I'll cover this in more detail in the next update, but Solar charms are tied to your ability ratings. If you want to develop more charms, you need to get practice with those abilities 'in the field' - private practice may suffice to let you pick up the first couple of Melee charms, for example, but if you want anything more advanced you're going to need to be using your Melee ability against an actual opponent.
The charms so far have all come from the Ex3 core rulebook, albeit modified to better work in a quest format. Home brew and personalized charms are an option later on, if required.
Good fuck I go back to the army for a week and some motherfucker starts talking about making the Hyper-Militant Order of Holy Zealots (who just happen to be women) carry their god-babies. God dammit SV what the actual fuck.
In any case the better way to ship Ignatius would be with a Living Sa... wait no that would be wrong too. And also really cliche.
Mm.
What about a normal, healthy relationship with another peer based off mutual respect, interest, and understanding?
Good fuck I go back to the army for a week and some motherfucker starts talking about making the Hyper-Militant Order of Holy Zealots (who just happen to be women) carry their god-babies. God dammit SV what the actual fuck.
In any case the better way to ship Ignatius would be with a Living Sa... wait no that would be wrong too. And also really cliche.
Mm.
What about a normal, healthy relationship with another peer based off mutual respect, interest, and understanding?
Iunno. With him being who he is, him being ace of some degree wouldn't be too out of the picture either. I mean, Cardinals don't have to take chastity vows, but still.
And there can be plenty of healthy platonic relationship with Sororitas or clergy or anyone, really, talking about faith in God-Emperor.
The only shipping for Ignatius that I would like is Ignatius x burning Heretics/Xenos , Ignataius x duty, and Ignataius x fixing the Imperium. That last route will be hard but I have FAITH that we can do it well at least some parts of the Imperium.
Ignatius practices unarmed combat techniques as an exercise routine more than a fighting style; he finds it relaxing and it helps him keep reasonably in shape, but you're correct in assuming he's never actually fought someone seriously outside the practice hall. It's why he has all of two dots and a single charm.
That's the justification. The reason is that Solar Brawl is hilarious and I want to write scenes involving it.
(Also you naturally favour Martial Arts as an extension of having Brawl as a favoured ability, so learning the combat techniques of other warriors is a thing you could do.)
Aaaand I have to dissent here, because this implies that sex is somehow "corruption and debauchery", and I'd rather not.
I mean, maybe Cardinal believes so, that's another matter and possibly an interesting character trait. But barring such, eh.
And IIRC Imperial Creed does not really promote celibacy or anything? So I am not sure why would it be considered sinful IC either.
First off, there is nothing morally wrong with voluntary eugenics, and I don't think the Sororitas are celibate; there are non-celibate Sororitas in one of the Cain novels IIRC.
Second off, this isn't QQ and the protagonist impregnating Sororitas to bear his divinely-touched children would be very out-of-place. Also, Sororitas collectively deciding to have someone's kids is very out-of-character; this isn't the Vandire-era Brides of the Emperor.
This is 40k after all, it seems like best practice to get some problem solvers on your side before the inevitable horde of horrible things converges on us.
The non-militant Orders are Hospitlar, which are exactly what it sounds like; Dialogus, who will shortly be our new best friends, because their job is translation, spread of information, and serving as missionaries to newly discovered worlds, and Famolus, who are mainly there to keep an eye on the Nobles.
I had a thought for how we get the AdMech on our side: Knights
Hear me out. Imperium-aligned Knight Houses have strong ties to the AdMech, or at least specific forge worlds. They can influence policy to some extent, because the AdMech will listen to them and give weight to their words.
We can command the Machine Spirits of Knights or Titans to appear before us. A Preceptor or Crusader would probably be our best bet, an Errant would be... iffy, and a Gallant is right out. While Preceptors and Crusaders are no less bloodthirsty than any other knight, they are more restrained. Preceptors, because part of their duty is to instruct and guide new Knight Scions and Bondsman; Crusaders, because they willingly forgo glory to preserve the lives of others.
However, if we do go through with this plan, we should have the Knight Scion with us, because otherwise the first thing the Machine Spirit would say is "You are not {Knight}. Where is {Knight?}?"
Edit: such a thing might also be our first introduction to human ghosts, since Knight Scions leave a personality impression on their Knight, which is then passed down to another Knight Scion, who leaves their own impression... (There's a bit of chicken-and-egg here, are Gallants favored by crazy bastards because of their reckless and single-minded nature, or do centuries of impressions from such pilots make the Gallant reckless and single-minded?)
