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keirangoldenwatch · 3 years

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Exalted Secret Santa 2020

So I’m shaking this up a lil’ bit--I have had some really lovely art of my characters in the last...however long I’ve been doing these?? But I’ve got a whole coven who I adore and who I make art for but, like, I think it’d be neat to give them a shot in the dark. So I’ve put ‘em all onto the list this year. :3

(I still need to finish Thanatos’ art reference, but it will be up within the week!)

Onward!

1) Stazio, the Fiend

Stazio is of one of the hundreds of kingdoms in, well, The Hundred Kingdoms. Previously the royal advisor, he failed to protect his liege and attempting to collapse the one who overthrew him. His failure attracted the attention of The Ebon Dragon--and more specifically, Mara the Shadow Lover--and he was granted a Fiend exaltation.

He still carries a lot of distrust towards other, and lies as easily as he breathes, but past all of that he is the most mature of his coven and worries for them (even if he would stay saner longer if he didn’t).

Stazio is 5′10″, with olive-toned skin and auburn hair that reaches almost to his waist. His eyes are Infernal green, as is the cloak and emeralds he wears. He wields a Green Sun Wand but does prefer to strike up close, being a near master of Black Claw Style. The only reason he hasn’t mastered it is his teacher is Mara herself, and...well, it’s complicated. He also has a belt of aerial mobility, and sewn into his mouth is a Tongue of the Serpent Prince which aids in his manipulative methods.

2) Chishio / Chirurgeon Shod in Obscurity, the Defiler

Chishio was once the son of a village medicine woman, who also happened to practice necromancy. Along with his younger sister, he was taught medicine and to not fear death until he grew into a medic in his own right. However, an attack on his village left his mother and father dead and his sister missing--presumed dead as well--and Chishio abandoned his work to pursue vengeance. His elaborate revenge attempt failed when they were mistaken for an attack from another village, sparking a war which caused countless more deaths and left him ripe for She Who Lives in Her Name to take as one of her own.

He’s cold, calculating, and always the smartest in the room--and those closer to him may catch snippets of actual anger, sadness, and joy, despite his cool exterior.

Chishio is 5′6″ and pale as death, with black hair that goes just past his shoulders, and his eyes are blue and sharp. He dresses in dark colors, mostly grays and black and dark browns, to aid him in stealth. In combat he’ll either manipulate the dead to his own devices (which includes Necrotech as well as straight Necromancy), take shots from the shadows with Mind-Hand Manipulation, or simply out-smarts his opponents...though like any necromancer worth his salt he has a weakness for being dramatic, in combat and out.

[ART TO COME STAY FUCKIN’ TUNED]

3) Thanatos, the Slayer

Thanatos grew up in an orphanage until he grew old enough to help to run it, taking a great deal of pride in raising children until they were adopted or until they could strike out on their own. But one day when he was out of his village for trading purposes, a Fae calling himself the Erlking attacked and burned the majority of it to the ground, including the orphanage, killing nearly all of the children inside, and all the other caretakers. Thanatos returned to little more than ash and charcoal. Whether or not he could have actually stopped this tragedy mattered little compared to how much he felt like a failure for not being there to try, and his fury and broken heart appealed very much to Malfeas.

But past the lingering anger and strict moral code, Thanatos is the heart of the party. He doesn’t lie, doesn’t cheat, and won’t harm those he doesn’t believe deserve it. He wants to make the world better and protect the children of the world. Despite all of this, he is still an Infernal, which...makes that difficult.

Thanatos is a brick of a man, standing 6′0″ and about half as broad. He has ashy brown skin, hailing from the Scavenger Lands, and his shaved head and serious expression give him the appearance of a monk--but his dark brown eyes are ringed with horrible shadows from Nightmare Fueled Vigilance. He lost his right arm during his final battle with the Erlking, but has shunned the thought of finding a replacement. He keeps his clothing choices simple, again much like a monk, and wears bandages over his knuckles for fighting. His preferred method of combat is hitting his foe with himself as ruthlessly as possible, though when things get rough he’ll go into proper Devil Tyrant Avatar Shintai and wail away with four additional arms (five arms are better than one?).

#exalted secret santa #ess 2020 #Would you like to hear the word of our lord and savior the Yozi?#Infernals #Exalted #Stazio #Chishio Zicha #Thanatos

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anubislover · 3 years

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A Tea Party for Baby 5

(Gift fic for @velvety-love for the OP Secret Santa 2020! I really hope you like the fic - it was a ton of fun to write!)

