MaskGrace
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Mask Grace and Associated Charms
Forging the Mask Grace
Cost: 10 motes, 1 gossamer Duration: Instant Type: Simple Minimum Ring: 0 Minimum Essence: 1 Prerequisite Charms: Forging the Heart Grace
The raksha teaches a consenting target the ways of creation and form This charm consumes a supply of gossamer and creates an artifact. This artifact has the properties of a finely crafted weapon, suit of armor or tool, in addition to the standard grace qualities. Raksha and other essence users can attune to a creatures Mask Grace. This attunement requires 6 scenes of handling and a 1 mote commitment, which erases any previous creatures attunement. Creatures attuned to a creatures Mask Grace may strip away their understanding of form, This temporarily lowers the creatures Mask to 0, and deactivates all Mask based charms, or others that have been converted into mutation form. (this does not free up those mutation points, as the effects are not removed, merely temporarily negated.) Breaking or destroying someone's mask grace removes all mutation points, and makes them unable to create new ones them again until a new mask grace is forged, or two stories have passed. Creatures with a Mask grace may subtract their rating in it from the number of mutation points they possess to determine XP penalties, Essence limits, and how close they are to calcification/becoming unable to survive in creation. For example: A raksha has Essence 3, Mask 3, Willpower 8 and 8 mutation points. They suffer a 5 Xp penalty to raising their essence, have a maximum cap on their essence of 9, and may gain up to 6 more mutation points without calcifying. Raksha who are known to possess a Mask Grace are regarded with suspicion by other raksha. While any raksha that knows an assumption charm has some understanding of form, but those that possess a Mask Grace have gone beyond that, and made it an integral part of them, gaining a sophisticated understanding of the principles of taking shape that a raksha should not have. The Unshaped particularly loathe them, and will usually attack them upon detection.
Mask shaping combat
Mask shaping combat directly attacks the form of the other raksha. It constrains and twists their infinite possibilities into a definite shape. Whether that form is mighty and magnificent or twisted and useless is at the whim of the shaping raksha. The Mask is associated with the backgrounds Style, Gossamer, and Birth, the permanent Essence rating, and the other Graces, with the exception of the Heart. All measure the extent of your form, definition and impact on the universe around you. Mask combat Contests a victims solidity. Defeating an enemy in Mask combat forces mutations upon them, permanently defining their form
Shaping attacks, defences, and soak
Roll Style+Grace for attacks and blocks. Dodging a successful Mask attack requires a successful Style+Dodge (+Essence, in Exalted power combat). The base damage of a Mask attack is the raksha's Gossamer plus shaping weapon damage. Soak against Mask attacks equals the targets Birth+Willpower. The damage track for Mask attacks equals the targets Essence+Mask. In shaping combat, the Mask resembles Medicine, a slow, but very intimate reconstruction of the victims body and mind. It is less obviously harmful that other forms of shaping combat, but its effects tend to be longer lasting.
Mask combat
The mask can shape others through the body, the mind, the soul, and any other way in which they define themselves. Unlike other combat styles, it is open to new forms of attack, should the raksha possess further Graces than those previously defined.
Style+Cup</b>: The raksha persuades the victim to change themselves "willingly", through seduction, illusory offers, and beguilement.
<b>Style+Ring</b>: The raksha changes the victim by changing the laws of the universe around them, forcing them to change to adapt, or be twisted anyway.
<b>Style+Staff</b>: The Raksha changes the victim by social pressures, analysis and psychological manipulation.
<b>Style+Sword</b>: The raksha physically alters the victim from without.
<b>Style+Way</b>: The raksha forcibly rearranges the victim from within.
<b>Effects of damage
Raksha mark Mask damage off their Essence+Mask. When they have taken more Mask damage than the sum of their Essence+Mask traits, they lose the contest and are weaved. This allows the raksha to impose a number of mutation points upon the victim equal to the victims Mask score. This may be by converting charms that they already have into permanent form, any charms or mutations that the weaving raksha possesses, or any deficiencies, debilities or deformities (see the lunars book)
Weaving Places
Weaving waypoints imposes a defined spacial structure upon them. While still a part of the wyld for purposes of shaping combat and relationships with adjacent waypoints, they now have a definite fixed geography, size and map, like areas in creation, which cannot be altered exept by actual physical actions. Raksha cannot simply pass through them in a scene, but must move through them with ordinary movement, taking however long and facing all the obstacles it would normally take to travel an area of that size.
