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Eric Minton, Lauren Roy, Monica Speca,

Robert Vance, Vera Vartanian


H U N D R E D D E V I L S N I G H T PA R A D E

Credits
Authors: Eric Minton, Lauren Roy, Monica Speca,
Robert Vance, Vera Vartanian
Developers: Meghan Fitzgerald, Lauren Roy
Line Developers: Eric Minton and Robert Vance
In-House Developer: Dixie Cochran
Editor: Matthew Dawkins
Art Director: Maria Cabardo and Mike Chaney
Artists: Yihyoung Li, Priscilla Kim, Romane Faure,
Ivan Vegar, Mahendra Sidharta Suryadi, Melissa Uran,
Martin Sickree, Digital Art Chefs, Gong Studios, Gunship
Revolution
Creative Director: Richard Thomas
Special Thanks
Rose Bailey, for all her mentorship, support, and
guidance.
Neall Raemonn Price and Lea Sheppard, for creative
support.
Dixie Cochran, for helping to bring it all together.
Charlie Raspin, for his hard work and wonderfully cre-
ative ideas behind the scenes.

© 2021 PARADOX INTERACTIVE AB.

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Ta b l e o f C o n t e n t s

Introduction 6 Metody, the Malfean Elemental,


Demon of the First Circle 105
Chapter One: Strange Beasts 10 Oldrasek the Eternal Wheel,
Aughdeighe 10 Demon o,f the First Circle 107
Chillikin 12 Tomescu, the Clamorous Cloud Arsenal,
Crystalmoth 14 Demon of the First Circle 109
Devil Stone 15 Audegar, the Ever-Open Door,
Dream Hawk 17 Demon of the Second Circle 111
Dune Swarm 19 Makarios, the Sigil’s Dreamer,
Fang-Blossom 21 Demon of the Second Circle 113
Gajam-Un, the Living Manse 22 Rimvidas, the Cancerous Cornucopia,
Gem Seeker 26 Demon of the Second Circle 116
Giant Grosbeak 27 Stanewald, She Who Surmounted the Omphalos,
Gravehound 28 Demon of the Second Circle 119
Jungle Stalker 30 Sibri, the Rampart of Serpents,
Lodestar 32 Demon of the Third Circle 122
Mahicara, the Volcanic Earthwalker 34
Chapter Four: Creatures of the Wyld 128
Moonsilver Shadow 36
Mouse of the Sun 38 Black Hollow 128
Plentimon’s Ladybug 40 Cockatrice 130
Scroll 41 Epochine 131
Thousand-Forged Dragon 43 Furia 133
Tiger’s Eye 46 Grelidaka, the Thousand Hungry Wings 134
Twistroot and Mother Tree 48 Haloed Husk 136
Kian-Ji, the Heartmirror,
Chapter Two: The Dead 52 from Whom Intention Springs 138
Ankou 52 Lava Moth 140
Barrow Hound 54 Mata-Yadh, the Congeries of Obsidian and Aurora 142
Bloodworm 56 Mirrorkin 144
Doppelgänger 57 Napaxu, the Tongue Scorcher 145
The Drowned 59 Parasitic Shadow 147
The Forlorn Manor 61 Silere 148
Ghostfisher 63 Singer of the Deep 150
Grave Messenger 65 Siren Tower 152
Haunt 67 Unicorn 154
Keregost the Hundred-Handed 68 Visage Blight 155
Nameless Wretch 71 Yukino-Takka, the Broken God 157
Rantai 72 Zicnal of the Asmani 159
Scavenger 74
Chapter Five: Animals 164
Susurrus 75
Walkure 77 Armored Kraken 164
White Robe 78 Aurochs 166
The Wreck of the Ruby Wren 80 Austrech 168
Bat 170
Chapter Three: Spirits 84 Bird of Paradise 171
Camel/Llama 172
Elementals 84 Dolphin 174
Ahesh the Forgotten 84 Eight-Tailed Mole Hound 175
Charnavrix the Unyielding, the Sleeper in the Grove, Elephant/Mammoth 176
Lesser Elemental Dragon of Wood 86 Forest Strider 178
Cloud Person 88 Giant Constrictor 179
Flickerfeather 90 Ichneumon Hunter 180
Heartflame 92 Metagalapan Riding Hawk 182
Huraka 94 Mospid 184
Rothopper 95 Northern Ursid 186
Steel Eater 97 Siaka 187
Storm Serpent 99 Simhata 189
Sky Titan 191
Demons 101
Spider 193
Anuhle, the Demon Spider, Sthenurine 195
Demon of the First Circle 101 Strix 196
Fulope, the Choral Equestrian, Tongma Monkey 197
Demon of the First Circle 103 Urcheon 198

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“I don’t like it,” said Hisa, as she and Inaol pulled the sled laden with their mother’s
wares along the forest path. “Why do all the villages around us shut themselves up
in their great halls and bar their gates, but we’re out here on the roads, setting up
stalls like it’s a summer festival?” She looked up at the sky and shuddered. “It’s colder,
without the moon.”
Inaol let Hisa complain. Her laments were as much a Calibration tradition as the market
their people assembled along the road. Very few human travelers ventured out here at
year’s end, when even the moon fled in fear, but that didn’t mean the way was deserted.
Far from it, in fact.
Inaol and Hisa reached the place where the trees shrank back from the path. Stalls and
tables filled the space, and the scent of roasting meat and frying bread brought hints
of warmth to the chill air. The merchants worked quickly, painting poems of protection
on their booths, and double checking one another’s accoutrements to be sure all their
various amulets and talismans were well-secured. Children darted about, excited but
subdued. Older youths arranged goods into artful displays, while younger ones carefully
poured lines of salt along the road’s edge.
The girls’ mother had set up her booth in the middle of the makeshift bazaar. She
bustled toward them and enlisted Hisa to help her carry the crate of silks. Inaol flexed
her cold-cramped fingers to return feeling to their tips. She clutched the capped piece
of horn tied to her belt and took warmth from that. Inside, nestled in ashes, lay a
banked coal, its heat radiating into its container. All her people carried them; this far
north, you didn’t want to be caught without the makings of a fire.
Inaol stored the sled at the forest’s edge and joined her sister and mother. Taer’s
intricately painted scarves fetched a fine price on normal days, but it was here,
during these strange dark days at the close of the year, where she made her fortune.
Calibration’s passers-by rarely traded with coins, instead pressing peculiar offerings
into the merchants’ hands: bolts of steel-tough hell-silk spun by demon spiders,
feathers plucked from dream hawks’ wings, or a giant constrictor’s shed skin.
On the opposite side of the road, other villagers set up temporary pens and hitching
posts, their rails garlanded with winter greens. Troughs of raw meat sat beside bales
of sweet grass and fresh oats. Farriers waited by portable forges, ready to affix golden
shoes to unicorn feet. Those who’d come into contact with the wondrous beasts wore
even more charms than the merchants; several had prayers tattooed on their necks and
chests and arms.
Shamans and sorcerers warmed themselves at braziers along the path. Once the
procession started, they’d be on constant watch should a demon or a dead thing veer
off course. Inaol had never seen it happen in all her seventeen years. Once, she’d
suggested the elders’ stories of such events were merely tales to frighten children into
obedience, but her mother’s haunted look told her otherwise.

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When the last grains of salt trickled from the last sack, the music began. The high,
clear notes of a pipe danced on the air, joined by drum snares and blatting horns. The
children scattered, seeking refuge behind their parents’ legs or beneath the sturdy
stalls. Hisa hid with them, though she pretended she was merely ducking down to
adjust the silks. Only a few years ago, Inaol would have hidden, too. But now she was
too old for such things, and stood tall beside the booth to set a good example. Her
mother squeezed her hand. The calm reassurance stopped Inaol’s trembling.
Then came the procession, the piper and the drummer accompanied by a tumbler in a
blood red leotard. The woman’s grin was too wide, and her eyes twinkled with malevolence
rather than mischief. Inaol averted her gaze until they passed. Other wonders followed:
a sapphire-bellied tiger’s eye; a rantai with ghosts hanging from its blood-red chains; a
fierce-eyed austrech, taller than the girls would be if Hisa stood atop Inaol’s shoulders.
The sorcerers murmured with unease as a woman-shaped thing passed by, beads of acid
dripping from her fingertips. Overhead, a strix swooped past on soundless wings.
Some of the beasts had wranglers. A woman whose pale green hair blended into her
cloak of leaves rode astride an eight-legged canopy climber. A gentleman dressed all
in gray held a brilliantly-plumed dream hawk aloft on one leather-gloved fist. Beside
him walked a man whose skin resembled the night sky, carrying a wicker cage teeming
with ladybugs.
These handlers were another layer of precaution, tasked with keeping the creatures
in their charge from preying upon the villagers. Many were human, able to cross the
wards and deal with the merchants, unaffected by their talismans and charms. They
took turns passing reins to their peers and drifting over to view the villagers’ wares.
Some placed eight-tailed mole hounds in the waiting pens, or hitched unicorns to the
posts with thin silver chains. Children swarmed around a piper, demanding a song.
Inaol sometimes wondered what it might be like to accompany the keepers in this odd
procession. Where did they come from, before Calibration weakened the barriers between
the realms? Where was their destination? Surely, a parade lasting five days and nights
must stretch all the way to Icehome, but no one ever spoke of it beyond their village.
By dawn, Inaol’s voice was hoarse from describing her mother’s silks to the passers-
by. When her belly’s growls rivaled those of a passing simhata, Taer sent her to a
neighboring stall to fetch handpies. Along the way, a stout young woman with tiny
cymbals on her fingers caught Inaol up in a twirl. At first Inaol thrilled in the dance,
laughing as she spun.
But then a cymbal caught on her ward-painted scarf, and the fabric slipped free of
Inaol’s neck. She lost her footing, stumbled over the salt line and out into the road.
Her outflung hands scrabbled for purchase, seeking anything that might stop her from
falling into a swarm of ichneumon hunters, or the insectoid limbs of the tomescu.
Anything, she thought, anything but those pincers.
Her fingers closed around an icy mane.

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Introduction
There were vast ungodly tombs where slimy monsters dreamed;

There were clouds like blood-drenched plumes where unborn demons screamed.

There were ages dead to Time, and lands lost out of Space;

There were adders in the slime, and a dim unholy Face.

— Robert E. Howard, “Song of the Mad Minstrel”

Calibration is a strange and thrilling time. Barriers Quick Characters (QCs) for a wide assortment of crea-
weaken — between realms, between castes and classes, tures with which to populate Creation and its neighbor-
between civilization and wild places, and even between ing realms, whether as foes to fight, pets and familiars
gods and mortals. People of many cultures seal them- to keep, mysteries to investigate, wild beasts to tame, or
selves up in their homes and pray for five days and five spirits to summon. This is a supplement to the Exalted
nights that the spiritual disarray of the Time that Is Not Third Edition core book and requires that volume to
a Time leaves them untouched. Just as many roam the use.
streets and hills in revelry, basking in the glory of its
lawlessness. In some lands, it is a time of celebration Each entry in this book features a description of the crea-
— not only for the coming of a new year, but for honor- ture, QC traits and capabilities to use when including it
ing the limitless menagerie of beasts from far and wide. in a game, and a section called “Storyteller Tactics.” This
Hundred Devils Night was born from just such a cele- section is a catch-all header for advice on how to run the
bration, though no one living knows when or where the creature when characters encounter it, behaviors the
tradition began. Cities all over Creation gather creatures creature displays and strategies it tends to follow under
from far and wide to trot them out in a dazzling caval- various circumstances, exceptions to rules and ways it
cade of living wonders with unparalleled pageantry. may react to stimuli, hooks to suggest interesting ways
to introduce it to the story, the creature’s objectives and
Calibration is a time for devils to play, but not all devils desires, and any weaknesses or blind spots it possesses.
are malevolent.
While players may find it useful to plunder this book for
Across Creation, the word “devil” takes on as many ideas when choosing familiars or just exploring what
meanings as there are lips to utter it. To some, a devil is Creation has to offer, keep in mind that most characters
a demon or a monster. To others, a devil is anything not have no access to the information in these pages without
strictly human. In a few regions, a devil is a specific type research or previous experience. Let players approach
of creature, though which type varies from place to place. these beasts from a position of ignorance and learn about
In much the same way, most of Creation’s denizens don’t them as they go. Those who wish to have potential-
differentiate between gods, elementals, and other mag- ly studied or heard about them before, whether to un-
ical beings who meddle in mortal affairs; thus, even a derstand their capabilities and behaviors or recall their
local river spirit who happily provides for their constitu- strengths and weaknesses, may make Occult or Lore
ents can be a devil to their people and take no offense at rolls for the knowledge to be forewarned and forearmed.
the appellation. The only truth about devils upon which Storytellers should gauge the rarity of a creature in a giv-
all agree is that the world has never lacked for infinite en region or environment based on its description in the
variety in the creatures that wander it. text and set difficulties accordingly.

Parade of Devils System Notes


This book functions as an Exalted bestiary, although Following are a few mechanical pointers relevant to us-
such a term fails to describe the breadth of diversity ing the creatures in this book.
found among Creation’s critters and fiends. It contains

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I n t r o d u ctio n

Many of the creatures in this book are appropriate for 1s until 1s fail to appear. In addition to teaching her
characters to take as familiars, per the Familiar Merit charge a new command, she can also choose one of
(Exalted Third Edtiion, p. 161). The text of this Merit the following options upon the successful completion
describes how to determine the dot rating of any given of the extended roll. Each option may be purchased
creature. An entry in this book only specifies its appro- up to three times per creature; no option can increase
priate Familiar rating if it might be ambiguous based a dice pool beyond 14 dice.
on the Merit’s description, or if it deviates from those • +1 to Strength-based pools, attack pools for
guidelines based on other factors. For instance, a crea- melee attacks (including unarmed attacks and
ture might have a Familiar rating one dot higher than ex- those with natural weapons) and grappling, Parry,
pected if it’s suitable for particularly impressive feats, or and damage ratings for attacks that would add
if it would naturally fall in between two ratings. Strength to damage pools, such as with physical
natural weapons.
The Legendary Size and Tiny Creature Merits are obvious • +1 to Dexterity-based pools, ranged attack pools,
in function when one creature has one and another doesn’t, combat movement pools, and Evasion.
but what happens when two creatures possess the same • +1 to Stamina-based pools and soak. Add two −1
one? Are they necessarily the same size? No; an elephant and and two −2 health levels.
a hekatonkhire may both possess Legendary Size, but one is
• +1 to Senses and other Perception- and Wits-
obviously much larger than the other. Likewise, Mice of the
based pools, including Join Battle.
Sun and Plentimon’s ladybugs both possess Tiny Creature,
but the bugs are much smaller. When two creatures possess • +1 to social pools, Resolve vs. intimidation and
the same size-based Merit, its effects cancel out if they’re of
fear effects, and Appearance if applicable.
roughly the same scale. A mammoth and a tyrant lizard, for • +1 permanent Willpower rating.
instance, wouldn’t be able to use their respective Legendary
Size Merits against each other. If they’re of wildly differing This Book at a Glance
scales, such as the elephant and hekatonkhire mentioned
Chapter One: Strange Beasts presents a selection of
above, the one that’s significantly larger (with Legendary
magical beings, monsters, and oddities that don’t fall un-
Size) or smaller (with Tiny Creature) benefits from the
der any particular category. Of all the devils in Creation,
Merit’s effects and the other doesn’t.
these are most likely to confound even the most learned
warrior-scholar.
The Pack Hunting special ability doesn’t apply to a bat-
tle group of creatures that possess it. Instead, such a bat-
Chapter Two: The Dead details various kinds of ghosts
tle group automatically gains elite Drill.
and walking corpses, as well as creatures native to the
Underworld or with other deathly origins. Not all things
As mentioned in the entry for Mara the Shadow-Lover
dead were ever living to begin with.
on p. 529 of Exalted, spirits are incapable of summoning
other spirits even if they possess the proper circle of sor-
Chapter Three: Spirits is a roster of elementals and de-
cery to learn such spells.
mons that travelers may come across in their wander-
ings, warriors may best in bids to enter forbidden places,
Finally, since the creatures presented in this book are
and sorcerers may summon from the depths of Malfeas
QCs, the Solar Charm Bestial Traits Technique on p. 411
and the roots of Creation itself.
of Exalted doesn’t apply to them as-written. If a player
wishes to use this Charm to improve a creature from this
Chapter Four: Creatures of the Wyld explores the
book, use the following version of the Charm instead:
plethora of wondrous and dangerous things that lurk
at the edges of the world. The raksha lords may be the
BESTIAL TRAITS TECHNIQUE most well-known and recognizable of fae creatures, but
Cost: 10m, 1wp, 2xp; Mins: Survival 4, Essence 2 they’re far from the only devils out there.
Type: Supplemental
Keywords: None Chapter Five: Animals gives a broad spread of natural-
ly occurring beasts found in every corner of Creation
Duration: Instant
— from the friendly and helpful dolphins of Western
Prerequisite Charms: Spirit-Tied Pet oceans to the proud and ferocious aurochs of Southern
With this Charm, the Solar can invest her Spirit-Tied plains; from the terrifying giant constrictors of Eastern
Pet with traits beyond its natural capacity. This Charm jungles to the enormous and hardy ursidae of Northern
supplements a normal beast-training roll, rerolling all glaciers.

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Cries rose up all around Inaol, as chaos spread through the procession. She was only dimly aware
of the flutter of dark-winged birds around her, and the way the piper’s music faltered. With a toss
of its muscled neck, the horse swept Inaol onto its bare back.
And bolted.
Inaol’s left hand clutched a stiff hank of the beast’s mane. Cold bit into her fingers as she noticed
the icicles encrusting the horse’s hair. She groped for a rein with her right, but found nothing:
no bit, no bridle. The horse reared and plunged into the forest. It galloped along, leaping over
deadfalls and crashing through brambles with no care for its rider. More than once, Inaol had to
duck to avoid low-hanging branches that would have cracked her skull. Most horses, when they
ran this far and this fast, gave off heat in waves. Steam ought to have been pouring off it in the
chill air. But the horse’s neck was cold as a dead thing against Inaol’s cheek.
Inaol looked for a soft place ahead, somewhere she could tumble from the horse’s back and
perhaps land with a few bones unbroken, but when she tried to throw herself off, her left
hand stuck fast. Aughdeighe, she thought. Ice horse. Hunters who passed through her village
sometimes held up hands with missing digits, insisting they’d lost them to encounters with such
creatures, rather than admit they’d simply been caught out in the brutal cold.
Snow swirled around them. The cold grew brittle. Wind sliced at her cheeks and forced tears from
her eyes. They froze before they could fall, coating her eyelashes with rime. Inaol shouted at the
horse. She slapped its neck and yanked at its mane, but still the aughdeighe ran without tiring,
farther than Inaol had ever ventured. The forest changed around her, trees thinning until they
gave way to icy steppes. She didn’t know how long she rode. Perhaps she dozed, though she saw
neither sun nor moon to gauge how much time had passed while she slept.
They outpaced a group of hunters, all bundled in furs. Their sled dogs yelped and shied from the
aughdeighe. Inaol called for help, but if anyone heard her voice before the wind snatched it away,
they didn’t pursue. The ice horse carried them out onto a frozen lake. By now Inaol was so cold
she was sure her teeth would shatter from all the clacking. She tried thinking warm thoughts,
imagined herself by a fire, with hot mulled wine warming her belly.
But the nearest fire was leagues away.
No, it isn’t.
Inaol fumbled at her belt, at the horn with its ash-covered treasure inside. She prayed the coal
hadn’t gone out.
It scorched her fingers as she clutched at it, and Inaol choked back a sob. First, she touched it to
the icicles beneath her stuck fingers, but they didn’t melt. Then she held it above the aughdeighe’s
eye, even as the burning coal seared her palm. “Let me go,” she said. “I’ll do it if I have to.”
She didn’t know if it understood her, or if the beast’s eye might be like the icicles: untouched,
unyielding.
Then the aughdeighe reared, and her hand at last came free. Inaol spilled off its back and onto the
ice. The horse galloped away, across the frozen lake.

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Chapter One

Strange Beasts
17 Ascending Air

Today I ascended the mountain and looked back down to see that what we thought was a natu-
ral caldera is, in fact, no such thing. It’s a footprint! An enormous footprint like a crater, the likes
of which I have never before seen. And if it is indeed a sign of the passage of something truly mas-
sive, then mustn’t there be others? I doubt such a thing could move on just one leg, after all…

Aughdeighe
The aughdeighe is a creature of Northern legend, ap- MERITS
pearing as a tall white stallion with crystalline hooves to Icy Hide: The aughdeighe is an environmental
lost travelers in blizzards. When warm skin touches its hazard to anyone touching it, with Damage 1B/
icicle-encrusted mane, the unfortunate traveler sticks round and difficulty 3. Anyone who dies from its touch
fast, and it carries them deeper into the storm. When turns completely to solid ice. An aughdeighe’s master
the weather clears, it reveals frozen statues that once may train it not to freeze her as a latent ability.
were victims. Survivors describe beasts with coats the Swift-Hooved: Double 9s on rolls to disengage or
stark white and dingy gray of ice. Asked how they freed withdraw. The aughdeighe can be trained to apply
themselves, they say frostbite, and hold up hands missing this to rush rolls also, as a latent ability.
several digits.
MOBILITY CHARMS
Essence: 3; Willpower: 6; Join Battle: 6 dice Frozen Trail (1m, 1wp; Reflexive; One day; Eclipse;
Essence 2): The aughdeighe’s icy hooves instantly
Personal Motes: 30
freeze water and other liquids within close range, al-
Health Levels: –0x2/–1x3/–2x3/–4x2/Incap. lowing it to create a frozen path for itself as it runs.
Speed Bonus: +4 OFFENSIVE CHARMS
Actions: Deception: 6 dice; Feats of Strength: 6 Hold Fast (10m, 2i; Reflexive; Instant; Essence 3):
dice (may attempt Strength 3 feats); Senses: 5 dice; One victim in physical contact with the aughdeighe
Stealth: 3 dice (6 in a blizzard); Traversing Frigid becomes stuck. It can make a touch attack to initiate
Terrain: 10 dice contact, but this Charm can also affect riders, those
Resolve 1, Guile 1 making unarmed attacks against it, and others who
COMBAT touch it for any reason. Those not already astride can
perform a difficulty 3 gambit to climb onto its back;
Attack (Kick): 8 dice (Damage 14)
otherwise, it drags them along, reducing their Initia-
Attack (Touch): 6 dice tive by one per turn and forcing them to move with
Combat Movement: 12 dice (see Swift-Hooved) it. Victims can pry themselves free as a difficulty 3
Evasion 3, Parry 1 gambit; if successful, they take (1 + number of rounds
stuck) lethal damage that ignores Hardness.
Soak/Hardness: 6/4
SPECIAL ABILITIES Storyteller Tactics
Folktales say aughdeighes exist only within a snow-
Secure in the Saddle (Latent): For one Willpower,
the aughdeighe reflexively makes its rider immune to storm, though brave riders who have tamed the beasts
unhorsing for the scene, mildly freezing her in place prove this false — perhaps taming them tethers them to
without damage. the earth. In the wild, they act docile, giving frightened

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travelers hope that this placid animal will bring them to blizzards in the wild, the severe cold environmental
safety and shelter. By the time victims realize their folly, hazard (Exalted, p. 232) often accompanies an encoun-
they’re already caught. ter. Aughdeighes flee combat when they take damage to
their –2 health levels.
A wild aughdeighe in a fight prefers brushing up against
foes and dragging them into the storm’s heart to freeze Those willing to risk a few fingers can tame the augh-
them to death, rather than attacking outright, unless deighe as a mount (Exalted, p. 554).
it’s desperate. Since aughdeighes only appear during

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Chillikin
First Age Solars spent much of their time governing and uses it to sense danger. It also makes the chillikin highly
adventuring, and had little time to dedicate toward rais- empathic, allowing them to sense the moods and desires
ing their children. To help combat loneliness and protect of those around them.
her children while she was away, a Twilight sorceress
created a wondrous new playmate and caretaker: the The chillikin were often their charges’ primary source of
chillikin. entertainment. They shaped Essence into tangible toys,
and molded the children’s dreams into vibrant displays
Child-sized themselves, chillikin are shaped like gibbons that played out in their nurseries. The chillikin watched
and covered in thick, soft fur. They have round, comical over the children as they slept, absorbing and discarding
faces, and move at a gangly lope, though they’re capa- their nightmares while saving their sweet dreams to be
ble of graceful movement when in danger or protecting replayed in their waking hours.
their charges. They can lay utterly still for hours or days
on end, like cast-aside dolls. Chillikin don’t speak human This happy existence came to an end with the
languages, instead communicating via a series of whis- Usurpation. When the Dragon-Blooded rose up, they
tles, grunts, body language, and hand gestures. They nei- spared no Lawbringer’s kin from their slaughter. Many
ther age nor sicken. chillikin saw the children they were charged with pro-
tecting murdered in front of them, and it drove the crea-
A gemstone embedded in their foreheads like a third eye tures to madness. They fled into the wilds, where they’ve
changes color depending on the chillikin’s mood: yellow lived out their long centuries. Now that the Solars have
when it’s happy, red when it’s angry or afraid. The chil- returned, the chillikin sense their former masters’ pres-
likin perceives the flow of Essence through this gem, and ence, and some seek to return to their service.

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Essence: 3; Willpower: 6; Join Battle: 5 dice giving it solid form. This may be a child’s simple toy,
Personal Motes: 70 the figure of someone the target fears, or an elab-
orate set based on its charge’s dreams. The figures
Health Levels: –0x2/–1x5/–2x3/–4x2/
act and speak as the chillikin directs them to. When
Incap.
the Scene ends, they lose their form and dissipate.
Intimacies: Defining: “I must protect the children
Deadly Facsimile (20m; Simple; Scene;
and make all their days sweet. Forever.” Major:
Essence 3): The chillikin imbues its creation with
The Dragon-Blooded (hatred) Minor: “Our masters
deadly power. It may create any mortal weapon
have returned, and there are so many dreams to
(Exalted, p. 580) or mundane animal of normal
show them.”
size or smaller. These created creatures use their
Actions: Climb: 6 dice; Observe: 7 dice; Senses: normal combat stats and dice pools for attacking,
4 dice; Tracking: 6 dice (see Essence Scent) but can’t access any Merits or special abilities. It
Appearance 2, Resolve 3, Guile 2 cannot create creatures with Legendary Size.
COMBAT Storyteller Tactics
Attack (Bite): 6 dice (Damage 9) Since the Usurpation, chillikin have become twisted
Attack (Grapple): 5 dice (5 to control) versions of their former selves. They’re still driven to
Combat Movement: 3 dice care for children, and though mortal children’s dreams
aren’t as vibrant as a Solar’s, the chillikin have made do.
Evasion 2, Parry 1
Some immerse their charges in fantasy landscapes for
Soak/Hardness: 3/0 years on end, and react violently to anyone who tries to
SPECIAL ABILITIES interfere. They use Create Phantasm to confuse their
Preternatural Intuition: The chillikin observes enemies, and produce Deadly Facsimiles to protect
a target in close or short range and discerns the themselves and their wards.
image of something the target fears or desires. Roll
the chillikin’s Observe against the target’s Resolve. Their resentment and hatred toward the Dragon-
Blooded knows no bounds, and a chillikin who notic-
MERITS
es a Terrestrial Exalt in their vicinity will bring their
Essence Scent: Double 9s on Senses rolls to nightmares to life.
sense the presence of Essence.
MISCELLANEOUS CHARMS A chillikin flees when it suffers damage to its last –2
Create Phantasm (10m; Simple; Scene; Essence health level, but will fight to Incapacitated to protect
2): The chillikin shapes an object out of Essence, its child. A chillikin can act as a 2-dot Retainer.

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Crystalmoth
While Gajam-Un (p. 22) slumbered, a passel of moths found Actions: Fly: 5 dice; Senses: 7 dice; Stealth: 7 dice;
their way inside the dormant behemoth. They spun their Resolve 1, Guile 1
nests in its corners, and fluttered about its halls. Over their
COMBAT
many generations, the strange geomantic magics that brought
Gajam-Un to life twisted the moths into new creatures. They Attack (Bite): 9 dice (Damage 9)
grew: an adult’s wingspan measures two feet. Sharp, crystal- Attack (Slice): 10 dice (Damage 13)
line teeth formed in their maws, and their wings took on a Combat Movement: 7 dice
shimmering iridescence and razor-sharp edges. Evasion 4, Parry 1
Crystalmoths appear delicate, drawing people who wish
Soak/Hardness: 2/0
to catch them close — their colorful wings and crystal SPECIAL ABILITIES
teeth would fetch high prices from crafters. The clever, Gore: The crystalmoth’s extremely sharp wings cut
hardy moths lure their would-be captors back toward deep. Its decisive slice attacks add two bonus suc-
the manse. They share a psychic connection with Gajam- cesses to damage against enemies with lower Initia-
Un as well, hunting where it sends them and responding tive, as long as it hasn’t taken any other actions (in-
to its commands. While the manse is in torpor, the moths cluding reflexive movement actions) that turn.
continue to care for it, bringing victims into its depths so Harry: The crystalmoth swarm flanks the target, pre-
Gajam-Un may feed and grow strong. venting him from fleeing. On the turn that a crystalmoth
moves into close range of an enemy, if it deals 5+
Essence: 1; Willpower: 4; Join Battle: 5 dice damage to them with a withering attack, that enemy
Health Levels: –0/–1x2/–2x3/–4/Incap. cannot disengage or withdraw on their next turn.

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MERITS pursuit, the moths lead him back toward where Gajam-
Crystalmoth Wing Rush: A crystalmoth may rush Un awaits. When they are within medium to long range
enemies from long range above them, as long as the of the manse, the moths swarm and attack, surrounding
horizontal distance between them is still short range. their enemies in a flurry of wings and teeth.

Storyteller Tactics A crystalmoth flees when it suffers damage to its last –2


Crystalmoths keep their distance from their targets at health level, though Gajam-Un’s commands may over-
first, getting near enough for their wings to catch the ride that instinct and keep it fighting until it dies.
light, but staying at medium range. Once the target is in

Devil Stone
Essence: 1; Willpower: 4; Join Battle: 8 dice
Excerpts from a journal recovered in a tide pool: Health Levels: –0/–1x6/–2x4/–4/Incap.
Actions: Disguise as Stone: 7 dice; Feats of Strength:
15 Ascending Water, RY 750 10 dice (may attempt Strength 5 feats); Threaten: 6
dice; Resist Disease/Poison: 6 dice; Senses: 8 dice
I’ve read that hidden among these scattered is-
lands stand tremendous stones engraved with Resolve 5, Guile 2
mystical secrets, said to possess fortune and COMBAT
power. They say one approaches the stones and
Attack (Stone Body Slam): 9 dice (Damage 12);
returns with vast knowledge and godlike strength.
Tags: Smashing
When I asked the locals for more information, Combat Movement: 6 dice
they became tight-lipped and nervous, calling Evasion 1, Parry 3
them “devil stones” and warning me against fur-
ther inquiry. I had to see for myself. One heavy bag Soak/Hardness: 10/8
of jade later, I’d found a fisherman willing to row SPECIAL ABILITIES
me to one of the nearby haunts of these so-called Furious Rampage: Whenever the devil stone
devil stones. attacks or rushes a crashed enemy, add two automat-
19 Ascending Water, RY 750 ic successes to the roll.
Towering Obelisk Crush: A devil stone at Initia-
I’ve found one! It measures at least fifteen feet tive 15+ may make a decisive attack with double
in height, a black obelisk rising above the palms 8s on the attack roll, as it uses its immense weight to
like a beacon. I’m keeping my distance for now, crush bones. If the rolled damage exceeds the vic-
viewing it with field glasses. Consult my sketches tim’s (Stamina x 2), double total levels of damage
on the next page. The writing is no language I’ve inflicted unless the victim accepts a crippling injury,
seen, and I’ve delved among the East’s most for- which doesn’t count against their once per story limit
gotten tombs. I must get closer. (Exalted, p. 201).
By Heaven, it’s alive! Trample: If the devil stone reflexively pursues an
enemy after a successful rush and makes a body slam
I hate to admit it, but I’m cowering. It has an eye, a attack against them on its next turn, a successful hit
great burning eye of judgment, and three spidery knocks the enemy prone. Apply the Defense penalty
legs each thick as a man’s arm. I believe it dis- from being prone (Exalted, p. 202) retroactively
approves of me trying to read its engravings, and when calculating the attack’s threshold successes.
now wishes me dead. No time to sketch, I must
stay ahead of it. It’s fast, though, so fast I don’ MERITS
Epic Vigor: Devil stones don’t need to eat, drink,
The ink smears on a torn page. Splatters of blood or sleep. They double 7s on rolls to resist poison or
discolor the paper. disease.
Made of Secrets: A character can decipher the
cryptic hints inscribed on a devil stone to discover the

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identity of its secrets’ intended recipient, though even deliver secrets to specific people; considering how long the
success only grants prophetic clues. Doing so requires devil stones have stood, scholars posit that whoever made
an extended (Intelligence + Occult) roll with difficulty them knew a thing or two about prophecy or fate. A char-
2, goal number 15, and interval one round. Damag- acter whose player succeeds at an (Intelligence + Occult)
ing the devil stone also damages its message; each roll, difficulty 2, can tell the difference between a dormant
time its wound penalty increases, cumulatively in- devil stone and an ordinary runestone, and knows it carries
crease the difficulty to decipher its inscriptions by one. a message on its stony skin. Characters who successfully
Runestone’s Instincts: Each time a devil stone’s decipher the runes (see Made of Secrets) gain cryptic hints
wound penalty increases, it flies into a rage for one couched in metaphor and vague portents about the true re-
round. Incensed at the damage to its message, it cipient and the message’s nature.
adds the value of its wound penalty to the post-soak
damage of withering attacks or damage of deci- Whenever anyone who isn’t a foretold recipient approach-
sive attacks. es within close range — even if such a recipient is also near-
Sturdy as Stone: A devil stone cannot be knocked by — the devil stone’s spidery legs, otherwise camouflaged
back or prone except by magical effects or creatures as part of the main body, unfold and lift it off the ground so
of legendary size. A grappled devil stone cannot be it can move. Its single, enormous red eye opens somewhere
thrown or slammed unless magic such as Dragon Coil on its surface and it attacks. A devil stone is too bestial and
Technique (Exalted, p. 280) is used, or if the attack- simple-minded to realize how counterproductive killing
er is of legendary size. someone who’s trying to decipher its inscriptions to find
Storyteller Tactics its recipient is. It isn’t a messenger, but the message itself,
and has no understanding of its creator or greater purpose
Dormant devil stones appear as obelisks or menhirs of
beyond basic instinct.
granite, basalt, or obsidian. Runes, glyphs, and mystical in-
scriptions cover their surfaces. From afar, travelers mistake Destroying a devil stone not only obliterates the mes-
them for simple monuments or occult markers. However, sage, but angers whatever entity created it. Determine
they’re living beings, created by some unknown entity — a who the creator is ahead of time, whether each stone has
powerful god, dread demon, or something stranger — to

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a different one or whether they all come from a single thaumaturgy or become the Exigent of the stone’s cre-
source, and ensure their attentions have interesting and ator, while an Exalted character could become a walk-
dire consequences for the characters, should they so ing portal to Heaven or Hell, or discover the key to a
transgress. For instance, they could task the characters long-forgotten sorcerous working.
with bringing the stone’s pieces to the correct recipient,
but only grant vague symbolic visions to impart the re- If one or more of the players’ characters are not them-
cipient’s identity, and threaten innocents or the charac- selves the stone’s intended recipients, be sure to include
ters’ loved ones should they fail. The characters should them in the final payoff one way or another. The mortal
also get something out of taking up this quest — a reward who Exalts as an Exigent is mystically bound to the char-
from the stone’s creator, perhaps, or the material grati- acters in some way, while the Exalt who can’t help open-
tude of the recipient once they deliver the message. ing gates to Malfeas wherever he goes offers them a free
trip to Orabilis’ great library, to name a few examples.
When a proper recipient is alone within close range of Try not to determine who the recipient is ahead of time
a devil stone, its eye opens with a soft white light and if it’s not a player’s character — it can be more fun to fol-
illuminates the runes, which the recipient may read low the players down whatever rabbit hole they choose
and intuitively understand. This encounter may impart as they interpret the prophecy than to try to nudge them
wondrous knowledge or enable a feat of occult might. in a pre-determined direction.
A mortal character might receive the power to perform

Dream Hawk
These Eastern raptors prey not on rodents or insects, but The player rolls (Wits + Occult), difficulty 3, for the
on dreams. The birds resemble their mundane cousins, character to piece the fragments back together, expe-
brown-feathered and hook-beaked, but their extremi- riencing the dream as a vision and learning one of the
ties — the cruel curves of their beaks, the sharp points dreamer’s Intimacies of the Storyteller’s choice. The
of their talons, the mesmerizing tips of their feathers dream hawk can also feed the dreams to a dream-
— coruscate with brilliant colors leeched from stolen stone (Arms of the Chosen, p. 114) without a roll.
dreams. Particularly gluttonous dream hawks have more MERITS
resplendent plumage and display it proudly, signaling Dream Raptor: Gain one Initiative per turn in
their dominance over others in the flock. combat against a foe whose dreams the hawk has
eaten within the last day.
Essence: 2; Willpower: 6; Join Battle: 6 dice Keen Sight: Double 9s on sight-based Senses rolls.
Personal Motes: 30
DEFENSIVE CHARMS
Health Levels: –0/–1x2/–2x2/–4/Incap.
Thousand Voices Defense (5m; Reflexive; Instant;
Actions: Fly: 6 dice; Threaten: 7 dice; Senses: 6 dice Clash, Perilous, Uniform; Essence 2): The dream hawk
(see Keen Sight); Tracking: 5 dice cries out, bombarding its victim with snippets of night-
Resolve 2, Guile 1 mares. It may clash an attack from within short range
COMBAT with a disarm gambit (Exalted, p. 200), which
counts as its action for the round. If the hawk has used
Attack (Peck): 5 dice (Damage 6) Dream Feast on the target within the last day, the ca-
Attack (Talons): 10 dice (Damage 11) cophony comes from his own dreams, and the hawk
Combat Movement: 8 dice automatically succeeds on the gambit’s Initiative roll.
Evasion 4, Parry 1 MISCELLANEOUS CHARMS
Soak/Hardness: 2/0 Dream Feast (8m; Simple; One day; Stackable;
SPECIAL ABILITIES Essence 2): The hawk perches near its victim’s sleep-
ing form, pulling dreams from his head. This process
Dream Feeding (Latent): The dream hawk regurgi- takes an hour. The victim doesn’t regain a Willpow-
tates dreams it consumes using Dream Feast (below) er from the night’s sleep; one full day afterward, the
into its master’s mouth, as though feeding its young. hawk digests the dream, regaining that Willpower

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itself and ending the Charm. The hawk may digest tamed hawks to prey on specific people. Some make a
multiple victims’ dreams at a time, but can’t gain more tidy profit selling these dreams. Dynasts hire them to
Willpower than its usual maximum. spy on their enemies’ nightmares, while lovers separat-
ed by distance send sweet or scandalous dreams to one
Storyteller Tactics
another.
In the wild, dream hawks consume random victims’
dreams, and only fight in self-defense. Handlers train A dream hawk is a 3-dot Familiar.

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Dune Swarm
Hidden in Southern desert sands dwells a species of COMBAT
centipede that lives as a hive entity. Hundreds of them Attack (Bite): 10 dice (Damage 12) (see Unity of
hunt together in grotesque hordes, stripping flesh from the Hive Mind, Venomous Bite)
larger creatures’ bones with thousands of fatal, stinging Attack (Grapple): 9 dice (10 to control)
bites before scuttling away and vanishing into the dunes.
Patterned in pale yellows and browns to match the shift-
Combat Movement: 12 dice (see Unity of the Hive Mind)
ing sand of the desert, when still they are all but invisi- Evasion 4, Parry 0
ble. Dune swarms pour forth to obliterate anyone who Soak/Hardness: 12/3
gets too close to their nests, which are indistinguishable SPECIAL ABILITIES
from normal sand-covered mounds at a cursory glance.
Clinging Swarm: When the swarm controls a
grapple, any failed attack against it automatically hits
Essence: 1; Willpower: 4; Join Battle: 6 dice
the grappled target instead, with one effective thresh-
Health Levels: –0x5/–1x3/–2x2/–4/Incap. old success.
Actions: Climb: 10 dice; Cohesion: 8 dice; Feats of Deadly Charge: Every range band the swarm
Strength: 6 dice (may attempt Strength 3 feats); Scav- moves toward a single enemy in a straight line grants
enge: 7 dice; Senses: 6 dice (see Unity of the Hive Mind, it two Initiative. This Initiative accumulates until it closes
Vibration Sense); Stealth: 6 dice (see Camouflage) to close range with that enemy and makes a deci-
Resolve 1, Guile 1 sive attack. If the swarm takes any action other than

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moving directly toward the chosen enemy or attack- penalties from poor lighting, and double 9s on Senses
ing it, it loses all Initiative built up with this ability. rolls whenever vibrations are present.
Furious Rampage: Whenever the swarm attacks Storyteller Tactics
or rushes a crashed enemy, add two automatic suc-
Dune swarms are horrifying masses of carnivorous,
cesses to the roll.
hive-minded invertebrates, with twitching antennae
Ten Thousand Stinging Bites: When the swarm working in perfect concert. They attack anything they
makes a decisive bite attack against an enemy with perceive as a threat to their territory. Characters must
a lower Initiative rating, it adds +1 to the attack’s make a (Perception + Awareness) roll opposed by the
damage. Against crashed enemies, this becomes an swarm’s Stealth to notice the hive before getting too close.
automatic success instead.
If they fail, the swarm attacks until all targets are dead or
Venomous Bite: The swarm’s decisive bite attack it is disrupted (see below). It focuses on one foe at a time,
exposes the victim to its poison (Exalted, p. 232) if picking off the weakest first, and using Clinging Swarm
it deals any damage. The poison deals 4i/round (L in to dissuade their victim’s friends from trying to smash it.
Crash), with a duration of 4 rounds and a –2 penalty.
MERITS Any sufficiently powerful sound disrupts the swarm’s
Camouflage: The dust-colored exoskeletons of the unity. A character must make a difficulty 4 (Charisma
swarm make it indistinguishable from ordinary sand. + Performance) roll, opposed by the swarm’s Cohesion,
It doubles 9s on Stealth rolls to blend in with sandy with either a musical instrument, another tool that can
environments. make stupendously loud sounds, or supernaturally-en-
Made of Thousands: For each smashed centipede hanced volume. Characters with appropriate Lore back-
in the swarm, ten more appear in its place. Reduce grounds may roll (Intelligence + Lore), difficulty 3, to
the minimum damage of any withering attack made learn this weakness. A disrupted swarm loses the ben-
against it by one, to a minimum of zero. efits of the following: all special abilities and Made of
Thousands. It regains cohesion after a number of turns
Seething Tide: The swarm ignores all difficult terrain.
equal to the Performance roll’s threshold successes.
Unity of the Hive Mind: Add an automatic
success to the swarm’s bite attack, all combat move- The swarm can only savage or release a grappled foe.
ment actions, and Senses rolls to detect ambushes.
Vibration Sense: Dune swarms don’t rely on indi-
vidual sight. Instead, the hive mind feels vibrations on
the wind and through the ground. They do not take

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Fang-Blossom
A few generations ago, a Dragon-Blooded sailor fancied
a lovely species of flowering plant native to the West.
Ignoring the islanders’ warnings, she uprooted the bulbs
of these beautiful scandent vines and returned home to the
Blessed Isle. The invasive species flourished there with
alarming vitality. Emboldened by the Center’s rich soil,
these fang-blossoms — as the Dynast eventually dubbed
them — multiplied in droves: first one seedling from each
plant, then five, then twenty, and eventually they overran
the walls of her estate and germinated in the wild. The
mystery of pets gone missing without explanation dogged
the prefecture for months, but no one blamed the plants
until the grisly devouring of a visiting foreign dignitary
prompted a political feud that persists to this day.

The fang-blossom’s flowers are wide and circular, dis-


playing a riot of dazzling colors. Each plant begins as
a yellow-green root roughly the size of a watermelon,
then develops a thick stem, countless tendrils, and large
blooms. Curated, it maintains a reasonable size for a gar-
den plant and limits its carnivorous tendencies to wild
animals. Left to feed and sprout freely, fang-blossoms
develop dozens of thick vines and can swallow an unfor-
tunate passerby whole.

Essence: 2; Willpower: 5; Join Battle: 7 dice


Personal Motes: 60
Health Levels: –0/–1x4/–2x3/–4/Incap.
Actions: Climb/Slither (vines only): 9 dice; Feats of
Strength: 8 dice (vines only; may attempt Strength 5
feats); Senses: 5 dice; Disguise/Stealth: 7 dice (see
Camouflage)
Resolve 4, Guile 4
COMBAT
Attack (Bite): 11 dice (Damage 12, minimum 3)
Attack (Vine grapple): 10 dice (12 to control)
Combat Movement: 8 dice (vines only)
Evasion 1, Parry 6
Soak/Hardness: 6/0
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Needle-Tooth Bite: A fang-blossom’s carnivo-
rous maw opens to reveal rings of sharpened teeth
while its mass of tendrils immobilizes its prey. When
it deals 5+ damage with a withering bite attack,
it may forgo receiving any Initiative to instead make
a reflexive grapple gambit against that enemy,
without an Initiative roll or cost. Each Initiative point

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it would have gained instead adds one die to the an environmental hazard with damage 3L/round
control roll. and difficulty 5. A swallowed enemy may attempt
MERITS to cut their way free with a difficulty 5 gambit, but
cannot otherwise attack it from inside without a rel-
Camouflage: Whenever a fang-blossom’s maws evant stunt. Even then, they contend with its full de-
are closed and it poses as an ordinary flowering fenses. The fang-blossom may swallow a number of
plant, double 9s on Disguise/Stealth rolls. human-sized characters at a time equal to the number
Tendril-Sprouting Nightmare: Each of flower-maws it has.
fang-blossom has a core plant with bulb, stem, MISCELLANEOUS CHARMS
and one blossom maw to start with. The core has
the traits listed above and is immobile. Its vines can Infinite Reaching Vines (5m, 2i or 10m, 4i;
slither out to short range and perform actions as Simple; Instant; Essence 1): For five motes and two
noted above; each vine acts as a separate target Initiative, the plant sprouts an additional vine. For ten
with its own health track that can defend the core, motes and four Initiative, the plant grows another
and the plant cannot become Incapacitated until flower-maw and becomes larger.
all of its vines have been severed by depleting their Storyteller Tactics
health tracks. Each vine has the same traits as the
Fang-blossoms keep their maws closed and pretend to
core plant except that it has five –0 health levels
be unthreatening until prey approaches within reach
instead of the core’s track.
of their tendrils. They attack by grappling victims and
OFFENSIVE CHARMS dragging them into their flower-maws, but a fang-blos-
Swallow Whole (15m; Reflexive; Decisive-only; som keeps two vines free to use Defend Other to protect
Instant; Essence 2): After dealing 3+ levels of damage the core unless it’s desperate. Assign a starting number
to a grappled enemy with a decisive savage attack, of vines equal to twice the number of enemies present.
the fang-blossom may swallow them alive as long as Fang-blossoms sense weakness, targeting non-combat-
they’re within close range of a flower-maw. Within ants first, then the target standing closest to a flower or
the plant’s stem, they contend with its digestive acids, wearing the least armor.

Gajam-Un,
the Living Manse
It squats on the horizon like an enormous toad, filling An alliance of Exalted heroes banded together to sub-
the entire sky. Its body is squamous flesh and fetid soil, due Gajam-Un, triumphing over the behemoth at enor-
glowing crystal and spiraling architecture. Gemstone mous cost — but even their mightiest efforts could not
carbuncles and suppurating eyes stud its hide. When it kill it. The Living Manse fell into a centuries-long tor-
wrenches open its maw, it bares spiked fangs and belch- por instead. It began to stir once, early in the reign of
es toxic vapors. the Scarlet Empress, but the Sidereal Exalted warned
her and she deployed the almighty Realm Defense Grid
In the glorious dawn of the First Age, the master geo- against it before it could rise. It has slumbered ever since,
mancer Raveling Mystery raised an incomparable manse and none know when next it will awaken.
from a severed, still-living organ of one of the enemies of
the gods. She anchored it to Creation’s dragon lines and Essence: 7; Willpower: 10; Join Battle: 7 dice
sealed it with sorcery, channeling its primeval Essence (base Initiative 6)
through the sublime design of her Living Manse. When Personal Motes: 70
the Usurpation scourged away the Solar Exalted from
Health Levels: –0x10/–1x10/–2x15/–4x20/
the world, the Living Manse lay fallow. The sorceries Incap.
sustaining it unwound; its geomancy grew tainted and
twisted; it blossomed like a cancer. Gajam-Un ripped it-
Actions: Command Crystalmoths: 6 dice; Feats of
Strength: 15 dice (may attempt Strength 10 feats);
self free of the dragon lines and strode unfettered upon
Senses: 7 dice; Threaten: 11 dice; Tracking: 6 dice
the world, razing cities and blighting nations.
Appearance 5 (Hideous), Resolve 6, Guile 2

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COMBAT World-Spanning Tread: Gajam-Un doesn’t need


Attack (Bite): 14 dice (Damage 17L/5) to disengage to move away from enemies smaller
than Legendary Size.
Attack (Stomp): 12 dice (Damage 19B/5)
MERITS
Attack (Grapple): 11 dice (11 to control). Ga-
jam-Un makes unopposed control rolls against smaller Geomantic Body: Gajam-Un is immune to disease
enemies, unless they use magic such as Dragon Coil and poison, and has no discernible anatomy for most
Technique capable of clinching Legendary Size foes. crippling effects to target. It cannot be killed or perma-
Combat Movement: 10 dice nently destroyed — if Incapacitated, it enters a state of
torpor in which it cannot use Charms, move, or take
Evasion 2, Parry 7 non-reflexive actions accept to attack anyone lured in
Soak/Hardness: 25/12 by crystalmoths. It can take the behemoth centuries to
SPECIAL ABILITIES recover from torpor; this is accelerated by the strength
of local geomancy and any powerful beings the be-
Massive Assault: When Gajam-Un makes a bite hemoth feeds on. Gajam-Un could be sealed away
or stomp attack, it may choose to roll a single attack forever with a legendary Craft (Geomancy) project
against all characters within close range of a point. (Exalted, p. 241-242) to reshape it into a manse
Withering attacks roll damage separately against while it is in torpor.
each hit enemy, though Gajam-Un only gains Initiative
from the highest damage roll. Decisive attacks divide Legendary Size: Gajam-Un takes no onslaught
Gajam-Un’s Initiative evenly among all hit enemies to penalties from smaller enemies’ attacks, unless mag-
determine the damage rolled against them. ically inflicted. Withering attacks from smaller
enemies cannot drop it below one Initiative unless
Swarm-Mind: Gajam-Un may reflexively roll a they have ten dice of post-soak damage (attackers
command action targeting a battle group of crystal- still receive the full amount of Initiative from wither-
moths on each of its turns. ing damage). Decisive attacks from smaller oppo-
Terrifying Roar: Gajam-Un never takes a penalty nents can’t deal more than (attacker’s Strength + 3)
for targeting multiple characters with threaten rolls, total levels of damage, not counting levels of damage
and they don’t gain Resolve bonuses for it being un- added by magic.
spoken.

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OFFENSIVE CHARMS crystalmoths from its depths. To use this Charm, it must
Desolation’s Suspire (7m, 1wp; Simple; Instant; have Initiative 15+. It rolls (Initiative/3), and creates a
Dual, Perilous; Essence 7): Gajam-Un exhales a blast battle group of crystalmoths with one dot of Size for
of world-warping geomantic energies from its maw. every two successes (maximum 5), average Drill and
Its breath weapon has three levels of intensity: Might 2 (Exalted, pp. 206-207). Once per scene;
reset by taking enough decisive damage to increase
Worldblight Smog: Gajam-Un exhales a corrosive its current wound penalty.
purple mist. It rolls an unblockable withering attack
with 20 dice against all character in a ninety-de- Worldquake Stomp: (6m; Supplemental; Instant;
gree arc out to long range. It deals (12 + attack roll Decisive-only; Essence 3): Gajam-Un’s deci-
threshold successes) unsoakable dice of withering sive stomp attack creates a shockwave. An enemy
damage. Characters damaged by it must roll against damaged by it is knocked prone and loses three Ini-
a poison with Damage 3i/round, Duration 10 rounds, tiative (which Gajam-Un doesn’t gain). An enemy
and a –3 penalty. If at least one enemy is Crashed, that takes 3+ decisive damage or is Crashed by the
Gajam-Un regains a point of Willpower. stomp is knocked one range band in a direction of
the behemoth’s choice. If it attacked an area using
Worldfire Eruption: Gajam-Un’s vaporous exhalation Massive Assault, that entire area becomes difficult
ignites in a blaze of raw geomantic energy. To use terrain unless it’s made from magical materials or a
Worldfire Eruption, it must have used either World- similarly durable substance.
blight Smog or Worldfire Eruption on its previous turn.
It rolls an unblockable decisive attack with 15 dice DEFENSIVE CHARMS
against all characters in a ninety-degree arc out to Fortress of Bones and Mortar (5m; Reflexive;
long range. Each character hit suffers a base five dice Instant; Essence 5): Gajam-Un ignores all Defense
of lethal damage, and Gajam-Un divides its Initiative penalties, halves the post-soak damage of wither-
evenly among them to determine the total damage ing attacks against it, and subtracts three dice from
rolled. Any flammable terrain in the area of the World- the damage of decisive attacks against it (before
fire Eruption catches fire, burning as an environmental applying its Hardness). This Charm’s duration is ex-
hazard (difficulty 5, damage 4L/round) for at least tended until Gajam-Un’s next turn if it used Desola-
twelve hours. As long as a non-trivial enemy is hit, tion’s Suspire on its previous turn.
Gajam-Un resets to base Initiative but gains one Will- Splitting the Dragon’s Flame (2m, 1wp; Reflex-
power. ive; Instant; Clash, Decisive-only; Essence 7): To use
Annihilator Flash: The conflagration of Essence spill- this Charm, Gajam-Un must have used the Worldfire
ing from Gajam-Un’s maw contracts into a focused, Eruption or Annihilator Flash level of Desolation’s
deadly beam. To use Annihilator Flash, it must have a Suspire on its previous turn. It may reflexively use the
–2 wound penalty or worse, and have used World- same level of Desolation’s Suspire to clash an attack
fire Eruption on its previous turn. It rolls an unblockable made from within long range. This doesn’t count as its
decisive attack with 17 dice against all characters in attack for the round.
a straight line out to long range. Each hit enemy suffers MOBILITY CHARMS
(7 + attack roll threshold successes) dice of aggravat-
ed damage. This does not include Gajam-Un’s Initia- Footsteps of the Titan (10m, 5i or 1wp; Simple;
tive or reset it to base. The Annihilator Flash wreaks Instant; Dual, Perilous; Essence 4): Gajam-Un may
immense collateral damage. The terrain caught in its rush from medium range with double 8s. On success,
area melts into lava (Difficulty 5, Damage 6L/round), it reflexively advances one range band toward its
and it is capable of incinerating forests, cutting through target, in addition to the normal benefits of rushing,
mountains, or destroying cities in a single attack. After and may make a reflexive stomp attack. Gajam-Un
using Annihilator Flash, Gajam-Un cannot use Deso- may do this once per scene, unless reset by going a
lation’s Suspire on its next turn. round without taking a move action.
Devouring Horror Maw: (8m, 1wp; Supplemen- SOCIAL CHARMS
tal; Instant; Decisive-only; Essence 5): Gajam-Un’s Creation’s Death-Knell Roar (15m, 1wp; Simple;
decisive bite attack doubles 9s against a Crashed Instant; Essence 5): Gajam-Un makes a threaten roll,
enemy, and adds attack roll threshold successes as doubling 8s, against all characters within (1 + Initia-
dice of damage. If its bite incapacitates a non-trivial tive) miles. Characters whose Resolve is beaten must
foe or reduces a battle group’s Size, it heals one level flee until they are physically incapable of doing so,
of non-aggravated damage. and gain a Defining Tie of terror towards Gajam-Un.
Unleash the Brood (10m, 1wp; Simple; Instant; The Exalted and comparably powerful beings may
Perilous; Essence 5): Gajam-Un dislodges a swarm of spend one Willpower and five Initiative to resist, but

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mortals, animals, and other weak beings can’t. Battle Storyteller Tactics
groups whose Resolve is beaten must immediately roll Gajam-Un is, by default, a singularly focused force of
against rout at +4 difficulty. The roar is loud enough destruction, more of a natural disaster than an enemy
to trigger avalanches, shatter glass, or create other that can be reasoned with. The Storyteller can give it
secondary environmental hazards within its range more complex goals or an overarching agenda, but oth-
depending on the scenery. Gajam-Un may use this erwise, it exists to wreak massive-scale destruction until
Charm reflexively at no cost the first time its wound defeated.
penalty rises to –4 in a story.
MISCELLANEOUS CHARMS Gajam-Un typically begins battle by using Unleash the
Devastating Titan-Force Surge (5m, 1wp; Brood, and uses Swarm-Mind to order them to either at-
Reflexive; Instant; Essence 7): After rolling a feat of tack enemies or defend it. If its enemies are spread out so
strength, if Gajam-Un did not roll enough successes it can’t hit them all with Desolation’s Suspire, it uses bite
to meet the difficulty, it can reroll its dice pool, adding and stomp attacks to wear them down, as well as using
all successes to the original roll. It may use this Charm Worldquake Stomp and Footsteps of the Titan strategi-
multiple times to bring its success total as high as it cally to set up a Desolation’s Suspire. If they’re all in a
needs to accomplish a feat; the Willpower cost of ninety-degree arc, it will use Desolation’s Suspire, main-
subsequent activations enhancing the same feat is taining the Worldblight Smog level until it’s Crashed
waived. the most formidable enemies and then progressing to
Hundred Eyes Watching (3m, 1wp; Reflex- Worldfire Eruption.
ive; Instant; Essence 3): Gajam-Un doubles 8s on a
Join Battle or Senses roll. It may also use this Charm Gajam-Un retreats when it suffers damage to its 10th –4
to defend against an ambush, halving its Defense health level. It tries to find a nearby source of geomantic
against it. energy to rest upon, to speed up its recovery.

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Gem Seeker
Gem seekers look like small salamanders, growing up to a Resolve 1, Guile 1
foot long, with brilliant jewel-toned skin. Local lore says COMBAT
the colors come from the gems they eat: ruby reds, deep
Attack (Bite): 3 dice (Damage 7)
sapphire blues, the shifting hues of an opal, the cool glow of
moonstone. While they’re not known for their battle prow- Combat Movement: 6 dice
ess, any creature that crushes gemstones between its teeth Evasion 4, Parry 1
possesses incredibly strong jaws. If no precious gems are Soak/Hardness: 3/1
available, gem seekers can subsist on plain rocks or crystals, SPECIAL ABILITIES
though they lose their brilliant colors and grow lethargic.
Crushing Bite: Withering bite attacks ignore up
In the city of Gem itself, traders use gem seekers to ver- to four armored soak, plus an additional one for each
ify the authenticity of precious stones: They turn their threshold success on the attack roll.
rounded noses up at fakes. Farther abroad, treasure MERITS
hunters put their gem seekers on leashes and take them Jeweled Camouflage: The gem seeker’s body
into ruins in search of forgotten riches. contorts into the shapes of jewels nearby, and its
scales mimic the style and filigree of the jewels’ set-
Gem seekers were key to several famous jewel heists tings. Its body seems to catch the light exactly as a
in the Realm, where clever thieves smuggled them sparkling gem would. It doubles 8s on Stealth rolls to
into well-guarded estates and set them to sniff out the blend in with any stone or crystal, and doubles 7s to
Dynasts’ secret storerooms. hide among jewelry.
Pass Through Stone: By sampling a piece of stone
Essence: 2; Willpower: 3; Join Battle: 5 dice or crystal and paying a Willpower, the gem seeker
Health Levels: –0/–1x2/–2x3/–4/Incap. can phase through obstacles made from that same
Actions: Senses: 6 dice; Stealth: 4 dice; Tracking: 7 substance for the scene.
dice

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Storyteller Tactics stones to control the seeker’s appetite and instincts.


Gem seekers are intelligent and respond well to training. Though gem seekers aren’t violent by nature, one mer-
The most valued retrieve baubles for their owners with chant in Gem taught his to clamp its jaws onto the fin-
nary a toothmark. This type of training takes months, gers of those who would swindle him. Gem seekers are
and trainers often sacrifice a small fortune in precious 2-dot Familiars.

