Talk:Everpresent Diamond Law

Mutations Wish-list

Afflictions

Inexhaustible

Does not suffer fatigue from any source.

Agatae Brilliance

Add +1 Appearance and +1 Charisma

Blights

Heart-rending Mien

Vision of Loveliness: Perquisite: Appearance 3+. The first time in a scene an onlooker sees the mutant’s face she must make a reflexive Temperance roll. If the roll fails, the onlooker is entranced by his beauty, imposing a -2 penalty to her MDVs to resist doing as the mutant wants for the remainder of the scene. The onlooker will even take her own initiative to do what she thinks the mutant would like.

Abominations

Enchanting Voice

Gain one automatic success on any social roll involving one's voice. In addition you may pick one subsidiary power for free (and purchase the others as Blights):

Each successful verbal-based social attack counts as two scenes of bolstering or eroding an Intimacy

Successful verbal-based natural mental influence cost two willpower to resist. After the two willpower is spent, the person is still immune to natural mental influence for the rest of the scene

By paying one temporary Willpower or three motes the mutant may attempt to entrance her listeners. Treat this as a regular (Charisma + Performance) based Social attack, comparing the results of this roll to the Dodge MDV of all listeners. Any listener whose Dodge MDV is less than the number of successes rolled is entranced for the remainder of the scene (or until the stylist ceases speaking, whichever comes first). Affected characters will not take voluntary actions for the duration of the stylist's performance and suffer a -1 external penalty on all Awareness rolls while entranced. Treat this effect as a form of natural mental influence that can be ignored for the scene by expending one temporary Willpower. Any form of physical attack upon the mutant or the victims of this power automatically ends the effect (those entranced, however, still apply the -1 external penalty to their Join Battle roll).

Charm Wish-list

Will be updated eventually. OH GOD OH GOD SO MANY.

Cecelyne

Anonymity through Propriety

Exerts unnatural mental influence on all characters, including animals, within Essence X100 () yards of the Infernals, and who have less Dodge MDV than the Infernal's Charisma + Bureaucracy + Cult () and who have Essence of equal or lower than the Infernal (). Those affected pay no attention to the Infernal or her affairs unless they directly involve the target, and refuse to acknowledge them. Targets can spend a WP to resist for a day, and spending five WP in a row jades them to the Charm's effects for a month. At Essence 4+, the Infernal can buy this charm again to increase the range to Essence () in miles. (8m, 1wp)

Sublimination of Ordained Purpose

Enhance a social attack made to force a god or demon (or elemental who holds office in the Celestial Bureaucracy) to fulfill the purpose they came into existence for. The social attack becomes undodgeable unnatural mental influence, and the target must spend WP equal to the Infernal's Essence () to resist. This may be paid gradually, but the target does not break free of the compulsion until the cost is fully paid. If sorcerously bound and forced to take actions against this Charm, the demon loses a point of Willpower for each Non-reflexive action. At zero WP, both compulsions break, freeing the demon and refreshing its WP pool. Third Circle demons freed this way create a Blasphemy effect. (3m, 1wp)

Sand-slip Trick

Doubles movement speed in areas of physical desolation. This is Obvious unless you're riding a desert creature or other believable vehicle. At Essence 3+, you cannot be knocked down by nonmagical means, your legs shaping into sand in a Shaping effect. (Permanent)

Scorpion-tailed Mirage Technique

Creates a magical flurry of actions equal to Cult+2 (7). The attacks bypass rate and suffer no multiple action penalties, while the flurry as a whole imposes a DV penalty equal to the highest penalty for any attack. A single attack is colocated with this, meaning you roll once and apply the result against each defender. All enhancements (such as Cece Excellency) only need to be applied on one attack to affect all. You may target no more than one target per attack, and if ranged the attacked must be within 10 yards of either the Infernal or the first target. Infernals with Essence 4+ may purchase Scorpion-Tailed Mirage Technique a second time. Whenever an Infernal with two purchases augments the first attack with First Cecelyne Excellency, he may direct all of those attacks at a single target, copying the attack through encirclement to strike from all sides. (4m, 1wp in place of desolation; 6m, 1wp otherwise)

Sand through Fingers Defense

Perfect Defense against attacks by turning yourself into dust. Can dodge undodgeable attacks. Doesn't work on attacks that strike incorporeal, and doesn't work on those with two Essence or more higher than Law. (3m)