It was quite the sight, the infamous Donquixote Doflamingo sitting at a small table in a child-sized chair, his knees practically pressed into his chest, but he would maintain that for a man of his status, any seat was a throne. Before him was a decadent assortment of pastries, chocolate-covered fruit, finger sandwiches, and quiches. Baby 5 had recently begun training to be the family’s maid, and this tea party would be a useful way to hone her serving skills. Since the eight year old girl was still too short to reach the dinner table, this was a perfectly reasonable alternative.

And yes, the dolls and stuffed animals sat up in their own chairs with cups and saucers was also absolutely necessary. She needed to learn to serve multiple people, after all.

“More tea, Young Master?” Baby 5 asked, hefting up the large china teapot, a hopeful smile on her face. There was a bit of tension around her mouth, though; visible strain from the weight of the pot that she desperately sought to hide for fear of disappointing him.

Doflamingo grinned, holding out his pink floral-patterned cup. “Yes, please.” The child had insisted on being useful to him, and while his main interest was in the deadly Devil Fruit powers she possessed, it was nice having some proper servants around.

However, her little arms trembled, the pot far too heavy for her, resulting in her inadvertently missing the cup and instead spilling hot tea onto his hand.

“Gah!”

“Oh no! Young Master, I’m so sorry! Let me get you a towel, or some ice!” she cried, nearly dropping the teapot in her panic. Luckily, Doflamingo was able to grab it before it could fall and set it on the table, preventing tea from splattering everywhere and staining his suit pants.

For a moment, his hand clenched and he glared down at her through the lenses of his fierce red sunglasses. The former Celestial Dragon wanted to be upset. She’d burned him! How dare she—

But then he looked at her distraught little face, eyes already wet with tears, and he was suddenly reminded of his precious little brother when they were children and how hard he’d tried to please him…

Picking up a napkin, Doflamingo wiped his hand clean of the tea. Honestly, it hadn’t hurt. Barely anything to someone like him. And she was trying. Really, it was impressive she could even lift the pot, considering it was nearly as big as she was and how thin her arms were. They really needed to get some meat on her bones—she wasn’t the half-starved waif who’d come to him in desperation anymore. She was part of his family. It was his job to take care of her.

Coming to a decision, Doflamingo removed a stuffed dog from the chair at his right and patted the seat. “No worries, Baby 5. Come here and I’ll pour the tea.”

“Ah! But Young Master, I—”

He gave her a reassuring smile, one as gentle as he could manage. “It’s fine, Baby 5; proper tea party etiquette says that the host should serve.”

“But then, you don’t need me,” she said sadly, small body slumping miserably.

Inwardly he grimaced. The last thing he wanted was for her to cry. So, he grinned more widely and picked her up by the back of the dress, plopping her down into the chair. “Sure I do! I need you to be a good guest! I can’t work on my hosting skills if I don’t have guests. These guys,” he said, indicating the dolls and toys, “are terrible conversationalists.”

Baby 5 visibly perked up, thrilled at still being needed in some capacity. “Oh! That’s true. Then I’ll be the perfect guest for you! I’ll be anything you need, Young Master.”

A small sigh of relief escaped his chest. Crisis averted. She was happy, and while serving himself was not ideal in most circumstances, the child could learn by example and he wouldn’t have to worry about his suit.

Getting an idea, he attached his strings to one of the dolls sat around the table, making it lift the teacup so he could pour. “Watch carefully; it’s important to hold the pot from both the handle and the spout to avoid spilling. We don’t want even a drop on the nice white tablecloth, do we?”

“No, we don’t,” she agreed, studying his technique carefully. Her dark eyes took in his every movement with near-reverence, her own little hands even miming him to ensure she would get it right later.

Satisfied, he filled Baby 5’s cup and offered her a blueberry scone. “Here, eat up—you’re a growing girl, and someone who works as hard as you deserves a treat.”

“Really?” she asked, even though she was already practically drooling as the smell of the pastries she’d baked that morning wafted up her nose.

“Really. Now have a scone, then some sandwiches, and then you can help yourself to the tarts and cupcakes.”

Practically glowing with happiness, she snatched one off the plate, but froze before she could shove it into her mouth. “Oh. Sorry,” she said, setting it on her plate and picking up her knife and fork.

Doflamingo shook his head. “Nah, you were right the first time. Eat the scone with your hands. Save the fork for the quiche.”

Thrilled that she was getting to sit at the Young Master’s side and enjoy the goodies she’d baked and laid out to his specifications, she tucked in, smile so wide her cheeks ached.

It was…kind of cute, seeing her so happy. Just a child eager to belong. Sure, she would make a fantastic assassin, but there was no reason not to let her have little moments like this, right? The chance to just be a kid and have fun? His father’s foolishness had denied him that joy after they’d left Mariejois, but he was far better than Homing.