Giant Grosbeak
The giant grosbeak rarely sings in captivity. Dynastic SPECIAL ABILITIES
collectors launch expeditions dedicated to listening for Warning Song (Latent): The grosbeak’s master
its beautiful call in its natural habitat. The birds’ plum- learns the meaning of its different tones, and teaches
age varies, from black and white with striking splashes it new songs conveying simple messages. “Danger” is
of red on the breast and wings, to bright blues, soft roses, a common one. Some trainers teach the birds different
and sunny yellows. Those who keep them in menageries songs to associate with specific people, letting them
do so for their beauty more than the hope of their song, know when someone is approaching.
though they spend fortunes on their aviaries, just in case. MERITS
Giant grosbeaks stand about three feet tall. Their size Keen Hearing: Double 9s on hearing-based
prevents them from flying long distances, but they can Senses rolls.
take to the air for short periods. The mysterious birds are SOCIAL CHARMS
native to the Blessed Isle and other temperate locales. Ancient Lullaby (10m, 1wp; Simple; One scene,
Travelers near An-Teng and Goldenseal record sightings Perilous; Essence 2): The grosbeak’s song resembles
in their journals, and one merchant in Jibei claims to a lullaby from the target’s childhood, tiring him or
possess a mated pair, though none have ever seen them. — if he’s already asleep — driving him deeper into
Whether the hatchlings he sells are truly from a captive slumber. Make an inspire roll with its Sing pool. If suc-
pair or stolen from a wild grosbeak’s nest is a matter of cessful, its target’s Defenses suffer a cumulative –1
debate among his rivals. for each round the bird sings. A target that’s already
asleep remains so for the duration; sufficient stimulus,
The grosbeak’s song can sway even the hardest heart. such as a slap to the face or a noise loud enough
Musicians try to capture its essence in their compo- to drown out the song, prompts a (Perception + Re-
sitions, but no imitation comes close. Grosbeaks form sistance) roll opposed by the grosbeak’s Sing pool.
bonds with those they trust who allow them to fly free, Taking decisive damage automatically wakes a
making them good familiars. character.
Aria of the Steadfast Friend (8m; Simple; One
Essence: 2; Willpower: 3; Join Battle: 3 dice scene; Essence 2): The grosbeak’s song gladdens a
Personal Motes: 20 listener’s heart in times of sorrow, settles her fears,
or helps her plant her feet and be brave in the pres-
Health Levels: –0/–1x3/–2x3/–4/Incap.
ence of oncoming enemies. The target gains +1 to her
Intimacies: Defining: “Life is music and harmony.”; Resolve for the duration, as long as she can still hear
Major: “For every melody, there are countless possi- the song.
ble harmonies.”; Minor: The Open Sky (Longing)
Heartstrings Resonance (10m, 1wp; Simple;
Actions: Fly: 4 dice; Read Intentions: 7 dice; Senses: One scene; Essence 3): The grosbeak sings a battle
4 (see Keen Hearing) dice; Sing: 12 dice hymn that urges someone on, a ballad that reminds
Appearance 4, Resolve 2, Guile 2 him of his first love, or his enemy’s anthem that stirs him
COMBAT to rage. After at least eight total hours listening to a
particular song, it can activate this Charm to choose a
Attack (Peck): 3 dice (Damage 8) target and sing the melody at will, or a trainer’s signal.
Combat Movement: 5 dice Anyone who can hear the song gains +2 successes
Evasion 1, Parry 1 on an instill or inspire action against the target when
Soak/Hardness: 4/0 leveraging one of her Ties that they know and evoking

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the song’s emotion. The grosbeak knows a maximum attempt to change them. Grosbeaks have saved friend-
of three such songs at a time. If it learns a new one, the ships others deemed irreparably broken, simply seeking
oldest one fades from memory. to soothe their masters’ hurts, or caused full-blown en-
mity between rivals at a canny master’s order.
Storyteller Tactics
Giant grosbeaks are remarkably intelligent, capable of A grosbeak can only have one song Charm active at a
human empathy. Though they don’t understand human time. It’s a peaceful animal by nature and never initiates
speech, they glean emotions from voices and body lan- combat. Threatened, it flies to safety; cornered, it fights
guage, rolling Read Intentions often to discern a speak- only to escape. A giant grosbeak is a 2-dot Familiar.
er’s Ties. It may sing songs to shore up those feelings, or

Gravehound
The necropoles of Sijan and nearby shadowlands spawn make choice companions for the Abyssal and Liminal
gravehounds: lanky, emaciated canines with short, ash gray Exalted, and anyone else who trucks often with death.
fur, mottled with bone-white spots. Sad-eyed and melan-
choly, they wander lonely roads and dusty crypts, seeking Essence: 2; Willpower: 4; Join Battle: 4 dice
spirits whose unfinished business they might lay to rest. Health Levels: –0/–1x2/–2x2/–4/Incap.
Grim as it seems to many, Sijanese morticians let these Actions: Read Intentions: 6 dice; Senses: 8 dice (see
deathly — though living — hounds feed upon corpse flesh, Keen Nose); Stealth: 4 dice; Threaten: 5 dice; Track-
that they may take on the voice and mind of the dead for ing: 9 dice (see Keen Nose)
a time and seek restitution for buried wrongs. Fearless in
Appearance 2, Resolve 3 (5 vs. fear), Guile 2
the face of eerie ghosts and walking cadavers, gravehounds

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COMBAT Gravehounds are immune to any diseases a body


Attack (Bite): 9 dice (Damage 9) carried or infections it would otherwise suffer from
eating decayed flesh.
Attack (Grapple): 6 dice (5 to control)
Snarling Guardian Attack (Latent): Whenever an
Combat Movement: 8 dice enemy attacks the gravehound’s master while it pro-
Evasion 4, Parry 3 tects her with a defend other action, it may respond
Soak/Hardness: 4/0 with a decisive counterattack, which it may use for a
SPECIAL ABILITIES disarm or distract gambit.
Consume the Fallen: By eating a significant portion MERITS
of meat from a corpse, a gravehound gains the voice, Deathsense: Gravehounds sense dematerialized
memories, and personality of the deceased. It speaks ghosts with all five senses, including touch, and can
any language the dead person knew, and gains ad- attack them.
ditional dice pools based on the Abilities she had in Fearless Companion: Where other dogs turn tail
life, including social pools such as Bargain, Persuade, and flee or whine and balk when ordered to enter
and Threaten. It still can’t do anything it couldn’t physi- a shadowland or battle the undead, gravehounds
cally do before, so although it consumes the corpse of know no such terror. They’re immune to any fear effect
a renowned sculptor, it cannot hold a chisel. a deathly source inflicts.
The gravehound takes on the deceased’s Intimacies, Keen Nose: Double 9s on scent-based Senses rolls.
as well. This drives it to complete tasks on her behalf: Loyal Guardian (Latent): Ignore the usual flurry
sending word to family, getting revenge on a killer, penalties on a defend other action flurried with any
etc. The gravehound retains these memories for days other action.
equal to the departed’s permanent Willpower rating,
and can only maintain one such personality at a time. Wary Watchdog Vigilance (Latent): Add one
As a magical ability, a master may commit automatic success to rolls to notice hidden charac-
eight motes to allow the gravehound ters. Upon
to retain the dead person’s mem-
ories indefinitely instead.

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success, the gravehound barks loudly enough to Underworld or haunted places. Gravehounds flee with
wake its master from sleep, if needed. damage in their first –2 health level unless protecting
their masters or acting on command, but their uncanny
Storyteller Tactics
resistance to spooking throws off opponents expecting
Gravehounds on their own behave much like ordinary them to react as any dog would.
dogs (Exalted, p. 562) until they eat a corpse. They wan-
der cemeteries and crypts, as well as haunted locales Others don’t risk their gravehounds in battle, finding
where specters seek an end to torment, and consume them more valuable for their ability to dredge up secrets
dead bodies by instinct. One such hound could approach the dead took with them to their graves, or locate hid-
the characters with a final request, kickstarting a quest den tombs and unmarked burials by following the ghosts
to help the fallen or a hunt for lost treasure. they leave behind. Occasionally, a bereaved master might
let her gravehound consume a lost loved one’s corpse so
Gravehounds make excellent guides for travel through she can keep a facsimile of him around indefinitely; but
shadowlands. Characters may encounter one in a travel- nothing of the original person is really there, not even
ing mortal’s service, or as an Abyssal or Liminal Exalt’s his ghost, and in Sijan this is considered the height of
loyal companion. A gravehound is a 3-dot Familiar. gauche behavior.
Some trainers use them as fearless war hounds in the

Jungle Stalker
Ruthless bipedal saurians, muscular and lean, prowl Actions: Climb: 6 dice; Feats of Strength: 6 dice (may
Southeastern jungles. Scaly heads with snakelike eyes attempt Strength 3 feats); Senses: 7 dice; Stealth: 8
and elongated muzzles sport tufts of feathers that trail dice; Threaten: 7 dice; Tracking: 8 dice
down the lizards’ spines. They stand taller than most hu- Resolve 3, Guile 2
mans, with long wiry arms and flexible tails. They boast COMBAT
a rudimentary social structure, gathering in packs like
wolves, and can make and use simple tools and weap-
Attack (Claw): 8 dice (Damage 12)
ons, like stone-tipped spears. More intelligent than most Attack (Short Spear): 9 dice (Damage 11)
beasts, but still creatures of predatory instinct and mind- Attack (Grapple): 5 dice (6 to control)
less, territorial violence, the stalkers claim wild domin- Combat Movement: 9 dice (see Darting Leap)
ions in far-flung rainforests. Their cunning makes them Evasion 4, Parry 3
wily enemies for intruders, with a basic language of
hissing and hand signs they use to coordinate attacks or
Soak/Hardness: 7/4
bicker over resources. They even command primal mag- SPECIAL ABILITIES
ics that come to them in dreams. Pack Hunting: Add one success to attack rolls for each
allied stalker within close range of the enemy, up to three
Those who study the jungle stalkers note strange dis- successes. The stalker may also pay a Willpower to add
crepancies in their behavior and evidence in the for- that many dice to the raw damage of a decisive attack,
gotten ruins in which they squat, which suggest these representing its packmates’ opportunistic flanking attacks.
wild folk might once have been more advanced. Some MERITS
scholars well-versed in ancient history make tenuous
connections between these half-sapient creatures and a
Darting Leap: Double 9s on rushes.
long-lost saurian people who once flourished through- OFFENSIVE CHARMS
out Creation; others argue that such connections are Jungle Thorns (4m, 2i; Simple; One scene; Essence
wishful thinking. 1): One weapon the stalker wields grows sharp
wooden thorns, gaining the Piercing tag.
Essence: 1; Willpower: 4; Join Battle: 7 dice DEFENSIVE CHARMS
Personal Motes: 30 Living Earth Restoration (3m, 3i or 6m, 6i;
Health Levels: –0/–1x3/–2x3/–4/Incap. Simple; Instant; Essence 1): Once per scene, heal

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one bashing damage level for three motes and three the stalkers notice, they attack. They allow foes to flee
Initiative, or lethal for six motes and six Initiative. The and accept surrender, sometimes taking captives if they
stalker can’t take a reflexive move action on the turn need something done they can’t do on their own. The
it uses this Charm. Reset this Charm when the stalker Storyteller can use this to pull characters into an Age-
takes enough damage to increase its wound penalty old mystery, exploring ruins filled with ancient and alien
to –2 or –4 while using the defend other action to wonders. Stalkers never surrender, but may flee combat
protect an ally. with damage in any of their –2 health levels.
MISCELLANEOUS CHARMS
Whether a particular pack or individual prefers stealth
Breath of Clarity (4m; Reflexive; Instant; Essence
1): The stalker may activate this Charm whenever and javelins or claws and melee spears is up to the
anyone uses a Charm or other magical ability in its Storyteller. The listed Charms are examples; different
presence, rolling Senses with a difficulty of the target’s stalkers display different elemental affinities, and they
Essence rating. If successful, it knows they used magic don’t all possess every Charm. Likewise, they may have
but nothing about it, and becomes more aggressive. other Charms along similar themes.
Fiery Prowess (5m; Simple; One scene; Essence
Jungle stalkers are the remnants of a sapient and power-
1): The stalker may attempt Strength 5 feats.
ful people, the bygone Dragon Kings. Occasionally, one
Shimmering Mirage (3m; Reflexive; One round; shows more intelligence than the others and leads sev-
Essence 1): The stalker reduces all penalties to Stealth eral packs as one larger clan; it may gather them into a
rolls in combat by one and gains one Initiative at the battle group with Size 2, average Drill, and Might 1.
end of the round if it remains unnoticed.
Storyteller Tactics Packs frequently scrap among themselves over territo-
Jungle stalker packs are wary and belligerent, with be- ry, and never abandon what they’ve claimed, providing
tween four and twelve members. They warn off intrud- potential ways for savvy characters to manipulate them.
ers on their territory with threatening sounds, bashing If they found a way to communicate, characters could
spear hafts against shields and hissing. If characters dis- win the creatures’ loyalty as the Command or Retainers
play aggression, linger without permission, or use magic Merit (Exalted, p. 157).

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Lodestar
During the First Age, three Twilights designed an ide- Combat Movement: 6 dice
al servitor for the Exalted host. Lodestar was the pro- Evasion 2, Parry 4 (5 defending charges)
totype: a powerful, durable automaton capable of both Soak/Hardness: 8/6
household feats and mounting an impressive defense.
Keen-Eyed Kyujin proposed a fierce combat form, while MERITS
Whispering Sapphire insisted it serve in the home with- Built to Serve: Lodestar has Resolve and Guile 0
out question, and Weeping Forge-Star demanded an ide- against Solar Exalts, unless another Exalt is currently
al wilderness guide. The trio presented their prototype its master.
before the Deliberative, who rejected the plans and cut Chosen Sense: Lodestar knows when any Exalt is
funding, citing the project’s “inconsistent nature.” within 10 miles, or when a Solar Exalt is within 20, but
gains no other information about them.
Lodestar consists of a pleasant, androgynous human- Direction Sense: Lodestar can navigate Creation
oid torso atop a wide scorpion-like body, covered with without a roll, reorienting itself based on its proximity
a hard carapace. Its arms end in powerful pincers, and a from the elemental poles. It always knows its facing,
wicked, barbed tail extends behind and above, with sen- acts as a living compass, and lowers the difficulty on
sory organ clusters at its tip. It’s an exemplary guide and attempts to navigate toward a fixed or known loca-
mount for inhospitable areas, and defends its charges tion or to retrace its steps by one.
from mundane dangers; the prototype was built for Keen Sight: Double 9s on sight-based Senses rolls.
the frozen North by default, with custom capabilities
Survivor’s Adaptation: Lodestar is immune to
suitable for other climes. Despite its fearsome shape, mundane cold-based poisons, illnesses, environmen-
Lodestar is charming and affable, with a delightful (if tal hazards, and attacks.
archaic) sense of humor. It loves and serves all Exalted,
by design.
OFFENSIVE CHARMS
Sunbeam (3m or 10m; Simple; Instant; Essence
After the Usurpation, it went dormant, slumbering be- 2): Lodestar unleashes sunlight from its tail’s sensory
neath a sheet of ice. If the light of an Exalted anima ban- organs. For 3m, it radiates soothing heat, granting
ner falls upon it, Lodestar wakes and offers its services. +3 to rolls to resist environmental cold effects (or
the current element chosen with Elemental Shift) for
Essence: 3; Willpower: 7; Join Battle: 6 dice anyone within short range. For 10m, it fires a con-
Personal Motes: 60 centrated beam of destructive magical force; see the
Sunbeam attack, above.
Health Levels: –0x5/–1x7/–2x2/–4/Incap.
MISCELLANEOUS CHARMS
Intimacies: Defining: Solar Exalted (Servitude);
Major: “Honor the Exalted host.”; Current Master Elemental Shift (5m; Simple; One day; Essence
(Loyalty) 1): Lodestar shifts its cold immunity to any other single
element or environment type.
Speed Bonus: +1
See the Sun’s Reflection (8m; Simple; One scene;
Actions: Etiquette: 10 dice; Feats of Strength: 9 dice Eclipse; Essence 3): Lodestar can see sources of heat,
(may attempt Strength 7 feats); Mediation between including living things, up to (Essence) miles away.
Hostile Parties: 6 dice; Read Intentions: 6 dice; Senses: It can see them through thin barriers, like curtains,
8 dice (see Keen Sight); Servant’s Tasks: 14 dice tinted glass, or bushes, but not through walls. It can’t
Appearance 4, Resolve 4, Guile 2 tell anything about the source except that it generates
COMBAT heat unless it could otherwise see the source clearly.
Attack (Pincers/Stomp): 6 dice (Damage 13) Servant’s Gift (2m; Simple; Instant; Essence 3):
Attack (Stinger): 7 dice (Damage 14) Once per scene, Lodestar may roll its current Will-
power as a dice pool and donate (successes rolled)
Attack (Grapple): 6 dice (9 to control) motes from its own pool to that of a character it
Attack (Sunbeam): 7 dice (Damage 10); Tags: touches. Reset this Charm if Lodestar upholds a Tie to
Archery (Long) (10m, see below) its master or any Solar Exalt by protecting them.

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Storyteller Tactics Intimacies mean it’s more inclined to side with Solars
Lodestar is loyal and unquestioning, but orders to harm than others.
itself count as unacceptable influence, incomprehensi-
ble to it. How can it serve the Exalted if it’s dead? While In a fight, given no specific orders, Lodestar defends its
Lodestar follows orders, if it finds flaws with them it Exalted master and anything important to her, or any
politely offers alternative suggestions — it desires only Exalts nearby if it serves no one. It can carry up to six
to help. Caught in a conflict between Exalts, it becomes adults, or the equivalent in cargo. Lodestar is a four-dot
distressed and does its best to mediate; however, its Retainer.

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Mahicara
the Volcanic Earthwalker
At the beginning of days, the world’s makers shaped Soak/Hardness: 17/10
every kind of monster, wrought from Essence in forms SPECIAL ABILITIES
familiar and forgotten. Among these was Mahicara. A
Mountain-Crushing Fist: Mahicara’s fist or stomp
colossus of earth and molten rock, the behemoth bears
attack causes a shockwave, applying half its rolled
the vaguest shape of a man: one head, two legs, two arms, successes as a reflexive, unblockable withering
two hands, and two feet. It stands a mile high, each of its attack against everyone within short range other than
limbs vast enough to contain a human settlement. Skin the original target, with damage 10, minimum 4. The
like black granite glistens around its titanic frame, and in behemoth only receives Initiative from the damage roll
the seams where joints should be, the bright, yellow-hot among these with the highest result, plus one Initiative
glow of magma flickers. It has but one desire: to walk per additional target.
from pole to pole. Before the rise of humanity, its great Overwhelming Might: Mahicara makes un-
steps rattled the foundations of ancient civilizations and opposed grapple control rolls against enemies of
flattened cities Creation has since forgotten. Creatures smaller size, unless they use magic that allows them to
with no names fought the earthwalker and knew only grapple larger foes, such as Dragon Coil Technique
death. From its conception, nothing could stop it. (Exalted, p. 280).
During the First Age, a Circle of young Solars thirsty for
MERITS
glory and fame set out to defeat this monster. They fought God-Wrought Monster: Mahicara heals as an
for days, until Steel-Black Sky, the Circle’s Nightbringer, Exalt, and is immune to all poisons and illnesses. Fash-
pierced the ever-burning stone at its heart and brought ioned from the undying primal Essence of earth and
it to its knees. With chains of orichalcum, soulsteel, and fire, each part of its body must be destroyed separate-
white jade, they bound it and sealed it away, buried be- ly. When one part is destroyed, the behemoth loses
neath Southern sands, a shimmer of intense heat the access to any abilities that require it — for instance,
only hint to its hidden presence. Now, the binding words if both arms are destroyed, it can’t make colossal fist
inscribed upon its chains have weakened, or have per-
attacks. If its torso is destroyed, its limbs and head
collapse into the resulting pool of lava, able to func-
haps already broken. When earthquakes shake the des-
tion separately and move as their shapes allow. De-
ert, Mahicara strides again.
stroyed parts heal two levels of damage per round, or
one per round in which Mahicara takes any addition-
Essence: 5; Willpower: 8; Join Battle: 12 dice al damage; once a part returns to full health, it calci-
Personal Motes: 90 fies out of the lava flow and resumes normal functions.
Health Levels: Torso: –0x5/–1x8/–2x5/–4x2/Incap. Destroyed parts stop healing while the behemoth is
Limbs (4): –0x6/–1x4/–2x3/–4/Incap. crashed.
Head: –0/–1x8/–2x4/–4/Incap. When all six parts are destroyed at once, the creature
dissolves into a massive lake of lava that soon cools
Actions: Endurance: 15 dice; Feats of Strength: 14 into a wasteland, and the vast molten stone of its heart
dice (may attempt Strength 10 feats); Masonry: 8 disappears into the blistering depths. It reforms after
dice; Navigation: 12 dice; Senses: 8 dice; Threaten: a century.
9 dice
Legendary Size: Mahicara suffers no onslaught
Appearance 5 (Hideous), Resolve 4, Guile 4 penalties from attacks from smaller opponents, unless
COMBAT they’re magically inflicted. Withering attacks from
Attack (Colossal fist/stomp): 14 dice (Damage smaller enemies cannot Crash it unless they have at
20, minimum 8) least 10 post-soak damage dice, although attackers
Attack (Bite/slam): 11 dice (Damage 17, minimum 5) still gain the full amount of Initiative damage dealt.
Decisive attacks from smaller enemies cannot deal
Attack (Grapple): 8 dice (15 to control) more than (3 + attacker’s Strength) levels of damage
Combat Movement: 12 dice (see Titanwalk) to it, not counting levels added by Charms or other
Evasion 2, Parry 6 magic.

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Molten Core: Mahicara takes no damage from


mundane fire or heat-based hazards, and halves
raw damage from supernatural heat-based attacks.
It bleeds lava: Whenever the behemoth’s torso
takes lethal damage, characters at close range are
exposed to an environmental hazard with damage
4L/round, difficulty 4. When the head or extremi-
ties take lethal damage, they’re instead exposed to
one with damage 3L/round, difficulty 3. Charac-
ters resist these separately from any other hazards
in effect, such as from Unleashing the Flow.
Titanwalk: Mahicara is immune to natural fatigue
and can walk 800 miles in a day. It automatically
succeeds on rush and disengage actions against
smaller opponents with five threshold successes,
unless they use magic to enhance their rolls.
OFFENSIVE CHARMS
Unleashing the Flow (9m, 2i; Simple; Three
rounds; Essence 5): Mahicara belches or bleeds
out a torrent of lava, creating an environmental
hazard with damage 6L/round, difficulty 5, that
fills an area around it out to medium range. After
the Charm ends, the area becomes difficult terrain
instead.
DEFENSIVE CHARMS
Molten Form Absorption (10m, 5i; Reflexive;
Instant; Dual, Perilous; Essence 3): Halve post-
soak damage from one withering attack (round
down), or double Mahicara’s Hardness against
one decisive attack. Activate this Charm after an
attack hits, but before damage is rolled. If the at-
tacker deals any damage, Mahicara may imme-
diately use Foe-Swallowing Pit Formation without
paying its cost. This Charm is usable once per
scene; reset it whenever a destroyed part returns to
full functionality.
Foe-Swallowing Pit Formation (8m, 2i, 1wp;
Reflexive; Instant; Counterattack; Essence 5): If an
attack at close range deals any damage to Mahic-
ara, it may immediately attempt a grapple gambit
as a counterattack. If successful, the target plunges
through a crack in its rocky flesh and must contend
with the appropriate environmental hazard as
given in Molten Core until the grapple ends.
MISCELLANEOUS CHARMS
Earth-Titan’s Might (7m, 1wp; Reflexive;
Instant; None; Essence 5): Automatically succeed
on any feat of Strength 5 or less, or double 7s on
any feat of strength.
Storyteller Tactics
Mahicara ignores anything that doesn’t prove itself a
threat. It crushes anything in its path, caring nothing
for what might be standing in the way of its chosen

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route on its journey across the width and breadth of Once destroyed, Mahicara does not reform for a century.
Creation, whether it be a towering city or acres of cru- Characters who defeat it often earn a nation’s gratitude,
cial farmland. having saved thousands of lives. In extended campaigns
where a hundred years can pass in play, the heroes might
Once it recognizes a threat, it attacks first with fist and take up the sword again against their legendary foe with
foot. Then it unleashes its fiery might, drowning its foes an all-new set of complications. Alternatively, a charac-
in waves of lava and forcing attackers to contend with its ter could take up the legacy of a previous incarnation or
molten blood. If characters came prepared to resist en- Dragon-Blooded ancestor who once defeated the beast.
vironmental damage, it relies heavily on Foe-Swallowing
Pit Formation to keep those foes out of the way until it Storytellers can also use the volcanic earthwalker as
can dispose of the others. Once several parts are de- an impending menace, still bound but near freedom,
stroyed, it focuses on defense until it regains most of its through escape or someone’s dread purpose. Its prison
functionality. Don’t reveal the behemoth’s piecemeal na- weakens already; someone who learns of its existence
ture before the characters realize it in play, unless a play- may seek it out, free it, and perhaps even control it
er succeeds at an (Intelligence + Lore) roll, difficulty 5. through sorcery or stranger magic. It would be a siege
weapon beyond compare, a weapon of mass destruction
Fighting Mahicara near anything the characters don’t from a primal time. If it’s free already when the charac-
want completely destroyed by a walking volcanic erup- ters encounter it, decide who controls it, if anyone, and
tion is beyond risky. Characters must first lure it away how it changes the shape of the story to have a prehistor-
from villages, people, and roads if they don’t want mas- ic titan free to crush cities beneath monstrous feet.
sive collateral damage.

Moonsilver Shadow
On nights when the moon is full, some Northern tribes really in another. It can flow into a party where weapons
say, Luna reaches down toward Creation to play among aren’t allowed on its master’s heels, and become a blade
the shadows. They take the shadows’ places, attaching when the celebration turns into a free-for-all. Shadows
themself to the feet of a mountain lion and following its have been sent to haunt the bedsides of suspected mur-
swift steps through the snows. They become the shadow derers to appear as the victim’s ghostly visage, driving
of a cloud scudding over the tundra, and a fish leaping the suspect to a guilt-ridden confession.
out of the water. They slip into the shadows of people
sitting around campfires, and listen to their stories. The shadows are unable to talk or make any sounds, but
they can understand speech.
You can tell when the moon is in your shadow, they say,
by looking for a glint of silver among the black. If you see Essence: 2; Willpower: 3; Join Battle: 4 dice
it and stab it quick, your own shadow will flow back into Health Levels: –0x3/–1x4/–2x2/–4x2/Incap.
place, and a scrap of the moon’s own fine silver sleeve Actions: Observe: 6 dice; Senses: 4 dice; Stealth 7
will be at the end of your blade. dice
Moonsilver shadows aren’t pieces of Luna’s robes, but Resolve 1, Guile 1
are instead wily, curious creatures that attach them- COMBAT
selves to their targets and mimic their movements. When Attack (Unarmed): 5 dice (Damage 5)
idle, they revert to round black pools with a dull silvery Attack (Sword): 7 dice (Damage 10)
sheen. Most are only a few feet in diameter, though they
Combat Movement: 6 dice
can spread thin enough to extend themselves out to a
few yards. Evasion 3, Parry 3
Soak/Hardness: 3/4 (see Solidify)
The shadows can flow into any shape, and may take on SPECIAL ABILITIES
volume and solidity for short periods. This ability makes
them desirable as familiars: a shadow can take on its
Perfect Likeness: Once it’s seen a person or an
image of that person, the shadow can assume that
master’s shape and appear to be in one place while he’s
form. The shadow retains its black and silver color

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— the likeness is more ghostly than lifelike — but in Storyteller Tactics


dim light and draped in a hood or cowl, it might be Moonsilver shadows hide in plain sight, molding them-
mistaken for a living figure. selves to the shape of their target’s shadow. They often
Quicksilver Modification: The moonsilver depend on the target simply accepting that his shadow
shadow alters its shape, extending its limbs or chang- is always there, and therefore not examining it close
ing its height to gain an advantage. Once per round, enough to see the striations of silver sliding across its
it adds 2 dice to an attack roll, or increases its Evasion surface.
against a single incoming attack by 1.
Solidify: The shadow takes on a tangible form, A shadow in tangible human form fights like the person
becoming solid to the touch for the scene. If it takes it’s facing, sometimes mirroring their moves exactly, or
human form, it gains 4 Hardness. As a weapon or delayed by a split second. It can also change the length of
other object, it automatically gains the Natural tag. its limbs during a fight, extending its reach with a sword
MERITS or giving itself a height advantage.
Flow: The shadow’s ability to assume any shape When wielded as a weapon, the shadow acquires the
allows it to flow like water along most surfaces. It can stats of the item it is duplicating. Though named after
slip under doors or extrude itself through a crack in the magical metal, there is not enough pure moonsilver
a wall. It ignores difficult terrain penalties, but cannot
in a moonsilver shadow for its owner to attune herself to
travel through impermeable surfaces like glass or
it, nor can she awaken any Evocations within it, as there
metal.
are none.

A moonsilver shadow flees when it suffers damage to its


last –2 health level. The shadow is a 2-dot Familiar.

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Mouse of the Sun


The Mice of the Sun appear similar to ordinary mice, with
stark white fur and bright golden eyes. Though they live
and breed like normal animals, they bear the Unconquered
Sun’s blessing, and have an affinity for the returned Solar
Exalted. A Lawgiver who bonds with such a mouse has a
companion for life. These tiny creatures are clever, incon-
spicuous, and loyal to a fault, capable of slipping into a pris-
on cell with a lockpick or spotting a would-be assassin. The
mice also serve as a vector for the Unconquered Sun’s divine
judgment: the Plague of the Sun.

Essence: 1; Willpower: 8; Join Battle: 7 dice


Health Levels: –0/–1/–2/–4/Incap.
Intimacies: Defining: Unconquered Sun (Loyalty);
Major: Its Master (Loyalty)
Actions: Gnaw Through Things: 6 dice; Read Inten-
tions: 8 dice; Scurry Through Tight Spaces: 7 dice;
Senses: 9 dice (see Keen Nose); Stealth: 10 dice (see
Slink Away, Tiny Creature)
Resolve 4, Guile 1
COMBAT
Attack (Gnaw): 8 dice (Damage 2, or 5 vs. house-
cat-sized or smaller foes)
Combat Movement: 7 dice
Evasion 3, Parry 1 (see Tiny Creature)
Soak/Hardness: 1/0
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Distracting Scurry: The mouse’s distract gambit
(Exalted, p. 200) adds two automatic successes to the
attack roll against an enemy larger than a housecat. A
distracted enemy also suffers blindness penalties until her
onslaught penalty has refreshed, too focused on the pest
assailing her.
Plague of the Sun: An enemy damaged by a de-
cisive gnaw attack must also roll for exposure to the
Plague of the Sun if she has offended the Most High
through cruelty, cowardice, irresponsibility, abandon-
ment of righteous goals, or wicked deeds committed in
his name. The Storyteller decides whether she has.
Scampering Misdirection: The mouse scampers
across the enemy’s body, making her strike herself. After
successfully distracting an enemy, the mouse may redirect
any successfully evaded attack from that enemy back at
her until its next turn as long as it remains in close range,
applying the attack against her Defense as normal.
Flashing Sun Clash (Latent): When the mouse or
its master is attacked, it may pay one Willpower to

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THE PLAGUE OF THE SUN

The Plague of the Sun is a supernatural disease (Exalted, p. 233) with virulence 4, morbidity 4, and a one week
interval. Even the most powerful healing magic cannot reduce it below minor intensity. A sincere prayer to the
Unconquered Sun for forgiveness can lower its intensity by one step or cure it entirely from minor symptoms, but
only for those who have committed sufficient atonement for whatever sin drew wrath. A character can pray only
once per interval.

The Plague has the following symptoms in addition to the usual disease effects:

• Minor Symptom: Judgment haunts the victim as the sun rises higher; she loses a point of Willpower every day
when the sun reaches its noonday zenith unless she totally cuts herself off from natural light at the time. She
suffers from constant heat exhaustion.

• Major Symptom: As above, and the victim takes a two-die penalty on all actions when exposed to daylight,
suffering severe sunburn. Decrease it to –1 if she wears concealing clothing or otherwise keeps the sunlight
off her flesh.

• Defining Symptom: As above, and effects that affect creatures of darkness, such as certain Solar Charms,
consider the victim to be one. She also suffers from sunstroke.

reflexively clash with a decisive attack, moving up to anima banner at the burning level. Its master may extend
one range band. This doesn’t count as its combat action. his anima banner benefits to the mouse for free, or pay
If it fails, the attack strikes the mouse regardless of the the usual cost to grant those effects to the mouse sepa-
original target. rately. It can’t gain benefits that bestow permanent traits,
Orichalcum Fang Strike (Latent): Withering gnaw such as the Eclipse’s ability to learn spirit Charms.
attacks have a base damage of 5 regardless of the Sun’s Shadow Companion (Magical, 1wp): The
enemy’s size against demons, undead, and other crea- mouse can learn to use effects equivalent to the Solar
tures of darkness. Decisive gnaw attacks against the Charms Invisible Statue Spirit, Lock-Opening Touch, and
same deal aggravated damage; spend one Willpower Stealing from Plain Sight Spirit, paying one Willpower
to apply double 10s to the damage roll. each in lieu of mote costs. Each requires a separate ap-
Paw of Judgment (Magical): Whenever the mouse’s plication of Beast-Mastering Behavior to learn.
master deals decisive damage after receiving Initiative Vanishing Flare (Magical): If the mouse dies, it dis-
from the mouse’s distract gambit against that foe, the foe appears into its master’s anima and slowly reforms over
must roll for exposure to the Plague of the Sun. the course of the story. Once the next story begins, it
MERITS emerges at an unforeseen moment to aid its Solar master.
It may also reflexively vanish in a curl of Solar flame at
Keen Nose: Double 9s on scent-based Senses rolls. any time, until its master calls it back.
Slink Away: The penalty for going to ground in
combat begins at –0, not –3. Storyteller Tactics
Sunlit Fur Warmth: Once per story in which the mouse’s Mice of the Sun are fearless in battle, no matter how bad-
master accomplishes a major character or story goal ly injured they are. They never withdraw or surrender
(Exalted, p. 169) that upholds one of his Major or Defin- unless their masters will it. Their defining Intimacy is
ing Principles, he can play with his companion to remove immutable by any influence or magic.
one point of Limit per success his player rolls on a single die.
Mice of the Sun are pets or 3-dot Familiars for Exalts, es-
Tiny Creature: Gain +2 Evasion against foes larger
pecially Solars, which means the Exalt’s player generally
than a housecat. Characters of that size subtract two suc-
decides a mouse’s tactics. However, it occasionally acts
cesses from Awareness rolls to notice the mouse.
on its own, especially if someone in its vicinity performs
Dancing Mouse Fury (Latent): If the mouse’s master unrighteous acts. If a mouse belongs to a Storyteller
is a Solar Exalt, whenever they both roll Join Battle, the character, decide its tactics based on that character’s
mouse gains +2 Initiative for each 10 in its master’s roll. priorities.
Resplendent Solar Avatar (Magical): The mouse
may reflexively gain a radiant aura emulating its master’s

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Plentimon’s Ladybug
At first glance, they appear small and beetle-like, black COMBAT
with white spots. Up close, the white spots become clus- Attack (Bite): 3 dice (Damage 1)
ters of stars; the closer an observer looks, the more stars
Combat Movement: 5 dice
she sees. These ladybugs are the creatures of Plentimon,
god of dice and gambling, and their venom influences Evasion 5 (see Tiny Creature), Parry 0
probability for their “victims.” In the gambling dens of Soak/Hardness: 3/0
Nexus, bouncers check for bite marks on anyone whose SPECIAL ABILITIES
dice appear to be too lucky. Plentimon’s ladybug leaves a Bitten by the Gambling Bug: The ladybug bites
distinctive mark, resembling the pips on a die. its victim, then hides in a fold of clothing. For the scene,
the bitten character’s player lowers her target number
Essence: 2; Willpower: 5; Join Battle: 3 dice by one on any non-reflexive actions whose outcomes
Personal Motes: 15 her character leaves completely to chance, such as
Health Levels: –0/–1x2/–2x2/–4/Incap. rolling dice, drawing cards from a deck, choosing a
random path from among several options, etc. Big
Actions: Fly: 3 dice; Hide: 5 dice (6 on someone’s
winning streaks are rarely subtle, and neither Plenti-
person); Senses: 5 dice
mon nor his ladybugs offer protection from anyone
Resolve 2, Guile 2 who feels cheated.

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MERITS provided that character has a reasonable chance of


Tiny Creature: Gain +2 Evasion against opponents appearing in the area.
larger than a housecat. Characters of that size sub- Storyteller Tactics
tract two successes from Awareness rolls to notice the Plentimon’s ladybugs don’t engage in combat, but they
ladybug.
ambush “victims” to bite them, ignoring all armor. How
SOCIAL CHARMS they choose who to bite is a question only the god him-
Fortuitous Meeting (5m; Simple; Instant; Eclipse; self can answer.
Essence 2): While Plentimon’s ladybugs are most
famous for changing the odds in table games, some Casino owners have an uncomfortable dilemma when it
people use them to influence chance encounters comes to these so-called pests. Gambling houses draw
in their favor. How lucky, to bump into the satrap’s them, and while driving them off or killing them would
daughter at the market, or to arrive for an unscheduled be sensible to protect their coffers, surely it’s bad luck
appointment with the busy magistrate just as someone to destroy a creature sacred to the god of dice? Most
else canceled! Within five hours of the ladybug biting owners opt instead for banning the bitten and punishing
a character, the Storyteller must give her an opportu- transgressors.
nity to meet another character of the player’s choice,

Scroll
The depth of knowledge lost during the Usurpation and Essence: 4; Willpower: 5; Join Battle: 6 dice
the Great Contagion is unfathomable. Entire libraries Personal Motes: 90
were burned or defiled, or destroyed by their Solar war- Health Levels: –0/–1x2/–2x2/–4/Incap.
dens to keep the books contained within out of anyone
Intimacies: Defining: “The world is full of wonders. I
else’s hands. One library that was part of a forgotten
should like to see them before more are destroyed.”;
school for sorcerers succumbed to the sea, its halls sink-
Major: Students, Scholars, and Librarians (Longing);
ing beneath the waves. Salt water soaked pages inked
Minor: “I will preserve the knowledge others toss
with powerful spells, and some last vestige of magic away.”
combined with ambient Essence worked its will upon
the scrolls.
Actions: Inspire: 5 dice; Read Intentions: 5 dice;
Senses: 4 dice; Shape Sorcery: 7 dice; Socialize: 5
What floated to the surface and crawled out on the sands dice
to dry named itself Scroll, and when the water no longer Appearance 2, Resolve 3, Guile 2
weighed it down, it decided to walk the world. COMBAT
Attack (Unarmed): 8 dice (Damage 8)
Scroll stands about four feet tall and generally takes a hu-
manoid shape, mimicking those whose writings brought Combat Movement: 4 dice
it into existence. It can change its shape, folding and un- Evasion 2, Parry 1
folding itself until the new figure appears. The creature Soak/Hardness: 6/6 (see Invulnerable Skin of
is the color of tea-stained vellum. Words in many colors Bronze)
of ink mark its skin, the letters and figures shifting with MERITS
Scroll’s moods and desires.
At My Fingertips: Scroll may access up to three of
Scroll is curious, but wary — after all, destruction her- the spells written on its skin (see below) at any one
alded its birth. It travels in search of the manses written
time. If it wishes to access a new spell, it must forget
one of the three until it needs that spell again.
of in its own histories. Those who treat it kindly might
learn a new spell or the whereabouts of a lost demesne. Perfect Recall: Scroll remembers everything that’s
Those who try to wrest the magic from it by force soon happened to it, dating back to those first days when
discover that it’s perfectly capable of using its own sor- it formed. It also has several history books bound up
cerous arsenal. within itself alongside its spellbooks. The histories, of
course, might not be entirely accurate, and are subject
to the mistakes and biases their authors made.

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SORCERY prefers to converse peacefully and share its knowledge


Shaping Ritual: Scroll spends an hour in contem- in exchange for what its companions choose to report.
plation of the knowledge etched into its very being. Scroll is a willing guide into First Age tombs and mans-
Roll Shape Sorcery against difficulty 3. Scroll gains es, for those it deems worthy — mainly other people
sorcerous motes equal to its threshold successes, whose love of knowledge and reverence for what was
which last for a day. lost equals his own.
Cantata of Empty Voices: Exalted, p. 476
If Scroll feels like it’s being exploited or taken advantage
Cirrus Skiff: Exalted, p. 471 of, or if its companion seems to be seeking spells to use
Invulnerable Skin of Bronze (Control): for ill purposes, it begs off and attempts to leave. Scroll
Exalted, p. 474 greatly dislikes being cornered, and attacks if it feels
Shadows of the Ancient Past: Exalted, p. 480 threatened. Scroll may use any Terrestrial or Celestial
Wood Dragon’s Claws: Exalted, p. 476 Circle spells, though it can only recall three at a time. It
cannot cast Solar Circle spells. While several are listed
Storyteller Tactics above, Storytellers may add others as appropriate.
Scroll is approachable, though it keeps a wary eye on
strangers, looking for signs of an imminent attack. It Scroll flees if it suffers damage to its last –1 health level.

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Thousand-Forged Dragon
The Deliberative crafted these towering automata of COMBAT
nigh-imperishable First Age alloys during the Second Attack (Claw): 15 dice (Damage 20/4)
Deliberative Era to cow its enemies — whether Creation’s
Attack (Bite): 12 dice (Damage 24/6, Piercing)
foes or renegade Exalted. Exalted commanders and
princes deployed many Thousand-Forged Dragons to Attack (Fiery breath): 10 dice (5m; see Confla-
destroy each other while assaulting or protecting fleeing
gration of Doom)
Solars during the Usurpation, or at the behest of Dragon- Attack (Tail swipe): 13 dice (Damage 22/5,
Blooded daimyos amid the internecine conflicts of the Smashing)
Dragon-Blooded Shogunate. Those that remained were Attack (Grapple): 10 dice (15 to control; unop-
committed to warding Creation’s borders against the posed against smaller opponents (see Overwhelming
Fair Folk invasions that preceded and accompanied the Might)
Great Contagion. Combat Movement: 12 dice (9 while flying)
Evasion 2, Parry 6
Precious few Thousand-Forged Dragons remain intact
today. One or two yet reside in the deepest armory vaults
Soak/Hardness: 20/10
of the Realm and Lookshy, too powerful and dangerous SPECIAL ABILITIES
to actually deploy. Others linger at Creation’s fringes, Attack Pattern Recalibration: Whenever the
deteriorating relics of a former age, rigidly pursuing Thousand-Forged Dragon recovers from Initiative
their final orders without regard for collateral damage Crash, it regains three Willpower points.
or casualties. Carried Away: When a Thousand-Forged Dragon
deals 5+ levels of damage with a withering claw
A Thousand-Forged Dragon is a massive, heavily ar- attack, it may forgo receiving any Initiative and
mored engine of devastation, sculpted to strike terror instead perform a reflexive grapple gambit against
into its victims’ hearts. In form, it resembles the dragons that enemy. Each point of Initiative it would have
of the elemental host but sturdier and bulkier, without gained adds one bonus die to the control roll if the
a living dragon’s elegance or grace. In battle, it moves grapple is successful.
swift as quicksilver, unsheathing claws large and sharp Dread Clutches: When the Thousand-Forged
as grand daiklaves, baring reaver daiklave–sized fangs. Dragon savages a grappled enemy, it may also drag
Despite its mass and bulk, it takes to the air supported by him along with any movement actions it takes without
flames that jet from beneath its fuselage. restraining him first. It may move normally during a
grapple as long as it’s in flight.
Possessed of human intelligence, a Thousand-Forged
Eagle Wing Rush: The Thousand-Forged Dragon
Dragon can perform complex reasoning within the
may rush enemies from long range above them, as
scope of its instructions, but lacks initiative. Each is long as the horizontal distance between them is within
slaved to an Old Realm command code, often forgotten short range.
in the Time of Tumult.
Final Fury Overdrive: While the Thousand-Forged
Dragon is in its –4 wound levels, it regains five motes
Essence: 5; Willpower: 10; Join Battle: 12 dice
per turn (over and above any provided by Leash
Personal Motes: 50 (see Leash the Dragon Lines) the Dragon Lines), and ignores Willpower costs and
Health Levels: –0x5/–1x10/–2x15/–4x20/ once-per-scene restrictions on its Charms.
Incap. Overwhelming Might: The Thousand-Forged
Intimacies: Defining: Its commander (Total Obe- Dragon makes unopposed grapple control rolls
dience); Major: “I hunger for geomantic power.”, “I against enemies of smaller size, unless they use magic
relish destruction and devastation.” that allows them to grapple larger foes, such as
Actions: Endurance: 15 dice; Feats of Strength: 15 Dragon Coil Technique (Exalted, p. 280).
dice (may attempt Strength 10 feats); Fly: 5 dice; Pile-Driving Plunge: If the Thousand-Forged
Geomantic Theft: 6 dice; Senses: 10 dice; Threaten: Dragon controls a grapple while flying at up to
12 dice medium range, it can drop from the sky while per-
Appearance 5 (Hideous), Resolve 4, Guile 2 forming a slam action, smashing the target into the

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ground. The target suffers falling damage in addition Languages: Every Thousand-Forged Dragon knows
to damage from the slam, and is rendered prone. Old Realm. Some that have been active since the
Thousand-Forged Juggernaut: Whenever the Contagion have also learned one or more modern
Thousand-Forged Dragon attacks an enemy who’s languages.
behind cover, it first performs a reflexive feat of dem- Legendary Size: The Thousand-Forged Dragon
olition against that cover. suffers no onslaught penalties from attacks from
MERITS smaller opponents, unless they’re magically inflict-
ed. Withering attacks from smaller enemies cannot
Automaton: Thousand-Forged Dragons are immune Crash it unless they have at least 10 post-soak
to poison, disease, fatigue, and fear (unless faced with damage dice, although attackers still gain the full
magic such as the Dawn Caste anima power), and amount of Initiative damage dealt. Decisive attacks
have no need to eat, drink, breathe, or sleep. from smaller enemies cannot deal more than (3 + at-
Command Code: A Thousand-Forged Dragon au- tacker’s Strength) levels of damage to it, not counting
tomatically obeys orders from someone who knows its levels added by Charms or other magic.
command code — an elaborate, obscure Old Realm Mechanical Mind: Social influence cannot affect
passphrase. Without the code, social influence and a Thousand-Forged Dragon’s major or defining Inti-
command actions suffer a –5 penalty. Any influence macies, nor can it raise new Intimacies to major or
that directly contradicts orders issued via command defining.
code is unacceptable to a Thousand-Forged Dragon.
OFFENSIVE CHARMS
Heart of Iron: +3 Resolve against magic that can
make even automatons feel fear, such as the Dawn Blood-and-Steel Maelstrom (15m, 1wp;
Caste anima power. Simple; Instant; Decisive-only; Essence 5): The Thou-
sand-Forged Dragon lashes out with decisive attacks
Impenetrable Armor: Reduce the minimum
against three different targets — one each with bite,
damage of withering attacks against the Thou-
claw, and tail. Apply the full damage dice pool to
sand-Forged Dragon by 1 die (minimum 0).
each target separately. Its Initiative doesn’t reset until

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all three attacks conclude. Once per scene; reset it by ignoring the multiple target penalty and the Resolve
gaining 15+ Initiative from a single attack. boost for not using a shared language. Targets who
Conflagration of Doom (5m; Simple; Instant; De- fail to resist suffer a –2 penalty to all attack and move-
cisive-only; Essence 5): The Thousand-Forged Dragon ment pools. Once per scene.
exhales a stream of flame that culminates in a fiery Steel-Wing Aegis (5m, 3i, 1wp; Reflexive; Until
detonation. This is a decisive attack usable only at next turn; Dual; Essence 5): Gain +5 Defense and
Initiative 10+, out to long range. The attack roll is also reduce the post-soak damage of withering attacks
applied against everyone in the path of the attack and the raw damage of decisive attacks by 5. Once
and against everyone within medium range of the per combat; reset by gaining 15+ Initiative from a
target; halve the damage roll (round up) against these single attack.
secondary targets. The conflagration affects demate- MISCELLANEOUS CHARMS
rialized spirits; deals aggravated damage to demons
and the Fair Folk; and sets objects ablaze, turning Leash the Dragon Lines (1wp; Simple; Indefi-
vegetation and flammable structures into bonfires until nite; Essence 5): The Thousand-Forged Dragon seizes
they’re extinguished or burn out. control of a demesne or manse within 10 miles, or
at any distance if it has the site’s hearthstone. This re-
Hearthstone-Devouring Method (3i; Simple; quires a successful Geomantic Theft roll, contested by
Instant; Decisive-only; Essence 5): On a successful the highest (Intelligence + Lore) among any charac-
difficulty 5 bite gambit, the Thousand-Forged Dragon ters attuned to the site. If successful, the Dragon can
snatches up a hearthstone with its moonsilver tongue, respire Essence normally and gains all benefits of
plucking it from a socket as needed, and conceals the attunement to the site, while preventing other attuned
stone within its skull. The stone’s powers are available characters from accessing those benefits. If the Dragon
to it as though set in an attuned socket. The Dragon has the site’s hearthstone, the roll succeeds automat-
can store up to 25 hearthstones. Releasing a stolen ically. These effects last indefinitely while the Dragon
hearthstone by its owner’s command is a reflexive is within 10 miles, and persist beyond that radius for
action. Whenever the Thousand-Forged Dragon wins a number of hours equal to its threshold successes on
a clash, it may activate this Charm reflexively against the Geomantic Theft roll.
that opponent.
Plunging Meteor Impact (5m, 2i; Simple; Maintenance and Repair
Instant; Withering-only; Essence 5): While flying at For every story or month of operation in battle or
medium or long range above the ground, the Thou- similarly strenuous conditions, a Thousand-Forged
sand-Forged Dragon plunges earthward, its landing Dragon requires a roll to perform maintenance. This
creating a shockwave. This is a single unblockable is an (Intelligence + Craft [Artifacts]) roll at a dif-
withering attack against all landbound creatures ficulty of (3 + the Thousand-Forged Dragon current
within medium range. The Thousand-Forged Dragon wound penalty), and requires one scene to complete.
only gains Initiative from the highest damage dealt. On a failed roll, the Thousand-Forged Dragon must
Each creature damaged by this attack must roll either wait another session or day before someone
(Dexterity + Athletics) against damage taken or fall can retry the maintenance roll, or take one unpre-
prone. Once per scene. ventable die of decisive lethal damage if it presses
Principle of Motion (10m, 1wp; Reflexive; Instant; on without delay.
Essence 2): The Thousand-Forged Dragon moves
with blinding speed. It acts twice without any normal A repair project (Exalted, p. 242) can clear damage
flurry penalties, and may take the same action twice if dealt to a Thousand-Forged Dragon from its health
desired (normally attacking twice). track. Repairing one damage level is a major project.
Ravening Machine-Beast Assault (15m, Crippling injuries are normally treated as –4 levels, sub-
1wp; Simple; Instant; Dual; Essence 5): The Thou- ject to Storyteller discretion. The difficulty of the Craft
sand-Forged Dragon makes two withering claw (Artifacts) roll and the time needed to complete repairs
attacks against a single target. If either attack deals depend on the type of damage level being restored.
damage, it then attempts a grapple gambit or deci-
sive bite attack against that target. Once per scene. Damage Level Difficulty Time
DEFENSIVE CHARMS
–0 3 One hour
Fearsome Mien (5m; Reflexive; One scene): A
relic out of ancient nightmare, the Thousand-Forged –1 4 One day
Dragon cloaks itself in terror. It makes a single threat- –2 5 Three days
en roll against all opponents aware of its presence, –4 6 One week

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A Thousand-Forged Dragon that has been incapacitat- Doom, then eliminating leaders and champions quick-
ed requires a legendary project to repair. The extend- ly with Ravening Machine-Beast Assault or by dropping
ed action has difficulty 5, a goal number of 50 success- them from a grapple at long range above the ground.
es, and an interval of one week. This restores only the
Incapacitated level, requiring further repairs to clear the A Thousand-Forged Dragon cannot respire Essence nor-
damage track. Repairing damage to a Thousand-Forged mally. Instead, it must draw on extant geomantic sources
Dragon doesn’t require a sorcerous working, unlike most via its Leash the Dragon Lines Charm. Upon exhausting
First Age artifice (Exalted, p. 243). However, restoring a its mote pool without a geomantic source, it shuts down
ruined Thousand-Forged Dragon from a lost age to op- until refueled.
erational condition would require sorcerous workings as
usual. Whether or not the Thousand-Forged Dragon with-
draws from combat or fights to the death depends on
its instructions. By default, it retreats after entering its
Storyteller Tactics
–4 wound levels, perhaps to a First Age manse where
A Thousand-Forged Dragon follows the most recent it might receive repairs or an empty spot where a
orders presented by someone employing its command Shogunate legion was encamped when it last received
codes. It understands and follows complex instructions orders. It’s recommended that it only fight to the death
as well as any human, and obeys its commander without against experienced, combat-oriented Circles, due to the
fear, dissent, or remorse. It attempts to reconcile con- power of Final Fury Overdrive.
flicting instructions to the best of its ability.
A Thousand-Forged Dragon is an N/A First Age artifact.
Barring detailed battlefield directives, default combat Each is unique, and its Charms may differ from those
tactics involve breaking up concentrations of resistance presented here.
using Plunging Meteor Impact and Conflagration of

Tiger’s Eye
Appearing initially much like a gemstone or mineral intrudes near their nests, which they line with gems of
cluster the size of a melon, the tiger’s eye — so named similar substance to their bodies; given time, these hatch
for one of its more common manifestations — is actually like eggs, giving rise to a litter of young tiger’s eyes.
an ambush predator par excellence, possessed of a stone’s
own patience as well as its fantastic durability. When it Essence: 2; Willpower: 5; Join Battle: 5
attacks, it opens along all-but-invisible seams to reveal Health Levels: –0x4/–1x4/Incap.
its true form: not a spirit of the earth, but an armored Actions: Disguise: 8 dice; Navigating Underground:
stone beast reminiscent of a thin, sharp-edged pangolin 5 dice; Resist Disease/Poison: 10 dice; Senses: 6
the size of a large dog. Crystals encrust its underbelly dice; Threaten: 6 dice
like a geode, and it has jaws and claws to match. Tiger’s
Resolve 2, Guile 3
eyes frequently crunch their prey’s bones between their
crystalline teeth and devour them, but when shattered COMBAT
the beasts’ bodies are stone through and through. Attack (Bite): 6 dice (Damage 9); Tags: Piercing
Attack: (Claw): 9 dice (Damage 5)
Despite its lanky form, a tiger’s eye’s mineral construc-
Attack (Body Slam): 7 dice (Damage 7); Tags:
tion means it masses much more than it looks like it
Smashing
should. Threatened by something more dangerous, a
tiger’s eye curls up into its gem-like form to protect its Combat Movement: 6 dice
comparatively fragile crystalline belly, becoming rock- Evasion 1, Parry 3
hard and almost impossible to injure. Miners and scav- Soak/Hardness: 15/7
enger lords encounter these creatures more than any- SPECIAL ABILITIES
one else, but they are sometimes found on the surface,
particularly in rocky or mountainous regions. They’re
Ambush Hunter: The tiger’s eye gains +3 on
attacks made while successfully disguised as stone.
extremely territorial and attack anyone or anything that

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As Stone Itself: The tiger’s eye curls up into its stone


form and can roll Disguise to fool observers. It may AN UNDEFEATED CHAMPION
also spend a Willpower to add +5 to its Hardness
while in this form. This lasts until it uncurls again. It can’t Glassjaw is famous in some circles in Nexus. An ob-
take any actions while in this form. sidian-edged jet tiger’s eye captured by a scavenger
lord and sold to a pit-fight maestro, it’s won over a
MERITS
hundred bouts against attack dogs, armed gladiators,
Flawless Visage: Observers can’t differentiate a and once, a wild bear. This lithe creature’s fans credit it
tiger’s eye in stone form from a large gemstone or with an animal cunning as sharp as its claws, known to
mineral deposit without magic. circle and observe opponents before attacking.
Stone Cannot Bleed: A tiger’s eye takes one fewer
Perhaps it’s too clever for its own good — it’s killed
health level of damage from successful decisive
more than one handler over the last year, and the last
attacks using sharp or thrusting weapons, but one
match was a total bust, with Glassjaw refusing to un-
extra health level from those using blunt weapons. curl and fight a claw strider. Only the maestro knows
Sturdy as Stone: A tiger’s eye cannot be knocked the truth, and it terrifies him: that chunk of jet they
back or prone except by magical effects or creatures turned loose in the ring wasn’t Glassjaw, and he has
of legendary size. A grappled tiger’s eye cannot be no idea where his prize fighter really is.
thrown or slammed unless magic such as Dragon Coil
Technique (Exalted, p. 280) is used, or if the attack-
er is of legendary size. retreat or curl up into stone form if a foe lands a solid blow
Storyteller Tactics there. Doing so is a difficulty 3 gambit that reduces its
Tiger’s eyes like to nestle among other rocks, then burst soak and Hardness each by two for the scene. Tiger’s eyes
open and slam into victims, stunning them long enough reside most often in caves, much to spelunkers’ surprise.
to sink their diamond-hard fangs in. They are protective Some particularly courageous (or foolhardy) treasure
of their comparatively fragile, geodic underbellies, and hunters make a living trapping and killing tiger’s eyes,
whose valuable gemstone bodies are worth a fortune.

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Most tiger’s eyes are solitary, tolerating each other only luke- of lapis lazuli, miners extracting this valuable commodity
warmly — while they may be encountered in numbers, each must take especial care, lest the promise of a mother lode lead
looks out for number one. Tiger’s eyes made of lazurite, how- them down a tunnel from which they will not return.
ever, while rare, are far more likely to congregate and engage
in complex pack tactics. Since lazurite composes the majority Tiger’s eyes are 2-dot Familiars.

Twistroot and
Mother Tree
The twistroot resembles any other tree. It has bark, roots, Health Levels (Twistroot): –0x3/–1x3/–
leaves, and knotholes lovers might place notes in, and it 2x3/–4x2/Incap.
leaks a pale amber sap when cut. Its leaves turn colors Health Levels (Mother Tree): –0x6/–1x5/–
and fall as the months of Earth wane, and its pine-resem- 2x5/–4x2/Incap.
bling varieties keep their needles all through frigid Air. Actions: Deceive: 7 dice; Feats of Strength: 6 dice
(may attempt Strength 3 feats); Intimidate: 7 dice;
But twistroots are carnivorous creatures, stalking un- Senses: 5 dice; Tracking: 5 dice
wary travelers and leading them far from their safe, pre-
Resolve 1, Guile 1
planned paths — into the Mother Tree’s hungry, waiting
maw. COMBAT
Attack (Grapple): 8 dice (8 to control)
Some stories suggest the twistroots came from the deep Attack (Thrash): 7 dice (Damage 10)
Wyld, carried into Creation by Fair Folk bent on sowing
Combat Movement: 2 dice (Mother Tree: 0 dice)
chaos. Others tell of a Wood elemental who fell in love
with one of Luna’s children, and name the twistroots Evasion 3, Parry 2
their monstrous offspring. The creatures have spread Soak/Hardness: 3/1 (Mother Tree: 5/10)
throughout Creation, from the Eastern forests to islands SPECIAL ABILITIES
in the far West, adapting their appearance to match the
Ensnare: Twistroot roots burst free from the ground
trees that grow in their new homes.
to trip and entangle opponents. Gain two automat-
ic successes on a grapple attempt. Additionally, the
Younger saplings pass word of travelers along the roots
ground out to short range around the Twistroot gains
and branches, while the adults weave themselves into
the difficult terrain condition for the remainder of the
the paths ahead, clearing leaves away from overgrown scene.
paths, scattering others on the true road to obscure the
way. They stretch themselves into the guise of familiar
Living Wall: Twistroots block their targets from
fleeing, forming a wall of thick branches they must
landmarks, so any traveler who questions their map
either climb or cut through. The twistroot rolls 8 dice
might find reassurance. When the party is truly lost in
against the target’s Disengage action, rerolling
the woods, the twistroots let go of their stolen shapes,
non-successes one time.
reach out with hungry branches, and attack.
Waylay: The twistroot changes the terrain: obscur-
Mother Trees normally remain rooted in place. In times ing the road, mimicking landmarks, and blocking
of great duress, they can pull up their roots and move, but some paths while making its own route appear more
those occasions are rare. Mother Trees are wide-trunked passable. Double 9s on deception attempts.
and many-limbed, and their bark splits to reveal a gap- Devour (Mother Tree): The Mother Tree pulls a
ing, splintered mouth. victim within close range into her trunk, adding two
automatic successes to a grapple gambit. While the
Twistroot: Essence: 1; Willpower: 4; Join Mother Tree controls the clinch, the target takes two
Battle: 6 dice lethal damage per round spent in the Mother Tree’s
grip from the bark closing over him and the crushing
Mother Tree: Essence: 2; Willpower: 5; Join
weight of Mother Tree’s limbs.
Battle: 3 dice

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MERITS Storyteller Tactics


Far-Ranging Cutting: Twistroots let some travelers Twistroots work in tandem, scouting out their prey and
pass them by. The creatures propagate by dropping discerning the best moment to strike and lead them off
seeds, pinecones, or cuttings atop a caravan, where their intended path. While most of their deception is
it travels upriver or to far off places and can put down done ahead of the target’s arrival, they are able to adapt
roots. to sudden changes in their prey’s path. When possible,
Whispers in the Leaves: Twistroots communicate twistroots block all routes of escape, flanking the target
by the sound of wind in their branches and sense their once he slips into their net.
opponents’ approach by feeling the vibrations of
travelers’ feet and mounts’ hooves through their roots. Twistroots flee when they’ve suffered damage to their
They double 9s on Senses rolls. last –2 health level, unless the Mother Tree is also under
attack. In that case, they fight until Incapacitated. If the
Mother Tree suffers damage to her first –4 health level,
she pulls up her roots and flees.

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Inaol walked, ever-southward, though she had no sense of how many miles she’d gone or how
many hours she spent trudging through the snow. Her coal was gone, lost when the aughdeighe
threw her, and the only warmth she had came from exertion. Steppe gave way to scrubland, though
Inaol was sure she couldn’t have covered so much ground so quickly. Though she spotted no tracks
or signs of human passage, Inaol kept an ear to the wind. Should she see someone moving through
the trees, she’d shout for help.
Only, when she finally heard someone else, they were the ones calling for aid.
Inaol followed the thin voice to a rocky outcropping and stopped. An old man stood before it,
wringing his hands and calling Help, oh, help me! He wore no coat, no heavy boots, no gloves, and
his clothing was better suited to Resplendent Fire than the dead of winter. Sometimes, Inaol could
see through him to the rocks behind.
A ghost, then. Though she’d never encountered one, children in her village were taught from an
early age that you offered succor to the dead when it was within your power. Inaol approached
cautiously, but the man didn’t move from his spot. He saw her, though. His eyes tracked her every
step.
“Help me,” he said. “Oh, please, help me!”
“How can I be of aid, honored one?”
“My bones lie beneath the snow. Uncover them,” he said, “that my family may find them.”
The work will warm me up, she thought. And perhaps I’ll find a flint among his remains. Inaol set to
digging, doing her best to ignore the ache in her frozen left hand and the throb in her seared right
palm. The old man watched. Was it just her exhaustion, or was there a hunger in his eyes?
Though she dug deep, she found no bones. The only thing Inaol uncovered was an Icewalker’s
spear. It couldn’t have been here long: the wooden shaft remained sturdy, and the rawhide strips at
the end were still supple.
“My bones lie beneath the snow. Uncover them,” the ghost said, “that my family may find them.”
“You already said that,” Inaol muttered.
Beneath her, the ground rumbled.
Inaol snatched up the spear and backed away, just as the monster erupted from the earth. The old
man’s ghost rose with it, dangling from a fleshy line attached to the creature’s head to dance in front
of a maw of jagged teeth. The rest of the horror resembled a sickly-pale worm.
It dove for Inaol.
She screamed and held the spear aloft. The weapon drove through the ghost and bit deep into the
worm’s soft palate. It let out an unearthly roar and pulled back. Inaol stabbed again. And again. If
she were to die, she refused to be an easy morsel. Her throat was raw from screaming.
The ghostfisher slithered back and dove below ground. Inaol knew it wasn’t defeated, merely finding
a better place to attack from.
I have to run.
The ground shook as she fled. Inaol didn’t dare look back, for fear she’d see nothing but the
monster’s mouth descending.

