[Actual Play] Exalted: The Boy Bands

[Topher]

No longer just a joke or a wacky idea. ^_^

For those who didn't follow the original thread, our group - based on a bunch of jokes people made here - decided to play an Exalted game for laughs, following the adventures of a group of j-pop Solar prettyboys through a series of musical contests against other boy bands. Well, okay, I decided to run it and inflict it on my friends. But they signed up willingly!

The canon is being folded and spindled but not quite mutilated, here. It's a comedy game, so a lot of the elements of the setting are just kind of glossed over to focus on the really important stuff - the cute boys and the j-pop! We've also altered a few Charms here and there and adapted the combat system (with help from several other posters here in Open, thanks folks!) to work with the performance-based nature of the challenges.

The Boys in the Band are...

Smoldering Embers, Zenith caste lead singer. One of three members of the group who received his musical training as a member of "the Songbirds", a group of Cynis pleasure-slaves who were put through a grueling training in song and dance as little kids. His solo career is in a bit of a slump, and as the game begins he's drinking away his blues in a dive in Lookshy. At least he still has his cool Artifact, "The Boomstick" - a Serpent-Sting-Staff with the ability to lock into position as a staff with a voice-amplifying module at one end (yes, it's a mike stand he can whack people with). Played by VoiceOfIsaac.

Asaimizu ("Shallow Waters"), Twilight caste dancer and costume/prop designer. Trained from childhood in Sijan as a professional mourner, Asaimizu is an expert in the funeral customs of lots of cultures, including all the best mourning dances and dirges. He's good at making deathmasks too. Other than these skills, he's as dumb as a sack of hammers. Very pretty hammers. Played as a cross between Haku (from Naruto) and Derek Zoolander, by Jason Hinds.

Joshi, Night caste guitarist, a hard-drinking axe-playing escaped slave (another former member of the Songbirds). Armed with a magical guitar that can whip its strings out and entangle people, as well as an Infinite Jade Pick to use with his Thrown skill. Joshi is turning out to be the prerequisite "bad boy" for the group, and is played by Torawashi, who couldn't come up with an idea for an anima, and asked me to surprise her, since I'm also surprising her with Joshi's past life (he has the Throwback flaw). This was responsible for some hilarity in the actual session. ^_^

Wind Song, Eclipse caste raver boy from Great Forks. Has a much longer real name, but goes by Wind Song because it stays on your mind. *Groan*. Another former Songbird, and a rival to Asaimizu for the "dullest knife in the drawer" prize. He's a talented flautist, though, with a magical flute that can grow into a staff and the ability to provide special effects with Phantom-Conjuring Performance. Played with bouncy (oh gods the bouncy) enthusiasm by Alexandria2000.

So that's our cast of intrep...well, okay, advent...no, not really, um, heroi...hmmm. Well, they're really really pretty.

Next post: The session begins. The secret origin of WA HA HA. Loud J-pop mp3s. An entirely overmatched trio. And a concert Gethamane will never forget.

Topher, brain = broken

[Lee Casebolt]

You are sick, twisted people, and I love you.

[Kai Tave]

What, no Dawn Caste?

[Topher]

Originally posted by Kai Tave
What, no Dawn Caste?

Like all great bands, these boys had an audience - two people not in the game ended up being invited over to hang out, plus my wife paid a bit more attention than usual (and grilled me afterwards on some of Exalted's concepts - hee hee hee, I will get her gaming yet).

One of the people who was present but not gaming was so impressed and amused that he expressed interest in joining the game. We'll be talking about it soon, and if he joins up he will undoubtedly be playing a Dawn. ^_^

Topher

[YerMum]

Originally posted by Topher v2.0

One of the people who was present but not gaming was so impressed and amused that he expressed interest in joining the game. We'll be talking about it soon, and if he joins up he will undoubtedly be playing a Dawn. ^_^

Topher


well it does look like you need a percussionist!

;)



/me runs and hides :D

[alexandria2000]

Originally posted by Topher v2.0

So that's our cast of intrep...well, okay, advent...no, not really, um, heroi...hmmm. Well, they're really really pretty.



I just laughed so hard my coworker looked up.

And just to clear up stuff for you, Topher.

Windsong was trained as a Songbird, but more as a means to an end - his parents wanted him to eventually be a Minister of Culture in their small kingdom, thus the requisite intensive training there and then the sending off to university in Great Forks. He never really got the chance to *have* a career, except when he was shown off to the nobility in salon performances.

Think of him as the 'little brother' of the group.

[Kai Tave]

Originally posted by YerMum
well it does look like you need a percussionist!

That is EXACTLY what I was going to suggest.

He's a Dawn Caste. Dawn Castes like to hit things with sticks. It's a forgone conclusion, really.

[Future Villain Band]

I can never beat this game, and so Exalted is closed off to me as an RPG forever. If the game had involved ass-kicking or sword & sorcery tropes or any of the other rigamarole, I might someday be able to equal it -- but this game, I can never top.

Topher, you are the master.

--Eric, crying on the inside at the insane beauty of a game like this.

[alexandria2000]

I think there will be ass-kicking (or attempts at such, given how dim we are) in the next thrilling episode. :)

[Future Villain Band]

Originally posted by alexandria2000
I think there will be ass-kicking (or attempts at such, given how dim we are) in the next thrilling episode. :)

Yeah, but it will be boy band asskicking, the kind of asskicking I simply can't touch. If there were grizzly barbarians and doomed albinos, I could roll with it. Somebody whose mikestand is a set of nunchuks? I'm simply in awe. (And thanks to those last couple of sentences, I now have the image of Stormbringer as a soulsteel guitar. Kill me.)

I just picture everything you guys are describing in that FFX-style CGI.

--Eric

[YerMum]

Originally posted by Eric Brennan
Yeah, but it will be boy band asskicking, the kind of asskicking I simply can't touch. If there were grizzly barbarians and doomed albinos, I could roll with it. Somebody whose mikestand is a set of nunchuks? I'm simply in awe. (And thanks to those last couple of sentences, I now have the image of Stormbringer as a soulsteel guitar. Kill me.)

I just picture everything you guys are describing in that FFX-style CGI.

--Eric


you mean ffx-2 right? ;)

[Future Villain Band]

Originally posted by YerMum
you mean ffx-2 right? ;)

Maybe -- I don't play too many console RPGs, so I don't know which one is which. I saw it at a buddy's house, once.

Regardless, the campaign sounds cool, and I picture all of the guys glossy and perfect with eyes that reflect light oddly.

Eric, who remembers the old GameBoy days when FF cutscenes looked like woodcuts.

[Egarwaen]

Wow... I don't believe they actually <em>did</em> it. :D

[NPC Topher is Babysitting]

Originally posted by Egarwaen
Wow... I don't believe they actually <em>did</em> it. :D

Yeah, I have the same reaction and I'm the *GM*.

Toph
(will post more when I get home from sitting)

[izzylobo]

Originally posted by Topher v2.0
Topher, brain = broken

I have no sympathy whatsoever for you, because you thought up the idea....

But I do think this sounds funny as all hell.

:D

[alexandria2000]

Indeed. Let us pray that Creation survives our comeback concert.

And has a hefty cache of 1st Age shades somewhere, after what we did last night. :D

[Kenshiro]

Well, there obviously needs to be a Contest of the Bands, against their rival Dragon-Blooded boy group: The Righteous Dragons.

[Ascending Crane]

... and make sure to include the Abyssal boy band, Mega-Death.














Yeah, I'm embarrassed about that as well.

[Topher]

As we begin the game, Smoldering Embers is getting drunk in a seedy bar in Lookshy. Joshi is doing the same in Nexus, but with the intent of fleecing some tourists in a drinking contest (he has to make money somehow, and no-one will hire him as a musician due to his...questionable reputation). Windsong is enjoying a rave in Great Forks (and A2K had a glowstick prop that got waved with much verisimilitude), and Asaimizu is putting the finishing touches on some masks for an important funeral (there was this unfortunate boating accident...).

One by one, they each get visited by a mysterious elderly gentleman in fine garb, who invites them to take part in a sort of musical tournament. Each of them accepts and follows him outside, stepping into a small pagoda-like structure that is then hoisted into the air with a chain (Asaimizu: "Wow, I've never been this high before." Embers lost his lunch over the side during his gondola ride.) and pulled into a gigantic airship.

The boys are treated to a fabulous dinner (and well-stocked bar!) and get the details. In order to qualify for the tournament, they must defeat five other groups, and the mysterious tour manager (who drops occasional hints about "our Patron", who is funding this trip) indicates that he's scheduled five matches already, chosen for their lack of difficulty and quick timetable.

The quick timetable will work against them, though: the first gig is tomorrow, and they must have an original song for each new engagement. So they have less than a day to write a song, write lyrics, choreograph dance steps, rehearse, pick out costumes, and come up with special effects.

An intense jam session follows, and an ungodly amount of dice are rolled. The final product is a song of love and loss, "You Are the Scarlet Empress of My Heart," and the basic staging is decided upon. Then more important matters are discussed.

Embers: "We need a name for this group. Smouldering Embers and the...what do you think you should be?"
Asaimizu: "Oh no you don't, bitch."
Joshi: "I will not be a Pip."

After some more back and forth, they decide to become WA HA HA (one of the many J-pop songs I played for the group as prep for the series was a comedy song by TOKIO called "Minna de WA HA HA," and it's become a favorite). They retire for the night, planning to get some last-minute rehearsing done in the morning, before the Airship of Love arrives at the first venue - the tunnel-city of Gethamane.

The next day they hit the arena (a huge cave) early, to check out the acoustics, which, unfortunately, suck. As they are preparing to go back to the Airship of Love for more practicing, they run into a group of five surly - but very pretty - silver-haired youths. There's a bit of a posedown as the newcomers introduce themselves as The Oncoming Storm. They are busily qualifying for the tournament too, although they won't be playing against WA HA HA today. After a snarky comment, Asaimizu (who is dumb but perceptive) notices one of the other boys momentarily goes all pointy-eared with anger. Hmmm....

On the way back Joshi notices yet *another* pretty young man in blue robes watching them appraisingly from a side-tunnel, but when he points him out to Asaimizu the guy disappears, as if he was never there.

LATER, after rehearsals, the fab four head to the concert hall and watch their opponents perform. It's a trio called the Court of Breezes, and they're okay, but nothing fantastic - only one of them sings very well, although the other two are excellent dancers. The audience is enthused but not driven wild or anything (the song I played for atmosphere at this point was "Super Lover (I Need You Tonight)" by w-inds, for those of you playing along at home).

Now it's WA HA HA's turn. And the show was excessive enough that it gets a post of its own.

Topher

[Ranko]

My jelousy knows no limits.

Oh, and StarMan was the lead singer of a popular band (unfortunately they are no longer popular and no one remembers them) who went solo. Need I mention what type of Exalted he is?

:)

Subscribing to this thread, now!

[Tanuki]

Originally posted by Topher v2.0

The final product is a song of love and loss, "You Are the Scarlet Empress of My Heart,"

So, ah, did any of you fine souls write up the lyrics to this song? I must have them!

[Aaron Peori]

The only concept better than this was Exalted High School.

And now that I've mentioned it, the two would probably blend together quite well...

---------------
Epsilon

[alexandria2000]

Originally posted by Aaron Peori
The only concept better than this was Exalted High School.

And now that I've mentioned it, the two would probably blend together quite well...


Oh, no, we're about to run that one too....!

[Topher]

The show.

First off, the Indifferent Musicians march lockstep onto the stage and begin to play. The Indifferent Musicians are WA HA HA's backup players, provided by the unknown Patron, and they are a little weird. Picture traditional Kabuki "stage ninjas" but with instruments. They move and play with uncanny, eerie synchronicity.

The crowd immediately goes quiet to listen to the music, which benefited from a ridiculous amount of successes when the band wrote it (the lyrics received far fewer successes, so the song is one of those instantly catchy tunes with dumb, cheesy lyrics - which now that I think about it is a pretty good descriptor for any given boyband's first hit single).

