Resources for Exalted Second Edition
Please note: You must create separate user accounts for Lore 5 and the ECR forums.Ascension of the Willing Student
By Chaka
Submitted on 20 Feb 2008 at 12:00:00 AM +00:00Last updated on 19 Apr 2008 at 12:00:00 AM +00:00
Circle: Solar Circle Sorcery
Cost: 50 motes, 1 wp (permanent)
Target: Individual
Duration: Permanent
Only those who wield the mightiest of magics may bestow similar power upon their inferiors, and such ascension is never without cost, nor is the task easy, for reforging the essence of another being with the capacity for sorcery is never a simple task. This powerful sorcery permanently allows the recipient to access a circle of sorcery one level higher than they previously could without use of charms or artefacts. This means it can raise a Dragon-Blood to Celestial Circle Sorcery or a Celestial Exalt to the fabled Solar Circle. This spell takes the form of an extended ritual. The ritual must take place at an auspicious time for the target. The sorcerer traces a complicated mystical symbol large enough for the recipient to lie in on a prepared surface using inks containing the Magical Material of the recipient and powdered orichalcum mixed with the blood of the caster and the recipient (1 lethal health level each). The symbol is complicated, and drawing it correctly requires 15 successes on a total of 4 (Intelligence + Craft (Air)) rolls. If these rolls are not successful or if one of them botches, it requires a (Perception + Awareness) roll at difficulty 3 to notice the symbol is incorrect, otherwise the sorcerer remains unaware and continues the ritual. The subject of the ritual ritually purifies him\herself and lies naked on the symbol. The ritual must be performed under the sky somewhere where the heavenly bodies are clearly visible. The ritual now begins in earnest as the sorcerer walks around the symbol, chanting and concentrating their essence for the imbuement of the subject, as the symbol starts to glow with the lights of the materials emplaced in it. The concentration is difficult, and failure to sufficiently center oneself can result in dire consequences for the caster, roll (Stamina + Occult) difficulty 5. Failure on this roll means the ritual is aborted and must be started again from the beginning, while a botch means the caster in unaware that he has not prepared himself sufficiently. After gathering his essence suffieciently and with a final moment of concentration, the sorcerer allows his essence to flow forth into the symbol, which blazes into incandescent light. This light then starts to flow into the recipient. This act of imbuement requires 50 motes on behalf of the caster and a point of willpower, which is permanently lost and must be bought back over time. As the raw power enters the body of the recipient, they must make a (Stamina + Resistance) roll at difficulty 5. This difficulty is reduced by one for every point of permanent essence the recipient has over the essence requirement for that circle of sorcery (So an essence 7 sidereal gaining the solar circle would only have to make a difficulty 3 roll.) Failure to make this roll results in the recipient soaking 15 dice of lethal damage with his stamina. A botch indicates that this damage is aggravated, and thus the character gets no soak. However, should this roll succeed the body survives and can contain the altering of essence and newfound power. The recipient is now capable of learning the new circle of sorcery. Should the circle have been drawn incorrectly and no-one noticed, the recipient gets no stamina roll. Should the caster have failed to prepare their essence properly and continued with the ritual, their essence inverts on itself and they suffer their own essence rating in unsoakable lethal damage, and the ritual is aborted.
This ritual is difficult to perform, and will only work at certain specific times depending on the recipient. Only Exalted can be recipients of this ritual, and the ritual only allows access to one level higher (no solar circle dragon-bloods. That’s just lame.) It requires a basic (Intelligence + Lore) roll at difficulty 1 to determine the correct time of year when this ritual will work. Attempting to perform this ritual at an incorrect time will at best result in a lot of wasted essence and willpower with no benefit, at worst it will kill the recipient. The correct times are:
Lunars(Moonsilver): Full Moon: One of the night of the full moon, ritual starts at dusk, ends at dawn
Changing Moon: The night of the half moon, ritual starts at dusk, ends at dawn
No Moon/Casteless: The night of the new moon, or one of the nights of Calibration, ritual starts at dusk, ends at dawn.
Sidereals (Starmetal): Journeys: During the period in which the House of Mercury is at the height of its ascendancy in the night sky, ritual starts at dusk, ends at dawn
Serenity: During the period the House of Venus is at the height of its ascendancy, ritual starts at dusk, ends at dawn
Battles: During the period the House of Mars is at the height of its ascendancy, ritual starts at dusk, ends at dawn
Secrets: During the period the House of Jupiter is at the height of its ascendancy, ritual starts at dusk, ends at dawn
Endings: During the period the House of Saturn is at the height of its ascendancy, ritual starts at dusk, ends at dawn
Terrestrials (Jade):
Air (Blue Jade): The first day of one of the three months of Air, ritual starts at dawn, ends at dusk
Water (Black Jade): The first day of one of the three months of Water, ritual starts at dawn, ends at dusk
Fire (Red Jade): The first day of one of the three months of Fire, ritual starts at dawn, ends at dusk
Earth (White Jade): The first day of one of the three months of Earth, ritual starts at dawn, ends at dusk
Wood (Green Jade): The first day of one of the three months of Wood, ritual starts at dawn, ends at dusk
Abyssals (Soulsteel)... in the unlikely event that someone would want an abyssal with Solar Circle Sorcery, learning it doubles the training time and XP cost of Void Circle Necromancy spells.
Dusk: 1st day of calibration, ritual starts at dusk, ends at dawn
Midnight: 2nd day of calibration, ritual starts at dusk, ends at dawn
Daybreak: 3rd day of Calibration, ritual starts at dusk, ends at dawn
Day: 4th day of Calibration, ritual starts at dusk, ends at dawn
Moonshadow: 5th day of Calibration, ritual starts at dusk, ends at dawn
Also note the recipient must still buy the Solar Circle Sorcery Charm with xp and meet the prerequisites for it, as well as buy any spells with xp. this spell simply makes it possible for such an event to occur.