Soul-Sieve Transmutation

An Infernal with this Charm may spend five motes and one Willpower rather than three motes when activating Sands Through Fingers Defense. She perfectly dodges the incoming attack as normal but also remains dematerialized until her next action tick. Attacks exploiting the Imperfection of the Endless Desert may ignore this dodge as if the Infernal were solid. The Infernal may invoke this Charm in the absence of an attack. (Permanent [5m, 1wp])

Soul-sand Devil Shintai

The Infernal’s body permanently assumes a natural dematerialized state like a demon, the manifest image of which appears in close inspection to be constructed from billions of jagged particles. The Infernal gains the benefits of a demon’s panoply with regard to the material state of his own possessions and attuned artifacts. He no longer needs to breathe air, but suffocates normally if taken into a place where there is no living Essence to respire (such as the Underworld) unless he has Cult 3+ or Essence 6+. He longer requires food regardless of whether he is in a place of desolation, but he still hungers and gains penalties as described in Transcendent Desert Creature unless he has Cult 3+ to provide a steady diet of nourishing prayers. He may manifest or conceal his presence to communicate as a translucent apparition, toggling between the two states for a reflexive cost of one mote. Any anima banner display at the four to seven mote level or above automatically manifests regardless of whether his form has manifested. Also, gains the ability to Materialize, as the Charm, for [Willpower + Essence] X5 (), or your entire pool if you cannot afford that.

World-grinding Sandstorm Infinity

SAND NUKE. Designate an area within a place of desolation up to one mile in diameter; the area ripples and winds for 10 ticks, at the end of which it explodes for Essence + Cult lethal piercing damage () with Trauma Essence (), in the form of sandstorms, sinkholes and other desert power. These affect both corporeal and incorporeal foes. The area is obscured by sand like fog for an hour, during which it is treated as a place of physical desolation. If the Infernal is injured while casting, the effect triggers centered on herself. With Scoured Perfection of Form, the Infernal may choose to create a mutagenic storm instead of damage, inflicting everyone in the radius with one mutation that costs two willpower to resist (Creature of Darkness must either be the first mutation, or the targets must all be inflicted with it). In war, the time period is negligible, and units of Magnitude 3+ can't hope to dodge without magic. At Essence 5, both effects can be extended to one hour length, with damage or mutations occurring every minute (and the Infernal can move the storm at four times her movement speed as diceless misc action or stop it reflexively, as well as as manifest her iconic anima banner in it). (40m, 2wp)

Greater Shintai of the Endless Desert

You become a giant, incorporeal desert. The transformation causes an effect similar to World-Grinding Sandstorm Infinity at creation, as you reshape yourself into a massive conflagration of silver sand. Your body is incorporeal, and stretches a mile across; as such, all attacks by smaller beings against you are undodgeable without Charms, but can do no more than 1 point of damage final unless by a gigantic target or one attack that encompasses over a tenth of your area. Full +3 magnitude bonus against any non-colossal foe in war regardless of enemy magnitude. All points within your desert are observed simulaneously as with All-encompassing Sorcerer's Sight, though stealth is possible as you do not pay attention to all points equally. May communicate with Performance () up to Essence () miles, in a gravelly but silken voice. May be socially attacked by those within her, but can perfectly defend by withdrawing her attention from the area (however, cannot observe what goes on in the area or interact if she's covering her eyes and ears). Can spend 3m to act physically anywhere inside of her desert, or nothing to socially attack. Immune to Poison, Crippling, and non-magical Sickness, and can't starve or suffocate. May move at normal movement rate (dashing and jumping impossible) and cannot be blockaded. The land beneath your storm is transformed into a Holy Land Infliction desert (with all benefits) via Shaping, changing back as you move about unless the Infernal's Essence is 6+. There is a perpetual hazard inside the storm, which can be modified to either blistering heat (1B/hour, Trauma 1), sandstorm (1L/minute, Trauma 2), or a supernatural burning sandstorm (1L/action, Trauma 3). If immersed entirely in liquid, or dispelled by appropriate countermagic (or Adamant Circle Banishment), returns to normal. Sorcerous charm, but can be voluntarily deactivated. (40m, 3WP)

Draught of Sweet Infinity

Use VEE to heal one crippling effect or non-agg health levels equal to (Essence or Cult). The desire for healing doesn't need to be spoken, only intended. The recipient who accepts gains an Intimacy of reverence to the Infernal, which cannot be resisted. At Essence 4, both Crippling and health levels can be healed without having to choose. At Essence 5, can heal all Crippling effects and HL at once, for a cost of 4m extra per Crippling effect after the first. (Permanent)

Sorcerous Initiation of Cecelyne

Can learn sorcery; spellshape as normal. All spells to summon, bind, or banish creatures cost 10 motes and 1WP less, to a minimum of 5m and 1WP. Cannot cast magic that creates food or water. First purchase gives Emerald Circle spell access, second gives Sapphire, third gives Adamant. (Permanent Sorcerous)

SWLiHN

Ego-Infused Pattern Primacy (upgrade)

Second purchase decreases the time interval to a minute. Third allows you to spend 2m to make it instantaneous.

