This seems more like the type of Charm a Yozi would use against Breathing on the Black Mirror.
(Yozi) Declaration of Casualty
Cost: - (10m) ; Essence 6; Type: Permanent
Keywords: None
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisites: Ascendancy Mantle of (Yozi)
In the untold millennium that the Primordials spent in the Wyld, they were assailed, waylaid, and assaulted by the unnumbered hordes of Fair Folk and other insignificant creatures that existed in that chaos of possibility. Yet, they barely even noticed those strange creatures, so insignificant were those attempts at warping the Primordial's narratives.
This charm permanently renders the Infernal immune to Wyld based Shaping effects. In addition, whenever another character uses a Charm, Spell, or any other effect that affects the Infernal or other characters in the scene on a narrative level, such as Breathing on the Black Mirror, that charm is completely negated, as it grinds against the enforced casualty of the fledging Primordial. In addition, if the character possesses the Sorcerous Initiation of (Yoz)i, the character may pay 10 mote when this happens, causing the effect to shatter in the opponents hands as if it were an Adamant Circle Sorcery Spell shattered by Adamant Countermagic. The effects caused by this Should be based on the charm that was used, and the Infernal's Sorcery Initiation.
This charm immediately renders any attuned landscape outside of Fate. Reality is now fully under control of the Titan. Any actions, effects, charms or martial arts that are not entirely Consensual with the Titan's reality accumulate Paradox at a rate set by the Titan.
Titans can reflexively use a single point of Paradox to cause beings inside attuned landscapes to botch any one roll. Attempting to resist said botching causes 4 points of paradox.
Hitting 10 points of paradox causes awful, awful things to happen including all Lunars present being turned into D&D 2nd edition Druids, and lets not speak of the seifuku Sidereals get forced into
So in other news, I polished up another artifact to share with you all. This is in the same vein as the Lady of the Heavenly Courts, though much less ostentatious.
While not originally part of a set, the short Daiklave by name of Scoundrel had its fate meshed with that of the Lady of the Heavenly Courts. Historians say the story went as such that the original wielders bore the epithets, and the pair came to legend and strife in their time with a whirlwind romance.
Charming and wise, Scoundrel goes where his Lady cannot. As a blade, it serves as a well-made Starmetal Short Daiklave, and behaves as a concealed weapon despite its size or how it is worn. Mundane Perception actions to notice the blade outside of combat automatically fail. Magic, such as Awareness, Investigation or Occult Charms roll against a difficulty of the bearer's [Manipulation + Socialize /2]
Ancient pacts woven into the weapon grant it a curious power. It serves as a sign of leadership in a long-disbanded clique of thieves and smugglers. Though the group no longer exist, the least gods of doors and locks still recognize the weapon's inherent authority.
When approaching a barred doorway, the wielder can touch the hilt of Scoundrel to the lock and pay three motes. Doing so emulates the Solar Charm Lock-Opening Touch, save that it is always Obvious, and does not add the wielder's Essence in automatic successes when contesting a magically resistant lock.
When taken as a paired artifact, Lady of the Heavenly Courts and Her Scoundrel, the combined attune cost for both artifacts is 10 motes, and both weapons count as paired Slashing Swords or Short Swords for the purposes of Charms.
Scoundrel here is an example the homebrew trick known some places a 'Templating'.
Templating is basically where you deliberately borrow or even outright reference an existing mechanic (Lock-Opening Touch), adding qualifiers where necessary. The original idea was that Scoundrel would automagically appear in the wielder's hand if they ever had the Lady forced out of their hands, but back when I had the idea, I couldn't figure out how to phrase it.
The trick with Templating though, especially in Exalted, is making sure you vet the templated idea and how it fits in the setting. Like, as a reasonble example, if you made Summon Demon of the Third Circle baked into a 5-dot artifact, suddenly you have a lot more people summoning 3cds. Because once it gets made, it's probably going to get made Again.
The badge of office/control code for locks thing worked out pretty well though. The other aspect is that I basically wanted a two-sword set of artifacts, but didn't want to actually make a pair of matched swords. Scoundrel does have +1 more Defense, but if you ever really want an offhand parrying weapon, you gotta go Baneclaws or Bust.
