Resources for Exalted Second Edition
Please note: You must create separate user accounts for Lore 5 and the ECR forums.Representing Heaven
By Wordman
Submitted on 27 Nov 2006 at 01:46:10 PM EST
Last updated on 28 Nov 2006 at 12:28:48 AM EST
Sable Disposition of Being Style
Cost: 10m + variable, 2wp
Mins: Martial Arts 6, Essence 6
Type: Simple (3, -3 DV)
Duration: Indefinite
Keywords: Combo-Basic, Obvious
Prerequisites: Sincerest Flattery
Follow-ups: Life Imitates Art
Mins: Martial Arts 6, Essence 6
Type: Simple (3, -3 DV)
Duration: Indefinite
Keywords: Combo-Basic, Obvious
Prerequisites: Sincerest Flattery
Follow-ups: Life Imitates Art
…she walked in the favor of the stars…
The artist’s insight into reality now extends to the complex workings of the constellations and, rendered in the their light, the painter binds the stars, himself and his subjects together.
This charm may specifically treat multiple subjects in a single painting as imaged targets; however, subjects in the painting must have been painted while in being actually witnessed by the artist, either directly or through some form of magic. All subjects need not have been painted at once, but may have been added piecemeal over time. Furthermore, the portrait need not depict a specific effect, but must illustrate the group standing under one of the 25 constellations (see Sidereals). The painter need not have a college in this constellation. In addition to two willpower and 10 motes, the artist must spend a number of motes equal to the combined Essence ratings of those in the image he wishes to affect. Imaged targets need not be visible, or even present, when this charm is invoked, so long as they were when they were imaged. This charm is useable in both standard and social combat.
The artist synchronizes the imaged targets in the painting and the constellation with himself, making a Wits + Martial Arts roll against a difficulty equal to the highest Essence rating of the imaged targets. If successful, the painting used vanishes and is replaced with a prayer strip that floats near the artist, with all of the defensive abilities of a standard prayer strip. As long as the charm remains in effect, this prayer strip may be rolled up and stored in a “passive” mode or made to actively float whenever the artist likes (using a Miscellaneous Action). While the charm is in active mode, it provides the following effects:
- Any charms, spells or effects cast by the artist against the imaged targets, or defending against them, have their mote cost reduced by the number of extra successes achieved on the initial Wits + Martial Arts roll. This reduction stacks with sutra effects, but the final cost may never be lower than 1.
- Any social attack made or enhanced by charms of this style against an imaged target can be made against as many of the imaged targets as the artist can see and desires to affect. One attack roll is made, with the results applied to each target individually.
- The artist can make a social attack on a single target in the image no matter where that target is located; however, the effect of this attack must be related in some way to the constellation in the painting. The artist adds dice equal to his College rating in this constellation, if any, to the attack. The charm imparts no special knowledge of the target, however, so the artist must guess at, for example, what the target’s current Intimacies are.
- The artist and all imaged targets may reflexively take two points (not dice) of Paradox in exchange for one effect point that may be used to buy resplendent effects of the imaged constellation. For effects that also cost Paradox dice, these are rolled normally.
- The painting may be used as a petition (Sidereals, pg. 206) to create an astrological effect based on the imaged constellation on the imaged targets. The total successes achieved on the Wits + Martial Arts roll used to cast this charm are counted as the calligraphy successes for the petition. If the painting is used in this fashion, it is consumed once the astrological effect is determined.
- For astrological effects related to the imaged constellation targeted at imaged targets, the artist need only spend Scope successes equal to the highest Essence rating of those depicted, rather than their sum. If the effect also used the painting as a petition, the effect roll gains three automatic successes as well.
The charm ends when either the motes powering it are released, all the imaged targets die or the painting is destroyed. Once the charm ends, the painting disintegrates.