Ignatius practices unarmed combat techniques as an exercise routine more than a fighting style; he finds it relaxing and it helps him keep reasonably in shape, but you're correct in assuming he's never actually fought someone seriously outside the practice hall. It's why he has all of two dots and a single charm.
That's the justification. The reason is that Solar Brawl is hilarious and I want to write scenes involving it.
(Also you naturally favour Martial Arts as an extension of having Brawl as a favoured ability, so learning the combat techniques of other warriors is a thing you could do.)
Aaaand I have to dissent here, because this implies that sex is somehow "corruption and debauchery", and I'd rather not.
I mean, maybe Cardinal believes so, that's another matter and possibly an interesting character trait. But barring such, eh.
And IIRC Imperial Creed does not really promote celibacy or anything? So I am not sure why would it be considered sinful IC either.
It is when its done the way the Ecclesiarchy does it (and the way the thread had been discussing it).
Glibness aside, I take your point. The character being aesexual doesn't really contrast with those who abuse their position, and it was kinda icky that I implied that. That contrast is already handled by the way that we actually care about our flock.
"The last of the summons have been sent, Holiness," the Sororitas says from behind you, her voice once more built around a core of professional iron, "Do you need anything else?"
You take a deep breath, focusing on the slow, familiar movements of your chest and shoulders. The air here is sharp and cold, the braziers in each corner as yet unlit, and the metal floor is hard and uncomfortable against your knees.
"No, thank you sister," you say calmly, your eyes closed as you centre yourself at the beginning of your meditation, "please, inform me when the time for our departure comes. Until then, I must… reflect, on everything that has happened."
"As you say, Holiness," the Sister - you must remember to ask her name, such minor touches are worth a considerable amount of respect - says in an approving tone. She bows once, her armour hissing faintly as it copies her movements, and then retreats beyond the door and seals it tightly behind her. She will wait there, on guard, until the appointed time comes for further action; you suspect she will defer any option to change duties with the next Sister on her shift.
Alone at last, safe from any possible observers, you allow yourself to relax. Your shoulders slump, your breathing grows ragged, and the black mist of fatigue pulls remorselessly at your thoughts. The light of the Emperor has dimmed, now, and in its passing your earlier suspicions about the energy taken to maintain it have proven near prophetic in their accuracy. You feel exhausted, and have no ready solution save rest.
The Emperor is a god, but Ignatius must contend with the frailties of a mortal form. One of the most pertinent is stamina, for even heroes must rest from time to time.
Igantius can undertake 'strenuous activity' for a number of hours equal to his (Stamina+Resistance) without issue. For every hour after that point, he picks up a cumulative -1 fatigue penalty to all dice rolls. When this penalty reaches a size equal to his (Stamina+Resistance), he falls unconscious. What counts as strenuous activity can vary, but at the very least combat, intensive exercise and navigating hostile terrain all count. Likewise, environmental concerns can modify the effective size of your resistance pool - hiking across a desert world at noon might reduce your pool by three. Rest removes these penalties at a rate of one per hour.
Calling upon the power of your anima is exhausting in a way that no mortal labour can match, for the mortal frame was not designed to channel the power of a god so easily.
At Glowing, every scene counts as an hour of strenuous activity.
At Burning, every scene counts as three hours of strenuous activity.
At Bonfire, each scene counts as five hours of strenuous activity.
Fatigue penalties from flaring your anima do not kick in until the end of the scene in question. Ignatius rose to the level of a bonfire anima in the temple plaza, staying there for a full scene as he banished the Inquisitor and saved his flock. He has a (Stamina+Resistance) pool of four, so that one scene has put him on a -1 fatigue penalty, and even going to burning right now would cause him to fall over unconscious at the end of the scene. This fatigue will be removed by the end of the update, so don't worry about it when time comes to vote.
On the upside, you have an easy way to exercise and maintain your figure.
The very last thing you want to do right now is exercise, but then that is in large part the secret to an effect regimen; persistence in the face of personal weariness is how you hone your body and mind alike, and so long as you do not overdo it the benefits of such diligent practice will far outweigh your current misery.
With a low groan of effort you rise to your feet, swaying briefly for a moment as the leaden weights that have replaced your muscles conspire to drag you down. Then you shake your head and focus, lifting your arms into a classic guard position.
The Church of the Emperor is and always has been a militant institution; even barred from maintaining troops of its own the Ecclesiarchy maintains a steady presence on battlefields across the galaxy, slaughtering the enemies of the Emperor with sword and flame alike. You were never a crusading sort, but that does not mean you could ever dream of shunning such a core element of your faith. The galaxy is a cruel and hateful place, after all, a prison beyond comprehension that afflicts the souls of man with all the hatred and strife it can possibly muster. To neglect the ability to defend yourself in the face of such a world would be foolishness of the highest sort, and so you made sure to study the arts of combat alongside the pursuit of rhetoric.
