HearthstoneRelay/Inertia
The eighth theme is inertia.
Stone of Fixed Relations (Shataina)
Earth-Aspected Manse • Trigger: None, always on
This stone, a small chunk of plain metamorphic rock, does not change colour, no matter what light it is placed in. Earth takes a long time to react to environmental changes and shape itself into a new form, and the comprehension of Earth granted by this stone to its bearer helps them apply this kind of unchanging "solidity" to their social relationships. Enemies will remain enemies, lovers will remain in love, loyal retainers will keep their loyalty more stalwart than ever -- et cetera.
Mechanically, this stone adds a difficulty penalty of two to any rolls made by others to change the relationships of one who is attached to the Exalt in any way.
Example. Marble has a Stone of Fixed Relations. His lover, Rain, is speaking to his enemy, Breeze. Rain attempts to persuade Breeze to see Marble in a more kind and loving light; all her rolls to make him see Marble in this way require two extra successes to succeed. However, when she fails and Breeze turns to her and tells her that Marble killed her parents, trying to make her hate him, he also requires two extra successes to make her turn on the man she loves.
Marathon Gem</b> (Ikselam)
<b>Earth-Aspected Manse •• Trigger: Running.
This dense, cubical hearthstone is a dark blackish silver. When attuned, it allows the bearer to never lose momentum when running. Once he gets started, he need expend no effort to keep moving at top speed, so long as he moves in a reasonably straight line. Mechanically, he may run for as long as he wishes without checking for fatigue. He may even sleep while running, though this might prove risky due to the danger of crashing into large, stationary objects. However, stopping, slowing down, or making significant alterations to his course, requires a Strength + Athletics check at difficulty 2. This requires great effort, and consumes his dice action for the turn. Speeding up requires much less effort; all he need do is take a movement action which causes him to move more distance per turn than he previously was. This is compatible with Charms that speed movement, but only if that movement involves running.
This power only activates when the character wants it to, but it can't be deactivated until the character comes to a complete halt. At the Storyteller's discretion, Dodge rolls may be called for to avoid smashing into objects at high speed. Crashing generally does one die of bashing damage (piercing) for every 5 yards per turn the character is moving. Whether or not it brings him to a stop is determined by the Storyteller, based on how sturdy the object is. If the character loses his footing, or becomes unable to move his legs, he skids to a halt, usually taking damage as though he had struck an object.
Example: Choam the Solar decides that discretion is the better part of valor, and starts running away from Serge the Lunar. To start, Choam takes a regular movement action. His Dexterity is 3; he moves 15 yards away from Serge. Since he is using his Marathon Gem, he can continue moving this far (in the same direction) on each subsequent turn without effort. Unfortunately, this is not fast enough to escape the fleet-footed Lunar! On his next turn, Choam speeds up. Since he's already moving at his maximum regular movement speed, he needs to sprint in order to increase his velocity. He uses his action for movement, speeding up to 29 yards per turn. On subsequent turns, he need not expend his action to maintain this speed. Unfortunately, this is still not fast enough to outrun Serge. Choam can't go any faster without using magic, since he is already at his maximum sprinting speed. He activates Lightning Speed and spends his turn sprinting; this brings his speed up to 58 yards per turn, which he can maintain indefinitely without effort. Serge, finding that he needs to expend all his effort just to keep up with Choam (who is meanwhile throwing stuff at him), gives up the chase.
Unshakable Jade Statue Gem</b> (Resplendence)
<b>Earth-Aspected Manse ••• Trigger: Concentration
Only the briefest moment of concentration is required to activate this cubic Hearthstone, seemingly made of polished white jade. In the blink of an eye, it transforms the bearer to a statue of solid white jade. The bearer becomes immobile as long as she is transformed, but she cannot be forced to move by any mundane means and she is nearly impervious to damage.
