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Fair Folk Apotheosis Charms

To most inhabitants of Creation, the Fair Folk are considered to be beings for whom nothing is taboo. Creatures of madness and chaos, their games stretch across ages and nations, and an observer would be forgiven for thinking that there is no action that would not be taken by one of these twisted beings, no path they would not take to further their nearly incomprehensible games.

And yet, there is one path that even the wildest of fae shudders at approaching. It is whispered of in rumours, a tale to terrify the mad courts of the fae. "Apotheosis". No Fair Folk knows of another of their kind who has actually studied these Charms - or at least, none who know would willingly admit to it. Even the whisper that one of them might be following its path can be enough to rouse a Court to righteous fury. Those few Exalts who hear of it consider it a myth, a story invented by the fae to fuel their hatred of Creation.

Yet there are some who walk the pathways of Apotheosis. Most never pass the first stage; the prospect of continuing down one of the alternate paths is a terrifying one, and one that even Fair Folk who wish to Become often shy away from. Finding a teacher for such Charms is inordinately difficult, but it can be done. There are Fae who have completed the transformation.

Apotheosis Charms fall into First Stage and Second Stage Charms. The First Stage Charms may be learned by any fae, but once learned cannot be unlearned. Even Fair Folk Charms that cause the loss of a Charm or Mutation cannot destroy an Apotheosis Charm. Second-stage Apotheosis Charms engender a massive transformation; once a character has learned one, she may learn only the Charm that follows it; no other second-stage Apotheosis may be learned.

A character who has learned the Mad God Mien may never learn an Apotheosis Charm; her nature has been tied to the tides of the Wyld, and unless she undoes this, she cannot follow the forbidden pathways of Becoming.

First Stage Apotheosis

Understanding Of A Greater Purpose</b>

<b>Cost: 1 mutation point, Mins: Heart 3, Essence 2, Type: Permanent 
Keywords: Permanent, Mutation
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: Assumption Of Dreams And Passion

Through an understanding of passion comes an acceptance of goals. The character shapes herself closer to Creation, giving her soul permanent plans and dreams. She may no longer change her Nature (or Motivation) at the beginning of each story; instead, she changes it only as though she were one of the Creation-Born. However, she may choose a single Ability that resonates with her Nature, which must be Caste or Favoured. She purchases Specialties for that Ability at 2 XP each, and may have up to 5 of them. This Charm may only be purchased once.

As an additional advantage, the character's strong Motivation allows them to better respire in Creation. Each morning, when they roll to regain Willpower, they recover one mote of Essence.

As a second part of this Charm, a character who learns it may never raise her Heart Grace to 5 and become one of the Unshaped. She has tied her thoughts to Creation, and will forever be connected to it.

Understanding Of A Greater Being</b>

<b>Cost: 1 mutation point, Mins: Heart 3, Essence 2, Type: Permanent 
Keywords: Permanent, Mutation
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: Assumption of Elemental Shape, Any Mutation Charms (see below)

The character stretches her soul out within Creation, and brings her body in line with the strictures of the Loom of Fate. A character must be within Creation to purchase this Charm.

The character takes a group of her already-existing Charms, and shapes them into a new body. These Charms can be any amount, but have the following restrictions:

• One of those mutations must be any Assumption of Elemental Shape, or an equivalent non-canon Assumption
• All of the mutations must be either Assumptions of Elemental Shape, or Charms that can only be purchased as mutations.
• There must be a minimum of 3 Charms in the new body.

Once the character completes her shaping, she gains the following benefits and restrictions:

• All of the mutations that she chose are now a fundamental part of her being. They cannot be removed by any force; Charms that temporarily reshape the character may remove them for the duration of the Charms, but they always return at the end of the duration. If affected by a permanent shapeshifting effect, or one of extremely long duration, the mutations will return after (shaper's Essence) weeks.
• The character's maximum Essence + Mutation Points before calcification increases to 15, regardless of her Willpower rating.
• The character is tied to Creation. She does not lose Essence each day within Creation, although she still cannot respire it, and she counts as a being of Creation for the purpose of resisting effects that have an additional adverse effect against Fair Folk.

