TEXT: A Compendium of Necromantic Lore for
  A Compendium of Necromantic Lore for
  TM
  A N D
  A N D
  
  1
  TABLE OF CONTENTS
  BY KRAIG BLACKWELDER, GENEVIEVE COGMAN, DANIEL DOVER,
  JIM KILEY, KRISTER MICHL AND PETER SCHAEFFER
  B O O K   O F
  A N D
  TM
  
  EXALTED • THE BOOK OF BONE AND EBONY
  2
  CREDITS
  Authors: Kraig Blackwelder, Genevieve Cogman,
  Daniel Dover, Jim Kiley, Krister Michl, Peter Schaeffer
  Storyteller Game System Design: Mark Rein•Hagen
  Developer: Geoffrey C. Grabowski
  Editor: John Chambers
  Art Direction: Brian Glass
  Artists: Ross Campbell, Chynna Clugston, Susan Luo,
  Joshua Gabriel Timbrook, UDON featuring Greg
  Boychuk, Eric Kim, Noi Sackda, Eric Vedder and Jim
  Zubkavich, Melissa Uran and Eva Widerman
  Cover Art: UDON featuring Andrew Hou and
  Christine Choi
  Cover Design: Brian Glass
  Layout and Typesetting: Brian Glass
  © 2005 White Wolf Publishing, Inc. All rights re-
  served. No part of this publication maybe reproduced,
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  White Wolf Publishing, Inc. Reproduction prohibitions
  do not apply to the character sheets contained in this book
  when reproduced for personal use. White Wolf and Exalted
  are registered trademarks of White Wolf Publishing, Inc.
  All rights reserved. The Book of Bone and Ebony, Exalted
  the Abyssals, Exalted Players Guide, Savant and Sorcerer, Time of Tumult, Age of Sorrows and the Second Age
  of Man are trademarks of White Wolf Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved. All characters, names, places and text
  herein are copyrighted by White Wolf Publishing, Inc.
  The mention of or reference to any company or product in these pages is not a challenge to the trademark
  or copyright concerned.
  This book uses the supernatural for settings, characters and themes. All mystical and supernatural elements
  are fiction and intended for entertainment purposes only. Reader discretion is advised.
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  PRINTED IN CANADA
  DEVELOPER’S SPECIAL THANKS
  To Frank, who died a samurai’s death.
  PETER SCHAEFFER’S THANKS
  Michael “I know a guy” Goodwin for the hand up.
  Roger “There’s this cool game” Maleski.
  And my parents, for making the bribes possible.
  
  3
  TABLE OF CONTENTS
  TABLE OF CONTENTS
  INTRODUCTION
  4
  CHAPTER ONE: STYGIA
  8
  CHAPTER TWO: THE ARTS OF THE DEAD
  34
  CHAPTER THREE: THE WONDERS OF THE DEAD
  54
  CHAPTER FOUR: CREATIONS OF BONE
  80
  CHAPTER FIVE: NECROMANCY
  116
  CHAPTER SIX: CREATURES OF THE UNDERWORLD
  146
  B O O K   O F
  A N D
  TM
  
  EXALTED • THE BOOK OF BONE AND EBONY
  4
  
  5
  INTRODUCTION
  INTRODUCTION
  ”Not that I put any stock in names, nor should you.... You
  should be proud we have a special part for you to play, such a
  talented artist. In time you will forget yourself entirely in your
  work, as all do eventually. Myself, I go around with a trunkful
  of aliases, but do you think I can say who I once was really?”
  —Thomas Ligotti, “Teatro Grottesco”
  Welcome to The Book of Bone and Ebony. This
  book covers two closely related topics. The first is
  necromancy, a dark form of magic that draws on the
  fundamental powers of the Underworld. Pioneered by
  the Twilight Caste before the Usurpation, perfected by
  the Deathlords and practiced in the Second Age by
  those dark beings and their Abyssal Exalted servants,
  necromancy is a form of power distinctly different than
  sorcery but of comparable power.
  This book is, in effect, a Savant and Sorcerer for
  necromancy, expanding the grimoire of necromancy
  spells and discussing the logistical implications of as-
  sembling large necromantic war machines. It should
  help expand the horizons of necromancers. Yet, necro-
  mancy is a more limited form of power than sorcery.
  While it is as mighty as sorcery, the scope of its effects
  is limited, and there are fewer master practitioners
  devising new wonders and even less sharing between
  them. Most of the spells in this book that are not
  Shadowlands Circle utility sorceries or survivors of
  Solar experimentation are probably known only to one
  or two Deathlords and their cadre of deathknights.
  But that’s not all that’s here. This book also
  deals extensively with the dead as well. This is no
  small topic — the dead vastly outnumber the Abys-
  sal Exalted, by a factor of millions. They populate
  the entire Underworld and, even in Creation, form
  a distinct class of spirits that , while not comparable
  to high-Essence celestial divinities, are capable of
  delivering miracles to coax worship from their de-
  scendents. They interfere in the world of the living
  whenever they are able, and the Immaculate Phi-
  losophy strives to oppose them and stem the flow of
  sacrifice into the Mouth of Oblivion. The Deathlords
  
  EXALTED • THE BOOK OF BONE AND EBONY
  6
  live among the ghosts of the Underworld and use
  them as servants and raw material. The dead will
  play an important role in the coming Time of Tu-
  mult, as well as in many different Exalted series.
  This book details both the milieu of the dead
  and their powers. From their great mausoleum-city
  of Stygia to the strange plasmic creatures that in-
  habit the Underworld, this book details the unique
  conditions of existence among the dead. It also
  details the many wonders they manufacture, driven
  by the occult principles of their own Essence and of
  the Underworld itself. These items, often used by
  the Deathlords and the Abyssal Exalted as well as
  the dead, are a characteristic trademark of the dead
  and extend their power greatly beyond the painstak-
  ing revelations of the Arcanoi.
  available to the lords of the Underworld and their
  servants to encompass all the most logically likely
  possibilities for effects.
  This book is also a text on black sorcery in the
  world of Exalted. It assumes an understanding of the
  game’s extended rules for sorcery. While these are not
  required for the use of the material in this book,
  things such as the cost notation for the creation of
  artifacts and many references to “initiation” and other
  aspects of theoretical sorcery all presume that the
  reader has a familiarity with Savant and Sorcerer.
  However, that book is not necessary to actually use
  this material, merely to understand some of the tech-
  nical matter in this book.
  THE LORE OF THE DEAD
  In addition, this book also expands the game’s
  material on ghosts. It contains extensive descriptions
  not only of the city of Stygia, but also of various forms
  of Underworld fauna. Called plasmics, these many
  strange creatures haunt various locations in the Un-
  derworld. Some of them have actual origins, but many
  of them are nothing more than self-mobile equivalents
  of haunts. Many are potentially dangerous, and all are
  of interest to Underworld savants.
  In addition, The Book of Bone and Ebony also
  details an assortment of Arcanoi practiced by the dead,
  both those used by ghosts and also those specifically
  developed for nemissaries, the possessing ghosts who
  roam the lands of the living serving their own ends or
  those of the Deathlords.
  HOW TO USE THIS BOOK
  The Book of Bone and Ebony offers a guide to
  occult matters concerning the Underworld, covering
  both necromantic and ghostly matters. Its chapters
  cover their contents in a topic-by-topic format, with
  each chapter covering a single matter as completely as
  space allows. These chapters are written with the
  assumption that the reader has the Exalted books at
  hand, and page references to Savant and Sorcerer,
  Exalted and Exalted: The Abyssals are frequent.
  Introduction This chapter describes the general
  intent of the book and discusses the text’s presupposi-
  tions. You’re reading it right now.
  Chapter One: Stygia covers the greatest city in
  the Underworld or Creation. Stygia, capital city of the
  Underworld, seat of the Dual Monarchy and metropo-
  lis on the very well-lip of Oblivion, is a source of
  endless adventure and intrigue. This chapter details
  the Dual Monarchs, the city’s system of justice and
  certain of its more famous districts and officials.
  Chapter Two: The Arts of the Dead details new
  and specialized Arcanoi for use by the dead. These
  THE ARTS OF THE NECROMANCER
  The Solar Exalted of the First Age were masters of
  the art of sorcery — and of other arts as well. Toward
  the end of the Solar Deliberative’s reign, a number of
  the Twilights explored the Underworld and began to
  deduce from experiments the principles of initiation
  that might be explored to master the occult forces of
  the Malfeans’ tomb-world. This was just the beginning
  of their learning.
  After the Usurpation, the dark apotheosis the
  Deathlords underwent when those murdered Solars
  submitted to the domination of the Malfeans increased
  their knowledge considerably, as have many years of
  labor and studies afterward.
  This book concerns itself with two main topics:
  necromantic spells and information about war ma-
  chines animated through necromantic ritual. A
  selection of powerful spells and a mighty host of death-
  warriors are the hallmarks of the deathknight, and this
  book attempts to round out the selection of powers
  THIS IS AN ABYSSALS SUPPLEMENT
  This is primarily a supplement for players using
  Exalted: The Abyssals. There might be some very
  interesting stories taken from this material and told
  with other types of characters, but this is material
  that almost solely concerns the Underworld and the
  sorceries of the Deathlords. If you don’t have Ex-
  alted: The Abyssals, you are going to be very lost
  reading the contents of this book because most of
  the mechanics and all the setting material are de-
  tailed in that hardback. If you’re looking for an
  introduction to the Underworld in Exalted, Ex-
  alted: The Abyssals is a much better place to start.
  
  7
  INTRODUCTION
  Charms grant the dead their occult strength, and the
  powers in this chapter greatly strengthen both the dead
  in general and certain small groups, such the Lintha,
  who possess the knowledge of specialized Arcanoi.
  Chapter Three: The Wonders of the Dead covers
  the many grave wonders that fall from the hands of the
  dead. Though they are not as potent as gods, they dead
  are far cleverer as creators of miracles that can work at
  the command of any hand. The tool-craftiness of the
  Dead has served the princes of the Underworld and the
  Deathlords well. This chapter significantly expands
  the catalog of such wonders available to Storytellers
  and players for use in their games.
  Chapter Four: Creations of Bone provides a tran-
  sition between material detailing the Dead and the
  coverage of necromancy proper. Creations of Bone
  covers both the advanced arts of the nemissaries —
  ghosts who inhabit corpses and use them to travel the
  world of the living — and the more morbid creations of
  the Abyssal necromancers, the great war machines
  they construct of flesh, bone and metal to wield against
  the living and the dead alike.
  Chapter Five: Necromancy describes spells of all
  three necromantic circles. While the focus of necro-
  mancy is narrow, the individual spells are mighty within
  their narrow sphere of effects.
  Chapter Six: Creatures of the Underworld de-
  tails plasmics, creatures native to the Underworld.
  These beings are horrifying spawns of the Neverborn’s
  dark dreams and the natural processes of the Under-
  world, and each is unique. With their unique ecologies
  (or lack thereof) and their unusual powers, many
  plasmics, particular those from deep within the Laby-
  rinth, are quite dangerous, wielding horrifying attacks
  that can damage the souls of their victims. Even the
  Exalted and the nephwracks must tread carefully when
  faced with these horrors. This chapter also details three
  different possible sets of statistics for the Mask of
  Winters’ maggoty minions when they finish their breed-
  ing cycle within the decaying flesh of his vast
  corpse-citadel.
  
  EXALTED • THE BOOK OF BONE AND EBONY
  8
  
  9
  CHAPTER ONE • STYGIA
  CHAPTER ONE
  STYGIA
  Within the untamed depths of the Isle of Sorrow’s
  wilds, past the final curves of the River Styx, at the center
  of the land of the dead, great and ancient Stygia rises in
  haunting splendor. Spanning from horizon to horizon, this
  vast necropolis sprawls across seven hills and seven valleys,
  the largest city of both the sunlit world and its shadow. The
  silver and soulsteel spires of Stygia spear the shadowy
  clouds above, their lanterns and lights scattered like arti-
  ficial stars against the dark sky. The churning gears and
  bright, ghostly lamps of the Calendar of Setesh, the axis of
  the Underworld, loom above it all.
  The city seems as wondrous and strange from within
  as from without. Suffocatingly narrow paths and alleyways
  jam together at odd, painfully sharp angles. Metallic walk-
  ways stretch like cobwebs between the tall and baroque
  towers above. Fires dance behind red stained-glass win-
  dows, casting blood colored shadows across the dark gray
  stones of the streets. Everything smells of incense and dust.
  Only the constant drone of prayers or the occasional,
  whispered exchanges between the dead breaks the unset-
  tling silence of the necropolis, replacing the shouts and
  laughter so often found in living cities. Despite appear-
  ances, Stygia is nothing like a mortal city. Rather, it is a
  vast mausoleum containing echoes of those who refuse to
  be forgotten.
  Stygia is unique within the Underworld. It alone is a
  city constructed by the dead for the dead, created not out
  of some disaster in Creation, but by the will of ghosts. Once
  a buttress designed to hold off the hordes of Oblivion,
  nephwracks now openly walk its streets and Deathlords
  make their homes there. The Cult of the Dual Monarchy
  and the stability the Monarchs offer the Underworld is
  centered in Stygia. Every event of the Underworld has left
  an indelible mark on the Grand Necropolis, and yet,
  mystery continues to shroud its very origins. In truth, the
  land of the dead literally revolves around Stygia, and
  without it, the very nature of the Underworld would falter
  and change.
  THE DEAD OF THE GRAND NECROPOLIS
  In most respects, the Stygian dead differ little from
  those found in the other necropoli of the Underworld.
  They dress in tomb-scented fineries bejeweled in sacrifi-
  cial Essence, their faces perfect alabaster and, despite their
  passionate pretensions at life, only emptiness and longing
  fills their dark eyes. They eagerly seek news of both the
  Underworld and the land of the living. Creatures defined
  by ritual, the dead of Stygia pursue an existence filled with
  endless repetition as they dutifully offer up prayers to their
  leadership.
  Despite the similarities, the dead that reside in Stygia
  are a strange and unique breed, for Stygia occupies a
  singular and important place in the Underworld. Unlike
  the ghosts of other necropoli, Stygian dead choose to exist
  
  EXALTED • THE BOOK OF BONE AND EBONY
  10
  in Stygia, for death deposits few spirits on its streets. With
  no neighboring shadowland, Stygia is far from Creation,
  and ghosts who enter the necropolis must be willing to
  sacrifice their ties with the land of the living. Thus released
  from the trappings of their former lives, many new resi-
  dents quickly and eagerly adopt fresh roles for themselves.
  These factors combine to create a city of constantly
  shifting hierarchy that focuses primarily on the needs of
  the dead, rather than the needs of the living.
  Many ghosts entering Stygia have little to lose by
  abandoning Creation. Perhaps they were unloved beggars
  in life or were the dishonored dead. For whatever reason,
  they have concluded that Creation will not sustain them
  and that they must seek their fortunes elsewhere or suffer
  the indignation of Lethe. These dead quickly shed their
  former roles in life and take up some task within the city,
  such as physical labor or prostitution. Such ghosts form the
  ranks of the working dead within Stygia. Starved ghosts fill
  the roads to Stygia, marked by their ragged clothing, long
  teeth and ravenous eyes. Those who can hold on to their
  existences long enough to make it to the Grand Necropolis
  can feed on the aura of prayers that leak into the city
  streets. The rest either fall into Lethe or succumb to
  Oblivion’s whispers.
  A few of the dead entering Stygia have gained all they
  can from Creation. These powerful ghosts have become
  embedded in their clan’s ancestral worship, and their fetters
  are safely secured. All that remains for them to gain now is
  political power. Stygia lies at the center of the web of ghostly
  influence and lacks the rigid hierarchy that stifles the other
  kingdoms of the Underworld. These dead form the elite of
  Stygia and head the smaller cults and unions.
  The constant influx of foreign dead gives Stygia a
  cosmopolitan feel. The mark of any historical period from
  any culture can be found in the architecture of the city or
  reflected in the mannerisms of its dead. Seeing labyrinthine
  gray and blue frescoes of a long-lost pelagothrope civiliza-
  tion decorating the walls of a building of modern Realm
  architecture is not uncommon. Ghosts dressed in the fash-
  ion of great Meru during the time of the Contagion might
  perform a modern Coral tea ceremony. These clashing and
  anachronistic details blend into a seamless whole, creating
  a uniquely Stygian atmosphere that is at once hauntingly
  familiar and strangely alien to any visiting ghost.
  Whereas, in most other necropoli, the dead can
  prepare a house for a dying descendant, the Stygian dead
  lack that luxury, and so, their housing arrangements are
  unique in the Underworld. While architecture varies from
  district to district, many elements of Stygian homes re-
  main the same. They are small, as the dead need little
  space, and are either stacked in huge, teetering towers or
  wedged between larger, more important buildings. Within,
  all Stygian homes have a small shrine to the Dual Monar-
  chy. A bed usually rests in the home, though the ghost
  THE FOUNDING OF STYGIA
  In the dark, early days before the Calendar, the
  Underworld was chaotic and disjointed, an unsafe
  purgatory for any ghost. Malfean rage ripped through
  the land of the dead in the form of terrible storms,
  and nothing governed the rules of reality or the
  passage of time. Desperate, the bravest of the dead
  gathered an army and battled their way past hordes
  of monsters and nightmare-tossed landscapes, jour-
  neying to the center of the Underworld with only
  the pull of Oblivion to guide them. There, they
  gazed with trepidation upon the Well of the Void
  and the tombs of the Malfeans. Mining the nearby
  hills, they built a city, expanding it until it separated
  the Labyrinth from the rest of the Underworld and
  sealed away the worst of its monstrosities, bringing
  peace at last to the land of the dead.
  Stygia began as a fortress against Oblivion. The
  remains of Old Stygia reveal robust walls and defen-
  sive occult designs meant to ward away the
  nephwracks and the hekatonkhire. The early Stygians
  forged the crowns of the Dual Monarchy and estab-
  lished the long tradition of succession that ensured
  incorruptible leadership in this most important city.
  They undertook the monumental task of building
  the Calendar to regulate the flow of time. When they
  completed this unparalleled project, it stood as a
  beacon of the dead’s defiance of Oblivion.
  The task of guarding the Underworld could not
  be left to Stygia alone, and so, representatives of the
  Cult of the Dual Monarchy went forth to the still-
  young kingdoms of the dead. Stygia offered
  tranquillity and stability for a small tribute of Es-
  sence and worship, and most nations gladly paid. As
  the cult grew, so too did Stygia’s prestige, until it
  became the most powerful city in the Underworld
  and the dead flocked to its streets. Within a few
  centuries, the Dual Monarchy presided over a world
  of peace and prosperity, a mirror of the golden age
  ruled by the Solars in Creation, for while the scent
  of prayers drew nations into their embrace, tradi-
  tion soon kept them there. The newly dead
  worshiped the Dual Monarchy because their elders
  had, and Stygia became an institution. In those
  early days, Stygia only grew in power and influence,
  but bloated with pride, it ignored the rumblings of
  the Labyrinth below.
  makes no use of it, and a kitchenette, though the ghost
  need never cook. No unwashed dishes ever lay on the
  counters, and no discarded clothes litter the floor, creating
  
  11
  CHAPTER ONE • STYGIA
  the overall impression of a dollhouse: small, quaint and
  never sullied. The only real color in the small abode is
  inevitably the plaques marking fetters or brilliantly painted
  pictures of family or loved ones. Because ghosts are crea-
  tures of rigid tradition, gaining a house in Stygia is a
  difficult task best left to the most patient of the dead. Small
  committees within each district decide whether a ghost is
  worthy of a permanent home or not. In general, if a ghost
  has become a fixture of Stygia and his character is appro-
  priate to the district in question, he will receive a home.
  Owning such a home costs nothing, as it is an honor
  bestowed upon the Stygian. However, the committees are
  notoriously slow about these matters, and ghosts have
  been forced to wait for centuries. In such cases, inns with
  claustrophobically small rooms can be rented to house the
  personal effects of the dead. Such a room costs Resources
  • per month.
  Travel in Stygia is made difficult by the sheer breadth
  of the necropolis. Because of this fact, ghosts seldom travel
  beyond the borders of their districts. For such travel,
  walking is the preferred method of transportation, and
  major roads are clogged with the pale masses of slowly
  parading spirits. Wealthier ghosts travel by litter, tottering
  and swaying down the streets visible above the rest of the
  crowd. Using this mode of transportation costs Resources
  ••, and because it is associated with prestige, most Stygians
  will frown upon any who use it while having an Influence
  of less than •. For more distant travel, many ghosts clutter
  the flat-bottomed boats of the Stygian waterways that flow
  through the necropolis. The physics of the Underworld
  allow for strange, distance twisting shortcuts, and a
  streetwise ghost can duck down one alley and navigate his
  way across the local district in a few short moments. Such
  travel is difficult, however, requiring a Wits + Larceny roll
  with a difficulty between 3 (to travel to a nearby location
  in half the time) and 5 (to travel across the district in a few
  minutes). This method of travel is never exact, always
  bringing the ghost close to his destination but never
  precisely to it, and it can never bring the ghost over the
  border of his district. A ghost whose player botches be-
  comes lost — or worse, at the Storyteller’s discretion.
  The closeness of Stygia to the Well of the Void does
  a great deal to define the character of Stygians. Dark
  dreams of the relentless and perfect darkness of Oblivion
  sear their minds, and the Deathlords and their servants
  walk among their number daily. Even the great Calendar
  of Setesh is bound to Oblivion, for the clock measures the
  descent of the Underworld into the Void. The constant
  reminder of the inevitable doom of the Underworld adds
  something of a frantic edge to existence within Stygia.
  Desperate to maintain their passions, Stygians distract
  themselves in whatever way they can. They throw grand
  parties, show offense at the smallest slights and engage in
  fierce feuds and romances. This is not to say the Stygians
  are terrified of the Void and all associated with it. They
  think nothing of descending into the Labyrinth to mine it
  for its resources, and in their long existences within the
  city, many ghosts have grown accustomed to the calls of
  nephwracks and have become used to existing in fear of
  another attack from the Abyss below. Rather, the nearness
  of the Void intensifies the pointlessness of existence that
  all ghosts feel.
  BENEATH STYGIA
  No gods rule the storms of the Underworld.
  While the Calendar of Setesh produces most
  weather, the dark clouds that veil the sky are the last
  remnants of Malfean bitterness. When enough ha-
  tred gathers in one place, the sky unleashes its fury
  in a torrent of blood and water. Though these
  storms pale in comparison to the tempests that
  existed before the Underworld was tamed, they do
  present considerable danger.
  Lying at the center of the Underworld, Stygia
  serves as a sort of lightning rod for the Underworld’s
  storms. While the necropolis seldom suffers tem-
  pests as bad as those in other parts of the Underworld,
  it does suffer more of them as it drains the worst of
  these foul energies back into the Labyrinth. The
  constant accumulation of rainwater is dangerous,
  however, and so, the founders of Stygia built drain-
  age sewers beneath the city. These were the only
  defensive structures that remained untouched dur-
  ing the nephwrack uprising.
  Constructed of pale limestone, with smooth
  walls and grooves that channel the flows of runoff
  beneath the city, the storm drains mix and mingle
  with the old basements, cellars and abandoned
  mines to form the catacombs that lie beneath the
  city. It’s a dangerous place, with half-mad ghosts
  scuttling in the shadows and strange monsters coa-
  lescing from the hatred that coagulates in the storm
  waters. Occasionally, the Dual Monarchy sends
  hunting parties into this murky undercity, lit only
  by luminescent fungi, to bring down these horrors
  and ensure that they don’t grow too strong. While
  the sewers protect the city, they underscore the
  constant vigilance necessary to maintain the stabil-
  ity of the Underworld.
  THE WEALTH OF STYGIA
  The dead of Stygia almost universally turn their
  passions away from the land of the living and to the land
  of the dead. Without any neighboring shadowlands, Stygia
  must rely on those nations and empires that reside closer
  to Creation for its prosperity. In exchange for this wealth,
  
  EXALTED • THE BOOK OF BONE AND EBONY
  12
  Stygia offers a great number of services for the dead,
  everything from beautiful courtesans and delightful gam-
  ing houses to dour mercenaries and a medium for the
  exchange of Essence. By supporting the dead, rather than
  caring for the living, Stygia promotes its usefulness to all of
  the Underworld.
  Stygia draws much of its wealth from trade. Standing
  at the center of the Underworld, it is a natural destination
  for many merchants, and ships often sail up the River Styx
  to enter Stygian ports. Many of Stygia’s services cater to
  the needs of those ghostly traders that enter the necropolis.
  This considerable trade allows for markets where nearly
  anything, from exotic grave goods to forbidden pleasures,
  can be bought or sold. What Stygia cannot trade for, it
  produces independently. The necropolis is home to some
  of the finest artificers in the Underworld, with industries
  that are second only to the facilities of the Thousand.
  For the dead, prayer is of even greater importance
  than material wealth. Prayer generates Essence, and Es-
  sence fuels the society of the dead. For this reason, the
  leaders of the Underworld demand worship from their
  subjects, much as a mortal leader might demand taxes,
  ensuring that the rulers can protect their people and, more
  importantly, that they maintain enough power to keep
  their thrones. While the worship of kings and rulers tends
  to remain local, the Cult of the Dual Monarchs is univer-
  sal, spanning the entire Underworld. Temples to the Dual
  Monarchy clutter the streets of the necropoli, and even the
  simplest farmer’s hut has a small shrine in its corner. The
  amount of Essence this worship generates is almost incal-
  culable, and all of Stygia thrives on it.
  The Grand Necropolis itself was designed to serve as
  a nexus for these prayers and to channel their Essence to
  powering the Calendar of Setesh, as well as to perform
  various other tasks. Many aspects of the city, from the
  occult designs of the streets to the very nature of the
  districts and their symbols, serve this purpose. Standing at
  the center of Stygia, as both the metaphorical and literal
  heart of the city, is the Palace of the Dual Monarchy. The
  Dual Monarchs are the focal points of the Cult and the
  linchpin of the Essence it generates. Without their ritual
  lifestyle, the Essence Stygia enjoys would falter and wane.
  The design of Stygia isn’t perfectly efficient, however, and
  Essence leaks from its streets and structures, creating the
  miasma of reverence that pervades the city.
  Not even the Dual Monarchs can make full use of the
  enormous amount of Essence generated by such pervasive
  worship, yet they cannot afford to waste their excess. To
  accommodate the overflow of Essence during bountiful
  years, Stygia created a system of banks and repositories. The
  Dual Monarchs, for example, adorn their clothing with
  soulfire crystals so they can shed and store any surplus
  Essence they might generate. These charged crystals are
  removed and stored away in vaults at the end of the day, with
  new, empty crystals being stitched into their clothes as
  replacements by a small army of tailors. Flows of Essence
  across the city are diverted into vast crystal batteries where
  they can be stored and processed. Over time, these institu-
  tions have expanded their purposes to include making loans
  and investments and supervising the general flow of Essence
  across Stygia. The clack of abacus beads and the rustle of
  papers fill these large and impressive buildings as accounts
  are tallied and numbers are recorded. Stygia, enjoying the
  riches of the Dual Monarchy, serves as the nerve center to
  the Underworld’s economy. Along with a brisk trade in
  grave goods and the creation of artifacts, the exchange of
  Essence serves to bring wealth to all of the city.
  THE CLERICS OF THE DUAL MONARCHY
  Clerics are the foremost officers in the army of bureau-
  crats that monitors Stygia’s Essence. Each wears long,
  loose flowing leggings, sandals and a jade mask that de-
  notes his role within the bureaucracy. Each also wears a
  white sash, the end of which is marked with dark bands
  indicating the rank of the Cleric. Their torsos are bare, and
  each carries a smoking censer and scroll cases that hold the
  long, ribbonlike parchments upon which the cleric records
  his accounts. While common in Stygia, they are also often
  seen beyond the city, serving in the courts of other nations
  as representatives of the Dual Monarchy. They are both
  priests of the Cult of the Dual Monarchy, directing rituals
  and overseeing worship, and tax collectors, ensuring that
  the dead offer up the proper amount of reverence to the
  Monarchy. Masters of the Essence-Measuring Thief Arts
  and the Tenacious Merchant’s Way, these ghosts often
  serve as local bankers and suppliers should the need arise.
  Despite the apparent tedium of their tasks, they are held in
  high regard as the representatives of the cult, and their
  passions are dedicated utterly to the advancement of the
  Dual Monarchy.
  BREATHING PRAYERS
  No place in the Underworld is as saturated with
  reverence as Stygia. The prayers of the dead pour in
  from all over the world, and every mausoleum and
  temple hums with it. The very air is spiced with the
  aromas of incense and scented oils. As a result of this
  intense piety, the dead of Stygia can regain Essence
  more quickly in their necropolis than they can
  elsewhere, as if they possessed Underworld Cult ••
  (see Exalted: The Abyssals, p. 153). This benefit is
  inherent to all dead who have resided longer than a
  few months within Stygia, and a Storyteller running
  a ghostly chronicle in the Dark Jewel of the Under-
  world should not require players to spend the
  Background dots for this benefit. However, the extra
  respiration is lost outside of the city.
  
  13
  CHAPTER ONE • STYGIA
  BANKS OF ESSENCE
  While the banks of Stygia were originally formed
  to house surplus Essence generated by the worship of
  Stygia and the Dual Monarchy, over time, they
  became the financial backbone of the necropolis.
  Heaps of thousands of soulfire crystals lie within their
  vaults, accumulated during the long history of Stygia,
  and the clerics constantly seek new types of Essence
  storage technology. Whenever a ghost needs great
  sums of Essence for some project or undertaking, the
  banks can offer loans and investments, whether in the
  form of soulfire crystals or Essence directly infused
  into the ghost. Nations from all over the Underworld
  come to Stygia to trade for Essence, offering material
  goods in exchange for crates of soulfire crystals. In-
  deed, this is one of Stygia’s greatest sources of revenue,
  and over the passing centuries, the banks have ac-
  quired vast treasures of material wealth and grave
  goods. This allows them to aid Stygians financially,
  and a ghost can seek monetary loans as well as loans
  of Essence or seek to exchange one for the other.
  The exchange rate between Essence and Re-
  sources is roughly comparable to the ratio for
  sacrificial Essence, as found on page 33 of Exalted:
  The Abyssals. For example, 10 motes would cost a
  ghost Resources •••. However, because draining
  motes is less efficient than offering them, unless the
  ghost depositing the Essence has an appropriate
  Charm, a ghost must offer twice as much Essence as
  the equivalent Resources is worth. For example, a
  ghost would lose 20 motes to gain a single Resources
  ••• purchase. In addition to exchanges, ghosts can
  take loans in either Essence or wealth, and the
  system is the same for both. For each dot of tempo-
  rary Resources gained, or its equivalent in motes, the
  ghost gains a point of the Debt Flaw, as found on
  pages 38-39 of the Exalted Players Guide, for which
  the ghost gains no experience. Exchanges and loans
  both require a great deal of paperwork. Gaining
  approval requires a Manipulation + Bureaucracy roll
  at a difficulty of the Resource value of the transac-
  tion (thus, a ghost offering Resources ••• for 10
  motes rolls at a difficulty of 3). Processing the
  application takes several days for most transactions,
  and can take weeks for transactions involving Re-
  sources •••• or higher. This time is reduced by
  additional successes at a rate of one day per success,
  but the time involved can never take less than a day.
  
  EXALTED • THE BOOK OF BONE AND EBONY
  14
  The clerics oversee many aspects of Stygia’s bureau-
  cracies, and the color of a cleric’s jade mask indicates his
  responsibilities. Those with red-jade masks govern the
  Cult of the Dual Monarchy, serving as its priests. The
  Scarlet-Masked Clerics of lesser rank oversee worship
  ceremonies and preach to the dead, while those of greater
  rank govern the workings of the cult itself, such as where
  its abundant resources are allocated or dictating aspects of
  the cult’s theology. The bearers of the green-jade masks
  serve as diplomats and representatives of Stygia and the
  Dual Monarchy to the nations of the Underworld. Present
  in nearly every kingdom of the land of the dead, the
  Emerald-Masked Clerics serve the roles of the other four
  departments in their absence and are accustomed to a great
  deal of autonomy. Those who wear the blue-jade masks are
  often seen as the least exciting of the clerics, for they serve
  as bank tellers and money counters. Still, the task of the
  Azure-Masked Clerics is an important one, and their
  financial acumen is impressive indeed. The black-masked
  clerics are the auditors and the inquisitors of Stygia.
  Whenever a deal defaults or a heretic against the Cult of
  the Dual Monarchy arises, an Ebon-Masked Cleric is
  dispatched to investigate and, if necessary, punish. These
  clerics are also tasked with the investigation of their
  colleagues, for while the clerics are bound by a strict code
  of conduct, corruption certainly exists in their ranks.
  Finally, those whose masks are crafted of white jade govern
  the clerics themselves. The Ivory-Masked Clerics are the
  commanding officers of the Stygian bureaucracies, ensur-
  ing that the other four departments remain carefully on
  task and never falter in their duties to the Dual Monarchy.
  Any ghost who presents himself to the Offices of the
  Ivory Mask and proves his bureaucratic acumen and his
  loyalty to the Dual Monarchy can become a cleric. This
  requires a minimum Bureaucracy and Lore of ••, and
  while Socialize and Occult are highly valued, they are not
  prerequisites. Further, the ghost must know at least Aura-
  Reading Technique. Assuming he meets these
  requirements, the ghost can become an initiate cleric with
  Backing(Stygian Cleric) •, and one of the five depart-
  ments recruits him based on the scores of his test. Should
  he learn Blending the Streams of Essence or Earnest
  Creditor Technique, he may be promoted to adept cleric
  (with Backing ••). Clerics also consider Filling the Pre-
  cious Vial and Careful Debtor Stance to be exceptionally
  useful Arcanoi, and the Ebon-Masked Clerics often make
  use of Feeding the Lamprey’s Appetite. Beyond the rank of
  adept, promotion becomes competitive, and a ghost who
  wishes to gain in rank must both wait for one in a higher
  rank to gain a promotion or pass into Lethe and then prove
  himself a better candidate than his colleagues. A cleric’s
  Backing (and, by extension, his rank) may never exceed
  his Bureaucracy or his Lore. The number of bars upon a
  cleric’s sash denotes his rank, with one bar indicating an
  initiate, two indicating an adept, etc. The fifth and final
  rank is reserved for a single ghost per department, and they
  are referred to as secretaries. The Ivory-Masked Secretary
  is the master of all clerics, and he is properly titled the
  Grand Secretary of the Gathered Masks.
  GEOGRAPHY
  Flatlands of dark, rich loam encircle the Grand
  Necropolis. Fed by the unpleasant and strange waters of
  the River Styx, this land is unusually fertile and home to
  many farms. A rustic shanty town surrounds the Dark
  Jewel of the Underworld, filled with both the dead content
  to work the land and provide some food for the city and
  those ghosts who, for whatever reason, cannot make a
  living within Stygia itself. While vulnerable to attack or to
  the sudden marauding of monsters, the effigies of the Dual
  Monarchy stand in silent vigil, providing comfort and
  security to the quiet community. Though it lacks the
  reverent aura of Stygia itself, the local farms are close
  enough to feed off the castoff prayers of the necropolis, and
  long-time residents gain an additional mote per hour, as
  though they benefited from a Underworld Cult rating of •.
  Stygia and its surrounding flatlands are nestled into the
  valleys of seven hills. Some say the tossing of a fitfully
  slumbering Malfean formed the hills, but what matters
  most to Stygians is the wealth their mines and quarries
  provide. These slopes are rich in ores and stone (primarily
  basalt, granite and marble) and provide much of the
  material for construction projects and industries. The
  centuries of mining and quarrying have cut grooves out of
  some of the slopes — tiers that some sections of the city
  currently reside on — and have riddled others with long-
  forgotten shafts and nephwrack-haunted tunnels that lead
  into the Labyrinth.
  Beyond the hills of Stygia, vast and overgrown wilds
  surround the Dark Jewel of the Underworld. Thorny and
  impassable undergrowth fills tangled forests of twisted,
  leafless trees, which creak hungrily in the presence of the
  dead. Towering, broken crags rise up from the land like
  monstrous, black teeth, impassable to all but the most
  skilled ghosts. Marshes filled with moist, hungry earth
  eagerly await the chance to swallow up unwary travelers.
  Monsters from the Labyrinth roam these lands freely, and
  their thundering roars or eerie, humanesque screams shat-
  ter the silence of these unpleasant lands.
  Once, long ago, the island teemed with ghosts, echo-
  ing the majesty of the Old Realm. In this current Age,
  however, the lack of worship and the absence of
  shadowlands forced the dead of the Isle of Shadows to
  move on to more profitable locations, and those with the
  means fled to Stygia. Those that remained behind with-
  ered as their cities were reclaimed by the wilds. Now, all
  that is left of these ancient necropoli are crumbled ruins
  and a few haggard, barbaric ghosts who have grown used to
  
  15
  CHAPTER ONE • STYGIA
  surviving in these wild lands. Still, the Isle of Shadows
  remains a reflection of the Blessed Isle, and though un-
  tamed, parallels between the two can be drawn. For example,
  those regions on the Blessed Isle that are filled with
  corruption and resentment are savage, brutal forests in the
  Underworld, and serene villages in Creation create small,
  peaceful glades in the Underworld that provide ghosts a
  moment’s respite.
  single botch inflicted upon the oath-breaker at a critical
  moment).
  The river does not follow the straight courses of space
  and time that mortals understand, but rather, the flow of
  the river bends and twists. It touches every district of
  Stygia in a way that defies mapping, and those who seek
  the river have only to turn two corners to find it. Some
  ghosts have mastered the properties of the river and pole
  their flat-bottomed boats slowly through it, offering quick
  passage for a small sum. The waters of the River Styx touch
  upon all the rivers of the Underworld, including those of
  the Abyss, and a true master of the river’s ways can find a
  course to anyplace in the Underworld. Such travel, though,
  is surely as dangerous as walking the Labyrinth itself.
  The River Styx is famous throughout the world of the
  dead. Springing forth from the fountains of the Water
  Runs Red district, this dark-watered river flows through
  the angular and twisted channels of the city. Eventually, it
  spills out into the Pool of Sorrows, where the white-hulled
  vessels of the Dual Monarchy’s fleet rest, and then contin-
  ues its course into the Sea of Shadows. The water of the
  River Styx is foul, and none drink it, for the touch of the
  water is warmly acidic. Darkly opaque, its mirrored surface
  reveals nothing of what lies below. The dead of Stygia
  commonly swear by the name of the river, for any oath
  taken in the name of the waters is guarded by the Malfeans
  themselves (and breaking such an oath will result in a
  THE SINKING CITY
  The Void is more than a place or a thing. It is
  an inexorable destination to which all of the Under-
  world is drawn. Inch by inch and year by year, more
  land sinks, coming closer to its yawning mouth.
  Only the influx of fresh memories from the newly
  deceased pushes back the borders of the land of the
  dead, buying more precious time before all of their
  world sinks into the Labyrinth below.
  Because it rests at the center of the Under-
  world, this phenomenon is noticeably stronger in
  Stygia. The constant pull of the void creates Stygia’s
  catacombs, sinking the structures of the past while
  the dead place new construction on top of them, the
  houses of yesterday becoming the basements for the
  houses of today. The dead of Stygia seldom worry, or
  even bother to notice, this slow, inexorable event,
  simply shuffling their boundary stones about in an
  eternal game whenever it becomes problematic.
  Only Monarchs’ Way, perched atop the Mouth
  of Oblivion itself, is immune. The Calendar of
  Setesh doesn’t rest upon the ground. Rather, it is
  hooked to the heavens above, and from it, all of
  Monarchs’ Way hangs suspended above the Well of
  the Void. Millennia from now, the district is des-
  tined to be the final, crumbling island floating atop
  the ever growing hole of Oblivion as the rest of the
  Underworld fades away, until it too falls, and then,
  all light is snuffed out.
  MASKS OF POWER
  The Dual Monarchy is the keystone upon which the
  order and stability of the Underworld is constructed. Every
  noble, every king, every ghost that lives within the nations
  of the dead bow their heads to this august and ancient
  body. The Dual Monarchs do not rule through military
  power, though all of the dead look to their mighty army of
  effigies for protection from the minions of the Abyss. They
  do not rule through wealth and economic influence,
  though their city is the most prosperous of the Underworld
  and their merchants have ties all across the land of the
  dead. No, the Dual Monarch spread their influence through
  the mutual benefit of prayer. Those nations that accept the
  power of Stygia have an opportunity to feast at the well of
  reverential Essence that springs up around the necropolis.
  By supporting the vast Cult of the Dual Monarchy, the
  dead guarantee that Essence will continue to flood into the
  city, that millennia-old tradition is maintained and that
  the fragile infrastructure of prayer constructed since the
  founding of the city remains whole.
  By all records, the Dual Monarchy has always ruled
  Stygia. However, mystery wreaths its origins. Information
  on the founding of Stygia is vague at best, and the raids of the
  nephwracks during the downfall of the necropolis scattered
  and destroyed many documents. Speculation and legend
  SAILING THE STYX
  Sailing the River Styx within Stygia itself isn’t
  terribly dangerous. Travel from one location to
  another requires a Wits + Sail roll at a difficulty
  between 3 (for traveling across a district in half the
  time) to 5 (traveling across Stygia in a few minutes).
  A botch means the ferryman has taken a wrong turn
  and become lost, or worse, ended up upon one of the
  rivers of the Labyrinth. In general, ferrymen charge
  a fee of Resources (the difficulty of the trip - 2).
  
  EXALTED • THE BOOK OF BONE AND EBONY
  16
  describes the original Dual Monarchs as the great heroes
  who united the dead in confronting the Abyss and estab-
  lished the city. This legend also suggests that they preserved
  their memories and their powers in their crowns so that each
  succession would be a rebirth of a kind. Alternatively, some
  scholars have put forward the proposal that the Monarchs
  may never have actually existed. According to this heretical
  theory, the founders of Stygia constructed archetypes based
  on different aspects of the Calendar of Setesh and then
  forged them into crowns and ritual masks to provide the
  chosen leaders with the knowledge and power needed to
  rule properly. The dead, however, do not care. The Dual
  Monarchy is. For Stygia, and the rest of the Underworld,
  that is enough.
  Few dead can rival the power of the Dual Monarchs.
  Stygia generates vast sums of Essence, and as the embodi-
  ment of Stygia, the Dual Monarchs have access to nearly
  endless supplies of Essence if they wish it. While the Dual
  Monarchy has gone through countless incarnations
  throughout its reign, the Monarchs retain their memory
  and Arcanoi, making them, effectively, among the oldest
  of the dead. Only a few ancient and mad nephwracks are
  the Monarchs’ peers. Tribute shipments bring more arti-
  facts and riches yearly to the Dual Monarchs, and they
  have a plethora of weapons and magics at their disposal.
  All of this combines to make each Monarch a terrible
  adversary in both battle and intrigue.
  Despite their enormous power and wealth, the Dual
  Monarchs are more akin to figureheads than true rulers.
  While the nations of the Underworld bow their heads to the
  Monarchy, they make their own laws. Even Stygia itself is
  more influenced by its bureaucracy and the City Council
  than by the edicts of the Monarchy. Instead, the Dual
  Monarchs focus on a lifestyle of ritual pageantry, serving as
  literal figureheads for the prayers of the dead. Beholden to
  their ancient rituals, they are bound on a fundamental level
  to their cult and to Stygia. Some scholars have even gone so
  far as to speculate that the Dual Monarchs are merely
  extensions of the Calendar, a personification of its unifying
  effects on the land of the dead. The Dual Monarchy are the
  puppet kings of the dead, dancing on strings of Essence and
  prayer to hold the minions of the Abyss at bay and to
  preserve the order of the Underworld.
  THE COURT OF THE MONARCHY
  The Palace of the Dual Monarchy dominates Mon-
  archs’ Way, the central district of Stygia. Its tall spires,
  constructed of overwrought steel and baroque stone, spike
  high into the air, higher than any other tower of Stygia.
  Wandering, mazelike paths, narrow hedges, dark vegeta-
  tion and silent, watching statues fill the grounds surrounding
  it. Within the palace, red carpets adorn the dark marble
  floors of long, colonnaded hallways illuminated by candles
  cupped in vaulted hollows. During the day, stained-glass
  windows depicting strange scenes long forgotten in the
  mortal world let in the faint glow of the Underworld’s sun,
  painting the halls a multicolored hue. The scent of incense
  is strong in the air, and the constant drone of prayer echoes
  in these otherwise silent halls. Only the Stygian dwellings
  of the Deathlords can match the grandeur of the Dual
  Monarchy’s Manse.
  Deep inside the palace, the sounds of prayer give way to
  the whispers of intrigue. Within the expansive, five-cor-
  nered court chamber sit the two ornate thrones of the
  Monarchy. Upon their thrones, in whatever aspect they
  choose, the Dual Monarchs are grandly clothed in the finest
  of garments, adorned in a rain of jewels and fitted with the
  finest of grave goods. Every gesture they make is carefully
  measured, and every syllable they intone is precisely pitched.
  Masked, darkly swathed servants surround the Monarchs,
  serving as their ritual aides. They emphasize and augment
  the ceremonial nature of every action the Monarchs under-
  take and every order they issue. Something as simple as a
  beckoning motion results in a flurry of these shrouded
  performers unfolding a path before the selected subject with
  their gauzy veils and their sparkling eyes. The self-important
  elite of Stygia mingle at the edges of the court, filling the air
  with the dazzle of their finery. Greater than the courts of the
  mortal world yet lesser than the splendors of Yu-Shan, the
  wonders of Stygia’s court are an exotic wonder to behold,
  making it the greatest court of the Underworld.
  Despite its marvels, the Court of the Dual Monarchy
  is not a place of true political power. While many Stygian
  courtiers swirl about the halls of the palace, they fill it with
  pointless intrigue and frantic romance. Rather than acting
  as a nexus of political influence, the precision and passion
  of the court serves as the center of the Dual Monarchy’s
  cult. With each ceremonial performance, the Dual Mon-
  archs play their roles as religious leaders, gathering up the
  Essence of prayer. The scent and crackle of this Essence
  fills every alcove and hollow of the palace, and its pious
  sensation is palpable within the court itself, clinging to the
  Dual Monarchs like an anima. Those who frequent the
  court come to hear gossip or to witness the wondrous
  formality of the Monarchs, rather than to make policy
  decisions or plead for judgment.
  THE RULE OF LAW
  A vast, silver-paged volume records every dictate of the
  Dual Monarchy. Standing as tall as a man, the book known
  as the Mandate of the Dead is bound in black iron and sealed
  with a massive lock when not in use. The Byzantine and
  confusing laws of Stygia are inscribed upon the glimmering,
  metallic pages with indelible black ink. The texts are a maze
  of cross-references, judicial precedents, ancient, indeci-
  pherable decrees and legal notation, an unsolvable legal
  knot for those unwilling to pour an eternity into under-
  standing it. Locked away within the Hall of Two Truths, the
  center of the Stygian Bureaucracy, it serves as the basis for
  justice and law within the Grand Necropolis.
  
  17
  CHAPTER ONE • STYGIA
  driven to seek out nephwrack conspiracies and hostile
  criminal organizations, bringing safety to the city.
  When an arrest occurs, the officer generally arrives
  with a sizable contingent of armed guards, usually between
  five and ten. For wealthy detainees, the guard serves a sort
  of ceremonial function, and the more guards that attend,
  the greater the prestige associated with the arrest. For more
  reluctant suspects, the guards must be prepared to fight, for
  the dead are passionate and enjoy a final showdown. The
  charges are read from a long scroll, and the flowery detail-
  ing of the crimes can take several minutes. Charges come
  in varying degrees of severity, and the Storyteller should
  assign a level between one to five for them. Level-one
  charges are minor traffic infractions, violations of eti-
  quette and various small peculiarities and technicalities
  that exist in the enormous legal codes of Stygia. Such
  charges are often dismissed outright after some legal wran-
  gling and a few bribes. Level-two and -three charges are
  often assault and theft, with petty theft and assault against
  lesser, unimportant ghosts making up the level-two charges
  and greater theft and assault against more prominent dead
  making up the level three charges. Level-four and -five
  charges are reserved for murder, treachery and consorting
  with the minions of Oblivion, though this final charge is
  seldom leveled with any seriousness anymore and never
  leveled against any servant of a Deathlord. However, the
  complexity and obscurity of Stygian law ensures that
  arrests can be made for almost any reason. For example,
  insulting Lord Stalwart might result in some strange and
  ancient level-four charge being brought against the of-
  fender. Also, a torrid affair with a foreign princess might
  bring a level-two charge, just to keep things interesting. In
  practice, arrests are not made to serve justice. Rather,
  Stygians use them to further their tormented games of
  intrigue and politics.
  After receiving the charge, a ghost may attempt to
  construct a defense that will diminish the effectiveness of
  the charges made against him. This requires an Intelli-
  gence + Bureaucracy roll with a difficulty equal to the
  severity of the charges. If successful, the severity is lessened
  by one, and level-one charges are dismissed (meaning that
  only the most legally inept ghosts ever go to court over
  such minor infractions).
  Court proceedings can best be described as a circus.
  Because the verdict is always known before the trial even
  begins, the purpose of the trial is not to prove innocence
  or guilt, but rather, to provide a platform for melodramatic
  performances. Prosecutors grandstand, and witnesses burst
  out in wailing confession, and above it all, perched atop
  towering podiums, the skulls of the judges peer down from
  beneath their powdered wigs, their claw-like hands click-
  ing hungrily against the wood of the bench. Indeed, the
  powerful ghosts of Stygia find it quite fashionable to be
  arrested and enjoy the hardships of the Stygian legal
  system, so long as the price of conviction isn’t too high.
  The Keeper of the Mandate, Master Amenti, knows
  every law, every precept, by heart. He is a frail spirit with
  thin, white hair and skeletal hands covered in the fine
  parchment of ancient, ghostly flesh. His face hides behind
  a bestial mask, and long, colorful robes adorn his body. He
  long ago forgot the mortal world, and all of his passions and
  enormous intellect now focus on the legal matters of
  Stygia. None understand the law as well as he. He is
  hopelessly corrupt, with his hands in every governmental
  pocket and bribes flowing from his many arrests. He is
  petty, filled with all the spite and rigidity of the dead, and
  he enjoys using his position to wreak havoc on his enemies.
  His rivals have come to despise the rustling whisper of his
  voice and the impeccable logic of his arguments. However,
  despite his shortcomings, his dedication to the status quo
  makes him the most stalwart ally the Dual Monarchy has,
  and he uses all of his considerable resources to aid it.
  Hidden in the Hall of Two Truths, behind his scrolls, legal
  summons and the massive Mandate, he reads in peace,
  occasionally reaching out with his influence to ensnare
  the foes of the Monarchy in bureaucratic red tape.
  The law serves Stygia in a myriad of ways. Foremost, it
  serves as a method to clean the streets. The police gather up
  useless rabble and either throw them into chains to serve as
  slave labor or pitch them from the city, exiling them into the
  wilds that surround Stygia. For the wealthy, it serves as a
  distraction, something to fuel their passions. Many powerful
  dead pay close attention to the drama of legal proceedings.
  A few police even hunt down dangerous elements within
  the city. Not every agent within Stygia is a corrupt thug, and
  often, the young ghosts of investigators and guards are
  COURTLY ESSENCE
  The courtiers that walk the halls of the Dual
  Monarchy’s palace manage to attain a measure of
  greatness merely from their association with the
  Dual Monarchs. Without knowing it, their presence
  serves a role in the vast and ongoing ritual of the Cult
  of the Dual Monarchy. Those who become most
  accepted in the court are those who become deeply
  attuned to this process and can tap into the intensity
  of the prayers in the Dual Monarchy’s palace, receiv-
  ing the benefits of Underworld Cult •••. This
  requires a minimum of Socialize •• and at least a
  month of making friends and contacts within the
  court (which can be represented by either a Back-
  ground of Contacts • or Influence • in relation to
  the court). This association is fickle, however, and
  the Storyteller has the final say over who is a member
  of this “inner clique” and who is not. Such members
  are notoriously arrogant, perfectly aware as they are
  of their greater status within the city.
  
  EXALTED • THE BOOK OF BONE AND EBONY
  18
  Storytellers should play up the baroque character of
  the legal system and give it roleplaying attention. Make
  the player of the accused ghost act out her character’s
  defense, bringing in his evidence, badgering his opponent’s
  witnesses and presenting thunderous arguments. When
  complete, make an opposed Manipulation + Performance
  roll for both the defendant and the prosecutor. Bonus dice
  are awarded based on the evidence and the effectiveness of
  testimony (usually one die per witness or piece of evidence,
  but these must be suitably persuasive or impressive to
  count). Effective use of evidence and witnesses requires
  skill in law, though, and no more bonus dice may be added
  in this manner than a character’s Bureaucracy. Stunting is
  always encouraged, and dice gained from stunting is cumu-
  lative with the dice gained from evidence and witnesses.
  Whoever wins the contest wins the trial.
  For those characters inept at legal matters, the ser-
  vices of a ghostly barrister can be purchased. Such a
  barrister has a Bureaucracy of at least 2, and his Manipu-
  lation + Performance dice pool is generally equal to (the
  Resource cost of hiring him + 3). For cases against the state
  DEFENDERS OF THE MANDATE
  The bulk of Stygia’s guards are poorly skilled
  militia, ghosts given perfunctory training and weap-
  onry and then sent off to aid in arrests. To represent
  them, use the “Militia” statistics from Exalted, page
  278, or more simply, treat them as extras with four
  dice. For particularly dangerous or prestigious ar-
  rests, Master Amenti unleashes his crack police
  forces, who are heavily armed and well trained and
  referred to as the Hounds of Amenti. Treat them as
  “War Ghosts” on page 301 of Exalted or as extras
  with six dice. Sometimes, packs of hungry ghosts or
  jade effigies accompany the Hounds of Amenti.
  The Stygian police often focus their Arcanoi
  on the Chains of the Ancient Monarchs art, found
  on pages 51-53, and usually have at least Soul
  Anchor and Essence Binding. Essence-Devouring
  Ghost Touch and Spirit-Catching Eye Technique,
  found in Exalted: The Abyssals, are also popular
  Arcanoi, and those ghostly police who use hungry
  ghosts often employ Relentless Hunter’s Mark. Stan-
  dard guards often have no applicable Arcanoi, but
  a Hound of Amenti always has at least two.
  For truly difficult and dangerous targets, Mas-
  ter Amenti has access to elite cadres of mercenaries
  and bounty hunters. These ghosts are always heroic
  dead, usually travel in bands of three to five, and
  typically have signature techniques and Arcanoi
  that make them both intriguing and deadly.
  
  19
  CHAPTER ONE • STYGIA
  (as opposed to civil suits), Master Amenti always provides
  a prosecuting barrister with a Bureaucracy of at least •••
  and a Manipulation + Performance dice pool of (the
  severity of the offense + 4). Defendants are not guaranteed
  a barrister in Stygian law, and those too poor to afford a
  barrister must defend themselves.
  Should a defendant’s player botch his legal roll, the
  punishment leveled against the defendant by the courts is
  either slavery (if he’s useful) or exile (if he’s not) to the
  wilds that surround Stygia. Should his player merely lose
  the contest, the defendant suffers a fine equal to the
  severity of his crime, or his Resources, which ever is lower.
  This is the most common result of a trial, and these fines
  serve as the grease for the wheels of Master Amenti’s
  bureaucracy. The poor suffer at the hands of the Stygian
  legal system, and any ghost who has Resources • or less
  that is convicted of a level-two or higher offense suffers as
  though he botched his roll. Success indicates vindication
  and innocence, and the defendant need merely pay legal
  fees that are, inevitably, out-of-pocket expenses (one less
  than the ghost’s Resources). Truly spectacular displays
  during the trial may impress the Stygian elite that frequent
  the trials. At the Storyteller’s discretion, extraordinarily
  high rolls may result in a dot of Contacts within Stygian
  high society. The worst penalties of the Stygian legal
  system are seldom meted out. Soulforging occurs rarely,
  THE TRUE POWER BEHIND THE DUAL MONARCHY
  While the Dual Monarchy outwardly appears to rule Stygia, any deep examination of the true political
  situation will reveal the Monarchs to be powerless figureheads. The legal system is out of their hands. Decisions
  are made by the Deathlords and imposed upon a powerless Stygia. Real politics occur in the City Council not in
  the Court of the Dual Monarchy. In reality, the Monarchy exists only as a ritual tool: Essence batteries that
  constantly recharge the economy of the Underworld.
  Yet, the Dual Monarchs are incredibly mighty ghosts. They predate the Deathlords by millennia and have
  access to nearly limitless stores of Essence. They know Stygia better than anyone, for they were at its founding.
  They have access to an enormous amount of knowledge, whether it takes the form the secrets of the newly dead,
  mastery of the Calendar or the voice of the Abyss. Only the Deathlords exceed their occult might, and none surpass
  their wisdom.
  In truth the most powerful of the dead, the Dual Monarchs are far from the least politically potent. As a matter
  of deception, they have reached out with bejeweled hands and intentionally tangled the bureaucracies and courts
  that surround them with red tape and pointless intrigue. They have receded into their ritual, allowing others to
  believe they are governed by their constant ritual propitiations. While so hidden, they advance their agenda
  through both overt allies, such as Master Amenti and the clerics, and more concealed friends, such as the Hollow
  King. They also make use of the less obvious methods of courtly gossip and well-placed arrests. Their ultimate
  objective is to continue the rivalry between the Deathlords and prevent any kind of unity between them. In so
  doing, they hope to ensure the continuing safety of Stygia and, perhaps one day, freedom from the Deathlords’
  grasp. However, should their conspiracy ever be discovered, the Dual Monarchs know that they will cease to
  function as free-thinking rulers, assuming the Deathlords even allow them to continue to exist. So, they remain
  quiet, playing a deadly and secretive game of cat and mouse with Deathlords who are too busy with their own
  machinations to notice.
  but for the worst offenses and the most dangerous ghosts,
  it is a possibility. In the most truly heinous cases, the
  criminal is cast into the Mouth of the Void. Discounting
  the ravages of the First and Forsaken Lion, this punish-
  ment has been issued only thrice in the history of Stygia,
  and each instance was a somber and dreadful affair.
  THE COUNCIL OF STYGIA
  In contrast to the Dual Monarchy’s palace, the hous-
  ing of the City Council is unattractive, built with gray
  stone and buttressed with square, efficient pillars. Within
  the ugly, scarred exterior, a maze of handsomely decorated
  rooms and hallways spiral around a grand central room,
  where the squabbling and powerful legislature sits. The
  City Council of Stygia serves to counterbalance the pomp
  and opulence of the Dual Monarchy with practical, if
  argumentative, politics. Those who seek real power find it
  in the whispered conspiracies of the Council’s back rooms
  as well as in the melodramatic speeches given on the floor
  of its congress.
  Due to the machinations and assassinations of Stygia’s
  politics, the membership of the Council changes from year
  to year. A perfect and current list would be impractical,
  and so, only five of the current thirteen are presented
  below. For further details on the districts each Council
  member leads, see pages 21-33.
  
  EXALTED • THE BOOK OF BONE AND EBONY
  20
  THE MISTRESS WITH THE WHITE HANDS
  None who witness the Mistress’ beauty can easily
  forget her. The ghostly whore’s features are as white as
  porcelain and just as delicate. She clothes her small and
  shapely body with simple robes of a thin fabric that subtly
  emphasize her curves. Upon her hands she wears white
  gloves, which she only removes when she wishes to kill.
  Her long hair is dark and silken, always moving on an
  unfelt wind, and its touch is soothingly cool. Her eyes
  glimmer like dark pools of passion, utterly unlike the black
  pits that fill the eyes of nephwracks and Deathlords. She
  seldom voices her thoughts, preferring instead to kneel
  and quietly listen as she drinks her tea. When she does
  speak, her words are quiet and brief but surprisingly logical
  and astute. Those who know her describe her as loving and
  wise but haunted by the secrets of her own, unpleasant
  past. Many see her as a soft-spoken voice of wisdom upon
  the Council, and her district adores her.
  Though the Mistress began her career as a sexual
  plaything, she no longer offers her favors to another unless
  it gains her an advantage or suits her whims. Instead, her
  power springs from her many holdings within the District
  of the Bone Lanterns, as well as the influence and informa-
  tion her courtesans bring her. A master of the Shifting
  Ghost-Clay Path, her normal appearance has the effect of
  the Entrancement Visage, and she can don an even more
  beautiful appearance, if she wishes it, to tempt even the
  most temperate of beings (+2 difficulty to resist). Though
  unskilled in the ways of battle, she is capable of very subtle
  plots, and the other Council members are wary, though
  respectful, of her. Despite her humble origins, few question
  her power now.
  Recently, the Mistress with the White Hands has
  grown withdrawn and attends the Council less often.
  Because of an unusual astrological reading, she has come to
  believe that her mortal lover, with whom she committed
  suicide centuries ago, has returned from Lethe and walks
  once more upon Creation. She is lost in indecision, yearn-
  ing to seek him and terrified of what these new events
  might mean. Her heart slowly breaks as she hesitates. Her
  courtesans scour Creation and the Underworld for any
  sign of him, and some fear she may succumb to her grief and
  enter Lethe. Darker elements within the Council have
  taken advantage of her absences, and if she does not
  recover from her melancholia soon, some fear that the
  Council may lose a powerful and positive voice.
  LORD STALWART
  The master of the Street of Swords is a rich and
  intelligent businessman. He dresses impeccably, often
  wearing a dark coat and a vest held closed with silver
  buttons and a thin chain running from one pocket to the
  other. He wears his collar high about his neck and folded
  over in an archaic fashion. His hair is iron gray and cut
  
  21
  CHAPTER ONE • STYGIA
  short, and lines of middle age crease his pale face. On his
  back, the tall ghost carries his enormous, black-iron blade,
  the symbol of his district and the badge of his office. With
  his smooth, tenor voice, he is a deft conversationalist,
  making casual jokes or discussing complex topics with
  equal ease. However, his quick wit and fine grooming are
  carefully cultivated disguises for his selfishness and ambi-
  tion. Wealth is his foremost concern, and his passions
  drive him forward to seek more power and more profits.
  Despite his pretensions, his actions have proven that he
  sets his own interests before those of Stygia, earning him
  the enmity of the population.
  No Council member wields as much power as Lord
  Stalwart. His enterprises have afforded him great wealth,
  and only the Deathlords and the Dual Monarchy have
  access to more resources within Stygia. With bribes, he can
  encourage officials to ignore his less legal deeds and buy
  their favors. A small army of thugs and bodyguards are on
  his official payroll, and those whom Lord Stalwart cannot
  buy, he can bully. He isn’t so foolish as to trust his safety
  entirely to his wealth, however, and he is an exceptional
  warrior with his sword. Within the Council, there are few
  willing to challenge his might, and only his unpopularity
  keeps him from outright domination.
  Lord Stalwart forged his alliance with the First and
  Forsaken Lion when the Deathlord seemed on the verge of
  conquering the necropolis. Though his partnership granted
  him a great deal of influence, the businessman has begun
  to chafe under his master’s iron fist. Squirming to gain a
  more equal footing with his partner, he finds himself in the
  laps of the Courtier of Silk and Shadow and the Emissary
  of Righteous Victory and deeper within the clutches of
  Oblivion. With three of his lieutenants fallen to the
  Whisper of Oblivion, an awareness of the price of his
  machinations slowly dawns on Lord Stalwart, and the
  councilman can no longer close his eyes to the agenda of
  his allies. Caught in an ever-tightening web of greed and
  deceit, he sees that the madness of the Void is inevitable
  if he continues his course but has no idea how to escape his
  fate. Whether Lord Stalwart will make a mad, suicidal dash
  for freedom or succumb reluctantly to his destiny remains
  to be seen.
  THE HOLLOW KING
  Any examination of the longest seated member of the
  Council is a study in contrasts, for the Hollow King appears
  both sophisticated and primitive. His robes are woven of
  fine silks and linens, but the swirling, hypnotic patterns that
  decorate them are primal in design. He covers his face with
  a wooden, tribal mask depicting upturned eyes and a smiling
  mouth, and he wears his dark, coarse hair in a long mass of
  thick braids. His fingers end in graceful talons, which he uses
  with elegant ease, whether to lift a goblet of wine to his
  wooden lips or to gesture sharply as he illustrates a point.
  
  EXALTED • THE BOOK OF BONE AND EBONY
  22
  Despite his impeccable etiquette, he outwardly eschews the
  conceits of his status, mingling often with the common
  ghosts of his district. The Hollow King’s multifaceted per-
  sonality shrouds his nature as completely as his mask hides
  his true identity, which is precisely what the master of Little
  Shoe wants.
  The Hollow King is an unparalleled manipulator, un-
  afraid to conspire with or against even the most cunning of
  Deathlords. His mastery of the passions that flow through
  the dead allows him to deliver thunderous speeches that
  enflame the masses. Conversely, it also allows him to relate
  a delightful anecdote that eases the highest of tensions or
  the most delicate of situations. He translates his wit and
  poise into an insidious death-grip on Little Shoe, the
  primary source of his power. All the union bosses of his
  district answer directly to him, and very little organized
  crime occurs in Little Shoe without the Hollow King’s
  knowledge and consent. While not the most powerful
  member of the Council, he is nonetheless a formidable one.
  The Hollow King’s mastery of subterfuge and deceit is
  no accident, for he has many deadly secrets that must
  remain hidden for his survival. Not the least of these is his
  alliance with the Dual Monarchy. Despite his apparent
  corruption and the disdain he seems to hold for the law, the
  Hollow King understood long ago that the Dual Monarchs
  are the heart of Stygia. They represent its elite and its order
  as much as they represent its poor and its corruption. After
  the fall of Stygia to the hands of the nephwracks, the
  Hollow King made a secret pact with the Dual Monarchs
  to support the stability of their reign, and now, the knives
  he commands in the night rise and fall at their order.
  Because the Deathlords see him as a mercenary, a crime
  lord they can manipulate for their own ends, he keeps his
  alliance a careful secret, allowing him to play both sides for
  the benefit of Stygia. Should he ever be caught, however,
  the Dual Monarchy lacks the open power to actually save
  him from the wrath of the Deathlords and his own criminal
  circles, and so, he must tread very carefully.
  MARU
  Nephwracks are generally mad, deformed things, and
  Maru is no exception. The spectre is small and frail, with
  hands curled into claws and gray flesh clinging tightly to
  his skeletal ribs. His feet and legs are withered and useless,
  for he floats rather than walks. His head is hairless, and his
  eyes and mouth are sown shut with black thread. Despite
  this, the ugly creature is fully aware of his surroundings and
  speaks with little trouble. An aura of subtle, unpleasant
  sounds follows him, and from this, he assembles and forms
  words in a horrid, ethereal voice. Maru is as mad as any
  nephwrack, but his words have disturbing clarity and often
  reveal startling insight if taken out of context. Though his
  actions seem random, they aid him in unexpected ways,
  and his madness advances his agenda. Either Maru is a
  lucky wretch who stumbled into power, or he is an insane
  genius whose ascent to the rulership of the District Where
  Shadows Walk was inevitable.
  No ghost can truly rule a district filled with minions
  of Oblivion, but Maru has managed to maintain relative
  peace amongst the factions for over a year. His cult is not
  the largest, but it grants him access to a wealth of Essence
  and wild, suicidal warriors that will not question his orders.
  What he lacks in martial discipline, he more than makes
  up for with occult prowess. His mastery of Arcanoi is
  unparalleled on the Council, and he knows dark arts
  unseen outside of the Labyrinth. Despite all of his power,
  however, he has many enemies throughout Stygia and
  influences little outside of his district. While a disturbing
  element within the Council, he is not a major factor of its
  politics, and this fact does not please him.
  Maru reserves his deepest hatred for the newly arrived
  Emissary of Righteous Victory. His mere presence is enough
  to summon a furious and discordant jangle from the
  nephwrack’s aura. Maru knows just how tentative his
  position on the Council is, and the rising popularity of the
  Emissary in the District Where Shadows Walk has made
  him wary. While the Emissary so far displays little desire to
  usurp Maru, the nephwrack’s paranoia forbids him from
  trusting his rival. Nothing would please Maru more than
  seeing the Emissary cast into Oblivion, and currently, this
  passion drives his every action.
  UNWANTED WHISPER
  Sometimes called the Orphan Queen, this represen-
  tative of the District of Whispering Streets is easily forgotten
  and easily ignored. Her grand robes are humorously over-
  sized for her small, childlike frame. Her hair is boyishly
  short, and her eyes are large and soulful. On the occasions
  that she does speak, her soft, high-pitched voice sounds
  timid and furtive, and her choice of words rustic and
  ineloquent. She doesn’t belong amongst the other Coun-
  cil members, and she knows it. Her life was spent as a street
  rat, and her death continued the trend. She fades away
  from conversations with ease, preferring to be ignored, and
  the others have no difficulty obliging her.
  Unwanted Whisper is clearly the weakest member of
  the Council, but despite this, she causes endless trouble.
  Outside her cursed district, the waif has no friends, no
  connections, no wealth and no power. All she has is the
  silent backing of the dead within her district and the
  protection of her personal honor guard. Her greatest asset,
  however, is her stubbornness. The District of Whispering
  Streets could not break her, and now, nothing can. Her
  soft voice rises in defiance of the Deathlords and their
  politics, a lone, brave call for sanity. No threats and no
  intimidation has broken her of her sense of justice, and
  none will. Indeed, her voice has found support amongst
  others of the council, the Mistress with the White Hands
  and Master Wun in particular. Some fear that her assassi-
  nation is inevitable, but she continues her course, for she
  
  23
  CHAPTER ONE • STYGIA
  has seen firsthand the horrors that the Labyrinth and
  Oblivion have wrought upon her district, and she will not
  see it happen to the rest of Stygia.
  TRUSTED ADVISORS AND
  WELCOME GUESTS
  Whenever a Deathlord sets foot in Stygia, the Court of
  the Dual Monarchy swirls around him. Courtiers and ser-
  vants flutter close to the ancient spectre, exchanging gossip
  and staring in wonderment as the Monarchs themselves rise
  to greet their valued friend. Niceties are exchanged as the
  Deathlord offers some carefully pondered advice, perhaps,
  or asks permission to commune with the Void. The self-
  important elite of the necropolis stand back, witnessing all
  and whispering audibly amongst one another that the
  alliance between the Deathlords and the Monarchy is a
  truly wondrous thing, an auspicious sign for the future.
  It’s a sham.
  The Deathlords grip the city with an unrelenting iron
  fist. The Monarchy ignores their “advice” at its peril. As far
  as the Deathlords are concerned, all of Stygia’s politics are
  merely an amusing game. Though never outwardly ac-
  knowledged as such, the word of these sorcerer-kings is law
  within Stygia. The praise and compliments the Stygians
  offer to the Malfeans’ chosen are feigned, are whispered
  through gritted teeth and hide genuine resentment and
  fear. The only reason the Deathlords do not rule Stygia
  openly is that they are fractious, and each would rather see
  the city ruled by a useful puppet than by one of his rivals.
  Further, their open rule would terrify the citizenry, and
  what use is an empty necropolis? Better to let those who
  already know and understand Stygia manage the day-to-
  day affairs of its governance. Until the day that a single
  Deathlord rises above his peers and claims Stygia as the
  capital of his dark empire, the Grand Necropolis remains
  an occupied city-state in fact, if not in name.
  Deep below the palace of the Dual Monarchy, in a
  secret chamber built of nameless, dark stone quarried from
  the Labyrinth itself, the Deathlords hold their rare and
  secret congresses. The vast room is domed, and the stone
  used in its construction drains all light, curtaining the edges
  of the room in shadows. The trappings of the Abyssal castes
  decorate the five corners of the chamber, once in memory
  of the Deathlords’ former roles as Solars and now in honor
  of their deathknights. Those who wish to address their
  gathered comrades step forth into a shaft of sourceless white
  light that illuminates a crimson circle in the center of the
  room. Below the chamber, galleries overlook the Mouth of
  the Void, allowing the Deathlords and their Abyssals to
  contemplate its dark perfection in utter silence.
  THE COURTIER OF SILK AND SHADOW
  Deathlords have many petty and mercurial demands.
  When one enters the city, a horde of retainers, warriors
  and champions inevitably accompany him, and each needs
  personal accommodations worthy of such a powerful lord’s
  servant. Those Deathlords who enjoy festivities often
  throw lavish parties requiring enormous preparations and
  a large drain on funds. Each visit from a Deathlord is a
  logistical nightmare even for Stygia.
  The Courtier of Silk and Shadow rises to meet these
  demands. As the Chief Liaison of Stygia to the Deathlords,
  the responsibility and authority to accommodate the needs
  of the Deathlords, and to see that they are properly hosted
  and entertained, falls on his shoulders. Though this seems a
  relatively minor position, the Courtier is, in fact, the most
  powerful ghost in the Palace of the Dual Monarchy. An
  army of butlers, maids and servants follows his every com-
  mand, and he has free access to the coffers of Stygia. Because
  the bureaucrats of the palace tremble at the very mention of
  the Deathlords, none dare to challenge his requests, and as
  a result, almost nothing limits his influence.
   The Courtier is a striking and suave figure. Long, oiled
  curls of hair fall about gray features, carefully moliated to
  present the most handsome face possible. Always elegantly
  dressed, he wears finely crafted silken robes, the cut and dark
  colors of which vary from day to day, though they’re always
  fashionable and intriguing, and his hands are adorned with
  silver rings. The Courtier often smiles smoothly, but joy
  never glimmers in the dark pits of his eyes. Despite his
  playful demeanor, the ghostly liaison is intensely ambitious
  and often openly conspires. His desire to see the Dual
  Monarchy overthrown and replaced with a Deathlord is
  barely secret, and he has formed alliances with Lord Stal-
  wart and, more recently, the Emissary of Righteous Victory.
  He doesn’t go completely unchallenged, however, for Mas-
  ter Amenti despises him. Both bureaucratic geniuses, their
  conflict is subtle and intense, taking the form of red tape
  rather than assassination... so far. Still, despite his power,
  the Chief Liaison’s position is far from secure. The Deathlords
  care little who fulfills their demands so long as their de-
  mands are fulfilled. Without open, genuine support, the
  Courtier has only guile and vague intimidation to achieve
  his ends, but for now, that is enough.
  THE FACES OF STYGIA
  Like everything else in Stygia, the 13 districts are
  deeply symbolic and ritually significant. While dividing
  Stygia made sense from a logistical perspective, allowing
  the city to be more easily governed, the true reasons
  behind the divisions were occult in nature. Much of
  Stygia’s design focuses prayer and Essence upon the
  Calendar of Setesh like a lens, powering it and aiding it
  in the regulation of the reality of the Underworld. The 13
  districts act as filters for these flows of Essence. Each
  district has a distinct character and represents a funda-
  mental aspect of the nature of the Underworld. Little
  Shoe represents the fury of the oppressed, the foreigner
  
  EXALTED • THE BOOK OF BONE AND EBONY
  24
  by the observation of the Calendar, for information
  gleaned from the workings of the Calendar exceed and
  supersede the knowledge gleaned from Stygia itself.
   The Grand Necropolis is vast, and each district is
  larger than most mortal cities. Though each has a distinct
  and consistent character, the districts are certainly large
  enough to accommodate lesser cultural groups, and small
  communities of ghosts lose themselves in the twisting
  streets of Stygia. Because of its enormity and variety, the
  separate faces of Stygia must be examined before the
  necropolis itself can be fully understood.
  To further describe Stygia, five of the thirteen dis-
  tricts are detailed below. Though an incomplete list, the
  districts described serve important functions within Stygia
  and are typical of the necropolis. Any storyteller running
  a Stygian series is encouraged to expand upon these
  descriptions and use them as templates for the details of
  those districts not featured here.
  CAPPING THE LEADERS & TAKING OVER THE JOINT
  One of the hallmarks of Exalted is the effect players can have on the setting. Nations are conquered, cities
  are destroyed, and societies are utterly rewritten by the players’ characters’ hands. Exalted accommodates, even
  expects, this sort of behavior. So, why should Stygia be any different? Why couldn’t players conquer it, overthrow
  the Dual Monarchy or restore the city to its former glory and set everything right once more? Nothing should
  discourage a Storyteller from running such a game. However, a few factors and consequences should be considered
  first, for Stygia is utterly unlike the cities of the mortal world.
  The Underworld thrives on stability. It is literally filled with people and personalities who refused to let go
  of their old lives and aren’t about to now. Major change, even positive, is seldom greeted with cheers. A victim
  of assault or tyranny might resent liberation, for her existence might be defined by that injustice. And in many
  ways, the Dual Monarchs embody this stability. They have always ruled, and most of the dead would rather they
  continue to do so. Their Calendar regulates this stability and allows for the endless repetition of days. Further,
  their very nature as ritual kings lets Essence flow into Stygia, and their destruction could jeopardize the very
  wealth of the city the players may be seeking in the first place. Caution should be used when usurping the rule
  of Stygia, for the metaphysics of the Underworld do not match Creation’s, and the Dual Monarchy serves as a
  very real linchpin for the natural order of things in the land of the dead.
  Additionally, despite appearances, the Deathlords rule Stygia, not the Dual Monarchy. Assuming the players
  could depose the mighty Dual Monarchs with little trouble or upheaval, they would likely find themselves in the
  thrall of the Deathlords, parroting their proclamations just as the Dual Monarchy did. True control of Stygia
  requires the defeat of the Deathlords, the 13 most powerful and malevolent ghosts in existence. Assuming the
  players are strong enough to defeat them, then the conquest of Stygia is likely the smallest of their goals.
  Perhaps the most approachable source of power in Stygia is a Council seat. The control of a district grants
  enormous amounts of Essence from the worship of the dead, and the Council itself offers a very real opportunity
  to shape some of the policies of Stygia. However, other ghosts understand just how worthwhile the pursuit of
  Council membership is, and the players will find themselves embroiled in intense politics and deadly competi-
  tion. Despite the benefits of this more subtle approach to rulership, becoming a member of the Stygian City
  Council can cause as many problems as any other source of power.
  In the end, players should not feel discouraged from making sweeping changes in the Underworld, so long
  as they understand the consequences of their actions. The Time of Tumult is sweeping up even the land of the
  dead, and change is inevitable. Without player intervention, Stygia and the rest of the Underworld will likely
  fall into the clutches of Oblivion. Though they kick and scream, the ancestors of Creation must face change or
  fall forever into damnation.
  and the common man, for example. The prayers gener-
  ated in each district, as well as the Essence channeled
  through them, is colored by its association with the
  district and allows for a diversity of fate to flow from the
  Calendar. As a district grows in power and influence in
  relation to the other districts, its representations grow
  stronger in the Underworld. As the Street of Swords
  gained wealth, for instance, more war began to erupt
  across the Underworld. Whether the district’s influence
  alters the fate written out by the Calendar or the changes
  in the Calendar are reflected by changes in the districts
  is unclear. While changes in the relationships between
  districts never produces predictable results, scholars have
  learned that careful observation of the politics within the
  districts grants insight into the fate of the Underworld.
  Any attempts at astrology in the land of the dead using
  the model of Stygia’s current map as a guide grants one
  die. This bonus is not compatible with bonuses granted
  
  25
  CHAPTER ONE • STYGIA
  ethnic tensions and carefully staged riots. Little Shoe
  grinds newcomers into the Stygian mold and locks away
  those rebellious enough to resist.
  As with any place stricken with poverty and hostility,
  crime and corruption are rampant throughout the streets
  of Little Shoe. Under the guise of protecting downtrodden
  laborers, unions gather oppressive dues and crack the
  ethereal bones of the dead who refuse to join. Crime lords
  command even more influence than the union bosses,
  wielding bloody knives in the dark against any who oppose
  them. Friction between the various ethnic factions results
  in endless rituals of slaying, as ghosts murder one another
  silently in the night. Only the Hollow King’s masterful
  hand keeps the pain and corruption from spilling across
  Little Shoe’s borders and becoming a problem. With a
  mixture of drama and intrigue, he carefully guides the
  shifting tides of hatred and despair to create a functional,
  if unpredictable, district that offers him great power.
  PLACES OF INTEREST
  THE FESTIVAL OF ASHES
  Once a month, Little Shoe sweeps away the rabble
  and opens its arms to all of Stygia as it celebrates the
  Festival of Ashes. Located in the central square of Little
  Shoe, bordered by the four most powerful guilds, the
  Festival takes place in the largest market in all of Stygia.
  Black bunting spans the roads, silver and white confetti
  peppers the cobblestones, and merchants crowd the square
  with their goods. Ghosts float from stall to stall, sticks of
  black, greasy carnival meat in their hands, negotiating
  quietly with merchants and listening to the occasional
  snatches of strangely keyed music. All of this spectral
  frivolity makes the Festival one of the most anticipated
  events of the month in Little Shoe.
  Nearly anything can be purchased during the Festival
  of Ashes. Merchants from all over the city bring their
  wares at least once in the year, unloading their cargo from
  the dark-watered Styx straight onto the square. Food and
  clothing sells surprisingly well, considering that most of
  the dead have little need for either. Grave goods, talismans
  and artifacts are also found throughout the market. Trin-
  kets from the mortal world sell best, however. Located far
  from the living, Stygians find any item from Creation
  fascinatingly exotic and eagerly collect toy dolls, lovingly
  homespun clothing and the simplest, homemade pots.
  Little Shoe gathers a great deal of money from this monthly
  festival and ensures that the best is always available.
  THE DEN OF WHISPERS
  Atop the highest spire of piled apartments in Little
  Shoe sits the simple abode of the Hollow King. Unlike the
  fine mansions of the other Council members, this apart-
  ment is no larger nor more opulent than those of any other
  common ghost, for the Hollow King prefers the dead of his
  LITTLE SHOE
  Home to Stygia’s masses of poor and powerless dead,
  Little Shoe displays a greater variety of clashing cultures
  and architecture than any other part of the necropolis. The
  spires here resulted not from grand projects, but from the
  long accumulation of small houses over the ages, precari-
  ously piled atop one another and connected by thin
  walkways and rickety ladders. By day, throngs of ghosts
  crowd the suffocatingly narrow streets as they march
  reluctantly to their jobs, dressed in drab gray and grum-
  bling quietly. By night, the occasional cry of an assault
  victim breaks the silence, and glittering eyes watch from
  shadowed alleyways as the district quietly vents its frustra-
  tions. Mortals who witness Little Shoe find it the closest
  echo to a true, living city in the Underworld.
  Little Shoe is the largest of the districts, perpetually
  swelling with new immigrants. Part foreigners’ quarter,
  part ghetto, this district is where the dead who come to
  Stygia seeking their fortune first settle. Those few who
  achieve their dreams abandon the poverty of Little Shoe,
  quickly making their way to more affluent places. Those
  forced to remain grow to resent the wealthy as their own
  hopes slowly die, and the older ghosts who reside here are
  marked with bitterness. As a result, the district simmers
  with barely muffled anger that regularly coalesces into
  THE ORIGIN OF THE BOUNDARY STONES
  When the founding ghosts of Stygia finally won
  their battle against the Labyrinth, among their first
  tasks was the design and construction of the boundary
  stones. They mined the local hills, choosing specific
  sorts of stones for the various districts. Marble was
  chosen for the District of the Bone Lanterns, for
  example, and granite for the Street of Swords. Once
  quarried, they carefully shaped them to occult speci-
  fications. Finally, they chose 13 of the bravest and
  most noble heroes of their company, each of whom
  embodied the character of their respective district.
  From each of these ghosts, a treasured possession was
  taken and sanctified, and then, each was carefully and
  gently dismembered, their ghostly flesh dissolved and
  their plasm decanted. The stones of the districts were
  bathed in this mixture, imbuing them with the heart
  and the nature of each of the heroes, empowering
  them to work as wards and boundaries for Stygia.
  The yearly anointment of blood and scented oil
  upon the stones feeds the memories of these souls
  and keeps them awake enough to work their magic.
  Should this ritual falter, the power in the stones
  would fade, the districts would forget themselves,
  and Stygia itself would slowly decay.
  
