# Castes ## Orichalcum. Orichalcum is the metal of heroic arete, majesty, and unbridled power. From it, Autochthon forged his Archons, gleaming, golden heroes imbued with the metal’s divine glory and overwhelming force. They are the mighty Flames of [[Autochthon]], burning away the terrors that lurk in the [[Realm of Brass and Shadow’s]] darkness, and illuminating the future, for those with the strength to achieve it. They exemplify force in every action, ever radiant with undimmed glory as they serve the [[Machine God]] and his faithful. By their excellence, they exhort the [[Eight Nations]] to greater excellence still. Orichalcum Castes are trailblazers, innovators, and paragons of physical might, always pushing the boundaries of what is possible. Few can rival them in their brilliance, their political acumen, and their devastating martial force. But despite their genius, despite their glory, they do not rule. They exist to show the [[Eight Nations]] the way forward, not to force them down that path. The Flames of Autochthon can only be ignited by heroic souls distinguished by visionary brilliance, larger-than-life ambitions, or unwavering conviction. In one life, they might have been a Theomachracy cleric who instituted sweeping doctrinal reforms. In another, the charismatic leader of a mass strike of the Populat that forced major concessions from the Tripartite Assembly. Before that, an engineer whose breakthroughs in design brought about technological revolution. Orichalcum Caste metropoli are wonders of architecture and urban planning, built according to the Alchemical’s own unique, innovative designs. These Utopias’ skylines are dominated by towering monuments, laboratory complexes, architectural experiments, and Essence-channeling god-machinery. Some are fortified bastions devoted to advanced weapon design and manufacturing, while others are erudite conclaves where philosophy and scientific research flourish. These metropoli still take an active role in matters of governance, offering the Tripartite guidance from their city-selves’ unique perspective. ### Anima Banner. An Orichalcum Caste’s anima banner is typically brilliant gold, arcing with actinic lightning. They’re sometimes accompanied by the pulsating thrum of machinery, peals of thunder, waves of intense heat, or the smell of ozone. Metal touched by the anima sometimes arcs with electricity for a few minutes afterward. ### Iconic Anima. An enormous spinning gear, crackling with lightning; a blast furnace lit with golden flame; blueprints and schematics for impossible machinery that gradually take on form; cathedrals of stained-glass machinery. ### Anima Effects. Orichalcum Castes’ animas can charge their attacks with crackling electricity, amplify the force of their commands, and draw power from their beliefs and convictions (p. XX). ### Charms. An Orichalcum Caste’s Charms tend toward clean, streamlined designs that favor burnished brass, gold, and orichalcum. Crystal windows might reveal a Charm’s interior, revealing bubbling fluids, spinning gears, or sliding pistons. ### Caste Attributes. Orichalcum Castes are forceful beings in every respect: immensely strong, confident and brilliant without measure, and undeniably awe-inspiring. Their Caste Attributes are: - Charisma. - Intelligence. - Strength. ### Sobriquets. - Archons. - Flames of Autochthon. - Radiant Ones. - Utopias (metropoli). ### Concepts. - Ambassador to the Octet. - Brilliant general. - Champion athlete. - Eccentric artificer. - Military ethicist. - Philosophical luminary. - Prophet of the Great Maker. - Renowned orator. - Utopian visionary. - Weapon engineer. ## Moonsilver. Ever-shifting moonsilver is the most protean and adaptable of all metals, the stuff of secrets and trickery, deft wits and uncanny insights. The Great Maker knew that could not foresee every threat that the gods would face in battle against the [[Primordials]], nor predict the crises that would befall his faithful in the Realm of Brass and Shadows. The Razors of Autochthon were made to stand against the unknown, exemplifying moonsilver’s adaptability. Moonsilver Castes make powerful tools of state intelligence and security, acting as peerless spies, infiltrators, assassins, and saboteurs. They seek out hidden threats from within and without, ensuring that no secrets are kept from the Tripartite Assemblies that they report to. Other Moonsilver Castes guard against the unknown through guerilla warfare, scouting missions into the Far Reaches, works of artifice and on-the-spot engineering, and conspiratorial intrigues carried out in the state’s best interests. Only a heroic soul distinguished by feats of quick-witted ingenuity, cunning, or adaptation to adversity can catalyze a