He was the patriarch of the Doflamingo Family; it was his job to keep everybody happy. To give them all they could ever ask for so that they would do the same for him.

Looking her over, he wondered what else he could do. Her bow and dress were looking a little worn. He’d order replacements. Simple ones for everyday wear, but he was sure he could get her something cute and fancy as a reward the next time she got back from a mission. Dress her up like a doll and show her off. New shoes would be a must, too – he and his brother had constantly been outgrowing theirs, and while he doubted she’d every reach his exalted stature, she certainly would grow up to be a lovely young woman.

And lovely young women attract boys, he thought, scowling for a moment behind his teacup. Gonna have to watch her like a hawk once that happens. Can’t have anyone thinking they’re good enough for Baby 5 and trying to steal her away. I’ll make sure she’s got no reason to leave the Family. Who could provide for her like me, anyway?

On a whim, he got another idea – something that would surely amuse and delight her. Holding out his hands, he attached his strings to a pair of dolls. Like a puppet master with a pair of marionettes, he made them waltz around the table, chuckling while Baby 5 applauded and laughed with joy.

“Figured the least they could do was put on a show for us as thanks for our hospitality,” he explained, making a few more join in so it almost resembled a ball. “Too bad we can’t bring the toys to life—then they could dance without the strings.”

“Maybe there’s a Devil Fruit out there that can do that,” Baby 5 said excitedly, eager to help in any way she could.

“Hmmm, maybe there is. I’ll have to look into it,” Doflamingo agreed, rubbing his chin. The hand fell to pat her on the head. “What a clever girl you are.”

As she beamed up at him, there was a knock at the door, and without delay Corazon strolled in carrying Buffalo and Law by the back of their shirts like a pair of squirming kittens. Law even seemed to growl at his manhandling. Clearly, they’d been caught by his right-hand man doing something they shouldn’t, at least if the way he ground the cigarette between his teeth was anything to go by. However, all three of them froze at the sight of their leader serving tea to his maid-in-training surrounded by a bunch of dancing stuffed animals.

“What the he—” Law started, staring in utter bafflement.

“Ah, just in time! Baby 5 and I were having a tea party! Sit down and join us!” Doflamingo exclaimed cheerfully, indicating the newly-empty seats.

“Yes! Please, join us!” she chimed in eagerly. Even though they could be rude and mean, she considered the two boys her closest friends, so of course she wanted to have them involved. Corazon, too, even though he was grouchy and clumsy and might make the tablecloth catch fire.

Corazon looked between the tiny chairs and the uncomfortable-looking way his brother was sitting, then raised a disbelieving eyebrow.

“Oh, come on, little brother! It’s perfectly comfortable,” he said, even though he could already feel his legs cramping up. Ah well. At least he wouldn’t suffer alone, and Baby 5 could have some time enjoying herself with friends. She needed more socialization. Maybe he should call up Vinsmoke Judge – he had a daughter about her age, didn’t he? Maybe they could set up a play date.

“I’m not taking part in some stupid tea party,” Law groused, glaring at the utter ridiculousness around him.

“Kid, you can either sit down under your own power or I can tie you to the seat,” Doflamingo warned with smile. He turned to the child beside him. “But thank you for providing Baby 5 with another valuable lesson – boys are obnoxiously stubborn.”

“Law, c’mon, let’s play along-dasuyan,” Buffalo not-so-quietly whispered, eyeing the tray of cupcakes.

“Fuffuffuffuffu! But they’re easily bribed with food,” he added, smirking when she giggled. Pleased with himself, Doflamingo gave the three new guests a terrifying smile. “Now, you gonna join us like proper gentlemen, or am I going to have to show you to your seats?” he asked, raising his hand meaningfully.

A shiver ran down their backs and neither Law nor Buffalo argued as Corazon plopped them both in a chair before gingerly taking the spot opposite his brother, grimacing at how sore his legs and back would be after this.

Pleased that her friends were in fact joining the party, Baby 5 instinctively rose to her feet to serve them. A large hand on her shoulder stopped her, though, causing her to look up at Doflamingo inquisitively.

The patriarch smiled down at her, sincerity in his tone. “Now now, I told you the host should serve. The hostess who made all the preparations needs to take a load off and enjoy herself. Let us take care of you for once,” he said, pinching her cheek.

Yes, he’d take care of her, she’d take care of them, and they’d all live together as a big, happy family. What more could anyone want?

