[Exalted] Metasorcery, necromancy
Some new toys for sorcerers and necromancers.
Evocation of Reflected Murder
Labyrinth Circle: 35m + 5m per additional attack
The Void contains the ending of all possible things -- an infinity of possible demises. With this spell, the necromancer draws out those endings and then inflicts them on his enemy.
As the necromancer takes his first Shape Necromancy action, a number of large mirrors equal to his Essence materialize in an equidistant circle around his target. These mirrors do not provide cover or block line of sight, and they show only blackness -- until the beginning of the second Shape Necromancy action, when images of the target materialize within them. For a split second, these images reflect the target's actions as usual; then, each image begins to die. The deaths occur over the course of the remaining five ticks, each unique and terrible (Storytellers should give stunt bonuses for inventive descriptions). At last, the necromancer takes the Cast Necromancy action -- and as the mirrors shatter, the target simultaneously suffers each and every fate he has witnessed.
The target suffers a magical flurry containing a number of attacks equal to the necromancer's Essence. These attacks are always considered to hit with a threshold of zero successes; as such, they require no roll. Each attack deals dice of lethal damage equal to the target's maximum health levels, soakable only by stamina and Charms. The psychic trauma of each attack also drains a point of Willpower from the target as a Crippling effect.
If there are additional mirrored surfaces within 100 yards of the target, the necromancer may bind them into the spell. Only surfaces with at least one square meter of reflective surface may be used, and each such mirror grants an additional attack for 5m, up to a maximum of the Exalt's Occult score. At the completion of the spell, all mirrors within 100 yards shatter, regardless of whether they were bound into the spell or large enough to be of use. Reflective surfaces made of the magical materials do not shatter, but surface corrosion makes them unusable as mirrors until repaired (a task which generally requires a scene of maintenance or polishing.)
This spell is very borderline -- it's high-end for Labyrinth Circle but a little low for Void Circle, and I like giving Solars new toys enough to stick it at Labyrinth. Its effects intentionally evoke Shattering Void Mirror.
These Charms are designed to affect groups of spells which share a theme -- ice, fire, holy power, entrancement, and other such categories. In general, they allow a sorcerer to pay additional costs to enhance the spells they effect, or reduce the costs of such spells under specific conditions. All such Charms are permanent enhancements to the Exalt's capabilities. The group of spells affected should be small, though a specialized character (or one with the Silurian Absorption) should be able to expand it.
Themed Sorcery Charms, unlike Absorption Charms, are Exalted Charms and thus limited to specific Exalt types; however, it is possible for several Exalt types to share versions of the same Charm. Unless otherwise stated, these Charms affect necromantic and sorcerous effects alike; they do not, however, affect Protocols, Glamor Sorcery or Charms with the Sorcerous keyword.
These all require playtesting, given that Michael Goodwin is on record as considering this design space difficult and dangerous to design for.
Some unformed examples:
--Mudra of Winter Ice affects all offensive spells which use or conjure ice (The Titan's Icy Breath, Sting of the Ice Hornet). For an additional point of Willpower, the sorcerer may infuse the spell with numbing cold, inflicting an internal penalty equal to his Essence on the target for (Occult) actions. All Exalt types have access to a version of this Charm, which requires Terrestrial Circle Sorcery.
--Mudra of Insidious Whispers affects all spells which directly cause unnatural mental influence (Threefold Binding of the Heart, Peacock Shadow Eyes, Insidious Tendrils of Hate). For an additional 10m, 1WP, the spell generates an Illusion effect, cloaking itself in benevolence and harmlessness. This Illusion affects the target and all observers unless they spend 2WP to resist; if they do not, they believe the spell is harmless. This renders the spell Unexpected, lowering MDVs to zero. This is a Solar Charm requiring Celestial Circle Sorcery, a Presence corequisite and Hypnotic Tongue Technique.
--Mudra of Lingering Protection affects all defensive spells with a duration measured in actions (countermagic used in defensive mode). The caster may pay an additional (5 * circle) motes to allow the spell to linger for an additional duration increment. All Celestial Exalted have access to this Charm, which requires Celestial Circle Sorcery.
--Mudra of Shattering Words affects all spells which break enemy spells (countermagic in offensive mode, Master Puppeteer's Knife, the necromantic spells which break necromantic bindings on ghosts). For a cost of 1WP and 1 lethal health level, it causes the shattered spell to backlash on the caster, inflicting damage as if he had failed to maintain control of the spell after an interruption. This is an Abyssal Charm requiring Shadowlands Necromancy.
--Mudra of Sacred Fire affects all spells which deal fire damage (Magma Kraken, Flight of the Brilliant Raptor, Atrocious Fire Transformation). It infuses the flame of those spells with holy power for 10m, dealing aggravated damage to creatures of darkness. Spells that already deal aggravated damage count (caster's Essence) dice of damage as automatic successes instead. This is a Solar Charm which requires Solar Circle Sorcery.
