If gentle Meschlum allows, I would like to follow Ganu's suggestion and bite Voice's Ring.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Lix Lorn
Also, I'm built for hitting things, not shaping things, so I've been taking a back seat and watching the Shenanigans here.
Lixie, Sword Combat for ye then. It is just like normal attack, but You have more ... freedom in describing effects of it.^^
And do not forget, that with Your elaborate descriptions, reliable Wyld Stunting isn't out of question.
__________________
Youth and strenght alvays lose to age and treachery.
One of the annoying clauses on Shaping conflict is that once a foe has been defeated in one way, it is thereafter immune to damage from that front until enough time has passed.
Thus, further Ravishing of the Voice is impossible at this moment. On the other hand, you can still try to Vex it (take its stuff), or Incumber it (force it perform tasks for you). I don't expect it to be too hard, as the Voice has certainly been shown who its betters are - and may even cooperate without requiring force.
Ah yes. Biting tends to be something that feels a bit more Cup-like to me, but it's not a big deal.
Let's see what the dice have to say: (7d10)[9][1][2][4][8][9][5](38). Staff Shaping can be nice because once you spill over into other sorts of damage, you're still doing Staff damage, with possibly lower Soak.
Edit: Not enough to bring the Voice around to pledging to anything, but any reasonable requests will be considered and likely accepted - recovering from Shaping damage takes a long time, and being vulnerable while doing so isn't fun.
Amusing. Would be workable, though Incumberances are tasks rather than behaviors - so "Present yourself as a toad in my court for the next month / season / century" is fine. "Become a toad" is not (or will be caught in the letter of the law, and last for a scene at best).
I ship you/Anyone./Infernal Gardevoir from outside the playground, by Recaiden//ExtendedSig
Spoiler
Quote:
Originally Posted by Thanqol
It's not normal, of course, and what's actually happening in Comet Kicker's brain is that she's using regular murder as therapy for worse murder. There's a breakdown in the works and all it needs is one good, hard kick.
If you can make him do something for you, why are you making him a toad and not something else ? Say... a fox ?
Because that would be expected, Lixie. ^^
And in war or love doing the unexpected give You victory. Making Voice a minion of Rulenizo would make her slightly indebted to Fox. Then Fox could safely negotiate exchange of favors with her ... and in case he goes overboard she might forgive him as a favor's repayment.
In short, conquest trough making friends, fluffy animals and other nonsense that have zero chance of suceeding.
And ... please talk to Fox a bit, everybody who don't talk with my guy make him nervous and paranoid.
Meschlum, I have a big favor to ask of You. How would You act, given my Fox and Bordermarches strenght Waypoint Staffed into submission ... and having mere 10 to 16 hours to act, to make this thing Solar-wyldhumping resistant ?
We have whole Nexus around us. Fox have retinue of 10 Entertainers and 10 Workers, and one Warrior.
Let's say You have all gossamer You might need (I got around 10 points).
My initial thought is to make the Waypoint's time-dilated when compared to Creation. In a way that will make time flow much, much faster inside. I thought about making a Heroic Worker who could use Principle of Worlds efficiently for this purpouse.
But to be serious, I might be forced to defend the place from fairly anti-Raksha specced Solar puncher, two Alchemicals (including one Alchie ... Calcifier-sorcerer) and Solar sorcerer. My initial thought was to spam Wee Folks:
Fairy Queens (Homonoculi that can spawn Poppets instead of poison)
Fairy Princessess (Poppets that can spawn Mannikins instead of poison)
Fairies (Manikins that can fly instead of poison)
I would mess around with the abilities to make Queens and Princessess competent in warfare and mangament. And Fairies would be better at shooting than hand-to-hand. My naive thought is that arrows the Fairies shoot can be of all kinds. Including incendary, exploding and poisonous.
I'll build You a temple anyway.
__________________
Youth and strenght alvays lose to age and treachery.
Last edited by Rikandur Azebol : 08-25-2011 at 01:29 PM.
Tampering with time rates tends to draw ST ire, and mess with the setting.
1) Get a Chancel. This gives you 4+ waypoints, anywhere.
1.a) Get a 2+ dot Chancel. This gives you enough waypoints to create a Freehold. Freeholds enable social attacks on intruders with a nasty amount of automatic successes (6+).
1.b) A Freehold can become an Unshaped. Which should work fairly well as a distraction.
2) Poppet spam is nice. Essence 2, and on doing damage they reduce Dex pools by 1. Score enough hits, and your foes are paralyzed - as a Crippling effect, which they may not be prepared for.
2.a) An Adjuration with Imposition of Law for Coordinating Attacks gets you through a lot of DV. Poppets can use missile weapons.
2.b) An Adjuration with Shuffling the Pieces lets you spawn more as they kill people. Give them Graces so they can attune to the Adjuration en masse, and let them loose. This is gossamer intensive.
2.c) As an extension to the above (and this is not my trick), use Behemoth Forging Meditation to grant obedient mortals the Awakened Essence mutation. Kill them with Shuffling the Pieces (possibly via a behemoth), and you have more poppets at no cost to yourself.
3) Avoid them. Have a behemoth with Assumption of Dreams and Passion attack them, let them kill it, and watch them leave 'victoriously'.
4) An outward-facing Oneiromancy with Bestial Transformation is basically an instant kill if they don't have Shaping defenses up. Or it depletes their mote pool.