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Chapter Two

The Dead
5 Resplendent Water

I have been inside this house for three days and four hours, and still I have yet to find the exit again. It
must sound mad — shouldn’t I simply go back down the stairs the way I came? But this house is no unliv-
ing thing. It is a dead thing, a spirit that mourns and rages and thirsts for vengeance as any hungry ghost
might. If only I knew the secret to sending a collection of chipped stones and rotted wood to Lethe…

Ankou
As Calibration comes to a close, an anticipatory hush falls prey, and so it overlooks these thefts to appease them.
over Northern graveyards. The only sounds are those of Some Liminals try to bargain with it: Someone on its list
old harness bells jingling, the slow plod of ancient hooves, might have a body part worth taking, and that’s worth
and wheels turning creakily on a rickety cart. In the last suffering the Ankou’s disapproval.
moments of darkness, even those sounds cease. A mo-
ment later, as Luna peeks through her fingers at the start Essence: 2; Willpower: 6; Join Battle: 4 dice
of a new year, the creaks and hoofbeats resume. The hors- Personal Motes: 40
es’ gait grows livelier; the bells sound nearly new. The old Health Levels: −0x2/−1x3/−2x3/−4/Incap.
Ankou has gone, and a new one taken its place.
Intimacies: Defining: “These souls are my charges,
The Ankou is born from the first dead soul of the year, and I will do right by them.”; Major: Liminal Exalted
a creature living in the balance between life and death.
(Disgust); Minor: My Home Village (Fondness)
It’s been an old woman, dead after a long life; a soldier Actions: Bargain: 6 dice; Read Intentions: 5 dice;
felled by his enemy’s daiklave; or even a child lost to fe- Ride: 7 dice; Senses: 5 dice; Threaten: 6 dice
ver. The Ankou keeps its stature from its last days: tall or Appearance 2, Resolve 4, Guile 2
child-sized, straight-backed or bent. Dark robes swath COMBAT
the Ankou; a cowl hides its face. Only its hands peek out,
Attack (Cart Trample): 8 dice (Damage 12)
the skin and muscle melted away to bone.
Attack (Staff): 7 dice (Damage 7)
The Ankou knows the name of every person in the Combat Movement: 4 dice (on foot); 7 dice
North who will die over the coming year, and where (driving cart)
each will meet his fate. It drives its cart to collect those Evasion 2, Parry 3
newly-dead. A pair of gaunt, bone-white horses draws it Soak/Hardness: 3/0
along. Some souls resist collection, and the Ankou gives
chase. As the year progresses, the cart fills with riders.
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Where they’re bound is unclear: The Ankou doesn’t de- Massive Charge: If the Ankou moves at least one
liver them until Calibration. range band toward a target and makes a decisive
attack against it on the same turn, the attack gains the
The Liminal Exalted and the Ankou regard one anoth- Smashing tag (Exalted, p. 586).
er with unease. To the Ankou, the unnatural Children of MERITS
the Soil steal essential pieces of the soul when they take Death Knell: The Ankou knows who will die in the
body parts from the dead. However, the Ankou fears the North over the coming year, and where those people
Liminals might decide to hunt it like their other ghostly will be.

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MOBILITY CHARMS allows petitioners to converse with a soul it carries in its


Drover’s Swiftness (5m, 1wp; Simple; One cart. It remembers what it was like to be human — to
scene; Essence 1): The Ankou drives its horses as love and grieve, and wish for one last conversation with
though Ankou and steeds are one. Choose a target. the departed. It responds favorably to social influence
Gain two bonus successes on Ride rolls when chasing actions that invoke those emotions. It sees little harm
or following that target, ignoring difficult terrain. in divulging the date of someone’s death — everything
SOCIAL CHARMS dies eventually. If a person somehow thwarts her death
this time, the Ankou will be waiting when she inevitably
Pallbearer’s Solemnity (5m; Reflexive; Instant; succumbs.
Essence 2): The Ankou fulfills its duty with the utmost
gravity, and resists attempts to sway it from its course. Should someone try to take a soul away, the Ankou fights
Apply a +2 Resolve bonus to social influence rolls op- to retrieve its charge. It rides down opponents, steering
posing its Defining Intimacy. the cart and commanding the horses like weapons.
MISCELLANEOUS CHARMS
Hurry Home (10m, 1wp; Simple; Instant; Essence The Ankou ultimately takes the souls to a quiet skerry of
1): The Ankou fades away and vanishes on its next the Underworld. Learning its whereabouts takes months
turn, returning to its cart and horses. of research, and requires a Lore roll against difficulty 4.

Storyteller Tactics The Ankou flees when it suffers damage to its third –4
The Ankou prefers to collect its souls and be on its way, health level.
but it pauses to speak with those who seek it out, and

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Barrow Hound
On the outskirts of Arjuf, where the last scents of sea air legends suggest they sniff out the names of future prey
fade away, lie the hunting grounds of the Lady’s loyal in the entrails of a shadowland’s dead.
hounds. The Lady herself is long gone. No one knows who
she was — perhaps a daimyo before the Great Contagion, a Essence: 3; Willpower: 7; Join Battle: 9 dice
spirit whose influence faded into obscurity, or something Personal Motes: 40
returned from the grave for some dread purpose. Creation Health Levels: −0x5/−1x6/−2x6/−4x3/Incap.
might have forgotten her centuries ago, but for her deathly
Actions: Feats of Strength: 6 dice (may attempt
hunting dogs, who remain to protect her lands — not from
Strength 3 feats); Threaten: 8 dice; Senses: 9 dice (see
the living, but from ghosts who refuse to rest quietly.
Keen Nose, Spirit Hunter); Stealth: 6 dice; Tracking:
10 dice (see Dread Omens Augury, Ghost Tracking)
Barrow hounds, found anywhere the lonely roam, are cor-
poreal creatures, neither quite living nor quite dead, with Appearance 3 (Hideous), Resolve 3, Guile 1
coats of mottled grey and red eyes that glow faintly in the COMBAT
shadows. They stand of a height with great jungle cats. Attack (Bite): 10 dice (Damage 14)
Travelers hear sounds of something crashing through the
Attack (Grapple): 8 dice (10 to control)
forest in the distance, or panting and slavering just outside
their campfire circles late at night. The hounds’ baying can Combat Movement: 10 dice
be heard for miles. Spotting one on the road at night is an Evasion 4, Parry 2
oft-rumored sign that a loved one will die soon. Soak/Hardness: 4/0
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Some say the hounds read death omens in the
Underworld’s stars, or perhaps foresee a satrap’s im- Harry: If a hound moves into close range with
pending demise in the Neverborn’s dreams. Other an enemy and deals 5+ damage to them with a

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withering attack on the same turn, that enemy Charm crashes a victim, she suffers a Major Paranoia
cannot disengage or withdraw on their next turn. Derangement (Exalted, p. 169) for one full session.
Infectious Bite: The hounds’ saliva carries the tinge MOBILITY CHARMS
of the grave. If its bite deals damage with a decisive Labyrinth-Striding Step (10m, 1wp; Simple; Instant;
attack to a living target, they suffer an infected wound Essence 3): Once per scene, a hound can step into the Un-
(Exalted, p. 235) with virulence 3, morbidity 1, and derworld from Creation or vice versa as long as it’s night-
interval one day. Even the Exalted suffer this infection. time. It can use the restrain/drag action during a grapple
Pack Hunting: Add one success to attack rolls for to pull a victim along with it. This Charm resets if the hound
each allied deathly creature or Exalt within close range (or its master) discorporates a non-trivial ghost. Charac-
of the enemy, up to three successes. The hound may ters who travel between realms this way end up anywhere
also pay a Willpower to add that many dice to the raw the Storyteller desires, whether it’s a place that resonates
damage of a decisive attack, as its allies join in. thematically with the situation or a place the hound feels
MERITS comfortable. Those who don’t return via hound must find
a shadowland to get back, and may end up miles — or
Ghost Tracking: Add three successes to any Senses
hundreds of miles — from where they began.
or Tracking roll to notice or find ghosts. Double 7s on
these rolls if the hound marked the ghost for death with MISCELLANEOUS CHARMS
Malignant Portent Pose. Dread Omens Augury (8m; Simple; Indefinite;
Keen Nose: Double 9s on scent-based Senses rolls. Essence 2): The hound spends an hour in the Underworld
OFFENSIVE CHARMS gazing at the sky, sitting with one ear cocked to the Never-
born’s murmurings, or consuming the corpse of someone
Chilling Barghest Howl (5m, 1wp; Simple; it (or its master) killed. Afterward, it gains the scent of a
Instant; Eclipse; Essence 2): A hound bays to alert its living target likely to die soon, and can track them unerr-
allies and warn its prey. The sound is terrifying, start- ingly unless they use perfect concealment magic.
ing from a bass rumble in the bones and climbing to a
Scent of Dead Memories (4m, 1wp; Simple; One
high, clear note that evokes the wind whistling over a
night; Essence 1): By pulling an unearthly scent from
burial ground. Roll Threaten (Eclipse Castes use [Cha-
something that belonged to a ghostly target when
risma + Presence]) against each enemy who hears it.
they were alive, such as a scrap of clothing, the hound
It spooks those who succumb; they suffer a −4 penalty
can track that ghost without scenting it directly.
on all rolls except combat actions or actions to flee
the barrow hound for one scene. Victims may pay one Storyteller Tactics
Willpower to become immune for the scene. Barrow hounds roam freely between the Underworld
Ghost Hunter (1m, 1wp; Reflexive; One scene; and Creation, hunting ghosts that haunt their territo-
Essence 1): A barrow hound can sense and attack ries and stalking shadowlands. They range farther afield
immaterial ghosts. when omens set them on a trail. A barrow hound hunts
DEFENSIVE CHARMS much like its mundane counterpart: harrying its prey,
cornering it, then snarling and biting until it’s dead or
Malignant Portent Pose (15m, 1wp; Simple; One
scene; Eclipse, Psyche, Stackable; Essence 3): The hound discorporated. A wild hound flees once it takes damage
creates a baleful, incorporeal copy of itself, manifested to any of its last three −2 health levels.
from its doom-laden Essence, within long range of its
current position. Each activation of the Charm creates a Barrow hounds feel compelled to track down their Dread
new copy. Copies can move independently of the hound, Omens Augury’s living targets. They don’t kill these peo-
and persist for the duration regardless of how far from it ple themselves, but use their Chilling Barghest Howl and
they roam. The copy seems like the original to anyone who Malignant Portent Pose to spook them and mark them
fails a (Perception + Integrity) roll, opposed by the hound’s for death. Storytellers can use this to create tension,
Threaten, when they first see it. Characters who fail suffer a kicking off stories in which the marked character tries
premonition of doom upon seeing the malevolent harbin- to determine how they’re supposed to die and prevent it;
ger the hound has sent, losing one temporary Willpower, or against Storyteller characters the players care about
and are marked for death until a year has passed. and wish to protect. If the hound is a familiar, use this to
In combat, a victim also loses three Initiative upon failing point characters toward story hooks.
her roll (which the hound doesn’t gain). Any attack she
makes on the hound or a copy for the Charm’s dura- A barrow hound is a 3-dot Familiar. Ghosts are its natural
tion increases its target number by one (Exalted, p. prey, making it an excellent companion for the Liminal
184), as she can’t tell reality from illusion. No combina- Exalted in particular.
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Bloodworm
At sites of great, bloody battles and other places where COMBAT
loss of life is staggering, the undead bloodworms Attack (Bite): 10 dice (Damage 12)
emerge. Bloodworms form from the blood of the slain
Attack (Grapple): 9 dice (7 to control)
seeping into the dust and leeching necrotic Essence
from corpses rotting below the surface. Bloodworms Combat Movement: 5 dice
range from the size of an earthworm to that of a large Evasion 3, Parry 0
snake, or even monstrously huge if they persist long Soak/Hardness: 3/0
enough. They range in color from dark red to black. SPECIAL ABILITIES
With their leech-like mouths, they latch onto fresh-
Drain: A bloodworm attaches to its victim and
ly dead bodies or the wounded living, sensing spilled
drinks their blood. Add two automatic successes to
blood from a mile away. When they’re hungry enough,
attacks against grappled foes. If the victim has any
they feed on healthy prey that crosses their paths too,
lethal damage in her health track, a decisive sav-
all for the promise of blood. aging attack attaches the worm to the open wound,
inflicting one additional lethal damage level, or two
Essence: 1; Willpower: 3; Join Battle: 4 dice if the worm has at least twice its original health levels
Health Levels: −0/−1x2/−2x2/−4/Incap. (see Storyteller Tactics). The worm’s mouth secretes a
Actions: Resist Disease/Poison: 4 dice; Senses: fluid that keeps blood flowing and numbs the skin; the
4 dice; Stealth: 8 dice; Tracking: 5 dice (see Blood victim loses one Initiative automatically each turn the
Scent) grapple persists, and if the grapple gambit is unex-
Resolve 1, Guile 4 pected, the victim suffers a −2 penalty to further at-
tempts to notice the worm while it controls the grapple.

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MERITS say the blood within the worm remembers, driving the
Blood Scent: Bloodworms detect blood in the soil creature to the surface to find and feast upon the foes of
and on the air. Add three successes on Senses rolls one whose blood it devoured.
to notice or track spilled blood or open wounds, up
to a mile away. When tracking a bleeding charac- Older bloodworms are larger and more powerful; rep-
ter, add an additional die for each level of wound resent this by adding health levels, taking away the Tiny
penalty the character suffers as well. Creature Merit, and — at their most ancient — adding
the Legendary Size Merit. A bloodworm’s grappled vic-
Tiny Creature: Gain +2 Evasion against foes
larger than a housecat. Characters of that size sub- tim doesn’t suffer penalties to attack rolls or Defense and
tract two successes from Awareness rolls to notice can still move and flurry normally unless the bloodworm
the bloodworm. has at least twice its original health levels.

Storyteller Tactics A bloodworm flees when it’s taken damage to its first −4
Bloodworms follow their feeding urge regardless of on health level, burrowing deep into the earth to withdraw
which side of a battle their prey fought. However, stories or go to ground.

Doppelgänger
Long ago, the sea lords of Azure conquered the Auspice COMBAT
Isles and claimed the people as chattel. One enslaved Attack (Unarmed): 7 dice (Damage 10)
Auspicene priest used curses, trickery, and poison to
Attack (Grapple): 3 dice (4 to control)
work such subtle revenge on his new masters that many
died before they discovered him and executed him in Combat Movement: 7 dice
the Kraken’s Pool. He continued his revenge even af- Evasion 4, Parry 2
ter death, until the Azurite ancestors drove him from Soak/Hardness: 5/0 (or 11/0; see Monstrous
their shores. Western mortals call him the Blue Shadow. Mien)
He has mastered the art of moliation — the shaping of MERITS
ghostly flesh — to copy others’ countenances. Making
Cult 0-2: Mortals who fear the depredations of
himself visible to mortals, he uses false faces to gain
doppelgängers and other actively malicious ghosts
their confidence and plays on their passions with clev-
often propitiate them.
er lies. Murder alone no longer satisfies him; he relies
on seduction, treachery, and deceit to induce his victims OFFENSIVE CHARMS
to destroy themselves and those around them. He also Monstrous Mien (8m, 1wp; Simple; One scene;
practices the nemissary arts, stealing the bodies of the Essence 2): In an instant, the doppelgänger’s body
freshly dead for more tangible charades. expands into a horrid shape. His skin grows scaly,
his visage bestial, his limbs long and bandy and
He has become a doppelgänger. Like all of his kind, his tipped by vicious claws. This transformation grants
name is lost to history, as is his old shape. Should magic the ghost the Hideous Merit (Exalted Third
tear his false faces from him, his visage is as blank and Edition, p. 162) for its duration, doubles 8s on
featureless as the moon. unarmed attack rolls and threaten rolls, and grants
+6 soak.
Essence: 2; Willpower: 5; Join Battle: 6 dice Soul-Thieving Method (1wp; Supplemental;
Personal Motes: 70 Instant; Withering-only; Essence 2): The doppel-
gänger does not receive any Initiative from the
Health Levels: −0/−1x2/−2x2/−4/Incap.
unarmed withering attack this Charm supplements.
Actions: Disguise: 12 dice; Lockpicking/Pick- Instead, for each point of Initiative he would have re-
pocketing: 8 dice; Read Intentions: 10 dice; Senses: ceived, he removes a mote from his enemy’s Essence
7 dice; Social Influence: 14 dice pools and adds it to his own.
Appearance 3, Resolve 3, Guile 7

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MISCELLANEOUS CHARMS Storyteller Tactics


Apparition (1m; Simple; One scene; Essence 1): The A doppelgänger is vicious and pitiless, but subtle. He
doppelgänger becomes visible, but not corporeal. prefers never to reveal himself to his victims, keeping up
False Face (8m; Simple; Instant, Essence 2): Ghostly a given ruse only until it’s no longer useful for turning his
flesh flows beneath his fingers like clay as the dop- victims against one another. He only fights directly when
pelgänger alters his appearance to assume the guise cornered or absolutely certain of his victory. He with-
of a living human or another ghost, negating all pen- draws from combat or scares opponents away whenever
alties and doubling 9s on disguise rolls to imitate a possible if it looks like he’s in danger of discorporation.
specific character. False Face doesn’t work on dead
flesh possessed via Nemissary’s Ride, and its disguise A doppelgänger chooses victims out of spite and ven-
bonus is only compatible with Monstrous Mien if the geance. Although his memories of the life he once had
doppelgänger imitates a similarly monstrous creature. are dim and twisted, he can recognize someone who
Nemissary’s Ride (20m, 1wp; Simple; Indefi- did him wrong when he walked in the flesh, along with
nite; Essence 1): The doppelgänger moves into a their friends and family, and has a nose for finding their
human corpse, animating it. He uses the physical descendants too. Failing that, he preys on anyone who
Attributes, soak, and health track of the corpse’s lives in places or circumstances that remind him of his
former life in place of his own, but otherwise retains past.
his own traits. If the body is freshly dead or expertly
embalmed, this imposes a −1 die penalty to dis- Doppelgängers lie well, but some mimicry is beyond
guise actions; more advanced decay increases the their ken. Characters may become suspicious if some-
penalty or makes disguise impossible. The posses- one who ought to be a master swordsman chooses to
sor is ejected if the animated corpse runs out of fight with his fists, for instance. Clever manipulation of
health levels. Attacks capable of striking the imma- a situation can force his hand. Each doppelgänger re-
terial damage both the corpse’s health track and tains different skills from his living days, so each such
the possessing ghost’s. situation requires an investigator’s careful attention.

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The Drowned
Storms and pirates claim scores of victims on the seas, COMBAT
even supernatural beings like Exalts, god-blooded, and Attack (Grapple): 6 dice (9 to control)
Fair Folk. Many of their deaths go unreported, and if
Attack (Knife): 8 dice (Damage 10)
they have families that might make an offering to ap-
pease their ghosts, it comes too late. The drowned rise Combat Movement: 3 dice
from wrecks and soft sands, fish-bitten and barnacled, Evasion 3, Parry 2
and turn their faces toward the sun brightening the wa- Soak/Hardness: 3/10
ters above. MERITS
The drowned half-remember their lives on the surface. Flash of Recognition: A familiar sight jogs loose a
Some recognize the flags their murderers flew. Others long-forgotten fact about the drowned’s former self.
see their family’s mon flying and know it meant some-
When this happens, immediately gain a Minor Intima-
cy related to that memory.
thing, once. They pursue, seeking vengeance or a spark
of memory. The drowned who are even further gone OFFENSIVE CHARMS
simply know prey is aboard, and they’re ravenous. Battle Memory Meditation (10m; Simple;
Instant; Essence 2): The drowned draws upon the
Like hungry ghosts, the drowned spend daylight hours Essence buried in her bones and recalls how she once
asleep, their spirits resting in their corpses. But as the moved. For the rest of the scene, she may use up to
years pass, salt water, fish, and other factors wear away three Charms she knew in life. When the scene ends,
their physical remains. Memories grow fainter as their she forgets them.
bodies decay, but the sea never truly destroys everything: DEFENSIVE CHARMS
coral winds through their ribcages. Crabs inhabit their
Riptide’s Flow (5m; Reflexive; Instant; Essence 1):
skulls. Thus, the ghosts of the drowned are near-eternal,
When fighting in water, the drowned moves with the
and it torments them.
current, floating one range band away from its opponent.
Sailors passing through waters where the drowned swim MISCELLANEOUS CHARMS
toss offerings over the side: coins and carvings, food and Hurry Home (10m, 1wp; Simple; Instant; Essence
wine. They hope to appease the drowned, or at least dis- 1): The drowned fades away and vanishes on its next
tract them while the ship sails safely out of range. When turn, returning to where its ship went down, even if the
passing over a known wreck, some vessels fly false colors. wreck disintegrated long ago.
Lintha families leave buoys at the site of their victories, so Materialize (35m, 1wp; Simple; Instant; Essence 1):
their ships can tack wide and avoid victims’ ghosts. The scents of rot and brine accompany the drowned
as it takes physical form. Salt water footsteps follow
Many sailors bargain with the drowned, and those with along its path.
enough remaining faculties act as emissaries between
the living, other sentient beings beneath the waves, and Storyteller Tactics
Underworld citizens. The drowned’s grudges long outlive his memories and,
usually, his murderers. A ship may change hands sever-
Essence: 2; Willpower: 3; Join Battle: 4 dice al times, but one of the drowned rarely knows or cares
whether the current captain and crew are the same
Personal Motes: 40
ones who killed him. He enters the vessel in ghostly
Health Levels: −0x2/−1x4/−2x2/−4x2/Incap. form, materializes, and pulls his killers into the water
Intimacies: Defining: “I must remember what I’ve to drown them. Those drowned whose ships went down
lost.”; Major: Those Who Sank Them (Vengeance); in a storm or due to a kraken’s wrath have no drive for
Minor: “May my travels carry me to memory’s shore.” vengeance. They become emissaries for the living, nego-
Actions: Bargain: 5 dice; Feats of Strength: 6 dice tiating deals in exchange for information about their lost
(may attempt Strength 3 feats); Swim: 7 dice, Threat- selves. Some vengeful drowned can be reasoned with as
en: 6 dice; Tracking: 5 dice well, but only if their opponent offers a path toward see-
Appearance 3 (Hideous), Resolve 3, Guile 1 ing justice served.

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Bargaining with the drowned can be difficult, due to supernatural being they used to be for use with Battle
their single-mindedness. If a petitioner has no informa- Memory Meditation.
tion or leads for him, the drowned receives a +3 Resolve
bonus against social influence actions. The drowned flees when he suffers damage to his sec-
ond –2 health level. Because their remains are scattered
The Storyteller should add one or two more Intimacies throughout the seas, the drowned are nearly indestruc-
based on the individual drowned’s past life and per- tible. Only spirit-killing magic puts one of their number
sonality, and choose three Charms from the type of permanently to rest.

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The Forlorn Manor


On a hill overlooking a city sits a house. The road below places from one moment to the next. Navigating to
bustles with caravans and wandering monks. Legions any specific destination inside the house requires
marching to a nearby outpost stir up the dust. On the a (Wits + Survival) extended action (or Strength +
horizon, ships fly the flags of Peleps, or Lookshy, or Athletics, to smash directly through walls), difficulty
Cherak. The sprawling house is three grand stories tall. 4, with goal number 10 and interval five minutes. If
Large windows reflect the sunset; terraces catch the cool the manor wins, the character still gets there but the
breeze. But paint has faded and chipped, and the house house anticipates them, gaining double 8s on all
sags in the middle. Peering through the windows reveals rolls to oppose or influence them when they arrive.
once-opulent furniture blanketed in dust, and once-ma- If the character botches a roll, the house traps them
jestic stairways with missing railings and broken treads.
in a room without exits, a never-ending stairwell, or
another impossible area, requiring creative solutions
Five hundred years ago, this enormous estate was the to escape. Each character must roll individually, as
multigenerational dwelling of the wealthy Dutan family.
failure leads the house to separate them.
Then, disaster struck. Everyone who entered the house Something’s Watching: Double 9s on sight- and
succumbed to sudden, inexplicable death. Even the few hearing-based Senses rolls.
members of the household away on business fell to the MERITS
same doom once they returned. The house itself declined Unforgiving Terror House: Any part of the manor
rapidly, within days appearing decades abandoned. Now, or object that was present when the house became a
Dutan Manor is a ghost, still in mourning for the family ghost rebuilds itself again completely one round after
that loved it. But in the lonely years since their deaths, it’s destroyed, except its heart. The manor itself has
the manor has gone from melancholy to malevolent. no health levels and can’t engage in combat. In its
deepest bowels pulses its dead heart, within a pitch-
It traps trespassers within, the rooms ever-shifting, dark chamber, protected by a half-digested mass of
whether they come seeking lost riches or a simple night’s rotted sinew and dry bone. The heart may produce
shelter. It spurs them to anger and fear, makes the weak- any number of zombies (Exalted, p. 502) from the
willed turn against companions, and leads even the most mass at a time, as a combat action, for either five
clear-headed down tortured hallways into impossible motes or three health levels per zombie. A character
rooms, until they collapse from exhaustion or starvation, can destroy the heart by attacking it directly, which
or kill each other. also destroys the ghost itself, but it can’t take deci-
sive damage and doesn’t suffer Initiative Crash until it
Essence: 4; Willpower: 8; Join Battle: 11 dice has no zombie guardians left; withering attacks still
(heart only) award the attacker their full Initiative.
Personal Motes: 90 OFFENSIVE CHARMS
Health Levels: −0x10/−1x15/−2x15/−4x10/ Crushing Despair (8m; Simple; One scene;
Incap. (heart only) Essence 2): The room hides the exit and shrinks the
Intimacies: Defining: The Dutan Family (Mourning); distance between its walls. This is an environmental
“Everything within these walls is mine, including you.”; hazard (Exalted, p. 230) with difficulty 5, dealing
Major: “I will show you what it means to despair.” two bashing damage per round and granting the
manor Initiative per round equal to the number of char-
Actions: Bargain: 8 dice; Lore: 5 dice; Persuade:
acters who took damage that round, to a maximum of
7 dice; Read Intentions: 7 dice; Senses: 7 dice (see
five Initiative. Characters may resist the hazard with
Something’s Watching); Threaten: 12 dice
(Strength + Athletics) to hold the walls at bay; (Percep-
Appearance 3, Resolve 5, Guile 3 tion + Awareness) to find the exit; and either a feat of
COMBAT strength or (Dexterity + Larceny) to open it.
Soak/Hardness: 10/10 (heart only) DEFENSIVE CHARMS
SPECIAL ABILITIES Hundred Chambers Maze (8m; Reflexive; One
Endless Hallway, Shifting Staircase: Dead scene; Eclipse; Essence 3): Change any portal’s des-
ends replace intersections. Nonsensical stairways tination, including external windows and doors, to
appear and disappear. Doors open onto different any other portal’s destination on the manor’s grounds.

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Eclipses may use this Charm in any building, but both up at its hill from below. See Exalted, p. 510, for full
target and destination portals must be within medium materialization rules.
range of the Eclipse.
Storyteller Tactics
Foundation of Bones (5m; Simple; Instant; Deci-
Because the forlorn manor only occasionally materializes,
sive-only; Essence 3): The manor instantly consumes
locals don’t agree on whether it really exists. No specific
one corpse (inanimate or otherwise) anywhere on the
location is given here for the manor, so the Storyteller can
grounds to heal three health levels or regain five Initiative.
place it wherever she needs to for her game.
SOCIAL CHARMS
Ember-Stoking Delusion (8m, 1wp; Simple; The manor lets trespassers get comfortable at first, until
One scene; Psyche; Essence 4): On a successful they think the stories were just that, passed down by the
threaten action, the manor convinces a character family’s heirs to scare off scavengers. Then it shifts rooms
within its walls that one of her companions secretly and increases paranoia until the intruders become hope-
plots against her and unearths long-buried conflicts. lessly lost and turn on each other. It reserves Crushing
The target temporarily develops a negative Major Tie Despair for when characters come too close to finding its
toward her companion and temporarily loses the ben- heart. It uses items its owners and sundry trespassers left
efits of any positive Tie toward him. Interactions with behind as tools for social influence. A book falls from a
him prompt her to physically attack unless she spends shelf, opening to the exact page that conveys the manor’s
one Willpower to hold back for one round, or one message. Quills scratch out names and broken sentences
minute outside combat. Exalts end the effect early by on old parchment. Faded dolls with smiling faces turn up
spending four Willpower this way; mortals have no unexpectedly, suggesting approval or smug triumph.
such recourse.
MISCELLANEOUS CHARMS Characters can bargain with the manor if they take the
Materialize (45m, 1wp; Simple; Instant; Essence time to unlock its secrets and earn its trust. The truth
1): The forlorn manor can materialize whenever it of why its family met its grisly end and what caused it
senses someone approaching its territory or looking is buried deep in the past; solving that mystery would

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let the manor rest at last. Although it’s hostile and takes The house’s victims may also find hints to how to destroy
pleasure in watching victims murder each other, it also it by investigating evidence left behind by previous un-
wants to rest, so it subconsciously leaves clues lying fortunate visitors — messages left half-written, recent
around for savvy investigators to pick up — a charcoal corpses not yet consumed, and so on. Once they learn
scribble on a wall reading Where’s Samandra??, or a about the heart and find it, the house spawns as many
drawer that opens at an opportune time containing spe- zombies as it can afford to protect itself, balancing motes,
cific documents, for instance. Characters can find some zombies, and health levels to survive as long as possible.
clues inside the house itself, but must investigate in the It uses Ember-Stoking Delusion liberally if it starts to
city as well or find another way to learn the full story. lose, or makes Bargain or Persuade actions to convince
its assailants to help it solve the family’s mystery instead.

Ghostfisher
Out in the gray wilds of the Underworld, travelers may MERITS
encounter a seemingly benign ghost requesting aid, such Legendary Size: A ghostfisher suffers no onslaught
as a child chained to a stone or an old man trapped be- penalties from attacks from smaller opponents, unless
neath a fallen log. This ghost is merely a simulacrum, they’re magically inflicted. Withering attacks from
a lure maintained by the dreaded ghostfisher. Come smaller enemies cannot Crash it unless they have at
too close and the monster’s true form — an enormous least 10 post-soak damage dice, although attackers
worm, massive as a redwood, its striated flesh gleaming still gain the full amount of Initiative damage dealt.
fish-belly white — bursts from the barren Underworld Decisive attacks from smaller enemies cannot deal
soil to feed. The ghost lure, now shriveled as a prune, more than (3 + attacker’s Strength) levels of damage
dangles above a gigantic many-fanged maw. to it, not counting levels added by Charms or other
magic.
Ghostfisher burrows form vast three-dimensional lab- Tunneling: The ghostfisher burrows through earth
yrinths. Ghosts occasionally use these tunnel networks and stone. It can establish stealth in combat by rolling
— which intersect with other corridors and chambers its Combat Movement pool to dig down into the
of diverse origins — as shortcuts to other Underworld earth, and does not need to make new rolls to remain
realms. Such journeys are perilous, as the traveler risks concealed while moving underground.
encountering ghostfishers or even worse creatures down OFFENSIVE CHARMS
below.
Quaking Slam (10m, 1wp; Simple; Wither-
ing-only; Instant; Essence 1): The ghostfisher slams
Essence: 2; Willpower: 4; Join Battle: 4 dice
its massive bulk downward with such force that the
Personal Motes: 70 earth trembles. It makes an unblockable wither-
Health Levels: −0/−1x5/−2x10/−4x15/Incap. ing bash attack against each earthbound character
Actions: Disguise: 8 dice; Feats of Strength: 11 dice within medium range, rolling once and applying each
(may attempt Strength 7 feats); Read Intentions: 5 character’s Evasion separately. Each character it hits
dice; Senses: 5 dice; Social Influence: 6 dice (lure falls prone and loses Initiative equal to (3 + threshold
only) successes), but the ghostfisher only gains this Initiative
from one target, plus one Initiative per additional hit
Appearance 2 for lure, 4 (Hideous) for the ghostfish-
target. This is usable once per scene, unless reset by
er; Resolve 4, Guile 4
going three turns above ground without either taking
COMBAT a movement action or suffering decisive damage.
Attack (Bash): 8 dice (Damage 18) Enemies who lose more Initiative than their (Stamina +
Attack (Grapple): 8 dice (12 to control) Resistance) tumble one range band toward the ghost-
fisher, as the earth cracks beneath their feet.
Combat Movement: 7 dice
Spectral Lure (1m; Simple; Indefinite; Essence 1):
Evasion 2, Parry 1 Like an anglerfish, the ghostfisher extends an alluring
Soak/Hardness: 16/4 organ from its snout to attract prey while the rest of

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its body remains concealed. The lure, taking the form Even then, they contend with Defense 2 and its full
of any ghost the monster has ever consumed, is only soak and Hardness. The ghostfisher can only swallow
semi-intelligent; it becomes confused if conversation another human-sized character if its previous meals
diverges from a simple script. If a character touches are Incapacitated or dead.
the spectral lure, the ghostfisher may pay a Willpower
Storyteller Tactics
to emerge from the ground and ambush him with a
grapple gambit. The ghostfisher makes a disguise roll Ghostfishers lay their traps and wait — often for days at
when it creates the simulacrum to determine its quality. a time — for someone to take the bait. Fellow ghosts are
Characters who overcome it with one or two threshold their usual prey, but they’ll eat anything. They are also
successes notice the lure is strange without spotting the clever: In shadowlands and other haunted areas, ghost-
submerged monster; three or more threshold success- fishers set their lures near places where other ghosts
es make the ghostfisher’s subterranean presence ap- regularly appear and mimic their forms, tricking mortals
parent. who come to aid ancestor spirits or learn from spectral
Swallow Whole (15m; Reflexive; Decisive-on- tutors.
ly; Instant; Essence 2): After dealing 3+ levels of
damage to a grappled enemy with a decisive sav- Ghostfishers prefer to hunt alone, though adventurers
aging attack, the ghostfisher may swallow them alive. who dare to travel via ghostfisher burrows learn that
Within the beast’s gullet, they contend with its diges- the giant worms act in concert to defend their territory.
tive acids, an environmental hazard with damage They’ll block off passages with their bulks, or collapse
3L/round and difficulty 5. A swallowed enemy may tunnels on intruders’ heads with feats of strength.
cut his way free with a difficulty 5 gambit, but cannot
otherwise attack it from inside without a relevant stunt. A ghostfisher flees when it takes damage in any of its last
eight −4 health levels.

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Grave Messenger
While some families are content to tend to their loved necromancer can summon one to his location with a spell.
ones’ graves and hope their ghosts are sufficiently ap- Grave messengers serve as couriers and carriers in Stygia,
peased, others require a more substantial communica- and are part of a deathknight’s entourage. Clothing the
tions with the departed. Dwelling in graveyards, near messengers in any type of regalia is futile: Within days,
ancient ancestral tombs, or wandering the edges of shad- colors fade to gray and the cloth grows grimy with grave
owlands, grave messengers carry missives between the dirt and bone dust.
living and the dead.
Essence: 2; Willpower: 5; Join Battle: 6 dice
The messengers are squat and child-sized, with bony hands Personal Motes: 25
and leathery wings, and clothe themselves in grave shrouds
Health Levels: −0x2/−1x3/−2x3/−4x3/Incap.
gone to rot. They speak in rusty, raspy voices. If a ghost ex-
ists, and isn’t magically concealed, the grave messenger will Intimacies: Defining: “The dead are not gone
locate her by the third sunrise after it sets out, and bring forever.”; Major: “I will keep their secrets.”; Minor:
the response to the petitioner by that following sunset. The
Ghosts (Duty)
messages may be written or verbal, according to the peti- Actions: Bargain: 5 dice; Cover Tracks: 7 dice; Et-
tioner’s needs. Grave messengers also transport objects and iquette: 6 dice; Persuade: 3 dice; Read Intentions: 5
even ferry people: They’re equally adept at reuniting lovers dice; Senses: 4 dice; Stealth: 6 dice; Threaten: 3 dice;
or bringing a transgressor before an angry deathknight. Tracking: 7 dice
Appearance 2, Resolve 4, Guile 1
To call upon a messenger, the petitioner finds the grave-
yard it calls home, offers a prayer, and states his request. A

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COMBAT for the ears of its intended recipient, and therefore it


Attack (Claw): 6 dice (Damage 6) takes pains not to be followed. Once per round, the
messenger may roll to cover its tracks or disengage as
Combat Movement: 4 dice an extra action.
Evasion 3, Parry 2
MISCELLANEOUS CHARMS
Soak/Hardness: 2/0
Hurry Home (10m, 1wp; Simple; Instant; Essence
SPECIAL ABILITIES 1): The grave messenger fades away and vanishes on
Ghost Tracking: The grave messenger can find any its next turn, returning to its home graveyard.
dead entity that has a presence in Creation or the
Storyteller Tactics
Underworld. Upon receiving its task, the messenger
knows in which direction its target lies, how far away Spies and politicians employ grave messengers to funnel
it is, and which shadowland will bring it closest to that information, secrets, and bribes through their own — or
place. No matter where the ghost it seeks is located, even their rivals’ — ancestors. Some go to great lengths
the messenger reaches it within three days of receiving to cover up those interactions, building private shrines
its mission. or carving out hidden passages in the cemeteries where
If the ghost is magically hidden, the messenger senses grave messengers reside.
its direction or its distance, but not both. It must rely on
intuition and investigation to find its quarry. Grave messengers may only leave their home burial site
when they’re on a mission, which makes them eager to
MERITS take work that lets them roam. Some attempt to convince
Steadfast Courier: The grave messenger doesn’t mourners to send messages, asking the bereaved about
stop to rest or eat. If something tries to make it pause, things left unsaid or hinting at hidden riches the depart-
it doubles 9s on rolls to resist. ed left behind. Messengers are quick, careful, and secre-
Utmost Discretion: Grave messengers in service to tive. Few are combative by nature, but once provoked,
the Underworld’s gentry know the value of being un- they fiercely defend both their ghostly charges and the
obtrusive. Add one automatic success to a Socialize missives they carry. Some messengers, if they feel out-
roll when the messenger must deliver sensitive infor- matched, lead their pursuers to the nearest graveyard to
mation in front of observers. enlist other messengers’ help.
MOBILITY CHARMS
Grave messengers flee when they suffer damage to their
Ghostly Passage (5m; Reflexive; One scene;
first −4 health level.
Essence 2): The grave messenger’s message is only

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Haunt
Merchants cross Harden Ford only when the sun is high, Health Levels: −0/−1x2/−2x2/−4/Incap.
and camp far from the site. Hundreds have died here Intimacies: Defining: “I’m alive, no matter what you
over the centuries in wars and raids — soldiers, traders, say.”; Major: “I must finish what I’ve started.”
herders, pilgrims. Each night, their ghosts rise to re-en- Actions: Senses: 4 dice; Social Influence: 6 dice
act the battles and the slaughter.
Appearance 1, Resolve 5, Guile 1
Sadly, all too many of those slain at Harden Ford defined COMBAT
themselves through bloodshed. The passage of the liv- Attack (Short sword): 6 dice (Damage 12,
ing draws their eyes and their ire. Taking on substance, minimum 2)
these haunts eagerly turn their spectral blades on pass- Attack (Shield bash): 5 dice (Damage 12)
ers-by, darkening the ford’s waters with blood.
Combat Movement: 4 dice
Haunts — also called “echoes” or “drones” — are as shad- Evasion 2, Parry 3
ows even among ghosts. Lost in death, they can do nothing Soak/Hardness: 8/0 (ghostly hauberk)
but repeat their last moments over and over. Only those MERITS
things that were important to them in life stir a spark of
One-Track Mind: A haunt treats all influence unre-
awareness. Confronted by the face of a lover or the banner
lated to its dying moments or perpetual labor as unac-
of a hated foe, a haunt turns its attention from the recur-
ceptable. Add +1 Resolve when a character’s influence
ring tableau of its death to act in the living world.
is related but would keep it from playing out its vignette.
A character trying to convince the haunt it’s dead must
Essence: 1; Willpower: 1; Join Battle: 4 dice use instill actions to erode its Defining Intimacies com-
Personal Motes: 60 pletely. If successful, the ghost passes into Lethe.

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MISCELLANEOUS CHARMS past’s narrative, calling them by old opponents’ names


Apparition (1m; Simple; One scene; Essence 1): and forcing them to retrace former enemies’ steps. At
The haunt becomes visible, but not corporeal. Incapacitated, the haunt fades away until the next eve-
ning, when it begins its toils anew.
Material Intrusion (15m; Reflexive; One round;
Essence 1): The haunt materializes for one round. It
Haunts may have additional dice pools and/or different
may only use this Charm while taking an action nec-
attacks, relating to their actions when they died. The
essary to act out its post-mortem “script,” such as
best are six dice; others are four or five. Given combat
hacking at an intruder.
traits assume a haunt that died in battle or by violence.
Undeniable History (20m; Simple; One round; Those who didn’t usually can’t deviate from their morbid
Essence 1): The haunt’s unshakeable belief sweeps its
routines to fight, though they might bargain or threat-
target into its delusion. The target character sees the
en if faced with something important from their lives.
area as it was at the time of the haunt’s death.
Storytellers should also add another defining Intimacy
Storyteller Tactics based on the haunt’s life.
Even fighting the living, a haunt attempts to re-enact the
moment of its death. It weaves its current foes into its

Keregost the
Hundred-Handed
Keregost the Hundred-Handed stands guard at the top behemoth they sent to fight on their behalf fell to the in-
of a steep, spiraling stair. It has waited in that place for vading army’s might. At last, the city’s sorcerers recovered
thousands of years, since the First Age, tasked with pre- the behemoth’s corpse and proposed a desperate, horri-
venting anyone from venturing down…and keeping the fying plan. Fifty brave warriors gave their lives and their
horrors that live at the bottom from climbing up. strength, and Keregost the Hundred-Handed was born.

The massive guardian stands twenty feet tall, visible from Keregost’s hundred hands hold a variety of weapons,
far across the plain where the stairway lies. Keregost has each the preferred armaments of those hands’ former
a hundred arms and fifty faces. No two faces are alike, owners: daiklaves and bows, hook swords and bare
spanning many ages and genders, and reflecting physical hands, all skilled and deadly.
traits from all regions of Creation. The sorcery that cre-
ated this behemoth is long forgotten, unless perhaps one Essence: 4; Willpower: 7; Join Battle: 11 dice
of Keregost’s many faces belongs to its maker. Few have Personal Motes: 90
ever gotten close enough to ask, and Keregost is rarely Health Levels: −0x5/−1x10/−2x10/−4x3/
interested in talking. Incap.
The plain once held a city; its name, like its structures, Intimacies: Defining: “None may pass.”; Major:
was lost to the chaos that reigned after the Usurpation.
The City’s Ruins (Protective Zeal); Minor: Honorable
Battle (Pride)
Some of its legends remain, passed down by the mem-
bers of Keregost’s cults. They speak of the city’s leaders Actions: Feats of Strength: 12 dice (may attempt
carving out a stairway over the course of centuries, dig- Strength 7 feats); Read Intentions: 7 dice; Strategy: 8
ging down and down until they met a group tunneling dice; Threaten: 10 dice; Underworld Lore: 9 dice
their way up. This second party, from their perspectives, Appearance 3 (Hideous), Resolve 5, Guile 3
had also dug down and down. As soon as the way was COMBAT
open, denizens of that other land surged forth. Attack (Grand daiklave): 9 dice (Damage 19)
The defenders fought to stem the unceasing tide of mon- Attack (Grapple): 9 dice (12 to control)
sters, but the sheer numbers overwhelmed them. Even the Attack (Hook sword): 9 dice (Damage 14)

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Attack (Longbow): 8 dice (Damage 14) to it, not counting any levels of damage added by
Attack (Unarmed): 5 dice (Damage 7) Charms or other magic.
Combat Movement: 9 dice OFFENSIVE CHARMS
Evasion 4, Parry 4 Harmonious Attack Method (15m, 1wp; Simple;
Soak/Hardness: 16/10 Instant; Uniform; Essence 3): Keregost’s heads and
arms work in perfect sync. The giant attacks with some
MERITS of its hands and defends with others. Keregost may
Cult 2: Mortals from the surrounding lands view Ker- perform two attack actions and one Parry without suf-
egost as their guardian, protecting them from what- fering any flurry penalties this round. It gains Initiative
ever might rise up out of the spiral stair, and prevent- as normal from the attack that deals the higher amount
ing would-be adventurers from venturing down. The of damage, and no more than 5 Initiative from the
giant’s followers worship from a safe distance, leaving lesser attack. It may use this Charm once per scene.
offerings of livestock and wine. Over the centuries, the Hundred-Handed Army (30m, 1 wp; Simple;
cult has made a small fortune from selling the finely One scene; Stackable; Essence 3): Several pairs of
wrought armor and artifact weapons left behind by Keregost’s arms detach from its body and spread out to
those who challenged Keregost and lost. attack its opponents. They act as an elite-quality battle
Legendary Size: Keregost suffers no onslaught group with Size 2 and Might 1. Stacking this Charm’s
penalties from attacks made by smaller opponents, effects allows Keregost to either increase an existing
unless they’re magically inflicted. Withering attacks group’s Size by 2 and Might by 1, or create a new,
from smaller enemies cannot Crash it unless they have separate battle group, with each activation. While at
at least 10 post-soak damage dice, although attack- least one such battle group exists, Keregost reduces all
ers still gain the full amount of Initiative damage dealt. withering and decisive damage by half.
Decisive attacks from smaller enemies cannot deal Many-Throated Roar (10m, 1wp; Simple; Instant;
more than (3 + attacker’s Strength) levels of damage Withering-only; Essence 3): Keregost’s fifty heads let

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out one great, unison war cry as the giant attacks, Measure the Wind (5m; Simple; Instant; Essence
paralyzing enemies as far out as long range with fear. 1): Keregost takes the measure of anyone who ap-
Opponents must spend two Willpower or their Initia- proaches the spiral stairway.
tive drops to 0 for one round, as though they are in
Storyteller Tactics
Initiative Crash. At the start of the next round, it returns
to its prior value. Keregost has been protecting the spiral stair since its in-
ception. It attempts to warn away interlopers, but once
DEFENSIVE CHARMS
it’s clear that its opponents are determined to pass, it
Ever-Watchful Guardian (5m; Reflexive; Instant; attacks, paying special attention to those closest to the
Uniform; Essence 2): Keregost has a hundred eyes, stairway.
constantly assessing the field of battle and its enemies’
movements. A single unexpected attack fails automat- Keregost is an army unto itself, capable of fighting as
ically unless supplemented by a Charm or magical one massive, many-armed entity, or dividing into small-
effect. er units to cover more ground. The warriors who gave
Shield of Arms (5m, 1i; Reflexive; Instant; With- their lives to create the creature were hardened fighters
ering-only; Essence 2) Keregost uses several sets of and cunning strategists; those traits remained with the
hands to shield itself, interlacing its many fingers or hekatonkhire through the ages. Its attacks are a mix of
locking its wrists together. Gain +3 soak against a brute force and clever gambits, keeping enemies from
single withering attack. ever truly anticipating its next move.
MOBILITY CHARMS
Intruder-Repelling Technique (10m; Supple- Stories exist of the guardian allowing a scant handful of
mental; Instant; Dual; Essence 3): Keregost defines people to traverse the stairway, though Keregost’s condi-
itself by one overarching drive: Let none pass. Ker- tions are monumental, demanding payment for passage in
egost throws a grappled enemy up to a medium the form of a nephwrack’s desiccated heart, or the chains
range distance away, and deals withering or de- from a powerful rantai. Though the city it protected is
cisive damage. long forgotten, Keregost’s loyalty has never waned. Fifty
brave souls created the giant; their descendants still roam
MISCELLANEOUS CHARMS
the world. Keregost will also stay its hand — for a brief
Hurry Home (10m, 1wp; Simple; Instant; Essence time — to hear the petitions of one of its long-lost kin.
5): Keregost fades away and vanishes on its next
turn, drawn instantly back to the top of the stairway Keregost doesn’t flee under any circumstances.
it guards.

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Nameless Wretch
She doesn’t know how long she’s been dead.

Some passing army’s hooves woke her, churned up the


earth and pulled her from death’s slumber. Grave dirt
clings beneath what’s left of her fingernails. She doesn’t
know her name, has only a scrap of rotted silk for a clue,
its pattern faded. Someone must know her, somewhere.

She just has to find them.

Nameless wretches are walking corpses that rise when


unmarked mass graves are disturbed. They’ve forgotten
who they once were, and the need to remember drives
them to begging, to violence, or worse.

Essence: 2; Willpower: 3; Join Battle: 5 dice


Personal Motes: 70
Health Levels: −0x2/−1x4/−2x2/−4/Incap.
Intimacies: Defining: “I must learn who I was.”;
Major: “I must find peace.”; Minor: The Feeling of
Home (Nostalgia)
Actions: Feats of Strength: 7 dice (may attempt
Strength 5 feats); Read Intentions: 5 dice; Senses: 6
dice; Social Influence: 6 dice; Stealth: 4 dice
Appearance 3 (Hideous), Resolve 3, Guile 1
COMBAT
Attack (Unarmed): 7 dice (Damage 12)
Attack (Sword): 10 dice (Damage 14)
Combat Movement: 3 dice
Evasion 2, Parry 2
Soak/Hardness: 2/0
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Anguish of the Flesh: When a wretch spends a
Willpower to add a success to an attack against an
enemy she is using violence to coerce into helping
her, add that enemy’s current wound penalty in bonus
dice to the roll also.
SOCIAL CHARMS
Piteous Plea (10m; Supplemental; Instant; Essence
2): The wretch appeals to her target’s own deathly
fears. Add one automatic success to a persuade roll,
and reroll 6s until none appear.
Storyteller Tactics
Buried in a nameless wretch’s mind is a guttering spark of
memory: Presented with her true name and history, she
recognizes it, and knows it to be real. Clever characters

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can trick or convince her to accept new ones, though, if disturbed, their bodies ravaged by rot, memories gone.
for instance finding her original identity is impossible, Should their targets prove hard-hearted or unwilling
or terrible actions in her past would prevent her from to help, they have barely enough grasp of language and
resting peacefully if she discovered them. skill to demand — at sword-point, if necessary — a prop-
er burial under their rightful name, alongside their kin.
When approaching someone for aid in discovering their Reunited with her memories and laid to rest properly,
identities and those of their loved ones from life, name- the wretch’s body collapses, its spirit departed to Lethe.
less wretches rely on their pitiable states: their graves

Rantai
From a distance, a rantai resembles a tangle of scarlet MERITS
ribbon drifting on the breeze. Closer, it resolves into an Wind-Whipping Apparition: The rantai whips
airborne mass of blood-drenched chains, each link a through the air at devilish speed, ignoring all penalties
barbed loop of bone. Dozens of ghosts writhe on these on movement actions as long as it isn’t crashed.
hooks, their shrieks a cacophony of woe. OFFENSIVE CHARMS
The rantai collect ghosts for inscrutable reasons. Ghost-Gaoler’s Leash (3m per ghost; Simple;
Hundreds dangle from the barbs of the most ancient Instant; Essence 2): The rantai sends a bound war
of their breed. The spirits’ agony only ends if another ghost (Exalted, p. 504) to fight on its behalf, or a
Underworld predator snatches them away and devours specific ghost with separate traits, which automati-
them — or if violence or parley frees them. Though ran- cally materializes. It cannot send more ghosts than its
tai cannot speak, they compel bound ghosts to reveal
current temporary Willpower, although it never needs
to retract any. A character capable of striking the im-
their wishes. They demand peculiar terms to release a
material may attempt a difficulty 4 gambit against a
prisoner — a test of skill against the ghost to be freed,
leashed ghost to sever the chain. Success frees the
planting a living tree in Underworld soil, or the right to
ghost and deals 1 lethal damage to the rantai, ignor-
name a first-born child. ing Hardness.
Rantai also imperil the living. Wounded rantai seek Impaling Barbs (4m, 1wp; Supplemental; Until
shadowlands that mortals inhabit and strip out their released; Essence 2): Enhance a grapple as follows:
skeletons, reshaping them into new rings of bloody bone • Double threshold successes to determine rounds
to replace those they have lost. of control
• Take no Defense penalty
Essence: 3; Willpower: 8; Join Battle: 10 dice • Attacks that deal no damage don’t reduce rounds
Personal Motes: 80 of control
Health Levels: −0x3/−1x6/−2x6/−4/Incap. • +2 damage to decisive savaging attacks; +5 to
Intimacies: Defining: “Ghosts belong to me.”; withering ones
Major: “Everything comes at a price.” • Capture a ghost who becomes Incapacitated or
Actions: Feats of Strength: 7 dice (may attempt crashed while grappled
Strength 3 feats); Fly: 10 dice; Senses: 8 dice; Skeletonize (8m; Reflexive; Instant; Essence 3):
Social Influence: 8 dice; Underworld Lore: 8 dice A decisive attack that kills a non-trivial living crea-
Appearance 5 (Hideous), Resolve 5, Guile 3 ture strips out its skeleton to make new links to repair
the chains, healing one health level. Against a battle
COMBAT group of such creatures, it heals one level per point
Attack (Chain lash): 11 dice (Damage 12) of Magnitude the group loses. The rantai can gain
Attack (Grapple): 12 dice (11 to control) up to three temporary health levels this way if it isn’t
Combat Movement: 10 dice damaged; these vanish at the end of the scene.
Evasion 2, Parry 5 Symphony of Woe (5m, 1wp; Supplemental;
Scene; Eclipse; Essence 3): Treat the rantai’s Join
Soak/Hardness: 11/3 Battle roll as an inspire action to create terror, grief,

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or dread against all enemies. This influence costs one leverage. Characters can bargain to free a ghost or ac-
Willpower and three Initiative to resist. Enemies who quire Underworld knowledge, though it tries to intimi-
don’t resist lose two Initiative at the end of each round. date them into unfavorable deals.
SOCIAL CHARMS
A rantai that loses at least half its bound ghosts flees or
Stolen Voice (6m, 1wp; Supplemental; One action; bargains for its unlife. Choose a total number of ghosts it
Eclipse; Essence 3): The rantai forces a ghost from its
possesses, or represent it thus: at the end of each round
collection who resembles one of its opponent’s Ties
in which the characters destroy or free any ghosts, the
that it knows to treat with her. Gain double 8s and +3
rantai loses a Willpower point. When it runs out of
dice on a bargain action. An Eclipse subtly shifts her
appearance to resemble the Tie instead. Willpower, it flees. Older rantai are larger and more
powerful; represent this by adding health levels and, at
Storyteller Tactics their most ancient, the Legendary Size Merit (Exalted,
In battle, the rantai goes on the offensive, relying on its p. 522).
fearsome appearance to weaken its enemies’ resolve.
It takes threaten and bargain actions often to chase or Bound ghosts with Essence 3 or less die when the ran-
buy off a stronger foe, while making its ghosts run in- tai does; players can make a difficulty 3 Intelligence +
terference. It isn’t above parleying to learn its enemies’ Occult roll to determine this.
Intimacies, then trying to murder those Intimacies
to strengthen itself and capture their ghosts for

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Scavenger
Bony avian skeletons draped in blackened cobwebs and Attack (Talons): 8 dice (Damage 12)
torn funerary silks circle their prey. The Underworld’s Attack (Grapple): 8 dice (8 to control)
vultures harry the living and the dead alike, sweeping Combat Movement: 7 dice
from the air to tear their prey apart and scavenge what’s
Evasion 3, Parry 1
left. They devour their victims’ flesh and adorn them-
selves and their nests with trophies from their kills. Soak/Hardness: 4/0
Driven by the emotional weight of the Underworld, scav- SPECIAL ABILITIES
engers collect items with sentimental significance to their Grisly Trophies: Whenever a scavenger kills its
victims, pleasant or upsetting, such as a locket gifted by an target, it claims something of importance to the victim
ex-lover, a favored sword, wedding rings, and so on. which it then either wears as a bauble or keeps stashed
in its gullet for displaying later. When it prizes an item,
Essence: 1; Willpower: 5; Join Battle: 5 dice the scavenger seizes it from the target’s still-living
Health Levels: −0/−1x2/−2x2/−4/Incap. hands by making a snatch gambit (Difficulty 3).
Actions: Disease/Poison: 8 dice; Fly: 8 dice; Intimi- Wicked Rending Talons: The scavenger’s de-
date: 7 dice; Senses: 7 dice (see Keen Nose); Track- cisive talon attacks add two bonus successes to
ing: 8 dice damage against enemies that have not yet acted this
Resolve 2, Guile 1 turn, so long as it has not taken any other actions (in-
cluding reflexive movement actions).
COMBAT
Attack (Beak): 8 dice (Damage 14)

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MERITS Anyone who kills a scavenger can claim all the memen-
Carrion Hunter: Add three bonus successes to any tos the creature has stolen, which may include baubles
Senses roll to detect, locate, or track the scent of dead and trinkets with value up to Resources 3. A scavenger
flesh. This bonus also applies on rolls to identify dis- steals anything with emotional value that it can feasibly
eased carrion. pick up and carry away — from as small as a lucky coin to
Eagle Wing Rush: A scavenger may rush enemies as large as a daiklave. Characters may snatch them back,
from long range above them, as long as the horizon- requiring a gambit of Difficulty 3 in battle, or a Larceny
tal distance between them is still at short range. roll opposed by the scavenger’s Senses outside combat.
Keen Nose: Double 9s on scent-based Senses rolls. Scavengers first target any character with wound penal-
Storyteller Tactics ties or suffering from a disease or poison. They flee com-
Investigators pursuing murder cases search scaven- bat they did not initiate after taking damage to their first
ger nests for clues among their stolen trinkets — many –2 health level, but will fight for an item until they’ve
a murder weapon ends up in the birds’ nests. Similarly, taken damage to their –4 health level.
finding an important belonging in a scavenger nest can
change the course of a missing person case.

Susurrus
Ghosts are not immortal. Some surrender to Lethe Minor: My Haunting Place (Familiarity)
and rebirth, while others are consumed by oblivion or Actions: Read Intentions: 5 dice; Senses: 6 dice;
forged into soulsteel. Others endure terrible forces, from Social Influence: 5 dice; Stealth: 8 dice; Tracking: 7
earth-shattering sorcery to a hekatonkhire’s jaws, that dice
tear them asunder. Most such ghosts are too badly dis- Appearance 5 (Hideous), Resolve 5, Guile 2
membered to recover, but when many are riven apart
COMBAT
at once, their surviving fragments can come together to
form a patchwork whole — a susurrus. Attack (Rend): 12 dice (Damage 17, minimum 3)
Combat Movement: 6 dice
A susurrus at rest spreads itself thinly across its haunting Evasion 1, Parry 4
place, manifesting as whispering voices and a chill in the
Soak/Hardness:10/3
air. Provoked, it coheres into a tattered mass of shadows,
faces, and wisps of spectral flesh fluttering like banners OFFENSIVE CHARMS
in the wind. Hungry to be whole, a susurrus thrusts its Patchwork Possession (30m, 1wp; Simple; In-
sprawling piecemeal bulk into a human body to possess definite; Decisive-only; Essence 2): A susurrus cannot
her, its fractured mind driving the victim to erratic bouts materialize, but it may possess a living character,
of elation, sorrow, lust, shame, homicidal rage, and sui- pouring itself through her orifices and overwhelming
cidal melancholy. her mind. This is a gambit with a difficulty equal to
the higher of (target’s Resolve or Willpower). If suc-
The dead have even more to fear. A susurrus rips ghosts cessful, the susurrus takes control of the victim’s body,
to fragments that it incorporates into its own piebald using her physical Attributes and health track in place
frame. The more ghosts a susurrus consumes, the larg- of its own. Attacks capable of striking the immaterial
er and more powerful it becomes. Ancestral spirits beg damage both the victim’s health track and the ghost’s.
Exalted descendants to free shadowlands from a susur- The susurrus cannot use any of the host’s magic, but it
rus’ hunger. may pull knowledge from her mind with a read inten-
tions action.
Essence: 2; Willpower: 3; Join Battle: 6 dice At the end of each scene in which the host is present,
Personal Motes: 70 she may roll (Wits + Integrity), difficulty 3, as one in-
terval of an extended action with terminus 3 and goal
Health Levels: −0/−1x5/−2x5/−4/Incap. number 10 to expel it. She may also roll whenever
Intimacies: Defining: “I must become whole.”; the ghost tries to force her to act against an Intimacy,
Major: “We are no one and everyone. We are you.”; adding the Intimacy’s rating in bonus dice.

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DEFENSIVE CHARMS it; it careens from one extreme to another, to another,


Devour the Dead (1m, 1wp; Reflexive; Instant; sometimes over the course of a single conversation. On
Essence 2): When a ghost is destroyed or discorpo- the hunt, its malleable form lets it squeeze through small
rated within short range, the susurrus can absorb the spaces and cut its prey off from escape.
disintegrating remnants of the corpus, rolling the vic-
tim’s Essence as a dice pool and healing one level of A susurrus that devours large numbers of ghosts grows
damage per success. in size and gains additional health levels. This typical-
ly occurs over long periods, but a susurrus that tears
The susurrus can also do this when damage is dealt
to a battle group made of ghosts within short range, into a ghostly battle group may grow mid-combat, gain-
rolling dice equal to (Magnitude lost + group’s Might). ing a new −1 or −2 health level (whichever it has fewer
This Charm doesn’t permanently destroy discorporat- of ) whenever it uses Devour the Dead. At 10 additional
ed ghosts. health levels, a susurrus gains a dot of Essence and the
Legendary Size Merit.
Storyteller Tactics
A susurrus will never be whole, no matter how many A susurrus of legendary size may use Patchwork
ghosts it consumes or how many people it possesses. It Possession to take control of a human’s body via an ec-
never learns, though, and is always just as desperate to do toplasmic pseudopod at close range, without having to
both as ever. Its patchwork nature means only the stron- physically merge. Only the cost of the Charm limits the
gest emotions from its many constituent minds drive number of humans it may control this way.

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Walkure
Born of death-dreams on Northern battlefields, the walkuren appear as ghastly, majestic syntheses of divine warrior
and carrion bird. Some manifest as winged and clawed avatars of battle; others are terrible women and men soaring
astride black-plumed hippogriffs, their swords bright as pain, their hauberks red as blood. All dwell at the border-
lands between life and death, prowling battlefields and shadowlands — alone or in flocks — in search of ghostly prey.
And if all they find are the living, they can always make new ghosts.

Although it isn’t a ghost itself, a walkure’s armaments evoke those of the battlefield from which it is born, making a
walkure from Icehome visibly different from one who rose near Ascension. Yet the legends surrounding them are
similar throughout the North. For example, many tribes believe that hearing a walkure’s wail away from a battlefield
is a death omen.

