Infernals
Infernals: The Devils are Here
Exalted MUSH uses this homebrew writeup To Rule in Hell for the Infernal Exalted, known also as the Green Sun Princes. Please see further details below.
Please also keep in mind that many Infernal Charms are frequently gross, shocking, disturbing and/or downright bizarre. Not everyone wants that in their face. Please exercise due good taste.
Sidebar: What devilry is this?
For solid Infernal homebrew, there were two choices available to us. This, and the 2e-styled writeup known as "The Devils Are Here". While The Devils Are Here is an amazing bit of fanwork, it runs contrary to the Ability-based official 3e vision and leads to very complicated character builds.
Sidebar: Are Infernals Evil?
Although this article of quotes and viewpoints was written against the 2e Interpretation of Infernals, some of its spirit is still relevant to Infernals as seen on this game. We think it's worth a read for those interested in Infernals. Are Infernals Evil?
Lore Considerations
Green Sun Princes of Hell
The Green Sun Princes enjoy a peculiar place in the hierarchy of Hell. They are all implicitly considered to be citizens of Hell, able to engage in any sort of enterprise imaginable. All Demons of the First Circles (at least, those which are more people than animal in terms of intelligence) will obey them without question unless this conflicts with duties sworn to a 2nd or 3rd Circle Demon. Meanwhile, Demons of the Second and Third Circles will extend hospitality and treat with Infernals as almost-equals. They are not required to drop everything and do whatever an Infernal wants, but will give them more than the time of day to have an audience, draft plans, establish deals, what-have-you, and will put forth a sincere (though questionably efficacious) effort to help said Infernal acclimate to the ways of hell. In other words, unless a specific Infernal does something particular and deliberate to grievously offend one of the many lords of Hell, they're basically treated like heroes and rockstars.
The Reclamation
It doesn't exist. At least, it doesn't exist as 2e portrayed it. There is no mad scramble in Hell. No master plans for any specific Infernal to find a place in. The Yozis know that they won't be able to find their freedom this easily or this early, if it is even possible. But the Yozis have invested a bit of themselves into these twisted blessings. The glories and victories of their Chosen resonate as something akin to a luxurious banquet of ego-stroking prayer, and flagrant defiance of the traitorous gods. Thus, the Yozis sincerely desire to see the Infernals succeed at slaying hated rivals, conquering nations, achieving great feats of sorcery and whatever else that Infernal wishes to do which further exults and spreads Yozi power. In return, the Green Sun Princes enjoy the backing of Hell. Only the most disrespectful, disruptive, and destructive renegade would find themselves completely cut off.
Exaltations, Reliquaries, the deal, and the Chrysalis Grotesque
Say a prayer for Lillun, who thankfully has not been dragged into Hell and turned into an unspeakable tortured abomination in this telling. Instead, the Yozis have constructed special Reliquaries based on the designs of Lytek's vaunted cabinet which house the twisted Exaltations between incarnations, giving the Yozis a chance to clean them up and perform any maintenance they desire before releasing it once more. Through the Reliquaries, a Yozi - or, on rare occasion, very privileged 3rd Circle Soul can make suggestions as to candidates or types of candidates an Exaltation should look for, and serve as a communication channel for visions and the sort during the Exaltation process itself. Exaltation can happen without this supervision. The Yozis do not see to each and every one.
The Reliquaries are stored in a highly secure chamber of the Conventicle Malfeasant. When it is time to choose a new Green Sun Prince, a Yozi or their chosen representative can bid an Exaltation fly free and lodge itself into an a First Circle Demon - either one chosen specifically, or one chosen at random if none is provided for it. The Demon then traipses across Cecelyne and is summoned into Creation by a Yozi cult or otherwise finds a crack into the mortal lands guided by strange and uncanny luck. Once there, the Demon is driven by mad dreams and perhaps the also-mad demands of any Yozi or 3rd Circles managing the Reliquary to tirelessly seek out a candidate. For the most part, Infernal Exaltation seeks out the same kinds of candidates that the Unconquered Sun might pick, people of great skill, talent, and spirit who would do great things if given the power and opportunity to do so. Tainted as they are by Yozi Essence though, these Exaltations do prefer candidates whose state of mind is twisted and driven to mad obsessions similar to its Yozi patrons, traits which Exaltation will then magnify and glorify.
