The Exalted

The Exalted

Exalted Longevity

How long do the Exalted live, on average?

The answer varies. Those Chosen who strongly cultivate their Essence can exceed the "normal" lifespan of their kind by decades, or even centuries in the case of the Celestial Exalted. Some Exalts seek out magical anagathics with which to further extend their lives.

The Dragon-Blooded live 250-300 years on average, though those with truly refined mastery of Essence, as well as those employing rare and expensive magical regimens, may live significantly longer. For example, the sorceress Mnemon, eldest surviving daughter of the Scarlet Empress, will soon celebrate her 400th birthday and is still in her prime.

The Solar and Lunar Exalted both have an average lifespan in the range of 2,000-3,000 years, although this is, again, subject to significant variance—particularly in the First Age, when much research was devoted to anagathic sorcery, artifacts, and mystical drugs.

The Sidereal Exalted live 3,500-5,000 years. Life-extending magic which benefits the other Exalted seems curiously ineffective on the Maidens' Chosen.

As for the other Exalted, it's hard to say—the Exigents vary greatly from one to another, while Liminals seem oddly inconsistent in the span of their days and the ways in which they cease to be, although several are known to have been active for many centuries. The Abyssal Exalted may have the potential to live forever—this is the promise uttered by the Deathlords—but no one can say for certain, since none have been Exalted for longer than five years.

Few Exalted die of old age—they're much more likely to die by violence, misadventure, betrayal, or even accidents (particularly where sorcery is involved) than to expire peacefully in bed. Regardless, the Chosen retain the appearance and vigor of youth for most of their great lifespans—the marks of advanced age don't appear until an Exalt's waning decades, and they remain spry and physically capable until their final few years.

The world needs heroes. It always has, and it always will. Sometimes mortal heroes rise from the ranks of humanity, beating back the petty evils of selfishness and greed. But sometimes mortal heroes are not enough. That's when the Exalted rise.

The Exalted are mortal champions chosen by the gods to wield divine power. A virtuous teacher is empowered by the Unconquered Sun to spread enlightenment to the masses. A tenacious villager becomes a scion for the spirit of the fields, taking on the god's very nature to protect her people from invaders. An ambitious young noble thrills to the fire that ignites in his blood, cleansing and invigorating him. All are Exalted.

Heroes who wield the power of the five natural elements are known as Terrestrial Exalts, individually the weakest but also the most abundant, while heroes who wield the power of the sun, moon and stars are known as Celestial Exalts, the greatest among the Chosen. In between are heroes of every imaginable stripe, from those who wield the terrifying magics of the dead to those bursting with the energy of the animistic spirits that exist in all things.

The Exalted are set apart from the mortals they once were in many ways. They can live for centuries or even millennia, they naturally heal even the most grievous of wounds, and they will never die of a mere passing sickness. But the most wondrous of these is the power to channel the fundamental force of the universe, called Essence. Essence ebbs and flows in all things—in living creatures, in rivers and mountains, in the patterns of storms and fate. It composes human beings and ripples with their every act, but most people cannot command it. It takes an Exalt to direct these raw, nescient forces into miracles.

Some of these miracles are innate talents, such as the Zenith Caste's ability to cremate the dead with holy fire. Some are magics that must be learned over time but come naturally to an Exalt, called Charms. Charms allow the Exalted to perform all manner of amazing feats, from leaping mountains and singlehandedly defeating a hundred men in battle, to swaying the minds and hearts of a nation, to unlocking mysteries never meant to be revealed. All Essence is not created equal. Its character changes depending on its source and purpose. The Essence of the great elemental dragons is wild and primal, while the Essence of the dead is harsh and chilling. The Charms of the Exalts who channel these various flavors of Essence reflect their temperaments.

Exalts dedicated and willing enough to devote themselves to a difficult endeavor can delve into the occult secrets of reality itself, bending Essence to an even more worldshaking purpose known as sorcery. The spells of a sorcerer can re-write the very laws of Creation, calling down storms of acid or commanding powers from beyond the world's rim.

But Essence is a limited resource for the Exalted, whose mortal bodies were not designed to wield such power. They can absorb the ambient Essence of the natural world around them, but this is a gradual process. If an Exalt uses up all of her stores of Essence, she becomes little more than mortal for a time. Once her stores are replenished, though, her enemies would do well to take heed. With Essence at her disposal, an Exalt can challenge the gods themselves, and even greater adversaries, for the fate of all Creation.