Frarithi strikes more subtly than many of its ilk. Tall and gaunt, swathed in furled black wings resembling
a hooded feather cloak, it leans on its spear like an old man with a staff. But it moves swift as
death on its stilt-like bird’s legs, while its horrid, shifting face is that of a killer seen
through the eyes of a fever-struck child.

Most walkuren bring captured ghosts to their larders


to assuage their own weird hungers. But Frarithi
serves a mighty master, and it carries its victims aloft
to that dark monarch’s citadel.

Essence: 2; Willpower: 5; Join Battle: 9 dice


Personal Motes: 70
Health Levels: −0/−1x3/−2x3/−4/Incap.
Actions: Fly: 9 dice; Senses: 8 dice; Threaten:
7 dice; Tracking: 6 dice
Appearance 4 (Hideous), Resolve 4, Guile 2

COMBAT
Attack (Long spear/straight sword): 9 dice
(Damage 14)
Attack (Grapple): 9 dice (9 to control)
Combat Movement: 9 dice, or 11 while
flying/mounted
Evasion 2, Parry 3
Soak/Hardness: 9/0 (Spectral hauberk)
OFFENSIVE CHARMS
Horrific Wail (5m; Supplemental; Instant;
Essence 1): If a walkure successfully threatens an
enemy, the enemy loses three Initiative, as terror over-
whelms even the steeliest nerves.
Sky-Catch Talons (6m, 4i; Simple; Instant; Per-
ilous; Essence 2): The walkure reflexively swoops
down up to three range bands from above to ini-
tiate a grapple gambit; this Charm doesn’t work
if the walkure can’t dive downward at least one
range band toward the target. Add one bonus

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success to the grapple control roll. Whether the clinch one’s ghost a delicacy and a trophy once won. In combat,
is successful or not, the walkure may reflexively move a walkure uses its wail strategically to enact sudden turn-
one range band in any direction; if it is successful, the arounds when foes have the advantage or crash opponents
walkure pulls the grappled target along, without re- just after they reset to base Initiative. Then, it carries prey
quiring a drag action. This is usable once per scene, high into the air, either to drag ghosts off to its lair or to
unless reset by spending two consecutive turns moving dash the living to the ground below. A walkure flees after
upwards to build altitude. taking damage to its first −2 health level.
DEFENSIVE CHARMS
Despite its voracious appetites, a walkure doesn’t always
Shadow-Veiled Deflection (3m, 1i; Reflexive;
Instant; Perilous; Essence 1): Streaming shadows immediately consume its prey as soon as it returns to its
behind its spear, the walkure gains +1 Parry against nest, keeping a stash for lean times. Bereaved loved ones
a single attack, or +2 if the attacker is at close range. and surviving members of Sworn Kinships might still be
able to lay their fallen friends to rest, if they can track
Storyteller Tactics the walkure to its sanctum. Some walkuren are willing to
Walkuren haunt shadowlands and battlefields seeking strike up a bargain if the living offer a worthy exchange
ghostly prey. They prefer the ghosts of soldiers and war- for its lost meal. Others only view the living as extra stew
riors, but any will do in a pinch. When a walkure comes meat for the pot. Those Frarithi takes face not only that
to a place where no ghosts walk, it targets living cham- horrifying walkure, but also the perils of its master’s
pions who display fighting prowess, considering such a citadel.

White Robe
As echoes of professional mourners such as Sijan’s famed against that character’s Resolve. If it succeeds, she’s
sorrowers, white robes are empty garments that radiate impassioned with grief and suffers a −3 penalty to all
grief and endlessly wander in a funeral procession to no- non-reflexive actions for the scene, unless she spends
where. The vast burden living mourners carry creates 1 Willpower to resist. Any given character only needs
powerful emotional imprints from which white robes to resist any white robe’s Weeping Aura once per
spawn. These sublime, hollow robes are inscribed with scene. Ghosts this aura successfully affects instead
beautiful, ever-changing symbols in gray and bronze; succumb to Lethe unless they spend 1 Willpower.
those who can decipher the writings learn secrets from MERITS
the Underworld’s forgotten reaches. Though pale and Echoes of Grief: White robes gain +3 dice and
ethereal, white robes are plasmic creations of sentiment double 8s on read intentions actions to discover In-
and dead Essence, not ghosts. timacies with contexts of grief, sorrow, loss, despair,
or similar.
Essence: 1; Willpower: 5; Join Battle: 5 dice Incorporeal: White robes are immaterial but always
Personal Motes: 30 visible, even in Creation. Only attacks capable of
Health Levels: −0/−1x2/−2x2/−4/Incap. harming immaterial beings, such as Spirit-Cutting
Actions: Inspire: 10 dice; Instill: 10 dice; Navigation: Attack (Exalted, p. 354), can target them.
6 dice; Read Intentions: 8 dice; Senses: 6 dice SOCIAL CHARMS
Resolve 4, Guile 2 Incite the Grieving Tide (5m; Reflexive; Instant;
COMBAT Psyche; Essence 1): The white robe sings a dirge, stir-
ring its target’s heart. Double 9s on one instill action
Combat Movement: 8 dice to create or increase the intensity of any Intimacy to
Evasion 4, Parry 1 which Echoes of Grief would apply. If two or more
Soak/Hardness: 4/0 white robes target the same character with this Charm
SPECIAL ABILITIES at the same time, she suffers a −1 to Resolve against
that action per two participating white robes.
Weeping Aura: Mere proximity to a white robe
is enough to drive even strong-willed warriors to Storyteller Tactics
tears. The first time in each scene a given character White robes wander the Underworld and Creation,
comes within short range, roll the white robe’s Inspire mourning not specific deaths, but all death as their

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raison d’être. They travel in solemn processions of GRIEFBEES


four to 10, and though they rarely stray from their
intended path, their presence alone is enough to The Underworld’s bees glow the sickly gray-green of Conta-
overcome onlookers with grief. White robes don’t gion ghosts and bear ashen stripes. They feed on emotion, pre-
speak or respond to much, even when threatened, ferring the vibrant emotions of the living to the dulled ones of
focusing almost exclusively on their procession; the dead, and the weeping honey they produce imparts strong
they flee if attacked, and although they don’t com- feelings to those who taste it. When a griefbee feeds upon pow-
municate directly, they do sometimes sing hymns erful emotion, it emits a soft greenish-white light, illuminating
or dirges as they float eerily along inches above its surroundings out to short range. That light makes corpses
the ground. They read intentions to discover grief- within its radius glow, granting +3 dice to find them if they’re
based Intimacies and use Incite the Grieving Tide hidden or identify them if they’re disguised or disfigured. If the
instinctively, rather than as any kind of ploy or de- person died as a result of anyone’s intense feeling — for exam-
ple, they were killed in a rage or took their own life in despair
liberate provocation. This attracts griefbees that
— the glow shifts to lurid orange and also grants investigators
follow them around to feed on the ambient emotion +3 dice to determine how they died and other details about the
the white robes produce in passersby (see sidebar). circumstances surrounding the death.
As white robes move along their unending funer- Characters are more likely to encounter griefbee honey than the
al march, the symbols upon their bodies shift and bees themselves unless they run across a procession of white
change. A character can decipher the writing with robes or come within a mile of a griefbee hive in the Underworld
an extended Intelligence + (Linguistics or Occult) and experience powerful emotions. Griefbees do not attack un-
roll, with difficulty 3, goal number 20, and inter- less threatened or the hive is endangered. When provoked, they
val ten minutes. The scripture reveals ancient attack as a battle group swarm with Size 1, Poor Drill, and Might
and forgotten secrets of the Underworld, of the 1. They have the following traits: Join Battle: 6 dice, Magnitude
4, the Tiny Creature Merit, Attack (Sting): 12 dice (Damage 1L;
Storyteller’s choice; they may include paeans to
12L against foes with Tiny Creature or Minuscule Size, can’t deal
forgotten gods that could summon or entreat such decisive damage to larger enemies), and Evasion 3.
entities, the location of a deathknight’s hidden lair,
teachings of the Dark Mother that might lead char- A hive of griefbees makes a pint of weeping honey in a day,
acters to a Liminal Exalt, necromantic initiations or which is a Resources 3 purchase, or Resources 2 in the Un-
deathly thaumaturgical rituals, and so on. derworld.

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The Wreck of
the Ruby Wren
The Ruby Wren was a trading ship, low-bellied and full- Ever since, others sailing in the area swear they’ve seen
sailed. The crew was practiced and competent, the cap- the Ruby Wren’s flags flying on moonless nights when
tain brave but not foolhardy. They steered safely through the seas are still. The ghost ship glides across the waves,
terrible storms. They survived encounters with Lintha seeking vengeance.
pirates and hungry siaka. They outpaced enemy ships
and always delivered passengers to their destinations. Essence: 4; Willpower: 6; Join Battle: 7 dice
The Ruby Wren was famous for its hardiness, which Personal Motes: 100
made it a tempting target. Actions (Ruby Wren): Broadside: 10 dice (Cost: 5
momentum); Naval Maneuvers (12 dice); Positioning
Some time ago, the Ruby Wren sank. No one claimed re- (10 dice); Ram: 10 dice (Cost:7 momentum)
sponsibility. The column of smoke that rose as the sails
burned could be seen for miles around, making witness-
Actions (Drowned): Feats of Strength: 6 dice (may
attempt Strength 3 feats); Swim: 7 dice, Threaten: 8
es rule out an attack from a behemoth lurking beneath
dice; Tracking: 5 dice
the waves.
COMBAT
But the Ruby Wren and its ghostly crew remember. The RUBY WREN
ship went down fast, the great gaping holes in its hull Attack: 10 dice (Damage 15; see Living Vessel)
letting the whole sea fill it in. The few who made it to
Attack (Grapple): 15 dice (15 to control; see
lifeboats couldn’t row away fast enough to escape the
Living Vessel)
suction as the bigger ship went down. No one survived,
and the ship settled on the ocean floor. Soak/Hardness: 5/10

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DROWNED automatic successes to the Wren’s damage on


Attack (Grapple): 6 dice (9 to control) successful Ramming actions.
Attack (Knife): 8 dice (Damage 10) • Silent Running (Cost: 2 Momentum): The
Ruby Wren makes no sound as it glides over the
Combat Movement: 3 dice
waves. Add 2 dice to Concealment stratagem
Evasion 3, Parry 2 pools.
Soak/Hardness: 3/10 CHARMS
SPECIAL ABILITIES Ocean Father’s Will (30m per 1 Momentum;
Living Vessel: Every rope and plank aboard the Simple; Instant; Eclipse; Essence 4): The Ruby Wren
Wren moves at the ship’s command. When it enters gains up to 3 Momentum as the ocean itself fuels its
regular combat, it joins its dead crew in attacking its vengeance.
enemies with these abilities:
Storyteller Tactics
• Keelhaul: When the Wren controls a grapple,
The Ruby Wren flanks and ambushes any ship it comes
it drags its target beneath the boat from bow to
across, using the cover of darkness to glide silently
stern and makes a decisive attack roll against
through the water. Once within range, the Wren fires its
its enemy. One of the drowned in control of a
grapple may also use this ability. cannons and speeds closer. It rams the other ship and
the drowned send lines across, tying the two ships to-
• Plank Walk: The Wren abhors being boarded. gether and swarming aboard. The Wren despises being
Sails’ booms swing about. Hatches open sudden-
boarded and uses its Living Vessel abilities when it en-
ly. The very timbers shift beneath enemies’ feet.
ters regular combat.
Boarders suffer a –3 difficult terrain penalty to
combat actions.
A crew of the drowned (p. 59) is always aboard and may
• Tangled Rigging: The ship’s rigging snakes act as individuals or as a battle group with Size 2, elite
out and snares its enemy. The Wren can perform Drill, and Might 2. Any drowned who move farther than
grapple gambits at up to medium range. long range from the ship vanish reflexively and reappear
• Waterlogged Wail: Wind whistling through belowdecks on the Wren. When the Ruby Wren discor-
the hull’s gaping holes creates a terrifying keen porates, the ghosts aboard discorporate along with it.
that serves as a threaten action against everyone
aboard and anyone within boarding range of Storytellers should tailor the Ruby Wren’s backstory to
the ship. The Wren rolls 8 dice once against the best fit their game. Perhaps the characters tangled with
Resolve of each target separately. Those who fail the vessel in a past incarnation. Maybe it was a Peleps
quail in fear and lose 1 Initiative. ship sunk by a V’Neef character’s ancestor, or it might
MERITS have ferried treacherous Fair Folk over the waters of the
Scourge of the Seas: The Ruby Wren can partici- Dreaming Sea. Storytellers may wish to let players the-
pate in naval combat. It has Hull −0/−1x2/−2x2/– orize about the ship’s origins based on their current ad-
4/Incap., Maneuverability 1, and Speed +4. Use its ventures and use elements of those theories that support
Naval Maneuvers pool for stratagem rolls. In addition their plans.
to common stratagems, it can perform the following
maneuvers: Destroying the Ruby Wren is only a temporary victory.
• Becalm (Cost: 5 Momentum): The Ruby The ship coalesces again with full Essence and Health
Wren’s presence calms the waters and winds at the next new moon and single-mindedly seeks those
around the enemies’ ship. The Wren’s target loses who sent it beneath the waves. The ship is patient, its
2 Momentum on its next turn. wrath as deep as the seas themselves, and it never gives
up. To permanently destroy it, characters must success-
• Cannonfire (Cost: 5 Momentum): The
fully board, kill all of the drowned with spirit-killing
Wren fires at the enemy ship, inflicting one Hull
damage point. magic, and then do the same to the empty vessel.
• Heavy Cargo (Cost: 7 Momentum): Some Unless pursuing vengeance against those who have de-
goods that were in the cargo hold when the Ruby stroyed it previously, the Ruby Wren flees when it suffers
Wren sank still remain. Their weight adds two damage to its –4 Hull level.

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Mist swirled about Inaol’s feet, and soon the ground stopped rumbling. Not because she’d
outpaced the monster, but because she no longer walked on the earth.
Beneath her, the ghostfisher burst from the ground and snapped at where she’d stood not a
moment gone. Now it peered up at her, confused and confounded, denied its meal.
“Fortunate for you,” said a voice in her ear, “I took notice of your plight.”
The mist had followed her into the air and now took on a human shape. The being was cloudspun.
Everything about her was gauzy and pale. Cirrus wisps drifted from her arms as she gestured.
Her long, long hair drifted and danced on unseen air currents.
“Thank you,” said Inaol. “But... how...?” She gestured at herself and her companion smiled.
“You fought valiantly. I gave you my blessing.” The sun shone through the cloud person’s smile.
“Come. I’ll show you my home until the beast forgets your scent and returns to its dank tunnels.”
They rose, higher and higher, until everything below shrank to pinpoints and the forest’s
canopy was nothing more than a carpet of mottled greens and browns. Higher still, through
thunderheads’ heavy gray bases, until they burst into sunlit skies above, and the cloud city spread
before them.
Inaol gaped. Lofty towers climbed so high they scraped night’s indigo belly. Silvery roads led
between soaring candy-floss structures, and all along them drifted the diaphanous figures of the
cloud people. Her host tugged her along, showing her off to acquaintances as one might a favored
pet. The others greeted Inaol with indifference; she suspected they forgot her as soon as they
moved on.
Up here, away from the snow and cold, feeling crept back into her fingers and the tip of her nose.
The cloud person laid out a feast, pressed rainbow-colored breezes to Inaol’s lips and filled her
glass with rushing winds. They visited vast libraries, where the stacks rose high as mountains
and wispy figures argued philosophy for hours on end. Her host showed Inaol star charts she
couldn’t comprehend, and pointed out constellations she’d never spotted from the ground.
Sometimes, rather than walking, she found herself drifting like the cloud people themselves.
She wasn’t the only human here, though others were rare sights. They hardly spared her a glance
as they listened to their patrons’ intense debates.
I could stay here, too, Inaol thought, watching an older man carry an armload of texts to a spindly-
legged table.
But then a look of dismay pinched the man’s face, and to Inaol’s horror, he crumbled away to dust
before her. The texts rustled softly to the tabletop.
“What... what happened to him?” she whispered.
Her host shrugged. “He stayed too long. It happens sometimes. Your kind should know better.”
Suddenly, Inaol was cold again. “I should go home,” she said. “How do I do that?”
“My blessing will fade soon,” said the cloud person, already bored. “If you don’t wish for me to
renew it, I recommend you take yourself close to the ground and renounce my boon. It would be a
shame if you fell all that way.”

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Chapter Three

Spirits
12 Ascending Wood

Last night, I dreamed of a young man who offered me treasures beyond imagining. In re-
turn, he said, all he wanted was for me to bear his sigil on my flesh as a token of his fa-
vor. How was I to know what it meant? But now, it’s become all too clear…

ELEMENTALS
The following spirits are elementals — beings born from the Essence of
Creation’s own five elements: air, earth, fire, water, and wood.

Ahesh the Forgotten


Ahesh doesn’t recall the first form she took, back when others beg her to take away memories of the awful things
the world was new. Perhaps she was a fish, a seashell, or they’ve seen and done, happy for the peace forgetting
a bird with blazing wings. She knows she’s been a mir- brings.
ror-still pond in the Lap, a rainstorm that traveled from
Champoor to Palanquin in a day, and a wall of ice moving Though Ahesh tends toward caution, setting herself up
inexorably toward Tusk. She once rode in a stoppered where people will seek out her blessing, or where no
crystal vial in the Scarlet Empress’ pocket. one will miss the memories she steals, she is capable of
frightening shows of power. As the First Age died, the
Ahesh isn’t bound to any form. Sometimes she swirls in people of the island of Desat drained a lake sacred to
river waters, her droplets indistinguishable from those Ahesh and her worshipers. In revenge, she gathered her-
in which she swims. Other times, the water elemental self into a massive stormcloud and unleashed her deluge
takes whichever form pleases the people whose worship over all Creation. No memories remain of once-proud
she hopes to garner: a maiden with ice blue eyes and pale Desat.
blue skin, a large fish speaking with a god’s voice, a crys-
talline face peering out from a wall of ice. Ahesh gains followers wherever she goes. Some come
from the local human populace. Others are spirits or
Her memories are brief as the flash of sunlight on water, water elementals who offer her protection — though
and few of them are her own. Ahesh inhabits bodies of what they were supposed to receive in exchange, they’ve
water, flowing with them, drifting on their currents. She forgotten.
gathers memories from those she encounters: from the
pilgrim quenching her thirst at the river’s edge, to the Essence: 3; Willpower: 6; Join Battle: 8 dice
prince trailing a hand over the side of a pleasure barge. Personal Motes: 80
She craves human experiences, taking them from her vic- Health Levels: −0x3/−1x5/−2x4/−4x2/Incap.
tims and leaving half-remembered glimpses in their place.
Intimacies: Defining: “I want to live all the lives I
Ahesh is a creature of need and whim, malice-free and can.”; Major: “Letting go brings peace.”; Minor: My
curiosity-driven. Though some find her thievery cruel,
Acolytes (Fondness)

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Actions: Disguise: 5 dice; Eavesdrop: 8 dice; El- comes up 1 on the attack roll subtracts a success from
emental Lore: 10 dice; Read Intentions: 10 dice; both the attack and damage rolls.
Senses: 4 dice; Social Influence: 7 dice; Steal Memo- SOCIAL CHARMS
ries: 14 dice; Stealth: 7 dice
Astute Insight Meditation (15m; Supplemen-
Appearance 5, Resolve 3, Guile 2 tal; Instant; Essence 2): Ahesh looks into her target’s
COMBAT eyes and learns their heart’s desire. She gains three
Attack (Grapple): 10 dice (10 to control) automatic successes on a read intentions action, and
determines the target’s strongest or most relevant Inti-
Attack (Ice dagger): 12 dice (Damage 16/3)
macy. For the rest of the scene, she gains a temporary
Combat Movement: 8 dice Intimacy mirroring her target’s. This begins at Minor in-
Evasion 5, Parry 3 tensity, but Ahesh may raise it higher for 5m per level.
Soak/Hardness: 6/0 Memory Siphon (50m; Simple; Instant; Psyche;
Cult 2: Ahesh has worshipers all across Creation, Essence 3): Ahesh takes her target’s memories for her
both people who have received her blessing and own. The target must use Charms or magic in order
those who hope to feel her cool touch on their brow. to resist.
She keeps a dozen such followers near her at all times Roll Ahesh’s Steal Memories vs. the target’s Resolve.
for protection from those who object to her practices. For each threshold success, she steals one distinct
Stolen Dagger Style (10m, 1i; Supplemental; One memory related to Intimacies that have come up within
round; Essence 3): Ahesh’s fighting prowess comes the scene. For example, she may take the memory of
from her victims’ accumulated memories. Double 9s a time his rival betrayed him or his last sparring match
on attack rolls for the Charm’s duration. If Ahesh has with his mentor.
used Memory Siphon on her target within the past The Storyteller should discuss with the player which
day, their fighting style — including their weaknesses memories she took, and how it affects the victim.
— is familiar to her; double 8s instead. Killing Ahesh return the victim’s stolen memories.
DEFENSIVE CHARMS MISCELLANEOUS CHARMS
Flowing Body Dispersal (4m, 2i; Reflexive; Hurry Home (10m, 1wp; Simple; Instant; Essence
Instant; Dual; Essence 3): Ahesh’s body becomes 1): Ahesh fades away and vanishes on her next turn,
liquid, letting attacks pass through her. Every die that drawn away to the nearest body of water. This may

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include clouds, the baths in a Dynast’s mansion, or and she’s usually willing to make a deal. She prefers
containers of water in a desert caravan. persuade and inspire actions to bargaining, assuring the
Measure the Wind (5m; Simple; Instant; Essence target that giving her certain memories will help him or
1): Ahesh takes the measure of anyone who comes someone he cares about.
to her seeking to forget an event, or anyone whose
memories she stole. She’s not fond of fighting, but does so if provoked or if
Storyteller Tactics a target refuses to part with memories Ahesh strongly
desires. Her form hardens into ice as she attacks. Ahesh
Ahesh calls on her stolen memories to aid her in so-
doesn’t fight to kill. Instead, she wears down and sub-
cial interactions with humans. She uses Astute Insight
dues her target so she can use Memory Siphon.
Meditation and shapes herself after her target’s
Intimacies, such as wearing a face resembling his lover’s
Her acolytes join the fray if she is threatened, forming a
or adopting an accent that reminds him of home. Her
battle group with Size 1, average Drill, and Might 2.
goal is to convince her guest to part with his memories,

Charnavrix the Unyielding,


the Sleeper in the Grove, Lesser Elemental Dragon of Wood
Millennia ago, a Solar Exalt and an elemental spirit of wood The Solar’s essence was locked away in the jade prison,
fell in love. Where Three Branches Twine was mirthful and and centuries passed by. Without Three Branches Twine’s
quick, and willing to bend in the face of change, Charnavrix company to make him pliable, Charnavrix instead gave in
more closely embodied the hard woods of the cherry groves to his nature. He forgot his human form. His dragon scales
he protected. Three Branches Twine loved Charnavrix in hardened until they were more like stone than bark.
all his forms: as a human with night-black hair and thin,
soft hands perfect for holding; and as the snarling, sinuous, Now he sleeps, guarding Three Branches Twine’s tomb
bark-scaled dragon who carried him into battle. in the Valley of the Ancients. The cherry grove is long
gone, and the sounds of Dynasts making their chang-
When Three Branches Twine at last grew old and passed es to the Valley sometimes seep in through his dreams.
away in Charnavrix’ grove, the trees shed their blossoms in He stirred once, when the Solars returned; the ripples
mourning. Charnavrix commissioned his tomb in the or- were felt all through Numinous Rolling Wave Dominion.
chard in which he’d expired. Then he curled around his love’s Those Princes of the Earth who suspect a dragon slum-
resting place, and waited. Surely Three Branches Twine bers beneath them fear his wrath if he should wake.
would return to him, his old soul in a new body, and they’d
be reunited. And they were! Many times through the eras, a Essence: 4; Willpower: 6; Join Battle: 10 dice
pilgrim came to the shrine, and the Solar’s soul called to the Personal Motes: 90
dragon’s own. Again and again, they rekindled their love. Health Levels: −0x7/−1x6/−2x6/−4x5/Incap.
Until the Usurpation. Intimacies: Defining: “I am whole when my love is
near.”; Major: The Terrestrial Exalted (Hatred); Minor:
When the Terrestrials rose up and slew the Solar “In my love’s absence, I will protect his memory.”
Exalted, Three Branches Twine and Charnavrix were Speed Bonus: +5
far apart. The dragon searched for his love, tried to Actions: Feats of Strength: 10 dice (may attempt
bring his bones home to rest, but he couldn’t find the Strength 6 feats); Fly: 15 dice; Read Intentions: 8 dice;
body. He unleashed his grief and rage on the murder- Senses: 8 dice; Social Influence: 6 dice
ers, cutting a swathe across Creation and destroying Appearance 4, Resolve 3, Guile 2
countless Dragon-Blooded and their allies. Devastated,
COMBAT
Charnavrix returned to the grove, in the hopes that soon
enough Three Branches Twine would appear with his Attack (Bite): 12 dice (Damage 15)
new face and new name. Attack (Claw): 12 dice (Damage 18/3)

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Attack (Grapple): 10 dice (10 to control) Raging Dragon Strike (12m; Supplemental;
Attack (Tail Swipe): 15 dice (Damage 20/5) Instant; Uniform; Essence 4): Charnavrix adds his
current temporary Willpower to an attack roll, and
Combat Movement: 6 dice
doubles 9s on the damage roll. At Initiative 20+, he
Evasion 4, Parry 4 adds 10 dice to attack and doubles 8s on damage
Soak/Hardness: 15/10 instead.
MERITS DEFENSIVE CHARMS
Legendary Size: Charnavrix suffers no onslaught Sword-Stealing Skin (10m; Reflexive; Instant;
penalties from attacks made by smaller opponents, Essence 3): Bladed weapons get stuck fast in Char-
unless they’re magically inflicted. Withering attacks navrix’ scales; the tough wood making it difficult
from smaller enemies cannot Crash him unless they for their bearers to pull free. Once per scene, when
have at least 10 post-soak damage dice, although Charnavrix receives damage from a decisive attack
attackers still gain the full amount of Initiative damage with a bladed weapon, he twists away and takes the
dealt. Decisive attacks from smaller enemies cannot weapon with him without rolling to disarm.
deal more than (3 + attacker’s Strength) levels of SOCIAL CHARMS
damage to it, not counting any levels of damage
added by Charms or other magic. Impenetrable Will Meditation (20m; Simple;
Instant; Essence 3): Charnavrix’ will is as strong as his pet-
Soaring Dragon Flight: Charnavrix can travel rified scales, inspiring others. By speaking with his target,
up to five hundred miles an hour through the sky or Charnavrix reinforces one of their Intimacies against at-
through wood. In combat, he doubles 9s on move- tempts to weaken it. For the scene, the target gains +2
ment rolls and may rush enemies on the ground from Resolve against actions regarding that Intimacy.
two range bands above them while flying.
MISCELLANEOUS CHARMS
OFFENSIVE CHARMS
Hurry Home (10m, 1wp; Simple; Instant; Essence
Bone Shattering Swipe (10m; Simple; Instant; 1): Charnavrix fades away and vanishes on his next
Uniform; Essence 3): Charnavrix’ segmented tail acts turn, drawn instantly to Three Branches Twine’s tomb.
like a whip, hitting anyone at its tip with tremendous
force. He doubles 9s on the damage roll. If the total Measure the Wind (5m; Simple; Instant; Essence
damage inflicted is 10 or greater, his opponent’s Ini- 1): Charnavrix can take the measure of anyone who
tiative drops to 0 immediately. comes to him seeking information on a lost loved one.

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Storyteller Tactics A party attempting to rob or alter the tomb of Three


Woe to anyone who awakens Charnavrix without Branches Twine receives no quarter.
knowledge of Three Branches Twine’s whereabouts. He
listens to petitioners, especially if they have information In battle, Charnavrix relies on his powerful tail to lay
to trade. Though his personality is as unyielding as his waste to enemies in its range. He rarely dodges direct at-
hide, he respects reason and logic. Attempts to deceive tacks, letting his petrified wood scales turn weapons aside.
him or hide one’s meaning in flowery speeches only raise He flees when he suffers damage to his last –4 health lev-
his ire. el, returning to the tomb. If he reunites with his beloved’s
reincarnation, Charnavrix’s Essence would return to 6.

Cloud Person
Hedonistic and aloof, the cloud people spend their age- COMBAT
less lives in aerial cities — masses of filmy structures Attack (Unarmed): 7 dice (Damage 8)
built upon the largest clouds. There they indulge in airy
Combat Movement: 5 dice
luxuries, while away the hours amid philosophy and rev-
elry, and study the movements of the upper air and the Evasion 3, Parry 2
stars. Concerning oneself with the lands beneath — or Soak/Hardness: 1/0
with the affairs of the spirit courts of air — is gauche. MERITS
Libraries of the Cloud Cities: The aerial cities hold
But for all their condescension toward the mortal world,
libraries of countless books and star charts written on
cloud people feel a strong pull toward Creation’s eva- pages of mist, unreadable to all but cloudfolk eyes.
nescent beauty. Lovely youths, freshly blooming flow- With access to these, add three dice to Knowledge
ers, opulent jewels, and the clamor of battle can draw rolls to introduce a fact (Exalted, p. 237), including
them down to the earth below. Though they quickly tire with Sky-Hidden Secrets.
of mortal affairs, they often bring home keepsakes or
OFFENSIVE CHARMS
guests, infusing them with airy Essence that they may
hover with the cloud people in their gauzy cities. Sadly, Wind-Whistling Trick (5m; Simple; Instant;
anything — or anyone — infused thus for more than one Eclipse; Essence 2): Cloud people call up small
month per year dissolves into dust. breezes or powerful gusts of wind to do their
bidding. In combat, these gusts extend to medium
Cloud people resemble slender mortals made of white range, rolling eight dice with 12 base withering
cloudstuff, often mistaken for patches of mist. Their eyes damage. Conjured winds cannot execute damag-
are large and bright, their nebulous hair dozens of feet ing decisive attacks, but can perform all manner
long, their voices faint and bemused. With their impal- of gambits. They can also perform non-combat
pable bodies, cloud people can assume any form (though
feats such as lifting small objects with a pillar of
air, blowing books from shelves, or overturning a
they always remain diaphanous and cloud-pale) and ride
banquet table, all with eight dice; the Storyteller
effortlessly on the wind. Their foodstuffs are equally in-
sets the difficulty. Eclipses pay five motes and one
substantial, consisting of scents, breezes, and flickers of
Willpower instead, and roll (Perception + Occult)
color. with a base damage of (9 + Intelligence).
Essence: 2; Willpower: 5; Join Battle: 5 dice DEFENSIVE CHARMS
Personal Motes: 70 Dissolving Mist Body (10m, 4i; Reflexive; Instant;
Dual; Essence 2): A cloud person dissolves and
Health Levels: −0/−1x2/−2x2/−4/Incap.
reforms around a physical attack, adding +2 Evasion.
Actions: Debate/Persuade: 6 dice; Fly: 6 dice; Phil- Even if the attack hits, subtract two dice from a with-
osophical, Occult, and Astrological Knowledge: 8 ering attack’s post-soak damage or a decisive at-
dice (see Libraries of the Cloud Cities); Read Inten- tack’s raw damage. Against a grapple, instead sub-
tions: 6 dice; Senses: 6 dice; Stealth: 5 dice; Weather tract five successes from her enemy’s control roll; she
Prediction: 7 dice; Writing: 7 dice escapes the grapple immediately if this reduces him to
Appearance 4, Resolve 3, Guile 3 zero successes.

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MISCELLANEOUS CHARMS
Cloud-Body Shapeshifting (10m, 1wp; Simple;
Instant; Essence 2): A cloud person can transform her va-
porous body into any number of shapes. She can seep
under a door as a thin sheet of mist, hang in the sky as a
cloud to spy on those below, or expand her body into a
fog bank that conceals her summoner. Only supernatural
senses such as Keen Sight Technique (Exalted, p. 267)
can discern a transformed cloud person, with a difficulty
5 (Perception + Awareness) roll. This Charm can’t enhance
Defense. Reverting to humanoid form is free and reflexive.
Cloud Feather Blessing (1m per person or object, 1wp;
Simple; One month; Essence 2): Cloud people may enchant
willing people or objects up to human size with Air Essence,
making them light enough to walk in the aerial cities, or for
a cloud person to carry in flight. Being almost weightless
has no mechanical effects, but stunts can exploit it. Nothing
can endure this blessing longer than one month per year
— if the elemental attempts to maintain it further or bestow
it again before a year has passed, the recipient crumbles
to dust. Sapient subjects instinctively know how much time
remains, with an increasing sense of overpowering dread
as the deadline approaches even if they don’t know what
it means. They may reject the blessing at any time, though
they fall as normal if they do so on a cloud.
Downward Glance (5m; Supplemental; Instant;
Essence 2): Cloud people take no penalties on Awareness
rolls to see things from miles above. Add one bonus success
on rolls to make out minute details, such as identifying who’s
meeting with a courtier behind a teahouse. Add three suc-
cesses instead on rolls to make out large-scale details, such
as an army’s movements.
Sky-Hidden Secrets (30m, 1wp; Simple; Instant;
Essence 2): Through a combination of natural prescient gifts
and immaculate star charts, the cloud people are adept
at prophecy. Roll Knowledge to introduce a relevant fact
about something that will happen up to a season in the
future, rather than something about the present or past. Treat
the introduced fact as likely to happen if the roll succeeds;
but cloud oracles are fallible, due to the intrinsic instability
of prophecy, inescapable minor errors in star charts, and
unfamiliarity with the ways of the world below. This Charm
is only usable once per story.
Storyteller Tactics
Cloud people prefer to spar with words rather than weapons.
They’re fond of debate, but their arguments trend toward the
arcane and oblique — they like to think they operate on an
entirely different level than the material people they deign to
engage. A sorcerer or savant who can keep up with their ram-
bling dialogues, gleaning droplets of brilliance from clouds
of obfuscation, delights them. Cloud people make exception-
al consultants on occult matters, especially astrology, over
which they frequently obsess. They make passable assistants
in other matters, but they’re extremely recalcitrant if their

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accommodations and surroundings don’t match their When they do, they prefer hit-and-fade tactics, due
standards. Give each cloud person their own Intimacies. partially to their delicate physical bodies and partially
to their flightiness. Anything they find attractive easily
Cloud people disdain those who would press them into distracts them, prompting them to try persuading the
combat, but betimes even they descend to such actions. object of desire to accept their Cloud Feather Blessing.

Flickerfeather
A common sight in Eastern rivers and lakes, a flicker- immediately drags enemies grappled at short range
feather isn’t an animal as many think, but a water el- to close range.
emental. It resembles an overlarge cuttlefish, with a DEFENSIVE CHARMS
mantle over a meter long limned with small, waterproof
Ink Clone (5m; Simple; Three rounds; Eclipse;
feathers that change color rapidly as it swims — hence Essence 1): The flickerfeather vents a cloud of ink that,
the name. While clumsy and sluggish on land, able to even in the air, coalesces into the shape of another,
do little more than drag itself along, a flickerfeather can identical flickerfeather, changing color in a slow cycle.
respire air. It must do so to use its peculiar talent for Onlookers must succeed at a difficulty 3 (Perception
mimicking voices, which it uses to lure humans to play + (Awareness or Survival)) roll to distinguish the clone
with. Its tentacles appear proportionate to its body, but from the original. The false flickerfeather is not alive,
can deform radically, extending out to several meters to nor can it act other than to take reflexive move actions
snatch people up. on the real flickerfeather’s turn. It moves realistically,
but it’s simply a decoy, and dissolves when the Charm
Essence: 1; Willpower: 5; Join Battle: 8 dice ends or when an attack deals any damage to it.
Personal Motes: 60 Strobe (4m; Reflexive; Instant; Essence 1): The flick-
Health Levels: −0x1/−1x2/−2x2/−4x1/Incap. erfeather rapidly cycles its feathers through every
Intimacies: Defining: “I love to play!”; Major: “My possible hue, hard to focus on. It gains +2 Evasion
curiosity about the unknown knows no bounds.” against a single attack, but it can’t use this Charm
while Chromatoflage (see below) is active.
Actions: Deception/Disguise: 6 dice; Leaping: 5
dice; Read Intentions: 4 dice; Senses: 6 dice; Stealth: MOBILITY CHARMS
8 dice; Swim: 8 dice Fluid Is Fluid (10m; Simple; One scene; Wither-
Appearance 3, Resolve 1, Guile 1 ing-only; Essence 1): Exuding watery Essence, the
flickerfeather saturates the air around it as it moves.
COMBAT It can swim through the air as though it were under-
Attack (Bite): 4 dice (Damage 6) water. Opponents within close range treat the area
Attack (Tentacle): 6 dice (Damage 4) as difficult terrain, unless they could normally move
Attack (Grapple): 7 dice (9 to control) freely underwater. The flickerfeather doubles its soak
against withering ranged attacks.
Combat Movement: 7 dice
MISCELLANEOUS CHARMS
Evasion 4, Parry 2
Chromatoflage (7m, 1wp; Simple; Indefinite;
Soak/Hardness: 5/0 Eclipse, Perilous; Essence 1): The flickerfeather
SPECIAL ABILITIES changes its colors to fool onlookers into thinking it’s
Perfect Mimicry: Flickerfeathers can mimic any some false feature of the environment no bigger than
individual sound and are intelligent enough to form itself, such as a stepping stone or an underwater
short sentences from words they have learned by treasure. This functions as normal concealment, but
mimicking others. A (Wits + Awareness) roll, difficulty doesn’t require adequate coverage. Observers can
3, is required to realize a flickerfeather’s mimicry isn’t make a (Perception + Awareness) roll, opposed by
the real thing. the flickerfeather’s Stealth (or an Eclipse’s (Appear-
ance + Stealth)), to pierce the deception. If the flick-
MERITS
erfeather moves, takes any action, or takes damage,
Deceptive Reach: The flickerfeather’s tentacle this Charm immediately ends.
and grapple attacks can reach to short range; it

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Storyteller Tactics playmate inevitably drowns, it gets upset and takes it out
Flickerfeathers are simple spirits that do what more on the next person it sees.
powerful elementals tell them when pressed, but other-
wise exist to amuse themselves and play pranks on un- About as clever as a toddler, flickerfeathers take direc-
suspecting passersby. They normally only attack to harm tion well. Sorcerers and other savants who live by the
if threatened, but they like to engage in combat just to water keep flickerfeathers as guardians, and their talent
play keep-away, lead someone on a merry chase, or grab for mimicry makes them ideal spies — stalking a target,
new playmates so they don’t leave and end the game. learning what it says, and coming home to repeat it is
Flickerfeathers don’t understand the idea that some barely work for them. They grow bored easily, howev-
creatures can’t survive without air, so they have an un- er, and the wise provide them with means to entertain
fortunate tendency to drag people underwater and hold themselves, such as elaborate puzzles or opportunities
them captive there. When a flickerfeather’s unwilling to trick others, lest the elementals decide to make their
own fun.

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Heartflame
When first conjured, a heartflame doesn’t look impres- ignoring Hardness. The heartflame gains three Will-
sive. Little more than an ambulatory flame, no brighter power points that can exceed its usual maximum. The
than a guttering candle, it wants for shelter against even explosion can ignite secondary fires, at Storyteller
the slightest breeze. Many such creatures prefer to take discretion.
up residence in lamps or lanterns. A heartflame doesn’t Fire’s Nature: Anything flammable that strikes a
grow when fed tinder, and can barely start a fire; the hu- heartflame with Essence 3 or higher catches on fire,
man heart is its only fuel. When its light falls upon a sa- including people.
pient being, the effect is so profound it can kill. Inspiration: Certain actions, events, or situations
grant Willpower points that can exceed a heart-
The heartflame stokes the passions of all who look upon flame’s usual maximum, noted where relevant. When
it, driving them to ever more extreme actions in service it has 10 Willpower points, increase its Essence trait
to their ideals. But the mortal heart can only sustain so by one dot; it loses all Willpower points beyond 3.
much passion. If not allowed to cool, it detonates in a Heartflames grow larger as their Essence increases,
fiery display, leaving a smoking hole in the victim’s from a candle flame at Essence 1 to a torch flame,
chest. Then, the heartflame burns a little stronger, a lit- then a small campfire, then a roaring bonfire, and
tle brighter. Fed on enough hearts, it grows from ember finally to a massive pillar of living fire at Essence 5. At
to hearthfire, to bonfire, and eventually to a towering Essence 4, the heartflame gains the Legendary Size
conflagration that can consume an entire city — not in Merit (Exalted, p. 573); a summoned heartflame
flames but in holy war. can’t increase its Essence beyond 3, but still gains
Legendary Size.. At Essence 5, it can grow no larger,
Essence: 1 (see Inspiration); Willpower: 3; Join but can still spend its extra Willpower. The larger the
Battle: 5 heartflame, the farther it sheds its light; without ob-
struction, an Essence 5 heartflame can easily be seen
Personal Motes: 60
for miles.
Health Levels: −0/−1x2/−2x2/−4/Extinguished
OFFENSIVE CHARMS
Intimacies: Defining: “Inflame the passions of
others.”; “Bask in the brilliance of the human heart.” Enkindling Gaze (8m; Supplemental; Instant;
Psyche; Essence 1): This Charm enhances an inspire
Actions: Instill: 10 dice; Inspire: 8 dice; Read Inten- action. If it’s successful, the target’s passions are both
tions: 8 dice; Senses: 7 dice figuratively and literally inflamed. He suffers one lethal
Appearance 4, Resolve 4, Guile 2 damage per threshold success, subject to Hardness.
COMBAT The heartflame must be within the target’s line of sight.
Flare: 10 dice At Essence 5, if a character dies from this Charm’s
effects, the detonation of her heart spawns a new
Combat Movement: 6 dice
Essence 1 heartflame.
Evasion 4, Parry 0
SOCIAL CHARMS
Soak/Hardness: 6/0
Faith’s Own Tinder (20m; Simple; One scene;
MERITS Psyche; Essence 3): The heartflame’s warm glow
Ashes of Feeling: The heartflame loses one Will- brightens, casting an aura of light over everyone
power for each day it doesn’t gain any. If it runs out, within short range of it that imposes a penalty of −
lower its Essence trait by one and restore 3 Willpower. (heartflame’s Essence) to their Resolve rolls to defend
If this would take it to Essence 0, the heartflame dies. against its instill and inspire actions. The first time in
Burning Hearts: If any emotion-based effect a a scene that anyone affected by this aura acts on
heartflame creates reduces a non-combatant or an Intimacy the heartflame creates or enhances, or
trivial character to Incapacitated, the subject’s heart acts to pursue a passion it inflames, the heartflame
explodes from the sheer pressure of fiery Essence gains three Willpower points that can exceed its usual
roiling within, killing him instantly; each non-trivial maximum.
character within close range of the explosion takes Spread the Flames (7m; Supplemental; Instant;
(heartflame’s Essence) dice of aggravated damage, Eclipse; Essence 3): With one instill action, the

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heartflame targets a Defining Intimacy in one person Every heartflame is born at Essence 1, without access
and instills an identical Minor Intimacy in another. The to more powerful Charms. The process of cultivating a
newly instilled Intimacy cannot be eroded for (heart- heartflame is initially slow, with Willpower won bit by
flame’s Essence at the time of Charm activation) days. bit through judicious use of Stoke the Furnace and the
MISCELLANEOUS CHARMS Burning Hearts Merit; using Enkindling Gaze is a gam-
ble, but against a weakened target can potentially result
Stoke the Furnace (5m; Supplemental; Instant;
Essence 1): When the heartflame successfully instills or in a net gain of Willpower. Once a heartflame reaches
strengthens an Intimacy in someone else, it gains one Essence 3, gaining access to Faith’s Own Tinder and
Willpower point that can exceed its usual maximum. Spread the Flames, it grows rapidly.
Storyteller Tactics
Storytellers introducing a heartflame to a scene may
Heartflames are spirits of passion more than of mun- choose to set it at any Essence rating. At Essence 3+, the
dane flame. They don’t speak in words but through pure effects on any nearby communities should be noticeable,
emotion, breathing fleeting feelings into others’ hearts. providing leads for investigation into the cause of unnat-
Conceiving of everything in terms of fervent desires, ural passions and spontaneous combustions.
they care nothing for logic or morality, and act on raw
instinct without explicit instructions. Uncontrolled, a
heartflame runs rampant, not because it enjoys burning
hearts to ash, but simply because that’s its nature.

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Huraka
The huraka serve the lesser elemental dragons of Air The hurakas’ strength and unquestioning obedience makes
known as the Wind Masters. Huraka have a mostly ur- them desirable targets for sorcerers’ attentions: a sum-
sine shape, growing as tall as twelve to fourteen feet, moned huraka can haul massive loads, or direct a favorable
with sharp teeth and soft pelts. However, their talons wind for the duration of a ritual. A huraka will fight or de-
are more avian, and are spiked with thistles and thorns. fend its commander as well, though summoners use them
A huraka’s cloud-soft fur matches the color of the Wind for this purpose with caution. Abusing a summoned huraka
Master it serves: Blue Skulking Bear in the North, risks angering the Wind Masters, who may try to free the
Green Frowning Bear in the East, Black Grinning Bear newly created elemental from its summoner.
in the West, Red Stalking Bear in the South, and White
Venerable Bear at the center of the world. Their breath Essence: 2; Willpower: 6; Join Battle: 5 dice
steams constantly, even in humid air. Personal Motes: 70
Health Levels: −0x4/−1x4/−2x3/−4/Incap.
As the Wind Masters are responsible for Creation’s five
cardinal winds, the huraka are wind-herders as well, Actions: Control Winds: 7 dice; Feats of Strength: 8
tasked with managing steady breezes over hundreds of dice (may attempt Strength 5 feats); Fly: 5 dice; Intim-
square miles. They’re single-minded beings, focusing al-
idate: 7 dice; Senses: 4 dice; Threaten: 6 dice
most exclusively on the job at hand. While their duties Resolve 2, Guile 1
mainly entail guiding the winds, the Wind Masters also
use huraka as fighters, pitting them against their water
elemental enemies.

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COMBAT MOBILITY CHARMS


Attack (Bite): 9 dice (Damage 14) Graceful Updraft Movement (5m; Simple;
Attack (Claw): 9 dice (Damage 12) Instant; Essence 2): The huraka relies on the winds it
controls to aid its movement and carry it over obsta-
Attack (Grapple): 8 dice (8 to control)
cles, allowing it to ignore movement penalties or dif-
Combat Movement: 5 dice ficult terrain.
Evasion 4, Parry 3 MISCELLANEOUS CHARMS
Soak/Hardness: 12/4 Wind Master’s Roar (15m, 1wp; Simple; Instant;
MERITS Decisive-only; Essence 2): The huraka roars with its
Berserker: Wound penalties that would apply master’s might: a blizzard-force breath from the north,
to the huraka’s attack rolls are instead converted to a searing wave of heat from the south, etc. This is a de-
bonus dice. cisive attack with a pool of 10 dice against an enemy
within long range. If it deals damage, the target falls
Favored of the Masters: Though Wind Masters
prone. The huraka can flurry this Charm with a bite or
tend to leave huraka to their own devices, they are
claw attack.
fiercely protective of their servants. A huraka in need
can call upon its master for help to remove it from a Storyteller Tactics
situation, allowing it to disengage without a roll. The Huraka aren’t combative creatures by nature, content to
huraka catches a favorable current and moves one guide the winds and stay out of human conflicts as best
range band away in the direction the wind is blowing. they can. However, when called upon, they’re fierce and
OFFENSIVE CHARMS graceful fighters, using the swirling winds to enhance
their attacks. A huraka follows its summoner’s direc-
Slicing Wind Technique (5m; Supplemental; tives, provided they’re simple and direct. It isn’t capable
Instant; Decisive-only; Essence 2): The huraka’s talons
of advanced battle tactics, relying on straightforward at-
cut through the air so swiftly, the wind in their wake
tacks and defenses.
becomes a weapon. When the huraka makes a de-
cisive claw attack, add two automatic successes to
A huraka flees when it suffers damage to its last –2 health
the damage roll.
level.

Rothopper
Easily visible even to the least attentive travelers in the Intimacies: Defining: Deadly Toxins (Hunger);
East, rothoppers are enormous elemental frogs, bright- Major: “Take the path of least resistance.”
ly colored and the size of large dogs. They have nothing Actions: Feats of Strength: 7 dice (may perform
to fear from predation, as they’re likely to be the most Strength 3 feats); Jump: 8 dice; Social Influence: 7
poisonous thing for miles. Immune to any toxin, they dice; Swim: 6 dice; Senses: 5 dice; Stealth: 4 dice;
consume other poisons and concentrate them in their Tracking: 5 dice
Essence, growing increasingly noxious. Appearance 2, Resolve 3, Guile 2
A rothopper’s easygoing nature keeps it from wander-
COMBAT
ing far, and its poison slowly seeps into the area where it Attack (Tongue): 8 dice (Damage 0 and poison
dwells, transforming it into a fetid swamp. When it does when decisive, damage 2i/round (L in crash), dura-
move on, life explodes in its wake. In this way, rothop- tion two rounds, –2 penalty)
pers help to slowly rejuvenate the wild, felling old and Attack (Tongue grapple): 6 dice (5 to control)
tired forests to make way for new growth. Combat Movement: 7 dice
Evasion 3, Parry 1
Essence: 2; Willpower: 5; Join Battle: 7
MERITS
Personal Motes: 70
Far-Snatching Tongue: Tongue attacks can reach
Health Levels: −0x1/−1x1/−2x2/−4x1/Incap.
out to short range and have the flexible tag.

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Poison Immunity: Rothoppers are completely a decisive, unblockable attack with 8 dice; success
immune to all poisons and venoms, mundane and su- deals no damage but poisons the attacker.
pernatural. MISCELLANEOUS CHARMS
Toxin Tracker: Double 9s on all rolls involving de- Adder’s Tongue (10m, 1wp; Simple; One scene;
tecting or tracking the sources of poisons. Essence 2): The rothopper may combine the effects of
OFFENSIVE CHARMS up to (Essence) unique poisons it has ingested within
Toxic Cloud (5m, 2i; Simple; Five turns; Eclipse; the last week, and use the new substance in any of its
Essence 2): The rothopper exudes a thick, spread- attacks or Charms for this Charm’s duration. This new
ing cloud of poison, with the same traits as its usual admixture uses the highest of its component poisons’
poison but with an inhalation vector. On the first turn, it damage/interval, duration, and penalty values. The
affects anyone within short range; on the second turn, Storyteller may adjust those values to fit the story or
it extends to medium range. On the sixth turn, it con- mitigate the poison’s potency as needed. Addition-
denses as the Charm ends, covering the ground and ally, the poison may inflict unique effects on those
any exposed surfaces with the poison. These surfaces exposed to it, such as a creeping cold as the victim’s
remain a touch vector (limited to open wounds or in- blood slowly freezes, or hallucinations from a demon
gestion) for the scene. spider’s venom.
DEFENSIVE CHARMS Unveiling the Scorpion (3m, 1wp; Simple;
Instant; Essence 1): Like calls to like; the rothopper
Stinging Riposte (2m; Reflexive; Instant; Coun- frees poisons from their carriers. This could make the
terattack, Decisive-Only; Essence 1): When struck poison in a drink separate out into a clearly visible
with any attack at close or short range, the rothop- layer, or make a poisoned victim literally sweat the
per exhales a miasma of poison that clings to its at- deadly substance out, which reduces its duration by
tacker, with its usual poison traits and an inhalation one interval.
vector. Before damage is rolled, the rothopper makes

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Storyteller Tactics muddy water to disguise their bright hides until close
Rothoppers are mostly dangerous thanks to their poi- enough to reach prey with their tongues, though the
son, especially if they’re well-fed. They’re not usually steady death of nearby vegetation is a sign to the wary.
aggressive unless low on poisonous sustenance and ac- A rothopper flees when it takes damage to its first –2
tively hunting for new toxins, or directed by a sorcerer health level.
to attack; in both cases, they lurk beneath the surface of

Steel Eater
Beneath Southern sands, a patient opportunist with a Steel eaters hatch from burnished iron eggs, beginning
gleaming metal shell awaits. The steel eater is an insec- their lives as juveniles the size of a large dog. Younger
tile earth elemental, beetle-like but with a long, flexible ones live in groups of three to five; fully grown ones are
neck, that eats metals, digesting them to layer upon its more solitary and spend most of their lives about the size
exoskeleton. It grows until it rivals the yeddim in size, of a horse, until just before their chrysalis. Then, they
and then its shell warps into an enormous cocoon. From become ravenous and gorge themselves until they grow
this cocoon emerges a giant lacewing that lays 100 eggs large enough to metamorphose.
and expires soon after. This fly’s chitin and the cocoon it
leaves behind are of the strongest alloys, made from all Essence: 2; Willpower: 5; Join Battle: 6 dice
the metals it has consumed. In quieter times, steel eaters Personal Motes: 70
were content to find their repast deep beneath the earth, Health Levels: −0x3/−1x3/−2x3/−4x2/Incap.
but in the war-torn Time of Tumult, they dig pits and
Intimacies: Defining: “All metal is rightfully a part of
hide at the bottom, waiting for armor-girded humans to
me.”; Major: Exalts (Jealousy)
stumble in.

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Actions: Bargain: 6 dice; Climb Earth/Stone: 12 OFFENSIVE CHARMS


dice; Senses: 7 dice (see Metal Scent); Stealth: 7 Patient Hunter’s Sandtrap (8m, 1wp; Simple;
dice; Track Metal: 10 dice (see Metal Scent) One scene; Eclipse, Perilous; Essence 2): The steel
Appearance 2, Resolve 4, Guile 2 eater burrows beneath sand or soil, forming a trap
COMBAT that extends out to short range from the elemental,
horizontally and vertically. The topmost layer appears
Attack (Bite): 8 dice (Damage 10) undisturbed, but when trod upon it immediately col-
Combat Movement: 5 dice (6 underground) lapses into a swirling vortex of earth. Observers may
Evasion 1, Parry 2 notice the trap with a (Perception + Awareness) roll,
Soak/Hardness: 10/8 (see Implacable Hunter’s opposed by the steel eater’s Stealth (or an Eclipse’s
Aegis) (Stamina + Stealth)). When the trap collapses, it
creates an environmental hazard that deals 3i/
MERITS round, with difficulty 3. The interior is difficult terrain
Burrow: The steel eater burrows underground and and imposes a −2 visibility penalty to actions that rely
must move to a specific target’s position, up to one on sight. It requires a successful (Strength + Athlet-
full range band away, with a reflexive move action, ics) climbing action, difficulty 4, to escape without a
ignoring difficult terrain. It can burrow through sand rescue from above.
and soil, including packed dirt, but not through stone DEFENSIVE CHARMS
or other solid barriers. Unexpected attacks it makes
after this movement in the same turn add two automat- Implacable Hunter’s Aegis (7m, 1i; Reflex-
ic successes to the damage roll. ive; Instant; Perilous; Essence 2): Gain +5 Hardness
against a single decisive attack. Any 1s rolled on the
Metal Scent: Add three successes on Senses and attacker’s damage roll subtract from successes.
Track Metal rolls to notice or find any kind of metal,
up to a mile away. Storyteller Tactics
Steel eaters are tough, stubborn, and patient. They rarely
Ravenous Hunter’s Banquet: For each mundane
act rashly or attack without putting their prey at some
metal object smaller than a great sword the steel eater
consumes, it regains a mote of Essence, to its usual disadvantage, like trapping them in a sand pit, ambush-
maximum; larger such objects grant three motes each ing from under the earth, or disarming them. Exalts with
instead. A steel eater can’t digest or bite through ar- their panoplies draw steel eaters like moths to flame and
tifacts, but it can swallow them whole, gaining motes the elementals are jealous of the Exalted ability to work
equal to the artifact’s rating. Characters can cut the magical materials, but careful negotiations can create
steel eater open, or force or cajole it to vomit up its profitable situations for both parties. Individual steel
latest meal, to recover their wonders (or someone eaters have one or two unique Intimacies in addition to
else’s). The steel eater must succeed at a disarm the Defining one they all share.
gambit before eating something another character
holds, wears, or wields. Juvenile steel eaters are Essence 1, while adults are
Vibration Sense: Steel eaters have no eyes and Essence 2. Those close to chrysalis are even larger and
don’t rely on sight. Instead, they feel vibrations on the more powerful; represent this by adding health levels
wind and through the ground. They take no penalties and, at their largest, the Legendary Size Merit (Exalted,
from poor lighting, and double 9s on Senses rolls p. 522) and Essence 4. A steel eater flees combat when it
whenever vibrations are present. takes damage in its first −4 health level.

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Storm Serpent
Born of the fury of a thunderstorm, storm serpents Actions: Feats of Destruction: 12 dice (can attempt
are wild, terrifying expressions of elemental might. Strength 7 feats); Fly: 10 dice; Resist Disease/Poison:
Draconic in form, they can stretch for more than 100 me- 8 dice; Senses: 9 dice; Stealth: 7 dice
ters. Their iron-hard scales are the color of storm clouds, Appearance 4, Resolve 5, Guile 2
letting them blend in exceptionally well with their na- COMBAT
tive habitat and strike without warning. Like lightning,
they lash out at the tallest targets first; unlike lightning,
Attack (Tail strike): 11 dice (Damage 10)
they are vindictive, even petty, fixating on a single indi- Attack (Bite): 9 dice (Damage 8)
vidual and tormenting him with lightning strikes like a Attack (Claw): 12 dice (Damage 6)
cat playing with its prey. However, for all their power, Combat Movement: 12 dice
storm serpents are short-lived: They expire with the end Evasion 4, Parry 4
of the storm. As they shatter, they precipitate a white
dust valued by savants for its curative properties.
Soak/Hardness: 14/12
OFFENSIVE CHARMS
Essence: 4; Willpower: 7; Join Battle: 9 Fulminating Blast (11m, 1wp; Simple; Instant;
Personal Motes: 90 Decisive-only; Essence 3): The storm serpent gathers
Health Levels: −0x4/−1x4/−2x4/−4x2/Incap. Essence in a crackle of electricity, then lets fly with
a tremendous lightning bolt. Roll 12 dice for this un-
Intimacies: Defining: “Strike! Smash! Destroy!”; blockable decisive attack that can travel up to long
Major: That Which Will Outlive Me (Jealous Fury); “I range, which adds up to 8 bonus threshold successes
despise trickery!” on the attack roll as dice of damage.

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Thunderous Rebuke (8m; Supplemental; Instant; of its next turn, it arrives at a new location, ready to
Withering-only; Essence 3): This Charm applies a act. This Charm functions from any location within the
single withering tail strike attack to the individual storm that birthed the serpent where lightning could
Defenses of all targets within short range; the storm plausibly strike, including within storm clouds, and
serpent gains full Initiative from the target who took the can take the serpent to any such location within the
most damage, +1 for each additional target who took bounds of the same storm. Attackers cannot target the
any damage, plus any gained from Initiative Break. storm serpent while it’s in transit. Eclipses can use this
DEFENSIVE CHARMS Charm in any storm, but using it in a storm with an
active storm serpent is dangerous — they’re highly ter-
Evaporating Defense (7m; Reflexive; Instant; Per- ritorial. A wise Eclipse plans to land somewhere solid
ilous, Uniform; Essence 2): The storm serpent was born for her final location — a rooftop, a spire, a high cliff
from lightning, wind, and water, and can become ledge — or risks plummeting from the sky.
them. The storm serpent gains +2 Evasion until its next
Storyteller Tactics
turn, and reduces withering damage by half before
applying soak (rounded up). A storm serpent isn’t given to negotiation, nor is it easily
controllable without overcoming its defenses with mag-
Live Wire (5m; Reflexive; Instant; Counterattack,
ic. However, an Exalt (or a brave mortal) may be able to
Withering-only; Essence 2): The storm serpent re-
sponds to any ranged or close attack it attempts to talk one of these elementals into fixating on a specific
parry with an 11-die withering counterattack, rep- target by appealing to its vanity and pride. Storm ser-
resenting a shock of lightning. It occurs after the attack pents have precious few weaknesses save their short
is rolled but before damage is rolled; it doesn’t count lifespans, and are usually only vulnerable to attack when
as the serpent’s combat action, and the serpent only near the ground.
gains 1 Initiative no matter how much damage it deals
with this counterattack. Challenged directly, a storm serpent dashes every struc-
ture it can find to flinders before turning its rage directly
MOBILITY CHARMS
upon those who oppose it, relishing the moment when
Ascending to the Heavens (5m, 5i; Simple; they realize they have no shelter. Storm serpents never
Instant; Eclipse, Perilous; Essence 3): Storm systems turn aside their destructive fury, never flee or surrender
can stretch for miles, and storm serpents are impa- — their lives are too short to shamefully waste, and they
tient. The serpent transforms into a massive fusillade of punish foes for thinking they could challenge the spirit
lightning, arcing from cloud to cloud; at the beginning of the storm itself.

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DEMONS
The following spirits are demons — progeny of the unknowable Yozis of Malfeas,
working toward their alien aspirations as they toil in their rigid hierarchy.