The boys dance onto the stage solemnly, playing their instruments, dressed in all-concealing black cloaks and Sijanese funeral masks. Embers starts up Passion Inciting Presence (a variation on Fury Inciting Presence that invokes excitement and fun in an audience instead of anger), while Joshi uses Masterful Performance Exercise and Asaimizu uses Graceful Reed Dancing. Meanwhile pools of rising and falling light (like a visualizer on your media player of choice) pulse around their feet, courtesy of Windsong's Phantom Conjuring Performance.

As they reach their positions, they thow off their cloaks and masks and hit the first note of the song, all in unison. Underneath, they're all wearing shiny mirrored suits that look as if someone hunted down and skinned several disco balls to make them - just one of the hundred of fabulous sets of costumes in the Airship of Love's wardrobe (Windsong: "After this we should do a benefit concert for the poor endangered disco balls who died so we could have these clothes.") - and it's at this point that the animas really start flaring. Sunlight + Mirrored suits = stagehand dousing the stage lights and the audience going nuts as people start packing into the stadium to see what's going on. More charms get invoked - I remember Husband-Seducing Demon's Dance from Asaimizu and I think more Masterful Performance Exercises. Windsong sends illusionary dancing girls around the stage.

More and more Essence is thrown around as we make it through the bridge and some solo bits. Embers goes iconic with an invocation of Respect Commanding Attitude, a giant fiery phoenix surrounded by a ring of burning ice floating over him. Not to be outdone, Joshi buys a ridiculous amount of successes on another Masterful Performance and goes iconic too - and remember that Torawashi had no idea what his anima was going to be, so she was as surprised as anyone when suddenly he's surmounted by a giant flaming Magma Kraken, waving its tentacles to the beat and randomly snatching up the illusionary dancing girls, who continue to dance along the fiery tentacles.

We head toward the grand finale. Windsong gives the dancing girls fairy wings and they head out over the audience as he goes iconic, surrounding the group with a storm of leaves blowing in a phantom wind, and Asaimizu uses Graceful Crane Stance to make his way to the highest point of the stage, where his banner erupts - hundreds of mirrors, revolving around him and reflecting scenes from the stage like jumbotron screens.

There's a big finish. The Indifferent musicians' black robes and the grey stone of the stage are bleached white, and many in the audience will be seeing Caste Marks for a week. Stunned for a moment, the audience starts to chant - "WA HA HA, WA HA HA!" The announcer, eyes bleeding, proclaims them the winner, as the contest judge continues to try to climb onto the stage.

The band starts to leave. The audience *freaks* and begins to chase them and riot. Embers turns and invokes Unruly Mob Dispersing Rebuke as he shouts into the Boomstick "Good night Gethamane!" - and the crowd disperses in an orderly fashion, filing out politely.

As they head back up on the gondola into the Airship of Love, the band sees the snowy mountain below them covered with new fans holding up candles.

So. One qualifying match down. This is going to be easy! Or is it...? The tour manager, shielding his eyes as the boy's animas begin to slowly fade, explains that the next match is in Chiaroscuro - "And pick something warm to wear, you'll be performing in a Shadowland."

End, Episode One.

Topher

[alexandria2000]

You forgot one thing, Toph -

As they depart, Joshi uses his Thrown charms and tosses Infinite guitar picks to land at the feet of pretty girls...each pick has his name inscribed on them.

He then turns to the rest of the group and says, "So. How in hell are we supposed to top THAT?"

Smoldering Embers is unimpressed. "I don't know about you, but *I* was holding back."

God help us all. :)

[Topher]

I know I'm forgetting things, so you guys who were there feel free to fill in any gaps. We were all laughing so hard so much of the time that it was easy to miss stuff.

Gendo, one of the guys who was watching but not playing, begged to be allowed to come back and watch the next game, and may end up joining us as a fifth band member.

I think everybody had a really great time, and it was cool to play Exalted in a totally nuts, way-out funny way for a change. I'm very much looking forward to our next session, when I hope to get through the match vs PYRE in Chiaroscuro and the match vs Black Jade out in Azure.

Topher

[Egarwaen]

The Airship of Love? :D

[alexandria2000]

Yeah, Toph. The Airship of Love? What the...

Make us into the chibi J-friends at your peril, GM. :P

[Topher]

Originally posted by alexandria2000
Yeah, Toph. The Airship of Love? What the...

Make us into the chibi J-friends at your peril, GM. :P

You know you love it.

T

[Overshee]

sweet!

[Cirv]

I thought Smoldering Embers was an inspired name. And then I saw Shallow Waters :D Bloody brilliant.

I must be a groupie, because I need more boy-band goodness! (And, my God, I never thought I would say that in my life).

[That Man There]

This is one of the most marvelously warped campaign concepts I have ever seen. I LOVE it.

Unfortunately, about 5 minutes after I first read the thread, an image of a bunch of Lunars performing a horribly twisted version of Nine Inch Nails' 'Closer' slipped into my brain, and has yet to leave.

The bit that goes "I want to f*** you like an animal" is particularly disturbing.

**tries to crack skull open and pour bleach over brain**

Help.

[Sigilistic]

I still think you should add Lunar gangsta rappers to the story.

But man, that was brilliant, absolutely brilliant. A blast to read. Keep it coming!

[Topher]

Originally posted by Sigilistic
I still think you should add Lunar gangsta rappers to the story.

But man, that was brilliant, absolutely brilliant. A blast to read. Keep it coming!

The Lunar band does indeed rap, although in a J-Pop boyband style rather than in a gangsta style (like all the opposing boy bands, they are modeled after real-life J-pop groups - in this case Arashi, who do rap a lot).

They do have Moonsilver bling, though.

Topher

[Sigilistic]

"They do have Moonsilver bling, though."

I'm sold.

EDIT: They should get Moonsilver crowns too...

[Kenshiro]

God, I wanna play in this game so bad...If only to meet Alchemical Industrial/Techno band...

[Aaron Peori]

Wait a minute... how are Sidereals ever supposed to HAVE a band?

Fan 1: Hey did you go to the concert last night?

Fan 2: Yeah! It was awesome man!

Fan 1: Damn straight... (pauses) Uh, who played in it again?

Fan 2: Damned if I know! But they played kick ass songs... uhhh... whatever those songs were...

Fan 1: Yeah... those... uh, guys... they (pauses) what did they do again?

Fan 2: Huh? Who?

Fan 1: What were we talking about again?

Fan 2: (shrug)

-------------------
Epsilon

[Kai Tave]

Originally posted by Aaron Peori
Wait a minute... how are Sidereals ever supposed to HAVE a band?

By having all members operate under the Resplendent Destiny of the Pop Star. They are The Boy Band, the one you always hear about but never remember except for snippets of melody inexplicably stuck in your head. They perform, and are loved, until they finally become TOO popular, at which point they drop their guise and fade from memory long enough to don another such Destiny and begin again.

You think there are too many boy bands? The truth is that THERE'S ONLY ONE, and you've been listening to them for the last 2,000 years.

[alexandria2000]

*snickers*

Kai, sometimes you make way too much sense. :)

[LoneWolf23]

This thread is cool, and ironically just the other day I was imagining a Zenith-Caste Bard singing songs from Queen like "Princes of the Universe" and "We Are the Champions"...

[Stephen Tannhauser]

So did anyone use my Flawless Synchrony of Movement Charm?

And a word to the wise for the players: Make darn sure nobody attacks you right after you finish a concert, 'cause it sounds like one show burns a LOT of Essence....

[alexandria2000]

Which was why I was holding off on going Iconic - I was positive something was going to happen.

Game goes on, nothing happens like the Wyld Hunt rushing the stage...


...well. Guess I'm wrong, so, *fwoosh*. :)

[Stephen Tannhauser]

Originally posted by alexandria2000
Which was why I was holding off on going Iconic - I was positive something was going to happen.

Game goes on, nothing happens like the Wyld Hunt rushing the stage...

On the other hand, maybe you have less to worry about than I thought. Imagine the FBI trying to arrest the bands at Woodstock... and the likely reaction of the crowds after that show....

I can hear the town criers now: "BAND FANS DESTROY WYLD HUNT, READ ALL ABOUT IT!!!!"

[Jason Hinds]

Originally posted by Cirv
I thought Smoldering Embers was an inspired name. And then I saw Shallow Waters :D Bloody brilliant.


"They call me Shallow Waters because I like to think about things that require thinking about. I often wonder why nature is so... natural and stuff. One thing you can always say about me is that Shallow Waters run deep."

[Jason Hinds]

Originally posted by Aaron Peori
The only concept better than this was Exalted High School.

And now that I've mentioned it, the two would probably blend together quite well...

I'm sure they would, given half a chance.

Sadly, I've already used Principal Kitaoka and Assistant Principal Goro-chan in another game...

[Topher]

Session Two starts at noon today. Pre-emptively bumping so that this yhread will be easier for me to find when I'm recovered enough to write it up.

Topher

[pointyman2000]

I am really eager to see the rest of this game. :p

[CyanideBreathmint]

Originally posted by Aaron Peori
[B]Wait a minute... how are Sidereals ever supposed to HAVE a band?


You mean Radiohead?

- Mel

[Egarwaen]

Originally posted by CyanideBreathmint
You mean Radiohead?

Who? ;)

[Flower of December]

Originally posted by CyanideBreathmint
You mean Radiohead?

- Mel Would that make coldplay half caste?

[DSPaul]

Hmmm... Should the inevitable Abyssal group play death metal, goth, or Evil German Techno?

[CyanideBreathmint]

Originally posted by Flower of December
Would that make coldplay half caste?

Actually, yes. Quite.

- Mel

[Egarwaen]

Originally posted by DSPaul
Hmmm... Should the inevitable Abyssal group play death metal, goth, or Evil German Techno?

How about happy, cheery pop...

... That just happens to be about how wonderful being dead and oblivion are? ;)

[AuntNeppy]

Originally posted by Egarwaen
How about happy, cheery pop...

... That just happens to be about how wonderful being dead and oblivion are? ;)

I remember seeing a music video at an anime convention that was made up of clips of anime characters dying horribly and in droves...set to Hanson's "Mm Bop".

Is that the effect you're looking for? :D

[Flower of December]

Originally posted by AuntNeppy
I remember seeing a music video at an anime convention that was made up of clips of anime characters dying horribly and in droves...set to Hanson's "Mm Bop".

Is that the effect you're looking for? hmm.. let's take a look at the lyrics.

"Love fades and when you turn your back it's not there
So hold on to the ones who still care
But as time goes by you grow old and lose your hair
Can you hold on? will you still care?
In an mmm-bop they're gone
In an mmm-bop they're gone"

[Topher]

*Much* too tired for a full write-up tonight, I'll do that tomorrow. Tonight, just some featured dialogue. The music and song related puns were flying fast and furious this session.

Embers, with the understatement of the year after last session: "I have...difficulty...being subtle."
Asaimizu: "Power word: DUH."
Embers: "I *am* self-aware, you know."
Asaimizu: "No, you are self-absorbed."

Windsong: "You'll be all mystique-ious."

Windsong, after discovering they were to perform in a ruined Shadowland neighborhood of Chiaroscuro: "It feels like we'll be walking on broken glass."

Joshi: "Okay, I *really* need to drink something that's *not* blood."

Embers, putting on his Freudian slippers after accidentally watching Asaimizu doing the Husband-Seducing Demon's Dance: "All right. Smoldering Members will be here...what? What did I say?"

"Pimp My Coffin"

Joshi: "You don't want to eat me. I'm thin...and gristly."

Asaimizu: "Windsong, is there something on your mind?"
Windsong: "...not often."

Joshi: "Guys! The audience wants to *eat* our *brains*. Run!"

Much fun was had by all. Full write-up tomorrow when I can think straight. ^_^

Topher

[Quendalon]

I wanna hear the Dragon King boy band!

- Eric

[Jason Hinds]

Windsong: "Rejection is a terrible thing, isn't it?"
Asaimizu: "But there was no jecting in the first place!"

[VoiceOfIsaac]

Bump for the morning crowd.

Great fun was had! Smoldering Embers is a very fun character to play -- I've never deliberately played someone as egotistical and self-absorbed before, so this is a fun change of pace for me. He's the butt of many of the jokes being thrown around, but he's trying very hard to be "too cool" to pay attention to said jokes.