The transformation can be activated reflexively, but this cancels all actions, Charms and such that require the slightest bit of motion. Once activated, the transformation can be sustained for as long as the bearer remains conscious, but she cannot revert back until the beginning of next turn and it also counts as a dice action. While in jade statue form, all her senses, except tactile senses (which are dulled and impose a +2 diffucylty on all related rolls), work normally but are limited by her inability to move. She doesn't experience physical fatigue of any kind, nor does she need to breathe. Hunger and thirst affects her normally though.
The flawless jade gives the bearer a natural 30B/20L soak, with a hardness value of half the soak values. Armor and all other forms of non-natural soak are inactive. She also gains a Strength rating of 20 (repalcing her own Strength), but only passive due to her inability to move -- it can be used to prop up collapsing roof like a pillar, or to maintain a nearly uinbreakable grip. If the bearer activates the Hearthstone when engaged in a clinch, she can use her new Strength rating instead of Dexterity. Furthermore, it becomes impossible to move her from the spot by any mundane means. Magically assisted attacks, lifting or such has to overcome her new Strength rating to succeed, but even so, a normal-sized person weighs about 2000 pounds in jade statue form.
Gem of the Turning Path</b> (dissolvegirl)
<b>Sidereal-Aspected Manse •••• Trigger: Touch
This gem is full of flickering and changing colors; none of its owners can give a good description of it, however, because when one sits down to concentrate on what the stone looks like, something inevitably comes up to distract them from their appointed task.
When this gem is taken from its socket and touched to a target of the owner's choosing, the person will have difficulty reversing their positions on important opinions. If, for example, a magistrate has decided to vehemently oppose a new law and falls under the influence of this gem, small mishaps and bits of bad luck will prevent him from getting to the courthouse to voice his objections-- and he will feel it easier to let events unfold without his interference. Mechanically, the target can roll his conviction versus the stone's rating to overcome his own inertia and do what he originally intended.
Alternatively, the owner of the stone may touch it and allow its inertia to flow through his body; people who wish to dissuade him from his current determinations find he is stubborn and possesses the emotional fortitude to withstand any outside influence. When the stone is not being used on a target, the possesor may use it to roll his conviction twice when regaining willpower after resting.
Crystal of the Frozen Moment</b> (Ikselam)
<b>Earth-Aspected Manse ••••• Trigger: Concentration (Reflexive).
This stone looks like a round lump of flawless amber, with a single petrified insect suspended in its heart, apparently in mid-flight. When attuned, it can bring everything around itself to a brief but complete halt. The stone's bearer concentrates intently, and all motion within 100 yards ceases. Arrows and birds halt in mid-air, water ceases flowing, and people's hearts stop beating. Even light stops moving, giving the air an odd, solid look.
Mechanically, activating the stone is a reflexive action. The character, and all others within the area of effect, lose all physical actions until her initiative next turn. This explicitly includes actions generated by Charms, even reflexive actions; however, purely mental actions, such as Charm activation, are not affected (although Instant-duration Charms which require or produce any kind of motion -- even blasts of intangible energy -- produce no effect). Any force encountering the border of the stasis bubble is immediately dissipated; nothing from outside can enter it until it fades.
Moving things caught in the Crystal's effect do not begin moving again when it ends; all of their momentum is dissipated by the stone's magic. After the frozen moment ends, projectiles will fall straight down, and large objects which were in motion will probably stand still (unless circumstances would cause them to start moving again. For example, a boulder would start rolling again if it were halted halfway down a steep slope -- but a boulder on a gentle grade might not). Flying creatures will probably fall unless they are held up by a continuous effect; staying aloft via mechanical means (beating wings, gliding, and the like) requires a Wits + Ability roll at difficulty 3. The Ability used is the one which normally governs the flight (e.g., Athletics for actual wings, Ride for a Haslanti glider, Sail for a larger airship).
This power may be used once per day. It is a perfect effect, and ignores applicability.
comments
Ok, thought of something. Still figured you guys wouldn't like it if I gave into my "The eighth theme is statistical modeling of chaotic systems!" idea spawning off my work. -- ReallyBored
I have no idea what I'm doing here, so comments are appreciated. Especially on the name and the power level.