  EXALTED • THE BOOK OF BONE AND EBONY
  26
  district to see him as one of them. To show his humility and
  devotion, a shrine to the Dual Monarchy rests against the
  far wall. To show his hospitality, a fine and delicate tea set
  rests upon his hearth. To show his ruthlessness, shriveled
  heads hang from his ceiling by their hair, slowly twisting as
  though viewing the room with their unseeing eyes. Even
  though it is decorated to impress any favored guest he
  chooses to invite, the Hollow King is seldom found here
  except when he is entertaining or when he must Slumber.
  If one seeks the master of Little Shoe, he is most easily
  found in his favorite restaurant, the Den of Whispers.
  Located in the less reputable region of the district, it lies at
  street level, wedged between a warehouse and a cheap
  brothel on a difficult to find thoroughfare. The business
  presents an unassuming front, with only a placard an-
  nouncing its name and a door guarded by a hulking ghost
  dressed in thick gray garments that shroud his features.
  The bouncer examines each ghost seeking entrance, turn-
  ing away those distrusted by the establishment. Darkness
  curtains the dining chamber within, punctuated by islands
  of light pooling around small, yellow lanterns that hang
  above the scattered clientele. Bamboo partitions divide
  the restaurant into a maze of small, private chambers
  where patrons can eat and speak in peace, sitting around
  reed mats decorated with strokes of red and green paint.
  The cuisine consists of small bowls of rice, chunks of spiced
  beef or water fowl and pomegranate seeds, served by
  beautiful, nude attendants with snow-white skin and ivory
  masks that hide their features. The whispers of guests fill
  the place with a constant waterfall of sound as they speak
  and conspire among one another.
  The Hollow King doesn’t own the Den of Whispers,
  but he controls those who do. Here, he holds his court,
  inviting those with whom he wishes to negotiate or those
  he wishes to reward. He sits in the largest chamber, relaxed
  and surrounded by his roughly attired guard, as his claws
  dip into various bowls and he listens carefully to his guests.
  While the Den of Whispers is his favorite, the Hollow
  King controls many such places, whether for his business
  or his personal enjoyment. Many, including the Den, are
  interconnected by a series of secret tunnels that honey-
  comb the underside of Little Shoe. The Hollow King and
  his allies use them for unseen travel or quick escape, as well
  as for secret conferences or the storage of ill-gotten trea-
  sures. For the Hollow King, all of Little Shoe is his
  mansion, his fortress, and by constantly shifting his center
  of operations, he keeps his enemies off guard.
  THE STREET OF SWORDS
  In contrast to the unsettling silence of the rest of
  Stygia, the air of this district weeps with the soft grinding
  of gears, punctuated by the heavy clashes of metal striking
  metal and the occasional screaming sobs of souls being
  alloyed with the black ores of the Abyss. Massive, black
  
  27
  CHAPTER ONE • STYGIA
  steel refineries held together by clunky rivets spattered
  with thick, oily grease dominate the skyline. The green
  fires of roaring furnaces cast dancing shadows into streets
  of black gravel that crunch beneath the heavy boots of
  laborers and slavers. The heat is uncommonly stifling in
  this hellish place, and the air is thick with the scent of ash,
  metal and tears. Like an enormous, fire-eyed mechanical
  spider, the Street of Swords looms over all of Stygia,
  belching forth its dark, violet-tinged smoke.
  This district is the industrial center of Stygia. It
  sprawls across the city, consuming vast swathes of both
  space and resources, for few districts can defy the power
  and wealth of the Street of Swords. The extensive facili-
  ties, second only to those of the Deathlords, attract some
  of the finest craftsman and artificers of the Underworld.
  The industry churns out goods and material of the highest
  quality, sold both in Stygia and in all of the nations of the
  dead, adding yet more prestige to the city. Next to prayers,
  this industry is Stygia’s most lucrative venture, and with-
  out it, Stygia would be a far poorer and weaker place.
  Though the abundant wealth of the Street of Swords
  ensures that even the lowliest apprentice is richer than
  many ghosts outside of Stygia, these riches come at the cost
  of compassion. The presence of soulforges and the brutal-
  ity inflicted upon soulsteel-shackled slaves has hardened
  the hearts of many of the dead that live within the district.
  The sight of ghostly children, empty eyed and bloody
  palmed, slaving away at the bellows, or of a frail, grand-
  motherly ancestor trembling under a load of ore is not
  uncommon. Residents of the district also think nothing of
  the piteous cries of those few damned souls destined for the
  forges, preferring to count their money instead. Like the
  uncaring factories in their midst, the dead of the Street of
  Swords see one another as tools to be used rather than as
  friends and neighbors.
  Despite the wealth that flows from its industries, this
  district is hated. While the forges craft the weapons needed
  to hold back the Abyss, Stygians watch Lord Stalwart bow
  to the First and Forsaken Lion and wonder whose side the
  district is truly on. They understand that all of Stygia grows
  in power because of the Street of Swords, but what good
  will that do if the corruption and horror growing in this
  district subverts the entire city? With the Underworld
  standing on the brink of an Age of chaos, many dead watch
  the Street of Swords with wide eyes and tense postures,
  hoping against hope that the district will not fail them
  when they need it most.
  PLACES OF INTEREST
  THE FORGE OF JADE AND IRON
  In the center of the Street of Swords, a vast complex
  of steel and iron rises up from amidst the smithies and
  shops of the district. The towering factory’s black walls are
  rugged and thick, and heavy spikes erupt intimidatingly
  from its edges. Formerly the heart of Lord Stalwart’s
  industrial empire, the Forge of Jade and Iron was once a
  factory for the construction of artifacts such as jade daiklaves
  and armor. After an accident, however, the massive doors
  were sealed shut, and now, by day, it stands as a silent relic.
  However, by night, the barred windows burn with the
  ominous red glow of hidden forges. Those residing nearby
  hear the muted sounds of grinding machinery and whimper-
  ing slaves. In the shadows surrounding the factory, thick
  boots pound against cobblestones as heavily armed soldiers
  stalk the nearby streets, discouraging the curious from
  peering into unwanted places. For any ghost that slips past
  these guards, the truth becomes clear. Within, pale and
  skeletal slaves scuttle about the dimly lit gloom under the
  cracking whips of gray-fleshed, hulking slavers whose faces
  are shrouded in black leather masks. Thick gears, glistening
  with grease, churn below narrow catwalks, upon which a
  brooding Lord Stalwart oversees the secret production of his
  factory. In the largest chamber of the structure, a forbidden
  army of freshly constructed soulsteel golems stand in silent
  rank and file, their eyes dull, awaiting activation.
  The Forge of Jade and Iron was never abandoned. At the
  order of the First and Forsaken Lion, Lord Stalwart arranged
  for an “accident” and then quietly refitted his factory. Under
  the cover of darkness, he quietly began construction of a
  horde of soulsteel golems and over 100 have already been
  built. Despite his attempts at secrecy, however, hiding vast
  shipments of soulsteel has proven impossible, and Lord
  Stalwart’s enemies have become suspicious.
  THE GILDED MANOR
  Away from the heavier industries of the Street of
  Swords, a mansion resides atop a hill. Its sloping roofs come
  to angled peaks, and its gray stone walls are covered in the
  dark tendrils of vines. Tall, arching windows with ebon
  frames watch the city below, and looming walls, sur-
  mounted by spikes and gated with black-iron bars, block
  the well-kept garden surrounding the manor. Within,
  lamps and candles cast a yellow glow down the long,
  carpeted halls. Large portraits of important, long-dead
  people adorn the walls with their dour expressions. Stair-
  cases with polished wooden banisters curve up to the
  higher floors, where fine sculptures and rare treasures are
  kept. If the master of the house is present, the first thing
  visible as one enters is the massive two-handed sword, the
  very symbol of the district, hanging in the central hall.
  This is the Manse of Lord Stalwart. He entertains his
  guests here, and within the cozy confines of gaming rooms,
  they gamble petty cash and discuss the economic matters
  of the Street of Swords. Servants chosen for their beauty
  flit quietly from room to room, pleasing their patrons in
  any way they can. This mansion is a blatant display of Lord
  Stalwart’s personal fortune, and he hesitates to show it to
  no one. This Manse is the center of political power within
  the Street of Swords, and quiet discussions behind closed
  
  EXALTED • THE BOOK OF BONE AND EBONY
  28
  doors do more to dictate the policies of the district than
  any union negotiation. Any attempt to influence the
  district, by any means, must begin here.
  THE DISTRICT OF
  WHISPERING STREETS
  Beyond the crowding of Stygia’s streets and market-
  places, silence reigns in a broken district as the voices of the
  dead fall away until only the streets whisper. Here, long-
  abandoned houses seem to gaze hungrily at those who pass
  by their empty windows. The treacherous roads flow and
  move when not watched, trapping travelers in blank alley-
  ways and leading them into dangerous places. Faint voices
  echo across the streets, too quiet to understand but loud
  enough to gnaw at a listener’s sanity. Dark things hide just
  beyond the vision of travelers, always scuttling back into
  shadows before they can be seen. The District of Whispering
  Streets is alive and filled with malevolent intent.
  Once, long ago, the district was home to savants and
  nobility, but now, it only scars Stygia, a haunting reminder
  of its first defeat at the hands of Oblivion. Where once
  glorious buildings and humble homes rose, now only fester-
  ing and unpleasant ruins remain. Only madness lurks where
  wisdom was once spoken and secrets were once revealed.
  None know what dark magics affect this place, but it is more
  akin to the Labyrinth than the Underworld. Monsters roam
  throughout the area, born in the tangled pits where too
  many paths have intersected and too much dark magic has
  collected. The district inexorably grows, pushing the bound-
  ary stones outward by a few inches every year. All Stygian
  dead fear to touch them, to push them back. The District of
  Whispering Streets will not go away, will not be forgotten,
  no matter how much Stygia may wish otherwise.
  A few wretches do exist within the district itself. Most
  are weak-willed ghosts trapped by the district. They en-
  tered, perhaps by mistake, perhaps seeking treasure, and
  found their exit barred. These pathetic creatures are often
  rail thin and skeletal, with wide, desperate eyes and patched,
  tattered clothing. They lurk near doors and alleyways,
  watching newcomers with eager longing and scampering
  out of sight when spotted. Those driven insane by the
  district actually serve the dark power that taints the streets,
  sometimes luring new victims in or taming and guiding
  monsters. The rest simply long for escape and gather in
  small, huddled communities, trying to blot out the whis-
  pers with quiet stories and shared pain. The district cannot
  trap all who enter, especially the unwavering and strong.
  Some among the residents of the District of Whispering
  Streets choose to reside there for whatever reason. These
  spirits usually have a dark agenda and use the district’s
  confusing and terrifying streets as a perfect hiding place.
  Regardless of how they arrived at the district, or why they
  remain, those who encounter the dead in this dark place
  should be especially wary.
  THE CURSE OF THE WHISPERING STREETS
  The District of Whispering Streets is alive. It
  lives and grows. It consumes and hates. It moves.
  Whatever corrupted the district granted it the abil-
  ity to warp its dimensions and shift its streets,
  making it almost unnavigable to the untrained. Any
  attempt to travel in the District of Whispering
  Streets requires a Wits + Larceny roll at difficulty 3.
  Charms such as Maze-Unraveling Concentration
  and Beast Instinct Method — or any other Charms
  that provide navigational or instinctive benefits —
  are explicitly allowed to affect these rolls. The
  difficulty can be higher or lower, depending on
  whether the traveler’s choice of direction pleases
  the district or not. If the player fails his roll, his
  character becomes lost. A botch may land him in a
  monster’s den or lead him closer to the malevolent
  heart of the district. If the district refuses to confuse
  the traveler, whether because the traveler serves the
  district or the district fears him, the roll is waived.
  The district manifests its hatred by twisting the
  fate and fortune of those who walk its streets, defy-
  ing the stars of the Underworld. The evil within the
  district lacks the strength to rewrite fate, but it can
  corrupt it. Within the District of Whispering Streets,
  the Rule of One (see Exalted, pp. 89-90) is slightly
  altered. Any time a roll is made, tally the number of
  1s rolled. If the number of ones rolled exceeds the
  number of successes rolled, the success is somehow
  perverted. This doesn’t eliminate the success of the
  roll. Rather, it alters it slightly, so that the character’s
  success is tainted with dark consequences. For ex-
  ample, a warrior might successfully strike his foe
  only to chip and crack his blade, leaving it vulner-
  able to further damage. However, most consequences
  are not immediate. Instead, these curses follow the
  character, causing him trouble later on. A successful
  seduction may lead to future jealousy, while success-
  ful research may lead the character to forbidden and
  maddening lore. The Storyteller should be creative
  with her curses but should also remember to keep
  them in the appropriate scale. After all, even a curse
  isn’t as bad as a botch. A good luck talisman will
  negate a curse as easily as a botch, and most ghosts
  stock up on lucky charms before entering the dis-
  trict, just to be safe.
  PLACES OF INTEREST
  THE PALACE OF FALLING BLOSSOMS
  Many ghosts enter the District of Whispering Streets
  seeking long-lost treasures. Because the district was once
  
  29
  CHAPTER ONE • STYGIA
  a very wealthy and prosperous part of Stygia, many ruins
  within, such as old universities or abandoned Manses, hide
  ancient secrets and artifacts. The dangers of the district
  ensure that most of these prizes remain untouched. Though
  most treasure hunters vanish forever, slain by monsters or
  swallowed by the shifting streets, enough bring back small
  trinkets and prizes to fuel more stories and greed.
  The Palace of Falling Blossoms is one such legendary
  location. Books describe the library as a vast building
  constructed of delicate, gray granite with doorways made
  of artistically wrought steel. Before the fall, it was the
  center of knowledge within the district, and according to
  legend, it held every book ever written in Stygia. If true,
  assuming the building still stands, it would be a treasure
  trove of long-forgotten knowledge and ancient, necro-
  mantic secrets.
  Of particular interest is The Seven-Sealed Tome. Three
  years and three days before the Usurpation, 228 mortal
  servants of the Solar Deliberative committed ritual suicide
  at the same hour. As each fell, their dying whispers woke
  dark Nebthys from her Slumber and imparted to her their
  last wisdom. Fanatically driven by their forbidden knowl-
  edge, Nebthys frantically sought a way to purge her mind
  of these unpleasant truths and wrote out the tome. One
  page existed for each person who fell, and each is a vivid
  illustration of the secret one whispered to her. She sealed
  the volume away and stored it within the Palace of Falling
  Blossoms. Satisfied, and her mind now clean of the memo-
  ries, she blissfully forgot the entire affair and turned her
  attention back to rulership. If The Seven-Sealed Tome still
  exists, it is likely a phenomenal key to some of the greatest
  mysteries of Creation.
  THE SAFEHOUSE
  Near the edge of the district lies a haven from the
  dangers of the District of the Whispering Streets, an oasis
  of stability and safety amidst the writhing, monster-in-
  fested streets. Fire-blackened timbers form the skeleton of
  this long-abandoned home, and sharp teeth of broken glass
  line its gaping windows. The ragged fingers of the roof’s
  remaining shingles clutch at a torn and tattered banner,
  depicting a faded scene of childish delight. Within, past
  the dust and the ashes, a single trap door opens to a winding
  stone staircase and into the cellar beyond. Larger than the
  house, the cellar is constructed of large, limestone blocks,
  with rounded, broken grates of rusted black iron partially
  blocking apertures that lead into the sewers beyond. Scraps
  of furniture are scattered about the floor, small stools,
  rocking chairs with their backs broken off and three-
  legged tables propped up by old crates. Makeshift weapons,
  such as jagged ended sticks, filed spoons and lengths of
  chain decorate the walls alongside a few childish drawings
  and paintings. Opposite the stairs and past the furniture
  rests an intact ebony chair raised up on a dais constructed
  of old crates and toy boxes and covered with a patchwork
  gray quilt. Beside the chair sits a small table where a bronze
  bell rests.
  The Safehouse is the throne room of the master of the
  district, the personal residence of Unwanted Whisper.
  Whenever the Orphan Queen is present, she opens the
  cellar to all and presides over her feeble court, sitting
  proudly atop her chair, listening to complaints and offer-
  ing what help she can. Those few ghosts whose sanity and
  happiness have not yet been fully consumed often huddle
  in the cellar, perched on the tiny chairs and stools, waiting
  for her judgment on small disputes or her pronouncements
  on more urgent matters. The presence of the bell, symbol
  of the district, holds the worst of the district’s hatred off,
  and many of the ghosts that cling to the edges of Unwanted
  Whisper’s court do so for the temporary respite from the
  chaos without.
  Attending Unwanted Whisper and ensuring her safety
  is her personal honor guard, a ragtag band of orphans and
  street urchins. Their ghostly frames show the marks of the
  starvation and the beatings that killed them in life, and
  they have fragile bodies, large eyes and tangled hair.
  Despite their innocent appearance, a certain savagery
  surrounds them. Their teeth flash whenever they laugh
  and smile, and their movements are graceful and preda-
  tory. Those who underestimate them fail to grasp the
  fundamental nature of the dead, for the 200-year-old ghost
  of a child is as skilled and deadly as the 200-year-old ghost
  of a man. Long existence within the cursed district has
  honed the ghosts’ already formidable skills of survival and
  taught them how to kill. They wield their makeshift
  weapons with astonishing prowess and battle with every
  unfair tactic they can muster, scattering when attacked
  and retaliating under the cover of shadow before fading
  into the twisting streets they know so well. Shadowing
  their Orphan Queen, they are a formidable force and are
  directly responsible for stopping assassination attempts
  against her on several occasions.
  THE DISTRICT OF THE BONE LANTERNS
  Whenever a mortal dies in the flush beauty of youth,
  the promises of her life unfulfilled, a single cherry blossom
  falls in the District of the Bone Lanterns. Thus, fragile
  white petals rain eternally upon this beautiful Stygian
  sanctuary. Paper lanterns, hanging across the streets from
  ropes, cast a soft, white glow that paints the houses and
  parlors of the district with gentle hues. Intoxicating per-
  fumes and the spice of tea leaves scent the local wind. The
  songs of flutes and zithers mix with the patter of fountains
  and artificial streams. This tranquil district is an homage to
  everything beautiful and desirable about the dead.
  The ghosts of this district seem serene, lacking the
  pretension of urgency that marks the ghosts of the rest of
  Stygia. They drift quietly along the wide boulevards with
  peaceful expressions upon their faces, the sounds of soft
  
  EXALTED • THE BOOK OF BONE AND EBONY
  30
  laughter, sighs and whispered conversations following in
  their wake. Their apparent calm, however, is only a mask
  worn to tempt the more troubled ghosts of Stygia, to draw
  them into this apparently peaceful district. In truth, the
  dead of the Bone Lantern District are as tormented by inner
  passion as any ghost. Lust and fury draw ghosts to this place
  as much as the desire for a cup of tea and conversation, and
  resentment and hunger flicker within the seemingly placid
  eyes of many of the courtesans and musicians that populate
  this part of Stygia. Despite appearances, the dead of the
  District of the Bone Lanterns have no true answers to the
  doubts and pains of the afterlife, offering instead only a
  momentary respite from a ghost’s troubles.
  This district exists to comfort and sate the passions of
  the dead. All cities have a place of pleasure or ill repute, but
  the District of Bone Lanterns appears alien to mortals who
  walk it. The needs of the dead are different than those of the
  living, for their lovemaking is futile and they eat food only
  out of habit. The dead need, instead, a quiet place to shed
  their tears and confess their tragedies, a place to unleash
  their abuses or sate their remembered lusts. Every street
  corner, lavishly decorated to be aesthetically pleasing to the
  dead, caters to these needs. From the laughter and tears of
  the dead, the district squeezes its astonishing wealth and
  beckons for more ghosts to join in the frivolities.
  PLACES OF INTEREST
  THE PARLOR OF UNSHED TEARS
  Open only at night, the Parlor of Unshed Tears is a
  favored refuge for the poets and artists of Stygia. It is a
  small, squat building located near the edges of the district.
  Its dark shingles sparkle like stars, and the roof angles low
  to the ground, the eaves curled to form elegant gutters.
  Silver ribbons hang along the edge of the roof, fluttering
  lightly in the wind. An attractive woman, her hair silver
  and her robes white, sits beside the door lightly playing a
  dulcimer and greeting those who wish to enter. The Parlor
  is exclusive, allowing access only to those who appreciate
  the arts, and it requires a small entrance fee to cover the
  drinks and hospitality the patron will enjoy, costing Re-
  sources •. Within, the walls and floors are painted black
  and lit by flickering candles with white wicks. Ghosts rest
  upon cushions that are scattered about the room, with the
  rustle of their pens against paper and the clink of their tea
  cups filling the room. Sheaves of paper, those poems most
  loved by the clientele, decorate the walls and flutter
  whenever someone enters or exits. The dead here speak
  only occasionally, breaking the silence with soft commen-
  tary or a favored verse whispered to a friend.
  This teahouse exists for the writing of poetry. However,
  the poems of the Parlor are never ones of joy and love, but
  of heartbreak and sorrow. Here, the dead express their
  passions and shed their tears over lost regrets and broken
  hopes. Mournful confessions written in meter and rhyme
  decorate the walls, and ghosts find relief in the writing and
  the reading of these poems, their tortured, immortal hearts
  soothed. This pleases Lord Sibilant, the master of the Parlor.
  He is an aged figure that rests in the far corner of his
  teahouse, his hair thin and white, his skin pale and wrinkled
  like the parchment he sketches upon and his fingers deft and
  thin. His clothing is simple, humble gray robes, with his feet
  bare and his eyes covered with white cloth. Lord Sibilant
  was the finest poet of the First Age, but his masterwork
  remained unfinished. He resides now in the Parlor, listening
  to the dead whisper their poetry, savoring the pain in their
  hearts as he struggles to find the final words necessary to
  complete his work and pass on into Lethe.
  THE HOUSE OF DOLLS
  In the center of the district’s largest avenue lies the
  most esteemed palace of pleasure in the necropolis. The
  roofs of this multi-floored building are red shingled and
  low sloping, with lamps hanging from their corners. Soft
  light casts shadowy silhouettes of patrons against the gauzy
  curtains that shroud the large windows. Silk paneled
  partitions decorated in swirling and abstract patterns sepa-
  rate the spacious room within into small private chambers.
  Finely dressed ghosts kneel at low tables, filling the house
  with their quiet chatter and the clicks of their game tiles.
  The mood is surprisingly pleasant, and some of the most
  prestigious of Stygia’s dead visit here.
  The House of Dolls is the home and business of the
  Mistress with the White Hands. Part casino, part inn and
  part brothel, it is famous throughout Stygia. Fistfuls of
  Essence change hands as ghosts play quiet games of chance
  on the first floor. The House serves drinks and food of all
  sorts, drawn from the Mistress’ own larders. Above the
  gaming floor, beyond the wide, red-carpeted stairs, small
  rooms can be rented for a small price, whether the ghost
  seeks a night’s rest or a night’s entertainment. With such
  fine facilities, most of the dead visiting Stygia make an
  effort to stay at least one night in the House of Dolls.
  The Mistress with the White Hands’ famous courte-
  sans attend the patrons of the House. As well known as the
  concubines of Sijan, the Mistress trains and shapes these
  beautiful ghosts with her own pale hands. The dead that
  enter Stygia without wealth and without hope often make
  their way to House of Dolls, where, if they are willing to
  bow their head in service to others, the Mistress reshapes
  each of their faces into a visage of beauty and offers them
  the raiment of prostitution. Though each courtesan is
  uniquely beautiful, they all share common features. Their
  white robes are slashed with patterns of striking red, and
  their porcelain faces are painted entirely in white except
  for the color of their bright eyes and lovely lips. Their
  training covers performance as much as intimacy, for the
  dead are less interested in the act of sex as they are in the
  drama that surrounds it. The Mistress’ courtesans, for
  example, will attend two conflicting patrons, attempting
  
  31
  CHAPTER ONE • STYGIA
  to stoke the fires of jealousy, or if jilted and abandoned, will
  wail and shed tears, fulfilling the wishes of their clients.
  Even the necromancers of Creation have heard of these
  shapely dolls and are quick to summon them to fulfill their
  sexual desires, for the courtesans are equally well-trained
  in the needs of mortals for those among the dead who
  desire to ape the ritual of life.
  The House of Dolls caters especially to a very select
  and rare sort of clientele: mortals traveling the Under-
  world. They are precious few in number — mostly
  necromancers and mediums walk the lands of the dead —
  and even fewer enter the distant and remote city of Stygia.
  The hollow foods and the empty hearts of the dead cannot
  sustain those who do, however. The Mistress with the
  White Hands long ago ensured, at great cost, that her
  larders were filled with the foods of Creation and that her
  courtesans were trained in the desires of mortal flesh. To
  any mortal that enters Stygia, she offers all of her hospital-
  ity for one small price. Every morning, at dawn, every
  living guest of the House of Dolls (seldom more than one,
  and often none) must rise and, with a silvered knife, offer
  the Mistress their own blood. She asks for only enough to
  fill her ornate chalice (never more than a single health
  level of damage), and unless already grievously wounded,
  the victim will recover the small wound by the next day,
  ready for the next offering. The dead enjoy the taste of few
  things more than blood, and ghosts flock to the House of
  Dolls should they learn of the presence of a mortal. To
  those that please her, the Mistress sometimes offers this
  finest of delicacies. By carefully playing favorites and
  allowing others to accept the savory offering in her stead,
  she gains small favors and slowly spreads her influence.
  THE DISTRICT WHERE SHADOWS WALK
  Madness lurks under the surface of this otherwise
  normal district. Black cobblestones still pave the streets,
  but deeper within the district, the stones grow broken and
  torn. The tall buildings and spires of this district are
  twisted and topped with jagged peaks. The shrill screams
  of the nephwracks and the dark chanting of their followers
  replace the monotonous hum of prayer. Though the ghosts
  here carry on with their normal tasks, they cast nervous
  glances over their shoulders at the ubiquitous disciples of
  Oblivion. This district bears no scars from the nephwracks’
  occupation and was spared the wrath of the Deathlords,
  lending it an ancient feel. Surrounded by the shadowy
  cathedrals of the Abyss and watching the nephwracks
  preach their insidious gospel on the street corners, none
  within the district can deny that they reside in the center
  of Stygia’s darkness.
  The District Where Shadows Walk was surrendered
  to the nephwracks after their occupation of the city. By the
  laws of the treaty signed thousands of years ago, the Dual
  Monarchy has only token control over the area. Packs of
  vicious mortwights replace the stability of the Monarchy’s
  soldiers with their own brand of law and order. Monstrous
  temples replace government buildings, and enormous
  monuments to Oblivion rise out of the depths of the
  district. Nephwracks battle one another constantly for
  dogmatic dominion with both magic and weapons, and
  only the occasional threat of force from the Monarchy’s
  effigies is enough to keep their struggles from spilling over
  the borders. The dominion of the district requires both
  cunning and brute force, and the rulers of this part of Stygia
  seldom last long.
  Not every ghost within the district follow the teach-
  ings of Oblivion. Despite the confines of the nephwracks’
  insane religions, many ghosts choose to remain here, for
  there are worse places to live. Even so, peril abounds in the
  District Where Shadows Walk. The greatest danger of the
  district is the attentions of one of the Void-maddened
  priests. Generally, professing unspecified devotion to
  Oblivion and quietly nodding in agreement with the
  priest’s rants will satisfy him. However, appearing too
  pious can hold its own dangers. Some cult leaders seek a
  reverent ghost devoted to the Void for a sacrifice. Other
  nephwracks take murderous offense at the slightest theo-
  logical error. Worse, a new sect could violently sweep away
  the old and seemingly safe philosophies of yesterday,
  endangering any perceived as adherents to that faith.
  Despite the constantly shifting political atmosphere and
  the murderous leadership of the district, most ghosts resid-
  ing in there manage to avoid the attentions of the
  nephwracks and continue their existence unmolested.
  PLACES OF INTEREST
  THE STARK MONOLITH
  A massive obelisk of seamless, shadowy marble rises
  from the very center of the District Where Shadows Walk.
  The empty ground surrounding the monument is rumpled
  and broken as though something had churned violently
  beneath it. The Monolith evokes a silence in its immedi-
  ate area, and no being can force himself to speak louder
  than a whisper in its awe-inspiring presence. Legends have
  risen around it, the most popular claiming that the monu-
  ment is the haft of an enormous spear that slew a Primordial
  and continues to pin it in its grave. At the base of the
  obelisk lies a single stone door, and no amount of effort has
  ever opened it or even scratched its unbreakable surface.
  None knew what lay within the Stark Monolith, and none
  knew what the monument marked.
  Three years ago, the day the first Abyssal stepped
  upon the soil of Stygia, the door opened, and an ancient
  spectre stepped forth. After surveying his surroundings
  and the stunned crowd that gathered to witness his en-
  trance, the spectre nodded and proclaimed his satisfaction.
  He has been a powerful resident of the District Where
  Shadows Walk ever since.
  
  EXALTED • THE BOOK OF BONE AND EBONY
  32
  The Emissary of Righteous Victory, as he calls him-
  self, is as beautiful as he is powerful. He wears a mantle of
  dark, soundless robes, and beneath them, he clothes his
  lithe and athletic body in silvery, close fitting armor. A
  round, featureless mask decorated with labyrinthine swirls
  covers his face, and behind the expressive eye slits sits only
  serene darkness. Two beautiful black wings spread from
  the Emissary’s shoulders, glittering with every iridescent
  color of the Void. In battle, he summons a soulsteel spear
  to his hand, but none have seen
  its full powers unleashed. He is
  ancient, and some whisper that
  he lived and served the Malfeans
  before Stygia was first founded.
  Minor disciples of the Abyss have
  begun to flock to him, calling
  him not a priest of Oblivion, but
  a saint. Because the Emissary is
  more than strong enough to oust
  him, Maru jealously fears for his
  status. Despite his enormous
  prowess and great occult and
  political might, however, the
  Emissary of Righteous Victory is
  only a ghost. He bows before the
  strength of the Deathlords, and
  though amused, he seems pleased
  to work beside them. Many
  watch the actions of this dark
  herald and believe that he is a
  portent of unpleasant times.
  Only time will tell what conse-
  quences his presence shall bring.
  THE CATHEDRAL STAINED
  IN MURDER
  A massive cathedral domi-
  nates one of the major entrances
  to the District Where Shadows
  Walk. Constructed of black stone
  quarried from the Labyrinth, it
  rises high into the air, dwarfing
  those who pass beneath it. Spires,
  pillars and arches clutter the sur-
  face of the vast temple, making
  it seem jagged and elegant. Un-
  like so many other temples to
  Oblivion, this one is dominated
  with silence, for the congrega-
  tions within do not speak or sing.
  The enormous inner chamber is
  light by candelabras and filled
  with the smoke of bitter incense.
  Behind the stone alter that stands at the rear of the church
  stands a tall stained-glass window that dominates the
  whole room. The image it depicts is never the same twice,
  once a scene of carnage, next a picture of mind-bending
  violations of physics. It depicts the mood of Maru, master
  of the district, for it was painted with the colors of his
  discarded sanity.
  This is Maru’s cathedral, the center of his personal
  cult. While present, Maru stands before his congregation,
  gathering his unearthly voice to deliver his sermons filled
  
  33
  CHAPTER ONE • STYGIA
  with his madcap logic. He is flanked by his deacons, those
  ghosts who have reached enough enlightenment and
  loyalty to Maru that they have taken pilgrimages with him
  into the depths of the Labyrinth. These dark priests shroud
  themselves in black robes, their faces concealed with
  featureless black masks that hide their eyes and their
  mouths welded shut with spiked, steel bands. Many attend
  Maru’s sermons, for he is among the most popular
  nephwracks at the moment, and his pews are almost always
  SUMMONING THE PRESTIGIOUS DEAD
  Necromancy is an incredibly diverse and powerful discipline. Even at the simplest level, a young Exalt can
  call forth the mightiest and most powerful of the dead. While some necromancers content themselves with
  simple war ghosts and surly ancestor spirits, the most ambitious seek out the names of the elite of the Underworld.
  Rather than allow a common spirit to defend them, these necromancers wish to have the Emissary of Righteous
  Victory at their side. Discontent with the simplest of ghostly whores, they seek to enslave the Mistress with the
  White Hands herself. With great power comes great pride, and those who tread the fragile paths of ghost
  summoning should be wary of the consequences.
  The most powerful of the dead have no specific immunities to the bindings of necromancy. They are,
  however, more powerful than most dead, and so, a necromancer should carefully consider some factors before
  attempting to summon up a Ghost Lord. Of course, summoning requires either the ghost’s name or a piece of his
  corpse. Names are especially difficult to gain, for the dead understand the power of them. The Mistress with the
  White Hands is not actually named the Mistress with White Hands. Like many ghosts, she carefully hid her true
  name away and assumed a sobriquet, allowing her name to grow forgotten. Any scholar seeking it would need
  to devote a great deal of his time to research. A piece of the corpse is even harder to acquire, for the tombs of
  the powerful dead are carefully sealed away, their bodies often decayed to dust over the long centuries. Should
  a necromancer acquire either of these powerful tools, his difficulties are far from over. The Ghost Lords listed
  in this chapter are very potent. Most will have an Essence of 5 and a Willpower of 8 or higher, meaning that a
  novice necromancer will be forced to spend a great deal of his Essence if he wishes to master the will of the Ghost
  Lord. Finally, even if the necromancer is successful in his binding, he may find the consequences of his actions
  unpleasant. The Underworld doesn’t stop simply because one of its leaders has vanished, and chaos could ensue
  when a councilman or an important courtier simply vanishes. Further, enslavement is enslavement, whether by
  chains of soulsteel or chains of Essence. The dead do not enjoy being bound, and the necromancer should be
  prepared to deal with the enemy he has made. However, if the necromancer can accommodate all of these factors,
  nothing stops him from binding a powerful ghost to his will. The Exalted are mighty, as are their arts, and against
  a master necromancer, all ghosts are powerless.
  The exception to this rule are the Duel Monarchs. Lacking true names, they cannot be summoned. Upon
  the coronation of a ghost as a Monarch, she loses her old name forever, and the new name that replaces it isn’t
  truly hers either. This loss of name isn’t the same as an Abyssal or Deathlord casting her name into the Void.
  Rather, it comes from an ambiguity of identity. As such, Monarchs cannot be summoned, for they are neither
  entirely who they were nor who they currently are.
  No statistics have been provided for the prestigious dead within this chapter, and the Storyteller is
  encouraged to provide his own. As a guideline, the dead presented here are often the best in the Underworld at
  what they do. Most will have powerful artifacts and powerful, unprinted Arcanoi. However, they are only ghosts,
  and an experienced Celestial Exalt should have little trouble defeating them. As a general guide, the most
  powerful of the dead should be slightly weaker than Second Circle demons.
  full. Those who most fervently accept his philosophies sew
  their eyes shut, so that they can see nothing but the perfect
  darkness of Oblivion, and they sow their mouths shut, so
  that they can speak no word Oblivion itself would not
  utter. Those who wish to commune with the nephwrack
  lord of the district can most often find him here, but
  speaking to him before his cult is risky, for like all nephwrack
  cults, his followers are fanatical, unafraid of death, blood-
  thirsty and insane.
  
  EXALTED • BOOK OF BONE AND EBONY
  34
  
  35
  CHAPTER TWO • THE ARTS OF THE DEAD
  CHAPTER TWO
  THE ARTS OF
  THE DEAD
  As spirit beings composed largely of Essence, ghosts
  had great potential to develop mastery of their own magi-
  cal natures. As former mortal men, they were compelled by
  their nature to explore the possibilities of their bleak new
  world. Among their number were savants, princes and
  former Exalts, all of whom were familiar with the science
  of metaphysics, and many of whom had handled and
  shaped Essence themselves when they were alive. Though
  the principles were different and the static nature of
  ghostly existence made progress slow, there were compel-
  ling reasons to explore this matter — to procure prayers
  and sacrifices from the living, to reshape and ward against
  the hazards of the Underworld and, of course, to gain
  dominion over one’s fellow ghosts.
  All of these were the impetus, and within a few genera-
  tions, the scattered denizens of the Underworld had
  developed spiritual technologies that allowed them to fulfill
  many of their needs. As Essence effects springing from spirit
  beings, many of these were highly idiosyncratic, unique to
  the individuals who created them and the situations they
  found themselves in. Others were created by students of
  Essence or sprang from some generally shared elements of
  ghostly existence and could be taught and refined.
  These more general spirit powers were the first Arcanoi.
  In the First Age and the millenium and a half thereafter,
  a fairly large number of Arcanoi were developed. Many,
  especially those dealing purely with ghostly existence in
  the Underworld, were discovered early, refined early and
  taught widely among ghosts. Other, more exotic arts,
  especially those involving questionable activities or inter-
  action with the often-difficult land of the living, were
  more specialized. While these arts were often practiced by
  multiple ghosts, they were also often confined to specific
  cultural regions or family groups and frequently perished or
  were partially forgotten.
  The various upheavals that the Underworld has suf-
  fered — particularly the rise of the Deathlords and the
  often-chaotic times since — have provided the impulse for
  these broken traditions. Yet, such “lost” arts are not
  genuinely forgotten in many cases, for the dead do not
  perish of age, and they often remember their arts after
  those arts have become impolitic or unfashionable to use
  or when they no longer have any use for them. Many of
  these “lost” arts linger on in the corners of the Underworld,
  the organized propagation of the knowledge disrupted but
  the knowledge itself still alive and, in many cases, actively
  practiced by the ghosts who mastered these tricks when
  they were actively taught.
  The Arcanoi seen in Chapter Six of Exalted: The
  Abyssals are by no means the only arts known to the dead.
  Many of the other Arcanoi seen below can be found only
  in the hands of certain ghostly communities (and are
  described as such), but other Arcanoi are common among
  the undead and can be learned by any ghost.
  
  EXALTED • BOOK OF BONE AND EBONY
  36
  COMMON ARCANOI
  The Arcanoi listed below are not part of long Charm
  trees. Most are individual arts that can be learned piece-
  meal, though there may be dependencies between some of
  them. These are Charms of ordinary utility to nearly any
  ghost (heroic or not).
  DARK STEED MASTERY
  Cost: 1 mote per die
  Duration: Instant
  Type: Supplemental
  Minimum Conviction: 1
  Minimum Essence: 1
  Prerequisite Charms: None
  This Charm is frequently taught to ghostly cavalry in
  the service of a Deathlord or another tyrant of the Under-
  world. Dark Steed Mastery allows a ghost to better control
  a ghostly mount. This Arcanos adds one die to the ghost’s
  Ride dice pools for every mote of Essence spent, to a
  maximum number of dice equal to his Essence. This
  Charm can only be used within the Underworld or a
  shadowland, unless the ghost uses Manifest the Dark Steed
  (see p. 41).
  POLE THE BLACK DEPTHS
  Cost: 1 mote per die
  Duration: Instant
  Type: Supplemental
  Minimum Conviction: 1
  Minimum Essence: 1
  Prerequisite Charms: None
  This Charm allows a ghost sailor to better fulfill his
  duties. The ghost who uses Pole the Black Depths gains
  one die to his Sail dice pools for every mote of Essence
  spent, to a maximum number of dice equal to his Essence.
  This Charm can only be used within the Underworld or a
  shadowland, unless the ghost is on the crew of a boat
  manifested through the use of Conjure the Defeated Ves-
  sel or Sunken Admiral Technique (see p. 41-42).
  SCENT OF SWEET BLOOD
  Cost: 1 mote
  Duration: One scene
  Type: Simple
  Minimum Compassion: 1
  Minimum Essence: 1
  Prerequisite Charms: None
  This simple Charm allows a ghost to smell spilled
  blood or bleeding wounds at a range of one mile per dot of
  Essence. The blood does not have to be particularly fresh,
  but it should be from a mortal or Exalt — animal blood is
  only sensed at half the range that mortal or Exalt blood can
  be smelled. The ghost learns the direction of and distance
  to the blood. Unusually large amounts — say, more than
  a human body’s worth — may be detected at as far away as
  five miles per dot of Essence, and strong wind currents or
  other intense weather may interfere with this ability.
  MOON’S COLD GLOW
  Cost: 2 motes
  Duration: One night per success
  Type: Simple
  Minimum Conviction: 1
  Minimum Essence: 1
  Prerequisite Charms: None
  The Underworld is gloomy and dark even on its
  brightest mornings. This simple art allows a ghost to pierce
  the natural darkness of the Underworld. If there is no
  precipitation or fog, double the distance for both Clear
  Vision and Murky Vision for the ghost, to a maximum of
  100 yards (see Exalted, p. 237). Roll Perception + Convic-
  tion. Success means that the ghost can see normally until
  the following dawn, and each additional success adds 24
  hours to the duration from that point.
  TWO WORLD VISION
  Cost: 2 motes
  Duration: One turn per success
  Type: Simple
  Minimum Conviction: 1
  Minimum Essence: 2
  Prerequisite Charms: None
  Every spot in the Underworld has an analog within
  Creation proper — the lands of the dead are simply a dark
  mirror to the lands above. With this Charm, a ghost can
  glance from his location in the Underworld at the corre-
  sponding space in Creation. A Perception + Occult roll
  suffices to activate the Charm and provides one turn of
  vision per success. Two World Vision only works at night.
  This Arcanos doesn’t work both ways. Even if the ghost
  finds himself in the living world one night, he cannot look
  into the Underworld.
  WHISPERS OF THE LIVING
  Cost: 3 motes
  Duration: One minute per success
  Type: Simple
  Minimum Conviction: 2
  Minimum Essence: 2
  Prerequisite Charms: None
  The Underworld is itself a dark reflection of Creation,
  and every point in the Underworld corresponds to a
  particular space in Creation. This Arcanos allows the
  ghost to hear the living world as though she was standing
  in the equivalent spot to her current location in the
  Underworld. A Perception + Occult roll activates the
  Charm, and the ghost can listen for one minute per
  success. A botch on this roll allows any living being in that
  same location to hear unearthly whispers and winds,
  
  37
  CHAPTER TWO • THE ARTS OF THE DEAD
  giving away these strange goings-on. Whispers of the
  Living only works at night. As with Two World Vision,
  Whispers of the Living does not allow a ghost to listen in
  from Creation into the Underworld.
  PYRE SMOKE FORM
  Cost: 2 motes
  Duration: One turn per success
  Type: Simple
  Minimum Temperance: 2
  Minimum Essence: 2
  Prerequisite Charms: None
  With Pyre Smoke Form, a ghost may become incorpo-
  real even in environments where he would ordinarily be
  manifest — in the Underworld, for instance, or in a
  shadowland during Calibration. Using this Arcanos re-
  quires a Stamina + Temperance roll, and each success
  allows one turn of incorporeality.
  BREEZE-CARRIED ASH FORM
  Cost: 5 motes
  Duration: One turn per success
  Type: Simple
  Minimum Conviction: 2
  Minimum Essence: 2
  Prerequisite Charms: Pyre Smoke Form
  Breeze-Carried Ash Form allows a ghost to fly through
  the air at any speed up to his maximum running pace, so
  long as he is incorporeal as he does so (this Charm is
  primarily effective only in the land of the living). His
  player must make a Dexterity + Athletics roll, and each
  success allows one turn of flight. If the ghost is above
  ground level when the Charm expires, he falls toward the
  ground as though solid. He does not take any damage from
  the fall, however, because he must be incorporeal to use
  this Arcanos.
  ASSASSIN’S SUBTLE ESCAPE
  Cost: 5 motes, 1 Willpower
  Duration: One hour per success
  Type: Simple
  Minimum Temperance: 2
  Minimum Essence: 2
  Prerequisite Charms: None
  Assassin’s Subtle Escape allows a ghost to tempo-
  rarily inhabit a mundane object in the living world. The
  ghost simply lays his hand upon the object, and his
  physical essence is absorbed into the thing. The ghost’s
  presence cannot be detected by mundane means, though
  Charms such as Superior Sight Focus (see Exalted: The
  Abyssals, p. 205) allow others to detect him. While
  inhabiting an object, the ghost cannot be directly harmed.
  Damage to the object does not harm the inhabiting
  ghost, but the item’s destruction by fire, pulverization or
  magic sends the ghost to Lethe. The ghost’s player must
  succeed in a Manipulation + Crafts roll for the ghost to
  successfully inhabit the object, and he remains within it
  for up to one hour per success or until he decides to leave
  — note that once the ghost leaves the object the Charm
  expires. The ghost may expend an additional 5 motes and
  a point of Willpower in order for his player to reroll his
  duration at any time. However, the new duration of the
  Charm is measured from the new expenditure and roll
  (rather than being tacked onto the end of the existing use
  of the Charm).
  Assassin’s Subtle Escape does not allow a ghost resid-
  ing in an object to animate the object in any fashion. He
  is only a passenger. Only one ghost can reside in a given
  object at a time.
  MOTIVATED SHELL
  Cost: 8 motes + 1 Willpower
  Duration: One turn per success
  Type: Simple
  Minimum Valor: 3
  Minimum Essence: 2
  Prerequisite Charms: Assassin’s Subtle Escape
  Motivated Shell can only be activated once a ghost
  inhabits an object through Assassin’s Subtle Escape
  (above). This Arcanos enables the ghost to control the
  motions of an object he inhabits. The motions must be
  the sorts of things that the object could ordinarily do or
  be made to do by hand. A door swings open or closed; a
  lock turns or opens; a cart’s wheels roll on their own. The
  ghost’s player rolls Manipulation + Craft, and each suc-
  cess allows the ghost to control the object’s ordinary
  movements for one turn.
  RIDE THE MYSTIC VESSEL
  Cost: 3 motes
  Duration: One turn
  Type: Simple
  Minimum Valor: 3
  Minimum Essence: 2
  Prerequisite Charms: Assassin’s Subtle Escape
  This Charm allows the ghost to use Assassin’s Subtle
  Escape to inhabit an object made of the Five Magical
  Materials. Ride the Mystic Vessel does not allow the ghost
  to inhabit highly enchanted items (those requiring Arti-
  fact •• or higher) unless those items are made of soulsteel
  or jade. Even then, the ghost cannot inhabit an item if it
  is Artifact •••• or above or attuned to an Exalt.
  Ghosts cannot combine Arcanoi into Combos, so
  this Arcanos cannot be activated simultaneously with
  Assassin’s Subtle Escape. Instead, the ghost must acti-
  vate Ride the Mystic Vessel and then, the following
  turn, activate Assassin’s Subtle Escape and enter the
  object in question.
  
  EXALTED • BOOK OF BONE AND EBONY
  38
  ANGRY TRICKSTER GHOST METHOD
  Cost: 5 motes
  Duration: Three turns
  Type: Simple
  Minimum Conviction: 3
  Minimum Essence: 3
  Prerequisite Charms: Two World Vision, Assassin’s
  Subtle Escape
  This Arcanos allows an angry ghost to harness his rage
  into a storm of flying objects in Creation. This storm will
  injure any unarmored beings caught within it, and it does
  not differentiate between friend and foe. The ghost’s
  player rolls Conviction + Melee. Every success increases
  the diameter of the storm by five yards. The storm hurts
  those caught in the area. It deals four dice of lethal damage
  if the objects used are sharp and hard and four dice of
  bashing damage otherwise (with successes adding to this
  damage). An entity caught within the storm of objects can
  defend against it normally.
  FORMER LIFE DESTRUCTION TECHNIQUE
  Cost: None
  Duration: Permanent
  Type: Special
  Minimum Temperance: 4
  Minimum Essence: 4
  Prerequisite Charms: None
  This art — one of the few introduced to ghostly
  society by the Deathlords — replicates the Abyssal Exal-
  tation in that it allows a ghost to hide his true name from
  Creation. The ghost hides his name behind a title or an
  obviously false name and can never speak or respond to his
  true name. In return, the character receives an additional
  three dice to resist any sorcery or necromancy that relies on
  his name or identity. It does not protect him against line-
  of-sight magical attacks, however — the character’s identity
  as “Mavis Karan” is protected, not his identity as “third guy
  from the left at that table.”
  STAGGERED DARK STARS MOVEMENT
  Cost: 5 motes, 1 Willpower
  Duration: Varies (see below)
  Type: Simple
  Minimum Compassion: 4
  Minimum Essence: 4
  Prerequisite Charms: Flying Time Technique (see
  Exalted: The Abyssals, p. 241)
  Staggered Dark Stars Movement allows a powerful
  ghost to take advantage of Setesh’s Calendar in such a way
  as to allow hours to pass like moments for himself. The
  ghost simply pushes his own path further along Setesh’s
  
  39
  CHAPTER TWO • THE ARTS OF THE DEAD
  Calendar than those around him. The Charm allows the
  ghost to “skip” over minutes or hours. To the ghost, it
  seems as though time simply jumps forward a few minutes
  or hours. To those watching, the ghost seems to disappear,
  only to return after a few minutes or hours. The ghost’s
  player must roll Intelligence + Occult, and for every
  success, the ghost can jump forward up to 30 minutes. The
  player rolls and determines the maximum amount of time
  the character can leap forward. After that maximum
  duration is determined, the character picks any amount of
  time up to that maximum that he wishes to jump. Note
  that the ghost cannot perceive events that happen in the
  interim, nor can he make conditional jumps — “jump
  forward until these guys leave” is not permitted. This
  Arcanos is a fine way to escape combat, but the ghost
  cannot jump backward. Any time he skips over is forever
  lost to him. This Charm can only be used in the Under-
  world, as Setesh’s Calendar has no power over Creation.
  HOURS LIKE AUTUMN LEAVES
  Cost: 6 motes and 1 Willpower per person
  Duration: Varies (see below)
  Type: Simple
  Minimum Compassion: 4
  Minimum Essence: 5
  Prerequisite Charms: Staggered Dark Stars Movement
  Hours Like Autumn Leaves allows the most power-
  ful ghosts to pull themselves and nearby companions
  forward along Setesh’s Calendar. For all ghosts caught in
  the pull of this Charm, the world seems to flicker as they
  jump forward in time. Observers see all ghosts affected by
  the Charm vanish, only to reappear later. The player of
  the ghost using this Charm must roll Intelligence +
  Occult and the ghost must spend 6 motes for himself and
  every entity to be dragged forward with him, as well as 1
  Willpower per being. For every success, the whole group
  can be moved forward in time up to 30 minutes. The
  player rolls and determines the maximum amount of time
  the group can leap forward, and after that maximum
  duration is determined, the character picks any amount
  of time up to that maximum that he wishes to jump. Note
  that the ghost cannot perceive events that happen in the
  interim, nor can he make conditional jumps — “jump
  forward until these guys leave” is not permitted. The total
  span jumped is at the discretion of the ghost using this
  Charm (those brought along have no control over the
  span of time over which they jump). Willing subjects of
  this Charm should be within 10 yards of the ghost using
  it. An unwilling subject can only be brought along if the
  ghost is physically touching her.
  It is rumored that the ghosts of Stygia have a more
  powerful version of this Charm that allows ghosts to leap
  forward years, rather than hours.
  UNCOMMON ARCANOI
  The arts below are collected into trees of Arcanoi, and
  they are typically taught from a common source. Knowl-
  edge of these Arcanoi slowly radiates throughout the
  Underworld over time, and each tree of Arcanoi can be
  traced back to its ghostly progenitor.
  EVOKE THE ANCIENT CLAY
  Most ghosts can materialize. However, Materialize is
  extremely expensive in Essence, and for ghosts, Material-
  ize only lasts one scene. The Lintha ghosts of the West
  have discovered a slow progression of Arcanoi that culmi-
  nate in abilities that far exceed Materialize in every way
  that matters. Of course, Materialize has no prerequisite,
  and Evoke the Ancient Clay is a chain of Arcanoi, but
  each of these arts provides benefits of its own, and many
  provide limited versions of Embody at far lower Essence
  costs than that art.
  WHISPER
  Cost: 1 mote
  Duration: One scene
  Type: Simple
  Minimum Valor: 1
  Minimum Essence: 1
  Prerequisite Charms: None
  This Charm allows a ghost’s whispered voice to be
  heard in the portion of the living world that corresponds
  to his location in the Underworld. The ghost must literally
  whisper as he uses this ability — if he speaks at normal
  volume, those near him in the lands of the dead hear him
  normally, but those in the living world do not. The ghost’s
  whispers can be heard clearly within one yard of his
  location. A successful Perception + Awareness roll must
  be made for those within 10 yards to hear the whispers, and
  an additional success must be achieved for every 10 yards
  distance for anyone further away.
  MARSH LIGHT
  Cost: 1 mote
  Duration: One scene
  Type: Simple
  Minimum Valor: 1
  Minimum Essence: 1
  Prerequisite Charms: Whisper
  Marsh Light allows a ghost to create a light or a small
  group of lights in the living world in the spot correspond-
  ing to her current location in the Underworld. The light
  or lights must form simple shapes and can only move with
  the ghost.
  The lights often pique the curiosity of the living.
  Players of living creatures who see the lights and aren’t
  actively engaged in something they consider to be impor-
  tant (combat, critical craftwork, healing a friend, etc.)
  
  EXALTED • BOOK OF BONE AND EBONY
  40
  must make a successful Conviction roll for their charac-
  ters, or they spend a turn considering the lights. Living
  creatures or spirits with an Essence higher than the ghost’s
  are immune to this effect.
  SWEET WINSOME LIGHT
  Cost: 4 motes
  Duration: One minute per success
  Type: Simple
  Minimum Valor: 2
  Minimum Essence: 2
  Prerequisite Charms: Marsh Light
  Sweet Winsome Light creates a beautiful bobbing
  light that attracts all who see it. Ghosts use this Arcanos
  to lure their prey — or their enemies — to their doom. The
  light dances in the wind, eternally just five or ten yards out
  of reach, and it appears to be a traveler’s torch or a glowing
  talisman. The Sweet Winsome Light can be created within
  20 yards of the ghost’s current location or (for an addi-
  tional mote of Essence) at the spot in Creation
  corresponding to the ghost’s current location in the Un-
  derworld. To create the light, the ghost’s player rolls
  Charisma + Occult, and it lasts for one minute per success.
  The light attracts all who see it. Animals that notice
  it automatically move toward it (though they don’t charge
  with all their will — their handlers or riders may resist the
  Arcanos with standard Ride feats if they can keep their
  own heads about them). Living beings (even Exalted)
  resist the Sweet Winsome Light with a Conviction roll.
  For each turn that the light is visible, the target’s player
  must get at least one success on the Conviction roll, or the
  target moves toward it at his best possible speed. A spent
  point of Willpower negates the effect of the Sweet Win-
  some Light for a full minute.
  TINKER’S BODY
  Cost: 4 motes
  Duration: One scene
  Type: Simple
  Minimum Valor: 2
  Minimum Essence: 2
  Prerequisite Charms: Marsh Light
  A ghost using Tinker’s Body can assemble a patch-
  work body for himself in the living world out of nearby
  scraps, trash and trinkets. The ghost remains intangible
  but is able to motivate the collection of objects and feel
  through the Tinker’s Body as though it was his own flesh
  and blood — at least to some extent. The ghost cannot
  speak through the Tinker’s Body, though he can clap,
  stomp and make similar gross-motor sorts of sounds. The
  ghost loses two dice from all Social dice pools while
  “wearing” the Tinker’s Body — a penalty that may be
  reduced if the ghost’s player succeeds in an appropriate
  Craft roll for his character to fabricate a suitably expressive
  face. The ghost’s Mental Attributes are unchanged in the
  Tinker’s Body, while his Physical Attributes depend on
  the composition of the body.
  The Tinker’s Body gets one dot in each of the three
  Physical Attributes, and the ghost gets an additional four
  dots to be split between the Physical Attributes based on the
  objects out of which he constructs the Tinker’s Body — a
  Tinker’s Body made of twine and straw may have a Dexterity
  of ••••• and Strength and Stamina of • each, while one
  made of loose brick and stone may have a Dexterity of • and
  Strength and Stamina of ••• each. The Tinker’s Body is
  only a shell; it has four health levels (-0/-1/-2/-4). Wound
  penalties represent bits of the body being knocked off or
  otherwise destroyed, rather than pain and shock.
  SLEEPER’S CAUL
  Cost: 3 motes
  Duration: One scene
  Type: Simple
  Minimum Valor: 2
  Minimum Essence: 2
  Prerequisite Charms: Marsh Light
  Sleeper’s Caul enables a ghost to make a static solid
  body in the land of the living. This body is not truly the
  ghost’s own body; it is a shell, and even if it is destroyed, the
  ghost remains unharmed. The Sleeper’s Caul has a Strength
  and Dexterity of 0; it cannot move. Its Stamina is equal to
  the ghost’s Stamina. The Sleeper’s Caul can hear, speak
  and see (even blink and move its eyes). The ghost has a
  sense of touch, even if it cannot move, so it does feel pain.
  The Sleeper’s Caul has three health levels (no wound
  penalties apply, since the body can never perform actions).
  EMBODY
  Cost: 5 motes
  Duration: One scene
  Type: Simple
  Minimum Valor: 2
  Minimum Essence: 3
  Prerequisite Charms: Sleeper’s Caul
  Embody allows a ghost who is disembodied in the
  material world to create himself a temporary body out of
  Essence. This body takes the ghost’s likeness (which may
  not be exactly the same as his appearance in life!). The
  meat-body that the ghost pulls together with Embody is
  not a fully functional body by comparison to the ghost’s
  normal abilities in the Underworld, a shadowland or
  during Calibration. The ghost has its normal Intelligence,
  Wits and Social Attributes while in this temporary body,
  but as an improvised bag of flesh, its other Attributes are
  all reduced by two dots (to minimum of •). The meat-body
  has four health levels (-0/-1/-2/-4), and the ghost really
  does feel the pain of any wounds it takes — and it is
  obviously not well suited for combat.
  
  41
  CHAPTER TWO • THE ARTS OF THE DEAD
  MANIFEST THE DARK STEED
  Cost: 3 motes
  Duration: One scene
  Type: Simple
  Minimum Conviction: 2
  Minimum Essence: 2
  Prerequisite Charms: Embody
  This Arcanos allows a ghost to bring a single ghost
  animal into a manifest form when he manifests. He must
  be touching the animal to do so. The animal retains all of
  its Attributes, Abilities, soak and health levels. Other
  animals of its species will recognize it to be strange and shy
  away from it. The ghost animal returns to incorporeal
  ghost form at the end of the scene — or sooner than that,
  if the ghost using this Arcanos ends his manifestation
  before the end of the scene.
  BIRTH THE WARRIOR FORM
  Cost: 20 motes, 1 Willpower
  Duration: Five minutes per success
  Type: Simple
  Minimum Valor: 4
  Minimum Essence: 3
  Prerequisite Charms: Embody
  Birth the Warrior Form allows the ghost to use his
  Essence and Willpower to create a body that is prepared for
  combat — the ghost also creates temporary armor and
  weapons that manifest in the living world. The player
  should roll Valor + Occult to create the body, and for each
  success, the Warrior Form lasts for five minutes. This body
  takes the ghost’s likeness and has his full Attributes. The
  Warrior Form also has the ghost’s full health levels. Addi-
  tionally, the ghost may fabricate any single nonmagical
  weapon and single nonmagical set of armor, each of whose
  Resources cost is less than or equal to his Essence. For
  instance, if the ghost’s Essence is 3, he may create a great
  sword and a chain hauberk, but not plate-and-chain. The
  ghost may dissolve the Warrior Form at any time before the
  end of the Charm’s rolled duration, in which case, the
  Warrior Form is considered to have ended. When the
  Charm ends, the armor and weapon created by it dissolve
  along with the Warrior Form.
  BIRTH THE PERFECTED MASTER
  Cost: 20 motes, 1 Willpower
  Duration: Five minutes per success
  Type: Simple
  Minimum Valor: 2
  Minimum Essence: 3
  Prerequisite Charms: Embody
  Ghosts exist outside of the formal strictures of Cre-
  ation. The body that a ghost creates for himself does not
  have to match the characteristics of his dead flesh, if he
  knows Birth the Perfected Master. Birth the Perfected
  Master creates a meat-body like Embody, except that it has
  the ghost’s full Ability scores. The flesh that Birth the
  Perfected Master creates reflects the ghost’s idealized self-
  image. The ghost may split six dots among the following
  Attributes: Strength, Dexterity, Stamina and Appear-
  ance. This body is created stark naked, and it lasts for five
  minutes for each success that the player achieves on a
  Valor + Occult roll.
  UNENDING REBIRTH
  Cost: 8 motes, 1 Willpower
  Duration: One turn per success
  Type: Simple
  Minimum Valor: 4
  Minimum Essence: 4
  Prerequisite Charms: Birth the Warrior Form, Birth
  the Perfected Master
  The ghost experiences his first birth in Creation, and
  his second birth comes when he enters the Underworld as
  one of the Restless Dead. This Arcanos allows the ghost to
  flicker back and forth between living and ghostly forms.
  Use of this Charm does not permit a ghost to take on a flesh
  form — in order to do that, he must use Materialize,
  Weighted With the Anchor of Flesh (see Exalted: The
  Abyssals) or one of the other Arcanoi in this tree. How-
  ever, once manifest in a physical form, Unending Rebirth
  allows him to switch from immaterial to physical and back.
  The ghost can only activate this Charm once he is mani-
  fested, and it requires a Wits + Occult roll. If that roll
  succeeds, he may change back and forth from manifest to
  immaterial as he wishes until the duration of Unending
  Rebirth (or his manifestation Charm) expires. Each switch
  from flesh to ghost or back requires 1 mote of Essence and
  is a simple action. A “switch” of this nature does not
  terminate a manifestation Arcanos.
  For Example: The long-dead Master Cotep, manifest
  to visit his namesake in a village in the South, finds himself
  surrounded by angry villagers. He is already manifest in
  Creation. Cotep spends 8 motes and 1 Willpower (and his
  player rolls Wits + Occult) to activate Unending Rebirth,
  and he becomes immaterial. He runs through the wall of
  his namesake’s hut and past his foes. The next turn, he
  spends another mote to rematerialize and fight on his own
  terms. A few turns later, things are going badly, so he
  spends another mote to dematerialize and run for safety.
  CONJURE THE DEFEATED VESSEL
  Cost: 5 motes
  Duration: One hour per success
  Type: Simple
  Minimum Conviction: 3
  Minimum Essence: 3
  Prerequisite Charms: Pole the Black Depths, Tinker’s
  Body
  
  EXALTED • BOOK OF BONE AND EBONY
  42
  Conjure the Defeated Vessel allows a ghost to bring a
  single ship, regardless of size, from the Underworld into
  Creation. Ordinarily, a ship crossing into Creation from a
  shadowland becomes intangible, just as ghosts do. Conjure
  the Defeated Vessel is used once the ship has entered the
  physical realm, and it makes the boat fully physical. The
  ghost’s player must roll Intelligence + Sail, and the boat
  remains fully physical for one hour per success. The ghost
  may spend additional Essence and his player reroll the
  Charm’s duration at any time — the duration of Conjure
  the Defeated Vessel is measured from that point onward
  and uses the new roll (in other words, if the Arcanos still
  has three hours duration left to it and the ghost spends 5
  motes of Essence and his player rerolls, getting four suc-
  cesses, the boat will stay physical for another four hours,
  not seven). Essence spent activating this Charm is com-
  mitted until the effect’s duration expires, so ghosts will be
  drained of Essence if they attempt to maintain it overlong.
  The ship’s Traits are all just as they would be in the
  Underworld (in other words, the same as any other boat of
  the same type and materials in Creation). It is considered
  to be intact (despite any appearances to the contrary) and
  has all its health levels (unless it suffers from unrepaired
  damage from the Underworld, in which case, it retains that
  damage). Once so manifested, the boat remains physical
  until its pilot or the ghost using this Arcanos becomes
  incorporeal again. The boat is blasted to ash and dust by
  direct sunlight (though if it stays in caves, travels only
  when it’s overcast or is shrouded by fog, it can survive until
  the Charm’s duration expires).
  SUNKEN ADMIRAL TECHNIQUE
  Cost: 8 motes per boat, 2 Willpower
  Duration: One hour per success
  Type: Simple
  Minimum Conviction: 4
  Minimum Essence: 4
  Prerequisite Charms: Conjure the Defeated Vessel
  While Conjure the Defeated Vessel enables a boat’s
  pilot to make that single vessel manifest in Creation,
  Sunken Admiral Technique lets a lone ghost pull every
  boat within sight into Creation — within the limitations
  of his Essence. The ghost’s player rolls Manipulation +
  Sail, and the ghost spends his Essence. For every success,
  the fleet can remain in Creation for one hour. As with
  Conjure the Defeated Vessel, each boat retains its full
  Traits in Creation. Its weapons work normally, and its hull
  is considered to be whole even if it has massive ancient
  rents in its side.
  UNCONSCIOUS SPEECH
  Cost: 1 mote
  Duration: One turn
  Type: Simple
  Minimum Conviction: 2
  Minimum Essence: 1
  Prerequisite Charms: None
  
  43
  CHAPTER TWO • THE ARTS OF THE DEAD
  ILLUMINATE THE SHADOW CONSTRAINT
  Cost: 1 mote
  Duration: One minute
  Type: Simple
  Minimum Temperance: 1
  Minimum Essence: 1
  Prerequisite Charms: None
  Throughout the Underworld, subtle laws apply to the
  activities of ghosts. Most such laws stem from the use of
  ancient and wide-ranging necromancy, but others are
  restricted in their area of effect, are new or have nothing
  to do with necromancy itself — they are inherent to the
  fabric of the Underworld. Ghosts can create temporary
  taboos with the Impose Stricture Arcanos (see p. 45).
  Illuminate the Shadow Constraint reveals any taboos
  that apply to any locations within sight. Alternately, the
  ghost’s player may roll Perception + Bureaucracy when her
  character uses this Charm in order to determine any taboos
  that apply to a particular person or ghost. Studious and
  careful ghosts learn Illuminate the Shadow Constraint in
  order to remain aware of taboos and strange laws of reality
  as they travel from realm to realm.
  This simple art allows an incorporeal ghost in the
  material world to sneak words out through the mouth of a
  living person. The ghost must “touch” the target and spends
  a mote of Essence, and his player rolls the ghost’s Dexterity +
  Expression. If he succeeds, the target involuntarily says what
  the ghost intended him to say — one word for every success
  achieved. The target does not immediately realize that she is
  speaking at all, but she can figure it out by her player
  succeeding at an Intelligence + Occult roll after someone
  around the character points out that she said words she
  doesn’t remember speaking. A conscious target who is aware
  that a ghost is manipulating her can resist such manipulation
  for the scene by spending a Willpower. If the target wishes to
  allow the ghost to speak through her, the ghost must spend 1
  mote of Essence per sentence but no roll needs to be made.
  SHADOW CONSTRAINT CRAFT
  Ghosts’ activities are tightly constrained in the Un-
  derworld, and mortals are bound as much, if not more so.
  The secret laws of the Underworld stem from the Dual
  Monarchy, which nearly every ghost venerates at least in
  name. Ghosts who learn Shadow Constraint Craft learn to
  manipulate the taboos and secret laws of the Underworld
  and to punish ghosts and mortals who violate them.
  TWENTY TABOOS
  The Storyteller may use any of these as local taboos, while players may choose to create them with
  necromancy or some of the Arcanoi in this art. This list should be seen only as inspiration. These are not the only
  possible taboos by any means.
  • The living may not eat food grown in this place (or they may not eat a particular food, such as pomegranates).
  • Slay no ghost animals.
  • Do not say the word “love.”
  • Touch no other ghost.
  • Never let your feet touch the ground.
  • Look at no other ghost’s eyes.
  • Do not speak of Creation or of your mortal life.
  • Wear no woven clothing.
  • Never speak your name.
  • Light no new fires.
  • Give thrice-daily veneration to the Dual Monarchy.
  • Drink only collected rainwater.
  • Do not fight with thrown weapons.
  • Carry a piece of stone against your flesh at all times.
  • Speak only in whispers.
  • Eat only the flesh of carrion eaters such as hyenas or vultures.
  • Sleep only under the open sky.
  • Cook only using implements crafted from cold iron (or bone).
  • Sleep in a bed crafted for children.
  • Cover every inch of your flesh save your eyes (or face).
  
  EXALTED • BOOK OF BONE AND EBONY
  44
  DARK SORCERY OBSERVATION
  Cost: 1 mote
  Duration: Instant
  Type: Simple
  Minimum Temperance: 1
  Minimum Essence: 2
  Prerequisite Charms: None
  A ghost who activates Dark Sorcery Observation
  instantly notices the presence of any active necromantic
  effects within his field of vision, so long as his player
  succeeds in a simple Perception + Occult roll. Ensorcelled
  people, objects or areas emit a dark, pulsing aura to the
  character’s eyes for a moment or two. With three or more
  successes, the ghost is aware of the circle (Shadowlands,
  Underworld, Void) of the necromancy, and with five or
  more successes, he learns a one-word description of what
  every effect in the area is doing.
  GHOSTLY MAGISTRATE PERCEPTION
  Cost: 1 mote
  Duration: One scene
  Type: Instant
  Minimum Temperance: 2
  Minimum Essence: 1
  Prerequisite Charms: Illuminate the Shadow
  Constraint
  This simple Charm allows a ghost to detect the
  presence of criminals against the local natural order. It
  immediately points out any living being in line of sight
  within the Underworld (even if he attempts to conceal his
  presence through non-magical disguises or the like). Ad-
  ditionally, with a Perception + Bureaucracy roll at standard
  difficulty, the ghost-magistrate notices any entity that has
  violated a taboo of the Underworld within the last 24
  hours and not had his violation forgiven through the use
  of Accept Amercement.
  BRIEF EXEMPTION
  Cost: 3 motes
  Duration: One scene
  Type: Simple
  Minimum Temperance: 3
  Minimum Essence: 2
  Prerequisite Charms: Illuminate the Shadow
  Constraint
  Brief Exemption allows a ghost to tiptoe around a
  taboo of the Underworld, whether it is a “natural” taboo,
  one imposed by necromancy or one created by Impose
  Stricture (see p. 45). A Manipulation + Stealth roll is
  required. An “ordinary” natural taboo requires just one
  success to ignore. One imposed by Necromancy or Impose
  Stricture requires a number of successes equal to the
  Essence of the entity who created the taboo (a default of
  four if unknown).
  ACCEPT AMERCEMENT
  Cost: 3 motes, 1 Willpower
  Duration: One scene
  Type: Simple
  Minimum Temperance: 4
  Minimum Essence: 2
  Prerequisite Charms: Brief Exemption
  Accept Amercement allows a learned ghost to forgive
  another’s trespass of local taboo. The violator does not
  have to be truly repentant; the Charm simply eliminates
  the negative effect of the taboo for the scene. If the taboo
  act is a simple, instant thing — eating pomegranates, for
  instance — this Charm “erases” the act, and the target of
  the Charm will suffer no further ill effects from his past
  violation. If the taboo is a state of being — for instance,
  wearing shoes when it is forbidden to do so — the Arcanos
  allows the target to continue to violate the taboo for the
  duration of a single scene.
  LEVY FINE
  Cost: 3 motes
  Duration: One scene
  Type: Simple
  Minimum Temperance: 4
  Minimum Essence: 2
  Prerequisite Charms: Accept Amercement
  The intensity of punishment for violating a taboo varies
  wildly. This Arcanos allows a ghostly magistrate to add his
  own penalty to a violation. This additional punishment can
  take one of several forms, at the magistrate’s discretion:
  • -2 dice to all dice pools
  • A visible or audible sign that the violator is a
  criminal (such as a brand or a phantom crow that shouts
  “Violator!” from the character’s shoulder)
  • All forms of movement reduced by 1/3 due to some
  visible impediment
  Similarly scaled punishments may also be levied, at
  the Storyteller’s discretion. All such effects last until the
  end of the scene in which Levy Fine is invoked but require
  no dice roll to impose so long as the target of the Charm has
  violated a local taboo. No punishment can be used if the
  target has not violated a local taboo. This Charm may be
  applied multiple times to a single target, but only if he has
  violated multiple laws of the Underworld.
  HOUSE ARREST
  Cost: 5 motes, 1 Willpower
  Duration: Permanent (see below)
  Type: Simple
  Minimum Temperance: 4
  Minimum Essence: 3
  Prerequisite Charms: Levy Fine
  The successful use of House Arrest forces a living
  violator of an Underworld taboo to remain in the Under-
  
  45
  CHAPTER TWO • THE ARTS OF THE DEAD
  world or a shadowland until such time as he is forgiven for
  his transgression. This forgiveness can only come from
  the use of Accept Amercement (above) by a ghost with
  equal to or higher Essence than the ghost who uses this
  Arcanos. This Arcanos has no effect on ghosts, nor even
  on Ghost-Blooded.
  HIDE THE LIVING NAME
  Cost: 10 motes, 1 Willpower
  Duration: Instant (see below)
  Type: Simple
  Minimum Temperance: 4
  Minimum Essence: 4
  Prerequisite Charms: House Arrest
  Hide the Living Name turns a living transgressor into
  a ghost for all intents and purposes until his crime is
  forgiven by a ghostly magistrate with equal or higher
  Essence than the user of this Arcanos. The Charm strips
  away the subject’s physical form and life-essence, impris-
  oning it in an unknown location (many suspect the
  Labyrinth — which might have dire consequences in the
  long run, see below). What’s left, the target’s higher soul
  (or hun), persists as any other ghost might. The subject of
  the Charm can leave the Underworld through a shadowland
  and even enter Creation, but no matter where he goes, he
  remains a ghost (and is incorporeal in Creation, etc.). His
  physical body does, apparently, age — a few centuries ago,
  in a rare case, a mortal was stricken to ghosthood by a
  vengeful magistrate and left in that state for several years.
  When he returned to a living state, he found that his hair
  had grayed and that lines had crept across his face.
  Living targets of this Charm with particularly high
  scores in any Virtue and low Willpower may find that their
  bodies become possessed by spectres while they are under
  the influence of this Arcanos. Spectres are attracted to the
  bodies of the particularly virtuous (regardless of the Vir-
  tue), but are repelled by the leftover Willpower that
  anchors the living body’s mind. If the sum of the character’s
  two highest Virtues exceed his Willpower, that character’s
  body is a potential possession target. A possessing spectre
  takes a living body back into Creation and wreaks havoc
  as it sees fit. It cannot read the victim’s mind, so it cannot
  necessarily destroy the character’s life, but it can certainly
  break laws and cause trouble no matter where it goes. If a
  possessed body is killed in Creation, it returns to the
  Labyrinth and slowly regenerates, and the spectre that
  took it to Creation is ejected.
  If the character’s body is possessed at the time that his
  sentence ends, he cannot return to it until the spectre
  residing in it is somehow ejected. It is the Storyteller’s call
  as to whether the target’s body has been possessed at all and
  particularly whether the body is “out” at the time that the
  target is ready to return to it.
  IMPOSE STRICTURE
  Cost: 10 motes, 1 Willpower
  Duration: Three days per success
  Type: Simple
  Minimum Temperance: 4
  Minimum Essence: 4
  Prerequisite Charms: Levy Fine
  The ghost using Impose Stricture can create a short-
  term taboo in his local area — within one mile per point
  of permanent Essence (or the size of a small village). This
  taboo should be relatively simple — nearly all taboos
  either preclude a single simple behavior (such as eating
  pomegranates) or require a single behavior (such as wear-
  ing a particular garment at all times). No taboo can be
  impossible to adhere to — even taboos that are logical
  impossibilities (“Everyone in this area must be male and
  female at the same time”) has to have a possible symbolic
  solution (ritual transvestitism, for instance). Taboos cre-
  ated by Impose Stricture only apply within the Underworld.
  Impose Stricture implies only a single, relatively minor
  penalty — violators of a taboo suffer a one-die penalty to
  all dice pools until one hour past the time that they stop
  violating the taboo. That is, if the taboo is a single action,
  violators suffer a one-hour penalty. If it is a continuous
  action (“Wear no leather”), the penalty applies as long as
  the criminal violates the taboo and then an additional
  hour after that. The one-hour duration can be cut short if
  the violator receives the use of Accept Amercement by a
  ghost magistrate.
  CURSE OF THE DAMNED
  Cost: 10 motes, 1 Willpower
  Duration: Instant
  Type: Special
  Minimum Temperance: 4
  Minimum Essence: 4
  Prerequisite Charms: Impose Stricture
  A magistrate-ghost uses Curse of the Damned to
  apply a permanent taboo to another being — be it a spirit,
  a ghost or a living being. The target of this Arcanos must
  have an Essence lower than the ghost using it, and it is
  difficult to apply — the ghost’s player makes a Manipu-
  lation + Lore roll, while the target’s player resists with
  Willpower. If the ghost achieves more successes, the
  target suffers from a taboo for the rest of its existence. As
  with Impose Stricture, above, violation of the taboo
  results in a one-die penalty to all dice pools for at least
  one hour after the violation. The taboo should be straight-
  forward, as described in Impose Stricture (with examples
  given in the boxed text on p. 43). The Curse of the
  Damned can be removed if the ghost who inflicted it uses
  Accept Amercement or if any other entity with an
  Essence higher than the ghostly magistrate who invoked
  the taboo uses Accept Amercement.
  
  EXALTED • BOOK OF BONE AND EBONY
  46
  HONORED ANCESTOR WAYS
  This minor art is uncommon in areas dominated by
  the Immaculates, but it is quite common in the Under-
  world just about everywhere else. Honored Ancestor Ways
  allows its ghost practitioners to more effectively monitor
  and interact with their living descendants.
  COURIER IN DREAMS
  Cost: 2 motes
  Duration: 50 words
  Type: Simple
  Minimum Compassion: 1
  Minimum Essence: 1
  Prerequisite Charms: None
  With this Arcanos, a ghost can send a message to a
  living being through dreams. The ghost can perform this
  Charm from the Underworld, a shadowland or Creation,
  and send the message to a subject anywhere in Creation.
  The message travels instantaneously to the subject’s cur-
  rent location. However, the subject does not receive the
  message until the next time he sleeps (and if that is more
  than eight hours away, the subject does not receive the
  message at all). The ghost may speak up to 50 words to the
  subject, who sees the Charm’s effect as the ghost standing
  and speaking the words to him. This Arcanos does not
  allow for two-way communication — the subject receives
  the ghost’s message but may not send a reply.
  HONORABLE DESCENDANT BLESSING
  Cost: 5 motes
  Duration: One day
  Type: Simple
  Minimum Compassion: 2
  Minimum Essence: 1
  Prerequisite Charms: Courier in Dreams
  A ghost can use this Arcanos to send a minor blessing to
  an appropriately pious living descendant. The ghost simply
  speaks the descendant’s name aloud, pictures him and spends
  the necessary Essence, and the subject of the Charm imme-
  diately receives a three-dice bonus pool that can be used to
  supplement any action at any time in the next day. As the
  Arcanos takes effect, the subject feels a pleasant surge of
  energy and good fortune. These dice can only be used once —
  after the subject of the Charm uses the bonus dice, they are
  gone. This Charm only works on living mortals and Exalts
  who can trace a line of blood descent from the ghost.
  DISHONORABLE DESCENDANT CURSE
  Cost: 6 motes
  Duration: One hour per success
  Type: Simple
  Minimum Compassion: 3
  Minimum Essence: 2
  Prerequisite Charms: Courier in Dreams
  
  47
  CHAPTER TWO • THE ARTS OF THE DEAD
  This Arcanos is, in most ways, the opposite of Honor-
  able Descendant Blessing. It can only be used on living
  mortals and Exalts who trace a line of blood descent from
  the ghost. It works at any range, however. The ghost must
  simply visualize the target and state his name aloud, and
  the subject feels a dull, throbbing pain throughout the
  duration of the Charm. While the curse is active, the
  subject loses one die from all dice pools. Spend the neces-
  sary Essence, and roll Compassion + Lore. For every
  success, the curse lasts one hour. The ghost who activates
  the Arcanos may dismiss the curse at any time.
  SCHOLARLY WAYS
  This art first cropped up around the centers of schol-
  arly learning within Stygia, as it relates to the levels of trust
  between professor and student. Its secrets were distributed
  early on by unscrupulous students, and it has subsequently
  spread throughout the Underworld.
  UNSEEMLY LIBRARIAN NATURE
  Cost: 2 motes
  Duration: One hour per success
  Type: Simple
  Minimum Temperance: 1
  Minimum Essence: 1
  Prerequisite Charms: None
  The studious ghost-librarian is well in tune with the
  knowledge of the Ages. After all, many evenings he has
  nothing better to do than to read scrolls and books found
  in the Underworld — materials forever lost to Creation.
  By activating this Arcanos with 2 motes and his player
  making a successful Intelligence + Lore roll, the scholarly
  ghost receives one automatic success with all Daybreak
  Caste Abilities (Craft, Investigation, Lore, Medicine and
  Occult) for one hour per success.
  DISCERNING STUDENT TECHNIQUE
  Cost: 2 motes
  Duration: One minute per success
  Type: Simple
  Minimum Temperance: 3
  Minimum Essence: 2
  Prerequisite Charms: Unseemly Librarian Nature
  The ghost scholar who knows Discerning Student
  Technique has whole libraries of information buried within
  his ghostly mind, and he can easily compare the known
  facts of a situation against the statements of another being.
  The ghost’s player rolls Perception + Empathy as the ghost
  activates this Arcanos. Throughout the duration, he gains
  one automatic success to detect most falsehoods. Discern-
  ing Student Technique provides insight (that automatic
  success) into statements that the speaker knows to be lies.
  It also provides the same level of insight when a speaker
  misstates objective fact, so long as that objective fact is
  recorded in a public, scholarly storehouse of knowledge
  located in the Underworld (it would prove to be of no use
  if a scholar’s allies began saying “…the Scarlet Empress is
  in Sijan! …the Scarlet Empress is in Chiaroscuro! …the
  Scarlet Empress is in Wangler’s Knob!” until they found
  one statement that did not register as false — it only works
  on matters of scholarly record). This Charm does not
  provide the ghost with insight into the truth of a situation
  in any circumstances, only awareness of whether a state-
  ment is false.
  MASTERLY PEDAGOGICAL INQUIRY
  Cost: 3 motes
  Duration: Instant
  Type: Simple
  Minimum Temperance: 3
  Minimum Essence: 2
  Prerequisite Charms: Discerning Student Technique
  The ghost-scholar using Masterly Pedagogical In-
  quiry can force his subject to answer a single question
  truthfully. The ghost simply spends the necessary Essence
  and asks a direct question of the target, and the ghost’s
  player rolls Manipulation + Presence; the target’s player
  rolls Willpower to resist. If the ghost achieves more suc-
  cesses than the target, the target must answer the question
  as fully and truthfully as possible — though generally
  speaking, this Arcanos cannot get more than a 100-word
  answer out of anyone with a single question. This Charm
  does not work on individuals with an Essence higher than
  the ghost’s.
  IMPERIOUS INSTRUCTOR’S DICTATE
  Cost: 5 motes + 1 Willpower
  Duration: One day
  Type: Simple
  Minimum Conviction: 4
  Minimum Essence: 3
  Prerequisite Charms: Masterly Pedagogical Inquiry
  Imperious Instructor’s Dictate allows a ghost to issue
  a single command to her subject, which must be followed
  to the best of the subject’s ability. The scholar spends her
  Essence and Willpower and immediately issues a single
  command, a short imperative sentence. The ghost’s player
  rolls Charisma + Presence, and the target’s player rolls
  Willpower to resist. If the ghost achieves more successes
  than the target, the target will obey the command — and
  not realize that he’s been given a command, but rather,
  think that this is his own idea. The target loses interest in
  fulfilling the command after about a day, so the ghost using
  this Arcanos should make the command relatively easy to
  accomplish within that period. If the ghost’s player man-
  ages to botch the roll on this Charm, the target instantly
  knows that he is being magically manipulated and is likely
  to respond angrily. This Charm does not work on individu-
  als with an Essence higher than the ghost’s.
  