Poor schmuck. :)

- Isaac

[Egarwaen]

Originally posted by Topher v2.0
Asaimizu: "Windsong, is there something on your mind?"
Windsong: "...not often."

Joshi: "Guys! The audience wants to *eat* our *brains*. Run!"

Sounds like the audience would starve first. ;)

[Domon]

just a question:
does someone in the band know how to tiger warrior train? because you can mask the traing in the dance steps, and in some months have a bunch of tiger-fans ready to die for you (and able to defend themselves very well).

now, think just if they pogo!

[VoiceOfIsaac]

Originally posted by Domon
just a question:
does someone in the band know how to tiger warrior train? because you can mask the traing in the dance steps, and in some months have a bunch of tiger-fans ready to die for you (and able to defend themselves very well).

now, think just if they pogo!

Smoldering Embers *could* learn that charm (I think he's got all the requirements), but frankly, the band is more concerned with winning the Battle of the Bands competition than with teaching their fans how to fight.

WA-HA-HA is building up a fanbase, that much we know, but training them how to fight isn't really in the plans. Teaching them how to *dance* might be fun, but in all honesty, dancing is more of Asaimizu's schtick -- Smoldering Embers has the godlike singing voice, but he can't compare with Asaimizu in terms of fancy footwork, and their respective charms and dice pools reflect that.

Also, in some of these competitions, swaying the crowd might actually be less important than swaying the judges, as the most recent session showed (but I'll let Topher describe in more detail).

- Isaac!

[Topher]

When we last left our...protagonists, they were resting up after the big concert at Gethamane. As this session opens a few days later, the boys are called into the rehearsal room to meet with the Tour Manager. Joshi takes the opportunity to hit on one of the Indifferent Musicians, who he has decided must be female. "She" remains indifferent, and Joshi fails in his attempt to peek under the ninja-mask.

Asaimizu: "Dude, that's a *guy*.
Joshi: "No way. Besides, I think she's starting to come around."

When they gather, the TM explains that the next engagement will be a bit more difficult. They'll be performing in a Shadowland neighborhood of Chiaroscuro, for a mostly-Dead audience. The spectacular lightshow they put on last time would be inappropriate at best, and turn the audience into ash at worst.

This is a problem. Smoldering Embers has the "Beacon of Power" Flaw. You know, the one where all your Essence is Peripheral. This means he's going to have to go through the whole concert without using any Charms!

The boys try to wrap what brains they have around the concept of "subtle" while the TM goes on to inform them that there's something of a religious war going on in Gethamane - their fans are fighting in the streets with the fans of The Oncoming Storm, who *also* put on a spectacular performance in that city.

Asaimizu: "*muttermutter* talentless hacks *muttermutter*"

The band gets down to work. They quickly decide to write a new song called "Your Love Will Be the Death of Me", about how true love can overcome death and persevere even in the Underworld. Embers, Windsong, and Joshi get started composing while Asaimizu heads for the Wardrobe to look for appropriate costumes.

After adding up successes, the song is musically good, but not as catchy as the group's debut single, "You Are the Scarlet Empress of My Heart". Lyrically, however, the new song is *way* better than the first one - but there's a catch.

A2K took the "Unbidden Oracle" and "Throwback" flaws when she made Windsong. We had already decided that the Oracle would manifest occasionally through his lyrics. I further decided that the Oracle would be filtered through his alternate Throwback personality - a devout, uptight, intolerant Immaculate nun who committed suicide shortly after Exalting as a Solar.

So. The song is brilliantly written - but it contains a section about how reincarnation is the only proper result of death and that lingering as a ghost is an abomination before the Elemental Dragons. The boys decide the song will fall apart without that part and cross their fingers, hoping to get points for being "controversial."

Meanwhile, Asaimizu has rolled a bunch of successes while hunting through the Wardrobe and found the *perfect* costumes - outfits made out of black leather straps with silver buckles (making the wearer look like a black leather mummy) complete with voluminous black capes with huge black feathered collar/epaulette thingies. He chooses knee-high, low-heeled boots for himself, while picking out thigh-high platformy KISS boots for the other three boys, hoping to make his own dancing skills stand out more.

After lots of rehearsing, the Airship of Love arrives at Chiaroscuro, just after sunset. The boys have a day to scout the area...and the competition.

TBC...

Topher

[Jason Hinds]

Originally posted by VoiceOfIsaac
Bump for the morning crowd.

Great fun was had! Smoldering Embers is a very fun character to play -- I've never deliberately played someone as egotistical and self-absorbed before, so this is a fun change of pace for me. He's the butt of many of the jokes being thrown around, but he's trying very hard to be "too cool" to pay attention to said jokes.

Poor schmuck. :)

- Isaac

"I didn't hear that." *brushes his hair away dramatically*

[Torawashi]

Originally posted by Topher v2.0
Joshi takes the opportunity to hit on one of the Indifferent Musicians, who he has decided must be female. "She" remains indifferent, and Joshi fails in his attempt to peek under the ninja-mask.
I love it when they play hard to get. :D

And dude, trust me. I know what I'm talking about. Guys don't sashay like that.

[Jason Hinds]

Originally posted by Torawashi
I love it when they play hard to get. :D

And dude, trust me. I know what I'm talking about. Guys don't sashay like that.

I sashay like that. I learned it when I trained in the Spirit-Distracting Funeral Step. See? *swish swish swish*

What?

[Jason Hinds]

Hmm. I wonder if we should bring back the "outtakes" schtick from the other Exalted game?

[Topher]

So the group goes down to street level, finding themselves on a dark, dilapidated avenue. The only source of light is a nearby tavern - "Memories" - lit by flickering corpseflames.

They go in and announce that "We're the band," and the entire bar - ghosts, sickly shadowlanders, and a few zombie barstaff - stare at them. After a few tense moments, a good-looking young man appears and leads them into the back, trading some barbs with Asaimizu while Embers tries to be diplomatic. The PCs never got this guy's name - he refused to answer when Asaimizu asked because he found him irritating, and no-one else asked - but it was the Black Tiger Who Haunts the Forest of the Night. Yeah, he was a Midnight.

Embers finagles permission to go meet the band's opponents, a group called PYRE. On the way to the stage, they pass by several dressing rooms, seeing their own room and rooms labeled "Black Jade" and "LOOKSHY."

They reach the area where they'll be performing. It's small - this is a club gig, not a stadium performance - and the stage is surrounded by moaning, writhing Soulsteel chickenwire. "Sometimes the crowd gets a little rough," the deathknight explains.

The boys meet PYRE, who are rehearshing a dance sequence. The band consists of two ghosts - twin brothers - and two Nemissaries, who Asaimizu, with his funerist's training, figures are in their own corpses. There's a bit of pseudopolite back-and-forth (Windsong demonstrates his utter lack of tact) and Joshi gets progressively more and more creeped out by the Dead. He asks if there's anything to drink, and the Black Tiger points out the nearby bar - fully-stocked with a wide variety of blood. Joshi gets even more squicked, and becomes convinced that the Nemissaries are sizing him up for a snack.

The boys retreat to their dressing room, which is barely big enough for the four of them to fit in together. There's a bit of brainstorming - we need a prop coffin! - and Joshi indicates his extreme need to be elsewhere and intoxicated. They decide to split up - Joshi and Windsong will head out into the living portion of the city to stock up on booze, while Embers and Asaimizu will travel to a nearby mortuary to purchase a tricked-out coffin for the show.

Windsong and Joshi cross over the salt line into an extremely nice neighborhood, and are immediately accosted by a spirit who takes the form of a sweet little old lady who demands to know what they're up to. They've wandered into Grandmother Bright's domain. After they explain who they are and why they're there, she leads them to a very nice little tavern and plies them with home-baked cookies, eventually guilting them into promising that the band will come back after the contest and do a free performance for her residents. "And *do* eat another macaroon, sweetheart, you're far too thin. And Joshi, dearie, eat some more peanuts if you're going to drink that much. Grandmother knows best."

Meanwhile, Asaimizu and Embers are not having nearly so pleasant a time. They make it to the mortuary and meet the proprieter (played by Angus Scrimm, the Tall Man from the Phantasm movies). He's not happy to see them, but lets them in when he hears they are in the market for a coffin. They find a great one - all gothy and spiky with wrought iron - but it's very expensiveand neither of them are great at haggling. Asaimizu decides to perform the Husband-Seducing Demon's Dance to get the coffin at a steep discount.

He proceeds to give the Tall Man a lapdance. Unfortunately, Embers is watching as well, and is gripped by lust for his bandmate (Isaac had some *great* facial expressions here). The Tall Man gives them the coffin for free, and promised to be in the front row at the performance the next night. Embers then possessively drags Asaimizu out and back to the Airship of Love, where he runs back to his room to, er, think about things until the Charm wears off.

Embers: "We will never speak of this again."

Joshi and Windsong, liquored up and laden with a picnic basket full of sweets and snacks, make it back as well, and there's some more rehearsing and witty banter before the boys retire for the night.

TBC...

Toph

[DSPaul]

Originally posted by Topher v2.0
He proceeds to give the Tall Man a lapdance.
:eek:

[Jason Hinds]

Originally posted by DSPaul
:eek:

EXACTLY the expression I was trying to induce.

Thank you, kind sir.

[CyanideBreathmint]

Originally posted by Jason Hinds
EXACTLY the expression I was trying to induce.

Thank you, kind sir.

YOU GAVE WHO A LAPDANCE?!

- Mel

[Jason Hinds]

Well, the Tall Man wanted Asaimizu to pay real money for a coffin, money Our Humble and Pretty Twilight couldn't get immediately. So, Asaimizu gave him a lapdance that was turbocharged with Husband-Seducing Demon's Dance.

Besides, Asaimizu is used to partying with the dead; he's a funeral dancer after all. There is probably one society or another in the Hundred Kingdoms that requires some kind of hot sexy dancing to appease the spirits of the dead. Asaimizu knows them all. Why not use what he knows to get what he wants?

[VoiceOfIsaac]

Originally posted by CyanideBreathmint
YOU GAVE WHO A LAPDANCE?!

- Mel

Mel, I haven't even *seen* the Phantasm movies, and I was squicked out.

"The dude on the poster with the ball-corkscew thing? DUDE!"

- Jason's such a bastard - Isaac! :)

[Jason Hinds]

It's just like Asaimizu said about some of the funeral after-parties in Sijan: sometimes you just can't argue against 700 years of experience.

-- It was like that scene in Ghost except that Barry White was playing! JH

[Torawashi]

Originally posted by Jason Hinds
-- It was like that scene in Ghost except that Barry White was playing! JH
OH GOD MY EYES!

--must...cleanse...thinky-thing...with FIRE tw

[Jason Hinds]

Use really hot fire, kiddo.

[AliasiSudonomo]

Originally posted by Aaron Peori
Wait a minute... how are Sidereals ever supposed to HAVE a band?

Fan 1: Hey did you go to the concert last night?

Fan 2: Yeah! It was awesome man!

Fan 1: Damn straight... (pauses) Uh, who played in it again?

Fan 2: Damned if I know! But they played kick ass songs... uhhh... whatever those songs were...

Fan 1: Yeah... those... uh, guys... they (pauses) what did they do again?

Fan 2: Huh? Who?

Fan 1: What were we talking about again?

Fan 2: (shrug)

-------------------
Epsilon

Long-lived and nobody can quite remember the concerts.

Hell, sounds like the Grateful Dead.

[Jason Hinds]

Originally posted by AliasiSudonomo
Long-lived and nobody can quite remember the concerts.

Hell, sounds like the Grateful Dead.

Wow. That's spot-on.

[AliasiSudonomo]

Originally posted by Jason Hinds
Wow. That's spot-on.

Now, imagine Chejop Kejak as Jerry Garcia.

This is hurting my mind terribly.

[alexandria2000]

Yikes, he didn't finish the story yet!

Keep on posting, Topher!

[Topher]

Originally posted by alexandria2000
Yikes, he didn't finish the story yet!

Keep on posting, Topher!

I was wrestling with a horrible headache all day yesterday. I think I may be getting eyestrain for some reason.

I upped my monitor's refresh rate and that seems to have helped a bit, we'll see. I'll definitely finish the recap today.