As you begin to move your body through the basic forms of your exercise routine, you cannot help but reflect that the latter pursuit inevitably took up a great deal more of your time. It is only natural for a Cardinal, a high priest of the Ecclesiarchy, to favour the art of pen and voice above those of blade and fist, and though you were determined never to adopt the corpulent frame of your most indulgent 'peers' you know all too well that this does not make you a warrior. Any of the Sororitas could thrash you single-handed, and while you have at times considered requesting the right to attend their training sessions you know that you lack the time required to give such a pursuit the full attention that it deserves.
Except… is that true?
"Target drone," you grunt, and from the roof of your practice chamber a servo-skull detaches to float before you on wings of shimmering air. In its metal claws it holds a padded block the size of a man's face, and at your nod the drone begins circling you in an erratic orbit. You pivot on the spot, tracking its movements, and every time it hesitates or leaves you an opening you lash out with one balled fist, filling the room with the echoes of your clattering strikes.
At your core… no, all throughout your body, you can feel the flames begin to burn. It is a strange feeling, like a pyre beneath your skin, but what should be the source of screaming agony instead simply feels… good. The heat settles in to your heart, your muscles, your very bones, until there is not so much a man running through the motions as an engine of divine destruction standing in the centre of the chamber.
You are an iron in the forge, raw material beneath a master's hand, and with every passing moment you can feel yourself growing ever so slightly closer to perfection. Already your body has been purified, all the tiny little aches and pains from a long life of service washed away by the light of the Emperor's grace, allowing you to move freely and without pain. Even your thoughts feel refined, running smooth and clear in a constant stream from one to the next without hesitation or self-doubt. How much further will this transformation go? You can already tell that the improved clarity and perception afforded to you is but the start of your rise, but…
You lose focus for less than a heartbeat, and in the span of that moment instinct takes over. You spin, molten metal gathering in the bones of your arm, and in a single explosive punch shatter target and drone alike into a thousand flying pieces.
They splash against the floor like rain.
"Holiness," the Sister says, startling you out of your contemplation, "your shuttle has arrived. It is time to depart."
The Emperor was, above all else, a human hero, and as his heir your magic follows similar themes. With sufficient training you could run faster than a bullet and leap tall buildings in a single bound, but you cannot teleport across the void. With practice you can ignite the passions of any man and make the meekest soul into a roaring fanatic, but demands that the stars themselves descend and smite your foes will yield nothing in the way of success.
(Sorcery can permit both of these things, and the command the Emperor possessed over the powers of the Warp was significant, but for now the point stands.)
Your Charms are, put simply, extensions of your abilities; mortal skill taken to superhuman heights. If you wish to develop new charms, you do it by practicing with the abilities in question, both in standard training and by using them under duress. Make a lot of speeches and you'll pick up Performance charms, spend time sparring and you'll unlock Brawl charms and so on. Those abilities listed as 'caste' and 'favourite' require significantly less training time to unlock charms in or improve their base abilities, but every ability has something to offer if you would choose to pursue it.
-/-
From orbit, the world of Sanguis looks like a disk of bronze, shot through with lines of verdigris. The oceans are rich in kelp and other life, much of which is harvested to meet the dietary needs of the faithful, and on the shore mountains war with cities for control over the morning silhouette.
When the architect who designed this chamber was first drawing up their plans, the decision was made that being able to see the world over which one was deliberating would aid the assembled worthies in focusing their minds and opening their hearts to the wisdom of the Emperor and His saints. Experience has taught you that this was largely a matter of wishful thinking, but there is no denying that the great steel-glass dome that cover the auditorium provides you with a truly spectacular view. You could stare at the vista for hours on end, most likely, and if only your duties would grant you that time the choice of doing so would be a tempting one indeed.
Instead you are forced to be content with nothing more than a glimpse, a brief diversion while you wait for the last of the assembled priests to finish filing into the auditorium. They sit in tiered rings ten ranks deep, their robes and ceremonial finery filling the otherwise barren chamber with a riot of life and color, and from your throne above them all you can look down and see each and every one of them.
Which among them chose to betray you, you wonder.
The Inquisitor was no psychic, after all, and while you can credit your enemies in the wider Ecclesiarchy with a great deal of qualities the ability to peer across the void and watch your sermons from their own temples is not among them. Only another priest of Sanguis could have passed the details of your teachings on to those watchful crows, and only a well chosen report of your more unorthodox beliefs would have brought a member of the Ordo Hereticus to your door. Doubtless there are millions of potential witnesses from among the faithful laity, but you doubt one of them would have had the weight of name or breadth of learning to recognize your teachings as being questionable and have their complaints taken seriously by the sector authorities.