Moonsilver Caste’s Exaltation. In one life, she might have been a medic in the midst of crisis, stretching inadequate supplies and improvising solutions to save lives. Before that, an ambitious plutarch’s aide who maneuvered herself into a position of political power after years of clandestine intrigue. In another, a Populat laborer who turned the tide of a raid on her metropolis by diverting the flow of her factory’s molten runoff. Moonsilver Caste metropoli can be breathtakingly beautiful, their architecture predominated by flowing curves and almost organic curves that seem to defy gravity. Conspiracies and foreign intelligence operations rarely last long in these Outposts. Few who live in a Moonsilver Caste metropolis notice how its elegant architecture obscures and misdirects the eye, concealing secret compounds and labyrinths of hidden tunnels. Not all Outposts conceal extensive military installations and covert headquarters, lending plausible deniability to those that do. ### Anima Banner. Moonsilver Caste anima banners radiate out as shimmering ripples or intertwined tendrils of light, flickering between pale silver and white. They’re sometimes accompanied by a sudden drop in temperature or a heavy metallic tang in the air. ### Iconic Anima. Raining droplets of sizzling mercury; a whirlwind of razor-edged blades, polished to a mirror sheen; an ever-changing assembly of protean machinery; an intricate latticework of silver wires stalked by machine sentinels. ### Anima Effects Moonsilver Castes’ anima powers heighten their speed and reaction times to inhuman levels, grant them greater subtlety when their anima banner is hidden, and allow them to tell lies that are all too easy to believe. ### Charms. Moonsilver Castes’ Charms tend toward smooth, organic curves and shimmering, reflective surfaces, lending these Alchemicals an alluring but alien beauty. ### Caste Attributes. Moonsilver Castes are cunning and graceful, masters of quick thinking, espionage, and infiltration. Their Caste Attributes are: - Appearance. - Dexterity. - Wits. ### Sobriquets. - Enigmas. - Razors of Autochthon. - Quicksilver Blades. - Outposts (metropoli). ### Concepts. - Agent provocateur. - Alluring spy. - Assassin for the Tripartite. - Counterintelligence agent. - Deep cover infiltrator. - Explorer of the Reaches. - Guerilla warfare specialist. - Quick-witted engineer. - Scout behind enemy lines. - Unpredictable trickster. ## Jade. The five colors of jade embody the harmonious balance of elements, the union of primal forces to birth a greater power yet. Autochthon carved his Arbiters from it that they might bring societies together in harmony, forming a whole greater than the sum of its parts. All Champions serve the people they live among, but the Jade Caste is closer to them any other, the Stone Hands of the Great Maker reaching out to his faithful. Jade Castes are heroes of industry, leading work crews on enormous publics works projects and putting the social policies and economic planning of the Tripartite into action in the face of difficult realities. The Arbiters aren’t afraid to get their hands dirty — whether it’s taking on ten work shifts, using their bare hands in place of a malfunctioning triphammer, or walking through molten slag to reach the shut-off, they see that the work is done. Other Jade Castes devote their efforts to mediating conflicts, drilling metropolitan defense forces, and leading Populat volunteers on gremlin raids. Compassion, duty, and self-sacrifice are the foundation upon which a Jade Caste’s Exaltation is raised. Her heroic soul’s past life might have been an engineer who sealed herself in with a deadly gas leak to stop it spreading any further. A soldier who exposed herself to enemy fire time and time again to rescue wounded comrades. A factory worker who ensured that no shift went uncovered, taking on extra work again and again to keep her fellow laborers from exhausting themselves. Jade Caste metropoli typically have blocky, geometric architecture that’s stable, solid, and functional. These Bastions are centers of industry even compared to other metropoli, abundant with factory complexes, processing facilities, and vast systems of infrastructure. Of all Alchemicals, Jade Caste metropoli are the most predisposed to interacting with their citizens on an individual level, at times taking on a parent-like role toward their populace. ### Anima Banner. Jade Castes’ anima banners shine with the hues of jade, whether in a single color or a kaleidoscopic radiance, often exhibiting geometric lattices of intersecting polygons. They’re sometimes accompanied by the sounds of heavy machinery, like the hissing of steam or the boom of pistons firing. ### Iconic Anima. An abstract mesh