LunarTotem/GoldenCat

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Totemic Magic

All attribute bonuses in those Shapes count as Natural for the use of Charms.

Those Charms are favored by all Lunars.

Totem

Harmony with the Inner Beast
Cost: Variable
Duration: Indefinite
Type: Reflexive
Minimum Essence: 1
Prerequisite Charms: A Totem Form
Achieving harmony with the Beast that defines his Self, the Lunar is able to draw traits from it, mingling his essence with that of a beast. Those traits show his harmony with his totem – they are never subtle. If one with a Tyrant Lizard totem gets the ‘Sturdy’ mutation, his muscles bulge, his demeanor becomes repilian, scales appear in his muscles. If he gets ‘Huge’, he becomes not only twice his height, but also scaled, with a reptilian face. This is what Lunars refer to as the ‘Beastman Shape’. This also requires the commitment of a number of motes equal to the Mutation Point cost. Despite its Duration, Harmony with the Inner Beast may be placed on a Combo. Although mutations may be channelled in Ascension, the Lunar is not considered to be in a Beastman Shape then.

Unnatural Size Meditation
Cost: 2 motes per size category change
Duration: Instant
Type: Reflexive
Minimum Essence: 1
Prerequisite Charms: Harmony with the Inner Beast.
The Lunar learns how to shift her size when in her Totem Form to something closer to her human form. This is a reflexive action, costing 2 motes per size mutation level negated. The Lunar may shift the Mutation Points changed to elsewhere - a Tyrant Lizard may receive two purchases of Glorious Hero Form even when it is human-sized to show its prowess. Changing his Shape away from the Totem Form ends this Charm. It may be used when the Lunar is in his Beastman Form.


War Totem

(Type) Totemic Excellence
Cost: None
Duration: Permanent
Type: Special
Minimum Essence: 2
Prerequisite Charms: Harmony with the Inner Beast.
Aligning his soul with the Lotus of Life, the Lunar brings his Totem form that much closer to the idealized form of his Totem, to its Animal Avatar. Totemic Excellence is actually three Charms - Physical Totemic Excellence, Mental Totemic Excellence, and Social Totemic Excellence. Each one may only be purchased once. When one of those is purchased, the Lunar increases every attribute in this category by one when in his Totem or Beastman Forms. This increase counts as natural in all respects.

(Type) Argent Regalia
Cost: None
Duration: Permanent
Type: Special
Minimum Essence: 3
Prerequisite Charms: The corresponding (Type) Totemic Excellence.
There is power in shape. There is power in identity. The Lunar focuses on his Totem... and changes it. He becomes 'a wolf' instead of simply 'wolf'. Defining a characteristic of his Totem, be it spots of different color somewhere on his pelt, a scar where it should not be or a ear missing a piece... the Lunar adds uniqueness, using this to fill his Totem with a power that comes from his soul, from his identity. This is not a Tell, as it is not something that will appear on other forms or draw the eye - it is simply there. Argent Regalia is actually three Charms, and each may only be purchased once. Those are:

  • Terrible Argent Regalia, which increases the Physical Attributes.
  • Stirring Argent Regalia, which increases the Social Attributes.
  • Dynamic Argent Regalia, which increases the Mental Attributes.

When one of those is purchased, the Lunar adds a number of points equal to his highest virtue to one of those attribute categories when in his Totemic and Beastman forms, fixed upon the purchase of this Charm. Dexterity, Manipulation and Wits cost two points to increase in one dot. When the Lunar increases his Primary Virtue, those bonuses are re-adjusted accordingly. Those dots count as natural for all purposes. This Charm explicitly stacks with Totemic Excellence.

Unnatural Vigor
Cost: None
Duration: Permanent
Type: Special
Minimum Essence: 2
Prerequisite Charms: Harmony with the Inner Beast.
The Totem becomes hardier, stronger. Every time this Charm is purchased, the Lunar receives two -0 Health Levels when in his Totem Form. Those are added after penalties for small size; With the power of Luna, even a small butterfly is resilient. This Charm may be purchased no more times than the Lunar's highest Virtue.