As a second part of this Charm, a character who learns it may never raise her Heart Grace to 5 and become one of the Unshaped. She has tied her body to Creation, and will forever be connected to it.

Second Stage Apotheosis

The Becoming Of The All-Possible Soul

Acceptance Of Limits</b>

<b>Cost: None, Mins: Heart 3, Essence 2, Type: Permanent 
Keywords: Permanent
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: Understanding of a Greater Purpose, Understanding of a Greater Being

The character seeks to understand weakness and the potential for personal growth, and reshapes her being to become something both more and less than what she is. Upon learning this Charm, the character partially calcifies. She now respires two motes per hour while in Creation; this benefit replaces the respiration benefits provided by the Understanding Charms. However, her respiration rate in the Wyld is reduced by 1 mote per hour.

In addition, the character may purchase thaumaturgy, sorcery and martial arts as though she were an enlightened mortal. Her Fair Folk Charms increase in cost to 10 XP each. Finally, the character may choose to be treated as a Fair Folk or an enlightened mortal whenever she is targeted by Charms, whichever she prefers.

Power Surrendered To Potential</b>

<b>Cost: None, Mins: Heart 3, Essence 2, Type: Permanent 
Keywords: Permanent
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: Acceptance of Limits

The character surrenders her nature as one of the Fair Folk, reshaping herself as another mortal within Creation. The character is immediately recreated as a half-caste Fae-Blood; if her Essence was previously 4 or greater, it immediately drops to 3. The character loses all Charms of Essence greater than 3, but may learn sorcery and martial arts as though she were half-caste. Furthermore, she develops the lifespan of a half-caste, with the Longevity and God-Body Merits (the latter at its maximum level), and retains her awakened Essence. The character's soul is tied to the Loom of Fate, and will reincarnate within Creation if the character dies. The character may continue to purchase Fair Folk Charms, but she does so as a half-caste, paying 15 XP per Charm as usual. She retains her Graces, but her Virtues take priority over them as usual for a mortal with Graces.

In theory, a Fair Folk who underwent this transformation could later Exalt as a Celestial Exalt. Such an event would be as usual for a half-caste.

The Becoming Of The Divine Caretaker

The Becoming Of The Five-Fold Shell

Transubstantiation Of Elemental Might</b>

<b>Cost: None, Mins: Heart 3, Essence 3, Type: Permanent 
Keywords: Permanent
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: Understanding of a Greater Purpose, Understanding of a Greater Being, Assumption of (Elemental) Form

The character begins the Becoming of the Five-Fold Shell, taking on the mantle of a single element far in excess of the mad shiftings of the Wyld. In order to learn this Charm, a character's body must contain the Assumption of Elemental Shape of the element that the character wishes to adopt. The character may retain other Assumptions; doing so simply gives them slightly more breadth. The character makes herself into a being halfway between a Fair Folk and one of the elemental caretakers of Creation.

Upon learning this Charm, the character partially calcifies. She now respires two motes per hour while in Creation; this benefit replaces the respiration benefits provided by the Understanding Charms. However, her respiration rate in the Wyld is reduced by 1 mote per hour. More importantly, the character immediately learns one of the inherent powers of elementals (such as Elemental Rejuvenation or Dragon's Suspire). She may purchase further elemental powers, or any Spirit Charm which is based around manipulation of or existance within her chosen element, at a cost of 12 XP each. However, the cost of learning her Fair Folk Charms increases to 10 XP each. In addition, when the character is targeted by effects that have an increased effect against Fair Folk, those increased effects do not occur unless they also apply against elementals. Finally, her natural attacks are permanently considered to be aligned her chosen element, whatever that may be - giving both advantages and disadvantages depending on those she combats.

Ascension Of Elemental Brilliance</b>

<b>Cost: None, Mins: Heart 3, Essence 4, Type: Permanent 
Keywords: Permanent
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: Transubstantiation Of Elemental Might

The character unleashes her elemental Essence, allowing it to scour her being and wipe away the last vestiges of her former life as one of the raksha. Upon purchase of this Charm, the character becomes an elemental. All mutations that were part of her body through earlier Apotheosis Charms are transformed into inherent abilities, and all other mutations are lost; Wyld artifacts are automatically unattuned. The character may keep up to (Essence x2) of her Fair Folk Charms as a remnant of her former self - any Charms kept must have their prerequisites kept to function, and all other Charms are lost. The character may learn Charms, Martial Arts, and spells as the elemental she has now become. She retains her Graces but may not increase them with experience or purchase further Fair Folk Charms.