@op-secret-santa-2020

#op-secret-santa-2020 #One Piece Fanfiction #baby 5 #donquixote doflamingo #doflamingo family #donquixote rocinante #donquixote corazon #trafalgar law #trafalgar D. Water Law #buffalo #tea parties #tea party #tooth-rotting fluff

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hamsandlich · 3 years

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@akaittou here’s your 2020 Exalted Secret Santas. I finished the first one early so I decided to do a second one as well. Yarona in particular was really fun to draw. @shiftingpath

Yarona Hauling in a Sea Serpent

Nezu as The High Priestess Major Arcana

#exalted secret santa #exalted

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fyeah7kpp · 4 years

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Many thanks to @quilleth for help with the image!

Hello, all! I figure it’s been a while since we last had an activity over here, so we could do something fun for October! Namely, another one month challenge: Fictober! I’m posting the prompts ahead of time this time so people who like to plan ahead can! I’ll be posting them every day as the month begins as well, in case you want a daily reminder!

As always, no pressure to participate! I just thought it could be something fun to do, perhaps as a warmup to Secret Santa 2020? [winkwinknudgenudge]

As a note: I know this was clearly geared towards writing with the name but if you want to participate in other ways (playlists, edits, art, etc.) please feel free! I really don’t intend to limit activities so heavily towards writing; that’s just where I tend to drift, unfortunately. (Also, for people who want to write non-7KPP things using these prompts, please feel free! This was just a random list of words and not geared towards any one fandom!)

Anyway, for all who want to participate, as always, I’ll be doing my best to reblog everything to this blog! Feel free to mention me and/or use the tag “7kpp fictober 2020″. I’ll be tracking it to keep an eye out!

A list of all of the words (for copy-pasting purposes or otherwise) posted under the cut!

Hope your fall is going well, from this very busy grad student! <3

-Mod Tina

1. Rise

2. Shade

3. Weave

4. Gold

5. Worn

6. Transient

7. Exalt

8. Reticence

9. Renown

10. Surrender

11. Hidden

12. Temperate

13. Rehearse

14. Significant

15. List

16. Opportunity

17. Recant

18. Passage

19. Flourish

20. Totality

21. Opulent

22. Survival

23. Costume

24. Impress

25. Berate

26. Risk

27. Jubilant

28. Query

29. Yearn

30. Ultimatum

31. Celebrate

#7kpp #seven kingdoms: the princess problem #7kpp fictober 2020 #mod talk

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jadehand · 3 years

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exalted secret santa 2020 time

Jade Hand

Eclipse Caste Solar, Linguistics Supernal, he/him A life of war and politics in Lookshy as an airship pilot ruined him. As a young soldier, it led him to forming allegiance with the soldiers around him, creating pieces of writing to pass the time and build a silent community that questioned the militaristic culture of their home.

He wrote manifestos, he wrote children’s books, he wrote poems, and many, many letters. He was responsible for a rising political faction that threatened to change Lookshy forever - and when it came time for revolution, he failed. The depression he sank into caused him to leave everything he loved behind in exile and walked east until the world fell away to the Wyld.

He wouldn’t come out for 100 years - but when he did, he had skin of green jade, a firewand he has since broken on purpose, a green tiger raksha in his mind, and the exaltation of the Sun, none of which he remembers receiving.

Now he goes forward into life doubting the worth of power, doubting the gods, doubting himself, and the feeling both gentle and vicious that he has the chance to do things right.

He’s 6′1, a beanpole, and likes to wear earthy colors and nondescript clothing. He doesn’t go anywhere in public without full-body coverage due to society’s biases against mutation and his own tendency for repression. Everyone thinks his helmet is doofy, and they’re right. His anima creates little pieces of writing in the air, and his skin has lines of language reminiscent of tiger stripes. He wants to nurture others, but cannot forsake his anger entirely. Will adopt you, and is kind of silly when he isn’t so serious.

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Aryabhata

Defiler Caste Infernal, they/he/she/any

Aryabhata (or Ari for short) exists to defy everything. A mortal who not only attended the Heptagram as a mortal but excelled in it, who consorted with demons, and who frankly cannot go a day without trying to impress someone. You would think them desperate if weren’t onto the next mind-blowing project or discourse-provoking theory. Everyone thinks they hate them, but they are fascinated, too. What will the 4′11 sleepless manifestation of mania do today? Tomorrow? With their massive, easy smile, their life is sadder than they’d like you to believe. But there’s no time for it - Ari has rivals, and their work is never done.

Shortly after one such rival disappeared and labelled Anathema, they became obsessed, wondering where he had gone off to, how, why, when one day they just disappeared themselves after a concerning and incomprehensible speech about “being seen.” No one knows what they’re up to now, or when they’ll re-emerge. When they do, though, it will be with fully realized order of She Who Lives in Her Name, and the subverting mercurial silver of Szoreny.

