You

[Carthrat]

You

You are young Myrkalfar, born into the remarkably fecund generation named Freyja's Stepchildren. Having reached physical maturity at your thirtieth year, you are soon to embark on the rite of adulthood all Myrkalfar undergo, a one-month trip into the higher reaches of the Underdark. You are to return with three things from your exploration;

- A valuable treasure, wrested by force and smeared with the blood of your foe.
- A story of the surface, through hearsay or experience.
- The friendship of a sacred creature or the obedience of a powerful being.

Your rivals are out there as well. To gain prospects and power in Myrkalheim, you must acquit yourselves better than them, returning with grander treasures, better stories, stronger allies. Do poorly, and you may be consigned to a menial occupation or a subservient position for, perhaps, the rest of your long life. Bring nothing back at all, and you would do better to slink away and die alone in shame. Those who do not return are forgotten people.

Ah, but do well, and upon your return you will share your tales from the table of the Hersir, princes of the Myrkalfar, whilst the Jarls compete to bring you amongst their huskarl!

The priests have assigned you as a group, for better or ill. It is the will of the gods that you succeed or perish together, though you may share neither blood nor friendship. The time is coming. Go boldly with Hel!

[Carthrat]

Chargen

Rule One: Do chat me up or post questions on the board, I would be happy to help at any step of chargen. Exalted is a bit of a dragon when it comes to rules but I'm confident it'll be worth it!

Create characters according to the chargen rules for Exalted 3e, with the following key changes:

- You do not select a Solar Caste, but rather a home city. Details listed below.
- Bureaucracy and Sail are not going to play a role in this game. If you end up on a boat or have to go shopping, other ways to handle it will be used.
- Pick seven charms/spells/evocations, instead of fifteen.
- You have 7 points to spend on Merits, instead of 10. Some merits have had notes attached below.
- You have seven bonus points, instead of fifteen.

You will receive the difference in points later in the game; I want to start with a slightly lighter load of abilities to represent your youth, but didn't want to go all the way into heroic-mortaldom.

Myrkalfar Traits

Lifespan: The Myrkalfar tend to live for around four-hundred years. The Alfar of old used to live much longer, but something about the underground has shortened the lifespan of the species.

Banes: The Myrkalfar take aggravated damage from meteorite iron and lightning. The Alfar of old (and the Lgosalfar of today) used to be burned by the cold iron from beneath the earth, but the blessings of Hel have relieved them of this burden. Yet Odin cursed them in turn, and it is his purview that seems them scarred.

Senses: The Myrkalfar can see in dim light with ease, and many places in the underdark are lit by luminescent fungus or strange creatures that create their own light. Pitch blackness renders them totally blind. They can use magic or start a fire to create light easily enough, but in some parts of the underdark it is not always wise to draw such attention. Awareness charms can allow some Myrkalfar to see in such circumstances.

Limit Break: The Myrkalfar do not suffer from Limit Break or the Great Curse. You can show poor impulse control and make bad decisions on your own. I believe in you.

Essence & Charms: Essence is simply a measure of a given Myrkalfar's supernatural might. The charms they wield are expressions of both superlative skill and a natural knack for supernatural ability. They are typically instinctive, but I encourage you to be creative with what they mean in an IC sense. For example, Judge's Ear Technique allows you to discern lies from truth. It could represent your in-depth knowledge of facial expressions and voice intonations; it could represent a pact with minor spirits that allows to to literally see when someone is lying (like they light up red in your vision, or you hear a voice saying 'They Lie!' in the back of your mind); or it could represent a burgeoning psychic-like talent.

The Map Is Not The Territory: The charms in the book are mostly a way for you guys to pick up supernatural powers. Not all charms are necessarily known by anyone in the world; they might be a unique power only a few people have. Not all Myrkalfar learn many charms; in fact most only cultivate a few talents over the course of their entire lives. You are playing youths with great potential.

Sorcery & Martial Arts are a slight exception to this; they represent formal, repeatable bodies of knowledge. There really is a 'Snake Style' martial art that you can talk about IC, and characters can discuss different spells by name. Sorcerous initiations are more-or-less the same as shown; we can invent new ones or refluff those in the book appropriately for the setting.

Anima: Myrkalfar display an anima-banner like light when they spend Essence, just like Solars do. They can generate light like a torch from their eyes at will.

Home Cities


Use these instead of Solar Castes. You pick five 'caste' abilities from the list associated with each city, and five other favoured abilities from the entire set.

Myrkalfheim - Lorekeepers and occultists who preserve tradition and are most in tune with the spirits. Myrkalfheim is closest to the surface and most invested in the roots of Alfar history; they learn the traditional fighting styles of sword and bow. Myrkalfheim was also the first city to be founded and serves as the pseudo-capital of the Myrkalfar nation. Many Svartvattir dwell close by this city, and it is also the staging point for surfacer raids.