Wholeness Rightly Assumed

Upgrades Ego-Infused Pattern Primacy to cure any other status effect of your choice, per purchase (Crippling, Sickness, Servitude, etc). Bashing or Lethal damage can be purchased as separate buys; for instant healing as per third purchase of Ego, bashing costs 3m and lethal 5m.

Mind Spider Curse

When possessing a Manse with an MI, transmit a pulse across EssenceX100 (400) yards from the manse that eradicates free will in mortals. Roll Willpower+Essence (14) against mortals Dodge MDV (Children get -2). (7m, 1wp)

Heuristic Logos Shintai

Turn into a giant awesome construct of spheres and constellations up to EssenceX100 () yards large. Can't parry, physically attack, or physically manipulate the environment by most means, but can dodge and your natural soak and hardness increase to 10 B/L (if lower). You can't suffer more than minimum damage from an attack. Fly like Ascendant Objectivity Stance. Principle-Invoking Onslaught is free an an innate power, and you can maintain unlimited clinches with it. Mind-hand Manipulation's strength is tripled (), its range increased to EssenceX300 yards (), and Rate is increased to 10. You can target everyone in an entire complementary unit in mass combat, doubling raw damage and ensuring that you can choose whether casualties are dead, fled, or maimed. No longer needs to inflict damage to use Will-crushing force; only needs to hit, and can target an entire complementary unit. (15m, 1wp)

Spells

Slave-Spawn Summons

Summon a First-Circle demon as per Demon of the First Circle, but only takes normal casting time, not a lengthy ritual. 20 motes to cast and +5 motes for every -1 internal penalty on the demon's dice (minus Cece Sorcery bonus). Contested roll is Willpower + Essence (). This works at all times in Malfeas or any realm where the Loom of Fate has no purchase; in places like Creation or Yushan, it may be cast at sunset. Works in shadowlands as in creation, but not at all in the Underworld. May contest other summons to steal demons away, or be contested in the same manner. Demons so summoned and successfully bound gain an Intimacy of reverence or terrified awe (Infernal's choice) to the summoner, which cannot erode until the binding is complete. Abscissic binding rules are used as well as task binding. Most demons flee if the roll fails to avoid reprisals, but some are just nuts. (20+motes)

Custom Heretical Charm Ideas

Faith-Begotten Creation

Cost: 10m, 1wp; Mins: Cult 1, Essence 4; Type: Simple
Keywords: Heretical, Messianic, Native, Obvious, Sorcerous
Duration: Instant or until changed (see below)
Prerequisite Charms: Temple-Self Apotheosis, Hollow Mind Possession

Description: Faith begets faith. Cecelyne knows that those seeing meaning will flock to one who expresses faith, eager to fill themselves with purpose. Likewise, She Who Lives in Her Name understands that free will, when wiped away, allows for a greater mind to scrawl purpose on it. By combining these two principles, Law has devised a way to take the faith of her adherents and fill a willing receptacle with devotion to her.

The Infernal may activate this charm by touching a being suitable for possession with Hollow Mind Posssession (Manses with MIs, Automatons, dream-eaten or mind-wiped with Mind Spider Curse or Will-crushing Force, etc) and create a conduit through which prayer and devotion her flows into the target. Roll (Charisma + Presence + Essence) against the same difficulties as with HMP. However, reduce the difficulty by (Cult rating) if the target has a Sorcerous backdoor from a previous possession; due to the Charm's invasive nature, a roll is still necessary. The Infernal may also activate this charm while possessing the target, in which case it counts as if exploiting the backdoor.

The resulting charm floods the automaton with the prayers of the faithful towards the Infernal, overwhelming them with the sum-total of all the adoration and worship the Infernal receives. The MI (if any) twists and warps under the theological cascade, its memories subsumed as a new intellect forms from it and the Infernal's echoes; empty vessels merely receive the prayers as they coalesce into a new mind. The transformation takes a number of hours equal to (Manse/Artifact rating + 1), reduced by one hour per level of Cult and per each time the subject has been possessed with HMP, as the improvements from contact flourish and bolster the emerging intelligence. Up until the process is complete, the effect can be counterspelled; once it is finished, it is permanent.