Okay, is @Kenainath's situation going to be a repeat of Old Man Henderson? Because this is what creates Old Man Hendersons. I can't help with mechanics since I avoid SMA like the plague, but you have my moral support when you become Infernal Old Man Henderson and have your delicious Ophidian inspired vengeance.
While we're on the topic of SMA, does anyone have Revlid's christmas-themed style? I was able to find some of his stuff on the old forums, but not that particular one.
The Contrary One, Noh Demon of the Third Circle
Fetich Soul of the Shadow of All Things
At the beginning of all things, the Mother of Creation said that there would be light and heat and motion. And within the darkness outside all things, one voice asked "Why?".
Now the speaker slinks through the forgotten places of the Demon City. Her black moon hangs in the skies of Cecelyne, far from the light of the mad green sun. Sometimes it sets beneath the waves of Kimbery, or can be stumbled upon in titanic hollow abscesses within the catacombs of Malfeas. When she walks within Malfeas she wears ten thousand forms so none recognise her or is simply a voice in the ear, whispering opposition and rebellion to the law of the Demon City. Sometimes she dances with her sister Erembour within the darkness of the Dragon. Like the shadow that flees the light, she is never where one expects her to be. She is the Contrary One, the secret heart of the Ebon Dragon.
She tolerates no constraint upon her willingly. She has no name, and so those that know of her must call her 'Noh' - an ancient joke from before Creation. To have but one form would limit her and so she has more skins than there are stars in the Malfean sky - and more ornate masks than she has skins. She has no set sex, but most believe she chooses to be female to oppose Ligier and the Sun. She is the Black Moon of Malfeas, but that hidden place is an ill omen that consumes the stars.
Within Hell, she works within the shadows to cast down all thrones and ruin all seats of power. The endless laws of Cecelyne offend her and so she murders priests and raises up the weak. She hides flaws within the workings of the Principle of Hierarchy and makes the stories of the Sphere of Speech go askew. The Black Moon has detested Ligier and Iudicavisse since before Creation - the former for his unasked-for light, the latter for her hated laws, and so she would throw Hell into chaos to free herself of both.
But all these little plans and minor hates pale before Noh's hatred of her captivity. It is for that reason that she is most often in the Endless Desert, constantly testing the walls of her prison. Sometimes she slips through, and escapes into Creation. There she acts in quiet, cold ways to weaken the thrones of the gods, then darting back into Hell before her presence is found. To be discovered in her dark deeds is an agony that banishes her.
Noh would not willingly have surrendered in the War. Death is less of a violation to her than imprisonment. Her sibling-souls managed through treachery and cunning to confine her and thus the Shadow of All Things relented and submitted. She has never forgiven them and will never forgive them. So the heart of the Ebon Dragon plans cold-blooded, reptilian revenge against those parts of him that valued his survival more than freedom. Perhaps that is why the Dragon seems mad and doomed to turn his own efforts against himself.
The Contrary One is a challenge for a sorcerer. Her nature is such that she rejects all bindings and limits, yet that is what sorcery imposes on her. When chained, madness results and she seeks death with all the wit and ingenuity of a demon princess - for death will free her from the agony of obeying another. The Black Moon can escape Malfeas when conspirators plot on a new moon in lightless places against the powers that be - joining them at their table before taking her leave when the conference ends. However, should her presence be discovered in Creation when she has freed herself using this escape condition, she is instantly banished - for the Eclipse negotiators knew more of her nature than she would have liked.
Notes and abilities: As a summoned demon, Noh is nearly useless. She must be micromanaged and prevented from killing herself - whereupon she reforms in Malfeas a year and a day later. Moreover, she is exceptionally difficult to bind as befits a fetich, and if she escapes a summoning she will hide in lightless places, plotting against the gods and sowing discontent and rebellion from the shadows. She was one of the demons it was illegal to summon in the High First Age, due to the negligible benefits relative to the risk. In the modern era, a summoner who is friendly to the Yozis might politely request her presence and leave her free - but they must remember her nature. Expecting things of her is unwise.
The Contrary One is nearly impossible to find, if one looks for her. One who would come across her must arrange to stumble upon her unexpected. If they plot against a higher power or one of her hated rivals she is surprisingly soft and gentle, and makes an agreeable ally with a fondness for iced tea and plain repasts. A wise man who arranges to stumble across her could do worse than ensure that they have a mask upon them they might offer her as a gift. Any attempt to give her orders or compel her leads her to react poorly and flee the scene, and it would be unwise to enlist her aid in any effort where one intends to replace the current hegemon.
