Enforcer
Explorer
reutbing0, thanks for putting the link up. By the way, White Wolf published hard copies of the Tomb of Five Corners. They're supposed to be free, so you might want to check your FLGS to see if they have copies. Otherwise, frpgames.com has them (they're still "free," but you have to pay shipping and handling).
Regardless, I highly recomend you download Tomb of Five Corners. It costs you nothing and it will give you a strong dose of the setting and rules.
Finally, I know jack about anime, but I still love this game. As for the Asian influences, the only places I've really seen them are in the heavy use of martial arts, the way the Realm Script looks, the spirit courts/Immaculate Order, and the five elements (fire, air, water, wood, and earth). And, of course, the daiklaves (gigantic swords) and warstriders (mecha suits). I haven't used warstriders in my campaign, and I think I'll continue to ignore them--you can easily rule them out.
That sounds like a lot of Asian influence, until you think that everything else isn't influenced that way. The South has a 1,001 Arabian nights feel, the North a viking/barbarian feel, the East a gigantic forest feel, and the West a Waterworld-if-it-was-done-well feel. And if you like Conan, the Scavenger Lands is what you're looking for, in my opinion.
Personally, I think the Realm, missing Scarlet Empress and all, is more based on the Roman Empire or a European feudal system than any real world Asian empire that I'm aware of. They have a Senate that is very Roman, for instance. I view the Dragon-Blooded more as the landed nobility than as a samurai warrior caste. Yes, the Realm's history has it as a Shogunate, but that's its history. Until we see a pre-Scarlet Empress sourcebook, I still say the modern Realm is more Roman than anything else.
I think the biggest sign that the anime/Asian influence only goes so far is that the cultures don't have the constant pressure of politeness, social station, bowing, lack of visible emotion (I'm talking stereotypical Asian-influenced fantasy here, like Rokugan or something, NOT real life, I mean no offense) weighing on everything. Also, slavery is rampant, and I'm pretty sure that that's not much of a real-world Asian deal. Then again, my degree is in business, not history.
That said, Wraith Lord, don't take my, or anyone else's word on what the feel of Exalted is, make your own opinion. My suggestion is to download all the free stuff that you can and then, if you're still interested, go to Border's or some bookstore that will let you sit and read for free, and spend some time with the core book. I hope you'll be a new Exalted fan, as more fans improves the game, but I won't cry if you don't like it.
Regardless, I highly recomend you download Tomb of Five Corners. It costs you nothing and it will give you a strong dose of the setting and rules.
Finally, I know jack about anime, but I still love this game. As for the Asian influences, the only places I've really seen them are in the heavy use of martial arts, the way the Realm Script looks, the spirit courts/Immaculate Order, and the five elements (fire, air, water, wood, and earth). And, of course, the daiklaves (gigantic swords) and warstriders (mecha suits). I haven't used warstriders in my campaign, and I think I'll continue to ignore them--you can easily rule them out.
That sounds like a lot of Asian influence, until you think that everything else isn't influenced that way. The South has a 1,001 Arabian nights feel, the North a viking/barbarian feel, the East a gigantic forest feel, and the West a Waterworld-if-it-was-done-well feel. And if you like Conan, the Scavenger Lands is what you're looking for, in my opinion.
Personally, I think the Realm, missing Scarlet Empress and all, is more based on the Roman Empire or a European feudal system than any real world Asian empire that I'm aware of. They have a Senate that is very Roman, for instance. I view the Dragon-Blooded more as the landed nobility than as a samurai warrior caste. Yes, the Realm's history has it as a Shogunate, but that's its history. Until we see a pre-Scarlet Empress sourcebook, I still say the modern Realm is more Roman than anything else.
I think the biggest sign that the anime/Asian influence only goes so far is that the cultures don't have the constant pressure of politeness, social station, bowing, lack of visible emotion (I'm talking stereotypical Asian-influenced fantasy here, like Rokugan or something, NOT real life, I mean no offense) weighing on everything. Also, slavery is rampant, and I'm pretty sure that that's not much of a real-world Asian deal. Then again, my degree is in business, not history.
That said, Wraith Lord, don't take my, or anyone else's word on what the feel of Exalted is, make your own opinion. My suggestion is to download all the free stuff that you can and then, if you're still interested, go to Border's or some bookstore that will let you sit and read for free, and spend some time with the core book. I hope you'll be a new Exalted fan, as more fans improves the game, but I won't cry if you don't like it.