They are tiny. They prefer a noble indigo stolen from princes and a glorious gold stolen from Solars. They have insane outfits regularly, and may be employing a demon to make them so consistently. They can also be a little sleepless gremlin in pajamas - there’s nothing they won’t do!

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The Garappa

Water Aspect, they/he

No one knows where the Garappa spawned on that mountain. A hearty antagonist who demands that passerby wrestle or a vicious beast that strangles travelers in the night -- there are many stories that survive the years about their true nature. It’s stories, too, that Garappa loves the most, wanting nothing more than to exist within societies that threaten to write them out entirely.

Whether they are The Garappa, a jovial trickster and sumo practitioner, or the Strangler, a silent murderer, it is a story that they have woven into their own reality. Other things seek to define them - the Black Carp Wanting, a story they have yet to know how to finish, particularly haunts him.

They were raised by a society of spirits, bickering bird-women philosophers, that he came to call his Aunts.

Fate or some such tale brings them to Gloam, away from their mountain for the first time, unknowingly there to meet other monsters such as he.

Garappa is about 6′4 hunched over and almost 7 feet stretched out straight. They only need minimal clothing, but they like to be agile and not burdened from getting wet. They could be convinced into outfits if it is treated like a story costume. He is extremely silly and speaks in dactylic hexameter when he is not nonverbal and muted. Will always want to hear a new story.

#exalted secret santa #jh #ari #garappa

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heedra · 3 years

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Exalted Secret Santa Journal: 2020

Apologies for the slight delay! My journal this year is going to be pretty much the same one as last year; I was working on an additional reference but it absolutely got away from me, so I’ll give it more time and save it for next year. Without further ado:

Daia Shan- Serenity Caste Sidereal

Once just a troublesome junior bureaucrat in the halls of Yu-Shan, Daia truly gained infamy upon her selection to accompany a strike team of Exalted heroes on a mission into the depths of the worldbody of the Yozi Oramus, and her subsequent escape and return from that impossible prison, nearly a thousand years later. The experience left her profoundly changed; even now, the spite of Oramus hangs like a mantle around Daia, ensuring that the waking world she fought so hard to return to will never feel like anything more than a dream. And then, of course, there is the matter of the power she took from the Sevenfold Peacock willingly… and how that power might be changing her still.

Daia is a somewhat petite woman, belying an athletic build. She is ethnically from the Blessed Isle, with dark grey hair that she prefers to wear up, usually in a bun or a knot. Her face, which she tries but fails to keep free of stress and worry lines, is usually found bearing a smirk or an expression of dangerous faux-politeness. Her eyes bear the iconic starry blue of the Serenities caste, but are also shot through with bands of a strange prismatic iridescence. She bears a large pair of bull horns atop her head, a mutation received during her time inside the Worldbody. The nature of the power bequeathed to her by Oramus is such, though, that her very nature is beginning to blur around the edges, and it is not unusual for her day-to-day appearance to fluctuate strangely as mutations come and go like glitches. She is a bit of a fashionista, favoring blues, dramatic and sharp femme looks (she avoids ruffles and prefers sleeker outfits), and jewelry of all sorts (a lot of it). She rarely wears the same exact outfit twice, so do not feel obligated to stick to the reference- you can get creative! She wears makeup, but prefers cool colors and an understated application.

Daia’s most important accessory is her longfang, the Sevenfold Peacock’s Tailfeather. Forged from starmetal, orichalcum, and a crystalline shard of Oramic essence, the weapon contains knowledge of every martial arts technique known by every user to have ever wielded it, and seems to hunger for more to the point where its obsession has bled over into Daia herself. Even more potently, it bears deep within its core the secret to a martial art concocted by the Dragon of Not himself, whose charms grant the power to ignore the limits of impossibility at the cost of making the wielder more and more alien to the waking world. It is a temptation that Daia has drunk deep of, despite all signs pointing to that being a very bad idea. Daia sees the spear as a trophy stolen from her greatest nemesis, but it’s very possible the Yozi himself sees it as a clever snare for hubristic Sidereals. The blade of the weapon is prismatic crystal that resembles a jagged bird’s beak, the pole is jet black starmetal shot through with an orichalcum starmap of constellations, and the orichalcum pommel is fashioned to look like seven golden peacock feathers woven together into a sphere.

While her exaltation may brand Daia a chosen of the Maidens, the elder Sid is a loose cannon, an agent of Heaven in only the most general of terms. She is mercurial, theatrical, fond of causing petty chaos, and utterly disinterested in the politics of the Bureau, unless there is way for her to stir up drama. She has tendency to get ahead of herself with her schemes, and the vast majority of her ‘downfalls’ can be traced back to her own hubris. Beneath all that, she is a lonely woman who feels adrift in a world that no longer feels real to her. She’s a terrible flirt, a huge showoff (especially where martial arts are involved) and has a weak spot for dangerous women. She’s Creation’s wildest and worst gay aunt.