5) Fantasies and Translucent Dream Sheathing Technology are more 'have Shaping defenses or die' options, as is an Oneiromancy with Heart Stealing Kiss set to willpower.
6) Vex them. Present yourself (or a fantasy thereof) as a mortal trying to reclaim a treasure from the Evil Raksha. Watch them succeed in the conflict, with you on their side. Walk away with a perfectly stolen artifact. This can be risky.
7) Divide and Conquer. Use Ring Shaping to split them up, have minions under Assumption of Dreams and Passion join them and try to kill them. Have other minions under Assumption of Dreams and Passion join them and try to help them. Have them meet each other and waste motes trying to kill or identify each other.
8) Combat Beast - a high dot Behemoth set for intensive combat can require significant amounts of perfect defenses / attacks to overcome. Especially with gossamer armor to shore up its soak to ~40 (~33 with piercing).
9) Missiles. A behemoth with Assumption of the Land's / City's Heart can unleash ranged attacks on everyone in its area (via Luminous Exhalation), until its core is killed. Said core can be miles away.
10) Everything at once. Get mortals, use Soul Carving Artifice to create the Behemoths / Oneiromancies / Fair Folk / minions you need. They only last for one scene, but so what? You can do it again next scene.
11) Negotiate. You can do a lot more with this than they can, and are willing to deal so long as they let you be.
12) Give them things. Grant them a Sword Grace, and then lose a Sword shaping conflict over an Adjuration. They now own an Adjuration that (if used and attuned to) turns them into a taint on the land with no will or mobility (Assumption of the Land's Heart). Go break them, or leave them as is. Warning: abusive.
13) Fly. Settle in 200 yards overhead and pepper them with missile fire, or have a nap. Gossamer Wing Flight is easy to get, and means you're in charge of the battle. Use decoys with Assumption of Dreams and Passion to soak all the expensive attack spells / rare ammunition / high mote attacks.
14) Change the environment. The place is now under water. All of it. Can they breathe the stuff?
15) Combos! Hide deep under water. 'Hide' amulets of Water Breathing (Adjurations) which they can claim in order to go after you. Make sure the Adjuration is completed before they reach you, while they're under water. Or just have its 'second stage' activate and trigger Assumption of the Land's Heart. Inert paperweights are always nice.
16) Let them fight something worse. Create a nasty looking monster, have it rampage inside and outside the Wyld zone, offer to help them against the Evil Fey who is intent on creating more. Shed a tear inside as they slaughter one of your mooks and charge you with ensuring the place remains safe from now on.
17) Give them something more important to do. With Society Forging Charms (and the occasional curse if they lack Shaping defenses), you can have massive Allies, Followers, Influence, Backing, and so on. Send your new friends to go after their loved ones, sources of income, and so forth - you don't care if your servants die, they're not you and you can always get more. You can also addict the city to yourself (or a minion of yours), and get even more help in distracting them.
18) You should have a crazy high Perform skill. Add Hiding the Graces of the Wyld, and you can invoke the most powerful gods there are by offering them nothing, and still succeed. Abuse this.
19) Threaten your GM with having to use the Mass Combat rules as your Workers create endless hordes of Extras, while Warriors tamper with their Mass Combat stats.
20) Go on a demon summoning spree. You have Thaumaturgy (and could, conceivably, have learned Terrestrial Sorcery) and so so your minions. You don't care whether the demons are bound or not. Do they?
21) Temporarily transform into Luna. This may be a bit much. Temporarily turn one of your minions into Balor. Better.
Hi, everybody. Presuming everything looks good to meschlum on my sheet, I may be coming into things.
Before that, though... *whistles* That is a very nice list. I may have to copy it down somewhere.
Anyway, here's Mani:
Backstory:
Spoiler
In an Age when Creation was yet young,
In an eyeblink of the Dragon Beyond the World,
In the jaws of a wolf that would itself be consumed,
Mani died.
Inasmuch as the dream of a Titan can die.
The idea of Mani, as with the other Moons, bubbled up from What Was Not to What Might Be. He came to Oramus's Forge as The Dreamer Most Lucid, whose imaginings blossomed into new realities around him. With all the Moons assembled, each understood the contest at hand, with existence itself as the prize. Each understood the nature of this competition: the defeat of all the rest, and the swallowing of them and their might.
Mani was distraught. He was an artist, worlds themselves his canvases. He was no warrior. He had brought a paintbrush to a knife fight.
The Dreamer Most Lucid was not brave. And so he ran. He cast about, behind, and before him whole worlds and realms that might hide him and forever keep his foes at bay. Many of the countless Moons pursued and found themselves lost, ensnared, or slain in these places, often fashioned of their own dreams. Thereby did these Moons become part of these worlds, and through them part of Mani. But he had no wish to grow from them, and so did not.
The Dreamer Most Lucid nearly relaxed. Surely none could reach him. And then he heard a howl from far too close, and turned to spy the wolves that had arrived. He had imagined his relentless attackers to be beasts, and so beasts they had become. Again, Mani ran. His terror only grew, as the leader of the pack forged and leaped through doorways to find him. These doors slammed soon behind, each time stranding a wolf forever. This seemed the alpha's intent.
At last, mind and body exhausted, Mani could imagine and run no more. The last two beasts fell upon him, and the alpha swallowed him whole.
He spent the last of this Contest of the Moon as part of Zatesh, and as part of Luna since its end.