Topher

[Jason Hinds]

Until Topher finishes the recap, just ponder what goes on through the mind of a vapid yet pretty young man as he gives the Tall Man from Phantasm a languid and lascivious LAPDANCE.

[SirFozzie]

Originally posted by alexandria2000
Oh, no, we're about to run that one too....!

*cries*

[Topher]

I should point out that Jason did get one Stunt die for the lapdance thing.

Earlier in the session, Isaac got two Stunt dice for, well, stunt songwriting.

Topher

[SirFozzie]

Originally posted by Jason Hinds
Until Topher finishes the recap, just ponder what goes on through the mind of a vapid yet pretty young man as he gives the Tall Man from Phantasm a languid and lascivious LAPDANCE.

Tries to think about it...

pondering...

HEAD BLOW UP TIME!

BOOOM!!

Give yourself a "Made X's head Blow up" point :)

[alexandria2000]

I was totally out of it that game. I'm still having trouble with the level of ditziness this character should have, and thus going 'how in hell is Windsong fitting in here'?

Maybe I'll have it worked out by next session.

[Jason Hinds]

You're doing fine with keeping Windsong as a ditzy raver. I just need to work on revealing Asaimizu as he really is. His Nature is Conniver, after all.

[VoiceOfIsaac]

Originally posted by Jason Hinds
You're doing fine with keeping Windsong as a ditzy raver. I just need to work on revealing Asaimizu as he really is. His Nature is Conniver, after all.

That was one thing I wanted to ask you about, Jason...

I know that Asaimizu is supposed to be a vapid idiot in many respects, but he's also showing a lot of *cunning*, both in his little conniving ways, and in his cattiness.

He hasn't really come across as being Zoolander-stupid yet... are you still going with that?

- either way is fine, I was just surprised - Isaac!

[alexandria2000]

Originally posted by VoiceOfIsaac
That was one thing I wanted to ask you about, Jason...

I know that Asaimizu is supposed to be a vapid idiot in many respects, but he's also showing a lot of *cunning*, both in his little conniving ways, and in his cattiness.

He hasn't really come across as being Zoolander-stupid yet... are you still going with that?


Uhm, sweetie? He *is*, IMHO.

Zoolander was *stupid*. He wasn't completely dumb. If he was completely dumb he'd be unplayable.

Ask him anything about modeling, he'd know it. Ask him about anything outside his job, he's as dim as god knows what.

I'd say the same applied to Asaimizu. When Asaimizu tries to get deep and thoughtful - therein lies the stupidness.

Maybe I was watching the movie differently from you, but....

[Topher]

Okay, so it's performance day, and the sun is setting. The band heads down to Memories, this time going in the stage door in back, and throwing some pointed remarks at "Smoldering Members" about 'going in the back door.'

As they are going in, another band is leaving, looking rather disgusted. Some of the boys are aware enough to notice that these good-looking young men bear the marks of high-Breeding Dragon-Blooded, but they pass by each other without incident (if this was a movie, the shot where they walk past each other nonchalantly would be in slow motion and probably shown from a couple angles).

Inside, they wait in their "dressing room". They ask for some chairs, and a couple zombies deliver some barstools, freaking Joshi out again. After waiting for a bit, the Black Tiger appears to lead them to the stage. There's some catty interplay between the Abyssal (who lets his caste mark bleed a bit) and Asaimizu, but Embers is as usual shmoozy and calms things down.

Onstage, PYRE is performing. (Music played at this point for the players: "Venus", by FLAME) The Dead are dancing nicely, but not harmonizing very well - but they do have cool special effects, including a ghostly glow and an illusion of a vast orchestra of skeletons playing behind them. The audience loves their hometown champions, and both judges seem pleased with the performance.

Black Tiger sneers as he introduces "the challengers, WA HA HA." No-one applauds.

The Indifferent Musicians march on with the group, playing a dirge. Some of them are acting as Indifferent Pallbearers, carrying the coffin aquired the previous night. Center stage, Windsong "dies" and falls back into the coffin, activating Phantom-Conjuring Performance and sending his "ghost" up through the lid, singing the song's first verse.

Embers is acting as a "priest", conducting the funeral, while Asaimizu does a popular southern mourning dance. Joshi, meanwhile, has activated a Charm and vanished from sight (he practices Air Dragon Style) and proceeds to flit around the stage, providing invisible ghostly voices here and there.

I know I'm forgetting some stuff here, so the players should feel free to fill in. ^_^

Embers is relying on his massive natural dice pool and Hearthstone help to sing his heart out. Asaimizu at some point climbs up onto the Soulsteel chickenwire and starts writhing against it. Windsong's "ghost" is dancing on the barbed coffin lid, feet "bleeding" onto it artistically.

Things get a bit iffy when the "controversial" lyrics come up. The audience begins to growl angrily. The boys push on, lifting the coffin onto its end and opening the lid, revealing a second "lid" underneath - a set of bars, which Windsong uses to do the equivalent of a cage dance (coffin dance?). He's throwing himself against the bars, as if trying to escape death and be reunited with his lover, and Joshi re-appears centerstage for his guitar solo, wailing like the souls of the damned.

Asaimizu throws up some more dance charms. Embers decides to try a stunt, going up to the chickenwire and pointing his Boomstick at the audience just past it, trying to incorporate their groaning into the song and harmonize with it. The stunt works, but in an unpleasant way - the angry growling intensifies and spreads.

Windsong throws himself at the barred coffin lid one last time, covering himself with an illusion of his body ripping to shreds and passing through the bars, as Joshi collapses on stage, writhing on his back and playing the final few chords of the song.

The Indifferent Musicians grab the props and skedaddle. The boys gather on the side of the stage closest to the exit, while PYRE comes on from the other side, looking *really* pissed.

Black Tiger enters, ready to announce the contest results.

TBC...

Topher

[Jason Hinds]

Originally posted by VoiceOfIsaac
That was one thing I wanted to ask you about, Jason...

I know that Asaimizu is supposed to be a vapid idiot in many respects, but he's also showing a lot of *cunning*, both in his little conniving ways, and in his cattiness.

He hasn't really come across as being Zoolander-stupid yet... are you still going with that?

- either way is fine, I was just surprised - Isaac!

This is a bit of a spoiler, so I reveal at great pain. (Well, not really, but but it spoils the fun a bit.)
----OBLIGATORY SPOILER SPACE READ AT YOUR OWN RISK----












----END OBLIGATORY SPOILER SPACE----
It's an act. He's trying to find out why the Unconquered Sun Exalted him, because there's just no way that Gods would give someone their power because they're beautiful, right? By playing stupid, Asaimizu tries to get other people to reveal their intentions to him. After all, he's too dumb to understand, right? I fully intend for this to come back and bite him in his toned, muscular and attractive backside later in the campaign.

Asaimizu is as dumb as a sack of very pretty hammers because it works to his advantage right now. By playing dumb and showing off his very attractive self, he gets what he needs done. This is because while he's not a genius of any type, he also realizes his limitation to put concepts together when looking for a pattern. So, he does what he can to get people to explain themselves. The cattiness just comes naturally from him, and is something I always got from (and I know I'm gonna catch hell for this later) the theater majors I knew in college.

Again, he's partly based off of Zoolander, and partly based off of Haku from Naruto. I took quite liberally from Haku's scheming, loyal and vicious sides an covered it in a Zoolander-esque stupidity. If he hadn't been in a magical boyband, Asaimizu would still be in Sijan using his looks and (ahem) talents to drum up more customers for his funeral troupe and deathmask business. He's in the caring and compassion business, you know.

Shallow Waters run deep, dear friends.

[VoiceOfIsaac]

Okay, I can see that...

My apologies if my questions made you feel that you should reveal something you were trying to keep secret -- that wasn't my intention -- but I do feel I have a better understanding of Asaimizu now, and how Embers can interact with him.

- Isaac

[Jason Hinds]

Originally posted by VoiceOfIsaac
Okay, I can see that...

My apologies if my questions made you feel that you should reveal something you were trying to keep secret -- that wasn't my intention -- but I do feel I have a better understanding of Asaimizu now, and how Embers can interact with him.

- Isaac

Well, it wasn't something I was going to reveal immediately, but definitely within the next couple of sessions.

*sniff sniff* I had ALL this melodrama planned for the game, and YOU RUINED IT! YOU RUINED IT!!! I CAN NEVER TRUST YOU WITH MY FEELINGS AGAIN!!!*SOB*



:D

[Topher]

So we have the bands on stage, along with our emcee, the Black Tiger.

A zombie shuffles up with a slip of paper. The deathknight receives it and smirks. "The audience votes for...PYRE."

The boys groan. They need to win two out of the three votes. The audience has voted against them, so they need to get both judges' votes - and one of the judges is a ghost (the other is a rather sickly-looking human).

The living judge rises. "I vote for WA HA HA" he says, then cringes as the audience moans its displeasure. The Black Tiger shoots him a look like "later for you" and then smiles as he waits for the final vote, from "the mayor of our little community."

The Dead judge rises. Everyone who can still breathe is holding his breath. The boys are sure they've lost (and from the looks on the players' faces, they thought so too). "I'm sorry to disappoint people," the ghost says as he looks at Our Heroes, "But I have to vote truthfully. I thought WA HA HA's song was beautiful, and so I vote for them."

Chaos ensues.

As the boys register that they've won, the Dead slam into the chickenwire, which buckles under the weight of the mob. The judges both disappear under a swarm of rapidly shapeshifting ghosts.

PYRE, across the stage from the band, isn't so impeded. Both Nemissaries lurch across the stage, while one ghost begins to glow more brightly and the other opens its mouth, vomiting up a flood of inky blackness.

Joshi is in the wings already. "Let's go!" Windsong has whipped out his flute and extended it to staff-size, while Asaimizu neatly parries the first Nemissary's fist with his Jade Razor Claw, slicing off the corpse's hand. Embers tries to use his Mob-Dispersing Rebuke charm, but it only sends the few surviving humans fleeing. Embers: "*Now* we run."

They exit, stage right. Embers is flaring his Zenith anima to try to hold the dead back, and as they make it out onto the street the light attracts more Shadowlands residents. The boys hare off for the gondola that will carry them back up to the Airship of Love - at the far end of the street.

Halfway there they look back, and see not only the ghosts and zombies in hot pursuit, but a flood of vermin - rats, snakes, and cockroaches. A few hasty Athletics rolls later, and they are all safely aboard the gondola, barely shutting the door as the torrent of vermin smashes into it. There's a microsecond of relief before all four guys realize they're not moving yet and simultaneously dive for the "recall" pull-chain.

A few zombie hands punch through the floor as they are lifted up, but Embers zaps them with Zenith-mojo while the others frantically dance and stomp.

Safely back on the ship, the Tour Manager scowls disapprovingly at Embers. "I thought we were being *subtle* this time." He's mollified when he hears that the boys won, and encourages them to rest up (and enjoy the relaxing-by-comparison freebie concert for Grandmother Bright's neighborhood the next day).

Next stop: Coral, and an engagement with Black Jade, singers who are also pirates.

Wait, pirates?

TM: "Yes, they're an offshoot of some family or other...I can never remember the name..."
PCs, in unison: "The LINTHA?"
TM: "Oh yes, that's it."

Roll credits. End, episode two.

Topher

[JamesCat]

This game is the bestest thing ever, and I wish to move to Chicago purely so that I can participate.

J.

[Jason Hinds]

You should see if you can bring over your Exalted players as well, James. They sound like they're a blast to play with.

[Jason Hinds]

And now, an interview with... Asaimizu.

Interviewer: Thanks for taking time out of your busy schedule to talk with me.

Asaimizu: Oh, it's my pleasure.

I: So, who are your biggest influences?

A: What?

I: Your influences.

A: No, I feel fine. I'm normally this pale but thanks for asking, though.

I: Uh, right.

A: I haven't had influence since I was 10. I was puking for days. I lost a lot of weight that way, and was able to fit into smaller robes prior to the funeral of Archpriest Serid's firstborn child. I know, I know, who's worried about weight when there's money to be made, but even back then it felt good to go from a size 10 to a size 8 in Boys' Regular.

I: Uh...yeah. That's influenza, not influence.

A: So, my influenza isn't groups like Grelm's Chanteuses and singers like Thousand-Throated Bird of The East?

