SolarCraft/IsawaBrian
- SolarCraft
- IsawaBrian
Bountiful Salesman</b>
<b>Cost:1 mote per die Duration: Instant Type: Supplemental Minimum Bureaucracy: 1 Minimum Essence: 1 Prerequisite Charms: None
The Exalted takes on a mien of plenty and sophistication, giving him an incredible verve for the art of the deal. For every 1 mote spent activating this Charm, add 1 die to the Solar's Attribute + Bureaucracy pool for the purposes of mercantile endeavors, to a maximum of doubling the initial pool.
In second edition, this Charm is a Presence Charm.
Heavenly Privilege</b>
<b>Cost:6 motes Duration: Indefinite Type: Simple Minimum Bureaucracy: 3 Minimum Essence: 3 Prerequisite Charms: Special
As the personal representatives of the Unconquered Sun, Solars were once charged with the responsibility of managing interactions between Heaven and Creation. During the First Age, Solars with sufficient knowledge of bureaucratic processes used their position in Creation to gain rights of entry into Yu Shan. This Charm automatically allows the character full access to Yu Shan as though she was an Eclipse, and also allows the character to spot and enter any hidden gateways. An Eclipse may use this charm for half cost. No matter what form of motes is used to power this Charm, they will always count as peripheral for the purposes of anima banner level. While this Charm is active, the character's anima banner cannot recede below the 4-6 level.
In modern times, this Charm is somewhat dangerous to use, as it marks the Solar quite clearly on the home ground of some of the most powerful enemies of Solars-- the Bronze Faction Sidereals and the gods who have to work with them. In emergencies, however, it does mark the character as an important person, whom it would not be wise to publicly attack. Add 1 to the severity of all offenses against the character, if the crime is committed in public, to a maximum of 5 after all modifications are included. If used in the presence of most Celestial Lions, it will earn the character the protection of said Lion, for as long as the character remains within that being's zone of operations. No Lion will abandon their post, after all. Some may choose to call for support to bodyguard a Solar under obvious threat; others may very well inform the Bronze Faction as soon as the character leaves.
In order to learn this Charm, the Solar must have learned a Transcendent (Ability) Prowess in one of their Caste Abilities.
In Second Edition, this Charm is Obvious, and requires Any Bureaucracy Excellency as well as a Caste Transcendent (Ability) Prowess.
Master of the Prodigious Department</b>
<b>Cost:15 motes, 2 Willpower Duration: One Week Type: Simple Minimum Bureaucracy: 5 Minimum Essence: 4 Prerequisite Charms: Bureau-Rectifying Method, Foul Air of Argument Technique
The Solar surrounds himself with a mantle of authority and mastery. His Essence reaches out, and taps into the ordered nature of bureaucracies to assume control over them, dominating them by the full force of his personality. In addition to being able to alter the bureaucracy's speed as though using Foul Air of Argument Technique or Speed the Wheels, the character may completely control the direction the department is heading, force members to the tasks he desires, and so on. The Exalt must interact with the bureau in question (which can involve no more people than 20 x his permanent Essence) at least an hour a day to maintain control. If two Exalts fight for control of a bureau with this or other Charms (such as someone using Foul Air of Argument or Indolent Official to slow down a bureau that the Solar is speeding), they must make contested Essence rolls for dominance.
Beings with Willpower less than the character's Essence are unable to disobey, although they will not work more than 12 hours a day without good motivation, nor will they engage in self-destructive or directly harmful activities (indirectly harmful actions, such as career-ending investigations of powerful officials, are fine). Beings with Willpower less than twice the character's Essence must succeed on a Willpower roll against the character's permanent Essence to disobey; success immunizes the character to direct commands but not speed-alteration for a week. The target may also make a Conviction roll to avoid following a single command that would otherwise be repugnant to him. Finally, beings with a Willpower greater than twice the Solar's only need succeed on a Conviction roll to avoid being directly commanded for a week, but cannot stop the speed-alteration.
This Charm will not function on a bureau that contains a being with an Essence equal to or greater than the Solar's, unless that being gives permission. Needless to say, using this on departments of the Celestial Bureaucracy will qualify as at least a Severity 3 offense unless the head of the department and her immediate superior give permission.
In Second Edition, this Charm functions slightly differently:
Cost: 15m, 2wp; Mins: Bureaucracy 5, Essence 4; Type: Simple Keywords: Combo-Basic, Servitude, Social Duration: One week Prerequisite Charms: Bureau-Rectifying Method, Foul Air of Argument Technique
The Solar surrounds himself with a mantle of authority and mastery. His Essence reaches out, and taps into the ordered nature of bureaucracies to assume control over them, dominating them by the full force of his personality. The Solar may seize control over a social unit of a bureaucratic type-- determined by the GM, but almost never including actual armies-- with a Magnitude no greater than his Essence, whose leader (not counting the bonuses from the social unit) has an MDV no greater than the Solar's Bureaucracy. For one week, the Solar maintains complete power over the unit as though he were its leader, and its Loyalty is considered to be 10, rather than the Solar's Willpower. Individual members may throw off this unnatural compulsion by spending 2 willpower for a scene. In addition, the character receives a discount to any Bureaucracy Charms used on the unit in motes equal to his Permanent Essence (minimum cost 0.) This Charm will not function on a bureau that contains a being with an Essence equal to or greater than the Solar's, unless that being gives permission. Needless to say, using this on departments of the Celestial Bureaucracy will qualify as at least a Severity 3 offense unless the head of the department and her immediate superior give permission.
