The Anima is a typically invisible aura that surrounds all living beings, including inhabited Geth platforms. When the Exalted expend Essence, that Essence often spills into the Anima, making it visible. An Exalt's Anima is an often brilliant display of power, visible sometimes for miles. Its form varies depending on the Exaltation and personal traits possessed by said Exalt. Solars, Infernals, and Abyssals often display awe- or terror-inspiring symbols of power, such as apex predators, or abstract mandalas of light. Terrestrial Anima manifests as a swirling (and very real and very dangerous) vortex of elemental power based on the Aspect of the Dragon-Blood in question. Mechanical Anima is, fittingly enough, typically mechanical and digital in nature, taking the forms of turning gears or datastreams or other such items. Lunars possess gossamer Anima banners of their Totem creatures, while the Infernals' Anima run the gamut from mundane beasts of power to displays as strange as the image of a screaming city.

It is also important to note that stealth-focused Castes and Caste-equivalents possess greater capacity to hide their Essence, Anima, and Caste Mark displays to a limited extent.

The Protheans left behind many wonders when they passed from this galaxy. Dug up from ancient Prothean laboratories, armories, and dig sites, the relics of the Protheans remained largely intact thanks to their amazing construction and durable materials. The following items have thus far been discovered and archived by Citadel scientists:
>Bloodspike Harnesses: Similar to Batarian blade armor, but permanent and built with a Magical Material.

>Daiklaves: Exalted-grade swords of various sizes and shapes, too large to be wielded by mortals, and forged with steel allowed with Magical Materials. Regular daiklaves are typically four feet long and six inches wide and double-edged. Variants include grand daiklaves (two-handed), reaper daiklaves (built for slashing and speed), reaver daiklaves (single-edged, wide-bladed, built for power), short daiklaves (shortsword and dagger sizes), and wavecleaver daiklaves (curved, short, designed for chopping).

>Dire Lances: Large spears made with one of the Magical Materials.

>Goremauls: Massive hammers capable of crumpling most mundane armor. Built with one of the Magical Materials. Also available in grand goremaul (two-handed) variant.

>Grimcleavers: Large axes, designed for melee rather than throwing. Comes with a grand variant. Built with one of the Magical Materials.

>Grand Grimscythes: Large scythes, apparently designed for cutting large swathes. Typically ignored as actual combat pieces due to their impracticality.

>Inferno Pistol: Handheld microwave pistol, 5-shot capacity. Capable of searing through one meter of starship-grade armor at close range. Weapon is ineffective at medium and long range.

>Lightning Claws: Gauntlets with knuckle-mounted claws made of a Magical Material. Often equipped in pairs.

>Lightning Torment Hatchets: A pair of ironwood-handled throwing axes forged from moonsilver and white jade. Always equipped in pairs and return to wielder's hands when thrown less than 100 yards. Wielder recalls thrown LTH units through a mental impulse. Hatchet then teleports to a free hand. Targets struck by hatchets suffer severe electrocution, on par with a fully charged Overload blast. These do not grant the bonuses of Magical Materials used in their construction.

>Power Fists: Heavy gauntlets designed for brawlers, made of a Magical Material. Often equipped in pairs.

>Plasma Tongue Repeater: Handheld plasma pistol, 6-shot capacity. Damage exceeds that of a fully charged, point-blank shot from a standard Geth plasma shotgun.

Note that all melee weapons found so far have been equipped with energy field generators. These power fields are capable of cutting through most mundane materials, and may occasionally deflect glancing hits from energy weapons. Conventional firearms made of Artifact materials also exist, and benefit from the regular Magical Material qualities. As long as they are kept away from significant damage, they will require no repairs or maintenance, only the occasional ammunition block. Artifact firearms operate similarly to modern counterparts, albeit with the older heatsink system rather than the new thermal clips.

Not all artifacts were meant for combat. Many Prothean craftsmen built wondrous devices which served more versatile or utilitarian needs:

>Celestial Wine: It is unknown whether this was truly distilled from Yu-Shan's otherworldly flora, but it is certainly magical in nature and wondrous in taste. Celestial wine possesses restorative qualities, healing injuries and sickness with each sip. A single glass is said to cure any and all mundane poisons and diseases. A full liter restores the wearer to perfect health and renders her immune to all mundane poisons and diseases for an entire Prothean year.