of interlocking gears and churning machinery; an industrial crucible pouring out molten steel; a deafening assembly of steam-driven hammers; a blossoming tree of metal and polymer with an angular, geometric design. ### Anima Effects. Jade Castes’ anima powers grant them physical resilience in the face of danger, aid in forging bonds of unity, and make their loyalty unshakable. ### Charms. Jade Castes’ Charms tend toward simple, blocky designs, favoring functionality over aesthetic appeal. ### Caste Attributes. Jade Castes are tireless and tenacious Champions, whether leading work crews or commanding Populat militias in battle. Their Caste Attributes are: - Charisma. - Stamina. - Wits. ### Sobriquets. - Arbiters. - Hammers of Autochthon. - Stone Hands. - Bastions (metropoli). ### Concepts. - Advocate for the Populat. - Beloved performer. - Charismatic morale officer. - Dedicated peacemaker. - Even-tempered mediator. - Folk hero. - Guardian of the community. - Labor czar. - Shock worker. - Tireless sentinel. ## Starmetal. Starmetal is the stuff of fate and possibility, the metal of mysteries, the ephemeral, and the esoteric. Wrought from fallen stars, the Starmetal Caste are possessed of extraordinary foresight, divining the future from streams of data. Autochthon forged the Plot Weavers to see the grand scheme of things, to prepare for crises long in advance, and to foresee the far-off outcomes of decisions made today. Starmetal Castes gather, collate, and analyze information on every issue imaginable: economic planning, social analytics, military strategy, trends in Populat culture, and more. The results of their analysis offer information to guide the Tripartite’s decision-making, providing information to support or oppose various policy proposals. The Plot Weavers also exercise a subtler hand, acting as spymasters, propagandists, and disinformation agents in service to their nations. Unsurprisingly for a Caste of spin doctors and social engineers, Starmetal Castes are viewed favorably throughout the Octet. A Starmetal Caste’s Exaltation requires a soul possessed of both insight and initiative, the soul of heroes who understood what had to be done and were willing to take charge…even without authorization. A plutarch who pushes for policies that her contemporaries have yet to see the need for, a soldier who disobeys orders to carry the day, a lector who embezzles resources from the Theomachracy to provide for his congregation. Such is the will that tempers starmetal. Starmetal Caste metropoli often resemble orreries or web-like lattices, smaller in size than other metropoli but making impeccably efficient use of space in all three dimensions. Every aspect of urban layout and architecture is designed with purpose, optimizing their citizens’ productivity in a thousand subtle but significant ways. Untold quantities of data are routed through the metropoli’s massive cognitive processing infrastructure daily, though citizens scarcely notice anything but the faintest of mechanical hums from this. ### Anima Banner. Starmetal Caste anima banners are typically deep blue, green, or purple, shot through with lines of prismatic static. They’re sometimes accompanied by the whirring of intricate machinery, synthesized harmonies, or the crackle of encrypted signals. ### Iconic Anima. A web-like tracery of prismatic light; a cascade of shimmering glyphs streaming downward; a clockwork orrery of the cosmos; a strobing varicolored light that trails afterimages after the Alchemical. ### Anima Effects. Starmetal Castes’ anima powers let them act with precognitive perfection and anticipate hidden dangers, while also unveiling the inner workings of others’ minds. ### Charms. Starmetal Castes’ Charms tend toward delicate, minimalistic designs, their metallic components often traced with braided coils of starmetal filigree. The loops and whorls of this wirework occasionally sparks with Essence when the Alchemical is deep in thought. ### Caste Attributes. Starmetal Castes are calculating masterminds, acting with surgical precision and methodical planning to accomplish their goals through the smallest of acts. Their Caste Attributes are: - Dexterity. - Intelligence. - Manipulation. ### Sobriquets. - Whispers. - Ciphers of Autochthon. - Plot Weavers. - Nexuses (metropoli). ### Concepts. - All-knowing spymaster. - Calculating strategist. - Disinformation agent. - Excessively scrupulous auditor. - Eccentric social engineer. - Genius mathematician. - Intelligence analyst. - Patriotic propagandist. - Planner for every contingency. - Prophet of Clarity. - Shadowy mastermind in service to a greater cause. ## Soulsteel. Soulsteel is an accursed thing, a metal tainted with fear, suffering, and above all, death. Its