Now he is himself, and at least as surprised as anyone about it.
Mani recalls only a tear from Luna's eye, as it fell to Creation's rim, and from which the Wyld spun his narrative. Yet Mani is no longer The Dreamer Most Lucid. He has learned from the Contest of the Moon, and spent too long as part of Luna for that. He once sought only to fashion worlds, the most fanciful that could ever be. He now deems this necessary, but insufficient: he must refine himself as well.
His thoughts always turn to Luna. Though of the Incarnae she is least affected by the Games of Divinity, they yet shackle her, and she hopes to free herself. Failing to achieve this from within, perhaps she tries from without, releasing a Moon to the soils of Creation. Perhaps the Silver Lady wants an adversary that might seek to replace her, or to create something more captivating than the Games. Mani better suits the latter, but shall not ignore the former. Still, he wonders: why now?
Perhaps he is not the first, he supposes. Paranoia, perhaps, but Mani doubts he is the only Moon about. Still, the other Moons cause him mere concern, not the driving fear they once did. In this Second Contest of the Moon, be he the lone participant or one of many, he will fare better than in the last. Such is his dream.
[Heart]
Emotion-Weaving Style (p. 167/75)
[Cup]
[Ring]
Wyld-Curdling Attack, Luminous Exhalation, These Dreams are Clay (189/88)
Limitless Wealth Conjuration Technique (p. 192/90)
Worker's Gift (p. 193/91)
Style-Improving Spirit (p. 193/91)
Gossamer-Forging Art (p. 194/91)
Unreal Shipwright's Method (p. 195-196/91)
Translucent Dream-Sheathing Technology (p. 198/91)
[Staff]
Shape-Forged Servant) (p. 200/92)
Great Works of the Cup Grace (p. 204),
Great Works of the Sword Grace (p. 204/93),
Unshaped Sword Transformation (p.204/93),
Behemoth Forging Meditation (p. 205/93)
Spite-Summoning Malediction (p. 206-207/94)
Prince and Pauper Approach (p. 207/94)
Tainted Creature Command (p. 207/94)
Undetectable Lie (p. 208-209/95)
Monstrous Conceit (p. 209/95)
[Sword]
Host-Summoning Glory of Command (p. 211/96), Transient Work of Flesh and Bone (p. 212/97)
Backgrounds (2 dot Artifact, 2 dots Birth, 1 dot Gossamer = bonus points)
Artifact ●●●●
- 12 dots of artifacts: Three Exaltations (●●, ●●, ●●), Game of Divinity (●), Stone of Circe (●), Lure of the Inner Child (●, ●), Book of Fool's Gold (●), and Gauntlet of Cascading Pitch (●).
Birth ●●●●●
- Whether he truly is a part of Luna blended with the Wyld, Mani came into being as a particularly potent entity.
Gossamer ●●●
- Mani goes around informing nearly all and sundry that he has ties to Luna. A fair few terrified fae were all to happy to make gossamer tithes.
Retinue ●●●
- Mani's story has entranced more than a handful of commoners, who now belong to him, heart and sou-- Well, Heart, anyway.
Full Moon (optimal Handler: a warrior)
- (1) Assumption of the Person's Heart - Silver tattoos in places all over the Exalt's body.
- (1) Assumption of Bestial Visage (Bearer's: Large, Wolf's Pace) - Tattoos depict a stylized animal in places, and may have the texture of a beast's fur, scales, feathers, etc. (though this is comfortable to the Exalt).
- (2) Glorious Hero Form - Str + Sta: Mani's Chosen are strong and enduring.
- (2) Glorious Hero Form - Dex: They're quite dextrous, too.
- (1) Surpassing Excellence - Dex + MArt (Unarmed/Natural Weapon): They excel at landing an unarmed blow.
- (2) Rarefied Air of Inevitable Victory: When combat is imminent, an aura of Lunar Essence flows out, pushing aside all that might harm the Exalt.
+ Natural Weapon: Sledge w/ +1 Acc: Anima wreathes the Exalt's blows, lending them extraordinary force.
Speed (6) Accuracy (-1+1) Damage (+12B/4) Defense (-3) Rate (1) 2,O,P,R
A Full Moon excels at being strong, tough, and precise, hitting like a freight train. The force of the Exaltation's anima helps with this, typically launching a coordinated attack with its Exalt's own strikes, though it's also free to help the Exalt fight off multiple adversaries. Either way, it's gonna leave a mark.
In more dire situations, Mani's Chosen may call upon its strength of the wilds, growing in size and gaining the look of a beast.
Changing Moon (optimal Handler: a seducer)
- (1) Assumption of the Person's Heart - Small silver tattoos on and near Exalt's hands and head.
- (2) Glorious Hero Form - Cha and App: Mani's Chosen are unmistakably appealing.
- (2) Luminous Exhalation: When knives are needed, they come without end.
- (4) Beguilement: Certainly, one could refuse the Exalt's words, but not without great effort.
+ Natural Weapon: Knives w/ +1 Acc: Small knives of anima may emerge to slash at nearby threats, or fly to pierce distant targets and then fading away.
(Melee) Speed (5) Accuracy (+1+1) Damage (+2L) Defense (+0) Rate (3) T
(Range) Speed (5) Accuracy (+0+1) Damage (+2L) Range (15) Rate (3)
The words of a Changing Moon are oddly persuasive, and those who seek to resist them will find it quite a challenge. Some of their targets would swear they heard a second, identically compelling voice in the shadow of the speaker's. Should that fail, the Exalted socialite CAN resort to combat better than one might expect, and shall leave no irrefutable evidence linking her to the crime if she does. Whether up close or from a comfortable distance, they'll never find the knife.
