Resources for Exalted Second Edition
Please note: You must create separate user accounts for Lore 5 and the ECR forums.Grove of the Sacred Earth
By Jukashi
Submitted on 10 Jun 2008 at 12:00:00 AM +00:00Last updated on 10 Jun 2008 at 12:00:00 AM +00:00
Circle: Solar Circle Sorcery
Cost: 40m
Target: Area [Essence] miles across
Duration: Indefinite
The essence of the Unconquered Sun is normally associated with element of fire, but in truth, as the Chief of all the Gods, his power can reach into any aspect of Creation. They vary in their removal from his light; while the trees of Wood draw their life from the sun and the snows of Air reflect his brilliance, the oceans and the deep earth contain within themselves an enduring darkness. This mighty spell utilizes the element of Wood as a conduit to imbue the earth itself with the essence of the Unconquered Sun, turning it into a holy place of peace and life. Standing in the centre of the area to be affected and stretching their arms up towards the Sun, the sorcerer calls down his light to reach the seeds of wood which are spread throughout the surface of Creation. A reverent hush settles over the land, and over the next hour, a whole forest sprouts into life and grows as if it had had a hundred years to do so. Such forests are floored in flowers and soft moss, shrouded in a calming shroud of twilight pierced by shafts of sunlight during the day and unusually light and navigable by night. The beasts who dwell within are strong, living in the perfected cycle of predator and prey without sickness or bloodlust. The whole place seems filled with peaceful vitality.
Dependent as it is on Wood, though, the area imbued such must remain wooded forever and relatively undisturbed to retain its magic, and in the First Age this limited the usefulness of the spell greatly. It was mostly a curiosity, a demonstration of principles and a reasonably “safe” spell for Solar intitiates of the highest sorceries to test themselves on. In the Age of Sorrows, though…
Once cast, the forest grows by itself over an hour; the sorcerer can do as they like while this occurs. It will grow over but not seriously damage most buildings, should it be cast in a built-up area. The spell must be cast during the day.
No diseases may be contracted within a Grove of the Sacred Earth, not even the Great Contagion. In addition, reduce the Difficulty of all Survival rolls made in the forest by 1, and add 1 to the Stamina of any mortal creature who dwells within it for more than a year; their Temperance is also increased by one. This benefit fades after 5 years away from a Grove of the Sacred Earth. Creation’s gods and Exalted regain 1 additional mote per hour while in the forest, while Creatures of Darkness find it a haunting, vaguely frightening experience to tread in such a place; unless their Essence is higher than the original caster’s, they cannot regain motes of essence at all, and every day, such creatures must succeed at a Valour check to avoid being compelled to leave. Powerful beings such as Second Circle Demons and deathknights may resist this by spending a dot of willpower, after which they need make no more Valour rolls to stay until they leave the forest and re-enter. Mindless Creatures of Darkness such as zombies cannot be compelled to enter it at all. All those who die in the Grove pass on to Lethe; in the case, of ghosts with essence 1 or 2, merely having their bodies buried in such a place will also induce them to pass on to reincarnation. Either way, no hungry ghosts will ever rise.
A Creature of Darkness who is somehow buried or imprisoned beneath a Grove of the Sacred Earth cannot escape by use of any of their own magic.
