In Short

This is a setting heavy product, with very few stat blocks and no new game mechanics. As such, this book is just as useful for someone running Exalted 1st edition or even a person using another game system to run Exalted.

The Physical Thing

While the book does not have an index, it is well organized and a reader will have no trouble finding what they’re looking for. This product has no ads.

The Ideas

Major organizations, such as the Immaculate Order which maintains the official religion of the Realm, wield considerable power here. While the political ambitions of these organizations are presented, Blessed Isle tends to focus on the day to day operations of these groups. Because of this they’re easy to understand and integrate into an existing game. More than anything else, this product succinctly discusses what life is like on the Blessed Isle while providing an incredible number of interesting plot hooks.

Under the Cover

Chapter One History of the Blessed Isle 13 pages.

While this chapter focuses on the Blessed Isle, it concerns the Realm generally. From the birth of Creation to the modern day, a brief but thorough history of the Blessed Isle is presented. A lot of different, Isle specific information is presented which makes the material here new compared to that introduced in Dragon Blooded and 1st edition products. A pro-Solar spirit resistance movement that grew on the Isle during the Usurpation, for example, is discussed (and very neat). As you would expect, this chapter focuses much more on the distant past (namely the time when the Primordials were cast down and the Usurpation) than more recent history.

An excellent timeline of the Realm is provided for easy reference.

Chapter Two Life on the Blessed Isle 23 pages.

Members of the Great Houses, Patricians, Citizens, Peasants, Slaves, and the Disenfranchised – these are the groups discussed in detail in the first portion of this chapter. Patricians are the equivalent of the landed nobility, some of which have ties to the Great Houses. Many of them have received higher education of some sort. Citizens, a notable step down, have more rights and opportunities than the Peasants but lack the wealth and influence of the Patricians. Citizens are often well off craftsmen and at least have the hope of social mobility one day. Peasants, however, are likely stuck doing the same simple jobs their parents did their entire lives. Unless they join the military or the Immaculate Order they have little hope of ever having a more interesting life. The chapter is very clear about the rights, opportunities, and responsibilities of a member of every social class.

Medical care, libraries, travel, worship, crime, and drug use are just a few of the other topics covered. For the most part the Blessed Isle is a shining jewel of civilization, providing extensive benefits to everyone who lives there. A socialized medical system means that just about everyone receives medical care, and important part of daily life given the relatively dense population and memories of the Great Contagion. Crime is particularly interesting, as criminals only organize themselves into small games so as to not be viewed as challenging the authority of the Realm. This allows them to operate with little opposition, and makes criminal gangs a common menace on the Isle. This is yet another way the product provides for endless adventure opportunities while making sense and being a fun read.

Chapter Three The Imperial Government 30 pages.

This chapter begins with a brief discussion of the Empress but, since she’s no longer in the picture, the chapter quickly turns to the role of the Deliberative. A large legislature of considerable power, the Deliberative is made up of two Chambers which each handle duties of differing status. Interesting adventure ideas are abundant as the chapter discusses the friction between the two groups and how things have begun to change since the Empress disappeared. The major bureaucratic agencies, and information on how to join them, are also discussed.

The intelligence agency for the Realm, the All-Seeing Eye, receives some attention as well. This secretive group handles information gathering, assassination, and a variety of other similar jobs often at the behest of the Empress. In addition to discussing their role in the Wyld Hunt, among other things, the chapter discusses how agents are recruited into the Eye.

The Imperial Magistrates receive a good bit of attention, and for small wonder considering that they are the main law enforcement mechanism in the realm. A mixture of wandering monk, circuit riding judge, and police officer the Magistrates travel from prefecture to prefecture (or in some cases claim a smaller territory for their own) righting wrongs and, in some foul instances, causing mischief. Their word must be obeyed, and woe to the bandit who attempts to prey upon them as most are experienced Terrestrial Exalted.

The Guardians of the Realm, the famous police force of the Realm, also receive moderate attention. These highly trained soldiers have access to spectacular equipment in some areas, though in others the Guardians have little more than a flak jacket and a baton. The Guardians can serve a variety of useful purposes in a campaign, from villainous stormtroopers to defenders of the people.

The Imperial Courts and the Imperial Army wrap up this chapter. The courts are strongly class-centric, but one of the more interesting details is that incarceration is never a penalty for a crime. Fines, in fact, tend to be the most common penalty. The Army discussion focuses on the makeup of the Legions, how units are divided, the magical equipment the Army can bring to bear when it needs to, and other similar information. Throughout this chapter Wonders of the Lost Age: Vol. 1 is referenced several times, though in a non-obtrusive manner. If you have that product your enjoyment will be heightened, but if you don’t this product is still perfectly useful.