Well-Organized Methodology</b>
<b>Cost:1 mote per die Duration: Instant Type: Supplemental Minimum Bureaucracy: 1 Minimum Essence: 1 Prerequisite Charms: None
The Solar taps into the basic order and Creation-harmonizing nature of bureaucracies, giving herself the edge in negotiating, navigating, and controlling them. For every 1 mote spent activating this Charm, add 1 die to the Solar's Attribute + Bureaucracy pool for the purposes of dealing with bureaucracies and bureaucratic organization, to a maximum of doubling the initial pool.
In Second Edition, this Charm functions differently:
Cost: 12m, 1wp; Mins: Bureaucracy 5, Essence 4; Type: Simple Keywords: Combo-OK Duration: Indefinite Prerequisite Charms: Bureau-Rectifying Method
Well-organized plans are the key to achieving goals. A Solar planner can achieve extraordinary efficiency-- even overcoming the most unrealistic of designs. The Solar makes an Intelligence + Bureaucracy roll and her player describes a general plan in pursuit of objectives relevant to the Policy of a social unit of which the Solar is a member. The Storyteller should hep flesh out the plan based on an outside perspective on the campaign and in terms of a Solar's rational expectations for application and success. So long as the members of the social unit follow both plan and Policy, they gain a bonus in dice equal to the successes rolled by the Solar on the Intelligence + Bureaucracy roll to actions which follow the plan in pursuit of their Policy. These do count as dice from Charms and against the usual limits of such; however, such is the virtue of the Exalt’s planning that those receiving this benefit may use the higher of the Exalt’s Essence or their usual limits. Well-Organized Methodologies do depend on the institutional and collective force of the organizations involved. If half or more of the unit does not regularly follow the plan, or even as much as a third of the unit acts contrary to either their Policy or the plan, this Charm fails and its motes become uncommitted, whether the Solar desires it or not.
Transcendent Bureaucracy Prowess</b>
<b>Cost:None Duration: Permanent Type: Special Minimum Bureaucracy: 5 Minimum Essence: 3 Prerequisite Charms: Irresistible Salesman Spirit, Bureau-Rectifying Technique
The character's mastery of the principles of bureaucracy and economics has become internalized. He simply has a knack for overcoming obstacles, whether of the red tape kind, or of the stubborn barterer variety. Subtract two from the difficulty of all Bureaucracy rolls (minimum difficulty one).
This Charm was inspired by Neph. In second edition, this Charm no longer requires Irresistible Salesmen Spirit or Bureau-Rectifying Technique. It reduces any penalties to Bureaucracy rolls by2. Its Prerequisite Charms are all three Bureaucracy Excellencies, Infinite Bureaucracy Mastery, and Essence Bureaucracy Flow.
Lord of the Forms</b>
<b>Cost:None Duration: Permanent Type: Special Minimum Bureaucracy: 5 Minimum Essence: 5 Prerequisite Charms: Transcendent Bureacuracy Prowess
This Charm may only be taken by Eclipse-caste Solars. It is a natural development of their anima powers and relies on the basic universality of their souls and caste. Even characters capable somehow of mimicking the Eclipse caste ability to learn Charms from other entities than Solars may not learn this Charm. This Charm represents the natural bureaucratic talents of the Eclipse Caste developing beyond the norm. As a result, the cost to activate non-Solar Bureaucracy Charms is reduced to normal. The doubled experienced cost to learn such Charms remains. The Eclipse expands the writ granted to her soul over Bureaucratic charms via an extension of her inherent bureaucratic nature. This Charm is only possible because of the Caste-harmony of an Eclipse; similar Charms can be developed for other Eclipse Abilities, but not for Abilities or Attributes that do not correspond to their Caste.
The concept for this Charm was inspired by Brent D. In Second Edition, this Charm reduces the 2-mote surcharge of non-Solar Bureaucracy Charms to 0.
Clever Discussion Discipline</b>
<b>Cost:6 motes Duration: One hour Type: Simple Minimum Bureaucracy: 3 Minimum Essence: 1 Prerequisite Charms: None
By creating an aura of trust and talkativeness around himself, the Solar makes it easier to buy and sell, or to manipulate bureaucrats. People simply find it more comfortable to follow the Exalt's lead on such matters. For the next hour, add the Solar's Essence in dice to all bureaucracy rolls of any kind.
In Second Edition, this Charm is Combo-Basic, and the Duration is reduced to One Scene. Instead of dice, it adds successes. Its minimums are raised to Bureaucracy 5, Essence 3, and it has a prerequisite of Infinite Bureaucracy Mastery.
Heavenly Displeasure Subclause</b>
<b>Cost:None Duration: Permanent Type: Special Minimum Bureaucracy: 4 Minimum Essence: 4 Prerequisite Charms: None
This Charm may only be taken by Eclipse-caste Solars. It is a natural development of their anima powers and relies on their specific position in the Celestial Bureaucracy. Even characters capable somehow of mimicking the Eclipse caste ability to learn Charms from other entities than Solars may not learn this Charm. This alters the natural Eclipse capacity to sanctify a bargain. In addition to the base cost and effects for breaking the deal, the Eclipse may pay 5 motes per die, up to a maximum number of dice equal to the character's permanent Essence.
Upon violating the oath, in addition to the usual botches, the oathbreaker will suffer aggravated health levels of damage that can only be soaked by natural soak equal to the number of dice invested in the contract. This damage takes the form of a burning brand upon the oathbreaker's soul and forehead. This brand clearly marks the character as an oathbreaker, regardless of the means of sensory perception or literacy/lack-of-literacy on the part of an observer, and will burn through any concealment, even the Five Magical Materials! This brand can only be removed by a healing effect that is capable of healing aggravated damage and must be administered by an entity of greater or equal Essence than the Eclipse's own.
