Discussions/LunarIllusions

Nobody here, eh? Well, I figure -- I've been wokring on these long enough, I might as well post them somewhere and get some feedback additional ideas. No systems here! This is just a rough outline for charm-ideas for three new Solar Trees of 'Illusion Charm Substitues'. Misdirection Charms, Cunning Charms, and Trickery Charms. The Misdirection, and to a lesser extent Trickery, charms are the most obvious 'Illusions. Cunning Charms are just Changing Moon dirty and wild combat stuff. Also includes an Animal Form combat tree:)

My goal here is to have a number of branches, fairly broad, as opposed to doing what the original book did and going deep. I want room for expansion, while still having some pretty impressive charms in the end. Lastly, names are just 'whatever I thought up', and are placeholders until I come up with something better.

Note, I'm treating Appearance charms as 'illusionary' type deals, similar to how Charisma serves as the basic Shapeshifting attribute. I'll probably also note an optional rule that Lunars with high Appearances don't /have/ to be beautiful:) Just visually compelling in some way, and able to properly utilize their appearance appropriately. Able to make the best of it, or utilize the worst:)

Anyway, without further ado...

Misdirection Charms

• Will Of the Wisp, is an Appearance charm. It allows a Lunar to coax someone into following him (even into danger, even when they normally wouldn't follow, etc), through tantalizing appearance and a base manipulation of instincts and pheremones. While under the effect of this charm, people are somewhat less aware of their surroundings. A higher essence version, either Abyssal-style or another charm, allows you to lure small groups of people.
  • Misty-Wanderer is a Manipulation charm. It lets a Lunar confuse others about his location, in any place with a bit of concealment such as the alleyways of a street or an overgrown jungle or forest -- or in deep mist. The target knows the Lunar is there, but can't pinpoint him. Exact point is unsure; I'm thinking of letting this work while attacking, though when you attack the character gets a roll to spot you. Might move it higher in the tree or just give it powerful prereqs
    • Fly on the Wall is a Manipuation charm. It allows a Lunar to blend in, even if he normally wouldn't, and is especially designed to complement the characters Animal forms -- characters would even ignore, say, a Rat sitting in the middle of the finest Resturant in the Imperial City because it'd seem perfectly natural. If combined with the Tell-hiding charm, it gives near perfect concealment. Another idea for a similar charm is much like the above, but it includes even things like Moonsilver Weapons or a Warstrider:P
  • Trail-Disguising, is another Appearance charm. It might very well require Traceless Passage Technique from the Stealth tree, in addition to Will of the Wisp. It misleads others as to your trail, so that they THINK that they're following you but in actuality they're only running around in circles or heading toward a location of your choice. It does this by playing on thier subconscious and manufacturing 'clues'.

• Truth-Concealing Koan, an Intelligence charm. This charm allows a No Moon to speak a riddle or bit of advice, that the target won't be able to solve or figure out (unless he's a Solar using a charm) until he's in a position where he's ready to accept it. Either to his benefit (if the advice was good or made to help him), or detriment (if the advice was wrong, for whatever reason). Basically, you get a riddle and it makes no sense until you encounter something that would lead you to act in the way the No Moon wants you to -- then you interpret it in a way that leads you to act the way the No Moon wanted you to.
  • One Phrase, Two Messages, is a Wits charm. It lets you say multiple things to different people, each person hearing what you want them to hear and not realizing that everyone else heard something different unless they compare notes later.
    • Centered Mantra is a Stamina charm, and it allows a Lunar to buy extra dice on a roll to resist a social or manipulation charm equal to his Stamina. These can be used even if you don't normally recieve a roll.
  • Riddling is a Manipulation charm that lets the Lunar tell REALLY good Riddles, that both catch an opponents interest and are hard to solve.

• Don't I Know You? is an Appearance charm that allows a confident Changing Moon to convince a stranger that he knows the Lunar, and indeed gets along favorably with him. This won't cover up for etiquette or anything like that, but since they are friends the Lunar is given a bit more leeway than the average person.
  • Personality Absorbing Eye is a Perception charm. It allows the Lunar to, with oberservation, note many of the quirks and odd traits of a subject and gain more knowledge of his daily habits and how he relates with others as well as a feel for his Nature and his History. It requires Days of watching, with the requisite commited essence, but adds extra successes to impersonation rolls.
  • Doppleganger Form is a Charisma charm, and is basically an improved version of the Changing Moon Anima, much like some of the Presence charms relating to the Dawn Anima in the Solar book. It allows a more durable and easily maintained veneer, allowing the character to interact more closely with others and staying up as long as the characters banner doesn't reach the point where Stealth charms are clipped off. A higher version might even be able to fool Fair Folk, Gods, Solars, and such. Lunar doesn't have to be familiar, and this does NOT add the shape to his library or require him to consume the Hearts Blood.
    • Veneer of Leadership is an Appearance charm that lets a confident Changing Moon convince a stranger that he holds authority over her, getting her to do what he wants as long as he doesn't push her too far or obviously break the veneer. This charm would have the general 'no one with an essence greater than you' restriction, and wouldn't work on people who are absolutely in charge of everything -- a number of Dynasts, some Solar Leaders (more common in the First Age, but even today there are some Solars who are probably immune), and such forth. In the First Age, this probably had a different name. Most First Age Lunars don't like using this charm unless they have to, as it brings back unpleasant memories. NOTE, this is NOT a Solar charm, and is much more...sneaky and 'natural'. In the First Age, it was probably used most often with Soldiers and in Emergencies. Solars appear to be Great Leaders, Lunars appear to be Natural Leaders.
  • Distracting Dance this charm, which requires the Animal Magnetism charm from Interaciton and Knowledge III, works somewhat like the two "Fascination" charms we've seen so far, but it's more musky, animal, sexy, and such.

• • • • Mirror Image, is an Appearance charm, possibily with another ability thrown in. It basically works like the Orc Blademaster ability of the same name from Warcraft III; if your unfamiliar with the game, it summons forth 'illusionary' duplicates, that fight individually and on their own, and which do 'non-real' damage as well as taking it (both, less than the real Or--Lunar). Most obviously Illusionary charm in the bunch, and again, probably another relic of the First Age.

Cunning and Trickery Charms

I was going to do these too, but I'm tired of typing:P I'll come back and do them later. If anyone else wants to try their hand at it, Cunning Charms are sneaky nasty Changing Moon type 'martial arts'. Trickery Charms should be like Misdirection charms, but less illusion-y in general. I might end up merging Trickery and Misdirection, in fact...