  EXALTED • BOOK OF BONE AND EBONY
  48
  FAVORED-STUDENT CHARM
  Cost: 10 motes + 1 Willpower
  Duration: Varies (see below)
  Type: Simple
  Minimum Compassion: 4
  Minimum Essence: 3
  Prerequisite Charms: Imperious Instructor’s Dictate
  The ghost with this Charm manipulates another
  ghost’s hun, rendering that ghost friendly to the Arcanos’
  user. This ability, unlike most of the previous Arcanoi in
  this art, works only on ghosts. Typically, the Charm
  induces the sort of camaraderie seen between a skilled
  student and a wise instructor (the ghost using this Arcanos
  may choose to impose either role on the target). The target
  of the Arcanos generally can’t be forced to act in contra-
  diction to his Nature or strongly held Virtues. He also
  won’t sacrifice his unlife or livelihood for the ghost, but he
  will do his best to assist the ghost as much as possible.
  The ghost cannot use this Arcanos on another ghost
  with a higher Essence than hers. The player of the ghost
  using Favored-Student Charm makes a Charisma + So-
  cialize roll, after the ghost spends her Essence and
  Willpower, and the target may resist with Willpower. A
  botch on the roll to activate this Arcanos immediately
  reveals the ghost’s intentions to the target, probably with
  dire consequences. When the Arcanos wears off, if it is not
  renewed with the expenditure of more Essence and Will-
  power, the target will have a vague idea of what was done
  to him and may feel somewhat uneasy around the user (+1
  difficulty to all Social rolls between target and user). The
  number of net successes determines the duration:
  Successes
  Duration
  1
  One hour
  2
  Until the next dawn
  3
  One full day
  4
  One week
  5
  One month
  This Charm does not work on individuals with an Essence
  higher than the ghost’s.
  ETERNALLY LOYAL STUDENT PRANA
  Cost: 10 motes + 1 Willpower
  Duration: Special (see below)
  Type: Special (see below)
  Minimum Compassion: 5
  Minimum Essence: 3
  Prerequisite Charms: Favored-Student Charm
  The wise ghost-scholar can manipulate a student’s
  hun sufficiently to permanently implant an order in an-
  other ghost’s mind. Like Favored-Student Charm, Eternally
  Loyal Student Prana can be used only on other ghosts,
  rather than the living or other spirits. The scholar must
  first spend a full day with the target. At the end of this time,
  he spends the Essence and Willpower to insert the com-
  mand into the target’s mind. The ghost cannot use this
  Charm on a ghost with an Essence higher than his own.
  The Arcanos requires a roll of Manipulation + Presence,
  and the target’s player may resist with a Willpower roll.
  The scholar’s player must achieve at least two net successes
  on his roll. The orders cannot be more complex than about
  100 words’ worth unless the ghost achieves five or more net
  successes (in which case, they can be as complex as he
  wishes, down to subclauses and special cases). As with
  Favored-Student Charm, no orders may be implanted that
  directly contradict the target’s Nature or high Virtues.
  NOBLE CRAFTSMAN WAYS
  Ghostly craftsmen learn to manipulate soulsteel as well
  as artifacts from Creation. Ghostly artisans realize that every
  component of the Underworld contains the Essence of a
  formerly living creature, and they use talents gained in life
  to manipulate that crystallized Essence. The following
  Charms all rely on the Craft Ability to some degree.
  SOULSTEEL SCREAM
  Cost: 1 mote
  Duration: Instant
  Type: Simple
  Minimum Compassion: 1
  Minimum Essence: 1
  Prerequisite Charms: None
  The ghost with this Arcanos needs only for her player
  to successfully roll Perception + Craft to gain insight about
  the origins of a piece of soulsteel or a soulsteel artifact. For
  every success, the ghost can ask one simple, straightfor-
  ward question about the physical details of previous handlers
  of an item or events for which the object was present or
  used. These events can predate the item’s destruction in
  Creation, if the object is in fact an echo of Creation.
  SOULSTEEL SHAPER
  Cost: 1 mote
  Duration: One day
  Type: Simple
  Minimum Conviction: 2
  Minimum Essence: 2
  Prerequisite Charms: Soulsteel Scream
  Soulsteel Shaper allows a ghostly artisan to aid in the
  creation of soulsteel items. With Soulsteel Shaper, a ghost
  can serve as a “trained thaumaturge” for the purposes of
  assisting an Exalt or other master craftsman in creating a
  soulsteel artifact, even if he lacks the necessary levels of
  Craft, Lore and Occult. See Savant and Sorcerer, Chapter
  Two, for details on assistants and crafting. Activation of
  this Arcanos simply allows the ghost to serve in this role
  during its duration on soulsteel projects. It does not enable
  him to assist with artifacts crafted from other substances.
  
  49
  CHAPTER TWO • THE ARTS OF THE DEAD
  GRAVE GOODS SHAPING TECHNIQUE
  Cost: 2 motes
  Duration: One day
  Type: Simple
  Minimum Conviction: 3
  Minimum Essence: 3
  Prerequisite Charms: Soulsteel Shaper
  As the ghost artisan approaches master status, he
  gains the ability to modify relics that echo into the deadlands
  from the living world as part of a character’s Grave Goods
  Background. With this Arcanos, a ghost artisan can (slowly)
  transform a grave good into another form without chang-
  ing its nature or magical Traits. The artisan cannot remove
  more than about 10 percent of the grave good’s mass if he
  wants it to retain any magical properties, nor can he add
  more than about 10 percent in new materials. For example,
  the artisan might transform a relic sword into a shield or a
  group of steel mugs. The transformed item remains com-
  posed of the same materials — a transformed sword remains
  mostly steel, a transformed chair mostly wood. If the relic
  is transformed into a group of items, those items only retain
  any magical properties when they are together. It takes
  seven days per dot of the Grave Goods Background to
  modify a relic in this fashion, which means that a ghost
  who wishes to change any potent grave good must be
  prepared to spend a great deal of Essence to do so.
  SOULSTEEL REBUILDING TECHNIQUE
  Cost: 3 motes
  Duration: One day
  Type: Simple
  Minimum Conviction: 3
  Minimum Essence: 4
  Prerequisite Charms: Soulsteel Shaper
  As the ghost artisan approaches master status, he gains
  the ability to modify soulsteel artifacts. With this Arcanos,
  a ghost artisan can (slowly) transform an artifact made
  mostly or entirely of soulsteel into another form without
  changing its nature or magical Traits. The artisan cannot
  remove more than about 10 percent of the artifact’s mass if
  he wants it to retain its magical properties, nor can he add
  more than about 10 percent in new materials. The artisan
  might transform a soulsteel suit of armor into a different sort
  of armor, for example, or a mated pair of swords.
  Essentially, any purely physical transformation can be
  made that does not alter the item’s various artifact sub-
  ratings, such as Usefulness, Game Impact or Script
  Immunity, as per Savant and Sorcerer, Chapter Two. It is
  possible that the Storyteller will allow changes to the
  item’s Usefulness or Game Impact through this Charm,
  but changes to the item’s Power, Script Immunity and
  Essence Drawback are explicitly forbidden. If a single
  artifact is transformed into a group of items, those items
  only retain their magical properties when they are to-
  gether. It takes seven days per dot of the Artifact Background
  to modify a soulsteel artifact in this fashion, which means
  that a ghost who wishes to change any potent artifact must
  be prepared to spend a great deal of Essence to do so.
  SOULSTEEL FORGING
  Cost: 5 motes
  Duration: One day
  Type: Simple
  Minimum Conviction: 4
  Minimum Essence: 4
  Prerequisite Charms: Soulsteel Rebuilding Technique
  Given a quantity of raw soulsteel, a ghost-artisan with
  this Charm may help to forge it into a new artifact. Such
  an artifact lacks magical Traits beyond the standard abili-
  ties conveyed by soulsteel as a Magical Material (in the
  hands of an Abyssal Exalt, a soulsteel melee weapon gets
  +1 accuracy and drains Essence from the target when
  damage is done, while soulsteel armor gets +2 soak when
  attuned by an Abyssal, and so on — see Exalted, Chapter
  Nine, for details). Creation of the soulsteel item takes as
  long as it would take to craft an item out of ordinary steel
  in Creation, but this Arcanos must be activated every day
  in order to do so.
  SOULSTEEL MINER’S SENSE
  Cost: 5 motes
  Duration: One hour per success
  Type: Simple
  Minimum Conviction: 3
  Minimum Essence: 3
  Prerequisite Charms: Soulsteel Rebuilding Technique
  While active, this Charm gives a ghost the same sense
  that a spectre has within the Labyrinth — the ability to
  more easily detect soulsteel veins within the stone of the
  Labyrinth itself. The player of the ghost using this Arcanos
  rolls Perception + Craft, and for every success, the ghost
  can aid in the search for soulsteel for one hour. This aid
  comes in the form of a -1 difficulty on any roll to find or
  mine soulsteel.
  TENACIOUS MERCHANT’S WAY
  The merchants of the dead mostly deal in artifacts and
  relics rather than in coin and jewels, though most king-
  doms of the dead do have money of a sort. In any event,
  Essence is the most important coin of the Underworld.
  These Arcanoi allow a ghostly merchant to move Essence
  from ghost to ghost, typically taking his own cut in the
  process as a broker’s fee.
  
  EXALTED • BOOK OF BONE AND EBONY
  50
  JANGLING COIN POUCH SENSE
  Cost: 1 mote
  Duration: 10 minutes per success
  Type: Simple
  Minimum Temperance: 1
  Minimum Essence: 1
  Prerequisite Charms: None
  With a successful Perception + Bureaucracy roll
  made by his player, the user of this Arcanos can detect the
  existence of nearby money, whether its “real” money
  minted by a kingdom of the living or dead, burned
  sacrificial “hell money” sent to the Underworld by suit-
  ably pious descendants of the dead or Essence-minted
  money created by one of the other Arcanoi in this art.
  Jangling Coin Pouch Sense lasts for 10 minutes per
  success rolled, but during its duration, it only enables the
  user to detect actual money — not mere valuables, gems
  or jewelry, but money that may be used in exchange for
  goods or services or in payment of taxes.
  EARNEST CREDITOR TECHNIQUE
  Cost: 3 motes
  Duration: Instant
  Type: Simple
  Minimum Compassion: 1
  Minimum Essence: 1
  Prerequisite Charms: None
  The wise merchant knows when to extend credit to a
  favored customer — the kind of customer who will bring
  plenty of business back to the merchant over the long run.
  This Arcanos allows a ghost to give Essence to another
  entity — ghost, mortal, god or Exalt. The ghost need only
  touch the subject of the Arcanos, and the subject receives
  2 motes of Essence. The ghost may use this Arcanos as
  often as he likes, on whichever subjects he likes, and it may
  be used multiple times upon the same subject. The subject
  does not need to be willing, but if for some reason he is not,
  the ghost must succeed in touching the subject before
  transferring the Essence.
  CAREFUL DEBTOR STANCE
  Cost: 1 Willpower
  Duration: Instant
  Type: Simple
  Minimum Conviction: 2
  Minimum Essence: 2
  Prerequisite Charms: Earnest Creditor Technique
  The wise customer takes on only as much debt as he
  knows he can afford to pay back. This Arcanos allows a
  ghost merchant to take motes of Essence from a willing
  creditor. The ghost and the subject must touch one
  another to enact this Arcanos. The subject of the Charm
  must be willing — if he is in any way resistant to the
  transfer of Essence, the Arcanos automatically fails. The
  ghost may take as many motes of Essence as his player
  achieves successes on a Conviction + Bureaucracy roll.
  BOLD THIEF’S WAY
  Cost: 3 motes
  Duration: Instant
  Type: Reflexive
  Minimum Conviction: 2
  Minimum Essence: 2
  Prerequisite Charms: Jangling Coin Pouch Sense
  Unlike Careful Debtor Stance, Bold Thief’s Way
  enables a ghost-thief or unethical ghost-merchant to
  steal Essence from an unwilling target. Any time the
  ghost comes into contact with another entity (ghost,
  god, mortal or Exalt) he may reflexively take Essence
  from them by spending 3 motes and his player rolling
  Conviction + Larceny. The ghost takes 1 mote for every
  success on this roll (so unless his intention is simply to
  drain the target of Essence, he had better get at least three
  successes). The ghost may not use this ability if he hits a
  target with a melee weapon. He must hit with a Brawl or
  Martial Arts attack.
  REDIRECTED PRAYER PATH
  Cost: 1 Willpower
  Duration: Instant
  Type: Simple
  Minimum Temperance: 2
  Minimum Essence: 3
  Prerequisite Charms: Jangling Coin Pouch Sense
  Living descendants of ghosts who have sufficient
  filial piety to remember and honor their ancestors often
  make sacrifices to their ancestors’ ghosts. These sacri-
  fices become Essence and Willpower in the Underworld
  (see Exalted: The Abyssals, p. 33, for details). Each
  such sacrifice appears in the Underworld as a black-jade
  token inscribed with the name of the ghost for whom it
  is intended. The token appears in the Underworld
  location corresponding with the spot in Creation at
  which the sacrifice is performed. A canny ghost with
  Redirected Prayer Path can intercept these sacrifices.
  While standing within five yards of the Underworld
  spot where the token arrives, the ghost can spend
  Willpower and activates this Charm. The black jade
  token appears, with this ghost’s name inscribed on it,
  and for all intents and purposes, the token and its
  contents are considered to be his.
  If two or more ghosts use this Charm simultaneously,
  each one’s player must make a Manipulation + Larceny
  roll. The ghost achieving the most successes wins, and the
  token is inscribed with his name.
  
  51
  CHAPTER TWO • THE ARTS OF THE DEAD
  CANNIBAL CALL
  Cost: 1 Willpower
  Duration: Instant
  Type: Simple
  Minimum Temperance: 3
  Minimum Essence: 3
  Prerequisite Charms: Bold Thief’s Way
  Ghosts have a difficult time healing damage. Typi-
  cally, they must use Arcanoi or enter Slumber to do so.
  Cannibal Call allows a ghost to heal damage by biting
  another ghost and literally devouring its corpus. This
  requires a successful bite attack (if the ghost has no
  special abilities that enable a bite attack like an animal’s
  bite, the bite is at –3 speed, 0B damage and -2 accuracy
  and defense, and if using Exalted Power Combat, its rate
  is 3). If the ghost succeeds, he heals one health level for
  every two health levels damage done to the target.
  SECRET IMPERIAL MINT TECHNIQUE
  Cost: 2 motes per dot, 1 Willpower
  Duration: Instant
  Type: Simple
  Minimum Temperance: 3
  Minimum Essence: 3
  Prerequisite Charms: Bold Thief’s Way
  This Arcanos turns Essence into coinage. To prop-
  erly replicate the local coin, the ghost’s player rolls
  Intelligence + Larceny, and the ghost spends as many
  motes of Essence as he wishes, to a maximum of his
  Temperance. If the player succeeds in the roll, the ghost
  creates a pile of local coinage sufficient to provide a
  bonus to his Resources level equal to one dot per 2
  motes of Essence spent. This is a temporary Resources
  level (though the coinage is permanent) — it is suffi-
  cient to make a single purchase at that Resources level.
  Once that purchase is made, the coinage is disbursed
  into the population, and the ghost reverts to his normal
  Resources Background (which represents his sustain-
  able income).
  CHAINS OF THE ANCIENT MONARCHS
  This art descends from the enforcers and magistrates
  of the Dual Monarchy in Stygia. Variations on their
  talents have spread throughout the Underworld, though,
  to the point where any ghost who holds a true allegiance
  to an undead sovereign may learn and use these Arcanoi.
  A ghost who learns this art doesn’t have to truly be an
  authorized enforcer of his monarch — nor does he have to
  possess true, deep loyalty to his lord — but he performs the
  Arcanoi below in his lord’s name.
  SOUL ANCHOR
  Cost: 2 motes, 1 Willpower
  Duration: 10 minutes per success
  Type: Simple
  Minimum Temperance: 2
  Minimum Essence: 1
  Prerequisite Charms: None
  Minions of various dead monarchs use this Arcanos
  to keep criminals and battlefield foes from escaping
  justice. When Soul Anchor is active, no one within 25
  yards of the ghost using it is able to use supernatural
  abilities to move faster than they could at a full sprint.
  This prohibition even extends to the ghost using Soul
  Anchor! The ghost may be able to fly or run up walls,
  and he is still able to do that, but he cannot move faster
  than he could at an ordinary run. Ghosts and other
  entities with an Essence higher than that of the ghost
  using Soul Anchor may spend a Willpower point to
  overcome the effect of this Arcanos.
  MONARCH’S GLORIOUS BRILLIANCE
  Cost: 3 motes
  Duration: One turn
  Type: Simple
  Minimum Conviction: 2
  Minimum Essence: 2
  Prerequisite Charms: None
  The ghost using Monarch’s Glorious Brilliance
  channels some of the splendor of his undead liege lord
  (whether a Deathlord or another monarch) into a cor-
  uscating white aura. This brilliance makes the ghost
  visible from quite a long way off — the light can be seen
  from a mile away on an ordinary day in the Underworld
  and from the horizon at night. Entities within 20 yards
  who happen to be looking in the ghost’s direction at the
  time this Arcanos is activated are temporarily blinded,
  and their players must make a Wits + Resistance roll for
  the characters to look away as quickly as possible.
  Targets are blinded for three turns, minus one for every
  success on that Wits + Resistance roll. Those targets
  that are not blinded by the brilliance must still look
  away from the glorious light or be blinded, so they are
  considered to be blind with respect to the ghost using
  this Arcanos. Foes immune to blindness and those
  wearing heavy whole-face helmets are immune to this
  Charm. The effects of blindness are described in Ex-
  alted, pages 237-238 — a blind character loses two
  successes from all attack rolls.
  
  EXALTED • BOOK OF BONE AND EBONY
  52
  ESSENCE BINDING
  Cost: 5 motes
  Duration: One turn per success
  Type: Simple
  Minimum Conviction: 2
  Minimum Essence: 2
  Prerequisite Charms: Soul Anchor
  Essence Binding calls up bands of Essence represent-
  ing the ghost’s authority in the name of his ruler(s). He
  then uses those bands to temporarily restrain his foe’s
  hands or feet. This Arcanos works only on corporeal foes
  (ghosts in the Underworld, mortals anywhere). The
  ghost-magistrate spends his Essence, and his player then
  rolls Dexterity + Bureaucracy at + 2 accuracy to extend
  his sovereign’s influence. The ghost must determine
  whether he plans to bind the target’s hands or feet. The
  attack works only within hand-to-hand combat range,
  and the target may dodge or block this attack if he is able
  to do so. If the Essence Binding succeeds, the target’s
  hands or feet are bound. If the target’s hands are bound to
  his body, he may use no weapon that requires two hands,
  and he is considered to be held as the victim of a hold
  attack. If the target’s feet are bound, he is restricted to
  using unusual modes of locomotion (walking on his
  hands, swinging by a rope, flying) or to hopping no more
  than one-fifth his normal movement per turn. This
  binding lasts for one turn for every success achieved on
  the Dexterity + Bureaucracy roll, above. The bonds can
  be broken by main strength. A total of four successes is
  required on a Strength + Athletics roll to break them
  (and this is a simple action).
  SNARE THE FLEEING THIEF
  Cost: 5 motes
  Duration: One turn per success
  Type: Simple
  Minimum Conviction: 3
  Minimum Essence: 2
  Prerequisite Charms: Essence Binding
  A ghost with Snare the Fleeing Thief can use his
  Essence and his dedication to his liege to halt an enemy in
  her tracks for a short period of time. This Charm doesn’t
  merely create binding ropes of Essence. Instead, it encases
  the enemy’s body in a light somewhat reminiscent of
  Monarch’s Glorious Brilliance. The enemy can still move
  around while encased in this brilliance but at a greatly
  reduced speed — no more than one-fifth her normal
  movement per turn, no matter what form of locomotion is
  being used. Snare the Fleeing Thief requires a hand-to-
  hand attack using a Dexterity + Bureaucracy roll at +4
  accuracy. This attack can be dodged or blocked as normal.
  If the ghost bypasses such defenses, the target is bound as
  described above for one minute per success.
  
  53
  CHAPTER TWO • THE ARTS OF THE DEAD
  ESSENCE LASSO FORM
  Cost: 6 motes
  Duration: One turn per net success
  Type: Simple
  Minimum Conviction: 3
  Minimum Essence: 2
  Prerequisite Charms: Essence Binding
  This Charm works similarly to Essence Binding, save
  that it works at a range of up to 10 yards per point of
  Conviction and that it cannot be blocked, only dodged.
  The ghost calls up a binding in the name of his sovereign,
  points at the target and spends his Essence, and his player
  rolls Dexterity + Bureaucracy at +2 accuracy. This attack
  cannot be parried, as it bypasses such defenses. The
  target’s hands or feet are bound for one turn per success.
  If the target’s hands are bound to his body, he may use no
  weapon that requires two hands, nor may he swing his
  arms around to make effective Melee or Brawl attacks
  against any foe that isn’t right up against him. If the
  target’s feet are bound, he is restricted to using unusual
  modes of locomotion (walking on his hands, swinging by
  a rope, flying) or to hopping no more than one-fifth his
  normal movement per turn.
  NET
  Cost: 7 motes
  Duration: 1 minute
  Type: Simple
  Minimum Conviction: 3
  Minimum Essence: 3
  Prerequisite Charms: Snare the Fleeing Thief, Es-
  sence Lasso Form
  Net allows a ghostly magistrate to ensnare a group of
  enemies, binding them hand-and-foot in the name of his
  lord. The ghost spends his Essence and designates a target
  location no more than five yards away per dot of Convic-
  tion. Everyone within five yards of that location is
  ensnared in a binding net of Essence, unless they success-
  fully leap to safety — the ghost uses Dexterity +
  Bureaucracy to target the net, and targets must success-
  fully dodge (not block) it to get out of the area of effect
  in time. Those caught in the net are considered to be held
  (see Exalted, p. 240) until the effect ends or they expend
  a point of Willpower to free themselves from the Arcanos.
  
  EXALTED • BOOK OF BONE AND EBONY
  54
  
  55
  CHAPTER THREE • THE WONDERS OF THE DEAD
  CHAPTER THREE
  THE WONDERS
  OF THE DEAD
  There are three main factors governing the creation
  of artifacts in the Underworld (as opposed to those items
  that were brought through by funeral rites): the craftsmen
  that can make them, the ingredients used to make them
  and the need for them. If there are no craftsmen, nothing
  will be made. If there are no available ingredients —
  primarily soulsteel, soulfire crystals or Essence-containing
  gems and jade — then nothing can be made. And if there
  is no driving demand for artifacts, then while some smiths
  will produce them simply because it is their passion to do
  so, artifacts will be few and far between.
  There is also the aspect of trade and distribution. In
  areas such as Stygia or Sijan, metropolises of the dead
  WHERE DO THEY GO?
  The question isn’t so much how the Underworld happens to contain or produce artifacts, but why it doesn’t have
  more of them. In the land of the dead, time has no effect on the relics that the dead have had sacrificed to them, and
  it is possible for an item in the land of the living to be stolen and rededicated to the dead multiple times, resulting
  in several copies of it existing simultaneously in the Underworld. The number of artifacts entering the Underworld
  or being created there is far greater than the number leaving it. However, this doesn’t mean that the demand for items
  of power has slowed; quite the contrary. The more people have, the more they want, either for their own convenience
  and consequence or for fear of their likewise well-supplied enemies.
  Of course, the main reason that artifacts are destroyed in these sad days of the Age of Sorrows is that they are taken
  into battle with the forces of living Creation. But even before the modern day, they perished frequently in catastrophes
  and wars of various types, for in the Underworld, it is the nature of tools to see use and the nature of that use to be
  destructive. Whether it is due to them going outside a shadowland, them having drained into the Labyrinth or them
  having been broken up for scrap, artifacts aren’t invincible. They can be destroyed, just like the dead themselves.
  where trade and exchange and extortion and other civi-
  lized amenities are possible, there is a rapid flow of artifacts
  moving through the regions. Why should a ghost hold
  onto his petty wonder when he can exchange it for some
  immediate advantage in terms of Charms or rank or
  possibility and can hope to buy a better one with his new
  capabilities? This sort of logic, combined with a healthy
  market in fraud and loans with heavy interest, keeps
  artifacts moving in and out of circulation and makes it
  possible for a ghost to acquire almost any artifact, if he can
  pay for it — or, alternatively, lose almost anything he has
  managed to acquire.
  
  EXALTED • BOOK OF BONE AND EBONY
  56
  SMITHS AND CRAFTSMEN
  Some artifacts the dead bring with them into the
  Underworld: ever-flowing pitchers, golem servants and
  weapons that they held in life and that were buried in their
  graves. Others, however, they make for themselves — or
  for their masters. There are great Shogunate-era forges in
  the Underworld, where ghostly smiths slave for the
  Deathlords, and there are small workshops where those
  dead who loved crafting practice their art with a passion
  that is all they keep of their living days. In between the two
  extremes fall the experts who have given their loyalty to
  great kings and queens. They may lack the talent and
  passion of the true geniuses, but they cooperate to produce
  weapons and tools at their rulers’ requests.
  In the Underworld, ghosts are defined by their passions.
  Among the dead, no smiths or craftsmen are casual practi-
  tioners or see their art as a mere pastime. Those who take up
  hammer and chisel or knife and flame do so because it is one
  of the imperatives of their nature. Even those who are
  forcibly enslaved to serve the Deathlords find some satisfac-
  tion in being able to fulfil this heartfelt desire of their nature.
  Of course, those poor souls who are sacrificed to feed the
  soulsteel forges might have objections — but when did the
  material ever have a choice in its forging?
  The solo workers, alone in their forges save for admir-
  ing disciples and servants or yearning lovers, may produce
  the strangest items. They are free of the constraints of
  serving others and are therefore free to work on whatever
  catches their fancy. One might spend years smoothing the
  curve of a shield or perfecting the edge of a blade. However,
  these artisans’ relative solitude can mean that they lack
  vital ingredients, secret tomes, necessary incantations or
  other items vital to their current projects. This leaves them
  open to coercion, which can range from promised favors to
  outright threats. These lone craftsmen may produce liter-
  ally anything, from the cruelest or kindest of items to the
  most exotic objets d’art to the simplest, plainest tools. A
  smith might forge the most bloodthirsty of daiklaves or
  might carve a necklace that will allow a ghostly mother to
  sacrifice her existence in order to save her living child. Or
  he might simply content himself with spending years on
  casting a simple, practical tool, comforted in his passion
  that his work should be a perfect example of what it is.
  Those smiths who serve the Deathlords must produce
  what their masters demand, often working together by the
  dozen in order to create artifacts of shuddering immensity.
  They are given no choice in their servitude — though most
  Deathlords will sweeten their service with luxuries and
  respect, ultimately such smiths are not going to be allowed
  to leave the forges, unless it is as hammered soulsteel.
  Many such craftsmen take what pleasure they can in
  working with the best materials, on the most exacting
  projects, using the skills that they spent their lifetimes
  accumulating and find that sufficient to content them.
  
  57
  CHAPTER THREE • THE WONDERS OF THE DEAD
  Forges of this sort produce the most exotic and unbeliev-
  able wonders of craftsmanship, but must also constantly
  turn out minor artifacts of weaponry and armor, so that the
  Deathlord’s troops may be well-equipped in the field.
  Craftsmen in service to a member of the nobility — a
  lord of Stygia, perhaps, or a ruler of one of the outlying
  domains of the Underworld — fall somewhere in the
  middle. A crafter of true genius will not need to enter
  anybody’s service (or will receive an invitation from a
  Deathlord that he cannot refuse), while one with no talent
  will not be sought after. This sort of crafter, therefore, is
  skilled but rarely truly inspired. He will be given many
  exotic materials, soulsteel, soulfire crystals of moderate size
  and ancient spellbooks but will only occasionally gain the
  materials necessary to create truly great artifacts. These
  artisans will be allowed some free time by their sponsors to
  pursue their own projects, but they will be expected to
  devote much of their labor to satisfying their ruler’s whims,
  whether this might mean crafting exotic fripperies, per-
  sonal weaponry or armor for his troops. Such craftsmen are
  assured of rank, status and respect, though they will doubt-
  less be compared unfavorably to the lonely hermits who
  forge wonders in secret. They may console themselves that
  they live well (for ghosts) and that they can spend the rest
  of eternity at their beloved pursuits. It is a safe existence,
  if a confined one, and in the event of war, craftsmen of this
  stature may expect to be taken captive; their skills are too
  rare to waste.
  SOULSTEEL
  Anyone in the Underworld knows what soulsteel is
  made from: hammered souls, trapped in eternal pain and
  misery, wailing quietly but constantly. Nevertheless,
  soulsteel items seem to have become widespread through
  the Underworld in the last few decades. Of course, if a hero
  or a family owns such an item, they will no doubt claim a
  perfectly innocent provenance for it. It was taken from an
  enemy in battle (and we really should keep it, as it would
  be a waste to throw it away), or it was passed down from a
  distant ancestor (and it would be improper to discuss the
  things she might or might not have done), or it arrived in
  some other vague but totally innocent manner. No right-
  minded person is going to admit to deliberately seeking out
  soulsteel or receiving it directly from the Deathlords.
  This is because soulsteel is outright evil. It’s not just
  casual use of something that was doomed already. It’s
  deliberately sacrificing ghosts to a fate of Oblivion just so
  that you can make tools out of them. It’s what spectres do.
  Everyone knows that it’s produced by the Deathlords, so
  openly carrying soulsteel relics is an obvious indication
  that you are one of their clients (unless you have a very,
  very persuasive reason as to how you happened to pick up
  that soulsteel daiklave). However, given that questioning
  the very powerful tends to promote a short afterlife expect-
  ancy, it’s rude to openly scoff at someone’s claim that her
  soulsteel relic was left to her by Grandmother just before
  she passed into Lethe, however implausible the story is.
  The actual distribution of soulsteel is one of the
  factors by which the Deathlords increase their grasp on the
  Underworld’s economy. While other major rulers could
  theoretically produce it, the Deathlords and their agents
  are, without a doubt, its largest manufacturers. They have
  the smithies, the dark ores, the metalworkers, the spells
  and, most importantly, the captive souls to spare — and
  the will to destroy them. The Deathlords’ allies are armed
  with soulsteel blades and soulsteel armor and soulsteel
  chains, and their enemies must tremble before them. Even
  if the concept of soulsteel has existed since the Malfeans
  were first confined and Oblivion opened its Mouth, it has
  never been mass-produced on this scale before. What is
  more, the growing number of ghosts and shadowlands
  means that raw material is unlikely to run short any time
  soon. There will always be more ghosts to be locked into
  soulsteel shackles, marched to soulsteel anvils and beaten
  into soulsteel themselves with soulsteel hammers.
  SOULFIRE CRYSTALS AND
  ESSENCE-CONTAINING GEMS
  Many artifacts in the Underworld require some form
  of Essence-storage device, making soulfire crystals and
  Essence-containing gems vital commodities. Soulfire crys-
  tals have the advantage of being natural to the Underworld,
  and they can be freely mined and worked, assuming that an
  unexploited vein of crystal can be found. However, Es-
  sence-containing gems are ultimately capable of storing as
  much or more Essence than soulfire crystals and are there-
  fore much sought after. Although Essence-containing
  gems are dependent on suitable gems being brought in as
  grave goods and then undergoing the proper treatment,
  they are far more useful and resistant than soulfire crystal.
  In fact, there have been rumored cases of Deathlords or
  other potentates organizing assassinations among the liv-
  ing, when the targets would have valuable gems included
  among their grave goods, in order to provide suitable raw
  materials to create Essence-containing gems.
  In practice, however, soulfire crystal is far more
  commonly used, especially among the less powerful dead
  or in minor artifacts. Since expeditions to dig soulfire
  crystals require heavy protection against spectres and
  other creatures, the location of a seam, mining equip-
  ment and the ability to transport the crystals once mined,
  any large-scale operation is likely to be under the control
  of a major Underworld figure or even a Deathlord. Nu-
  merous smaller missions to dig just a few soulfire crystals
  are common, and some of them are even successful,
  managing to return with most of the team still intact.
  Ghosts or others in need of soulfire crystals — particu-
  larly large ones — must decide whether to undertake a
  
  EXALTED • BOOK OF BONE AND EBONY
  58
  risky private mining expedition or whether to pay the
  price that more powerful entities may demand.
  For obvious reasons, a Hearthstone might well trump
  either soulfire crystals or Essence-containing gems as the
  power source for an artifact, but these are rare, as most
  Manses in the Underworld are owned by the various
  Deathlords. While many of the Deathlords’ wonders use
  these items for the source of their power, most of those
  made by the dead for the dead in the last thousand years do
  not. A few ancient wonders still call for them, and now,
  these items, usually extremely powerful miracles from the
  First Age, sit mostly useless or have been taken into the
  hands of the Deathlords and become theirs.
  ARTIFACTS OF THE UNDERWORLD
  The following is a selection of artifacts that have been
  created or are used in the Underworld or in shadowlands
  throughout Creation. While many more powerful artifacts
  exist, whether weapons, tools or merely items of unimag-
  inable power, artifacts of this lower degree of power are far
  more common and likely to be found in the hands of an
  enemy — or an ally.
  BLOOD APPLES (ARTIFACT • FOR A SINGLE
  APPLE, •• FOR A TREE)
  The crystal blood-apple trees grow only in the Under-
  world or in shadowlands and must be watered weekly with
  blood from living creatures — humans or animals, either
  will do. At Calibration, they bear glass apples that smell of
  snow and salt. Anyone who bites into one of these apples
  will fall to the ground as though dead. She will cease to
  breathe, and her heart will stop beating. Her spirit rises
  from her body as a ghost and, for 12 hours, may travel the
  shadowlands or Underworld as a ghost would. At the end
  of the 12 hours, her spirit is pulled back to her body, which
  begins to live and breathe again.
  There are certain hazards involved in this way of
  reaching the Underworld. If the user’s body is destroyed
  while she is away from it, by fire or decapitation or other
  such means, then she is truly dead and now a ghost indeed.
  Equally, if her spirit is prevented from returning to her
  body at the end of the 12 hours by some form of specifically
  targeted Sapphire or Adamant Circle magic (or its necro-
  mantic equivalent), then her body will remain intact and
  unchanging until her spirit can return to it or until it is
  destroyed. On at least one occasion, the apples have been
  used in this way to maintain a kind of immortality. How-
  ever, this ended with the destruction of the user’s body.
  Apples can be harvested at any point during Calibra-
  tion but are as fragile as thin ice. They will remain in
  existence until the first day of the next Calibration, and if
  brought into Creation, they will react like soulfire crystals.
  Since blood-apple trees must be fed blood regularly and are
  as fragile as the apples themselves, only the wealthiest or
  most powerful of Underworld or shadowland powers can
  afford to maintain even one of them, let alone an orchard.
  Each tree bears up to five apples on each day of Calibration.
  Artifact Traits:
  Power ••, Usefulness ••••, Game Impact ••, Script
  Immunity ••;
  Drawback •• (Maintenance •, Notoriety •)
  BLOODY ICE COMB (ARTIFACT •)
  This garnet comb may be used to pin back the hair and
  easily goes unnoticed there. However, when it is cast to the
  ground with the appropriate invocation, it summons a
  violent storm of ice and blood, which whips across the
  landscape in the trail of its owner. This bloody maelstrom
  is the equivalent of a supernatural ice storm (see Exalted,
  p. 244), spreading for a mile to either side, but its leading
  edge is where the comb strikes the ground, and whatever
  the prevailing wind, it moves back in the direction that the
  user has come from, thus striking any pursuers following
  her. The storm exists for five minutes, and does not affect
  the comb’s user or any of her companions, unless they
  deliberately retrace their steps into it. The comb itself is
  gone once used and cannot be retrieved.
  Artifact Traits:
  Power ••, Usefulness •••, Game Impact •, Script
  Immunity ••;
  Drawback • (Notoriety •)
  COLLAR OF THE BESTIAL SHADE (ARTIFACT •)
  These collars come in several different forms, depend-
  ing on the associated type of animal. Each appears as a strip
  of furry or feathered hide from the relevant animal, with a
  jade buckle, and allows a ghost to change her form to that
  animal for as long as she desires. Known collars include
  ones that allow the shape of ghost tigers, pyre hawks and
  savanna lions, though others may exist. By donning such
  a collar, the wearer gains the Physical Attributes of such a
  creature (even if that means lowering her own) but keeps
  her own Mental and (where appropriate) Social Attributes.
  Other members of that animal’s species will react to them
  as though they were natural animals of that genus.
  These items do have one significant danger — or at
  least, a danger to some. Existing in an animal body, with all
  the associated animal senses, helps the ghost draw away
  from her political and personal preoccupations and re-
  minds her that Lethe waits for her, offering her a new birth
  and a new life. For each continuous week after the first that
  a ghost wears one of these collars, her player must roll the
  ghost’s Willpower, adding one die for every dot of Fetters
  that she has remaining. If she does not score at least three
  successes, she succumbs to Lethe, and the collar is left
  behind once she has vanished. Removing the collar after
  a week and then donning it again spares the wearer from
  this effect. Some records suggest that the tug toward Lethe
  is, in fact, the original purpose of the collars and that they
  
  59
  CHAPTER THREE • THE WONDERS OF THE DEAD
  were first created to help ghosts remember the simple cycle
  of life and death and life again.
  Artifact Traits:
  Power ••, Usefulness •••, Game Impact ••, Script
  Immunity ••;
  Drawback •• (Component •, Notoriety •)
  DRUM OF THE LIVING HEART (ARTIFACT •)
  For those ghosts who wish to keep watch over those
  mortals who are dear to them — or, alternatively, over
  their bitterest enemies — this artifact is a useful one. It is
  a small drum, surfaced and bound with human skin and
  strung with human sinews, barely a handspan across. To
  make it function, it must be anointed with a drop of the
  target’s blood. Once this is done, it will beat in time with
  the target’s heartbeat, speeding and slowing with the
  target’s pulse, and will cease to beat entirely when the
  target dies. Some of the family groups in the Underworld
  have whole rooms where the shelves are lined with these
  drums, and the whispering beats echo through the room
  constantly.
  Artifact Traits:
  Power ••, Usefulness ••, Game Impact ••, Script
  Immunity ••;
  Drawback •• (Component •, Notoriety •)
  FORMS OF HARMONY (ARTIFACT •,
  •• FOR A SET OF FIVE OR MORE)
  These musical stringed instruments are crafted from
  black ash, inlaid with nacre and silver and soulfire crystal
  dust and strung with soulsteel. When commanded by its
  master, the instruments will play separately or together in
  harmony. They can also be played like normal instruments
  but always have a strange, uncanny undertone. Many
  wealthy nobles and lords of the dead have one or more of
  these instruments, setting them to play during social
  gatherings or when receiving petitioners. Few of them
  have been created in recent times. They are antiques and
  status symbols, as far as most of the inhabitants of the
  Underworld are concerned.
  What is less well known about these instruments is
  that if five or more of them are gathered together, they can
  soothe the emotions and lower the suspicions of those
  within hearing range. When they are set to play in har-
  mony, their owner gains a bonus dice to all her player’s
  Social rolls against everyone within 50 yards of the instru-
  ments. (They are not created to be particularly noisy.) The
  instruments can continue to play for a scene but then
  require a day’s rest, though they can stop and start several
  times within that scene if their owner wishes to gesture
  them to silence. It is considered rude to use the powers of
  a set of forms of harmony against someone who knows
  about them. The problem, of course, is finding out whether
  the prospective victim knows. Deathlords and old, power-
  ful ghosts will certainly be aware, while newly made ghosts,
  however powerful, may well have no idea.
  Artifact Traits:
  Power ••, Usefulness ••, Game Impact •••, Script
  Immunity ••;
  Drawback ••• (Component ••, Notoriety •)
  GRAPES OF TORMENT (ARTIFACT •)
  Grown from the very essence of pain and suffering
  through horrible commixtures of necromancy and
  fleshworking, these dark globes are swollen to bursting with
  an evil juice. When someone ingests one of them, she is
  filled with a sudden surge of energy and strength, but is
  tormented by agonizing pain that echoes through her ghostly
  body. She gains a bonus of two dice to all Strength-related
  rolls for the duration of the scene, but at the cost of a penalty
  of one die to all Perception-related rolls due to the pain.
  Some of the dead have become psychologically addicted to
  these grapes, despite — or, rather, because of — the pain
  that they bring. The grapes are found in bunches of five or
  less and are extremely fragile, being as easy to squash as any
  natural grapes. They come from vines tended by spectres
  deep in the Labyrinth, and few would care to know what
  those vines are rooted in or what nourishes them.
  Artifact Traits:
  Power •, Usefulness ••••, Game Impact •, Script
  Immunity •;
  Drawback •• (Notoriety ••)
  IVORY BUTTERFLY (ARTIFACT •)
  Carved from ivory and studded with garnets and with
  a wingspan two feet across, this fragile butterfly can travel
  across the storm-driven wastes of the Underworld, carry-
  ing small items or messages. A single butterfly can carry up
  to three scrolls or scroll cases or items of similar weight and
  size. Up to four butterflies can cooperate to carry a larger
  object, if necessary. Ivory butterflies move unnaturally fast
  (with the speed of a raiton), but they require neither food
  nor rest and will continue to fly until they reach their
  target. They have no methods of self-defense but are
  capable of recognizing threats and dodging or taking cover,
  such as by hiding in a forest.
  An ivory butterfly’s owner must give it the item or
  items that it is to carry and tell the butterfly where to go
  and who to give the item to once it reaches that destina-
  tion. She must impress a visual image of the target on the
  butterfly and name the location. If the target is not present
  when the butterfly arrives, then it will flutter around the
  place for three days and nights, before attempting to return
  to its mistress, bringing back any item that it was carrying
  with it.
  Artifact Traits:
  Power •, Usefulness •••, Game Impact ••, Script
  Immunity ••;
  Drawback • (Component •, Notoriety •)
  
  EXALTED • BOOK OF BONE AND EBONY
  60
  JADE HARMONY NEEDLES (ARTIFACT •)
  These five thin, white-jade needles resonate with the
  energies of death and the Underworld and can be used in
  conjunction with a Hearthstone or a Manse to knit up
  wounds and restore health to one of the dead. The jade
  harmony needles must be inserted in a precise circle in the
  target’s flesh — usually around the wound that is to be
  healed, though in the event of general damage, they can be
  slid into the flesh above the heart — and then exposed to
  the power of a Hearthstone or left to bask in the restoring
  energies of a Death-aspected Manse.
  If a Hearthstone is being used, then it must be Death-
  aspected (any other aspect will burn out the needles and
  destroy them), and it must be removed from any other item
  that it is currently powering. The victim will recover a
  number of health levels equal to the Hearthstone’s rating,
  at the rate of one health level per hour. If the target is inside
  a Manse, then he will heal at the same rate as above,
  recovering a number of health levels equal to the Manse’s
  level. The needles may be removed at any time, but if
  removed early, the restoring process will also cease. They
  may only be used once on any victim until he has returned
  to full health. If he is wounded again after that, the needles
  may be used on him again.
  Artifact Traits:
  Power •, Usefulness •••, Game Impact ••, Script
  Immunity •••;
  Drawback • (Component •)
  LABYRINTH DOORKNOCKER (ARTIFACT •)
  Sometimes an emissary of the Underworld may need to
  enter the Labyrinth on short notice — possibly because he
  is in haste to speak to his masters or possibly because he has
  a circle of Solars in hot pursuit. A Labyrinth doorknocker,
  reputedly invested with power by the Deathlords them-
  selves, can help such an individual. It is the size of a man’s
  fist, shaped from dark soulsteel, and looks precisely like an
  ornate doorknocker. When it is soaked with freshly spilled
  blood from a living being and placed against a flat surface of
  earth or stone, it pulsates rhythmically, and there is the
  sound of someone knocking on a distant door three times.
  The outline of a door then forms around the doorknocker,
  making it possible for its owner to take hold of the knocker
  and pull the door open. Beyond lies a passage to somewhere
  in the Labyrinth — somewhere in the territory of the
  Deathlord who empowered the item, though it may be on
  the very edge of that territory, and the holder will have no
  other guide once he enters.
  The doorknocker cannot be removed from the newly
  created door. Once the item’s owner has entered the door,
  it will automatically close behind him unless he holds it
  open. When he lets the door close, it will remain in
  existence for 10 minutes longer before crumbling into
  dust, and then, the doorknocker itself will rust and disin-
  tegrate with a wailing of destroyed souls.
  Artifact Traits:
  Power •, Usefulness •••, Game Impact •••, Script
  Immunity ••;
  Drawback •• (Component •, Notoriety •)
  MIRROR OF LIFE (ARTIFACT •)
  This comparatively simple artifact can come in vari-
  ous sizes, from full-length sheets of obsidian to small
  hand-mirrors edged in silver and inlaid with cool white
  jade. When any ghost looks into one, he sees his face and
  form reflected as they were in life, with none of the stigma
  or shades of death: ruddy cheeks, bright eyes and body full
  of health and vigor. Abyssals are reflected as they were
  before they were Exalted — and in the case of former
  Solars, unlikely as it may be that they will come in contact
  with such a mirror, they are shown with their former Caste
  Marks and animas.
  While simply owning or using this tool has no delete-
  rious effects, it can encourage obsession among those
  already fascinated with their past lives (Temperance check
  for each hour spent looking into one). Some kings and
  queens of the Underworld have had rooms entirely pan-
  eled with such mirrors, so that they can be surrounded with
  images of their living selves. Such fancies can lead to a
  yearning to live again, dark bargains with the Deathlords
  or spectres and similar unfortunate character traits.
  Artifact Traits:
  Power •, Usefulness ••, Game Impact ••, Script
  Immunity ••;
  Drawback •• (Component •, Notoriety •)
  PILLOW OF GRASS (ARTIFACT •)
  This pillow is made from woven grass, stuffed with the
  down of pyre hawks and embroidered with silk taken from
  graveclothes. When a ghost lies down with his head on the
  pillow, as though composing himself to sleep, he can spend
  Essence in order to hear what is happening near where his
  dead body lies (or where it lay before the elements re-
  claimed it). A single mote of Essence lets the user hear
  what is happening within earshot of his grave, and 2 motes
  let him hear everything that is going on within a mile of his
  grave, while 3 motes let him hear what is going on within
  five miles of his grave. The effect lasts for a maximum of an
  hour, and the pillow must be left for a day before anyone
  can use it again.
  Not all the dead have been given proper burials.
  Fortunately for such ghosts, the pillow can function even in
  these cases, focusing on the spot where the body in question
  was left to rot unburied. In the event of multiple conversa-
  tions or noises occurring in the area of effect, the player of
  the pillow’s user must make a Perception + Awareness roll,
  difficulty 5, for his character to filter out any one particular
  conversation, which he can listen to for (the number of
  
  61
  CHAPTER THREE • THE WONDERS OF THE DEAD
  successes scored x 10) minutes. Some ghosts who are para-
  noid about grave robbers use these pillows constantly,
  unwilling to risk leaving their gravesites unattended.
  Artifact Traits:
  Power •, Usefulness ••, Game Impact ••, Script
  Immunity ••;
  Drawback •• (Component •, Notoriety •)
  ROBE OF LIFE (ARTIFACT •)
  This simple white robe is woven from plain linen,
  rather than costly silks, and smells of spring breezes and
  fresh rain rather than funeral incense and grave dust.
  When donned, it causes its wearer to appear as she did
  while alive and in the flush of youth, removing all evi-
  dence of her method of death and even effacing the stains
  of the Great Contagion. This effect only lasts for as long as
  the wearer keeps the robe on. Once she removes it, all her
  marks of death and age reappear. This robe does not affect
  artificial post-death changes in the ghost’s form, nor will it
  restore soulsteel.
  Artifact Traits:
  Power •, Usefulness ••, Game Impact •, Script
  Immunity ••;
  Drawback • (Notoriety •)
  SCROLL OF UNENDING STORIES (ARTIFACT •)
  In the silence of the Underworld, tales and legends
  can be all that hold a ghost back from the final long plunge
  into Oblivion. By concentrating on one of these scrolls
  and spending a mote of Essence, its holder can imprint a
  story on it and have it permanently recorded there, though
  at the cost of losing it from his own memory — he will not
  remember the events which took place, if it was a real
  event that happened to him, or the facts of the tale, if it was
  imaginary. The story, however, remains imprinted on the
  scroll for as long as the scroll survives.
  When unrolled, the scroll is a simple piece of blank,
  ivory-tanned leather, detectable to aficionados as dried
  human skin. The holder (who must be attuned to it) must
  know the subject of the story that he wishes to call up. If
  so, it will appear in dark brown lettering on the scroll, and
  as the scroll is unrolled further, the story continues down
  it until its end. There is no practical limit to what a scroll
  of unending stories may contain, though when they in-
  clude multiple different versions of the same story, it takes
  that much more time and effort to find a particular one.
  While these artifacts may seem purely for entertain-
  ment, spies have used them to carry secret messages, by
  embedding such a message within a story and then record-
  ing it in the scroll. As the messenger is then left with no
  memory of what the message was, this method can be very
  effective. There have also been cases where very old scrolls
  contained stories that had factual accounts of First Age
  devices, Charms or spells. For this reason, the Deathlords
  themselves have been known to collect these scrolls for
  research purposes. Their truest value, however, is to iso-
  lated communities of ghosts, desperate for some break in
  the endless monotony of eternity, for stories that will give
  them some emotions to experience once again.
  Artifact Traits:
  Power ••, Usefulness •••, Game Impact ••, Script
  Immunity ••;
  Drawback •• (Component •, Notoriety •)
  STALLION-THRASHING WHIP (ARTIFACT •)
  This whip must be prepared with hide taken from a
  dead stallion, a lash woven from his mane and a haft
  reinforced with bones from the stallion’s body. When
  properly prepared and ensorcelled, a single crack from the
  whip will summon the stallion’s ghost to serve the owner.
  The horse rises from the ground in a crack of thunder, its
  mane and tail streaming and its eyes bright with rage and
  bloodlust, eager to be racing into battle.
  The stallion has the statistics of a noble horse (see
  Exalted: The Abyssals, p. 20), though it lacks the full
  intelligence of the latter. It may only be summoned by
  the whip that was crafted from its body, and if that whip
  is destroyed, the ghost passes into Lethe. Unlike those
  ghosts who follow their masters after being sacrificed as
  part of their funeral rites, the stallion has no allegiance to
  anyone except the person who currently holds the whip,
  and it will obey that person’s verbal commands or physi-
  cal directions unhesitatingly. If slain, it fades away into
  shadows and may be resummoned by cracking the whip
  at the next dark of the moon.
  Artifact Traits:
  Power ••, Usefulness •••, Game Impact •, Script
  Immunity ••;
  Drawback •• (Component •, Notoriety •)
  STEEL PEN OF REFINEMENT (ARTIFACT •)
  Parts of the Underworld have their bureaucratic
  aspects, just as do many parts of Creation, and not every
  soul learned how to express written requests politely
  during life, let alone with the touch of elegance and
  authority that can catch a superior’s eye. This quill is
  modeled on a pyre hawk’s plume, cast in soulsteel, and it
  must be fed with a drop of blood and a mote of Essence to
  function. Once this is done, the owner of a steel pen of
  refinement gains a bonus dice to all Bureaucracy, Perfor-
  mance and Craft rolls involving writing (with the steel
  pen of refinement) until the end of the scene. His
  handwriting flows more beautifully, his prose is terse yet
  stylish, elegant yet not overly presumptuous, and his
  poetry displays a knowledgeable refinement.
  Artifact Traits:
  Power •, Usefulness ••, Game Impact •, Script
  Immunity ••;
  Drawback • (Component •)
  
  EXALTED • BOOK OF BONE AND EBONY
  62
  STONE OF TEN THOUSAND TEARS (ARTIFACT •)
  By capturing the strong emotions of the living in
  specially prepared crystals, the dead can experience those
  emotions and feel briefly as though they were living again.
  A stone of this sort can hold a single memory, taken from a
  living person, which must be associated with strong passions
  — possibly love or joy, but more usually, grief, pain and/or
  hatred. To fill the stone, the living subject must place it
  against her forehead and willingly recall the memory in
  question. The memory rushes into the stone in a flurry of
  colors, causing the stone to glow with strange shades of
  nacre and crimson, and leaves the living donor forever. She
  will no longer be able to recall the event, even if she is
  reminded that it happened to her, but neither will she suffer
  any emotional trauma from it. For this reason, there are
  always people willing to sacrifice their own memories to
  these stones, to be free of them once and for all.
  If a ghost wishes to use one of these stones, she places
  it against her own forehead and promptly relives the event
  in question, feeling all the panic, the passion and the pain
  associated with it. While happy and positive emotions are
  briefly sweet, the letdown afterward makes most ghosts
  avoid them. Most ghosts prefer memories of torture, near-
  death and tragedy. Once used, a stone is wiped clean and
  may have a new memory implanted in it. A living person
  can also use one of these stones and will experience the
  memory just as a ghost would. If the original memory donor
  uses the stone, she will regain her memory of the event.
  A thriving trade in these stones has sprung up among
  the dead, and many unscrupulous dealers go so far as to
  secretly haunt, torture or kill the families of potential
  memory donors, before approaching them with the offer of
  removing their tragic memories. In some areas, such as the
  lands of the Bodhisattva Anointed by Dark Waters, plac-
  ing memories in these stones is considered just another
  duty that the living owe the dead. The living willingly
  sacrifice their memories and their associated passions,
  leaving themselves blandly happy and void of painful
  thoughts that might disturb them.
  Artifact Traits:
  Power •, Usefulness ••, Game Impact ••, Script
  Immunity ••;
  Drawback •• (Notoriety ••)
  STORM-RUNNING BOOTS (ARTIFACT •)
  These boots were made to take advantage of the
  storms that sweep across the Underworld. Sewn from
  savanna lion skin and set with soulsteel rivets, they draw
  on the raw energies of the tempests, and give the wearer
  the ability to run through a storm while not being affected
  by it, so long as he travels with the storm and does not stop.
  The wearer of the storm-running boots must first
  commit 3 motes of Essence to attune himself to them.
  Once this is done, if he is within an area of the Underworld
  that is currently being hit by a storm, he may run at full
  speed without growing tired and without being in any way
  affected by the weather. This effect only works for as long
  as he is actually moving (walking round in small circles
  won’t work) and within the storm. If he reaches a calm
  area, or if he stops, the enchantment ceases, and all travel
  is as it would normally be.
  Someone wearing storm-running boots can carry an-
  other person, assuming he is physically capable of lifting
  her, but he cannot share the enchantment with other
  people next to him or holding his hands. Such fellow
  travelers will grow tired and suffer all the inconveniences
  of Underworld storms. The weather itself is left to the
  Storyteller’s discretion, and the storm may not always be
  blown across the plains of the Underworld in the direction
  that the character might desire.
  Artifact Traits:
  Power •, Usefulness ••, Game Impact ••, Script
  Immunity •••;
  Drawback ••• (Component ••, Notoriety •)
  STORM-WARDING PARASOL (ARTIFACT •, ••
  FOR THE LARGE VERSION)
  This parasol of black silk is set on an ebony frame and
  embroidered with human hair and soulsteel thread. When
  raised, it protects its owner from the storms that wrack the
  Underworld, shielding her from rain and blood and hail and
  bone alike. She will hear the pattering of whatever sub-
  stance the storm is composed of against the parasol and
  observe it raining down around her, but she will not feel any
  impact other than that of a gentle rain against the black silk.
  It is possible to obtain larger versions of this artifact
  (Artifact ••) that seem the normal size at first but expand
  to a circle five yards wide when raised and can thus shelter
  several people at once. Again, all those beneath the shelter
  of the storm-warding parasol remain dry and safe from the
  weather, however vicious and dangerous it may be beyond
  the area magically protected by the parasol. It bears noting
  that a storm-warding parasol does not protect its user
  against dangers of the landscape. If torrential rain causes a
  flood or a landslide, then the parasol’s user must deal with
  that herself.
  Artifact Traits:
  Power •, Usefulness ••, Game Impact •, Script
  Immunity ••;
  Drawback ••• (Component ••, Notoriety •)
  THIRST-QUENCHING PITCHER (ARTIFACT •)
  When fed with the blood of the living, this pitcher
  pours forth any drink that the holder has tasted and can
  remember, from the finest wines to grace the Empress’ table
  to bitter ales from the Far North. It cannot produce poisons
  or drinks that are poisoned, but it will replicate high-quality
  alcohol that will allow the dead to forget their woes for a
  
  63
  CHAPTER THREE • THE WONDERS OF THE DEAD
  little while. A single health level of lethal damage will
  provide enough blood for one glass of the pourer’s choice of
  beverage. She must place the blood in the pitcher and then
  pour it out while concentrating on whatever type of drink
  she wants. Dried blood is ineffective, and blood more than
  a day old will produce a drink that has a faint patina of age
  and no longer tastes wholly fresh.
  Thirst-quenching pitchers come in many different
  shapes and sizes, from small porcelain jugs that will fill a
  single glass to large onyx urns that can provide drink for a
  dozen feasters. In some mighty households, it is as impor-
  tant to have a servant or chamberlain who has sampled
  numerous vintages as it is to have a pitcher, so that a
  sufficient variety of drinks is available. To drink blood
  from a pitcher without bothering to change it to some
  other liquid is seen as either gauche, or as making a daring
  statement of personal fashion, depending on the social
  position of the person doing so.
  Artifact Traits:
  Power •, Usefulness ••, Game Impact •, Script
  Immunity ••;
  Drawback •• (Component •, Notoriety •)
  THE TONGUE-BINDER (ARTIFACT •)
  When donned, this thin soulsteel chain lies closely
  around its wearer’s throat and seems no more or less than
  any other necklace, and the pendant hanging from it is
  merely an elegant, inch-long, stylized representation of a
  snake. However, the tongue-binder’s true potency comes
  into effect when it is invoked by its owner to bear witness
  that she speaks the truth. The serpent-pendant begins to
  slowly writhe, and the chain wriggles against her flesh. If
  its wearer knowingly tells a lie of any degree, the serpent
  breaks loose from its chain, digs into the flesh of her neck,
  wriggles up inside her throat and bites off her tongue. This
  will cause a level of lethal damage to the wearer and is also
  immensely obvious to any onlookers.
  Nothing stops the wearer from removing this necklace.
  However, in the treacherous world of the dead, it is often
  worn by ghosts and humans living in shadowlands so that
  they can prove that they are speaking the truth. It must be
  deliberately invoked in the name of Oblivion to cause it to
  function, and it will only work if the wearer knowingly lies.
  If she honestly recounts a fact that she does not know to be
  false, the serpent will not react, and she will not be harmed.
  Artifact Traits:
  Power •, Usefulness ••, Game Impact ••, Script
  Immunity ••;
  Drawback •• (Component •, Notoriety •)
  WHIP OF THE DEAD (ARTIFACT •)
  This whip is made from leather flayed from the corpse
  of a leviathan, with soulsteel barbs on the end and soulsteel
  wire wound around the butt. Any ghost or animal creature
  of the Underworld will instinctively fear it and will make
  an extra effort to please its wielder and fulfil his wishes.
  Carrying this whip gives an extra dice on all Ride rolls,
  while actively using it on one’s steed gives the rider two
  extra dice for that particular Ride roll but inflicts a level of
  bashing damage to his steed.
  Artifact Traits:
  Power ••, Usefulness ••, Game Impact •, Script
  Immunity ••;
  Drawback ••• (Component ••, Notoriety •)
  BAG OF HARVESTED PLAGUES (ARTIFACT ••)
  The illnesses that have slain the dead can, in turn, be
  let loose upon the living once again. This black silk sack is
  three handwidths across and is embroidered with the
  names of sicknesses from across Creation with black silk
  thread and the hair of those who died from contagious
  fevers. It has two main functions: to “trap” a disease and to
  “release” it. To “trap” a disease, the bag must be held to the
  mouth of one of the dead who died from such a disease, and
  the owner of the bag must spend a mote of Essence. This
  has no effect on the dead himself. Up to five different
  diseases may be held within the bag at any one time, but
  multiple applications of the same disease have no effect.
  To “release” a disease, the holder opens the bag and
  shakes it in the direction of a living person, from a distance
  of five yards or less. The victim’s player must make a separate
  Stamina + Resistance check for each of the diseases in the
  bag, as they cannot be released one at a time, but must all be
  discharged together. Should the victim’s player fail his
  check against the Virulence of a particular disease (see
  Exalted, pp. 319-321), then the victim contracts it. No
  other living people nearby will catch anything from the bag,
  though they are at normal risk of infection from an illness-
  ridden victim. This artifact cannot trap or release the Great
  Contagion. Nothing less than the Well of Udr could hold
  such a thing, and any attempt to trap the Great Contagion
  in a bag of harvested plagues will destroy the bag.
  Artifact Traits:
  Power •••, Usefulness •••, Game Impact ••, Script
  Immunity •;
  Drawback •• (Component •, Notoriety •)
  BONE BRIDGE (ARTIFACT ••)
  This chain of human vertebrae, linked together with
  dried human sinews, is flexible enough to be worn as a belt
  or coiled around a forearm. Its true purpose, however, is to
  form a convenient bridge over rivers, marshes, or gaps in
  the ground. The owner must attune to it, which requires
  committing 5 motes of Essence, but once this is done, she
  can use it freely. All that she needs to do is to cast it down
  in front of her, over a river or chasm or soft ground or
  similar gap, and the chain of vertebrae will grow and arch
  into a curved bone bridge three feet wide. The bridge can
  span a gap of up to 100 yards, but no further. It will remain
  solid and in place until its owner places her hand on it and
  
  EXALTED • BOOK OF BONE AND EBONY
  64
  wishes for it to resume its smaller form, and she can do this
  from either side of the bridge — or even while standing on
  it. It will then shrink, returning to being a chain of
  vertebrae in her hand. If people should still be on the
  bridge at this point, they will fall.
  Artifact Traits:
  Power ••, Usefulness •••, Game Impact ••, Script
  Immunity ••;
  Drawback •• (Component •, Notoriety •)
  BONE HARPOON (ARTIFACT ••)
  This barbed harpoon is carved from the bones of a
  dead behemoth, inlaid with soulsteel, and is paired with a
  soulsteel gauntlet. Most of the time, only the gauntlet
  exists, but at a moment’s notice, the wearer of the gauntlet
  can summon up the harpoon. The harpoon may be used in
  hand-to-hand combat, and it has the statistics of a dire
  lance (see Exalted, p. 342) under those circumstances.
  However, it has another use.
  If thrown so that it strikes a target (the throw must
  connect, and the target must suffer at least one level of
  damage), then the user can spend a mote of Essence to
  invoke the harpoon’s true power. A soulsteel chain shim-
  mers into existence between the gauntlet and the harpoon,
  and it promptly tightens, dragging the target to a mere
  three feet away from the harpoon’s owner, at which point
  the chain vanishes, leaving the butt of the harpoon in the
  owner’s gauntleted hand. The harpoon may be thrown
  again, or it may be used in hand-to-hand combat, as the
  owner wishes.
  In order to drag the target to him, the Harpoon’s
  owner must oppose his Strength + Melee to the target’s
  Strength + Endurance. If the player of the harpoon’s owner
  scores equal or more successes, then the target is dragged
  across to the wielder of the harpoon, though this does not
  cause additional damage. This takes a full combat turn. If
  the target’s player scores more successes, then the target
  can remain where she is standing, though the harpoon is
  still in her flesh and the chain still exists. The harpoon’s
  owner may attempt to drag her to his feet again next turn,
  or he may choose to let the chain vanish and retrieve the
  harpoon at his leisure.
  Artifact Traits:
  Power ••, Usefulness ••••, Game Impact ••, Script
  Immunity •••;
  Drawback •• (Component •, Notoriety •)
  BRACELETS OF PASSIONATE ARTISTRY
  (ARTIFACT ••)
  These hammered soulsteel bracelets are several inches
  wide, stretching halfway up the forearm, but always precisely
  fit their owner, however large or small his arms. They raise the
  owner’s Craft, giving him a bonus of one die to all rolls
  involving works of art or craft that he creates while wearing
  them. If he is working in an area where he actually has a
  specialization (such as Soulsteel or First Age Weapons) then
  he gains a bonus of two dice, as the bracelets respond
  particularly well to directed and focused passion for crafting.
  The bracelets are made of soulsteel that has been
  hammered from the ghosts of craftsmen and is unornamented
  other than the single small soulfire crystal which is set in
  each bracelet. When their owner is working, the bracelets
  croon in wailing occult harmony as they remember their joy
  in craftwork. The bracelets can be separated, but they must
  both be worn to be effective. If one is destroyed, the other
  immediately shatters and falls to dust.
  Artifact Traits:
  Power •, Usefulness •••, Game Impact •, Script
  Immunity ••;
  Drawback •• (Component •, Notoriety •)
  CANDELABRUM OF REMEMBERED KIN
  (ARTIFACT ••)
  Sometimes, the dead wish to see how their living kin
  fare. And, if they are willing to pay the price, there are ways
  of doing so. This slender, five-branched candelabrum is
  made of soulsteel, set with garnets and onyx from the
  mines of the Underworld, and it offers the dead the chance
  to briefly see their families again. When candles of a
  certain formulation are placed in the candelabra and lit in
  a certain way, the smoke rises from the holders on the four
  outer arms and the innermost socket and forms a circular
  window in the air. This window, which is a full yard in
  diameter, will display the particular family member of
  whom the candle-lighter was thinking, for as long as the
  candles burn, even if the family member moves around
  during that period. The power of the artifact can be
  protected against by countermagic or by spells that block
  scrying and sorcerous spying.
  The candles must be made from a particular mixture
  of pounded ash, juniper berries and melted wax from used
  funeral candles, with wicks of linen taken from the shrouds
  of members of the family in question. Another family
  member must light the candles and must be directly linked
  by blood to the descendant (or ancestor, if still alive) who
  is the target of observation. The candles will burn for a
  maximum of half an hour. If blown out before that time is
  over, they can be relit and reused. The candelabrum itself
  may be used a maximum of five times a day, assuming that
  the owner has sufficient candles for his wishes. Those who
  are observed through it may, on a successful Perception +
  Occult roll at a difficulty of 7, smell juniper and ash in the
  air and see a faint shadow of smoke hovering where no
  smoke should be.
  Artifact Traits:
  Power ••, Usefulness ••, Game Impact •, Script
  Immunity ••;
  Drawback •••• (Component ••, Notoriety ••)
  
  65
  CHAPTER THREE • THE WONDERS OF THE DEAD
  CHAIR OF GUILTY SORROWS (ARTIFACT ••)
  This throne-like chair is carved from solid black
  marble and ornamented with silver and white jade and
  starmetal. When one of the dead sits in it, the chair glues
  itself to him, clinging to his legs and buttocks and back
  with a supernatural strength and forcing him to remain
  there. Once it has a victim trapped, serpent heads carved
  on the arms of the chair open their mouths and begin to
  intone a list of all the victim’s crimes in life, drawing on the
  victim’s own feelings of guilt and shame. Once they have
  gone through a full list of all the victim’s wrongdoings,
  they begin again. These “crimes” are those for which the
  victim actually feels personal guilt, rather than any sort of
  universal moral truth. If the victim’s Essence + Willpower
  is 10 or more, then the chair cannot read his guilt and will
  not trap him.
  In order to remove himself from the chair, the victim
  either must confess to each crime as it is listed by the chair
  or must be forcibly torn from it. If he confesses to all the
  crimes, then he can simply get up and walk away. If he tries
  to rip himself loose or to have friends rip him loose, then
  all those involved in the attempt may combine their
  Strength + Athletics (by adding it together) and will need
  to score five or more successes against a difficulty of 7. For
  each success less than a total of 10, the victim takes a die
  of lethal damage due to parts of his body remaining stuck
  to the chair (natural soak only), and he always takes at
  least one level of lethal damage. Sapphire or Adamant
  Countermagic will also break the chair’s hold, but only for
  a minute. After that time, the chair attempts to reassert its
  hold on the victim, and if he has not been removed, it will
  clasp his flesh again.
  Artifact Traits:
  Power •••, Usefulness ••, Game Impact •••, Script
  Immunity ••;
  Drawback ••• (Component •, Notoriety ••)
  CLOAK OF VERMIN (ARTIFACT ••)
  This rich cloak of black fur is, in fact, composed of the
  ghosts of hundreds of plague rats, woven together by
  sorcery and still metaphysically rife with malice and hun-
  ger. With a single word, the wearer of the cloak can
  transform it into a seething mass of yellow-toothed rats
  and set the rats on his enemies. Particularly sadistic wear-
  ers of this cloak in the past have even pretended that the
  cloak was a gift to a friend or lover and waited till it was set
  around the other person’s shoulders before calling forth
  the rats of the cloak to devour her. The rats can be directed
  at a particular target, but they only know how to attack and
  cannot perform any complex maneuvers.
  Treat the swarm of rats as a single creature with the
  statistics of a great cat (see Exalted, p. 316) but automati-
  cally doing both biting and clawing attack every turn to a
  single target. Even if the rats are slain, the cloak will still
  reform at the owner’s wish and will be fully functional
  again at the next dark of the moon. Only flame, sorcery or
  Charms can permanently destroy it.
  Artifact Traits:
  Power ••, Usefulness •••, Game Impact ••, Script
  Immunity •••;
  Drawback •• (Component •, Notoriety •)
  ESSENCE DICE (ARTIFACT ••,
  ••• FOR HEALTH LEVELS)
  These dice have been carved out of bone, inlaid with
  ebon shadow taken directly from the pupils of the eyes of
  helpless ghosts and treated with Arcanoi that allow those
  who use them to transfer Essence between each other
  through a bet. This works for both the living and the dead.
  Wagers must be between the owner and another person or
  between two people with the owner standing as arbiter,
  and the owner must state the terms of the wager clearly
  before the dice are thrown. The dice absorb Essence from
  those who have made the wager, using a form of Filling the
  Precious Vial (see Exalted: The Abyssals, p. 247), and
  then, they restore it to the person who wins the wager. Any
  Essence that the winner cannot hold is lost. The dice are
  found in sets of two to ten, but they need not all be used at
  the same time. A maximum of 5 motes of Essence can be
  wagered on any one bet.
  A much rarer form of this artifact can also hold health
  levels of lethal damage as part of the wager, so that ghosts
  can bet their very existences in hopes of winning more
  Essence or healing their wounds. A ghost who destroys
  herself in this way, by gambling away all her health levels,
  automatically casts herself into Lethe unless restrained
  with soulsteel chains or otherwise destined for Oblivion.
  Artifact Traits:
  Power •••, Usefulness ••, Game Impact •••, Script
  Immunity •••;
  Drawback ••• (Component •, Notoriety ••)
  FINGERBONE BRACELET (ARTIFACT ••)
  This pale bracelet is woven from fingerbones, which
  are, in turn, linked together with thin dry sinew and
  tanned human skin. To make it work, the wearer puts the
  heel of her hand against a lock that she wishes to open, and
  spends a mote of Essence. The fingerbones pry themselves
  loose from the bracelet and wriggle down her hand to the
  lock, where they attempt to open it. The bracelet is
  thwarted by magical locks, but it can open any normal
  lock, from the complicated settings on a Guild strongbox
  to the simple padlock on a shed door. It takes one minute
  to open a lock, assuming that the artifact is not thwarted
  by magic, however complex the lock is. Once the lock is
  open, the fingerbones return to the bracelet and cling
  there once again. In the event there are several locks on
  the same door, multiple applications of the bracelet will be
  
  EXALTED • BOOK OF BONE AND EBONY
  66
  necessary to open them all. The fingerbone bracelet is
  quite a well known type of artifact, and people who openly
  wear such a bracelet are often suspected of larcenous
  intentions automatically, whether or not such suspicions
  are justified.
  Artifact Traits:
  Power ••, Usefulness •••, Game Impact ••, Script
  Immunity •••;
  Drawback •• (Component •, Notoriety ••)
  HAIRPIN BLADE (ARTIFACT ••)
  This slender, white-jade hairpin is, on closer inspec-
  tion, an artfully carved miniature model of a full daiklave,
  though a mere five inches long. If its owner commits 5
  motes of Essence to it, she can use the hairpin’s full powers
  and, at a moment’s notice, lay her hand on it and expand
  it to a full daiklave — as such, it has all the normal statistics
  for a jade daiklave (see Exalted, pp. 340-342), though it
  does not have any sockets for Hearthstones. The hairpin
  blade remains at full size for the rest of the scene or until
  the owner chooses to shrink it back to hairpin size again.
  It may also be concealed elsewhere in the body beside the
  hair, if the owner so chooses, or even carried in a piercing
  of the flesh.
  Artifact Traits:
  Power ••, Usefulness •••, Game Impact ••, Script
  Immunity •••;
  Drawback • (Component •, Notoriety •)
  HILT OF THE BLOODY SWORD (ARTIFACT ••,
  ••• IF HEARTHSTONE SETTING)
  This is a hilt without a blade, a carved masterwork of
  white jade veined with dark crimson. To transform the hilt
  into a full sword, the wielder must dip the hilt into freshly
  spilled blood. The Hilt will suck up the blood and form a
  blade of dark-red, shimmering crystal. This requires a
  quantity of blood equal to a health level’s worth of lethal
  damage, which may come from the hilt’s wielder or from
  any other donor, willing or unwilling. The resultant sword
  has the statistics of a jade daiklave (see Exalted, pp. 340-
  342). It returns to its normal form at the end of the scene
  or whenever its wielder so desires, the blade dissolving
  back into blood again, leaving only the hilt. Some of these
  hilts have a setting for a Hearthstone, but they are far rarer
  than the normal sort.
  Artifact Traits:
  Power ••, Usefulness •••, Game Impact ••, Script
  Immunity •••;
  Drawback •• (Component •, Notoriety •)
  INKBRUSH OF THE HEART’S DESIRE (ARTIFACT ••)
  This delicate, white-jade inkbrush contains a variant
  on the Arcanos Extension of the Friendly Gaze (see Exalted:
  The Abyssals, p. 251). To use it, its owner must have an
  uninterrupted line of sight toward the target — though she
  
  67
  CHAPTER THREE • THE WONDERS OF THE DEAD
  may be at a distance of up to 100 yards away and the target
  need not know of her presence — and must spend an hour
  painting the target on a blank surface, using the inkbrush.
  The player of the painter must then roll her character’s
  Perception + Craft (with any modifiers for painting) against
  a difficulty of the target’s permanent Essence. The number
  of successes scored is the number of the target’s Fetters that
  appear around him in the painting. In the event of only some
  of the Fetters appearing, then the strongest appear first until
  the total number of successes is reached.
  The Fetters appear as they were in the target’s memory
  of them, rather than as they may currently be in the world
  of the living. Any clear surface may be used for this art,
  from expensive silk to plain canvas or leather to the wall
  of a room. Once the painting is complete, it does not
  change and is as durable or as fragile as the surface on
  which it is painted.
  Artifact Traits:
  Power ••, Usefulness ••, Game Impact ••, Script
  Immunity •••;
  Drawback •• (Component •, Notoriety •)
  THE LOOM OF COBWEBS (ARTIFACT ••)
  Though the Sidereals would deny it, this loom surely
  owes something to the pattern spiders. The frame of the
  Loom of Cobwebs is carved from ivory and inlaid with
  chips of human bone, and the shuttles — which move by
  themselves, on command — are ebony spiders with deep
  garnet eyes. When fed with bobbins of raw silk and human
  hair taken from corpses, the Loom produces a tapestry
  showing the future of a given target, who must be either
  dead or an Abyssal. It depicts an event from the target’s
  future, which will occur within a year. The owner of the
  Loom has no control over when or where the event will be,
  and if he attempts to read the same target’s future again, he
  may receive the same tapestry as a result or a complete
  different one.
  The Loom does not require too much in the way of
  ingredients, and a single head’s worth of hair is sufficient
  for one tapestry. The resulting tapestries can be removed
  from the Loom and may be kept for as long as the owner
  wishes, though they are as fragile, as one would expect
  items woven of hair and silk to be, and are extremely
  flammable. The Loom takes a whole day to weave a
  tapestry, but it may be used continuously if the owner has
  sufficient raw materials. Incidentally, Abyssals react rather
  poorly to having other people attempt to divine their
  futures without permission, even using so simple a tool as
  the Loom of Cobwebs, and investigate rumors of such
  artifacts with extreme prejudice.
  Artifact Traits:
  Power ••, Usefulness ••, Game Impact •••, Script
  Immunity ••;
  Drawback •• (Component •, Notoriety •)
  ONYX SOUL WINDOW (ARTIFACT ••)
  Carved from obsidian and bound in place with crim-
  son ribbons, this circular lens is set in front of either the left
  or the right eye, and requires a commitment of 5 motes of
  Essence for attunement. Once it is set in place and attuned
  to, it provides automatic and constant use of the Spirit-
  Catching Eye Technique Arcanos (see Exalted: The
  Abyssals, p. 248) and use at will of the Sensing the
  Delicate Strands Arcanos (see Exalted: The Abyssals, pp.
  252-253) at the usual price for that Arcanos. Wearers
  often choose to conceal it, while keeping it at hand for
  quick use, by wearing an eyepatch over it. This artifact
  does have one important flaw, however. Its wearer will
  always be visible to other ghosts as though they were using
  Spirit-Catching Eye Technique, however much he tries to
  conceal himself. The only way of preventing this is for the
  wearer to remove the onyx soul window from his eye. Even
  though he remains attuned to it, he can now go unseen.
  Artifact Traits:
  Power •, Usefulness •••, Game Impact ••, Script
  Immunity ••;
  Drawback ••• (Component •, Notoriety ••)
  PATCH HIDE ARMOR (ARTIFACT ••,
  ••• FOR NO LOSS OF APPEARANCE)
  There are many ways for a ghost to armor herself in the
  Underworld, and this is one of them. The wearer has the
  skin peeled from parts of her body, and raw hide torn from
  spectres deep in the Labyrinth is fastened in its place with
  soulsteel rivets that pattern their way across her body. This
  process may render the ghost surprisingly attractive, if the
  hide was taken from a pallid alabaster-skinned spectre, or
  it may make her vile and unappealing, if it came from some
  scaled, rotting creature of foulness. In either case, it makes
  her tougher. In return for a permanent commitment of 3
  motes of Essence, and a great deal of pain, the ghost gains
  a bonus of 6L/4B to any other soak she may have. It also
  most often results in an Appearance penalty of -2, due to
  the abhorrent resulting patchwork appearance. Versions
  without the Appearance penalty are Artifact •••.
  Artifact Traits:
  Power ••, Usefulness •••, Game Impact ••, Script
  Immunity •••;
  Drawback •• (Component •, Notoriety •)
  RING OF FLIES (ARTIFACT ••)
  This chased garnet band is, on closer inspection, carved
  with the tiny figures of thousands of blowflies crawling over
  one another. By spending 5 motes of Essence, the wearer of
  the ring can manifest in a shadowland, or even in Creation
  itself, as a throbbing swarm of blowflies. While this swarm
  can use Arcanoi or spells, it has no solid substance and
  cannot make any physical attacks or use any weapons. It
  can, however, travel freely and rapidly, moving at the speed
  