Exaltation

Mortals in the world of Exalted are granted a soul with their first breath. It is telling, then, that the Chosen generally refer to the moment of their Exaltation as "The Second Breath." Exaltation is a moment of empowerment, but also a renewal, a rebirth. It doesn't re-make the Exalt, but rather uplifts her, makes her a chain in a legacy of greatness stretching back to the dawn of human history.

But who does Exaltation come to? When? How?

Solar Exaltation is unpredictable, though a few generalizations can be made. Solars are often men and women who have already accomplished great things and displayed excellence in some discipline or other. This isn't universal— sometimes a Solar is simply a person of enormous potential who has never had the opportunity to exercise it, or who is possessed of greatness of spirit. Although it's rare for cruel blackguards to gain the Unconquered Sun's blessing, there's little consistency in the morality of those that are Chosen. Many consider themselves righteous, but their definitions of righteous behavior vary widely enough to have brought the Solar Exalted to war in the past—and will again.

Solar Exaltation usually arrives in a moment of great stress, danger, pressure, or turmoil. The Solar feels a great rush of energy suffusing her, and begins to instinctively draw on her Essence for the first time. Her Caste Mark erupts on her brow, and her anima banner quickly builds to the fullness of its radiant splendor—a state in which it will remain for several hours. Often the Solar finds herself facing a difficult or insurmountable trial of some sort, and Exaltation grants her the power necessary to survive or triumph. Solar Exaltation could bless anyone of sufficient mettle at any time and station of life—it has uplifted princes and paupers, children and great-grandfathers, savants and sell-swords, saints and assassins.

Solar Exaltation is normally wordless—the Solar finds herself with the boundless power of Essence roaring in her soul, but is given no mandate, instructions, or explanation. The Zenith Caste is an exception—each Zenith's Exaltation is accompanied by a short proclamation from the Unconquered Sun which echoes in the Exalt's mind and soul. He explains why the Zenith is worthy of his blessing, and exhorts her to go forth and make the world a righteous place, as best she knows how.

Exaltation is similar for many other Exalts, but there are always key differences. The Dragon-Blooded experience the Second Breath because they carry at least a trace of Terrestrial blood in their ancestry. The Elemental Dragons never speak during their Exaltation—it falls to their society and religion to explain their place in the world. By contrast, Lunar Exaltation behaves much as Solar Exaltation, save that the goddess Luna personally attends the Second Breath of each of her Chosen. Sidereal Exaltation is slow and subtle, unfolding over a matter of days or weeks, accompanied by strange omens, waking dreams, and mystical portents. Those few Abyssals who have been willing to speak of their Black Exaltation insist it occurred in a moment when they stood at the cusp of life and death, and that they faced a choice between taking the Second Breath… or their last. Liminal Exaltation is stranger yet, while Exigents vary tremendously.

The Character of Essence

To a Lawgiver, channeling Solar Essence brings a myriad of feelings and sensations. It is a kind of pure cosmic transcendence that is the order of the divine. It is soaring triumph and limitless joy; it is the harmony of all things, a song that lilts and lifts the soul, and the hum of raw, limitless power; it is a making and unmaking of the self, and an ecstasy of understanding.

To a deathknight, channeling Abyssal Essence also brings a plethora of emotions. Abyssal Essence is pure unmitigated love of the darkness, the thrill of the endless night, and the certainty of death that begets a calming focus. It is an undying romance, the embrace of the grave. Death is a lover, and her touch holds no fear. It is the hymn of the dead impelling one's greatness, and a heightening of the real, such that colors burn brighter, scents are stronger, tastes are sweeter, and all living things radiate with beauty and glory before the eyes of the reaper.

Essence Fever

Commanding Essence is a heady experience. It's not like speaking an incantation, turning a key, or flipping a card. To be aware of Essence is to feel—to always feel—a new part of yourself, a part that is alive and active and burning with power. The Essence of the Exalted is as much a part of them as their blood or thoughts or breath, and young Exalts ache to use it.

Because an Exalt's Essence is a part of them, this takes the form of the urge to act. Most Exalted would never say "I use my Essence," any more than they would say "I use my muscles." A swordsman fights his enemies. An orator speaks words of revolution. Essence suffuses these acts. Older Chosen know this phenomenon as Essence fever, (or, more dramatically, Essence possession). Solar Essence cries out for heedless glory, imparting a great desire to act, to do, to grasp and wield their newfound power to seize longstanding dreams, settle old grudges, and otherwise recklessly impose themselves on the world. If greatness is in the nature of the Solar Exalted, then their Essence pushes them to seize that greatness now. It's neither irresistible nor insurmountable, even for the very young— but the urge is there.

