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Jun. 23rd, 2009 03:05 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
geebsCool, I got the rest of the Yozi-related books from Amazon today, Compass of Celestial Directions V: Malfeas (which covers Malfeas, the place) and Books of Sorcery V, Roll of Glorious Divinity II (which covers ghosts and demons). Though to complete my Abyssal/Infernal fanboy-ism, I really ought to get Compass of Celestial Directions IV: The Underworld as well. Its just there were things in MoEP: I that were explained in greater detail in the above books, so I thought I'd pick them up. (I know, you're thinking, great, he's going to start babbling about Exalted again.)
Heh, is it me, or do I study a lot of "demonology" in fictional settings (particularly rpgs)? like I couldn't tell you anything about the fictional deities in D&D or any of its sub-settings like Forgotten Realms (other than Lloth, but she's a demon!). Or any of the places or history, other than those covered in RA Salvatore's Forgotten Realms novels. But baatezu, yugoloths, and tanar'ri? I know that stuff down pat. The hierarchy of the Nine Hells, the Abyss, the various archdevils and upper level demons, the various baatezu and tanar'ri types? I dunno, that's the one aspect of D&D I think they did well.
Of course, in Exalted, Yozi (and the Neverborn) are more akin to the Outer gods of the Cthulu mythos, and its the third circle demons and deathlords who are more like the upper level demons and devils in D&D (with a little more deific power thrown in). But yeah, in addition to getting more info on Malfeas, the book lists various demons of all circles. Which just makes cents, given one of the main sorcery spells is the demon summoning one, so its retarded to not actually have any other demons to summon other than the blood apes and neomah in the main book. Perronele are quite cool- think Witchblade (the comic or anime, not the live action TV show). They're these puddle like demons that sorcerors can summon to serve as secret armor. It provides decent soak and hardness, plus the damage goes straight to the demon first. But yeah, when they take armor form, its something akin to the Witchblade. Ooh, I wonder if it counts as not-armor for certain martial arts styles. I mean if silken armor and discreet essence armor are allowed with martial arts, I would think something like this would be allowed to. Particularly for use with naughty Laughing Wounds stylists!
Its weird, the main forms for the third circle souls of the Yozi actually look quite normal. I mean, some of them look more akin to the greco-roman gods as opposed to archdevils or demons. There's no visible demonic qualities. I mean, the hottie nymphets of the archdevil set in D&D, Fierna who rules the 4th circle, and Glasya (Asmodeus' daughter) who took over the 6th from the Hag Countess, they're prolly the most human looking of the bunch, but even they have horns or tails or coppery skin. Granted, I've only briefly paged through so far- they might have the normal human looking traditional polytheistic deity form, and some scary, devilish form for all I know.
Weird, I noticed there's also a pic of Harmonius Jade and the Disciple of the Seven Forbidden Wisdoms making out on the floor of some demonic forest. Its weird scenes like these that I hope the upcoming Scroll of Exalts book covers. Like my sources tell me that their previous exaltations were lovers in the first age. Though its only recently that I found out that they're exaltations were gay lovers. I mean, I know Harmonius Jade's 1st age exaltation, "Gold Shadowed Arrow" was a guy, because he went nuts and executed several Solars and scores of DBs because he thought they were akuma working for the Yozis. But bad-ass assassins working for different sides, but undeniably attracted to each other because of their previous exaltations? Sounds quite interesting, I'd like to know more.
Of course, while there are multiple pics and comics that hint towards a relationship between the two, one can't take everything you see in the illustrations in the book as canon. I mean, one of the illustrations in Infernals has Manosque Cyan walking away after having pinned Mnemon to the wall, crucifix style with her throwing knives. And does Arianna do everyone? There's a pic in Infernals, where she walks in on Manosque Cyan trying to seduce Swan, and she's looking all pissed. And then in Abyssals, she's having dinner with the Prince of Shadows. And in Graceful Wicked Masques, it looks like she's run away to the fortress of some Fair Folk dude at the edges of the Wyld and its clear they have an intimate relationship, and just when they're getting all cuddly, some immaculate monks burst in, this raksha she likes apparently betraying her to the DBs. Like, girl gets around for someone with a scarred face and started out life trying to be less feminine so she'd be more accepted and taken more seriously at the library she worked.
What's even more frustrating is that the comics act like there is some greater story in mind. I think one of the Books of Sorcery (either Wonders of the Lost Age or Oadenol's Codex?) has Panther talking to some snake dude named Ses who's threatening to damn up the yellow River because he's distraught over his son being kidnapped. And then in Infernals is a comic further down the line, where the hottie Akuma known as "Burning Eyes Maiden" (not her real name, just what fans call her b/c she doesn't have an official name) has Ses' son and is cornered by Harmonius Jade. Apparently, she's there to rescue Ses' son, presumably so Ses doesn't flood part of Nexus and mess up the rivers that flow through the savage land. And BEM references how she figured either Harmonius Jade or Huyla would find her. And even that's a big thing, because according to the 1e write ups of those two in Caste Book: Night, they both hate Ses. So why would his enemies be tracking down some demon who kidnapped his son? I would definitely be interested in seeing real stories about all these characters.