The brand effect of this Charm was inspired by Cera L. This Charm is unchanged in Second Edition.
Beatific Fraternity of the Bureaucrats</b>
<b>Cost:8 motes Duration: One Day Type: Simple Minimum Bureaucracy: 5 Minimum Essence: 2 Prerequisite Charms: Bureaucratic Concealment Technique
The character becomes like a friendly member of a brotherhood with any and all bureaucracies he interacts with or are concerned with him. Processes he desires are speeded up; those that would impede the Solar are hindered. Add one die to the bureaucracy rolls of any bureaucratic endeavor done in the character's favor; add the character's Essence to the difficulty of any bureaucratic endeavor that would hinder or harm the character. This is especially efficacious against attempting to hinder the Solar by paperwork
On its own, this Charm will not affect the workings of the Bureau of Destiny, which are too closely protected by the Essence of the Maidens and the Sidereal Exalted. However, if this Charm is activated at the same time that Burning Star Style (see SolarResistance/IsawaBrian) is active on the Solar, remove the one-die bonus to astrological or fate-related effects that serve to detect the character. The Solar's essence-flare will also not disturb the Pattern Spiders, as it is smoothly integrated by the use of this Charm. There is no direct game effect from this latter modification, but the GM should keep it in mind for roleplay purposes.
In Second Edition, this Charm is mostly unchanged. Simply change the effect on negative bureaucratic endeavours to an External Penalty equal to the Lawgiver's permanent Essence.
Golden Palm Procedure</b>
<b>Cost:12 motes, 2 Willpower Duration: One Week Type: Simple Minimum Bureaucracy: 5 Minimum Essence: 4 Prerequisite Charms: Beatific Fraternity of the Bureaucrats, Forgetful Bureau Charm
The Solar's mighty Essence creates a powerful invisible field around her, removing her from the petty concerns of bureaucracy. As long as she maintains Golden Palm Procedure (half of the essence spent on this Charm is funneled directly into Ryzala's pocket, although this is considered a use of Solar privilege, and not bribery), the Exalt is utterly invisible to bureaucracies. Her finances cannot be tracked (which can make dealing with the Guild difficult), paperwork written about her will be lost, and bureaus assigned to investigate her will end up following different suspects. This may make it difficult to impossible for the Solar to access some of her Resources, contacts, and organizations.
Ordinarily, this Charm will not affect the Bureau of Destiny, like Beatific Fraternity of the Bureaucrats. However, if this Charm is activated at the same time that Burning Star Style (see SolarResistance/IsawaBrian) is active on the Solar, the Solar instantly becomes invisible to the Pattern Spiders. For the purposes of astrological or fate-related effects, the character becomes outside of Fate and may not be affected by astrological effects at all. During this time, if the character has the Destiny merit, it will cease to function. Luck and Unluck alike only affect the character at half their usual level, rounded down.
This Charm has the keyword Illusion in Second Edition; it effectively creates the Illusion of the user's non-existence to any relevant bureaucracy. This is a perfect effect; if an automatic attempt to detect the character is used by a relevant bureaucrat, a contested Essence roll as per Irresistible Force Meets Unmovable Object is appropriate.
As A Paper Legion</b>
<b>Cost:3 motes Duration: One scene Type: Supplemental Minimum Bureaucracy: 1 Minimum Essence: 1 Prerequisite Charms: None
The Exalt becomes a whirlwind of efficiency, her Shard tuned to the harmonies and Essence that infuse bureaucracies. By tapping into the universalist structure of the Celestial Bureaucracy, the Solar gains great mastery over lesser bureaucracies and negotiations in general. Add the Solar's Essence in automatic successes to bureaucracy rolls of any kind for the remainder of the scene.
In Second Edition, this Charm is very different:
Cost: --; Mins: Bureaucracy 5, Essence 4; Type: Permanent Keywords: None Prerequisite Charms: Infinite Bureaucracy Mastery, Bureaucracy Essence Flow
At their hearts, Solars are ultimately warriors and champions, rulers destined to command and be obeyed. Whenever the character is using Bureaucracy on behalf of a unit under her control, that she has been given specific bureaucratic authority over (as a logistics officer or quartermaster, for example), or for a domain in which she is a legitimate sorcerer, she may use Bureaucracy Excellencies as non-Charm actions via Bureaucracy Essence Flow and still gain discounts from Charms and effects such as Infinite Bureaucracy Mastery.
Hard Work's Reward</b>
<b>Cost:3 motes per success Duration: Instant Type: Supplemental Minimum Bureaucracy: 2 Minimum Essence: 1 Prerequisite Charms: None
The dedication and focus of a Solar can produce powerful results. Whether turned against the slow monster of a bureaucracy or the clever wiles of a merchant, such concentration can give the Solar an edge, whether in financial matters or organizational control. After making a normal Bureaucracy roll, the Solar's player may buy a number of extra successes equal to the original successes rolled plus her character's permanent Essence.
In Second Edition, this Charm is very different:
Cost: --; Mins: Bureaucracy 5, Essence 4; Type: Permanent Keywords: None Prerequisite Charms: Infinite Bureaucracy Mastery, Bureaucracy Essence Flow
Although Solars have broad authority and potentially limitless reach, dedication and hard work can pay off. Whenever the character is making a roll to which one of his specialties would apply, he may use Bureaucracy Excellencies as non-Charm actions via Bureaucracy Essence Flow and still gain discounts from Charms and effects such as Infinite Bureaucracy Mastery.