No Moon (optimal Handler: a scholar)
- (1) Assumption of the Person's Heart - Small silver tattoos on and near Exalt's hands and head.
- (1) Assumption of Earth Shape - Tattoos depict stylized geological formations, and may have the texture of rock or crystal (though this is comfortable to the Exalt).
- (2) Glorious Hero Form - Int + Per: Mani's Chosen reach insights and note details others can only dream about.
- (2) Luminous Exhalation: What kind of piss-poor fire magic has limited uses, I wonder?
- (3) Imposition of Law - Dex + Stealth (By Moonlight): Mani philosophizes that the moon shows only as much as it wishes within its territory. As all the moon shines upon is its territory, so may the Exalt conceal itself completely in its glow.
+ Natural weapon: Firewand w/ +1 Acc: The flames look and dance like a Lunar's anima banner. While they burn like fire, they give off no heat and little light.
Speed (5) Accuracy (+1+1) Damage (+12L) Range (10) Rate (1) 2,F,S
A No Moon receives a strengthened mind and awareness, alongside a scholarly voice to whisper secrets, and obscure magic. The Exalt knows the way of places hidden from the sun, and may see clearly with no light at all. Greater still is the understanding of moonlight, such that Mani's Chosen effortlessly hide within it. Among these secrets lies a mastery of the arcane: the Exalt may command great torrents of Lunar essence to blaze forth, burning whatever they will without any trace of heat, and illuminating nothing beyond themselves.
--
Mani came into being with these imitation Exaltations, and they meet with his approval. Unlike the Great Maker's clunky old designs, he personally selects his Chosen. He sympathizes with those who have great vision, but lack the power to bring it about, and they constitute his usual choice of Exalt. He asks only that they go forth and do something interesting with their new gift. So long as they manage that and don't act against him, he cares little what that something is, but looks forward to watching it play out.
And if an Exalt happens to present a threat to him? While they cannot be removed while the bearer lives, Mani's versions certainly win out over a true Exaltation here: as per the Assumption, they receive bonuses to social attacks against their bearers, they may deny their bearers any benefit, and may even attack their bearers.
Potent though these can make his Champions, Mani deems them incomplete. He is certain to refine them when the time and skill come to him, but for now he supplements them. The handler attuned to each Exaltation also makes use of Assumption of the Person's Heart, for greater ease of maintenance and to further benefit the mortal, adopting whatever further traits are deemed beneficial (Assumption of Bestial Form and Fantastic Grotesquerie Shell are deemed necessary, in answer to Luna's Chosen). This lucky minion does as the Exalt commands and benefits the mortal wherever possible, except where Mani's interests conflict. It appears as the mortal's spirit shape, and so manifests as an appropriate Tell on the bearer. The handler is encouraged to conceal this with Gladdening Visage as early and often as possible.
The Exaltations themselves, so far as appearance goes, resemble small, partly translucent bubbles, with slight silver vapors flowing around and above them and the mark of the relevant caste giving a faint glow from within. When a Chosen is selected, the orb expands into a sphere of silver bands and symbols, which then burst outward and apply themselves as tattoos to the bearer's skin. Should its Exalt be slain, the Exaltation hides on the body until Mani spends one mote to evoke it away, or the attuned minion (wearing an Assumption of Bestial Visage) snatches it up and makes a run for it.
Game of Divinity (● Oneiromancy)
Spoiler
Attunement Cost: 3m (committed) Invocation Cost: 10m, 1g Invocation Time: 1 scene Duration: 1 story
- Assumption of Wood Shape: The Game initially appears in the form of a wooden box, half an inch thick at most and small along length and width. Owing to some impressive craftsmanship, and perhaps a small enchantment, it may fold out into a sturdy game board, not unlike one for Go, with compartments containing playing pieces, and legs that fold out, no table necessary. Further remarkable engineering allows adjustments for boards of virtually all dimensions, to accommodate a large number of players. Wouldn't want to leave anyone out, would we?
- (3) Behemoth-Forging Meditation (Hallucination 2, Delusion 2): All who deliberately watch a Game in progress (players included, of course) find it a game of transcendent satisfaction, of beauty and subtlety to defy words. Much as few can agree on what actually happens, or even what the rules are. Helpfully, all who have borne witness understand they must follow The Rules.
- (3) Shiftless Untamed Beauty: So spectacular is the Game to watch and to play that nobody can really get enough of it. They always come back for another taste.
- (3) Heart-Stealing Kiss (Willpower): To play or watch the Game is to find great fulfillment. So much, in fact, that players often show very little resistance to being told what to do afterward. After all, they have already found happiness in the Game, so why not help others find theirs?
The hallucinations persist only while the Game is in play, and take the form of whatever the player/watcher in question considers most awesome (as well as 'helpful cues' of what each player's move options are, which can take... virtually any form and nature at all).
Players believe following 'The Rules' is necessary for the Game to work (which is true; it won't function for rule-breakers). Players and watchers must be civil regarding the Game, newbies get to the head of the line for their first taste, messing with the Game by any others than the administrators (the spell's caster is highest, with any he identifies as administrator beneath him) is to be discouraged, and respectful deference must be given to the administrators in all matters regarding the Game.