  EXALTED • BOOK OF BONE AND EBONY
  68
  of a fast horse and can deform its shape sufficiently to enter
  under a door or through a partly open window or anywhere
  else that flies can travel. It can also speak with a droning
  voice composed of the buzzing of its members.
  This manifestation is extremely weak. The mass of
  flies is treated as having the normal Strength, Dexterity,
  Stamina and Dodge of the character, but if a single blow
  connects with the swarm, the flies will be scattered and the
  ring’s effect broken. Sorcery, fire or Charms connecting
  with the swarm will also break it asunder. Normal winds
  are insufficient to scatter the blowflies, but gale-force
  winds will do so, unless the swarm can find cover first.
  When the ring’s effect is broken, the wearer is forced to
  return to his natural state as a ghost. If currently in a
  shadowland, he is safe enough, but if in a living part of
  Creation, he is cast into the corresponding part of the
  Underworld and cannot use the ring again until the next
  dark of the moon.
  Artifact Traits:
  Power ••, Usefulness •••, Game Impact ••, Script
  Immunity •••;
  Drawback •• (Component •, Notoriety •)
  SACRIFICIAL GEM (ARTIFACT ••)
  Sometimes, the dead wish to intervene to aid the
  living, especially when they see their living kin or lovers
  suffering from the resentments of little gods. One of these
  gems will allow a ghost to bear some form of minor curse or
  spell that has been directed at a living person whom he
  wishes to protect. The effect cannot be more than a single
  dice roll’s worth of penalty in a particular area or the
  persistent loss of a single Attribute point. The ghost who
  is using the Gem suffers all the effects of the penalty that
  would otherwise be inflicted on its natural victim. This
  ceases if the ghost chooses to restore the curse to its natural
  owner (though he cannot then sacrifice himself a second
  time) or if the curse or magical effect is somehow lifted
  from the original victim, such as by the little god forgiving
  her for her offense.
  Sacrificial gems are faceted gems the length of a
  woman’s finger, clear when not in effect and obsidian-dark
  when working. They are usually set in some form of
  jewelry, such as a bracelet or necklace or belt buckle. To
  take effect, they require an arcane link to the person
  currently suffering from the magical effect in question, an
  emotional or familial link of some sort between the ghost
  and the victim — a ghost cannot sacrifice herself for a
  target for whom she knows or feels nothing — and full
  knowledge of the curse that is currently affecting the
  target. If the curse is too serious for the gem to transfer,
  then nothing happens.
  Artifact Traits:
  Power ••, Usefulness ••, Game Impact •••, Script
  Immunity •••;
  Drawback •• (Component •, Notoriety •)
  SHADOW GLOVES (ARTIFACT ••)
  These gloves are of thin black leather, strangely warm
  to the touch. When donned, their wearer can use them to
  shape shadow itself into a solid form. While what the
  gloves produce will only last for a short time, it may remain
  whole for long enough to be of crucial value in a crisis. The
  elegance of the object produced depends on the wearer’s
  abilities, but crudely functional items are easy to shape —
  assuming that there’s shadow in the vicinity.
  If the wearer wishes to use the gloves, he must be
  wearing them, and he must spend 3 motes of Essence for
  any object that he wishes to create. He then reaches into
  the most convenient area of shadow and pulls out a length
  of darkness as though it were clay. His skill in producing
  the desired result depends on the number of successes his
  player garners on a Perception + Craft roll against a
  difficulty of 5, but the character cannot benefit from more
  successes than he has points of permanent Essence. The
  number of successes required for whatever the user wishes
  to create is up to the Storyteller. A single success creates a
  rough bar of iron, a shapeless mass of dark cotton or a plain
  clay urn. Three successes create a well-balanced weapon,
  a helm or cuirass of dark iron or a necklace of onyx gems.
  Five or more successes could create perfectly crafted steel
  weapons, armor that kings among the living would beg to
  wear or a statue so beautiful that scholars would marvel at
  the artist’s skill. Items of up to the user’s size may be created
  of any material (except the Five Magical Materials), so
  long as they are black. All items vanish after 24 hours,
  whatever is done to preserve them.
  Artifact Traits:
  Power ••, Usefulness ••••, Game Impact ••, Script
  Immunity •••;
  Drawback •• (Component •, Notoriety •)
  SHADOW PEACOCK EARRING (ARTIFACT ••)
  When a ghost wants to influence others, he frequently
  wishes to do so without obviously using any artifacts or
  employing Arcanoi to change their way of thinking. One
  of these earrings — an inch-wide black opal disc, in a pale
  silver setting — can be worn and used inconspicuously, but
  has impressive effects on a victim.
  When the wearer chooses to spend 2 motes of Essence,
  the earring begins to sparkle darkly and hypnotically, with
  shadows like eyes flickering inside the gem. It imperceptibly
  draws the attention of the person to whom the wearer is
  speaking and lulls him into a vague and suggestible state,
  making whatever the wearer says sound very reasonable.
  Plausible suggestions, such as, “We’re private emissaries
  here to see the Deathlord,” will be accepted, as will state-
  ments such as, “We’re not the fugitives. They must have
  gone that way.” The victim’s player should make a Will-
  power roll against a difficulty of 5 each turn, gaining a +1 for
  each turn of exposure to the effect. If the player gains 10
  
  69
  CHAPTER THREE • THE WONDERS OF THE DEAD
  cumulative successes, then on the next turn, his character’s
  Willpower returns to normal, and the earring loses its
  influence. He will remember what the wearer of the earring
  told him as being the truth, assuming that it is not inherently
  implausible or contradictory. Bystanders will probably not
  notice any sorcery in progress (requires five successes on a
  Perception + Occult roll against a difficulty of 4 to notice
  that the earring is sparkling oddly) but may notice that the
  victim is behaving in an oddly suggestible fashion. What
  they choose to do about it may depend on the situation —
  soldiers on patrol are unlikely to directly question their
  captain, for instance.
  Artifact Traits:
  Power ••, Usefulness •••, Game Impact ••, Script
  Immunity ••;
  Drawback •• (Component •, Notoriety •)
  THE SPEAKING DAGGER (ARTIFACT ••)
  This dagger is soulsteel work, with all that that im-
  plies. It is set with a star ruby in the hilt and forged so that
  the crossguard is shaped like a closed mouth. It can be used
  to steal the voice from a dying enemy and then to speak
  with it. To use it, the wielder must slay the target (or at
  least deliver the fatal blow) with the Speaking Dagger, and
  then place the dagger in his victim’s mouth. The Speaking
  Dagger will devour the victim’s tongue and, together with
  it, the knowledge that the victim held in his dying mo-
  ments. It cannot devour the tongue and knowledge of a
  being who had Essence •••• or greater.
  At any point afterward, the Speaking Dagger’s holder
  may feed it with his own blood or ghostly plasm (one level
  of lethal damage) and 5 motes of Essence and command it
  to speak. The lips on the dagger’s crossguard will open, and
  it will truthfully answer any question that it may be asked,
  based on the victim’s knowledge and opinions, to a maxi-
  mum of three questions. After that, the Speaking Dagger
  falls silent and cannot be questioned about that particular
  victim again. The Speaking Dagger can only hold one
  person’s tongue at any given time but can hold it for an
  indefinite period. If ordered to devour a new tongue, any
  previous knowledge that it held is discarded. If simply used
  in battle, it has the normal statistics for a dagger forged
  from soulsteel.
  Artifact Traits:
  Power ••, Usefulness •••, Game Impact •••, Script
  Immunity •••;
  Drawback •••• (Component ••, Notoriety ••)
  WHISPERING FAN (ARTIFACT ••)
  Made of charcoal and red feathers, with etched
  soulsteel struts, this fan can be used to send messages across
  the Underworld. Its holder raises it to his lips, unfolds it,
  murmurs a name to it followed by a message of 13 words or
  less and then waves the fan away from him. The message
  will speed the length and breadth of the Underworld and
  will be whispered into the ear of the recipient, who will
  hear it at that moment as clearly as though the whispering
  fan’s holder were standing beside him.
  Unfortunately, while several of these fans exist, they
  are limited in power. Any sort of magical protection
  surrounding the person for whom the message is destined
  will prevent the message from reaching him, whether it is
  centered on him or merely around his vicinity. These fans
  can also only be used three times a day, and after the third
  use, they will shut themselves with a click and cannot be
  reopened until the next dusk. They will carry a message to
  someone who is currently in a shadowland if it is night in
  Creation and will work anywhere during Calibration. The
  feathers that compose these fans are taken from pyre
  hawks, who will attack anybody seen bearing a fan unless
  prevented from doing so by some other means.
  Artifact Traits:
  Power ••, Usefulness ••, Game Impact ••, Script
  Immunity •••;
  Drawback ••• (Component ••, Notoriety •)
  WORM-RIDDEN VEIL (ARTIFACT ••)
  This item, much in demand among those of the dead
  who wish to disguise themselves, appears to be a simple
  length of rotting gray silk, fraying at the edges and with its
  white embroidery stained and dirty from wear. However,
  when it is wrapped around the face and body and the
  wearer spends 3 motes of Essence, the veil swells and
  billows to become a draping shroud that manages to
  conceal the wearer from head to foot. The cloth itself,
  though smeared with cobwebs and apparently alive with
  grave-worms, somehow always falls at just the right angles
  to conceal the face and hands and any weapons smaller
  than a dire lance or a grand daiklave.
  All that the onlooker can tell is that the person before
  him is roughly large, small or of medium size — everything
  else is hidden in the wind-blown folds of shadowy silk. The
  wearer’s voice is also modulated by the worm-ridden veil,
  distorted to a rasping hiss like the voice of a spectre. While
  Charms or sorcery can pierce the veil’s concealment, no
  mere mortal vision can do so. However, if the wearer of the
  veil launches an attack on someone or directs sorcery at
  anyone other than herself, then the enchantment is bro-
  ken. On the turn after the attack, the veil shrinks and falls
  away to the ground, leaving the wearer as he would appear
  normally. If not dispelled by an attack, removed by force or
  deactivated by the owner’s own desire, the veil resumes its
  normal state at the end of the scene.
  Artifact Traits:
  Power ••, Usefulness •••, Game Impact ••, Script
  Immunity ••;
  Drawback ••• (Component •, Notoriety ••)
  
  EXALTED • BOOK OF BONE AND EBONY
  70
  BATH THAT WARMS (ARTIFACT •••)
  For those dead who wish to be reembodied and to walk
  among the living again, a way may be found, if they are
  willing to pay the price — or, more accurately, to have
  others pay it for them. If they tire of shivering in the eternal
  cold of the Underworld, driven before the stormwinds and
  chilled by the constant breath that emanates from the
  mouth of Oblivion itself, they can acquire temporary
  bodies that will serve for a brief while in the living world.
  There is a bath carved out of black marble and onyx, with
  soulsteel channels leading into it, more than large enough
  for a single person to recline at ease. If the bath is filled with
  a large quantity of human blood and a ghost immerses
  herself in that blood, or if she lies there while the blood is
  poured over her, then the magics within the bath will
  combine to recreate, in the full beauty of its youth, the
  body she had while she still lived.
  The minimum amount of blood needed to use the
  bath is seven health levels of lethal damage, which can
  come from one victim or several victims. This blood will
  create a body for the ghost that will last a single day. More
  blood will create a body that will last proportionally
  longer. Once the allotted time is over, the body falls to
  dust, forcing the ghost to flee to wherever can sustain her.
  If she retires to the bath before her body deliquesces and
  immerses herself in fresh blood, then her body is renewed
  for a number of days appropriate to the amount of blood.
  The blood itself must be fresh (taken within the last 15
  minutes) and still warm. The body will be a normal human
  specimen, breathing and warm, and the ghost may use any
  Arcanoi she possesses while embodied in this way.
  Artifact Traits:
  Power ••, Usefulness •••, Game Impact •••, Script
  Immunity •••;
  Drawback ••• (Component •, Notoriety ••)
  BELL OF THE ENDLESS CARAVAN (ARTIFACT •••)
  This dark bell, the size of a grown man’s fists put
  together, is carved with strange symbols and runes of jour-
  neying and is set on an ebony handle. Its clapper is a camel’s
  tooth, inlaid with soulsteel. When the bell is not being used,
  silk packing is stuffed inside it to stop it sounding acciden-
  tally. These bells are prized possessions among traders and
  travelers who want to cross the vast deserts in the South of
  the Underworld, but they are also valued by military leaders
  for scouting parties and spying missions.
  When a bell of the endless caravan is rung, a low peal
  echoes out across the desert, and the ghosts of a dozen
  camels rise from the shadowy sands, each harnessed and
  bearing a bundled tent on its back. These camels will serve
  the bell’s holder and have the base statistics and intelli-
  gence of a normal camel, though rather more docility.
  They are not trained for battle, but will remain where they
  are told to stay in the event of fighting and will not be
  panicked into running away. The tents on their backs are
  of black silk and contain all the normal equipment that a
  traveler would find necessary. The camels and tents re-
  main in existence until the bell is rung again or until the
  next Calibration, whichever comes first. If one of the
  camels is slain, then it will be replaced, together with all its
  equipment, the next time the bell is rung.
  Artifact Traits:
  Power •••, Usefulness •••, Game Impact •, Script
  Immunity •••;
  Drawback ••• (Component •, Notoriety ••)
  BOAT OF BONES (ARTIFACT •••)
  This small boat sails in the sky, above the endless
  storms of the Underworld and beneath the strange con-
  stellations of the world of the dead. It is constructed
  entirely of bones and tanned leather, with the skeletal
  wings of a huge spectre attached to either side of the ship
  so that it can fly through the air above. It has no sail, for
  none is necessary, and the figurehead is a human skull,
  whose bony jaws clatter together when the boat’s owner
  gives it orders. These orders may either be given verbally
  or mentally with one hand placed on the boat’s figurehead.
  All Dodge attempts against aerial attacks or misfortune are
  made using the Dodge Ability of its owner.
  The boat itself travels at twice the speed of a raiton
  and may journey at any height from just above the ground
  to above the clouds themselves, depending on the owner’s
  wishes. However, given the storms of the Underworld, it is
  often safer to travel high than low. The boat must be fed
  with a health level’s worth of blood in any month that it
  is to travel, and this blood must be poured over the skull-
  figurehead. If this is not done, then the boat will simply
  stay sitting on the ground, and the jaws of the skull will
  clatter mockingly and hungrily. The boat can continue
  flying or remain floating in the air for up to a month.
  However, if it is kept in the air for this long, it will need to
  rest for a full day afterward and to be fed with twice as much
  blood as usual.
  Artifact Traits:
  Power •••, Usefulness •••, Game Impact ••, Script
  Immunity ••;
  Drawback •••• (Component ••, Maintenance •,
  Notoriety •)
  BOW OF SCREAMING DOOM (ARTIFACT •••)
  The soulsteel chasing of this powerbow is worked with
  screaming faces and twisted bodies. On attunement to the
  bow and commitment of 7 motes of Essence, the owner will
  find that it functions as a soulsteel long powerbow (see
  Exalted, p. 343). By spending additional Essence and
  exercising his will, the owner can also fire arrows that will
  cause the corpses of his slain victims to rise as feral walking
  dead. Each time that the wielder fires an arrow of this
  
  71
  CHAPTER THREE • THE WONDERS OF THE DEAD
  nature, the mouths of the screaming faces embossed in
  the bow’s soulsteel will open their mouths and howl in
  agony.
  If the wielder chooses to spend 5 additional motes
  of Essence, then the bow will taint his next shot with the
  corruption of the walking dead. Should the victim of the
  shot be slain by it, then he will arise as an undead
  creature controlled by a hungry ghost. The resulting
  creature has the physical statistics and abilities of the
  victim who was slain but has an essentially animal
  intelligence, as the hungry ghost seeks only to slaughter
  those around it. It will, however, obey the commands of
  the bow’s wielder. The body of a possessed victim falls to
  pieces and deliquesces a full day after combat. If the
  victim does not die from the wound, then he is safe for
  the moment — from this fate, at least — and the
  wielder’s spent Essence is wasted.
  The bow can only create one feral zombie per turn.
  While it can be used in Archery Charms, or even
  Combos, multiple arrow strikes cannot create feral
  zombies. That requires an individual shot and the
  expenditure of 5 motes of Essence.
  Artifact Traits:
  Power •••, Usefulness ••••, Game Impact •••,
  Script Immunity •••;
  Drawback ••• (Component •, Notoriety ••)
  CHART OF THE FINAL LANDS (ARTIFACT •••)
  Penned on white grave-linen with ink made from
  corpse-ashes, and always pallid and clean however
  dirty its surroundings, this map is woven with en-
  chantment. It requires an investment of 5 motes of
  Essence for the owner to attune herself to it, but once
  this is done, it can not only show the owner’s location
  and surroundings but can also track other people
  across the Underworld.
  In order to identify her own surroundings, the
  owner must unroll the Chart of the Final Lands and
  spend another 5 motes of Essence while concentrating
  on the scale she desires; yards, miles, leagues, tens of
  leagues or hundreds of leagues. The Chart will ripple
  and then redraw itself in shadowy lines, showing the
  owner’s location at the center. Her surroundings are
  marked on the map in the scale that she desired, with
  50 units of the desired scale in each direction. Features
  of the landscape are clearly marked, but buildings only
  have their outer limits indicated on the Chart. The
  exception to this is if the owner is currently inside a
  building and has asked the Chart for the smallest
  possible scale. In that case, the rooms around her will
  be marked, and any secret doors not hidden by magic
  of any circle that prevents scrying will also be evident
  on the Chart. No actual names are written on the
  Chart, except for the five rivers of the Underworld, and
  Stygia itself, should either be within range.
  
  EXALTED • BOOK OF BONE AND EBONY
  72
  An arrow at the top of the map indicates the direction
  of Stygia. Some people claim that this is proof that the
  Chart was first created in Stygia, on the orders of the Dual
  Monarchy. Others point out that the arrow points equally
  at the Well of the Void and murmur of darker origins.
  If the owner wishes to use the Chart to locate someone
  else, then she must have an arcane link of some sort to that
  person: part of the target’s body or a small amount of his
  blood or an artifact belonging (and attuned) to him. She
  feeds the Chart 5 motes of Essence, as before and places the
  body part or artifact against it or pours the blood out onto it,
  while concentrating on the scale of the map that she desires.
  The Chart then displays a map of the target’s location,
  unless he is shielded by Celestial Circle magic or above.
  Artifact Traits:
  Power •••, Usefulness •••, Game Impact ••••, Script
  Immunity •••;
  Drawback •••• (Component •, Maintenance •,
  Notoriety ••)
  THE CODEX OF THE DAMNED (ARTIFACT •••)
  This hefty tome is made from pages of flayed human
  skin, bound with soulsteel, inscribed in blood and marked
  with sigils of power. Even the most casual onlooker can tell
  that it is powerful and dangerous. The first few pages
  promise great might and skill to a reader who dares to claim
  it as her own. Later portions of the book cannot be opened,
  as the pages stick together as though glued by the blood
  that oozes from them. The whole book pulsates like the
  flesh of a man in the throes of passion, and the skin of the
  pages seems to stir and shiver to the touch.
  An owner of the book must spend 5 motes of Essence
  to attune to it. Once this is done, the pages flutter open,
  and she can now read further in the work. However, she is
  now as bound by Oblivion as any wearer of grave-prison
  chains and will be dragged to it if she should suffer the
  destruction of her form while attuned to The Codex of the
  Damned. In return, she will find the secrets of Moliation,
  Pandemonium and Soulforging laid out before her. She
  automatically gains a dot in each of the three Craft
  Abilities, in addition to any Ability she may already have,
  to a maximum of 3. What is more, she can sacrifice her
  Fetters to The Codex of the Damned in return for more skill
  yet. Each Fetter that she chooses to give up will grant her
  another point in one of the three Abilities, to a maximum
  of 5 in any Ability. These gains in skill last for as long as she
  is attuned to The Codex of the Damned. Should she lose it
  or break the attunement, she also loses the Ability dots,
  though she does not regain any sacrificed Fetters.
  Artifact Traits:
  Power •••, Usefulness •••, Game Impact •••, Script
  Immunity •••;
  Drawback •••• (Component ••, Notoriety ••)
  THE CRUSHER OF SOULS (ARTIFACT •••)
  This great obsidian statue was built by spectres, de-
  signed by a powerful nephwrack of ancient heritage. It
  depicts a huge spectre, kneeling with clawed hands cupped
  in front of it, with a niche carved in its forehead like a third
  eye. When the Crusher of Souls is properly fed with
  Essence and ghosts (or spectres) are placed in its cupped
  hands, it will grind its palms together and crush all those
  within in a ghastly sacrifice to the Lords of the Under-
  world, so that plasm and blood and other fluids run out
  over the Crusher’s fingers. Once this is done, an Essence-
  containing gem grows in the niche in the Crusher’s forehead
  and can be removed and used for other purposes.
  The character activating the Crusher of Souls must
  pay 10 motes of Essence to begin the sacrifice. The Crusher’s
  fingers then slowly begin to close, taking five combat turns
  to do so and trapping anyone who cannot escape from the
  great cup that the fingers form. A prisoner with free arms
  and legs could easily scramble out — which is why prison-
  ers for sacrifice are usually chained, drugged, mutilated or
  some combination of the above. The sacrifice of five or
  more of the dead produces a 1-mote gem, while 20 or more
  sacrifices gives a 2-mote gem, and 50 or more sacrifices
  gives a 3-mote gem. The Crusher cannot produce a gem of
  more than a ••• rating. It can also only produce one gem
  a day, though it can operate multiple times in a day, if its
  owner so desires.
  Artifact Traits:
  Power •••, Usefulness ••, Game Impact •••, Script
  Immunity •••;
  Drawback •••• (Component •, Maintenance •,
  Notoriety ••)
  EYES OF THE PYRE FLAME (ARTIFACT •••)
  Pyre flame is known and feared throughout the Un-
  derworld. This artifact allows a ghost to exchange his eyes
  for a pair of crystals that not only see normally, but also
  allow him to blast his enemies with pyre flame five times
  a day. The eyes of the pyre flame appear to be very dark star
  rubies, with an odd greenish ripple of air around them. To
  use them, the ghost must rip out his own eyes (he must do
  this himself) and then insert the gems into his bleeding eye
  sockets. If he is already missing one or both eyes, then it is
  sufficient to rip out a single eye, if one remains, and scour
  healed sockets until they bleed anew. The eyes will take a
  full day to accustom themselves to their new user and will
  give him horrific nightmares and flame-filled visions dur-
  ing that time. It is a good idea for friends to restrain him in
  case his violent convulsions put him in danger.
  Once the user has grown accustomed to the eyes, they
  will provide perfectly normal vision. However, when he
  wishes to smite an enemy (or an object) with pyre flame,
  he should focus on that object and spend a number of
  motes of Essence to fuel his desire. An expenditure of 5
  
  73
  CHAPTER THREE • THE WONDERS OF THE DEAD
  motes of Essence will produce pyre flame equal to the
  contents of a small jug (splash radius of two feet, three
  levels of aggravated damage), while 10 motes of Essence
  will produce the equivalent of a medium jug (splash radius
  of five feet, seven levels of aggravated damage). The victim
  may attempt to dodge this by having her player roll the
  character’s Agility + Dodge against the user’s Perception
  + Awareness. These two gems must be used as a pair. If
  separated and inserted on their own, they have no effect.
  Artifact Traits:
  Power •••, Usefulness •••, Game Impact ••, Script
  Immunity •••;
  Drawback ••• (Component •, Notoriety ••)
  FIRE-BELLY CENTIPEDE (ARTIFACT •••)
  This artifact could be described as an extreme tool of
  persuasion. It is a small soulsteel model of a centipede,
  shaped with extreme delicacy and skill though barely three
  inches long, and it has a wider bulb at its end that contains
  a portion of pyre flame. At its master’s command (and on
  an expenditure of 5 motes of Essence, plus a mote of
  Essence for each month which it is to lie concealed), it will
  burrow into a victim’s flesh in a variant on the Six Demon
  Bag Arcanos (see Exalted: The Abyssals, p. 249) and lie
  concealed there. While it is buried in the victim’s body, it
  will do no harm for the number of months that its master
  has commanded and spent Essence to achieve. When that
  period runs out, the fire-belly centipede retracts its scales,
  directly exposing the pyre flame to its victim’s innards.
  This does an automatic two health levels of unsoakable
  lethal damage per turn of exposure. If the victim dies, then
  the centipede will crawl out from her remains and curl up
  in a dormant state, waiting for its master (or some new
  owner) to collect it.
  Should anyone attempt to cut the centipede from the
  victim’s body, before or after it has exposed the pyre flame
  that it contains, then the victim takes an automatic three
  health levels of unsoakable lethal damage. The centipede
  itself explodes, spattering the would-be surgeon with pyre
  flame (three automatic levels of unsoakable aggravated
  damage) unless her player succeeds at an Intelligence +
  Medicine roll with difficulty of 5. However, the master of
  the centipede can, at any time, feed the centipede more
  motes of Essence by touching the victim’s body over where
  the centipede rests, which will cause the centipede to
  remain dormant for longer. He can also summon the
  centipede out of the victim’s body, leaving her free and
  unharmed.
  Artifact Traits:
  Power •••, Usefulness •••, Game Impact •••, Script
  Immunity ••;
  Drawback •••• (Component ••, Maintenance •,
  Notoriety •)
  GIRDLE OF SKULLS (ARTIFACT •••)
  From a distance, this elegant girdle seems to be stud-
  ded with pearls. However, on closer inspection, each
  “pearl” is revealed to be a miniature skull, perfect in every
  detail. A girdle of skulls requires a commitment of 5 motes
  of Essence, but once that is done, it fits the wearer per-
  fectly, whatever his age, size or state of personal decay. The
  Girdle is made from ivory laced together with the hair of
  old women and clasped with soulsteel, but the skulls which
  ornament it are dry bone polished to a nacreous sheen.
  On a word of command, a dozen skulls detach them-
  selves from the girdle and grow to full human size, floating
  in warped patterns around the girdle’s owner with strange
  lights glowing and fluxing in their eyes. They function
  much like the Dolorous Reflection spell (see Exalted, pp.
  220-221), catching missiles in their teeth or deflecting
  them away, though never hurling the missiles back at those
  firing them. The skulls do not attempt to interfere with
  hand-to-hand combat. They continue to float around
  their master until he commands them to return to the
  girdle or until the end of the scene.
  Artifact Traits:
  Power •••, Usefulness •••, Game Impact ••, Script
  Immunity •••;
  Drawback •••• (Component ••, Notoriety ••)
  THE HAMMER OF THE DAMNED (ARTIFACT •••)
  This giant goremaul of white jade was crafted by a
  Dragon-Blooded mastersmith who was horrified by the
  existence of Oblivion and swore that he would give the last
  of his existence in an attempt to destroy the grave-prison
  chains used by the Deathlord. While he has not been heard
  of for centuries (though some claim to have seen a shield
  with his screaming face embossed on it in the Silver
  Prince’s armories) his work endures.
  Not only does this jade goremaul function as a normal
  weapon in battle, but it is also capable of shattering grave-
  prison chains. If the owner uses it to crush the five stones that
  ornament the shackles, then the chains themselves fall from
  the prisoner’s neck, wrists and ankles. Each stone requires that
  the wielder of the Hammer of the Damned succeed in an
  attack on the wearer of the chains and do at least one level of
  bashing damage to the victim, who can choose not to dodge
  or activate any sort of automatic defenses. If this reduces the
  victim to zero health levels in the process, then at least she
  goes to Lethe, with the chains broken.
  Artifact Traits:
  Power •••, Usefulness •••, Game Impact •••, Script
  Immunity •••;
  Drawback •••(Component •, Notoriety ••)
  HAND SNARE CHAINS (ARTIFACT •••)
  This fragile-seeming tangle of soulsteel chains en-
  circles the wrist like a bracelet, with thin links running to
  
  EXALTED • BOOK OF BONE AND EBONY
  74
  rings that circle each of the fingers, seeming no more than
  an exotic decoration. If the owner commits 5 motes of
  Essence to attune herself to it, she will find that it fits her
  perfectly, whatever her size or build. More importantly, at
  a moment’s notice, she can point at someone within 10
  feet and have the chains jump from her hand to wrap
  around the victim and snare him.
  The victim’s player may attempt to roll his character’s
  Perception + Dodge against the wielder’s Dexterity +
  Occult in an attempt to evade the chains, with appropriate
  penalties for already being restrained or for being taken by
  surprise. If the target is caught by the chains, they thicken
  to the size and thickness of grave-prison chains (see
  Exalted: The Abyssals, p. 257) and wind around him in
  order to immobilize him, with a single length of chain
  going back to the wielder’s hand. Like grave-prison chains,
  the hand snare chains prevent the victim from spending
  Essence or using Arcanoi. The chains return to their
  normal size and free their captive in an hour’s time or
  whenever the wielder may desire it before then.
  Artifact Traits:
  Power •••, Usefulness •••, Game Impact ••, Script
  Immunity •••;
  Drawback ••• (Component •, Notoriety ••)
  MIRROR THAT LOOKS UPON ITS TWIN
  (ARTIFACT •••)
  These hand-mirrors are always linked in pairs: One of
  the pair is black iron ornamented with pallid orichalcum,
  while the other is solid gold chased with glistening soulsteel.
  They form a convenient two-way link for communication
  between the Underworld and Creation. When they are
  activated, the holder of the first mirror can see and hear all
  that is reflected in the second mirror, and vice versa. They
  are fine tools for the spies, ambassadors and assassins
  employed by Deathlords.
  To activate his mirror, the holder smears his blood
  onto the mirror’s surface in the shape of the sigil embossed
  on the back of the mirror. This act, together with an
  expenditure of 5 motes of Essence, opens a channel to the
  other mirror. The holder may see everything that is cur-
  rently reflected in the other mirror and hear everything in
  its vicinity. Of course, if the other mirror is in a bag or a
  sealed chest, the view is somewhat uninteresting. Spies
  using these mirrors often arrange set times to communi-
  cate, in order to ensure that someone will be waiting by the
  other mirror of the pair. The black-iron mirror must always
  remain in the Underworld or in a shadowland during night
  or Calibration, while the gold mirror must always remain
  in Creation. If either is brought across into the area that is
  antithetical to it, both mirrors crumble into dust. Likewise,
  if one mirror is destroyed, the other, wherever it may be,
  also flies into shards.
  Artifact Traits:
  Power ••, Usefulness •••, Game Impact ••, Script
  Immunity •••;
  Drawback ••• (Component ••, Notoriety •)
  NIGHT MOTHER DOLL (ARTIFACT •••)
  The first of these artifacts was made for a princess who
  died while still very young, whose grieving parents wanted
  her to be cared for in the Underworld until they should
  join her there themselves. Others have been produced
  since, but they still remain rare commodities and are
  highly priced in Sijan or similar communities. A night
  mother doll looks like a normal large doll when inactive,
  with its face and hands carved from articulated jade and its
  body swathed in long drapes of silk. These dolls are always
  adult females and can normally be identified as belonging
  to a particular culture or background.
  When called on by their owners, they grow to the size
  of an adult and have the statistics of a jade effigy (see
  Exalted: The Abyssals, pp. 20 and 21), though they carry
  no weapons. They will obey any command given by their
  owners. While a night mother doll is capable of fighting, it
  can also cradle its owner in its arms and hold her through the
  night or sit by her bedside and watch patiently over her. A
  doll can also carry its owner while traveling or lift her over
  obstacles. It can remain in full adult form for as long as is
  necessary, even for centuries on end. However, if its owner
  enters Lethe or falls to Oblivion, the doll returns to its small
  form and remains that way till claimed again.
  A doll can only be owned by a ghost child who lived
  less than 10 years, however long he or she may have been
  dead and in the Underworld. However much an older
  ghost may attempt to attune to a doll that falls into his
  hands, it simply will not work.
  Artifact Traits:
  Power •••, Usefulness ••••, Game Impact ••, Script
  Immunity •••;
  Drawback ••• (Component •, Notoriety ••)
  PALE BEES OF THE GHOSTLY HIVE
  (ARTIFACT •••)
  These bees are creatures of darkness, striped with
  shadow and pale gold like nightmare ghosts of real insects.
  While dormant, they dwell inside a honeycombed piece of
  white jade the size of a man’s fist. When they are called
  upon, they come swarming out of their hive in a flurry of dark
  wings, buzzing like a death-rattle, and rip at the flesh of their
  opponents, before carrying the remnants back with them to
  the hive. They do damage as would a casting of the spell
  Death of Obsidian Butterflies (see Exalted, p. 217-218)
  except that the user rolls Perception + Awareness (rather
  than Perception + Occult). Attacks on the swarm have no
  effect. The Hive itself must be destroyed to kill them, and it
  requires five levels of lethal damage to shatter it.
  
  75
  CHAPTER THREE • THE WONDERS OF THE DEAD
  The bees return to their hive with imperceptibly tiny
  pieces of ghostly flesh, storing these remains deep inside
  the hive’s twisted passages. When they have collected 20
  health levels worth of lethal damage, the remnants inside
  the hive distil into a rich onyx liquor that works only upon
  the dead but will restore five health levels of damage
  instantly when it is drunk (it can be divided into separate
  doses). This liquid can be tipped out of the hive and stored
  elsewhere. The bees will not produce another dose until
  the first one has been removed. While the bees may be
  called as often as required, they must be called at least once
  a month, or they will turn on each other in a cannibalistic
  frenzy and slay one another, and the hive itself will wither
  and fall to dust.
  Artifact Traits:
  Power ••, Usefulness •••, Game Impact ••, Script
  Immunity •••;
  Drawback ••• (Component •, Maintenance •,
  Notoriety •)
  PHANTOM MANTLE (ARTIFACT •••)
  This translucent mantle is barely visible. Woven from
  wool as pale as crystal and clasped with an onyx brooch, it
  covers the wearer from head to foot, whatever his height.
  When it is donned and the brooch clasped, if the wearer
  chooses to expend 5 motes of Essence, he becomes imma-
  terial for the duration of the scene. He can pass through
  wood and metal and rock alike, but is balked by jade (or by
  any of the other Magical Materials). He is also affected by
  Charms and sorcery and by fire. He is as immaterial to the
  Underworld as a ghost normally is within Creation.
  A person wearing a phantom mantle is still visible and
  audible, even if he has activated its magical powers. He can
  choose to end the effect before the scene is over, if he so
  desires. While he can walk through the ordinary dead, he
  cannot pass through one of the Abyssal Exalted — and is,
  indeed, advised not to try. The mantle is too thin and
  fragile to serve as armor and is destroyed by three or more
  levels of bashing damage.
  Artifact Traits:
  Power •••, Usefulness ••••, Game Impact ••, Script
  Immunity •••;
  Drawback ••• (Component •, Maintenance •,
  Notoriety •)
  RAZOR TEETH (ARTIFACT •••)
  In its unused form, this artifact seems to be a necklace
  strung with carved soulsteel incisors, modeled to resemble
  a shark’s teeth. When claimed and placed against a would-
  be wearer’s mouth, it painfully burrows into the flesh of her
  gums, displacing her natural teeth and filling her mouth
  with razor-edged soulsteel. This attunement process re-
  quires 5 motes of Essence, which are permanently lost. Not
  only does this give the wearer a bite attack (Speed 5,
  Accuracy 5, Damage 5L [and Rate 1 for Exalted Power
  Combat]), but it also allows the wearer to consume the
  flesh of her enemies and strengthen herself in the process.
  For every five health levels of lethal damage that the
  user of the teeth manages to consume from her prey, she
  gains a bonus of one die to her next roll involving Strength
  or Stamina, to a maximum bonus of three dice. She must
  actually consume the flesh of her opponents, and not
  simply rip them apart, in order to gain this bonus. This
  requires an extra combat turn to eat the flesh that she has
  torn apart in her latest attack. Once the bonus is spent, she
  can begin to accumulate dice again. These bonus dice
  cannot be saved beyond the end of the scene.
  Artifact Traits:
  Power •••, Usefulness ••••, Game Impact •••, Script
  Immunity ••••;
  Drawback •••• (Component •, Maintenance •,
  Notoriety ••)
  ROSARY THAT FEEDS ON SOULS (ARTIFACT •••)
  The rosary that feeds on souls is a long necklace of
  pearls that can be wound around the neck several times,
  with a single soulfire crystal dangling as a pendant from it.
  It is a valuable tool for warriors who run short of Essence
  mid-battle, as it can gather Essence while they are slaying
  their enemies and store it in the soulfire crystal for later
  use. Each time the wearer of a rosary slays another living
  being who has at least one dot of permanent Essence, a
  mote of Essence enters the soulfire crystal until it reaches
  its maximum. This Essence may only be used by the wearer
  of the rosary and is automatically Death-aspected, like all
  Essence stored in soulfire crystals. Victims must be slain
  with weapons or Charms or bare-handed strikes and must
  be within 10 yards of the wearer of the rosary, or no Essence
  will be gained from their deaths.
  The amount of Essence that can be stored in the
  soulfire crystal depends on its size. Since these rosaries are
  lightweight and designed to be worn around the neck, the
  attached soulfire crystal usually stores 5-10 motes, though
  ones large enough to hold 10 motes of Essence are very rare
  and somewhat cumbrous. As the crystal fills, the pearls of
  the rosary shift from pale luminous white to dead black in
  proportion to the amount of Essence in the crystal, until,
  at last, the crystal is full, and the pearls are all as black as
  the Abyss.
  Artifact Traits:
  Power •••, Usefulness •••, Game Impact ••, Script
  Immunity •••;
  Drawback ••• (Component •, Notoriety ••)
  SCOURGE OF THORNS (ARTIFACT •••)
  This scourge is forged from soulsteel and modeled like
  a multi-stranded whip, but with each strand of the whip
  braided from knotted wires and each wire contorted into
  spiky knots. Its butt has a setting for a Hearthstone, and it
  has statistics of Speed +3, Accuracy +1, Damage +3L,
  
  EXALTED • BOOK OF BONE AND EBONY
  76
  Defense +0 and requires a minimum Dexterity of 2. (If
  using Exalted Power Combat, it is Speed +6, Accuracy
  +2, Damage +4L, Defense +0 and Rate 2.) If the scourge
  is shaken and a mote of Essence is spent by the holder,
  its strands brush and scrape against each other, produc-
  ing a hideous whispering sound that causes fear in all
  mortals within earshot (-1 die on attack rolls to all those
  with Essence 1 or less).
  If the scourge of thorns is cast to the ground (a
  reflexive action), it springs up as a bush of steely black
  brambles, which promptly encircles its user and all
  those within five yards of him, rising in a dome five
  yards above their heads. This hedge is impervious to fire
  or non-magical weapons, has a soak of 4L/8B and
  requires 10 levels of lethal damage be administered to
  hack a hole in it in order to reach those within. (It does
  not, however, protect those within it from fire, sorcery
  or adverse weather conditions.) Anyone coming into
  contact with the hedge takes a level of soakable lethal
  damage. The butt of the scourge remains protruding
  from the ground at the center of the circle. If its owner
  takes hold of it and pulls it from the ground, the scourge
  resumes its usual form, and the hedge vanishes. The
  scourge itself is not damaged if someone hacks through
  its thorns to reach those inside while it is in hedge form.
  Artifact Traits:
  Power •••, Usefulness •••, Game Impact ••, Script
  Immunity •••;
  Drawback ••• (Component •, Notoriety ••)
  SHADOW-CASTING GEM (ARTIFACT •••)
  This black diamond is as dangerous to the wielder’s
  allies as to his enemies. When he exposes it to the air
  and pronounces a word of command, a brilliant light
  flares from the jewel, causing all those within 20 yards
  except the wielder to cast a well-defined shadow against
  the wall or floor. These shadows promptly come to life
  and attack their owners, either barehanded or wielding
  shadows of their owners’ weapons. The gem’s wielder
  cannot control the shadows in any way or spare anyone
  within the area of effect, such as nearby allies.
  The shadows have the same Physical Traits as
  their owners, but no thought other than the urge to
  attack blindly. They wear armor and carry weapons of
  the same type as their owners, but without any powers.
  A shadow of some mighty enchanted daiklave would
  simply be a daiklave — though it would still have edge
  and weight, it would not gain Magical Material bo-
  nuses or anything more that its basic combat statistics.
  Each shadow has as many health levels as the gem’s
  wielder has permanent Essence. The shadows cannot
  use Charms or sorcery and do not possess the Ox-Body
  Charms of their casters. A shadow vanishes if it kills its
  owner or if it is destroyed itself. The gem can only be
  
  77
  CHAPTER THREE • THE WONDERS OF THE DEAD
  used three times in a single day. It flickers oddly if it is not
  stored in absolute darkness.
  Artifact Traits:
  Power •••, Usefulness •••, Game Impact ••, Script
  Immunity •••;
  Drawback ••• (Component •, Notoriety ••)
  STOMACH-WEIGHTING POWDER
  (RESOURCES ••• FOR A POUCH OF 5 DOSES)
  This artifact is one of the quicker and nastier ways that
  have been devised to force one of the dead to remain where
  she is. In its latent form, it is a small pinch of dark powder,
  easy to swallow if taken with a little wine or water. If it has
  been mixed into a drink that is given to an unwitting
  victim, the victim’s player may roll his character’s Percep-
  tion + Alertness against a difficulty of 6 to see if she notices
  anything odd about the taste. On one success, she notices
  a slightly bitter taste; on two successes, she perceives that
  there is a foreign substance in the drink; and on three or
  more successes, she can tell that there is a powder of some
  sort mixed in the drink. Many slavers lie while administer-
  ing the powder, finding some sort of plausible story to
  persuade the victim to drink it. When swallowed, the
  powder swells to the size of a man’s head inside the victim’s
  stomach and becomes 10 times as dense and heavy as iron.
  The victim is pinned to the ground by its weight, unable to
  rise, let alone walk away.
  There are three known ways of removing the stom-
  ach-weighting powder. The first is to drink a solution of
  nettles, ash and Underworld grapes (at least three suc-
  cesses are required on an Intelligence + Medicine roll for
  a character to remember the correct proportions). This
  concoction causes the powder to shrink and crumble and
  the victim to vomit it out. The second method is to wait.
  Twelve hours after being swallowed, the powder will
  shrink once more, and the victim will vomit it out and be
  free once again. The third method involves using a sword
  or knife to cut the victim’s stomach open, causing three
  health levels of lethal damage. Once removed from inside
  the victim’s body, the powder will fall to dust. This
  substance is usually found in pouches of five doses.
  Artifact Traits:
  Power •, Usefulness ••, Game Impact ••, Script
  Immunity •;
  Drawback ••• (Component •, Notoriety ••)
  TAMING MUZZLE (ARTIFACT •••)
  Sometimes, the Deathlords not only wish to chain
  their slaves, but also wish to enforce absolute subservience
  on them and deny them even any chance to dream of
  freedom. This twisted muzzle of pitch-black soulsteel is
  bound around a victim’s face and across his mouth. Soulfire
  crystals glint on either side of it, though they are usually
  dark gray. A prisoner wearing a taming muzzle loses all
  ability to take independent action. He is in a trance state,
  numbly obedient to his master (the owner of the muzzle),
  though lacking the energy or capacity for thought to do
  more than follow or stand still as he is ordered.
  The taming muzzle has two states, however. In the
  first state, the wearer is passive as described above, but in
  the second state, the soulfire crystals glow bright scarlet,
  and the wearer goes into a berserk state, attacking whoever
  his master may order. A prisoner of the muzzle may use
  physical attacks or weapons but lacks the capacity of
  thought to use Arcanoi, Charms or sorcery. He can remain
  in combat mode indefinitely while attacking his desig-
  nated targets, but if he goes for more than 10 minutes
  without fighting, he relapses back into his trance state.
  The taming muzzle is locked, and can be released,
  with the touch of a engraved soulsteel ring that is created
  at the same time as the muzzle to match it. Victims with
  Essence •• or less have no chance of breaking free.
  Victims with Essence ••• to ••••• may try to break free
  if they see some person to whom they feel a strong emo-
  tional connection or if forced to watch scenes that they are
  strongly opposed to or to do battle at their master’s com-
  mand. They do so by an effort of will, their players rolling
  a number of dice equal to the characters’ totaled Virtues
  against a difficulty of their master’s Willpower. If their
  players score five or more successes, the muzzles come loose
  and fall from them. A taming muzzle cannot hold victims
  with Essence •••••• or more.
  There is another way of removing a taming muzzle,
  though scarcely anyone knows of it. If another person
  (willing or unwilling) presses her lips against a muzzle in a
  parody of a kiss, the muzzle comes loose and reknots itself
  around the other person’s head, freeing its previous wearer.
  Artifact Traits:
  Power •••, Usefulness •••, Game Impact •••, Script
  Immunity •••;
  Drawback ••• (Component ••, Notoriety •)
  THIEVING HARNESS OF SERVITUDE
  (ARTIFACT •••)
  Jade effigies are among the most valuable artifacts in
  the Underworld — is it surprising, therefore, that they are
  targets for theft? This harness is plaited from thin black silk
  rope and buckled with a soulsteel clasp, set with an
  Essence-containing gem. If he fastens it around a jade
  effigy’s chest and over its shoulders, the owner of this
  harness can compel the effigy to obey him instead of its
  proper owner. Naturally, ownership of an artifact such as
  this is looked on extremely poorly by any organization
  (such as the Dual Monarchy) that commands and depends
  upon jade effigies.
  The owner must place the thieving harness of servi-
  tude on the target jade effigy and pour a pint of his own
  blood or plasm over the gem at the center of the Harness.
  
  EXALTED • BOOK OF BONE AND EBONY
  78
  The gem then begins to glow darkly red, and the jade effigy
  will obey him as it would previously have obeyed its proper
  owner. Activating the harness requires one level of lethal
  damage, though if the Harness’ owner wishes, he can drain
  off some of his blood or plasm beforehand (up to a day
  before) and save it in a container of some sort. He must
  thereafter continue to feed the gem with a pint of blood
  every week, though the blood need not necessarily come
  from him in the future. Should he omit to do this, the gem
  stops glowing, the harness falls from the effigy’s shoulders,
  and the effigy itself returns to its prior allegiance.
  Artifact Traits:
  Power •••, Usefulness •••, Game Impact •••, Script
  Immunity ••;
  Drawback ••• (Component ••, Notoriety •)
  URN THAT VOIDS DARKNESS (ARTIFACT •••)
  With this artifact, the owner can summon a vast
  darkness, which will come spilling out of the open mouth
  of the urn like smoke, filling any room in which it is opened
  within a single turn. All natural lights (torches, candles,
  lanterns) are extinguished. Sorcerous lights are dimmed to
  half their normal strength if affected by Sapphire
  Countermagic or are extinguished for the duration if
  susceptible to Emerald Countermagic. Stronger works of
  sorcery are unaffected. Solar anima flares and Caste Marks
  burn with their usual strength. The room remains filled
  with darkness for as long as the lid is off the urn. Once the
  lid is restored, the darkness ceases, and any lights burn
  again or return to their normal strength.
  The darkness does not go beyond the boundaries of
  the room, however large or small the room may be. The
  artifact can fill a single tiny attic with darkness or steal the
  light from a great royal hall. If the urn that voids darkness
  is opened under other conditions, such as in a maze of
  corridors or outside under the open sky, then it will simply
  fail to function. Anyone looking inside under such condi-
  tions will see that the urn appears to be full of unpierceable
  darkness that cannot be poured or emptied away.
  The urn itself, a small thing only one foot wide and
  two feet high, is carved from onyx and inlaid with soulfire
  crystals and is surprisingly light to carry. It is also fragile,
  and if broken, it is utterly destroyed. Should this happen,
  a great gout of shadow comes rising out of the shattered
  remains and hangs in the air for a moment, a plume of
  darkness more than a mile high, before vanishing.
  Artifact Traits:
  Power •••, Usefulness •••, Game Impact •••, Script
  Immunity •••;
  Drawback ••• (Component ••, Notoriety •)
  
  79
  CHAPTER THREE • THE WONDERS OF THE DEAD
  THE WHITE SNAKES THAT HUNGER
  (ARTIFACT •••)
  In its most neutral form, this item seems to be a
  white-jade oval the size of a small woman’s hand. On
  closer inspection, it becomes obvious that this artifact
  is cunningly carved to resemble two snakes coiled
  smoothly on themselves. To use it, the owner casts it to
  the ground and spends a mote of Essence to activate the
  artifact. The snakes uncoil, and one of the snakes moves
  to attack any indicated target, while the other gives
  birth to a new snake, spitting it out of its mouth. This
  process continues in successive turns, with half the
  snakes attacking any indicated target, while the other
  half of the snakes give birth to new offspring. Any given
  snake has the statistics and poison of a coral snake (see
  Exalted, pp. 243, 315 and 316).
  The snakes continue to multiply and attack for up to
  half an hour, unless ordered to cease by the artifact’s
  owner. They will not leave their owner’s presence, and
  will not pursue fleeing enemies beyond that area, or
  follow orders that would take them into another room
  and out of sight. After the half-hour is up, or when their
  owner commands it, the snakes all turn on each other.
  They swallow each other until there are only two snakes
  left, which then coil around each other and reform the
  artifact in its latent state. It cannot be used again till the
  next day. If all the snakes are killed, then the last snake
  to die coils in on itself and resumes the latent form of the
  artifact. Thereafter, it cannot be used again for a year and
  must be bathed in fresh blood first. If it is destroyed while
  in its neutral form, as a stone oval (three levels of lethal
  damage), then it is permanently destroyed. Some schol-
  ars have noticed similarities between this artifact and the
  serpent-and-egg earth elementals (see the Exalted
  Storyteller’s Companion, p. 72), leading to speculation
  that the creation of one of these artifacts requires an egg
  from a serpent-and-egg, but there is little evidence one
  way or another.
  Artifact Traits:
  Power •••, Usefulness •••, Game Impact ••, Script
  Immunity •••;
  Drawback ••• (Component •, Notoriety ••)
  KEYSTONE OF THE STAIR INESCAPABLE
  (ARTIFACT ••••)
  This pallid moonstone is buried under the bottom step
  of a flight of stairs. It has no effect until someone begins to
  climb the stairs, but once this occurs, the artifact’s enchant-
  ment comes into force. It makes it impossible for the climber
  to leave the stairs unless he pronounces the keystone’s
  name. Otherwise, the climber finds the stairs elongating to
  infinity in either direction when he tries to leave them: He
  can never quite reach the top, the bottom is always a few
  paces too far away, and if he tries to jump off to one side or
  to break through the wall, then the stairs somehow stretch,
  leaving him always those few inches away from the edge of
  the stairs or the wall. Many who place a keystone to form a
  stair inescapable do so with a spiral staircase or some other
  long, twisting stair that will not otherwise have its true
  nature become immediately obvious. Inescapable stairs are
  often littered with the skeletons of those who perished from
  starvation while trapped there.
  There are three known keystones, created by a smith
  among the dead whose name was erased from the books of
  Stygia, due to his trafficking with spectres and the Yozis. The
  keystones’ names are Arishapetel, Domnozoarni and
  Kalaritazan, though only the learned would know this (five
  successes on an Intelligence + Lore roll). The three key-
  stones loathe each other with an instinctive abhorrence,
  and bringing one upon a stair ruled by another causes the
  second keystone to become inactive for as long as the first is
  there, making passage possible. However, naming the wrong
  keystone on a stair ruled by another causes the entire stair to
  scream aloud in fury, audible for up to a mile away.
  To be sure, there are ways to circumvent the trap of
  the stair inescapable besides naming its keystone. Anyone
  of 6 or more permanent Essence can ignore its effects and
  simply walk up the stairs as though they were normal.
  Adamant Countermagic will also allow passage, and
  Charms that alter the normal flow of space, time and fate
  may also permit exit from the stair. (As characters are
  likely to find novel uses for them, the Storyteller is urged
  to rule on a case-by-case basis, according to the require-
  ments of play.)
  Artifact Traits:
  Power •••, Usefulness ••, Game Impact •••, Script
  Immunity ••••;
  Drawback •••• (Component •, Notoriety •••)
  
  EXALTED • BOOK OF BONE AND EBONY
  80
  
  81
  CHAPTER FOUR • CREATIONS OF BONE
  CHAPTER FOUR
  CREATIONS
  OF BONE
  The Deathlords have at their disposal tactics and
  resources that are inconceivable to (or forgotten by) the
  denizens of Creation. With each necromantic insight,
  with each Abyssal Exaltation and with the establishment
  of each new shadowland, the defenses protecting the
  living from the dead hold less firmly than they did before.
  This chapter sheds light on a few of the grave menaces
  the Deathlords are amassing in the Underworld in prepa-
  ration for their assault on Creation. It begins with a look
  at the armies of the dead and then details the necromantic
  war machines created by the Deathlords and deathknights
  to wreak widespread havoc on the living.
  ARMIES OF THE DEAD
  As horrific as an army of the walking dead might be,
  that alone still would not be enough to triumph against the
  armies of Creation. The unmodified dead have their limi-
  tations. The Deathlords, particularly the First and Forsaken
  Lion, are keenly aware of this, and for this reason, they
  have taken stock of their resources, and they have inno-
  vated. They have optimized their advantages with cunning
  strategies. They have honed (and disseminated) their new
  techniques for centuries through ongoing skirmishes with
  one another. And now that the final piece of the puzzle is
  in place — in the form of the Abyssal Exalted — they stand
  ready to test their malevolent tactics against the living.
  ZOMBIES
  More plentiful, more replaceable and more dispos-
  able than either ghosts or mortals, the walking dead are
  the Deathlords’ preferred shock troops. They cause great
  carnage, they’re potent weapons for destroying morale
  among mortal troops, and they have the convenient
  epiphenomenon of afflicting those they injure with dis-
  ease. The main disadvantage of zombies is that they don’t
  heal. While ghosts and mortals both heal in their own
  ways, zombies rot away even if left alone and do not
  recover from wounds suffered in combat. The Deathlords
  were not blind to this flaw, and over the course of several
  skirmishes they fought among themselves, they learned
  how to minimize the weakness.
  BATTLEFIELD SUPPORT LABS
  A zombie that has been destroyed (i.e., lost all its
  health levels) is inert (or reduced to uncoordinated twitch-
  ing), but having once been infused with necromantic
  energies, it still has necromantic vibrations resounding
  through its tissues and can be reanimated should it become
  part of a workable frame again. The magic only dissipates
  entirely if the corpse is hacked to small pieces or burned.
  Dead flesh responds well to the skilled and loving
  touch of a necrosurgeon the way metal responds to the
  hammer of a smith. It can be cut, sewn, molded, sculpted
  
  EXALTED • BOOK OF BONE AND EBONY
  82
  and made better (or at least more useful) than it was. A true
  virtuoso of the art can make undead flesh do things it never
  did (nor was meant to do) in its living days. A surgeon can
  take parts from one source and augment another corpse
  with them. An arm originating on one body need not stay
  on that body, especially if the rest of that body has been
  destroyed. It can be sewn onto another body and put to
  work again.
  Any large fighting force assembled by a Deathlord will
  include at least one mobile battlefield support lab, com-
  prising several ghosts, loyal mortals and/or
  higher-functioning zombies and at least one “resurrection
  pit.” These labs are units deployed behind the front in
  which necrosurgeons gather the hacked and battered
  remains of zombie forces and assemble them into compos-
  ite zombies (sometimes known as meat golems). It would
  be a misnomer to say that these teams repair the zombies.
  Rather, the teams consolidate the zombies by taking un-
  damaged pieces from multiple destroyed zombies and
  sewing, screwing and lashing them together to create meat
  golems. Such composite zombies are indistinguishable
  from zombies except for the sutures, ropes and pins holding
  them together.
  The parts for the composite zombie must be pains-
  takingly gathered by ghosts or mortals armed with bone
  saws or similar implements. Fallen zombies are often
  quite damaged, frequently beyond salvage, but many
  often have at least one or more undamaged limbs (or
  other chunks) that can be recovered for further use. Parts
  of zombies that have been crushed or severed can be
  recovered, but zombies that have been severely burned
  cannot be reused. Ten health levels worth of viable dead
  flesh have to be gathered and stitched together to create
  a meat golem (even if they’re only extras). Some necro-
  mancers have been known to use the spell Exquisite
  Undead Aide (see Exalted: The Abyssals, p. 226) to
  generate tireless assembly lines of undead necrosurgeons
  to perform the actual stitching together of the zombie
  parts. Through this technique, a necromancer could
  create several teams skilled at constructing composite
  zombies. Once the necrosurgeons have the necessary
  parts to create a meat golem, they cut the pieces to fit
  together and then assemble them. Bones are connected
  with rods, pins and screws, while muscle and skin are
  connected with sutures and small hooks. The hardware
  used in these operations can be soulsteel (for rare master-
  works), but more often, it’s less valuable metal such as
  iron or brass unless the final product needs to channel
  Essence particularly well. Stitching a composite zombie
  together requires five successes on an Intelligence +
  Craft (Necrosurgery) roll, which is typically performed as
  an extended action, with one roll made every hour. A
  
  83
  CHAPTER FOUR • CREATIONS OF BONE
  botch on this roll ruins the flesh, leaving it fit only for
  carrion eaters, and new cadavers must be acquired.
  Once the pieces of the meat golem have been as-
  sembled, the surgeons throw the patchwork creature into
  a (sardonically named) resurrection pit. Resurrection pits
  are cylindrical pits of thick soulsteel, eight feet in diameter
  and fifteen feet deep and weighing three to four tons (some
  Deathlords have much larger permanent models near their
  citadels in the Underworld). Powered either by Hearth-
  stones (of at least rating •••) or by several soulfire crystals
  or Essence-containing gems, they are etched with vile
  necromantic glyphs and filled with a repulsive broth of
  blood and assorted necromantic reagents brought from the
  depths of the Labyrinth. Maintaining a resurrection pit on
  an ongoing basis requires Resources •• or better. The pits
  consume 1 mote of Essence per hour, and the soulfire
  crystals and Essence-containing gems must constantly be
  refilled by ghosts using Filling the Precious Vile (see
  Exalted: The Abyssals, p. 247). Pits powered by Hearth-
  stones, obviously, are much less trouble to maintain.
  Transporting a resurrection pit is no small undertak-
  ing, but they are often loaded into wagons drawn by
  animated yeddim corpses or carried on vast palanquins
  that require scores of zombies to move. Once they reach
  their destination, resurrection pits are usually set into the
  ground, but they can be assembled above ground, in which
  case they are surrounded by scaffolding and ladders to
  allow easy access to the pits. Deathlords and their
  deathknights typically deploy battlefield support labs as
  close to combat as possible.
  Once ghosts and mortals have recovered enough parts
  for a composite zombie, the necrosurgeons assemble them
  into a whole creature and toss it into the resurrection pit. The
  foul broth in the resurrection pits causes the parts to merge
  into each other, linking the components with a kind of thick
  scar tissue that’s often tougher than the original flesh. An
  assembled composite zombie must be left to soak in the pit for
  at least 24 hours to allow the pieces to fuse properly. Once the
  parts have fused, the necromantic spark reignites and the
  composite zombie pulls itself from the pool, ready to be
  deployed again against the forces of Creation. If any piece of
  the composite corpse had not been previously animated by
  necromancy, the corpse will not mend and cannot be ani-
  mated except through direct necromancy.
  While these battlefield zombie labs are unwieldy and
  difficult to deploy, a force running low on zombies can
  often reclaim 20 to 40 percent of its casualties by making
  the fallen into composite zombies — without the need for
  a necromancer.
  Resurrection pits count as Artifact •••• or •••••
  devices, depending on the size. The smaller of the two types
  can hold and process around 20 meat golems at a time; the
  larger Artifact ••••• version holds around three times
  that. All of the Deathlords have at least one and some, such
  as the First and Forsaken Lion, have dozens. Currently,
  resurrection pits work only in the Underworld and in
  shadowlands, but the Deathlords are aggressively working
  on a version that functions in Creation.
  ZOMBIES AND MORTALS
  It is an unnatural state of affairs for zombies and
  mortals to work together, but in cases where mortals are
  necessarily present, a determined necromancer can inte-
  grate the two fairly easily, at least on a small scale. This is
  likely to occur if mortals from a shadowland make up a
  majority of a necromancer’s fighting force, for example, or
  if the necromancer needs mortals to serve in battlefield
  support labs. This happens a fair amount, as mortal troops
  are popular with the Deathlords. Not only do they learn
  twice as fast as ghosts, but they can be made to learn faster
  yet with Hardened Killer Training Style (see Exalted: The
  Abyssals, p. 178). And when mortals die, they frequently
  provide more troops in the form of ghosts, hungry ghosts
  and zombies. Moreover, the living don’t need Essence to
  be effective in living Creation proper and work well in
  battlefield formations. Oblivion-tainted idealism aside,
  most Deathlords are practical enough to incorporate living
  forces into their ranks.
  A more expensive variant of Soul Brand, a simple
  Shadowlands Circle spell (see Exalted: The Abyssals, pp.
  225-226), lets the necromancer create an amulet or talis-
  man identifying a mortal as an inedible ally for a cost of 30
  motes. The amulet is typically implanted under the skin on
  the recipient’s sternum so it cannot be lost. The same spell
  can create talismans that can be carried freely, but these can
  lead to problems and are deliberately kept rare. These
  talismans last indefinitely in the Underworld or in
  shadowlands, but disintegrate after a year in Creation.
  Likewise, these “artifacts” are not artifacts in the truest sense
  of the word, and Sapphire Countermagic destroys them
  instantly. While they count as a level-2 artifacts, they can
  also be given to those with Backing (Deathlord) ••. There’s
  also a black market for these amulets, especially near
  shadowlands, and they typically cost Resources ••••.
  When the bearer of one of these amulets falls in battle, the
  amulet is typically cut from the corpse, cleaned and inserted
  in a new host as a means of preserving resources.
  Some necromancers also know a 20 mote Labyrinth
  Circle spell, Black Investiture, that grants mortals limited
  control of zombies (on top of the benefits of Soul Brand),
  allowing those mortals to serve as lieutenants in the
  necromancer’s army of the undead. This appears as a
  tattoo, like Soul Brand, but it may also, for 40 motes and
  a Willpower, be committed to an amulet. Amulets made
  with that spell are more powerful than those that simply
  identify mortals as allies, and they contain some of the
  necromancer’s Essence. A mote of Essence must be com-
  mitted to the amulet, and in so doing, the necromancer
  
  EXALTED • BOOK OF BONE AND EBONY
  84
  confers some of his authority over the dead to his mortal
  minion. Should the mortal ever turn on the necromancer,
  the latter can reflexively withdraw his committed Essence,
  effectively de-authorizing the mortal. Given the power of
  these amulets, and their potential for abuse, they are
  always implanted under the bearer’s skin (although that’s
  not necessary for the magic to work), usually beneath the
  skin over the brow or under the scalp. Nemissaries some-
  times use these items, but they must be obtained with
  Artifact •••, Backing •••• or Resources •••••.
  DISEASE
  Zombies are terrors on the battlefield. Not only
  are they repulsive and hard to destroy, but their
  putrefaction makes them bearers of disease. Wounds
  inflicted by the necrotic touch of a zombie is far
  more likely to become infected and fester than most
  other wounds sustained on the field of battle. Re-
  sisting infection from normal battlefield wounds
  requires a Stamina + Resistance roll against diffi-
  culty 3 (see Exalted, pp. 233-234). Resisting
  infection of wounds inflicted by zombies, on the
  other hand, requires five successes. When mortals
  close in battle with zombies, the mortal army suffers
  two kinds of casualties: those the zombies kill out-
  right and those who fall victim to infection after
  being wounded. Treating such wounds with alco-
  hol, fire or other sterilizing agents within a few
  minutes of being wounded is the key to surviving
  wounds delivered by zombies as it reduces the diffi-
  culty of the Stamina + Resistance roll to 2. The fire
  damage necessary to sterilize the wound is equal to
  one level of lethal damage.
  Those of Creation’s armies that encounter the
  walking dead more than once develop tactics for
  dealing with the infection caused by zombie wounds.
  Many of the living have discovered that pure grain
  alcohol is worth its weight in jade to the living
  combatants. Not only does it counter the gangre-
  nous touch of the zombies, but its highly flammable
  nature makes it ideal for creating firebrands to wield
  against the walking dead.
  GHOSTS
  With a few notable exceptions, ghosts play a far
  smaller role than the walking dead in the war between
  Creation and the Underworld. They are far less involved
  than zombies and hungry ghosts unless the living dare
  attack the dead in their spirit realm. Garrisons of war
  ghosts are quite useful in the shadowlands, however. Though
  they can’t easily engage during the day, as soon as night
  falls, the army materializes from whatever perfect strategic
  location or flanking position they have secured. Marching
  into the shadowlands and waiting for nightfall is suicide.
  The ghostly forces see attackers coming and the attackers
  can’t see them, and when the living are tired, the ghosts are
  ready to spill and drink their blood.
  The cost of materializing in Creation is prohibitively
  expensive (nearly half of the average ghost’s Essence
  pool), particularly given that ghosts don’t easily regain
  Essence outside the Underworld. That said, ghosts can
  certainly receive offerings of blood, prayers (in the form of
  Ancestor or Underworld Cult ratings) and other forms of
  sustenance. After major battles, Deathlords typically ex-
  ecute livestock and prisoners, dumping the blood of the
  sacrifices into vats offered to the dead hordes in terrifying
  victory celebrations.
  Despite their limitations, there are some ghosts whose
  particular skills make them especially well suited to de-
  ployment in the world of the living.
  HUNGRY GHOSTS
  Even in Creation, hungry ghosts are naturally material
  at night and need not spend Essence to affect the living —
  a powerful advantage among the undead. This makes them
  at least moderately useful to the Deathlords, despite the
  hungry ghosts’ feral tendencies. Hungry ghosts are at least
  on par with zombies — and possibly far more powerful,
  depending on how powerful the hungry ghost was in life.
  The forces of the Deathlords often make use of hungry
  ghosts by employing the tactics of strategic violation to
  increase their armies. A single slain mortal whose body has
  been carefully desecrated will yield two soldiers for the
  Deathlords: the animated fleshly remains in the form of a
  zombie and the corpse’s hungry ghost.
  More than once, the armies of Creation have been
  duped into believing they were confronting a modest force
  of zombies, when, in fact, their enemies’ numbers doubled
  with the setting of the sun. While the Deathlords don’t
  like to use this ploy too often lest it lose its value, it remains
  one of their favorite tactics.
  At the very least, hungry ghosts are key agents in
  establishing ancestor cults in Creation, as the living can
  see for themselves what happens when a corpse is not given
  proper burial.
  For more on hungry ghosts, see Exalted, pages 300-
  301, and Exalted: The Abyssals, pages 61-62.
  A STORM OF HUNGRY GHOSTS
  The necromancy spell Shade Prison Amulet (see
  Exalted: The Abyssals, p. 225) allows a necromancer to
  capture hungry ghosts within a piece of engraved bone.
  The hungry ghost is freed only if the etched bone shard is
  destroyed. This necromancy spell is a relatively common
  one, and many necromancers accumulate large collections
  
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  CHAPTER FOUR • CREATIONS OF BONE
  THE ZENITH PROBLEM
  Because of their innate abilities to affect the undead, no enemy causes trouble for armies of the Deathlords
  like Solar Exalted of the Zenith Caste (see Exalted, p. 121 for the specifics of the Zenith anima powers). Of all
  the Exalted, the Hammers of Heaven (and sometimes Fire-aspected Terrestrials) are singled out for early
  destruction in any conflict between the living and the dead.
  The Resplendent Suns can prevent the creation of hungry ghosts and zombies by burning the bodies of the
  fallen with a touch. The corpses of the walking dead can be similarly destroyed to prevent the Deathlord’s
  battlefield necrosurgeons from harvesting them for parts. The player of any ghost (including mortwights) whose
  body is thus consecrated to the Unconquered Sun must make a successful reflexive Willpower roll, or the ghost
  is pulled immediately into Lethe and freed forever from the grasp of the Deathlords (and their masters). The
  difficulty of this roll is 7, -1 for every point of the ghost’s permanent Essence, and the ghost’s player may add an
  extra die to the roll for every two dots of Fetters she has.
  For Example: If Skyhammer, a Solar of the Zenith Caste, finds the withered mortal remains of Crimson Petal
  and uses his anima flare to destroy those remains and consecrate the spirit to the Unconquered Sun, Crimson
  Petal, a powerful ghost with an Essence rating of ••••, would need to get at least three successes on a Willpower
  roll or fall instantly to Lethe.
  In theory, a Zenith could use this power as a powerful bargaining chip with the dead, but in practice, few
  Resplendent Suns would do anything but return a soul back to the great cycle if he knew it had not found its own
  way to Lethe. Still, the Unconquered Sun is pragmatic, and Zeniths can be as well.
  What’s more, the Zenith can appear as a blazing and terrifying incarnation of the Unconquered Sun himself
  (as the Dawn anima flare on page 119 of Exalted, but only against undead, demons and other creatures of
  darkness). Zombies are not affected by the fear elicited by this ability (as they always succeed on Valor rolls), but
  they still cannot withstand the shining visage of the sun and cannot go near him. The walking dead may ignore
  the Zenith using his anima in this way, surround him or bypass him entirely, whichever’s easiest, but they cannot
  safely approach closer than his Essence in yards. Walking dead who enter this radius fall to the ground inert until
  the Zenith leaves the area or his anima fades away.
  Worse, the Zenith can inflict damage on undead troops with a glance, like the Unconquered Sun himself.
  The Zenith anima flare causes grievous wounds to ghosts, hungry ghosts, walking dead and Abyssals alike and
  automatically destroys any undead extra. Only deathknights, their Deathlord masters and the Infernal Exalted
  can resist the power of the Zenith anima flare. To do so, the deathknight spends 5 motes of Essence, and her player
  rolls the Abyssal’s permanent Essence rating. Every success subtracts one success from the Zenith player’s roll. This
  counts as a reflexive action.
  Nemissaries possessing host corpses never take more than one level of damage from the Zenith’s anima flare.
  If the Solar does more damage than that, the remainder affects the nemissary’s host body, but not the possessing
  ghost itself. The power works differently against a ghost or demon possessing a living body, in which case the host
  takes one level of bashing damage from the Zenith flare and the invading spirit takes the remaining successes as
  levels of aggravated damage.
  Any war machine composed wholly or in part of the remains of the dead, that is animated by necromancy
  or that is fueled by soulfire crystals, Essence-containing gems or an Underworld Hearthstone takes full damage
  from the Zenith’s anima flare. Soulsteel retains its usual invulnerability, but the black metal shrieks in agony.
  Those using the Void Circle spell Abyssal Aegis (see Exalted: The Abyssals, p. 228) are completely immune
  to any and all effects of the Zenith Anima flare. The Deathlords always don such protection on the rare occasions
  when they must personally do battle with the Resplendent Suns. Although it is not common knowledge, the
  armor of the First and Forsaken Lion has such an enchantment built into it, though this offers scant consolation
  to the Deathlord trapped within its riveted plates.
  of these amulets almost by reflex. During times of war, they
  make use of them, often as siege weapons.
  These amulets are placed between two large, flat rocks
  that have been tied together and are carefully launched from
  a catapult. The rocks crush the amulet upon landing,
  releasing the hungry ghost. Several such amulets can be sent
  with even a single launch, and the Deathlords’ engineers
  have formulated ways of launching an entire offensive force
  into a city with just a few large boulders. Depending on how
  many amulets and how many catapults the besieging party
  
  EXALTED • BOOK OF BONE AND EBONY
  86
  controls, hundreds of hungry ghosts can be launched into a
  city in the space of a few hours. The Deathlords have worked
  out many, many versions of this tactic (and other tactics
  using Bauble of the Captive Soul). Some involve raitons
  dropping amulets from high above the city, while others
  involve sending in ghosts who can possess the living (to
  open gates, for instance).
  The catapult operators learn quickly how not to launch
  these “ghost boulders” as well. Improper launching crushes
  the amulet prematurely and frees the hungry ghosts on the
  catapult’s operators (although Soul Brand tattoos and
  amulets protect against this eventuality).
  MOLIATED GHOSTS
  The Arcanoi of the Shifting Ghost-Clay Path let a
  ghost modify her form — radically in many cases. Some of
  these changes make the ghost far more lethal in battle and
  therefore more worth the great cost they pay to materialize
  in Creation. Talented moliators are well worth their pay to
  their masters and often receive benefits beyond what their
  standing would normally offer. When quick surgical strikes
  on Creation are called for, a cadre of materialized moliated
  ghosts can serve as excellent shock troops, softening up the
  resistance in preparation for nemissaries and deathknights.
  The modifications a ghost can make to her plasm
  using Ghost-Devil Form are nigh unlimited. Some are
  listed in Exalted: The Abyssals on page 237. Others are
  given below:
  Huge Size: The character is over nine feet tall and
  gains two extra -2 health levels.
  Maw: The ghost has an enormous mouth with rows of
  sharp teeth, and on a successful Brawl attack, he inflicts Str
  + 4 lethal damage.
  Prehensile Tail: As with Extra Arms
  Spikes: Any successful hand-to-hand attack on
  the ghost inflicts three lethal health levels of damage
  on the attacker.
  Suckers: Like the suckers of an octopus, these can be
  on the ghost’s body, arms or even tentacles (stats same as
  those of Extra Arms). They give the ghost an extra four
  dice on all clinch attacks.
  Ghosts skilled in the Shifting Ghost-Clay Path can
  also manifest their Ghost-Devil Form without materializ-
  ing by possessing a mortal with Puppeteer’s Masterful
  Hand and altering the mortal’s body (see Exalted: The
  Abyssals, p. 249). Combined with the tactics mentioned
  above, this ability can be used to devastating effect. This
  tactic does not work on possessed corpses, but nemissaries
  have many other options.
  As another option, it’s worth noting that the Laby-
  rinth can warp ghosts just as the Wyld mutates the living
  (see Exalted: The Abyssals, p. 66). While relations
  
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  CHAPTER FOUR • CREATIONS OF BONE
  between the Deathlords and nephracks aren’t always
  cordial, a persuasive Deathlord might be able to borrow
  a few hundred (or thousand) suicide commando
  mortwights that are barely recognizable as humanoid.
  Marching into Creation with such a force doesn’t require
  the ghosts to know Moliation, and it will take a serious
  toll on the morale of Creation’s defenders. Of course,
  doing so would likely give all the Deathlord’s mortal
  soldiers nightmares for a week, but such is the price of
  using the acolytes of the Neverborn.
  NEMISSARIES
  Nemissaries, those ghosts that can possess the bod-
  ies of the living and the dead, are by far the most
  frequent ghostly recruits in the war against Creation.
  They are capable of entering Creation in an assumed
  body — and for far less Essence than it takes to make
  their own ghostly forms solid or to seize the flesh of the
  living. Their abilities in reconnaissance, diplomacy and
  war with the living are invaluable to the Deathlords’
  plans. Before the appearance of the Abyssal Exalted,
  nemissaries occupied the most favored position in the
  Deathlords’ hierarchy, and they channeled vast re-
  sources into the creation of stealthier, stronger and
  more highly trained nemissaries. In the last few years,
  however, that favored position has largely been usurped
  by the Abyssal Exalted, and some Deathlords are mak-
  ing much less use of nemissaries in favor of the more
  powerful deathknights. This is not the case across the
  board, however. Some Deathlords (such as the First and
  Forsaken Lion and the Mask of Winters) still favor
  nemissaries, if only for their relative plentitude.
  That said, there still tend to be a handful of the old
  guard lurking around the citadels of the Deathlords. These
  creatures include centuries-old nephracks, steeped in bi-
  zarre Malfean Arcanoi and placed into Artifact •••••
  war-bodies. Ghosts such as these are as lethal as a young or
  even moderately powerful Abyssal and could easily anni-
  hilate a recently Exalted deathknight who presumed too
  much. Soul Mirror (see Savant and Sorcerer, p. 43) was
  made for a nemissary, after all, and few among the dead are
  as terrifying as a well-equipped and ancient war ghost.
  On the whole, the arrival of the Abyssal Exalted has
  been a boon for the nemissaries. They now have some very
  capable field commanders, and the deathknights’ skill at
  necrosurgery has also benefited the nemissaries immensely,
  as they now have access to much more skillfully custom-
  ized fleshly vessels.
  Still, some nemissaries have grown bitter at their
  perceived displacement by the Abyssal Exalted. While few
  nemissaries would be so rash as to engage a deathknight in
  direct combat, even with the finest war body, lone Abyssals
  would be wise to watch their backs around groups of the
  ghostly puppeteers.
  CUSTOM CORPSES
  Any nemissary can possess a common cadaver, so long
  as it’s reasonably intact. If it really comes down to it, a
  skilled nemissary can make do with any corpse, whether it
  be scavenged from a battlefield, a graveyard or from the
  embalmer’s table. Unless the nemissary decides otherwise,
  chance alone dictates what pallid face she wears until the
  stolen flesh rots away and she must jump to a new host.
  But many nemissaries would prefer not to comport
  themselves like common body thieves. They are highly
  trained and proud ghosts. Nemissary’s Ride, the Arcanos
  that gives them the ability to possess dead bodies in the first
  place, is an advanced Arcanos, and the ghosts who learn it
  are respected for their skill and dedication. There is pres-
  tige to be had among nemissaries by possessing the strongest,
  the prettiest or the most lethal vessel, and the corpses they
  run across by chance alone are unlikely to suit them, unless
  they are trying to look like a common zombie for stealth
  purposes (or just slumming). Nemissaries often seek out
  the best corpses they can find until something better (or
  better suited to a specific mission) comes along.
  Ghosts in service to an Abyssal Exalt (or to one of the
  Deathlords, of course) usually have better options, receiv-
  ing bodies carefully harvested and specially modified for a
  specific mission. These bodies, called “transcendent
  revenant vessels,” are carefully chosen corpses augmented
  through a combination of necrosurgery, alchemy and
  necromantic enchantment. No two of these dread artifacts
  are exactly alike. Instead, each is custom-built for a specific
  task. Models exist for diplomatic assignments, for covert
  scouting and assassination and for open warfare.
  There are two ways of obtaining a transcendent
  revenant vessel. Taking the Artifact Background lets the
  ghost have a vessel that’s entirely hers. She can do with it
  as she pleases, but the responsibility for maintaining or
  upgrading it is also hers. Alternatively, the Backing Back-
  ground can be used in place of the Artifact Background, in
  which case the revenant vessel is on loan from a Deathlord.
  In this case, the vessel may be taken away at any time if the
  nemissary displeases her master. At the same time, she may
  occasionally be issued other vessels (with the same rating)
  for use in particular missions.
  A nemissary can upgrade her transcendent revenant
  vessel by paying a necrosurgeon to perform the augmenta-
  tion. The cost for this process is exorbitant (see below) but
  results in a more powerful tool. A nemissary using one of
  the Deathlords’ revenant vessels can gain access to better
  vessels by improving her Backing rating.
  Depending on the level of power invested in them,
  transcendent revenant vessels range from Artifact • to
  •••••. Such vessels are never extras. All versions possess
  the following characteristics:
  Decay Resistance: Vessels do not rot while possessed, but
  slowly decay if left uninhabited. For every three days of rot,
  
  EXALTED • BOOK OF BONE AND EBONY
  88
  all physical actions taken by a nemissary attempting to use
  the body suffer a one-die penalty. When this penalty
  reaches ten dice, the body’s advanced putrescence renders
  the artifact completely useless. Nemissaries can avoid this
  outcome by using bindings of eternal preservation (see p.
  92-93) or any of several other means of preserving their
  transcendent revenant vessels.
  Enhanced Physique: Vessels have a Strength and Stamina
  of 3, a Dexterity and Appearance of 2 and the seven
  standard health levels of a mortal. They have a natural
  bashing and lethal soak equal to their Stamina. Nemissaries
  inhabiting one of these bodies may use the higher of their
  own Attribute ratings or those of their vessel, but they
  must use the Appearance and health levels of the body.
  REPAIR AND ENHANCEMENT
  Transcendent revenant vessels do not heal on their
  own. Advanced nemissary Arcanoi (i.e., Instauration of the
  Fleshly Vessel, p. 92) may be used to mend the revenant
  vessel, although necrosurgery and magical restoration are
  both alternatives if the nemissary does not have that Arcanos.
  Surgical repairs require a Dexterity + Necrosurgery roll,
  with each success fixing one level of lethal damage or two
  levels of bashing damage. The surgeon also needs compo-
  nents costing Resources •• and a number of hours equal to
  the accumulated successes. The Abyssal Charm Form-
  Restoring Touch (see Exalted: The Abyssals, p. 188)
  instantly and perfectly restores the vessel, although con-
  vincing a deathknight to use it on any but his most favored
  lieutenants could prove challenging, given its cost.
  While the cost of modifications is likely to vary
  depending on the quality of the necrosurgeon, the base
  Resources cost of any modification to a revenant vessel
  after purchasing the Artifact is half of the augmentation’s
  point value, rounded down.
  Skilled necrosurgeons, Abyssal Exalted in particular,
  command premium prices for their efforts, but some
  nemissaries have formed into cabals to study the tech-
  niques of necrosurgery. They swear a pact of mutual
  assistance and modify one another as needed. Alterna-
  tively, a ghost familiar with necrosurgery can always pilot
  his vessel into the Underworld and perform the surgery
  himself (and avoid going broke in the process).
  GENERAL AUGMENTATIONS
  In addition to the powers listed above, a transcendent
  revenant vessel receives a number of bonus points equal to
  its ([Artifact rating - 1] x 10). These points may be
  allocated to purchase any of the following enhancements
  or others designed by the Storyteller, adhering to any
  applicable prerequisites or special requirements denoted
  in parentheses. Some of these augmentations are the
  product of basic necrosurgery, while others represent the
  occult technology of Oblivion: alchemical processes per-
  formed on the corpse, necromantic glyphs etched into its
  bones, necromantically resonant objects sewn into the
  body, et cetera.
  Attributes (4 points per dot): The vessel receives addi-
  tional dots to further improve its Physical Attributes or
  Appearance according to Enhanced Physique. Dots pur-
  chased in this way stack on top of the standard stats for
  nemissaries on page 301 of Exalted. No Attribute may be
  raised above 6 dots.
  Decay Immunity (5 points): Even in the absence of the
  nemissary, the vessel does not decay.
  Dedicated Attunement (4 points): Once possessed through
  Nemissary’s Ride, the Embalmer’s Art or any subsequent
  Stringless Puppeteer Arcanos, the vessel serves as an
  extension of the ghost within and cannot easily be taken
  from her. Add the nemissary’s Essence rating to the diffi-
  culty of any roll to displace or exorcise her. If another ghost
  tries to possess the vessel while the attuned nemissary is
  elsewhere, the corpse’s very ambiance is hostile to the
  invader — add the vessel’s Artifact rating to the difficulty.
  Even if the Arcanos used in the invasion attempt doesn’t
  normally require a roll, it requires a Strength + Compas-
  sion roll in this instance (difficulty 3). If another ghost does
  manage to steal the revenant vessel, the attunement
  remains intact for one full lunar month. During that
  period, subtract the attuned ghost’s Essence from the
  difficulty of all rolls to displace the invader. If the result is
  less than one, the body’s attuned owner automatically
  ejects the invader. These bodies can still be stolen by a
  necromancer with access to Labyrinth Circle spells, but it
  prevents the vessel from being stolen by any random ghost.
  Hidden Enhancements (6 points): All of the vessel’s
  enhancements function without visible sign, such as ar-
  mor plates implanted under the skin or reinforced
  musculature that looks scrawny despite its Strength 6.
  Enhancements that could not possibly function while
  remaining hidden may be deployed or retracted into the
  body as a reflexive action.
  OPTIONS PACKAGES
  The Deathlords use nemissaries for all kinds of duties
  in Creation. No vessel can be optimized for all of the tasks
  a nemissary might be called upon to perform, so most
  nemissaries specialize in one area or another. A ghost is
  likely to choose the abilities of her transcendent revenant
  vessel based on her own particular skills and interests. A
  diplomat will not want to possess a war body any more than
  a violent warrior will want to be stuck in a body made for
  entertaining. The categories below are very general. While
  a player may mix and match from these categories — after
  all, some of these modifications might be useful regardless
  of a nemissary’s specialization — most nemissaries prefer
  to hone their revenant vessels for a single function.
  The augmentations below represent but a sampling of
  those a skilled necrosurgeon can provide a nemissary.
  
