Difference between revisions of "BSLunarCharmsSail"

Latest revision as of 01:15, 6 April 2010

• BerserkSeraph/AbilityLunars
• BerserkSeraph

Aspect of the Ocean's Beloved

 Cost: 3 motes
 Duration: Indefinite
 Type: Simple (Transformation)
 Minimum Sail: 3
 Minimum Essence: 2
 Prerequisite Charms: None

Allows the character to breath water as if it were air, and to move and fight without penalty in water at any depth. Allows the use to see in water as normal for the lighting, but will not allow the character to see in the utter darkness of the deep sea.
This is a Transformation Charm of the Mysteries Totem.

Thrashing Bait Draws Prey

 Cost: 7 motes
 Duration: One day
 Type: Simple
 Minimum Sail: 2
 Minimum Essence: 1
 Prerequisite Charms: None

Placing a hand on the deck or mast of a vessel, the Lunar may extend a bit of his own ability to appear as what he is not - in this case, he may change the appearance of the vessel's hull, masts, and depth. Thusly, for example, he could appear to be riding lighter in the water than the boat actually is - discouraging pirates with the promise of little to plunder. Or the vessel could be made to seem to limp through the water with a heavy hull - a powerful lure for the predators of the ocean. This has no effect on the overall shape and character of the vessel, so a pirate ship under the effects of the Charm will still be flying pirate colors and will be visibly armed, but such a vessel could be disguised as unduly damaged if the Lunar wishes it. This appearance is purely illusion - any person interacting with the 'damaged' masts will note their pristine condition.

Tiger Changes Stripes

 Cost: 5 motes
 Duration: One day
 Type: Reflexive
 Minimum Sail: 3
 Minimum Essence: 1
 Prerequisite Charms: Thrashing Bait Draws Prey

With a single glance to the flags and other colors of a vessel he is standing on, the Lunar may change their appearance. Any observer of the vessel after this Charm is invoked will see it as painted and colored in the fashion the Lunar selected - either as an enticement, an ally, or a foe. This is relative - a Lunar who uses this Charm to appear as an enticement will appear as an unarmed merchant vessel to pirates, or a haggard pirate vessel to marines. Two boats observing the affected vessel may well see different things - and may react differently. This Charm has no effect on the vessel's appearance of readiness (A function of Thrashing Bait) but rather on its state - the paint may appear glossy and fresh, or peeling and scarred. Lunar pirates generally use this Charm to draw in other pirate vessels with the promise of a merchant ship - or to draw in naval vessels with the promise of an opponent.

Ocean-Stilling Gesture

 Cost: 5 motes
 Duration: Five turns
 Type: Simple
 Minimum Sail: 3
 Minimum Essence: 2
 Prerequisite Charms: None

By touching the surface (from either side) of a body of water, the Luanr may still the immediate area. Wind dies down, waves roll around the affected region, and vessels immediately stop tossing on the surface. The region affected is a circular area with a diameter of the (Lunar's Essence x 10) yards, which may not suffice to still all vessels. Swimmers in the region find the water easy to tread and reduce the difficulty of all required checks to 1. Vessels in the area are generally stationary (there is no wind) but unharmed. If used on a vessel in motion, the captain of the vessel can roll Perception + Sail against a difficulty of the Lunar's Essence to avoid being caught in the still region and stopped. While originally designed to facilitate quick adjustments to sudden storms, this Charm has changed in application in the new era - it is now a tool of Lunar pirates, to snare their prey.

Surface-Skimming Spider

 Cost: 3 motes
 Duration: Indefinite
 Type: Simple (Transformation)
 Minimum Sail: 5
 Minimum Essence: 2
 Prerequisite Charms: Ocean-Stilling Gesture, Aspect of the Ocean's Beloved

The Lunar levels and spreads the weight he applies to his hands and feet, and subtly stills liquids that they touch - as long as this wondrous Charm is active, he may run on the water's surface with all the surety that he runs on land. The Lunar's feet leave small ripples as he moves but he otherwise treats the water - or any similar liquid - as if it were solid ground for the purposes of moving. This does not protect the Lunar from conditions of the substance he is moving on - although he can run across molten lava as if it were bedrock, he's still placing his feet on molten lava.
This is a Transformation Charm of the Mysteries Totem.

Adaptive Moonsilver Sail

 Cost: 4 motes
 Duration: One journey
 Type: Simple
 Minimum Sail: 5
 Minimum Essence: 2
 Prerequisite Charms: Ocean-Stilling Gesture

Brushing his hand along the main mast of a vessel, the Lunar may charge it with adaptive Essence. As long as the journey of the vessel (the Lunar must announce his final destination upon activating this Charm) progresses, the sail will adapt to its surroundings and react to threats. It will gain the consistency of steel if struck with swords or wind (it can still be torn with weapons of the Five Magical Materials, however), and the sail and mast will not give way to storm winds, instead instantly furling to protect the ship until it is safe to move again. Finally, the vessel takes advantage of all available wind - travelling at twice its normal clip. The Lunar must remain on the vessel for this Charm to function, but may move up to (Essence x 10 yards) away without disrupting the effect.

Malicious Serpentine Rigging

 Cost: 7 motes, 1 Willpower
 Duration: Five turns
 Type: Simple
 Minimum Sail: 5
 Minimum Essence: 3
 Prerequisite Charms: Adaptive Moonsilver Sail

By touching the main mast of a vessel, the Lunar may charge its rigging with fluid and primal Essence - vastly increasing the chances that an unwitting sailor will get snared and mangled by the whipping, coiling rigging, especially in a pitched melee. As long as this Charm lasts, all members of the ship's crew, if on the deck of the vessel, must reflexively roll Perception + Sail against a difficulty of the Lunar's Essence, once each turn. If they fail, they are snagged in the rigging, losing their action for that turn and suffering three dice of bashing damage. If they are caught in poor visibility or heated battle conditions, increase the difficulty of the check to the Lunar's Wits or Sail, whichever is lower. The Lunar himself is immune to the lashing rigging, which instead aids him - he may climb up and down it at double speed. The Lunar must remain on the vessel for this Charm to function, but may move up to (Essence x 10 yards) away without disrupting the effect.

Comments

Hmmm... I don't think I like the Transformation Charms being indefinite but having a weird commitment issue. Suggestion: say that they are Instant in duration (thus making them normally comboable with no commitment) and make a change in the Lunar that lasts until the charm is once again used (to undo its previous transformation... sort of like DBT now). If you do this, I'd make try to include a minor drawback into each Transformation charm (even if it is merely cosmetic) so as to discourage them from always being in use. As an alternative, you could make them more normal indefinite duration or scene-length charms, but include an Essence discount for when a Lunar combos them. -Stuart

I suppose that this route would also be viable option - I'm going through now and averaging the commited-versus-starting costs to all the Transformation charms and making them simply indefinite in duration without the oddities of commitment. Lunars making Charms inside their Totem will get a discount, so they'll be able to maintain their totem-specific transformations at less cost in ability. ~ BerserkSeraph