Artifacts/BurningStar

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Burning Star

Artefact •••• (Terrestrial rank)

One of the more esoteric artefact weapons created by the master weaponsmith Veroz of Ankhet a burning star can often be mistaken for a wildly ornate incense burner. The head of the device is a hollow spiked sphere approximately 12-15" in diameter and made from one of the Five Magical Materials alloyed with feathersteel. The sphere itself is cut through in numerous places, creating scenes of battle, depictions of terrible animals or elemental iconography for the more recently constructed examples. The chain of a burning star is usually 2-3' in length and constructed of the metal as the head, while the haft is one-and-a-half times as long as the chain and made from any appropriate material (some soulsteel burning stars have been seen with a haft made from bones).

When harmonised to the character a ball of glowing Essence, matching the predominant colour in the Exalted's anima banner, forms at the centre of the burning star's head, the light shining brightly through the cut-outs. As well as granting the appropriate weapon bonus dependent on the Magical Material that the burning star was constructed from, the Essence ball provides a further power.

Orichalcum

The undead, demons and other creatures of darkness (excluding the Exalted and Deathlords) struck by this weapon are briefly enveloped with the burning righteousness of the Unconquered Sun. This etches into their very flesh, inflicting the Exalted's Willpower in levels of Lethal damage that can only be soaked by the target's Essence. This damage is applied seperately to that of the attack.

Jade

Any opponent struck has powerful elemental Essence wash over them, inflicting environmental damage on the target. The difficulty of the Stamina + Resistance roll to resist this is equal to the permanent Essence of the wielder. If successful the target suffers half the wielder's Essence in levels of Lethal damage, otherwise he suffers twice the wielder's Essence.

Moonsilver

The protean nature of moonsilver means that on every strike the head of the burning star deforms visibly, returning to its normal shape afterwards. This nature is temporarily passed onto the target, reshaping bone and muscle in unpleasant ways. Each attack that does at least one die of raw damage to the target also reduces the highest of the target's Strength or Dexterity by one. If either of these reach zero then the target, if still alive, is reduced to an unmoving wreck on the floor. Mortals damaged in this way are permanently afflicted, the Exalted and other Essence-users heal lost Attribute points at the rate of one per day.

Starmetal

The impact of this weapon resonates along the strands of the target's fate, causing dissonance within his very soul. For the next five turns after being damaged by this weapon, the target suffers from a negative effect similar to that of the Sloped Floor Curse, increasing the target number for the target on all combat-related rolls by 1 (i.e.: from 7 to 8, or from 8 to 9, etc...) up to a maximum of 10. The effects of multiple strikes are cumulative, but the entire effect only lasts for five turns after the first blow is struck before returning to normal, i.e.: 7. This effect does not work on anything that is considered Outside Fate.

Soulsteel

The chill of the grave infests someone struck with a soulsteel burning star, inflicting a -1 penalty to all physical dice-pools for the remainder of the scene. Multiple penalties are cumulative, but cannot reduce the target's dice-pool to below his own Essence in any event.

A burning star typically has a setting for one Hearthstone and requires the commitment of 8 motes by its wielder.

Normal

                          Speed    Accuracy    Damage    Defence  Minimums

    Burning Star            +2        +2        +12L         +2      S•••

Power Combat

                          Speed    Accuracy    Damage    Defence  Rate  Minimums
    Burning Star            +8        +3        +8L(P)      +0      3     S•••