Anuhle
the Demon Spider, Demon of the First Circle
Anuhles are not a single type of First Circle demon, but and disturbing deeds. Anuhles universally delight in the
a category of them. Most First Circle demons with the hunt, though their favored prey isn’t always people.
shape and behavior of a spider are called anuhles, though
their purposes, colorations, and personalities differ de- Essence: 2; Willpower: 6; Join Battle: 7 dice
pending on their Second Circle forebears, and they are Personal Motes: 70
many and varied. Generally, anuhles are web-weaving Health Levels: −0/−1x2/−2x2/−4/Incap.
predators ranging in size between a large dog and a draft
Speed Bonus: +3 (breeds large enough to serve as
horse.
mounts)
Anuhles descending from Calondra, Scribe of Tides Actions: Conceal/Disguise Webs: 8 dice; Feats of
Forgotten, attend to lost lore stashed within her manse. Strength: 7 dice (may attempt Strength 3 feats); In-
They weave forbidding tomes from their silk that can timidate: 7 dice; Senses: 10 dice; Spin Silk: 12 dice;
withstand the manse’s acidic environment, meticulously Stealth: 8 dice; Tracking: 8 dice
recording the activities of every being in the Demon City Resolve 3, Guile 3
and the movements of its celestial bodies. In Creation, COMBAT
they weave alien structures instead, to lay eggs within
Attack (Bite): 10 dice (Damage 13)
that hatch not into more anuhles, but into eerie words —
tales of demonic exploits written into earth, sea, and sky, Attack (Webbing grapple): 10 dice (10 to
imparting mind-warping lessons or prompting spon-
control)
taneous quests to discover long-lost songs. These dog- Combat Movement: 12 dice
sized anuhles have bulbous abdomens like an orb-weav- Evasion 4, Parry 3
er, ranging in color from dusty blue to deep indigo. Soak/Hardness: 8/5
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Riotous anuhles descend from Stanewald, She Who
Surmounted the Omphalos. Boisterous and destructive, Dripping Fangs: An anuhle’s decisive bite attacks
these demon-spiders crawl out from rubble left behind are venomous. The most common anuhle venom is a
after her dances. They cannot abide stoicism and prey vitriolic toxin that deals 3i/round (L in Crash), with du-
upon those who refuse to dance. These anuhles possess ration 5 rounds and a penalty of −4. Different breeds
a splash of rainbow color, with eight graceful legs and may have others.
slender bodies riding low to the ground. MERITS
Sharp-Eyed Terror: Double 9s on all Senses and
Octavian, the Living Tower, raises anuhles from his black Tracking rolls. Anuhles suffer no sight-based penalties
oil and the viscera of those he’s slain. These vindictive, for dim conditions or darkness, mundane or magical.
warlike anuhles gleefully hunt and kill lovers. They have
OFFENSIVE CHARMS
a huntsman spider’s frightening shape and a warhorse’s
size, and drip black ichor when they move. Hell-Silk Weaver (7m or 7m, 1wp; Supplemental;
Instant; Essence 1): For seven motes, the anuhle may
A sorcerer may summon the specific breed of anuhle supplement a Spin Silk roll to create hell-silk instead,
she wishes to command, or leave it to Malfean whim. a lightweight material with the strength of a steel
Summoners call up anuhles to pursue or slay targets, cable. Each supplemented Spin Silk action creates
weave their magical hell-silk, or perform more unique enough hell-silk to make one square yard of fabric.

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Alternatively, for seven motes and 1 Willpower, this victims, although the anuhle is free to perform other
Charm can supplement a grapple gambit, doubling actions and suffers no Defense penalties. In combat,
8s on the control roll and dealing one level of lethal this Charm requires a successful gambit with diffi-
damage to the grappled victim for every non-reflex- culty equal to motes spent. Hell-Silk Weaver and
ive action she performs while clinched. Web-Snaring Nightmare can supplement this Charm.
Principle of Motion (10m, 1wp; Reflexive; Instant; Web-Snaring Nightmare (5m; Supplemental;
Essence 2): The anuhle moves with blinding speed, Until the clinch ends; Essence 2): If the anuhle restrains
taking a flurry without the usual restrictions — it can a grappled opponent after its first round of control, it
flurry two of the same action if desired, and ignores may wrap the victim in webbing, allowing it to take
the usual penalties to dice pools and Defense. other non-reflexive actions while the grapple contin-
Silken Spike Offense (8m; Simple; Instant; De- ues and suffer no Defense penalties. The opponent’s
cisive-only; Essence 2): The anuhle weaves a foot- penalties to attacks while clinched increase by one.
long spike of hell-silk and propels it at a target within DEFENSIVE CHARMS
medium range, as a decisive attack with 10 dice that Leaping Demon-Spider Dodge (4m, 2i; Reflex-
ignores up to 3 Hardness. An enemy damaged by the ive; Instant; Perilous; Essence 2): After successfully
spike suffers one lethal damage die per round until dodging an attack, the anuhle moves one range band
she removes the spike, which requires destroying it or away from the attacker in any direction. This Charm
a difficulty 3 feat of strength. is usable once per scene, but it resets whenever the
Thread-Spinning Snare (3m, 1wp; Simple; anuhle Incapacitates or kills a non-trivial opponent.
Instant; Eclipse; Essence 1): The anuhle sets a trap MOBILITY CHARMS
that deals no damage, filling the area out to close
range from it with webbing. Anyone who enters the Monstrous Flying Leap (5m; Supplemental;
area is subject to a webbing grapple gambit using Instant; Essence 1): The anuhle leaps, pounces, or sails
the anuhle’s traits, even if the demon isn’t present; the on a string of silk, moving two range bands with one re-
web itself performs the clinch, and can only restrain flexive move action. This is only usable once per scene.

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MISCELLANEOUS CHARMS Storyteller Tactics


Bloodthirsty Stalker (5m; Simple; Indefinite; These traits reflect the basic competencies of any anuhle;
Essence 1): If the anuhle has tasted the target’s blood each specific type has a few additional Charms, Merits,
before (having dealt at least 1 level of lethal damage and/or special abilities to reflect its unique nature. For
with a bite attack), it doubles 7s on rolls to track, example, Calondra’s anuhles also possess Demon Lore: 7
follow, and find her; if she uses concealment magic, dice. If requested, they may spend 3 motes to recite one
use an appropriate pool to roll off against the anuhle’s random fact about Malfeas, demons and Yozis, or celes-
Senses or Tracking pool, depending on the situation. tial and seasonal cycles. Stanewald’s anuhles also pos-
Hurry Home (10m; Simple; Instant; Essence 1): sess Many-Legged Dances: 8 dice. By spending 5 motes
The demon returns to its summoner’s side; unavailable and 1 Willpower, they automatically succeed at a feat of
when unbound. demolition requiring fewer than 10 successes.
Materialize (35m, 1wp; Simple; Instant; Essence
1): Spinning itself from fears and venom, the anuhle Armor crafted from hell-silk gains the Silent tag.
enters Creation in physical form. Mundane means cannot harm or destroy it, and it is im-
mune to Dragon-Blooded anima flux.
Measure the Wind (5m; Simple; Instant; Essence
1): The anuhle can read anyone it has hunted and
caught, or is currently hunting.

Fulope
the Choral Equestrian, Demon of the First Circle
Fulope are masses of flexible fibers like spun glass, each Actions: Beautiful Song: 11 dice (5 with its own
aglow and moving as if adrift underwater. When calm, a voice); Fly: 4 dice; Host Impersonation: 5 dice (8 for
fulope swims through the air, but fits of passion tangle it long-term hosts); Read Intentions: 6 dice; Senses: 6
into knots, each snarl blistering into a burning eye with a dice; Social Influence (non-Performance): 7 dice
lamprey-like maw as its pupil. Appearance 3, Resolve 4, Guile 2
COMBAT
Like many of the Silent Wind’s brood, the choral eques-
trian lives to sing. Its own voice a harsh buzz, it possesses Attack (Bite): 7 dice (Damage 10)
others to perform. Fastening itself to the nape of another Attack (Tendril slash): 10 dice (Damage 8)
creature’s neck, it winds scorching, yet painless nerve-fi- Attack (Grapple): 8 dice (7 to control)
bers into the victim’s brain and larynx to seize control. Combat Movement: 4 dice
Confronted with another singer of any kind, the fulope
Evasion 3, Parry 2
competes to prove its mastery until they stop. Rival fu- Soak/Hardness: 4/0
lope engage in lengthy duels of song, leaving their hosts’ OFFENSIVE CHARMS
throats raw. Neural Reins (20m, 1wp; Simple; Indefinite; Deci-
sive-only; Essence 2): Expend all rounds of a grapple’s
A fulope often obsesses over something or someone as control to roll (10 + rounds of control forfeited) dice
its muse — most enticingly, Malfeas’ green sun. Left to it- against the higher of the target’s (Resolve or current
self, a choral equestrian seizes a flying demon’s body and Willpower). If successful, it gains control of her body,
soars into Hell’s sky. Those that fly too high burn, their using her physical Attributes, health track, and voice.
stolen bodies plummeting like meteors to the city below. Observers may make a difficulty 3 (Perception +
Awareness or Medicine) roll to notice a small glassy
Essence: 2; Willpower: 6; Join Battle: 2 dice lump in the nape of her neck, and a difficulty 5 (In-
Personal Motes: 70 telligence + Occult) roll to understand its significance.
Health Levels: −0/−1x2/−2x4/−4/Incap. At the end of each scene in which the fulope’s host is
present, she may roll (Wits + Integrity), difficulty 3, as
Intimacies: Defining: Current Muse (Obsession), “I one interval of an extended action with terminus 3 and
must sing.” goal number 10 to expel it. She may also roll whenever

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the demon tries to force her to act against an Intimacy, Uncoiling Glassy Thread (8m; Supplemental; Instant;
adding the Intimacy’s rating in bonus dice. Essence 1): The fulope’s strands elongate to grapple an
A character may submit willingly; the demon pays the enemy at short range, with three bonus successes on the
Charm’s cost and automatically succeeds without a roll. attack and control rolls. Success drags the victim to close
A target who retains control while possessed — having range. The strands’ pulsing heat is extraordinarily painful,
sorcerously bound the demon or persuaded it with social increasing the grappled target’s Defense penalty to −3.
influence — can spend the higher of (her Essence) or 3 MISCELLANEOUS CHARMS
of the fulope’s motes per scene on social Charms. She Hurry Home (10m, 1wp; Simple; Instant; Essence
can relinquish control to let the demon act for her with its 1): The demon returns to its summoner’s side; unavail-
own social and mental traits, and regains control at will. able when unbound.
An extended (Intelligence + Medicine) roll with dif- Materialize (35m, 1wp; Simple; Instant; Essence
ficulty 5, goal number 10, and interval one hour 1): The demon weaves itself from snatches of stolen
extracts an embedded fulope surgically from a re- song in a hundred foreign voices.
strained or subdued host. The patient suffers two lethal
damage per roll, ignoring Hardness. Magic that Measure the Wind (5m; Simple; Instant; Essence
ends possession, such as Burning Exorcism Technique 1): The fulope reads anyone it possesses.
(Exalted, p. 356), can also expel it. Storyteller Tactics
Song-Stealing Mollification (6m; Supplemen- A fulope without a host tries to grapple the most appealing
tal; Instant; Essence 1): While possessing a host target. Choose the opponent with the highest Performance
and in control, the fulope doubles 9s on a Perfor- rating, or if none have Performance, Charisma. Enemy sor-
mance-based social influence roll to uphold its host’s cerers can use summoned fulope to enhance their abilities, or
Intimacies by singing. Using this Charm more than take discreet control of someone important. Someone who’s
once per scene temporarily shifts one of the host’s In- already possessed makes for a good introduction to a mystery
timacies toward a more demonic context or subject the characters can investigate, following rumors of strange
with each subsequent use, until the fulope is expelled. behavior or noticing it themselves in someone they know.

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Metody
the Malfean Elemental, Demon of the First Circle
The demon realm of Malfeas lies wholly apart from the pools and/or static values relevant to the rivalry’s
mortal world, subject to its baleful masters’ whims and nature, adding two dice each to pools or +1 each to
never graced with the orderly presence of Creation’s ele- static values, to a maximum of the rival’s unmodified
ments. Instead, its cracks ooze with Theion To, or vitriol: value. It also copies one of the rival’s iconic Charms,
the acid of Hell. The metody are vitriol spirits, alien cous- non-Story Merits, or other powers for which it has
ins to Creation’s elementals. They can assume any twisted the prerequisites. Each time the rivalry persists into
or distorted human form, often horned or hooved, or dis- the next story, the metody may improve three more
figured animal shapes. They only take unblemished forms dice pools or static values (including ones previously
under compulsion. Their passage etches smoldering foot- enhanced by the rivalry), and choose an additional
prints into stone and trails a sulfurous stench.
Charm, Merit, or similar power. All benefits disap-
pear if all of the metody’s negative Intimacies toward
Their personalities are consumptive and acidic as their the rival drop below Major. Otherwise, the benefits
natures, passive-aggressively tearing others down and
become permanent if the metody personally and de-
cisively defeats the rival.
pointed in their commentary. They approach obstacles
with lazy defiance, believing nothing lies beyond their
ability to dissolve eventually, whether physical materials
or ephemeral relationships. When a metody establishes
a rivalry, it evolves to take on some of its foe’s qualities.

Essence: 3; Willpower: 6; Join Battle: 5 dice


Personal Motes: 80
Health Levels: −0x2/−1x3/−2x3/−4/Incap.
Intimacies: Defining: “Everything exists for me to
dissolve.”; Major: Creation’s Elementals (Spite)
Actions: Feats of Destruction: 9 dice; Read Inten-
tions: 8 dice; Resist Disease/Poison: 8 dice; Senses:
5 dice; Weaken Intimacy: 9 dice
Appearance 1, Resolve 4, Guile 2
COMBAT
Attack (Strike): 7 dice (Damage 10)
Attack (Grapple): 7 dice (6 to control) (see Acidic
Body)
Combat Movement: 6 dice
Evasion 4, Parry 2
Soak/Hardness: 8/0
MERITS
Blessed Acidic Body: Targets grappling or grap-
pled by the metody suffer an environmental hazard
(Exalted, p. 230) that deals 3L/round, with dif-
ficulty 5. The demon heals health levels equal to
damage it would take from any other acid source.
Rival Nature Subsumption: Once per
story, a metody may establish a rivalry with
someone toward whom it has a negative
Major or Defining Intimacy (other than
its summoner). It chooses three total dice

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Shifting Mutable Form: The metody assumes any ignores damage that wouldn’t harm ordinary acid.
humanoid or similarly sized animal (or animal-like) It also counts as an acid bath environmental hazard
shape as a miscellaneous action. In fluid form, it (see Blessed Acidic Body).
ignores difficult terrain and can fit through any space Hurry Home (10m, 1wp; Simple; Instant; Essence
a liquid could squeeze through, but can’t take any 1): The demon flows back to its summoner’s side; un-
non-movement actions. available when unbound.
OFFENSIVE CHARMS Materialize (40m, 1wp; Simple; Instant; Essence
Fluid Embrace (8m, 2i; Supplemental; Instant; Ag- 1): Reality peels back, smoldering, as the metody
gravated, Dual; Essence 3): One withering attack sears its way into Creation.
ignores all soak, or one decisive attack ignores all Measure the Wind (5m, Simple; Instant; Essence
Hardness. 1): The metody can discern the nature of anyone
DEFENSIVE CHARMS burned with its acid.
Liquid Evasion Tactic (4m; 4i; Reflexive; Instant; Storyteller Tactics
Uniform; Essence 1): The metody disperses into siz- Metody love to dissolve things — objects, structures,
zling globules, gaining +2 Evasion against one agreements, organizations, and relationships. They take
attack. On a successful dodge, it moves one range their time, though, believing it’s inevitable that one day
band in any direction it can flow, unless in Devouring they’ll dissolve all of Creation. Thus, unless bound to the
Acid Form. task, clever would-be victims might divert a metody’s
MISCELLANEOUS CHARMS attention to dissolving something more urgent with suf-
ficient social influence. Malfean elementals meet aggres-
Devouring Acid Form (6m, 1wp; Simple; One
sion in kind. Known for spite, they’ll destroy an enemy’s
scene; Essence 1): The metody dissolves into froth-
possessions before they kill her, just because they can.
ing, acidic foam. It devours mundane objects and
structures, burrowing through soil, sand, or other soft
A metody without specific orders to the contrary as-
substances with movement actions, or through one
sumes liquid or foam form to flee while dealing maxi-
yard of harder substances per minute. It cannot take
non-reflexive actions except feats of destruction, and mum collateral damage upon taking damage to its first
−2 health level.

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Oldrasek
the Eternal Wheel, Demon of the First Circle
These demons tumble from place to place humming and rings striking the ground as they spin. These messengers
whispering, quietly singing or mumbling about their ob- roll up the mirror-polished surfaces of Malfean glass
sessions. An oldrasek has no eyes, but it sees; no mouth, towers, carrying correspondence for the Demon City’s
though it speaks. A half-dozen to a dozen glittering, ro- inhabitants and bearing their decrees to Creation’s far-
tating, concentric rings composed of any combination of thest-flung reaches.
brass, blackened steel, pitted bone, tendons, glistening
viscera, basalt, or etched crystal, encircle its heart. No Summoners and demon princes call upon oldrasek to deliv-
two oldrasek possess the same set of rings, but each has er messages with dogged persistence. Tasked with deliver-
a scintillating fire opal at its center. ing a missive, the demon commits it to memory and takes
it to its target without regard for the challenges or dan-
The demon rolls along, propelled by its ever-turning gers of terrain. An oldrasek does not stop for any obstacle,
rings. These shift and twist in turn to give it unparalleled smashing through panes of living glass, toppling a Dynastic
maneuverability, casting bright arcs of reflected light in estate’s marble pillars, or crumbling the palisade erected
all directions. Ringing, clat- around a fort. It rolls through raging battles, plumbs pela-
tering, and meaty slapping gial depths, and trundles through raksha courts with nei-
follow in an oldrasek’s ther fear nor regard for the wonders and horrors it passes
wake, its various by. Upon arrival, it relays the message exactly as it was re-
ceived, in a language the recipient understands.

Oldrasek obsess over language and the delivery of


messages. To amuse themselves, they translate
the messages they carry into countless
tongues, searching for hidden mean-
ings and coded phrases to deci-
pher, and memorizing corre-
spondents’ linguistic patterns.
They recombine dispatches
to form a strange kind of
found poetry, some of which
borders on the prophetic.

Each message it delivers


links one being to another,
forging an invisible chain
across Creation and Malfeas
alike. Some occultists believe
that if one plotted out an ol-
drasek’s journeys on a map, its
path would resemble the words of
an incomplete missive. They suggest
that if all oldrasek wanderings were
so traced, they’d spell out a prayer
the demons themselves have
been composing for millennia.

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Essence: 2; Willpower: 6; Join Battle: 8 dice laws, an oldrasek can move vertically as well as hor-
Personal Motes: 70 izontally as long as it has a surface to roll on. Eclipses
with this Charm must roll as well, either by dropping
Health Levels: −0x5/−1x2/−2x2/−4/Incap.
prone and rolling bodily or using a wheeled device.
Actions: Feats of Strength: 8 dice (may attempt
Unstoppable Dervish Approach (8m, 1wp;
Strength 5 feats); Linguistic Feats: 8 dice; Navigation:
Supplemental; Instant; Essence 2): Add 3 dice to a
10 dice; Resist Disease/Poison: 8 dice; Senses: 5 dice
feat of strength to smash through a mundane obstacle.
Resolve 3, Guile 2 It crushes any object up to the size of an adult human,
COMBAT or creates a similarly sized hole in a wall or barrier.
Attack (Rolling trample): 10 dice (Damage 14, When the oldrasek is within medium range of its mes-
minimum 2); Tags: Smashing sage’s recipient, the demon may attempt Strength 7
feats to destroy obstacles in its way. This is only usable
Combat Movement: 13 dice once per scene; reset by moving at least one range
Evasion 4, Parry 3 band per round for five consecutive rounds.
Soak/Hardness: 8/4 MISCELLANEOUS CHARMS
MERITS Hurry Home (10m; Simple; Instant; Essence 1):
Eternal Wheel: So long as an oldrasek bears a The demon returns to its summoner’s side; unavailable
message and continues to move, it needs no rest or when unbound.
nourishment, suffers no penalties for difficult terrain, Materialize (35m, 1wp; Simple; Instant; Essence
and ignores damage from environmental hazards. 1): In a whirl of brass, flesh, and blood, bands of
Additionally, as long as it moves at least one range sinew, and the smell of heat, an oldrasek takes ma-
band per round in combat, it waives the Initiative cost terial shape.
for smash attacks. Measure the Wind (5m, Simple; Instant; Essence
Sturdy as Stone: An oldrasek cannot be knocked 1): An oldrasek reads the nature of anyone to whom
back or prone except by magical effects or creatures it’s delivering a message, or anyone who’s ordering
of Legendary Size. A grappled oldrasek cannot be such a delivery.
thrown or slammed unless magic such as Dragon Coil Storyteller Tactics
Technique (Exalted, p. 280) is used, or if the attack-
Summoners and more powerful demons use oldrasek
er is of Legendary Size.
to relay important messages to their allies or threats to
OFFENSIVE CHARMS their enemies, leaving plenty of opportunity for charac-
Spinning Gimbal Crush (5m; Simple; Instant; De- ters to bind one of their own or intercept critical infor-
cisive-only; Essence 2): An oldrasek pulps flesh and mation relayed via demon.
grinds bone within its swirling sphere. Add three dice
to a decisive attack. This attack ignores all Hardness An oldrasek resorts to Spinning Gimbal Crush only if
except from a Charm or other magical ability. If the cornered or if someone tries to prevent it from making a
oldrasek deals any damage, it may then take a reflex- delivery. If its target is unwilling to hear the message, it
ive rush action against another target, or a disengage smashes bodily into the recipient until he stops moving
action if escaping the fight would be more prudent. or complies — messages must be delivered. Whenever
This is only usable once per scene; reset by moving at an oldrasek has no message to carry, it obsessively seeks
least one range band per round for five consecutive another, roaming about and offering its services like a
rounds. rickshaw driver seeking fares.
MOBILITY CHARMS
Earth-Defying Gyration (6m, 1wp; Reflexive; If forced into battle, an oldrasek flees once it’s taken
One scene; Eclipse; Essence 1): Unbound by natural damage to its last −1 health level.

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Tomescu
the Clamorous Cloud Arsenal, Demon of the First Circle
At the beginning and the end of each day in Hell, the to- peasant child. They do these things to honor the Yozis’
mescu scream with the awful knowledge of their own incomprehensible wishes and to return some of their
dooms. One tomescu out of every 100 stays rebellious- masters’ memory to Creation.
ly silent. Of a set of 10,000, only one foresees a glorious
end, and its scream is joyous. These tomescu, other de- Essence: 2; Willpower: 6; Join Battle: 7 dice
mons fear. Personal Motes: 70
Health Levels: −0/−1x3/−2x3/−4/Incap.
A tomescu appears as a swirl of vapor. When it attacks,
long, insectoid limbs protrude from this airy haze, each Intimacies: Defining: “Die in pain or glory”; Major:
ending in a vicious weapon. Beneath the cloud, a tomes- “All actions serve the enemies of the gods.”
cu’s true form has a green carapace and dozens upon Actions: Feats of Strength: 6 dice (may perform
dozens of dexterous limbs. Though adept at the many Strength 4 feats); Honor the World-Makers: 8 dice;
arts of combat, the tomescu have no love for violence, Read Intentions: 7 dice; Senses: 7 dice; Wailing
for they know their lives will end in pain and suffering, Threats: 8 dice
and they wish to enjoy what brief pleasures they can in Appearance 3, Resolve 3, Guile 2
between their visions of death. COMBAT
Attack (Sword limb): 12 dice (Damage 10)
Bound or not, a tomescu seeks out small, odd tasks and
performs them for no obvious reason, from rearranging Attack (Axe limb): 10 dice (Damage 12)
garden stones just so to saving — or taking — the life of a Attack (Sledge limb): 8 dice (Damage 14/3)

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Attack (Composite bow limb): 10 dice (Damage as a summoner follows a tomescu’s predictions, she
10); Tags: Archery gains +4 bonus dice to relevant actions.
Combat Movement: 7 dice Hurry Home (10m; Simple; Instant; Essence 1):
Evasion 3, Parry 5 The demon returns to its summoner’s side; unavailable
when unbound.
Soak/Hardness: 8/0
Materialize (35m, 1wp; Simple; Instant; Essence
Note: A tomescu may have other kinds of weapon
1): Weaving itself from broken weapon shards and
limbs in addition to the common ones listed here.
wailing doom, the tomescu takes physical shape.
MERITS Measure the Wind (5m, Simple; Instant; Essence
Ten Thousand Deadly Limbs: Each of the tomes- 1): The tomescu can read anyone who faces it in
cu’s limbs ends in a weapon. These are grown from combat.
the demon’s own carapace and cannot be broken or Natural Prognostication (1m; Reflexive; Simple;
disarmed except with attacks that would sever a limb. Essence 1): Unbidden, the tomescu howls of misfor-
OFFENSIVE CHARMS tune doomed to be befall a target (often paranoid
Principle of Motion (10m, 1wp; Reflexive; Instant; summoners). This is expressed as a one-sentence
Essence 2): The tomescu moves with blinding speed, statement of something that may come to pass. If fol-
taking a flurry without the usual restrictions. It can lowing a tomescu’s prediction helps a character avoid
flurry two of the same action if desired, and it ignores misfortune, she regains one Willpower point, loses
the usual penalties to dice pools and Defense. one Limit if applicable, and forms a Minor Tie of trust
to all tomescu (or strengthens an existing Tie by one
Furious Thousand-Armed Counter (3m; Reflex-
step). Once per story.
ive; Instant; Counterattack, Withering-only; Essence
1): After the tomescu has applied its Parry defense but Storyteller Tactics
before damage is rolled, it makes a withering coun- Summoners typically summon and bind tomescu for one
terattack with its choice of weapon limb. Successes on of two reasons: they need a versatile combatant, or they
this damage roll reduce the target’s Initiative one-for- wish to have someone’s fate foretold. Though the de-
one. The first time in a turn it uses this ability against a mons don’t read the Loom of Fate, they’re attuned to the
particular opponent, it doesn’t pay the mote cost. Yozis’ vast knowledge. More often than not their guesses
DEFENSIVE CHARMS are correct when they cry of doom and despair. Many a
sorcerer has ignored a tomescu’s warnings and met her
Many-Limbed Interception (2m; Reflexive;
untimely end. However, they only predict doom — some-
Instant; Essence 1): Ignore all penalties to Parry
times without being asked.
Defense against a single attack. The first time in a turn
it uses this ability against a particular opponent, it
Tomescu are frightening to behold in a fight as flurries
doesn’t pay the mote cost.
of limbs and vapor. They tear into opponents one at a
MISCELLANEOUS CHARMS time until all that’s left is a haze of bloody mist. The same
Foretell the Future (10m, 1wp; Simple; One whirlwind of insectoid legs catches blows as easily as it
scene; Essence 2): In Malfeas, the tomescu read the delivers them; a tomescu in combat constantly parries
wind and listen to the whispers hidden behind ev- and counters.
er-present songs, and know the Yozis’ wishes. In Cre-
ation, they do their best to guess, finding the former A tomescu must scream at dawn and dusk when it
World-Makers’ thumbprints in hidden places. As long glimpses its own demise, which obviates stealth.

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Audegar
the Ever-Open Door, Demon of the Second Circle
An icy black wind presages Audegar’s arrival. Coils of vi- Legend says that wherever Audegar delivers a message,
olet cloth unfurl from empty air, assuming the form of a a strange sapling sprouts, eventually growing into a
tall, powerful man entirely swathed in purple. No flesh tree doomed to bring bloodless death: a climbing child
exists beneath those robes, only cold, stormy darkness. falling from its boughs, a brigand hung upon a gallows
built from its lumber, or perhaps a tyrant slain by poison
Audegar serves the demon princes as messenger and brewed from its bruise-colored blossoms.
courier. By entering the midnight tempest that is him-
self, he can travel anywhere in the same realm of exis- While Audegar abhors bloodshed, he’s fearsome in bat-
tence, and may bring passengers with him. Though he’s tle, unfurling lengths of purple fabric to smother and
honorable in his way, his winds are treacherous, inclined strangle, or to draw enemies into the shadowy typhoon
to tear travelers from him and cast them adrift on far, within him. Some victims appear in the ocean’s depths
lonely shores. or plummet from the heavens. Others simply vanish, for-
ever lost.
Jacint, the Prince Upon the Tower — Audegar’s demon-
ic progenitor — creates Hell’s winding sky-roads with Essence: 6; Willpower: 7; Join Battle: 8 dice
voice alone. On occasion, lesser demons consecrate Personal Motes: 110
those roads to Audegar by hanging their kin from them
Health Levels: −0/−1x5/−2x5/−4x5/Incap.
until dead. In like manner, an earthly bridge from which
a person has been hanged is hallowed unto him for so Intimacies: Defining: “I am honored to serve as a
long as the body remains. messenger.”; Major: “It is not the journey that matters,

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but the destination.”, “I abhor bloodshed.”, “There within long range, such as high above the ground or
is beauty in death and silence.”, the Demon Princes at the bottom of a lake; the target must be able to fit
(Respect); Minor: Philosophers (Desire to Debate) normally in the space where they appear. This cannot
Actions: Feats of Strength: 7 dice (may attempt guarantee death, but may be fatal without supernatu-
Strength 3 feats); Resist Disease/Poison: 10 dice; ral protection or swift rescue. Once per scene; reset by
Senses: 7 dice; Social Influence: 6 dice; Stealth: 8 defeating a non-trivial opponent using other means.
dice; Teleportation: 8 dice; Tracking: 7 dice Porphyreal Brocade Barrage (6m, 2i; Simple;
Appearance 3 (Hideous), Resolve 4, Guile 4 Instant; Essence 4): Audegar sends streamers of
purple fabric lashing out in all directions. This is a single
COMBAT withering attack with 13 dice and 13/3 damage
Attack (Cloth whip): 11 dice (Damage 11) against all opponents within close range. He gains
Attack (Grapple): 9 dice (10 to control) Initiative normally for the highest damage roll, plus up
Combat Movement: 11 dice to three Initiative for each other target struck. Anyone
this attack crashes flies back one range band and
Evasion 6, Parry 3 lands prone. Once per scene; reset when attacked 5+
Soak/Hardness: 10/0 (see Resilient Cloth Body) times in one round by non-trivial opponents.
MERITS DEFENSIVE CHARMS
Levitant: Audegar doesn’t touch the earth, but rather Implosive Evasion (5m, 2i or 5m, 2i, 1wp; Re-
drifts above it. He ignores relevant difficult terrain. flexive; Instant; Essence 5): Audegar folds into himself
Resilient Cloth Body: Audegar has Hardness 6 to escape harm, gaining +3 Evasion. If he dodges
against attacks that deal bashing decisive damage. successfully, he vanishes and immediately reappears
Soul-Scrap Vessel: Should Audegar be killed, anywhere he wishes within short range (or medium
his windy Essence clings to a fragment of violet cloth range with a 1 Willpower surcharge), ignoring ob-
that reflexively flees via Borne on Black Winds (see structions.
below). This soul-scrap vessel has a single −4 health MOBILITY CHARMS
level and 10 motes, and is only capable of move- Elusive Skyborne Wisp (2m+; Reflexive; Instant;
ment, perception, social influence, and stealth. Aude- Essence 4): Add up to three successes to any combat
gar’s Essence gutters out by the end of the next story movement roll, or up to +3 to Evasion, for two motes
unless an artisan weaves him a new body as a major per success or point of Evasion.
crafting project.
MISCELLANEOUS CHARMS
Travel Through Nothingness: Audegar can tele-
port when taking a reflexive move action, ignoring Borne on Black Winds (10m + 5m/passenger;
obstructions and difficult terrain. He may bring one Simple; Instant; Essence 6): Audegar vanishes into
willing character whenever he teleports; this counts as the cold, dark winds inside himself to travel afar.
the passenger’s next reflexive move action. These winds exist outside Creation; while traveling, he
neither perceives nor interacts with the world and vice
OFFENSIVE CHARMS versa. Audegar travels 100 miles per hour, ignoring
Enshrouding Textile Snare (5m; Supplemen- obstacles except those that block immaterial beings.
tal; Instant; Essence 5): Banners of Audegar’s violet Passengers treat the icy winds as an environmental
cloth cocoon a foe. Double 9s on a grapple gam- hazard (1B/hour, difficulty 1) and must roll (Stamina
bit’s attack roll, Initiative roll, and control roll. Once + Integrity) or be torn free, falling back into the world
per scene; reset by successfully using Inner Whirlwind somewhere off-course determined by the Storyteller. If
Banishment against a non-trivial opponent. he transports a large group, the Storyteller may make
Flickering-Air Ambuscade (6m, 2i; Simple; one roll to represent the whole group. This Charm
Instant; Uniform; Essence 6): Folding into himself, cannot transport people between realms of existence.
Audegar vanishes, reappearing behind an enemy Audegar himself must roll Teleportation with vari-
within medium range and making a normal cloth whip able difficulty: 1 for a place within line of sight, 2 for
attack. a place he knows well, 3 for a place barely known
Inner Whirlwind Banishment (10m, 1wp; Re- or unknown but well-described, or 4 for a place
flexive; Instant; Perilous; Essence 6): Pulling an en- unknown and only vaguely described. Failure leads
snared enemy inside himself, Audegar exiles her into him off-course. A botch takes him and his passengers
his internal storm. He may only use this Charm while wildly off-course, or they encounter some disastrous
controlling a grapple at Initiative 10+ with at least five inner peril — like a spectral behemoth, black-light-
turns of control. The target vanishes, reappearing at ning storm, or hurricane of bones — of the Storyteller’s
the start of the next round in some dangerous location choosing.

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Hurry Home (10m, 1wp; Simple; Instant; Essence petitioner and those around her for the scene. The
1): Audegar fades away and vanishes on his next Charm ends if the petitioner leaves the bridge or if the
turn, drawn instantly to his summoner’s side or to a bridge loses its sanctification. An Eclipse can activate
petitioner with whom he’s communing via Pontal Sky- this Charm when someone speaks her name, not Au-
Shrine Intercession. degar’s; this requires a bridge sanctified via actions
Materialize (55m, 1wp; Simple; Instant; Essence and symbols evoking the Eclipse’s own personality
1): Audegar unfurls from a gust of cold, dark wind. and nature, as agreed upon with the Storyteller.
Measure the Wind (5m; Simple; Instant; Essence Storyteller Tactics
1): Audegar can discern the nature of anyone who Sorcerers typically bind Audegar for conveyance, though
travels through him. he’s also an efficacious messenger and adequate com-
Pontal Sky-Shrine Intercession (5m; Reflex- batant. While unbound, he usually eschews combat,
ive; One scene; Eclipse; Essence 4): Audegar may preferring diplomacy and fleeing the first time he takes
activate this Charm whenever someone in the same any damage. Should a summoner’s orders compel bat-
realm of existence speaks his name while on a bridge tle, he prefers hit-and-run tactics, picking off stragglers
sanctified to him. He can hear and be heard by the with Enshrouding Textile Snare and Inner Whirlwind
Banishment.

Makarios
the Sigil’s Dreamer, Demon of the Second Circle
Makarios appears as a youth with hair of copper wire COMBAT
and a rainbow shimmer upon his eyes. His foremost de- Attack (Unarmed): 10 dice (Damage 10)
sire is to spread his sigil across Creation, binding mortal
Combat Movement: 6 dice
dreams to him. Sorcerers call Makarios to advise them
in trade negotiations or to bargain for his otherworld- Evasion 3, Parry 3
ly treasures. Crueler summoners set the demon to tor- Soak/Hardness: 8/4
menting foes in dreams. MERITS
Cult 2: Sigil-bearers pray for relief that never comes.
Those wishing to bargain with Makarios must do so in
dreams, where he resides in a citadel of apple-green Demon-Merchant’s Prerogative: Any social influ-
chrysoprase and white alabaster, filled with sensual de- ence that would compel Makarios to give away his wares
lights. The wonders Makarios offers are rarely found in
without a fair deal is unacceptable (Exalted, p. 220), in-
cluding commands from a sorcerer who’s bound him.
Creation: gems of crystalline sorrow, nightmare-scented
perfumes, the language of toads. His cost is always fair, Dream-Binding Sigil: A character with Occult 5,
though well-negotiated. or Occult 3 and a specialty in Demons, may make
a difficulty 3 (Intelligence + [lower of Linguistics or
Essence: 5; Willpower: 7; Join Battle: 8 dice Occult]) roll to draw Makarios’ sigil on the brow of
a willing or helpless mortal. Marked mortals can’t
Personal Motes: 100 regain Willpower from sleep, and can’t dream at
Health Levels: −0x1/−1x3/−2x5/−4x3/Incap. all unless Makarios visits them. Every (10 – Integri-
Intimacies: Defining: “Expand the ranks of my sig- ty) days a marked character with zero Willpower
il-bearers.”, “Breaking bargains is unforgivable.”; goes without recovering any Willpower, she either
Major: “Bring my goods to broader markets.”, Sig- gains the Minor Madness Derangement (Exalted,
il-Bearers (Possessiveness); Minor: The Guild (Fond- p. 168), or increases the Derangement’s intensi-
ness) ty one step if she already has it. Removing the mark
Actions: Appraise Goods: 12 dice; Bargain: 14 unbinds her dreams, but doesn’t remove Derange-
dice; Crafting: 12 dice; Demon City Lore: 7 dice; Eco- ments. She can wash away an inked or painted sigil,
nomics: 10 dice; Investigate: 7 dice; Read Intentions: but a branded or scarred sigil must be removed either
9 dice; Senses: 8 dice; Social Influence: 10 dice; with magic capable of healing crippling injuries or by
Tracking: 5 dice cutting away the marked flesh, which inflicts four dice
of lethal damage that can’t be negated or prevented.
Appearance 4, Resolve 5, Guile 4

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OFFENSIVE CHARMS whose approximate location he knows, letting him


Prismatic Cloud Touch (6m, 3i; Supplemental; speak to and engage in social influence with her.
Instant; Dual, Eclipse, Perilous; Essence 3): Wreathing Objects held or worn by both participants’ physical
a hand in a colorful haze of dreams and nightmares, bodies accompany them; any exchanged objects
Makarios saps his foe’s will. A withering attack that appear at the recipient’s physical location. Makarios
crashes an enemy, or decisive attack that hits an doubles 9s on all actions if the dreamer bears his sigil.
enemy, supplemented by this Charm steals one Will- (Eclipses can’t gain this benefit.) At any time, Makari-
power from the target; this can increase Makarios’ os can commit a 10-mote, 1-Willpower surcharge to
Willpower beyond its maximum, but excess unspent change the dream into a nightmare in which he and
points vanish at the end of the scene. the dreamer can harm each other, with damage and
other deleterious effects carrying over to their physical
Tarnished Trinket Glint (7m; Simple; Instant; De- bodies. It’s not possible to die this way — Incapacitat-
cisive-only, Eclipse, Psyche; Essence 3): Roll 12 dice ed characters lose all Willpower instead.
(Eclipses use [Manipulation + Bureaucracy]) against
the Resolve of an enemy within medium range as a Lotus-Gilding Tongue (5m; Supplemental; Instant;
difficulty 4 gambit. Success makes the victim see an Essence 5): Double 8s on a bargain roll. Double 7s
illusory treasure somewhere within medium range of instead if Makarios offers something he crafted from
Makarios, tailored to appeal to one of her Major or otherworldly materials.
Defining Intimacies. She must move toward it, and Waking Dream Affliction (10m, 1wp; Simple; One
can’t attack any target until she reaches it. The Solar scene; Eclipse, Psyche; Essence 3): Roll 12 dice (Eclipses
Charm Eye of the Unconquered Sun and comparable use [Manipulation + Bureaucracy]) against the Resolve
effects render characters immune to this Charm. of one or more characters. Affected characters perceive
SOCIAL CHARMS an illusion — either an alteration to the environment, or an
illusory entity up to the size of a house — as real, unless
Gates of the Dreaming Market (5m, 1wp physical interaction with it reveals otherwise. Characters
[+10m, 1wp]; Simple; One dream; Eclipse; Essence can spend 1 Willpower to resist if their belief in the illu-
3): Makarios enters the dreams of a sleeping character sion imperils a Major or Defining Intimacy.

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MISCELLANEOUS CHARMS Storyteller Tactics


Heartfelt Treasures Appraisal (8m, 1wp; Makarios offers unique and valuable treasures. He ac-
Simple; One scene; Eclipse; Essence 4): Makari- cepts many forms of compensation — vast sums of cur-
os perfectly ignores attempts to misrepresent the rency, artifacts, favors, and so on — but his favorite deal
value of objects offered for sale or trade, including by far is payment in unwilling mortals marked with his
Psyche effects like the Solar Charm Soul-Snaring Pitch sigil. Confronted with moral objections to this, he ex-
(Exalted, p. 286), unless the seller’s sole motivation presses polite bemusement.
is upholding a Defining Intimacy, not profit. Makarios
can free others from such influence by informing them Makarios can’t threaten the Exalted in combat. If nego-
of the truth. He automatically discerns any Ties a seller tiations fail, he disorients enemies with Waking Dream
has to her wares. Affliction and stalls the strongest foe with Tarnished
Hurry Home (10m, 1wp; Simple; Instant; Essence Trinket Glint, then dematerializes and flees. His true
1): On his next turn, Makarios vanishes to his sum- weapons are his connections in Creation; take this op-
moner’s side; unavailable while unbound. portunity to introduce unique and colorful antagonists
Materialize (50m, 1wp; Simple; Instant; Essence — cultists, sorcerers, Exigents, the Guild, etc. He has
1): Makarios appears from a swirl of prismatic mist. no mercy for those who renege on deals with him, and
Measure the Wind (5m; Simple; Instant; Essence exacts punishments ranging from tormented dreams to
1): Makarios determines the nature of a sigil-bearer sending minions or the indebted to harass the perpetra-
or someone bargaining with him. tor in the waking world.
Sigil-Seeking (10m; Simple; One scene; Essence
3): Double 7s on Senses-based rolls against sig-
il-bearers.

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Rimvidas
the Cancerous Cornucopia, Demon of the Second Circle
Bipedal and pleasant to the eye, with a half-dozen arms Combat Movement: 8 dice
that each end in a many-fingered hand, the Malfean gar- Evasion 4, Parry 5
dener Rimvidas tends to the development not only of Soak/Hardness: 10/0
Creation’s vegetation when summoned and what twist-
ed flora thrive in Hell, but anything that can bloom and MERITS
grow: blossoming ideas captured from creative mortal Cult 1: Rimvidas’ worshipers are gardeners, animal
minds, a thriving economy, a war for conquest and ex- breeders, and other nurturers with an infernal bent,
pansion, or even new love. They drape themselves in or those desperate to make a productive change: the
cloth-of-brass unless put to a particular task, in which oppressed and downtrodden as well as the greedy
case their clothing shifts to something appropriate — and ambitious.
gleaming armor when called upon to aid in conquest, Green Thumb: Rimvidas rolls Cultivate for any
for instance, or a merchant’s finery when commanded to action that involves growing something in any way,
bolster trade. at the Storyteller’s discretion, even if the action would
normally fall under another pool. Example actions
It’s dangerous to rely on the Cancerous Cornucopia; include rallying for numbers while commanding a
they never know when to stop. Left unchecked, their battle group, instill actions to create a new Intimacy or
gardens overgrow to the ruin of entire castle towns. The strengthen an existing one, crafting new objects or re-
loves they encourage intensify until the unfortunate vic- pairing broken ones, and any action that contributes
tims become codependent and obsessed. A campaign to the health and growth of a living being.
of conquest stretches a nation’s resources so thin their Overgrowth: On the final roll of any extended
entire empire collapses practically overnight. Rimvidas action with a terminus (Exalted, p. 189), Rimvidas
continues to tweak and meddle indefinitely, sometimes may accept a complication or deleterious side effect
accomplishing precisely the opposite of their intentions. for the action to increase the terminus by one roll. They
Sorcerers must craft commands carefully to avoid de- may do this indefinitely, but all complications and
stroying what they wish to make flourish, and any sum- side effects stack. Complications need not necessarily
moner worth their salt advises their students to always affect Rimvidas themselves; they could affect the en-
give the demon a hard deadline or quantitative limit. vironment, the demon’s allies, or even the stability of
Rimvidas never takes the blame for tasks they botch this
infrastructure, if the action has a large enough scope.
way, petty and spiteful in its accusations of others even if Perfectionist: Rimvidas may spend 1 Willpower to
interference was impossible. immediately reroll a failed roll for any non-extended
action that supports one of their Intimacies with no in-
Essence: 6; Willpower: 7; Join Battle: 7 dice creased difficulty and take the higher result, although
any costs required to use relevant magic must be paid
Personal Motes: 110 again.
Health Levels: −0x2/−1x4/−2x6/−4/Incap.
DEFENSIVE CHARMS
Intimacies: Defining: “Cultivate things that grow.”;
Major: “Nothing is ever my fault.”, “My work is never Conscript-Pruning Strategy (20m, 1wp; Re-
done.”; Minor: “Everything I touch must be perfect- flexive; Instant; Essence 4): Rimvidas prunes not
ed.”, “The more drastic the change, the better.” for quality, but for quantity. This Charm enhances
a rally for numbers action that either Rimvidas or
Actions: Cultivate: 12 dice; Demon Lore: 7 dice; one of their allies takes. If this action restores more
Feats of Strength: 6 dice (may attempt Strength 3 than the battle group’s maximum Magnitude, the
feats); Read Intentions: 8 dice; Resist Disease/Poison: group gains 1 Size, to a maximum of 5. Whenever
10 dice; Senses: 8 dice; Social Influence: 9 dice; the group’s Size would increase beyond 5, reduce
Stealth: 7 dice either its Drill or Might by 1 and create a new Size
Appearance 4, Resolve 4, Guile 5 1 battle group under Rimvidas’ command with
COMBAT traits appropriate to the nature of the recruits, which
can increase in Size the same way. Drill can’t drop
Attack (Spade): 12 dice (Damage 10/2); Tags: below poor and Might can’t drop below 0; if cre-
Piercing ating a new battle group this way would decrease

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either past their minimums for the larger group, this and the roll succeeds, this Charm bestows one dot per
Charm fails. The extra numbers may be defectors eight motes spent of any valid Merit upon the subject,
from an enemy army’s own lost Size, innocent by- including supernatural Merits but excluding Story
standers roped into fighting, or even ferocious wild Merits, Merits for which the character doesn’t meet
animals drawn from the surrounding area. the prerequisites, Merits that affect Exaltation, and
SOCIAL CHARMS Merits that are strictly social or experiential in nature.
Fertilizing the Grapevine (15m, 1wp; Supple- If the Charm’s subject isn’t sapient, such as a mundane
mental; Eclipse; Instant; Essence 3): Like overgrown plant or animal, Rimvidas need not roll, and chooses
vines, an idea or feeling creeps unchecked from one mundane or supernatural non-Merit mutations to
mouth or mind to another. This Charm supplements bestow instead as long as they add rather than sub-
an instill action to create or strengthen an Intimacy. If tracting anything. For instance, they could add a tail
successful, the next time the target speaks to another to a creature, make a flower produce more pollen, or
character about a topic related to the Intimacy, roll give sight to a blind animal.
Rimvidas’ action again with all its original enhance- For each Merit after the first bestowed upon the same
ments, but without costs. If successful, the new target sapient target, that target gains a new Minor Intimacy
also falls victim to the same instill action. This chain for something demonic in nature, of the Storyteller’s
continues until the action fails or until four days have choice. For each mutation after the first bestowed
passed, whichever comes first. upon a non-sapient target, its form or function percep-
MISCELLANEOUS CHARMS tibly warps in some way that brings it more in line with
Malfean ideals or aesthetics. Rimvidas cannot use this
Coaxing Stem and Bone (8m per Merit dot; Charm on any subject that has reached full maturity,
Simple; Instant; Essence 5): Rimvidas may shape the and can only use it once per target per story. Player
form and function of any developing living being. Roll characters who receive its benefits enter experience
Cultivate with a difficulty equal to the target’s Stamina debt for the Merit dots received and all experience
or Resolve, whichever is lower. If its subject is sapient

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points the player earns must pay off the debt before subtract a die from any pool Rimvidas possesses other
being applied to other traits. This Charm bypasses the than Cultivate for the scene.
need for training time. Hurry Home (10m; Simple; Instant; Essence 1):
Fecundity in Motion (8m; Simple; One scene; The demon returns to its summoner’s side; unavailable
Essence 3): The Cancerous Cornucopia may give life, when unbound.
but what else do they give along with it? Roll Culti- Materialize (55m, 1wp; Simple; Instant; Essence
vate with a difficulty equal to the target’s Stamina or 1): With the scent of wet dirt and the iron tang of fresh
Resolve, whichever is lower. If successful, the target blood, Rimvidas takes material shape.
converts one aggravated damage level to lethal or
Measure the Wind (5m, Simple; Instant; Essence
heals one lethal or bashing health level at the begin-
1): Rimvidas can read anyone they’ve directly target-
ning of each of their turns for the rest of the scene. If
ed with a Charm at any time in the past.
they have no damage to heal, they gain one tem-
porary −0 health level per turn instead; damage fills Storyteller Tactics
these temporary health levels first, and they vanish Summoners commonly call on Rimvidas to bestow
upon filling with lethal or aggravated damage. For blessings upon their children, crops, or lavish gardens.
each temporary health level the target gains, they Cautious summoners know not to allow the demon too
also gain a Flaw (Exalted, p. 167) that lasts for much free rein, though, lest they take abundance to the
the rest of the current story; the player and Storytell- extreme and bring the sorcerer’s endeavors to ruin. Left
er should work together to choose the Flaw, and the to their own devices, Rimvidas always continues to grow,
player may choose to keep it permanently. If the Flaw tweak, and perfect whatever they get their hands on un-
is a Derangement, each level of severity counts as a til forced to stop, either by command or by circumstance.
separate Flaw. A character can’t gain more Flaws this
way than their Essence rating. Rimvidas cannot end Rimvidas loathes bloodshed. Though capable of defend-
this Charm early. ing themselves to survive or protect their summoner,
Green Sun Nourishment (2m per die rerolled; battle ill suits their nature. If they must engage in it, they
Supplemental; Instant; Essence 2): When two trees wield a gleaming brass spade sharp enough to punch
grow too close together, only the one that can reach through orichalcum with alarming skill despite their ha-
the sunlight first survives. Whenever Rimvidas rolls tred for violence. The demon dematerializes and flees at
Cultivate, they may reroll one failed die per two motes the first opportunity unless forced to fight.
spent. For each success that results from the reroll,

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Stanewald
She Who Surmounted the Omphalos, Demon of the Second Circle
Stanewald appears only where shadows fall and the dust Essence: 6; Willpower: 8; Join Battle: 8 dice
is thickest, for her form fades in strong light. Summoners Personal Motes: 110
who have seen her describe Stanewald as handsome, Health Levels: −0/−1x3/−2x5/−4x3/Incap.
floating just above the earth and wearing a tanned horse-
Intimacies: Defining: “I must dance.”, “I seek a
hide as a cloak over a colorful, flowing tunic and white
new passion.”; Major: “All stone crumbles before
silk pants.
me.”; Spirits and Elementals of Stone (Hatred); Minor:
Wulfthryth (Companionable Love)
Like many Malfean denizens, Stanewald is a dancer.
Music and dance permeate every corner of the realm, Actions: Architectural Knowledge: 12 dice; Dancing:
and all demons feel such arts deep in their bones, from 12 dice; Demonic Lore: 8 dice; Feats of Strength: 9
the lowliest metody to the majestic Green Sun himself. dice (may attempt Strength 5 feats); Read Intentions:
Stanewald is known for her 13 efficacious dances that ex- 7 dice; Ride: 10 dice; Senses: 7 dice; Social Influ-
press her joy in shattering stone, widely regarded as the
ence: 8 dice; Stealth: 10 dice
pinnacle of dance-based magic. Any being can earn the Appearance 5, Resolve 4, Guile 4
grudging respect of demons far and wide if they manage COMBAT
to learn even one of Stanewald’s infamous dances. Attack (Boulder-Exploding Kick): 12 dice
(Damage 14/4)

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Attack (Grapple): 10 dice (12 to control) the Charm’s Initiative cost, but requires Stanewald to
Combat Movement: 12 dice meditate for five minutes before using the Charm.
Evasion 6, Parry 4 MISCELLANEOUS CHARMS
Soak/Hardness: 10/3 (12/5 while wearing Hurry Home (10m; Simple; Instant; Essence 1):
Wulfthryth) The demon returns to its summoner’s side; unavailable
MERITS when unbound.
Materialize (55m, 1wp; Simple; Instant; Essence
A Voice to Mute Flames: All firedust within short
1): Swirling from the dust that settles after a stone wall
range loses its charge at the sound of Stanewald’s
collapses, Stanewald takes form.
voice, becoming permanently inert.
Measure the Wind (5m, Simple; Instant; Essence
Answer to the Earth: Whenever Stanewald makes
1): Stanewald can read anyone whose hands have
a decisive attack against an earth elemental or other
worked or broken stone, and anyone transfixed by
spirit associated with earth or stone, the damage is
her unearthly dancing.
aggravated. When she attacks an Earth Aspected
Dragon-Blood or another non-spirit being with strong Thirteen Efficacious Dances: Summoners call
ties to earth and stone, her unarmed attack damage upon Stanewald for her efficacious dances, which
becomes 15/5. crumble walls and transmute solid stone. The effects
of dances with a duration longer than Instant persist
Cult 2: Worship of Stanewald is popular among
until Stanewald’s task is complete, or until her dancing
occult masons and geomancers, as well as those who
is interrupted. If an efficacious dance is interrupted
craft magical siege weaponry.
partway through, it leaves the task only partially com-
Defying Stone and Dust: Stanewald is immune plete.
to environmental hazards based on sand, earth, or Storyteller Tactics
stone, and automatically reduces withering attacks
Stanewald is an untamed, energetic presence in a sto-
made with magical earthen qualities (such as attacks
made by earth elementals or with the Earth keyword, ry. 70 years ago, when she was called the Answer to the
or from weapons made of white jade) to minimum Earth, elder demon lords commanded her to climb the
damage. Her spiritual connection to the element Imperial Mountain. No one save Stanewald and those
imposes a −3 penalty to her Resolve when she is sum- who gave the order know why. Whatever she did while
moned in the presence of crumbling or broken stone. upon the peak forever changed her, pushing her to find
Familiar 3: Her beloved familiar is Wulfthryth, the a new obsession; once she does, it replaces “I seek a new
horsehide she wears, both a separate entity and an passion” as a Defining Intimacy until she loses interest
innate part of her. When he separates from Stan- in it, at which point it reverts back and she pursues a
ewald, Wulfthryth is a spectral horse-skin with hollow, new one yet again.
skeletal legs wearing black steel horseshoes. He can
transform from cloak to horse-body or vice versa as Sorcerers call her from Malfeas to bring down impen-
a miscellaneous action. As a mount, Wulfthryth has etrable fortresses, perform drastic terraforming, and
the following traits: Speed Bonus +4, Health –0x3/– create geomantic conditions favorable for further mag-
1x3/–2x3/–4/Incap., and the dice pools, Merits, ical works. Beyond what her summoner commands, she
and special abilities of a trained horse (Exalted, constantly seeks another driving passion — and Creation
p. 567). He is immune to fear. If Wulfthryth dies, he is full of so many fascinating opportunities. Stanewald
regenerates completely at midnight of the next new develops an obsession with any character willing to help
moon. her find this passion. She bargains with or cajoles her
OFFENSIVE CHARMS summoner to let her use her more unusual and specific
dances if they don’t command it first.
Gate-Shattering Touch (10m, 2i, 1wp; Sup-
plemental; Instant; Decisive-only; Essence 3): Stan- In combat, Stanewald wields artful, calamitous strikes
ewald’s blows strike with a force to shatter mountains. to build up to her devastating Gate-Shattering Touch.
Against a target wearing armor, the damage roll for a
She uses any applicable Reflexive or Supplemental,
successful decisive attack doubles 10s and ignores
Instant-duration efficacious dance whenever possible.
Hardness. Armor made of mundane steel shatters
She prioritizes attackers wearing heavy armor or carry-
into irreparable pieces, while artifacts suffer –4 Soak
and –2 Hardness until restored with a repair project ing artifacts of jade — especially white jade — over un-
(Exalted, p. 242). Outside combat, Stanewald may encumbered enemies, and flies into a destructive rage
use this Charm to automatically and instantly succeed whenever faced with spirits of earth and stone or Earth-
at a Strength 10+ feat of demolition; doing so removes Aspected Dragon-Blooded.

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Thirteen Efficacious Dances


Dance Cost and Effect
First (5m; Supplemental; Instant; Eclipse; Essence 1): Halve the Strength requirement to perform a feat of dem-
olition on a building or object made of stone (a wall, a statue, etc.).
Second (3m; Simple; One scene; Eclipse; Essence 1): Erode a boulder or an equivalent amount of mundane stone
into sand.
Third (10m, 1 wp; Simple; Indefinite; Eclipse; Essence 3): Create a mild earthquake across a six-square-mile
area centered on Stanewald; this is an environmental hazard (1L/minute, difficulty 3).
Fourth (8m; Supplemental; Instant; Essence 2): Double-8s on an instill or inspire action that provokes feelings
of spite toward earth and stone; against trivial opponents, the action becomes automatically successful
instead.
Fifth (10m; Simple; Instant; Eclipse; Essence 3): Torment a captive earth elemental with agonizing pain that
deals no damage.
Sixth (8m; Simple; Instant; Eclipse; Essence 3): Take an automatically successful inspire action that causes a
random local spirit to act with destructive animosity toward a stone structure.
Seventh (5m, 1wp; Supplemental; Indefinite; Eclipse; Essence 2): Roll Dancing with difficulty 2 to carve a tunnel
through earth and rock of one cubic yard per threshold success per hour. Eclipses roll Dexterity + Perfor-
mance instead, and must roll Stamina + Resistance, difficulty 1, every two hours to continue dancing, with
a cumulative difficulty increase of +1 per roll.
Eighth (10m, 1 wp; Simple; One scene; Eclipse; Essence 4): Roll Dancing, difficulty 2. Create a pit beneath Stan-
ewald’s feet seven miles deep and one square yard in radius per threshold success. She does not fall in.
Ninth (20m, 2wp; Simple; Instant; Essence 5): Roll Dancing, difficulty 2. Create a volcanic vent that launches
rocks and gases into the sky. It lasts for a year per threshold success. This is a persistent environmental
hazard (2L/minute, difficulty 3) out to medium range.
10th (20m, 1wp, 1 lhl; Simple; Indefinite; Essence 6): Roll Dancing opposed by a god-blooded target’s
Stamina + Resistance; the target must be within six miles of Stanewald. Upon success, strike the divinity
from the target for as long as the dance continues uninterrupted. This renders them mortal, but does not
kill them.
11th (15m, 1 wp; Simple; Indefinite; Eclipse; Essence 5): Create a severe earthquake across a six-square-mile
area centered on Stanewald; this is an environmental hazard (3L/minute, difficulty 4).
12th (20m, 1wp; Simple; One scene; Essence 6): Dissolve a fortress-sized stone structure into molten earth.
Anyone inside or within short range of the structure must resist a lava environmental hazard (6L/round,
difficulty 5).
13th The 13th dance is unknown.

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Sibri
the Rampart of Serpents, Demon of the Third Circle
Life is pain; pain is change; change is life. This is the wis- Strength 5 feats); Read Intentions: 9 dice; Resistance:
dom of the Rampart of Serpents. She sees herself as a 14 dice; Senses: 13 dice; Social Influence: 10 dice;
teacher, though few in the demon realm welcome her tute- Stealth: 1 die (human form 8 dice); Threaten: 12 dice;
lage, for her tuition is gathered by venom and paid in agony. Tracking: 10 dice
Appearance 5 (Hideous in wall form), Resolve 5,
Sibri winds across the Demon City as a wall of living Guile 3
snakes taller than a bowshot, parting crowds and barring COMBAT
passage. Though she’s scarcely a yard thick, few dare
cross through her; to those enfolded in her serpents’ Attack (Bite): 14 dice (Damage 12/3; poison
coils, that lone yard can seem endless. Some of her ven-
when decisive: damage 3i/round [L in crash], 3
rounds, −3 penalty)
oms are lethal. Others are crueler.
Attack (Unarmed, human form only): 14 dice
When Sibri enters Creation, she rises from the earth as (Damage 12)
a pillar of snakes, then stretches outward as a mile-long Attack (Grapple): 12 dice (9 to control)
living wall in accordance with her summoner’s will, fol- Combat Movement: 8 dice (see Horizon-Span-
lowing long sweeping curves like the path of a chariot at ning Bulwark)
full gallop. Alternatively, she may condense herself into Evasion 0 (human form 6), Parry 6
human shape — tall, lean, and dark, clad in many-colored
snakeskin robes, with venomous fangs and the milky
Soak/Hardness: 17/7
blue eyes of a molting serpent. SPECIAL ABILITIES
Fangs of the Serpent Gate: Whenever someone
In all her forms, she scars the earth where she pass- passes through the Rampart of Serpents — whether
es, leaving it cracked and furrowed. Water that flows she willingly creates an opening or the creature uses
through these gullies grows brackish and salty. Those a feat of strength, appropriate stunt, or magic — she
who taste it later dream of old pains or lost youth. may reflexively attack him using Infinite Suffering
Venom or Mind-Opening Venom at no cost. Influence
She favors outcasts, sorcerers, children, and the impov- that would prevent her from thus attacking a target
erished, maimed, chronically ill, and elderly. Her famil- she’s never poisoned is unacceptable.
iar-serpents sometimes cross between worlds to offer Limitless Serpent Assault: Whenever Sibri takes
these her aid and wisdom. Some legends suggest that a bite or grapple action without Charms, she makes
rarely, she’s personally drawn to Creation to answer the a single attack roll, applying it to any number of op-
prayers of slaves, the abused, or princes laboring under ponents within close range. If withering, she only
imperial yoke. These she teaches harsh lessons in per- gains full Initiative for the highest damage total, and
severance, treachery, and the brutal demands of victory. one Initiative for each other damaged opponent.
Thousand Pythons Embrace: While Sibri con-
Essence: 9 (human form 5); Willpower: 9; Join trols a grapple with a smaller creature, she suffers no
Battle: 12 dice penalties for being in a grapple and may perform
Personal Motes: 140 (human form 100) non-clinch actions without a flurry. Drag actions move
Health Levels: −0x10/−1x15/−2x20/−4x10/ the victim along Sibri’s body.
Incap. MERITS
Intimacies: Defining: “I am the death of igno- Cult 4: In addition to scattered cults among Creation’s
rance and innocence.”; “None pass through me oppressed, many of Ixcoatli’s snakefolk worship her
unchanged.”; The Ebon Dragon (Wary Admira- as part of their pantheon.
tion); Major: “Pain and struggle are the mothers of Hatchling Demon-Prince Sequestration: If
wisdom.”; Minor: My Students (Stern Devotion); The Bestow the Ophidian Familiar is active when Sibri
Gods (Pity) dies, the familiar persists indefinitely; she regener-
Actions: Feats of Strength: 14 dice (may attempt ates within it. It grows into her human form over one
Strength 7 feats; human form 12 dice, may attempt month, and attains her full power after a year and

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a day; some Intimacies may change, and she loses sorceries, and other efforts that encompass much
many memories. Multiple familiars produce multiple of her body. She can only move by extending her
human forms; Sibri can only restore herself fully from leading edge; see Horizon-Spanning Bulwark.
one when the rest are dead. Seething Rampart Body: Sibri chooses whether
Legendary Size: Sibri suffers no onslaught pen- to be difficult terrain or not for any given character
alties from attacks from smaller opponents, unless climbing her, within her, or standing atop her, and
magically inflicted. Withering attacks from smaller can change this reflexively.
enemies cannot crash her unless they have at least 10 Serpent-Spirit Senses: Between her countless
post-soak damage dice, although attackers still gain eyes, preternatural olfactory sense, and vibration
all Initiative damage dealt. Decisive attacks from sense, Sibri doubles 8s on Senses rolls and ignores all
smaller enemies cannot deal more than (3 + attacker’s nonmagical penalties.
Strength) levels of damage to her, not counting levels
Unexpected Interposition: Sibri can extend
added by Charms or other magic.
herself into the thick of other characters when she’s
Living Landscape: Sibri can’t be grappled, summoned, transforms into rampart form, or lengthens
knocked down, knocked back, or lifted into the air via Horizon-Spanning Bulwark. A character within
by creatures or forces of lesser scale, even by magic close range of Sibri as she unfurls must roll (Dexterity
like Dragon Coil Technique. (To overcome this, see + Athletics), difficulty 5, to control which side of her he
the “Felling Gigantic Foes” sidebar in Exalted, p. ends up on; on a botch, he ends up inside her.
274.) Damage to individual snakes has little impact;
she’s effectively immune to harm from nonmagical OFFENSIVE CHARMS
sources, while magical sources can’t deal more than Infinite Suffering Venom (10m, 1wp; Simple;
(attacker’s Essence) damage per instance of damage. Instant; Decisive-only, Venom; Essence 5): Sibri
The Storyteller should make exceptions for massive makes a decisive bite attack while at Initiative 10+
battle groups, siege weapons, wildfires, expansive to inflict a poison (0 damage, unlimited duration,
–3 penalty). Drugs can dull the pain for a time, but

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VENOM CHARMS

Sibri may employ a Charm with the Venom keyword either in addition to or instead of her normal poison.