Chapter Four The Immaculate Order 21 pages.

Up until this point I thought this product was very good. This chapter makes it fantastic. I wanted to play a Dragon-Blooded monk immediately upon reading this chapter, and a half dozen character ideas quickly formed in my mind. It’s an imagination stimulating page turner, and I can’t think of a higher compliment for an RPG product.

The Immaculates were avatars of the elemental dragons sent to assist the Dragon-Blooded in their time of need (the Usurpation). They each were extremely virtuous men and women, and during their lives they taught the Dragon-Blooded a great deal. Immaculate theology does not worship this beings, but it glorifies their virtues and encourages everyone to live lives like they did. This chapter begins by discussing each of the five Immaculates, their stories and virtues, and the vices currently associated with them.

The Immaculate Philosophy is discussed in some detail next, broken up into five noble insights, five diligent practices, and five coils which represent levels of understanding and authority within the Immaculate Order. Monks who obtain these insights and live a simple, moral life according to the Philosophy can go quite high in the Order. Only Terrestrial Exalted can reach the upper levels of this group, however, for they are closer to the Immaculates than normal humans.

The structure of the Immaculate Order, its role in the Realm, a description of monasteries and temples, and other similar information is presented throughout this chapter. As with the rest of this product, the Realm is presented in glowing terms. While vilified in some Exalted products, everything in this product (and this chapter in particular) is very positive towards the Realm. The Immaculate Philosophy is presented as a good and noble way to live, and it does seem quite virtuous.

Chapter Five The Land 35 pages.

This chapter provides a province by province discussion of the entire Blessed Isle. While at first “the Land” doesn’t sound very interesting, it is. The chapter focuses on wonders, holdings of the Great Houses, and other locations that present mysteries waiting to be explored. From pilgrimage routes up the Imperial Mountain to House Cynis pleasure palaces, a truly wide variety of locations are presented.

Of even greater interest to some readers, the major learning academies are discussed here as well. The Heptagram and House of Bells, for example, each receive about two pages of efficient discussion that fleshes them out. Student life, daily tasks, topics of learning, and similar information is presented.

Of final note, a variety of manses are presented throughout this chapter. This gives players and Storytellers a wide variety of flavorful locations to connect Hearthstones to, which is a terrific addition.

Chapter Six The Heart of the Realm 19 pages.

This chapter primarily focuses on the Imperial City, fleshing it out in some detail and discussing important topics such as the Spirit Courts, the various Districts of the city (including a surprisingly detailed red light district), and the Imperial Palace which receives over two pages of discussion.

My favorite location here is the Garden of Crimson Pleasures, the red light district on steroids. Two major pleasure guilds, each with strong connections to House Cynis, battle with one another to prove which one is the very best at its trade. The heavily taxed prostitutes that work the area range from the lowliest back alley whore to the highly educated courtesans who are as skilled at intellectual debate as they are at the ways of the flesh.

A Blessed Isle focused game, or Realm focused game generally, is extremely likely to involve the seats of power from time to time and the discussion here doesn’t disappoint. The reader is left with enough information to generally understand what the Imperial City and central provinces are like, having customs and interesting locations already fleshed out, but plenty of room is left for individual Storytellers to flavor their Realm however they like.

Chapter Seven Gods & Creatures of the Blessed Isle 12 pages.

This chapter presents a variety of gods, from the biggest and most powerful in all of Creation (arguably) to the weak field and salt gods that inhabit the Blessed Isle. This does two things well. First, it provides major NPCs for the characters to either assist or thwart depending on the campaign. Second, it provides more general NPC stats to make the Storyteller’s job easier should the characters need to deal with a troublesome local god in their adventures.

My Take

Nevertheless, this is an extremely high quality product that delivers exactly what it sets out to do. I’ve never wanted to play a Realm-based Dragon-Blooded game as much as I do now, and given the option I couldn’t decide on what to focus the game on. A magistrate and her assistants wandering the countryside doing good? A group of Immaculate Philosophers trying to better their bodies and minds in the midst of a nasty political situation? Scheming members of one of the Great Houses vying for the throne?

This product does not provide as much detail to any one area as many consumers would like. I, for example, would be quite happy with an entire chapter on each of the major learning academies. However, it covers a lot of interesting and relevant information using concise language such that the reader is always engaged with enjoyable new information about the Blessed Isle. Additionally, it serves as an excellent tool for a variety of Exalted games. For all of these reasons, if you’re running an Exalted game of any sort or just enjoy reading Exalted books I strongly recommend this product.

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