>Collar of Dawn's Light: Such devices keep the wearer free from dirt and grime. With a small Essence commitment, an Exalt may use a Collar to remain utterly clean. This cleanliness extends to her clothes as well as to her body, and grants her a small defense against poison and disease. Observers have described the odor emanating from wearers as similar to that of Old Spice Odor Blocker body wash.

>Hearthstone Amulet: Wearers gain the benefits of a single hearthstone (see Hearthstone codex entry) embedded in the amulet, along with the Magical Material from which the amulet was made.
>>Orichalcum - Amulets are commonly shaped as starbursts, Caste Marks, or other symbols of power. Solar wearers regenerate Essence at a slightly faster rate.
>>Moonsilver - Often crafted in one of the phases of the moon, or in the shapes of nocturnal animals. Lunar wearers regenerate Essence at a slightly faster rate.
>>Jade - Cast in the shapes of the Elemental Dragons or as an abstract elemental form. Terrestrial wearers regenerate Essence at a slightly faster rate.
>>Starmetal - Minimalistic, often no more than wire cages for the stone. Sidereal wearers regenerate Essence at a slightly faster rate.
>>Soulsteel - Forged as symbols of death and darkness. Abyssal wearers regenerate Essence at a slightly faster rate.

>Dragon Tear Tiara: Rare devices with circuitry designed to improve biotics or Exalted sorcery. Wearers tend to experience less stress when activating biotic powers and have greater success when studying or sensing the occult.

>Hearthstone Bracers: Each pair comes with a hearthstone setting. These provide powerful boons to wearers, depending on the Magical Material used in construction:
>>Orichalcum - Ornate and built to honor the Unconquered Sun, these grant the wearer greater accuracy and the force of a great typhoon, thanks to qualities of Orichalcum and the micro-servos and power field generators built into each gauntlet.
>>Moonsilver - Almost liquid or organic in shape, these allow wearers to adapt and flow around attacks, making them more resistant to damage.
>>Jade - Elaborately carved, these make the wearer's strikes as swift as a coursing river.
>>Starmetal - Carved with astrological motifs, these bracers are minimalistic like all Sidereal artifacts. Wearers' strikes move in accordance with destiny, granting them greater accuracy and defense.
>>Soulsteel - Decorated with more skulls than a Games Workshop figure, these bracers grant the wearer the strength of a raging fire, allowing her strikes to pierce armor with greater ease.

>Mask: Built with Prothean hypertech, these devices allow Exalts to alter their appearance to look like anyone they wish, and grant perfect control over the new face's emotions.

>Perfected Boots: Incredibly comfortable, supernaturally durable, and cheap to produce and enchant, these boots make long marches trivial. Wearers no longer tire from extended marches, thanks to the construction of these minor wonders. Their low Essence attunement costs also mean that mortals with awakened Essence may wear them--perfect for the aspiring Exalted general and his army.

>Thousand Comforts Lounge: What memory foam is to bedding, the Thousand Comforts Lounge is to memory foam. Able to take the form of any piece of furniture for sitting and lying, the Thousand Comforts Lounge provides an utterly perfect rest for its user. Regardless of fatigue, stress, or injury, a good night's sleep on a Lounge will make the wearer feel completely rejuvenated and energized.

>Yasal Crystal: Small, amber-like crystal capable of storing minor spirits and newborn ghosts. Spirits may then communicate with anyone who touches the stone, although they cannot escape on their own. Whoever touches the stone may use the spirit's powers as if they were her own if the spirit gives permission.

An Exalt's Caste (or equivalent) determines her Exaltation's innate specialties. However, they do not place strict limitations on one's knowledge. A Dawn still has the potential to become as good a diplomat as an Eclipse--she simply has to work harder for it, as her Caste does not facilitate the assimilation of diplomatic techniques as quickly as it does the fields of melee, martial arts, gunnery, war, and thrown weapons. Commander Shepard, for instance, outwits and outmatches many Earth Aspected in the art of war, despite her Wood Aspect's traits.

The Caste Mark, like the Anima, is typically invisible until it makes contact with its owner's divine Essence. The Mark is used to distinguish one type of Exalt from another, and is found on the forehead (or forehead-equivalent). Exalted display the following caste marks:

Solar
>Dawn: A full golden sunburst with rays emanating from the center.
>Zenith: A full golden disc, sans rays.
>Twilight: A golden circle, its top half full and bottom half hollow.
>Night: A hollow golden circle.
>Eclipse: A hollow golden circle with a small gold dot in the center.