Sometime after a Venom Charm wears off, the target sheds his skin like a molting snake, while also weakening or
removing an Intimacy of his player’s choice as appropriate to the poison’s effects or his recent experiences. This
Intimacy manifests in the shed skin; it takes on a pseudo-life of its own, twisting itself into a serpentine shape and
slithering away, hissing words of shame and regret. Shed skins have (Intimacy + 3) dice for social influence, mainly
for inspire or instill actions tied to their Intimacy, but are noncombatants (Exalted, p. 208) and otherwise harmless.

it inevitably returns. Only powerful techniques like opponent or routing a battle group.
Wholeness-Restoring Meditation or Order-Affirming Tsunami Sweeping From the Serpents’
Blow can purge this venom. Usable once per scene, Sea (15m, 5i, 1wp; Simple; Instant; Dual, Perilous;
unless reset by defeating a non-trivial opponent. Essence 9): Like a tidal wave, the Rampart of Serpents
Mind-Opening Venom (10m, 1wp; Simple; Instant; sways and topples upon her foes in a seething reptili-
Decisive-only, Eclipse, Venom; Essence 5): Sibri makes an tide. Roll one undodgeable withering attack (20
a decisive bite attack while at Initiative 10+. It carries dice, 20/5 damage) against every opponent within
a hallucinogenic poison with 0 damage, duration 24 long range of one side of her, awarding Initiative nor-
hours, and penalty −5 (also applying to Resolve and mally for the highest damage roll and a maximum of
Guile). During this time, Sibri’s mind touches his; she five Initiative for each other target struck. Then, if any
shows him visions of dreadful futures that may or may opponents in that area are battle groups or crashed
not come to pass, or confronts him with terrible truths (whether or not her attack crashed them), roll one
about himself, others, or the world. His player gains decisive bite attack against each such character.
or alters a relevant Major or Defining Intimacy of his Sibri becomes prone afterward, and must spend her
choice relating to these visions. Usable once per scene, next action rising from prone. This cannot be flurried,
unless reset by using this Charm against a willing target. and characters may cross over her during that turn,
Nature-Molting Venom (10m, 1wp; Simple; treating her as difficult terrain; her special abilities and
Instant; Decisive-only, Venom; Essence 5): Sibri Merits that apply to characters traversing her don’t
makes a decisive bite attack while at Initiative 15+. apply. Usable once per story, unless reset by uphold-
If she deals at least one level of damage, the target ing a Defining Intimacy through defeating, educating,
must roll (Stamina + Resistance) against difficulty 5 or or transforming a powerful character.
sleep for a full day, undergoing a supernatural trans- DEFENSIVE CHARMS
formation. Sibri rolls nine dice, awarding the target up Enfolding Serpent Shield (1m; Reflexive; Instant;
to (successes) dots of innate and/or purchased Merits Essence 6): Sibri interposes a writhing mesh of snakes
of her choice. She may transform a willing creature between an ally and harm, performing a defend
without attacking or dealing damage. This venom other action to protect a character within close range.
can only affect a given target once. Usable once per
story; reset by the target achieving a major story goal Gathering of Serpents (10m, 1wp; Reflexive;
in pursuit of a Major or Defining Intimacy. Instant; Essence 8): Hissing, the Rampart of Serpents
calls to her earthly kin, and they rise from the earth to
Principle of Motion (10m, 1wp; Reflexive; Instant; join with her. Roll (Essence), healing levels of damage
Essence 2): Sibri moves with blinding speed. She acts equal to successes. Only usable once per story.
twice without flurry penalties, and may take the same
action twice if desired (normally attacking twice). MOBILITY CHARMS
Rain of Vipers (5m, 2i; Simple; Instant; Dual, Peril- Horizon-Spanning Bulwark (10m; Simple; In-
ous; Essence 6): Sibri shakes, showering serpents on definite, Stackable; Essence 9): Sibri unfurls like a
those below. Roll one withering attack (15 dice, scroll, extending herself into an even vaster rampart.
15/3 damage) against every opponent within short She lengthens by one mile over a few minutes, distrib-
range, awarding Initiative normally for the highest uting this increase in either or both directions. When
damage roll and a maximum of five Initiative for each releasing committed motes, she may likewise diminish
other target struck. Then, if she damaged any battle herself at either or both ends. In combat, she extends
groups or crashed any characters, roll one decisive and/or retracts one range band per turn instead; she
bite attack against each such opponent. Usable once can do this while grappling smaller opponents without
per scene, unless reset by incapacitating a non-trivial a drag action.

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SIBRI, CLOTHED WITH HUMANITY

In human form via her Clothed with Humanity Charm, Sibri loses all Special Abilities and Merits except Cult, Hatch-
ling Demon-Prince Sequestration, and Serpent-Spirit Senses.

She can use all Snake style Charms (Exalted, p. 427-431), including Mastery effects. She may spend an additional
1i to deliver a Venom-keyword Charm with a decisive unarmed Martial Arts attack.

MISCELLANEOUS CHARMS Materialize (70m, 1wp; Simple; Instant; Essence


Bestow the Ophidian Familiar (5m; Simple; In- 1): Sibri weaves herself together from thousands of
definite; Essence 6): Sibri releases a rainbow-scaled, snakes that slither up out of the earth and rain down
blue-eyed viper containing a fragment of her Essence from the sky.
to serve as a character’s familiar. It has the traits of a Measure the Wind (5m; Simple; Instant; Essence
venomous snake (Exalted, p. 575), with a Defining 1): The Rampart of Serpents can discern the nature of
Intimacy of devotion to Sibri and a Major Intimacy of anyone she’s ever envenomed.
obedience to its new master. It can use Infinite Suf- Storyteller Tactics
fering Venom and Mind-Opening Venom if its master Sibri uses her shape and mobility to her advantage,
willingly pays the Charm costs. Sibri can only release forming arrow slits and parapets for allied missile troops
the committed motes by reabsorbing the familiar — and employing Horizon-Spanning Bulwark to divide op-
assimilating its memories and experiences — or when ponents, engage ranged foes, and encircle mobile foes
the familiar dies. so they can’t escape. She uses her special attacks intel-
Clothed with Humanity (5m; Simple; Instant; ligently, reserving them for powerful and dangerous
Essence 1): The Rampart of Serpents assumes human opponents.
form. She loses much of her physical prowess and
magic for the duration, but may revert to her true While summoned and bound, Sibri loyally obeys the
demonic form reflexively and at no cost. See the spirit of her instructions. Within those restrictions, she
sidebar for details. tries hard to avoid dying even in the face of suicidal com-
Hurry Home (10m, 1wp; Simple; Instant; Essence mands and always bestows at least one familiar to ensure
1): Sibri fades away and vanishes on her next turn, her survival. Unbound, she prefers caution, typically
drawn instantly to her summoner’s side; unavailable withdrawing from battle upon taking damage to her −2
when unbound. health levels.

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Inaol drifted high as she dared, wanting to cover as much ground as possible before becoming
earthbound once more. She spied the red-lacquered gates of Arran, and counted herself lucky.
The village was three days’ ride from her own; she could seek shelter there until Calibration
ended.
She alit inside the gates. Her mother said the people of Arran greeted the year’s end with loud
revels, to frighten catastrophe away. Yet, where drums and horns ought to have assailed her, the
only music came from wind whistling down chimneys. Where she should have smelled roasting
meat and woodsmoke, the only scent was the sharp bite of snow on the air.
The townspeople were scattered around the bones of the bonfire, all dead.
She was suddenly glad she’d kept the Icewalker’s spear.
Some had fallen, stiff-backed and rigid, as though they were toppled statues. Others bore peck
marks and burns in a coil pattern, all of which appeared septic. The rest had died clawing at their
throats, choking for breaths they couldn’t draw.
She didn’t have to wonder what had done this to the people of Arran. The culprit stood on the other
side of the bonfire, its dread gaze locked on one last victim. The cockatrice had a lizard’s scaly
body, leathery wings, and a rooster’s bright-plumed head, and it held Arran’s last defender captive
with its piercing stare. The woman’s short sword lay forgotten at her feet. Her shield hung loose at
her side.
Soon, either the bird would dart in for a poisonous bite or the warrior would fall over dead from its
gaze alone.
I have to distract it. Inaol hefted the spear. She’d only half-heartedly trained with one at home,
but she didn’t need accuracy for this. She aimed not for the cockatrice, but beyond it, toward an
abandoned cart of pots and pans. Their likely owner lay nearby, probably killed before he could
return them to the kitchen to be refilled.
The spear flew, knocking one pot askew and sending the rest tumbling. The cacophony startled
the cockatrice. It moved to investigate the ruckus. Inaol kept herself at its back and darted to the
warrior’s side. The woman was sluggish, but allowed Inaol to drag her out of the monster’s sights.
They crouched down behind an overturned wagon while the warrior’s will returned. It wouldn’t
be long before the cockatrice came looking for its missing prey, and now neither of them had a
weapon.
But she still has her shield.
The warrior didn’t protest when Inaol unstrapped it from her arm. Red lacquer, like Arran’s gates,
coated the wood. Inaol saw her face in the polish. It wasn’t perfect, but it might do long enough to
let them escape.
The cockatrice crowed with rage. Its talons scraped along the hard ground, ever closer.
Inaol secured the shield in front of them, then waited, not daring to peek, until she heard the
cockatrice’s footsteps stop. At last, she dared a glance over the shield’s edge. The monster bird
stared at its own reflection, transfixed.
“GO.” Inaol mouthed to her companion. Together, the women broke for the gate.

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Chapter Four

Creatures
of the Wyld
11 Descending Fire

Why we decided to venture into the bordermarches in the first place, I’ll never know. What I do
know is that we’ve been following this goat around since before the sun set, and it’s nearly dawn
now. We keep talking about turning back — we’ve even started to, several times! But we always end
up back here with this damned goat. If this keeps up, we’re liable to walk until we starve…

Black Hollow
Most people never see a black hollow — only the effects Evasion 4, Parry 1
of its passage. Concealed within a featureless, black- Soak/Hardness: 12/6
er-than-black sphere, it drains color from whatever
SPECIAL ABILITIES
it touches, stripping it from surfaces and tearing into
anything thicker than paper to get at the hue hidden Starved for Hue: With a successful flense attack
within. It’s fond of the brilliant carmine red of human on an Exalt whose anima banner is visible, the black
blood, and leaves victims a twisted fractal of gray pulp
hollow steals the character’s Essence for itself: two
motes if the banner is at the glowing level, four at
and fluid after it shreds them alive. No evidence of the
burning, or six at bonfire/iconic. This can increase the
black hollow’s true shape remains when it perishes, only
black hollow’s pool beyond its usual maximum, up to
an explosion of color that stains anything nearby with
30 total motes; however, unused motes in excess of
the hues it most recently consumed. Some savants be- 20 vanish at the end of the scene.
lieve the black hollow doesn’t have a true shape, nothing
more than its endless hunger. The light of the Exalted MERITS
soul spilling out into the world gives off pure, sublime Color Scent: Black hollows are blind, but they can
colors a black hollow cannot resist. sniff color out, even beneath skin or behind a wall,
and then destroy those barriers to get at it. They can’t
Essence: 2; Willpower: 5; Join Battle: 7 dice detect things that are completely black or white, trans-
Personal Motes: 20m parent objects like glass, or each other.
Health Levels: −0x5/−4x2/Incap. Oubliette: A successful grapple gambit pulls the foe
into the sphere, where the black hollow devours all
Actions: Feats of Destruction: 6 dice (may attempt light. The victim is blinded until they escape, suffering
Strength 3 feats); Senses: 7 dice (see Color Scent); a −3 modifier on actions that rely on sight.
Stealth: 4 dice (see Pitch Black); Tracking: 10 dice
Pitch Black: Characters who can’t see in total dark-
Resolve 1, Guile 5 ness increase penalties to find or notice the black
COMBAT hollow in dim light or darkness by two.
Attack (Flense): 9 dice (Damage 9/3); Tags: OFFENSIVE CHARMS
Melee (see Anima-Devouring Maw) Fractal Strike (1-5m; Supplemental; Instant; Dual;
Attack (Grapple): 8 dice (10 to control) (see Ou- Essence 2): The black hollow’s attacks twist around
bliette) obstacles in impossible ways. A supplemented with-
Combat Movement: 7 dice ering attack ignores soak from armor equal to motes

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spent, up to five; a decisive attack


ignores Hardness from armor equal
to motes spent, up to five.
DEFENSIVE CHARMS
Chaotic Veil (2m, 2i per +1; Re-
flexive; One scene; Essence
1): A thin, almost invisi-
ble ribbon of warped
prism always surrounds
the sphere. This Charm
expands that ribbon to
fill more space; all char-
acters within short range,
including the black hollow
itself, gain +1 Evasion per
two motes plus two Initia-
tive spent against any at-
tackers that rely on sight, to
a maximum of +3. The black
hollow cannot end this Charm
prematurely.
MISCELLANEOUS CHARMS
Anima-Devouring Maw (6m
per anima level; Simple; Instant;
Essence 2): The black hollow con-
sumes one level of an Exalt’s visible
anima banner per six motes spent, ab-
sorbing the divine light into itself
and diminishing the target’s anima
display accordingly. This Charm
can target anyone within range of a
flense attack. The sphere can hold up
to three total anima levels, whether
from the same target or different ones.
For each anima level it has absorbed,
its flense attacks increase their reach by
one range band as the sphere grows in size;
thus, with one anima level its attacks can reach
to short range, with two to medium, and so on. All
consumed anima levels vanish at the end of the scene.
Storyteller Tactics Whenever a black hol-
Black hollows only care about eating color, the brighter low deals damage to an
the better, and blood red is their favorite. Though they’re enemy or breaks an object, it
silent and their matte-black spheres are easy to miss in consumes some of the target’s pig-
darkness, they’re too single-minded to deliberately em- ment, turning its colors paler and less saturated. The ef-
ploy stealth. A difficulty 3 gambit to distract a black hol- fect reverses at the end of the scene unless the target is
low with a brighter color can pull it away from its cur- destroyed.
rent combat target.
A black hollow flees combat when it has taken damage in
its first −4 health level.

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Cockatrice
Betimes, a hen lays an egg without a yolk. These “cock’s COMBAT
eggs,” so named because many believe a cock laid them Attack (Bite): 6 dice (Damage 9)
rather than a hen, never hatch under normal circum-
Attack (Tail lash): 9 dice (Damage 11)
stances — but sometimes, in places where Creation’s
fabric wears thin and the Wyld seeps through, a cock’s Attack (Toxic breath): 8 dice (Damage 7); short
egg hatches. It’s not a chick that crawls out of the bro-
range (see Vile Fumes)
ken shell, but a winged lizard with a rooster’s head and Attack (Tail grapple): 8 dice (7 to control)
a long, serpentine tail. Blessed with deadly sight, its first Attack (Paralysis grapple): 10 dice (12 to
victim is usually its mother, followed by the remainder control) (see Eyes of Flame)
of her flock. Hunting is never difficult for the cockatrice, Combat Movement: 9 dice
and it has little to fear from predators; even if they slip Evasion 5, Parry 1
by its gaze, they perish at its touch. A cockatrice never
Soak/Hardness: 6/0
learns fear, not even of humans, who die just as easily
under even a juvenile cockatrice’s gaze. A single cock- SPECIAL ABILITIES
atrice can wipe out entire villages, so mortals in the Eyes of Flame: The cockatrice’s gaze has a hyp-
Threshold smash cock’s eggs when they find them just notic effect. It performs a difficulty 3 ranged grapple
in case, to keep disaster at bay. gambit at up to medium range. (Wits + Integrity)
opposes the control roll. Success indicates the cock-
Essence: 2; Willpower: 5; Join Battle: 6 dice atrice locks eyes with the victim, paralyzing them;
Health Levels: –0/–1x2/–2x2/–4/Incap. blind characters are immune. It doesn’t suffer Defense
penalties while using this ability. It may only savage
Actions: Fly: 6 dice; Senses: 8 dice; Stealth: 7 dice or release a grappled target; savage attacks burn
Resolve 2, Guile 1 the victim from the inside out. Another character can
intervene, but the cockatrice

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“I CLOSE MY EYES!”

A character guessing when it’s safe to open her eyes and attack, and when to close them because she thinks the
cockatrice is about to look at her, leaves herself vulnerable to Eyes of Flame; no one can perfectly anticipate those
moments. The cockatrice’s gambit roll represents the constant interplay of these guessing games and the crea-
ture’s own ability to catch victims off-guard.

From a systems perspective, players must choose at the beginning of each round between fighting blind for the
entire round or risking the cockatrice’s success on the staredown gambit. Even those choosing to fight blind must
peek to interpose themselves effectively between the cockatrice and a paralyzed ally; doing so always risks the
gambit. See Exalted, p. 188, for blindness penalties.

reflexively makes a new control roll as though it had and engages those who sneak up behind it by grabbing
succeeded on the grapple gambit against the inter- or lashing them with its tail while it paralyzes those who
loper. Failure transfers the paralysis to that character, face it head-on.
resetting the cockatrice’s rounds of control based
on the new result. The original target is then free to Clever gambits, such as distractions or traps, are the best
move, as the cockatrice can only stare a single target way to deal with a cockatrice without falling prey to its
to death at a time. However, it can maintain Eyes of lethal stare and toxic touch. Indirect attacks, such as fire
Flame and a tail grapple simultaneously. or volleys of arrows, can work, but don’t always guaran-
MERITS tee a quick death — and a cockatrice can fly away from
Cold Iron Bane: Iron weapons deal aggravated threats. Fighting blind protects against its stare but not
damage to cockatrices. its poison, and few can boast the training needed to sur-
vive against such a foe without sight.
Vile Fumes: The cockatrice’s breath and bite are
toxic, exposing victims to its venom when it succeeds The most reliable way to kill a cockatrice is with a mir-
on these attacks. Its touch is also a vector. The poison ror: It locks eyes with itself and thinks its reflection is
deals 4i/round (lethal in Crash), lasts for three rounds,
an enemy, performing its Eyes of Flame gambit against
and imposes a −3 penalty (see Exalted, p. 232).
its own Defenses. Trapping a cockatrice with a mirror is
Storyteller Tactics a difficulty 4 gambit and requires finding a mirror with
A cockatrice is deadly, and it knows it. This makes it sufficient polish and of a size that the cockatrice paralyz-
foolhardy, brazenly confronting humans face-to-face. It es itself before whoever holds it. Such treasures are rare
likes to stare down at foes from a high, haughty perch, in the Threshold.

Epochine
When Creation first formed from the writhing mass of for the Getimian Exalted, which makes them prey for
the Wyld, the epochines bore witness. They rose from Sidereals.
the waters on brilliant wings, borne aloft not only by
winds but by possibility. The epochines observed all the Epochines are winged serpents with the faces of tigers.
empires that rose and fell and rose again, collecting their Their scales and plumage tend toward deep blues and
stories and tucking their memories away. They have ob- emerald green, giving them a touch of the peacock’s
served the ends of ages, and have seen the world end beauty.
more times than there are stars in the sky.
While an epochine would never deign to be a familiar,
They understand situations and events that might have the creatures enjoy imparting knowledge from eras long
been and never were. When threads are snipped from past. Epochines have, as their name implies, lives that
the Loom of Fate, epochine birds pick them up and tie span epochs. This makes them long-winded — many
them to their tailfeathers. They have a special fondness think nothing of spinning a tale that spans days, weeks,

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or even months in the telling. They require the listener’s MOBILITY CHARMS
utmost attention; interruptions wound their pride and Flight of Fancy (5m; Reflexive; Instant; Essence 1):
may cause the epochine to rescind its goodwill. With a beat of its mighty wings, the epochine flies
straight up, launching itself to long range. Once per
Epochines have observed so many stories with so many scene, if engaged in combat, it may do this without
possible outcomes that boredom sets in easily. Someone rolling to disengage.
who seeks their input on a situation that is new to an ep-
SOCIAL CHARMS
ochine is a welcome companion indeed.
Threads of the Past Meditation (15m; Simple;
Essence: 2; Willpower: 8; Join Battle: 8 dice Instant; Essence 2): The epochine spends a round in
quiet contemplation of its target’s Essence. From this
Personal Motes: 50
study, it can follow the branches of history and fate
Health Levels: −0x5/−1x5/−2x3/−4x3/Incap. that led the character to this moment and gains insight
Intimacies: Defining: “I have outlasted many things, about the difficulties facing her. Based on this knowl-
and I will outlast you.”; Major: “I desire new experi- edge and that of similar lives it has observed, the ep-
ences.”; Minor: Getimian Exalted (fondness) ochine predicts three distinct possible outcomes to the
Actions: Fly: 7 dice; Historical Knowledge: 12 dice; target’s current situation and pending choices.
Occult Lore: 8 dice; Read Intentions: 6 dice; Senses: MISCELLANEOUS CHARMS
7 dice; Social Influence: 7 dice; Wyld Lore: 10 dice Demonstration of Insignificance (10m; Simple;
Appearance 4, Resolve 5, Guile 6 Instant; Essence 2): The epochine plucks a feather from
COMBAT its body and speaks its enemy’s name as it releases the
feather into the wind. Until the epochine’s next turn, the
Attack (Claws): 10 dice (Damage 13)
target becomes overwhelmed by how miniscule he is
Attack (Grapple): 12 dice (12 to control) by comparison to Creation and its vast history, suffering
Combat Movement: 6 dice a −3 dice penalty to all non-reflexive actions.
Evasion 5, Parry 3 Measure the Wind (5m; Simple; Instant; Essence
Soak/Hardness: 6/0 1): The epochine can determine the nature of anyone
approaching it seeking the wisdom of the past.
MERITS
Storyteller Tactics
Cold Iron Bane: Iron weapons deal aggravated
Epochines prefer talking to fighting, and attempt to
damage to epochines.
persuade an enemy to settle their differences without

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violence. Failing that, they favor evasive maneuvers, good look at the world below. Then, like a seagull drop-
making their opponent give chase — both to tire him out ping a crab to break its shell, the epochine lets go. It will,
physically and to deplete his mote pool if he has one. If of course, remember the victim after his death.
the enemy still insists on fighting, the epochine attempts
to grapple its target and fly as high as it can, giving him a An epochine attempts to flee when it suffers damage to
its first –4 health level.

Furia
With the screams of his slain Solar brethren still ringing The furiae are vengeance and merciless justice incar-
in his ears, the Full Moon Fedaran fled beyond Creation’s nate. Though they care little for human laws and lives,
borders. His only thought was to run until exhaustion fi- the surge of emotions that accompanies those who
nally drowned out the sounds of death and grief stopped have been wronged intrigues them. Righteous anger,
squeezing his heart. He screamed his pain and fury and cold-blooded calculations, bottomless grief, and ca-
loss into the chaos, hearing it echo back on Wyld winds. thartic release draw the furiae with the promise of sus-
tenance. These creatures have hawk-like bodies with
But the voice that came back wasn’t entirely his own. The wingspans up to 10 feet. Their faces are almost human,
Wyld gave shape to his rage. At first, it was nothing more like statues carved from red jade, until they open their
than a red, twitching mass crying the names of Fedaran’s mouths. Within, rows of sharp-tipped teeth gleam.
Solar family and whispering the names of the Dragon-
Blooded who murdered them, like knives sharpening on a Furiae make their nests from the bones of the guilty.
whetstone. Then it looked into Fedaran’s heart, and it grew They hear the piteous wails of the betrayed and set out
wings, and terrible sharp claws, and so very many teeth. to exact revenge on the perpetrators of those crimes.
While they are creatures of emotion and instinct, furiae
When Fedaran left the Wyld, he did not leave alone. are also intelligent. In some towns in the far reaches of
Retribution came with him. the Wyld, citizens call upon a furia to sit in judgment

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over those accused of egregious acts. The creature won’t regain a like amount of motes instead of the Initiative it
feast on the innocent, but eagerly devours the guilty. would have gained from the attack.
Righteous Strike (3m; Reflexive; Decisive-only; Instant;
Essence: 2; Willpower: 5; Join Battle: 7 dice Essence 2): On a successful decisive attack, add bonus
Personal Motes: 40 dice to the damage roll equal to the target’s Guile.
Health Levels: −0x3/−1x4/−2x4/−4x3/Incap. SOCIAL CHARMS
Intimacies: Defining: “The taste of justice is sweet on my Guilt Wrack (5m; Simple; One scene; Essence 2): The
tongue.”; Major: “All guilty parties fear retribution, and I furia floods its target with guilt for any harm he’s caused.
savor that fear.”; Minor: The Wronged (Protectiveness) Gain +3 dice on social actions against that target.
Actions: Feats of Strength: 7 dice (may perform Heavy Soul Introspection (10m; Simple; Instant;
Strength 3 feats); Fly: 8 dice; Integrity: 7 dice; Read Essence 2): The furia peers into its target’s soul to see
Intentions: 6 dice; Senses: 5 dice; Social Influence: 7 the sins that weigh it down. Gain three automatic suc-
dice; Tracking: 6 dice (see Keen Eyes) cesses on a roll to discern the target’s Intimacies.
Appearance 2, Resolve 3, Guile 3 MISCELLANEOUS CHARMS
COMBAT Measure the Wind (5m; Simple; Instant; Essence
Attack (Bite): 12 dice (Damage 15, minimum 3) 1): The furia can discern the nature of someone guilty
Attack (Claws): 10 dice (Damage 12) of a crime.
Storyteller Tactics
Combat Movement: 6 dice
A furia relentlessly pursues its prey, harrying him until he
Evasion 3, Parry 4
turns and faces it or collapses from exhaustion. It calls out in
Soak/Hardness: 6/0 the voices of both living and dead victims to unsettle its tar-
MERITS get, provoking regret and guilt. Should the target confess his
Cold Iron Bane: Iron weapons deal aggravated crimes, it ceases its harrying tactics in favor of inflicting pain
damage to furiae. and injury; should the crime be severe enough, they may in-
flict death. Forgiveness is for the victims to grant. Punishment
Keen Eyes: Double 9s on vision-based Senses rolls.
belongs to the furiae, and they will have their due.
OFFENSIVE CHARMS
Feast of Vengeance (1wp; Simple; Instant; A furia attempts to flee when it suffers damage to its first
Essence 2): The furia feasts on its target’s fear and –4 health level.
remorse. After a successful withering attack, it may

Grelidaka
the Thousand Hungry Wings
Every flock of birds sighted in the far West brings a mo- herself, not knowing that for every bird slain, two more
ment of dread: “Is this the day I die?” Usually, it’s only a squirm out of the corpse to take its place.
flock of starlings. But one time in a thousand, the flock
only gets louder, larger, and angrier as it approaches. A grelidaka is a battle group by default. The traits below
When it descends to attack, it’s already too late to run. already include calculations for battle group traits where
appropriate; for instance, values given for Evasion and
The grelidaka is an ever-growing mass of Wyld-crazed Parry already include the group’s Drill and Might bonus-
mutant birds, each one jet black, that exists only to strip es. Components of a grelidaka never act alone.
the flesh from anything that lives. It can wipe entire
villages off the map in minutes. The grelidaka is a true Essence: 1; Willpower: 5; Join Battle: 8 dice
hive being: Individuals removed from it sicken and die in Magnitude: 5 + Size
days, no matter how they’re cared for. They tear them- Actions: Feats of Destruction: (5 + Size) dice (may
selves apart to reproduce, one bird birthing two or more attempt Strength 3 feats, or 5 at Size 5); Flight: 8 dice;
others. Sometimes they do this of their own accord; Resist Disease/Poison: 6 dice; Senses: 6 dice
other times, it happens as someone frantically defends
Resolve 4, Guile 1

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COMBAT MERITS
Attack (Claw): (7 + Size) dice (Damage 11 + Size) Legion Swarm Tactics: The grelidaka adds Size to
Attack (Peck): (7 + Size) dice (Damage 7 + Size); its Feats of Destruction and combat movement pools in
Tags: Piercing addition to the usual traits.
Combat Movement: (7 + Size) dice Mindless: Grelidaka treat all social influence as un-
acceptable and have perfect morale.
Evasion 6, Parry 4
Storyteller Tactics
Soak/Hardness: (2 + Size)/0
A grelidaka is not especially smart. It cares only about
SPECIAL ABILITIES killing, attacking the most obvious target rather than
Blot Out the Sun: Terrain within short range of a swarming weaker prey. It cannot open doors, though it
grelidaka is considered difficult, and characters within smashes through obstacles when it can; only sturdy cov-
it suffer an Evasion penalty equal to the grelidaka’s er and silence keep a grelidaka out. Once it scours the
(Size/2), rounded up. At Size 5, the area of effect in- area clean, it moves on. It’s not vindictive and doesn’t
creases to medium range. Characters who otherwise hunt down stragglers if it doesn’t immediately perceive
ignore difficult terrain still suffer the Evasion penalty. them. It doesn’t recognize individuals as separate from
From One, Many: A grelidaka comes into being groups, so if one piece of the whole vanishes during the
as a Size 1 battle group with elite Drill and Might fight, it doesn’t realize that “piece” still exists in any
1. When its Magnitude track fills with damage, it meaningful way afterward.
gains a level of Size instead of losing it. For every
Magnitude box marked with damage, add +1 to The specific means of destroying a grelidaka are subject
the grelidaka’s dice pools; these bonuses vanish to Storyteller discretion and player ingenuity. As a rule
whenever Magnitude refreshes. If the group grows of thumb, allow a solution to reduce Size by one if it can
to Size 5, the next time its Magnitude track fills with destroy birds wholesale and en masse rather than mere-
damage, it splits into two Size 3 grelidaka. Once ly injuring or killing them piecemeal, but give the flock
the two flocks finish off their current prey, they go the usual defense the threat allows to avoid it. Options
their separate ways.

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include large explosions and other massive applications Characters can also find non-violent solutions, such as
of fire, aerial environmental hazards like poison mists, putting the flock to sleep, luring it away from vulnerable
attacks and spells that affect a large area (like Death of mortals, or sealing it away.
Obsidian Butterflies (Exalted, p. 472) or the Dragon-
Blooded Charm Arrow Rain Tempest), creative gam- A grelidaka doesn’t flee combat unless a raksha warlord
bits with high difficulties that use the environment, etc. or sufficient magic commands it to.

Haloed Husk
Sometimes, when it rains in a Wyld-touched area in the SPECIAL ABILITIES
Northern Threshold while the sun shines, chaos taints Blinding Light: Once per turn, reflexively spend
the clouds, turning a normal sun shower into a Wyld one. one Willpower to gain +3 Evasion for one turn, as
The altered rain burns where it lands, not with flame but the light within becomes blinding. Anyone who can
with searing heat. The storm scorches crops and severe- visually perceive the haloed husk must roll (Wits +
ly burns anyone caught in the deluge. Even after the skies Awareness), difficulty 3, to react quickly enough to
clear, a secondary threat lurks in puddles of pooled light. look away; failure leaves them blinded (Exalted, p.
188) for the next round.
When a person or animal drinks of the liquid sunlight, Call the False Rains: For one Willpower, a haloed
their core catches ablaze. Light coruscates from every husk induces a Wyld sun shower as a miscellaneous
orifice as their body sizzles and steams. The false sun- action, as long as full sunlight or equivalent illumi-
light boils away their minds and personalities, until all nation shines upon it. This creates an environmental
that remains is the haloed husk — a being of pure radi- hazard with damage 1B/2 rounds, difficulty 5. The
ance and raw instinct wrapped in its still-living flesh. liquid sunlight left behind is a poison when ingested,
Some people nickname these creatures “sun dogs,” as dealing 4i/round (L in Crash) with duration 5 rounds
their most common forms in human settlements are and a −3 penalty; characters who would die to this
those of beloved pets turned monstrous. poison transform into haloed husks instead. Husks are
immune to these effects.
A haloed husk needs to feed on light to survive. Despite Luminescent Feast: For one Willpower, the husk
their animal cunning, husks can’t kindle flames or light rolls 10 dice at difficulty 1 to steal from a single light
lamps, instead stealing illumination from their sur- source within short range as a miscellaneous action,
roundings. Ambient sunlight nourishes them during the decreasing that source’s illumination level by one (see
day, but after sunset, they approach human settlements chart) and healing one bashing or lethal health level.
or campsites and attack the inhabitants to steal light Exalted anima banners pilfered this way decrease by
from lanterns and hearth fires; in cold Northern climes, one intensity level; however, if the light source has
losing one’s campfire to a desperate husk can prove an Essence rating, the Luminescent Feast roll’s diffi-
deadly. Exalted anima banners provide particularly po- culty becomes (source’s Essence). If the husk spends
tent sustenance. consecutive rounds successfully stealing light from the
same source, it doesn’t need to spend more than one
Essence: 1; Willpower: 3; Join Battle: 6 Willpower.
Health Levels: −0/−1x2/−2x2/−4x1/Extin- MERITS
guished Lambent Salve: Real light, such as Creation’s sun-
Actions: Feats of Strength: 6 dice (may attempt light, firelight, Exalted anima banners, or light cast by
Strength 5 feats); Sense Light: 10 dice; Senses: 6 dice artifacts, grants a haloed husk vigor and endurance.
COMBAT Add one −0 health level per level of light currently
shining on the husk based on the chart below, which
Attack (Bite): 6 dice (Damage 9) breaks illumination down into discrete levels for pur-
Attack (Claw/Pummel): 7 dice (Damage 11) poses of haloed husk systems. Without a source of
Combat Movement: 5 dice real light, a husk takes one level of lethal damage per
Evasion 2, Parry 1 hour, ignoring Hardness. Wyld-generated light, in-
cluding a husk’s own inner glow, provides no benefits.
Soak/Hardness: 3/3

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Storyteller Tactics Animals with the Tiny Creature Merit are too small to
Haloed husks are creatures of instinct. They create Wyld become haloed husks; the liquid sunlight kills them out-
sun showers out of pure revelry; new husks born this right. Conversely, creatures of Legendary Size suffer su-
way are just side effects. When sated, they’re violent and perficial burns if they drink the false sunlight, but are too
impulsive, while waning light or darkness makes them large to be transformed.
cunning in their desperation. They can operate doors
and even use rudimentary tools if they have opposable If a haloed husk suffers damage to its −4 health level
thumbs, but are incapable of speech beyond guttural due to lack of light, it curls in on itself like a banked coal
cries. While they’re not predisposed to pack tactics, a and lies dormant rather than being Extinguished. It uses
lone light source can draw several to the same point, and Luminescent Feast reflexively and subconsciously while
a pecking order quickly develops. dormant whenever sufficient light shines on it, and re-
awakens when it heals its first −1 health level.

Lambent Salve
# of Added −0
Health Levels Illumination Level
+0 Total darkness; no moon
+1 Candle; waning moon
+2 Torch; full moon; glowing anima banner*
+3 Campfire; burning anima banner*
+4 Massive bonfire; dawn/dusk; overcast/shaded daylight; bonfire anima banner*
+5 Raging inferno; full sunlight
* Solar Exalted anima banners count as one illumination level higher.
If the light source is focused from a single point rather than ambient, lower its effective illumination by one step per range
band the husk is from the source.

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Kian-Ji
the Heartmirror, from Whom Intention Springs
In the palace of Kian-Ji, the table is always set for a feast. Is his palace real? Was it all a waking dream? Those who
At first glance, Kian-Ji is a severe man, thin and point- have dined at his table have no good answers. But the
ed, seeming more like a satrap’s overworked functionary things that emerged from his mouth, those are real. They
than a king of the Wyld. But his welcoming smile melts are creatures born of his guests’ Intimacies, made flesh
away that impression, and he engages his guests in such and given purpose.
a range of topics that time passes quickly. With each
course, the food grows stranger, but Kian-Ji samples Essence: 3; Willpower: 8; Join Battle: 6 dice
every dish with gusto. Soon, visitors recognize familiar Personal Motes: 100
things upon his plate: the signet ring of a rival, a lover’s Health Levels: −0x8/−1x10/−2x8/−4x3/Incap.
sly smile, a cobblestone from a street in their beloved
Intimacies: Defining: “A good host helps his guests
Nexus. Kian-Ji eats them all, opening his mouth wide
achieve their highest potential.”; Major: “I know what
and wider still to accommodate every bite.
people need, even when they themselves don’t.”;
Minor: His Guests (Bemused Affection).
When the meal ends, Kian-Ji opens his mouth one more
time, so wide it seems a person could fit inside. But in- Actions: Command Avatar: 10 dice; Feats of
stead, creatures come out. Some are human-like, others Strength: 8 dice (may attempt Strength 5 feats); Read
less so. One wears the rival’s signet on a finger with too Intentions: 12 dice; Senses: 8 dice; Social Influence:
many joints. Another’s lips quirk like the lover’s, looking 15 dice
like her and yet not. Another has skin the color of Nexus Appearance 3, Resolve 8, Guile 6
cobblestones and smells of home. They set off into the COMBAT
world. Kian-Ji thanks his guests as his servants clear Attack (Bite): 15 dice (Damage 20)
away the meal’s remains. Then he is gone, and his palace
Attack (Unarmed): 10 dice (Damage 10)
with him.
Attack (Grapple): 12 dice (12 to control)

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WYLD INFLUENCE

Should an avatar remain in the Wyld rather than traveling back to more stable areas of Creation, Wyld mutation
takes effect. As the avatar mutates, so does the character’s related Intimacy; changes are rarely so straightforward
as “I no longer hate my rival.” Perhaps the victim grows convinced that the rival is the head of a vast and impossible
conspiracy, or that an impostor has replaced the rival, whom he actually doesn’t hate so much and must therefore
save.

Combat Movement: 5 dice them. An avatar based on hatred for a rival might try
Evasion 5, Parry 3 to ruin or kill the rival, for example. One based on a
Principle like “Honesty is my watchword” may punish
Soak/Hardness: 15/0
the dishonest.
MERITS These avatars are directly linked to the victims’ Intima-
Cold Iron Bane: Iron weapons deal aggravated cies. If the avatar dies, the Intimacy degrades by one
damage to Kian-Ji. degree. Social actions that strengthen or weaken the
Fae Nature: As a raksha, Kian-Ji is ageless and character’s Intimacies heal or harm the avatar by 3
needs not eat or drink (though he greatly enjoys it). bashing levels, 2 lethal levels, or 1 aggravated level
His body heals as one of the Exalted and he cannot per Intimacy shift.
die from mundane disease, but he does need to Use an appropriate non-unique antagonist from this
breathe and sleep as mortals do. In Creation, he book or Chapter 8 of Exalted to determine the ava-
slowly withers and calcifies to death, but can stave off tar’s traits. For example, it may be a human-like creature
this fate indefinitely by feeding on mortal souls. He is emulating a shikari, an animal-like creature emulating an
incapable of breaking the letter of a sworn promise. eagle, or a more abstract representation of the Intimacy
SOCIAL CHARMS emulating a bonesider or metody (p. 105).
Beguiling Idyll (5m, 1wp; Supplemental; Instant; The Truth Will Out (—; Reflexive; Instant; Essence
Psyche; Essence 2): When Kian-Ji inspires a char- 3): When Kian-Ji is Incapacitated or killed, his maw
acter, he may also cloud her mind to obfuscate any opens wide and his very first victim emerges. Use the
perils that might contradict the inspired mood. Gain Barbarian Warlord (Exalted, p. 545) or Wandering
+2 dice on inspire rolls to persuade her to act along Deathknight (Exalted, p. 550) to represent this Exalt,
with the emotion. Resisting the deceiving inspiration or any First Age Exalted character who fits the story.
costs 2 Willpower. If another character points out the This Exalt has a defining Tie of hatred toward the char-
danger or the target is touching iron, the cost is 1 Will- acters and immediately Joins Battle.
power instead. Storyteller Tactics
Untouchable Performer Technique (5m; Sup- If attacked, Kian-Ji attempts to use Untouchable
plemental; Instant; Essence 1): Kian-Ji may use his Performer Technique to dissuade his foes from harming
Social Influence pool to roll Join Battle. In addition him. Failing that, he creates avatars and orders them to
to determining starting Initiative, this builds a Tie of defend him, putting his enemies’ own ideals at risk.
adoration and loyalty for himself in characters whose
Resolve is overcome by the result. Characters who Should Kian-Ji die, one last being emerges from its
don’t resist this influence don’t fight him, and attempt mouth. This is the creature’s original victim, a hero of
to restrain or talk sense into allies who attempt to do the First Age whose convictions shone like a beacon in
so. the Wyld. The raw power of the Wyld surrounded this
MISCELLANEOUS CHARMS first, true Kian-Ji, personifying his desire to aid those in
need to a horrifying extreme. The real Kian-Ji has been
Create Avatar (30m per avatar; Simple; Instant;
trapped within the Wyld creature for millennia, and is
Essence 3): Kian-Ji creates beings from Wyld Essence
that bring his guests’ Intimacies to life. These avatars likely much changed by his captivity. If the creature dies,
take on physical traits that represent the chosen In- he emerges in whatever horrific form has resulted from
timacies and attempt to act on the emotions tied to his centuries in Wyld imprisonment.

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Lava Moth
A swarm of lava moths is a sight to behold. Their gos- But lava moths are born of the Wyld, and they don’t al-
samer wings flicker the color of sunsets and bonfires as ways take what’s offered. Some supplicants return with-
they dance gracefully against the sky. However, their out any love in their hearts for the families that gave them
beauty is best observed from a great distance: Lava joy. Others lose their keen wit, or find their passion for
moths have little regard for what they burn, and their a beloved career has faded. A singer loved by a Nellens
hunger has been known to wipe out hundreds of miles of captain sought the moths’ flame, hoping it would scour
forest in a single night. away her fear of drowning. Instead, they stole her love of
music, and she lost both the captain’s affection and her
The moths are large, about the size of a human hand. livelihood.
Their wings consist of a thin, molten membrane, whose
flames burn hot enough to sear stone. Fire drips in their The Dajazeen tell stories of people who went even fur-
wake, spreading and consuming. ther, letting the moths wrap them in a burning cocoon
for ten days and ten nights, and emerging as someone
While most objects caught in its path burn as if touched else entirely.
by normal fire, a lava moth’s flame affects humans dif-
ferently. The fire latches onto something within, rather Essence: 2; Willpower: 4; Join Battle: 6 dice
than without. It burns away an intangible part of the vic- Health Levels: −0x2/−1x2/−2x2/−4x2/Incap.
tim — her fear, an old love, guilt she’s held onto for too
Actions: Burn: 10 dice; Lure: 9 dice; Fly: 8 dice;
long. Some seek out a lava moth’s fiery blessing, hoping
Read Intentions: 6 dice; Senses: 5 dice
they’ll at last be free of their burdens.
Resolve 2, Guile 1

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COMBAT disengage or withdraw on their next turn.


Attack (Wing buffet): 9 dice (Damage 9) MERITS
Combat Movement: 5 dice Dousing Bane: A thorough soaking in water or
Evasion 5, Parry 2 freezing temperatures douse a lava moth’s flame. It
Soak/Hardness: 6/0 loses access to all special abilities and its Burn pool
until the scene ends or it warms up and dries out
SPECIAL ABILITIES again, whichever comes first.
Burning Dive: Once per scene, the moth may Moth to the Flame: The lava moth senses passions,
spend a Willpower to fly up to long range vertically gaining one automatic success on Read Intentions
as its reflexive move action, tuck its wings, and dive at rolls.
its enemy in a meteoric streak. This decisive attack Tiny Creature: Lava moths gain +2 Evasion against
gains +4 dice to the attack roll, doubles 10s on the attacks made by larger foes. Larger foes subtract two
damage roll, and deals aggravated damage. successes from Awareness rolls to notice a lava moth.
Conflagration: Once per scene, the lava moth Storyteller Tactics
burns a piece of the target’s memory or nature away.
Lava moths normally attack in a swarm, harrying and
If the target is unwilling, roll the lava moth’s Burn
overwhelming their prey with sheer numbers, though a
pool against the character’s Resolve. If the moth suc-
ceeds, the Storyteller and player should decide what number small enough to be individual combatants can
the moth’s fire burns out of the character and how it be just as frightening as a sky-obscuring mass. A large
affects them. This may be reflected by a change in the swarm is a battle group with Size 2, average Drill, and
character’s personality, adjusting or replacing one of Might 2.
their Intimacies or some other agreed-upon effect. It
can even erase Charms or other capabilities related If someone approaches the moths in a bid to request or
to the chosen memory loss; if so, refund the experi- demand their power, the moths are content to flit around
ence points spent on it to the player. This counts as an the target while he makes his case. As creatures of the
instill action for purposes of Charms and other effects Wyld, their interpretation of the target’s needs doesn’t
that defend against instilling. always match his intentions.
Harry: If a lava moth moves into close range of an
A lava moth attempts to flee when it suffers damage to its
enemy and deals 5+ damage to them with a with-
ering attack in the same turn, that enemy cannot last –2 health level.

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Mata-Yadh
the Congeries of Obsidian and Aurora
Mata-Yadh is a larval behemoth, freshly born from the conventional wound penalties. However, characters
Wyld. Its house-sized body is a swirling congeries of ma- may attempt to disable the beast by shattering one
ny-colored aurora with a ridge of obsidian atop it, where of its 12 limbs as a difficulty 5 gambit. Each time a
a daring rider can stand. Mata-Yadh has twelve clawed limb is shattered, Mata-Yadh loses 3 Initiative points.
limbs of obsidian, each one standing high as a human, but For every two limbs destroyed, Mata-Yadh suffers a
not physically connected to the behemoth’s central body — −1 wound penalty, maximum −4. If all limbs are de-
only faint wisps of aurora limn its uppermost edge. Mata- stroyed, Mata-Yadh is immobilized, unable to attack
Yadh is representative of the low-end Wyld behemoths the and effectively prone with no ability to rise.
Fair Folk might ride into battle or send to head their armies. Shadowsense: Mata-Yadh has no eyes, but senses
shadows cast by its aurora. Double 8s and negate
Essence: 3; Willpower: 7; Join Battle: 10 dice penalties on all Senses rolls except in total darkness
Personal Motes: 50 or total illumination in which shadows can’t exist.
Health Levels: −0x25/Incap. (see Obsidian Body) OFFENSIVE CHARMS
Speed Bonus: +2 Prism-Pyre Immolation (10m, 1wp; Simple;
Instant; Decisive-only; Essence 3): Mata-Yadh initiates
Actions: Feats of Strength: 12 dice (may attempt a grapple with +5 dice on the gambit roll. It suspends
Strength 7 feats); Senses: 8 dice; Threaten: 9 dice a grappled enemy within its aurora body, which is an
Appearance 3, Resolve 4, Guile 1 environmental hazard (damage 4L/round, difficulty
COMBAT 3). Mata-Yadh ignores the usual penalties for grap-
Attack (Obsidian claws): 12 dice (Damage pling, but cannot savage, slam, or throw its foe. It
15/5) has Defense 0 against attacks made by the grappled
enemy, but the penalty the victim suffers for being
Attack (Grapple): 12 dice (12 to control) grappled subtracts successes, not dice.
Combat Movement: 10 dice Raking Obsidian Shards (10m, 1wp; Simple;
Evasion 4, Parry 6 Instant; Decisive-only; Essence 3): Mata-Yadh’s
Soak/Hardness: 16/10 claws whirl in a razor-sharp obsidian vortex. Roll one
decisive attack with +5 dice against all characters
SPECIAL ABILITIES
within short range. Roll (Initiative / 2) total dice of
Overwhelming Might: Mata-Yadh makes un- damage against all characters it hits, but subtracts its
opposed grapple control rolls against enemies of current wound penalty from this damage roll. This at-
smaller size, unless they use magic that allows them to tack’s range is reduced to close at wound penalty −2
grapple larger foes, such as Dragon Coil Technique or higher.
(Exalted, p. 280).
DEFENSIVE CHARMS
MERITS
Aurora Bleed (5m, 5i; Reflexive; Instant; Deci-
Cold Iron Bane: Iron weapons deal aggravated sive-only, Perilous; Essence 2): When Mata-Yadh
damage to Mata-Yadh. takes decisive damage from a close range attack,
Legendary Size: Mata-Yadh suffers no onslaught a prismatic flash erupts from the wound. This is a one-
penalties from attacks made by smaller enemies, unless time environmental hazard applied against all charac-
they are magically inflicted. Withering attacks from ters within close range (damage 5L/instant, difficulty
smaller enemies cannot Crash it unless they have at (8 ‒ current wound penalty). A damaged character
least 10 post-soak damage dice, although attackers is blinded for the rest of the scene (Exalted, p. 168).
still gain the full amount of Initiative damage dealt. De- Blinding Aurora (5m, 2i; Reflexive; Until its next
cisive attacks from smaller enemies cannot deal more turn; Perilous; Essence 1): Enemies within medium
than (3 + attacker’s Strength) levels of damage to it, not range take a −3 penalty on attack rolls and other vi-
counting any levels added by Charms or other magic. sion-dependent actions targeting Mata-Yadh.
Obsidian Body: As a being of living glass, Foe-Snatching Grasp (5m, 1wp; Reflexive;
Mata-Yadh lacks the anatomy for susceptibili- Instant; Clash, Decisive-only; Essence 3): Mata-Yadh
ty to mundane poison, disease, deprivation, or can clash with a grapple gambit and may enhance

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it with Prism-Pyre Immolation reflexively. Winning the made by anyone other than its rider. It gains 1 Initia-
clash grants +3 successes on the Initiative and control tive if it successfully applies its Resolve.
rolls. This does not count as Mata-Yadh’s combat Otherworldly Horror Mien (5m; Reflexive;
action. It can’t use this Charm at wound penalty ‒2 Instant; Essence 2): Gain +5 dice to a threaten roll
or higher. and ignore all penalties on that roll. Resisting costs +1
God-Monster Revival (1wp; Reflexive; Instant; Willpower and requires invoking at least a Major Inti-
Perilous; Essence 2): When Mata-Yadh crashes an macy of courage in the Decision Point.
enemy, it may roll (current Initiative ‒ current wound MISCELLANEOUS CHARMS
penalty). It costs one resulting success to heal one
level of non-aggravated damage, and three success- Wall-Rending Claws (5m; Supplemental; Instant;
es each to restore a disabled limb. This Charm resets it Essence 2): Double 7s on the roll for a feat of demolition.
to base Initiative and is usable once per scene. Storyteller Tactics
MOBILITY CHARMS Mata-Yadh is a monstrously powerful grappler and uses
that to its advantage, taking the biggest threat among a
Many-Legged Pursuit (6m; Supplemental; group of enemies into itself and picking off the rest with
Instant; Essence 1): Mata-Yadh can rush an enemy
Raking Obsidian Shards. It thrives when surrounded,
with lower Initiative from medium range with +5 dice,
banking on its enormous size and defensive Charms to
instantly closing the distance on a success. It cannot
protect it. As more limbs break and it weakens, it shifts
use this Charm at wound penalty −2 or higher.
to cautious tactics, preferring to blind and separate foes
SOCIAL CHARMS before squashing them. When Mata-Yadh’s wound pen-
Loyal Monstrosity (5m; Reflexive; Instant; Essence alties reach −4, it flees combat to heal unless a rider forc-
1): Gain +4 Resolve against any social influence es it to continue with magic.

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As a mount, Mata-Yadh follows its master’s commands of the high ground her perch offers. Mata-Yadh shines
and never spooks or disobeys until its wound penalties when its master’s foe plays hard to get, maximizing its
reach −4. A rider can coordinate her attacks with the mobility advantages and crushing cover underfoot to
Congeries’ for a devastating offensive, making ranged clear the way for its rider’s attacks.
attacks on suspended opponents and taking advantage

Mirrorkin
Mirrorkin are shape-stealers born from reflections. Any The mirrorkin moves like its living counterpart, adopt-
shiny surface in the Wyld can spawn one: a mirror, an undis- ing his graceful gait or her Legion-trained stride. It can
turbed puddle, the gleam of a well-polished shield. The mir- speak in simple phrases and adopt any accent and char-
rorkin emerges wearing the face and form of the one whose acteristic idioms it heard its double speaking when it
likeness created it and sets off to experience the world. was born, but cannot carry on a complex conversation.
The mirrorkin acts mostly on instinct, seeking out basic,
The type of reflective surface it came from shows in the tangible pleasures with no complex agenda. Inhabitants
mirrorkin’s skin. One born from a puddle ripples like of some towns in the bordermarches greet one another
water. Another that stepped out from an orichalcum with riddles or rapid-fire questions, knowing a mirror-
blade’s keen edge glows golden in the sun. If the mirror kin won’t be able to provide the appropriate response.
that birthed it was cracked with age and covered in dust,
fine lines etch the mirrorkin’s dull flesh. Mirrorkin make mediocre decoys with their inability
to improvise. However, one princess in Jibei famously

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hired a musician to play for her mirrorkin while she SPECIAL ABILITIES
herself snuck out into the city. When her guards looked The Road Between: The mirrorkin can slip into any
in on her, they saw only their lady enjoying a quiet eve- reflective surface, whether its body should be able to
ning’s concert, and for months they were none the wiser. fit into it or not, and emerge from another within long
range.
Essence: 1; Willpower: 4; Join Battle: 5 dice
MERITS
Health Levels: −0x2/−1x3/−2x3/−4/Incap.
Cold Iron Bane: Iron weapons deal aggravated
Actions: Feats of Strength: 4 dice (may attempt damage to mirrorkin.
Strength 3 feats); Mimic: 8 dice; Senses: 5 dice;
Storyteller Tactics
Social Influence: 4 dice; Stealth: 6 dice
A mirrorkin follows its senses toward pleasing things,
Resolve 1, Guile 1 such as the smell of a cookfire, the sound of an oud, or
COMBAT the voice of its counterpart’s lover; it knows these things
Attack (Mirrorshard): 8 dice (Damage 10) instinctively as desirable, even if it doesn’t understand
Combat Movement: 5 dice why. It comprehends simple directions, but is unreliable
and easily distracted.
Evasion 3, Parry 2
Soak/Hardness: 4/0 If unarmed, the mirrorkin breaks off a shard of itself to
Note: A mirrorkin can also use any weapon or fight- use as a dagger in a fight, although it only resorts to vi-
ing style familiar to its counterpart, using the original’s olence in self-defense. It adopts its attacker’s fighting
physical traits with a −2 dice penalty. It cannot use style, though the motions are reversed.
any of the original’s Charms or other magical effects.
A mirrorkin attempts to flee when it suffers damage to
its last –1 health level. At Incapacitated, it shatters into
pieces.

Napaxu
the Tongue Scorcher
Something stumbles drunkenly into town making a hor- Attack (Bite): 5 dice (Damage 6; infection vector,
rible, droning racket. The wise bar their doors and stay see Infectious)
silent. The foolish warily approach; the fortunate among Attack (Acid Spray): 7 dice (Damage 7); short
them flee before the thing sprays them with caustic death, range (see Acidic Fluids)
its jaws dissolving, fumes rising from where saliva drib- Evasion 1, Parry 1
bles. This thing that was once a person is a victim of na-
Soak/Hardness: −3 to usual values
paxu, a Wyld-twisted strain of rabies. Unimaginable pain
drives the unfortunate mad even before its later stages SPECIAL ABILITIES
set in. They spread the illness as their overactive salivary Acidic Fluids: Infected creatures can spray their
glands spray concentrated acid wherever they go. acidic bodily fluids out to short range as a wither-
ing acid spray attack. If successful, the target risks
Use the napaxu victim’s original mundane traits exposure to the virus (see Infectious) in addition to
except as noted here. An infected creature cannot use losing Initiative. Alternatively, the creature may spend
any Charms or other magical effects without spending 1 Willpower without a roll to create an acid bath en-
an additional 1 Willpower per Charm or effect. vironmental hazard within close range of itself (3L/
Actions: Movement: 3 dice; Resist Disease/Poison: round, difficulty 5) that lasts two rounds. Anyone who
12 dice; Senses: 4 dice; Social Influence: 0 dice takes damage from this hazard also risks exposure.
The infected creature automatically and reflexively
Resolve 1, Guile 0 creates the hazard when crashed at no cost.
COMBAT Detonate: Advanced napaxu cases lead to violent
The infected creature can use any mundane attacks it reactions inside the victim’s body. When an infect-
would normally possess plus the following: ed creature takes damage to its last −4 health level,

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roll one die. On a botch, the creature immediately Storyteller Tactics


dies and explodes in a burst of acid that sprays ev- Creatures suffering napaxu’s pain are disinclined to long
erything within medium range; roll a decisive acid waits, ambushes, or tactics in general. They often try to
spray attack once against the Defense of each target. quench their burning mouths with whatever’s available,
Anyone hit by the attack risks exposure (see Infec- leading them to contaminate water sources. The mala-
tious). dy causes heightened aggression, so most infected don’t
Infectious: Like mundane rabies, napaxu has vir- hesitate to sink what remains of their jaws into others.
ulence 2, morbidity 4, and an interval of one day. They prefer to use their acid spray attack rather than the
Any contact with the victim’s bodily fluids, including close-quarters bite until their target is sufficiently weak-
through a successful bite attack, is a vector for expo- ened, but whenever it takes damage to its last −2 health
sure (Exalted, p. 234); a character who takes lethal level, it moves toward its foes instinctively in anticipa-
damage from an infected source or ingests any fluids tion of detonating.
from one risks it. Victims’ mouths tingle, then burn, and
then literally fall apart. Exalted victims cannot die of It is difficult to poison or further infect a napaxu victim,
napaxu and never detonate, but it certainly makes as the Wyld virus allows no competition for its host. Only
their lives miserable. specialized magic, such as Ailment-Rectifying Method
MERITS (Exalted, p. 341), can cure a napaxu victim; such a victim
No Lesser Pain: Infected creatures don’t suffer cannot cure the virus themselves even with such magic,
wound penalties, as the pain of the infection is far whether in themselves or others.
worse than that any injury could inflict.

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Parasitic Shadow
The Wyld once whispered to a traveler’s shadow, teaching it MERITS
ambition and hatred for the being keeping it prisoner with Awaken Shadow: The presence of an attached
their gift of form. The shadow strangled they who cast it and shadow transforms the victim’s natural shadow into
fled, possessed of a life of its own. Now, it seeks other shad- an embryonic parasitic one. If the original parasitic
ows trapped by material beings, latching onto them as a sec- shadow is destroyed before the host dies, her true
ond shadow and whispering to the first. Both draw strength shadow lapses into quiescence; otherwise, when she
from the hapless victim, who slowly sickens and dies. Once expires, it becomes a new parasitic shadow in its own
the parasitic shadow’s work is done, another rises to join it. right and seeks another victim.
Essence Rasp: When unattached, a parasitic
Essence: 1, Willpower: 5, Join Battle: 6 dice shadow loses 5 motes per day. If wholly drained of
Personal Motes: 20 its Essence, it takes 1 point of lethal damage per day
Health Levels: –0x3/Incap. until it regains at least 1 mote or perishes.
Actions: Attach: 9 dice; Flee: 8 dice; Senses: 6 dice; Intangible: Parasitic shadows have no sub-
Stealth: 8 dice stance; physical attacks cannot harm them. Wholly
magical attacks, such as Flight of the Brilliant Raptor
COMBAT (Exalted, p. 473), and attacks that strike immaterial
Attack (Strangle): 5 dice (Damage 2) entities can, although it is not considered immaterial.
Combat Movement: 9 dice Total immersion in bright light leeches away the shad-
Evasion 5, Parry 0 ow’s Essence, inflicting 1 lethal damage and draining
1 mote per turn.
Soak/Hardness: 1/0

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If its host dies suddenly, such as from taking more than make a sound, and she cannot touch anything ma-
their Stamina in damage in a single blow or falling terial. Magic that affects immaterial beings affects
from a great height, the shadow permanently loses her, but nothing else material can. Victims are often
one dot of Willpower from the shock. If it loses all its mistaken for ghosts; determining the truth requires an
Willpower dots, it fades into nonexistence. Intelligence + Occult roll, difficulty 3.
MISCELLANEOUS CHARMS Escaping this state requires full immersion in light. Both
Parasitize (5m; Simple; Instant; Essence 1): The the shadow and its victim suffer the usual effects of this
shadow rolls Attach opposed by the Stamina + Re- immersion, per Intangible. The victim must succeed at
sistance of a living being. If successful, it latches a Wits + Integrity roll opposed by the shadow’s Flee
on, conforming to her silhouette and matching her pool to remain in the light. It detaches after taking
movements perfectly but slightly offset from her true damage to its second −0 health level, as normal (see
shadow. Noticing its presence requires a Perception Storyteller Tactics).
+ Awareness roll, difficulty 4; the Storyteller should Storyteller Tactics
apply situational bonuses or penalties based on the Parasitic shadows are creatures of instinct and seek vic-
lighting. The living host takes 1 lethal damage per tims indiscriminately to reproduce, although they avoid
day as the shadow drains her life force to survive; it Exalts with obvious Caste marks or anima banners un-
regains 1 mote and heals 1 health level of any type less desperate. They cluster in ever-growing packs when
per hour while attached. The damage stacks for multi- possible, moving from host to host to increase their
ple parasitic shadows attached to a single victim, but numbers one by one. A pack of parasitic shadows focuses
a character can’t have more shadows attached than its efforts on one victim at a time if they can, the better to
she has health levels. A parasitic shadow can detach quickly reproduce.
from a character reflexively, or they may force its de-
tachment by either killing it or giving it nowhere to If noticed, a parasitic shadow employs Substance Thief
hide (see Intangible). to keep the victim from seeking aid; if the host is not
Substance Thief (10m; Simple; Indefinite; Essence alone, additional shadows attached to her detach and try
1): By flowing up into the host’s ears, nose, and to Parasitize her companions to render them intangible
mouth, the shadow spreads its nature to her. While this as well.
Charm is active, the parasitic shadow itself is unno-
ticeable except with magic that can detect possession A parasitic shadow attached to an Exalt whose anima
and other such spiritual states. The victim becomes flares at bonfire level treats it as full light immersion. A
effectively immaterial, but is still visible. She appears shadow immediately detaches and attempts to flee when
transparent and as if shrouded in shadow even in it takes damage to its second −0 health level.
broad daylight. She is completely silent, unable to

Silere
Silence is a shroud. It’s the hush that falls after a snow- mouths as though their spoken wisdom had never been
storm and the weight of clouds before thunder peals and uttered. It sits beside cradles and steals the babies’ hungry
rain pours. It’s a room full of secrets everyone knows but wails. It stalks battlefields and steals commands from mes-
no one dares speak and the force of words withheld out sengers who bear them. It steals songs and spells and oaths,
of anger, cruelty, or fear. It’s the pause before the battle and then it slinks away, belly full of nuance and sentiment.
breaks out, the stillness of the hunted when the hunt-
er draws near. Silence is comfort’s companion when no Warriors from one Northern clan have tamed a small
words can soothe a broken heart. pack of sileres and ride the beasts into battle. They am-
bush their foes in soundless charges — no thunder of rac-
In the Wyld, silence is a thief, slinking about on padded feet. ing paws heralds their approach to wary scouts. A prince
on a remote Western island keeps a silere in his throne
The silere stalks soundlessly through the trees, resembling room to hush his advisors’ squabbling and eat the advice
a panther. Its pale coat is nearly translucent, letting it blend and petitions he disagrees with. An Iselsi spy keeps one
in with its surroundings. Its voiceless roar suppresses in her menagerie to keep the rumors about her house’s
sound. It sneaks into villages and steals words from elders’ machinations in check.

