Difference between revisions of "DragonBloodedLarceny/IsawaBrian"

Revision as of 03:02, 2 June 2005

 <b>Cost: 1 mote
 Duration: Instant
 Type:  Reflexive
 Minimum Larceny: 1
 Minimum Essence: 1
 Prerequisite Charms: None

This easy, basic charm is rarely actually taught to young Dragon-Blooded. It is only truly useful for mischief and games of confidence, and thus it is disruptive to the harmony insisted on in Dynastic households and secondary schools. Nevertheless, among houses and families who value cleverness, the spontaneous development of the Flickering Drop Charm is seen as a sign of potential in a child. It is also seen as a sign of a troublemaker; for both reasons, such children are closely (if surreptiously).

Activating the Flickering Drop Charm allows the Dragon-blooded to instantly and flawlessly perform some trick of prestidigitation-- moving a pea in a shell game, flawlessly switching folded cards in a game of Find-the-Empress, swiftly exchanging a gold and diamond ring for one of brass and diamond, and so on. This Charm will not work on items more than a pound in weight, or larger than the average sheaf of paper, nor will it work over a distance greater than a foot. No magical or enchanted items may be affected.

 <b>Cost: 2 motes
 Duration: Ten Turns
 Type:  Simple
 Minimum Larceny: 2
 Minimum Essence: 1
 Prerequisite Charms: Flickering Drop

Another Charm for the confidence man and trickster, this Charm is looked at slightly more askance by elders if developed by young Dragon-Blooded. It is considered beneath the dignity of an Exalt, although certain merchant houses will subtly permit its use and desperate young Outcastes may use it to make a living. By creating a slight weave of fresh, sparkling Essence around an item (No more than a foot in width per dot of permanent Essence), the Exalt can make it appear to be newer, shinier, and more beautiful than it actually is. This will generally add a single automatic success to sell, trade, or pass off the item and may also be useful in stunting Larceny or Bureaucracy rolls. Its use to defraud is considered a crime in the Realm.

 <b>Cost: 2 motes
 Duration: Ten Turns
 Type:  Simple
 Minimum Larceny: 2
 Minimum Essence: 1
 Prerequisite Charms: Flickering Drop

The opposite of Shimmering Bauble, this Charm surrounds an item of no more than a foot in width per dot of the Exalt's permanent Essence in a grungy, mottled weave of Essence. This weave gives the item an older, less valuable and ill-repaired look, which can be useful for concealing valuable items amongst the dross, bargaining down the price of a shipment, giving an automatic success for such attempts as well as stunt-fodder. Its use to defraud is considered a crime in the Realm; if used to avoid taxation and levy, it will be considered smuggling.

 <b>Cost: 4 motes
 Duration: One Scene
 Type:  Simple
 Minimum Larceny: 3
 Minimum Essence: 2
 Prerequisite Charms: Secrets of the Hidden Depths

For the thief on the run, the appearance of innocence can be vital. This Charm creates a visual illusion in a small container, hiding the appearance of no more than a pound's worth of items per dot of permanent Essence. This is a perfect visual disguise, and will automatically make purely visual attempts at inspection fail, although any inspection aided by Charms will instantly sense the deception. Because the sensory data is false, even physical searches of the concealing container will be at a +2 difficulty.

 <b>Cost: 4 motes, 1 Willpower
 Duration: Instant
 Type:  Simple
 Minimum Larceny: 4
 Minimum Essence: 2
 Prerequisite Charms: Observer Awareness Method, Naked Thief Style

The cleansing power of water can be used to disreputable ends. This Charm will flush an area equal to the Dynast's permanent Essence x2 yards in radius of all evidence of a crime. The Exalt's player makes a Manipulation + Larceny roll, and the number of successes is added to the difficulty of all rolls to find or analyze evidence of a crime. This will stack with any mundane attempts to conceal the crime as well; it is auspicious for both hasty clean-ups and for final sweeps. However, this Charm has no effect on investigations backed by Essence and Charms; in fact, its effects are so obvious that any crime scene which has had Washing the Bloody Glove used on it will not count as disturbed for the purposes of such Charms.

 <b>Cost: 5 motes, 1 Willpower
 Duration: Instant
 Type:  Simple
 Minimum Larceny: 5
 Minimum Essence: 2
 Prerequisite Charms: Washing the Bloody Glove

One of the true fears of a thief in the Realm is that powerful Charms will be used to trace items in her possession, or that her personal items will be used to trace her. Discarded Into the River allows the Exalt utilizing it to dip a discarded item into the rivers of Lost essence that surround the forsaken. As long as an item is given away, discarded, or otherwise disposed of freely (it will not work if an item is sold), the item will carry no magical traces of the user. If the user later picks up the item, the past resonance will be abruptly renewed.

 <b>Cost: 1 mote per 2 dice
 Duration: Instant
 Type:  Supplemental
 Minimum Larceny: 1
 Minimum Essence: 1
 Prerequisite Charms: None

Like a fish fitting into a school of similar fishes, the Dynast with this Charm can adapt to the vagaries of the criminal underworld without skipping a beat. For every one mote of essence spent, add two dice to the Exalt's Attribute + Larceny pool for the purposes of navigating the underworld, plotting crimes, recruiting minions, or comprehending criminality in general. The Exalt cannot more than double his Larceny + Specialization, and any excess dice from odd numbers will be lost.