presence in Autochthonia may be a symptom of the Machine God’s Blight, or of some unwise interest in the Neverborn’s fate. But all things have their use to the Great Maker. The Soulsteel Caste were forged from this tormented to be living weapons, servants of grim necessity. They do not slow. They do not stop. There is no escape for those caught in their sights. The Sentinels’ service to their nations is simple: the elimination of that which threatens society’s survival. Their duty is a grim and ugly thing, compared to the heroics that other Alchemicals are known for. Sentinel gremlin hunters pursue techno-organic horrors back to their lairs in the blight zones, returning bloodied, scarred — and at times, twisted. Others are inquisitors and interrogators, rooting out social dissent, institutional corruption, voidbringer cults, and other internal threats through force and coercion. Few Sentinels take pleasure in doing the state’s dirty work. For most, it is simply a matter of duty and grim necessity. Only a soul with a legacy of heroism regardless of cost or consequence can endure a Sentinel’s grim duty. Unworthy souls are devoured by a nascent Champion’s soulsteel-infused frame, joining the tormented shades within. An uncompromising regulator who pursues a conspiracy to the Tripartite’s uppermost echelons. A tactician who sacrifices troops en masse to secure a victory that saves countless more lives. An autocrat who enacts a policy that she knows will end her career, but bring prosperity to her city. Soulsteel Caste metropoli seem like grim fortresses from the outside, with their architecture defined by clean lines, hard edges, and sharp angles. Some of these Panopticons truly live up to their name: quiet, orderly cities, peaceful with the stifling security of omnipresent surveillance. Others are arsenals and arms factories, manufacturing terrible machinery and biochemical weaponry. ### Anima Banner. Soulsteel Caste anima banners are shadowy clouds of smoke, streaked with black and blue lightning. Twisting, indistinct figure can sometimes be glimpsed in their depths. They’re sometimes accompanied by the sounds of grating machinery, eerie sirens, or far-off screams, or the smell of smoke, sulfur, or burning diesel. ### Iconic Anima. A whirring dynamo that crackles with black and pale green lightning; an eerie procession of damned souls; coiling chains of barbed metal that twist and writhe like serpents; a larger-than-life silhouette of the Champion, cast by glaring white light. ### Anima Effects. Soulsteel Castes’ anima powers make them figures of imposing terror and deadly adversaries of those who threaten their communities. ### Charms. Soulsteel Charms’ design favors flat planes, jagged edges, and riveted plates, often incorporating roughly hammered black metal. ### Caste Attributes. Soulsteel Castes are implacable hunters, ever-vigilant sentinels, and experts in psychological warfare. Their Caste Attributes are: - Manipulation. - Perception. - Stamina. ### Sobriquets. - Sentinels. - Scourges of Autochthon. - Grim Watchers. - Panopticons (metropoli). ### Concepts. - Avenger of the wronged. - Boastful gremlin hunter. - Devout inquisitor. - Foul-tempered detective. - Philosophically minded sniper. - Psychological warfare specialist. - Silent watcher. - Stoic brawler. - Troubleshooter for the Tripartite. - Wetworks operative. ## Adamant. Adamant is imbued with crystalline clarity, precision, and grace, its facets glittering with light. From this perfect jewel, Autochthon carved his Muses to bring inspiration, beauty, and understanding to the world. They are elegant in action, keen in insight, and magnetic in their allure. Like a diamond refracting and magnifying light, the Adamant Castes inspire others to greatness, showing them the light that was already within them. The Exemplars’ role within the Eight Nations is many-faceted. As philosophers, mystics, and savants, they offer guidance and insight to those facing ethical quandaries, wavering convictions, or crises of faith, whether high-ranking members of Tripartite Assemblies or hard-off Populat workers who catch a compassionate Adamant Caste’s eye. They act as muses to artists, propagandists, and other cultural figures, inspiring entire artistic movements that shape the souls of nations. As mentors, they hone their disciples to diamond-like perfection, finding students’ every fault and flaw and mercilessly eliminating them. An Adamant Caste’s Exaltation requires a soul that has spent lifetimes in contemplation of deep mysteries and spiritual truths, the soul of heroes made virtuous through contemplating virtue. In one past life, she might have been a factory laborer who spent her work shifts in ceaseless prayer to push through