However, rather than tackle and empower the mortal at the first opportunity, the Demon keeps to the shadows, biding its time for the right opportunity to catch the candidate when they're down in the dumps and very willing to listen to even a creature most, on a good day, certainly would not. The Demon reveals itself to them (typically in private) and offers them power to change their lot in life. What's the catch? Well, for the most part there isn't one. The message is always something of the sort that its masters see the potential in them and offer the power to change the world, power the gods would never give. In return, the Yozis will exult in their champion's every victory as their own. But in becoming a champion of the Yozis, they will obtain many powerful enemies. Potentially very dangerous enemies, but not insurmountable ones. The other option is be passed up on this offer and go back to being a hopeless nobody - assuming that the maddened Demon doesn't just decide to eat an unwilling candidate's face in an explosion of stress and spite, it will simply vamoose to find another candidate.
Whoever accepts is then engulfed by the demon as it unwinds and unravels itself into threads of Essence which wrap up the candidate into what Infernal scholars call the Chrystalis Grotesque. Ideally, for the next five days the candidate's body, mind, and soul is bathed in Infernal Essence and made capable of comprehending and handling the alien power it must now bear, before they erupt forth, ready to wield their new power. Should the Infernal feel threatened or have a dire need to respond to a crisis situation (often the one they agreed to Exaltation for), the Chrysalis Grotesque can be shed almost instantly, though the experience of hyper-accelerating the transformation is far from pleasant. Infernal Exaltation often leads to physical changes, from simple improvements of physique like restoration to youth, removing scars and blemishes, or sprouting new demonic features, and it's quite common for physical traces of the host Demon - now available as the Unwoven Coadjutor - to remain.
When an Infernal dies, their Exaltation flees back to its Reliquary. Should a Reliquary be destroyed, its Exaltation would fly free and seek out candidates without any guidance whatsoever, by randomly possessing demons and directing them to offer the bargain.
Traits
Creature of Darkness
Though Green Sun Princes are blessed with the same free will as any other Exalt, they are so thoroughly tainted with Yozi Essence that the scorching might of the Unconquered Sun cannot, without them being specifically exempted, tell them apart from any other Demons. As such, all Infernal Exalted are considered Creatures of Darkness, enemies of the Unconquered Sun.
Mutations
Many Green Sun Princes bear some changes from their time in the Chrysalis Grotesque, though these are often cosmetic or only enough to constitute a 1 to 3 dot Merit like claws, fangs, furry chest, iron stomach, etc. Big and grandiose things like fully-functioning wings are POSSIBLE but highly unlikely.
Unwoven Coadjutor
The demon who bore an Infernal's Exaltation remains with them, fused to them in body and spirit. The Demon and Infernal share a state of consciousness (so, if the Infernal is asleep or unconscious, so is the Coadjutor), and its capabilities are subsumed into the Exalt's own, which often is a good reason for an Infernal to know Old Realm or gain a few Ability dots in something their background didn't cover but which they've subsumed from the Demon. As such, by default, the Coadjutor offers no mechanical benefit, operating as more of a highly quirky advisor with demonic sensibilities - a shoulder devil, if you will. A particularly knowledgeable Coadjutor may be worth a Merit such as Mentor, however.
Charms
Craft Charms
A general reminder that we are using the Craft rules/charms from this Craft Revamp, which does cover Infernal Charms.
First <Yozi> Excellency
Modified
Effect: Referred to as, "Excellent <Yozi> Nature" as the distinction between 1st, 2nd, and 3rd excellencies is gone in third edition.
