Malefactor Caste

The Malefactor Caste are the priests of the Infernal Exalted, associated with the Zenith Caste of Solar Exalted.

Overview
The Malefactors are the Chosen of Cecelyne and thus are speakers of the laws of Hell. Malefactor Exaltations seek out those who are ruled by great ambition and who would remake all Creation to suit their own blasphemous desires if given the chance. Those Malefactors under the sway of Malfean Urges seek to build a world ruled by conflict, where only the strong survive. Those ruled by Pyrian Urges desire a world of perfect order, where the great and wise rule without concern for the selfish wishes of the rabble at their feet. Adorjani Malefactors exult in the power of leadership, seeing fundamentalism and demagoguery as the perfect tools to enact their mad designs. Finally, Malefactors who carry Cecelynian or Ophidian Urges simply wish to build a world that functions only according to their wishes, the former because only their vision is capable of building a perfect world and the latter because their wishes are the only ones that should count.

Like their Zenith counterparts, Malefactors are chosen for natural charisma and leadership skills. But where prospective Zeniths are sought for their sense of righteousness and justice, Malefactors are chosen for their senses of their own importance. Cecelyne is a proud goddess, and she would have no servants who are so weak as to give a moment's thought to anything as frivolous as righteousness or justice. Might makes right, and the only justice to which anyone is entitled is the justice they can achieve for themselves, whether through strength or cunning. Thus, the likeliest target for a Malefactor Exaltation is a leader who is willing to do anything to advance his own ambition.

While all Green Sun Princes are considered priests of their Yozi patrons, each Malefactor is capable of serving as a priest with regard to any Yozi.

Anima Banner
The caste mark of a Malefactor is an hourglass of shimmering silver sand in the center of the character's forehead. Malefactor anima banners often resemble swirling dust and sandstorms of green and tarnished silver. Totems resemble demons descended from Cecelyne.

Anima Effects
The Malefactors are the high priests of the Endless Desert, sent into Creation by Cecelyne to preach her gospel and spread her word. Once per day, a Malefactor can sacrifice a single sentient being of Creation to the glory of Cecelyne. The Malefactor must spend one mote of Essence as part of the ceremony, and his player must roll (Charisma + Performance) with a difficulty of (7 - the Essence of the victim; minimum difficulty of 1). If the sacrifice is successful, the Malefactor creates an unholy area consecrated to the Yozis centered on the spot where the being was slain, with a radius of 100 yards per success on the prayer roll. Within such an unholy area, the difficulty of all prayers to the Yozis is reduced by 2 (to a minimum of 1), the difficulty of all thaumaturgy rolls to summon a demon from Malfeas is reduced by 2 (to a minimum of 1), the difficulty to bind a demon is increased by 2 and, finally, all Charms that carry the Holy keyword require an additional two motes to activate. This desecrated site lasts until such time as the area is purified by the prayers from a priest of one of Creation’s deities, and such a purification requires a number of successes on extended prayer rolls equal to (the Malefactor’s successes), with each prayer roll representing one day of devoted prayer.

Additionally, as the Chosen of Cecelyne, Malefactors are charged with standing against the false religions of the traitorous gods. As her action, a Malefactor can channel 10 motes of Essence through her anima. She then glows with the unholy green light of the Yozi realm and illuminates the area around her as if it were noon. This illumination extends for (Permanent Essence x 10) yards. For the remainder of the scene (or until she allows the effect to dissipate), the Malefactor gains additional lethal and bashing soak equal to her Essence against attacks by holy beings. For the purposes of this effect, holy beings include: all gods (but not elementals) of Creation who have not been corrupted into the service of the Yozis, all Solar Exalted regardless of caste (except those who have become akuma) and all Exalted of any type who know even one Charm with the Holy keyword.

Additionally, when the Malefactor has activated this effect, her player can also add the Malefactor’s Essence to the minimum number of damage dice rolled after any successful attack made against a holy being (meaning that, in most cases, the player rolls twice the character’s Essence). Both of these effects automatically activate once the Malefactor has spent 11+ motes of Peripheral Essence.

Caste Abilities
Wandering mendicants whose devotion was forged in the wastes of Cecelyne, Malefactors excel at Integrity, Performance, Presence, Resistance and Survival.