GoldenCat/Astrological Animas

Astrological Animas

In Sol Invictus, Solars posses three Anima Powers, as do Abyssals. They are the greatest of the Exalted, with access to all three circles of raw power, and their animas reflect that. In turn, the Celestial Exalted possesses two Anima Powers each! For the Sidereal Exalted, those powers are Maiden’s Mark, the ability to make their Maiden’s Lesser Sign, present in Exalted: The Sidereals, and Astrological Ascendancy.

Sidereals are all born under the auspices of their Maiden. They have a deep connection to her House, from which they derive their identity and power. But one constellation shines brighter on their horoscopes than any other. That is their birth-sign, the constellation ascendant on their House. A Sidereal player chooses one at character creation, and receives the Anima power specific to it. To access their Astrological Ascendancy Anima Power, a Sidereal must have at least one dot in its College, and wear at least one of its Trappings. As long as those two requirements are met, the Sidereal is able to use the Anima Power like any other.

Those powers can also be accessed as a Resplendent Destiny ability of a constellation - such powers can only be used when one has five dots on the College and cost is 3 Effect Points and one Paradox Die (above and beyond the cost of the powers themselves) to use - as it is a strain to use this power when one has not been born into it.

Ascendant Constellations

The Golden Barque of Heavens

• The Captain: Star-Bound Discipline Spending 5 motes and touching his vessel, the Sidereal whose star is ascendant on the Captain commands perfection in action with the sheer force of his charisma! For the remainder of the Scene, add a number of successes equal to the Sidereal's Essence to any Sail rolls (and Sail-related rolls such as hull repair or movement within the ship) made by the Chosen or any of his allies within (Sidereal's Essence x10) yards. The effect of this anima dissipates if the a recipient moves out of the range of the Exalt employing it.
• The Gull: Joyous Freedom Spending 5 motes and holding yellow stardust in their palms and scattering them about them in movements that echo wings, the Sidereal whose star is ascendant on the Gull creates spectral wings of stardust and takes to the air! For the remainder of the scene he gains the ability to fly with his normal movement speed in any direction. Flight with the Gull's wings is a valid movement type for all Sidereal Charms that require the Chosen to be walking or running.
• The Mast: Juggernaut's Might Spending 5 motes and pulling up his sleeves the Sidereal whose star is ascendant on the Mast becomes a silent and unflinching juggernaut! This power grants the Sidereal a number of temporary -0 Health Levels equal to his Essence score for the remainder of the Scene - those 'phantom' Health Levels cannot be consumed for Charms but can be consumed to enhance the Juggernaut's strength! Consuming a Health Level in this way increases his Strength score by an ammount equal to the Harbinger's Conviction for a single action as the juggernaut bleeds to achieve its objective! When lost the Health Levels fade into nothingness and do not heal. The Sidereal cannot communicate verbally while one of those phantom Health Levels remain.
• The Messenger: Workman's Epic Spending 5 motes and adopting the stance of the daring courier the Sidereal whose star is ascendant on the Messenger realises that although his part will be ignored in man's history, heaven favors his courage! For the remainder of the Scene the Sidereal doubles his mote or Willpower reward received from any stunt which furthers a professional contract or an employer's wishes rather than the Exalt's own personal glory.
• The Ship's Wheel: Steering the Stars Spending 5 motes and spinning the wheel of fate the Sidereal whose star is ascendant on the Ship's Wheel steers the simplest course to his objective! Activating this Anima halves the time it would take for a Sidereal and his companions to get to their destination and places them on the safest of all possible routes - no matter how secret it might be or ludicrous it might appear at first glance the Exalt knows it is the safest of routes. This avoids any hazards and ambushes if at all possible. The Sidereal rolls one Paradox die when activating this ability.