starvation and fatigue. In another life, a pious cleric whose theological epiphanies inspired the Populat to renewed faith even as they drew censure from others in the Theomachracy. A graffiti artist using phosphorescent gel to paint her sacred dreams of another world on a metropolis’ walls. Adamant Caste metropoli unfold outward into faceted, crystalline complexes. They resemble natural formations of crystal, ranging from rough-edged, uncut fortifications to elegantly faceted cathedrals. A Sanctuary’s architecture and urban planning provide ample opportunities for citizens to take in the city’s beauty, to pause for a moment in quiet reflection, and to ponder the Great Maker’s benevolence. ### Anima Banner. Adamant Caste anima banners are piercing white auras tinted with shades of purple, blue, or red, casting a radiance like an illuminated stained-glass window. They’re sometimes accompanied by a crystalline chiming, a deep resonant hum, or the sound of shattering glass. ### Iconic Anima. An endlessly unfolding fractal pattern; dozens of prismatic wings that seem to grow from the Alchemical; a swirling cloud of sparking diamond dust; a surge of kaleidoscopic light refracted through the Champion’s body. ### Anima Effects. Adamant Castes’ animas powers make them inspiring figures, uplifting faltering hearts and guiding allies in battle. ### Charms. Adamant Castes’ Charms tend toward efficient, symmetrical designs, often incorporating faceted glass, quartz, or adamant. Ornamental touches are rare, though there’s an undeniable but alien beauty to them. ### Caste Attributes. Adamant Castes are creatures of cold, austere glory, inspiring others with their commanding presence, calculated strength, and piercing insight. Their Caste Attributes are: - Appearance. - Perception. - Strength. ### Sobriquets. - Exemplars. - Muses of Autochthon. - Diamond Sages. - Sanctuaries (metropoli). ### Concepts. - Beloved guardian of the metropolis. - Celebrity war hero. - Eccentric mentor. - Frontline general. - Hermit of the Far Reaches. - Idol of the Populat. - Incisive cultural critic. - Moral philosopher. - Jocular mystic. - Warrior poet. # Anima. ## Anima Banner. As an Alchemical expends Essence, she becomes wreathed in the radiance of her anima banner. **For every five motes of Peripheral Essence she spends in an instant, her anima banner rises one level**. | Anima level | Effect | | -------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | Dim | The Alchemical’s anima is invisible. | | Glowing | The Alchemical’s anima banner outlines her body in light, while Essence sizzles around her soulgem. Stealth and disguise rolls suffer a −3 penalty. | | Burning | The Alchemical’s anima banner flares into aura of radiant light, while Essence crackles across her body. Stealth is impossible. | | Bonfire/Iconic | The Alchemical’s anima banner ignites into a bonfire stretching into the sky, visible for miles around. Her anima completely illuminates her surroundings within short range. Stealth is impossible. Upon reaching bonfire and at suitably dramatic moments, her anima manifests a personalized iconic display. | ## Anima Effects. ### Orichalcum. #### Commanding Authority. **Cost**: 5m. **Type**: Supplemental. **Duration**: Instant. The Alchemical adds (higher of Essence or 3) non-Charm dice on a persuade roll that leverages a positive Tie to herself or a community she serves. Once per day, she can retry a failed persuade roll without resetting it. #### Forged in Righteousness. **Cost**: —. **Type**: Permanent. **Duration**: Permanent. When the Alchemical gains Willpower from upholding a Major or Defining Principle, she may exchange it for (Intimacy + 5) motes. A sorcerer may gain sorcerous motes instead. This also raises her anima to bonfire. #### Radiant Glory Nimbus. **Cost**: 5m or 0m. **Type**: Reflexive. **Duration**: Until next turn. Crackling with electric Essence, the Alchemical adds (higher of Essence or 3) to the raw damage and withering attacks and doubles up to (Essence) 10s on a decisive damage roll. This is free at bonfire. ### Moonsilver. #### Cognitive Overdrive. **Cost**: 5m. **Type**: Supplemental. **Duration**: Instant. The Alchemical can defend against attacks whose successes equal her Defense, and adds (Essence) non-Charm dice on Join Battle rolls and movement actions. She also gains this bonus on any roll involving reaction time or quick reflexes. This is free at bonfire. #### Mercurial Facade. **Cost**: —. **Type**: Permanent. **Duration**: Permanent. While her anima is dim, the Alchemical inflicts a −2 penalty on rolls opposing her Guile, Stealth, or disguise. #### Quicksilver Cunning. **Cost**: 5m. **Type**: Supplemental. **Duration**: Instant. The Alchemical adds (higher of Essence or 