SolarLinguistics/IsawaBrian
In The Book Of the Sun</b>
<b>Cost:6 motes, 1 Willpower Duration: One Hour Type: Simple Minimum Linguistics: 5 Minimum Essence: 4 Prerequisite Charms: Discerning Savant's Eye
Everyone's name, of those that have names, is known; it writes itself on the very soul of an individual. As the record-keepers and master diplomats of the Unconquered Sun, Eclipses and other linguistically-inclined Solars learn how to discern these labels with ease. Once attuned to the less-than-real energies of languages around him, a Solar utilizing this charm will know, on site, the name that best truly describes an individual. No nonmagical means of concealment will function.
Only Perfect Charms used by individuals of a greater Essence than the Solar will deflect this investigation properly. In all other cases of magical concealment such as King of Masks Technique or a Sidereal's Resplendent Destiny, each hour's useage of this Charm (it cannot be cast repeatedly to "test" identities) counts as a single roll. If no roll is ordinarily given, use the Solar's Perception + Linguistics against a difficulty equal to the target's permanent Essence. The Solar's Perception + Linguistics may also be used in the place of ordinary rolls.
If used on a being that has no name, such as a Deathlord or an Abyssal, this Charm will fail briefly, causing slight nausea (no game effect) in the Solar and preventing the Charm or any re-application of the Charm to function for five minutes. It will be clear why this has occurred, but not any other relevant title or description.
In second edition, this Charm is Combo-OK and Obvious. As usual, use the Unstoppable Force, Immovable Object rules rather than the above.
Terrible Brilliance Authorship</b>
<b>Cost:10 motes, 1 Willpower, 1 experience point Duration: Instant Type: Simple Minimum Linguistics: 5 Minimum Essence: 4 Prerequisite Charms: Unbreakable Fascination Method
Mighty Exalts can ensure that their words have terrible power, even if read by another. A written work can be given such power as to transfer the Exalt's desires to both reader and listener. When this Charm is activated, it causes the very ink of the document to take on mystic properties. Anyone who reads the document will subsequently be affected as though the Exalt had used Twisted Words Technique at an Essence level equal to the Exalt's Essence at the time of authorship, subject to the same limitations about relevancy. The Exalt may also choose to convey an emotion about a particular concept or an undirected emotional state rather than compel agreement with an idea. If the reader of the document chooses to read the words out loud, any listeners will also be affected, just as though they had read the document personally. Only one application at a time of Terrible Brilliance Authorship may be applied to a single document; subsequent applications override old ones.
Unlike Twisted Words Technique, Terrible Brilliance Authorship can be combined with Letter-Within-A-Letter Technique. This does not require a combo, because Letter-Within-A-Letter Technique is used at the beginning of writing, and Terrible Brilliance Authorship is used at the end. When this is used, Terrible Brilliance Authorship must correspond to the limitations of relevancy for the true message, not the false. If this is done, an inverse of the usual effects occur; people reading the false message will be affected by the Terrible Brilliance Authorship implanted within the true. Anyone who can read the true message will not be affected by the Charm, although they will still transmit it if they speak.
A document altered by Terrible Brilliant Authorship will take on some aspect of the permanence of artifacts. Unless deliberately destroyed by shredding or flame, the document will survive weather, wear, reading, sun, and most other environmental conditions as well as the passage of time with only minimal aging and damage. It will appear incredibly preserved, if aged, and remain readable. This particular Charm caused much headache for the Dragon-Blooded Shogunate, as clever Eclipses who survived the initial slaughter were able to leave records, manuals, and otherwise seemingly innocuous or vitally necessary documents with sabotage emotions or ideals remaining within them.
In Second Edition, this Charm is very different:
Cost: --; Mins: Linguistics 5, Essence 5; Type: Permanent Keywords: None Prerequisite Charms: Unbreakable Fascination Method
Mighty Exalts can ensure that their words have terrible power, even if read by another. A written work can be given such power as to transfer the Exalt's desires to both reader and listener. The Lawgiver who develops Terrible Brilliant Authorship gains the ability to permanently encode a Charm-based social attacks -- regardless of whether or not the Charm in question would ordinarily be spoken or not -- into a written document.