Lunar
>Full Moon: A full silver disc.
>Changing Moon: A silver crescent.
>No Moon: A hollow silver circle.

Sidereal (More detailed descriptions to be added later)
>Journeys: Gold astrological symbol of Mercury
>Serenity: Blue astrological symbol of Venus
>Battles: Red astrological symbol of Mars
>Secrets: Green astrological symbol of Jupiter
>Endings: Purple astrological symbol of Saturn

Abyssal
>Identical to Solars', except black. Where Solar Caste Marks radiate light, Abyssal Marks bleed as long as they are displayed. The Abyssal does not seem to suffer any of the side effects of blood loss.

Infernal (Infernal Caste Marks manifest in the Infernal's pupils rather than above the forehead)
>Slayer: A pair of crossed swords.
>Malefactor: A silver hourglass.
>Defiler: A brilliant green flame.
>Scourge: A hollow red circle.
>Fiend: A black disc, similar to Midnight Caste marks.

Terrestrial and Mechanical Exalted do not display Caste Marks.

Charms are abilities used by Exalts to manipulate and shape their Essence. They allow Exalted to perform superhuman feats and are the bread and butter of any Exalt's arsenal. Such abilities exist for a variety of situations, regardless of their combat utility. Indeed, many Charm sets have use in social encounters, item crafting, travel, and commerce. Charms are often actively triggered by the Exalt, and almost always jaw-dropping to witness. One exception to this is the Excellency sub-type. Excellencies are simply Essence-fueled boosts to one's own personal skills rather than magic made manifest, and while they are rarely as exciting to watch, they are arguably among the most useful Charms in the book.

Many Charms are accessible to all members of an Exaltation family, ingrained in the Exaltations during the Prothean Era. For instance, all Solars can learn the Trance of Unhesitating Speed, a ranged combat Charm. Mechanical Exalted, however, function differently. Geth Charms take the form of programs and hardware, such as the Unstoppable Impulse Engine and Protosynthetic Ammunition Replicator. Their Charms' modular nature allows Mechanicals to mix and match as they please to suit their next mission's parameters as long as they have access to proper facilities. All Exalted except for Sidereals may create their own custom Charms, however. Sidereals are restricted to the Charms dictated to them by the skeins of Fate and the Five Maidens.

Essence is the source of energy for all of an Exalt's supernatural abilities, generated by the Exaltation connected to that Exalt's soul. It is the energy that unites all living beings, and the source of the magic that has returned to the galaxy. All Exalted may channel Essence, allowing them to work miracles and change the tides of Fate itself. Other beings, such as gods, the Reapers, and the Leviathans, also possess the capacity to manipulate Essence, as do a select few heroic Mortals. Essence expenditures are measured in Motes, according to Prothean scientific texts. However, none of the Citadel races has yet discovered a method to properly quantify these motes, so for now, Exalts must make do with rough estimates of their own expenditures.

The Exaltation is a wondrous thing, far beyond the abilities of any Citadel Race to fabricate, reverse-engineer, or even capture. An Exaltation's workings are unclear. Solar, Abyssal, Infernal, and Lunar Exaltations exist in fixed numbers, and Sidereals are so rare that they may as well be considered a finite resource. In contrast, the Dragon-Blooded are capable of passing on their genes to offspring, allowing them the advantage of numbers. There is no data, however, on the production of Mechanical Exalts, due to general lack of research on the Geth and Autochthon. It is not known why the birth-derived Exaltations were dormant until the opening of the Jade Prison on Ilos, but scholars theorize that they required some sort of psychic catalyst or activator which was triggered when Commander Shepard first met Vigil.

Exaltations are, according to Prothean texts, a second, foreign soul attached to one's own personal soul. Once attached, they can never be removed unless the host individual is permanently and irredeemably killed. Some modern-day Exalts agree with this description, claiming that their moments of Exaltation were almost like rebirth.

It also bears noting that the Exaltation only comes to individuals with the will to use their powers. It is impossible (or at least very, very close to impossible) for the Exaltation to become attached to one who cannot or will not use its powers to the fullest.

