IsawaBrian/SolarInvestigationObservation
First Edition and Conversions
Lifetime Measuring Eye
Cost: 6 motes Duration: Instant Type: Simple Minimum Investigation: 3 Minimum Essence: 3 Prerequisite Charms: Crafty Observation Method
Living leaves its stamp on people. Calluses, scars, habits-- the trained magistrate is well aware of all of these things. Unfortunately, human variation being what it is, it can sometimes be hard to determine what is merely personal choice, and what is the result of a pattern. A Solar using Lifetime Measuring Eye can filter through such variation to sift for facts. Indeed, such variation becomes patterns that the Solar can follow to gain even more perception into the lives of those he observes.
The use of this Charm provides the following facts:
Whether or not the target is concealing or disguising himself.
Any Attributes the target has at 5 or higher, or her highest Attributes if none are at least 5.
A small description of important events of the past day.
Any Abilities the target has at 5 or higher, or his highest Abilities if none are at least 5.
A small description -- at most a sentence -- of the target’s life path or profession. This is often the target’s concept.
Any Abilities that the character has a Specialty in, and what those specialties are.
The target’s Nature.
If the target has the second level of Innocuous, is subject to Arcane Fate, or is protected by a disguise Charm such as Impenetrable Identity (Lifetime Measuring Eye will penetrate King of Masks Technique), the Exalt must bypass the target’s defenses or the only information he will gain is that corresponding to a Resplendent Destiny, the Impenetrable Identity, or a simple background null.
In Second Edition, this Charm is Combo-OK. It detects Motivation rather than Nature. It costs only 3m if used on a target that the Solar has a current application of Evidence-Discerning Method active on. At Essence 5, the character will also learn all of the target's Intimacies. If opposed by perfect illusory, disguise, or similar effects, use Unstoppable Force: Immovable Object rules. A second purchase of this Charm makes its use Reflexive.
Sense of Disharmony
Cost: None Duration: Permanent Type: Special Minimum Investigation: 3 Minimum Essence: 2 Prerequisite Charms: Ten Magistrate Eyes
The Solar's skill at investigation has given him a sixth sense for when something is wrong. Whenever there is something within the Exalted's presence, he will be aware of it, as though it were a slightly brighter color than its surroundings, or otherwise highlighted. This will not distract the character from combat or an ambush, although if the Solar chooses to focus on it exclusively, he may be in trouble.
This Charm gives absolutely no information about what wrongness has occured, merely the location of a wrong thing. For example, if the Solar is in a bar and a man in the corner has been subtly stabbed and left in a manner so that it appears that he is sleeping over his tankard, this Charm will merely draw the Solar's eyes in the body's direction. The Solar will have to investigate himself, and if the stabbing was done properly, it will take an Investigation roll as usual to differentiate whether the victim had been poisoned or hit with a Spell, and so on.
Similarly, this Charm will give no bonus to the actual investigation rolls made. A Solar standing in front of a wall to which someone was nailed and tortured will know that there is something wrong with it, but only an investigation roll will show the little flecks on the wall where the nailholes were mortared in. Until that point, it might be a secret door, a trap, an illusion, the place where a valuable painting was held and then stolen, and so on.
In Second Edition, this Charm requires any Investigation Excellency.
Unblinking Eye
Cost: 6 motes, 1 Willpower Duration: One Scene Type: Simple Minimum Investigation: 4 Minimum Essence: 3 Prerequisite Charms: Sense of Disharmony
The Solar uses her Essence to stretch forth her perceptions, attuning her senses to concealment and disguise. For the rest of the scene, the Solar's senses will perfectly detect any concealed object, including identities (disguises, King of Masks Technique, and similar abilities/charms) within the range of her perception. Perfect illusions and invisibility will still defend against this Charm; make a contested roll between the Exalt's Perception + Investigation and the target's relevant dice pool (Manipulation + Ability, typically Stealth, Performance, or Larceny if none else is available). The Exalt using Unblinking Eye gains bonus successes on this roll equal to her Essence.
In Second Edition, this Charm is Combo-OK; it does -not- have one of the Four Flaws of Invulnerability. Instead of those, or the system above for defense, use the usual Unstoppable Force, Immovable Object rules (Essence + Ability on each side), although the bonus of Essence successes is still retained.
Second Edition
Abiding Blood Observation
Cost: 4m; Mins: Investigation 2, Essence 1; Type: Simple Keywords: Combo-OK Duration: Instant Prerequisite Charms: Any Investigation Excellency
This is a mechanical conversion of the Charm on CB: T p 70. Note that if it is opposed by deceptive magic or effects that perfectly hide such crime/guilt, it does not usually provide a bonus to the subsequent contest of Unstoppable Force vs. Immovable Object, but it does permit such a roll to be used in the first place.
Hawk Aloft Gaze
Cost: 5m; Mins: Investigation 4, Essence 2; Type: Simple Keywords: Combo-OK Duration: Instant Prerequisite Charms: Crafty Observation Method
This is a mechanical conversion of the Charm on CB: T p 70. If it is opposed by a perfect concealment, it will not function as per CB: T p 70, because the Solar must be able to see his target in the first place. However, it does grant bonus successes equal to the Solar’s Essence to any UF:IO if the Solar is being directly opposed by equivalent level perfect wards that would prevent the use of the Charm without directly obscuring the target.
