Exalted – The Files of Charles Dexter Ward, The Coatl

Image via Wikipedia

   The Coatl are small snakes, recreated – via the Imbue Amalgam spell – as winged silver serpents, with sparkling, gemlike, scales in shades of sapphire, emerald, ruby, and gold, gem-like faceted eyes, brilliantly-colored feathered wings, and colorful feathered crests. In general, they’re quite small enough to fold up their wings, coil around someone’s wrist or throat, and quietly pretend to be jewelry. They like eggs, insects, marshmallows, and hot chocolate.

   Coatl are imbued with powers drawn from several other types of animals, as well as from Ixian and Charles himself, and are meant to act as aides and familiars. They’re especially useful to the occasional mortals who get drawn into the esoteric conflicts of the greater supernatural world. Thanks to their access to Charles’s specialized Charms they’re formidable Thaumaturgists – and will routinely cast long-term protective effects on themselves and their masters. They have several useful charms and spells – and if it comes to a physical fight, they will usually use Host of Spirits to send in several somewhat-weaker duplicates of themselves; their natural weapons and armor are good enough to make the tactic reasonably effective.

   Coatl / Guardian Serpent Amalgams

Base statistics as per a Coral Snake – sans venom

• Attributes: Str 3, Dex 3, Sta 6, Chr 3, Man 2, App 5, Per 4, Int 4, and Wits 4
• Virtues: Compassion 1, Temperance 3, Conviction 3, Valor 2.
• Willpower: 10
• Dodge Value: 6
• Soak: 22L/25B
• Health Levels: -0, -1, -1, -1, -1, -3, I.
• Bite: Spd 5, Acc +10 (16d), Dam +7L (10L), Rate 4

   Essence 5: Pool 50. Bleeds, heals, fights infection and disease and resists Charms and magic as though it were Exalt. It is also considered an Exalt for the purposes of counting 10s and stunting.

   Mutations and Merits: Nightvision (from a cat, 1), Longevity (from a giant tortoise, base lifespan of 100 + [20 x Sta] years, 1), Gazelle’s Pace (from a bird, +4 dex for movement purposes, only for flying, 1), Wings (from a bird, fly at 2x running, 6), The Embryonic Pearl-5 (from a cultist, +4 willpower/day, +4 Motes/Hour, 5), Echolocation (from a bat, 1), and four extra “-1” health levels (from any large animal, 4).

   Abilities: Athletics 1, Awareness 1, Craft (Items) 5, Dodge 4, Integrity 2, Investigation 2, Lore 5, Martial Arts 3, Occult 5, Presence 1, Resistance 1, Stealth 3, and Survival 2.

   Charms:

• Spirit Charms from Ixiah: Host of Spirits, Principle of Motion, Dematerialize, Psychokinesis (allows it to move things around within thirty feet as if it had hands and was handling them. Free if material, 6 motes and 1 will per scene if immaterial), Essence Bond (may share up to half their essence pool with someone else; after a few months of this, a normal mortal will become awakened).
• Solar Charms from Charles: Terrestrial Circle Sorcery, First Occult Excellency, Spirit-Detecting Glance, The Laborer’s Word, The Engines of Creation, Awaking the Sleeping Serpent, The Radiant Indulgence of Gaia, and The Alchemists Inner Fire (Allows it to effectively have three dots of attuned hearthstones of choice. Usually recovery of three will/day, +6 Motes/Hour).
• Spells from Charles: Emerald Countermagic and – normally – Impenetrable Frost Barrier, Peacock Shadow Eyes, and Sphere of Purity.

   Imbue Amalgam does not actually address issues of gross physical form – such as giving a target creature wings – or adding other natural talents outside of weapons. On the other hand, that really does seems like it should be within the limits of the spell. Ergo, add “The sorcerer can grant the amalgam up to (Essence + Occult) dots worth of Merits or Mutations at a cost of two motes per dot” to the basic Imbue Amalgam spell description. As usual, however, an appropriate source for the traits to be added must be available.

   Note that Charles is using the Imbue Amalgam effect to collect traits and abilities for later use in other creations: all he needs to do is to get a creature to sit still for copying a trait once; once he has it in an amalgam, he can simply use the amalgam for a source later on.

Related Articles

• Exalted – Charles Dexter Ward, Twilight Artificer from Emergence Campaign Weblog (ruscumag.wordpress.com)
• Exalted – Building Hearthstones from Emergence Campaign Weblog (ruscumag.wordpress.com)
• Exalted – Terrestrial, Celestial, and Solar Spells from Emergence Campaign Weblog (ruscumag.wordpress.com)
• Exalted – Oniwabanshu (“Garden Keeper”) Jun and Hidden Twig Village from Emergence Campaign Weblog (ruscumag.wordpress.com)