Blade-Stilling Glare
Cost: 3m
Minimums: Melee 3, Essence 2
Type: Reflexive (Step 1 or Step 2)
Keywords: Combo-OK, Obvious, Mirror
Duration: Instant
Prerequisites: None
The Lawgivers bind the blades of their enemies with attention as uncompromising as the desert sun.
This charm affects sheathed or unreadied weapons The Solar can perceive within [Essence x10] yards. Weapons so affected roll Valor at Difficulty 2 or the Solar's [Essence/2, rounded up], whichever is higher.
If the weapon fails this roll, it cannot be readied until its owner makes a successful Miscellenous social attack against the weapon's MDV, soothing the weapon's terrified Least God.
This Charm has on effect on weapons forged of magic like Glorious Solar Saber, strapped-on weapons like Cestus, or ones she cannot perceive, such as a concealed knife or the dematerialized panoply of a spirit. When determining what traits to use, it is safe to assume that mundane weapons have the traits of Mortal Extras, while Artifact Weapons are heroic mortals. Truly storied or loyal weapons can have Valor 4 or 5 at the Storyteller's discretion.
New Abyssal Charm: Blades Grow Cold As Graves
This Charm is similar to its Solar Mirror, save that it has the Crippling keyword- if a weapon is successfully cowed, hoarfrost builds around spearhafts or hilts, sealing them shut or rendering them useless until the ice is knocked away with a Miscellaneous action. Characters with Wits 3 or less find their hands frozen to their weapons, ruining those limbs as a Crippling Effect that requires magical treatment to cure.
AN:
So you know what I love? Ownership mechanics and least-gods in weapons. I have this big personal thing, where I want to do a whole series of Solar Charms based on a mechanical niche they could have explored beyond 'perfection' and 'human mastery' which would be something like 'Loyalty in my people, my equipment and beyond'.
I want you to imagine being able to whisper to your arrows: "I order you to slay my foe."
and your arrow replies "Yes master!"
As for Blade-Stilling Glare, I wanted to experiment with more esoteric 'Melee' effects. This could more generally go in Presence as a kind of intimidation effect, but I left it in Melee because of how weapon-focused it was. It got a little longer, wordier and clause-ier than I liked, but at the same time, I felt like being specific added to the charm.
It's one of those little side-things, since this is essentially a pre-emptive Disarm Effect, that you can't actually disarm strapped-on weapons without extra effort. Smashfists, Cesti and the like don't 'fly out of your hand' as per 2e rules.
I also clearly wanted to push hard on the idea of Action Economy as a meaningful thing- a lot of the reason why whiteboxing happens the way it does, is becuase people aren't forced to push out of their preferred habits. They fall into routines of 'This works, so I'm going to keep doing it until it wins'.
So in this Charm, it basically demands that if you want to draw your weapon AND attack after being told 'No stay down', you have to flurry. This precludes Extra Action Charms, Simple Charms, and a whole bunch else.
The Abyssal Mirror's crippling effect is also an experiment- I did not want to emphasize additional rolling; my go-to would have been a reflexive wits+melee to avoid having your hand frozen to your weapon, but I decided that maybe making a 'Are you This high' check is more reasonable. It also puts this firmly in 'Fuck Extras' territory, which is by design.