Some general musing about two celestial elements

[Lundgren]

I guess this is more from a 2.x (or an "Edition L") point of view than 3E. However, instead of just writing for my self, it thought I post it here in case someone else have use for it, or if someone have any ideas, comments, or things to add

Current working names are "Void" and "Metal" because of the inspirational sources.

Void is the element analytical thought and self awareness comes from. Yu-Shan is tied to the elemental pole of Void, and while it isn't actually in a direction of Creation, it is often referred of as if it was up in the sky.

Metal is the element of attraction and repulsion. Gravity is a result of this element, and so is the fetters of ghosts. Floating mountains, and other types of levitation, are a manipulation of this; either by its repulsive property or by its absence. Oblivion is the elemental pole of Metal.

Creativity is the mixture of Void and a chaotic element as fire or wood. This is why gods and other non-elemental spirits tend to not be creative, as they are almost pure Void.

Cold Iron, the bane of Fair Folks, is a certain mixture of Metal, Earth, and a dash of Air (Wind).

The inspiration of those two elements are from the Chinese elements of Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water; and from the Japanese Godai (or Go Dai, the five great) of Earth, Water, Wind, Fire, and Void. The Four Greek elements of Water, Air, Fire, and Earth are already in there.

So it is basically, it is an attempt to continue to mix the Greek, Chinese, and Japanese elements together. A large part of the motivation to add it, is to easier draw inspiration from old philosophy of how the world works (Chinese medicin, alchemy, etc).

[Aya Tari]

Well, from an elemental point of view, Creation is a bit of a mess. In the Western system, Earth should be East and Spirit should be Center, with Wood not existing as an element. In the Chinese system, Metal should be West and Water should be North, with Air not existing as an element. In the Japanese system, there is no Center, and Wood is not an element. None of them are close to what Creation is.

[Crumplepunch]

Well, from an elemental point of view, Creation is a bit of a mess. In the Western system, Earth should be East and Spirit should be Center, with Wood not existing as an element. In the Chinese system, Metal should be West and Water should be North, with Air not existing as an element. In the Japanese system, there is no Center, and Wood is not an element. None of them are close to what Creation is.

It's almost as though the writers took inspiration from those systems without copying any of them wholesale. What hacks!

[Lundgren]

I didn't bother with what directions the three systems were using, as it would require changing things in Exalted. By having Metal (and Void as well) as an element outside of the physical directions, it won't clash with anything already written. However, it can be useful when creating an alchemical or medical system, or even when coming up with ideas how sorcerous workings and wyld-shaping works in theory.

If Metal was put in a Terrestrial direction, then I think one also should replace Air Dragon-bloods with Metal Dragon-bloods. So I'm happy with using it as something "metaphysical", so things that normally would be called metal, as Steel and Bronze, are actually material consisting of at least Earth and Metal.

[Ejtaka]

Hmm. I am inherently opposed to actually redesigning the poles, but as an intellectual exercise, I would add only add one pole for each realm. The five elemental poles define the 'basic' reality. Yu-Shan would add a pole of 'Spirit' or 'Celestia' or 'Divinity'. I can find a better word, but I think you see what I am driving at. The Underworld would add a pole of 'Void' or something similar. Hell would add a pole of Vitriol. You then have a very nice geographical layout in a four dimensional graph, with each realm being largely dependent on Creation to exist. Other realms could have other poles, if needed.

I will not be doing this, but it was an interesting exercise. Thank you.

[teleute]

I've always treated the elements of Creation we got as connected to Gaia and any other elements imaginable working as analogues for other primordials or realms of existence, though that was back in 2nd Ed. I even made a chart for one of my games (ignore the last column).



I like the idea of Yu Shan as a pole of something spiritual since there is still the Greek classical element of aether left untouched. Can't forget those Greeks.

Edit: I sorta forgot that Jukashi, the Keychain of Creation author, had a WIP Aether Aspect Exalted book written up for 2nd ed. Could be useful for inspiration.

http://keychain.patternspider.net/other/gaia1to3wip.pdf
http://keychain.patternspider.net/other/gaia4wip.pdf

[Saur Ops Specialist]

Well, from an elemental point of view, Creation is a bit of a mess. In the Western system, Earth should be East and Spirit should be Center, with Wood not existing as an element. In the Chinese system, Metal should be West and Water should be North, with Air not existing as an element. In the Japanese system, there is no Center, and Wood is not an element. None of them are close to what Creation is.

The places in references to Daoist Wu Xing that would normally be metal are usually attributed to air for Exalted. See also, third edition's seasonal cycle and the elixir-based sorcery shaping rituals.

[Greyman]

I guess this is more from a 2.x (or an "Edition L") point of view than 3E. However, instead of just writing for my self, it thought I post it here in case someone else have use for it, or if someone have any ideas, comments, or things to add

Current working names are "Void" and "Metal" because of the inspirational sources.

Void is the element analytical thought and self awareness comes from. Yu-Shan is tied to the elemental pole of Void, and while it isn't actually in a direction of Creation, it is often referred of as if it was up in the sky.

Metal is the element of attraction and repulsion. Gravity is a result of this element, and so is the fetters of ghosts. Floating mountains, and other types of levitation, are a manipulation of this; either by its repulsive property or by its absence. Oblivion is the elemental pole of Metal.

Ah, I entered the thread thinking you were going to be talking about Solar and Lunar Essences (re: manse aspects), andor maybe Stellar or Abyssal too? Well, you kind of are? I can see some tie ins there.

[Erinys]

The places in references to Daoist Wu Xing that would normally be metal are usually attributed to air for Exalted. See also, third edition's seasonal cycle and the elixir-based sorcery shaping rituals.

Right, but I think some of the qualities associated with the elements just don't match up to how they are in Wu Xing. It isn't possible to port things directly from Chinese into Exalted.