Linguistics

This tree has been written on the basis that:

Linguistics is the Ability used for all written social influence rolls. The document that carries the social influence is called a missive in this tree.
A person must actively choose to read a missive to be affected by any social influence within it.
Missives are targeted at either a specific person (and have no effect on others), or at a group (receiving the group penalty for social influence).
Motes spent on creating a missive remain committed for as long as the Solar wants the bonus to remain. If the missive was targeted at a specific person, the motes are automatically released as soon as they read it.

However, you can overlook the last point if desired.

Penmanship

Whirling Brush Method

Cost: 3m
Type: Supplemental
Mins: Linguistics 1, Essence 1

This Linguistics action is completed in seconds. This Charm may be used to copy very large or complex documents (such as books or maps) in a matter of minutes.

Flawless Brush Discipline

Cost: 1m
Type: Supplemental
Mins: Linguistics 4, Essence 1
Prereqs: Whirling Brush Method

This missive created by this Linguistics roll yields no information when analysed, such as when checked for forgery or scrutinised with Sagacious Reading Of Intent. Effects that detect magic will be unable to identify what kind of magic has been used in it.

Stolen Voice Technique

Cost: 4m
Type: Supplemental
Keywords: Psyche
Mins: Linguistics 4, Essence 2
Prereqs: Flawless Brush Discipline

The missive produced by this action appears to have been obviously written by someone else, chosen by the Solar. Treat it as having done so, for the purposes of the reader’s Intimacies.

Flashing Quill Atemi

Cost: 3m, 1wp
Type: Simple
Mins: Linguistics 5, Essence 3
Prereqs: Stolen Voice Technique

At a touch, the Solar rearranges the words in a missive, changing either the target or the desired effect (as long as it remains the same type of action - bargain, inspire, instil, persuade, or threaten).

Perfect Celestial Author

Type: Permanent
Mins: Linguistics 5, Essence 4
Prereqs: Flashing Quill Atemi

When using Flashing Quill Atemi, the Solar can add any of their own non-Excellency Charms to the missive.

Moving The Unseen Hand

Type: Permanent
Mins: Linguistics 5, Essence 4
Prereqs: Flashing Quill Atemi

The Solar may use Flashing Quill Atemi to amend any missive they can see. If they have not read the missive, and try to turn it into a different form of influence action, the message ends up garbled beyond repair.

Subtext

Letter-Within-A-Letter Technique

Cost: 1m
Type: Supplemental
Mins: Linguistics 3, Essence 1

The missive produced by this action appears completely innocuous to everyone except its intended target, and no mundane efforts can prove otherwise. This may be used to convey mundane messages, as well as written social influence.

Power-Snaring Image

Type: Permanent
Mins: Linguistics 4, Essence 2
Prereqs: Flawless Brush Discipline

The Solar can use appropriate non-Excellency Charms from other social Abilities while making a missive, by committing the motes for them. When the letter is read by the target, the words are so vivid that they perceive the Solar talking to them - the Charms take effect, and the motes are released.

Essence-Laden Missive

Cost: 1m, 1wp
Type: Supplemental
Keywords: Psyche
Mins: Linguistics 4, Essence 2
Prereqs: Letter-Within-A-Letter Technique

If this missive is received by its target, it will automatically be read. Individuals targeted by a missive find it overwhelmingly compelling, whereas a missive targeted at a group is automatically read out loud by any member of the group who glances at it.

Cup Boils Over

Cost: 5m, 1wp
Type: Supplemental
Keywords: Psyche
Mins: Linguistics 5, Essence 3
Prereqs: Essence-Laden Missive

This written inspire action creates feelings that are treated as Defining Intimacies, rather than Major Intimacies.

Voice-Caging Calligraphy

Cost: 2m, 1wp
Type: Supplemental
Keywords: Psyche
Mins: Linguistics 5, Essence 2
Prereqs: Letter-Within-A-Letter Technique

This missive also acts as an instil action, to give a new Defining Intimacy of “Do Not Repeat The Contents Of The Missive”. The reader may only do so only if another Defining Intimacy counteracts it, allowing them to pay the Solar’s Essence in temporary Willpower in order to break free of the compulsion.