Heh, is it me, or do I study a lot of "demonology" in fictional settings (particularly rpgs)? like I couldn't tell you anything about the fictional deities in D&D or any of its sub-settings like Forgotten Realms (other than Lloth, but she's a demon!). Or any of the places or history, other than those covered in RA Salvatore's Forgotten Realms novels. But baatezu, yugoloths, and tanar'ri? I know that stuff down pat. The hierarchy of the Nine Hells, the Abyss, the various archdevils and upper level demons, the various baatezu and tanar'ri types? I dunno, that's the one aspect of D&D I think they did well.
Of course, in Exalted, Yozi (and the Neverborn) are more akin to the Outer gods of the Cthulu mythos, and its the third circle demons and deathlords who are more like the upper level demons and devils in D&D (with a little more deific power thrown in). But yeah, in addition to getting more info on Malfeas, the book lists various demons of all circles. Which just makes cents, given one of the main sorcery spells is the demon summoning one, so its retarded to not actually have any other demons to summon other than the blood apes and neomah in the main book. Perronele are quite cool- think Witchblade (the comic or anime, not the live action TV show). They're these puddle like demons that sorcerors can summon to serve as secret armor. It provides decent soak and hardness, plus the damage goes straight to the demon first. But yeah, when they take armor form, its something akin to the Witchblade. Ooh, I wonder if it counts as not-armor for certain martial arts styles. I mean if silken armor and discreet essence armor are allowed with martial arts, I would think something like this would be allowed to. Particularly for use with naughty Laughing Wounds stylists!
Its weird, the main forms for the third circle souls of the Yozi actually look quite normal. I mean, some of them look more akin to the greco-roman gods as opposed to archdevils or demons. There's no visible demonic qualities. I mean, the hottie nymphets of the archdevil set in D&D, Fierna who rules the 4th circle, and Glasya (Asmodeus' daughter) who took over the 6th from the Hag Countess, they're prolly the most human looking of the bunch, but even they have horns or tails or coppery skin. Granted, I've only briefly paged through so far- they might have the normal human looking traditional polytheistic deity form, and some scary, devilish form for all I know.
Weird, I noticed there's also a pic of Harmonius Jade and the Disciple of the Seven Forbidden Wisdoms making out on the floor of some demonic forest. Its weird scenes like these that I hope the upcoming Scroll of Exalts book covers. Like my sources tell me that their previous exaltations were lovers in the first age. Though its only recently that I found out that they're exaltations were gay lovers. I mean, I know Harmonius Jade's 1st age exaltation, "Gold Shadowed Arrow" was a guy, because he went nuts and executed several Solars and scores of DBs because he thought they were akuma working for the Yozis. But bad-ass assassins working for different sides, but undeniably attracted to each other because of their previous exaltations? Sounds quite interesting, I'd like to know more.
Of course, while there are multiple pics and comics that hint towards a relationship between the two, one can't take everything you see in the illustrations in the book as canon. I mean, one of the illustrations in Infernals has Manosque Cyan walking away after having pinned Mnemon to the wall, crucifix style with her throwing knives. And does Arianna do everyone? There's a pic in Infernals, where she walks in on Manosque Cyan trying to seduce Swan, and she's looking all pissed. And then in Abyssals, she's having dinner with the Prince of Shadows. And in Graceful Wicked Masques, it looks like she's run away to the fortress of some Fair Folk dude at the edges of the Wyld and its clear they have an intimate relationship, and just when they're getting all cuddly, some immaculate monks burst in, this raksha she likes apparently betraying her to the DBs. Like, girl gets around for someone with a scarred face and started out life trying to be less feminine so she'd be more accepted and taken more seriously at the library she worked.
What's even more frustrating is that the comics act like there is some greater story in mind. I think one of the Books of Sorcery (either Wonders of the Lost Age or Oadenol's Codex?) has Panther talking to some snake dude named Ses who's threatening to damn up the yellow River because he's distraught over his son being kidnapped. And then in Infernals is a comic further down the line, where the hottie Akuma known as "Burning Eyes Maiden" (not her real name, just what fans call her b/c she doesn't have an official name) has Ses' son and is cornered by Harmonius Jade. Apparently, she's there to rescue Ses' son, presumably so Ses doesn't flood part of Nexus and mess up the rivers that flow through the savage land. And BEM references how she figured either Harmonius Jade or Huyla would find her. And even that's a big thing, because according to the 1e write ups of those two in Caste Book: Night, they both hate Ses. So why would his enemies be tracking down some demon who kidnapped his son? I would definitely be interested in seeing real stories about all these characters.