The Contrary One is a challenge for a sorcerer. Her nature is such that she rejects all bindings and limits, yet that is what sorcery imposes on her. When chained, madness results and she seeks death with all the wit and ingenuity of a demon princess - for death will free her from the agony of obeying another.
[QUOTE="tzar1990, post: 5843230, member: 3992homebrew de we're on the topic of SMA, does anyone have Revlid's christmas-themed style? I was able to find some of his stuff on the old forums, but not that particular one.[/QUOTE]
Snow-White Tidings of Comfort is in Revlid's homebrew sig.
[QUOTE="tzar1990, post: 5843230, member: 3992homebrew de we're on the topic of SMA, does anyone have Revlid's christmas-themed style? I was able to find some of his stuff on the old forums, but not that particular one.
(I will point out that a lot of the described effects don't really work well with Adorjan, but I'm including her anyways for completeness sake. Also, SWLIHN gets nothing, because I can't think of anything even slightly appropriate for her. You may want to make it only Malfeas, Ebby, and Cecelyne, or you might want to add Kimbery. Just find an appropriate ranged attack charm and an environmental effect)
So. After very nearly a year, I'm back to trying to homebrew better Underworld fluff. Hopefully this time I'll have better feedback.
To start with, another attempt at a non-Ghost Underworld spirit, summonable with Iron Circle Necromancy. Alternatively, if you really prefer I suppose it'd make a serviceable Demon species.
In case you're wondering, the names are Chinese. Thought it'd fit theUnderworld better than the Hungarian or whatever it is that Aleph and ES use for their demons.
Words. They can hurt worse than stick and stone, be the most dangerous of weapons, and raise and topple Empires. And every time a person is hurt by cruel barbs, honeyed lies and painful truths, an echo of these words seeps into the Underworld and congeals into an oily tar that coats stones and trees and covers oceans with murky films, and whispers hurtful things to the passerby, let alone anyone unfortunate enough to fall in.
Where this tar reaches big enough concentrations, it takes up movement and a cunning, predatory intelligence, and rises as a Xianhua, to spread yet more hurtful words.
In form, the Whisperes are floating gelatinous blobs of the aforementioned tar, with a single oversized mouth that contains a long and dextrous tongue, their sole appendage. Otherwise, they are devoid of limbs and sensory organs.
If they wish to hide or squeeze through thin cracks, they can also dissolve back into the fluid slime from which they spring temporarily.
Generally, they are capable of hiding in the shadows and of looking into a person's mind for various purposes, as well as, as their name implies, whisper in voices that mimic another person's, or are subtle enough that the target believes them to be his own thoughts.
When pressed in combat, they will try to bite or swallow their enemy, bullrush with their body, or club or catch them in a grapple with their tongue. They also, generally, have some variety of harmful saliva.
Left to their own devices among themselves, they will fall into bickering, bragging about their accomplishments or trying to snare each other with their talents.
Depending on the flavor of words that makes them up, they generally fall into one of several categories;
These Whisperers delight in gossip and misinformation, and to spread them is their purpose. To this end they seed the minds of the gullible with false facts and conclusions that seem so obvious in retrospect, and then wait for the rumor mill to do it's work.
And if they can lead people to do foolish or dangerous things, cause arguments, or for someone to be ostracized and derided behind their back, then so much the better.
Generally, they are colored blueish black, their mouths pulled into knowing smirks, and a touch of their tongue and lips causes delusions and hallucinations.
Their biggest talent, obviously, is the spreading of propaganda and misinformation, but they also make able spies when tasked with keeping an ear on existing rumors. However, if feeling vindictive they may also spread lies about their summoner while going about these tasks.
Crude and direct compared to their siblings, these Xianhua sneak around only as long as they have to to find a suitable target, find out everything about them they need to know and lay the seeds for later work by insinuating doubts and insecurity, and then reveal themselves in the right moment to tear their victims apart verbally with carefully chosen insults and barbs, mocking laughter, and ugly truth couched in the worst possible terms.
Usually this will be when they and their prey are alone and isolated, but when they're feeling particularly sadistic, they may decide that they want an audience after all in order to further the humiliation, and they will only let off once the unfortunate one's self-image has been shattered.