Second Edition
Bureaucratic Concealment Technique</b>
<b>Cost:4 motes; Mins: Bureaucracy 4, Essence 2; Type: Simple (Dramatic Action) Keywords: Combo-OK Duration: Indefinite Prerequisite Charms: Indolent Official Charm
This is a mechanical conversion of the Charm on p CB: E 71. Note that since it simply “loses” the item within the bureaucracy and does not actually force any individual bureaucrat to conceal the item directly, it is not a mental influence, natural or unnatural. The Charm must be defeated through the use of Investigation and other anti-concealment effects, not the expenditure of willpower.
Forgetful Bureau Charm</b>
<b>Cost:10 motes, 1 willpower; Mins: Bureaucracy 5, Essence 3; Type: Simple Keywords: Combo-OK, Social, Compulsion Duration: Instant Prerequisite Charms: Indolent Official Charm
This is a mechanical conversion of the Charm on p CB: E 71. Although this Charm does not require a Dramatic Action to take effect, its effects do take a similarly long time to propagate, as per the original Charm. Note that this is technically a perfect social attack on the social unit making up the bureaucracy, and an unnatural mental influence. It may therefore be cancelled prior to completion by the expenditure of 1 Loyalty per day that the Bureau resists the loss of records. Once 6 Loyalty have been spent this way, the Charm’s effects are cancelled. However, if the Charm has already erased records, they will not be recovered; this simply permits members of the unit to remember that they had records, along with such information about their contents as they would have had access to. It also stops any further damage if the effect is partially complete.
Individual members of the unit may spend willpower in a similar fashion to Loyalty to resist this influence, but they must spend it once per scene if the unit is not actively resisting the Compulsion. Individuals become immune after the expenditure of 6 willpower points, but unless more than half of the bureaucracy in question becomes immunized in this way, the Charm will still progress to its ultimate effects on physical records as institutional inertia carries through the erasure. Perfect social defenses will negate the effects, either individually, or en masse if the defender is the head of the unit, or may otherwise affect the entire unit.
Keen Apprentice Technique</b>
<b>Cost:1 mote per die Duration: One Task Type: Supplemental Minimum Craft: 1 Minimum Essence: 1 Prerequisite Charms: None
The Exalted fills his limbs with essence, bringing suppleness, deft, and energy to his work. For every one mote spent on this Charm, the character gains one die to any Craft roll. This cannot more than double his base Attribute + Craft dice pool. The character can use this Charm for Crafts that he is not familiar with; however, his dice pool starts at merely his Attribute level. The Exalted may still buy dice up to his Attribute + Craft rating, though.
Example: Owyn has Craft (Mining) 5 and Dexterity 5. He wishes to weave fine clothes for himself for the opening of his mine, but has no tailor experience. His dice pool starts at his dexterity rating, 5, but he may buy up to ten more dice, for a total of 15.
In Second Edition, this Charm is very different.
Cost: --; Mins: Craft 1, Essence 1; Type: Permanent Keywords: None Prerequisite Charms: None
The Exalted's experience in one craft gives him a basic knowledge that can be used for others through the essential symmetry of Essence-- and the superlative power of Solar mental and physical might. For any use of an Excellency or Excellency-derived Charm where the limit is determined in part or whole by the Solar's Craft rating, that rating is considered to be equal to the character's highest Craft rating. This does not affect rerolls made with the Third Excellency. The above example is still accurate (replacing Craft (Mining) with Craft (Earth)); in the case of the Second Excellency, Owyn would be able to purchase up to 5 bonus successes.
Open Road Journeyman Style</b>
<b>Cost:3 motes Duration: One Task Type: Reflexive Minimum Craft: 3 Minimum Essence: 1 Prerequisite Charms: Keen Apprentice Technique
All Crafts are, in one way or another, related. A Solar Exalt may tap into this interconnectedness in order to apply expertise in one craft to another. For a single task, she has her full Attribute + (Highest Craft Ability) dice pool to use on any Craft task. For the purposes of Charms, this is treated as her base pool, not as bonus dice.
In Second Edition, this Charm is very different.
Cost: --; Mins: Craft 3, Essence 1; Type: Permanent Keywords: None Prerequisite Charms: Keen Apprentice Technique
One of the reasons that young journeymen are sent out into the world is to broaden their experience, applying their creativity to different facets of their craft. Solars, who can work with the very idealized Essence of Craft, can apply that same creativity to other forms of Craft! Any Craft Charm that the Solar possesses may be used as though the Solar had the required minimums in all Crafts, though this does not grant any extra dice or mundane expertise. If this Charm is purchased a second time, the character may commit a number of motes equal to the static Craft requirement for some action in order to perform that action as though she had the necessary requirements.
True Master’s Mark</b>
<b>Cost:None Duration: Permanent Type: Special Minimum Craft: 5 Minimum Essence: 2 Prerequisite Charms: Open Road Journeyman Style
Solar Excellence knows no limitations. This, like Ox-Body Technique is not so much a Charm as a measure of development, in this case, in mastery over Crafts. True Master’s Mark can only be purchased a number of times equal to the character’s highest Charm rating. Each time this Charm is purchased, the character gains a number of Craft Slots equal to his highest Craft Rating. These slots must include the Craft that rating applies to, and the slots increase whenever that Craft rating does. Each slot is a Craft that the character is considered to have a rating in equal to the highest Craft rating, and it improves along with that rating. The Craft to be used must be picked the first time this Charm is purchased, and from that moment on, no other Craft may exceed that initial Craft’s rating. The character may choose to absorb old Crafts into the slots, at a regular 1:1 rating, but receives no experience break for this.
In Second Edition, this Charm is slightly different.