Side Note: Daia is partially deaf, due to an old and potent supernatural injury. She employs the use of what magic/technology she can to aid her, but relies as well on sign language and interpreters. She’s very used to it at this point.

here’s the link to a better-resolution version of this image bc tumblr kinda fuckt it

and here’s the link to her toyhouse page, which has further images and info!

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Avenging Phoenix- Dawn Caste Solar (Formerly Ravenous Vulture Picks Clean the Bones of Creation, Dusk Caste Abyssal)

Orphaned at an early age, Phoenix was adopted by a Guild mercenary and raised as such. He spent his later mortal life as a city guard captain in Thorns, where he exalted during the fateful siege itself, disillusionment and rage at the circumstances of his death making him an easy recruit for the Mask. His path has weaved far and wide since then, a slow painful crawl from rebellion to eventual redemption; a journey that ultimately gave him a place among the saviors of Creation. Along the way, he played a role in liberating a group of orphaned children from the clutches of the Dowager, and now finds himself settling into the role of an adoptive dad to them, hanging up his metaphorical (and literal) axe and trying to live a gentler life. It’s not always easy. Violence and trauma etched in that deep doesn’t just smooth out perfectly over time. On top of that, he has impostor’s syndrome when it comes to his redemption by the Sun, and still feels uncomfortable thinking of himself as a peer to the other members of the Solar Host. Still, as long as his soul is on this side of Lethe, he is determined to fight against the Void- not because he considers himself antithesis to it, but because he has known it and survived it. And while some days it’s hard, other days it feels like, maybe, fighting against the void can be planting sunflowers for your children on a sunny spring afternoon.

Phoenix is of Western descent, very short, fat, and beefy, with warm brown skin and a round, open face. He keeps his burgundy hair closely shaved, not fond of dealing with the mess of wavy curls it becomes when allowed to grow out. His eyes are dark brown, almost black, the outside of the iris rimmed with the faintest edge of golden yellow. His nose looks like it has been broken multiple times in the past, and never properly healed. Due to unfortunate wyld misadventures his tongue has been mutated to resemble and function like that of a frog’s, though this is only really apparent when he opens his mouth to use the damn thing. Frogs and toads are a definite motif for him in general- small, grumpy-looking, and round as they are.

Phoenix’s casual clothes tend to be simple, comfortable, loose, and in sharp contrast to his prickly combat garb. He enjoys floral patterns, and the color pink. He’s got a very ‘open hawaiian shirt and flip flops dad’ vibe, basically. He does not dress fancily unless pressed to for big occasions, and in those cases usually grudgingly follows the fashion direction of the one twisting his arm. When he’s on actual exalt business, he’s most frequently found wearing his armor; black jade full plate embellished with cruel-looking spikes, and occasionally a shaggy grey fur cloak made from the pelt of some hunting trophy. A horned skull helm, made from the skull of a nephwrack’s war-body, often completes this ensemble. The helmet is a minor artifact: when worn, it causes his eyes to glow balefully behind its sockets and makes his voice gravelly with deathly menace. He is reluctant to take it off unless he feels at ease in a situation.

Phoenix is somewhat bumbling and gruffly soft-spoken, with tendency to look more tired than he feels. Beneath this is a talent for strategic leadership and a determination that gets fiercer as the going gets tougher. On the battlefield, he is utterly terrifying when he needs to be, but would much prefer to be at home in his garden than on a battlefield these days.

His anima banner starts as burst of gold-and crimson fire that solidifies into the form of a fierce and predatory-looking phoenix, with aspects of a garda bird and a lammergeier both. It moves as he does across the battlefield, swooping and rising with each swing of his axe, its fierce eyes focused on his opponent. Additional refs:

link to his toyhouse page, which has a TON more reference images

what he looked like as an abyssal | his grand grimcleaver looks like this except made outta fiery golden light | rough sketch of his skull helmet

#exalted secret santa #exalted secret santa 2020 #tabletoppin #yeah this is pretty much the same exact journal from last year ghdghsdgsdh #i was gonna add bite but i got very caught up in trying to draw her warform correctly so i wanna give that more time #plus i love these two #my characters

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fishcapades · 3 years

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Exalted Secret Santa 2020

While I love, love, love this trade every year, I haven’t actually played Exalted in a while. I haven’t got any new characters to submit, and I feel like I’ve kind of been putting for the same ones year after year, so I’m going to try something a little different, and do write-ups of characters I WANT to get the chance to play. Since I don’t have references for characters who haven’t been in a game yet, hopefully it’s fun to do something that an artist can have a little more fun with?