3) non-Charm dice on roll to instill a Principle of belief in a lie. Once per day, she can retry a failed instill roll without resetting it. ### Jade. #### Clay Becomes Stone. **Cost**: 5m or 0m. **Type**: Reflexive. **Duration**: Until next turn. The Alchemical adds (Stamina/2, rounded up) to her soak and gains Hardness (Stamina). Both calculations include bonus dots from Transpuissant Stamina Upgrade (p. XX). She also adds (higher of Essence or 3) non-Charm dice on Stamina rolls to resist environmental hazards. This is free at bonfire. #### Hand of Friendship. **Cost**: 5m. **Type**: Supplemental. **Duration**: Instant. The Alchemical adds (higher of Essence or 3) non-Charm dice on a roll to instill positive Ties toward her or weaken negative ones. Once per day, she can retry a failed instill roll without resetting it. #### Unbreakable Loyalty. **Cost**: —. **Type**: Permanent. **Duration**: Permanent. The Alchemical gains +2 non-Charm Resolve against influence that would cause her to intentionally harm someone she has a positive Tie toward. This increases to +3 for Major and Defining Ties. ### Starmetal. #### Perfection in Motion. **Cost**: 5m or 0m. **Type**: Reflexive. **Duration**: Until next turn. The Alchemical perceives the optimal course of action in a prismatic halo of colors trailing just slightly ahead of her. She rerolls up to (Essence) 1s on physical actions and ignores up to (Essence) points of penalties caused by external conditions. This is free at bonfire. #### Precognitive Foresight. **Cost**: —. **Type**: Permanent. **Duration**: Permanent. The Alchemical adds (Essence) non-Charm dice on rolls to detect hidden dangers. #### Social Engineering. **Cost**: 5m. **Type**: Supplemental. **Duration**: Instant. The Alchemical adds (higher of Essence or 3) non-Charm dice when she reads someone’s intentions in hope of finding an Intimacy that will help her deceive or subtly manipulate him. Once per day, she can retry a failed read intentions roll without resetting it. ### Soulsteel. #### Inhuman Terror. **Cost**: 5m. **Type**: Supplemental. **Duration**: Instant. The Alchemical adds (higher of Essence or 3) non-Charm dice on a threaten roll. Once per day, she can retry a failed threaten roll without resetting it. #### Screaming Metal Cacophony. **Cost**: 5m or 0m. **Type**: Reflexive. **Duration**: Until next turn. The Alchemical stirs the souls trapped in her soulsteel body. The cacophony of their moans and whispers inflicts a –2 penalty on attack rolls and other hostile actions against her. This is free at bonfire. #### Void Hunter’s Judgment. **Cost**: 10m, 1wp. **Type**: Reflexive. **Duration**: Instant. Once per day, the Alchemical can add (highest Caste Attribute) to her base Initiative after landing a decisive attack against someone who threatens a community she has a positive Tie toward or one of its mortal members. This calculation includes bonus dots from Transpuissant (Attribute) Upgrade. Gremlins, fae, and the undead always count as threats. This power can only be used once per day. ### Adamant. #### Inspiring Guidance. **Cost**: 5m or 0m. **Type**: Reflexive. **Duration**: Until next turn. Allies within close range of the Alchemical gain +1 non-Charm Resolve and add (Alchemical’s Essence/2, rounded up) non-Charm dice on attack rolls and influence rolls. The Alchemical doesn’t gain this bonus. Outside of combat, this lasts long enough for each of the Alchemical’s allies to take one action. This is free at bonfire. #### Refracted Glory. **Cost**: 3a. **Type**: Reflexive. **Duration**: Instant. Once per day, the Alchemical can refract her anima into a varicolored radiance that illumines her allies. Each ally within long range of her gains (her Essence) motes and Initiative. Exalted may immediately flare their own animas to bonfire, tinging it with the colors of the Alchemical’s anima for the scene. #### Scintillating Muse. **Cost**: 5m. **Type**: Supplemental. **Duration**: Instant. The Alchemical adds (higher of Essence or 3) non-Charm dice on an inspire roll to spread positive emotion. She can also add this on an instill or persuade roll against someone who considers the Alchemical to be his mentor, muse, spiritual guide, or the like. Once per day, she can retry a failed influence roll without resetting it. https://tools.pdf24.org/en/extract-images https://tools.pdf24.org/en/extract-images # Magical Material Alchemicals are resonant with the magical material of their Caste, and neutral with all other materials. They can use [[Resonance Harmonizer]] to gain resonance with other magical materials. # Magic. ## Charms. ### Dice Limit. - An Alchemical can only add up to [Attribute + Essence, maximum 10] bonus dice to any single roll. - Automatic successes count