If this requires more than a single session, they will follow them afterwards, periodically start new confrontations or continue their torment in whispers no one else can hear, while playing on their target's insecurity and shame to prevent detection.
Their skin is black tinted with green, and from cruel sneers dribbles caustic spittle. Out of all their siblings, they are also the strongest in a direct fight.
Summoned, they are most useful for dismantling an enemies psyche or uncovering information to faciliate the same, but one should beware that they not turn their tongues against their master.
Luscious red lips frame pearly teeth and a sinuous tongue that wiggles salaciously, smooth oily skin is marked by extravagant purple or hot pink stripes, and a husky voice purrs sweet nothings. Their Saliva is a potent euphoric drug, and the more powerful of them may even learn to mold their shape into a human or some other being (with exquisite appereance, of course).
And with these tools, as well as their extensive skill with Charm and Deception, they set themselves up in positions of trust and adoration; Wether that be by seducing a maiden or a handsome lad, becoming the subject of a cult, acting as trusted advisor, transform into a star racing stallion or an adorable pet, or other means.
They do this not for influence, although it may be a useful tool to further entrench their position, but out of the simply joy from doing so, and if they get a better opportunity or simply grow bored, they will drop their old conquests without hesitation, or even toy with them mockingly if the mood strikes them.
A Necromancer may summon them to subvert and control others, or get insight into their likes and preferences. They also make able courtesans, as long as one pays attention not to get too attached (or makes sure to only have them service subordinates that one wants them to control).
Arguably the least malicious of their kind, Revealing Xianhua loathe liars, and care only that all secrets be revealed, no matter what they are; A girl's first crush, a secret conspiracy, a Queen's unfaithfullness whose publication could throw the kingdom into war, a guilty murderer's confession, an embarassing habit, or the beleaguered assisstant's true opinion of his vainglorious but incompetent boss, carefully caged behind a fake smile of subservience.
To this end, they either publically shout the truth out for all the world to see, or covertly mimic the secret keeper's voice when they are speaking with the deceived ones. The more powerful of them may also possess someone by seeping into his nose, mouth, and ears, and make them engineer the confession with their own hands.
So big is their need for the truth that they burn with an inner white light which floods out their mouths every time they open them to proclaim it to the world. A fainter imitation of this fire glows in the eyes and mouth of someone that they possess. Naturally, their temper also ensures that they do not, generally, get along well with Xianhua of the other types.
They don't have any special spit, but they may learn to channel their light of truth into blazing attacks, that in particular harms those who keep secrets.
When summoned, they see use to make public other's machinations, as spies or to advise their master on who lies to him. Their fanatic adherence to truth also makes them see use as heralds and messengers between the occultically knowledgeable, to guarantee that the messages they bear are honest. The only risk is that they may reveal too much.
As the Whisperers grow in power and experience, they will naturally develop a personality, favourite tricks and targets; A Tormentor may grow to particularly like to tear down bullies, publically toppling them from the height of popularity into the depths of pity and disgust, and a particularly vicious Seducer may continually test the boundaries of how abusive it can be while still having it's victims love it.
It should also be noted that the distinctions between the different categories are not entirely clear-cut, and hybridisation may occur. For example, assuming traits of a Revealing Xianhua may produce a Laughing one that can only hurt with the truth or that compulsively has to tear down the lies people tell themselves, and whose spit burns with phosporescent flame, or a colourfully bioluminescent Deceiving one that honestly has to fall in love for their advances not to ring hollow, sound slimy and false.
While we're on the topic of SMA, does anyone have Revlid's christmas-themed style? I was able to find some of his stuff on the old forums, but not that particular one.
So! You probably remember the keruby. And you may recall that they can "grow up" - they have mature forms that they age into. In the case of the szelkeruby, said forms are the szilfa and szerafy.
Now, interestingly, these demons aren't ones that Keris's souls design. Much like the keruby breeds themselves, they're natural expressions of their aspect-source's nature. Szilfa and szerafy weren't made that way by Echo, they grew up like that because they're reflections of her personality (she will probably find it hilarious when the first szilfa appears, and may laugh herself sick). Sometimes, this can lead to a look at the psychology of Keris's children that they might not have made public by choice.