This last point permits administrators to keep any they wish from playing or watching, and ensures no level of threat or coercion may change their minds. Enterprising raksha can deny addicts access until they have performed some duty or favor for them (allowing the raksha to harvest dreams, perhaps, with more particular requests for more particular clients), at which point they are graciously allowed to return to powering the mote battery. Taking advantage of the temporarily Dream-Eaten is also not without its merits.
Mani believes he exists in part to defy addiction to the Games of Divinity. The Game is a tool to that end: by filtering mortal Willpower through the game and then imbibing it, he hopes to strengthen his ability to withstand the true Games of Divinity. And he gets to give mortals a little fun while he's at it. Win-win, so far as he sees.
Stone of Circe (● Oneiromancy)
Spoiler
Attunement Cost: 3m Invocation Cost: 10m, 1g Invocation Time: 1 scene Duration: 1 story
The story is an old one. A crew of wandering vagabonds wash ashore on a small island. The scouts takes advantage of the sole (meaningful) inhabitant to a scandalous degree, and then decide they'd been too long without knowing a woman's touch. The heroine rightly shows her power, and makes her aggressors into the swine they are in truth. With the aid of a god, the ship's captain declares himself immune to her mystical arts, and demands his men be restored. She smiles from her throne as he draws his blade -- and she then shuts him in the sty with the rest of his crew. The "god" then emerges to share a laugh with the heroine: "Can't believe he bought it... Moly, of all things!"
Raksha visitors to Creation are told not to be surprised if this tale earns looks of horror (and checks for the swiftest exit) instead of the peals of laughter and applause from any sensible Court. Said visitors should also try to control their tempers when informed they've gotten the story wrong. Oh, such silly mortals...
- Assumption of Earth Shape: The Stone is, unsurprisingly a stone. Some say it is a piece of the enchantress's isle. Others claim it is a piece of her very throne. The honest agree it's probably a reasonable imitation of either.
- (3) Bestial Transformation (5 pts -> Small, Enhanced Sense: Smell, Rotundity, Delusion +1, Amnesia 1): Much like those who attacked the enchantress, those who dare try to attack the Stone's bearer make pigs of themselves.
- (3) Behemoth-Forging Meditation (4 pts -> Diet, Delusion 1, Hungry): The magic's initial hold does not last, so, in time, the swine return to normal... to find that more lasting magic has redefined 'normal' forever.
- (3) Heart-Stealing Kiss (Temperance): Such a transformation can be quite traumatic, so the new pigs may feel some initial trepidation. The Stone, in its infinite kindness, relieves them of it, allowing them to *ahem* go whole hog. Besides, a pig with restraint? That can't be.
The permanent alterations warp the aggressor into a beastman with pig ancestry. The new Diet matches the shape, limiting the former human's dining options to the kinds of garbage one might find in pig slop, as well as carrion, and any roots, acorns, mushrooms, and other such things personally rooted up from the dirt. Although the individual is able to resume some semblance of his/her former life, the Delusion makes that tricky. Taking the form of pig instincts, they present the impression that pig things are absolutely awesome to do, alongside impulses to engage in them (eating like a pig -- in volume and in snout-to-trough terms -- rolling around and sleeping in the mud, making porcine vocalizations more often than may be proper, etc.). Hungry ensures an appropriately robust appetite.
These apply during both the initial transformation and forever afterward. Bestial Transformation's mutations need only little clarification: the original Delusion becomes more pervasive and requires a Willpower to resist for the scene, while Amnesia leaves the target utterly forgetting all pre-transformation events of the day and thus quite surprised, as though he/she just woke up to a porcine existence.
Lure of the Inner Child (● Behemoth and ● Oneiromancy)
Spoiler
Once upon a time, a crafter of music boxes felt his end draw near. He cursed his aged body, but continued his work. If only he could finish! The box in progress was to be his finest, the world's finest. Its melody was to bring a smile to every child, even the child hidden in every woman and man. It was the Sound of Youth he hoped to capture, and through those happy memories of yore, he poured his heart into that box. His wish drew something forward, but it was not the Sound of Youth.
Stirrer of the Child's Heart Attunement Cost: 3m Invocation Cost: 10m, 1g Invocation Time: 1 scene Duration: 1 story
- Assumption of Dreams and Passions (Innocence): A child's music box, reminding all who see it of simpler, happier times.
- (3) Behemoth-Forging Meditation (4 pts -> Enlightened Essence): The melody reaches past the listeners' ears and minds, touching their very souls as nothing has before. The notes strike a chord with the listeners' essence, and in so doing make the listeners aware of an inner youth, a potency they had long forgotten.
- (3): Waypoint Knife: The beautiful melody must be heard completely; no interruptions may be permitted.
- (3): Subtle Wraith Arts: The song has a peace and stillness to it, calling the listener's memories -- and the very land of still memories' pieces -- just a bit closer.
The craftsman's heart and memories filled the box, but vast though his longing was, it was for a childhood that had long since passed, and it was this he called. With the final touch and the song's beginning, he felt at peace. He did not notice the trappings of the Underworld as they flooded his workshop, until a small girl appeared. She was pale, but the spitting image of his dear wife when they had first met. When she asked if he would go to play with her, he was scared, but could only agree. And so her shadow struck out like a blade, and split him in two. From these halves climbed the little boy he had been, pale like her. The inner children smiled. Music box in tow, they ran off to see what other old friends they might find.
