Difference between revisions of "DragonBloodedBureaucracy/IsawaBrian"

Latest revision as of 01:15, 6 April 2010

 <b>Cost: 2 motes
 Duration: Instant
 Type: Simple
 Minimum Bureaucracy: 2
 Minimum Essence: 1
 Prerequisite Charms: None

This charm is one of the most simple and yet one of the most useful charms that a Dynast bureaucrat can learn. Quite simply, it allows the bureaucrat to spot the most impressive candidate for an assistant among a group of individuals. The player selects a certain ability and the character expends Essence. The character is then given a rough idea of the capabilities for that area of individuals within his sight as well as their potential for loyalty.

In all respects, this should be a simple phrase for each category-- for abilities, "Good," "Average," "Poor," "Excellent," and so on might correspond to die pools or to special skills or modifications to those abilities (unusual charms, artifacts, etc.) that would make for a good assistant, as well as whether or not the character is better or worse than the potential assistant. In terms of loyalty, retainers might be rated as: "Potentially quite loyal," "Treacherous," "Bribable," "Incorruptible," etc. Under no circumstances will actual numerical capabilities, specific conditions, or other details be given.

 <b>Cost: 5 motes, 1 Willpower, plus 2 motes per fang managed
 Duration: One Month
 Type: Simple
 Minimum Bureaucracy: 5
 Minimum Essence: 3
 Prerequisite Charms: Excellent Adjutant-Selecting Method, Dashing Brook Method

In the heart of their Essence, all Terrestrial Exalts are soldiers. The ways of the military were forged into their very creation and thus resonate with all of their abilities. Bureaucrats who have mastered their own paths are no exception from this rule, nor should they be. An often-quoted proverb says, "Amateurs speak of tactics; experts, of logistics." A Dynast who has mastered this Charm gains the ability to run the logistics portion of her unit with the grace, efficiency, and fluidic adaptability of Water.

In order to use this Charm, the Dynast must be in charge of or heavily involved in the running of the logistics of her "unit." This unit may refer to a number of fangs equal to the Terrestrial's Essence to begin with, although this is a synergistic Charm. Several Exalts working in unison can manage the affairs of mighty armies. Once the Dynast has had at least a week to adjust the logistical procedures of the unit (this does not need to be repeated even if the Dynast fails to renew the Charm; as long as she is comfortable with the procedures and maintains a level of efficiency, it will work again without much trouble) the unit will gain a bonus equal to her permanent Essence minus 2 to some aspect of the soldiering life-- Endurance for marches, Resistance for dealing with infection, Craft for maintenance of unit equipment, and so on.

The area this bonus deals with must be selected by the Dragon-blooded at the beginning of each month, and can never have a direct effect on a combat ability (Archery, Brawl, Dodge, Martial Arts, Melee, or Thrown). In addition, the dynast gains 2 automatic successes to any logistical rolls involving equipment, food, lodging, etc. that would have an effect on the area selected. The area selected must have some relation to a logistical matter.

This Charm has been adapted since its original creation in the First Age. During the Shogunate, its other uses were explored within bureaucratic organizations. Despite the inherently militant nature of the Charm, it was discovered swiftly that it adapted well to the organizational style of bureaucracies. When used in such a manner, count each "fang" as being five bureaucrats who can be ordered for internal consistency. They (and the user of the Charm) will receive the usual bonus for all bureaucracy rolls concerning their department, and the user will still receive the base 2 automatic successes. This can no more than double any one bureaucrat's Bureaucracy + Specialty.

 <b>Cost: 3 motes
 Duration: Instant
 Type: Reflexive
 Minimum Bureaucracy: 3
 Minimum Essence: 2
 Prerequisite Charms: None

A trained bureaucrat or merchant knows how to make the proper gestures to alleviate any inauspicious occurrence in their field, whether bargaining for a shipment of salt or organizing the latest committee on Salt-God Appeasement. By spending 3 motes of essence, the Terrestrial's player may reroll any Bureaucracy roll with his full dice pool. Any combos utilizing this Charm must then be repeated. Unlike most Dragon-Blooded reroll charms, this slightly-more-expensive Charm can be utilized twice on the same roll; every bureaucratic action in existence is mirrored in the Celestial Bureaucracy, often to a recursive level. As a result, it is slightly harder to penetrate the bonds of essence surrounding such occurrences, but such penetration has been made, the Terrestrial can exploit the preference of bureaucracies for triplicate action.

 <b>Cost: 3 motes per success
 Duration: Instant
 Type: Supplemental
 Minimum Bureaucracy: 3
 Minimum Essence: 3
 Prerequisite Charms: Any three Bureaucracy Charms

Although any bureaucrat or merchant must learn at least the basics of all permutations of their trade, it is the specialists who often dictate the results of entire organizations or trading companies. By acquiring dedicated, specialized knowledge and capabilities, such Terrestrials can ruthlessly carve out vital niches over which they alone have dominance.

A Dragon-Blooded using this Charm may convert up to her dots in a Bureaucracy specialty as automatic successes on any roll relevant to the specialty, rolling the remainder of her pool as normal.

 <b>Cost: None
 Duration: Permanent
 Type: Special
 Minimum Bureaucracy: 5
 Minimum Essence: 5
 Prerequisite Charms: 10 Bureaucracy Charms, of which at least 1 must come from each level of Essence from 1 to 5.

This is the Facet Attunement Charm (see DragonBloodedInvestigation/IsawaBrian under Insightful Water Dragon Attunement for details) for Bureaucracy. Taking this Charm Attunes the character to the Many-Coiled Facet of the Water Dragon, and thus negates the one mote surcharge for non-Water Blooded Terrestrials using Bureaucracy Charms. The Many-Coiled Facet of the Water Dragon represents the complicated, layered 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).

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