 <b>Cost: 3 motes, 1 Willpower
 Duration: One Scene
 Type:  Simple
 Minimum Larceny: 3
 Minimum Essence: 2
 Prerequisite Charms: Swimming Amongst the Fishes

Although it is said that many truths lie hidden within the sea, the experienced con artist understands that the most profound truth of images in water is that they reflect the onlooker. By using this Charm, the Exalt gains some measure of the reflectivity of water-- for the purposes of reflecting the relative criminality or legitimacy of those who observe her. The law-abiding will perceive her to be honest and forthright; the criminal will see her as one of their own. Under most circumstances, this gives two automatic successes to relevant rolls-- fitting in with criminals, projecting honesty to a mark, and so on. However, in extreme cases, the Charm may backfire-- the most treacherous and wicked will see themselves in her, and may act to stop such an obvious threat.

 <b>Cost: 4 motes, 1 Willpower
 Duration: One Scene
 Type:  Simple
 Minimum Larceny: 3
 Minimum Essence: 2
 Prerequisite Charms: Swimming Amongst the Fishes

In the criminal underworld, it is well known that there is always some organization or individual mightier than yourself out there. Thieves form gangs, gangs submit to syndicates, syndicates bow to houses, and mighty beings like the Exalted, Anathema, and rogue Gods set themselves up as criminal emperors. Being able to represent yourself as a messenger of such an organization can be invaluable when dealing with both the stern hand of magistrates and the perfidy of fellow thieves. An Exalted using this Charm gives off "signals"-- body language and similar-- that mark him as being the representative of some powerful but indeterminate organization. His speech will gain overtones and undertones of concealed power, and those who observe him will become convinced that he is not working alone. Aside from giving pause to those who might otherwise slay the Dynast directly out of hand, this Charm gives two successes on intimidation rolls and similar social rolls that would benefit from the weight of the Exalted's phantom patron. This Charm has no effect on those with a higher Essence than the Terrestrial.

 <b>Cost: 1 mote per 2 dice
 Duration: Instant
 Type:  Supplemental
 Minimum Larceny: 1
 Minimum Essence: 1
 Prerequisite Charms: None

The cleverness and deftness of water is lent to the Exalted, giving her increased ability to pick pockets or locks, perform sleight-of-hand feats, or otherwise perform physical acts of larceny. For every one mote of essence spent, add two dice to the Exalt's Attribute (Typically Dexterity) + Larceny pool for the purposes of such acts. The Exalt cannot more than double her Larceny + Specialization, and any excess dice from odd numbers will be lost.

 <b>Cost: 1 mote per 2 dice + 1 mote per ally
 Duration: One Scene
 Type:  Simple
 Minimum Larceny: 4
 Minimum Essence: 2
 Prerequisite Charms: Slippery Thief Style

Many thefts require the coordination and cooperation of many criminals in order to succeed. The Dragon-Blooded using this Charm harmonizes his Essence with the spirits of his compatriots, smoothing their efforts, aids in the understanding of body language, and generally keeps the diverse personalities of a gang flowing like a smooth river composed of many streams. The Terrestrial also gives his allies a smoothness and deftness in their personal larcenous activities as well, especially in unison.

The Exalt spends 1 mote per two dice to be added to his compatriots' Larceny Dice pools, and 1 mote per ally to be so aided. The Terrestrial may not more than double an ally's Larceny Ability, nor may he contribute more than his own Larceny. This ability can only aid a number of allies equal to the Dynast's permanent Essence.

 <b>Cost: 3 motes per Success
 Duration: Instant
 Type:  Supplemental
 Minimum Larceny: 3
 Minimum Essence: 3
 Prerequisite Charms: 3 Larceny Charms

Although legendary thieves are often generalists, masters of many tricks of the trade, any sensible criminal knows that for a job to go as planned, specialists are required. The master locksmith, the second-story man, the security expert-- picking the right individual for a task is vital to criminal success. A Dragon-Blooded using this Charm may convert up to her dots in a Larceny specialty as automatic successes on any roll relevant to the specialty, rolling the remainder of her pool as normal.

 <b>Cost: 6 motes, 1 Willpower
 Duration: Instant
 Type:  Simple
 Minimum Larceny: 5
 Minimum Essence: 4
 Prerequisite Charms: Right for the Job, Slippery Thief Style, Space-Crossing Theft Method

This terrible Charm permits the Exalt to commit the ultimate theft- directly stealing water from the body of a foe. He simply concentrates, and makes a subtle gesture in the direction of his chosen target. The Terrestrial's player makes a Manipulation + Larceny roll and the opponent makes a reflexive Stamina + Resistance roll to defend. This attack is not ordinarily blockable or dodgeable, unless the defense can affect spiritual attacks. If the Dynast receives more successes than the opponent, he inflicts a number of Lethal damage levels equal to his Larceny plus any extra successes on the Manipulation + Larceny roll that can only be soaked by natural soak.

 <b>Cost: None
 Duration: Permanent
 Type:  Special
 Minimum Larceny: 5
 Minimum Essence: 5
 Prerequisite Charms: 10 Larceny Charms including at least 1 each from Essence 1-5.

This is the Facet Attunement Charm (see DragonBloodedInvestigation/IsawaBrian under Insightful Water Dragon Attunement for details) for Larceny. Taking this Charm Attunes the character to the Clever Facet of the Water Dragon, and thus negates the one mote surcharge for non-Water Blooded Terrestrials using Larceny Charms. The Clever Facet of the Water Dragon represents the swift-thinking, deft nature of the Water Dragon. This Charm may not be taken by Water Blooded Terrestrials, Eclipse Caste Solars, or Moonshadow Caste Abyssals. Its use counts against the number of attunements active on a character, which may cause the Dragon-Blooded's anima and aspect markings to alter (See Insightful Water Dragon Attunement for details).

Comments

Secrets of the Hidden Depths - Self-referential...
-- Darloth