I: No.

A: And I guess that influenza also doesn't deal with being inspired by the Sijan Funerist Councillor's Select Repertory Dance Troupe or --

I: No, it's an illness! Now, is it true that you were trained by the Glorious Gate troupe in dance and by the --

A: Does it have anything to do with the tailors who sew my clothing?

I: NO! IT'S A FUCKING MINOR ILLNESS!

A: You shouldn't swear. It's not polite and causes you to die a little. They don't call them curse words for nothing you know.

I: *clearly agitated* Okay, we're on the subject of who trained you.

A: Sure. The Glorious Gate troupe taught me both dance and dirge-singing, and requiem-chanting and elegiac poetry was taught to me by Fenzu of the Unbroken Chain. Fenzu's daughter was impressed enough by me that she took me for a lover for a brief time. That was three years ago.

I: And how old are you now?

A: *smiling brightly* Fifteen.

I: *looking worried* And she's...

A: I'm not sure. She's a child of Fenzu and his wife the Lady of Tears, a goddess of mourning. She said something about remembering the Seventh Legion's defense of Sijanese neutrality, and that was at least two centuries ago.

I: *goes pale*...

A: What?

I: ... uhm.

A: My troupe got an exclusive performance contract for Fenzu's funeral out of it. I think that was worth it.

I: *mumbling* Ew ew ew eww...

A: What was that?

I: Oh, nothing! So... are you currently involved with anyone? Anyone in the band or the staff?

A: Oh goodness no! They're cute, but not my type. I like them with a bit more experience, you know.

I: I see...

A: Like you, Mr. Interviewer... you're experienced, aren't you?

I: Huh???

A: At least experienced enough to know that this will generate more sales for your lousy little tabloid than your previous stories...

I: I... uh...

A: Come on, now. We need the publicity, you need the circulation. In more ways than one. *writhes sensuously out of his chair, starts dancing slowly*

I: Uhm. Sure!

A: And you want to make sure that WA HA HA gets first mention of all the groups in this contest, right? *evil grin*

I: Yeah... I... uh... oh, my... Interview, uhm... over?

A: Oh, it's just begun.

(Three hours later)

I: Aguh.

A: No, it's Asaimizu.

I: Uwah?

A: No, Asaimizu.

I: Aguh!

A: Looking back, maybe you weren't speaking figuratively when you said "Holy gods of Yu-Shan, we're about to hit that wall!" Well, I suppose saying "I'm sorry" won't unbreak your jaw will it? I'd... better go now.


----

:D

[nemo]

I'm not sure who I envy more-- the GM or the players... :)

[Jason Hinds]

This campaign is a thing of beauty to behold, Nemo.

[Jason Hinds]

Asaimizu's Advice to New Entertainers:

"Try not to think while performing. It just confuses the audience."

[Torawashi]

Joshi's advice for young performers:

"The sweet, sweet whiskey makes everything better."

[Jason Hinds]

I have spiralled further into wrongness... this song was done to the Sailor Moon theme music...

Take a look at our Twilight
His hair it always looks just right
He fits into trousers that are real tight
He is A-sa-i-mi-zu!

He's been known to make out with his friends
His style sets all Sijan's trends
He bets you all look at his rear end
Call him A-sa-i-mi-zu!

[VoiceOfIsaac]

Originally posted by Jason Hinds
I have spiralled further into wrongness... this song was done to the Sailor Moon theme music...

Take a look at our Twilight
His hair it always looks just right
He fits into trousers that are real tight
He is A-sa-i-mi-zu!

He's been known to make out with his friends
His style sets all Sijan's trends
He bets you all look at his rear end
Call him A-sa-i-mi-zu!

I'd like to have my brain scrubbed out now kplsthanx

- Gretchen was listening to the original song this morning, now it's stuck in my head with THE NEW LYRICS, kill me! - Isaac!

[Jason Hinds]

I had to get those lyrics out somehow, Ike. Sorry.

[Topher]

Question to players: How would you feel about me posting your character sheets to the new page I've made for this series over on the Wiki?

It's okay to say no, of course.

Topher, Wiki-ing

[Jason Hinds]

Go for it.

[Jason Hinds]

Hey, Isaac!

Try putting together a song for Smoldering Embers to "Immigrant Song." That should take care of the earworm.

[VoiceOfIsaac]

Originally posted by Topher v2.0
Question to players: How would you feel about me posting your character sheets to the new page I've made for this series over on the Wiki?

It's okay to say no, of course.

Topher, Wiki-ing

Fine by me.

By the way... I do apologize for min/maxing Embers to have such a massive dice pool on Performance/Sing stuff....

- in retrospect, it was kinda monty-hall - Isaac!

[Jason Hinds]

Dude.

It's over-the-top comedy. Min-Maxing is the rule, not the exception.

[Egarwaen]

Next stop: Coral, and an engagement with Black Jade, singers who are also pirates.

Let me guess. Their songs involve lines like "dead man's chest" and "and really bad eggs"? ;)

[Torawashi]

Question to players: How would you feel about me posting your character sheets to the new page I've made for this series over on the Wiki?

It's okay to say no, of course.

Topher, Wiki-ing
Go for it. :D

[Topher]

Cool, just need to hear from A2K now.

BTW, Gendo wrote me back and will be joining us as a fifth band member.

Toph

[Jason Hinds]

Sweet. We may just have a perfect circle after all.

[Bruce Baugh]

I pointed Rich Dansky at this thread. He said:

I now regret having worked on Exalted.

:)

[VoiceOfIsaac]

I pointed Rich Dansky at this thread. He said:

I now regret having worked on Exalted.

:)

Glad we could, ah, help?

I take it that no one on WW staff ever expected that someone would use Exalted to play out a super-powered mythic/anime/Japanese Boy Bands music battle, mapping existed Japanese bands onto different regions of the Creation setting? :)

Once we get our fifth member, we're going to look into getting someone drawing our cast o' characters.

- can't wait to see how Smoldering Embers turns out - Isaac!

[Topher]

I pointed Rich Dansky at this thread. He said:

Quote:
I now regret having worked on Exalted.

:)

Wow. See if you can get, like, Geoff and Rebecca and such to look at it too. I'll feel really special if I can ruin Exalted for *all* the authors. ^_^

Topher
('cuz then maybe I can get a freelance gig)

[VoiceOfIsaac]

Wow. See if you can get, like, Geoff and Rebecca and such to look at it too. I'll feel really special if I can ruin Exalted for *all* the authors. ^_^

Topher
('cuz then maybe I can get a freelance gig)


Hey, Topher? A question for the next session... would it be possible to see more of the performances of our competition? We've usually gotten at least a glimpse of their performance, and some comments about the strengths and weaknesses of same, but would it be possible to get more in the future? Just a thought.

- still figuring out how to stunt for this game - Isaac!

[Bruce Baugh]

Glad we could, ah, help?

I take it that no one on WW staff ever expected that someone would use Exalted to play out a super-powered mythic/anime/Japanese Boy Bands music battle, mapping existed Japanese bands onto different regions of the Creation setting? :)

Safe bet, I'm thinking.

[Topher]

Hey, Topher? A question for the next session... would it be possible to see more of the performances of our competition? We've usually gotten at least a glimpse of their performance, and some comments about the strengths and weaknesses of same, but would it be possible to get more in the future? Just a thought.

- still figuring out how to stunt for this game - Isaac!

As their performances get more interesting you'll be seeing more narration. The first three are - as the Tour Manager said - picked for their relative lack of challenge. The fourth stop will be a bit odd as the bands will be performing simultaneously. When you get to the Blessed Isle for the final qualifying match, though, I guarantee you'll see plenty of the opposition onstage. ^_^

After that you'll be in the actual competition and things will get even more interesting, with a lot of recurring characters and rematches.

Topher

[VoiceOfIsaac]

As their performances get more interesting you'll be seeing more narration. The first three are - as the Tour Manager said - picked for their relative lack of challenge. The fourth stop will be a bit odd as the bands will be performing simultaneously. When you get to the Blessed Isle for the final qualifying match, though, I guarantee you'll see plenty of the opposition onstage. ^_^

After that you'll be in the actual competition and things will get even more interesting, with a lot of recurring characters and rematches.

Topher

Sounds great!

One thing I'm definitely curious about -- as we're making our way through lesser-known and/or lesser-liked bands, we're going to eventually meet up with the equivalents of V6, TOKIO (well, we've already met them briefly), Tackey and Tsubasa, and other bands that you're an active fan of. My wondering is this -- which of those bands are going to be The Antagonists We Love To Hate, and which ones will be the Honorable Rivals That We'd Be Friends With If Not For The Contest.

Not to mention what happens if we end up doing something awful to one of your favorites. "Woohoo, we made V6 our *bitch*! Hey... why is Topher's face turning red and his knuckles turning white? Did we do something bad?"

:)

- Isaac!

[Topher]

White knuckles and so on are extremely unlikely given my complete lack of taking anything in this series seriously. Sacred cows will be slaughtered right and left. ^_^

Let's see, in addition to facing off against Black Jade next week, you'll also be meeting Age of Sorrows, and quite possibly making friends with them - up to you. The session after that is your encounter with The First and Most Glorious Songcircle of Young Males and probably a meeting with First Age.

Then on to the Blessed Isle, current scene of a fierce four-way competition between Eagle's Eight, the Academy of Song, Ka-Ko-Ku-I-Ta-Yo, and the Four Masters (led by that mysterious young man, the Golden Yama). And a cameo by WyldTune.

Heh. It's fun being a tease when you have no idea what I'm talking about. ^_^

Topher

[Jason Hinds]

I pointed Rich Dansky at this thread. He said:
Quote:
I now regret having worked on Exalted.

:)

I feel as if I have fulfilled some sacred task. Admittedly, it's like I fulfilled the sacred task that will damn us to an eternity of unending torment, but hey, it was a sacred task. Somebody's gotta do it.

:D

[Jason Hinds]

Let's see, in addition to facing off against Black Jade next week, you'll also be meeting Age of Sorrows, and quite possibly making friends with them - up to you. The session after that is your encounter with The First and Most Glorious Songcircle of Young Males and probably a meeting with First Age.

Then on to the Blessed Isle, current scene of a fierce four-way competition between Eagle's Eight, the Academy of Song, Ka-Ko-Ku-I-Ta-Yo, and the Four Masters (led by that mysterious young man, the Golden Yama). And a cameo by WyldTune.


When I find out which bands are which (and I finally figured out LOOKSHY), this is going to be even more fun.

Hmm. I wonder if Asaimizu should make some nice collars for The Oncoming Storm? As a little gift of letting them know just how much we'll OWN them after this contest is over.

[VoiceOfIsaac]

White knuckles and so on are extremely unlikely given my complete lack of taking anything in this series seriously. Sacred cows will be slaughtered right and left. ^_^

Let's see, in addition to facing off against Black Jade next week, you'll also be meeting Age of Sorrows, and quite possibly making friends with them - up to you. The session after that is your encounter with The First and Most Glorious Songcircle of Young Males and probably a meeting with First Age.

Then on to the Blessed Isle, current scene of a fierce four-way competition between Eagle's Eight, the Academy of Song, Ka-Ko-Ku-I-Ta-Yo, and the Four Masters (led by that mysterious young man, the Golden Yama). And a cameo by WyldTune.

Heh. It's fun being a tease when you have no idea what I'm talking about. ^_^

Topher

Let's see how many of these bands I can identify:

First Age and Age of Sorrows are very obviously the new names for Kamisen and Tonisen, the two halves of V6. I get mixed up as to which one is which, however.

Still not sure about Black Jade, even though we *do* know that they're a "pirate" group.

Eagle's Eight -- that wouldn't be NEWS, would it? Or does NEWS have 9 members rather than eight?

First And Most Glorious Songcircle of Young Males -- I'm gonna go out on a limb and guess that this would be Hikaru Genji.

Academy of Song -- no clue.

Ka-Ko-Ku-I-Ta-Yo -- y'know, if the last part of this word spelled out "I-ta-I-yo", it would mean "it really hurts"...

Four Masters (led by that mysterious young man, the Golden Yama) -- I have a feeling I'm going to kick myself when I find out who this is. Golden Yama?

WyldTune -- Hrm. Not sure about this one, either.