The faith-child automatically gains the Urge "Worship and obey <the Infernal>"; if this conflicts with the being's motivation, if any, the Motivation is constantly eroded by the conflicting orders, eventually changing into a mirror of the Urge unless fought against. The MI also gains an Intimacy of reverence to the Infernal, as if it had prayed to her under Temple-Self Apotheosis (Willpower may never be spent to resist this, if the MI has any). This Intimacy is inviolate; compulsions against it count as an unacceptable order and it cannot be reduced through social combat.

The automaton/manse's traits do not change, except for the usual improvements garnered from Hollow Mind Possession. However, the nature of faith allows the Infernal to sculpt its creation; the Infernal can use Verdant Emptiness Endowment or its expansions to improve the subject, which it will not resist. Normal XP debt applies, except for in the case of Willpower and Virtues; the Infernal may use activations to raise these traits to her natural level if the subject's are lower with no XP cost. The automaton gets one further bonus: it gets (CultX2) in XP to spend on VEE the first time the charm is used, which persists until it has been used up. Raising Virtues in this way grants automatons true sentience. It can gain intimacies and traits as normal; it is a true individual.

The being is utterly loyal to the Infernal; in fact, it worships its creator, filled with an unnatural reverence. It can only generate prayers for the Infernal if it has a soul (like a Dream-eaten or a Mind-spider Curse victim). An added benefit of the new mind is that it cannot be possessed by another person's attempt at HMP, though the Infernal that created the creature my possess its faith-child.

Needle of the Mind

Cost: - ; Mins: Essence 4; Type: Permanent
Keywords: Heretical
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: Faith-Begotten Creation, Will-Crushing Force

Faith empowers gods, and grants their half-blooded children the chance to transcend their natures to become gods in their own right. This power is recognized by Cecelyne, who enforces and demands worship from her children, but has never managed to use faith to break her imprisonment. She Who Lives in Her Name demands hierarchy and that individuals conform to preset principles, but cannot rewrite those principles to her own vision now that they've deviated. Now able to create minds through faith, the Infernal learns how to inject this devotion into other beings, imposing faith upon them and reshaping them to her design, not that of the Yozis.

This charm permanently enhances Will-Crushing Force. When you eradicate a target's will by depleting their Willpower with this charm, you may choose to replace the Policy or standard extrapolation of your Urge with an extrapolation of your Motivation (or simply your Motivation).

In addition, in any case where you can inflict Willpower damage on a target, you may instead invade their mind with your worshipers' adoration. The target's mind fills with prayers to the Infernal and feels the devotion they feel in his soul. Every attack counts as a successful social attack towards building an Intimacy of reverence to the Infernal, which gives a number of points towards the Intimacy equal to the Infernal's Cult. Intimacies created this way may be eroded normally, or reinforced by normal social combat or this Charm. On targets whose will has been broken with WCF, the Intimacy becomes inviolate if the target shares your motivation. The mental invasion cannot be resisted with Willpower; breaching their mental defenses is enough to taint the target's mind.

Despite being an expansion to a Yozi Charm, this charm remains beyond the ken of any Yozi. They cannot learn this Charm.

Emerald Angel Unyielding

Cost: - ; Mins: Essence 3; Type: Permanent
Keywords: Heretical
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: Emerald Angel Unfurling, Untouchable Infinitude Reflection

The primordial mind can be girded as the body against the honeyed words of gods and Exalts. This charm permanently enhances Emerald Angel Unfurling to apply to unnatural mental influence; any instance in which the Infernal is subject to this, he may roll a layer as if it were Shaping.

Unlike with Shaping effects, the manifestation is not obvious; on a success, the emerald wing glints in the Infernal's eyes, buffeting the magic from her mind. On a failure, the wing appears to shatter into emerald shards; only a botch is Obvious, as the Infernal's eyes flash bright green as the barrier shatters entirely. She can still reflexively recreate the barrier whenever a layer or all layers have been lost. The roll to notice a success or failure is (Perception + Awareness, difficulty of the Infernal's Essence)

At Essence 5+, the Infernal may treat natural mental influence the same as unnatural for the purposes of this charm.

Emerald Angel Enveloping

Cost: - ; Mins: Essence 3; Type: Permanent
Keywords: Heretical
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: Emerald Angel Unyielding, Temple-Self Apotheosis

The wings of the Emerald Angel can extend to guard others with the master's authority, defending allies and lessers with the full force of her glory. This charm permanently enhances Emerald Angel Unfurling, allowing the Infernal to extend it to others.