We have the "elder forms" of about half the keruby planned out, we've just been lagging about writing them up. Thus far, we have wind, whirlpool and petal cherub evolutions thoroughly planned out in their behaviour and culture and interactions and so on, strong concepts for fog, music and tar cherubs, and only vague ideas for metal and clay cherubs.
However, @EarthScorpion finally decided to do something about the whole "lagging in writeups" thing, and chose Haneyl's keruby because she is totally his favourite. So! Echo sees "growing up" as "getting successively bigger and more responsible". How does Haneyl see it?
As it turns out, she sees it rather differently. For a start, it's not one path. It's three. Let's have a look at them.
Demon of the First Circle
Progeny of the Flower Maiden
Maturation of the Dancers of Flame and Flowers
The fogszentkae are the wolves of the swamplands within the soul of Keris Dulmeadokht, though they walk on two legs and can converse like men. As a sziromkerub ages, their hunger grows and in the end for many the hollowness in their belly consumes their inner fire, leaving them cold and eternally famished. Such is their cost as the inheritors of the true nature of the Flower Maiden, for her hunger and drive are theirs in full. They miss the inner warmth and only the feeling of a belly full of meat or huddling around a fire can sate it. The grown petal cherub will seek out others of her or his kind and so they form packs that sing hypnotic songs and laugh and dance and tell tall tales around the green fires that burn in the trackless swamps - and should they come across prey they fall upon them and tear them to shreds. To flee only invites pursuit.
A well-fed fogszentka has the proportions of an adult, but as they hunger they revert to underfed teenagers, all stick-thin limbs and bulging bellies. Their skin is gnarled grey bark and their teeth are long and sit in too-wide mouths; they hide the former with applications of mud which they make seem like flesh. Water washes away their disguise and so a hidden fogszentka never washes unless it is in a hidden place where it can reapply its camouflage. Their agile hands and gripping feet have claws like a cat and so they clamber through the trees to remain dry. Without food or fire their hearts are numb and unfeeling - such things are a luxury for when one is well-fed and warm. They eat only meat, and are surprisingly good cooks - but will eat it raw rather than endure hunger.
Despite their hunger and their cruelty, the fogszentkae remember what they once were. They love stories and through they can no longer write as well as they did they collect books from their younger siblings and read when they sit around the firelight. Even as their songs bespell others, they themselves adore instrumental music and being told stories - which has saved many travellers' lives. Their packs will adopt the wild sziromkeruby that wander the swamps, though of course such children often survive to have their hunger extinguish their flame too. When they sing, the swamp grows and the minds of listeners are numbed. One hypnotised by them feels no pain when they bite down - such is the mercy of the hungry ones.
Sorcerers make use of the hungry ones as hunters and scouts in the wilderness - and to devour the advance parties of their enemies. A small force of them can make a forested area into a deathtrap, especially once they don the clothes of their first victims. Fogszentkae gain limit for each full day when they are forced to endure a hunger penalty above -1. They can escape into Creation when a jungle predator fails to kill a solitary human for fear of the music they're playing, and prey first upon the distracted beast.
Physical: 6; Physical Styles: Unseen Predator 13, Wolf Of The Woods 11 Social: 5; Social Styles: Hypnotic Siren 12, False-Skinned Liar 8 Mental: 3; Mental Styles: Laughing Storyteller 6, Wary Survivor 10 Enlightenment: 3;
Arms: SPD 4, ACC +1, DMG +3, DEF 0, Rate 2 (Razor-sharp claws on hands and feet) Armour: 5 (Tough bark skin. Successful fogszentkae will often acquire extra armour from their victims.)
Join Battle 5; DV 6 Accuracy: 14; Damage: 9; Soak 8; Health Levels; 6
MDV 4 (False-Skinned Liar, reduced to 2 against music or stories); Urge: Fill the coldness inside Principles: Hunger (1 + current Hunger Penalty), Music and Stories (4), Well-Cooked Meat (3), Warming Fire (3), Pretty Stolen Clothes and Ornaments (2)
Fast Charms:
Mud-Flesh Shapechange
Keywords: None
With access to fresh mud, a fogszentka can produce a convincing disguise which can pass as a human or humanoid demon as long as it keeps its claws sheathed and its jaw hinged. The disguise can be any ethnicity or demon breed the hungry one has seen, and matches its own sex and size. This disguise disintegrates if part of the fogszentka is immersed, revealing its nature on the affected part. The base difficulty to penetrate the disguise is Difficulty 5, although this is reduced if it has been damaged by water.