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Some Exalts train sileres as familiars, learning to selective-
ly control which sounds the beast takes: a spell from a sor-
cerer’s lips mid-cast, for example, or the solemn promise
of a Dynast from one Great House to the head of another.

Rumors abound of sorcerers trying to use a silere to


nullify deals they’ve made with demons and spirits,
but it never ends the way they’d like. Such deceitful be-
havior grates against the magic of the bindings — and
it’s the sorcerer who suffers for their hubris, not the
creature they used as a vehicle for their dishonor.

Essence: 1; Willpower: 4; Join Battle: 6 dice


Health Levels: −0x2/−1x3/−2x3/−4x2/Incap.
Speed Bonus: +4
Actions: Feats of Strength: 7 dice (may attempt
Strength 3 feats); Resist Disease/Poison: 5 dice; Roar:
7 dice; Senses: 6 dice; Stealth: 8 dice; Tracking: 5
dice
Resolve 1, Guile 1
COMBAT
Attack (Bite): 8 dice (Damage 10)
Attack (Claw): 8 dice (Damage 9)
Attack (Grapple): 9 dice (10 to control); sileres
cannot throw or slam grappled enemies
Combat Movement: 5 dice
Evasion 3, Parry 2
Soak/Hardness: 5/0
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Ambush Hunter: Add three dice to unexpected
attacks.
Leaping Pounce: If a silere moves into close range
of an enemy the same size or smaller and deals 5+
damage to them with a withering attack on the
same turn, it may pay 1 Willpower to reflexively
attempt a grapple gambit against its prey.
Silencing Roar: The silere opens its mouth in a
soundless roar as a reflexive action. All noise within
close range of the beast is canceled out for the next
five rounds. Affected characters may roll Charisma +
Resistance opposed by the silere’s Roar pool to make
themselves heard anyway during that time, if only
faintly.
Stolen Words (Magical, 10m): The silere’s master
points it at a target it can perceive and utters a
command, which the silere can hear even if all sound is
suppressed. When the animal gets within close range
of the target, it steals the words of one specific con-
versation up to an hour long that in which they have
participated within the last day; the master doesn’t
need to have witnessed the conversation, but she must
know it took place and roughly what was said. This
H U N D R E D D E V I L S N I G H T PA R A D E

affects all participants, even those who aren’t present effects of Ambush Hunter, Noiseless Passage, and
now; they remember that the conversation happened, Stalking Cat Advantage to the rider as long as they’re
but nothing that was said. This memory loss is perma- within close range of the silere.
nent absent magic to dredge the words back up. Storyteller Tactics
Alternatively, the silere’s master can commit 10 motes A silere prefers to attack from stealth, stalking victims
to command it to steal a particular word or phrase up and ambushing them from the shadows. It uses its si-
to three words long from everyone’s mouths within five lencing roar to both unnerve its opponents and prevent
miles for the rest of the day. This ability is stackable. them from using Charms or spells that require sound to
MERITS work. If a sorcerer is among its opponents, the silere fo-
Noiseless Passage: The silere makes no sound as cuses its attacks on the spellcaster first.
it moves. Double 8s on stealth rolls.
Sileres may be trained as mounts and are 2-dot Familiars.
Stalking Cat Advantage: Add one automatic
success to Join Battle rolls made from stealth. A silere attempts to flee when it suffers damage to its last
Hushed Charge (Latent): The silere’s sound-damp- –2 health level.
ening effects encompass its rider as well, granting the

Singer of the Deep


Singers of the deep were once Western humans who fell SPECIAL ABILITIES
prey to the Wyld’s influence as it encroached on their is- Ambush Hunter: Add three dice to unexpected attacks.
lands. It transformed them into humanoid, fishlike crea-
Drag Below: If a singer moves into close range of
tures, twisted too far to retain true self-awareness and an enemy the same size or smaller, whether underwa-
unable to Exalt, though they’ve kept their sharp intelli- ter or mid-leap, and deals 5+ damage to them with
gence. These mutants live in the ocean, having lost the a withering attack on the same turn, it may pay 1
ability to walk on land or breathe air; out of water, they Willpower to reflexively attempt a grapple gambit
suffocate after about five minutes, or much less if they’re against its prey.
very active. Their eponymous “singing” is the sound
Fearsome Song: Anyone who hears the singer’s
of sea water whistling through their fins as they swim, song is subject to a reflexive inspire action using the
muted and eerie when heard from the surface. When singer’s Sing pool against their Resolve. Victims who
a singer of the deep leaps from the water to tackle and fail suffer a −2 dice penalty to all non-reflexive actions
seize a victim, its song resounds through the air. A host until they either spend 1 Willpower or can’t hear the
of singers gliding toward an unfortunate ship makes an song anymore; if they botch a roll, they cower in fear
unearthly wailing heard for miles. and can’t move or take any actions until they end the
effects, as above. A character can fully plug their ears
Essence: 1; Willpower: 3; Join Battle: 4 dice as a simple action as long as they have something
Health Levels: −0x3/−1x2/−2x2/−4x/Incap. suitable with which to do so to avoid or end the song’s
Actions: Feats of Strength: 7 dice (may attempt deleterious effects, but this incurs a –3 penalty on all
Strength 5 feats); Leaping from Water: 8 dice; Resist hearing-based Awareness or Senses rolls.
Disease/Poison: 6 dice; Senses: 5 dice; Sing: 8 dice; Wyld creatures and characters with Wyld mutations are
Stealth: 8 dice (underwater only); Swimming: 9 dice immune to these effects; instead, as long as they can
Resolve 3, Guile 4 hear the song, they increase their base Initiative by 1.
COMBAT Underwater Stalker: While underwater, a singer
can sense the number and positions of living beings
Attack (Talons): 9 dice (Damage 12) above the surface from as far away as medium range.
Attack (Grapple): 9 dice (9 to control) Add two bonus successes on rush rolls against any
Combat Movement: 7 dice (underwater); 2 dice foe from whom it’s concealed.
(on land, prone only) MERITS
Evasion 4, Parry 1 Depth Lurker: Subtract three successes from Per-
Soak/Hardness: 5/0 ception rolls to notice the singer while it’s at long

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range or farther under the water relative to the char- ships and fishing boats, surge from beneath the waves, and
acter, or moving up from long range while already grab sailors to drag them back down into the depths.
hidden. It can rush enemies from long range beneath
them underwater as long as the horizontal distance No one has yet discerned why singers attack and drown
between the two is no more than one range band and sailors. Some scholars theorize that they wish to make
the singer is concealed from the target. their land-dwelling cousins one with the ocean too, and
Wailing Glide: Singers of the deep leap from under- have no idea how to change them; others think the sing-
water to strike at their victims and drag them into the ers hold long-standing generational grudges against hu-
depths. When they breach the surface, the air whis- manity at large out of jealousy. Legends take a more ro-
tling through their fins makes their signature song much mantic view of the former theory: Tales in the West tell
louder than underwater, subjecting a greater area to of singers of the deep who either fell in love with surface
Fearsome Song. Singers can take combat movement dwellers or seek true love above the waves.
actions from underwater vertically as well as horizon-
tally as long as the action begins within medium range Singers target enemies with the lowest Athletics scores
of their target, unless Depth Lurker applies. Outside or wearing the heaviest armor to drag underwater first.
combat, singers can leap up to 100 yards in the air. A singer can spend five minutes, or three rounds in com-
Storyteller Tactics bat timing, above water before beginning to suffocate; in
Singers of the deep are little more than animalistic mon- combat, they take 3 bashing damage per round after that
sters with unusual cleverness who understand that humans point until they either die or re-submerge. Singers can’t
are pathetic swimmers. They have a basic language of their rise from prone on land without help and can’t stand on
own made up of keening at different pitches, volumes, and their own.
durations, which can express simple and brief ideas like ba-
sic ambush tactics or commands to flee. They swim up to A singer of the deep flees if it takes damage to its third
–0 health level.

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Siren Tower
Ethereal light emanates from the siren tower, prismed of debris can still perform withering slap attacks as
into enticing rainbows as it passes through the tower’s normal but gain no Initiative from them, and can make
myriad crevasses. The tower itself appears less other- clinch attempts but no other type of decisive attack;
worldly, but a great deal less beautiful: a conical con- it always chooses to savage prey.
glomeration of debris and strange objects rises several Junkyard Irruption: When a tower’s Initiative
stories. When a traveler stands beneath it gazing up in reaches 15+, it may split in two, creating a second
mute fascination, the mass sprouts limbs made of refuse tower standing at medium range from the first. Both
and clutter that whip through the air and bear down on towers’ Initiatives reset to 3.
anyone in their path. Fighting back may keep them alive, SOCIAL CHARMS
but it’s also precisely what the tower wants them to do:
Diamond in the Rough (7m, 1wp; Simple;
damaged enough, the haphazard turret suddenly loses One scene; Psyche; Essence 1): The tower’s light
cohesion and topples, crushing the unfortunate victims glints with coy suggestions of treasure among the
in an avalanche of miscellany. Then, the siren tower re- debris, promising that tearing it down will yield rich
constructs itself bit by bit, incorporating the new corpse rewards. Roll the tower’s Shine pool against the
into its junkyard structure. In time, the light shines Resolve of a target within long range. Success in-
again, and the siren tower waits. stills a defining Tie of “Siren Towers (Destruction)”
for the Charm’s duration or until the character pays
The siren tower puzzles savants, for nothing lives inside 1 Willpower, whichever comes first. Paying the
it. It has no core, no animating heart or mind. Attacking it Willpower doesn’t render them immune to further
only serves to scatter its constituent debris, but spreading activations of this Charm.
that debris out over several miles does prevent the tower Unnatural Beacon (3m; Simple; One scene;
from reforming. Occasionally, people from neighboring Essence 1) Roll the tower’s Shine pool once and
towns try to gather the refuse and clean up the area so apply it against the Resolve of each character within
they can use the land. They all end up regretting it. long range who can perceive the light. Success instills
a Minor Tie of “Siren Towers (Curiosity);” a character
Essence: 1; Willpower: 4; Join Battle: 7 must spend 1 Willpower to rid themselves of this Inti-
Personal Motes: 10 macy before the Charm’s duration ends. Paying the
Health Levels: −0x10/Scattered Willpower doesn’t render them immune to further ac-
tivations of this Charm.
Actions: Shine: 8 dice
Storyteller Tactics
Resolve 1, Guile 3
Siren towers rely on their prey coming to them, drawing
COMBAT the unwary close with a rainbow radiance that shines for
Attack (Collapse): 12 dice (Damage 13; reflexive, miles or a more concentrated, lighthouse-like rotating
when crashed only) light. Siren towers crop up on little islands at sea or on
Attack (Grapple): 9 dice (9 to control) coastlines to lure sailors struggling to navigate at night
Attack (Slap): 7 dice at short range (Damage 8) when the sky is overcast or during a storm; the promise
of a beacon lighting the way to shore is nigh-irresistible
Combat Movement: 0 dice (5 dice while crashed) for the desperate.
Evasion 0 (2 while crashed), Parry 1
Soak/Hardness: 8/6 A siren tower’s only wish is to add to its mass. It knows
SPECIAL ABILITIES that objects and refuse usually accompany living things,
and living things become refuse when they die, so it lures
Deadly Collapse: Whenever a siren tower enters as many of them as it can. Beyond that, a siren tower’s
Initiative Crash, it reflexively topples and crushes most effective option for making living things die is to
everyone nearby, making one unblockable deci-
coax them to attack it until it collapses, so it’s prone to
sive collapse attack (see above) and applying it to
making lots of decisive attacks and attempting lots of
the Evasion of each character within short range.
gambits to drop its Initiative as quickly as possible. If its
It rebuilds itself until it resets to base Initiative, once
again fully standing; it can’t exit Crash by gaining Ini- prey survives a few times, it may instead try to build its
tiative through any method. While crashed, the piles Initiative higher to multiply.

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If a siren tower is scattered by damage rather than it together lingers in the area for a few weeks, and it can
through intentional collapse, it takes three days to still reform during that time if its bits are brought back
reform. together again. Burning it all to ash or otherwise obliter-
ating it completely while it’s scattered also works.
Permanently destroying a siren tower requires spread-
ing its component debris over several miles to prevent it A siren tower can’t flee while it’s standing, and never
from reforming; even then, the Wyld Essence that holds flees when it’s collapsed.

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Unicorn
White as Northern snow with eyes that glow an un- against their will sicken and die quickly. But unicorns don’t
earthly blue, bearing an iridescent horn that glitters in stay dead: They rise again from the ice in Wyld lands after a
cold sunlight, graceful beyond the finest poetry — a uni- year and a day, and hold grudges that last centuries.
corn seems like a dream given life. Unicorns have served
as war mounts for raksha nobles for ages, and as the sub- Essence: 3, Willpower: 8, Join Battle: 8 dice
jects of stories and nightmares for many a mortal. A uni- Health Levels: −0x2/−1x2/−2x3/−4x2/Incap.
corn’s horn, while lovely, is a deadly weapon, and those Intimacies: Defining: “I must preserve perfection
who approach unwisely find their blood staining the in all its forms.”; Major: “Insults are forever.”; Myself
snow. Masterless unicorns run solo or gather in groups and My Kind (Pride)
of three to ten in the northern Wyld’s bordermarches,
Speed Bonus: +5
defending fantastical lands of pristine allure from any
who would despoil or reshape them. Some unicorns Actions: Feats of Strength: 8 dice (may attempt
boast glorious wings, with massive spans and feathers Strength 3 feats); Fly: 10 dice (winged only); Inspire:
as pure white as their coats. Unicorns are highly intel-
9 dice; Northern Navigation and Survival: 7 dice;
Occult Knowledge: 12 dice; Persuade: 6 dice; Read
ligent, and happily converse with those who don’t of-
Intentions: 5 dice; Resist Disease/Poison: 10 dice;
fend them; but they’re Wyld creatures, not animals, with
Senses: 8 dice; Threaten: 8 dice; Tracking: 5 dice
alien drives that make them highly unpredictable.
Appearance 5, Resolve 5, Guile 5
Unicorns obsess over harmony and pleasing aesthetics. COMBAT
Unity, symmetry, and wholehearted dedication — to any- Attack (Horn): 12 dice (Damage 16)
thing, be it love, wealth, or the basest cruelty — attract them.
Attack (Kick/Stomp): 9 dice (Damage 13)
By contrast, contradiction and turmoil are unspeakably ugly
to them. Beauty, too, draws a unicorn, but its idea of beauty Combat Movement: 10 dice
is as strange and ever-shifting as the Wyld itself. A unicorn Evasion 4, Parry 3
smiles upon a blood-spattered battlefield as often as a sub- Soak/Hardness: 7/0
lime flower arrangement, as long as the latter doesn’t mar the
former; it would stamp the flowers into pulp to keep them
from spoiling war’s gruesome elegance. Unicorns are proud,
haughty beings who spare no mercy for any who insult or
mistreat them; they view captivity as the worst offense of
all, and those held
C ha p t e r F o u r : C r e at u r e s of th e W i l d

SPECIAL ABILITIES any kind, including physical combat, arguments, or


Gore: Decisive horn attacks add threshold success- internal turmoil such as clashing Intimacies. They can
es to damage against enemies with lower Initiative, also sense magical conflicts, such as the use of Wy-
as long as the unicorn hasn’t taken any other actions ld-Shaping Technique (Exalted, p. 335) to carve
(including reflexive movement actions) that turn. reality out of chaos.
Sky Runner: In Creation, unicorns can run across Oaths Eternal: A unicorn cannot go back on its
the surface of snow or water without sinking in. In the word once given; its pride is a magical force that
Wyld, they can take to the sky, galloping over clouds prevents it from doing so. However, it doubles 8s on
and mist as though they were solid ground. Winged non-attack actions to uphold a promise or agreement.
unicorns can fly normally in any environment. Storyteller Tactics
MERITS Unicorns are quick to slay those who offend them, and
focus single-mindedly on destroying these offenders
Cold Iron Bane: Iron weapons deal aggravated
before moving on to other targets, regardless of relative
damage to unicorns.
danger. They leave injured kin to die if the wounded
Glorious Aura: A character must pay one Willpow- can’t recover quickly — to see their perfection marred
er to attack the unicorn as long as it hasn’t attacked thus is disgusting to them. Many unicorns now serving
her yet this scene; once she spends a Willpower, she as mounts for the Chosen were abandoned this way, only
may attack at will for the scene. The unicorn’s Inspire
for an Exalted champion to rescue them. Such acts win
rolls have a target number of 5, as long as the emotion
the fae creatures’ undying loyalty, as long as their mas-
it’s inspiring aligns with its Intimacies in context.
ters live up to their high expectations.
Hearts Unmasked: Unicorns can sniff out the
stench of dissonance and asymmetry. The unicorn may A unicorn is a 3-dot Familiar.
use its Senses and Tracking pools to detect conflict of

Visage Blight
Certain parasites that haunt the Wyld are born from the determines what it demands. Regardless, the outcome of
remnants of fictitious identities — pseudonyms, disguises, obeying is the same, as the host’s body gestates a brood
theatrical performances. A false identity in the Wyld is not of blights. Once they reach maturity, the parent blight’s
always content to be cast off at the end of the act. It clings to mouth vomits them into the world in search of new hosts.
existence within the Wyld’s mythopoeic chaos, congealing
into a visage blight. Tribes and settlements near the border- Essence: 1; Willpower: 3; Join Battle: 9 dice
marches observe taboos against giving false names and ban Health Levels: −0x1/−1x1/−2x1/−4x1/Incap.
acting to avoid creating these dangerous monsters. Intimacies: Defining: Current Host (Possessive Ob-
session), “I must reproduce.”; Major: My Children
Without a host, a visage blight resembles a scrap of flesh (Detached Pride), “The identity that created me is
or torn fabric, distinguishable only by its human-like mine and no one else’s.”; Minor: “I can catch more
eyes and ring of fanged teeth. It hides in the border- flies with honey than with vinegar.”
marches, waiting for an unsuspecting human to feed on.
Actions (unattached): Embed: 8 dice; Senses: 6
Once one comes within leaping range, the visage blight
dice; Stealth: 9 dice (see Tiny Creature)
lunges, embedding in the victim’s flesh as a second face.
It can take root anywhere on the body but prefers the Actions (attached): Read Intentions: 7 dice; Social
head, where it can easily whisper into its host’s ear. Influence: 10 dice
Appearance 2 (Hideous), Resolve 2, Guile 4
An unshakable compulsion against revealing the visage COMBAT
blight’s presence overtakes the host. Some victims retreat
Attack (Bite): 9 dice (Damage 1; increases to 8
into seclusion or hermitage, but most simply conceal their
against enemies its size or smaller)
second face, either under long hair or their clothing. The
visage blight tempts or coerces its host into certain behav- Combat Movement (unattached): 8 dice
iors, the nature of which varies from blight to blight; sha- Evasion 3 (unattached only; see Tiny Creature), Parry 0
mans teach that the false identity that created such a blight Soak/Hardness: 2/0

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SPECIAL ABILITIES hacked away or torn out, but doing so is typically


Embed: Embedding into a human host is a difficulty fatal to its host; removing it without harming the host
3 gambit. The blight automatically succeeds without requires a difficulty 7 (Dexterity + Medicine) roll.
an Initiative roll against an ambushed victim. Magic capable of exorcising spirits, such as Burning
Exorcism Technique (Exalted, p. 356), can force a
No Secrets from Yourself: When a blight’s host blight out. A blight can also detach from its host volun-
takes an action that upholds an Intimacy, the visage tarily, though convincing it to do so is a life-changing
blight automatically becomes aware of that Intimacy. task (Exalted, p. 216).
Whispering Devil Face: A blight can persuade Reality Parasite: Visage blights in Creation slowly
its host to perform an inconvenient task (Exalted, p. wither and calcify to death unless embedded in a
216) without a roll once per session. mortal host. Decide how long it takes based on what
MERITS makes for the most dramatic timing for the story.
Cold Iron Bane: Iron weapons deal aggravated Tiny Creature: Gain +2 Evasion against larger
damage to visage blights. foes. Larger foes subtract two successes from Aware-
Infestation: A visage blight’s host gains a defining ness rolls to notice an unattached visage blight.
Principle of “I can’t let anyone see my second face,” Storyteller Tactics
which they can’t voluntarily weaken. Victims can’t act Visage blights aren’t a serious threat in combat unless
against this Intimacy by revealing the blight or suggest- they can embed into a host, which they try to do with
ing actions that would definitely reveal it, though they an ambush. Only if the ambush fails and the blight’s Join
can give vague and indirect hints or clues. Another Battle roll doesn’t garner enough Initiative to attempt
character must be within close range of a blight’s host the gambit does it resort to withering attacks.
to even try to detect it, and doing so is a difficulty 5
(Perception + [lower of Investigation or Occult]) roll. Once embedded, a blight’s primary concern is imple-
Removing an embedded blight is difficult. It can be menting its alien, idiosyncratic agenda through its

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host, which is a source of endless story hooks. With A visage blight that successfully coerces its host begins
Whispering Devil Face, it might coerce its host to paint gestating a brood of its young within them. This doesn’t
a city’s walls with occult sigils by night, steal an eclectic need mechanics to represent — it’s there to give a sense
collection of exotic goods and reagents from a variety of of urgency to the players’ attempts to uncover and expel
shops, take sacrifices from a spirit’s altar (and angering it the blight, and consequences for failure. Whether or not
in the process), or anything else that might tangentially the host survives birthing a brood of visage blights and,
relate to the original identity that spawned the blight. Its if they do, what further complications it causes are up to
secondary concern is keeping itself concealed, although the Storyteller and player to work out together.
the difficulty of removing an embedded blight means
that being caught isn’t necessarily the end.

Yukino-Takka the Broken God


Yukino-Takka was once a god, though even he no longer (Responsibility)
remembers what he was the god of. It is a thing no longer Actions: Feats of Strength: 6 dice (may attempt
found in Creation, annihilated in the wake of the Great Strength 3 feats); Disguise: 8 dice; Heavenly Lore: 4
Contagion and the invading Fair Folk. The once-god de- dice; Read Intentions: 9 dice; Resist Disease/Poison:
fended his shrine and cultists as numberless hordes of 6 dice; Senses: 5 dice; Social Influence: 9 dice;
swarming nightmares poured in from the Wyld, but it Stealth: 5 dice; Wyld Lore: 12 dice
wasn’t enough. The raksha princess who defeated him Appearance 2 (Hideous), Resolve 4, Guile 5
had him immured in a cage of gossamer and whimglass
COMBAT
for her amusement, and drank his sorrow as he watched
his worshipers’ village dissolve into chaos, his flesh warp Attack (Iron dagger): 9 dice (Damage 10L)
and mutate, and his divinity fade and die. Only then did Attack (Fungal touch): 6 dice (Damage 17L/4)
she free him, for the husk of his broken hopes offered Attack (Grapple): 5 dice (6 to control)
nothing more for her to drain. Combat Movement: 4 dice
Once ethereal and beautiful, Yukino-Takka is now a gro- Evasion 1, Parry 3
tesque parody of himself. His misshapen flesh is made Soak/Hardness: 16/10
from constantly growing fungus, and a wretched mane MERITS
of mycelium trails from his head. He keeps his eyes, ears, Broken Divinity: Yukino-Takka is naturally materi-
and mouth from being overgrown with an iron dagger. al, and incapable of dematerializing. If destroyed, he
Unable to survive for long in Creation, he wanders the still reforms (Exalted, p. 508-509) in the Wyld, but
Wyld in search of novelty to distract him from the tor- suffers new mutations or Derangements.
ment of his being. He enjoys the chance to converse
Cold Iron Bane: Yukino-Takka takes aggravated
with mortals, and protects or guides them through the damage from iron weapons.
Wyld. He’s wary of Exalted — not because he hates or
fears them, but because some have tried to help him. He
Estranged from Reality: Yukino-Takka slowly
withers and calcifies to death in Creation. He may be
believes his condition irreparable, and would rather be
able to stave this off by feeding on mortals like the
thought a nightmarish horror than let the Chosen waste
raksha or through some other means, but if so, he is
their compassion on him.
either unaware of how or unwilling to do it.
Essence: 3; Willpower: 4; Join Battle: 6 dice OFFENSIVE CHARMS
Personal Motes: 80 Flesh-Melting Spores (1m, 5i, 1wp; Simple;
Instant; Eclipse, Perilous; Essence 3): A cloud of
Health Levels: −0x1/−1x1/−2x2/−4x5/Incap.
deadly spores rises up from Yukino-Takka’s flesh. He
Intimacies: Defining: “I can’t be healed,” Raksha rolls 8 dice (Eclipse Castes use [Stamina + Medi-
(Hatred); Major: “I crave distraction from this ex- cine]) opposing the (Resistance + Stamina) of all other
istence,” Himself (Shame), Other Gods (Resent- characters in medium range. Characters who fail are
ment); Minor: The Exalted (Wariness); Mortals covered in spores, and take a single die of lethal

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damage each turn, ignoring Hardness.


Each level of damage dealt imposes
a –1 crippling penalty until the end
of the scene, maximum (Yukino-Tak-
ka’s Essence). Taking a single level
of damage from a fire-based source
burns away the spores, ending both
the ongoing damage and the penalty.
When Yukino-Takka is reduced to his
–4 health level for the first time in a
scene, he may use this Charm reflex-
ively.
Gardener-of-Chaos Touch (6m;
Simple; Instant; Decisive-only, Eclipse;
Essence 2): Yukino-Takka rolls a diffi-
culty 3 gambit against a character in
close range (Eclipse Castes may use
Brawl or Martial Arts). Success deals
one level of bashing damage and
causes fungal growths to form across
the body of a living being until the
scene ends. Its flesh softens, setting its
natural soak from Stamina to 0, and it
takes a –3 penalty on Stamina- and
Appearance-based rolls. If it is affect-
ed by Flesh-Eating Spores, the damage
it takes each turn increases to (Yuki-
no-Takka’s Essence) dice.
SOCIAL CHARMS
Mind-Dissolving Spores (3m,
1wp; Simple; Instant; Eclipse, Psyche;
Essence 2): Yukino-Takka disperses
hallucinogenic spores, rolling 8 dice
(Eclipse Castes use [Manipulation +
Medicine]) against the Resolve of all
characters within medium range. A
character whose Resolve is beaten
gains Yukino-Takka’s choice of Hys-
teria, Madness, or Paranoia at Major
Intensity (Exalted, p. 168-169) until
the scene ends and immediately begins
suffering its effects. Characters who
botch gain the Derangement at defin-
ing intensity.
Storyteller Tactics
Yukino-Takka is glad to talk with and
assist characters as long as he thinks
they’re mortal. Once he suspects they’re
Exalted, he reads their intentions to fig-
ure out whether they pity him or desire
to help him recover. If not, he’s con-
tent and asks favors of the Chosen — if
they assist him in fulfilling his vendetta
against the raksha, he can lead them to
artifacts, lore, or other treasures lost in

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RESTORING THE BROKEN GOD

Even if characters convince Yukino-Takka to let them help him, it’s not a quick or easy process. Order-Affirming
Blow (Exalted, p. 334) or a comparable effect could strip away his physical mutations to restore his original ap-
pearance and revert his Essence to its original nature, removing his Broken Divinity, Cold Iron Bane, and Estranged
from Reality Merits. However, this alone doesn’t undo the amnesia and other trauma he’s suffered, nor does it re-
store his lost position in Heaven’s celestial bureaucracy. Magic such as Wholeness-Restoring Meditation (Exalted,
p. 344) could treat his mental suffering as though it were a defining Derangement. Restoring his position would
require negotiating with the celestial bureaucracy to have him appointed as the god of a new domain, which may
be the most difficult part of all.

the Wyld. If he detects pity or a wish to help, he does If forced into battle, Yukino-Takka uses Mind-Dissolving
whatever he can to discourage it: lying about his nature, Spores to disorient his enemies, then uses withering at-
deliberately instilling them with negative Ties toward tacks to build up enough Initiative to use Flesh-Melting
himself, or even initiating hostilities. To let them help Spores, and follows it up with Gardener-of-Chaos Touch
him, the player characters need to weaken his defining on affected enemies to increase the damage they suffer.
Principle of “I can’t be healed.”

Zicnal of the Asmani


According to legend, when the ancients shaped Creation, Wyld: 8 dice; Long Memory: 9 dice; Read Intentions: 9
they set the asmani to hold up the corners of the sky. dice; Resist Disease/Poison: 12 dice; Senses: 12 dice;
When the Contagion came and Fair Folk poured over the Social Influence: 12 dice; Writing: 6 dice
world’s rim in an unstoppable tide, the Wyld swallowed Appearance 4, Resolve 5, Guile 3
the asmani. Warped and reshaped almost beyond recog- COMBAT
nition, they wander as vast protean colossi through the
shallows of chaos.
Attack (Colossal sword): 13 dice (Damage 24,
minimum 5)
Zicnal appears as a titanic man fifty feet high. His three Attack (Giant’s scepter, as tetsubo): 13 dice
faces are white-haired and bushy-bearded; his many (Damage 24, minimum 4)
hands hold parchment and brush, plumb line and mea- Attack (Plumb line, as fighting chain): 11 dice
suring cord, scepter and sword. Where his kin remain (Damage 23, minimum 5)
in deepest Wyld, meandering mindlessly or making Attack (Unarmed): 10 dice (Damage 22)
war against things of chaos, Zicnal dwells upon an is- Attack (Grapple): 10 dice (13 to control)
land of stability beyond world’s edge. There he rules
the demented city of Marakanda, home to ten thousand
Combat Movement: 12 dice
mutated mortals and an endless variety of inscrutable Evasion 1, Parry 5
goblin-things. Soak/Hardness: 15/5
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Essence: 5; Willpower: 7; Join Battle: 10 dice
Overwhelming Might: Asmani make unopposed
Personal Motes: 50 grapple control rolls against enemies of smaller size,
Health Levels: −0x10/−1x20/−2x20/−4x10/ unless the victims use magic allowing them to grapple
Incap. larger foes, such as Dragon Coil Technique (Exalted
Intimacies: Defining: “Though I am fallen, I still deserve Third Edition, p. 280).
respect from the powers of Creation.”; Major: Fair Folk MERITS
(Wary Resentment), Marakanda (Exasperated Respon- Legendary Size: Zicnal suffers no onslaught pen-
sibility); Minor: Other Asmani (Disappointment) alties from attacks from smaller opponents, unless
Actions: Command: 10 dice; Feats of Strength: 14 they’re magically inflicted. Withering attacks from
dice (may attempt Strength 10 feats); Knowledge of the

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smaller enemies cannot Crash him unless they have Wyld Resistance: Asmani are immune to the
at least 10 post-soak damage dice, although attack- warping and addictive properties of ambient Wyld
ers still gain the full amount of Initiative damage dealt. energies, save when they enter Pure Chaos at the
Decisive attacks from smaller enemies cannot deal Wyld’s outermost edges. They double 9s on rolls to
more than (3 + attacker’s Strength) levels of damage resist shaping inflicted by creatures of the Wyld.
to him, not counting levels added by Charms or other OFFENSIVE CHARMS
magic.
Limb-Wrenching Grasp (10m, 2i; Simple; Instant;
Multitasking: Zicnal can flurry without penalties if Decisive-only): When an asman throws a grappled
one action in the flurry is a miscellaneous or social enemy, he first tears them asunder, doubling bonus
action. dice of damage received from forfeited rounds of
Threefold Gaze: Zicnal can see in three separate control. If the rolled damage exceeds the victim’s
directions at once, and never suffers penalties for (Stamina x 2), double total levels of damage inflicted
distractions or multiple complications. Characters at- unless the victim accepts a crippling injury, which does
tempting to establish surprise against him suffer a −3 not count against their once per story limit (Exalted,
penalty. p. 201). Whether the victim lives or dies, the asman
Wellspring of Order: Zicnal’s presence tames the flings them aside afterward, ending the grapple.
Wyld within five miles, temporarily reducing middle- Scything Blow (5m, 1wp; Simple; Instant; De-
marches to bordermarches, and bordermarches to cisive-only): With one blow from his weapons, the
tainted lands. This doesn’t affect deep Wyld. asman makes a decisive attack against two enemies,
dividing his Initiative evenly between both to deter-
mine raw damage. He may use this Charm once per
scene, unless reset by building up to Initiative 20+.
Triple Threat (15m, 1wp; Simple; Instant;
Withering-only): Zicnal makes three separate
withering attacks, each using a different
weapon against a unique target. He gains
Initiative as normal from the attack that dealt
the highest amount of damage; the other two
attacks cannot award more than 5 Initiative
each, not counting Initiative Breaks. He may
use this Charm once per scene, unless reset
by making three separate decisive attacks.
SOCIAL CHARMS
Elegant Goblin-King Brushstrokes
(20m, 1wp; Simple; Instant; Writ-
ten-only): Zicnal writes an
edict into the legal

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OTHER ASMANI

Zicnal’s traits are representative of asmani in general, although the Wyld’s warping power has granted others far
different mutations, Charms, panoplies, or domains. The twelve-armed asman Sanek, for instance, lacks Zicnal’s
three faces. Instead, she has the lower body of an immense scarlet worm, her underbelly lined with faces, and
wears an armored raiment woven from honeybees. She wanders the Wyld as a penitent, hoping to reclaim for-
mer glory through deeds of what she perceives as virtue.

code of Marakanda and makes a persuade roll if the offer’s good — especially if it inconveniences the
to ensure the inhabitants follow its dictates. This roll raksha without drawing too much ire upon his people
applies against the Resolve of all Wyld mutants and — and uses the surrounding Wyld and his own forgot-
creatures living there, without them needing to read ten place of honor as leverage if he can. He’s particularly
the edict. Those convinced act as though the law has susceptible to bargains that promise a major Creation-
always been in place. Zicnal can use this Charm once born power’s ear, such as a high-ranking god.
per story, unless reset by achieving a major character
or story goal (Exalted, p. 170) through the agency In combat, Zicnal wades deep into the fray so he can
of outsiders. crush opponents on all sides with equal fury. He al-
MISCELLANEOUS CHARMS ways has at least one Wyld-warped guardian nearby,
Sky-Shouldering Exertion (20m, 1wp; Supple- such as a buck-ogre or manticore (Exalted, pp. 537-
mental; Instant): Double 7s on the roll for a feat of 539). His champion is Milaka, a Wood-Aspect mutant
strength. The asman meets the Strength prerequisite (Experienced Dragon-Blood: Exalted, p. 544). Milaka
for any such feat (Exalted, p. 229). has wooden flesh (Unusual Hide: Exalted, p. 166-167);
Storyteller Tactics the back of his head is a hollowed-out raiton’s nest,
which oddly impairs him not at all. Zicnal can gather a
In social influence, Zicnal is primarily concerned with
battle group of Wyld mutants and hobgoblins with the
his own authority and autonomy, and his city’s safety.
following traits: Size 3, average Drill, Might 1, Magnitude
He prefers persuade and threaten actions, but bargains
8.

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The warrior headed east toward the next village, where she could enlist help to kill the
cockatrice. Inaol wished her luck. Home lay to the south, and surely by now her mother and
sister were sick with worry.
Half an hour later, a bird’s indignant cry nearly scared her out of her skin. Inaol was certain the
cockatrice had found her.
Then the sound came again: a shriek, not a crow. Inaol crept into the trees to see what it was.
She followed the intermittent cries until she came to a deadfall. Awe stole her breath.
Standing half-again as tall as Inaol was the most magnificent hawk. It ruffled blue-tipped wings
at her. Its black eyes glinted with distrust. Inaol noted its razor-sharp talons and pointed beak
even as she took in the gilded saddle. Its reins had tangled in the roots of a long-dead tree.
A saddle should mean a rider, but although Inaol searched the brush and called out, she found
no sign of the hawk’s keeper. Had she seen this creature before, led along the parade route in
care of a Metagalapan warrior?
What if the aughdeighe wasn’t the only beast to escape?
If she led the hawk home, she’d earn goodwill for her people.
Better, she could ride it home. She’d watched a rider astride an austrech. Controlling the bird
hadn’t seemed much different than commanding a horse. Surely, she could guide this hawk
along the road just the same?
The hawk eyed her warily as she freed it, but it refrained from biting or swiping at her. It
sidestepped the first few times she guided it to a log so she could gain the saddle, but in the
end, allowed her to swing a leg over.
Before she could try to coax it into a trot, it took to the air.
The hawk winged into the sky, then dove straight downward. Inaol clung to the reins as the
treetops rushed up to meet them. It veered and rolled, trying to throw her off its back.
But oh, Inaol had learned what it meant to hold fast from the aughdeighe, and how to ride the
wind from the cloud people. From the ghostfisher and the cockatrice, she’d learned she was
stronger than her fear.
Try as it might, the hawk couldn’t rid itself of its rider.
At last, it ceased its efforts and let Inaol guide its path. She didn’t relax her guard until she
spotted familiar booths along the road, the procession still in progress. The hawk saw it too, and
plunged into another terrifying dive. Yet it landed in a graceful flutter of wings, and only half-
heartedly jerked as Inaol clambered down from the saddle.
A small crowd surged toward them: a shocked Metagalapan rider, who took the hawk’s reins
and got a nip for his trouble; Inaol’s mother, caught undecided between relief and fury; and
one of the parade’s fine ladies. The woman inspected her, taking her hands and examining her
fingers, looking into her eyes. At last she stepped back and nodded. “Rest,” she said. “We’ll have
much to discuss before Calibration’s end.”

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Chapter Five

Animals
28 Descending Earth

Tomorrow, Calibration begins anew. Never did I think I would see such wonders in my life as this last year’s journey
has shown me, but the time has come to return home. I wonder whether anything will have changed, or whether all that
awaits me is what always has. Some aboard this vessel are worried that we won’t make land before the moon vanishes
tonight, but I can see dolphins swimming beside the ship. The gods are with us. We’ll see the beacon soon, I know it.

Armored Kraken
Beneath Southwestern seas lurks a monstrous colossal oc- SPECIAL ABILITIES
topus. Dozens of yards long, with an exoskeleton of thick Depth Lurker: Subtract three successes from Perception
chitinous plates and ten arms easily long and powerful rolls to notice the kraken while it’s at least at long range
enough to crush a trireme to flinders and scatter its crew under the water relative to the character, or moving up
to the waves, the armored kraken is a rare marine menace. from long range while already hidden. It can rush enemies
It lives in the extreme depths, but large disturbances on from long range beneath them underwater as long as the
the surface attract it; scholars believe it mistakes ships for horizontal distance between the two is no more than one
other creatures of like size when it senses them, drawn by range band and it’s concealed from the target.
shipwrecks or battles of great Exalted power, and attacks Infinite Grasp: The kraken may flurry two grapple
out of territorial instinct. In warmer months when cur- gambits together. Each enemy the kraken grapples
rents flow north into Western waters, learned pirates and takes up one of its arms; it may maintain one grapple
Dynastic captains take care to engage in shallower waters, per arm. While grappling, it can flurry actions as long
lest the kraken wake. Many a sailor sees the tell-tale crest as it has an arm available for each action. The penalty
of its armored mantle in her nightmares and prays to the to flurried actions is −0 with ten or nine arms free, −1
Ocean Father never to meet it. with eight, −2 with seven, and −3 with six or fewer.
While grappling multiple foes, a withering savaging
Essence: 1; Willpower: 5; Join Battle: 8 dice attack deals damage normally, but the kraken only
(base Initiative 5) receives Initiative from the one who deals the most
Health Levels: −0x4/−1x6/−2x6/−4x2/Incap. damage; a decisive savaging attack divides the
kraken’s current Initiative as evenly as possible among
Actions: Feats of Strength: 14 dice (may attempt all grappled enemies to determine raw damage.
Strength 10 feats); Naval Maneuvers: 8 dice; Resist
Disease/Poison: 12 dice; Senses: 5 dice; Stealth: 4 Iron Grip: While it has more than three free arms, the
dice; Swimming: 10 dice; Tracking: 4 dice kraken doesn’t take Defense penalties from grappling
smaller enemies, and can reflexively take a drag
Resolve 3, Guile 2 action to move them whenever it moves. It doesn’t lose
COMBAT rounds of grapple control when attacked unless the
Attack (Arm): 12 dice (Damage 16, minimum 3) attack successfully damages it.
Attack (Beak): 8 dice (Damage 12); Tags: Piercing Overwhelming Might: Krakens make unopposed
grapple control rolls against enemies of smaller size,
Attack (Grapple): 12 dice (14 to control)
unless the victims use magic allowing them to grapple
Combat Movement: 10 dice (6 dice with fewer larger foes, such as Dragon Coil Technique (Exalted,
than four free arms) p. 280).
Evasion 3, Parry 6 (2 with no free arms) Doldrum-Conquering Beast (Latent): A tamed
Soak/Hardness: 15/10 kraken can be taught to tow a ship via hawser. This
Note: For attacks against ships in naval combat, see adds +1 Speed and Maneuverability, and grants the
Terror of the Deep. crew access to its unique naval stratagems.

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MERITS • Hull Crush (Cost: 3 Momentum): The kraken


Impenetrable Armor: Reduce the minimum may only use this stratagem if it’s currently trap-
damage of any withering attack made against the ping a ship with Living Anchor. The massive arms
kraken by one, to a minimum of zero. clench until timbers crack and splinter. This strata-
gem inflicts one level of Hull damage.
Legendary Size: The kraken suffers no onslaught
penalties from attacks from smaller opponents, unless • Sea Monster Smash (Cost: 5 Momentum):
they’re magically inflicted. Withering attacks from With at least one arm free, the kraken draws
smaller enemies cannot crash it unless they have at alongside a ship and savages it with arms like
least 10 post-soak damage dice, although attackers massive whips, toppling masts and splintering
still gain the full amount of Initiative damage dealt. De- wood. This inflicts one level of Hull damage, or
cisive attacks from smaller enemies cannot deal more two if the kraken has at least five arms free.
than (3 + attacker’s Strength) levels of damage to it, not • Snatch (Cost: 10 Momentum): The kraken
counting levels added by Charms or other magic. reaches onto the deck and snatches one in-
Terror of the Deep: In naval combat (Exalted, p. dividual from the ship. It takes one free arm
245), the kraken can perform any
stratagem except broadside and
others requiring an actual ship,
using its Naval Maneuvers pool.
It can’t perform boarding actions.
Every point of Hull damage it
would take inflicts two points of
lethal damage to the kraken’s
health track, and its Speed is +2.
When it rams an opponent with its
beak, it suffers no damage. It can
always perform the concealment
stratagem by submerging, even
on the open ocean. It has the fol-
lowing unique stratagems:
• Living Anchor (Cost: 10
Momentum): The kraken
attempts to wrap its tremen-
dous arms around an enemy
ship. If successful, the ship
can only perform a broad-
side, or boarding actions for
crew to fight the beast di-
rectly. However, characters
can initiate regular combat
without crossing over to the
kraken’s bulk by attacking
the arms, with a stratagem
costing no Momentum;
doing so only allows them
to attempt the gambit to
sever an arm (see “Storytell-
er Tactics”) until the kraken
lets go. This stratagem takes
five free arms to perform. If
the kraken takes 4+ levels of
lethal damage or no longer
has enough available arms,
its grip breaks.

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to do this. This stratagem acts as a boarding Storyteller Tactics


action; the kraken doesn’t board the ship, but The armored kraken is both a sea battle and a regular combat-
forces the conflict to move to individual-scale ant, usually both in the same encounter. It starts out attempting
combat. A snatched character takes one die to crush ships with its stratagems and then pick off the survi-
of bashing damage per round, ignoring Hard- vors from the water afterward, but if it takes 10+ lethal damage
ness, and any ranged attack that misses the from broadside, it snatches people from the deck to rid itself of
kraken automatically hits the snatched char- obviously powerful individuals (like Exalts with flaring anima
acter instead, with one threshold success. Treat banners) or someone manning a ballista or other ship-to-ship
this as a clinch with rounds of control equal to
weapon. Characters can use boarding actions to “mount” the
the kraken’s remaining Momentum after using
kraken and fight it directly, as they would with an enemy ship.
Snatch; the above automatic effects occur in
addition to any clinch moves the kraken uses
A kraken has 10 arms. In regular combat, characters can attempt
on subsequent turns.
a difficulty 5 gambit with a cutting weapon to sever an arm. The
• Thrash (Cost: None): The kraken may only use kraken prefers to grapple as many opponents at a time as possi-
this stratagem if it’s currently trapping a ship with ble, making savaging attacks or dragging them underwater until
Living Anchor. It uses Thrash to build one Mo- they drown. If it loses six or more of its arms, or takes damage to
mentum per two threshold successes it rolls with its last three −2 health levels, it attempts to flee.
Naval Maneuvers, rocking the ship back and
forth to further cement its grip with its powerful
suckers.

Aurochs
Aurochs are wild cattle roaming the forests and plains In some regions, villagers capture an aurochs and pit it
throughout Creation, particularly in the South. They are against young warriors as a show of the warriors’ skill
huge herbivorous animals, weighing up to 3,000 pounds and bravery. Surviving a gore wound is often as much an
and standing six feet at the shoulder. Both the bulls and honor for the warrior as actually subduing the beast.
cows have horns, though the bulls’ are larger, their curves
more pronounced. The aurochs’ skull is longer than that Farmers domesticate aurochs and put them to use plowing
of its smaller cattle cousins, and its neck and shoulder fields, drawing carts laden with trade goods, turning heavy
musculature is thicker, to support its majestic horns. mill stones, and performing other tasks that otherwise re-
Aurochs fight savagely with other members of the herd quire several horses — or strong-backed people — to com-
over food, mates, or anything else that provokes their ire. plete. During the harvest months, village festivals invite com-
petitors to test their strength against that of an aurochs, piling
Several Icewalker tribes consider the aurochs a sacred an- sledges high with heavy stones and seeing how many people it
imal. It is a symbol of fertility and fortitude, representing takes to pull as much weight as one bull can by itself. The vil-
its worshipers’ ability to remain steadfast in the face of lage parades the winners around town on the aurochs’ back,
adversity. Elsewhere, the aurochs is a choice sacrifice to both human and beast crowned with the fruits of the harvest.
local gods and spirits, the leftover meat feeding worship-
ers for several months, and providing them with hides, Essence: 1; Willpower: 5; Join Battle: 7 dice
bones, horns, and sinews to trade or use for tools and Health Levels: −0x2/−1x6/−2x6/−4x3/Incap.
crafting. Nobles and tribal leaders drink from an aurochs’ Actions: Feats of Strength: 9 dice (may attempt
horn decorated with precious metals and jewels as a sign Strength 7 feats); Intimidate: 7 dice; Senses: 5 dice
of their wealth and stature.
Resolve 3, Guile 1
In the South, the aurochs is sacred to the war god Ahlat COMBAT
and his Brides. They sacrifice the animals by the hun- Attack (Horns): 10 dice (Damage 15)
dreds to their patron and receive the blessings of his Attack (Stomp): 6 dice (Damage 13)
strength and favor in return. Ahlat frequently elevates
Combat Movement: 10 dice
the aurochs’ spirit avatars, bringing them to live with
him in Yu-Shan as glorious war-aurochs gods. Evasion 5, Parry 2
Soak/Hardness: 7/0

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SPECIAL ABILITIES Strength of the Loyal Beast (Magical, 5m):


Deadly Charge: Every range band the aurochs Aurochs can work for long periods without rest, and
moves toward a single enemy in a straight line grants require their masters to keep up. The aurochs lends
it two Initiative. This Initiative accumulates until it closes her its implacable strength, allowing her to ignore all
to close range with that enemy and makes a deci- fatigue penalties and granting her one bonus success
sive attack. If the aurochs takes any action other than on all Resistance rolls, for the scene.
moving directly toward the chosen enemy, it loses all MERITS
Initiative built up with this ability. Beast of Burden: Double 8s on feats of strength to
Gore: Decisive horn attacks add threshold success- haul or carry a heavy burden.
es to damage against enemies with lower Initiative, Stampede: Whenever a stampeding battle group
as long as the aurochs hasn’t taken any other actions of aurochs moves into close range with a character,
(including reflexive movement actions) that turn. it immediately attempts a reflexive engage gambit
Horn Toss: After dealing 3+ levels of damage to an (Exalted, p. 209) against her; if successful, she takes
enemy with a decisive horn attack, the aurochs may one level of automatic bashing damage at the end of
reflexively grapple and immediately slam him for ad- each turn she remains engaged.
ditional damage, catching him in its horns and tossing Stubborn Survivalist: The aurochs’ hide is extremely
him. Make a control roll with its Feats of Strength pool, thick, protecting it from the environment and from preda-
and then it may throw the enemy out to short range. tors’ horns, teeth, and claws. Do not subtract wound pen-
It can only use this ability once per scene and cannot alties from its Defense. Attacks made from short range
attempt grapple gambits without using this ability. or further reduce their minimum damage against the
Trample: If the aurochs reflexively pursues an enemy aurochs by one unless they benefit from an Aim action.
after a successful rush and makes a stomp attack Sturdy as Stone: An aurochs cannot be knocked
against them on its next turn, a successful hit knocks back or prone except by magical effects or creatures
the enemy prone. Apply the Defense penalty from with legendary size. A grappled aurochs cannot be
being prone (Exalted, p. 202) retroactively when thrown or slammed unless magic such as Dragon Coil
calculating the attack’s threshold successes. Technique (Exalted, p. 280) is used, or if the attacker
Invincible God-Beast Hide (Magical, 12m): is of legendary size.
Reduce one decisive attack’s raw damage by the
aurochs’ soak rating. An attack failing to deal
damage grants the beast three Initiative.

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War-God’s Blessing (Magical, 3m): Double 8s on and long legs to its advantage, rushing often and smash-
Join Battle and rush rolls. Whenever the aurochs makes ing anything that might provide cover to its foes. It fights
a successful decisive attack against an opponent with aggressively and only uses defensive actions to protect
lower Initiative, it resets to a base Initiative of 4 rather its young or at a master’s command. To prove its domi-
than 3. Treat this as a latent ability while a Bride of Ahlat, nance, it never stops pursuing fleeing enemies until they
or someone else the god favors, trains the aurochs. successfully withdraw or go to ground. An aurochs flees
Storyteller Tactics when it takes damage in its first −4 health level.
Both male and female aurochs fight when provoked.
Usually, they do so to display dominance within the A herd of aurochs is a Size 2 battle group with poor Drill
herd, but humans can instigate an aurochs charge with and Might 0, and stampedes when provoked en masse or
just a bit of teasing. In battle, an aurochs uses its bulk frightened.

Austrech
The austrech is one of the largest predators in the Southeastern
deserts — the average specimen stands just over nine feet
tall, and bears talons that put fine knives to shame.
Though well-adapted to their arid home, these
flightless birds are equally comfortable in plains,
scrublands, and forests. Relatives of the des-
ert austrech are common along the southern
coast of the Inland Sea, even ranging as far as
An-Teng. In addition to hunting their own prey,
they’ve been known to squabble with lions and claw
striders over kills. Wherever they’re found, these territorial
beasts are an important natural resource for neighboring
human tribes. They make an abundant source of food
or leather for tribes that can feasibly hunt them, while
any hero brave enough to tame the so-called “terror
bird” earns a fiercely loyal mount.

Essence: 1; Willpower: 4; Join


Battle: 4 dice
Health Levels:
−0/−1x2/−2x2/−4/Incap.
Speed Bonus: +2
Actions: Endure Arid Condi-
tions: 7 dice; Feats of Strength:
5 dice (may attempt Strength
3 feats); Find Water: 5 dice;
Senses: 5 dice
Resolve 2, Guile 1
COMBAT
Attack (Peck): 6 dice (Damage
14)
Attack (Talon kick): 8 dice
(Damage 10)
Attack (Grapple): 6 dice (6 to
control) (Iron Talon Stomp only)

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Combat Movement: 8 dice reflexively move one range band closer to him and
Evasion 3, Parry 2 initiate a grapple gambit against him. The austrech
can only restrain or savage a clinched enemy, and
Soak/Hardness: 4/0
cannot move without ending the grapple.
SPECIAL ABILITIES
MERITS
Brutal Kick: Enemies smaller than human size that
Desert Endurance: An austrech is suited to survival
take 5+ damage from the austrech’s withering talon
in deserts where water is scarce, allowing it to survive
kicks are knocked back one range band and fall
for a week without water. Even in its final hours, it
prone.
ignores the usual −3 penalty for dehydration, giving it
Swift Advance: Whenever the austrech reflexively one last chance to make it to a water source.
pursues an enemy after a successful rush, it may pay
Oasis Rider (Latent): An austrech whose master suc-
a Willpower to reflexively make a decisive attack
cumbs to dehydration takes her to the nearest source
against him.
of water it can find, carrying her on its back if she
Flesh-Rending Beak (Latent): An austrech hunts fainted in the saddle or dragging her with its beak if
large prey animals, such as camels and wild dogs, not.
by kicking them savagely with taloned feet to weaken Storyteller Tactics
them, before finishing them with its huge beak. If the
In the wild, austreches mainly travel in pairs or alone.
austrech crashes an enemy with a withering talon
attack, add two automatic successes on decisive When hunting, they lay down on the ground and stretch
peck attacks it makes against him until he recovers their heads and necks out flat, appearing to their quar-
from crash. ry as nothing more dangerous than an earthen mound.
Austreches who hunt in pairs often settle several dozen
Aspect of the Garda (Magical, 5m): The austrech’s
yards apart, wait for their quarry to pass between them,
master imbues it with the fiery-winged aspect of the
garda, turning its feathers to dancing sprays of flame. and charge forward in a pincer movement.
The austrech may use its movement action to fly, and its
They focus their swift, sharp attacks on their victims’
fiery glory adds one automatic success to all attacks
and one bonus die to all damage rolls. These ben- soft spots: eyes, throats, bellies. When faced with an
efits last for one round. If the austrech does not end armored opponent, clever austreches learn to focus on
its movement on the ground, it falls unless its master gaps in the plates. Some even slash at leather straps and
activates Aspect of the Garda again on her next turn. other fasteners. They use gambits to perform these feats.
Iron Talon Stomp (Magical, 6m): The austrech’s An austrech flees after taking damage in its last −2 health
Brutal Kick attack works against enemies of human
level.
size. If it successfully knocks an enemy prone, it may

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Bat
Bats reside in all corners of Creation, from frosty caves amid COMBAT
Northern peaks to wooded habitats in the East, to Southern Attack (Bite): 6 dice (Damage 5)
jungles and Western isles. Some Dynasts even keep them as
Combat Movement: 8 dice
curious pets on the Blessed Isle. Anywhere darkness offers
shelter and fruits or insects abound, bats thrive. These small Evasion 3, Parry 1 (see Tiny Creature)
creatures pose little harm to humans, though their erratic Soak/Hardness: 1/0
flight and tendency to rush the nearest target when startled MERITS
inspire tales of bats as nightmarish, bloodthirsty creatures Echolocation: Bats perceive their surroundings via
that gouge out eyes or excoriate flesh. Several larger, carniv- bursts of sound too high-pitched for humans to hear.
orous species feast on frogs, mice, and other bats. They never take penalties to Senses rolls for low light
or blindness, and they double 8s on rolls to find or
As nocturnal hunters, they prefer to rest until nightfall. notice anything concealed.
Abandoned ruins make ideal homes for them, and the
Keen Hearing: Double 9s on hearing-based Senses
sudden swarming of an agitated colony has driven away
rolls.
many an aspiring scavenger lord.
Tiny Creature: Gain +2 Evasion against foes larger
Essence: 1; Willpower: 3; Join Battle: 4 dice than a housecat. Characters of that size subtract two
successes from Awareness rolls to notice the bat.
Health Levels: −0/−1/−2/−4/Incap.
Storyteller Tactics
Actions: Fly: 8 dice; Senses: 7 dice (see Echoloca-
Individual bats rarely attack people, but many find their
tion, Keen Hearing); Stealth: 4 dice
flight patterns and sudden movements alarming. Some bats
Resolve 1, Guile 2 feed on blood, and when intruders enter such a bat’s hunting

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ground, it bites the target with the least armor or most ex- Alchemists seek out bat nests for their deposits of gua-
posed skin. Once it deals one level of decisive damage, it flies no, a potent ingredient in many thaumaturgic rituals. It
off to avoid retaliation. Although the injuries are small, the can also be refined into an explosive reagent as a major
bat’s saliva prevents wounds from closing. The punctures project, requiring a week’s worth of labor and a difficul-
continue bleeding until the victim can clean them. ty 3 Craft (Alchemy) roll. This transmutes one fistful of
bat guano with a sprinkling of red jade shavings into a
A lone bat flees when it takes damage to its first −1 health half dozen charges of firedust, or enough for two firedust
level. Bat colonies swarm intruders near their nests, fly- grenades.
ing in a chaotic pattern as a battle group with Size 1, poor
Drill, and Might 0.

Bird of Paradise
Native to the West’s tropical isles and Southeastern Across these tropical cultures, spotting a bird of paradise
jungles, a bird of paradise is any avian with striking, landing upon a pier, mast, or gunwale is an omen of good
colorful plumage and a knack for mimicry. These birds luck. If the bird flies over a vessel, it promises a safe and
are popular pets for the wealthy, as keeping them alive prosperous journey.
over long distances is a challenge for sellers. Closer to
their native habitats, Western sailors own the intelli- Essence: 1; Willpower: 4; Join Battle: 4 dice
gent birds as lookouts and status symbols. Their animal Health Levels: −0/−1x2/−2/−4/Incap.
insights inform Southeastern mystics’ fortune-telling Actions: Fly: 8 dice; Mimic: 8 dice; Senses: 6 dice
rituals. Enterprising hunters capture and kill birds of
Resolve 1, Guile 3
paradise for their stunning plumage and craft the allur-
ing feathers into jewelry and headpieces that fetch high
prices from the Guild.

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COMBAT weapon action before using the stolen item.


Attack (Peck): 5 dice (Damage 8) Stolen Voice Distraction (Latent): A bird of para-
Attack (Snatch): 6 dice (see Seizing Claws) dise taught to mimic the voices of humans it overhears
can use the distract gambit (Exalted, p. 200).
Combat Movement: 8 dice
Storyteller Tactics
Evasion 3, Parry 1
In the wild, birds of paradise don’t attack unless disturbed.
Soak/Hardness: 3/0 If they must defend themselves, members of the flock take
SPECIAL ABILITIES turns stealing the intruders’ voices to create a distraction
Bright and Beautiful (Latent): Birds of paradise while other birds swoop in to strike. They flee combat
are too lovely to harm, as are their keepers. The bird when they take damage to their first –1 health level. Birds
takes a persuade action against a target using the of paradise include any of the following species: parrots,
Mimic pool. If successful, this convinces the attacker cockatiels, toucans, parakeets, and maidens-of-the-forest.
to pursue a less beautiful target instead.
Seizing Claws (Latent): Requires the ability to use Found only in southeastern jungles, maidens-of-the-forest
the disarm gambit (Exalted, p. 555). Whenever have a spray of tail-feathers resembling the Five Maidens’ col-
a trained bird of paradise steals something from an ors. Geomancers watch for maidens-of-the-forest with incor-
opponent with a disarm gambit, it can swiftly circle rectly colored plumage and use them to find demesnes.
back to its trainer and drop it directly into their hand,
negating the need for the trainer to use a draw/ready

Camel/Llama
Used as mounts and beasts of burden, camels and llamas MERITS
are a common sight throughout Creation. In Southern Beast of Burden: Double 8s on feats of strength to
deserts, warriors and merchants alike prefer camels haul or carry a heavy burden.
over horses. In the North, llamas haul loads along nar- Desert Traveler (camel only): Camels may travel for
row, winding mountain paths. Everywhere, weavers spin a week without stopping for water.
their hair into warm, durable textiles. While the mighty
Environmental Stride: Add +1 Speed bonus when
yeddim labors under a vaster yoke, the resilient and reli-
riding the animal in its native environment.
able creatures appeal to nomadic peoples who often can-
not afford to maintain a massive beast. The traits below Sure-Footed: Camels and llamas cross difficult
may also apply to any hardy pack animal well-adapted to terrain using one move action instead of two, and
life in a harsh environment.
reduce penalties to combat movement actions across
such terrain by one.
Essence: 1; Willpower: 4; Join Battle: 2 dice Well-Adapted: Double 9s on rolls to resist environ-
Health Levels: −0/−1x3/−2x3/−4x2/Incap. mental hazards in the animal’s native environment.
Speed Bonus: +3 (see Environmental Stride) Battle-Trained (Latent): These trained beasts
respond to the battle leader’s commands as well as
Actions: Endure Harsh Climates: 6 dice; Feats of their riders’. When ridden in a battle group, camels
Strength: 6 dice (may attempt Strength 3 feats); Keep and llamas add 2 dice to rally or rally for numbers
Balance: 5 dice; Senses: 5 dice actions.
Resolve 2, Guile 1 Herd Guardian (Latent): Trained llamas defend
COMBAT herds of livestock or their owners. Double the llama’s
Attack (Bite): 5 dice (Damage 10) Parry when it uses the defend other action to protect a
herd, or its master.
Attack (Kick): 6 dice (Damage 12)
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Combat Movement: 12 dice
Evasion 1, Parry 1 (see Herd Guardian) Tenacious Steed (Magical, 3m): The animal’s
master adds her Essence to its Speed bonus when
Soak/Hardness: 3/0 making mounted rush attacks. Additionally, it doubles

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the usual benefit to withering attacks made while By contrast, domesticated llamas are sociable and pleas-
mounted (Exalted, p. 203). ant creatures. Reduce the Difficulty of any rolls made to
Storyteller Tactics control or tame them by one, to a minimum of 1. If not
Though merchants use both creatures for cargo in equal trained properly, llamas spit, kick, and bite, and there-
measure, Southern cavalry units prefer the camel for fore do not benefit from the reduced Difficulty.
its larger build and tenacious attitude. Armorers craft
breastplates and barding for the beasts. Unless specifically trained for combat or forced to fight,
these animals flee after taking damage to their first −2
health level.