Cost: --; Mins: Craft 5, Essence 2; Type: Permanent Keywords: None Prerequisite Charms: Open Road Journeyman Style
Solar Excellence knows no limitations. This, like Ox-Body Technique is not so much a Charm as a measure of development, in this case, in mastery over Crafts. True Master’s Mark can only be purchased a number of times equal to the character’s permanent Essence. The first time this Charm is purchased, the character may now use any mundane Craft Ability as though his rank in that Ability was equal to his highest Craft Rating, mundane or otherwise. The second time it is purchased, this privilege extends to a single Exotic Craft Ability. The character must be able to actually use the Exotic Craft in question for some purpose, which may require unusual lengths to learn Craft (Glamour) or Craft (Fate).
Transcendent Craft Prowess</b>
<b>Cost:None Duration: Permanent Type: Special Minimum Craft: 5 Minimum Essence: 3 Prerequisite Charms: True Master’s Mark OR Craftsman Needs No Tools
The Exalted has achieved a level of craftsmanship unequaled by any mortal peer. She subtracts two from the difficulty of all Craft rolls (minimum difficulty one). This charm is based on Neph’s suggestion on the wiki; I just fleshed it out.
In Second Edition this Charm reduces all Penalties of any Craft roll by two. Its Prerequisite Charms are All 3 Craft Excellencies, Infinite Craft Mastery, Essence Craft Flow. Its Essence minimum is increased to 4.
The Perfect Moment</b>
<b>Cost:10 motes, 1 Willpower Duration: One task Type: Simple Minimum Craft: 5 Minimum Essence: 5 Prerequisite Charms: True Master’s Mark, Craftsman Needs No Tools
There is a perfect moment in time to perform any work. A single moment when the greatest possible effect can be made. For most, this moment never comes. Fate and Destiny can give greatness or heartwrenching failure, but it is rare- and grows rarer still the more skilled (and hence, less open to chance) a craftsman becomes. But a Solar is an entirely different prospect, and one may choose to achieve a perfect moment-- more than once. By invoking the Perfect Moment, a Solar so creates such a moment, such a series of moments, as to get the maximum possible return on his effort. Reduce all difficulties for one roll to 1, and the Solar achieves twice as many successes on one relevant roll to the task as he has dice in his pool, just as though he had rolled all 10’s.
In Second Edition, this Charm is Obvious and Combo-Ok.
Beckoning the Pure Source</b>
<b>Cost:8 motes, 1 Willpower Duration: Instant Type: Simple Minimum Craft: 4 Minimum Essence: 3 Prerequisite Charms:Impurity-Hammering Blow, Object-Strengthening Touch
Ordinarily, the process for the manufacturing orichalcum is a long, difficult, and expensive one. As with many things, there is a way for Solars to sidestep this process. After all, the Solar anima is in tune with orichalcum on a deep and powerful level, and even if a Solar does not have the lava-spirit of a Fire or Earth Dragon blood, they have the heat of the Sun itself in their soul, an even greater fire. This Charm attunes all of the orichalcum in a block of gold weighing no more than the Exalt’s permanent Essence times ten pounds in weight and then uses the heat of Essence discharge in order to melt away the impure gold, leaving only the desired Magical Material.
In Second Edition, this Charm is Obvious (VERY Obvious), and Combo-Ok.
Second Edition
Transcendent Technomancer's Hand</b>
<b>Cost:4m; Mins: Craft 4, Essence 2; Type: Simple Keywords: Combo-Ok Duration: Instant Prerequisite Charms: Durability Enhancing Technique
In the First Age, most Solar equipment except the most elaborate and powerful did not require repair, or was created to be self-repairing. The situation is much different in the Age of Sorrows; what survives may be half-repaired, half-jury-rigged, or may be the creation of Solars without the access to their forebears' resources. A Solar may have to make do with recovered Shogunate-era goods, or steal from the Realm. In these situations, many Solars have independently stumbled upon Essence patterns that allow them to use the very make-up of the devices themselves to allow for intuitive maintenance and repair. Effectively, when this Charm is active, the character uses the Essence that makes up a device and flows through it to assist him in upkeep and repair. When the Solar must qualify for a Maintenance or Repair roll, she may use this Charm to add her permanent Essence to her ranks in Craft, Lore, and Occult for the purposes of increasing her static value. This adds no dice.
Thaumatician's Mastery</b>
<b>Cost:3m, 1 wp, plus 2m per dot of Repair per item; Mins: Craft 5, Essence 4; Type: Simple Keywords: Obvious, Combo-Ok Duration: Indefinite Prerequisite Charms: Craftsman Needs No Tools, Transcendent Technomancer's Hand
Moving beyond the simple ability to comprehend a device, the Solar uses his mastery of Essence to replace the very need for maintenance, keeping Essence couplings clean, circulating the proper humors, and replacing consumable alchemical reagents with their Essence-shadows. The Lawgiver may designate a number of devices equal to his permanent Essence, paying 2 motes per dot of Repair each device has in addition to the base 3m 1wp. The Solar must qualify to perform the necessary maintenance himself, but he may choose to keep 4 motes of additional essence committed to keep Transcendent Technomancer's Hand active as long as he retains Thaumatician's Mastery. While the Solar maintains Thaumatician's Mastery, he need not take any time nor use any resources to maintain any of the designated devices.
Stern Overseer's Hegemony</b>
<b>Cost:5m, 1wp; Mins: Craft 4, Essence 2; Type: Simple Keywords: Obvious, Combo-Ok Duration: One Task Prerequisite Charms: Any Craft Excellency
Lawgivers are among the greatest leaders in Creation. They can inspire workers to great heights of performance, and make few act as many with their superlative guidance and masterful organizational skills. For the duration of one extended task, the Solar may divide the required number of workers by her permanent Essence, rounding down with a minimum of 1 (who must be the Solar herself).