Weaving the Unshaped
Weaving the unshaped tears a part from them, and uses it to enhance a shaped rakshas definition. The raksha can directly create a Grace at level 3, or improve an existing level 3 or 4 grace by 1 dot without Xp expenditure. This may be used by the weaving raksha, or given to any other willing raksha or creature of creation. Creatures of creation given a Heart grace by this method become fair folk nobles and gain 2 to all attributes, 8 charms, the usual compliment of favoured abilities and 10 background points to put into FF backgrounds, but lose all previous species or exaltation based powers. Other graces must still be constructed separately. The raksha who weaved the unshaped owns the grace, regardless of who it is given to. (This does not apply if used to improve an existing Grace) A given unshaped can only be Weaved once per story.
Weaving Creatures of Creation
Creatures without a Mask Grace are still vulnerable to Weaving. However, they do not have a Mask Damage track. Instead of marking off damage, the victims player rolls Willpower+Essence at a difficulty equal to the number of damage sucesses. Exaltation confers the usual bonuses. If the roll succeeds, there is no effect, If it fails, they are Weaved, gaining a number of points of mutations equal to their permanent essence. A given individual can only be Weaved once per story.
Mask Grace Charms
Assumption of Celestial Aspect</i>
Cost: 10 motes, 1 gossamer
Duration: 1 story
Minimum Mask: 2
Minimum Essence: 2
Prerequisite Charms: Any one Assumption type charm, any one Mask based dice pool adjuster. (Soveregn Elemental Shape, Elegant Muse Attitude, etc)
A raksha that has studied creation and had contact with its exalted champions may learn to imitate them, and their superhuman potential. This is actualy a collection of charms, one for each caste. In addition to assuming a body and essence flow that superficialy resembles the approprate exalt type, including a caste mark and anima banner if the raksha expends essence, the raksha gains the following benefit.
Solar castes can add dice to their caste abilities for one roll at a cost of 1 mote/die, up to a limit of their highest feeding virtue. Lunar castes can add dice to their caste attributes for a scene, at the cost of 3 motes/die and 1 willpower, up to a limit of their highest feeding virtue. Sidereal castes can lower the TN of their caste abilities, for a cost of 1 mote and 1 paradox die per TN reduction (as usurping the sidereals capabilities directly attracts the pattern spiders ire). They cannot use this effect if they posess Mad god mien.
There are abysall assumption variants, which require assumption of cerements and bone, and allow you to reduce opponents rolls of your caste abilites by spending 2 motes per die. These are Assumption type charms
<i>Assumption of Brass and Pain. </i>
Cost: 10 motes, 1 gossamer
Duration: 1 Story
Type: Reflexive.
Minimum Mask: 1
Minimum Essence: 2
Prerequisite charms: None.
The raksha passes through the gateway Nirakara, filling her form with demonic essence, and steps onto the desert Cecelyne as a shaped creature. The raksha must choose a species of first circle demon to emulate when invoking this charm. In addition to resembling a demon of that species, the raksha gains a bonus equal to their highest feeding virtue to the ability that demon has the highest rating in. This is an assumption type charm.
<i>Grasping claw of Malfeas </i>
Cost: 1 gossamer
Duration: 1 Story
Type: Reflexive.
Minimum Mask: 1
Minimum Essence: 2
Prerequisite Charms: Assumption of Brass and Pain.
The raksha affects realty though the essence of the demon realm. This charm gives the raksha access to the following ability. This ability affects normal actions rather than shaping actions. Demonic influence: By spending 5 motes, the raksha may grant a wyld bonus or penalty to a single action. If in malfeas, cecelyne, or other parts of the demon realm this is a 3 die modifier. If outside it, the modifier is 3 dice during calibration. 2 dice during the new moon ( the 28th and 1st of each month. ) and 1 die at other times. The raksha's player must describe how he uses demonic energy to aid or hinder the action. The raksha must have Assumption of Brass and Pain active.
<i>Answering the Call</i>
Cost: 1 gossamer
Duration: 1 Story
Type: Reflexive.
Minimum Mask: 1
Minimum Essence: 2
Prerequisite Charms: Assumption of Brass and Pain.
This charm allows the raksha to mirror the essence flows of a demon with sufficient accuracy to insinuate herself into the treaty between the exalted and the yozi's. While the raksha is within the demon realm with this charm active, they can detect when a sorcerer is going to summon a demon of the species they are assuming, and may spend a willpower point to step onto the desert cecelyne and answer the summoning in their place. When they arrive, they must contest the sorcerer, and may be bound or banished as normal. However, if bound, they may escape the treaties conditions by activating another assumption charm and deactivating assumption of brass and pain.