Suck it, Grimdark McEdge. Can't gain ultimate power if you don't get off your ass and leave the tavern's shady corner.'--Unauthorized comment: del Pilar, John, Lieutenant Commander, Systems Alliance

The Protheans of the Exalted Host did not spend all of their time on the field of battle. Outside of combat, many took it upon themselves to develop esoteric combat styles and associated Charms. Styles tailor-made for specific Exaltations include the Solar, Lunar, and Terrestrial Hero Styles, as well as Dark Messiah Style (an Abyssal mirror of Solar Hero) and Infernal Monster Style. While anyone may learn the basics of these martial arts, only the Exalted associated with those arts may unlock their full potential. Weapon-specific arts include Righteous Devil (pistols, shotguns, and sniper rifles), Falling Blade (sword), and Path of the Arbiter (that Exalt's personal chosen weapon). Exalted Martial Arts are divided into Celestial, Sidereal, and Terrestrial. Celestial Martial Arts Charms are unavailable to Terrestrials, save for powerful and dedicated elder fighters. Sidereal Arts are completely unavailable to Dragon-Blooded, while Terrestrial Styles are available to all Exalts.

This term is used to refer to any spirit representing some aspect of the material plane, whether it is something as insignificant as a grain of rice or abstract concepts like change, war, despair, and lust. Many such gods exist in Creation--one simply needs to know the right methods to summon them. Most material gods are of no challenge to even newborn Exalted, while those which represent abstract concepts are a great deal more powerful. The latter are suspected to live in another plane, which the Protheans seem to have named "Yu-Shan". Since the fall of the Protheans, the gods have become increasingly distant, retreating to their demesnes or watching from on high in their Celestial City. The most powerful of these gods are known as the Celestial Incarnae (names are rough translations of Prothean script):

>The Unconquered Sun: Chief of the Incarnae and source of the Solar Exaltations, the Unconquered Sun. He often appears in Prothean murals as a muscular, four-armed warrior bearing a lance, a shield, a horn, and a laurel branch. Quite literally the god of Excellence and Perfection, the Sun was the example to which all Prothean Solars should have aspired.

>Luna: A many-faced trickster god(dess), Luna is both male and female, depending on his/her whims at the time. She was the consort of both Gaia and the Unconquered Sun, and a warrior nearly as skilled as the Sun Himself. Luna was the father of the Lunar Exalted, and controls the tides of the Wyld.

>Five Maidens: Equal in power to Luna, the Maidens control the Loom of Fate and operated what was known by the Protheans as the Bureau of Destiny. They were the source of the Sidereals and are every bit as enigmatic and inscrutable as their progeny. The Maidens' names vary depending on the race reading them at the time. For humans, they are named Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn, representing the Chosen of Journeys, Serenity, Battles, Secrets, and Endings, respectively.

>Gaia: Gaia is a creature of immense power, rivaling even the Unconquered Sun, if not dwarfing Him in power. From her soul sprang the Elemental Dragons, which created the first Dragon-Blooded. The Dragons are merely fragments of her soul, but are powerful in their own right. Prothean texts are inconclusive as to Gaia's true nature, or whether she even technically qualifies as an Incarna.

'PRAAAAISE THE SUN.'--Anonymous Zenith Caste

The Prothean-Reaper War was a ruinous conflict, so much so that the Lunar, Solar, Sidereal, and Terrestrial Exalted occasionally witness traumatic flashbacks of their ancestors' actions in the war. The Curse is unknown to all but a few, such as the Maiden of Secrets. The Curse affects its targets differently. Sidereals are prone to overweening hubris, and their actions are more likely to fail when more Sidereals are included in the planning process. Solars and Lunars are subject so outbursts of a specific personality trait, such as rage or deliberate cruelty, as are Terrestrials, although the Dragon-Blooded suffer less from the Curse's effects and retain a greater degree of self-control. Abyssals, Infernals, and Alchemicals are unaffected, although they have their own unique brands of baggage to deal with.

The Great Curse's effects have different triggers and effects depending on the Exalt involved. Particularly temperate Exalts may end up going on hedonistic binges after exposure to too much temptation. Especially compassionate Exalted may explode into fits of uncontrollable rage after seeing a Reaper kill one too many innocents. That is not to say that the Great Curse triggers every time such events happen. Most of the time, it is caused by pent-up emotion or desire after witnessing their Curse triggers repeatedly over a long period of time. While the effects of the Curse can be ruinous, the Exalt in question often finds the experience extremely cathartic, and afterwards she returns to her old self to repeat the cycle again.