Lunatic Aegis
Cost: None
Duration: Permanent
Type: Special
Minimum Essence: 2
Prerequisite Charms: Unnatural Vigor.
Moonlight fills the humans with conflicting emotions, with surges of lunacy. It is raw emotion, it is the illogical, primal side of human nature, it is the light of the driven and the mad. There is power in emotions, and the Lunars know this well. Wrapping their emotions around their totem, they armor their self with their own Lunatic drive! With Lunatic Aegis, the Lunar's Totem Form becomes as resilient as the Lunar's own spirit. The Lunar adds his highest Virtue to the Bashing and Lethal Soaks when he shifts to his Totem Form.

Adamanthine Flesh Technique
Cost: None
Duration: Permanent
Type: Special
Minimum Essence: 3
Prerequisite Charms: Lunatic Aegis.
The Lunar becomes adamant like the dome of heaven. A hound of Heaven, its shield. Unnassailable, untouchable. As the Lunar learns Adamanthine Flesh he wraps this imperial armor around himself and his Totem Form becomes more resistant, its flesh like that of legends, able to withstand even blades as if they were mere fists! While the Lunar is in his Totem Form, The Lunar may soak Lethal Damage with his Bashing Soak. The Lunar also translates half his Natural Soak into Hardness.


Totem Soul

Bestial Soul Meditation
Cost: 6 motes
Duration: Instant
Type: Reflexive
Minimum Essence: 2
Prerequisite Charms: Harmony with the Inner Beast.
The Lunar delves deeper into the soul of his totem, into its soul, into its disposition. This allows the Lunar to call upon part of the Totem’s essence and mingle with his’, but not physically. When he does so, he becomes more feral, able to execute a number of tasks more naturally, as befits the Familiar’s disposition. Each time the Lunar buys this Charm, he receives a new insight into his Totem’s nature, receiving an appropriate power. Despite the Charm’s duration, the power lasts for a whole scene, and it cannot be ended before by any means. The dice awarded by those powers count as specialty dice, and are not counted among the Lunar’s cap for purchasing dice with charms. Those powers include...

  • Loyal – The Lunar receives a 3-die bonus to help those he sees as his family and friends, and a 2-die penalty when trying to hurt them in any way, or when he does anything but help them if they are in danger.
  • Alpha – The Lunar receives a 3-die bonus on all intimidation rolls, leadership-related rolls, and rolls to hold his leadership position. Those under him receive a one-die bonus when acting directly to his orders. Unfortunately, the Alpha does not work well under others, receiving a 2-die penalty when trying to work to another’s orders.
  • Predator – All prey animals and Mortals who view the Exalted need to pass a Valor roll at difficulty 2 not to be fearful of him, losing three dice from all pools that directly oppose the Exalt. On a botch, they run. Unfortunately, it also gives a 3-die penalty on social pools with prey.
  • Worker – The Lunar receives a 3-die bonus when receiving an alpha’s orders and working with the pack / hive. Those working with you receive a one-die bonus to their part in the task. They also receive a 2-die penalty when trying to lead and issue commands.
  • Mother – The Lunar receives a 3-die bonus when helping those that can not help themselves, but a 2-die penalty when doing anything but that if she is in their presence.
  • Territorial – The Lunar receives a 3-die bonus on all tasks when defending a territory that he has spent at least a full lunar cycle in. And a 2-die penalty when trying to work with ‘outsiders’ on this territory.

Tongue of the Wild Technique
Cost: None
Duration: Permanent
Type: Special
Minimum Essence: 2
Prerequisite Charms: Bestial Soul Meditation
With his understanding of his Totem, he becomes able to understand it in all its forms – in any shape, the Lunar becomes able to speak and understand the speech of any animal in the same family as his totem. Hecenfort, the Lunar may spend an extra 1 experience point to permanently learn the language of any beast he spends more than one scene with.

