Over the past several months, I've been reading Exalted, starting with the core rulebook, then moving through the so-called 'fatsplats'. I've now read them all, apart from Abyssals, and am rather perplexed.
Over on RPGnet, there seems to be a massive love for the game. No suprise there, but the message-boards are also abuzz with a dislike of Lunars. Which I really don't understand - I found that book by far the most enjoyable of the four so far (and, since I've now started Abyssals three times, and am yet to get past the first chapter, I don't anticipate that changing). Perhaps it was just that I was between "White Wolf" by David Gemmell and "Fortress of Grey Ice" by J.V. Jones at the time, and so was receptive to the themes, but it really grabbed me in a way that Abyssals, Sidereals, and even Dragon-blooded haven't (but the core rulebook was excellent).
Since I'm on the topic, I'll mention that I think the area where they went wrong, at least with Abyssals and Sidereals, is by starting these books with long chapters on the Underworld and Heaven, respectively. Valid topics, to be sure, but they're really quite dull.
Or is it the assumption that people won't actually read these chapters - they'll just skip to the exciting charms their characters can be munchkinned with?
Anyway, I'm torn - do I build an Exalted chronicle for when the Shackled City comes to an end (some time next year)? Or do I refuse to run it, and drop endless hints that it would be really cool...?
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