DragonBloodedOccult/Resplendence

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Perfected Understanding of (Element) Sorcery

Aspect: Air / Neutral
Cost: None
Duration: Permanent
Type: Simple
Minimum Occult: 5
Minimum Essence: 4
Prerequisite Charms: Terrestial Circle Sorcery

While Dragon-Blooded are limited to the lowest circle of sorcery, they can utilize their unparalleled understanding of the elements to optimize the Essence used in spells with a strong elemental nature.

The Essence cost for spells aligned to the Dragon-Blooded’s own element is reduced by her Occult rating (including relevant specialtiy), to a minimum of one mote. Other costs are unaffected. This Charm can only be learned for the Dragon-Blooded’s own elemental Aspect, and it can only be learned by Dragon-Blooded – Eclipse and Moonshadow Castes lack the elemental alignment and understanding needed.

The Storyteller decides which spells are enough elementally aligned to be affected, but although each element covers quite a broad range of concepts and phenomena related to its nature, a spell must have a physical component to benefit from this Charm.

For example, Blood Lash and Shadow Summons count as aligned to Water for the purposes of this Charm, as fluids and darkness are in the realm of water. A spell like Theft of Memory wouldn’t benefit, since its main effect is purely immaterial.


I like this alot. Just one question: If an exoerienced Immaculate (who has harmonized with multiple elements) was to take this, could he get multiple benefits? Or would he have to take it multiple times? Or would he only be able to take it once?

Scrollreader, who likes to throw Immacluates with Sorcery in Dragon Armor at his Solars, to keep them on their toes.

We actually discussed this. Immaculate attunement applies to the Martial Art in question only - Immacs don't magically become 5-Element Exalted. - willows

Is that a houserule of sorts? Or have I been mis-reading my copy of DB all along? I was under the impression that /all/ charms, secular or immaculate no longer had a surchage, if you had mastered the Immaculate form. Even so, things like Elemental Succor, and Elemental Bolt still use their aspect. That's how I've been playing it.

Scrollreader

Indeed, mastering an Immaculate Path gives you harmony with that element so that you *never* pay a Surcharge for it, even on Secular Charms. But this Charm works off your innate Elemental Aspect, and isn't affected by your mastery of another Element. You only get the benefits for your own natural Aspect and no other. So you can never take this Charm more then once or have it apply to more then one element. - Telgar

My misreading, then. But it remains true that Immaculate mastery doesn't get you the full effects of Aspecthood, including Aspect Abilities and anime effects. - willows

Aha. Much thanks. This is an awesome charm. And helps keep DB Sorcerors from casting one spell, then having to go lie down for a bit.  :P Scrollreader

No, I didn't intend Immaculate mastery to affect the possibilities of this Charm. Even if you do master more than one Immaculate MA, you still retain your elemental Aspect, which is what governs which version you can learn. Anyway, I'm glad you like my Charm. Resplendence

If the Charm is to allow metaphorical connections to an element, I would remove the restriction on physical components. Elemental associations in Exalted are often intangible; for instance, Air is associated with thought and dream. Theft of Memory could be an Air spell for this reason. Equally, it could be an Earth spell, on the grounds that it creates a gem to contain the memory, and gems are pretty Earthy. And if you accept things as insubstantial as shadows and darkness to be physical components, where do you draw the line? :) - Quendalon

The definition of what constitutes an elemental effect is deliberately left to the Storyteller, but I do agree that Theft of Memory could easily be considered elemental. You would have to look at the main effect of the spell to determine what element it belongs to, IMO, so in the case of Theft of Memory the gem creation would be a secondary effect and thus it would be Air-aspected. Resplendence