Alchemical Exalted

Maybe in Exalted, Maybe in the Future

    Nomenclature Changes: Charms- Systems, Charm Slots- Interfaces, Apostates- Defectors

    Optimised <Attribute> Essence Augmentation

    Efficient <Attribute> Essence Augmentation

    Recalibrated <Attribute> Essence Augmentation

    Integrated <Attribute> Essence Augmentation

    <Attribute> Essence Empowering Augmentation

    Imprinted <Attribute> Essence Augmentation

    System title words: Formatting, reformatting, function, relay KID System, Algorithm, adaptor, fuse, transformer, drive, driver, logic, matrix

        Categorisation of Systems

     I had an idea for reorganising Alchemical Charms based on the idea of arrays. Instead of being a few Charms grouped together out of a pool of a myriad of standalone Charms, Alchemicals can group together their Charms into large arrays of suits (I had the idea from Mjolnir armour in Halo.) The great thing about this is it explains how Physical, Social and Mental Charms can be combined together into one device since the suit is attached to the whole body. If they want Alchemicals can make arrays into smaller items like a helmet, or signature gadgets. Grouping large sets of Charms into suits means that they can have a set of arrays tailor made for a variety of circumstances and can change the main part of their Charm loadout by changing which suit they use. This idea can extrapolate for high Essence Alchemicals who's Charms increase in size and become far larger than ones supported by human sized arrays. These suits are supported by External Interfaces.

    On the other hand, some Alchemicals would prefer to keep most or all of their Charms internal. Rather than being components of arrays that can be rapidly changed to meet different needs these Charms are parts of the Alchemicals body in the fashion of existing Charms. Such Alchemicals are known as operatives and their Charms increase in power as their Essence increases but not their physical size. This idea is based on the opposite of a character whose power come mainly from their suit, in the form of Killy. These Charms are supported by Integrated Interfaces.

     The advantage of this system is it allows a character to rapidly change a large number of Charms in order to suit requirements. The character could even use Integrated Essence Augmentations in the suit itself to meet Attribute requirements for Charms installed in it. The key feature of using a suit or another type of array is that they can be changed over quickly, one scene or more in a room full of technicians. Integrated Systems on the other hand would be much harder to change over since they form an integral part of the Alchemical's actual body. Since suits are external upgrades and Integrated Systems are components of their body, at character creation each Alchemical must have at least 4 Integrated Systems. Installing a System in a suit is a good way of avoiding high Essence commitment for a task specific System that they are not always going to need such as an Essence Shield Projector.
   I'm not so sure about the advantages of using integrated Systems and what limits there should be on the numbers of them. Since the Exalt's body is in a sense an array, it could be possible to use any Integrated Systems they have in a combo.
   Possible Integrated System limits are:
   Essence x n Their Essence is multplied by a specific number to determine how many Integrated Systems they can install. They could also buy an expansion System Essence times that increases the factor by one. (This idea will need looking at.)
   The character can have a number of Integrated Systems for each Attribute up to their Attribute level.