Hearthstones are Essence-imbued gemstones grown from the heart of a Manse (see Manse codex entry). Such crystals are of rare and unearthly beauty and provides boons to the Exalt attuned to the Manse when set in an amulet, bracer, weapon, or piece of armor. The following hearthstones have been discovered and archived by Citadel scientists:

Air
>Gemstone of Surface Thoughts - Round, light blue, and opaque. Common. The user may read small bits and pieces of a target's thoughts, often just a few words or a sentence, but occasionally a detailed picture may arise. If the target is aware of the mind-reading, however, she may activate her own mental defenses as she pleases.
>Windhands Gemstone - Perfectly clear, so clear that it becomes invisible when submerged in clear water. Uncommon. The user's reflexes are enhanced, allowing him to dodge ranged attacks with greater ease.

Earth
>Gem of Adamant Skin - Ovoid, black, glittering, featureless, and incredibly rare. Functions exactly like its name describes. User is vastly more resistant to physical damage.
>Gem of Immortality - Almost impossible to find in the galaxy. Smooth, spherical, black, with a faint rainbow sheen on the surface. The user does not age further and, if she is old, does not suffer the physical setbacks of her age. She may not die of old age or illness with the Gem, although she is still vulnerable to other means of death. Losing the gem or undoing one's attunement resumes the aging process.

Fire
>Gem of the Calm Heart - Teardrop-shaped and deep red. Very common. This stone banks the fire of the wearer's soul, granting her greater calm and self-control.
>Jewel of the Hungry Fire - Bright orange-red and spherical. Common.This stone makes the user all but immune to mundane fire and more resistant to the effects of environmental heat.

Water
>The Freedom Stone - Murky blue-black and spherical. Uncommon. The stone makes the user impossible to trap by mundane means. Shackles and ropes fall away and are undone, technological restraints falter, and biotic holding effects dissipate after a short while. This does not render the user immune to confinement, however.
>Seacalm Gemstone - Briliant azure and spherical. Uncommon. The user gains supernatural astrogation skills, and grants her ship immunity to many natural phenomena in space, such as ion storms and solar flares. The ship also never suffers from breakdowns or mechanical failures outside of combat. This does not protect from collisions or combat situations, however, and damage sustained then remains in effect after.

Wood
>Stone of Healing - Ovoid, earth-brown, with green patches. Very common. The user gains enhanced medical skill, turning even the untrained into skilled surgeons.
>The Monkey Stone - Rich reddish brown and ovoid, with an almost bark-like texture. Common. The user gains enhanced balance and dexterity, as well as greater jump height and climbing speed.

For the Exalted Host of the Prothean Era, it was not enough to simply wield mundane arms and armor, which often broke under the stresses of Exalted combat. The scientists of the modern era have thus far been unable to truly comprehend the otherworldly nature of the Magical Materials or fabricate them, but it is known that they are all easily enchanted and resonate well with particular types of Exalted. This resonance makes any artifact operate exceptionally well when attuned with the appropriate Exalt. However, Exalts of a different type may attune to that same artifact, albeit at a greater expenditure of Motes. Most sources of these materials come from Prothean ruins and laboratories. The known magical materials are:

>Orichalcum: The magical material of the Solars, derived from pure gold. Orichalcum produces equipment that is good at everything, but has no particular idiosyncrasies.

>Moonsilver: The Lunars' material of choice, derived from either silver or mercury. Moonsilver is every bit as fluid and dynamic as its signature wielders. Moonsilver weapons are exceptional at piercing armor, while Moonsilver armor is both light and comfortable, granting great freedom of movement.

>Starmetal: Rarer than its counterparts, the Sidereals' material of choice is otherworldly. Scientists have been unable to determine its exact origins or formation. Starmetal gear warps fate as part of its nature, and makes users more accurate and damage-resistant.

>Jade: The magical material for Terrestrials, Astral Jade is the most common member of this family. It bears little chemical resemblance to common jade, appearing as an alloy of various unidentifiable metals. Jade comes in different colors, each one resonating with a different Aspect. Jade equipment is even lighter than Moonsilver, granting users greater speed and less fatigue over long periods of use.