Alluring Song
Keywords: Illusion, Emotion, Compulsion, Stackable
When the fogszentka sings using Hypnotic Siren Style, its social attacks are enhanced with an unnatural mental influence. This produces a -1 internal penalty to all Reaction-based rolls as an Emotion effect, and reduces all wound penalties the target suffers by 1 as an Illusion. The target experiences a Compulsion to seek out the beautiful music. This effect can stack up to four times. This effect costs one willpower to resist, and once a listener has spent two willpower to resist they are immune for the rest of the day.
Demon of the First Circle
Progeny of the Flower Maiden
Maturation of the Dancers of Flame and Flowers
When a sziromkerub indulges too strongly in their passions or spends days whirling in mad dances, the cool flame inside their heads burns brighter and brighter. Eventually they dance one last dance; an unchained whirl that takes on sudden grace. As they do so, their fire consumes them and their hearts overflow. Emerging from the pyres is a newborn maglyaszentka, a figure of both pity and awe among the sziromkeruby and their mature siblings. In their eyes they are the truest daughters of the Flower Maiden, for the flames of her heart are their life.
The ever-burning dreamers hold true to their name, for fire consumes them eternally. They sleep and dream when no fires are near them and then they are an emaciated figure of ash and embers. Should even a match be brought near them, though, they stir. The fire in their hearts and heads consumes them afresh, layering radiant flesh upon their wasted forms. If viewed through darkened glasses an awoken maglyaszentka is a beauty to break the heart. Fires around them respond to their magnificence and burn out of control to honour them, and a single spark can swiftly become a wildfire if they are near.
A maglyaszentka is cursed to feel too strongly. Mild annoyance becomes towering rage; momentary curiosity becomes total obsession; attraction becomes all-consuming lust. Everything they do, they throw their soul into. Their fire-lit dances have few rivals and young sziromkeruby watch with wide-eyed awe, not knowing the price their older siblings pay for this. Maglyaszentkae are compassionate creatures and the devastation their presence often causes wrenches at their hearts, sending them into sobbing fits. Such emotions are exhausting beyond belief, so they are often glad to sleep when all the fuel in an area is consumed.
The dreams of a maglyaszentka may be harvested from the embers of their sleeping form by a sorcerer - if they are used to light a pipe, the smoker experiences madly intense hallucinations. Other summoners simply bind them to dance for them or as lovers - both require precautions to be taken. An ever-burning dreamer gains a point of limit for each day that passes since they last slept for at least 25 hours. They can escape into Creation whenever a dancer is burned within a circle of flames then leaps away over the fire to escape. With a bow, the maglyaszentka continues the dance in their place.
Arms: SPD 8, ACC 0, DMG +8L, DEF 0, Rate 1, Range 20 (Burning Exhalation) Armour: 2 (Blow-buffering convection currents)
Join Battle 3; DV 4 (Flickering Traceur Style) Accuracy: 10; Damage: 13L; Soak 3; Health Levels; 3
MDV 4 (Heartfelt Words Style); Urge: Dance as my Heart Takes Me Principles: Compassion 5, Valour 5, Love of Dancing 5, Love of Beauty 4, Sorrow for Destruction 4, (Considerable numbers of impulsive 1 dot Principles)
Fast Charms:
So Bright And So Brief
Keywords: None
The maglyaszentkae dance with such grace that fire burns brighter around them. All environmental sources of fire in their proximity inflict +1 damage and burn through their fuel twice as quickly. They may choose to intensify their dance, and instead increase the damage by +3, but the fire burns through its fuel 60 times faster. Without fire, a maglyaszentka cannot remain conscious and falls into a deep dreaming sleep.
Heart of the Flames
Keywords: Emotion
A maglyaszentka feels everything with an intensity unmatched by mortal men. All emotionally-based Principles they possess are treated as if they have a minimum rating of 4. They retain their "true" values, but only for the purposes of how long it takes for them to lose or reinforce those Principles. This fire spreads through the hearts of onlookers. As an unnatural mental influence which costs one willpower to reject for a scene, those affected by a social attack made using Conflagration Dancer Style treat all their emotionally based Principles as if they were rated one higher, and treat their Compassion as if it had a minimum rating of 3 even if it is lower.
