SolarAwareness/Gayo
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Detail-Drinking Gaze
Cost: 4m Minimums: Awareness 5, Essence 3 Type: Simple (Speed 7, -0) Keywords: Combo-OK Duration: Instant Prerequisites: Any Keen [Sense] Technique
Essence is merely one aspect of the essential one-ness, the inescapable self-similarity, of all things. A Lawgiver who cultivates her gestalt can see with a glance the importance of a person by the way his presence shapes the world around him. This is not a form of Essence-sight, but rather a preternatural attention to the hidden implications of subtle details and the subtle interconnections that bind all things.
The Exalt sizes up her target, which must have both an identity and an Essence rating, and instantly understands his capacity to influence the Time of Tumult. She receives a general idea of the target's ability to influence the world -- an aggregate of his Essence, Destiny, supernatural abilities, and natural prowess -- and determines the area in which this influence is greatest, be it single combat, leadership, manipulation, artifice, or something else. She can instantly figure the target's odds -- to the extent such things have meaning to the Exalted -- in standing against her or any other known factor. Finally, she may make a Perception+Awareness+Essence roll to discern the rough nature of any ongoing special powers the target has active, with a difficulty of the target's (Manipulation+Socialize/2) in a social situation or (Manipulation+War/2) during combat. "Special powers" include active Charms of non-instant duration, Permanent Charms and other innate paranormal abilities, and artifacts. This information is somewhat vague and does not identify the source of the power. For example, it might identify the effect of a Gem of Surface Thoughts as a probing psychic awareness, but would not determine its function or tie it to the hearthstone itself.
This power succeeds automatically; if contested by another perfect effect, the Solar gains automatic successes equal to her Essence in the contest. Understanding specific effects is a matter of interpreting the information given; if the Solar fails her Perception+Awareness+Essence roll she perceives the effects but cannot understand their nature.