~ Shataina
- I actually quite like it. Both the name and the effects! B-) nikink
Ikselam! That's so cool! - Nikink
I don't know how "inertia" my stone is, but I haven't written anything for a while. It's just a new twist to the typical rooted-to-the-ground Earth ability. Also, we really should try to come up with a non-Earth inertia stone... Something Abyssal maybe, for the emotional/spiritual inertia of the dead? Resplendence
- I almost like your stone better than my own "turn into a statue" stone. You might want to give some extra thought to the power's timing, though; it might be simplest to make both activation and deactivation Simple actions. _Ikselam
- I thought it would be a good defense, but maybe it's a bit too good to be able to act and then turn to jade in the same turn... I will consider making it a Simple action. Resplendence
I will award a Point to whomever comes up with a non-Earth stone for this theme. _Ikselam
- I will if I have time; my freelance PARANOIA assignment has been keeping me busy. - Quendalon wonders what kind of Point you're offering?
- The kind of Point which can be redeemed for Valuable Prizes, of course. _Ikselam
I know people hate the suggested conviction roll for the purpose of regaining willpower. If you're using the highly-acclaimed house rule where one rolls their highest virtue, the ST may allow that roll to be highest virtue + conviction. --dissolvegirl
- Can the stone be used on more than one target at once? _Ikselam knew it was going to be Sidereal the moment he saw your name on the edit.
- Probably not, since you can't use the personal power when you're using the target power. --dissolvegirl is way too predictable.
I'm not entirely sure I fully understand what the Gem of the Turning Path does, but it really seems nice. :) - David. finally commented, stop pestering me, whaaaaaaa! ;)
- It seems like a more powerful version of the first one; my reading is that it prevents people from changing their minds once they make decisions. _Ikselam
- My reading is more that it prevents them from acting on a change of mind. So if the magistrate decides that he made a bad call, minor misfortunes befall him if he tries to reverse the decision (ie, he trips and falls on his way out of the office, getting a bloody nose that he has to clean up or he spills his lunch all over himself or something like that). -- ReallyBored
- Actually, you're both right. The magistrate may change his mind, but a million minor misfortunes will befall him on the way to acting on his new mindset, so much so that it would take a serious show of character (the conviction roll) not to go "Screw this! Things were better the way they were before. This is what I get for trying to change things." It's more about the inertia of the world, less about the inertia of the person. --dissolvegirl
- OK, I must be a bit slow... but can someone explain how that hearthstone benefits the attuned exalt? It really does seem more like a curse. Nikink Feeling rather slow on the uptake...
- You can bestow a curse of universal inertia, or bless yourself with inevitable goal-approaching inertia. - willows
- How? Everytime I wish to rethink and redecide what I want to do I have to unattune. Say I normally eat Vanilla Ice-Cream after dinner, but tonight, I want Chocolate! Too bad! I stumble over every chair in the house getting to the fridge, only to discover the Chocolate Ice-Cream has somehow melted and spoiled before I got to it, so in a huff I eat Vanilla again, and that's presuming the stone allowed me to get up off the ever so comfy couch in the first place! Should I decide to set a goal that differs from what I usually do, the stone kicks in and does it's utmost to prevent that change of course. Do you see what I mean? I'm not trying to be difficult, I'm just lacking understanding... Nikink
- Err, the stone bestows the curse of universally enforced stubborness on someone else, a target of the attuned Exalt's choosing. The target is annoyed and nagged into not changing a decision. The exalt isn't affected (well, unless he targets himself with the stone) by the curse. The second ability is different. If the exalt chooses to become infinitely determined, he cannot be dissuaded from his goal by anyone else. Fear, awe, presense attacks, Listener Swaying Argument, dirct mind control via Solar social-fu, anything of that sort automatically fails. The wording isn't clear, but it seems that a third effect is that if the stone isn't being used for anything else (not cursing someone or making the exalt immune to mind control), it helps to regain WP faster. -- ReallyBored
- Ahhhhhhh... And the student was Enlightened... B-) Thank you very much! I feel very stupid for not understanding. It seems so much clearer now. Nikink