We know that an analog to the Kinki Kids is out there... but that's a duo, so Eagle's Eight is out, as is Four Masters.

TOKIO is definitely running around, as LOOKSHY... or do they spell it LOOKSHI instead?

I can only hope that we don't have to go up against the combined might of J-Friends... or would that be E-Friends (for Exalted), or C-Friends (for Creation) in this setting? :)

We also know that Tackey and Tsubasa are waiting for us out there... a pair of freakingly powerful abyssals, most likely. Hrm.

Can't WAIT for the next run of this. If we had a table at our new apartment, I'd offer to host!

- Isaac!

[alexandria2000]

And we've already got our next song too! The strange things you come up with when you're exerting yourself....!

:D

[Topher]

And we've already got our next song too! The strange things you come up with when you're exerting yourself....!

:D

Two things:

1) You're coming up with songs in your time off now? You guys are cracked.

2) Can I post Windsong's stats to the Wiki?

Topher, pointedly not confirming or denying any of Isaac's guesses. Heh.

[alexandria2000]

Jason, Isaac, don't you dare tell him what the song's gonna be.

I *really* want to see his face when we use it.

Then again, now that I think about it, we probably won't use it next session. :)

[Jason Hinds]

Two things:

1) You're coming up with songs in your time off now? You guys are cracked.

2) Can I post Windsong's stats to the Wiki?

Topher, pointedly not confirming or denying any of Isaac's guesses. Heh.

We got hideously inspired by something found during the moving process yesterday.

[Jason Hinds]

Jason, Isaac, don't you dare tell him what the song's gonna be.

I *really* want to see his face when we use it.

Then again, now that I think about it, we probably won't use it next session. :)

No, it must be used when the time is right.

And besides, there are other songs that can be used. Songs that are just as evil.

[Torawashi]

Two things:

1) You're coming up with songs in your time off now? You guys are cracked.
You think that's bad? We were coming up with celebrity PSA's on Friday:

A slightly swaying Joshi sits on a bar stool. The room is dark save for a single overhead light casting the rest of the into shadow.

"Hi. I'm Joshi from the superstar band WA HA HA. You may remember us for such catchy tunes as 'You are the Scarlet Empress of my Heart' or from such memorable concerts as the Gethemane Jihad of '76. But today I'm here to talk about a more serious matter.

"There is a plague spreading across Creation. One that if it not stopped, could potentially ruin the lives of millions.

"This plague...is watered-down booze."

His voice takes on a tone of urgent pleading, casting a look full of pent-up emotion to the camera.

"In Nexus alone, over a hundred thousand people, mortals and Exalts alike, have been denied their gods-given right to get truly and straight up head-in-the-gutter blitzed for some cheap bartendin' bastard's bottom line. But I say NO MORE!"

He leaps up and begins gesticulating wildly, looking like a televangelist on crystal meth.

"But I say if we work together, friends, we can ERASE this plague from our world! STAND UP and say WE'RE SOBER AS HELL AND WE WON'T TAKE IT ANYMORE!"

The camera fades to black, and white lettering appears over the sounds of a struggle:

THE OPINIONS STATED IN THE PRECEEDING PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT DO NOT NECESSARILY REPRESENT THE OPINIONS OF WA HA HA OR THEIR MANAGEMENT.

"Hey--yer oppressin' my rights ta free spee--OW, dammit! Quit kickin' m--"

*CRACK* *THUD*

[Jason Hinds]

*Asaimizu sits in an overstuffed chair swirling a glass of white wine absent-mindedly*

"Oh, I can't believe you wore those shoes! By the gods, you people are stupid!"

*NBC's "The More You Know" logo appears on the screen*

[Quendalon]

So when do you guys meet the Creation-analogues of Nittle Grasper and Bad Luck? :p

- Eric

[Genevieve]

Don't forget the Sailor Starlights. Wait, there are only three of them . . .

[Elemental]

I read this, and was wondering what the Lunar band would be like.

Then I found this thread (http://forum.rpg.net/showthread.php?t=131052&highlight=hatebeak) and it became clear. :D

[Topher]

I read this, and was wondering what the Lunar band would be like.

If I could find a good screenshot of Arashi in the video for "All or Nothing" I'd show you, but I can't seem to find one.

Picture these guys, but older and with more bling. That's my Lunar group.

Topher

[Jason Hinds]

Asaimizu could take them single-handedly. Maybe.

[VoiceOfIsaac]

Commercial time!

---------------------

(Shot of a gaggle of attractive young women, piling into a horse-drawn carriage)

Off-screen Narrarator: Fee for the carriage driver to get to the concert -- Five jade pieces.

(The ladies bouncing happily in the carriage, gushing about the concert and holding up their tickets triumphantly as they disembark)

Narrarator: Front-row tickets to the Battle of the Bands -- Fifty-seven jade pieces.

(Shot of the ladies in the front row, cheering in unison to WA-HA-HA's onstage performance, all wearing idential t-shirts)

Narrarator: Limited Edition WA-HA-HA concert baby-T-shirts -- Thirty jade pieces.

(Shot of Smoldering Embers, wearing tight-tight leather pants and an unbuttoned silk shirt, kneeling down at the very edge of the stage, singing his heart out while his Anima, a Phoenix surrounding by rings of burning ice, flares majestically above and behind him... the girls scream, their bosoms heaving... and and then Embers reaches out to stroke one particularly attractive girl on the cheek, and hands her a hotel room key with a wink. The other girls promptly give her looks of amazement, envy, and even a little hatred...)

Narrarator: Graduating from fangirl to real-life groupie... PRICELESS.

(Shot of same girl walking through a hotel room door, which Embers closes behind her...)

Narrarator: There are some things money just can't buy... but for everything else, there's Nexus Card.


- more as I think of them - Isaac!

[Overshee]

Commercial time!

---------------------

(Shot of a gaggle of attractive young women, piling into a horse-drawn carriage)

Off-screen Narrarator: Fee for the carriage driver to get to the concert -- Five jade pieces.

(The ladies bouncing happily in the carriage, gushing about the concert and holding up their tickets triumphantly as they disembark)

Narrarator: Front-row tickets to the Battle of the Bands -- Fifty-seven jade pieces.

(Shot of the ladies in the front row, cheering in unison to WA-HA-HA's onstage performance, all wearing idential t-shirts)

Narrarator: Limited Edition WA-HA-HA concert baby-T-shirts -- Thirty jade pieces.

(Shot of Smoldering Embers, wearing tight-tight leather pants and an unbuttoned silk shirt, kneeling down at the very edge of the stage, singing his heart out while his Anima, a Phoenix surrounding by rings of burning ice, flares majestically above and behind him... the girls scream, their bosoms heaving... and and then Embers reaches out to stroke one particularly attractive girl on the cheek, and hands her a hotel room key with a wink. The other girls promptly give her looks of amazement, envy, and even a little hatred...)

Narrarator: Graduating from fangirl to real-life groupie... PRICELESS.

(Shot of same girl walking through a hotel room door, which Embers closes behind her...)

Narrarator: There are some things money just can't buy... but for everything else, there's Nexus Card.


- more as I think of them - Isaac!

LOL!
this is soooo hilarious. :D :D :D :D

[Jason Hinds]

Wow, Ike. I gotta bring my A game to this thread...

[alexandria2000]

Now I know why I'm so depressed.

[JamesCat]

Asaimizu could take them single-handedly. Maybe.

Oh. that gives me such bad and wrong images.

J.

[VoiceOfIsaac]

Now I know why I'm so depressed.

*hug*

Hon, I know you're fully capable of being creative and interesting and funny, and so does everyone else here. You're among friends, and we all love you.

- Isaac

[alexandria2000]

Nope. I think I'm just going to have to trash Windsong and start over. He just does not fit in with the rest of the group.

[Jason Hinds]

Uhm, no.

He fits in just fine with everyone else.

[Topher]

Nope. I think I'm just going to have to trash Windsong and start over. He just does not fit in with the rest of the group.

Er. I have future plot points designed around Windsong and some of his quirks...

Toph

[Torawashi]

Nope. I think I'm just going to have to trash Windsong and start over. He just does not fit in with the rest of the group.
Please don't make me kill you.

[Jason Hinds]

Besides, you're the happy-go-lucky one of the group. Without that, we become Serious Artists. We need someone to be the cheerleader of the group.

[Topher]

Speaking of commercials, I've found a great bittorrent tracker that folks upload Japanese TV shows to - usually doramas starring pop stars, but also a lot of variety shows. So I've been downloading all the latest variety shows from V6, Arashi, and KinKi Kids (and OMG I hate Domoto Tsuyoshi's new hairstyle. He had just grown it out to a really cool length, and now he's cut it into that stupid "dandelion head" style that's so inexplicably popular right now).

Anyway, the commercials included are, of course, priceless. I could sit and watch Japanese commercials all day. There's this one bizarre one starring Yamashita "Yamapi" Tomohisa, from NewS. He wakes up, goes into his freezer for this ice-milk stuff, and eats it rapturously - *while a CGI cow is doing his laundry*.

As you guys get famous, you must do some sort of commercials. I'll figure something out. Jason's already come up with a way for you to have music videos.

Topher

(EDIT: Just saw another bizarre one starring Takizawa Hideaki - "Tackey", from Tackey & Tsubasa. He puts in a pair of contacts, which manifest as twin blonde girls who hover hover his shoulders and help him read and stuff. Weeeeeird.)

[Jason Hinds]

(EDIT: Just saw another bizarre one starring Takizawa Hideaki - "Tackey", from Tackey & Tsubasa. He puts in a pair of contacts, which manifest as twin blonde girls who hover hover his shoulders and help him read and stuff. Weeeeeird.)

Okay, this is further evidence that the Japanese have to learn to curb their wacky levels. The next thing you know, they'll have guys from the various Pride mixed martial arts events dressed as kings and riding giant bananas.

No, wait, they've already done that.

[Torawashi]

Commercials? I vote Joshi's should be for Great Contagion Malt Whiskey.

Then again, half the appeal of Japanese commercials is wondering why the heck you need a boy band singer to advertise, say...dryer sheets. :D

[Jason Hinds]

"Hi, I'm Goro-chan. Let me tell you why I use Preparation H."

[slim_pick3ns]

"Hi, I'm Goro-chan. Let me tell you why I use Preparation H."

Ten jade obols to anyone who can think of a good reason that isn't "because I, Goro-chan, have piles."

[Jason Hinds]

Ten jade obols to anyone who can think of a good reason that isn't "because I, Goro-chan, have piles."

It relieves swelling just about anywhere.

[Topher]

FYI, I have Gendo coming over at about noon on Sunday to do his character - he has a concept but needs help with chargen, he's not too familiar with Exalted yet.

So y'all can either get there around that time and help, or show up around 1 or so.

Topher
(and remind me to show you the "B-Rap High School" and "Monkey Karaoke" segments of last week's Gakkou e Ikkou, they're hysterical)

[Jason Hinds]

Sounds good, I'll probably be over early to help out.

[BillionSix]

This is probably only vaguely related to this subject, but I always wanted to see a band made of three Dragon-blooded who named their group after their Aspects.
They would be called Earth, Air and Fire.

Brian

[VoiceOfIsaac]

FYI, I have Gendo coming over at about noon on Sunday to do his character - he has a concept but needs help with chargen, he's not too familiar with Exalted yet.

So y'all can either get there around that time and help, or show up around 1 or so.

Topher
(and remind me to show you the "B-Rap High School" and "Monkey Karaoke" segments of last week's Gakkou e Ikkou, they're hysterical)

Sounds like fun. I *think* sunday is clear for Gretchen and myself, but I don't want to swear by that yet.

- more moving out to do today/tomorrow - Isaac!

[Foodbunny]

This thread has me tempted to create a Kishidan-analog somewhere in the game I am running. Also, the music video for Swingin' Nippon gives me a great idea for the Wyld and a curious illuthrita.

[Jason Hinds]

This is probably only vaguely related to this subject, but I always wanted to see a band made of three Dragon-blooded who named their group after their Aspects.
They would be called Earth, Air and Fire.

Brian

I'd love to have Elemental puns for everyone.