Anyone within one mile of the Infernal whom she can perceive can be effected by this charm, at the normal cost. The target is bathed in emerald light, as pairs of (Infernal's Integrity) wings fold around him in a luminous embrace. The recipient feels a powerful sense of comfort, and senses the Infernal's spirit flowing over him. The number of layers is based on the Infernal's Integrity, not the recipient's. Only the Infernal may reactivate the charm for the recipient if it breaks; the bearer cannot restore the layers by any means. The Charm may benefit from other expansions to Emerald Angel Unfurling when used in this manner, and you may have as many instances of this Charm active as your Essence (including for yourself).

In addition to the usual effects, anyone blessed with EAE counts as gaining (Infernal's Integrity) points towards an Intimacy of reverence for the Infernal. Spending a point of Willpower can negate this effect, but also negates the effects of EAU. The recipient is instinctively aware that resisting will forgo protection, and since the Charm is often used reflexively in the face of horrible Shaping or mental influence, the person may be inclined to accept conditional protection.

Emerald Angel Overwhelming

Cost: - ; Mins: Essence 4; Type: Permanent
Keywords: Heretical
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: Emerald Angel Unyielding

So great is the Infernal's authority over herself that she cannot be denied. This charm permanently enhances Emerald Angel Unfurling; the Infernal may voluntarily expend one layer when making a social attack. That attack becomes both undodgeable and unblockable; only a social perfect defense can counter it. This effect is Obvious: one of the emerald wings manifests to reach out and touch the target's heart, shattering into glass in an obliterating burst of command.

In addition, a target who has less MDV than the Infernal's (Charisma + Presence + Essence) ignores the Obvious effect, his mind rationalizing how the infernal convinced him. This is an Illusion effect.

At Essence 6+, all people who seem this charm effect are affected by the Illusion as if they were the target. They are not otherwise swayed.

Intangibility Solidly Enforced

Cost: 2m; Mins: Essence 3; Type: Reflexive (Step 2)
Keywords: Combo-OK, Heretical, Obvious
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Soul-sand Devil Shintai, Ego Infused Pattern Primacy

By enforcing the principle of self and denying attempts to shape her being, the Infernal can defy attempts to alter or affect her material nature. This charm may only be used if the Infernal is dematerialized.

If the Infernal is effected by anything that would inflict harm incorporeal creatures, he may activate this charm reflexively to ignore the effect. This is a perfect dodge against any attack that specifically affects dematerialized beings or alters a dematerialized state. Effects include: the attacks of incorporeal beings against the incorporeal Infernal, charms that affect spirits and other incorporeal beings, charms that force dematerialized being to materialize, and charms that prevent such being from dematerializing. Activation breaks long-standing charm effects; the Infernal's momentary reconstitution rendered her invalid for these charms, ending the effect. Whether or not the attack is undodgeable is irrelevent, as the attack simply doesn't work. Unexpected attacks can also be dodged, as the Infernal innately realizes the magic attempting to harm her being. Note that abilities that perceive dematerialized beings may be blocked with this, but only for the duration of the charm; enough time to reposition and surprise a foe, or disappear quickly, if one is fast enough.

This charm can be reflexively activated on the same action the Infernal uses Sand through Fingers Defense, as if placed in a combo, with no Willpower expenditure. You simply pay the mote cost on top of that Charm's cost. This does not allow StFD to work against unexpected attacks; the unexpected negation only applies to materialize-specific powers as above.

This Charm carries the Flaw of the Endless Desert.

(I hope you don't mind me commenting here) This Charm is problematic. Soul-Sand Devil Shintai sets your natural state to dematerialised, meaning you can remain that way permanently. Thus, this Charm effectively provides a 2 mote perfect defence, which will also have no flaw once you reach Essence 8. I suggest changing it into an (non-Heretic) expansion to Sand Through Fingers Defense, which tacks an optional 2 mote surcharge onto its activation cost in order to make attacks that can affect dematerialized targets fail. However, the Essence 8 problem remains. At that point, it would be a 5m perfect (same as SWLiHN's), but without a flaw. It might be simpler to just buy a complementary perfect defence from a different tree, or to design your own. --Rask 13:48, 17 November 2010 (UTC)

Nah, I don't mind. Proofreading is always good. I'll probably just use another perfect along with it (I have SWLiHN's one right now) and use this one as a cheap alternative/prereq for stuff I want. Although if I can I'll adapt it because i like the idea. --Bossmuff 19:21, 20 November 2010 (UTC)