Effectively, when activating a Charm or Combo that augments or creates a social attack, the character may opt to spend an additional 5 motes and 1-3 xp in order to transcribe its effects into a document. When a Charm or Combo is altered in this matter, its duration becomes 'instant'-- motes are not committed. The Solar may then choose whether or not the Charms will affect the person reading the document, anyone listening to the document, or both (layers of effect). The experience cost used at this time depends on the types of charms used, and how many vectors an individual application will attack. The base cost is 1 xp; +1 if any Charms used are not Linguistics, +1 if the effects will affect both the reader and the listener. Once the choices have been made, the Solar makes his roll for the Charm, Combo, and/or social attack augmented thereby. The number of successes rolled at this point will be the same number of successes "rolled" in Step 3 of the resulting social attacks, regardless of when they are applied, much as the Charm/Combo will be announced during step 1 of the resulting social attacks, regardless of when they are applied. All other stages except the Attack Reroll proceed as normal. If the Combo used includes a Third Social Ability Excellency, the resulting reroll's successes are used for Step 3, not Step 5. All Charm effects will replicate themselves every time the document is read and/or listened to, without charging the character motes, willpower, experience, health levels, or any other cost mandated by the Charms or Combo.
Ordinarily, this effect can only be used once per section of a document containing the base social attack that is modified or created. However, the character may reflexively use Letter-Within-a-Letter Technique for an additional 2 motes without it counting as a Charm use. If this is done, the character must choose only a single layer of effect when the first Charm or Combo to be invested in the document is used. On the character's next action-- and only on that next action-- after inscribing the original social attack and utilizing the Charm or Combo, he may then activate a second Charm or Combo with a Terrible Brilliance Authorship effect (including full experience cost) which is "attached" to the Letter-Within-a-Letter. The Solar may then apply the second full effect to the unused layer of effect. Unlike an ordinary Letter-Within-a-Letter, either effect will only function on a target who does not understand the hidden message. In this manner, the Solar may deliberately create both a dual-layered attack and exempt certain possible targets.
A document altered by a Terrible Brilliant Authorship effect will take on some aspect of the permanence of artifacts. Unless deliberately destroyed by shredding or flame, the document will survive weather, wear, reading, sun, and most other environmental conditions as well as the passage of time with only minimal aging and damage. It will appear incredibly preserved, if aged, and remain readable. This particular Charm caused much headache for the Dragon-Blooded Shogunate, as clever Eclipses who survived the initial slaughter were able to leave records, manuals, and otherwise seemingly innocuous or vitally necessary documents with sabotage emotions or ideals remaining within them.
Prudent Apprentice Study</b>
<b>Cost:1 mote, 1 willpower Duration: Instant Type: Simple Minimum Linguistics: 3 Minimum Essence: 2 Prerequisite Charms: Swift Sage's Eye
Sometimes, an Exalt simply does not have the time to read a work with even the tremendous speeds Solars can become capable of. In those situations, by focusing his will on the essence flows that form the book rather than on the book itself, the Solar can absorb an entire book in an instant, as though he had taken the time to read it properly! This does not give character the ability to recall the book with any additional clarity, although if Perfect Recollection Discipline is utilized immediately before Prudent Apprentice Study, it will take full normal effect. The book to be instantly read must be touched.
In Second Edition, this Charm is Combo-OK. Unless Swift Sage's Eye is unconverted, it is otherwise unchanged; if Swift Sage's Eye is never converted into Second Edition, Prudent Apprentice Study requires any Linguistics Excellency.
Eye, Mind, Lips</b>
<b>Cost:None Duration: Permanent Type: Special Minimum Linguistics: 4 Minimum Essence: 2 Prerequisite Charms: Excellent Emissary's Tongue
Unlike many Charms, Eye, Mind, Lips is a creation of the newly returned Solars. During the First Age, the Solars were the masters of Creation. Either their tongue was spoken by those they encountered, or it was something new or esoteric. In either case, between other Charms and the limited applicability of many languages, as well as the lifetimes with which to learn more, First Age Solars simply saw no immediacy in true, in-depth learning of tongues.
The same, however, cannot be said for the inhabitants of the Second Age. The shattering of the Solar's reign and the Dragon-Blooded Shogunate has left more tongues and dialects than can be counted over the face of the world. Time, and the impermanence of mortal and Dragon-blooded rule has left the Solars of the new world with more languages than most could hope to master in two mortal lifetimes-- and often, the pressing need to do so.