Soul-Sculpting Knife
Cost: 20 motes, 3 willpower, 6 Experience Points per level
Duration: Instant
Type: Simple
Minimum Essence: 3
Prerequisite Charms: Bestial Soul Meditation.
The Totem is the Lunar's identity. It is the Lunar's soul. It is the part of his soul that is a beast, his link to his instincts - he undertands those instincts, he is them. But by using the Soul-Sculpting Knife, the Lunar cuts away at his own identity, at the core of his soul, and remakes it. He shifts his Nature, and with it, his Totem. He must find his new Totem in some way, and be one with it. Then, he sheds his old self, and receives a new Totem. This costs 6 Experience Points per level of the Totem that is enhanced or lowered. The Lunar retains features of his Former Totem, which may be purely cosmetic or added to the Mutations of his new Totem. Members of the Silver Pact regard him as a Chimera, increasing the difficulty of all of the Lunar's Social Rolls by one.

Pack of One Meditation
Cost: 10 motes, 1 willpower, 1 Health Level
Duration: One Scene
Type: Extra Actions
Minimum Essence: 4
Prerequisite Charms: Bestial Soul Meditation.
From his Totem Form, the Lunar gets such an understanding of his Totem Form, that he can be many of it at once. His shape splits on many, becoming essentially a Pack, Herd, Flock of his Totem. He splits his shape into a number of duplicate of his Totem equal to his Permanent Essence. This is considered a True Shape for all purposes. He is is all at once – the Lunar is there, on each and every one of them, and all of them have the Lunar’s powers, attributes and Health Levels. If one of them is killed, it regenerates on the next New Moon, if the Lunar pays 3 experience points.

The Lunar receives a number of Extra Actions every turn equal to his Permanent Essence, each performed by a different animal in the pack. He may not benefit of those Actions if he splits his pool, or if he uses any sort of Extra Action Charms. Moreover, it is hard for enemies to defend from the Lunar, and all those facing him suffer a dice penalty to defend against his actions equal to half the Lunar’s Wits, rounded up.

If used with Tiny animals, the Lunar splits into a number of animals equal to four times his Essence, and the penalty to defend becoes equal to the Lunar’s Wits. If used with Tiny totems, the Lunar splits into a number of animals equal to ten times his Essence, and the penalty to defend becomes equal to his Wits +2. In this manner, it is called ‘Terrifying Swarm of One’. This Charm ceases to work if the Lunar purchases the Celestial Behemoth Ascension - the Celestial Behemoth is unique.

A Pack of Moons Prana
Cost: 6 motes
Duration: Instant
Type: Independent Action
Minimum Essence: 5
Prerequisite Charms: Pack of One Meditation.
The Lunar changes his his very perceptions, becoming many, many creatures at once, able to strike an enemy at all places, splitting his essence through his Pack of Self. On the turn this Charm is activated, the Lunar may take a number of Independent Actions equal to half his Essence, rounded up. Those may only be used while in the shape of Pack of One Meditation.


Expression of a Unique Soul

Celestial Behemoth Apotheosis
Cost: None
Duration: Permanent
Type: Special
Minimum Essence: 5
Prerequisite Charms: Adamanthine Flesh Technique, Tongue of the Wild Technique, Soul-Sculpting Knife.
The Lunar walks to a sacred place – a Demesne, a Manse, the Imperial Mountain... and at Midnight, looking upon Luna's face, realises a truth about Luna, Creation, the Wyld and her own existence. On that day, the Lunar remakes herself. Her inner beast ceasing to be tied to an Animal Avatar, now tied only to the Lunar's own silver essence. Tahira of the Nine Tails, Jord the Crystal Elk, Akia the Crimson Snow Wolf, Siran the First Unicorn, Leviathan the Great Whale... many are those who ascended, turning their Totems into Behemoths. Their Totem is changed, becoming a unique, original creature, that does not exist anywhere else in Creation or the Wyld. Or pehaps it once did, and the Lunar now pays homage to it. The new creature looks visibly unique and supernatural - and yet, it bares clear resemblance to the Totem. The same way a Unicorn does to a Horse, that is. A cousin of the same Family of beings, and yet worlds apart. This has a visible impact in the Lunar's Tell.