as two dice. - Static values can be raised by half this amount, rounded down. ### Excellencies. Excellencies are Alchemicals’ raw supernatural might. As intrinsic aspects of the Chosen’s power, Excellencies don’t take physical form or require Charm slots, though they’re considered Charms for other purposes. Alchemicals gain Excellencies for each Caste or Favored Attribute they have at 3+ and each other Attribute for which they have a Charm installed. Excellencies can add dice to (Attribute + Ability) rolls for one mote per die, or raise static values for two motes per +1 bonus. The Strength Excellency can also add dice to a Strength-based withering damage roll, while the Stamina Excellency can add soak. Both can add up to half the Alchemical’s dice limit, rounded down. This must be declared before the attack roll, as usual. ### Submodules. Many Alchemical Charms have submodules, upgrades or additional effects that can be added to them. Submodules don't require Charm slots of their own. Most submodules have no cost; those that aren’t list their cost or surcharge. Some submodules have Attribute minimums higher than that of the Charm they enhance. If the Alchemical doesn’t meet a submodule’s Attribute minimum, she doesn’t gain its benefit. This typically results from not installing Transpuissant (Attribute) Upgrades. ### Charm Slots. Unlike the other Exalted, the Alchemicals don’t have access to all of their Charms at once. Instead, they must install a limited selection of their Charms in their Charm slots during the Rite of Reconfiguration. Submodules, Evocations, Martial Arts Charms, and spells don’t require slots. Essence 1 Alchemicals can have up to twenty Charm slots. Each dot of Essence they gain increases this limit by 3. In other words, Alchemicals can have up to (17 + [Essence x3]) Charm slots. ### The Rite of Reconfiguration > [!infobox|right n-th]+ Collapsible Infobox > # User-Friendly Design. > The complexities of the Rite of Reconfiguration can make it take much longer to perform for Alchemicals in Creation than those with access to Autochthonia’s vat complexes. If this proves problematic in play, the Storyteller should feel free to reduce the time needed The Rite of Reconfiguration is both a complex surgical procedure in which the Alchemical’s body is reconstructed and a holy ritual of the Great Maker. Uninstalled Charms dissolve into Essence and are subsumed into the Alchemical’s anima until she has need of them again. No magic can interfere with uninstalled Charms. An Alchemical must remain stationary throughout the Rite, requiring another’s assistance to perform the modifications. The Eight Nations’ vat complexes are staffed by highly skilled members of the Sodalities, but it’s still possible to perform the Rite without such expertise. Even for the most complicated of installations, the Alchemical’s autonomous functions can aid in integrating Charms into her body, albeit at a slower pace than a vat technician could accomplish. Assistants aren’t the only necessity for the Rite. In order to undergo it, the Alchemical must have access to at least two of the following: - Access to suitable magical infrastructure, such as Autochthonia’s Eight Nations vat complexes, and a suitable ritual space to perform the Rite. In Creation, such infrastructure can be created by modifying a manse. Some First Age wonders, like factory-cathedrals, might provide such infrastructure without requiring modifications if they can be restored to functionality. - A skilled assistant, trained in the Rite’s prayers and possesses the skill and expertise to perform the necessary modifications. Such assistants are rare in Creation, but a supernatural being with Craft (Artifact) or at least a small investment in crafting Charms qualify. If the Alchemical has a positive Major or Defining Tie toward a character—even a mortal—they count as a skilled assistant. - Sacred reagents and alchemical compounds to be used in the Rite. Autochthonian vat complexes are well-stocked with such supplies. Creation contains raw materials that a character with Craft (Alchemy) can use to synthesize these reagents, often found in places of supernatural power. #### Vat Complexes. Vat complexes are found in every Autochthonian metropolis, built around the city’s core. Within a vat, the Alchemical is immersed in a regenerative nutrient broth that doubles the rate at which she heals naturally and regains Essence (Exalted, pp. 173-174). It also doubles the rate at which she recovers from crippling effects, and allows her to heal even the worst of them. This takes a few hours for anything short of a severed limb or severe organ damage. Such grievous injuries take a day to repair, in addition to the time required to install Charms. Manses