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  CHAPTER FOUR • CREATIONS OF BONE
  Players and Storytellers are encouraged to come up with
  their own, using those listed below as guidelines.
  The Warm and Pleasing Cadaver
  Diplomacy, seduction and deception are invaluable
  assets to nemissaries infiltrating the living. These subtle
  agents of the Deathlords are capable of passing among the
  living with none of their victims even knowing that the
  dead walk among them. Alternatively, a nemissary with
  these augmentations may be a known representative of the
  dead but may wish to put the mortals she’s associating with
  at ease by appearing to be one of them.
  Eat/Drink (5 points): A ghost without this augmentation
  cannot consume anything, as the corpse’s stomach will
  hold neither food nor drink. This does not grant the ghost
  the ability to digest food (that is a luxury reserved for the
  living), but it allows the ghost enough control of its vessel’s
  innards that it does not immediately regurgitate every-
  thing that passes its palate. The body can take in two large
  meals or three smaller ones before the ghost needs to empty
  the vessel’s stomach.
  Essence Parasite (10 points): Enchantments etched on
  the vessel’s bones allow the ghost to absorb Essence from
  other Essence channelers, including Exalted, God-Bloods,
  materialized spirits and gods. For every two hours the
  nemissary is in close contact with the Essence channeler
  (within 10 feet or closer), the ghost drains 1 mote of
  Essence. Since most Essence channelers gain more than
  that during that time frame, the theft frequently goes
  unnoticed. Essence Parasite can sap motes from more than
  one Exalt at a time, so sharing a bed with three Exalted (for
  example) would provide the ghost with 3 motes of Essence
  every two hours. This method is an agonizingly slow way
  to replenish Essence, but it’s better than nothing, and it
  stacks with Essence-Measuring Thief Arts (see Exalted:
  The Abyssals, pp. 245-247). It’s possible to use this
  augmentation on mortals, but the mortal in question
  suffers one unsoakable bashing health level per hour,
  which manifests as exhaustion and anemia.
  Lifelike (10 points): Owing to the familiarity of the ghost
  with his assumed body, the vessel betrays no outward
  visible sign of its undead state apart from its ashen or pallid
  complexion. A nemissary inhabiting the body can spend 5
  motes of Essence to simulate all signs of life — from breath
  to a pulse to faint warmth to basic sexual responses — for
  one scene. It takes three successes on a Perception +
  Investigation roll to discern that the vessel is a possessed
  corpse. This seeming is only cosmetic. Any test for actual
  life will easily discern the corpse’s true nature.
  Sculpted Physiognomy (10 points; if target face is more
  attractive than Appearance 3, player must also buy addi-
  tional points of Appearance): Sometimes, a ghost doesn’t
  just need to pass for living, but must appear like a particular
  living individual. With this augmentation, the nemissary’s
  facial bone structure and overlying flesh are sculpted to look
  like a particular individual. There’s only so much even the
  finest necrosurgeon can do, however, so anyone well ac-
  quainted with the individual the ghost is mimicking (sibling,
  lover, old friend, arch-nemesis) needs only two successes on
  a Perception + Investigation to detect subtle but pervasive
  differences in facial features and expressions.
  The Corpse Made Stealthy
  It behooves the Deathlords to know what the living,
  and the armies of the living in particular, are doing. Some
  nemissaries choose revenant vessels appropriate to scout-
  ing and reconnaissance missions. These bodies are
  augmented to allow the ghost to make long forays into
  Creation and to bring information back to the Under-
  world. They are the Deathlords’ eyes, spies and military
  intelligence operating in Creation.
  Built for Speed (5 points): They say the dead travel fast.
  In this case it’s literal — and dead flesh never needs to
  rest. The revenant’s leg and pelvic bones have been
  modified through necromantic artifice to enable the
  corpse to run at three times its usual running speed (see
  Exalted, p. 227 for movement rates) for entire days on
  end. Spending 5 motes of Essence lets the nemissary
  sprint at full speed for up to one full day.
  Repellent to Animals (3 points): Such a miasma of death
  and horror surrounds the nemissary that even carrion
  eaters avoid her. No animal will go near the augmented
  body without being magically commanded to do so. Four-
  and five-dot familiars will do so, but only if their masters’
  players get three or more successes on a Manipulation +
  Presence roll. This augmentation requires a rotten raiton’s
  head be sewn into the revenant’s chest cavity and subtracts
  two dice from all the nemissary’s Social dice pools.
  Repugnant to the Mind’s Eye (10 points): The corpse is
  ritually scarified, and small nodules of soulsteel are placed
  under the skin to produce horrific patterns of bumps that
  are repellent to the living mind. It is possible to look at the
  nemissary, but the mind does not want to accept what the
  eyes are telling it and truly see the nemissary. One of the
  living passing a transcendent revenant vessel with this
  augmentation is likely to experience a fleeting moment of
  disgust, pity, horror or indignation followed by instant
  denial of his own senses. The moment the nemissary is out
  of sight, the witness’ mind instantly, gratefully, turns to
  anything else rather than acknowledge the revenant’s pres-
  ence. In situations where a mortal can easily talk himself
  out of believing what he just saw — a dark forest, a busy
  street at night, in the midst of a mad rush — subtract three
  successes from all Perception rolls to see and truly recog-
  nize the revenant body for what it is. In situations where
  the revenant’s presence is not so easily ignored — he’s the
  only one on a deserted street in broad daylight or in a well-
  lit room with people looking directly at him — subtract
  two dice (not successes) from the perceivers’ dice pools.
  
  EXALTED • BOOK OF BONE AND EBONY
  90
  Shadowland Sense (2 points): This gives the nemissary a
  kind of “compass of the dead” that gives her an intuitive
  knowledge of her position relative to the nearest
  shadowland. Spending 1 mote of Essence allows the ghost’s
  player to make an Intelligence + Survival roll for her
  character. Even one success lets the ghost know in which
  direction the shadowland is located and how far away it is.
  The nemissary can use this sense to find her way home or
  simply as a means to get her bearings, provided there’s only
  one shadowland in the area.
  Transmitting Sense (4 points): The nemissary transmits
  all information from one of her five senses back to one
  individual in the Underworld. The recipient of this infor-
  mation is usually a Deathlord, but it could just as easily be
  an Abyssal Exalt or even another ghost. The recipient
  must be carrying a specially wrought amulet on his person
  in order to receive these transmissions. To begin transmit-
  ting sensory information, the nemissary spends 5 motes of
  Essence to establish the connection, at which point the
  recipient’s amulet grows unnaturally cold to the touch.
  The recipient then grasps the amulet and spends 5 motes
  of Essence to receive the nemissary’s sensory transmission.
  There is no “narration” involved; the ghost cannot explain
  what it is he’s sensing. He can only transmit the sensory
  information and hope it makes sense. The Deathlord (or
  whoever holds the second amulet) can activate this link
  any time he chooses by grasping the amulet and
  paying all 10 motes of Essence. This augmenta-
  tion must be purchased separately for each sense.
  Wards that stop scrying prevent the use of
  this ability. Nemissaries wishing to ex-
  plain what they are sensing may use a
  mirror that looks upon its twin (see p.
  74) to speak directly to their superiors in
  the Underworld.
  A Body Built for War
  By far the most common type of tran-
  scendent revenant vessel, a powerful war body is
  a trophy among nemissaries. These are the elite
  shock troops deployed by the Deathlords in
  their assaults on Creation. War bodies are often
  the lesser officers of the Deathlords, charged
  with directing rampaging zombies or hun-
  gry ghosts. Unlike zombies, these highly
  trained and extensively augmented
  nemissaries are expected to be cunning
  tacticians as well as brutal killers.
  Armor (2 points per 1L/1B): Riveted
  plates of metal and bone increase the
  vessel’s durability. Vessels with this
  enhancement cannot have an Appear-
  ance higher than ••. The additional soak
  provided by a vessel’s armor cannot ex-
  ceed its Stamina rating. Despite its name,
  this enhancement counts as part of the vessel’s natural
  soak rather than armor. Nemissaries benefiting from this
  enhancement may only wear armor specifically fitted to
  their bulky frames.
  Claws/Blades (4 or 6 points): For four points, the vessel
  has razor-sharp talons of bone or metal extending from its
  fingers or the back of its hands. These enable a slashing
  attack with Speed +1, Accuracy +1, Damage +1L, Defense
  +1 (Rate 4 if using the Exalted Power Combat rules). For
  six points, the vessel has scythe-like blades extending from
  one or both forearms as desired with the same statistics as
  any type of one-handed sword the player selects.
  
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  CHAPTER FOUR • CREATIONS OF BONE
  Paralytic Touch (4 points): The war body is soaked
  extensively in an array of plant toxins until it is so saturated
  with poison that its touch is venomous . The player of any
  character touched by (or touching) the nemissary with
  bare flesh (e.g., most Brawl or Martial Arts attacks, for
  instance) must successfully roll Stamina + Resistance,
  difficulty 2, or have his character be paralyzed for the rest
  of the scene. If the war body draws blood with its natural
  weaponry (fangs, claws), the difficulty rises to 4.
  Spikes (5 points): The vessel has riveted spikes of bone
  or metal protruding from its flesh. It inflicts +1L damage
  with clinches it controls, while anyone holding or crush-
  ing the vessel with a clinch suffers 3L damage per turn.
  Vessels with this enhancement cannot have an Appear-
  ance greater than ••.
  Stench of Rotting Offal (3 points per purchase): Not that
  the dead ever smell good, but war bodies augmented in this
  fashion are soaked extensively in a brew so foul it could gag
  maggots. The stench within 10 feet of the nemissary is so
  revolting that a successful Stamina + Resistance roll must
  be made for other characters, or they vomit until they can
  get away from the stench. Those whose players succeed
  lose one die from their attack rolls for each time this
  augmentation was purchased due to watering eyes and the
  urge to retch.
  Toughness (4 points per -2, 6 points per -1, 8 points per -
  0): The vessel has been partially mummified, been
  reinforced with metal or had its bulk augmented with
  extraneous dead tissue from another corpse. Whatever the
  reason, it has additional health levels.
  NEMISSARY ARCANOI AND WONDERS
  Once a ghost learns how to possess a dead body,
  entire new avenues of power open up to her. Not only can
  a nemissary learn to possess larger and more powerful
  forms, but she learns how to maintain and augment the
  bodies she possesses.
  The nemissaries’ great utility as spies and warriors in
  Creation has tended to place them a step above most other
  ghosts in the eyes of the Deathlords. The added prestige of
  being a nemissary has resulted in many such ghosts chan-
  neling vast amounts of time and energy into refining the
  nemissary’s art.
  Below are some of the many Arcanoi used by
  nemissaries or by ghosts who intend to become nemissaries.
  INTANGIBLE GUARDIAN PRESENCE
  Cost: None
  Duration: Permanent
  Type: Special
  Minimum Compassion: 2
  Minimum Essence: 3
  Prerequisite Charms: Mortal-Shadowing Technique
  This Arcanos is a type of Ox-Body Charm that works
  only on vessels the ghost is riding or possessing. While it
  doesn’t add anything to the ghost’s health levels, it dramati-
  cally fortifies all vessels she is skinriding using
  Mortal-Shadowing Technique, Nemissary’s Ride or subse-
  quent Arcanoi in the tree. Some ghosts skinride mortal
  descendants to protect them in battle, while others augment
  possessed corpses to increase their own battlefield prowess.
  When a ghost departs the vessel she was riding, the extra
  health levels are crossed off, whether they held damage or
  not. Each purchase imparts one -0 and one -1 health level
  on the ghost’s vessel. A ghost can buy this Charm as many
  times as she has dots in her Compassion rating. Storytellers
  should note that a ghost’s own Ox-Body Technique does
  not fortify hosts, only her own plasm.
  This Arcanos is particularly helpful when the ghost is
  riding a smaller animal, such as a raiton, which usually has
  far fewer health levels than a human being.
  THE EMBALMER’S ART
  Cost: 15 motes (committed), 2 Willpower
  Duration: Indefinite
  Type: Simple
  Minimum Compassion: 2
  Minimum Essence: 3
  Prerequisite Charms: Nemissary’s Ride
  With this Arcanos, a nemissary refines her ability to
  possess and animate dead flesh. She may automatically
  commandeer a corpse as if using Nemissary’s Ride (see
  Exalted: The Abyssals, p. 250) but requires no roll to do
  so. Such possession lasts until the ghost withdraws the
  Essence committed to the Arcanos. Finally, a body pos-
  sessed using the Embalmer’s Art does not decay. Any
  existing decay from prior to possession remains, and the
  body resumes decomposing normally if the ghost leaves it.
  Furthermore, the nemissary may fortify the vessel it’s
  riding with Essence. For every 4 additional motes of
  Essence the ghost commits to the vessel, it gains a -2 health
  level. The ghost can impart up to its Compassion rating in
  additional health levels on a vessel this way.
  Nemissaries wanting to develop their powers even
  further can purchase a superior version of this Arcanos
  called the Embalmer’s Enduring Triumph. This Arcanos
  functions exactly as The Embalmer’s Art, but requires
  Compassion •••, Essence •••• and the Embalmer’s Art
  as a prerequisite. However, the Embalmer’s Enduring
  Triumph costs only 10 motes and 1 Willpower to activate
  and 2 motes per -1 health level, and the Willpower cost is
  waived if the ghost is in a shadowland.
  
  EXALTED • BOOK OF BONE AND EBONY
  92
  INSTAURATION OF THE FLESHLY VESSEL
  Cost: Varies
  Duration: Instant
  Type: Reflexive
  Minimum Compassion: 3
  Minimum Essence: 4
  Prerequisite Charms: The Embalmer’s Art
  Among the most powerful — and sometimes most
  painful — Arcanoi used by nemissaries, Instauration of the
  Fleshly Vessel allows a ghost to repair damage to a body she
  is possessing, whether that damage was caused by rot or
  combat. Many ghosts dislike this Arcanos because of the pain
  it causes them, but it provides the nemissary with options for
  keeping a war body useful well beyond its usual duration.
  The first technique in this Arcanos repairs rotting
  damage. Every 4 motes of Essence the ghost channels into
  this Charm undoes all rotting damage sustained over the
  course of a single day. In most climates, an unprotected
  corpse will last from six to eight weeks before it becomes
  structurally compromised. At that point, the vessel loses
  two permanent health levels per day until it reaches zero
  health levels, at which point it is little more than a jumble
  of bones and necrotic goo.
  A nemissary using this Arcanos can take control of a
  vessel that may have gone untended a bit too long and
  render it more habitable. Bodies rot at a different rate
  depending on the climate. In the extreme North and
  South, bodies are mummified by the cold or arid climates
  and last for several months before ceasing to function. In
  warm, humid climes, a corpse may last only a couple of
  weeks before falling into a putrescent gray mass, and a
  nemissary may need to use this Arcanos frequently to keep
  her vessel intact. The Storyteller determines how often
  this Arcanos needs to be used on a body to keep it in good
  repair. Repeated uses of this Charm on even extremely
  decayed flesh can, eventually, result in a body that looks as
  though it’s only moments past its final breath. Once the
  ghost has repaired a possessed body with this Arcanos, she
  may use the Embalmer’s Art to preserve the corpse’s
  improved state indefinitely.
  The other use of this Charm heals damage taken by
  the nemissary’s vessel, but at the expense of her corpus. For
  1 mote of Essence per health level, the nemissary bleeds
  her own integrity into the vessel to restore it. She suffers
  one unsoakable level of damage per level regenerated, with
  the type of damage appropriate to the type healed. She may
  heal bashing or lethal injuries in any order. Ghosts with
  the Ox-Body Technique Arcanos (a Conviction Arcanos
  with no Prerequisites and an Essence and Conviction
  minimum of 1 that gives two -2 levels per purchase, up to
  a limit of the ghost’s Conviction rating — see the Exalted
  Players Guide, pp. 83-84) are far more capable of using
  this Charm than other ghosts.
  This Charm cannot heal damage caused by fire, aggra-
  vated sources or magic specifically designed to inflict
  deleterious effects on the undead (such as that caused by
  the Zeniths’ anima flare or the Charms Solar Spike or
  Blazing Solar Bolt).
  DRIVE THE NECROTIC COLOSSUS
  Cost: 10 motes, 1 Willpower, 1 experience point
  Duration: One day
  Type: Simple
  Minimum Compassion: 2
  Minimum Essence: 4
  Prerequisite Charms: Nemissary’s Ride
  Nemissary’s Ride allows a ghost to possess and ani-
  mate a shell as large as a very large (eight feet tall, 400
  pound) human. To animate corpses larger than that (or
  the multiple connected corpses of some necromantic war
  machines), the ghost must know Drive the Necrotic Co-
  lossus. This Charm allows ghosts to animate the bodies of
  even the largest natural animals and war machines up to
  the size of a large temple. If the shell to be animated is larger
  than that (as the largest war machines and behemoth
  corpses are), then multiple nemissaries must work in
  concert to animate it.
  Once the player spends the experience point, the
  character no longer has to commit Essence to the Charm.
  At that point, the nemissary stays inside the war machine
  she’s “piloting” until she decides to leave.
  The 30 nemissaries that propel Mask of Winter’s
  Juggernaut do so through the use of this Charm.
  BINDINGS OF ETERNAL PRESERVATION
  (RESOURCES •• OR •••)
  Any number of alchemical processes can fend off the
  rotting of a corpse. In the First Age, mummification was
  considered unnatural and immoral throughout most of
  Creation, a perversion of the natural cycle. Since the
  Great Contagion, however, emotion has more and more
  frequently overcome wisdom, and arguing with the be-
  reaved has grown more difficult. In the Second Age, there
  exist a myriad of alchemical processes that suspend rot
  altogether, most of which involve mummification.
  While these methods are more than enough to fend
  off rot from a nemissary’s host body, most practitioners of
  the Stringless Puppeteer Arts have better things to do with
  their time in Creation than to soak in baths of pungent
  herbs and alchemical salts. Bindings of eternal preserva-
  tion are linen or leather wrappings soaked in the chemicals
  used in mummification. The mummification solution soaks
  into the dead flesh, suspending the rotting process for as
  long as the bindings are worn. So long as they’re wrapped
  around the corpse with no more than an inch of exposed
  tissue between bindings, the corpse is sufficiently pro-
  tected. While the bindings of eternal preservation won’t
  
  93
  CHAPTER FOUR • CREATIONS OF BONE
  reverse decay that’s already set in (that’s the function of
  magic, not alchemy), they will prevent a corpse from
  decaying any further once they’ve been applied.
  Cloth bindings are somewhat expensive for what they
  are, requiring Resources •• to purchase. They are more
  common, but they’re only effective for one year, and they
  aren’t appropriate for a corpse that’s likely to see combat.
  Each level of lethal damage severs the bindings in two
  places, and they must be retied thereafter. For each health
  level of lethal damage the corpse takes while wearing cloth
  bindings, two turns must be taken to retie them, lest the
  bindings unravel and fall off. Once a corpse wearing cloth
  bindings takes a cumulative total of 10 levels of lethal
  damage, the bindings are considered ruined.
  Leather bindings of eternal preservation require Re-
  sources •••. They’re less common and harder to come by
  generally, but they’re much better suited to corpses of the
  more martial variety. Leather bindings have to soak in
  preservative elixirs for a much longer time before they’re
  properly saturated, but they retain much more of the fluid
  than cloth bindings and, therefore, may preserve a body for
  up to a century. Leather is much more durable than cloth
  and adds 2L/1B to the wearer’s soak. Furthermore, the
  leather bindings are resilient enough that they only need
  retying if the wearer takes aggravated damage. Some
  Deathlords have tried to stave off the rotting of zombies by
  wrapping them in bindings of eternal preservation, but
  these creatures show little concern for the wrappings, and
  they rarely last more than a few hours, with the zombies
  themselves sometimes ripping the bindings off.
  It’s possible to use bindings of eternal preservation to
  fend off rot in war machines, but the cost is prohibitive. For
  a size class 3 war machine, the cost increases by •. For a size
  class 4 war machine, the cost increases by ••.
  SARCOPHAGUS OF RESTORATION (ARTIFACT •••)
  Carved of two heavy slabs of black marble joined with
  hinged bands of soulsteel, these baroque coffins boast
  ornate filigree wrought in Labyrinthine sigils. The dead
  and those who fall beneath the shadow of death while yet
  living — the Ghost-Blooded, Abyssal Exalted and their
  Half-Caste progeny — find the sarcophagi aesthetically
  pleasing and gently cool to the touch. All others feel an
  ominous chill of dread at the site of the morbid artifacts.
  The effects of a sarcophagus of restoration depend on what
  manner of being sleeps in it. If a ghost lies within the device, the
  spirit immediately falls into Slumber as though the coffin were
  a Fetter (see Exalted: The Abyssals, p. 36). When the ghost
  awakens, she receives one extra success on her player’s Stamina
  roll for the ghost to heal. An Abyssal Exalt who rests within a
  sarcophagus of restoration falls into a deep torpor like the
  Slumber of the dead. For eight hours, all vital signs fade, and the
  deathknight hovers at the cusp between life and death. At the
  end of this period, the Abyssal loses one dot of Resonance. A
  deathknight without any accumulated Resonance instead adds
  one success to his player’s Conviction roll for the Abyssal to
  regain Willpower. Furthermore, the player receives a roll for the
  deathknight to regenerate injuries like a Slumbering ghost,
  substituting Essence for Stamina. Ghost-Blooded and
  Shadewalkers receive the same benefits as Abyssal Exalted,
  save that they never have Resonance to lose. Other living
  beings also fall comatose within the coffins, but the experience
  is extremely unpleasant. Horrific nightmares plague their sleep,
  draining one point of Willpower and forfeiting the usual
  Conviction roll to regain Willpower. Worse still, such beings
  must fight to hold onto their sanity in the face of such horror,
  gaining a derangement if their players do not make a successful
  Willpower roll. The difficulty of this check starts at 1, but
  cumulatively increases by 1 with each additional night spent in
  the artifact (resetting back to 1 after a full month avoiding the
  coffin). Derangements imposed by these artifacts tend toward
  psychosis and extreme moral degeneration. On the upside,
  living beings heal as ghosts do, with a Stamina roll after each
  night of slumber. A mortally wounded character placed within
  a sarcophagus will not deteriorate any further for as long as she
  remains sealed within, but she must still heal back up to
  Incapacitated through the regenerative power of the device.
  Finally, the sarcophagus can actually mend the flesh of reason-
  ably intact corpses placed within it, siphoning away the touch
  of Oblivion to reverse decay and other trauma. After every
  eight-hour period, roll two dice as if for Slumber. Rot should be
  treated as lethal damage and always heals first, with the number
  of levels of damage assigned by the Storyteller based on the
  condition of the corpse. A nemissary who Slumbers within
  heals its borrowed body first, and does not mend its own corpus
  until the flesh is fully repaired. Bodies stored in a sarcophagus
  of restoration obviously do not decay further. Resisting the
  sleep imposed by one of these coffins requires a successful
  Stamina + Resistance roll, difficulty 3, every turn.
  As long as it is housed within a Manse in the Under-
  world or a shadowland, a sarcophagus of restoration requires
  no additional power to function. Elsewhere in the lands of
  the dead, the device requires a Hearthstone of any level set
  in its lid to operate. Substituting a soulfire gem works just
  as well, but each eight-hour use drains 3 motes from the
  gem. Within Creation proper, a sarcophagus must have a
  level-3+ Hearthstone socketed on its lid or else an Es-
  sence-channeling being must touch the socket and spend
  10 motes in preparation for every cycle of Slumber.
  LOATHSOME OSSEOUS SHELL (ARTIFACT •••)
  Developed by the Mask of Winters as his answer to the
  gunzosha fielded by the Seventh Legion, a loathsome
  osseous shell similarly protects and enhances the combat
  prowess of its wearer. The Deathlord usually issues these
  devices to nemissaries or elite mortal troops created through
  brutal applications of the Charm Hardened Killer Train-
  ing Style. The Mask of Winters has sold the designs to
  
  EXALTED • BOOK OF BONE AND EBONY
  94
  several of his peers, although none of them have yet fielded
  units equipped with the artifacts.
  This frightening necromantic armor takes the form of
  a metal and bone exoskeleton that automatically resizes
  itself to the measurements of its master when first donned.
  A steel-reinforced spine and sternum support white ribs
  curved around the chest, while rigid bones extend like
  grotesque splints along the legs and arms. A skull-helmet fits
  snugly over the wearer’s head, its gaping sockets fitted with
  lenses of smoky obsidian that hide all traces of life or
  empathy. Finely articulated gauntlets transform the wearer’s
  fingers into skeletal claws. Throughout this elaborate frame-
  work, plates and hinges of blackened steel and enchanted
  alloys cover all vital areas. The design exposes more flesh
  than prudence would advise, but enchantments in the
  armor give the wearer’s skin the ashen pallor and leathery
  resilience of the walking dead. Each loathsome osseous shell
  is an undead creature animated by the spell Walking War
  Machine, a necromantic symbiont that coordinates its
  movements and monstrous strength to improve the wearer’s
  physical capabilities. To facilitate its connection with a
  wearer, the armor inserts a slender metal spike into the back
  of her neck, siphoning Essence to forge an arcane link.
  System: Once a character dons a loathsome osseous
  shell, the control spike inserts itself into his neck. The
  puncture itself is minor and inflicts no actual damage, but
  the spike drains one Willpower point from mortals or 5
  motes of Essence from magical beings. This cost remains
  committed for 10 hours, after which, the armor drains and
  commits new energies to sustain the link. Each new
  commitment of Essence or Willpower replaces the previ-
  ous cost, allowing recovery of those expended energies. If
  the wearer cannot pay this mandatory cost, the armor
  leeches power from the wearer’s own life force, inflicting
  one level of unsoakable lethal damage.
  As armor, the artifact provides 9L/9B soak with a
  mobility penalty of –2 and a fatigue value of 0. In addition,
  the wearer’s Strength rating increases by 2 and his Stamina
  rises by 1. These bonuses apply to all rolls. More impres-
  sively, the armor completely negates all fatigue from other
  sources or encumbrance (such as a shield), but the charac-
  ter remains unable to carry more than his augmented
  Strength permits. If he exceeds the lift value of his adjusted
  rating, he still feels no fatigue but can only stagger short
  distances under the heavy burden. The character can
  perform hard manual labor or walk tirelessly for as long as
  he wears the armor, dramatically increasing his effective
  speed over long marches. The same magic also negates all
  dice penalties for pain or wounds, although injuries still
  affect his movement rate normally. The only limit to this
  unnatural endurance is the device’s regular upkeep, which
  eventually drains his soul and finally kills him if worn too
  long. Characters wearing loathsome osseous shells cannot
  sleep and, therefore, receive no opportunity to recover
  Willpower through Conviction, but magical beings can
  still rest or meditate to respire Essence. As a final benefit,
  the character’s horrific visage adds an extra die to all
  intimidation-based Social rolls.
  Although a loathsome osseous shell incorporates trace
  quantities of soulsteel in its frame, it does not receive the
  augmented soak rating normally conferred by that metal.
  Conversely, any Exalt or magical being can wear such a suit
  without paying the double surcharge. The intricate compo-
  nents and enchantments of an loathsome osseous shell are
  quite durable, but the armor still requires maintenance after
  every 120 hours of operation. After 20 hours of missed
  maintenance, the armor loses its ability to negate pain and
  fatigue and gains a fatigue value of 1. This value cumula-
  tively increases by 1 for every further 20 hours of missed
  maintenance, until the armor’s joints stiffen and refuse too
  move after 100 missed hours. Characters performing the
  maintenance need a relevant Craft (e.g., Necrosurgery or
  Armoring), Lore and Occult rating of ••• each. Such
  repairs take one hour and cost Resources ••.
  ENGINES OF ANNIHILATION
  The war engines of the Deathlords are a varied lot. Each
  Deathlord, as well as his or her Abyssal Exalted, have
  different approaches to the necromantically animated mon-
  strosities they deploy in their war of attrition against the
  living. Some, such as the Mask of Winters, depend heavily
  on fewer but more powerful war machines. Some, such as the
  Bodhisattva Anointed by Dark Water, make little use of war
  machines at all, preferring to rely largely on either zombies,
  Moliated ghosts or nemissaries. And still others, such as the
  First and Forsaken Lion, use everything at their disposal in
  amassing a massive integrated fighting force.
  Some of these choices are determined by strategy
  alone: The First and Foremost Lion is somewhat more
  prepared to war on his fellow Deathlords than on Creation
  because he has never had the opportunity to field-test his
  tactics in the realm of the living (or at least not on a large
  scale as of yet). Likewise, the Mask of Winters realized
  when he happened upon the colossal rotting corpse that
  became Juggernaut that he had an unprecedented windfall
  of dead flesh on his hands. The Deathlord transformed
  Juggernaut into a key piece in his incursion into Creation,
  providing him with a beachhead the other Deathlords
  could only envy — of course, if Juggernaut were somehow
  removed from the picture, the Mask of Winters’ operations
  in Creation would be severely compromised.
  Other choices regarding the use of war machines are
  dictated by circumstance: An island isn’t a practical place
  to store land-based war machines that will only take up
  space until they are deployed, so those few war machines
  that the Silver Prince does employ are all stored and
  deployed in or under the water.
  Still, nearly all the Deathlords make some use of
  necromantic war machines. They’re too effective not to
  
  95
  CHAPTER FOUR • CREATIONS OF BONE
  use, even if only for their ability to rapidly crush the
  enemy’s morale.
  The following system allows characters and Storytell-
  ers to generate their own necromantic war machines from
  the ground up. It lists the cost in resources (in terms of both
  money and corpses) required by the various types of
  undead siege engines as well as the type of necromantic
  magic and Essence cost required to make the engine work.
  NECROSURGERY
  Abyssal Exalted (and their masters, the Deathlords)
  possess an unsurpassed ability to craft great and terrible
  works of mismatched flesh. Those Abyssals who have mas-
  tered necrosurgery (see Exalted: The Abyssals, p. 130) and
  Bone Graft Technique (see Exalted: The Abyssals, p. 188)
  can use those abilities to assemble horrible necrotic concat-
  enations of sculpted bone, twisted metal and sutured flesh.
  By itself, necrosurgery allows a practitioner to fuse human
  tissue (living and dead) and animal tissue (living and dead)
  into horrid sculptures of flesh. When augmented with Bone
  Graft Technique or similar magic, it can incorporate iron
  and soulsteel elements as well.
  More horrible yet, those with enough mastery of
  necromancy can animate even the most unnatural abomi-
  nations through the use of the spell Walking War Machine
  (see Exalted: The Abyssals, p. 226) and its subsequent
  techniques. Alternatively, an Abyssal (or a Deathlord)
  can order a nemissary to possess his sculpture of flesh,
  animating it that way.
  With enough time and resources, an Abyssal Exalt
  could use necrosurgery combined with Bone Graft Tech-
  nique (and possibly Walking War Machine or its more
  powerful versions) to do any of the following:
  • Graft several heads (or eyes) onto a single body to
  create a guardian who can’t be surprised.
  • Forge giant metal spider legs and attach them to a
  (sturdy) animal corpse, and animate the result with
  necromancy.
  • Graft huge bone or metal spikes onto the skeleton
  of a zombie to make it more formidable in combat.
  • Connect hundreds of bodies together to create an
  enormous meat golem.
  Mortals, Abyssal Exalted and Deathlords alike have
  come up with any number of ways to slow (or arrest
  entirely) the rotting process in order to extend the
  useful duration of these abominations. The Charm
  Decay Resistance Preparation (see Exalted: The
  Abyssals, p. 188) is available to Abyssal Exalts, but
  many methods exist, including a wide range of alchemi-
  cal mummification procedures.
  
  EXALTED • BOOK OF BONE AND EBONY
  96
  FRAME AND COMPONENTS
  Undead flesh never tires, never feels pain and never
  knows fear. Those three reasons alone make reanimated
  servitors worth the effort. A zombie slave can go top speed
  for weeks on end and not need rest. It may rot. It may wear
  out. It may emit a stench that makes the living puke. But
  undead flesh is nothing if not steadfast.
  And it is plentiful. Corpses are common, and if they’re
  not, deathknights and nemissaries can easily make more.
  The reanimated dead all possess the same character-
  istics, and those characteristics are the given the
  necromancer has to work with. What varies is how that
  flesh is arranged, combined and fused into a larger whole.
  As with all things, there are more and less effective ways of
  combining dead bodies into engines of war.
  Determining the engine’s base frame is the first stage
  in designing a walking war machine.
  HUMANOID
  Animating a single human corpse is nothing to a
  master of necromancy. It is neither a challenge nor any
  particular advantage in battle. Cleverly fusing several of
  them together, however, and animating the monstrous
  result (e.g., spine chains) suddenly makes the process
  both more interesting and more tactically advanta-
  geous. Accretions of human corpses can be some of the
  more disturbing war engines. Merely witnessing the
  physical blasphemy of a walking war machine or seeing
  dozens (or more) corpses — perhaps friends or acquain-
  tances — systematically integrated into a siege engine
  can be traumatic and deeply demoralizing for the deni-
  zens of Creation.
  It’s one of the reasons the Deathlords do it.
  A skilled practitioner can combine human bodies in
  a myriad of ways using the techniques of necrosurgery. The
  muscles and bones of two different bodies can be con-
  nected to fuse the bodies into a single grotesque body.
  Alternatively, parts of several corpses can be sewn into or
  onto a single cadaver.
  Resource Cost: None
  ANIMAL
  The corpses of large animals make excellent addi-
  tions to a necromantic war machine. They’re sturdy,
  they’re terrifying, and they can form the basis for the
  larger types of war machines. Reanimated hybrocs, mam-
  moths and yeddim make excellent war machines even
  without modification. It stands to reason, then, that once
  properly stitched and grafted together they can easily
  turn the tide of a battle.
  Resource Cost: Usually none, but for more exotic
  specimens, it may require the necromancer to as-
  semble a hunting party, with all the costs pertaining to
  such an endeavor.
  A-HUNTING WE WILL GO
  The monstrous siege engines of the Deathlords
  make use of any and all dead tissue that can be
  scavenged. Human, animal, fresh, rotten, large or
  small, it makes no difference when the final product
  is an abomination the size of a building.
  The greater destructive capacity (and increased
  intimidation factor) of larger siege engines makes
  them popular with the Abyssals and Deathlords.
  That requires either larger corpses or many smaller
  ones. In some cases, large normal animals suffice.
  There are times, however, when building the perfect
  undead siege-beast requires components of a more
  unusual variety. In these cases, forces from the Un-
  derworld may gather a hunting party in a shadowland
  — led either by an experienced nemissary or an
  Abyssal, depending on the quarry — and launch into
  Creation to bring back the necessary raw materials.
  Hunting parties are called mainly to bring down
  extraordinarily tough or dangerous prey. Cachalots,
  siaka, river dragons, hybrocs and beast men are
  common targets. Wyld mutants constitute a large
  portion of what such hunting parties go after. The
  variety of mutant flesh allows the necrosurgeons to
  add components to their war machines that might be
  impossible to get in the Underworld (or elsewhere in
  Creation). From time to time, very large and heavily
  fortified hunting parties also go in search of behe-
  moths, if they have some indication of one’s
  whereabouts. Since the fall of Thorns, some
  Deathlords (particularly the Mask of Winters) have
  been sending out hunting parties to bring back bodies
  of the Dragon-Blooded. War machines using the
  Terrestrial Exalted are much more durable than
  those made with mortals alone. A war machine that
  uses bodies of the Dragon-Blooded for at least half of
  its flesh gains an additional -1 health level, although
  this number can go up. A creature that was made
  exclusively of young, vital Earth-aspects might add a
  -1 and two -2 health levels.
  Mortals living near the shadowland may actu-
  ally feel that the hunting party is trying to defend
  them in some way by taking down large and danger-
  ous creatures. They typically stop feeling that way
  quickly when they see the beast come back as part
  of an undead war machine.
  BONE
  Possibly the most favored substance in a necromancer’s
  arsenal, bone is beloved as much for its hardness and versatil-
  ity as for its reactivity to necromancy. Sigils, glyphs and runes
  
  97
  CHAPTER FOUR • CREATIONS OF BONE
  etched into bones are often the anchors for necromantic
  magic, the means by which the magic grips the corpse (flesh
  is poorly suited to this due to its excessive malleability and
  tendency to rot). Necromancers employ a wide range of
  techniques for fusing, shaping and sculpting bone.
  Resources Cost: None to •••, depending on the
  rarity of the bones. Human bones are common and omni-
  present. The bones of the largest cachalots, on the other
  hand, are both popular in war machines and hard to come
  by and therefore carry a Resources ••• price tag.
  METAL
  The basic frame of a necromantic siege engine doesn’t
  even need to be made entirely from the bodies of the dead,
  as long as they’re cleverly incorporated into the device.
  The Abyssal Charm Bone Graft Technique allows a
  necrosurgeon to fuse flesh, bone and metal into one
  smoothly functioning whole. Metal may be little more
  than a practical embellishment on a walking war engine,
  like hooks or blades fused into the war machine’s bones.
  Alternatively, the siege engine could be made almost
  entirely of metal and incorporate the walking dead as its
  method of propulsion. In some cases, corpses are incorpo-
  rated into large metal wagons used to carry passengers or in
  odd variants of the rickshaw or palanquin.
  Resources Cost: This is where walking war machines
  get expensive. The costs in the table below represent the
  cost for metal embellishments on a war machine of the
  appropriate size. If the actual infrastructure of the war
  machine is composed of the material, double the Re-
  sources cost below.
  NECROTIC PROPULSION
  Some war machines incorporate the walking dead
  only as source of power. Like slaves rowing a barge, the
  dead take their places at oars, chains or drive shafts and
  row, pull or turn, as appropriate. Entire corpses aren’t
  needed for this. As little as one joint — a knee or perhaps
  a shoulder — can be enough to animate certain simple
  devices.
  Resource Cost: None to •, depending on how the
  corpses are integrated into the device.
  SIZE
  The phrase “walking war machine” is, in some in-
  stances, misleading. It brings to mind images of colossal
  horrors of fused flesh, bone and metal. In some cases, this
  is accurate. The enormous fortress-corpse Juggernaut and
  the horrors of the thousand-corpse war frame (see p. 105-
  106) are only two of many applications of necromancy,
  but the range of sizes varies immensely. The weapon of
  mephitic desolation (see p. 108) requires only five bodies
  and can potentially wreak havoc on a vast scale. While
  necromancers don’t think in terms of “size class 2” or “size
  class 4” war engines, it’s a convenient system for keeping
  track of game mechanics.
  LESS THAN HUMAN (SIZE CLASS 1)
  Devices used in war don’t always have to be enormous
  and obvious. A severed hand has enough mobility that it
  can be dropped near its target and scuttle closer on its own,
  committing small acts of espionage or sabotage. Aug-
  mented with (or powering) a metal frame (a head atop
  limbs grafted to eight soulsteel insect legs, for example),
  these small war machines make excellent drones and
  citadel guardians.
  Such devices are also more affordable and easier to
  animate.
  ON A HUMAN SCALE (SIZE CLASS 2)
  Many war engines aren’t necessarily as big as the term
  “war engine” might suggest. Creature on this scale range
  from the size of a single human to the size of a large horse.
  Many necromantic creations this size are very similar to
  the transcendent revenant vessels used by nemissaries in
  their work in Creation (see p. 87-91), single corpses highly
  augmented with metal, bone and parts from other bodies.
  Also in this categories are other devices of moderate size,
  such as those comprising two or three augmented bodies
  grafted together. Spine chains (see Exalted, pp. 299-300)
  and the weapon of mephitic desolation (see p. 108) fit into
  this size class.
  BIG AND DEAD (SIZE CLASS 3)
  Ranging from the size of a small wagon to that of a
  moderate building, these are the walking war machines
  that people imagine when they hear that phrase. These
  are the self-propelling bone golems, the highly aug-
  mented reanimated yeddim with soulsteel exoskeletons,
  the iron wagons propelled by the labors of hidden dead
  flesh and so on. War engines of this size can only be
  animated by the Labyrinth Circle spell Spurring the
  Beast of War or stronger spells (see p. 98-99).
  Metal
  Class 1
  Class 2
  Class 3
  Class 4
  Iron
  •
  ••
  ••
  •••
  Jade
  ••
  •••
  •••••
  •••••
  Soulsteel
  ••
  •••
  •••••
  •••••
  Other (Brass, Steel)
  •
  ••
  •••
  •••
  
  EXALTED • BOOK OF BONE AND EBONY
  98
  COLOSSAL (SIZE CLASS 4)
  This category includes those vast sculptures of reani-
  mated corpses larger than the size of a moderate building.
  The thousand-corpse war frame (see p. 105-106) falls into
  this category, as does the Mask of Winters’ Juggernaut and
  the web is the spider (see p. 107). These war engines
  represent necromancy on the very largest scale. While
  they are immensely powerful and appropriately feared,
  creating and maintaining such walking war machines is an
  enormous challenge. If one is making use of mortal corpses,
  hundreds or thousands of corpses must be obtained, treated
  in order to slow decay and painstakingly fused together
  using sutures, hooks, bone screws, Charms and necro-
  mancy. Animating creations of this size can only be done
  using the Void Circle spell Incomparable Destruction
  Engine (see p. 99).
  WEAPON MOUNTS
  War machines of classes 4 and 5 can carry weapons,
  either First Age weapons such as implosion bows or weap-
  ons of Oblivion that spray bolts of pure annihilation.
  Building weapon mounts into the war engine increases the
  base cost by Resources •.
  PASSENGERS
  Larger war machines are capable of carrying passen-
  gers or cargo. Juggernaut carries an entire fortress on its
  back. More undead passengers can generally fit into a
  mobile war engine than living ones, because the dead
  don’t care if they’re jammed in and unable to move. Only
  the living worry about luxuries such as comfort. The dead
  can just as easily be hung from hooks or compacted for
  transit in bone shells.
  ANIMATION OPTIONS
  Before a necromancer builds a war machine, he needs
  to be certain that he can animate it. Dead flesh won’t move
  itself no matter the necromancer’s virtuosity in combining
  corpses. Though it’s the most popular means of animating
  war engines, necromancy is not the only way.
  NECROMANCY
  Incredibly powerful in dealing death and channeling
  the power of Oblivion, necromancy is also the key to
  deploying the engines of death that are so popular among
  the Deathlords and their deathknights. One spell is re-
  sponsible for most of the devices used in Creation, but two
  additional spells exist in the lore-troves of the Deathlords
  that can animate even larger monstrosities.
  Iron Reanimation
  The most basic of the spells that animate dead flesh,
  Walking War Machine (see Exalted: The Abyssals, p.
  226), is simple Shadowlands Circle Necromancy that can
  animate up to a ton of dead flesh, equivalent to around 10
  to 15 bodies. Walking War Machine is a very forgiving
  spell. It not only animates the mass of flesh, but fuses
  undead tissues, correcting and adjusting for small errors in
  necrosurgery and thereby attaching muscle to bone more
  effectively and optimizing the animation of the composite
  war machine. So long as the necrosurgeon building the
  machine had a Craft (Necrosurgery) rating of •• or more,
  the device animates without difficulty.
  Initially crafting the device to be animated requires
  one success per hundred pounds of flesh on an Intelligence
  + Craft (Necrosurgery) roll. Each roll in an extended
  action represents eight solid hours of work. Walking War
  Machine animates weapons of size class 1 or 2.
  While unusually simple or unusually complex war
  machines may require less or more Essence, Walking War
  Machine typically requires (8 - the necromancer’s Essence
  rating) motes of Essence per success on the necrosurgery roll,
  representing the difficulty of animating larger weapons.
  This spell provides the war machine with the follow-
  ing basic stats, although these may be modified based on
  the specifics of the weapon animated:
  Attributes: Strength 4, Dexterity 2, Stamina 3, Charisma
  0, Manipulation 0, Appearance 0, Perception 2, Intelli-
  gence 1, Wits 3
  Virtues: Not applicable. Never fails Valor rolls, never
  succeeds at any other rolls.
  Abilities: Athletics 1, Awareness 2, Brawl 2, Dodge 2,
  Endurance 1, Melee 2, Resistance 2, Stealth 1
  Base Initiative: 5
  Soak: Highly variable due to size and armor options, but
  not less than 3L/6B
  Health Levels: For each success on the initial necrosurgery
  roll, the walking war machine has two -0, two -1 and two
  -2 health levels.
  Onyx Reanimation
  The Labyrinth Circle grants access to a yet more
  powerful version of Walking War Machine. At this level,
  the spell is called Spurring the Beast of War. A war
  machine of this type requires a minimum Craft
  BY WAY OF CLARIFICATION…
  Necromancers are great fans of complexity, in
  their nomenclature as well as their craft. They use
  certain terms interchangeably in ways that might
  confuse those who are not privy to their secrets.
  Walking War Machine is Shadowlands Circle
  Necromancy and is also known as Iron Reanimation.
  Spurring the Beast of War is Labyrinth Circle
  Necromancy and is also known as Onyx Reanimation.
  Incomparable Destruction Engine is necro-
  mancy of the Void Circle and is also known as
  Obsidian Reanimation.
  
  99
  CHAPTER FOUR • CREATIONS OF BONE
  (Necrosurgery) rating of ••••. Each roll represents two
  solid days of work.
  Like Walking War Machine, Spurring the Beast of
  War requires (8 - necromancer’s Essence rating) motes of
  Essence per success on the necrosurgery roll. Animating
  larger creatures therefore costs a great deal of Essence, but
  this increased cost reflects the greater difficulty of animat-
  ing larger death engines.
  War machines animated with this spell have the
  following stats:
  Attributes: Strength 6, Dexterity 2, Stamina 5, Charisma
  0, Manipulation 0, Appearance 0, Perception 3, Intelli-
  gence 1, Wits 4
  Virtues: Not applicable. Never fails Valor rolls, never
  succeeds at any other rolls.
  Abilities: Athletics 3, Awareness 2, Brawl 4, Dodge 4,
  Endurance 3, Melee 3, Resistance 3, Stealth 1
  Base Initiative: 7
  Soak: Highly variable, but not less than 4L/8B.
  Health Levels: For each success on the initial necrosurgery
  roll, the walking war machine has two -0, two -1 and three
  -2 health levels.
  Obsidian Reanimation
  The most powerful spell for animating war machines is
  the Void Circle spell Incomparable Destruction Engine. A
  necromancer cannot even attempt creating one of these war
  machines without a Craft (Necrosurgery) rating of •••••
  or more. Each roll represents three full days of work.
  The minimum Essence cost of Incomparable Destruc-
  tion Engine is equal to the number of successes needed on
  the necrosurgery roll, although the Storyteller may double
  that in the case of truly colossal war machines (such as
  Juggernaut).
  The war machines animated with this spell have the
  following stats:
  Attributes: Strength 8, Dexterity 3, Stamina 7, Charisma
  0, Manipulation 0, Appearance 0, Perception 4, Intelli-
  gence 2, Wits 4
  Virtues: Not applicable. Never fails Valor rolls, never
  succeeds at any other rolls.
  Abilities: Athletics 4, Awareness 3, Brawl 6, Dodge 2,
  Endurance 4, Melee 4, Resistance 5, Stealth 1
  Base Initiative: 8
  Health Levels: For each success on the initial necrosurgery
  roll, the walking war machine has three -0, three -1 and
  four -2 health levels.
  NEMISSARIES
  With the right force of skilled ghosts, necromancy
  isn’t even strictly necessary to animate a war machine.
  Nemissaries animate bodies just as well and slightly more
  dexterously than necromancy. A nemissary animating a
  war engine must know Nemissary’s Ride (see Exalted: The
  Abyssals, p. 250) or Drive the Necrotic Colossus (see p.
  92). Some Deathlords and many Abyssals are less fond of
  this technique because nemissaries are, among other things,
  somewhat difficult to keep fed in Creation. Furthermore,
  many Deathlords and deathknights take a slightly dismiss-
  ive tone toward nemissaries, whom they see as “mere
  ghosts.” The real problem with using nemissaries, of course,
  is that they have minds of their own. A necromancer
  knows that a construct animated with Walking War
  Machine will follow his instructions no matter what.
  Using nemissaries to animate his war machine detracts
  from that certainty.
  Nemissary-animated war machines will have stats
  appropriate to the size of the creation (as described above
  under necromantic reanimation, but use the nemissary’s
  Mental and Social Attributes (excepting Appearance).
  DEFENSE
  Without defenses, the walking war machines of the
  Deathlords would fall before Creation’s defenders before
  accomplishing their missions. The Deathlords have learned
  how to make the most of the size and power of these
  creations, but certain weaknesses in the basic design (such
  as their susceptibility to fire) have yet to be overcome.
  VANGUARD
  Not actually a part of the war machine proper, a
  vanguard is a contingent of undead troops that swarms
  around the war machine, defending and supporting it. The
  monstrosities of the Deathlords are fearsome and powerful,
  but speed and maneuverability are not known to be their
  primary strengths. The point of the vanguard is to make up
  for this weakness by providing quicker and more maneu-
  verable troops to neutralize (or at least slow down) any
  forces that might be able to damage or destroy the war
  engine before it has been fully unleashed. This vanguard
  may contain zombies, but it will definitely include nemissaries
  augmented for war, and it will be charged with defending
  the war machine. Most support troops follow in the wake
  of war engines, but larger or more crucial war machines will
  have at least a few necrosurgeons (if not full on necroman-
  cers) to make repairs, should they prove necessary. These
  combat necrosurgeons could be Abyssal Exalted, but more
  often they will be nemissaries or exquisite undead aides
  (see Exalted: The Abyssals, p. 226), as the deathknights
  are too rare and too prized to act as mere backup.
  ARMOR
  There are as many different ways to armor a war
  machine as there are engineers devising them. Enormous
  plates of iron, soulsteel shielding, alchemically hardened
  flesh, bone carapaces and even more terrifying forms of
  armor are used to harden these undead horrors.
  The following stats are for war machines that use large
  plates of the named material as armor. These plates are at
  least half an inch thick and cover important joints, sockets
  or vulnerable areas. In size class 3 and 4 war machines,
  
  EXALTED • BOOK OF BONE AND EBONY
  100
  these plates are especially thick near the ground, up to a
  height of 10 feet.
  TOUGHNESS
  The war engines of the Deathlords are notoriously
  difficult to damage. Dead flesh is already tougher than
  living flesh (as represented by common zombies and
  nemissaries having 10 health levels [see Exalted, p. 299]
  instead of the seven possessed by most mortals), and it can
  be further hardened through mummification. The war
  machines of the Deathlords can also be fortified through
  the reinforcement of bones or through sheer size. A war
  machine’s base health levels depend on its size and the
  spell animating it. A necromancer can also imbue its
  creation with extra health levels by spending extra Es-
  sence during the animation. The formula for this is: Every
  2 additional motes of Essence spent on toughness, above
  and beyond the basic reanimation costs, provides the war
  machine with (size class x 1) -1 health levels and (size class
  x 2) -2 health levels.
  Material
  Hardness
  Soak (L/B)
  Resource Cost
  Bone
  3
    5/6
  None
  Iron
  4
    8/8
  Equal to Size Class
  Jade
  7
  14/14
  Size Class x 3
  Soulsteel
  9
  18/18
  Size Class x 3
  War machines animated by nemissaries don’t gain
  this advantage, but they can benefit from the Intangible
  Guardian Presence Arcanos (see p. 91).
  REPAIR
  Not defense in the purest sense of the word, repair is
  an after-the-fact way of dealing with the damage inflicted
  on walking war machines by a Deathlord’s enemies. In
  addition to any combat necrosurgeons in the machine’s
  vanguard, the support crews that follow in the wake of
  most such war machines will have nemissaries, exquisite
  undead aides (see Exalted: The Abyssals, p. 226) or
  deathknights capable of making necrosurgical repairs.
  Abyssal Exalted who also possess the Charms Form-Re-
  storing Touch or Bone Graft Technique (see Exalted: The
  Abyssals, p. 188) are especially well suited to these repair
  teams. If the mending process is particularly demanding,
  the deathknight may need to cannibalize zombies in the
  war machine’s vanguard for parts.
  
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  CHAPTER FOUR • CREATIONS OF BONE
  OBLIVION’S PANOPLY
  The rarest, and by far the most effective, form of armor plating used in the defense of walking war machines
  is a substance called Oblivion’s Panoply. It is formed of the soulsteel that results when a Deathlord personally
  soulforges the substance of a hekatonkhire. This extraordinarily rare material is then repeatedly lacquered and
  polished until it’s as smooth and black as obsidian. Over that substrate, necromantic engineers apply a layer of
  alchemical binding agents. Lastly, necromancy is used to apply a fine layer of pure Oblivion. This thin layer of
  unbeing nullifies physical force, drains energy and chills attackers. These panels are incredibly light, weighing
  far less than their size and composition would suggest.
  Chill: The Oblivion coating absorbs heat as well as life force from living attackers. Any time an attacker hits
  Oblivion’s panoply, roll the character’s Stamina + Resistance, difficulty two. Failure indicates that the attacker
  has lost body heat and has lost a point of Dexterity due to numbness. Only orichalcum weapons insulate against
  this effect.
  Energy Drain: Plates of Oblivion’s panoply drain Essence-channelers of 5 motes every time they make a
  successful hit with bare hands or with normal or soulsteel weapons, and mortals age by two years with every strike.
  Weapons made of Magical Materials other than soulsteel insulate the wielder from this effect. Flames that touch
  Oblivion’s panoply, including the anima flares of Fire-aspected Terrestrials, are instantly extinguished (although
  Exalts can spend Essence to reignite once they’re away from Oblivion’s panoply). Water that hits the panels
  freezes and slides off.
  Force Nullification: The glossy black surface of Oblivion’s panoply devours physical force aimed at it. Because
  of this, it has an effective soak of 15L/20B (hardened soak if using Exalted Power Combat). An attacker hitting
  a panel of Oblivion’s panoply won’t even feel like her weapon made contact; the weapon simply stops when it
  meets the black panel, its force completely devoured by Oblivion. While the front of the panel is well guarded,
  the back of the panel has no hardness at all and possesses a soak rating of only 2L/4B. For this reason, panels of
  Oblivion’s panoply are securely set in soulsteel frames so the backs are not accessible.
  Oblivion’s panoply is extraordinarily difficult to create, and only those with access to Void Circle
  Necromancy can even attempt it. This makes it rare and enormously valuable. Creating Oblivion’s panoply
  requires soulsteel forged from the plasm of a hekatonkhire. While a handful of the Deathlords have some few
  ingots of this darkly glittering metal in their citadels, it is extraordinarily rare, but of the absolute highest quality.
  The creation of Oblivion’s panoply also requires alchemical agents costing Resources •••••. The creation of
  Oblivion’s panoply costs the necromancer 1 mote, committed, for every five square feet of the stuff she creates.
  For this reason, Oblivion’s panoply is used only where absolutely necessary, and walking war machines — crucial
  ones — are one of the few places where such large expanses of material are practical.
  The process only works on large, perfectly flat and highly polished panels. No panel with a surface area
  smaller than 25 square feet has ever been created, and no panel less than two feet at its thinnest has ever been
  worked into Oblivion’s panoply, and neither has the layer of Oblivion been made thicker than fraction of a hair’s
  breadth. In theory, a thick enough layer of pure non-being could absorb weapons (and their wielders) entirely,
  but even the most advanced scholars of nihilistics have yet to discover that secret.
  The Deathlords (along with their loremasters, engineers and occult scientists) have long sought a means of
  coating smaller or less regular surfaces with a coating of Oblivion (individual suits of armor, for example) but it
  seems that, while Oblivion sits stably on large flat surfaces, smaller or less regular surfaces are not suitable
  substrates, as the black Essence of Oblivion either flows off of the surface and back to the Void or devours the
  object entirely.
  A character wishing to obtain panels of Oblivion’s panoply must have Artifact •••••. For every point of
  Liege he has on top of that, he may gain access to one five foot by five foot panel to use as shielding on a war
  machine, or however he sees fit, pending approval by his Deathlord (i.e., the Storyteller).
  Because of their facility both with Craft and necro-
  mancy, the two most important skills in the creation and
  maintenance of walking war machines, Daybreak Caste
  Abyssals are often the commanders in charge of these
  engines of destruction (and the forces supporting them).
  OFFENSE
  It is not for their phenomenal defenses that the
  walking war machines of the Deathlords are feared. As the
  premier death engines of the forces of Oblivion, walking
  war machines possess immense destructive capabilities of
  
  EXALTED • BOOK OF BONE AND EBONY
  102
  all varieties. Some are simply mechanical, others mimic
  the powers of First Age artifacts, and still others harness
  the power of the Void.
  MECHANICAL
  Almost all walking war machines have some kind of
  common weapons implanted in the flesh or screwed into
  bone. Barbed hooks, bone spine arrays and blades spinning
  on axles are all common on larger war machines. Most of
  these cut or skewer, but some are meant to crush — a solid
  iron metal drum attached to the front of an engine or war,
  for example.
  ARTIFACT
  The weapons built by First Age warriors were de-
  signed to fight the Primordials and had to work in a myriad
  of spirit realms. As a result, they work just as well in the
  Underworld as they do in Creation. The problem with
  these weapons is that the war machine’s builder must
  actually get them, a process that can be difficult or, if not
  difficult, extraordinarily expensive.
  Few artifact weapons from the Shogunate period (or
  later) work in the Underworld. The realm of the dead is a
  spirit realm with its own principles and its own set of rules, and
  the builders of that time slowly began forgetting (or never
  learned or didn’t have the power to achieve) the techniques
  for making artifacts work in radically different theaters of war.
  That said, the First and Forsaken Lion, a master of First
  Age weapons, has modified some powerful artifact weapons
  to work in the Underworld, powered by the Hearthstones of
  Underworld Manses or by Essence-containing gems. It is
  known that he has Underworld equivalents of at least some
  powerful artifact weapons — ghosts have seen him deploy
  pyre-flame lances and implosion bows that focus pure en-
  tropy at their targets — and it is suspected that he has much
  more than that. The other Deathlords, while not so knowl-
  edgeable as the Lion, may have tricks up their sleeves as well,
  although what artifact weapons they have been able to
  retrofit to work in all theaters of battle remains to be seen.
  NECROMANTIC
  The Deathlords may not have much in the way of First
  Age weapons, but what they do have is necromancy. The
  ability to channel the destructive abilities of the Void is
  easily the equivalent of many First Age artifacts. The
  Deathlords have weapons that wither crops, curse those
  who see them, cause disease, sicken and kill livestock and
  taint water so that it will never be potable. Some of these
  they install in their war machines, while others, such as the
  weapon of mephitic desolation, are the war machine.
  THINGS FALL APART
  For all its many strengths, dead flesh is not an ideal
  substance for war engines. Flesh may be tough, but it rots
  quickly. Bone is weak compared to soulsteel. Knowing
  how to maintain the war machines of the Underworld is at
  least as important as knowing how to create them.
  ROT
  A carefully constructed, perfectly lethal battle engine
  can decay beyond repair in just a few weeks in a warm,
  moist environment. Human sized and smaller devices of
  reanimated flesh can be protected from rot fairly easily.
  The Deathlords have long since plumbed the depths of
  mummification lore, and they’ve learned to keep smaller
  war engines in alchemically prepared preservative baths.
  Larger war engines are typically kept in silos full of preser-
  vative tallow. It is likely that the larger war engines have
  all benefited from the Abyssal Charm Decay Resistance
  Preparation (see Exalted: The Abyssals, p. 188), and
  many nemissaries use advanced Arcanoi to suspend, halt
  or reverse rot in the engines they animate.
  WEAR
  When dead flesh and metal come into conflict, the
  metal wins, and the flesh needs to be mended or replaced.
  This is just as true when the metal involved is part of the
  war machine itself as it is when the metal is an enemy’s
  daiklave. Simple, standard operations such as walking take
  their toll on war machines. Dead feet get worn down to
  frayed and splintered shins, turning gears amputate poorly
  placed arms, and any kind of repetitive percussion can
  ultimately pulverize a zombie. A size class 3 war engine
  wears out the equivalent of a zombie’s worth of flesh in a
  VOID CIRCLE NECROMANCY SPELL:
  OBLIVION’S AVATAR
  Cost: 10 motes (committed) per power, or 40 motes
  and 5 experience points per power to make the
  effect permanent
  Target: One war machine
  Animating a war machine is sometimes just
  the first step in creating a truly devastating weapon.
  Oblivion’s Avatar invests a walking war machine
  with a portion of the power of the Malfeans them-
  selves, granting it the ability to carry pure entropy
  into Creation, which might manifest as a black
  nimbus of destruction akin to Crypt Bolt or (Mate-
  rial) Withering Method (see Exalted: The Abyssals
  pp. 191 and 187-188, respectively), the ability to
  spread disease or some other form of direct channel-
  ing of Oblivion into the realm of the living. The
  prayer-blocking ability of the weapon of mephitic
  desolation is a product of this spell. Other examples
  of the power of Oblivion’s Avatar are listed in the
  sidebar “Necromantic Weaponry” on page 109.
  
  103
  CHAPTER FOUR • CREATIONS OF BONE
  day. A size class 4 war engine wears out at least three times
  that and often much more, depending on its size.
  NECROMANTIC REPAIR
  War machines can be repaired, and on a regular basis,
  they must be. For every week a war machine goes without
  repair, it loses (size class) health levels. This obviously
  gives larger war engines more latitude, but a colossal war
  engine that goes for too long without routine maintenance
  takes an enormous amount of time to repair. Each health
  level lost to wear requires three successes on an Intelli-
  gence + Craft (Necrosurgery) roll to repair.
  Replacement
  For every health level a war machine loses, the necro-
  mancer must find good flesh to replace it with. Healthy living
  donors are, by far, the best sources of repair flesh, as they’re
  untouched by decay, but any relatively fresh or mummified
  flesh will do provided its intact and not weakened by rot.
  Repair
  Dead flesh doesn’t heal. It must be repaired.
  Necrosurgery alone can’t repair basic tissue attrition. After
  a while, there’s just not enough there to sew back together.
  If a necromancer doesn’t have replacement flesh to mend
  the war machine with necrosurgery, he can attempt to
  mend it through other means.
  The Abyssal Charm Form-Restoring Touch (see Ex-
  alted: The Abyssals, p. 188) allows a deathknight to fully
  repair a war machine with a touch. The version of the
  Charm listed in the book will instantly repair a war engine
  of size class 1 or 2. Fixing a war engine of size class 3 doubles
  the Charm’s cost (20 motes, 2 Willpower, two lethal
  health levels), while repairing a war machine in size class
  4 triples the cost.
  Nemissaries have Arcanoi that can suspend rot and
  mend dead flesh. Instauration of the Fleshly Vessel (see p.
  92) allows the ghost to heal a possessed body (including a
  war machine), albeit at the expense of his own corpus.
  Some artifacts can stave off wear or even repair dead
  flesh, but the cost tends to be relatively high. Bindings of
  eternal preservation can fend off rot, even in a war ma-
  chine, while a variant of the sarcophagus of restoration
  (see p. 93) repairs undead flesh entirely. Many of the pits
  and silos used by the Deathlords act as gigantic sarcophagi
  of restoration, but such vast creations are unquestionably
  Artifact N/A (although a character with Liege or Backing
  [Deathlord] might have closely monitored access to one).
  WAR MACHINES OF THE DEAD
  When the denizens of Creation talk, fretfully, of the
  Mask of Winters’ invasion of Thorns, it is not his armies of
  zombies that occupy center stage in their tales. The armies
  of the dead are less known — and much less feared — than
  the terrifying siege engines deployed by the Deathlord.
  Whoever has heard of Thorns and its fall to the Mask of
  Winters has heard tales of Juggernaut, his vast and slowly
  rotting siege engine of undead flesh or the centipede-like
  spine chains that devastate even the tightest phalanges.
  Those, however, are but two manifestations of the forces
  of war that the Deathlords can bring to bear on Creation.
  The repulsive art of necrosurgery, when enhanced
  with certain Abyssal Charms and the dark miracles of
  necromancy, grants the Deathlords and the Abyssal Ex-
  alted a nearly endless capacity to sculpt bone and suture
  flesh into lethal abominations of the natural order.
  OBLIVION’S WARSTRIDERS
  Creation was once alone in wielding the terrify-
  ing machines of war called warstriders, but no longer.
  The First and Forsaken Lion has a keen eye for items
  possessing an extraordinary capacity for death and
  destruction, and he has found the power of warstriders
  to his liking. His are driven not only by engines of
  First Age design, however, but by the blacker powers
  of necromancy as well. Unsurprisingly, the primary
  metal used in necromantic warstriders is soulsteel,
  but other materials can provide the armor with other
  benefits. The First and Foremost Lion’s warstriders,
  therefore, are often made of unorthodox materials —
  bone, wood, onyx and other, grislier substances —
  but the necromancy that holds them together makes
  them at least as durable as the better known con-
  structs of Creation, even when working in Creation.
  A handful of warstriders made their way in to
  the Underworld in the First Age when they were
  buried as part of a great king’s grave goods. These
  match First Age design specifications exactly, but
  they are now objects of the Underworld and would
  disintegrate if the light of the sun ever fell across their
  gleaming black surfaces outside of a shadowland.
  Two examples of the Deathlords’ warstriders are
  listed below, but they have many designs beyond
  these, some of which would be indistinguishable
  from Creation’s warstriders if not for their grisly
  design motifs.
  DEATHLORDS
  Each Deathlord’s use of warstriders is unique. The First
  and Forsaken Lion uses warstriders extensively in his Legion
  Sanguinary, and the Mask of Winters has sizable numbers —
  most worn by war ghosts — as well. Conversely, the Deathlord
  sometimes known as the Silver Prince has constructed only
  a handful of warstriders, preferring to concentrate his efforts
  on warships. To date, the Bishop of the Chalcedony Thurible
  and Eye and Seven Despairs have shown no inclination to
  field warstriders. Those who build warstriders for their Ex-
  alted nearly always have noble or royal warstriders constructed
  
  EXALTED • BOOK OF BONE AND EBONY
  104
  in their name, using secret techniques thought lost since the
  Usurpation that result in war machines of surpassing might.
  The only known examples of royal warstriders forged
  since the Contagion are grim apparitions of soulsteel, iron
  and bone, and they are among the most powerful and most
  feared weapons in the arsenals of the Deathlords.
  A number of Abyssal deathknights use these massive
  battle machines, mostly those more interested in raw
  destructive power than in any kind of subtlety, and when
  they do, they frequently make use of great soulsteel blades
  that are truly terrible to behold.
  The dead may only control warstriders in the land of
  the living while materialized or inhabiting the body of a
  corpse — and they pay double normal Essence commitment
  to attune to warstriders not made of soulsteel. Hungry ghosts
  normally lack the control and discipline necessary to con-
  trol a warstrider — even those with an Intelligence of 2 or
  higher are not completely in control of their bestial nature.
  gus of restoration (see p. 93) and maintain the war ma-
  chines without the use of nemissaries.
  BONESTRIDER (ARTIFACT •••••)
  Made entirely of bone and soulsteel, the bonestrider
  doesn’t look anything like a warstrider from Creation, but it
  performs the exact same functions. Bonestriders are ani-
  mated by Labyrinth Circle Necromancy, but their stats are
  the same as a common warstrider (see Savant & Sorcerer,
  pp. 148 and 154), and they are often outfitted with similar
  weapons (albeit the Underworld’s equivalents).
  No one who sees a bonestrider has any doubts as to its
  composition. Bones of enormous creatures are sculpted into
  the necessary shapes and connected on a barbed soulsteel
  frame. Enormous scapulas guard the chest, while bone plates
  set in soulsteel guard the back and abdomen. The bones still
  possess the fluid curves of bone, but given the range of
  creatures the bones have come from and the degree of
  sculpting that’s been performed on them, it’s impossible to
  discern the origins or the original function of the bones used.
  THE INSIDIOUS EBON XOANON (ARTIFACT N/A)
  The Insidious Ebon Xoanon was designed and built by
  the First and Forsaken Lion, who insisted on having a
  device that was the equal of any warstrider in Creation. Its
  shape, function and composition were all based on
  warstriders the Lion had seen in Creation but modified to
  better channel Oblivion.
  Unlike most warstriders, the Insidious Ebon Xoanon
  is not forged from metal, but crudely carved from Es-
  sence-hardened ebony. Where the Xoanon needs to be
  flexible, the joints of a dead giant have been set into the
  wood and animated with necromancy for mobility. Aside
  from the joints, the rest of the creature is more compa-
  rable to an enormous wooden golem than a warstrider.
  Odd though it is, it fulfills exactly the function of the
  warstriders of Creation. The Insidious Ebon Xoanon is
  the equivalent of a royal warstrider (see Savant and
  Sorcerer, pp. 149 and 154) in size and strength, with
  certain necromantically added advantages.
  The heavy wood of the Xoanon is crudely carved, and
  all surfaces of the creature are covered with the unholy
  glyphs of necromancy. It’s as much a primitive totem —
  the kind worshiped by nephracks in the depths of the
  Labyrinth — as it is a suit of armor. Part idol, part armor,
  the Ebon Xoanon is carved in the shape of some unspeak-
  able horned horror, possibly one of the Malfeans, possibly…
  something… else.
  The midriff, forearms and shins of the Xoanon are
  thickly wrapped with human skin stained deep black from
  exposure to Oblivion. This leather wrapping is held in place
  with dozens of soulsteel studs. Ridges of sharp bone shards
  extend down the device’s spine and up the sides of the arms.
  The device is as lethal as it is terrifying. In addition to
  its other advantages, the Ebon Xoanon may also carry
  GHOSTS IN THE SHELL
  Ghosts may not be able to regain Essence easily
  in living Creation, but as spirits, they have large
  Essence pools relative to their permanent Essence
  rating. That comes in handy when piloting warstriders.
  What’s more, some warstriders are built with
  enough bone and cables of carefully mummified
  sinew in the frames that nemissaries can possess
  them directly just as they do corpses.
  It is rumored that deep in the Thousand, the
  First and Forsaken Lion trains a force of nemissaries
  that are so trained to manipulate great bone
  warstriders that they wouldn’t even remember how
  to manipulate their own corpora were they to leave
  their great war machines. And possessed as they
  are, they still have piloting cabins for commanding
  deathknights, so even if their deathknight is
  wounded, the great animated warstriders can fight
  on or deliver their occupant to safety.
  PITS AND SILOS
  When not being used in battle, the necromechanical
  warstriders of the Deathlords are maintained by teams of
  highly skilled nemissaries. These ghosts use advanced
  Arcanoi to maintain and repair the dead tissues of these
  enormous necrotic panoplies. Necrotic warstriders, like
  most war machines of the Deathlords, are kept either in
  aboveground silos or in sunken pits near their Deathlord’s
  citadel. These “hangers” are filled with a foul lubricating
  gel of blood and human tallow that thoroughly permeates
  these horrors, preventing rot and frequently resulting in a
  faint greasy appearance when the warstriders are deployed.
  Some of these silos are enormous versions of the sarcopha-
  
  105
  CHAPTER FOUR • CREATIONS OF BONE
  necromantic weaponry powered by Oblivion’s Avatar
  (though it has to forego the use of traditional warstrider
  weapons to do so, owing to size constraints). Perhaps the
  most loathsome aspect of the Insidious Ebon Xoanon is its
  ability to steal Essence from Solar (and only Solar) Exalted.
  All Chosen of the Unconquered Sun within direct line of
  sight of the Xoanon lose a mote of Essence every turn to the
  monstrosity’s soulsteel Essence collectors. This Essence is
  channeled directly to the Xoanon’s wearer, making it much
  easier for nemissaries and Abyssals to function in Creation.
  Furthermore, the fists of the Xoanon are potently
  Oblivion-tainted and drain the life force of those they
  damage. For every health level of damage the Xoanon
  inflicts on Essence channelers, it inflicts an additional
  wound level on its target with its chilling touch (i.e., all
  damage inflicted against Essence-channeling beings is
  doubled before being applied to their health levels). Each
  health level of damage inflicted in this way also steals away
  an additional 2 motes of Essence. The stolen Essence helps
  to power the Xoanon, especially when it’s fighting in
  Creation and cannot gain Essence through any other means.
  The First and Forsaken Lion has worn the Ebon Xoanon
  himself in battles in the Underworld, but it is most often
  worn by his favored Abyssal Exalt, Walking on Laughter.
  Like the warstriders of Creation, the Xoanon needs
  maintenance. Every 50 hours of operation, the joints of the
  Xoanon must be tended by nemissaries using Instauration
  of the Fleshly Vessel to counteract their decay. The joints
  must also be greased with the rendered tallow of a sentient
  creature, or the machine suffers disabilities like any other
  warstrider (for more on warstrider maintenance and the
  disabilities caused by overdue maintenance, see Savant
  and Sorcerer, p. 153).
  THE THOUSAND-CORPSE WAR FRAME
  Both a troop transport and a war machine, the thou-
  sand-corpse war frame is a miracle of monstrosity. Absent
  zombies, the war frame is nothing more than a 40-foot-tall
  skeleton of soulsteel with enormous metal fists and 10-
  foot-diameter disks at the terminus of the “legs.” Looking
  closer, however, it’s clear that the frame has been designed
  with thousands of handholds, footholds and random poles
  spiking out from the frame at regular intervals. This is
  where the war frame’s soldier-passengers hold on.
  When preparing for deployment, hundreds of zombies
  swarm up the length of the war frame, taking their positions
  on the metal frame, each a single muscle fiber in the horrific
  whole. They are coordinated by a nemissary stationed in the
  war frame’s chest cavity. This ghost’s commands are con-
  veyed through the soulsteel armature and translated for each
  zombie into a kind of language of clenching and relaxing. A
  mixed crew of just over a thousand zombies and nemissary
  war bodies man the war frame when it’s fully loaded. The
  zombies hold onto the frame (although some fasten them-
  selves to the armature more securely by lashing themselves
  to the framework or impaling themselves on enormous
  thorns that stick out from the skeleton at strategic points)
  and onto each other, abandoning their individuality to
  become small parts of a whole. Holding onto the frame and
  meshing with one another, the zombies become the frame’s
  rotting gray musculature. Through their concerted effort,
  the frame comes alive and begins to move. When a joint
  needs to flex — to bend the gigantic elbow or to lift the war
  frame’s leg to take a step — tens or hundreds of zombies
  heave in unison, straining against metal, gravity and each
  other to make it happen. As the last phase of deployment
  preparations, enormous leather straps and soulsteel bands
  are wrapped around the mass of interconnected bodies at
  strategic points to give the whole greater structural integrity.
  Fully loading a thousand-corpse war frame takes an hour,
  after which the thing begins walking with 20-foot strides to
  wherever it’s being deployed. The tortuous creaking of
  leather and dead flesh mingles with the groan and shriek of
  grinding metal with every step this nightmare takes.
  The thousand-corpse war frame is neither fast nor
  stealthy, but it is incredibly powerful. The impact of one of
  its enormous mailed fists can open up a hole in even a stout
  castle wall. The enormous disk feet crush everything in a
  10-foot-diameter circle. Anything caught beneath the
  foot of the thousand-corpse war frame is crushed for 30
  levels of bashing damage.
  Even approaching a thousand-corpse war frame puts
  one at risk of attack by the hundred malicious limbs of the
  creature’s component zombies. The bottom 10 feet of the
  horror’s length (essentially, it’s “shins”) has a layer of
  outward-facing zombies, lashed to the armature alternating
  right-side up and upside down. The zombies of this bottom
  layer typically have metal plates screwed into their flesh to
  increase their soak.
  OBLIVION’S WARSTRIDERS
  Type
  Soak
  Strength
  Mobility Penalty
  Fatigue Value
  (L/B)
  Bonestrider
  22/22
  14
  -4
  4
  Ebon Xoanon
  24/24
  18
  -2
  2
  Warstriders on this table are presumed to have hardened soak equal to half their lethal/bashing soak. This means
  they ignore all attacks whose raw damage is less than their hardness rating.
  
  EXALTED • BOOK OF BONE AND EBONY
  106
  Once the war frame arrives at its destination, it may
  maintain its gestalt form and attack, much like a giant
  warstrider, or it may be abandoned as its component
  zombies swarm away from the war frame to attack their
  enemies individually.
  While a fully loaded thousand-corpse war frame moves
  slightly over 1,000 zombies, a skeleton crew of only 100
  zombies can animate it enough to make it walk, although
  the zombie crew is all but helpless when doing so as the
  thing moves too slowly to be used in combat.
  Thousand-corpse war frames can take enormous
  amounts of damage without being adversely affected. The
  frame itself is incredibly durable, and it’s protected by
  several layers of undead flesh. Even the zombies doing the
  majority of the work in animating the war frame are
  covered by several other bodies. If a key zombie is de-
  stroyed, its fellows immediately swarm in to jettison the
  ruined zombie and take its place in the chain of bodies.
  The enormous strength of the war frame comes from
  the hundreds of zombies animating it. As they are destroyed,
  the colossus grows weaker. Every 10 health levels of damage
  sustained by the war frame lessens its Strength by 1. When
  enough zombies have been killed to take its Strength to 0,
  it can no longer propel itself, and the remaining zombies
  scuttle down the war frame to attack separately.
  Trying to crawl up a functional war frame requires four
  successes on a Strength + Athletics roll (see the rules for
  climbing in Exalted, p. 252). Climbing a slick surface that
  moves and claws at you is challenging, however even for one
  of the Exalted. The flesh of zombies, especially in warmer
  climes, is immensely slippery, and they will be clawing,
  biting and kicking at the character as she climbs. They may
  pull items — like greaves, jewelry or spare weapons — off the
  character while her hands are too busy to stop them. Five
  zombies get to attack the climbing character each turn with
  two bonus die to their attack pools. For her part, the
  character is at a pronounced disadvantage with regard to
  combat, as all but the strongest characters will need to
  anchor themselves with at least one arm (and both legs).
  Characters climbing a war frame suffer a -10 initiative
  penalty. If two or more zombies succeed on a Brawl attack in
  one turn, they will attempt to pull the character entirely
  into the writhing mass of zombies. A character swallowed up
  by the mass of the war frame’s zombies suffers a -4 penalty to
  all dice pools and a -10 initiative penalty, and she may be
  attacked by 10 zombies per turn. Zombies may use Brawl for
  a clinch attack instead of doing damage.
  If the character is climbing the front of the war frame
  and falls, she will not only take falling damage (see Ex-
  alted, p. 253), but she must successfully dodge or be
  trampled by the war frame.
  As mentioned, a nemissary usually directs the move-
  ment from a compartment in the chest of the war frame, but
  one can also do so from inside the metal dome of its “head.”
  
  107
  CHAPTER FOUR • CREATIONS OF BONE
  BATTLE SNAKES
  Toward the end of the First Age, a hunting party of
  Solar Exalted ventured into the far south to hunt down the
  behemoth Seshasa, the Primal Basilisc. In all, Seshasa was
  nearly two miles long, and her body was 20 to 30 feet in
  diameter along most of its length. The Solars, content with
  taking the Primal Basilisc’s head as a trophy, left the rest of
  the vast body to desiccate in the hot Southern winds.
  When the Deathlords were looking for more effective
  means of transporting their undead troops, it was the
  Malfeans who whispered Seshasa’s name into their ears.
  The mummified remains of the Primal Basilisc re-
  mained more or less intact. The thick, scaled hide protected
  the bones from eroding away in the hot sandstorms, and
  each immense rib arced up 20 to 30 feet to the Primal
  Basilisc’s spine. Several Deathlords took vast lengths of
  Seshasa’s remains for their own purposes, and they use
  them in the Age of Sorrows as a common form of troop
  transport in the Underworld.
  Each rib of a battle snake bears five soulsteel bands along
  its length. From each of these bands project three hooks to
  which a zombie or a nemissary’s war body is attached, folded
  into fetal position. Fully loaded, a single rib can hold as many
  as 15 of the walking dead. Thus, a full segment holds 30. A 50-
  yard length of a battle snake comprises 50 segments and can
  hold 1,500 walking dead soldiers.
  Few battle snakes are made solely of Seshasa’s ribs any
  more. Some integrate ribs from cachalot, sea dragons or
  enormous land-bound behemoths or Wyld-spawned mon-
  sters. Ghosts or deathknights can use necrosurgery to combine
  segments from different creatures in a single battle snake, so
  there’s little limit on how long a battle snake can be.
  The movement used by battle snakes to cover ground,
  halfway between the gliding motion of a snake and the
  coordinated walking of a millipede, lets the war machine
  cover a wide range of ground, from the deserts of the South
  to the icy wastes of the North.
  DREAD BRACHIAL SAPPING ARRAY
  A complex and specialized siege engine, the dread
  brachial sapping array comprises between 50 and 100 arms,
  all joined at the shoulder. Using Bone Graft Technique
  (see Exalted: The Abyssals, p. 188), each finger is tipped
  with a sharp iron chisel. When set in place on the ground,
  the fingers and hands begin desperately clawing at the
  earth beneath them.
  The dread brachial sapping array is not especially fast,
  digging through only one yard of earth (or one foot of
  stone) in an hour, but given time, it can tunnel through
  anything but metal and the hardest basalt.
  Creating a dread brachial sapping array requires the
  use of Walking War Machine (see Exalted: The Abyssals,
  p. 226), requires the arms of 25 to 50 individuals and one
  success on the necrosurgery roll per five arms. The dread
  brachial sapping array is not particularly effective in direct
  combat, but it could certainly rip apart an unarmored
  mortal without much difficulty.
  THE WEB IS THE SPIDER
  Aesthetics rarely play any part in the creation of
  undead war machines, but sometimes, the Deathlords
  meld beauty and lethality with the same finesse they
  exhibit when fusing soulsteel and flesh.
  The titanic war machine called the web is the spider
  looks like a vast spider web comprising yards of silvery
  sinew and thousands of foot-long sections of smooth
  soulsteel. It is animated by a thick, meaty tracery of undead
  flesh, limbs and muscles harvested from hundreds of bodies
  and carefully sutured together into one vast device. Thicker
  lengths of muscle and sinew connect the center, where the
  device bears the most strain, while fine filaments of gray
  sinew animate the cruelly sharp and delicate outer joints.
  Eight main spokes, each 60 feet long, radiate from the
  war machine’s central hub. When it walks, it arches its
  “back,” raising the hub high in the air, and uses its eight
  main spokes as legs. By extending or contracting its com-
  ponent rods, the web is the spider can double or halve its
  normal diameter of 120 feet.
  This war machine serves a myriad of purposes: It’s a
  portable bridge, a living net and a siege ladder for zombies.
  Most importantly, it’s an Essence source for ghosts operat-
  ing in Creation. The device has a hollow soulsteel barb at
  every intersection for draining blood from the living. The
  bodies of the wounded and recently dead are hung on these
  barbs and exsanguinated. For every two health levels of
  blood the web is the spider consumes, it accumulates a
  point of Essence in one of the eight brilliant-green Essence
  batteries set into the disk at its hub. Each of these spheres
  holds 60 motes of Essence when full. Ghosts or Abyssal
  Exalted may drain off this Essence if the web is the spider
  permits them to do so, but it takes one turn for every 2
  motes absorbed in this way. On those rare occasions when
  a Deathlord rides into Creation personally, the Essence
  accumulated in these storage devices is reserved solely for
  the Deathlord’s use, and anyone attempting to poach this
  proprietary Essence is severely punished or, more likely,
  destroyed and sent screaming to Oblivion.
  Labor-intensive and costly, creating the web is the
  spider is an enormous task requiring a huge amount of
  soulsteel as well as the muscle and sinew from no fewer
  than 60 corpses. It is easily the equivalent of most First Age
  engines of war. It is considered a size class 4 war machine
  and requires Resources for a soulsteel frame and a sufficient
  Artifact rating for the eight Essence-containing gems in its
  central disk. Assembling the web is the spider is unusually
  difficult, since it requires the necromancer to filet all the
  corpses used. It requires two successes per corpse used on an
  Intelligence + Craft (Necrosurgery) roll.
  