It also has an obvious social impact - the Lunar is now the Avatar of his own new species - the other Animal Avatars regard him as an equal, but warily. Other Lunars, who have not taken such a drastic step, become wary of the Lunar - this is a 3-dice penalty when dealing with other Lunars, specially those of the Silver Pact, in Social Circumstances. For all intents and purposes, the Lunar now possesses a Totem Background of 6 - complete with 14 points to spread on her Totem's powers, normally a wealth of Excellence and Attribute-Adders over the Totem's original Mutations. Minuscule and Tiny forms usually grow in shapes - the Behemoths are noticeable, and even its Butterflies are half a man's size. The Lunar also adds 1 to all of the Totem Form's Attributes, and his Natural Soak while in this Form becomes Divine Armor - perfect, it may not be circumvented through any means. In this Form, the Lunar can speak and be understood by all of his Totem's Family, and by all those that he could communicate with in Human Form.

The Lunar's new Totem also gives the Lunar a new Tell - which she may try to hide normally. This Tell is outward in nature, unlike normal Tells - the Lunar warps the world. Pehaps, schools of fish miles around the Lunar might form words of her thoughts, or where she walks, plants grow, or her passage makes reeds sing, or poisonous creatures to lurk out of shadows. Any physical changes to the world vanish at the next sunrise, but add a bonus equal to the Lunar's Essence to any of his trackers. This Tell vanishes if the Lunar resets its Difficulty to 6 or more. Those who see the Lunar get two rolls, one to spot her inward Tell, and another to spot her outward Tell.

The Howl of the Crystal Wolf was deadly as the Cantata of Empty Voices, and the Crimson Salamander could bless what she touched with fire... that is the last power of the Celestial Behemoth - the ability to change the world to its whims. The Lunar chooses one spell of the Terrestrial or Celestial Circle - the Lunar may use this Spell in her totem form instantly, as an anima ability, at no cost in motes or willpower, but at the cost of her temporary virtue points in her primary virtue(one virtue point for Terrestrial, two virtue points for Celestial).


Breeding

Seed of the Feral Soul
Cost: 5 motes, 1 willpower, 1 experience point
Duration: Instant
Type: Simple
Minimum Essence: 2
Prerequisite Charms: Harmony with the Inner Beast.
The Lunars may pass part of their power through blood, that part of the Beast-Soul within them, creating the hybrids known as Beastmen. Used during mating(with any form), the Lunar assures that the mating will produce offspring. The offspring will then be a Beastman - a hybrid between the Lunar's Totem Animal and a Human. Beastmen are made with the Totem's Mutations, except that it loses No Manipulators and Prey, and all size mutations - the most Beastman can get are Small and Large. Aquatic ones receive the Denizen of Beyond flaw, but it applies only to time spent outside of the water. The Beastman will breed true, passing its Mutations to its offspring, creating a new race. The offspring will be a Lunar Half-Caste if the rules for them are used and the Lunar has Essence 4 or above.

On Lunar Half-Caste
Lunar Half-Caste do not possess a Totem. Therefore, they may not get the Charms that require a Totem, such as Ascension, Breeding and all of the Totemic Cascade. They may not receive a Totem in any circumstance. They have no True Forms or Tells. They are unable to learn Fair Folk Charms as Lunars do, and are not natural shapeshifters, not receiving any of the benefits and powers Lunars get from it, barred from the Blood Library Background. They have full access to all other Charms, however.

Shifting the Green Branch
Cost: 15 motes, 1 willpower, 1 health level, 1 experience point
Duration: Instant
Type: Simple
Minimum Essence: 3
Prerequisite Charms: Seed of the Feral Soul.
Soaking his palm with his own blood and setting it over a pregnant woman's belly, marking her, the Lunar uses his shapeshifting power on a mere seed on a womb, creating a beastman out of an already-conceived Child, which may or may not be his own. This requires the Mother's consent, and the physical touch of the Lunar's blood-soaked hand. The mark of the Lunar burns for a moment like acid, and it remains there until the child is born, the blood of the Lunar making its way to the child and changing it. The child is changed into a Beastman, as if he had been sired by the Lunar. However, it will not be a Half-Caste - the Lunar only passess his feral nature, not his Celestial one. The Beastman is still child of whatever parents, and may be another sort of God-Blooded as well if one of them are of Supernatural Heritage.