Freer of the Child's Heart Attunement Cost: 3m
- (1) Assumption of the Person's Heart (Harmless Innocence): The little girl doesn't seem threatening in the slightest.
- (1) Gladdening Visage: The little girl seems perfectly ordinary, with nothing at all amiss.
- (4) Shuffling the Pieces: Once the girl's blade strikes someone down, the inner child is freed, grateful, and eager to serve.
+ Natural Weapon: Axe w/ +1 Acc: shadow strikes at a duped do-gooder or anyone else; girl doesn't bat an eye, cheery as anything.
Speed (4) Accuracy (+1+1) Damage (+5L) Defense (-2) Rate (2) T
Wee folk produced by Shuffling the Pieces appear as the victim did during childhood (give or take pointed and/or tufted ears, and a bit of size) and share some personality traits, despite being completely subservient to the behemoth. It's worth noting that victims with the capacity to channel Essence automatically produce Homunculi, the most potent of the three and those who best resemble children.
Book of Fool's Gold (● Oneiromancy)
Spoiler
Attunement Cost: 3m Invocation Cost: 10m, 1g Invocation Time: 1 scene Duration: 1 story
- Assumption of Wood Shape: It's a book, simple as that. Lotsa paper in there.
- (3) Unlimited Resplendence: The Insight of the Wealthy grants a great understanding of how wealth feels -- in the most direct and obvious manner possible.
- (3) Behemoth-Forging Meditation (4 -> Delusion, Delusion, Disturbing Unappealing Voice, Enhanced Sense: Hearing): The Insight of the Ass grants a great understanding of how an ass's head feels -- in the most direct and obvious manner possible.
- (3) Elegant Muse Attitude (Generosity; Requests for things): The Insight of the Fool Parted from Wealth grants a great understanding of how generosity feels -- in a fairly direct and obvious manner.
The Insight of the Wealthy (the Gold) is what makes the book desirable. Let the little alchemists make gold from lead: those who cast this spell fashion wealth from nothing at all!
Further, while active (and the book nearby), this spell is cast simultaneously with the Insight of the Fool Parted from Wealth. Those* asked by the caster (or a permitted associate) for money or possessions become inclined to give generously. Honestly, the wealth may as well be magnetic!
Of course, it's not exactly enduring; casters are advised to take advantage of these gains as quickly as they can. They can always get more! ... Until they can't. The spell may only be cast while the one attuned to the book has given permission to cast it, which is typically parceled out in 'may cast X times' or 'explicitly for X purposes.' This encourages returning to the book's true owner* to renew this permission. Otherwise...
The Insight of the Ass (the Fool) is the only spell one can find without permission. It looks virtually identical to Insight of the Wealthy, but warns that permission has not been given, and casting is thus not recommended. One who persists in casting will receive a boon for that stubbornness: a donkey's head and a matching tail, with perhaps other little traits as well. These animal parts seem to have come from a rather fine specimen of the species, implicitly suggesting the person might make a better ass than a human.
+ Delusion - Far from being dismayed at the transformation, the would-be caster is thankful for the head and tail, thinking they actually look rather dashing (true enough, by donkey standards), and stubbornly insist this is so. Thus, the afflicted display with pride the marks of that greatest of beasts, the noble ass. Those who gained wealth through the book look back and conclude all the joy it brought was hollow, and become convinced the asinine improvements have brought happiness beyond what money can buy.
+ Delusion - There's a certain sense of work ethic, too. The reader feels compelled to find the book's true owner to return it, and thank them for the splendid gift. And this is just the first act of duty. The afflicted find that labor and menial tasks have a certain satisfaction all their own. If one can refer to it as 'donkey's work,' it's a task the afflicted will enjoy. A fitting end, for one who sought to get money for nothing.
+ Enhanced Sense: Hearing - Unsurprisingly, ears that size are great at picking up sound. Though loud noises nearby probably don't feel awesome.
+ Unappealing Voice - The voice itself actually changes little, but communication is often peppered with inadvertent brays and other asinine vocalizations. This does a number on the eloquence factor (-2 internal penalty to all vocal Social rolls). The speaker doesn't mind the sounds, but is usually alone in this. To 'make up' for this speech impediment -- the afflicted deems it a sweet deal -- the speaker's voice can flawlessly imitate a donkey's if desired.
* Not applicable to the attuned party (or the raksha that owns the attuned party). The spell gives no benefit to requests made of the attuned, the attuned is assumed to always have permission, unless stated otherwise.
Gauntlet of Cascading Pitch (● Oneiromancy)
Spoiler
Attunement Cost: 3m Invocation Cost: 10m, 1g Invocation Time: 1 scene Duration: 1 story
A Fair One once heard the Creation-born expression 'throw down the gauntlet' and resolved to learn its origins. He chose not to indulge in any of that Heaven Rains Wisdom nonsense; anything he came up with would surely be more interesting. And, as he came up with a literal magic glove, it's hard to say he was wrong. Once lobbed at the ground, forecasts call for a 96% chance of a duel to the death.
- Assumption of Bestial Visage: The gauntlet is made of black leather, taken from two beasts that tore each other apart for no particularly good reason.
- (3) Prince and Pauper Approach: Mistrust runs high for nearby mortals when the gauntlet's thrown down. And then it continues to follow them, too. It can be just so... infuriating.