The Cerulean Lute of Harmony

• The Ewer: In the name of Love Spending 5 motes and shedding an azure-freckled tear for the wonder of love, the Sidereal whose star is ascendant on the Ewer may make sure that Love is triumphant! This power turns a single action made in the name of romantic love by the Sidereal or any being he is able to perceive into an epic wrought in the stars and fated to triumph - the action becomes a Perfect Success (all dice come up successes). The Sidereal rolls one Paradox die when activating this ability.
• The Lovers: Azure Leash Spending 5 motes and holding to an invisible leash of stardust the Sidereal whose star is ascendant on the Lovers may act in any way he wishes upon another being whose Permanent Essence is less than his own, and with the prerrogative of the Lovers, this other will never speak of of it save with the Sidereal's express permission. The Sidereal is considered to be acting upon the other even if she has only witnessed acts performed by the Chosen without being its target.
• The Musician: The Neverending Celebration Spending 5 motes and starting their song and dance the Sidereal whose star is ascendant on the Musician can instill all around into a celebration to endless excess! As long as the Chosen mantains his performance all those he chooses within (Sidereal's Essence x10) yards of him must spend at least one dice action each turn performing with the Joybringer, and take multiple actions in order to do anything else (this effect explicitly allows characters to co-opt actions in Extra Action Charms or Combos for the performance - and thus prevents Simple charms from being used.) The performance put forth by the others will be the same as his performance, reinforcing its themes and social effect as any background dancers and choir would (with dramatic effects) - they can split their pool to undermine the performance in the same breath that they are part of it, of course. The effect of this anima dissipates if the a recipient moves out of the range of the Exalt employing it.
• The Peacock: Perfect Mate's Plumage Spending 5 motes and spreading his symbolic tail in all its glory, the Sidereal whose star is ascendant on the Peacock catches the attention of the target and keeps it riveted to himself. If the target is choosing someone randomly from the crowd, he will automatically pick the Sidereal. If the Sidereal is among the many traders competing for a deal with the target, the target will consider the Sidereal's offer as the most favorable. If the Sidereal and the target are in a group that is engaged in an argument with each other, the target will side with the Sidereal's point of view. Only Charms may allow one to compete with the Sidereal - and their difficulty increases by the Sidereal's Permanent Essence rating (causing a roll to happen when there would be none.)
• The Pillar: Reins of the Matriarch Spending 5 motes and striking the face of the welcoming matriarch the Sidereal whose star is ascendant on the Pillar blesses the rite of passage of another into her household as a tight rein that keeps her abreast of all their affairs! This Anima must be activated when performing the ritual of admitting another into her household - either through contract or marriage, dinner or servitude. The Sidereal's anima shines with a peaceful azure light coruscating with the stars of the pillar and the edicts of the Cerulean Lute of Harmony, blessing their initiation: thereafter whenever the initiated finds themselves tempted to betray or leave the household the Sidereal will know, together with a one-sentence description of their temptation.

The Crimson Panoply of Victory

• The Banner: Colors of a Legend Spending 5 motes and standing proud, the Sidereal whose star is ascedant in the Banner spreads the banner of his storied fame. Those interacting with the Sidereal will think that they have heard stories of someone matching his description. The exact nature of these stories varies according to Sidereal's nature (a warrior Sidereal bears tales of legendary valor and swordsplay, a scholar Sidereal is known for his fabled wisdom), but they portray deeds of nothing short of legendary caliber. Basically, the Banner increases the Sidereal's Reputation, and those interacting with him react to this accordingly.
• The Gauntlet: Black Dog Approach Spending 5 motes and crushing his opponent's flesh with a gauntlet of red stardust, the Sidereal whose star is ascendant on the Gauntlet strikes with such violence that it drills in through all the enemy's protections – and keeps his muzzle on them until it strikes bone after striking flesh. This power allows the Exalt to roll his Essence in extra damage dice after successfully striking an enemy and adding the successes to the total damage of the attack. Use of Black Dog Approach always sends bones cracking and blood splattering even if it deals no damage - mortals will forever remain scarred by those strikes.
• The Quiver: Changing the Rules Spending 5 motes the Sidereal whose star is ascendant on the Quiver may pick a different arrow from her metaphorical quiver, changing the shot while still in the air! The Sidereal may rearrange the numbers that allow for success, heroic success and botch after a single action enacted by herself or anyone within (Permanent Essence x10) yards of her is rolled (for example, making it so 1s count as 7s, 4s counts as 10s, 5s as 8s and 6s as 9s, thus turning a disastrous failture on an outstanding success). The Sidereal rolls one Paradox die when using this ability.
• The Shield: Fate Favors Heroes Spending 5 motes and striking the pose of a hero who faces suffering without fear, the Sidereal whose star is ascendant on the Shield protects herself and her allies! For the remainder of the Scene, the Sidereal and all allies within(her Permanent Essence x10 yards) receive +1 difficulty to be affected in any fashion, with attacks or arguments! However, those benefits are lost if one of them fails a Valor roll.
• The Spear: Perfect Phalanx Spending 5 motes and acting in a perfectly ordered fashion, the Sidereal whose star is ascendant on the Spear organizes his allies in a perfect phalanx! The Sidereal makes a physical action, which may be enhanced in any way, and allows a number of allies equal to his Intelligence score to use his result when attempting the same task in the same turn in place of their own.