>Soulsteel: Forged from sapient souls and alloyed with an element unavailable in the Milky Way, Soulsteel is most commonly found in the employ of Abyssals. The moans of tortured souls are often highly unsettling, paralyzing targets with fear, and the souls contained within seem to swallow projectiles and attacks.

>Adamant: Little data exists on Adamant. All that is known is that has only been found on Geth Exalt platforms, and takes on a bluish to bluish-gray hue. It appears to be some form of glass or crystal, and it is incredibly sharp, light, and resistant to energy and blades, but somewhat vulnerable to blunt weapons such as power fists, goremauls, and Geth megaton hammers.

>>Note: Infernals do not seem to have native affinities to any magical materials. They may, however, attune with artifacts that have been treated with vitriol, a substance often found in Prothean laboratories and Leviathan reliquaries. Vitriol-treated gear is made up of unnatural isotopes of the original material. Infernals may attune with any vitriol-tainted gear at equal cost, regardless of material.

Essence lines and nodes exist throughout Creation. An Exalt may attune herself to a fount of Essence in nature. Such pools of power are called Demesnes when they are without the occult architecture needed to focus it. If that power has been focused and controlled by geomantic architecture, it becomes a Manse. Weak Demesnes and Manses are quite common and an Exalt may easily find and stake a claim to one if she searches hard enough. Powerful Demesnes and Manses are often controlled by powerful creatures such as the Fae or important gods, who are undoubtedly unwilling to surrender their own claims. Exalts inside a Manse or Demesne to which they are attuned restore Essence at an accelerated pace. A Manse also yields a single Hearthstone whose rarity and power is determined by the strength of the Manse. Exalted may attune to any number of Manses in their lifetimes.

Aside from the Celestial Incarnae, numerous texts discuss the existence of other spirits in nature and Yu Shan:

>Ahlat - A god of War and "Cattle" (Translator note: Livestock?), patron god of a world Protheans referred to as "Harborhead". A member of the Celestial Bureaucracy, Ahlat answered to E-Naluna, another god of war. Ahlat's most famous following was known as the Brides of Ahlat, an all-female warrior cult sworn to marriage to Ahlat Himself.

>Armok - God of Blood, Alcohol, Carp, and Hidden FUN Stuff. A fickle, bloodthirsty, and enigmatic deity largely worshipped by the now-extinct Squats.

>Basks-in-Robins - Shogun of the Thirty-One Flavors, Lord of the Cold Stones, and overseer of all things frozen and delicious. Loved by all, His temple-creameries once dotted the Prothean Empire, bringing happiness and calories to all. Prothean texts indicate that His original cult suffered from a great schism prior to the Reaper War regarding whether or not toppings were heretical.

>Five Days Darkness- Shadow of the Unconquered Sun and god of the Calibration period in the divine calendar. On good terms with the UCS and described often as a rather amiable fellow.

>The Kukla - Kaiju, super-sized, with twelve legs and four eyes, each with two pupils. Texts are inconsistent on the Kukla's size, ranging from several miles long to approximately 1.3 AU in length. The Kukla's presence assimilates the Wyld and purifies shadowlands.

>Lytek, the Right Hand of Power - God of Exaltation and a member of Yu Shan's Celestial Bureaucracy. Lytek does not truly create or control Exaltations so much as process them, clean up excess memories and spiritual contamination, and prepare them for the next bearer. Texts seem to connect Lytek with the Prothean VI, Vigil, but their relationship is uncertain.

>Malal - God of teamkilling ****ing. Followers are encouraged to betray their allies and fellow worshippers. Understandably an unpopular deity.

>Nara-O - God of Secrets Only One Other Person Knows. An enigmatic figure wrapped in bandages. Knows the locations of innumerable stashes of "gentleman's literature". Yes, even yours.

>Necoho - God of Atheists and possibly Hipsters. You've probably never heard of Him. Followers are expected to destroy and desecrate holy icons and sites. Don't ask. It's really confusing.

>Parad, the Left Hand of Power - God of Inherited Power. Oversees the matters of Terrestrial Exalted (except for their Exaltations, which is still Lytek's job) and God-Blooded.