- (3) Heart-Stealing Kiss (Temperance) : Restraint can be such a bothersome thing on the road to conflict. It has to go. But surely that's not amusing enough: steal it from whichever combatant-to-be normally shows the most self-control.
- (3) Bestial Transformation (4 -> Tusks, Delusion2) : As tempers flare, their owners' skins reflect that feral rage. Proper shapes return when that rage subsides, but will that be before a throat's been ripped out?
Upon growing particularly angry, the afflicted transforms into an animal. Boars, wolves, bears, and big cats are most common, though any beast is possible. A creature's natural weapons, from fangs to claws to horns to hooves, function mechanically the same. The delusion intensifies the character's rage, and focuses it on whoever most brought it out (even if this only by being annoying). Further, being an animal, the delusion encourages the afflicted to vent this rage as a violent beast does (no matter how violent the animal may actually be). They surely do so, without spending Willpower to resist.
The character changes back after calming down, but will resume that bestial shape and rage when next the afflicted grows angry. This continues until Bestial Transformation's duration ends.
Current Assumption (Permanent)
Assumption of Dreams and Passions (Inspiration/Luna)
- Mani appears as a fair-skinned, clean-shaven young man, who sometimes seems to have a pale glow about him. He garbs himself in comfortable dark blue traveler's clothes, and supports the spikes of his hair with a headband. He typically wears a smile, a hint of mischief overwhelmed by the optimistic look in his eyes, and those who have beheld Luna (most likely Lunar Exalts, or any raksha whose court received a visit) may note some resemblance, however faint.
Join Combat: 6 = 5+1 (Wits + Awareness)
Defenses
Dodge DV: 7 = (7+5+2)/2 ((Dex + Dodge + Essence)/2), round up
Parry DV: 5+ = (7+3+)/2 ((Dex + Martial Arts + Weap Def)/2), round up
Lure
The Curse of Namelessness (Resist an intriguing story)
Intimacies
- Luna (... Complicated: Love as a Son's, Resentment as a Rival's, and Pity as a Fellow Entity's is a start)
- Gaia (Romantic Love)
- Lunar Exalted (Wary Pride)
- Interesting Times (All-Encompassing Desire)
- Visionaries (Sympathetic Helpfulness)
- Creation-born Stories (Unexpected Delight)
Willpower: 8
Essence
Permanent: ●●
Personal: 17/20 (3 Committed to Game of Divinity)
Peripheral: N/A
I'll probably be out of touch for the rest of the weekend, sadly. Feel free to RP among each other, if you so desire.
Gaius: I am limiting Artifact to 3 dots at start, but since you're sticking to entertaining stuff, I'll allow it - though some of your artifacts will need to be found. Possibly the Exaltations?
22) Abuse the Exalted combat engine.
22.a) Get a 2-dot Adjuration with Imposition of Law (Crossbows, or any weapon with high damage and accuracy. Ignore Rate)
22.b) Get another with IoL: Hiding after a sniping attack
22.c) Get a third (1-dot) with Surpassing Excellence for both forms of IoL.
22.d) Or get one 5-dot Adjuration with all of the above - same cost in committed motes, harder to get.
22.e) Get a fourth (1-dot) Adjuration with Luminous Exhalation.
22.f) Have your minions swear to the Adjurations. 6 motes, so they're fine.
22.g) Optionally, get an Oneiromancy to grant bonus dice on Crossbow shots, hiding, and... Bestial Transformation into something better at shooting and hiding?
22.h) Snipe away, with your 10-20 retinue members. For each attack, the Exalts need to spend essence to avoid it. For each attack, they need to spend essence to notice where the snipers hid. Focus fire on the one who feels most threatening.
22.i) Be sorry you were so mean to the system, and promise never to do it in a fair fight.
23) Resource denial: use Ring Shaping to transform the landscape around the intruders into a perfectly flat and featureless plain. This will massively restrict their ability to stunt and regain motes / willpower. Then attack (at range, with nothing they can reliably stunt with - rains of arrows are good).
Gaius: I am limiting Artifact to 3 dots at start, but since you're sticking to entertaining stuff, I'll allow it - though some of your artifacts will need to be found. Possibly the Exaltations?
Ack, sorry, I completely forgot about that. ^_^o Still, thanks for allowing things through. And sure, the Exaltations can be delayed. As discussed, it'd be preferable to have a heroic commoner for each one, anyway.
Also: woo for the fine list addendum. Very snazzy tricks on there. Much as some may not see the light of day, for reasons of breaking the game in half.
Moving things ahead a bit, in case you want to act rather than chatter.
If you have gossamer in your background, you now have it, as morsels collecte as the Wyld surge recedes. If you have an idea of where to look for some gossamer, you may get a bit more...
Also, re: the list. From the context I was given, we have a starting tier PC Raksha facing off against four Exalts who are built to deal with fae. As it feels a bit unfair, some amount of game breaking seems called for. Also why it shouldn't be done in a fair fight.
Hm, I'm curious. Is Mani part of the nobles' group, intended to join them in a bit, or are you waiting before deciding to bring in an alternate? I'm fine with any, just not clear on the situation. ^_^o
Sigh, again written the roll inproperly. (10d10)[10][9][6][5][4][1][10][10][2][2](59) Making a Fantasy to calm Priestess and Carel.
