Within the Branch Domain, a Host and their Adjunct(s) are pitted against the Vice’s exhibition, a creature-like visage that shields the Vice’s core from attacks. When a Branch is in production, the most surefire way to address the Branch is to either damage or destroy the Vice’s core, which entails sparring with the Vice’s exhibition.

The exhibition houses the Vice’s core, which is stored in the same place for every Branch. Hosts and Adjuncts can use hand-to-hand combat to damage the core, but, if established, their patches are much more efficient. Patches are created to be direct counters to a Host’s exhibition; for example, if a Vice’s exhibition has a thick hide, a piercing patch is likely to be established. Learn more about patches in AV and Patches.

While exhibitions are not tangible, corporeal objects, they are essentially the manifestation of the VG-rich epithelium that surrounds the core. Damage incurred by a patch in the metaphysical realm often directly correlates with bursts of AV from the Host or Adjuncts in the corporeal realm. Cores are able to fend against attacks from AV, but repeated, strong attacks can be enough to greatly damage the epithelium and begin directly attacking the core. Depending on the degree of damage incurred by AV, the Branch will either be committed or rescinded. Learn more about these processes in Branch Options.

Thicker epithelia typically correlate with larger, stronger, or more adept exhibitions. The details of the exhibition, however, are influenced by different sources. Their design can be pulled from the circumstances of advent, but they are also likely to pull from a Host’s innate fears, even those undiscovered. Because of this, exhibitions often prey on our innate fears of predators or common phobias such as snakes and spiders. Both of these sources can influence the exhibition’s textures, body composition, and even smell.

Exhibitions are capable of resembling anything the mind can conjure, some branching out from the typical animal-adjacent creature to mimic grotesque amalgamations akin to monsters in horror movies. Some have even been documented as resembling well-known movie monsters, such as the xenomorph from Alien or even Moder from The Ritual. Exhibitions can be as small as an armadillo or tower over a house; though, size and complexity do have limits, typically capped by the core’s epithelial properties. Epithelia do not always directly correlate with larger exhibitions, but thinner epithelia typically do not produce large or complex exhibitions. Some classifications prioritize complex and grand exhibitions, while others prefer to focus more on their plan of attack. While their exhibitions may not be intimidating in their design, they are often intimidating in their own way by adeptly using their environment or in their stalking-like behaviors.

Exhibitions do not have to be bipedal, nor do they even need to have legs at all. Exhibitions can have wings, tails, spines, multiple sets of eyes, multiple heads, and multiple sets of limbs. Exhibitions can mimic insects, aquatic animals, birds, and even extinct species or creatures from pop culture like kaiju or cryptids. The possibilities truly are endless.

Most exhibitions remain largely the same throughout a Vice’s life cycle, only increasing in complexity as it matures. Because of this, a Vice’s exhibition is part of its Branch Policy. Typically, Vices do not make drastic changes to their exhibitions between Branches, as it is an energy-intensive task to perform and a risk many are not willing to take; however, some classifications are known for reworking or obfuscating their exhibitions, namely Delta and Epsilon Vices, respectively. Learn more about the differing exhibition properties between classifications in Classifying Vices.

Exhibitions also influence blights, and characteristics observed in the Branch Domain can be seen mirrored in the Host, manifested through blights. For example, if a Vice’s exhibition has horns, is covered in scales, and can spit acid, the Host is likely to have similar horns, patches of scales, and acidic saliva. Learn more about blights in Blights.

Exhibition Properties

Branch Analysts have devised broad categories for documentation and preparatory purposes. These categories largely influence treatment plans and can help agents and Hosts prepare plans of attack.

While the specific details of exhibitions vary widely even within the same classification, most exhibitions within a classification share the same high-level properties explored above. For example, an Alpha Vice is likely to have a meso-offensive exhibition, while a Zeta Vice is almost guaranteed to have a giga-defensive exhibition. Learn about these shared exhibition properties in Classifying Vices.

Size

While size is not necessarily indicative of threat level, larger exhibitions often require a larger treatment team. Size in this instance refers to height, not weight. Exhibition sizes are categorized using the following prefixes:

Micro-
Micro-exhibitions are at most two feet tall. Hosts can typically address these exhibitions alone.
Meso-
Meso-exhibitions are between two and five feet tall. Hosts will benefit from the help of at least one Adjunct, typically two.
Macro-
Macro-exhibitions are between five and eight feet tall. Hosts will benefit from the help of at least three Adjuncts.
Giga-
Giga-exhibitions are eight feet or taller. Hosts will likely need a large, specially-curated team of at least five Adjuncts.

Attack Strategy

This classification informs the types of patches needed for efficiently addressing the Branch, and helps agents better formulate their plans of attack. The core purpose of exhibitions is to trap a Host and their Adjuncts in the Branch Domain as the core pursues germination and augmentation. The method in which they are able to do so is indicated by these categories and is a facet of the Vice’s Branch Policy.

Offensive
Many offensive exhibitions prioritize attack over defense, and are typically regarded as “glass canons”. They hit hard, but they are likely unable to take a hit. An offensive exhibition’s plan is to damage the Host and Adjuncts early so they are unable to fight back. Many offensive exhibitions begin attacking at the very start of production, the moment the Host is admitted. Because of this, Hosts will benefit from Adjuncts queuing early in the staging process. Large patches with broad surface areas that can be utilized for both offensive and defensive strategies will work well against these exhibitions.
Defensive
Defensive exhibitions typically do not focus on attacking extensions; rather, their aim is to put so much stock in their defense that the Host and Adjuncts are unable to make considerable progress in a timely manner, essentially trapping them in the Branch Domain as the Vice pursues germination and augmentation. Patches that can pierce and slash through their defensive outer layer will help to greatly reduce the time spent in the Branch Domain.
Hasty
These speedy exhibitions prioritize confusion and frustration with a “death by a thousand cuts” approach. While these exhibitions typically cannot hit hard, they hit often and avoid attacks with their elusive dodging. Some hasty exhibitions go so far as to even avoid combat altogether, hiding among detailed Branch Domains. Thrown or ranged patches work well to pin these elusive exhibitions down without having to close the gap and attack up close.
Balanced
Regarded as the “jack of all trades” classification, these exhibitions are actually the most dangerous, as they are able to switch plans of attack within an active Branch in reaction to the Host’s strategy. If a Host and Adjuncts are on the offensive, it can prioritize defenses, and switch to a hasty or offensive approach after they have been worn down. Balanced exhibitions are often macro- or giga-exhibitions and typically require larger treatment teams with the added support of a Solutions Architect. Additionally, no single patch type will provide an advantage over balanced exhibitions; rather, a wide variety of patches from a varied team will aid in efficiently apprehending these exhibitions.