>Ryzala - Goddess of Bureaucracy and Paperwork. Has four arms to better handle paperwork. No, seriously.

>Xom - A physical embodiment of Chaos and a fickle, petty douchebag of a god. Xom's whims are unfathomable, as are His followers' minds. All He asks is that followers sow chaos and discord across the galaxy. Occasionally teleports cultists to unpleasant locales, such as the heart of a sun, Tuchanka, or the city of Detroit.

>Vectron - A totally real and awesome god who most definitely exists. Praise be to Vectron! All hail his mighty guiding claw!

Only the most foolish Exalt would dare leave home without a Perfect Defense. These are Charms designed to flawlessly and consistently protect against any and all attacks, even those which would instantly kill them otherwise. Examples include Solars' Adamant Skin Technique and Seven Shadow Evasion and the Mechanicals' Precalculated Evasion System. When an Exalt learns a Perfect Defense, she ties it to one of her four core Virtues:

>Compassion: The Exalt may not activate the selected Defense unless she benefits or defends something with which she has a positive intimacy. She may only activate her Perfect Defense when things and people she cares about are endangered.

>Conviction: An Exalt may only activate the Defense if her overarching Motivation is in sight and her goals can be achieved. This Motivation is not a short-term goal, but rather a milestone to which she strives.

>Temperance: The Exalt must not be interacting with anything to which she bears a positive or negative intimacy, and must not be acting under strong emotion. Only when she is utterly calm and dispassionate may the Exalt call this power.

>Valor: The Exalt must be engaged in battle to activate this Defense. She must demonstrate her bravery and move towards or otherwise engage an opponent, preferably the strongest on the field, in order to activate this Defense.

"The Wyld" is a term used to describe both the formless chaos that exists beyond the borders of reality and the areas invaded by said chaos in the material realm. Within the Wyld reside the Fair Folk, a race so utterly alien in its goals that the Reapers seem understandable by comparison. Few reports of encounters with the Fae reach the desks of Citadel commanders, however, as many expeditions to the Wyld have failed to return.

The Yozis, or the Leviathans to Citadel races, were among the oldest races in recorded history, existing aeons before the birth of the Prothean Empire. Very little information exists about the Yozis aside from a few scattered texts and pieces of artwork. Even those that have been translated reveal that the Protheans treated the Yozis almost as figures of myth. The Protheans claimed that the Yozis were simultaneously massive individuals, geographic locations, and collectives of multiple demons. It seems that most Prothean research data focuses on a select group of Yozis:

>Adorjan: The Silent Wind who represents Motion and Conclusion. Violently insane, Adorjan despises the notion of noise and seeks to silence all of Creation. She is a murderous force of nature, destroying that which she loves and preserving that which she hates.

>Cecelyne: The Endless Desert and Void, twisted to become a prison for the Yozis by the Celestial Incarnae. Little information exists regarding her whims, personality, and demons. She represents Space and Restriction. Cecelyne is the lawgiver of Malfeas, and keeps a terrifyingly Darwinian sort of order in the Yozis' realm.

>Cytherea: The Divine Ignition. The Yozi Cytherea bears the title ‘Mother of Creation.’ Nothing more is known about her.
The Protheans quested through the demon realm for answers. They probed the shinmaic substrate of the cosmos and engaged their most potent Charms and sorcerous engines. They hypothesized and extrapolated until, in the end, they were all but certain as to her history and her nature, cataloging a wealth of myths and legends about the being they dubbed ‘the Divine Ignition.’ But their hard-earned lore was theory, not fact, for it seems to be part of Cytherea’s nature to defy understanding. Now, theory is all that remains. The truth regarding her secrets has yet to be won.

>The Ebon Kraken/Dragon: A shapeshifting master of darkness said to have unleashed unspeakable evil long ago. The Ebon Dragon is the personification of betrayal and vice, who exists solely to scheme and oppose. The Dragon has plans within plans, some of which even betray himself, such is his dedication to deceit. His demons and Fetich Soul have yet to be identified. Prothean texts seem to link the Dragon to a prominent Dragon-Blooded leader known as the Scarlet Empress, but scientists have yet to translate the details. It is believed that the Kraken created the Unconquered Sun solely so he could have a virtuous figure to oppose.