Eye, Mind, Lips, is not strictly speaking an ordinary Charm. It is more like Ox-Body Technique in that it is an expansion of the character's natural communicative abilities. When purchased, Eye, Mind, Lips permanently doubles the number of languages a character may learn from Linguistics. This also doubles the number of languages learnable via Excellent Emissary's Tongue.
In Second Edition, this Charm has a Minimum Essence of 3 and no longer directly affects Excellent Emissary's Tongue.
Ease of the Celestial Facilitator</b>
<b>Cost:8 motes, 1 Willpower Duration: One Hour Type: Simple Minimum Linguistics: 5 Minimum Essence: 3 Prerequisite Charms: Eye, Mind, Lips
A Solar's facility for languages need not be limited to those she knows. By tapping into the universality of languages and communication, the Exalt may understand any language she can perceive-- and make herself understood as well. This includes languages that the character would be unable to speak in ordinarily because of physical limitations, though it will not grant telepathy or spiritual capabilities the character does not have. The character will be perceived as though speaking the language correctly for herself-- if she is ordinarily pleasant to listen to, people hearing the Exalt in their home language will perceive her as pleasant to listen to, even if the language is one of growls, clicks, and whistles. Contrariwise, if the Exalt speaks poorly or disturbingly ordinarily, Ease of the Celestial Facilitator will translate that effect as well.
In Second Edition, this Charm is Combo-OK and has a minimum Essence of 4.
Disdain For Speech</b>
<b>Cost:10 motes, 2 Willpower Duration: One Scene Type: Simple Minimum Linguistics: 5 Minimum Essence: 4 Prerequisite Charms: Ease of the Celestial Facilitator
As an alternative to aiding translation, a vengeful or devious Solar can make communication utterly impossible. By speaking in certain cadences and using overriding tones, the Solar can alter the tone of conversation and communication within a distance of himself equal to (Permanent Essence x 3) yards. All participants except the Solar will suddenly be utterly unable to understand what the others are saying. Crude indications or gestures may function in broad terms, but otherwise, despite the name of the Charm, formal communication hand signals, and written language will utterly fail to bring about any communication at all. Even more frustratingly, any words that the targets should be able to understand will seem familiar, as though the lack of communication were some imperfection in the target himself. As a result, the character using Disdain For Speech is perfectly protected against any direct detection as the cause of the argument! The character will simply seem one more victim of the horrible babble. This Charm does not provide protection against logical deduction or other indirect means of deduction. For Disdain For Speech to function, the Solar makes a Manipulation + Linguistics roll against a difficulty equal to the highest permanent Essence of the targets within the zone. Although the Solar will be able to perfectly understand what is being communicated, he cannot share this immunity with others.
In Second Edition, this Charm is Combo-OK and has a minimum Essence of 5. If it was possible, it would be anti-Obvious. It is Social, and counts as a Compulsion. This Complsion may be broken for a scene by expending 3 willpower. Even if a target expends the willpower and is immune to the babble effect, she will still be unable to tell that the Solar is the source of the Charm without some form of detection Charm, in which case the Unstoppable Force, Immovable Object rules are invoked. This Charm is activated as a mass social Manipulation + Linguistics attack; if it succeeds against a target, they are subject to the compulsion for babble. If it does not succeed against a target, they are immune without having to expend willpower. One roll is made against which all defense values are compared.
Harmonious Voices</b>
<b>Cost:5 motes, 1 Willpower Duration: One Scene Type: Simple Minimum Linguistics: 5 Minimum Essence: 3 Prerequisite Charms: Eye, Mind, Lips
A Solar linguist is the ultimate translator. By harmonizing the voices and communicative features inherent to all languages, the Exalt can make an entire room speak in unified tongues. For the rest of the scene, all individuals within (the Solar's permanent Essence x 10) yards using a language translatable by the Solar (whether through knowledge, Charm, Artifact, or other source) are understood perfectly by any other individual within that area. This includes both spoken and gestured/signal languages, but not written ones. The character may declare certain languages to only be translatable by those who speak them already, but cannot prevent communication by means of this Charm.