Felicitous Multi-Stage Wonder Preparation</b>
<b>Cost:3m per dot of artifact; Mins: Craft 3, Essence 3; Type: Simple Keywords: Obvious Duration: Special Prerequisite Charms: Any Craft Excellency
Talented Solars sometimes grow in power faster than the tools they inherit or create. For those Solars, many times they must face the agony of a choice between falling behind the capacities of their rivals or enemies and abandoning artifacts that have become old friends. For those who have mastered the ways of Craft, however, there is a third alternative. This Charm can only be used on an Artifact to which the character is Attuned.
Solar mastery of Essence is such that, with time and care, a Solar can actually "unfold" the hardened shapes of Essence that empower artifacts. So long as both attunement to the artifact and commitment of Felicitous Multi-Stage Wonder Preparation are maintained, this shape remains stable. In this state, the artifact will not function. If no changes have been made, the artifact will return to normal upon refolding when the commitment lapses.
While the shape remains stable, the Solar may attempt to "upgrade" the artifact in question. This will still require materials and manufacturing processes of an appropriately magical nature, but as long as the Solar's intended upgrades fit with the theme of the artifact-- Storyteller's call, and may depend on the name and use of the artifact, especially simple ones-- the Solar always accumulates one success per roll over the required difficulty (botching is impossible) and the amount of time between rolls is halved. No more than one dot may be upgraded at a time, and the little god of the artifact must have at least one season between upgrades to readjust before a new upgrade is performed.
Total Perspective Eyes of the Sun Map</b>
<b>Cost:5m; Mins: Craft 4, Essence 2; Type: Simple Keywords: Obvious, Combo-Basic, Illusion Duration: One Scene Prerequisite Charms: Any Craft Excellency
Although this Charm would ordinarily require Craft (Air) or Craft (Wood), Craft (Earth) can be substituted. A Lawgiver's destiny is to hold the Mandate of Heaven over Creation. This truth is written into the very bones of the Earth, no matter how the scions of the Usurping Dragon-Blooded would try to deny it. As the Unconquered Sun sees, so, too, may his children, over all that is in Creation.
The Solar using this Charm will create a semi-translucent (and obvious) illusion made of sunlight, with no greater a radius than his Essence in feet and no less than a foot. It will be a perfect, three-dimensional map of the area the Solar chooses, which she must be familiar with. The extent to which the Solar is familiar with the area will mark the amount of detail shown, which will be current as of the time of invocation. The map will show everything within an area with a radius of up to the Solar's Craft in miles. The Solar may zoom in or out at will, but can never get closer to any particular large surface than 300', nor further from the surface of Creation than a significant distance from the Dome of the Heavens.
What a 'large surface' in this case means is up to the Storyteller; trees do not usually qualify, but (for example) a city suspended from the branches of titanic trees in Halta might. The perspective may be shifted from ninety degrees overhead (looking straight down) to up to only ten degrees off the "plane of vision."
The map will not show creatures that both live and move, though it will show inanimate living creatures such as plants and unliving moving objects like rivers. This Charm does not in any way negate invisibility or give the character any bonus to detect someone hidden, save that the character may use zooming and perspective alteration to see from otherwise impossible angles without revealing herself.
Harmonious Solar Production</b>
<b>Cost:7m, 1 wp; Mins: Craft 5, Essence 3; Type: Supplemental Keywords: Obvious, Combo-OK Duration: One Dramatic Action Prerequisite Charms: True Master’s Mark, Infinite Craft Mastery
Essence forms certain harmonious, resonant shapes when forged by strong wills. When a Solar uses Craft-charms, these resonant shapes tend to mimic the crafting activities. By emphasizing those shapes, a Solar can actually transmit crafting done on one set of materials to another—in effect, duplicating effort over a large series of tasks. The Solar may, given material or the proper charm/spell, act as multiple craftsmen either on the same task or several tasks.
The Solar may choose to act as up to his (Craft + 1) crafters in this manner. He cannot do multiple different tasks at once yet—see Invoking the Patron’s Hammer—unless they are a part of a single Craft Dramatic Action. In other words, a Solar with Craft 5 could work on making 6 swords at once, or act as 6 crafters building a house. If the Solar is performing a single task such as swordsmithing, he must actually perform that task as one of the (Craft +1) actions being done; if acting as many crafters on one complex task such as housebuilding, the Solar must create a model of what he intends to do; the tasks will follow the model.
Until Essence 5, however, all of the tasks must be mundane. At Essence 5, the character may make multiple enchanted objects (given the correct degree) or alchemical potions at the same time. He may still not make artifacts in this manner.
Transcendent Manufacture Technique</b>
<b>Cost:--; Mins: Craft 6, Essence 6; Type: Permanent Keywords: None Prerequisite Charms: Harmonious Solar Production
Once a Solar has learned to transcend the mortal bonds of Essence, she may also transcend all normal limitations on artifact creation. One of many First Age techniques designed to aid in the production of artifacts for the technomantic society; Transcendent Manufacture Technique allows a Solar to work on multiple artifacts at once using Harmonious Solar Production. She must commit the motes for Harmonious Solar Production, expend an additional willpower point, and commit motes equal to twice the rank of the artifact. She may still only do one _type_ of artifact at once (or work on one very large artifact!) until she develops Invoking the Patron’s Hammer
Invoking the Patron’s Hammer</b>
<b>Cost:--; Mins: Craft 6, Essence 6; Type: Permanent Keywords: None Prerequisite Charms: Harmonious Solar Production, Craft Essence Flow
The human limits of Essence require single, focused efforts to create duplicate actions, even though humans are quite capable of multitasking. Elder Solars, however, can shape Essence-molds for various tasks with only the power of their minds and souls. By concentrating on mental versions of the resonant Essence shapes learned via Harmonious Solar Production, the Elder can work on multiple tasks at once, emulating the Unconquered Sun’s four arms turned to different duties.