>Elloge: The Sphere of Speech. Even compared to the other the Yozi, who are incomprehensible in form, Elloge is alien in nature. While the other Yozi have physical bodies with which they manifest in the world, Elloge is cited as being a mobile zone within which everything is reduced to a textual description that hangs in the space where there once was air. Protheans seemed to take greatest interest in the fact that she was supposed to contain all of her knowledge and the written knowledge of Creation within her textual depths.

>Hegra: The Typhoon of Nightmares, associated with the concepts of Delusion, Dreaming, and Gossamer. Most texts depict her as a storm gathering upon the horizon, blotting out even the light of Liger and driving away the fatal silence of Adorjan. It is said that demons revel in her hallucinogenic rains for this reason, dancing away their cares in a deluge wrought of the dreams of the world. Hegra revels in these delusions, unfeeling of the torments of the world. Prothean texts regarding her often cite this spacey nature with some fear - should Hegra ever become lucid enough to contemplate her own defeat and mutilation, all of Hell -and possibly Creation- would fall into nightmares.

>Isidoros: The Black Boar that Twists the Skies, representing Conquest and Power. Isidoros appears in Prothean texts as a great black hole. His blessings grant followers greater control over gravity, and he respects those who show willpower and valor. He also despises the idea of Fate, and is particularly hostile to Sidereals.

>Kimbery: The Sea that Marched Against the Flame. Said to be a great, sentient ocean of vitriol, Kimbery represents Freedom, Depth, and Opposition. Kimbery seeks to spread her influence by infecting others with her corrupted Essence.

>Malfeas: A name used interchangeably to identify both the lord of the Yozis and the "Demonic Realm" in which the Yozis once ruled. Malfeas is said to be wrath incarnate. His hatred consumes all, and he wishes to plunge Creation into war and strife. His most noteworthy demon is Ligier, Malfeas' Fetch Soul, who is both a great green star and a beautiful dancing figure of bronze, at odds with the discord and horrific geometries of Malfeas' realm. Malfeas is also the father of the Erymanthoi (blood apes), brutish and violent demons often summoned by sorcerors of all stripes as servants.

>Metagaos: the Unwilted Petals of the Thousand Toothed Blossom. Metagaos devours everything. There are places within his swamp domain that bear the marks of his hunger on the fabric of space—where a single step covers many miles of distance, or where all paths lead in but one direction because every other course has been devoured. And an hour’s passage in other places is as a day elsewhere, because he has gnawed there at the bones of Time. Even Adorjan does not enjoy his company - she seeks silence for its solace, and there is no solace, no serenity, in Metagaos. He has devoured that too.

>Oramus: The Dragon Beyond The World, Oramus is a being whose nature seems to be shrouded in paradox. All that Prothean texts can reveal about him is that he has an obsession with the number 7, and that he existed before any of the other Yozi. This fact clashes with other Prothean texts, which state that Cytherea gave rise to the other Primordials. His purview seems to be Chaos itself, anything that exists beyond rational comprehension.

>Sacheverell: He Who Knows the Shape of Things to Come, a Yozi who represents Expectation. It is said that his brothers and sisters keep him asleep, for in his waking moments, the things he sees inevitably come true, regardless of the predictions of the Loom of Fate. His slumber is allegedly tantamount to the safety of the universe. When he slumbers, he dreams of infallibly accurate visions of the present instead.

>She Who Lives In Her Name: A Yozi dedicated to Order and Control, SWLIHN is represented in Prothean texts as a collection of glowing spheres. She seeks absolute dominion over every single aspect of Creation. It is said that each sphere whispers Her name, and that those who hear it are instantly brought under Her sway.

>Szoreny: The Silver Forest, the concept of Reflection. His best-known form is that of a vast tree whose countless branches, buried in the black earth of Malfeas, rise like the trunks of a silvery woodland. But he has countless other forms, or one form with countless shapes—who can say? It is Szoreny’s nature to imitate his environs. Prothean texts list him as a patient foe, who will grow his victories in the fertile soil of his defeats.

>Qaf: The Spear that Pierced Heaven and Earth. Prothean imagery depicts Qaf as a mountain of jasper, glass, and tin, with no fathomable base or summit. It is said that those who reach his peak will gain enlightenment, but nobody has yet succeeded. Isidoros made an attempt once, but gave up. Allegedly, Isidoros' hoofprints continue their journey, climbing ever so slowly up the mountain.