In Second Edition, this Charm is Combo-OK. If a character does not wish to have their words translated, they must have a perfect social defense.
Transcendent Linguistics Prowess</b>
<b>Cost:None Duration: Permanent Type: Special Minimum Linguistics: 5 Minimum Essence: 3 Prerequisite Charms: Discerning Savant's Eye, Ease of the Celestial Facilitator
The Exalt internalizes her mastery of languages, giving her command of syntax, grammar, and other linguistic subtleties. Whether making sense of some new Nexus slang or the subtle differences in the words of Realm nobles, the Solar has no trouble understanding or making herself understood. Subtract 2 from the difficulty of any Linguistics roll (minimum difficulty 1)
This Charm inspired by Neph.
In Second Edition, this Charm subtracts 2 from the external penalties to any Linguistics roll. This does not affect MDVs. Its Prerequisite Charms are All 3 Linguistics Excellencies, Infinite Linguistics Mastery, Essence Linguistics Flow.
God of Interlocution</b>
<b>Cost:None Duration: Permanent Type: Special Minimum Linguistics: 5 Minimum Essence: 5 Prerequisite Charms: Transcendent Linguistics Prowess
The universal communicativeness of languages permits powerful Eclipses to transcend the usual limitations on understanding non-Solar Linguistics Charms. In effect, the Eclipse learns to "translate" the essence formation of non-Solar Linguistics Charms. As a result, he need no longer pay double the activation cost for such Charms. The doubled experienced cost to learn such Charms remains. 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.
In Second Edition, this Charm reduces the 2-mote surcharge of non-Solar Linguistics Charms to 0.
Comments
I like most of these, but isn't In The Book Of the Sun a bit scary of a charm with no prerequites? -Dasmen
- That's the one I'm worried most about here. The original idea was, 'Whee, it lets you know their NAME.' Big deal, right? I'm starting to realize it's significantly more powerful than that-- I mean, it's not an ordinary Perfect, in that it doesn't really tell you anything else about a person, but I'm beginning to think it should be bumped. Maybe 4 motes, 1 willpower, 4 Linguistics, 3 Essence, and a requirement off one of the Reading Charms? -- IsawaBrian
- That would eliminate/destroy/and or confound my fears, yes. -Dasmen who used glamour sorcery to make you think he posted here, when he didn't.
- Changed -- IsawaBrian who is wondering if he needs to start using his Investigation and Lore Charms on you right now. :P ^_- And is quite thankful for the post-no-post. ;)
- Much better, and... I was never here! - Dasmen <i> Who predicted your attempt, and hence dicided to be elsewhere by using a dodge charm.
- Changed -- IsawaBrian who is wondering if he needs to start using his Investigation and Lore Charms on you right now. :P ^_- And is quite thankful for the post-no-post. ;)
- That would eliminate/destroy/and or confound my fears, yes. -Dasmen who used glamour sorcery to make you think he posted here, when he didn't.
Are you sure that the better-than-perfect is okay, even here? I mean, you've currently got people with lower Essence than target not able to resist even if they HAVE king of masks or even something larger. It seems to be pushing the perfection debate again.
-- Darloth is out of essence/too tired to do anything funky, and is just posting.
- It's an odd case. I was looking at it, by the time I got around to there- which probably means the base should be altered somewhat- in the terms of that Awareness Charm that pierces -all- hiding. I was going with the idea that the deception, rather than the perception, is considered the attack. It might not be the correct assumption, though. -- IsawaBrian
- It's kind of hard to say here, I think. You automaticly percive things, and so keeping your perception involate is ,idefence. However, this is a mystical sense, something you don't naturally percive, so I could see it as an attack. It's hard to say - Dasmen Who had it this message delivered by a Demon of the First Cicle.
- I've upped the mote cost on it, to treat it as effectively a very specialized perception charm. I'm still going to split the difference on perfects; I figure it's not a CLEAR case, but is pretty close to the basic mechanical ideal. --IsawaBrian
- It's kind of hard to say here, I think. You automaticly percive things, and so keeping your perception involate is ,idefence. However, this is a mystical sense, something you don't naturally percive, so I could see it as an attack. It's hard to say - Dasmen Who had it this message delivered by a Demon of the First Cicle.