As a Solar gains experience with his power—generally within a span of months or years—he tames his Essence, quiets the voice that speaks out and urges him onward, to glory, to victory, to more. He makes that impulse serve him, rather than letting it drive him.

Other Exalted are subject to their own Essence fevers. Indeed, lessons on mastering one's Essence are a vital part of the educational curriculum of young Dragon-Blooded, and of the teachings of the Immaculate Philosophy in general. Without such rigidly-instilled discipline, the powerful elemental urges of the Terrestrial Exalted likely would have torn the Realm apart long ago.

Caste Marks

The Celestial Exalted possess symbols known as Caste Marks, which naturally appear upon their foreheads when their Essence burns hot. These marks signify the duties the gods wish to impress upon their Chosen, and in the First Age, acted as symbols of pride and badges of office; an Exalt can cause her Caste Mark to appear with only the slightest bit of concentration and exertion, should she wish to announce her nature to men or gods.

Dragon-Blooded lack Caste Marks, instead bearing a variety of markings expressing their elemental aspect. Such marks might include brilliantly red hair or eyes that glow like embers in dim light, for Fire Aspects; or a green tinge to the eyes and lips, or hair that smells of roses, or fingernails of living wood, for Wood Aspects; or tempers that manifest as localized winds, for Air Aspects.

Other Exalted vary. Some Exigents have sacred marks like the Celestial Exalted, while others bear physical indications of their divine station like the Dragon-Blooded, while yet others have no particular markings at all. Most disturbingly, the Abyssal Exalted display Caste Marks appearing as blackened versions of the Caste Marks of the Solar Exalted…

Caste Marks can manifest variously, depending on the circumstances and the mood of the Exalt. An Eclipse quietly revealing himself at the beginning of negotiations with a proud spirit might will his Caste Mark to fade slowly into full visibility upon his brow, announcing the legitimacy of his presence. On the other hand, an enraged Dawn Caste revealing the folly of those who have challenged him might have the arms of his sun-burst Caste Mark slam into visibility in rapid succession, each accompanied with a boom like thunder.

The Tools of the Chosen

An Exalt's command of Essence extends beyond the miracles of Charms and sorcery. The Chosen have long bent themselves to the study of the world and how to harness its Essence through mystic tools and structures. Most Chosen seek to bedeck themselves in mighty artifacts— miraculous arms, armor, and trinkets forged of the magical materials and wondrous rarities, which lend them magical blessings. The Exalted take particular pride in their weapons and armor, and often establish a deep rapport with their martial panoply, learning to awaken special miracles within the union of warrior and artifact, known as Evocations.

In the First Age, most Exalted owned a number of such wonders. Alas, many artifacts have been lost to the ages, and so today the Chosen fight and die for control of those that remain. The few artificer-smiths among the Exalted, those who have not forgotten the ancient ways of forging mighty daiklaves, imperishable armor, flying boots, or other wonders, can command whatever prices they desire—assuming they make their services available at all.

Even more coveted than wondrous artifacts are those rare places of power in the world where Essence pools and gathers, known as demesnes. Demesnes are often strange, uncanny places, and the strongest demesnes are easily identifiable as such even by mortals. Demesnes are often marked by an intensity of elemental power, featuring roaring waterfalls, glorious crystal caverns, fire-blackened trees which yet live and continue to grow, and similar prodigies.

An Exalt who has attuned herself to a demesne may partake of the thunderous outpouring of its Essence to empower herself, but this isn't the reason most Chosen covet demesnes. A properly trained geomantic architect may refine and harness the power of a demesne through the construction of a magical fortress, palace, or tower known as a manse. A manse's sacred geometry channels the untamed flow of a demesne into evoking particular miracles, which may render the manse into a home of unmatched luxuries and wonders, an impregnable magical fortress, a wide-reaching weather-control station, or any of a number of other uncanny designs. Some manses are designed to concentrate all of a demesne's power into a single point, where it crystallizes into a hearthstone—a magical crystal or jewel capable of empowering the mightiest and most complex of artifacts, fortifying their bearer, or radiating potent blessings or curses.

The Roll of the Chosen

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