<i>Assumption of Autochthonian Elemental Shape. </i>
Cost: 10 motes, 1 gossamer
Duration: 1 Story
Type: Reflexive.
Minimum Mask: 1
Minimum Essence: 2
Prerequisite Charms: None
The Fair Folk are nothing if not adaptable, and these new assumptions were created by enterprising raksha soon after the beginning of the locust crusade. The raksha passes through the gateway nirakara, and exists as a shaped creature. This charm is actually six different charms. Each offers a different benefit.
- <i>Assumption of Elemental Shape (Crystal) - The raksha adds a number of dice equal to their highest feeding virtue on attempts to communicate with creatures of Autochthon. This includies custodians, machine spirits, and the upgraded pattern spiders, but not humans, rats or gremlins.
- Assumption of Elemental Shape (Lightning)</b> - The raksha suffers no ill effects from electricity or lightning effects.
- <b>Assumption of Elemental Shape (Metal)</b> - The raksha registers as harmless to the mechanical inhabitants of autocthon. As long as they do not behave in a harmful way, they will be ignored by custodians and the like.
- <b>Assumption of Elemental Shape (Oil)</b> - The raksha may ingest and breath under Oil without harm. In addition, they add a number of dice equal to their highest feeding virtue to rolls to escape clinches and holds.
- <b>Assumption of Elemental Shape (Smoke)</b> - The raksha is immune to nonmagical irritants and corrosives. In addition they suffer no visibility penalties as a result of smoke, steam, or other opaque gaseous substances.
- <b>Assumption of Elemental Shape (Steam)</b> - The raksha suffers no damage from nonmagical boiling liquids or steam. (If they are also corrosive or otherwise harmful, this does not protect them from those effects unless they also have Assumption of elemental shape (smoke) active as well
This is an Assumption type charm
<b>Assumption of (Magical Material) Form
Cost: 10 motes, 1 gossamer
Duration: 1 Story
Type: Reflexive.
Minimum Mask: 2
Minimum Essence: 3
Prerequisite Charms: Any one Assumption of Elemental Aspect for Jade, an appropriate Assumption of Celestial Aspect for the other magical materials.
The raksha passes through the gateway nirakara and enters creation as a shaped creature. This is five charms, one for each type of magical material. While in this form, his skin glistens with the hues of the magical material he is assuming. The raksha may attune to items of that magical material for the normal cost, and gains the full benefits of doing so. In addition, they automatically gain benefits to their stats as if they were wearing hearthstone bracers of the same type of magical material, (see exalted, p338) may inflict lethal damage with unarmed attacks and parry unarmed without a stunt, and their unarmed attacks gain stat bonus's as if they were made of that kind of magical material (see exalted, p341.)
This is an Assumption type charm.
Assumption of Rainbows and Diamonds</i>
Cost: 20 motes, 1 Willpower, 3 gossamer
Duration: 1 Story
Type: Reflexive.
Minimum Mask: 5
Minimum Essence: 5
Prerequisite Charms: All 5 assumption of elemental form charms
The raksha draws upon the essence of all 5 elements, and weaves for herself a perfect form with which to pass through the gateway nirakara and become a shaped creature, incorporating all aspects of, and in harmony with the world. The raksha gains the benefits of all 5 assumption of elemental form charms, including the ability to use charms requiring one of those to be active. In addition, their harmonious attunement with creation grants then the following benefits:
- The perfect beauty of their form is such that the elements will not touch them. They are immune to all environmental penalties and damage, unless imposed by magical sources.
- Nor can living things of creation. Creatures of creation cannot bring themselves to act in a hostile manner to the fair folk, and must spend a willpower point to not actively try to please and obey them, unless they have a Conviction+Essence higher than the raksha's Appearance.
- The raksha is perfectly insulated from the banality of creation. While they still cannot respire, they do not automatically lose a mote of essence per day. In addition, their understanding of creation is strong enough that they may weave the elements of creation as they would the wyld, by spending 1 gossamer and rolling Dexterity+Athletics as a sword-shaping action, or Intelligence+Craft (Glamour) as a ring shaping action.
They still may not perform Cup or Staff shaping actions, or use other dice pools to perform shaping actions in creation, unless other charms enable this. - They gain soak of 5B/5L. This is natural soak, stacks with other soak boosting charms, and applies against all creation based sources of aggravated damage as well, including cold iron.
This is an Assumption type charm
<i>Assumption of Primordial Integration.</i>
Cost: 10 motes, 0 gossamer
Duration: 1 Story
Type: Reflexive.
