Solar Exalted

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What are they?
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The "greatest" of the Exalted in the days of the Primordials, they were forged from the divine essence of the Unconquered Sun to first slay the Primordials that the gods may ascend to Heaven (and true power) and then to rule over Creation. Empowered with some of the most effective and powerful magics (both charmwise with the Solar Circle of Sorcery) they are some of the most powerful mortals-turned-semi-divine in the whole of Creation and beyond.
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Ancient History
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After defeating the Primordials, the Gods ascended to Yu-Shan (Heaven) and took control of the Games of Divinity, leaving their Exalted to rule Creation in their place. The Solars, being born leaders and most powerful of the Exalted (as well as the Chosen of the highest God, the Unconquered Sun), rose as the master's of the Exalted host and began to rebuild and improve upon Creation. They were highly successful at this, despite several accidents and troubles along the way. Between hunting down rogue primordial sympathizers, expanding Creation, pushing forward occult and scientific research and generally "improving" all facets of mortal life, the Solars lead the way in creating a golden age for humanity.
Unfortuntely, the Great Curse that was leveled against them by those Primordials they had slain, began to mature and take affect. The result of this curse was all the Exalted beginning to act in strange, obtuse and often extremely dangerous fashions. While all Exalted felt it, the Solars experienced worst of all. As time went on, paranoia and downright insanity began to set in. The Sidereal Exalted eventually made the decision to encourage the Terrestrial Exalted (Dragon-Blooded) to rise up and slay their Solar masters. On a single night during Calibration, the Dragon-Blooded and Sidereals did just that, killing the vast majority of the thousands-of-years old Solar God-Kings in a single night in an event that is remembered as "The Usurpation". The Sidereals succeeded in capturing the majority of the Solar Exaltations in an artifact, preventing their reincarnation. Only a few Solar Exaltations escaped this fate.
The Sidereals hid themselves from fate and history while the Dragon-Blooded took up the roles of Princes of Earth and demonized the slain Solars (and their Lunar Mates) as "Anathema". The age of the Lawgivers was over.
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Modern History
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Besides the occasional mortal exaltating due to one of the escaped Solar Exaltations and being promptly murdered by the Dragon-Blooded "Wyld Hunts", the Solar Exalted lived on only as a horrid memory of cruelty and corruption. With the Dragon-Blooded everywhere (even after a severe culling during the Great Contagion), the Scarlet Empress directing her Realm to greater levels of control and hegemony and a religion in place that extolled the Dragon-Blooded as the pinnacle of spiritual enlightenment and the Celestial exalted as evil, the Solar "Anathema" had little chance in Creation.
Four years back from where the game begins, all that began to change. The Scarlet Empress disappeared, taking with her the secret to using the Realm Defense Grid as well as the unity of the Realm. Lords of death marched into Creation and began to set up strange empires and release agents with wretched dark powers upon the world. Creation is in upheaval as so many things are starting to change at once. But the most important change is the one that sets the story. The Solar Exaltations have escaped their prison and are entering the cycle of reincarnation once again. In the "Time of Tumult" the great and overwhelming power of the Solars might be what Creation needs to survive the coming darkness. But can they do it? With a near world religion demonizing them, no bases of power and enemies on all sides, can the Solars retake their mandate as god chosen Princes of Earth? Or is death all that awaits them?
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How do the Solars view themselves?
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The answer to this question is as varied as the people who are Exalted, but there are some common themes.
In one moment, you were a mere mortal. One among millions. Whether you felt destiny had more in store for you or simply wished for a great change, you were selected by the Unconquered Sun to receive his greatest gift, a piece of his divine soul. In that first perfect moment, the Unconquered Sun made an appearance to you, sent visions of purpose to you, perhaps even spoke directly to you if you were Exalted as a Zenith Caste. For the first time in your mortal life, you realize you've been handed a blank check and there are so many dreams in store.
Then the moment passes. You are still empowered and feel that strength within you. But you are most likely alone and left with only what you had before plus a new array of powers. No matter where you live, you have probably heard the Immaculate Order teachings of Anathema. Are you evil? Has a demon possessed you and you are now fated to be slaughtered for a sin you didn't commit? Are you infact the evil that you have been either taught all your life to believe or perhaps merely heard about?
No person who is Exalted will choose not to use their powers. While some may be more careful than others, all see they now have the power they need to carry out their goals and desires. Younger Solars will probably be confused and afraid. Uncertain of what they now are, yet at the same time self-assured that they are destined to bring great change (whether for good or evil is up to the motivation of the character).
Older Solars (essence 4 and beyond) are likely to view themselves as what they are. Heroes of the Dawn, ready to bring the light back to the times of darkness. Even if there are some who hate them, they recongize that they are simply ignorant and are prepared to teach them of his glorious power.
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How do others view the Solars?
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This largely depends on where the person lives and how closely they follow the Immaculate teachings. Those who live close to the Realm and/or hear and believe much of the Immaculate teachings are prone to see the Solars as evil. Those that live farther away and/or do not hold close to Immaculate teachings are more likely to judge the Solars by their actions, viewing them as evil for evil actions and as heroic for heroic actions. While there are always exceptions to these rules, that is the general trend.
Dragon-Blooded Dynasts (of the Scarlet Dynasty/Realm) tend to always view Solars as evil. Whether because they don't like the idea of someone else taking their thunder, the sport of killing an "Anthema", or true piety they will rarely if ever let a Solar live if they can help it. All other Dragon-Blooded tend to judge Solars on their merits and dysfunctions.
The Sidereals are divided on the issue. The "Bronze Faction" supports the DB dynasty and wishes the Solars dead. The "Gold Faction" views the Solars as necessary for Creation and wishes to see them alive.
The Lunars are, by and large, all encouraged by the reapperance of the Solars, but there are more than a few that remember the excesses and crimes of the Solars in the First Age and are extremely wary of these returners.