can be converted into crude vat complexes. This is a superior project using Craft (Geomancy), with an interval of one week and a goal number of 20 (Exalted, p. 241). Such projects have no terminus. This conversion typically doesn’t interfere with the manse’s other powers, though it’s theoretically possible if the Storyteller thinks it’s appropriate. This can’t affect a hearthstone or manse possessed by a player character unless their player agrees. ### Installation Times. The Rite of Replication is typically a lengthy process that’s often best done during downtime, though it’s only a day’s work under ideal conditions. Installing or changing out Charms typically takes X days, regardless of the number of Charms. It’s reduced by one day for each of the following: - The Alchemical meets all three of the requirements for the Rite. - The Alchemical is assisted by a team of skilled assistants, or a single assistant who possesses magic like Craftsman Needs No Tools. - The Rite is performed under conditions that let the Alchemical’s assistants work without distraction or disruption. The Storyteller can reduce the time needed to only a handful of hours if the Alchemical only changes out one or two Charms, or if she only removes Charms without replacing them. ### Identifying Alchemical Charms. Unlike most Exalted, whose Charms are abstracted representations of power, an Alchemical’s Charms are physical objects. They’re referred to by name and their functions are known, though few Autochthonians besides vat complex technicians are well-versed in the subject. Because Alchemical Charms aren’t uniform in appearance, it’s typically impossible to identify an inactive Charm, though some are unmistakable unless concealed—it’s hard to miss a Piston-Driven Megaton Hammer. Characters with both Lore and Occult specialties in Alchemicals can roll (Intelligence + [lower of Lore or Occult]) identify a Charm with an overt effect when a Champion uses it. The roll’s difficulty is (Charm’s minimum Essence + 3). Alchemicals don’t need specialties for this, possessing an intuitive understanding of their Charms. ### Attribute Minimums. The [[Transpuissant (Attribute) Upgrade]] Charm grants an Alchemical bonus dots in Attributes, which can be used to qualify for a Charm’s Attribute minimums. Some Alchemical Charms have Attribute minimums higher than 5, requiring Transpuissant (Attribute) Upgrade to install them at all. Charms with an Attribute minimum higher than the Alchemical’s natural rating can’t be installed. Likewise, she doesn’t gain the benefit of submodules if she doesn’t meet their minimum. ### New Keywords. > [!infobox|right n-th]+ Collapsible Infobox > # Gremlins. > Imbued with Autochthon’s axiomatic Essence, Alchemicals smite those corrupted by the Blight. When a Charm refers to a gremlin, it includes corrupted machine spirits, Apostates, and anything else tainted by Blight. > <br> > Such Charms are often also effective against the undead, for the Blight is entwined with death. They also affect the fae, whose inchoate chaos is easily shaped by the Great Maker’s demiurgic Chosen. While fae aren’t found in Autochthonia, such Charms are useful to Alchemicals in Creation. Alchemical Charms use the following additional keywords: #### Augmented. Augmented Charms include bonus dots of Attributes from Transpuissant (Attribute) Upgrade in calculations that use the Alchemical’s Attributes — including dots over 5. This doesn’t affect rolls or static values, only things like gaining (Stamina) motes. An Augmented Charm’s submodules also share this effect. Some submodules are Augmented separately from their Charm. #### Internal. Internal Charms have no externally visible components. Characters using magic like [[All-Encompassing Sorcerer’s Sight]] can detect their presence with a difficulty 3 (Perception + Occult) roll. ## Sorcery. Alchemicals must buy the [[Intelligence Charm]] [[Man-Machine Weaving Engine]] to initiate into [[Terrestrial Circle Sorcery]], or [[God-Machine Weaving Engine]] to initiate into [[Celestial Circle Sorcery]]. These Charm, upon being purchased, is permanent and cannot be removed. Spells don’t require Charm slots. Apostates have access to a forbidden, blighted Charm that mirrors [[Man-Machine Weaving Engine]], but for [[necromancy]]. They can initiate into necromancy’s [[Shadow Circle]], but can’t use [[Celestial Circle Sorcery]]. ## Martial Arts. Alchemicals must buy the [[Universal Charm]] [[Perfected Style Matrix]] in order to learn [[Martial Arts]]. This Charm, upon being purchased, is permanent and cannot be removed. - Alchemicals can't benefit from the [[Martial Arts#Mastery.|Mastery]] Keyword. - Alchemicals aren't limited by the [[Martial Arts#Terrestrial.|Terrestrial]] Keyword.