  EXALTED • BOOK OF BONE AND EBONY
  108
  WEAPON OF MEPHITIC DESOLATION
  The Malfeans, though dead, are not static creatures.
  When the Princess Magnificent with Lips of Coral and Robes
  of Black Feathers was routed by the gods of Great Forks, the
  dead Primordials realized that the gods, while in disarray, were
  still a force with which to be reckoned and that any significant
  penetration into Creation would need to take that into
  account. The weapon of mephitic desolation does that, while
  taking a terrible toll on the mortal population.
  Creating a weapon of mephitic desolation involves
  particularly difficult necromancy. Five healthy children
  no older than 10 must be ritually slain and their lungs
  taken out through the back of their rib cages and stitched
  together into a large bellows. Their throats must then be
  ritually desecrated and carefully tuned to the quavering
  disharmonies favored by the Malfeans, and on each of
  their small teeth must be etched one of the 97 glyphs of
  annihilation. The bodies are then stitched together in a
  circle facing out from the lung bellows and animated
  through the necromancy spell Walking War Machine (or
  better). Necromancy is required in this instance.
  Nemissaries will not do. The necromantically animated
  lung bellows pushes air through the dead throats, and five
  ghostly musicians possess bodies and take up soulsteel forks
  with which to torment the small bodies into singing
  threnodies for all Creation. On those cursed and trembling
  voices is carried the horror of disease.
  The song of the weapon of mephitic desolation, in
  essence, exposes everyone in a half-mile radius to smallpox
  (see Exalted, p. 319). All who hear it, human or animal, must
  resist, survive or succumb to it. The effects of the plague song,
  obviously, depend on where the weapon is being played.
  The weapon has another, darker, purpose, however.
  The sound of the desecrated voices drowns out prayers,
  spoken and otherwise, increasing the difficulty of all prayers
  (including prayer strips) by three. The afflicted area is like
  a numb spot to gods with worshipers in the area. All living
  spirits in the afflicted area with Essence of 3 or more fall
  prey to a kind of lassitude (subtract five dice from their
  Perception dice pools).
  If the weapon of mephitic desolation is played within
  10 miles of a Gateway to Yu-Shan, the Bureau of Human-
  ity and the Division of Endings (within the Bureau of
  Destiny) will instantly go on high alert, and divine retri-
  bution of some sort is a foregone conclusion, though it
  remains to be seen if the Deathlords are aware of this
  consequence yet.
  Creating a weapon of mephitic desolation takes an
  extended Intelligence + Craft (Necrosurgery) roll to
  achieve 10 successes with one roll being made for every
  eight hours of solid work. Using Walking War Machine to
  animate a weapon of mephitic desolation requires [(8 – the
  necromancer’s Essence rating) x 10] motes of Essence in
  addition to the Essence required to invest it with power
  using Oblivion’s Avatar (see p. 102).
  
  109
  CHAPTER FOUR • CREATIONS OF BONE
  NECROMANTIC WEAPONRY
  The Void Circle spell Oblivion’s Avatar grants a
  necromancer an immense degree of latitude in invest-
  ing necromantic weaponry with the energy of death.
  Any of the weapons described below can be mounted
  on a walking war machine in place of more conven-
  tional (or artifact) weapons. Necromantic weapons are
  not artifacts, but forms that shape and channel the
  energies invested by Oblivion’s Avatar. Removed from
  the war machine they’re bound into, necromantic
  weapons break, becoming wholly inert.
  The weapon effects listed below are relatively
  common, but Storytellers are encouraged to come up
  with others as well. The effects of these weapons
  operate constantly within their areas of effect unless
  otherwise stated.
  The weapon of mephitic desolation uses two appli-
  cations of Oblivion’s Avatar, one to spread disease and
  one to impair prayers. Other effects that can be in-
  vested in a war machine include:
  • Chill of the Abyss: The weapon sucks away all
  warmth from around the weapon in a 10-yard radius,
  consigning it to the Void. Those in the area take
  environmental damage as per a supernatural ice storm
  (see “Environmental Damage,” in Exalted, p. 244).
  This effect is an ongoing one, fueled by the Essence
  invested in the siege engine by the necromancer who
  built it.
  • The Dread Black Beacon: A black unlight shines
  from the weapon. Visibility for the living within a 50-
  yard radius becomes equal to a foggy night (see the rules
  for visibility in Exalted, pp. 237-238). The dead (and
  the Abyssal Exalted), on the other hand, gain one die
  to all attack pools, and hungry ghosts become material,
  as though it were night (regardless of what time of day
  it is).
  • Fortune’s Inauspicious Nadir: The machine bears a
  pylon topped with an enormous black pearl. The pearl
  taints daylight with the gray-green shades of tornado
  clouds. The living within 100 yards of the device suffer
  extraordinary bad luck. In game terms, this is repre-
  sented by raising the target number on dice from 7 to 8.
  Tens count as a single success.
  • The Puissance-Arresting Eye: The weapon is at-
  tached to the war machine either as a tentacle or a small
  lighthouse-like tower. Either has a green flame focused
  by a concave mirror of polished soulsteel and a lens
  located at the tip. The beam of green light, usually
  focused on the biggest threat on the battlefield, has a
  dice pool of 10 dice to land on a chosen target. Those
  hit by the green beam are reduced to a Strength of •.
  Lost points of Strength return at the rate of one dot
  every two turns. The beam of green light can be
  Dodged, but only orichalcum weapons can parry it.
  Immunity to Everything Technique (see Exalted, p.
  179) renders a target wholly immune to the effects of
  the puissance-arresting eye.
  • The Rallying Chime of the Invincible Dead: This
  device is a tubular bell of soulsteel that has been
  mounted on a war machine invested with the power of
  Oblivion’s Avatar (see p. 102). Adding such a bell to
  a war machine increases the cost by Resources •••.
  Every turn the chime is struck, the dissonant black
  tones of Oblivion radiate out from the war machine.
  All zombies, corpses inhabited by nemissaries, materi-
  alized ghosts and Abyssal Exalted within a 20-yard
  radius regain one lost lethal health level per turn. The
  clapper of the chime is extraordinarily well protected,
  ensconced beneath layers of shielding or, sometimes,
  inside the war engine itself. If removed from the war
  engine, the chime cracks and cannot be used again.
  • Revealing the Well-Hidden Devils: Black fog drips
  from the war machine and covers the ground in a 30
  yard radius. Within that area of effect, the Essence cost
  of Weighted With the Anchor of Flesh (see Exalted:
  The Abyssals, p. 237) is halved, and the Willpower
  cost is waived entirely. Materialized ghosts leaving the
  area of black fog must pay the Essence difference to stay
  corporeal, but not the Willpower.
  • Severing the Bond With Home: The flux and flow
  of Oblivion energy around the weapon disrupts all
  Essence flows. All Creation-based Hearthstones within
  10 yards of the weapon lose their connection to the
  Manses that fuel them and cease functioning. Hearth-
  stones function normally once a character leaves the
  area of effect.
  • The Softening Rains: The war engine sports an
  enormous puffball mushroom. When it squirts its spores,
  a feat it can perform once per day, the resulting gray
  cloud causes all humidity in the air within a 100-yard
  radius to fall as rain that instantly rusts the armor of all
  living targets, halving their soak. This rain does not
  affect armor made of the Five Magical Materials.
  • The Touch That Calls Them Home: Players of all
  characters within 100 yards of the weapon must suc-
  cessfully roll Stamina + Resistance against difficulty 5,
  or their characters’ every wound becomes infected.
  (See the rules for infection in Exalted, p. 250).
  • The Wailing Engine of Fear: The weapon makes a
  horrible wailing noise, possibly by screaming out of
  several animated mouths. The players of those within
  50 yards of the war machine must make a Valor check
  with a two-die penalty for their characters. Those
  whose players fail flee but stop at the edge of the effect.
  Those whose players botch flee and keep on going.
  
  EXALTED • BOOK OF BONE AND EBONY
  110
  NECRO-DRONES
  These are hardly war engines at all but, more often,
  devices used in strike or reconnaissance teams. They are
  often a means for necromancers to get rid of the spare parts
  (including random bone and metal components) remain-
  ing after larger necrosurgical works. Drones are nearly
  always size class 1 and never larger than size class 2. They
  typically require only one or two successes on a necrosurgery
  roll to create and never more than five. Since raising a
  single drone at a time is a waste of good necromancy, they
  are generally built in interconnected batches and cut apart
  after animation. Walking War Machine can animate up to
  10 drones at a time, although Spurring the Beast of War
  and Incomparable Destruction Engine can animate in-
  creasingly larger swarms of necro-drones (20 and 40 at a
  time, respectively).
  Alternatively, nemissaries can pilot the drones, but if
  this is the case, the drones won’t get the advantages of the
  more advanced necromancy (as represented by the higher
  Attributes, Abilities and health levels).
  Necro-drones can be deployed from any manner of
  troop carrier, and a bone spider lotus (see below) can carry
  twice as many of them as it carries zombies.
  Deathknights have been known to use necro-drones,
  the lowest and least capable of them, as creeping, scuttling
  guards and cleaning devices in their citadels.
  Under some circumstances, necro-drones may be extras.
  BONE SPIDER LOTUS
  Looking somewhat like a black spider with long white
  legs, a bone spider lotus is a form of armored personnel
  carrier for the troops of the dead. The main platform is a
  very crude soulsteel disk to which eight large bones (eight
  feet in length or longer) have been attached using
  necrosurgery. Some necromancers break with tradition
  and build segmented legs from smaller bones and sinew,
  but enormous ribs are the norm.
  Running on its rib-legs, a bone spider lotus can reach
  speeds of up to 70 miles per hour and maintain such speed
  for up to two weeks before requiring maintenance.
  Suspended like a corpulent black underbelly be-
  neath the disk is an enormous mass of thick, black
  necrotic jelly that hangs there like a glossy toxic fruit.
  This jelly acts as armor and confers protection to the
  things inside it (4L/10B, in addition to the “passengers”
  own soak). Once the bone spider lotus has reached its
  destination, it flips over, putting its bone legs in the air.
  The skin of the repulsive fruit quickly dehisces, and black
  jelly runs off. The bone legs spread like the petals of a
  lotus revealing the undead soldiers within, now freed
  from their necrotic broth.
  A bone spider lotus can carry 20 zombies or nemissary
  war bodies curled into fetal position, or half that, if the
  passengers are standing.
  Bone spider lotuses can also carry weapons and serve
  as mobile weapon mounts or strike platforms, in which
  case they can only carry five passengers. They may be
  outfitted with First Age or necromantic weapons. If more
  than one necromantic weapon is on a single strike plat-
  form, or if several platforms are near one another, the
  effects of the necromantic weaponry stack (see the “Nec-
  romantic Weaponry” sidebar, p. 109).
  Standard bone spider lotuses are simple to make,
  requiring only that the necromancer attach the bone legs
  to the soulsteel disk platform with joints of gristle. They
  require five successes on a necrosurgery roll. Walking War
  Machine is enough to animate a bone spider lotus.
  AIRSHIPS
  Dead wings don’t fly well. Nemissary Arcanoi can
  slow, prevent or heal the rot of wings, and while that makes
  winged creatures fit for reconnaissance missions, it still
  doesn’t allow for feasible combat.
  Below are two examples of airships currently in use by
  the Deathlords and a third that remains incomplete,
  which could prove to be a decisive weapon in the cam-
  paign against the living.
  SKY EATER
  A flying abomination stemming from the mix of
  soulforging, Moliation and necrosurgery, sky eaters are
  the high-mobility transporters of the First and Forsaken
  Lion’s army. Most are squat, sinewy affairs looking vaguely
  like large thickened shuriken when they’re not in flight.
  SAMPLE NECRO-DRONES
  • An animated dog’s corpse with iron jaws (attack)
  • A child’s corpse with extra metal limbs sticking out of its back (attack)
  • A head on a metal spider’s body, animated by dead limbs (recon)
  • A head with three sets of wings sutured to it (recon)
  • Blade burrowers, headless torsos augmented with extra flesh and metal limbs that burrow into the ground
  and leap out to attack when a living being approaches (attack)
  • Two forearms fused together to create manacles (restraint)
  
  111
  CHAPTER FOUR • CREATIONS OF BONE
  Creature
  Physical Att.
  Willpower
  Health             Attack
  Dodge/
  Abilities
   Str/Dex/Sta
  Levels         Spd/Acc/Dmg
    Soak
  Battle Snake
  6/3/5
  0
  -0x2/-1x2/
  N/A
  5/5L/6B
  Athletics 3,
  -2x3 per segment
  Awareness 2, Brawl 4,
  Dodge 2, Endurance 3,
  Resistance 10, Stealth 1
  Bone Spider Lotus
  6/3/5
  0
  -0x5/-1x5/
  N/A
  7/5L/6B
  Athletics 3,
  -2x7
  or by weapon type
  Awareness 2, Brawl 4,
  Dodge 4, Endurance 3,
  Resistance 10, Stealth 1
  Dread Brachial Sapping Array *
  4/2/3
  0
  Varies
  Claw: 5/4/4L
  4/Varies
  Athletics 1,
  Awareness 2, Brawl 2,
  Dodge 2, Endurance 1,
  Melee 2, Resistance 2,
  Stealth 1
  Necro-Drones**
  Thousand-Corpse War Frame (fully manned) ***
       30/3/20
  Spec.
  -0x100/
  Punch: 9/5/30Bp, 4/20L/30B Athletics 2, Brawl 2,
  -1x100/
  Trample: 4/6/30B
  Dodge 1, Endurance 10,
  -2x100/-4x50/I
  Resistance 10
  Weapon of Mephitic Desolation #
  4/2/3
  0
  -0x20/
  N/A
  –/3L/6B
  Performance 4
  -1x20/-2x20
  The Web Is the Spider ##
  8/3/7
  0
  -0x360/
  Leg Strike:
  5/8L/10B
  Dodge 2
            -1x360/-2x480   5/9/12L
  * The health levels of a dread brachial sapping array depend on how many arms comprise the thing. It requires
  five to ten successes to create and can be animated by Walking War Machine, which grants it five to ten health
  levels. Soak likewise varies. Unarmored brachial arrays have soak of 1L/3B. Armored brachial arrays, fortified with
  the equivalent of bracers have a soak of 3L/6B.
  ** Necro-drones animated with Walking War Machine (or by nemissaries) have the stats of a two- to four-
  segment spine chain (see Exalted, p. 299). Those raised with more powerful necromancy use the stats appropriate
  to the spell that raised them, based on the one to five successes gained on the necrosurgery roll that assembled
  the pieces.
  *** The war frame has the Willpower and other Mental Attributes of the nemissary controlling it.
  # Once the weapon of mephitic desolation has taken half its health levels in damage, it can no longer sing.
  ## The web is the spider gets two jabbing leg attacks per turn. If it does five or more health levels damage, the target
  is impaled and envenomed. That character’s player must make a successful Stamina + Resistance roll, difficulty
  3, or his character is paralyzed, after which point the web is the spider will suck Essence from the character at the
  rate of 5 motes per turn and then health levels (of blood) at the rate of one per turn.
  WAR MACHINE EXALTED POWER COMBAT
  Weapon
  Speed Accuracy Damage
  Defense
  Rate
  Dread Array Claw
  4
  5
  4Lp
  5
  1
  War Frame Punch
  12
  5
  30Bp
  5
  2
  War Frame Stomp
  9
  6
  30B
  6
  1
  
  EXALTED • BOOK OF BONE AND EBONY
  112
  The exterior of a sky eater — when it is not airborne —
  is smooth black soulsteel occasionally broken by small
  smooth lines or dimples. The vehicle can carry up to 12
  passengers, or six without crowding. As the sky eater flies
  through the skies of the Underworld, it travels at speeds
  of 80 to 120 miles per hour.
  When the sky eater takes flight, it is the product of a
  nightmare. The lines and dimples in the soulsteel plating
  open into dozens of gaping, toothless mouths. Those along
  the vehicle’s top side inhale the sky above them as dozens
  more open across the bottom to scream it out below. The
  voices are carefully tuned and resonate together like a
  choir of the damned.
  Creating a sky eater requires hundreds of ghosts to be
  painstakingly Moliated and soulforged together so that
  they share one “lung” that surrounds the passenger com-
  partment. The Lion himself sees to it that the ghosts whose
  mouths appear on the top of the vehicle constantly feel
  like they’re drowning. Those on the bottom are always in
  fine-tuned agony. Ghosts the Lion particularly dislikes are
  slated for inclusion in his next sky eater.
  Sky eaters have a stealth mode as well. Instead of
  consuming the air above them, the mouths on the top
  surface of the sky eater consume any and all light to keep
  the airship aloft. When it uses this mode, the sky eater is
  absolutely silent, but the sky above the ship is rendered
  absolutely black, and the gaping mouths on the bottom of
  the vehicle exhale a faint black mist.
  Sky eaters also have an attack mode. The vehicle
  hovers over its targets, no farther than 20 feet overhead,
  and at the operator’s command, the voices on the bottom
  become both louder and shriller, and the cacophonous
  dirge grinds apart the bones of those underneath (along
  with non-magical ceramic, stoneware and glass).
  The First and Forsaken Lion has deployed sky eaters
  outfitted with manifestation engines, to allow the vehicles
  to function in Creation. While he has not done this a great
  deal, he has done so enough to establish that the vehicle
  works as well in Creation as in the Underworld.
  MAELSTROM BARGE
  Sky eaters are relatively quick methods of travel, but
  they accommodate only a dozen passengers at the most.
  The Deathlords, especially the First and Forsaken Lion,
  often need to transport larger numbers of troops and large
  pieces of cargo. A fully loaded maelstrom barge carries 500
  ghosts or four to five tons of cargo and can reach speeds of
  up to 100 miles per hour. The Deathlords tried variants of
  the sky eater, reanimated flying behemoths and other
  strategies for moving cargo rapidly, but nothing worked
  reliably. A few of the Deathlords still have such flying
  devices, but every one of these strange prototypes is unique
  
  113
  CHAPTER FOUR • CREATIONS OF BONE
  and effectively irreplaceable. Most such designs proved
  unduly cumbersome or relied on exotic components they
  couldn’t mass produce — until the First and Forsaken Lion
  came up with the notion of exploiting not just the powers
  of death, but the proclivities of the Underworld itself.
  Maelstrom barges are enormous pentagonal platforms, 50
  yards across. Around the perimeter of the maelstrom barge
  is an array of vast white rib bones, vertical and horizontal,
  ranging from 10 to 30 feet long, serving both as spars and
  stable posts for tying cargo. The horizontal ribs radiate out
  from the barge in perfect symmetry, though their purpose
  is unclear until the vehicle sets sail.
  MANIFESTATION ENGINE (ARTIFACT ••••+)
  The result of centuries of necromantic research and experimentation, a manifestation engine grants a ghost
  (or, with larger engines, any contiguous ghostly mass) substance in Creation. Manifestation engines consist of
  several nested spheres of soulsteel filigree. Each sphere is painstakingly engraved with necromantic runes of
  immense power. A personal manifestation engine is a sphere the size of a fist and can be worn around the neck,
  albeit somewhat awkwardly. It must directly touch the corpus of the ghost using it. Rumors abound throughout
  the Underworld of immense manifestation engines, 10 feet in diameter, that will maintain the solidity of even
  large war machines when the Deathlords make their move on Creation.
  When the wearer of a manifestation engine exits a shadowland in Creation, the runes glow faintly blue, and
  the nested spheres of the manifestation engine begin spinning, each in its own direction and at its own unholy
  frequency, emitting a high-pitched drone as they do so. A ghost wearing a manifestation engine remains solid in
  Creation, just as if using the Arcanos Weighted With the Anchor of Flesh (see Exalted: The Abyssals, p. 237).
  Manifestation engines require immense amounts of Essence to function. Even the smallest contains an
  Artifact ••• Essence-containing gem at its core. While these normally lose their power in Creation, the casing
  and shielding of the manifestation engine prevents the ambiance of Creation from touching and destroying the
  gem. The strength of this shielding is 5L/3B per level of the manifestation engine’s Artifact rating, and it can take
  two health levels of damage per level of Artifact rating before cracking. If the engine is cracked or the seal
  otherwise disturbed, the engine’s entire Essence reserve is instantly depleted with a deafening shriek. A
  manifestation engine typically contains enough Essence to allow a character (or war machine) to remain solid
  in Creation for 24 hours. If a manifestation engine runs out of Essence at night, the wearer simply fades out of
  Creation and into the corresponding area in the Underworld (itself a possible hazard). If the device runs out of
  energy during the day, it devours its wearer’s Essence, then Willpower and, finally, health levels, all at the rate
  of two per hour and fades into the Underworld immediately thereafter. If the manifestation engine is exposed to
  the light of the sun while it’s feeding on its wearer, it explodes, dealing 10 health levels of lethal damage to
  everyone in a 10-foot radius. The Essence-containing gem at the core of a manifestation engine can be filled using
  the Arcanos Filling the Precious Vial (see Exalted: The Abyssals, p. 247). Alternatively, they fill themselves
  while in the Underworld or within death-aspected Manses at the rate of 1 mote of Essence per day. The smallest
  manifestation engines require 15-mote gems, while the largest ones, those in the Deathlords’ war machines, take
  75 motes or more.
  Only the Deathlords and extremely powerful, highly skilled ghosts can create manifestation engines. Those
  the Deathlords create, they hoard in preparation for their assault on Creation. The black market value for
  manifestation engines is astronomical, as there is no shortage of ghosts who want to take care of unfinished
  business in Creation.
  Rumors are circulating through the Underworld that the Deathlords are looking for a way to create
  manifestation engines that run off the Hearthstones of Abyssal Manses in Creation. Such a device would give
  them sustained access to Creation and a means of waging an extended war on the living. No such device has been
  fielded yet, but a handful of fragile but functional prototypes exist. Currently, the devices are far too delicate and
  unstable for battlefield use, but savants labor tirelessly to perfect them.
  When a passenger commits 15 motes of Essence into
  the maelstrom barge, howling Abyssal winds, black with
  spectres and flaying sand, begin blowing from beneath
  the platform. When the sails of soulsteel mesh are un-
  furled between the horizontal spars, the entire platform
  becomes airborne.
  Stability Charms embedded in the platform keep it
  from bucking on the surging storm winds, in part by furling
  and unfurling the soulsteel sails as necessary.
  From below, the platform looks like a broad and
  impossibly dark void broken only by intricately engraved
  glyphs glowing a faint blue or violet (when it can be seen
  
  EXALTED • BOOK OF BONE AND EBONY
  114
  at all through the black winds of Oblivion). It’s a sight that
  no one in the Underworld ever wants to see.
  While underway, maelstrom barges (or, more accu-
  rately, the storms that drive them) cause strange fluctuations
  in the entropy levels in the countryside beneath them.
  These fluctuations strongly resemble the black miracles
  visited by the Malfeans upon those in disfavor. Light
  payloads are unlikely to trigger this effect, but a fully laden
  maelstrom barge will, without a doubt, trigger events that
  mimic 2-4 point Resonance effects (see Exalted: The
  Abyssals, p. 149) in a quarter-mile radius out from the
  barge’s flight path.
  Maelstrom barges aren’t combat capable, but they
  don’t especially need to be given the nature of their
  propulsion system. The raging winds around a maelstrom
  barge add 4 to the difficulty of all Archery and Thrown
  attacks made against those in the maelstrom barge (assum-
  SOULSTEEL MESH
  The finest soulforgers in the Underworld can
  fashion long threads from the corpus of other ghosts.
  When these threads are woven together, they cre-
  ate a fine black metal mesh that is all but unbreakable.
  A net of soulsteel mesh, for example, could hold a
  creature with a Strength of up to 20. Certain behe-
  moths and warstriders may be able to break soulsteel
  mesh, but even the Exalted are hard pressed to
  escape such a net with only brute strength. Soulsteel
  mesh is very fluid and drapes like silk, but it pos-
  sesses a bashing soak of 30 and a lethal soak of 15.
  The Deathlords have nets of soulsteel mesh
  attached in the center to a cord of woven soulsteel
  threads (these nets count as Artifact •••• items)
  that they fire from large bone tubes. Capturing
  targets in these nets is tricky, requiring a Dexterity
  + Archery roll, difficulty 3, and the net captures all
  those in a five-foot radius (enough space to capture
  up to five people if they’re standing close together).
  Characters caught in such a net lose 1 mote of
  Essence per turn. Escaping one of these nets in-
  volves doing five health levels of damage to the net,
  which is difficult, as the net has a lethal soak of 15
  and a bashing soak of 30.
  It’s possible to make chain swathing of soulsteel
  mesh, but the weight is such that only Essence
  channelers who attune themselves to the armor can
  wear it (and avoid its Essence-draining effects). In
  addition to the standard benefits of wearing soulsteel,
  soulsteel swathing imparts a hardness of 4, a soak of
  13L/16B and requires Resources (or Artifact) •••••
  to purchase.
  OBLIVION’S TERRIBLE WAKE
  The violent tempests generated by the mael-
  strom barge are not storms as an inhabitant of
  Creation would think of them, nor are they even
  the tainted storms of blood and plasm more famil-
  iar to those residing in the Underworld (see
  Exalted: The Abyssals, pp. 18-19). A maelstrom
  empowered by the forces of pure Oblivion is
  nothing less than the fist of the Abyss, a gift from
  the Malfeans, a titanic storm of destruction and a
  tidal wave of madness and disaster inhabited by
  shrieking hungry ghosts who ride the storm winds
  like frenzied steeds.
  Anyone caught in a storm generated by a
  maelstrom barge takes damage akin to that of a
  supernatural ice storm (see Exalted, p. 244). On
  land, players of denizens of the Underworld can
  make a difficulty 3 Intelligence + Survival roll for
  their characters to avoid taking damage, but those
  on the Sea of Shadows are almost certainly doomed,
  as the difficulty increases to 5.
  Over land, the stability of the Underworld
  itself keeps the worst of a maelstrom high above
  land, and the storm subsides soon after the passing
  of a maelstrom barge, but over water, these cata-
  strophic storms can last for days after the maelstrom
  barge has passed overhead.
  A number of ghostly scholars have noted
  one particular aspect of maelstrom occurrences
  that concerns them most: As the Deathlords
  gain power, so do the maelstroms summoned by
  their necromancy.
  ing it’s even in range and not hundreds of yards above the
  ground). Storm-running boots and storm-warding para-
  sols (see p. 62) will both protect their users from the storm
  effects generated by a maelstrom barge but do not negate
  Archery or Thrown penalties, nor do they grant protection
  of any sort from the black miracles generated by a mael-
  strom barge’s passing.
  Final Maelstrom
  The First and Forsaken Lion remembers the great
  aerial fleets of the Solar Deliberative with perfect clarity.
  He remembers commanding armies from the deck of
  colossal vessels that shaded whole acres in their passing. In
  death, he has watched the steady decline of such artifice
  with frustration and contempt. The Terrestrial usurpers
  squandered the fleets of their betters in petty squabbling,
  and even the best engineers among them could only barely
  maintain the least of these wonders. The Great Contagion
  
  115
  CHAPTER FOUR • CREATIONS OF BONE
  erased even this, leaving the Seventh Legion the sole
  custodians of this military legacy. But the First and For-
  saken Lion remembers, and he dreams of commanding
  that power again.
  The core of this dream lies half completed in its
  Underworld hangar near the Deathlord’s citadel. It has
  no counterpart among the living or in history, but hear-
  kens back to the elegant designs of the First Age. The
  prized Juggernaut of the Mask of Winters stretches three
  times its length, but the Final Maelstrom still dwarfs the
  flagships of Lookshy to insignificance. Its hull is glossy
  black as if grown from organic obsidian, the hollowed
  carapace of a behemoth that stumbled into the Under-
  world through some shadowland ages past and died
  forgotten. To that ovoid, insectile shell, the Deathlord
  has affixed vast struts and plating of jade and soulsteel,
  building according to inauspicious geomantic principles
  that should allow the vessel to tap the power of the
  Underworld — even within Creation. The First and
  Forsaken Lion has spared no expense to import compo-
  nents from the living world and incorporate only those
  elements of the Underworld that can endure the light of
  THE GRAVEST THREAT
  Much is made of the Mask of Winters’ invasion of Thorns. For those who are even aware of the event (news
  does not travel across Creation all that efficiently), the Mask of Winters is the only one of his kind, and if he’s
  not the only one, surely he’s the most powerful. Regrettably, they are wrong.
  There are only a handful of truly great, truly epic generals in all of Creation or beyond. Fewer still of these
  command forces capable of fulfilling their commander’s vision. The First and Forsaken Lion, the oldest of the
  Deathlords, is one of these. Armed with immortality, mastery of necromancy and unmatched martial prowess,
  this Deathlord’s hunger for power and vengeance has assembled one of the mightiest and most terrifying battle
  forces the Underworld has ever seen.
  The First and Forsaken Lion is megalomaniacal and arrogant, a dread tyrant who even dared to challenge
  his masters once. Like all of his ilk, he is insane, but his insanity does not in the least diminish his cold genius.
  Unlike some of the other Deathlords, the Lion has little of the showman about him. He does not simply capitalize
  on a few spectacular necromantic marvels (a charge he often levels at the Mask of Winters). On the contrary,
  in addition to his armies, he has assembled a vast and highly integrated force of necromantic war machines
  supported by legions of ghosts skilled in combat Arcanoi, siege engine repair and necrosurgery.
  His tactics are not the children’s swarm tactics of the Realm’s degraded Dragon-Blooded, neither does he
  stoop to using the glorified guerilla tactics popular among Creation’s ragtag Exalted warlords. The First and
  Forsaken Lion is a general from the First Age, intimately familiar with the details of military science. He is a
  scientific general, and only the Seventh Legion can match his stores of magical weaponry, but not for long. With
  every passing year, the irreplaceable arsenals of Lookshy dwindle. Meanwhile, the General of the Legion
  Sanguinary only grows in might.
  Despite being the most ancient of the Deathlords, the First and Forsaken Lion remains unknown in Creation
  only because his Malfean lord has relegated him, for whatever reason, to the Thousand, far from the nearest
  shadowland and farther still from the nearest useful shadowland. The Lion is entertaining several different
  schemes for ripping his way into Creation, most of which include making his own shadowland.
  For the moment, the First and Forsaken Lion trains his ghostly armies, plots his strategies and bides his time.
  He has options. He can afford to be patient. When he does make his move, his deeds will be far more infamous
  across the face of Creation than anything the Mask of Winters has ever done.
  the Unconquered Sun and remain solid outside the lands
  of the dead. The enormity and complexity of this task has
  slowed the construction effort to a crawl.
  The First and Forsaken Lion commissioned the
  Final Maelstrom nearly a century ago, and he did not
  anticipate completion for several more decades. Of late,
  he has grown more optimistic, using the skills and power
  of his deathknights to hasten the project. The Deathlord
  now believes he can finish within nine years, perhaps
  less. He has learned much watching the Mask of Win-
  ters and his clumsy use of Juggernaut. When the Final
  Maelstrom flies at last, bristling with spires of pyre flame
  lances and entropic implosion bows, its master will not
  depend upon the ship as a crutch. First and foremost, the
  earth will shake beneath the warstriders and terrible
  machines of his army, while the dead of the Legion
  Sanguinary conscript to their ranks through unrelent-
  ing massacre. The Final Maelstrom is only a piece of the
  First and Forsaken Lion’s strategy, but it is a significant
  piece. For now, it remains a secret, even from the other
  Deathlords, a surprise he will unveil in due time to the
  collective horror of all.
  
  EXALTED • BOOK OF BONE AND EBONY
  116
  
  117
  CHAPTER FIVE • NECROMANCY
  CHAPTER FIVE
  NECROMANCY
  Just as with sorcery, only a select few in or out of
  Creation can manipulate the Essence necessary to use
  necromancy. The Celestial Exalted, the Deathlords, select
  hekatonkhire and God-Blooded (Ghost-Blooded and
  Abyssal Half-Caste) make up the short list of beings able
  to control the Essence of the Underworld on such a scale,
  and only the Abyssal Exalted and the Deathlords can
  achieve mastery over the Void Circle.
  Powerful death-tainted artifacts may allow limited
  necromantic power, whether by simulating a spell’s ef-
  fects or granting access to much of the Shadowlands
  Circle. Such items are phenomenally rare and seldom
  have any power in Creation, leaving these dark wonders
  among the hoards of the Deathlords and a few of the
  mightiest nephwracks in the Labyrinth. Such artifacts
  are dangerous for any but the favored of the Malfeans to
  use: The player of any mortal attempting to channel such
  power must roll her Essence with each attempt. A failure
  tears away her life and automatically raises her spirit as a
  mortwight. The player of a ghost who dares to abuse the
  power of the Abyss must roll each time as though the
  ghost has been touched by the Whisper of Oblivion (see
  Exalted: The Abyssals, p. 284).
  The Malfeans may also be capable of granting their
  most devoted servants such power by direct investiture,
  though such extraordinary gifts invariably corrode sanity
  and soul.
  NECROMANTIC INITIATION
  Learning to cast necromancy is, as with sorcery,
  a mind-opening experience. Potential necromancers
  begin to perceive the world in an entirely new light,
  shadowed by the truths of the Underworld. For those
  who have already become initiates of sorcery, the
  sister process for necromancy is eerily familiar, yet a
  world apart. Those who are unfamiliar with sorcery
  find the process as difficult as that for sorcery.
  Although the power of necromancy comes from
  a negative source, the use thereof is not a negative
  thing. Learning to use necromancy includes a set of five
  tasks much more similar to those of sorcery than the
  average mortal ghost-hunter or exorcist might expect.
  It is also worth noting that people cannot simply
  “discover” necromancy and initiate themselves
  through accident and the beneficence of nature.
  While necromancy was, in the beginning, discovered
  and not taught, this was done by powerful and bril-
  liant Twilight Caste Solars who already had centuries
  of experience with sorcery of all stripes. It was their
  exploration of and experimentation with the Essence
  of the Underworld, the Labyrinth and the Void that
  led them to discover this dark mirror of sorcery. No
  mighty Salinan sorcery (see Savant and Sorcerer, pp.
  17-18) remains in place to teach a would-be necro-
  mancer through fortuitous happenstance.
  
  EXALTED • BOOK OF BONE AND EBONY
  118
  NOT QUITE NECROMANCY...
  The masters of the shadowy powers of the Under-
  world aren’t the only ones who raise zombies and skeletons
  or speak with the dead. Mortal thaumaturges (see the
  Exalted Players Guide, Chapter Three, for more informa-
  tion) can, with much effort, achieve some similar effects.
  The most common method for imbuing a corpse with
  a semblance of life and the ability to obey one’s instruc-
  tions is to use the Art of Summoning to conjure a nemissary.
  Knowing whether a specific ghost has the ability to ma-
  nipulate dead flesh is generally a matter of experience, but
  it may be represented with a difficulty 2 Intelligence +
  Occult roll. A thaumaturge may instead attempt to sum-
  mon any ghost with a nemissary’s abilities. This adds 2 to
  the difficulty of the summoning, as the summoner is
  casting a general call into the Underworld and fishing for
  the most qualified ghost.
  JAWBONE ECHOES (RITUAL •)
  Jawbone Echoes is used to speak with the dead — not
  with spirits, but with the corpses themselves. Its influence
  is weak and fleeting, however, and the thaumaturge will-
  ing to use this ritual to speak with a corpse at length is often
  a lone thaumaturge. The ritual requires a single mote of
  Essence or one Willpower, spent as the name of the ritual
  is repeated face to face with the body. The thaumaturge
  then kisses the corpse, straining to kiss ever more deeply
  until a sickeningly sour taste hits the tip of his tongue. The
  thaumaturge may then ask one question of the corpse and
  get one answer. The corpse knows only what it experi-
  enced in life and what happened to it after all potence left
  it with its hun and po souls. The jawbone must be present
  and in one piece for this ritual to be effective, and the ritual
  can work even if only the jawbone is available.
  GARROTE AND MURDER MANSION (RITUAL ••)
  The thaumaturge must begin this ritual by carefully
  making chalk from the bone of the subject corpse. The
  chalk is used to lay out the floor plan and make a rough
  image of the body’s former house, home or haunt. The
  thaumaturge must know and whisper one hundred
  fondnesses that the corpse’s former hun held while she
  forms the images, making this ritual expensive in knowl-
  edge, if not in silver or jade. The ritual takes approximately
  an hour and costs one Willpower. The body will then
  animate and follow the thaumaturge’s commands. Use the
  template for the common zombie (see Exalted, p. 299),
  except that a zombie raised by Garrote and Murder Man-
  sion constantly exhales air from an unknown source. An
  ear laid close to the zombie’s mouth will hear the
  thaumaturge’s voice whispering the one hundred
  fondnesses, repeated ad infinitum.
  The chalk drawings are gradually blown away by an
  intangible wind, disappearing entirely over the course of a
  
  119
  CHAPTER FIVE • NECROMANCY
  week. As the week of unlife nears its end, the zombie
  begins to slow and stumble, indicating to its master that
  the time has come to reinvest it with life. Reinvestment is
  the same ritual as the original animation and takes the
  same amount of time. The only limit to the number of
  times an individual body may be reanimated is the amount
  of bone that may be ground to chalk without reducing the
  subject beyond all usefulness.
  There is another ritual called Obstinate Crumbs
  (Ritual •••). It centers around the once-favorite foods of
  the corpse’s hun. The animated servant is constantly
  leaving crumbs of these foods where it walks, though they
  can provide no nourishment. Zombies created with this
  ritual last for 20 days before they must be re-imbued, but
  lose a dot in all Attributes each time they’re imbued, to a
  minimum of •.
  Any Charm or spell that influences the command of an
  animated corpse preempts the thaumaturge’s meager power.
  SHADOWLANDS CIRCLE
  The magic of this, the weakest circle of necromancy,
  pulls at the threads and timbre of the Underworld to move
  it in accordance with a necromancer’s whim. The necro-
  mancer is a figure of mysterious power in the sunless lands.
  Ghosts simultaneously respect and fear him, desire what
  he can give and tremble at the retribution he can affect. He
  is something of a contradiction to the dead spirits, for he
  can be the door to their freedom or their imprisonment.
  BANISH GHOST
  Cost: 12+ motes
  Target: One ghost
  This spell is yet another example of the total power an
  experienced necromancer can wield over the inhabitants of
  the Underworld. Like its sorcerous counterpart and the
  various countermagics, Banish Ghost is a quick spell that
  goes into effect immediately once the necromancy Charm
  is activated and the Willpower and Essence are spent. The
  necromancer and his target enter a contested Essence +
  Willpower challenge, their players rolling each turn until
  one of them manages to accumulate a number of successes
  equal to the other’s character’s Essence. If the ghost is
  triumphant, she remains where she is and the necromancer
  may not attempt to banish her again until the Calendar of
  Setesh has marked the passage of three days. If the necro-
  mancer is triumphant, he may do one of the following:
  • Banish the ghost from Creation to the analogous point
  in the Underworld. The ghost is physically unable to
  return to Creation until the Calendar of Setesh has marked
  the passage of three days.
  • Banish the ghost into her tomb, body or place of death
  for a similar period of time. She is physically unable to
  leave the confines of her tomb (be it plot or mausoleum)
  or body or to stray farther than five yards from the place of
  her death.
  • Banish the ghost from his presence for a similar period of
  time. If the ghost is seen by the necromancer before the
  banishment expires, she suffers one bashing health level
  per turn until she escapes his gaze.
  The necromancer may spend extra motes at the
  casting in increments of 3 motes, reducing the ghost’s dice
  pool by one die per 3 motes spent.
  Particularly cruel necromantic masters will banish a
  loyal servant from their sight through the use of this spell
  while still expecting flawless service.
  BLACK CANDLE VISAGE
  Cost: 18 motes
  Target: One ghost
  Fixing a nearby ghost with his deadly gaze, the necro-
  mancer takes total command of a ghost’s body. Pulling at
  his target’s ghost flesh from a distance as a puppeteer pulls
  at strings, the necromancer can make superficial or com-
  pletely reconfiguring changes as desired. Alterations require
  a Dexterity + Craft (Moliation) roll and can achieve the
  same effects as the Arcanoi Nine Terrors Visage and
  Ghost-Devil Form. Such effects require similar prepara-
  tion as detailed in Exalted: The Abyssals (pp. 235-237).
  Should he so choose, the necromancer can forego such
  sophistry and simply cripple his target, distorting the
  ghost’s limbs and body beyond all use. This can reduce the
  ghost’s Dexterity or Strength by one dot per success on an
  immediate Dexterity + Craft (Moliation) roll.
  Furthermore, the necromancer can lock the ghost
  into the form he shapes. Roll the necromancer’s Convic-
  tion + Willpower against the ghost’s Conviction. Every
  success that the necromancer achieves over the ghost’s
  total successes indicates one week that the ghost is locked
  into the form. Ghosts whose players botch their Convic-
  tion roll may be bound to the new form as long as the
  necromancer desires. Ghosts may choose not to resist the
  transformation. However, this choice is a dangerous one
  because it gives the necromancer full control over the
  duration of the change.
  A ghost successfully bound into her altered form takes
  on a black, burnt-wax color while she is under its effects.
  Ghosts familiar with Black Candle Visage will recognize
  the telltale sign of necromancy.
  There is a Labyrinth Circle version of this spell
  entitled Willful Flesh Commands. With this spell, a nec-
  romancer may reshape the form of a willing target into
  anything he desires over the course of a six-hour, hands-on
  manipulation of the ghost’s corpus. This process is inevi-
  tably very painful for the subject. During this process, the
  necromancer may alter the target’s Attributes, decreasing
  one Attribute to raise another on a one-dot-for-one-dot
  basis or adding dots at an additional mote cost of 5 per dot,
  to a maximum of (the ghost’s Essence + 5) for an individual
  Attribute. The necromancer may also create such effects
  
  EXALTED • BOOK OF BONE AND EBONY
  120
  as he may when using Black Candle Visage, without the
  requisite days of planning. Deathlords use this spell to
  create barghests from among their willing servants.
  A ghost subject to Willful Flesh Commands retains
  possession of her Arcanoi and may use them despite her
  finale form. Her corpus is, however, henceforth proof
  against Arcanoi that alter ghost flesh, whether used by
  herself or another. The effects of this spell are permanent
  and can only be reversed by countermagic or an additional
  use of this spell. Willful Flesh Commands costs 24 motes
  of Essence.
  BLESS THE RAPINE SOUL
  Cost: 16 motes
  Target: One living creature
  The necromancer with this spell is every ghostly
  puppeteer’s friend. Strapping a single living person to the
  worktable, the necromancer invokes a ritual of knives and
  blood, of spiritual lashings and the ghostly rack. The spell
  stains and subjugates the victim’s soul, making all but the
  most strong-willed cower before even the most meager
  assault. Victims killed without an opportunity to recover
  from this harsh treatment almost never enter the Under-
  world as ghosts, so timid are their spirits.
  The result of this spiritual abuse is a vast magnification
  of the effect of body-controlling Arcanos, such as Puppeteer’s
  Masterful Hand (see Exalted: The Abyssals pp. 249-250).
  A ghost invoking this Arcanos upon a human prepared with
  Bless the Rapine Soul enjoys the following benefits: He
  gains a number of extra successes to the initial possession roll
  equal to the necromancer’s Essence, and the duration of the
  Arcanos is extended to one week. Other Arcanoi related to
  the possession of living creatures receive similar benefits at
  the Storyteller’s discretion.
  A victim of this spell typically recovers most of her will
  following a month free of possession, after which the treat-
  ment needs to be reapplied. Some necromancers insist that
  repeated applications become permanent, but only the
  joyless victims of the Fair Folk truly never recover from the
  abuse of this spell. Exalted and other magical beings with a
  soul are not immune but recover after a week of freedom.
  There is a similar spell called Consorting with Devils.
  Also of the Shadowlands Circle, for the cost of 10 motes,
  a necromancer using that spell can create a bond between
  one ghost and one mortal. The ghost must be possessing
  the mortal when the spell is cast and must commit 3 motes
  for the spell to be successful. Thereafter, the ghost may
  possess the mortal victim more easily, as with a subject of
  Bless the Rapine Soul. If this bond is broken, through
  countermagic or through the mortal’s death, the ghostly
  puppeteer loses a dot of permanent Willpower.
  Abyssals who prefer consorting with the dead but tire
  of their concubines’ pale and cold flesh often arrange for
  consorts who permanently wear a mortal’s lovely flesh.
  One who does not care which ghost possesses her play-
  thing might use Bless the Rapine Soul, while one who
  desires to make love to a specific spirit might use Consort-
  ing with Devils.
  BLESSED DEAD FOOLS
  Cost: 13 motes
  Target: Several ghosts
  Song begets song. In search of lovely, gentle music,
  the necromancer croons a short and disturbing melody
  while forming thin staves of Essence and binding them
  with cords of the same. Finished after nearly a half-hour,
  she stands the haphazard flagpole in the Underworld and
  binds it with a kiss. In response, a flag bursts into being at
  the top of the staff, one formed of pale blue flame and
  visible for leagues.
  Ghosts who know and curiously foolish ghosts alike
  are drawn to the burning flag. Each ghost who nears the
  signal is gifted with instant knowledge — the flag is a
  request and a binding oath, which any ghost may accept.
  A ghost who agrees to the bargain is given a gift of skill —
  he is blessed with a Performance of ••••• — and a gift of
  knowledge — he knows when and where he is to perform.
  The oath requires him to be there at the proper time and
  properly attired, and it binds him to never speak of the
  event or anything he may learn there.
  The return to the ghost is great: The parties of necro-
  mancers are grand and gaudy affairs, and many maskmakers
  or peddlers of dreamstones make their fortunes through
  networks forged at such parties. Additionally, the music
  played is as vivid and vibrant as anything the ghost might
  have heard while alive — the strength of these sensations
  can even be enough to create addicts among the dead.
  Even when not addicted, most ghosts are very grateful for
  the opportunity to experience such a thing.
  Until the event, the ghost may use his newfound skills
  to improve his lot in other ways. Afterward, the skill fades.
  After the sixth ghost touches the flagpole and binds
  himself to the necromancer, the flame atop the staff gutters
  out, and the Essence-built sticks crumble. The same occurs
  if the flagpole still stands when the event actually begins.
  BLOOD MIRROR SPEECH
  Cost: 10 motes, 1 lethal health level
  Target: One creature
  Mirrors are objects of strange nature and natural
  metaphor. They are often enchanted for use with various
  magics and purposes, and in the Underworld, it is common
  for even mundane mirrors to display some strange proper-
  ties, whispers of what once was or shadows of what might
  be. Strange things hide in mirrors.
  In casting this spell, the necromancer must face a mirror
  and keep a short message in mind. When ready, he cuts his
  palm with an obsidian knife and flings the spray of blood onto
  the reflective surface, where his message is spelled out in blood
  before it dissolves into its own reflection.
  
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  CHAPTER FIVE • NECROMANCY
  The next time the target of the spell looks into a mirror,
  the message comes flowing out of it to be read. Once the
  bloody words are understood, they lose cohesion and begin
  to run down the smooth surface of the mirror. At this time,
  if the target of the spell chooses, she may wipe clean the
  mirror and lightly cut her fingertip. Using it as a stylus, she
  may write a short message on the mirror, and it will be seen
  by the necromancer when next he looks in a mirror.
  There are additional spells of the three necromantic
  circles that take advantage of mirrors’ strange qualities.
  Invisible Doorway, of the Shadowlands Circle, costs 18
  motes of Essence and a lethal health level. It allows the
  caster to open a doorway between Creation and the
  analogous position in the Underworld through any reflec-
  tive surface. Anointing it with his blood, the crimson
  becomes the shining quicksilver blood of the Malfeans and
  the surface becomes a portal, which remains open for three
  turns. After this use, mirrors shatter, ponds boil and silver
  tarnishes. White Shard, a Labyrinth Circle spell, costs 28
  motes and allows the necromancer to communicate face-
  to-face between two specially treated mirrors. The
  communication afforded by White Shard lasts for up to
  half an hour. The Barless Gate is of the Void Circle and
  costs 42 motes to cast. With it a necromancer may step
  between any two mirrors in the Underworld in a form of
  instantaneous travel. Invoking the Barless Gate violently
  shatters all spiritual or physical wards barring such travel
  at the recipient’s gate.
  BONE PUPPET DANCE
  Cost: 16 motes
  Target: One creature
  Considered requisite among those who wish to be
  known as masters of the walking dead, this spell is com-
  pleted by the utterance of a single syllable of command, the
  sound of which burns through the air to brand itself
  invisibly on the center of its target’s ribcage. Once the
  brand is made, the necromancer commands complete
  obedience from the skeleton, and any living flesh around
  that skeleton is in for a nightmarish time.
  The skeleton will immediately begin attempting to
  enact the necromancer’s will, moving to attack its owner’s
  friends, bearing a message to the East or performing back flips
  for the necromancer’s amusement. The inherent difficulty in
  controlling another being causes any action attempted by the
  skeleton — who otherwise acts with its host’s dice pools — to
  be at a dice penalty of the host’s Essence.
  If the host does not wish to be the necromancer’s
  servant, as is likely, he must to act against the actions his
  skeleton is carrying out. He may exert control over his
  body with little mental effort, but even as he drives his
  body through force of will, his skeleton is resisting. His
  bones burn and scream, unable to perform as their necro-
  mantic master demands. Every action taken by the host is
  at -1 die, and every turn in which he wrests control from
  his tormented frame, he suffers two levels of lethal damage
  as his bones blister his muscles and claw at him from
  within. This damage can only be soaked by natural soak
  (and is unaffected by hardness ratings that do not reason-
  ably affect wounds coming from within the body).
  The effects of this spell last for a number of hours equal
  to the necromancer’s player’s successes on a Charisma +
  Occult roll. Trying to control a body that resists requires
  more of the spell’s available power, so every turn in which
  the host painfully controls his own body reduces the
  remaining hours of servitude by one. When this number
  reaches zero, the spell ends. If the host is killed as a result
  of attempting to remain in command of his body, the
  skeleton claws its way free of the flesh which restrained it
  and becomes a permanent zombie under the control of the
  necromancer (see Exalted, p. 299).
  A necromancer can cast this spell upon an already
  extant skeleton to animate it as a permanent servant, or
  she can target a skeleton that is already animate, ripping
  control from its current master. This technique is so
  spiritually abusive that it inflicts the caster’s Essence in
  dice of bashing damage, soakable only with Stamina, to
  the necromancer from whom she took the skeleton.
  BONFIRE VISIONS
  Cost: 13 motes
  Target: One bonfire
  Although abysmally rare in the Underworld, the
  bones of a creature that once lived must be collected before
  the necromancer may cast this spell. Splintering the bones
  and piling them on the ground, the necromancer hurls a
  ball of blue flame into the pale white kindling, which
  bursts into flame. The fire is large but controlled and
  always burns a pale blue-white. The light is drowned out by
  the strong rays of the sun, and in Creation, the fire will
  soon go out. But in the Underworld, the light of the bonfire
  burns brightly. Ghosts can see the clear light for miles
  through the dreary Underworld, and they are drawn to it.
  Any ghosts who peer into the flame during the hour
  in which it persists can look in upon any of their Fetters
  with perfect clarity, without the requisite Arcanoi. This is
  often a boon for which ghosts are willing to pay, either in
  goods or in services.
  DEATH FLIES TWO SAILS
  Cost: 14 motes (seven committed)
  Target: One sailing vessel
  There is no safety in sailing upon the Sea of Shadows.
  Spectres float on the boundless black waves, vile shadows
  are able to seep in with the smallest leak, and hekatonkhire
  lurk in the depths and do not always slumber. A necroman-
  cer with this spell need fear none of those things.
  Standing with her feet in the lapping waters of the
  Underworld’s dark ocean or its murky rivers, she sings an
  eerie lullaby to the depths. After seven minutes, the song is
  
  EXALTED • BOOK OF BONE AND EBONY
  122
  finished, and the strange ghosts who rule the depths of the
  ocean are appeased. In response, they send forth a sailing
  ship long dead and repaired. The ship is small and of a dark
  wood, but its mast stands tall. It is obviously a sunken vessel
  returned to service: The black sails are patched with tanned
  human skin, and holes in the hull are closed with pale white
  bone. The prow bears a figurehead — a living spectre, bound
  there to sing softly as the ship sails.
  The ship moves as the necromancer wills and requires
  her presence on the ship. The craft can comfortably
  contain two passengers, but five can fit with effort. As the
  ship sails, it leaves a wake of bile-tainted blood. This and
  the lullaby of the figurehead act together to calm the
  savage inhabitants of the Sea of Shadows and ease the
  necromancer’s passage. Storytellers should make an effort
  to reduce the difficulty of challenges inherent to travel on
  the Sea of Shadows. For instance, if a social roll is required
  to navigate an obstacle, add three dice to the relevant pool,
  independent of any Charms or stunts.
  The ship lasts as long as the necromancer leaves the
  Essence committed. If she desires, she may cast this spell at
  night on Creation’s seas and rivers at twice the Essence
  cost (the Essence commitment is not doubled). However,
  the shadowy wood of the ship boils away to nothing if the
  sun’s rays strike it, losing one health level each turn, and
  the spectre shrieks as it disappears beneath the waves.
  Treat the ship as a fast courier (see Savage Seas, pp. 51-53)
  with respect to speed and appearance, and give the vessel
  8L soak and 8/16 health levels. Also, treat shadowlands as
  the Underworld for the purposes of this spell, even when
  the sun is shining.
  There exists a Labyrinth Circle version of this spell
  called Funerary Misted Vessel. The vessel summoned from
  the dark sea bottom is greater and able to carry up to 20 able
  bodies comfortably, 50 uncomfortably or 80 of the walking
  dead, carefully packed. In addition to the properties pro-
  vided by Death Flies Two Sails, the ship travels obscured by
  a thick fogbank. This fog is transparent to anyone on the
  ship but nearly opaque to all others, and this effect spreads
  out from the summoned vessel for a number of miles equal
  to the caster’s Essence. This fog serves to protect the ship
  from harmful daylight — when under the Creation’s sun the
  ship suffers a loss of half its soak but is not destroyed. Treat
  the ship as a marine assault bireme (see Savage Seas, pp. 60-
  62), with 14L soak and 16/32 health levels. The ship need
  not be manned by the one who summoned it — the Silver
  Prince has three of these ships that patrol the waters around
  his island realm. Funerary Misted Vessel costs 22 motes to
  cast and requires 11 to be committed; the cost is doubled in
  Creation, but the committed Essence is not.
  DEATH INVERSION LOOP
  Cost: 18 motes
  Target: One ghost
  So horrible is the moment of death for most ghosts
  that they are loath to think back to it or to visit the place
  where it occurred. Most who leave haunts behind avoid
  those tableaux with great vigor. A necromancer can cast a
  ghost into the Death Inversion Loop, a harrowing experi-
  ence wherein the spirit relives her death just as she first
  experienced it, leaving his victim drained of will.
  The caster targets a single ghost within 50 yards.
  When the spell is cast, the ghost freezes, all muscles rigid,
  before collapsing to the ground as her mind is trapped in a
  repeating replay of her death. These images are accompa-
  nied by the numbing knowledge that she can in no way
  change the outcome of the events that she is reliving.
  The outward effects of Death Inversion Loop last only
  a moment. Those who watch the unfortunate ghost will
  see her collapse one moment and rise the next, shivering
  with effort and fright. Only she will have lived through an
  immeasurable length of time that has sapped her will to
  continue on.
  When the spell is cast, the necromancer’s player rolls
  his character’s Willpower + Essence against the ghost’s
  Willpower. The difference in successes between the two is
  the maximum number of loops the caster can force his
  victim to endure. If the roll for the ghost turns up more
  successes than the roll for the necromancer, she has proved
  stronger than he, and the spell turns upon him instead.
  After each loop, the target ghost loses one dot of perma-
  nent Willpower, and her player rolls that value against a
  difficulty equal to the Essence of the necromancer. Success
  frees the ghost, while failure dooms her to another cycle.
  After the number of loops chosen by the necromancer, or
  after the ghost’s player succeeds on the Willpower roll, the
  ghost returns to her consciousness and can act. In terms of
  combat time, the ghost is paralyzed for only a single turn.
  A ghost reduced to zero Willpower by this spell dissolves,
  becoming a haunt of the scene that killed her.
  This spell can be cast on living targets, and it casts
  them into a vague and disturbing vision of their own
  deaths. Savants are unsure if this is prophetic in nature.
  The vision occurs in an instant and does not incapacitate
  the victim for a full turn. Instead, disturbed by the vision,
  she suffers a one-die penalty to all attacks for the turn in
  which the spell is cast. This effect also occurs when the
  spell rebounds upon a living necromancer who chose to
  punish too strong a spirit.
  DEATH MASK
  Cost: 14 motes
  Target: Caster
  Before a necromancer can first cast this spell, he must
  personally oversee the painful sacrifice of a living mortal. As
  his victim’s life flees her, he must invoke Death Mask. The
  mortal’s hun is caught as it escapes the failing corpse and is
  rent of any sentience by the casting of the spell. What
  
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  CHAPTER FIVE • NECROMANCY
  remains of the hun is no more than a shell, a cloak of plasm,
  which the spell hides Elsewhere. Most necromancers take a
  petty pleasure in the knowledge that nearly all victims of
  this treatment rise as hungry ghosts afterward.
  When he casts the spell in the future, he spends 10
  minutes in meditation before spending another 10 gently
  pulling the fragile cloak out of Elsewhere and carefully
  donning it. Once complete, only the most perceptive
  ghost will see anything other than a fellow spirit in the
  necromancer’s place. Each time the necromancer dons the
  mask, his player rolls Essence + Craft (Moliation). The
  result is the difficulty a ghost’s player’s Perception +
  Awareness roll must overcome to see through the caster’s
  deception and recognize that he is an impostor ghost.
  Mortals and living creatures cannot see the Death Mask at
  all. The use of Essence-viewing magic can reveal its pres-
  ence but will not provide a clear view of the disguise.
  If the necromancer is attacked while wearing the
  ghostly shroud, count any lethal or aggravated damage
  done to him as damage done also to the spirit. If the cloak
  suffers more than four health levels of damage, it has been
  reduced to such tatters that it falls off of the necromancer
  then and there. Up to that point, his disguise is intact, and
  his identity is safe from ghostly eyes. If the damage to the
  cloak is any less, it will regenerate one lethal health level
  per week Elsewhere, once removed. If a necromancer’s
  cloak is destroyed, he will have to acquire another before
  he can cast the spell again.
  When worn in Creation, the ghostly cloak only takes
  damage from attacks that can harm spirits.
  DRAWING BLIND EDGE
  Cost: 20 motes
  Target: One ghost
  Breathing a frigid mist upon her hand, the necromancer’s
  palm and fingers grow pale with rime. With a white glow in
  her eyes, she plunges her frosted hand into the pale corpus
  of a nearby ghost and slowly draws from his body a translu-
  cent blade, dancing lightly with blue flame. The ghost’s
  corpus dwindles as the blade is drawn until it disappears with
  the unsheathing of the point, entirely transformed into a
  deadly edge. If the spell isn’t discharged upon the corpus of
  a ghost, the rime inflicts one unsoakable level of bashing
  damage upon the necromancer every 10 minutes as it slowly
  spreads over her body and freezes her to death.
  The necromancer must, after casting the spell, suc-
  cessfully strike her target with her bare hand. Once done,
  nothing can prevent the unsheathing of Blind Edge. The
  weapon’s statistics are chosen by the necromancer at the
  blade’s inception. She may distribute one point among the
  blade’s speed, accuracy, damage and defense for each dot
  of her victim’s permanent Essence; until so bolstered, the
  weapon’s stats are identical to those of a reaver daiklave.
  None of the weapon’s stats may be raised above the
  necromancer’s Essence + Occult. (If playing with Exalted
  Power Combat, the weapon’s rate is equal to the
  necromancer’s Essence.)
  The blade inflicts only half damage, calculated before
  soak, against living creatures. Against ghosts and other
  dead spirits, Blind Edge deals aggravated damage and can
  strike even immaterial ghosts. Should it deal a fatal blow,
  the slain ghost is drawn into the blade with a shriek and a
  burst of blue flame. No dead spirit destroyed in this manner
  will ever see the Underworld again. Its Essence is con-
  sumed by the blade.
  Each ghost absorbed into Blind Edge allows the nec-
  romancer to distribute additional points across the blade’s
  attributes, one for each point of permanent Essence it
  devours. While there is no limit to the number of ghosts
  that may be drawn into the weapon, the necromancer can
  add to the weapon no more points than (her Essence x 5).
  Blind Edge remains until dismissed, until struck by
  countermagic or until the sun of the Underworld next
  dawns. Whatever the cause, the bluish-white blade then
  flashes stark black, and it howls with the voices of the
  captured ghosts as they are hurled into the Abyss.
  DUSK EYES
  Cost: 10 motes
  Target: Caster
  Blood is one of the borders between life and death. A
  surfeit of blood plagues the living and keeps them alive,
  while the dead suffer from an endless thirst for it. A wise
  necromancer can use this very fluid boundary to peer
  across the curtain between the living and the dead.
  Lightly pricking a finger, he touches it once to each eye
  and closes both, letting the blood settle. When he opens his
  eyes, they are a dark crimson and he can see from the
  Underworld to the bright world of Creation, or his vision
  can reach from the living worlds into the realm of the dead.
  A necromancer using this spell can only see one world at a
  time. If gazing into the other world while engaging in a
  complex activity, such as combat, he suffers the two-success
  penalty of acting blindly in the world he inhabits.
  This spell can be defeated by wards and spells against
  scrying. The effects of Dusk Eyes last for an hour as
  marked by the Calendar of Setesh and confer no benefit
  in a shadowland.
  EASING THE FORSAKEN MEMORY
  Cost: 12+ motes
  Target: One haunt
  A traveler through the Underworld is constantly con-
  fronted by the lost memories of the dead, images and
  emotions frozen at a moment of abject terror or pitiful loss
  as the victim ended his mortal life. These foul tableaux can
  be cleansed from the bright world of Creation with rituals of
  exorcism and, if given time, will fade. Their counterparts in
  
  EXALTED • BOOK OF BONE AND EBONY
  124
  Creation’s smoked mirror are hardier, bolstered by the
  negative Essence of the Underworld, and resist efforts to
  remove them.
  The Deathlords are particular beings and have specific
  tastes. When one desires to raise her fortress here, no pitiful
  spirit’s echoing cries against death are going to disrupt her
  choice of locale and decor. Easing the Forsaken Memory can
  completely erase a single haunt of the caster’s choice. For an
  additional cost of 1 mote per mile, the necromancer can
  relocate the haunt to a location of her choosing.
  There is a similar spell, Congealing the Last Thought,
  that can create haunts for those necromancers who appre-
  ciate them as a motif. The haunts created by this spell can
  be taken from the mind of a cooperating ghost or can be
  constructed out of whole cloth from the necromancer’s
  imagination. Haunts created by this spell in Creation last
  a month per permanent Essence of the caster, while those
  created in the Underworld are near-permanent. Congeal-
  ing the Last Thought costs 12 motes.
  EMPEROR’S CHAINS
  Cost: 16 motes
  Target: Varies
  The necromancer claps her hands, and the world
  resounds with that sharp sound. As it reaches ghosts’ ears,
  their corpora become sluggish and unresponsive. All ghosts
  within 50 yards of the necromancer find their movement
  rates halved, and the costs of all movement-related Arcanoi
  are doubled.
  The necromancer may choose, instead, to focus the
  spell’s effect on a single ghost, who must be within 20 yards
  when the spell is cast. That ghost is rendered unable to
  move at all, and any movement-enhancing Arcanoi cost
  triple the Essence to use.
  FACES OF THE DEAD
  Cost: 16 motes
  Target: Caster
  Casting the spell with two fingers together, the necro-
  mancer brings them apart and draws out a wire of shimmering
  silver. The wire appears to fold outward, growing additional
  dimensions and facets until it becomes a thin-shafted silver
  mace with a perfectly forged, 12-faced head.
  The silver mace is of excellent quality and balance, and
  beneath the stars of the Underworld, it winks with reflected
  light. Against a ghost, the weapon inflicts additional dam-
  age equal to the caster’s Essence. If a blow with the mace
  deals a number of health levels of damage equal to or greater
  than a ghost’s permanent Essence, the mace and ghost flash
  with a bright blue light as the ghost is captured in one of the
  faces of the weapon’s head. The faces of all ghosts captured
  peer out from the surface that holds each.
  Once an hour has passed, the necromancer forfeits use
  of the weapon as the shaft dissolves into dust and blows
  away on a phantom wind. The mace’s head becomes a jar
  of transparent rock crystal, holding all the spirits that were
  captured within. The jar has 12L/12B soak and can suffer
  up to 20 health levels of damage before it shatters, freeing
  any trapped ghosts. Effective countermagic violently shat-
  ters the jar automatically. Only the necromancer can open
  the jar without forcing it. A ghost freed from the jar by
  whatever method is bereft of Essence.
  Faces of the Dead was a tool used in first days of the
  First Age, as the inquisitive Solars and Chosen of Secrets
  began exploring the mysteries of the Underworld. Its use
  was eventually viewed as distasteful and discontinued.
  Abyssals use it today to collect souls for the forging of
  soulsteel, as the ghosts are quite pliable once removed from
  the crystal jar.
  Weapon
  Speed
  Acc.
  Dmg.
  Def.
  Silver Mace
  -1
  +2
  +5L
  +0
  FIELD OF FELL DREAMS
  Cost: 16 motes
  Target: Area of effect
  The caster drops to one knee and channels the heat of
  thousands of decaying dead into the earth or stone at her
  feet. As the spell ends, the necromancer removes her palm
  to reveal a brand in the shape of her hand. At that instant,
  skeletal hands burst forth from the dirt, the cobblestones
  or the marble floor and begin to latch with the strength of
  the dead onto any who come within their grasp.
  Any person other than the caster is forced to dance
  and dodge about to avoid being grabbed by the grasping
  claws — he has his Dexterity reduced by one dot while
  within 50 yards of the brand and his Dexterity reduced by
  two dots with respect to calculating movement. Addition-
  ally, anyone moving through the Field of Fell Dreams
  suffers one attack for every five yards he moves. Each
  attack is a clinch attempt made at an accuracy of (the
  caster’s Essence + 5). The hands have a pool of seven dice
  when attempting to maintain clinches, and they never
  attempt to inflict damage, only to contain their victims.
  The bony hands may be destroyed easily — they cannot
  dodge or parry and are relatively fragile — but a new one
  takes the place of any hand smashed or severed. The hands
  can grasp immaterial ghosts as easily as mortals, and ghosts
  caught by the hands are forced to spend a mote to manifest.
  The hands’ animation flees them at the stroke of
  midnight, as measured by the Calendar of Setesh.
  FIVE GIFTS
  Cost: 12 motes
  Target: One ghost
  Every ghost is afflicted with the mind-numbing bland-
  ness of unlife. When foods taste as dust and the rainbow is
  different shades of gray, when a ghost cannot even dream
  
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  CHAPTER FIVE • NECROMANCY
  of the vivid sensations he used to have, rapidly fading
  memories are all that remain.
  This spell was crafted in the First Age as the Exalted
  began to explore the Underworld and its then-sparse
  inhabitants. While many spells of sorcerous origin could
  do little to relieve the ghosts’ dreary existences, the discov-
  ery of necromancy gave the curious sorcerer-priests a
  second opportunity.
  A ghost affected by this spell experiences the world as
  he used to in his previous life. Blood appears a bright scarlet
  instead of a faded pink, and wracking sobs echo and ring in
  a pleasantly abominable din. The dull foods of the Under-
  world are given taste, and the sacrificed foods of the living
  taste as sweet and savory as they did before the ghost’s
  death. These are pleasures otherwise unknown to the
  residents of the Underworld. In the Age of Sorrows, this
  spell is often a blessing bestowed on much-prized servants
  of the Abyssals or the Deathlords. Ghosts of moderate
  means may humble themselves to purchase what is, to
  them, bliss, and necromancers in negotiation with the
  dead can use this spell as a powerful bargaining chip. There
  is no danger inherent in the spell, which makes it an
  attractive alternative to risking one’s corpus in a world of
  ghost-hunters, Immaculates and exorcists.
  Five Gifts lasts only until the next sunset, but it is a
  strongly reaffirming experience. It reminds ghosts of the
  world they are refusing to leave, and when the spell is cast,
  the target gains points of temporary Willpower equal to the
  successes on a roll of his highest-rated Passion. This may
  temporarily raise Willpower above the ghost’s maximum.
  When the spell begins to fail, the ghost can feel it fading. It
  is very difficult for a ghost to peacefully let go of mortal
  pleasure. Roll the ghost’s Temperance when the spell ends.
  A failure results in the loss of a single point of temporary
  Willpower. All Willpower in excess of the ghost’s normal
  maximum vanishes with the effects of the spell.
  Although there is no physical addiction, ghosts who
  receive the pleasures of this spell multiple times find
  themselves yearning for it more and more often, making
  them more pliable, even slavish, if it will get them the
  sensations they crave.
  FLESH AND BONE WINDS
  Cost: 18 motes
  Target: Caster
  With the final syllable and gesture of this spell, the
  ground around the necromancer glows a soft, pearly white.
  After a moment, the earth or stone is ruptured by sharp,
  shattered bone and soft ribbons of flesh. The materials spin
  around the caster at ever-increasing speeds, obscuring him
  and picking up the flesh and bone of the dead that lie in the
  necromancer’s path, tearing them to pieces and adding
  them to the storm.
  
  EXALTED • BOOK OF BONE AND EBONY
  126
  The Flesh and Bone Winds howl around the caster
  one yard from where he stands. At its base utility, the spell
  adds a difficulty of 1 to all melee attacks made against the
  necromancer and a difficulty of 3 to all ranged attacks in
  or out of the shell of skin and marrow. Additionally,
  anyone apart from the necromancer who steps into the
  maelstrom automatically suffers three dice of lethal dam-
  age each turn she is exposed to the tearing bones and flesh.
  Those slain by the winds are shredded as they die,
  their flesh and bones ripped apart to strengthen the fury of
  the storm. Corpses already fallen, if brought within the
  radius of the spell, will also add to the debris of the dead.
  Each body added to the storm increases its radius by one
  yard, and every two bodies absorbed increase the difficul-
  ties of ranged attacks by one. A maximum of (the caster’s
  Essence x 2) corpses can be added to the spell’s fury.
  FLESH-SLOUGHING WAVE
  Cost: 16 motes
  Target: Area of effect
  Originally a utility spell with the purpose of cleansing
  the dead of their flesh and leaving only the bones, useful for
  constructing the war machines of the Deathlords or le-
  gions of the necromancer’s own, the Flesh-Sloughing
  Wave has begun to see use as a dangerous attack spell in the
  world of the living.
  As the spell coalesces, the necromancer shapes an
  ivory ball of Essence in her hands above her head. It throbs
  slightly with a white light as she caresses it into a sphere,
  and any visible bones nearby glow in time. Any living
  nearby feel a pull in their bones, waxing and waning in
  time with the pulsing of the spell.
  When complete, the ivory ball is hurled to the ground,
  where it shatters, releasing a wave of translucent ivory
  light out to a range of (the caster’s Essence x 5) yards. As
  the dome of light expands, it carries with it the flesh from
  the bodies it passes. Flesh from a corpse is torn away
  instantly, as is dead flesh on a living creature. Those
  bearing living flesh endure a second of pain as the spell tries
  to peel away their skin, muscle and fat to leave only the
  pale white bones beneath.
  All living creatures within the radius of the spell
  except the caster must soak twice the caster’s Essence +
  Occult in lethal damage. Creatures who somehow have no
  flesh have nothing to fear from the Flesh-Sloughing Wave.
  A Fair One killed by this spell dies in a blinding flash
  of chaos, as the ordered prison that held it is torn away by
  the spell.
  GATHERING A GHOST’S STRINGS
  Cost: 10 or 20 motes
  Target: One ghost
  With a gesture and a twist of the hand, the necroman-
  cer swiftly learns all she needs to terrorize a ghost of her
  choice. Targeting any ghost she can clearly see, the necro-
  
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  CHAPTER FIVE • NECROMANCY
  mancer gains brief visions of the ghost’s Fetters and of the
  ghost’s Passions. Each Fetter and Passion is a unique vision
  that takes a full turn to complete, together bestowing upon
  the necromancer clear details of the ghost’s each and every
  Fetter and Passion.
  While the knowledge presented by this spell does not
  give the caster any inherent power over the ghost, any
  being with this sort of detailed knowledge will have at her
  disposal endless sources of blackmail and threats.
  If the necromancer chooses to spend an additional 10
  motes after seeing her victim’s Fetters and Passions, she may
  overwrite them. Concentrating on images of her own, she
  may exchange each Fetter or Passion for one of her own
  design of the same rating. This can seriously alter a ghost’s
  lifestyle and drives, but the spirit is constantly aware that
  necromancy is forcing him to act contrary to his subsumed
  desires. The representations of the ghost’s old Fetters act as
  the representations of his new Fetters. The changes fade
  after one month per point of the caster’s permanent Essence.
  Puzzle Box of Love is a spell of the Labyrinth Circle
  that allows the necromancer to completely rearrange a
  ghost’s Passions and Fetters. She may choose any combina-
  tion of new Passions to fit the ghost’s Virtues and may
  reshape the ghost’s Fetters in any manner she desires, so
  long as the number of dots in Fetters is not greater after the
  transformation than it was before.
  This spell is permanent, but the player of a heroic
  ghost bound by Puzzle Box of Love may roll his character’s
  Willpower plus the strength of any Passion lost during
  the transformation against a difficulty of the
  necromancer’s Essence once per year, on the day of his
  death. Victory allows him to return to his previous life
  but comes with no guarantee of safety from retribution or
  repeated imprisonment.
  GENTLE CALL OF LETHE
  Cost: 13 motes
  Target: One living creature
  The necromancer traces a simple mark with her hand
  on the target’s forehead. After the caster is finished, the
  symbol shines with a bright light for a few short moments
  before disappearing. There is no other visible effect. The
  symbol is visible to creatures using Essence-sight and
  ghosts using Aura-Reading Technique (see Exalted: The
  Abyssals, p. 24), and many such individuals recognize the
  power of the rune.
  When a creature affected by this spell dies of whatever
  cause, he is barred from becoming a ghost. Whether the
  spirit enters Lethe or Oblivion is a matter determined by
  the temperament of the soul. The most furious and hateful
  disappear into the Abyss, while most spirits peacefully
  dissolve into Lethe, drawn by the power of the spell.
  Gentle Call of Lethe and Rune of Sweet Passing are
  incompatible spells and may not both be cast upon the
  same individual. Until broken through countermagic, the
  first enchantment prevents the second from being laid.
  Ghost-Blooded cannot be affected by this spell unless they
  possess the Unchained Soul Merit (see the Exalted Play-
  ers Guide, p. 71).
  A variation of this spell by the same name can be
  learned and cast by sorcerers of the Sapphire Circle.
  The Celestial version costs 20 motes and requires 10
  minutes to cast.
  MASTER PUPPETEER’S KNIFE
  Cost: 14 motes
  Target: Area of effect
  Splaying his fingers wide and drawing any sort of blade
  beneath her hand in a swift cutting motion, the necroman-
  cer cuts the threads of dark energy that allow an
  otherwise-senseless corpse to function and move. A spe-
  cialized form of countermagic, this spell is very quick and
  takes effect as soon as the necromancy Charm is activated
  and the Willpower is spent. All animated dead in a 90-
  degree arc of the caster’s choice and within 10 yards
  collapse without fanfare, nothing more than corpses once
  again. The zombies must be extras, like those most com-
  monly created with the spells Raise the Skeletal Horde and
  Arisen Legion (see Exalted: The Abyssals, p. 225).
  The Master Puppeteer’s Knife can be used to destroy
  the more proficient animated dead, such as those created
  by Exquisite Undead Aide (see Exalted: The Abyssals, p.
  226), by focusing the power of the spell upon one at a time.
  The Master Puppeteer’s Knife cannot affect undead
  war machines, animated as they are by more eclectic
  collections of necromantic magic.
  MIDNIGHT SHADOW SUN
  Cost: 8 motes
  Target: Shadowland border
  One basic limitation of travel between Creation and
  the Underworld is that the doors only move one way at a
  time. When the sun is in the sky over a shadowland, any
  who exit find themselves in Creation. When the night sky
  looms, those who leave a shadowland will find themselves
  in the Underworld. The necromancer who knows Mid-
  night Shadow Sun never has to wait.
  Casting this spell upon the border of a shadowland
  weakens and confuses it, forcing it to deposit those who
  cross into whichever realm the necromancer wishes. Up to
  twice her Essence in yards of the border are affected, and
  they remain so for five minutes, long enough for several
  dozen creatures to pass through in an orderly fashion.
  There exists a similar spell of the Void Circle called
  Folding Midnight. This curse forces a shadowland to
  become a one-way portal into or out of the Underworld at
  all times of day. A mortal who walks into a shadowland so
  cursed may never be able to walk back out into Creation
  
  EXALTED • BOOK OF BONE AND EBONY
  128
  — or an unlucky ghost may find himself unable to return
  to the Underworld. Folding Midnight costs 46 motes and
  requires that the necromancer walk a path around the
  shadowland in question during the time of day appropriate
  to her desired effect.
  MOTHER DARKNESS
  Cost: 12 motes
  Target: Area of effect
  With a grimace and a snap of the fingers, the necro-
  mancer can make herself more comfortable by changing the
  local environment to suit her. Over the next minute, the sky
  perceptibly darkens, the flora grays, and fauna either leave
  the area or become sullen and surly. Landmarks of note take
  on a devilish cast, and hills seem to carry with them threats
  of something lurking on the other side. Some of the changes
  are more overt: Glistening white bones are more easily
  found lying about, and small stones become glittering obsid-
  ian. A dirge floats lightly on the wind.
  Creatures of the Underworld find themselves more at
  ease within the one-mile reach of Mother Darkness. Those
  beings who can normally respire no Essence while in
  Creation find that they recover 1 mote per full day spent
  within the shadowed area. Mother Darkness is considered
  a significant fraction of the “trappings of death” required
  for an Abyssal to shed Resonance.
  The area affected slowly returns to normal over the
  course of a week, except when cast within the Wyld. The
  settling influence of necromancy act strongly upon the
  lively Wyld. When cast upon a Wyld area, Mother Darkness
  reduces the strength of the Wyld by one (Middlemarches to
  Borderlands, Borderlands to Creation — see Exalted: The
  Lunars for more information on the Wyld), and the trap-
  pings of death remain until the Wyld sweeps over them
  again. In some cases, this can be a long time.
  The spell cannot be successfully cast upon a Demesne,
  as the flow of aspected Essence already colors the environ-
  ment too strongly for the effects of Mother Darkness to
  take hold.
  PIERCING THE HEEL
  Cost: 17 motes
  Target: One ghost
  Requires an arcane link
  This spell cannot be cast unless the necromancer has
  access to her victim’s body, which acts as an arcane link.
  Ritually piercing the body’s tendons with iron nails above
  the heel of each foot, the necromancer invokes this spell
  and speaks the name of the ghost who once inhabited the
  body. Thereafter, the ghost finds himself unable to enact
  any physical harm upon the necromancer’s body. Should
  he ever attempt such, he immediately falls lame and
  unable to move until he abandons the intention.
  This binding may be broken by countermagic cast
  upon the ghost or by removing the iron nails from the
  body’s heels — but the ghost is bound not to attempt this,
  and if the body has decayed to the point where the nails
  have fallen from the heels on their own, the ghost’s only
  hope lies in countermagic.
  If the body is too decayed for the piercings to be
  removed to end the spell, it is too far gone for this spell to
  be effective.
  RINGING HUN REBUKE
  Cost: 19 motes
  Target: Caster
  Pulling two iron rings out of thin air as might a master
  of legerdemain, the necromancer puts one on the middle
  finger of each hand. He then claps his hands, striking the
  two black ornaments together and letting them resonate.
  Each emits a slightly different tone and continues to do so
  for the next hour.
  While these rings continue to sound, ghosts have
  difficulty approaching the caster. In order to approach
  within five yards of the caster, a successful Willpower
  check must be made for the ghost against a difficulty of 3.
  And even then, she finds it abhorrent to strike him — the
  necromancer has an effective additional soak of 2L/3B
  against all blows a ghost attempts to land. Ranged attacks
  made from without the five-yard radius are unaffected.
  If the necromancer walks into a ghostly crowd while
  this spell is in effect, he finds that ghosts move out of his
  ARCANE LINKS AND THE DEAD
  As the study of performing sorcery — and
  necromancy, once it was discovered — upon the
  inhabitants of the Underworld progressed, the
  Exalted learned that ghosts who refused to move
  on had several natural arcane links: their Fetters. A
  sorcerer or necromancer who is aware of her target’s
  Fetters can use one in place of an arcane link to the
  spirit. Standing in the ghost’s tomb is usually
  enough to create a bond between the sorcerer and
  spirit. Passions with clear physical representations
  — a family that must be protected or a construc-
  tion the ghost wishes to see completed — can also
  be used in this manner.
  In the Age of Sorrows, the Deathlords have
  found another such link. The bond between an
  Abyssal servant and his Monstrance of Celestial
  Portion allows his liege to spy upon him, speak with
  him and inflict displeasure upon him in the form of
  Resonance. It is also, as has been discovered, a
  permanent arcane link to the Abyssal and yet more
  leverage for the Deathlords. Most Deathlords have
  kept this advantage, as they have kept many others,
  secret from their Exalted servants.
  
