Enlightenment of Solar Understanding

    In contradiction of divine law, the Creation Ruling Mandate and conventional metaphysics, R'yuk it seems can actually learn Solar Charms.

   Believing to have unlocked the Unconquered Sun's creation of the Exaltations or the Primordials' creation of the gods, this site is devoted to the creation of spiritual beings. Facilities for both creating the art from hypotheses and practising it are here.
   At the centre of the manse is a forging chamber. Where the hearthstone should be is the circle where the demon is bound during artefact creation.

   Did he manage to outlive himself by creating his artefact? Perhaps R'yuk was part of an attempt to make himself immortal.

   Sorcery's not meant to be easy to learn. If you want something easy to learn, learn thaumaturgy.

   Perhaps he was attempting something as noble as trying to escape the Great Curse.
   The Exaltation chose him to complete Amarec's work.
   what if Amarec completed his experiment but the components ceased to be conscious when he was killed. His abstract notes, made only to make sense to himself didn't reveal the true nature of his work and the artefacts were buried with him. He completed R'yuk last to be his greatest achievement and manifestation of his Primary Virtue (which was conviction.)
   Now his Exaltation has returned in the form of a hedonistic Nexus libertine. Perhaps four different beings were used in his creations, a god, a demon, a ghost and a raksha. Is this the only manse he made or the last?
   They have lain dormant till now. The Sidereal hit squad wouldn't have been able to understand what was written in the book because it was in an inhuman language and a set of Solar Circle Spells. Such an unknown language wouldn't just be an unknown set of letters but an entirely different way of thinking.

    Solars use Essence to supplement their powers directly such as actually sensing with Essence to perform Heightened Sense Method. Lunars use Essence to improve their powers themselves, working more indirectly.
   They should put more emphasis on Luna and less on Gaia in the Lunar Exalted.
   Does sorcery mean sending your Essence into Creation? Sorcerers actually move their Essence outside their bodies to connect with Terrestrial or Celestial power.

   Solars and Lunars should be opposite sides of the same coin. Lunars don't serve the Solars, it's against their nature and that of Luna, but they do make a matching pair.
   What if sorcery is extending your Essence, not into an ability but into the world. Lunars find this a particularly demanding discipline since their Charms and Knacks are based on inward focus. To many Solars it's a natural extension of their Charms which are about affecting the world around them. However it's difficult for them too since expending Essence in the world is very different to moving your Essence outside your body.
   (Terrestrial Projection) Terrestrials, being bound to Creation through their ties to the Elemental Dragons and being of limited skill are unable to transcend the limits of Creation with their consciousness. (Astral Projection) The Lunars and Sidereals, as children of the Incarnae are able to channel Celestial Essence.
   It takes an immense amount of practise and intense spiritual control to be able to extend their Essence outside their body and then connect with the Essence of the world. (Divine Projection) Only the Solars have been given the gift of connecting with the gods themselves. The Terrestrial Exalted can channel the Essence of the world the Elemental Dragons were born from, the Celestial Exalted can channel the Essence of the face of the Heavens, the Solars can connect with the power of the gods and command Creation as the Unconquered Sun once did.

    I got this idea when reading about the Everqueen in Caledor  (p. 305) when it talks about her being outside her body connected to it by a slender thread when casting a spell.

4th March

    They found ways of imposing their will on Creation. Charms create effects that Exalted can use to their ends. Spells of Solar Circle Sorcery can directly impose the Exalt's will on Creation rather than achieving it indirectly.
    Terrestrial Martial Arts can channel Essence Floes to alter the nature of conventional martial arts to enhance them. Celestial martial arts change the nature of martial arts themselves. Instead of empowering attacks and such like they determine the nature of such attacks such as Flying Mantis Kick and can even alter the Exalt's body temporarily such as with Form Charms. Sidereal martial arts sometimes transcend the idea of simply being fighting styles such as Border of Kaleidescopic Logic Style and raise combat to new arenas such as identity or perception.
   However martial arts and shapeshifting are a means to an end. As the level of sorcery rises they become closer to achieving that end directly culminating in Solar Circle Sorcery. Sorcery where they can achieve the effect they are attempting.

   This isn't exactly on the mark. Part of the beauty of sorcery is that it achieves it's aims obliquely through unusual methods.

Sorcery

    I think this was undertoned in the original book. Sorcery is supposed to be the greatest of the supernatural disciplines. Just as the Solars are the greatest of the Exalted (taking after the nature of their creator) and the only Exalted who can learn the third circle of this most powerful of abilities. Having a minimum Occult and Essence rating of five does make Solar Circle sorcery accessible to characters who haven't been around long enough to raise their Essence to 6 but demeans the value of the craft. On a related note I think thaumaturgy is a bit too dull. It's supposed to be magic so tame that even mortals can practice it because it's based on manipulating Essence patterns to do things they can do anyway rather than creating new ones but could do with more spice.
   Sorcery however is supposed to be greater than the most impressive feats of shapeshifting or Sidereal martial arts. So why does the highest level or sorcery have a pathetic trait minimum level of five for it's greatest expression. Sidereal styles have Essence 8 Charms and Lunar shapeshifting is a direct partner of their ordinary powers. So I decided to create the following rules to give Solar Circle sorcery (in fact all sorcery) the rarity and distinction it deserves.
   Terrestrial Circle Sorcery Minimum Occult and Essence: 5
   Celestial Circle Sorcery Minimum Occult and Essence: 7
   Solar Circle Sorcery Minimum Occult and Essence: 9.

   That should demonstrate just how demanding and potent sorcery is. And be a mark of how difficult to learn the greatest of the supernatural disciplines is as well as a comparison of it's power in relation to other Charms.