Effectively, the Solar may now use Harmonious Solar Production on many different projects at once, instead of copies of the same project. The Solar can forge a hammer, cook a meal, paint a picture, etc.—all at the same time. The only major restriction on this Charm is that the character cannot manufacture multiple different artifacts without Transcendent Manufacture Technique, and the character must have achieved Essence 7 as well to have the sheer control over Essence in general necessary for such a task.
Feeding the Multitude, Arming the Masses</b>
<b>Cost:--; Mins: Craft 7, Essence 7; Type: Permanent Keywords: None Prerequisite Charms: Harmonious Solar Production, Craftsman Needs No Tools, Craft Essence Flow, Infinite Craft Mastery
A single Elder Solar can arm an entire army, or feed a country gourmet dishes, all in the space of time it would take a lesser being to make a single sword or cook a single meal. Given sufficient material, and doubling all costs involved (Including those for Invoking the Patron’s Hammer if multiple tasks are completed at once), the Solar may create resonant Craft-echoes over a number of tasks equal to her permanent Essence in _magnitude_-- IE, 1,251-2500 swords smithed at once at Essence 7. This is not compatible with Transcendent Manufacture Technique. The Solar must still have sufficient materials available.
Flawless Handiwork Method</b>
<b>Cost:--; Mins: Craft 3, Essence 3; Type: Permanent Keywords: None Prerequisite Charms: Any Craft Excellency
The mere dross of mortal materials may not deny the Solar’s skill at craftsmanship. So long as the Solar has sufficient materials to produce a basic item, his work and excellence is such that mere pig iron can shine as the brightest blue steel. The Solar does not have to increase the resources cost of materials to make high-quality items (such as luxurious furnishings or Perfect armor), though minimum requirements must still be met-- the character cannot forge bronze into steel, and would still require a large quantity of iron at the very least to make, for example, a suit of articulated plate.
Impurity-Hammering Blow</b>
<b>Cost:5m; Mins: Craft 2, Essence 1; Type: Simple (requires full scene) Keywords: Obvious, Combo-OK Duration: One Scene Prerequisite Charms: Any Craft Excellency
This is a mechanical conversion of the Charm on CB: T p 69. Its duration is typically a scene. The use of Craftsman Needs No Tools and similar speed-enhancing charms may lower this to a few long ticks, as the Storyteller sees fit.
Worlds Within A Picture Style</b>
<b>Cost:20m; Mins: Craft 5, Occult 3, Essence 3; Type: Simple (Dramatic Action) Keywords: Obvious (Special), Combo-Basic Duration: Special Prerequisite Charms: Any Craft Excellency
This is a mechanical conversion of the Charm on Time of Tumult p 96. Note that its essence is committed for the duration of the dramatic action necessary to paint the picture, and the Charm is only Obvious during this time.
Rock-Spinning Technique </b>
<b>Cost:3m; Mins: Craft 2, Essence 2; Type: Simple (Dramatic Action) Keywords: Obvious, Combo-OK Duration: One Hour Prerequisite Charms: Any Craft Excellency
This is a mechanical conversion of the Charm on Time of Tumult p 95. Note that it usually uses Craft (Wood)
Spiritual Sustenance</b>
<b>Cost:Variable; Mins: Craft 3, Essence 2; Type: Simple (Dramatic Action) Keywords: Obvious, Combo-OK Duration: Variable Prerequisite Charms: Object-Strengthening Touch
This is a mechanical conversion of the Charm on Time of Tumult p 98. Frankly, while the Charm’s effects are necessary for the plotline, they seem rather out of keeping with Solar majesty. Of course, the thematics aren’t very Solar, either. Personally, if I were allowing this Charm into my campaign, I’d probably make it a spirit charm that the Cook Servitor knew, and not Bax or any of his compatriots. Alternately, Bax’s version that was “imprinted” on the cook may have been a flawed version of a more appropriate charm that once existed…
Soup From Stone</b>
<b>Cost:5m; Mins: Craft 5, Essence 3; Type: Simple (Dramatic Action) Keywords: Obvious, Combo-OK Duration: One Hour Prerequisite Charms: Rock-Spinning Technique
The Solar’s wondrous mastery of Essence allows her to prepare food from the raw substances of the earth itself. The Solar’s radiant, life-giving essence interacts with the hidden potential of earth and stone to grant them both nourishing qualities and softens them sufficiently so that they may be eaten. The character must make an ordinary Craft (Wood) roll to determine quality; earth and stone is considered Resources 0 material, and it thus takes a truly excellent cook to make something palatable to Princes of the Earth. Still, this technique may be used to feed troops on campaign well enough. The Solar spends a dramatic action equal to the time it would normally take to cook food for her desired amount-- up to the Solar’s permanent Essence in magnitude-- and the resulting food is only nourishing (or, indeed, eatable at all in the case of stones) for one hour.
Body-Forging Travail</b>
<b>Cost:8m, 1 wp; Mins: Craft 3, Essence 2; Type: Simple (Speed 7, DV -2) Keywords: Obvious, Combo-Basic Duration: One Scene Prerequisite Charms: Object-Strengthening Touch
This is a mechanical conversion of the Charm on CB: T p 69. Depending on your Storyteller, this may require Craft (Genesis) to actually work.