The Forbidding Manse of Ivy

• The Guardians: Inner Wisdom Spending 5 motes and tapping his forehead the Sidereal whose star is ascendant on the guardians kicks open the gates of his own natural wisdom! When this anima is activated the Sidereal learns one thing one of the former incarnations of his Exaltation knew about a single topic. The Sidereal does not learn comprehensive information but a single fact - and may not learn more facts of a single subject than his Permanent Essence rating.
• The Key: Ten Thousand Open Doors Spending 5 motes and holding fingers out like a key covered in turquoise light, the Sidereal whose star is ascendant on the Key becomes able to open anything! Any door locked by a being whose Essence score is not greater than the Sidereal's simply opens with a touch. With but a handle turned, or a touch on a Sanctum's entrance!
• The Mask: Masked Intentions Spending 5 motes and pulling masks out of emerald stardust the Sidereal whose star is ascendant on the Mask binds a secret to those trusted with it! When a secret is given to another and sworn to secrecy the Sidereal can bless it with the broken symbol of the Mask, creating a conspiracy of shadows. Thereafter none that have been bound with the secret will speak of it by coercion or accident, although powerful magic can take that knowledge away from them - when that happens, the Sidereal will know of it. He receives a warning through Fate telling him who let the secret slip and a one-sentence description of how.
• The Sorcerer: First Among Equals Spending 5 motes and standing proud like a prince of the earth, the Sidereal whose star is ascendant on the Sorcerer wears his Essence in the viridian regalia of a king! For the remainder of the scene, whenever he finds himself on a contested roll - including an attack or dodge - with an opponent of greater Essence than himself, count the Sidereal's Essence as being equal to his adversary. This modification occurs as the roll is made and affects Charms enhancing it, but not Charms activated before the attack is rolled, such as Extra Action Charms.
• The Treasure Trove: Savant's Wealth Spending 5 motes and bringing emerald stardust to his pockets, the Sidereal whose star is ascendant on the Treasure Trove may trade his secrets to increase his own treasure! For the remainder of the Scene the character can trade knowledge per good as if it was coin - something as simple as symbols to the illiterate would be the same as one dot of Resources in a trade, whereas important First Age facts would rank as high as five dots and buy the Savant a palace and important truths that change one's life grant things great as Artifacts or Manses. Even the greediest cutthroat will consider this a fair exchange - although this knowledge can only be used as coin if the one receiving was ignorant of it. The Sidereal rolls one Paradox die when using this ability.

The Violet Bier of Sorrows

• The Corpse: The World Changes Spending 5 motes and striking the pose of a corpse ready for burial, the Sidereal whose star is ascendant on the Corpse may instantly shift his attire with any other he owns. He may also call a number of personal props - including Artifacts and other personal items he owns - to himself equal to his Permanent Essence. Those appear as if they had been there all along. The Sidereal rolls one Paradox die when using the latter ability.
• The Crow: Nocturnal Awakening Spending 5 motes and spreading night-black stardust under the eyes of one deluded, the Sidereal whose star is ascendant on the Crow can shatter all illusions. This ends a single illusion-effect that the Sidereal can touch - whether the illusion itself or the forehead of one accomitted by a mental illusion. Permanent Glamour are unaffected, of course - only glamour that could be resisted and dispelled with cold iron can be affected with this power. Madmen can be snapped out of derangements for a time and deluded men can find a new outlook in life - or despair that the lies that fueled them are gone - with the use of this power.
• The Haywain: This is the End Spending 5 motes and leaving a half-eaten fruit amidst an organization the Sidereal whose star is ascendant on the Haywain brings an air of endings to its proceedings. For the remainder of the Scene all members of this organization who interact with the Sidereal will feel that the organization is over. Roll their Conviction with a difficulty equal to half the Sidereal's Permanent Essence, rounded down - failure means that they feel the organization has run its course and there is nothing else there. Those so affected cannot precise why although their minds will make their own justifications for it. They need only be convinced otherwise after the Scene is over, and some will even realize it and return of their own accord.
• The Rising Smoke: End of Journeys Spending 5 motes and making elaborate funeral gestures the Sidereal whose star is ascendant on the Rising Smoke transforms his anima banner into wisping incense and informs in his gestures the death of motion - making all feel like they have arrived at the end of their journeys and all movement is futile! The Sidereal stops the movement of all opponents within (Sidereal's Essence x10) yards of himself for the remainder of the Scene. When such opponents attempt to move away from their current position they must suceed on a Conviction roll or remain still. This stops movement away from one's current location - they can still talk, move their hands and feet and fight normally. The effect of this anima dissipates if the a recipient moves out of the range of the Exalt employing it
• The Sword: End of Hope Spending 5 after striking her opponent (a strike that need do no damage) the Sidereal whose star is ascendant on The Sword enhances it with a gallery of afterimages as the Exalt's anima strike Saturn's 7 points of despair upon his victim. Activating this power the character can remove one point out of one of his victim’s Virtues to a minimum of 1. This cannot reduce the target's Virtues below the minimum required for the Great Curse. For example, if a Solar's Virtue Flaw is Compassionate Martyrdom those strikes cannot reduce his Compassion below 3. However this can reduce a Spiirt's Virtues below the level required to use a Charm, in which case the Spirit loses access to the Charm until his Virtue recovers. Each Virtue heals at the rate of one point per day.