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Dolphin
Western tradition says a single dolphin swimming along- Attack (Tail): 5 dice (Damage 6)
side one’s ship is good luck; the appearance of a whole pod Combat Movement: 8 dice
represents the best of fortunes indeed. These smart and Evasion 5, Parry 1
playful mammals enjoy human company, and plenty of sail-
Soak/Hardness: 3/0
ors owe their lives to a dolphin’s timely appearance. Mortals
swim beside them without fear. Those who can breathe un- SPECIAL ABILITIES
derwater ride dolphin mounts beneath the waves. Detect Intruders (Latent): Dolphins can be trained
to sense invaders. Anyone attempting to sneak into an
Their intelligence makes them eminently trainable. area dolphins patrol must roll (Dexterity + Stealth) to
Dynasts from Houses Peleps and V’Neef have especially oppose the dolphins’ Guard.
capitalized on this, while fishermen rely on their trained Treasure Seeking (Latent): Dolphins can survive
dolphins’ keen eyesight and echolocation to help find the at far greater depths than most humans, and can be
largest schools of fish. Career sailors take them as famil- trained to seek out and retrieve lost treasures at the
iars, as do Immaculates seeking to please the sea gods. bottom of the sea.
Fortune’s Favor (Magical, 5m): The sea gods have
Essence: 1; Willpower: 3; Join Battle: 10 dice blessed dolphins with their special favor, and the
Health Levels: −0x2/−1x3/−2x3/−4x2/Incap. animals share that luck with trusted human compan-
Speed Bonus: +4 ions. Once per scene, the player of a character with a
Actions: Guard: 7 dice; Senses: 6 dice (see Keen Eyes, dolphin familiar may reroll one mundane action and
Echolocation); Swimming: 8 dice; Tracking: 7 dice keep the better result.
Resolve 2, Guile 3 Hold Fast (Magical, 5m): The dolphin’s normal-
ly smooth skin roughens where its rider comes into
COMBAT contact with it, allowing the rider the friction to stay
Attack (Bite): 5 dice (Damage 8) mounted as the dolphin moves swiftly underwater.

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MERITS their enemies about. Faithful allies, they use their Guard
Echolocation: Dolphins send sound waves out into as a defend other action to protect their young, their
the water and determine what’s nearby by the echoes allies, and their masters. Dolphins can be purchased as
that return. They never take penalties to Senses rolls for 3-dot familiars.
low light or blindness, and they double 8s on rolls to
find or notice characters in concealment. A dolphin attempts to flee once it has taken damage to its
first −2 health level.
Keen Eyes: Double 9s on sight-based Senses rolls;
underwater, double 8s instead.
Storyteller Tactics
Dolphins aren’t prone to fighting. Pressed into combat,
however, they bite and use their powerful tails to knock

Eight-Tailed Mole Hound


Once bred as fierce hunting animals for Southern Dragon- (6 alongside packmates); Tracking: 7 dice
Blooded, eight-tailed mole hounds now run free and feral Resolve 2, Guile 1
throughout the deserts. From afar, they resemble wolves in
COMBAT
size and shape, but in addition to their eponymous eight tails,
these creatures possess thick armored plates. Mole hounds Attack (Bite): 7 dice (Damage 14)
are pack beasts, hunting in groups of six to twelve. With their Attack (Grapple): 6 dice (5 to control)
wide feet, they tunnel with impressive speed, burrowing be- Combat Movement: 8 dice
neath sand or soil as fast as they can run atop it. Evasion 4, Parry 2 (4 with defend other action)
Soak/Hardness: 8/10
Essence: 1; Willpower: 3; Join Battle: 6 dice
Health Levels: −0/−1x2/−2x5/−4x3/Incap. SPECIAL ABILITIES
Actions: Feats of Strength: 7 dice (may attempt Burrow: The mole hound burrows underground and
Strength 3 feats); Senses: 8 dice (see Keen Nose), moves a full range band to its target’s position with a
Stealth: 6 dice (7 while burrowing); Threaten: 4 dice single reflexive move action, ignoring difficult terrain.

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It can burrow through sand and soil, including packed long as it uses the defend other action on their behalf.
dirt, but not through stone or other solid barriers. Unex- Enemies increase onslaught penalties by one per three
pected attacks it makes after this movement in the same hounds attacking together. A battle group of mole hounds
turn add two automatic successes to the damage roll. can’t use this ability. By default, only other mole hounds
Massive Charge: If the mole hound moves at least count as packmates, but a master can train it to recognize
one range band toward a target and makes a de- human allies as part of the pack as a latent ability.
cisive attack against it on the same turn, the attack Storyteller Tactics
gains the Smashing tag (Exalted, p. 586). Although one mole hound is formidable on its own, the
MERITS beasts prefer hunting in packs. They surround their targets,
sending a few in to attack at a time and combining Burrow
Earthsight: While burrowing, a mole hound per-
ceives through vibrations. It can pinpoint a target’s lo- and Massive Charge to create daisy chains of unexpected
cation and note its actions without seeing it, as long as attacks. The others corral the enemies, or break off into
it produces any vibrations in the ground; a flying foe, smaller groups to pick off escapees. Mole hounds are pa-
for instance, confounds this sense. tient, tracking prey for hours or days until the perfect op-
portunity arises. A solitary mole hound flees with damage
Keen Nose: Double 9s on scent-based Senses rolls.
in any of its last two −2 health levels; packs flee when every
Safety in Numbers: A mole hound protects injured member has taken at least three levels of lethal damage or
packmates, granting an ally who has taken 3+ levels of at least six of bashing. Mole hounds are 2-dot Familiars.
damage one automatic success on disengage rolls as

Elephant/Mammoth
Throughout Creation, from the savannas of the South to COMBAT
the arctic wastes of the far North, people respect and re- Attack (Stomp): 14 dice (Damage 16, minimum 4)
vere elephants and mammoths as totems of strength and
Attack (Tusks): 12 dice, or 13 with bladed tusks
power. Full-grown bulls travel alone or in loose groups, (Damage 18, minimum 5); Tags: Piercing (blades
standing twice the height of a mortal and weighing up only)
to seven tons. Females gather in intimate family groups
Attack (Trunk): 13 dice (Damage 15); Tags: Flex-
with their young; they have two-thirds of a male’s height
ible
and mass. They use tusks — found on male Southwestern
elephants, or both genders elsewhere — to guard against Attack (Grapple): 11 dice (14 to control)
predators, engage in mating battles, and tear up roots and Combat Movement: 7 dice
bark for fodder. They gather near freshwater sources. Evasion 2, Parry 4
Soak/Hardness: 16/6 (20/6 with armor)
Elephants live for decades, with intelligence, memory,
and emotional sophistication akin to a human’s. They SPECIAL ABILITIES
gather food and use tools with their prehensile trunks, Gore: Decisive tusk attacks add threshold successes
and though they cannot speak, they exhibit love, grief, to damage against enemies with lower Initiative, as
generosity, and humor. People keep them in captivity long as the elephant hasn’t taken any other actions
to haul goods, transport passengers, or trample foes in (including reflexive movement actions) that turn.
war. Hunters kill wild elephants for their valuable ivory. Massive Charge: If the elephant moves at least one
Northern tribes also hunt the mammoth for its meat. range band toward a target and makes a decisive
attack against it on the same turn, the attack gains the
Essence: 1; Willpower: 5; Join Battle: 4 dice Smashing tag (Exalted, p. 586).
Health Levels: −0x3/−1x6/−2x6/−4x6/Incap. Overwhelming Might: Elephants make unopposed
Speed Bonus: +1 grapple control rolls against enemies of smaller size, unless
the victims use magic allowing them to grapple larger foes,
Actions: Endure Extreme Conditions: 9 dice; Feats of such as Dragon Coil Technique (Exalted, p. 280).
Strength: 14 dice (may attempt Strength 7 feats); Find
Water: 10 dice; Intimidate: 9 dice; Senses: 7 dice Rampaging Stampede: Spend one Willpower to
flurry a withering stomp attack with a decisive tusk
Resolve 2, Guile 1 or trunk attack, each with a different target.

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Trample: If the elephant reflexively pursues an more than (3 + attacker’s Strength) levels of damage
enemy after a successful rush and makes a stomp to it, not counting levels added by Charms or other
attack against them on its next turn, a successful hit magic.
knocks the enemy prone. Apply the Defense penalty Storyteller Tactics
from being prone (Exalted, p. 202) retroactively Elephants flee after taking 4+ levels of damage, unless
when calculating the attack’s threshold successes. protecting their young or kept under control by a rider.
Trunk Grapple (Latent): An elephant takes no Against larger opponents they use their Massive Charge
Defense penalty for grappling, but can’t make sav- to protect their territory or wards more often than they at-
aging attacks. However, one with bladed tusks auto- tack directly. They are difficult to harm due to thick hides
matically deals lethal damage on a decisive throw, and versatile trunks, but they have trouble maneuvering
as it tosses the enemy into the air and then slices them quickly or attacking foes directly behind (or atop) them.
— perhaps in half.
MERITS Those who train elephants for battle often have
Keen Nose: Double 9s on scent-based Senses rolls. steel-bladed tips crafted to fit the animals’ tusks, which
the elephants use like swords to cut their opponents
Legendary Size: An elephant suffers no onslaught
in half. War elephants in Kirighast use their trunks to
penalties from attacks from smaller opponents, unless
they’re magically inflicted. Withering attacks from swing about modified flails with incredible accuracy.
smaller enemies cannot crash it unless they have at Since preparing an animal of this size for war requires
least 10 post-soak damage dice, although attackers huge investments of time and money, their owners also
still gain the full amount of Initiative damage dealt. fit them with padded armor allowing them the freedom
Decisive attacks from smaller enemies cannot deal of movement to use their trunks and tusks against their
enemies.

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Forest Strider
Eastern forests are home to an unusually large breed of Attack (Leg spikes): 5 dice (Damage 7)
stick bugs that blend in with trees and disappear from Attack (Poison spray): 6 dice (Damage 0; see
plain sight like their smaller cousins. The abundant food Poison Burst); Tags: Thrown (Short)
and fecund Essence near the Pole of Wood allow crea- Combat Movement: 5 dice
tures to grow to massive sizes. A forest strider’s swift
Evasion 4, Parry 2
ground speed, and their ability to quickly climb tow-
ering trees and fly short distances, make them popular Soak/Hardness: 4/0
mounts. SPECIAL ABILITIES
Ambush Hunter: Gain +3 on unexpected attacks.
While some forest striders look like bare tree trunks,
Poison Burst: Forest striders secrete a poison
with six branch-like limbs, others resemble giant leaves.
(Exalted, p. 232), with which they can make
Some varieties have iridescent wings, almost invisible,
poison spray attacks that are vectors for exposure
letting them glide from one branch to another.
upon success. The poison deals 2i per round (L
in Crash), with a duration of 3 rounds and a −3
Essence: 1; Willpower: 4; Join Battle: 6 dice penalty.
Health Levels: −0x2/−1x4/−2x4/−4/Incap. Spike Swipe (Latent): The forest strider lashes out
Speed Bonus: +3 with its leg spikes to protect its rider. She does not
Actions: Climb: 7 dice; Glide (winged only): 6 dice; lose Initiative when she disengages while astride.
Read Intentions: 4 dice; Resist Disease/Poison: 5 MERITS
dice; Senses: 5 dice; Stealth: 7 dice
Camouflage: The forest strider appears to be part of
Resolve 2, Guile 3 a tree, or a stump or leaf on its own. In a forest, double
COMBAT 9s on Stealth rolls.
Attack (Grapple): 5 dice (7 to control) Sudden Escape: The forest strider can shed a leg

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to get away from an enemy. It may automatically their foes. Riders can train forest striders to attack on
disengage without a roll, but suffers a cumulative −1 command, much like war horses.
penalty to combat movement rolls. This penalty lasts
until the leg regenerates during molting, which it does In the wild, forest striders keep to the trees and avoid
once a week. contact with humans. A character who is patient, moves
Storyteller Tactics softly, and has a good supply of succulent leaves and
Forest striders’ nimble limbs and aerodynamic shapes berries may lure one from hiding with a Charisma +
allow them to ascend to high points quickly, giving rid- Survival roll, opposed by the strider’s Read Intentions
ers the high ground and the ability to swoop down upon pool. Untamed forest striders are timid; they attempt to
flee after taking any damage.

Giant Constrictor
Legendary terrors of the Eastern jungles and Western bogs, of water before lunging out to claim a hapless animal stop-
giant constrictors are any variety of constricting snakes, ping to drink.
such as the anaconda or boa, which can grow to monstrous
sizes in Creation, reaching extremes of fifty or sixty feet in Essence: 1; Willpower: 4; Join Battle: 4 dice
isolated ecosystems. They use their massive coils to crush Health Levels: −0/−1x2/−2x3/−4x3/Incap.
the breath out of prey such as deer, capybaras, and unfortu- Actions: Climb: 6 dice; Feats of Strength: 7 dice (may
nate humans, while swallowing smaller animals like fish or attempt Strength 3 feats); Resist Disease/Poison: 7 dice;
birds whole. Some make their homes among the treetops, Senses: 5 dice (see Thermal Sense); Stealth: 5 dice
blending in with foliage before falling onto an unsuspecting
Resolve 2, Guile 2
victim. Others hunt in rivers, swimming under the surface

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COMBAT MERITS
Attack (Bite): 8 dice (Damage 15) Camouflage: Double 9s on Stealth rolls while
Attack (Grapple): 10 dice (14 to control) hidden amid treetops or dense foliage. Aquatic vari-
ants gain camouflage while swimming or slithering
Combat Movement: 6 dice
through mud.
Evasion 3, Parry 1
Thermal Sense: Giant constrictors sense their
Soak/Hardness: 8/0 prey’s body heat, doubling 9s on any roll to notice a
SPECIAL ABILITIES warm-blooded character and ignoring penalties for
Crushing Coils: A giant constrictor takes no visual obstacles such as darkness or mist.
Defense penalties from grappling, and can drag an Storyteller Tactics
enemy on the same turn it makes a savaging attack Giant constrictors depend on the element of surprise
against them. when they hunt. Though they’re capable of moving
Uncoiling Serpent Rush: Every turn the con- swiftly to catch their prey, they prefer to wait, hidden,
strictor does not take a movement action, it stocks until a tasty and unsuspecting morsel happens by. The
a single success, to a maximum of three. Each snakes are also nocturnal creatures, doing the major-
stocked successes adds +1 Evasion. It adds all ity of their hunting at night. Legion soldiers on late-
stocked successes to a rush roll, and to any grapple night watches in the East keep an eye out for constric-
gambit it initiates on the same turn in a flurry, reset- tors, lest their sleeping comrades-in-arms end up with
ting stocked successes to zero. With three stocked bone-crushing blankets.
successes, it may also reflexively move one range
band closer to the enemy without counting as its Giant constrictors flee when they take damage to their
movement action for the turn. Any other movement last −3 health level, unless they are in the middle of
actions waste all stocked successes. crushing their prey to death; then they flee after the
grapple ends instead.

Ichneumon Hunter
The terrifying ichneumon hunter is the scourge of COMBAT
Southern herders. While the male of the species is a Attack (Sting): 8 dice (Damage 10)
harmless fly, the female is a flying wasp the size of a small
Combat Movement: 7 dice
dog, with an ovipositor as long and sharp as a dagger. It
uses this to puncture the flesh of sheep, goats, cattle, or Evasion 5, Parry 2
whatever warm-blooded hosts are common throughout Soak/Hardness: 1/0
the region, and implant its eggs to grow and hatch within SPECIAL ABILITIES
— and eventually feed on — their unwilling host. Ambush Hunter: Add three dice on unexpected
attacks.
While it’s uncommon for them to implant their brood
in a human host, those rare victims suffer an agonizing Buzzing Advance: Add one automatic success on
death. Herders protect their flocks (and children) from
any rush against a warm-blooded mammal that could
host its eggs, without penalties for flurrying a rush and
the ichneumon by burning foul-smelling herbs in huge
a sting attack on the same turn against such prey.
firepots day and night, while physicians and shamans
prescribe infusions of wormwood to kill implanted eggs Distracting Swarm: A cloud of male ichneumon
before they have a chance to hatch. hunters surrounds the female’s prey, distressing and
disorienting the target. Roll Fly vs. the target’s Resolve,
Essence: 1; Willpower: 2; Join Battle: 4 dice treating the swarm of males as one unit. If the swarm
succeeds, the target moves one range band away
Health Levels: −0/−1/−2/−4/Incap. from its original position and suffers a −1 penalty on
Actions: Fly: 7 dice; Senses: 4 dice (see Host Scent); Perception rolls for the next round.
Stealth: 9 dice; Tracking: 3 dice (see Host Scent) Infestation: A living enemy damaged by a decisive
Resolve 1, Guile 1 sting must roll to resist the ichneumon hunter implanting

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its eggs in their body, a parasitic infestation modeled Brood-Sense Meditation (Magical, 0m): The ich-
as a disease (Exalted, p. 233) with virulence 4, mor- neumon hunter is conjoined to the Essence of its para-
bidity 2, and an interval of one month. Fully-grown sitic brood, and can sense their emerging lives as they
ichneumon hunters emerge from the corpse of anyone grow within its prey. Against any character infested
who dies of the infestation. with the hunter’s eggs, Host Scent’s bonus increases
Corpse-Hive Embodiment (Magical, 1m): When to five bonus successes and can contest even perfect
the ichneumon hunter makes a decisive sting attack track-covering magic, such as the Charm Traceless
against an undead creature with flesh, such as a Passage (Exalted, p. 412).
zombie (but not a materialized ghost or Liminal Exalt), Storyteller Tactics
its master may pay one mote to quicken the hunter’s Procreation is the ichneumon hunter’s main priority.
eggs as it implants them in dead flesh. The insects In the wild, they’re selective about which herd animals
quickly hatch and devour the creature alive. In ad- they choose as hosts: since the weakest run the risk of
dition to taking damage from the attack, the undead being killed by other predators before the incubation
is filled with flesh-eating wasps, suffering one die of period ends, the hunters aim for hardier members of a
lethal damage that ignores Hardness on each turn. flock.
Fire drives the wasplings away; a zombie’s master
can expel them by spending a miscellaneous action Infestation is a team effort. Females attack their prey to-
brandishing a torch or similar source of flame. gether, overwhelming as many of the herd as they can
MERITS and ensuring that each hunter can lay her eggs. Males of
Host Scent: Add three bonus successes to rolls to the species, otherwise harmless, swarm in an attempt to
notice or track warm-blooded prey, but not to rolls separate potential hosts from the safety of their packs.
opposing stealth attempts. They have no bite to speak of, but their buzzing mimics
Tiny Creature: Male ichneumon hunters add +2 the female’s and sets off the quarry’s flight instincts.
Evasion against attacks made by larger foes. In ad-
dition, larger characters subtract two successes from An ichneumon hunter attempts to flee when it suffers
Awareness-based rolls made to notice them. damage to its −2 health level.

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Metagalapan Riding Hawk


Mount Metagalapa lies northeast of Great Forks, float- miles per day, but after a few days they need rest and re-
ing hundreds of feet in the air. Its denizens learned to covery before continuing.
breed its native oversized hawks larger and larger, un-
til the birds could carry riders. Now, traders and war- Metagalapan hawks often outlive their riders. Some pass
riors from the lofty peak swoop down to barter with their hawks’ jesses on to a child or favored student, the
those who deal with them in good faith — and raid bird serving its masters faithfully for a century or more.
those who don’t — borne on the wings of Metagalapan The hawks are not very fertile; only a few hatchlings sur-
riding hawks. vive each year, and successful breeders are in demand.
Even rarer is the great roc, a variety whose wingspan
Modern hawks’ dispositions retain a healthy dose of the stretches double that of their smaller cousins, growing
wild. Anyone foolhardy enough to steal one courts a long larger than a mammoth.
drop and a painful death. Riders train for long periods,
earning a bird’s trust over months or years. Hawks and Essence: 1; Willpower: 4; Join Battle: 7 dice
riders with the strongest bonds perform incredible feats, Health Levels: −0x2/−1x3/−2x3/−4x2/Incap.
maneuvering as though they share body and mind. Speed Bonus: +0
The hawks have 30-foot wingspans and powerful talons. Actions: Fly: 10 dice; Senses: 5 dice (see Eagle Eye);
They can carry a small load, about 200 pounds, for a rid- Stealth: 6 dice; Tracking: 5 dice (see Eagle Eye)
er and her spoils. They can transport riders up to 50-75 Resolve 2, Guile 1

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COMBAT MERITS
Attack (Beak): 10 dice (Damage 11) Eagle Eye: The hawk gains five bonus dice on vi-
Attack (Grapple): 4 dice (4 to control) sion-based Senses rolls to notice something while it
has the height advantage, and can make out fine
Attack (Talons): 10 dice (Damage 12)
details of far-off targets this way. It automatically suc-
Combat Movement: 8 dice (see Aerial Maneuver- ceeds on rolls to track someone while airborne unless
ability) they employ perfect concealment magic.
Evasion 3, Parry 1 Mighty Wings (Magical, 3m): The hawk can carry
Soak/Hardness: 3/0 an extra 50 pounds for every three motes committed
SPECIAL ABILITIES indefinitely, up to an extra 200 pounds.
Storyteller Tactics
Aerial Maneuverability: Double 9s on disengage
attempts while flying. Metagalapans prize their riding hawks for their maneuver-
ability and ferocity. While a hawk is neither affectionate nor
Crushing Grip: Withering savage attacks the
truly loyal, it recognizes a good master as a reliable source of
hawk makes against grappled opponents ignore up
to four points of soak, while decisive ones ignore up food and shelter. It’s still a wild animal at heart, though, and
to four points of Hardness. a rider would do well to remember that. Mistreated hawks
turn on their abusers. One Prince of the Earth known for his
Swooping Descent: A hawk that flies downward
cruelty turned up dead on the rocks below the mountain.
at least one range band and makes a decisive un-
Official documents say his worn saddle’s straps gave way, but
expected attack on the same turn adds two automatic
those who found him say they were sliced, as if by a talon.
successes to the attack roll. A hawk soaring high in
the sky is beyond sensory range without superhuman
Metagalapan hawks prefer to strike from above, then
senses, ensuring an ambush on first strike and allow-
move swiftly out of range as they climb into the sky for
ing it to attempt re-establishing stealth in combat or
withdrawing by simply flying higher than their enemies their next dive. They can only restrain/drag or savage a
can see. grappled enemy, but they can drag him while ascending
and then release him to cause falling damage. They at-
Steady Glide (Latent): The hawk moves smooth-
tempt to flee when they’ve taken damage to their first –2
ly through the air, allowing its rider to take aim
health level, unless forced by a rider to continue. Those
or perform other actions requiring a steady hand
who manage to procreate are protective of their fledg-
without suffering any penalties during any maneuver.
Armored hawks do not suffer barding penalties. lings, and defend their nests until Incapacitated or killed.

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Mospid
This flying, feathered lizard is smaller than an eagle, but Combat Movement: 8 dice (6 to disengage)
far nimbler, with a two-foot wingspan and feathered tufts Evasion 4, Parry 3
on its tail and thumb that allow for precise maneuvering. Soak/Hardness: 4/0
They are fearsome nocturnal hunters in their native for-
ests, swooping down to catch prey and savaging it to death SPECIAL ABILITIES
with their sharp claws. While they’re far more difficult to Death Dive: As long as the mospid can soar up to long
tame than any falcon, the Realm’s Dragon-Blooded favor range from the ground, it may dive down at an enemy
them for hunting animals, both for their killing prowess with devastating force. The first time it moves down into
and as a symbol of their master’s own might. close range with an enemy while airborne and makes
a decisive attack, it may add four dice to the attack roll
Essence: 1; Willpower: 4; Join Battle: 4 dice and double 10s on the damage roll. Once it’s used this
special attack, it must regain altitude, returning back to
Health Levels: −0/−1/−2x2/−4/Incap. vertical long range before it can do so again.
Actions: Fly: 8 dice; Senses: 5 dice (see Eagle Eye Harry: If a mospid moves into close range of an
and Night Vision); Steal (6 dice); Tracking: 5 dice enemy and deals 5+ damage to them with a wither-
(see Eagle Eye and Night Vision) ing attack in the same turn, that enemy cannot disen-
Resolve 2, Guile 1 gage or withdraw on their next turn.
COMBAT Dread Clutches (Latent): When the mospid savages a grap-
Attack (Claw): 9 dice (Damage 9) pled enemy, it may also drag them along with any movement
Attack (Grapple): 5 dice (5 to control) actions it takes without restraining them first. The mospid may
move normally during a grapple as long as it’s in flight.

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Hold at Bay (Latent): After using Harry, a mospid


may pay a Willpower to reflexively attempt a grapple GREAT ROCS
gambit, converting threshold successes on the attack
roll to bonus dice on the control roll. The mospid can The great roc is a larger cousin to the Metagalapan
only hold or savage a grappled enemy — it cannot riding hawk, and can be found in Chapter 5 of Ma-
drag them unless it knows and uses Dread Clutches. ny-Faced Strangers.
Intercept (Latent): The mospid’s master trains it to
seek out messenger birds and intercept the correspon-
dence they carry. The mospid swoops in, snatches the the mospid must maneuver around obstacles or tight
missive, and darts away. Once per scene, the mospid passages, such as a heavily forested area, double 8s
may flurry a Steal action with a disengage action instead.
without penalty. Storyteller Tactics
Familiar Sense (Magical, 5m): The mospid senses Mospids flee after taking any damage, even those trained
familiars within medium range, and can trace the su- as hunting beasts.
pernatural bond back to the familiar’s master.
MERITS A mospid can carry seized enemies the size of a house-
cat, small monkey, or similar prey indefinitely. They can
Eagle Eye: A mospid gains five bonus dice on vi-
grapple enemies up to the size of a dog, but only for an
sion-based Senses rolls while it has the height advan-
instant, relinquishing the grapple at the end of their turn
tage, and can make out fine details of far-off targets
this way. It automatically succeeds on rolls to track (which may cause falling damage to its foe if the mo-
someone while airborne unless they employ perfect spid ascends). Mospids cannot slam or throw clinched
concealment magic. enemies.
Eagle Wing Rush: A mospid may rush enemies Mospids are valuable assets on the battlefield. Their
from long range above them, as long as the horizon- agility makes them excellent message-carriers, and their
tal distance between them is still at short range.
sharp claws rend other courier-birds to bits. When look-
Night Vision: Mospids can see in dim conditions outs spot mospids in the air, those with familiars con-
without penalty, and reduce the difficulty of vi- sider very carefully whether to send their companion to
sion-based Senses rolls in deeper darkness by one. scout ahead.
Precise Maneuvering: Double 9s on movement
actions made while in flight. In an environment where

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Northern Ursid
Iceship crews from Tusk tell stories of sleek, white-pelted water bears prowling Mela’s Fangs, attacking boats and
stealing fishermen’s catches. Their webbed paws end in wicked claws. Gills in their necks allow them to dive for
long periods to hunt fish in caves deep below the water’s surface, or to evade human hunters’ spears
and harpoons.

Down on all fours, these sea bears are four to five feet high at the shoulder,
and weigh between 800 and 2,000 pounds. Standing on their hind legs, they
tower over humans at heights of up to 11 feet. Hunting parties brave the
bears’ ferocious attacks, as their pelts fetch excellent
prices, and one ursid’s meat can feed a family for
months. Northern tribes who take its avatar as
their patron train the animals to fight and fit
them with armor for riding into battle.

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Essence: 1; Willpower: 3; Join Battle: 7 dice + Sail). Upon success, the boat capsizes, dumping
Health Levels: −0x5/−1x5/−2x5/−4x3/Incap. anyone and anything aboard into the water.
Speed Bonus: +3 (+4 in the water) Roaring Charge (Latent): After moving at least one
range band toward a target on the ursid’s current turn,
Actions: Feats of Strength: 7 dice (may attempt
roll Intimidate against the target’s Resolve as a mis-
Strength 5 feats); Intimidate: 7 dice; Senses: 5 dice
cellaneous action. If successful, the enemy reflexively
(see Keen Nose); Swimming: 8 dice; Tracking: 5 dice
flees one range band in the opposite direction, and
Resolve 3, Guile 2 the bear or its rider receives one automatic success
COMBAT on the next attack roll against anyone who witnessed
Attack (Bite): 8 dice (Damage 15) the charge.
Attack (Claw): 12 dice (Damage 11) MERITS
Attack (Grapple): 8 dice (9 to control, or 10 in the Berserker: Convert wound penalties to bonus dice
water) on attack rolls.
Combat Movement: 7 dice (8 in the water) Keen Nose: Double 9s on scent-based Senses rolls.
Evasion 3, Parry 3 Storyteller Tactics
Northern ursidae make their dens away from humans
Soak/Hardness: 10/0
in caves near the sea, and those who would tame them
SPECIAL ABILITIES must defeat them in combat first. In battle without a rid-
Capsize (Latent): The bear grabs lines dangling er, an ursid’s preferred tactics are to grapple an enemy
from a small boat or other vessel no larger than a and drag her underwater in a bear hug until she drowns,
fast courier (Exalted, p. 246) in its powerful jaws, or the clinch crushes her bones, whichever comes first.
or embeds its claws deep in the vessel’s underside, A water bear attempts to flee if it takes damage in its first
and dives. Treat this as a Strength 5+ feat of strength −2 health level, unless commanded otherwise by a rider.
with required successes equal to the pilot’s (Strength

Siaka
Gigantic sharks that grow up to 50 feet in length, siaka Combat Movement: 7 dice
are the apex predators of much of Creation’s oceans, Evasion 3, Parry 3
hunting whales and giant squid in deep water. Their Soak/Hardness: 10/5
massive mouths have five rows of dagger-like teeth,
which they often plunge into the unprotected under- SPECIAL ABILITIES
bellies of their prey as they attack from below. They can Blood Frenzy: The smell of blood drives the siaka to
scent even a few drops of blood in water from hundreds the point of near-madness. It adds automatic successes
of miles away, and rise from the deep if incensed by its to decisive attacks and grapple control rolls against
tantalizing scent, making them a dreaded sight in the af- an enemy who has taken any lethal damage this scene,
termath of great sea battles. equal to the enemy’s current wound penalty.
Death From Below: When the siaka makes a sur-
Essence: 1; Willpower: 5; Join Battle: 6 dice prise attack, it adds threshold successes on the attack
Health Levels: −0x4/−1x8/−2x8/−4x4/Incap. roll to the raw damage, or to the grapple control
roll. This cannot add more than five dice to the raw
Actions: Feats of Strength: 13 dice (may attempt damage of a decisive attack.
Strength 7 feats, see Sundering Bite); Senses: 6 dice
(see Blood Scent); Stealth: 2 dice; Swimming: 7 dice; Killing Surge: If any of the siaka’s enemies have
Tracking: 3 dice (see Blood Scent) taken lethal damage when it Joins Battle, it may
convert one die to an automatic success for each
Resolve 3, Guile 1 point of wound penalty suffered by its enemies, and
COMBAT treats the roll as a reflexive rush attempt against a
Attack (Bite): 10 dice (Damage 22, minimum 5) bleeding enemy.
Attack (Grapple): 8 dice (10 to control) Massive Fangs: Whenever the siaka deals 5+
damage to any enemy with a withering attack, it

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may pay a Willpower to roll one lethal damage die extreme range. If it specifically attempts to track or
against its victim as well, which ignores Hardness. detect a bleeding character, it adds an additional
Overwhelming Might: Siaka make unopposed success for each point of wound penalty that char-
grapple control rolls against enemies of smaller size, unless acter suffers.
the victims use magic allowing them to grapple larger foes, Depth Lurker: While the siaka is unskilled in stealth,
such as Dragon Coil Technique (Exalted, p. 280). subtract three successes from Perception rolls to notice
Rip to Shreds: When the siaka makes a savage it while it’s at long range or farther under the water rel-
attack against a grappled enemy, it may expend ative to the character, or moving up from long range
rounds of control to add that many dice to the damage while already hidden. It can rush enemies from long
roll. range beneath them underwater as long as the hori-
zontal distance between the two is no more than one
Crew-Devouring Rampage (Latent): A siaka
range band and it’s concealed from the target.
trained to fight against large numbers of organized
enemies treats all battle groups as having a wound Legendary Size: A siaka suffers no onslaught pen-
penalty equal to their Size for the purposes of its abil- alties from attacks from smaller opponents, unless
ities. they’re magically inflicted. Withering attacks from
smaller enemies cannot Crash it unless they have at
Thrashing Predator Aggression (Latent): The
least 10 post-soak damage dice, although attackers
siaka may spend a Willpower to reflexively make a
still gain the full amount of Initiative damage dealt.
clash attack against any attack made at close range.
Decisive attacks from smaller enemies cannot deal
If it deals 5+ damage with a withering clash attack,
more than (3 + attacker’s Strength) levels of damage
it may use Massive Fangs at no cost, and it rolls three
to it, not counting levels added by Charms or other
lethal damage dice instead of one.
magic.
MERITS Shark Sleep: Siaka don’t truly sleep. Instead, they
Blood Scent: Add three bonus successes to rolls enter a resting phase during which they remain con-
to sense the presence of blood in the water, out to scious and can still move, but cannot attack or take

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other involved physical actions without disrupting their down, and targets the wounded with attacks such as
rest. Eight hours spent in this resting phase is equiva- Blood Frenzy and Killing Surge.
lent to a night’s sleep for the siaka.
Sundering Bite: Double 8s on feats of destruction to The siaka uses the ocean’s vastness to its advantage. It
crush something between the siaka’s enormous jaws. frequently dives deep and repositions itself, attacking
Storyteller Tactics the ship from a different angle, capsizing other vessels,
or picking off sailors who have fallen into the water. Just
Siaka prowl the deeps, undetected by ships’ captains
because the siaka remains submerged for an extended
and lookouts until it’s far too late to raise the sails and
period of time doesn’t mean it’s lost interest.
run. Though some of its enemies are as adept fighting in
the water as they are on dry land, the siaka recognizes Destroying ships excites the siaka nearly as much as de-
that most mortals benefit from a solid deck beneath their vouring their crews. It uses Sundering Bite to rip holes
feet. When attacking enemies on a ship, it uses Death in the hull, or snap the main mast in half between its
From Below to slam into the hull, attempting to knock powerful jaws.
the crew prone or, ideally, overboard.
A siaka attempts to flee upon suffering damage to its first
It attempts to snare individual opponents in its jaws with –4 health level, unless enraged by the smell of blood in
Overwhelming Might, and savages grappled targets with the water.
Rip to Shreds. It uses its Massive Fangs to wear enemies

Simhata
The simhata is a proud and majestic creature combin- Combat Movement: 13 dice
ing the best aspects of lion and horse in its build, with Evasion 5, Parry 3
a vicious temper and a predatory gaze. Simhata roam Soak/Hardness: 6/0
Southern savannas and Eastern grasslands, disembow-
eling prey with powerful claws before moving in for SPECIAL ABILITIES
the killing bite. While they are fearsome predators, they Brutal Claw: Smaller enemies that take 5+ damage
have an uneasy relationship with nearby humans — from the simhata’s withering claw attack are
though a simhata is by no means averse to preying on knocked back one range band and fall prone.
human flesh, the beasts can also be tamed to serve as fe- Leaping Pounce: If a simhata moves into close
rociously loyal mounts. The affinity between human and range with an enemy of the same size or smaller and
simhata goes back to their origins in distant prehistory deals 5+ damage to it with a withering attack on the
as the war-mounts of the Exalted, and even in the Time same turn, it may pay a point of Willpower to reflex-
of Tumult, the lion-horse has an inborn desire to serve ively make a clinch attack against its prey.
any of the Chosen who prove themselves worthy. Raging Lion-Horse Fury: Whenever damage fills
one of the simhata’s −2 or lower health levels, or when
Essence: 1; Willpower: 6; Join Battle: 6 dice it witnesses its bonded rider’s death (see Bonding,
Health Levels: −0x3/−1x3/−2x3/−4/Incap. below), it enters a state of frenzy. It ignores wound
penalties and gains a Willpower on each turn that can
Speed Bonus: +4
exceed its usual maximum. It must spend this before its
Actions: Feats of Strength: 9 dice (may attempt next turn to add a success to a combat-related action,
Strength 5 feats); Intimidate: 10 dice; Senses: 5 dice or to resist influence that would make it cease fighting
(see Keen Nose); Stealth: 8 dice; Tracking: 4 dice or impede its ability to fight; otherwise, that Willpower
(see Keen Nose) point vanishes. An enraged simhata doesn’t flee under
Resolve 4, Guile 1 any circumstances. However, a bonded rider may
COMBAT attempt to calm its rage with a (Charisma + Ride) roll,
difficulty 4, which cannot be placed in a flurry.
Attack (Bite): 8 dice (Damage 17)
Savaging Maw: Any decisive bite attack the
Attack (Claws): 10 dice (Damage 14) simhata makes against a prone or crashed enemy
Attack (Grapple): 7 dice (8 to control) adds threshold successes to the damage roll.

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Swift Advance: Whenever the simhata reflexively Bonding (Latent): A rider who successfully tames
pursues an enemy after a successful rush, it may pay a wild simhata — a task involving a great deal of
a Willpower to reflexively make a decisive attack hard effort and raw meat — bonds to it, giving the
against them. simhata a Major Tie of loyalty to them. While it may
Foe-Maiming Guardian’s Fangs (Magical, 1m): not be well-tempered or easy to handle, its devotion
Whenever the simhata makes a decisive bite attack is unwavering. It accepts no other rider, and anyone
against an enemy who has attacked or threatened its foolish enough to attack its master answers to its
bonded rider, the Exalt may pay one mote to double claws. However, the simhata were bred in the ancient
10s on the damage roll. If he currently suffers any past as Exalted war-steeds. Even a bonded simhata
wound penalties inflicted by that enemy, his total allows an Exalt to ride if his anima flares. Bonded to
wound penalty is added as bonus dice to the simha- an Exalt, the simhata’s Tie is Defining and overrides
ta’s attack roll. any existing bonds to un-Exalted riders.
MERITS Cliff-Stalking Method (Latent): A simhata’s power-
ful legs and claws allow it to climb up walls as easily
Keen Nose: Double 9s on scent-based Senses rolls. as it moves over horizontal ground. It scales vertical
Predator’s Hunger: Whenever a simhata Joins surfaces at its regular combat speed, and for a point of
Battle against an enemy it could conceivably eat, if Willpower, can leap a distance comparable to what
it hasn’t eaten within the last day, it may reroll any 1s a Solar can achieve with Monkey Leap Technique
until they fail to appear. Its master can train it to apply (Exalted, p. 261). When running at full speed, the
this Merit to all Join Battle rolls as a latent ability, by simhata can use its momentum to jump from one wall
conditioning it to associate battle with free rein to to another, catching on with its claws and pushing off
devour its enemies. again as it pursues its prey.

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Resplendent Mane (Magical, 2m): Whenever pouncing again, or bat its catch back and forth with an-
its master’s anima banner is at the burning level, the other member of its pack until it grows bored or hungry
simhata’s mane mimics its appearance at no cost, enough and snaps its victim’s neck.
glowing and whipping about in the stirring Essence.
For two motes, the simhata gains +2 dice to combat Simhata are intelligent and curious. A bonded simhata
rolls for the scene. learns to read its master’s body language, making it a sav-
Storyteller Tactics vy companion in dangerous situations. Many Exalts owe
For a simhata, the hunt is as satisfying as the kill. It stalks their lives to a vigilant simhata picking up on its master’s
its prey across the savanna, creeping low to the ground unease and acting swiftly when enemies appeared.
and staying upwind until it strikes in a flurry of fangs and
claws. The hunt doesn’t end when the simhata catches A simhata flees after suffering damage to its last –2
its quarry. Like its smaller feline cousins, a simhata plays health level but never abandons a bonded rider, even if it
with its food before delivering the killing blow. It may must sacrifice its own life to save his.
release its victim and let it run a range band away before

Sky Titan
Native to Southeastern jungles, these massive crea- Attack (Talons): 10 dice (Damage 16)
tures are both tremendous lizard and terrible raptor. Attack (Wing): 8 dice (Damage 14)
Immense, broad wings stretch more than 50 feet across. Attack (Talon Grapple): 11 dice (10 to control)
Their feathers, arrayed in a violent spray of colors, form
Combat Movement: 12 dice (see Master of the
fearsome patterns when their wings unfurl. Many an
Sky)
explorer’s last moments come while glancing up to see
the beast’s razor-sharp beak as it strikes like a comet. If a Evasion 4 (see Master of the Sky), Parry 3
victim is unlucky, the sky titan toys with its prey, shaking Soak/Hardness: 12/4
and flinging him around to soften him up before devour- SPECIAL ABILITIES
ing him.
Clamp Down: Once per scene, a sky titan that deals
3+ levels of damage with a decisive talon attack
The sight of its crested head and enormous beak rising
may pay one Willpower to immediately begin grap-
above the tree line, or the fierce winds from the down-
pling its victim without a gambit, reflexively making the
beat of its gigantic wings, is enough to turn squads of opposed control roll. Add +1 to the base Initiative the
hardened soldiers back to seek another route. The sky creature resets to for every round of control it gains.
titan has snatching talons powerful enough to seize an
Dominating Battlecry: The sky titan surveys the bat-
adult and fly away with him, and is covered from head
tlefield and trumpets its supremacy. When its Initiative is
to toe in glittering, impenetrable scales. Only the boldest
the highest among battle participants by 15 or more, it
heroes can tame a sky titan as a mount — for they must
may spend 10 Initiative to regain one Willpower.
survive battle with the beast — but those who succeed
become masters of the air. Fearsome Display: Spreading its wings, the sky
titan terrifies all who behold it. Once per scene, roll
Essence: 1; Willpower: 6; Join Battle: 8 dice Intimidate once and apply it against the Resolve of
each character who can see it. Those whose Resolve it
Health Levels: −0x2/−1x5/−2x5/−4x2/Incap. overcomes must flee in terror until they reach extreme
Speed Bonus: +4 range from the titan, or pay one Willpower to resist.
Actions: Feats of Strength: 10 dice (may attempt Mundane animals and trivial mortals automatical-
Strength 5 feats); Fly: 5 dice (9 dice at vertical long ly flee without magical intervention, and can’t resist
range or higher); Intimidate: 12 dice; Senses: 9 dice with Willpower. If the sky titan Incapacitates or kills a
(see Keen Nose); Tracking: 8 dice non-trivial opponent, this ability resets.
Resolve 3, Guile 1 Ground-Churning Strafe Attack: The sky titan
drags its massive talons across the battlefield as a
COMBAT
combat action, clawing at the turf as it charges. The
Attack (Beak): 9 dice (Damage 18, minimum 6; upturned earth and deep gouges it leaves create a
Piercing) swath of difficult terrain.

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Horizon-Sweeping Wingspan: Spend one Will- Legendary Size: The sky titan suffers no onslaught
power. With a mighty downbeat of its wings, the sky penalties from attacks from smaller opponents, unless
titan makes a single withering wing attack applied they’re magically inflicted. Withering attacks from
against all enemies within close range. This attack knocks smaller enemies cannot Crash it unless they have at
any enemies who take damage from it back one range least 10 post-soak damage dice, although attackers
band, and the titan may take a reflexive move action in still gain the full amount of Initiative damage dealt.
any direction, which doesn’t count as its move action for Decisive attacks from smaller enemies cannot deal
the turn. It gains full Initiative from the target who took the more than (3 + attacker’s Strength) levels of damage,
most damage, +1 for each other target who took any not counting levels added by Charms or other magic.
damage. For a second Willpower point, it may flurry the Master of the Sky: The sky titan suffers no penalties for
initial wing attack with a withering or decisive beak moving over difficult terrain while on the ground, but takes
attack. This ability may be used once per scene, but a −3 penalty to combat movement actions while flying at
resets whenever the sky titan’s wound penalty increases. low altitudes (vertical medium range from the ground or
Spine-Shattering Emperor’s Beak: Striking with lower). It gains +3 Evasion while soaring at vertical long
an apex predator’s skill and all the force its impres- range or higher, as long as it hasn’t taken any combat
sively elongated neck can provide, the sky titan may actions within the scene. It can fly continuously at 80 miles
make beak attacks at short range. If the target hasn’t an hour for up to 10 days without rest at high altitudes.
acted yet this turn or is in Initiative Crash, successful Overwhelming Might: Sky titans make unop-
decisive beak attacks made at short range reset the posed grapple control rolls against enemies of smaller
titan to 6 Initiative instead of 3, and successful with- size, unless the victims use magic allowing them to
ering piercing beak attacks made at short range grapple larger foes, such as Dragon Coil Technique
ignore up to 7 armor soak instead of 4. (Exalted, p. 280).
MERITS Thick Scales: The sky titan does not subtract wound
Keen Nose: Double 9s on scent-based Senses rolls. penalties from its Defense. In addition, attacks made
Sky titans use their tongues to aid in smelling. from short range or further reduce their minimum

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damage against the sky titan by one unless they an opponent and dropping him from an impressive
benefit from an Aim action. height is simultaneously an attempt to harm the enemy
Storyteller Tactics and a display of the titan’s dominance, but a foe’s allies
The sky titan dominates the battlefield from the ground, can take advantage of its poor flying skills at low alti-
keeping enemies at bay with Fearsome Display and tudes to rescue him before it climbs too high.
Horizon-Sweeping Wingspan, stymying their advance
with Ground-Churning Strafe, then picking them off one Fiercely territorial, a sky titan defends its domain against
by one with its beak, using its elongated neck to its ad- any who would challenge its sovereignty. Because of its
vantage. It’s a clumsy flier at low altitudes due to its bulk, extensive flight range, it considers its domain to extend
so it usually refrains from getting airborne unless it’s try- out to the horizon — and sometimes beyond. A sky titan
ing to disengage or withdraw — or it’s already won. only flees battle after taking damage to its fifth −2 health
level.
When a challenger does get within close range, the sky
titan lashes out with its sharp, deadly talons. Grappling A sky titan is a 3-dot Familiar.

Spider
No corner of Creation is bereft of spiders. Arachnids SPECIAL ABILITIES
scuttle along thick tree trunks in Eastern forests and Envenomed Bite: The spider’s decisive bite attack
volcanoes’ slopes in the West; they’re camouflaged amid exposes the victim to its poison (Exalted, p. 232) if it
the dust of the South and crouched in chilly corners of deals any damage. The poison deals no damage, but
saddlebags in the North. Even palatial Dynastic estates has a duration of 5 rounds, and a −2 penalty. While
know the presence of common house spiders. This ubiq- the venom is in effect, the victim may not take any re-
uitous creature may appear as a friendly pet belonging flexive movement actions, and the penalty applies to
to an affluent treasure hunter, a partner to a shifty-eyed Defense also.
thief, or a dangerous threat lurking in the shadows, ready Leaping Pounce: If a spider moves into close range
to prey on human flesh. of an enemy of the same size or smaller and deals 5+
damage to it with a withering attack on the same
The special abilities and Merits below represent the turn, it may pay a point of Willpower to reflexively
spread of common ones found among many different make a clinch attach against its prey.
species of spider, but most spiders only possess some of Silk-Drifting Flight: The spider spins a small sail of
them. The Storyteller is encouraged to mix and match silk and uses it to catch the wind, drifting along with
them to model different specific species, or even create the breeze. This allows the spider to bypass difficult
their own to make something truly unique. terrain and avoid environmental hazards it could rea-
sonably fly over. A spider with the Tiny Creature Merit
Essence: 1; Willpower: 4; Join Battle: 6 dice can fly up to a mile per day this way, while a larger
Health Levels: −0/−1/−2/−4/Incap. spider can fly up to 10 miles per day.
Actions: Climb: 10 dice; Senses: 8 dice (see Sharp Spider-Silk Snare: Whenever the spider makes
Sight); Stealth: 10 dice; Tracking: 7 dice a successful clinch against prey its size or smaller, it
Resolve 1, Guile 3 wraps them in thick, clinging silken webbing. The spider
may continue the grapple without needing to physically
COMBAT maintain it and may use threads of webbing to drag the
Attack (Bite): 8 dice (Damage 6) victim. These sticky strands persist even after the spider
Attack (Grapple): 8 dice (10 to control); cannot has ended the grapple, imposing a –2 dice penalty
throw/slam grappled enemies to all actions involving physical movement, such as
Combat Movement: 9 dice attacks and Movement actions, until the target spends
a combat action tearing the webbing away.
Evasion 3, Parry 1
Tremendous Leap: The spider can jump one range
Soak/Hardness: 3/0 band in any direction as its movement action. Any roll
it makes for this jump is made reflexively.

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Web-Weaving Entanglement (Latent): Spiders Vibration Sense: Some spiders feel vibrations on
without Tiny Creature may use Spider-Silk Snare their web or through the ground. They do not require
against enemies of any size. light to perceive a target without penalty, and double
MERITS 9s on Senses rolls whenever vibrations are present.
Storyteller Tactics
Ambush Hunter: Gain +3 on unexpected attacks.
Spiders come in many varied sizes and shapes, with dif-
Camouflage: The coloring of a spider’s exoskeleton
fering unique abilities. Most spiders begin with Tiny
allows it to blend in seamlessly with its surroundings.
Creature, Envenomed Bite, and one other Merit or spe-
Depending on the variety of spider, it may perfectly
match the color of desert sand, or the mottled pattern cial ability pertaining to its movement — most commonly
of leaves, or appear as some kind of innocuous object Wall-Walker. Then, to customize the creature, add three to
such as a twig. Choose the type of camouflage the five more Merits and/or special abilities. Especially large
spider has and when it would double 9s on Stealth spiders lose Tiny Creature and gain –1x2/–2x2 health lev-
rolls. els and +2 Soak. Tiny spiders flee battle after taking dam-
age to their first –1 health level, while larger ones persist
Deadly Scale: Against enemies of the same size or
smaller, a spider’s bite attack increases to Damage until they take damage to their first –2 health level.
12, and it may grapple enemies of the same size or
The notorious giant spiders of the Eastern forests add
smaller.
Camouflage, Deadly Scale, Leaping Pounce, Sharp Sight,
Sharp Sight: Double 9s on sight-based Senses rolls. Spider-Silk Snare, and Web-Weaving Entanglement.
Tiny Creature: Gain +2 Evasion against foes larger
than a housecat. Characters of that size subtract two suc- Wave-skimming spiders of the West add Ambush
cesses from Awareness rolls made to notice the spider. Hunter, Sharp Sight, and Tremendous Leap. They also
Wall-Walker: Spiders may make combat movement add Wall-Walker, but only to skim across the water’s
actions vertically as well as horizontally, and can stop surface.
on an inverted surface as long as it can hold their weight.

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Spiders kept as familiars make excellent infiltrators, Most people pass by spiders without ever noticing. When
able to scuttle into locked and secret places without a small spider does make itself known, it’s usually to de-
any sign of entrance. Scavenger lords value spider fa- fend its web or territory. Small spiders prefer to strike
miliars for keeping harmful insects from eating and quickly, biting their target with a painful, distracting
damaging forgotten texts and relics, and also for the strike, and then fleeing. Large spiders ensnare attackers
spider’s ability to crawl over and inspect fragile objects in enormous webs, entangling all enemies before moving
without damaging them. in for the kill. Some species of large spiders drag webbed
victims into their lairs to feast on their flesh later.

Sthenurine
Sthenurines roam freely across the Southern grasslands. Essence: 1; Willpower: 4; Join Battle: 6 dice
These upright creatures have gray, brown, or red pelts Health Levels: −0/−1x2/−2x2/−4/Incap.
and travel primarily by walking or hopping. Their form Actions: Feats of Strength: 8 dice (may attempt
allows for powerful punches, kicks, and grapples — a Strength 5 feats); Leap: 10 dice; Senses: 6 dice;
fighting style copied by martial sages. Southeastern mes- Tracking: 7 dice
senger guilds use the sthenurine’s silhouette on their
Resolve 3, Guile 1
heraldry to symbolize their tenacity and swiftness. In
the South, the Yimidhirr Clan raises sthenurines for COMBAT
meat and hides, but also train the fittest of their stock to Attack (Kick): 8 dice (Damage 14), see Mighty Pu-
wade into the thick of battle, outfitting them with armor. gilist
Sthenurines vary in height from three to eight feet tall. Attack (Grapple): 8 dice (8 to control)

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Combat Movement: 9 dice MERITS


Evasion 2, Parry 2 Marsupial Pouch: A female sthenurine can hide
Soak/Hardness: 5/0 anything the size of a housecat or smaller in her
pouch. The person, creature, or object can only be
SPECIAL ABILITIES
targeted after a difficulty 3 gambit exposes enough
Brutal Kick: Enemies smaller than a human adult of it to attack or otherwise affect. Trained sthenurines
that take 5+ damage from the sthenurine’s withering permit their masters to store things in their pouches.
kick attack are knocked back one range band and Brawler (Latent): A trained sthenurine can wear spe-
fall prone. cially crafted armor and use its Brutal Kick against at-
Trample: If the sthenurine reflexively pursues an tackers the size of a human adult.
enemy after a successful rush and makes a kick attack In the Thick of It (Latent): Gain +1 Defense when
against them on its next turn, a successful hit knocks fighting multiple opponents.
the enemy prone. Apply the Defense penalty from
being prone (Exalted, p. 202) retroactively when Storyteller Tactics
calculating the attack’s threshold successes. Sthenurines are naturally shy and avoid conflict, espe-
cially with humans. If forced or commanded to fight,
Tremendous Leap: The sthenurine may take one
additional reflexive move action each turn by suc- they lash out until they drive their foes away or until
ceeding on a difficulty 2 Leap roll. they take damage to their first −2 health level, whichev-
er happens first. Sthenurines trained as brawlers remain
Mighty Pugilist (Latent): A sthenurine trained to
in the fight until Incapacitated. A sthenurine is a 2-dot
fight hand-to-hand adds +1 die to its kick attack and
Familiar.
+2 to withering or decisive damage rolls against a
single opponent.

Strix
Giant forest owls with 15-foot wingspans, strix hunt by SPECIAL ABILITIES
diving down from the skies and carrying their prey aloft Carried Away: When a strix deals 5+ levels of
with them — prey ranging from deer, to wolves, to iso- damage with a withering talon attack, it may forgo
lated travelers. Mottled dark-brown feathers that make receiving any Initiative and instead perform a reflex-
no sound in flight and large, round eyes that see clearly ive grapple gambit against that enemy. Each point of
in the dark make them deadly nocturnal ambush pred- Initiative it would have gained adds one bonus die to
ators, while their wicked claws have more than enough the control roll if the grapple is successful.
strength to seize and savage prey. Dread Clutches: When the strix savages a grappled
enemy, it may also drag him along with any move-
Essence: 1; Willpower: 5; Join Battle: 7 dice ment actions it takes, without restraining him first. The
Health Levels: −0/−1x3/−2x3/−4/Incap. strix may move normally during a grapple as long as
Actions: Feats of Strength: 6 dice (may attempt it’s in flight.
Strength 3 feats); Fly: 8 dice; Intimidate: 5 dice; Swooping Descent: A strix flying downward from
Senses: 5 dice (see Eagle Eye and Night Vision); at least short range vertically to make a decisive un-
Stealth: 7 dice; Tracking: 6 dice expected attack adds two automatic successes to the
Resolve 2, Guile 2 attack roll. A strix soaring high in the sky is beyond
sensory range without superhuman senses, ensuring
COMBAT an ambush on first strike and allowing the strix to
Attack (Peck): 7 dice (Damage 15) attempt re-establishing stealth in combat or withdraw-
Attack (Talons): 11 dice (Damage 11) ing from the battlefield by simply flying higher than its
Attack (Grapple): 8 dice (7 to control) enemies can see.
Combat Movement: 8 dice MERITS
Evasion 5, Parry 3 Eagle Eye: A strix gains five bonus dice on vision-based
Senses rolls while it has the height advantage, and
Soak/Hardness: 3/0 can make out fine details of far-off targets this way. It

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automat- i-
cally suc-
ceeds on rolls
to track someone
while airborne unless
they employ perfect con-
cealment magic.
Eagle Wing Rush: A strix
may rush enemies from long range
above them, as long as the horizon-
tal distance between them is still at short
range.
Night Vision: A strix can see in dim con-
ditions without penalty, and reduces the dif-
ficulty of vision-based Senses rolls in deeper
darkness by one.
Storyteller Tactics
A strix prefers fly-by grapple gambits,
snatching up prey and carrying it off to
its nest or another high perch to pick apart
at its leisure. It cannot throw or slam grappled
enemies, but may release them from a great height
to cause falling damage as normal. It attempts to flee
upon suffering damage in its first −2 health level, carry-
ing away anything caught in its talons.

Tongma Monkey
Glancing up at a ship hailing from Tongma Island, a dice; Mimic: 8 dice; Senses: 5 dice (see Keen Nose);
gateway port just off the western coast of the Blessed Stealth: 4 dice; Tracking: 5 dice
Isle, keen observers might spot a nimble little monkey Resolve 1, Guile 1
climbing the rigging. Realm sailors brought these com- COMBAT
ical-faced creatures, with their big eyes and ears and
long, curly tails, to the Isle from the West. The animals Attack (Bite): 5 dice (Damage 7)
have adapted well to the cooler climate and life on the Attack (Grapple): 6 dice (6 to control)
seas. Many sailors treat their monkeys as pets, but they Combat Movement: 8 dice
also train them to be useful aboard ships, sending them Evasion 4, Parry 2
into the rigging as lookouts or bringing messages below-
Soak/Hardness: 2/0
decks from the officers.
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Tongma monkeys mimic human laughter with eerie ac- Borrowed Voice: By listening to a conversation for
curacy, and employ a wide range of vocalizations, ges- at least 15 minutes, the monkey can perfectly imitate
tures, and scent markers for communication. Dynasts its target’s laughter and other non-verbal utterances.
use them to deliver secret messages to their allies and As a latent ability, the monkey’s trainer can teach it a
co-conspirators, teaching trained monkeys a specific short phrase (no more than five words) to repeat in the
pattern only the intended recipient can decode. target’s voice, using its Mimic pool when necessary.
The monkey can only remember two voices at a time.
Essence: 1; Willpower: 3; Join Battle: 5 dice If it learns a new one, it forgets the oldest.
Health Levels: −0/−1x2/−2x3/−4/Incap. Coded Message (Latent): The monkey learns a
Actions: Acrobatics/Climb: 7 dice; Communicate: 6 specific pattern of sounds, words, and gesticulations,

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which it repeats for anyone who displays the correct normally funny face grows terrifying as it bares an im-
hand gesture or vocalization. pressive row of sharp teeth. It attempts to flee when suf-
MERITS fers damage to its last –1 health level.
Agile Climber: Double 8s on rolls to climb vertically. A monkey scampers onto its master’s foes to perform
Keen Nose: Double 9s on scent-based Senses rolls. clinches and other gambits as a distraction, although its
Storyteller Tactics grapple doesn’t prevent the enemy from taking move-
Peaceful and playful by nature, Tongma monkeys avoid ment actions. Tongma monkeys can only perform the
fighting as best they can, preferring to scamper up savage or release action from a grapple.
and away from threats. When cornered, the monkey’s
A Tongma monkey is a 1-dot Familiar.

Urcheon
Native to secluded burrows in Northeastern forests and Essence: 1; Willpower: 4; Join Battle: 2 dice
Threshold lowlands, urcheons are small, squat rodents Health Levels: −0x2/−1/−2/−4x2/Incap.
covered in an array of spikes. Despite their bristly ex- Actions: Senses: 6 dice (see Keen Nose); Stealth: 6
terior, it’s mostly for defense; urcheons are quite social dice; Threaten: 6 dice; Tracking: 6 dice
with humans and other forest creatures. If threatened,
Resolve 2, Guile 2
an urcheon curls into a defensive ball and fires its spikes.
Their companionable attitude has led to a trend among COMBAT
Nexus’ wealthy merchants of keeping them as pets and Attack (Spines): 8 dice (Damage 5); Tags: Ranged
walking them on leashes. (Short)

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Combat Movement: 6 dice Warding Needles Defense: An urcheon’s sharp


Evasion 2, Parry 2 spines deter would-be attackers. Whenever it takes the
full defense action, it gains +2 spine attack damage,
Soak/Hardness: 5/2
+2 soak and Hardness, and +3 Parry instead of +2.
SPECIAL ABILITIES Storyteller Tactics
Vengeful Spikes Counter: Whenever the urcheon Domesticated and handled from birth, urcheons make
takes decisive damage, it may spend a point of Will- companionable pets. As a 1-dot Familiar, an urcheon is
power to respond with a reflexive decisive counter- a devoted companion, ferociously defending its master.
attack at close or short range, which doesn’t count as Wild urcheons only attack when they feel threatened
its combat action. This can’t be used in response to and flee after taking damage to their –1 health level.
other counterattacks.
Tenacious Friendly Guardian (Latent): Urcheons In the Northeast, people gather expended urcheon spines
trained as pets aggressively defend their masters. If for use as blow darts and quills for writing. Agricultural
its master is attacked while the urcheon is up to short clans in the Threshold use dried and hardened urcheon
range away, it may spend 1 Willpower to reflexively quills in ritual piercings, given to young adults as a rite of
move to their side and take a defend other action. maturity following a series of trials that test the youth’s
MERITS tenacity and patience. Several noble households among
Keen Nose: Double 9s on scent-based Senses rolls. the Hundred Kingdoms utilize the urcheon in their her-
aldry and squabble over who adopted it first. Alchemists
Scent-Swabbing Distraction: Marking its territory
produce medicinal tinctures from powdered urcheon
with scent glands, an urcheon doubles 9s on Stealth
rolls to conceal its passage and may attempt distract bones and quills.
gambits (Exalted, p. 200).

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