It is theoretically possible that a Fair Folk with a sufficently high Essence could undergo this transformation only to become a Greater Elemental Dragon. One who did so would likely immediately undergo the usual madness of such elementals.

The Becoming Of The Seven-Souled Truth

Subordination To Primordial Desires</b>

<b>Cost: None, Mins: Heart 3, Essence 3 or 5, Type: Permanent 
Keywords: Permanent
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: Transubstantiation Of Elemental Might

The character begins the Becoming Of The Seven-Souled Truth, expressing her desire to tie her destiny to a pattern and being greater than herself. Learning this Charm requires the assistance of a Primordial Soul of the Second or Third Circle; either a demon of the Yozi or a soul of Gaia or Autochthon would suffice. The character makes herself over into an adjunct of that being, sacrificing a piece of her nature as a Fair Folk to gain greater power as a primordial spirit.

Upon learning this Charm, the character partially calcifies. She now respires one mote per hour while in Creation; this benefit replaces the respiration benefits provided by the Understanding Charms. However, her respiration rate in the Wyld is reduced by 1 mote per hour. In addition, the character may learn spirit Charms at a cost of 12 XP each; however, the cost for learning Fair Folk Charms increases to 10 XP each. Finally, the character is treated as the same type of being as her patron for the purpose of Charms, rather than as a Fair Folk - generally, this means that they will be considered demons, but a Fair Folk that ties itself to a soul of Gaia or Autochthon is treated as an uncorrupted Primordial being.

Learning this Charm requires Essence 3 if the patron is a Second Circle soul; doing so restricts the character to learning spirit Charms of up to Essence 3. A Third Circle soul requires Essence 5, and allows the purchase of Charms of up to Essence 8 (provided the character has a sufficient Essence rating).

Transmutation Of Primordial Flesh</b>

<b>Cost: None, Mins: Heart 3, Essence 3 or 5, Type: Permanent 
Keywords: Permanent
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: Subordination To Primordial Desires

With this mighty Charm, the character reshapes herself completely, taking on the mantle of a Primordial Soul. If her patron was a Third Circle soul, this requires one of the patron's Second Circle souls to have been destroyed; if the patron themselves was of the Second Circle, there is not restriction.

The character becomes a Primordial spirit of the same sort as her patron, one level lower. She is considered to be one of her patron's subsidiary souls. All mutations that were a part of her shaped body become innate parts of her being, and all other mutations and Wyld Artifacts are lost. The character loses access to all Fair Folk Charms above Essence 3, and can never learn new Fair Folk Charms. She develops the proper number of spirit Charms for a being of her Essence level, and her Essence pool becomes that of a spirit. If her patron was a Second Circle soul, and the character has Essence above 4, her Essence is reduced to 4. If her patron was a Third Circle soul, and she had Essence above 8, her Essence drops to 8.

For all effects, the character is now a Primordial spirit, but one with a handful of leftover Charms from her time as a Fair Folk. She still possesses Graces and may engage in Shaping combat, but she is no longer immune to the Wyld and must deal with potential Wyld mutation as usual for a spirit. She may not increase her Graces with experience.

Comments

... hot DAMN but this is awesome. Finish it. Finish it now. You just might force me to finish my God-Monster stuff! -A seriously stoked RakshaBoy

I very much enjoy this article, though I think (and I dont' know if I said this) that it would be an awesome idea if there was an apotheosis path that led to the FairFolk becoming a Primordial-scale being, that would be awesome me things. hehe -Heru

Methinks they just have to stick it out and become Unshaped, and then take this walk. Paincake

I suspect that becoming a Primordial would take a very different route than apotheosis. Such a Charm tree would likely start at Harmonious Primordial Spirit and go from there. :) - FrivYeti