So far no one has stepped forwards to confess, and while the hall is filled with nervous murmuring no one of rank has chosen to damn themselves by defying your summons outright. Rumour of what occurred between you and the Inquisitor will have already started to spread, but you acted fast and so no one here will have received anything more than the most preliminary of reports; enough to stoke concern, especially with knowledge that the Inquisitor was on planet in the first place, but not enough to allow for any kind of reliable confusion.
They want answers, and you will be happy to provide.
A simple gesture sends one of the novices at the edge of the room stepping forwards, and the hammer in his hand crashes against the ceremonial bell with a sound like thunder. The audience chamber falls silent, hundreds of eyes fixed solemnly upon you, and with a brief moment to centre yourself you open your mouth and speak.
Article:
There are millions of priests on Sanguis, but all those of appropriately high rank have been gathered here at your command. None of these men and women are weak of mind or faith, but neither do they have your recent advantages.
What I need from you here is one vote, and also a more general discussion. The vote is on how you intend to proceed with bringing the Priesthood of Sanguis over to your side:
[ ] Expose the Guilty. You cannot have enemies lurking unnoticed within your own priesthood. Prioritize identifying out the ones who have worked actively against you, and offer them the chance to repent before their peers.
[ ] Ignite the Soul. You know better than most the unifying power of faith. Prioritize the clergy's acceptance of you as a divine icon, and they will follow you into the depths of the foulest hell if their duty so requires.
[ ] Preach to the Choir. Disputes over doctrine can lead to the most virulent of feuds, and you would rather have a thousand minds in broad agreement than a hundred locked in fanatic loyalty. Smooth over the divisions that lead to the call for the Hereticus, and the rest will fall smoothly into place.
The general discussion is on what you plan to do next, assuming that this action succeeds. Not just in terms of 'who do we try to sway next', but what it is that you intend to do with that loyalty. What are your goals for Sanguis and its people, for the Imperium as a whole? I don't require unanimity, but a broad consensus will help me work out which direction people want to see the story go, enabling Ignatius to be more proactive instead of simply reacting to outside events.
[X] Preach to the Choir. Disputes over doctrine can lead to the most virulent of feuds, and you would rather have a thousand minds in broad agreement than a hundred locked in fanatic loyalty. Smooth over the divisions that lead to the call for the Hereticus, and the rest will fall smoothly into place.
We all know how stubborn 40k Humans are. Like that one guy said about that other SoB Saint and how the Inquisition fucked her over lets nip this at the bud.
[X] Preach to the Choir. Disputes over doctrine can lead to the most virulent of feuds, and you would rather have a thousand minds in broad agreement than a hundred locked in fanatic loyalty. Smooth over the divisions that lead to the call for the Hereticus, and the rest will fall smoothly into place.
[X] Expose the Guilty. You cannot have enemies lurking unnoticed within your own priesthood. Prioritize identifying out the ones who have worked actively against you, and offer them the chance to repent before their peers.
[X] Preach to the Choir. Disputes over doctrine can lead to the most virulent of feuds, and you would rather have a thousand minds in broad agreement than a hundred locked in fanatic loyalty. Smooth over the divisions that lead to the call for the Hereticus, and the rest will fall smoothly into place.
[X] Ignite the Soul. You know better than most the unifying power of faith. Prioritize the clergy's acceptance of you as a divine icon, and they will follow you into the depths of the foulest hell if their duty so requires.
We're an agent of Big E. If we can get that accepted, the rest will come together.
So charms are earned through in game actions, not purchase votes. Makes me wonder how we're going to earn some of the more intangible and esoteric charms, like Integrity or the weirder parts of Lore.
[X] Preach to the Choir. Disputes over doctrine can lead to the most virulent of feuds, and you would rather have a thousand minds in broad agreement than a hundred locked in fanatic loyalty. Smooth over the divisions that lead to the call for the Hereticus, and the rest will fall smoothly into place.
[X] Ignite the Soul. You know better than most the unifying power of faith. Prioritize the clergy's acceptance of you as a divine icon, and they will follow you into the depths of the foulest hell if their duty so requires.
[X] Preach to the Choir. Disputes over doctrine can lead to the most virulent of feuds, and you would rather have a thousand minds in broad agreement than a hundred locked in fanatic loyalty. Smooth over the divisions that lead to the call for the Hereticus, and the rest will fall smoothly into place.