Mind-Swallowing Missive

Cost: 8m, 1wp
Type: Supplemental
Keywords: Psyche
Mins: Linguistics 5, Essence 3
Prereqs: Voice-Caging Calligraphy

If the reader resists this missive, they can think of nothing else. They are unable to attempt any Linguistics checks, or use spoken language, until they spend points of temporary Willpower and hours in meditation equal to the Solar’s Essence.

Unbreakable Fascination Method

Type: Permanent
Mins: Linguistics 5, Essence 4
Prereqs: Mind-Swallowing Missive

When using Essence-Laden Missive, recipients of a missive will only ever stop reading at the conclusion of the document, or in the face of immediate physical harm.

Tongues

Poetic Expression Style

Cost: 4m, 1wp
Type: Simple
Duration: Indefinite
Mins: Linguistics 3, Essence 1

The Solar can communicate themselves reliably (including complex information) using body language alone, but cannot make social influence this way.

Strange Tongue Understanding

Type: Permanent
Mins: Linguistics 4, Essence 1
Prereqs: Poetic Expression Style

While using Poetic Expression Style, the Solar can also understand what people are saying by body language alone. This does not allow people who are speaking a language the Solar does not know to make social influence against them.

Mingled Tongue Technique

Type: Permanent
Mins: Linguistics 5, Essence 1
Prereqs: Poetic Expression Style

While using Poetic Expression Style, the Solar is able to communicate in multiple languages at once, and make social influence actions against anyone who knows at least one of those languages.

Single Voice Kata

Type: Permanent
Mins: Linguistics 5, Essence 2
Prereqs: Mingled Tongue Technique

While using Poetic Expression Style, the Solar may choose to communicate in a universally understood language. This language is despised by spirits and Fair Folk, who will immediately gain a negative Major Intimacy toward the Solar if addressed in this way.

Heaven-Drawing Discipline

Cost: 8m, 1wp
Type: Supplemental
Mins: Linguistics 5, Essence 3
Prereqs: Single Voice Kata

The Solar may make a written social influence action in drawings alone, relating complex ideas in a way that can be read and understood by anyone.

Excellent Emissary’s Tongue

Type: Permanent
Mins: Linguistics 5, Essence 3
Prereqs: Single Voice Kata, Strange Tongue Understanding

While using Poetic Expression Style, the Solar perfectly understands and speaks any language that they have been exposed to for at least a hour.

Reading

Sagacious Reading Of Intent

Cost: 2m
Type: Supplemental
Mins: Linguistics 4, Essence 1

This read intentions action can be done in the target’s absence without penalty, as long as the Solar has a missive from them to read. If the letter did not come from who it purports to be, this is immediately clear to the Solar.

Word-Shield Invocation

Cost: 4m
Type: Reflexive
Mins: Linguistics 5, Essence 2
Prereqs: Sagacious Reading Of Intent

Used when receiving written social influence, the Solar may Clash it with an [Attribute originally used]+Linguistics check. If this accrues more successes than the missive, the Solar may ignore the social influence attempt on account of its shoddy penmanship.

Swift Sage’s Eye

Type: Permanent
Mins: Linguistics 5, Essence 2
Prereqs: Word-Shield Invocation

When receiving a missive, the Solar immediately recognises it as a form of written social influence, and whether or not any magic has been used in its inscription. They may choose whether or not to start reading it on this basis.

Discerning Savant’s Eye

Type: Permanent
Mins: Linguistics 5, Essence 2
Prereqs: Sagacious Reading Of Intent

The Solar can perceive faded, damaged, or erased text as though it were fresh, as long as the medium upon which it was written still exists.

Vanishing Immersion Style

Cost: 1m
Type: Simple
Duration: Indefinite
Keywords: Once/scene
Mins: Linguistics 5, Essence 2
Prereqs: Sagacious Reading Of Intent

Used while reading, this makes the Solar’s Guile perfect (unless they are being read in their absence). Making any action that requires a check breaks their immersion, and ends this Charm.

Perfect Recollection Discipline

Type: Permanent
Mins: Linguistics 5, Essence 3
Prereqs: Vanishing Immersion Style

The Solar automatically remembers, in perfect detail, every book they have ever read. They may use Vanishing Immersion Style without a book, simply by recalling one - doing so makes them appear obviously distracted.

GracefulCharmMethodology/SolarLinguistics

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