Thus Spake Zaraborgstrom/Numina
The Sea, and Lost Aspect Powers
rebeccaborgstrom - 02/01/2004 05:15:53
Hi!
The Sea can sustain the minds of dead Forest Witches. Think of it like an artifact, because that's basically what it is---it's like a daiklave that can project images of past wielders, with enough of their personality to teach and advise and harrass you, only it's a bit more grandiose. If you die and go to the Sea, it probably takes your soul---if there were actual ghosts popping up, too, people would notice---but you don't get ghost powers because you've gone into the Sea, rather than the Underworld. It's kind of like dying in Malfeas and having a demon do something with your soul, or like making a magical bargain with something and getting trapped in an automaton instead of really dying, or like using sorcery to make yourself something that isn't really alive any more but isn't a ghost either. You go on, you keep existing, but not as you were, and not in the Underworld.
It might be possible to reach Lethe from the Sea, or it might be that your soul's been eaten, or it might be that the dead of the Sea are prevented from ever wanting Lethe but could reach it if they did.
As for the numen,
"For magical purposes, she has no element. She loses her anima abilities. She cannot manifest her anima. She has no favored Charms, and pays a surcharge on all Charms as having a different element than her aspect. This process does not sever her connection with her element, and she retains the physical markings and favored Abilities. However, her connection with it is greatly reduced."
This is why I pretended it was a separate element in the chargen doc. If you play a numen, it's like your old element gets swallowed in the mist. You're not a Fire Aspect or Fire Mist Aspect, you're an ex-Fire Aspect numen. :)
Rebecca
Vampires are dead. That's why they're just food. If they were alive, they'd be better for testing pharmaceutical products on.\\ DEAD BUNNY TANGO, http://rebecca.hitherby.com
Numina vs Sorcerors
rebeccaborgstrom - 02/01/2004 20:39:15
> TybaltBroods > does a numen have to cast that spell to have access to its powers?
No.
> TybaltBroods > or does the spell allow access to limited numen powers for a brief time for non numen characters?
Yes.
> TybaltBroods > and can you only be one type of numen woith the spell or can you change it per casting?
The character chooses each time she casts the spell.
> TybaltBroods > oh and will different types of numen ever be created in new books?
It seems unlikely. Now, some writer *could* make an adventure that involves a new numen, or some future mechanic could look like the numina thing, but that's really only if there's a huge public response or the writer in question really likes them. It's that whole 'absence of a metaplot / snapshot in time setting' thing---right now, there are only four.
Rebecca
rebeccaborgstrom - 02/01/2004 22:09:58
You want to read 'Becoming a Numen', on pp. 109-110.
Numina have the Dematerialize Charm; sorcerers using the spell don't.\\ Numina reform if killed; sorcerers don't.\\ Numina can hear prayers directed to them; sorcerers can't.\\ Numina gain Wyld mutations; sorcerers don't.\\ Numina gain Numen effects; sorcerers don't.\\ Numina shapeshift; sorcerers don't.
Conversely:
Numina lose their anima ability and favored Charms; sorcerers do not.\\ Numina pay the elemental surcharge on all Charms; sorcerers do not.\\ Numina can't evade the limitations of their state, but sorcerers can end the spell.
Also, numina are freaky monsters, which is a hindrance in some social situations.
If you become a numina in play, it takes a significant sacrifice. It looks like there's a typo . . . the single-artifact sacrifice is supposed to be level 5. (Sort of my fault---I spelled it out as five-dot, and I suspect the typo was introduced when changing words to numbers.) But, anyway, a significant sacrifice. If you become one in chargen, then you'll be buying Dematerialize *instead* of one of your starting Charms, and be paying non-favored cost on every Charm you ever buy with experience.
Rebecca
On Celestial Numina
rebeccaborgstrom - 02/29/2004 02:05:32
Do you want the benefits or the actual state of being a numen?
If you just want the benefits, then a temporary transformation seems within the reach of Celestial or possibly even Terrestrial Circle Sorcery, and I'd think a permanent transformation with accordant penalties reasonable for Solar Circle Sorcery (although arguably out of genre.)
Actually becoming a numen? Hm. That's kind of tricky. I think it's a lot like forcing a Solar with Dragon-Blooded ancestry to Exalt a second time, or sorcerously change into a Second Circle Demon and keep your Exaltation, or use sorcery to grant a non-Lunar the ability to purchase DBT as a Charm.
Well, here's a question: could a Solar, after observing Abyssals and hypothetically Infernals, develop a way to sorcerously "corrupt" her own shard in a new direction?
("I shall become Heavenly Exalted, a Solar shard twisted and given the resonance of the Games of Divinity!")
Rebecca
