Zahaqiel/CharmsMalfeas
This is a charm tree I put together for Malfeas. Basically, we already have a charm tree of "I'm really tough" and another of "I really like green", but I figured Malfeas could do with a tree for "my heart's a goddamn sun". It's a little higher essence than most charm trees - going from 3-5 rather than 2-4 like the in-book Malfeas charm trees, but it is dealing with slightly higher powered concepts (which is also why it's a bit wp heavy too).
What I tried to do was combine concepts of altered physiology for the Infernal, since they're working towards turning their heart into a flaming thermonuclear reaction, as well as a few celestial concepts - based on the premise that Malfeas was the inspiration for all things celestial in one way or another, and while Malfeas got cut down from being the Solar God-king Of The Universe, he's still a celestial being in nature (albeit a horrifying celestial of murdering you in the face).
Some of these charms are predicated on the supposition that Malfeas has abilities that nobody knows he has anymore, because he hasn't had an opportunity to use them in a few thousand years.
So with that in mind, here is my charm tree:
Sun-Heart Radiance
Cost: —; Mins: Essence 3
Type: Permanent
Keywords: None
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: None
Many consider Malfeas to be arrogant and solipsistic, but this is a delusion of the small-minded. The truth is that Malfeas’ emotions actually do mean more than anyone else’s. His heart is and always has been a sun – a radiant celestial object by which others define their lives. His joy gives warmth to others. His anger scorches those who witness it. Everything he is and does is more real than anyone else, and all other emotions and desires are as shadows in his light.
By learning this charm, an Infernal takes on this inner glow of Malfeas. This radiant importance grants the Infernal a bonus to all their Charisma- and Appearance-based dicepools equal to their Essence rating. Their newfound inner light also makes them immune to mundane environmental effects based on extremes of heat and cold; their body is warmed by its own heart’s radiance and nothing else.
However, the Infernal’s presence and actions are now almost always obvious to others. Mundane disguises do not hide their identity to those that know them (although those that know them by an identity other than their true one will immediately recognise them by the known identity), and should a roll-off occur to pierce magical disguises and Illusion effects that hide the Infernal’s identity, the Infernal suffers an internal penalty to their roll equal to their Essence (although again, if known by a different identity, that is the identity the identifier will perceive the Infernal as). The Infernal may still make attempts at Stealth, but anyone within [Essence x 10] yards who has line of sight to the Infernal will immediately notice them, although this may be temporarily negated with the use of charms.
Striking the Sun
Cost: 4m; Mins: Essence 3
Type: Reflexive (Step 9)
Keywords: Combo-OK, Counterattack
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Sun-Heart Radiance, Green Sun Nimbus Flare
Fools and the mad may futilely beat their fists against Malfeas’ walls, but in times of madness truly powerful foes may step forth who can pierce Malfeas’ brass flesh. Bleeding, however, is for beings of lesser stature than the Demon King; Malfeas does not ooze his life-stuff away.
This charm may be activated only in response to attacks that succeed in dealing Lethal or Aggravated damage to the Infernal. As the attack penetrates the Infernal’s flesh, his blood erupts as an arterial spray of green flame, dealing the attacker raw lethal damage equal to [Essence rating + current inverted wound penalty]. This is not reduced by other charms the Infernal might have that would allow them to ignore their wound penalty.
This counterattack may be used against any kind of physical attack, regardless of range or distance, so long as it actually succeeds in dealing Lethal or Aggravated damage – a fact which may surprise many archers. Against attackers striking with close-combat attacks however, this counterattack is considered an undodgeable and unblockable attack for the purposes of valid defenses.
This charm may be purchased again at Essence 4+, making all damage it inflicts Piercing. At Essence 6+ it may be purchased a third time to become a permanent charm with no cost to activate.
Raging Empyreal Glory
Cost: —; Mins: Essence 4
Type: Permanent
Keywords: None
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: Sun-Heart Radiance
Malfeas’ brass skin hides the true nature of his essence. Through the use of charms and the expenditure of motes that essence becomes apparent, blinding lesser beings with searing glory.
By learning this charm, the Infernal’s anima banner becomes permanently one level higher than it should normally be. This means that without spending any peripheral essence, the Infernal’s caste mark is always already glittering as though they had spent 1-3 motes; and likewise, after spending 11+ motes of peripheral essence, they reach the final stage as their anima flares to full iconic as though they had spent 16+.
However, whenever the Infernal's anima banner goes up a category, they begin to inflict an additional die of external penalties on anyone looking at them.
For example; if an Infernal has spent between 1 and 3 motes of peripheral essence, their caste mark is visible through any covering, and anyone attempting to attack them suffers a die of external penalties on top of any penalties they may already be suffering. Should the Infernal spend between 4 and 7 motes, not only do they find stealth impossible as they radiate a green aura visible enough to read by, but their opponent now suffers two dice of external penalties, and so on.
Hand of the Creation-King
Cost: —; Mins: Essence 4
Type: Permanent
Keywords: Stackable
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: Raging Empyreal Glory
All remember that Autocthon was the Great Maker; few remember that Malfeas is a master craftsman himself. While not as innovative as his diseased smaller brother, Malfeas is a craftsman at heart and had the final authority for all of Creation's construction. While this did not increase his imagination any, it granted him an unparalleled understanding of the inner workings of all things.