Minimum Mask: 3
Minimum Essence: 4
Prerequisite Charms: Answering the Call
The raksha strikes a deal with a second circle demon. In return for taking their place when a sorcerer attempts to summon that particular demon, the raksha gains the following benefits.
They pass through the gateway nirakara, and exist as a shaped creature resembling a specific second circle demon. They receive a number of automatic successes equal to their Mask rating on all attempts to maintain this disguise.
They receive a number of Mutation points equal to the permanent essence of the demon they are assuming to spend on enhancements appropriate to the nature of the demon they are serving, as per adjurations, at no cost. These enhancements are removed at the end of the story, when the term of service ends.
For example: In his attempts to marshal allies to overthrow creation, Prince Japethra crosses the desert cecelyne and performs an assumption of primordial integration with Zsofika, the kite flute. This gives him 6 mutation points to spend on enhancements at no cost. He takes Adored by all the worlds as a permanent effect, attracting hordes of standard bearers to him as Zsofika would, Preemptive declaration of victory as an ongoing effect, activated when people hear the music of his followers, and a +2 to perception+investigation (tracking) rolls with Surpassing Excellence.
If killed by creatures of creation, the raksha does not die, instead reforming in the Demon realm after 5 days. If killed by charms that permanently destroy spirits, they cannot reform.
Beyond the requirement to answer summonings in their place, the raksha has no particular limitations on their actions or obligations to the demon assumed. However, many of them will demand other terms of service in return for agreeing to this, and may give other material benefits in return. These deals are as treacherous as any between two creatures that are bound to the letter, but not the spirit of their words.
This is an Assumption type charm
<i>Assumption of the Seed</i>
Cost: 2 motes, 2 Willpower, 4 gossamer
Duration: One lifetime
Type: Reflexive.
Minimum Mask: 4
Minimum Essence: 2
Prerequisite Charms: Assumption of Dreams and Passion.
The raksha passes through the gateway nirakara, and enters the womb of a woman as a shaped creature. This requires physical contact, and a Manipulation+Craft(glamour) roll with a difficulty equal to the woman's Temperance+Essence. (Most raksha perform this charm while the victim is asleep or otherwise unaware. If the woman has already had consensual sex with the raksha, the difficulty of using this charm is reduced to their Temperance score) If successful, the rakshas current body dematerialises, and they exist as a wyld taint within the body of the woman, who begins showing symptoms of pregnancy as if she had fallen pregnant normally. Over the gestation period, the raksha slowly crafts a body that resembles an ordinary member of that species in every way. This body is more stable than most created by assumption charms, and after the initial expenditure of gossamer, lasts indefinitely (for the normal lifespan of a member of that species ) for no further cost. It ages and requires sleep, food, and other bodily needs as if it were an ordinary member of its species (unless the raksha has other charms which grant it additional abilities) The raksha recieves a number of automatic successes equal to their Mask rating on any attempt to hide their true nature, and convince people they are an ordinary member of their species.
This is an Assumption type charm.
<i>Assumption of the Individual</i>
Cost: 10 motes, 1 gossamer
Duration: 1 Story
Type: Reflexive.
Minimum Mask: 5
Minimum Essence: 3
Prerequisite Charms: Any five assumption charms, at least one of which must be of the type of the creature assumed.
The raksha passes through the gateway nirakara, and adopts the shape of a specific individual. The raksha appears physically identical to them, can automatically lower their dice pools to match the capabilites of the person they are imitating if they are lower, and can add a number of dice up to their highest feeding virtue to emulate areas where the person imitated has a higher dice pool than the raksha. As long as the raksha stays within the capabilities of the person they are imitating, they gain a number of automatic successes equal to their Mask+Essence on all attempts to avoid detection. If they use powers which the person imitated doesn't have or cannot match their capabilities in some important area, this is reduced to a number of successes equal to their Essence against people who have observed the flaws in the role.
This is an Assumption type charm
Comments
I dredged this up from this Rpgnet thread HERE and have posted it on the Wiki 'cuz it's too damn good to fall into obscurity in the depths of the forums. All of the brainwork on this is (un)reason's I take no credit for any of it. If there is any objection to these being here, I'd be glad to get rid of it. -MadGreenSon
I hope there isn't, because these are brilliant.
-- Darloth
Yeah, (un)reason has done a lot of good stuff that should be on the wiki, imo. I've often wondered why it hasn't already been put here, and why (un)reason hasn't got an account on here for that matter. Charm Analysis on Sidereals, Mountain Folk and Dragon Kings. Mutation Analysis. I think he / she has worked on a Way Grace for Raksha as well. All excellent and deserving of being here. - nikink
