is much wisdom in hidden in numbers and shapes. The Architects use their knowledge of the secret geometry of creation to achieve connections between distant or hidden places, traveling paths hidden with the tapestry.

Favored Sphere: Correspondence Favored Abilities: Stealth, Linguistics

The Eternal Dreamers

Within dreams, all things are possible. The mind of a dreamer is like the Wyld in the hands of a Raksha or a book in the hands of an author - a canvas with which to express your soul. The Eternal Dreamers awaken as mages and realize that Creation is itself a dream from which none can awaken. A Dreamer is both a playwright and a player, and their speech often seems like a narration of what is occurring. The Raksha are fascinated by them, and often regret that their Mind powers make them nearly-impossible to feed upon.

Favored Sphere: Mind Favored Abilities: Performance, Dodge

Sphere Effects

Creation operates on fundamentally different rules than Earth, even the WoD's Earth.

Elements Air: Clouds, Storms, Cold, Lightning, (Ice) Earth: Stone, Metals, Brick, Glass, Sand, Non-living Solids Fire: Lava, Flames, Light Water: Water, Oil, Alcohol, Other fluids Wood: Wood, Paper, Leaves, Food, Formerly living matter

Correspondence

Creation is formed from a tapestry of Essence, and all things are linked. Seeing and speaking across vast distances is possible, although the Wyld confounds logic and other realms require the power of spirit. However, instant travel goes against the laws of Fate, and attracts Paradox.

Entropy

There's always an ending... While this Sphere can end destinies or spare destinies from Saturn's touch, the power of Entropy is not without its risks. Altering destinies goes against the Loom of Fate, and Paradox awaits the foolish. Entropy effects are at a higher difficulty on targets outside of fate, but such effects never draw paradox.

Forces

The strength of Essence is revealed in different forces clashing together. This Sphere controls raw elemental strength, not the permanence of Matter. Forces could create an icebolt or even a blizzard, but not an ice wall or a frozen river. Many beings are resistant to elemental power, but it can yield great results. As wielding elemental power is a natural part of Creation, it does not cause Paradox if Essence is drawn in to fuel the effect. Converting elemental energies angers the Elementals and draws paradox, however.

Life

The Essence of life flows through everything that breathes. By the grace of Luna, Awakened beings may alter their bodies, but vast changes are difficult. Life can be used as a blessing or curse to others, though ghosts and spirits are immune to this usage. Raksha increase the difficulty of the roll. In a Wyld zone, the Life Sphere is raised by one, but a botch will produce horrible mutations.

Mind

Mind powers are subtle and deadly, and remain little changed.

Matter

Fundamental alchemy is within the grasp of the Awakened being. This skill draws on permanent forms of elemental power, like rivers, plants, and the air in general. Converting material amongst the various forms of an element (Such as stone to gold, steel, sand, glass, or even an exotic mineral) is accepted if Essence is used to fuel the effect, as is forming elements from raw Essence. However, interconversion of the elements draws elemental ire and Paradox. Note that the Five Magical Materials require Matter 5 to create with the exception of Jade, which is Matter 4. In a Wyld zone, the Matter Sphere is raised by one.

Prime

The Awakened mortals can control Essence much like one of the Exalted, forging items of legend and resisting the might of Exalted warriors.

• Prime 1 Essence Sense & Store Essence & Lesser Countermagic
• Prime 2 Essence Sight & Attune Artifact & Attune to Manse & Fuel Creation
• Prime 3 Work Magical Material & True Countermagic & Terrestrial Martial Arts
• Prime 4 Terrestrial Circle Sorcery & Disrupt Essence

Spirit

Spirit allows for spirits to be commanded, though this does not effect the least gods and elementals. Summoning a demon or elemental is possible, though the Awakened lack the ability to bind a demon like an Exalted sorcerer.

• Spirit 1: Sense Spirit / Dematerialized Beings
• Spirit 2: Ward & Interact with Spirits & Holy Enchantment
• Spirit 3: Summon Creation Spirit & Summon Ghost & Dematerialize
• Spirit 4: Summon Demon & Enter Spirit Realm

Time

While none may travel back in time, the Awakened may see the past and divine the future. Time manipulation gathers Paradox quickly when it effects others, but controlling the self is much easier. Controlling Time to accelerate oneself is accepted if essence is used to fuel the effect