Guilt-Finding Inquisitor Method
Cost: 7m; Mins: Investigation 3, Essence 2; Type: Simple Keywords: Combo-Basic, Social Duration: One Scene Prerequisite Charms: Judge’s Ear Technique
This is a mechanical conversion of the Charm on pp CB: T 70-71. Using this Charm’s effects to sense the subject’s greatest guilt is considered a reflexive, unblockable, undodgeable Investigation attack with a very limited scope of responses. Perfect mental defenses will stop these effects normally but do not normally disrupt the charm itself, which will continue unless directly targeted. Note that while this has the social keyword, it does not take long ticks to establish unless the character wishes to have it active for a long-ticks based scene.
Absolute Legalist Judgment
Cost: --; Mins: Investigation 5, Essence 3; Type: Permanent Keywords: None Duration: Permanent Prerequisite Charms: Guilt-Finding Inquisitor Method
The lies and deceptions of the sinful cannot conceal their guilt from a Lawgiver; nor can their corrupt hearts excuse their blasphemies. When using the effects of Guilt-Finding Inquisitor Method, the Solar may spend an additional 1 mote and 1 willpower to have the target’s guilt be judged in terms of the Solar’s accepted legal, ethical, or moral system, rather than the target’s own feelings of guilt. If the Solar subscribes to more than one such system, he must select which is standard that he will measure all targets against when activating Guilt-Finding Inquisitor Method, and it cannot be changed until the Charm is deactivated and then reactivated.
Death Revealing Method
Cost: --; Mins: Investigation 4, Essence 3; Type: Permanent Keywords: Mirror (Oblivion's Unwelcome Answer) Duration: Permanent Prerequisite Charms: Crafty Observation Method
Although the Chosen of the Unconquered Sun do not understand death as well as their twisted Abyssal counterparts, the transitional state between life and death leaves a mark on the world. It is within the mandate of the Lawgivers to investigate the comings and goings of life, and such a mark is indelible to the trained eye. This Charm enhances its prerequisite, Crafty Observation Method, when the Exalt targets any weapon, corpse, or fragment of a corpse, down to the smallest hair. Used this way, the charm permits the Solar to actively interrogate the little gods associated with the subject matter or examine the psychic impressions created by the soul's departure. The Lawgiver thus gains the same amount of information from Crafty Observation Method as though he had examined an entire relevant scene.
From such tiny scraps are great insights made to the chosen; this perfect Investigation roll will reveal from a weapon the precise last person killed by it, and the wielder at that time. This will even reveal the appearance of either at the time. If used on a corpse or fragment thereof, it will allow complete reconstruction of the corpse at time of depth and even a complete and accurate description of the name of the fallen and precisely how she died.
The Abyssal Mirror charm, Oblivion's Unwelcome Answer, is even more efficient, wielding the blasphemous powers of the Neverborn in addition to a perverted Solar mandate. So long as the soul of the departed has not entered lethe, Oblivion's Unwelcome Answer enhances Crime-Unveiling Wickedness in the same manner as Death Revealing Method, but adds the character's Essence in automatic successes to any Unstoppable Force, Immovable Object rolls to contest magical attempts to conceal the nature of death. Even lethe is no defense if the death was violent (as will almost certainly be the case involving weapons); the Abyssal simply reads the passing in the bloodstained mark it leaves upon reality. If a soul has entered lethe and the passing was not a violent one-- which can include subtle poisons and certain blissful diseases among other possibilities-- Oblivion's Unwelcome Answer simply acts like Death Revealing Method.
Catalogue of the Insightful Mind
Cost: --; Mins: Investigation 4, Essence 4; Type: Permanent Keywords: None Duration: Permanent Prerequisite Charms: Evidence-Discerning Method
The cunning and insightful capacity of a Solar bent on comprehension cannot be underestimated. Developing mental flexibility and pattern-recognition, the Exalt dramatically increases both her efficiency and output with regards to her understanding of individuals. This Charm enhances its prerequisite. Once taken, it modifies Evidence-Discerning method in two ways. First, the character may roll again to build a new profile at will, if her player is willing to expend the essence and willpower. Secondly, as long as the Solar maintains the profile via Evidence-Discerning method, an external penalty equal to the character's permanent Essence is added to all dramatic, social and mass combat actions the target takes against the Solar. The Solar may opt to select whether or not it should apply to a beneficial action, reflexively, even while Inactive. The Solar's insight into the target's personality and drives allows her to confound and deflect such actions.
Opening the Courtly Senses
Cost: --; Mins: Investigation 3, Essence 3; Type: Permanent Keywords: None Duration: Permanent Prerequisite Charms: Courtier's Eye Technique
The harmonies of society are not merely visual graces. As a Lawgiver develops in Essence, he gains a much more instinctive sense of status and power. This Charm modifies its prerequisite, reducing the cost of Courtier's Eye Technique to 1 mote and making the Charm reflexive. At Essence 5+, the Charm may be purchased a second time, making it a 0 cost permanent Charm that the character may use once per scene on any given target reflexively.
Inducing the Laconic Customer
Cost: --; Mins: Investigation 5, Essence 3; Type: Permanent Keywords: None Duration: Permanent Prerequisite Charms: Consumer-Evaluating Glance
Few indeed are those who can stand before the Lawgivers when they demand certainty of understanding. This Charm enhances its prerequisite, increasing the willpower cost necessary to resist the Compulsion effect to be equal to the Solar's permanent Essence.