Torch - Dawn Caste

Torch was a monster-hunting heroic mortal before she was chosen by the Unconquered Sun, and she’s seen no reason to stop hunting down the creatures of darkness who prey upon Creation now that’s she’s been Exalted. Torch is a practitioner of Righteous Devil Style who travels around the deserts south of Chiaroscuro with her trusty flame pieces tucked into her sash and a flask in hand. She cannot manage a warm smile to save her life, but she’s got a ‘sadistic grin’ down pat. Torch has red eyes, dark blonde hair that is tucked up in a complicated bun under her large brimmed hat, and tanned skin from the Southern climate. She wears layers of light-colored linen to keep the worst of the heat at bay, but dark tattoos depicting the silhouettes of demons and the other evils she works to vanquish can be seen at her collar bones and wrists.

Seaglass - Changing Moon Caste

Seaglass is a wandering cultivator of Western flora, traveling between ports and teaching island towns and villages beset by the encroaching Wyld how to best survive and grow the odd plants that crop up on beaches and in the shallower inlets of the West. She is warm and generous and is invested with helping mortals survive in difficult circumstances, but can’t seem to curb her wanderlust enough to settle down and protect a specific place. Her totem is a sea-dragon, and I don’t have a specific tell or style of tattoos in mind just yet, so feel free to go crazy. Seaglass has turquoise colored eyes, moon-pale skin and long red hair, that she wears in a practical ponytail. She dresses in clothing that is light and doesn’t impede swimming, and is never seen without at least one satchel or basket stuffed full of wyld-tainted plants.

Symphony of Stolen Screams - Day Caste

Symphony is a deathknight in service to the Lover, though he’s hardly one of her favorites. His circlemates nicknamed him ‘phony’ precisely because he seems to do such a poor job of carrying out their Mistress’s plans, but he is not as inept as he acts. In fact, his failures are calculated to hide his motivations from his coworkers, and Symphony is a dedicated activist in private, wholly devoted to championing a better afterlife for the dead and departed, even if his deathlord might not approve of being undermined. He refuses to wield any soulsteel, believing it cruel, and is a one-man highway robbery operation, an undead Robin Hood who steals from the living to pay for grave goods to offer up at the alters of the deceased. Symphony shares the pallid complexion of most deathknights, and has dark, curled hair that reaches his chin and bright blue eyes. He dresses in grey and blue leathers to blend in with other travelers, and chooses most often to fight with small, poised needles or daggers instead of the large, gaudy weaponry of other Exalts.

#exalted secret santa #exalted secret santa 2020 #exalted rpg #exalted

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theuncrucified · 6 years

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To my Exalted Secret Santa,

Here are a few characters to tease your muses for this year’s trade! Four options below the cut.

Kalara Vadras, The Uncrucified

Eclipse Caste, Southern, Righteous Devil.

Kalara Vadras waits for no man, woman, or god. She gets results! This savvy businesswoman can frequently be found at one fabulous luncheon or another wining and dining trade gods or drinking hard amongst the artisans and crafters to seek out new talent. She often travels in disguise to avoid the high profile nature of both her controversial criminal past and her newfound status as the founder and leader of the Pristine Guild. This new mercantile organization has pushed the Guild from the East with corporate warfare and, as some rumor, with untraceable assassinations and political machinations.

Despite her public image as a businesswoman, Kalara is one of the few surviving practitioners of the gunslinging martial art of the Righteous Devils. However, she prefers to leave this gunslinging reputation to her infamous alias, Koh the Silver-Tongued Devil, a male disguise she created in her younger years to throw her Guild enemies off her trail. In recent times, however, she’s beginning to care less about hiding from her enemies, preferring to face them head on as her organization, power, and allies grow.

(See Kalara’s full profile for reference pics, full bio, etc.)

ART IDEAS: Feel free to dress her to impress or throw her into the action! There’s no need to stick to the outfit in her reference image, either. I encourage you to have fun and be creative with her wardrobe if you want! NSFW topics are ok! (When in doubt, send an anonymous ask).

Night Locust, the Prankster Ninja

Night Caste, Professional Ninja & Kalara’s Bodyguard (Technically my husband’s character).

The youngest of his Circle at just 19 years old, Night Locust exalted the moment he was ordered to slay his best friend as punishment for failing an assassination mission against a Dragon-Blooded diplomat. Instead of murdering his best friend, Arc, he found new purpose as a sun-chosen warrior and freedom from his life as a child slave turned assassin.