Kamikaze Girls

        Shimotsuma Story Original Soundtrack
01.   Flashback Waltz 1:27 Yoko Kanno
02.   Hola Hola 2:37 Lyrics Valerie Hohn, Voc. Dany Vasnier
03.   I Love Shimotsuma 2:01 Yoko Kanno
04.   Momoko, The Stars Shine Bright I 2:03 Yoko Kanno
05.   Punch Perm Funk 0:52 Yoko Kanno
06.   Lucie Est Amoureuse 3.04 Lyrics & Voc. Valerie Hohn
07.   Sweet Home Ryugasaki 0:58 Yoko Kanno
08.   Parceque C'est Toi 2:12 Lyrics Valerie Hohn, Voc. Danny Vasnier
09.   Fukuin Step 1:39 Yoko Kanno (Hukuon Step according to the Kamikaze Girls official site)
10.   Momoko, The Moon Shine Bright 1:29 Yoko Kanno
11.   She Said 2:43 Lyrics & Voc. Oikawa Rin (from Saboten-willy) Music by Yoko Kanno
12.   Oikaze Fukumichi 2:16 Yoko Kanno
13.   Jitsuroku! Himiko Densetsu 1:50 Yoko Kanno
14.   Honey You 3:04 Lyrics Shanti Snyder, Voc. Shanti Snyder & Bito Isao
15.   Meatball 1:56 Written & Performed by Fogs
16.   Momoko, The Stars Shine Bright II 0:44 Yoko Kanno
17.   Une Belle Histoire 2:24 Lyrics & Voc. Valerie Hohn
18.   Negligee Mary Jane 1:22 Yoko Kanno
19.   Ikenai Kankei...Immoral Nikki 0:33 Yoko Kanno
20.   A Place For Me And You 3:00 Written & Performed by Alan Brey
21.   Don Quixote 0:52 Yoko Kanno
22.   The Daddy's Zingi 0:19 Yoko Kanno
23.   Last Sasurai 0:44 Yoko Kanno
24.   Television Killed The Shine Stars 0:31 Yoko Kanno
25.   Strawberry & Peach Pie 1:18 Yoko Kanno
26.   Momoko, The Stars Shine Bright III 0:45 Yoko Kanno
27.   super "shomin" car (short version) 3:41 CECIL (written by Ohira Yukichi and Ohira Taichi)
28.   Taimu Mashin ni Onegai 4:19 Browny Circus (written by Matsuyama Takeshi and Kato Kazuhiko)
Hola Hola: The French music on this albums is surprisingly listenable.
Lucie Est Amoureuse: I prefer Valerie Hohn's music on this album. This one's rather jaunty and upbeat. I whistle this one sometimes.
Perceque C'est Toi
She Said: I wanted this song to be longer as it's one of the most important in the film. The singer sounds a bit breathless and amatuerish but it still gets me.
Honey You: A rather cheezy song you don't hear much of in the film. Most of the singing is by Bito Isao and sounds like something sung in the lounge of an ocean liner.
Meatball: Ichiko's intro song.
Une Belle Histoire: A more heavy pathos song.
A Place For Me And You: "Don't be afraid of the dark" You'll probably recognise this one from the film.
super "shomin" car: One of the two closing songs. Both of them completely lack taste and yet are deeply listenable. Heaven help you you might even end up becoming a fan like me... On the Cinema Scope album
Taimu Mashin ni Onegai: Harder and edgyer than the previous song, I like this one a bit more. From Super Surf Jet Girl, one of the band's albums.
       The two songs that aren't on the soundtrack are Roller Coaster Ride and Hey My Friend from the Hey My Friend single by Tommy heavenly 6 (Kawase Tomoko) who had a previous alter ego Tommy february 6 and is lead singer of The Brilliant Green.

    Thanks to the people at the official Kamikaze Girls website for translating the tracklist (I think you got 09 wrong through.) www.kamikazegirls.net They've got interviews with Anna Tsuchiya, Fukada Kyoko and Yoko Kanno and cultural info on Lolitas and Yankis.

       Track by Track
    27. and 28.: Stick Two Fingers Up At Good Taste And Kiss Dignity Goodbye
    For those of you who are too sensible to know, Browny Circus played the last song in Kamikaze Girls. It sounds even tackier when you listen to it on CD. Objectively this song sounds terrible, but thankfully we are not objective beings. It sounds like the perfect accompaniment to Momoko's lifestyle. The irrepressible positiveness of this song (much like Super Shomin Car by Cecil) makes it one of those dirty little things you secretly like but want no one to find out about. You would never admit to liking it in public but you love it. I am now Browny Circus fan. I encourage all of you to forgoe your self respect and join me.

        Novels
    The two Shimotsuma Monogatari Novels are by Novala (Nobara) Takemoto. The first one has been translated into English (the hardback cover is cute, with an embroidery title on the front and tapestry between chapters.) The second one Shimotsuma Story Final hasn't been translated to my knowledge but if you know Japanese you can buy it from www.novala.net I bought mine through an intermediary since I don't know how they handle shipping overseas. It's best to work with people you trust on these things.