[Torawashi]

FYI, I have Gendo coming over at about noon on Sunday to do his character - he has a concept but needs help with chargen, he's not too familiar with Exalted yet.

So y'all can either get there around that time and help, or show up around 1 or so.

Topher
(and remind me to show you the "B-Rap High School" and "Monkey Karaoke" segments of last week's Gakkou e Ikkou, they're hysterical)
Nooooooo! Don't play without me! I'm stuck with family in Michigan! *cries*

[alexandria2000]

Sounds like fun. I *think* sunday is clear for Gretchen and myself, but I don't want to swear by that yet.

- more moving out to do today/tomorrow - Isaac!


Isaac can go. I'm going to enjoy a nice quiet afternoon by myself.

[Topher]

After last time, I said "two weeks from today."

And everybody said "that's cool."

I understand that plans can change, but from now on please let me know when they do. Now I have to try to get hold of Gendo again and tell him we're postponing.

Topher, a bit irked

[Quendalon]

This is probably only vaguely related to this subject, but I always wanted to see a band made of three Dragon-blooded who named their group after their Aspects.
They would be called Earth, Air and Fire.

Brian
After the disaster with the Bull of the North, all of the surviving members of House Tepet got together to form an orchestra with which they might reclaim their himor. Their band's name is Crowded House.

- Eric

[Jason Hinds]

So... no game this weekend?

Dang it. Now I'm going to have all this excess gaming energy. What to do...

[Flower of December]

It relieves swelling just about anywhere.
Meaning that it works better than expensive eye creams at a fraaction of the price. It's the secret of beauty for wildlings who know not of sleep.

[VoiceOfIsaac]

After last time, I said "two weeks from today."

And everybody said "that's cool."

I understand that plans can change, but from now on please let me know when they do. Now I have to try to get hold of Gendo again and tell him we're postponing.

Topher, a bit irked


Well, Nicole and Gretchen won't be there, but the rest of us could still get together and help Gendo with making his character, maybe do a bit of intro roleplaying with those present, and then just hang out?

- Isaac

[alexandria2000]

I *was* cool with it.

However, I'm extremely stressed right now - the past week at work has not been good - and I *need* some down time. :(

[YerMum]

I *was* cool with it.

However, I'm extremely stressed right now - the past week at work has not been good - and I *need* some down time. :(


/hands a2k a mug of joe, and a random mook to throw out a window

[Jason Hinds]

Quick morning question: has anything been added to the Wiki yet? I'm going through the thread to see what could be added for my character's page.

[VoiceOfIsaac]

Quick morning question: has anything been added to the Wiki yet? I'm going through the thread to see what could be added for my character's page.

Where/what is this "wiki", anyway? I know it's supposed to be a description of the game, but I've never heard the term wiki before, and I'm not sure where to go to look for the one for our game.

- Isaac

[YerMum]

Where/what is this "wiki", anyway? I know it's supposed to be a description of the game, but I've never heard the term wiki before, and I'm not sure where to go to look for the one for our game.

- Isaac


http://www.lensmen.net/wiki/exalted.pl?WelcomeToExaltedWiki

:D

[Topher]

More specifically, my page is here: http://www.lensmen.net/wiki/exalted.pl?Topher

Jason, just this morning I added individual pages for each character (follow the "Dramatis Personae" link and you'll see where they are). I put in blank sections for the character sheets (which I will put up eventually - formatting character sheets is tedious), a bio - which y'all can write and edit in yourselves , and a section for nanofiction, which you can cut-n-paste from here.

Toph

[Jason Hinds]

Oooh... groovy!

Now I gotta wait to get back home so I can write stuff...

[alexandria2000]

Where/what is this "wiki", anyway? I know it's supposed to be a description of the game, but I've never heard the term wiki before, and I'm not sure where to go to look for the one for our game.



Sheesh. I've told you about the Wiki before....

[Torawashi]

Cool! I've posted Joshi's Exaltation story under his entry, and I'll probably throw the PSA up there as well for kicks.

[Jason Hinds]

Well, I got his initial ficlets added into the Wiki.

Still searching for more stuff...

[Topher]

Well, we didn't play this weekend, but our fifth player did create his character. The band's gaining a Dawn caste drummer (with moonsilver rings that morph into drumsticks that double as sai). He's "the broody one," shy yet sex-obsessed, a bit of a screwup, an Ebon Shadow ninja torn from the pages of a hurt/comfort fic.

Beware.

Topher

[David J Prokopetz]

hurt/comfort ficI haven't heard that term before - does it, perchance, refer to the genre where the effeminate pretty-boy angsts about his dark past, the manly pretty-boy attempts to console him, and invariably, it somehow ends with one of them doing the other up the fundament?

(Usually complete with basic misapprehensions about male physiology that make it transparently clear the author is a fourteen-year-old female virgin? ;) )

[Torawashi]

For those of you who are interested, Joshi's character sheet and Artifact descriptions have been posted on the Wiki here:

http://www.lensmen.net/wiki/exalted.pl?BoyBandsDramatisPersonae/Joshi

[Jason Hinds]

I haven't heard that term before - does it, perchance, refer to the genre where the effeminate pretty-boy angsts about his dark past, the manly pretty-boy attempts to console him, and invariably, it somehow ends with one of them doing the other up the fundament?

(Usually complete with basic misapprehensions about male physiology that make it transparently clear the author is a fourteen-year-old female virgin? ;) )

Yeah, pretty much...

except that now the effeminate pretty-boy will be comforting the manly pretty-boy.

And by "comforting," I mean "driving him wild with thoughts of hot sweaty man-lovin'."

Asaimizu is naughty like that.

[dddawson]

I haven't heard that term before - does it, perchance, refer to the genre where the effeminate pretty-boy angsts about his dark past, the manly pretty-boy attempts to console him, and invariably, it somehow ends with one of them doing the other up the fundament?


Googly moogly:

hurt/comfort:
A story in which one of the characters is physically or emotionally hurt (injured, sick or tortured) and the other character (before or after rescuing them) has to comfort the first one. This form of story goes across many fandoms, and certain characters are favourites for making the victim of the author's sadistic whims. Blair from Sentinel, Daniel from Stargate SG-1 and Avon from Blake's 7 to name a few. Also called h/c for short.

[Jason Hinds]

Hey at least it's not the Lapdance scene as a slashfic.

[Flower of December]

Also called h/c for short.
Ack! And as a punker I'm used to hXc used to denote "hardcore" not this. Ow. Mine brain!

[Topher]

Players beware: I'm downloading V6's new video "Thunderbird - Your Voice" (the Japanese theme for the Thunderbirds movie) as I type. What fiendish inspiration will I take from it?

Topher, wa ha ha-ing

[Jason Hinds]

Thunderbird... Your Voice....

Oh god, we're going to have a drinking and smoking contest, aren't we?

[Torawashi]

*insert sound of Joshi's liver having an orgasm*

"YES!!!"

[Brandi]

*insert sound of Joshi's liver having an orgasm*


That's just not an image I needed before breakfast.

[Flower of December]

*insert sound of Joshi's liver having an orgasm*

"YES!!!"
Before I looked up and saw the drinking contest post I was filled with the false hope that the meme of "I'll cut you open and fuck you in the liver" had spread.


Bailey
really it needs to spread

[VoiceOfIsaac]

This thread is cool, and ironically just the other day I was imagining a Zenith-Caste Bard singing songs from Queen like "Princes of the Universe" and "We Are the Champions"...


LoneWolf, you are BRILLIANT!

We may have to crib that song for a future concert where we have to Rock Out and do so in a way that firmly declares We Are Solars, Kneel Puny Mortals!

Maybe the song would be an homage to a bunch of Queen songs, hmmmm....

- Isaac!

[Jason Hinds]

LoneWolf, you are BRILLIANT!

We may have to crib that song for a future concert where we have to Rock Out and do so in a way that firmly declares We Are Solars, Kneel Puny Mortals!

Maybe the song would be an homage to a bunch of Queen songs, hmmmm....

- Isaac!

Only if we can convert our airship to run on THE POWER OF ROCK.

[dddawson]

Only if we can convert our airship to run on THE POWER OF ROCK.

I'm sure someone could design a manse that made a hearthstone that provided motive power for your airship, so that you could run it on THE POWER OF (A) ROCK.

[Jason Hinds]

I'm sure someone could design a manse that made a hearthstone that provided motive power for your airship, so that you could run it on THE POWER OF (A) ROCK.

So, you haven't seen the Darkness video where they power their spaceship by 70s-style guitar driven rock, then?

[Partridge]

I'm so imagining the 80s cartoon movie "Rock to Rule" (I'm uncertain if the title is correct). Demon summoning by a smooth rock star using the power of the music and the crowd.

[Jason Hinds]

I know which one you mean.

[Topher]

"Rock and Rule". Is that ever getting a DVD release?

Topher

[dddawson]

Heh. "My name is Mok. Thanks a lot." I tried describing this movie to my game group the other week and got a lot of truly baffled stares.

[medivh]

I *love* you people, and would kill for a chance to game with you. Too sad that your group is filled, and there's an atlantic ocean between us.

[Jason Hinds]

So, we're a hit in Denmark?

[medivh]

Well, you're a hit with me, but I'm not certain you should take that as a compliment, my tastes are... strange.

[Topher]

I wonder if Big In Denmark counts as a Merit.

Topher
(or, more seriously - as serious as this thread gets anyway - Big In Halta)

[Jason Hinds]

I wonder if Big In Denmark counts as a Merit.

Topher
(or, more seriously - as serious as this thread gets anyway - Big In Halta)

"Well, I'm very big in Sijan. Just ask some of the Elders of the Funerist's Guild. And some of the various ghosts, Half-Deads, the children of various death-gods, and... uhm, we're not talking about that kind of big, are we? It's like I said, though... you can't argue wih 700 years of experience."

[medivh]

"Big in Denmark" is already in the PG, only they call it "Known Anathema."

Yeah, we're allied with the Realm.

[medivh]

(Usually complete with basic misapprehensions about male physiology that make it transparently clear the author is a fourteen-year-old female virgin? ;) )

Wait what? Tell me more, this can only end in tears*


*laughter.

[Jason Hinds]

Wait what? Tell me more, this can only end in tears*


*laughter.

It most likely deals with certain mistaken assumptions about hot sweaty man-sex.

[Torawashi]

It most likely deals with certain mistaken assumptions about hot sweaty man-sex.
To quote a conversation I had with a friend of mine: "Um. It's a nice story and all, but I'm pretty sure Izzy's not that bendy."

[Jason Hinds]

To quote a conversation I had with a friend of mine: "Um. It's a nice story and all, but I'm pretty sure Izzy's not that bendy."

HEH.

Hmm... y'think there's a following of teenage groupies in Creation who are writing bad fanfiction about WA HA HA?

"So," Joshi purred into Asaimizu's ear, "I hear you've got a special liqueur in your room... and y'know something? I want to try it. Straight from the tap, if you will..."


:D

[medivh]

It most likely deals with certain mistaken assumptions about hot sweaty man-sex.

I realize this - I want to know what they ARE! :p

[alexandria2000]

HEH.

Hmm... y'think there's a following of teenage groupies in Creation who are writing bad fanfiction about WA HA HA?

"So," Joshi purred into Asaimizu's ear, "I hear you've got a special liqueur in your room... and y'know something? I want to try it. Straight from the tap, if you will..."


:D


The human body produces its own....special ointment...

[Jason Hinds]

The human body produces its own....special ointment...

That's for voice actors, not members of a boyband.

[alexandria2000]

That's for voice actors, not members of a boyband.

But isn't the throat the most important aspect of a boyband? Well, besides the pretty.

[David J Prokopetz]

I realize this - I want to know what they ARE! :pI'd give a few examples, but they're all rather anatomically explicit, and I'm not sure what I can sneak in under this board's content guidelines. :p

[medivh]

I'd give a few examples, but they're all rather anatomically explicit, and I'm not sure what I can sneak in under this board's content guidelines. :p

PM's! PM's for Gods sake! I want to twist my brains!

[alexandria2000]

PM's! PM's for Gods sake! I want to twist my brains!

I can't believe someone wants to know about slashfics...

[Jason Hinds]

But isn't the throat the most important aspect of a boyband? Well, besides the pretty.