Oaths taken: To make an Inn for Carel (work in ... plans). To not attack other party members until the resolution of the Wood situation(fortunately it is almost done in).
__________________
Youth and strenght alvays lose to age and treachery.
Thanks for the support, Myll and Rik. Kinda wanted to wait for the other players, too, but... Eh, got a little tired of waiting for what would have likely amounted to 'Whatever's cool, man.'
A portion of your awareness is dedicated to your new pet, which enthusiastically leads you its lair, and tries to share the remnants of its latest meal. While dead mortals are rather boring, there are enough to assemble a plausible identity - or a dozen.
An interesting concept and one I'm not familiar with. Xytrisae will want to do this, it would be fun for her. But the question it leaves what is it? Resplendent Destinies for the Fae? Or rather what should I use to go about doing this? (A post will come once I get this cleared... up... though perhaps sometime after I sleep. XD
Meschlum, yes yes. I plan on building Inn for the Carel-chan. He is such adroable dear, isn't he ? Unfortunately I lack 3 gossamer for this purpouse. And believe that Tyranim and/or Rulenizo wouldn't look upon Fox kindly for biting their minions in a fit of bad manners, right ?
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Youth and strenght alvays lose to age and treachery.
There is the Creation-based route, of collecting clothes, the occasional diary, and the like and using that to assemble an identity. Given the setting, Larceny is probably involved, though one could argue for Bureaucracy, weird forms of Craft, and the like.
A fantasy won't persist long outside the Wood, unless backed by Principle of Worlds (which takes a long time to work). Veil of Glamour, using the bits and pieces on hand as a starting point, can be employed to form temporary disguises - and once you're accepted as who you claim to be, reverting to 'normal' (if done slowly) shouldn't raise too many eyebrows - especially if you don't pretend to be someone well known locally.
The long term option is simply picking up a suitable Assumption of Dreams and Passion, based on the remnants you have found. Or an Adjuration with the same, though that's a bit more trouble than it's worth to create.
Except for the last, you have the elements you need, and a (possibly) cooperative Voice that could be coerced into doing the job.
Rik: how they respond is up to them, of course - but eating their souls when you haven't even Sword shaped a convincing reason for them being yours could be viewed as very Creation-like. Even if it's tempting.
And gossamer can be turned into mundane cash with relatively little difficulty. Even if you don't have Ordinary Object Conjuration, others might Voice out and mention they could do it. Then you just need to get them to agree.
Dragnar:
Spoiler
A Fine territory looks good for the space-warping component. Actually affecting Creation-born so they'll lose track of time would call for Translucent Dream Sheathing Technology, however.
Creating the territory will also require ownership of the Wood, gained via Sword shaping (or Staff into Sword) and committing 3 motes. This only has to be for the time you need to forge the circus, but will be noticeable to the others.
A Fine territory looks good for the space-warping component. Actually affecting Creation-born so they'll lose track of time would call for Translucent Dream Sheathing Technology, however.
Creating the territory will also require ownership of the Wood, gained via Sword shaping (or Staff into Sword) and committing 3 motes. This only has to be for the time you need to forge the circus, but will be noticeable to the others.
Alright. I'll just go with the space-warping then, and... hmm, what's the dice pool on sword shaping/the difficulty? Can always explain himself later if needed. Not like I need much of the wood.
Heh, with so fev of us attending go away ... if You explain Yourself to Fox for the takeover of the Wood. Right now Mesch gave us a food for thought, two mortals went into broken manse and ... silence. I and Mani were watching, and now Fox is retreating taking care of more important stuff.
Meschlum, why should I waste Gossamer on mundane cash ? Fox have Essence-Forging Art, thus creating a flower with golden coins as leaves isn't a big problem. Only matter of time and patience in Wood.
Saying so, anyone knows Freehold making charms ? Making a Fountainhead would cure us of all Shaping problems for the foreseable future. And ... I dare Wyld Hunt go into place that obeys Raksha. They are not Solards to mistreat us so much on our own turf !
*Fox turns off the sunlight and Homonoculi archers aim patiently*
Wyld Hunter:"What ?! I got Iron Armor ! How can I see nothing ?"
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Youth and strenght alvays lose to age and treachery.
Last edited by Rikandur Azebol : 09-08-2011 at 10:52 AM.
Dragnar: shaping the Woods takes a single success (difficulty goes up if the Wyld surge is going down, so 6 successes in its natural state, where there is a +5 difficulty). It's easy.
Rik: Essence Forging Art is definitely an option, yes.
To create a Freehold, you need at least five waypoints. Currently, there is one (the Wood). Increasing this would require tampering with the local geomancy - maybe changing what's inside the heart of the Wood into something more congenial? Or spreading the Wood's influence further out?
Ah, the surge (and lowered shaping difficulty) is still in play? ^_^o Whoops, misunderstood: I'd somehow thought the Woods were back to where they were when the nobles first approached, and just in danger of dipping below that. So, without that pesky +5 shaping difficulty, time for me to think of what Mani'd like to do...
To create a Freehold, you need at least five waypoints. Currently, there is one (the Wood). Increasing this would require tampering with the local geomancy - maybe changing what's inside the heart of the Wood into something more congenial? Or spreading the Wood's influence further out ?
Geamoancy things You say ... I could do it, but my mites have to return with gemomantic survey report yet.
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Youth and strenght alvays lose to age and treachery.
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Re: When Winter Wakes - OOC (Fair Folk)
by Recaiden//