Infernals also have the excellencies of their caste, secondary, and tertiary yozis automatically. Further excellencies are added if
the Infernal has Essence 4+ and acquired at least five charms from a given Yozi.
Second <Yozi> Excellency
Banned
Reason: Second excellencies do not exist in Third Edition, the first excellency may be used to enhance static values as its solar
counterpart.
Mantle of Primordial Mercy
Banned
Reason: This charm is only relevant to a house rule this MUSH does not use.
Unbridled Joy of Creation
Banned
Reason: No mote expanders.
Law Above All
Modified
Effect: The threshold is now less than the infernal's essence, rather than equal to or less than.
Reason: Mostly keeping this from getting awkward if used between player characters.
Soul-Sand Devil Shintai
Modified
Effect: While dematerialized, a cloud of silvery sand winks in and out of existence around your body.
This allows others to perceive your location at +1 difficulty, though not necessarily the nature of what they are observing.
If the observer has an effect which allows them to perceive dematerialized spirits active, this increase to difficulty is
negated for them and they can see your actual appearance if they succeed on their roll to notice you.
Reason: Many dematerialized spirits, especially demons, have some kind of telltale hinting at their presence, however minor. Now this Charm has one too.
Obsessive Enactment Precision
Modified
Effect: This charm cannot be used on a task less difficult than one that would be considered a Serious Task
in the social influence system. Likewise, the bonus pool of willpower does not refill the main willpower pool
when the designated task is complete.
Reason: Expendable pool regen bonuses get out of hand quickly.
Brook No Trespass
Banned
Reason: Balancing the mote economy.
Love Begets Love
Banned
Reason: Little to no functional benefit, encourages disruptive concepts.
Umbilical Noose Escape
Banned
Reason: See previous reason.
Womb Darkness Retention
Banned
Reason: Little to no functional benefit, encourages disruptive concepts.
The Little Monster
Banned
Reason: See previous reason.
Passion-Driven Maelstrom
Banned
Reason: There are a lot of ways to do damage to a region, this one is just weirdly edgy for no good reason.
Doppelganger Genesis Evocation
Banned
Reason: Listed as to be fixed by the original document maintainer, has not been fixed yet.
Charm Concept: Mad
Modified
Effect: Ignore the commentary about Lunar Exalts. One can certainly argue that Luna
is mad. Certain individual Lunars might well be crazy... but not because they learned these Charms.
Reason: Avoiding specific, hostile bonuses against other exalt types.
Oramus' Transgression - Essence Impossible
Banned
Reason: Second excellencies do not exist in Third Edition, and this charm requires them.
Composer of the Numinous
Modified
Effect: The mote pool effect is removed from this charm.
Reason: No pool expanders.
Empty Stomach Frustration
Banned
Reason: No mote expanders.
Merry Boar Rampage
Banned
Reason: Balancing the mote economy
Door-Splintering Juggernaut Motion
Modified
Effect: Move, Rush, and Disengage actions are enhanced instead.
Reason: The original charm's writeup erroneously includes second edition terminology.
Reassuring Slave Chorus
Modified
Effect: Mote regen cannot occur in battle.
Reason: Balancing the mote economy.
Uncrowned Beast King
Modified
Effect: Cloud Ascends the Mountain Stance is banned.
Reason: See previous
Poetic Doomed Adversary Exultation
Banned
Reason: See previous.
Titanic Spawn Uncountable
Allowed
Reason: Not really that much more powerful than some sorcerous workings, also some neat flavor.
Fourth Soul Charms
Allowed
Reason: A bit more custom content, not too outlandish.
Insatiable Aura Unchained
Allowed, Modified
Effect: Lillun does not exist in this setting, the Yozis have individual artifact receptacles for the exaltations as physical objects called, "Reliquaries"
instead. Attempting to circumvent the obviousness of this charm follows the logic of magics of concealment and deception rather than
painlessness or perfect cutting.
Reason: If you don't know about Lillun, you're better off not knowing.