No. Pretty is always more important.

Visual before vocal! Visual!

VISUALVISUALVISUAL!!! *tiny guitar solo*

[David J Prokopetz]

I can't believe someone wants to know about slashfics...Well, they wouldn't have such a large readership if nobody wanted to know about them, now would they? ;)

[VoiceOfIsaac]

On a slightly more serious note (emphasis on Slightly), I still haven't managed to figure out what the backstory for Smoldering Embers is.

He's a Zenith, he's arrogant, he sings like a god, and he has Teh Pretty. He was trained to be a "songbird" by House Cynis... and his recent attempts at a Solo career failed miserably, but not to the point that he lost too much of the capital he's saved up over the years.

I don't even know how/when he Exalted... gah, I really need to figure this out.

- got a session coming up this sunday, right? - Isaac!

[Topher]

Re: Sunday.

Our house is not guest-habitable yet. In the sense that there's nowhere to sit. If y'all want to play, it'll need to be at another venue.

Topher

[VoiceOfIsaac]

Re: Sunday.

Our house is not guest-habitable yet. In the sense that there's nowhere to sit. If y'all want to play, it'll need to be at another venue.

Topher

Well, I wouldn't object to hosting it either, but we don't have tables or chairs yet either... but if no one else cares, I don't. Gretchen, your thoughts on this?

- Isaac

[Jason Hinds]

The apartment could work.

I could bring my coffee table and end tables for places to write. It'd also be fewer things to move over on the 31st.

[Torawashi]

HEH.

Hmm... y'think there's a following of teenage groupies in Creation who are writing bad fanfiction about WA HA HA?

"So," Joshi purred into Asaimizu's ear, "I hear you've got a special liqueur in your room... and y'know something? I want to try it. Straight from the tap, if you will..."


:D

Joshi:

*reads over Asaimizu's shoulder*

"Mela's tits! Why th' hell do I always gotta be uke, dammit! Stupid fangirls." *sulks*

And as for Sunday, my place is free. And it has tables AND chairs! ;)

PS. Topher, your icon disturbs me on a deep and personal level. *Brrrrrrr*

[medivh]

I can't believe someone wants to know about slashfics...

If I wanted to *read* slash, I'd just google for "hot aragorn legolas sexxor"

However, I don't want to read slash, yet I want to know those, what were they called, common miscomprehensions?

Thus, I ask those who apparantly HAVE read slash.

[Torawashi]

You're better off asking on Tangency.

[Jason Hinds]

Joshi:

*reads over Asaimizu's shoulder*

"Mela's tits! Why th' hell do I always gotta be uke, dammit! Stupid fangirls." *sulks*

"Uhm, because people would normally expect me to initiate anything?" Asaimizu asked, the sunlight making his amber eyes sparkle and giving a near-ivory sheen to usualy pale white skin. "Check this passage out, though," he said, accidentally brushing his shoulder against the Night caste's chest.

"Ah! I'm sorry..."

-----

:D

[Topher]

Episode Three is in the can.

I'll do the writeup tomorrow, but for a teaser, the episode contained: A song inspired by the Village People, an eviscerated Indifferent Musician, a rescued prettyboy Dawn, a group of friendly rivals, an introduction to the difference between "Drunk Joshi" and "Scary Joshi", Windsong emulating Jackie Chan, Asaimizu's hormones gone wild, Embers trying desperately to keep things under control, the Tour Manager's actual name, and about twenty-five dead pirates. Plus a Magma Kraken.

Topher

[Jason Hinds]

Tonight, we saw the Sober Side of Joshi. How could we tell it wasn't the normal Joshi?

"I'll heading to my room now. Oh... and whiskey."

Joshi would never forget about the sweet, sweet, whiskey.

[Torawashi]

"Uhm, because people would normally expect me to initiate anything?" Asaimizu asked, the sunlight making his amber eyes sparkle and giving a near-ivory sheen to usualy pale white skin. "Check this passage out, though," he said, accidentally brushing his shoulder against the Night caste's chest.

"Ah! I'm sorry..."
Joshi jerked back at the unexpected touch. "Hey man, what're you doin'?" But somehow it felt...right? His fingers, almost of their own accord, began unlacing his tunic.

"Waitasecond!" He shook himself out of his reverie, noticing for the first time the voice narrating his very thoughts. "Oh gods, don't you get it? We're in a fanfic now! Don't fall fer it, man!" As he backed away from Asaimisu he became aware of another twist, the strange weight on his shoulders. "What the...?" He craned his neck to see, only to recoil in horror. "AN' WHERE TH' HELL DID THESE WINGS COME FROM?"

"But Joshi," Asaimisu crooned. "They're beautiful!"

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

Tonight, we saw the Sober Side of Joshi. How could we tell it wasn't the normal Joshi?

"I'll heading to my room now. Oh... and whiskey."

Joshi would never forget about the sweet, sweet, whiskey.
That was far more fun than it had any right to be. :D

[Torawashi]

Some quotes from yesterday's session:

"All we need are two things: water, and sexual references."
--Windsong

Embers (singing): "We can pick up whores in bars..."
Joshi: "Hey yeah! Oh, you mean in the song."

An OOC comment early on that was too good not to share:
"Is it LEE-feld or LIE-feld?"
"It's 'that mother fucker'"
--Torawashi & A2K

"Ow. My trachea."
--Topher, as a pirate.

"This is the prettiest man I've seen since I last looked in the mirror."
--Asaimisu

"Don't. Possibly annoy. The squid."
--Embers on Scary Joshi

"I always say look on the bright side. Or at least not the side with the magma on it."
--Embers

"Is he drunk again right now?"
"No. He's sober. And evil."
--Mr. Later and Asaimisu on Scary Joshi

I know there were more quotes this session, so help me out here.

[VoiceOfIsaac]

Let's see... other quotes of note....

"You know, I'd be more than willing to bind your wounds if your crewmate would just stop trying to attack me."
-- Windsong, said to one pirate while parrying another's saber, not even looking in the direction of said saber.

------------

Topher: The fourth hostage you saved, the one that's glowing, is VERY handsome. Appearance Five, actually.

Jason: Asaimizu gets this look on his face of envy and lust at the same time...

Isaac: Ah, something like, "You *bitch!* Do me!"

Jason: Pretty much, yeah.

------------

Pirate: Ahoy, flying ship!

Windsong: That's not the name of our ship!

Pirate: ...Well, what IS the name, then?

Windsong: Oh, I don't think the ship has a name, actually.

Pirate: WHAT?

Asaimizu: It's the Airship of Love.

Pirate: Ahoy Airship of Love, then! SHEESH!

------------

More as I think of them.

- Isaac!

[Jason Hinds]

"They're not dead... they're experienced." - Asaimizu on the merits of ghost lovers.

[Jason Hinds]

My Unintended Funny for the evening was Asaimizu's fight against five pirates. Asaimizu tries to be all cool by cutting up three of the remaining pirates with his razor claws, not stepping on the one pirate who's out of combat, and intimidating the one heavily wounded pirate so that our beloved Twilight wouldn't have to kill him.

So, Asaimizu wounds two of the three pirates, and guts the third sending him to the floor dead. He gives his grimmest look of blood-covered doom at the fourth pirate, who is currently concentrating on holding in his intestines (-4 wound penalties are like that) and says "Just make it easy on yourself and jump over the side. I don't want to have to kill you."

Topher makes some valor rolls. The two lightly wounded guys go barrelling over the ship's rails in terror while the Lintha Pincushion stands there saying "And you're going to make this worse how exactly?"

Asaimizu then carved him up for his insouciance while the other two pirates are swimming away making little shrieking noises. But that's neither here nor there.

[Mataxes]

...He gives his grimmest look of blood-covered doom at the fourth pirate, who is currently concentrating on holding in his intestines (-4 wound penalties are like that) and says "Just make it easy on yourself and jump over the side. I don't want to have to kill you."

Topher makes some valor rolls. The two lightly wounded guys go barrelling over the ship's rails in terror while the Lintha Pincushion stands there saying "And you're going to make this worse how exactly?"

That is fucking awesome!

The coolness just goes on and on...

[Jason Hinds]

That is fucking awesome!

The coolness just goes on and on...

I expected the wounded pirate to stand his ground, but I never would have expected the relatively-unharmed guys to run for their lives.

[Jason Hinds]

We also had the scariest idea as well.

Animated ending credits where our SD selves were being chased by one thing or another.

[alexandria2000]

Bumping.

Where's our recap, Toph? :)

[Jason Hinds]

Yeah, Topher...

because the fans demand it!

Tell everyone how we killed a boyband!

[alexandria2000]

Windsong sniffles as he cleans off his moonsilver flute, Seven Joys and Sorrows.

"I didn't *mean* to push them off the boat, really...and if that one pirate hadn't been so intent on trying to kill me, I would have sav--- oooh! A puppy!"

[Jason Hinds]

*sings*
We killed a boyband near Coral just to watch them die...
well, they started it...

[alexandria2000]

Mama....I just killed a band....put my goremaul to their head, swung it hard and now they're dead...

*runs from the ghost of freddie mercury*

[Topher]

Sorry, will try to get it up today.

Er. You know what I mean. >_<

T

[izzylobo]

Mama....I just killed a band....put my goremaul to their head, swung it hard and now they're dead...

*runs from the ghost of freddie mercury*

You are a Bad, Bad person...
:D

[alexandria2000]

You are a Bad, Bad person...
:D


Izzy, you have no idea how many song puns we managed to fit into that last session.

[Jason Hinds]

Mama....I just killed a band....put my goremaul to their head, swung it hard and now they're dead...

*runs from the ghost of freddie mercury*

GENIUS.

[Torawashi]

"Correction," something said dismissively in Joshi's voice. "<i>You</i>, along with the drunken prat that serves as my host, killed the mortal vermin that served as their lackeys. The band died by <i>my</i> hand. See to it that you get your facts straight."

[Jason Hinds]

"Correction," something said dismissively in Joshi's voice. "<i>You</i>, along with the drunken prat that serves as my host, killed the mortal vermin that served as their lackeys. The band died by <i>my</i> hand. See to it that you get your facts straight."

"Here." *hands Joshi a bottle of sweet, sweet whiskey*

"This will make your evil go away. We need happy drunk Joshi. Happy... happy... ha ha ha haaaa..."

*"Relax" by Frankie Goes to Hollywood plays in the background*

[alexandria2000]

"Good idea," whispered Windsong, who realized he'd chewed through half his candy walkaway bracelets again in nervous reaction while hearing that voice.

He'd run out of the things at this rate, and there didn't seem to be anyplace to pick up any more, just yet....

The flautist firmly reminded himself NEVER to sober up Joshi again. Intoxication, in this case, was a wonderful thing, and should be encouraged at all times.

[Jason Hinds]

On the next Exalted: The Boy Bands!

*Shot of the wonderful beaches of Coral, where all the boys except Asaimizu are laying out and tanning. Asaimizu is seated under a large beach umbrella and sulking*

Voiceover: Having eliminated their opponents, the boys take a well-earned vacation! Surf, sand and sun are the order of the day!

Asaimizu: You guys just want my naturally pale skin to lose its dignficence...

Embers: Stop using that word! It doesn't mean anything! Stop making words up!

Asaimzu: Well, I'm not going to be the one who has to explain that to Dignif when he hears you say that!

Embers: No. Wait. You didn't say anything that stupid. That never happened.

Voiceover: And the order of the night? Party!

*Joshi nudges Windsong as he sees something thoroughly incomprehensible*

Joshi: Wait... somethin' ain't right here!

Windsong: What do you mean?

Joshi: Look!

Windsong: Wait... that's Asaimizu... WITH A GIRL???

Joshi: And a living one, too!

Voiceover: All this and the introduction of THE FIFTH MEMBER OF WA HA HA!!! Who's the new guy? Find out next time!

[medivh]

"Sultry voice during the credits: I can't wait for next time..."

[Jason Hinds]

"Sultry voice during the credits: I can't wait for next time..."

HEH.

Neither can we, medivh.

[alexandria2000]

*bump*

And when IS our next time? We still have to get our dawn drummer in this.

[Jason Hinds]

*bump*

And when IS our next time? We still have to get our dawn drummer in this.

No idea.