Demon of the First Circle
Progeny of the Flower Maiden
Maturation of the Dancers of Flame and Flowers
Within the court of the Flower Maiden, one finds beautiful pale men and women with heads of cool flame which rise from the opened flower that fans out from their shoulders. They dress in finery in times of peace, but when their lady marches to war they close up their flowers into helms and follow in armour of hardwood carrying burning weapons. They are the favoured aides of the princess of this realm and dominate the upper echelons of her hierarchy with political games that are as vicious as they are subtle. They know the secret ways of the Flower Maiden and display her proper nature, that leads her ever onwards.
A would-be rendsventka must learn to control its fire without stifling it and must feed its hunger - but not to excess. Should they not stumble, they grow and their bud-head blossoms, unveiling their true face. There is no agreement among the rendsventkae as to the best path to guide a young petal-cherub down. Instead, each faction has their own secret way that they refuse to share. Some proclaim the virtues of the Seven Sacred Arts while others say that a young cherub must learn meditation and study upon their hidden texts and others still insist on the supremacy of certain hidden martial arts that they have developed.
The rendszentkae are neurotic creatures, stiffly proud and self-critical, obsessed with presentation and manners. They would rather lose a hand than be embarrassed in public - and this overdeveloped sense of shame extends to others of their kind. For all that they are hopelessly factionalised, they show a united face to the outside world - for they cannot bear the sight of even a bitter rival to be humiliated. Their hunger is channelled into ambition and they are voracious learners, always looking for an edge that they can use to save themselves from being overshadowed. Still, others have often learned just how one can chain a rendsventka with its own fear of humiliation if one were to discover a secret it would rather not be shared.
The courtiers of verse and blade are intensely intelligent and have only honed their childish skills with words. A sorcerer must be careful to handle their prickly nature, but if treated with respect a courtier is an excellent aide. A rendsventka gains Limit if it - or any other rendsventkae it is aware of - is shamed or embarrassed. It is for this reason that their political games are so subtle and opaque to outsiders. This formality and propriety is also how they escape into Creation - should a well-mannered person be humiliated by louts who have risen above their status and be left without friends, a rendsventka may appear to aid their path back to power so that proper standards can be maintained.
Join Battle 6 (Unseen Treachery Style); DV 5 Accuracy: 11; Damage: 8L]; Soak 5/12; Health Levels; 4
MDV 7 (Courtier's Manners Style); Urge: Abide no shame for the Rendszentkae Principles: Temperance 5, My Pride (5), Poetry (4), Proper Standards (4), Fine Clothes, Wine and Dress (3), The Flower Maiden (3), My School of Thought (2-4)
Fast Charms:
Flawless Aide
Keywords: None
Rendsventkae retain the skills of their younger selves with the written word and fill page upon page with their flowing poetry. They multiply their reading and writing speed by (Enlightenment x 5). In addition, they count as 10 assistants for the purposes of bureaucratic purposes and organisational managements.
Thorn Within The Rose
Keywords: None
With their exquisite poise and choice of words, a rendsventka can pick the precise phrasing that lets them tailor their message specifically for a single target. When making a social attack against a specific individual (whether verbally or in writing), they may hide it within a general message intended to be heard by a wider audience. Any observer whose MDV beats the successes on the attack roll will notice that there is a second hidden message, though not what it is unless they have a higher Enlightenment than the rendsventka.
Obviously, credit goes to @EarthScorpion for the writeups.
But yes, this is an interesting view. Haneyl is balanced between three natures - the Malfeas in her, the Metagaos in her and the humanity that Keris has tried to teach her - which as Sasi's daughter has ended up vaguely neurotic and Dynastic. And so her keruby find that whichever nature winds up predominating in them is the one that sets their path of growth. Naturally, each adult breed thinks their path is best, because Haneyl. You can also, uh. See quite a lot about her psychology in each one; some of them things she'd definitely prefer to stay hidden. Especially the maglyaszentkae, who are probably going to get a sympathetic "... oh, Haneyl" from Calesco when they start showing up.
(and then the first mezkerub matures and she has bigger problems because TRAUMA EVERYWHERE, NOBODY IS SPARED, NOBODY)