Evocation of Reflected Murder
Labyrinth Circle: 35m + 5m per additional attack
The Void contains the ending of all possible things -- an infinity of possible demises. With this spell, the necromancer draws out those endings and then inflicts them on his enemy.
As the necromancer takes his first Shape Necromancy action, a number of large mirrors equal to his Essence materialize in an equidistant circle around his target. These mirrors do not provide cover or block line of sight, and they show only blackness -- until the beginning of the second Shape Necromancy action, when images of the target materialize within them. For a split second, these images reflect the target's actions as usual; then, each image begins to die. The deaths occur over the course of the remaining five ticks, each unique and terrible (Storytellers should give stunt bonuses for inventive descriptions). At last, the necromancer takes the Cast Necromancy action -- and as the mirrors shatter, the target simultaneously suffers each and every fate he has witnessed.
The target suffers a magical flurry containing a number of attacks equal to the necromancer's Essence. These attacks are always considered to hit with a threshold of zero successes; as such, they require no roll. Each attack deals dice of lethal damage equal to the target's maximum health levels, soakable only by stamina and Charms. The psychic trauma of each attack also drains a point of Willpower from the target as a Crippling effect.
If there are additional mirrored surfaces within 100 yards of the target, the necromancer may bind them into the spell. Only surfaces with at least one square meter of reflective surface may be used, and each such mirror grants an additional attack for 5m, up to a maximum of the Exalt's Occult score. At the completion of the spell, all mirrors within 100 yards shatter, regardless of whether they were bound into the spell or large enough to be of use. Reflective surfaces made of the magical materials do not shatter, but surface corrosion makes them unusable as mirrors until repaired (a task which generally requires a scene of maintenance or polishing.)
This spell is very borderline -- it's high-end for Labyrinth Circle but a little low for Void Circle, and I like giving Solars new toys enough to stick it at Labyrinth. Its effects intentionally evoke Shattering Void Mirror.
These Charms are designed to affect groups of spells which share a theme -- ice, fire, holy power, entrancement, and other such categories. In general, they allow a sorcerer to pay additional costs to enhance the spells they effect, or reduce the costs of such spells under specific conditions. All such Charms are permanent enhancements to the Exalt's capabilities. The group of spells affected should be small, though a specialized character (or one with the Silurian Absorption) should be able to expand it.
Themed Sorcery Charms, unlike Absorption Charms, are Exalted Charms and thus limited to specific Exalt types; however, it is possible for several Exalt types to share versions of the same Charm. Unless otherwise stated, these Charms affect necromantic and sorcerous effects alike; they do not, however, affect Protocols, Glamor Sorcery or Charms with the Sorcerous keyword.
These all require playtesting, given that Michael Goodwin is on record as considering this design space difficult and dangerous to design for.
Some unformed examples:
--Mudra of Winter Ice affects all offensive spells which use or conjure ice (The Titan's Icy Breath, Sting of the Ice Hornet). For an additional point of Willpower, the sorcerer may infuse the spell with numbing cold, inflicting an internal penalty equal to his Essence on the target for (Occult) actions. All Exalt types have access to a version of this Charm, which requires Terrestrial Circle Sorcery.
--Mudra of Insidious Whispers affects all spells which directly cause unnatural mental influence (Threefold Binding of the Heart, Peacock Shadow Eyes, Insidious Tendrils of Hate). For an additional 10m, 1WP, the spell generates an Illusion effect, cloaking itself in benevolence and harmlessness. This Illusion affects the target and all observers unless they spend 2WP to resist; if they do not, they believe the spell is harmless. This renders the spell Unexpected, lowering MDVs to zero. This is a Solar Charm requiring Celestial Circle Sorcery, a Presence corequisite and Hypnotic Tongue Technique.
--Mudra of Lingering Protection affects all defensive spells with a duration measured in actions (countermagic used in defensive mode). The caster may pay an additional (5 * circle) motes to allow the spell to linger for an additional duration increment. All Celestial Exalted have access to this Charm, which requires Celestial Circle Sorcery.
--Mudra of Shattering Words affects all spells which break enemy spells (countermagic in offensive mode, Master Puppeteer's Knife, the necromantic spells which break necromantic bindings on ghosts). For a cost of 1WP and 1 lethal health level, it causes the shattered spell to backlash on the caster, inflicting damage as if he had failed to maintain control of the spell after an interruption. This is an Abyssal Charm requiring Shadowlands Necromancy.
--Mudra of Sacred Fire affects all spells which deal fire damage (Magma Kraken, Flight of the Brilliant Raptor, Atrocious Fire Transformation). It infuses the flame of those spells with holy power for 10m, dealing aggravated damage to creatures of darkness. Spells that already deal aggravated damage count (caster's Essence) dice of damage as automatic successes instead. This is a Solar Charm which requires Solar Circle Sorcery.