Stability-Conferring Establishment</b>
<b>Cost:--; Mins: Craft 5, Essence 3; Type: Permanent Keywords: None Prerequisite Charms: Chaos-Resistance Preparation
This Charm augments a normal use of Chaos-Resistance Preparation. The Solar suffuses the order-conferring Essence of the Chaos-Resistance Preparation so deeply into the object that it becomes a sort of invisible, miniature sun, radiating out the unyielding order of the Chaos-Resistance Preparation. By spending one health level and willpower extra when using Chaos-Resistance preparation, and committing an extra mote, the object so affected by the Solar’s Charm grants its effects to its wearer or wielder for so long as the Charm’s effects continue; the user thus gains a total immunity to Shaping effects and Wyld chaos for as long as the motes are committed, and permanently reduces by a factor of 10 the likelihood of random unfortunate incidents while in the Wyld even after the motes are released.
Edifice-Smashing Strike</b>
<b>Cost:--; Mins: Craft 5, Essence 4; Type: Permanent Keywords: None Prerequisite Charms: Shattering Grasp
The Solar’s fists and fingers are sufficient to tear down any structure, destroy any creation of intelligent hands. When utilizing Shattering Grasp, the Solar may pay an additional 2 motes to add his Essence + Craft to his Strength + Athletics pool prior to doubling for the purposes of breaking objects. If the Solar’s Player makes a proper stunt, this may be used as a part of a direct attack on an object to destroy it during combat; in this case, add the Solar’s Essence + Craft to Strength + Damage to determine raw damage, and then double that amount prior to soak.
Brewing Venom Technique</b>
<b>Cost:4m, 1 wp, 1 hl per pot created; Mins: Craft 4, Essence 3; Type: Simple (One Dramatic Action) Keywords: Combo-OK Duration: One Week Prerequisite Charms: Any Craft Excellency
This Charm usually requires Craft (Wood or Water). The Solar understands that all fluids are made of essence, and all Essence can become poisonous. By concentrating while boiling a pot of water, the Lawgiver may infuse it with a deadly Solar Essence that burns the veins or sears the senses of those who succumb to its effects. Treat the resulting poison as having a Damage of (2 times relevant Craft)/Action, a Toxicity of (Relevant Craft), Tolerance - / - , and a penalty of –(Craft). The damage may be lethal or bashing, and may be delivered by ingestion or weapon coating. Both selections must be made at the time of brewing. The poison is odorless, tasteless and colorless, and has a thickness appropriate to its intended use, so the difficulty of any Perception + Awareness (or Investigation, etc.) roll to detect the poison is equal to the Solar’s Essence. Each pot carries sufficient poison to envenom a weapon twelve times, or poison a large meal. Each pot only lasts one week before the unstable essence subsides, returning it to pure water.
Envenomed Weapon Prana</b>
<b>Cost:--; Mins: Craft 5, Essence 3; Type: Permanent Keywords: None Prerequisite Charms: Brewing Venom Technique
The Solar gains the ability to condense the burning, venomous essence of Brewing Venom Technique out of the very air itself. The Solar may dose a weapon, plate of food, or goblet of drink by touch with a Simple action in normal ticks by spending an additional 2 motes, and reducing the effective duration of the venom’s efficacy to one day, and only producing a single dose. This use of the Charm may not be flurried under normal circumstances, and the character must touch that which he desires to envenom. At Essence 5, the Solar perfects the Mastery-of-Poison technique. He may spend an additional 2 motes (total of 4) to do so as a reflexive action, reducing the effective duration to one scene. This is still considered to be a Charm use, but the character not only may poison and strike at the same time, he may flurry multiple poisonous strikes.
Comments
I personally hate the restriction on the Craft- one Ability per Craft. It doesn't really make any sense to me; the difference between the different types is great... but so are those between Lore-types, weapon-types, and (apparently) martial art styles. Eh. In my games, a bunch of these don't exist, of course, because I rule that Craft functions like any other Ability, but, if necessary, there you go.
Question for the author: 'True Master's Mark' is a bit unclear. What effect does those permanent 'slots' have? Also what the heck does "...character’s highest Charm rating" allude to? Thanks for an otherwise very interesting read. -Ryouga
- Heh. *chuckles* The 'highest Charm rating' is my classic 'put the wrong word in' syndrome. It means highest Craft rating. Effectively, this Charm makes Craft work like linguistics- hence the slots- and allows you a number of extra Crafts equal to your highest Craft rating. It's expandable, though, because there are a LOT more primary crafts than primary languages. I'm adding an example, too. - IsawaBrian
Regarding Transcendant Craft Prowess, I worry that the 2E version has far too many prerequisites. While the 1E version had a number of prereqs, and was fairly high in a chain, those prereqs were all useful, beneficial charms. The 2E version requires all three excellencies? I can understand a few very limited situations where a second craft excellence is warranted - maybe you'd like to have re-rolls to fall back on. I can understand that maybe, you'd like the consistency of auto-successes for some projects. But all three? That's a highly redundant set of prereqs. Even more so, you then require both Essence Flow and Infinite Mastery - two charms that explicitly don't work together. You've got 40+ XP worth of prereq charms, when the average 'intelligent' player, making at most 5XP per session, would require 8 sessions for prereqs that don't really do much of anything. My personal (and strong) recommendation is to reduce the prereqs a lot. On a related note, then, I provide a link to some Solar Charms I worked on a while back [SolarExcellencies/GreenLantern], which include a very similar charm. Just wanted to give my two cents, as I've never heard of a player getting all three excellencies. I've only heard of a player getting two of them in play, and that was Lore, becuase one of the Lore charms requires two excellencies as a prereq. Dumping that many useful XP into 'speedbump' charms seems painful. I'd even be willing to see something like "Any Craft Excellency, and any two additional Craft Charms" or some such - just don't make the poor Exalt waste charmslots on dead wood. -- GreenLantern