Buying this charm removes all Craft Abilities and Specialties the Infernal has, and grants him a dot in a singular Craft Ability; Craft(Creation). So long as the Infernal has the necessary materials, Craft(Creation) may substitute for any other Craft Ability in any capacity.
Craft(Creation) cannot be increased like an ordinary Ability, it may only be bought up through charm purchases. This charm may be purchased a number of times up to the Infernal's current permanent Essence rating, each purchase increasing the Infernal's Craft(Creation) rating by one dot. Should the Infernal's permanent Essence rating drop for any reason, this also drops the Infernal's Craft(Creation) rating until such time as the Infernal's Essence returns to its previous value.
Impossible Emerald Brilliance
Cost: 1wp; Mins: Essence 4
Type: Reflexive
Keywords: Combo-OK, Obvious
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Raging Empyreal Glory
This charm mirrors the ability of the same name used by Ligier whenever he Joins Battle, and like Ligier’s ability can only be used once per scene (although not necessarily when a Green Sun Prince rolls Join Battle). The Green Sun Prince pours his heart’s radiance into his anima and for a moment his anima blazes brighter than the sun itself – burning away opponents and witnesses alike with its blazing light.
Activating this charm causes all within line of sight to the Green Sun Prince to be struck by an unblockable, undodgeable attack which ignores armor and inflicts raw Lethal damage equal to the Green Sun’s permanent Essence (at Essence 9 and 10, this instantly kills human extras barring special protection).
At Essence 6+ this charm may be purchased again. A second purchase of this charm gives it the Crippling tag and forces survivors to succeed a [Wits + Resistance] roll at a difficulty of their own Perception rating or be temporarily blinded (as per Exalted p.152). Every three hours, a blinded character may make a [Stamina + Resistance] roll at standard difficulty to recover their sight. A botch indicates that the loss of sight is permanent until successfully treated by some method that can remove Crippling damage.
This charm, and all its effects, explicitly may be countered using Skyfire-Seizing Repast.
Wings of Rage
Cost: 8m, 1wp; Mins: Essence 4
Type: Reflexive
Keywords: Emotion, Obvious, Sorcerous
Duration: One Scene
Prerequisite Charms: Striking the Sun, Raging Empyreal Glory
There are times when simply eviscerating enemies one-by-one in melee simply does not do enough to express the divine anger of Malfeas. It is at these times that Malfeas chooses to remind all on the battlefield of who the original, purest celestial being in existence is… and just how utterly pissed off he can get.
Activating this charm causes five 8-foot long wings of hateful green light to spread from the Infernal’s back, allowing them to rise off the ground like a terrible, apocalyptic angel of carnage. All within sight whose MDVs are lower than the Infernal’s Essence rating suffer an unnatural mental influence compulsion to flee in terror, although spending a point of Willpower allows them to resist until the end of the scene.
The wings themselves grant the Infernal the ability to fly at speeds equal to their normal movement multiplied by their Essence rating. In addition, the wings grant the Infernal a Dodge and Parry DV bonus equal to half their Essence rating, rounded up.
Looming Horror Assault
Cost: 2m, 1wp; Mins: Essence 4
Type: Supplemental
Keywords: Combo-OK, Obvious
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Wings of Rage
Seen or unseen, Malfeas never attacks an opponent undetected. When Malfeas attacks a foe, he is a looming monster from whom escape is not possible. Distance is not an issue, Malfeas attacks whom he chooses, when he chooses. And when Malfeas attacks, his victim knows he faces his doom.
With a vibration that sets others’ essence on edge, the Infernal seems to flicker out of existence and erupt back into horrifying existence, looming over his opponent. Regardless of whether the Infernal reappears in front of, next to, or behind his victim, the victim feels his presence as a crushing sense of dread and inevitable demise that all but disarms his foe.
This charm supplements a close-combat attack allowing the Infernal to instantly close the distance between any target within sight. His attack becomes unexpected, making it undodgeable and unparryable. This charm may also be used to supplement a social attack, negating their mental defense values, so long as the Infernal is attempting to instill fear.
Castigating Glance
Cost: 5m, 1wp; Mins: Essence 5
Type: Simple
Keywords: Blasphemy, Desecration Obvious, Shaping, Sorcerous
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Wings of Rage, Impossible Emerald Brilliance
Once the Holy Tyrant, ruler of all Creation, Malfeas retains the right to judge anyone within his sight. He needs nothing more than a hateful glare to immolate an offending individual with unholy green flames. Malfeas’ judgement is both righteous and hypocritical; hating the enemies of Creation as much as he hates himself and his fallen brethren.
By activating this charm the Infernal directs his gaze at an offending individual and brands them a Creature of Darkness as a Desecration effect if they were not one already. The Infernal then makes an undodgeable and unparryable social attack using his [Appearance + Presence] against the target. If the attack succeeds, the target is dealt [Essence + attack successes] dice of Lethal damage, although against Creatures of Darkness this damage becomes Aggravated. This damage also ignores any soak bonuses provided by armor.
As always, the bonuses provided by Heart-Sun Radiance to Appearance dicepools applies to this charm. Likewise, if the Infernal is capable of seeing dematerialized creatures, this charm may affect them.
Should a subject of the Infernal’s judgment die due to this charm, their internal organs catch fire and they burn from within in a conflagration of green flames, leaving nothing behind but a blackened and charred corpse.