The Myrkalfar of the capital have changed the least since the old days. Their kin have shrunk slightly in size, but the Myrkalfar remain tall and striking. They have become somewhat more pale, almost albino since their exile. Their hair is often of a deep and vibrant shade; black is common, as is dark blue, purple, and green. The Myrkalfar tend to wear elegant robes or tasteful yet subdued outfits; breeches, trousers, skirts and blouses.

'Caste' Skills:
Archery, Melee, Survival, Lore, Occult, Awareness, Stealth, Ride
Special: The Svartvattir are fond of the Myrkalfar and are ready to instruct them in their mystical secrets; they tend to be more polite to them on the whole as well. Myrkalfar are capable of learning their charms- indeed, Myrkalfar are also able to learn the charms of the Ilvattir and Aesir, should they find a willing teacher. You cannot start with them, however; they must be earned in-play.

Dokkalfheim - Philosophers, diplomats and artists, more creative than their kin and given to whimsy. Their somewhat more gregarious attitude has lead Dokkalfheim to host the largest population of Dvergarl of the three cities, and also the greatest markets of the underdark. They practice strange martial arts based on esoteric philosophies, much to the disdain of the practical Svartalfar.

The Dokkalfar have dark skin but pale hair, typically white, blonde, or sky-blue; they often colour it with intricate highlights and inks that ripple like solid rainbows. They have slender, almost gaunt figures, but tend to wear richly weaved outfits; voluminous robes, intricate dresses, and sequined coats have all been in favour at one time or another.

'Caste' Skills: Martial Arts, Presence, Performance, Medicine, Dodge, Athletics, Socialize, Linguistics
Special: The alfar of Dokkalfheim are esoterics and are easily able to train in Martial Arts, beginning with the appropriate merit.

Svartalfheim - Burly and pragamatic, skilled in intricate craftworks and with stubborn demeanours. Svartalfheim is the deepest of the three cities and is a fortress built atop a magma vein. They must often battle the Ilvattir and have thus developed a more regimented military to their peers.

The Svartalfar's time close to the burning heart of the world has seen them become swarthier and shorter than their kin, with thick muscles and grizzled complexions. Their skin is often in earthen colours; dark browns and reds. The hair comes in similar colors, but the Svartalfar often shave their heads and eschew beauty in favour of more pragmatic fashions- often eschwing anything but short and simple outfits; tunics and kilts are commonplace. They do have a weakness for wearing precious gemstones and ornate weaponry.

'Caste' Skills:
Brawl, Thrown, War, Resistance, Integrity, Craft, Investigation, Larceny
Special: The Svartalfar have developed a relationship with the magma rivers that surround their home. They are immune to nearly all forms of flame and heat, being capable of swimming in lava or dousing themselves in burning pitch. Only the heat drawn from the sun, or the black fire of the Ilvattir can burn them.

Merits   

Note: Some merits give you friends/contacts/a small army (how)/etc. These people aren't necessarily travelling with you on your initial journey; for a companion, you should take the Familiar merit. They might be able to help you in other ways; your older sister might sneak you a favour; a friendly Myrkalfar might be on the same test you are but with another group; etc.

Ally - One dot earns you an ally amongst the Dvergarl, a dwarf or ogre.
Three dots can earn you an ally amongst the Myrkalfar, most likely being sent on the same rite of passage you are now. A somewhat-sane Svartvattir or a powerful Dvergarl can also be acquired in this fashion.
Five dots earns you an ally amongst the older Myrkalfar, perhaps an older sibling, or a powerful Svartvattir who can lend you supernatural aid.

Languages
Myrkalfar - You start with this; it encompasses a complex ruinc language that can deliver messages with only a few lines, chisled in rock.
Lgosalfar Dialect - Centuries of separation have lead to significant divergences between the Alfar. You can probably make yourself understood without it, but complex conversations are difficult (why you're having them is a difficult question to answer.) Lgosalfar writings cannot be read at all without this ability.
Dvergarl Dialects - You are familiar in the tongues of many Dvergarl and are probably a broad-minded individual to match. Many Myrkalfar consider it beneath them to learn more than a smattering of commands.
Vili - The tongues of surfacer races are many and varied, but there is a pidgin trading tongue used between the species which you have mastered.
Ilvattir - The species of foul creatures often speak in your own tongue, but they have their own language as well, every word dripping with contempt for the right.
Asgardian - The words of the gods. Religious ceremonies are delivered in this tongue.

Restricted Merits
- Followers, Retainer, Resources, Command. You aren't taking your money or followers with you, without a good excuse!

Equipment
- You can begin play armed and armoured, if you so desire, with any ordinary arms you choose.

[Carthrat]

Here is an interactive charsheet: http://mrgone.rocksolidshells.com/pdf/Exalted/Exalted3rdED_2-Page_Interactive.pdf

[Carthrat]

There are lots of charms and no flowcharts for them. Until now!

>Solar Charms: https://imgur.com/a/q6Vbc
>Martial Arts: https://imgur.com/a/mnQDe
>Evocations: https://imgur.com/a/TYKE4