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  CHAPTER FIVE • NECROMANCY
  path nearly unconsciously — this is as a result of the
  distinctly unpleasant sensation that the ghosts feel when
  too near the resonating rings. The player of a ghost who
  actively decides not to move as the caster draws to within
  five yards must successfully make a reflexive Willpower
  roll, difficulty 3, for her character not to step out of range,
  just as though she had moved into it.
  There is a greater version of this spell in the Laby-
  rinth Circle called Brick-by-Brick Solitude. When cast,
  several dozen arcane symbols appear in a cylinder around
  the necromancer. Bright, as if drawn with pure sunlight,
  they expand rapidly to a radius equal to (the caster’s
  permanent Essence x 10) yards. Any ghosts closer than
  that are pushed out to the boundaries by the expanding
  invisible wall. Ghosts are unable to pierce this boundary
  and, therefore, cannot make hand-to-hand attacks.
  Ranged attacks suffer a loss of half their successes before
  they reach the necromancer.
  Brick-by-Brick Solitude does not increase the caster’s
  Strength. While the boundary does move with him and
  will shove most ghosts out of his path with little effort,
  should he encounter a determined mob that desire to bar
  his way, he will not be able to push past more than three
  times his Strength rating in ghosts.
  SEAT OF DEADLY SPLENDORS
  Cost: 15 motes
  Target: Caster
  Speaking several blasphemies to the local gods or
  ghosts and letting a drop of blood fall upon the earth, the
  caster causes the clawed, skeletal fist of a fallen giant to
  burst from the ground. The ivory bones creak as they settle
  and open into a massive throne for the necromancer to seat
  herself upon. While seated there, she finds that those
  around her respond more quickly to her will and that she
  sees more clearly into people’s souls.
  While her character sits in the Seat of Deadly Splen-
  dors, the necromancer’s player gains a two-dice bonus to
  all rolls involving intimidation, persuasion or the percep-
  tion of true motives and lies. Sitting on the throne also
  allows the caster to see dematerialized ghosts as though
  they were material, and she can force them to manifest at
  a cost of 2 motes. Add one to the spell’s dice bonuses when
  applied to ghosts.
  The magical effects of the spell only last for an hour.
  The hand of the dead giant, however, remains until hewn
  from the ground (treat as a stone statue, see Exalted, p.
  239) and removed. If the throne is destroyed while the
  spell is still active, the magical effects immediately end.
  Seat of Deadly Splendors cannot be successfully cast if the
  necromancer is on a second floor, in a tree or otherwise
  distanced from the ground.
  SHATTERED VOID MIRROR
  Cost: 20 motes
  Target: One living creature
  The necromancer throws his arm out toward a single
  target and, to the eyes of his victim, behind him towers the
  image of a great, black-robed necromancer with vivid
  purple eyes mimicking his motion. The victim is thrown
  into a stark relief, and for a long instant, the colors of her
  image appear inverted as her Essence is thrown against an
  exact opposite drawn out from the Void.
  The inversion lasts only a moment, but it wreaks
  havoc on the target’s physical and spiritual integrity. Her
  skin and bones crack as they resist being undone, her
  heart flutters, and her flesh grows cold and very pale. She
  may find herself short of breath for weeks or notice later
  that a lock of her hair has turned white. She suffers dice
  of raw lethal damage equal to twice her current remain-
  ing health levels, soakable only by her natural soak, and
  she loses a number of motes of Essence equal to twice her
  permanent Essence.
  When the Shattered Void Mirror kills its target, the
  inverted image shatters into a thousand small pieces that
  fly away on the tired wind of the Underworld as the
  victim’s corpse falls to the ground, drained of all color. This
  spell instantly slays extras.
  SILENT MASTER’S POLLEN
  Cost: 18 motes
  Target: One or two ghosts
  With little fanfare other than a quiet invocation to
  the cycle of passing through Lethe, the necromancer
  causes to hover before her eyes a small point of gray-white
  light. This light represents a nigh-irresistible summons to
  rejoin the cycle of life, and it offers a sure and quick path
  to that end.
  Once she has summoned the passage to Lethe, the
  caster of this spell may choose: Touching it once with each
  hand, she can let the pearly glow surround her fingertips,
  where she can apply it directly to the ghost or ghosts she
  wishes to affect. This requires a successful unarmed attack
  that directly touches the ghost’s corpus. Alternatively, she
  may will the tiny point to launch itself at a single target,
  requiring a Wits + Thrown attack roll.
  A ghost successfully struck by such an attack is imme-
  diately drawn far down the path to Lethe. As when the
  ghost’s afterlife is in danger of dissolution, his player rolls
  the character’s Willpower against a difficulty of 3. If the
  roll fails, the ghost silently slips into Lethe. During this
  process, there is no danger of falling into Oblivion — a
  botch is just another failure.
  Whether or not the ghost actually passes on, there is
  an additional benefit to Silent Master’s Pollen. Any ghost
  struck by it is freed of necromantic shackles and bindings
  — any spells or Charms that bind him shatter and release
  
  EXALTED • BOOK OF BONE AND EBONY
  130
  their hold. This only affects spells of the Iron Circle and
  Charms of Essence 3 or less.
  There are greater versions of this spell that affect more
  powerful necromancies and Charms. They are called Black
  Vial and Empty Night Future and are of the Labyrinth and
  Void Circles, respectively. Black Vial costs 24 motes and
  frees ghosts of bindings of the Onyx Circle and of Essence 4
  Charms or weaker effects and manifests as a small crystal vial
  of a black liquid that appears to contain dim stars. The vial
  is thrown and bursts into a small cloud of stars that affects all
  ghosts within three yards of the point of contact. Empty
  Night Future costs 32 motes and rips apart all bonds of the
  Obsidian Circle and weaker or of an Essence less than the
  caster’s, manifesting as a ripple of nothingness that rolls
  from the caster in a circle, affecting up to 10 ghosts within
  10 yards. Both Black Vial and Empty Night Future have
  another difference — they drag ghosts into Oblivion. Play-
  ers of ghosts must succeed at a Willpower roll for their
  characters to avoid this fate, at a difficulty of 4 for Black Vial
  and 5 for Empty Night Future. Any ghosts who succumb to
  these fates disappear silently, and their agony is absorbed
  and strengthens the caster, giving her 1 mote per soul.
  SMOOTHING THE CREASE-WORN MIND
  Cost: 23 motes
  Target: One creature
  Laying a gentle palm on the nape of her subject’s neck,
  the necromancer quietly soothes from him all mindfulness of
  the slumbering voices of the long-dead gods. The voices quiet
  to beyond a whisper before becoming silenced altogether.
  This can have several effects: Ghosts afflicted with
  the Whisper of Oblivion (see Exalted: The Abyssals, p.
  284) need not fear the contagion spreading while this
  enchantment lasts. Spectres are relieved of their over-
  whelming subservience to the Void and return to the state
  they held before they became as they are. For many
  spectres, their attitude resembles that of a healthy ghost —
  often, this spell can supply valuable, if temporary, guides
  through the Labyrinth. Mortwights and other spirits who
  never knew a sane mind simply become quiescent. An
  Abyssal affected by this spell loses all ability to channel the
  Whispers of the Malfeans (see Exalted: The Abyssals, pp.
  135-136) that usually babble in the back of his mind.
  The spell’s power must be communicated through
  touch. If the subject of the spell is not bound or willing,
  the necromancer must successfully strike her target with
  an unarmed attack made at an increased difficulty of 1.
  The attack does no damage. Smoothing the Crease-
  Worn Mind remains active for one day per permanent
  Essence of the caster.
  STONES WORN SMOOTH
  Cost: 15 motes
  Target: One ghost
  The necromancer reaches out toward any ghost within
  15 yards and tightens his hand into a fierce claw. The ghost’s
  player must then roll her character’s Willpower against a
  difficulty of the caster’s Essence — if successful, the spell has
  failed. If the ghost is not strong enough, she hurtles through
  the air toward the necromancer, moved by an invisible
  force, until she is impaled upon his grasping hand. The
  necromancer then removes his hand from her chest, hold-
  ing her pale, still-beating heart. The ghost screams as the
  caster tightens his hand upon the ghost flesh, crushing it
  into a black diamond about the size of an egg — the ghost,
  at this time, boils into translucent nothingness.
  The black diamond acts as a Hearthstone of a level
  equal to the ghost’s permanent Essence, drawing on the
  ghost’s spirit and will and, through them, some of the
  ambient Essence of the Underworld. Although it offers no
  additional powers, it can replenish one’s Essence if set into
  an attuned artifact. The Hearthstone remains for a day
  before it shatters and dissolves. The Hearthstone is not
  effective in Creation, and it shatters instantly if exposed to
  the light of the Unconquered Sun. The ghost does not
  attempt to resist the draw of Lethe or Oblivion until the
  Hearthstone made from its heart breaks.
  TROLLING THE DARK WATER
  Cost: 10 motes
  Target: Area of effect
  While preparing this spell, the necromancer draws out
  threads of Essence that shine violet under the light of
  Creation. Tying several of these glistening threads into a
  tiny net of Essence, she throws the net into the air above her.
  The net expands and gently settles down to the ground,
  highlighting the presence of restless spirits of the dead.
  Although the strands of Essence pass through living
  creatures, all ghosts within 25 yards are caught in it and are
  forced to spend a mote to manifest. At this time, the
  necromancer, who has kept a hand on the net, may choose
  to spend an additional 5 motes to force all ghosts caught
  within the net to materialize. The ghosts must spend the
  Essence necessary to materialize. If a ghost does not have
  enough Essence to materialize, he loses as much Essence as
  he possesses. Ghosts already material and ghosts unable to
  materialize are unaffected by this spell.
  Trolling the Dark Water may be cast in the Under-
  world, but it has no effect, since ghosts are already material
  in the Underworld.
  WITHOUT PITY, WITHOUT SCORN
  Cost: 18 motes
  Target: Varies
  Holding his hand above his head and channeling the
  black Essence of the Void into a sphere of coruscating power,
  the necromancer violently casts it to the ground with the
  conclusion of the spell. The ball shatters, releasing a burst of
  energy that stirs the dust of the Underworld as it passes. The
  
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  CHAPTER FIVE • NECROMANCY
  energy flows outward in the blink of an eye, the crest of its
  wave crackling with purple lightning. As it passes a ghost, that
  ghost is briefly surrounded by the same crackling energy.
  Once the light fades and the dust settles, none are
  harmed. But the physical representations of the ghost’s
  Fetters — any they happen to be bearing — are rendered
  inert. They no longer provide Essence on a daily basis. A
  Fetter representation is unable to be drawn upon for Essence
  for a length of time dependent upon the Fetter’s strength:
  Fetter Rating
  Duration Inert
  •
  Two months
  ••
  One month
  •••
  Two weeks
  ••••
  Six days
  •••••
  Three days
  Alternatively, the necromancer may hurl the bright
  and flashing sphere at a specific ghost within 15 yards with
  a Dexterity + Thrown roll. That ghost alone is caught in
  bands of glaring necrotic energy before it dissipates within
  the turn. Using the spell in this form permanently severs
  the ghost from all Fetters whose representations he bore.
  For both versions of the spell, any Fetters whose physical
  representations were secreted elsewhere are safe.
  LABYRINTH CIRCLE
  Only the darkest Solar necromancers grew powerful
  and learned enough to touch upon the powers available in
  the Labyrinth Circle. Their curiosity, however, exceeded
  their care. As they studied spells in the safety of their
  workrooms or the twisting veins of the dead gods’ dreams,
  the Labyrinth, several of the dozen that practiced dark
  magics of this magnitude found themselves hearing strange
  whispers in the back of their heads. The voices grew
  stronger in the dark, during Calibration or whenever they
  were heeded. Two of those who now call themselves
  Deathlords began their journey toward submission to the
  Void by listening too closely.
  BANEFUL SUN
  Cost: 22 motes
  Target: One creature
  NECROMANCY AND ARCANOI
  Arcanoi are a set of powers that, in general, only
  a ghost can use. Necromancers can often also affect
  ghosts in manners similar to the effects of Arcanoi, but
  a necromantic spell will almost universally be more
  powerful than an Arcanos effect, so a spell that
  resembles an existing Arcanos will usually be more
  effective or combine multiple effects. See Black Candle
  Visage and Bonfire Visions in the text for examples.
  Most such spells are of the Shadowlands Circle.
  It is within the power of the Labyrinth Circle to place
  upon a creature’s soul a taint that resonates violently with
  the spiritual timbre of Creation. When in the sunlit realm,
  the victim of this spell feels a shivering weakness and
  vaguely ill. If he remains there for too long, he begins to
  decay as the disharmony in his soul tears him apart from
  the inside. After too long, he dies.
  Mechanically, the affected individual is at a one-die
  penalty when in Creation, for it is inimical to him. For
  every month that he remains there, he is struck with an
  unsoakable level of aggravated damage that will not heal
  by any means. Eventually, this will kill even the most
  resolute of heroes. Should the victim retreat to the
  Underworld, he at once feels at ease. His unhealable
  wounds fade at the rate of one every month, and they can
  be healed no faster.
  If this spell is cast upon a heroic character, the
  necromancer’s and the target’s players may both roll their
  characters’ Essence and compare successes. If the necro-
  mancer is victorious, the target is struck with the effects of
  the spell until tended by countermagic or until the necro-
  mancer chooses to lift the curse.
  Baneful Sun was used originally near the end of the
  First Age. The sorcerer-kings had begun wielding necro-
  mancy with abandon and cursed those who offended them
  to wander the Underworld or die slowly. Today, the
  Deathlords use it to bind ghosts away from their worldly
  Passions, punishing them. Some use the reverse spell,
  Baneful Shadow, to curse ghosts to forever wander Cre-
  ation where they can regain no Essence or to banish heroes
  from the Underworld so they can do no harm.
  A being cursed by either spell can travel the
  shadowlands without penalty.
  THE DANGER OF THE DEEP
  Despite the vast number of necromantic spells
  that are intended solely to have utilitarian effects,
  binding or affecting the dead without harming
  them or raping their will, as necromancers explore
  the mysteries of the deeper circles they find that, in
  order to achieve their desired ends, souls are going
  to be abused or destroyed. Casting a Labyrinth
  Circle spell is manipulating the spiteful nightmares
  of the dead gods, and it is difficult to tease power
  from their dreamstuff without some of their hatred
  coming with it. Evoking the power of the Void
  Circle draws directly from Oblivion itself, bypass-
  ing the whispers of the Malfeans and reaching
  directly for the Essence of the Void. It is nearly
  impossible to cast a spell of that magnitude that
  does not, in some way, inflict suffering and pain on
  the spirits of the Underworld.
  
  EXALTED • BOOK OF BONE AND EBONY
  132
  CLAMORING SHACKLES
  Cost: 21 motes
  Target: Two creatures
  Holding his hands cupped as through around an
  invisible sphere, tiny motes of darkness flow from the
  necromancer’s palms to slowly form a thin black shaft
  between his shaping hands. As the spell concludes, the
  shaft sprouts fletching and a dangerous point that glints in
  the available light. The caster then chooses a target, and
  the arrow fires itself with the speed of his dark thought.
  The necromancer’s player rolls Wits + Archery for his
  attack roll. The arrow inflicts a base damage of (Occult x
  3) lethal and ignores the effects of Arcanoi or ghostly
  artifacts that increase the target’s soak. If the target is
  reduced below Incapacitated by the arrow, she is assaulted
  by a swarm of dark spots, until she appears only as a
  miniature storm of flickering light and dark. Then, black
  chains of soulsteel burst from the tempest, locking around
  the wrists, ankles and neck of another ghost of the
  necromancer’s choice. Treat these shackles as Artifact ••
  grave-prison chains (see Exalted: The Abyssals, p. 257).
  The necromancer can spend 6 experience points at
  the moment of casting to make the resulting grave-prison
  chains permanent and to strengthen the spell to shatter
  only when struck by Obsidian Countermagic. Otherwise,
  the chains created by Clamoring Shackles remain for one
  day per point of the caster’s permanent Essence. The
  shackles made by this spell are shaped by the will of the
  caster, and necromancers who use this spell repeatedly
  may have their handiwork recognized.
  There is a Void Circle version of this spell called
  Blackstorm Wagon. For a cost of 48 motes, the necromancer
  summons a rain of these arrows. He makes a single Percep-
  tion + Archery attack roll that is applied to all available
  targets within a 100-yard radius of a point within 500 yards,
  chosen by the caster. Arrows that strike only earth, stone or
  metal quickly dissolve into an acrid black smoke. Any ghost
  that is slain by an arrow suffers the same fate as one slain by
  Clamoring Shackles, and the chains reach out to imprison
  the nearest ghost not slain by the attack. Two shackles will
  not latch onto the same nearby ghost.
  The grave-prison chains created by Blackstorm Wagon
  cannot be made permanent, but they last until they are
  removed or until a month has passed, whichever occurs
  first, before dissolving into the same acrid smoke as arrows
  on the battlefield.
  The arrows created by either spell inflict only half
  damage, before soak, on living targets.
  CRYSTAL GHOST SHARD
  Cost: 15 motes (committed)
  Target: Caster
  Taking a step into the air as the spell is completed, the
  necromancer’s body becomes encased in a blackly opaque
  
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  CHAPTER FIVE • NECROMANCY
  crystal as the air freezes around him. The darkness crystal-
  lizes around him, and as it crawls over his face and eyes, he
  sends his higher soul from his body. There is a moment of
  blackness before the caster regains consciousness. He is
  standing before himself as a ghost. He appears as a simple
  spirit, utterly unremarkable.
  The necromancer’s loosed spirit has Appearance ••
  and cannot be recognized as himself by visual inspection
  alone. All other Attributes and Abilities remain the same.
  While wandering as a ghost, the caster cannot access any of
  his natural Charms. Martial Arts Charms beyond the Form
  Charm are similarly unusable. The necromancer recovers
  Essence as a ghost does and may learn Arcanoi as a ghost if
  he has experience available. These Arcanoi cost normal
  experience to purchase and Essence to use, but they may not
  be used except while the necromancer has encased himself
  in the Crystal Ghost Shard. Those of the Moonshadow or
  Eclipse Castes may use any Arcanoi they have learned
  outside of the use of this spell at this reduced cost.
  The necromancer may remain outside his body as a
  ghost indefinitely. As long as he does, the Essence used to
  power this spell remains committed, and his body contin-
  ues to float, the cocoon lightly shedding a dark smoke and
  protecting his body from averse spiritual and physical
  intrusions. No spell of the Terrestrial or Shadowlands
  Circles can penetrate the crystalline shell, and when
  attacked physically, it has a 30L/20B soak — any attack
  that deals raw damage under half of these values does no
  damage. If over 20 levels of damage are dealt to the ghost
  shard, it cracks. A full 40 levels will shatter the crystal to
  pieces, pulling the necromancer’s spirit back into his body
  violently and dealing two levels of unsoakable aggravated
  damage to the caster.
  If the necromancer’s spirit is slain while projected
  from his body, his consciousness snaps back into his body
  in a blur, the raw Essence of the world around him tearing
  bits and pieces of his awareness off until he is only raggedly
  seeing, and he is bleeding through his thoughts. His
  cocoon shatters as he awakes, bereft of one dot of perma-
  nent Willpower.
  DEAD MAN’S VOICE
  Cost: 18 motes
  Target: One creature
  Requires an arcane link
  There are more effective, and more disturbing, ways
  to communicate in the Underworld than merely speaking,
  though some weak-hearted mortals grow faint enough at
  the thought of being addressed by a ghost. When this spell
  is cast into the joyless night, the necromancer sends his
  consciousness aloft and buoys it with the dark Essence of
  the least wakeful Malfeans. In short order, guided by the
  arcane link the caster holds, his mind hovers over his
  target. The necromancer can view all that goes on around
  her, and he may choose a single mortal or ghost nearby to
  seize and use as his mouthpiece or may simply dive into his
  target and steal her will.
  The above is a form of scrying and can be blocked by
  normal wards. If the subject or the area around the subject
  is warded, the necromancer may only attempt to control
  the creature whose arcane link he holds.
  Once the necromancer has a secure hold on his
  chosen victim’s mind, he may begin to communicate. He
  can see and hear with the victim’s faculties and speak with
  her mouth, but he may not manipulate her motor skills or
  make her move in any way. This spell is used for effective
  real-time communication between powerful necroman-
  cers and their henchmen or their enemies.
  This harsh use does not treat the vessel well. The
  victim’s eyes burn with black power and soon begin to
  bleed. As the palaver continues, her skin turns pale, even
  as she begins to involuntarily shudder with chills and sweat
  blood. After half an hour, the victim’s hair has become
  thin, her teeth and fingernails have yellowed, and her
  muscles have withered beneath her skin. The force of the
  necromancer’s will is eating her alive and decaying her
  from within. Most mortal creatures die shortly after the
  half-hour mark, but at this point the will of the necroman-
  cer keeps their bones locked and mouths moving until the
  spell wears thin and snaps as the hour turns. Ghosts fare no
  better, but as they grow nearer to dissolution, their forms
  lose cohesion, melting and flowing like hot butter before
  their plasm boils away when they die.
  Necromancers utilizing this spell must decide: If they
  cast it through an arcane link with the person to whom
  they wish to speak, wards may waste their efforts. On the
  other hand, bearing a link to a patsy means that it will be
  more difficult to use — one must be sure the victim is in the
  right place at the right time — but it allays any worries
  about wardings.
  Only living creatures of Essence • or ghosts of Essence
  no greater than •• may be forced to speak with the Dead
  Man’s Voice. Neither have any ability to resist the intrusion
  of the necromancer’s consciousness. While bound by the
  spell, the victim suffers a single unsoakable level of lethal
  damage for every five minutes of discussion. Treat extras as
  though they have seven health levels for this purpose.
  DENYING THE CALL
  Cost: 24 motes
  Target: One creature, recently dead
  Closing her fists, the necromancer grasps tightly the
  strings of the Underworld’s fate. Pulling them as a master
  puppeteer, she can draw out of the sunless lands a soul that
  has recently died. Tying it tightly with cords of necrotic
  energy into its old body, death is temporarily averted.
  The dead creature arises immediate and resumes its
  life — it remembers its death only briefly. As invisible
  
  EXALTED • BOOK OF BONE AND EBONY
  134
  bands of necromancy are all that bind it to life, the creature
  gains a single health level above Incapacitated (usually at
  the -4 penalty), which can only be harmed by aggravated
  damage. Charms and weapons that inflict aggravated
  damage against creatures of darkness will inflict aggra-
  vated damage against a creature revived by this spell,
  despite any previous immunities or protections. Note that
  a subject of this spell is not an animated corpse; the spell
  truly returns it, albeit briefly, to its original life. The
  creature remains “alive” for a number of turns equal to the
  Essence of the caster.
  This spell is very harsh on the spirit, which wants
  nothing so much as to leave its dead body. The target’s
  mind is very much aware that it was briefly dead, and
  reactions vary. Creatures of animal intelligence generally
  return to whatever they were doing before death, as do
  loyal minions and those canny enough to recognize an
  opportunity for revenge.
  An individual cannot be affected by this spell more
  than once, nor will it work if the target has been dead for
  longer than one minute. There is an extent to how far a
  soul may go and still be called back. The rough treatment
  that the spirit is forced to endure under the spell’s yoke
  causes it to appear in the Underworld, when finally al-
  lowed to die, at half the normal health levels.
  There exists a Void Circle variation of this spell,
  called Barred Tomb, which places a recently departed soul
  back in its body for up to an hour with a number of health
  levels equal to the caster’s Essence, binding it to obey the
  necromancer’s will for the duration. Like Denying the
  Call, these health levels can only be lost to aggravated
  damage, and this spell cannot be cast upon a target who has
  already been affected by Denying the Call or Barred Tomb.
  Once a spirit is released by Barred Tomb, it appears in the
  Underworld with only a single health level.
  The spells Denying the Call and Barred Tomb repre-
  sent the utmost limit that can be reached in the eternal
  attempt to deny death. Even the Obsidian Circle cannot
  return the dead to life.
  GOLDEN SHADOWS CAST IN FRIEZE
  Cost: 30+
  Target: One spectre
  This spell was practiced only by those Twilight sorcer-
  ers before the fall of the First Age who were dark enough
  to teach themselves the Labyrinth Circle and influential
  enough to allay the suspicions of their peers. While often
  worked in the laboratory upon a captive spectre, it can as
  easily be cast in less ideal conditions against such a spirit
  in the wilds of the Labyrinth or the Underworld.
  The necromancer forms from the stuff of shadows a
  palm-sized ball of golden mist and, with the completion of
  the spell, crushes it between her hands, casting a golden
  light out upon her target.
  
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  CHAPTER FIVE • NECROMANCY
  The player of the target of this spell is allowed a
  Willpower + Essence roll against a difficulty of 7 while
  scenes from the spectre’s life before becoming tainted play
  out in shadow. The caster may purchase additional suc-
  cesses for him at a rate of 3 motes per, up to a maximum of
  her Essence. If the roll is a successful, the spectre has been
  separated from the whispers of the Malfeans and is freed of
  his obsessive obligations toward the Labyrinth, other spec-
  tres and Oblivion. He could, if he desired, return to his
  previous afterlife in the Underworld.
  A spectre so severed from the Void retains all the
  memories and skills from his time as a servant of the
  Malfeans, and he will always after have a frightening insight
  into the minds of the dead gods. He retains the alterations
  made to his ghost flesh, and most rescued servants of the
  Void find operating in the societies of the Underworld
  difficult, at best, before severe reconstructive moliation.
  When cast upon a ghost suffering from the taint of
  Oblivion’s Whisper (see Exalted: The Abyssals, p. 284),
  this spell completely expunges from him that black shadow
  upon his soul. All his tainted Passions are cleansed.
  The Twilights of the First Age utilized this spell to
  learn the secrets of the Labyrinth and of the Malfeans,
  using what secrets they could glean to develop further
  spells of necromancy. The most kind-hearted would occa-
  sionally enter the Labyrinth on missions of kindness,
  freeing as many spectres as possible before returning to
  Creation. In the Age of Sorrows, Deathlords have sent
  ghostly agents into the Labyrinth to become spectres with
  the knowledge that they can be recovered using Golden
  Shadows Cast in Frieze. This sort of reconnaissance against
  the masters of the Void is rare, even for the most paranoid
  and scheming, for most believe that the Malfeans can
  sense the loss of a spectre in this way.
  GRAY EYES SHIELD AND SHELL
  Cost: 25 motes
  Target: Varies
  The necromancer crouches, and when she arises, she
  is rubbing her hands with the gray dust that is everywhere
  in the Underworld. Mixing it with a dash of spit and
  blood from her lip, she dabs her eyes with the concoction.
  When she next opens them, her eyes are both a dull gray
  in color, entirely unremarkable. More so, her entire
  image is struck by a pallor, anything vivid about her
  becoming less exciting, more drab.
  Her shield of gray eyes bars a ghost from affecting her
  with any manner of Arcanoi. Skinriders cannot grasp a
  hold of her, the phantasms of the dead appear transparent
  and listless to her bored gaze, and ghosts cannot steal her
  Essence. A ghost’s self-moliation is the only thing that can
  affect her, and even then, she is immune to any mental
  effects. It is only the great claws and teeth that can pull at
  her flesh. Ghosts who peer at the necromancer with the
  Arcanos Aura-Reading Technique (see Exalted: The
  Abyssals, p. 245) see only a dull gray aura, meaningless
  and unreadable.
  Alternatively, as the spell is completed, the caster
  may choose to instead expend its power in an instant. She
  casts her gaze upon a single pitiable ghost, and her gray eyes
  flash, glowing with the pearly gray light of the spell. Her
  player rolls Wits + Occult with an additional three suc-
  cesses — if the necromancer’s victim fails to dodge, he is
  struck unable to use his Arcanoi. Any effects currently
  operating cease, and he is unable to begin new ones.
  Either effect lasts until the Calendar of Setesh next
  marks midnight.
  INFINITE FOOTSTEPS
  Cost: 26 motes
  Target: One journey
  Standing within the edge of the dead gods’ dreams,
  the necromancer throws out her arm and splays her fingers
  wide. The Labyrinth around her bends and stretches, a
  small portion of the Malfeans’ slow nightmares bending to
  her will. From her outstretched arm flies an infinite hall-
  way of the Labyrinth’s black stone, shored up by the
  shining white ribcages of long-dead giants.
  The passageway is broad enough for seven of the
  animate dead to stagger abreast, and the echoes of footfalls
  disappear into the distance. This passage, carved by necro-
  mantic influence, directly connects any two points of the
  Labyrinth that the caster has previously visited or scried.
  No matter where they may be relative to the Underworld
  above, travel between the two points takes one full day of
  travel. Speedier methods of transport will not alter this
  time. The tunnel will remain for a number of days equal to
  the necromancer’s Essence, after which it is as likely to
  disappear as any other portion of the Labyrinth. It may
  remain for a second or a century before it dissolves to make
  room for a new dream.
  This spell causes a sizable rearrangement of the
  Labyrinth’s physical and temporal representations. Al-
  though the effect avoids running through existing inhabited
  locations, it often comes shockingly close. The nephwracks
  and mortwights who call such places home may, at the
  Storyteller’s discretion, take offense at such actions and
  attempt to make passage difficult.
  JOYLESS SPIRIT’S CORRUPTION
  Cost: 30 motes
  Target: One god
  This spell is a ritual that completes a corrupt spirit’s
  transition from being a god of the world of the living to a god
  of the land of the dead. Only the most foul and base spirits
  of decay or death ever choose to follow this route, but there
  are some exceptions who have made that choice: Fou Tung,
  Transcendence of Brigands’ Passing, is the most notable
  
  EXALTED • BOOK OF BONE AND EBONY
  136
  spirit to make this journey. Only a willing spirit can partake
  of this ritual, and each that does is fully aware that it means
  turning away from the Celestial Bureaucracy and the light
  of Creation and the Unconquered Sun for all time.
  The ritual lasts six hours and must be timed to end
  when the sun of Creation and the sun set in motion by the
  Calendar are at equal declinations from the zenith. Among
  other foul actions, a mortal ridden by a possessing ghost
  must be sacrificed and the blood sipped by both necro-
  mancer and spirit.
  Once the ritual is completed, the spirit has forsaken
  Creation and becomes a part of the Underworld’s bare
  ecology. It regains Essence at normal rate in the Under-
  world and at half-normal rate in shadowlands (see Exalted:
  The Abyssals, p. 25, for more details). In addition, the
  spirit and necromancer maintain a link. Once per year, as
  marked by the Underworld’s Calendar, the necromancer
  may approach and request a task of the spirit. This task may
  require up to a month of the spirit’s time and have nearly
  any object. Only if the request would demand more than
  a month of time or require the spirit to take an action
  inimical to its being may the spirit refuse.
  LINKS BORN OF TUMULT
  Cost: 22 motes, 1 lethal health level
  Target: Caster
  Although usually cast in privacy, an observer to the
  hour-long ritual that Links Born of Tumult requires would
  see the caster appear to grow smaller and weaker, while his
  shadow swells and grows almost tangible.
  The caster must use a silver wire forged from pyre
  flame and quenched in blood to draw out his lower soul, or
  po. Lowering the wire down his throat, hooking the po and
  pulling it up through his throat, the necromancer coughs
  up spirit and blood. It is a uniquely excruciating experi-
  ence. Once done, the necromancer has placed his lower
  soul into his shadow. The shadow then has the statistics
  that the caster’s hungry ghost would (see Exalted: The
  Abyssals, pp. 61-62, for the process for creating excep-
  tional hungry ghosts).
  The shadow will obey simple commands given by its
  master. The necromancer can also choose, at any time, to
  send his consciousness into the shadow to control it
  himself. When doing so he can use his Charms, Combos
  and spells through the shadow without complication, but
  his body lies powerless and vulnerable until he chooses to
  return to it.
  Links Born of Tumult has no set duration. The spell
  ends when the caster voluntarily devours his shadow and
  lower soul, returning each to its rightful place. If the
  shadow is destroyed, the necromancer’s lower soul returns
  to him in a blurred tatter and rips through his conscious-
  ness in a fury. The necromancer loses a permanent
  Willpower as a result. If he is actively controlling the
  shadow when it is destroyed, the necromancer is stunned
  for an hour while he recovers from the shock.
  RATTLED BONES OF WAR
  Cost: 22 motes (committed)
  Target: Caster
  The center of the necromancer’s chest begins to glow
  with a glistening white light. Bones, one by one, burst forth
  from the ground around her, encased in the same lumines-
  cence. The bones, all shapes and sizes, fly through the air
  toward her and begin to surround her in a whirlwind of
  increasing size. The necromancer is soon deep within a
  storm of ivory bones and light, which lifts her from the
  ground. The hundreds of bone fragments lock together
  around her, forming greave and cuisse, vambrace and
  gauntlet, helm and visor and a cuirass that bears, in its
  center, the necromancer’s personal sigil. The last of the
  bones come together to form an enormous dire lance.
  When the necromancer casts this spell, she may
  choose whether to form a scout or a common warstrider.
  Whichever her choice, once encased in the massive con-
  struct of bone and iron, she is attuned to it as she would be
  to a normal warstrider — it responds to her actions, and
  attacks that pierce its thick armor will wound her spirit,
  manifesting as woundless injury. The warstrider remains
  for one hour or until the necromancer lets her commit-
  ment lapse, at which point, the assembled bones fall to
  pieces around her, leaving her on the ground, as she was
  before the spell was cast — although perhaps worse for the
  wear. This deadline can be extended at any time the
  warstrider is active if the necromancer spends 11 motes per
  additional hour. Wounds and, more importantly, fatigue
  gained while in the warstrider do not magically disappear
  with the machine’s integrity.
  An alternate Labyrinth-circle version of this spell,
  Walking Gore Titan, costs only 16 motes (committed).
  But before it can be cast, a number of sentient beings
  possessing a cumulative permanent Essence of at least 10
  must be ritually sacrificed with an obsidian knife. Once the
  spell is cast from the center of the massacre, a crimson
  warstrider rises from the pooled blood of the slain and
  congeals around the caster. The Walking Gore Titan
  wields a dripping fighting chain of bile-black, steel-hard
  entrails. Apart from its garish design and slick, disturbingly
  organic semblance, the war machine conjured by this spell
  exactly duplicates one raised by Rattled Bones of War.
  Name
  Speed
  Accuracy
  Damage
  Defense
  Warstrider Fighting Chain
  +3
  -1
  +4
  +2
  
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  CHAPTER FIVE • NECROMANCY
  Void Cocoon Warrior is a Void Circle version of this
  spell. When cast, a burgeoning black nothing grows out of
  the necromancer’s chest and slowly wraps itself around her
  legs, her arms, her chest and, finally, her head. Growing
  still, she pilots a towering 20-foot-tall machine made of
  black steel and the Void: a mighty noble warstrider or a
  massive juggernaut. Should the necromancer desire, she
  can sacrifice a lethal health level to the Void as the
  machine forms around her — the black warstrider takes on
  a ruddy red color and swells, until it is quite possibly the
  tallest thing on the battlefield, becoming a royal warstrider.
  The health level cannot be healed until the spell ends.
  Void Cocoon Warrior is more flexible than Rattled
  Bones of War: It costs a minimum of 28 motes (commit-
  ted), and the warstrider appears with a grand daiklave that
  hums softly as it sucks the air near it into Oblivion. It has
  the option of being summoned adorned with ancient
  artifacts of war. Any weapon that can be mounted on a
  warstrider can be summoned with a Void Cocoon for an
  additional cost (and commitment) equal to the amount of
  Essence that would normally be required to attune the
  weapon. Expendable ammunition for such weapons can be
  created out of dull-gray Oblivion for a single mote apiece.
  The Void Cocoon Warrior remains for only two hours, but
  the duration can be extended for an additional hour for a
  number of motes equal to half the originally cost. (See the
  appendix of Savant and Sorcerer for more details on
  warstriders and their weapons.)
  REBIRTH INTO DARKNESS
  Cost: 25 motes
  Target: One ghost
  As this spell is cast, the ghost who finds himself its
  victim feels an invisible collar fasten around his neck. The
  sensation fades after a moment, and the ghost can con-
  tinue with his regular habits. The next time the ghost is
  slain or suffers some other loss of form, the spirit feels the
  collar again, tightening around his neck to the point of
  suffocation. The strangling sensation persists until the
  ghost reforms. There is no opportunity for him to enter
  Lethe nor any danger of Oblivion, and when the spirit
  returns to consciousness, he finds himself in the presence
  of the necromancer who laid this spell upon him. Despite
  his best efforts, the ghost cannot manage to pass on. He will
  always return to his second existence only to find himself
  before she who cast the spell. Ghosts who suffer dissipation
  while possessing a permanent Essence of • do not lose that
  Essence if under this spell. Instead, the necromancer must
  immediately pay 10 motes to keep the ghost from dissipat-
  ing forever. If a necromancer does not or cannot forfeit the
  cost necessary to maintain the ghost’s existence, the ghost’s
  collar drags him into Oblivion.
  Deathlords and Abyssals commonly use this spell to
  repeatedly torture ghosts to “death” while ensuring that it is
  not an escape. It has proved to be a less costly method than
  seeking out and guarding the victim’s Fetters. The collar
  remains for two days as marked by the Calendar of Setesh.
  SEVEN VISIONS WISDOM
  Cost: 34 motes
  Target: One ghost
  The necromancer holds his hand flat in perspective so
  it appears to him that his target is resting in his palm. He
  closes his hand and focuses thin flows of hot Essence upon
  the ghost now captured within. Short minutes later, he
  opens his palm to reveal a small medallion of soulsteel. The
  ghost’s name is etched into the front.
  Seven Visions Wisdom can capture any ghost within
  100 yards and bind her into a medallion. This medallion
  qualifies as Artifact •• and requires a commitment of 2
  motes to be used. Any person wearing it with such a
  commitment can choose to substitute any one of the
  captured spirit’s Ability ratings instead of his own while
  performing a relevant task. Someone who “borrows” a
  rating in an Ability he does not himself possess (i.e., his
  rating is 0) still suffers the two-die penalty — his muscles
  and his mind are simply unable to perform with the
  familiarity the ghost’s would have. Any Ability the ghost
  possessed may be used.
  This spell can only be cast upon a ghost with an
  Essence less than that of the necromancer. The medallion
  loses its integrity when struck by countermagic or after a
  number of months equal to the necromancer’s Essence. It
  blossoms over the next few seconds into the form of the
  ghost it once was, who is again in command of her own
  facilities. She remembers all actions that her Abilities
  were used to assist during her imprisonment, but little else.
  The necromancer may, at the casting of the spell, spend
  six points of experience, making the enchantment perma-
  nent and rendering the spell immune to all but Obsidian
  Countermagic. Only one such medallion can offer its bearer
  wisdom at one time. If any more are worn simultaneously,
  the different intuitions and skills contradict with one an-
  other. These silent arguments cause all actions attempted by
  the one who wears them to suffer a two-die penalty, whether
  or not he intends to use the skill of either.
  SHADOW STONES TRAVEL
  Cost: 24 motes
  Target: Area of effect
  As she completes the spell, the necromancer cuts her
  palm and lets a splash of blood paint the ground at her feet.
  Immediately, a stiff breeze blows outward from the stain of
  red. A few seconds later, a gust of wind that carries with it
  the scent of grave rot billows forth from the center. Scant
  seconds disappear before the breath of decay dies down,
  and as it does, the world ripples out from the center of the
  spell. Where the ripple passes, grasses become dead and
  
  EXALTED • BOOK OF BONE AND EBONY
  138
  black, stones grow chalky, bright colors pale to near gray,
  and the sky becomes drained of all color.
  The necromancer has opened a temporary shadowland
  around herself, encompassing a small portion of Creation
  with it. Its borders waver uncertainly as far out as the
  necromancer’s power can hold it. After a short time, the
  borders snap shut about their center as Creation reasserts
  itself — but all sentient beings within the boundaries of
  the spell find themselves in the Underworld, their posi-
  tions analogous to where they stood in Creation.
  The spell takes a short time to affect the stability of
  Creation. The turn in which the spell is concluded lets
  through a breath of the wind that travels between worlds
  and Elsewhere. The next turn casts out the odor of the
  Underworld, and in the next, the wind dies away, and the
  world changes. In the third turn after the spell is cast, the
  shadowland spreads outward up to 50 yards, and the caster
  can keep the portal open for a number of turns equal to her
  Essence or let it snap closed after the first. The shadowland
  always becomes fully open on the same initiative as when
  the spell was cast and closes on the same. When it closes,
  everyone within the shadowland will be in the Under-
  world — so the necromancer must take care of whom she
  allows within its borders.
  This spell, when cast in the Underworld, has similar
  but inverse effects. The wind between worlds smells sweet,
  and when the shadowland disappears, all within its borders
  find themselves in Creation.
  SHIELD OF SHATTERING BONES
  Cost: 18 motes
  Target: Caster
  A common tactic for a necromancer to take when in
  battle is to divert the damage inflicted upon him into the
  enduring bodies and frames of the animate dead who fight
  for him. This spell enables such behavior.
  Upon completion of the spell, the caster is momen-
  tarily surrounded by a blood-red halo that then bursts out
  onto the field of battle around him. Each skeleton or
  zombie touched by the expanding ring glows with a brief
  red cast of its own before the light fades. Thereafter, until
  the sun next rises in Creation, the necromancer can
  reflexively spend 3 motes to shunt the damage from a
  successful attack onto one of his targeted undead. The
  motes are spent before any damage is rolled but after soak.
  No more than (the necromancer’s Essence x 5) dead
  are so marked, and all must be within (the necromancer’s
  Essence x 5) yards at the time of the casting. Only these
  may be called upon to take a blow for the necromancer,
  and the target must be within line of sight.
  The effects of this spell are plainly visible. A blow to
  the necromancer’s chest with a goremaul results in the
  collapse of a nearby skeleton’s ribcage, and the cut of a
  scimitar closes up as the blade passes, opening instead in a
  grinning zombie. All health levels of damage done to the
  necromancer are instead afflicted upon the unfortunate
  walking dead. Once the last marked zombie falls, the spell
  must be recast for it to have any further effect.
  SILENCED WHISPERED PRAYERS
  Cost: 27 motes
  Target: Varies
  As the necromancer casts this spell, the whispered
  prayers of all who give her target worship and obeisance
  becomes audible, rising to a deafening pitch at the apex of
  the spell before the caster’s eyes flash with white light and
  the prayers are cut off, replaced only with silence.
  Victims of this spell find themselves severed from
  their followers, unable to dip into the flow of Essence
  provided by worship. Any Cult rating a ghost possesses,
  Underworld or Ancestor, drops to zero for the duration of
  this spell. Those who offer worship feel no difference and
  continue to give their prayers as always.
  This spell may also be cast into an area. As the spell
  is released, all ghosts within 45 yards of the necromancer
  find the prayers upon which they draw grow audible before
  sharply dropping in volume. Each ghost affected loses one
  dot in any Cult he possesses.
  Living creatures affected by the focused version of the
  spell lose half of their Cult rating, round down. The area-
  effect version does not affect living creatures at all.
  This spell lasts until the sun has risen in the Under-
  world seven times.
  SWEET VOICE FAMILIAR
  Cost: 32 motes
  Target: Area of Effect
  Crafted by the first Abyssal necromancer of the Laby-
  rinth Circle, he created this spell to share with the world
  the words of Oblivion as they echoed in the back of his
  head. When a necromancer casts this spell, all his con-
  scious motor control ceases. His body slumps downward,
  his legs bend, and he balances impossibly on the balls of his
  feet. His head lolls back and his jaw drops open, and from
  his unmoving mouth issue all the unending and mad words
  of the Malfeans, hideously magnified by the spell’s power.
  All ghosts within the caster’s Essence in miles hear
  these maddening whispers, and the players of all who do
  must make a Willpower roll against a difficulty of (the
  caster’s Whispers rating + 5). Any whose players fail have
  been poisoned by the sweet spell of Oblivion with all its
  black-honey promises — their minds will soon belong to
  the Abyss. See the sidebar on page 284 of Exalted: The
  Abyssals for more details. Players of mortals who hear this
  seducing insanity must roll their characters’ Willpower
  against a difficulty of the caster’s Whispers rating. For
  every success by which they fail, their characters lose a
  point of temporary Willpower. Mortals severely or repeat-
  
  139
  CHAPTER FIVE • NECROMANCY
  edly affected by this spell are more likely to become
  mortwights upon death.
  If cast within the Labyrinth, the Sweet Voice Familiar
  echoes through the twisted passages and is repeated by the
  black stone there, effectively doubling the radius of the
  spell. If cast in Creation, the lively Essence of the world
  there inhibits the unsound and psychotic whispers of the
  dead gods, and the area of effect is reduced to 250 yards.
  VOID CIRCLE
  The Circle of Obsidian was discovered only after the
  fall of the First Age — before the rise of the Deathlords,
  there were none to wield it. The necromancy of the Third
  Circle represents the utmost control over the dead and the
  world created by the fall of the Malfeans. When spells of
  the Void Circle are invoked, the tombs of the fallen
  Primordials shake with fury, so greatly is it able to pervade
  their grave slumbers.
  BIRTH OF SANITY’S SORROW
  Cost: 10 motes, 1 permanent Willpower
  Target: Caster
  For the chthonic entities who slumber beneath the
  fruitless soil of the Underworld, their two most singularly
  defining characteristics are the silent and permanent
  horror of death and the sizzling fury of revenge. Without
  life, they hate all life. This spell embodies both concepts.
  It can only be cast once in the lifetime of the caster and
  only in the instant before death and with a purity of
  malice. The ability to cast this spell is the sign of a
  personal blessing from an individual Malfean, for only
  communion with one of the gods of Oblivion can endow
  a necromancer with this power.
  Birth of Sanity’s Sorrow takes a month to learn. The
  necromancer must sit in prayer, inside the tomb of the
  Malfean who has chosen to teach her, while the lord of
  nothingness guides her through the process. The result is
  a creature crafted from the most brilliant creativity of a
  powerful death-blessed necromancer and an insanely ma-
  lefic dead god.
  The basic statistics for this creature are as follows:
  Calculate the Attributes for the hungry ghost that would
  rise from the necromancer’s corpse (see Exalted: The
  Abyssals, pp. 61-62) and add the necromancer’s Essence
  to her Strength and Stamina. The form has (the
  necromancer’s Essence x 5) -0 health levels and a single
  Incapacitated level. While in this form, the necromancer
  can use any of her Charms for a cost of 1 mote and can
  spend a single mote in place of Willpower.
  A necromancer’s form should also include three
  unique powers. These should cost between 5 and 10
  motes to invoke and be vastly impressive — they can
  either imitate existing spells or be devised between a
  player and Storyteller.
  Birth of Sanity’s Sorrow can only be cast, if known, at
  the instant in which the necromancer is reduced beyond
  Incapacitated. The spell can be cast whether or not she has
  already used a Charm in that turn and does not require the
  normal three turns of preparation. If the necromancer
  wearing her Birth of Sanity’s Sorrow form is destroyed, she
  dies remarkably and irrevocably, her soul immediately
  devoured by the Void, without exception. If the necro-
  mancer survives the ordeal, the form and spell are
  THE SHADOWS OF THE AGE
  The rapid growth of the number of shadowlands
  in the Second Age can be attributed to several
  sources: The general ignorance of the populace in
  methods of prevention, the loss of the powerful
  Solar sorceries that were designed to eliminate
  such flaws in the Tapestry and the active participa-
  tion of the Deathlords have all encouraged the
  number of shadows that lie upon the Age.
  Forsaken Life Engine is a powerful, if costly,
  method for bringing the Underworld into Cre-
  ation. In the interest of balance, its counterpart of
  the Solar Circle is presented here for those who
  wish to play the other side.
  CLEANSING SOLAR FLAMES
  Cost: 50+ motes
  Target: One shadowland
  In the First Age, this spell was needed only
  after massive massacres attributed to the Fair Folk
  or rampaging behemoths, and the sorcerer was
  invariably protected by the rest of her Circle from
  the mad voices and obsidian claws of the nephwracks
  and mortwights. To those who can see Essence, the
  massing power of the spell is an amazing spectacle,
  observable from tens of miles away as the bright
  golden Essence piles ever higher toward the sky. As
  the spell concludes, the tower of near-solid sun-
  light bursts into reality and fills the world with a
  glow for several leagues around — the tower then
  falls, like a dam has burst in Heaven and let the sun
  shine over the region again. The darkness is wiped
  away, and Creation is again separated from the
  Underworld in that area.
  Cleansing Solar Flames must be cast from the
  geomantic center of a shadowland, and the sor-
  cerer must spend 10 minutes in supplication to the
  Unconquered Sun for every 50 miles of radius that
  the shadowland covers. The spell costs 50 motes,
  plus 10 for every additional 50 miles of radius
  beyond the first.
  
  EXALTED • BOOK OF BONE AND EBONY
  140
  immediately scoured from her memory, and she is left with
  only her Incapacitated health level, gasping for life. The
  spell, once cast, is active only for one scene.
  BLACK FAITH
  Cost: 30 motes, 1 lethal health level
  Target: Caster
  Screaming obscenities that glorify the Malfeans, the
  sole fathers of Oblivion, the necromancer cuts himself
  across his belly and lets his blood spill before leaping into
  the Mouth of the Void. This act is preceded by half an hour
  of silent worship and prayer, which follows immediately
  the sacrifice of one ghost’s pain and corpus to the Abyss.
  This spell represents the final effort of a desperate
  necromancer. His actions prior to his leap are meant to endear
  himself as much as possible to the sleeping gods of nothing-
  ness and to cause them to dream of him as he dives. His fall
  is nothing to be taken lightly — as the necromancer plum-
  mets toward the certainty of the Void, he slowly dies. His
  accoutrements are burned off by the sheer lack of flame, and
  his skin and bone peel away into shreds smaller than dust, as
  even dust dies. The last thing that remains is the corpus of his
  falling spirit; it boils slowly away as it blurs past the entrances
  to the Malfeans’ tombs, Oblivion excruciatingly digging into
  the necromancer’s soul until he is no more.
  There is a single moment between the final loss of the
  spiritual vessel and the final dissolution. This is the time of
  judgment. If his actions have pleased the Malfeans and if
  his mission benefits them and if they are not angered to
  have their slumber disturbed so greatly, they revoke his
  dissolution. The act of being destroyed, too, is a thing
  which, if cast into the Void, can never have been. The
  necromancer who dared call so loudly into the nightmares
  appears, having never been destroyed. He is most likely in
  whatever place he needed so desperately to be, the Malfeans
  hearing his plea and letting it be so. Sometimes, the
  Malfeans decide that the necromancer would better serve
  them in another place, and he unexpectedly arrives there.
  This rarely used form of transportation facilitates the
  necromancer’s appearance anywhere, from the Labyrinth
  and the Underworld to the wide, bright world of Creation,
  spirit sanctums, Yu-Shan or Malfeas itself. Wards have no
  effect on his ability to arrive in any given location, since
  before being there he was, literally, nowhere.
  Should the Malfeans fail to be impressed by the
  necromancer’s performance before his dive, he has com-
  mitted a rather inspired and complete suicide, and he is
  irrevocably dead. Use of this spell is very much a Story-
  teller device, and it is recommended that players discuss its
  use with their Storyteller before enacting it.
  THE CLAY OF WARPED DREAMS
  Cost: 60 motes (committed)
  Target: Area of effect
  The necromancer stands in the Labyrinth with a
  minimum of three sacrificial ghosts behind him. As a 10-
  minute prayer to the Malfeans comes to a close, the caster’s
  black will envelops the sacrifices and destroys them ut-
  terly, devoting the Oblivion of each to the dead gods
  whose slow nightmares define the place where the caster
  stands. Temporarily appeased, the unthinkables that rest
  in tombs above the edge of the Void gift the caster with
  control over that small portion of their restless slumbers.
  With the completion of the Clay of Warped Dreams,
  the necromancer gains total control over 10 square miles
  of the Labyrinth, in any configuration he desires. The
  landscape shapes itself to his waking dreams instead of the
  tortured malice-borne thoughts of the Malfeans. He can,
  with a successful Perception + Occult roll made by his
  player, be totally aware of any space within his power that
  he could not normally see. His ability to shape the Laby-
  rinth can manifest as physical attacks — swarms of tarnished
  silver moths fly at his whim, stabbing stalagmites of bone
  and gouts of boiling brains. Such an attack is made with a
  Wits + Melee, Archery or Thrown (as appropriate) roll,
  with additional successes equal to the necromancer’s Oc-
  cult score. Additional effects, such as the creation of
  poisonous gases or dangerous beasts or imprisoning a
  victim, are possible at the Storyteller’s discretion. Vastly
  dangerous creatures can be created by borrowing the
  Malfeans’ nightmares, but it is time consuming, and such
  creatures are highly likely to be swallowed by entropy
  when those dreams are reclaimed.
  This control endures as long as the necromancer
  commits the Essence or (at the Storyteller’s discretion)
  until a dead god stirs enough to actively reclaim it.
  Deathlords make use of this spell in their rare convo-
  cations of peers, creating vast and affluent palaces beneath
  the Manses they keep in Stygia. Often, only a grudging
  respect for the vast power a Deathlord’s tentative allies
  have, the certainty that each has planned contingency
  and the expenditure of motes necessary to invoke the
  spell prevent the host at such a gathering from abusing
  his power.
  FORSAKEN LIFE ENGINE
  Cost: 50+ motes
  Target: Area of effect
  With a simple wave of her hand, the necromancer
  conjures into being a vast engine, with cogs and levers of
  bone, pulleys strung with iron-reinforced spinal cords,
  oiled with blood and bile and emitting voluminous clouds
  of black soot. The engine, twice as high and wide as a
  yeddim, stands several dozen yards in the air, supported by
  heavy iron beams. In the bottom of the machine is a wide,
  dark hole. When this mysterious orifice is empty, only a
  pathetic trickle of smoke drips upward from the large and
  soiled pipes on the top. When a living creature is put in
  
  141
  CHAPTER FIVE • NECROMANCY
  place beneath it, the engine roars into life. Great black-
  iron claws grab the creature and shovel it into the engine’s
  gaping maw, the gears turn, the levers creak, and the
  smokestacks belch thick black clouds. The creature, of
  course, is irrevocably killed, its life and soul used to fuel the
  creation of a shadowland in Creation.
  The spell will create a shadowland centered around the
  Forsaken Life Engine with a radius of 50 miles, plus 50 miles
  for every additional 10 motes spent in the casting. A
  shadowland created by this spell is rarely a perfect circle; the
  shape of the shadowland is determined by the local dragon
  lines as the engine taints them with the death Essence
  released by the mass slaughter it requires to function.
  When the spell is cast, the outermost boundaries of
  what will become a shadowland darken. The engine must
  then be fed a series of living creatures with a total perma-
  nent Essence of no less than 10 times the Essence spent
  creating the Forsaken Life Engine. With each life it de-
  vours, the engine becomes a little bit transparent and a
  little bit less real. Simultaneously, the outer borders marked
  by the spell expand inward. Once it has annihilated the
  final required life, the engine disappears entirely, and the
  shadowland closes beneath it, complete. If the engine is
  destroyed or if the process is not completed by the time the
  sun reaches its zenith, the spell fails, and the shadowland
  fades completely, as though it had never been.
  Until the spell’s conclusion, the engine is susceptible
  to attack. The Forsaken Life Engine is a robust creation; it
  soaks 22L/30B and must be dealt raw damage greater than
  its soak to inflict any damage at all. Damage that surpasses
  soak must be rolled. A full 60 health levels of damage must
  be inflicted to damage the machine enough that it cannot
  function. Obsidian Countermagic will destroy the engine
  instantly, while Adamant Countermagic will inflict 10
  health levels of damage upon the machine per invocation.
  The engine can fight back; the two claws that shovel
  sacrifices into its body can be turned against attackers. If
  the engine is under attack and has no victims to attend, it
  will fight back. If there are sacrifices to process, the engine
  will only neglect its duty at the command of its creator.
  Treat the machine as a Strength ••••••, Dexterity
  ••••, Stamina ••••••, Perception ••, Intelligence
  ••, Wits •••• creature with a relevant combat Ability of
  •••. Treat the claws as weapons (see below).
  If the Forsaken Life Engine is destroyed, it self-
  destructs in a series of fiery explosions that can launch
  fragments of bone and iron up to 500 yards and boiling
  blood up to 50. Storytellers are recommended to simu-
  late these using attacks at the engine’s Dexterity and
  Ability until the important targets have escaped the
  dangerous region. After the engine’s destruction, the
  burgeoning shadowland recedes outward, fading en-
  tirely by the next sunrise.
  Up to five properly cowed creatures can be processed
  by the Forsaken Life Engine in one minute, or one every
  four turns. Resistance will slow the process, subject to
  Storyteller discretion. This spell has no effect when cast in
  the Underworld.
  GRANDMOTHER VOID
  Cost: 40 motes, 1 lethal health level
  Target: Several spectres
  As the caster’s silent entreaties to her masters end, she
  speaks two words in Old Realm: a brief summons. Once
  spoken, her mouth blackens to the color of the darkest
  starless nights. In a slow instant, the color spreads through-
  out the necromancer’s body, clothing and equipment until
  her entire figure is little more than a silhouette. Then, to
  all who watch, she flattens. To all points of view, she has
  lost any depth she once possessed and is now an empty
  doorway into Oblivion. Then, the spectres come.
  Skin shining obsidian in the ambient light, the spec-
  tres gather, entering the world of life through the caster’s
  empty frame. Their claws drip red blood, and their teeth
  bear tatters of the flesh of men and ghosts. Each spectre is
  prepared to wreak havoc in the name of the Malfeans
  under the necromancer’s command. While they fight,
  they whisper in the voices of the dead gods that they hear
  constantly in the back of their heads.
  Once the spell has been successfully cast, the necro-
  mancer remains a flat and empty figure for a number of
  turns equal to her Essence. Each turn she is in such a state,
  two spectres are spawned forth from her being into the
  world. The spectres produced by this spell are fully material
  and have full Essence pools and health levels. The necro-
  mancer may dictate the statistics and advantages of each
  individually as it is spawned as though each were created
  as a starting ghost with additional experience equal to (the
  caster’s Essence x 7). These spectres should never be
  treated as extras. The whispering words that the spectres
  constantly repeat are dangerous to ghosts — the players of
  any who hear them must roll Willpower + Essence against
  a difficulty of 5 to avoid their characters becoming tainted.
  See Exalted: The Abyssals, page 284, for more details.
  Weapon
  Speed
  Accuracy
  Damage
  Defense
  Rate
  Range
  Engine Claws
  -2
  +3
  +6L
  +0
  –
  –
  Fragment
  –
  +0
  +7L
  –
  3
  100
  Blood
  –
  +3
  +6L
  –
  1
  25
  
  EXALTED • BOOK OF BONE AND EBONY
  142
  While the caster is filled with infinite nothingness,
  she is immune to physical and mental assaults. Obsidian or
  Adamant Countermagic cast during this period return the
  necromancer to herself and end the spell, but they will not
  dispel any spectres that have already been brought forth.
  MOUTH OF THE VOID
  Cost: 50 motes
  Target: Area of effect
  The necromancer intones dark words, and thick, cold
  shadows flare about her like the lashing tails of a hundred
  preying cats. As she speaks, her mouth yawns wide, and
  darkness pours out, pooling at the necromancers feet like
  an oil. It slowly ripples outward, filling a 40-yard radius
  over the casting of the spell. As the spell ends, the darkness
  becomes perfectly still for an instant before falling into the
  sky like a silent reverse waterfall, blotting out all light
  within its boundary.
  To those within the inky blackness, it feels alive,
  clawing softly and grasping, whispering and nibbling,
  loving, smothering and always hating. A living creature in
  the seething shadow can feel a throbbing and painful
  malice that seeps into his body and tears, rips and removes
  parts of his innermost flesh and being.
  After the shadow takes these things, it leaves with
  them, departing for the Void and the end of all life. Each
  living creature within its reach but the caster suffers 30
  levels of aggravated damage. The earth that fell under its
  devouring shadow is rotting and pitted and strewn with
  large chunks of obsidian — the transformed remains of any
  creature the spell killed.
  PYRE-FLAME GUARDIAN
  Cost: 50 motes
  Target: Caster
  As the casting is completed and the echoing words of
  power and the bright black of death fade, the necromancer
  is struck in a stark relief with his surroundings. He grows in
  dimension until he is twice his height. A dozen random
  ghosts die as they are torn, shrieking, into Oblivion, and
  their anguish crawls onto the caster’s skin and fuses there,
  coating his entire body, face and hair with soulsteel.
  Finally, the caster bursts into a roaring green bonfire of
  deadly Essence-fueled pyre flame.
  The soulsteel armor affords the necromancer +12L/
  +12B soak and ignores all attacks that do less than 12
  dice of raw damage. He gains a bonus to his Strength
  equal to his Essence. The billowing sheath of pyre flame
  inflicts three dice of aggravated damage upon any who
  dare attack this vision of harrowing death barehanded,
  and any who attack armed using weapons not forged of
  stone or one of the Five Magical Materials come away
  with armament that is slowly being consumed and
  burning their hands. Even the powerful artifacts of the
  Exalted need to be carefully treated, for while they will
  not be harmed, they will still carry the flame. Any
  warrior who continues to wield a weapon once it has
  been struck with flame takes one level of lethal damage
  each turn.
  The necromancer can hurl great balls of pyre flame
  up to 50 yards as a dice action using his Thrown +
  Dexterity pool. This attack has an accuracy of the caster’s
  Essence and inflicts three health levels of aggravated
  damage, plus one die for every extra success, and cannot
  be parried without Charms. Where these balls of flame
  strike, they leave circles and streaks of green-flaming
  scenery. Additionally, any successful barehanded attacks
  automatically inflict an additional three levels of aggra-
  vated damage, and where blows land, green fire blossoms.
  Unless they are armored in one of the Magical
  Materials, in stone or in an armor formed completely of
  Essence, victims of the Pyre-Flame Guardian must scrape
  the flame off themselves or be continually burned.
  Those struck by the necromancer’s burning fists must
  spend a full action doing so or suffer two levels of lethal
  damage for each turn the flame persists. Those envel-
  oped by a hurled ball of flame suffer four levels of lethal
  damage each turn until the pyre flame is scraped off.
  Removing the pyre flame takes three turns of dedicated
  actions, but assistance from companions can reduce this
  time. Storytellers should consider allowing the
  obliviating flames to kill most extras automatically
  without bothering to calculate damage, unless the vic-
  tims are extremely well armored or mystically protected
  against such a terrible doom.
  This spell ends when the caster cancels it, when the
  Calendar of Setesh has marked out an hour of time or when
  struck by Obsidian Countermagic. Whatever the cause,
  when the spell ends, the necromancer’s soulsteel skin
  explodes, shattering into a thousand pieces of screaming
  black shrapnel being traced out by green flame. All crea-
  tures within 30 yards of the caster suffer five levels of lethal
  damage and two levels of aggravated damage. Only a
  perfect defense can evade this debris.
  The pyre flame created by this spell is normal pyre
  flame for all purposes. Pyre flame struck by sunlight in
  Creation evaporates within minutes and ceases its burn-
  ing. If never struck by sunlight, the green flame burns itself
  out within a year. Within shadowlands, pyre flame dies out
  with the dawning of the sun and sparks into flame again
  after dusk. In the Underworld, the flame is permanent. See
  Exalted: The Abyssals, page 256, for more detail on the
  properties of pyre flame.
  Name
  Accuracy
  Dmg
  Rate
  Rng
  Pyre-Flame Ball
  +Essence
  +3A
  5
  30
  
  143
  CHAPTER FIVE • NECROMANCY
  RISEN AND SCREAMING
  Cost: 40 motes
  Target: Area of effect
  Focusing the dark energy that he channels inward,
  the Void Circle necromancer traces out a path around
  the fertile earth of Creation. As he walks, the soil
  beneath his feet blackens and dries, as if charred and
  salted. Once he rejoins his trail and completes the loop,
  the spell’s effects seem to end. There are no further
  apparent effects.
  In truth, the land within the circle has been sown
  with a lasting undeath. The necromantic energy poured
  into the spell hides just beneath the earth’s surface,
  waiting. Triggered by the sudden rush of spirit that
  accompanies any death, when a living creature breathes
  its final breath and falls within the boundary set by the
  necromancer’s march, the ground crumbles beneath it.
  The creature sinks into the dirt, and when it rises, scant
  minutes later at the earliest, rotting skin hangs in tatters
  among bare patches of bone, the once-dead corpse
  animate and deadly.
  The zombies created by this spell are under the
  control of the necromancer who cast it. If he is not there
  to command them, they remain stationary unless a
  living creature becomes visible to their dulled senses.
  Such unfortunates the zombies attempt to slay, propa-
  gating the undeath. The risen zombies cannot leave the
  circle within which they were birthed. They will not
  try, and instantly become inanimate if they are forced
  outside the boundary.
  The zombies created by this spell scream loudly
  when they see prey, and move at twice the speed of
  normal zombies. When there are no victims in sight and
  they are under no commands, these zombies bury them-
  selves in the welcoming earth. A Perception + Awareness
  roll at difficulty two is required to notice a buried zombie,
  but such a zombie is perfectly aware of all creatures within
  10 yards and can claw its way free as a turn’s movement,
  assisted by the magic of the spell. The zombies are
  otherwise identical to the zombies in Exalted (p. 299)
  and are always extras. Although the path walked origi-
  nally by the necromancer will never bear life again, the
  area enclosed by his path returns to normal after one
  week per point of the necromancer’s Essence.
  SUMMON HEKATONKHIRE
  Cost: 40 motes
  Target: One hekatonkhire
  The hekatonkhire are vast. They are myriad in shape
  and form. They are the memories of the things they once
  were, behemoths formed in any shape and of any whim
  the Primordials desired. These dead things retain some-
  thing of their previous form and function, though they
  
  EXALTED • BOOK OF BONE AND EBONY
  144
  bear the taint of their destruction and subsequent passage
  into the sunless realm. These are the hekatonkhire.
  As the Primordials died and fell in flesh that spanned
  nations and encompassed the Wyld, their souls fell with
  them. Their souls became different as they fell into the
  altogether new realm of the Underworld. Living souls were
  forced to become dead souls; souls already slain reformed
  as things dead. These, too, are called hekatonkhire.
  The Malfeans dream. When they shift in their tombs
  as a man turns in his sleep, their nightmares come closer to
  the vague reality of the Underworld. The things they fear,
  the hopes they no longer have and their hatreds all surface,
  from time to time. Tearing at the dreamstuff and stone that
  binds them, these unthinkable creatures rip free from their
  unwilling mothers and become frighteningly real. They
  may also be called hekatonkhire.
  This spell calls to the caster one of these great and
  fearsome beasts. The spell requires a six-hour ritual,
  involving the death of both a mortal and a ghost (or a
  single Ghost-Blooded, see the Exalted Players Guide),
  that ends at dusk.
  Once a hekatonkhire is summoned, the necromancer
  and her would-be servant enter a contest of souls. Roll
  Willpower + Essence for each in an opposed test. During
  the casting, the necromancer may spend additional Es-
  sence in 7 mote increments to reduce the creature’s dice
  pool; the hekatonkhire loses one die for each 7 motes
  spent. Roll the opposed test once each turn until either the
  necromancer or the summoned creature accumulates three
  more successes than the other. If the caster wins, the
  hekatonkhire will serve her loyally for a year and a day, or
  the necromancer can set it to a single task of indefinite
  duration. Should the beast win, it will most likely consume
  the body and soul of its summoner and return, lumbering,
  to the darkness it prefers to haunt.
  Hekatonkhire are generally sleepy, like the dead gods
  that long ago made them. Although they resent being
  bound, they usually take joy in having motivation to wreak
  death and pain upon the world from which they have been
  severed. Some hekatonkhire feel animosity toward their
  summoners, but many even forget that they were called.
  Hekatonkhire are vastly varied in their might. The weak-
  est may be defeated by a single Solar warrior or a sworn
  brotherhood of Dragon-Blooded, while the most powerful
  are able to stand toe-to-toe with some of the most potent
  beings in Creation or Malfeas. Whether a match for Ligier
  or only members of the Dragon-Blooded Host, no
  hekatonkhire can truly die. If slain, they reform in some
  manner in the Underworld. Some become less powerful in
  the process. Others lose none of their power.
  SINS OF THE FATHER
  Cost: 50 motes, 1 permanent Willpower
  Target: One living person
  The mighty necromancer who knows this spell can
  lay a curse of eternal servitude upon any living creature.
  As the spell concludes, the caster lightly brushes the
  victim with her fingers, which sear his face and form a
  scar that will never heal. With the aid of an arcane link,
  the necromancer can curse her victim from afar. During
  the casting, the chanting and burgeoning Essence about
  the caster become increasingly visible until the climax of
  the spell, when the caster touches him through the link
  and scars him. Using an arcane link for this purpose
  destroys the link.
  The burn mark, most commonly placed on the face,
  never goes away, despite any attempts at mundane or
  magical healing, and identical scars appear on all of the
  victim’s descendants. The curse inflicts no other miseries
  while one who bears the mark lives. Once a living
  creature so cursed dies, he infallibly becomes a ghost, and
  the mark now glows softly on the face of his corpus. Any
  person who becomes a ghost as a result of this spell
  automatically possesses the Passion Obey She Who Cursed
  Me at a rating equal to the new ghost’s Conviction. The
  scar also acts as the representation of the Fetter Master of
  rating •••••. Finally, a ghost bearing this mark has
  absolutely no choice but to seek out his new master
  immediately upon his death, and he must thereafter obey
  every command given him by that master.
  Even the death of the caster does not free the cursed.
  They instead find themselves bound to the next incarnation
  of the necromancer’s Essence, although they are free to take
  retribution on the original caster should she rise as a ghost.
  Obsidian Countermagic can free a single individual of the
  affliction — even if he is the son of the son of the person
  originally cursed, none of his cousins or brothers receive any
  benefit. But a victim cleansed is free of the necromancer at
  last, as are his future children. Adamant Countermagic, like
  Obsidian, will free a victim from this doom, but the target
  inevitably dies in the process.
  The souls of the Celestial Exalted cannot be enslaved
  through the use of this spell. But they can be marked, and
  they pass the curse on to their children. Only through a
  petition to the Unconquered Sun assisted by a Zenith
  Caste priest and a Solar Circle sorcerer can free a victim of
  the Sins of the Father without killing the subject or
  resorting to the most powerful of dark magics.
  Creatures without souls or creatures whose souls never
  enter the Underworld, such as Dragon Kings or the Moun-
  tain Folk, cannot be affected by this spell.
  
  145
  CHAPTER FIVE • NECROMANCY
  SAMPLE HEKATONKHIRE
  LORAS, DEATH SUN
  Description: Birthed from a Malfean’s chilling nightmares, Loras is a man-shaped beast that stands 30 feet
  tall. His arms are too long for his body, hanging down almost to his calves, with six long fingers on each hand.
  On his back, he bears a giant blade made of writhing gold, which casts its own light and its own shadows in all
  directions. Draped in obsidian woven into cloth, Loras wanders the Labyrinth at a steady pace, resting when he
  wishes, devouring when he wishes. Few spectres frequent his halls, knowing that he makes no exception for them.
  Loras feels a purpose deep in his black-oil bones, but he doesn’t know what it is. He possesses many potent
  Arcanoi, and when he expends much Essence, he begins to shine in waves of white and black so bright that few
  can bear to watch him. When called upon by a necromancer, Loras willingly performs whatever service they ask.
  He is, after all, seeking his purpose, and who knows where it might be found?
  Attributes: Strength 9, Dexterity 7, Stamina 10, Charisma 4, Manipulation 7, Appearance 5, Perception 6,
  Intelligence 5, Wits 7
  Virtues: Compassion 1, Conviction 5, Temperance 1, Valor 5
  Abilities: Athletics 6, Awareness 6, Brawl 6, Dodge 6, Endurance 6 (Walking +2), Investigation 2, Medicine
  2, Melee 6 (The Pit +3), Occult 2, Stealth 6, Survival 2 (Labyrinth +1)
  Backgrounds: Contacts 3 (Labyrinth Inhabitants)
  Supernatural Powers: Eye of the Nightmare
  Base Initiative: 14
  Attack:
  Punch: Speed 14 Accuracy 13 Damage 9B Defense 13
  The Pit: Speed 20 Accuracy 18 Damage 17L Defense 14
  Dodge Pool: 13
  Soak: 20L/22B (Cloth of obsidian, 15L/12B)
  Willpower: 9
  Health Levels: -0/-1/-1/-1/-1/-1/-2/-2/-2/-2/-2/-2/-2/-2/-4/Incap
  Essence: 6
  Essence Pool: 112
  Other Notes: The Pit is Loras’ great and writhing weapon. (In Exalted Power Combat, the Pit has an infinite
  rate.) His cloth of obsidian allows Loras to ignore all attacks that inflict less than six dice of raw damage.
  Eye of the Nightmare is a special ability that allows Loras to learn the Charms of the Solar and Abyssal Exalted
  once they have been used in his presence. When such a Charm is invoked, Loras may reflexively spend 10 motes
  and one Willpower to study it with Eye of the Nightmare. He rolls Perception + Awareness at a difficulty of the
  permanent Essence required to learn the Charm. If successful, Loras has learned the Charm.
  Loras may invoke any Charm that he has learned for its given cost. He may not use Charms whose prerequisites
  he does not meet, though he may learn them.
  EXALTED POWER COMBAT
  Attack:
  Punch: Speed 14 Accuracy 14 Damage 9B Defense 15 Rate 5
  The Pit: Speed 20 Accuracy 18 Damage 17L Defense 14 Rate ∞
  EXALTED POWER COMBAT
  These statistics are provided for individuals who use the Exalted Power Combat rules from the Exalted
  Players Guide.
  Name
  Speed
  Accuracy
  Damage
  Defense
  Rate
  Iron Circle
     Silver Mace
  -2
  +2
  +5
  +0
  2
     Warstrider Fighting Chain
  +12
  -1
  +4
  +2
  2
  Void Circle
     Forsaken Life Engine Claws
  +12
  +10
  +6L
  +12
  2
  
  EXALTED • BOOK OF BONE AND EBONY
  146
  
  147
  CHAPTER SIX • CREATURES OF THE UNDERWORLD
  CHAPTER SIX
  CREATURES OF
  THE UNDERWORLD
  Ghosts fear the monsters of the Underworld, but their
  fright over the creatures’ existence rise even above mere
  fear of known dangers. While they sometimes display some
  intelligent thinking through they way they behave and
  respond to changes in a given situation, these creatures are
  unable to act rationally in response to different circum-
  stances, to comprehend emotions or to engage in
  communication. Instead, all these creatures can do is to
  perform their role, which was set at the moment of their
  creation, until the day when something obliterates them
  and sends them to Oblivion.
  PLASMICS AND SOCIETY
  Many ghost savants have dedicated their existences to
  journeying across the realms in hopes of uncovering the
  origin of each type of plasmic and then cataloguing them in
  the archives of the Underworld, including the one in the
  Halls of Ebony and Bone, located 100 miles south of Stygia.
  In previous centuries, their task was not an easy one,
  since each savant had her own theory on how these
  creatures came to be and what purpose they served in the
  Underworld. Eventually, the savants realized that it was
  futile since there are as many different origins as there are
  types of creatures.
  Some rise as the embodiment of strange and mad-
  dened Malfean dreams, others are byproducts of failed
  sorcery, while the vast majority awakens without any
  substantial explanation as to from whence they came. For
  ghosts in general, plasmics are nothing more than menaces
  to civilized undead existence, and if it looks strange or
  dangerous, it is destroyed and then examined.
  PLASMICS OF THE
  UNDERWORLD
  The Underworld divides into five major areas that
  mirrors Creation’s outlook. Naturally, North, East, South
  and West constitute four of these five domains, with the
  fifth being the Isle of Stygia. Yet, there’s a sixth, uncharted,
  area that is just as important to the ongoing conflicts and
  ancient mysteries that plagues the Underworld. It’s an even
  PLASMIC FAMILIARS
  No Exalt or god has ever succeeded with the
  morbid attempt to bind their souls to the monsters
  of the Underworld. Charms and spells remain inca-
  pable of forming prolonged bonds between Essence
  wielders and these creatures. Scholarly oriented
  individuals are of the opinion that plasmics share
  the emptiness of a hollow soul only found in sum-
  moned demons of the Third Circle.
  
  EXALTED • BOOK OF BONE AND EBONY
  148
  darker and more desolate place where loss of logic and
  rationality is commonplace. In one word, it’s the Labyrinth.
  This chapter presents plasmics from all six of these
  locations before taking on the fulfillment of the Mask of
  Winter’s plans, the children of Juggernaut.
  EASTERN PLASMICS
  The following plasmics have the Eastern Underworld
  as their natural habitat.
  CHAMELEON MONKEY
  Chameleon monkeys are common creatures in the
  southeastern landscape. The creatures always dwell inside
  or just outside village (or city) walls, for they desire to be
  close to ghosts. Yet, they are extremely hard to detect
  (something which is reflected by their high Stealth score)
  and often pass unnoticed. This is not due to a special ability,
  but rather the creatures’ inaptitude at rising with fully
  formed Essence bodies. They are merely translucent and
  decayed images of panic monkeys (see Creatures of the
  Wyld, p. 46), moving in large packs of at least 20 creatures.
  In death, they are unable to sound the well-known
  chattering monkey laughter that they do in Creation.
  Instead, they are silent, somber beings that rarely engage
  in violent actions; preferring to cause chaos by stealing
  equipment from one individual and placing it with another’s
  in order to gain attention. It is not unheard of that entire
  villages end up fighting due to their failure to realize that
  there are chameleon monkeys present.
  HURA
  Each hura appears as an old woman, clothed in layers
  of green veils and death trappings. Underneath the veils,
  there is nothing but a pale, decayed female body. History
  records them as a humanoid race in Creation during the
  First Age, which was forced to flee into the Underworld
  during the Dragon-Blooded uprising against the Solars.
  The huras’ duty was to guard children from demateri-
  alized dangers, for they possessed the talent to view the spirit
  world and strike back at incorporeal creatures. Driven
  insane by being trapped in a pale imitation of their once-
  beloved Creation, their purpose has switched, and all that
  drives them now is an intense hatred of the Dragon-
  Blooded. Yet, Dynastic ghosts are rare due to the practice of
  the Immaculate Philosophy on the Blessed Isle, so the Huras
  spend much of their time dreaming up terrible things to do
  to the rare ghosts that does fall into their hands.
  Huras operate in groups of four; moving in after
  nightfall to steal ghostly children, who they bring to their
  abandoned ruins in the deepest East, where few are able to
  tread due to the heavy vegetation. Their captives never
  meet a final end and remain locked up in cages hanging
  high up in the treetops. Ghosts who have been captive for
  centuries eventually lose hope and fall into Oblivion or
  Lethe after enough years without anyone arriving to an-
  swer their calls for aid.
  These creatures are able to use what little winds blow
  to engage in slow flight up among the trees. This ability is
  never used to engage in fly-by attacks, only to lift Huras
  into safety or to move the battle onto the treetops. In
  combat, their veils also function as whips, and each Hura
  is able to perform one attack each turn against anything
  that is within the whip’s reach (three yards) without
  suffering any dice pool penalties.
  LETHE SERPENT
  Exalted: The Abyssals (p. 47) mentions serpents
  hiding in among the roots of the dead Eastern trees,
  waiting for ghosts to bite and infect with a poison that
  sends them into Lethe — these are the Lethe serpents. It’s
  no secret to the Easterners that there are serpents with the
  power to enforce Lethe upon a ghost, and every dead with
  sense of self-preservation makes sure to cover their feet and
  legs carefully when entering densely vegetated areas.
  The serpents are especially dangerous since they’re
  easily mistaken for regular roots, but once their pale eyes
  and bodies shimmer in the sparse light of the forest, ghosts
  know that the end might well be near.
  After being bitten, roll the ghost’s Stamina + Resis-
  tance, difficulty 3. If the roll fails, the ghost immediately
  enters Lethe. A botch sends the ghost straight into the
  horrifying emptiness that is Oblivion. A successful roll
  makes the ghost immune to future encounters with the
  poison, although additional exposure may cause great
  discomfort in the form of weeping warts that cover the
  body (two-die impairment for two weeks).
  While it’s uncommon to spot more than a handful of
  Lethe serpents working together, they actually reside in
  large underground colonies that consist of hundreds of
  these plasmics. Should someone disturb an entire colony,
  the ghosts in the area would have a difficult time on their
  hands. Lethe snakes are also seen in the hands of assassins,
  who find their attacks a useful way to speed enemies to
  their rebirth.
  PULSE BLOSSOM
  Underworld shamans and scholars interesting in the
  Eastern flora are familiar with pulse blossoms. They grow
  in the Northeast, close to the Empire of Aki, where ghosts
  clothed in gloves and armor attempt to harvest the plasmics
  in order to extract their liquid Essence and manufacture
  pulse draughts.
  The actual flower consists of hundreds of gray and red
  colored petals attached in the form of a multilayered flower
  bowl with a luminescent black Essence liquid at the center.
  The pulse blossoms display a malevolent intelligence and
  will do anything to discourage ghosts from continuing the
  practice of harvesting them, even if it means dying. The
  
  149
  CHAPTER SIX • CREATURES OF THE UNDERWORLD
  pulse blossoms are simply content to be a welcome sight and
  color change in the pale Eastern forests.
  If a ghost touches a pulse blossom’s petals, they bleed
  an oily substance that inflicts two health levels of lethal
  damage each turn (soak works normally). The blossom
  follows up on the attack by attempting to drench its
  opponent in the oily substance, inflicting 8L damage if
  successful. Ten turns after pulse blossoms start to bleed,
  they fade away until nothing remains but a shell of silk-
  thin fibers blowing in the wind. During those 10 turns, the
  bush attacks once per turn.
  In order to successfully harvest pulse blossoms, the
  player of the one trying to do so must succeed with a
  Dexterity + Stealth roll, difficulty 3, in order for his
  character to avoid disturbing the creatures. This roll must
  be made with each new pulse blossom.
  SCAVENGER
  Since they appear as gigantic skeletal vultures dressed
  in veils and death trappings, these creatures have become
  known as scavengers. They roam the entire region in
  search of new prey to destroy and steal from but prefer to
  remain close to centers of power such as Manses.
  In combat, scavengers perform diving attacks using
  their beaks to knock their prey to the ground and tear him
  to pieces using their claws. Once their victims are no more,
  the scavengers devour any remains and keep something
  that the victim had with him for future ornamentation of
  their bodies.
  SWAMP GOLEM
  Swamp golems commonly awaken in marshes along
  the Eastern coast, rising as products of mud-mixed Essence
  flows, leaves, water and rotten animal remains. In their
  natural state, swamp golems appear as dark and oily leaf
  heaps full of withered toads and fishes. While they remain
  in this form, they are unable to defend against, or attack,
  opponents. Their smell is detectable up to a mile away, and
  while they never leave their home, they attack travelers
  without regret.
  Changing into golem form takes one turn, but once
  they do, these creatures never cease attacking until
  Pulse Draught (Alchemy •••)
  The draught is bitter, but within two minutes
  after drinking the contents of the bottle, a ghost
  remembers how it was to have a pulse and breathe.
  This effect lasts a full day and is merely an illusion of
  the psyche. The ghost remains dead, but her senses
  perceive the Underworld as if it was Creation. Unfor-
  tunately, this effect only works once in any ghost’s
  existence, so those who can afford the draught (Re-
  sources •••••) save it for a special occasion.
  