God-Beast's Favor
Cost: 12 motes, 1 willpower, 1 experience points
Duration: A Lunar Phase
Type: Simple
Minimum Essence: 3
Prerequisite Charms: Shifting the Green Branch, Tatoo-Cutting Wisdom.
The Lunar, as the leader of his people, gives his favor to one of them, so their offspring shall bear his mark. The Lunar tatoos a willing creature - for the remainder of the Moon, the creature will be extremely fertile, and any females it impregnates(if male), or children it finds itself pregnant with(if female) shall be Beastmen, as per Seed of the Feral Soul.

Children of the Silver Moon
Cost: 10 motes, 1 willpower, 4 experience points
Duration: Until Birth
Type: Simple
Minimum Essence: 4
Prerequisite Charms: Seed of the Feral Soul.
The Lunar may pass a heavy part of his Celestial Prowess through blood. The Child that is born from Children of the Silver Moon is not only a Beastman - it is also born with the Awakened Essence, Magical Attunement and the 10-point version of God-Body. They are also always born with the Aura of Power flaw. The Lunar also doubles his Essence for the purpose of determining the God-Blooded Beastman's Inheritance.

Artisan of Generations Prana
Cost: None
Duration: Permanent
Type: Special
Minimum Essence: 4
Prerequisite Charms: Seed of the Feral Soul.
Using this Charm, the Full Moon Ofaniel sired the race of winged mortals of the North, the Windians. Upon learning it, the Lunar becomes an artist of flesh, able to make minute adjustments to the Beastmen. A beastman of a hawk needs not look like an anthropomorphic bird anymore, but lose all feathers not in the wings, appearing as winged humans with sharp eagle eyes. The Lunar may take out Mutations at whim, and make them more unobtrusive. Moreover, the Lunar may add a number of Mutation Points equal to twice his Essence in Glorious Hero Form or Surpassing Excellencies - each such Mutation Point costs 1 experience point above the beyond the cost of Seed of the Feral Soul, however.

Seed of the Endless Wild
Cost: None
Duration: Permanent
Type: Special
Minimum Essence: 4
Prerequisite Charms: Seed of the Feral Soul.
The Lunar understands the lifeblood that runs through him, that of the many living creatures he has consumed. He understands life, the lineages, the truth about blood and the creation of the shapes he has within his soul. With this understanding, he becomes able to create any of them, able to gift his children with any of this lifeblood. After purchase of this Charm, the Lunar is not limited to creating beastmen of his Totem anymore - they may be of any species in the Lunar's Blood Library. The rules for creating them are the same as the normal ones, however.

Blood of the Chimerae
Cost: 6 motes, 1 willpower, 1 experience point
Duration: Instant
Type: Simple
Minimum Essence: 6
Prerequisite Charms: Seed of the Endless Wild.
The Lunar's understanding of the various lineages and lifeblood of beasts becomes even greater, and now, he is not only able to choose which lineage to impart upon his children, but becomes an artist of lifeblood, every lineage a different color in his pallete, which he can mix and match to produce fantastic results. With this Charm, the Lunar can pay 1 experience point in addition to that of Seed of the Feral soul to add another creature, with all of its mutation points, to the Beastman, creating his own hybrids, his own gryphons.


Silver Apotheosis Prana
Cost: 20 motes, 1 willpower, 1 health level, 2+ experience point
Duration: Instant
Type: Simple
Minimum Essence: 7
Prerequisite Charms: Blood of the Chimerae, Children of the Silver Moon, Wondrous Lunar Transformation, Silver Calibration Marking
A powerful blessing possessed by few of the Chosen of the Moon, a blessing of great power. With this Charm, the Lunar tatoos the body of another, adding part of his lifeblood with it, part of his form, his might and power. The tatoos shine with the light of the soul they are engraved in, and it beguns to... change. The creature becomes a beastman of any type the Lunar could create, and if it is a mortal, it becomes a God-Blooded as per Children of the Silver Moon. This Charm has an Experience Cost equal to twice the Mutation Point cost of the Mutations the Beastman possesses. Charms such as Artisans of Generations and Blood of the Chimerae may explicitly be used with it.


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