His roaming path crossed with Kalara’s one day when her caravan of fugitive slaves was attacked on the road. His skills impressed her and he has been at her side ever since as her chief of security for the Pristine Guild.

Personality: Despite his serious demeanor when he’s in battle, Night Locust’s quiet exterior belies the prankster within. He can usually be found meditating or pranking his Circlemates, Perfect Disguise being one of his fave tactics. He’s prone more to mercy than slaughter after experiencing the awakening of his ability to see the spirits of the dead. Seeing spirits at unrest taught him the value of preserving life and avoiding needless suffering, now that he could physically witness the repercussions that murder had on his marks.

Totemic Aura: When his anime flares (and he allows it to be seen), Night is surrounded by an inky black swarm of shadow locusts which burst forth from him, scattering like broken shadows into the air.

Gear: Night wields a dual-bladed orichalcum scythe with red essence blades that can be ‘retracted’ at will. The runes on the staff light up when the blades are out, but fade when the blades are inactive, the top collapsing into the appearance of a normal fighting staff. The scythe is for serious battles, while his short daiklaves are for everyday scuffles.

Inspiration/Reference Pics can be found here.

ART IDEAS: Meditating, pranking people, looking cool with his gear. All are valid! If you decide on a NSFW topic for him (ie. pin ups, etc.), remember he is 19. Don’t get TOO creepy! In particular, he flirts with Kalara in jest, but they still have more of a mentor and ward relationship. (When in doubt, send an anonymous ask).

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Khazan, The Starless Dragon

Fire Aspect, Southern, Bandit King.

(Inspirational Art Placeholder)

They say never to journey on the western road outside of Nexus, for the Starless Dragon waits in the woods to relieve hapless caravan leaders of their goods and lives. His bellowing laughter can be heard across a field, with his deadeye aim with a rifle reaching even further, Khazan known to be able to make shots no mere mortal could make with firedust weapons.

While his enemies see him as a brutish, uneducated bandit leader, his allies know him as so much more. His years as a long-lived Fire Aspect have granted him education on the field of countless battles. He has seen leaders rise and fall throughout the generations, his exuberant personality and good humor having gained him many friends in that span.

Khazan wears his fearsome nicknames proudly, ignoring the unlucky stars he was born under and swearing to make his own Fate with his own hands. His passion and loyalty inspire unbending faith in the men that follow him, despite the fact recent years have turned his once-proud band of soldiers into mere bandit pawns of the Guild. He mentors Kalara Vadras during the early days after her Exaltation in hopes that he can use her power as a weapon against his enemies.

(See Khazan’s full profile for inspiration pics, full bio, etc.)

ART IDEAS: I’ve never created art of Khazan, so that means he’s open to interpretation. Have fun with him! As long as he has an epic beard, an epic smoking pipe, a rifle+firewands, and is as over the top as you can make him with his arabesque tribal style, you’ve done him justice! NSFW topics are ok! (When in doubt, send an anonymous ask).

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Laughing Fox

Night Caste, Dreaming Pearl Courtesan Practitioner, Suspicious Doctor.

(Inspirational Art Placeholder)

Whether he’s playing the prostitute on your arm or the old guardsman passing by on the street, the man known as Laughing Fox takes pride in the lies he weaves. Those who know his true past are either dead or unaware that they know. He prides himself in his mystique hidden always by an ever-present smile and his usual kindly doctor alias.

Though fully versed in how to end lives, he prefers the softer side of his skillset, taking more pleasure in seduction to get the information he’s often hired to retrieve. Laughing Fox doesn’t always work for money and prefers instead to live by his own delights, whether it be following up on a rumor about an interesting artifact or spending a Marsday seeing what dirty secrets the local warlord has locked away in his castle. Thrills and fun motivate him more than glory or fame, though he takes secret delight in the rumors that circulate around his aliases and watching others try to get at the truth of it all.

Laughing Fox is also a self-taught artist prone to asking people for spontaneous portraits, searching always for a way to reveal the truth behind things. His art style is usually abstract and unappealing to most onlookers, however, much to his chagrin. People just don’t understand his genius yet!

Laughing Fox’s full bio and references here: https://refsheet.net/angelasasser/laughing-fox)

ART IDEAS: I’ve also never done art of Laughing Fox, so he is also very open to interpretation, especially with his knack for disguises and aliases. He’s a smiling trickster with a past as a courtier who is definitely proud of his good looks. NSFW topics are certainly ok for him. (When in doubt, send an anonymous ask).

Can’t wait to see what my future Secret Santa does with my brainchildren! ♥

#Exalted Secret Santa #OC #The Uncrucified #Kalara Vadras #Khazan #Exalted RPG #Original Characters #Exalted Secret Santa 2020

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