  EXALTED • BOOK OF BONE AND EBONY
  150
  their opponents are destroyed. In combat, the swamp
  golem has a great advantage in that its attack is poison-
  ous (treat as poison snake venom according to the chart
  on p. 243 of Exalted).
  WHITE ROBE
  Sijan is known for its extremely professional mourn-
  ers both in Creation and in the Underworld. They wear
  their sacred robes with honor while carrying the burden of
  grief that would otherwise only remain with the families of
  the dead. With all the emotions involved in burial proces-
  sions, it is no wonder that white robes rise as a result of the
  imprint of this grief.
  Exactly as the name implies, these creatures appear in
  the form of white robes that float through the air. Their gray
  and bronze ornamentations are symbols that constantly
  change depending on where they travel. Savants know that,
  properly interpreted, they display a map to the nearest
  Labyrinth entrance. Decoding the symbols require a suc-
  cessful Wits + Language roll, difficulty 3, and Occult •••.
  White robes pose no threat to anyone by themselves,
  but other creatures and carnivores often follow in their
  wake due to the robes’ power to paralyze those who are
  capable of feeling grief. In order to remain unaffected by
  the paralyzing grief the white robes emit in a 10-yard
  radius, players of victims must succeed with a Compassion
  roll at difficulty 2 or have their characters succumb to an
  agonizing and overwhelming sense of loss that renders
  them almost incapable of acting for four turns (mechani-
  cally, this inflicts a four-die penalty on all actions performed
  while under the robes’ influence).
  Normally, griefbees (see below) follow the white
  robes and surround them with an eerie green light. Seeing
  processions of at least 50 robes are not unheard of, but most
  white robes travel in groups of 20 or less and walk the roads
  from Sijan to Rathess.
  LESSER PLASMICS
  Fork Spider: These spiders only exist in the areas
  around Great Forks and have received their name due to
  their forklike appearance. While the lower body is rather
  ordinary for spiders, each leg expands into three smaller legs
  at the bottom. Also, the spiders’ lower head area divides into
  three separate sections, in essence providing the spider with
  a regular set of eyes but with three mouths. Fork spiders are
  of the same size as a newborn cat and, with a bite, can inject
  a poison that temporarily weakens an opponent by causing
  dizziness and lack of muscle control. Resisting the poison
  requires a successful Stamina + Resistance roll, difficulty 2.
  Failing the roll gives a character a four-die penalty for three
  hours. Succeeding gives a one-die penalty for one hour.
  There is no damage associated with the venom.
  Griefbee: Griefbees share the appearance of any
  normal bee found in Creation, but unlike their living
  counterparts, these lesser creatures do not feed on nectar,
  but on strong emotions, typically grief. The bees do not
  grasp the concept of emotions in any other way other than
  that it provides nourishment and allows them to give
  birth. When the bees feed on strong emotions, they emit
  an eerie, dark-green light similar in color to the corpora of
  those who died in the Contagion. Looking at the bees
  through that light makes it possible to see decayed tissue
  and small bone structures. Like the frostbites (see p. 158),
  griefbees immediately die if they are wounded.
  River Quadruped: Many of the Eastern rivers are
  home to the river quadruped. These creatures seem to me
  made of partially decayed octopods, with every other leg
  hanging as dried skin. These four-tentacled horrors are
  carnivores and will devour anything they can drag into the
  water and crush. The quadrupeds work in small groups,
  often six or eight at a time.
  SOUTHERN PLASMICS
  The following plasmics have the Southern Under-
  world as their natural habitat.
  ASHEN NOMAD
  Ashen nomads are humanoid plasmics with arms and
  legs composed of tightly packed sand, giving them a stonelike
  appearance. They have no facial features or eyes, and their
  torsos leave a trail of dust. A nomad’s torso is kept together
  by densely packed, rotten muscles and decayed flesh.
  Ashen nomads wander the deserts and decayed
  rainforests of the South, in search of a redemption they can
  never find (for being plasmics, they don’t know what
  redemption truly means or why they seek it). This constant
  search is fuel for their aggression, which they display by
  attacking any humanoid life forms unlike themselves.
  After killing their victims, the nomads bury all the remains
  in sand (including clothing and equipment), and even if
  there’s no substantial explanation as to why, savants
  studying plasmics believe it to be a gesture of homage to the
  desert from whence the nomads sprung.
  BLACK GARDA
  These suicidal birds only exist in the warmest areas of
  the South, where black fires may be seen beyond the
  horizon. If it were not for the fact that the core of the black
  cloud that makes up each black garda contains a glowing
  red skeletal outline similar in shape to the legendary garda
  bird, it would be impossible to spot the creatures.
  Black Gardas wreak havoc by igniting themselves
  with Essence and plunging toward their prey. Upon im-
  pact, they engulf their targets in a black fire that warps and
  ruins mortal metals while severely burning the victims’
  bodies (16L raw damage).
  Activating their attack costs 10 motes, and each bird
  has an Essence pool of that exact amount. If something
  
  151
  CHAPTER SIX • CREATURES OF THE UNDERWORLD
  steals motes from them and they become unable to fulfill
  their purpose for existing, they travel to the nearest vol-
  cano and sacrifice themselves in the lava. When doing so,
  the black gardas avoid Oblivion and are reborn after
  regaining their full Essence. This is the only fashion in
  which black gardas can regain Essence.
  BONE-ROAD WALKER
  Plasmics are often of a nature that requires them to
  attack first and disregard whether or not their opponents
  pose a threat to them, but the walkers are not of that sort,
  even if they’re capable of combat.
  The prime threat the bone-road walkers pose comes
  not from their direct might, but from the legendary doom
  they trail. When the walkers appear in a place, ill luck and
  destruction is bound to follow. There are no rules for this,
  but the walkers are invariably the worst sort of omen.
  Bone-road walkers appear to be quite dangerous be-
  ings, since they are half snake and half ox. A walker’s torso
  and head is that of mutilated and decayed oxen, while its
  lower body is simply a long snake tail, which leaves a
  translucent slime trail in its wake. Normally, it would be
  possible to use the tail as weaponry, but walkers have no
  muscles or tissue left inside to perform such actions.
  However, they can crush their victims by butting them
  with their horns or can inject a poison with their bite (treat
  as a serious poison, difficulty 2, according to the rules on p.
  243 of Exalted). They will defend themselves from attack,
  but the reality of bone-road walkers is that they are
  plasmics adrift on the currents of the Underworld’s fate
  and that their procession is no more considered than the
  migration of birds in the world of the living.
  FIREDUST PHANTOM
  The volcanically active Underworld deserts of the
  Southwest play host to dangerous cloud-plasmics com-
  posed of firedust. Their only purpose is to seek out and
  explode with anything that moves, whether it’s another
  plasmic, an Abyssal, a living person or a ghost. Once a
  phantom senses movements other than its own, it surges
  forward to encompass the victim and confuse him. If the
  creature is successful at this, it leads its imprisoned victim
  toward the nearest source of heat or flames, where the
  cloud ignites and explodes within two turns. Needless to
  say, firedust phantoms lurk on the edges of lava pools and
  other similar locations.
  Whenever phantom’s dust cloud surrounds its victim,
  the victim’s player should roll Perception + Awareness,
  difficulty 4, in order to see if it is possible to find the way
  out of the creature. Failure indicates that victims move
  along with the cloud and that the roll should be remade on
  the next turn. A botch removes all chance to find the way
  out except one, which Storytellers should allow in the
  moments before the cloud reaches its final destination.
  If a firedust phantom explodes, it inflicts raw damage
  of 20L, which can be soaked as normal. Terrestrial Exalted
  of the Fire Aspect suffer no damage at all. Firedust phan-
  toms have no health levels and can only be destroyed if
  ignited. Storytellers should keep in mind that all it requires
  to destroy a phantom without suffering damage is a flaming
  arrow from a distance of more than 20 feet away.
  HUNGRY MIRRORS
  Hungry mirrors show up only in natural environ-
  ments close to extremely warm sands and appear as tattered
  Plasmic
  Physical Att.
  Will
  Health             Attack
  Dodge/
  Abilities
   Str/Dex/Sta
  Levels         Spd/Acc/Dmg
    Soak
  Chameleon Monkey 1/4/2
  1
  -0/-2/I
  Bite: 7/6/2L,
  7/1L/2B
  Athletics 4,
  Claw: 7/6/2L
  Awareness 1, Brawl 2,
  Dodge 2, Stealth 5
  Fork Spider
  1/3/2
  1
  -1/-2/I
  Bite: 6/5/1L
  3/1L/3B
  Brawl 2
  + poison*
  Lethe Serpent
  1/3/1
  1
  -0/-1/-4/I
  Bite: 6/6/2L
  7/0L/1B
  Awareness 2, Brawl 3,
  + poison*
  Dodge 4, Stealth 4
  Pulse Blossom
  0/5/1
  1
  -0/I
  Droplets: 5/8/2L
  10/0L/1B
  Archery 3, Dodge 5
  River Quadruped
  4/3/2
  4
  -0/-1x2/-4/I Tentacle: 6/7/4L
  6/1L/2B
  Athletics 2, Dodge 3,
  Martial Arts 3
  Scavenger
  3/3/2
  3
  -0x3/I
  Bite: 6/8/4L
  8/1L/2B
  Brawl 5, Dodge 5
  Swamp Golem
  5/2/5
  2
  -0x4/-1x2/
  Punch: 7/5/5B
  5/2L/5B
  Awareness 3, Brawl 3,
  -2/-4/I
  Dodge 3
  * Further information exists in the creature’s write-up.
  All creatures have Intelligence •, Perception •• and Wits •••, unless the description says otherwise.
  
  EXALTED • BOOK OF BONE AND EBONY
  152
  and unshaped mirror shards. They are an Underworld
  manifestation of all the thrown away, well-used and sacri-
  ficed mirrors in Creation. Once someone looks into the
  shards, the shards make an attempt to entice the victim so
  they can drain their prey of her Virtues.
  When hungry mirrors perform their attack, players of
  their victims’ make an opposed Willpower roll, which can
  be supplemented with Temperance. Failure allows the
  hungry mirror to permanently consume one Virtue dot at
  the beginning of the next turn, while a botch indicates
  that the creature drained one dot in that instance in
  addition to next turn. Victims must resist each turn for as
  long as they have dots of Virtues left. When their four
  ratings reach 0, the hungry mirrors let them go and shatter
  into a thousand pieces.
  The order in which the mirrors feed is: Compassion,
  Valor, Temperance and Conviction.
  Hungry mirrors are responsible for the creation of
  vengeful exiles (see p. 163).
  LESSER ROCK DRAGON
  Once upon a time, there was a risk that travelers all over
  the South would end up waking one of the lesser rock
  dragons. With the arrival of the Deathlords, the dragons’
  numbers have shrunk significantly to no more than a dozen.
  Lesser rock dragons are so large that they can often be
  a mile or more in length. Their heads are constructed out
  of black rock-dust and half-formed heads and torsos, with
  the empty spots displaying only burnt muscle tissue still
  flickering with the blue flames if the darkest Southern
  Underworld, while the creatures’ wings and claws are
  made out of glowing embers.
  When attacking, a lesser rock dragon normally bites
  or claws its victims to death, but occasionally it sprays
  them with lava (30L) or simply devours them. If it devours
  a victim, it is often possible to see him burning to death
  inside the dragon’s body. When rock dragons engage in
  combat, they do so without any sense of tactics. Only pure
  lust for destruction drives them.
  Although lesser rock dragons are rare, and are nor-
  mally only found in the hottest areas of the Underworld,
  more of them are showing up in areas around the First and
  Forsaken Lion’s domain.
  LESSER PLASMICS
  Firefly: Extremely tiny and only found in volcano
  active domains, fireflies are burning insects that are drawn
  to moving objects. Their bodies, made of gray fire, inflict
  damage on all the flies touch. As a result, Charms or
  artifacts that protect against fire damage or heat negates
  the damage inflicted by the flies. When engaging oppo-
  nents, the creatures do so in swarms of equal size to those
  of the scorpion wasps (see below).
  Razorwing: With their 15 feet wingspan, razorwings
  are one of the largest flying species in the South. They soar
  through the sky above the pale Southeastern jungles, con-
  stantly watching for prey to bring back to their young ones.
  Much like the wind howlers (see p. 158), razorwings only
  attack from the air, moving in to behead victims with their
  razor-sharp skeletal wings. Although birds, they lack any
  distinctive features such as feathers or beaks. Instead, where
  there should normally be a beak, there is nothing but a dark
  hole full of red, rotten tissue. The creatures’ bodies are
  extremely flat, almost like the mantas of Creation’s South-
  west. When feeding, razorwings attach their mouths to their
  victims and drain them of 4 motes of Essence per turn.
  When there are no motes left, the birds draw forth one
  health level per turn. Normally, however, they only feed on
  dead prey, as they are totally vulnerable (no block or dodge)
  when attached and attempting to feed.
  Scorpion Wasp: Swarms of thousands of scorpion
  wasps exist in the regions close to Gem and the Font of
  Mourning. As implied by the creature’s name, its body is
  that of a wasp, with a head and tail similar to that of a
  scorpion. Scorpion wasps constantly glow a reddish color
  that makes them extremely easy to spot from a distance.
  Scorpion sting poison cause no prolonged effect and simply
  attacks the areas where the skin was penetrated by its
  stinger. This means that scorpion wasp attacks inflict aggra-
  vated damage, which may be soaked normally but cannot be
  countered with a Stamina + Resistance roll. The statistics
  below indicate a swarm consisting of 1,000 scorpion wasps.
  WESTERN PLASMICS
  The natural habitat of the following plasmics is the
  Western Underworld.
  ALGAL DRAGON
  From the depths of the Sea of Shadows, the algal
  dragons rise to wreak havoc on seafarers and their ships.
  The creature’s shape is that of a lizardlike dragon, but each
  one’s body is entirely composed of rotten algae and body
  parts from its victims. An algal dragon has a gigantic maw
  that can spread wide enough for it to swallow a small
  sailing boat. Once one has sunk a ship and killed its crew,
  it uses the wreckage to build its nests in sea caverns, while
  the corpses are used to patch up wounds by simply allowing
  the remains to grow into the damaged parts of the body.
  Algal dragons are known never to cooperate, but
  when the cargo ship Unrelenting Anger left the port of
  Onyx, heading for the Stygian island, a group of 10 dragons
  sunk the ship. The ship’s cargo was vast amounts of
  weaponry and armor intended for the Silver Prince him-
  self. Despite attempts to recover the missing treasure, none
  have yet succeeded.
  CORAL MASK
  Coral masks grow in the reefs of strange, feathery coral
  outside the western coast of the Isle of Shadows. They’re
  famous for their similar appearance to the deathmasks
  
  153
  CHAPTER SIX • CREATURES OF THE UNDERWORLD
  Plasmic
  Physical Att.
  Will
  Health             Attack
  Dodge/
  Abilities
   Str/Dex/Sta
  Levels         Spd/Acc/Dmg
    Soak
  Ashen Nomad
  2/2/2
  3
  -0/-1/-2/
  Punch: 5/4/2B
  4/1L/2B
  Awareness 1, Brawl 2,
  -4x2/I
  Dodge 2, Survival 4
  (Desert +2)
  Black Garda
  1/3/1
  4
  -0/I
  Fiery Crash:
  3/0L/1B
  Athletics 5 (Flight +3),
  6/8/16L + special*
  Brawl 5
  Bone-Road Walker 4/2/2
  4
  -0/-1x2/
  Bite: 6/3/1L,
  6/1L/2B
  Dodge 4
  -2x2/4/I
  Butt: 5/2/4B
  Firedust Phantom
  0/5/0
  1
  Special*
  8/0/20L
  0/0/0
  –
  Firefly
  2/5/1
  1
  -2/I
  Fiery Touch:
  7/0L/1B
  Brawl 1, Dodge 2
  8/6/2L
  Hungry Mirror
  0/0/2
  7
  -0/-2x3/-4/I Virtue Drain:
  0/1L/2B
  –
  0/0/special*
  Lesser Rock Dragon 15/3/20
  5
  -0x7/-1x4/
  Bite: 6/7/15L,
  4/10L/20B Archery 4, Athletics 2
  -2x3/-4/I
  Claw: 6/7/15L,
  (Flight +1), Awareness 3
  Lava: 6/7/30L
  (Personal Domain +2),
  Brawl 4, Dodge 1,
  Presence 2
  (Intimidation +3)
  Razorwing
  3/3/5
  3
  -0x2/-1/
  Wing Slash:
  7/0L/1B
  Brawl 1, Dodge 2
  -2x2/-4/I
  6/6/3L
  Scorpion Wasp
  3/2/3
  5
  -0/-1/-2x2/I Sting: 6/6/1A
  8/2L/5B
  Athletics 4 (Flight +1),
  Awareness 2, Brawl 3
  * Further information exists in the creature’s write-up.
  All creatures have Intelligence •, Perception •• and Wits •••, unless the description says otherwise.
  
  EXALTED • BOOK OF BONE AND EBONY
  154
  worn in the city of Stygia, and despite the danger they pose,
  many attempt to kill them in order to take the creatures’
  corpses and form them into real masks. The masks are
  active swimmers and feed on other sea creatures that fit
  their tiny mouths, but they can also drain Essence and
  blood by using the local reefs as weaponry. Once another
  being comes into contact with the reefs, the coral masks
  can direct the coral to attach to the victim and drain her
  at the rate of 3 motes (or health levels, if the target has no
  motes) per turn. This damage is an environmental effect of
  being near the reef (see Exalted, p. 243), with a successful
  Stamina + Resistance roll, difficulty 2, required to resist.
  The victim loses only 1 mote if she successfully resists. The
  interval is one turn. This is the only defense the masks
  have against creatures that mean them harm.
  As they grow in size, coral masks grow weary of
  existing underwater and realize that they actually need a
  larger, physical body to fulfill their growing passion for
  creating chaos. Once a mask decides to find a host, it plays
  dead (this ruse can be discovered by succeeding on a
  Perception + Awareness roll, difficulty 3, since small
  animals still won’t approach the area where the coral mask
  is) and allows a collector to pick it up and reform it into a
  wearable deathmask. For this reason, coral masks sold in
  the city of Stygia must be sold with a certificate stating they
  were harvested from live, free-swimming specimens, and
  sellers must try them on before a sale.
  Once someone — except for Exalted and spirit
  beings with an Essence rating higher than •••, since
  they possesses far too much strength for a coral mask to
  overcome — wears the mask, the creature begins to
  expand and grow around the head and body of the victim
  until it has trapped the wearer and assumed control over
  her. Victims cannot be larger than an adult ghost and no
  smaller than a ghostly child.
  When a coral mask attempts to assume control over
  its victims, the mask must succeed with an attack that
  inflicts at least one health level of damage. Once it has
  established itself as a parasite on the host, the victim and
  the mask engage in opposed Strength feats (masks gain a
  cumulative automatic success for each turn they remain on
  their hosts). If the wearer fails to remove the mask within
  five turns and her player fails a Willpower roll (difficulty
  4), she becomes a slave to the mask’s will. Interestingly,
  the plasmic’s connection to the host’s mind allows it to
  think rationally as if it had a human Intelligence rating of
  •••. Nonetheless, even coral masks possessing the most
  mannerly of individuals cannot suppress their primal urges,
  and they are ever driven to create chaos among the
  Underworld’s citizens.
  It is only possible to remove an attached mask by
  striking it or burning it for at least 14L damage. If struck
  while the victim wears it, the wearer also suffers the
  same effect.
  EBON WHALE
  The shimmering ebon whales traffic the waters be-
  tween the South and the Isle of Shadows. Driven by a
  hunger to consume, ebon whales are omnivores, eating
  ghosts, living flesh, fish and even other plasmics.
  Sailors rightly fear the whales’ attacks, since one blow
  with their tails can sink a large ship, leaving those onboard
  to fend against the hostile creatures of the Sea of Shadows,
  most significantly the giant, ghost-eating whale itself. Yet,
  many ghosts travel the Sea in hopes of bringing back the
  skeletal remains of an ebon whale. The bones are ex-
  tremely useful in many necromantic constructions or
  simply as raw materials for ebony trappings.
  EOI
  The Western Underworld is the natural habitat for
  numerous races of birds that lack the ability to fly. Once
  such creature is the deformed eoi — half seagull and half
  crab. Eoi live in cavities under the sand all over the
  Western isles. They sleep during the day and search for
  seafood after nightfall.
  Due to their tough shells, batches of eoi will fetch a
  high price from artificers with expertise in armor manufac-
  turing (Resources •••). Armor made of eoi has the
  statistics: +5L/+7B, mobility penalty 1 and fatigue 0 (and
  hardness 2, if using Exalted Power Combat). Such armor
  normally costs Resources •••• but can be found cheaper
  where the creatures are common.
  ULDRA
  Uldra are land-based creatures appearing as human-
  oid sharks with extremely dry skin and eight tentacles
  sprouting from their shoulders. Unlike the sharks that
  plague Creation’s waters, the uldra do not consume that
  which they kill. They merely thrive on the act of slaying
  another creature, even others of their kind. Upon encoun-
  tering one another, the creatures engage in fierce combat
  until one of them is dead.
  Witnessing these events is often exciting, since it
  involves not only direct combat between the two. There is
  also tracking and canny strategies involved since the uldra
  possess chameleon-like abilities (reflected by their high
  Stealth score). While it is possible to find them on any isle,
  the uldra refrain from constructing nests close to inhabited
  areas. If they did otherwise, they would lose the excite-
  ment of the hunt.
  SALTWALKER
  Saltwalkers have been around the West since long
  before the Contagion. Water from the Sea of Shadows
  surrounds their lizard-shaped bone structure as flesh does
  around a living creature’s bones, providing them with an
  excellent defense against weapons (they only inflict half of
  the rolled damage on an attack). Their small size, about the
  
  155
  CHAPTER SIX • CREATURES OF THE UNDERWORLD
  same height and length as a normal cat, has caused many
  ghost children to attempt to keep them as pets, something
  that has always been in vain since their liquid form adapts
  to any bars or chains holding them. They are cute but
  potentially aggressive pests.
  LESSER PLASMICS
  Clam Turtle: These large, four-legged, clamlike crea-
  tures wander slowly across the shores of the Underworld’s
  Western isles, constantly looking for something to eat —
  generally, they leave their shells open, and various shore-
  line scavengers swoop in to feed on the rotting flesh
  within. Once a target enters or reaches into the clam
  turtle’s mouth, it slams shut, and the creature begins to
  drain the victim of its Essence at a rate of 2 motes per turn.
  When a creature reaches 0 Essence, it loses health levels
  and, after losing its last, falls into either Lethe or Oblivion.
  If attacked from the inside, the clam turtles may only soak
  with half its normal rating but the victim is at a four-die
  penalty due to cramped quarters.
  Essence Maelstrom: Essence maelstroms are white and
  gray storms, no larger a full-grown man, which attack any-
  thing that moves. Once one engages a victim, the creature
  moves to tear Essence out of him with bolts of black lightning.
  Essence maelstroms store the drained power within
  themselves, and as soon as the combat ends, they with-
  draw, leaving a trail of black threads made out of Underworld
  Essence. When rolling for damage, the victim loses motes
  instead of health levels until he has no motes left to lose.
  The victim then loses health levels as normal.
  Shore Eel: Shore eels have the ability to send electri-
  fying bolts of pure Underworld Essence out to a radius of five
  yards. As a result, while they are relatively docile creatures,
  those who know of their existence always keep an eye out for
  these scaly, gray eels close to land. It is easy to detect the eels’
  presence due to the lack of creatures and smaller animals in
  the vicinity of a shore. Detecting them in the water requires
  a successful Perception + Awareness roll, difficulty 2.
  NORTHERN PLASMICS
  The following plasmics make their home in the North-
  ern Underworld.
  CANNIBALIZED
  Most mysterious of all plasmics are the cannibal-
  ized, so named after ghosts having identified a few of the
  creatures as sharing the appearance of loved ones sacri-
  ficed by the Varajtul tribe (see Exalted: The Lunars,
  pp. 48-49). What’s startling about them is not only that
  they remind ghosts of dead family members, but also
  that they’ve retained some of the light found in Cre-
  ation and locked it inside themselves and then reflect it
  once their bodies are hit by the tiny amount of light
  available in the Underworld.
  Their bodies appear as beautiful and shimmering, yet
  horrifying, sculptures of ice that continuously warp into new
  sharp angles with each move. The random change in form
  provides them with the option to perform an attack and a
  parry action each turn without suffering dice-pool penalties.
  Plasmic
  Physical Att.
  Will
  Health             Attack
  Dodge/
  Abilities
   Str/Dex/Sta
  Levels         Spd/Acc/Dmg
    Soak
  Algal Dragon
  8/6/7
  4
  -0x3/-1x2/
  Bite: 9/9/8L
  8/3L/7B
  Athletics 3 (Swim +2),
  -2/-4/I
  Awareness 1, Brawl 3,
  Dodge 2, Presence 4
  Clam Turtle
  2/2/7
  1
  -0x3/-1x2/I Bite: 5/4/2L
  3/5L/7B
  Brawl 2, Dodge 1
  + special*
  Ebon Whale
  15/6/23
  4
  -0x10/-1x7/ Bite: 9/10/15L,
  6/11L/23B Athletics 4 (Swim +2),
  -2x4/-4/I
  Fluke Slap: 9/10/20L
  Brawl 4, Endurance 5
  Eoi
  2/1/2
  1
  -0x2/-2/I
  Claw: 4/3/2L
  1/1L/2B
  Brawl 2, Stealth 2
  Essence Maelstrom 5/7/5
  4
  -0x4/-1x2/
  Bolt: 10/11/
  7/2L/5B
  Archery 4,
  -2/-4/I
  special*
  Awareness 4
  Saltwalker
  1/3/2
  3
  -0x5/I
  Bite: 6/6/1L
  7/1L/2B
  Awareness 3, Brawl 3,
  Dodge 4
  Shore Eel
  1/5/1
  1
  -1x2/-2x2/I Shock: 8/10/1A
  9/0L/1B
  Archery 5, Dodge 4
  Uldra
  5/4/4
  3
  -0x2/-1x2/
  Bite: 7/7/8L
  8/2L/4B
  Awareness 5, Brawl 3,
  -2/-4/I
  Dodge 4, Endurance 5,
  Resistance 5, Stealth 4
  (Ambush +2),
  Survival 3
  * Further information exists in the creature’s write-up.
  All creatures have Intelligence •, Perception •• and Wits •••, unless the description says otherwise.
  
  EXALTED • BOOK OF BONE AND EBONY
  156
  ENTROPIC FOG
  Entropic fogs are
  plasmics that each consist of
  only a densely packed, gray-gold cloud with a decayed,
  humanoid fetus located deep inside its core. Each fog cloud
  covers a 30-yard radius while reaching almost 45 yards into
  the air, making it virtually impossible to locate the core of
  an entropic fog.
  Despite their tenuous nature, entropic fogs can be
  attacked with mortal weapons, as there is no dematerial-
  ization in the Underworld. The fact that there is little to
  strike is reflected in the creature’s relatively high soak.
  Although the fog has no solid form, it can attack,
  using Willpower as its offensive and defensive Trait
  (the fog dodges, rather than parrying). Players of
  those trapped inside an entropic fog must succeed
  with a Valor roll for their characters to avoid total
  panic (three-die penalty on all rolls during the rest of
  the scene). If characters have Temperance •••• or
  higher, the Valor roll is not necessary. Any lost
  health levels do not cause victims to bleed. Instead,
  their muscles wither, giving the wounded a mummified
  appearance. For every four health levels of damage that
  the fog inflicts, permanently reduce the victims’ Stamina or
  Strength (player’s decision) by one dot.
  FERAL
  Ferals are menaces to the barbarian tribes due to their
  feeding habits. Unlike other creatures, which feed on their
  victims, ferals leave their kills behind and devour the frost-
  coated forests of their habitat in the Northeast. Their
  insatiable hunger for bark and tree branches cause the
  tribes of the dead many problems since many barbarians
  keep their burial grounds hidden in vegetated areas. Still,
  despite their herbivorous feeding habits, ferals are ex-
  tremely violent creatures and engage anyone they perceive
  as a threat to their existence.
  Ghosts from outside the North often mistake ferals for
  carnivores since a feral looks like a cross between a decayed
  and moth-eaten snow lion (see Creatures of the Wyld, p.
  19) and a reindeer. Using their sharp teeth and long necks,
  ferals have the ability to feed on branches as far as 30 feet
  off the ground. These creatures can also make hand-to-
  hand attacks as far as 20 feet away without exposing
  themselves to retribution, making lightning-quick jabs
  with their long necks.
  GLIMMER APPARITION
  Glimmer apparitions exist only to act as bait to lure
  victims into a large nest of lethal plasmics (a nest of ferals,
  for example). However, many recognize the apparitions
  for what they truly are since stories of them spread across
  the tundra like wildfires in Creation. Indeed, since glim-
  mer apparitions shine in a dimmed color spectrum that
  
  157
  CHAPTER SIX • CREATURES OF THE UNDERWORLD
  mimics the northern lights seen in Creation, almost every-
  one recognizes them on sight.
  These creatures are drawn to grave goods and items
  made of the Five Magical Materials and attempt to steal
  them. By engulfing its target, a glimmer apparition fo-
  cuses its will to grasp the loot with a physical hand
  created out of its compact light. Should the item be in the
  hands of — or worn by — someone at the time that the
  creature attempts to steal it, the two engage in an op-
  posed Strength check (where the apparition uses
  Willpower as its offensive Attribute). Glimmer appari-
  tions are unable to carry items that have a higher weight
  than their Strength + Athletics permits, unless two or
  more of them cooperate.
  In combat, note that, although glimmer apparitions
  are made out of light, it’s possible to harm them with
  mortal weapons in the Underworld or in a shadowland at
  night. Also, some barbarian shamans have discovered that
  it is possible to imprison the creatures by locking them up
  in special containers made out of wind howler bones. Such
  cages cost Resources ••• or can be made if one has access
  to wind howler bones and commits 20 hours of effort to the
  project. This requires Occult ••• and a successful Dexter-
  ity + Craft (Carving) roll at difficulty 3. These cages are
  mainly used by ghostly shamans.
  LIVING TUNDRA
  Not all creatures exist in a single place or are even
  capable of movement; living tundra is one such being.
  Living tundra are magically occurring phenomena in areas
  where agents of Oblivion use their dark powers in abun-
  dance (e.g., in prolonged combat or in long rituals). Shortly
  after the Death-aspected Essence flows have calmed down,
  the residue awakens the tundra and transcends it into a
  creature capable of devouring those who stand on top of it.
  Living tundra has an extremely high soak rating, but
  it’s contrasted by the fact that it’s unable to inflict any
  damage on its enemies unless they’re located on top of it.
  Spotting living tundra before it makes its presence known
  requires Survival ••••. The difficulty of the Perception +
  Survival roll is 3. All living tundra varies in size, but always
  range between 5 and 20 square yards.
  When the living tundra opens its maw, avoiding it
  requires a successful Dexterity + Athletics roll, difficulty
  2 (+1 difficulty per five square yards in size). Failure
  means that a victim clings to the edge of the hole. Unless
  she manages to find the strength to climb up from the
  edge (Strength + Athletics, difficulty 3), she plunges into
  the creature at the beginning of the next turn. A botch
  on the roll indicates that she immediately falls into the
  tundra and faces complete destruction, just like anyone
  who falls into the creature. Entombed characters may
  fight their way out before they suffocate. Players of
  entombed characters roll at a three-die penalty due to
  friction on their arms. Treat the tundra as a stone wall
  (see Exalted, p. 239) for the purposes of absorbing attacks
  directed at freeing the trapped character. See page 243 of
  Exalted for rules on suffocation and holding one’s breath.
  SHATTER
  Despite all their might, even the Exalted fear shatters
  and their ability to insert mental blocks in their victims.
  These half-formed arachnids, with weak and damaged
  bones, tattered bodies and without the ability to spin webs,
  are of the same size as bear cubs. While there are two types
  of shatters — shatters and queen shatters — the only way
  they visibly differ is in size.
  A queen is three times as large and inflicts aggravated
  damage when she strikes with her razor sharp legs. Only
  one queen exists in a shatter nest, which consists of at least
  100 of these creatures. Also, unlike her minions, she has
  retained the ability to spin webs, which the nest uses for
  protection against intruders (use the same rules as being
  trapped by normal shatters).
  Once shatters engage their opponent, they attack
  with the sharp edges on their legs while trapping the victim
  in a pool of unformed webbing that either leaks out of their
  belly or that they spit (often used in combat). Players of
  those trapped in the webbing must succeed in a reflexive
  Strength + Athletics roll, difficulty 4, or a Dexterity +
  Larceny roll, difficulty 3, in order to avoid their characters
  being immobilized for the next two turns before being
  allowed to try and break loose again. If shatters choose to
  spit their webbing, it has the appearance of a small, gray
  ball that cannot be parried, only dodged (note that the spit
  has a rate of 2). Weapons covered in it are immediately
  stuck to the hands that wield them and cannot be moved
  with the same grace as they normally could (subtract one
  success from all attack rolls).
  Should the shatters manage to inject their poison, the
  effect does not occur until after a number of turns equal to
  the victim’s permanent Essence rating. Use the poison
  rules on page 243 of Exalted. The difficulty of the Stamina
  + Resistance roll to resist the poison is 3. If the roll is failed,
  the victim’s Mental Attributes drop to • until cured
  through magic or through a slow process of healing and
  rehabilitation (that is, spending experience). On a suc-
  cess, the poison imposes a one-die penalty to all mental
  actions for one hour.
  Cures for their poison come in three known ways:
  through suicide (despite the risk of ending up in Oblivion),
  which is the most common; through the use of Charms or
  sorcery; and by drinking a brew made from the bones of a
  shatter queen (requires Alchemy •• to create).
  Shatters exist all over the North, with nests in
  caverns and holes in the tundra, and they often nest close
  to living tundra.
  
  EXALTED • BOOK OF BONE AND EBONY
  158
  WIND HOWLER
  The black mountains around Tzatli are home to wind
  howlers, plasmics that appear as gigantic, decayed, three-
  headed falcons.
  Wind howlers engage their victim in pairs, approach-
  ing the target from different directions. Their attack is not
  physical, but works through a muted scream that affects all
  who can hear it. Resisting requires an extended Willpower
  roll, difficulty 15, that is rolled on the turn the character
  first hears the shriek and for five turns thereafter. Failing
  this roll permanently imposes one derangement from the
  list on page 281 of Exalted (player’s choice). A failed
  Willpower roll during the six turns indicates that the
  following checks are at +1 difficulty (these penalties are
  cumulative). If a character is exposed to the howl again
  and again, reset the turn counter and the number of
  accumulated successes each time the character is exposed
  to the sound.
  YGDRA
  These ash-tree creatures springs to life in the Northeast
  and are famous for trapping prey in their branches and then
  crushing their victims before devouring the corpses’ Es-
  sence. By successfully performing a clinch attack (see Exalted,
  p. 239), the trees ensnare prey in their branches. Each turn,
  the trapped may attempt to escape. This action is reflexive
  and does not impose any penalties other dice rolls, but all
  non-Charm-based dodge and parry attempts fail. Ygdras
  may make up to three crushing attacks each turn, but they
  suffer normal dice-pool penalties. They may choose to not
  perform crushing attacks during two turns and make an
  attempt to drain Essence on the third. Each success on the
  attack roll drains 3 motes from the trapped being.
  LESSER PLASMICS
  Frostbite: The frostbites are no larger than a grown
  human’s fingers and almost impossible to discover in the
  snow (difficulty 5) before it is too late. Once a frostbite
  swirls in the wind and attaches to a victim’s skin, its
  purpose for existing is fulfilled, and it melts. Being touched
  by a swarm of frostbites freezes the joints of both the living
  and ghosts. When struck by a frostbite, the target’s player
  must succeed on a Stamina + Resistance roll, difficulty 1,
  in order to avoid a one-die penalty on all actions until she
  has recuperated by a fire for three hours. If hurt by a
  weapon, a frostbite perishes, since the creatures have no
  soak or health levels.
  Shadow Bear: Although these plasmics have the
  appearance of bear shadows, they lack exact and rigid
  features as the shadows shift with each step they take. They
  possess no special magical abilities, but they are driven to
  locate living people that have strayed into the Northern
  shadowlands to feast on their warm blood, since even the
  amount found in a human child provides a shadow bear
  with two additional -0 health levels for three days, while a
  grown human provides twice that number of health levels
  for a week.
  Yeti-Spawn: The yeti-spawn gained their name due
  to their torso and head’s similarity to those of the yetis of
  Creation. Their lower bodies have practically nothing left
  except for bent and broken bones. Their upper half also
  shows signs of decay, and underneath the matted gray fur,
  there is only rotten meat. Also, these creatures have only
  empty sockets where their eyes once were.
  When engaged in combat, the yeti-spawn prove to be
  excellent blind-fighters, suffering no dice pool penalties
  due to their lack of vision.
  STYGIAN PLASMICS
  The following plasmics have the Isle of Stygia as their
  natural habitat.
  ALAUN
  Before the Dragon Kings came to be, when the gods
  were mere infants in the Primordial psyche, the ancients
  were served by birdlike humanoids. Their arms were cov-
  ered in feathers, while their long necks would make it
  possible for them to stretch thousands of feet in the air so
  that they could listen more closely to their masters. Instead
  of mouths, they had beaks like that of any bird, but their
  winglike arms could not sustain flight. They were bound to
  the ground, and the Primordials remade them by giving
  them hands and fingers. In life, they served without the
  ability to question. In death, they are alone and confused.
  After the Primordial War and the Underworld’s for-
  mation, the alaun ended up on the southwestern coast of
  the Isle of Stygia — the place where they were first
  conceived. Always controlled by their masters, the alaun
  had little intelligence and wits to rely on, but they knew
  how to serve and how to construct simple things such as
  houses and tools.
  At first the alaun lived in peace, but when the ghosts
  of those who slew their creators (and themselves) began to
  appear in the Underworld, the creatures were lost to
  madness and despair. Today, they have barricaded them-
  selves inside a great stone fortress hidden among the
  southern mountains close to where one would find Lord’s
  Crossing in Creation. They intend to defend themselves
  from anyone attempting to get close to their home, for they
  will not perish once again. They will fight to destroy
  anyone who threatens them or their now-dead masters.
  Underworld alaun have retained the appearance that
  they had in Creation with the exception that their long
  necks have lost their muscles and are now dried and full of
  broken tissue, merely looking like ostrich or crane necks,
  and cannot stretch thousands of feet. The arms are covered
  in black feathers, contrasted by the alaun’s long, twisted pale
  fingers. Their legs are extremely thin and easily broken, but
  
  159
  CHAPTER SIX • CREATURES OF THE UNDERWORLD
  their many joints make them extremely dexterous warriors,
  and they typically fight with swords and warhammers.
  COBBLER
  Cobblers stalk the entire Island of Stygia and pose a
  serious threat to those who travel there. Although human-
  oid in appearance, a cobbler’s head is pierced with large,
  glimmering, black nails that have torn open both flesh and
  skull before healing into the body as part of it. Its decayed
  torso is, in part, ripped open, and the maggots that live
  inside them have closed the wounds by spinning a protec-
  tive layer of silk over the hole. A cobbler’s legs are bent and
  twisted backward but it remains standing by means of two
  large nails that extends through its kneecaps and act as
  secondary props for its twisted limbs. Due to this, these
  plasmics move extremely slowly, but when they hit their
  opponents with their hands and arms, which are also
  pierced by razor-sharp nails, they inflict lethal damage.
  MALFIC STALKER
  Awakened in Malfeas and unleashed on the Isle of
  Stygia, the malfic stalkers are of humanoid size but lack a
  human’s facial structure, arms and legs. They shimmer
  with a pale red-and-black light as they move across the
  landscape on their five insectlike legs. The stalkers’ faces
  are malformed, with the lower jaw elongated beneath their
  neck and dragged to both left and right, making it appear
  flat. The area around their hollow eye sockets is dark blue
  and extremely wrinkled, while the hair one would expect
  to cover their pointy heads grows instead on their shoul-
  ders. Rather than arms, they wield gigantic claws similar to
  those of crabs, which they use to crack the skulls of their
  opponents. Malfic stalkers often attack explorers traveling
  through the more remote portions of the Isle of Stygia.
  PORTEE DOG
  Only ghosts of the Dynasty know of the Portee dogs
  (see Exalted: The Dragon-Blooded, p. 44) and desire to
  own one even in death. This desire is reflected in the
  Underworld by the emergence of these strange plasmics.
  Instead of being household dogs, they have grown to the
  size of bears with no one there to train them, and their
  bodies consist only of old silken threads bound together to
  form the appearance of canines. The Portee dogs roam the
  landscape around the kennel of Whitecloud and often
  shelter in caverns when they manage to find any. While
  they are brave creatures, they are completely feral and do
  not seem tamable.
  Plasmic
  Physical Att.
  Will
  Health             Attack
  Dodge/
  Abilities
   Str/Dex/Sta
  Levels         Spd/Acc/Dmg
    Soak
  Cannibalized
  8/6/7
  4
  -0x3/-1x2/
  Bite: 9/8/8L,
  9/3L/7B
  Awareness 2, Brawl 2,
  x2x2/-4/I
  Claw: 9/8/8L,
  Dodge 3, Melee 5
  Ice Sword: 9/12/10L
  Entropic Fog
  0/4/0
  6
  -0/-1/-2/I
  Envelop: 9/6/
  6/6L/6B
  Athletics 3 (Flight +1),
  special*
  Dodge 2
  Feral
  10/5/5
  3
  -0x2/-1x2/
  Bite: 8/7/12L
  7/7L/9B
  Awareness 3, Brawl 2,
  -2/-4x2/I
  Dodge 2, Survival 4
  Glimmer Apparition 0/7/0
  5
  -0x5/I
  Special*
  12/5L/5B
  Brawl 3, Dodge 4
  Living Tundra
  0/0/25
  8
  -0x10/-1x5/ Special*
  0/20L/33B –
  -2x5/-4x2/I
  Shadow Bear
  5/2/5
  3
  -0/-1x2/
  Bite: 5/5/5L,
  4/5L/7B
  Awareness 3, Dodge 2,
  -2x2/-4/I
  Claw: 5/5/5L
  Brawl 3, Presence 2
  (Intimidation +2)
  Shatter
  3/3/3
  4
  -0/-1/-2x2/ Bite: 6/5/3L
  6/1L/3B
  Archery 2,
  -4/I
  + poison*,
  Awareness 2, Brawl 2,
  Spit: 6/5/special*
  Dodge 3
  Wind Howler
  3/4/3
  3
  -1/-2/I
  Scream:
  6/1L/3B
  Archery 5, Dodge 2
  7/9/10B + special*
  Yeti-Spawn
  4/4/5
  3
  -0x2/-1x2/
  Bite: 7/7/9L,
  7/3L/5B
  Awareness 3, Dodge 2,
  -2x2/-4/I
  Claw: 7/7/7L
  Brawl 3, Presence 2
  (Intimidation +2)
  Ygdra
  8/3/10
  2
  -0x5/-1x3/
  Clinch: 6/8/10B
  3/5L/10B
  Brawl 5, Endurance 5,
  -2-/-4/I
  Resistance 5
  * Further information exists in the creature’s write-up.
  All creatures have Intelligence •, Perception •• and Wits •••, unless the description says otherwise.
  
  EXALTED • BOOK OF BONE AND EBONY
  160
  ROCK BIRD
  These creatures nest in mountains close to Stygia
  itself. They rarely leave their domains unless they must go
  down to inhabited areas to find food for their young. Rock
  birds come in different shapes and sizes, but they always
  appear in the form of predatory birds such as hawks and
  vultures. They are extremely resilient due to their stone
  bodies, but their natural weapons are weak compared to
  those of normal ghost birds.
  WALKER OF THE MIDNIGHT SUN
  In their hatred of the children of the Unconquered
  Sun, the Malfeans stirred in their sleep, dreaming of the
  walkers of the midnight sun, plasmics that embodied the
  opposite of the Unconquered Sun’s virtues of warmth and
  righteous justice. Then, as the dreams faded, these plasmics
  awoke with a hunger for injustice and chaos.
  Walkers of the midnight sun are humanoids who dress
  in white robes and carry darkened symbols of the sun in
  chains around their necks. Each one’s head is covered in a
  dark cloth with a tattered symbol of the Solars’ Dawn
  Caste. They view themselves as the righteous champions
  of the Malfeans and will do anything to set them free, even
  if it means destroying the entire Underworld in the pro-
  cess. They also attack anything that goes against their
  beliefs, including Solars.
  In combat, the walkers of the midnight sun wield any
  weaponry that can be held by a being of human size, even
  those fit only for Exalts (although the walkers cannot
  attune to the Five Magical Materials).
  LESSER PLASMICS
  Crystal Mouse: Crystal mice are common on the Isle
  of Stygia, in areas rich in gem or crystal deposits. Intense
  blue-colored eyes contrast with the mice’s pale crystal
  bodies. Whenever they can, crystal mice steal minor
  crystal shards and gems to keep in their nests as objects of
  beauty. While they have no appreciation for beauty as
  those with a soul, they feel a certain camaraderie with the
  Plasmic
  Physical Att.
  Will
  Health             Attack
  Dodge/
  Abilities
   Str/Dex/Sta
  Levels         Spd/Acc/Dmg
    Soak
  Alaun
  2/5/2
  6
  -0x3/-1x2/
  Slashing Sword:
  7/1L/2B
  Awareness 3,
  -2/I
  11/10/4L,
  Craft (Masonry) 2,
  Warhammer: 5/10/6L
  Dodge 2, Melee 4,
  Presence 1
  Cobbler
  2/2/2
  4
  -0x2/-2x3/
  Nail Punch: 2/6/7L
  4/1L/2B
  Awareness 1, Brawl 3,
  -4x2/1
  Dodge 2, Presence 1
  Crystal Mouse
  1/3/1
  1
  -0/-2/I
  Bite: 6/3/1L
  6/0L/1B
  Awareness 2, Dodge 3,
  Survival 3
  Malfic Stalker
  4/4/5
  2
  -1x6/-2x2/
  Claws: 7/8/9L
  8/2L/5B
  Awareness 2, Brawl 4,
  -4/I
  Dodge 4, Presence 4
  (Intimidation +1)
  Portee Dog
  7/3/5
  3
  -0/-1x2/
  Bite: 6/5/7L
  4/2L/5B
  Athletics 1, Awareness 1,
  -2x2/-4/I
  Brawl 2, Dodge 1,
  Presence 2
  (Intimidation +1),
  Survival 3
  Rock Bird
  4/2/5
  2
  -0x3/-1x2/
  Bite: 5/4/4L,
  6/3L/6B
  Athletics 2 (Flight +2),
  -4/I
  Talon: 5/4/4L
  Brawl 2, Dodge 4,
  Survival 2
  Seabull
  5/2/5
  2
  -0/-1x5/
  Gore: 5/7/8L
  5/2L/5B
  Athletics 3 (Swim +1),
  -2x3/I
  Brawl 4, Dodge 3
  Thorn Hawk
  2/4/1
  1
  -0/-1/-2/I
  Talon: 7/6/2L
  7/0L/1B
  Athletics 1 (Flight 1),
  Brawl 2, Dodge 3
  Walker of the Midnight Sun
  3/4/4
  8
  -0/-1x2/
  Punch: 7/6/3L
  6/2L/4B
  Awareness 2, Brawl 2,
  -2x2/-4/I
  (or by weapon type)
  Dodge 2, Melee 2,
  Presence 2
  (Intimidation +2)
  * Further information exists in the creature’s write-up.
  All creatures have Intelligence •, Perception •• and Wits •••, unless the description says otherwise.
  
  161
  CHAPTER SIX • CREATURES OF THE UNDERWORLD
  inanimate objects. Sometimes, the mice secretly travel
  from one place to another by hiding in travelers’ baggage
  or in caravans.
  Seabull: These violent creatures roam the waters west
  of the Isle of Stygia. They appear to be bulls covered in
  rotten skin and maggots. However, the creatures lack the
  legs that their land-based relative possesses. Instead, they
  have six tentacles that they use to swim. Due to the
  tentacles’ weakness, it is impossible for the seabulls to use
  them in combat, leaving them to rely on their sharp horns
  and powerful bites instead.
  Thorn Hawk: These creatures emerged from the
  Labyrinth centuries ago and have now settled in the
  Stygian forests. Although they possess the form of hawks,
  these creatures do little hunting except to relieve tension.
  Their bodies are covered in short and rotten feathers,
  while their wings lost any cover to their bones long ago. A
  thorn hawk’s entire body is covered in thorns that con-
  stantly torment it and keeps it eternally enraged. As a
  result, thorn hawks never remain still in one place when
  guarding an area, but often circle the entire domain in
  hope of finding prey on which to vent their frustration.
  LABYRINTHINE PLASMICS
  The natural habitat of the following plasmics is the
  Labyrinth.
  CONTAGION PARASITE
  When the Deathlords unleashed the Contagion upon
  the Creation, their sorcery was so powerful that a byproduct
  carrying minor traces of the plague awakened as a creature.
  Contagion parasites appear only as a dark-green layer of
  silk that grows inside the colder domains of the Labyrinth.
  These plasmics wait for individual ghosts who died
  from the Contagion in order to join with them to spread
  the chaos the Deathlords want. Once a Contagion ghost
  enters the Labyrinthine area where a parasite grows, it
  drags the victim to the ground (using the clinch rules from
  Exalted, pp. 239-240), after which it begins to enter the
  body through its skin and orifices. If it is successful in its
  endeavor, the ghost perishes and reforms as Contagion
  creature (the exact name depends on what type of indi-
  vidual the parasite took over). Although most infected
  ghosts have the ability to leave the Labyrinth, the majority
  of them remain inside the dark tunnels out of familiarity.
  The parasites continuously feed on their hosts Es-
  sence. Though they strongly prefer victims of the Great
  Contagion, they will attach themselves to other beings if
  they are hungry. This is a gamble for a Contagion parasite,
  as if the target is not slain by its Essence drain, the parasite
  will attempt to join with him, fail and die.
  If the parasite manages to clinch its victim, it may
  make an additional attack (using the regular combat
  procedures, although the victim loses four dice from his
  dodge pool) the same turn without suffering penalties. The
  second attack is to see if the creature manages to break the
  skin or otherwise enter the ghost’s body (which it does if
  it inflicts at least one health level of damage). It may make
  a single attempt to enter the victim each subsequent turn.
  Once inside the victim, the player of the Contagion ghost
  or animal makes a Willpower roll, difficulty 2, during each
  turn that the parasite clinches him or it. If the roll fails, the
  ghost or animal forced to acquiesce to the parasite’s pres-
  ence. If it succeeds, the target may continue to attack the
  parasite but will take the same amount of damage it inflicts
  on the plasmic. Once the Willpower roll is failed, it takes
  a successful Intelligence + Medicine roll, difficulty 5, to
  successfully cure the host, and the character will attempt
  to evade or avoid treatment.
  Contagion parasites drain 4 motes each day without
  having to make a dice roll. These motes can easily be
  recovered if the victim carries a Hearthstone or spends
  time in a Manse, but targets of the creature can never
  regain Essence from respiration or health levels from
  Slumber due to the wracking pain they experience. Over
  the course of (the target’s Essence + 28) days, the victim
  becomes a Contagion creature if it has not perished from
  Essence drain by then.
  FERRYMAN
  The ferrymen are guardians of the Labyrinth. They
  traffic the waters that exists in numerous places inside the
  tunnels and ensure that none pass beyond their assigned
  areas. They have no discernable appearance except for
  their hooded black robes and the shadowy clawlike hands
  that steers their barges’ oars. Although numerous legends
  about horrifying practices of slaying ghosts and stealing
  their memories surround them, the ferrymen seem to exist
  to protect the Labyrinth from powerful enemies, even the
  Deathlords themselves.
  Should a ferryman be attacked, it can manifest a
  weapon, most commonly a scythe, in the same way that
  Abyssals can summon their weaponry from Elsewhere
  (this is a reflexive action). This power was granted to the
  ferrymen at their creation by ancient creatures close to the
  Void itself.
  In combat, a ferryman wields its scythe with super-
  natural speed and skill; moving too quickly to be caught by
  the eye without the use of Charms, Arcanoi or spells that
  enhance perception. Everyone who is unable to follow the
  ferryman’s movements suffers a two-die penalty when
  attempting to parry the scythe.
  Storytellers should note that ferrymen have Essence 3
  (and that this value is not included in any of their scores)
  and may spend 10 motes to change the damage they inflict
  from lethal to aggravated. Their Essence pool is 30 when
  combat begins. If a ferryman succeeds in slaying another
  being with its scythe, the weapon absorbs any motes that
  
  EXALTED • BOOK OF BONE AND EBONY
  162
  the opponent had left and transfers them to the ferryman,
  regardless of whether or not this increases its temporary
  Essence beyond 30. Extra Essence is discharged at the end
  of the scene.
  KRAKEN
  None except the most ancient of ghosts retain any
  knowledge of what the Kraken really looked like, and even
  their memories have faded into a mixture of truth and
  fiction. That is how long it has been since a ship survived
  an attack by this beast. What is common to all stories is
  that the Kraken possesses hundreds of tentacles that it uses
  in combat and that, at the center of the beast, although
  always under the surface, there is a menacing looking eye
  constantly watching and gazing into one’s soul.
  OBSIDIAN OWL
  During the height of the bloody Dragon-Blooded
  uprising, the Twilight Caste sorcerer Huan-Li fled to the
  Underworld with his most prized possessions — the obsid-
  ian owls. The owls’ purpose was to track and weaken
  enemies before Huan-Li made his mighty presence known,
  but the creatures failed, and a small band of Terrestrials
  managed to track him down and destroy him at the cost of
  their lives. During the extremely violent combat, which
  lasted for over a day, most of the owls were destroyed,
  leaving only about a dozen left in the Solar’s hidden
  necropolis.
  When spectres took control of the small necropolis
  about a century ago, they brought the owls into the
  Labyrinth where Oblivion tainted their pure form and
  gave them a darkish and broken appearance. Today, the
  obsidian owls protect the spectres domain with an unre-
  lenting fury and occasionally even attack their masters by
  mistake.
  STILLBORN
  Although the stillborn are not the most horrifying
  thing one may see in the Labyrinth, they are visually one
  of the most disturbing plasmics. Indeed, they look like
  pregnant women with their bellies torn open and their
  fetuses moving their heads around inside, staring at any-
  one who crosses their path.
  Out to a radius of four yards, a stillborn’s presence
  invokes a sense of fear and illness in all whose players fail
  a Valor roll, where the difficulty is equal to the Compas-
  sion rating of the character. The stillborn’s other attack
  stems from the fetus, as its gaze drains victims of their
  will. Instead of dodging this attack, players of its victims
  must roll Willpower + Essence for their characters to
  resist the creature’s horrifying gaze. The difficulty of this
  roll is 3, and should it fail, the fetus’ victims reduce their
  permanent Willpower by one dot. Exalted and other
  supernatural beings regain their lost Willpower at the
  rate of one dot per month.
  
  163
  CHAPTER SIX • CREATURES OF THE UNDERWORLD
  When engaging in physical attacks, the stillborn are
  extremely talented users of the martial arts and inflict
  lethal damage with both hands and feet. During combat,
  once per turn, the fetus can extend from a stillborn’s body
  and inflict aggravated damage on an opponent by open-
  ing a maw that is so tiny it is only visible due to the
  glimmering of the sharp set of teeth within. The fetus
  drain and bite are additional attack that the stillborn may
  perform for free, and it imposes no dice-pool penalties on
  martial-art attacks.
  When the fetus extends from the body, it’s connected
  to the stillborn through a rotten umbilical cord. Should
  this be severed (any successful attack aimed at it that does
  damage will sever the cord, but it must be taken on the
  initiative tick when the fetus is extended), the shock the
  stillborn experiences paralyzes it for three turns. Naturally,
  all the powers that the fetus made use of are forever lost to
  the stillborn in question.
  VENGEFUL EXILE
  Vengeful exiles are ghosts that have lost the capacity
  to feel and think for themselves. The exiles roam the
  Labyrinth in search of both the living and the dead to slay,
  and they are especially hostile to Exalts. Vengeful exiles
  have a humanoid appearance — in fact, the very same they
  had when they were normal ghosts. However, their bodies
  radiate the chilling cold of Oblivion, and none can behold
  them without knowing they are servants of the Final End.
  Their aura affects animals in the same way as Dawn Caste
  animas affect mortal opponents.
  Whenever one of the vengeful exiles comes within
  five yards of an Exalt (with the exception of Sidereals and
  Infernals), its hatred reaches out as a animated anima and
  attacks the higher soul of the being. Unless the victim’s
  player succeeds on a Temperance roll, the Exalt’s temper
  flares, causing the hero to go berserk for a number of turns
  equal to the number of successes the vengeful exile re-
  ceived on the attack roll. The Exalt’s player must make a
  successful Willpower roll, or his character attacks the
  nearest enemy without reserving any actions for defense.
  The player of a character outside of combat who is affected
  must fail a Valor roll for his character not to take violent
  offense at the tiniest slight while under the exile’s effect.
  A Temperance roll must be made every turn a charac-
  ter is within five yards of a vengeful exile. If an Exalt
  manages to withstand the creature’s power, each success
  on the roll adds one Limit or Resonance or other appropri-
  ate negative Trait. Ghosts must also try to avoid bursting
  into a fit of rage when they are in close proximity of the
  creature, but they also suffer lethal damage at the same
  time. Whenever a ghost’s player fails her Temperance roll,
  the ghost must also soak 3L damage as if she was struck with
  a weapon (i.e., armor soak applies).
  LESSER PLASMICS
  Borer: Borers are large molelike creatures with six
  spade-shaped claws on each arm. They move inside the dry
  areas of the Labyrinth and are often food to spectres and
  other plasmics. Although borers may appear harmless,
  they have an extremely aggressive nature, and their claws
  inflict aggravated damage
  Cerement: Cerements are creatures that consist only
  of muscles and dried veins inside a translucent cover.
  Cerements drain memories from their victims, eventually
  leaving confused individuals to roam the Labyrinth. These
  memories can never be regained and should be considered
  sacrificed to Oblivion. In order to drain a year’s worth of
  memories from a victim, a cerement must succeed with a
  clinch attack during three consecutive turns. It is only
  possible to protect oneself from their memory absorption
  by one’s player succeeding on a Conviction roll, difficulty
  3, on the fourth turn of the drain. The draining effects do
  not change the character’s Traits. Characters lose one
  year’s worth of memories on the fourth turn and on each
  subsequent turn the clinch is maintained.
  Whisperer: Regardless of the location inside the
  Labyrinth, there are whisperers. Some are the remains of
  nephwracks that have become incorporated into the walls
  of the Underworld. Others are sessile creatures that imi-
  tate the insane blandishments of the nephwracks as a form
  of hunting lure. Both types appear as translucent masks
  that are stuck to the wall, ground or ceiling of Labyrinth
  tunnels. Whisperers emit constant Essence vibrations —
  perceived as a dim whispering — that confuse those who
  travel inside the Labyrinth. After rolling a whisperer’s
  attack, count the successes, and have the Labyrinth guide
  roll Temperance, difficulty 2. Should the roll fail, deduct
  as many dice from the next navigation roll as the whisperer
  had successes on its attack.
  WINTER’S DAY
  Long has it been since the Mask of Winters first
  conceived his plans of conquest, the Green Lady’s words
  forever echoing in his mind. With the aid of his mighty
  fortress, Juggernaut, the Deathlord conquered Thorns and
  established a vast, controlled shadowland in the Thresh-
  old. Yet, that was the mere beginning of his grand scheme.
  Ever since the night he erected his stronghold on the
  back of the corpse of the creature, the Mask of Winters
  knew that a day would come when the maggots feeding on
  the dead behemoth would emerge as powerful monsters
  that could turn the tide of his plans, for better or worse
  depending on who gained control over them. He used his
  sorcery to bind the maggots into his service while his
  ghosts possessed them to provide defense to the fortress.
  No matter what happened, the Mask of Winters would
  
  EXALTED • BOOK OF BONE AND EBONY
  164
  Plasmic
  Physical Att.
  Will
  Health             Attack
  Dodge/
  Abilities
   Str/Dex/Sta
  Levels         Spd/Acc/Dmg
    Soak
  Borer
  4/2/4
  5
  -0x3/-2x2/I Claw: 5/6/4A
  2/2L/4B
  Athletics 4,
  Awareness 2, Brawl 4
  Cerement
  5/2/4
  3
  -0x2, -2x2/I Embrace: 5/4/5L
  4/2L/4B
  Brawl 2, Dodge 2,
  Stealth 2
  Contagion Parasite 5/5/2
  6
  -0x7/I
  Engulf: 8/10/clinch
  5/1L/2B
  Brawl 5
  Ferryman
  4/6/8
  9
  -0x4/-1x3/
  Scythe: 9/10/6L
  10/4L/8B
  Awareness 5, Dodge 4,
  -2x2/-4/I
  Melee 4, Presence 3
  (Intimidation +2),
  Survival 5
  (Labyrinth +2)
  Kraken
  10/4/10
  10
  -0x18/
  Crush: 7/9/10L
  9/5L/10B
  Athletics 5,
  -1x8/-2x5/I
  Awareness 5, Brawl 5,
  Dodge 5, Presence 5
  (Intimidation +3),
  Survival 5
  Obsidian Owl
  2/3/2
  2
  -0/-1/I
  Talon: 5/5/2A
  6/1L/2B
  Athletics 3 (Flight +2),
  Brawl 2, Dodge 3
  Stillborn
  3/4/5
  5
  -0x3/
  Fetus Bite: 7/4/2A,
  9/12L/16B Brawl 4, Dodge 5,
  -1x5/-2x4/I Kick: 4/8/5L,           (special soak) Martial Arts 5
  Punch: 7/9/3L
  Vengeful Exile
  2/3/2
  2
  -0/-1/-4/I
  Anima Assault:
  5/1L/2B
  Awareness 2, Dodge 2
  6/3/special*
  Whisperer
  0/0/3
  3
  -0x2/I
  Whispers:
  0/1L/3B
  Archery 4
  3/4/special*
  * Further information exists in the creature’s write-up.
  All creatures have Intelligence •, Perception •• and Wits •••, unless the description says otherwise.
  exert control over the monsters, and they’d serve him in
  his conquest of both Creation and the Underworld.
  That was his vision, his dream. The time for action
  is now!
  JUGGERNAUT REBORN
  In this scenario, the Mask of Winters is caught by
  surprise when his ghost servants are thrown out of the
  maggots bodies and the behemoth corpse crumbles to dust
  and rotten flesh in front of his very eyes. All attempts at
  hindering this process, even through magic, are futile, and
  when the dust settles, all that remains are the maggots,
  crawling across the landscape.
  During the days that follow, the maggots are drawn
  to the remains of the corpse and devour the last of their
  former host. The Mask of Winters is enraged, as he can
  no longer exert control over any of the maggots. When
  nothing remains of the behemoth, the maggots frenzy
  and begin to battle and devour each other. Watching
  his visions crumble to dust before him, the Mask of
  Winters orders the surviving nemissaries to engage one
  of the maggots while he binds them inside. Against all
  WHAT MIGHT BE
  Exalted has always presented events that Sto-
  rytellers could easily work into their own series if
  they desired to do so. The emergence of the Mask
  of Winter’s maggots doesn’t differ from this. While
  one of the following four scenarios may eventually
  be canon for the Exalted line, each Storyteller
  running a game with this event should chose one
  version that fits the vision of your game or perhaps
  even create your own solution.
  Needless to say, the plasmic, or plasmics, born
  of the maggots are extremely powerful in each of
  the presented scenarios — if you just want them to
  be wiggly extras with 6L bites, then that’s about the
  end of the matter. This section assumes the result
  one gets when using monsters that feed upon the
  remains of a dead beast that posed a threat even to
  the gods and Solar Exalted of yore is something
  with which one can drive a story or a series.
  
  165
  CHAPTER SIX • CREATURES OF THE UNDERWORLD
  odds, this attempt is successful, but even the possessed
  maggot cannot withstand the hunger and consumes the
  rest of his brethren.
  When all seem to be at an end, the remaining maggot
  stops, begins to shake and, finally, explodes as a newborn
  plasmic behemoth emerges under the Deathlord’s control.
  JUGGERNAUT OF THE SECOND AGE
  Description: Juggernaut is a 500-yard-long, 100-yard-
  wide, lizardlike dragon, with no legs, but thousands of
  claws, mouths and ebony wings covering its entire body.
  Next to each mouth is a pitch-black crystal with a core
  shining in swirling dark-red colors. Each crystal is an eye,
  and they allow the behemoth to react to anything that
  visibly approaches it.
  Juggernaut hungers for more power, and while the
  Mask of Winters subdues it, it sets out to destroy and
  devour anyone with an Essence rating of 4 or more. Years
  spent feeding on the corpse of its predecessor, fueled by
  sorcery, have left the new Juggernaut addicted to Essence.
  Without it, it fears it will surely perish again.
  Attributes: Strength 25, Dexterity 20, Stamina 45, Cha-
  risma 5, Manipulation 2, Appearance 1, Perception 10,
  Intelligence 1, Wits 13
  Virtues: Not applicable. Never fails Valor rolls, never
  succeeds at any other rolls.
  Abilities: Athletics 5 (Flight +3), Awareness 5, Brawl 5
  (Bite +3), Dodge 5 (Ranged Weapons +3), Endurance 5
  (Stamina +1), Presence 5 (Intimidation +3), Resistance 5
  (Sorcery +3)
  Base Initiative: 33
  Attack:
  Bite: Speed 33 Accuracy 28 Damage 25L Defense 25
  Claw: Speed 33 Accuracy 25 Damage 16A Defense 28
  Dodge Pool: 25 (28 against ranged weapons)
  Soak: 23L/45B
  Willpower: 10
  Health Levels: -0x10/-1x10/-2x5/-
  4x3/Incap
  Essence: 7
  Essence Pool: 150 (Starting Essence
  Pool: 50)
  Other Notes: Stealth and Linguistics roll automatically
  fail for Juggernaut due its size and lack of intelligence. By
  spending 20 motes and spinning in the air, Juggernaut can
  create a tornado that lasts for a day. All ranged attacks,
  unless empowered to hit the target via Charms or sorcery,
  automatically fail. Also, everywhere Juggernaut passes,
  the environment is ripped apart, leaving a trail of destruc-
  tion behind it.
  WAR OF THE DEATHLORDS
  War finally breaks out between the Deathlords when
  the First and Forsaken Lion engages the Mask of Winters
  to break his hold over Creation. The Mask of Winters
  responds by amplifying the amount of Essence he infuses
  into the maggots in order to hasten their hatching time.
  When they eventually hatch, everything goes wrong, and
  the Mask of Winters loses control over them. The children
  of Juggernaut have truly changed into plasmics.
  With the plasmics rampaging through the Under-
  world and the war between the Deathlords escalating, the
  denizens of the Labyrinth take the opportunity to act and
  begin to meddle in the war. The Underworld is drawing
  closer to an end, and Oblivion threatens to expand and
  consume the realm of the dead, all because of the Mask of
  Winters’ failed plan.
  HATCHLING
  Description: Hatchlings appear as large flying mag-
  gots with obsidian wings, dragonlike faces and scorpionlike
  tails. They engage everything they see moving and will
  stop at nothing to destroy their targets.
  Due to their rapid speed, the hatchlings can cover
  hundreds of miles each day, something that leaves a clearly
  visible trail in both Creation and the Underworld. If one
  of the plasmics is slain, another hatchling can consume the
  remains by spitting decaying venom on the carcass and
  devouring the slimy residue. Two days after such an event,
  the devourer gives birth to a new hatchling.
  Attributes: Strength 5, Dexterity 5, Stamina 15, Cha-
  risma 3, Manipulation 0, Appearance 1, Perception 4,
  Intelligence 1, Wits 5
  Virtues: Not applicable. Never fails Valor rolls, never
  succeeds at any other rolls.
  Abilities: Archery 3, Athletics 4 (Flight +2), Awareness
  5, Brawl 5 (Bite +3), Dodge 5 (Ranged Weapons +1),
  Endurance 3, Presence 5 (Intimidation +3), Resistance 4
  Base Initiative: 10
  Attack:
  Bite: Speed 10 Accuracy 13 Damage 10L Defense 13
  Venom Spit: Speed 12 Accuracy 8 Damage 5A (Rate 2,
  Range 25)
  Dodge Pool: 10 (11 against ranged weapons) Soak: 7L/
  15B
  Willpower: 6
  Health Levels: -0x5/-1x5/-2x 3/-4/
  Incap
  Essence: 2
  Essence Pool: 25
  Other Notes: None
  USURPERS BEWARE
  When Juggernaut suddenly stops moving, the Mask of
  Winters enters the corpse only to find that the larvae have
  shed their maggoty aspect and assumed an earthworm-like
  shape suited to subterranean travel. He is able to exert
  control over the creatures and sends the burrowers as a
  crawling carpet beneath the seafloor toward the Blessed Isle,
  ostensibly to extract revenge on the Solars who slew Jugger-
  naut in the First Age. Upon emerging on the Blessed Isle,
  however, they find only Dragon-Blooded, who immediately
  
  EXALTED • BOOK OF BONE AND EBONY
  166
  strike back against the plasmics and also send a fleet of ships
  against Thorns to deal with the Deathlord once and for all.
  BURROWER
  Description: Burrowers appear as seven-yard-long
  worms, with sharp, bent blades covering their bodies. When
  digging through rock and earth, the maggots spin, allowing
  the blades to do the work for them, while everything edible
  living underground is immediately devoured by them.
  Upon emerging from the ground, the maggots extend
  wings from their bellies and turn on their backs while
  soaring through the sky, eventually entering combat while
  assuming the same spin as when digging. When doing this,
  they become a swirl of deadly blades, waiting to cut
  something into a thousand pieces.
  Attributes: Strength 15, Dexterity 9, Stamina 15, Cha-
  risma 3, Manipulation 0, Appearance 1, Perception 4,
  Intelligence 1, Wits 5
  Virtues: Not applicable. Never fails Valor rolls, never
  succeeds at any other rolls.
  Abilities: Athletics 4 (Flight +2), Awareness 5, Brawl 5,
  Dodge 5, Presence 4 (Intimidation +3)
  Base Initiative: 14
  Attack:
  Blade Spin: Speed 14 Accuracy 15 Damage 15A
  Defense 15
  Dodge Pool: 14
  Soak: 7L/15B
  Willpower: 8
  Health Levels: -0x10/-1x5/-2x3/-4/
  Incap
  Essence: 4
  Essence Pool: 50
  Other Notes: The burrowers use Athletics (Flight) for
  their attacks.
  WINTERS’ SOLDIERS
  Juggernaut’s maggots reduces their activities inside
  the corpse, feeding less and moving less than before,
  despite being possessed. One by one, the maggots enter a
  deep slumber, and the Deathlord loses all contact with his
  possessors.
  Within a month from this event, the maggots each
  enter a cocoon, which they remain in for yet another
  month. During this time, the Mask of Winters does his best
  to cover this up and find out exactly what’s going on.
  When he finally gets his answers, Winters is thrilled, for
  not only are his connections reestablished, but he has also
  gained new soldiers with which to wage war.
  WINTER MIMIC
  Description: Upon emerging from their cocoons, the
  maggots were bipedal creatures, with bodies covered in
  what seem to be purple drapes, and faces in the shape of the
  mask their Deathlord master wears. Upon further investi-
  gation, the Mask of Winters discovered that their drapes
  were the remains of the maggots’ husks, which they al-
  lowed to grow into their new form.
  Beneath the drapes, each has the legs of an extremely
  well-built human male made out of a crystallike material.
  The mimics’ six arms are translucent, allowing onlookers
  to see their purple blood flowing through their green veins.
  Yet, the mimics have no hands, but each arm ends in a claw
  of pure Underworld Essence, and their touch were not only
  cold, but also frightening to the Mask of Winters’ victims.
  Their torsos appear to be made out of ebony strengthened
  stone, shining with gray and white highlights.
  Although they’re plasmics, winter mimics are able to
  learn new skills so long as the exercising of them is
  practical. Many have learned to ride horses in order to
  quickly transport themselves from one place to another,
  while others have studied the martial arts.
  An interesting aspect, probably caused by the Mask of
  Winters’ Essence infusion from time to time, is that the
  mimics can wield the simpler Abyssal Charms. However,
  they seem to be born with the Charms they are capable of
  using and lack the ability to learn new ones.
  All of this, however, comes at a high price. Not only
  does the Mask of Winters need to continue giving them
  motes from himself, but in order to keep them at full
  capacity, they need to feed on hundreds of Essence-rich
  sacrifices each week. If a single mimic fails to devour at
  least seven individuals, it loses two dice on all rolls each
  day (this penalty is cumulative) until it has fed again for
  seven consecutive days.
  Attributes: Strength 5, Dexterity 5, Stamina 30, Cha-
  risma 2, Manipulation 0, Appearance 2, Perception 3,
  Intelligence 2, Wits 5
  Virtues: Not applicable. Never fails Valor rolls, never
  succeeds at any other rolls.
  Abilities: Brawl 2, Dodge 4 (Melee Weapons +3), Endur-
  ance 2, (Martial Arts 4,) Investigation 3, Presence 5
  (Intimidation +3), (Ride 2,) Stealth 3
  Base Initiative: 10
  Attack:
  Claw: Speed 14 Accuracy 9 Damage 8L Defense 9
  Dodge Pool: 9 (12 against melee weapons)
  Soak: 15L/
  30B
  Willpower: 8
  Health Levels: -0x15/-2x3/-4/Incap
  Essence: 3
  Essence Pool: 40
  Other Notes: Storytellers must do two things upon chosing
  which type of mimic characters should encounter. First of
  all, choose between Martial Arts or Ride. Those with
  Martial Arts knowledge are fierce combatants, but they can
  only move across the landscape in walking speed. Those
  who Ride are not as good in combat, but travel very quickly.
  Second, Storytellers must pick three Abyssal Charms
  related to the Abilities that the mimics have. These
  Charms may not have a higher Essence prerequisite than
  2 and may not improve health levels or allow quicker
  transport. The Charms may only be selected from those
  available in Exalted: The Abyssals.
  
  167
  CHAPTER SIX • CREATURES OF THE UNDERWORLD
  EXALTED POWER COMBAT STATISTICS
  Name
  Speed
  Accuracy
  Damage
  Defense
  Rate
  EAST
  Chameleon Monkey Claw
  7
  6
  2L
  6
  4
  Fork Spider Bite
  3
  4
  3L
  4
  2
  Lethe Serpent Bite
  6
  6
  2L
  3
  2
  Pulse Blossom Droplets
  5
  8
  2L
  4
  1
  River Quadruped Tentacles
  9
  6
  3B
  4
  3
  Scavenger Bite
  6
  9
  3L
  4
  2
  Swamp Golem Punch
  7
  5
  5Bp
  4
  3
  SOUTH
  Ashen Nomad Punch
  5
  5
  2B
  5
  5
  Black Garda Fiery Crash
  18
  11
  16L+
  0
  1
  Bone-Road Walker Bite
  4
  3
  1L + poison*
  2
  2
  Bone-Road Walker Butt
  5
  2
  4B
  2
  4
  Firedust Phantom Blast
  20
  N/A
  20L
  N/A
  1
  Firefly Fiery Touch
  8
  6
  2L
  3
  1
  Lesser Rock Dragon Bite
  6
  7
  15L
  4
  2
  Lesser Rock Dragon Claw
  9
  9
  10L
  9
  3
  Lesser Rock Dragon Lava
  4
  7
  30L
  0
  1
  Razorwing Wing Slash
  12
  6
  3L
  2
  1
  Scorpion Wasp Sting
  3
  5
  1A
  2
  1
  WEST
  Algal Dragon Bite
  12
  8
  8L
  8
  2
  Clam Turtle Bite
  4
  3
  2L + special*
  3
  1
  Ebon Whale Bite
  9
  9
  15L
  9
  2
  Ebon Whale Fluke Slap
  9
  9
  20L
  6
  1
  Eoi Claw
  4
  4
  2L
  4
  3
  Essence Maelstrom Bolt
  12
  10
  Special*
  0
  2
  Uldra Bite
  8
  7
  5L
  4
  2
  Saltwalker Bite
  6
  6
  1L
  6
  3
  Shore Eel Shock
  8
  10
  1A
  6
  3
  NORTH
  Cannibalized Bite
  9
  8
  8L
  5
  1
  Cannibalized Claw
  11
  9
  6L
  7
  3
  Cannibalized Ice Sword
  12
  13
  12L
  10
  3
  Feral Bite
  6
  7
  12L
  7
  3
  Shadow Bear Bite
  5
  6
  7L
  4
  2
  Shadow Bear Claw
  5
  6
  7L
  6
  2
  Shatter Bite
  6
  6
  3L + poison*
  6
  2
  Shatter Spit
  12
  5
  Special*
  0
  1
  Wind Howler Scream
  13
  9
  10Bp+
  0
  1
  Yeti-Spawn Bite
  7
  6
  6L
  6
  2
  Yeti-Spawn Claw
  9
  8
  7L
  6
  3
  Ygdra Clinch
  6
  8
  10B
  8
  1
  
  EXALTED • BOOK OF BONE AND EBONY
  168
  EXALTED POWER COMBAT STATISTICS CONTINUED
  Name
  Speed
  Accuracy
  Damage
  Defense
  Rate
  STYGIA
  Alaun Slashing Sword
  14
  10
  6L
  9
  2
  Alaun Warhammer
  12
  10
  10Bp
  10
  2
  Cobbler Nail Punch
  5
  5
  7L
  6
  4
  Crystal Mouse Bite
  6
  3
  1L
  1
  1
  Malfic Stalker Claw
  7
  9
  9L
  7
  3
  Portee Dog Bite
  6
  5
  7L
  3
  3
  Rock Bird Bite
  3
  5
  4L
  1
  1
  Rock Bird Talon
  6
  4
  2L
  2
  2
  Seabull Gore
  6
  7
  8Lp
  5
  1
  Thorn Hawk Talon
  7
  6
  2L
  6
  1
  Walker of the Midnight Sun Punch 7
  7
  3L
  8
  5
  LABYRINTH
  Borer Claw
  5
  6
  4A
  4
  2
  Cerement Embrace
  6
  4
  5L
  2
  3
  Contagion Parasite Engulf
  8
  10
  Clinch
  6
  1
  Ferryman Scythe Slash
  18
  13
  8L
  14
  3
  Kraken Crush
  7
  9
  10L
  7
  8
  Obsidian Owl Talon
  6
  5
  2A
  5
  2
  Stillborn Fetus Bite
  7
  8
  2A
  6
  1
  Stillborn Kick
  7
  10
  5L
  6
  2
  Stillborn Punch
  7
  8
  3L
  8
  5
  Vengeful Exile Anima Assault
  6
  3
  Special*
  N/A
  1
  JUGGERNAUT’S OFFSPRING
  Burrower Blade Spin
  14
  16
  18A
  16
  1
  Hatchling Bite
  10
  13
  10L
  10
  3
  Juggernaut Bite
  33
  28
  25L
  25
  2
  Juggernaut Claw
  33
  25
  16A
  28
  3
  Winter Mimic Claw
  12
  9
  8L
  9
  5
  
  The Black Power of Necromancy
  Though only the Solar Exalted can wield the mighty power of Solar Circle
  Sorcery, they are not alone in wielding vast magic. The Deathlords and
  their Abyssal slaves can focus the vast power of the Malfeans into the
  black miracles of necromancy, evil magic equal to the mightiest sorcery
  of the Exalted.
  The Sorcery of the Dead, 
  Power of the Underworld
  The Book of Bone and Ebony details the black art of necromancy and
  many other important facets of the Underworld. From the secrets of Stygia
  to the construction of necromantic war machines and new ghostly Arcanoi
  and Underworld creatures, The Book of Bone and Ebony contains all
  the information necessary to unlock the powers of the Underworld for
  any game involving Abyssals or the heroic dead.
  w w w . w h i t e - w o l f . c o m
  TM
  A N D
  A N D
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Storyteller [multi]/Exalted/Exalted 1st Edition/Sourcebooks/Ww 08806 Exalted - Book Of Bone And Ebony (2005).pdf